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Rural China tackles hefty bride prices to ease marriage burdens

Xinhua) 15:54, January 04, 2025

YINCHUAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- As the Spring Festival approaches, many in China may see it as an ideal time to propose marriage and discuss the traditional bride price with their future in-laws.

While the practice of bride price has deep historical roots, it has evolved into a significant financial burden for many, particularly in rural areas, where it often exceeds its symbolic value.

The bride price, therefore, has become a focal point for policymakers amid the country's broader efforts to create a more newlywed-friendly society. With rural communities across the nation pushing for a "zero bride price" movement, change appears to be on the horizon.

In northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, changes are underway. In Haiyuan County, where hefty bride prices once prevailed, Li Jinyun has become the first to marry without paying a bride price in Zhengqi Township, thanks to local officials' tireless mediation efforts between the groom's and bride's families.

"The in-laws didn't ask for a penny, which has truly relieved us of a huge financial burden," Li Chengxiao, Li Jinyun's father, said. "I have a daughter as well, and when it's her turn to marry, I will also support a zero or low bride price."

In China, the groom's family traditionally offers a betrothal gift, known as "caili," to the bride's family before they marry. As standards of living have risen, betrothal gifts can now cost hundreds of thousands of yuan, in addition to other accompanying gifts.

For instance, in Julu County, once classified as a poverty-stricken area in north China's Hebei Province, the typical bride price ranges from 100,000 yuan (about 13,912 U.S. dollars) to 200,000 yuan.

Since April 2024, Ningxia has launched a targeted campaign to tackle high bride prices in rural areas, using innovative outreach, a reward-and-punishment system, among other measures to drive reform in marriage customs.

In Dingtang Township, located in Tongxin County in Ningxia, heads of local women's federations from 19 villages were mobilized to act as volunteer matchmakers, while also promoting a new approach to marriage.

"We only facilitate matchmaking for those who forego hefty bride prices," said Ma Xiaoyan, head of the women's federation in Ganwangou Village. Ma has successfully facilitated the marriages of three couples, one of whom married without a bride price, while the others paid a reasonable amount.

In addition to village officials offering mediation and raising awareness door-to-door, some areas are providing tangible incentives to newlyweds who opt for zero or low bride prices. For example, these couples can receive free wedding banquet venues, priority in job recruitment, and pension subsidies.

Across China, a top-down campaign has been launched against exorbitant bride prices alongside lavish weddings in rural areas.

In recent years, the "No. 1 central document," the first policy statement released by China's central authorities each year, has repeatedly highlighted the issue of high bride prices.

In August 2022, central authorities issued a proposal to launch a targeted campaign against high bride prices and lavish weddings.

A judicial interpretation on handling bride price-related disputes, issued by the Supreme People's Court, came into effect in February 2024. It prohibits requesting money or other possessions in the name of marriage.

Outside Ningxia, other localities are devising their ingenious approaches to promote the new marriage ethos.

"Searching round and round, for a good lad; what matters is integrity, and with that, we could say no to bride price and dowry." Folk songs, such as this, advocating for a zero bride price, have been composed and performed by volunteers for the villagers in Jiangxi Province.

In Yishui County, located in east China's Shandong Province, the local government launched a reform to reshape marriage customs and prevent villagers from engaging in costly "keeping up with the Joneses" practices.

The government-issued non-mandatory guidance on simplifying weddings set the bride price at a maximum of 10,000 yuan, limited the number of wedding cars to no more than six, and suggested that wedding guests give cash gifts of no more than 200 yuan.

"In the past, hosting weddings often involved face-saving comparisons, with expenses for bride price, wedding cars, and banquets totaling tens of thousands of yuan. The guidelines for simplifying weddings have allowed couples to save a significant amount of money," said Liu Yangqing, a local villager who held a wedding last year.

China is making consistent efforts to foster a newlywed-friendly society, with localities rolling out various incentive measures. Official data showed that the number of marriage registrations in China rose again in 2023, after dropping for nine consecutive years.

The increase in the number of newlyweds is often seen as a key factor in boosting the birth rate, said Huang Wei, an associate professor at the National School of Development, Peking University, in a previous interview with Xinhua.

As one of the world's most populous countries, China is facing profound demographic challenges posed by its rapidly aging population. Official statistics show that nearly 297 million Chinese people were aged 60 or above in 2023, accounting for 21.1 percent of the total population.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
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A proposal to build a cross-border bridge linking Warrenpoint and Omeath at a cost of 500,000 was considered half a century ago.

Newly released files show officials did not believe that the 200,000 funding required from Northern Ireland would be made available for the proposed link in 1975.

Earlier last year, it was confirmed that, after decades of speculation, work had begun on the Narrow Water Bridge between Co Down and Co Louth, with the Irish Government providing more than 100 million euros towards the project.

However, the files show that the Department of the Environment had prepared a report in response to a proposal from Louth County Council for a bridge almost 50 years before.

The file is called Schemes for new roads and bridges across the Northern Ireland/Eire border.

It includes a map showing the area of the proposed bridge.

A covering letter says the estimated cost to N Ireland is 200,000.

It adds: Fifteen hundred vehicles per day as the maximum summer usage is probably a reasonable estimate.

The winter usage could exceed the 250 stated and would probably be around 1,000 especially if a high percentage of the Carlingford Omeath traffic used the crossing to take advantage of the dual carriageway to Newry.

Traffic on the existing Newry to Omeath road would probably drop on the length from Narrow Water to Newry.

At present I cannot see money being available for this work.

It is a proposal which is most attractive from a tourist point of view and is worthy of further consideration in the future.

A more detailed report in the file says the overall likely cost of the bridge would be approximately 500,000.

It says the proposed site is the most southerly location clear of the Warrenpoint harbour and industrial sites.

Regarding the tourist potential of the proposed project, the report says: There might be little Northern usage of such a link since the main car trip passes through Newry in any case.

Only a small percentage of the Mourne tourist trip is round Ireland and of that only a proportion might wish to use the bridge in preference to bypassing the scenery Warrenpoint/Newry/Omeath which is itself as unique as much of the traditional Mourne circuit.

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Perhaps 200 trips per day summer.

In all perhaps the maximum daily number usage might be in the order of about 1000-1500 with this falling to less than 250 in the winter.

The report concludes: The likely usage appears to be too low to justify participation in such inessential expenditure, especially in the current financial scene and the competing work of infinitely greater necessity in Newry.

If Louth County Council wish to pursue the idea of a Omeath/Warrenpoint link, perhaps they should examine the possibility of introducing a car ferry.

The Northern contribution to such a venture could perhaps be the provision of a slipway at Warrenpoint  commercial risk and profits (if any) to Louth County Council.
DkIT recently hosted the graduation of students from the Headstart Programme which the Institute runs in conjunction with Louth Local Development.

The Headstart Programme is aimed at people thinking about going to college and takes place for three hours a week over a ten-week block. The programme focuses on the main skills required for college, including academic writing, presentation skills, group work, time management, career guidance and assignment feedback.

It is delivered on the DkIT campus, offering one to one time with lecturers to support learners with their specific needs. This course is open to absolutely everyone who ever thought that college wouldnt be a possibility for them and explores the different pathways available to starting college in DkIT including the application process.

12 graduates were presented with certificates for completing this years course by Christina King, Youth & Education Coordinator at Louth Local Development, Johdi Quinn, DkIT Pathways & Headstart Co-ordinator and Maeve Harkin, the SICAP Social Inclusion Manager at Louth Local Development. Participants were also given the opportunity to share the positive impact the course had on them and their hopes for their futures in education.

Dr Colette Henry, Head of the Department of Business at DkIT congratulated the participants for overcoming their fears and the challenges they faced to complete the course and encouraged them to channel their motivation to take the next step on their third-level journey. She was joined by Dr Brian Boyd, a lecturer in the Department of Management and Financial Studies and Pastoral Care Coordinator Alan Conlon, who provided integral support to the course participants throughout the ten weeks.

Johdi Quinn (DkIT Pathways & Headstart Co-ordinator, Community Development and Spanish Lecturer) said: Headstart changes people's lives. It allows participants to realise that they are enough, it encourages them to believe in themselves again often after many years of giving to everybody else. It supports people to believe that they can come into DkIT - that they are good enough, that they are more than enough.

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"Participants often walk into DkIT on day one thinking that they don't belong on our corridors and by the end of the programme, they have their heads held high and they are determined to come and get their degree. It's such a privilege to be a part of something so powerful and transformative. I'm so proud of the Headstart 2024 gang.

Christina King, Youth & Education Coordinator, Louth Local Development said:

It was lovely to see another fabulous group of people get further in their dreams of progressing back to education. We really enjoyed another successful year of working with DKIT.

A participant in the 2024 Headstart Programme said: I walked into Headstart really nervous and wondering what I was doing here. But I'm finishing up today and I've made the decision to apply for DkIT. Now's my time. It was the women who came in to speak to us, who did Headstart and are now doing their degrees that swayed me. They showed me that it is possible. I'm going to do it! I'm still feeling the fear but I'm going to do it anyway.
An environmental advocacy short film entitled Project Noel was premiered at Podium last March 24, 2010 which serves as the legacy the outgoing Miss Philippines-Earth Batch 2009 will leave as they turn-over the torch to the Miss Phillippines-Earth Batch 2010 that will be crowned on April 25, 2010.

Project Noel is a project of the Miss Earth Foundation, the Miss Philippines-Earth Batch 2009, Carousel Productions Inc., SM Cinemas and Manila Water that aims to teach the value of resource management and instill in each one of us the responsibility towards Mother Earth.

In this short film Joel Jairus plays Noel, a young boy who was inspired by his father Jojit Lorenzo, a garbage collector, and is fond of gathering waste materials, taking pride in finding ways how to recycle them. Noel is a scholar in a private school and soon engaged in a school art project about the environment in a bid to represent the school in a nationwide contest.

The beauty queens themselves took on technical roles to make this production possible, from conceptualization to leg work during the shoot day itself. Project Noel is co-produced with Marcus Phoenix Media Production and directed by Jon Steffan Ballesteros.

Since 2006, all outgoing Miss Philippines-Earth batches leaves with their own projects. Batch 2006 came up with a book entitled Bakawan, published by Adarna Books and is now being used in the Bright Minds Read Program of the Department of Education and Philippine daily Inquirer Read Alongs. Batch 2007 produced their own reusable bags which they called I Love ME (Mother Earth, Miss Earth). Batch 2008 embarked on a 20,000 tree planting challenged where they were able to plant thousands of trees in Albay and Zamboanga.

Project Noel Poster







Miss Philippines-Earth 2009



Miss Philippines-Earth Batch 2009











Miss Earth Forever since 1978 LMAO!










A status orange rain and snow warning has been issued for Cork, which will be valid from 5pm On Saturday until 5pm Sunday while a status yellow rain and snow warning is in place from 1pm on Saturday.

Met Eireann has warned people to expect very difficult travelling conditions, poor visibility, difficult conditions underfoot, and added that travel disruption delays to public transport including rail, bus and air are likely.

Cork City Council has said that its severe weather assessment team will be closely monitoring the situation, and that they have activated their winter maintenance plan, which includes salting and gritting key roads in the city, and local authority emergency response teams will be in place, ready to respond if necessary.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland has reported that adequate salt supplies are in place, and local authorities will continue to salt roads as well as footpaths in urban centres where possible. The National Transport Authority confirmed that public transport authorities are on alert in anticipation of potential disruption over the weekend.

Uisce Eireann advised that water expands by nearly 10% as it freezes and turns into ice, which stops the flow of water through pipes and can cause even new pipes to split.

They shared some easy preventative measures such as : Checking outside pipes and, if possible, turning off water supply to these areas or to any unoccupied premises.

They also suggested setting the heating to come on periodically at a lower temperature, allowing warm air to circulate to prevent pipes and tanks from freezing in the cold weather.

Uisce Eireann spokesperson Margaret Attridge suggested people should familiarise themselves with their own internal water system and how to turn off supply in the event of a burst pipe.

We also recommend that people dont run taps continually as this is not an effective way of preventing frozen pipes and can cause other problems such as frozen drains, she added.

Cork advocate for the elderly, Paddy OBrien, urged people to check in on their elderly neighbours and family members, saying: During this exceptionally cold spell, the most vulnerable here are our elderly people, especially those who are living alone and many of who are house-bound.

The message I want to get out to the elderly is that heat is vital. Make sure youre walking about to generate heat in your own body, and drink plenty of hot beverages.

Sean Moynihan, chief executive officer of Alone, said that if anyone is concerned for an elderly person, members of the public can call the charity on 0818 222 024 from 8am to 8pm daily.
MBABANE - The drama never ends at the Anglican Church of Eswatini.

In the latest development, the cathedral parishioners through the Parish Church Council (PCC), composed of parishioners have rejected the appointment of Reverend Zama Sigudla as the Acting Rector. As reported by our sister publication, the Times of Eswatini yesterday, the Diocese of Eswatini appointed Sigudla through a letter dated December 17, 2024 which was signed by Bishop Dr Dalcy Dlamini.

However, this publication is in possession of a fresh letter dated December 29, 2024, where the PCC strongly rejected the appointment.

The rejection letter has been addressed to the chairperson of the Safe and Inclusive Church (SAIC) Commission in Cape Town, South Africa.

It has also been copied to the Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA) Archbishop Dr Thabo Makgoba.

Receipt

The parishioners stated that they are in receipt of a letter dated December 17, 2024 and that it followed what they termed an unannounced visit to the cathedrals 8am service on Sunday, December 22, 2024 by two canons, Ethel Ndlela and Vusi Kunene, who said they were sent by the bishop to announce the appointment to the congregation. The parishioners said they did not understand why the two canons chose the 8am congregation, when there are three congregations and seven outstations.

They said they were taken aback since on December 13, the bishop had stated in a letter that she wished to advise that consultations were being undertaken with relevant structures to appoint an acting rector. It can only be left to imagination if there was any such consultation, if the two canons were very clear from the onset that they were sent by the bishop and not even the Cathedral Chapter as they are both members of that body, reads part of the letter.

The parishioners said thinking of the confusion that would have erupted at the making of the announcement at that point, they respectfully asked to meet with them in the Parishs Office to enable them to journey together with them before they could say anything. According to the letter, it was during this engagement that the parishioners agreed with the two canons, that it would have been improper to make the announcement mainly because there was no proper consultation with the PCC in line with the canonical demands.

They left without making the announcement carrying the letter that they were meant to deliver to us, with us hoping that that had opened up a time for necessary consultation. It is unfortunate that the letter was then sent by email to the clerics licenced to the parish at 9pm of the same day. We are aware that the same email was copied to members of the Cathedral Chapter as well as the Diocesan Officers (popularly known as her legal team), the parishioners alleged in their letter.

Effect

They said the appointment of an acting rector, for six months with immediate effect, after 15 months of the parish being run without an incumbent brought a lot of questions as the PCC is patiently waiting for a consultation with the bishop of an appointment of the substantive incumbent. The parishioners said while they have their own reservations about Reverend Sigudlas capabilities and competency, they are concerned about his alleged divisive tendencies within the parishs congregations.

This is in addition to his arrogance, as when we engaged with him some five months ago in respect of utilities consumption at the parish residence that he occupies he shouted at us with the words, Who are you to talk about this matter?, it was alleged in the letter. The parishioners said on the basis of a statement that was publicly made by the bishop at a Diocesan Council meeting held on November 22, 2024, at the Thokoza Conference Centre to the effect that the relationship between her and the Cathedral Parish of All Saints was irreparable and they have reason to make certain conclusions.

They said they have reason to believe that the bishop does not want to consult or is avoiding the consultation regarding the incumbents appointment in line with the provisions of Canon 25.1. Also, they said they have reason to believe that the bishop does not recognise the PCC as a collective body or as individuals who were duly elected to serve the parish. We are inclined to think that she is intent on thwarting any efforts that are aimed at resolving the quagmire between the parish and herself.

This inclination is on the basis that at the Diocesan Council meeting, a task team was appointed to attend to the matter after her irreparable relationship statement, reads part of the letter. The parishioners said the bishop has not given the task team any opportunity to apply itself on the matter.

We are puzzled on the reasons for the delay in the appointment of a dean, since that is entirely in her discretion. We have taken note of the officials to whom the letter, or notice, was addressed. We do not have any knowledge if whether the above priest was written to regarding this appointment, said the parishioners. One of the parishioners, who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity, said the appointment is unprocedural and void, if the canons and regulations are anything to go by.

Canon 25 and Regulation 5 clearly stipulates that the bishop can only appoint a rector after consultation with the council, a process which hasnt happened. Regardless whether it is on acting or permanent basis, the bishop does not have a prerogative of independently appointing. To us, the appointment is void and not recognised, he remains a junior assistant priest, he said. When pressed further, the congregant said there is an issue pending in court where, the parish is praying to the courts for the SAIC report to be implemented and the disciplinary action be taken against the bishop plus a reconciliation process to normalise things between her and the parish.

Failed

The person who has been appointed dismally failed to demonstrate leadership expected of a priest, let alone a rector. He has on various occasions disrespected his bosses, the wardens and planted divisive tactics within the parish. The parish is basically requesting the bishop to hold her horses and wait for courts to decide on a way that will help the church amicably resolve this impasse, he elaborated. Also, he said the alleged continued manipulation and dictatorship demonstrated by the bishop, are delaying and destructing the church from carrying its main mandate.

He said during the recent Diocesan Council meeting, the bishop publicly declared that her relationship with the cathedral is irreparable, thus making it even more crucial for engagement and reconciliation before any major decisions are taken. Worth noting is that a few weeks ago, the Anglican church moved an application in court, whereby it sought an interdict to prevent the wardens, council members and others were elected in 2021, from using its bank accounts where tithes, pledges and offerings are kept. The church applied for the officers to be ordered to vacate office with immediate effect.
Cork County Council has urged people to take extreme care, as Met Eireann issued a Status Orange rain and snow warning.

Cork County Councils crisis management team convened on Friday afternoon and has confirmed it will continue to implement its winter maintenance plan, which involves treating identified priority routes.

Council crews have been deployed to inspect key high-risk areas and will continue to monitor the situation. Sandbags and pumping arrangements will be in place in known problem locations, and flood barriers will be erected in Mallow and Fermoy.

Motorists are asked to avoid unnecessary journeys and to check the weather and road conditions before leaving, and people should check with transport operators before travelling, as there may be disruptions. Drivers are urged to drive with caution and allow extra time for journeys, and pedestrians are asked to take extra care.

Members of the public can contact Cork County Councils out of hours number 021 4800048, ESB Emergency Services at 1800 372 999 in the event of an outage, and Uisce Eireann customers can get in touch at 1800 278 278.

The council also advised people to check on elderly, vulnerable, and isolated neighbours and to keep phones charged.

Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said: While farmers always make every effort to look after livestock during poor weather, they must prioritise their own safety.

It is important that farmers have measures in place to ensure outwintered and housed livestock have access to fresh water during freezing conditions. Supplies of drinking water should be checked daily, and surface ice broken on troughs twice per day. It is important that taps are not left running to prevent freezing.

For animal welfare issues connected with severe weather, farmers can contact the departments animal welfare helpline at 01 607 2379.
A post mortem took place this morning following the discovery of the body of a woman in Mallow yesterday.

Local representatives said the towns residents were in shock as the news broke yesterday afternoon.

The woman has been named locally as 32-year-old Paula Canty, originally from Kinsale.

She had moved to Mallow within the last year and was living in the Belfry Apartments at Bridewell Lane.

The death is being treated as suspicious.

Investigations were ongoing, and further information as to the circumstances surrounding her death are expected to be revealed.

Gardai issued an appeal for information, saying that they were investigating all of the circumstances surrounding the death of a woman in her 30s following the discovery of a body at a residential property in Bridewell Lane, Mallow.

The assistant state pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster, attended the scene, and the body was removed to CUH for a postmortem.

Gardai added that a senior investigating officer has been appointed to lead the investigation, and an incident room has been established at Mallow Garda Station.

'SHOCK'

Ken OFlynn, Independent Ireland TD for Cork North Central, told The Echo: I am deeply saddened to learn of the tragic discovery of a womans body in Mallow this morning.

As someone who has lived in this town for over 20 years, I can truly say that a dark cloud hangs over our close-knit community today.

The shock and sorrow felt by our residents is palpable. It appears that the woman was well-known and respected among her friends and neighbours, which makes this tragic event hit even harder.

Mr OFlynn added: My thoughts and prayers are with the family of this lady, as well as all those who knew and loved her.

Gardai at the scene after a woman's body was discovered at The Belfry apartments on Bridwell Lane, Mallow. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

I would also like to commend the Gardai for their swift response and ongoing investigation into this matter.

Fine Gael councillor for Mallow, Tony OShea, added: Its very sad and the worst possible news for Mallow in early 2025, extending his condolences to the deceaseds family and friends.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them and are seeking any available camera footage, including dashcam recordings, from those who were in the vicinity of Bridewell Lane, Mallow, Co. Cork between 9pm on Thursday 2 January and Friday 3 January, 2025 at 10am.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station on 022 31450, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

Tahlequah, the female killer whale J35, seen in December with her newborn calf J61, who has died. Center for Whale Research

In devastating news for the Pacific Northwest population of southern resident killer whales (SRKW), Tahlequah, a 25-year-old member of the group, has lost another newborn female calf.

The mother made headlines seven years ago when she swam with her deceased calf for 17 days around the Salish Sea in an act of grieving. She has two other calves, one 14 years old and another born in 2020, both males.

Southern resident killer whales are a critically endangered population of orcas, and each loss, especially a female, is considered a huge blow to the 73 who remain. According to the Center for Whale Research, it is believed that there are just 23 breeding females left, reported The Guardian.

The death of any calf in the SRKW population is a tremendous loss, but the death of J61 is particularly devastating, not just because she was a female, who could have one day potentially led her own matriline but also given the history of her mother J35 who has now lost two out of four documented calves  both of which were female, the center wrote in a statement on Facebook.

The primary food source of southern resident killer whales is Chinook salmon, which have been in steep decline for years, BBC Wildlife reported. According to researchers at University of Washington, this impacts the nutrition and reproduction of the whales, which are listed as endangered in the United States and Canada.

Conservation groups have asked the environment minister of Canada to issue an emergency order to protect the imperilled species, reported The Guardian. The powers have been used just twice before: once to protect the western chorus frog of Quebec, and the other to save Albertas greater sage-grouse.

Southern resident killer whales have been known to travel as much as 75 miles a day. In 2018, Tahlequahs heart wrenching display of grief for her baby happened off the coast of Victoria, British Columbia. This time, she is mourning the loss of her newborn in Puget Sound, off the shores of Washington State.

SRKW face other threats, including disturbance and noise from vessels  which make it more difficult for them to hunt  as well as fishing gear, plastics and other pollution in the food chain.

Its so much harder to see now that she has lost another one, said Brad Hanson, a research scientist with Seattles Northwest Fisheries Science Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as The New York Times reported.

Hanson said he wasnt sure why Tahlequahs calf, born around Christmas, had died.

The deep mourning of Tahlequah of her first female calf in 2018 became a symbol of the southern resident killer whales plight. Though orcas sometimes display their grief as Tahlequah did, scientists considered the roughly 1,000-mile journey carrying her calf unprecedented.

Tahlequah is still caring for the second son she gave birth to in 2020.

Scientists said on Thursday that, as she clings to the body of her dead calf, Tahlequah cannot forage for food, but that her loyal pod, especially her sister, had been seen at her side throughout the ordeal.

SRKW are one of several orca communities that live in the Pacific Northwest. While they mostly occupy waters near Washington State and British Columbia, some venture south to California and north to Alaska.

Females typically live as long as 50 or 60 years and weigh as much as 16,000 pounds, while males live approximately 30 years and can weigh 22,000 pounds.

Researchers were at first optimistic about Tahlequahs newborn, known as J61, but quickly suspected the calf was having health problems, reported The Guardian.

Early life is always dangerous for new calves, with a very high mortality rate in the first year. J35 is an experienced mother, and we hope that she is able to keep J61 alive through these difficult early days, the Center for Whale Research wrote on December 23.

The orcas death left the team deeply saddened.

About 50 percent of orca calves die in their first year, and many orca pregnancies fail, The New York Times reported.

Another calf born to the same pod was spotted on Wednesday. Neither the mother nor the gender of the newborn have been confirmed. The calf, who appears to be healthy, brings hope to the population.

It came as no surprise to scientists that Tahlequah mourned the loss of her babies in such a profound way.

Over the last few years, we realize that we have the same neurotransmitters that they have, said Joe Gaydos, science director of University of California, Davis SeaDoc Society, as reported by The New York Times. We have the same hormones that they have. Why shouldnt we also have the emotions that they have? We dont have the market cornered on emotions. So I think its fair to say that she is grieving or mourning.
Streams on TikTok Live were used to exploit children, according to a newly unredacted lawsuit filed by Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes. The lawsuit says that TikTok was not only aware that TikTok Lives were exposing minors to concerning messages from adults, but the company also directly profited off of some of the exchanges through TikTok Live's virtual gifting system.

Following an investigation by Forbes into TikTok Live, TikTok conducted its own review called "Project Meramec," according to the suit. The company found that "hundreds of thousands of children" were getting around TikTok's age restrictions, hosting livestreams and interacting with adults.

Because TikTok pockets a portion of the sale of digital gifts in livestreams, the company was technically making money on "transactional gifting" over "nudity and sexual activity" that happened during streams. And since TikTok's algorithm favors livestreams where virtual gifts are being exchanged, the lawsuit says, some of these sexually exploitative streams were also distributed more widely than they would have been otherwise.

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The lawsuit details another TikTok investigation, "Project Jupiter," that looked in to whether TikTok Live's gifting feature was being used to launder money. As it turns out, it was. According to the lawsuit, the company found that "criminals were selling drugs and running fraud operations" during livestreams.

When reached for a comment on the lawsuit, TikTok shared the following statement:

This lawsuit ignores the number of proactive measures that TikTok has voluntarily implemented to support community safety and well-being. Instead, the complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and outdated documents and presents them out of context, which distorts our commitment to the safety of our community.



We stand by our efforts, which include: robust safety protections and screen time limits for teen accounts enabled by default, Family Pairing tools for parents to supervise their teens, strict livestreaming requirements, and aggressive enforcement of our Community Guidelines on an ongoing basis.

Utah's AG filed the redacted version of this lawsuit in June 2024, following a different suit from 2023 concerning the addictive design of the TikTok app. The Utah lawsuit isn't the first time the company has come under scrutiny for its handling of child safety. The FTC has investigated TikTok's handling of child privacy, and the ban of the app  now headed to the Supreme Court on appeal  was partially pushed over concerns with how social video app could be used to influence children.
MANZINI  TUCOSWA appreciates government for making its end-of-year performance report a public document, but is worried about its lack of commitment in providing jobs for qualified youth.

This is contained in the Trade Union Congress of Swazilands (TUCOSWA) New Year (2024) statement, which was issued by the President of the workers federation, Bheki Mamba, yesterday. Mamba said, as a federation, they welcome the Cabinet performance report, which was presented to the public by Prime Minister (PM) Russell Dlamini recently.

He said while they have reservations about serious distortions and worrying sentiments contained in the report, the act of making the report public is applauded with due credit to the PM, Cabinet members and public officials involved. However, he said the job creation part of the report is found wanting because it is purportedly devoid of any commitment from government towards job creation in terms of filling of vacant positions, particularly those in the education and health sectors.

This curious omission by government can be used as testament to its lack of commitment to providing employment to qualifying young people as a means to provide quality education and health to citizens of Eswatini, the leader of the federation said. It is worth highlighting that according to findings of the Integrated Labour Force Survey, of 2023, which was officially announced by the Minister for Labour and Social Security, Phila Buthelezi, in March 2024, the unemployment rate in the country has increased by 2.1 per cent to 35.4 per cent from 33.3 per cent. Meanwhile, youth unemployment stands at about 58 per cent.

Mamba also expressed their concern on the part of the report where it was stated that; government was pleased to have successfully negotiated for the removal of special paragraphs on Eswatini at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Troika and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). He said the statement further states that government will continue to re-evaluate the value and benefit of the countrys membership in international organisations that it subscribes to.

He said, as a federation, their take will be on the claims of government having negotiated for the removal of special paragraphs on Eswatini at the ILO. We may wish to state authoritatively that nothing of that sort ever happened and that it is such levels of illusions that result in the country, in particular government, losing support at ILO, the president said.

Direction

He added that the last part of their statement became a source of worry because it paints a picture of a government that has taken a direction to be placed among rogue governments around the world, who shun international scrutiny and rather choose self-isolation from the family of the international community in order to hide impunity. He said they challenge government to come out and declare openly if it desires to withdraw its membership from ILO. If this statement is to be left unclarified, it may cause the country to be looked at suspiciously by the international community, which will be to the detriment of economic development of the Kingdom, Mamba said.
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman on Friday met with the Menendez family to talk about the potential resentencing of Erik and Lyle Menendez, who were still teenagers when they were convicted in the brutal murder of their parents almost 35 years ago.

According to Variety, the meeting comes as Hochman weighs a petition filed in October by former District Attorney George Gascon to have the brothers' sentences commuted to make them eligible for parole.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Hochman called the conversation that took several hours "productive" but said that he had not made a decision yet.

"It's taking a lot of time," he said. "It's one of those decisions you want to make you get right."

"There's not a lot of free time in my life right now," the D.A. added.

Convicted in 1996 of first-degree murder, the Menendez brothers received life in prison without parole.

The brothers claimed "imperfect" self-defense, and their family argued they were victims of years of abuse by their father, Jose Menendez.

At least 20 relatives attended the meeting Hochman held with them and are "hopeful for an open and fair discussion."

The family said in a statement that Erik and Lyle have demonstrated accountability and made positive contributions to the community while in prison.

Hochman, who took office last month after beating Gascon in his re-election bid in November, is not obligated to keep Gascon's petition in place.

Opposition to the resentencing has come from family, including Milton Andersen, the brother of Kitty Menendez.

Recently, the case has seen renewed interest from the public after Netflix released the series "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story" in September.

Now, the Menendez family claims that the brothers are due for a new trial because new evidence supports their abuse claims.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is also expected to review a clemency request but has said he will respect Hochman's decision.

The Menendez brothers are currently incarcerated in a state prison in California.
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On 17 December 2024, the union home ministerwhile speaking on the floor of the Rajya Sabhainvited controversy when he remarked that invoking B R Ambedkar had become a fashion. While the most immediate effect of these comments was the disruption of all remaining proceedings of the winter session, the contentious remarks and the back-and-forth polemics between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition partiesespecially the Congressover claims to Ambedkars legacy, raise pertinent questions.

In defence of his statement, the home ministerby citing Ambedkars differences with Congress during his lifetimeargued that the Congress had no right to raise accusations of insulting Ambedkar. He further claimed that the BJP and its predecessorthe Jan Sanghhave always strived to follow the ideals of Ambedkar and could never even dream of disrespecting Ambedkar. In response, the Congress leadership launched a critique of the BJP and its ideological dissonance with Ambedkar and constitutional ideals. While other political forces too have entered this debate, the role of the BJP and the Congress is particularly cynical, given that both of themor their politicalideological forerunnerswere vocal and at times caustic political opponents of Ambedkar. Though their points of contention with Ambedkar in the past varied, both parties have attempted to deftly hide their own past as they tried to expose the other. Thus, while the BJP did not speak of the Hindu Code Billand the role of its fraternal organisations and forerunners in opposing the passage of the bill and the vociferously acerbic critique of Ambedkar in this regardthe Congress attempted to brush the ideological differences between the Congress and Ambedkarduring this latters lifetimeunder the rug.

While it was the home ministers first statement, categorising the invocation of Ambedkar as a fashion, that drew the ire of the Congress, his subsequent statement is of particular note. There he noted that if only the leaders of the Congress had chanted gods name in place of Ambedkars, they would have been surely accorded a place in heaven. The obvious question arises here, whether heaven and the idea of divine salvation in the hereafter is sought to be placed in contradistinction to Ambedkar, and the ideal of an egalitarian society on earth. This is especially relevant when Ambedkars critique of the caste order is also a critique of the belief system that justifies social exclusion and hierarchies through divine sanction and the promise of apt rewards in the afterlife.

As both the BJP and the Congress are quick to point fingers at each other and claim the other to have caused insult to Ambedkar and his legacy, it should be noted that Ambedkar was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna during the reign of neither party, but during the short tenure of V P Singh as Prime Minister. It should also be noted that the invocation of Ambedkar became an instrumental political necessity in the last three to four decades due to the systematic efforts of Kanshi Ram, the founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party. His emphasis on the centrality of acquiring power for the politics of the oppressed, and other political-organisational stratagems that he employed, firmly placed Ambedkar at the centre of the electoral force field. This led the parties across the political spectrum invoking Ambedkar, at best as a matter of public etiquetteshishtachar, and at worst as a pragmatic calculation. The terms of the current debate and its content are confined within this very spectrum of etiquette to pragmatism. Thus, it is devoid of a sincere normative engagement with the ideas and ideals of Ambedkar and its translation into a concrete transformative sociopolitical programme.

As long as caste and other forms of social hierarchy remain an essential feature of Indian society, the spectre of Ambedkar shall continue to haunt Indias politics. However, whether Ambedkar is turned into a symbol to denote the status quowhere the normalisation of caste-based alliances and rhetoric is justified in the name of calculated pragmatism and electoral stratagemor whether the ideals of liberty, equality, and justice that guided Ambedkars quest are harnessed as the guiding light of the struggle for structural transformation, shall decide the true course for Ambedkars legacy and the future of the politics of social justice in India. More than any remark, the biggest insult to Ambedkars legacy is the continued presence of caste and caste-based inequality in each sphere of social existence, the instrumentalisation of caste for electoral gain, and the majoritarian pandering across the political spectrum that chooses to maintain the status quo as the master key to electoral success.

Today, the claims to Ambedkars legacy are as numerous as the interpretations of Ambedkars politics and thought. In this regard, the moral right to claim Ambedkars legacy has become a matter of political contestation. Many political forces in this tussle quickly claim themselves as the sole champion of Ambedkars politics and legacy. A fleeting perusal of Ambedkars voluminous body of work shows that his longevity derives from his steadfast allegiance to the cause of social transformation in pursuit of an equal and just society and his capacity to irreverently critique the defenders of caste. While claiming Ambedkars legacyas well as hollowing it out to appropriate him as an empty signifier to garner votesis a cynical political necessity for many political outfits, for those that desire thoroughgoing social transformation, Ambedkar remains inevitable.

Those who seek to turn Ambedkar into a pillar of the status quo may indeed reduce him to a fashion or a fancy. Slogans asserting the values of justice, equality, and dignity may thus be raised as a matter of performance. However, for those committed to these values espoused by Ambedkar as a matter of fate or faith (to be construed in a secular sense), as a dignified, meaningful, decent and civil existence would not be conceivable without their realisation, Ambedkar shall be a matter of practice. Not a name to be invoked or chanted passively to guarantee a place in heaven but an active force to build the utopia of Begumpura in the here and now.
Dismantling subsidies has been a key focus of the reforms in the agriculture sector both at the national level and also globally. The Agreement on Agriculture at the World Trade Organization even chalks out fairly ambitious road maps for reducing domestic farm subsidies and enabling fair trade in agricultural produce in international markets. Though the merits of the methodologies for estimating the extent of government support to agriculture are still debated, the estimates made by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) remain one of the most reliable.

This OECD project, which was initiated in the early 1980s, has now brought out its most recent report titled Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2024, which provides very interesting insights into the trends in levels of support provided to agriculture by 54 OECD and non-OECD countries. The report estimates total support for agriculture based on three major components, namely producer assistance in the form of market price support and budgetary transfers to producers, budgetary support for general farm services, and consumer support through market transfers.

By summing up these three components, the report estimates, the total support to the agricultural sector averaged $842 billion per year in the 202123 period. However, macroeconomic policies in some countries like India deliberately lower domestic agricultural product prices below international levels mainly through tariff and non-tariff barriers, which is like an implicit tax on the sector. Estimates indicate that such measures reduced the earnings of agricultural producers by $192 billion each year in the 202123 period. Consequently, in net terms, the total support to agriculture is estimated to be $650 billion each year during the three-year period.

A further disaggregation of the total positive support of $842 billion to agriculture shows that almost three-fourths ($629 billion) accrued to individual farmers. While approximately half of this amount ($334 billion) goes to individual farmers in the form of market price support which boosts the domestic prices of agriculture products, the remaining $295 billion is in the form of budget spending to provide goods and services to the farm sector. The numbers for 202123 show that China accounted for the largest positive producer support (45% of the payments) followed by the European Union (EU) (15%), the United States (US) (7%), and Japan (4%). Unfortunately, India stands out as the nation with the largest negative producer support with its share of the total implicit taxation soaring from 61% to 75% over the last 24 years.

The numbers show that the total producer support for agriculture in India was negative and fluctuating in the last 23 years ending 2023. The trends indicate that the negative support has steadily increased over the years to peak at $100 billion in 2013, after which it has fluctuated down to hover between $58 billion and $95 billion in the last three years. Similarly, the ratio of producer support to gross farm receipts (GFR) in India peaked at -26% in 2013, after which it slowed down and has hovered in the -12% to -19% range in the last three years.

The negative producer support in India which stems largely from substantial budgetary support for agriculture does not offset the price-depressing effect of restrictive trade and marketing regulations. Estimates for 202123 indicate that Indias budgetary transfers to agriculture amounting to 8.8% of the GFR and the positive market price support of 1.9% of the GFR are grossly inadequate to offset the negative market price support of 26.1% of the GFR, which caused a net negative producer support of 15.4% of the GFR during 202123.

The predicament of Indian farmers in facing competition is best understood by comparing the negative producer support in India with the high positive producer support in other major agriculture-producing nations. A perusal of the numbers indicates that the ratio of producer support to GFR was the highest in Japan (30.5%), followed by the EU (16.9%), China (13.2%), and the US (6.8%). The long-term trends show that Japan has reduced the ratio of producer support to GFR from more than half to less than one-third over the last quarter of a century and so also the EU and the US, albeit at slower rates. In sharp contrast, the ratio of producer support to GFR in China has soared from 4% to 14% during the period.

Such high levels of support to farmers, especially in rich countries, severely distort international prices of agricultural products and threaten the food security of developing nations as these highly subsidised imports threaten to wipe out domestic production. Though countries like India have used tariff and non-tariff barriers to resist these imports of subsidised farm products, the Indian farmer continues to be badly handicapped by the trade restrictions that regularly clamp down on exports of agricultural produce and depress domestic food prices below international levels to ensure affordable food for the Indian consumers.

This shrinks the profit margins on farm products and the surplus generation of farmers, which further perpetuates their dependence on government support to face the productivity and sustainability issues that have continued to challenge the agriculture sector for decades. Breaking this cycle of dependence requires that macroeconomic policies allow farmers to tap into the global markets and earn adequate surplus to fund new investments. The potential is huge as the 122-odd agroclimatic zones in the country offer a great opportunity to grow a large variety of agricultural products for global markets and substantially improve farm incomes.
MANZINI - The 49-year-old man, who was apprehended by Mbhuleni Community Police has been charged for sexually abusing two minor girls and will spend 30 years behind bars.

Sifiso Dlamini of Mgazini, but resides at Mbhuleni, where he rents a flat in order to be closer to where he works as a security guard, was apprehended by Mbhuleni community police members on Thursday in connection with allegations that he sexually abused two six-year-old girls.

The community police members then handed him over to members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), whom after their investigation; charged him with two counts of contravening the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act 15 of 2018.

He appeared before Manzini Principal Magistrate Florence Msibi, where he was officially charged for sexually abusing two minor girls aged six years old each. During his appearance, his rights to legal representation were explained and he opted to conduct his own defence. According to the charge sheet, he allegedly rubbed his private part on the minor girls buttocks while at his place of abode; Mbhuleni. The accused person pleaded guilty to both counts.The Crown accepted his pleas and applied to parade two witnesses; the minor girls to give evidence to the court.

In camera

However, the Crown also applied that since the witnesses are minors, the proceedings should be held in camera. According to a source close to the matter, one out of the two minors managed to appear at the witness box, as the other one appeared to not be in a position to talk about the matter.

However, the source also said even the survivor, who seemed to be in a position to deliver evidence, could not say much, as after seeing the accused person, she kept on facing the floor.

The court found him guilty as charged and as based on his own pleas. The accused was then given a chance to submit factors to mitigate his sentence and he pleaded for the courts leniency, saying he is still young and wants to live. After considering the gravity of the offence he had committed and his mitigation factors, the court sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment without an option of a fine on each of the charges.

The sentences were ordered to run consecutively. It is worth noting that after the Mbhuleni community police apprehended the man, a group of angry community members flocked the community polices cell. The community police prevented what could have been mob justice, by blocking the angry community members, who were baying for his blood, while he was locked up in the community polices cell.
Jeff Baena has died aged 47.

Jeff Baena was married to actress Aubrey Plaza

The writer and director - who was married to movie star Aubrey Plaza - was found dead at his home in Los Angeles on Friday morning (03.01.25).

Baena's body was discovered by an assistant and he was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to TMZ.

Police officials have confirmed to the news outlet that Baena died by suicide.

Baena was born and raised in Miami, before he studied at New York University Film School.

He subsequently moved to Los Angeles and got his first big break working alongside filmmaker Robert Zemeckis. Baena served as a production assistant for the 'Back to the Future' director, working with him on a number of film projects.

Baena also got the opportunity to work with David O. Russell, the award-winning director, and the duo ultimately collaborating on four scripts together.

One of their scripts included 'I Heart Huckabees', the 2004 black comedy film that starred the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Isabelle Huppert and Jude Law.

Baena made his directorial debut in 2014, when he helmed 'Life After Beth'. The filmmaker spent several years trying to get the zombie comedy film off the ground, and it was Aubrey Plaza - Baena's future wife - who ultimately helped to get it made.

The 40-year-old actress - who married Baena in 2020 - expressed an interest in playing the film's lead role, and her involvement with the project proved to be crucial.

The couple also worked together on the 2021 drama series 'Cinema Toast', which marked Aubrey's directorial debut and featured Christina Ricci and Alison Brie.

Baena and the actress began dating in 2011, but they always made a concerted effort to keep their relationship private. However, Aubrey announced their marriage to the world via an Instagram post in 2021, when she referred to Baena as her "darling husband".

She wrote at the time: "So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that takes us to italia to cause some more trouble (sic)"
Paul Mescal hates laziness.

Paul Mescal hates laziness

The 28-year-old actor has admitted to being peeved by people who "waste time" and who "aren't prepared".

Asked to reveal his biggest pet peeve, Paul told W Magazine: "Laziness. I hate people who waste time, people who aren't prepared.

"And I'm not just talking about a work context. It's like, I think I've got a good nose for when people are just kind of winging it, and I don't like that. And unless something needs to be said, I'm not going around policing laziness in society."

Paul recently played the leading role in 'Gladiator II', the Sir Ridley Scott-directed historical action film, and he relished the challenge of getting himself in tip-top shape for the part.

Paul shared: "I loved the training!

"I'm not going to be an actor who's like, 'It was torture.' Maybe that's because I'm slightly masochistic.

"But I do like the fact that it feels like a labour of sorts, finishing work and feeling physically tired. Not in being mentally overstimulated, because you get that anyway at work, but that feeling of physical engagement and needing to sleep at the end of the day - that specific kind of fatigue is not something that I've experienced on other films."

Paul shot to stardom in the hit mini-series 'Normal People' back in 2020, but he's now confessed to lying in order to land a role on the show.

The actor explained: "I said I could drive for 'Normal People', and I could not drive.

"We'd signed the paperwork, I'd gotten the part, and then I'd forgotten about doing my driver's license. So I ended up doing 'Normal People' on a provisional license. I could only drive the car if there was a fully licensed driver beside me."
Turkiye's apparel exports declined by 3.96 per cent year-on-year (YoY) during JanuaryNovember 2024, totalling $16,228 million compared to $16,898 million in the same period of 2023, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute and the Ministry of Trade. However, exports grew by 8.02 per cent in November 2024.

Exports of knitted and crocheted clothing and accessories (HS Chapter 61) decreased by 1.1 per cent to $9,358.250 million, down from $9,466.252 million in JanuaryNovember 2023. Non-knitted apparel and accessories (HS Chapter 62) experienced a 7.6 per cent decline, falling to $6,870.809 million from $7,432.327 million during the same period last year, as per the trade report on the top twenty chapters.

Turkiye's apparel exports fell by 3.96 per cent YoY to $16.23 billion in JanuaryNovember 2024 but rose by 8.02 per cent in November to $1.48 billion. Knitted apparel dropped by 1.1 per cent, and non-knitted fell by 7.6 per cent in the period. Imports of non-knitted goods grew 17 per cent YoY in JanuaryOctober. In 2023, apparel exports declined by 5.86 per cent to $18.32 billion.

In November 2024, Turkiye's garment exports rose by 8.02 per cent to $1,480.022 million. Exports of knitted and crocheted clothing and accessories increased by 9.9 per cent to $890.957 million, compared to $810.371 million in November 2023. However, non-knitted apparel and accessories saw a 5.2 per cent increase, rising from $559.945 million in November 2023 to $589.065 million in November 2024.

Among the top 20 product chapters imported by Turkiye, no textiles-related chapter appeared in November 2024. However, the inbound shipment of non-knitted and crocheted goods and articles (HS Chapter 62) grew by 17.0 per cent to $1,635.267 million in JanuaryOctober 2024, compared to $1,397.559 million in JanuaryOctober 2023.

In 2023, Turkiyes apparel exports fell by 5.86 per cent to $18.321 billion, compared to $19.463 billion in 2022, following $18.294 billion in 2021.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR) and (OTCQX:SLVTF) ("Silver Tiger" or the "Corporation") is pleased to provide a year-end review of 2024 highlights and a 2025 outlook for its 100% owned, silver-gold El Tigre Project (the "Project" or "El Tigre") located in Sonora, Mexico.

Key Objectives for 2025

With $7.0 million in cash on hand at September 30, 2024, we will complete the planned underground 5,000-meter drill program;

Continue drilling the high-grade Veins, Sulfide Zone and Shale Zone from underground drill pads, with the first drill results expected in January 2025;

Deliver a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the permitted underground resource during H1-2025;

Negotiations and due diligence are underway with lenders to secure project financing for the open pit portion of the Project; and

Make a construction decision upon receipt of the open pit permit.

2024 Highlights

Delivered a Preliminary Feasibility Study ("PFS") with base case After-Tax NPV of US$222 million, an After-Tax IRR of 40%, and a 2.0-year payback period (see Corporation's press release dated October 22, 2024);

Delivered updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") of the open pit Stockwork Mineralization Zone (see Corporation's press release dated October 22, 2024); and

Commenced drilling from underground drill pads on the high-grade Veins, Sulfide Zone and Shale Zone (see Corporation's press release dated December 3, 2024).

Glenn Jessome stated "As we wrap up 2024, I'm pleased to highlight the progress Silver Tiger has made this year. With the hard work of our team and the continued support of our shareholders, we've reached key milestones that position us for success in 2025. Our PFS for the open pit is complete, and we will continue to work to obtain project financing for the open pit portion of the Project. We have begun drilling the high-grade Veins, Shale Zone and Sulfide Zone from underground drill pads, as we work towards a PEA in H1-2025 for our underground resource."

Silver Tiger Announced PFS with NPV of US$222M for the Stockwork Zone

Silver Tiger announced a PFS on October 22, 2024. The PFS is focused on the conventional open pit mining economics of the Stockwork Mineralization Zone defined in the updated MRE.

Highlights of the PFS are as follows (all figures in US dollars unless otherwise stated):

After-Tax NPV (using a discount rate of 5%) of US$222 million with an After-Tax IRR of 40.0% and Payback Period of 2.0 years (Base Case);

10-year mine life recovering a total of 43 million payable silver equivalent ounces ("AgEq") or 510 thousand payable gold equivalent ounces ("AuEq"), consisting of 9 million silver ounces and 408 thousand gold ounces;

Total Project undiscounted After-Tax Cash Flow of US$318 million;

Initial capital costs of $86.8 million, which includes $9.3 million of contingency costs, over an expected 18- month build, expansion capital of $20.1 million in year 3 and sustaining capital costs of $6.2 million over the life of mine ("LOM");

Average LOM operating cash costs of $973/oz AuEq, and all in sustaining costs ("AISC") of $1,214/oz AuEq or Average LOM operating cash costs of $12/oz AgEq, and AISC of $14/oz AgEq;

Average annual production of approximately 4.8 million AgEq oz or 56.7 thousand AuEq oz; and

Three (3) years of production in the Proven category in the Phase 1 Starter Pit.

Figure 1 - PFS Sensitivity to Metal Prices

Silver Tiger Announces Updated MRE

On October 22, 2024, Silver Tiger announced the updated MRE, which includes an Out-of-Pit Mineral Resource that the company intends to evaluate in a PEA scheduled for H1-2025.

Updated 2024 MRE Highlights:

Increase of 132% in Total Measured & Indicated Silver Equivalent Ounces from September 2023 MRE, with 59% increase in Measured & indicated AgEq grade;

Total Measured & Indicated Mineral Resource of 200 Moz AgEq grading 92 g/t AgEq contained in 68.0 million tonnes;

Total Out-of-Pit Resource of 113 Moz AgEq;

Exploration potential at the El Tigre Project is substantial with prospective areas for exploration both down dip and along strike with the disclosed Exploration Target establishing 10 to 12 million tonnes at 225 to 265 g/t AgEq for 73 to 100 Moz AgEq; and

This disclosed 'near-mine' Mineral Resource and potential, when coupled with the fact that only 30% of this prolific Property has been explored, shows the value of the El Tigre.

Figure 2 - 2024 Updated Mineral Resource Estimate

Silver Tiger Announces Commencement of Underground Drilling on High-Grade Veins, Sulfide and Shale Zones and expects to deliver a PEA for the Underground in H1-2025

Silver Tiger announced the commencement of its underground drilling campaign targeting the high-grade Veins, the Sulfide Zone, and the Shale Zone in late 2024 (see Corporation's press release dated December 3, 2024).

The El Tigre Project underground drilling campaign is targeting the high-grade Veins, the Sulfide Zone and the Shale Zone located as close as 40 meters to the pre-existing haulage way. These high-grade zones, especially the historically mined Veins with results up to 86.5 kilograms/tonne silver equivalent, form a crucial component of the UG PEA (see Corporation's press release dated November 9, 2021).

Drilling will resume the week of January 6, 2025.

Silver Tiger expects to release the first drill results from its underground drilling campaign targeting the high-grade Veins, the Sulfide Zone and the Shale Zone in January 2025.

Figure 3 - Underground Drilling Operations in Progress at El Tigre Project

Figure 4 - Proposed Underground Drilling Campaign

Exploration Potential

Exploration potential at the El Tigre Project is substantial with prospective areas for exploration both down dip and along strike with the disclosed Exploration Target establishing 10 to 12 million tonnes at 225 to 265 g/t AgEq for 73 to 100 Moz AgEq.

Figure 5 -Exploration Potential released October 2024

H2-2024 Mining Conference Attendance

Silver Tiger wrapped up the second half of 2024 by attending several conferences to provide updates to our shareholders and to attract new investors:

Boca Raton Rick Rule Symposium on Natural Resource July 7 to July l1, 2024;

Beaver Creek Precious Metals Summit September 10 to September 13, 2024;

Denver Gold Forum September 15 to September 18, 2024;

Dubai 121 Group November 19 and 20, 2024;

New Orleans Investment Conference November 20 to November 23, 2024;

New York City Hidden Gems Conference November 25 and 26, 2024; and

London Mines & Money December 3 to December 5, 2024.

2025 Upcoming Mining Conference Attendance

Silver Tiger will be attending the Vancouver Metals Investor Forum (MIF) on January 17 and 18, 2025. Silver Tiger's CEO, Glenn Jessome, will be a panellist on the Main Stage on Saturday January 18 at 10:20 am;

Silver Tiger will be attending the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC) on January 19 and 20, 2025 in Vancouver. Silver Tiger's CEO, Glenn Jessome, will be a panellist on the Main Stage '2025 Silver Forecast' on Monday, January 20 th at 3:30pm. Our booth number will be 428;

Silver Tiger will be attending the BMO Global Metals, Mining, and Critical Metals Conference from February 23 to February 26, 2025 in Hollywood Florida;

Silver Tiger will be attending the PDAC in Toronto from March 2 to March 5, 2025. Our booth number will be 3206; and

Silver Tiger will also be attending the Swiss Mining Institute (SMI) in Zurich March 18 and March 19, 2025.

Stock Option and DSU Grant

On January 3, 2025, the Corporation granted 4,025,000 stock options at an exercise price of $0.24 with a term of 10 years and vesting over 3 years and 1,950,000 DSU's vesting over 3 years to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Corporation.

Qualified Persons

David R. Duncan, P. Geo., V.P. Exploration of the Corporation, is the Qualified Person for Silver Tiger as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Duncan has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation - Silver Tiger's El Tigre Project

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the Silver Tiger Metals Inc. Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for Silver Tiger Metals Inc. can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/492 and on the Corporation's website at: www.silvertigermetals.com.

About Silver Tiger and the El Tigre Historic Mine District

Silver Tiger Metals Inc. is a Canadian company whose management has more than 27 years' experience discovering, financing, and building large hydrothermal gold and silver mines in Mexico. Silver Tiger's 100% owned 28,414 hectare Historic El Tigre Mining District is located in Sonora, Mexico. Principled environmental, social and governance practices are core priorities at Silver Tiger.

Silver Tiger commenced work on its El Tigre Project in 2017. El Tigre will attempt to become an open pit and underground mine. Silver Tiger has drilled over 150,000 meters at the El Tigre Project, with 119,000 meters completed since 2020. Silver Tiger has completed several MREs, a maiden MRE in 2017 and MRE updates in 2023 and 2024. The PEA for the El Tigre open pit was released in November 2023.

The October 2024 PFS for the El Tigre open pit delivered robust economics. The PFS projects an After-Tax NPV of US$222 million at a 5% discount rate, an After-Tax IRR of 40.0%, and a payback period of 2.0 years. This open pit operation is expected to have a 10-year mine life. The El Tigre project delivers a life of mine undiscounted After-Tax Cash Flow of US$318 million, with initial capital costs of $86.8 million (including $9.3 million in contingency). Operating cash costs are projected at $973/oz AuEq and $12/oz AgEq, with AISC at $1,214/oz AuEq and $14/oz AgEq. The economics of the Project have been evaluated based on a discounted $26/oz silver price and gold price of $2,150/oz.

Silver Tiger is now drilling from underground drill pads, focusing on the high-grade silver Veins, Sulphide and Shale Zones. A PEA for the permitted underground mineral resource is expected to be released in the first half of 2025.

For further information, please contact:

Glenn Jessome

President and CEO

902 492 0298

jessome@silvertigermetals.com

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, Mineral Resources and Reserves, the ability to convert Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated Mineral Resources, the ability to complete future drilling programs and infill sampling, the ability to extend Mineral Resource blocks, the similarity of mineralization at El Tigre to Delores, Santa Elena and Chispas, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Silver Tiger, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "may", "is expected to", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "objective" and "outlook" and other similar words. Although Silver Tiger believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Silver Tiger's expectations include risks and uncertainties related to exploration, development, operations, commodity prices and global financial volatility, risk and uncertainties of operating in a foreign jurisdiction as well as additional risks described from time to time in the filings made by Silver Tiger with securities regulators.

SOURCE: Silver Tiger Metals Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 3, 2025) - Volt Carbon Technologies Inc. (TSXV: VCT) (OTCQB: TORVF) ("Volt Carbon" or the "Company") with reference to its prior news releases dated Nov 19, 2024, Dec 2, 2024, and Dec 24, 2024, is pleased to announce that the Company has closed the third and final tranche of its non-brokered private placement financing (the "Offering") by issuing 2,600,000 units ("Units") at a price of CAD$0.025 per Unit for gross proceeds of CAD$65,000.

In total, the Company has raised an aggregate amount of CAD$565,000.01 through the issuance of 16,666,667 flow-through units ("FT Units") at a price of CAD$0.03 for gross proceeds of CAD$500,000.01, and 2,600,000 Units at CAD$0.025 for gross proceeds of CAD$65,000 in connection with the Offering.

Each FT Unit consists of one common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share") to be issued as a "flow-through share" (each, a "FT Share") within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Income Tax Act") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Unit consists of one Common Share and one-half of one Warrant. Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at a price of CAD$0.05 at any time for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

In connection with the initial tranche of the Offering, a cash finder's fee of $21,000 was paid to Red Cloud Securities Inc. ("Red Cloud"), which is arm's length to the Company. Additionally, 700,000 non-transferable finder's warrants at an exercise price of CAD$0.03 (each a "Finder's Warrant") were issued to Red Cloud. Each Finder's Warrant is exercisable for one Common Share at any time for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

The Company wishes to make a correction to the news release dated Dec 24, 2024, regarding the second tranche. The Company erroneously announced Qwest Investment Fund Management Ltd. as the finder; however, the correct finder is PB Markets Inc. ("PB"), which is an arm's length finder. PB was (i) paid a cash finder's fee of $14,000, and (ii) was issued 466,666 Finder's Warrants.

The Company will use the net Flow-Through proceeds of the Offering to incur qualifying "Canadian exploration expenses," as such term is defined in the Income Tax Act, and the net Unit proceeds as general working capital for the Company.

The closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals including the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). The securities issued under the Offering are subject to a hold period ending on the date that is four months plus one day following the date of issue in accordance with applicable securities laws. No Insiders participated in the Offering and no new control persons were created under the Offering.

About Volt Carbon Technologies

Volt Carbon Technologies Inc. is a publicly traded company focused on advancing carbon science, with a strong emphasis on energy storage solutions and green energy innovation. The company holds strategic mining claims across Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, Canada. Volt Carbon operates a state-of-the-art battery fabrication facility in Guelph, Ontario, and a dedicated Carbon Research Facility in Scarborough, Ontario. For the latest updates on the company's projects and developments, please visit our website at www.voltcarbontech.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release may contain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Volt Carbon's business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "intends" "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Such

forward-looking statements include those with respect to the Company's intention to (i) use the net Flow-Through proceeds of the Offering to incur qualifying "Canadian exploration expenses," as such term is defined in the Income Tax Act, (ii) to use the net Unit proceeds as general working capital for the Company, and (iii) the anticipated approval by the TSXV of the Offering.

Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Volt Carbon assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities legislation.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/235999

SOURCE: Volt Carbon Technologies
Austin, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - January 3, 2025) - Gill, Denson & Company LLC, a leader in property tax advising, has announced the acquisition of RealValue Property Tax, a technology firm in Texas known for its expertise in reducing real estate and business property taxes. This strategic move enhances Gill, Denson & Company's ability to continue serving thousands of homeowners, business owners, landlords and real estate investors across all 254 Texas counties.

Gill, Denson & Company is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

RealValue Property Tax has established a strong presence in major Texas cities, including Austin, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio. The firm is renowned for its risk-free service model, charging clients only a percentage of the tax savings achieved through successful reductions. This acquisition aligns with Gill, Denson & Company's commitment to providing client-focused service and leveraging extensive real estate data analysis.

Texas is recognized as one of the states with the highest property taxes in the United States, making it crucial for property owners to appeal their fair market value annually to avoid overpaying. The addition of RealValue Property Tax's expertise and resources will further empower Gill, Denson & Company to assist clients in navigating these challenges effectively.

"The acquisition of RealValue Property Tax marks a significant milestone in our mission to lead the property tax industry with unparalleled client service and innovative solutions," said Charles Denson, Partner at Gill, Denson & Company. "We are excited to welcome RealValue's talented team and look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional value to our clients."

CoFounders Charles Denson, Richie Gill, and Morgan Gill have consistently driven the industry forward by attracting top tax professionals and fostering trusted relationships with property owners and business operators. This acquisition is a testament to their dedication to expanding Gill, Denson & Company's capabilities and reinforcing its position as a trusted advisor in the real estate sector.

With this acquisition, Gill, Denson & Company is poised to enhance its service offerings and continue its legacy of helping clients successfully reduce their annual property tax liabilities. The integration of RealValue Property Tax's operations will ensure a seamless transition and sustained excellence in service delivery.

Property owners in Texas can get started with residential or commercial services today to get ahead of the next tax protest season.

About Gill, Denson & Company

Gill, Denson & Company LLC serves the real estate industry with leading property tax advising services. Our company is built around a foundation of trusted relationships with property owners and business operators. Our team works closely with our clients to successfully reduce their annual property tax liabilities.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/236038

SOURCE: Press Ranger
Commerzbank's stock has demonstrated remarkable momentum in 2024, achieving an impressive 40% increase in share value. This substantial growth has been primarily fueled by Italian banking giant UniCredit's strategic investment, which has now reached a 9.5% ownership stake in the Frankfurt-based financial institution. The bank's operational performance has kept pace with its stock market success, reporting a notable 10% revenue increase to 6.44 billion in the third quarter of 2024. Currently trading at 15.74, the stock maintains a significant cushion above its 52-week low of 10.15, reflecting strong market confidence in the bank's trajectory.

Market Outlook and Dividends

Financial analysts maintain a bullish stance on Commerzbank's future prospects, setting an average price target of 17.18. The bank's dividend outlook appears particularly promising, with experts forecasting a substantial increase to 0.524 per share, up from the previous year's 0.35 distribution. With a market capitalization of 18.6 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.13 for 2025, Commerzbank's financial metrics suggest a robust market position, despite trading 8.19% below its yearly peak.

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Fresh Commerzbank information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends.

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US President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced on January 10, days before his inauguration, following his conviction for falsifying business records in the Stormy Daniels hush money case. While Judge Juan Merchan has dismissed Trumps attempts to delay the sentencing, he indicated that jail time is unlikely read more

Donald Trump takes the stage to address supporters at his rally, at the Palm Beach County Convention Centre in West Palm Beach, Florida, US, November 6, 2024. File Image/Reuters

United States President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sentenced on January 10, just ten days before his inauguration.

The case stems from his conviction on charges of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

While the sentencing brings Trump closer to legal closure, Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan has indicated that incarceration is unlikely.

Why the case was not dismissed

Judge Juan Merchan despite the proximity to his inauguration. In his 18-page ruling, Merchan dismissed Trumps request to delay the proceedings until after his presidency, stating the need to uphold the rule of law.

The sanctity of a jury verdict and the deference that must be accorded to it, is a bedrock principle in our Nations jurisprudence, wrote Merchan. He further clarified that Trumps status as president-elect does not shield him from legal accountability:

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The Constitution dictates that only a President, after taking the oath of office, has the authority of the Chief Executive, a President-elect does not. Accordingly, a President-elect is not permitted to avail himself of the protections afforded to the individual occupying that Office.  Binding precedent does not provide that an individual, upon becoming President, can retroactively dismiss or vacate prior criminal acts nor does it grant blanket Presidential-elect immunity."

US President-elect Donald Trump reacts as the verdict is read in his criminal trial at Manhattan state court in New York City, US May 30, 2024 in this courtroom sketch. File Image/Reuters

Merchan rejected Trumps argument that the case should be dismissed in light of his presidential election victory, calling it disingenuous. He wrote, Defendant has always pronounced, since the inception of this case, confidence and indeed the expectation that he would prevail in the 2024 Election  confidence that has proven well-founded.

Trumps legal team argued that the sentencing would disrupt his ability to prepare for office. This lawless case should have never been brought, and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung Cheung said.

However, Merchan dismissed this as a reason to overturn the conviction, stating, To dismiss the indictment and set aside the jury verdict would not serve the concerns set forth by the Supreme Court in its handful of cases addressing Presidential immunity nor would it serve the Rule of Law. On the contrary, such decision would undermine the Rule of Law in immeasurable ways.

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Why the judge ruled out jail time

Despite the serious nature of the charges, Merchan made it clear that he is not inclined to impose a jail sentence. The judge indicated that an unconditional discharge  a sentence without imprisonment, fines, or probation  would be the most appropriate outcome.

While this Court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and Defendant opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Courts inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, Merchan wrote.

Former US President Donald Trump smiles to the jury pool as he is introduced to them, at the beginning of his trial before Justice Juan Merchan over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City. File Image/Reuters

This decision takes into account Trumps age (78), lack of prior criminal history, and the practical considerations of his impending presidency. Legal experts agree that this approach balances the gravity of the offense with Trumps unique circumstances.

How Trump influenced the trial

Throughout the trial and subsequent proceedings, Merchan took note of Trumps public attacks on the legal system. In his ruling, the judge criticised Trumps unrelenting and unsubstantiated attacks on the judiciary, stating:

Defendants disdain for the Third Branch of government, whether state or federal, in New York or elsewhere, is a matter of public record. Indeed, Defendant has gone to great lengths to broadcast on social media and other forums his lack of respect for judges, juries, grand juries and the justice system as a whole.

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Former US President Donald Trump listens as his lawyer Todd Blanche argues with Judge Juan Merchan during the court hearing. File Image/Reuters

Merchan added that Trumps public statements factored into his analysis of the defendants character and history: Defendants character and history vis-a-vis the Rule of Law and the Third Branch of government must be analysed. In that vein, it does not weigh in his favour.

Merchan on why the jurys verdict must be held

Merchan highlighted the importance of respecting the jurys unanimous decision, which found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges relate to a $130,000 payment made by Trumps former attorney, Michael Cohen, to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election.

It was the premeditated and continuous deception by the leader of the free world that is the gravamen of this offense, Merchan wrote. To vacate this verdict on the grounds that the charges are insufficiently serious given the position Defendant once held, and is about to assume again, would constitute a disproportionate result and cause immeasurable damage to the citizenrys confidence in the Rule of Law.

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Merchan also dismissed Trumps argument that his civic and financial contributions warranted leniency.

What this means for Trump

This sentencing makes Trump the first President-elect in US history to face sentencing for a felony conviction. While Merchans decision ensures Trump can appeal the conviction, the president-elect has continued to denounce the case, calling it a hoax and nothing but a rigged charade perpetuated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

However, Merchan remained firm in his ruling, stating that allowing the case to proceed serves both justice and public expectations.

This Court recognises the importance of considering and balancing the seemingly competing factors before it: ensuring that the Executive Branch is free to fully dispense the duties of the President and safeguard the interests of the Nation, unencumbered by pending criminal proceedings; to ensure that the Supreme Courts ruling and the citizenrys expectation be honored that all are equal and no one is above the Iaw; and the importance of protecting the sanctity of a jury verdict. This Court is simply not persuaded that the first factor outweighs the others at this stage of the proceeding, either on its own or in conjunction with the other  factors.

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Also Read | Stormy Daniels recounts 2006 sexual encounter with Donald Trump

With inputs from agencies
On January 4, 2010, the world was introduced to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, standing tall at 2,717 feet and 163 stories high. It soon grabbed the record for being the tallest building. Heres all this and more as we revisit this day in history read more

People watch a fountain in front of Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world, in Dubai. File image/Reuters

Its January 4 and historically its a significant day.

As part of our continuing series, titled History Today, we take a look back at the most important events that occurred on this day in the years gone by.

From Burma, now known as Myanmar, becoming an independent nation after more than 60 years of colonial rule to the Burj Khalifa  the worlds tallest building  officially opening in the United Arab Emirates, a lot of historical events occurred on January 4.

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Read on to find out what else happened on this day in history.

Burma attains independence

On 4 January 1948, the British colony of Burma, now Myanmar, became an independent nation after more than 60 years of colonial rule. England had established control of the country in 1885, designating Burma as a province of India. This moment of independence came after General Aung San negotiated the Panglong Agreement with ethnic leaders that guaranteed the independence of Burma as a unified state.

The Stone Pillar of Independence in Yangon, Myanmar. Each year, Myanmar celebrates its independence from colonial rule on January 4. File image

Interestingly, the time for the declaration of Burmas independence at 4.20 am came owing to auspiciousness as stated by an astrologer.

After independence, Sao Shwe Thaik was announced as Burmas first president and U Nu its first prime minister. Unlike other British colonies that gained freedom, it didnt join the Commonwealth.

Burj Khalifa officially opens

There are tall buildings in the world and then theres the Burj Khalifa. It was on this day in 2010 that the 2,717-feet-tall structure was officially opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, quickly becoming the worlds tallest building.

However, the history of this 163-storey building is interesting. It all started in 2004 when Dubai decided to construct a tower that would become the centrepiece of the new downtown area. The project was originally called the Burj Dubai, named after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.

Soon after work began on this storeyed structure, with reports saying it required over 12,000 workers and contractors from across the world six years to construct it.

Sheikh Mohammad (right), the ruler of Dubai, unveils a plaque during the opening ceremony of the Burj Khalifa tower, the tallest skyscraper in the world, in Dubai on January 4, 2010. File image/AFP

Finally, the building was officially opened on January 4 with the tower being renamed Burj Khalifa, in honour of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan. The rest, as they say, is history, and even today, the Burj Khalifa stands tall in Dubai, attracting visitors from across the world.

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On inauguration, Burj Khalifa easily broke the previous record of tallest structure held by the Taipei 101 (Taipei Financial Center) building in Taipei, Taiwan, which measured 1,667 feet. It also broke numerous other records, including the worlds tallest freestanding structure, the worlds highest occupied floor, and the worlds highest outdoor observation deck.

This day, that year

>> On January 4, 1965, in his State of the Union message, US President Lyndon B Johnson proclaimed his vision of a Great Society and called for an enormous programme of social welfare legislation.

>> In 2007, on this very day, John Boehner handed the US Speaker of the House gavel over to Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic Representative from California. With the passing of the gavel, she became the first woman to hold the Speaker of the House position in the US, making history.

>> It was also on this day in 1643 that Sir Isaac Newton, scientist who developed the laws of gravity and planetary relations, was born in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England.
A grand statue of Maratha king Shivaji installed by the Indian Army on the banks of Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh has stirred a row. Locals have questioned the relevance of the statue which has come up near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Heres all this and more in our weekly roundup read more

Army personnel inaugurate a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the banks of Pangong Tso Lake, in Leh, Ladakh. PTI

2025 has begun. While New Years festivities dominated the week, several news developments caught our eye.

Indias space agency ended 2024 on a high note with the launch of its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission. Successful separation of SpaDeX satellites marks another milestone in Indias space journey, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) declared on X.

In Bhopal, toxic waste left from the 1984 gas tragedy was finally relocated. Forty years after the worlds worst industrial disaster, 337 metric tonnes of chemical waste was moved to a disposal plant in Pithampur near Indore.

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Flying has become a common occurrence for most people in India. To ease the process at airports, many travellers use the Digi Yatra application. Amid new privacy concerns about the app, the Centre has issued a clarification.

Heres all this and more in our weekly wrap from India.

1. Isro launched its SpaDeX mission onboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), in a boost to Indias space sector. SpaDeX, or space docking, involves two spacecraft connecting while orbiting the Earth.

Docking is necessary for missions requiring heavy spacecraft and equipment that cannot be launched in one go. If the SpaDeX mission is successful, Isros chief Dr S Somanath said the docking is expected to take place on January 7. It will be an important milestone for India as currently only the United States, Russia and China are capable of carrying out docking. Heres our report on how the SpaDeX mission is crucial for India.

2. On the night of January 1, a dozen containers storing 337 metric tonnes of chemical waste, left after the Bhopal gas disaster, were transferred from the Madhya Pradesh capital to Pithampur amid tight security. About 200 workers, each operating in short 30-minute shifts, were involved in the relocation process.

Container trucks carry toxic waste after collecting from the Union Carbide factory for disposal at the Pithampur Industrial Waste Management Facility, January 1, 2025. PTI

More than 100 cops were stationed to ensure the safe transport of the waste from Bhopal to Pithampur. In 1984, highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from American company Union Carbides pesticide factory in Bhopal, killing thousands and exposing around five lakh people to the poisonous gas.

We explain in this story how the toxic waste was shifted from the abandoned Union Carbide site for disposal at a facility in Pithampur.

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3. A statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj installed by the Indian Army on the banks of Pangong Tso, at an altitude of 14,300 feet, in eastern Ladakh has stirred a row. The location of the statue near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) matters amid the recent border disengagement with China.

SHRI CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ STATUE AT PANGONG TSO, LADAKH



On 26 Dec 2024, a majestic statue of Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was inaugurated on the banks of Pangong Tso at an altitude of 14,300 feet.



The towering symbol of valour, vision and unwavering justice was pic.twitter.com/PWTVE7ndGX  @firefurycorps_IA (@firefurycorps) December 28, 2024

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The statue of the Maratha king has been questioned by locals for its relevance to Ladakhs heritage and ecology. Read our story to find out what is going on.

4. After a Bengaluru-based techie died by suicide due to alleged harassment from his wife and in-laws, a similar case has come to light in Delhi. Puneet Khurana, a 40-year-old cafe owner, blamed his wife and in-laws for his death in a video before allegedly taking his own life at his home in the Kalyan Vihar area of northwest Delhi.

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Khuranas family has alleged Manika Pahwa, the businessmans wife, subjected him to mental harassment, along with her family. The estranged couple, who were also business partners, were going through divorce proceedings. Heres our report on the case.

5. The Centre has rebuffed a media report claiming that the Digi Yatra app will be used to crack down on tax evaders from 2025. The Income Tax Department said there are no plans as on date for such a move.

The media report, citing sources, claimed that the tax department has accessed passenger data on the Digi Yatra app, which it will use to look for discrepancies in tax filings. We explain in this story the claims made in the report and the governments response.

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6. A hiker from Scotland landed in the soup at Delhi airport for carrying a GPS device banned in India. Heather was detained at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport for possessing Garmin inReach, a Swiss-based GPS device.

She narrated her ordeal in a post on Instagram, urging fellow travellers not to bring satellite communicators or devices to India as they are illegal here. Heres our report on what these devices are and why India has banned them.

You are all caught up for this week. If you like the way we explain news, you can bookmark this page.
Chidambaram played a key role in Indias first nuclear test at Pokhran in 1974 and led the team from the Department of Atomic Energy during the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 read more

Dr Rajagopala Chidambaram was the architect of India's nuclear programme. Image courtesy: WEF via Wikimedia

Dr R Chidambaram, a key figure in Indias nuclear program and one of the countrys most distinguished scientists, died Saturday (January 4) morning in Mumbai. He was 88.

The Department of Atomic Energy confirmed his death in a statement, saying Chidambaram passed away at 3:20 am and hailed his unparalleled contributions to Indias scientific and strategic capabilities.

Role in making India a nuclear weapon state

Chidambaram played a key role in Indias first nuclear test at Pokhran in 1974 and led the team from the Department of Atomic Energy during the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998. His work helped position India as a nuclear power on the global stage.

A physicist known for his groundbreaking research in high-pressure physics, crystallography, and materials science, Chidambaram advanced understanding in these fields and laid the groundwork for modern materials science research in India.

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Beyond his contributions to nuclear science, Chidambaram championed initiatives in energy, healthcare, and strategic self-reliance. He was instrumental in developing Indias indigenous supercomputers and conceptualizing the National Knowledge Network, which connects research and educational institutions nationwide.

A trailblazer

The Department of Atomic Energy described him as a trailblazer, an inspirational leader, and a dedicated mentor to countless scientists and engineers.

Chidambarams initiatives extended to rural technology, electronic security, and fostering collaboration in Indias scientific community.

Programs such as the Rural Technology Action Groups and the Society for Electronic Transactions and Security reflected his commitment to applying science for national development.

Prime accolades

Throughout his career, he served in numerous prominent roles, including as Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India from 2001 to 2018. He also served as Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (1990-1993), Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (1993-2000), and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy.

Chidambaram also chaired the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency from 1994 to 1995 and was a member of its Commission of Eminent Persons.

For his contributions, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999, among other honours. He received honorary doctorates from several universities and was a fellow of prestigious Indian and international science academies.
China uses tools such as aid, capacity building, and advancements in science, technology, and innovation to strengthen its connections with countries in the Indo-Pacific and deepen its influence. In doing so, China also incentivises these countries to reduce their ties with India read more

The Third China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Blue Economy Development Cooperation was held from December 15 to 17 in Kunming. Apart from the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), the principal organiser, it is notable that Barbados and the Maldives co-hosted the forum alongside China. The forum, themed Future of the Blue Indian OceanDevelopment Practice of the Global South, featured, for the first time, a dialogue between governments and enterprises. Representatives from Chinese and international governments, as well as companies, discussed multi-stakeholder engagement in international development cooperation, paving the way for broader international collaboration by involving multiple stakeholders.

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Zhao Fengtao, Deputy Director of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), said, Next, we are willing to deepen opening-up and cooperation with other countries to jointly create a new engine for the blue economy. We will consolidate consensus on sustainable marine development to build a new space for blue development. Maritime dialogue and consultations will be strengthened to seek a new model for blue governance. We will also promote mutual learning among maritime cultures with other countries to create a new chapter of maritime civilisation.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Wang Yong, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, mentioned that the construction of a maritime community with a shared future is evolving from a Chinese initiative into a shared international goal. China aims to enhance partnerships in maritime transport, biomedicine, renewable energy, infrastructure, and marine science and technology, Wang added.

At the third forum, a Global Development Project Pool Information Management System was launched, along with the inauguration of the China-Indian Ocean Region Centre for Maritime Cooperation and Training Centre. Agreements were signed for the creation of a low-carbon demonstration zone in Seychelles and the development of projects for early warning and response to climate-induced disasters in Pakistan and the Maldives.

According to CIDCA, which organised the event, China has established normalised cooperation mechanisms with 17 Indian Ocean region countries, and cooperation is being carried out in fields including remote sensing, maritime monitoring and research, biodiversity, and disaster reduction. The forum prominently featured topics such as ocean-based infrastructure, digital empowerment for the blue economy, cultural exchange for marine tourism, automated port projects, automated warehouses, and distribution centres. Additionally, Chu Yili from China Communications Construction Company Ltd highlighted opportunities for joint development in marine new energy and deep-sea resource exploration.

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Maritime Community with a Shared Future represents Chinas broad vision for ocean-based economic development, through which it seeks to lead global oceanic and fisheries governance. Under this vision of a shared future, China aims to establish diverse mechanisms with a heightened focus on multi-tiered ocean governance in the Indian Ocean Region. To achieve these objectives, China advocates for maritime peace, joint governance of oceans, cooperation in fisheries management, support for marine technologies, and the development of information-sharing mechanisms.

It is worth recalling the deliverables outlined in the joint statement at the second China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation (2023). These include establishing the China-Indian Ocean Region Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Alliance; building and initiating the China-Indian Ocean Region Blue Economy Think Tank Network; inaugurating the China-Africa Cooperation Centre on Satellite Remote Sensing Application in Beijing (July 2023); launching the Blue Talent Program; and proposing a New Energy Indian Ocean Initiative, among others.

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The China-Africa Cooperation Centre on Satellite Remote Sensing Application stands out as a significant initiative, with clear potential for expansion in the coming years. Notably, China has launched the first satellites for its GuoWang mega constellation (GuoWang meaning national network), intensifying the race for space-based broadband internet services both domestically and internationally. The project is managed by China Satellite Network Group Co. Ltd., a state-owned enterprise established in 2021 under the State Council, Chinas cabinet.

The newly launched satellites mark the first batch of the GuoWang broadband mega constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO), which is planned to consist of nearly 13,000 spacecraft upon completion. Additionally, another Chinese broadband mega constellation, Qianfan (Thousand Sails), is also under development. Qianfan is expected to feature a similar scale, and to date, 54 Qianfan spacecraft have been launched across three missions conducted this year.

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Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is particularly well-suited for all types of remote sensing, ranging from high-resolution Earth observation to scientific research. Thanks to technological advancements, various types of remote sensing satellites can operate in one of three orbits: polar, non-polar Low Earth Orbit (LEO), or Geostationary Orbit (GEO). The high number of satellites planned by Beijing allows for complete global coverage.

Understanding Chinas Civil-Military Fusion (CMF) policy is key to recognising that advancements in LEO connectivity have not only enhanced civilian applications but have also triggered a paradigm shift in military communications. Orbiting at lower altitudes, LEO satellites offer low latency, enabling near-instantaneous connectivity for troops. This capability is a game-changer for personnel in the field, at sea, or even in the air, allowing them to make video calls, access critical data, and engage in seamless communication with minimal delay.

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Chinas approach to the blue economy reflects a convergence of geopolitical, economic, ecological, technological, and legal perspectives, presenting emerging challenges for global ocean governance. These challenges arise from Chinas integration of the blue economy development concept with its Maritime Silk Road initiative, through which it seeks to shape governance rules to align with its strategic interests. China views the ocean as an integral part of its maritime economy, positioning it as a driver of innovation to advance its goal of becoming a great maritime power. This vision aligns with the broader objectives of the Chinese Dream and national rejuvenation.

Under Xi Jinping, China aims to enhance maritime trade with the rest of the world, ensure food and energy security, and increase Chinese investments in port and ocean economy-related infrastructure globally. This culminated in the announcement of Beijings Vision for Maritime Cooperation in 2017. Since then, Chinas Blue Economy concept has evolved into a core component of Beijings broader strategy to become a global maritime great power.

These efforts give Chinas approach a global dimension and connect it to a broader Chinese discourse, linking outward-facing policies such as its claim of being a near-Arctic state in its Arctic policy. It also extends the One Belt and One Road Initiative (BRI) to include projects like the Health Silk Road, Space Silk Road, Arctic Silk Road, and Digital Silk Road, among others. Such discourses have reinforced Chinas hardened positions in its maritime disputes with neighbouring countries in the South China Sea, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and others, positions that are widely regarded as unfounded and illegal.

Next, areas like cultural exchange and maritime tourism, though prominently discussed, need to be approached with caution. They create favourable conditions for China to exert influence and strategically position itself. This can lead to a more dominant Chinese presence and may pressure the respective governments to approve Beijing-initiated infrastructure plans with minimal resistance. In return, this facilitates Chinas efforts to consolidate the presence of its companies in these regions.

Chinas Ministry of State Security (Guoanbu) has consistently prioritised cultural soft power and people-to-people exchanges to maintain open channels of communication. In the past, it has devised plans to engage foreign personalities from academic, think tank, and cultural sectors to promote a vision of a benign Chinaone that poses no threat and positions itself solely as a development partner, aligning with the narrative of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Chinas efforts to develop new forms of ties, such as cultural diplomacy, should also be viewed through the lens of the United Front Work Departments involvement. This CCP organ, known for its overseas influence operations, often operates under the guise of diplomatic channels.

Initiatives like the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum and the China-South Asia Cooperation Forum (CSACF) are part of Beijings soft power approach beyond military engagement, focusing on civil-diplomatic efforts to achieve preferred outcomes. Both of these initiatives exclude India, and China uses tools such as aid, capacity building, and advancements in science, technology, and innovation to strengthen its connections with countries in the Indo-Pacific and deepen its influence. In doing so, China also incentivises these countries to reduce their ties with India.

China relies on a safe, secure, and stable Indian Ocean to achieve its foreign policy and domestic objectives. Its interest in the region is clear, and the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to China will only continue to grow. This can be seen as part of a new role that Beijing seeks to play in the IOR. These international activities and aspirations are expected to expand in the future.

The writer is the Head of Strategic Studies Programme at the Centre for National Security Studies (CNSS), Bengaluru. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The deportation request for Sheikh Hasina, the delay in elections, the protection of Hindu minorities, and the pro-Pakistan and pro-China stance of the Yunus administration are all critical factors that will shape the future of bilateral ties read more

2025 will be a year to watch for India-Bangladesh relations, with several critical developments that could redefine the bilateral ties between these two neighbouring nations. The political landscape in Bangladesh has undergone significant changes with the interim leadership of Muhammad Yunus, and the implications of these changes are far-reaching. From the contentious issue of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas deportation to the delay in elections, the protection of Hindu minorities, and the shifting alliances with Pakistan and China, the stakes have never been higher. The decisions made and actions taken in 2025 will have profound consequences for both countries, shaping their economic, strategic, and humanitarian futures.

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One of the most pressing issues is the request for the deportation of Hasina, who fled to India amid widespread protests. Indias response to this request will be a litmus test for its diplomatic stance and could either strengthen or strain the bilateral relationship. Additionally, the delay in elections in Bangladesh has created a power vacuum that hardline groups like Jamaat-e-Islami are eager to fill. The rise of these groups, which have historically been anti-India, could destabilise the region and undermine the progress made in recent years.

Furthermore, the Yunus governments failure to protect Hindu minorities has escalated tensions, with incidents of atrocities against Hindus drawing international attention. Indias response to these human rights violations will be crucial in determining the future of bilateral ties. Lastly, the pro-Pakistan and pro-China stance of the current Bangladeshi regime poses significant strategic challenges for India. As Bangladesh strengthens its ties with these nations, India must navigate a complex geopolitical landscape to safeguard its interests.

The year 2025 will be a defining year for India-Bangladesh relations, with critical developments that will shape the future of both nations. The decisions made this year will have lasting impacts, and any decline in relations could have severe consequences for Bangladesh, affecting its economy, security, and humanitarian situation like never before.

The Deportation Dilemma: Sheikh Hasinas Extradition Request

The Bangladesh government under the interim leadership of Muhammad Yunus has formally requested the deportation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from India. Hasina fled to India in August 2024 amid widespread student-led protests that resulted in her ousting after 15 years in power. The Yunus administration has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and her close aides, accusing them of crimes against humanity. However, India has no compelling reason to comply with this request, given the lack of concrete evidence and the potential diplomatic fallout.

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Indias response to this request will be crucial in determining the future of India-Bangladesh relations. If the Bangladesh government escalates the matter out of proportion, it could strain the bilateral relationship. Indias refusal to deport Hasina could be perceived as a lack of support for the current Bangladeshi regime, potentially leading to diplomatic tensions. On the other hand, complying with the request could be seen as endorsing the interim governments actions, which have been criticised for their lack of legitimacy and human rights violations.

Election Delays and the Rise of Hardliners

The Yunus government has shown little interest in holding timely elections in Bangladesh. The interim administration has proposed lowering the voting age to 17, a move that has been criticised for potentially delaying the electoral process. The more the elections are delayed, the more chaos is likely to erupt in Bangladesh, creating a power vacuum that hardline groups like Jamaat-e-Islami could exploit. These groups, which have historically been anti-India, could gain significant influence, sidelining moderate electoral voices and destabilising the region.

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The rise of hardliners in Bangladesh would be detrimental to India-Bangladesh relations. These groups have a history of opposing Indias interests and fostering anti-India sentiment. If they gain control, it could lead to increased cross-border tensions, security challenges, and a deterioration of diplomatic ties. The Indian government must closely monitor the situation and engage with the Bangladeshi administration to ensure that democratic processes are upheld and that moderate voices are not marginalised.

Protection of Hindu Minorities

The Yunus government has been criticised for its failure to protect the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. The arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das on sedition charges has escalated tensions and highlighted the plight of religious minorities. There have been numerous incidents of atrocities against Hindus, including attacks on their homes, temples, and businesses. The Indian government has been patiently observing the situation, but if the Yunus administration continues to be lacklustre in protecting minority rights, India may be forced to react more stringently.

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Indias response to the persecution of Hindu minorities in Bangladesh will be a critical factor in bilateral relations. A harsh reaction from India could lead to diplomatic fallout and further strain the relationship. However, Indias silence could be interpreted as indifference to the plight of minorities, undermining its moral authority. The Indian government must strike a delicate balance, advocating for the protection of minorities while maintaining diplomatic channels with the Bangladeshi administration.

Pro-Pakistan and Pro-China Stance

The current Bangladesh regime under Muhammad Yunus has shown a clear inclination towards Pakistan and China. This shift in foreign policy has significant implications for India-Bangladesh relations. The Yunus administrations engagement with Pakistan and China could undermine Indias strategic interests in the region. Chinas increasing influence in Bangladesh, coupled with Pakistans historical rivalry with India, creates a complex geopolitical landscape that India must navigate carefully.

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If the Yunus government continues to strengthen its ties with Pakistan and China, it could lead to a realignment of regional alliances, isolating India. This would have far-reaching consequences for Indias security and strategic interests. The Indian government must closely monitor the evolving dynamics and engage in proactive diplomacy to counterbalance the influence of Pakistan and China in Bangladesh.

The deportation request for Sheikh Hasina, the delay in elections, the protection of Hindu minorities, and the pro-Pakistan and pro-China stance of the Yunus administration are all critical factors that will shape the future of bilateral ties. Any decline in relations could have severe consequences for Bangladesh, impacting its economy and security like never before, yet India must navigate these challenges with a balanced approach, ensuring that its strategic interests are protected while fostering a stable and cooperative relationship with Bangladesh.

The author, a columnist and research scholar, teaches journalism at St. Xaviers College (autonomous), Kolkata. His handle on X is @sayantan_gh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
For Washington to provide any weaponry, technology, or even foreign aid to Islamabad makes as much sense as the United States subsidising Iran, North Korea, or Venezuela read more

In 1987, the US Congress created Major Non-NATO Ally status to bolster countries that maintain important strategic relations with the United States. The designation is not simply honorific; it also bestows benefits such as favourable access to materials and supplies; it also qualifies the partner to receive technologies still in the testing process and facilitates regular training with the US military. Beyond its military benefits, the status is diplomatic endorsement, increases commercial confidence in the relationship, and greenlights investment.

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In recent years, however, the designation process has broken. In 2022, President Joe Biden awarded Major Non-NATO Ally status to Qatar, notwithstanding that countrys support for the Taliban, Hamas, and a host of other Islamist, extremist, and terrorist groups. While Bahrainhost to the US Navys Fifth Fleetbecame a major non-NATO ally in 2002, Biden left both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates without the designation, largely to appease the same progressive base that also remains hostile to India.

President George W Bush awarded Pakistan Major Non-NATO Ally status in 2004 against the backdrop of the Afghanistan War. Afghanistan itself received the status in 2012, though Biden revoked it following its fall to the Taliban. Pakistan never deserved the privileges of Major Non-NATO Ally status. After all, Pakistan supported the Taliban. Two Pakistani factories supplied the precursors for 90 per cent of the improvised explosive devices the Taliban used to kill American soldiers. Pakistan sponsors and refuses to extradite the terrorists responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, terrorism that killed 141 Indians and six Americans, among dozens from other countries. Pakistan is also today a satrapy of China. A leaked document from 2023 shows then-Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar openly advocating for Pakistan to pivot more closely to Beijing. For Washington to provide any weaponry, technology, or even foreign aid to Islamabad makes as much sense as the United States subsidising Iran, North Korea, or Venezuela.

National security is not about assuaging feelings or seeking the goodwill of terror sponsors like Pakistan. If Biden can remove the Talibans Afghanistan from Major Non-NATO Ally status, why should Trump not remove the Inter-Services Intelligences Pakistan from the designation?

India is, of course, an independent country. It prides itself on its independent path and consciously seeks to avoid defence alliances with the United States, Russia, or other major powers. Indian officials, for example, resist treating the Quad as anything more than a diplomatic construct. Beyond the United States and India, the other two membersAustralia and Japanare both major non-NATO allies. So too are countries like New Zealand, Brazil, and Thailand, each of which, like India, has reasons to resist formal defence alliances.

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The simple fact is India deserves Major Non-NATO Ally status. US-India military exercises already occur; Tiger Triumph 2024, held in late March last year near Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, was a major benefit to both countries. India can still diversify the sources of its military imports, but recent Russian defaults on contracts due to the Ukraine War should make guaranteeing prioritisation from US suppliers an Indian interest.

Trump likes India and has a close, personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Neither leader will need to waste time with confidence-building or getting to know the other. Trump may be busy with his inauguration and the evening balls on January 20, 2025, but early the next morning Modi should telephone Trump and request formal Major Non-NATO Ally status for India. Frankly, no country deserves it more. While the two leaders converse, Modi should ask Trump whether he will continue that status for the China-embracing, terror-supporting government now dominating Pakistan.

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Michael Rubin is director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Apparantly, there is an intense power struggle within the PLA, with some officers siding with President Xi Jinping and others dissenting, though most of these officers have, over the years, been selected by Xi himself read more

On September 13, 1971, a Chinese Trident 1E airliner crashed in Inner Mongolia; everyone on board was killed. The special flight carried Marshal Lin Biao, Chinas defence minister and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC). Lin, Mao Zedongs heir apparent, was also one of the architects of the dreaded Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. The official narrative says that Lin was fleeing to the Soviet Union after a failed coup against Mao when his aeroplane ran out of fuel. Observers, however, believe Lin was fleeing an impending purge in the military; some leaders had gained too much power for Maos liking. Was the crash an accident? A year later, when US President Richard Nixon asked Zhou Enlai, the Chinese Premier, about what happened to Lin, Zhou smiled and cryptically said, Lin left on a trip to Moscow and disappeared en route.

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Many Instances

On December 27, Caixin, the Chinese economic publication, published an impressive chart, The Military Brass Ensnared in Chinas Anti-Corruption Campaign.

The article observed: More than 80 generals have been ensnared in Chinas anti-corruption campaign since it kicked off in the wake of the 18th National Party Congress held in October 2012.

According to the Caixin compilation, 13 full generals, 18 lieutenant generals, and more than 50 major generals have fallen from grace in graft probes in the past dozen years.

Another story came back to mind: on October 21, 2018, it was announced that the head of the Chinese Governments liaison office in Macau had died by falling from the building at his residence. According to The South China Morning Post (SCMP): Hong Kong officials and politicians expressed shock over the sudden passing of Zheng Xiaosong. He had been suffering from depression, an official statement issued by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) said.

It is true that life can be depressing for a Chinese general. In the case of Zheng, the 59-year-old officer had taken up the post in Macau just a year earlier.

Nothing New under Beijings Sky

One could therefore say that there was nothing new under the sky, especially after Li Shangfu was sacked from his position as defence minister in October 2023 and Wei Fenghe, Lis predecessor, was stripped of his rank as general in June 2024, after he had served as defence minister from 2018 to 2023. Xi Jinping sacked Li Shangfu with no explanation after he had disappeared for nearly two months; promoted in March 2023 and sacked in October, Li became the countrys shortest-serving defence minister.

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Were the generals really corrupt or have they only displeased the emperor? Probably the latter.

Two More Generals

More recently, on December 26, two more Chinese generals fell.

The Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress announced that You Haitao, a Lt Gen since 2014, who was promoted to deputy commander of the PLA Army in 2016 and had earlier served as deputy commander of the Nanjing Military Region, was investigated.

Vice-Admiral Li Pengcheng, 61, was also removed from Chinas top legislature. Li had taken over as the naval commander of the Southern Theatre Command (STC) after his predecessor, Ju Xinchun, was himself dismissed from the NPC in December 2023 along with several senior members of the PLA Rocket Force overseeing Chinas nuclear weapons. According to the SCMP: The downfall of the two generals comes amid a slew of personnel changes within the PLA, with several senior officers brought down by corruption charges.

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The senior-most one was Admiral Miao Hua, a member of the powerful Central Military Commission and director of its political work department, who was placed under investigation in November 2024.

A New Full General

On December 23, the Central Military Commission held a promotion ceremony at the Bayi Building in Beijing. Chen Hui, political commissar of the PLA Army, was officially promoted to the rank of general. He has been a long-time Air Force officer and was confirmed as the new army political commissar to oversee ideology, political education, and unit morale," according to state news agency Xinhua.

Chen replaced Qin Shutong, 61, who served in the PLA Air Force for some two decades before being appointed the PLA Army political commissar in January 2022.

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Today, Qins whereabouts are unknown.

Observers have noted that Qins 2022 promotion happened while Admiral Miao was also in charge of military personnel promotion. Is his fall linked to Admiral Miaos losing his job? Probably.

At the function, four high-ranking Chinese generals were absent.

China Central Televisions News Broadcast showed the full generals (three stars) seated in the first three rows facing the rostrum; it included current Defence Minister Dong Jun (himself rumoured to be under investigation), Xu Xueqiang, Minister of Equipment Development, and Xu Xisheng, Rocket Force Political Commissar.

However, Li Qiaoming, commander of the PLA Army; Qin Shutong, former political commissar of the Army; Yuan Huazhi, political commissar of the Navy; and Wang Chunning, commander of the Armed Police Force, were missing in action.

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Interviewed by Voice of America (VOA), scholars who noted the absence of these generals observed that it may mean that the PLA will launch a new round of anti-corruption storm following the collective corruption case of the Rocket Army.

Disagreement with Xi Jinping

Katsuji Nakazawa, an editorial writer at Tokyo-based Nikkei, in an in-depth analysis, noted: The Peoples Liberation Army, the powerful military of the Chinese Communist Party, is in political disarray amid a feud over Xi Jinpings handling of the countrys leadership system. The feud surfaced at the beginning of this month, with the politically potent PLA being pulled into a series of unusual episodes.

Nakazawa recounts in The Nikkei: On December 1, the Central Theatre Command (CTC) of the PLA posted an article on its official social media account announcing a study session held by the 83rd Group Army (of the CTC).

The article was accompanied by a photo of a 16-character political slogan hanging on a wall; it was what the 83rd Group Army was presumed to study on during the seminar.

The Nikkei explained: The slogan is made up of four tenetsji ti ling dao (collective leadership), min zhu ji zhong (democratic centralism), ge bie yun niang (individual consultations), and hui yi jue ding (decision by meetings).

It means that democratic centralism must be implemented thoroughly under the collective leadership system, important issues must be discussed individually and properly, and decisions must be made at meetings.

It is completely the opposite of what Xi Jinping has been preaching, In todays China, the slogan comes off as highly deant. More signicantly, this act of deance came from within the military.

The 83rd Group Armys public advocacy for collective leadership, despite President Xi having concentrated power in his own hands since 2012, is telling. Is there dissent in the PLA?

Probably, Nakazawa asserted, Word of the 83rd Group Armys study session quickly reverberated across the country after it received extensive coverage in The Paper online news outlet and other media.

New Detention facilities

On December 28, CNN published a well-researched article that found that more than 200 specialised detention facilities nationwide have been set up in China to interrogate suspects ensnared in Xi Jinpings widening anti-corruption drive, as the Chinese leader extends his crackdown beyond the ruling Communist Party to a vast swath of public sectors.

CNN observed: Since taking power in 2012, Xi has launched a sweeping campaign against graft and disloyalty, taking down corrupt officials as well as political rivals at an unprecedented speed and scale as he consolidated control over the party and the military. the supreme leader has turned his relentless campaign into a permanent and institutionalised feature of his open-ended rule. Another significant message.

Implications

All this means that there is an intense power struggle within the PLA, with some officers siding with Xi Jinping and others dissenting, though most of these officers have, over the years, been selected by Xi himself.

Is such an army ready for a war? It is doubtful, though it does not mean that India should lower her guard and stop preparations to, if necessary, repel the Chinese as it has been done during the past four years.

Most of the officers are probably purged for political reasons, as indicated in The Nikkei article.

Practically, the purges/investigations are bound to translate into more resentment within the PLA, more fear for the future, and more anger towards Xi Jinping; ultimately, it is a vicious circle.

One final question: Can Xi Jinping himself be purged one day? It can only be said that it has happened to all totalitarian leaders in the past; in any case, it is a question worth pondering about and watching.

What could be the consequences for the Indian border?

The writer is Distinguished Fellow, Centre of Excellence for Himalayan Studies, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence (Delhi). Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The development follows the withdrawal of Austrias liberal party, NEOS, from three-party coalition negotiations to form a centrist government to exclude the far-right FPO read more

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has said he will step down in the coming days. Reuters

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer announced Saturday (January 4) that he will step down in the coming days after coalition talks with the Social Democrats collapsed over disagreements on key issues.

The surprise decision could lead to snap elections or prompt the conservative Peoples Party (OVP) to explore a coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), which won national elections in September but has been unable to form a government.

Nehammer, who also leads the OVP, made the announcement in a video message and statement on the social media platform X.

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After the break-off of the coalition talks I am going to do the following: I will step down both as chancellor and party chairman of the Peoples Party in the coming days and enable an orderly transition, Nehammer said.

Coalition talks collapse

The development follows the withdrawal of Austrias liberal party, NEOS, from three-party coalition negotiations to form a centrist government to exclude the far-right FPO, which garnered 28.8 per cent of the vote in Septembers election.

The OVP came in second with 26.3 per cent, followed by the Social Democrats (SPO) with 21.1 per cent. Nehammer had been working to form a coalition with the SPO and NEOS, but those talks collapsed Friday (January 3).

Nehammer said discussions with the SPO fell apart due to irreconcilable differences on key issues.

Nehammer said he always stood for stability, adding, it is my deep conviction that radicals do not offer a solution to a single problem, but only live by describing problems.

President Alexander Van der Bellen had urged the OVP and SPO to form a government without delay and initially tasked the conservatives with creating a stable administration that upholds Austrias liberal democratic values. Van der Bellen has expressed reservations about FPO leader Herbert Kickl, known for his far-right rhetoric.

Next steps unclear

Nehammers resignation raises uncertainty about Austrias political future. While he has ruled out working with Kickl, he has left the door open to negotiations with the FPO.

The FPOs 28.8 per cent victory marked the highest vote share for the party, but it has struggled to find coalition partners. The OVP has governed Austria since 1987, including twice in coalition with the FPO, in 2000 and 2017.

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A three-party coalition with the OVP, SPO, and NEOS would have been Austrias first since 1949. The talks aimed to address pressing challenges, including a sluggish economy and rising budget deficits.

With inputs from agencies
Sources have told Axios that this military package will likely be the last commissioned by the Joe Biden administration before he leaves office and makes way for US President-elect Donald Trump read more

Israeli members of the military stand next to armoured vehicles, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, in northern Israel, September 30, 2024- Image - Reuters

The US State Department has notified Congress about an arms deal package for Israel worth $8 billion in the latest show of sign that Washington will continue to back its ally in the Gaza war.

Sources have told Axios that this military package will likely be the last commissioned by the Joe Biden administration before he leaves office and makes way for US President-elect Donald Trump.

The latest development comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters claim that the US administration has put a silent embargo on the transfer of arms.

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Meanwhile, some Democrats urged the administration to make arms sales to Israel contingent on its management of the war effort and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but Biden chose not to pursue this approach.

The President has made clear Israel has a right to defend its citizens, consistent with international law and international humanitarian law, and to deter aggression from Iran and its proxy organizations. We will continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israels defense, an official told Axios.

What does the arms deal include?

The arms sale, which still needs the approval of the House of Representatives and Senate committees, includes AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles for fighter jets to defend against airborne threats, including drones.

It also contains 155mm artillery shells, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles for attack helicopters, small diameter bombs, JDAM tail kits that turn dumb bombs into precision munitions, 500-lb warheads and bomb fuzes.

Ceasefire talks resume in Qatar

Meanwhile, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a truce in Gaza resumed on Friday, the Palestinian militant group said in a statement.

Indirect negotiations will resume today, Friday, in the Qatari capital Doha, Hamas said.

The group added the talks would focus on ensuring the agreement leads to a complete cessation of hostilities (and) the withdrawal of occupation forces.

Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been engaged in months of back-and-forth talks between Israel and Hamas that have failed to end more than a year of devastating conflict in Gaza.

With inputs from agencies
Shares of Jack Daniels parent Brown-Forman slipped nearly 3 per cent to $37.10 in early US trading hours, hitting their lowest since April 2017, while Coors Light beer maker Molson Coors fell 2.7 per cent read more

US Surgeon Generals call for cancer warning labels on alcoholic drinks has cost business to booze makers as their shares dropped after the revelation.

Vivek Murthy, the US Surgeon General, urged alcohol manufacturers to display cancer warnings on drinks, creating a buzz among people.

Alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity, Murthys office said in a statement accompanying the new report, adding the type of alcohol consumed does not matter.

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Stocks tumble after advisory

Shares of Jack Daniels parent Brown-Forman slipped nearly 3 per cent to $37.10 in early US trading hours, hitting their lowest since April 2017, while Coors Light beer maker Molson Coors fell 2.7 per cent.

Constellation Brands, the maker of Corona beer, slipped 1.3 per cent, while Boston Beer was down 3 per cent after falling as much as 6.4 per cent.

In Europe, shares of the worlds top spirits maker Diageo were down 3.7 per cent to their lowest since mid-December at 1530 GMT, after falling as much as 4.1 per cent earlier.

French spirits maker Pernod Ricard, which owns Martell cognac, Mumm champagne and Absolut vodka, was down around 3 per cent, while its peer Remy and Italian spirits group Campari were both down at least 4.5 per cent.

Will Murthys advisory be adopted?

It is, however, not yet clear whether the surgeon generals advisory will be translated into action or not. Moreover, US President Joe Bidens administration is ending. Murthy could be succeeded by Janette Nesheiwat, a director of a New York chain of urgent care clinics and President-elect Donald Trumps pick for the role.

Meanwhile, Trump, whose own brother died of alcoholism, has been a strong critic of the ill effects of alcohol. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trumps nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, has been open about his past struggles with heroin and alcohol and says he attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

With inputs from Reuters
The Israeli military said three rockets targeted its territory from the Gaza Strip, the latest in a flurry of launches by militants in the devastated Palestinian territory read more

Smoke rises from an Israeli strike as the Israeli military conducts operations inside the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as seen from southern Israel, on Wednesday. Reuters

Gazas civil defence agency said about 30 people were killed in Israeli bombardments on Friday, as Hamas said indirect negotiations for a truce in the war were set to resume in Qatar.

The Israeli military said three rockets targeted its territory from the Gaza Strip, the latest in a flurry of launches by militants in the devastated Palestinian territory.

Friday was a harsh day for the residents of Gaza, particularly in Gaza City, due to the continual Israeli bombardment, civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP.

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He said several children were among the dead.

Seven people were killed in an Israeli strike in the Shujaiya neighbourhood of Gaza City, Bassal said.

Gaza resident Mohammed Abu Labda, whose brother was among those killed, said for Israel it was an act of revenge. Theyve destroyed everything that moves on this Earth, even the trees, so what about people? This is a war of extermination, he told AFP.

The Israeli military said that over the previous 24 hours, the Israeli air force struck approximately 40 Hamas terrorist gathering points. Some of the targets were embedded in areas that previously served as schools, it said.

Bassal denied the allegation. He accused the military of preventing food and drinking water from reaching dozens of medical staff, patients and wounded at the Indonesian hospital in the northern town of Beit Lahia.

He said the hospital had been sending out distress calls since Thursday, adding that it was now just a pile of rubble and walls. Theres no hospital.

The Israeli military told AFP it had not struck the Indonesian hospital over the past day nor damaged any essential equipment.

It said there is no need to evacuate the hospital, adding that it was coordinating with hospital officials about delivering humanitarian assistance.

On Sunday, a UN team visited the Indonesian hospital. Around me theres nothing but rubble and destruction, UN aid official Jonathan Whittall said in a video released after the visit.

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Israels military has repeatedly accused Hamas of using hospitals as command centres, an allegation the militants deny.

A report published by the UN Human Rights office on Tuesday said insufficient information has been made available to substantiate vague Israeli accusations of military use of hospitals.

As violence raged in the Gaza Strip, Hamas said indirect negotiations with Israel were to resume in Qatar later on Friday for a truce and hostage release deal.

The militant group, whose 7 October 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war, said the talks would focus on ensuring the agreement leads to a complete cessation of hostilities (and) the withdrawal of occupation forces.

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Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the US have been engaged in months of back-and-forth talks between Israel and Hamas that have failed to end nearly 15 months of war.

A key obstacle to a deal has been Israels reluctance to agree to a lasting ceasefire.

On Thursday, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said he had authorised Israeli negotiators to continue talks in Doha.

Militants, meanwhile, fired three rockets from Gaza towards Israel, the military said.

Such launches have become far rarer than earlier in the war but have intensified since late December as Israel presses on with a three-month offensive in the north of the territory.

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The Israeli army has kept up an intensive bombardment of north Gaza since 6 October, saying it is an effort to prevent Hamas militants from regrouping.

UN human rights experts said on Monday that the north Gaza siege appears to be part of an effort to permanently displace the local population as a precursor to Gazas annexation.

Bassal estimated that 10,000 people remained in the northern towns of Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, down from between 150,000 and 200,000 before the war.

Hamass 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

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Israels retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 45,658 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territorys health ministry which the UN considers reliable.
The extreme-right party AfD acknowledged this week it was in regular contact with the entourage of South African-born Musk, who is due on January 9 to host a conversation on X with AfD leader Alice Weidel read more

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Elon Musks erratic comments and his open support for the extreme-right AfD party in an interview published Saturday.

The worlds wealthiest man  who owns social media platform X  has in a string of posts attacked several European leaders and ruffled feathers on the continent.

Asked about interference by Musk  who last month called Scholz an incompetent fool before calling the German president an anti-democratic tyrant, the chancellor told Stern magazine it was important to keep calm ahead of Germanys snap elections on February 23.

In Germany, everything is proceeding according to the wishes of our citizens and not the erratic comments of an American billionaire, he told the magazine in an interview.

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The German president is not an anti-democratic tyrant and Germany is a strong and stable democracy  never mind what Mr Musk says.

Scholz said public support from the ever-more-powerful Musk for the far-right AfD was much more problematic than these insults.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is polling in second place behind the conservatives, advocates closer links with Putins Russia and wants to weaken trans-Atlantic ties, Scholz said.

The extreme-right party acknowledged this week it was in regular contact with the entourage of South African-born Musk, who is due on January 9 to host a conversation on X with AfD leader Alice Weidel.

Asked if he personally wished to debate with the 53-year-old owner of Tesla and SpaceX, Scholz said: I dont think it necessary to seek Mr Musks favours. Ill leave that to others.

The chancellor said he had met Musk in March 2022 at the opening of a Tesla factory in the state of Brandenburg at a time when the local branch of AfD was protesting against it.

Germany is not Musks only target in Europe, where many governments are already grappling with the rise of populism and the far-right.

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This week he called for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to be removed and urged the release from jail of extremist UK agitator Tommy Robinson.

He held talks in December with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a leading figure on the radical right; called the European Union undemocratic; and branded as dictators judges who annulled Romanias presidential election amid suspicions of Russian interference.

Musk is an enthusiastic supporter of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the countrys most right-wing leader since 1945.

Musks political initiatives are intimately linked to his economic interests, experts suggest.

For Musk and Trump, democracy, debate, disagreement, state welfare systems all get in the way of business, said Ilan Kapoor, a professor at Torontos York University known for his critical research on neo-liberalism.

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The mishap happened three days after a ceasefire was declared in the northwestern region of Pakistan, authorities have said. The Kurram region of northwest Pakistan has been wracked by Sunni-Shiite violence for decades read more

Several Pakistani officials were wounded on Saturday after gunmen ambushed an aid convoy travelling to the Kurram region which has been witnessing widespread sectarian fighting in the past couple of days.

The mishap happened three days after a ceasefire was declared in the northwestern region of Pakistan, authorities have said. The Kurram region of northwest Pakistan has been wracked by Sunni-Shiite violence for decades, but around 140 people have been killed since a fresh bout of fighting broke out in November.

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Adding more to the troubles of the people living in Kurram, the region, which shares a border with Afghanistan, has been completely cut off from Pakistan as feuding tribes continue to wreak havoc using machine guns.

What happened?

After a truce was called on January 1, the convoy was attacked as it travelled to collect the first aid delivery of food and medicine sent by road since November, officials said.

Kurrams deputy commissioner was wounded along with two other administration officials, two policemen and two Frontier Corps soldiers, local government official Motasim Billah told AFP.

The deputy commissioner came under an attack by unidentified miscreants but his condition is out of danger according to Muhammad Ali Saif, the spokesman of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The convoy has been temporarily halted due to security concerns, he added in a statement.

Conspiracy

This is not the first time that a ceasefire has been violated in Kurram. In the past, similar truce deals were broken to renew clashes in the region.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in a statement the attack was a conspiracy intended to undo the ceasefire agreed on New Years Day following a council of tribal leaders from both sides.

Mischievous elements carried out the firing to harm the peace agreement, he said in a statement.

This current round of violence started in November when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims travelling under police escort were ambushed, with 40 people killed.

With inputs from AFP
Haiti has been grappling with escalating gang violence, particularly since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Gangs are estimated to control roughly 85 per cent of the capital, launching coordinated attacks on prisons, and police stations read more

Around 150 military police officers from Central America have begun arriving in Haiti to support the governments effort to combat violent gangs that have destabilised life for millions on the Caribbean island.

The first group of 75 troops, primarily from Guatemala with a smaller contingent from El Salvador, arrived Friday at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince. They were greeted by top Haitian officials, security leaders, and US Ambassador to Haiti Dennis Hankins. A second group of similar size is expected Saturday to join the United Nations-backed mission aimed at restoring order.

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Haiti has been grappling with escalating gang violence, particularly since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Gangs are estimated to control roughly 85 per cent of the capital, launching coordinated attacks on prisons, police stations, and even the main international airport.

On Christmas Eve, gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating the reopening of Haitis largest public hospital, which had been shuttered earlier this year following gang violence. Two journalists covering the event and a police officer were killed in what authorities described as one of the most brazen attacks yet.

The international security mission has so far been led by around 400 officers from Kenya. Additional personnel from the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, and Chad have been pledged, but it remains unclear when they will arrive.

The newly deployed Central American forces mark a significant expansion of international efforts to support Haitis embattled government as it struggles to restore safety and stability.

With inputs from AP
Ceasefire efforts have continually stumbled on a fundamental disagreement over how to end the conflict. Hamas says it will accept an agreement and release the hostages only if Israel commits to ending the war. Israel says it will agree to stop fighting only once Hamas is destroyed. read more

Protesters hold cutout portraits of hostages held captive in Gaza by Palestinian militants since the October 7 attacks, during a demonstration calling for action to secure their release, outside the Defence Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv on January 4, 2025 amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. Image- AFP

Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Saturday killed at least 26 people as negotiations with Hamas on a potential ceasefire and hostage release resumed in Qatar.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Saturday that indirect negotiations with Hamas have resumed in Qatar for the release of hostages seized in the October 2023 attacks.

The minister told relatives of one of the hostages, woman soldier Liri Albag, that efforts are underway to free the hostages, notably the Israeli delegation which left yesterday (Friday) for negotiations in Qatar, his office said.

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Hamas announced on Friday that talks with Israel, mediated in Qatar, would focus on achieving a full cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. However, no updates have emerged since the discussions reportedly began.

Mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States have been engaged in months of effort that have failed to end nearly 15 months of war.

A key obstacle to a deal has been Israels reluctance to agree to a lasting ceasefire.

US President Joe Biden has repeatedly called for a ceasefire agreement. Trump has said that if there is not a deal to release the hostages before his inauguration, all hell is going to break out.

Israels military has entered nearly every part of Gaza but is still fighting Hamas militants who are waging guerrilla warfare across the ruins of the tiny enclave.

Last month, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan visited Israel and other countries in the region, aiming to help forge a deal by the year-end.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said in a statement on Saturday that its forces had continued their operations this week in Beit Hanoun town on the northern edge of the enclave, where the army has been operating for three months. It had destroyed a military complex that Hamas had used.

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Gazas Health Ministry said at least 59 people had been killed and more than 270 injured by strikes in the past 24 hours.

A surge in Israeli operations and the number of Palestinians killed in recent days comes amid a renewed push to reach a ceasefire in the 15-month-old war and return Israeli hostages before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Families of hostages and others have rallied weekly for months to press Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal that would bring loved ones home. In a video released by Hamas on Saturday ahead of the latest weekly rally, Israeli soldier and hostage Liri Albag, speaking under duress, expressed anguish over her situation and mentioned being held 450 days.

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Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 45,717 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territorys Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half the dead.

The war has caused widespread destruction and displaced about 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million, many of them multiple times. Winter has now arrived, and hundreds of thousands are sheltering in tents near the sea. A small number of children have died from exposure to the cold.

With inputs from agencies.
Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation, has been a common destination for Rohingya refugees. However, the country does not officially recognize refugee status, and those intercepted are often placed in detention centres read more

The Rohingya have faced decades of persecution and, after a 2017 crackdown by the military. Reuters

Malaysia expelled two boats carrying nearly 300 undocumented migrants from Myanmar after they entered the countrys waters near Langkawi, officials said Saturday (January 4).

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) reported that the vessels were located two nautical miles southwest of the northern resort island late Friday (January 3) evening.

MMEA provided assistance, including food and clean drinking water, before expelling the boats out to the national maritime border to continue their journey, Director-General Mohd Rosli Abdullah said in a statement.

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He added that Malaysia is coordinating with Thai authorities to monitor the movements of such boats.

This action follows the detention of 196 suspected Rohingya migrants from Myanmar after their boat ran aground in Langkawi on Friday. The group comprised 68 men, 57 women, and 71 children.

The persecution of Rohingya Muslims

The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim minority, have faced persecution in their predominantly Buddhist homeland of Myanmar, leading many to undertake perilous sea journeys to seek refuge in nearby countries.

In 2023, nearly 4,500 Rohingya fled by boat, with 569 reported dead or missing during the crossingsthe highest toll since 2014.

Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation, has been a common destination for Rohingya refugees. However, the country does not officially recognize refugee status, and those intercepted are often placed in detention centres.

From 2010 to 2024, Mohd Rosli reported that the MMEA and various enforcement agencies have detained 2,089 undocumented migrants from Myanmar who attempted to enter the country using 18 boats.

The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar

As of late November 2024, approximately 111,410 Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers were registered in Malaysia, accounting for 58 per cent of the total refugee population in the country.

According to the United Nations, over 3.5 million people have been displaced by armed conflict in Myanmar, an increase of 1.5 million from last year. The international body has said that the countrys humanitarian crisis could worsen.

With inputs from agencies
Once adversaries on the battlefield, veterans from US and Vietnam are now allies in a shared mission: uncovering the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who perished in the Vietnam War, which ended nearly 50 years ago read more

U.S. soldiers lower a member of their reconnaissance platoon into a Viet Cong tunnel during a search and destroy mission in Vietnam, April 24, 1967. File image/Reuters

In August 2022, four American veterans in their 70s arrived in Quy Nhon, a coastal city in Vietnams Binh Dinh province, to reunite with a former North Vietnamese officer.

Once adversaries on the battlefield, they are now allies in a shared mission: uncovering the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who perished in the Vietnam War, which ended nearly 50 years ago, Al Jazeera reported.

Major Dang Ha Thuy, who fought for North Vietnam, greeted the Americans warmly at the airport. Together, they traveled to Xuan Son Hill in the Kim Son Valley, the site of the 1966 battle at Firebase Bird. A film crew from Vietnams VTV4 television network documented their journey as part of the ongoing effort to locate mass graves from the war.

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The Battle of Firebase Bird

On December 27, 1966, shortly after a Christmas truce expired, North Vietnamese forces launched a surprise attack on Firebase Bird, a small US Army outpost. The ferocious assault claimed the lives of 27 Americans and wounded 67 others. Official records indicate 267 Vietnamese soldiers were killed.

The battlefield was covered with dead bodies, said Spencer Matteson, a survivor of the battle, in a VTV4 documentary titled Fragments of Memory. He recounted how soldiers used a bulldozer to dig a mass grave for the North Vietnamese dead.

Decades later, those memories helped Vietnamese excavation teams locate the remains of approximately 60 soldiers. Items such as a purse, belt, and rubber sandals were unearthed in March 2022, leading to the discovery of the grave. The remains were laid to rest in a solemn ceremony at Tang Bat Ho Town Martyrs Cemetery, Al Jazeera reported.

A shared mission

In August 2022, Matteson returned to Vietnam alongside fellow Firebase Bird veterans Steve Hassett, Ivory Whitaker, and Kin Lo. Together with Thuy, they searched for a second grave believed to hold more remains.

I want to help the families bring closure to their lives, said Whitaker in the documentary. And that, in turn, will help me in some way  knowing that we did something good after all of this bad.

However, the passage of time posed challenges. Memories from the chaotic battle often conflicted, and the team was unable to locate the second grave.

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Healing and reconciliation

The collaboration between former adversaries is part of a larger effort to bring closure to the wars lingering wounds. Vietnam estimates that the remains of more than 200,000 soldiers are still missing, leaving families in anguish.

This deep pain has passed down through generations, said filmmaker Le Hoang Linh, who documented the excavations.

American veterans have played a key role in the search. Photos taken during the battle and testimonies from survivors have provided valuable leads. Bob March, a 77-year-old US veteran who coordinates outreach to fellow soldiers, said the effort has identified over 100 potential grave sites.

Time running out

As the number of living Vietnam War veterans dwindles, the urgency to locate the graves grows.

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There is an upper limit, March said. Ten years from now, its going to be very difficult to find many Vietnam veterans.

March and others have called for greater support from the US government, including assistance in accessing archival records and connecting veterans who may hold key information.

For Matteson, participating in the search has been a way to cope with the trauma of war.

For the ones still suffering from PTSD, I would definitely recommend it as a way to cope, he said.

While the second grave at Xuan Son Hill remains elusive, the search continues across Vietnam. Since the initial discovery in 2022, teams have located the remains of roughly 600 people across eight mass graves, offering hope to families who have waited decades for answers.

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I wouldnt call it closure, said Hassett. My daughter called it closing the circle. Thats a good description.
Ramallah, Jan 4 (UNI) A Palestinian was killed and eight others injured, including one critically, by Israeli army gunfire in a refugee camp in the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, Palestinian authorities said.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said in a press statement that 18-year-old Mohammad Amer was killed by Israeli army in the Balata refugee camp.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement that its teams treated eight people with gunshot wounds during clashes in the camp. One was critically wounded in the chest and the others moderately wounded.

According to local sources and eyewitnesses, Israeli forces stormed the camp and deployed snipers on nearby rooftops, sparking intense clashes with Palestinian youths.

The Israeli army has not issued any comment on the incident.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, tensions have mounted in West Bank cities and refugee camps, resulting in the deaths of over 800 Palestinians due to Israeli gunfire and shelling, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

UNI XINHUA ARN
Many in the UK are questioning Tesla CEO Elon Musks decision to bring up the child grooming scandal that has taken over the country. They argued that Musk is doing this for political reasons only and his main motive is to attack UK PM Keir Starmer read more

A former UK health worker accused Tesla CEO Elon Musk of politicising rape of young girls in an attempt to slam British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Sara Rowbotham, who played a critical role in gathering evidence that led to the imprisonment of nine men in Rochdale told The Guardian that the billionaire had launched a political swipe at the prime minister that overlooked the plight of abuse survivors.

Musk, who is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming reign of US President-elect Donald Trump urged King Charles II to dissolve the parliament. The contempt from the SpaceX CEO came after the Labour Party rejected a call for a national inquiry into child grooming. The tech billionaire triggered a major political row after he criticised Starmers handling of the child abuse in Oldham.

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He insisted that the British premier has filed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions. Rowbotham who presented evidence of abuse and sexual grooming while working for the NHS in Rochdale between 2005 and 2011, questioned Musks intention behind his attacks.

Why is Rowbotham criticising Musk?

She insisted that the Tesla CEO is doing it for political mileage and nothing else. What is [Musks] motivation for interfering? It seems very political. The person he is trying to go after is Keir Starmer  it is a political swipe that has nothing to do with the women and girls who have been abused time after time," she told The Guardian on Friday.

Musk shared about the rising instances of child grooming in the UK on his social media site more than 40 times in the past 24 hours. Several posts are from UK MPs including Reform UKs Rupert Lowe and the Tories Robert Jenrick, while others include a video featuring the far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who in October was jailed for 18 months for contempt of court.

Amid the chaos on Friday Musk asked the King to dissolve the parliament and called for another general election. While Rowbotham dismissed Musks public calls, she insisted that the UK still needs to get hold of the paedophiles around the world.

We need to discover the motivations, not just sexual, behind this abuse, if we are going to prevent it from happening again and again, she said. Meanwhile, the father of the woman who was a main prosecution witness against the Rochdale paedophile gang said it was strange that a US billionaire was attempting to intervene in the UKs affairs. It is strange that the richest man in the world has got time to start getting involved in UK politics," said the man whose eldest daughter was referred to as Girl A during the proceedings.

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As per the court filing, Girl A was groomed and abused in Rochdale by at least 50 men from the age of 12. Her family discovered the abuse only after she turned 14. Meanwhile, UKs Health Secretary Wes Streeting also insisted that Musks criticism was misjudged and certainly misinformed.

Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but were willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue," Streeting said.

So if he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, wed welcome that, he added.

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More than 5,800 prisoners  including 180 foreigners  will be freed, the junta said in a statement on Saturday, when the country marks 77 years of independence from British colonial rule read more

Soe Win, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's Defence Services, speaks during a ceremony to mark country's 77th Independence Day in Naypyidaw on January 4, 2025. AFP

Myanmars embattled junta government on Saturday said it would release almost 6,000 prisoners as part of an annual amnesty to mark the countrys independence day.

The military has arrested thousands of protesters and activists since its February 2021 coup that ended Myanmars brief democratic experiment and plunged the nation into turmoil.

More than 5,800 prisoners  including 180 foreigners  will be freed, the junta said in a statement on Saturday, when the country marks 77 years of independence from British colonial rule.

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It did not give details of what the prisoners had been convicted of or the nationalities of the foreign detainees who were set to be deported on release.

The military said it ordered the pardons on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

The junta also announced that 144 people who had been sentenced to life in prison would have their sentences commuted to 15 years.

Myanmar frequently grants amnesty to thousands of prisoners to commemorate holidays or Buddhist festivals.

Last year, the junta announced the release of more than 9,000 prisoners to mark independence day.

The annual independence day ceremony held in the heavily guarded capital Naypyidaw on Saturday morning saw around 500 government and military attendees.

A speech by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing  who was not present at the event  was delivered by deputy army chief Soe Win.

Soe Win reiterated the juntas call to dozens of ethnic minority armed groups that have been fighting it for the last four years to put down arms and resolve the political issue through peaceful means.

He repeated a military pledge to hold delayed democratic elections and called for national unity.
South Korean prosecutors released audio which revealed that the countrys impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered his commanders to drag out lawmakers from parliament to prevent them from ending the Dec 3 martial law read more

Before Yoon Suk Yeol heads to court for an impeachment trial, an audio recording showed that the now-suspended South Korean President ordered his commanders to drag out lawmakers from the National Assembly during the botched martial law.

A special investigation headquarters formed by prosecutors disclosed the file on Saturday as they indicted Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su and Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, on charges of causing insurrection, Yonhap reported. The prosecutors argued that Yoon wanted to prevent the South Korean lawmakers from striking down the martial law he imposed on December 3.

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As per the report, General Kwak is accused of sending special operations forces to the National Assembly under Yoons order. The court was told that their job was to secure the building and prevent anyone from coming inside it. The three South Korean defence officials are also charged with abusing powers enshrined by their respective offices.

About the explosive audio file

The president ordered us to break down the door and drag them out, a special forces commander who had received orders from Kwak was heard saying in the audio file. The court was told that the audio was sent on December 4 at 1 am (local time).

Another commander who was on the receiving end was heard saying that he entered the South Korean parliament but breaking the back door but met with fierce resistance from around 40 people inside. The commander went on to describe the chaos that was happening in the main chamber of the National Assembly where the lawmakers were forcing themselves in to vote on the motion.

Apart from this, the investigators also reviewed the additional memo on the mobile phone of a special warfare command officer who revealed that former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and others gave instructions to prevent the parliament from lifting martial law. The memo detailed how the Special Warfare Command head received a phone call from the Defense Counterintelligence Command ordering him to delete call history and text messages.

The matter was heard after investigators in the case called off the execution of an arrest warrant against Yoon. The officials made the announcement after a 6-hour-long standoff between the investigative team and Yoons security personnel.

With inputs from agencies.
Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Green Beret from Colorado Springs, Colorado, also wrote in notes he left on his cellphone that he needed to cleanse his mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took read more

A highly decorated Army soldier who fatally shot himself in a Tesla Cybertruck just before it blew up outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas left notes saying the New Years Day explosion was a stunt to serve as a wakeup call for the countrys ills, investigators said Friday.

Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Green Beret from Colorado Springs, Colorado, also wrote in notes he left on his cellphone that he needed to cleanse his mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took. Livelsberger served in the Army since 2006 and deployed twice to Afghanistan.

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This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wakeup call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives, Livelsberger wrote in one letter found by authorities and released Friday.

The explosion caused minor injuries to seven people but virtually no damage to the Trump International Hotel. Authorities said that Livelsberger acted alone.

Livelsbergers letters covered a range of topics including political grievances, societal problems and both domestic and international issues, including the war in Ukraine. He said in one letter that the U.S. was terminally ill and headed toward collapse.

Tesla engineers, meanwhile, helped extract data from the Cybertruck for investigators, including Livelsbergers path between charging stations from Colorado through New Mexico and Arizona and on to Las Vegas, according to Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren.

We still have a large volume of data to go through, Koren said Friday. Theres thousands if not millions of videos and photos and documents and web history and all of those things that need to be analyzed.

The new details came as investigators were still trying to determine whether Livelsberger sought to make a political point with the Tesla and the hotel bearing the president-elects name.

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Livelsberger harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, law enforcement officials said. In one of the notes he left, he said the country needed to rally around Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Musk has recently become a member of Trumps inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the day of the explosion. Both had attended Trumps New Years Eve party at his South Florida estate.

Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues, Spencer Evans, the FBI special agent in charge in Las Vegas, said Friday.

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Livelsberger died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Investigators have not yet explained how Livelsberger shot himself inside the Cybertruck while simultaneously igniting fireworks and camp fuel packed inside, causing the explosion.

Among the charred items found inside were a handgun at Livelsbergers feet, another firearm, fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch. Authorities said both guns were purchased legally.

In recent years Livelsberger confided to Alicia Arritt, a former girlfriend who had served as an Army nurse, that he faced significant pain and exhaustion she attributed to traumatic brain injury.

He opened up to Arritt, 39, whom he met and began dating in Colorado in 2018, about exhaustion, pain that kept him up at night, and reliving violence from his deployment in Afghanistan, Arritt said.

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My life has been a personal hell for the last year, he told Arritt in text messages during their early days of dating that she shared with The Associated Press.

The Green Berets are highly trained U.S. Army special forces who specialize in guerrilla warfare and unconventional fighting tactics. Livelsberger rose through the ranks and deployed twice to Afghanistan and served in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, according to the Army. He recently returned from an overseas assignment in Germany and was on approved leave when he died.

He was awarded five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor.

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Authorities searched a townhouse in Livelsbergers hometown of Colorado Springs Thursday as part of the investigation. Neighbors said the man who lived there had a wife and a baby.

Across-the-street neighbor Cindy Helwig said she last saw him when he asked to borrow a tool to fix an SUV.

He was a normal guy, said Helwig.

The explosion came hours after 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans famed French Quarter early on New Years Day, killing at least 14 people before being shot to death by police. The FBI says they believe Jabbar acted alone and that it is being investigated as a terrorist attack.
A separatist group called the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the blast but gave higher casualty figures. It also said the IED targeted a military convoy. read more

A passenger bus traveling from Karachi to Turbat was targeted by a bomb attack in Pakistans restive Balochistan province on Saturday, killing four people and injuring 32.

The explosion took place in the New Bahman area of Turbat city when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near the bus.

A senior police official confirmed that the deceased and injured were transported to the nearest hospital. The banned separatist group, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), has claimed responsibility for the attack.

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Exact details of the blast are being investigated but a police official said high-ranking police officer SSP Zohaib Mohsin was in the bus along with his family and could have been the target, he said.

The senior police official and his family were part of a wedding party on the bus.

Sarfraz Bugti, the chief minister for Balochistan province, condemned the attack.

Those who target innocent people do not deserve to be called human beings, he said.

Balochistan is Pakistans largest province but the least populated. Its also a hub for the countrys ethnic Baloch minority, whose members say they face discrimination by the government.

Balochistan is the scene of a long-running insurgency, with several separatist groups staging attacks, mostly targeting security forces in their quest for independence. It also has other militant groups operating from there.

With inputs from agencies.
Imran Khan revealed that while imprisoned in Attock Jail, he was offered a three-year exile which he refused, saying I will live and die in Pakistan. read more

Former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan who has been in jail since May 2023 on multiple charges, has claimed that he was offered a chance to leave the country on exile for three years but he declined.

I was offered the opportunity of a three-year exile while I was in Attock Jail, but I will live and die in Pakistan," he said in a post on X.

Talking to the media at Rawalpindis Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated since August 2023, Khan said he has been indirectly approached with an offer to transfer him to his Bani Gala residence in Islamabad.

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However, he said on X that he refused the offer. My stance is clear: release my detained workers and leaders first. Only then will I consider discussing my personal situation.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan in conversation with media representatives in Adiala Jail - January 2, 2025



"Happy New Year to everyone! 2025 is the year of our genuine freedom, in which, God willing, this fake and fascist system that is already on shaky grounds, will be  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 3, 2025

Khan was first arrested in May 2023 in relation to allegations that his wife, Bushra Bibi, and he received land worth up to 7 billion rupees ($25 million) as a bribe through a trust created in 2018, while he still held office.

Khan is also facing anti-terrorism charges in connection with the violence that followed his arrest in May last year, and in relation to which several of his supporters have already been sentenced.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: founder further said that he believes Pakistans decisions should be made within the country.

However, when it comes to basic human rights, voices will naturally rise globally. Institutions like the United Nations exist for this purpose. Enlightened people all over the world raise their voices against violation of basic rights. Khan said during this authoritarian era, the breach of personal freedoms, violation of fundamental legal rights, and destruction of institutions have not only disrupted the countrys social and political systems but also its legal and economic frameworks.

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The absurd manner in which Khalid Khurshid (former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister) was sentenced to 34 years in prison demonstrates that there is no rule of law in our country any more, and a terrible undeclared dictatorship prevails, he said. Even in Musharrafs era, we criticised military interference but never faced such oppression and fascism, he said.

On reports that the incoming Donald Trump administration will pressure the Shehbaz Sharif government for his release, he said: I expect Trump to remain neutral, unlike Biden who, as the world knows, influenced by General Bajwa, played a role in ousting our government through a vote of no confidence, which was blatant interference.

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Regarding his party talks with the government, Khan said: Our negotiation committee is engaging with the government. Our demands are legitimate  formation of a judicial commission on November 26, 2024 and May 9, 2023 incidents, release of political prisoners.

On May 9, 2023, Khans party supporters allegedly attacked several military installations, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and the ISI building in Faisalabad, to vent their anger against the arrest of their party founder in a corruption case.

He also said the statements by the Director General ISPR (media wing of army) about the events of May 9 are untrue.

Whoever stole the CCTV footage had orchestrated the May 9 events (attack of state and military installations). Verdicts in these cases were obtained from military courts because no one was going to demand the CCTV footage there. Our people were directly shot at and martyred on November 26. The entire truth will be revealed when transparent investigations of these two incidents are conducted.

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We have given the government a deadline of January 31. Meanwhile, our campaign to boycott remittances continues alongside negotiations. The boycott campaign can be reconsidered if the government shows that they are serious about addressing our demands, Khan declared.

The second round of talks between the government and PTI representatives concluded on Thursday with the commitment to meet again next week in a bid to end the prevailing political tension and instability in the country.

With inputs from agencies.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli troops entered the camp from the Awarta checkpoint and deployed snipers on the rooftops of surrounding buildings read more

The health ministry in the occupied West Bank said one person was killed and nine injured in an Israeli raid on a refugee camp, with the Israeli military saying Saturday it had opened fire at terrorists.

An 18-year-old man, Muhammad Medhat Amin Amer, was killed by bullets from the (Israeli) occupation in the Balata camp in the territorys north, the Palestinian health ministry said in a late-night statement, adding that nine people were injured, four of whom are in critical condition.

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According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the raid began on Friday night and triggered violent clashes.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli troops entered the camp from the Awarta checkpoint and deployed snipers on the rooftops of surrounding buildings.

In a statement on Saturday, the Israeli military said that during the counterterrorism operation, terrorists placed explosives in the area in order to harm (military) soldiers, hurled explosives, molotov cocktails, and rocks and shot fireworks at the forces.

The forces fired toward the terrorists in order to remove the threat. Hits were identified, the statement said.

Violence in the West Bank has intensified since war broke out in the Gaza Strip after Hamass October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Since then, at least 815 Palestinians have been killed in the territory by Israeli troops or settlers, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah.

In the same period, Palestinian attacks in the West Bank have killed at least 25 Israelis, according to official Israeli figures.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since conquering it in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
The order, signed by Lucas Bersamin, a lawyer and the Philippines executive secretary, removed Duterte and all former presidents from the council, which advises the president on policies affecting national security read more

The Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, has removed his vice-president, Sara Duterte, from the National Security Council (NSC) a month after she allegedly plotted to kill him, according to an executive order released on Friday.

The order, signed on Monday by Lucas Bersamin, a lawyer and the Philippines executive secretary, removed Duterte and all former presidents from the council, which advises the president on policies affecting national security.

Bersamin said the move was to reorganise and streamline the councils membership, which comprises key legislative, defence, foreign and cabinet officials.

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At the moment, the VP is not considered relevant to the responsibilities of membership in the NSC, Bersamin told reporters, adding that the president was free to add other members or advisers as needed.

Duterte is facing an investigation over her alleged threat to kill Marcos and his family.

In late November, Duterte, 46,  the daughter of the former president Rodrigo Duterte  delivered an expletive-laden online news conference in which she claimed to have told someone to assassinate Marcos if she was killed. She later said the comments were misinterpreted.

Duterte swept to power in 2022 in an alliance with Marcos that has unravelled spectacularly in recent months, with both sides trading allegations of drug addiction and extreme rhetoric before this years midterm elections.

Duterte is also the subject of multiple impeachment complaints over her alleged misuse of millions of dollars in government funds.

Duterte has not responded to a request for comment.
Outgoing US President Joe Biden has authorised Kyiv to deploy the ATACMS missile system, sparking outrage in Russia with President Vladimir Putin threatening that the use of Western weaponry would invite the use of hypersonic ballistic missiles in central Kyiv read more

US soldiers conduct live fire testing at White Sands Missile Range, NM, on Dec. 14, 2021, of early versions of the ATACMS. Source: US Army via AP | FILE.

Russia on Saturday vowed retaliation against Ukraines ATACMS missile attack at the border region of Belgorod earlier during the day.

On January 3, an attempt was made from Ukrainian territory to launch a missile strike against the Belgorod region using US-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, the Russian defence ministry said, adding that it had successfully shot down the US-made missiles.

These actions by the Kyiv regime, which is supported by Western curators, will be met with retaliation, it added.

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Outgoing US President Joe Biden has authorised Kyiv to deploy the ATACMS missile system, sparking outrage in Russia with President Vladimir Putin threatening that the use of Western weaponry would invite the use of hypersonic ballistic missiles in central Kyiv.

Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump said in an interview last month he was very vehemently opposed to Ukraine using the arms, which he said were escalating the conflict.

A Russian strike on a village in Ukraines northeast Kharkiv region earlier on Saturday killed a 74-year-old man, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said.

Russias defence ministry said on Saturday it had captured the Ukrainian village of Nadiia, one of the few settlements in the eastern Lugansk region still under Kyivs control.

Moscow advanced by almost 4,000 square kilometres (1,540 square miles) in Ukraine in 2024, according to an AFP analysis, as Kyivs army struggled with chronic manpower shortages and exhaustion.

With inputs from AFP
Russian-backed separatists split from Moldova as the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, winning de facto independence for the region of some 450,000 people known as Transdniestria read more

The severing of one of Russias last gas export routes to Europe is being felt most painfully in a small, mainly Russian-speaking breakaway region of Moldova that has for decades looked to Moscow for protection.

Russian-backed separatists split from Moldova as the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, winning de facto independence for the region of some 450,000 people known as Transdniestria.

Russia maintains about 1,500 troops there and long provided free gas. That ended on New Years Day when Ukraine, nearly three years after Moscows full-scale invasion, refused to extend a transit deal letting Russia pump gas across its territory to central and eastern Europe.

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The blow to Transdniestria was immediate. Households central heating and hot water were cut off on Wednesday. On Thursday, the government said all industrial enterprises apart from food producers had been forced to cease production.

When the gas was cut to his multi-storey apartment complex in Tiraspol, the main city, Boris, 54, dragged out a Soviet-era electric stove from his garage. It provides just enough heat to cook meals and warm the kitchen, while an electric heater warms his and his wifes bedroom.

My wife and I have a stable income, and our children will help out, but what about the old pensioners? Boris, who declined to be identified by his full name, told Reuters. What will happen to them if their gas stoves turn off?

Another Tiraspol resident said there was no sense of panic but people were queuing, sometimes by the dozen, to buy electric heaters and stoves.

Some locals told Reuters they were concerned that prices for essential goods such as bread and pasta - as well as blankets - had shot up since Wednesday.

Payment dispute

Russia had been pumping about 2 billion cubic metres of gas per year to Transdniestria - including a power plant providing energy for all Moldova, a country of 2.5 million people that wants to join the European Union.

Separately from the gas transit dispute with Ukraine, Russian energy company Gazprom had said on Dec. 28 that it would stop supplying gas to Moldova on Jan. 1 because of $709 million in unpaid gas debts that Russia says Moldova owes it. Moldova disputes that, and has put the debt at $8.6 million.

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Jonathan Eyal, international director at the RUSI think tank in London, said Russias objective was to squeeze Moldova, foment trouble between the central government and Transdniestria, and turn an energy crisis into a political one.

He said it was in Moldovas interest to help the separatist region, whose self-declared independence is not recognised by any country and whose people it regards as its own citizens. But it would have to charge for any gas it could send to Transdniestria, and this could fuel further disputes.

There is no question that the government would want to help. The question is whether the separatists will want to accept the help, and whether this could be a prelude to a much bigger tussle instead of being the beginning of a potential cooperative relationship, he said in an interview.

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There is no question in my mind that Moscow now is banking on the possibility that the crisis would merely accentuate the separatist movement inside Moldova.

Russia blames Ukraine for the halting of gas transit and says the United States will benefit - by selling more gas to Europe. Moscow denies using gas as a weapon to coerce Moldova but said last month, as the gas cut-off loomed, that it would take steps to protect its citizens and troops in Transdniestria and react adequately to any provocations.

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on Friday the cutting of Russian gas to Transdniestria had created a crisis for his country.

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We treat this as a security crisis aimed at enabling the return of pro-Russian forces to power in Moldova and weaponising our territory against Ukraine, with whom we share a 1,200 km border, he said.

Russia will not abandon us

In Transdniestria, authorities are eking out their remaining reserves of gas and some is still being pumped to apartments so people can cook food. The main power plant has switched from gas to coal.

In Rybnitsa, a city of about 50,000 in northern Transdniestria, 52-year-old Alla said she had lit a fire in one room of her home and that only the will of God would turn her gas back on.

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In Bender, a city of 90,000, Maria Zolotukhina, 32, said her employer had told her to stay home, where she was using an electric heater.

She did not know whether she would continue to be paid, but said she was counting on Russia to come to the rescue.

We are allies of Russia, no matter what. And we hope that Russia will not abandon us, she said.
FSB says arrested 4 Russians planning terrorist attack in Yekaterinburg

Moscow, Jan 4 (UNI) The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Saturday that it had arrested four Russian citizens who planned to commit a terrorist attack using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in crowded places in the city of Yekaterinburg.

"The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation detained four Russian citizens, born in 2007 and 2008, who share the ideas of a terrorist organization banned in Russia and were planning to commit a terrorist act using an improvised explosive device in places where large numbers of citizens gather in the city of Yekaterinburg," the statement read.

Two of those detained were also involved in the arson of an official vehicle of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Sverdlovsk Region, the FSB said.
Ethiopia lies along the Great Rift Valley a part of the East African Rift System. This system is one of the most extensive rifts on Earths surface, and extends from Jordan in southwestern Asia through eastern Africa, all the way to Mozambique read more

Ethiopia has seen a lot of seismic activity in recent times. Image used for representative purpose/AP

Thousands of people were being evacuated Saturday (January 4) in Ethiopia after a series of earthquakes, including a 5.8-magnitude tremor, struck the northern regions of the Horn of Africa nation.

The quakes, centered in the rural Afar, Oromia, and Amhara regions followed months of intense seismic activity. No casualties have been reported so far, but the earthquakes have damaged homes and threatened to trigger a volcanic eruption of the previously dormant Mount Dofan, near Segento in the northeast Afar region.

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Ethiopias government Communication Service said approximately 80,000 people live in the affected areas. It reported that the most vulnerable residents were being relocated to temporary shelters, though it did not specify how many.

The occurrences of the earthquakes are increasing in terms of magnitude and recurrences, the agency said in a statement, adding that experts had been sent to assess the damage.

A senior official from the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission estimated that at least 2,000 people had been displaced so far.

The latest quake, a shallow 4.7-magnitude tremor, struck just before 12:40 pm (0940 GMT) about 33 kilometers (20 miles) north of Metehara in Oromia, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

Authorities warned of the risk of a volcanic eruption at Mount Dofan in the Afar region, where the quakes have caused alarm. Though the volcano, near Segento, had stopped emitting smoke, residents have fled their homes in fear.

Ethiopia lies along the Great Rift Valley a part of the East African Rift System. This system is one of the most extensive rifts on Earths surface, and extends from Jordan in southwestern Asia through eastern Africa, all the way to Mozambique.

The Great Rift Valley is one of the worlds most seismically active regions.

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Experts attribute the earthquakes and volcanic activity in Ethiopia to the expansion of tectonic plates beneath the valley.

Government officials said monitoring and evacuation efforts would continue as the situation develops.

With inputs from agencies
Edward Pettifor was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, Prince William and Prince Harrys nanny from 1993-99, including the time when Princess Diana died read more

King Charles on Saturday expressed sadness over the death of a British man in the New Orleans attack on New Years Day earlier this week.

The Briton, identified as Edward Pettifer, was reportedly the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harrys former nanny, according to The Guardian. Pettifer, 31, was one of the 14 people who died after an ex-US Army veteran drove a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans.

King Charles is in touch with Pettifers family and is supporting them at this time of grief after he received the news of his death through official channels.

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Pettifor was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, Prince William and Prince Harrys nanny from 1993-99, including the time when Princess Diana died.

The New Orleans police delivered the unfortunate news to Pettifers family and said that the 31-year-old man had died of blunt force injuries.

The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many. We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you," the family said in a statement to the Metropolitan Police.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden will travel to New Orleans next week to meet the families of the victims who died in the deadly truck-ramming attack on New Years Day, the White House announced on Friday.

On Monday, the president and his wife Jill will grieve with the families and community members impacted by the tragic attack on January 1 and meet with officials on the ground, the White House said in a statement.

With inputs from agencies
Judge Juan Merchan on Friday said that US President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced in the Hush money case on January 10. The date came as a surprise to Trumps team since it is a little over a week before he is due to return to the White House read more

US President-elect Donald Trump, alongside his attorney Todd Blanche, speaks to the media as he arrives for his criminal trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City, US. File Image/Reuters

On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan set the sentencing date for US President-elect Donald Trump in the Hush-money case for January 10. The date came as a surprise to Trumps team since it is a little over a week before he is due to return to the White House. While the outcome of sentencing is not clear, judge Merchan ruled out the possibility of sending Trump to jail.

Merchan who presided over the cases trial in New York, denied the president-elects motion to dismiss the case due to his win in the 2024 US Presidential Elections. He noted that Trump is expected to appear for sentencing in person or virtually at his convenience.

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In an 18-page ruling, Merchan also signalled that he does not intend to send Republican firebrand behind bars since prosecutors concede they no longer view [it] as a practicable recommendation in the light of Trumps win in the November 5 poll. It is pertinent to note that a sentence of unconditional discharge means that no custody, monetary fine or probation, and is currently seen as the most viable solution in the case.

The sentencing will still remain significant

While Merchan downplayed the sentencing, it would still provide a high-profile reminder of Trumps wrongdoings before he swears in as the 47th President of the United States. This will be the first time a president will assume the Oval Office with a criminal record. Trump still has an option to appeal against the ruling and delay his sentencing.

In May last year, Trump was convicted of falsifying business records. The case involved an alleged scheme to hide a hush money payment to the adult film performer Stormy Daniels in the last weeks of Trumps first campaign in 2016. The payments were made to hide Daniels claims that she had an affair with Trump.

The president-elect pleaded not guilty in the case and claimed, without evidence, that he was a victim of a political witchhunt. While reacting to Merchans recent ruling, Trumps spokesperson, Steven Cheung, said in a Friday statement: This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed."

President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the witch hunts. There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead," he added.

It is important to note that Trump was initially scheduled to be sentenced on 26 November but Merchan pushed back the date indefinitely after he won the race against US Vice President Kamala Harris. The postponement allowed both the prosecution and the defendants to weigh in on the future of the case.

Trumps lawyers continued to urge Merchan to toss out the case altogether. They argued that the case posed unconstitutional disruptions to the incoming presidents ability to run the country. Merchan rejected the argument, writing that setting aside the jurys verdict would undermine the Rule of Law in immeasurable ways.

The judge also concluded that the Supreme Courts ruling regarding presidential immunity does not shield Trump in this case. Accordingly, a President-elect is not permitted to avail himself of the protections afforded to the individual occupying that Office, the judge wrote. He said that he found no legal impediment to sentencing Trump and it was incumbent on him to sentence the president-elect prior to his swearing which is scheduled to take place on January 20. Only by bringing finality to this matter will the interests of justice be served, Merchant wrote.

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Amid the whole debate, prosecutors with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office had suggested several options for Merchan. They asked the judge to delay the sentencing until Trump, 78, leaves the White House in 2029, or guaranteeing a sentence that would not involve prison time.

In usual circumstances, falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison but incarceration is not required. Even before Trump won the race, several legal experts argued that it was unlikely that he would be locked up due to his lack of a criminal history and advanced age.

With inputs from agencies.
Washington and its Western allies have long viewed India as a counter to Chinas rising influence in Asia and beyond read more

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivans visit to New Delhi from Jan. 5-6 is expected to include discussions with Indian counterparts about the impact of Chinese dams, a senior U.S. official said late on Friday.

Washington and its Western allies have long viewed India as a counter to Chinas rising influence in Asia and beyond.

Weve certainly seen in many places in the Indo-Pacific that upstream dams that the Chinese have created, including in the Mekong region, can have really potentially damaging environmental but also climate impacts on downstream countries, a senior U.S. official said ahead of Sullivans visit.

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The official added that Washington will discuss New Delhis concerns in the visit.

The Indian government says it has conveyed its concerns to Beijing about Chinas plan to build a hydropower dam in Tibet on the Yarlung Zangbo River which flows into India. Chinese officials say that hydropower projects in Tibet will not have a major impact on the environment or on downstream water supplies.

The construction of that dam, which will be the largest of its kind in the world with an estimated capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, was approved last month.

Washington also expects that topics such as civilian nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence, space, military licensing and Chinese economic overcapacity will be brought up in the visit, the U.S. official said.

American officials will not be meeting the Dalai Lama during the visit, another U.S. official said.

Washington and New Delhi have built close ties in recent years with occasional differences over issues like minority abuse in India, New Delhis ties with Russia amid Moscows invasion of Ukraine and alleged assassination plots against Sikh separatists on U.S. and Canadian soil.
Itooka was named the worlds oldest living person by the Guinness World Records in 2024 after Spains Maria Branyas Morera passed away in August last year read more

FILE - This photo provided by Ashiya City shows Tomiko Itooka, being celebrated for her 116th birthday at the nursing home she lives in Ashiya, western Japan, on May 23, 2024. AP

The worlds oldest person has breathed her last. Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman, died at the age of 116, an Ashiya city official informed on Saturday.

Itooka was named the worlds oldest living person by the Guinness World Records in 2024 after Spains Maria Branyas Morera passed away in August last year.

The Japanese woman died on December 29 in a nursing home in the city of Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture.

Who was Tomiko Itooka?

Itooka, who loved bananas and a yoghurt-flavoured Japanese drink called Calpis, was born on May 23, 1908, which means she lived through to witness both the World Wars.

Born in Osaka, Itooka was a volleyball player in high school and long had a reputation for a sprightly spirit, Nagata said. She climbed the 3,067-meter (10,062-foot) Mount Ontake twice.

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She married at 20, and had two daughters and two sons, according to Guinness.

Itooka managed the office of her husbands textile factory during World War II. She lived alone in Nara after her husband died in 1979.

In September 2024, she was officially recognized as the worlds oldest person and received the Guinness World Records certificate on Respect for the Aged Day, a Japanese public holiday dedicated to honouring the nations elderly.

Who is the next oldest person?

According to the Gerontology Research Group, the worlds oldest person is now 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was born 16 days after Itooka.

With inputs from agencies
The New Orleans attack that killed 14 is thought to be the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil since a 2016 massacre of 49 people inside a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who professed allegiance to the groups then-leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi read more

A man reacts as he talks to New Orleans police officer near the French Quarter, where 15 people were killed by a man driving a truck during New Years celebrations, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Reuters

After Hamas launched the deadly assault on Israel that triggered retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza, FBI Director Christopher Wray said he feared the Middle East violence could embolden individuals or groups to carry out attacks inside the United States.

Months later, after extremists with the Islamic State groups Afghanistan affiliate killed more than 140 people at a Russian concert hall, Wray sounded the alarm about the potential for a similar coordinated attack closer to home.

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Following these months of warnings about a resurgent terrorism threat, an Army veteran inspired by IS slammed a pickup truck into crowds celebrating New Years in New Orleans. But the culprit did not coordinate with international operatives, nor was he part of any broader plot. Instead, he embodied a longstanding concern that snapped into focus in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks and never evaporated: the threat from homegrown extremists who radicalize on their own before committing mass violence in the name of foreign groups.

I have never seen the threat landscape this worrying, not just from a counterterrorism perspective but from state-sponsored threats, said Christopher Costa, a former career intelligence officer and senior director for counterterrorism at the White House National Security Council in the first Trump administration.

He said the grab-bag of grievances that may have driven 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar to act  he had multiple divorces and financial pressures and noted in a video posted before the rampage that he thought of killing his family  was consistent with the profile of other attackers. And it coincided with a climate of global instability that has given extra incentive to troubled people prone to violence, from the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks that launched the war in Gaza to the dramatic overthrow last month of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

You pick the grievance, and then youll find the ideology to act on it, Costa said. Now it includes Oct. 7, it includes IS  and why IS is so important right now is because it is resurging as a result of what IS could perceive as a victory in Syria.

The New Orleans attack that killed 14 is thought to be the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil since a 2016 massacre of 49 people inside a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who professed allegiance to the groups then-leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. That shooting occurred at a time when the FBI was racing to disrupt a surge in plots by lone wolves who were drawn to act by Islamic State propaganda or even to travel to the groups so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq.

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The threat never abated, as evidenced by the FBIs October arrest of an Afghan man in Oklahoma who authorities say was inspired by the Islamic State group to plot an Election Day attack.

But more brazen and coordinated efforts originating from overseas have drawn greater public attention recently, such as Iranian assassination plots targeting public officials, including President-elect Donald Trump. Add to the mix the turmoil in the Middle East, which has prompted demonstrations in the U.S., the 2021 collapse of the Afghan government that gave rise to Taliban leadership, and concerns about those with Islamic State ties entering the U.S. through the southern border.

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The swirl of concerns led Wray to tell The Associated Press in August that he was hard-pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.

That such a deadly assault in New Orleans was carried out by a lone actor without any direction from overseas underscores the volatile and unpredictable nature of the terrorism threat as well as the challenges in stopping violence from such individuals.

Its a very, very difficult law enforcement challenge, much more difficult than dealing with someone who may have had active communications with overseas actors, for example, or having a distinct online profile in which they were consuming and participating in extremist activity in the online space, said Nicholas Rasmussen, the counterterrorism coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security.

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If you dont have that, he added, then you are very much reliant on that bystander phenomenon.

Theres no indication that Jabbar, who was fatally shot in a firefight with police, was ever on law enforcements radar prior to the attack. FBI investigators, however, have turned up significant signs of planning, including suspected bomb-making materials in his short-term New Orleans rental property and his Houston home, the FBI said in a statement Friday.

Though officials say he wasnt aided by conspirators, Jabbars method  ramming a truck into bystanders  is a favored option for Islamic State followers, and a pro-IS media unit on Dec. 30 encouraged attacks at New Years Eve celebrations in the U.S. and other countries, according to an intelligence bulletin from the FBI and DHS seen by The Associated Press.

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The terrorism threat is set to be inherited in just over two weeks by Trump and an FBI thats bracing for a dramatic leadership change with the nomination of Kash Patel. Patel has long been skeptical of the FBIs use of its national security powers and has spoken of breaking off the bureaus intel shops from the rest of its crime-fighting activities. Its unclear how the New Orleans attack might affect any plans he has if confirmed to the post.

Theres no question that the turmoil in Syria  and what it could mean for the Islamic State groups ability to reconstitute and inspire supporters in the West  is a major national security wild card.

Assads ouster and the arrival of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, as Syrias main power broker have been met with degrees of relief but also alarm. Apart from HTS past affiliation with al-Qaida, the collapse of Assads military has raised fears of a power vacuum that many believe IS will seek to exploit.

Assads departure also has opened a window for Turkey to expand operations against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria that it believes are terrorists. The Syrian Defense Forces have been key U.S. allies in the fight against IS and operate detention camps for thousands of captured foreign fighters.

U.S. and European officials are concerned that intensified Turkish attacks against the SDF may contribute to a potential IS resurgence.

None of that conflict made a New Years Day attack on U.S. soil by someone claiming inspiration from IS easily predictable, especially since such violence is far rarer than in the Middle East or Europe, said Natana DeLong-Bas, a professor of theology and Islamic Studies at Boston College.

Even so, she noted, any idiot can rent a vehicle.

The means that he used were very simple and straightforward and accessible to anyone, she said.
Graduating college students are entering a new era with a new challenge in their upcoming academic yearthe transition into being a full-time adult.

However, through a list of New Year's resolutions, this major shift won't have to be jittery and can even serve them well by building confidence and skills.

Career Planning

According to Stevenson University, the best way for graduating students to prepare for their careers is by defining their path first, which can also include setting clear goals for the future. It might be job applications, internships, or even graduate school.

All this planning ensures they stay focused and organized during this important time. It's much easier for most students to have a target, like applying to a set number of job openings each week or attending a certain number of career fairs to network with potential employers. The more proactive, the smoother the transition from student life to professional life will be.

Keep Improving/Learning

The other important New Year's resolution is to keep in mind that learning does not stop after college. There will be several changes in the job market in the coming years and students are now required to improve their skills or acquire new ones.

You'd be surprised to know that many are looking for candidates who don't just have academic talent but can also work efficiently with teams and adaptability to changing environments. Graduating students can spare some time every week for the development of these soft and hard skills.

Seek Healthy Work-Life Balance

Tennessee Tech University found that most graduates have much to do before and immediately after graduation. They report feeling overwhelmed with this huge responsibility, and this causes burnout. Students are advised to build a system that will enable them to conserve their mental and professional capital in the long run.

Setting limits on professional, social, and relaxed activities helps preserve vigor and enthusiasm when passing through the stressful conditions of newly entering life.

Consider Finances

Just because you're still in school does not mean no finances will come to you yet. That's where you will see the domino effect of lack of finances in tapping into new opportunities. With that, consider developing a future financial plan.

Setting up a budget, learning about managing debt, and saving for the short and long run will ensure that you will be self-sufficient with your money, especially as you enter the workforce.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has unveiled the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025 to facilitate the implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act).

This act aims to regulate how businesses and government bodies handle the personal data of Indian citizens. The newly drafted rules will strengthen the Act by providing an actionable framework. The draft follows the SARAL framework, which emphasizes simplicity and clarity of language, making it easier for everyone to understand.

Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025  Key elements of the draft include:

Guidelines for Data Fiduciaries to ensure transparency and accountability.

Consent Managers, responsible for managing and facilitating user consent, must register with the Data Protection Board. They must, at all costs, ensure users data is processed according to individual preferences.

Consent Manager must be a company incorporated in India with sound financial and operational capacity. Once registered, the Consent Manager must comply with specific obligations of ensuring that Data Principals can easily give, manage, review, and withdraw consent for data processing, maintaining records of consents and data sharing, and providing transparent access to such records.

Safeguards against data breaches and rules for sensitive data, including for children and persons with disabilities.

When a Data Fiduciary becomes aware of a personal data breach, it is required to promptly notify all affected Data Principals. This notification must be clear and straightforward, explaining the breachs nature, extent, and timing, along with potential consequences for the affected individuals.

Provisions for setting up the Data Protection Board and appeals process.

Special rules have been provided for processing the personal data of children or persons with disabilities who have a lawful guardian. Verifiable prior consent from the parent or guardian must be obtained before processing any personal data of a child.

This provision outlines the requirements for obtaining verifiable consent from parents or legal guardians before processing the personal data of children or persons with disabilities. Specifically, a Data Fiduciary must implement measures to ensure that the person providing consent for a childs data processing is the childs parent or legal guardian, and that the parent or guardian is identifiable.

Up for Public Feedback

For more details, the public can read the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, and the Explanatory Note on the Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025. Additionally, feedback and comments can be submitted via the MyGov portal until 18th February 2025.
Can't help on how to order direct from Taiwan. Such may not even be doable, depending on their business model .... I'm just replying as to apparent quality.I used some Taiwan bed sides, doors, and front fenders, I used a new in box Ford TG though. I had read that the Taiwan panels were thinner, but my tools did not measure them thinner, but the Taiwan panels were some more flexible, not as stiff as the originals. I didn't weigh them though they seemed as heavy. I suspect a different grade of steel. I had bought the bed sides, doors, and the NIB never seen sun Ford TG in the 1990s from a Ford dealership. They ordered the panels, but just by luck the parts man found the TG hidden behind a rack of parts, covered in dust. He offered it at a good value as I was picking up my order. I bought my front fenders from Auto Krafters up in Broadway, the cardboard indicated the same Taiwan source as those much older panels as I recall, same stripes, etc but maybe different name, but everything fit OK. Roy did call me about the bed sides after he noticed the bed was slightly narrower at its front than the cab is at its rear, but that's by design. It makes the gap look smaller and gets the leading edge of the bed out of the wind.Was one place on the left side bed side, between cab and fender opening, where it looked like a ghost image of a paper, not readable, but there. Roy been doing body work for 40 years had never seen it, but it was gone real easy. I think a worker left his kids homework laying there when the stamping press came down.Only other hiccup was the front fenders at top rear, I toyed with wedging them outwards, but it's consistent and I've decided to let it ride.At first look, it looks odd, but I don't even see it now. To try and bring it out might would spoil the lines in other ways.is a now 5 page thread I kept up as the job progressed, one can just disreguard the stripe posts as I never did add them, and I find that I really like it as is.
Interview: BiH official hopes for more "Walter" figures to strengthen bond with China

15:55, January 04, 2025 By Yin Xiaosheng ( Xinhua

SARAJEVO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- An official of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has voiced hope that more figures like Walter, a historical symbol of the friendship with China, will emerge to help forge closer bond between the two peoples.

Danijela Mrda, director of the Archives of BiH, highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between the two countries in a recent interview with Xinhua, as 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

The iconic anti-fascist war film Walter Defends Sarajevo, she said, played a key role in fostering this connection, and Walter, the film's protagonist, has become a symbol of solidarity between the two peoples.

"I think somehow this movie connected the people of China and BiH for good, because we share the common respect and also the cherishing of the same value," Mrda said, referring to Walter as a model of open-minded spirit and resistance against occupation.

"Walter's story has been embraced by millions of Chinese people, becoming a spiritual bridge between our two nations," Mrda added.

As the head of the Archives of BiH, Mrda emphasized the importance of cultural exchange as a vital component of broader economic and political cooperation.

In the past years, the Archives of BiH has increasingly engaged in cultural exchanges with China, organizing exhibitions, academic conferences, and other cultural activities to help people from both countries gain a deeper understanding of each other's history and culture.

China is a "remarkable country" with kind and dedicated people who are committed to achieving their goals, she said, adding that as bilateral ties grow, collaboration in areas such as education, tourism, technology, infrastructure, and other sectors will further deepen mutual understanding and solidarity between the two peoples.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
A Palestinian child mourns members of the al-Ghoula family, 11 of whose members including seven children were killed by an Israeli air strike, according to Civil Defence
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Finland Seeks Seizure Of Oil Tanker Suspected Of Damaging Undersea Cable

By RFE/RL's Russian Service January 03, 2025

Finland's national power grid operator (Fingrid) is seeking the formal seizure of the oil tanker suspected of damaging an electric power cable in the Baltic Sea last month.

Fingrid said in a statement it had filed an application with the Helsinki District Court to seize the Eagle S to help secure its financial claim for damages related to the breakdown of the undersea Estlink 2 electricity interconnector.

The cable between Finland and Estonia was suddenly disconnected from the grid on December 25 along with telecommunications lines. The Eagle S was detained by Finnish authorities and is being held in Finnish waters in the Baltic Sea pending an investigation.

Fingrid will begin a new inspection of the cable on January 3 to determine the scale of the damage and begin repairs, a Fingrid official told AFP.

"Further investigations at the damage site are expected to provide more information about the extent of the damages and enable more detailed planning and scheduling of the repair," Fingrid said in the statement.

Investigators have said they found a track on the seabed dozens of kilometers long indicating the ship dragged its anchor, but they have yet to find the anchor.

"The trail ends where the ship lifted the anchor chain, and from this place to the east [the trail] stretches for several tens, if not almost a hundred kilometers," a representative of the Finnish investigation said in an interview with Finnish news outlet Yle.

Finland's customs service has said it believes the Eagle S, which set sail from a Russian port, is part of a shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent sanctions on Russian oil. Investigators found it was missing an anchor after it was detained.

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency on January 2 began an inspection of the tanker that it said is independent of the law enforcement investigation.

According to the global ship monitoring website MarineTraffic, the ship significantly reduced speed at the same time interference was detected in the electrical power cable, according to Finnish media.

Fingrid said last week it expected the cable to return to service in August. The cost of the repair work will be tens of millions of euros.

The owner of the vessel, United Arab Emirates-based Caravella LLC FZ, has previously asked that Finnish authorities to release it. The company has not responded to Fingrid's request to seize the vessel.

Moscow has said Finland's seizure of the ship is not a matter for Russia.

NATO last week announced that it would strengthen its military presence in the Baltic Sea following the damage caused to the Estlink 2 and similar incidents in the Baltic Sea since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Energy and communications infrastructure in particular have been targeted as part of what experts and politicians call Russia's hybrid war with Western countries.

With reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/finland-ukraine-russia-war- tanker-cable-baltic-sea/33261907.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Addition to Lithuania's military stocks: a contract on Carl Gustaf antitank recoilless rifle has been signed

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2025-01-02

Acquisitions and infrastructure development | Development and Strengthening of the Armed Forces

The Defence Materiel Agency under the Ministry of National Defence signed a contract with the Swedish company SAAB Bofors Dynamics AB on acquisition of the Carl Gustaf M4 84mm antitank recoilless rifles and spares worth of EUR 14 million. The weapons will arrive in 2025 - 2026.

The Carl Gustaf weaponry system is designed to take down armored targets and personnel. The latest M4 version is shorter and lighter than its predecessors, therefore easier to operate.

The Carl Gustaf antitank recoilless rifle may be used in support of unit maneuvers, to effectively destroy armored tactical vehicles and have demonstrated high effectiveness on the battlefield already.

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Submersible drone recovered off Masbate now in Navy custody

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

January 2, 2025, 2:34 pm

MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday confirmed that the Philippine Navy (PN) has taken custody of the submersible drone recovered by local fisherfolk off the waters of Masbate province.

Reports showed that 30-year-old fisherman Rodnie Valenzuela and his companions were fishing in the waters of Barangay Iniwaran in San Pascual town at around 6 a.m. on Dec. 30, when they recovered the submersible drone.

The fisherfolk immediately turned over the submersible drone to the local police.

"The AFP confirms the turnover of a remotely operated submersible drone from the PNP (Philippine National Police) to the PN. The drone was recovered in the vicinity of San Pascual, Masbate by local fisher-folks. The Navy is currently conducting further investigation to determine its origin and purpose," AFP public affairs office chief, Col. Xerxes Trinidad, said in a message to reporters.

He added that this incident underscores the importance of collaboration with local fisherfolk and maritime stakeholders.

"We commend their vigilance and continued support in reporting suspicious activities and encourage ongoing cooperation to ensure the effective monitoring of our territorial waters," Trinidad said.

He added that the AFP is committed to ensuring the safety and security of the country's maritime domain and will deploy all necessary resources to address similar and other situations with the utmost diligence. (PNA)

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January 3, 2025

Transcript

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds Press Briefing

DEPUTY PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY SABRINA SINGH: All right, hello. Good afternoon, Happy New Year, everyone. Nice to see everyone back. Just a few things at the top and then happy to jump in and take your questions. So first, let me acknowledge the horrific attacks that took place in New Orleans and Las Vegas earlier this week. On behalf of the department, we are thinking of the families of those who were killed, those who were injured and the people in New Orleans after the horrific attack there that occurred on New Year's Day.

Additionally, we're tracking the explosion of a cyber truck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. Secretary Austin has been closely monitoring both situations and has actively engaged in providing updates to the president and homeland security leaders as needed. To date, no DOD support has been requested in response to either incident in either New Orleans or Las Vegas. On January 1st, the Louisiana National Guard was activated to provide support to the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. For additional information on this support, please reach out to the Louisiana National Guard, and we will continue to closely monitor these situations and stand ready to assist our interagency partners if needed.

Looking ahead, throughout the month of January, the Department will support our interagency partners for three high profile national special security events. 500 National Guardsmen will play a key role in supporting the counting and certification of electoral votes on January 6th.

The request for assistance, expected to be approved in the coming days, for the Presidential inauguration activities includes 7,800 National Guardsmen supporting security operations. It also includes some Title 10 forces coming through USNORTHCOM to provide supplemental support to our interagency partners as needed.

Additionally, the Joint Task Force National Capital Region will lead ceremonial honors for the state funeral of President Carter, ensuring a dignified tribute to the former president. For more information on each of these events, please contact the Department of Homeland Security or US Secret Service, which is the lead partner agency for each of these events.

And finally, on January 7th, Secretary Austin will travel to Ramstein, Germany for the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group to reaffirm our enduring commitment to Ukraine. Together with defense ministers and military leaders from around the globe, Secretary Austin will focus on delivering practical and coordinated support that reinforces Ukraine's ability to defend itself today and deter aggression in the future. We'll have more details to share on the secretary's official engagements at Ramstein in the coming days. But with that, I'm happy to take your questions.

Q: Thanks, Sabrina. So, on the New Orleans attack, you said that DOD is not working with law enforcement agencies right now, but what about making Army veteran Jabbar's personnel records completely available? Any mental health records? Has there been any sort of indication that he was radicalized in any way during his military service?

MS. SINGH: So, that's something that the investigation is of course going to unearth. We're not the lead department for that. That would be the FBI. But of course, the FBI is going to, over the course of the investigation, comb through how this individual did become radicalized. In terms of his personnel information while he was serving in the Army and as a reservist, I'd refer you to the Army. I believe they did release some of his medical personal information. So, I don't have more than what they've already provided.

Q: Did release to the FBI or I mean how did they access those records?

MS. SINGH: So, Army CID is working with the FBI and local law enforcement for the Las Vegas event that occurred earlier this week assisting with the investigation. But again, we're not the lead. But of course, Army is going to be providing medical records, any other assistance that we can or that's requested? We're going to, of course, support the investigations that are happening either by the FBI when it comes to the New Orleans event or with the Las Vegas incident.

Q: Okay, two more on the Las Vegas incident. CNN is reporting that Matthew Livelsberger may have been diagnosed with depression and may have sought treatment. Has DOD started to look through his medical records for any sort of indication of maybe a problem that wasn't treated?

MS. SINGH: I can confirm that we have turned over the  we meaning the department has turned over all medical records to local law enforcement. At this time, I just don't have more details to share. That being said, since you referenced it, when it comes to our service members in active duty, there are a number of different ways to seek mental health and mental health treatment.

It can be through your chain of command, it can be through the chaplain on base, it can be through Military OneSource. And we encourage that  we encourage our service members, if you need help, if you feel that you need to seek any type of mental health treatment or just to talk to someone, to seek the services that are available either on base or online.

Q: And just one last one. Is the secretary planning to file an appeal for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's plea agreement before the end of the administration?

MS. SINGH: So, Tara, I don't know if you're tracking the latest developments, if that's what you're referencing, but this morning a judge denied our motion.

Q: Is he going to pursue that further?

MS. SINGH: So, we're in conjunction with the Department of Justice, the department is considering our options. But since this just happened this morning, I just don't have more to provide at this time.

Q: just to follow up on Matthew Livelsberger, were there any warning signs that his commander would have been aware of? Was there any doubt that he should be able to take this leave to the US?

MS. SINGH: That's something that  it's under investigation by local law enforcement. I just don't have more details to provide with [ph] you at this time. If I'm able to at a later date, I certainly will.

Q: And then separately, there are videos showing US military vehicles heading into northern Syria near Kobani. Are US forces building a base there or what's going on?

MS. SINGH: Yeah, I've seen some of the reports and have gotten questions about that. There is  no plans to build a US base in Kobani. So, I'm not sure where that's coming from.

Q: Okay, do you know, is it anything regarding US partner forces in the region?

MS. SINGH: That that I can't speak to. As you know, we certainly have encouraged and welcome the cessation of violence between SDF and other forces in that region. We're continuing to work and focus on our mission, which you know why we're in Syria, to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. But when it comes to US forces in Kobani, there's no plan or intent right now to set up any base. I'm not sure where those reports are coming from.

Q: Thanks, Sabrina. Going back to the New Orleans attack and Las Vegas, can you definitively say whether Livelsberger and Jabbar ever served at the same base or in the same unit together?

MS. SINGH: Well, Army has their records and I'd refer you to Army to further clarify where they served. I'm not tracking, and I think the FBI said this, that there's a connection between the two events. I'm not tracking that there's an overlap in their service record. That being said, I would refer you to Army just to speak more to that. But at this moment, I'm not tracking that they had an overlap at any time. Of course, I'm going to go to the phones and then come back in the room.

Q: Thank you. Just two quick questions. Are US troops in Kobani? And then, do you have any information about an Army soldier who was arrested allegedly for stealing telephone information? His name is Cameron Wagenius?

h: Jeff, on your latter question, I don't have any information on that. On your first question on Kobani, I'm not aware of US forces. Again, I've seen those reports and, as Liz had asked me earlier about US forces establishing some type of base or presence in Kobani, I'm not tracking that that is accurate or that we have plans to do so in any way.

Q: Yeah, thanks. Sabrina, can you confirm if the chairman has met with any of the transition  the Trump transition people so far? Is he expecting to make his pitch for why he should stay in a position in the new administration?

MS. SINGH: Yeah, thanks, Mike, for the question. For questions about the chairman, I think as you know, I'm going to refer you to Joint Staff to speak to that. As of today, January 3rd, I can tell you that the transition members have met with 79 DOD officials. We are committed to a responsible and smooth transition. But when it comes to the Joint Staff, I'd refer you to them to speak to their engagements with the transition team. I'll come back in the room.

Q: Thanks, Sabrina. Without speaking to the case in New Orleans and any motivations there, how does the Pentagon assess ISIS's core ability to conduct external operations?

MS. SINGH: Well, I mean, ISIS retains capabilities, as we've seen in Iraq and Syria, and that's why we have our forces in both of those countries to ensure that ISIS can never reconstitute or resurge or surge back to what it was just a decade ago. I mean the entire mission of our force presence there is to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS And that's why we've partnered with the Syrian Democratic Forces over the past few years and that's why we continue to conduct strikes against ISIS positions, whether it be as recently as in the Badiya desert or elsewhere, because of course ISIS remains a threat, but they certainly are not the same threat that they were a decade ago.

Q: Thank you very much, Sabrina, Happy New Year.

MS. SINGH: Happy New Year.

Q: Thank you. I have two questions. President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act regarding the stationing of 28,500 US troops in South Korea. Do you think that there will be a change in the role of the US troops in South Korea? Any change?

MS. SINGH: I think the short answer is no. We have a  an ironclad commitment with ROK [ph] when it comes to our mil-to-mil cooperation, those channels and those lines of communication, you know are still good and are  the ROK is a valued partner of the United States when it comes to our presence in the Indo-Pacific, so I'm not, you know, anticipating any changes to that.

Q: In South Korea, there is a currently a war between anti-South Korea  anti-United States, pro-Chinese forces and the pro-US anti-Chinese forces in South Korea. What impact do you think South Korea's security vacuum will have on the security of the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific? And will this affect any other key US alliance?

MS. SINGH: So just to get at the heart of your question, there's no change to the US ROK Alliance when it comes to our mil-to-mil cooperation. When it comes to the domestic issues and forces happening in the Republic of Korea, obviously it's something that we're going to monitor. But you know those are things that the people of the Republic of Korea are going to have to chart for themselves.

I can only speak on behalf of the military cooperation between our two militaries. And that still remains strong. And it's, you know, going to continue on beyond this administration as well. I'm going to go to the phones and then happy to come back in the room.

Q: Thanks, Sabrina. Can you talk about the status of the so-called cease fire between SDF and the Turkish backed forces? And what level of support is the US providing SDF in the Kobani area or in  in that particular part of Syria?

MS. SINGH: Thanks, Howard, for the question. So as you heard me say earlier, you know, we do support the cessation of all violence in parts of Syria. Right now, this is a time to focus on and increase stability in the region. As we've said before from this podium, the US supports Syria's territorial integrity.

And our focus is on promoting an inclusive Syrian led political process while remaining focused on our mission there, which is to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and any terrorism coming out of Syria. We know that ISIS uses moments like this to try and exploit instability, which is why we are continuing our mission there to ensure that ISIS can never reconstitute or surge back to what we saw just a decade ago.

I'll leave it at that.

Q: Thank you, Sabrina. I have two questions here. First, could you clarify the date of the next UDCG meeting? Is it going to be on January 7th or later? And will there be another leader level meeting led by President Biden, as planned before, or is this the last meeting during this administration? And second question, should we expect more PDA announcements for Ukraine in the coming weeks? Thank you.

MS. SINGH: Thanks for the question. So in terms of PDA announcements, I'm not going to get ahead of anything, and I have no announcements to make today. What I had said at the beginning of the press briefing was that on January 7th, the secretary will be leaving for Ramstein for the UDCG and that will be the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.

In terms of the President's schedule, you know, I'm not going to speak for that. I'd refer you to the White House for anything that involves travel for the President. And then, last question from the phone and then happy to come in the room.

Q: Great, thank you so much. I was just wondering, is there anything that you can say about the incident over in the Red Sea with the Gettysburg shooting down one of the planes assigned to Harry S Truman? Is there any stand down? What kind of discussions were held between the US and our partners and allies to assure that they would not also face similar situations with our ships?

MS. SINGH: Thanks, Heather, for the question. So I don't have more to provide than what has been put out by CENTCOM previously. What happened with our F-18, you know, that that is under investigation. I think you saw that the Gettysburg did mistakenly fire and hit one of our F-18s. Again, it's an ongoing investigation. I just don't have more to provide at this time. I'll come back in the room.

Q: Actually two questions related to Ukraine. Is there any planning underway for another UDCG if the next administration chooses to continue? Or do you believe this is the last one?

MS. SINGH: I can only speak for this administration. Right now, there's only planning for  I can only speak for the planning that is involved in this upcoming UDCG, which will be the secretary's leaving on January 7th, should the incoming administration, incoming secretary choose to host more UDCG's, that's a determination made for them. I just can't speak to that.

Q: And the 1.25  $1.25 billion PDA announced on December 30th, will that all get there by the 20th?

MS. SINGH: That one package? That  that one announcement?

Q: Yeah.

MS. SINGH: No. So PDA is  because it's announced, does not  and I think we've said this pretty publicly as well. PDAs, as they get announced, capability and equipment flows off our shelves as it's available. So it is very likely that you are going to see more capabilities continue to flow to Ukraine post this administration.

That's very normal. When PDAs get announced, you know, we've had PDA announced from November, December. That capability continues to flow. That doesn't mean that that package is necessarily closed out. It does take some equipment can get there within days. Some equipment, as you know, can take much longer.

Q: Sabrina, regardless if there is a relationship between what happened in New Orleans and Las Vegas, you have two US service members who went rogue. One who actually killed other Americans, another one who is an active service member, highly decorated. Is the department doing enough to monitor the mental well-being of these individuals, specifically in the case of Las Vegas?

MS. SINGH: Well, Charlie, what I will say is that we have a variety of resources available to our service members. And you know, I'm not speaking on behalf of the VA, but of course the VA has a variety of mental health resources available to those who have served  that from our department include those available within the chain of command those available on base.

And of course, we have military One Source that's available online. I think what's important with these two incidents is that you have to remember that the vast majority of men and women who serve in uniform do so every single day with the honor, integrity and character, while upholding their oath to protect and defend the Constitution.

These are tragic events that happened in Las Vegas and New Orleans. And you know, the department and under the secretary's tenure has taken action to address whether it be extremism or, other extremist activities within the department. That was something that the secretary took very seriously when he came into office.

So, there are these resources available to our service members. There are resources to those who served. I think what's important to remember is that again the vast majority who serve in our military do so with honor and integrity every single day.

Q: Thank you, Sabrina. Regarding aid to Gaza, in the last 24 hours, there is  there have been like 77 civilians have been killed and 45 have been injured because of the IDF strikes, even inside the safe zone inside Gaza. So that's come even after the letter that we sent by the Secretary Austin with Secretary Blinken asking Israel to do more to prevent civilians there from any impact of these strikes.

So do you have concerns about the civilians casualties inside Gaza? And do you believe that Israel has to do more to prevent these civilians or avoid them from these strikes? Thank you.

MS. SINGH: So nothing has changed in terms of our position on what we have said about the mitigation of civilian harm. The secretary in his calls with the previous minister of defense, Minister Galant, to Minister Katz, always impresses upon and has impressed upon each of them that civilians need to be protected and moved out of the battle space.

There have been far too many innocent civilians that have been killed. It's also important to remember that Hamas uses civilians and embeds in these civilian infrastructures. That, you know, puts people's lives at risk. But absolutely, absolutely, more needs to be done to protect innocent civilians.

And you've seen such a concerted effort by this department and from others, in this administration, to get humanitarian aid into the people that need it most in Gaza. I mean, as you will all remember in this room, we set up a maritime corridor to inject aid into Gaza as quickly as possible.

You know, we're going to keep having those conversations for as long as we're in office with our Israeli counterparts to do more. But again, things could change tomorrow if Hamas also accepted the cease fire deal that's in place that would end these  the violence that we're continuing to see in the region. Okay. All right, short briefing. Thanks, everyone. Happy New Year.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/4021412/

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Yemen conducts 2 operations in occupied Palestine

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jan 3, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Yemen's Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree in a statement announced that two military operations were carried out against Israeli enemy targets in the occupied Jaffa.

According to al-Masira report on Friday, the Yemeni armed forces announced that the first operation was about targeting the power station belonging to the Israeli enemy in the east of the occupied Jaffa.

The second operation also targeted an Israeli enemy military target in the occupied Jaffa using a Jaffa drone, which successfully hit its target.

The first operation was carried out with the Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile, which accurately hit the target, he said.

Yemen has repeatedly said that attacks and pressure campaigns by Western governments could never force the Arab country to withdraw its support from the Palestinian nation.

In addition to its missile attacks on the Israeli regime, Yemen has been targeting Israeli ships or other vessels destined for the occupied Palestinian territories since November last year to support the resistance of the Palestinian nation in the Gaza Strip.

9376**2050

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Tehran urges Afghanistan's cooperation to remove obstacles on border rivers

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jan 3, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei has urged Afghanistan's cooperation in removing obstacles with regard to border rivers.

Referring to the long-standing commonalities in identity, culture, race, religion and civilization between Iran and Afghanistan and the presence of millions of Afghan citizens in Iran for nearly five decades, Baghaei said on Friday that deepening the relations between the two countries in various fields requires respecting mutual interests and avoiding unilateral and harmful actions.

He stressed the importance of the bilateral agreements, the applicable principles of international treaty and the natural rights of the people downstream of the common rivers, as well as the principle of good neighborliness in the fair exploitation of the water resources of the two nations from the rivers that have developed over centuries due to the natural geography of the region.

Afghanistan is expected to cooperate in the continuation of the flow of water from the border rivers and to remove the obstacles, he noted.

Iran has repeatedly emphasized to the Afghan parties in appropriate ways, especially through official diplomatic channels and functional (technical) mechanisms, that the exploitation of water resources and basins cannot be done without respecting Iran's rights in accordance with bilateral treaties or principles, as well as environmental considerations, he said.

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in contact with the relevant authorities of Afghanistan, communicated its protest and strong concern regarding the disproportionate limitation of water entering Iran or diverting the natural course of rivers that have been the source of development and shaping the natural and environmental coordinates on both sides of the common borders, he stated.

9376**2050

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Fresh Israeli attacks kill at least 26 Palestinians across Gaza

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jan 3, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian media outlets have reported that at least 26 Palestinians have been martyred in the recent attacks carried out by the Zionist regime's army in the Gaza Strip.

Qatar-based Al Jazeera TV Network reported on Friday that 19 out of 26 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks in the central and southern regions of the Gaza Strip, with the remaining casualties occurring in other areas.

On Wednesday, the Israeli regime reportedly carried out five massacres in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of 28 people and injuries to 59 others.

Additionally, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Thursday that the total death toll from the Israeli regime's ongoing war in Gaza has reached 45,581, with the total number of injured now at 108,438 since the war began on October 7, 2023.

3266**2050



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Yemeni missile hits Israeli military base in Ramallah

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jan 3, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- A Yemeni missile has reportedly struck a Zionist military base in Ramallah, occupied Palestinian territories, according to Zionist media outlets.

The Israeli media outlets reported on Friday that a missile fired from Yemen struck the Modi'in military base located in the western city of Ramallah.

The Israeli army acknowledged its failure to intercept the Yemeni missile, revealing that one missile entered Israeli airspace, stating that efforts were made to counter the threat, and the outcomes of those efforts are currently under review.

Additionally, Israeli television reported that 12 settlers were injured while seeking shelter, and nine others were taken to medical centers due to fear and panic.

Following the missile attack, sirens were activated in southern occupied al-Quds and Tel Aviv.

Reports also indicated that flights at Ben Gurion Airport have been suspended.

The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) has fired multiple long-range missiles and drones at Israeli targets in recent days, as a continuation of its support to the Palestinian people and in response to Israeli strikes against the country.

This comes as the Yemeni people continue to reaffirm their commitment to the Palestinian cause, support the YAF, and resolve to end the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip in weekly demonstrations.

3266**2050





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Origin of recovered drone off Masbate involves nat'l security

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno and Wilnard Bacelonia

January 3, 2025, 2:23 pm Updated on January 3, 2025, 7:13 pm

MANILA -- The National Security Council (NSC) stressed the urgent need to find out the origin of the submersible drone recovered in Masbate, citing its possible implications on national security.

"Inaalam talaga natin iyong puno't, dulo nito kasi meron itong (We are are investigating everything as this has) national security implications. Very obviously, ang (this) drone is used for reconnaissance and surveillance. So, it's imperative for the Philippines to determine kung saan ito nanggaling at ano ang ginagawa nito sa ating (where it came from and what it is doing inside our) archipelagic waters," NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing Friday.

Malaya said there is no "definitive result" yet that the drone came from China.

The submersible drone was recovered by fisherfolk in the waters of San Pascual, Masbate on Dec. 30.

It was immediately turned over to the police, who then handed it over to the Philippine Navy the following day.

Malaya said the investigation will determine the specific features of the drone and where it could have originated.

Aside from this, he said they are checking the vessels that they have monitored in the area.

The NSC is coordinating with its foreign counterparts to get additional information on the recovered drone.

Senate probe

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino will file a resolution seeking a comprehensive inquiry into the discovery of the submersible drone.

"This inquiry aims to uncover the origins and purpose of the drone's presence in Philippine waters. Understanding its intent is critical," Tolentino said in a news release.

Tolentino said "while surveillance efforts are expected, thorough investigation is essential."

At the same time, he expressed confidence in the ability of Philippine engineers to reverse-engineer the device if necessary.

The senator highlighted the relevance of existing laws, including the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Law, which require foreign vessels to use designated sea lanes within Philippine waters.

Police Regional Office-Bicol Director Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon initially said the six-foot-long drone is of Chinese origin that is used for underwater navigation and communication.

Philippine Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad noted that the drone's bright color might indicate its purpose, as such colors are typically associated with scientific research or fish-tracking devices. (PNA)

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Israeli live fire injures Palestinian protesters in West Bank amid raid

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 6:43 PM

Several Palestinians have been injured by live fire during confrontations with Israeli forces across the occupied West Bank.

Local Palestinian media reports said the clashes erupted in the towns of Kafr Qaddum east of Qalqilya, Beita south of Nablus and Jabal al-Tawil in el-Bireh on Friday.

Israeli forces fired live bullets and used tear gas to disperse the Palestinians.

Clashes in Jabal al-Tawil were also reported by witnesses and local residents during an Israeli military raid.

In Kafr Qaddum and Beita, Israeli forces suppressed weekly protests opposing settlement expansion. Field medics reported treating several individuals for tear gas inhalation at the scene.

In Tubas, in the northern part of the West Bank, Israeli soldiers raided a home, further escalating tensions.

Regular raids by the Israeli military and settler attacks are not uncommon in the occupied West Bank. And they have escalated since with regime launched its campaign of genocide in Gaza in October 2023. At least 835 Palestinians have since been killed and more than 6,700 injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory since.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian land "illegal" and demanded the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East al-Quds.

The year 2024 saw a troubling rise in settler violence, military raids, and economic hardships, leading to unprecedented struggles for the Palestinian people.

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Over 10,000 Palestinians trapped in besieged north Gaza as Israel war on hospitals rages

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 4:01 PM

Gaza Civil Defense has shared accounts of the dire situation in besieged northern Gaza, where the Israeli campaign of death and destruction has reduced the population from 200,000 to 10,000.

A spokesman on Friday accused the Israeli occupying forces of executing a military blueprint aimed at crushing northern Gaza's infrastructure and population.

He said Israel's stranglehold on Gaza's health and civil defense systems had caused the humanitarian situation to deteriorate rapidly.

Israel has issued multiple evacuation orders in recent months and forcibly displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from northern Gaza.

Latest figures show a six-percent reduction in the Gaza Strip's population after 15 months of Israel's genocidal campaign.

Much of the area around the northern towns of Beit Hanoun, Jabalia and Beit Lahiya has already been cleared of people and razed in recent weeks.

Palestinian and United Nations officials said no place is safe in Gaza and that evacuations worsen the humanitarian conditions of the population.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders or Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), recently said Israel's US-backed assault has reduced Gaza to "a death trap."

"This does not happen in a vacuum. The hypocrisy and complicity of Israel's allies is allowing the social fabric of Gaza to be destroyed with impunity." Paula Gil, president of the Spanish chapter of medical charity said.

Israeli forces target Indonesian Hospital

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Gaza Civil Defense spokesman described the conditions at the Indonesian Hospital as desperate, with dozens of people enduring severe hardship amidst constant threats from Israeli forces.

Israeli forces earlier ordered the immediate forced expulsion of everyone inside the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza.

The hospital, housing mostly women and children, remains under fire, with heavy shelling reported in its vicinity.

Many of those inside are critically wounded and unable to move, leaving them trapped as Israeli violence intensifies.

The move to forcibly evacuate the hospital comes amid a wider expansion of Israeli military operations in northern Gaza, including attacks on nearby medical facilities.

The Indonesian Hospital is one of the Gaza Strip's few still partially functioning hospitals, on its northern edge, an area that has been under intense Israeli military pressure for nearly three months.

UN experts on Thursday denounced Israel's raid on an embattled hospital in northern Gaza, demanding an end to the "blatant assault" on health rights in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Reiterating charges that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza, two independent United Nations rights experts said they were "horrified" by the raid last Friday on Kamal Adwan, northern Gaza's last functioning major hospital.

"For well over a year into the genocide, Israel's blatant assault on the right to health in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory is plumbing new depths of impunity," the experts said.

In November, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.

The Israeli military campaign began in October 2023. Since then, nearly 45,600 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children.



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Yemen fires hypersonic ballistic missile, drone into Tel Aviv's Yaffa; warns against US, Israeli 'foolishness'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 3:27 PM

Yemen's Armed Forces have fired hypersonic ballistic missile and drone towards the city of Yaffa near Tel Aviv, striking their intended target accurately.

The operations took place on Friday, using a Palestine-2 projectile and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

"The Missile Force of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a military operation targeting an enemy-linked power station east of the occupied area of Yaffa, using a hypersonic ballistic missile, type 'Palestine 2,'" the forces said in a statement.

"It (the missile) has successfully hit its target," they added.

"The UAVs force of the Yemeni Armed Forces [also] carried out a military operation targeting a military target in the occupied area Yaffa, using a 'Yaffa' drone, and it achieved its target successfully."

The forces described the operation as a manifestation of "triumphing for the Palestinian people and their Mujahideen (Fighters), and in response to the massacres against our people in Gaza, and within the fifth phase of the supportive stages in the battle of the Promised Conquest and the Holy Jihad (Struggle) and in retaliation to the aggression against our country."

The troops began launching their operations against Israeli targets last October in support of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, which have respectively come under a war of genocide and escalated deadly assaults by the Israeli regime.

The successful strikes were both preceded and followed by intensified deadly aggression by the regime and the United States, its biggest ally, against the Yemeni territory.

The forces have been responding by ramping up their strikes against strategic and sensitive Israeli and American targets, including the US warships and aircraft carriers that are deployed off Yemen's coastline.

"The Yemeni Armed Forces confirm their readiness to face any foolishness of the American and Israeli aggression forces or those involved with them from any other parties, and [confirm] that they are able to defend beloved Yemen, its sovereignty and its legitimate rights," the troops noted.

They vowed to keep up their operations as long as the regime sustained its aggression and a simultaneous smothering siege that it has been deploying against Gaza.

The forces, meanwhile, renewed their call on "all the free people of our Arab and Islamic nations to take serious action in order to stop the Israeli massacres against our people in Gaza."







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Yemen warns US, Israel: Welcome to 'big hell'

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 2:05 PM

Yemen's National Salvation Government has warned the United States and the Israeli regime over the dire consequences of continuing their deadly aggression against the Arab nation.

"The Yemeni people are eager to engage in conflict with the nation's enemies, and have been shouting the 'death to Israel' slogan for the past 20 years, besides confronting the equipment that would be deployed by the US and the regime against it," Zaid al-Gharsi, director of the Media and Cultural Affairs Department in Yemen's National Salvation Government, said on Friday.

"However, the people has entered direct confrontation against its adversaries today, and we tell this to them that they are welcome to [their] great hell."

The remarks came amid intensified fatal attacks by Washington and Tel Aviv against Yemen, which began last October, when the nation launched its operations against Israeli targets in support of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, which have respectively come under a war of genocide and escalated deadly assaults by the Israeli regime.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have been responding by ramping up their strikes against strategic and sensitive Israeli and American targets, including the US warships and aircraft carriers that are deployed off Yemen's coastline.

Gharsi said the US and the Israeli regime's escalation against Yemen was aimed at trying to stop its pro-Palestinian operations, warning that the country would not stop short of supporting Palestine even if the confrontation were to increase in scale.

"If the enemy thinks that it would stop Yemen by targeting its infrastructures, we say this to them that it is suffering from an illusion," the official noted.

"We say this because we knew prior to beginning of our support for Gaza that there was going to be a reaction on the part of the US and the Israeli regime," he said.

"Therefore, we are in a state of readiness, and have prepared ourselves for all possible scenarios."

'Disgraceful defeat'

Gharsi considered the enemies' strikes against Yemen's infrastructures as an indication of their weakness, noting how they had fallen short of stopping his country's military capabilities.

"This alone serves as an instance of ignominious defeat for them."

The official, meanwhile, addressed the Israeli regime's threats of deploying mercenaries against his country.

"The futility of potential recourse to such instruments have already been proven. They (the enemies) united against Yemen for nine years, but failed."

He cited the case of the enemies' forming an aggressive coalition following the launch of the Palestinian resistance fighters' and their supporters' al-Aqsa Storm Operation against the occupied Palestinian territories.

'Undefeatable Yemen'

According to Gharsi, the coalition was defeated, resulting in withdrawal of the American aircraft carriers from the region.

The official defined the failure as the biggest to have been suffered by the vessels since World War II.

He cautioned the Israeli regime that "you are facing a nation that believes in God and his succor, and carries the culture of the Holy Qur'an," calling the Yemeni people "undefeatable," and saying the nation had incurred such rage and resentment vis-a-vis its enemies that would "turn them into ashes" even if it were to confront them with bare hands.

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Israel kills dozens ahead of emergency UN meeting on Gaza hospitals

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 10:58 AM

The Israeli military has conducted fresh aerial assaults on the Gaza Strip, killing at least 26 people and injuring several others in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Reports said on Friday that at least 26 people had lost their lives in the Israeli strikes across Gaza since dawn.

The air raids included one targeting the Mishmish family home in the Nuseirat camp, in central Gaza, that killed two children.

Four people were killed in another Israeli attack on the Salman family home, west of Deir al-Balah.

Three Palestinians, including a journalist, were also killed when an Israeli airstrike hit the Shalt family home in the town of Zawayda in central Gaza.

According to reports, at least 70 Palestinians, including children, have been killed in Gaza in the past 24 hours.

Israel launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, after the Palestinian Hamas resistance group carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the occupying regime has killed at least 45,581 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 108,438 others, in the blockaded territory.

During its brutal onslaught, Israel has targeted Gaza's civilian facilities, including hospitals, in blatant violation of international law.

Later on Friday, the UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting to discuss Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza, especially the Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza's northern city of Beit Lahia.

The session was requested by Algeria, which holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for January 2025.

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Jan. 2: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 6:43 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid the West-backed Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 45,600 Palestinians so far, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers.

The major operations by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Thursday, Jan. 2, are as follows:

Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on Jan. 2:

Targeted the settlement of Netivot with a large barrage of "Q18" rockets.



Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Jan. 2:

Targeted the Holit settlement in the Gaza envelope with a barrage of "107" rockets.

In a joint operation with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, shelled Israeli soldier gatherings east of the Malka area, near Gaza City, using mortar shells.



Al-Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Jan. 2:

Detonated explosives targeting an Israeli military bulldozer in Tulkarem camp, located in the occupied West Bank.

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South China Sea: 5 things to watch in 2025

The waterway is expected to stay turbulent through the new year; we explore possible flashpoints.

By RFA Staff

2025.01.03

TAIPEI, Taiwan/MANILA - The South China Sea has become one of the world's most perilous geopolitical hot spots in recent years, with China stepping up the reinforcement of its expansive claims and countries from outside the region getting increasingly involved.

Here are five areas to watch in 2025:

Taiwan Strait

The situation in the Taiwan Strait has been becoming notably more tense, with nearly 3,000 incursions into Taiwan's air defense identification zone between January and November 2024, as well as two major military exercises - Joint Sword A and B - coinciding with important political events on the self-ruled island.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping reiterated in his New Year message that the unification of Taiwan was "inevitable."

"China will continue to hold exercises in 2025 if senior Taiwanese officials visit the United States or top U.S. officials visit Taiwan," said Shen Ming-Shih, a research fellow at the top Taiwan government think tank, the Institute for National Defense Security Research (INDSR).

Chinese military exercises such as joint fire strike, joint blockade, and joint anti-access and area denial will continue, but they will become less effective as Taiwan develops effective countermeasures, Shen said.

Another INDSR research fellow, Ou Si-Fu, director of the Division of Chinese Politics, Military and Warfighting Concepts, told Radio Free Asia that China was not ready for a full-on war with Taiwan.

"Xi is not confident with his army," Ou said, pointing to recent sackings in the top ranks of the People's Liberation Army.

"The PLA has not fought a real war in a long time, so an imminent invasion of Taiwan is not expected," the analyst said. "They may be preparing their forces, but we are preparing, too."

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said in his New Year message that his government would increase the defense budget and strengthen military capabilities.

Scarborough Shoal

Latest developments at the chain of reefs in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone but under China's de-facto control are worrisome. Just before the New Year, the PLA Southern Theater Command conducted large-scale combat readiness drills at the shoal that involved both naval and air force troops.

China's coast guard is maintaining a strong presence in the area, as is its maritime militia.

A month earlier, Beijing announced a set of baselines around the Scarborough Shoal to define its territorial waters and airspace - a step seen as illegal by many but used by China to justify its actions against the Philippines and its ally the United States.

The Chinese coastguard in early December fired a water cannon at a Philippine fisheries bureau boat taking supplies to fishermen in the shoal, saying it "dangerously approached" Beijing's territorial waters.

"You cannot draw baselines if you don't own the features," said former Philippine Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio. He suggested that the Philippines should challenge China's announcement at an international tribunal.

Scarborough Shoal is unoccupied and there are no structures on it but that may change in 2025, given Beijing's assertiveness. Philippine forces have been removing Chinese floating barriers around the reefs but access by Filipino fishermen to their traditional fishing ground remains restricted.

The Philippines is believed to be considering a new legal case against China for its violations of the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea but since Beijing refused to take part and rejected the ruling of the 2016 U.N. arbitral tribunal, there is little chance it will participate.

Second Thomas Shoal

Throughout 2024, China and the Philippines were engaged in stand-offs at the Second Thomas Shoal, also inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, where Manila deliberately grounded an old warship in 1999 to serve as an outpost.

In the last few years, China's coast guard has been blocking and disrupting Philippine resupply missions to the ship, the BRP Sierra Madre, and the troops stationed there.

On June 17, 2024, in an unprecedented confrontation, China coast guard personnel, armed with pikes and machetes, punctured Philippine boats and seized firearms during a Philippine rotate and resupply mission, wounding a Filipino sailor.

Both sides later called for de-escalation. On Dec. 12, China said it had granted permission to the Philippines to resupply the "illegally grounded" warship on Second Thomas Shoal on a humanitarian basis.

But the June 17 incident showed that the situation could easily escalate into conflict, especially given the proximity of Second Thomas Shoal to a Chinese naval base on Mischief Reef, an artificial island that China built and has fully militarized.

Manila and Washington signed a Mutual Defense Treaty in 1951 under which both parties are obliged to support each other in the event of an armed attack. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in November revealed that the U.S. military had set up a Task Force Ayungin, the Filipino name for the Second Thomas Shoal.

Chief of the Philippine armed forces, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., told an RFA reporter in Manila that his country was pursuing a three-pronged strategy when it comes to maritime defense: to establish an effective presence; to create effective deterrence and modernize military equipment; and to leverage alliances and partnerships with like-minded nations.

Beijing, however, is not expected to give up its demand that Manila removes the BRP Sierra Madre and leave the disputed shoal.

For its part, the Philippines is determined to defend it.

"We'll never abandon our territory at Ayungin," insisted Col. Xerxes Trinidad, the Philippine armed forces' spokesperson.

Vietnam's island building

Vietnam's island building in the South China Sea has reached a record, with the total area created in the first six months of 2024 equaling that of 2022 and 2023 combined, according to a study by the Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI).

Between November 2023 and June 2024, Hanoi created 692 new acres (280 ha) of land across a total of 10 features in the Spratly archipelago. Vietnam's overall dredging and landfill totaled about 2,360 acres (955 ha), roughly half of China's 4,650 acres (1,881.7 ha).

"Three years from when it first began, Vietnam is still surprising observers with the ever-increasing scope of its dredging and landfill in the Spratly Islands," AMTI said.

Vietnam occupies 27 features and has been carrying out large-scale reclamation works on some over the past year.

A new 3,000-meter airstrip is nearly finished on Barque Canada reef, where the total landfill area more than doubled in one year to nearly 2.5 square kilometers, or 617.7 acres, by October 2024.

Vietnam has had only one airstrip on an island called Spratly, measuring 1,300 meters, but besides Barque Canada, AMTI said that "it would be unsurprising" if Hanoi also considers runways on Pearson and Ladd reefs.

New bases and runways "would give Vietnam a position on the other side of China's 'Big Three' islands," said Tom Shugart, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

He was referring to China-developed Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs, which are the largest artificial islands in the South China Sea. The next four largest are all newly expanded Vietnamese reefs.

"Its progress in the last five months suggests that Hanoi is determined to maximize the strategic potential of the features it occupies," said AMTI, adding that "it remains difficult to say when the expansion will endand what new capabilities Vietnam will have once it has."

Code of Conduct in the South China Sea

Malaysia is taking over as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, from Laos this month and every time the chair changes hands, the question of a legally binding code of conduct (COC) for all competing parties in the South China Sea surfaces.

China and ASEAN countries have been negotiating a COC after reaching an initial Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002.

More than two decades later, it seems many obstacles remain despite Beijing's repeated assertions that the consultation process is going well and agreement is close.

Premier Li Qiang told an ASEAN summit in October that China and the bloc were "striving for early conclusion" of the code of conduct.

China and five other parties, including four ASEAN countries - Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam - hold conflicting claims over parts of the South China Sea but China's claim is by far the most expansive, covering nearly 90% of the sea.

China is adamantly against what it sees as "a politicization" of the COC, as well as any "external interference" in the matter. Yet its assertiveness has prompted some countries to seek a counterweight from outside ASEAN.

"Negotiations on the COC continue at a snail's pace," former Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon told Reuters news agency in October.

"An agreement seems impossible," said Philippine legal expert, former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio. "China will never agree to some provisions, Vietnam to some others and so on.

The target of concluding the COC by 2026, therefore, was "unrealistic," he said.

One of the underlying obstacles is ASEAN's own division and weakness.

"ASEAN could strengthen its collective bargaining power by aligning the interests of its member states and speaking with a unified voice in negotiations with external powers like China," said Isha Gharti, a public policy professor at Thailand's Chiang Mai University.

It remains to be seen how the new chair Malaysia will seek to raise a collective ASEAN voice.

Edited by RFA Staff

Copyright 1998-2025, 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 January not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Moldovan Electricity Provider Says Demand Will Be Met On Third Day After Halt In Russian Gas Supplies

By RFE/RL's Moldovan Service January 03, 2025

Moldovan state-owned energy trader JSC Energocom said it would cover 100 percent of electricity consumption on January 3, two days after supplies of Russian natural gas abruptly stopped due to the expiration of a supply contract with Ukraine.

Energocom said on January 2 that consumption is expected to be higher by about 10 on January 3, but it will still cover demand. Electricity consumption of the right bank of the Dniester River was fully covered in the first two days of the year, the government's crisis group announced on January 2.

The company says that in addition to local production from heating plants in Chisinau and Balti and local renewable energy sources, electricity will be purchased from outside the country.

The crisis group, established on December 26, said that on January 1 almost half of the country's electricity consumption was covered by imports from Romania and there was no need to activate contingency contracts or unintended flows.

Authorities in Chisinau, meanwhile, confirmed that the breakaway region of Transdniester, which has not been supplied with natural gas since January 1, is being provided with electricity after the power plant serving the region switched to coal-fired operation.

According to public data, Tiraspol has reserves of about 70,000 tons of coal, which could cover consumption of the region for 30 to 50 days.

The municipal administration in Transdniester's capital, Tiraspol, said it has natural gas reserves of about 13 million cubic meters, which is sufficient for about 20 days.

But people in at least 11 communities near Tiraspol had no supply of natural gas, heating and hot water on January 1. The city has set up 30 meeting points where people can gather to warm up and eat hot meals. Meanwhile, about 115,000 households are receiving natural gas supplies only for cooking, according to supplier Tiraspoltransgaz.

"For now, the situation is not critical," one man from the city of Tighina told RFE/RL's Moldovan service on January 2, noting he has been able to cope so far using his electric stove. "For others, maybe, it's worse," he quickly added.

Ukraine's decision not to renew the contract allowing the flow of Russian gas through its territory deepened a rift between Kyiv and Bratislava.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on January 2 that the Slovak government will discuss retaliatory measures, including cutting electricity supplies to Ukraine, lowering aid to Ukrainian refugees, and demanding either the renewal of gas transits or compensation for losses.

"The only alternative for a sovereign Slovakia is renewal of transit or demanding compensation mechanisms that will replace the loss in public finances of nearly 500 million euros," Fico said on Facebook.

Slovakia has alternative gas supplies, but Fico says Slovakia will lose its own transit revenues and pay additional transit fees to bring in non-Russian gas.

Fico said a Slovak delegation would discuss the situation in Brussels next week and then his ruling coalition would discuss retaliation for what he called "sabotage" by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Zelenskiy said on January 1 that the end of natural gas supplies to Europe via the pipeline traversing Ukraine is a major defeat for Russian President Vladimir Putin after accusing Moscow of "weaponizing energy."

With reporting by AFP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/33261939.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Israel to Send Negotiators to Qatar to Resume Deadlocked Gaza Ceasefire Talks

Sputnik News

20250103

Svetlana Ekimenko

Gaza ceasefire talks, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have been continuing for over a year. Both sides have accused each other of creating obstacles, delaying a ceasefire and the release of hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is sending a delegation to Qatar for talks on a Gaza ceasefire, his office announced on Thursday.

Representatives from the Israel Security Agency (ISA), the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and Israel's foreign intelligence agency, Mossad, will travel to Doha, the statement said.

This comes after a Hamas delegation met with mediators in Egypt, according to the group's spokesperson Jihad Taha, cited by Xinhua. As a result of the talks, a proposal was worked out that would be presented to Israel in a last-ditch attempt to secure a deal before January 20, a source told the outlet.

Talks have stalled over issues such as demands for Hamas to provide a list of hostages for release before a ceasefire, Israel's refusal to approve the release of some of the Palestinian prisoners requested by Hamas, and Tel Aviv's desire for a deal that does not include stopping the war and withdrawing fully from Gaza, according to media reports.

Hamas must either release hostages soon or suffer "blows of a magnitude not seen in Gaza for a long time," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday.

US President-elect Donald Trump has also threatened that there will be "all hell to pay" if Hamas doesn't release the remaining hostages before his inauguration.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has continued its assaults on Gaza, with attacks having already killed at least 45,581 Palestinians, according to the enclave's Health Ministry.

 Sputnik

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The deterioration of the healthcare situation in Gaza is completely unacceptable: 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 Gaza.

3 January 2025

President, we are all horrified by the deterioration of the healthcare situation in Gaza.

It is completely unacceptable that since 7 October many medical facilities have been destroyed or damaged and over 1000 medical personnel have been killed, injured or detained. And, as Dr. Hassan has reminded us, their SOS calls have been ignored.

Following the forcible evacuation of Kamal Adwan hospital, there are now no functioning hospitals in North Gaza Governorate. Deteriorating access to medical services across Gaza is compounding acute child malnutrition, the risk of imminent famine and the spread of infectious diseases.

As we face this devastating situation, the UK reiterates three key and fundamental demands.

First, we call for civilians and medical staff to be protected in line with international humanitarian law. Israel is responsible for ensuring that civilians have access to vital medical care and for enabling medical practitioners to operate safely.

The UK continues to urge Israel to abide by their international obligations, including those set out in Security Council resolution 2286. And we also call on Israel to clarify the whereabouts of medical staff detained from hospitals in the north.

We are aware of reports of Hamas using civilian infrastructure for their operations, including hospitals.

The UK strongly condemns any such actions. By embedding themselves in civilian infrastructure, Hamas clearly put Palestinian civilians and medical staff at risk.

We reiterate however, that obligations under IHL to protect hospitals and healthcare workers are unconditional.

President, second, UNRWA must be allowed to play its essential role, including in delivering medical services and we unequivocally reject attempts to undermine its mandate.

On 11 December, my Prime Minister committed an additional $16.5 million to UNRWA to support vital services, including for medical care.

The UK is also supporting the provision of essential healthcare including through funding to UK-Med to run a field hospital and provide other healthcare services in Gaza.

President, third, Israel must do much more to immediately address this crisis and both sides must finally end this war.

The UK will keep pushing for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages cruelly detained by Hamas, for the better protection of civilians, for more aid consistently entering Gaza, and for a path to long-term peace and stability.

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UN continues to call for timely Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon

3 January 2025 - Operations by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) north of the UN-monitored Blue Line in southern Lebanon have continued, according to the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, UNIFIL.

This includes movements further north reported in Sector East, while a redeployment by the Lebanese Armed Forces was conducted this week in Shama, in Sector West.

Both Israel and Lebanon have recommitted to full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said during the daily media briefing from New York on Friday.

Resolve outstanding issues

Adopted following the 2006 war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah militants, the resolution continues to concern ending conflict between the sides.

Hostilities erupted again in October 2023 following the start of the war in Gaza and lasted for over a year.

The Governments of Israel and Lebanon signed a ceasefire agreement on 27 November 2024. It calls for Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, and for Hezbollah to end its armed presence there, within 60 days.

"To address outstanding issues, we urge both parties to utilize the newly established Mechanism as agreed in the understanding," said Mr. Haq.

UN support at the ready

UNIFIL also continues to urge the timely withdrawal of the IDF and deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon, and the full implementation of resolution 1701 as a comprehensive path towards peace, he added.

The Mission stands ready to play its role in supporting both countries to meet their obligations and in monitoring progress.

This includes ensuring the area south of the Litani River is free of any armed personnel, assets or weapons other than those of the Lebanese Government and UNIFIL - as well as respect for the Blue Line of separation.

Peacekeepers will continue their mandated tasks, including the monitoring and reporting to the Security Council of all violations of resolution 1701.

Aid for returnees

Meanwhile, humanitarians continue to provide critical support to people who are still displaced or returning to their communities following the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon.

The UN migration agency IOM estimates that nearly 124,000 people are still uprooted, while over 4,000 remain in 42 shelters.

Updating on cross-border movements with Syria, Mr. Haq said the UN refugee agency UNHCR reports that some 90,000 people, including 20,000 Lebanese nationals, have arrived in Hermel in northeastern Lebanon.

Some 39,000 are living in 175 collective sites and are in urgent need of assistance.

Prepositioning food stocks

For its part, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reports that last year, it reached 750,000 people displaced by fighting in Lebanon, supplying hot meals, food supplies and cash assistance in shelters and communities across the country.

"WFP is currently prepositioning food supplies as close as possible to hard-to-reach areas. For example, a warehouse has been leased in the Bekaa to ensure access during winter snows," said Mr. Haq.

He added that WFP has also facilitated 17 inter-agency convoys delivering vital humanitarian aid to conflict-affected families since September 23.



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Haiti gangs crisis: Top rights expert decries attacks on hospitals

3 January 2025 - The UN's top expert on human rights in Haiti on Friday condemned "intentional" attacks on hospitals, clinics and healthcare workers by armed gangs there, warning that medical facilities were already "near collapse".

William O'Neill, who reports to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, highlighted an attack on the Bernard Mevs Hospital in Port-au-Prince on 17 December and the killing of several journalists and a police officer at the General Hospital on 24 December.

The victims were attending the hospital's official reopening.

"Criminal gangs have murdered and kidnapped physicians, nurses and healthcare workers, including humanitarian workers," Mr. O'Neill said in a statement, adding that gangs had "burned, ransacked and destroyed many hospitals and clinics, forcing many to close or suspend their operations".

According to the rights expert, only 37 per cent of health facilities in Port-au-Prince are fully functional.

'Precarious conditions'

They remain difficult to access because of unchecked gangland violence in the capital that has put millions of Haitians at risk, Mr. O'Neill stressed.

He underscored "repeated threats to attack health premises" and cited reports that police officers were also allegedly involved.

"The Haitian people - including hundreds of thousands of children living in very precarious conditions - are once again paying the high price of this violence with their right to health severely hindered," he lamented, expressing concern over the spread of diseases such as cholera and tuberculosis.

Journalists under attack

The attacks on 24 December also underscore the dangers faced by journalists in Haiti, with many being killed or fleeing the country due to death threats.

Mr. O'Neill called on the international community to support Haitian authorities in combating insecurity and ensuring the right to health.

"I urge the international community to do everything it can to help Haitian authorities to combat rampant insecurity and ensure the realization of the right to health, including unhindered access to health facilities, goods, and services," he said.

He also stressed the need for the State to investigate and bring those responsible for the attacks to justice.

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The clock is ticking fast towards the implementation of the Knesset bill

UNRWA

3 Jan 2025

From Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General as posted on his official X account (previously known as Twitter)

If implemented, it will ban UNRWA from operating in the occupied Palestinian territory.

This is part of broader efforts to erase Palestinian history and identity.

The bill is due to come into effect in just under 4 weeks.

Our teams meanwhile are committed to stay and deliver.

In Gaza, since the war began, the Agency has become a lifeline for 2 million people.

Our health teams provided 6.7 million medical consultations (over 1,600/ day)

730,000 people received mental health and psychosocial support

With partners, we vaccinated 560,000 children under the age of 10 against polio

Nearly 2 million people received food assistance

Hundreds of thousands of displaced people are living in UNRWA shelters.

Since the summer, our teams reached 18,000 children with learning activities.

Before the war, UNRWA provided education to over 300,000 children. Bringing them back to a learning environment, instead of keeping them in the rubble, should be our top priority.

In the occupied WestBank, more than 50,000 girls and boys are enrolled in our schools + we provide access to primary health care to half a million Palestine Refugees.

No other UN agency does such work.

UNRWA can be replaced only through a functioning Palestinian state which would address the plight of Palestine Refugees.

That can be reached through political will & diplomacy.

It's time to switch gears, set the priorities and work towards peace.

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SECNAV Names Navy's Newest Guided Missile Destroyer DDG 145

US Navy - Press Release

NEW YORK - Today, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro named the Navy's newest Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer, the future USS Intrepid (DDG 145) aboard the former aircraft carrier which shares its namesake as the Intrepid Museum in New York.

DDG 145 honors the skilled, fearless crews of the four previous Navy ships to bear the name. This will be the fifth ship named Intrepid.

"It is deeply meaningful to stand aboard USS Intrepidthe fourth vessel to bear the name, and whose proud legacy continues to inspire and remind so many visitors of the courage, resilience and sacrifice that define the U.S. Navy  and it is with profound respect that we also look to the future of our Navy from these decks," said Secretary Del Toro. "It is my pleasure to announce that the fifth vessel named Intrepid will be an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, DDG 145, USS Intrepid, in honor of her past namesakes and the courageous service of all our Sailors globally from the South China Sea to the Red Sea."

The first Intrepid was captured from the Barbary state of Tripoli in December 1803 where she sailed under the name Mastico. In February 1804, she then slipped into Tripoli harbor to set fire to the captured US Navy ship Philadelphia.

The second Intrepid was an experimental steam torpedo ram, operating from 1874 to 1892.

The third Intrepid was a receiving and barracks ship assigned to the Yerba Buena Training Station and Mare Island Naval Yard.

The fourth Intrepid, an aircraft carrier, served from 1943 to 1974. She supported the capture of the Marshall Islands in early 1944. In September, she struck targets in the Palaus and provided close air support to Marines on Peleliu. She helped liberate the Philippines and took part in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, where her air wing helped sink or damage three aircraft carriers, four battleships, and a cruiser. She was later hit by multiple kamikazes. She participated in the invasion of Okinawa and attacks on mainland Japan. She was decommissioned in 1947 and recommissioned in 1952, becoming the first carrier to use American-built steam catapults. She supported NATO in the 1950s and 1960s, and recovered several NASA space capsules. Intrepid then joined Seventh Fleet to support combat operations off Vietnam, where she was lauded for her speed in launching aircraft. In 1969, she returned to the North Atlantic, sailing there until decommissioning in 1974. She is preserved as a museum ship in New York City.

"We know this namesake ship will serve our Navy and our nation proudly as the former USS Intrepid did and continues to do, and we couldn't be more thrilled that it begins its proverbial journey today at the Intrepid Museum," said Intrepid Museum President Susan Marenoff-Zausner. "For all of its missions, the entire Museum team wishes the ships and its crew safety and success."

Along with announcing the ship's name, Secretary Del Toro also announced the sponsor for the future USS Intrepid (DDG 145) as Mrs. Betty Del Toro, who in her role as the ship's sponsor will represent a lifelong relationship with the ship and crew.

Mrs. Del Toro is not only the wife of Secretary Del Toro but is also a lifelong supporter of the Navy and a steadfast advocate for Sailors and Marines. She served as a military spouse for 22 years, encompassing 17 military moves. She is passionate about matters that involve military families and children. Over the last three years, she has met with hundreds of service members, spouses and dependents.

"I am especially proud to serve as sponsor for a ship whose name embodies American courage and resilience," said Betty Del Toro. "Having had the honor and opportunity to stand alongside my husband throughout his active duty Navy career and as the 78th Secretary of the Navy, I embrace this new role one which emphasizes something that is deeply important to me; supporting Navy Sailors and Marines, and their families."

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, built around the Aegis Combat System, are the backbone of the U.S. Navy's surface fleet providing protection to America around the globe. They incorporate stealth techniques, allowing these highly capable, multi-mission ships to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence to national security, providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface domains. These elements of sea power enable the Navy to defend American prosperity and prevent future conflict abroad.

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Israeli strikes kill at least 30 people in Central Gaza

By VOA News January 03, 2025

Hospital workers say Israeli airstrikes killed at least 30 people in central Gaza late Thursday into Friday, adding to a death toll that reached at least 56 people over the past 24 hours.

Staff at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah told the Associated Press that more than a dozen women and children were killed in attacks that hit targets in Central Gaza, including Nuseirat, Zawaida, Maghazi and Deir al Balah.

Israeli attacks hit many of the same areas Thursday, bringing the death toll over the past 24 hours to at least 56, according to Palestinian health authorities.

On the social media platform X, the Israel Defense Forces, IDF, said Friday that fighter jets and aircraft attacked about 40 Hamas "terrorist concentration points and command and control complexes" throughout the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours in a joint operation of the Israeli Air Force and the IDF Southern Command.

The IDF said dozens of Hamas terrorists operated from the compounds, some of which were established in spaces that previously were used as schools.

"This is another example of Hamas's cynical and systematic use of civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip for terrorist purposes," the IDF said.

The Israeli military said it took many steps prior to the attacks to prevent harming civilians, "including the use of precision weapons, aerial observations, and additional intelligence information."

The IDF also reported early Friday it intercepted a drone and shot down a missile, each launched from Yemen. From its X account, the IDF said the drone was intercepted before it crossed into Israeli territory, and that no alerts were activated.

The statement said the missile was intercepted and shot down over south-central Israel, with fragments falling the area of Modi'in. No damage was reported, and the incident is under investigation, the statement said.

On Wednesday, Israel warned it would intensify its strikes against Hamas if the militant group continued to hold the hostages it took in its October 7, 2023, terror attack and launches rockets at Israel.

The latest attacks on Gaza come as an Israeli delegation reportedly is in Doha, to continue negotiations toward a ceasefire deal with Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday he authorized the delegation from the country's intelligence services and military.

The war in Gaza began with Hamas militants' October 7, 2023, terror attack, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 people as hostages. About 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, with at least one-third of them believed to be dead.

Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 45,500 Palestinians and injured more than 108,000, according to the health ministry in the enclave. The ministry does not differentiate between militants and civilians in its count.

The war has leveled wide areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of its 2.3 million people.

Hamas and Hezbollah have been designated as terror groups by the United States, Britain and other Western countries.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Cameroon officials say country's military seized weapons from terrorists re-arming Boko Haram

By Moki Edwin Kindzeka January 03, 2025

Cameroon's military says it has seized several hundred weapons and combat uniforms that were being smuggled to a hideout of the Nigeria-based terrorist group Boko Haram. Officials say troops have been deployed in a bid to capture more weapons and prevent Boko Haram from re-arming itself.

Cameroon government officials say long-barreled firearms, military uniforms, over 400 packets of tear gas and more than 100 gallons of oxidizing agents were seized from suspected Boko Haram members this week in Maroua, a northern town near the central African country's border with Nigeria and Chad.

The military says the oxidizing agents are used by Boko Haram terrorists to produce explosives.

The governor of Cameroon's Far North region, Midjiyawa Bakari, says the weapons were being smuggled to Nigeria's Sambisa forest, a Boko Haram stronghold.

Bakari says he is very thankful to the Cameroon military for intercepting war weapons, combat uniforms and acids used to fabricate explosives destined for several Boko Haram groups in Sambisa, a forest which straddles the Nigeria-Cameroon border and is a hideout for members of the terror group. He says Boko Haram is rearming and recruiting members after it was weakened by troops of the Multinational National Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad Basin or MNJTF.

MNJTF is made up of 11,000 troops from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad.

Bakari told Cameroon state TV on Thursday that some of the weapons were smuggled through the Douala seaport.

He did not say how the weapons got to Douala but said investigations have been opened to trace the origin of the weapons.

Cameroon's military says some of the combat uniforms seized are similar to those used by its infantry and air force. Boko Haram fighters sometimes disguise themselves as government troops to deceive civilians before attacking communities for supplies, officials say.

The government says civilians should help prevent Boko Haram from re-arming and recruiting new members by reporting strangers in all border towns and villages to government troops.

Chad's president, Mahamat Idriss Deby, in his New Year's message on Tuesday, said several hundred fighters escaped Chad to neighboring countries when his troops launched Operation Haskanite.

The operation's goal is to neutralize Boko Haram fighters who attacked and killed more than 40 Chadian government troops in the Lake Chad Basin in October.

Maki Jean Emmanuel is a researcher on conflicts in the Lake Chad Basin and visiting lecturer at the University of N'djamena. He says no country in the Lake Chad basin can single-handedly defeat Boko Haram.

Maki says MNJTF should be on alert because Boko Haram is infiltrating many villages where government troops do not have easy access and recruiting new members, especially poor and unemployed youths, is taking place. He says the porous nature of the borders between Cameroon, Nigeria and Chad makes it possible for arms to be smuggled to villages where Boko Haram fighters are hiding.

Cameroon says several dozen people caught smuggling the weapons were arrested but has given no details on whether they are Cameroonians, Nigerians or Chadians.

Over 40,000 people have been killed and 3 million have fled their homes in Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad since 2009, when fighting between Nigerian government troops and Boko Haram militants degenerated into an armed conflict and gradually spread to neighboring countries.

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South Sudan begins mass inoculation campaign with cholera vaccines

By Sheila Ponnie January 03, 2025

More than 1.1 million doses of an oral cholera vaccine have arrived in South Sudan, as the government launched a program to inoculate more than 80 percent of the population. But the mass vaccination exercise faces numerous challenges, including a lack of access to the areas dealing with the worst cholera outbreaks.

Medics in South Sudan will attempt to vaccinate at least 9 million people against cholera, an exercise that targets mostly children and mothers.

More than 1.1 million doses of oral cholera vaccine arrived in the capital, Juba, and will be dispatched next week to hot spots areas like the town of Bentiu.

The country's Ministry of Health reported last week that 199 people have died of cholera, with 13,000 more diagnosed so far with the bacteria.

Dr. Gabriel Boum Tap is an immunization officer at UNICEF in South Sudan.

"Of course, we had also received some vaccines before; only that they were not enough, because, you know, it's not like the cholera vaccine is manufactured and is put in one place already," he said.

At least one cholera case has been recorded in 29 of the 79 counties in South Sudan, with Bentiu, Renk and Juba most affected.

The first case was reported on September 23 in Renk, northeast of the capital.

But as the country prepares to roll out a mass vaccination exercise, the process faces some serious headwinds.

Thinjin Khoat is one of the victims of the cholera outbreak. He says he has seen people die of the disease, with many more trooping to local health centers seeking urgent medical attention.

"I was at one of the health facilities, and there was a suspected case of cholera. The patient was a 5-year-old. The patient was vomiting, and in the process, the health workers couldn't get the vein. The patient is not able to get the oral fluid. ... In that process, the patient died of dehydration," he said.

Cholera is an acute diarrhea infection caused by consuming contaminated food or water. If not treated, it can be fatal within hours.

Khoat says accessibility to health care remains a major hindrance to the fight against the disease.

"Some of the community members, they don't have access, because, you know, in Bentiu here, there is flooding. There are some areas that health workers cannot access because of the flood and also security issues," he said.

According to Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, poor living conditions in South Sudan have created the perfect breeding ground for cholera.

Stephanie Ngai is MSF's project coordinator for cholera response in Bentiu, located in Rubkona County, an area with a large refugee population.

"Here in Rubkona, the explosion on the outbreak very quickly overwhelmed the local systems that are responsible for coordinating the response and scaling up the interventions," she said. 'Other partners don't have adequate funding to properly scale up the level needed, which is massive. And the overall response coordination has not been strong enough to manage the response and ensure that the needs are adequately met."

The government says the vaccination exercise is expected to roll out next Monday with support from international partners such as MSF and the World Health Organization.

Buok Danhier, the immunization program manager for the Unity State Ministry of Health, says the various entities will split up duties in Rubkona.

"Rubkona has many payams [local districts]. Most of the payams are affected by flooding, and these are the ones that will be taken by WHO  the hard-to-reach areas. WHO and other partners are pledging to cover all those areas that are hard to reach and also very far from town. Bentiu IDP, Rukona and Bentiu town  these areas will be covered by MSF, and the recruitment process is ongoing," said Danhier.

The vaccination exercise will target children 1 year and above.

WHO says up to 143,000 people worldwide die from cholera each year out of an estimated 4 million annual cases.

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Mogadishu and Addis Ababa take steps toward mending ties after a year of strained relations

By Abdulaziz Osman January 03, 2025

A top Ethiopian official visited Somalia's capital Thursday in the first high-level meetings since relations plummeted a year ago because of Ethiopia's plan to access the sea through the breakaway Somaliland region.

Ethiopia's minister of defense, Aisha Mohamed, met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and delivered a message from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement posted on Facebook that both nations had agreed to collaborate on the new African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). However, the statement did not elaborate on the specifics of the collaboration.

According to a statement by Somalia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur told his Ethiopian counterpart that Somalia is willing to consider Ethiopia's request for its troops to join the AUSSOM mission.

Ethiopia also said the sides agreed to increase visits and exchanges, with both countries expecting that Somalia's senior leaders will visit Addis Ababa in the near future.

The Mogadishu talks take place after a year of strained relations that began last year when Ethiopia signed a controversial memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, which would provide landlocked Ethiopia with access to the Gulf of Aden.

The MOU was strongly opposed by Somalia's government, which still considers Somaliland to be part of Somalia and not authorized to reach agreements with foreign governments.

Somalia has repeatedly threatened to expel the thousands of Ethiopian troops from the AU peacekeeping mission if it did not renounce the MOU.

The discussions between Somalia and Ethiopia mark a significant step in the ongoing dialogue that began with the signing of the Ankara Agreement last month, which was brokered by Turkey.

A senior Somali government official, speaking anonymously, told VOA Somali that Somalia is expected to approve a limited role for Ethiopia in AUSSOM.

Despite significant troop contributions from Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda that would compensate for the absence of Ethiopian troops, a Somali official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the ongoing discussions with Ethiopia focused on determining the specific roles and areas where Ethiopian troops may be deployed, should they be allowed to join the mission.

During her visit to Somalia, Ethiopian Defense Minister Aisha stressed Ethiopia's commitment to contributing to peace and stability in Somalia.

"Combating terrorism is a key area of cooperation between the two nations," the Ethiopian statement said.

Ethiopian troops have helped Somalia's government in the past fend off attacks by the militant group al-Shabab.

Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, speaking in Mogadishu Thursday, said the dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia had been resolved, attributing the progress to Somalia's "tolerance" in resolving the tensions.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 04 January 2025 - Day 1046

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that so far, 149 combat clashes have taken place. The hottest today is the situation in Pokrovsk and Kursk directions.

For today, Russian forces made 31 aviation strikes, dropping 48 kab, used to impress 709 kamikadze drones. Made about 3,500 shelling of the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces twice attacked the vicinity of vovchans ka and starica. One confrontation is still going on. Aviation strikes were suffered by vovchans .ki farms, ohrimivka and small passages.

In the kupans komu direction Russian forces during the day four times tried to advance to Ukrainian positions near zagrizovoye and petropavlivka. Two Russian attacks are ongoing so far.

In the Lymans 16komu direction, Russian forces attacked 16 times in the areas of the persotravnevogo, hope, novosergiivki, makiiivki, novoegorivki, yampolivki, terniv, grigorivki and serebryanskogo forest. Ukrainian soldiers stopped all attacks of the Russian zagarbnikiv.

In the Kramators komu direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled nine Russian attacks in the areas of Chasovoye Yar, Bila Gora, Kli .yivka and Stupochok.

In the Toretsky direction, Russian forces carried out 11 offensive actions at the position of Ukrainian troops in the areas of Toretsk, Diliyivka, Crimea and Scherbinivka.

Since the beginning of the day, the Russian enemy has tried 40 times to infiltrate Ukrainian defense in the direction of the Intercession in the areas of Mirny, Timofiyivka, Baranivka, Peace-loving, Promena, Fox, Green, New Labor, Pokrovsk, Sand, Shevchenko, Solony, Novooelenivka, Kotlinoy and Novovasilivka. Ukrainian units have fought off 39 attacks, one confrontation is ongoing so far. According to the available information, the casualties of the Russian occupiers to date amount to 365 people have been killed and wounded, plus one armored car and one vehicle have been destroyed, in addition to four cars and two motorcycles have been damaged.

In the kurakhivs .komu direction, Russian forces 16 times attacked Ukrainian positions. The greatest activity was shown in the area of Sribnogo, Petropavlivka, Konstantinopol, Kurakhovy, Constantinopol and Dachny, where Ukrainian defenders repelled 11 attacks, five clashes are still ongoing. Air strike kabama suffered ulakly, oleksiivka and konstantinopil. The loss of the Russian enemy in this direction since the beginning of the day was 125 occupants killed and wounded, to the same, two infantry fighting vehicles, two cars, two motorcycles and one cannon were destroyed.

In the vremivs komu direction, Ukrainian troops repelled 15 Russian attacks near the dachny and yantarnogo, two more combat are ongoing so far. The enemy launched an aviation strike on temirivka, spill, iskri and burlatsky, dropping 11 controlled aviation bombs.

In the Orihivsky direction, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled one attempt of the Russian enemy to advance in the area of the settlement Novodanilivka.

In the Pridnipro direction, the Russian enemy does not abandon trying to knock out Ukrainian units from occupied positions, where during the day he carried out two unsuccessful assaults of the positions of Ukrainian soldiers in the areas of Zabich and Cossack islands.

In the Kursk direction Ukrainian defenders repelled 30 enemy attacks. In addition, Russian forces launched nine air strikes with 19 guided bombs and carried out 265 artillery shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the sivers komu and gulyajpil s .komu directions the Russian opponent did not carry out active actions.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kharkov direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one mechanised brigade of the AFU, one special operations brigade, and one territorial defence brigade near Turovo, Perovskoye, and Sinelnikovo (Kharkov region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 50 troops, one tank, six motor vehicles, two 152-mm D-20 guns, and two 122-mm D-30 howitzers.

As a result of successful offensive actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Nadiya (Lugansk People's Republic).

Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, one assault brigade of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade near Dvurechnaya, Glushkovka, Ivanovka, Zagryzovo, Zeleny Gay (Kharkov region), Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic), and Serebryansky forestry. One counter-attack launched by an AFU assault detachment was repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 590 troops, one infantry fighting vehicle, three pickup trucks, one 152-mm D-20 gun, three 122-mm D-30 howitzers, one Czech-made 122-mm Striga MLRS combat vehicle, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, two U.S.-made HMMWV armoured fighting vehicles, one U.S.-made 105-mm M101 gun, and one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar. One ammunition depot was wiped out.

Units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line and inflicted losses on formations of one motorised infantry brigade, eight mechanised brigades, one mountain assault brigade, one airmobile brigade, and one infantry brigade of the AFU near Predtechino, Seversk, Andreyevka, Petrovskoye, Konstantinovka, Nikolayevka, Chasov Yar, Novomarkovo, and Kurakhovo (Donetsk People's Republic). Two counter-attacks launched by the enemy's assault detachments were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to more than 250 troops, one Kozak armoured fighting vehicle, one 152-mm D-20 gun, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 gun, and one ammunition depot.

Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of seven mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one jaeger brigade, one airmobile brigade, two assault battalions of the AFU, one marine brigade, one territorial defence brigade, one national guard brigade, and one assault brigade of the National Police of Ukraine near Dzerzhinsk, Druzhba, Rozovka, Mirolyubovka, Slavyanka, Sribnoye, Udachnoye, Novosergeyevka, Katerinovka, and Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People's Republic). Twelve counter-attacks launched by AFU formations were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to more than 440 troops, one tank, one infantry fighting vehicle, three armoured personnel carriers, including U.S.-made M113 and M1117 armoured personnel carriers, one Kozak armoured fighting vehicle, eight motor vehicles, one French-made 155-mm CAESAR self-propelled artillery system, one 152-mm D-20 gun, and five 122-mm D-30 howitzers.

Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences and inflicted losses on formations of two mechanised brigades of the AFU, one marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades near Zelenoye Pole, Neskuchnoye, Novopol, and Velikaya Novoselka (Donetsk People's Republic). One counter-attack launched by AFU units was repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 170 troops, five motor vehicles, and one U.S.-made 155-mm Paladin self-propelled artillery system. One electronic warfare station was eliminated.

Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two infantry brigades, one coastal defence brigade of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade near Malye Shcherbaki, Pyatikhatki, Novoandreyevka (Zaporozhye region), Zelenovka, and Yantarnoye (Kherson region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 70 troops, three motor vehicles, one 152-mm D-20 gun, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and one electronic warfare station.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces struck infrastructure of military airfields, attack UAV workshop and depot, as well as engaged manpower and hardware clusters of the enemy in 132 areas.

Air defence units shot down eight U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles and 72 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 651 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 39,279 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,221 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,506 MLRS combat vehicles, 20,186 field artillery guns and mortars, and 29,857 units of support military vehicles have been neutralised.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise an enemy group, which broke into the territory of Kursk region.

In the course of offensive actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one heavy mechanised brigade, one tank brigade, three mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, one marine brigade, four territorial defence brigades, and one brigade of Yug Special Operations Centre of the AFU near Aleksandriya, Bondarevka, Goncharovka, Daryino, Zaoleshenka, Kolmakov, Kurilovka, Leonidovo, Loknya, Malaya Loknya, Makhovka, Melovoy, Mirny, Nizhny Klin, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Staraya Sorochina, Sudzha, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, and Yuzhny.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the enemy near Viktorovka, Guyevo, Zamostye, Lebedevka, Lokinskaya, Martynovka, Mikhaylovka, Russkoye Porechnoye, Sverdlikovo as well as Basovka, Belovody, Vodolagi, Druzhba, Zhuravka, Marchikhina Buda, and Yunakovka in Sumy region.

Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 540 troops, four tanks, one infantry fighting vehicle, one armoured fighting vehicle, 25 armoured fighting vehicles, 49 motor vehicles, one artillery gun, and four mortars.



Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 47,810 troops, 267 tanks, 205 infantry fighting vehicles, 147 armoured personnel carriers, 1,418 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,370 motor vehicles, 341 artillery guns, 42 MLRS launchers, including 11 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 14 anti-aircraft missile launchers, seven transport-loading vehicles, 83 EW stations, 13 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 28 units of engineering and other materiel, including 13 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, seven armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle.



The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.





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US lawmakers demand answers after treasury confirmed Chinese hackers breach

The US Treasury Department said China-backed hackers broke into its cybersecurity system in December.

By Alan Lu for RFA

2025.01.03

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The cybersecurity breach of the U.S. Treasury Department by China-backed hackers is "extremely concerning," said senior American lawmakers, urging Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to provide them with a detailed briefing on the matter.

The department announced on Monday that China-backed hackers in December accessed workstations and unclassified documents through a compromised third-party software provider. It reported, however, having "no evidence" the hackers were still able to access the information.

"This breach of federal government information is extremely concerning," Sen. Tim Scott, a ranking member on the Senate Banking Committee, and House Financial Services Committee Vice Chair French Hill said in a letter to Yellen.

"This information must be vigilantly protected from theft or surveillance by our foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party, who seek to harm the United States," they wrote, requesting a briefing on the breach in eight days with full detail on the information accessed by the hackers

The department said it was working with cybersecurity experts, the FBI, intelligence agencies and independent investigators to understand the incident and assess its impact.

It did not specify what documents had been accessed, but said the service from the affected third-party software provider had been shut down, and so far, there was no evidence that the hackers still had access to Treasury information.

The department did not respond to RFA's request for comment by time of publication.

China's ministry of foreign ministry called the U.S. accusation of Chinese involvement in the hack "groundless."

"On this kind of unwarranted and groundless allegations, we've made clear our position more than once," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Tuesday.

"China opposes all forms of hacking, and in particular, we oppose spreading China-related disinformation motivated by political agenda," she added.

In November, The New York Times reported that a Chinese hacking group known as Salt Typhoon had been embedded in the systems of one of America's largest telecommunications companies for over a year.

Salt Typhoon, which reportedly has strong ties to China's Ministry of State Security, targeted phones belonging to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.

This effort was part of a broader intelligence-gathering campaign that also targeted Democrats, including staff from Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

The newspaper cited U.S.officials as saying that although the Chinese hackers appeared to stop their activities after the breach was exposed, it would be premature to assume they had been fully removed from the nation's telecommunications system.

In December, the Treasury Department offered a US$10 million reward for information about a Chinese company and employee it accuses of violating the firewalls of 80,000 computer networks worldwide, including for 36 items of "critical infrastructure" in America.

Edited by Taejun Kang.

Copyright 1998-2025, 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 January not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Sanctioning PRC Cyber Company Involved in Malicious Botnet Operations

US Department of State

Press Statement

Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson

January 3, 2025

The United States is imposing sanctions today on the Beijing-based cybersecurity company Integrity Technology Group, Incorporated (Integrity Tech), which has links to the People's Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of State Security, for its role in multiple computer intrusion incidents against U.S. victims.

Integrity Tech is a large PRC government contractor with ties to the Ministry of State Security. It provides services to country and municipal State Security and Public Security Bureaus, as well as other PRC cybersecurity government contractors. PRC-based hackers working for Integrity Tech, known to the private sector as "Flax Typhoon," were working at the direction of the PRC government, targeting critical infrastructure in the United States and overseas. "Flax Typhoon" hackers have successfully targeted multiple U.S. and foreign corporations, universities, government agencies, telecommunications providers, and media organizations.

On September 18, the Department of Justice announced a court-authorized operation to disrupt a botnet consisting of more than 200,000 consumer devices infected by Integrity Tech in the United States and worldwide. Along with Five Eyes partners, the United States issued a public cybersecurity advisory outlining some of the tactics employed by PRC-linked cyber actors and providing technical information to network defenders to remediate these threats.

These multi-agency efforts reflect our whole-of-government approach to protecting and defending against PRC cyber threats to Americans, our critical systems, and those of our allies and partners. The United States will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to safeguard U.S. critical infrastructure and the American people from irresponsible and reckless cyber actors.

The Department of the Treasury sanctions actions today were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13694, as amended. For more information, see DOJ's press release, the cybersecurity advisory , and Treasury's press release.

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US law enforcement warned to watch for New Orleans copycat attacks

By Jeff Custer, Jeff Seldin January 03, 2025

The U.S. Homeland Security Department and the FBI are warning federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies the New Year's Day truck-ramming attack in New Orleans that killed at least 14 people could inspire other would-be terrorists to take action.

In a joint intelligence bulletin released Friday, federal authorities warned the nation's 18,000 law-enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for "potential copycat or retaliatory attacks inspired by this attack and other recent, lethal vehicle-ramming incidents across the globe."

The bulletin said such attacks "are likely to remain attractive for aspiring attackers given vehicles' ease of acquisition and the low skill threshold necessary to conduct an attack."

The federal bulletin noted that since 2014, the Islamic State terror group has been promoting the use of vehicles in terror attacks, followed by attacks with secondary weapons, as a method to cause mass casualty incidents.

The joint bulletin advised law enforcement agencies to look for danger signs, such as fraudulent documents or credit cards used to rent vehicles, or signs of "pre-operational surveillance," such as automobiles parked in odd locations or suspicious activity near an event location.

"The U.S. remains in a heightened threat environment and watchful for potential threats to public safety," the FBI said in a statement shared with VOA on Friday.

"We take all threats seriously and ask members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement," the statement said. "We will work with our partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate investigative action.

The bureau late Thursday released three photos Friday of the now deceased suspect in the attack, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, taken from surveillance video about an hour before the deadly Bourbon Street attack. They also released a photograph of a blue ice chest that was found near the scene containing an improvised explosive device.

The photos were released along with a statement soliciting information from any member of the public who might have passed Jabbar on the street or saw the cooler like the one in the photo.

FBI investigators will also be getting a look at medical records and documents from Jabbar's time with the U.S. military. He served with the Army, deploying to Afghanistan in 2009, before later serving with the Army Reserve.

"We're going to, of course, support the investigations," Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Friday. "Army CID [Criminal Investigation Division] is working with the FBI and local law enforcement."

The White House announced Friday that President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to New Orleans on Monday to visit with families and community members affected by the attack, as well as meet with officials on the ground.

In a briefing Thursday with reporters, FBI officials said they believe Jabbar, who was killed at the scene in a shootout with police, acted alone in the New Year's attack and was inspired by the Islamic State terror group.

FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia, with the agency's counterterrorism division, said they concluded Jabbar had no accomplices following hundreds of interviews and reviews of the attacker's calls, social media accounts and electronic devices.

Officials reopened Bourbon Street on Thursday afternoon. The attack occurred on Wednesday at 3:15 a.m.

On Tuesday evening, just hours before the attack, Jabbar posted five videos to his Facebook account, apparently addressed to his family and recorded while he was driving, in which he aligned himself with the Islamic State terror group. The FBI said an Islamic State flag also was found in the vehicle after the attack.

"This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act," Raia said.

Jabbar had originally planned to hurt his relatives and friends but worried about how that would be interpreted by the media, Raia said. "He was 100% inspired by ISIS."

The attack occurred at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon streets in the city's lively French Quarter. The historic tourist destination filled with bars and music is also known for its large New Year's Eve celebrations.

After the vehicle crashed, the driver got out of the truck and shot at responding officers, police said. Officers returned fire, killing the driver, according to police. Two officers were wounded but are in stable condition, the police said.

"This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil," New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.

Investigators found weapons and an explosive device in the vehicle, the FBI said, along with other explosive devices found in the French Quarter. The vehicle appeared to have been rented, the FBI said.

President-elect Donald Trump condemned the attack in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

"Our hearts are with all the innocent victims and their loved ones. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!" he said.

In the same post, Trump also falsely suggested that the suspect was an immigrant.

Liam Scott contributed to this report. Some information for this story came from Reuters and The Associated Press.

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Chinese FM Wang Yi to visit four African nations, continuing tradition of making Africa first overseas destination at start of year

Global Times

By Zhang Yuying Published: Jan 03, 2025 03:16 PM Updated: Jan 03, 2025 05:07 PM

Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and China's Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will visit Namibia, the Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Nigeria from January 5 to 11 at the invitation of these countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced on Friday. This will be the 35th consecutive year that Chinese foreign minister visits Africa on the first overseas trip at the start of the year.

Mao told a routine press conference on Friday that at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last year, President Xi Jinping proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

President Xi noted that China and Africa should jointly advance modernization that is just and equitable, open and win-win and eco-friendly, puts the people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, and is underpinned by peace and security, and take ten partnership actions, which were well-received by Africa, Mao said.

Namibia, the Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Nigeria are all China's friendly cooperation partners. The purpose of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit is to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and deepen practical cooperation across the board for sustained and substantive growth of China-Africa relations, the spokesperson noted.

"The tradition of the Chinese foreign minister making Africa the first overseas destination at the start of the year over the past 35 years underscores China's commitment to strengthening China-Africa relations and highlights the enduring traditional friendship between China and Africa," Song Wei, a professor from the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Friday.

Over the past three decades, China and Africa have consistently supported each other, Song noted, emphasizing that despite the shifting international landscape, their traditional friendship has proven resilient in the face of these changes.

Regarding the four countries Wang will visit, Song noted that they represent key aspects of China-Africa cooperation. "China has significant cooperation with Namibia and the Republic of the Congo in terms of energy, infrastructure and others, and China's aid to Chad has played a crucial role in supporting its development. Furthermore, given Nigeria's considerable influence in West Africa and within the African Union, enhancing cooperation with Nigeria is vital for promoting integrated development across the continent."

In light of the fruitful outcomes from last year's Beijing Summit, Song emphasized that this visit also underscores China's commitment to advancing the implementation of the FOCAC pledges and to further aligning China's aid projects with the independent development goals of African countries.

Looking ahead into the China-Africa relations in 2025, Mao said at a press conference on December 31, 2024 that China stands ready to work together with African countries to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, have closer cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests.

"As members of the Global South, China and Africa are expected to strengthen their collaboration in building greater consensus on development and enhancing global governance to better reflect the voices and needs of the Global South," Song said.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on January 3, 2025

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: January 03, 2025 19:43

Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will visit Namibia, the Republic of the Congo, Chad and Nigeria from January 5 to 11 at the invitation of these countries. This will be the 35th consecutive year that Chinese foreign minister visits Africa on the first overseas trip at the start of the year.

CCTV: What is the significance of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Africa on the first overseas trip of this year? What does China hope to achieve through this trip?

Mao Ning: Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to four African countries will mark the 35th year for the Chinese foreign minister to make Africa his first overseas destination at the start of the year. At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last year, President Xi Jinping proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. President Xi Jinping noted that China and Africa should jointly advance modernization that is just and equitable, open and win-win and eco-friendly, puts the people first, features diversity and inclusiveness, and is underpinned by peace and security, and take ten partnership actions, which were well-received by Africa. Namibia, the Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Nigeria are all China's friendly cooperation partners. The purpose of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit is to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and deepen practical cooperation across the board for sustained and substantive growth of China-Africa relations.

Global Times: The Research Center on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind was officially inaugurated in Beijing yesterday. Could you share more information with us? What role is this institution going to play in the future?

Mao Ning: The inaugural ceremony of the Research Center on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind was held in Beijing yesterday. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi inaugurated the Research Center and delivered a speech.

Building a community with a shared future for mankind is a major original idea of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the core concept of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. It is China's answer to the question of "what kind of world to build and how to build it" and has great significance for the times. As Foreign Minister Wang pointed out, the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind demonstrates the founding mission of the CPC, carries forward the fine traditions of Chinese culture, demonstrates the power of scientific theories, and expounds on China's stance in the face of changes unseen in a century. China's vision of a community with a shared future for mankind delivers benefits to the world. This initiative has grown into consensus and been translated from a vision to practice, and is driving positive and profound changes in today's world and increasingly becoming the most important public good with major global significance.

The Research Center on Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind will engage in more in-depth studies and publicity on and personnel training for the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind. It will provide support for advancing the building of a community with a shared future in the fields of theory, policy, discourse and personnel.

Beijing Youth Daily: January 1 of this year marks the third anniversary of the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Could you elaborate on the outcomes achieved by RCEP over these years and outline China's expectations for RCEP's development in the future?

Mao Ning: The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) covers more population, involves more trade and has more potential to grow than any other free trade agreement in the world. It has significantly boosted economic integration within the Asia-Pacific region, created enormous market opportunities for its member states and lifted up the international community's confidence in multilateralism. Research by the Asian Development Bank shows that by the year 2030, RCEP will contribute US$245 billion of economic growth to countries in the region and generate 2.8 million new jobs.

As the largest economy in RCEP, China is committed to the comprehensive and high-quality implementation of the agreement. We will continue to promote the upgrade of free trade in the Asia-Pacific for common development and prosperity.

AFP: On the US and China, the Biden administration said on Thursday that it was considering a new rule that could restrict or ban Chinese drones in the US. The Biden administration said that they could do that out of national security concerns. Is China concerned about this potential move from the US?

Mao Ning: China firmly opposes the US overstretching the concept of national security, which disrupts and restricts normal economic and trade exchanges, and undermines the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains. We will take all measures necessary to firmly safeguard our lawful rights and interests.

Antara: The Indonesian Ministry of Health recently released a statement in response to the spread of influenza A and other respiratory diseases reportedly circulating in China. The statement addresses a video circulating on social media that shows a hospital in China overwhelmed with patients suffering from flu. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this?

Mao Ning: I would like to refer you to competent Chinese authorities for the details.

Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere. Recently, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration of China held a press conference to share information about the prevention and control of respiratory diseases in China during the winter time. The diseases appear to be less severe and spread with a smaller scale compared with the previous year. I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners in China. It is safe to travel in China.

Bloomberg: I just like to ask a little bit more about the export control restrictions that were introduced or announced yesterday. Especially, I'm interested in the ones pertaining to the restrictions on certain technologies that are used to make battery components and the processing of two crucial metals. I realized the Ministry of Commerce issued a statement, but can you help us understand from a geopolitical perspective or diplomatic perspective? What might be some of the intentions behind these moves? How might we interpret them?

Mao Ning: I'd refer you to the Ministry of Commerce for anything specific. More broadly, in light of actual needs and drawing on common international practice, China enforces fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory export control measures in accordance with the laws and regulations.

Kyodo News: It was reported that China, Japan and the ROK will hold a meeting of foreign ministers of the three countries in Tokyo in February. Can you confirm this?

Mao Ning: I have no information to share at the moment.

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Iran ready for constructive nuclear talks without delay

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jan 3, 2025

Tehran - IRNA -- Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the Islamic Republic is still ready without delay to enter constructive negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement regarding its nuclear program.

In an exclusive interview with China's CCTV news network, Araghchi said that "we are ready to resume negotiations on Iran's nuclear program".

"For more than 2 years, we negotiated with the 5+1 countries in good faith and finally we managed to reach an agreement that the whole world accepted and admired as an achievement of diplomacy," he added.

Araghchi pointed out that Iran implemented the nuclear deal with good intentions, but it was the US that decided to withdraw from it without any reason or justification and brought the situation to this point.

"We are still ready to enter into constructive negotiations without delay regarding our nuclear program. Negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement," he added.

The Iranian foreign minister continued that the formula that exists in "our opinion is the same as the previous formula of the JCPOA, that is, confidence-building about Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. On this basis, we are ready to negotiate."

Araghchi said that a round of negotiations has been held with European countries. "The second round of these negotiations has been decided and will be held with three European countries within the next two weeks."

He clarified that in the case of America, it is natural that the new government should formulate its own policy and "we will make a decision based on it".

He pointed out that China and Russia were two effective members of the negotiations in the past, and from the perspective of the Islamic Republic of Iran, they should continue to play a constructive role in these negotiations. "This is our wish and will."

2050

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Foreign Minister Araghchi: Iran ready for constructive nuclear talks

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 11:25 PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that the Islamic Republic is ready for constructive negotiations to reach an agreement regarding its nuclear program.

Araghchi expressed Tehran's readiness for renewed talks during an exclusive interview with China's CCTV on Friday.

Araghchi said negotiations should be aimed "at reaching an agreement."

"We are ready to enter into constructive negotiations without delay," he stated.

"The formula we have is the same as the previous JCPOA formula, which is building trust about Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the removal of sanctions. We are ready to negotiate on this basis," he added.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is the agreement signed in July 2015 between Iran, the European Union and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany, known as the P5+1.

Britain, France, and Germany are set to begin a new round of talks with Iran over its nuclear program in Geneva on January 13.

"For more than 2 years, we negotiated with the 5+1 countries in good faith and finally we managed to reach an agreement that the whole world accepted and admired as an achievement of diplomacy," he stated.

Araghchi said that Iran implemented the nuclear deal with good intentions, but it was the United States that decided to pull out from it without any reason or justification.

"The US withdrawal from the JCPOA was a very big strategic mistake and was met with a reaction from Iran. Then the US expanded its sanctions," he stated.

He said that one round of negotiations has been held with European countries and the second round of these negotiations will be held with three European countries within the next two weeks.

In addition, Araghchi said that when the upcoming Trump administration formulates its own policy "we will make a decision based on it."

Iran and Europeans have been conducting on-again, off-again talks since 2018, when the United States illegally and unilaterally left a historic nuclear accord between Iran and world powers under its former president Donald Trump, returning Washington's unlawful sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The trio then failed to live up to their promise of bringing Washington back into the deal.

Reacting to the counter-party's non-commitment to its obligations, Tehran initiated a set of retaliatory nuclear steps, including by activating more advanced centrifuges.

The country has been stepping up the measures in response to the other parties' continued refusal to uphold their obligations.

Earlier this year, the European states forwarded an anti-Iranian resolution proposed by the US to the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which was approved by the board.

Elsewhere in his interview, the Iranian foreign minister also said, "The future of the resistance is bright and Hezbollah is systematically rebuilding itself."

"Iran will support any agreement that Hamas and the Palestinians reach on their own," he noted.

About the fluid situation in Syria following the fall of the Assad government, Araghchi said, "We do not make decisions about Syria based on external changes, words and slogans."

"We are waiting for the transitional government to announce its policies regarding the region and other countries and gain sufficient stability, and then we will make decisions based on behavior," he stated.

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Iran deploys troops to western, eastern borders: Top commander

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 3:40 PM

A senior Iranian Army commander says the Islamic Republic has deployed several brigades of ground forces on the Western and Eastern borders of the country to maintain its security and preserve its territorial integrity.

Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, deputy chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination, said, "Border control will prevent the entry of smuggled products, drugs and other materials into our country."

"We must control our borders in order to maintain our social and internal security and prevent any unwanted incidents."

Amid the land, air and sea orders, he noted that the land borders of the country are of more importance because of their span.

"It's planned to build smart walls which can be controlled and monitored in different ways, and can help to block the border appropriately, wherever it's geographically possible, in order to maintain the security of our country and preserve its territorial integrity."

Iran's southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long been the site of frequent clashes between Iranian security forces and Takfiri terrorists as well as drug traffickers.

Iran's security forces have protected the border and managed to repel almost all assaults by foreign-backed terrorists.

The so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorist group, based in Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for several attacks targeting both civilians and security forces in recent years in Sistan and Baluchestan.

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Myanmar's new cybercrime law will suppress information, say analysts

By VOA Burmese January 03, 2025

Myanmar's military leaders have enacted a new cybersecurity law that analysts say will provide the junta with extensive control over access to information.

The expansive law  which has 16 chapters and 88 articles  includes regulations on Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, which allow internet users to circumvent website blocks. It penalizes users who access or share media articles and information from banned websites.

The military council has said that the law is needed to protect against cyberattacks and cybercrimes that could threaten the country's stability. Among the regulations is a ban on the creation of illegal online gambling sites, which have been linked to organized crime.

But an expert with the digital rights group Myanmar Internet Project, who asked to be identified only as U Han, said the law is more focused on suppressing rights than protecting the public.

"All the provisions of the law are designed to suppress rather than protect the public," Han told VOA Burmese. "We believe that junta will use this bill as a weapon prepared for this purpose."

The law will harm "cyber freedom, digital freedom, and the right to use the internet, which are among the most fundamental of our human rights," said Han.

By suppressing these rights, Myanmar "will be violating other basic human rights, socio-economic rights, such as education, business rights and religious rights," he said.

The law includes penalties for noncompliance, including warnings, fines and suspensions. It has the power to blacklist digital platform service providers who fail to prevent, remove or cease circulation of content deemed by the junta as "disinformation" or "rumors" that could damage unity or stability.

Digital platform service providers are now required to collect the names and data of their users for up to three years, and to disclose those details to the authorities.

The law additionally includes penalties for anyone found to have read, stored or shared articles from media outlets or groups banned or labeled as terrorists by the military council; gives the authorities power to shutter online services for reasons of security of the "public good"; and allows for action to be taken against Myanmar citizens outside of the country's borders.

One of the biggest criticisms from digital rights experts is the regulations around VPN use.

Since the junta seized power in a military coup in February 2021, it has sought to control the flow of information. Dozens of journalists have been detained, broadcasting licenses revoked and websites blocked.

Because of that, many residents use VPNs to access social media and media websites, or even to study.

But under the new law, those users could face up to six months in prison and fines for using banned VPN services.

A lawyer based in one of Myanmar's largest cities said the new law will make it harder for the public to access information.

The lawyer, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, said that after thoroughly reading the full law, he sees no clear and concise provision.

"It seems that it has been written to be used as needed and that it has been written with the primary focus on those who will use [a] cyber platform," the lawyer said.

Myanmar in May of last year expanded blocks on websites, digital platforms and VPNs. According to Freedom House, the action specifically limited users to being able to access only about 1,500 preapproved websites.

"Internet freedom in Myanmar consequently declined, leaving it tied with China as the worst-surveyed country," Freedom House said in November.

Citing leaked documents, the activist group Justice for Myanmar reported in June that the enhanced censorship system uses technology from a Chinese network security company to block VPNs.

The technology allows authorities to create a list of all known VPN domains and IP addresses they want blocked.

"Instead of just attacking the media, which they've done until now, [the junta are] actually attacking the ways that the general public can communicate and can access information," Oliver Spencer, an expert on free expression in Myanmar, told VOA last year.

Myanmar scores poorly on world rankings for digital rights and media freedom. Freedom House lists it as "not free" for both global and internet freedoms, and the country ranks 171 out of 180, where 1 shows the best environment, on the World Press Freedom Index.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press.

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S.Korean investigators' unprecedented arrest attempt on Yoon suspended after standoff

Global Times

Political uncertainty remains amid escalating political, social split: expert

By Liu Xin and Yu Xi Published: Jan 03, 2025 08:54 PM

South Korea's anti-corruption agency attempted to detain impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday over his failed martial law bid - the first time in the country's modern history that an arrest warrant was issued against a sitting president, but the operation was thwarted following a standoff of more than five hours between investigators and presidential security staff, South Korean media reported.

With the arrest warrant set to expire on January 6, some analysts said that further efforts to execute the warrant could trigger additional confrontations amid escalating tensions between the ruling and opposition parties and prolong South Korea's ongoing political turmoil.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) said it halted execution of the warrant at 1:30 pm local time out of concerns for the safety of on-site personnel, Yonhap News Agency reported.

In a notice to the press, the CIO said, "We express serious regret over the behavior of the suspect who refused to comply with legally set procedures," adding that the agency plans to decide on the next step following a review.

The CIO has until January 6 to execute the detention warrant on charges of insurrection and abuse of power linked to Yoon's attempt to impose martial law on December 3. The CIO had been expected to try to detain Yoon on Friday, as executing the warrant on Saturday or Sunday could risk confronting even larger crowds, while executing it on January 6 would be too close to the deadline, according to Yonhap.

A total of 30 CIO investigators and 120 police personnel were deployed to execute the warrant. Around 8:02 am, 35 investigators arrived at the presidential residence and two minutes later, investigators began executing the arrest warrant - they walked through roadblocks set up in front of the presidential residence, then passed a bus barricade erected by the Presidential Security Service (PSS), where they faced off and clashed physically with the security staff. The investigators later broke through the first and second lines of the barricade within the residence and confronted the PSS again in front of the residence. The standoff continued until the CIO halted the execution of the warrant at 1:30 pm of local time, according to CCTV News.

The failure of the arrest operation was not surprising given the significant divisions among South Korea's ruling and opposition parties, various political factions, and the public over Yoon's arrest, Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Friday.

The possibility of investigators launching another attempt before January 6 remains, and if more forceful measures are taken, there is a risk of escalating confrontations and clashes, said Xiang.

More than 1,000 pro-Yoon protesters gathered near the residence on Friday morning. Surrounded by some 2,700 police officers deployed to maintain order, they chanted: "Illegal warrant. Completely invalid" and "Arrest the CIO." Anti-Yoon protesters led by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, meanwhile, vowed to stage an overnight rally near the residence to demand Yoon's arrest, according to Yonhap.

South Korea's constitutional court said Friday that it will hold hearings for Yoon's impeachment trial on January 14 and 16.

Uncertainty looms

Xiang said that Yoon's martial law attempt has triggered a profound political crisis with far-reaching consequences in South Korea. He is under criminal investigation for insurrection, and the CIO requested the detention warrant after Yoon ignored all three summonses to appear for questioning - the first time such action has been taken against a sitting president in the country, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

Whether in the impeachment proceedings or the ongoing judicial investigation, it appears unlikely that Yoon will avoid the charges. The focus in South Korea will soon shift to when and how Yoon will step down - a question that transcends party politics and has significant implications for the upcoming presidential election, said Xiang.

In a statement after the arrest effort was suspended, Yoon's legal team said the CIO had no authority to investigate insurrection and it was regrettable that it had tried to "forcibly execute an illegal and invalid arrest and search warrant" in a sensitive security area. The interim head of Yoon's People Power Party welcomed the suspension and said the investigation must be carried out without detaining Yoon, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, the main opposition party on Friday released a statement urging the presidential security team to cooperate and "firmly refuse" any unlawful orders. The Democratic Party called on Yoon to "walk out of your residence, where you are cowardly hiding, and be obedient with the execution of your arrest warrant... All members of the Republic of Korea need to abide by law and order," the statement said, according to CNN.

Xiang said that political turmoil in South Korea is set to continue, with no easing in sight. Yoon's judicial investigation and impeachment proceedings may take months, while ongoing conflicts between political factions will last, keeping instability entrenched. The situation remains fluid, with significant uncertainty remaining over future developments.

For South Korea, this should be a time for celebrating the New Year; however, the country is facing multiple challenges, including internal political turmoil, economic downturns, and an aviation accident, Dong Xiangrong, senior research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.

These issues have severely undermined public confidence and affected external confidence in South Korea. Overall, the country is going through a very difficult period, Dong noted.

South Korean Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for national harmony and unity and for trust in the government in a New Year's address on Tuesday, amid an unprecedented political crisis sparked by impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol's short-lived martial law declaration, according to Reuters.

"The Republic of Korea is in an unprecedentedly serious situation," Choi said in a written statement, citing changes around global trade, diplomacy and security, as well as domestic political uncertainty, according to the report.

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Analysts: South Korea's political turmoil works in China's favor

By Christy Lee January 03, 2025

South Korea's political turmoil is deepening since its martial law debacle, and analysts say China may have an opportunity to increase its leverage over the country.

The current political chaos in Seoul is "working to[ward] Beijing's advantage," said Evans Revere, who served as the acting assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs during the George W. Bush administration.

"China, with its authoritarian approach to governing, is beneficiary" and "no doubt pleased because China sees the ascendancy of the Democratic Party, known for its sympathetic approach to the PRC, as a positive development," Revere said. China's official name is the People's Republic of China, or PRC.

South Korea is embroiled in a deep political crisis with impeachments of the country's leaders last month. This week, a standoff with security forces outside the Seoul residence of President Yoon Suk Yeol prevented investigators from an anti-corruption agency from detaining him.

The main opposition Democratic Party, DP, urged the agency to make another attempt to detain Yoon after expressing regret over the withdrawal of the investigators.

The DP made two successive impeachments in two weeks last month. After impeaching Yoon on Dec. 14 over his failed attempt to impose martial law, the DP also succeeded in its push to impeach acting President Han Duk-soo the following week.

The fate of Yoon, who was suspended from his duties, rests in the Constitutional Court. If the court rules in favor of impeaching Yoon, the country will hold an election, and Lee Jae-myung, the head of the DP, is considered a strong candidate.

"China would welcome a DP government in Seoul since the new administration would be conciliatory toward Beijing and Pyongyang and more antagonistic toward Washington and Seoul," said Bruce Klingner, a senior fellow of Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation.

"China could seek to drive wedges between South Korea and the U.S. by adopting a friendlier tone toward Seoul," Klingner added.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, told VOA on Tuesday that "China noted relevant events" but "will not comment on the ROK's domestic affairs," referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea, or ROK.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, in a Dec. 24 phone conversation that "China adheres to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs." He said joint efforts on both sides have led to improved bilateral relations.

However, Klingner, in his report published just prior to South Korea's general election last April, said China may find it beneficial to stir up resistance within South Korea to Yoon's policies.

Beijing, using its United Front Work Department, "manipulates foreign public policy debates" by "intensifying political differences within target countries, and inflating public support for a politician or party," the report says.

Leaning toward China

The DP is "very pro-China" and would "reorient the country toward China" if it takes the control of the government," said Gordan Chang, distinguished senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the author of Plan Red: China's Project to Destroy America.

"It's clear how South Korea's policies would change" as demonstrated by the DP's attempt to have acting president Han approve the amendments to the Act on Testimony and Appraisal a few days after the opposition party voted to impeach Yoon on Dec. 14.

The amendment, sponsored by the DP, obligates individuals, including industry leaders, to attend hearings if asked and bans them from withholding information even if doing so would reveal trade secrets that might be sensitive to national security.

It would "force South Korean companies to divulge their trade secrets, which certainly would benefit China" and "certainly undermine South Korean businesses," said Chang. "If South Korea loses its competitive edge, which is what the DP is trying to do, then it would be very easy for it to end South Korea's democracy."

A nonpartisan U.S. Congressional Research Service report released on Dec. 23 underscores that the DP "tends to advocate starkly different policies" than Yoon. The report also mentions that Lee has questioned Yoon for having "a greater willingness than prior ROK leaders to publicly criticize China's actions."

Yoon on Thursday said in a written message to his supporters rallying outside his residence that he will "fight until the end" against anti-state forces that put the country in "danger." He thanked them for defending South Korea's "liberal democracy and constitutional order."

The message, reportedly delivered via a third person to his supporters, was signed by Yoon and made available to South Korean media by his lawyers.

Andrew Yeo, the SK-Korea Foundation Chair at the Brookings Institution's Center for Asia Policy Studies, said, "The DP may recalibrate Seoul's position between Beijing and Washington slightly and find itself more reluctant to support policies which are seen as red lines for China, such as supporting Taiwan in a Taiwan Strait crisis."

He continued, "But the DP also recognizes the importance of the U.S.-ROK alliance, so I anticipate robust U.S.-ROK relations even under a DP government."

Lee on Dec. 23 met with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg in Seoul and expressed hope for the alliance to develop further on human rights and environmental issues.

Goldberg also met with the ruling PPP.

Robert Rapson, who served as charge d'affaires and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul from 2018 to 2021, said, "The U.S. will remain the priority relationship for the next Korean administration, regardless of whether it is progressive or conservative."

He continued that a positive result that can emerge from closer South Korea and China relations "would be a greater cooperation from China in managing North Korea, especially if [President-elect Donald] Trump seeks to engage with [North Korean leader] Kim Jong Un."

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A reset for Syria: Foreign Minister Baerbock to travel to Damascus for talks

Germany Federal Foreign Office

03.01.2025 - Article

Foreign Minister Baerbock is today travelling to Damascus for talks. Together with her French counterpart Jean Noel Barrot and on behalf of the EU, she will speak to Ahmed al Sharaa as well as representatives of Syrian civil society.

Following the overthrow of the brutal Assad regime, Syria is embarking on the new start that the people have wanted for so long. With their trip to Damascus, Foreign Minister Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean Noel Barrot are making it clear on behalf of the EU that we are ready to support Syria in its political reset and peaceful transition of power, in the country's reconstruction and not least in a process of reconciliation in society.

Decades of repression, the atrocities of the Assad regime and its terrible civil war have left deep wounds for millions of people in Syria. An entire country is marked by them - but is now rightfully hoping that the future will be a better one. The painful chapter of the Assads' rule has ended. A new chapter has opened, but has not yet been written. Because in this moment the people of Syria have the opportunity to take the fate of their country into their own hands once again. And to close those deep, open wounds. We want to help them with this, with an inclusive, peaceful transition of power, with reconciliation within Syrian society, with reconstruction, in addition to the humanitarian assistance that we have been providing uninterrupted for the people of Syria over all these years. It's clear to us all that this will be no easy path. -Foreign Minister Baerbock prior to her departure for Damascus

What now?

It is clear that this will be no easy path. And it is also clear that at present, notwithstanding the relief at the end of the regime, in some sections of Syrian society worries prevail. Foreign Minister Baerbock will be discussing this during her visit in political talks and also in conversations with civil society representatives. Because it is now absolutely crucial that religious or ethnic groups and minorities in Syria, such as the Alawites, Christians, Druze or Kurds, as well as women participate in the political process. A societal reset can only succeed if it is inclusive and open. The government for the political transition must now commit to this, and we will judge it by its actions.

This reset can only happen if the new Syrian society gives everyone in Syria, women and men, regardless of the ethnic or religious group they belong to, a place in the political process, if it guarantees them rights and offers them protection. If precisely these rights are safeguarded in the transition process that now lies ahead, rather than potentially undermined by excessively long waits for elections or by steps to Islamise the justice or education system. If the past is reckoned with, justice is done and reprisals against entire groups are refrained from. If extremism and radical groups have no place. That must be our common goal. And it is also very much in our own interest - security in Europe and in Germany is closely intertwined with this goal. -Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

Syria's future in the world

In the eyes of Germany and the European Union, Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity are vital for a new, inclusive political order to develop in the country.

Germany is also working with its international partners to prevent the process within Syria from being disrupted by external actors. We have drawn up important principles to this end in Aqaba with the UN. They include the need for all neighbouring states to respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In addition, it is time for Russia to leave its military bases in Syria. The Syrian people will not forget the large-scale bombardments and human rights violations. It was Putin who stood by Assad for so long, who supported and covered for the crimes of the regime. We now have a goal before us that millions of Syrians long for, too: for Syria to once again become a respected member of the international community. A safe home for all its people. A functioning state with full control of its territory, which offers people the protection and assistance that they need in order to live. -Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

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Germany Federal Foreign Office

03.01.2025 - Press release

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock issued the following statement today (3 January 2025) prior to her departure for Damascus:

Decades of repression, the atrocities of the Assad regime and its terrible civil war have left deep wounds for millions of people in Syria. An entire country is marked by them - but is now rightfully hoping that the future will be a better one. The painful chapter of the Assads' rule has ended. A new chapter has opened, but has not yet been written. Because in this moment the people of Syria have the opportunity to take the fate of their country into their own hands once again. And to close those deep, open wounds.

We want to help them with this, with an inclusive, peaceful transition of power, with reconciliation within Syrian society, with reconstruction, in addition to the humanitarian assistance that we have been providing uninterrupted for the people of Syria over all these years. It's clear to us all that this will be no easy path.

My visit today - together with my French counterpart and on behalf of the EU - sends a clear message to the people of Syria. A political reset between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible. It is with this outstretched hand, but also with clear expectations of the new rulers, that we are travelling to Damascus today.

This reset can only happen if the new Syrian society gives everyone in Syria, women and men, regardless of the ethnic or religious group they belong to, a place in the political process, if it guarantees them rights and offers them protection. If precisely these rights are safeguarded in the transition process that now lies ahead, rather than potentially undermined by excessively long waits for elections or by steps to Islamise the justice or education system. If the past is reckoned with, justice is done and reprisals against entire groups are refrained from. If extremism and radical groups have no place. That must be our common goal. And it is also very much in our own interest - security in Europe and in Germany is closely intertwined with this goal.

We know where HTS comes from ideologically, what they have done in the past. But we also see and hear the desire for moderation and for mutual understanding with other important players. The opening of initial talks with the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces is an important step in this direction.

We will continue to judge HTS by their actions. Scepticism notwithstanding, we cannot now pass up the opportunity to support the people of Syria at this important crossroads.

Germany is also working with its international partners to prevent the process within Syria from being disrupted by external actors. We have drawn up important principles to this end in Aqaba with the UN. They include the need for all neighbouring states to respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In addition, it is time for Russia to leave its military bases in Syria. The Syrian people will not forget the large-scale bombardments and human rights violations. It was Putin who stood by Assad for so long, who supported and covered for the crimes of the regime.

We now have a goal before us that millions of Syrians long for, too: for Syria to once again become a respected member of the international community. A safe home for all its people. A functioning state with full control of its territory, which offers people the protection and assistance that they need in order to live.
Israel launches new strikes against Syrian defense facilities near Aleppo

Iran Press TV

Friday, 03 January 2025 2:53 AM

The Israeli regime has carried out fresh airstrikes on Syria, targeting positions in the northern province of Aleppo.

Several Israeli strikes hit defense and scientific research facilities in the suburbs of the city of al-Safira, southeast of Aleppo, according to Syrian media,

Residents reported huge explosions in the area, resulting in large flames and material damage.

There have been no immediate reports on possible casualties yet. Additional airstrikes were also reported in southern Syria, near Quneitra, which has been infiltrated by Israeli forces.

The regime has been conducting frequent attacks on various areas in Syria since the country's former government was toppled by militants.

The regime's strikes mostly hit Syria's military targets, including weapons and ammunition depots, which analysts believe are aimed at weakening the country's defense capabilities.

Militants, led by HTS, took control of Damascus on December 8 and declared an end to Assad's rule in a surprise offensive that was launched from their stronghold in northwestern Syria, reaching the capital in less than two weeks.

The HTS administration has repeatedly claimed they would respect the rights of all sects and religions in Syria.

The situation, however, remains very fluid and fragile, with a potential risk of further clashes as sectarian sentiments continue to boil over, amid the ongoing political instability and pressures on minority groups.

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German, French foreign ministers press Syria for 'inclusive' transition

By VOA News January 03, 2025

Germany's and France's foreign ministers said Friday that they made clear to Syria's new de facto Islamic leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, that the nation's political transition should be inclusive and not based on Islamic fundamentalism if the country wants Europe's support.

Germany's top diplomat, Annalena Baerbock, and her French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, visited Damascus on behalf of the European Union to seek a new relationship between Europe and Syria and to push for a peaceful transition.

They were the first European ministers to visit Syria since al-Sharaa's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels overthrew longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last month.

In a statement ahead of the visit, Baerbock said she and her French counterpart were going to Syria to send a clear message to the nation on behalf of Europe: "A new political beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible. With this outstretched hand, but also with clear expectations of the new rulers."

Speaking to reporters following the talks, the German foreign minister followed up those words with a caveat: "Europe is prepared to offer support but Europe will not be a sponsor of new Islamist structures."

Baerbock and Barrot met with members of Syrian's civil society, including religious leaders, ahead of their meeting with al-Sharaa. The German foreign minister said she had heard from Syrians living in Germany and elsewhere, as well as Syrians in the region, and that they would come back and help rebuild their country only if they knew they and their families would be safe.

"A better future for Syria means an inclusive, peaceful transfer of power, reconciliation and reconstruction," Baerbock said. "This requires a political dialogue involving all ethnic and religious groups, involving men and equally women. They all must be involved in the constitutional process and in a future Syrian government."

Baerbock said she and the French foreign minister encouraged Syrian leaders to seek the support and experience of the United Nations during this inclusive political process.

Baerbock was asked about the possibility of lifting long-standing EU sanctions against Syria, and she said that would depend on how the political process played out going forward.

Syria's interim government is hoping to have Western sanctions, which were imposed on the Assad government, lifted, allowing it to seek international aid to rebuild vast areas of the country destroyed during its nearly 14-year civil war.

The EU and the United States have designated al-Sharaa's HTS rebels a terrorist organization, and that designation has not yet changed. The U.S. did lift a $10 million bounty it had placed on al-Sharaa following talks with U.S. diplomats late last month.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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Taiwan authorities urged to cease obstruction of cross-Strait media exchanges

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:30, January 03, 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on Thursday condemned Taiwan authorities led by Lai Ching-te for deliberately obstructing media exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the office, made the remarks after Taiwan authorities announced the suspension of a Fujian-based newspaper and its parent organization from stationing reporters in Taiwan for "engaging in united front work."

Chen said the Lai authorities have been restricting and obstructing cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation since taking office. Now they are making baseless accusations against a mainland media outlet.

For over 20 years, the mutual stationing of journalists has significantly enhanced cross-Strait understanding and contributed to peaceful relations, Chen said, calling the Lai authorities' move a "regression" in media cooperation.

He denounced the move as "a deliberate sabotage against cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation," urging the Lai authorities to immediately cease their political manipulation.

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Reunification stressed amid challenges

People's Daily Online

By Zhang Yi (China Daily) 09:04, January 03, 2025

The Chinese mainland will continue to combat "Taiwan independence" separatism and foreign interference, and make full preparations to deal with uncertainties in the Taiwan Strait in the new year, officials and experts said.

They made the remarks while predicting that the incoming administration of United States President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to take office this month, will intensify playing the "Taiwan card" in its competition with China, a strategy that US President Joe Biden has pushed to the maximum.

President Xi Jinping emphasized in his 2025 New Year message on New Year's Eve that no one can sever the bond of kinship between compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and no one can stop China's reunification, which is a trend of the times.

Song Tao, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, also stressed that the mainland will firmly defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity in the new year.

Resolute actions will be taken to combat "Taiwan independence", separatism and foreign interference, and to safeguard the peaceful and prosperous homeland of the Chinese nation, Song said in a New Year message published on Thursday in the magazine Relations Across the Taiwan Strait.

Song mentioned that in 2024, the mainland had firmly grasped the initiative and leadership in cross-Strait relations, and extensively united with all sectors of Taiwan society to jointly maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

He highlighted that strong actions were taken to safeguard the common homeland of both sides, and to deter separatism and attempts by external forces to use Taiwan to contain the development of the mainland.

Experts said on a program on Tuesday on Fujian province-based Southeast Television that the outgoing Biden administration has frequently used the Taiwan question to interfere in China's internal affairs, hollowing out the one-China principle.

Over the past four years, two successive leaders of the Taiwan region made "transits" through the US, and the US openly challenged United Nations Resolution 2758, which was passed in 1971 and rightly recognized the People's Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China to the UN.

During the Biden administration's tenure, there have been a total of 19 announcements of arms sales to Taiwan, with an estimated total value of more than $8 billion.

Zhu Weidong, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Taiwan Studies, said there has been an escalation in the Biden administration's arming of Taiwan, while economically, there are demands for Taiwan, especially in the island's major semiconductor industry, to decouple from and cut ties with the mainland.

These have sent a wrong signal to Taiwan, stimulating the fantasies of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities to promote Taiwan separatism, and thus bearing undeniable responsibility for the continued tension and turmoil in the Strait, he said.

Tsai Cheng-yuan, a renowned Taiwan commentator, said the incoming Trump administration is likely to maximize the use of the "Taiwan card" in China-US ties.

"Trump has already set a price for Taiwan, requiring 10 percent of Taiwan's GDP to be allocated as a 'defense budget', which is essentially a 'protection fee'. He aims to drain Taiwan dry, not necessarily through monetary payments, but by moving Taiwan tech companies to the US," he said.

Lei Chien, a former lawmaker in Taiwan, said that Taiwan is not an ally of the US but rather its best card, and this card will be played at the most effective and powerful moment, with the inevitable result being disaster for Taiwan.

Li Peng, head of Xiamen University's Graduate Institute for Taiwan Studies, said that as the Taiwan question is the most important, sensitive and core issue in China-US relations, there will be no compromises or concessions by the mainland.

The DPP authorities in Taiwan should not misjudge the situation or assume that the mainland will not or will dare not take action, and regarding whether the US will help Taiwan if there is a conflict, the answer is already evident from numerous examples worldwide, Li said.

He also said that current US policy emphasizes that Taiwan should demonstrate "self-defense" determination, and that at most, the US will provide financial support and weaponry, urging Taiwan to engage in any conflict itself.

It is highly unlikely that the US would directly engage in a conflict against the mainland, Li said, adding that the mainland will maintain bottom-line thinking and be prepared to handle any challenges.

Looking ahead this year, Song, the Taiwan affairs official, said the Chinese people will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's recovery from Japanese occupation.

He called on compatriots on both sides to shoulder historical responsibilities and strive hand in hand for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the complete reunification of the motherland.

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January 3, 2025

By Matthew Olay, DOD News

Austin to Attend UDCG's 25th Meeting, Department Ramping Up to Support Multiple D.C. Events in January

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is scheduled to travel to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Jan. 7, to attend the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, the Defense Department announced today.

The UDCG, which was founded under Austin in response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, is a coalition of some 50 nations that meet regularly to discuss Ukraine's security needs.

Austin's planned attendance at the upcoming meeting is intended to, "reaffirm our enduring commitment to Ukraine, together with defense ministers and military leaders from around the globe," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told members of the media.

"Secretary Austin will focus on delivering practical and coordinated support that reinforces Ukraine's ability to defend itself today and deter aggression in the future," Singh said, adding that more details about the secretary's official engagements will be made available in the coming days.

The announcement of Austin's attendance at the upcoming UDCG meeting comes on the heels of DOD's announcement on Monday that it will be providing a pair of aid packages to Ukraine with a combined worth of nearly $2.5 billion.

One of the assistance packages comprises a $1.25 billion presidential drawdown authority; the other includes $1.22 billion in funds provided by the Ukrainian Security Assistance Initiative, Singh explained Monday.

She added that the aid packages mark the current administration's 73rd drawdown package and the 23rd package provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

When asked whether the new PDA would be delivered in full to Ukraine prior to the current administration's Jan. 20 end date, Singh explained that the "capabilities and equipment" contained within PDAs "[flow] off our shelves as [they're] available."

"[Therefore,] it's very likely that you are going to see more capabilities continue to flow to Ukraine post-this administration; that's very normal," Singh said.

Also, during this afternoon's briefing, Singh announced that DOD will be supporting its interagency partners for three "high-profile national special security events."

Singh said those events include: providing 500 National Guardsmen to play a "key role" in supporting the accounting and certification of the recent election's electoral votes Jan. 6, a request awaiting final approval for 7,800 National Guardsmen and additional forces from U.S. Northern Command to provide security and interagency support during the presidential inauguration Jan. 20 and Joint Task Force  National Capital Region leading ceremonial honors for former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral scheduled to be held Jan. 9.

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Russia Advances, Ukraine Struggles, The War Turns Grimmer For Kyiv

By Mike Eckel January 03, 2025

Outflanked, overwhelmed, and almost overrun, Ukrainian forces are struggling to hold back a Russian army that has more men, more firepower, and overall momentum across frozen fields and muddy trenches in eastern Ukraine.

Pokrovsk, a city with a prewar population of 60,000, is the biggest location where Ukraine's defenses are at risk of buckling under relentless Russian assault. It's far from the only one, however.

Even as pressure builds for talks between Kyiv and Moscow, the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin have shown no interest in pulling any punches or considering cease-fire terms that could be acceptable to Ukraine and its Western backers.

"The war has tilted in Russia's favor, and Russia is pressing its armaments and manpower advantage relentlessly," Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, wrote last month. "There is now little reason for Russia to negotiate, as [Putin] likely believes he can win the war -- which, in his view, means the subjugation of Ukraine under Russian control."

Here's a look at where things stand on the battlefield at the start of the New Year.

Pokrovsk

In more tranquil times, the city on the western edges of Donetsk Oblast was known for its coal mines, coke factories, and metallurgical plants, as well as being home to a key railway juncture, and at the crossroads of several major roads. (It's also known as the place where, in the early 20th century, composer Mykola Leontovych wrote the Christmas song known as Shchedryk in Ukrainian, but as the Carol of the Bells around the world.)

After capturing Avdiyivka to the east earlier this year, Russian forces moved west and northwest in a bid to cut Ukrainian logistics lines. Running west, the E50 highway links Pokrovsk to the larger urban center of Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth largest city. Running east and northeast, the T0504 highway links Pokrovsk to Kostyantynivka, another major railway junction that Russia is gunning for.

"The Pokrovsk direction...remains one of the most intense and contested areas of the theater," Frontelligence Insight, an analytic organization run by a former Ukrainian reserve officer, said in a battlefield report. "Following Russian inability to seize the city directly...Russian forces have turned to a familiar tactic: flanking maneuvers."

"The enemy is not counting on fighting in Pokrovsk right now, but is trying to bypass the city and break the supply chains," Viktor Trehubov, a spokesman for Ukraine's Khortytsia command group, told a state-run TV broadcast on January 2.

Liam Collins, a retired U.S. Army Special Forces colonel, said Russian forces might try to skirt Pokrovsk in a rush to seize more territory before any peace talks: Pokrovsk itself is around 18 kilometers from the administrative border between the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

What's more likely, he said, is they want to avoid brutal urban warfare; for example, what happened in the monthslong fight to seize the city of Bakhmut.

"The Russians, like just about any army, would prefer to bypass a city, cut off the supply lines to fighters inside and wait them out and force their eventual surrender without as much of a fight," said Collins, author of the book Understanding Urban Warfare.

Kurakhove

About 30 kilometers south of Pokrovsk, Ukrainian forces have tried to use the Kurakhove Reservoir, which dams the Vovcha River, and connecting waterways, to slow Russian advances. Russian forces advanced along the north side of the reservoir in late November and December, and a dam at the reservoir's western edge was partially destroyed -- it's unclear whether by Ukraine or Russia.

On the reservoir's southern shores, Ukrainian troops' grip on the city of Kurakhove has slipped in the face of advancing Russian units from the east, and only the industrial districts in the western part of town remain under Ukrainian control. From the southwest, Russian forces have also threatened the H15 Donetsk-Zaporizhzhya highway, a major supply road running west out of Kurakhove.

Konrad Muzyka, a Polish-based military analyst who travels regularly to Ukraine, said Kyiv's longstanding problems in replenishing troop strength are apparent in the Kurakhove defense.

"Although the terrain in this region favors defensive operations due to the presence of waterways, the ongoing Ukrainian personnel shortage prevents full utilization of these natural features to stall Russian advances," he said in a post to X. "This lack of manpower also limits their ability to launch counterattacks, which could otherwise disrupt Russian momentum in the area."

Kurakhove's "defense is actually doomed," said Mykhaylo Zhyrokhov, a Kyiv-based military analyst. "And now they're maintaining its defense just for political reasons."

"The fall of the city would be a very bad gift for the office of the presidency, it would very much drop trust ratings," he said.

Mokri Yaly Valley

Further west from Kurakhove, the Mokri Yaly River meanders southward, crossed by a series of smaller bridges, and banked by a series of villages including Velyka Novosilka.

During their much-hyped 2023 counteroffensive, Ukrainian troops punched southward in several places, including along the Mokri Yaly Valley, advancing south of Velyka Novosilka, on the river's east bank. But like the overall counteroffensive, the push faltered in the face of well-prepared Russian defense networks.

Russian forces pushed into the village's eastern outskirts in early December. Further upriver, Ukrainian troops counterattacked and retook control of the village of Noviy Komar, which the important north-south O0509 road runs through, and which has the next river crossing north of Velyka Novosilka.

But the village remains heavily contested, according to open-source intelligence and Ukrainian and Russian reports, and the O0509 road is under fire from Russian artillery and drone strikes, limiting Ukraine's ability to resupply.

Kursk

Ukrainian command has drawn plaudits in the past for innovative and improvised tactics. Repelling the bigger Russian invading force in the defense of Kyiv in the early days of the invasion stunned many - including the Kremlin. Ukraine's creativity in the Black Sea has helped minimize Russia's effectiveness there.

The August invasion of Russia's Kursk region fit that pattern. But it failed to accomplish one major goal: relieving pressure elsewhere by drawing away Russian units.

Russia, meanwhile, pulled its own surprise: bringing in thousands of North Korean troops to the battlefield, a move that itself helps relieve recruiting pressure inside Russia.

Though U.S. officials last month said North Korea has suffered at least "several hundred casualties," the North Koreans have played a key role in pushing back Ukrainian defenses in the Kursk region town of Sudzha, close to the border.

That threatens Ukrainian supply lines coming from the south, across the border.

In total, Ukrainian forces are estimated to have lost more than half of the territory they initially seized over the summer.

That ultimately could wipe another apparent goal that Ukrainian officials hoped would come from the invasion: using occupied Russian territory as a bargaining chip in future negotiations.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-pokrovsk-donbas- war-offensive/33261303.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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The Woes Of The 155th: A French-Trained Brigade's Problems Highlight Bigger Ukrainian Difficulties

By Yevhenia Kytaiva-Rusetska, Nataliia Semenova, Zoriana Stepanenko and Mike Eckel January 03, 2025

It was supposed to be at the vanguard of a modernized Ukrainian Army, trained in Western tactics by French instructors, armed with Western weaponry, equipped to take on a bigger Russian Army on the battlefield.

That hasn't happened.

Instead, the Ukrainian military's 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade has been roiled by desertions, incriminations, and now, scathing public criticism accusing commanders of incompetence.

The brigade's commander was abruptly replaced last month just after the unit returned from training in France, and Ukraine's lead law enforcement agency is investigating reports that dozens, possibly hundreds, of its soldiers have gone AWOL, or absent without leave.

The 155th's problems have burst into the open at a wrenching time for Ukraine, with its population exhausted from nearly three years of full-scale war and its military exhausted from relentless Russian offensives.

The problems, and the public venting, also illustrate the wider issues that have plagued Ukraine's military for months, if not years -- and, experts say, have hampered its ability to wage an effective full-scale defense, or offense, against a larger, better-equipped Russian force.

"The training that I imagined should happen in the third year of war, what it should have been like, is not there," one lieutenant, currently on unauthorized leave from the brigade, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service." "I, for one, do not know what I am supposed to do. I'm not ready to give up and execute any orders with untrained people. Plus, I'm untrained myself. I command 30-something people. I'm not ready to risk their lives."

"In France, I was taught absolutely nothing," said the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity since public criticism of the military can result in criminal prosecution.

At least 59 soldiers from the brigade left the training grounds in France without authorization, the officer said, a figure that was echoed by Yuriy Butusov, a popular Ukrainian war correspondent who described the brigade as "complete organizational chaos."

In an interview, Butusov said the decision behind the brigade's training and formation were more political than anything.

"There is simply no point in creating such brigades that are not fully staffed, that have no time at all to train, as we see," he told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. "If we say we need a new brigade, then this is a matter that should take at least a year to complete. In addition to individual training, we need to ensure management at many levels."

Inevitable Chaos?

Western allies have poured billions of dollars into weaponry and equipment for Ukraine's armed forces, equipping them with modern technology to fight a bigger Russian Army with more weaponry as its disposal.

They also sought to retrain Ukraine's armed forces, moving them away from the doctrine and tactics that its senior Soviet-trained officer corps grew up on, and introducing NATO-style thinking, such as combined arms warfare and emphasizing smaller brigades, rather than larger divisions.

But aside from weaponry, Ukraine also faced a bigger problem: manpower. Critics in and out of Ukraine grumbled that Ukrainian authorities were failing to build a sustainable system of recruitment, mobilization, and training, to replenish depleted units.

Ukrainian command created several new brigades. Some units were sent to Germany for training. Another unit was set up in France last year to great fanfare: the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade was dubbed the "Anne of Kyiv" Brigade, named for an 11th century Kyiv princess who later became Queen of France. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the unit's creation during anniversary celebrations for the World War II Normandy invasion in June.

Two months later, about 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers -- about the half the size of a standard NATO brigade -- were sent to France for training that included instruction on advanced French weapons systems; Macron later paid a highly publicized visit to the unit in October.

When the 155th began rotating back to Ukraine in late November, Ukrainian forces had already been struggling for months trying to stave off accelerating Russian offensives in multiple places across the roughly 1,100-kilometer front line.

On December 12, the brigade's commander, Colonel Dmytro Ryumshin, was replaced, just days before it was supposed to head into combat. The reason for Ryumshin's dismissal was unclear, but he posted a statement on the brigade's Facebook page thanking the unit's soldiers and officers for their "loyalty and professionalism."

Days earlier, lawmaker Maryana Bezuhla criticized how the brigade was conceived, saying it was patched together haphazardly from other units, which in turn deprived other units of troop strength.

"What happened to the 155th: even though the French attempted to make the brigade specialized, it wasn't spared from stupid military decisions, which tore the unit apart," she wrote on Facebook. "Within the brigade chaos reigns."

That was echoed by Serhiy Sternenko, an activist and blogger who writes about public corruption and was previously affiliated with a far-right paramilitary group.

"Why create a new brigade when the existing brigades were critically understaffed, if it was then divided up to assign people to the old brigades? What's the point?" Sternenko said in a post to X. "In addition to the blow to our image in French eyes, where part of the brigade was trained and equipped with equipment, we again suffered high losses and exhaustion."

"This madness must be stopped before it completely undermines the army's ability to organize resistance," he wrote.

'I'd Rather Go AWOL'

Despite the reported organizational problems, the brigade has deployed in part to help in the defense of Pokrovsk, a Donbas city that is under major threat of encirclement by Russian forces. Reports say the unit fielded German-made Leopard tanks and French artillery.

But the brigade lieutenant who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity said some equipment they were provided was broken; excavators, for example, used to dig trenches and defenses. He also described some of the problems with command orders.

"When we returned from France, some part of the brigade was already near Pokrovsk," he said. "Then we received an order to transfer to the infantry, and a lot of people went AWOL. Days later, we were sent to the Dnipropetrovsk region. And the next day, we received an order to go to a settlement 20 kilometers from the front line.

"My commander wrote to me: 'Gather nine people. Tomorrow you're going to a specific place.' I asked him what we were supposed to do there. He said: 'I don't know'," the lieutenant said. "That is, the commanders are unprofessional, they haven't trained people."

He said some soldiers think "I'd rather go AWOL. If I get caught, then at least, sooner or later, the prison door will open. The lid of a coffin will never open."

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the brigade has suffered disproportionate casualties in the defense of Pokrovsk, something Butusov said was significant.

"Most of the 155th soldiers on the front line are trying to fulfill their duties honestly," Butusov wrote in his December 31 Facebook post. "But due to a certain criminal attitude toward soldiers' lives, the 155th Brigade has suffered significant losses from the very first days" of deployment.

Another brigade soldier, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said Butusov's criticism was largely true but was incomplete.

"The situation with the formation was even worse than he described," the soldier said.

The State Bureau of Investigation, Ukraine's lead law investigative agency, confirmed to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that it was investigating the reports of soldiers deserting. A brigade press officer declined to comment.

Asked about the brigade's problems, France's presidential office, Elysee Palace, referred the question to the French Defense Ministry.

"It was the Ukrainian Armed Forces that organized the selection of Ukrainian military personnel to form this brigade and manage the processes," the ministry said. "Also...the Ukrainian Armed Forces determine the conditions for the [brigade's] deployment in Ukraine."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-war-155- mechanized-brigade-france/33262437.html

Copyright (c) 2025. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Defence Ministry reports on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (3 January 2025)

03.01.2025

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise an enemy group, which broke into the territory of Kursk region.

In the course of offensive actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one heavy mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, one marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades of the AFU near Bondarevka, Daryino, Kurilovka, Leonidovo, Loknya, Malaya Loknya, Makhovka, Nizhny Klin, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Novaya Sorochina, Pogrebki, Staraya Sorochina, Sudzha, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. One counter-attack launched by an AFU assault detachment was repelled.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted losses on the enemy's manpower and hardware near Aleksandriya, Veselovka, Viktorovka, Gornal, Guyevo, Zazulevka, Kolmakov, Lebedevka, Martynovka, Mikhaylovka, Nikolayevka, Nikolsky, Russkoye Porechnoye, Sverdlikovo, Yuzhny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Zhuravka, and Miropolye in Sumy region.

Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to up to 225 troops, two armoured personnel carriers, three armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, and one artillery gun.

Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 47,265 troops, 263 tanks, 204 infantry fighting vehicles, 146 armoured personnel carriers, 1,393 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,321 motor vehicles, 340 artillery guns, 42 MLRS launchers, including 11 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 14 anti-aircraft missile launchers, seven transport-loading vehicles, 83 EW stations, 13 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 28 units of engineering and other materiel, including 13 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, seven armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle.

The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Ukraine Loses Up to 12,455 Troops in Past Week

Sputnik News

20250103

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine has lost up to 12,455 soldiers and 17 tanks, including three German-made Leopards, in battles with Russian forces from December 28, 2024 to January 3, 2025, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Kiev has lost over 3,175 servicemen, two tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, nine armored personnel carriers, including seven US-made M113s and four other armored fighting vehicles in clashes with Russia's Zapad (West) group of forces, which also repelled 35 Ukrainian counterattacks, the ministry said in a bulletin.

The Sever (North) group continued to repel Ukrainian military formations in the Kursk region, leading to over 3,130 Ukrainian soldier casualties and destruction of four tanks, five infantry fighting vehicles, seven armored personnel carriers and 51 armored fighting vehicles.

Russia's Tsentr (Center) group of forces has eliminated up to 2,750 Ukrainian soldiers and repelled 85 counterattacks, as well as destroyed seven tanks, including three Leopards.

Russia's Yug (South) group has continued advancing behind enemy lines, eliminating up to 1,745 Ukrainian troops, destroying four armored combat vehicles, including a US-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, repelling eight counterattacks, and destroying three arms depots.

Ukraine has lost over 1,155 soldiers and five US-made 155-mm Paladin self-propelled artillery systems in clashes with Russia's Vostok (East) group of forces.

Russia's Dnepr group has eliminated up to 500 Ukrainian troops and destroyed five electronic warfare stations and five ammunition depots, according to the statement.

Russian air defenses shot down 559 Ukrainian drones, a Su-27 fighter jet, 33 US-made HIMARS and Uragan MLRS projectiles, as well as three French-made Hammer precision-guided aviation bombs during the same period.

In addition, the Russian armed forces launched one massive and 12 group strikes on Ukrainian military and industrial enterprises, as well as energy facilities, the ministry said. Up to 46 Ukrainian military personnel have been captured in the line of contact over the past week.

In total, the Russian military has neutralized 651 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 39,207 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,208 tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, 1,505 MLRS combat vehicles, 20,163 field artillery guns and mortars, and 29,832 units of support military vehicles since the start of the special military operation.

Ukraine Loses Up to 225 Soldiers in Kursk Operation in Past Day

The Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 225 soldiers, two armored personnel carriers and three armored fighting vehicles in the offensive on the Russian border region of Kursk over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"Over the past day, the Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 225 troops, with two armored personnel carriers, three armored fighting vehicles, five vehicles and an artillery piece destroyed," the statement read.

Since the beginning of hostilities in the Kursk Region, Kiev has lost over 47,265 military personnel, 263 tanks, 204 infantry fighting vehicles, 146 armored personnel carriers, 1,393 armored fighting vehicles and 1,321 motor vehicles, as well as 340 artillery piece, 42 multiple rocket launchers, including 11 US-made HIMARS and six US-made MLRS, the ministry added.

 Sputnik

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If Ukraine Does Not Resume Gas Transit, Slovakia's Losses Must Be Compensated - Fico

Sputnik News

20250103

BRATISLAVA (Sputnik) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said his country supports restoring gas transit through Ukraine, otherwise the republic's losses must be compensated.

"The only alternative for independent Slovakia is to restore transit [of natural gas through Ukraine] or to find compensation mechanisms that will offset the loss of almost 500 million euros [$514 million] from state finances," Fico said in a video address on Facebook (banned in Russia for extremism).

He reaffirmed that Slovakia has sufficient gas for domestic consumption, and the price for Slovak households will not increase in 2025; the republic's losses will mainly be due to the inability to transport gas from Ukraine to other countries of the European Union.

The Slovak authorities have previously repeatedly stated that they want to preserve the ability to transport gas further to the west through their territory, since the republic receives about 500 million euros annually in transit fees for this.

 Sputnik

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Ukraine and the United Kingdom Held the Fifth Round of Negotiations on a Bilateral Agreement on Transition to a Stronger and Deeper Partnership

President of Ukraine

3 January 2025 - 17:52

Ukraine and the United Kingdom held the fifth round of negotiations on concluding an agreement on transition to a stronger and deeper partnership. The talks followed up on the agreements reached by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer during a telephone conversation on December 23, 2024.

The draft document is at the final stage of approval.

"We are grateful to the United Kingdom for its leadership in supporting Ukraine. The conclusion of a new fundamental agreement between our states will be a historic milestone in our cooperation. This proves once again that the UK has been, is, and will be Ukraine's reliable friend and partner," noted Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva, who led the Ukrainian team during the negotiations on the instructions of Andriy Yermak, Head of the Presidential Office and Head of the Delegation.

The delegations of Ukraine and the United Kingdom agreed on their next steps to finalize the text of the agreement.

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Ukraine Defense Contact Group to hold one last meeting

By VOA News January 03, 2025

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will attend his final meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany next week, the Defense Department said Friday.

The group of more than 50 nations, also known as the Ramstein group, includes members of NATO as well as most of the European Union. It was formed by Austin in April 2022, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine two months earlier, and is designed to coordinate military support for Ukraine's defense.

The meeting, originally scheduled for October, was postponed when U.S. President Joe Biden  who had been scheduled to chair a leaders-level meeting for the group  canceled his trip to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, according to Politico. The last full meeting of the group was held in September.

The meeting will come just over a week before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office. The futures of the Ramstein group and any U.S. support to Ukraine are in question, as Trump has been critical of the level of U.S. aid to the country. He also has expressed an interest in ending the fighting swiftly.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Trump could be important in the outcome of the yearslong war between Ukraine and Russia.

"Trump can be decisive. For us, this is the most important thing," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Ukrainian television.

"His qualities are indeed there," Zelenskyy said about Trump. "He can be decisive in this war. He is capable of stopping [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin."

Trump has previously said he would be able to stop the war in Ukraine in one day, but he has never detailed how he would accomplish that.

Meanwhile, Agence France-Presse reported, citing local officials, that a Russian drone attack in the suburbs of the capital, Kyiv, early Friday killed one person and wounded four.

AFP said Russian forces have escalated their aerial strikes across Ukraine through the first weeks of winter, including a New Year's Day drone attack targeting central Kyiv that killed two.

In a statement posted to Facebook and other social media accounts, acting Kyiv regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk reported a truck driver had been killed when he was hit by debris from a Russian drone that had been shot down.

Also Friday, Ukraine's General Staff of the Armed Forces reported that Russian troops were continuing to push forward in Donetsk Oblast, advancing near the key town of Pokrovsk. Ukraine's General Staff recorded 138 clashes on the battlefield from Thursday to Friday.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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Investors can contact the law firm at no cost to learn more about recovering their losses

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Portnoy Law Firm advises Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. ("Chipotle Mexican Grill" or the "Company") (NYSE:CMG) investors of a class action representing investors that bought securities between February 8, 2024 and October 29, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Chipotle Mexican Grill investors have until January 10, 2025 to file a lead plaintiff motion.

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The complaint alleges that during the class period, Chipotles executives failed to disclose that the company's portion sizes were inconsistent, which led to significant customer dissatisfaction. To address this issue and retain customer loyalty, the company would need to provide more generous portions, which would in turn increase the cost of sales.

According to the complaint, on July 24, 2024, during its Q2 2024 earnings call, Chipotle admitted that inconsistent portion sizes had caused customer dissatisfaction. The company acknowledged that addressing the issue would require an investment in larger portions to ensure that customers received "a generous amount of delicious, fresh food at fair prices for every customer, every visit." Chipotle also disclosed that these changes would result in higher costs of sales in Q3 2024. Then, on October 29, 2024, during its Q3 2024 earnings call, Chipotle confirmed that its cost of sales had increased compared to the previous year, partially due to these efforts to improve portion consistency.

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Las Vegas, Jan. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Las Vegas, Nevada -

Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant, a long-standing favorite in Las Vegas, is excited to share their latest dish: the Best Panang Seafood Combination Curry in Las Vegas. This offering is all about bold flavors and various ingredients, showcasing the restaurant's dedication to blending tradition with creativity in their cooking.

The Panang Seafood Combination Curry is a colorful dish featuring a mix of fresh seafood such as scallops, jumbo shrimp, calamari, fish balls, and green shell mussels. These are mixed into the creamy richness of Thai Panang Red Curry and coconut milk, along with zucchini, peanuts, and basil. Served with gourmet steamed Jasmine Rice, this dish is priced at $24.25. Customers can request different levels of spiciness and types of rice to suit their taste.

Alan Wong, who leads the restaurant, shares his enthusiasm: "We wanted to create something unique that celebrates traditional Thai flavors while highlighting the variety of ingredients available in Las Vegas. The Panang Seafood Combination Curry is a demonstration of our commitment to delivering Authentic Thai Food in Las Vegas to our guests."

Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant is a Family Owned Thai Food Restaurant in Las Vegas, well-known for its strong ties to traditional Thai and Chinese cooking methods. Their diverse menu aims at preserving the authenticity of their dishes by using the freshest ingredients and time-honored recipes. From noodle stir-fries to classic meat dishes, the offerings cater to both those who love traditional flavors and newcomers to Thai and Chinese cuisine.

Besides the Panang Seafood Combination Curry, diners can enjoy a wide array of other dishes from the expansive menu, including appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Each is crafted to ensure a complete dining experience. The restaurant also has a user-friendly website for online orders, which makes it easy to enjoy their meals via dine-in, take-out, or delivery.

The culinary team at Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant keeps pushing the envelope in the kitchen, motivated by their love for creating dishes that please the senses while staying true to genuine Thai tastes. "Our aim is to be the destination of choice for both locals and tourists wanting to enjoy a Family Owned Thai Food Restaurant in Las Vegas," Wong states. "We take pride in our heritage and are guided by the evolving tastes of our community."

Guests eager to try the new Panang Seafood Combination Curry can visit the restaurant, or make use of take-out and delivery services available throughout Las Vegas. For more info on this dish and other menu items, you can visit the restaurant's website. With a range of flexible dining options, patrons can enjoy their meals in any setting they like, making Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant a versatile option for all dining occasions.

To learn more or to explore the delicious offerings from Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant, visit their website at https://www.kungfuplaza.com/entrees/thai/530-pa-nang-seafood-combination-curry. Here, guests can also keep up-to-date on the latest news and dishes added to the menu at their website.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxfsRvj8Eqs

Through its focus on high-quality dining experiences and culinary authenticity, Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant doesn't just serve meals; it represents the true essence of Thai and Chinese flavors right in the heart of Las Vegas.

###

For more information about Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant, contact the company here:



Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant

Alan Wong

702-247-4120

aw@kungfurestaurants.com

3505 S Valley View Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89103
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mustang Energy Corp. (CSE: MEC, OTC: MECPF, FRA:92T) (the Company or Mustang) is pleased to share a summary of its accomplishments since the commencement of trading in mid-2024. The Company has made significant strides in its mission to develop high-potential uranium and critical mineral assets in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, solidifying its position as a growing leader in the resource exploration sector.

Key Highlights of 2024:

Land Acquisitions : Expanded land holdings to an impressive 77,318 hectares , strategically located in and around the Athabasca Basin, a notable uranium district.

: Expanded land holdings to an impressive , strategically located in and around the Athabasca Basin, a notable uranium district. Capital Raised : Successfully secured over $4.2 million in gross proceeds, providing a robust financial foundation for ongoing and upcoming 2025 operations.

: Successfully secured over in gross proceeds, providing a robust financial foundation for ongoing and upcoming 2025 operations. Exploration Advancements : Launched Phase One Work Plan to identify and develop high-priority drill targets across Mustangs portfolio.

: Launched Phase One Work Plan to identify and develop high-priority drill targets across Mustangs portfolio. Strategic Collaborations : Partnered with industry leaders, including Red Cloud Securities Inc. , Axiom Group , Dahrouge Geological Consulting Inc. , and Skyharbour Resources Ltd.

: Partnered with industry leaders, including , , , and Key Additions to the Team : Jordan Trimble , President and CEO of Skyharbour Resources, joined as a Strategic Advisor , bringing invaluable industry expertise. Lynde Guillaume joined the team, further strengthening Mustangs leadership with her significant experience and dynamic contributions.



:

Notable Project Developments:

Mustangs properties are strategically positioned near known uranium assets, including:

Ford Lake : 12 km from Camecos Key Lake Mill and 15 km southwest of the Millennium Deposit.

: 12 km from Camecos Key Lake Mill and 15 km southwest of the Millennium Deposit. Cigar Lake East & Roughrider South : 20 km east of the world-class Cigar Lake Mine, and 10 km south of the Roughrider Deposit.

: 20 km east of the world-class Cigar Lake Mine, and 10 km south of the Roughrider Deposit. Yellowstone Property : Surrounding the Carswell Impact Structure, 16 km from the historic Cluff Lake Mine.

: Surrounding the Carswell Impact Structure, 16 km from the historic Cluff Lake Mine. Dutton Project: Located approximately 20 km from Camecos Dufferin Lake and Centennial Deposits.

2024 Milestone Recap:

Dec 27 : Closed financing exceeding expectations, raising $3.5 million .

: Closed financing exceeding expectations, raising . Dec 20 : Expanded land portfolio with 17,929 hectares south of the Athabasca Basin.

: Expanded land portfolio with south of the Athabasca Basin. Dec 6 : Achieved the first milestone of an option agreement with Skyharbour Resources Ltd. , securing an option to acquire 75% of the 914W Uranium Project.

: Achieved the first milestone of an option agreement with , securing an option to acquire 75% of the 914W Uranium Project. Nov 25 : Announced strategic financing of up to $3 million and engaged Red Cloud Securities Inc. for corporate advisory services.

: Announced strategic financing of and engaged for corporate advisory services. Nov 13 : Entered an option agreement to acquire Skyharbours 914W Uranium Project and welcomed Jordan Trimble as Strategic Advisor.

: Entered an option agreement to acquire Skyharbours 914W Uranium Project and welcomed as Strategic Advisor. Oct 30 : Initiated an airborne MobileMT survey at the Yellowstone Project, targeting conductors at depths exceeding up to 1,000 meters.

: Initiated an airborne at the Yellowstone Project, targeting conductors at depths exceeding up to 1,000 meters. Sept 27 : Acquired 90% of Brown Lake , expanding Ford Lake holdings.

: Acquired 90% of , expanding Ford Lake holdings. Sept 16 : Welcomed Lynde Guillaume to the team, marking a pivotal moment in building Mustangs leadership strength.

: Welcomed to the team, marking a pivotal moment in building Mustangs leadership strength. June 7: Relaunched trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the name Mustang Energy Corp.



CEOs Statement

Nicholas Luksha, CEO of Mustang, expressed confidence in the Companys trajectory:

"2024 has been a transformative year for Mustang. We have built a solid foundation with strategic land acquisitions, innovative exploration initiatives, and strong financial backing. Our partnerships with leading industry players position us to unlock the potential of our assets. As we look ahead to 2025, we anticipate being in a great position to succeed and deliver results to our esteemed shareholders. We remain committed to advancing our projects with precision, purpose, and a clear vision for growth."

Adjacent Property Disclaimer:

This news release includes references with respect to known uranium occurrences at Camecos Key Lake Mine, the Millennium Deposit, the Cigar Lake Mine, Roughrider Deposit, the area surrounding the Carswell Impact Structure, Cluff Lake Mine, and Camecos Dufferin Lake and Centennial Deposits (collectively, the Adjacent Properties), which are located near the Companys various properties. The Company advises that, notwithstanding their proximity of location, discoveries of minerals on the Adjacent Properties and any promising results thereof are not necessarily indicative of the mineralization of, or located on the Companys properties, or the Companys ability to commercially exploit its properties, or to locate any commercially exploitable deposits therefrom. The Company cautions investors on relying on this information as the Company has not confirmed the accuracy or reliability of the information.

Qualifying Statement

The scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Lynde Guillaume, P.Geo., Technical Advisor for Mustang, a registered member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan. Ms. Guillaume is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Mustang Energy Corp.

Mustang is a resource exploration company dedicated to acquiring and developing uranium and critical mineral assets in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. With 77,318 hectares of promising properties, Mustang aims to advance its flagship Ford Lake, Yellowstone, Cigar Lake East, Roughrider South, Dutton, and Spur projects, while leveraging strategic partnerships to accelerate exploration.

The Companys commitment to innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development underscores its vision to become a leading player in the global energy transition.

On behalf of the board of directors

Nicholas Luksha

Nicolas Luksha

CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

Mustang Energy Corp.

Attention: Nicholas Luksha, CEO and Director

Phone: (604) 838-0184

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as intends, believes or anticipates, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should, would or occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as forwardlooking statements, are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things, the future potential of the mineral claims held by the Company and the completion of future work on its projects. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation the assumption that the Company will be able to continue exploring its properties given various environmental and economic factors outside of its control. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither the CSE nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
NEW YORK, Jan. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Customers Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: CUBI) between March 1, 2024 and August 8, 2024, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the January 31, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline in the securities class action first filed by the Firm.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Customers Bancorp 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 Customers Bancorp class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=28067 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com 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 31, 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 firms 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) Customers Bancorp had inadequate anti-money laundering practices; (2) as a result, it was not in compliance with its legal obligations, which subjected it to heightened regulatory risk; and (3) as a result, defendants statements about Customers Bancorps 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 Customers Bancorp class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=28067 call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com 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 investors 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

case@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
Vancouver, January 3, 2025 - Golden Cariboo Resources Ltd. (the "Company") (CSE:GCC) (OTC:GCCFF) (WKN:A042CQ) (FSE:3TZ) announces a non-brokered private placement financing (the "Offering") of up to 15,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.13 per Unit to raise gross proceeds of up to $1,950,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Common Share") and one half of one share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"); Two half Warrants will equal one full share purchase Warrant, exercisable for a period of 3 years from the closing date, at exercise prices as follows: $0.18 in year one, $0.22 in year two, and $0.25 in year three.

The private placement is subject to Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") approval and all securities are subject to a four-month hold period. Finder's fees may be payable in connection with the private placement, all in accordance with the policies of the CSE. The proceeds from this private placement will be used for continued property exploration and for general working capital.

About Golden Cariboo Resources Ltd.

Golden Cariboo Resources Ltd. is rediscovering the Cariboo Gold Rush by proceeding with highly targeted drilling and trenching programs on its Quesnelle Gold Quartz Mine property which is almost fully encircled on 3 of 4 sides by Osisko Development (NSE-ODV/TSXV-ODV). Historically, over 101 placer gold creeks on the 90 km trend from the Cariboo Hudson mine north to the Quesnelle Gold Quartz Mine property have recorded production and successful placer mining continues to this day.

Golden Cariboo's Quesnelle Gold Quartz Mine property is 4 km northeast of, and road accessible from, Hixon in central British Columbia. The Project includes the Quesnelle Quartz gold-silver deposit, which was discovered in 1865 in conjunction with placer mining activities. Hixon Creek, which dissects the old workings, is a placer creek which has seen small-scale placer production since the mid 1860s.

GOLDEN CARIBOO RESOURCES LTD

"J. Frank Callaghan"

For further information please contact:

J. Frank Callaghan, President & CEO

Tel: 604-669-6463

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

www.goldencariboo.com

LIKE AND FOLLOW

Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn

Neither the "CSE" Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements:

This news release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and plans of the Company. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding; the expectation that the Company will receive all necessary exemptions and approvals to complete the Offering; the expectation that the Company will complete the Offering on the terms disclosed, or at all; the expectation that the proceeds will be used for property exploration and for general working capital; the Company's exploration plans with respect to its Quesnelle Gold Quartz Mine property; and the anticipated participation of the insider in the Offering.

Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation, that the Company will receive all necessary exemptions and approvals to complete the Offering; that the Company will complete the Offering on the terms disclosed, or at all; that the proceeds will be used for property exploration and for general working capital; that the Company will have the resources required to proceed with its exploration plans; that the Company will not run into regulatory or other barriers in carrying out its business plans; that the insider will participate in the Offering, on the terms and conditions and in the amount currently expected by management; and that the Company will be able to rely on the exemption from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements on the basis anticipated.

Additionally, forward-looking information involve a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: that the Company will not receive the necessary exemptions and approvals to complete the Offering; that the Company will not complete the Offering on the terms disclosed, or at all; that the Company will be unable to use the proceeds for property exploration and for general working capital; that the Company may incur unanticipated costs; that the Company may not have the resources required to pursue its exploration plans; that the Company's operations could be adversely affected by possible future government legislation policies and controls or by changes in applicable laws and regulations; that the insider may not participate in the Offering on the terms and conditions and in the amount currently expected by management, or at all; and that the Company may not be able to rely on the exemption from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements on the basis currently expected. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Neither the Company nor any of its representatives make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, sufficiency or completeness of the information in this news release. Neither the Company nor any of its representatives shall have any liability whatsoever, under contract, tort, trust or otherwise, to you or any person resulting from the use of the information in this news release by you or any of your representatives or for omissions from the information in this news release.

The forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date they were originally made. The Company has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR

FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
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Featured

Germany launches online portal for visa applications

www.dw.com International News Jan - 04 - 2025 , 07:59 1 minute read

Germany's Foreign Ministry has launched a new digital platform for visa applications, with its Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock hailing it as "a real administrative revolution" in a press release.

The digital portal - https://digital.diplo.de/visa - aims to ease access to necessary documents for those wanting to work, study or join their family in Germany.

The applicants can choose between 28 categories of national visa online.

The new portal is available since January 1, 2025 to all 167 of Germany's visa offices all over the world.

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Overhauling visa process

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock praised the new system, saying the reform was "long overdue."

"Every year, Germany is short of at least 400,000 skilled workers," Baerbock said.

"At times like these, we cannot afford to downright put the best off coming here to roll up their sleeves because of long paper application forms and even longer waiting periods," she added.

Baerbock stressed that Germany, as an immigration country, requires "a national visa process that is state-of the-art  modern, digital and secure."
Featured

See the members of US President Biden's delegation for Mahama's inauguration

GraphicOnline International News Jan - 04 - 2025 , 09:07 2 minutes read

In a gesture of diplomatic solidarity, United States President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. has announced the members of the Presidential Delegation who will represent his administration at the inauguration of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama.

The event, set for January 7, 2025, in Accra, marks Mahamas return to Ghanas highest office.

Leading the delegation is The Honorable Shalanda D. Young, Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget. A seasoned public servant, Youngs role signifies the importance Washington places on its relationship with Accra and the wider West African region.

President Bidens statement, released through the White House, also detailed the other distinguished members of the delegation:

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- The Honorable Virginia E. Palmer, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana, whose expertise in diplomacy has reinforced Ghana-US relations during her tenure.

- The Honorable Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles, California, a prominent figure in American politics, whose participation underscores the cultural and socio-economic connections between African-American communities and the African continent.

- The Honorable Frances Z. Brown, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs on the National Security Council, whose presence reflects the Biden administrations focus on African policy and strategic partnerships.

This high-level delegation underscores the United States' commitment to fostering stronger ties with Ghana and supporting democratic governance across the region.

As Ghanaians and global dignitaries gather to witness Mahamas inauguration, the presence of such a prominent US delegation signals a new chapter in the enduring partnership between the two nations.
Featured

Lady Vice-Chancellors congratulate Vice President-elect Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang

GraphicOnline Education Jan - 04 - 2025 , 17:37 1 minute read

Female Vice-Chancellors of public universities in Ghana have paid a courtesy call on Vice President-elect, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, to celebrate her historic election as the countrys first-ever female Vice President.

The Vice-Chancellors commended Professor Opoku-Agyemang for her contributions to academia and her unwavering dedication to education and womens empowerment.

The delegation, which included Professor Lydia Aziato of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo of the University of Ghana, and Professor Esi Awuah, the founding Vice-Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, held discussions on advancing higher education in Ghana.

Key topics included strategies to improve funding for tertiary institutions, creating job opportunities for graduates, and enhancing the research capacity of faculty.

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As a symbolic gesture of appreciation and encouragement, the Vice-Chancellors presented Professor Opoku-Agyemang with the Adinkra symbol Nea Ope Se Obedi Hene, which translates to He who wants to be king must first learn to serve, signifying service and leadership.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang expressed gratitude for the visit, reaffirming her commitment to making higher education accessible and tailored to the needs of Ghanaian society.
Featured

Salaga: Students urge govt to release funds for feeding

Simon Unyan Education Jan - 04 - 2025 , 09:09 2 minutes read

Some students of the Salaga T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region have appealed to the government for an urgent intervention to address food shortages and the delayed release of funds.

They are asking for this to ensure that academic activities are not disrupted as they returned to school on Friday, January 3, 2025.

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) had appealed to the Ghana Education Service to delay the reopening of schools until funds were released to resolve the supply of food and financial issues but the GES insisted that schools should go ahead and reopen.

From the T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School in Salaga, there is an indication that only a few bags of rice and two gallons of cooking oil remain in stock, which is expected to last less than two weeks.

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This has sparked anxiety among students, particularly final-year students preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Weve been informed by the school management that the available food can only last for a short time. If the government doesnt intervene quickly, students will continue to suffer, and schools might even shut down, one student told Graphic Online's Simon Unyan.

School authorities fearing the situation confirmed to Graphic Online that no funds had been disbursed in the accounts to address the crisis.

We have just a few bags of rice and two gallons of cooking oil, which will not sustain us beyond two weeks if more students report. We are calling on the government to act swiftly, a school official stated.

As of Friday afternoon, only about 20 students had reported to the school, according to Graphic Onlines Simon Unyan, who visited the campus. Both students and school authorities are urging the government to act promptly to avert further disruptions and ensure a smooth academic term.
Featured

Ayawaso West Wuogon MP-Elect John Dumelo mourns fathers passing

Kweku Zurek Jan - 04 - 2025 , 08:29 2 minutes read

The Member of Parliament-elect for Ayawaso West Wuogon, John Dumelo, has announced the death of his father, Engineer John William Kudzo Anato-Dumelo Snr, at the age of 75.

In a Facebook post, Dumelo shared the emotional account of his last moments with his father, revealing that their final conversation took place just hours before his passing.

At age 75, you lived your life well. Yesterday you called me several times that I come see you. We sat on the bed and spoke at length about politics, life, farming and business and off course we gossiped, Dumelo wrote.

The MP-elect recounted how his father gave him advice ahead of his upcoming swearing-in ceremony, saying, We spoke about my swearing-in in 3 days' time, and you told me specifically to serve diligently in government.

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Shortly after leaving his fathers home, Dumelo received distressing news. Ten minutes after I left your house, I was called that you were not being responsive. I came back, we rushed you to the hospital, and you were gone, he shared.

In a heartfelt tribute, the actor and farmer expressed gratitude to his father for his unwavering support and guidance throughout his life. Thanks for being my father, thanks for being my best friend, thanks for being my number 1 cheerleader and thanks for everything you did for me, he said.

He concluded the post with a poignant farewell: Say hi to mum for us all.we will miss you. Rest in perfect peace, Engineer John William Kudzo Anato-Dumelo Snr.

Dumelos loss comes at an important moment in his political career. Running on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), he recently defeated incumbent Lydia Seyram Alhassan of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by a margin of 2,200 votes. Dumelo garnered 34,800 votes, while Alhassan received 32,600.

As Dumelo prepares for his swearing-in ceremony in three days, he will carry forward his fathers final advice to serve diligently as he begins his tenure as MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon.
Featured

Ho enters New Year with no water

Alberto Mario Noretti Jan - 04 - 2025 , 08:20 2 minutes read

Residents in the Volta Regional capital of Ho have since New Years Day been trooping to old well sites and abandoned boreholes, desperately in search of water.

This follows a fault in one of the pumps at the Kpeve Water Headworks on the eve of the new year, affecting water supply to the regional capital.

The situation has also affected water supply to other areas, including Peki, Have, Bame, Akrofu, Ziavi, and Klefe.

On Thursday (January 2), the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in a statement assured that the emergency response team was working tirelessly to repair the fault and restore water supply as soon as possible.

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However, the problem seems to be far from over.

The GWCL has since been tight-lipped over the matter, leaving the public in a state of uncertainty.

As of Saturday morning (January 4), some of the wells from which the people drew water, had dried up, compounding the problem.

The companys engineers from Tema and Kpong are said to have joined their colleagues in the Volta Region to help to fix the problem.

The situation has also affected the operations of chop bars and other businesses, as the town has virtually dried.

Some residents near Sokode-Lokoe, including men, women and children, as of Saturday morning, were running to the premises of a bagged water company to fetch the waste water running through the drain.

Others travelled to nearby villages with jerry cans, in hired vehicles, to scoop water from muddy and drying streams.

Several attempts by Graphic Online to contact he authorities of GWCL in the past few days have turned fruitless.

The major health facilities in the regional capital are now relying on their reservoirs for water.

Meanwhile, public outcry over the situation is soaring.
Next article: VIDEO: Gbese Stool warns against illegal structures after Kantamanto Market Fire, says it owns land

Featured

See the update on Jan 7 presidential inauguration sitting and security arrangement

Kester Aburam Korankye Jan - 04 - 2025 , 16:41 2 minutes read

All is set for the inauguration of President-Elect John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at the Black Star Square in Accra.

The planning committee has announced sitting and security arrangements for the event.

Event layout and security

The Black Star Square will be divided into three zones:

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Zone 1: Parliamentary Sitting Area - This area will be restricted to invited guests, with access granted only upon presentation of an invitation card.

Parliamentary Sitting Area - This area will be restricted to invited guests, with access granted only upon presentation of an invitation card. Zone 2: Public Stands - The stands will be open to the public, with adequate security and safety measures in place. Large LED screens will be installed to allow more people to watch the proceedings.

Public Stands - The stands will be open to the public, with adequate security and safety measures in place. Large LED screens will be installed to allow more people to watch the proceedings. Zone 3: Media Area - A designated area has been reserved for accredited journalists, with necessary facilities provided to support their work.

Traffic and parking arrangements

Several roads in Accra will be temporarily closed to facilitate the event. Motorists are advised to note the following arrangements:

Road Closures: 28th February Road, Osu Cemetery Traffic Light, Castle Road, and Starlet 91 Road will be closed.

Diverted Routes: Traffic will be diverted to alternative routes, including Salem Avenue, Oxford Street, and Liberia Road.

Car Parks: Designated car parks have been allocated, including the back of the Independence Arch, Forecourt of the State House, and Access Bank Car Park.

International participation

Ten heads of state, two vice presidents, one speaker of parliament, two former presidents, and several heads of international organizations have confirmed their participation in the inauguration ceremony.

Media Accreditation

Over 700 applications for media accreditation have been received, with accredited journalists granted access to designated areas. A clean feed will be provided to all TV stations and channels for centralized TV production.
Featured

US top doctor calls for cancer warnings on alcohol; see the 7 types of cancers at risk

bbc.com Health Jan - 04 - 2025 , 11:51 3 minutes read

America's top doctor has called for risk warnings on alcoholic beverages, similar to the labels on cigarettes, following new research that links the drinks to seven types of cancer.

The advisory from US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says the "majority of Americans are unaware of this risk" that leads to about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 deaths annually in the US.

It would require an act of Congress to change the existing warning labels, which have not been updated since 1988.

Mr Murthy has also called for reassessing recommended limits for alcohol consumption and boosting education efforts regarding alcoholic drinks and cancer.

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The Surgeon General, who is the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government, said that alcohol was the third most common preventable cause of cancer after tobacco and obesity.

"The direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is well-established for at least seven types of cancer ...regardless of the type of alcohol (e.g., beer, wine, and spirits) that is consumed," Mr Murthy said in a statement.

This includes increased risk of cancer of the breast (in women), throat, liver, oesophagus, mouth, larynx and colon.

The new report recommends health care providers should encourage alcohol screening and treatment referrals as needed, and efforts to increase general awareness should be expanded.

The warning labels are currently required to state that women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol due to birth defect risks. It also must state that "consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems".

Over the last two decades, countries have increasingly introduced warning labels to inform consumers about the health risks of alcohol.

The World Health Organization's Global Status Report for Alcohol and Health in 2018, cited in Mr Murthy's report, said 47 member states mandated health and safety warnings on alcohol, up from 31 in 2014.

Ireland is the first country in the world to mandate a warning linking any level of alcohol consumption to cancer. From 2026, it will be a legal requirement for all bottles of alcohol in the Republic of Ireland to carry a label.

South Korea also requires cancer-specific warnings on alcohol.

In the US, only Congress can amend the new warning labels recommended by Mr Murthy, and it's not clear that the incoming Trump administration would support the change.

Many countries have also revised the recommended limits for consumption after new studies pointed that no amount of alcohol is safe to drink.

Canada revised its recommendation from nearly two drinks per day to two per week last year.

The US recommends no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women, while the UK suggests no more than 14 "units" of alcohol - around six glasses of wine, or pints of beer - per week.

Share prices of US-listed alcoholic beverage companies - including Diageo, the world's biggest spirits manufacturer - fell by up to 4% following the announcement.
Featured

Parliament schedules January 7 midnight meeting for election of Speaker and deputies

Kweku Zurek Politics Jan - 04 - 2025 , 10:10 2 minutes read

The Acting Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, has announced that Parliament will hold its first sitting of the Ninth Parliament under the Fourth Republic on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

The session, scheduled for 12:05 a.m. at Parliament House in Accra, will focus on the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers. The administration of oaths to the Speaker and Members of Parliament will also take place during this inaugural sitting.

The announcement, made through an official notice from the Parliamentary Service, read:

KNOW YE ALL MEN that in the exercise of the Powers conferred on the Clerk to Parliament, I, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Acting Clerk to Parliament, appointed under Article 124 of the Constitution and pursuant to Order 8(2) of the Standing Orders of Parliament, do hereby appoint Parliament House, Accra, to be the place and five minutes past twelve midnight (12:05 a.m.) of Tuesday, the 7th day of January, 2025 to be the time when Parliament shall sit to elect a Speaker and Deputy Speakers and for the administration of Oaths to the Speaker and Members of the Ninth Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

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As Parliament prepares for this pivotal event, debate has intensified over whether the incoming administration led by President-elect John Dramani Mahama will retain the current Speaker, Alban Bagbin, or opt for a new candidate.

The Majority Leader of the eighth Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has argued for the next Speaker to be an elected Member of Parliament (MP), highlighting the importance of parliamentary expertise. Speaking on the matter, he stated: Mr Speaker, if they sack you,

Mr Speaker, of all that you have done for them, they are going to sack you. If they decide to retain you, the happiness of this House will gather further momentum.

However, if the new government decides to bring a new Speaker, that Speaker should come from within. We dont want an outsider. We want somebody from within who would understand us.

This first sitting is expected to set the stage for the legislative direction of the Ninth Parliament, as Ghanas political leadership embarks on a new chapter under the Mahama administration.
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Haiti - Displaced persons : 3rd day of solidarity, women and girls in the spotlight





As part of the Government's 3rd day of solidarity with displaced persons in Port-au-Prince, Pedrica Saint-Jean, Minister for the Status of Women and Women's Rights, accompanied by Georges Wilbert Franck, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST), gathered nearly 2,500 women in vulnerable situations at Park Sainte Therese in Petion-ville.



Women and girls, pregnant women and the elderly benefited from a food ration allowing them to cope with this difficult stage of their lives.



"In addition to this aid, the team of the Government's Social Assistance Fund (CAS) took care to mobilize other key actors in the chain to help victims, especially the elderly, pregnant women and also those over 50 years old to register on the list of CAS beneficiaries. These women will receive a monthly allowance from the Government until the end of their lives. This allowance will allow them to meet some of their daily obligations and/or set up an income-generating activity."



It was also a question for the beneficiaries, those who particularly lost their National Identification Card (CIN), to register. The Government team, via the MAST as well as the Ministry for Women's Affairs, has a cell of the National Identification Office (ONI) on the site. Action that allowed them to place their grievances, and to follow the procedures for obtaining their card.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





CEP : Period for the referendum and elections

The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) wishes to organize the referendum on the reform of the Constitution during the month of May 2025 to subsequently carry out the general elections between November and December 2025.



Ultimatum of Jean Charles Moise

Jean Charles Moise, leader of the "Pitit Dessalin" Party, issues a one-week ultimatum to the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) to improve the situation. He threatens, in the event that nothing changes, to demonstrate in front of the Prime Minister's residence, to demand the replacement of the CPT by a judge of the Court of Cassation to ensure the continuation of the transition.



Nearly 11,000 new displaced persons

Following the attacks in the Poste Marchand neighborhood https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43818-haiti-news-zapping.html and its surroundings, in the commune of Port-au-Prince, attacks that have intensified in recent days, the number of displaced persons has reached 10,867. 95% of these people have taken refuge in 18 sites, including 4 newly created and 14 that existed before these incidents and whose population has consequently increased considerably.



Customs new historical record

For the first time in its history, the General Administration of Customs (AGD) recorded a record in tax revenue with an amount greater than 13 billion Gourdes in December 2024, or 108% of the objectives set and more than 16% compared to December 2023.



Important meeting of the CSPN

On Friday, January 3rd, 2025, Prime Minister Fils-Aime chaired an important meeting of the High Council of the National Police of Haiti (CSPN). During this meeting, the Head of Government reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to intensifying the fight against armed gangs. Concrete measures have been adopted to neutralize these criminals and restore security throughout the territory. The Government remains determined to mobilize all necessary resources. The National Police will be supported in its actions and all the means of the State will be used to guarantee the security and stability essential to the development of the country.



Paraguay : 221st of Independence

"The Republic of Paraguay sends a fraternal greeting to the Haitian people on the occasion of their Independence Day and renews its commitment to support their efforts towards a future of Peace and prosperity."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Payments with a smartphone or smartwatch that have configured Google Wallet with a stored PayPal account are currently often canceled without further notice. The only remedy is to store other means of payment in the wallet or to carry bank cards, for example.

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Many people are currently experiencing this problem if you look at internet forums: Paying with a smartphone or smartwatch, which otherwise runs smoothly, seems to work at first, as the cell phone or watch confirms a successful transaction with a green tick and vibration. However, the payment terminals report an unsuccessful transaction and ask for a different payment method.

Cause currently unclear

The cause of this error is currently unclear. The combination of Google Wallet with a PayPal account is not unusual. For savings bank customers, for example, it is one of the easiest ways to pay with Google Wallet, which works on both smartphones and smartwatches  proprietary solutions from the savings banks are currently only available for smartphones. Accordingly, the circle of those affected is quite large.

So far, there has been no information from Google or Paypal about any problems. We have contacted both companies and will update this report if we receive any feedback.

It is therefore currently unclear when the problem will be resolved. It is also not known whether users need to take action. According to forum reports, however, it does not help to add the PayPal account to Google Wallet again.

Read also Paypal jetzt als Bezahlmoglichkeit bei Google Pay

PayPal has been available as a payment method in Google Wallet since the end of 2018. As the direct support of German banks in Google Wallet looks rather poor, Google's Paypal support enables millions of customers in Germany to use Google Wallet via a small detour.

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(dmk)
A recent study by the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (Etla) reveals that an increase in immigrant workforce enhances process and product innovation in Finland's manufacturing sector and leads to a higher number of patent applications. Immigration has no negative impact on the employment of native workers and may even support their job opportunities. The study recommends measures to make Finland more attractive to foreign talent to foster economic growth.

The study, titled "Immigration and Innovation in Finnish Manufacturing Firms" (ETLA Working Papers 124), examined the relationship between immigration and innovation in Finnish manufacturing companies from 2000 to 2018. The data used included information on workers' immigration backgrounds, patent activities, process and product innovations, and innovation expenditures. The findings indicate that immigrant employees contribute significantly to corporate innovation efforts and increase patent applications in firms.

"Immigration reduces external R&D costs for companies, suggesting that immigrant employees can substitute for externally acquired innovation inputs," said Dr Terhi Maczulskij, Research Director at Etla.

The analysis also found no evidence of adverse effects of immigration on the employment of native workers. On the contrary, the presence of immigrant employees can bolster the job prospects of Finnish-born workers.

To maximise the economic benefits of an immigrant workforce, Finland needs to address two critical issues that diminish its appeal in the global labour market. First, ethnic discrimination in recruitment remains widespread. Second, despite an increase in skilled foreign workers arriving in Finland over the past decades, a significant proportionup to halfleave the country within a few years.

"Efforts must focus on reducing recruitment discrimination and encouraging companies to hire immigrants. Strategies are also needed to improve workplace cultures to better support the successful integration of immigrant employees," Maczulskij added.

Dr Maczulskij is the Research Director at Etla, Research Manager at the Yrjo Jahnsson Foundation, and a Research Fellow at IZA. The study was funded by Business Finland.

HT
THE Henley branch of the Royal British Legion is on course to receive the second highest collection for the Poppy Appeal in its history.

A total of 41,200 has been raised since collections began in October, about 500 short of the previous record that was set in 2022/23. The current collection period ends in September.

Chairman Richard Pinches said: It has been a highly successful period, having a lot more volunteers out collecting as well as great support from Waitrose and Tesco, allowing us to have table displays.

The online booking system for volunteers to choose time and location worked very well, hence we had a lot more coverage across the town than we did last year.

Since the launch of the appeal on October 26, we have received just under 41,200. This puts us well in line for being the second most successful Poppy Appeal for the town as the most recent high count for the period of 2022/23 received 41,623.75.

We have months of collecting still to go make up the 500 shortfall, with the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day before our collecting period is up in September. This will not be a problem.

The absolute highest Henley has collected was quite spectacular going back to 2014/15 when a large campaign for the centenary of the commencement of the First World War raised 47,655. I would love to get close to, or beat this amount before September next year.

About 40 members of the branch attended a Christmas lunch at the Menza Cafe at Henley Rugby Club, which was hosted by president John Green.

Guests were served a two-course meal of roast turkey and vegetables with a yule log for dessert, wine and hot drinks.

Mr Green, 89, spoke of his pride in its members and the importance of coming together to socialise and continue their efforts within the branch.

He said: Weve always had a Christmas lunch over the years and weve been very fortunate in the Henley branch that weve managed to keep the numbers steady and, in fact, they are growing slightly.

Royal British Legion branches are unfortunately getting fewer and fewer members. This is an opportunity for us to have our final meeting of the year and meet old friends and reminisce on the year gone by and try and be as positive as possible about the year to come. The staff here have been so lovely and cheerful.

These days, so many people contact each other through mobile phones but nothing can beat talking face to face and thats what its all about, especially at Christmas.

Mr Green and Mr Pinches also reflected on a hugely successful Poppy Appeal, which is about 11,000 more than the amount raised in 2023/24.

Mr Green said: The Remembrance Sunday service was particularly well attended this year, not just by the Royal British Legion but by the Henley cadets, cubs and scouts.

The community attendance was one of the best weve had for many years which is very encouraging. The legion is one of the main custodians of remembrance so its remembering those that cannot be here. We hope to continue doing that for many years to come.

Tim Came, from Henley, who has been a member of the branch for six years, said: This is a wonderful opportunity to give thanks to all the Legion who have worked so hard all year raising money.

Its very important that we continue reminding those generations of the sacrifices of previous generations so its terribly important for the branch to keep going.

Sandra Moon, of Friday Street, said: I enjoy the group. Its about meeting up with people. My grandfather served and I very proudly wear his medals which I parade at the remembrance service. Its lovely to have a nice meal together and see that the club is doing very well.

Barry Eastick said: Ive come to the meetings every single month. I love the companionship you get and people of similar ideas. I absolutely enjoy it.

We used to have our own Legion branch in Hambleden When that closed, we joined Henley and weve been going for about the last five years. The committee is marvellous. Were so lucky to have it here.
A family visiting a popular camping site in Western Australia has lashed out over the cost. But some agree it's completely fair.

A man visiting a campground in Western Australia has hit out over the cost per stay. Source: Google Images

With many Aussies still in the thick of summer holidays, outdoor enthusiasts are no doubt making the most of their time spent outside. And for some, that likely means pitching a tent or parking a caravan at one of the country's idyllic campgrounds.

But a visit to a coastal campground in Western Australia turned sour for one unhappy camper who took aim at the "extra kid tax" often felt by families who have more than a couple of children after noticing the fees at the popular Cosy Corner in Albany, with the "unreasonable" cost of camping being brought into question.

There are six nature-based campgrounds located within City of Albany coastal Reserves, council confirmed to Yahoo News. Three of these are free while the others  Cosy Corner, East, Torbay Inlet and Cape Riche  cost $15 or $20 per night stay.

But while paying for his site, the father noticed the fine print stating the cost is for two adults and two children only. Families will have to pay an extra $3 per child per night

Cosy Corner is one of three popular campgrounds in the Albany area that have a fee for visitors, with more than four people per site costing extra. Source: Facebook/Google Images

"Additional children under 16, $3. Additional adult $7.50," the pay station reads.

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"As if I'm paying extra for children, what a joke our country is becoming," the man blasted on social media.

"It's already bad enough paying for the privilege of sleeping in your own tent, caravan, camper, etc. People that want to bush or coastal camp away from built-up areas are just being taken advantage of".

Council defends camping cost for extra children

Manager City Reserves Jacqui Freeman explained to Yahoo News that the extra cost per child "contributes towards the facilities used by campers".

"A standard fee of $20 per night for a family of two adults and two children is designed to contribute towards the costs of maintaining and renewing campground amenities, ensuring they remain in good condition for all visitors," she said.

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"For families with more than two children, additional fees apply to align usage with the facility's maintenance and renewal requirements."

Aussies divided of extra cost at kids at campsite

Responding to the man's complaint, many agreed an extra $3 is fair. "Camping is cheap in WA and facilities are well maintained," one said.

A second noted campers often pay "more than $100 for a patch of dirt" in popular campgrounds across the country.

"This is a fantastic price compared to many! Its pretty simple. If you dont want to pay it dont pay it and go somewhere else," another hit out.

Some however agreed the extra cost is "a joke", suggesting camping for families is becoming more expensive.

"We are a family of 6 [two adults and four children] travelling this beautiful country and we are paying through the nose for extra kids," one shared.

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"I completely understand where you are coming from, yes its only $3, its more the principal of the constant barrage of extra kid tax," they continued. "I feel like everywhere we go everyone is trying to get their extra pound of flesh, its so wearing."

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The sound of cicadas has taken over parts of Australia this summer, but many are just learning about their urine.

A Sydney man was walking through the bush when he noticed it was 'raining' cicada pee. Source: TikTok/turfandtools and nathreptile

Aussies have been exposed to a new soundtrack this summer, and one we can't ignore. The "deafening" chorus of thousands of cicadas chirping at once has filled the air in what's known to be a one-in-seven-year event.

While for most of us, the sound is reminiscent of our childhood, with days spent exploring the outdoors, it turns out there's more to the insects than meets the eye. And the revelation has scores of Aussies in utter shock.

Walking through an area where there's a large cicada population, you may have felt what could have easily been mistaken as droplets of rain. But the falling liquid coming from above is likely cicada urine, those in the know have revealed.

Speaking to Yahoo News, University of Sydney insect and parasite expert Professor David Emery said cicadas "congregate and sing in large numbers". When they do, "the deafening noise reaching over 100 decibels deters predators".

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But this behaviour makes them thirsty and it takes a lot of energy.

"So they suck sap while cavorting and extract and digest the sugars from it to provide the energy for all their needs," Emery explained. "And yes, they then excrete (pee out) the water (just like us a bit)".

"So the 'cicada rain' is the excreted water, and it's harmless to humans. But forget your soap; there's not enough to get up a good lather or rinse," he added.

Celebrity vet Dr Katrina Warren admitted she had no idea the liquid from trees is likely cicada pee. Source: TikTok/drkatrinawarren and turfandtools

Cicadas wee with 'jet force', spraying people below

Videos being shared on TikTok show the powerful, jet-like stream falling from the trees, with many admitting they had no idea it was coming from cicadas.

Rather than droplets, cicadas wee with a "jet force" celebrity vet Dr Katrina Warren explained in one video. She said they can urinate at about three metres per second, which is three times faster than the average man.

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"So if you're walking through the bush and you're hearing cicadas chirping and you're feeling what you think is droplets of rain or wondering what the liquid is, it's likely cicada wee," she said, calling it "crazy".

Aussies shocked by cicada revelation: 'This is nuts'

Others admitted they had "no idea" it was a thing. bush with the piercing sound of cicadas surrounding him. "There's so many cicadas. It's actually raining cicada p*ss. It's foul," he said, admitting the ground was "soaking wet".

While others admitted they had "no idea" it was a thing. "This is NUTS! I had no idea," said one online.

"I'm 43, been in Australia my whole life and never knew this," another shared.

Others shared a time they thought they were rained on, despite clear blue skies overhead. Only now realising they were likely "peed on".

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"I am questioning every bushwalk I've ever been on where I got wet," wrote one.

Another confessed, "when I ride my motorcycle under trees during cicada season". "Feels like I am being spat on," they added.

Masses of noisy cicadas emerge in Australia

Masses of green grocer cicadas were expected this year because they emerge from underground every seven years. But the sheer number of them has truly shocked the nation. They were seen in huge numbers in September across the NSW Blue Mountains region. Since then, surprisingly high numbers of other species of all shapes, sizes and colours have appeared and added to the chorus.

This year in the United States, the highest numbers of cicadas emerged in over two centuries. Trillions were reported across the country after the periodic cycles of three abundant species aligned.

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These cycles have been intricately studied in the United States, but less is known about what causes cicadas to emerge in Australia. Good winter rains and an early start to the spring are believed to have instigated this years event.

Some have said the cicadas in Sydney are "next level".

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Matthew Ridge found a gem worth $1,000 but decided to keep it as is due to its 'natural beauty'. Source: TikTok/betteridge_sapphires

An Aussie man was blown away after uncovering a rare and precious gemstone during a recent evening walk "so beautiful" that he wants to keep it in its natural form.

Matthew Betteridge lives on land near Rubyvale in Queensland, a precious gemstone mining area that attracts both commercial interest and amateur fossickers searching for hidden treasures. After recent heavy rainfall, Matthew decided to have a quick look for any obvious signs of gems, and a short evening stroll proved fruitful.

"I was out for a stroll on the gem fields after the rain and just saw something glimmer in the road and dug it out," he told Yahoo News. He found a 394-carat sapphire, saying it was just "waiting to be found".

It's the largest sapphire Matthew has found in his 15 years as a miner. Source: TikTok/betteridge_sapphires

Sapphire miner never gets over 'rush' of rare discoveries

Matthew and partner Amber are professional sapphire miners and 99 per cent of the gems they sell they've found themselves. Their son Riley has even gotten in on the action with a find worth 'thousands'.

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They decided not to cut this particular sapphire as it likely will only have a commercial value of $1,000. However, the decision is also an emotional one.

"It's not going to be faceted into a big gem or nothing... it's going to stay exactly the way it is because it's a pretty cool crystal structure... it'll be kept that way for its natural beauty... I want to cut it as it's just sacrilege because it's so beautiful," Matthew said.

The gem is the second largest he's found in his 15-year career and said that even though he's built his life around sapphire mining and has found thousands of gems, he hasn't ever got over the rush of it.

"Our social media videos are just mostly just like raising awareness for Australian sapphires, and how cool it is. And anyone can come and have a go. You can just pull thousands of dollars out of the road as you're walking along... it's a lot of fun and rewarding," Amber said.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said Friday that Lebanon was working to find a solution with Syria, after two security officials said Damascus had imposed new restrictions on the entry of Lebanese citizens.

"Work is underway to resolve the issue of Lebanese citizens being prevented from entering Syria," Mawlawi told AFP.

He said Lebanon's General Security agency was in touch with "the Syrian side" to resolve the issue.

The developments appeared to be the first instance of friction between the two neighbours, who share a fraught history, since Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last month.

Lebanese nationals had previously been allowed into Syria without a visa, using just their passport or ID.

But a Lebanese General Security official told AFP on Friday that they were "surprised to see the border had been closed" to Lebanese citizens "from the Syrian side".

The official, who like other sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that no new border measures had been communicated to them yet.

A security source at Masnaa, the main land border crossing between the two countries, said Syrian authorities had implemented "new procedures" since the previous night, only allowing in Lebanese with residency permits or official permission.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati's office later said he had a phone call with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, during which they discussed bilateral relations as well as border skirmishes with the Lebanese army.

Sharaa also invited Mikati for an official visit to Syria.

The statement said Sharaa "confirmed that Syria's relevant agencies have done all that is necessary to restore calm at the border and prevent the recurrence of what happened".

Lebanon had imposed similar restrictions on Syrians entering the country after the civil war erupted more than a decade ago.

The Lebanese army said in a statement on X that its soldiers had clashed with armed Syrians at the border after the armed forces tried to "close an illegal crossing". It said five soldiers were wounded.

Lebanon's eastern border is porous and known for smuggling. It was unclear who the armed Syrians were.

"Syrians attempted to open the crossing using a bulldozer, so army personnel fired warning shots into the air. The Syrians opened fire on army personnel, injuring one of them and provoking a clash," the army said.

Last month, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told visiting Lebanese Druze leaders that his country would not negatively interfere in Lebanon and would respect its sovereignty.

For three decades, Syria was a dominant military and political force in Lebanon after intervening in its 1975-1990 civil war.

Syria eventually withdrew its troops in 2005 under international pressure after the assassination of Lebanese ex-prime minister Rafic Hariri.
The mother's warning could help save a life during an emergency as life-saving groups continue to grapple with an alarming number of rescues each summer.

Chloe Freeman has issued a warning to parents after her son Lewis nearly drowned. Source: Supplied

An Aussie mum has recalled the terrifying moment she found her son "floating face down like a starfish" while swimming at the beach with his cousins. And it's a reminder for other parents to be aware and "recognise the signs" of drowning before it's too late.

Last month, South Australian mum Tiffany shared with Yahoo News a little-known skill that could help save a life in an emergency after a terrifying ocean encounter of her own when her siblings were young children. Chloe Freeman agrees its crucial to be prepared" as life-saving groups continue to grapple with an alarming number of rescues each summer.

Chloe, a qualified Austswim swim teacher and former lifeguard, was visiting Sorrento Beach on the Mornington Peninsular, Victoria last summer with her sister-in-law and their combined five children. They all knew how to swim safely thanks to lessons.

But while setting up the sun tent, Chloe said she "turned around to do a head count" and noticed "a child face down in the water". Realising it was her three-year-old Lewis, the Victorian mum "ran into the water fully dressed, not knowing whether he would be alive or if it was too late."

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"I noticed he was trying to lift his head, though it was a very small movement," she said. "I was met by a man who helped me lift Lewy out of the water.

"Lewy was hypothermic in my arms, eyes closed, shallow breathing. It took some time to stabilise Lewys oxygen levels," she added. Her son was rushed to hospital in an ambulance where he stayed for observation.

Chloe is a qualified Austswim swim teacher and former lifeguard. Source: Supplied

If it wasn't for her knowledge about water safety Chloe, a qualified Austswim swim teacher, and former lifeguard fears he "would have drowned". Instantly, she recognised that he was drowning.

"In that moment, if I had looked out and thought, a child is just swimming or playing and had ignored the signs, Lewy would have drowned. Its that simple," she said.

'Accidents can happen to anyone,' mum warns

Despite her experience, and her children's confidence around water, Chloe said what happened shows that "accidents in the water can happen to anyone". Swimming lessons and experience around water "doesnt mean you're immune to accidents," she said.

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The key message is to remain aware of the dangers that surround your kids in the water. My message to other families would be to know what drowning looks like so you can recognise the signs when it's happening," she added.

"Also, learn CPR  you never know when you might need to perform it. Its crucial to be prepared and dont underestimate the importance of water safety education."

Alarming drowning stats in Australia

Throughout the month of December, there were 7 fatal drowning incidents across the state, Life Saving Victoria told Yahoo News. Nationally, there were tragically 31 drowning deaths within the same period.

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On average 8 fatal drownings have been recorded for this period each year over the past 10 years, between 2014 to 2024 in Victoria. Across the country, 134 people died from drownings between December 2023 and February 2024, according to Royal Life Saving Australias Summer Drowning Report 2023/24.

The figures revealed there was at least one drowning per day across last summer, with 39 per cent of those who drowned adults aged 55 and over, and 10 per cent children up to the age of 14.

Chloe and Lewy were at Sorrento Beach in Victoria when the three-year-old almost drowned. Source: Google Images

Ambulance Victoria Director Emergency Management Dale Armstrong said Lewy's near-drowning was a reminder to all parents to be vigilant this summer.

Children drowning often occurs silently and without warning after accidental falls, with children aged under four most at risk, Dale said. "Always supervise children near water and learn CPR, in case of an emergency.

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Read the signs around waterways to familiarise yourself with the dangers and, where possible, swim between the flags at Life Saving Victoria patrolled waterways.

Several drowning incidents already this summer

Last week, a 21-year-old man drowned at one of Canberra's most popular swimming spots. A witness said she heard "a man screaming from the water" saying "drowning" at Canberras Pine Island  a section of the Murrumbidgee River often frequented by residents looking to cool off.

In Tasmania, a 38-year-old man drowned after encountering difficulty with strong currents while attempting to rescue four children at Carlton Beach, east of Hobart in the same week.

Meanwhile, a 55-year-old Brisbane man died after he fell off a waterfall near Cairns in far north Queensland. And in the Gold Coast, an 18-year-old man died falling 15m into a rock embankment after reportedly using a rope swing at the Coomera River.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
MassDOT Advisory: South County Construction Operations

WEST STOCKBRIDGE, Mass.  The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced construction operations on I-90 eastbound and westbound. The work will take place from Monday, Jan. 6, through Friday, Jan. 10, during the following scheduled hours:

Becket

Bridge painting will occur on I-90 eastbound and westbound at mile marker 18.4, utilizing lane closures, from Monday, Jan. 6, through Friday, Jan. 10, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day.

West Stockbridge

Tree trimming will occur on I-90 westbound at mile marker 1.2, utilizing lane closures, from Monday, Jan. 6, through Friday, Jan. 10, from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day.

Drivers traveling through these areas should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution.

Appropriate signage and messaging will be in place to guide drivers through the work areas.

All scheduled work is weather dependent and subject to change without notice.
Mountain laurel in bloom along Blue Hill Road. Some 66 acres of woodland is being conserved by BNRC through public and private funding.

BNRC Conserves 66 Acres Along Great Barrington's Blue Hill Road

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass.  Berkshire Natural Resources Council has conserved 66 acres of woodland on the western slope of Three Mile Hill, enhancing the region's natural beauty and bolstering climate resilience.

With support from the Thieriot Foundation and private foundations, Mass Audubon, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs' Acquisitions for Forest Reserves Grants Program, BNRC's Blue Hill Road property will safeguard vital wildlife habitat and create new opportunities for people to connect with nature.

Mass Audubon contributed $125,000 toward this acquisition through its 30x30 Catalyst Fund. The fund is a $75 million private initiative dedicated to accelerating the pace of land conservation in Massachusetts.

"The Catalyst Fund is tailor-made to assist with land projects like this. It was Mass Audubon's pleasure to work with our partner, BNRC, to secure this property as it exemplifies the goals of the Catalyst Fund, which are to protect Massachusetts' most bio-diverse, carbon rich lands" said Mass Audubon's President and CEO David O'Neill.

BNRC's Assistant Director of Conservation Nick Pitel, said, "The Blue Hill Road property protects critical forest habitat and prevents further fragmentation in an area facing increased development. By securing this land, BNRC conserves the ecological health and connectivity of Three Mile Hill for future generations."

Located next to BNRC's Thomas and Palmer Brook Reserve, the property is home to diverse natural features, including mountain laurel at higher elevations, quartzite boulders along the ridgeline, and the iconic "Whale Rock."

A portion of the land is designated as Critical Natural Landscape and Priority Habitat of Rare Species by Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, emphasizing its ecological importance. The land features rich soils that support healthy forests and is part of an area identified by The Nature Conservancy for recognized biodiversity and as a resilient habitat  better able to adapt to the changing climate.

The forest includes multiple species of oak and hickory, tulip poplar, American chestnut, and other native trees, providing essential habitat for wildlife. BNRC's stewardship plan designates the property as a Forest Reserve, ensuring its biodiversity and role in carbon sequestration are maintained.

With its connection to BNRC's popular Thomas and Palmer Brook Reserve, the property offers exciting possibilities for expanded recreational access. Eventual plans include a secondary trailhead location to access Whale Rock and the larger trail network at Thomas and Palmer Brook Reserve and providing community engagement and education around forest management and climate adaptation.

"This conservation success reflects BNRC's mission to care for Berkshire lands, waters, and wildlife while offering more ways for people to connect to the outdoors," said Jenny Hansell, BNRC's president. "The Blue Hill Road property expands a key BNRC reserve while protecting important habitat and increases access for nearby communities."

The forest block along Three Mile Hill is within the Berkshire Wildlife Linkage, a vital corridor in the Berkshire-Taconics landscape of the Appalachian Mountain range that connects the Green Mountains in Vermont to the Hudson Highlands in New York. This regional connectivity is key for wildlife and recreation, supporting BNRC's goals of ecological resilience and equitable access to nature.

Established in 1967, Berkshire Natural Resources Council is a nationally accredited land trust that protects and preserves the natural resources of the Berkshires for public use.




iciHaiti - Justice : Another Gang Leader arrested in Dominican Republic





As part of the police cooperation between the two Nations of the island, the Dominican authorities handed over to the Ouanaminthe border post, in the hands of Commissioner Beauvoir Jean Frenel of the Haitian National Police (PNH), Gourin Enel, an alleged Leader of one of the criminal gangs in Haiti.



The operation that led to the capture of Gourin Enel was carried out near Las Americas International Airport, in Santo Domingo, where agents of the General Directorate of Migration (DGM) and members of the Dominican army proceeded to his arrest



According to Enel's statements, he had been residing illegally in the Dominican capital for some time. In addition, Enel expressed his fear of being lynched by residents of Ouanaminthe as happened on December 30, 2024 for Faro Markenson alias "Tibab" the leader of the Palmiste gang, an ally of the "Gran Grif" gang. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43962-haiti-news-zapping.html



TB/ iciHaiti


















Saturday 4 January 2025, 13:14 - Last updated: 15:44

In a post on X, Anton Gerashchenko, former advisor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, criticized the participation of two Russian ballet stars in the event, whose involvement was kept secret until the last moment. The dancers are Elizaveta Kokoreva and Dmitry Smilevsky from the Bolshoi.

Statements from the Russian dance expert

Gerashchenko cites a recent interview with Kokoreva given to dance critic and expert Graham Spicer, in which she confesses that the "military operation"as the Russians call the war in Ukraineis discussed "only within the family." We are all concerned about the young people dying and the destruction of the relationship between two brotherly peoples, she said. But, she emphasized, in theater, we only think about the work. The former Ukrainian advisor takes issue with a statement from the artistic director of "Les Etoiles," Daniele Cipriani, who explains the purpose of the event and the reason for the participation of the Russian dancers. I would like to say, Gerashchenko states, that the harmony and unity of peoples that the organizers are trying to emphasize and promote should be built on peace and beauty, not on war and genocide.

The invitation

He then invites all lovers of the 'official' Russian ballet stars, who have never spoken out against the war, to watch the performance of the young Ukrainian Sasha (Oleksandra) Paskal, who lost a leg in a Russian attack in Odessa in the summer of 2022.

Les Etoiles is, in miniature, a world without bordersneither geographic, nor gender, nor lifestyle, Cipriani explains. It is a universe where the greatest stars coexist and 'co-dance,' regardless of their many countries of origin, enriching the language of dance with the stylistic accent each of them 'speaks'. Turning the famous Latin phrase on its head, I argue that if you want peace, you must build peace, not use war as a method of deterrence. To quote Spinoza, 'peace is not the absence of war: it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition toward benevolence, trust, and justice.' Well, art is a 'weapon' to awaken the state of mind and disposition the great philosopher speaks of. If, when the curtain falls, Les Etoiles has succeeded in preparing its audience for benevolence, trust, and justice, then it will have been worth it, concludes the organizer of the gala, which this year is titled "Dance of Preventive Peace."
Monday 5 February 2024, 11:33 - Last updated: 4 January, 13:29

The relationship between the Vatican and Israel has never been as complicated and tense as it is now. The war in Gaza has changed everything. The latest misunderstanding, highlighted by a statement on X from the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, Raphael Schutz, just days after his meeting with Pope Francis, concerns the Pope's impartial approach to the highest authority of the Sunni Muslim world despite his violently antisemitic statements. Interreligious dialogue is constructive as long as difficulties and complexities are not overlooked. On October 31, 2023, Sheikh Al Tayeb issued a terrible antisemitic statement. Continuing dialogue with him in a business-as-usual approach, as if everything were normal, is wrong, the diplomat noted, referring to the long letter sent by Pope Francis to the Imam of Cairo, Al Tayeb, for the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Fraternity document between Catholics and Muslims (Sunnis) in the UAE five years ago.

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In his message sent yesterday, the Pope praised Al Tayeb for the path of dialogue, friendship, and mutual respect that began in Abu Dhabi and continues to bear fruit, while in many parts of the world the effects of an absence of fraternal solidarity cause environmental destruction and social degradation, leading to immense suffering for many of our brothers and sisters. It is therefore essential to draw attention to the principles that can guide humanity through the dark shadows of injustice, hatred, and war towards the brightness of a global community characterized by greater social solidarity and fraternal love. What the Israeli ambassador points out to the Pope is any lack of criticism regarding the Imam's stance on Gaza following the October 7 pogrom.

On that occasion, Al Tayeb had praised the Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza who are facing the ruthless Israeli aggression against them. The Palestinians are facing the fire of the Israeli occupation's terrorist army... stripped of any sense of morality and humanity, committing various brutal crimes, including bombing hospitals; destroying mosques and churches; and killing children, women, journalists, and innocent citizens. Al Tayeb did not condemn the October 7 massacres that cost the lives of 1,200 Israeli civilians and, more importantly, did not criticize the ideology of Hamas, which aims to exterminate Jews and wipe out the State of Israel from Palestinean extermination program Hamas has always highlighted in every document and proclamation.

holy_door_pope_francesco_jubilee_reina-8564376.html

On that occasion, Al-Azhar also praised United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his brave and chivalrous position calling for an end to the aggression in Gaza. Guterres had stated before the Security Council that it must be recognized that Hamas' attacks did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land constantly devoured by settlements and afflicted by violence; their economy suffocated; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their situation have vanished.

Misunderstandings between the Vatican and Israel over the last three months of the war have unfolded at various moments, prompting diplomatic responses and behind-the-scenes contacts. In November, a letter signed by 400 rabbis and Jewish religious scholars from around the world urged the Pope to express solidarity with the Jewish people. The response, delivered a few days ago, was particularly appreciated by the American Jewish Committee: In a tense moment in Jewish-Catholic relations, it is important that the Pope's message addressed the explosion of antisemitism, condemned as a sin.
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Numerous celebrities have offered their support to Blake Lively after she filed a lawsuit against her It Ends With Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni, who is accused of sexual harassment and causing severe emotional distress.

The lawsuit states there was a meeting attended by individuals including Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, Baldoni and their lawyers to address The Age of Adeline stars claims.

Lively had a number of requirements for her to work on the film that  according to the lawsuit cited by the outlet  included no more showing nude videos or images of women to Blake, no more mention of Baldonis alleged previous pornography addiction, no more discussions about sexual conquests in front of Blake and others, no further mentions of cast and crews genitalia, no more inquiries about Blakes weight, and no further mention of Blakes dead father.

The New York Times has also published alleged text messages from Baldoni, who has since been dropped by his agency, suggesting that he had orchestrated a smear campaign against Lively.

Baldonis lawyer Bryan Freedman has said It is shameful that Ms. Lively and her representatives would make such serious and categorically false accusations against Mr. Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios and its representatives, as yet another desperate attempt to fix her negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film.

Earier this month, Baldoni announced he is suing Lively and Reynolds for allegedly attempting to destroy his reputation and career.

In the wake of the revelations against Baldoni, Lively has received an outpouring of support from various famous faces.

Colleen Hoover

The author of It Ends With Us has supported Lively amid the claims against Baldoni. In a post to her Instagram stories, Hoover wrote: @blakelively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met.

Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt.

open image in gallery Colleen Hoover on Instagram ( Colleen Hoover/Instagram )

Robyn Lively

Blake Livelys sister Robyn has responded to the sexual harassment lawsuit that the Gossip Girl actor filed against Baldoni.

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FINALLY justice for my sister @BlakeLively, the older Lively wrote on her Instagram Stories, highlighting specific sentences and phrases from the New York Times article. She then encouraged her followers to read the article in a follow-up post as she linked the article and wrote Blake Lively with a heart drawn around the name.

America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel  Blake Livelys longtime friends and co-stars on Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants released a joint statement on social media in support of the It Ends With Us actor.

The joint statement of support from the cast of the 2005 coming-of-age comedy-drama was posted on Instagram and stated that the actors stand with Lively in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation.

As Blakes friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation, the statement read.

Throughout the filming of It Ends With Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice. Most upsetting is the unabashed exploitation of domestic violence survivors stories to silence a woman who asked for safety. The hypocrisy is astounding.

We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment. We are inspired by our sisters courage to stand up for herself and others.

The statement ended with a call to look up the full complaint and was signed by Ferrera, Tamblyn, and Bledel.

Gwyneth Paltrow

In a subtle show of support for Lively, Paltrow shared an image of the stars Blake Brown haircare line on her Instagram stories, adding: Just added to my Christmas wish list.

The Sliding Doors actor punctuated the endorsement with a queen emoji.

open image in gallery Gwyneth Paltrow on Instagram ( Gwyneth Paltrow/ Instagram )

Amy Schumer

The Trainwreck actor gave a short seal of approval to Lively after the news broke. The 43-year-old simply wrote on her Instagram stories: I believe Blake.

Deadline notes that Schumers support for Lively is significant as she has previously mocked the actor on her Inside Amy Schumer sketch show and said that the two are not close friends.

Paul Feig

Feig, who directed Lively in the 2018 comedy A Simple Favor and its upcoming sequel, voiced his support for the star on X/Twitter.

The 62-year-old wrote: Ive now made two movies with Blake and all I can say is shes one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented and kind people Ive ever worked with. She truly did not deserve any of this smear campaign against her. I think its awful she was put through this.

Shawn Levy

The Canadian director, who worked with Lively on Deadpool and Wolverine, shared a link to the New York Times story on Instagram, adding that he was Proud to call Blake Lively a friend.

open image in gallery Shawn Levy on Instagram ( Shawn Levy/ Instagram )

Alex Saks

Saks worked as a producer on It Ends With Us. She also shared her support for Lively by posting a link to the New York Times article on Instagram.

Jenny Slate

The comedian and actor played the sister of Baldonis character in It Ends With Us. In a statement to Today, the 42-year-old said: As Blake Livelys cast mate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation.

Blake is a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her.

What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing and wholly threatening. I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.

open image in gallery Ferrera, Paltrow, and Hoover have all shared their support for the star ( Getty )

Amber Heard

Amber Heard has said that misinformation spread online is as horrifying as it is destructive in response to the revelation that It Ends With Us director and star Justin Baldoni hired the same PR crisis manager that Heards ex-husband Johnny Depp used during their high-profile defamation trial in 2022.

In a statement to NBC News, Heard said: Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on. I saw this firsthand and up close. Its as horrifying as it is destructive.

open image in gallery Amber Heard has offered her support to Lively after Baldoni hired Depps PR crisis manager ( Getty Images )

Brandon Sklenar

Lively and Baldonis It Ends With Us co-star has defended Lively before, after she was called tone-deaf for her promotional interviews for the movie. Following the publication of the lawsuit, he urged his followers to go and read the document.

Sklenar, who plays the teenage love interest of Livelys character in the adaptation of Hoovers novel, shared a photo of Livelys lawsuit as well as a link to the 80-page document.

He captioned the Instagram post: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD READ THIS, and added a red heart emoji while also tagging Lively.

open image in gallery Sklenar has shown his support for his co-star Lively ( Getty Images )

Bart Johnson

Livelys brother-in-law and High School Musical star Johnson went public with a candid and scathing statement in support of Lively.

He attacked Baldoni in a post on X/Twitter on 23 December, as he wrote: Hes a fraud. He puts on the costume of a hero, man bun and all. Used all of the trendy catchphrases & buzz words for his podcasts.

None of its genuine. Its all theatre. And everyone fell for it. For years. Rewatch his videos with a more critical eye and watch him compliment and praise himself with faux humility and self deprecation. What a performance.

Michele Marrone

The Italian actor and model, who stars alongside Lively in the forthcoming A Simple Favor sequel, shared his support in a December Instagram video, saying: Its usually not my thing to make those kinds of videos, but I think its time to stand up for a person I really love and this person is Blake Lively.

open image in gallery Michele Morrone shared his support of Lively in an Instagram video ( Getty Images )

I personally met Blake during A Simple Favor 2. We shot this incredible film together and I felt something was wrong, and I felt the pain, Marrone continued, adding that he was really tired of reading cruel and bad comments about Lively.

Blake, I love you so much, he concluded. Keep it up and were going to see each other very soon. Love you.

Kaitlin Olson

In an Instagram reel featuring the bombshell NYT article, Hacks actor Kaitlin Olson, whos also the wife of Reynoldss Wrexham AFC co-owner Rob McelHenney, wrote: @blakelively is a kind, lovely, honest and generous person (and an incredible mom) FYI.
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Filmmaker Jeff Baena, who was married to actor Aubrey Plaza, has died aged 47.

Baenas body was discovered by an assistant at his home in Los Angeles and was pronounced dead at the scene.

An official cause of death has yet to be disclosed.

Plazas representatives told The Independent: The family is devastated and asks for privacy at this difficult time.

Baenas credits include films Life After Beth (2014), The Little Hours (2017) and Netflix film Horse Girl (2020). He also co-wrote I Heart Huckabees, the 2004 film directed by David O Russell.

Baena started his relationship with Parks and Recreation and White Lotus star Plaza in 2011; the pair married 10 years later.

The writer, director and actors films became favourites on the independent movie circuit and often received recognition at the Sundance Film Festival.

Life After Beth, the horror-comedy starring his future wife Plaza, was nominated for Sundances Grand Jury Prize in 2014 and, two years later, his follow-up Joshy, starring Thomas Middleditch, received the same nomination.

open image in gallery Jeff Baena has died, aged 47 ( Getty Images for IMDb )

Medieval dark comedy The Little Hours, which saw him reunite with Plaza, starred husband-and-wife duo Alison Brie and Dave Franco, while Horse Girl, a psychological thriller co-written with Brie, saw Baena receive the biggest commerical hit of his career thanks to its Netflix release.

The film follows an introverted young woman whose dreams slowly start taking over her reality. Baenas most recent film was Spin Me Round, which premiered in 2022.

It starred Brie and Plaza, and was the first film Baena directed after marrying the latter in 2021.

Speaking about working with Plaza, Baena told Reel Talker in 2022: I would be working with her if she wasn't my wife but luckily, she is. Having that shorthand, that sort of connection, it's amazing  there's a handful of directors who are lucky enough to be with an amazingly talented performer.

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open image in gallery Aubrey Plaza and Jeff Baena photographed in 2017 ( Getty Images )

The opportunities to create together and do something creative where we're both fulfilled  how rare is that?

Baenas career started as a production assistant working for director Robert Zemeckis. Reflecting on his early role, working on films What Lies Beneath and Cast Away, Baena told Creative Screenwriting in 2022: Hopefully someday I have that level of filmmaking ability where Im able to just envision something and then build it.

At this point, with independent filmmaking, you have to be a little bit more savvy and come up with more tricks; but just his unbridled imagination, then being put to film was something that was super inspirational.
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Nicki Minaj has been sued for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress by a man who was working for her at the time.

In the complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday (3 January), Brandon Garrett alleges he was working as a day-to-day manager for the Grammy-nominated rapper on her Pink Friday 2 tour, when she struck him multiple times.

The incident is said to have taken place backstage at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on 21 April after one of Minajs concerts.

In a statement to Variety, Minajs lawyer Judd Burstein denied the allegations and denounced an original report of the complaint by TMZ.

At this time, no complaint has been served upon Mrs Petty [Minajs husband is Kenneth Petty], and therefore we are unaware of the specific allegations, Bernstein said.

However, if the lawsuit is as reported by TMZ, it is completely false and frivolous. We are confident that the matter brought by this ex-assistant will be resolved swiftly in Mrs Pettys favour.

In the lawsuit, Garrett claims he was called to Minajs (real name Onika Maraj) dressing room where she confronted him about having another tour employee, hospitality manager Luke Montgomery, collect her prescriptions in his place because he was occupied with other responsibilities.

Billboard cites the complaint as saying: Ms [Deb] Antney [former manager] asked why Mr Montgomery was picking up prescriptions on behalf of Defendant Maraj.

Plaintiff responded that he had Mr Montgomery pick up a prescription in the past because Defendant Maraj wanted it immediately, but Plaintiff was occupied at the venue with Defendant Maraj in the quick change room during a performance because one of Plaintiffs job duties was assisting Defendant Maraj with dressing during performances.

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open image in gallery The rappers lawyer called the complaint completely false and frivolous ( Getty Images for Live Nation )

Garrett claims that Minaj became visibly upset as a result and angrily screamed at him: Are you f***ing crazy having him pick up my prescription? You have lost your f***ing mind and if my husband was here, he would knock out your f***ing teeth. Youre a dead man walking. You just f***ed up your whole life and you will never be anyone, Ill make sure of it.

Minaj then allegedly started yelling at Montgomery, demanding to know what kind of prescription he had picked up and when. When he couldnt remember, she allegedly screamed at him to look through his phone until he finds it.

As neither Montgomery nor Garrett were able to answer her questions, the lawsuit says, she then asked to see Montgomerys phone to read the last message between him and Garrett.

Montgomery allegedly offered his phone for her to read, but instead she got very close to Garretts face while continuing to yell, he alleges.

open image in gallery Nicki Minaj is accused of striking a former employee ( Getty Images for MTV )

According to the complaint, the situation escalated as Minaj open-handedly struck Plaintiff on the right side of his face, causing his head to swing backwards as his hat flew off his head.

He also alleges that Minaj hit him on his right wrist, which left it in a throbbing condition.

Garrett claims that the rapper ordered him to leave the room and that he locked himself in a nearby bathroom for several hours. He allegedly received a notice from Atney the following day that he would not be joining the tour group on Minajs bus for the next scheduled stop in Chicago.

The lawsuit states that Garrett took a flight to Chicago and contacted the citys police department to file a police report and request a police escort back to his hotel because he feared for his safety and did not know if his belongings had been removed or tampered with.

He allegedly remained at his hotel for the next few days because he was fearful and traumatised, before flying back to Detroit to file a formal police report.
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US series Dexter has returned for a brand new series  and the recasting of a key character has stunned fans.

The show, which originally ran from 2006 to 2013, is back for its second reboot following 2021s Dexter: New Blood.

Dexter: Original Sin, a prequel series exploring the characters early years as he navigates his urges to kill, is hoping to bring the show back into favour following the first shows heavily-derided finale.

Patrick Gibson plays the young version of Dexter, with Michael C Hall returning to provide the shows narration, while many new stars portray younger versions of characters first seen in the original series, including Christian Slater as Dexters father Harry and Christina Milian as Maria LaGuerta.

But its the casting of Miami Metro detective Angel Batista that has stunned fans, with many calling James Martinez a perfect choice and a dead ringer for David Zayas, the actor who first played him.

Uncanny how much I just accept James Martinez as Angel Batista on Dexter: Original Sin. The cast across the board are honestly good at feeling like the original show but he seems like he just happens to be a young David Zayas

Whoever cast James Martinez as young Angel Batista in Dexter: Original Sin really hit the nail on the head. Wow, one fan wrote, with another stating: Ive become more impressed and engrossed with each episode of #DexterOriginalSin . Most impressive for me is James Martinez as Batista. Dude has straight up become David Zayas.

One viewer declared: I dont think Ive ever seen a young character cast better than James Martinez as Angel Batista in #DexterOriginalSin. Like not just the looks & styling... The mannerisms . The influxes when speaking. All of it. Spot on.

James Martinez plays a younger version of David Zayas Angela Batista in Dexter: Original Sin ( Paramount + / Showtime )

The 10-part series, which airs on Paramount+, also stars Patrick Dempsey and Sarah Michelle Gellar, with Molly Brown playing a younger version of Dexters sister Deb, who was originally portrayed by Jennifer Carpenter.

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Previous spin-off Dexter: New Blood was a continuation of the original series, which saw Dexter reunite with his now teenage son Harrison (Jack Alcott).

New Blood saw Michael C Hall return as the serial killer, with episodes reuniting him with Harrison (Jack Alcott), the now-teenage son he abandoned at the end of the original series.
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Two and a Half Men alum Jon Cryer is pessimistic about President-elect Donald Trumps second term, predicting that things are not going to get better.

The 59-year-old actor and outspoken Kamala Harris supporter shared his opinions with paparazzi ahead of Trumps inauguration on January 20.

While outside of Los Angeles International Airport, Cryer was approached by a TMZ reporter who asked how he was feeling about the incoming president.

I wont say Im cautiously optimistic, Cryer admitted. Its a clown show already. You know, he did this once before; he was terrible at it the first time.

Its not gonna get better, he said, before adding a more positive note: So its just about everybody hunkering down, trying to make sure the people we love dont get hurt and lets hold this guy accountable at some point in his life.

Asked if he planned on watching the inauguration event on TV, the Extended Family star said he likely would not, recalling Trumps 2017 inauguration speech in which he used the phrase American carnage to describe the country.

He doesnt understand America; he doesnt even like it, Cryer said. When he gives speeches, he just rambles. Its word salad.

Jon Cryer is pessimistic about Donald Trumps second term ( Getty Images )

Finally, when the reporter brought up the idea that Democrats appear to be more optimistic about the next four years than they were on the campaign trail, the Emmy-winning actor disagreed.

I think theyre in error. I think theyre making a mistake, he said. Trump is a clown show. Were gonna have 4 more years of clown show. Hope you can enjoy it.

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During a meeting together at the Oval Office in November, Biden told Trump that he was looking forward to having... a smooth transition and would do everything we can to make sure youre accommodated.

I appreciate very much a transition thats so smooth itll be as smooth as it can get, Trump replied.

The President-elect has since completed his cabinet nominations, which include TV personality Mehmet Oz to oversee Medicare and Medicaid Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and tech billionaire Elon Musk as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency.

Earlier this week, his cabinet picks were ordered to stay off social media unless they had prior approval. It remains unclear what specifically led to the memo being issued now, but Senate confirmation hearings are set to begin early next year just as the MAGA war is escalating.
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Nikki Glaser says that her anticipation of hosting the Golden Globe awards has made her feel 42 weeks pregnant and she is now ready and impatient for the baby to arrive.

The stand-up comedian and actress told The Independent that she was excited to deliver her jokes in front of the crowd they were meant for, following a derided hosting performance by Jo Koy in 2024.

Glaser will emcee the 82nd annual ceremony on Sunday in Beverly Hills, California  the first major awards show of the 2025 season. The show is known for its more relaxed, and often raucous atmosphere, but has also seen some controversy in recent years.

Asked about her nerves ahead of the show, she said: Im excited to finally tell these jokes in front of a crowd who they are meant for. Im ready.

I feel like Im 42 weeks pregnant. I need this baby to come.

open image in gallery Nikki Glaser, will emcee the 82nd annual Golden Globe awards ceremony on Sunday  the first major awards show of the 2025 season ( HBO )

Glaser has entered the spotlight for her cutting, dark, and often offensive jokes during U.S. comedy roasts, including those of Rob Lowe, Bruce Willis, and Alec Baldwin. She was also one of the standout performers at the roast of Tom Brady  broadcast on Netflix back in May.

Glaser has received multiple nominations, including at the Globes itself, as well as the Critics Choice Television Awards, Grammy Awards, and Primetime Emmy Awards, including an Emmy nomination for her latest special, Someday Youll Die for HBO.

Glaser has previously cited Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Ricky Gervais as inspirations for her hosting duties. According to The Telegraph, she asked the British comedian for tips and was told: Dont try to walk out there acting like youre an A-lister, just because youre invited. You wouldnt be if you werent the host.

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Glaser said she felt confident the ceremonys organizing body, the HFPA, had made the right decision to hire her.

Her crack at the hosting job comes after Koy was slammed by critics for a cringeworthy and fumbled opening monologue, during which he appeared to blame his script-writers for the poor audience reception.

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open image in gallery Glaser has cited British comedian Ricky Gervais as one of her inspirations for her hosting duties, and said she has asked him for tips ( 2020 NBCUniversal Media, LLC via )

I feel nothing but complete assurance and confidence in me being able to do this, Glaser told The WSJ.

Theres been some jobs Ive gotten before that Im like, I hope I can do this, this is a lot of pressure. This, Im just like, Yeah, they picked the right person. No ones going to work harder than me at this.

A gamut of Hollywood A-Listers will join Glaser onstage throughout the night to present various awards to their peers, including Andrew Garfield, Anya Taylor-Joy, Colin Farrell, Dwayne Johnson, Elton John, Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Coolidge, and Michelle Yeoh, among others.

Triumphs at the Globes can help build momentum for a movie or actors Oscar campaign  the first televised awards show of the year  and can prove useful ahead of other ceremonies including Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice Awards and the Oscars, which this year will be held on March 2.
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China is experiencing a surge in infections of a respiratory virus, leading to reports of overcrowded hospitals, new monitoring measures and public concerns about an outbreak.

The virus, identified as human metapneumovirus (HMPV), has seen cases spiking across northern Chinese provinces this winter, particularly among children.

The outbreak comes five years after the world was first alerted to the emergence of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China, which later turned into a global pandemic with seven million deaths reported.

Photos and videos of people wearing masks in hospitals in China emerged on social media platforms and local reports compared the scenes to the initial outbreak of Covid.

Health authorities are implementing new measures to monitor and manage the spread of pneumonia cases of unknown origin. Nonetheless, Beijing has downplayed the developments as an annual winter occurrence.

Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday: Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season.

The diseases appear to be less severe and spread with a smaller scale compared to the previous year, she said.

What is HMPV?

Human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, is a respiratory virus that causes symptoms similar to the common cold and influenza. While the illness is typically mild, it can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, particularly in infants, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

The virus is not new but has gained attention amid a surge in cases, particularly in children under 14 in northern China.

First identified in 2001, HMPV is a single-stranded RNA virus that spreads through respiratory droplets or contact with contaminated surfaces. Cases have been previously identified in various countries, including the United Kingdom.

Its symptoms include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and fatigue, with an incubation period of three to six days. Unlike Covid-19, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for HMPV; treatment primarily involves managing symptoms.

Rising cases of HMPV in China

The spike in cases coincides with colder weather and increased indoor activity, conditions that typically fuel the spread of respiratory viruses. Health officials emphasize that this surge is consistent with seasonal trends.

Chinas National Disease Control and Prevention Administration recently reported an increase in respiratory infections, including HMPV, during the winter. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has not flagged the situation as a global health emergency, but the rise in cases has prompted authorities to bolster monitoring systems.

A pilot programme has been launched to track pneumonia of unknown origin, ensuring labs and health agencies report and manage cases more effectively, state broadcaster CCTV reported, quoting an administration official at a news conference.

Can HMPV virus spread to other countries?

Hong Kong has reported a few cases of HMPV. Neighbouring countries like Cambodia and Taiwan are keeping a close watch on the situation. Cambodias Communicable Disease Control Department has issued warnings about HMPV, noting its similarity to Covid-19 and influenza.

Taiwans Centers for Disease Control has said the viruss higher risks for children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.

In neighbouring India, officials said there is no need for panic as HMPV is like any other respiratory virus.

There has been news doing the rounds about a metapneumovirus outbreak in China. Let me be very clear on that count. Metapneumovirus is like any other respiratory virus which causes the common cold, and in the very old and the very young it could cause flu-like symptoms, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) official Dr Atul Goel said.

Reassuring citizens and tourists, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said: I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners coming to China, adding that it is safe to travel in China.
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Three people died after a fishing ship hit a rock and capsized off a southwestern island of South Korea on Saturday, officials said.

The accident occurred near Gageo Island in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, around 10.30am, according to the coast guard.

The ship was carrying 22 people, out of which three people were found by the rescue teams in a state of cardiac arrest, and later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Nineteen others were pulled from the water by the coast guard and a nearby vessel. None of the survivors sustained life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The survivors are believed to have jumped into the ocean when the boat appeared to be in danger of capsizing, awaiting rescue.

Authorities initially stated the boat carried 21 people but later clarified the total was 22. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident and the reason for the headcount discrepancy.

The captain of the vessel may face charges of professional negligence resulting in death, the Coast Guard said.

Earlier this week, a car ferry capsized in waters west of Seosan, about 100km southwest of Seoul. Two people were rescued while the body of the captain was found in a state of cardiac arrest.
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Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman who was the worlds oldest person according to Guinness World Records, has died, an Ashiya city official said Saturday. She was 116.

Yoshitsugu Nagata, an official in charge of elderly policies, said Itooka died on 29 Dec at a care home in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, central Japan.

Itooka, who loved bananas and a yogurt-flavored Japanese drink called Calpis, was born on 23 May 1908. She became the oldest person last year following the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

Japan Worlds Oldest Person ( City of Ashiya )

When she was told she was at the top of the World Supercentenarian Rankings List, she simply replied, Thank you.

When Itooka celebrated her birthday last year, she received flowers, a cake and a card from the mayor.

Born in Osaka, Itooka was a volleyball player in high school, and long had a reputation for a sprightly spirit, Nagata said. She climbed the 3,067m (10,062ft) Mount Ontake twice.

She married at 20, and had two daughters and two sons, according to Guinness.

Itooka managed the office of her husbands textile factory during World War II. She lived alone in Nara after her husband died in 1979.

She is survived by one son and one daughter, and five grandchildren. A funeral service was held with family and friends, according to Nagata.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, the world's oldest person is now 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was born 16 days after Itooka.
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Myanmars military government has released over 6,000 prisoners in a mass amnesty to mark the countrys 77th Independence Day, state media reported on Saturday.

The release, which comes amid long-standing demands from rights groups and international governments to free political detainees, included only a small number of individuals jailed for opposing the military regime.

Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmars military regime, granted pardons for 5,864 domestic prisoners and 180 foreign nationals, who will be deported, according to state-run MRTV.

Mass amnesties are a common practice on national holidays in Myanmar, but the majority of those freed are rarely political detainees.

Among those released were approximately 600 prisoners prosecuted under Section 505(A) of Myanmars penal code, a broad law used by the military to jail critics for spreading false news or creating public unrest.

open image in gallery A protester covered in fake blood flashes the three-finger salute next to an image of detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a demonstration outside the UN office in Bangkok ( AFP via Getty Images )

One notable release was Khet Aung, the former chief minister of Kachin State, who had been serving a 12-year sentence on corruption charges since his arrest following the coup.

Major general Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for the junta, said many of the freed foreign prisoners included Thais arrested for gambling in the border town of Tachileik and Indonesians detained for fishing in Myanmars territorial waters.

He did not confirm whether four Thai fishermen detained after a November border clash were among those released.

While buses departed from Yangons Insein Prison on Saturday, carrying freed detainees to reunite with waiting families, there was no indication that Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars ousted civilian leader, was among those pardoned.

open image in gallery Family members wait to welcome released prisoners from Insein Prison Saturday, 4 Jan 2025, in Yangon, Myanmar, as the military government has released more than 6,000 prisoners and has reduced other inmates sentences as part of a mass amnesty to mark the 77th anniversary of independence from Britain ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Ms Suu Kyi, who has been held incommunicado since the coup, is serving a 27-year sentence after a series of trials that her supporters and rights groups say were politically motivated.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a monitoring organisation, estimates that 28,096 people have been arrested on political charges since the coup, with 21,499 still in detention as of Friday. The group also reports that over 6,100 civilians have been killed by security forces during the same period.

The military governments amnesty also included sentence reductions for other prisoners, with most receiving a one-sixth reduction in their terms. However, those convicted under anti-terrorism laws and other statutes commonly used to target political dissidents were excluded from this leniency.

Independence Day commemorates Myanmars liberation from British colonial rule on 4 January 1948. The junta marked the anniversary with a flag-raising ceremony in Naypyidaw.

Additional reporting by agencies.
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The defection of ex-Tory MP Marco Longhi to the Reform party is the latest stage in a struggle to the death between Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch.

Mr Longhis switch was announced by Farage in a blaze of publicity as the centrepiece of a Reform rally in Leicester last night.

It is the latest in a series of regional rallies planned by Reform  and Badenoch would be right to dread the prospect that Mr Farage may taunt her by unveiling yet more Tory turncoats.

A raft of Tory names have defected to Reform in recent weeks, including former MPs from the right of the party, Dame Andrea Jenkyns and Aidan Burley, as well as ConHome founder Tim Montgomerie and a major former Tory donor Nick Candy. This is not forgetting Rael Braverman, husband of the darling of the Tory right Suella Braverman, who herself remains a major target for Farage and his team.

open image in gallery Marco Longhi has defected from the Tories to Reform ( UK Parliament )

But the big prize for Reform would be to attract a truly high-profile Conservative rather than just one of many former Tory MPs discarded by the voters in July last year or a disaffected Tory councillor.

Top of the wish list for some senior figures in Reform is, of course, Boris Johnson. But while Longhi and Jenkyns were both leading supporters of Johnson, no one is seriously expecting to see the former prime minister to defect.

At least not for now

I forecast in The Independent earlier this week that Reform hoped to lure some senior Tories into joining them, including the former Dudley North MP Mr Longhi.

open image in gallery Reform UK leader Nigel Farage speaking to supporters in Leicester (Jacob King/PA) ( PA Wire )

Longhi is not the first to do so and as things stand I would not be surprised if more follow him  and in rapid succession.

With the Conservatives in total disarray after a landslide defeat in July, Badenochs party is in a bitter fight with Farages Reform to be the main right-wing opposition to Labour at the next election.

We are in uncharted territory. Never before have the Tories had a serious competitor on the right of politics. And, as things stand, they seem ill-equipped to deal with this new phenomenon.

The two rival parties recent spat over who had most members was merely the opening salvo.

Badenoch may at best see round one as a draw, but the defection of Longhi to Reform marks a round two victory for Farage and co.

If more Tory defections follow, Badenoch will have to draw on all her formidable reserves of resistance to avoid a political knockout. If she does not then there is a danger of a stampede of former Tories heading to Farages banner.

Names like former MPs Tom Hunt, Brendan Clarke-Smith and Miriam Cates are being regularly mentioned as potential defectors. Even the arch-Tory but close friend of Farages, Jacob Rees-Mogg, another Johnson ally, is another target.

What about former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries? She is yet another Johnson ally who appears to be making it her lifes work to take some sort of misguided revenge for him, especially targeting Ms Badenoch as an alleged conspirator in his downfall.

open image in gallery Boris Johnson is a Reform target (Victoria Jones/PA) ( PA Archive )

Then there are MPs who are in Reforms sights. Rumours refuse to abate about Ms Braverman or former leadership contender Robert Jenrick. What is left of the hardcore Brexiteers could also peel away, although MPs like Mark Francois and Andrew Rosindell claim this is not the case.

If Johnson were to defect, it would be because the trickle of those going over had become a torrent and there was no hope for the old party.

If Ms Badenoch is to prevent this happening, she needs to confront the Reform threat now with ideas, policies and a reason to hold her party together. That does not mean adopting the populist right-wing rhetoric and uncosted fantasy policies of Farage, but a genuine centre-right offering in British politics.

Until then though, it seems that like nature, Tories and the party's natural voter base abhor a vacuum and there is a significant danger Farage could fill it.
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Patients with symptoms of bowel and lung conditions, cancer and heart failure will be fast-tracked for scans and tests, under government plans to cut NHS waiting times.

Under the prime ministers plans, GPs will be able to directly send people for diagnostic testing, avoiding waits to see consultants first.

People suffering ear, nose and throat, gynaecological, urological and bowel complaints are all set to benefit by receiving their results weeks earlier. Other conditions covered include breathlessness, asthma in young children and post-menopausal bleeding.

open image in gallery Many hospitals are overwhelmed, leaving patients in ambulances outside ( Getty Images )

The change is among radical shake-up of procedures aimed at reducing waits for millions of patients in England and reducing pressure on the health service.

Currently, many patients sent by their doctor for a scan, X-ray or probe have to wait for an appointment with a consultant before having the test.

Sir Keir Starmer is also set to announce on Monday that thousands of patients in England will be offered a same-day service, including a follow-up consultation on the same day as their scan or test, enabling more people to get the all-clear or start treatment more quickly.

Labour says it wants to ensure 92 per cent of patients receive care within 18 weeks of referral within the next five years, and has pledged to deliver an extra 2 million NHS appointments a year to meet that target.

Currently, the waiting list stands at 7.6 million. Figures show that at the end of August, 282,664 people in England had been waiting more than a year to start routine hospital treatment.

Sir Keir is set to reveal the shake-up in a speech on Monday, when its expected he will outline how resources will be diverted from hospitals into community settings to relieve pressure on services.

Non-medical frontline staff such as GP surgery receptionists will also have customer service training, the prime minister will say, and hospitals will appoint patients experience champions to update and support people on waiting lists.

Routine surgery such as hip and knee replacements will be protected from winter pressures and future pandemics as the capacity for ringfenced elective procedures is expanded, he is expected to announce.

open image in gallery Capacity for routine hip replacements will be expanded, the PM will pledge ( Getty Images )

The announcements come three days after health secretary Wes Streeting outlined the first steps towards overhauling the adult social care system, which was widely criticised for in-built delays of at least three years.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves promised in her Budget an extra 22bn over two years for NHS waiting times, but top doctors said they were not convinced Sir Keirs new plans would work because of the shortage of staff available.

Some also said that without steps to rescue NHS emergency care, which is overwhelming some hospitals, Sir Keirs plans would fail.

Many hospitals are currently swamped by patients with flu.

Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, told The Times: Too many patients are enduring months of pain and anxiety on waiting lists, so a new plan for reducing waiting times will be very welcome, but added that the government was likely to fall short of its target of seeing 92 per cent of patients within 18 weeks at the current pace of improvement.

Tim Cooksley, a former president of the Society for Acute Medicine, which represents hospital doctors, told The Guardian: The innovative elements of the elective recovery plan are welcome. Direct access to services, reducing bureaucracy and streamlining processes are key implementations for NHS recovery.

However, the grave concern is that this fails to recognise that, without emergency care recovery, this elective plan will inevitably and predictably fail.

There is insufficient workforce and capacity to meet the demands of an increasingly ageing population with multiple health issues, with simply no resilience to cope with any excess strain, such as winter viruses.

Hospitals are already bursting at the seams. The concept of continuing to ringfence elective beds whilst patients are dying, receiving degrading corridor care in emergency departments, is immoral and deluded.
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A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for over a month, even as its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon deadline.

The deal struck on Nov. 27 to halt the war required Hezbollah to immediately lay down its arms in southern Lebanon and gave Israel 60 days to withdraw its forces there and hand over control to the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers.

So far, Israel has withdrawn from just two of the dozens of towns it holds in southern Lebanon. And it has continued striking what it says are bases belonging to Hezbollah, which it accuses of attempting to launch rockets and move weapons before they can be confiscated and destroyed.

Hezbollah, which was severely diminished during nearly 14 months of war, has threatened to resume fighting if Israel does not fully withdraw its forces by the 60-day deadline.

Yet despite accusations from both sides about hundreds of ceasefire violations, the truce is likely to hold, analysts say. That is good news for thousands of Israeli and Lebanese families displaced by the war still waiting to return home.

The ceasefire agreement is rather opaque and open to interpretation, said Firas Maksad, a senior fellow with the Middle East Institute in Washington. That flexibility, he said, may give it a better chance of holding in the face of changing circumstances, including the ouster of Syria's longtime leader, Bashar Assad, just days after the ceasefire took effect.

With Assad gone, Hezbollah lost a vital route for smuggling weapons from Iran. While that further weakened Hezbollahs hand, Israel had already agreed to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on Oct. 8, 2023  the day after Hamas launched a deadly attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza. Since then, Israeli air and ground assaults have killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians. At the height of the war, more than 1 million Lebanese people were displaced.

Hezbollah rockets forced some 60,000 from their homes in northern Israel, and killed 76 people in Israel, including 31 soldiers. Almost 50 Israeli soldiers were killed during operations inside Lebanon.

Heres a look at the terms of the ceasefire and its prospects for ending hostilities over the long-term.

What does the ceasefire agreement say?

The agreement says that both Hezbollah and Israel will halt offensive military actions, but that they can act in self-defense, although it is not entirely clear how that term may be interpreted.

The Lebanese army is tasked with preventing Hezbollah and other militant groups from launching attacks into Israel. It is also required to dismantle Hezbollah facilities and weapons in southern Lebanon  activities that might eventually be expanded to the rest of Lebanon, although it is not explicit in the ceasefire agreement.

The United States, France, Israel, Lebanon and the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, are responsible for overseeing implementation of the agreement.

The key question is not whether the deal will hold, but what version of it will be implemented, Maksad, the analyst, said.

Is the ceasefire being implemented?

Hezbollah has for the most part halted its rocket and drone fire into Israel, and Israel has stopped attacking Hezbollah in most areas of Lebanon. But Israel has launched regular airstrikes on what it says are militant sites in southern Lebanon and in the Bekaa Valley.

Israeli forces have so far withdrawn from two towns in southern Lebanon - Khiam and Shamaa. They remain in some 60 others, according to the International Organization for Migration, and around 160,000 Lebanese remain displaced.

Lebanon has accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement and last week submitted a complaint to the U.N. Security Council that says Israel launched some 816 ground and air attacks between the start of the ceasefire and Dec. 22, 2023.

The complaint said the attacks have hindered the Lebanese army's efforts to deploy in the south and uphold its end of the ceasefire agreement.

Israel says Hezbollah has violated the ceasefire hundreds of times and has also complained to the Security Council. It accused Hezbollah militants of moving ammunition, attempting to attack Israeli soldiers, and preparing and launching rockets towards northern Israel, among other things.

Until it hands over control of more towns to the Lebanese army, Israeli troops have been destroying Hezbollah infrastructure, including weapons warehouses and underground tunnels. Lebanese authorities say Israel has also destroyed civilian houses and infrastructure.

What happens after the ceasefire has been in place for 60 days?

Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese towns has been slower than anticipated because of a lack of Lebanese army troops ready to take over, according to Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesman. Lebanon disputes this, and says it is waiting for Israel to withdraw before entering the towns.

Shoshani said Israel is satisfied with the Lebanese army's control of the areas it has already withdrawn from, and that while it would prefer a faster transfer of power, security is its most important objective.

Israel does not consider the 60-day timetable for withdrawal to be sacred, said Harel Chorev, an expert on Israel-Lebanon relations at Tel Aviv University who estimates that Lebanon will need to recruit and deploy thousands more troops before Israel will be ready to hand over control.

Hezbollah officials have said that if Israeli forces remain in Lebanon 60 days past the start of the ceasefire, the militant group might return to attacking them. But Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Kassem said Wednesday that, for now, the group is holding off to give the Lebanese state a chance to "take responsibility for enforcing the agreement.

Over the final two months of the war, Hezbollah suffered major blows to its leadership, weapons and forces from a barrage of Israeli airstrikes, and a ground invasion that led to fierce battles in southern Lebanon. The fall of Assad was another big setback.

The power imbalance suggests Israel may want to ensure greater freedom of action after the 60-day period, Maksad, the analyst, said. And Hezbollah, in its weakened position, now has a strong interest in making sure the deal doesn't fall apart altogether despite Israeli violations, he said.

While Hezbollah may not be in a position to return to open war with Israel, it or other groups could mount guerilla attacks using light weaponry if Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon, said former Lebanese army Gen. Hassan Jouni. And even if Israel does withdraw all of its ground forces, Jouni said, the Israeli military could could continue to carry out sporadic airstrikes in Lebanon, much as it has done in Syria for years.
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Pope Francis warned that bullying in schools prepares students for war rather than peace, in a speech to Catholic educators gathered at the Vatican on Saturday.

Speaking to about 2,000 Italian teachers, educators and parents, Francis stressed his message against bullying, asking the audience to pledge to fight against it both at school and at home.

The pontiff praised educational efforts at schools to promote peace, noting that imagining peace lays the foundations for a more just and fraternal world through every subject taught and through the creativity of children and young people.

But if, at school, you wage war among yourselves or engage in bullying, you are preparing for war, not for peace, he said

The pope also called for more dialogue within families, emphasizing that it is dialogue that makes us grow.
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A Metropolitan Police officer has admitted to causing the death of a moped rider due to careless driving while responding to an emergency call in north London.

Police Constable Ian Brotherton, was driving a marked police van when he crashed into a moped being driven by 26-year-old Cristopher de Carvalho Guedes in Enfield on 12 October 2023.

In a hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday, Brotheron, aged 32, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

He will be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, 27 February, and was disqualified from driving on an interim basis.

Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline Haines said: My thoughts and sympathy remain with the family and friends of Cristopher de Carvalho Guedes at this enormously difficult time.

They have lost a loved one due to the careless driving of one of our officers and, while the judicial process has now concluded and PC Brotherton has admitted his guilt, I know there is little I can say that will alleviate the pain they will be suffering.

Police drivers are trained to the highest standards and while they have certain exemptions when driving police vehicles on public roads, they know they are accountable should their actions fall below these standards.

In this case, an independent investigation conducted by the IOPC, which we fully supported, has gathered all the evidence from that day and PC Brotherton has admitted to causing Mr Guedes death due to his careless driving.

While he has shown remorse for his actions, it is right that he has been held to account for his actions.

The charges against Brotherton followed an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The incident happened at around 3pm on 12 October 2023, as Brotherton responded to an emergency call.

The van, which had its lights and sirens on, drove through a red light in Southbury Road before colliding with Mr Guedes, who was turning right into Baird Road.

open image in gallery Cristopher De Carvalho Guedes died after the collision at the junction of Southbury Road and Baird Road ( Google Maps )

The van stopped at the scene and officers provided first aid before Guedes was taken to hospital for treatment, where he sadly died.

A referral was made to the IOPC and PC Brotherton was placed on restricted duties while an independent investigation into the incident was carried out.

Now that criminal proceedings have concluded, PC Brotherton will also face a misconduct hearing.

Additional reporting by PA
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Sir Keir Starmer has responded to attacks from US billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk over the Labour governments response to grooming gangs in the UK.

Pressure had mounted on the prime minister after safeguarding minister Jess Phillips denied requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation and grooming in Oldham.

The tech billionaire triggered an attack on the government on Thursday, as he suggested Ms Phillips deserves to be in prison.

He also appeared to place blame at Sir Keirs door, arguing that rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice during the prime ministers time as director of public prosecutions.

Responding to reporter questions, Sir Keir said: Those that are spreading lies and misinformation, as far and as wide as possible  theyre not interested in victims, theyre interested in themselves.

Since the Tesla boss posted his claims on X, several high profile figures including Tory leader Kemi Badenoch have also spoken out calling for a full inquiry into the sexual abuse.

Heres what we know about the why Sir Keir is under fire over grooming gang scandal and whether there will be an inquiry:

Why did the uproar start?

The criticism began after safeguarding minister Jess Phillips formally denied requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation and grooming in Oldham.

Ms Phillips said she recognised the strength of feeling for a Home Office-led inquiry, but she told the local council the Government will not intervene.

I believe it is for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene, she said.

open image in gallery Mr Musk heavily criticised Jess Phillips (Jordan Pettitt/PA) ( PA Wire )

Instead of the Government leading a probe, Oldham must follow in the footsteps of other towns like Rotherham and Telford and commission its own inquiry into historical abuse of children, Ms Phillips said in a letter to the local council.

The last Tory government also rejected a similar request from Oldham council for a public inquiry, saying it is for local authorities to commission local inquiries.

Why are people calling for a review?

In response to Ms Phillips decision, Mr Musk, a key member of US President-elect Donald Trumps inner circle, said: She deserves to be in prison.

The businessman, who owns X, has used the social media site to post or repost about child grooming in the UK more than 40 times over the last 24 hours.

He appeared to blame Sir Keir for the scandal and argued that rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice during Sir Keirs time as director of public prosecutions.

Mr Musk said: In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Services approval for the police to charge suspects.

Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013.

open image in gallery Elon Musk (L) and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (R). (Evan Vucci AP, Leon Neal PA)

In a series of posts on his social media site, Mr Musk described the Prime Minister as two-tier Keir, claiming there was no justice for severe, violent crimes but prison for social media posts.

Mr Musk also shared a post asking whether King Charles should dissolve parliament and order a general election for the sake and security of Britain.

Senior Tories also sought to put pressure on the Government over grooming gangs.

Mrs Badenoch said: The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal. Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots.

2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice.

How has the government responded?

Home secretary Yvette Cooper has defended her decision to not launch a national inquiry into child sex abuse. Facing MPs in Commons, she announced that professionals who work with children will face criminal sanctions if they do not report child sexual abuse.

The home secretary said the measure was part the governments wider work around child sexual exploitation and abuse, criticising the Conservatives record on the issue.

Pressed if Mr Musks comments were unhelpful to the Government, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told ITV News that ministers took child sexual exploitation incredibly seriously.

He added: Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but were willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue. So if he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, wed welcome that.

open image in gallery Health Secretary Wes Streeting told ITV News that ministers took child sexual exploitation incredibly seriously. ( Rich McCarthy/PA Wire )

Andrew Gwynne, a minister working in Mr Streetings health team, had earlier taken a stronger stance, suggesting Mr Musk should to stick to US politics, where he is set to act as an unelected adviser to the Trump presidency on cutting federal spending.

Mr Gwynne told LBC: Elon Musk is an American citizen and perhaps ought to focus on issues on the other side of the Atlantic.

After listing the host of investigations which had taken place, the minister added: There comes a point where we dont need more inquiries, and had Elon Musk really paid attention to whats been going on in this country, he might have recognised that there have already been inquiries.

Will there be an inquiry?

A national inquiry by Professor Alexis Jay concluded in 2022, and probes into Greater Manchester Polices handling of historical child sex abuse cases in Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale have already been carried out.

The inquiry looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol.

In November last year, Professor Jay said she felt frustrated that none of the probes 20 recommendations had been implemented more than two years after its conclusion.

Mr Streeting said the Government was committed to implementing the recommendations of Professor Jays report in full.

The Health Secretary also told the PA news agency that ministers were supportive of an inquiry into the Oldham scandal, but signalled it had to be led locally.

There may well be, and we think there is a good case for further inquiries into specific places, Oldham being a good and latest example.

We would absolutely encourage and work with Oldham in establishing their own inquiries, he said.
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Prince William said he is shocked and saddened by the death of his former nannys stepson, Ed Pettifer, who was killed in a vehicle attack in New Orleans on New Years Day.

Mr Pettifer was killed by blunt force injuries when a pickup truck rammed into a crowd of new year revellers in Bourbon Street, Louisiana, killing at least 14 and injuring at least 35.

The Chelsea resident, who was named by the Metropolitan Police on Saturday morning, is believed to be the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harrys former nanny, Alexandra Pettifer, who was known as Tiggy.

The Prince of Wales said: Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer.

open image in gallery Edward Pettifer has been named by Metropolitan Police as one of the victims of the New Years Day attack in New Orleans ( Metropolitan Police/PA )

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.

It comes after King Charles was revealed by Buckingham Palace sources to be deeply saddened by Mr Pettifers death. The King has also been in touch with Mr Pettifers family.

The 31-year-olds family described him as a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend to so many.

The statement added: The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack.

open image in gallery Alexandra Pettifer, right, is the former nanny to William and Harry and believed to be Mr Pettifers stepmother ( PA Wire )

The New Orleans coroner said Mr Pettifers main cause of death was blunt force injuries. Family liaison officers from the Met Police are supporting Mr Pettifers family as his body is returned to the UK.

Mr Pettifer was the eldest son of former Coldstream Guards officer, Charles Pettifer, and Camilla Wyatt, the daughter of a racehorse breeder, according to The Telegraph.

His half-brother, Tom, was a page boy at William and Kates 2011 wedding, and is a godson to William.

Authorities believe the New Years Day attack was carried out by 42-year-old US-born army veteran, Shamsud-Din Jabbar.

open image in gallery An Islamic State flag lies on the ground rolled up behind the pickup truck that Shamsud-Din Jabbar allegedly drove into a crowd in New Orleans ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. An Isis flag, weapons and a potential improvised explosive device were found inside the pickup truck, the bureau added.

It is believed the suspect acted alone when he allegedly carried out the attack in the citys popular French Quarter at 3.15am. The Texan got out of the car and fired a gun before he was shot by police, authorities said.

One of the people killed remains unidentified, while the others all come from the US, with victims ranging from 18 to 63 years old.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has announced a foundation has been set up to assist the victims families, with the city taking every necessary step to put even more safety procedures in place, especially given the nature of the investigation.

US president Joe Biden said the attacker posted a video which suggested he was inspired by the so-called Islamic State group.

World leaders condemned the attack, including prime minister Keir Starmer, who said on Wednesday: The shockingly violent attack in New Orleans is horrific.

My thoughts are with the victims, their families, the emergency responders and the people of the United States at this tragic time.
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The RSPCA has warned householders that antifreeze and salt can be poisonous to pets  as snow and freezing temperatures are forecast to sweep the UK this weekend.

Amber severe weather warnings for ice and snow have been issued for parts of England and Wales amid a cold snap gripping the country.

Most of the Midlands, Wales, and parts of northern England will be covered by an amber warning for snow and ice from 6pm on Saturday until noon on Sunday.

Up to 30-40cm of snow is possible in parts of northern England on Sunday, the Met Office said.

Further south, and especially over Wales, rain could freeze, causing dangerous icy conditions, forecasters said.

UK Health Security Agency cold-weather health alerts for all of England remain in place for vulnerable people.

And the RSPCA issued advice for owners on how to keep their pets unharmed by the tumbling temperatures and the state of the ground.

The charity asks drivers to check their car regularly to ensure it is not leaking water coolant; keep antifreeze in labelled, robust, sealed containers, away from pets; clean up even small spills immediately and ensure animals cannot access the area until its clean.

Pets die every year from accidental poisonings from antifreeze spills and leaks, as well as from leaking water coolant from cars, but most of these deaths are avoidable, the RSPCA says.

Dogs that have walked in areas gritted with rock salt should have their paws thoroughly washed afterwards or it can act as an irritant or be ingested if the animal licks its paws.

Drivers are also asked to tap their car bonnet and check around the wheels and on top of the tyres before starting up, because cats may shelter there for warmth.

open image in gallery Coats help dogs stay warm ( Getty Images )

Cat owners are asked to ensure their pets bedding is warm and dry, away from cold draughts.

In the coldest months, your cat must have access to a warm environment, such as your home or another heated indoor area, the charity advises.

Elderly or sickly dogs will benefit from a special coat to keep them warm, and both dogs and owners should wear something reflective. A light on a dogs collar is a safety feature.

Dogs should be kept away from ponds and lakes that are iced over as thin ice may break under a dogs weight.

If its snowing outside, watch out for your dogs paws becoming compacted with snow, which is uncomfortable for them, the charity says.

Other advice includes insulating the outdoor sleeping areas of rabbits and guinea pigs, keeping enclosures facing away from wind and rain, and moving enclosures into an outhouse, shed or unused garage.

For fishponds with frozen surfaces, place a saucepan of hot water on it to gently melt a hole in the ice with the warmth. Dont break fishpond ice and never tip boiling water straight onto the pond either, as this can also harm or kill any fish living there.

Check horses and ponies hooves for abscesses and loose shoes, and legs, for any signs of mud fever.

They should have access to shelter and fresh water, and maybe a waterproof rug.
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An amber health alert for England has been extended to Tuesday as the cold snap is set to continue with temperatures falling to as low as -20C on Friday night.

The rare warning issued by the UK Health Security Agency means the cold weather is likely to impact the health service, potentially putting some people at risk.

It comes after the UK recorded its coldest night of this winter so far with the temperature falling to -14C in Altanharra, northern Scotland, according to the Met Office.

Friday night could see even lower temperatures in parts of Scotland and northern England, with temperatures between minus 15C and minus 20C possible.

The Met Office said: Amounts of snow are uncertain  probably small and confined to high ground, but there is a risk of icy surfaces in places. Much of the rest of the UK will have another dry and bright day but remaining very cold, with few freezing fog patches lasting all day.

Rain, sleet and some snow are set to move into the south west of England on Friday, leading to some icy stretches, a five-day forecast from the Met Office said. Hill snow, cloud and patchy rain will continue into the night.

Across the UK it will continue to be cold into the night, with temperatures falling to as low as -20C in northern England and Scotland. Light winds will lead to clear spells, allowing more frost and freezing fog into Saturday, when temperatures will see a maximum of between 1C and 5C.

The Met Office said the West could expect some hill snow and rain on Saturday, while the rest of the country will face cold sunny spells and light winds. Sunday will be milder, but will remain cold.

open image in gallery The temperatures across the UK on Saturday morning at 6am ( Met Office )

Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick said said: We probably dont really expect many places to get close to minus 20C, but we could see one or two places that could just touch that mark overnight Friday into Saturday.

Just because its, again, still conditions, its high pressure, not a lot of wind and under clear skies as well.

Especially where theres still snow on the ground across Scotland and northern England, thats sort of a perfect scenario to see those temperatures just plummet from Friday night into Saturday morning as well.

open image in gallery The temperatures across the UK on Saturday afternoon at 3pm ( Met Office )

Already, the cold spell has brought heavy snowfall to many parts of the country, as a number of flood alerts and warnings were issued in England to account for heavy rain or melting snow.

The Met Office issued five yellow weather warnings for snow and ice until Friday at 10am following days of wintry conditions across the country weather.

Many faced travel disruption from the severe weather with major roads closed and railway lines blocked amid flooding this week.

Manchester airports runways were closed early on Monday morning because of heavy snow but have since reopened.

Hundreds of schools across the country faced closure due to the adverse weather conditions, with nearly 200 schools closed in Bradford alone.

In England, the Environment Agency has 95 flood warnings in place, although in the last 24 hours, they removed 65 of them.

In the Commons, environment minister Emma Hardy told MPs flooding was a personal priority for her, adding that the Environment Agency was particularly concerned about Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire.
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Italys far-right prime minister has spoken out about her similarities with Sir Keir Starmer, saying the pair are in tune on the fight against mass illegal immigration.

Giorgia Meloni, known for her hardline views on immigration, sparked concern across Europe as her coalition government came to power in October 2022.

But after meeting the UK prime minister in September, it seems the pair have struck up good relations.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, she said relations between herself and Starmer were very well, adding: We are in tune on many issues. I am thinking, for example, of the management of migratory flows and the fight against mass illegal immigration, because it is a phenomenon that affects the entire European continent, even outside the EU borders.

Last year, Meloni backed a 556m deal to transport 3,000 people intercepted in Italian seas each month to Albania - but the plan has not been successful so far due to legal problems.

Starmer faced criticism in September after he said that the UK would send Italy 4m to support the Italian PMs immigration crackdown.

open image in gallery Meloni spoken of warm relations between her and the UK prime minister following their meeting in September. ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Meloni added: We agree with Starmer that we need to intensify the fight against traffickers, work on greater cooperation between our police forces, strengthen the commitment to assisted voluntary repatriations and not be afraid to explore innovative solutions, such as the one that Italy has started with the protocol with Albania to process asylum requests in non-EU territory, but under Italian and European jurisdiction.

In the same interview, Meloni detailed her friendship with owner of social media site X and fellow right-winger Elon Musk.

We are definitely two people who have a great relationship. Elon Musk is a brilliant man and it is always very interesting to talk to him, she said.

open image in gallery Meloni detailed her friendship with owner of social media site X and fellow right-winger Elon Musk. ( Getty Images )

Musk is a great personality of our time, an extraordinary innovator who always looks to the future. I find it natural to be able to talk to him. Of course, there are things on which our point of view is more similar, others that we see more distant, but this does not prevent comparison.

And, allow me, it makes you smile quite a bit when until yesterday those who exalted Musk as a genius and today instead paint him as a monster, only because he chose the side considered wrong of the barricade. I have never thought this way.

It comes as Musk launched an attack on Starmer and the Labour government after Labour rejected a call for a national inquiry into child grooming.

The tech billionaire triggered an explosive row on Thursday over Sir Keir Starmers handling of historic child abuse in Oldham after he suggested the prime minister had failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions.
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As the new year begins, the debate over Britains future continues, with rising concerns about the economy, public services, and political leadership.

As Keir Starmer navigates his role as Labour leader, discussions about taxation, EU relations and the state of the NHS persist, with many hoping for a change in the status quo for 2025.

When we asked what you wanted the Labour government to focus on this year, many hoped Starmer could spearhead a return to the EUs Single Market to stabilise the economy and rebuild international ties, while others highlighted the need to address pressing domestic issues, such as NHS reform, infrastructure investment, and immigration policies.

Some called for bold action on nationalisation and greater transparency in government spending. Meanwhile, others voiced frustrations over Labours approach to green policies, pensions, and public accountability.

Heres what you had to say about the way forward:

A comprehensive taxation and policy review

We need to see a properly thought-through review of taxation on business and individuals. This should treat all income from all sources the same, based on a scale starting at 0% for those earning the living wage and increasing by 10 per cent for each multiple of said income, with additional means-tested allowances for children and carers.

We need to review what we expect the Government to fund through services and benefits, and exactly what assets it should directly invest in. A review of policy should address aims, not actions, be legally enforceable, and drastically reduce civil servants failing to deliver services economically and on time.

On the economy: rejoin the Customs Union and Single Market, forget forging trade deals with faraway, cheap-labour, resource-rich nations, and establish a rational asylum and refugee system. Migration should be limited to essential workers.

Gaining some consensus and stability, with an end to trivial interventions restricting freedoms, does not seem to be on Sir Keirs agenda.

Topsham1

Tackling the nations crises

Be honest about the state of the country and its finances. I know its a tall order for politicians, but Brits respond well to national crises, and we have a few right now.

Fix the NHS. Fix the transport chaos; re-nationalise the profit-led rail industry. Bring utility companies back into public ownership as essential services. Scrap HS2 and invest in better-value infrastructure projects, especially schools. Reset the economic relationship with the EUand fast. Rebuild our armed forces for the coming Europe-wide conflict. Put competent people in charge of these objectives, not ministers seeking photo ops.

Stop with the nonsense about a lack of money. As an economy, we generate vast amounts of moneythe problem is transparency and accountability. Get tough and be tough. I know its Starmer, but we can hope, cant we?

captaintripps

The hope for Scottish independence

The only thing that could make this Labour government worthwhile is taking us back into the EU in a form that allows trade and freedom of travel. I do not recognise any positives from them, even if they replaced Starmer. They will not improve the English economy and are persecuting pensioners and disabled people.

Fortunately, I am Scottish and look forward to independence, hopefully in 2025. I hope there will be enough money left for reparations for our stolen wealth, which was squandered.

Smartgran

Back to basics

Ensure that everyone in the UK has sufficient food, clothing, and shelter, and that the NHS and education can deliver the services society requires. Institute public expenditure as a percentage of GDP. Tax everyone equally, with a basic rate of tax for all above a minimum income and no allowances. Those with excessive incomes can pay additional taxes after allowances.

Unused properties should be taken into local authority control for social use. Any utility company requiring state money should hand over capital assets in return.

That might be a start. Figures, of course, are up for debate.

WinstonSmith2

Labours failures and environmental impact

This Labour government is no different from any other Labour government in my long lifetime. They are incompetent in every way and make us worse off. They encourage legal and illegal immigration, which consumes scarce resources like housing and hospital beds.

They show no respect for our green fields and environment, which are being destroyed at an alarming rate. This will have a heavy cost on our health and well-being. I pity our children, who will inherit a failed country due to Labours mistakes. There will be no green and pleasant land left for them, as it will all be covered in bricks and tarmac to provide housing for immigrants.

Tafmac

Compensation for women denied state pensions

Compensation is owed to 1950s-born women denied their state pension for up to six years without notice. The Financial Ombudsman found maladministration and recommended compensation. 181 billion was raised by doing this  there is no excuse not to reimburse this cohort of women.

DJH58

Restore HS2 and fix communication

Restore HS2 in full. Build a much closer relationship with the EU, including a youth exchange scheme. Solve the challenges posed by water privatisation. Secure breakthroughs in the Covid corruption inquiry, leading to convictions.

Most importantly, communicate consistently about what the government is doing, why, and how it improves voters lives. Communication is a conspicuous weakness in this governmentaddress it urgently.

Carnabyswhiskers

Britains economic future is grim

Since the UK severed its connection with the worlds largest tariff-free single market, its economic future has become bleak. Without access to competitive markets, the outlook is a near-certain terminal decline.

Discussions about policies or investment plans are meaningless for a country that cannot fund its bills. This is not just my judgement, but that of international financial markets. British living standards are set to fall again this year, further proving the countrys non-economic viability.

Within months, the UK will have to seek IMF or international loans to support its economy, in my opinion. Honesty from the government about the true position would at least show some integrity.

Betrayed-Brit

Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity. You can read the full discussion in the comments section of the original article here.

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On December 29, 2024, former US president Jimmy Carter passed away, at the age of 100. Carter's contributions to US-China relations were significant. As the driving force behind establishing diplomatic ties between the two nations, he played a pivotal role in fostering cooperation and mutual understanding over the decades. Among all US presidents in the past 40 years, Carter stood out. His knowledge of China was not limited to policy briefings or secondhand reports; it was rooted in firsthand experiences.

Carter visited numerous places across China, including locations such as Shenzhen, the city that became the engine of China's economic reform, and Xi'an, one of the oldest cities in China. His extensive interactions with people from all walks of life in China were rare among Western leaders.

I still have some photos (reproductions) from Carter's visit to Xi'an in the summer of 1981, when he and his wife Rosalynn toured the city. During that trip, Carter made a point to visit Fenghuo village, a rural village near Xi'an. I visited the village's historical museum a few years ago, where several photos from Carter's visit are prominently displayed. During his time there, Carter observed the villagers' grain and oil storage and learned about their cotton farming practices. Although Fenghuo village was considered relatively advanced at the time, Carter's conversations with local farmers and his experience enjoying a meal in a farmer's home provided him with a direct understanding of rural life in China.

Some scholars believe that one of Carter's most significant legacies was turning Richard Nixon's initial "engagement policy" into a reality, allowing it to take root and flourish.

Another key legacy was his work through the Carter Center to help Americans better understand China. While many of the Center's projects were not directly related to bilateral relations, they contributed to fostering greater awareness of China among ordinary Americans.

In stark contrast, many of today's policymakers in Washington lack Carter's depth of understanding. While they may have received an excellent education in Western political systems and are well aware of the challenges facing America's global leadership, their knowledge of China is often superficial. Some have never visited China, let alone engaged with Chinese people from various backgrounds. Many rely solely on virtual tools or online sources to form their views of China. This contrasts sharply with Chinese officials' comprehensive understanding of the US. For a country like China, with its rich history and deep cultural traditions, it is impossible to fully grasp its complexities without firsthand experience.

I often wonder how Washington's decision-makers can be so confident in their views of China. It may be a sense of Western cultural superiority. Yet, Carter, a typical US leader nurtured by Western civilization and a deeply religious man whose faith earned him the American people's trust, approached China with humility and a desire to understand.

Today, Washington's policymakers seem intent on dismantling the foundation of Carter's policies. They are working to construct an image of China as a hostile adversary, even resorting to spreading misinformation to achieve this goal. This is the most concerning aspect of the future of US-China relations.

Carter's passing marks the end of an era, and US-China relations are now entering a period of profound change. Both sides have expressed the need to effectively manage the relationship to prevent it from escalating into open conflict. Achieving this will require enhanced communication and deeper mutual understanding, including engagement at all levels. Ultimately, much depends on whether Washington's current and future leaders are willing to follow Carter's example: to step into China, meet its people and engage with them directly. Only through such efforts can the two nations build a foundation for lasting peace and cooperation.
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Nigel Farage has distanced himself from Tommy Robinson after Elon Musk swung behind the jailed political activist, calling for his release.

The Reform UK leader said Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is not what we need, as his party seeks to challenge Labour in upcoming elections.

Mr Farage heaped praise on Mr Musk, who is reportedly mulling a multi-million-pound donation to the Reform party, calling him a hero figure, especially for the youth.

But ahead of his partys East Midlands conference in Leicester on Friday evening, he distanced his party from Robinson, who is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, which began in October.

Mr Musk wrote on his social media website X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: Free Tommy Robinson.

open image in gallery Nigel Farage heaped praise on Elon Musk but distanced himself from the Tesla tycoon over his support for Tommy Robinson ( PA Archive )

Asked about the tech billionaires post, Mr Farage told GB News: Hes attacking the leadership of Britain.

Turning to the UK governments handling of child grooming gangs, amid calls for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, the party leader continued: I mean, (Mr Musk is) saying Britain has been terribly badly led and that the grooming scandal, the mass rape scandal which has resurfaced and transcripts of what was said in court have been online  and I recommend you at home dont read them, you wont sleep at night.

And so, yes, he is attacking the leadership of Britain. Hes very supportive of me. Hes very supportive of the party.

He sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. But of course the truth is Tommy Robinsons in prison not for that, but for contempt of court.

open image in gallery Tommy Robinson is in jail for contempt of court ( PA )

On whether Reform UK would accept support from Robinson in the future, Mr Farage replied: Were a political party aiming to win the next general election. Hes not what we need.

Pollster Luke Tryl, UK director of the More in Common think tank, said embracing Mr Robinson would be anathema to electoral success because of his divisiveness. In August, just 11 per cent of British adults said they have a positive view of the far-right figure.

And Mr Farage has recognised this previously, saying in 2018 that he was appalled by his former party Ukip appointing him as an adviser.

The Clacton MP also said that Mr Musk, who backed Donald Trumps winning campaign in last years US presidential election, is helping us all right.

Mr Farage said: Its a mixture of things as to how he fought that ground campaign for the Republicans in the key states, seven key states, and that was the task that he picked up, so weve learned a lot from that.

He will help us enormously because hes a hero figure, especially for the youth who really do admire this man and if it comes to him helping us financially, thats fantastic.

He will help us enormously because hes a hero figure, especially for the youth who really do admire this man and if it comes to him helping us financially, thats fantastic Nigel Farage on Elon Musk

On calls for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, Mr Farage said he wanted a full public inquiry with the glare of publicity.

Home Office minister Jess Phillips previously denied requests from Oldham Council to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the borough.

In a letter to the authority in Greater Manchester, Ms Phillips said she believes it is for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene.

An Oldham Council spokesman previously said: Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge.
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Florida parents who shared meals together and dined out at restaurants were arrested this week after police found their five children desperately hungry alone in their family home without food, electricity or a working toilet, according to an arrest affidavit.

Sanel Canovic, 40, and Azra Nikocevic, 33, were arrested New Years Eve and each were charged with five counts of child neglect, according to Miami-Dade jail records. The children were taken into care.

Police arrived earlier in the day in the familys Miami Beach neighborhood following a report from a passer-by of an unaccompanied 6-year-old boy crossing a street alone. The kid didnt look very clean, the unidentifed witness told NBC6 in Florida . I think he was still wearing a school uniform even though school has been out for a couple of days. His clothes were oversized.

The boy took the officers to the family apartment where he and his four siblings ages 12 and under were staying alone while their parents were out.

The children told police they hadnt eaten in at least 12 hours and were hungry. The eldest, a girl, explained to the officers that they usually ate breakfast and lunch at school, but hadnt been in school for days because of the holidays. The girl said her mom sometimes left her $20 to buy food for the children. She reportedly told police she had no way to contact her parents.

Police recounted in the affidavit obtained by NBC6 that the toilet was filled with feces. The children reportedly told them they had to use rags or take showers after using the bathroom because there was no toilet paper and the room was mess.

The affidavit also reportedly noted: The parents would frequently share a meal in the evening without providing food for the children. They would often leave the children at home while they went out to dinner.

The children were fed at the police stationhouse while officers searched for their parents.

They were nowhere to be found, Miami Beach Police Department spokesman Christopher Bess told Law&Crime.

The parents were finally charged after police tracked them down, and they were released on their own recognizance.

open image in gallery Sanel Canovic, 40, and Azra Nikocevic, 33, were charged with child neglect after Miami Beach police said they found their five hungry children alone at home without food, electricity or a working toilet ( Miami-Dade Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation )

Nikocevic later admitted to CBS News Miami that the electricity was off at the family home for more than a month, and the toilet was clogged. But she vowed to fix everything.

She denied the children ever went to bed hungry, but she acknowledged that she sometimes deniend them fast food or restaurant food.

She told CBS that she was attempting to apply for food stamps due to her low wages at her hotel job, and admitted she had been focusing more on [her] job than the kids.

She added: Just take care of your kids and, you know, love them as much as you can.

Police spokespeson Christopher Bess called it a  heartbreaking case.

He added: If you see something like this, if you see a child who is not with his or her parent or an adult, please do not hesitate to call the police. The witness who reported the unaccompanied boy was at the right place at the right time and thankfully we were able to give the kids some food.
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Years after the curious case of Natalia Grace captivated the nation, a new series inspired by the bizarre story of the Ukrainian orphan with dwarfism accused of trying to kill her adoptive parents while masquerading as a child is set to air on Hulu.

Good American Family, which is set to premiere on March 19, will focus on disturbing stories surrounding a Midwestern couple who adopt a girl with a rare form of dwarfism, according to the shows description.

Natalia and her adoptive parents Michael and Kristine Barnett are not directly mentioned, but the series is inspired by multiple stories, perspectives, threats, interpretations, and accusations.

Like the Barnetts, the parents in the series, played by Grey's Anatomy actress Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass, raise the girl along with their biological children, but became suspicious of the girl, claiming that she was a lot older than they believed her to be, and that she posed a threat to their physical safety.

As they defend their family from the daughter they've grown to believe is a threat, she fights her own battle to confront her past and what her future holds, in a showdown that ultimately plays out in the tabloids and in the courtroom, according to Hulu, adding that the story is told form multiple points of view, as a means to explore issues of perspective, bias and trauma.

The case made national headlines in 2014 and has remained in the public eye over the years as the parents had Natalia's age legally changed and left her on her own in an apartment.

open image in gallery Natalia Grace has inspired a new series on Hulu ( Investigation Discovery )

Over the years, the case has been the focus of several TV shows, podcasts and documentaries, including Investigation Discovery's documentary series The Curious Case of Natalia Grace.

In the ID series, Natalia shared harrowing details of her childhood for the first time, which ended with her being welcomed into a new family, with parents Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans, a religious couple who later adopted her.

The Mans were supposed to be a happy ending for Natalia, who puts her own age at 21. But it turned out to be anything but, as seen in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter, which aired on Investigation Discovery and Max.

Amid the release of the series, Natalia also revealed last month in a rare interview with PEOPLE that shes living with her third American family, sharing new details about how she fled her last adopted familys control in the middle of the night.

Natalias childhood

For years, Natalia Grace was accused by her adoptive parents Michael and Kristine Barnett of masquerading as a child who they insisted was actually a murderous sociopath intent on killing their family.

The Ukrainian orphan was adopted in 2010 by the Barnetts who later petitioned a judge to change her legal age from eight to 22, after they cited chilling evidence that they alleged proved she was substantially older.

When Natalia, who has a rare genetic disorder called spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita, was adopted, the couple were told she was six years old at the time.

But the couple had doubts and later cited evidence that proved she was older than she was claiming to be.

When Kristine attempted to bathe their new daughter, she was shocked to discover pubic hair; it wasnt long before the adoptive mother discovered that Natalia had been hiding her menstrual cycle, she claimed.

When the Barnetts discovered that another girl with the same rare form of dwarfism was also living in Indiana, the parents arranged a visit so the two children could meet.

open image in gallery The Ukrainian orphan was adopted in 2010 but the couple claimed she was older than six ( Investigation Discovery )

Michael Barnett claims he was immediately taken aback by how much older Natalia seemed than the other girl  insisting that Natalia recognized it, too, and quickly tried to make herself seem younger.

Over the next several months, what started as a question of Natalias true age quickly spiraled into a vortex of allegations, with the Barnetts claiming their adopted daughter was really a homicidal adult.

Natalias adoptive mother Kristine, who could not be reached by IDs producers for the docuseries, told DailyMail.com in 2019 that her family were terrorized in the months after they adopted her.

She alleged Natalia threatened to stab the family in their sleep, pushed her towards an electric fence, and poured bleach in her coffee.

When she asked Natalia what she was doing, Natalia would respond, I am trying to poison you.

In the first season of the ID docuseries, Natalia pushes back against the allegations that she says are blatantly lifted from the 2009 thriller film Orphan.

I never tried to murder anybody, she said.

open image in gallery Her adoptive mother alleged Natalia threatened to stab the family in their sleep ( Investigation Discovery )

In 2019, the Barnetts were taken into custody on child neglect charges after they abandoned Natalia in a Lafayette, Indiana apartment, and moved to Canada.

Michael was acquitted of the charges in October 2022, while Kristine had her case dismissed in March 2023, just three weeks before her trial. The couple have been divorced since 2013.

Natalia shares her story for the first time

Natalias story has resulted in multiple documentaries  including IDs docuseries The Curious Case of Natalia Grace, which aired in 2023.

Then in 2024, she spoke out for the first time in IDs docuseries Natalia Speaks, in which she comes face-to-face with her adoptive father in an explosive reunion where she grills him about the countless questions shes had for years.

Natalia, who states that she lost her childhood also addresses some of the wild accusations thrown at her, including that she tried to kill her adoptive family.

Theyre not going to get away with this, Natalia says in the docuseries. This is my side of the story. Do I look like a monster to you?

open image in gallery In 2024, Natalia spoke out for the first time in IDs docuseries Natalia Speaks, in which she comes face-to-face with her adoptive father in an explosive reunion ( Investigation Discovery )

Natalia believes the Barnetts lies are confirmed when she finally gets medical confirmation about her age in the first episode.

The DNA testing done at TruDiagnostic, using just a sample of her blood to determine her chronological age, determined she was closer to 22 in age at this time, which they noted was pretty close to what you think, youre almost 20, thats within 2 years, according to Dr Halland Chen, who appeared on the doc.

Ive known the truth for as long as I can remember, that I was a kid, Natalia says, breaking down in tears after getting the results. I just want people to really see the truth about my age.

This is significantly younger than 34, which is the age according to her legally changed birthdate of 1989. That meant she was just four when she came to the United States from Ukraine and only eight years old when the Barnetts legally changed her age, and moved to Canada, leaving her behind in a Lafayette apartment alone.

This one little piece of paper throws every single lie the Barnetts have said right into the trash, with a match. This is so big, this has been 12 years of just two people, lying their butts off. They ruined a kids life, Natalia said after she was given the results.

Natalia Grace speaks out in chilling new docuseries

The sit-down was the first time Natalia and her adoptive father Michael Barnett had seen each other face-to-face outside of a courtroom in years

Why are we here, Michael? Natalia pointedly asks.

Why are we here? Michael responded. If youre talking philosophically...

No, I want to know  why did you adopt me in the first place? Natalia asks.

Michael claimed he was also a victim and that he was manipulated and mistreated by Kristine, who is now his ex-wife.

Many of these questions theres not going to be a single answer to, he explained.

This is not easy. I had the same monster you did. Kristine. I was exceptionally controlled and put down and threatened, was minimalized, anything that was who I was was ripped from me and I was guided and instructed to be exactly what she wanted me to be.

While the two appear to be trauma bonding over this, Natalia later states that she still believes Michael is guilty, because he stood by and did nothing.

If Kristine was his so-called monster, he could have fought her. I couldnt, she later says to the camera.

When she asks him if he knew about the alleged abuse, some of which he said he did know about, Michael became emotional and claimed he could not do anything because Kristine made threats that he would never see his sons again.

open image in gallery Natalia Grace breaks down while speaking on the ID series ( Investigation Discovery )

Natalia admitted in the docuseries that when she lived with the Barnetts, she would tell people she was 22  out of fear.

When Kristine told me to tell people I was 22, I did it because I was terrified, she explained, detailing horrific claims of repeatedly being hit with a belt and made to stand against a wall for hours, soiling herself. I didnt know what she would do.

Natalia also fired off questions to Michael and refuted his previous claims about her, including one that she held a knife in her hand as she loomed over his bed where he and his wife were sleeping.

I was never in yalls room with a knife, Natalia exclaims with her head in her hands.

I know what I saw, he responded.

Natalia has denied every allegation of murderous intentions and behavior leveled by the Barnetts.

They were supposed to take care of me. But all they did was hurt me.

Natalias escape

Natalia thought she found happiness with a new adoptive family  Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans, a couple who lived a strict religious lifestyle with their 10 children in Indiana, and later Tennessee.

The couple has advocated for Natalia and her disability, and in 2019, they went on Dr. Phil with Natalia and maintained that she never showed any signs of violence toward their family.

But it wasnt the happy ending Natalia had hoped for.

In the new docuseries, there are claims that the Mans exploited Natalia.

Several witnesses claim to have seen the Mans physically abusing Natalia by slapping her in the face and whipping her with a belt. When asked about the allegations by PEOPLE, Natalia would not confirm or deny the alleged incidents.

But Natalia did share with the outlet how she planned her escape from the family, whom she accused of controlling her and forbidding her from contacting outsiders.

Understanding the case of Natalia Grace

She enlisted her boyfriend and old friends Nicole and Vince DePaul, to create an escape plan. The DePauls tried to adopt Natalia in 2009 but were turned down, PEOPLE reported.

Natalia told the outlet that she was nervous about leaving her family and the sisters she had helped take care of, but knew it was the right decision.

Since Natalia left the Mans family, she has been living with the friends who helped her escape.

Nicole and her husband Vince are little people, like Natalia. The couple told PEOPLE that things were bumpy at first because the Mans were still involved, but have since smoothed out.

They were calling Natalia constantly and trying to wheel her back in, Nicole said. It was just this constant thing where we were walking a fine line of not doing too much. See, she just came from this house that basically was ruled by a dictator, so I didnt want to tell her what to do

Shes also never done one violent thing ever," Nicole added. Our dogs love her and they sleep with her. Im an animal lover. If I didnt trust her, I wouldnt leave my babies with her. Theyre also a judge of character, as well.

Natalia is learning how to drive and has been studying for her GED as she strives to be a teacher one day. She is still with her boyfriend and says its a blessing to be alive.

Learning everything that I have about how to live with my dwarfismits been a great experience, she said. I love it. I mean, of course, I still miss my siblings and everything. But I love it. I feel free.
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Matthew Livelsberger, the Green Beret who died in the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion, left behind a note describing the incident as a stunt to serve as a wake up call for the country.

Authorities are still combing through the veterans electronic devices as they piece together a motive behind the blast outside of the Trump International Hotel on New Years Day that left Livelsberger dead and injured seven others. Police have labeled the incident a suicide.

Two letters on his iPhone Notes app ahead of the explosion describe his personal and political grievances, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department revealed in a Friday press conference.

Fellow Servicemembers, Veterans, and all Americans, TIME TO WAKE UP! We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves, the first note read.

open image in gallery Matthew Livelsberger, the bomber who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has been identified as Army veteran Matthew Livelsberger. Police said he left behind notes calling the incident a stunt to serve as a wake up call for the country ( LinkedIn )

In an excerpt from the second letter, Livelsberger wrote: We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed toward collapse.

He continued: This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?

Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.

LVMPD Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren underscored that these insights were just excerpts from his letters and that he shares his thoughts on a variety of subjects, including political grievances, societal issues, and personal challenges. Police are planning on releasing the letter so the public can understand his mindset, Koren said.

The explosion happened just hours after a driver  identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar  plowed into a crowd in New Orleans, killing 14 and injuring dozens of others. Spencer Evans, special agent in charge of the FBIs Las Vegas division, clarified at Fridays press conference that there is no evidence that these two events are linked.

The only things that we have connecting them are incidental, what we believe to be coincidental similarties, Evans said, referring to how both vehicles involved were rented from the same service, both subjects were involved in the military, and both stayed at an Airbnb. He said there was no information to suggest Jabbar and Livelsberger knew one another.

open image in gallery A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel early Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. ( Alcides Antunes via AP )

The FBI has not established any connection between Livelsberger and any terrorist organization, Evans said.

After interviewing his family, friends and associates, the federal agency found that the 37-year-old held no animosity toward President-elect Donald Trump, Evans said. The investigation has revealed that he likely suffered from PTSD and was dealing with family issues. Although Evans didnt provide further details on the family matters, earlier Friday, a report claimed that Livelsbergers wife had left him just days before he detonated the vehicle after she told him that she had suspected he had been cheating.

The soldier is believed to have acted alone and there is no information to suggest otherwise, the Evans said. He wasnt previously on the FBIs radar and has no criminal history.

On Thursday, Evans said the motivation is unknown: Its not lost on us that its in front of the Trump building, that its a Tesla vehicle. But we dont have information at this point that definitively tells us or suggests it was because of this particular ideology or any of the reasoning behind it.

The firearms recoverd from the Tesla were lawfully purchased by Livelsberger at a gun store in Colorado, said Kenny Cooper, Assistant Special Agent for ATF in San Franciscos field division.

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. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org
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A pair of Department of Homeland Security agents have been accused of using a confidential informant to sell illegal drugs that had been seized as evidence.

DHS special agents Nicholas Kindle and David Cole, who worked in Utah, will both face charges stemming from the alleged narcotics trafficking scheme. Cole was arrested three weeks ago after he was indicted by a grand jury in December.

Kindle was arrested this week.

Federal prosecutors allege that both Kindle and Cole abused their authority and used their access to illicit drugs seized in evidence in their scheme under the false pretense that the drugs would be used as part of legitimate investigations.

Kindle and Cole allegedly began the scheme in 2021. Prosecutors claim the pair also stole thousands of dollars of cash, a diamond ring, and an antique from Peru from law enforcement evidence lockups.

Between 2022 and 2024, the agents allegedly sold drugs known as bath salts to Homeland Security Investigations confidential sources for thousands of dollars and allowed those sources to resell the drugs on the streets of Utah for a profit, according to prosecutors. The agents did not arrest the buyers who purchased the drugs.

Bath salts are illicit synthetic cathinones that produce a high and can be life-threatening.

The alleged operation brought in between $195,000 and $300,000, according to the FBI.

The FBI alleged that the special agents used an encrypted messaging app to direct their middlemen to meeting locations, including mundane spots like a Panera Bread and a Nike store.

The duo landed on the FBI's radar in October 2024 after a lawyer representing the criminal informant involved in the scheme contacted the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah to report that Kindle and Cole had forced him to engage in potentially unlawful acts, according to a Bureau affidavit.

Both Cole and Kindle face a felony drug distribution conspiracy charge, and Kindle will face an additional charge of conspiracy to convert property of the U.S. government for profit, according to CBS News.

A judge on Thursday set Kindles initial court appearance for January 21 in Salt Lake City. If convicted, the special agent will face a maximum of 25 years in prison.

Kindle was charged via an information document issued by the U.S. Attorneys Office, which does not require grand jury approval to launch a criminal trial.

Both agents have had their credentials suspended, but they had not been fired at the time of this report.

Cole has pleaded not guilty to his drug distribution charge. He will go to trial the week of February 24, and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if he is convicted.
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After Hamas launched the deadly assault on Israel that triggered retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza, FBI Director Christopher Wray said he feared the Middle East violence could embolden individuals or groups to carry out attacks inside the United States.

Months later, after extremists with the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate killed more than 140 people at a Russian concert hall, Wray sounded the alarm about the potential for a similar coordinated attack closer to home.

Following these months of warnings about a resurgent terrorism threat, an Army veteran inspired by IS slammed a pickup truck into crowds celebrating New Year's in New Orleans. But the culprit did not coordinate with international operatives, nor was he part of any broader plot. Instead, he embodied a longstanding concern that snapped into focus in the years after the Sept. 11 attacks and never evaporated: the threat from homegrown extremists who radicalize on their own before committing mass violence in the name of foreign groups.

I have never seen the threat landscape this worrying, not just from a counterterrorism perspective but from state-sponsored threats, said Christopher Costa, a former career intelligence officer and senior director for counterterrorism at the White House National Security Council in the first Trump administration.

He said the grab-bag of grievances that may have driven 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar to act  he had multiple divorces and financial pressures and noted in a video posted before the rampage that he thought of killing his family  was consistent with the profile of other attackers. And it coincided with a climate of global instability that has given extra incentive to troubled people prone to violence, from the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks that launched the war in Gaza to the dramatic overthrow last month of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

You pick the grievance, and then youll find the ideology to act on it, Costa said. Now it includes Oct. 7, it includes IS  and why IS is so important right now is because it is resurging as a result of what IS could perceive as a victory in Syria.

The New Orleans attack that killed 14 is thought to be the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil since a 2016 massacre of 49 people inside a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by a gunman who professed allegiance to the group's then-leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. That shooting occurred at a time when the FBI was racing to disrupt a surge in plots by lone wolves" who were drawn to act by Islamic State propaganda or even to travel to the group's so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq.

The threat never abated, as evidenced by the FBI's October arrest of an Afghan man in Oklahoma who authorities say was inspired by the Islamic State group to plot an Election Day attack.

But more brazen and coordinated efforts originating from overseas have drawn greater public attention recently, such as Iranian assassination plots targeting public officials, including President-elect Donald Trump. Add to the mix the turmoil in the Middle East, which has prompted demonstrations in the U.S., the 2021 collapse of the Afghan government that gave rise to Taliban leadership, and concerns about those with Islamic State ties entering the U.S. through the southern border.

The swirl of concerns led Wray to tell The Associated Press in August that he was hard-pressed to think of a time in my career where so many different kinds of threats are all elevated at once.

That such a deadly assault in New Orleans was carried out by a lone actor without any direction from overseas underscores the volatile and unpredictable nature of the terrorism threat as well as the challenges in stopping violence from such individuals.

Its a very, very difficult law enforcement challenge, much more difficult than dealing with someone who may have had active communications with overseas actors, for example, or having a distinct online profile in which they were consuming and participating in extremist activity in the online space," said Nicholas Rasmussen, the counterterrorism coordinator for the Department of Homeland Security.

If you dont have that, he added, "then you are very much reliant on that bystander phenomenon.

There's no indication that Jabbar, who was fatally shot in a firefight with police, was ever on law enforcement's radar prior to the attack. FBI investigators, however, have turned up significant signs of planning, including suspected bomb-making materials in his short-term New Orleans rental property and his Houston home, the FBI said in a statement Friday.

Though officials say he wasn't aided by conspirators, Jabbar's method  ramming a truck into bystanders  is a favored option for Islamic State followers, and a pro-IS media unit on Dec. 30 encouraged attacks at New Year's Eve celebrations in the U.S. and other countries, according to an intelligence bulletin from the FBI and DHS seen by The Associated Press.

The terrorism threat is set to be inherited in just over two weeks by Trump and an FBI that's bracing for a dramatic leadership change with the nomination of Kash Patel. Patel has long been skeptical of the FBI's use of its national security powers and has spoken of breaking off the bureau's intel shops from the rest of its crime-fighting activities. It's unclear how the New Orleans attack might affect any plans he has if confirmed to the post.

There's no question that the turmoil in Syria  and what it could mean for the Islamic State group's ability to reconstitute and inspire supporters in the West  is a major national security wild card.

Assads ouster and the arrival of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, as Syrias main power broker have been met with degrees of relief but also alarm. Apart from HTS past affiliation with al-Qaida, the collapse of Assads military has raised fears of a power vacuum that many believe IS will seek to exploit.

Assads departure also has opened a window for Turkey to expand operations against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria that it believes are terrorists. The Syrian Defense Forces have been key U.S. allies in the fight against IS and operate detention camps for thousands of captured foreign fighters.

U.S. and European officials are concerned that intensified Turkish attacks against the SDF may contribute to a potential IS resurgence.

None of that conflict made a New Year's Day attack on U.S. soil by someone claiming inspiration from IS easily predictable, especially since such violence is far rarer than in the Middle East or Europe, said Natana DeLong-Bas, a professor of theology and Islamic Studies at Boston College.

Even so, she noted, any idiot can rent a vehicle.

The means that he used were very simple and straightforward and accessible to anyone, she said.

____

Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana and Matthew Lee in Washington and Jim Mustian in Black Mountain, North Carolina, contributed to this report.
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National security adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to India for a visit focusing on cooperation on strategic technology, including in defense, space and artificial intelligence.

The Biden administration said Sullivan's visit on Sunday and Monday will include a speech at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi in which he will stress that the outgoing administration sees the U.S. partnership with India as central to its regional and global priorities, and one with support from both major political parties. It's expected to be the last high-profile visit to India by the Biden administration.

Sullivan is expected to meet with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

India and the U.S. launched a technology initiative in 2022 outlining collaboration on semiconductor production and developing artificial intelligence. The accord was critical in sealing a deal to allow U.S.-based General Electric to partner with Indias Hindustan Aeronautics to produce jet engines in India.

India and the U.S. have grown closer recently, in part in response to Chinas growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Biden threw Prime Minister Narendra Modi a state dinner last year.

But ties have also been strained by U.S. prosecutors' accusation in 2023 that an official in Modi's government was involved in a foiled assassination plot against an activist of India's Sikh minority in New York, and the killing of another Sikh activist in Canada.
 Close Heartbreaking comparison of New Orleans before and after terror attack

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The terror suspect in the New Orleans rampage that killed 14 people and injured dozens reportedly used materials to make explosives that have never been used in a U.S. attack.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas, used an extremely rare explosive compound that had never been seen before in any incidents in the U.S. or Europe, NBC News reported.

Jabbar planned to detonate two explosives that he had placed on Bourbon Street, FBI and ATF officials said in a joint statement Friday. He intended to use a transmitter, which was found in his vehicle, to ignite the bombs but ultimately did not.

Its not immediately clear how or where he learned to make such an explosive. Its yet another question for the FBI, which is also reportedly looking into Jabbars travel, including a trip to Egypt.

The federal agency was also trying to determine whether he became radicalized during his trip, ABC News reported.

Authorities recovered an ISIS flag from inside his vehicle.

This next most important phase of the investigation is to find out how that radicalization happened and if it happened on that trip, Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams told the network.
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President-elect Donald Trump is not someone who plays down expectations, whether about himself or the United States. And he raises the expectations of others accordingly. His re-entry onto the world stage after his victory in last years election prompted urgent shifts in international dynamics on the part of national leaders around the world, simply in anticipation. From midday on Monday, Mr Trumps power is real. With it comes promise  and peril.

Four years ago, the inauguration of Joe Biden as US president was greeted, especially in Europe, as heralding a welcome return to normality. By which was meant a re-emphasis on Atlanticism abroad, a respect for the constitution at home, and, above all, a steady, predictable hand on the global tiller. That is not quite how it turned out. From the chaotic end to the US-led intervention in Afghanistan to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the new hostilities in the Middle East, Bidens four years encompassed as much, if not more, destructive disruption as any recent US presidents term.

That needs to be borne in mind as Mr Trump enters the White House again. Stuff happens. But Mr Trump is different  and not just from his predecessor  in both the scope of his personal ambition and how he believes he can use American power, but also in the extent to which his personality dictates the terms and draws the limelight  for better and worse.

Early proof of the promise his presidency could bring were the joyous scenes that followed the agreement between Israel and Hamas; the celebrations on the streets of Tel Aviv, the festivities even amid the devastation of Gaza, and the rapturous reception, on both sides, for the released captives. The Biden and Trump teams may dispute where the credit lies for this lamentably overdue ceasefire, but Mr Trumps imminent inauguration and the pressure exerted by his envoy on the hitherto immovable Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu are surely part of the explanation.

It must be hoped that President Trump  we must become used to hearing that combination again  can follow through, not only to pre-empt any backsliding by either signatory to this agreement but to ensure that the next stages are honoured, bringing the release of all Hamas hostages, and the possibility of rebuilding in a peace that increasingly embraces the whole region. This will not be easy; Syria, Iran and maybe Turkey are, or could all be, in the throes of change.

Mr Trumps other foreign policy projects, as so far outlined, present at least as much peril as promise. He has undertaken to end the war in Ukraine, but he must do so without placing Ukraines future at still greater risk or appearing to acquiesce in the change of national borders by military force. Unpredictability and risk-taking here could have lethal consequences.

European members of Nato have been making some efforts to prepare for a time when they might have to take more responsibility for Europes security, but there is a long way still to go. Trump 1.0 raised concerns  in the end unwarranted  that the US could forsake Europe. There is less alarm over Trump 2.0 but no room for complacency, either.

Mr Trump has a keen sense of where power lies, abroad as at home. He has US relations with China in his sights as a priority  hence the invitation to President Xi Jinping to his inauguration. Mr Xi himself is not going but he is sending a deputy; the honour, in other words, was recognised, not spurned. Will Mr Trump suspend, or soften, the ban on the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, if only as a gesture? Is that the right thing to do?

Will Mr Trump start a wider trade war with his threat to impose tariffs, or is the threat more by way of a signal from this arch-realist and disruptor that the rest of the world must strike new bargains to protect what he sees as the US national interest? Europe, in particular, must be as much on its guard as it was eight years ago, so as not to be wrong-footed by a US president whose exclusive concern, to a greater extent than many recent predecessors, is the security and prosperity of the United States. This is also how his striking talk about Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal might be taken, as a 21st-century Monroe Doctrine, which sees the US in hemisphere, rather than global, terms.

There have been mixed signals about how far Mr Trumps British  in fact, Scottish  connection could translate into closer, or less close, relations with the UK. With gaps already evident over policy towards Ukraine and the Middle East, not to mention the Chagos Islands, this is already looking to be a delicate relationship, even as it has become more crucial for the UK after Brexit. If, however, as The Independent has reported, the new US administration could decide to reject Sir Keir Starmers nominee for ambassador, that could not but sour relations, while underlining the disparity in power. Lord Mandelson has his flaws but an ambassador with the ear of the prime minister and expertise in trade matters can be an asset for both sides.

President Trump is nothing if not his own man, and a respecter of power  his own and that of others. The UKs position vis-a-vis the United States under such a president would be stronger, the more it can make common cause with the EU and the European members of Nato. A strong and united voice in Washington from across the Atlantic would be one way, probably the best way, to make the most of Mr Trumps promise, while reducing the peril.
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Former president Jimmy Carters six-day funeral schedule began Saturday morning as former and current Secret Service agents assigned to his detail carried his casket into a hearse and his family honored him in Atlanta.

Carters six-day funeral procession began early Saturday at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. Secret Service agents carried his flag-covered casket into a hearse as members of Carters family, dressed in black, watched on.

open image in gallery Former and current Secret Service agents assigned to President Jimmy Carters detail move his remains into a hearse on Saturday morning ( AP )

open image in gallery Carters family watches as former and current Secret Service agents assigned to his detail carry his casket into a hearse ( Getty Images )

From there, the procession passed through his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Dozens gathered along the towns main road to mourn the former president. Many mourners saluted his hearse as it passed by.

One person held signs that read, President Carter, a man of honor, and Thank you, President Carter!

open image in gallery A mourner holds signs that read, President Carter, a man of honor, and Thank you President Carter, as the 39th presidents hearse drives through his hometown of Plains, Georgia ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images )

Keaymonda Hollis was one of those present to watch Carter pass by. Her grandfather knew Carter well.

Growing up here, everyone looked out for each other, Hollis told the Montgomery Advertiser. Its so amazing to me that a person from a small town community can make such an impact on the world. A lot of people really dont know that he did all these (humanitarian) things. Small town people can make an impact wherever they go.

open image in gallery A mourner salutes Carters hearse as it drives through Plains, Georgia ( AP )

The procession then stopped by Carters childhood home, known as The Boyhood Home and Farm and maintained by the National Park Service.

There, the National Park Service saluted the 39th president and rang the historic farm bell 39 times.

After a four-hour journey, Carters procession arrived in Atlanta. The motorcade stopped in front of the State Capitol before proceeding to the Carter Presidential Center for a private memorial service.

open image in gallery Mourners and Carters family members watch as his casket arrives at the State Capitol ( AFP via Getty Images )

Well have many chances this week to pay tribute to my grandfather, but it was important for all of us that we stop here, the former presidents grandson Jason Carter said of the Center during the service.

These buildings, as you all know, are filled with his life, not just because this is a museum to his life, and not just because theres a collection here of his beloved paintings, but his spirit fills this place, and the real reason that this spirit fills this place is because of the people who are standing here, the people in this room from the library and the museum and the Carter Center itself.

Carters son, James Chip Carter, also spoke in his fathers honor, telling a story of how the 39th president helped him pass a Latin exam during his school years.

open image in gallery James Chip Carter speaks at his fathers private memorial at the Carter Presidential Center ( AP )

[My father] came into my room and said, we were on Christmas vacation, he said, You have your Latin book?...When he came home that night, we spent an hour and a half, him teaching me Latin that he had learned from my book that day, James said.

He did that every day of Christmas vacation, and the first day of the school year after Christmas, I went to my teacher and asked her if shed let me take the final over again that shed given us, the midterm test, he continued. And she said yes. So after school that day, I took that test, and I made 100.

I owed it to my father who spent that kind of time with me.

After the memorial service, the former president is set to lie in repose at the center until Tuesday morning. From there, his procession will travel to Washington, DC, where he will lie in state before his national funeral service at the National Cathedral on Tuesday.

Carter, a Democrat who served as president from 1977 to 1981, died aged 100 on December 29.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed a bill into law that could charge the public for footage fromlaw enforcement officals, including body cameras.

A provision in a 450-page omnibus bill stated that law enforcement would be allowed to charge individuals the estimated cost of processing footage from jail and police for access.

Payment could be required before the footage is released, according to WEWS. Governments will be allowed to charge as much as $75 an hour or for a maximum total of $750 per request.

Footage from dash and body cameras and surveillance footage from jails are public records in Ohio, and legal experts say warned that the legislation may affect the publics access to these kinds of footage.

The policy wasnt publically available and didnt have a hearing before it was added to the legislation, WEWS reported.

During a press conference last month, DeWine said, These requests certainly should be honored, and we want them to be honored. We want them to be honored in a swift way thats very, very important.

We also, though  if you have, for example, a small police department  and they get a request like that, that could take one person a significant period of time, he added.

Ohio governor Mike DeWine is seen onstage at the Fiserv Forum during preparations for the Republican National Convention (RNC) on July 14, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has signed a bill that will see the public charged for police footage ( Getty Images )

DeWine told WEWS that the proliferation of body cameras creates a lot more film and a lot more video.

Its not a question of whether you get it. Its not a question of how fast you get it. Its simply a questionas a matter of public policy, are we going to require some reimbursement for that? he asked.

DeWine said in a press release about the bill signings that he strongly supports the rights of the public and the press to have access to public information.

The language in House Bill 315 doesnt change that right, he claimed.

He added that hes sensitive to the fact that this changing technology has affected law enforcement by oftentimes creating unfunded burdens on these agencies, especially when it comes to the often time-consuming and labor-intensive work it takes to provide them as public records.

DeWine argued that law enforcement shouldnt have to divert officers from the field and move them to administrative tasks like lengthy video redaction reviews for which agencies receive no compensation.

He went on to note that some of the requests come from private companies looking to make money off the footage.

The language in House Bill 315 is a workable compromise to balance the modern realities of preparing these public records and the cost it takes to prepare them, he added, before noting that the fee is optional at the discretion of the agency.
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After a whipsaw couple of hours, Mike Johnson remained speaker of the House of Representatives with the help of some pressure from President-elect Donald Trump. The move shows that the mild-mannered Louisianan is a far more deft politician than his predecessor Kevin McCarthy, who had to go fifteen rounds before he became speaker two years ago.

But Johnsons speech afterward did not set the tone, nor did the speech of House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain.

Rather, it came when House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar nominated Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and called Democrats the governing majority.

On the surface, it might sound daft to hear with Democrats failing to flip the House. Republicans also gained four Senate seats, securing them the majority, giving Trump his trifecta. Trump also won the popular vote, which he didnt do in 2016, meaning he does have a mandate, though not as large as he may like to claim.

But just last month, Democrats bailed out Johnson and other Republicans when a handful of Republicans opposed a stopgap spending bill after Elon Musk and Trump tanked the bill.

It seems to be that that's the MO for this Congress, just like we saw with the speaker vote, a small group of extreme Republicans holding up Congress for the American people, Aguilar told The Independent.

This pattern repeated itself throughout the last two years of Joe Bidens presidency. And it will likely have to repeat itself throughout the next few years when it comes to government spending fights and legislation to raise the debt ceiling, given conservative opposition.

Jeffries laid out how he was willing to work with Republicans in his acceptance speech.

The American people need us as their elected representatives in this season to put down our partisan swords and pick up bipartisan plowshares, he said.

He laid out that they are going to have to come to the table if they actually want to govern, and he focused on governments, that's who Democrats are, Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas told The Independent.

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, who in the past has had a good working relationship with Republicans as the top Democrat on the China committee, said Johnson will have no choice based on todays results.

They had to basically flip two votes with last-minute deals in order to elect their speaker, he told The Independent. It just goes to show how slim the margin is and how much they're gonna have to rely on Democrats to actually govern.

To be certain, Republicans will still have plenty of power. Republicans took control of the Senate on Friday, all but guaranteeing that Senate Majority Leader John Thune will turn the upper chamber into Trumps personal judicial confirmation factory as Mitch McConnell did during his first presidency.

Republicans will also be able to sidestep a filibuster to pass much of their legislative agenda using the process of budget reconciliation, which allows legislation to pass with only 51 votes as long as it remains germane to the budget. Johnson and Thune will also determine which bills make it to the floor.

But by conservatives continuously rebuffing any legislative package that Johnson proposes, no matter how conservative, he will need to lean on Democrats. Ironically, this means that Republicans will not get the type of steep cuts that conservatives desire because they are never going to be enough.

This means that Johnson might need to rely on Democrats with good relationships with Republicans. Democrat Jared Moskowitz chatted with his fellow Floridian Anna Paulina Luna, who called Johnson MAGA Mike when she voted for him.

For Moskowitz, its about simple math

It's not about leverage, he said. At the end of the day, it's a divided Congress. If they want to pass things, they got to work together.

During the vote, Moskowitz tried to have his son cast his vote for Jeffries, but it didnt count. Dealing with House Republicans might be slightly harder than wrangling youth around the Capitol complex.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook plans to donate $1 million to President-elect Trumps inaugural committee, according to a report.

Cooks contribution, first reported by Axios, marks the latest deluge of cash from billionaires into Trumps inauguration January 20.

Just weeks before the reported donation, Cook dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

Cook frequently met with Trump during his first term  and managed to build a personal relationship with Trump by calling and getting meals with the then-president, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Apple CEOs donation is part of a trend of wealthy business leaders and tech companies contributing to Trumps second inaugural fund.

Citadel CEO Ken Griffin also intends to donate $1 million, according to Bloomberg.

Amazon, founded by Jeff Bezos, is expected to donate $1 million, the Journal reported. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is expected to make a personal donation of $1 million ,while Meta, run by billionaire CEO Mark Zuckerberg, donated the same amount to the inaugural fund, according to CNBC.

Car companies Toyota, Ford, and General Motors are also each reportedly donating $1 million to the fund.

The inaugural committee is projected to raise more than $150 million, breaking the previous fundraising record of $107 million inauguration, which was set at Trumps first inauguration in 2017, ABC News reported.

There is an absolute deluge of interest, a Republican fundraiser told the outlet.

Trump, who according to Forbes boasts a net worth of roughly $6 billion, has surrounded himself with fellow billionaires as he is set to take office for a second time. Trump tapped Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, to co-head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. The pair have become close in recent months  literally as Trumps so-called first buddy has been staying at a cottage just several hundred feet from the main house of Mar-a-Lago for $2,000 per night.

In addition to Musk, Trumps second White House will include biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, investment banker Howard Lutnick, wrestling magnate Linda McMahon and venture capitalist and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, all of whom are billionaires.

Their combined wealth exceeds $340 billion  larger than the gross domestic product of more than 11 dozen countries, according to The Independents analysis in November.

Since his re-election victory, Trump has met with a handful of billionaires in recent weeks at Mar-a-Lago, including Bezos and Zuckerberg. EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND!!! Trump boasted on Truth Social after dining with Bezos in mid-December.

Last week, he appeared to be courting yet another: Bill Gates. In a bizarre Truth Social post that resembled a personal message to Musk, Trump suggested that the Microsoft co-founder had asked to visit his Palm Beach estate.

Where are you? When are you coming to the Center of the Universe, Mar-a-Lago, Trump posted. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Years Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! Trump wrote. He signed it DJT.
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Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, who the United States recognized as the winner of last year's presidential election, kicked off an international tour on Saturday that will take him to Washington just days before President Nicolas Maduro is set to be sworn in for a third term in defiance of international pressure.

A crowd of a few hundred Venezuelan migrants broke into shouts of Edmundo, Presidente as Gonzalez emerged from a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei to wave to supporters from the balcony of the iconic Casa Rosada, or Pink House, in Buenos Aires.

We are doing whatever the cause of freedom requires, Milei, an effusive far-right supporter of the Venezuelan opposition, said as he welcomed Gonzalez to the presidential palace with honors normally reserved for a head of state.

Gonzalez, a retired diplomat, fled into exile in Spain in September after a judge issued an arrest warrant following the July 28 presidential election, in which Maduro was declared the winner by the National Electoral Council, which is stacked with governing party loyalists.

In recent weeks, he has been vowing to travel to Venezuela to be sworn in for the presidential term, which according to law must begin on Jan. 10. But he hasn't said how he plans to return or wrest power from Maduro, whose party controls all institutions and the military.

By whatever means necessary, Im going to be there on Jan. 10, Gonzalez said.

On Thursday, Maduros government raised the stakes even further, announcing a $100,000 reward for information on Gonzalezs whereabouts and plastering the wanted-like bulletin with the retired diplomat's photo on social media and the arrivals board at the country's main airport.

Gonzalez at a press conference said that he would travel Saturday night to the U.S., where he hopes to speak with President Joe Biden, following a brief stop in Uruguay for a meeting with President Luis Lacalle Pou. He also plans to visit Panama and the Dominican Republic as part of the impromptu regional tour.

Gonzalez, who twice served as Venezuela's ambassador to Argentina more than two decades ago, used his visit to highlight the plight of hundreds of Venezuelans who remain imprisoned as part of a post-election crackdown by Maduro.

During his meeting with Milei, the two discussed the well being of five Maduro opponents who have been sheltering in the Argentine ambassadors residence in Caracas for nearly 10 months. Maduro's government broke relations with Argentina and expelled its diplomats after Milei and other regional leaders refused to recognize Maduro's reelection.

But it has denied the activists holed up in the diplomatic compound safe passage so they can take up exile in Argentina. As part of the diplomatic standoff, Maduro's government last month also arrested an Argentine national guardsman as he was entering the country, accusing him of terrorism. Argentina said the officer, Nahuel Gallo, traveled to Venezuela to visit his wife and her family, who are from Venezuela.

An estimated 220,000 Venezuelans are believed to reside in Argentina  part of an exodus of more than 7 million who have fled political turmoil, economic chaos and political repression by Maduro since 2014.

Janet Avila, a 51-year old school teacher who left Venezuela two years ago, was among those gathered outside the presidential palace to greet Gonzalez.

I'm very grateful to the Argentines, they've been beautiful to me, but I want to go home, to be with my family, she said.

The Biden administration and most European governments have rejected the election's official results, pointing out that authorities didn't provide detailed results as they have in past elections. Meanwhile, copies of tally sheets collected by the opposition from 85% of the nations electronic voting machines show that Gonzalez prevailed by a more than two-to-one margin.

Gonzalez, 75, was a previously unknown career diplomat when he was thrust into rallying the anti-Maduro coalition as a last-minute stand-in for opposition stalwart Maria Corina Machado, whom the government banned from running for office.
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By the time February 2025 arrives, marking three years since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the situation on the front line could look very different.

Currently, Russian forces are advancing in the east, slowly but surely, and they are shrinking Ukraines partial hold of the border region of Kursk.

That the Russians havent been more successful is a testament, above all else, to the resilience of Ukraines troops on the ground, many of whom have been fighting continuously for years. Dysfunction in the Russian military, with Mr Putin as its de facto commander-in-chief, is another.

But US president Joe Biden has sent the final military package of his tenure to Ukraine, ending the support (for now) of Kyivs most heavily-armed ally. US president-elect Donald Trump will soon re-enter the White House on the promise of ending the fighting altogether, even if that potentially means rewarding Mr Putin for his illegal land grab.

Each inch of territory lost or gained could prove vital in future negotiations. Below, we look at the current flashpoints of the roughly 640-mile front line.

Kursk

Ukraine captured a chunk of the Russian border region of Kursk after a daring cross-border attack in August. They have held onto some of that territory ever since, though advancing Russian forces are shrinking the Ukrainian-held zone.

Senior Ukrainian official Mykhailo Podolyak revealed to The Independent a week after the attack that the assault was a military tool of coercion to force Russia into the negotiation process.

Kyiv will hope that what remains of their captured territory in Kursk when Mr Trump returns will prove vital in possible negotiations.

Russian forces have recently shifted more towards infantry-led assaults in the area, having tended towards mechanised, vehicle-heavy attacks in their initial attempts to reduce the Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Casualties are high. Bolstered by between 10,000 and 12,000 North Korean troops, however, they have continued to squeeze Ukraines perimeter. North Koreas forces, for their part, have already suffered upwards of 1,000 casualties, according to Ukraine, the US and South Korea.

Russia has advanced into the northwestern side of Ukraines assault as well as to the southeast of Sudzha, the main city held by Kyivs troops in Kursk, located on the other side of the attack.

open image in gallery Medics provide care at a first aid post in Kupyansk ( Getty )

Kupyansk

Russian forces are conducting attacks to the north of the city of Kupyansk in the northeast Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, but they have gone months without a major breakthrough.

Recently, according to the Centre for Defence Strategies (CDS), a Ukrainian security think tank, the Russians were also forced to retreat from the northeastern outskirts of Kupyansk to fortified positions around the nearby village of Petropavlivka.

In a swelling offensive to the south, though, they have captured several villages, the most significant of which is Lozova, made up of around 15 homes. It fell two weeks after the Russians surrounded it on three sides.

Chasiv Yar

Ukraine and Russia have been fighting in the streets of Chasiv Yar, a city in the Donetsk region, since July, when Kyivs troops withdrew from the eastern Kanal neighbourhood, establishing the waterway there as the new front line.

Despite fears, at the time, that this could lead to the fall of the strategically valuable Chasiv Yar, which sits on high ground, Russian forces have yet to stage a significant breakthrough.

Viktor Trehubov, a spokesperson for Ukrainian forces fighting in that area, said on 30 December that Russian forces are attempting to attack the Refractory Plant in central Chasiv Yar, a key Ukrainian defensive position in the settlement. He added, however, that Ukrainian forces continue to control the facility.

open image in gallery Members of Ukraines Khyzhak Brigade prepare to fire a mortar at Russian troops on a front line near Toretsk ( Reuters )

Toretsk

The Russians are pushing through the centre of Toretsk, another city in Donetsk, but have been held by Ukrainian forces for months, some of whom have been defending that area for years.

Mr Trehubov stated on 29 December that street fighting continues within Toretsk.

He added that lightly armoured Russian forces have been spotted picking up anti-tank mines and then throwing them at buildings in the Toretsk direction.

Pokrovsk

This appears to be the ultimate objective of the Russian forces advancing in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region. Sitting on logistical routes connecting the rest of the region, Pokrovsk is a linchpin of Donetsks defence.

Since the Russian capture of the city of Avdiivka in February, Moscows troops have advanced around 30 miles to the outskirts of Pokrovsk, seizing around 400 square miles of the region in the process. That advance looks like a swollen bulge protruding from the front line.

Their success in the direction of Pokrovsk is clear as the Russian forces push towards the western outskirts of the city. Like in Kursk, they appear to have shifted towards small, infantry-led assaults after months of costly mechanised attacks. Ukraine estimates Russian vehicle losses in that area alone to be upwards of 2,000 in recent months, which includes tanks and armoured personnel carriers.

The situation of Ukrainian Defense Forces continues to deteriorate, writes CDS. The enemy is gradually expanding its penetration south of Pokrovsk.

open image in gallery Ukrainian soldiers of Skala Battalion load anti-tank mines into an armoured vehicle near Pokrovsk ( AP )

Senior Ukrainian officers have blamed the disastrous defence of the Pokrovsk area partially on poor management and communication between generals and those fighting on the ground.

Kyiv hopes to fix this issue in 2025, having appointed a new land forces commander.

In his latest update, Ukraines military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi described the fighting in Pokrovsk as the hottest of the roughly 640-mile front line. Russia is suffering high casualties, he added, as it carries out continuous meaty assaults.

Kurakhove

Roughly 15 miles southwest of Pokrovsk lies Kurakhove. It sits in the bottom left-hand corner of Russias bulging attack towards Pokrovsk.

Russian forces have had success in this area, pushing along the northern outskirts of Kurakhove along the Vovcha reservoir. They have reached the outskirts of the village of Shevchenko beyond the reservoir and behind Kurakhove, according to DeepState, a Ukrainian war tracker with close ties to the military.

Some of Ukraines troops, meanwhile, have retreated several miles back from Kurakhove, around Shevchenko, to defend the advancing Russian forces. Fighting within Kurakhove, however, is ongoing.

Velyka Novosilka

After the capture of the town of Vuhledar in October, Russian forces have advanced around 18 miles towards Velyka Novosilka, a town that sits near the Donetsk border with the Zaporizhzhia region.

The town has served as a key assembly area for both offensive and defensive operations in the area, says Frontelligence Insight, a Ukrainian war tracker. It is also a key route linking towns further east to the rest of unoccupied Ukraine.

Its capture could afford Russia multiple options for further advances, the group adds.

Velyka Novosilka is almost surrounded on three sides by Russian forces.

The main thrust of recent Russian attacks has been on Velyka Novosilkas western flank, but Moscows troops have also pushed towards the town of Novyi Komar to the east, as well as from the south.

A representative of a Ukrainian brigade operating near Velyka Novosilka said that Russian forces are attempting to bypass and seize Velyka Novosilka to reach the junction of the three regions of Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Dnipropetrovsk.
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Russian gas is no longer flowing to EU states through Ukraine following the expiration of a five-year deal, closing an energy route that has existed since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the move means Russia can no longer earn billions on our blood.

His energy minister, Herman Halushchenko, confirmed on Wednesday morning that Kyiv had stopped the gas flows in the interest of national security.

This is a historic event, he wrote on the social media platform Telegram. Russia is losing markets and will incur financial losses.

The deal had allowed for Russian gas to travel through Ukraines pipeline networks into European countries, primarily Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

Its end will not cut off all Russian gas to Europe, but significantly reduce it. Gas can still travel from Russia to Europe via the Turkstream pipeline, but no longer through Ukraine, cutting gas imports to the EU by around 14 billion cubic metres.

The European Commission has said that this volume can be replaced by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and pipeline imports from other sources, such as Norway and the United States.

However, the impact is already being felt in parts of EU candidate country Moldova, which was getting Russian gas via Ukraine.

The breakaway Russian-speaking region of Transnistria, home to around 45,000 people, cut supplies to households. There is no heating or hot water, said a worker at energy company Tirasteploenergo.

The financial impact

Though Ukraine benefitted financially from the now-expired agreement to the tune of $800m (640m) a year, the gas was not imported to Ukraine itself.

Latest estimates show that Russia is expected to lose around 5bn (4.14bn) a year from gas transported to Europe via Ukraine.

According to its own reports, Gazproms market capitalisation stands at around 22bn (3 trillion roubles).

Gazprom is Russias largest company, and has the largest gas reserves in the world. Since the invasion of Ukraine its business has taken several blows.

By the end of 2024, Russian gas exported to Europe via the Ukraine pipelines alone has already dropped by 78 per cent since the contract started in 2020.

And for the first time since 2001, Gazprom reported a net loss of 5.5bn (629 billion roubles) in 2023, after gas sales plummeted.

Up to this point, the gas giant consistently raked in billions each year; including even 14bn (1.9 trillion roubles) in 2022, during the first year of the war.

Revenue decreased by around 27 per cent in 2023, to 61bn, while revenue from gas sales in particular fell by 40 per cent.

In this context, a loss of 4.14bn in gas sales without the Ukraine transit deal could trigger a further 6.7 per cent decrease in revenues for Gazprom and Russia.

The Russian oil and gas war chest

open image in gallery Russias oil industry is seen as vital to financing its continued war against Ukraine ( AP )

Gazprom is majority state-owned, which means that the Russian state receives a sizeable sum of its profits.

Russia relies on oil and gas business in part to fund its ongoing war in Ukraine; with revenues accounting for 30 to 50 per cent of the Russian federal budget, according to The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES). Other than the EU, Russias biggest pipeline gas exports go to Turkey and Belarus, while LNG exports are largely reliant on sales to China and Japan.

According to Bloomberg, Russian gas exports to China are discounted as heavily as -28 per cent compared to European exports, meaning that they are less profitable for Russia overall. But ultimately, the vast majority of Russian state oil and gas revenues come from oil sales, rather than gas sales, according to the OIES.

Although the EU has banned oil imports from Russia, numerous reports suggest that Russian oil is still reaching the EU via back channels.

A Global Witness investigation found that 130 million barrels of refined products were imported into the EU from refineries that process Russian crude oil in 2023, worth an estimated 1.1bn in tax revenue to the Kremlin.

Russia is the largest crude oil supplier to China and India. The UK and EU countries import billions in refined oil from these two countries, part of which is likely originating from Russia despite sanctions.

The trouble with Russian gas

open image in gallery Russian president Vladimir Putin (L) and Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh shake hands ( EPA )

Separately to sanctions from the invasion of Ukraine, European countries reliance on Russian gas has been a difficult challenge to address.

Russia has historically used its gas pipeline exports to exert political control over dependent countries, from Ukraine to Armenia.

As of today, Gazprom is also weaponising the same tactic in Moldova, cutting off gas supplies over an alleged $709m (565m) debt.

Yet the decision not to extend gas transit via Ukraine faced some pushback.

Slovakias prime minister threatened to cut electricity supplies to Ukraine in retaliation, as he said that ending Russian gas transit would increase energy prices.

Nonetheless, gas transit via Ukraines pipelines has now ceased.
More than 1,500km (900 miles) from London, frenetic activity is underway in the countryside of Poland, Finland, and the Baltic States: bulldozers and diggers are constructing field defences. Anti-tank ditches, tank traps, and pillboxes are being built and installed. In all these countries, laying minefields  even controversial anti-personnel minefields  is under active consideration.

Poland is spending at least 2.5bn (2.1bn) on its border defence system, including building a sky shield system akin to Israels Iron Dome to protect its eastern border from a growing threat from Russia.

Last May, during a meeting with European leaders in Warsaw, Polands prime minister Donald Tusk stated: Creating an iron dome against missiles and drones is necessary ... There is no reason for Europe not to have its missile defence shield, confirming that work on the project had begun. He added that it requires little imagination to understand that Europe, like Israel, is also in the danger zone.

Polands defence project includes physical anti-tank obstacles, bunkers, and AI-powered anti-drone technologies to create early threat detection and surveillance systems. This could be the most significant national security investment in the countrys post-war history, positioning Poland as a European defence leader.

Poland is now spending 37bn (30bn) on overall defence  4.7 per cent of its GDP  with further increases under discussion. Meanwhile, in response to the hybrid war tactics on several Baltic fronts, hundreds of millions of euros are being invested by the Baltic states to strengthen their defence lines with another major project, planned by Nato members Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, set to begin in 2025.

Across much of northern Europe, more than 1bn is being spent  at speed  on building new ammunition plants, particularly for 155mm artillery shells, which Ukraine is firing at rates not seen since the Second World War.

And what is the UKs response to an increasing global threat? The country is scrapping 500m worth of military equipment  ships, drones, and helicopters  and will conduct a strategic defence review to decide what to do next.

While defence secretary John Healey acknowledged last year that the cuts are happening amid war in Europe, growing Russian aggression, and conflict in the Middle East, the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) will not report until late February 2025  if were lucky. Some suggest that Whitehall bureaucracy could delay it until the summer.

All the while, the clock is ticking. States across northern Europe  the liberal-democratic ones much admired for their quality of life and services  are in agreement: if Ukraine loses its struggle against Russia, the latter may be emboldened to take military action against the Baltic states, Finland, or even Poland.

open image in gallery Swedish soldiers taking part in a training exercise on the Finland/Norway border in March ( Getty )

The timeline for this, many experts agree, is within three to five years. In defence planning terms, thats practically tomorrow. Even at top speed, it takes 28-30 months to order and deliver a fighter jet, 18-24 months for a tank, and 30 months for a frigate.

Further from the immediate action in Western Europe, defence budgets are also rising. French defence spending has been climbing for eight years and is projected to surpass the UKs on a like-for-like basis by 2027. The Netherlands reversed decades of defence cuts two years ago and plans to double its budget within five years. Sweden, Norway, and Denmark are also increasing their defence spending, often with double-digit year-on-year increases.

The European defence giant has also woken up. Germany, which was among the first to drastically reduce defence spending after the Cold War, has grown its military budget by two-thirds since Russias 2014 invasion of Crimea.

Crucially, the 2022 invasion of Ukraine prompted a Zeitenwende (turning point), with chancellor Olaf Scholz pledging an immediate 100bn investment to address gaps in munitions and equipment.

Since then, Berlin has spent 30-40bn on US-supplied F-35A fighters and other systems, and over 60bn on ammunition and missiles since February 2022.

Turning back to Eastern Europe: for these nations, defence is not seen as a nice-to-have but as an absolute necessity. Defence spending has doubled or even tripled in these countries over the past five years. So why does the UK now appear less like a European leader and more like a laggard?

open image in gallery Polands Donald Tusk has said that creating an iron dome, like that used in Israel, is necessary for Europe ( AFP/Getty )

A key reason is what I call the 1,700km duvet. To reach the UK, Russia would first need to pass through the Baltic states and Finland, cross the Baltic Sea, contend with Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, and then navigate the North Sea.

When asked about the threat of a missile attack on the UK, former defence secretary Grant Shapps casually remarked that Nato allies would handle such threats as they are located between the UK and Russia suggesting he too believed in the 1,700km duvet, under which the UK continues to snuggle.

Yet the threat is creeping closer. Incidents involving damaged undersea internet cables in the Baltic Sea raised fears of Russian sabotage. Last year, there were believed to be Russian plots for incendiary devices to be put on cargo planes in Europe, testing security systems, and Western intelligence officials suspect Russia was behind this summers fires at shipping hubs in Britain and Germany.

Many believe it is only a matter of time before power shortages hit the UK due to wind farm cables mysteriously breaking, or that our internet is compromised as the telecoms backbone goes down.

open image in gallery A soldier of the UKs 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian infantry takes part in a simulated attack in Poland ( Getty )

The UK is, in effect, defenceless against many forms of modern attack. The chief of the defence staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, admitted as much during a conference in Berlin last year, where he stressed the need to follow the Nordic and Baltic countries example in bolstering both defence and civil readiness for war.

Despite bold rhetoric, the Royal Navy cannot deploy an aircraft carrier group without relying on US and allied ships and aircraft. The Army cannot field a full division of 15,000 soldiers from its 70,000-strong force and lacks the ammunition to fight for more than a month. The RAF has only about two dozen combat-ready Typhoons from a fleet of over 100.

The defence secretary is right to emphasise that its not just about spending more but spending better. However, funding does matter. If a Nato state invokes Article 5, which calls on collective defence  a situation that many experts on the Nordic and Baltic regions believe could happen within five years  the UK cannot afford to delay its response, claiming economic constraints.

Natos principle that an attack on one is an attack on all would require the UK to march to the sound of the guns  a situation for which we are woefully unprepared compared to our European neighbours.

Francis Tusa is editor of Defence Analysis
Released prisoners are welcomed by family members and colleagues after they left Insein Prison on Saturday (4 January) in Yangon, Myanmar.

Myanmars military government has released more than 6,000 prisoners and has reduced other inmates sentences as part of a mass amnesty marking the 77th anniversary of independence from Britain.

They included just a small proportion of hundreds of political detainees jailed for opposing army rule since the military seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

That takeover was met with massive nonviolent resistance, which has since become a widespread armed struggle.

In the countrys largest city, Yangon, buses took prisoners out of Insein Prison, where friends and families of detainees had waited since the morning for the announced releases.

Mass prisoner releases are common on holidays and other significant occasions in Myanmar.
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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
Founded 50 years ago by ambitious young artists including Garry Hynes, Druid brought new life to native drama and gave a platform to talent including Martin McDonagh, Cillian Murphy, Brid Brennan and Marie Mullen

This July will be the 50th anniversary of Druid Theatre Company from Galway. What began as a regional upstart soon became a powerhouse, and in time matured into a national theatre of sorts.

It started in a very ordinary way: a group of young creatives saw a gap in the market in their city. The occasional visits from the Irish Theatre Company, or festival showings, was insufficient to cater to the appetite they believed was there. The founders were director Garry Hynes, actor Marie Mullen, both graduates of Dramsoc at University College Galway, and actor Mick Lally, who had been working in the Galway Irish language theatre, An Taibhdhearc.
Azerbaijani ambassador condemns EU hypocrisy on climate and says Simon Harris should have attended Cop29

Taoiseach was campaigning for general election at time of conference

Azerbaijani ambassador to Ireland Elin Suleymanov. Photo: Getty

Caroline O'Doherty Sat 4 Jan 2025 at 03:30

The Azerbaijani ambassador to Ireland has said it was disappointing that Taoiseach Simon Harris did not attend the Cop29 climate summit as he criticised EU leaders for hypocrisy on climate action.
Status Orange rain-snow warning from 5pm in Cork, Kerry and WaterfordStatus Orange ice-snow warning from 5pm in Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and TipperaryStatus Yellow Snow-Ice warning from 5pm for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Connacht.Met Eireanns Joanna Donnelly described it as a multi-hazard weather eventIn areas where snow doesnt fall, rainfall is likely to freeze and cause icy conditionsThe Department of Education has said that a decision on whether schools should close on Monday will be a matter for individual school management authorities

How cold will your county get this weekend?

Ireland will see over 10cm of snowfall across south Leinster and north Munster this weekend as the country is set to experience its worst Arctic weather for almost seven years.

Not since Storm Emma or the Beast from the East in early 2018 has the country experienced such Arctic-type weather conditions, with temperatures now forecast to plummet to between -8C and -10C.

The next five days will see Arctic conditions across parts of the country  with some areas not rising above freezing temperatures for 48 hours.

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) held a detailed briefing on Saturday morning following consultations with Met Eireann about the polar weather front.

A source indicated that more than 10cm of snowfall is expected across many Status Orange areas, with snow drifts reaching much greater depths across higher ground.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said he was briefed by NDFEM on Saturday morning on the severe cold snap and snow event Ireland will experience.

A particular challenge with this weather event is that it will remain very cold for most of next week so it will take time for snow, ice etc to thaw. All relevant government agencies and stakeholders are working closely together, nationally and locally, Mr Harris said.

There are gritting plans in place by local authorities and road agencies. We have a large supply of salt. Energy supplies are also good. A cold weather plan for rough sleepers has been activated. The national group will continue to meet regularly. Please follow updates and advice.

The Taoiseach also thanked those working to keep people safe and well during the cold snap.

A spokesman for Dublin Airport said its snow and ice teams are on stand-by to treat surfaces as required and to respond to any issues that arise.

As always, passengers seeking updates regarding specific flights should contact their airline directly, it said on social media.

Those travelling to Dublin Airport over the weekend should allow plenty of time for their journey.

A number of sports events were cancelled or postponed across the country on Saturday, including the the All-Ireland senior club championship, which was due to be held in Portlaoise.

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A Status Orange snow and ice warning is in place for Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary from 5pm Saturdayuntil 5pm on Sunday, amid concerns that significant volumes of snow will fall in some areas.

A separate rain and snow warning will also come into effect in Cork, Kerry and Waterford from 1pm on Saturday, starting at Status Yellow. It will upgrade to Status Orange then from 5pm and expire at 5pm on Sunday.

A Status Yellow snow and ice warning will also apply to Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and all of Connacht from 5pm on Saturday until 5pm Sunday.

Wexford will be under a separate rain and snow warning from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm Sunday.

While on Sunday another Status Yellow warning for low temperatures and ice will come into effect from 5pm and remain in place until 12pm on Monday.

Potential impacts include hazardous travelling conditions, icy patches and travel disruption.

Weather conditions are expected to prove challenging and could significantly impact rail, air and road services with snow falls, black ice, dense freezing fog and heavy sleet showers.

The polar spell will see snowfalls over the weekend but the coldest of the weather is likely between Monday and Wednesday.

Horses in a frost-covered Curragh, Co Kildare. Photo: Damien Eagers

Met Eireanns Gerry Murphy said there is a possibility that schools may not open when children return from the Christmas break on Monday.

There is likely to be accumulations of snow in places on Monday morning, coupled with a very severe frost as well, he told RTE.

So theres the possibility that schools may not open, but that will become more apparent as we go through the weekend.

As we get more details on the exact accumulations of that snow, it will give us more information on the exact types of warnings that we will be issuing today and tomorrow.

The Department of Education has said that a decision on whether schools should close on Monday will be a matter for individual school management authorities around the country.

A spokesperson said it is carefully monitoring developments and a decision to close must be made in light of local weather conditions, taking into consideration the full guidance and direction available from the principal response agencies.

No decision on school closures or later reopening times will be taken before tomorrow evening.

Meanwhile, the national forecaster stressed that further warnings will be issued over the coming days as the precise track and likely depth of snowfalls becomes clearer.

Temperatures could drop to as low as -10C on Tuesday night.

Across parts of Cork and Kerry, where rain is likely to fall as sleet rather than snow, downpours could prove sufficiently heavy to cause localised spot flooding.

BoyleSports Brian OKeeffe confirmed the company has slashed odds of a record low temperature from 100/1 to 33/1.

However, the mercury will have to drop a whopping 10 degrees below Met Eireanns lowest weekend forecast to exceed the -19.1C temperature recorded at Markree Castle, Sligo on January 16, 1881.

Met Eireanns Joanna Donnelly has warned that there was the potential for significant accumulations of snow in some areas, most likely in the midlands and on higher ground.

This is expected to be a multi-hazard weather event, she said.

Disruption will be due either to the accumulations of snow or, in areas where snow doesnt fall, the sleet and rain that falls.

In those very cold conditions, the rain is going to freeze and that is going to create icy stretches and potentially treacherous conditions for travel.

Councils confirmed that stocks of road salt and grit have been replenished for the treatment of all Priority One and Priority Two roads nationwide.

People walk through Phoenix Park in Dublin during icy weather. Photo: PA

Local authorities and Uisce Eireann are also preparing for any possible disruption to water pipes caused by the freezing weather.

Uisce Eireann is urging people to do their bit to help avoid expensive repairs and a disrupted water supply at home or in their business by taking a few easy preventative measures, spokesperson Margaret Attridge said.

These include adjusting heating systems to intermittent settings to prevent pipes from freezing or turning off water supplies to exposed outdoor pipes.

All national and major secondary roads have been treated for icy conditions since last Wednesday and council crews will treat the roads daily during the Arctic spell of weather.

However, there are fears that if the worst of the Arctic weather hits as forecast, it will result in widespread travel disruption early next week.

Gardai and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) urged people to travel with extreme care.

Next Tuesday will see the peak of the Arctic conditions.

Deer in a frosty Phoenix Park in Dublin on Friday. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

A yellow ice alert has been issued for Antrim, Down, Tyrone and Derry until 10am on Saturday with further alerts expected.

Elderly support groups including Age Action have urged people to check on the old, ill and vulnerable in their communities in advance of the weather event.

People have been asked to check that the vulnerable have access to heating, warm food and drinks as well as proper clothing.

Homeless support charities have also put in place plans to offer emergency shelter to rough sleepers.

Agencies dealing with international protection applicants and refugees are also monitoring the weather forecast to ensure everyone is protected from the worst of the conditions.

Farming and animal welfare groups have urged all livestock owners to check that animals have sufficient access to fodder and water given the likely impact of snow and ice.
Probe into Tuslas handling of Kyran Durnin case could take years in the event of a criminal trial

Work of panel could be impeded if employees have to testify in court

Kyran Durnin has not been seen since 2022. Photo: An Garda Siochana/PA

Catherine Fegan Sat 4 Jan 2025 at 03:30

A probe by the National Review Panel into Tuslas handling of the Kyran Durnin case may take years if social workers become witnesses in any criminal trial, it has emerged.
Another distressing record has been set for the number of people without a home. Stock image

As the trees come down, along with the Christmas cards and their traditional scenes of families gathered around the hearth, news of a 14pc rise in the number of people sleeping rough on our capitals streets this winter makes for a cruel contrast.

The figures  lets not forget they are human beings, not data  were compiled by the Dublin Simon Community. They present a pretty bleak snapshot of 21st-century Ireland.

We are alarmed by the rise in rough sleeping numbers in Dublin over the last 12 months. This is particularly concerning given the extremely cold conditions across the country, Dublin Simon CEO Catherine Kenny said.

The increase in people sleeping on streets is replicated in other parts of the country. In Limerick some homeless people had to be turned away this week, as demand for beds surged due to the freezing conditions.

Homelessness is an absolute priority and we are working flat out to meet this challenge

Una Burns from the Limerick-based charity Novas outlined what an impossible scenario this presented: Youre trying to support people to encourage them to access friends and family if thats a possibility for them, if they feel unsafe to go to the guards, if theyre feeling unwell to go to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Department of Housing reports there are now 15,199 people in emergency accommodation. Among them are 4,658 children in 2,168 families. This is a 12.4pc increase over a year.

Responding to yet another distressing record being set for the number of people without a home, Housing Minister Darragh O Brien, said: Homelessness is an absolute priority and we are working flat out to meet this challenge.

Were told repeatedly the housing crisis is central to the Governments agenda. But many will argue the evidence suggests its efforts are ineffective, inadequate or both. If the delivery of new homes was not continually falling short of demand, the public might more patiently tolerate what it sees as unfinished business.

We do not live in a country that lacks the resources to deal with this crisis

Government failure in the delivery of social and affordable housing is causing month-on-month increases in homelessness, Sinn Feins Eoin O Broin said, adding that while it was shocking and unacceptable, it was also entirely predictable.

Rory Hearne of the Social Democrats was just as scathing, saying: We do not live in a country that lacks the resources to deal with this crisis.

He said for even a single child to become homeless was unacceptable during successive years of budget surpluses, but having thousands of homeless children was incomprehensible and scandalous.

Meanwhile, director of Focus Ireland Mike Allen was also extremely concerned. He noted how the two main government parties went through the election without making any substantial proposals to deal with homelessness. The record number of people living through the misery of homelessness must serve as a harsh reminder that no new government can sidestep the issue, he said.

Just as there is a sense of security and permanency in having a home, there is a profound sense of vulnerability and alienation in being without one.
Elderly people and those who are unwell should be in a position to turn on the heating as often as they need it. Photo: Getty

Billy Connolly may be right in his assertion that there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. However, there is no disputing the inopportune arrival of an Arctic air mass.

The freezing cold corresponds with a jump in European wholesale gas prices. As the temperature plunges, residential electricity and gas prices could soon be rising, just when heating is used most.

The national mood is unlikely to be helped by warnings of significant snowfalls and the prospect of temperatures of -10C next week.

Tiglin offers a range of care services, some of which extend to homeless people. It has warned that Irelands rough-sleepers face dire conditions.

It has appealed to people to report their concerns about anyone to their local authority.

In an interview with RTE, Aubrey McCarthy, the charitys chairperson, stressed that the situation is particularly acute for people seeking international protection who are still acclimatising to the Irish winter.

As temperatures plummet, lives are at stake, Mr McCarthy said. Rough sleepers and asylum-seekers are not just battling the cold, they are fighting for survival.

For drivers and other road users, Met Eireann urged extreme caution.

The cold is likely to be accompanied by some very disruptive weather, it said. The possibility of heavy rain, sleet and snow was highlighted.

European gas reserves may well be under pressure as the icy grip of hard winter takes hold, but it is vital the elderly and the sick are encouraged to fully use their heating. They must not hold back for fear of bills that may drop in the future.

State assistance must be accessible and readily available for those in real need.

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) has warned future governments about creating dependencies that may not be affordable in the long term.

Such advice needs to be taken on board, but the State must make an exception for the elderly, the vulnerable and those on very low incomes.

The next government should adopt a sustainable spending rule that it will stick to. This would set out realistic plans for dealing with health and housing challenges.

Ifac chairman Seamus Coffey has warned against consistently ramping up ongoing commitments, but he also called for the introduction of a realistic rule that would help tackle infrastructure deficits and ageing pressures.

The risks of temperatures of -10C can hardly be downplayed.

Hugh Leonard once wrote that, as a nation, we have a predilection towards the softening of bad news. He described the possibility of a hurricane that leaves thousands homeless as good drying weather.

But nature is seldom so ambiguous in its messaging. Right now, it is clearly telling us to take good care.
Lizzy the dog was successfully returned to her owners by Dublin Fire Brigade. Pic: @DubFireBrigade

Lizzy was trapped under a shed yesterday evening and Dublin firefighters rescued her. Pic: @DubFireBrigade

Dublin Fire Brigade were called to the scene where a dog was trapped under a shed in Dublin on Friday evening.

Firefighters managed to get the dog named Lizzy out from under the shed safely.

The story also had a happy ending, as the fire fighters deployed from the Dun Laoghaire station were able to return her home to her owner.

Lizzy the dog was successfully returned to her owners by Dublin Fire Brigade. Pic: @DubFireBrigade

Alongside pictures, Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted: Bit of a 'Ruff' day for Lizzy who got stuck under a shed earlier. Firefighters Murray, Beresford and Mooney along with Sub Officer O'Neill from Dun Laoghaire station were happy to 'fetch' her and return her to her owner.
As large parts of the UK brace for heavy snow and freezing rain this weekend, with temperatures dipping as low as minus 5C overnight, experts are urging people to take extra precautions to stay healthy. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued cold weather health alerts for all of England, warning of a week of wintry conditions ahead. In light of the harsh weather, we have spoken to a GP who has explained how the cold can affect our health, and has also shared some effective ways to boost your immune system during the cold snap.
The Indo Daily: Why is even the mention of water charges like playing with fire for politicians?
Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza Strip as new ceasefire talks begin

Israeli strikes kill 62 Palestinians in last 24 hours, Gaza health ministry says Dead include 12 people living in one house in Gaza City, say medics Mediators start new ceasefire talks in Qatar

The bodies of men killed in an Israeli army strike targeting a car are brought to Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, yesterday. Photo: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP

Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas Sat 4 Jan 2025 at 15:36







An Israeli military strike killed 12 people in a house in Gaza City early on Saturday, bringing the death toll from strikes across Gaza to 62 over the last day, Palestinian medics said, as mediators launched a new ceasefire push in Qatar.
All Syrian groups, including women and Kurds, must be involved in the countrys transition if Damascus wants European support, Germanys foreign minister said after a closely watched first meeting with the new de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

In talks also attended by her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot yesterday, Germanys top diplomat Annalena Baerbock said she had stressed the need to include all ethnic groups in the transition to democracy while ensuring that potential European funds did not fall into the hands of new Islamist structures.
Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar was captured on CCTV walking the New Orleans streets before the attack

Terrorist Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar was captured on CCTV scoping out the streets of New Orleans just over an hour before he drove a pick-up truck into new year party-goers, killing at least 14.
US law enforcement and intelligence agencies are concerned about copycat vehicle-ramming attacks following the New Years Day attack in New Orleans by an army veteran, according to a law enforcement intelligence bulletin published yesterday.

The bulletin was issued a day after the FBI said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas native, was 100pc inspired by the Islamic State militant group to drive a truck into New Years Day revellers in New Orleans, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens of others. Jabbar, who flew an IS flag from the rear of the truck he had rented, was subsequently killed in a shootout with police.
Shubh Vivah Muhurat 2025: Planning a wedding is one of life's most joyful and significant milestones, and selecting the correct day is critical, especially in Hindu culture. In 2025, there are various auspicious wedding dates or shubh muhurats spread across the calendar. These dates have been meticulously calculated using astrology to ensure the couple's harmony and prosperity. Each month features specific days regarded as ideal for a happy start to married life. Whether you're looking for a date during the brilliant spring or the festive winter, this guide will help you locate the best time for your special day. Here is a full list of auspicious Hindu marriage dates in 2025, organized by month.

Shubh Vivah date in January 2025

Credit: Freepik

January is a wonderful month to be married. It is frigid, which makes it ideal for anyone planning a winter wedding. To guarantee that you are always comfortable, use winter-appropriate textiles. Getting married in January also ensures that you begin the year on a positive note. There are ten fortunate dates in the month of 2025.

16th January, 2025 17th January, 2025 18th January, 2025 19th January, 2025 20th January, 2025 21st January, 2025 23rd January, 2025 24th January, 2025 26th January, 2025 27th January, 2025

Shubh Vivah date in February 2025

Credit: Freepik

February is the month of love. It is still cold, but the sun shines brightly. So, if you want to marry in the most romantic setting conceivable, February is the month for you. The nicest thing about Hindu wedding dates in February 2024 is that they include Valentine's Day. There are 14 fortunate dates in the month of 2025.

2nd February, 2025 3rd February, 2025 6th February, 2025 7th February, 2025 12th February, 2025 13th February, 2025 14th February, 2025 15th February, 2025 16th February, 2025 18th February, 2025 19th February, 2025 21st February, 2025 23rd February, 2025 25th February, 2025

Shubh Vivah date in March 2025

Credit: Freepik

The beautiful season of Spring is in full swing in March. The temperature is neither too low nor too high. It is simply pleasant. March is ideal for a day wedding, particularly if you plan to do it outside. We offer a cheery color scheme for your March wedding. There are 5 fortunate dates in the month of 2025.

1st March, 2025 2nd March, 2025 6th March, 2025 7th March, 2025 12th March, 2025

Shubh Vivah date in April 2025

Credit: Freepik

April brings the first summer wind. It's full of fun and excitement. The atmosphere is ideal for people seeking a warm summer wedding. Include some pool fun in your pre-wedding events to make your celebrations even more enjoyable. There are 9 fortunate dates in the month of 2025.

14th April, 2025 16th April, 2025 18th April, 2025 19th April, 2025 20th April, 2025 21st April, 2025 25th April, 2025 29th April, 2025 30th April, 2025

Shubh Vivah date in May 2025

Credit: Freepik

May 2025 is jam-packed with auspicious Hindu marriage dates, and we're looking forward to every weekend. It will ensure that all of your wedding guests can attend the event. To counteract the warmth of this month, we recommend a pastel color scheme for your wedding. There are 15 fortunate dates in the month of 2025.

1st May, 2025 5th May, 2025 6th May, 2025 8th May, 2025 10th May, 2025 14th May, 2025 15th May, 2025 16th May, 2025 17th May, 2025 18th May, 2025 22nd May, 2025 23rd May, 2025 24th May, 2025 27th May, 2025 28th May, 2025

Shubh Vivah date in June 2025

Credit: Freepik

The summer season in India reaches its climax around June. Despite the heat, you can still tie the knot joyously and pleasantly. It's the ideal month for a destination wedding in the hills. It will not only enhance the beauty of your wedding celebrations but will also make them more fun. There are 5 fortunate dates in the month of 2025.

2nd June, 2025 4th June, 2025 5th June, 2025 7th June, 2025 8th June, 2025

Shubh Vivah date in July to September 2025

There are no Hindu marriage dates available in July, August, September, or October of 2025. It's for the best because these are the wet months when the monsoon is in full swing. You can use these months to organize your wedding. You have plenty of time to accomplish this while also getting some much-needed rest.

Shubh Vivah date in November 2025

Credit: Freepik

November brings us the delightful season of fall, which is so pleasant. The air is crisp, and we feel the warmth of the sun. It is one of the greatest months for getting married. There are 14 fortunate dates in the month of 2025.

2nd November, 2025 3rd November, 2025 6th November, 2025 8th November, 2025 12th November, 2025 13th November, 2025 16th November, 2025 17th November, 2025 18th November, 2025 21st November, 2025 22nd November, 2025 23rd November, 2025 25th November, 2025 30th November, 2025

Shubh Vivah date in December 2025

Credit: Freepik

December is the most popular month for winter weddings. This month is frigid, but it's also really delightful! It is a good idea to attend an outdoor wedding on a sunny day. You may then host a nice event at night with romantic candlelight decor throughout. There are 3 fortunate dates in the month of 2025.

4th December, 2025 5th December, 2025 6th December, 2025

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025: Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025 will commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. According to the Gregorian calendar, this major day will occur on January 6, 2025. Guru Gobind Singh is recognized for his bravery, spiritual insight, and contributions to Sikhism. In 1699, he formed the Khalsa, encouraging his followers to practice equality, justice, and courage. His teachings continue to motivate millions of Sikhs worldwide. The day is commemorated by prayers, songs, processions, and the reciting of Guru Gobind Singh's sacred works. It is time to consider his principles of honesty, selflessness, and dedication to God.

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025 Date and Time

Credit: Freepik

Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti is a major occasion for Sikhs worldwide, commemorating the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru. Guru Gobind Singh's 358th birth anniversary will be observed on Monday, January 6, 2025. This day is marked with profound dedication and reverence, honouring the life and teachings of this extraordinary spiritual leader.

Event Date and time Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti Monday, 6th January, 2025 Guru Gobind Singh Anniversary 358th Saptami Tithi Begins 20:15 on Jan 05, 2025 Saptami Tithi Ends 18:23 on Jan 06, 2025

Who is Guru Gobind Singh?

Credit: Freepik

Guru Gobind Singh, born on December 22, 1666 (according to the Julian calendar), was one of the most prominent personalities in Sikh history. He was born in Patna, Bihar, and was the tenth and final Sikh Guru. However, because the Julian calendar is no longer used and has been supplanted by the Gregorian calendar, his birthdate is officially recorded as January 1, 1667. According to the Hindu calendar, Guru Gobind Singh was born on Saptami, Paush, Shukla Paksha, 1723 Vikram Samvat. Surprisingly, the Hindu calendar ensures that the date remains stable, eliminating the conflicts that frequently accompany other saints' and spiritual leaders' birth anniversaries.

Significance and history of Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025

Credit: Freepik

On Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, Sikhs assemble at gurudwaras to honour their beloved Guru. The celebrations include prayers, kirtans, and langar (community kitchen) services. Nagar kirtans, or processions, are also organised, with devotees reciting hymns and demonstrating martial arts skills. These events encourage Sikhs to meditate on Guru Gobind Singh Ji's teachings and emulate his spirit of compassion, wisdom, and courage.

Guru Gobind Singh was a key figure in shaping Sikhism and its teachings. He was a warrior, poet, philosopher, and spiritual guide. He is best recognized for the following:

Establishing the Khalsa Panth: In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh formed the Khalsa, a spiritual and martial society dedicated to justice and equality.

Contributions to Sikh Literature: He wrote several spiritual books, including the Dasam Granth, which exemplifies his poetic and philosophical genius.

Promoting Equality: He highlighted the value of equality, togetherness, and selfless service, which continue to inspire Sikhs and people around the world.

Rituals of Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti 2025

Credit: Freepik

Spectacular celebrations across the Sikh communities observe Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti.

Prabhat Pheris: Early morning processions called Prabhat Pheris are organized, during which devotees chant songs and pray.

Kirtans and Prayers: Gurudwaras hold special kirtans (devotional songs) and recitations from the Guru's teachings.

Langar: Community kitchens provide free meals to all, reflecting Guru Gobind Singh's emphasis on equality and service.

Reenactments and talks: Devotees perform plays and discussions on the Guru's life, sacrifices, and teachings.

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events
The Union Health Ministry has said that respiratory and seasonal influenza cases in India are being closely monitored by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) amid reports of an outbreak of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China. According to NCDC officials, currently, there are no reasons for concern in India over the HMPV outbreak in China.

CREDIT: BCCL

What is Human Metapneumovirus

According to Dr Atul Goel, the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), the Human Metapneumovirus is like any other respiratory virus that causes the common cold, and it could cause flu-like symptoms in the young and the very old.

No increase in influenza cases in India

"There is news doing the rounds about a Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in China. However, we have analysed the data of the respiratory outbreaks in the country (India), and there is no substantial increase in the December 2024 data and no cases which have been reported in large numbers from any of our institutions. There is nothing to be alarmed about the present situation," he said.

"In any case, during winters there is an increased outbreak of respiratory infections for which usually our hospitals are prepared with necessary supplies and beds," Dr Goel stated.

CREDIT: BCCL

Precautions against HMPV

He advised the public to take the general precautions that are used to prevent respiratory infections, which means if someone has a cough and cold, they should avoid coming into contact with others so that the infection does not spread.

HMPV outbreak in China triggers panic

Amid growing fears of a 2020 COVID-19 pandemic-like outbreak in China, authorities there downplayed the HMPV spread, calling it an annual occurrence in winter.

CREDIT: BRICS NEWS

In recent days, there have been reports of Chinese hospitals being overwhelmed by patients seeking treatment for HMPV infection. As panic spreads, many are also cautioning against travelling to China.

 BREAKING:



Chinas  Metapneumovirus Outbreak Continues to Surge, Hospitals Overwhelmed as Children Are Infected.



China is grappling with a human metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak, with children and the elderly most affected. pic.twitter.com/yok6Ot5Bag  SARSCoV2 (COVID-19) (@COVID19_disease) January 3, 2025

'China is safe'

However, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said that "respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season, and it was not a matter of concern."

"I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners coming to China. It is safe to travel in China," the spokesperson said.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Investigators have recovered what appears to be the suicide note of Matthew Livelsberger, the US elite forces member who shot himself dead before exploding a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day. In the two sets of notes Livelsberger left behind on his iPhone, the decorated Army active-duty personnel described his act as not a terror attack.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Matthew Livelsberger's suicide note

The 37-year-old, who served in the US military since 2006, called his act a wake-up call for the US and stated that he needed to cleanse his mind of the brothers he lost."

This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake-up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives, Livelsberger stated.

Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took, he said further.

Also read: Who is Matthew Livelsberger, the US Special Forces veteran behind the Las Vegas Tesla Cybertruck explosion?

CREDIT: REUTERS

'US is terminally ill'

According to Livelsberger, the United States, the best country that ever existed, is "terminally ill and headed toward collapse.

Livelsberger also praised President-elect Donald Trump and wrote that our soldiers are done fighting wars without end states or clear objectives.

Rally around the Trump, Musk, Kennedy, and ride this wave to the highest hegemony for all Americans! We are second to no one, he said.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Livelsberger suffered from PTSD

Livelsberger, who was twice deployed in Afghanistan and was recently posted in Germany, was back in the United States on leave when he took the extreme step.

According to the authorities, Livelsberger, a US Army Green Beret, suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and had symptoms of traumatic brain injury following combat.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Charming, handsome, beautiful, attractive, and soulful with a husky voicethese are the adjectives that fans often use when describing BTS' V, also known as Kim Taehyung. His charismatic presence has always captured the hearts of ARMY, with his distinct vocals and captivating visuals. However, since his enlistment, a whole new set of words has emerged to describe him, including 'hot,' 'buff,' 'strong,' and even 'just screams,' reflecting the undeniable change in his appearance.

In 2024, Taehyung grabbed headlines with his striking look in his Special Task Force uniform, leaving fans in awe of his transformation. As 2025 began, he's already making waves again. This time, it's not his military attire, but a sleeveless tank top that is stealing the spotlight. The photo, which showcases his well-toned muscles, was part of a video uploaded by Ma Sun-ho (Natural Masunho) on Instagram.

ARMY reaction

In his late New Year greetings, Natural Masunho shared a flashback video of 2024, featuring two photos with Taehyung. The images quickly went viral, taking social media by storm and leaving fans in awe. Taehyungs undeniable charm and his newly buff physique have once again set the internet ablaze.

BTS fans, known as ARMY, were quick to circulate the photos across various social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter), where they expressed their excitement and struggled to contain their emotions.

BTS V in Squid Game?

These photos surfaced just hours after Taehyung made headlines for being linked to Squid Game Season 3. A viral conspiracy theory has sparked speculation among fans that he will appear in the third and final installment of Netflix's hit show.

A teaser video for Squid Game Season 3, briefly posted on their YouTube channel, revealed a possible release date of June 27, 2025. Although the video has since been made private, the buzz around it continues to fuel excitement.

Where is BTS V now?

Taehyung is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service in South Korea. Enlisting in December 2023, he is stationed with the 2nd Division Military Police Corps in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, serving as a special forces member. His discharge is anticipated in June 2025.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
A Brazilian model, Camilla Araujo, has found herself at the center of a fiery online debate after publicly reacting to her assistant Julia Filippos jaw-dropping earnings on OnlyFans. In a now-viral video, Araujo asked Filippo to reveal her weekly earnings, only to be left stunned when the figure turned out to be $50,000 (Rs 46 lakh).

The 19-year-old OnlyFans model earns this much!

The shock quickly turned to outrage as Araujo launched into a scathing rant, accusing OnlyFans viewers of being sick for watching Filippos content. Her primary concern? Filippos youthful appearance, which Araujo claimed made her look younger than her actual age.

Online debate on OnlyFans heats up

While many social media users clapped back at Araujos comments, accusing her of jealousy, others echoed her concerns. You're just mad because she made more than you did when you started, wrote one user. Another quipped, The hate is crazy with this one. Meanwhile, a small segment of viewers supported Araujos argument, pointing out that Filippo looks quite young despite being 19.

Julia Filippos OnlyFans profile

According to Filippos OnlyFans profile, she is legally an adult and fully eligible to post on the platform. Its strictly adults-only, with sophisticated measures to monitor every user, vet all content, and swiftly remove any child sexual abuse material, the platforms CEO stated in a 2023 speech.

The dark side of the debate

The controversy comes just months after OnlyFans removed multiple profiles flagged for child exploitation. In a particularly harrowing case, a 16-year-old Florida girl was rescued after being abducted by a man who found her explicit content on the platform.

Araujos reaction, though divisive, has reignited conversations about the ethics and safety of adult platforms. Some argue that Filippos success highlights OnlyFans as a lucrative platform for young adults, while others worry about the blurred lines of perception when creators appear younger than they are.

Filippos $50,000 milestone has not only raised eyebrows but also thrown light on the ever-present scrutiny of adult platforms. Whether you side with Araujo or Filippo, one thing is clear: the OnlyFans debate isnt ending anytime soon.
Yes, you read that correctly  Shein is making its return to India after it was banned in 2020, and we can already hear the cheers from all the OG online shoppers! While there's growing awareness around the impact of fast fashion, those who've shopped from Shein still remember the good old days and continue to swear by its unbeatable collection, trendy styles, and stylish clothes.

Is Shein really coming back to India?

According to the Times of India, Shein is making its return to India through a collaboration with Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd.

The partnership was finalised last year to pave the way for Shein's re-entry. The strategy includes a tech agreement between Reliance Retail Ventures and Roadget Business Pte Ltd. to create a local e-commerce platform.

This will connect Indian manufacturers and suppliers to produce Shein-branded products, positioning the brand to compete with local players like Tata's Zudio and Flipkart's Myntra in the affordable fast-fashion market.

Initially, the comeback will feature a backend trial launch on Reliance's fashion site, Ajio.com, focusing on casual western wear and more.

While this could expand to other Reliance platforms in the future, no official timeline has been set for a full launch.

Credit: BCCL | Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd Chairman Mukesh Ambani

Why had the Indian government banned Shein?

In June 2020, the Indian government had banned Shein's app, along with 58 other Chinese apps, due to concerns over national security and data privacy. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) raised issues about these apps threatening Indias sovereignty.

However, with Shein's new partnership with Reliance Retail, its Indian platform will now operate on local infrastructure, ensuring data security and preventing Shein from accessing or controlling the data.

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Commemoration

Date:

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Time:

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Event Type:

Vigil/Ritual

Organizer/Author:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Committee

Location Details:

Digital Humanities Center

Ground floor, next to campus entrance

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

150 East Santa Clara Street

San Jose, CA 95112

96th Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Commemoration



Let's reclaim his radical legacy!



Dr. King was not merely a dreamer, he was a doer! He was not one advocated for small changes, but "We are going to have to change the system!"



How do Dr. King's thoughts, words, and actions apply to the burning questions of today: human rights, human needs, equity, community, love, hate, war, and peace?



Speakers will address the changes ahead in the light of Dr. King's words and deeds.

Cultural performances will include a libation ceremony, poetry, drumming, and dancing!



The event will be held in the Digital Humanities Center (formerly the Friends of the Library bookstore) at the campus-side entrance to the King Library.



Free and open to the public

Wheelchair accessible

Free parking is available in the city parking garage north of Santa Clara Street.



Organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Committee



Co-sponsored by All-African People's Revolutionary Party, Ambedkar King Study Circle, Ethical Culture Society of Silicon Valley, Human Agenda, Jewish Voice for Peace South Bay, Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley, NAACP San Jose/Silicon Valley, San Jose Peace & Justice Center, San Jose Public Library, SJSU King Library, Women's International League for Peace & Freedom
A 44-year-old DJ with alleged connections to the Azerbaijani president has been jailed pending trial following her testimony in an Athens court.

The woman, accused of aggravated drug trafficking, was arrested during a raid on a luxury villa in Kalyvia where a drug-fueled party

was taking place.

Despite denying any involvement in organizing the event or distributing drugs, the court ordered her detention. Another suspect facing felony charges was also remanded in custody.

The move follows the release of five other individuals accused of misdemeanor drug possession.

Earlier, three more suspects facing felony charges were released on bail and restrictive conditions, including mandatory appearances at a police station. The varying levels of restrictions imposed on the defendants reflect the differing severity of the accusations.

The investigation into the villa party continues as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the alleged drug operation.

The case has drawn significant attention due to the high profile of the DJ, who reportedly is a cousin of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

This incident highlights the challenges faced by authorities in combating drug trafficking and raises questions about the potential involvement of influential figures in illegal activities.

   iefimerida.gr
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, who was airlifted to Greece on Friday, is in stable condition, his doctors said on Saturday.

"Despite his already burdened medical history, his health condition is considered stable and is being closely monitored by the hospitals medical team under the guidance of Professor of Pulmonology and Intensive Care, Anastasia Kotanidou," Evangelismos Hospital said, adding that the Archbishop is undergoing the necessary medical examinations.

   iefimerida.gr
A vehicle accident on the Umuahia-Enugu Expressway in Abia State has claimed the lives of two individuals and left 12 others injured.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Abia Sector Commander, Mrs Ngozi Ezeoma, disclosed in a press release on Friday in Umuahia that the accident occurred at 3:50 p.m. in Ohiya.

Ezeoma said, The crash involved a blue Toyota commercial bus and resulted in the loss of two lives, while 12 other persons sustained injuries. The crash involved 10 male adults and four female adults, with one male adult confirmed dead on the spot.

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The injured victims were rushed to the nearest hospital for treatment, while the deceased was taken to the mortuary by the FRSC rescue team that arrived at the scene within 10 minutes of notice.

READ MORE: Sokoto Police Arrest 575 Suspects For Various Crimes, Recover Weapons

Sequel to a hospital follow-up by FRSC, the hospital treating the injured victims confirmed to us that one male adult died while receiving treatment, increasing the number of dead persons to two.

She stated that a preliminary investigation determined that the accident was caused by speeding and a tyre burst.

Ezeoma emphasised the sector commands commitment to lowering the number of road accidents in the state.

She expressed sympathy for the victims families and wished the injured a swift recovery.


The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, has reiterated that the exit of 1,000 staff from the bank was entirely voluntary.

Cardoso made this clarification at the resumed House of Representatives investigative hearing on the disengagement of the 1,000 workers by CBN.

According to Cardoso, the early exit program, restructuring, and reorganisation were aimed at optimizing the banks efficiency.

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They are basically ways and means through which the performance of an organization is optimized by putting, ensuring that round pegs are put in right holes, Cardoso explained on Friday.

READ ALSO: CBN Introduces N100,000 Daily Withdrawal Limit On PoS Transactions

Cardoso emphasized that the manpower requirement of the bank is met, and the early exit program is 100% voluntary.

Its not mandatory. Nobody has been asked to leave, and nobody has been forced to leave. Its a completely voluntary program that has been put in place, he said.

The CBN Governor also noted that the bank has faced several challenges, including stagnation and lack of career progression.

However, he maintained that the early exit program was designed to address these issues and provide opportunities for staff to pursue other ventures.
Grammy-winning artist Burna Boy and socialite Cubana Chief Priest have set social media abuzz after exchanging heated words online.

The clash began when Burna Boy posted a cryptic message widely interpreted as a dig at Cubana Chief Priest, a well-known associate of Davido.

Taking to his Instagram page on Friday, Burna Boy referred to the celebrity barman as Owerri Rick Ross, adding a mocking tone.

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He wrote, No forget say u be Azaman o, And dem don gbe your plug wey him name na Omo Igbo for ATL and na u be next #OwerriRickyrozay.

READ MORE: Eniola Badmus Tearfully Seeks Prayers For Motherhood During Charity Event In Lagos

In response, Cubana Chief Priest fired back, accusing Burna Boy of being bitter.

He also took a jab at the artists Grammy win, suggesting it was more a result of powerful connections than genuine talent.

Diddy oil the fastest way to PTSD. You never see anything, you and your bend down collect Grammy, he posted, referencing Burna Boys collaboration with music mogul Diddy.

Further escalating the feud, Cubana Chief Priest ridiculed Burna Boys extravagant lifestyle and brought up rumours of unpaid debts, including those for a Ferrari and jewellery from London.

The Ferraris. The London jewelers debt. Im coming. I have long waited for this moment. Osubrileeee oooo, he added.

In another post, he wrote, Its so clear because how is it even possible that someone who brags to be so rich go dey live in so much pain. Wetin dey pain you ? Shebi na you be African princess. Only you rush bend down collect Grammy only you still dey cry. Oil full your Grammy we know how painful it was thats why you want everybody to feel the pain with you. You reall suffer I understand you.

SEE POST:
A fire outbreak in Ibadan, Oyo state capital, has razed several shops, resulting in the destruction of property valued at millions of naira.

It was gathered that the incident took place at the Tollgate area along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

According to sources, the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday.

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It was learned that no fewer than four shops were affected by the inferno, and property worth millions of naira, along with other items, were destroyed. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident.

Mr. Yemi Akinyinka, the General Manager of Oyo State Fire Service, confirmed the incident to DAILY POST.

READ MORE: Two Security Guards Nabbed In Ogun For Allegedly Setting Man They Mistook For Thief On Fire

Akinyinka explained that the fire was reported to the agency at around 5:50 a.m. and attributed the cause to an unattended open flame left by a woman cooking in one of the affected shops.

He said, The fire incident was reported to our agency at exactly 05:50hrs of Friday 3rd January, 2025.

The four shops were destroyed by fire and multiple shops were saved from being affected by fire.

Properties worth millions of naira were affected by fire and shops together with materials worth billions were protected against devastating fire.

No life was lost. The fire was traced to be a naked fire unattended to by the woman cooking in one of the four shops affected by the fire.


Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has made it clear that he owes his position as former Governor of Rivers State to his own efforts, not the influence of external forces.

Wike emphasized that while he received support from certain leaders, he ultimately fought his way to power.

His remarks were made on Friday during a civic reception in honor of Rivers State politicians loyal to him in Port Harcourt.

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He contrasted his rise to power with that of current Governor Siminalayi Fubara, whom he claimed he made Governor of Rivers State.

READ ALSO: Im The Best Gov Rivers Ever Produced  Wike Replies Ex-Gov, Odili

The statement comes amid a verbal exchange between Wike and former Governor Peter Odili, sparked by the resurfacing of old videos showing former First Lady Patience Jonathan presenting Wike as the preferred successor to then-Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Wike stated, You didnt give me. To be Governor of Rivers State 2014, I fought for the party structure. I took it from Magnus Abe, yes, I did. So you cant say you made me Governor. Nobody, I dont want to make comments about certain people, I wont do that.

He continued, You Magnus, all of you, Victor Giadom, I fought you people, took the party structure. So, nobody can say I brought Wike, I dashed you. Nobody can say that. But it would be unfair to me, to Almighty God, for me to say nobody supported me.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife Patience Jonathan, and Peter Odili played significant roles in Wikes emergence as Governor of Rivers State in 2015.
Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo has made a shocking revelation about her past, disclosing that she was raped five times.

The 47-year-old actress shared her traumatic experience during an interview with her colleague Biola Bayo on her talk show, Talk to B, shared on X on Friday, January 3, 2025.

Iyabo Ojo expressed her strong opposition to rape and her frustration with individuals who justify such behavior.

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I was raped five times in my life. I discovered we have a lot of rape apologists. I dont care who the person is; if that person is my son, I am going to come for him unapologetically, she stated.

READ MORE: Eniola Badmus Tearfully Seeks Prayers For Motherhood During Charity Event In Lagos

During the interview, Iyabo Ojo also addressed rumors linking her to controversial musician Naira Marley, stating that they have never met.

I have never met Naira Marley before in my entire life, she clarified.

Additionally, Iyabo Ojo opened up about her challenging upbringing, revealing that her father struggled with addiction.

My dad did everythingalcohol and drugsso it messed him up at a young age. He died at 49, she shared.

The actress further disclosed that she was raised by her grandmother after being estranged from her parents.

I grew up with my grandmother, who is half Delta and half Igbo. I think I was seven before I knew my mother, she said.
The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has addressed the controversy surrounding the demolition of the property belonging to reality star Chioma Ikokwu, widely known as Chioma Goodhair, in the Lekki region of the state.

The reality TV personality from Real Housewives of Lagos (RHOL) alleged that LASBCA officials denied her access to her demolished property and deployed police to threaten her.

Chioma stated that LASBCA had served her a notice to vacate the premises where she operates her hair business and restaurant.

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She claimed that while she and her team were still retrieving the remnants of her property after the demolition, the officials prevented them from accessing her belongings.

In a statement released on Friday, Adu Adegoke, the assistant director of public affairs at LASBCA, explained that the properties involved were unauthorized structures attached to a building.

The agency mentioned that the property owner had been issued the required notices, including a convention, seal-off, and quit notice.

READ MORE: Chioma Good Hair Accuses Lagos State Officials Of Harassment After Shop Demolition

The statement cited Gbolahan Oki, the LASBCA general manager, as affirming that the agency followed all due processes in handling the situation.

Oki stated that the occupants were directed to remove the attachments lawfully, but they failed to secure the necessary Demolition Permit, which constitutes a breach of the Lagos State Building Codes and Regulations.

He accused the owners of harassing and hindering LASBCA officials while they were trying to enforce the law.

Oki contended that the video circulating on social media, which seems to show Chioma being denied access to her property, is intended to mislead the public and attract unwarranted sympathy for those who have repeatedly violated building and environmental regulations.

He affirmed that LASBCA would not be discouraged by attempts to distort the facts or influence public opinion.

The statement read, The attention of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) has been drawn to a misleading video circulating online regarding the removal of an illegal attachment to a building by their owners at 1A Olubunmi Owa Street, Off Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Eti-Osa, Lagos.

In line with the Lagos State Governments commitment to urban regeneration, sustainable development, and the elimination of environmental and security nuisance, LASBCA instructed the owner of the illegal attachment to remove it after multiple notices ranging from Convention, Seal-off and Quit Notices had been duly served on the occupants.

Reacting to the viral video, LASBCA General Manager, Arc. Gbolahan Owodunni Oki, clarified that the Agency followed all due processes which instructed the occupants to lawfully remove the attachment but the owner proceeded on an illegal removal of the attachment without obtaining Demolition Permit from the Agency an act that disregarded the Lagos State Building Codes and Regulations.

During LASBCAs routine monitoring exercise of the area, the illegal demolition of the property carried out by the owner was discovered, and our officials faced resistance from some occupants who had failed to adhere strictly to the State Building Laws, he said.

Oki also stated that the video in question shows an individual attempting to harass and obstruct LASBCA officials and security personnel who were present to maintain law and order during the exercise.

It is important to note that the video circulating on social media aims to mislead the public and garner undue sympathy for individuals who have continued to violate Building and Environmental Regulations of the State.

The General Manager further stated that, in the same video, the author admitted to being served the necessary notices, which undermines the claims made in their narrative and still went ahead to carry out an illegal demolition.

He also stated that LASBCA remains resolute in its mission to ensure safe, secure, and sustainable urban development across Lagos State, and will not be deterred by attempts to distort facts or manipulate public perception.

The LASBCA boss implored the public to disregard the misleading video and support the governments efforts towards a cleaner, safer, and more organized Lagos.

SEE POST:
No fewer than nine persons have been killed during a communal clash between residents of Gululu village, Miga Local Government Area of Jigawa State, and some Fulani settlers.

An eyewitness told DAILY POST that the crisis started after some miscreants, said to be Fulanis allegedly broke into a shop in Gululu and stole hibiscus and other provisions.

He said that the villagers from Gululu traced the suspects footprints to a Fulani settlement in Yankunama village, Jahun Local Government area of the state.

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He said: Upon confronting the settlers, the Fulanis allegedly attacked the villagers using bows and arrows, injuring four people.

In retaliation, the villagers reportedly mobilized and attacked the settlement, setting houses ablaze in various locations across Miga and Jahun LGAs.

Confirming the horrible attack, Jigawa State Police Commands Spokesman, Shiisu Lawan Adam, said that several fatalities had been recorded, while others were still receiving treatment in hospitals.

READ MORE: Jigawa Police Arrest Two Suspects As Bride Allegedly Poisons Wedding Guests

He said: The situation escalated when the villagers mobilized and set Fulani houses ablaze at various locations within Miga and Jahun LGAs.

Upon receipt of the report, our officers rushed to the scene. Unfortunately, nine bodies were recovered.

We are working to restore calm and order in the affected areas.

We have been engaging in dialogue and mediation, but unfortunately, the situation escalated into violence.

We will not tolerate any form of violence or lawlessness in our state. We must learn to live together in harmony and respect each others differences.

We urge everyone to cooperate with security agencies and allow the law to take its course. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims.
A 27-year-old man, David Adediji, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly breaking into a house and stealing valuables worth over N200,000 in Okorowepo, Idiroko region of the state.

The suspect allegedly gained entry into the residence of a female community member by forcing open the window, damaging the iron security bars, and hitting her on the head with an iron rod.

Omolola Odutola, the commands spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement to reporters on Friday.

She mentioned that the suspect is notorious for using iron tools to break into homes and commit theft.

Odutola stated that the suspect allegedly stole the victims Techno Spark phone, valued at over N150,000, along with N52,000 in cash, and also injured her on the back and leg while attempting to escape the scene.

She revealed that the victim reported the incident around 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Following this, the Divisional Police Officer of the Idiroko Division visited the scene and launched an investigation, which eventually led to the suspects arrest.

READ MORE: Kano: Police Capture Five Members Of Female-Led Phone Snatching Gang

Odutola stated that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to having committed the crime.

She said, On January 1, 2025, around 7:00 pm, a community member from Okorowepo, who was a victim of a burglary, reported to the station that on December 31, 2024, at approximately 10:00 pm, a man named David Adediji forcibly entered her home through a window, damaging the iron security bars. He struck her on the head with a long iron rod.

The victim further explained that David forcibly took her Android phone, a Techno Spark worth over one hundred fifty thousand Naira, and searched her room, stealing fifty-two thousand Naira in cash from her bag.

Police detectives from Idiroko visited the scene of the incident. An immediate investigation has been initiated, and items such as an iron rod and a plank have been collected as evidence from the crime scene.

David Adediji, a 27-year-old male, has been arrested in connection with the crime and has confessed to his involvement.

Odutola mentioned that a preliminary investigation has begun to gather more information and determine the possibility of prosecution.
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi has commended controversial activist, Dele Farotimi for his courage and commitment to national development.

Obi led this out on Friday, following his visitation to Farotimi, who was recently released from a correctional facility in Ekiti State.

Recall that the human right activist was arrested in Lagos State in November, 2024, for allegedly defaming a legal icon, Afe Babalola, in a published book, titled; Nigeria And Its Criminal Justice System.

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He was detained for many days in correctional center, before a court sitting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State Capital, granted him bail.

READ MORE: Make Fight Against Corruption Your Priority  Peter Obi Tells Tinubu

Reacting to Mr. Farotimis return, former governor of Anambra State, Obi, in a post shared via his X page on Friday, described the activist as a symbol of courage in the face of adversity.

He said: Yesterday, following my visit and meeting with President Obasanjo, I made time to visit my dear younger brother, Dele Farotimi.

Since his return from the correctional center in Ekiti, I have not had the opportunity to meet with him.

I was pleased to find him in good spirits and deeply encouraged by his unwavering dedication to the struggle for a better Nigeria.

Dele Farotimi exemplifies courage in the face of adversity, consistently taking bold stands for good governance in our nation.

I wish him a fruitful and productive year as we continue to work together toward the development of our country.


Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticized the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) for inviting him to tour the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, describing the invitation as disrespectful.

Obasanjos media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, stated that the former president took offense to the open invitation, which he felt was not befitting of his office.

Is that the right way to invite a former president of the country? Who says Baba has even seen the statement or read the news? It is a total disrespect for the office of the former president, Akinyemi said in statement on Friday.

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READ ALSO: NNPC Rejected Dangotes $750m Offer To Manage Nigerias Refineries  Obasanjo Reveals

The NNPCLs invitation came after Obasanjo expressed frustration over the mismanagement of refineries, citing the rejection of a $750 million offer from Aliko Dangote to manage the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries during his administration.

Obasanjo noted that despite significant expenditure since 2007, no results had been achieved, and over $2 billion had been squandered on the refineries.

In response, NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye insisted that the refineries were working and extended an open invitation to Obasanjo to tour the facilities.

He had said, We extend an open invitation to former President Obasanjo for a tour of the rehabilitated refineries to witness firsthand the progress made under the new NNPC Limited.

However, Obasanjos aide maintained that the former president would not dignify the invitation with a response, citing the lack of a formal invitation.


President Bola Tinubu has praised Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah for his administrations impressive infrastructural projects.

During a working visit to Enugu State on Saturday, Tinubu commended Mbah, saying, Youre a good thinker, Mbah. Youre my friend. We can go places together.

Building Nigeria. Building the future. Use technology to build. Promote investment. We must encourage the private sector to come into politics.

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READ ALSO: Gov Mbah Celebrates Chidimma Adetshinas Historic Miss Universe Feat

Tinubus visit was aimed at commissioning various projects executed by the Enugu State government.

As revealed by his Special Assistant on Social Media via X, Tinubu commissioned the 135K road in Enugu Metropolis, while acknowledging that infrastructure is the backbone of development.

He congratulated the Governor on the States achievements, noting that Enugu is achieving great heights and building our tomorrow, today under Mbahs leadership.
Frank Ranelli will be the new superintendent of Lower Merion. Read more

The Lower Merion School District has selected a New Jersey superintendent as its next leader, district officials announced Friday.

Frank Ranelli, superintendent of Piscataway Township Schools in Middlesex County, is expected to be named to the top position in Lower Merion at a special school board meeting Monday, Lower Merion spokesperson Amy Buckman said in a statement. Ranelli, who will join the district in April, was selected following a six-month search led by the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit.

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We are honored to welcome Dr. Frank Ranelli as our new superintendent, Kerry Sautner, the president of the Lower Merion school board, said in a statement. Dr. Ranelli brings the steady leadership and student-centered vision needed to guide our district forward, ensuring that our choices and decisions prioritize the success and well-being of all of our students.

The district on Friday also named a new acting superintendent, Lawrence Mussoline, a former superintendent of the Haddonfield School District in New Jersey and the Downingtown Area School District in Chester County. Mussoline will lead the district until Ranelli takes over, Buckman said.

The new appointments come after a series of leadership changes in Lower Merion, with two superintendents each leaving after about a year leading one of the states top-ranked districts. Steven Yanni, the most recent superintendent, left in July to take over the Central Bucks School District. Yanni had replaced Khalid Mumin, who left Lower Merion in January 2023 to become Pennsylvanias secretary of education under Gov. Josh Shapiro; Mumin has since left that role.

Since Yannis departure, Lower Merion has been led by Megan Shafer, the assistant to the superintendent for district administration. Shafer took on the additional responsibilities of acting superintendent during the six-month search, including overseeing the implementation of full-day kindergarten and a shift in school start times, and will now return full time to her position, Buckman said.

Ranelli, who has led Piscataway schools for five years, began his career as a special-education teacher in 1996. He later became a school administrator, including serving as principal of Lindenwold High School and of the Burlington County Institute of Technology in Medford.

He received his bachelors degree from Kean University; his masters from Georgian Court University, a small Catholic university in Lakewood, N.J.; and his doctorate from Wilmington University in Delaware, according to Buckman, and holds a certification in diversity and equity from Cornell University.

In a statement, Ranelli said he was very proud and honored to become Lower Merions next superintendent.

I am looking forward to working with the wonderful faculty and staff to continue the amazing work that is already taking place. LMSD is part of the fabric of an incredible community that offers students and families endless opportunities, Ranelli said. He thanked the school board and said, I am excited to be part of the Lower Merion family.

His appointment, along with Mussolines, is expected to be taken up by the school board at its meeting at 7 p.m. Monday.
Richmond Library is closed indefinitely because of a faulty roof and will undergo construction. Read more

The Free Library of Philadelphias Port Richmond branchs tumultuous stretch began in mid-November with a broken heating system that caused the library to close. Then, there was a gas leak, a chimney collapse, and an asbestos check.

Yet, the new year has not brought relief to the staff and patrons of the popular branch. After a brief period where the library reopened, the Richmond Library is closed indefinitely because its roof is falling apart. The news was first reported by Philly Voice.

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The ceiling is beset with leaks, and pieces of plaster continually drop to the floor, including a heavy chunk that fell near the childrens section. All the while, construction to repair the roof through the citys Rebuild initiative has been stalled for months.

Amy Thatcher, who works at Richmond Library and is a member of AFSCME District Council 47 Local 2186, said that she once had faith that Rebuild would restore the library, but now she feels very differently.

Its just progressively worse.  Its astonishing, she said.

We understand how important the library is to the Port Richmond community and the library will reopen as soon as all needed repairs are complete, Lloyd Salasin-Deane, a Rebuild spokesperson, said via email.

Missing tiles and damaged books

The citys Rebuild initiative, a series of reinvestment and construction projects in Philly infrastructure funded by the soda tax, began a $1.9 million roof replacement for Richmond Library in February.

Since construction workers removed the buildings roof that month, they have yet to make progress on its replacement. The most recent Rebuild progress report published in September stated that construction was 0% completed, though Salasin-Deane said that the project, including the roof removal, is 50% finished.

After workers removed the roof last winter, they installed a temporary, watertight layer that is typically meant only to last several months. But the roof began leaking a month later, which construction workers told Richmond staff was because of the structures rotting wood. Thatcher said that before the original roof was removed, it only leaked in one spot and that the replacement was much worse.

Who the hell takes off a roof without having a roof to put on? Thatcher said.

In an effort to make the roofs watertight layer more secure, workers used caulk and nails, but the roof continued to leak. Thatcher said that Richmond staff found numerous nails in the lawn, even after asking construction workers to do more thorough sweeps, and moved childrens programming indoors. One library worker stepped on a nail that went through the sole of her shoe, and got a tetanus shot.

Salasin-Deane said the general contractor picked up loose debris and installed a temporary protection for the roof, as well as performing daily site visits. But Thatcher said the damage was already done.

Half of our LGBTQ+ book collection is ruined. Much of the childrens nonfiction books have been ruined. Who will pay for the replacements? Thatcher said in an email to The Inquirer, regarding water damage from leaks. Salasin-Deane denied that books were damaged.

Before the construction companies contracted by Rebuild began removing the roof, Rebuild ordered replacement roof tiles from Ludowici Roof Tile, an Ohio-based company. They chose Ludowici because it builds a style of terra cotta clay tile that can withstand harsher East Coast weather, and it supplied the original roofing when the library opened in the current building in 1910. Richmond Library is a designated historical building, meaning renovations must closely match its original infrastructure.

Meeting minutes about the roofing project provided to The Inquirer state that Ludowici had been paid in full for the order by Rebuilds contractor, though Salasin-Deane disputed that the company had been fully paid.

The tiling company has pushed back its estimated delivery date several times, most recently missing a Dec. 6 target. However, a Ludowici representative said that two out of three trucks loaded with tiles finally shipped out on Friday morning.

Salasin-Deane said that Rebuild anticipates the roof will be complete three months after the arrival of all tiles.

We are eager to see this project move forward and are working with the general contractor on a delivery date for the roofing material. We are hopeful that the roofing material will be delivered to the site soon, Salasin-Deane said.

Rallying neighbors

Port Richmond community members are rallying around the library, aiming to bring greater attention to its plight. Neighbors launched a Change.org petition to support the library and accompanying social media campaign on Fridaycalling on Councilmember Mark Squilla, whose district covers the area, to divert resources to reopen the library. As of Sunday afternoon, the petition had over 780 signatures.

If this citys government is also keen on keeping families local, they will support the infrastructure that makes this possible. I cannot think of a better example of this than the Port Richmond Library, wrote Pati Babik, a petition signer. This library is the heart of our community.  It is simply atrocious that this library has been neglected by the city. Our community is lost without it.
Philadelphia police investigate the scene at Washington Avenue and Front Street in South Philadelphia where a SEPTA bus struck and killed a man and injured his wife on Friday night. Read more

A man was killed and his wife was injured when they were struck by a SEPTA bus Friday night in South Philadelphia, authorities said.

The two were walking at Front Street and Washington Avenue around 7 p.m. when they were hit by a Route 64 bus, said SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch.

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The man was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman was transported to a hospital, where she was listed in stable condition, Busch said.

Police said the man and woman were married and the woman was transported to Temple University Hospital.

Philadelphia police were investigating the cause of the accident and SEPTAs System Safety Division also was investigating, Busch said.

The agency said in a statement: Our hearts go out to everyone who is impacted by this tragic incident. SEPTA is committed to fully assisting Philadelphia Police in the accident investigation. SEPTAs System Safety Division is also conducting its own examination of the incident.

SEPTA added: The safety of the riders and communities we serve is our top priority. We are committed to full transparency with the public as we learn more from the System Safety investigation.
Donald Trump addresses his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021, shortly before rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Read more

Its been 210 years since the United States Capitol was attacked by troops of a foreign army. Its been four years since the United States Capitol was attacked by an army of Americans.

The first attack on the Capitol was launched by a foreign monarch. The second attack was instigated by the president of the United States.

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Unlike the first, the second, the one in which Americans attacked their own country, was deadly. And in less than two weeks, the man who set it in motion will again take the oath of office he violated four years ago and move back into the White House.

If Vice President Mike Pence had not called his friend and former Vice President Dan Quayle to shore up Pences belief that he had no constitutional authority to reject the electoral results submitted by the states, the election of 2020 might have been dismissed altogether, with a defeated Donald Trump refusing to leave office.

Some of Trumps return to power can be traced to public disaffection with his successor, some to disaffection with the direction of the Democratic Party, and some to attempts by the U.S. Supreme Court and executive branch lawyers in the U.S. Justice Department and the White House Office of Legal Counsel to elevate the presidency to the status of a de facto monarchy with nonconstitutional grants of presidential immunity and policies holding sitting presidents safe from criminal prosecution.

Failure to move expeditiously to hold President Trump accountable for the attempt to block the transfer of power after his defeat in 2020 made Trumps return possible.

But it did not make his return inevitable.

Voters in the United States, as in democracies across the globe, opted to change course from systems and policies they felt no longer addressed their concerns and aspirations.

What this means is that, as with all elections in which the in-party is ousted and the out-party is granted power, there will be a great many policies and actions forthcoming that Democrats and a good many Republicans and independents will find appalling.

The question is, what should those who did not and do not support Trump do now?

Some are advocating a scorched-earth agenda  wage war against everything that comes from the Trump White House and the Republican-led House and Senate.

This is seen as a moral calling. And in some cases, it will be: There will be proposals that one cannot morally abide (it should be noted, however, that this is a maxim that is applicable no matter which side wins the electoral wars and which side loses: even people temperamentally inclined toward common ground and compromise will have lines they will not cross). I suggest, however, that this approach  fight to the death over every issue  is itself an abandonment of the democratic principle.

Not every policy one disagrees with is a call to take up arms.

Years ago, the foundation of American constitutional government began to crumble.

Instead of every member of Congress voting according to his or her own conscience and judgment, the members singular and distinct constituency, and a studied understanding of the Constitution, members of Congress began to act like members of a Parliament (a governing system the founders pointedly rejected).

Suddenly it was perceived as a failure of leadership if all members of a party  Southerners and New Englanders, representatives of big cities and rural villages  did not march in lockstep.

Instead of outcomes derived from deliberation, our politics became a zero-sum game.

In elections, there are winners and losers, but both nationally and in every congressional district, there are large numbers of citizens whose votes were cast for the person who did not finish first, but they, too, are the elected officials constituents.

In states with closed primaries, sore loser laws, and no runoffs, the winner may not come close to being a true representative of the majority of the people he or she is to represent.

A member of Congress who emulates W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivans famous parody in the operetta H.M.S. Pinafore (I always voted at my partys call/ And I never thought of thinking for myself at all) does not belong in public office.

The biggest check on authoritarian rule is noncompliance. For those who hold positions of authority, that simply means: do your job.

For the United States Senate, for example, that means a serious vetting of presidential nominees and rejection of those not fit for the jobs for which theyve been proposed.

It also means that members of Congress should disregard pressure from a president or their own chosen party leader to vote contrary to their own conscience and judgment.

It means embracing the deliberative processes of a functional democracy.

It means taking your job, and your oath, seriously.

Heres what I think we should do.

On big issues, the issues that carry significant legal and moral weight, write, speak, and organize to try to win (best outcome) or lay down a marker (not a meaningless achievement).

But otherwise, accept that electoral outcomes have consequences, and the best way to keep things from going too far off the rails is to be willing, if possible, to negotiate in good faith to make a decision either somewhat better or somewhat less bad. Oppose, but within bounds; not everything is a call to burn the house down.

Look honestly at the factors that caused voters to opt for a candidate many disliked rather than keep Democrats in power. Understand their worries, grievances, fears, hopes, and, yes, their feelings of being culturally and economically ignored or dismissed.

Its hard for advocates to step back from the aggressive postures that have been at the heart of their daily existence, nor should legitimate causes be set aside, but overaggressiveness often leads to outcomes that are the exact opposite of what one sought to achieve.

Reform Congress. Party-first philosophy has resulted in both political parties supporting increased presidential power and an abandonment of Congress constitutional obligations. No one can foresee who will be president eight years from now, or 12, or 20.

Oppose, but within bounds; not everything is a call to burn the house down.

So, both parties should act now to reclaim Congress authority over taxing, spending, and the federal budget, over war power, over the judicial and military confirmation process. Make it harder, as the Constitution intended, for the head of the executive branch to behave like a king (no, the president is not the head of government; he or she is the head of one branch and not the one that makes the laws).

With Trump in office, Democrats have a great incentive to return to the constitutional model of a checked presidency; with the possibility that a Democrat will again succeed Trump, as happened in 2020, Republicans have the same incentive.

I chair a Princeton University initiative, including leading experts from 19 universities, which has mapped out a series of reforms that would allow Congress to seize back powers that have been usurped by presidents of both political parties with the approval of their fellow partisans.

The greatest fear accompanying a Trump presidency (a fear I share) is the further deterioration of constitutional boundaries and institutional norms and the further solidifying of the concept of members of Congress as staff or advisers to a president of the same party.

Even more than I worry about what a Trump presidency might bring, I worry about the demise of deliberative democracy.

When Trump or his supporters and appointees, many of whom seem singularly unqualified for the jobs theyll be assigned, actually do things that are foolhardy, morally repugnant, or dangerous to our democratic future, we should speak out and act up.

But otherwise, stop obsessing about the man  he has already taken up too much air space  and concentrate on reviving and strengthening the constitutional democracy that was what at one time made America truly exceptional.

We can relitigate the 2024 election endlessly, call friends in a panic every time the orange-tanned man repeats what he has said a hundred times before, or we can look toward, and act to build, a different future than the one that brought us to this point.

Today is his. Tomorrow can be ours.

Mickey Edwards, a former eight-term Republican member of Congress, is the John L. Weinberg/Goldman Sachs & Co. visiting professor at Princeton Universitys School of Public and International Affairs.
An insurer failed to properly cancel a workers compensation policy because its multiple notices and other conduct were not definite, certain, and unambiguous as to the status of the coverage.

As a result, Ace America Insurance Co. is obligated to defend and indemnify an employer in connection with an injury claim filed by an employee, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled, overturning an appellate decision that favored the insurer over its insured, Napolitano Roofing.

The Supreme Court ruled that insurers must comply not only with the statutory requirements of the states workers compensation law (Section 31-348) when it comes to cancellation but also with traditional principles of contract law that require them to provide definite, certain, and unambiguous cancellation notices.

The workers compensation law obligates an insurer to provide written notice of cancellation of policies to the chairperson of the Workers Compensation Commission via the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). The statute, however, does not dictate or otherwise regulate the content of the cancellation notice that must be sent to insureds and contains no suggestion that the required notice to the chairperson satisfies the insurers obligation to properly and unambiguously notify its insured of the cancellation, the high court explained.

The high court said that consideration of whether a notice of cancellation is sufficiently definite and certain must include all relevant communications between the parties, and not just the notice received by the chairperson. The high court said the appellate court erred in not considering all relevant communications.

In the present case, the court found that Ace sent Napolitano conflicting noncooperation and cancellation notices about the status of the insurance coverage, what was required to maintain that coverage, and what the consequences would be for not meeting the deadline to comply with information requests. Napolitano received two notices on the same day, both dated April 5, 2018, that did not reference one another. One warned of cancellation in the future for non-cooperation with a request for financial records; the other said the policy was being cancelled as of April 25. The insured was instructed to contact its insurance agent with any questions. On April 6, Ace sent the cancellation notice, but not the non- cooperation notice, to the chairperson of the state commission via the NCCI as required.

On April 7, Napolitano sent Ace information it had requested and on April 10 the roofing firm asked its agent about the status of its coverage. The agent told Napolitano that Ace said it was in compliance and the agent sent certificates of insurance to Napolitano showing coverage was in effect.

On April 16, Napolitano received an email advising him that the insurer had received some but not all of the information it needed. The email made no reference to the April 25 cancellation date and requested that the plaintiff provide the additional documentation by April 21. Napolitano did not provide the additional documentation.

On May 29, 2018, a Napolitano employee sustained injuries in the course of his employment and, thereafter, filed a claim for compensation benefits with the commission. Ace denied the claim and declined to defend or indemnify Napolitano, claiming that the policy had been terminated as of April 25.

The workers compensation commissioner found that the employee had suffered an injury in the course of his employment but determined that Napolitano did not have workers compensation insurance in effect on the date of loss because the policy was properly cancelled electronically with the chairperson of the commission.

The high court said the commissioner narrowly considered only the issue of whether the NCCI had reported the policy as terminated on the date of cancellation but not whether the notices complied with the defendants contractual obligations.

Napolitano and the Second Injury Fund then entered into a settlement agreement with the injured employee, under which Napolitano and the fund paid him $225,000 in compensation for his injuries and medical expenses. In exchange, the employee withdrew a civil action he had filed against Napolitano.

Napolitano then filed a complaint seeking a judgment declaring that Ace was legally obligated to defend and indemnify it in connection with the employees workers compensation claim and damages for breach of contract.

Both parties moved for summary judgment on those two counts. The trial court concluded that the cancellation of workers compensation insurance must be unambiguous and unequivocal and that all communications that directly related to the issue of cancellation must be considered when making that determination. The trial court granted Napolitanos motion for summary judgment after concluding that the policy was not cancelled on April 25, and that it remained in full effect when the employee was injured because the multiple notices, when considered together, were not unambiguous and unequivocal.

Ace appealed that ruling and the appeals court overturned the trial court, essentially finding that the policy had been effectively cancelled and Ace met its obligation when it sent its notice to the commissioner.

The Supreme Court has now overturned the appeals court, agreeing with the trial court. The high court found that the appellate court incorrectly concluded that Ace effectively cancelled the insurance by providing a cancellation notice that complied with  31-348. The high court said the appellate court erred in ignoring the fact that the insurer engaged in other conflicting conduct that rendered its notice of cancellation indefinite, uncertain, and ambiguous.
Labor unions are associations that aim to protect workers rights and advance their interests. They negotiate with employers through a process known as collective bargaining. The result is a union contract in which an employer specifies compensation, hours, benefits, job health, and safety policies. Workers achieved higher wages, reasonable hours, safer working conditions, health benefits, and aid when retired or injured because of labor unions.

Unions were also instrumental in ending child labor in the United States. They've exerted a broad influence on American life, reshaping the political, economic, and cultural fabric of the country.

A Gallup poll found that 71% of Americans supported unions in 2022, up from 64% before the COVID-19 pandemic and the highest support level since 1965. Another Gallup poll found support still high at 70% in 2024.

Key Takeaways A labor union is an association of workers formed to negotiate collectively with an employer to protect and further workers rights and interests.

Sustained trade union organizing among American workers began in 1794 with the establishment of the first trade union.

Modern labor union members are very diverse, including more women and Black workers than ever before.

National organized labor groups have influenced federal legislation such as the creation of the U.S. Department of Labor and civil rights legislation.

Union power and membership reached a high point in the U.S. during the 1940s and 1950s.

Sabrina Jiang / Investopedia

The Rise of Labor Unions in the U.S.

Labor unions have existed in the U.S. since the country's birth. Their origins can be traced back to the 18th-century Industrial Revolution in Europe.

The first recorded worker strike in America occurred in 1768 when journeymen tailors protested a wage reduction. Philadelphia shoemakers formed a union called the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers in 1794. The establishment of this group marked the beginning of sustained trade union organization in the country.

Local craft and trade unions then proliferated in major American cities. Industrialization resulted in the aggregation of workers in large factories, creating fertile ground for union growth. Large factories also put multiple trades under one roof, eventually leading to alliances among unions. Achieving a shorter workday was one of the unions' major accomplishments.

Excluding Women, Black Workers, and Immigrants

The need for both skilled and unskilled labor increased after the Civil War and the end of slavery.

Union members in the skilled trades remained overwhelmingly White Protestant, native-born males throughout the 19th century. These higher-paid workers had the funds to pay union dues and to contribute to strike funds. They were reluctant to organize unskilled Irish and Italian immigrants and they also excluded Black workers and women. Black workers were often paid lower wages and this made White workers fear they would be replaced by cheaper labor.

Excluded groups organized their own unions. Black caulkers in the shipbuilding industry held a strike at the Washington Navy Yard in 1835. Women tailors, shoe binders, mill workers, and Black laundresses formed their own unions.

The National Union for Cigar Makers was the first union to accept women and Black workers in 1867. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers had been organizing in the telephone industry and it primarily accepted women telephone operators in 1912.

Protecting Workers Rights

Winning gains such as a shorter workday and a minimum wage for all workers and citizens have been a key aspect of union activity. The National Labor Union was created in 1966 to limit the workday for federal employees to eight hours. The private sector was much harder for unions to penetrate, however.

Minimum Wage Twenty-one U.S. states raised their minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2025. They are: Alaska

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Illinois

Maine

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

New Jersey

New York

Ohio

Rhode Island

South Dakota

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

The price of labor declined as more immigrants flooded the country. One group was often pitted against another to keep wages down. Chinese workers were brought in as replacements when Irish workers won pay raises from the railroads.

Thousands of Chinese workers were grading and digging tunnels for the transcontinental railroad. They simultaneously threw down their picks and shovels in 1867 to protest their lower pay compared with White workers. Their strike failed after the railroad owner cut off all food and supplies.

A. Philip Randolph and other railroad sleeping-car porters who successfully unionized were among the leaders of the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

Poor pay and working conditions led to work stoppages by the Pullman Railroad Workers and the United Mine Workers but both strikes were broken up by the government.

Eugene Debs, leader of the American Railway Union in the 1894 strike against the Pullman Company, was unable to convince members of his union to accept Black railroad workers. Black workers then served as strikebreakers for the Pullman Company and for the owners of Chicago meatpacking companies whose stockyard workers struck in sympathy.

A. Philip Randolph began his successful 12-year fight in 1925, striving to gain recognition for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters from the Pullman Car Company, the American Federation of Labor (AFL), and the U.S. government. Randolph ultimately succeeded in his quest in 1937.

Labor Reform Legislation

Unions worked not only for improvements in pay and working conditions but also for labor reforms.

The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions was formed in 1881 and the AFL was founded five years later. Their combined organizing force led to the act of Congress that created the Department of Labor (DOL) in 1913.

The Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 allowed employees to strike and boycott their employers. It was followed by the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act of 1936 and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 which mandated a minimum wage, extra pay for overtime work, and basic child labor laws. The AFL-CIO later played a crucial role in helping to pass civil rights legislation in 1964 and 1965.

Impact of the Depression and War

Labor unions grew in power and number from the Civil War through World War I. They lost some influence during the 1920s but the Great Depression quickly reversed this trend with workers turning to their local trade unions to find employment and protection.

Union membership grew exponentially as the Depression wore on. The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was established in the 1930s and organized large numbers of Black workers into labor unions for the first time. There were more than 200,000 Black workers in the CIO in 1940. Many of them were officers of local unions.

The influence of labor unions was somewhat curtailed during World War II. Some unions such as those in the defense industry were forbidden by the government to strike because it would present an impediment to wartime production.

The end of the war saw a wave of strikes in many industries. Union power and membership as a percent of employment reached a high point from the 1940s to the 1950s. The AFL merged with the CIO and became the AFL-CIO in 1955. The goal was to influence policies that would impact the American labor force.

Some of the founding trade unionists were socialists, communists, or anarchists interested in leveraging union organization into broader revolutionary change. Others focused solely on bread-and-butter issues. The Taft-Hartley Act was passed in 1947 over President Harry Trumans veto. It required all union officials to file affidavits and take oaths that they weren't communists. This and many other provisions of the act weakened the union movement.

Organizing Lower-Paid Workers

The next decades brought unionization to some of the lowest-paid workers in the nations hospitals, nursing homes, and farms.

The 1950s

Hospital workers in New York City were organized by 1199, a predominantly White and Jewish union of pharmacists led by Leon Davis. 1199 mobilized the predominantly Black and Latino workforce in the late 1950s during the first flush of the civil rights movement. An unprecedented 46-day strike at seven of the citys most prestigious hospitals ended with the workers winning union recognition and better pay and working conditions.

1199 organized thousands of nursing home and home care workers in the 1990s and later merged with the Service Employees International Union to become 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.

1965 to 1970

Filipino and Mexican American farm workers organized a grape boycott that succeeded in rallying national support. They were led by Philip Vera Cruz, Cesar Chavez, and Dolores Huerta. It brought grape growers to the table after five years to sign a first union contract granting better pay, benefits, and protections. Agricultural workers still have a very low rate of union membership, however.

1979

The number of union members reached a peak of 21 million in 1979. Workers were able to rely on federal laws to protect them as additional laws were passed outlawing child labor and mandating equal pay for equal work regardless of race or gender. They've continued to prove their importance, particularly in the political sphere, despite the erosion in labor unions member numbers, power, and influence.

Unions Today

2008 to 2024

Unions were instrumental in the election of President Barack Obama in 2008 and his reelection in 2012. Union leaders hoped that Obama would be able to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation that was intended to streamline and shorten the process of bringing new members into unions. Democrats were unable to garner enough support to pass the law, however.

Union membership decreased during the Obama administration and this may have led some union members to switch their support to Republican Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential election. President Joe Biden worked during his term to get unions back on board with the Democrats by vowing to be the most pro-union president leading the most pro-union administration in American history.

The highest rates of union membership are in the public sector and specifically in local government which covers the heavily unionized occupations of police officers, firefighters, and teachers. Private sector industries with high unionization rates include utilities, motion pictures, sound recording, transportation, and warehousing.

20% The percentage of Black workers who are union members, according to the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.

Non-union workers had median weekly earnings of $1,337 in 2023 which is $199 more than the $1,138 recorded for union members.

Organized labor is now more diverse than ever. In 2024, 14.3 million people employed in the U.S. belonged to unions, representing about a tenth of the working population. Representation was fairly evenly divided among genders and races with Black workers the most likely of all races to be part of a union at an enrollment rate of 11.8%.

Less encouraging for unions is the gradual decline in membership rates. About 20% of the working U.S. population was part of a union in 1983 compared to 10.2% in 2024.

Employees have successfully organized unions at some Amazon, Starbucks, and Apple facilities and stores. A tight labor market in 2022 also increased membership.

Support for Unions

The decline in union membership is perceived as a negative for most Americans, according to a study by Pew Research Center. As many as 54% of Americans polled said they believed the drop was bad for the country and 59% suggested that it has been bad for employees. Those views are divided, however, based on which political party you ask. Republicans tend to view the drop in union membership as favorable. Democrats are more likely to support unions.

Younger generations are also helping to boost union membership. Some reports claim the biggest gains in union membership have been among workers ages 34 and younger. Young people are unionizing in new sectors, too, such as art museums, cannabis shops, digital media brands, political campaigns, and tech companies.



When Did U.S. Workers Get the Right to Unionize? Workers in the U.S. were granted the right to unionize in 1935 when the Wagner Act was passed.

Why Did Unions Start and Why? Labor unions were created to protect employee rights and stop exploitation. Members fight together for better pay and working conditions. They can be collectively influential enough to engineer change.

What Do Unions Fight For? Unions work to ensure members receive decent wages, affordable health care, job security, fair scheduling, and safe and respectful workplaces.

The Bottom Line

Labor unions have a long history in the United States and have broadly influenced politics and the economy over the years. Some of the benefits of unions for workers have included higher wages and better working conditions.

Union membership reached a peak in the 1940s and 1950s. Younger generations, the impact of the pandemic on workers, and a tight labor market have made unions more popular among Americans, even though membership is down.
I have decided to become a private eye for 2025.

The same as Magnum PI, only without the Ferrari or the fancy moustache.

I made my decision after eating the turkey on Christmas Day.

A few days previous, I had read an article in the Irish Examiner pertaining to the life of the Irish private investigator.

According to the report, 10m had been made in the industry over the previous year.

That was 10m more than I made out of bullocks in 2024, even without factoring in the price of hay.

Anyhow, as I sat there by the fire, I resolved to become a private investigator, like Magnum PI, and with my toes gently toasting, I fell asleep to dream about little else.

My first case, in my dreams, came in the form of a missing bullock from a holding just west of Macroom.

The farmer in question had given up all hope of ever finding his missing animal again.

And so, in desperation, he called 'Lehane PI' to solve the riddle.

Having spent my whole life in search of missing cattle, this case would be easy to solve.

I could solve it in my sleep. Indeed, I did.

My client had no grass nor bale of any variety; his neighbour had plenty.

A broken fence was soon discovered and the bullock shortly after. Case solved.

"I would have never guessed my bullock had gone over the boundary ditch," the greatly relieved farmer said as he wrote out a big fat cheque for me.

Well, I had to laugh, for 'twas the easiest job I had ever performed.

My next assignment was 'The Case of the Missing Cattle Cards'.

This would prove to be a little more tricky, as cattle cards can be notoriously hard to find, particularly when you need them.

"Have you tried under the bed?" was the first question I asked the farmer.

"No," says he, and he ran and looked under the mattress, alas to no avail.

"Have you looked in your old jeep?" I then inquired.

Jeeps you see can be full of rubbish, and the cards can quite often be buried under a ton of empty crisp packets, newspapers or yesterday's post.

Alas, the cards weren't there either.

In desperation, I asked the farmer to fetch me a glass of milk from the fridge.

Like Kojak himself, I was now feeling the heat; I needed time to think.

Well, I declare to heaven, as soon as he opened the fridge door, didn't the farmer discover the cards resting beside a pound of butter.

Cattle cards usually turn up in the strangest of places.

The case was solved and another fine fee was paid over to Lehane PI.

It was a dream job, in so many ways.

And my final case, as I slept there by the fire, came in the guise of the missing farm payment.

Now, this would be the toughest case of all.

A farmer hadn't received any farm payment before Christmas and was greatly troubled as to why.

"My dear man," I exclaimed, "there could be a million reasons why."

A case of this nature would bamboozle even the great Hercule Poirot himself, for this is the stuff of nightmares.

And as I twisted and turned in my chair, no solution to the puzzle could I find.

Farm payments you see are the greatest mystery in the Universe, nobody really knows what's going on.

They are right up there with Blackholes and Lochness monsters.

I dreamed of making phone calls, I dreamed of taking snaps, I dreamed of interviewing glamorous people like they do in the movies, but alas, it was all to no avail.

I couldn't solve the riddle of the missing farm payment.

The heat was on, in fact the heat was unbearable.

Then suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder, and the next thing I heard was a warning cry that my socks had started to smoulder.

My missus, being the greatest detective of all, had spotted the danger long before calamity had struck.

I awoke to find my toes aglow and my thoughts very much back in the real world.

Back in a world where crimes and missing farm payments were all too common.

Anyhow as I sat there cooling down my feet, I resolved to become a private investigator.

An investigator who tackled all the great puzzles and mysteries that exist in farming today.

I, of course, would remain in farming, as farming is where the real action is.

I'd only be a private investigator for the money.

The 10m made it a dream job, and you didn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure that one out.
Dont you simply love MacCurtain Street? I struggle to think of a more diverse (and fun) street anywhere in the country.

I had forty minutes to kill before lunch in Bayou so I spent that time peering at the beautiful clocks in Stokes' window, and then at the jewellery and watches in Cash Connectors, before nipping into Unbound on Bridge St. to look at Kaweco and Lamy pens.

I still had time, so spent the rest of it in 33 RPM browsing the jazz section.

Record stores like 33RPM are a dying breed and with Louisiana in my head I was hoping to find some New Orleans Jazz.

There were indeed some old school Dixieland records and a Jon Batiste album, but in the end I settled for Kamasi Washingtons latest album  Im playing it as I write this.

Bayou is located in the old City Grill space and promises Southern Comfort Food with a strong Louisiana influence evident on the menu (notice also the fleur-de-lis on Bayous exterior sign, the symbol of New Orleans).

The room is simply laid out with, varnished floorboards and wood panelling, but do notice the pretty tiling at the entrance and remember to look up at the gorgeous ceiling.

The couple behind Bayou are Josh and Kate Crawford, Kate is originally from Arkansas and Josh is Cork comfort-food royalty, his grandfather having opened KCs in Douglas in 1958.

Sourcing is as Irish as possible with meats from Bresnans in Douglas, coffee from Stone Valley in Clonakilty and they even found an Irish supplier of andouille sausage.

Bayou is located in the old City Grill space and promises Southern Comfort Food with a strong Louisiana influence evident on the menu (notice also the fleur-de-lis on Bayous exterior sign, the symbol of New Orleans).

Bayous menu has a mix of classic southern dishes such as hush puppies, glazed ham and biscuits but Cajun-Creole is the main focus  chicken and andouille gumbo, jambalaya, and of course poboys and muffelettas, two of the worlds greatest sandwiches.

My guest was my former editor, Caroline Delaney of this parish, and lunch was the least I owed her thanks to the trauma she's endured during the years she edited my copy.

Caroline opted for the veggie poboy while I felt I had to try the fried chicken breakfast special (13.50) which I believe is available all day.

My two fried chicken thighs had a crisp coating with a light but noticeable spice (sourced from Mr. Bells in the English Market), the meat was juicy and succulent.

A drizzle of hot honey added a touch of heat and sweetness while the refreshing watermelon and mint salad was the perfect foil (how did I not know about this combination?).

Good as this combination was the biscuits were even better  buttery, savoury and complex  reason enough to visit Bayou on their own.

The poboy sandwich is at its best when filled with fried oysters or shrimp but if you have to go veggie Bayou has you sorted.

Inside the good quality crusty French bread was fried potato and okra in a crisp cornmeal batter plus rocket and a tangy ranch dressing  the combination worked.

A veggie po'boy sandwich from Bayou

On the side from the Specials blackboard was a nicely executed mac and cheese made with cheddar and Swiss cheese and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs.

The contrast between the creamy cheesy mac and crisp breadcrumbs was perfect, the combination of flavours lingering happily in both our our memories a week later.

Bayou does not have a drinks licence but they are happy for customers to bring in bottles purchased in MacCurtain Wine Cellar (MWC) next door (or No. 21 at the end of the street), with no corkage applied.

Josh told me he is hoping to have a collab with MWC soon so stay tuned. In the absence of wine my guest chose a can of Hi-Five black tea and ginger ice tea and I had a tangy refreshing bottle of cult Fritz-Kola from Hamburg made with actual kola nuts.

For dessert it had to be pecan pie (3.75) which was pleasingly nutty and sweet with crisp pastry, while my fresh made fried beignets (3.90) had their traditional topping of powdered sugar, just as I remember from my last visit to the Cafe du Monde on Decatur Street in New Orleans.

These were a little drier than the ones in my memory but washed down well with a proper cup of filter coffee.

MacCurtain St. is already a brilliant food destination and Bayou is a fine addition.

Im looking forward to returning to try the jambalaya or maybe a shrimp poboy, I might even convince them to add a fried oyster version.

THE VERDICT Food: 8/10 Service: 9/10 Atmosphere: 8/10 Value: 9/10

Bayou

8 MacCurtain Street, Victorian Quarter, Cork

Tel: 021 245 5740

Instagram: @bayou_cork

Open: Tue-Wed: 12pm - 3pm; Thur-Sat: - 10am - 3pm

The bill: Lunch for two including two mains, two desserts, two soft drinks and two coffees cost 40.10

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07.00

I get up at 7am each Saturday because I have to walk my dog Zola and get in a bit of a run. Ill go for a walk with Zola in Sundrive Park near my home and force her to run 5km  at least she doesnt bark any more! Its important to me to be healthy now that Im getting older and have a family.

I dont eat breakfast  I will have the first two coffees of 10 that I have throughout the day. Ill have two flat whites followed by an orange juice or a smoothie.

08.30

I get to work around 8.30am. At our restaurant, Ians Kitchen by Mateo in Kimmage, we open at 9am and close at 4pm. We specialise in breakfast and brunch and we are also open for dinner on Friday, Saturday andSunday. We open the doors at 9am, I put my head down and dont get a chance to look up until about 4pm.

On a busy day it will be me plus one other person on the floor and a barista.

Ill take all the orders from customers. Even though Im on TV its no big deal when it comes to the customers. They see me running around on the floor of the restaurant and they have the good sense to leave me alone and let me do my job. Ive been in Dublin for 20 years, people have seen me around for years, nobody bugs me even though Im on First Dates Ireland.

The persona you see on the TV is the same persona you get in real life  it doesnt bug me what people expect or dont expect me to be like  I passed that stage in life ten years ago. If you like me, cool, if you dont, cool. I love my family and my friends, I try to treat everybody right and expect people to treat me the same  being on TV doesnt phase me, so why would it phase anyone else?

10.00

If we are filming for First Dates Ireland I will arrive at 10am. Well have breakfast and then Ill go and put my suit on.

12.30

The first daters will arrive. We have 12 main daters a day. Ill sit the first few daters down. It can be a pretty slow day of filming because I sit the daters down but then I pass them over to the barman and I dont want to overstep the mark on his role  we each have our own parts to play. My main interaction with the daters is at the door and a little bit afterwards at the bar.

14.00

Janine, our floor manager, is fantastic at keeping us all in order and running everything to schedule on the day. The history of the show says it works. Its a professional production  everybody knows what theyre doing. If you gave the production to me it would have been shut down in year one but these people really know what theyre doing.

I think everyone loves First Dates Ireland because it appeals to people of all ages. People also love to be a fly on the wall  there is something in us humans that is voyeuristic  we like to see things we are not supposed to see.

The show has changed along with a changing society  it is more diverse now because society has become more diverse and more open about that diversity.

Older people may have something to say about changes in society but we all have our time  time leaves us behind  it is meant to be like this.

16.00

I dont take a break during service. Breaks are for amateurs. Gastronomy doesnt work this way  in a restaurant you take a break when its time to take a break, not when you think its time to take a break.

We will take turns around 3.30pm or 4pm to grab a bite to eat. Then its back into the dinner service again.

23.00

Ill finish work around 11.30pm. Ill go straight home to my family who are all asleep. Ill hang around for about half an hour and then Ill head to bed. I might occasionally watch a movie but I try not to because half an hour can become three hours and then Ill suffer the next morning when I have to go to work.

In this business, you have to be quite disciplined and you have to be consistent, which, as you know, is one of the rarest human conditions and one of the hardest to achieve. He who achieves consistency has a fighting chance but if you dont have consistency, there may be trouble ahead.

00.00

My ten cups of coffee a day dont prevent me from sleeping  its a normal thing for me. If I had just nine cups a day my body would think there was something missing. Then its up on Sunday morning to do it all again  its sleep, repeat, in this business.
Thousands are without power after a weekend of snowfall, with more on the way after Met Eireann issued a fresh snow and ice warning for the country.

Schools closed as outpatient appointments and day services for Monday were cancelled by the HSE in Cork, Kerry, south Tipperary, Laois and parts of the mid-west after "significant accumulations of snow".

Met Eireann has issued a status yellow snow and ice warning for the whole country from midday on Monday for a 24-hour period. The forecaster said "wintry showers" will bring further snowfall. This will lead to hazardous travelling conditions with poor visibility and travel disruption expected.

The entire country is also under a status yellow low temperature/ice warning until noon on Thursday. Under this warning, Met Eireann is predicting "very cold nights with widespread frost and ice". Temperatures will "struggle to get above freezing during the day".

As of 5.15pm on Monday evening, some 17,000 homes, farms and businesses are without power, with most of these outages located Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary.

A spokesperson for the ESB said work on power restoration to affected areas will "continue for a number of days in worst affected areas due to the hazardous weather conditions and accessibility challenges".

As of 5.45pm, some 30,000 people were without water in Cork, Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary and Dublin where supplies are impacted by either bursts on the network or electrical outages at treatment plants or pumping stations.

According to Uisce Eireann, supplies to a further 27,000 people in these counties, Wexford and Laois are also "at risk" due to low reservoir levels,

The utility said its teams are working to restore supply to affected areas.

Scenes in Wicklow as weather conditions are expected to cause major disruption. Picture: Collins Photos

Meanwhile, An Post said deliveries have been "severely" impacted by the weather conditions.

"It will not be possible to make letter or parcel deliveries on the majority of postal routes in counties Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick, Tipperary and some parts of Wicklow," a spokesperson said.

"Should conditions improve, deliveries will be attempted where it is safe to do so. Post Offices in the same counties are also impacted and while some may be able to open later once power and access are restored, many will remain closed today, Monday."

In Tralee, the heavy snowfall caused the roof of the Tralee Sports Complex to collapse. The home of basketball Superleague side Garvey's Warriors, will be closed indefinitely.

Earlier, the National Emergency Co-ordination Group (NECG) met and director Keith Leonard said the key focus will be on trying to restore power and water to people.

Members of the Defence Forces were deployed yesterday and again today to support ESB networks in restoring power. Additionally, they assisted in reaching homes with limited access alongside the civil defence and other voluntary emergency groups.

Mr Leonard told RTE's Morning Ireland that key national agencies and local authorities had been working "extremely hard" with some 390 salt spreaders and snow ploughs covering over 13,000km of road networks on Sunday. He said there was enough salt and grit available to continue through the week.

Mr Leonard said the country would continue to see "wintry showers and extremely cold temperatures over the coming hours and days" with hazardous travel conditions likely to continue for the rest of the week.

Ten week old Bernese mountain puppy, Raven, encounters snow for the first time in a garden

34,000 still without power

An estimated 34,000 homes, farms and businesses are still without power as of Monday. Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Kilkenny continue to be the worst hit counties for power outages, the ESB said.

The company warned that power outages will continue over the coming days for some premises, but more major outages are unlikely.

However, it said on Sunday that it expects that power restoration in the worst affected areas "will take multiple days" as freezing temperatures and hazardous conditions are "slowing down restoration efforts"

Elsewhere, Uisce Eireann is working to restore supplies to approximately 40,000 people in, Cork, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary. Supplies to a further 30,000 people are at risk due to low reservoir levels.

According to Uisce Eireann, freezing weather conditions, coupled with rain or snow, are "impacting efforts and leading to delays" in repairing leaks.

A blackbird searches for food in the snow-covered ground in Limerick during the ongoing cold weather. Picture: Damien Storan

Head of water operations, Margaret Attridge urged households, businesses and farmers "to protect outside taps and to insulate exposed pipes and tanks which are particularly vulnerable to freezing."

"We are asking people to check for leaks and to turn off water to exterior pipes or unoccupied premises.

"Alternatively, people may consider setting the heating for these areas to come on periodically at a lower temperature. This allows warm air to circulate and will help to prevent pipes and tanks from freezing in the cold weather," she added.

Caitriona Twomey of Cork Penny Dinners, which provides food to the vulnerable, said that the charity has been receiving calls from people trapped in their homes looking for help.

Were taking out food to people who are trapped in their homes, mostly in the county but some in the city.

Some people are stranded but well up our game like we did during the Beast from the East to help people. The Penny Dinners board will meet to discuss whether it will open late this week to provide soup to the vulnerable during the cold weather at night.

The cold weather can be a challenge for the older and more vulnerable, Jackie Fitzgibbon of Friendly Call, a service which provides daily phone calls to older or isolated people living in Cork, said.

We have a small bus to take people to medical appointments but all their appointments have been cancelled today, Ms Fitzgibbon said.

So well use it to take people to get their food shopping today instead. A lot of people will stay in bed all day today to keep warm because theyre worried about electricity bills.

School closures

A number of schools were closed on Monday, with some delaying start time but the Department of Education had on Sunday anticipated that most schools would "open as normal".

Some schools in Waterford have said they will remain closed because of current weather conditions.

The decision to close a school "is a matter for individual school management authorities" around the country, as they are "best placed to do this" in light of local weather conditions.

Because school transport services may operate on rural or secondary roads, which may be untreated, this could "result in disruption" during adverse weather conditions.

If a school plans to close or where transport is affected, communications of such decisions will be issued locally between schools and parents or transport providers and parents.

The decision to close an early learning and childcare setting also rests with the setting's management, and higher education institutions will decide on the appropriate weather-related measures to take.

Outpatients appointments

In an update on Sunday evening, the HSE clarified that given hazardous conditions in Cork, Kerry, south Tipperary, Laois and parts of the mid-west, it has cancelled some services in those areas including outpatient appointments and day services on Monday.

It said that, where possible, its teams would make contact directly with those who use our day centre services in disability, mental health or older people to advise them of disruptions, or families can contact their local day service directly to get an update.

HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said: Where we defer any service it will be rearranged or rescheduled as quickly as possible. We regret any impact this has on our patients and their families however we must do all we can to ensure the safety of those who use our services and our staff. Any cancellations over the coming days are limited to those areas where travel is difficult.

It is important to say that we are doing all we can to ensure continuity of critical services including ambulance, ED, dialysis, oncology treatment and prenatal care for expectant mothers.

We are also taking steps in affected counties to prioritise people living alone and who need home support or community healthcare visits. If you are in any doubt or worried please contact your service, however for the most part, if you havent heard from us your appointment or the service you attend is not impacted at this time.

Finally, despite the extremely difficult conditions in some parts of the country, we would urge anyone requiring urgent emergency care to attend their local emergency department for treatment. As always, our emergency departments provide emergency care to patients 24/ 7.

The HSE South West said that all non-urgent appointments such as outpatient appointments and other clinical appointments in Cork HSE services are cancelled for Monday.

All non-urgent appointments at CUH, South Infirmary Victoria Hospital; Mercy University Hospital; Bantry Hospital and Mallow Hospital will not go ahead.

The HSE said it will contact all patients with urgent appointments such as dialysis and chemotherapy to make arrangements, while staff will also be in touch to arrange a rescheduled appointment.

Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) has confirmed that while all maternity appointments will proceed as scheduled on Monday, gynaecology appointments at both CUMH and the Lee Clinic are cancelled, and will be rescheduled.

- Additional reporting by PA
Gardai are following a strong line of inquiry in relation to the violent death of young mother Paula Canty in north Cork last Friday.

Her body was found in an apartment in the centre of Mallow, just days before her 32nd birthday.

Detectives have identified a number of people they want to talk to about her death.

Gardai launched a murder investigation on Saturday after an autopsy on Ms Canty, 31, confirmed she died violently.

The preliminary findings of the autopsy are not being released for operational reasons.

But it is understood that the post mortem examination, which was performed by assistant state pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster, at the city morgue at Cork University Hospital on Saturday morning, confirmed that Ms Canty suffered a fatal stab would to her upper body and that she did not die as a result of self-inflicted injuries as had been suggested by initial reports to the emergency services on Friday morning.

The alarm was raised around noon on Friday that a woman has suffered self inflicted injuries at an apartment in Mallow.

Paramedics rushed to the three-storey Belfry complex on Bridewell Lane near the town centre where Ms Canty had been renting and found her unresponsive lying on the floor of her top floor flat, with serious injuries to her upper body.

Efforts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

When it became clear at the scene that Ms Cantys injuries did not match those that had been initially described to the emergency services, gardai immediately treated the death as suspicious.

They sealed off the scene for a full forensic and technical examination by forensic experts from the Garda Technical Bureau, and requested the services of the state pathologist, assigning all the resources of a murder inquiry to the case from the outset.

And following a review of the preliminary findings of the autopsy on Saturday, a formal decision was made to upgrade the investigation to a murder inquiry.

While it is understood that gardai have identified at least two persons of interest who may be able to help them with their enquiries, they have appealed for witnesses to contact them and are seeking any available camera footage, including dashcam recordings, from those who were in the vicinity of Bridewell Lane between 9pm on Thursday and 10am on Saturday to contact them at an incident room at Mallow Garda Station on 022 31450.

They have been conducting door-to-door enquiries in the area, and have also harvested CCTV footage from a number of premises in the town centre, in a bid to trace Ms Cantys last known movements, and to identify any persons she was with in the hours before her death.

Ms Canty, who was originally from Kinsale, was a mother to two young children. She would have turned 32 on Monday. She had been living in the flat in Mallow for several months.

She led a troubled and often chaotic life, and was known to gardai, having amassed more than 100 convictions for offences including theft, drug possession, robbery, burglary and public order.

Friends have been paying tribute to her on social media today, with one person describing her as one of the nicest, harmless girls you could meet.
It was a summers evening in 1985, and Colm Crowley and a friend were looking for something to do. Colm had just finished up his degree in UCC. Unemployment was rife: Within the year, he, like so many of his generation, would emigrate to London to find work.

But on this particular Tuesday night, the friends decided on a little road trip out of Cork City.

We had a car, which would have been unusual enough at the time, and we drove down because everybody was talking about it, Colm says.

The it that everyone was talking about was a curious phenomenon taking place at the village of Ballinspittle, near Kinsale. On the evening of Monday, July 22, a local woman, Kathy OMahony, had been out walking with her two daughters and stopped to say the rosary at the grotto, a shrine to the Virgin Mary, when they saw the statue moving.

Colm Crowley says now: 'We went down to have a laugh about it, because everyone was talking about this thing.' He and his friends, who were not religious, were not prepared for what they saw. Picture: Ted McCarthy/Irish Examiner Archive

HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading

Kathy later told TV news crews that the statue appeared to her to be breathing or sighing", and she reported being overcome with a sense of peace and protection.

Word of what the OMahonys had seen moved first around the parish and then further afield, and the grotto became the centre of a massive spontaneous gathering that lasted months and which, in ways, was to change the quiet community forever.

Colm and his friend were not religious, and were drawn by curiosity and the sense of occasion. Nothing could have prepared them for what they were to encounter.

To anyone dubious about the Ballinspittle phenomenon, Aisling Minihane says: All I do is ask them if they will go down and take a look for themselves. Picture: Chani Anderson

We went down to have a laugh about it, because everyone was talking about this thing, he says.

We went for the spectacle, and we werent expecting what we saw.

Thousands of people were sitting and standing on the sloped embankment overlooking the rocky grotto on the other side of the road. There was the usual hubbub that such a crowd would produce.

My memory is of a lovely warm summers evening, he says.

There was a definite atmosphere there: It wasnt celebratory, just odd. Then I remember distinctly that everybody stopped talking. All the noise suddenly stopped, and I looked at the statue.

The Catholic Church was reticent about the claims in 1985 that the Ballinspittle statue was moving, and the then bishop of Cork and Ross declared he would not visit lest it was viewed as an endorsement. But visitors still flocked there in their thousands. Picture: Irish Examiner Archive

What I saw was that the statues head just shimmered. Not the body, just the head. It was shimmering, as though you couldnt quite focus on it.

Colm turned to his friend and asked if he was also seeing the statue move, and his friend said he was. We were a little bit shocked, Colm says. The crowd, the quietness, that everybody seemed to be seeing the same thing. After a minute or two, it stopped, and everyone started talking again. We left with our tail between our legs. We came down to have a laugh at these people, and we got a bit of a fright.

Colm describes the experience as shocking and even a little unpleasant: He had experienced something utterly outside his control and not in line with his own view of the world. Yet two nights later, he and his friend returned. Again, they believed they saw the statue move.

Colms feelings about this strange experience, now 40 years ago, are ambiguous.

There was no closure on this, and theres still no closure on it, he says. I saw something slightly odd happening on two separate occasions, and it stuck with me ever since. Im not sure if its a good memory or a bad memory: its just an odd memory.

More statues begin to move

Ballinspittles moving statue was joined by a veritable outbreak of other incidents at Marian shrines by the end of that summer: In August, it was the turn of Mount Melleray in Co Waterford, and claims of apparitions at almost 30 other sites around the country followed.

The Catholic Church was reticent, and wouldnt declare the apparitions a miracle. Then bishop of Cork and Ross, Michael Murphy, called for ordinary common sense and told RTE and BBC reporters he wouldnt visit the grotto himself in case it was viewed as an endorsement. But visitors flocked in their thousands to Ballinspittle. Busloads arrived each day.

Offerings left by visitors to the Ballinspittle grotto. Picture: Chani Anderson

Attempts to provide some kind of rational explanation were underway: The Applied Psychology department in UCC declared that the phenomenon was an optical illusion. Others theorised that it was a mass hysteria, that there was a hallucinogenic contaminant in the shrines well water, or even that locals had rigged some kind of battery-operated mechanism.

For Colm, there remains no explanation, even though there is of course a societal context: Most people were unemployed. There was a terrible sense of no future: everyone was on the dole, everyone was scrimping and saving, and everyone was emigrating.

Alice and Gerry Crowley are devoted to each other and to the Marian grotto at Ballinspittle which they have helped tend for decades. Picture: Chani Anderson

There was nothing, in the 80s. We were a shambles of a country, a shell of a place really. So that was a very odd background to the whole thing, but I wouldnt want to try to be a pop psychologist and come up with a broader theory about it.

Today, Colm Crowley is the head of RTE Cork, and, through pure coincidence, he ended up buying a house and settling near Ballinspittle. For him, though, the grotto as it is today feels like a different place to the one in which he had such an unexplainable experience all those years ago.

It is still very much a tourist attraction and there are often people sitting there contemplating life, he says.

To me, it feels just like a very nice, very well-kept grotto. It doesnt dominate life in the village, but I do think people are respectful of it.

Drive slowly through grotto

Visit the grotto today, and one of the first things youll see is one of the many signs urging care and respect: drive slowly through grotto one sign reads.

You may see a man in a hi-vis jacket, mowing, trimming, or doing other maintenance jobs. This is Paddy Simms, who has faithfully and voluntarily tended to the grotto daily for the past 40 years.

It is quiet, but regularly attended. Since 1985, the surface of the road that transects the site has been much improved, but the toilets closed during covid and havent reopened.

Thousands of people congregated at the grotto at Ballinspittle, Co Cork, on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1985. Picture: Irish Examiner Archive

For months there has been a sign on the tap where visitors have gathered highly prized well water for generations saying the water is not fit for drinking: Some months ago, there were reports that the water was contaminated and tests are yet to be carried out.

The grottos care and maintenance is organised by a committee. Care of the grotto has always been an impressive community effort, dating to long before 1985, back just over 70 years, to when it was first constructed in 1954.

The Herculean efforts of locals in constructing the grotto are described by committee secretary Agnes OBrien in this winters edition of local publication The Courcey Chronicle.

Ballinspittle Grotto Committee member Margo Collins says there is a great sense of peace around the area and people who visit get comfort from that. Picture: Chani Anderson

On land donated by Mr Denis OLeary, parishioners banded together to clear the site, even with the assistance of Kinsale Fire Brigade, who used their fire hoses to wash down the stone and concrete of the grottos cavern before the statues of the Virgin Mary and St Bernadette were installed.

St Bernadette was the young girl who saw visions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes in 1858, and so what the grotto itself depicts is someone seeing an apparition of Mary.

1954 was a time when a lot of shrines to the Virgin Mary were erected around Ireland. It was 100 years since the immaculate conception had been declared a dogma of the Church by Pope Pius IX, and Pope Pius XII had called on the faithful to mark the occasion.

The Ballinspittle statues themselves were the work of statue-maker Maurice ODonnell, whose workshop was once where Paul St Shopping Centre now stands in Cork city.

Hammer attack

It was also to Maurice that the committee turned when an outrageous attack against the statue took place in October 1985, when a group of three evangelical Protestants headed up by one Mr Robert Draper took hammer and axe to the statue, hacking off its face and hands. The 5 6 statue was restored and returned to the grotto.

Aisling Minihane, who was just 12 at the time, remembers the local outrage at the attack well.

When the statue was defaced it was awful, she says. I think he felt people were worshipping false gods. He chopped her face off with a hatchet. Local people got really angry. Some people went to the court and they were almost ready to attack him.

Ballinspittle Grotto Commitee members Tadhg and John ODonovan at the statue of Our Lady whose reported movement in 1985 brought fame to the small West Cork village. Picture: Chani Anderson

On the night the statue first moved, Aisling and her sisters were at home in bed when their father came home from the pub, the Corner House, with the strange news of what Kathy OMahony saw.

Aislings parents were religious, especially her mother, and she says she was raised in a household where the rosary was said every evening.

They got us out of bed in our pyjamas and we went down at about half eleven or twelve that first night, she says.

Aisling saw the statue move that night, and has seen it on many occasions since.

While she cant remember her reaction or how she felt that first night, she does remember the complete upheaval to life that arrived in the following weeks: The hype, the crowds, the queues, and the lack of facilities.

Ballinspittle was one of many locations where grottoes were built in the Marian Year of 1954, 100 years after the Catholic Church proclaimed the dogma of the immaculate conception. Picture: Cyril Perrott/Irish Examiner Archive

It was a small area and there was nothing to facilitate the thousands of people, she says.

There were no toilets, so it was actually my dad who built the toilets down there. There were people coming into the pub, people did teas and coffees and scones.

Scenes from a sci-fi

An aunt of Aislings had a B&B at nearby Garretstown: It was booked out, and still people called begging for a place to stay, until not only the beds were full but the floors too, with people in sleeping bags in every available space. The scenes around the village and along the laneways were surreal to behold.

It was like something from a science fiction movie, really, she says.

We lived a few minutes away up by Barretts Cross, and we were all blocked into our driveways. Then the army came down and was directing people. We were quiet, country people. It was just such a huge change to our lives.

Aisling is now 52. She left Ballinspittle and raised her own children in the Cork City suburbs, but eventually moved back to her birthplace, where she is now an active community volunteer with Ballinspittle Tidy Towns.

Although she isnt officially a member of the Ballinspittle Grotto Committee, in recent years she has begun helping out at the site, planting shrubs and bulbs and decorating the grotto for different occasions.

Why did it end?

How and why the large crowds eventually thinned in the autumn of 1985 remains unclear to Aisling, but she feels the Churchs refusal to endorse the apparitions played a role, as did the attack on the statue and its removal for repairs.

In 2015, the Grotto Committee published Ballinspittle Grotto and The Moving Statue to mark the 30th anniversary of its rise to fame. This year, they celebrate the 40th anniversary of the phenomenon. Picture: Chani Anderson

But as far as she and some other parishioners are concerned, the crowds and the hype didnt stop because the statue stopped moving.

In fact, as far as Aisling is concerned, she still sees it moving regularly. The last time she saw the statue moving was about three weeks ago. What do the movements look like? Each time its different, she says. Logically, when a stone statue moves, its not a comfort: Its actually frightening. Id be trying to rationalise it. Her movement is a lot from the waist, like a swaying of her upper body, and it can be very rapid at times. Ive seen it all my life.

Its something unexplained, something powerful and beautiful. Even people of no faith who come for the water will stop and thank Our Lady. The crowds may have stopped coming like they used to, but theres always someone there. Its a place of solace and comfort.

Looking back from the age of instant answers

Forty years on from the fervour and passion of Ballinspittles moving statue, we now live in an era when we expect all our answers to come at the scroll of a screen.

It may be tempting for a younger generation to cast around for rational explanations when they hear the strange tale of the Ballinspittle moving statue. Would such a phenomenon even take place today, outside of the backdrop of mid-1980s Ireland?

The apparitions at Medjugorje, with all the attendant attention in a small rural community, had begun just four years earlier in 1981. Unemployment was high, as was an attendant boredom.

An aerial photo taken in the summer of 1985 gives an idea of the hundreds, sometimes thousands, who arrived at the grotto outside Ballinspittle, Co Cork each day. Picture: Irish Examiner Archive

Would Google and Netflix, and the countrys changing demographic, and the shockwaves and scandals that rocked the foundations of the Catholic Church for so many in Ireland throughout the 1990s and 2000s, even permit such a phenomenon today?

For Aisling, the question is irrelevant: She has never doubted what she believes she has seen for so many years, and she thinks the scepticism and mockery she has encountered is part of an entrenched, rigid way of looking at the world.

Some of the coverage of the phenomenon and some of the mocking attitudes she has encountered have made her angry.

"All I do is ask them if they will go down and take a look for themselves," she says.

"They say no  its total fear, and to me its defensive. They dont want their beliefs to be shaken.

Her message is clear: If you want to know what happened 40 years ago at Ballinspittle, and if you want to know if you believe it could possibly be true, go down and take a look for yourself.
A drunken pest, a misfortune, a pity, an approachable guy when sober  just some of the descriptions given to one of Irelands most prolific offenders, who currently has almost 550 convictions.

Richard OBrien from Killarney is currently serving time in the Midlands Prison, and is well-known to court staff and gardai across Munster.

A look through his chequered past takes one through a series of offences which began in the early 1990s and have continued through to recent months.

A central plank in his defence in several of his 548 convictions to date is his alcohol addiction and unresolved grief at the loss of relatives in a road tragedy near Castleisland on Easter Sunday in April 1995.

One garda who has dealt with OBrien, who he refers to as Richie, over several years both in Kerry and Cork, recalls him as a big stocky, blocky fella who typically does not hurt people in his crimes.

I would say the majority of the offences are drunkenness and theft. There is never any violence there.

To be fair to him when he is sober, he is actually a very approachable guy. He is just a drunken pest who robs. Nobody ever gets harmed. I only saw one person as bad as him before. Richie OBrien is a pity and he probably now has the most convictions I have ever seen.

He says he has on occasion sat down for coffee with the Killarney man, and recalls him chatting a lot about his life.

Another garda who has dealt with him in Galway says his case shows the justice system is not working for him and has failed to help him turn his life around. He describes his life as a vicious circle between being in prison, reoffending and addiction to alcohol.

Having been well known to gardai throughout Cork and Kerry, he is now known too in Galway. The garda says: He spends a lot of time here in Galway now.

'Record' number of convictions

In recent months, Richard OBriens appearance before Judge Mary Dorgan in Cork District Court led to the judge telling his defence solicitor Shane Collins-Daly that the number of his previous convictions has to be a record.

OBrien, with an address at 14 Ardshanavooley, in Killarney town, pleaded guilty on that occasion to being drunk and a danger and engaging in threatening behaviour during a recent incident in Cork City. The two charges brought to 546 the number of convictions he has amassed in his 53 years.

In recent months, Richard OBriens appearance before Judge Mary Dorgan in Cork District Court led to the judge telling his defence solicitor Shane Collins-Daly that the number of his previous convictions 'has to be a record'. Picture: Larry Cummins

Since that day in July, he has built up a further two.

In his defence, Mr Collins-Daly said: He says his life was ruined by drink going back a long time. He lost six members of his family 27 years ago in a road traffic accident.

That tragedy occurred at Castlefelim near Castleisland is remembered with a marker at the spot, a reminder to those passing the location about the horrors visited on the Coffey, Harrington and OBrien families in April 1995.

At the time, the accident was deemed to be the worst in the county in living memory, with six young people dead and several children orphaned.

Following the tragedy, during a visit to Ballyspillane community centre in Killarney, then president Mary Robinson told relatives of the six who were killed to keep talking about them all and to never forget them.

For Richard OBrien, the deaths have been mentioned on a number of occasions as the reason why his life has been a pattern of amassing convictions  more than 340 of which were for being so intoxicated he was a danger to himself or others, while 56 were for engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace.

Now 53, OBrien has been in and out of court for decades, with his records stretching back even before the horror crash of 1995.

When he was just 20, a case involving him and his brother Michael came before Listowel District Court in May 1994, during which he was jailed for his role in a melee in Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick.

A newspaper report at the time said he received a 27-month detention in a case arising from an incident at a premises called the Rendez Vous after they had been asked to leave.

The court was told Richard OBrien was taken to the Garda patrol car with great difficulty and that he headbutted a sergeant and kicked two other gardai in their legs, with Superintendent Michael McCarthy saying both men were very drunk and abusive. After being taken to Newcastle West Garda Station, Richard OBrien damaged a door of the patrol car.

Richard O'Brien at Killarney court.

The court heard he had convictions for assault, being drunk and disorderly, malicious damage and criminal damage relating to incidents dating back to 1991  four years before the crash that killed his relatives. His solicitor for that case admitted that he had an abysmal record.

He was sentenced to three months detention for using threatening, abusive and insulting words, six months for failing to leave the Rendez Vous premises, six months detention for assaulting a garda sergeant, two six-month detentions for the assaults of two gardai, and a three-month sentence for causing damage to the patrol car, with the sentences to run consecutively.

Two years earlier, he was convicted of breaking a window of a hotel in Ballybunion during a beach party fundraiser for the local water safety group on April 11, 1993. The court was told the event was spoiled by a disturbance outside the hotel when, according to witness Frank Quilter, a group of between 30 and 50 people tried to gain entry to the beach party but were refused.

Mr Quilter said he saw Richard OBrien prowling around the yard and saw him break a window with a heavy object. A subsequent attempt to appeal the conviction for malicious damage was struck out. The appeal had been adjourned to allow him pay compensation but it was not paid.

Severe drink problem

Defence solicitors for OBrien have put forward his relationship with alcohol in mitigating factors down through the years, including during the July court appearance.

Judge Mary Dorgan told him it would be helpful if he could get help for his drinking while in custody, as she said it does not help matters.

However, in a court case in 2011, his then solicitor Padraig OConnell was reported in a newspaper coverage of the hearing as saying OBrien was not in attendance because he is presently being dried out. During the same hearing, Mr OConnell accepted his client was well-known to the court.

Four years earlier, he was in court accused of walking into a private house in Macroom while drunk and demanding a drink from the occupants. The court hearing in June 2007 was told he had 51 previous convictions at that point, with 10 of those for drunkenness. During that hearing, it was said he had a severe drink problem and had completed an addiction treatment course earlier that year.

However, since that hearing, he has amassed close to 500 further convictions.

Although OBrien opted not to be interviewed for this piece, his Killarney-based solicitor, Padraig OConnell, who has represented him for decades, agreed to contribute.

He says while many of his clients offences have occurred in Kerry, he also has convictions from Donegal to Kerry. He also accepted OBrien has convictions from the UK and the Netherlands. He points to alcohol as the key driver in why the Kerryman has accumulated so many offences over the past three decades.

It is total alcohol dependency. He is a man who is very well-got with judges, he is exceptionally courteous in court, he is exceptionally pleasant and it is only with alcohol that he causes difficulties.

And that is shown by the vast majority of his convictions being Section 4 Public Order Offences, which are basically being intoxicated in a public place to such an extent that you are a danger to yourself or a member of the public.

Mr OConnell says prison is not the place for a person like Richard OBrien.

What it does do for him is that it allows him to dry out. And he has a fantastic family, a very loving family, a very caring family, a very decent family. They are exceptionally supportive of him.

While he has undertaken different courses of treatment over the years, his bid to break his alcohol dependence has not been successful.

If I met him on the street today and he had not had alcohol, he couldnt be nicer. When he would have drink taken, it isnt that he would be nasty but he just would have a lack of control.

'An exceptionally pleasant man'

He describes him as a loyal client who is an exceptionally pleasant man.

I could say nothing against him expect that he doesnt seem to be able to beat the absolute dependency on alcohol.

He is a very decent, respectable, reverential man with a very loving family who care for him very deeply who has just not been able to cope with the addiction of alcoholism.

In the late 1980s, a young and hopeful Richard OBrien was among a group of 58 people who completed a 13-week Cert training course at the Torc Hotel in Killarney for people who were unemployed. The course included basic tuition in cookery, food and bar service, reception work and hotel housekeeping.

During a special event to mark the completion of the course, drawings by Richard OBrien were on display, and a newspaper report of the event referenced his fine artistic flair.

It also said the Ardshanavooley man wanted to become a waiter. However, instead, he has spent more than half of his life caught in the revolving door between prison and freedom.

Padraig OConnell says he also often helped on market stalls over the years.

He does endeavour to work but unfortunately alcoholism has beaten his yen for work. Clearly, prison is not the place for him but what it does do, which is unintended, is that it allows him a period of reflection and to become dry.
Israeli air strikes have killed at least 10 people, including a child, in southern Gaza, hospital staff said.

The fresh bombardment came as new ceasefire talks were said to be under way in Qatar.

The three Israeli air strikes hit a car, a house and people on the street in the city of Khan Younis, according to staff at Nasser Hospital.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians have died (AP)

There was no immediate comment from Israels military.

Gazas health ministry said at least 59 people have been killed and more than 270 injured by strikes in the past 24 hours.

There were no immediate statements on the indirect negotiations in Qatars capital, Doha, towards a ceasefire after nearly 15 months of war.

On Friday, the Hamas militant group said talks had resumed and added that it was committed to reaching an agreement. It warned against misinformation, which it said can undermine public confidence.

The talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to press on in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed.

The clock is ticking for a possible ban on UNRWA to deliver essential services for millions of #PalestineRefugees in #Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.



Our @JulietteTouma tells to @RTE that the UN is not planning to replace UNRWA. What needs to happen is for pic.twitter.com/0caZfBC0oQ  UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 4, 2025

Fighters with Hamas, which wants Israeli forces out of Gaza completely, continue to regroup in areas where Israeli forces withdraw.

The war is by far the deadliest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas. It began when Hamas and other militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250.

About 100 hostages are still in Gaza, with at least a third of these believed to be dead. Families of hostages and others have rallied weekly for months to press Mr Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal that would bring loved ones home.

In a video released by Hamas on Saturday ahead of the latest weekly rally, Israeli soldier and hostage Liri Elbag, speaking under duress, expressed anguish over her situation and mentioned being held for 450 days.

Today is the beginning of a new year; the whole world is celebrating. Only we are entering a dark year, a year of loneliness, she said.

She also said a fellow captive had been injured by the fighting in Gaza, adding, We are living in an extremely terrifying nightmare. She did not name the person injured.

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 45,717 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territorys Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half the dead. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

The ministry says other, uncounted bodies remain beneath rubble or in areas where emergency responders cannot reach.

The rules of war are clear:



Humanitarian workers & civilian infrastructure including hospitals & UN buildings are not a target.



Hostage taking is prohibited.



The civilian population must be assisted & protected at all times.



@UNLAzzarini on #Gaza#CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/ruxfQx8lTw  UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 3, 2025

Israels military says it only targets militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths because its fighters operate in dense residential areas. The army says it has killed 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has caused widespread destruction and displaced about 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million, many of them multiple times. Winter has now arrived, and hundreds of thousands are sheltering in tents near the sea. A small number of children have died from exposure to the cold.

Meanwhile, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, relatives mourned an 18-year-old Palestinian who the Palestinian Health Ministry said was killed Friday during clashes with Israels army in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus. The ministry said nine other people were injured.

Palestinian health officials have said Israeli raids throughout the West Bank since October 7 2023, have killed more than 800 Palestinians. Israel says most of these are militants, but youths throwing stones and people not involved in confrontations have also been killed.

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for over a month, although its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon 60-day deadline. Israel and Hezbollah had exchanged fire almost daily since the war in Gaza began.
Jimmy Carter s long public goodbye began on Saturday in Georgia, with the 39th US presidents flag-draped coffin rolling through his tiny hometown and past his boyhood farmhouse on its way to Atlanta, where he climbed the political ladder and based his decades of humanitarian work after leaving the White House.

The former presidents six-day state funeral started in Americus at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Centre, where current and former Secret Service agents who protected the late president loaded the coffin into a black hearse and walked alongside as it rolled off the campus toward Plains.

With Mr Carters children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren accompanying their patriarch, a mournful train whistle filled the clear air as the pallbearers faced the hearse, hands on their hearts, for a final goodbye.

In Plains, where Mr Carter was born on October 1, 1924, and lived most of his life, mourners lined the main street, some holding bouquets of flowers and wearing pins bearing images of the former president.

The motorcade with the hearse carrying the flag-draped coffin of former president Jimmy Carter arrives at the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP)

He died on December 29 at the age of 100.

We want to pay our respects, said 12-year-old Will Porter Shelbrock, who was born more than three decades after Mr Carter left the White House in 1981.

He was ahead of his time on what he tried to do and tried to accomplish.

It was his idea to make the trip to Plains from Gainesville, Florida, with his grandmother, Susan Cone, 66.

He admires Carter for his humanitarian work building houses and waging peace, and talking about a warming planet before the climate crisis was part of routine political discourse.

Willie Browner, 75, described Mr Carter as hailing from a bygone era of American politics.

This man, he thought of more than just himself, said Mr Browner, who grew up in the town of Parrott, about 15 miles from Plains, before moving to Miami.

Mr Browner said it meant a great deal to have a president come from a small southern town like his, something he says is not likely to happen again.

Karen Barry, left, and Randy Dillard ring the farm bell 39 times (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP)

Indeed, the procession on Saturday was intended to reflect Mr Carters deep rural roots and remarkable rise to the world stage as a political leader, global advocate for democracy and human rights, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

In Plains, the motorcade passed near where Mr Carter and his late wife Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, ran the family peanut warehouse, and the small home where his mother, a nurse, had delivered the future first lady in 1927.

The hearse passed the old train depot that served as Mr Carters 1976 presidential campaign headquarters, a barebones effort that depended on public financing, dwarfed by the billion-dollar US presidential campaigns of the 21st century.

The procession passed the home where Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter both died.

It is the same house the couple built before his first Senate campaign in 1962, their lives there interrupted only by four years in the Georgia governors mansion and four years in the White House.

Then the former president was honoured by the National Park Service in front of his family farm, now part of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park.

A few dozen rangers stood in formation in front of the home, which did not have running water or electricity when Mr Carter was a boy, as the old farm bell rang 39 times to honour Mr Carters place as the 39th president.

Beside the house is the tennis court that Mr Carters father, James Earl Carter, built for the family, a nod to the blend of privilege and hard rural life that defined the future presidents upbringing.

The hearse with the coffin of Jimmy Carter arrives at the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP)

Mr Carter worked on his fathers farm throughout the Great Depression but it was land that the elder Carter owned, and the family was surrounded by black tenant farmers in the era of Jim Crow segregation.

Mr Carter wrote and spoke extensively on those formative years and how the abject poverty and institutional racism he saw influenced his future policies in government and his human rights work once he left the White House.

The motorcade was travelling to Atlanta on Saturday for a moment of silence in front of the Georgia Capitol and a ceremony at the Carter Presidential Centre.

There, Mr Carter will lie in repose until Tuesday, when he will be transported to Washington to lie in state at the US Capitol.

His state funeral is on Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral, followed by a return to Plains for an invitation-only funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church.

He will be buried near his home, next to Rosalynn Carter.
President Joe Biden has officially obstructed Nippon Steels proposed $14.9 billion acquisition of US Steel, delivering a potentially fatal setback to the contentious merger plan following a year of evaluation.

A robust domestically owned and operated steel industry is a crucial national security priority and vital for resilient supply chains, Mr. Biden stated in an announcement.

Without domestic steel production and domestic steelworkers, our nation becomes less strong and less secure, he continued.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States dedicated several months to examining the deal for national security concerns but ultimately handed the decision over to Mr. Biden in December after failing to reach a consensus.

Mr. Biden has previously indicated his desire for US Steel to remain domestically owned and operated, while President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to prevent a foreign takeover of the renowned American firm after taking office on January 20.

The deal met resistance from the United Steelworkers union.

In a letter from November, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba urged Mr. Biden to endorse the merger to avoid tarnishing the recent efforts to strengthen relations between the two nations, as reported exclusively by Reuters.

A spokesperson for Mr. Ishiba was unavailable for comment prior to the announcement, and Japans trade ministry refrained from commenting, stating there had been no formal announcement regarding the decision.

Japan is a significant ally of the US in the Indo-Pacific region, where concerns regarding Chinas economic and military ascent and threats from North Korea have heightened anxieties in Washington.

Japan also stands as the largest investor in the US, with Keidanren, its largest business lobby, previously expressing worries that the review was under political pressure.

Blocking the deal may deter international investors from pursuing bids for politically sensitive US companies with unionized workforces in the short term, noted Alistair Ramsay, vice president of steel research at the consultancy Rystad Energy.

Large bids are a risky proposition less than a year away from a presidential election; however, major steel producers with traditional operating furnaces, like Nippon Steel, view the US as a favorable location for steel production in the long term, despite the existing market challenges, he added.

Nippon Steel has decided to file a lawsuit against the US government to contest the appropriateness of the procedures through which Mr. Biden issued the order to block its acquisition, as reported by the Nikkei business daily.

However, legal experts have noted that mounting such a legal challenge against the US government would be challenging.

The two companies had attempted to alleviate concerns surrounding the merger.

Nippon Steel has made efforts to secure Mr. Bidens approval.

Nippon proposed relocating its US headquarters to Pittsburgh, where US Steel is located, and committed to honoring all existing agreements between US Steel and the United Steelworkers (USW).

A source familiar with the situation revealed this week that Nippon Steel also proposed granting the US government veto power over any potential reductions in US Steels production capacity, as part of its strategy to obtain Mr. Bidens approval.

Its challenging to fully grasp the risks associated with Nippon Steels potential acquisition of US Steel, stated a Japanese government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, as did the other sources.

Nippon Steel has made every effort to mitigate risks related to economic security, including pledges not to reduce production, the official noted.

Following the collapse of the deal, Nippon Steel faces a $565 million penalty payment to US Steel, which is expected to prompt a significant reevaluation of its overseas-focused growth strategy.

With the acquisition of US Steel, Nippon Steel aimed to elevate its global output capacity from the current 65 million metric tons to 85 million metric tons annually, edging closer to its long-term objective of reaching 100 million tons.

Right move

US Steel has previously warned that the failure of the deal could jeopardize thousands of jobs, potentially forcing the closure of several steel millsan assertion the USW characterized as an unfounded threat and intimidation.

However, Atilla Widnell, managing director at the Singapore-based trade consultancy Navigate Commodities, described any decision to block the deal as misguided.

Nippon Steel is a legitimate operator of overseas assets with a proven and successful track record, Mr. Widnell stated.

Furthermore, US Steel has acknowledged that its assets require substantial new investment to maintain operational capacity and production in their current condition, he added.

The United Steelworkers union expressed support for Mr. Bidens decision to block the sale, labeling it the right move for our members and our national security.

We appreciate President Bidens readiness to make bold decisions to sustain a strong domestic steel industry and for his lifelong dedication to American workers, USW International President David McCall said in a statement.
A female killer whale, known as Tahlequah, who was previously observed carrying her dead calf for over two weeks in 2018, has once again suffered the loss of a newborn and is now bearing its body, according to US marine researchers.

Researchers highlight that whales are among the most intelligent creatures on the planet, demonstrating advanced social behaviors that include self-awareness and the capacity for grief.

The Center for Whale Research, based in Washington state, reported that the endangered orca, also referred to as J35, was seen carrying her deceased calf in Puget Sound near Seattle on New Years Day.

J35 has been observed transporting the body of her deceased calf, the center mentioned in an Instagram update.

During her previous experience with the loss of her newborn seven years ago, Tahlequah was seen occasionally nudging the body with her nose and, at times, grasping it with her mouth, according to reports from US media.

This represents a very tragic journey of grief, stated Ken Balcomb, founder of the Center for Whale Research, in a past interview with public broadcaster NPR.

The center noted that the recent loss of the female newborn is particularly devastating as Tahlequah has now lost two out of her four recorded calves.

We anticipate gathering more information regarding the situation through further observations, the post indicated.

Additionally, the center mentioned that Tahlequahs pod has recently welcomed another newborn.

The sex of the calf is still unknown, but the team reports that it appears both physically and behaviorally normal, the center stated.

Tahlequah and her fellow pod members are part of the Southern Resident Killer Whales, a group classified as endangered in the United States.

This population consists of just three pods, totaling around 70 whales, which spend several weeks in the waters of Puget Sound each spring and fall.

Their numbers are declining due to various factors, including a decrease in available prey and the noise and disruption caused by vessels, as noted by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Poland Begins Its Term as President of the Council of the European Union

The Council of the European Union has officially commenced Polands six-month presidency, marked by an evening performance from musicians of the Polish National Opera at Warsaws Grand Theatre.

This gala event was attended by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and European Council President Antonio Costa, with live coverage provided by Polands national broadcaster, TVP1.

During his remarks, Mr. Costa emphasized that Poland has become a cornerstone of European defence and a key pillar within the blocs single market.

He also remarked on the necessity for Europe to maintain its support for Ukraine for as long as it takes to achieve lasting peace.

In its presidency programme, the Polish government has prioritized defence and security policy, branding it Security, Europe!.

The official programme document states, Europe is grappling with the consequences of Russias third year of armed aggression against Ukraine and the need to strengthen its own defence capacity.

It further asserts, We require concerted and ambitious action on European defence, complementing NATOs efforts.

Migration policy is also underscored as a critical focus, with the programme labeling it as the protection of people and borders.

We will seek innovative solutions to comprehensively tackle the challenges of migration and security at the EUs external borders, aiming to reduce irregular migration and bolster the effectiveness of return policies, including collaboration with third-country partners, the document states.

Mr. Tusks coalition government has maintained a strict approach towards limiting irregular migration along Polands heavily militarized border with Belarus, a policy that continues the previous nationalist Law and Justice-led governments stance.

Antonio Costa, President of the European Council (L), and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at last nights event.

Various members of the Polish government and ambassadors were present at the gala, but Hungarys ambassador to Poland was notably absent due to a diplomatic dispute between the two nations.

Last month, Hungary granted political asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a Polish opposition MP from the Law and Justice party and a former deputy justice minister from 2019 to 2023.

Mr. Romanowski faces 11 charges of misappropriating public funds while in office. Following the discovery that he had fled to Hungary to avoid arrest, Polish authorities issued a European arrest warrant that remains active.

In an interview with TVP Info, Polish Deputy Minister for European Affairs Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka confirmed that Hungarys ambassador was not welcome at the gala event.

This Polish presidency comes on the heels of a contentious six-month period under Hungary, during which Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, causing frustration among other EU leaders.

Polish President Andrzej Duda did not attend the gala, instead being represented by a senior official from his office.

Mr. Duda, associated with Law and Justice, is set to conclude his second and final term as president in May this year.

Relations between his presidential office and the prime ministers office have been tense since the formation of the current pro-EU coalition government in December 2023, which has sought to reverse many rule-of-law changes instituted by the former Law and Justice administration.

Outside the gala, hundreds of Polish farmers protested against the EUs recent free trade agreement with South Americas Mercosur trade bloc, as well as the European Green Deal and imports of Ukrainian agricultural products.

During Polands presidency, more than 20 informal meetings of EU ministers are planned, alongside over 300 additional official meetings at the EU level.
South Korea has experienced a month of political unrest following President Yoon Suk Yeols declaration of martial law, during which soldiers and helicopters were deployed to the parliament.

After being compelled to retract the decree, Mr. Yoon was subsequently impeached  awaiting a court decision  and this week, authorities issued an arrest warrant for him, which is set to expire on Monday.

Here is a summary of the events:

3 December: Martial law

South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol announces emergency martial law.

He intends to safeguard the country against threats posed by North Koreas communist forces and to eradicate anti-state elements that are compromising peoples freedom and happiness.

Armed troops storm parliament, climbing fences, breaking windows, and landing by helicopter in an apparent effort to prevent politicians from overturning the decree.

South Korean soldiers attempt to enter the National Assembly on 4 December.

As thousands of protesters gather outside, politicians vote 190-0 to nullify Mr. Yoons declaration in the early hours of 4 December.

Troops begin to withdraw, and Mr. Yoon reappears on television to lift martial law.

Protesters celebrate while Mr. Yoon goes into hiding.

4 December: Impeachment plan

The opposition immediately pledges on 4 December to pursue impeachment and files an official motion.

They also file separate complaints of insurrection against Mr. Yoon, his defense and interior ministers, and key military and police figures involved, including the martial law commander and the police chief.

Police announce an investigation into Mr. Yoon and others for insurrection.

7 December: Yoon apologizes

Mr. Yoon reappears on 7 December to apologize in a televised address for the anxiety and inconvenience caused.

Tens of thousands of anti-Yoon protesters gather outside parliament.

Protesters demand the removal of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol outside the National Assembly in Seoul on 7 December.

An impeachment motion is defeated hours later, allowing Mr. Yoon to remain in power.

9 December: Yoon travel ban

On 8 December, Kim Yong-hyun, who had resigned as defense minister just days earlier, is arrested in connection with the martial law declaration.

The interior minister also resigns.

The main opposition party announces plans to attempt to impeach the president again on 14 December.

The following day, the justice ministry declares that Mr. Yoon is banned from traveling abroad.

On 12 December, Mr. Yoon defends his unexpected decision, claiming the opposition has pushed South Korea into a national crisis.

14 December: Yoon impeached

Out of 300 politicians, 204 vote to impeach Mr. Yoon while 85 oppose the motion.

Mr. Yoon is suspended from office as South Koreas Constitutional Court has six months to review the vote.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assumes the role of acting leader.

Han Duck-soo has become South Koreas acting president.

Following the vote, scenes of jubilation erupt among tens of thousands of demonstrators outside the parliament building.

27 December: Second impeachment

The Corruption Investigation Office issues a third summons to Mr. Yoon on 26 December after he defied investigators requests twice within a week.

Mr. Yoon faces impeachment and criminal charges for insurrection, which could lead to life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

On 27 December, MPs impeach acting president Mr. Duck-soo over what the opposition deems a refusal to enact special bills aimed at investigating Mr. Yoon.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok takes over the role.

30 December: Arrest warrant

Investigators seek an arrest warrant for Mr. Yoon after he fails to appear for questioning a third time.

This represents the first instance in the countrys history where an attempt is made to forcibly detain a president before the completion of the impeachment process.

A court issues the warrant, valid until 6 January. Mr. Yoons attorney labels it illegal and invalid.

1 January: Yoon defiant

Investigators pledge to execute the warrant before the deadline, indicating that arrangements are underway with police for Mr. Yoons arrest.

Hundreds of his supporters gather outside his residence to protest against his impeachment.

Mr. Yoon reiterates in a statement his commitment to fight alongside them until the very end to protect this nation.

3 January: Arrest attempt

Investigators attempt to arrest Mr. Yoon at his home but retreat after a standoff with his security team.

A Corruption Investigation Office official stated that about 20 investigators and 80 police officers were significantly outnumbered by roughly 200 soldiers and security personnel who linked arms to block their entry into the presidential compound.

Failed negotiations ensued, leading investigators to leave for their safety, though another arrest attempt may occur after reevaluation.

The deadline for executing the warrant is set for Monday.
The United Nations has condemned the situation in Gaza, where infants and others are reportedly freezing to death, highlighting that approximately 945,000 individuals require assistance to find shelter from the winter elements.

Palestinian health authorities have reported that over 110 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on the region in the past two days.

With children succumbing to hypothermia, the UNs migration agency expressed deep concern about the devastating impact of winter rains and plummeting temperatures on displaced Palestinians, which are exacerbating the unparalleled humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

Heavy rainfall and flooding have overwhelmed displacement sites and makeshift shelters, leaving families vulnerable to the harsh conditions as they struggle to repair tents damaged from prolonged use, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The IOM emphasized the urgent need for tarpaulins to protect shelters from rain and cold.

The agency stated that access constraints have severely hindered aid deliveries, with only 285,000 individuals receiving shelter support since September of last year.

As of mid-December, the Shelter Clustera coordination group comprising UN, international, and local humanitarian organizationsestimated that at least 945,000 people are in urgent need of winter assistance, according to the IOM.

There is an urgent demand for thermal clothing, blankets, and tarpaulins to insulate shelters against rain and cold.

The IOM reported it has more than 1.5 million winter supplies, including tents and bedding kits, ready in warehouses.

However, severe access restrictions are preventing these supplies from reaching those in need, the agency stated.

The people of Gaza deserve safety, shelter, and dignity, it added.

The IOM urged for a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access, along with the release of all hostages.

As the conflict escalates, Israel announced it has conducted airstrikes on numerous Hamas targets in the area over the past 24 hours, claiming that these attacks have resulted in more than 110 deaths in two days.

This surge in military operations and casualties coincides with renewed efforts to secure a truce before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20.

Israeli mediators were sent yesterday to reinitiate discussions in Doha, which are being facilitated by Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries.

The Gaza health ministry reported that more than 40 individuals died on Friday following 71 fatalities the day before, including in Al-Mawasi, a previously declared humanitarian safe zone by Israeli authorities.

The Israeli military claims to have targeted around 40 Hamas gathering sites as well as command and control centers.

They have stated that they have enacted numerous measures to mitigate civilian harm, including the use of precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and other intelligence efforts.

Israel has accused Hamas of placing fighters in civilian areas, including former schools, where troops have reportedly discovered various weapons.

Hamas has denied allegations that it intentionally uses the civilian population to shield its fighters.

The Israeli military instructed civilians in the al-Bureij area of central Gaza to evacuate ahead of an operation launched in response to rocket fire from that region, advising them to seek refuge in humanitarian zones for their own safety.

In other locations, Israeli troops have been engaged in confrontations with Hamas militants persisting in towns at the northern end of the enclave for the past month, continuing to uncover weapons caches and underground infrastructure.

Israels military initiative in Gaza came in response to a Hamas assault on October 7, 2023, when militants infiltrated border communities, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and around 250 hostages taken, according to Israeli estimates.

The Israeli military operation, which aims to dismantle Hamas, has devastated large areas of the enclave, displacing most individuals from their homes and causing 45,658 Palestinian fatalities, according to the Gaza health ministry.

The brutal winter conditions have exacerbated the suffering of hundreds of thousands who are seeking shelter in makeshift tent camps.

Stalled diplomacy efforts continue, as the United States, Egypt, and Qatar have attempted to mediate a ceasefire and hostage release for the past year without success, making another push this month before Mr. Trumps inauguration.

Efforts for a ceasefire have consistently faltered due to core disagreements over how to resolve the conflict.

Hamas has declared it will agree to a truce and release hostages only if Israel commits to halting the war.

Conversely, Israel has asserted it will cease fighting only after Hamas has been dismantled.

President Joe Biden has repeatedly advocated for a ceasefire.

Trump warned that if no hostage release agreement is reached before his inauguration, all hell is going to break out.

While Israeli forces have penetrated nearly every part of Gaza, they are still engaged in combat with Hamas militants conducting guerrilla warfare amid the devastation of the enclave.

Throughout the autumn, Israels military escalated combat in northern Gaza, consistently commanding all civilians to evacuate while maintaining heavy strikes in the southern regions as well.

In late December, the Gaza health ministry reported single-day death tolls, including 48 on December 28, 58 on December 22, and 77 on December 20.

December witnessed a toll increase of 1,124, as compared to 1,170 in November and 1,621 in October, based on ministry data.

Israeli military operations targeted Hamas militants in the southern city of Khan Younis and the Masawi camp for displaced persons, which they classify as a humanitarian zone.

When questioned about the reported death toll, a spokesperson for the Israeli military claimed compliance with international law in conducting operations in Gaza, asserting that they take feasible precautions to reduce civilian harm.
The administration of President Joe Biden has informed Congress about a proposed arms sale to Israel valued at $8 billion (7.7 billion), as reported by a U.S. official. Washington continues to support its ally amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in tens of thousands of casualties.

This deal requires approval from committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and it encompasses munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters, along with artillery shells. Additionally, the package reportedly includes small-diameter bombs and warheads, as highlighted by Axios.

The State Department has not yet provided a response to a request for comment.

For months, protesters have been advocating for an arms embargo against Israel, yet U.S. policy has remained largely consistent. In August, the United States authorized the sale of $20 billion (19.3 billion) in fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel.

In the face of international criticism, Washington has continued to support Israel during its offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in the displacement of nearly the entire 2.3 million population of Gaza, contributed to a hunger crisis, and led to accusations of genocide that Israel denies.

The health ministry in Gaza reports that the death toll has exceeded 45,000, with many more individuals believed to be trapped beneath rubble.

Diplomatic initiatives have yet to yield results in ending the 15-month-long Israeli conflict in Gaza, which was initiated following an attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, that resulted in 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 hostages taken, according to Israeli figures.

As Israels principal ally and arms supplier, Washington has also previously vetoed United Nations Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Democrat Biden is scheduled to leave office on January 20, when Republican resident-elect Donald Trump will assume the presidency. Both leaders are known for their strong support of Israel.
(The Conversation)  Kirsten Freja Young, University of Exeter and Brendan Godley, University of Exeter

At the most northerly tip of the UK, looking north from the island of Muckle Flugga, Shetland, the cold wind whips up the sea and gannets dive.

While biodiversity loss in the Arctic Ocean may seem like a distant issue, the Shetland Islands lie further north than the Arctic Oceans southernmost waters.

The Arctic Circle is only 380 miles (610km) north of British waters  the same distance as London to Edinburgh by road.

Arctic wildlife is changing in ways that scientists like us dont yet fully understand. Better protection for these species is urgently needed.

Establishing a new North Pole marine reserve where industrial activities such as shipping, oil and gas exploration and fishing are banned could provide an ocean sanctuary for wildlife.

Explorer-turned-conservationist Pen Hadow wants to create an internationally agreed marine reserve in the Central Arctic Ocean by 2037. He was the first person to trek solo from Canada to the geographic North Pole 21 years ago. The route he took in 2003 is no longer possible due to climate change.

In 2021, Hadow founded the 90 North Foundation, an environmental charity that is campaigning for a North Pole marine reserve to protect the Arctics peoples, its wildlife and its natural landscape.

Our team of marine researchers at the University of Exeter is collaborating with Hadow to explore how climate change will affect the ice and oceans in the Arctic and beyond.

Projected climate change poses great peril for wildlife such as polar bears and narwhals which are highly adapted to Arctic waters, relying on multi-year ice for foraging and breeding habitat.



Sophie Bolesworth / 90 North Foundation , CC BY-NC-ND



So far, we have completed two ten-day surveys for whales and dolphins using both visual sightings and acoustic or sound monitoring underwater. We have also collected water samples to test for environmental DNA or eDNA. By filtering water and collecting small fragments of biological material, we can identity the presence of species by sequencing the trail they leave behind in the water in the form of fish scales, poo, skin or mucus, for example.

Once we have built a picture of where wildlife lives and how it moves about, changes in the Arctic ecosystem can be more easily monitored.

Arctic animals are also regularly spotted in British waters.

Ringed seals have been seen as far south as Cornwall. Beluga whales have been spotted off the coast of Shetland, and Atlantic white-sided and white-beaked dolphins frequently move between UK waters and the low Arctic. Bearded seals have been spotted in UK coastal waters, as have walrus and harp seals.

Brent geese, barnacle geese and pink-footed geese plus eider ducks, red knot, ringed plover and bar-tailed godwits all migrate between the Arctic and the UK. These birds breed in the Arctic and sub-Arctic, then overwinter in the UK and Ireland. These birds are particularly vulnerable because climate change is leading to wetter springs that can reduce their breeding success.

The wildlife living along UKs shores is already changing as a result of climate change. Some species might expand their range northwards and this could further disrupt the Arctic ecosystem.

As well as monitoring wildlife, we are tracking the changing volume and routes of ships travelling through the Arctic Ocean. While our research is at an early stage, its already clear that industrial vessel activity in the Arctic Ocean is increasing as fishing vessels and cargo ships take advantage of the receding ice to make swifter routes across the globe.

The Arctic albedo

As the Arctic changes, the ramifications will be felt globally. The Earths northernmost white cap acts as a reflective shield against solar radiation. As the ice recedes, and the surface of the Earth darkens, so too does the planets in-built ability to reflect the suns warming rays.

Standing on a boat at the edge of the Arctic ice, we can see the powerful glow of sunlight reflecting from the icy surfaces. Any loss of this albedo (the ability of white ice to reflect sunlight and heat from the sun) triggers further warming, catalysing a negative feedback loop with profound implications. Rising temperatures can only be tackled by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Alongside this, we must protect the unique wildlife that have made the Arctic their home. A broad and encompassing approach to conservation of northern ecosystems could help limit the effects of human activities and the changing climate across the Arctic region and beyond. A well-connected global network of marine reserves that includes the Arctic Ocean is urgently needed.

Kirsten Freja Young, Senior Lecturer, Ecology, University of Exeter and Brendan Godley, Professor of Conservation Science, University of Exeter

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Featured image: Kirsten Young has been monitoring wildlife in the Arctic Ocean. Danielle Zalcman, CC BY-NC-ND.
Israel's former defence minister Yoav Gallant, who was dismissed in November after spearheading the military campaign in Gaza for more than a year, announced Wednesday that he would resign from parliament.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had sacked Gallant, saying there was a "breakdown in trust" amid disagreements between the two on several issues.

"I will submit my resignation to the speaker of the Knesset," Gallant said in a televised statement on Wednesday.

Minutes later his office released a photograph showing him submitting his resignation to the speaker of parliament.

"I have served the state for 35 years in the IDF (military) and a decade in the government and the Knesset.... There are moments when one must pause and reassess the direction," Gallant said.

But he vowed to "continue working with all my strength to bring our kidnapped sons and daughters back home".

Netanyahu and Gallant disagreed on several issues, notably the exemption of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men from military service.

Gallant had been a key advocate for ultra-Orthodox Jews to be called up, but Netanyahu wanted their exemption to continue, fearing their conscription could break up his governing coalition which relies on the support of religious parties.

"I understood that the issue of drafting Haredim is not merely a social issue. It is, first and foremost, a necessary security and military need," he said in his statement on Wednesday.

"Therefore, I acted for the equal conscription of all those obligated to serve. Due to my insistence on prioritising the good of the state of Israel and the needs of the IDF, I was removed from my position as minister of defence."

Gallant and Netanyahu also clashed over the conduct of Israel's war in Gaza after the deadly attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

"I charted the course and set the direction that enabled the state of Israel to achieve a military victory of its enemies in the war," he said.

"As the former minister of defence, I take responsibility for everything that happened from the beginning of my term in the months leading up to the war and until the end of my term, over a year after the war began."

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant as well as Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, who the Israeli military says it killed in Gaza.

The court said it had found "reasonable grounds" to believe Netanyahu and Gallant bore "criminal responsibility" for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, as well as the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.
"I'm Still Here," Brazil's hope for Oscars glory, focuses on the country's military dictatorship years (1965-1985) but is also very much "a film about the present," its lead actress Fernanda Torres told AFP.

The movie, which won for best screenplay at the 2024 Venice film festival, has proved popular with Brazilian audiences, and scores a lofty 90 percent on the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregation website.

The Oscar nominations will be announced on January 17. "I'm Still Here" is on the shortlist to compete in the Best International Film category. It is also up for a Golden Globe award on Sunday.

The movie is based on the true story of Rubens Paiva, a leftist politician who disappeared under the dictatorship he opposed.

It looks at the fight his wife Eunice Paiva waged to find out what happened to him after he was abducted by regime agents in 1971.

Brazil's military dictatorship was responsible for the deaths and disappearances of more than 400 people, according to the National Truth Commission that investigated its rights violations.

With "I'm Still Here," director Walter Salles makes a return after a decade-long absence, and amid much anticipation after the critical success of his 1998 film "Central Station" and 2004's "The Motorcycle Diaries."

Torres's own mother, 95-year-old Oscar nominee Fernanda Montenegro, makes an appearance at the end of the film portraying an elderly Eunice Paiva.

Here is what Salles and Torres told AFP about the film in a joint interview as Hollywood's awards season kicks into high gear:

- Past and present -

Salles: "When we started the project in 2016, we thought it would be an opportunity to look at the past to understand where we come from. But given the far right's rise in Brazil, from 2017, we realized the film also works to understand the present."

Torres: "It's a film about the present. We had a president (Jair Bolsonaro, between 2019 and 2022) who praised a regime torturer and believed the military saved Brazil from communism.... Whoever sees the film thinks, 'This is wrong, there was no reason to persecute this family'."

- Reception abroad -

Salles: "In international festivals we got similar reactions as in Brazil, because we're not the only country seeing how fragile democracy is, or living or having lived through the trauma of having an extreme right wing.

"Sean Penn saw the film the day of Donald Trump's election, and when he presented it in Los Angeles, he said Eunice Paiva's smile was an example of resistance for what's coming in the United States."

Torres: "We live in a volatile world, where new technologies are changing social relationships. In moments like these, we see an uptick in a desire for an authoritarian government to bring back order.

"Through the perspective of this family, the film shows what that means in a country with a violent government that suspends civil rights."

- Flashbacks -

Salles (on the 1970s setting): "These were memories of my teenage years. My girlfriend around age 13 or 14 was friends with one of Paiva's daughters so I spent a lot of time with them.

"In their house, it was another world, with free political discussion, where you could talk about censored books and records, where you dreamed of a more inclusive country."

"But I also discovered a violence I didn't know about. The day Rubens was abducted, never to be seen again, left a stark impression when everything changed for everybody who was in that microcosm. Whatever innocence we had we lost that day."

- Oscars nomination -

Salles: "Awards work to bring more people in to see movies, so I'm happy in that sense. If it happens (that we get nominated), it would be great. If not, life goes on. My principle is that someone who is optimistic is badly informed."
A Bangladeshi court on Thursday again denied bail to an outspoken Hindu monk advocating for the protection of the minority after religious strife in the mainly Muslim nation.

Chinmoy Krishna Das was arrested in November for allegedly disrespecting the Bangladeshi flag during a rally and faces charges of sedition.

Security forces ringed the court in the southern port city of Chittagong, wary after violence erupted following a previous bail hearing -- with the monk's followers accused of killing a public prosecutor.

Das rejects the sedition charges, his lawyer Apurba Kumar Bhattacharjee said Thursday.

But public prosecutor Raihanul Wajed Chowdhury said they had opposed bail because there was "much more to investigate".

The prosecution and defence both said the court had denied the bail application.

The family of the lawyer murdered in November, Saiful Islam Alif, has filed two separate cases against those they say are linked to his death.

That includes 58 Hindu lawyers accused of vandalism and carrying explosives.

Religious relations have been turbulent in Bangladesh since a student-led revolution toppled autocratic prime minister Sheikh Hasina last year.

New Delhi's Hindu-nationalist government were key supporters of Hasina, and the 77-year-old has been in exile in India since she fled protesters as they stormed the prime minister's palace on August 5.

Bangladesh in December requested India send Hasina back to face charges of "massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity". India confirmed it had received the request but declined to comment further.
A Bahai poet and writer is set to be returned to prison in Iran after undergoing open-heart surgery, a France-based group representing Iran's largest religious minority said Thursday.

Mahvash Sabet, 71, is serving a second 10-year jail sentence following her arrest in 2022 in a wave of detentions of Bahais.

She had previously been released in 2018 alongside Fariba Kamalabadi, another prominent Bahai who was also re-arrested in 2022.

The poet "recently underwent open-heart surgery and will be returned to prison very soon," the Bahais de France organisation said in a statement sent to AFP.

They called for Sabet's "immediate and unconditional release" as well as for "her jail sentence to be cancelled and assurance from Iranian authorities that she will never return to prison".

While Iran allows some non-Muslim religious minorities to practice their faith, including Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians, believers in Bahai -- a monotheist religion founded in the early 19th century in Iran -- are not included.

With their traditional base located in Israel's third-largest city, Haifa, Bahai are seen by Iranian authorities as both heretics and spies with connections to the state's sworn enemy.

It is unknown how many Bahai live in Iran, but the figure could be as high as several hundreds of thousands.

The minority is not represented in parliament.

Poet Sabet "has already been denied appropriate medical treatment several times during her imprisonment, despite serious and worsening health problems," the French Bahai organisation said.

"Mahvash Sabet, who has been arbitrarily sentenced and held, has no place in prison," said Chirinne Ardakani, a lawyer who represents the family and the foundation of jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi.

"By refusing appropriate and timely treatment to political prisoners like Mahvash Sabet, the Islamic Republic of Iran is not only violating their rights, but using a strategy of attrition and slow death in allowing their health to degrade," added Ardakani, quoted in the Bahai group statement.

The UN counts at least 70 Bahai being detained or serving prison sentences in Iran, with a further 1,200 facing prosecution or already sentenced.

Campaign group Human Rights Watch said in April that persecution of Bahais since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution amounted to a "crime against humanity".
UN experts on Thursday decried Israel's raid on an embattled hospital in northern Gaza, demanding an end to the "blatant assault" on health rights in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Reiterating charges that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza -- something the Israeli government strongly denies -- two independent United Nations rights experts said they were "horrified" by the raid last Friday on Kamal Adwan, northern Gaza's last functioning major hospital.

"For well over a year into the genocide, Israel's blatant assault on the right to health in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory is plumbing new depths of impunity," the experts said in a statement.

"We are horrified and concerned by reports from northern Gaza."

Israel's military, which did not offer an immediate response to the comments, has said it killed more than 20 suspected militants and detained more than 240, including the hospital's director, Hossam Abu Safiyeh, describing him as a suspected Hamas militant.

Francesca Albanese, the outspoken and controversial independent UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories, and Tlaleng Mofokeng, special rapporteur on the right to health, said they were "gravely concerned" at Safiyeh's detention and demanded his "immediate release".

"Yet another doctor to be harassed, kidnapped and arbitrarily detained by the occupation forces, in his case for defying evacuation orders to leave his patients and colleagues behind," they said.

"This is part of a pattern by Israel to continuously bombard, destroy and fully annihilate the realisation of the right to health in Gaza."

UN special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but who do not speak on behalf of the world body.

The experts also highlighted "disturbing reports" that Israeli forces allegedly carried out extrajudicial executions of some people near the hospitals, including a Palestinian man reportedly holding a white flag.

They pointed to figures provided by the health ministry in Hamas-led Gaza indicating that at least 1,057 Palestinian health and medical professionals have been killed since the war erupted following the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel.

"Under occupation, intentional assaults on healthcare facilities have the potential to expose individuals to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment and may constitute a war crime," the experts said.

"In Gaza, this is clearly part of a well-established pattern of genocide, for which Israeli leaders will have to be held accountable."
Argentina has filed a complaint against Venezuela at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the arrest of an Argentine policeman at the center of a diplomatic row, Buenos Aires announced Thursday.

The "arbitrary detention and forced disappearance" of Nahuel Gallo constitutes "a serious and flagrant violation of human rights, demonstrating a systematic pattern of crimes against humanity" that were "clearly under the jurisdiction" of The Hague-based ICC, the Argentine foreign ministry said.

Venezuelan chief prosecutor Tarek William Saab announced last week that the 33-year-old, who was arrested on December 8, would be charged with "terrorism," fueling tensions between Caracas and Buenos Aires.

Saab said that Gallo was being investigated for allegedly belonging to "a group of people who attempted to carry out a series of destabilizing and terrorist actions from our territory and with the support of international far-right groups."

The Argentine government said Gallo, a corporal in his country's gendarmerie, traveled to Venezuela from Colombia to see his girlfriend and their child and spend year-end holidays with them.

Argentina's Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein called the Venezuelan allegations "a big lie," while Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said that Gallo "entered Venezuela in a completely legal manner."

Argentina's President Javier Milei, a self-described "anarcho-capitalist," has called Gallo's detention an "abduction," while branding left-wing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a "criminal dictator."

Buenos Aires has recognized Maduro's opponent in the widely disputed July 28 presidential election as the winner, prompting Caracas to cut diplomatic ties.

Several members of the Venezuelan opposition have taken refuge in the Argentine embassy in Caracas, over which Brazil has temporarily taken custody.
Neighbouring India and Bangladesh have begun repatriating 185 incarcerated fishermen in a deal struck despite strained diplomatic ties, foreign ministry officials said.

Dhaka is handing over 95 Indian fishermen while New Delhi is releasing 90 Bangladeshis, with the handover set to be completed at sea by coastguard units.

New Delhi's foreign ministry said the Indian fishermen were arrested after they "inadvertently" crossed into Bangladeshi waters.

Several Bangladesh fishermen were apprehended by Indian authorities in similar circumstances.

Some of the men have been held since September.

"The mutual exchange of fishermen and their vessels has been worked out keeping in mind the primarily humanitarian and livelihood concerns of fishing communities," India's foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

Touhid Hossain, in charge of foreign affairs in Bangladesh's interim government, said the exchanges of men would be completed on Sunday, Dhaka's Prothom Alo newspaper quoted him as saying on Friday.

Two Bangladeshi fishing vessels detained in India and six Indian fishing boats held in Bangladesh will also be exchanged, Bangladeshi media reported.

Ties between the neighbours have been frayed since the August overthrow of autocratic Bangladesh ex-premier Sheikh Hasina in a student-led revolution.

Hasina's iron-fisted rule was strongly backed by New Delhi and the 77-year-old remains in India, where she took refuge after her ouster.

Bangladesh has demanded her extradition to face charges of "massacres, killings, and crimes against humanity".

The arrest of a prominent Hindu priest in Bangladesh on sedition charges in November has further added to tensions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist supporters have urged his government to take a more hardline stance towards Dhaka.
Tragedy struck when the young couple's plans to marry were shattered by the recent disaster involving Jeju Air, leaving their families in grief.

Just moments before the crash, the excited groom-to-be was holding his bride-to-be tightly, beaming with anticipation of their wedding in March.

Five days after the disaster, the international airport in Muan became an outplaced of mourning, with families of the victims collecting their belongings on Jan 2. One of them, Mr A, who spoke to Biz Herald about a nephew who died in the crash. His eyes and tears swelled, "Only teeth remained of my nephew." Just two months into their new apartment, Mr. A's nephew and his bride had gone to Bangkok for Christmas and had not come back.

Mr. A's elder sister, who is also the groom's mother, has been devastated. He continued: "She cried for five days solid, her tears dried up."

The bride's body remained intact due to her fiance's protective embrace during the accident, while her future husband left behind only fragments.

While many families queued at the airport to pick up personal belongings such as cell phones and passports, many said they wanted a proper goodbye. "I want to hold a complete funeral," Mr. A said, adding that he wants to delay it until more remains can be collected so he can pay respects to both his nephew and his bride.

Around 200 items belonging to confirmed victims were collected to return to victims' families, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. As of 5 pm January 2, 30 victims were identified and returned. One of the mourners was B, who lost a cousin in the tragedy. B said, "We were going to be celebrating his 39th wedding anniversary. Now he is gone."

Their grief was tangible as family members slowly dealt with the remains and possessions. Some lugged dirt-smeared carriers of the last voyage of their loved one; others exchanged tears around boxes that once held joy.

At Muan Airport, where the bodies had arrived, the political figures - National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung - visited to express condolences but did not respond to reporters' questions about supporting the grieving families.

The community is shaken and grieving from the tragedy, where memories of love and promises are now entwined with heartbreak and loss. Slivers of remnants of what was  that empty space, where the tight squeeze now lives as both love and mourning.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

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Saturday, January 4, 2025  President William Ruto may be innocent after all over the ongoing abductions of Kenyans, especially young people.

This is after National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah exposed the real culprit behind the abductions.

Speaking during the burial of Moses Wetangula's mother in Bungoma, Inchungwah accused former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of being responsible for the increased cases of abductions in the country.

The remarks come barely a week after Gachagua took a swipe at President William Ruto over the abductions.

While attacking Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, who was also present during the burial and condemned the abductions, Ichung'wah blamed Natembeya for not using the powers he had during his tenure as the Police Regional Commander to expose those behind the abductions.

"Gachagua was the orchestrator of abductions so that he could blame President Ruto.

Shame on you Governor Natembeya.

You cannot complain about abductions when you were the key abductor of Kenyans under the last regime," Ichung'wah said.

The remarks were made in a fiery speech aimed at Natembeya, who, while addressing mourners, called for an end to the abductions, sparking what became a scathing attack on the former officer.

Natembeya received a hostile reception at the burial, where the supremacy battle between him and Wetangula was evident as mourners jeered at him attempting to stop him from making his speech. After several interventions, the crowd allowed him to speak.

"We want abductions to end. The youth are using foul language on social media.

"That needs to change. If it cannot change, people should not be killed or abducted because of it," Natembeya noted.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Saturday, January 4, 2025 - Controversial city car dealer Khalif Kairo is reportedly on the verge of closing his car yard along Kiambu Road after he was accused of fraud.

Before things went south last year, Kairos car yard was full of new and used vehicles for sale.

A nosy Kenyan visited the Kai & Kairo yard, only to find 3 cars.

All the employees have left Kairos company, forcing him to shut down temporarily.

See photo.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Saturday, January 4, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has responded to claims by the National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah that he is behind the abductions of Kenyans.

Speaking during the funeral service of the son of former Embu Speaker Lenny Kivuti, Eric Mutugi, yesterday, Gachagua slammed those accusing him of sponsoring the abductions, stating that the government is finding it had to contain his sincerity on key issues.

Responding to recent accusations linking him to the abductions by Ichung'wah, Gachagua termed the accusations as mere diversionary tactics employed by the state.

''The problem with Kenya is the issue of constant lies and that is probably why I was axed from the government because I stood for the truth,'' Gachagua asserted.

Gachagua instead asked the government to give closure on what exactly was happening and on the whereabouts of the recently abducted Kenyan youths.

''The president recently said that there was no evidence of abductions almost five times. I have just seen his political machine, that Member of Parliament he uses, lying to people that I am the one abducting people,'' he added.

Additionally, he challenged the government to stop viewing Kenyans from a different intelligence perspective and instead release the seven abducted youths.

''The people of Kenya are very intelligent. And you people are running out of lies. You have lied to the point that you have started believing in your own lies. So, those young men who have been abducted here, who are they? Who are they? Those young men have been abducted,'' he added.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Saturday, January 4, 2025 - A senior government official from Bomet County is mourning following the death of her son, who went missing on 31st December under mysterious circumstances.

The deceased young man, identified as Ian Singoe, is the son of Pauline Korir, the Chief Officer Gender, Culture, and Social Services in Bomet County.

He was last seen around KasaraniMwiki Road in Nairobi on New Year's Eve before he went missing and his phone switched off.

Ians distraught family had circulated his photos on social media, hoping to find him.

Unfortunately, they found his body in the morgue on Saturday.

Ians mysterious disappearance and death come at a time when cases of abductions are on the rise in the country.





















The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Saturday, January 4, 2025 - There are claims that President William Rutos government has begun discriminating against members of the Kikuyu community by imposing bureaucratic hurdles in the process of applying for Identity Cards (IDs).

According to the Constitution, every Kenyan who reaches the age of 18 is required to have an Identity Card.

However, many young Kenyans from the Mt. Kenya region have reported that they are now being asked to bring their parents in order to obtain an ID, whereas previously, only a birth certificate was required.

The youth says they are also being subjected to silly questions by officers from the National government like during the Nyayo Era.

The Kenya Kwanza Alliance government is reportedly doing this because the Mt Kenya region, which forms the biggest voting bloc in the country, has abandoned President William Ruto over unfulfilled promises and lies.

By disenfranchising the Kikuyu youths from applying for ID, Ruto hopes this will reduce their votes, making his re-election bid in 2027 somewhat smoother.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Saturday, January 4, 2025 - Eleanor Musangi, the ex-wife of murder convict Joseph Irungu alias Jowie is now dating a mzungu.

The former beauty queen, who was crowned Miss Global Kenya, took to her Instagram account and introduced the hunk man.

When the time is right, the Lord will make it happen, she wrote.

Eleanor has been touring the world with her new man and they seem to be madly in love.

She posted a video showing some of the places they have visited for dinner dates and vacations.

Eleanor and Jowie used to be in a relationship in 2020 when he was released on bond after staying in remand for close to two years.

They even got married but their relationship crumbled a year later.

Jowie was sentenced to death after he was found guilty of murdering the late businesswoman Monica Kimani.

Below are photos and video of Eleanor and her mzungu boyfriend.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Saturday, January 4, 2025 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has praised former Prime Minister Raila Odinga for always being surrounded by elite and competent leaders in his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Speaking in Embu County during the burial of former Embu Senator Lenny Kivutis son, Gachagua stated that Raila has remained relevant in Kenyan politics because he is surrounded by brilliant and resolute leaders who are difficult to bribe.

Gachagua stated that the caliber of leaders in the Mt. Kenya region is very low, describing many of them as lacking intelligence, which he claims is why Ruto is able to influence them with money.

The huge loss weve suffered is due to the quality of leaders weve sent to the Senate and National Assembly.

"This elderly man called Raila Odinga has never been president, yet hes in every government because of the quality of leaders he sends to Parliament and the Senate. We, on the other hand, go and pick anything," Gachagua stated.

Gachaguas remarks also hinted at a new approach to leadership in Mt Kenya come the 2027 General Election.

He pointed out the need for more scrutiny when choosing future leaders in the coming polls to avoid their current tribulations.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Saturday, January 4, 2025  Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni may not have seen the last of NARC Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua.

This is after the Uganda Law Council is set to meet on January 6 to determine whether she can practice law in Uganda.

Karua was blocked from representing Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye at Ugandas Court Martial on December 6, 2024.

In a letter dated January 3, signed by Isaac K. Ssemakadde, President of the Uganda Law Society, the society stated it will deliberate on the way forward in regard to Karuas resubmissions.

The Law Council has called for a special meeting on Monday, January 6, 2025, at 10:00 am, to consider an application for a temporary practicing certificate from the distinguished Kenyan advocate Martha Karua, Senior Counsel, which she resubmitted on the afternoon of December 23, 2024, read the statement in part.

Karua, after being blocked, resubmitted an application for a temporary practicing certificate to the Law Council to represent Besigye on December 23, last year.

In the statement, the Uganda Law Society noted that after the meeting it will issue an official communication on reasons why Karuas initial application was turned down.

Reportedly, the Uganda Law Society had earlier rejected Karua's application on procedural grounds, citing the absence of notarized copies of her practicing certificate, a letter of good standing from the Law Society of Kenya, and other documentation.

The society noted it will consider the matter carefully, taking into account issues raised by Karua in her resubmissions.

If her application is successful, Karua will be able to lead the defense team for Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale at the general court-martial the following day.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Saturday, January 4, 2025 - Former Muranga County Governor Mwangi Wa Iria has raised concerns about an emerging sect in the Mt. Kenya region known as Itungati.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Wa Iria claimed the sect has derived its name from Mau Mau warriors who fought against the colonialists.

Wa Iria, who is supporting President William Ruto, said the outfit should be investigated as it poses a serious security threat in the Mt. Kenya region.

This region has currently been covered by a cloud of apprehension. Itungati was famed for slaughtering the white settlers, who is this group targeting? he posed.

The group, the former Governor claimed, has been holding grassroots meetings and using them to intimidate leaders into supporting them while making the ground hostile for those that do not.

Wa Iria pointed out that while all Kenyans have the freedom to voice their concerns against the government, they should do so without intimidating others.

This group wants to associate itself with the church and the clergy should take care. Recently, in Shamata, Nyandarua County, they even attacked a police officer. They even want to intimidate the security apparatus, he stated.

This group should be handled with a lot of seriousness. We must forestall some of these things because we have seen them happening before in this country, he said, claiming that some lawmakers are channeling NG-CDF funds towards the outfit.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Saturday, January 4, 2024 - Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament Peter Kaluma has stated that the only threat to President William Rutos re-election in 2027 would be if former Prime Minister Raila Odinga decides to run for the presidency.

Kaluma, in a social media post on Friday, said Ruto will be re-elected because he has support across the country.

The Orange Democratic Movement lawmaker said he has traversed the country alongside the President and can confirm that regions such as Nyanza, Nairobi, Western, Rift Valley, Eastern, Coast, and North Eastern support Rutos re-election bid in 2027.

I have been to Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley, North Eastern, Coast, Eastern, and Central and back to Nairobi this Christmas season. I can now report that President @WilliamsRutowill be re-elected in 2027, except for Baba @RailaOdingaRuns, Kaluma said.

Kaluma said 80 percent of Kenyans support Ruto because is committed to ending Kikuyus' tribal hegemony and entitlement.

80% of Kenya's population will vote for Ruto, if Raila does not run, to diminish tribal hegemony and entitlement by Kikuyus and to remind them that Kenya is far bigger than Mt. Kenya, Kaluma said

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Saturday, January 4, 2025 - National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah went ham on Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya over his stance on abductions in the country.

Speaking during the burial ceremony of National Speaker Moses Wetang'ula's mother in Kabuchai, Bungoma County, where President William Ruto was in attendance, Ichung'wah accused Natembeya of incitement.

The Kikuyu MP also urged Natembeya to help the DCI in solving the abduction cases if he had any knowledge of the abductors.

It is not to say that there are no abductions. Abductions are there. Governor Natembeya, if you know the abductors, you are an officer and you have been a regional commissioner. Give information to the DCI for them to investigate.

I want to ask you, Governor Natembeya, you were a regional commissioner the other day when people were abducted and killed in Kerio Valley. So at that time, you did not know Kenyans lives were valuable? Let me tell you today in broad daylight, the politics you are doing of dividing Kenyans on tribal lines and incitement, you will not succeed. Shame on you! Ichung'wah remarked.

His remarks came after Natembeya accused some of denying that there were no abductions and that some Kenyans were faking abductions.

The governor maintained that it was unfortunate for leaders to claim, adding that abduction cases should not be concealed.

I say this with a very heavy heart. It is unfortunate for a leader to stand here and say that people are abducting themselves and killing themselves. Our children are getting lost and getting abducted and some are being killed.

"That is the position. We should not cover the basics. Even the president has said he will stop the abductions. People should not be abducted or killed because of insults on social media, Natembeya stated.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Saturday, January 5, 2024 - Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged President William Ruto to stop lecturing parents over how they should raise their children.

Speaking on Thursday, Gachagua said Ruto should concentrate on more pressing issues like resuscitating the economy which is currently performing badly.

We elected you to put the countrys economy in order, not to dictate how parents should raise their children, he said.

Gachagua's remarks came barely two days after Ruto, while addressing a gathering at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay, called on parents to take the lead in mentoring and protecting their children to uphold peace.

We all want to walk together. I want to urge all parents that our children are a blessing from God, and you should take care of them and the government will do our part, noted Ruto.

He pledged to stop ongoing abductions in the country.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
A pair of very special concerts with Lisa Hannigan Ensemble and White Horse Guitar Club will take place over two nights in St Canices Cathedral to coincide with the breathtaking touring artwork Museum Of The Moon by UK artist Luke Jerram.

Measuring seven metres in diameter, the moon features detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface. At an approximate scale of 1:500,000, each centimetre of the internally lit spherical sculpture represents five kilometres of the moons surface.

The moon has always inspired humanity, acting as a cultural mirror to society, reflecting the ideas and beliefs of all people around the world. Over the centuries, the moon has been interpreted as a god and as a planet. It has been used as a timekeeper, calendar and been a source of light to aid nighttime navigation.

Throughout history the moon has inspired artists, poets, scientists, writers and musicians the world over. The ethereal blue light cast by a full moon, the delicate crescent following the setting sun, or the mysterious dark side of the moon has evoked passion and exploration.

Different cultures around the world have their own historical, cultural, scientific and religious relationships to the moon. And yet somehow, despite these differences, the moon connects us all.

Lisa Hannigan will be joined by vocalists Theodora Byrne, Krea, and Jane Patterson, plus violinist Yuki Numata Resnick and cellist Clarice Jensen for an unmissable show in an unforgettable setting. The White Horse Guitar Club is a diverse group, comprising individuals from various walks of life  from a stonemason to an engineer, a photographer to a teacher. Yet, they all share a common passion for singing, playing, and performing live, forging strong connections with their audiences in Ireland and beyond.

For more information or to book tickets www.set.ie
Schools in some counties could stay closed on Monday if heavy snow makes it impossible or dangerous to open.

Met Eireann has issued a series of warnings and delivered its final verdict on a snow bomb hitting Ireland this weekend amid a raft of Status Orange and Yellow warnings and predictions of 15cm of snow in some places, casting doubt on schools in some areas reopening after the Christmas break on Monday.

Met Eireann has said "significant snowfall" is likely on Saturday afternoon and evening with temperatures likely to dip to -7 degrees early next week meaning it accumulations could sit for a few days.

Their first weather warning is a Status Orange rain and snow warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford. It says: "Heavy rain transitioning to sleet and snow with significant accumulations expected."

It list impacts as "very difficult travelling conditions, poor visibility, travel disruption delays to public transport likely (air, rail, bus), difficult conditions underfoot and animal welfare issues."

The warning is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday.

READ NEXT: Track the snow as it heads towards Ireland amid severe weather warnings

A similar Status Orange snow-ice warning has been issued for Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary with Met Eireann warning of "significant snowfall accumulations expected." This warning too is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday.

Met Eireann has also issued a Status Yellow rain warning for Cork, Kerry and Waterford. It warns of "heavy rain transitioning to sleet and snow" and it's valid from 1pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday.

There is also a Status Yellow snow-ice warning for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and all of Connacht.

"Falls of sleet and snow with snowfall accumulations" are expected in these counties. This 24-hour warning also runs from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday.

The final warning from Met Eireann is a Status Yellow rain and snow warning for Wexford. Heavy rain there will transition to sleet and snow. It too is valid from 5pm on Saturday to 5pm on Sunday.

This could leave the opening of schools in question but there will not be a blanket decision for the country or even in any one county.

The Government has issued Be Winter Ready guidelines for schools, with decisions on closures left to the management of individual schools. That means there is a possibility that some schools will choose to close on Thursday.

The Government advice says that the "decision to close a school or ELC rests with the settings management authority taking into consideration the full guidance and direction available from the principal response agencies, especially An Garda Siochana.

"Any decision to close is taken in the interest of child safety, having assessed the local risks and having consulted, as appropriate, with school transport operators.

Some of the issues that settings take into account include conditions in the setting itself; capacity of the setting to ensure the health and safety of children and students; ability of parents, students, staff and school transport services to safely negotiate; local road conditions to reach the setting; guidance and direction from the principal response agencies."

Specifically on weather events, the advice says: "Schools and ELCs should monitor weather forecasts in order to be prepared for any severe weather, which may affect the setting. During periods of severe weather, settings should assess the situation using the above guidance. Settings should be prepared, keep themselves informed and remain vigilant."

The advice continues: "It should be borne in mind that there may also be weather events, which may be fast moving with little warning. For example, consider the case of Storm Darwin in February 2014 where Met Eireann had issued a Status Red alert for the Cork and Kerry regions; however, on that occasion the weather moved rapidly across the southern half of the country affecting a number of other counties.

"There may also be Status Orange weather warnings that may require action to be taken because of the particular local circumstances, for example, in areas prone to flooding or areas located on the coast. Any assessment taken by the setting for actions necessary should be guided by local knowledge and experience and by way of advice from the principal response agencies."

With reference to rare Status Red weather warnings, the circular says: "All weather warnings of Status Red will require some action on behalf of settings. Schools and ELCs need to assess the potential impact of such weather events taking account of past experiences and in light of advice on the current event from the principal response agencies in their area.

"A Status Red weather warning for heavy rain may be particularly relevant if the local area is prone to flooding. A Status Red warning related to ice or snow, which may compact, may cause local issues due to the location of the setting and/or the routes taken to reach the setting.

"Schools and ELCs should note in particular Status Red weather warnings where strong winds or storm conditions are forecasted. Due to the high degree of unpredictability as to the impact of the weather associated with such a Status Red warning on local conditions, settings should use the following guidance to assist them in making their assessment.

"Status Red weather warning for wind related conditions may be given in advance of a setting opening or it may arise during the day while a school or ELC is underway."
Weather Alert

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON FRIDAY TO 1 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...South winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. * WHERE...Portions of south central, southwest, and west central Illinois and central, east central, northeast, and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...From noon Friday to 1 AM CDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution. &&
Andy Kim, the first-ever Korean American senator, reaffirmed his commitment Friday to being a "bridge" between South Korea and the United States and to promoting the two countries' prosperity and security as he stressed a "strong U.S. requires strong partnerships and alliances."

Kim made the remarks as the 119th Congress kicked off amid expectations that the new senator will play a key role in cementing the Seoul-Washington alliance in the midst of shared challenges, including North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats.

In November, Kim won the Senate seat for New Jersey that was up for grabs as former Sen. Bob Menendez resigned in August following his conviction on bribery charges. Kim took office last month, succeeding George Helmy who was appointed in August to succeed Menendez.

"A strong United States requires strong partnerships and alliances, and I remain committed to being a bridge between the United States and South Korea, and to advancing our shared prosperity and security," Kim said in a statement provided to Yonhap News Agency.

He also highlighted his commitment to working for the American people, while showing his sense of honor to serve in the upper chamber of Congress.

"I'm humbled to take the oath of office to serve the state that raised me in the United States Senate. The son of Korean immigrants, growing up I could not have imagined this honor," he said.

"We have critical work ahead in the 119th Congress to bring needed change to make our democracy work for the people and give everyone a chance at the American dream."

The new senator is to sit on four Senate committees: Commerce, Science and Transportation; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Kim was born in Boston in 1982 to a family of South Korean immigrants -- his father being a medical researcher and his mother a nurse.

The senator boasts a prominent foreign policy portfolio, having served at the White House National Security Council, the Pentagon, the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development and as a civilian adviser to Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. John Allen in Afghanistan.

Kim earned a political science degree from the University of Chicago in 2004. He was awarded a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship and a Harry S. Truman Scholarship, which led him to earn a master's degree and a doctorate in international relations from the University of Oxford.

As the new Congress began, the House voted to reelect Republican Rep. Mike Johnson  a figure endorsed by incoming President Donald Trump  as its speaker. The vote was seen as the first test of Trump's grip on the GOP that has a thin majority in the House.

In Congress, the Republican Party controls 53 of 100 seats in the Senate and 219 of 435 seats in the House as a result of the November election.

The fragile majority in both chambers has raised questions over whether the legislature will help smoothly enact his "America First" policy agenda, including border security, or keep him in check. (Yonhap)
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to South Korea on a mission to reaffirm America's "ironclad" alliance with the Asian country, the State Department said Friday, the first trip to Seoul by a top U.S. official since President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law attempt last month.

Blinken plans to visit Seoul as part of his overseas trip that will also take him to Japan and France, Matthew Miller, the department's spokesperson, said. The three-nation trip runs from Friday to next Thursday.

Seoul's foreign ministry has said Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Blinken will hold talks in Seoul on Monday.

"In the ROK, Secretary Blinken will meet with senior ROK government officials to reaffirm the ironclad U.S.-ROK Alliance and discuss ways our two nations can build on our critical cooperation on challenges around the world based on our shared values," Miller said in a statement. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

"The secretary will also discuss how the United States and the ROK can strengthen key efforts to promote a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific, as well as trilateral efforts with Japan," he added.

The bilateral talks have been set amid lingering concerns that South Korea's political turmoil in the wake of Yoon's short-lived martial law imposition and his subsequent impeachment could undermine cooperation between Seoul and Washington in the midst of North Korea's evolving military threats.

Apparently mindful of such concerns, Seoul and Washington have agreed to fully resume bilateral diplomatic and security schedules postponed in the aftermath of Yoon's martial law attempt.

In Japan, Blinken plans to meet senior Tokyo officials to take stock of progress in the U.S.-Japan alliance in the past few years and reaffirm the importance of the alliance in addressing bilateral, regional and global issues, according to Miller.

In France, the secretary will meet senior French officials as part of the bilateral partnership to address challenges in Europe, the Middle East and beyond, the spokesperson said. (Yonhap)
CIO, police may retry arrest as early as Sunday

By KTimes

The investigative authorities are deliberating their next move after their attempt to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol failed on Friday.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the police are likely to make another attempt to execute the arrest warrant as early as Sunday. The warrant is set to expire the next day.

During the initial attempt, more than 200 members of the Presidential Security Service (PSS) formed a human chain, blocking investigators from advancing beyond the premises.

The CIO sent Saturday an official document to acting President Choi Sang-mok, who oversees the PSS, urging him to instruct the security service to comply with the execution of the arrest warrant. The CIO had previously sent a similar request to Choi on Jan. 1, but he did not respond.

Due to the expected presence of Yoon's supporters near his Hannam-dong residence over the weekend, the operation may be delayed until Monday, when a smaller crowd is anticipated.

Direct detention warrant also on table

If these attempts fail, the CIO could bypass both arrest and direct questioning to immediately apply for a detention warrant.

Legal experts say that a detention warrant could be issued even if Yoon does not attend a pre-detention hearing. If the warrant is granted, the case must proceed to trial within 20 days, with the CIO and prosecutors splitting the investigation period evenly.

A lawyer and former prosecutor for the CIO said, The CIO likely knew from the outset that executing the arrest warrant might be impossible and that even if successful, conducting a thorough investigation could prove difficult. Despite this, they went ahead, indicating their confidence that the current evidence alone is strong enough to obtain a detention warrant.

If Yoon continues to ignore the arrest warrant by its expiration on Jan. 6, investigators may seek to renew it. This would involve filing a new request with the court, justifying the need for an extension.

Presidential security chief refuses to comply with police summons

Park Chong-jun, the head of the PSS, and his deputy have refused to comply with a police summons for questioning over allegations of obstructing the execution of an arrest warrant for President Yoon.

In a statement distributed to the media, the PSS said, Given the current critical nature of presidential security operations, neither the chief nor the deputy can leave their posts, even briefly. Discussions are ongoing with the police to arrange a future date for questioning.

The joint investigation team has charged Park and his deputy with obstruction of official duties and summoned them for questioning at 2 p.m. on Jan. 4, following the PSS's obstruction that prevented the execution of the arrest warrant for President Yoon.

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.
Three people died after a fishing boat carrying 22 struck rocks off South Korea's southwest coast Saturday, officials said.

The Coast Guard and other authorities reported receiving a distress call around 10:30 a.m. about the boat crashing into rocks near Gageo Island in Sinan, South Jeolla Province.

The three people were found in a state of cardiac arrest and were pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

The other 19 people were rescued by the Coast Guard and a nearby vessel, and were not in any life-threatening condition.

These people are believed to have jumped into the ocean to wait to be rescued when their boat appeared in danger of capsizing.

The Coast Guard initially said the boat was carrying 21 people but later found out there were 22 aboard.

Authorities plan to investigate the cause of the accident and will also try to determine the reason behind the discrepancy in the headcount.

The Coast Guard said the captain of the vessel may be booked on charges of professional negligence resulting in death. (Yonhap)
The remains of 179 people killed in this week's Jeju Air plane crash have been recovered, the interior ministry said Saturday.

The Jeju Air jet crashed on landing at Muan International Airport in the county of South Jeolla Province on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 passengers and crew aboard.

Of the bodies, 103 were transferred to their families, and the remainder are at a temporary morgue before being sent to their families, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety. (Yonhap)
Police again requested two top officials of the presidential security office to appear for questioning for their alleged obstruction of official duties related to the state anti-corruption agency's attempt to detain suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Park Chong-jun, chief of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), and Deputy Kim Seong-hoon were booked on suspicion of obstructing special official duties, as PSS officials, along with military members, blocked officers of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) from executing a warrant to detain Yoon, Friday, over his short-lived martial law declaration on Dec. 3.

After a standoff for about six hours at the presidential residence in Seoul, the CIO halted the attempt to detain Yoon.

The joint investigation team requested the two officials to come in for questioning Saturday, but they refused to do so, saying they cannot leave their position "even for a moment" given the gravity of the situation in providing security for Yoon.

In response, the investigation team sent another request to Park to appear for questioning, Tuesday, and Kim, Wednesday.

The CIO is expected to make another attempt to detain Yoon as early as Sunday, as it has until Monday to execute the detention warrant on charges of insurrection and abuse of power.

The agency once again called on acting President Choi Sang-mok to instruct the presidential security team to cooperate on its execution of the detention warrant.

The six opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party, demanded punishment for Park over his role in Friday's standoff.

In a joint press conference at the National Assembly, the floor leaders of the six parties said Park should be immediately removed from his position and arrested on charges of obstruction of official duties, concealment of an offender and abuse of power.

The parties also accused Park and the rest of the PSS of being accomplices to insurrection. They charged that acting President Choi Sang-mok is also responsible for the standoff and that he must get the PSS to cooperate with the CIO.

The opposition parties called on the CIO to execute the arrest warrant "quickly," adding, "There must never be another retreat." (Yonhap)
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Seoul, Saturday, to rally for or against the detention of President Yoon Suk Yeol following his short-lived imposition of martial law in early December, escalating tension and disrupting traffic.

Around 35,000 people staged pro-Yoon rallies near Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul at 1 p.m., then suddenly moved to Hannam-dong in Yongsan District to stand against anti-Yoon protestors.

Just 400 meters away, members of the militant labor umbrella the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a rally calling for the immediate arrest of Yoon.

The KCTU members tried to march near Yoon's residence, which was blocked by police. Over the course, there were physical clashes and two people were detained for allegedly assaulting police officers.

Protesters occupied roads, which caused severe traffic congestion in the area. Seoul's Hangangjin Station was also briefly closed, with trains passing it without stopping.

Separately, a large-scale protest took place near Gwanghwamun Square demanding the swift impeachment of Yoon.

On Friday, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) made a botched attempt to detain Yoon after a six-hour deadlock with Yoon's security team at the presidential residence compound.

Yoon's shocking, albeit short-lived, martial law declaration was followed by the National Assembly's impeachment vote pending a final ruling by the Constitutional Court.

An investigation is under way into the incident, but Yoon has refused to appear for questioning, leading to a court's issuance of a warrant for his detention. (Yonhap)
By Casey Lartigue Jr.

On Sept. 26, 2024, I was a VIP guest at the Chatter and Cheers event hosted by the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), connecting alumni and students. I was asked by HGSE administrators to introduce my career after graduating from Harvard and about co-founding a non-profit organization in South Korea. During the event, I had fascinating conversations with graduate students who were curious about my career. One question kept coming up: How do you manage your time?

They said, Youre so busy, and my response was always: Im not busy; Im active. This distinction seemed surprising, but it defines how I approach my life and career. When I returned to South Korea, in 1-to-1 consultations, my students at the Seoul University of Foreign Studies asked me the same question. My answer remained consistent: Im active, not busy.

"People often inform me, 'Youre so busy!' But the truth is, Im not busy at all. Ive structured my life to focus on what I truly enjoy and care about. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, I feel energized because Im active, not busy.

Being busy is about reacting to demands and probably feeling overwhelmed. Being active means choosing what to focus on and pursuing it with purpose.

Ive structured my activities around what I genuinely want to do. My life is filled with roles and activities that align with my passions:

As co-founder of Freedom Speakers International, I joyfully work to empower North Korean refugees. As a professor teaching public speaking at Seoul University of Foreign Studies, I engage with students in meaningful ways. As co-country director of Giving Tuesday Korea, I help promote philanthropy and social entrepreneurship. And as an alum of Harvard University, Im now actively involved, including serving on the Alumni Council. Thats in addition to being a public speaker, mentor, author, editor and consultant.

I was already living an active life when a friend was asked, What do you do? His answer? As I please." That resonated with me and probably explains why we have been life-long friends. Just because the world tries to put something on my plate doesnt mean I have to eat it. Life is an a la carte, for me to pick and choose what I want.

When students ask how I manage my time, I remind them that Im at a different stage in life because they were born after I started my career. Early on, I decided to focus only on what I truly wanted to do. Its not a traditional nine-to-five path, but it works for me.

Recently, I worked 24 consecutive days without a day off. People were amazed, asking, How do you do it? But it didnt feel like hard work. Whether meeting people, writing for The Korea Times, mentoring refugees, or teaching, I enjoy what I do. When Im tired, I take a nap or switch activities.

In his essay Managing Oneself, Peter Drucker highlighted the importance of self-awareness and career diversification. He recommended having a primary job, volunteering and developing a network. This approach builds resilience and fulfillment. When I read Druckers essay, I realized I was already living his philosophy.

I remain active, not busy, by using three main methods. One, do as I please. I prioritize tasks that bring joy and purpose. When Koreans ask me if I am enjoying living in South Korea, my response: Im still here. If I wasnt enjoying it then I would leave.

Two, I eliminate the unnecessary by setting boundaries and avoiding open-ended commitments. I ask myself: Do I want to be doing this a year from now? If I agree, then I am in and I dont look back. If I dont, then I set the boundaries from the beginning.

Three, I focus on impact. Is the work meaningful? Am I making an impact on others? When I look at my calendar, I see opportunities to make an impact as an active person, not tasks for a busy person to check off.

Are you busy, caught up in endless demands? Or are you active, living intentionally and focusing on what truly matters?

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.
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NEIL McCabe, otherwise known as The Green Fireman and CEO of The GreenPlan, visited Portlaoise Fire Station to launch the implementation of the plan.

The initiative was developed on Neil's work greening the Dublin Fire Brigade, and is designed to embed sustainable practices into organisations and communities while reducing carbon emissions, saving costs, and fostering societal benefits.

The plan is built around seven core themes - Energy, Water, Waste, Biodiversity, Transport, Society and Procurement.

It is anchored by two key principles behavioural change and carbon emission reduction.

Some of the fire crew from Portlaoise Fire Station who are taking part in the 'GreenPlan' workshops.

Mr McCabes work has been recognised nationally and internationally as a model for how organisations can achieve meaningful environmental change through collective action.

He said: I had great pleasure in seeing the team in Laois Fire Service assemble and immediately engage with The GreenPlan process.

Chief Fire Officer in Laois Declan Power said working in collaboration with plan is a significant milestone for Laois County Fire and Rescue Service and Laois County Council.

The initiative requires staff in all fire stations around Laois to work with each other to improve daily operations. This includes assessing and implementing strategies aligned with the seven GreenPlan themes and monitoring the resulting changes and savings.

The rollout involves five workshops focusing on developing a tailored plan, followed by detailed assessments of the seven themes.

The project is scheduled to conclude by April 2025 and presented to Laois County Council in May 2025, where certificates will be awarded to participating stations.
Sarah Slater

A Tipperary man shot dead in Kansas City last year was always there to support his family when they needed him, mourners at his memorial mass heard.

Shaun Brady (44) who was originally from Nenagh, was killed in an altercation outside his restaurant Brady and Fox in Kansas City, Missouri on August 28th 2024. Mr Brady was a co-owner and chef of the Irish restaurant.

The father-of-two was reportedly shot as he intervened in a suspected robbery.

Mr Brady, who was bringing rubbish bags out from his restaurant, sustained multiple gunshot wounds close to his restaurant after he confronted several people who were attempting to steal a car.

Damien Brady, a brother of the talented chef, summed up what Mr Brady meant to everyone in his family and community at his midday memorial service at Saint Marys of the Rosary Church in Nenagh.

He said that Shaun Paul was tragically taken before his time.

Shaun Paul was a loving husband to Katie. A doting father to Seamus and Mary and cherished son to our mother Mary. Although Shaun Paul was the middle child in our family he was our big brother. He was always there to support us when we needed him, Mr Brady continued.

"He was a funny uncle to all of his nieces and nephews and a dear friend to so many. Shaun Paul led a full life. He relentlessly pursued his passion to become the talented chef he was.

Cheffing

He explained that the family and his brother knew from such a young age that this (chef) was his vocation.

He wanted to do Home Economics in school so he fought to get into the girls secondary school Home Ec classes. He would leave the brothers a few classes a week to go to an all girls school and do a class that was typically not taught to boys. Shaun Paul was in his element.

To be that age and to know that cheffing was going to be his career and to be brave enough and stubborn enough to follow it and not be told no. Shaun Paul had a drive and a determination to succeed. A role model to us all.

Shaun Paul had built a wonderful life for himself in Kansas. He had become a treasured part of the community. (He) was so proud to call Nenagh his home. He never forgot where he came from.

Damien highlighted that his brother will be greatly missed by so many.

We are all heartbroken by his loss. He has left us with so many precious memories. We will grieve all the stolen chances to make new memories with Shaun Paul but we will treasure the ones we were lucky enough to have.

A black and white photograph of Mr Brady was placed on a table by the altar surrounded by floral wreaths of white roses, lilies and carnations.

Symbols of Mr Bradys life were brought to the altar, including a Tipperary jersey with those gathered in the church hearing he was very proud of his county and his home town and his Irish heritage, a Kansas City shirt as he was very active in the community, his cap which became histrademark of his Irishness, and his chefs uniform - which represented his passion and skill for cooking.

Chief celebrant Fr Pat Gilbert told mourners that Shaun Paul was a man of enormous generosity, family and devotion especially to his family.

'A family man'

Fr Gilbert said that the legacy of Shaun Paul was that he lived his life with love, kindness and compassion.

Shaun Paul was above all a family man. He was the loving husband of Katie and the doting father of Seamus and Mary. I believe fatherhood was his greatest joy and he embraced it with all his heart, he explained.

We know your hearts are shattered but we pray you find strength in the love and the memories you shared with Shaun Paul.

Mourners heard that Mr Brady was a man of immense generosity, kindness and compassion who gave freely of himself to others whether through a listening ear, a helping hand or the meals he passionately prepared".

Fr Gilbert highlighted in his homily that the Tipperary mans love for cooking was not merely about food. It was a vocation. It was about bringing people together, creating joy and sharing a piece of his soul with everyone who tasted his creations.

He brought a piece of Ireland with him to America and his restaurant became a haven for the Irish community in Kansas adorned with symbols of his homeland. It was a gathering place where people felt connected, celebrated and comforted."

Mr Brady was laid to rest at Lisbunny cemetery in his native Nenagh.

Last month the Jackson County Family Court had dropped all charges against one of two teens arrested in August last in connection with the fatal shooting.

The teen, who spent three months in juvenile custody, was released without charge.
New Delhi, January 4: A dodgeball game at school turned fatal for a Class 9 student as a schoolmate enraged after being hit by the ball allegedly got the 14-year-old stabbed to death outside their school in East Delhi, police said on Saturday. The alleged incident took place around 6 pm on Friday with the police apprehending seven people, including three schoolmates, officials said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Abhishek Dhania said among the seven arrested, five are juveniles. The suspects were planning to flee the city when they were apprehended.

The police also recovered the knife used in the murder and other critical evidence, the officer said. "Investigations revealed that during a break at 4 pm, a classmate of the victim allegedly borrowed a mobile phone and made a call. The accused classmate allegedly discussed a dispute with the victim and instructed the person on the line to 'send people'," the DCP said. Around 6 pm, as the students left the school, the accused classmate was seen waiting outside with a group. Delhi Shocker: 14-Year-Old Student Stabbed to Death Outside Government School in Shakarpur; 7 Arrested.

The situation escalated when another juvenile, an accomplice of the accused student, stabbed the victim in his right thigh, causing severe injuries. The attackers then fled the spot, Dhania said. School staff immediately administered first aid and took the victim student to Hedgewar hospital. He was referred to GTB Hospital due to the severity of the injuries but he succumbed, the police said.

Three specialised teams conducted extensive review of CCTV camera footage, interviewed witnesses and analysed technical evidence to identify the suspects, Dhania said. "Their coordinated efforts led to the apprehension of all seven accused while they attempted to escape." Among those apprehended were five juveniles and two adults -- college student Saarthi (19) and dairy shop owner Aman Kumar (31). Delhi Shocker: Man Beaten to Death by Neighbours for Raising Complaints Over Loud Music During New Year Celebrations in Rohini, 2 Arrested.

Critical evidence, including the accused's blood-stained clothes and shoes and the knife and its cover, were seized. The police are investigating the specific roles and motives of each individual involved, Dhania said. Police said that CCTV footage is being checked to understand the sequence of the events.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Sambalpur, Jan 3 (PTI) About 30 kg of gold was allegedly robbed at gunpoint from the branch of a gold loan company in Odisha's Sambalpur city, police said on Saturday.

The robbery took place at Manappuram Finance's branch on Budharaja Main Road on Friday morning, they said.

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Besides the gold, the robbers took away over Rs 4 lakh in cash, they added.

The gang of robbers barged into the branch just after it had opened. Three employees were held at gunpoint, while the hands and feet of the branch manager were tied, police said.

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While some of the robbers were busy holding the staff of the branch hostage, the others of the gang acquired the keys and password to the vault and robbed the gold jewellery and cash. Some of them were also guarding the branch outside, according to the FIR.

"There were around 7-10 robbers and they were wearing helmets and masks. They fled the spot on motorcycles soon after the robbery," said SDPO Tophan Bag.

He said the CCTV footage of the area was being scanned and the employees of the company were interrogated.

In a statement, Manappuram Finance said preliminary investigations suggested that the stolen assets were valued at approximately Rs 20 crore.

Stating that no staff or customer was injured, it said the affected individuals were receiving counselling and support.

"We want to reassure all affected customers of the branch that their assets would be compensated by the company," it added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai, January 4: The police have arrested two absconding accused involved in the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Maharashtra's Dhule district, an official said on Saturday. The Dhule police have arrested Sudarshan Chandrabhan Ghule (26) and Sudhir Sangle (23) and handed them over to the special investigation team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the case, the official said.

Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm helming a windmill project in the region. Walmik Karad, an aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in the extortion case. Santosh Deshmukh Murder Case: Maharashtra Government Forms SIT To Probe Brutal Killing of Beed Sarpanch.

Several police teams were deployed to arrest three accused who were on the run, and an SIT was constituted to nab them. The probe team interrogated three persons to trace the absconding men, appointed informants and used technical skills to nab the two accused, the official added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jaipur, Jan 4 (PTI) Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasara on Saturday accused the state's education minister of conspiring to close the English-medium Mahatma Gandhi schools, which were opened by the previous Congress government, in order to benefit private educational institutions.

He further said that Congress will hold protests across the state if the government decdes to close these schools.

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The BJP-led state government has formed a four-member ministerial committee, headed by deputy chief minister Premchand Bairwa, to review the English-medium government schools in Rajasthan.

Opposing this, Dotasara said that the Congress party will surround the BJP ministers and raise public issues in the upcoming budget session of the Rajasthan Assembly.

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"If the BJP government closes the Mahatma Gandhi English-medium schools, which provide free English education to the children of the poor, under the guise of a review, the Congress will oppose this decision across the state. The fight will be taken from the House to the streets," he told reporters at the PCC.

He alleged that the state education minister was conspiring to shut down these schools to benefit private educational institutions.

Dotasara also raised questions about the cabinet committee's review of the 3,737 Mahatma Gandhi English-medium schools, asking why the committee was formed 12 months after the government was formed.

"Why did the government remain inactive for a year?" he asked.

"The Congress government introduced several innovations in the field of education, but the BJP government cannot point to a single achievement in education," 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)
New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Congress leader and former MP Danish Ali on Saturday accused the BJP of tarnishing democracy by fielding ex-MP Ramesh Bidhuri from the Kalkaji segment in Delhi assembly polls after he had used foul language against him in Parliament.

Danish Ali and Bidhuri were members of the last Lok Sabha. A major row had erupted after Bidhuri made some objectionable comments in the House to target Ali, who was accused by several BJP leaders of using derogatory words for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provoke the then South Delhi MP.

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The BJP leader had expressed regret for his remarks in a meeting of the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee, which heard complaints from both sides.

Ali was then a member of the BSP and was suspended from the party later. He switched to the Congress later.

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"Shameful. By making Ramesh Bidhuri a candidate from Kalkaji Assembly seat, the BJP has again proved that it has nothing to do with the dignity of Parliament and democratic etiquette.

"By rewarding the person who used foul language in the temple of democracy, BJP has tarnished the entire democracy," Ali said.

He said it is clear that the "politics of hate" is not going to stop anytime soon.

"Giving am Assembly election ticket to a hateful person like Ramesh Bidhuri from Kalkaji by BJP is a clear declaration that the politics of hate is not going to stop anytime soon, because when the top level leaders themselves are the product of hateful politics, then they too have to promote the new generation of hateful leaders with the help of this USP," the Congress leader alleged in another post in Hindi.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 4 (ANI): One more soldier succumbed to his injuries due to the Army vehicle accident in the Bandipora district, Chinar Corps of the Indian Army informed today.

Earlier today, tragedy struck in the district after an army vehicle veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge near the Wular viewpoint in the SK Payeen area. Earlier, it was reported by Medical Superintendent Masarat Iqbal Wani that two soldiers have died and three others have been injured in the accident.

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According to Chinar corps, the soldier succumbed to the injuries while being evacuated.

"UPDATE : Bandipora Accident 04 Jan 25; One more braveheart succumbed to the injuries sustained during the unfortunate accident, while being evacuated," read the tweet by the Army.

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https://x.com/ChinarcorpsIA/status/1875538701377286296

Earlier, two soldiers were confirmed dead due to the accident.

"The three people have been referred for Srinagar for the medical treatment. We immediately sent our ambulance upon receiving the information of the accident.." said the Medical Superintendent of Bandipora district hospital while speaking to ANI.

The injured personnel were immediately taken to a local hospital and were later referred to a medical facility in Srinagar for advanced medical treatment.

Earlier today, multiple leaders from various political parties condoled the demise the soldiers, including Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal

"The news of the martyrdom of many of our soldiers due to the accident of an Army van in Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir is very sad. I pay tribute to the martyred soldiers and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. I have deep condolences for the bereaved family," said Rahul Gandhi in a post on X.

"This news of the accident is extremely sad. I pay my tribute to the martyrdom of the martyred soldiers and pray to God for the speedy recovery of all the injured soldiers," read a post by Arvind Kejriwal. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kangpokpi, January 4: Fresh violence was sparked in Manipur's Kangpokpi on Friday after a protest rally organized by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) became violent with protesters attacking the office of the Superintendent of Police of the district by pelting stones and petrol bombs, however, the situation is now under control and being closely monitored.

"Today (03.01.2025) in Kangpokpi District, a protest rally organized by CoTU became violent on their demand to withdraw Central Security Forces deployed at Saibol village. The violent protestors attacked the office of Superintendent of Police Kangpokpi by pelting stones and petrol bombs," Manipur Police said in a post on X. Manipur Violence: Fresh Clash Erupts in Imphal East; CM N Biren Singh Condemns Attack on Civilians, Personnel.

Mob Attacks SPs Office in Kangpokpi

SHOCKING #Manipur : Heavily armed #KukiTerrorists have attacked Kangpokpi District Collector Officer. Many policemen including the Superintendent Of Police Manoj Prabhakar injured. Its high time the govt and forces should jointly go All In and weed out every single pic.twitter.com/gUHtipjbt1  Amitabh Chaudhary (@MithilaWaala) January 3, 2025

Kuki organizations, including CoTU, have been protesting against the presence of central forces, particularly the BSF and CRPF. The police said that Kangpokpi Superintendent of Police Manoj Prabhakar was injured in the attack. Manipur Violence: Educational Institutions in 5 Districts To Remain Closed on November 25 and 26 for Safety of Students, Teachers.

"Security Forces retaliated against the mob and resorted to use of adequate force to disperse the mob and the situation was brought under control. In this incident, Shri Manoj Prabhakar, SP Kangpokpi District was injured and some vehicles also were damaged," the police said. The police said that the situation in the district is being closely monitored.

"The SP Kangpokpi has received the necessary medical treatment and is fine now and presently leading the joint security forces in tackling the situation. Huge contingents of security forces have been deployed to tackle the situation. The situation is now under control and being closely monitored," the police said.

Manipur is grappling with ongoing tensions between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3, 2024. The rally was held in response to the Manipur High Court's direction to consider granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jaipur, Jan 4 (PTI) Ajmer Sharif Deewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan's son Nasiruddin Chishti on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sending a 'chadar' to the dargah must be seen in a positive manner.

He said Modi's gesture was in line with a long tradition followed by the prime ministers.

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His remark came in response to AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, who earlier said Modi's sending a 'chadar' to Ajmer Dargah would do no good.

"Owaisi's statement is not appropriate. He can read the message of the prime minister which he sent with the chadar to know his views," Chishti said.

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Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Saturday offered a 'chadar' sent by Modi at Ajmer Dargah on the 'Urs' of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

At the dargah, he read out the PM's message in which he called on people from across religions to work in harmony.

Modi in his message also talked about saints and fakirs who went among the people and illuminated their lives at various points in Indian history.

"One of them, Khwaja Garib Nawaz, played an important role in fostering love and harmony in the society. His ideals, dedicated to peace and brotherhood, will continue to inspire generations," the minister said, reading the message.

In Hyderabad, Owaisi alleged that Modi's sending a 'chadar' to Ajmer Sharif would do no good as he asked him to take steps to stop claims being filed in courts disputing the existing mosques or dargahs.

(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, Jan 4 (PTI)The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday searched multiple locations in Jharkhand's Bokaro district in connection with the February 2024 attack on security forces by Naxals, according to an official statement.

NIA teams conducted searches at the premises of suspects and overground workers (OGWs) at eight locations, and seized digital devices such as laptop, mobile phones and memory cards, along with SIM cards, pocket diaries and incriminating documents, it said.

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The suspects and OGWs whose premises were searched were associated with members of the banned CPI (Maoist) and used to provide logistical support and facilitate extortion of levy money, said the statement issued by the NIA.

The case relates to the unlawful activities of leaders and cadres of CPI (Maoist) and the attack by the outfit on security forces in the forest area of police station Chatro-Chatti, Bokaro.

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On the day of the incident, commanders of the banned organisation had camped in the forest area (Sundari Pahari) along with 15-20 Naxal cadres to conspire to commit crime, recruit youth and collect levy, and to attack security forces.

Acting on inputs received, a team of Jharkhand Police and CRPF had initiated a search and combing operation, during which the Naxals had started firing indiscriminately, the statement said.

The security forces had opened retaliatory fire but, taking advantage of the thick forest, the Naxals had managed to escape.

The search operation had, however, led to the recovery of digital devices, naxal literature, and other incriminating articles by the local police, which registered the initial case.

The NIA took over the investigation and re-registered the case in June 2024.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Patna (Bihar) [India], January 4 (ANI): Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor expressed his support for the ongoing BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission) protests in Patna, calling for the Bihar government to address the grievances of the students.

The protests, sparked by allegations of irregularities in the BPSC examination, have intensified after the government announced a re-examination, which Kishor claimed was an acknowledgment of the errors that had taken place.

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Speaking to ANI, Kishor said, "By conducting the re-examination, the government has legally accepted that irregularities have happened with certain students in the examination."

He pressed on the importance of addressing the issue swiftly for the welfare of the students, adding, "The Chief Minister should meet the students regarding their demands, this is in the interest of the state."

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Kishor also responded to the ongoing political criticism of his involvement in the protest, especially regarding his vanity van controversy.

He said, "...It is not new for the opposition parties to criticise me...I have come here in support of the students". "Anyone can come and lead, whether it is Rahul Gandhi or Tejashwi Yadav", he further added.

Kishor continued, stating that his focus remained on the students' needs rather than engaging in political debates. "Only the work of the students should be done," he said, urging the Chief Minister to prioritize the students' concerns and take action.

The Jan Suraaj leader, who has been fasting in solidarity with the students, made it clear that he was firm in his commitment to the cause.

"I am firm on this fast, the government has to decide what it wants to do next," Kishor told ANI.

Earlier, Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh on Saturday said that the protests held by the aspirants demanding re-examination was started by non-serious candidates.

"The BPSC protests were started by the non-serious candidates. Since the examination was cancelled, we had to take their re-exam anyway and we had been trying to get it done immediately," Singh said speaking to ANI.

Further, the BPSC controller spoke on the re-examination conducted on Saturday and said that a total of 5,840 aspirants had appeared for the exam.

"5,840 aspirants have appeared for the exams already... We hope this number reaches 6200-6300. By 10:30 am today, 8,111 aspirants downloaded the admit card out of 12,012 registrations," he said.

Singh further said that the results would likely be released between January 25 to 30 and the mains would be conducted by April.

"We are trying to release the results of BPSC prelims between 25-30 January and conduct the mains by April..The serious candidates can start preparing by then..." he 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)
Mumbai, Jan 4 (PTI) The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has suspended the licences of two men for three months and seized their cars for allegedly racing on the Mumbai coastal road, an official said on Saturday.

One of the cars hit the sidewall of a tunnel on the northbound lane of the road between Marine Drive and Haji Ali during the race on Friday and its driver abandoned the vehicle and fled, causing a traffic jam, he said.

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According to the Malabar Hill police official, they were informed about a vehicle bearing registration number MH-12-FY-7263 blocking traffic inside the tunnel.

The car was damaged and had no occupants. CCTV footage showed that the driver of the vehicle was racing with another car when it met with the accident, he said.

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The official said they tracked down the duo, later identified as Jay Someshwar Narang Hublikar (19) and Mansoor Tofafarosh (22), and brought them to the police station. The car abandoned inside the tunnel was being driven by Hublikar, he said.

While police service notices to the two and allowed them to go after booking them for rash driving, the RTO impounded the vehicles and suspended the licences of Hublikar and Tofafarosh for three months, the official said.

(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], January 4 (ANI): The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) Tribunal has confirmed the Centre's July 8 notification declaring the Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-led Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) as an unlawful organization for five years.

The tribunal, led by Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta of the Delhi High Court, on Friday, found the Centre's evidence against SFJ compelling. The evidence highlighted activities such as recruiting and radicalizing youth via social media, financing terrorism through smuggling networks to procure weapons and explosives, issuing death threats to political figures, including the Prime Minister and Home Minister, and attempting to incite mutiny among Sikh soldiers in the Army.

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Justice Mendiratta deemed the evidence credible, particularly SFJ's connections with international Khalistani terrorist and separatist groups, including Babbar Khalsa International. The tribunal also noted SFJ's ties to Pakistan's ISI and their efforts to revive militancy in Punjab.

The central government has recently constituted an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to examine whether there is sufficient cause to extend the declaration of banned pro-Khalistan group SFJ as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, according to an MHA notification.

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On July 8, the Ministry of Home Affairs extended the declaration of SFJ as an unlawful association for another five years, effective from July 10, 2024. The MHA had previously imposed a similar ban on SFJ in 2019.

The Ministry extended the ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, citing the group's involvement in "anti-national and subversive activities aimed at disrupting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India."

According to the MHA notification, SFJ was engaged in activities prejudicial to India's internal security and public order, including supporting violent extremism and militancy in Punjab and elsewhere to carve out a sovereign Khalistan from Indian territory.

The notification further alleged that SFJ maintains close ties with militant outfits and activists, actively encouraging and aiding secessionist activities, including attempts to destabilize the democratically elected government of India. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hyderabad, January 4: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday announced the implementation of the 'Rythu Bharosa' investment support scheme for farmers and also provision of new PDS ration cards from January 26. Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the state cabinet here, he said Rs 12,000 per acre per year would be provided to the ryots under the scheme, an election promise of the ruling Congress. He said landless agriculture families would get Rs 12,000 per year under the scheme named as 'Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa'.

He also said ration cards would be provided to families who do not have one at present. The schemes would start from January 26 on the occasion of completion of 75 years of the country's Constitution coming into existence. Reddy said the 'Rythu Bharosa' would be extended to all lands that are suitable for agriculture. He made it clear that lands which are not suitable for agriculture, including hillocks and lands where mining is going on or real estate ventures, would not get the benefit of 'Rythu Bharosa'. Administrative System Was Corrupt During BRS Regime: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy.

He said revenue officials would collect village-wise data and explain the scheme to citizens by conducting 'Gram Sabhas'. The CM appealed to the owners of the lands which have been converted into real estate ventures and also industrial lands that got the money in the past (under the previous BRS government's 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme) for various reasons, to voluntarily disclose to the government about it. While the previous BRS government provided Rs 10,000 per acre under its 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme, the Congress government increased it to Rs 12,000, he said.

As the Congress had promised Rs 15,000 per acre for farmers and tenant farmers under the 'Rythu Bharosa', Reddy said the amount has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 as per the present financial leeway of the government. The landless agriculture families would also get Rs 12,000, he pointed out. "Our policy is increasing government's income and distributing it to poor. Our idea is to extend benefit to farmers as per the leeway available to us. As part of it, our government is giving Rs 12,000 while the previous govenment gave Rs 10,000," he said. CM Revanth Reddy is Anti-farmers: BRS MLC K. Kavitha.

The cabinet also decided to name the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy lift irrigation scheme after former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy, an official release said. It also decided to name the Singur project canal after late Minister C Rajanarasimha. Rajanarasimha is the father of state Health Minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Kyiv [Ukraine], January 4 (ANI): President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 1,358 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians returned to their homes from Russian captivity in 2024.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy shared the information while lauding the efforts of the 'Ukrainian team'

Also Read | Cyberattack: United States Sanctions Beijing-Based Cyber Group for Its Alleged Role in Hacking Incidents.

He further urged to ensure everything to bring more good news in 2025, notably an end to the conflict with Russia. He also thanked his allies for their help.

"In 2024, we managed to bring 1,358 of our people back home to Ukraine from Russian captivity. These are our soldiers and civilians. Their fates are different, but they are equally happy to return home. Each and every one of them for the sake of whom a large Ukrainian team worked. We must do everything to ensure that in 2025, there will be even more such good news and returns of our people. Thank you to our partners who help," Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Also Read | US NSA Jake Sullivan To Visit India, To Hold Meeting With Indian Counterpart Ajit Doval, Says MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which escalated in February 2022 with Russia's full-scale invasion, has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths. Moscow continues to deny intentionally targeting civilians, despite widespread international condemnation and evidence of airstrikes on residential areas.

In response, Ukraine has ramped up its defence efforts with help from Western allies. Yet, the volume and intensity of Russia's assaults have made it clear that more sophisticated and long-range defence capabilities are necessary.

On the occasion of the 1000th day of the conflict on November 19 of last year, the UN also urged the international community to continue showing solidarity with Ukraine.

The UN also provided statistics on the impact of the war on the people of Ukraine.UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale said that over 39,000 civilians have been killed or injured; more than 3,400 schools and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed; and 10 million people have fled their homes.

Schmale also said that since February 2024, civilian infrastructure has been decimated with over 2,000 attacks now on healthcare facilities, 2 million damaged homes, and 65 per cent of Ukraine's own energy production capacity has been destroyed

In 2024, the UN estimated that 14.6 million Ukrainians, almost 40 per cent of the country's population, will need humanitarian assistance. (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 DC [US], January 4 (ANI): Donald Trump will be sentenced on January 10 in a criminal case for which he was convicted for silencing a porn star by paying hush money and falsifying business record, a New York judge ruled on Friday (local time).

The judge also added that Trump will face no legal penalties for his conviction in the case, CNN reported.

Also Read | Cyberattack: United States Sanctions Beijing-Based Cyber Group for Its Alleged Role in Hacking Incidents.

Judge Juan Merchan, upholding Trump's conviction, set the sentencing on January 10, however, he indicated that the case is essentially over.

Trump had appealed to throw out the jury's verdict because of his reelection in November, CNN reported.

Also Read | US NSA Jake Sullivan To Visit India, To Hold Meeting With Indian Counterpart Ajit Doval, Says MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

The judge in his ruling said that imposing no penalty would bring "finality" to the case while allowing Trump to continue pursuing an appeal of the conviction.

"A sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options," Merchan wrote.

According to CNN, the judge also said that he would allow Trump to appear at the sentencing virtually, to assuage the president-elect's concerns about the "mental and physical demands during this transition period."

"It was a smart move by Judge Merchan to announce in advance that he is going to impose no punishment, and hold the proceeding remotely because that undermines any effort by Trump's team to argue in federal court that sentencing imposes some major burden," said CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said.

Trump was convicted in May of last year on 34 counts of falsifying business records last month in connection with a hush money payment his ex-fixer, Cohen, made to Daniels, a porn actor, ahead of the 2016 election to keep her story of an alleged affair with Trump a secret. Trump has denied the affair and vowed to appeal the guilty verdict.

That verdict marked a historic moment as Trump became the first president in US history to be convicted of a felony. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Turbat [Pakistan], January 4 (ANI): Four people were killed and several others sustained injuries after a passenger bus suffered a blast in the Turbat city of Balochistan, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the Bahman area, where a bus travelling from Karachi to Turbat was targeted in the attack.

Also Read | Balochistan Terror Attack: Suicide Bomb Blast Kills 5 Security Personnel in Turbat Province; BLA Claims Responsibility.

The injured and the dead were shifted to nearby hospital. ARY News reported. reported citing sources said that several of the injured are in critical condition.

Zohaib Mohsin, the former SSP of Gwadar and several police personnel are among those injured as his car also became the target of explosion

Also Read | Lionel Messi to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Highest Civilian Honour, From US President Joe Biden.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti strongly condemned the attack.

More details are awaited in the incident.

Earlier in the day, an explosion shook the outer wall of a police station in the I-9 area of Pakistan's Islamabad.

According to the officials, no one was injured in the attack as the magnitude of the explosion was limited.

A duty officer had heard the explosions and ignored it, considering the sound of a tyre burst. However, it was revealed that the explosion happened on the premises of the police station.

The police have collected the metal pieces found near the wall. Further investigation is underway.

On December 25, 2024, a police officer was killed in an attack carried out by terrorists in Pakistan's Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported.

An official said that the terrorists opened fire in the jurisdiction of Ahmedzai Sub-division Wazir police station, which killed Head Constable Wazir Zada, as per ARY News.

A police official said that the police Head Constable was moved to the District Headquarters Hospital for post-mortem.

Earlier, a police personnel was killed and a polio worker was injured in an attack by unknown assailants in the Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa's Karak area. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Karachi [Pakistan], January 4 (ANI): PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan revealed that his party had engaged in "backdoor contacts" with Pakistan's military before the November 2024 protests but clarified that these talks have now been severed. Gohar confirmed that all ongoing discussions are solely with the government, Dawn reported.

According to Gohar, the PTI leadership initially pursued discussions with the military, acknowledging the army's significant role in decision-making in the country. These contacts were heading in a "positive direction" until the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a new case.

Also Read | Tomiko Itooka Dies: World's Oldest Person Passes Away in Japan at 116.

Gohar detailed that Khan had been granted bail in the Toshakhana case, which involved the controversial purchase of a Bulgari jewellery set, but was soon rearrested on charges related to the September 2024 protest, leading to the collapse of talks with the military.

"Now, the PTI is not holding backdoor talks with the establishment," Gohar said. However, he emphasised that the possibility of future talks with the military has not been completely closed, leaving room for potential negotiations later. This statement reflects PTI's focus on engaging in dialogue exclusively with the government at this juncture.

Also Read | January 3 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries: Know About Famous People and Celebrities Born on January 3.

The PTI chairman also responded to rumours about an alleged offer to move Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to his residence in Banigala. Gohar swiftly dismissed the claims, reiterating that Khan views his detention as illegal. "There is no point in considering such an offer," Gohar stated, aligning with Khan's position on the matter. The PTI leader's refusal to entertain any conditional release further reinforces the party's stance on his unjust incarceration, reported Dawn.

Furthermore, Gohar rejected the idea of a trilateral meeting between Imran Khan, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, and PPP's Asif Ali Zardari, which had been suggested by PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah to resolve the nation's ongoing political crises. He characterised the proposal as "idealistic," citing the irreconcilable differences between the political figures involved.

"I might see this day [talks between the three leaders] in my life, but for now, this isn't possible," Gohar remarked, indicating that such a dialogue is highly unlikely at the present time.

Meanwhile, in Peshawar, PTI's Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram addressed the issue of the ongoing talks with the government. He assured that the expected judgment in the 190 million case on January 6 would not derail the negotiations.

"The talks will continue, keeping in view the government's seriousness," Akram stated, emphasising that the party had not linked the verdict to the discussions. He also spoke about the release of PTI workers who had been sentenced by military courts, clarifying that their freedom had no connection to the ongoing talks with the government.

"Our workers were released because they were innocent, and it was not possible to further keep them in jail," Akram asserted.

The PTI has also been actively engaged in a civil disobedience movement, which began with an appeal to overseas Pakistanis not to send remittances. Akram suggested that the impact of this action would begin to show within two months. He said the PTI would evaluate the situation and consider withdrawing the movement if the government met their demands, such as releasing all imprisoned party members and forming a judicial commission to probe the May 9 and November 26 protests, Dawn reported.

"The civil disobedience movement is necessary for a country where the Constitution, laws, and human rights are violated and lawmakers are abducted," Akram explained, underscoring the PTI's ongoing commitment to reform. He also criticised the internet disruptions, warning that they would negatively affect Pakistan's digital economy, particularly the youth who contribute significantly to the sector. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Malaysia is grappling with a shortage of Ozempic, a diabetes medication, as a global trend of using the drug for weight loss gains traction.

Amrahi Buang, president of the Malaysian Pharmacists Society, attributed the scarcity to non-diabetic individuals obtaining Ozempic for off-label weight loss purposes, The Straits Times reported. Although the drug typically requires a prescription, Amrahi noted it has become accessible through unconfirmed means.

The misuse of Ozempic carries potential side effects, including low blood sugar, he cautioned, urging the public to avoid using medications for unapproved purposes.

Rachel Gan, honorary secretary of the Malaysian Community Pharmacy Guild, said some individuals self-prescribe the drug or purchase it online. She added that suppliers have resorted to rationing and limiting bulk orders to ensure wider accessibility.

Wong Teck Wee, a consultant interventional cardiologist at iHEAL Medical Center, warned that Ozempic use can result in side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and dehydration. There have also been reports of mood changes and psychological effects, including anxiety, he said.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently announced it would review two Danish studies linking Ozempic to non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a rare eye disease. According to Reuters, the studies suggest that individuals with type 2 diabetes who use Ozempic are more than twice as likely to develop the condition.
Washington DC [US], January 4 (ANI): Suhas Subramanyam was sworn into the 119th Congress earlier on Friday, marking a historic moment as the first Indian-American and South Asian to represent Virginia's 10th Congressional District.

Subramanyam, who succeeds retiring Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, now represents a district that spans Loudoun, Rappahannock, Fauquier, and parts of Prince William and Fairfax Counties. This achievement not only sets a precedent for Virginia but also for the East Coast, where Subramanyam becomes the first individual of South Asian descent to serve in the US Congress.

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Subramanyam's rise to Congress is deeply personal. His mother, who immigrated through Dulles Airport within District 10, was present to witness her son's swearing-in. As he placed his hand on the Bhagavad Gita and took the oath of office, Subramanyam reflected on his family's journey.

He shared, "Today my parents got to see me sworn in as the first Indian American and South Asian Congressman from Virginia. If you had told my mother when she landed in Dulles Airport from India that her son would go on to represent Virginia in the United States Congress, she might have not believed you, but my story is the kind of promise that America holds. I am honoured to be the first, but not the last, as I represent Virginia's 10th in Congress."

Also Read | Tesla Cybertruck Blast: US Army Soldier Matthew Alan Livelsberger Who Set Off Electric Vehicle Explosion at Trump International Hotel Called for Uprising Against Democrats.

Ackowledging Subramanyam's election Congressman Ami Bera said that the welcomed more Indian Americans to Congress.

"When I was first sworn in twelve years ago, I was the sole Indian American Member of Congress and only the third in U.S. history. Now, our coalition is six strong! I am excited to welcome even more Indian Americans to the halls of Congress in the years to come," Bera posted on X.

Before joining Congress, Subramanyam served as a Policy Advisor to President Barack Obama. He was elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 2019, where he founded the bipartisan "Commonwealth Caucus" to foster collaboration across party lines. During his time in Richmond, Subramanyam passed impactful legislation aimed at lowering toll costs for commuters, refunding overcharged consumers, reducing gun violence, and ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education. He is committed to continuing this bipartisan approach in Congress, prioritising real, tangible results for his constituents.

Additionally, Subramanyam has a strong track record of service, having volunteered as a firefighter and EMT in Loudoun County. He resides in Ashburn, Virginia, with his wife, Miranda, and their two young daughters, Maya (4) and Nina (3). (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, DC [US], January 4 (ANI): US on Friday imposed sanctions on the Beijing-based cybersecurity company Integrity Technology Group, Incorporated (Integrity Tech), which has links to China's Ministry of State Security, for its role in multiple computer intrusion incidents against US victims, US State Department announced.

According to the US State Department statement, "Integrity Tech is a large China government contractor with ties to the Ministry of State Security. It provides services to country and municipal State Security and Public Security Bureaus, as well as, other China cybersecurity government contractors."

Also Read | Cyberattack: United States Sanctions Beijing-Based Cyber Group for Its Alleged Role in Hacking Incidents.

"China-based hackers working for Integrity Tech, known to the private sector as "Flax Typhoon," were working at the direction of the the China government, targeting critical infrastructure in the United States and overseas. "Flax Typhoon" hackers have successfully targeted multiple US and foreign corporations, universities, government agencies, telecommunications providers, and media organisations," it added.

Further, the US State Department highlighted last year's September 18 incident, when the Department of Justice announced a court-authorised operation to disrupt a botnet consisting of more than 200,000 consumer devices infected by Integrity Tech in the United States and worldwide.

Also Read | US NSA Jake Sullivan To Visit India, To Hold Meeting With Indian Counterpart Ajit Doval, Says MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

Along with Five Eyes partners, the United States issued a public cybersecurity advisory outlining some of the tactics employed by China-linked cyber actors and providing technical information to network defenders to remediate these threats, according to the US State Department.

Further, the US State Department has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the country's critical infrastructure and citizens from cyber threats emanating from China, stating, "These multi-agency efforts reflect our whole-of-government approach to protecting and defending against China cyber threats to Americans, our critical systems, and those of our allies and partners."

"The United States will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to safeguard US critical infrastructure and the American people from irresponsible and reckless cyber actors," the statement 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)
PM Narendra Modi with the chadar, which was sent to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's dargah on the occasion of 813th Urs. (Photo credits: X/@KirenRijiju)

New Delhi, January 4: The ceremonial chadar sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be offered at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah marking the 813th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the revered Sufi saint, will reach the dargah on Saturday. Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju will present the chadar at the shrine during a ceremony at 11 am. Ahead of the Ajmer ceremony, Kiren Rijiju visited the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia in New Delhi on Friday to pay his respects.

Minister Kiren Rijiju, who will arrive at the Jaipur airport on Saturday morning, will travel to Ajmer by road for the event. Alongside the chadar offering, Kiren Rijiju is set to launch the official web portal of the Dargah Sharif and a new mobile app, Gareeb Nawaz, which is aimed at enhancing convenience for devotees and improving coordination during the Urs celebrations. Ajmer Dargah 813th Urs: PM Narendra Modi Extends Greetings on Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Says 'May This Occasion Bring Happiness and Peace Into Everyone's Lives'.

The Urs of Khwaja Gareeb Nawaz draws millions of devotees from across the globe every year, commemorating the saint's death anniversary. The offering of the chadar at the Mazar-e-Akhdas is regarded as a powerful act of worship, symbolising devotion and bringing blessings to those who partake in it.

This marks the 11th consecutive year of Prime Minister Modi offering a chadar at the shrine ever since he took office in 2014. Last year, the chadar was presented by then Union Minister Smriti Irani and a delegation representing the Muslim community that accompanied her. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju posted on X on Thursday, "PM Narendra Modi presented the Chadar that would be offered on his behalf at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah on the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti." Ajmer Dargah 813th Urs: PM Narendra Modi to Send Chadar to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's Dargah on Occasion of 813th Urs.

Syed Naseruddin Chishti, the successor to the Ajmer Dargah chief and the Chairman of All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, welcomed the move and highlighted the Prime Minister's commitment to the ideals of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Samman (solidarity, development, trust, and respect for all).

"This tradition, dating back to 1947, has been upheld by every Prime Minister of the country," Chishti said. "Since assuming office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently sent a chadar as a mark of devotion and respect. This reflects India's deep-rooted culture of honouring all religions, communities, and Sufi saints," he told IANS.

Ajmer Sharif Dargah remains one of Indias most significant Sufi shrines, attracting pilgrims from across the world. This year's celebrations marking the 813th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti aim to honour the legacy of the Sufi saint while ensuring a smoother experience for attendees with the introduction of modern digital platforms.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 04, 2025 09:37 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka met PM Narendra Modi, expressing that he felt 'privileged' to meet the Prime Minister and was 'inspired and humbled' by his 'extraordinary grasp of technology and its impact'.
Israel said on Thursday it had sent a delegation to Doha for ceasefire talks. Earlier Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in a statement that 'a delegation of professional officials from the Mossad, Shin Bet, and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)' will travel to Doha to continue the negotiations.
In a major legal update, a New York judge has announced that President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced on January 10 in the hush money case that has captivated public attention. Despite this development, the judge confirmed that Trump will not face a prison sentence in connection with the charges. The case revolves around alleged payments made during Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, reportedly aimed at silencing individuals with personal claims against him. Trump was convicted in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment made to Porn star Stormy Daniels. Hush Money Case: New York Judge Rejects Bid By US President-Elect Donald Trump To Dismiss Conviction Based on Presidential Immunity.

Judge Rules No Prison Sentence for President-elect Trump

JUST IN: NY judge says that President-elect Trump will not be sentenced to prison in hush money case  The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) January 3, 2025

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter (X), Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
New Delhi, January 4: As emerging technologies begin to transform industries across the spectrum, the country is committed to taking the lead in artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on innovation and creating opportunities for the youth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. After meeting former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka, PM Modi said it was an insightful interaction. "It was an insightful interaction indeed. India is committed to taking the lead in AI, with a focus on innovation and creating opportunities for the youth," said the Prime Minister.

Earlier in the day, Sikka posted on social media platform X that he was "privileged" to be able to meet PM Modi and was "inspired and humbled" by his "extraordinary grasp of technology and its impact". "It was a privilege to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a detailed and wide-ranging discussion on AI, its impact on India, and several imperatives for the time ahead," said Sikka, founder of human-centred AI platform and products company Vianai Systems. ONDC To Create Market Opportunities Worth INR 3.75 Lakh Crore in Next 5 Years To Empower Small Players Amid Monopolistic Practice Challenges: Government.

"I left the meeting both inspired and humbled by his extraordinary grasp of technology's impact on all of us, and how its use with democratic values can uplift everyone," he added. The country launched the IndiaAI mission last year to enhance AI-related developments in the country. The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, approved an allocation of over Rs 10,300 crore for the IndiaAI Mission, marking a significant step towards bolstering the AI ecosystem in the country. DPIIT Joins Stride Ventures: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade Partners With Leading Venture Firm To Help Indian Startups Go Global.

According to the government, nearly 8.6 lakh candidates have enrolled in IndiaAI Future Skills initiative, developed in collaboration with industry partners, to provide training aligned with the latest requirements. The India Future Skills pillar aims to enhance Indias AI workforce readiness by mitigating barriers to entry in AI programmes and advancing the AI talent pipeline. Moreover, AI Data Labs are being established in cities like Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Shimla, Aurangabad, Patna, Buxar, and Muzaffarpur. Agriculture, education, healthcare, logistics, and the financial sector stand to benefit immensely from AI solutions tailored to the needs of the country, according to the government.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 04, 2025 03:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Beijing, January 4: A fire at a food market Saturday in northern China killed at least eight people and injured 15 others, state media said. The fire at the Liguang market in the city of Zhangjiakou broke out midday Saturday and was mostly extinguished by 2.00 pm (0600 GMT), Xinhua News Agency reported, citing a government official in Qiaoxi District where the market is located. The cause of the fire is under investigation, the report said.

Fire at Food Market in China

MARKET FIRE IN CHINA KILLS 8, INJURES 15 The blaze broke out around 8:40 a.m. at Liguang Market in Zhangjiakou, northwest of Beijing, and was extinguished by 10 a.m., according to local authorities. The injured are receiving treatment, with no immediate threat to their pic.twitter.com/fyuhvTQBKZ  Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 4, 2025

Such traditional markets are often tightly packed with shoppers seeking prices lower than at supermarket chains. Fire sources can range from gas bottles to charcoal used to roast meat and discarded cigarettes while aging infrastructure, such as underground gas lines, has also been blamed for fires and explosions. Zhangjiakou, located in Hebei province bordering Beijing, hosted events during the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Southeast Asia's largest economy records 12.6 million foreign tourists, highest in five years

Foreign tourists enjoy sunset on Bali Island, Indonesia. Photo courtesy of Potato Head Beach Club

Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, welcomed 12.66 million foreign tourists in the first 11 months of 2024, marking a 21% year-on-year increase and the highest figure in the past five years.

This growth highlights the ongoing recovery of Indonesia's tourism sector from the slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, The Bali Sun reported citing a source from Statistics Indonesia.

For 2024, the country had set a target of 14.3 million foreign arrivals.

This year, the Indonesian government anticipates attracting between 14.6 and 16 million international visitors.

Other Southeast Asian nations have also begun reporting their annual tourist arrival figures.

Thailand, which heavily depends on tourism, welcomed over 35 million foreign visitors in 2024.

Vietnam recorded nearly 16 million arrivals as of November, while Singapore surpassed 15 million during the same period.
A Slate Belt supervisor had pledged to resign if he was cited for an ethics violation. With that violation in place, he now says he will stay.

Upper Mount Bethel Township supervisor David Friedman was accused of committing an ethics violation for votes in which he participated in 2022.

Friedman had said publicly that he was so confident he would be cleared of the charge that he would resign if the violation was upheld.

An appellate court upheld the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission violation in November and some residents have asked Friedman if he would live up to his pledge to resign. Other residents urged Friedman to stay on and continue his work as supervisor.

Friedman said at an informal township meeting Thursday that he will not resign and making that promise was an error.

Im sorry. I made a mistake, Friedman said. Ill try to do better.

Friedman said he acted in good faith that he followed advice from the ethics commission and he still disagrees that he committed an ethic violation. He said he partially blamed his attorney for doing a poor job in the appeals process.

Yes, I said Id resign, Friedman said. But I thought Id get a fair decision from the ethics commission.

Before Friedman was elected as a supervisor, he was part of a group called the Concerned Citizens of Upper Mount Bethel Township.

In 2020, the citizens group sued the township over a zoning text amendment it adopted that altered the townships zoning law at the request of the massive River Pointe Logistics Center.

Friedman was elected in November 2021 as a township supervisor and he sought advice from the state ethics commission on whether he should withdraw his name from the lawsuit in order to vote on issues pertaining to the text amendment and he asked if he will he need to disassociate himself from the concerned citizens committee.

The ethics commission responded that Friedman must recuse himself for any vote regarding the text amendment if he continued his association with the citizens committee or the lawsuit.

Friedman ended his participation with the committee and he withdrew as an appellant in the lawsuit against the township.

The ethics commission advice also noted a public official cannot use his authority for his private pecuniary, or monetary, benefit.

In June 2022, the board of supervisors were considering a motion to sue the concerned citizens group to recoup legal costs the township incurred. Friedman voted against that motion which failed.

Friedman said that vote did not provide him with any pecuniary benefit.

However, because Friedman had removed himself from the text amendment lawsuit, it did not mean he may not have had exposure to the township trying to recover legal fees.

The appellate court said avoidance of an expense amounts to the same thing as receiving a monetary benefit.

The ethics violation did not impose a fine. Its not a criminal conviction.

Supervisor Jonathan Erler made a motion at a December supervisors meeting to censure Friedman for the ethics violation. No other supervisors joined Erler in the vote and the motion failed. Friedman abstained from the vote.

Erler said he had no comment on whether Friedman should resign.

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John Best is a freelance contributor to lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The decision to approve a Laois quarry for production by Laois County Council has been appealed to the national planning authority An Bord Pleanala by a local resident.

Booth Precast Products ltd was given approval in December 2024 to extract sand and gravel on a site in Knocknamoe and Ballymullen townlands, Abbeyleix where it already has an industrial concrete manufacturing plant. Its application had been lodged over a year earlier, but a similar application was sought back in 2021.

The company estimated it would be extracting 787,310m3 total or c. 1.57 million tonnes total, at a maximum extraction rate of c. 200,000 tonnes per annum) over the proposed 10 year permit.

It was also approved to make alterations to the existing agricultural entrance to create an entrance to the site with associated gates, piers and boundary fencing; provision of a haul road; site clearance; overburden removal; construction of screening berms; provision of a wheelwash and refuelling hard standing area; provision of hard and soft landscaping; and all associated site works above and below ground.

The land would be restored back to beneficial agricultural after use, according to the application. An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) was submitted to the Planning Authority with the application.

There had been over a dozen submissions made in concern at the application including group ones from the residents of Grallow Wood, De Vesci Hill, and from Abbeyleix Bog Project, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns, Viscount de Vesci, and from Inland Fisheries Ireland who requested measures to protect a nearby tributary to the protected River Nore.

Thomas McEvoy who had sent one of the submissions, has now made the appeal to the national planning authority to reconsider Laois County Council's decision.

In his submission, Mr McEvoy who lives in Grallow Lodge, lists other industrial activities, buildings, a manmade pond and a road that he says are unauthorised structures on the site. He claims that 300,000 tonnes of sand and gravel a year is "illegally imported and stored" by the applicant. In 2005 he took the applicant to the High Court over unauthorised developments and claims they have since breached limits set by that court on heavy truck traffic.

He claims that there is information missing from the Environmental Impact Assessment and Non Technical Summary of the latest application, which would mean it does not comply with the Aarhus Convention or with Laois County Council's Strategic Environment Assessment in its county development plan.

An Bord Pleanala will now review all documents in the original planning application. It will make its decision by May 6 2025.
With the GAA suspending the Walsh Cup and other early-season competitions for 2025, January will be a lot quieter on the GAA front for inter-county teams across Ireland.

For this reason, challenge matches during the first month of the year will be the only chance for GAA fans to see their respective counties before they kick off their Allianz League campaigns on the last weekend of January.

Down, who will once again compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup alongside Laois in 2025, are set to travel to the LOETB Centre of Excellence on Friday evening, January 10 at 8pm.

The Laois hurlers, now managed by Portlaoise's Tommy Fitzgerald, will take on Galway this weekend in a charity challenge game in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Fitzgerald was appointed Laois manager in November in what was their second appointment for the 2025 season. Former Antrim manager Darren Gleeson had been chosen to replace Willie Maher at the end of August but unfortunately, he had to step down in November after he had recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Laois' first competitive fixture of 2025 will come when they make the trip to Mullingar to take on Westmeath in the first set of games in the newly formed Division 1B.

Dublin, Offaly, Carlow, Antrim and Waterford will join Laois and Westmeath in the seven-team league phase. The counties that finish first and second will get promoted to Division 1A for the 2026 season and face off in the Division 1B final. The bottom two teams will be relegated to Division 2 for next year's league campaign.
The Laois Electric Picnic town of Stradbally has taken a step further on the journey to replace its small 50 year old fire station.

The fire crew at the station has now been moved out to temporary quarters, ahead of a new promised station.

The crew's temporary base is the old Civil Defence building, a former squash court on a 0.34ha corner site near the junction of the N80 and the R427.

The next step is to build their new station on that same site, one fit for their expanded activities.

The money to build it was approved in mid 2023 by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM). It will be funded by the Department of Housing. The contract with NODE architects was signed almost a year ago in February 2024.

Pictured at County Hall for the signing of a contract with NODE Architecture, for the design and delivery of a new Fire Station in Stradbally, were: Simon Walton Director of Services LCC, Cllr Paschal McEvoy, Cathaoirleach, Noel O'Dwyer NODE Architecture and Declan Power Chief Fire Officer - Laois Fire and Rescue Service. Photo: Michael Scully

For some years, Laois County Council have said Stradbally Fire Station is no longer fit for purpose and that the training and welfare needs of a modern fire and rescue service, cannot be sustained in the existing Station.

At the same time, call volumes increased significantly, making Stradbally one of the busiest stations in County Laois. In 2024, it was the third busiest of the eight Laois stations, responding to 127 emergencies.

It is one of two new fire stations prioritised for Laois by the county council, to be followed by one for Rathdowney.

The Stradbally station will have two bays for fire tenders, along with enough space for suitable training, welfare and equipment storage.

The existing Civil Defence building will be demolished and removed after the station is built.

Along with the new fire station, a Fire Service Drill tower will be constructed to train firefighters.

There will be an underground water storage tank for pump purposes, a Drill yard, and temporary Depot /Parking for Civil Defence for local events like Electric Picnic.

The station will include rainwater harvesting as an environmentally friendly 'green' initiative.
Mustang Energy Corp. Shares 2024 Year-End Recap and Milestone Achievements





VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mustang Energy Corp. (CSE: MEC, OTC: MECPF, FRA:92T) (the "Company" or "Mustang") is pleased to share a summary of its accomplishments since the commencement of trading in mid-2024. The Company has made significant strides in its mission to develop high-potential uranium and critical mineral assets in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, solidifying its position as a growing leader in the resource exploration sector.

Key Highlights of 2024:

Land Acquisitions : Expanded land holdings to an impressive 77,318 hectares , strategically located in and around the Athabasca Basin, a notable uranium district.

: Expanded land holdings to an impressive , strategically located in and around the Athabasca Basin, a notable uranium district. Capital Raised : Successfully secured over $4.2 million in gross proceeds, providing a robust financial foundation for ongoing and upcoming 2025 operations.

: Successfully secured over in gross proceeds, providing a robust financial foundation for ongoing and upcoming 2025 operations. Exploration Advancements : Launched Phase One Work Plan to identify and develop high-priority drill targets across Mustang's portfolio.

: Launched Phase One Work Plan to identify and develop high-priority drill targets across Mustang's portfolio. Strategic Collaborations : Partnered with industry leaders, including Red Cloud Securities Inc. , Axiom Group , Dahrouge Geological Consulting Inc. , and Skyharbour Resources Ltd.

: Partnered with industry leaders, including , , , and Key Additions to the Team : Jordan Trimble , President and CEO of Skyharbour Resources, joined as a Strategic Advisor , bringing invaluable industry expertise. Lynde Guillaume joined the team, further strengthening Mustang's leadership with her significant experience and dynamic contributions.



:

Notable Project Developments:

Mustang's properties are strategically positioned near known uranium assets, including:

Ford Lake : 12 km from Cameco's Key Lake Mill and 15 km southwest of the Millennium Deposit.

: 12 km from Cameco's Key Lake Mill and 15 km southwest of the Millennium Deposit. Cigar Lake East & Roughrider South : 20 km east of the world-class Cigar Lake Mine, and 10 km south of the Roughrider Deposit.

: 20 km east of the world-class Cigar Lake Mine, and 10 km south of the Roughrider Deposit. Yellowstone Property : Surrounding the Carswell Impact Structure, 16 km from the historic Cluff Lake Mine.

: Surrounding the Carswell Impact Structure, 16 km from the historic Cluff Lake Mine. Dutton Project: Located approximately 20 km from Cameco's Dufferin Lake and Centennial Deposits.

2024 Milestone Recap:

Dec 27 : Closed financing exceeding expectations, raising $3.5 million .

: Closed financing exceeding expectations, raising . Dec 20 : Expanded land portfolio with 17,929 hectares south of the Athabasca Basin.

: Expanded land portfolio with south of the Athabasca Basin. Dec 6 : Achieved the first milestone of an option agreement with Skyharbour Resources Ltd. , securing an option to acquire 75% of the 914W Uranium Project.

: Achieved the first milestone of an option agreement with , securing an option to acquire 75% of the 914W Uranium Project. Nov 25 : Announced strategic financing of up to $3 million and engaged Red Cloud Securities Inc. for corporate advisory services.

: Announced strategic financing of and engaged for corporate advisory services. Nov 13 : Entered an option agreement to acquire Skyharbour's 914W Uranium Project and welcomed Jordan Trimble as Strategic Advisor.

: Entered an option agreement to acquire Skyharbour's 914W Uranium Project and welcomed as Strategic Advisor. Oct 30 : Initiated an airborne MobileMT survey at the Yellowstone Project, targeting conductors at depths exceeding up to 1,000 meters.

: Initiated an airborne at the Yellowstone Project, targeting conductors at depths exceeding up to 1,000 meters. Sept 27 : Acquired 90% of Brown Lake , expanding Ford Lake holdings.

: Acquired 90% of , expanding Ford Lake holdings. Sept 16 : Welcomed Lynde Guillaume to the team, marking a pivotal moment in building Mustang's leadership strength.

: Welcomed to the team, marking a pivotal moment in building Mustang's leadership strength. June 7: Relaunched trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the name Mustang Energy Corp.



CEO's Statement

Nicholas Luksha, CEO of Mustang, expressed confidence in the Company's trajectory:

"2024 has been a transformative year for Mustang. We have built a solid foundation with strategic land acquisitions, innovative exploration initiatives, and strong financial backing. Our partnerships with leading industry players position us to unlock the potential of our assets. As we look ahead to 2025, we anticipate being in a great position to succeed and deliver results to our esteemed shareholders. We remain committed to advancing our projects with precision, purpose, and a clear vision for growth."

Adjacent Property Disclaimer:

This news release includes references with respect to known uranium occurrences at Cameco's Key Lake Mine, the Millennium Deposit, the Cigar Lake Mine, Roughrider Deposit, the area surrounding the Carswell Impact Structure, Cluff Lake Mine, and Cameco's Dufferin Lake and Centennial Deposits (collectively, the "Adjacent Properties"), which are located near the Company's various properties. The Company advises that, notwithstanding their proximity of location, discoveries of minerals on the Adjacent Properties and any promising results thereof are not necessarily indicative of the mineralization of, or located on the Company's properties, or the Company's ability to commercially exploit its properties, or to locate any commercially exploitable deposits therefrom. The Company cautions investors on relying on this information as the Company has not confirmed the accuracy or reliability of the information.

Qualifying Statement

The scientific and technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Lynde Guillaume, P.Geo., Technical Advisor for Mustang, a registered member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan. Ms. Guillaume is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Mustang Energy Corp.

Mustang is a resource exploration company dedicated to acquiring and developing uranium and critical mineral assets in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. With 77,318 hectares of promising properties, Mustang aims to advance its flagship Ford Lake, Yellowstone, Cigar Lake East, Roughrider South, Dutton, and Spur projects, while leveraging strategic partnerships to accelerate exploration.

The Company's commitment to innovation, collaboration, and sustainable development underscores its vision to become a leading player in the global energy transition.

On behalf of the board of directors

"Nicholas Luksha"

Nicolas Luksha

CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

Mustang Energy Corp.

Attention: Nicholas Luksha, CEO and Director

Phone: (604) 838-0184

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "believes" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward?looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things, the future potential of the mineral claims held by the Company and the completion of future work on its projects. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation the assumption that the Company will be able to continue exploring its properties given various environmental and economic factors outside of its control. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither the CSE nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

3 january 2025 at 21:50

News published onand distributed by:
KUDOS TO U.S. SURGEON GENERAL VIVEK MURTHY FOR RELEASING THE ALCOHOL AND CANCER RISK REPORT





TAKE ACTION TO TELL THE TTB & CONGRESS TO REQUIRE CANCER WARNING LABELS ON ALL BEVERAGE ALCOHOL PRODUCTS

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcohol Justice is commending United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy for releasing the Alcohol and Cancer Risk Report.

The report released January 3, 2025, documents alcohol's role in causing cancer which is becoming clearer each year. With this important publication, the Surgeon General has joined the chorus of researchers and advocates in flagging the risk and calling attention to alcohol's status as one of the leading behavioral risk factors for cancer. The report also urges Congress to reconsider the existing outdated cancer warning labels. The report shines stark light on how current federal policy has failed U.S. residents, falling well short of the state of medical knowledge and leaving most alcohol consumers to either educate themselves or die trying.

Alcohol use brings on a variety of cancers, attacking the liver, colon, breast, throat, and esophagus, among others. The report estimates that, over a decade, nearly 1 million cancer cases are caused by alcohol in the United States?and 1 out of 6 develop in drinkers who are consuming within the current federal recommendations. The risk hits women particularly hard, as nearly 60% of alcohol-related cancer deaths are due to breast cancer. The cancer danger starts rising with any alcohol consumption at all, confirming the international Global Burden of Disease collaborative's consensus findings: there is no risk-free level of alcohol consumption.

"The research showing positive health effects from alcohol consumption are mostly a function of bad science corrupted by industry," stated Rob Lipton,PhD, Development Director at Alcohol Justice. "There is no dose response effect found for this supposed benefit while alcohol consumption related harms have been repeatedly shown."

The clearly spelled out risk in the new report calls greater attention for the need for a revised alcohol warning label. The current label, imposed by the federal government has not been modified in 35 years, despite the fact that the act mandating it also called for it to be revised as new information became available.

In 2025, the long-delayed label update now can be readily informed by the current alcohol-cancer report so that the clear danger can be stated. The current, very outdated label, only acknowledges that alcohol "may cause health problems." This is far from satisfactory given the generally accepted scientific understanding of increased cancer risk.

There are other important improvements needed for a revised label:

The current label suffers from poor legibility, a lack of graphical or colorful elements, and a single, monotonous message than encourages "warning fatigue."

As the new Congress is sworn in, they should make it a priority to embrace the current best practices for protecting public health: promoting cancer risk information, properly informing consumers of the products' risks, and understand that the industry's messages will never be in the public's interest.

California's Prop 65

California already has a warning system in place, but it remains unsatisfactory. Although Prop 65-mandated signs at points-of-sale for alcoholic beverages warning that alcohol can cause cancer may be responsible for California residents having a greater awareness of the risk than the general U.S. population, this awareness remains low. The signs themselves are low-impact, often poorly maintained, and exempt from the on-package requirements of other CA-specific cancer warnings. Moreover, the increasing prevalence of online sales has given retailers opportunity to evade the requirement, and enforcement is arcane and often absent.]

Alcohol is one of the leading behavioral risk factors for cancers, behind only tobacco use and obesity.

That risk starts increasing with the first sip.

Women bear outsized risk, as around 60% of alcohol-related cancer deaths in women are due to breast cancer.

Only 45% of U.S. residents are aware of the alcohol-cancer link.

Current U.S. warning labels have not kept up with best practices for product health advisories.

Creating an impactful warning starts with congressional action?the incoming class has this opportunity to make their mark.

TAKE ACTION

Tell the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and your members of Congress it's time to raise the public's awareness about the serious risks of consuming alcoholic beverages by requiring cancer warning labels on all alcohol containers and packaging, and on all alcohol advertising and marketing materials. Click here to TAKE ACTION.

CONTACTS: Michael Scippa 415 847-3006

Rob Lipton 510 384-1041

SOURCE Alcohol Justice

4 january 2025 at 00:26

News published onand distributed by:
Photo: https://www.youtube.com/live/dOfXyCTJnTg?si=fYHTNMOI2kKO2Q8k

MP of Ukraine, leader of the party European Solidarity Petro Poroshenko stated that it is in the interests of Ukraine to help neighboring Moldova to overcome the energy crisis provoked by hybrid actions of the Russian Federation, at the expense of gas of its own production, the website of the political force reports.

"I think that in these conditions we can use Ukrainian gas production to support our partners and reliable friends. I mean our friendly Moldova. Moldova has now declared a state of emergency in the energy sector, they have no position on oil, gas or electricity. The issue there is much less than 1 billion cubic meters of gas. And Ukraine, if someone objects to supplies from the European Union, will be able to supply, sell the necessary gas to Moldova under the terms of payments," Poroshenko said on the air of the Pryamiy TV channel.

He emphasized that it is necessary to prevent the Russian Federation from using a provocation from the occupied territory of Moldova in order to prevent European democratic forces from winning the parliamentary elections.

"I think that for us this is also a matter of national security. For us, this is also a matter of control over the security of the borders that we have with the Republic of Moldova," the parliamentarian emphasized.

Poroshenko also called the decision to stop the transit of Russian gas through the Ukrainian gas transportation system correct, but belated. He recalled that the term of the relevant contract expired in 2019, but it was then extended for another 5 years.
ONE OF the few perks of the job is that I get to meet the occasional celebrity.

Getting to interview band members of a rock band which I love is, therefore, next level!

I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to interview Danny OReilly and Conor Egan from The Coronas, ahead of their exclusive mini-tour for their latest album, Thoughts & Observations.

I was invited to see them play live in Dolans Warehouse in September and got a signed copy of their new CD.

I interviewed the two lads over Zoom, but met them afterwards, and we chatted once again about their favourite memories while in Limerick.

READ ALSO: Artist named finalist for top Australian awards

Weve had some amazing gigs over the years there, in Dolans, it has always been an important venue for our career and a big part of The Coronas journey, Danny said.

The very first gig we played there was upstairs, there were around 30 or 40 people which we have good memories of.

Conor added: We have always had a great relationship with Mick and Neil Dolan. There is always great food, they look after the bands, a lovely dressing room upstairs and fun memories after shows and its a great venue - we love it.

Labelling the nightlife in Limerick as great fun, the two spoke of what they get up to post-Limerick gigs.

We always go to Myles Breens, there is great Guinness in there!, Danny said.

We have been into House a couple of times as well and when we were a bit younger, there were a few nightclubs around.. We used to go to the Trinity Rooms!
Met Eireann has issued orange and yellow warnings as "multi-hazardous" severe cold snap set to hit the country.

The Minister for Agriculture and the Minister of State with special responsibility for Farm Safety has urged farmers to prioritise their safety during the current cold spell of weather.

The Minister of State, Martin Heydon, said: Farmers must always prioritise safety. Every year, there are many serious and fatal incidents on Irish farms. While farming is a high-risk occupation, the risks can be managed to minimise these incidents. So, I urge all farmers to assess the risks as they go about their work. It is only by identifying the risks in advance that steps can be taken to ensure jobs can be completed safely. The mobile phone is an essential safety tool and farmers should always keep it with them, particularly when working away from the farmyard."

Trips and falls are common incidents during freezing conditions but can be minimised and ideally avoided, by keeping yards tidy and maintaining taps, pipes and drainpipes to avoid icy patches as a result of drips. Salt for gritting will help minimise slippery conditions around the farmyard, according to a press release.

"Farmers should avoid working at height during frosty weather. Roof repairs should only be carried out when weather conditions are suitable and using the appropriate equipment," Minister Heydon added.

READ NEXT: LIVE: Track the snow as it heads towards Ireland amid severe weather warnings

Minister for farming, Charlie McConalogue, has said: "I am urging all farmers, fishers and everyone in rural areas to be extra careful during the current cold spell of weather. While farmers always make every effort to look after livestock during poor weather, they must prioritise their own safety and the safety of those working and living in rural communities.

"Livestock are resilient during cold weather once they have access to adequate feed and shelter. It is important that farmers have measures in place to ensure outwintered and housed livestock have access to fresh water during freezing conditions. Supplies of drinking water should be checked daily, and surface ice broken on troughs twice per day," Minister McConalogue added.

"It is important that taps are not left running to prevent freezing. Where needed, farmers should check that reserve storage tanks are full of fresh water. Herding out-wintered livestock should be carried out during daylight hours," he added.

The Minister for Agriculture added, "by planning ahead, the workload can be managed to minimise stress and the risks to safety. It is important that farmers ensure that they have adequate stocks of feed and supplies to avoid any shortages during poor conditions.

Check out these essential winter farm safety tips to keep you, your workers and your equipment safe!



 Create a winter preparedness plan.

 Monitor weather conditions.

Gear up with the correct clothing.

Store and inspect unused equipment.https://t.co/o681KQKbw2 pic.twitter.com/Iqi1ODrZm3  Elec Co-ops of Ark (@ElecCoopsArk) January 2, 2025

"Everyone in rural communities is urged to check on elderly neighbours and those living alone. Christmas and the New Year can be particularly lonely for some people, and it is important to keep in regular contact with neighbours over the winter," Minister Heydon said.

For animal welfare issues connected with severe weather, please keep in touch with your agricultural advisor or contact the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Animal Welfare Helpline on phone: 01 607 2379

Learn more on how to stay safe at: www.gov.ie/WinterReady.
Switzerland thought it came to terms with its Nazi-assisting past after harrowing probes in the 1990s led its two largest banks to pay more than $1 billion restitution to Holocaust victims. Documents unearthed in bank archives show it might have been at least in part a whitewash.

A cache of client files stamped American blacklist," a designation for those financing or trading with Nazis or Axis partners, was recently found by independent investigators probing Credit Suisse, one of Switzerlands biggest banks and now part of UBS.

The investigators, who studied dusty ledgers and pored over microfilm that hadnt been part of earlier reviews into the dark chapter, found something else, too: signs of a coverup.

In the 1990s, two panels studied Swiss banks World War II-era activities after anger erupted over Holocaust victims unreleased funds.

But the investigators now taking a fresh look found Credit Suisse withheld crucial information.

They located several Nazi-linked accounts that were discovered by the bank in the 1990s but never disclosed to investigators. They also turned up new details of an operational account controlled by high-ranking Nazi SS officers and a Swiss intermediary that was allegedly used to move and store looted assets.

The findings came to light in a probe overseen by an independent ombudsman, Neil Barofsky. The former U.S. prosecutor, who is a partner at law firm Jenner & Block, was hired by Credit Suisse in 2021 after the Simon Wiesenthal Center found information on possible Nazi clients that hadnt previously been disclosed.

The Senate Banking Committee got involved two years ago, when Credit Suisse fired Barofsky from the probe. Bank executives played down what he had found and felt he had overstepped lines it wanted around the investigation. The committee has jurisdiction over the State Departments Office of the Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, which seeks to secure compensation for Nazi-era wrongs.

Barofsky was reinstated in late 2023, following UBSs emergency rescue of Credit Suisse. In a December 2024 letter to the Senate, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Barofsky said Credit Suisse and new owner UBS have fully opened their archives and have assigned more than 50 people to work on the probe.

The investigation has identified scores of individuals and legal entities connected to Nazi atrocities whose relationships with Credit Suisse had either been previously unidentified, or for which the relationship had been partially identified but the full nature of the banks involvement has not yet been reported publicly," Barofsky wrote in the letter.

UBS is committed to contributing to a fulsome accounting of Nazi-linked legacy accounts previously held at predecessor banks of Credit Suisse," said a bank spokesperson.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D., R.I.) and Sen. Chuck Grassley, (R., Iowa) spearheaded the effort in the Senate. Credit Suisse hid additional evidence of Nazi ties for years, and even tried to conceal information from our congressional investigation," Grassley said.

Recent photos taken by a visitor to one of the banks archives in Zurich shows the scale of the task: rooms full of pallets of boxes stacked from floor to ceiling, and an array of old ledgers, computers and hard-drive disks all storing client records.

Buried in storage were around 3,600 boxes from the Inf department" containing information about clients, including ones who were on the U.S. wartime blacklist for furthering the Nazi cause.

Barofsky described the Inf department files as akin to know your customer" details that banks keep on their clients. A preliminary search against 99 known Nazis and affiliates produced 13 name matches. Numerous files bore the American blacklist stamp, he said, which his team hadnt seen before in other Credit Suisse archives.

Some portions of the Inf department files were included in earlier reviews but were never scanned, indexed or systematically incorporated into those probes, Barofsky said in the letter to Congress. That work is now ongoing.

While conducting the new probe, which included interviews with former bank employees who worked on the 1990s research, Barofsky found indications the bank covered up its role by not always sharing what it knew.

Internal comments by bank executives in the 1990s on one of the panels draft reports said the report was rather sanitized," but best left as is. Credit Suisses general approach to outside investigations was to share only requested information and not offer additional insights, Barofsky said his team was told.

Key information and relevant accounts werent shared then with the outside panels, including information about the account controlled by officers of the Nazi SSAdolf Hitlers elite paramilitary unitand a Swiss intermediary. The businesses that used the accounts promoted the regimes economic aims, seizing businesses from Jewish owners and relying on forced labor at concentration camps.

A registry card for the SS-linked account was found in the 1990s and was flagged to higher-ups, according to the former employees and documents and emails that were discovered in the new probe. Credit Suisse as recently as April 2023 said bank historians hadnt previously associated the registry card with the account in question, including in the 1990s reviews.

When asked by one of the panels in 2001 about the account, Credit Suisse said it had no documents indicating a business relationship with the SS holding company, leading the panel to conclude documents must have been destroyed.

After outcry in the mid-1990s over Holocaust victims missing assets, a group overseen by Paul Volcker, the former Federal Reserve chairman, sent auditors deep into the banks files to find dormant or looted accounts.

A second group, assembled by the Swiss parliament and headed by historian Jean-Francois Bergier, trawled through bank archives to study Switzerlands Nazi-financing.

The two panels main findings were that Swiss bankers routinely turned a blind eye to Nazi theft of Jewish assets during the war and often obstructed families later efforts to reclaim their money. Neither review claimed to encompass all wartime accounts or to give a definitive result.

In the 1990s probes, Credit Suisse identified 14 likely Nazi clients. UBS said it found one account for a former Reichsbank president and another opened by an SS officers widow decades after the war.

The two banks agreed to pay $1.25 billion to Jewish families who had been denied money in Swiss accounts and to surviving slave laborers or their heirs. Many Jewish organizations supported the settlement at the time.

Barofsky told the Senate his team of investigators expects to issue a final report around early 2026.

Write to Margot Patrick at margot.patrick@wsj.com
How does one teach war to students. How do I begin today? What aspects should I focus on? How do I end? What is the message I would want them to take away? Its tough to introduce the concept of war at this tender age. The questions swarmed like fruit flies in Shantipriyas head. There is no way to know how these children will reactwill they get scared or retaliatewho is to know?

She got off the bus as she struggled with these thoughts. She headed towards the government school, a half-hour walk from the bus stop. She reminded herself of what Jawaharlal Nehru had said: The future of our nation is dependent on our students; within the four walls of a classroom are the citizens of tomorrow. The responsibility of nurturing these future citizens is in the hands of teachers. It reassured her.

She looked at her watch; twenty past nine. She had the time to stop at the chai shop next to the school. Probably the best way to escape her scurrying thoughts. She heard her phones ringtone calling out to her from inside her bag; she took it out to see it was her dear friend Geetha callingAh! There is no escape from war after all!

Hi, Geetha!"

Hi, Shanti. Are you at school?"

I am on my way."

Not to disturb, I just wanted to update you about our project, War and Peace. A lot of people have sent us their poems. I am waiting for a few senior writers to send their work as well; they should be in my inbox by this evening. I wanted to remind you about your contribution as well. As the editors of this anthology and as poets ourselves, it would be great to have our workAnands, yours and minebe part of this collection."

Also read: Lounge Fiction Special 2025: Ocean of Spines by Prashanth Srivatsa

Of course, I remember. How could I forget? Even if I want to, the world is constantly waging war. The world is engulfed in gloomy smog after a deafening explosion. It begets meaningless, helpless and desolate violence. My lesson today on war and our anthology on war have led me to look at the horrific images of people stuck in war. It feels like I am at war with myself researching this topic," said Shantipriya.

Hmm, interesting. I have asked you to write a poem, not just say it to me over the phone Please send it to me on WhatsApp by tomorrow." Geetha ended the call.

Why doesnt she think this is serious? How does one write a poem about war? Does it have to be scary and revolting? Shantipriya stopped as though something struck her. Well, it should just be readable and easy to understand, especially to those who are terrified of war.

She stepped into the staff room, sat down and closed her eyes to take in a long breath. She tried to review the lesson she was about to discuss with the Grade 8 class. She took the lesson plan from her bag and scanned it carefully.

When she set foot in class, she noticed that the students looked fresh and energetic even though it was the second hour. Some were chasing the others, while one boy was trying to get everyones attention by singing out loud. Seeing the teacher enter, they rushed helter-skelter to their seatsGood morning, teacher!" in unison.

Shantipriya responded to the students greetings and asked, How is everyone today?" and continued, Please open your notebooks, children, today we are going to learn about war."

She took out a piece of chalk to write WAR on the blackboard. Have you ever witnessed a war? Have you at least heard about it? Can you recount the names of a few wars that happened in the past? What were the instances where you have heard about wars? Think of the wars from the past along with the ones in the present. Quickly note down the ones you remember in your notebooks."

Yes, we have heard about it," said most students.

Why dont one of you stand up to share?"

A student from the first bench stood up: The Sepoy Mutiny during British rule."

Mohammad Waheed from the bench behind went, We have heard of the Kurukshetra war in the movies, havent we?"

World War I and II and the ongoing war between Palestine and Israel," piped up Navta, also from the first bench.

Our country was attacked several times by Aurangzeb," called Nithin from the last bench.

Very good," said the teacher to encourage them further. But children, do you read newspapers daily or keep up with important news on social media? Do you know anything about the current war?"

The students looked at each other in silence.

Oh no, I seem to have caught them off guard. Thats not my intention. I should encourage them to talk freely.

Okay, dont worry about it, students. Dont think that I know more than you about this topic, in fact I dont know much. I think there is a book on each of the wars. It is not necessary that everyone would know everything about the wars that have taken place before. But lets make an attempt to discuss and put our points forward. Nobody is going to judge us here. If you tell me something I dont already know then I will learn something new."

This reassured the students and smiles emanated from their faces like blooming flowers.

Teacher!" Nithin raised his hand. I want to say something! My father The other day when my father was reading his newspaper, I overheard his conversation with my uncle about the poor Palestinian children. When I went closer to see the newspaper my father was showing my uncle, both of them said  Dont look!  and moved away. I was so intrigued that I managed to secretly look at the paper when my father was away. It was frightening to see an image of a dead boy whose face emerged from the ground." Nithins eyes welled up and he couldnt continue as the sorrow from his heart rose up into his throat.

A dark layer of sadness engulfed the classroom with everyones faces reflecting their broken hearts. Shantipriya was surprised to see this.

How are children so affected and involved?

Its true that for the past few months a surge of news and images of war surrounded us. It has been unbearable to watch the distressing war since last October. Yet it is your responsibility to be aware of these events that take place worldwide. You are free to express any thoughts regarding this." Shantipriya tried to shift the dejection of the class toward discussion.

But what is war, teacher?" said Waheed as he stood up with a raised hand. Is it similar to how it is in the movies? With military tanks, soldiers and explosions? And we do enjoy these films, dont we? Just like the video games with war themes. Its very stimulating and entertaining. The problem"

If thats the problem, why are we playing these games? Why do we pressurise our parents to buy us war-related toys like tanks and guns?" interrupted Ghani Rao from behind.

Everybody looked behind in agreement. This lightened the mood of the class.

Why do they sell these toys in the first place?" said Rubina Fathima who was sitting in a corner of the first bench.

Everyone found this amusing and a chitter ran through the class.

This took an interesting turn, Shantipriya thought. She looked at her watch. We have 30 more minutes; lets see what these students bring up.

She noticed that Vishnu in the second bench looked distracted, unlike other students who were talking to one another.

Silence please! Lets hear from the others now. Vishnu, do you want to say something?"

Vishnu stood up, Yes, teacher."

He continued: Do you know how costly these toys are? Last week I wanted to buy a gun which was 20 but I only had 19 with me. I asked the shop to give it to me for 19 but, no. I begged, promising to pay the remaining one rupee later but to no avail. Do you know who the toy shop belongs to? Waheeds family. None other than him. His elder sister was at the shop but she didnt budge. Just because I was short of one rupee!" At this point everyone burst into laughter.

Looks like the discussion is deviating.

Vishnu! You are right, my sister is stingy! You should come to the shop when I am around, I will give you the gun," announced Waheed.

Shantipriya heaved a sigh of relief. These students are great, she thought, they found a solution for the problem with an open conversation without resorting to violence.

Students, do you understand the significance of this discussion so far?"

She heard Yes, teacher" and No, teacher" all at the same time.

In modern times, we have seen the United States of Americas devastating atomic bombing of Japans Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This happened in 1945, towards the end of the Second World War, leading to catastrophic deaths in lakhs. Later, the same America went on to attack Vietnam, followed by missile strikes on Afghanistan and Sudan. We are currently witnessing the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war."

Teacher" Beerappa raised his hand.

Yes? Please go ahead."

After looking at whats happening in Gaza, I feel like wars are not needed but why are they happening, teacher?"

Good question. To put it simply, animosity between two countries leads to war. The reason could be related to border security or weapons. Sometimes violation of prior agreements leads to war, especially when they couldnt be resolved through peaceful discussions. It is important to note that international organisations like the UN, NATO and other human rights organisations play a vital role in fostering international cooperation and prevention of war."

If these organisations are in place, why are these wars happening?" a student asked as though the thought suddenly occurred to him. Innocent people and animals lose their livesnot just from the defeated country but also from the winning one."

How do we define victory?" came a voice from behind.

Yes," another student chimed, emphatically.

I remember my father told me that when our country was celebrating independence, Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan were distressed with the attack on them," said Navta. Can you tell us more about those cities?"

What happened to the trees, animals, lakes, mountains," asked Rahul.

The attack had a lasting effectthe ones who survived had to endure long-term hazardous health conditions like leukaemia and thyroid cancer. It even had an impact on expecting mothers, leading to disabilities in newborns. We are witnessing the same mayhem in Gaza now." Shantipriya paused to take a breath and then continued.

The future of Gaza and its people could be seen as reflected in the past of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There is no end to this but I am not saying this to scare you. Please remember that I am making you aware of the destruction that wars bring. It is important to remember that these very nations that were once at war with each other are now on friendly terms and have a peaceful exchange of technology." Shantipriya observed the students as she said this.

How would it be if the famous animation filmmaker Osamu Tezuka made a film on Elon Musk?" quipped Venkat Yadav as he arched his eyebrows in anticipation. The rest of the students exclaimed in amazement.

Great idea! Thats right, this could be one way to develop cordial relationships between nations," responded the teacher.

If war is so dangerous, why do we use the word so often," asked Margaret, who hadnt said a word so far.

Interesting question. Why dont you tell us where we use the word?"

So many times. Teacher Saraswati always refers to exams as war while motivating us to do well." Margaret looked up, trying to remember more instances.

Yes, teacher. I have seen my father, who works in farming, where the supervisor provokes them to work faster like one is at war," said Arundhati who was sitting next to Margaret.

Thats true. While implementing government schemes or during national and international games, people say Practice like you are in a war," said Badreshwar. Even when the government is planting trees , it proposes to do so on a war footing."

In fact, isnt war destroying trees?" queried Arundhati.

The students waited for the teachers response.

Please dont assume that I am being inconsiderate here; I want you to hear me out and understand. War is a matter of life and death and it requires one to be vigilant. It is in the same spirit that war is invoked. But I do agree with you all that it is not accurate to use something as violent and destructive as war for farming and planting. The former is brutal while the latter is life-giving."

The third bell rang and students started applauding. Thank you, students. I will meet you again tomorrow."

Shantipriya stepped out of the classroom. She had her poem.

Translated from Telugu by Divya Kalavala.

Gogu Shyamala is a writer and an independent scholar from Telangana.

Divya Kalavala teaches English literature and writing courses at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal.

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It was cold and smoggy the day Delhi was nuked. For Dilip Kumar, though, 1 January 2035 began like any other weekday. He woke up in his one-room apartment in the urban ghetto of Sangam Vihar, the seepage from the pink wall spilling on to the bunk beds in the room he shared with three other men. All had left their villages with eyes full of big dreams, swiftly snuffed by the neon-lit gas chamber Delhi had become.

Like his flatmates, Dilip worked as a delivery partner, the modern version of a cart-puller. The transportation company that hired him gave no medical insurance, notice period or increments. But Dilip wasnt brave enough to protest. Since the arrival of self-driving delivery cars, the need for delivery partners like him has declined. If he lost this job, hed have just one option: return to Madhurapur, his village in Begusarai, and become a construction worker. College dropouts like him had few choices at a time when even people with degrees worked as labourers.

His mother had named him Dilip Kumar as his smile reminded her of the Bollywood superstar. When she gave birth in 2005, Maa was obsessed with the coloured version of Mughal-e-Azam, which she saw over 50 times with his father. My son will become a superstar like Dilip Kumar," shed tell him. There is no chance of that happening now," Dilip thought as he got ready for his days deliverya 30kg sack of roasted cashews destined for a trader in Old Delhis Khari Baoli.

In the orange solar rickshaw, the driver was listening to the news. The war has intensified. Nine Indian jawans were martyred in yesterdays drone attack. Its high time India launches an all-out offensive on Islamabad, and destroys this vile nation," Sakshat, the famous journalist, clad in military fatigues, shouted from a VFX studio. Dilip had followed the war for a few months, but then lifes endless sorrows stole his attention.

Can you turn down the volume? This man is very irritating," Dilip requested the driver, and he complied, but not before saying, He is the only journalist who speaks the truth. Over 6,000 of our soldiers have died. Pakistan should be taught a lesson." Dilip kept staring at two people jogging in gas masks on the footpath. War-mongering was the norm and it got on his nerves.

Dilip had never raised his hand to anyone. Even when he faced bullies, hed stand there as if looking into their souls. This Gandhi ki aulaad is no fun," theyd say, leaving him alone eventually. Dont ever raise your hand against anyone, son. Hinsa kills us inside," Maa had taught him, and Dilip was forever mamas boy. What would she say now?" he thought, swiping his card at the rickshaws payment machine, tying the sack on his back with three belts and walking into Govindpuri Metro station.

The Metro was almost empty. It was 7am on a cold Monday. Most people were sleeping after celebrating New Years Eve. It took the train 9 minutes to reach Chawri Bazar. Dilip was 10 minutes early, so he decided to wait and give his shoulders some relief. He saw a man come out of the elevator, waiting for the train.

This was the moment it happened. The apocalypse. A deafening explosion shattered the air as the world split in two. The Metro platform trembled. A deep, thunderous roar shook Dilips core, interrupted only by the hollow, rhythmic thuds of something heavy crashing. Then, silence. A suffocating, unnatural stillness, broken only by the shiver of the ground. The lights flickered once and then died. Nearby, buildings crumbled, their collapse like distant screams. And then he heard it. A sound so strange, so raw, it froze his breath. The earth was groaning.

What is happening, bhaiya?" Dilip held the other man.

We are under attack," the man replied as if in a trance.

Dilip pushed him under the escalator. As the ground shivered, Dilip flicked on his phone torch and looked at the mans face, numb with fear: Sakshat, the war-mongering journalist the driver had been watching.

This doesnt make sense, Dilip thought and sat with him. The two said nothing for minutes.

Sakshat was the first to regain composure. He took out a satellite phone from his bag. I was right. It was a nuclear attack. What happened to our automated defence system?" he said, as if to himself.

Probably an old building fell nearby and you are making a big fuss," Dilip said and ran up the stairs.

Five minutes later, he returned, silent. We are trapped under the rubble," he told Sakshat.

If we are buried under two storeys of rubble, we are somewhat safe from radiation," Sakshat said. Dilip didnt hear him. For the next hour, he kept walking inside the premises, staring into nothingness.

Sakshats voice brought him back to reality: I have one water bottle. I can survive on it for a day or two."

I have one too, and a sackful of cashews whose recipient is likely dead," Dilip replied, awakened from his grief.

Cashews? Thats terrific. If you share them with me, I can reach out to my government contacts to get us both out to safety."

Isnt everyone dead?" Dilip said.

Only the leaders who attended the Parliament session. Many didnt." This seemed to make Sakshat angry. If we dont order an all-out attack on Pakistan even now, we are just sitting ducks," he said.

You know, I saw your show once or twice. You are an educated man. Why do you promote violence? Arent you also responsible for the mess we are in?"

Sakshat stepped back a bit. You are saying this after our Capital has been attacked. Are you a Muslim?"

My name is Dilip Kumar. And I know that violence doesnt solve anything. My mother taught me this."

Your mother didnt know shit."

What?"

War is a necessity in the modern age. Its only during wars most human innovations take place. The global order is like a jungle. If you dont take out your enemies at the right time, they will do the same to you. Non-violence looks good only in books."

Violence always leads to more violence. Those who live by the sword die by the sword."

If you dont keep a sword, you will die sooner. By the way, what do you do?"

I am a delivery partner."

Why am I even arguing with you? Anyway, I want to inspect the premises to see if I can find something useful. You want to come along?"

I want to be alone," Dilip replied, his thoughts drifting to his home. Maa would be worried. I wish I could call her.

Sakshat came back an hour later. I figured out the water supply. A water cooler and toilet for the staff. If we fill our bottles once a day, it might last us a month. Dont use the toilet water though. It might be contaminated. Use tissue paper."

Thank you. Can I use your phone to call home?"

All calling has been banned. We can only use the internet," Sakshat replied.

After a few hours of following the news, both slept. The next morning, Sakshats satellite phone chirped to life, giving him reason to celebrate amid the gloom. We launched nuclear attacks on Pakistan yesterday. Half of the that vile country was destroyed. The rest surrendered and became part of the Indian Union. We have annihilated our arch-rivals."

What was the casualty on their side?"

Not sure, but close to 5 million."

How many people died on our side?"

Around 3 lakhs. It was a one-megaton bomb that was dropped on Delhi. Central Delhi was levelled, but the radiation has made the city uninhabitable."

Do you think ours was a proportionate response?"

You are worried about enemies? Are you an anti-national, a namak haraam?

Be careful with your words. You live on my cashews right now."

The two didnt talk for three days, but saw each other for their morning cashew-eating ritual. On the fourth day, Sakshat broke the ice. There is good news. We are mobilising emergency teams. Most UN countries are sending help," he announced. They are locating and rescuing survivors trapped in Delhi. However, the PM also warned that the situation is dire."

Dilip listened, the glimmer of hope in Sakshats words tempered by their reality. How long will it take for them to rescue us?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Sakshat shook his head. I cant say for certain. I am pulling all the strings so we are among the first. But in all likelihood, we may have to fend for ourselves for a while."

The two men fell silent once more. Dilip felt a sense of resignation creeping in, so he devised a way to fight it. Do you want to play Heads or Tails to kill time?" he said.

Heads or Tails?"

When I was a kid, we couldnt afford costly games. So, Maa and I used to spend hours playing Heads or Tails. And I happen to have a coin with me," said Dilip.

You cant defeat me in an argument, so you want to do that in a game? Okay. We have all the time," Sakshat replied. They played until morning. Sakshat told Dilip about his family in Canada. His father ran an automobile business there.

It had been a week since they had seen the sun. Every morning, they ate a handful of cashews. Sakshat often ate more than his ration, but Dilip didnt protesthe was his only chance of escaping this hell. He thought of his mother every day.

The next week also passed in endless rounds of Heads or Tails. Sakshat had used an emergency genset to charge his satellite phone. He was going to plug it in when the notification came.

The nuclear strike wasnt ordered by the Pakistan Army. It was AIFP."

Dilip neither knew nor cared about AIFP, but it had been a whispered secret in tech circles. In 2025, a group of peace-oriented programmers developed AI For Peace (AIFP), a self-adaptive AI designed to bring nuclear disarmament. It functioned like a virus, capable of infiltrating defence systems and identifying their vulnerabilities. In 2031, however, the code fell into the hands of anarchist hackers on the dark web. They reverse-engineered it for human annihilation. The altered AI began exploiting the vulnerabilities of defence systems with the aim of a global nuclear holocaust. Nobody knew how powerful the worlds first AI terrorist" was until the catastrophe of 1 January 2035.

So we wiped out a countrys population for nothing? How does that make you feel," Dilip asked a deflated Sakshat.

I dont care. At some point, we had to punish them. Also, it was their responsibility to make their systems safe, not ours."

They didnt talk for the next week. But they still played Heads or Tails. There was nothing else to do. The news remained distressing. Though India had been able to manage the radiation around Delhi, the radiation from Pakistan spilled over. Major rivers had become contaminated, leading to widespread disease and famine in western India.

A week later, rising temperatures had begun melting the Himalaya, leading to floods in eastern India. Over 30 million people died of diseases. Nearly all of north India became uninhabitable.

The mood in Chawri Bazar Metro station was dark. Sakshat and Dilip still played Heads or Tails. Sakshat continued to supply the news to Dilip. India has declared Bangalore its new capital and moved the survivors from the north to camps in Kanyakumari. We may also be taken there," he said one day.

Dilip still hoped his village was safe, and Maa would be waiting for him. She had to.

A week later they heard a rescue team would come for them in three days. They will seal the surroundings to contain the radiation, burrow a hole in the rubble, and ferry us to a safe zone in a specially designed helicopter," Sakshat told Dilip. The two celebrated by eating more cashews than usual.

The day came in a jiffy. That morning, Dilip took a bath in the toilet, ignoring Sakshats warnings that the water could be contaminated. He deemed some risks worth taking for the sensation of water droplets on his body. As he put on his clothes and combed his hair, he heard drilling sounds. They have arrived, my friend," Sakshats grinning face announced. We will have real food today."

Eight hours later, they saw a man in an astronaut-like suit lower himself through the hole. He threw a bag towards them. It had two more suits. Lets bid goodbye to this home, Dilip Kumar. Werent you lucky to be trapped with me? They wouldnt have put in this much effort if you were trapped alone," Sakshat said as they put on the suits. Dilip took a last look at the Metro premises and clipped his suit to a pulley that would take them up.

It was evening in Delhi. Their eyes, which hadnt seen sunlight for two months, were blinded for a few minutes. The rescue team carried them to the helicopter. It was only when it began to take off that Dilip could open his eyes.

On top of the rubble, he could see a half limb with a red sandal, lying amid a jumble of body parts. I hope it was swift, he thought. The helicopter rose further and he could see what looked like a monument. Thats Red Fort," the pilot pointed. He saw the ruins of buildings, homes, schools, hospitals, malls, bungalows of politicians and shanties of the poor. So many dead. Thats Humayuns Tomb," Sakshat pointed out a minute later.

What have we done? Dilip thought. Finally, gathering courage, he asked the pilot. Can you please check what happened to Madhurapur village in Begusarai?" The man turned on a black device. A minute later, he said: Madhurapur was destroyed in a flash flood of the Ganga eight days ago. There were no survivors."

I am sorry to hear about your loss, my friend," Sakshat said in a low voice, but Dilip was lost. He was staring at the sun, eclipsed by ash clouds. The sky was crimson. Delhi looked like a wasteland where life hadnt existed for centuries.

Suddenly Sakshat leaned closer. I know you are hurting but try to see the bigger picture. Winning this war was worth any price. All of us need to make small sacrifices for larger goals," Sakshat said, his voice cutting through the layers of protective suits, louder than it needed to be.

Sacrifices. Small ones. The words rang in Dilips head and a violent rage began to build. All the rage he had suppressed through the yearsbeaten up at school, exploited at work. How dare men like you play God? Dilip raged, his world narrowing to Sakshats face. Sacrifices?

Their eyes met for a heartbeat before he lunged forward, grabbing Sakshat by his suit. In a split second, he slid open the chopper door and flung him into the air. As the rescuers wrestled him back, Dilip watched Sakshats body fall into the abyss, dissolving into the debris of what had once been Delhi.

Zeyad Masroor Khan is a freelance journalist and author of City on Fire: A Boyhood in Aligarh.
A planned overhaul of Syrias education curriculum is spurring concerns about the new governments assurances that it will rebuild an inclusive society, and leading some to question whether it will seek to impose a conservative Islamic worldview.

The changes, listed in a series of documents released this week by the education ministry, include everything from dropping all references to former dictator Bashar al-Assad to changing religious references and removing the theory of evolution from school textbooks. The changes would apply to all students between the ages of 6 and 18.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Sunni Islamist group that led the assault that toppled the Assad regime, has said it would treat all Syrians equallybe they women or the countrys many religious and ethnic minorities. A string of diplomats from the U.S. and Europe have visited Damascus in recent weeks, including the foreign ministers of Germany and France on Friday, all trying to assess whether they can trust the transitional governments promises.

Western powers remain wary of HTS, which began as an offshoot of al Qaeda. The group publicly cut ties with al Qaeda years ago and has sought to cast itself as more moderate.

On Thursday, Syrias education minister, Nazir al-Qadri, sought to play down the changes, saying they were meant only to remove glorifying references to the Assad era and inaccuracies in the Islamic education curriculum. He said only some of the changes would be implemented.

The curricula in all Syrian schools will remain as is until specialized committees are formed to review" them, he said, without elaborating.

A spokesman for HTS didnt respond to a request for comment.

The changes were detailed in 12 documents published on the Education Ministrys official Facebook page Wednesday. The documents listed amendments to the language and subjects that would be omitted, specifying in which textbook and pages the changes were to be made.

The changes included replacing phrases such as sacrifice ones life in defense of his homeland" with sacrifice ones life for the sake of Allah (God)" in religious textbooksbased on a conservative interpretation of verses in the Quran. In other similar changes in religious textbooks, the phrase path of goodness" was replaced by Islamic path," and those who have gone astray" was changed to Jews and Christians."

All references to the Assad familys more than five decades of rulefrom images and slogans to the national anthemwere cut from textbooks. And there were other historical changes, such as removing from textbooks references to Syrian Queen Zenobia, a legendary female leader who once ruled Palmyra in the Roman era, predating Islam.

The changes also appeared aimed at dialing back criticism of the Ottoman Empire, removing references to the 1916 mass execution of Arab nationalists under the Ottomans. Other amendments included the dropping of evolutiona Western theoryfrom science teaching.

Some Syrians welcomed the changes, especially the dropping of references to the Assad familys rule, which included poems celebrating Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez. But others expressed concerns on social media about the Islamist-led government rushing to amend the countrys textbooks without input from the rest of the society. Some Syrians have called for nationwide protests and the dismissal of the education minister.

Mar Boutros Qassis, the archbishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Aleppo, said some of the changes in the curriculum suggested that the country wasnt heading in the right direction.

There have been changes related to the Assad regimewhich are understandable," he said. However, there have also been amendments that interfere with the Islamic ideology of society and education," he added.

During the Assad era, Syrias religious and ethnic minorities lived alongside Muslims with minimal friction, but their ties were severely tested by the civil war that broke out in 2011 as many backed opposite sides. The Islamist groups have sought to reassure the minorities that they want to create a new Syria in which they will have full rights and equality with the Muslim majority.

Qadri, the education minister, told Reuters last month that both Muslim and Christian religions would be taught in schools and that the new government wouldnt restrict the rights of girls to learn. Education is a red line for the Syrian people, more important than food and water," he said.

Qadri was previously education minister in Idlib, the northwestern city that became the base for HTS and a de facto statelet under its rule in recent years as it battled the Assad regime.

Hasan Abu Hanieh, an Amman-based expert on Islamic groups, said Syrias curriculum is likely to have an Islamic influence under the new government. He said similar changes have taken place in Idlib schools under HTS, especially in social sciences, humanities and religious education.

The shift toward a more Islamic nature is inevitable, though the extent of these changes remains unclear," he said.

Write to Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com
Before his sons dismantled the company he had meticulously built, tarnishing the reputation of a proud business dynasty, Parvinder Pammi" Singh was regarded as a legend in Indian business.

Unlike first-generation entrepreneurs, Parvinder inherited Ranbaxya modest pharma business his father, Bhai Mohan Singh, had acquired from its founders, Ranbir Singh and Gurbax Singh. A wealthy contractor who migrated to Delhi from Rawalpindi during Partition, Bhai Mohan Singh laid the companys foundations.

Read this | Fortune and fraud: The spectacular life and death of biscuit king Rajan Pillai

By the time Parvinder returned to India in 1967 after completing his studies in the US, Ranbaxy was a medium-sized domestic pharma player. But Parvinders vision extended beyond its modest scale and Indias borders.

Armed with a masters degree in pharmacy from Washington State University and a doctorate from the University of Michigan, Parvinder recognized the opportunity in generics early on. His ambition to turn Ranbaxy into a global pharmaceutical leader drove his relentless pursuit of growth.

Transforming Ranbaxy

Parvinders relationship with his father was often strained, culminating in a boardroom battle in which he ousted Bhai Mohan Singh to take full control by 1993. Later, he also navigated disputes with his brothers, Analjit Singh and Bhai Manjit Singh, as the family business was divided.

By 1987-88, under Parvinder, Delhi-based Ranbaxy had begun exporting active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to the US. Profit margins were slim, and Parvinder recognized the need to pivot swiftly to the higher-margin generics market. After overcoming initial challenges, the company identified a lucrative opportunity in cefaclor, a cephalosporin antibiotic with global sales of $1.4 billion. The drugs patent, held by Eli Lilly, was nearing expiration, but process patents still posed a hurdle for new entrants.

View Full Image In 1991, Ranbaxy had successfully developed a novel manufacturing process for cefaclor, enabling it to produce a generic version for the US market. (File Photo: Mint)

In 1991, Ranbaxy had successfully developed a novel manufacturing process for cefaclor, enabling it to produce a generic version for the US market. Parvinder set up a dedicated plant for cefaclor, seizing a highly profitable opportunity. Over the next five years, Ranbaxy partnered with Eli Lilly to market generics globally while distributing the American companys products in India.

Though the partnership ended when Eli Lilly aligned with US generics maker Mylan, Ranbaxy had already solidified its foothold in the US market. Under Parvinders leadership, the companys sales and profits surged, setting the stage for its emergence as a global pharmaceutical powerhouse.

Despite being socially reserved, Parvinder emerged as a key advocate for the Indian pharmaceutical industry. In 1998, he was appointed to the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee, where he championed reforms to ease rules on employee stock option plans and pushed for more liberal policies to support fledgling Indian multinationals like Ranbaxy as they expanded operations overseas.

A dynasty undone

Tragically, in July 1999, just as Indias pharmaceutical sector was poised for transformative growth, Parvinder succumbed to cancer at the age of 56. Anticipating his premature departure, he had implemented a succession plan that placed Devinder Singh Brar, a professional manager, in charge of the company instead of his two young sons.

The decision was met with resistance from his family, including his father, as they held a 35% stake in Ranbaxy. In keeping with the tradition of Indian business families, it was expected that the sons, regardless of their readiness, would succeed their father. However, for Parvinder, professional management was a cornerstone of his philosophya conviction shaped by the influence of global thinkers like C.K. Prahalad.

His unwavering belief in meritocracy underscored his vision for Ranbaxys future, even if it went against convention.

Within five years of Parvinders death, Brar exited the company, paving the way for Malvinder Mohan Singh, Parvinders elder son, to join the board and assume the role of second-in-command. His younger brother Shivinder soon followed, and together, the two brothers mismanaged the business.

By 2008, they had sold their stake in Ranbaxy to Japanese pharmaceutical giant Daiichi Sankyo for $4.6 billion. However, just six months later, Daiichi wrote off the entire investment after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned several Ranbaxy drugs due to serious manufacturing deficiencies discovered in its Indian plants.

Read this | Ranbaxy case: Singh brothers diverted funds despite SC order, says Daiichi Sankyo

Whether Ranbaxys subsequent troublesrun-ins with the FDA and allegations of financial irregularitiescould have been avoided under Parvinders leadership remains a matter of debate.

Insiders note that some of the issues highlighted in Katherine Ebans Bottle of Liesand first reported in her Fortune magazine piecehad roots in his tenure. However, such criticism may be harsh, given Parvinders relentless pursuit of quality and excellence, as evidenced by the four state-of-the-art plants that Sun Pharma eventually acquired in 2013.

Read this | How Ranbaxy hurtled towards a meltdown

Tough, uncompromising, and relentless in his mission to elevate Ranbaxy to the pinnacle of Indias pharmaceutical industry, Parvinder also possessed a spiritual and compassionate side that was not immediately apparent. A photographer friend once shared an anecdote from a shoot at Parvinder's farmhouse. When the friend accidentally broke what appeared to be an expensive vase, Parvinder brushed off the apologies, saying, You are more important than any vase in the world."

Today, the Ranbaxy name is synonymous with fraud and failurea poignant epitaph for a man whose global vision laid the foundation for one of Indias most successful industries.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have shot down 34 enemy UAVs, 47 drones did not reach their targets, they were lost, the Air Force Command reports.

"On the night of January 4, 2025 (from 19:00 on January 3), the enemy attacked with 81 strike UAVs of the Shahed type and drone imitators of various types from the directions of Bryansk, Kursk, Orel, Primorsko-Akhtarsk - Russia," the Telegram message said on Saturday.

The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units, mobile fire groups of the Air Force and the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

As of 09:00, the downing of 34 Shahed-type attack UAVs and other types of drones has been confirmed in Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Mykolaiv regions.

Due to the active counteraction of the Defense Forces, 47 enemy drone imitators were lost (without negative consequences). However, the downed UAVs caused damage in Chernihiv and Sumy regions - private houses were damaged. The victims are receiving assistance, the Air Force reports.
If you're out grocery shopping, you might notice some empty shelves and a few signs in the dairy section. Millions of chickens were killed after a bird flu outbreak took place this year, resulting in an egg shortageand its impacting local restaurants.
A defendant who paid 1,000 compensation to an injured party avoided a conviction when he was dealt with by way of the probation act.

Conor Ganley (42) of 101 Gleann Riada, Strokestown Road, Longford was before Judge Bernadette Owens facing a charge that on April 15, 2023 Ballymahon Street, Longford he assaulted Frank McNally causing harm.



The matter arose at 4:45pm when the two parties met at a local bookies. The injured party and defendant got into an altercation and words were exchanged. The defendant assaulted and headbutted the other man, in the course of the assault the two men fell in through the door of a restaurant.



The injured party sustained injuries to his face and ankles. Previously the court was told the injured party did not wish to make a victim impact statement.

Solicitor John Quinn said his client very much regretted his behaviour and Sgt Mahon confirmed there were no issues since.

Mr Quinn said his client is a serving member of the defence forces who overreacted at the time, but has made up with the injured party.



He is a man of impeccable character and only has two minor road traffic convictions before this, Mr Quinn said.

Judge Owens said that based on how Mr Ganley approached the matter she would deal with it by way of Section 1.1 of the Probation Act.
Four injured in Kherson region as result of drone attack  Mrochko

Four people were injured after a drone attack on Antonivka in Kherson region on Saturday morning, reports head of Kherson city military administration Roman Mrochko.

"At about 8:00, Russian occupiers attacked Antonivka from a drone. A 71-year-old man received a mine-explosive injury and shrapnel wounds, ... he was hospitalized. Doctors assess the victim's condition as moderate," Mrochko wrote on Telegram.

A 43-year-old man from Antonivka was taken to the hospital in moderate condition. As a result of explosives dropped from a drone, he suffered an open fracture and extensive lacerations of the lower extremities.

A 65-year-old man received a mine-explosive injury and shrapnel wounds to both legs as a result of an enemy drone attack at about 9.30. The victim's condition is moderate.

A 62-year-old woman also sought medical care. She suffered a blast injury, shrapnel wound, and a fracture of her left leg. The victim is currently hospitalized, Mrochko said.
HOUSTON  The Celtics will get some reinforcements back in the lineup Friday night when they face off against the Houston Rockets.

Boston upgraded Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) to available after the big man missed Thursdays win over the Timberwolves. Al Horford has been declared out for the second half of the back-to-back due to rest. Jaylen Brown (shoulder) will miss his second straight game.

Porzingis had missed the previous four games after suffering a left ankle sprain on Christmas Day against the 76ers. He took part in a shootaround on Thursday morning before being ruled out but said he was feeling much better coming off that workout. He spoke about his frustration about dealing with multiple ankle injuries since his return from offseason surgery last month.

Im not going to lie, Porzingis said Thursday. Its super annoying, super frustrating to not be able to catch a good rhythm and already, boom, some small thing happens and youre out for a couple games. Just to be dealing with this. Its part of the life we choose. My body is obviously very particular, so these things can happen to me.

With Horford sitting the tail end of the back-to-back, Porzingis should slot back into his starting center role. He has no minutes restrictions for his return according to Joe Mazzulla. Brown remains day-to-day with a shoulder strain after suffering the injury in the blowout win over the Raptors on Tuesday.

The Rockets will be shorthanded in the frontcourt as well, missing Jabari Smith Jr. (broken hand) and Tari Eason (injury management). The Celtics and Rockets tip off at 8 p.m. Thursday.
A New Hampshire man was placed in custody after a Bedford, New Hampshire police officer was shot early Saturday, according to a Bedford Police Department press release.

Jared Masseur, 40, of Nashua, New Hampshire, was charged with resisting arrest or detention, felon in possession of a dangerous weapon, attempting to take a firearm from a law enforcement officer and second-degree assault.

Masseur also had outstanding warrants in other communities on charges of felon in possession of a dangerous weapon and possession of drugs, the department said in the release. Masseur will be held in custody without bail and is scheduled for arraignment at 9:30 a.m. on Monday at Merrimack District Court in New Hampshire.
A former Takeda Pharmaceutical worker was forced to forfeit her Mercedes-Benz, Seaport condominium and diamond ring after being sentenced to prison for embezzling over $2.5 million from the company, records show.

Priya Bhambi, 40, of Brookline was sentenced on Oct. 31, by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 46 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. In June, Bhambi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud.

The scheme occurred in 2022 and involved Bhambi and a co-conspirator who submitted fraudulent invoices to Takeda for non-existent consulting services through a fake company they created called Evoluzione, according to the documents.
Homeowners across Massachusetts whose concrete foundations are failing due to a construction flaw lobbied for two years for a law to help them.

A drafted bill would have set up an unfunded committee to study ways to help homeowners meet the cost of repair. But the measure crumbled in December. The state Senate passed it on the second-to-last day of 2024. The House did not vote.
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votre chanson de lannee sur R1Homelie de Mgr Durhone a loccasion de la messe de Noel a la prison de Melrose147.8 mm a Riche en eau en 24 heuresTrois zones perturbees dans le nord de la region[Document] Export and Import Price Indices for 3rd Quarter 2024Deces de Jimmy CarterFin de la Veille de fortes pluies pour MauriceDeux zones perturbees et une perturbation tropicaleOrages dans lOuestSoft Robotics to debut at CES 2025Bulletin meteo special pour AgalegaPremiere cohorte de femmes certifiee en gestion de pepiniere au sein de lAgri-Hub de la Vallee de FerneyLegend Hill ouvre son paradis panoramique aux Mauriciens en mars 2025Communique du National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre ( 29/12/2024)30.2 mm de pluie en trois heures a Riche en Eau[Document] 50 mm de pluie pour les premiers 15 jours de decembre 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 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MCB Group CEO Jean Michel Ng Tseung is among them at the 95th place

The chief executive role is a tough one to fill. From 2020 to 2024, about a quarter of the CEO departures in Africa were involuntary, according to our analysis.

The fallout from these dismissals can be staggering: Forced turnover at the top costs shareholders millions of dollars in lost market value annually.

Those figures are discouraging for directors with the hard task of anointing CEOsand daunting to any leader aspiring to the C-suite. Many otherwise capable leaders and boards are getting something wrong. The question is, what?

The knock on most business leaders is that they dont take the long viewthat theyre fixated on achieving short-term goals to lift their pay. So which African CEOs delivered solid results over the long run? Our 2024 list of top performers provides an answer.

It is worth noting that most of Africas top-performing CEOs arent household names. The AfricanCEO magazines ranking of CEOs is meant to be a measure of enduring success. We tracked and analysed each CEOs performance starting from day one of his or her tenure. Our goal is to create a list that gets beyond the most recent quarterly or even annual results and truly evaluates long-term performance.

Our ranking is not based exclusively on hard stock market numbers. We looked at total shareholder return, as well as the change in each companys market capitalization. (For more details, see  How We Calculated the Ranking. )

We like that the ranking is based solidly on data and not on reputation or anecdote. Yet it also felt incomplete because it failed to account for the many aspects of leadership that go beyond mere market performance.

In the long term, social and environmental issues become financial issues. So, we took into account measuring each companys environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. For this, we relied on researching each companys ESG or sustainability report. We now weigh long-term financial results at 80% and ESG performance at 20%.

Our methodology focuses on CEOs who took the reins before 2020 though there are a few exceptions. We analysed the performance of those CEOs as well, using the returns generated from 2020 onward. The decision to add CEOs who began before 2020 also shook up our ranking. About seventy percent of this years top 100 started the job before then, meaning few are new in the CEO role.

At the AfricanCEO magazine, we continue to experiment with the perfect measure of a CEOs worth, and we look forward to getting our readers input. Are we right to include these critical, but less easily quantifiable, measures?

Are there further ways of fully evaluating companies and their CEOs?

Our view is that, in an era of big data and greater transparency, consumers and investors increasingly want to understand a companys culture and values. They want to analyse its social behaviour, not just its share price. These new measurements will only get better over time.

Peter SaSellu, the publisher and editor of the AfricanCEO magazine argues that  the business of business is longer business.  As Peter puts it,  I would change that to say the business of business is businessbut with a long-term perspective.  And in that calculation, social and environmental issues are critical.

Whats included and how did we do the ranking?

The 100 CEOs represent 18 nationalities and 100 companies located in 18 African countries. Women represent 15 percent of their male counterparts, which is a significant move towards having more women in leadership or CEO roles in large corporations on the continent.

However, many CEOs in Francophone countries often move from country to country, making it difficult to track their progress. We also took into consideration stability on the job or job retention as a CEO. With this, we discovered that Nigerian CEOs last longer on the job or in the CEO position when compared to CEOs in other regions or mostly Francophone countries. Little or Less information is  readily  available on Francophone country CEOs as to those of the English-speaking CEOs or regions. This posed a major challenge in our analysis.

To make it an Africa-centred initiative, only CEOs who are of African origin or nationals of African countries are considered, even though non-African or foreign CEOs are heading companies with larger assets in many African markets.

In conclusion, Nigerian CEOs top the list because they have more available information compared to CEOs from other countries or regions, followed by Kenya and South Africa with more accessible information such as CEO tenure, age, education and qualification, date of appointment, etc.

About the African CEO magazines Top 100 CEOs List

The African CEO magazines Top 100 CEOs in Africa annual list is an initiative to profile the Best-Performing CEOs on the continent. The list is calculated by measuring financial returns during each CEOs entire tenure and factoring in two assessments of each companys environmental, social, and governance practices. Africas Top 100 CEOs initiative will help drive discussion of how society should measure a business leaders performance. The goal of the listing is to help promote discussions in the business environment focusing on leadership, growth/return on investment, ESG, and sustainability across Africa.

The editorial team considers and priorities CEOs whose companies are listed on a stock exchange because their companies are regulated because they follow strict rules and in some instances, are expected to meet certain reporting standards, such as good corporate governance, sustainability reporting, accounting, and financial reporting, etc. to meet stakeholder and shareholder expectations.

MCB Group CEO Jean Michel Ng Tseung is among them at the 95th place.
THE news of the passing of Vincent Gill, Killiney, Dublin, was received with sadness in his native Mayo and in showband circles around the country. Vincent, who was a native of Murneen, Claremorris, was a member of the legendary Royal Blues Showband who enjoyed huge success around Ireland and overseas during the 1960s.

Vincent (81, pictured), who died in the kind care of the staff at Blackrock Hospice following a relatively short illness, was trombone player with the band and also rendered some country songs along with his standard, The Boys from the County Mayo. His brother Frank, who died in 2018 at the age of 78, was bandleader with The Royal Blues who were fronted by Doc Carroll and Shay OHara. They were managed by Andy Creighton from Claremorris who was one of the highest profile managers in the country in those times.

The Royal Blues brought great joy and delight to the county and Doc Carrolls rendition of Old Man Trouble saw them become the first band from the West of Ireland to reach Number I in the Irish Top 20. That was back in 1966 during the halcyon days of the showband era.

Vincent loved his many trips down from Dublin to Murneen and meeting friends in Claremorris, Knock and Kiltimagh. He enjoyed many days lending support to his beloved Mayo and also to Tipperary, the home county of his wife, Joan, nee Hanley from Templemore.

Vincent was an exemplary gentleman who was blessed with an innate sense of goodness and kindness and he touched the hearts of so many people all down the years.

The Requiem Mass was celebrated by Fr John Sinnott in the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Killiney, on Saturday and was followed by interment in Kilternan Cemetery.

Vincent will be greatly missed by his wife Joan and their sons Ronan and Paul, daughter-in-law Grainne, grandchildren Cameron, Daragh and Sean, sister Teresa, brother-in-law Thomas, sisters-in-law Mary, Ann and Pam (England), nephews, nieces, relatives, friends and neighbours.
During the night of January 4, "unknown drones attacked the largest Russian sea trade port Ust-Luga in Leningrad region," said head of the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) Andriy Kovalenko.

On Telegram, Kovalenko notes that the Ust-Luga port plays a key role for the Russian Federation in the conditions of the war against Ukraine and general geopolitical tension.

Because it is a logistics hub for bypassing sanctions. In addition, the aggressor's shadow fleet arrives and departs here.

The Ust-Luga port has actually become an instrument of economic and military survival of the Russian Federation in conditions of isolation, Kovalenko noted, but did not report on the effectiveness of the drone attack.

At the same time, Russian Telegram channels claim that most of the drones were shot down over the Novatrans LLC terminal on the port territory. Windows in one of the buildings on the port territory were damaged. The authorities reported four UAVs shot down and no casualties or damage.
In Sumy region, airstrike on residential building results in injuring two children, adult, people may be under rubble  authorities

Russian occupiers have struck the Svesa community of Shostka district, two children and one adult have been preliminarily wounded, Sumy Regional Military Administration reported.

"Today, January 4, the enemy launched an airstrike, using an aerial bomb, on the Svesa community of Shostka district. The Russians dropped a bomb on a residential high-rise building," the authorities said in a Telegram message.

"Preliminary, two children and one adult have been wounded. One entrance of the apartment building has been destroyed. An emergency rescue operation is underway. It is likely that there may be people under the rubble," the message said.
by Colin Kirkland , January 3, 2025

In response to a copyright infringement complaint filed by a handful of music publishers, including Universal Music and ABKCO in October 2023, artificial intelligence giant Anthropic has agreed to train its future AI models to avoid copying licensed music.

Anthropic's AI model Claude was trained on at least 500 songs Universal and ABKCO had official rights to, according to the publishers. Claude, they claimed, was able to reproduce exact lyrics of tracks like Beyonces Halo and Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger, either partially or in full when prompted.

Partially resolving the lawsuit, Anthropic agreed to enforce guardrails against outputs that reproduce, distribute or display copyright material owned by the publishers, and said it would respond expeditiously to all copyright concerns from the record companies.

advertisement advertisement

While the agreement was approved by U.S. District Judge Eumi Lee on Thursday, it is just one piece of an ongoing case in California federal court accusing the Amazon-backed AI company of misusing hundreds of popular songs.

Claude isnt designed to be used for copyright infringement, and we have numerous processes in place designed to prevent such infringement, an Anthropic spokesperson said in a statement.

However, the spokesperson added that using potentially copyrighted material in the training of Claude and other generative AI models is a quintessential fair use.

If further copyright issues arise, the agreement makes clear that publishers may notify Anthropic in writing that its guardrails are not effectively preventing output that reproduces, distributes, or displays, in whole or in part, the lyrics to compositions owned or controlled by publishers, or creates derivative works based on those compositions.
Social relationships affect health by influencing blood proteins linked to diseases. Loneliness and social isolation can have adverse effects on health.

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Plasma proteomic signatures of social isolation and loneliness associated with morbidity and mortality



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Did you know?

Loneliness is associated with increased blood pressure and #stress. #lonliness #depression #medindia 

Loneliness is associated with increased blood pressure and #stress. #lonliness #depression #medindia 

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How Social Isolation and Loneliness Affect Proteins in the Blood

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Loneliness and Their Impact on Health

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AI and Proteomics Reveal the Health Risks of Loneliness

The Role of Proteins in Loneliness

Plasma proteomic signatures of social isolation and loneliness associated with morbidity and mortality - (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02078-1)

Social interactions and relationships with friends and family can keep us healthy by boosting our immune system and reducing the risk of diseases like heart disease stroke , and type 2 diabetes Social relationships and interactions play a significant role in our well-being. A recent study found that social isolation and loneliness are linked to poor health and early death. However, the mechanism through which social relationships impact health remains unknown.Research from the UK and China studied proteins from blood samples of 42,000 adults recruited to the UK Biobank. The study findings are published in).One way to explore biological mechanisms is to look at proteins circulating in the blood. Proteins are molecules produced by our genes and are essential for helping our bodies function properly. They can also serve as useful drug targets, allowing researchers to develop new treatments to tackle diseases.A team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge, UK, and Fudan University, China, examined the proteomes  the suite of proteins  in blood samples donated by over 42,000 adults aged 40-69 years who are taking part in the UK Biobank. This allowed them to see which proteins were present in higher levels among people who were socially isolated or lonely, and how these proteins were connected to poorer health.The team calculated social isolation and loneliness scores for individuals. Social isolation is an objective measure based on, for example, whether someone lives alone, how frequently they have contact with others socially, and whether they take part in social activities. Loneliness, on the other hand, is a subjective measure based on whether an individual feels lonely.When they analyzed the proteomes and adjusted for factors such as age, sex, and socioeconomic background, the team found 175 proteins associated with social isolation and 26 proteins associated with loneliness (though there was substantial overlap, with approximately 85% of the proteins associated with loneliness being shared with social isolation). Many of these proteins are produced in response to inflammation, viral infection, and as part of our immune responses, as well as having been linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and early death.The team then used a statistical technique known as Mendelian randomization to explore the causal relationship between social isolation and loneliness on the one hand, and proteins on the other. Using this approach, they identified five proteins whose abundance was caused by loneliness.Dr Chun Shen from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, at Fudan University, said: We know that social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer health, but weve never understood why. Our work has highlighted several proteins that appear to play a key role in this relationship, with levels of some proteins in particular increasing as a direct consequence of loneliness.Professor Jianfeng Feng from the University of Warwick said: "There are more than 100,000 proteins and many of their variants in the human body. AI and high throughput proteomics can help us pinpoint some key proteins in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of many human diseases and revolutionize the traditional view of human health."The proteins weve identified give us clues to the biology underpinning poor health among people who are socially isolated or lonely, highlighting why social relationships play such an important part in keeping us healthy.One of the proteins produced at higher levels as a result of loneliness was ADM. Previous studies have shown that this protein plays a role in responding to stress and in regulating stress hormones and social hormones such as oxytocin  the so-called love hormone  which can reduce stress and improve mood.The team found a strong association between ADM and the volume of the insula, a brain hub for interoception, and our ability to sense what's happening inside our body  the greater the ADM levels, the smaller the volume of this region. Higher ADM levels were also linked to a lower volume of the left caudate, a region involved in emotional, reward, and social processes. In addition, higher levels of ADM were linked to an increased risk of early death.Another of the proteins, ASGR1, is associated with higher cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, while other identified proteins play roles in the development of insulin resistance atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries), and cancer progression , for example.Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge said: These findings drive home the importance of social contact in keeping us well. More and more people of all ages are reporting feeling lonely. Thats why the World Health Organization has described social isolation and loneliness as a global public health concern. We need to find ways to tackle this growing problem and keep people connected to help them stay healthy.The research was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, Shanghai Rising-Star Program, National Key R&D Program of China, Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project, 111 Project, Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, and Zhangjiang Lab.Source-Eurekalert
NIMHANS honored with WHO's Nelson Mandela Award for promoting health, including yoga's mental benefits.



Can #Yoga ease mental and physical distress? President #Droupadi_Murmu believes #NIMHANS can lead the way by blending tradition with science! 

President Murmu Applauds Growing Mental Health Awareness

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President Droupadi Murmu urged the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) to effectively incorporate traditional methods like Yoga to ease mental and physical distress.Addressing the gathering on the golden jubilee of the health institute here, she said: "Different meditations are also useful in countering negative mindsets and could be integrated into the mental health care models.Asserting that traditional medical approaches are beneficial, she said: "The wisdom and life lessons from our ancestors and seers can help us all develop a spiritual framework with which we can make sense of the ups and downs of life." "Our scriptures tell us that the mind is the root of everything we perceive in the world. A healthy mind is the foundation of a healthy society," she underlined.Hailing increased awareness about mental health, President Murmu said: "In the past, issues concerning mental health were not given enough attention in some societies. In recent times, however, awareness of mental health has been rising. Unscientific beliefs and stigmas attached to mental illness are a matter of the past, making it easier for those suffering from various ailments to seek help."She also mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic in particular led to a spike in mental health concerns.""Every age group is facing problems and people react to it. Teenagers and youngsters face more issues in their studies today due to social pressure. Working professionals face more stress and a large number of elderly people suffer from loneliness due to social challenges. Whoever meant to bear the burden of domestic responsibilities and caregiving for the family is prone to a range of mental illnesses that usually go unnoticed," President Murmu stated.She hailed NIMHANS' initiatives like Tele MANAS to facilitate counselling anywhere anytime and the SAMVAAD platform to address child and adolescent mental health problems and noted: "Your dedication to the services towards mental health has played an exemplary role in our society. The innovative research and rigorous academic programme with exceptional patient care has made it an undisputed leader in the field of mental health and neurosciences.""Since its establishment, NIMHANS has been innovative in addressing complex challenges in this field. The Ballari model of community healthcare has made history. Now, the Tele Manas platform uses technology to reach out to those in need. It is heartening to note that the 53 Tele Manas centres across the country have reached out to 70 lakh people in their local languages in the last two years," President Murmu stated.Source-IANS
Complimenting our fact-files on Spitfire, Churchill, Hitler and Stalin, Military Times has compiled a list of frequently baffling facts about the Second World War.

Many of these have been widely reported and circulated, entering the annals of modern folk-lore. Yet like all legends, they have been embellished over time, either by hyperbole or simple miss-reporting.

Whilst there are many more beguiling facts and figures equally worthy of inclusion, we have narrowed it to down to a selection of ten.

In the process, we have sought to debunk some of the myths, surrounding these events.

1. The Third Streich

It is said that lightning never strikes the same place twice. The Norwegian merchant-seamen Birger Lunde would perhaps disagree. Lunde was not only sunk by German U-Boats an incredible three times in consecutive years, but miraculously survived to tell the tale, living on to the age of 82.

His first encounter occurred in May 1941, whilst serving aboard the cargo ship Taranger, as second mate and radio operator. 250 miles off Iceland, and headed for America for artillery modifications to strengthen the vessel, she was met by a U-Boat which shelled us until the ship literally fell apart. They were rescued from the lifeboat a couple of days later by the British Navy.

Less than a year later, February 1942, his ship, Blink, was torpedoed. His lifeboat would capsize several times. Following several deaths amongst the crew, hallucinations due to fatigue and a dearth of supplies, and battles with sharks, the few remaining survivors were picked up by an American ship.

Returning to the waters, again as second mate and radio operator, his vessel, Oregon Express, was hit by a torpedo in 1943 whilst cruising in convoy in the Atlantic. This time he didnt make it into a lifeboat, instead suffering a broken collarbone, ribs, and injuries to his back. Thankfully for Lunde he was spotted by a Danish ship, before ended up in New York.

2. German U-Boat trounced by Royal Flush

It is often reported across various sources that a malfunctioning toilet sank the German submarine U-120. In fact this claim is erroneously attributed; the sub in question was actually the much larger U-1206, which was fitted with an advanced, yet complicated deepwater high-pressure toilet.

As the name suggests, the new sanitation device was designed for use at a significant depth. So complicated was the drainage procedure, however, that specialised technicians were trained to do it.

The incident occurred on 14th April 1945, 8 miles off the coast of Peterhead, Scotland, whilst cruising at a depth of 200 feet. Due to misuse, the head started flooding rapidly, obliging the captain, Karl-Adolf Schlitt to surface.

She was spotted and subsequently bombed by British patrols. Again, faced with no other palpable option, Schlitt scuttled the U-boat. One crewman died, three drowned and a further 46 were captured by the British.

In a final epilogue to the story, the wreck was found by BP in the 1970s, whilst surveying underwater pipelines. The discovery provides an alternative theory for the U-boats demise; the fatal leak may have resulted from a collision with another wreck at the same site.

3. Collect 200 Marks as you pass Go!

35,000 Allied prisoners of war escaped German and Italian camps during World War II. Some people may be surprised to learn that the board game Monopoly was responsible for at least a third of these.

The Red Cross sent POWs special prison escape kits disguised as standard monopoly boxes. The specialised kits were marked by a red dot  appearing to the uninitiated as a mere printing glitch  in the free parking square.

Contents included: authentic German currency hidden amongst the Monopoly money, a tiny compass embedded into the dog counter, a metal file sandwiched inside the board itself, and silk maps of the prison and its locality sealed inside the hotel pieces. Silk could not only be compressed to a small size, but more importantly, it would not rustle like a paper map which may potentially alert guards of escape.

The manufacturers, John Waddington Ltd, were specially commissioned to create these kits for the British Secret Service. POWs were generally allowed to play board games to pass the time, making the monopoly box the perfect ruse. In a similar innovation, RAF pilots were issued with playing cards which could be soaked in water, revealing maps when unfolded.

Incidentally, in standard issue Monopoly sets during the war, the dice were replaced with a cardboard spinner due to the short supply of normal materials.

4. Island invasion catastrophe

On 15th August 1943, almost 35,000 American and Canadian troops stormed the island of Kiska to repel a Japanese invasion force; 21 men died in the ensuing pandemonium and crossfire. Little did they know, however, that the island was in fact unoccupied. Kiska, the Aleutian Island, an America territory since 1867, had been captured by the Japanese the previous June. Although the island off Alaska was not particularly strategically important in itself, the psychological impact of Japan claiming American soil made its recapture even more desirable.

In addition to the 21 fatalities, a recorded 130 suffered trenchfoot, whilst many more were injured either in the confusion, or as a result of Japanese booby traps that had been left on the island.

Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US Navys top command was known by the abbreviation of CINCUS (or sink us). Naturally the name was later changed.

5. The WWII origins of Fanta

Fanta, the fizzy, sugar-based drink owned by Coca Cola, symbolic of the American dream, actually began its life in Nazi Germany.

Various conspiracy theories sporadically arise over this story, some claiming that the drink was conjured up by the Nazi war machine to counter American permeation of popular consumer culture. One could reasonably argue that the negative propaganda inherent in mass consumption of an American import would be damaging  potentially to both parties. This line of reasoning leads some to suggest that both Coke and Fanta were really the same product, only branded differently for the respective markets.

However, other symbolic American brands, Ford being the obvious example, had little qualms in articulating their proud relationship with Hitlers Germany.

In reality, the drink was developed not by the Nazis, but independently by Max Keith, head of Coca Colas German operations, a pragmatic solution to the problem of getting Coke ingredients into Germany. Its ingredients varied, depending on which by-products were available from German factories at the time.

The drink proved popular, and was adopted by Coca Cola internationally post-war.

In another allusion to Coca Colas wartime influence, it is reported that the drink was so integral to the America war-effort that the US Army took 3 bottling plants with them into North Africa.

6. Outnumbered

During the Second World War, the US Army had more ships than the US Navy.

7. The Price to Pay

The effects of war are both far-reaching and enduring. Britain was still paying off its WWII debts owed to America and Canada as recently as 2006. The final instalment of $83.25 was wired to America on the last day of business, 2006; it was actually 6 years late, due to intermittent financial difficulties, having negotiated a 50 year payment plan in 1950. Britain was reportedly three months shy of bankruptcy when the war finally drew to a close, mid-1945.

8. A Wooden Performance?

It has been claimed that during the war, Academy Awards were made out of wood, as opposed to the traditional plated bronze or Britannia alloy trophies. In actual fact this is a fallacy. Whilst it is true that metal trophies were suspended for three years owing to a shortage, the replacements were actually made of painted plaster. Following the war, the Academy invited recipients to redeem the plaster figures for gold-plated metal ones.

9. Churchill takes a bow (and arrow)

Traditionalist Lieutenant Colonel John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill, or Mad Jack as he was known, fought in World War II using a longbow and sword. Churchill  of no apparent relation to his namesake  once asserted that any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed.

10. I Dont Do Requests

In 1942, American radio DJs were prohibited from airing requests of listeners. It was feared by the War Department that enemy spies might embed secret intelligence messages, hence broadcasting valuable information to be picked up by other agents.

The BBC is known to have used the same technique to deliver encrypted messages to the Resistance and other allies across Europe.

To read more interesting fact files from World War Two, explore these articles:

8 little know Spitfire Facts

Winston Churchill Facts

Bizarre Adolf Hitler Facts

Josef Stalin Fact File

Common Battle of Britain Myths




The active-duty Green Beret soldier who died after blowing up a Tesla Cybertruck in front of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day left a note calling the attack a "wake-up call" for the country, investigators said Friday.

"Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?" Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger, the career Special Forces operative who detonated the rented Cybertruck and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, wrote in the recovered note. "Why did I personally do it now? I need to cleanse my mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took."

The note was released as the latest detail in an investigation that had sought a motive in the vehicle bombing by Livelsberger, who was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado, and stationed in Stuttgart, Germany. In what appeared Friday to be a bizarre coincidence, an Army veteran killed 14 people celebrating in New Orleans in the early morning of New Year's Day using a rental truck with an Islamic State terrorist group flag.

Read Next: Marine Corps to Launch New Staff Noncommissioned School This Year, Ditching Separate Education Programs

"Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues," FBI agent Spencer Evans told reporters at a press conference late Friday in Las Vegas, speaking about Livelsberger and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In the note, Livelsberger claimed the truck bombing was "not a terrorist attack." Nobody was killed in the explosion in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, but seven people received minor injuries, according to The Associated Press.

"Fellow service members, veterans and all Americans, TIME TO WAKE UP!" Livelsberger wrote. "We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves."

The reason Livelsberger chose the Trump hotel and a Tesla Cybertruck was still unclear on Friday. President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sworn into office later this month, and he was elected with the help of the world's richest man, Elon Musk, who owns Tesla. Livelsberger was reportedly a supporter of Trump.

Meanwhile, officials stressed that, despite the timing and shared military backgrounds, there has been no direct link found between Livelsberger and the Army veteran attacker on Bourbon Street, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who had a raft of personal issues including divorces that may have led to the deadly attack, which ended with him being killed by police.

The parallels are striking: Both men were Afghanistan War veterans, both utilized rented vehicles from the same company to carry out violent public acts on the same day, and both were stationed at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, during their careers.

But the similarities may stop there.

Jabbar, who left the military in 2020, was a civilian at the time of his attack. He also served only in conventional units at Fort Liberty and Fort Richardson, Alaska. Livelsberger, on the other hand, was still serving in the Army with 10th Special Forces Group in Germany and was just months away from completing the 20 years of service required for a full retirement package. He also had no obvious connections to radical ideologies. Defense officials say the two men never served in the same unit.

"I'm not tracking there's an overlap in their service record," Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Friday, adding that no evidence of collaboration or shared ideology has emerged.

Las Vegas officials, after reviewing data on one of Livelsberger's phones, said that they found two letters that were "varying on the spectrum in terms of political grievances, issues  domestic issues, societal issues, a variety of other things including personal challenges as well."

On Friday, "The Shawn Ryan Show," a popular podcast about the military community, also shared what it claimed was an email from Livelsberger, sent on the morning of Dec. 31. In the email, Livelsberger allegedly detailed conspiratorial fears that he was being followed by federal agents. He also referenced being part of U.S. airstrikes in Afghanistan that he claimed killed civilians -- an event he implied was being covered up.

The email veered into unsubstantiated claims about recent drone activity that had made news headlines, alleging they were of Chinese origin and employed new, advanced technology. Livelsberger also wrote that his vehicle had already been rigged to explode, saying his bomb was keeping federal agents from approaching him, nearly 24 hours before the detonation outside the Trump-branded hotel.

Las Vegas officials said that they were "very well aware" that the podcast had the email, and Evans said that they had "strong evidence to suggest that it was the subject that wrote it, but we haven't conclusively proven that yet."

Two defense officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Military.com that Livelsberger had been experiencing difficulties recently, describing signs of apparent mental distress. However, it remains unclear whether he received formal treatment.

On Thursday evening, the Las Vegas police announced that the Clark County coroner ruled Livelsberger's death a suicide from a gunshot wound to the mouth. CNN reported Friday that he had been diagnosed with depression.

When asked about the report, Singh wouldn't confirm its details but did say that "the department has turned over all medical records to local law enforcement."

Livelsberger's personal life had not been steady either.

Public records show that he married his first wife in 2012 in Ohio. However, the couple ended up divorcing about five years later, according to the wife's friend who spoke with multiple media outlets and described Livelsberger as controlling and unsupportive.

A former girlfriend also told multiple outlets that Livelsberger's behavior changed in 2019 after he returned from a Middle East deployment with a traumatic brain injury, saying that he became isolated and struggled with mental issues.

He had at least three combat deployments, earning numerous awards for valor. That, in addition to the high cadence of training in special operations units, would've likely exposed him to blasts that can cause brain injuries. Those injuries have become the signature wound of the military in recent years and in some cases can be more severe than the physical wounds typically associated with war.

Military.com has reported extensively on the impacts and devastating symptoms that brain injuries resulting from blasts are causing for service members and veterans, and the fact that they are linked to an increased risk of suicide.

Public records show that Livelsberger ended up remarrying another woman, and social media posts reveal that the couple had a child together this year.

However, according to the New York Post, which spoke with law enforcement sources, that marriage was also falling apart over allegations of infidelity.

The Post reported that Livelsberger's new wife accused him of infidelity around Christmas, and she ended the relationship six days before his death in Las Vegas.

Livelsberger's girlfriend told the Denver Gazette that she was one of several former girlfriends that he reached out to in the last few days of his life.

Jabbar's life also started to unravel as he ended his Army service.

He filed for the first of two divorces in 2012, according to North Carolina court records. Once he left active-duty service and transitioned to the Army Reserve in 2015, his first wife told The New York Times on Wednesday, he "struggled with adjusting to civilian life."

Despite remarrying a few years later, Jabbar still struggled with personal relationships and money became a problem.

The second marriage also ended in divorce, and court records show that Jabbar was struggling financially. In the same year, he was discharged from the Army reserves for "unsatisfactory participation," Army records show.

Financial disclosures filed by Jabbar portrayed the couple as relatively impoverished, with most of their bank accounts completely empty despite him having a job with the consulting company Deloitte that paid him a salary of more than $120,000 a year.

Jabbar said that he was personally spending nearly $9,000 a month -- with around $2,000 of that just on credit card debt and student loans -- while taking home only around $7,500.

Meanwhile, his second wife, in her filings, said that Jabbar had been wasting their money, including "excessive cash withdrawals, gifts to paramours, unreasonable and unnecessary spending, and the improper accumulation of debt."

The divorce was granted in September 2022.

The FBI told reporters that, in one of the videos he posted online, Jabbar said "he originally planned to harm his family and friends but was concerned that news headlines would not focus on the 'war between the believers and the disbelievers.'"

Related: Active-Duty Special Forces Soldier Connected to Trump Hotel Tesla Truck Explosion
WASHINGTON (AP)  The highly decorated Special Forces soldier who died by suicide in a Cybertruck explosion on New Year's Day confided to a former girlfriend who had served as an Army nurse that he faced significant pain and exhaustion that she says were key symptoms of traumatic brain injury.

Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was a five-time recipient of the Bronze Star, including one with a V device for valor under fire. He had an exemplary military record that spanned the globe and a new baby born last year. But he struggled with the mental and physical toll of his service, which required him to kill and caused him to witness the deaths of fellow soldiers.

Livelsberger mostly bore that burden in private but recently sought treatment for depression from the Army, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public.

He also found a confidant in the former nurse, who he began dating in 2018.

Alicia Arritt, 39, and Livelsberger met through a dating app while both were in Colorado Springs. Arritt had served at Landstul Regional Medical Center in Germany, the largest U.S. military medical facility in Europe, where many of the worst combat injuries from Iraq and Afghanistan were initially treated before being flown to the U.S.

There she saw and treated traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, which troops suffered from incoming fire and roadside bombs. Serious but hard to diagnose, such injuries can have lingering effects that might take years to surface.

I saw a lot of bad injuries. But the personality changes can happen later, Arritt said.

In texts and images he shared with Arritt, Livelsberger raised the curtain a bit on what he was facing.

Just some concussions, he said in a text about a deployment to Helmand Province in Afghanistan. He sent her a photo of a graphic tattoo he got on his arm of two skulls pierced by bullets to mark lives he took in Afghanistan. He talked about exhaustion and pain, not being able to sleep and reliving the violence of his deployment.

My life has been a personal hell for the last year, he told Arritt during the early days of their dating, according to text messages she provided to the AP. Its refreshing to have such a nice person come along.

On Friday Las Vegas law enforcement officers released excerpts of messages Livelsberger left behind showing the manner in which Livelsberger killed himself was intentional, meant both as a wakeup call but also to cleanse the demons he was facing from losing fellow soldiers and taking lives.

Livelsbergers death in front of the Trump Hotel using a truck produced by Elon Musks Tesla company has raised questions as to whether this was an act of political violence.

Officials said Friday that Livelsberger apparently harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, and Arritt said both she and Livelsberger were Tesla fans.

I had a Tesla too that I rescued from a junkyard in 2019, and we used to work on it together, bond over it, Arritt said.

The pair stopped talking regularly after they broke up in 2021, and she had not heard from him in more than two years when he texted out of the blue Dec. 28, and again Dec. 31. The upbeat messages included a video of him driving the Cybertruck and another one of its dancing headlights; the vehicle can sync up its lighting and music.

But she also said Livelsberger felt things very deeply and I could see him using symbolism of both the truck and the hotel.

He wasnt impulsive, Arritt said. I dont see him doing this impulsively, so my suspicion would be that he was probably thinking it out.

Arritt served on active duty from 2003 to 2007 and then was in the Army Reserve from until 2011. With Livelsberger she saw symptoms of TBI as early as 2018.

He would go through periods of withdrawal, and he struggled with depression and memory loss, Arritt said.

I dont know what drove him to do this, but I think the military didnt get him help when he needed it.

But Livelsberger was also sweet and kind, she recalled: He had a really deep well of inner strength and character, and he just had a lot of integrity.

Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Friday that it has turned over all Livelsberger's medical records to local law enforcement, and encouraged troops facing mental health challenges to seek care through one of the military's support networks.

If you need help, if you feel that you need to seek any type of mental health treatment, or just to talk to someone  to seek the services that are available, either on base or off, Singh said.

When Livelsberger struggled during the time they were dating, Arritt prodded him to get help. But he would not, saying it could cost him his ability to deploy if he was found medically unfit.

There was a lot of stigma in his unit, they were, you know, big, strong, Special Forces guys there, there was no weakness allowed and mental health is weakness is what they saw, she said.

Livelsberger seeking treatment for depression was first reported by CNN.

___

Associated Press writer Rio Yamat in Las Vegas contributed.
The Coca-Cola Company and the Ukrainian Red Cross (UCRC) continue to work together to support the people of Ukraine. To the 45 mobile boiler houses provided by the partners to local communities last year 60 more were joined within 2024.

Two new mobile boiler houses are intended for medical facilities in Lviv region. One of them will be installed at the Superhumans, which is a modern centre for prosthetics, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation and psychological support for adults and children affected by war.

The second heating module was handed over to the hospital in Dobrotvir village community. This is a 500 kW unit that will fully meet the needs of the medical facility.

We are very proud of our cooperation with Coca-Cola Ukraine, as it means our energy's independence and the ability to ensure the sustainable operation of the centre. Now Superhumans performs more than 100 highly complex surgeries every month, has 84 beds and more than 70 patients wearing prosthetics. It is important for us to ensure a comfortable stay for patients during recovery and confidence of the medical staff in the smooth operation of the equipment, Olga Rudneva, CEO of Superhumans Center said.

Over the past two years, The Coca-Cola Company has invested USD 8.5 million in the purchase of 105 boilers, which will allow heating up to 600,000 square metres of social facilities across Ukraine.
BATH TOWNSHIP, MI  A yellow northern cardinal is a rare thing and Michigans got one.

Michiganders Arlene and John McDaniel have been backyard birders for nearly four decades and just before Christmas they noticed something theyd never seen before. There was a yellow northern cardinal near their birdfeeder.

I couldnt believe it, you know? And I asked my husband, I said, Come and look at this. Have you seen this? And yes, he verified he was seeing it too, Arlene McDaniel said.

Scientists estimate the male northern cardinals genetic mutation that makes it yellow also makes it a 1-in-10 million bird.

The abnormally colored songbird is now a part of the couples daily routine at their rural Bath Township home, northeast of Lansing.

We just sit here in the morning, and we watch, Arlene McDaniel said.

He seems to make a regular appearance between like 10 a.m. and noon, and then sometimes hell come later in the day. Hes real shy about going on the feeder. He likes to be on the ground or up in the tree, she said.

John McDaniel said they named the endearing yellow cardinal Donovan in homage to the 1960s-era folk musician. One of his big hits was a tune called Mellow Yellow, he said.

The couple said the yellow bird is causing quite a stir online after Arlene posted a few snapshots on a social media site for Michigan-based birders.

Michigan Audubon Conservation Manager Chad Machinski said its exciting that a yellow northern cardinal was spotted in the Lansing area. He said they are rare, but not unheard of.

It goes to show that even birds that we consider ordinary can in fact be extraordinary and that if you dont take a second to look around, you might not see it, he said.

However, Machinski cautioned that birdwatchers should be careful not to disturb this kind of special bird.

I wish more folks would be able to see it, but often with rare birds like this, they can draw a crowd which can then cause a great deal of stress for the bird if people are not respectful, he said.

Meanwhile, scientists who study this type of bird coloring anomaly are among those interested in this rare bird found in Michigan.

Ornithologist Geoffrey Hill, a professor at Auburn University in Alabama, said when a yellow northern cardinal was spotted in that state six years ago, he was asked how rare this anomaly is and he kind of just flippantly and quickly said, Its about a one-in-a-million bird, and then that was the headlines.

Actually, there are about 50 million cardinals in North America, according to estimates from surveys, and theres probably, at any one time, about five yellow cardinals known somewhere. So, it probably is more like one in 10 million birds.

Hill said research remains underway into the genetic components of birds with typically red feathers that instead have yellow coloring. Scientists learned its connected to lacking proteins, or enzymes, in those unique birds.

Its actually two enzymes. It requires a two-step process for a cardinal to be red, Hill said.

The yellow-instead-of-red phenomenon is caused by whats called a knockout mutation  a missing element in the DNA sequence.

All it takes is a mistake in the DNA that codes for that protein, and then its a fatal mistake, and then the protein doesnt work, and then they cant use it. Theyre yellow, Hill said.

Scientists learned that missing one of the two enzymes causes this mutation after studying feathers taken from the first yellow northern cardinal documented in the wild. That bird was collected in 1989 in Baton Rouge by scientists at Louisiana State University, which means the bird was captured and euthanized.

More recently, a rose-breasted grosbeak with yellow instead of red feathers was submitted to the museum at Auburn University. Analysis of feathers from that specimen showed it was likely caused by a similar knockout mutation, but of the second of the two required proteins.

Should the McDaniels find any lost yellow feathers from Donovan in their backyard, they could help advance this line of scientific study, Hill said.

If we could get feathers from more yellow cardinals, we could see if in cardinals, its always that enzyme one or sometimes two thats knocked out, he said.

The ornithologist said there is no research into whether this type of genetic mutation affects the individual birds ability to breed, or if the mutation is hereditary.

This rare yellow northern cardinal in mid-Michigan is a different species (Cardinalis cardinalis) than the also rare yellow cardinal (Gubernatrix cristata), a South American bird in the tanager family.

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GAYLORD, MI  Several Michigan lawmakers are expressing outrage about plans to lease 420 acres of state forestland for a solar farm in Otsego County.

An official with the state Department of Natural Resources confirmed the agency continues to respond to multiple inquiries from legislators about siting solar panels on state-managed public lands after an MLive report published Thursday. Several Republican state lawmakers issued statements on Friday, arguing anyone at the DNR responsible for this decision should be fired.

DNR leadership recently decided to request bids for a solar project on public trust lands in Hayes Township, just west of Gaylord at the 45th Parallel. The effort would be a companion project to two other solar farms in the works on nearby private land.

All three solar installations would take advantage of proximity to a high-voltage power transmission line that runs through the area.

Related: Michigan plans to clear 400+ acres of state forest near Gaylord for solar farm

State Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord, listens during a joint hearing by the House Appropriations and Tax Policy committees on Thursday, Feb. 24, at the state Capitol in this file photo.Courtesy of Ken Borton

State Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord, called the decision to destroy wildlife habitat for solar panels mind-numbing.

Weve all read the Lorax. If he thought like the DNR, hed only be speaking for trees for as long as it took to fill his chainsaw with gas after the solar industry waved a fat wad of cash in his face, Borton said in a released statement.

State Sen. Michele Hoitenga, R-Manton, said just as the DNR holds citizens accountable for unethical conservation actions, people are in turn demanding accountability for what she called an unethical conservation decision by the DNR.

The people who made this absurd decision signed up for a job to protect our natural resources. Their department is supposed to stand up for outdoor enthusiasts, Hoitenga said. Instead, they sold us out.

Michigan State Sen. Michele Hoitenga (R) during session in Lansing, Michigan on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com

One Democrat also commented on the news.

State Rep. Mike McFall, D-Hazel Park, said this decision will be counterproductive to the climate fight because research shows deforestation for solar energy actually increases greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere.

We can fight climate change and protect our forests. Lets demand smarter solutions that align with our climate goals, McFall posted on Facebook while sharing MLives initial report.

Some of the state land in question has already been clear cut and replanted with red pine seedlings. Other areas remain forested and host oil and gas wellheads.

Ed Golder, DNR spokesperson, said the agency is working to answer lawmakers concerns and provide as much information as possible. He shared comments from DNR Director Scott Bowen that were previously sent to employees regarding this solar project and the agencys larger solar efforts.

Bowen said the DNR manages 4.6 million acres of public land, including leasing property for many types of industrial development. Examples include gas and oil wells and processing facilities, pipelines and flowlines, mines, sand and gravel pits, asphalt plants and cell phone towers.

As the largest landowner in the state, DNR can play a role in providing energy needed by society, Bowen said in the memo to DNR staff.

DNR lands have been leased for gas, oil, and mineral production for decades. Now, solar energy is part of the mix, and we expect some of our state lands can be used for that purpose while recognizing not every acre proposed for development is compatible with solar energy.

Bowen acknowledged staff scientists raised concerns about the conversion of forested land to a solar farm. Different divisions apparently couldnt reach consensus.

Thats why as DNR director, Bowen made the final decision to offer those 420 acres near Gaylord for solar projects in a competitive bidding process, he said.

We intend to choose the right acres, in the right places, to achieve energy objectives. It is not our intent to have widespread conversions, Bowen wrote to DNR employees.

To date fewer than 1,500 acres have been leased for solar development. We expect fewer than 4,000 acres will be leased in total, less than the number of acres used for gas and oil wells on state lands, he said.

Deforesting land for renewable energy has become the focus of recent scientific study. Research done at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York shows the loss of forests for solar installations could result in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions  the air pollution which fuels the accelerating climate crisis.

Harvard University researchers showed that solar installations impacts on forests and farms are part of what is undermining public support for this resource, with many communities now seeking to slow or block new ground-mount projects.

MLive filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents and digital files associated with the states solar project near Gaylord on Oct. 21, 2024, which remains pending.

Editors note: A previous version of this story stated that a loss forests for solar installations would result in a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions, according to Chinese researchers and a Harvard study. The Chinese researchers were using research done at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York which shows the loss of forests for solar installations could result in increased emissions. The story has been clarified.

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Energy companies at odds as major power lines could plow through Michigan solar farm

New Michigan power lines will disrupt farms, airstrips and homesteads, residents say

On Lake Michigan, a giant water battery aids clean energy transition

Nuclear is getting a reaction in Michigan. Is it reaching critical mass?
BAY CITY, MI  On an overcast winter day, a beautiful, fresh salmon is precisely filleted, a bowl of sashimi is expertly arranged and a roll of sushi is delicately placed on a plate at a sushi bar.

Its an experience alongside a place to dine in Bay City.

Izakaya, pronounced ee-zuh-kai-uh, is a Japanese-forward restaurant that also offers fusion dishes, said owner/chef Roy Pfund.

Bringing his experience of cooking and traveling throughout the United States and the Bahamas, Pfund has opened a place of his own in his hometown.

Ive always wanted to come back to Bay City because my family and friends are here, Pfund said. I want people to really try what sushi is all about. And at the same time, this place is not just about sushi, our kitchen menu is unbelievable.

The restaurant opened last April and is located at 512 Midland St.

Pfund said hes been a chef his whole life, starting his career at The Texan in Bay City. He worked at a few other local places before moving to Denver, Colorado in 1988.

After that, Pfund moved to Scottsdale, Arizona and was a chef there for 15 years. His journey took him to North Carolina and the Bahamas but then went back to North Carolina to open his own restaurant, he said.

Then, Pfund was off to Nashville, Tennessee, then to Charleston, South Carolina, before making his way back home to Bay City.

That was quite a stint, traveling around, but I kind of gathered all my culinary skills and I wanted to come back here and see if Bay City was ready for it, Pfund said.

Pfund said he was hooked on creating Japanese dishes after working with them in 1991. He also had friends who ran a Japanese restaurant, and they showed him the ins and outs.

Ive done all kinds of cuisine, but I always kind of gravitated toward Japanese food and I felt very comfortable with it, Pfund said.

Since there isnt much of the Japanese cuisine available in the Bay City area, Pfund said he was excited to crush the stigma of sushi in Bay City and offer something different to the community.

Fresh sushi with high-quality seafood is available, such as bigeye tuna and salmon.

Pfund said he fabricates all the fish himself and aims to take it to the next level.

We just want to grow the business and get a name make Midland Street a destination, Pfund said. People can kind of open up their eyes to the Japanese cuisine.

The restaurant offers a variety of fried rice and homemade dumplings, but also brings other cuisines into the mix, such as the French, Italian and Mongolian, Pfund said.

Other dishes offered include Mongolian ribs, a filet mignon and homemade desserts. Seasonal specials also appear on the menu.

Diners can enjoy homemade sake, along with beer and wine, with their meal.

Im trying not to fall into any category, theres some fusion going on, Pfund said.

Pfund said customers should expect innovative presentations along with a laid back atmosphere and something delicious for everyone.

Izakaya is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling 989-293-6644.

For more information, follow the restaurants Instagram page here.

Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw.

Would you like MLive to feature your favorite restaurant in Michigans Best Local Eats? Send the details, including business name, address and best menu item, to Kaytie Boomer at kboomer@mlive.com.
MACOMB COUNTY, MI  A Michigan high school teacher and two parents have been arraigned in connection to an alleged drug deal that happened on New Years Eve.

Christopher Michael Filiccia, 46, a teacher at Lincoln High School, was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 31 and charged with possession of a controlled substance, a 4-year felony, according to a news release from the Macomb County Prosecutors Office.

Deangelo Ramone Daniel, 42, and Racquel Dubose, 35, were also arrested and are each facing 12 charges, including delivery and manufacture of a controlled substance, maintaining a drug house, concealing a firearm and several counts of child abuse.

Daniel was also charged with assaulting, resisting and obstructing a police officer, a 2-year felony.

The three were arrested in separate traffic stops on Tuesday after police observed Filiccia and Daniel engage in a brief transaction in Daniels truck while parked at the 7-Eleven at 12 Mile Road and Schoenherr in Warren.

Both men left the parking lot in their respective vehicles. Police pulled Filiccia over in a traffic stop and allegedly found drugs, according to the release.

Daniel tried to flee when officers attempted a traffic stop, but he was eventually arrested, prosecutors said. Police executed a search warrant on Daniels residence, where his children live, and allegedly found drugs and firearms in the home and accessible to the children.

A final traffic stop was conducted on Dubose, who lives with Daniel and their children, prosecutors said. A stolen firearm was allegedly found in her vehicle, according to the release.

The charges brought against these individuals are deeply troubling, particularly given their roles within the community, Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucid said. One is entrusted with shaping the minds of our youth as a teacher, and the other two are parents. The impact of their alleged actions fractures the trust within our schools, destabilizes families, and casts a shadow over our communitys sense of safety.

All three defendants were arraigned in Warren 37th District Court, where Judge Suzanne Faunce set a $200,000 bond for Daniel, a $50,000 bond for Dubose and $5,000 personal bond for Filiccia.

A probable cause hearing is scheduled for the case at 8:45 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, before Warren District Court Judge Steve Bieda.
ANN ARBOR, MI  The changing face of Ann Arbor and its people and places have been dutifully documented for many years by journalists carrying cameras, notebooks and recorders.

MLive/The Ann Arbor News recently published a seven-part series compiling some of that history, decade by decade, with hundreds of old photos from the 1930s to 90s.

Heres a quick look at 10 of our favorite photos from The News archives during that period.

Read the full series to see more.

Nickels Arcade in the 1930s

Some things change, and some stay the same. The popular arcade between State and Maynard streets has been a retail destination and downtown anchor for over a century, with Van Boven still among its shops and elegant, three-story pillars still among its charms.

The scene outside the State Street side of Nickels Arcade in downtown Ann Arbor in 1939. The Van Boven clothing store, which opened in 1921, remains there today.Eck Stanger | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

State Theatre in 1940s

A look inside the original grand theater on State Street before it was divided decades later into four separate screen rooms, then cut in half as the first floor was converted to retail.

A renovation and expansion in 2017 restored it as a four-screen cinema destination, while a Target store now occupies the first floor.

The grand opening of the State Theatre on State Street in downtown Ann Arbor in March 1942. The balcony, with a seating capacity of about 670, and the main floor together could accommodate an audience of about 1,900.Eck Stanger | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

Old streetcar rails in 1940s

A snapshot of the multi-faceted, years-long effort back home to help win World War II, and a look at Ann Arbors old streetcar rails.

Electric streetcars ran on rails in Ann Arbor from the 1890s to the 1920s, going from Depot Street down Detroit Street to Catherine Street and then Main Street, circulating through downtown and the University of Michigan campus area and out to Burns Park. Interurban streetcars also carried passengers to Ypsilanti and Detroit to the east and Jackson to the west.

The rails from Ann Arbor's old streetcar system on Catherine Street are ripped up in May 1942 to be used as scrap metal to make munitions to support the nation's war effort during World War II.Eck Stanger | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

State Street in the 1950s

A last look at downtowns State Street as a brick street, as asphalt became the material of choice for most city streets by this time.

A crew paves over State Street's brick street with asphalt in downtown Ann Arbor in 1951.Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

Michigan Theater in the 1950s

The Michigan Theaters marquee has gone through multiple iterations over the decades. Here it is looking a little different in the 1950s, six years before the marquee and vertical sign were taken down and replaced with a new triangular marquee.

Another new marquee and sign more closely matching the theaters original 1920s look were added during a restoration in the late 1990s.

The Michigan Theater on Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor in October 1950.Maiteland Robert La Motte | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

Huron Street in the 1950s

A glimpse at when the Allenel hotel, named in honor of town founder John Allen, was once a dominant presence on a different-looking Huron Street.

A view looking east along Huron Street at Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor in 1950. The Allenel hotel, named in honor of town founder John Allen, is visible along the south side of the street. It was demolished in 1964.Eck Stanger | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

Old city hall in the 1960s

A last look at Ann Arbors 1907 city hall that served the city nearly six decades before the growing town decided it needed a bigger municipal complex.

Demolition of Ann Arbor's old city hall at the southwest corner of Fifth Avenue and Huron Street in May 1965, two years after completion of a new six-story city hall kitty-corner from it. The old city hall stood for about six decades and was taken down to make way for a seven-story office building.Eck Stanger | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

The Wheelers in the 1970s

The night Albert Wheeler made history as Ann Arbors first Black mayor.

He and wife Emma, who was president of the Ann Arbor NAACP for over 15 years, worked to ensure passage of the citys fair housing ordinance in the 1960s and spent decades fighting for equal rights. Wheeler Park is named after them.

Albert Wheeler with wife Emma on election night in April 1975 when he became Ann Arbor's first Black mayor. They both were civil rights activists and over a decade earlier fought successfully for a fair housing ordinance to prohibit racial discrimination.Cecil Lockard | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

Tally Hall in the 1980s

The downtown food court and shopping mall that would years later inspire the name of a popular Ann Arbor rock band is shown here in its heyday.

Tally Hall, which included a public parking deck, was the first major project sponsored by the Downtown Development Authority. The mall eventually closed and was divided into smaller commercial spaces.

An audience packs Ann Arbor's Tally Hall dining and shopping mall on Liberty Street for a Chenille Sisters concert in February 1987.Nat Ehrlich | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

Hash Bash in the 1990s

A scene emblematic of the clashes between law enforcement and marijuana legalization advocates as Ann Arbors famous annual cannabis festival flourished in its third decade. Its still going strong decades later, continuing beyond Michigans 2018 vote to legalize pot.

Jaime Magiera, a member of the Ann Arbor Hash Bash sound crew, argues with a University of Michigan police lieutenant about organizers' attempt to keep the sound system working beyond a 1 p.m. deadline at the Hash Bash rally on the UM Diag in April 1996.Elli Gurfinkel | Ann Arbor News archives courtesy of OldNews.AADL.org

SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE SERIES:

Ann Arbor in the 1930s: Nickels Arcade, Burton Tower, West Park and more

Ann Arbor in the 1940s: World War II efforts, movie theaters and more

Ann Arbor in the 1950s: aerial views, downtown scenes and new subdivisions

Ann Arbor in the 1960s: high-rises, fight for civil rights and a new city hall

Ann Arbor in the 1970s: Commie High, Briarwood Mall, Hash Bash and more

Ann Arbor in the 1980s: Tally Hall, Shakey Jake, Middle Earth and more

Ann Arbor in the 1990s: The Ark, Del Rio and final days of Drakes and Klines

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WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI  Just over a dozen K-12 schools in Washtenaw County have been among Michigans lowest-performing over the last few years, according to three state watch lists that help identify schools needing extra support.

But under the latest reports tracking progress, most of the impacted schools havent improved enough to come off the lists.

The latest Michigan School Index reports were made public in November, updating information like test results and graduation rates at all public schools for 2023-24 and rating each one from 0-100 overall and in specific areas.

Schools identified as needing support are then confirmed to be in one of three federal categories  largely based on the lowest-performing state assessment results statewide or those with low graduation rates, as well as those with specific student groups particularly affected by low performance  before entering partnership agreements with the Michigan Department of Education.

The index values are updated annually, while the lists of schools in support categories are updated at different intervals.

Read more: Which Michigan schools are among the most underperforming  and are they improving?

In Washtenaw County, the one exception to the lack of progress in improving student performance and assessment results is in Ypsilanti Community Schools.

Erickson Elementary is now listed as no longer needing targeted support and improvement, or TSI, as it was in 2022-23 for students with disabilities performing in the bottom 25% on assessments statewide.

The TSI watch list identifies schools where performance for particular student groups are in the lowest-performing quarter annually. An updated list has not been posted for 2023-24.

Meanwhile, one Ypsilanti middle school has moved to another list for lack of progress over the last few years. A request for comment to the district had not been immediately returned ahead of the holiday break.

The other watch-list or support categories are schools needing comprehensive support and improvement, or CSI, and additional targeted support, or ATS.

CSI is a list updated every three years and includes schools that are among the lowest performing 5% and/or high schools with four-year graduation rates of 67% or less. The ASI list is updated every six years and includes schools with one or more student groups with an index value at or below the lowest-performing 5%.

Both were last updated in 2021-22.

So, what are the other Washtenaw schools being watched by the state?

The following are the schools identified on the latest of the three lists along with each schools overall index score, any impacted student groups and index scores for performance growth and graduation rates.

Index scores are values based on the degree schools met certain targets.

The growth index measures the percent of students on track to reach or maintain proficiency within three years on the M-STEP, SAT and MI-Access assessments. The proficiency target for language arts and math are 57.05 and 35.90.

The graduation overview calculates a schools success in meeting graduation rate targets in four-, five- and six-year cohorts with those goals being 93%, 95.76% and 96.34%, respectively.

Achieving College and Career Education (ACCE)

District or agency: Ypsilanti Community Schools

Support category: CSI, below both performance and graduation rate thresholds

Overall index: 20.06/100

Growth index: 8.77/100

Graduation rate index: 72.14/100

ACTech High School

District or agency: Ypsilanti Community Schools

Support category: TSI, English learners and Hispanic or Latino students impacted by low performance

Overall index: 52.17/100

Growth index: 56.45/100

Graduation rate index: 85.19/100

Erickson Elementary School

District or agency: Ypsilanti Community Schools

Support category: no longer listed, previously TSI for students with disabilities impacted by low performance

Overall index: 40.2/100

Growth index: 45.27/100

Graduation rate index: n/a, 1-5

Fortis Academy

District or agency: Heritage Academies

Support category: ATS, students with disabilities impacted by low performance

Overall index: 67.9/100

Growth index: 83.43/100

Graduation rate index: n/a, K-8

Holmes Elementary School

District or agency: Ypsilanti Community Schools

Support category: CSI, below performance threshold

Overall index: 37.24/100

Growth index: 55.14/100

Graduation rate index: n/a, 1-5

LCS Virtual Academy

District or agency: Lincoln Consolidated School District

Support category: TSI, economically disadvantaged students impacted by low performance

Overall index: 25.42/100

Growth index: 23.7/100

Graduation rate index: 65.29/100

Multicultural Academy

District or agency: Bay Mills Community College

Support category: CSI, below performance threshold

Overall index: 38.61/100

Growth index: 51.28/100

Graduation rate index: n/a, K-10

Pathways to Success

District or agency: Ann Arbor Public Schools

Support category: CSI, below both performance and graduation rate thresholds

Overall index: 16.45/100

Growth index: 8.35/100

Graduation rate index: 52.8/100

South Pointe Scholars Charter Academy

District or agency: Heritage Academies

Support category: ATS, students with disabilities impacted by low performance

Overall index: 77.15/100

Growth index: 86.36/100

Graduation rate index: n/a, K-8

Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education

District or agency: Washtenaw Intermediate School District

Support category: CSI, below performance threshold

Overall index: 5.46/100

Growth index: n/a

Graduation rate index: n/a

Washtenaw Technical Middle College

District or agency: n/a

Support category: CSI, below graduation rate threshold

Overall index: 96.97/100

Growth index: 100/100

Graduation rate index: 87.56/100

YPSI Connected Community School

District or agency: Ypsilanti Community Schools

Support category: TSI, Black or African American and economically disadvantaged students impacted by low performance

Overall index: 43.77/100

Growth index: 53.9/100

Graduation rate index: n/a, K-8

Ypsilanti Community Middle School

District or agency: Ypsilanti Community Schools

Support category: Prior ATS, converted to CSI for unimproved performance

Overall index: 32.41/100

Growth index: 38.02/100

Graduation rate index: n/a, 5-8

For more information on the Michigan School Index or to look up your schools status and progress, visit www.mischooldata.org/school-index.

If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools.

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ALLENDALE, MI  Start your mornings with warm rays of hospitality.

The Nest Egg, located at 6101 Lake Michigan Dr. in Allendale, offers morning classics like avocado toast and breakfast sandwiches with unique twists.

The eatery, which opened last February, was created by Antonio Mhilli, whose culinary journey started at age 9 at the family sandwich shop in Albania. He went on to work in restaurants in Italy, Washington D.C. and New York City.

Mhilli isnt trying to change the American breakfast with The Nest Egg, he said. Hes created an atmosphere that invites others to try European stylings here and there,

Every single person that walks through the door is a guest at my house, so theyre treated like family, Mhilli said.

Owner Antonio Mhilli at The Nest Egg, located at 6101 Lake Michigan Dr., in Allendale on Monday, December 30, 2024.Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.com

Nest Egg is slowly building connections by serving fresh produce from local farms and markets, Mhilli said. He spends most mornings buying fruits and vegetables for that day just like he did for Michelin Star restaurants.

The balsamic glaze, which is proudly featured on the menu more than once, is imported from Italy monthly.

Its a sense of pride. So many things are made with our hands. I have no fear serving a dish, because I know how fresh it is, Mhilli said. You can serve great things, but you have to sell it to the people by telling them how you built it and the story behind every bite.

The Balkan, which costs $10, is avocado toast with two eggs made to order, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, onion and balsamic drizzle at The Nest Egg, located at 6101 Lake Michigan Dr., in Allendale on Monday, December 30, 2024.Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.com

The Balkan, The Frenchie and Greek Wrap come highly recommended.

The Balkan, which costs $10, is avocado toast with two eggs made to order, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, onion and balsamic glaze.

The Frenchie, which costs $13, is scrambled eggs and swiss cheese with a choice of ham, bacon, sausage or turkey between two pieces of dusted French toast slices.

The Greek wrap, which costs $13, comes filled with grilled chicken or gyro meat, feta, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber sauce. Add french fries or the soup of the day for $2.

The menu also offers omelets, specialty breakfasts, lunch sandwiches, burgers and salads.

Mhilli said he plans to expand with a to-go counter for hot breakfast sandwiches and speciality coffees.

For more information or to check out the menu, visit the restaurants website here or call 616-681-8855.

Interior of The Nest Egg, located at 6101 Lake Michigan Dr., in Allendale on Monday, December 30, 2024.Isaac Ritchey | iritchey@mlive.com

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GRANDVILLE, MI - In its four years since opening, Grandvilles Adesanya Mead & Microbrewery has found success selling craft beer, hard cider and wine, but the product that its named for - mead - is what owner and head brewer David Sawyer said is really driving growth.

Sawyer, whos been in the brewing industry for nearly 20 years, now wants to quadruple Adesanyas draft mead production.

Located at 3012 28th St. SW at the Oakestown Mall in Grandville, Adesanya currently boasts 10 draft beers, eight draft meads, four still meads, four wines and two hard ciders/lemonades. The businesss beverages are produced and fermented on site.

They are served with an ever changing menu of bar bites, soups, salads, sandwiches and pizzas that are cooked in the meaderys newly expanded kitchen.

Sawyer said that between the space now being taken up by the businesss larger kitchen and an increased demand for both food and beverages, the time has come for Adesanya to expand with an off-site production facility across town.

A Chill, Dawg pizza inside Adesanya Mead & Microbrewery, 3012 28th St SW, at the Oakestown Mall in Grandville, on Thursday, June 6, 2024. The Chill, Dawg features Jedi Chili, bacon, pepper/colby jack, mozzarella, smoked ham, Italian sausage, onion, tomato, pickle and mustard drizzle. This pizza exemplifies a chili dog as much as a pizza possibly can, said Nicholas Sutherland, who is the chef, kitchen manager and general manager of Adesanya.Cory Morse | cmorse1@mlive.com

Its all kind of feeding each other, he said. The beverages are feeding the growth of the food, and the food is feeding the expansion of the beverage production.

The off-site permit, which will allow Adesanya to expand to a facility located south of Wyoming, off Division Avenue South near Cutler Park, was approved by Grandvilles City Council in October.

It will add just over 1,700 square feet of warehouse space, and will result in an increase in all the beverages made at the microbrewery, Sawyer said. That includes beer, wine and cider, along with a new addition of distilled spirits and the possibility of contract brewing, or being paid to produce beer for others.

But mead production is expected to make up the largest percentage of new growth, Sawyer said, as hes now looking to distribute draft mead statewide.

Currently, Adesanya ships product to 39 states, from Alaska to Wyoming.

RELATED: Adesanya Mead & Microbrewery has good eats to pair with beer, cider, mead and wine

Its always been, pun intended, a liquid environment. People move, as far as their palates start to dictate what they want, he said. Thats the consumers progress through all these different trends.

Draft mead has been emerging as one potential trend, Sawyer said, with several other companies beginning to specialize in mead across the state.

Im not necessarily reinventing the wheel in the state of Michigan, he said. However, it is kind of a younger thing. Theres competition out there, for sure, but it is still a very open market by comparison to the craft spirits that have exploded or craft beer.

Sawyer said the success of draft mead thus far warrants taking the risk of expanding, after several years of steady growth despite opening in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tap at Adesanya Mead & Microbrewery, 3012 28th St SW, at the Oakestown Mall in Grandville, on Thursday, June 6, 2024. Cory Morse | cmorse1@mlive.com

Sawyer said hes hopeful the production facility could be ready for use by April, pending state approval.

Hes most excited about the possibilities that could come with expanding his draft mead production, including more partnerships with programs supporting U.S. military veterans.

One of Adesanyas mead flavors, the Heroes to Hives bottle, uses honey from a veteran-owned apiary, Sawyer said. That veteran graduated from Michigan State Universitys Heroes to Hives program, part of a national initiative connecting veterans with free beekeeping resources and educational training.

A portion of the meads sales is also donated back to the Heroes to Hives program, Sawyer said.

Another few Adesanya mead flavors, named TYFYS (Thank You For Your Service), are sold to support Talons Out Honor Flight, an initiative offering free flights to Americas veterans to visit Washington, D.C. memorials.

Sawyer said the sales from the mead helped fund trips for seven veterans and their guardians this year.

With a grandfather who served as a career Marine, Sawyer said hes excited about not only fun draft mead products, but also the positive impact their sales can have on his community.

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KALAMAZOO, MI -- High school juniors take the SAT each spring as part of the Michigan Merit Examination.

The results dont only help individuals make their case to college admissions committees, but also show a zoomed out picture of how well school districts are preparing their students.

The SAT, or Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a benchmark to test the college readiness of high school students.

The 2024 data is out, showing the average scores in every public high school. Heres a look at how Kalamazoo-area districts fared.

Top 10 schools, by average SAT score

Kalamazoo-area schools ranged from an average score of 669 (Renaissance High School in Plainwell Community Schools) to 1098 (Portage Central High School in Portage Public Schools).

The highest score an person can receive on the SAT is 1600.

Here are the top 10 Kalamazoo-area schools, by average SAT score in 2024.

Portage Central High School: 1098 Gull Lake Virtual Partnership: 1096 Mattawan High School: 1056 Schoolcraft High School: 1053 Gull Lake High School: 1031 Portage Northern High School: 1030 Vicksburg High School: 1015 Otsego High School: 976 Plainwell High School: 976 Kalamazoo Central High School: 944

Heres a searchable, sortable table of where Kalamazoo-area high schools ranked. The chart also shows how many students were assessed and what percentage of students were college ready in English, math and overall.

Portage Central High School was the only school to eclipse 50% in college readiness, with 50.3% of students being deemed college ready.

Across Michigan, only about 25% of students who took the test in 2024 were deemed college ready.

The data can also be viewed by school district. The map below shows how Kalamazoo-area school districts as a whole performed on the SAT in 2024.

Mattawan Consolidated School had the highest district average at 1056. Portage Public Schools was second, with an average of 1055, followed by Schoolcraft Community Schools at 1053.

SAT SCORES ACROSS MICHIGAN: See the average SAT score for each Michigan school district

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CALHOUN COUNTY, MI  A woman died at the scene of a structure fire after first responders pulled her from the burning residence on Friday afternoon.

Authorities were dispatched to the fire at 3:10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, in the 8000 block of Pennfield Road in Pennfield Township, according to a news release from the Calhoun County Sheriffs Office.

A 73-year-old woman was found inside the burning home with significant injuries from the fire, the sheriffs office said. First responders removed the woman from the fire and attempted life-saving measures, but ultimately pronounced her dead at the scene.

No other occupants were found inside the home.

The Calhoun County Sheriffs Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim during this difficult time, the sheriffs office said.

The Pennfield Township Fire Department, Emmett Township Department of Public Safety and Lifecare Ambulance Service also responded to the structure fire.

No information was shared about how the fire started. The Calhoun County Sheriffs Office is asking anyone with information about the fire to contact Lt. Curtis Smith at 269-781-0880, or Calhoun County Consolidated Dispatch at 269-781-0911. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Silent Observer at 269-781-9700.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 4. Kazakhstan advocates for strengthening security cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a meeting with the SCO Secretary-General, Nurlan Yermekbayev, Trend reports.

Kazakhstans President Tokayev was briefed on the current activities of the SCO and its priority areas for cooperation. He praised the organizations unique role and emphasized its vast potential across political, economic, and cultural domains. He specifically highlighted the importance of addressing regional and global security concerns.

The President also underlined the need for further strengthening the SCOs activities, improving its collaboration with international organizations, and advancing Kazakhstans initiative within the SCO titled On Global Unity for a Just World, Harmony, and Development.

To note, Nurlan Yermekbayev officially assumed the position of SCO Secretary-General on January 1, 2025, following a decision by the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Photo: Administration of the President of Tajikistan

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, January 4. In the coming weeks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will make a working visit to Tajikistan, Trend reports.

Rustam Emomali, Chairman of the National Council of the Majlisi Oli (Supreme Assembly) of Tajikistan and Mayor of Dushanbe, shared the news via social media.

According to Emomali, the visit will include meetings between the two countries' leaders, along with other key negotiations.

To note, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon paid a working visit to Tehran on July 30, 2024. Furthermore, since August 10, Tajikistan and Iran have implemented a visa-free regime for holders of ordinary passports.

This will be President Pezeshkians first official visit to Tajikistan.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 4. Uzbekistan intends to join key international nuclear safety agreements, Trend reports.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a decree aimed at strengthening nuclear safety in the country.

The decree includes the formation of new industrial safety inspection bodies. Navoi, Almalyk, Bekabad, and Railway Industrial Safety Inspectorates have been established within the structure of the Committee for Industrial, Radiation, and Nuclear Safety under the Cabinet of Ministers.

In addition, Uzbekistan is set to join several significant international agreements on nuclear safety, such as the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency, the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident, and the Convention on Nuclear Safety. These steps reflect Uzbekistans commitment to aligning with global standards on nuclear safety and ensuring better protection for the public and environment.

Earlier, Uzbekistan and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have joined forces to chart a course for expanding their collaboration in harnessing the peaceful atom, paving the way for a brighter future.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 4. Iran is ready to engage in constructive discussions about its nuclear program without delay, the country's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, Trend reports.

In an interview with Chinese television, Araghchi stated that Iran intends to initiate talks regarding its nuclear program, intending to reach a mutually agreed-upon deal.

He explained that over the past two years, Iran held friendly discussions with the P5+1 group (the US, the UK, France, Russia, China, and Germany), leading to an agreement that was recognized as a diplomatic achievement by the entire world. However, the current situation has arisen due to the United States' withdrawal from the agreement.

From Irans perspective, the formula should be similar to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), where the removal of sanctions would lead to the establishment of trust in Irans nuclear program. Based on this principle, Iran is ready to engage in discussions," he added.

The Iranian foreign minister also noted that a round of talks had already been held with European countries, namely the UK, France, and Germany, and a second round of discussions is scheduled to take place within the next two weeks.

According to Araghchi, China and Russia have played a constructive role in the discussions surrounding Irans nuclear program and are expected to continue their positive contributions.

He stressed that the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018 created significant challenges, leading to new sanctions against Iran, which prompted a necessary response. However, Iran remains firm in its belief that the path of diplomacy is never closed.

To note, in January 2016, the JCPOA was launched between Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in connection with Iran's nuclear program. However, the U.S. withdrew from the agreement in May 2018 and imposed new sanctions on Iran that November. In 2020, Iran declared that it would not be subject to any limitations under the nuclear deal.

At the end of 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to implement a strategic plan in the nuclear field with the aim of lifting sanctions. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, Iran has suspended the implementation of additional steps and an additional protocol provided for in the nuclear agreement. At the same time, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) control mechanism decreased by 20-30 percent.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 4. A recent survey has revealed that more than half of the French population is calling for the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron, Trend reports.

According to the findings of the Odoxa-Backbone research, conducted for Le Figaro, 61 percent of respondents expressed support for Macron's departure from office.

This figure represents a notable increase of 7 percent since September of the previous year. The survey also shows that 38 percent of participants are against Macrons resignation, while 1 percent chose to remain neutral.

The survey, conducted on January 2-3, included 1,005 participants.

Additionally, 62 percent of respondents described Macron as an authoritarian leader. The overwhelming majority of French citizens also believe that Prime Minister Francois Bayrou will not remain in office until the end of the year, with 86 percent expecting Macron to appoint a new prime minister before 2025.

Notably, Macron appointed 73-year-old Francois Bayrou, leader of the Democratic Movement party, as prime minister on December 13. His predecessor, Michel Barnier, was forced to resign on December 4 after a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly (lower house of parliament).
Aamir Khan's daughter Ira Khan celebrate first wedding anniversary with husband Nupur Shikhare with goofy pictures, see

Palak Vij

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Committed to turning Air India into top-class airline in the world, says N Chandrasekaran

101Reporters

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 4. Russias St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport has suspended the arrival and departure of all flights due to temporary restrictions, Artem Korenyako, the spokesperson for the countrys Federal Air Transport Agency (FATA/Russian acronym Rosaviatsiya), said, Trend reports.

The restrictions took effect at 07:45 (GMT+4) Moscow time.

"Temporary limitations have been imposed on the operations of St. Petersburgs Pulkovo Airport. The primary goal of these measures is to ensure safety. All airport services and aircraft crews are taking necessary steps to guarantee security under the current situation," Korenyako said.

Details regarding the duration of the restrictions have not been disclosed.
Chinese dams to be discussed in India visit of US national security adviser

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Delhi elections: BJP's first list of 29 candidates out; Parvesh Verma to contest against Arvind Kejriwal

Smriti Mishra

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Delhi teen stabbed to death outside school after fight with classmate, 7 detained

Arishaa Izaj

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Har Ghar Jal mission misses 2024 target, nearly half of households in 4 states left out

Smriti Mishra

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INSV Tarini departs from Lyttelton in New Zealand for longest leg of expedition

Chhabi Kala

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Jamnagar will be platform for long-term growth for future generations: Mukesh Ambani

Arindam Roy

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Breitling combines innovation and tradition at its Manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds where over 300 artisans annually assemble almost 200,000 watches. Thanks to cutting-edge technologies and a constant quest for quality, the brand headed by Georges Kern continues to grow while honoring its aeronautical heritage and the excellence of Swiss-made expertise.

Not all Manufactures are alike, even those belonging to the major brands. Confirming the truth of this statement is the inherent purpose of the GMT Watch Safari and an observation made during our recent visit to Breitling Chronometrie in La Chaux-de-Fonds. The consistency of the brand  propelled into a new dimension under the leadership of Georges Kern since 2017  is confirmed on the outside through its branding, albeit in a subtly understated way. The meteoric growth enjoyed by Breitling Chronometrie involves two buildings totaling 6,000sqm linked by a corridor and evoking an airport terminal, as well as an additional 1000sqm area rented in a neighboring property. Here, more than 300 people work meticulously to create the movements as well as assemble and case up some 200,000 timepieces a year  of which 85,000 are equipped with in-house calibers. At the brands historic headquarters in Grenchen, Breitling employs a further 200 people (for bracelet assembly alongside other manufacturing sstages and shipping), not to mention another 80 in Zurich dedicated to sales and marketing support. All Breitling watches are COSC-certified, a commitment expressed as early as 1999 and reinforced in 2009 with the creation of the first in-house caliber  of which Breitling now has a dozen. The brand makes no secret of the fact that in order to support its expansion, it also works with an extensive network of sub-contractors for hands, dials and movements.

Watchmaking  Breitling

Embracing modernity

Upon entering the four-storied building with its wide, open staircases and visuals of planes and pilots adorning the steel and glass walls, one cannot help drawing comparisons with an airport. This is very much the Breitling world and passengers should prepare to fasten their seat belts. Mannequins evoking the famous Breitling Pilots and coffee tables shaped like aircraft propellers blend into the decor, contrasting with Italian marble. Throughout the workshops, paintings by retro-modern German artist Jurg Oring add color and interest amid the ultra-modern Swiss-made machinery. Breitlings pioneering spirit is evident in these machines, since the brand was the first to use dry (lubricant-free) machining on such a large scale. The complex houses R&D, the technical department, industrialization, micromechanics, prototyping, component assembly and watch-head assembly, as well as decoration and casing-up. More than 40 professions coexist here and processes are constantly optimized. Large bay windows overlooking the forest edges and hills behind the building complete the picture.

Breitling Manufacture  Breitling

Promoting productivity

Breitling is known for its efficiency and methodology, which are spectacularly evident here. Dry machining is not only more environmentally friendly, its also less costly and more productive. The machines run 24 hours a day, with each line under the responsibility of a daytime operator and dedicated to a special operation (chamfering, cutting, bead-blasting, etc.) or a specific component (bridge, barrel, etc.). The obsession with quality means that each watch undergoes 1,000 checks during its manufacturing process and is delivered to boutiques after eight months. This perfectionism means that certain tools have to be replaced twice a month and all component offcuts are recycled: two tons of shavings reduced to powder and recycled every month.

Breitling Manufacture  Brice Lechevalier / WorldTempus

Machinery is devoted to serving human needs, with the automation of many tasks enabling the bulk of certain operations to be handled more quickly. It is nonetheless definitely men and women who devote their skills to ensuring quality, meticulously verifying aspects that machines cannot detect. In the course of production, skilled specialists spot certain small defects  with the naked eye or binoculars  and correct them by means of a few experienced touches. Laminar flow technology in sensitive workshops sucks up all dust, protecting mechanisms and people alike. In addition, all externally sourced components are carefully checked when entering the premises, sometimes to the nearest thousandth of a millimetre. This rigorously disciplined attitude pays off, as the waste rate has fallen to 0.8 %, which has a positive impact on the sales price for customers. When customers are invited to visit the premises, they finish their tour on the top floor, where a very comfortable, hospitable lounge complete with its Breitling bar awaits them, an ideal place in which to relax and admire the collection. A seventh heaven?

Breitling Manufacture  Breitling

Because you are a WorldTempus reader, we are delighted to offer you the digital version of the GMT 90, which you can download here.
'To relieve myself...': Prashant Kishor reacts on allegations of 'Rs 2 crore vanity van'

101Reporters

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Two soldiers killed, three hurt as Army vehicle falls into gorge in J-K's Bandipora

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US-based model on India trip: How Delhi man duped over 700 women on Bumble, Snapchat?

Smriti Mishra

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47-year-old 'human Barbie' to use 23-year-old son's blood in bid to remain 'ageless'

Shubhi Mishra

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Shubhi Mishra

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Blinken heads to Asia, Europe on last expected trip as top US diplomat

101Reporters

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Arindam Roy

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Sheetal Kumari

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Residents of the occupied Crimea celebrated the New Year with a hit song by Ukrainian artist Andrii Danylko (stage name Verka Serdyuchka). Even the main characters of Russian winter holidays  Santa Claus and Snow Maiden  joined the dancing.

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Verka Serdyuchka showed in her InstaStories how people are having fun on the streets of Simferopol to her hit song "Everything Will Be Fine," which has long been the anthem of the New Year. Although the song is written in Russian, it belongs to a Ukrainian artist who is sharply reacting to the Russians and their propaganda, and now Ukrainianizing his songs.

Danylko commented on the video and reiterated that the occupied Crimea belongs to Ukraine. "Crimea is ours! Simferopol, New Year's Eve 2025," he captioned the video.

The video shows people dancing on the city square, where there are festive decorations in the form of brightly colored balloons wrapped in garland. The "eternal" hit had just been played from the speakers, but no one demanded that it be turned off.

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These New Year's celebrations showed that despite all the attempts to suppress identity, Crimean residents continue to maintain a connection with Ukrainian culture. Dances and songs have become a kind of manifesto of unity and desire for freedom.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that Verka Serdyuchka conveyed a message to Russia from the stage in Amsterdam. She performed the iconic song Dancing Lasha Tumbai, with which she represented Ukraine at the song contest in 2007. However, in recent years, this hit has taken on a special connotation.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Priyanka Roshan

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At the age of 116, Japanese pensioner Tomiko Itooka, who in August 2024 entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest person, passed away. Her life ended in a nursing home in Ashiya, where she had been living recently.

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According to the authorities, the record holder died of natural causes, BBC reports. Honoring the memory of the Japanese woman, Mayor Ryosuke Takashima said that with her long life, she gave everyone around her "courage and hope for the best."

Tomiko Itooka was born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka, Japan. She was the oldest child in the family and had three younger siblings. Throughout her life, the record holder was a very active person, so she twice conquered the top of Mount Ontake, which is 3,067 meters high.

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At the age of 20, Tomiko Itooka married her chosen one and had four children with him. During the Second World War, she managed the office of her beloved's textile factory, who unfortunately died in 1979.

It's worth noting that even in her older age, the record holder did not stop leading an active lifestyle. At 80, the long-lived woman made a pilgrimage trip to 33 Buddhist temples along the Saigoku Kannon route several times. At the age of 100, she was able to climb the stone stairs of a religious building in Ashiya without a cane.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Sonora, CA Tuolumne County experienced a sharp rise in flu cases in December, according to a report from the countys Public Health Department. Data from September 30 through December 23, 2024, show influenza activity spiking dramatically in recent weeks, outpacing both COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.

While COVID-19 activity remains low, RSV and flu cases are moderate and increasing, the report noted. Statewide data indicate that the majority of positive influenza specimens are type A, with both H1 and H3 strains circulating. Additionally, the recombinant COVID-19 variant XEC is becoming more prevalent and is expected to soon surpass the current dominant variant KP.3.1.1. Public health officials expressed optimism that the updated COVID-19 vaccine will be effective against XEC. The California Immunization Registry highlights that many residents remain unvaccinated for influenza, underscoring the importance of preventive measures as respiratory illnesses continue to spread. The date reported reflects cases that were reported by CDPH Data Distribution Portal and represent cases that were tested in a healthcare facility or lab. This data does not represent total community cases that may be occurring

Public health officials recommend common-sense precautions such as frequent handwashing, avoiding close contact with sick individuals, and staying home if feeling unwell to reduce the risk of infection. This was highlighted in the most recent Public Health Spotlight January newsletter which can be found here
The well-known manufacturer of cheap cars Dacia has created a cool SUV Sandrider. This car is completely different from other models and will help the company re-establish itself.

ADVERTISIMENT

Carscoops shows the new Dacia Sandrider in the photo. This is not the usual budget car that the Romanian brand is known for. The company has created a real "monster" with a 360 hp powerplant. It has all-wheel drive and a sporty rally suspension.

The 2025 Dakar Rally has already started in Saudi Arabia, with three Dacia Sandrider crews taking part in it. Earlier, the car took 1st and 2nd place in the Rallye du Maroc in Morocco.

For a worthy performance, it has everything from the world of racing SUVs: a carbon fiber body, high ground clearance, 37-inch tires, and a powerful engine.

The engine of the Dacia Sandrider is a 3-liter twin-turbo V6 with a capacity of 360 hp (539 Nm). The SUV has a 6-speed gearbox as part of an all-wheel drive transmission. If the company brought such a car to the market, it would be much more expensive than the famous Duster.
2025 Bug of the Year Nominees New Zealand Bug of the Year

Where the next financial crisis could emerge FT

Climate

Syndemics

China?

How Global South can resist US hegemony and its isolationism South China Morning Post

Myanmar

Syraqistan

European Disunion

Dear Old Blighty

Scores of firefighters left with chronic health conditions years after tackling deadly Grenfell Tower fire Daily Mail. Everything is like Grenfell.

New Not-So-Cold War

South of the Border

Panama reports sharp drop in irregular migration through Darien Gap Al Jazeera

Biden Administration

Trump Transition

Greenlands PM pushes for independence from Denmark amid Trumps interest EuroNews. Commentary:

NEW: Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede calls for independence from Denmark as Donald Trump ramps up his calls for acquiring the territory. "It is now time to take the next step for our country," Egede said. "Like other countries in the world, we must work to remove the pic.twitter.com/uiRXzchjN7  Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 4, 2025

The Blob

Top 10 Think Tanks That Receive Funding Pentagon Contractors Think Tank Funding Tracker. Handy chart:

Spook Country

Zeitgeist Watch

Abby Martin of The Empire Files: Making art has been keeping me sane. Just finished this little piece  Salt Divine, 11 x 14", collage & paint pen pic.twitter.com/nM3w04V6Yz  Abby Martin (@AbbyMartin) January 3, 2025

Digital Watch

Our Famously Free Press

Supply Chain

Cass acquires ocean, airfreight invoice audit platform Freight Waves. Commentary: The intersection of finance and supply chain is increasingly important. In the latest illustration, Cass Information Systems just acquired Acuitive Solutions freight audit platform. AcuAudit focuses on ocean, air and drayage shipments. Cass was the industry pioneer in freight  Benjamin Gordon      (@benjaminhgordon) January 3, 2025

The Final Frontier

The other space control: who does what in the national security space enterprise Space News

Book Nook

Happy birthday (yesterday): Not all those who wander are lost J.R.R. Tolkien Tolkien was born OTD in 1892. pic.twitter.com/AD6v8DKrS2  leahmcelrath.bsky.social (@leahmcelrath) January 4, 2025

Class Warfare

Your life is not a story: why narrative thinking holds you back Psyche

Antidote du jour (Rhododendrites):

Not really an antidote, but fun:

Maths tricks  South Korea vs. China (via:visualfeastwang) pic.twitter.com/ApZdjpPfr3  Learn Something (@cooltechtipz) January 3, 2025

I wouldnt call them tricks. Theyre methods; I was taught the one on the left.

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
Yves here. There are so many hot-button areas where Team Trump is planning big changes, such as immigration, tariffs, and the Ukraine conflict, that there are many other key areas on the new Administrations target list that are not getting the attention they warrant. As the post below demonstrates, theres a long list in the tech arena. The one readers are likely aware of is social media censorship, as implemented by big platforms subject to Section 230. But I was surprised AI regulation, or rather arguably deregulation, is also on the list. As you will see below, the White House has published an AI Bill of Rights, which looks like a handwave, and an Executive Order, which although detailed, seems to be lacking in teeth ex enforcement action (of which I have yet to see any; hopefully readers can provide specific examples otherwise if this impression is inaccurate). Given the rampant implementation of AI despite still too many cases of dodgy results, the idea that there are any (to use a favored Administration buzz word) guardrails is news to me.

By Sylvia Lu, Faculty Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor of Law, University of Michigan. Originally published at The Conversation

Artificial intelligence harms, problematic social media content, data privacy violations  the issues are the same, but the policymakers and regulators who deal with them are about to change.

As the federal government transitions to a new term under the renewed leadership of Donald Trump, the regulatory landscape for technology in the United States faces a significant shift.

The Trump administrations stated approach to these issues signals changes. It is likely to move away from the civil rights aspect of Biden administration policy toward an emphasis on innovation and economic competitiveness. While some potential policies would pull back on stringent federal regulations, others suggest new approaches to content moderation and ways of supporting AI-related business practices. They also suggest avenues for state legislation.

I study the intersection of law and technology. Here are the key tech law issues likely to shape the incoming administrations agenda in 2025.

AI regulation: Innovation vs. Civil Rights

The rapid evolution of AI technologies has led to an expansion of AI policies and regulatory activities, presenting both opportunities and challenges. The federal governments approach to AI regulation is likely to undergo notable changes under the incoming Trump administration.

The Biden administrations AI Bill of Rights and executive order on AI established basic principles and guardrails to protect safety, privacy and civil rights. These included requirements for developers of powerful AI systems to report safety test results, and a mandate for the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create rigorous safety standards. They also required government agencies to use AI in responsible ways.

Unlike the Biden era, the Trump administrations deregulatory approach suggests a different direction. The president-elect has signaled his intention to repeal Bidens executive order on AI, citing the need to foster free speech. Trumps nominee to head the Federal Trade Commission, Andrew Ferguson, has echoed this sentiment. He has stated his opposition to restrictive AI regulations and the adoption of a comprehensive federal AI law.

With limited prospects for federal AI legislation under the Trump administration, states are likely to lead the charge in addressing emerging AI harms. In 2024, at least 45 states introduced AI-related bills. For example, Colorado passed comprehensive legislation to address algorithmic discrimination. In 2025, state lawmakers may either follow Colorados example by enacting broad AI regulations or focus on targeted laws for specific applications, such as automated decision-making, deepfakes, facial recognition and AI chatbots.

Data Privacy: Federal or State Leadership?

Data privacy remains a key area of focus for policymakers, and 2025 is a critical year to see whether Congress will enact a federal privacy law. The proposed American Privacy Rights Act, introduced in 2024, represents a bipartisan effort to create a comprehensive federal privacy framework. The bill includes provisions for preempting state laws and allowing private rights of action, meaning allowing individuals to sue over alleged violations. The bill aims to simplify compliance and reduce the patchwork of state regulations.

These issues are likely to spark key debates in the year ahead. Lawmakers are also likely to wrestle with balancing regulatory burdens on smaller businesses with the need for comprehensive privacy protections.

In the absence of federal action, states may continue to dominate privacy regulation. Since California passed the Consumer Privacy Rights Act in 2019, 19 states have passed comprehensive privacy laws. Recent state privacy laws have differing scopes, rights and obligations, which creates a fragmented regulatory environment. In 2024, key issuesincluded defining sensitive data, protecting minors privacy, incorporating data minimization principles, and addressing compliance challenges for medium or small businesses.

At the federal level in 2024, the Biden administration issued an executive order authorizing the U.S. attorney general to restrict cross-border data transfers to protect national security. These efforts may continue in the new administration.

Cybersecurity, Health Privacy and Online Safety

States have become key players in strengthening cybersecurity protections, with roughly 30 states requiring businesses to adhere to cybersecurity standards. The California Privacy Protection Agency Board, for example, has proposed rulemaking on cybersecurity audits, data protection risk assessments and automated decision-making.

Meanwhile, there is a growing trend toward strengthening health data privacy and protecting children online. Washington state and Nevada, for example, have adopted laws that expand the protection of health data beyond the scope of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Numerous states, such as California, Colorado, Utah and Virginia, have recently expanded protections for young users data. In the absence of federal regulation, state governments are likely to continue leading efforts to address pressing privacy and cybersecurity concerns in 2025.

Social Media and Section 230

Online platform regulation has been a contentious issue under both the Biden and Trump administrations. There are federal efforts to reform Section 230, which shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content, and federal- and state-level efforts to address misinformation and hate speech.

While Trumps previous administration criticized Section 230 for allegedly enabling censorship of conservative voices, the Biden administration focused on increasing transparency and accountability for companies that fail to remove concerning content.

With Trump coming back to office, Congress is likely to consider proposals to prohibit certain forms of content moderation in the name of free speech protections.

On the other hand, states like California and Connecticut have recently passed legislation requiring platforms to disclose information about hate speech and misinformation. Some existing state laws regulating online platforms are facing U.S. Supreme Court challenges on First Amendment grounds.

In 2025, debates are likely to continue on how to balance platform neutrality with accountability at both federal and state levels.

Changes in the Wind

Overall, while federal efforts on issues like Section 230 reform and childrens online protection may advance, federal-level AI regulation and data privacy laws could potentially slow down due to the administrations deregulatory stance. Whether long-standing legislative efforts like federal data privacy protection materialize will depend on the balance of power between Congress, the courts and the incoming administration.
90% of Puerto Rico plunged into darkness on New Years Eve

Puerto Rico experienced a widespread power outage on Dec. 31, 2024, leaving over 1.3 million households (nearly 90 percent of the island) without electricity.

The outage was triggered by a failure in an underground power line at the Costa Sur Power Plant, causing a cascading shutdown.

Puerto Rican grid operator LUMA Energy warned full restoration could take days, while officials pledged accountability and federal assistance was offered.

The blackout highlights Puerto Ricos long-standing energy infrastructure issues, including mismanagement, underinvestment, and reliance on outdated petroleum plants, with renewables accounting for only 7 percent of energy production.

The outage disrupted businesses, tourism and critical services, forcing reliance on generators and exacerbating the islands economic struggles amid a $9 billion debt crisis in its power authority.

Leaders, including Governor-elect Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, emphasized the need for immediate reforms, sustainable solutions, and accountability to address the islands fragile energy grid and prevent future outages.

A sweeping blackout struck Puerto Rico on New Year's Eve, leaving over 90 percent of the commonwealth without power.

The outage affected over 1.3 million households in Puerto Rico and is seen as yet another glaring example of the territory's crumbling energy infrastructure and the systemic failures that have plagued it for years.

The blackout began at dawn, disrupting daily life and forcing businesses, malls and government agencies to close or operate on limited schedules. Hospitals, water treatment plants and other critical facilities were left scrambling, relying on generators to keep essential services running.

While power was restored to approximately 194,000 customers by late afternoon, the majority of the island remained in the dark, with LUMA Energy, the main corporation responsible for electricity transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, warning that full restoration could take days. (Related: Power outage preparedness: Staying safe and comfortable during a blackout.)

The cause of the outage, according to LUMA, was a failure in an underground power line at the Costa Sur Power Plant in Guayanilla, one of the islands main energy hubs. This single point of failure triggered a cascading effect, shutting down power across the archipelago.

While LUMA has pledged to restore power "in the quickest and safest way possible," the incident has reignited frustration and anger among Puerto Ricans, who have endured frequent and prolonged outages for years.

Recently-inaugurated Gov. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon called the blackout "unacceptable" and vowed to make stabilizing the energy grid her top priority.

She has proposed appointing an "energy czar" to oversee the grid's operations and review potential contractual breaches by LUMA Energy and Genera PR, the companies managing power generation and distribution on the island.

Former Gov. Pedro Pierluisi also demanded answers and solutions from the companies, while President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation, and federal Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm offered federal assistance.

Puerto Rico plagued with energy problems for decades

The New Years Eve blackout is not an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a much larger problem. Puerto Ricos energy grid has been in decline for decades, plagued by mismanagement, underinvestment, and neglect.

The devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in 2017 exposed the systems vulnerabilities, and despite billions of dollars in federal aid, the grid remains fragile and unreliable.

Approximately 60 percent of the islands energy is still generated by outdated petroleum power plants, with renewable sources like solar accounting for just seven percent of electricity production.

The consequences of this instability are far-reaching. Businesses suffer, tourism is disrupted and daily life becomes a constant struggle for residents. The blackout forced hotels and short-term rentals to rely on generators, while cruise ship passengers were advised to contact tour operators directly. Discover Puerto Rico, the islands tourism promotion organization, issued warnings to travelers, highlighting the broader economic impact of the outage.

Watch this video discussing the last time almost the entirety of the island's power was knocked out back in 2022.

This video is from the Evolutionary Energy Arts channel on Brighteon.com.

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Nearly 900K deceased individuals still registered as active voters in Puerto Rico.

Sources include:

RT.com

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Brighteon.com
Biden administration accused of covering up directed energy weapon attacks on intelligence officers

CIA whistleblower accuses Biden administration of covering up directed energy weapon attacks on intelligence officers.

The whistleblower, a victim of such an attack, claims that the Biden administration is gaslighting its agents to maintain control.

Directed energy weapon attacks, linked to "Havana Syndrome," have been reported to affect U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers abroad more severely than acknowledged.

The whistleblower cites a leaked Department of Defense letter acknowledging these injuries, adding official validation to their claims.

The Biden administration's silence on the issue is seen as a cover-up, with critics alleging that it is avoiding scrutiny and potentially compromising national security.

A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) whistleblower has accused the administration of the outgoing President Joe Biden of a massive cover-up involving directed energy weapon attacks on intelligence officers.

The allegations, shared in an exclusive interview with Emmy Award-winning journalist Catherine Herridge, paint a picture of a government willing to gaslight its agents to maintain a facade of control.

The whistleblower confirmed to Herridge that they had indeed been a victim of a directed energy weapon attack. "Yes, I was attacked," the whistleblower said. "It's a direct energy weapon. The CIA is not just betraying us, but making our lives a living hell."

This is not just a matter of a few isolated incidents; it's a systemic effort by the Biden administration to obscure the extent and impact of these attacks, the whistleblower implied.

Directed energy weapons, which use concentrated electromagnetic energy to target and disable, have been linked to a series of incidents involving U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers abroad, often described as "Havana Syndrome." The whistleblower's revelations suggest that these incidents are far more widespread and severe than previously acknowledged.

The interview included references to a leaked Department of Defense letter that acknowledged the reality of such injuries. The letter, though not made public, corroborates the whistleblower's claims and adds a layer of official validation to the allegations.

Biden admin sweeps the issue under the rug

But the Biden administration has not been forthcoming. When asked about the whistleblower's claims, a spokesperson for the White House refused to comment, effectively sweeping the issue under the rug. This silence is deafening, especially given the gravity of the allegations.

Critics say that the administration is doing everything in its power to avoid scrutiny.

The implications of this cover-up are profound. Intelligence officers are not just the eyes and ears of the nation; they are its protectors. By failing to acknowledge and address the threats they face, the Biden administration is not just failing its agents; it's failing the entire nation. These attacks, if left unchecked, could undermine the integrity of our intelligence operations and the safety of our diplomats and officers around the world.

The treatment of affected officers by the CIA is nothing short of cruel.

"I want them to stop denying what is happening to us," the whistleblower pleaded. 'There need to be opportunities to collect the information we need so that we can prevent this from happening to more people."

The whistleblower expressed cautious optimism about the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, hoping that it would address the issue with the seriousness it deserves. (Related: URGENT ALERT: UV laser directed energy attack alert  details on invisible, silent weaponry used to attack Trump and his supporters.)

"I really hope so," the whistleblower said. "The phrase 'cleaning up the swamp' is thrown around a lot in D.C., but at a bare minimum, those involved in the earlier report should not be allowed to touch this."

The Biden administration's refusal to address these allegations is not just a failure of leadership; it's a betrayal of the men and women who risk their lives to protect our nation. The cover-up, if true, is a dark stain on the administration's record, and it's time for the truth to come to light.

This is not just a matter of national security; it's about the fundamental duty of the government to protect its own. The recent regime's silence is deafening, and the consequences of their actions are terrifying. It's time for the truth to be told and for those responsible for this cover-up to be held accountable.

BigGovernment.news has more stories like this.

Watch the video below that talks about the 5G-directed energy vaccine bioweapon.

This video is from the Victor Hugo Art channel on Brighteon.com.

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60 Minutes now claims Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) are real, not conspiracy, because Russia is supposedly using them against us.

Chinese military says it just achieved "huge breakthrough" in laser weapon technology.

Lasers could be the military's most effective weapon against drones.

Is THIS the reason why blue cars, blue umbrellas and other blue things didn't burn in the Maui fires?

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YourNews.com

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Top 10 most alarming crime statistics in the U.S.

In recent years, the United States has witnessed an alarming surge in criminal activity, pushing the nation into a state of unprecedented lawlessness. According to the FBI, over 14 million crimes are reported in the United States each year. The statistics are both staggering and disheartening, painting a grim picture of a society struggling to maintain order. From rampant shoplifting to violent car thefts in major cities, the wave of crime shows no sign of abating. Here are the ten most shocking statistics, each more horrifying than the last, that paint a grim picture of our crime-ridden society.

Ten grim crime statistics in the U.S.

Shoplifting epidemic: Shoplifting incidents in the U.S. have skyrocketed by 93% compared to pre-pandemic levels. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that, despite retailers' efforts to combat retail theft, monetary losses have jumped 90%, affecting businesses nationwide. Government lock downs and government permitted "social justice" riots set a terrifying precedent across society in 2020. Private property rights were no longer respected, and impoverished demographics turned to crime to survive.

Car theft capital of America: Bakersfield, California, a city with less than half a million residents, has become the car theft capital of the country. The city's distinction as the worst-hit by auto theft cases highlights the severity of the issue. These issues have worsened in California in recent years, due to catch and release policies that handcuff police and allow criminals back onto the streets.

Denvers rapid rise in auto theft: In one year, Denver, Colorado, has witnessed a staggering 37% increase in car thefts, solidifying its position as one of the country's hot spots for vehicle theft. This surge reflects a broader trend of increasing criminal activity in major urban centers, especially in Democratic-ran cities that have de-funded law enforcement and created a culture of moral relativism.

Pueblo's soaring crime rate: At a rate of 891 thefts per 100,000 residents, Pueblo, Colorado, has experienced a 47% increase in auto thefts within a single year. Driver apathy is cited as a significant factor in this alarming trend. Isn't it strange, that since recreational marijuana legalization, Colorado has devolved into a state of rapidly growing crime? Is there a link?

Massive crime statistics: The FBI documented over 14 million criminal offenses in the United States in 2023. This figure, reported by participating law enforcement agencies, highlights the sheer magnitude of the crime wave sweeping the nation, and the impact of moral relativism on a culture that cannot discern right from wrong.

U.S. leads world in prisons: America's prison population is the largest globally. With over 1.9 million inmates, the U.S. incarcerates 25% of the worlds prisoners despite having only 5% of its population. This staggering statistic reflects a systemic issue that goes beyond individual crimes.

Gangs spreading across the nation: The FBI reports that more than 33,000 gangs are active within the United States. These gangs are responsible for a significant percentage of violent crimes, contributing to the overall sense of lawlessness. This surge in gang-related activity is often tied to open border policies.

Mega-Gangs and membership: It is estimated that there are approximately a million gang members in the United States, a sobering figure that highlights the depth of organized criminal activity within our communities.

Gangs and violent crime: Shockingly, gangs are believed to be involved in approximately 80% of violent crimes committed in the United States each year. This overwhelming presence of organized crime poses a grave threat to public safety.

Sex offender crisis: Over 795,000 individuals are listed on state sex offender registries across the U.S., with the number growing annually. This persistent issue underscores the urgent need for effective prevention and rehabilitation strategies.

NationalSecurity.news has more stories about crimes.

Sources include:

ActivistPost.com

ScienceDirect.com

Newsweek.com
Is Bidens DEI push a means of sabotaging Trumps second term and taking revenge on red states?

The outgoing Biden administration is making a final push to implement diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government and public education system before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Over $1 billion in grants have been allocated to DEI initiatives, with a focus on conservative-leaning states that voted for Trump such as Iowa, Missouri and South Carolina.

The timing of these grants has raised concerns that the Biden administration is using taxpayer dollars to embed progressive policies in areas that opposed their agenda.

The outgoing administration is also hiring up to 1,200 DEI staffers across federal agencies, which could cost taxpayers a staggering $160 million annually.

These moves are seen as a challenge to Trump's promised reforms and an effort to create a permanent ideological resistance within the federal government to oppose changes to DEI programs and reduce government spending.

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, the outgoing Biden administration is making a frantic, last-ditch effort to entrench woke diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs across the federal government and public education system.

This move, which includes funneling over $1 billion into DEI initiatives and hiring hundreds of DEI staffers, appears designed to undermine Trumps promised reforms and punish red states that overwhelmingly supported the incoming president.

Since 2021, the Biden-Harris administration has aggressively funded DEI programs, with the Department of Education alone spending more than $1 billion on initiatives that critics argue prioritize ideological indoctrination over academic excellence. A recent report by Parents Defending Education reveals that these grants have disproportionately targeted schools in conservative-leaning states, including Iowa, Missouri, and South Carolina  states that voted for Trump in the 2024 election.

For example, the University of Iowa received $1.2 million to train elementary-school teachers in "equity-centered education." Meanwhile, the University of MissouriSt. Louis was awarded $306,209 to train school counselors in "trauma-informed, antiracist social-emotional learning." The Laurens County School District 55 in South Carolina secured a staggering $13.6 million over three years to integrate DEI into its school culture, including policies on gender identity.

These programs have drawn sharp criticism for embedding race and gender ideologies into curricula and reducing academic rigor. By embedding DEI programs in conservative regions, the administration is ensuring that even Trumps strongest supporters cannot escape the reach of its progressive agenda.

The timing of these grants, less than three weeks before Trump's inauguration, has raised eyebrows. Critics argue that the Biden administration is rushing to cement its ideological agenda in red states, effectively using taxpayer dollars to punish voters who rejected Biden's policies.

Biden also embedding DEI hires in federal agencies

But the outgoing Biden administration's DEI push extends far beyond education. A recent analysis of federal job postings reveals a hiring spree for DEI roles, with salaries reaching up to $310,000 annually. The administration is racing to onboard as many as 1,200 DEI staffers before Trump takes office, a move that could cost taxpayers $160 million per year. (Related: Biden admin races to fill 1,200 DEI positions  with $160M price tag  before Trump inauguration.)

These positions, advertised across agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are designed to embed DEI frameworks deep within the federal bureaucracy.

For instance, the FDIC is seeking a Director of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion with a $310,000 salary, while the HHS recently closed applications for a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health role offering a salary of up to $221,900. These hires are widely seen as an attempt to create a permanent ideological resistance within the federal government, ensuring that Trump's efforts to dismantle DEI programs and reduce government spending face stiff opposition from within.

The Biden administration's DEI blitz is not just a parting shot at Trump; it's a calculated effort to entrench progressive policies in institutions across the country. By targeting red states with DEI grants and stacking federal agencies with ideologically aligned staff, the administration is effectively weaponizing taxpayer dollars to advance its agenda and undermine the incoming president.

One thing is clear as Trump prepares to take office: Biden's DEI push is a direct challenge to Trump's vision for America, and it's a challenge that will shape the political battles of the coming years.

Listen to "Where The Money Go Joe," a new song by the Health Ranger Mike Adams about the outgoing Democratic chief executive.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

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Vote-buying scheme FAILED: Biden drops student debt forgiveness plans.

Tennessee Rep. Burchett: Kamala Harris is a DEI VICE PRESIDENT.

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Brighteon.com
Final blow on Joe: Biden presidential library project stalled as donors flee over scandals

Outgoing President Joe Biden is facing difficulties in securing funding for his presidential library, reflecting his declining influence and internal party divisions.

The pardon of his son Hunter has become a breaking point for many donors, leading to public condemnations and a significant decline in support.

Allegations that Biden's aides concealed his cognitive struggles have further damaged his credibility among Democratic donors.

The Democratic Party's defeat in the 2024 elections has intensified the sense of disillusionment with Biden's leadership.

The challenges facing Biden's library project highlight broader concerns about his legacy and the party's declining confidence in his leadership.

Outgoing President Joe Biden is struggling to secure funding for his presidential library, a project that has become emblematic of his declining influence and the deepening divisions within the Democratic Party.

Once eager to support the legacy of a sitting president, major political donors are now withholding their contributions, citing a range of grievances. These include Joe's controversial pardon of his son Hunter and concerns over his administrations handling of his perceived cognitive decline. The result is a fundraising effort in disarray, casting doubt on the 82-year-old's post-presidential ambitions.

The decision to pardon Hunter in December has emerged as a breaking point for many donors. The presidential son, who was convicted earlier that year on federal gun and tax charges, became a focal point of criticism.

Even prominent Democrats like California Sen. Adam Schiff and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis publicly condemning the move. A YouGov poll found that more than half of U.S. adults disapproved of the pardon, and for many donors, it was the final straw after a year of mounting frustrations.

"People are angry with him for pardoning Hunter, for the Democrats' losses in the 2024 elections, for running for re-election and for delaying his exit from the race, which they believe undermined his successor, Kamala Harris," said Tara Palmeri, senior political correspondent at Puck, on her Somebody's Gotta Win" podcast. The backlash has been so severe that Bidens team is struggling to raise the necessary funds for his presidential library  a project that typically enjoys bipartisan support and enthusiasm.

"His team is having a really hard time raising money for his presidential library because of it, she continued. "It is something that all presidents do, but Democratic donors are saying, 'Thanks but no thanks. We have Trump for a second term after you promised to be the defender of democracy and that you alone could beat him, but it turns out that was not the case.'"

Joe Biden's cognitive decline and ensuing cover-up by close aides cloud his legacy

However, the reluctance of donors extends beyond the Hunter pardon. Many are also incensed by allegations that the outgoing president's aides concealed the extent of his cognitive decline.

A bombshell report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) revealed that White House staffers had shielded Joe from public scrutiny since the early days of his presidency. They reportedly adjusted his schedule to accommodate his "good days and bad days," limited his interactions to avoid gaffes and even removed negative news stories from his daily briefing materials, creating a misleadingly positive portrayal of his presidency. (Related: Operation Bubble Wrap: Jill Biden and several White House staffers SHIELDING Joe Biden from unscripted media interactions.)

Joe's cognitive struggles became glaringly apparent during the June 2024 presidential debate with President-elect Donald Trump, where he appeared confused and struggled to articulate coherent responses. The performance shocked viewers and confirmed long-standing concerns about his mental acuity.

The fallout from Joe's debate performance and the revelations about his aides' efforts to mask his decline have left donors feeling disillusioned. One unnamed Democrat told Axios: "If they had their s*** together, they would have been doing the work on this over the summer  right after he announced he was stepping aside. Now, its just too late. Hopefully, they are rightsizing their expectations and budget."

The challenges facing Joe's presidential library reflect a broader crisis of confidence in his leadership. His approval rating, which stood at a dismal 37 percent in November, is now lower than Trumps following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. The Democratic Partys crushing defeat in the 2024 election has only deepened the sense of disillusionment.

As the 46th president prepares to leave office, questions about his legacy loom large. While his administration achieved significant policy victories, these accomplishments are now overshadowed by the controversies of his final months in office. The reluctance of donors to support his presidential library underscores the depth of discontent within his own party and raises questions about how history will remember Joe Biden.

Listen to "Where The Money Go Joe," a new song by the Health Ranger Mike Adams about the outgoing Democratic chief executive.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

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By pardoning Hunter, Joe Biden covers up his own influence-peddling crimes.

IT'S JOE-VER! Biden DROPS OUT of presidential race, endorses VP Harris as replacement.

Sources include:

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Biden Regime behind massive child trafficking networks in Guatemala, hidden by NGOs that front as humanitarian aid to save the kids of this sex slave trade

Angel Pineda claims the Biden Administration is responsible for running the world's largest child sex trafficking ring, involving the trafficking of victims from Guatemala.

The U.S. government, particularly the Department of Homeland Security, is alleged to be working with Mexican Cartels and NGOs to create a public/private partnership for child trafficking. Over $800 million from the U.S. has reportedly been used to fund these NGOs in Guatemala over the past four years.

More than 291,000 unaccompanied alien children (UACs) have gone missing or are exploited under the Biden administration. The issue was highlighted in a joint House Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on November 21, 2024.

Despite allegations, the investigation into child trafficking is ongoing, with some NGOs in Guatemala being raided, and children rescued from trafficking networks. However, the process is criticized as slow due to the alleged protection of the trafficking networks by U.S. authorities.

The law in Guatemala restricts Pineda from disclosing more information to the press, focusing on child protection. Despite some support from judges in Texas and whistleblowers, the systemic issue remains unresolved, with concerns over U.S. policies not effectively addressing reported cases of exploitation.

The Guatemalan Secretary General, Angel Pineda, says the Biden Administration is running the world's largest child sex trafficking ring. He says, Theyre harvesting the victims from Guatemala. Theyre picking them out like theyre going shopping for shoes.

Guatemala has been called ground zero for the ongoing illegal immigration crisis flooding into America. The Department of Homeland Security has been working with the Mexican Cartel, allegedly, to coordinate with NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) to create a public/private partnership of the biggest child trafficking network in the world. Guatemala has now been deemed the Child Kidnapping Capital of the world.

The USA has funneled over $800 million into Guatemala to fund these NGOs to keep the child trafficking network running over the past four years under the Biden Regime, the most corrupt and demented Presidential administration to ever run the United States government. Its all disguised as humanitarian aid so that American taxpayers will continue to support what they think is helping children, not funding the abuse, slave trade and murder of these innocent immigrant kids and teens.

The U.S. State Department basically controls Guatemala like a puppet, according to sources that are revealing these corrupt NGOs that work with HHS DHS, and the Biden Regime. Its a sick conspiracy and everyone running it needs to be put in prison for life.

Over 300,000 children have been trafficked under the Biden Regime and many are part of sex slave trade covered up by NGOs posing as humanitarian aid organizations

More than a quarter of a million children have been trafficked to the U.S. from different parts of Mexico, Latin America and South America over the past 4 years. NGO offices are now being raided periodically in Guatemala, including Save our Kids, and children are being rescued right and left from the horrors of this trafficking network.

In a recent interview with Guatemalan Secretary General, Angel Pineda, he says they are in the process of investigating all complaints, figuring out where people are committing felonies, and that U.S. authorities need to come together and work together to solve this horrific crisis. He says Ken Paxton in Texas is under attack for this investigation, as well as the authorities in Guatemala that are trying to help.

The people running these trafficking networks are insidious, brutal, and will stop at nothing to silence whistleblowers and police who try to uncover the networks and prosecute the criminals.

Mr. Pineda says the law in Guatemala does not permit him to give this information to the press there, especially because these allegations involve children. He has notified authorities in Texas of what is happening, but the NGOs are harboring the networks, protecting the news from getting out.

Finally, some judges in Texas are stepping up and authorizing raids to bust these criminals, but everything seems to be in slow motion as far as help coming from the United States, mainly because the insidious Biden Regime is behind it all. Some of these kids are taken directly to Planned Parenthood child trafficking outlets because nobody there asks questions.

On November 21, 2024, a joint hearing was held by the House Homeland Security Subcommittee to address the issue of unaccompanied alien children (UACs) at the Southwest border. The hearing focused on how the Biden-Harris administration's policies have led to a surge in missing and exploited UACs.

A DHS report found that over 291,000 UACs were not given court notices, and many failed to appear for hearings. HHS whistleblower Tara Rodas, retired Border Patrol Deputy J.J. Carrell, and counter-trafficking expert Alicia Hopper testified about the exploitation of UACs by criminal gangs, including MS-13, for organ harvesting, sex trafficking, and forced labor. The lack of effective responses to reported concerns was highlighted as a major issue.

Tune your apocalypse dial to preparedness.news for updates on real news about surviving the Democrat-led child trafficking networks and human trafficking system that continues today.

Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

Homeland.House.gov
Deborah Birx sparks controversy with new bird flu warnings

Former White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx is advocating for increased government action to address the potential threat of bird flu, warning that the U.S. is unprepared for a possible outbreak.

Birx has called for weekly testing of individuals potentially exposed to bird flu, emphasizing the risk of asymptomatic spread, similar to COVID-19, which has drawn criticism for potentially inflating case numbers and stoking fear.

Critics accuse Birx of fearmongering and replicating controversial COVID-19 strategies, such as mass testing and restrictive measures, which they argue could infringe on personal freedoms and lead to government overreach.

Birxs warnings have fueled conspiracy theories, including claims that the focus on bird flu is part of a larger agenda to control protein consumption and promote alternative food sources like lab-grown meat or insect-based proteins.

Birx remains a divisive figure, with supporters viewing her as a dedicated public health advocate and critics seeing her as a symbol of government overreach. The debate highlights the ongoing tension between public health measures and individual liberties in the United States.

Deborah Birx, the former White House coronavirus response coordinator under the Trump administration, is once again at the center of a heated public health debate. This time, her focus is on bird flu, and her calls for increased government action have drawn sharp criticism from skeptics who accuse her of fearmongering and advocating for policies that could undermine personal freedoms.

Birx, who played a prominent role in shaping the U.S. governments response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been vocal in recent months about the potential dangers of bird flu. In a recent CNN interview, she warned that the United States is not adequately prepared to address the threat. She argued that routine weekly testing of individuals potentially exposed to bird flu is necessary to prevent a widespread outbreak.

Critics, however, have been quick to draw parallels between her current proposals and the controversial COVID-19 response strategies. During the pandemic, mass testing campaigns were implemented, often resulting in high numbers of reported cases, including false positives. Birx herself acknowledged in the CNN interview that increased testing for bird flu is essential because, as with COVID-19, much of the spread could be asymptomatic.

This approach has raised eyebrows among those who view it as a repeat of what they describe as the pandemic propaganda of the past. Critics argue that such testing could artificially inflate case numbers, stoking unnecessary fear and justifying restrictive government measures.

Birxs recent comments have also reignited debates about the balance between public health and individual liberty. Some observers accuse her of using fear to push for policies that could infringe on personal freedoms, much like the lockdowns, mandates, and surveillance measures implemented during the COVID-19 crisis.

In her CNN interview, Birx attempted to appeal to the publics intelligence, stating, I find the American public to be incredibly smart. Yet, her critics hope that same intelligence will lead Americans to question the necessity of her proposed measures and resist what they see as an overreach of government power.

Ulterior agenda

The broader context of Birxs warnings has also sparked conspiracy theories and concerns about the global food supply. Some commentators have suggested that the focus on bird flu is part of a larger agenda to control protein consumption, particularly beef, and push for alternative food sources like lab-grown meat or insect-based proteins. These theories, while unverified, have gained traction among certain segments of the population, further complicating the public discourse around bird flu.

As the debate continues, Birx remains a polarizing figure. To her supporters, she is a dedicated public health official working to prevent another pandemic. To her detractors, she is a symbol of government overreach and the misuse of public health crises to justify restrictive policies.

Whether her warnings about bird flu will lead to concrete action or be dismissed as fearmongering remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the conversation around public health, personal freedom, and government authority is far from over. As Americans grapple with these complex issues, the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shape their responses to new threats  real or perceived.

For now, the question on many minds is whether the public will embrace Birxs calls for vigilance or reject them as an unnecessary escalation. In a nation still recovering from the scars of the last pandemic, the stakes could not be higher.

Sources include:

RonPaulInstitute.org

Ground.news

EurasiaReview.com
The Deep States triumph: 2024 and the erosion of liberty

We have become a nation adrift in a sea of government overreach, abuse and corruption.

(Article republished from Rutherford.org)

The following is a sobering account of the challenges we faced in 2024, which were marked by the governments never-ending power grabs and relentless assaults on our civil liberties.

2024 saw a continued rise in government overreach and abuse of power. The militarization of police forces continued unabated, with local departments increasingly resembling extensions of the military. Schools, meant to be places of learning and growth, became more prison-like with the implementation of safety measures that criminalize minor infractions and create an environment of fear. The right to private property was further eroded, with the government increasingly empowered to seize assets under various pretexts. The plight of the homeless worsened, with cities criminalizing homelessness and implementing policies designed to make their lives even more difficult. Military veterans, once hailed as heroes, were increasingly treated with suspicion and subjected to surveillance.

On almost every front this year, the government overreached and abused its powers.

With every new law enacted by federal and state legislatures, every new ruling handed down by government courts, and every new military weapon, invasive tactic and egregious protocol employed by government agents, we were reminded that in the eyes of the government and its corporate accomplices, we the people possess no rights except for that which the Deep State grants on an as-needed basis.

Surveillance eroded what little privacy we have left. The Surveillance State grew even more pervasive. Facial recognition technology expanded into new areas of our lives, with vast amounts of our biometric data collected, often without our knowledge or consent, eroding our anonymity and enabling unprecedented tracking of our movements. Data breaches continued to expose the vulnerability of our personal information.

Free speech continued to be under attack. Protest laws, free speech zones, and other restrictions made it more difficult for citizens to exercise their First Amendment rights. Social media companies, often in collusion with the government, engaged in censorship of viewpoints they deemed unacceptable. This online censorship creates an echo chamber and limits the free flow of information.

The influence of the Deep State and the military-industrial complex continued to grow. Endless wars abroad drained the nations resources while doing little to make Americans safer. The military-industrial complexs grip on almost every aspect of American life tightened.

The government failed to protect our lives, liberty and happiness. The predators of the police state wreaked havoc on our freedoms, our communities, and our lives. The government didnt listen to the citizenry, refused to abide by the Constitution, and treated the citizenry as a source of funding and little else. Police officers shot unarmed citizens and their household pets. Government agents  including local police  were armed to the teeth and encouraged to act like soldiers on a battlefield. Bloated government agencies were allowed to fleece taxpayers. Government technicians spied on our emails and phone calls. And government contractors made a killing by waging endless wars abroad.

The president became more imperial. Although the Constitution invests the President with very specific, limited powers, in recent years, American presidents have claimed the power to completely and almost unilaterally alter the landscape of this country for good or for ill. The powers amassed by each successive president through the negligence of Congress and the courts  powers which add up to a toolbox of terror for an imperial ruler  empower whoever occupies the Oval Office to act as a dictator, above the law and beyond any real accountability. The presidency itself has become an imperial one with permanent powers.

The cost of endless wars drove the nation deeper into debt. Policing the globe and waging endless wars abroad hasnt made Americaor the rest of the worldany safer, but it has made the military industrial complex rich at taxpayer expense.

The courts failed to uphold justice. Time and time again, the Supreme Court failed to right the wrongs being meted out by the American police state. A review of critical court rulings over the past decade or so, including some ominous ones by the U.S. Supreme Court, reveals a startling and steady trend towards pro-police state rulings by an institution concerned more with establishing order and protecting the ruling class and government agents than with upholding the rights enshrined in the Constitution.

Mass shootings claimed more lives. Mass shootings have taken place at churches, in nightclubs, on college campuses, on military bases, in elementary schools, in government offices, and at concerts. In almost every instance, you can connect the dots back to the military-industrial complex, which continues to dominate, dictate and shape almost every aspect of our lives.

The rich got richer, and the poor went to jail. Not content to expand the police states power to search, strip, seize, raid, steal from, arrest and jail Americans for any infraction, no matter how insignificant, the courts continued their practice of jailing individuals who are unable to pay the hefty fines imposed by the American police state. These debtors prisons play right into the hands of those who make a profit by jailing Americans. This is no longer a government of the people, by the people, for the people. It is fast becoming a government of the rich, by the elite, for the corporations, and its rise to power is predicated on shackling the American taxpayer to a debtors prison guarded by a phalanx of politicians, bureaucrats and militarized police with no hope of parole and no chance for escape.

Police became even more militarized and weaponized. Despite concerns about the governments steady transformation of local police into a standing military army, local police agencies continued to acquire weaponry, training and equipment suited for the battlefield. There are now reportedly more bureaucratic (non-military) government civilians armed with high-tech, deadly weapons than U.S. Marines.

Schools turned into prisons. So-called school safety policies, which run the gamut from zero tolerance policies that punish all infractions harshly to surveillance cameras, metal detectors, random searches, drug-sniffing dogs, school-wide lockdowns, active-shooter drills and militarized police officers, turned schools into prisons and young people into prisoners.

The government waged a renewed war on private property. The battle to protect our private property has become the final constitutional frontier, the last holdout against our freedoms being usurped. We no longer have any real property rights. That house you live in, the car you drive, the small (or not so small) acreage of land that has been passed down through your family or that you scrimped and saved to acquire, whatever money you manage to keep in your bank account after the government and its cronies have taken their first and second and third cutnone of it is safe from the governments greedy grasp. At no point do you ever have any real ownership in anything other than the clothes on your back. Everything else can be seized by the government under one pretext or another (civil asset forfeiture, unpaid taxes, eminent domain, public interest, etc.).

The plight of the nations homeless worsened. In communities across the country, legislators adopted a variety of methods (parking meters, zoning regulations, tickets, and even robots) to discourage the homeless from squatting, loitering and panhandling. One of the most common  and least discussed  practices: homeless relocation programs that bus the homeless outside city limits.

The government waged war on military veterans. The government has done a pitiful job of respecting the freedoms of military veterans and caring for their needs once out of uniform. The plight of veterans today is Americas badge of shame, with large numbers of veterans impoverished, unemployed, traumatized mentally and physically, struggling with depression, suicide, and marital stress, homeless, subjected to sub-par treatment at clinics and hospitals, left to molder while their paperwork piles up within Veterans Administration offices, and increasingly treated like criminals targeted for surveillance, censorship, threatened with incarceration or involuntary commitment, labeled as extremists and/or mentally ill, and stripped of their Second Amendment rightsfor daring to speak out against government misconduct.

In sum, 2024 was a disheartening year for those who cherish freedom.

Yet no matter who sits in the White House, politics wont fix a system that is broken beyond repair.

As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, we are at our most vulnerable right now: the gravest threat facing us as a nation in 2025 is not extremism but despotism, exercised by a ruling class whose only allegiance is to power and money.

Read more at: Rutherford.org
If you're looking for an interesting and informative vacation destination, the UNESCO World Heritage List can be a great help. For example, did you know that as many as eight sites on this list are located in one small Italian city?

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According to the Mirror, it is the city of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region. It is literally filled with history, and all the monuments on the list are considered to be among the most important examples of architectural and artistic art of the fifth and sixth centuries AD.

Here you can admire the ancient colored mosaics that were created by combining small pieces of material called tesserae. The monuments are located within walking distance of each other, and tourists are encouraged to purchase a combined ticket for several of them. There are also many organized walking tours where you can learn more about these monuments.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia

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This is a small but very expressive early Christian structure built in the fifth century. The mausoleum has the shape of a Greek cross with four crossbars of equal length. Its exterior is made of brick, which is typical of the architecture of that time. However, the interior is not so modest. The mausoleum is decorated with luxurious mosaics.

San Vitale Cathedral

This is probably one of the most famous monuments in Ravenna. The cathedral was built between 526 and 547 AD. It is undoubtedly a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture and is famous for its exceptional mosaics and architectural design. The mosaics inside the building combine Christian iconography with imperial motifs and have survived to this day in excellent condition.

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Neona Baptistery

This building is also called one of the most important and best-preserved early Christian monuments in Ravenna. It is famous for its exquisite mosaic decoration. The mosaics inside the baptistery are mostly made of golden glass tesserae. Their bright colors seem to glow from within.

Archbishop's chapel

The luxuriously decorated building is located in the archbishop's palace. The chapel was built in the fifth century and then restored in the sixth century. It served as a private chapel for the archbishops of Ravenna. The dimensions of the building are quite modest, but the design follows all the canons of the early Christian style and focuses on simplicity and symbolic decor.

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Basilica of Sant'Apolinare Nuovo

This structure was built by the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great in the early sixth century to promote Arian Christianity in the region. Like other significant monuments in the area, the basilica is famous for its mosaics and architectural beauty. The building has a traditional Roman architecture shape with a long nave, two side aisles, and an apse at the end. The rather modest facade hides an extravagant vaulted ceiling and marble columns.

Arian Baptistery

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The construction of this monument dates back to the late fifth or early sixth century, during the reign of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great. He adhered to Arian Christianity, and this was reflected in the churches he built. The baptistery has an octagonal shape, symbolizing renewal and rebirth in Christian architecture. Inside you can see magnificent mosaics with bright colors and intricate details. The image on the dome depicts the scene of Christ's baptism. The fact that the baptistery has survived to this day is amazing in itself, as Arianism was recognized as a heresy and was persecuted in the Middle Ages.

Mausoleum of Theodoric

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Theodoric Mausoleum is the most famous funerary structure of late antiquity. The monument was built by order of King Theodoric himself around 520 AD. The mausoleum has a decagonal perimeter stretching over two levels and a large monolithic dome. It also features some of the world's finest examples of Byzantine mosaics, including the "Good Shepherd" and the "Starry Ceiling" on the central dome of the mausoleum. It looks like a dark blue sky with golden stars.

Basilica of Sant'Apolinare in Classe

This building is an example of early Christian architecture and was built in the sixth century. It was consecrated in 549 AD by Archbishop Maximian and dedicated to St. Apollinarius, the first bishop of Ravenna and patron saint of the city. The building has a simple plan with a large nave surrounded by two side aisles separated by colonnades of marble columns. Inside the basilica are large mosaics, marble slabs, and wall paintings. The mosaic in the apse is considered one of the most famous examples of Christian art. The mosaic depicts St. Apollinaris praying in the middle of a lush green field filled with sheep. This symbolizes his role as a shepherd of his flock.

Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
Germanys green energy dream turns into a NIGHTMARE: economic collapse, environmental failures and geopolitical tensions

Germanys over reliance on intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar has led to an energy crisis, exacerbated by the phenomenon of Dunkelflaute (periods of no wind or sunlight).

Electricity prices in Germany are the highest in Europe, reaching 900/MWh during crises, compared to 250/MWh in nuclear-powered France.

The hasty phase-out of nuclear power in 2011 has left Germany dependent on coal, lignite and energy imports, making it the second-largest CO2 emitter per unit of energy in Europe.

Industries, including major players like VW and BASF, are relocating due to unsustainable energy costs, threatening Germanys economic stability.

The crisis has created geopolitical tensions, with neighboring countries facing unaffordable energy prices and considering withdrawing from energy agreements.

Germany is in an energy crisis, as wind and solar fail to provide adequate power

Germany, once celebrated as Europes green energy pioneer, is now grappling with a self-inflicted energy crisis that threatens its economy, environment and geopolitical standing. The countrys ambitious transition to renewable energy, while commendable in its intent, has exposed the vulnerabilities of a system overly reliant on intermittent sources like wind and solar.

The term Dunkelflaute  meaning flat, dark calm  has become synonymous with Germanys energy woes. These periods, characterized by a simultaneous lack of wind and sunlight, are particularly severe during winter months when energy demand peaks. On December 12, 2024, Germanys wind and solar power production plummeted to just a fraction of its needs, highlighting the precariousness of its energy grid.

Despite renewable energy accounting for nearly 60% of Germanys electricity production in the first half of 2024, these figures mask the reality of intermittent supply. For instance, on December 12th of this year, German electricity production from wind and solar power was 1/30th the demand for it. During Dunkelflaute episodes, wind and solar production can drop to less than 20% of capacity, forcing the country to rely on coal, lignite, and energy imports from France, Denmark, and Poland.

Economic, environmental, and geopolitical fallout

The economic consequences of Germanys energy policies are staggering. Household electricity prices in 2024 averaged 400/MWh, peaking at 900/MWh during crises  three times higher than in France and Finland. For industries, these costs are unsustainable. Energy-intensive sectors like metallurgy and chemicals are particularly hard hit, with companies relocating to countries with cheaper energy.

While big names like VW, BASF, and Mercedes-Benz dominate headlines, the real victims are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that collapse under the weight of exorbitant energy costs. This industrial exodus threatens to hollow out Germanys economy, once the powerhouse of Europe.

Germanys green energy transition has backfired environmentally. The phase-out of nuclear power in 2011, driven by the Fukushima disaster, has forced the country to rely on coal and lignite to fill the energy gap. In 2024, Germany remained the second-largest emitter of CO2 per unit of energy produced in Europe, emitting ten times more than France.

This reliance on fossil fuels undermines the very purpose of renewable energy policies, turning Germanys green dream into an environmental nightmare.

Germanys energy crisis has far-reaching geopolitical implications. High electricity prices in Germany spill over into neighboring countries, making energy unaffordable and fostering resentment. In 2024, the household price of electricity in Germany was the highest in Europe, at 400/MWh, reaching peaks of 900/MWh. Discussions are now emerging about withdrawing from energy agreements, further destabilizing Europes energy landscape.

Germanys energy missteps serve as a stark reminder of the need for balanced, pragmatic energy policies. The countrys overzealous pursuit of renewables, combined with the hasty abandonment of nuclear power, has created a perfect storm of economic decline, environmental degradation, and geopolitical tension. Germans must now cope with extreme energy prices and intermittent loss of power.

Sources include:

GatestoneInstitute.org

EuroNews.com

IEA.org
U.S. releases Tunisian national after 22 YEARS of being detained without charge in Guantanamo Bay

Fifty-nine-year-old Tunisian national Ridah bin Saleh Al Yazidi has been repatriated to his home country after 22 years of being held in the Guantanamo Bay detention facility without charge.

Captured in 2001 by Pakistani authorities near the border with Afghanistan, Al Yazidi was suspected of ties to al-Qaeda and became one of the first detainees in Guantanamo Bay after it was opened on Jan. 11, 2002. Despite suspicions of terrorism, he was never charged.

Al Yazidi is the fourth recent Guantanamo Bay detainee repatriated by the Biden administration, which has been working since 2021 to reduce the facility's population of detainees.

Twenty-six detainees remain in Guantanamo Bay. Fourteen have already been approved for transfer, three are eligible for periodic reviews of their detention status, seven are currently involved in military commission proceedings and two have already been convicted and sentenced.

Al Yazidi's transfer comes amid increased scrutiny over the continued operation of the Guantanamo Bay facility, which activists argue undermines U.S. principles of justice and commitment to human rights.

The United States has repatriated Ridah bin Saleh Al Yazidi, a 59-year-old Tunisian national who had been held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility since its opening in 2002, without ever being charged with a crime.

The Department of Defense announced the transfer on Monday, Dec. 30, marking the fourth such repatriation in two weeks by the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden as it seeks to reduce Guantanamo Bay's population of detainees.

Al Yazidi was one of the first detainees brought to Guantanamo Bay on Jan. 11, 2002, following the U.S.-led "war on terror" initiated after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. According to Pentagon records, he was captured by Pakistani soldiers near the Afghanistan border in December 2001 and was suspected of being an al-Qaeda fighter. Despite these suspicions, the U.S. never formally charged him with any crime.

The Pentagon stated that Al Yazidi was determined eligible for transfer through a "rigorous interagency review process."

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin notified Congress of the White House's intent to repatriate him early last year on Jan. 31, 2024. The transfer was completed following consultations with the Tunisian government.

Al Yazidi had been cleared for transfer over a decade ago in 2009, but delays in securing repatriation agreements with Tunisia prolonged his detention by 15 years.

Guantanamo Bay, located at a U.S. military base in Cuba, operates under a military commission system that does not guarantee the same legal rights as traditional U.S. courts. Detainees cleared for release often face extended stays as the U.S. negotiates with foreign governments to accept them. (Related: SHOW OF FORCE: U.S. attack submarine surfaces in Guantanamo Bay after Russian Navy task force visits Cuba.)

At its peak, the facility held nearly 800 detainees, many of whom were initially held at cover "black sites" of the Central Intelligence Agency, where some were allegedly subjected to "enhanced interrogation techniques," a euphemism for torture, authorized during the administration of former President George W. Bush.

Guantanamo Bay still home to 26 inmates

Following Al Yazidi's repatriation, only 26 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay, with 14 approved for transfer.

Of the 12 other inmates, three are eligible for periodic reviews of their detention status, seven are involved in ongoing military commission proceedings and two have been convicted and sentenced. The Biden administration has made reducing the detention facility's population a priority, though progress has been slow. When Biden took office in 2021, 40 detainees were held at the facility.

The Guantanamo Bay facility remains a contentious symbol of U.S. counterterrorism efforts, with critics arguing that its continued operation undermines the principles of justice and human rights. As the Biden administration works to reduce its population, the fate of the remaining detainees and the future of the facility itself remain uncertain.

Watch this report from September 2022 discussing the release of an Afghan man after being detained in Guantanamo Bay without charges for 15 years.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

War on Gaza: Israel has created its own Abu Ghraib  and the world is silent.

German AfD-affiliated economist detained and interrogated for 10 hours, refused entry to U.S. while phone confiscated over "offensive" meme.

Biden admin agrees to forego DEATH PENALTY in PLEA DEAL with 9/11 conspirators, including mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Satellite images show expansion of alleged CHINESE SPY BASES in Cuba.

Naval showdown near Cuba as U.S. sends submarine to Guantanamo Bay day after Russian fleet arrives in Havana.

Sources include:

MiddleEastEye.net

AlJazeera.com

VOANews.com

Brighteon.com
Ukraine ends transportation of Russian gas to Europe through its territory, putting several EU nations at risk of shortages

As of Jan. 1, Ukraine ceased the transit of Russian natural gas to the European Union following the expiration of a five-year transit agreement between Gazprom and Ukrainian energy companies, with no new deal reached due to the ongoing conflict.

Gazprom announced it had no "technical and legal opportunity" to continue gas transit through Ukraine after Kyiv refused to extend the agreement.

The EU asserts it can manage the loss of Russian gas, having begun the process of diversifying where it sources its energy since the beginning of the conflict in 2022.

Slovakia, Austria and Moldova, which relied heavily on Russian gas transiting through Ukraine, face challenges. Austria claims it is prepared for shortages, Moldova declared a 60-day state of emergency and Slovakia has threatened to retaliate by cutting electricity supplies to Ukraine.

Beginning 8 a.m. Moscow time on Jan. 1, Ukraine officially ceased the transit of natural gas piped in from Russia through its territory to the European Union, marking the end of a decades-long energy relationship between Russia and the West.

The halt follows the expiration of a five-year transit agreement between Russian energy giant Gazprom and Ukrainian companies Naftogaz and the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine. Negotiations to extend the agreement, which had been in place since 2019, collapsed, with both sides unwilling to reach a new deal amid the ongoing conflict.

Gazprom announced in a press release that, following the end of the agreement, it was ceasing the transit of gas through Ukraine, stating that Kyiv's refusal to extend the agreement left the company without the "technical and legal opportunity" to continue gas transit.

The pipeline, which runs through Ukraine into Slovakia, was a critical route for Russian gas to reach European markets. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose country had hoped to continue receiving Russian gas, criticized Ukraine's decision and threatened to cut electricity supplies to Kyiv in retaliation. (Related: Slovakia considering cutting electricity supplies to Ukraine in retaliation for Kyiv preventing Russian gas from reaching the country.)

Ukrainian officials confirmed the halt, calling it a "historic event" in the interests of national security. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Kyiv would not allow Russia to profit from gas transit while the war continues, stating, "We will not give the possibility of additional billions to be earned on our blood."

EU claims it can weather stoppage of Russian gas through Ukraine

The stoppage, while widely anticipated, is not expected to significantly impact EU gas prices or energy security. Since the beginning of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine in late February 2022, the EU has drastically reduced its reliance on Russian energy, cutting imports from a peak of 35 percent of total gas supplies to less than 10 percent in 2023.

The bloc has diversified its energy sources, increasing imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States, Qatar and other suppliers, as well as boosting pipeline gas from Norway.

The European Commission stated that the EU's gas infrastructure is now "flexible enough" to handle the loss of Russian gas. A spokesperson noted that the bloc has significantly expanded its LNG import capacity since 2022, ensuring a stable supply. EU gas storage facilities are currently around 73 percent full, with Germany, the bloc's largest economy, reporting storage levels of nearly 80 percent.

However, some countries remain vulnerable. Slovakia, Austria and Moldova were the most dependent on Russian gas transiting through Ukraine in 2023. Slovakia imported approximately 3.2 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas last year, while Austria received 5.7 bcm and Moldova 2 bcm. Austria has stated it is well-prepared for the stoppage, but Moldova declared a 60-day state of emergency in December over energy security concerns.

Even Ukraine is expected to lose up to $1 billion in annual revenues obtained through transit fees. Despite this, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko still framed the move as a strategic victory, stating, "Russia is losing markets, it will suffer financial losses."

Watch this video of political commentator Alex Christoforou discussing the sudden halt to the flow of Russian gas to Europe.

This video is from the Oldyoti's Home Page channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Russia signals willingness to negotiate peace deal with Ukraine at neutral site in SLOVAKIA, but Ukraine rejects it.

Russia attacks Ukraine's energy infrastructure in major retaliatory strike.

Gazprom CEO says EU is committing "energy suicide" by boycotting cheap Russian gas.

Ukraine launches HUNDREDS of drones targeting energy infrastructure in Russia, including a major oil refinery in Moscow.

Sources include:

RT.com

Reuters.com

CNBC.com

Brighteon.com
New Delhi, Jan 4 : The ceremonial chadar sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be offered at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah marking the 813th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the revered Sufi saint, will reach the dargah on Saturday. Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju will present the chadar at the shrine during a ceremony at 11 am.

Ahead of the Ajmer ceremony, Kiren Rijiju visited the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia in New Delhi on Friday to pay his respects.

Minister Kiren Rijiju, who will arrive at the Jaipur airport on Saturday morning, will travel to Ajmer by road for the event. Alongside the chadar offering, Kiren Rijiju is set to launch the official web portal of the Dargah Sharif and a new mobile app, Gareeb Nawaz, which is aimed at enhancing convenience for devotees and improving coordination during the Urs celebrations.

The Urs of Khwaja Gareeb Nawaz draws millions of devotees from across the globe every year, commemorating the saint's death anniversary.

The offering of the chadar at the Mazar-e-Akhdas is regarded as a powerful act of worship, symbolising devotion and bringing blessings to those who partake in it.

This marks the 11th consecutive year of Prime Minister Modi offering a chadar at the shrine ever since he took office in 2014. Last year, the chadar was presented by then Union Minister Smriti Irani and a delegation representing the Muslim community that accompanied her.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju posted on X on Thursday, "PM Narendra Modi presented the Chadar that would be offered on his behalf at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah on the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti."

Syed Naseruddin Chishti, the successor to the Ajmer Dargah chief and the Chairman of All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, welcomed the move and highlighted the Prime Minister's commitment to the ideals of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Samman (solidarity, development, trust, and respect for all).

"This tradition, dating back to 1947, has been upheld by every Prime Minister of the country," Chishti said.

"Since assuming office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently sent a chadar as a mark of devotion and respect. This reflects India's deep-rooted culture of honouring all religions, communities, and Sufi saints," he told IANS.

Ajmer Sharif Dargah remains one of Indias most significant Sufi shrines, attracting pilgrims from across the world.

This year's celebrations marking the 813th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti aim to honour the legacy of the Sufi saint while ensuring a smoother experience for attendees with the introduction of modern digital platforms.
Sydney, Jan 4 : Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj picked three wickets each as excellent bowling performance led India to a four-run first-innings lead after bowling out Australia for 181 on day two of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.

What would even please India more is they took the last five wickets after captain Jasprit Bumrah, who picked 2-33 in ten overs, left the field to go to hospital for scans over an unspecified injury. Krishna, playing his first match of the series, stepped up to break two crucial partnerships to pick 3-42.

While Siraj finished with 3-51, Nitish Kumar Reddy showed his utility with the ball to pick 2-32 as all Indian pacers were amongst the wickets to take a very narrow lead. For Australia, debutant Beau Webster was the top-scorer with an impressive 57.

With plenty of time left in the match, especially after early tea break taken on day two, the match will now be decided by a second innings shootout from both teams. After the second session began with Webster and Alex Carey taking five quick boundaries to get Australia past 100, Krishna broke the dangerous-looking partnership by getting a fuller ball to jag in, and sneaked through the gate to smash Careys top of off-stump.

There came a little troublesome phase for India  Bumrah leaving the ground for scans in a car and Webster becoming the second Australian batter after Sam Konstas to get a fifty in his debut Test innings in the series. But Nitish brought India back by getting a good length pitching delivery outside off stumps to have Pat Cummins edging it to first slip.

In his next over, Reddy had Mitchell Starc caught at second slip off his next ball, leaving Australia in trouble of conceding the lead. That became a foregone conclusion when Webster fended at a short ball outside off from Krishna and was caught by gully for 57 off 105 balls, while Siraj got one to nip back and end Australia's innings on 181, where five batters were dismissed in single digits, and only two got a score above 23.

Previously, Bumrah struck early on day twos play when he got a length delivery to draw a faint outside edge off Marnus Labuschagnes bat and was caught by Rishabh Pant. India took the review, and snicko detected a spike, meaning Labuschagne was out for just two.

With that becoming his 32nd wicket of the series, Bumrah also surpassed Bishen Singh Bedi's tally of 31 scalps to become India's highest wicket-taker in a Test series in Australia. Sam Konstas tried countering Bumrah by crunching two boundaries, including one off a reverse sweep.

But Konstas was out for 23, as he got an outside edge off Siraj and was caught by gully. One brought two as Siraj squared up Travis Head and was caught at second slip. Steve Smith and Webster tried resurrecting Australias innings through a 57-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Smith swivelled and drove Prasidh for a six and four respectively, apart from square-driving and straight-driving for more boundaries, while Webster was attractive in glancing, pulling and square-driving for his runs.

But Smith fell five runs short of reaching his 10,000 Test runs as he nicked behind off a length ball from Prasidh to second slip and fall for 33 off 57 balls at the stroke of lunch. Webster and Carey ensured that Australia didnt lose another wicket in a session won by India. After lunch, despite losing Bumrah, Prasidh, Siraj and Reddy ensured India got the lead, thanks to superb bowling and sharp catching in slips.

Brief scores: India 185 (Rishabh Pant 40; Scott Boland 4-31) lead Australia 181/10 in 50 overs (Beau Webster 57, Steve Smith 33; Prasidh Krishna 3-42, Mohammed Siraj 3-51) by 4 runs.
Washington, Jan 4 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to South Korea on a mission to reaffirm America's "ironclad" alliance with the Asian country, the State Department said.

This will be the first trip to Seoul by a top US official since President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law attempt last month, according to the US State Department on Friday.

Blinken plans to visit Seoul as part of his overseas trip that will also take him to Japan and France, Matthew Miller, the department's spokesperson, said. The three-nation trip runs from Friday to Thursday, reports Yonhap news agency.

Seoul's foreign ministry has said Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Blinken will hold talks in Seoul on Monday.

"In the ROK, Secretary Blinken will meet with senior ROK government officials to reaffirm the ironclad US-ROK Alliance and discuss ways our two nations can build on our critical cooperation on challenges around the world based on our shared values," Miller said in a statement. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

"The Secretary will also discuss how the United States and the ROK can strengthen key efforts to promote a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific, as well as trilateral efforts with Japan," he added.

The bilateral talks have been set amid lingering concerns that South Korea's political turmoil in the wake of Yoon's short-lived martial law imposition and his subsequent impeachment could undermine cooperation between Seoul and Washington in the midst of North Korea's evolving military threats.

Apparently, mindful of such concerns, Seoul and Washington have agreed to fully resume bilateral diplomatic and security schedules postponed in the aftermath of Yoon's martial law attempt.

In Japan, Blinken plans to meet senior Tokyo officials to take stock of progress in the US-Japan alliance in the past few years and reaffirm the importance of the alliance in addressing bilateral, regional and global issues, according to Miller.

In France, the secretary will meet senior French officials as part of the bilateral partnership to address challenges in Europe, the Middle East and beyond, the spokesperson said.
The Russian national biathlon team will not return to international tournaments either in the coming months or further. The issue of admitting Russian representatives to competitions is not even on the agenda, and it will be possible to consider their return only after the war in Ukraine ends.

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Christian Winkler, head of the communication department of the International Biathlon Union (IBU), told this VseProSport. According to him, the Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) is obliged to comply with the principles of the IBU, and Russia has not yet shown any desire to comply with international rules.

"This issue was not even considered at the IBU Congress in September 2024 in Belgrade. In this regard, no action should be expected in the coming weeks, months or even further. Something can only change after the war is over. The decision was taken until further notice to ensure the safety and integrity of such measures. One of the most important criteria is to make sure that they are not connected with the war in Ukraine, that none of the officials or athletes are part of the Russian Armed Forces or are involved in hostilities," the official said.

Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka on Saturday said that he was 'privileged' to be able to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was 'inspired and humbled' by the PM's 'extraordinary grasp of technology and its impact'.

Taking to social media platform X, Sikka informed that he met PM Modi and had a detailed discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) as well as its potential impact on India.

"It was a privilege to meet the Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a detailed and wide-ranging discussion on AI, its impact on India, and several imperatives for the time ahead," Sikka, founder of human-centered AI platform and products company Vianai Systems.

"I left the meeting both inspired and humbled by his extraordinary grasp of technology's impact on all of us, and how its use with democratic values can uplift everyone," he added.

Recently, PM Modi said that India aims to increase the use of AI in every sector.

"This is the era of AI, and the future of the world is linked with it. India is powered by two AIs. For the world, it is Artificial Intelligence, but in India, it's Aspirational India plus Artificial Intelligence. When the two meet, it accelerates India's growth," he said.

Meanwhile, India launched the IndiaAI mission in 2024, to enhance artificial intelligence-related developments in the country. The Cabinet also approved an allocation of over Rs 10,300 crore for the IndiaAI Mission, marking a significant step towards bolstering the AI ecosystem in the country.

Sikka was the chief executive and managing director of Infosys from 2014 to 2017. He was the first non-founder to helm the IT giant.

He resigned from the company in 2017, reportedly due to differences with the company's founders and board members.

Sikka has since been involved in various ventures, including his own AI startup, Vianai Systems founded in 2019.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Grameen Bharat Mahotsav 2025 at city's Bharat Mandapam on Saturday, highlighting the need for transforming the villages into vibrant centers of growth and also celebrating the spirit of rural India.

The six-day festival, scheduled from January 4 to 9, will feature workshops, discussions, and cultural performances showcasing India's heritage while promoting sustainable agricultural practices and economic resilience in rural areas. The event, themed "Building a Resilient Rural India for Viksit Bharat 2047" and carrying the motto "Gaon Badhe, Toh Desh Badhe" (If the village progresses, the country progresses), aims to empower rural communities through innovation, infrastructure development, women's empowerment, and financial inclusion, with a special focus on the North-East.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi emphasised the potential of rural India, stating, "Those of us connected to villages know their immense power. The village lives within those who reside there."

He highlighted his government's efforts over the past decade to uplift rural India, from economic policies to targeted initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the challenges farmers face, particularly the rising global prices of DAP fertilizers, and assured them of the government's commitment to reducing their burden.

"Our goal is to ensure maximum economic support for villagers while creating new employment and self-employment opportunities. Over Rs 3 lakh crore has been provided to farmers through PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, and agricultural loan amounts have increased 3.5 times in ten years," he noted.

PM Modi also stressed the role of cooperatives in transforming rural economies, pointing out that 70,000 cooperative societies are being computerised to ensure better prices for farmers. He highlighted the Vishwakarma Yojana, which supports artisans like blacksmiths, carpenters, and potters by training them in new skills, increasing productivity, and providing affordable assistance.

"In the last decade, we have consistently increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various crops. Initiatives like the Svamitva Scheme have also provided property papers to villagers, while policies promoting MSMEs and the Credit Link Guarantee Scheme have spurred local economies," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister shared findings from a recent survey, stating that rural consumption has nearly tripled since 2011.

"The purchasing power of rural households has significantly improved. For the first time, rural spending on food has reduced to less than 50 per cent of income, allowing for more expenditure on other essentials," he explained.

Highlighting the narrowing gap between rural and urban areas, PM Modi said, "The disparity in consumption between urban and rural areas is reducing. Efforts over the past ten years have brought tangible results. A recent study by the State Bank of India reveals that rural poverty, which stood at 26 per cent in 2012, has now decreased to less than 5 per cent."

PM Modi underscored the importance of border villages, rebranding them as "first villages" and advocating equal development for tribal areas under the PM JANMAN Yojana.

"For decades, rural SC, ST, and OBC communities faced neglect, leading to migration and poverty. Our efforts are reversing these trends," he said.

Women's empowerment was another key focus, with PM Modi praising the role of "Bank Sakhis" and "Insurance Sakhis" in transforming rural economies.

"We have empowered 1.15 crore women as 'Lakhpati Didis,' earning over Rs 1 lakh annually. Our goal is to elevate 3 crore women to this status while implementing special schemes for Dalit and tribal women," he said.

He highlighted the transformation in rural infrastructure, noting the construction of nearly 4 lakh kilometres of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. He also pointed out the digital revolution in villages, with over 94 per cent of rural households now having access to mobile services.

"Banking services and UPI are available in villages, and Common Service Centres have grown from less than 1 lakh in 2014 to over 5 lakh today, providing dozens of government services online," he said.

Prime Minister also lauded the efforts of NABARD in supporting initiatives like self-help groups and the Kisan Credit Scheme. He called for the creation of more Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and cooperatives like Amul to boost agricultural profitability.

"Milk production is now one of the highest revenue generators for farmers. We are advancing natural farming in mission mode to ensure sustainable practices," he said.

The Grameen Bharat Mahotsav celebrates rural India's entrepreneurial spirit and cultural heritage while promoting economic stability, financial security, and gender equality. With a focus on North-East India, the event aims to ensure rural populations are equipped to contribute to India's progress and realise the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met with renowned Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh at his residence. During the conversation with the singing sensation, the Prime Minister touched upon the Sikh communitys contributions and paid tributes to the sacrifices of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh who left a lasting mark on Sikh history in their short but extraordinary lives.

During their conversation, PM Modi praised Diljits inspiring journey, remarking, A son of Indias village making the nation proud on the global stage is a great feeling. You are lucky your family named you Diljit, as it reflects how you continue to win hearts.

Diljit also praised PM Modi for his political journey and commitment to the nation. PM Modi, in turn, credited his success to divine grace.

Everything becomes possible with Gods grace. In our country, we see God in everything, even in trees, he said.

The conversation also touched upon the Sikh communitys contributions to India and PM Modi paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Sahibzaades and shared his experiences in Punjab, stating, I have seen how people sleep on the floor after a mothers demise. I celebrate Veer Baal Diwas and want every child in this country to understand what strength and faith truly mean.

PM Modi also recounted his efforts to restore a Gurdwara in Kutch, Gujarat, where Guru Nanak Dev once stayed. He explained how the structure, destroyed in the 2001 earthquake, was rebuilt under his supervision before he became Gujarats Chief Minister.

During the meeting, Diljit shared a heartfelt observation: I recently watched one of your interviews, Sir. For us, the Prime Minister holds a very significant position, and we often forget the human being behind the title. When I saw you speaking about your mother and Ganga Maiya with such emotion, it was deeply touching. Such words come from the heart, which is why they resonate so deeply.

PM Modi, in turn, praised Diljit for remaining grounded despite achieving immense fame, noting his humility and dedication to his craft.
RBI Allows HDFC Bank To Acquire 9.5% Stake in AU Small Finance Bank; Details Here

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 13:22 IST

The approval is valid for a year from January 3, 2025, after which it will lapse if the acquisition is not finalised.

HDFC Bank also announced that it has received the RBI's nod to acquire up to a 9.5% stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank and Capital Small Finance Bank.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted HDFC Bank, Indias largest private lender, permission to acquire up to a 9.5% stake in AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB). The approval is valid for a year from January 3, 2025, after which it will lapse if the acquisition is not finalised.

In a regulatory filing, AU SFB disclosed that the RBIs approval extends to HDFC Bank and its group companies, including HDFC Mutual Fund, HDFC Life Insurance, HDFC Pension Management, HDFC ERGO General Insurance, and HDFC Securities. Together, these entities are permitted to collectively hold up to 9.5% of AU SFBs paid-up share capital or voting rights.

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HDFC Bank also announced that it has received the RBIs nod to acquire up to a 9.5% stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank and Capital Small Finance Bank. This approval remains valid until January 2, 2026.

However, the RBI has mandated that the total ownership by HDFC Bank and its group entities across these institutions must not exceed the 9.5% threshold. According to the RBI Directions 2023, aggregate holding" includes shares owned by the bank, its subsidiaries, mutual funds, trustees, and promoter group entities.

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Although HDFC Bank does not plan to directly invest in these banks, its group companies collective shareholding could surpass the 5% cap, necessitating regulatory clearance. To accommodate this, HDFC Bank sought approval to increase its investment limit.

On January 3, HDFC Banks shares declined 2.5% to close at Rs 1,749, amid a broad-based market selloff. Trading volumes surged as approximately 1 crore shares were exchanged, exceeding the one-month and one-week averages of 94 lakh shares, according to Moneycontrol.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 12:17 IST
'Inspired And Humbled By...": Infosys Ex-CEO Vishal Sikka Meets PM Modi For Discussion On AI

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 15:25 IST

PM Modi in a post on X says it was an insightful interaction and India is committed to taking the lead in AI.

Vishal Sikka meets PM Narendra Modi for a wide-ranging discussion on AI, its impact on India and several imperatives for the time ahead.

Vishal Sikka, former CEO of IT major Infosys, has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a wide-ranging discussion" on artificial intelligence. Sikka in a post on X said he left the meeting both inspired and humbled by" PM Modis extraordinary grasp of technologys impact on us.

It was a privilege to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a detailed and wide-ranging discussion on AI, its impact on India and several imperatives for the time ahead. I left the meeting both inspired and humbled by his extraordinary grasp of technologys impact on all of us, and how its use with democratic values can uplift everyone," Sikka said in a post on X.

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It was an insightful interaction indeed. India is committed to taking the lead in AI, with a focus on innovation and creating opportunities for the youth. https://t.co/s0Ok9AE09A Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 4, 2025

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Replying to this, PM Modi in a post on X also said it was an insightful interaction and India is committed to taking the lead in AI.

It was an insightful interaction indeed. India is committed to taking the lead in AI, with a focus on innovation and creating opportunities for the youth," said PM Modi in the post.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 15:25 IST
BPSC 70th Prelims: Retest Held For Select Bihar PSC Candidates At 22 Centres In Patna

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 14:53 IST

BPSC 70th Prelims: 12,000 candidates were scheduled to sit for the re-examination that started at 12 pm and continued till 2 pm.

Candidates undergo security check upon their arrival to appear for the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) 70th Prelims re-examination, in Patna. (PTI Photo)

The retest for a select group of candidates who had appeared in the recent Bihar PSC exam, which has been embroiled over allegations of question paper leak, was held on Saturday afternoon at 22 centres here, officials said. Altogether, 12,000 candidates were scheduled to sit for the re-examination that started at 12 pm and continued till 2 pm, they said.

The 70th Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) held on December 13 has been in the eye of a storm over allegations of leak of question papers, which has been denied by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC), though a fresh test was ordered for 12,000 candidates, who had appeared for the exam at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre here.

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The re-exam took place at 22 centres in Patna. Out of a total of 12,000 candidates, around 8,200 aspirants had downloaded their admit cards. The authorities concerned will later provide the exact number of students who appeared for the retest," District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh told reporters.

The retest was peacefully held at all the centres, where adequate arrangements were put in place. The district administration had issued strict guidelines. Unauthorised entry, gatherings and protests within a 200-metre radius of the centres were prohibited," he told PTI after the exam.

The clamour for cancellation of the Combined Competitive Examination held on December 13 by the BPSC has gained strength, as agitating aspirants found support from various political parties, Independent MP Pappu Yadav and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor.

Yadav had on Friday led his supporters in blocking rail and road traffic in several areas of Patna as well as other parts of the state.

Several MLAs and leaders of the Congress, CPI-ML (Liberation), CPI(M) and CPI also lent support to the protesting candidates, who have been demanding that fresh exams be held for all the five lakh candidates, who had appeared at more than 900 centres across the state, to ensure a "level-playing field".

Kishor continued with his fast-unto-death that he began on Thursday to press for the demand for cancellation of the December 13 exam.

I know that the re-exam of the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre, where around 15,000 students had appeared, is taking place in Patna today even after our repeated requests for cancellation of the entire exam. What will happen to 3.5 lakh aspirants who have been demanding a retest? I am sure that the protests will intensify further after todays exam," the former political strategist said.

The government will listen to us. The administration (officials) came to us on Friday and requested us to discontinue our strike. Everybody knows about the rampant corruption in the recruitment process in the state. Corrupt officers and the mafia are charging Rs 30 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore for different posts in the state and in the BPSC," Kishor claimed.

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The district administration had earlier termed Kishors fast-unto-death at Gandhi Maidan "illegal" as it is not the designated site for holding such protests.

We are keeping a close watch on the developments  We will decide our further course of action after completion of todays exam," the DM added.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 14:53 IST
Top Medical Colleges In Delhi: Check Admissions Process, Fees, NEET Cut-Off And More

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 11:38 IST

With a score of 94.46, AIIMS Delhi is the countrys highest-ranked medical institution.

The top 5 medical colleges in Delhi, according to NIRF rankings, are AIIMS, VMMC, MAMC, LHMC, and UCMS.

In August of last year, the Education Ministry unveiled the ninth edition of the India Rankings for 2024, formulated using the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) criteria. The NIRF evaluates and ranks colleges annually, considering various factors that influence their performance. These rankings are dynamic and may vary each year, reflecting the evolving achievements of different institutions and universities.

The following are the top medical colleges in the countrys capital for those who want to pursue medicine, according to the rankings.

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1. All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi

With a score of 94.46, AIIMS Delhi is the countrys highest-ranked medical institution.

Admission

AIIMS Delhi accepts applications for 8 undergraduate, 50 postgraduate and 68 doctorate programmes. Before registering for AIIMS Delhi admissions, students must appear for the required entrance exams and have a valid score. Candidates must have a valid NEET score to be admitted to AIIMS Delhis UG course. To gain admission to AIIMS Delhis PG and PhD programs, students must first appear and pass the INI CET.

AIIMS Delhi admissions are based on entrance examination scores. Candidates with valid NEET examination marks are eligible for the AIIMS selection procedure for the courses they have applied for. AIIMS selection is based on the NEET cutoff and the counselling procedure.

Fees

B.Sc.: Rs 1,000  Rs 2,400

M.Sc.: approximately Rs 1,400

MD: Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500

M.Ch.: around Rs 3,000

DM: about Rs 3,000.

MBBS: approximately Rs 6,000

MS: Rs 2,000 onwards.

NEET 2024 Cutoff

Here are the expected NEET 2024 cut-off marks for AIIMS Delhi:

 Unreserved/Economically Weaker Section: 720-162 marks with a 50th percentile

 Other Backward Caste: 163-127 marks with a 40th percentile

 Scheduled Caste: 163-129 marks with a 40th percentile

 Scheduled Tribe: 163-129 marks with a 40th percentile

2. Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC)

It is Delhis second-best medical institution. It currently ranks 17th in the country with a score of 62.36.

Admission

The VMMC NEET UG, NEET PG, and NEET SS are national entrance exams that determine admission to major UG, PG, and Super Speciality courses like MBBS/B.Sc. Nursing, M.D./M.S. and D.M/M.Ch. To register for the counselling process run by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) for both State-Quota and All-India Quota Seats at VMMC, candidates must first pass the relevant admission test.

Candidates who are given a seat at VMMC in order to be admitted to the chosen course must come to the institution with the required paperwork in order to complete the admissions procedures, pay the money, and have their documents verified.

Fees

The fee structure for Vardhman Mahavir Medical College in Delhi is as follows:

MBBS: The first year fee is Rs 50,000. The total tuition fee is Rs 2.56 lakh.

B.Sc (Hons.): The total fee is Rs 37,625.

M.D: The total fee ranges from Rs 30,000 to Rs 93,000.

M.S: The total fee is Rs 30,000.

DM: The tuition fee is Rs 93,000.

M.Ch. The tuition fee is Rs 93,000.

DIP Dermatology: The fee is Rs 41,000.

MD Biochemistry: The fee is Rs 41,000.

MD Forensic Medicine: The fee is around Rs 41,000.

MD Psychiatry: The fee is Rs 41,000.

In addition to tuition fees, the fee structure could also contain other costs, such as fees for required internships.

NEET 2024 Cutoff

The NEET UG qualifying cutoff 2024 for MBBS is as follows, broken down by category:

 General/ EWS: 50 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 720-164 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 OBC: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 163-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 SC: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 163-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 ST: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 163-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 General/ EWS- PwD: 45 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 163-146 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 OBC- PwD: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 145-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 SC- PwD: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 145-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 ST- PwD: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 145-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks).

3. Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Delhi

It is in 24th position with a score of 59.63. The national capitals third-best medical institution is this one.

Admission

New Delhis Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) admits students to undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate programs. To get admitted to MAMC Delhi, applicants must take an entrance exam. Candidates must successfully complete the NEET UG entrance exam in order to be admitted to MAMC Delhis MBBS program.

Furthermore, to be admitted to MAMC Delhi for MD/MS and PGD programs, applicants must pass the NEET PG entrance exam. Similar requirements apply for admission to MAMC Delhis doctoral programs (DM and M.Ch.), wherein candidates need to pass NEET SS.

Fee Structure

MBBS: Rs 12,000 and eligibility is 10+2 along with NEET exam score.

MD: Rs 39,000 and exam scores of NEET PG and NEET MDS required.

PG Diploma: maximum amount Rs 26,000. Candidate must have NEET PG score.

MDS: about Rs 46,000 and pass in NEET MDS.

MS: Rs 39,000

M.Sc: Rs 26,000

NEET 2024 Cutoff

For the first round of MCC NEET UG Counselling 2024 for admission to MBBS, the MAMC Cutoff 2024 was made public. In the first round of the 2024 MBBS at MAMC, the final cutoff ranks were 145 for General, 329 for OBC, 2097 for SC, 4268 for ST, and 336 for EWS.

Based on merit in the NEET UG, NEET PG, and NEET SS exams, MAMC grants admission to MBBS, BDS, MD, MS, and M.Ch programs. The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) then conducts the counselling procedure. MAMC provides 15% under the All India Quota and 85% under the State Quota. Maulana Azad Medical College admits students who achieve the necessary cutoff scores on the corresponding entrance exams.

4. Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC)

Lady Hardinge Medical College is ranked 29th in the nation with a score of 57.80. It is Delhis fourth-best medical institution.

Admission

This government-funded womens medical institution offers a variety of undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma programs, including MBBS, MD, MS, DM, and others. Pharmacology, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine, and other departments at LHMC offer these courses. Both men and women are eligible to enrol in the postgraduate programs. The admissions process at Lady Hardinge Medical College is primarily entrance-based. To get admitted to LHMC, candidates must appear in the NEET exam. The University of Delhi publishes the announcement and prospectus for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs.

Fees Structure

The fee structure for Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) is as follows:

B.Sc.: Tuition fees are Rs 29,400

MBBS: Tuition fees are Rs 7,400

MD: Tuition fees are Rs 39,000

MS: Tuition fees are Rs 39,000

The eligibility requirements for these courses are:

 B.Sc.: 10+2 with at least 45 per cent and NEET

 MBBS: 10+2 with at least 50 per cent and NEET

 MD: NEET PG

NEET 2024 Cutoff

Here are the NEET cutoffs for Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) in 2024:

MBBS: The expected cutoff for the General category is 650+ marks, 640+ marks for OBC, and 580+ marks for SC/ST. The minimum marks required for MBBS admission in 2024-2025 are 720 for the General category, 161 for OBC, and 161 for SC/ST.

B.Sc Nursing Hons: The opening and closing (AIR) for the General category are 22857 and 123213.

NEET PG

The expected cutoff ranks for some courses are:

M.D. (Anaesthesiology): Open Cutoff: 6600  6800, OBC Cutoff: 8150  8450

M.D. (Biochemistry): Open Cutoff: 39250  39550, OBC Cutoff: 60850  61150

M.D. (General Medicine): Open Cutoff: 70  170, OBC Cutoff: 340  540

M.D. (Microbiology): Open Cutoff: 21350  21650, OBC Cutoff: 23550  23850.

The cutoffs can change depending on the All India Quota

(AIQ) or Home State.

5. University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS), Delhi

With a score of 57.65, it is ranked 32nd in the nation. It is the capitals fifth-best medical institution.

Admission

To be admitted, candidates must score well on the NEET exam. UCMS provides over 20 courses across five streams, including Paramedical, Dental, Medical, Science, and Pharmacy, in five degrees: BSc, MBBS, MD, MS (Surgery), and MSc. University College of Medical Sciences (UCMS) is associated with the University of Delhi (DU). University College of Medical Sciences offers scholarships to qualified students through a variety of scholarship schemes.

Admission to UCMS Delhi is exclusively available for full-time students. Also, admission to UG programmes at UCMS Delhi is determined by performance in the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and NEET, followed by counselling. UCMS Delhi offers PG admissions based on NEET PG test results, whereas admission to the DM program is based on NEET SS results.

Fees Structure

The fee structure for the UCMS in Delhi varies by course and includes tuition, admission, and hostel fees:

MBBS: The total cost for this 66-month course is around Rs 2.41 lakh, including tuition, admission, and hostel fees. The total tuition fee is Rs 67,500, and the one-time admission fee is Rs 5,000.

MD in General Medicine: The total cost for this 3-year course is around Rs 1.73 lakh, including tuition, admission, and hostel fees. The total tuition fee is Rs 1,73,430, the one-time admission fee is Rs 13,900, and the hostel fee is Rs 1,12,530.

B.Sc. in Medical Technology (Radiography): The total cost for this 3-year course is around Rs 30,000, plus a one-time admission fee of Rs 4,900 and a hostel fee of Rs 112,530.

UCMS admission to undergraduate programs is based on performance in the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and NEET, followed by counselling. For postgraduate programs, admission is based on marks obtained in the NEET PG examination.

NEET 2024 Cutoff

The NEET UG 2024 Qualifying Percentile and Cutoff Score for various categories are shown below:

 General/ EWS: 50 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 720-164 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 OBC: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 163-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 SC: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 163-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 ST: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 163-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 General/ EWS- PwD: 45 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 163-146 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 OBC- PwD: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 145-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

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 SC- PwD: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 145-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

 ST- PwD: 40 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Percentile) and 145-129 (NEET UG 2024 Cutoff Marks)

First Published: January 04, 2025, 11:25 IST
Hyundai's new budget crossover is very economical to operate, as it needs to be charged with electricity, and there is no need to spend money on gasoline. The price of the car is comparable to the Renault Duster. The novelty has already been shown in the photo.

ADVERTISIMENT

The compact budget crossover Hyundai Creta 2024 was recently officially declassified after being modernized. Now the model has received a new modification. The Hyundai Creta Electric 2025 model year was described on the company's website.

The exterior of the restyled model is made in the style of the modern Hyundai Tucson with integrated headlights and the Santa Fe with its "square" styling. The Hyundai Creta electric car differs from the gasoline version in bumpers, wheels, and decor.

The electric crossover is expected to receive a powerplant with a capacity of about 140 hp and battery packs with a capacity of 42 and 51 kWh with a range of 390-470 km. The price of the Hyundai Creta EV is about $23,000.

The Hyundai Creta 2024 is equipped with dual-zone climate control, surround view cameras, a built-in DVR, seat ventilation, a panoramic roof, and other small details.
Congress Sticks To 5 Guarantees Masterplan To Edge Out AAP in Delhi Dangal

Reported By :

CNN-News18

Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 13:47 IST

Sources told News18 that the promises are direct cash transfer for women, comprehensive insurance coverage, support for unemployed youth, unique ration kits for households, and free electricity up to 400 watts for lower-income group areas

Congress leaders from Punjab protest against the Aam Aadmi Party in the Capital ahead of the Delhi elections. (PTI)

The stage is set for an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi.

Having come late to the poll fest despite earlier ruling the Capital for three terms, the Congress  snubbed by AAP  doesnt want to cede an inch. Hence, similar to the guarantees it announced in other poll-bound states like Haryana and Maharashtra, in Delhi too, the Grand Old Party will announce five guarantees in a phased manner.

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The idea behind phasing out the announcements is to ensure it keeps the momentum going and also so that the party can tweak its promises along the way in line with what other parties announce.

Sources say the five guarantees to be announced from January 6-11 are:

1. Direct Cash Transfer for Women: Aimed at empowering women voters, the Congress plans to introduce a direct cash transfer scheme.

2. Comprehensive Insurance Coverage: The party intends to offer insurance coverage worth over Rs 20-25 lakh for all residents, enhancing social security across the Capital.

3. Support for Unemployed Youth: To address unemployment, the Congress proposes cash incentives for jobless youth, coupled with apprenticeship training programmes to enhance their skills and employability.

4. Unique Ration Kits for Households: In an effort to support families, a distinctive ration kit containing daily essentials will be provided to households, ensuring access to necessary commodities.

5. Electricity: Like the AAP, the Congress too will announce free electricity up to 400 watts for lower-income group areas.

The Congress has a tough fight ahead as it has to challenge both the BJP and the AAP in a race where it has lagged behind. The AAP-Congress divorce means the INDIA bloc is doddering. The Congress also wants to target the same vote bank that it shares with AAP which has grown in Delhi at the cost of the Grand Old Party. While the latter hopes to rectify this, the task is easier said than done.

At the announcement of another sop from AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, where he promised to waive off inflated electricity bills if his party comes to power, the former Delhi chief minister dismissed the Congress, saying: Why do you take the Congress seriously? No one takes them seriously."

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The Congress, however, wants to take the fight seriously, even if it comes at the cost of the coalition. Fielding Sandeep Dikshit opposite Kejriwal and Alka Lamba opposite chief minister Atishi is part of this plan.

The guarantees will be formally launched by prominent Congress leaders, including president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi starting Monday.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 13:47 IST
How Easy Is It To Add, Delete Names In Electoral Rolls? Explaining The Mammoth Exercise

Reported By :

News18.com

Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 15:52 IST

The updation or addition of names requires house-to-house survey, physical field verification, display and sharing of list of claims and objections, supervision and random checking

The creation, maintenance and purification of electoral rolls is the core constitutional responsibility of the EC. (Getty)

Before every election, political parties get into a verbal clash over the updation of electoral rolls. Now, as Delhi is gearing up for assembly polls, the picture is no different. While the opposition BJP is accusing AAP of adding unauthorised names in the list, the latter has been attacking the saffron party for deletion of valid names.

In February 2024, the BJP filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) that West Bengal has 16 lakh fake voters. In January 2024, similar issues were raised in Andhra Pradesh when the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the BJP filed a complaint over fake names in the state voters list. When Maharashtra went to polls in November 2024, Congress raised the issue again. In 2018 and 2019, before the Lok Sabha polls, BJP and AAP indulged in similar blame-games in Delhi.

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But how exactly are names added and deleted from the electoral roll? Is it really possible to delete or add names by simply directing the Election Commissions office? The answer is no.

The updation or addition of names requires house-to-house survey, physical field verification, display and sharing of list of claims and objections, supervision and random checking. It also involves sharing of draft and final electoral roll with political parties. There is also a rigorous Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for deletion of names.

Speaking to News18, a poll body official said the creation, maintenance and purification of electoral rolls is the core constitutional responsibility of the EC, with a well-defined and meticulously followed legacy over decades.

The credibility of the process is organically linked to data/facts over several revisions and continuous updation of previous data sets. The process is ensconced in a watertight statutory scheme which is rule-based," they said.

The EC, they said, firmly believes that an inclusive, healthy, pure and transparently prepared electoral roll is the foundation of free, fair and credible elections.

Involving All Stakeholders

For a pure and healthy electoral roll, rules are followed from Article 324 of the Constitution of India, provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, Registration of the Electors Rules, 1960, and the extant instructions issued by the commission from time to time.

All political parties are made aware of the SoPs for Special Summary Revision (SSR) and the special measures taken during SSR. Additions and deletions take place after due enquiry, in full public view and with participation of political parties at every stage of the process.

Every entry in the electoral roll database, either by way of addition or deletion or transportation, is credible, as it is based on voluntariness of the citizen to enrol and an open disclosure and public hearing to objections, if any and, thereafter, the entries are available for perpetual scrutiny and legal challenge.

To ensure that each and every information is available with the various stakeholders, free copies of the draft and final electoral rolls, along with weekly lists of claims and objections, are provided to recognised political parties to make them aware about the process to avoid any post facto objection or grievances.

The draft and final rolls are hosted on the CEO/ District Election Officer (DEO) websites and the rolls are displayed at designated polling stations location and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) offices notice board.

During the continuous updation period, monthly pooling of lists of additions, deletions, and modifications are published on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for the information of the general public.

EC has provided the provision of the appointment of Booth Level Agents (BLA) by the recognised political parties as an extra facilitation to them, ensuring utmost transparency in the process. BLAs do not interfere with the registration process and in the functioning of Booth Level Officer (BLOs) but only identify and flag any discrepancy or impurity in the electoral roll of the polling station/party concerned.

Enrolling Every Eligible Citizen

The ECI even allows homeless people to get registered as voters. For that, the Booth Level Officer visits the address given in Form 6 at night to ascertain that the homeless person actually sleeps at the place which is given as his address in Form 6. If the Booth Level Officer is able to verify that the homeless person actually sleeps at that place, no documentary proof of place of residence will be necessary. Booth Level Officers will visit for more than one night for this verification. After conducting the verification and to the satisfaction of ERO that the person fulfils all the prescribed conditions, necessary action for enrolment is done.

No Deletion Without Enquiry

Any person who is a voter in the constituency concerned can object to the inclusion of names in the electoral roll on the grounds that the person whose name is included or is proposed to be included is not eligible to be registered as a voter in that constituency. An objection can be made in Form 7 to the ERO concerned along with the relevant proof.

It is also important to note that if a name of an elector is to be deleted, it is not without any enquiry and field verification. For deletions in areas where more than two per cent of electors are removed or where the same person objects to more than five cases, the ERO personally verifies the deletions to ensure accuracy.

Continuous updation throughout the year

The electoral roll is continuously updated throughout the year, except during election in a constituency for a period from the last date of filing nomination to completion of election process.

To ensure transparency at each stage of revision of roll, the rules allow people to check entries in electoral roll beforehand and can file any claim or objection to avoid any post facto objection or grievances.

In case of deletion, notice is issued and an opportunity given to electors for filing an objection and hearing is given.

Supervision and checks

ERO, after digitisation of claims and objections received by him, deputes the BLO concerned to make field verification in connection with the claim or objection. The BLO, after on-spot verification, submits his report to the ERO. There is a well-defined mechanism for supervision and check for enforcing strict accountability of the work performed by the BLO. The supervisor, who normally has 10 BLOs under their charge, verifies 5 per cent of each of the BLOs verification work under them.

Above the supervisors, each assistant ERO (AERO) is to verify one per cent of the BLOs verification work, randomly selected from different parts under him. AERO also field checks households with more than 10 electors, abnormal gender ratio, and the first 20 polling stations with highest number of additions or deletions, under their charge.

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After passing the orders by AERO/ERO, super-checking of verified entries is done by the DEO, roll observers and CEOs for a specific number of entries.

The publication of the final electoral roll on Monday will reveal the actual number of additions and deletions in Delhi and may kick-start yet another political war of words.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 15:52 IST
Aligarh Youths Cross-Border Love Story With Facebook Friend Ends In Pakistan Jail, Kin Plead For Help

Reported By :

News18.com

Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 20:05 IST

Badal Babus family has appealed to PM Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to help secure his release from a Pakistani prison

Badal Babu's kin said they could not bear to see him languish in Pakistani prison. (News18)

Badal Babu, a 20-year-old from Nagla Khitkari village in Aligarh, set out in December 2024 to live a Bollywood dream. However, his story soon took an unfortunate turn.

Inspired by Bollywood films depicting tales of love defying borders, Badal ventured into Pakistan to meet a Facebook friend he hoped to marry. However, instead of a heartfelt union, his attempt ended in arrest in the Mandi Bahauddin district of Punjab province, approximately 240 kilometres from Lahore. Badals family has now made an emotional appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to help get their son back from Pakistan.

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Humlog gareeb log hainitni door ki soch bhi nahi sakte. Hum Modi-ji aur Yogi-ji se appeal karte hain ki humare bacche ko wapas laane mein humari madad kare [We are poor people. We cant even think of a place so far away. We request PM Modi and CM Adityanath to help us bring our son back]," said Gayatri Devi, Badals mother.

Devi said they had learnt through social media that their son was arrested by Pakistan Police on December 28 for illegally crossing the border.

I dont know how my son reached Pakistan. What I know is that he used to work in a garment factory in Delhi. He is innocent, he is just 20, please save him," said Devi, an agriculture labourer who hails from Nagla Khitkari village under Barla police station in Aligarh.

Badal was hardworking, says Devi

Gayatri Devi described her son as a hardworking and determined young man. It was only last year that he decided to move to Delhi to earn money and support his father in managing the familys financial burdens," she said. Recalling their last conversation in August 2024, she added, He had made a video call to us from his friends mobile phone, explaining that he didnt have a smartphone at the time. He assured us he would share his personal number as soon as he bought one for himself."

She said no to Badal

According to reports on social media, Badal was arrested on December 28 when he entered Pakistan to meet his Facebook friend Sana Rani with the intention of marrying her. However, in her statement to the police, 21-year-old Sana Rani clarified that while they had been Facebook friends for the past two-and-a-half years, she was not interested in marrying him. The Pakistan Police stated that Badal was arrested in Maung village, Mandi Bahauddin, shortly after his arrival.

Aligarh Police receive complaint

Aligarh Superintendent of Police (Rural), Amrit Jain, confirmed that they had received a complaint from Badals family and assured them that the matter would be taken up with the Ministry of External Affairs.

We will approach the proper channels to provide whatever assistance is necessary and work towards establishing contact with Badal. Our primary goal is to secure his release from custody in Pakistan," Jain stated.

Family sources revealed that Badal was active on Facebook, where he reportedly connected with the girl from Pakistan. In August, shortly after Raksha Bandhan, he informed his parents that he was leaving for Delhi to find work. However, the family later learned that he had crossed the International Border near Jammu, though the specifics of his journey remain unverified.

Dont want son to spend life in Pakistani jail"

Badals father Kripal Singh said he was sure that PM Modi and CM Adityanath would extend every possible support to facilitate his sons release from Pakistan.

Sir we dont know anyone except you (PM Modi and UP CM Yogi). Please bring our son back, we dont want our son to spend his entire life in Pakistan jail," said Singh.

Not the only cross-border love story

This isnt the first cross-border love story to emerge from Uttar Pradesh in recent times. In November 2023, 34-year-old Anju Rafael, a woman from Rajasthan, traveled to Pakistan via the Wagah-Attari border on a Pakistani visa to marry her Facebook friend, 29-year-old Nasarullah, from the Upper Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Anju reportedly married Nasarullah, converted to Islam, and adopted the name Fatima.

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The same year, Seema Haider, a Pakistani national, entered India via Nepal with her four children to be with her lover, Sachin Meena, from Greater Noida. The two had met on PUBG in 2020, and their relationship culminated in her daring journey across borders.

Another notable case involved 19-year-old Pakistani girl Iqra Jiwani, who befriended 25-year-old Indian national Mulayam Singh Yadav through an online game. The pair later married in Nepal, making headlines for their unconventional cross-border union.

Location : Aligarh, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 17:31 IST
Bengaluru Techie Atul Subhash's Wife Nikita, In-Laws Get Bail In Suicide Case

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 22:06 IST

Atul Subhash died by suicide on last month after alleging harassment by his wife and his in-laws.

Atul Subhash's wife Nikita Singhania was arrested in connection with his suicide. (Photo: Bengaluru Whitefield Police)

The estranged wife and in-laws of Bengaluru techie Atul Subahsh, have been granted interim bail by a Bengaluru court on Saturday in connection to the abetment of suicide case filed against them.

Atul Subhash died by suicide on last month after alleging harassment by his wife and his in-laws.

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Subhashs estranged wife Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha Singhania and brother Anurag Singhania, were booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 108 (abetment of suicide) on the basis of a complaint filed by the deceaseds brother.

They had approached the session court in Bengaluru for bail in the case. The accused had previously requested the Karnataka High Court to instruct the session court to expedite the disposal of their bail petition. In response, the High Court directed the session court to resolve the petition today.

Nikita had the legality of her arrest and the abetment to suicide case registered against her following her husbands death. Her lawyer Bharath Kumar had argued that her arrest was unlawful as the police failed to serve the grounds for her detention.

Advocate representing Atul Subhashs family, Vinay Singh said, The bail has been allowed. We are waiting for the order sheet Our argument was on factual information, on harassment. The suicide note has been sent to forensics but it has not been considered yet. His suicide video has also been sent to forensics. His handwriting is also being examined We are with the entire family. We are fighting to get justice for the family We will challenge it (bail order) After seeing the order sheet, and analyzing it, we can approach the High Court of Karnataka."

Atuls brother Vikas Modi said that he will challenge the bail order in the Karnataka High Court.

We had given 15 objections opposing the bail and they were very strong grounds to oppose the bail The biggest clause in the objection was that the investigation is still not completeAfter getting the bail order, we will approach the High Court and if we do not get any relief from the High Court, we will approach the Supreme Court" he said to news agency ANI.

Nikita was arrested from Haryanas Gurugram on December 15, while her mother and brother were earlier arrested from Prayagraj and produced before the court in Bengaluru, after which they were sent to judicial custody.

Nikita and her family were reportedly on the run since Atuls video went viral, leading to the registration of the FIR by the Marathahalli police.

Atul Subhash Suicide Case

Atul Subhash, who worked for an automobile company in Bengaluru, allegedly took his own life on December 9 after being pressured by his wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family to pay a Rs 3 crore divorce settlement. He left behind a 90-minute video and a 40-page death note, detailing how his wifes harassment drove him to take the extreme step.

His video went viral on social media, creating a storm with users flagging the misuse of laws in the society.

Atuls family expressed disappointment over the system stating that there are laws in the country for women, not men. Social media was flooded with calls for justice for Atul Subhash as several people came out with #MensToo on X, expressing their stories.

Bikas Kumar, Atuls brother had alleged that false charges were filed against Atul by the accused, and they had demanded Rs 3 crore as part of a settlement. He also claimed that his brother was taunted during court proceedings, being told he would either pay the sum or end his life.

In his suicide note and video, Atul claimed he married Nikita in 2019 after meeting her on a matchmaking website. The couple welcomed a son the following year. Subhash alleged that Nikita and her family frequently demanded large sums of money to start businesses. When he refused, tensions escalated, leading Nikita to leave their home in 2021, taking their son with her.

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The Singhania family also alleged that Atul and his relatives harassed Nikitas father for dowry, claiming it contributed to his death. However, the case was later withdrawn.

Meanwhile, the parents of the techie have sought the custody of their four-year-old grandson.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 19:06 IST
Chhattisgarh Journalist Murder: Mukesh Chandrakar's Cousin Identified As 'Key Accused

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 18:54 IST

Ritesh Chandrakar was among three arrested for the murder of Mukesh, a 28-year-old journalist known for his exposive investigative journalism.

Journalist Mukesh Chandrakar found dead (Photo: X/Mukesh Chandrakar)

In a shocking twist, the key accused in the murder of the Chhattisgarh journalist Mukesh Chandrakar, whose body was recovered from a septic tank on Friday, has been identified as his own cousin.

Ritesh Chandrakar, who has been identified as deceased journalists cousin, as reported by India Today, was among three arrested for the murder of the 28-year-old journalist.

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Read More: When Chhattisgarh Journalist Mukesh Chandrakar Helped In Release Of Abducted CRPF Jawan

Mukesh Exposed Corruption Scandal

The journalist had recently done an expose of an alleged corruption scandal involving a Rs 120-crore road construction project from Gangaloor to Nelasanar village in Bastar.

The project, worth of which went from Rs 50 crore to Rs 120 crore without any changes to the effect of the works scope, was reportedly being handled by contractor Suresh Chandrakar, India Today reported.

Chandrakar was missing since January 1. His family reported him missing after his phone was turned off after a meeting arranged by contractor Suresh Chandrakars brother, Ritesh, at one of their properties.

Mukesh Chandrakars elder brother Yukesh Chandrakar filed a complaint, prompting the police to initiate a search in which authorities reviewed CCTV footage and identified his last known location.

Read More: Chhattisgarh Road Scam Report Behind Journalists Death? BJP Links Contractor To Congress

His body was found on Friday in a septic tank at the property of Suresh Chandrakar in Chattanpara Basti.

Who Are The Three Arrested Accused?

The Police on Saturday said that they have detained three people in connection with the murder and are being interrogated.

IG Bastar P Sundarraj said that Ritesh Chandrakar, the brother of contractor was arrested in Raipur. The police also arrested another family member, Dinesh Chandrakar and another individual, identified as Mahendra Ramteke.

However, Suresh, the contractor at the centre of the corruption scandal, remains at large.

Police sources indicated that Mukesh and Ritesh shared a history of camaraderie, frequently meeting at the property where the journalists body was found.

CM, Deputy CM Assures Strictest Punishment To Culprits

Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that the culprits will not be spared under any circumstances". We have given instructions to arrest the criminals as soon as possible, and give them the harshest punishment," the CM said on X (formerly Twitter).

Deputy CM Vijay Sharma further said that a 11-member SIT has been formed to investigate the matter.

Read More: Missing Chhattisgarh Journalists Body Found In Contractors Septic Tank, 3 Arrested

In the murder of Journalist Mukesh Chandrakar, Congress leader Suresh Chandrakars relatives, Ritesh Chandrakar, Dinesh Chandrakar and their employee have been detained by the police An 11-member SIT (Special Investigation Team) has been formed All bank accounts of Congress leader Suresh Chandrakar and other accused are being sealed. Suresh Chandrakars three bank accounts have also been held today" Sharma said.

Who Was Mukesh Chandrakar?

Mukesh Chandrakar, known for his investigative reports, had played a significant role in the release of a CRPF personnel kidnapped by Maoists during an encounter in Bijapur in 2021.

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The state police also credited him for his efforts in securing the release of CRPF commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas.

The journalist had worked as a stringer for a national news channel and ran the popular YouTube channel Bastar Junction," which focused on Naxal-related issues in the region.

Location : Bijapur, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 18:16 IST
Missing Chhattisgarh Journalists Body Found In Contractor's Septic Tank, 3 Arrested

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 12:56 IST

The journalist was found dead in a septic tank with injuries on his head and back. The police began searching for him after his brother filed a complaint as he did not show up.

Journalist Mukesh Chandrakar (Photo: X/Mukesh Chandrakar)

Chhattisgarh Police on Saturday arrested three persons in connection with the killing of a well-known journalist, who went missing on New Years Day and was found murdered in a septic tank of a road contractor in Bijapur district.

Mukesh Chandrakar, 28, was a television journalist whose body was discovered in a septic tank on the premises of the road contractor in Bijapur on January 3.

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Mukesh, who was an independent journalist had done ground reporting from the Bastar region for NDTV. He also operated a YouTube channel.

He went missing on January 1 after he received a call from a local contractors cousin. Mukesh had told another journalist in Raipur about the call and that the contractors brother wanted to see him.

The police said that his phones were switched off around 12.30 am on New Years Day, after which he went missing.

Mukeshs brother Yukesh, who is also a journalist, filed a police complaint on January 2 after his sibling did not return.

A special team was constituted to locate the missing journalist after the complaint, IG Bastar P Sundarraj said.

His last known mobile location was traced to the residence of contractor Suresh Chandrakar in Chattanpara Basti. There, the police discovered a septic tank that had recently been sealed with fresh concrete.

The police broke open the tank and Mukeshs body was recovered. He had multiple injury marks on his head and back.

Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav stated that several individuals, including Suresh Chandrakar, were being interrogated as the body was discovered on his premises." Authorities are also investigating whether Mukeshs death is connected to any recent stories he had worked on.

In April 2021, Mukesh was recognized by the state police for his significant role in facilitating the release of CRPF CoBRA commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, who had been held captive by Maoists.

Accused Will Not Be Spared: CM

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that the accused will not be spared and will soon be behind bars.

The loss of Mukesh Ji is an irreparable loss to the field of journalism and society. The culprits of this incident will not be spared under any circumstances. We have instructed the authorities to arrest the accused at the earliest and ensure the strictest punishment," Sai said.

Chhattisgarh Congress president Deepak Baij condemned the killing and said that the crumbling law and order in the state is now targeting the fourth pillar of democracy.

Journalists are paying the price for their impartial reporting with their lives. The journalists body was found in a septic tank in Sai Raj," Baij said.

Editors Guild Demands Safety Of Journalists

The Editors Guild of India urged the authorities across India to ensure the safety of journalists, especially those working in smaller towns and rural areas.

It further raised suspicion of foul play in the suspected murder of the Chhattisgarh journalist and called on the state government to launch an investigation to catch the accused.

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The young journalists death is a matter of grave concern as it raises suspicion of foul play. The Editors Guild calls on the government of Chhattisgarh to spare no efforts in investigating the case speedily and bringing the guilty to book," the Guild said in a statement.

A free press that is allowed to work without fear is important for any democracy. While the Editors Guild grieves Mr Chandrakars death, it hopes that his passing under unnatural circumstances will serve as a wake-up call and prompt better measures for journalists protection," it added.

Location : Bijapur, India

First Published: January 03, 2025, 23:44 IST
Over 50 Trains Delayed, Flight Ops Hit In Delhi As Dense Fog Reduces Visibility

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 08:12 IST

The train and flight operations were hit in Delhi as dense fog blanketed the national capital in the wee hours of Saturday

Several trains and flights delayed in Delhi due to dense fog conditions | Image/Representative

The train and flight operations were hit in Delhi as dense fog blanketed the national capital in the wee hours of Saturday, reducing visibility to zero in several areas, said officials.

Over 50 trains were delayed across major railway junctions in the national capital, including New Delhi Railway Station, Anand Vihar Terminus, and Hazrat Nizamuddin Station.

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Several trains, including the Howrah-New Delhi Duronto Express, Mahabodhi Express, Lucknow Mail, and Kathgodam Express, faced significant delays upon arrival in the national capital due to prevailing weather conditions.

#WATCH | Delhi: Several trains delayed at New Delhi railway station due to fog as cold waves grip the city.(Visuals from New Delhi Railway station) pic.twitter.com/KK8stezodC  ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2025

Flight operations were also impacted by the dense fog in Delhi on Saturday morning. Authorities claimed that over 150 flights were delayed, and around 30 were cancelled due to the prevailing conditions.

Due to dense fog, flight operations have been affected at the airport. Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information," the airport authorities said.

Airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, issued advisories to travellers, stating that poor visibility due to dense fog is impacting flight operations in Delhi and parts of Northern India".

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for Delhi on Saturday, cautioning residents about very dense fog" conditions in the city. The temperature in Delhi dropped to 10.2 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am on Saturday, compared to 9.6 degrees Celsius recorded on Friday.

#WATCH | Delhi | A dense layer of fog blankets the national capital as a cold wave grips the city.(Visuals from Nehru Park) pic.twitter.com/hPORfgVMVx  ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2025

GRAP 3 Curbs Back In Delhi

The anti-pollution restrictions under Stage 3 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) were reinstated on Friday in the Delhi-NCR region amid a sharp dip in air quality and a rise in pollution levels due to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

Delhis air pollution levels showed an increasing trend and the 24-hour average air quality index (AQI) stood at 371 at 4 pm.

The Sub-Committee observed that the AQI of Delhi is exhibiting an increasing trend, crossed 350 in the morning today and has been recorded 371 at 4 PM owing to dense fog, low mixing height, variable winds and unfavourable meteorological conditions," the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) order stated.

According to forecasts from the India Meteorological Department and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the air quality situation is predicted to deteriorate further owing to unfavourable meteorological conditions.

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The GRAP III restrictions were revoked last week after the city saw an improvement in air quality levels, following widespread rain. The Stage 3 restrictions were earlier imposed on December 16.

Location : Delhi, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 07:36 IST
Delhi Teen Stabbed To Death Outside School After Fight With Classmate, 7 Detained

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 12:35 IST

The police said that the victim had a heated argument with another student during extra classes in the school.

Representative image of Delhi Police | PTI

A 14-year-old student was allegedly stabbed to death outside a school in East Delhis Shakarpur area after a heated altercation with his classmate, the police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred on Friday when the victim, Ishu Gupta, a Class 7 student at Rajkiya Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, was stabbed to death by students with whom he fought during extra class hours inside the school.

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The police said that the victim had a heated argument with another student, Krishna, inside the classroom. After the class concluded, Krishna and the other three-four persons attacked the victim outside the premises.

The dispute escalated into violence when one student, along with three to four accomplices, targeted the victim outside the school gate. One assailant stabbed the victim in his right thigh, causing a fatal injury," a police officer said.

Officials said that the victim was rushed to the schools first aid room after he suffered a thigh injury. Subsequently, the school authorities rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.

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The police teams, including the Anti Narcotics Squad and Special Staff, reached the scene and detained seven people in connection with the incident- five minors and two others aged 19 and 21, reported NDTV.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

Location : Delhi, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 12:31 IST
Har Ghar Jal Misses 2024 Target, 46% Households In 4 States Still Await Connections

Reported By :

News18.com

Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 10:28 IST

While West Bengal, Kerala and Jharkhand happen to be opposition-ruled states, Rajasthan was ruled by the Congress till the end of 2023

The latest government data shows that only 15.4 crore (79.5%) of rural households have been covered so far, out of the total 19.36 crore. (PTI)

The Har Ghar Jal mission has missed its December 2024 deadline to provide potable tap water connections to all rural households in the country. Roughly 46 per cent households in each of the four states  West Bengal, Rajasthan, Kerala and Jharkhand  still await connections under the government scheme.

Launched in August 2019, with an estimated outlay of Rs 3.6 lakh crore ($43 billion) till 2024, the Centres ambitious scheme being implemented in partnership with states, promised to provide potable tap water available to every rural household in India by December 2024. The target is to ensure a service level of 55 litres per capita per day, which also meets the prescribed quality standards on a long-term basis.

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However, the latest government data shows that only 15.4 crore (79.5 per cent) of rural households have been covered so far, out of the total 19.36 crore. The coverage is lowest in four states  West Bengal (54 per cent), Kerala (54.1 per cent), Jharkhand (54.6 per cent) and Rajasthan (54.9 per cent). As many as 94.8 lakh have managed to get tap water supply in villages of West Bengal, out of the total 1.75 crore households, with districts like Darjeeling, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, Paschim Medinipur, Malda and Puruilia lagging behind.

Minister of state for Jal Shakti, V Somanna, recently told Parliament that the delays in the release of matching state funds and insufficient technical capacity among implementing agencies proved to be a challenge.

Water being a state subject, states have been empowered to plan, design, approve, implement, operate and maintain drinking water supply schemes. The central government supplements the efforts of the states by providing technical and financial assistance," he added.

According to officials of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, some states had also been facing challenges during the planning phase due to lack of reliable drinking water sources in water-stressed, drought-prone, and desert regions. The presence of geo-genic contaminants in groundwater, uneven terrain and scattered rural settlements also hindered the progress, said a senior official. The coverage is very low in Barmer and Chittorgarh districts of Rajasthan as well.

Meanwhile, the tardy implementation in Kerala has been linked with delays in acquiring land for the new components of the water supply scheme. The state government had informed that various clearances from forest, NHAI, Railways, Ministry of Road & Transport Highways are pending with respect to drinking water projects/schemes which have also affected the implementation of JJM in the state," the government recently told Parliament.

While West Bengal, Kerala and Jharkhand happen to be opposition-ruled states, Rajasthan was ruled by the Congress till end of 2023.

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Madhya Pradesh (67 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh (73.7 per cent) are also among the six states where the pace of implementation has been slow. Some states including Rajasthan and Karnataka have now sought extensions to complete the work by March 2026.

As of January 3, 11 states and Union Territories, including north-eastern states of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, and hill states of Himachal Pradesh, have completed 100 per cent work under the scheme. Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Telangana, and Goa are among other states with full coverage under the scheme.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 10:27 IST
HMPV Mimics Covid Symptoms But Isnt Deadly: Experts Dismiss Outbreak Threat From 20-Year-Old Virus

Reported By :

News18.com

Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 10:59 IST

HMPV is a common respiratory pathogen, particularly in infants and young children, and is associated with both upper and lower respiratory tract infections

To minimise risk, experts advise wearing a well-fitted N95 mask, practising regular hand hygiene, avoiding crowded areas, and maintaining overall vigilance. (Pixabay)

In a world still healing from the spectre of Covid-19, even a faint resemblance to the previous outbreak may feel like an alarming threat. Its no surprise, then, that new virus human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which is spreading in neighbouring Chinaespecially among children under the age of 14has sparked global concerns.

However, Indian health experts and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have dismissed the likelihood of HMPV causing widespread disruption.

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The reports of global media agencies indicate an increase in HMPV cases in China, particularly among young children under 14 in northern provinces. Also, unverified claims on social media show that hospitals and crematoriums are overwhelmed, indicating a similar scenario during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Neither China nor the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed or declared any emergency. Lets understand what is HMPV and why Indian experts believe there is no reason for alarm yet.

What is HMPV?

According to the American Society for Microbiology, since the discovery of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in 2001, the virus has been identified worldwide. In 2001, Van Den Hoogen reported the discovery of a novel virus in children with respiratory tract illness in The Netherlands.

RSV or respiratory syncytial virus, a pneumovirus, is the most closely related human pathogen to HMPV, and the genomes of the viruses have similar features as well as distinct differences.

This virus is a common respiratory pathogen, particularly in infants and young children, and is associated with both upper and lower respiratory tract infections and may be a trigger for asthma. Studies have shown that it proves lethal majorly among infants.

Evidence from many studies has demonstrated that HMPV is responsible for a substantial proportion of LRTI (lower respiratory tract infections) in infants and young children and is second only to RSV as a cause of bronchiolitis in early childhood," according to a published review titled Epidemiology of Human Metapneumovirus.

Key Symptoms

The virus spreads moderately easily and mainly through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. It can also spread by touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on them. Being in close contact with others, especially in crowded or enclosed spaces, increases the chances of catching it.

Dr Sanchayan Roy, senior consultant, internal medicine at Apollo Spectra in Delhis Chirag Enclave, explained that HMPV is a widely acknowledged respiratory virus that mainly affects the lungs and airways.

While it generally presents with mild cold-like symptoms such as nasal congestion, cough, and fever, HMPV can lead to more severe complications like bronchitis or pneumonia, particularly in young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems."

Coronavirus-Like Symptoms But Not Deadly: Experts

There is no genuine data or source of information coming from China to show that the country is suffering from an outbreak of HMPV, former Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar told News18.

Gangakhedkar, the countrys top epidemiologist, believes that HMPV is not capable of causing another pandemic as it has been prevalent across the globe for the last many years and the majority of the population has already developed an immunity against the virus. It can only harm young children below five years who are yet to gain exposure or immunocompromised individuals, that too in rare scenarios."

On the ground, doctors are not witnessing any noticeable increase in cases of respiratory tract infections. So far, we havent witnessed any substantial rise in respiratory illness cases, and we dont expect a situation that would create panic," said Dr Kirti Sabnis, infectious disease specialist, at Fortis Hospital Mulund & Kalyan.

Sabnis added that while HMPV behaves similarly to coronavirus, the positive part is that its not a new pathogen. Fortunately, the illness it causes is generally short-lived, prevailing only for three to six days".

Similarly, Dr Arjun Khanna, head, pulmonary medicine at Faridabad-based Amrita Hospital, underlined that infections with metapneumovirus have been previously reported from various regions across the globe.

It is a common respiratory virus," he emphasised, adding that there is no cause for panic. For the majority of individuals, these infections present as self-limiting upper respiratory tract illnesses. However, in those with compromised immune systems, these infections may progress to pneumonia and involve the lower respiratory tract."

In fact, the Indian health agency has clarified that the virus spreading in China is like any other respiratory virus that causes cold", and there is no need for alarm.

HMPV spread in China is like any other respiratory virus that causes cold, there is no need for alarm," Dr Atul Goel, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said, while also suggesting regular precautions against respiratory infections.

Dr Niranjan Patil, scientific business head, infectious diseases, microbiology & molecular biology at Metropolis Healthcare Limited, said: We have been testing for HMPV since 2017 using US FDA-approved advanced and automated FilmArray multiplex PCR technology."

The combination of cold weather, worsening air pollution, increased international air travel, festive gatherings, and crowding creates an ideal environment for the spread of HMPV."

What can be done?

The rise in cases in China calls for a need to stay cautious and vigilant, especially during winters when respiratory infections are generally on the rise.

To minimise the risk, adhering to basic preventive measures is crucial, experts told News18.

These include wearing a well-fitted N95 mask, practising regular hand hygiene, avoiding crowded areas, and maintaining overall vigilance. These precautions mirror the steps successfully adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

By staying cautious and proactive, we can effectively protect ourselves and ensure that the situation remains manageable," said Khanna from Amrita Hospital.

Though no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine is available for HMPV, preventive measures are the strongest weapon.

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Frequent handwashing, wearing masks in crowded places, maintaining good respiratory hygiene, and avoiding close contact with symptomatic individuals are crucial steps. In a country like India, awareness and early detection are extremely important.

Roy from Apollo Spectra advises that parents should monitor children for prolonged cough, difficulty in breathing, or persistent fever and seek medical attention promptly. Adults with chronic respiratory conditions should also take precautions to avoid infections. While HMPV has not caused any major concerns here yet, vigilance will be key in preventing its spread."

First Published: January 04, 2025, 09:30 IST
Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) said that his fight against Tyson Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) should take place in 2025. AJ admitted that he is going to use every opportunity he gets to return to the ring.

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"I've been in a lot of fights, but this one has to be in 2025," Joshua said during a visit to Nigeria this week.

"Of course, the fight with Fury has to happen, and I hope it does... Time is running out and it's crucial. So I just want to work harder. In 2024, looking back, I believe I could have done more, and in 2025 I'll have another chance to do that," Talksport.com quoted Anthony as saying.

As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, Joshua expressed his readiness to fight Tyson Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs). This decision of the boxer from Watford means that the idea of organizing a rematch between the Gypsy King and the legendary Wladimir Klitschko (64-5-0-1, 54 KOs) may not come true.

It should be noted that last year Anthony and Tyson suffered painful defeats. Joshua was sensationally knocked out by his compatriot Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs), and Fury lost twice to Ukrainian super champion Oleksandr Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs).

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Maldives 'Very Concrete' Expression Of India's Neighbourhood First Policy: Jaishankar

Last Updated: January 03, 2025, 20:03 IST

Both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding for implementation of high impact community development projects under phase-III in Maldives through grant assistance from India.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said while hosting his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Khaleel for talks. (X/ @DrSJaishankar)

The Maldives is a "very concrete" expression of Indias neighbourhood first policy and New Delhi has always stood by the island nation, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said while hosting his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Khaleel for talks.

In his opening remarks at the meeting, Jaishankar noted the finalisation of a framework to promote the use of local currencies for cross border trade between India and Maldives besides listing New Delhis financial assistance to Male to help it deal with economic stress.

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Both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding for implementation of high impact community development projects under phase-III in Maldives through grant assistance from India.

In his comments, Khaleel reaffirmed President Mohamed Muizzus firm commitment to work closely with New Delhi in realising the joint vision for India-Maldives comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership.

Khaleel arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit to explore ways to bolster bilateral ties in several key areas including trade and investment.

The Maldives has been reeling under some financial stress.

"I see that the framework to promote the use of local currencies for cross border transactions has been signed," Jaishankar said.

"We have increased our engagement in various sectors and I do want to say that India has always stood by Maldives. For us, you are a very concrete expression of our neighbourhood first policy," he added.

The external affairs minister, referring to Indias financial support to Maldives, mentioned the currency swap lines of USD 400 million.

"We have also facilitated the export of essential commodities to Maldives. That has been very much a tradition in our relationship," he said.

"We certainly hope that our relationship has helped you to navigate through these difficult times," he added.

The Maldives is one of Indias key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and the overall bilateral ties including in areas of defence and security witnessed an upward trajectory under the previous government in Male.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankar and Khaleel took stock of progress made on the understandings reached during the visit of President Muizzu to India in October.

"External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed the importance India attaches to its bilateral ties with Maldives and assured continued support to Maldives, under Indias Neighbourhood First policy and Vision SAGAR," it said.

SAGAR stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region.

The ministry said Khaleel, on his part, appreciated the timely emergency financial assistance extended by India to Maldives in times of need, reflecting Indias role as the "First Responder" of Maldives.

"Foreign Minister Khaleel reaffirmed President Muizzus and the Government of Maldives firm commitment to work closely with the Government of India in realizing the Joint Vision for India-Maldives Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership," the MEA said in a statement.

The visit of Khaleel provided an opportunity to further deepen the bilateral ties for the mutual benefit of two countries and the Indian Ocean Region, it said.

The ties between India and the Maldives came under severe strain after Muizzu, known for his pro-China leanings, took charge of the top office in November 2023.

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Within hours of his oath, he had demanded the withdrawal of Indian military personnel from his country. Subsequently, the Indian military personnel were replaced by civilians.

However, there was a thaw in the relations as Muizzu vowed to boost the bilateral ties with India during his visit to Delhi in October.

First Published: January 03, 2025, 20:03 IST
Minor, 10, Elopes With 16-Year-Old Boy After Meeting On Instagram In Gujarat

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 19:09 IST

The minor girl went missing from her home on December 31 after which her family filed for a missing complaint suspecting that she had been kidnapped

The girl and the boy, who lived in different villages, had fallen in love after chatting frequently on the phone. (Representational image via X)

A 10-year-old girl, a Class 5 student, from Dhansura village in Gujarat was caught by the police after eloping with a 16-year-old boy she met on Instagram.

The two minors were found hours after the girls family filed a missing person complaint.

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The minor girl went missing from her home on December 31 after which her family filed for a missing complaint suspecting that she had been kidnapped.

However, during the investigation, the police discovered that the girl and the boy had met and formed a relationship through the social media platform. Both have been sent to a juvenile home.

The girl and the boy, who lived in different villages, had fallen in love after chatting frequently on the phone. According to the police, the minor had been using her mothers phone to communicate with the boy.

On the day she went missing, the two planned to elope, with the assistance of three friends, as per India Today report.

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Following the familys complaint, the police were able to trace the pair and bring the girl back to her family. A case has been registered in connection with the incident.

This case echoes a similar incident from last year in Madhya Pradesh, where a 15-year-old girl eloped with a 27-year-old man she had met on a social media platform. The two threatened their parents to arrange a wedding ceremony if they were to be separated.

Location : Gujarat, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 19:09 IST
More BSF Floating Outposts In Ganga, Brahmaputra To Watch Bangladesh Water Border

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 07:00 IST

Sources told News18: The Eastern Command covers huge rivers and guarding them is key to security. While floating outposts have been added in the Sunderbans, more will be added to other areas too.

The Brahmaputra, Ganga and Sunderbans are vast, with more than 53 transborder small rivers and rivulets. (File for representation)

In view of the tension in Bangladesh, India has boosted water surveillance in West Bengal and the North-Eastern states that share a 4,000-km border with the Mohammad Yunus-led country. According to sources, the Border Security Force (BSF) has added new floating border outposts in the Sunderbans and for all rivers across the entire Eastern Command.

The Brahmaputra, Ganga and Sunderbans are vast, with more than 53 transborder small rivers and rivulets.

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A BSF source told News18, Waters are always vulnerable. We are patrolling the areas 247. More floating outposts will definitely help us. They are the need of the hour."

Security experts, too, believe that surveillance covering all angles is a necessity.

In the past 10 days, three terror suspects have been arrested from Bengal  two from sleeper cells belonging to the Ansarullah Bangla Team in Murshidabad and Javed Munshi arrested from the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen in Canning.

Sources told News18: The Eastern Command covers huge rivers and guarding them is key to security. While floating outposts have been added in the Sunderbans, more will be added to other areas too."

Experts believe that before 1970, Pakistani terrorists entered Jammu and Kashmir through Bengal waters, and the change of regime in Bangladesh may facilitate it again.

Sources in the Special Task Force (STF) told News18 that Javed, who was nabbed from Canning in South 24 Parganas, had planned to go to Bangladesh via the water route.

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Sources also say that Javed came to India to conduct a reconnaissance on how viable the water routes are. The fact that Sad Radi, a terrorist of the Ansarullah Bangla Team who was arrested from Kerala, also came to India several times via Murshidabad makes it clear that they are now opting for the water route.

Top intelligence officers, too, believe that Bangladesh has now become a safe haven for terror activities, which puts special emphasis on water routes.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 07:00 IST
MP Govt To Apprise Courts Over Union Carbide Waste Disposal, Won't Proceed Till Further Orders

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 14:48 IST

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav held discussions with public representatives and officials over the planned disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste, which sparked protests.

Mohan Yadav said the government will not proceed with the toxic waste disposal until further court orders. (File Photo)

Amid protests over the planned disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy in the Pithampur industrial town of Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has decided to apprise the courts of the latest position on the issue and not proceed until further court orders.

The decision was taken on Friday night during a high-level meeting to review the situation.

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The state government stands firmly with the people. We will not allow any harm to the public. We will bring the matter before the court and proceed with any action only in compliance with the courts order," Yadav told reporters after the meeting.

The chief minister has appealed to the citizens not to believe in rumours.

Yadav held discussions with senior public representatives, top officials from the administration and police, and legal experts in the meeting regarding the transportation of the Union Carbide waste and its dumping and disposal near Pithampur.

He said that they have discussed various aspects of the work related to dumping of Union Carbide waste in the presence of deputy chief ministers Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla, senior MP and state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Vishnu Dutt Sharma, Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, Additional Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Rajora, Director General of Police Kailash Makwana, Principal Secretary Law and other senior officials in the Chief Ministers Office.

ALSO READ | 2 Men Attempt Self-Immolation To Protest Union Carbide Waste Disposal In MPs Pithampur

Yadav said, The Madhya Pradesh government is a government that gives top priority to the interests of the public. Therefore, we have always moved forward with the public interest in mind. In compliance with the Supreme Courts instructions and the High Courts order, the Union Carbide waste has been transported to Pithampur."

He said they only transported it while complying with the safety parameters in line with the petitions and orders of the court. The court had given a deadline for the waste to be sent to the designated place before January 4. The court expected its report by January 6.

Yadav said he took cognisance of the prevailing situation, and in such circumstances, if any threat or sense of fear arises among the public about security, then the state government will try to present this subject before the court. Any further action should be taken only after this, he added.

Whatever order the honourable court gives, we will be ready to follow it. We will not move forward until the court issues any direction," he stressed.

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Earlier in the day, protests rocked Pithampur against the planned disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy, prompting the authorities to clamp prohibitory orders around the premises of the firm where the incineration will be carried out.

During the protests, two persons attempted self-immolation, while sporadic protests continued in several parts of the town amid a bandh call given by the Pithampur Bachao Samiti.

Location : Bhopal, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 14:48 IST
On-Duty CISF Jawan Shoots Himself Dead At Surat Airport

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 18:10 IST

CISF personnel Kisan Singh (32) died by suicide in a washroom of the airport around 2.10 pm

Singh, who hailed from Jaipur and was deployed at the Surat airport, shot himself in the stomach (Representative image)

In a shocking incident, an on-duty Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel allegedly shot himself dead with his service revolver at the Surat International Airport on Saturday.

As per the police, the deceased CISF personnel, identified as 32-year-old Kisan Singh, native of Jaipur, died by suicide in a washroom at the airport around 2:10 pm today.

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According to the police as reported by Indian Express, Kanwar joined the duty at 1 pm at the airports D-1 gate. Later he asked one of his colleagues to stand at the gate to use the restroom.

When he failed to return, the officer called him but Kanwar did not respond. The officer then went to the washroom and found him lying dead on the floor. NV Bharwad, inspector of Dumas police station said Singh shot himself in the stomach. He was immediately taken to a private hospital where the doctors declared him dead, the inspector said as reported by news agency PTI.

Kanwar was posted in Surat in February 2022 and he had been with the CISF since 2015.

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The reason behind his drastic step is not known yet. We have intimated his family in Jaipur. We are coordinating with CISF officials to get more details about him," the inspector said.

This news piece may be triggering. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)

Location : Surat, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 16:49 IST
R Chidambaram, Architect Of Operation Smiling Buddha, Dies At 88

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 14:42 IST

R Chidambaram Passes Way: R Chidambaram died in Mumbai at the age of 88. He was a key player in both of India's atomic explosions at Pokhran in 1974 and 1998.

R Chidambaram Passes Way: R Chidambaram was a key player in both of India's atomic explosions at Pokhran in 1974 and 1998.

Indian nuclear scientist Dr R Chidambaram died in Mumbai at the age of 88 this morning. He was a key player in both of Indias atomic explosions at Pokhran in 1974 and 1998 and served as the Chairman of Indias Atomic Energy Commission. He later became the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and was awarded the Padma Vibhushan for his contributions to making India a nuclear weapons state.

In a statement, the Department of Atomic Energy said: Dr Rajagopala Chidambaram, an eminent physicist and one of Indias most distinguished scientists, passed away this morning (4 January 2025) at 3:20 am. Dr Chidambarams unparalleled contributions to Indias scientific and strategic capabilities and his visionary leadership in science and technology will forever be remembered."

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Dr Chidambaram held numerous roles in his career: Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India (2001-2018), Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (1990-1993), Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy (1993-2000), Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (1994-1995) and a member of the IAEAs Commission of Eminent Persons.

Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty said, Dr Chidambaram was a doyen of science and technology whose contributions furthered Indias nuclear prowess and strategic self-reliance. His loss is an irreparable one for the scientific community and the nation."

Extremely saddened by the passing away of eminent scientist and Padma Vibhushan recipient, Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram.He served as the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India for 16 long years and made key contributions to Indias Nuclear Programme, including pic.twitter.com/KwW5xGRwTM  Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 4, 2025

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, Extremely saddened by the passing away of eminent scientist and Padma Vibhushan recipient, Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram. He served as the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India for 16 long years and made key contributions to Indias Nuclear Programme, including the historic Pokhran 1 and Pokhran 2 Nuclear tests."

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First Published: January 04, 2025, 13:07 IST
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Chhattisgarh journalist Mukesh Chandrakar, who was found dead in a water tank in the Bijapur district, played a significant role in the release of a CRPF personnel kidnapped by Maoists during an encounter in Bijapur in 2021.

Who was Mukesh Chandrakar?

Mukesh Chandrakar was credited by the state police for his efforts in securing the release of CRPF commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas. The journalist had worked as a stringer for a national news channel and ran the popular YouTube channel Bastar Junction," which focused on Naxal-related issues in the region.

Mukesh Chandrakar exposed corruption in Bastar

Mukesh Chandrakar was last seen before disappearing on the night of January 1 and had been investigating alleged irregularities in a 120-crore road construction project in Bastar.

The journalists family reported him missing after his phone was turned off after a meeting arranged by contractor Suresh Chandrakars brother, Ritesh, at one of their properties.

Mukesh Chandrakars elder brother Yukesh Chandrakar filed a complaint, prompting the police to initiate a search in which authorities reviewed CCTV footage and identified his last known location.

The police said, The victims brother informed us yesterday that Mukesh had been missing since January 1. We initiated action, scanned CCTV footage, and also found his last location. We found Mukeshs dead body inside a tank in the evening today."
Kiara Advani Makes An Impeccable Statement In An Ivory And Gold Corset House Of Masaba Set

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Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 13:04 IST

Kiara Advani opted for an ivory and gold corset set from the House of Masaba. The set came with a draped skirt and a matching crepe stole.

She was styled by celebrity stylist Lakshmi Lehr.

When it comes to ethnic fashion, no Bollywood celebrity is doing it like Kiara Advani. The Shershaah star has been delivering looks after looks with her ethnic sartorial picks. Recently, she took to her social media to share a series of pictures of herself in an Indian fusion corset set from the House of Masaba. Her look has become a hit among fashion enthusiasts and her fans who cannot get enough of it.

Taking to her Instagram, Kiara Advani shared a series of pictures of herself in an ivory and gold corset set from the House of Masaba. She captioned the picture with a white heart emoji. The corset set is a perfect pick for those who want to fuse their ethnic wear with a contemporary silhouette. It is also a great pick for a daytime wedding when you want to look your best but also be comfortable with your outfit choice.

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Take a look at the outfit here.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by KIARA (@kiaraaliaadvani)

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Kiara opted for the Thandai Corset Set from the House of Masaba. The set featured an ivory corset, a draped skirt, and a matching stole in crepe. The set retails for Rs 50,000 on the official website. The website describes the set as The strapless corset is embellished with embroidery inspired by the Berry Bel motif." The corset set features intricate gold work which has been crafted with zardozi, sequins, katdana, and moti embroidery. While the corset top is fitted, the draped skirt adds a feminine flair to the overall look and imparts a flattering silhouette.

She paired the set with an ivory stole that featured two Anasam Phool -inspired motifs embroidered in gold along the hemline. For the accessories, Kiara opted for gold earrings that was shaped like a betel leaf. She also opted for statement bangles in gold and silver. She was styled by Lakshmi Lehr. For the makeup, Kiara went with a dewy base. She softly contoured her face to highlight the features and added a hint of highlighter for that soft sheen. She defined her eyes with a subtle brown eyeshadow. For the lips, she went with a soft brown shade which completed her look. She styled her hair in soft waves.

Location : Delhi, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 13:04 IST
Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Return From New Year Vacay, Are All Smiles Amid Divorce Rumours | Watch

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Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 05:22 IST

Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and their daughter Aaradhya Bachchan were spotted at the Mumbai airport.

Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai with their daughter Aaradhya.

The Bachchan family rang in the New Year with a serene getaway but has now returned to Mumbai, putting an end to their brief vacation. Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and their daughter Aaradhya were spotted at the Mumbai airport, where the trio looked relaxed yet stylish.

Abhishek kept his outfit casual in a grey hoodie and black tracks, while Aishwarya stunned in a classic black sweatshirt and leggings. Aaradhya, sporting a cheerful blue sweatshirt. The family exchanged warm New Year wishes with the paparazzi and gracefully made their way to their car, with Abhishek ensuring Aishwarya and Aaradhya were comfortably seated before taking his place in the front.

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Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan also returned to the city after their own New Year escapade. The senior Bachchans were seen arriving alongside Anil and Tina Ambani and Reema Jain, suggesting a group celebration before resuming their routines in Mumbai.

The return comes amidst swirling rumours about a rift between Abhishek and Aishwarya. The couple, who has been married since 2007, has been the subject of speculation for months. However, the Bachchan family has remained tight-lipped about the rumours. Amitabh Bachchan, in a recent blog post, appeared to address the chatter indirectly. Speculations are speculations they are speculated untruths, without verifications," he wrote, emphasizing the importance of privacy and authenticity.

Despite the rumours, the couple has consistently showcased a united front. In December, they attended Aaradhyas annual function at Dhirubhai Ambani International School with Amitabh Bachchan, reinforcing their image as a close-knit family. They also graced the wedding of Rikin Yadav, the son of a close family friend, posing for rare family photos with the hosts.

While divorce rumours continue to circulate, Abhishek and Aishwarya remain one of Bollywoods most celebrated couples.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 05:22 IST
Kangana Ranaut Performs Puja At Maa Pitambara Temple Days Before Emergency Hits Theatres; See Here

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Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 14:58 IST

Kangana Ranaut recently visited the Maa Pitambara temple in Datia, Madhya Pradesh, ahead of her much-anticipated film Emergency.

Kangana Ranaut visits Maa Pitambara temple in Madhya Pradesh ahead of Emergency release.

Actor Kangana Ranaut recently visited the Maa Pitambara temple in the Datia area of Madhya Pradesh, ahead of her upcoming film Emergency. Sharing moments from her visit on Instagram Stories, Kangana was accompanied by MLA Umesh Kumar during the spiritual outing on Saturday.

In one picture, Kangana was seen barefoot outside the temple, captioning it, Aaj Dattiya mein devi ke darshan kiye (Today, I sought blessings from the Goddess in Datia)." Another image captured Kangana within the temple premises, smiling softly while surrounded by police officials, a book in her hands.

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Inside the temple, Kangana performed a puja, sharing her thoughts about the historical and spiritual significance of the site. She wrote, Yeh ek aisa divya sthan hai jahan Mahabharat ke yug mein Ahwatthama dwara ek alaukik shiv ling sthapit kiya gaya tha, jiske humne bhi darshan kiye. Om Namah Shivay (This is a sacred place where Ahwatthama from the Mahabharata era established a divine Shiv Ling, which we also had the privilege to see)."

For the occasion, Kangana donned a yellow saree, wrapped in a shawl, and accessorized with a garland. She also re-shared MLA Umesh Kumars Instagram post, which featured a photo of the two inside the temple. His caption read, Today visited Maa Pitambara located in Datia, Madhya Pradesh with @kanganaranaut. May Goddess blessings be on you all."

On the work front, Kanganas Emergency is set to release on January 17. The political drama, written, directed, and co-produced by Kangana herself, features her in the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The film explores the 21-month period of Emergency declared in India from 1975 to 1977 and its far-reaching consequences. The cast also includes Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhry, and Milind Soman.

Reportedly, the film was cleared by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after the creators agreed to make three cuts and provide reputable sources to back up contentious claims. The film, which was planned to be released in theatres on September 6, was postponed owing to censor board certification issues. Several Sikh organisations have also opposed the films release, arguing it portrays the community in a negative manner.

Opening up about the delays, the actress shared during News18 India Chaupal event, It is our history which has been intentionally hidden. We are not told about this. Bhale logo ka zamaana nahi hai." She added, Till when will we continue to play safe? I do not think like this. I never thought people would have an objection to Bhindranwale being shown as a terrorist. I am being tortured. It is so embarrassing for me. We also faced losses."

First Published: January 04, 2025, 14:58 IST
Citizens of Ukraine liable for military service must comply with the rules of military registration, even if they are abroad. In case of violation of the law, a fine of 17 to 25 thousand hryvnias may be imposed.

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However, even from abroad, fines from the MCC and JV can be appealed. This was stated by lawyer Dmytro Franchuk.

According to him, non-payment of the fine may result in a penalty for each day. In addition, territorial recruitment centers may apply to the executive service to open proceedings to enforce the fine or even seize the violator's property.

At the same time, the lawyer stated that appealing a fine for persons outside Ukraine is a difficult but possible process. To appeal a fine, you need to start the procedure immediately, as you have only 10 days to do so.

The lawyer recommends providing documents that would confirm the person's stay abroad, as this can be a strong argument when appealing the fine. However, it should be borne in mind that failure to appear at the MCC under a summons may result not only in an administrative fine, but also in criminal liability for evading mobilization. Therefore, if you receive a call while abroad, it is very important to take steps to resolve the situation.

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In order to appeal the fine, you need to issue a power of attorney to represent your interests in Ukraine. Such a document must be certified by a notary at the consular office of Ukraine in the country where the offender is located.

You should also file an application for appealing the fine from the MCC that issued it. The application should include the personal data of the person subject to the fine; details of the decision to impose the fine (number, date); reasons why you consider the fine to be illegal; evidence supporting your arguments (copies of documents on staying abroad, power of attorney).

If the decision of the CC to appeal the fine is negative, you can appeal it in court. A claim can also be filed with the court by a representative under a power of attorney, and the period for appealing the decision of the TCC in court lasts 10 days from the date of receipt of the decision.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 a man who has three dependent children, one of whom is of age, is not entitled to a postponement of the call-up for military service during mobilization. This right is granted only if there are three or more children under the age of 18.

 At the same time, parents with many children may lose the right to a deferment under certain circumstances. To apply for a deferment, a request must be submitted to the MCC.

 The government has allowed a new category of citizens  clergy  to be exempted from mobilization. In total, up to 50% of representatives of religious organizations can be exempted. At the same time, priests are not subject to the requirement of a minimum salary of 20 thousand hryvnias.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
Preity Zinta And Husband Gene Goodenough Unwind On A Seaside Getaway

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Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 13:34 IST

Preity Zinta is on a New Year trip with her husband, Gene Goodenough, and their friends.

Preity Zinta will make her comeback in Lahore 1947. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Preity Zinta is celebrating New Year with a trip to the seaside with her husband, Gene Goodenough, and their close friends. On Saturday, January 4, the Bollywood star shared a montage from her relaxing trip on her Instagram account. She ditched any cold, wintry location and decided to bask in the warm sun with her loved ones, enjoying the day to the fullest.

At the beginning of the clip, Preity is seen enjoying a car ride with her husband, following which she gives a brief glimpse of the vast sea. The actress, wearing a printed mini-dress, was seen walking on a wooden path. Next, she gives a closer look at her chic OOTD and the surrounding scenery in a selfie video. Further, Preity can be seen posing with her husband, having food at an aesthetic eatery, and enjoying drinks with friends. She also included a few snaps from their outing.

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In the caption, the 49-year-old actress wrote, Sun, sand, you, me, our friends and the sea. What more can I ask for? #holiday #ting." She shared the clip to Remas smash-hit song Calm Down.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Preity G Zinta (@realpz)

As soon as Preity dropped the video, her fans flooded the comment section with compliments. One fan said, Once again, amazing new year start your life." Another praised the actress, saying, Pretty woman."

Meanwhile, Preity Zinta hopped on at a lively New Years Eve party to ring in 2025 alongside her husband. In an Instagram video, the Bollywood actress captured some memorable moments from the party. As the clip unfolded, Preity and her husband were seen funky New Year glasses. Then, the couple was seen having a blast with their close friends.

Sharing the video, Preity wrote, This new year definitely started off with a bang. Heres to visiting new places, experiencing new adventures & being spontaneous! Thank you soo much to my amazing mom & mom in law for making this trip happen so we could dance our way into the new year. Love & light to all of you & Happy New Year. #Happynewyear #puntedeleste #bedouin #&me #ting."

Speaking of Preity Zintas work front, the 49-year-old Bollywood diva is all set to make her comeback to the big screens with Lahore 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. She was last seen in the 2018 film Bhaiyaji Superhit, co-starring Sunny Deol.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 13:34 IST
Pushpa 2 Star Allu Arjun Arrives At Hyderabads Nampally Court To Complete Formalities For Bail Surety

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Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 17:00 IST

Pushpa 2 actor Allu Arjun was granted regular bail in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case by the Nampally court in Hyderabad on Friday.

Allu Arjun was granted regular bail by the Nampally court in Hyderabad on Friday.

On Friday, Pushpa 2 actor Allu Arjun was granted bail in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case by the Nampally Court. The actor was booked over the death of a woman at the theatre in Hyderabad during the premiere of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule on December 4. Now, a day after being granted regular bail, Allu Arjun was spotted arriving at the Nampally Court to submit and sign the bail documents. He submitted surety documents as part of the process for securing regular bail, after which he was seen heading out of the court.

Visuals that have surfaced show Allu arjun arriving at the Nampally Court for the formalities. He was seen in a black kurta and matching pajamas. The Pushpa 2 star got out of his car and headed inside the court. Meanwhile, another video shows him exiting the court after submitting the documents. On his way out, a fan approached him for a selfie, and the actor politely obliged. He then shook hands with his lawyer, before getting inside the car and leaving.

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BREAKING: Allu Arjun arrives at Nampally court & completes full bail surety procedures in his new look. pic.twitter.com/LrLCAYMhlR Manobala Vijayabalan (@ManobalaV) January 4, 2025

Allu Arjun Gets Bail In Pushpa 2 Stampede Case

The Nampally court granted Allu Arjun regular bail and directed him to furnish two sureties of Rs 50,000 each. In a video posted by ANI, Arjuns advocate Ashok Reddy said, Conditions have been imposed, and he has to attend the police station also. Not every day, every Sunday, but that is a normal condition for every accused. The court was convinced that this was not a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Therefore, the court considered and granted bail."

Pushpa 2 Stampede Incident

The incident took place on December 4, when Allu Arjun attended the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre. A massive crowd had gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor, and chaos ensued. The stampede claimed the life of a woman, while her son was hospitalized. Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the incident and was produced before the Nampally court, which remanded him to a 14-day judicial custody. He was granted interim bail for 4 weeks on a personal bond of Rs 50,000.

The custody ended on December 27, following which Allu Arjun appeared in court via video conference. However, no decision was announced by the court then and the next hearing was pushed to December 30th, which was then postponed to January 3, 2025.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 16:54 IST
Sky Force: Akshay Kumar And Veer Gear Up For Action In New Motion Poster Ahead Of Trailer Launch

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Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 21:09 IST

Sky Force gears up as one of Bollywood's most anticipated films of 2025. A new motion poster featuring Akshay Kumar and debutant Veer, as Indian Air Force officers, has been unveiled ahead of the trailer release on January 5.

Sky Force motion poster featuring Akshay Kumar and Veer released ahead of the January 5 trailer launch.

Sky Force is gearing up to be one of the most anticipated Bollywood releases of 2025. The makers are set to kickstart promotions with the trailer launch scheduled for January 5, 2025. Ahead of the trailer, a motion poster featuring Akshay Kumar and debutant Veer was unveiled, showcasing them ready to soar into the skies."

On Saturday, the team behind Sky Force shared the motion poster across social media platforms. The poster depicted Akshay Kumar and Veer as Indian Air Force officers, surrounded by planes with a patriotic tune playing in the background. The tagline read, Some missions end. Others last a lifetime," and confirmed that the trailer will drop tomorrow.

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The post was captioned: This New Year, soar into the skies with #SkyForcethe untold story of Indias first and deadliest airstrike ever. Trailer out tomorrow. In cinemas on 24th January 2025"

Fans flooded the comments section with love and excitement. One user wrote, What a song! Cant wait for the trailer This is just mind-blowing," while another said, This film gives me vibes of AKs old films." Another comment read, Excellent motion poster, cant wait to witness two real soldiers on the big screen. Waiting for this one #SkyForce." Emojis of red hearts and flames also dominated the responses.

Bollywood stars such as Shanaya Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Arjun Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Vedang Raina, and Karan Johar expressed their excitement by liking the post.

As per the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) website, the 2-minute, 45-second trailer of Sky Force was certified on January 2 and has been rated UA 7+.

Directed by Sandeep Kewlani and Abhishek Kapur, Sky Force stars Akshay Kumar, Veer, Sara Ali Khan, Nimrat Kaur, and Sharad Kelkar in pivotal roles. The movie, produced by Dinesh Vijan, Amar Kaushik, and Jyoti Deshpande, is set to release globally on January 24, 2025, during the Republic Day weekend.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 21:09 IST
When Amitabh Bachchan Spoke About Being A 'Bigger' Star Than Dilip Kumar: 'You Have...'

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Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 10:25 IST

A fan asked Amitabh Bachchan if he had imagined surpassing Dilip Kumar's stardom.

Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar.

Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar first starred together in Shakti, a film released on October 1, 1982. However, Amitabh had first said no to the film as he wasnt sure if he could match Dilip Kumars star power and acting prowess. However, Kumar convinced Bachchan by saying that he wanted to learn from him. Dilip Kumar was a massive superstar and through dedication, Amitabh Bachchan also reached superstar status globally. In fact, some fans said that Amitabh Bachchan succeeded Dilip Kumar as Indias superstar and even surpassed his fame.

In an old chat on Rediff, one fan asked Bachchan about being bigger than Dilip Kumar. The fan had asked, When you first catapulted to success, did you ever think that you would be bigger than Dilip Kumar and gang? Knowing that you are modest, you will say that they are bigger."

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However, Amitabh Bachchan had a witty and polite answer to the question. He humbly wrote, Thank you, you have answered your question yourself." Despite their mutual respect for one another, Ramesh Sippys Shakti was Bachchan and Kumars first and last collaboration on screen.

In the same chat, Amitabh Bachchan opened up about why we ventured into films late in life. A fan asked, Welcome to this chat Big B, tell us, how did you come into films at a rather late age? Was it that you wanted to pursue your studies in your youth?" The actor replied, Yes. My parents felt that a complete education was mandatory. So after appearing for my senior Cambridge in Sherwood College, Nainital, I joined Delhi University where I graduated from. I did my BSc."

Despite his superstardom, Amitabh Bachchan also faced problems in his career and even witnessed a financial struggle. One fan asked, I feel that theres an anti-Amitabh lobby which works against your movies. Partly because of that, some of your movies have failed. I also feel that your movies need more publicity and advertising prior to their release. Could you please comment?"

I would not entirely agree with that. Healthy rivalry has always flourished in the film industry and no one can lobby a success or failure. But I agree that in todays times, marketing and advertising do carry a lot of weight," Bachchan wrote.

However, Amitabh Bachchans career was back on track after he starred in Yash Chopras Mohabbatein. He was last seen in Kalki 2898 AD and his role was greatly appreciated in the film. The actor will reportedly begin shoot for the remake of The Intern once Deepika Padukone if off maternity leave.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 10:25 IST
Opinion | Two Nations, Two Fates: The Stark Contrast Between Indian And Pakistani Shias

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 18:23 IST

Pakistan is now among the most hazardous nations for Shias worldwide as a result of the ongoing violence

Kashmiri Shia Muslims raise slogans during their protest against the killing of seven teachers in an attack at a school in Pakistan. (PTI Photo)

Harrowing news broke on Geo News with grim clarity: Death toll reaches 50 citizens." A country founded by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, a Shia himself, has now become one of the most unsafe places for Shias to live. A terrifying reminder of the systemic persecution that the Shia population faces is the horrific incident of a targeted anti-Shia attack in Pakistan.

The images of distraught families and blood-stained streets are not isolated instances; rather, they are part of a darker, more widespread story of intolerance and hatred that has pervaded Pakistan for many years. For me, as an Indian Shia, the horror of these events is both personal and political.

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A Decade Of Bloodshed: Anti-Shia Killings In Pakistan

The 2024 statistics show a bleak picture. This year alone, there have been 238 recorded instances of targeted anti-Shia killings in Pakistan, according to data gathered by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) and other human rights organisations. These numbers, however, do not account for the countless instances of hate speech, coerced conversions, and intimidation Shias face on a daily basis.

In 2013 alone, bombings in Quetta claimed the lives of over 200 Hazara Shias. Data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reveals that between 2014 and 2023, an average of 150 Shias were killed annually in targeted attacks. From 2014 to 2023, over 2,000 Shias were killed in targeted attacks, according to research by Zahid Hussain in Dawn. These include mass shootings, bombings in Shia-majority areas, and targeted assassinations of prominent Shia figures.

In his article, Hussain highlights the impunity with which extremist groups such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba operate, often with tacit state support. This decade-long bloodshed underscores a systemic failure of the Pakistani state to protect one of its largest religious minorities. These organisations operate by taking advantage of a lax legal system and the states unwillingness to act decisively against them.

Nearly 10,000 Shias have been injured in attacks over the past ten years, according to the data, and thousands more have been relocated. Pakistan is now among the most hazardous nations for Shias worldwide as a result of the ongoing violence.

My Life As An Indian Shia: A Personal Reflection

As an Indian Shia, I find myself oscillating between gratitude and despair. Gratitude, because I am grateful that I have been able to live without the anxieties that plague my Pakistani counterparts. Sadness, as the violence between the sects in Pakistan seems to be a personal bereavement, a wound inflicted on the larger Shia identity that I hold very dear.

I was raised in a traditional Kashmiri family, where it was customary to wear the hijab. However, I found myself letting go of many of my preconceived ideas about faith and identity as well as the hijab when I relocated to Delhi for further education. I can now practice my religionor notwithout worrying about blasphemy laws or social punishment.

One particular moment stands out vividly. During a Muharram procession in Delhi, I was struck by the diversity of participants. Sunnis, Hindus, and even Christians joined in to pay their respects. The procession was not just a religious ritual; it was a celebration of cultural plurality. Even Kashmiri Pandits, back in my hometown, have also been participating in the Muharram processions.

A Tale Of Two Realities: Indian Shias Vs Pakistani Shias

The lives of Shias in India and Pakistan present a stark dichotomy. According to the Pew Research Center, Shias make up about 10-15 per cent of Indias Muslim population. In India, Shias enjoy constitutional protections that allow them to practice their faith openly. They have representation in politics, access to Shia-specific religious institutions, and the freedom to observe rituals without fear. Indian Shias actively participate in public life, from academia and politics to arts and business.

Figures like Syed Hamid Ansari, Indias former Vice President, exemplify the communitys prominence and integration. Another example is the Hussaini Brahmins, including prominent families like the Dutt family. These Brahmins represent a unique tradition of religious syncretism, blending Hindu and Shia Muslim practices. These Brahmins have long participated in the Muharram mourning rituals, particularly honouring the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. The Hussaini Brahmins are free to practice both their Hindu traditions and Islamic observances.

Contrast this with Pakistan, where Muharram processions are often targeted by suicide bombers, and you begin to understand the stark difference in lived experiences.

In Pakistan, Shias are often forced to hide their religious identity. Even the most basic acts of devotion, such as attending a Majlis or wearing black during Muharram, can make them targets. The infamous blasphemy laws, as discussed by Saima Bano in The Express Tribune, disproportionately affect Shias, as their theological differences with Sunni orthodoxy are often labelled as blasphemy.

A 2018 report by the Jinnah Institute highlighted how Pakistani Shias are often excluded from political and social spaces. The rise of extremist ideologies has further entrenched this exclusion. Over the last decade, the governments failure to act decisively against sectarian violence has emboldened extremist groups. According to Amnesty International, less than 10 per cent of cases involving anti-Shia violence result in convictions. As Hussain Zaidi notes in Pakistan Today, the judiciarys reluctance to act against extremist groups has emboldened them, making Shias even more vulnerable.

The Pakistani States Role And Responsibilities

The Pakistani state cannot absolve itself of its responsibilities. It is the primary duty of any government to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, regardless of their religious or sectarian affiliations. The current state of affairs exposes a state that is either complicit or egregiously negligent. Reforming the laws against blasphemy is an essential first step. These laws have been used as weapons against Shias and other minorities in order to stifle dissent.

In her publications, legal expert Asma Jahangir made the case that blasphemy laws are a social problem that fosters intolerance as much as a legal one. Her observations are still painfully applicable today. According to Human Rights Watch, from 2014 to 2023, over 100 Shias were accused of blasphemy, with several facing mob violence before legal proceedings could even begin. The states failure to repeal or reform these laws reflects a broader unwillingness to protect Shias.

The Pakistani government must also take strong action against extremist groups. This calls for a long-term plan to combat the ideological underpinnings of sectarianism in addition to military measures. Such an approach must include interfaith discussions, education reforms, and more stringent oversight of religious seminaries. A 2021 report by the International Crisis Group noted that Pakistans intelligence agencies have historically used sectarian groups as proxies, further entrenching their influence.

A Plea For Humanity

The story of Pakistani Shias is one of resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. Despite systemic violence and discrimination, the community continues to contribute to Pakistans social, cultural, and economic fabric. But resilience alone is not enough. It is time for the Pakistani state and society to honour the ideals of its founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who envisioned a nation where all citizens could live with dignity and equality.

As an Indian Shia, my heart aches for my Pakistani brethren. Our shared history and cultural ties make their suffering feel personal. I urge the Pakistani state to recognise the invaluable contributions of its Shia citizens and to take immediate steps to protect them. Silence and inaction are no longer options.

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To the international community, please do not turn a blind eye to the plight of Pakistans Shias. Advocate for their rights, amplify their voices, and hold the Pakistani state accountable.

Tehmeena Rizvi is a Senior Fellow at Bluekraft Digital Foundation and is pursuing PhD from Bennett University. Her areas of work include Women, Peace and Security, focusing on the intersection of conflict, Muslim women, and religion. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 18:23 IST
Punjab Protesters At His Doors, Kejriwal Makes New Poll Promise & Big Claim On Congress, BJP 'Tie-Up'

Curated By :

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Edited By: Sumedha Kirti



Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 16:27 IST

Arvind Kejriwal said that inflated water bills slapped on Delhi residents will be waived off if AAP returns to power. This came as Punjab women protested outside his residence against 'fake' promises.

Those Delhi residents who think their bills are wrong, need not pay, said Arvind Kejriwal.

Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should officially announce that they are contesting Delhi assembly elections together against the Aam Aadmi Party, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday. Even as women from Punjab were protesting outside his residence, the former Delhi CM asserted that his party had delivered on all promises.

Lekin jab mai jail gaya, inlogo ne peeche se pata nahi kya kiya. Kuch toh gadbad ki (They did something when I was in jail. Some issues arose in my absence)," said Kejriwal while hinting that BJP was behind the inflated water bills that many Delhi residents received.

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Asserting that AAP provided free water supply to over 12 lakh families in Delhi, the AAP chief promised, I want to publicly and officially announce that those who think their bills are wrong, they need not pay. Wait for the elections; AAP will form the government, and we will waive off those wrong bills."

The half-state of New Delhi is a Union Territory and an Assembly. It is jointly administered by the central government (presently ruled by BJP) and the local government of Delhi (presently ruled by AAP), and serves as the capital of the nation as well as the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

Kejriwals assurance came at a time when a group of women from Punjab were staging a protest outside his residence. The protesters accused the AAP-led Punjab government of backtracking on the promise of providing Rs 1,000 to every woman.

We have come from Amritsar to put forward our matters. Do not cheat the women of Delhi as you did with the women of Punjab," a woman told reporters while being detained by Delhi police. Do not make a promise of Rs 2,100 to the women of Delhi"

Natwarlal getting belt-treatment"We've come from Punjab's Gurdaspur. People there are poor, they (Kejriwal & Bhagwant Mann) promised to give 1000 to every woman. They formed Govt by lying" Delhiites,you aren't watching Punjabi Women protesting. You're watching your Future. pic.twitter.com/mn2EiJMLTS  BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) January 4, 2025

On December 22, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced the launch of registrations for the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana. Under this scheme, AAP aims to provide women residing in Delhi with Rs 2,100 per month.

These women belong to their (Congress and BJP) party. They have not come from Punjab, the women in Punjab are with us. They have faith in AAP. Congress and BJP should officially announce that they are contesting elections together against AAP in Delhi," Kejriwal said, adding that the grand old party should not worry about AAP.

The Congress was in power in Punjab before AAP defeated it in Assembly election in 2022.

Senior Congress leaders from Punjab cautioned Delhi residents against the fake and bogu promises of AAP and Kejriwal. They warned the women about Rs 2,100 monthly stipend promised by Kejriwal, citing the example of Punjab, where a similar promise was made three years ago, but nothing has been done till now.

Dismissing the grand old party, the former Delhi CM said, Dont take Congress seriously."

The BJP too called AAP fake and fraud". Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya posted a video on X and said that the woman whose photo has been used in the advertisement of Rs 2,100 per month scheme promise of AAP is a BJP voter and her photo has been used without asking her".

     ,              -       ,                pic.twitter.com/mSS72l8o6p Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) January 4, 2025

Union home minister Amit Shah also attacked Kejriwal and narrated an incident when some children went to meet him at his residence. So I asked then what has Kejriwal ji done? One child said Kejriwal has built a big Sheesh Mahal worth Rs 45 crore for himself," Shah said.

The Union home minister reminded former Delhi CM that when he entered politics, he used to say that he will not take a government car or a government bungalow. Today he has built Sheesh Mahal for himself. Kejriwal ji, you will have to give an account to the people of Delhi," Shah added.

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The elections to the 70-member Delhi assembly are likely to be held in February. The Election Commission of India is expected to announced poll dates in days to come. The term of the current assembly in Delhi expires on February 23, 2025.

The BJP on Saturday released its first list of 29 candidates for the polls, fielding former MP Parvesh Verma from the New Delhi seat against Arvind Kejriwal. It has named another former MP Ramesh Bidhuri from Kalkaji, where Chief Minister and AAP candidate Atishi is in the fray.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 16:27 IST
Prashant Kishor's Lavish Vanity Van At Hunger Strike Site Sparks Row, He Responds

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 20:24 IST

The luxury vanity van, is parked a few hundred metres from the site at the historic Gandhi Maidan, where Kishor launched his aamaran anshan on Thursday evening.

Controversy erupted on Saturday over a vanity van parked close to Patnas Gandhi Maidan, where Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor is on a fast-unto-death (PTI)

Poll strategist-tuned politician Prashant Kishor, who began a fast unto death in solidarity with students demanding cancellation of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam, has gained attention as his luxury vanity van parked near the protest site became the center of political debate.

The luxury vanity van, is parked a few hundred metres from the site at the historic Gandhi Maidan, where Kishor launched his aamaran anshan on Thursday evening. The photos of the van have gone viral, sparking questions on social media about its presence.

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The high-end vehicle of Jan Suraaj party chief, reportedly costing Rs 25 lakh per day, features home-like luxury arrangements, including air conditioning, a kitchenette, and a sleeping area.

Patna, Bihar: Amid Prashant Kishors hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan, his vanity van has become a subject of controversy pic.twitter.com/M0KWS3bnxV IANS (@ians_india) January 4, 2025

Opposition Targets Kishor

Opposition parties, including the RJD, have criticised Kishor, accusing him of staging a show of protest. RJD said that using such a lavish facility undermines the seriousness of his hunger strike and portrays a misleading narrative of solidarity with the students.

BJP further questioned the source of funds for renting the costly vanity van. The party argued that the use of luxury amenities at a protest site dilutes the credibility of the movement and raises ethical concerns about its intent.

There were allegations that Kishors move might be an attempt to mislead the public and divert attention from the core issues raised by the students.

Kishor Responds To Controversy

Reacting to the controversy, Kishor said that he has been on hunger strike for three days and hasnt slept in the van. Those making the issue out of it should come and spend a night in chilly winter at the protest site.

I am on a fast here. If I go home to relieve myself, then journalists will ask questions whether I went to have food or take a nap Some people said the vanity van is worth Rs 2 crore and the rent for the same is Rs 25 lakh per day.

I want to convey this through mediapersons let this van be taken away and in return, give me Rs 25 lakh per day and provide an alternate space that can be used as washroom." Asked further about the purpose of the vehicle, the 47-year-old former political strategist wondered if the question of where we relieve ourselves is more important than the future of BPSC aspirants".

Will you be able to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar about the amenities they enjoy?" Kishor said.

Jan Suraaj Party spokesperson Vivek also dismissed the controversy, saying, This is not an issue. The issue is the future of the candidates." He accused political opponents of using the vanity van to defame Kishor, adding that the focus should remain on the students demands for justice.

BPSC Protests

Kishor began a hunger strike at Patnas Gandhi Maidan on Thursday to press the demand for cancellation of the exam in the wake of allegations of a paper leak in the examination held on December 13.

Kishor made the announcement at the historic Gandhi Maidan in the state capital, three days after giving a 48-hour ultimatum" to the Nitish Kumar government for acting on the demand, raised by aggrieved candidates.

Meanwhile, an FIR has been slapped on Kishor and his 150 supporters" by the district administration, which has asserted that the protest at the site was illegal".

Tensions escalated earlier this week when police deployed water cannons to disperse protesting students. An altercation between Kishor and some BPSC aspirants followed, with students accusing Kishor of intimidation.

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Aspirants are demanding the scrapping of the examination which was held across the state on December 13, 2024, and a re-examination citing paper leak and other irregularities that allegedly occurred at various examination centres.

(With inputs from agencies)

First Published: January 04, 2025, 17:51 IST
Rapprochement Rumours And Gadchiroli Praise Shake Maharashtras Political Scene

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 15:49 IST

The convergence of these developmentsthe Pawar familys potential reconciliation and the unexpected praise for Devendra Fadnavispoints to a period of significant transition in Maharashtra politics

Maharashtras political landscape is in flux, with alliances shifting rapidly. (File image: PTI)

The Pawar family, which includes Sharad Pawar, his daughter Supriya Sule, and his nephew Ajit Pawar, has often faced scrutiny for internal differences. Ajits defection to the BJP-led coalition shocked the political fraternity and seemingly created a rift within the family. However, in recent weeks, signs of a thaw in relations have emerged, prompting speculation about the possibility of a reunion. First, it was Sunanda Pawar, mother of Rohit Pawar (Sharad Pawars grandson), who expressed that the Pawar family should reunite politically too, and that is the sentiment on the ground among party workers. Recently, Ajit Pawars mother, Asha Tai Pawar, also expressed the same feelings while speaking with reporters in Pandharpur: I prayed that all the grievances within the Pawar family should end, and Ajit and Sharad Pawar come together again. I hope my prayers will be granted."

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The Pawar family has historically presented a united front, with Sharad Pawar steering the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) as one of its founding members and its most prominent leader. Supriya Sule, widely regarded as her fathers political heir, has been a key figure in shaping the partys image as a progressive yet grounded force in Maharashtra politics and national politics. On the other hand, Ajit Pawar has cultivated an image as a grassroots leader with strong administrative acumen, earning him significant support in western Maharashtra and a strong hold on state politics.

After the split in the party, Ajit Pawar and a faction of NCP MLAs joined the BJP-led government, creating a public schism in the family. Sharad Pawar criticised his nephews decision, while Supriya Sule maintained a diplomatic stance, expressing disappointment but refraining from harsh criticism. However, recent public appearances and comments by family members of Pawar have hinted at a reconciliation. Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar were seen together at family functions and political events, sharing moments of camaraderie that seemed to transcend their political differences.

The rapprochement raises questions about whether it is driven by personal reconciliation or political strategy. Maharashtras political landscape is in flux, with alliances shifting rapidly. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliancecomprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP SP (Sharadchandra Pawar), and Congressfaces significant challenges, including internal differences and pressure from the BJP-Shinde coalition. A united Pawar family could bolster the Sharad Pawar-led NCP SPs position within national and state politics. Reconciliation could help repair the partys image among its traditional voter base, which has been disoriented by the split, which was seen during the state assembly polls, as Ajit scored better than the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

On the other hand, Ajit Pawars position within the BJP-led government raises questions about how a rapprochement would manifest politically. While it is unlikely that Ajit would leave the government, a personal reunion could pave the way for a more coordinated approach to governance and election strategy.

Adding to the intrigue is Supriya Sules recent praise for chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, particularly for his efforts in addressing challenges in Gadchiroli, a Naxal-affected district in Maharashtra. During a public event, Sule commended Fadnavis for his focus on development and security in the region, calling his work commendable and much needed".

Her remarks have sparked speculation about a potential softening of ties between the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction and the BJP. Sules comments align with similar praise from Saamana, the Shiv Sena (UBT)s mouthpiece, which lauded Fadnavis for his visionary leadership" in Gadchiroli. Such positive remarks from political adversaries are rare and have led to discussions about whether they signal a broader shift in Maharashtras political equations.

Gadchiroli has long been a challenging region for successive governments due to its socio-economic backwardness and persistent Naxal activity. Over the years, the district has seen significant investment in infrastructure, education, and healthcare, aimed at improving the quality of life for its residents and curbing Naxal influence. Fadnaviss efforts, particularly during his previous tenure as chief minister and now in the current government, have focused on creating employment opportunities, building roads, and strengthening law enforcement. These initiatives have been praised not only by his allies but also by opposition leaders like Sule, who acknowledged the tangible progress in the region.

Saamanas editorial on the subject further underscores the significance of the Gadchiroli narrative. The newspaper, often critical of the BJP, highlighted the importance of recognising good governance, regardless of political affiliations. This unusual praise has raised eyebrows, with some interpreting it as a strategic move to appeal to a broader voter base.

The praise for Fadnavis has created ripples within the MVA alliance, which has struggled to maintain a cohesive narrative against the BJP-Shinde government. Critics within the alliance argue that such remarks weaken their collective opposition, while others see them as an attempt to project a more balanced image. For Supriya Sule, the praise for Fadnavis could be a calculated move to position herself as a pragmatic leader willing to acknowledge good work, even from political opponents. This approach could resonate with voters who prioritise development over partisan politics.

The convergence of these developmentsthe Pawar familys potential reconciliation and the unexpected praise for Fadnavispoints to a period of significant transition in Maharashtra politics. While it is too early to predict the long-term implications, these events highlight the fluidity of political alignments in the state.

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As Maharashtra gears up for a series of crucial local body elections, the dynamics within the Pawar family and the broader political landscape will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of both factions of the NCP at grassroots levels. The potential rapprochement within the Pawar family could strengthen the NCP, while the praise for Fadnavis signals a shift towards a more development-oriented political discourse.

In this evolving scenario, one thing is clear: Maharashtras political landscape is transforming, driven by both personal equations and strategic considerations. As the states leaders navigate these changes, the coming months are likely to witness shifting narratives and intensified political manoeuvring. For the voters, this period promises a mix of intrigue, speculation, and, hopefully, tangible progress.

First Published: January 04, 2025, 15:49 IST
Why Triangular Fight Of Arvind Kejriwal, Parvesh Verma And Sandeep Dikshit For New Delhi Is Mother Of All Battles

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 05, 2025, 00:30 IST

Its a rare fight between the sons of two former chief ministers and a former CM himselfall of whom have to prove a point not only to their respective political parties they represent but to themselves

This time, New Delhi is not just a usual poll fight. File images/X

Come next week, after January 6, the Election Commission is likely to announce the Delhi assembly poll dates. Just ahead of it, on Saturday, the Bharatiya Janata Party released its first list of 29 names, making Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma and Aam Aadmi Partys Arvind Kejriwals fight from the VIP constituency of New Delhi official.

But this wont be a two-way fight. Delhis most watched constituency will have a triangular tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party, the BJP, and the Congress. The grand old party has fielded Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, whom Kejriwal defeated from the same constituency.

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Its a rare fight between the sons of two former chief ministers and a former CM himselfall of whom have to prove a point not only to their respective political parties they represent but to themselves.

When Madan Lal Khurana was embroiled in a corruption charge, Sahib Singh became Delhis chief minister and remained so for two and a half years. He had an active Sangh background, was national vice president of the BJP, and a big Jat leader. However, Parvesh Verma, though he served as a Delhi MP, couldnt fit into the shoes of his father. This will be his chance to prove himself.

Meanwhile, Sheila Dikshit was battered by various corruption allegations, including of the CWG scam, raised by Arvind Kejriwal, then just an RTI activist. Kejriwal captured the imagination of the nation when Anna Hazare went on a fast for his cause. Later, when India Against Corruption decided to transform into a political outfitAAPand fight elections, Kejriwal decided to take on Sheila Dikshit from this very seatNew Delhi. Kejriwal defeated the late Congress leader by 20,000 votes. Now, observers say, its payback time for her son.

Recently, Sandeep Dikshit spoke about how his mother was wrongly defamed for using government facilities while she was the chief minister, referring to the AAP leaders corruption allegations, even when Kejriwal allegedly spent crores on his government mansionsomething even Prime Minister Narendra Modi raked up on Friday while mentioning sheesh mahal".

For Arvind Kejriwal, the embattled former chief minister who had to quit on corruption charges after going to jail, it is a fight to regain lost glorythe CMs post and authority over the AAP cadres. He was arrested by both the Enforcement Directorate for money laundering and the Central Bureau of Investigation in a corruption case related to the alleged liquor policy scam. This dented his self-proclaimed image of kattar imandar", which the Prime Minister mocked by using the term kattar beimaan" on Friday. The reported grand villa he invested in has also dented his public image among his core votersthe economically marginalised, auto drivers, and slum dwellers.

I could have also made Sheesh Mahalbut for me, the dream is that my countrymen should get pucca houses," said PM Modi on Friday as he distributed 1,645 flats to the poor in Delhi and launched a veiled but blistering attack on Kejriwal.

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Now, not winning the New Delhi seat is not an option for Kejriwal. Even if AAP wins Delhi, observers say he will lose his grip on the organisation and government in case of a defeat.

This time, New Delhi is not just a usual poll fight. Its the mother of all electoral battles.

First Published: January 05, 2025, 00:30 IST
Bus-Sized Asteroid Makes A Remarkably Close Approach To Earth

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 09:23 IST

On January 3, Asteroid 2025 AB made a close pass by Earth, coming within just 1,53,000 kilometres.

The asteroid was roughly the size of a bus. (Representative Image)

Asteroid 2025 AB, a 42-foot Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA), made a close approach to Earth on January 3. It reportedly came within just 1,53,000 kilometresless than half the distance to the Moon. Roughly the size of a bus, asteroids like 2025 AB are common but their proximity provides scientists and skywatchers valuable opportunities for observation and research.

Classified as a Near-Earth Object (NEO), 2025 AB is part of a group that includes asteroids and comets orbiting the Sun within 1.3 astronomical units (AU) of Earth, equivalent to approximately 45 million kilometres. Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) are categorised into four groups: Atira, Aten, Apollo and Amor. Asteroid 2025 AB belongs to the Aten group, named after the asteroid 2062 Aten, discovered in 1976 by Eleanor Helin.

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As of 2024, 2,062 Aten asteroids have been identified, with 191 classified as potentially hazardous. Aten asteroids are characterised by a semi-major axisaverage distance from the Sunof less than 1.0 astronomical unit (AU), which is the distance between Earth and the Sun. Additionally, their aphelion, or farthest point from the Sun, exceeds 0.983 AU.

Talking about asteroids, Jay Tate, the director of the Spaceguard Center observatory in the UK, told Newsweek, Asteroids are bits of a planet that didnt happen that orbit the Sun between Mars and Jupiter in the Main Asteroid Belt. However, as they are relatively small, asteroids can be disturbed quite easily, so they can develop orbits that cross those of planets."

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Meanwhile, Franck Marchis, a senior planetary astronomer at the SETI Institute, added, We believe they formed in the asteroid belt and got ejected by impact or their orbits were destabilized due to the presence of Jupiter resonances in the belt."

According to reports, asteroids vary greatly in size, ranging from massive ones up to 329 miles wide to smaller ones around 30 feet. While asteroids like 2025 AB may pass close to Earth, the likelihood of them colliding with our planet remains extremely low.

Location : Delhi, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 09:23 IST
The aggressor country Russia does not really want any serious negotiations to end the conflict. On the contrary, the Kremlin is trying to accumulate resources to wage war until 2027.

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This is evidenced not only by the statements of dictator Vladimir Putin, but also by the work of the Russian military-industrial complex. This was stated by Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, on the air of Espresso.

"Russia is not seeking any serious negotiations. I analyze not only Putin's statements, but also the work of the military-industrial complex, economic potential, and the emphasis placed on defense and the continuation of intensive war through 2025, as well as attempts to accumulate resources and distribute it in such a way that they can fight until 2027," he said.

According to Kovalenko, the Kremlin would like to negotiate on Ukraine, but without Ukraine. To do this, Russia uses various constructs of illegitimacy.

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"They thought it would work with Donald Trump. Putin apparently does not like Volodymyr Zelenskyy's position, so he is trying to negotiate without him. The Russians are doing everything possible to disrupt the process and blame Ukraine for it, preparing resources to continue the war. I hope that these moves are foreseen not only by us, but also by the new administration of Donald Trump and the European Union," explained the head of the Center for Political Analysis.

He added that the Russian concept of vague constructions is aimed at complicating or making any negotiation process impossible.

In his opinion, Putin can be forced to negotiate only through force and allies who support his actions, including China. If Beijing can be involved in this process and is not on Moscow's side, then the rhetoric of the Russians will change, because they will not be able to continue an intense war without help in circumventing sanctions and supporting their military-industrial complex.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, meanwhile, the German government, according to Bild, believes that the Kremlin may end the war in 2025. One of the reasons pushing Moscow to such a decision is the rapid deterioration of the aggressor country's economy.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Watch: Food Inspectors Uncover Vegetarian Food Stored With Meat In Jaipur Restaurant's Kitchen

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 14:09 IST

A video of food inspectors discovering meat and vegetarian food stored together at a lounge's kitchen in Jaipur has gone viral.

This video might make you reconsider going out to eat. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

An Indian content creator named Urvashi Agarwal sparked concerns over food safety by highlighting some unhealthy practices of a popular eatery in Rajasthan. She shared a video of a food inspection at a restaurant in Jaipur on Instagram in which officers reportedly discovered multiple food safety violations. The widely circulated video shows the kitchen scenes of a restaurant named Up and Up where both meat and vegetarian food were stored together. Food Safety officers Rajasthan inspected Up & Up, the musical terrace and found major food and safety violations. Watch the reel to see the video. Share this with your friends to raise awareness!" the post read.

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The video sparked outrage in the posts comments section. One of them wrote, Why cant we have an open-camera kitchen to see how our food is being prepared?"

Another commended the content creator and said, Need more influencers like you."

One user agreed and added, You inspire me towards a better life."

Another said, They should take strict actions against them."

Wow! We cant even imagine whats going on behind the scenes! They should definitely shut down this kind of restaurant," wrote one user.

We know all this is happening around us but seeing it is a completely different thing. This motivates me even more to cook at home every day," added someone else.

The video reportedly features Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officer Pankaj Ojha who was leading the food inspection at the popular spot. In the video, he could be heard questioning the practices of the restaurants kitchen as they uncovered multiple trays of gravy. Emphasising the seriousness of such malpractices, he said, How many days old is this, stored in the freezer? This is an alarming situation."

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The RAS Officer further pointed out that the restaurant was discrediting religious sentiments by storing raw meat alongside vegetarian food items. There cannot be a bigger way of playing with the sentiments of the masses," he said. The RAS officer also inspected a huge slab of paneer that was visibly stored in dirty water. He claimed that the whole product was stinking.

Towards the end of the video, Urvashi Agarwal discussed how users were being charged high prices for sub-standard food quality and service. She urged users to enlighten their loved ones about such incidents by sharing the video.

Location : Delhi, India

First Published: January 04, 2025, 14:09 IST
Bomb Attack On Bus In Pakistan's Balochistan Leaves 4 Dead, Over 30 Injured

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 22:19 IST

Police officer Roshan Baloch said that eight of the wounded were in critical condition, and that the rest were stable.

A separatist group called the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the blast, but gave higher casualty figures. (File)

A blast from an improvised explosive device killed at least four persons and wounded over 30 others on Saturday in Pakistans southwestern city of Turbat, a police official said.

Footage from the scene showed vehicles moving through the city before an explosion and flames engulfed one of them.

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Police officer Roshan Baloch said that eight of the wounded were in critical condition, and that the rest were stable. Most of the casualties are soldiers. The device was in a car parked on the side of the road and was detonated remotely, Baloch added.

The chief minister for Balochistan province, Sarfraz Bugti, condemned the attack.

Those who target innocent people do not deserve to be called human beings," he said.

A separatist group called the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the blast, but gave higher casualty figures. It also said the IED targeted a military convoy.

Balochistan is Pakistans largest province but the least populated. Its also a hub for the countrys ethnic Baloch minority, whose members say they face discrimination by the government.

Balochistan is the scene of a long-running insurgency, with several separatist groups staging attacks, mostly targeting security forces in their quest for independence. It also has other militant groups operating from there.

Also Saturday, in the countrys northwest, gunmen opened fire on government vehicles carrying officials who were on their way to supervise aid trucks heading to a besieged district. Several people were wounded in the assault.

The aid trucks were carrying food, fuel, and medicine for people in the Kurram district, where hundreds have died in recent months in clashes connected to a land dispute.

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Authorities shut the roads leading in and out of the district and imposed a communications blackout to contain the fighting. But the measures have deprived the local population of essential items.

The gun attack prompted the halt of the aid convoy, said a spokesman for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Muhammad Ali Saif. It came days after elders brokered a ceasefire.

Location : Pakistan

First Published: January 04, 2025, 22:19 IST
Donald Trump To Be Sentenced In Hush Money Case 10 Days Before Taking Office. Will He Go To Jail?

Published By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 07:28 IST

The judge said that instead of incarceration he was leaning towards an unconditional discharge -- meaning the real estate tycoon would not be subject to any conditions.

Donald Trump called America a 'disaster' and 'laughing stock all over the world'. (AP image)

The New York judge presiding over President-elect Donald Trumps hush money case on Friday set sentencing for 10 days before his January 20 inauguration and said he was not inclined to impose jail time. Judge Juan Merchan said Trump, the first former president ever convicted of a crime, can appear either in person or virtually at his January 10 sentencing.

In an 18-page decision, Merchan upheld Trumps conviction by a New York jury, rejecting various motions from Trumps lawyers seeking to have it thrown out.

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The judge said that instead of incarceration he was leaning towards an unconditional discharge  meaning the real estate tycoon would not be subject to any conditions.

The sentence would nevertheless see Trump entering the White House as a convicted felon.

The 78-year-old Trump potentially faced up to four years in prison but legal experts  even before he won the November presidential election  did not expect Merchan to send the former president to jail.

It seems proper at this juncture to make known the Courts inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration," the judge said, noting that prosecutors also did not believe a jail term was a practicable recommendation."

Trump is expected to lodge an appeal that could potentially delay his sentencing.

Trump was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter.

Trumps attorneys had sought to have the case dismissed on multiple grounds, including the Supreme Courts landmark ruling last year that former US presidents have sweeping immunity from prosecution for a range of official acts committed while in office.

Merchan rejected that argument but he noted that Trump will be immune from prosecution once he is sworn in as president.

Finding no legal impediment to sentencing and recognizing that Presidential immunity will likely attach once Defendant takes his Oath of Office, it is incumbent upon this Court to set this matter down for imposition of sentence prior to January 20, 2025," the judge said.

Witch Hunts

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung denounced Merchans decision to set sentencing for the former president, calling it a direct violation of the Supreme Courts Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence."

This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed," Cheung said in a statement.

President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts," he said.

There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead," Cheung added.

Trump also faced two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith but both were dropped under a long-standing Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president.

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In those cases, Trump was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House.

Trump also faces racketeering charges in Georgia over his alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in the White House.

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: January 04, 2025, 07:26 IST
'Stay On The Line And Hear Them Die': New Recordings Unveil Horror Of Hamas Hostages

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 11:45 IST

The new recordings showed an interaction between a Shin Bet official and one of the Hamas militants, who threatened to shoot all hostages en route to Gaza if the Israeli Army opened fire.

At least 253 people were taken hostage by Hamas militants on October 7. (Reuters/File)

New recordings of a hostage-taking situation during the Hamas-led October 7 attacks in Israels Kibbutz Beeri have underscored the horror of Israeli captives barricaded with 40 militants on the ill-fated day. Most of the captives did not survive.

The recordings, published by Israels Channel 12 on Friday, were taken in real-time by the Shin Bet agency from Beeri resident Pessi Cohens house, where 40 Hamas militants were holed up with 15 Israeli hostages. Only two captives survived.

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Negotiations for the release of hostages took place and Israeli forces and Hamas fought intensely outside the residence, The Jerusalem Post reported citing the report. A recording released between one of the two survivors at Cohens house showed Yasmin Porat speaking to a Shin Bet representative.

I am here in Kibbutz Beeri with 50 hostages along with Palestinian guys, everyone here is crying a lot. They want to take us with them to Gaza," Porat said. Things are very bad, theres one person here badly injured, another already starting to feel unwell, and one that was killed. Theyre taking us with them either way  alive or dead."

Porat recalled that Hamas militants noticed that she was not nervous enough" and was speaking calmly as children near her were begging for their lives. The children were later killed by Hamas.

I Will Murder All Hostages

Another recording captured a Hamas militant, named Hassan" in the report, who was captured threatening to kill all hostages if Israeli forces intervened while they were taking hostages to Gaza.

I have 50 people hostage with me. I want to go with the 50 to Gaza. Listen to my instructions now, so that I dont start murdering them. You now have five minutes for me to leave the settlement and take them to Gaza. Any attempt at intervention by the air force, fighters, tanks, or vehicles  I will murder all 50," Hassan was heard saying.

The Shin Bet representative was heard trying to buy some time with the militant, asking him for 20 more minutes to update the Israeli forces on the ground. However, Hassan and other militants did not cooperate with the request and tried to take hostages on jeeps heading towards Gaza. They failed to do so as Israeli forces were operating outside the house.

While the Shin Bet official tried to communicate to the Israeli soldiers that they should not shoot, Hassan was recorded saying, The army came to me, here the army came to me." Hassan said he would give Israeli forces five minutes to reveal themselves, after which he would shoot a hostage.

He went on to threaten to shoot another every five minutes if his demands were not met. You stay on the line and hear them die," he told the Israeli official, who told Hassan that he wont be able to help if he starts killing people.

We Want To Die, We Dont Care

Hassan kept up with his threats. Dont make me get to a point where I kill people. We want to die, we dont care. I want you to tell the little girl that its a shame shes going to die," he said, referring to a hostage named Liel, as per the report.

The little girl pleaded with the Shin Bet official, saying, Can you please come and pick us up? Were asking. Im a girl, I have school tomorrow, I need help!" Hassan said at the time of the recording that more than a hundred hostages were already in Gaza.

An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) team reached the spot and Hassan reportedly used Porat as a human shield to get past them, while other Hamas militants also used similar tactics. Let the army kill them, we will not kill them," Hassan was recorded as saying.

The militants later fled into a house and forced six hostages to stand outside. Porat, who was inside, was recorded as telling the Shin Bet official. Save us, theyre shooting at us here, were about to die, youre not normal  the IDF is shooting at us!" However, the information was not passed on to the soldiers, who continued to shoot at the house with hostages.

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Hassan berated the Shin Bet official. You hit a house with hostages in it, here there are wounded hostages on your side  we didnt shoot, you were the ones who shot," he said. He later agreed to turn himself in under the premise that he would not be shot.

However, the exchange of fire continued with the rest of Hamas militants in the house and 13 hostages were killed. Hamas captured over 250 hostages in their unprecedented attack that killed 1,200 people.

Location : Jerusalem, Israel

First Published: January 04, 2025, 11:45 IST
'HMPV Reoccurs In Winters': China Downplays Outbreak, Indian Doctors Agree With Explanation

Curated By :

News18.com

Edited By: Sumedha Kirti



Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 10:46 IST

Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) Outbreak: Chinese foreign ministry assured tourists and citizens that it is safe to travel in the country.

HMPV India: Centre asked citizens not to panic. Doctors say Human Metapneumovirus is 'a normal respiratory virus'. (AFP/iStock)

China has reportedly downplayed the concern over rising Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases by calling it annual seasonal reoccurrence". While confirming the surge in cases, a Chinese foreign ministry blamed it on the winter season". He assured tourists and citizens that it is safe to travel in the country.

Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season. I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners coming to China," media reports quoted Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning as saying.

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Did You Know HMPV Was First Identified in 2001?

Human Metapneumovirus was first identified two decades ago, but a vaccine has not been developed even after 24 years.

HMPV was first detected in 2001 by Dutch scholars in nasopharyngeal aspirate samples of children with respiratory infections caused by unknown pathogens.

Serological studies have shown that the virus has existed for at least 60 years, being distributed all over the world as a common respiratory pathogen.

What Is The Cure For HMPV

There arent any antiviral medications that treat human metapneumovirus, American nonprofit academic medical centre, Cleveland Clinic, stated. Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has also not mentioned any vaccination for the virus on its website.

If a person or a child are severely ill, they might need to be admitted to a hospital. At the medical centre, healthcare providers can monitor affected persons condition and help prevent them from getting sicker. Oxygen therapy, IV fluids or Corticosteroids might be used for treatment.

Dr Arjun Khanna, head of pulmonary medicine at Faridabad-based Amrita Hospital, told News18 that HMPV is a common respiratory virus.

China CDC says that the infected person should maintain a regular lifestyle and stay in a good mood. Wear a mask when going to crowded places. Also, frequent hand washing, ventilation, and scientific disinfection can effectively reduce the chance of HMPV infection.

India Asks Citizens Not To Panic

Centre on Friday asked Indians not to panic amid fears of a Covid-like surge in cases of respiratory infections, as videos of hospitals in China struggling to manage patients made rounds on social media.

Atul Goel, director general of health services, said that HMPV is a normal respiratory virus which causes symptoms like cold. Some people can get flu-like symptoms, especially the elderly and infants. But this is not something serious or worrisome," Goel said, adding that hospitals are prepared to deal with such an increase.

Further allaying the fears, former Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) scientist Dr Raman Gangakhedkar told News18 that here is no need to be alarmed about human metapneumovirus (HMPV) unless a global health agency reports a genetic mutation, as the virus, in its current form, is unlikely to cause severe infections.

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In fact, he said, the mortality or death rate from HMPV is not very high. The mortality rate is not well-studied because it rarely caused deaths."

Gangakhedkar, who was the face of Indias apex medical research agency during government briefings on Covid-19, added that HMPV was discovered many years ago, and by now, it has travelled globally and is noticed majorly during the winter season. The symptoms of the virus include fever, cough and cold. It rarely causes pneumonia in healthy individuals".

Location : Beijing, China

First Published: January 04, 2025, 10:38 IST
'Misjudged, Misinformed': British Minister Criticises Elon Musk's Intervention In UK Politics

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 08:55 IST

This came after Musk accused British PM Keir Starmer of failing to bring "rape gangs" to justice as the head of the CPS from 2008-2013 and even supported dissolution of UK Parliament.

UK PM Keir Starmer and Elon Musk. (Credit: Reuters)

A senior British government minister on Friday criticised Elon Musks latest intervention in the countrys politics as misjudged and certainly misinformed".

The tech billionaire accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer a day earlier of failing to bring rape gangs" to justice when he was director of public prosecutions.

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In a string of posts on his X platform, Musk also suggested that Jess Phillips, minister for the prevention of violence against women and girls, deserves to be in prison" for refusing a request for a national public inquiry into a child sexual exploitation scandal in the northern English city of Oldham.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting told ITV News television that Musks comments were wide of the mark and that the government took child sexual exploitation incredibly seriously".

Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but were willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue," he said.

So if he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, wed welcome that," he added.

The widespread abuse of girls in a number of English towns and cities including Rochdale, Rotherham and Oldham, which emerged more than a decade ago, has long stirred controversy.

A series of court cases eventually led to the convictions of dozens of men, mostly of South Asian Muslim origin. The victims were vulnerable, mostly white, girls.

A series of official inquiries into how police and social workers failed to halt the abuse found that officials in some cases turned a blind eye to avoid appearing racist.

The scandals have been seized upon by far-right figures, in particular Tommy Robinson, a prominent extremist agitator.

Accused of helping fuel anti-immigration riots last summer, Robinson was imprisoned in October after he admitted committing contempt of court over a long-running libel case involving a Syrian refugee.

In one of his X posts on Thursday, Musk claimed that Robinson was in prison for telling the truth" and that he should be freed".

Elon Musks Comments On Keir Starmer

Most of Musks messages focused on Robinsons long-time highlighting of historical scandals involving alleged paedophile grooming gangs in some English cities.

Sharing various other accounts claims around the child sex crimes spanning decades, Musk noted that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decides whether to charge suspects.

Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013," he posted.

Starmer was the head of the CPS in that period, but none of the probes into the scandals singled him out for blame or found that he tried to block prosecutions due to concerns over alleged Islamophobia.

Later, in response to another post calling for King Charles III to dissolve parliament, Musk replied: Yes!"

He later took another swipe at Starmer, suggesting that his government had turned down the requested inquiry because he is guilty of complicity".

Weighing in on the row, later on Friday Nigel Farage, a lawmaker and leader of the anti-immigration Reform UK party, disagreed with Musk about Robinson.

He sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. But of course the truth is Tommy Robinsons in prison not for that, but for contempt of court," he told right-wing channel GB News.

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Robinson himself had encouraged a narrative that he was a political prisoner but it isnt quite true", he said.

Farage added that Musk, with whom he has had talks about the US billionaire donating to his hard-right party, was very supportive of me, hes very supportive of the party".

Location : London, United Kingdom (UK)

First Published: January 04, 2025, 08:36 IST
Mysterious 500-Kg Red And Hot Space Object Falls From Sky In Kenya Village

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 09:12 IST

The red and hot ring- suspected to be rocket parts- was found by villagers, the Kenyan Space Agency said, adding that it secured the area and retrieved the debris.

The fallen object is likely an isolated case and is still under investigation, the space agency said.

A large metallic ring, suspected to be debris from space, crashed in Kenyas Mukuku village, the countrys space agency said, prompting an immediate investigation. The red and hot" ring- suspected to be rocket parts- was found by villagers, the Kenyan Space Agency said, adding that it secured the area and retrieved the debris.

It added, The agency wishes to clarify that the object, a metallic ring measuring 2.5 metres in diameter and weighing about 500kg, is a fragment of a space object. Preliminary assessments indicate that the fallen object is a separation ring from a launch vehicle."

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The fallen object is likely an isolated case and is still under investigation, the space agency said. Rocket debris burns up during re-entry into the earths atmosphere or to fall over unoccupied areas such as the oceans.

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Julius Rotich, Mbooni Sub County Police Commander, said that the object was still hot when officers arrived. Residents had to be cordoned off from the area until it cooled down. Images from the area showed police tape wrapped around the ring as residents gathered around.

Space observer Jonathan McDowell, who tracks rocket movements, said the Kenyan agency could be mistaken" about the source of the debris as it could not have come from a space shuttles rocket booster. He said, Totally impossible. The SRBs never reached orbit and have not been in the sky since 2011. Im not convinced its not from an airplane. Dont see obvious evidence of reentry heating."

Location : Kenya

First Published: January 04, 2025, 08:56 IST
'Not A Terrorist, Needed To Cleanse My Mind': US Cybertruck Bomber In Suicide Note

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 09:30 IST

Matthew Livelsberger, a member of the elite Green Berets, killed himself in a rented Tesla cybertruck, which exploded outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, injuring seven people.

Trump International Hotel bomber Matthew Livelsberger (Reuters Image)

A decorated US Army soldier who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas said it was not a terrorist attack but a way for him to cleanse" his mind, while serving as a wake up call" for Americans against feckless leadership".

Matthew Livelsberger, 37, a member of the elite Green Berets, had shot himself in the mouth in the rented vehicle filled with fuel containers and fireworks, before detonating the bomb in the vehicle. Las Vegas police said he had been identified as the driver" of the vehicle, and that the coroner had ruled he had died by suicide.

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Livelsberger left behind two suicide notes in a charred cellphone recovered from the rented Tesla vehicle that suggested his motive, reported the New York Post citing police. This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence," he wrote in a notes app.

Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took," he said. In another letter, Livelsberger urged his fellow servicemen, veterans and all Americans to WAKE UP".

We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves. We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed toward collapse," he wrote.

Cybertruck Bomber Suffered From PTSD

Meanwhile, investigating federal officials said Livelsberger was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other personal issues that contributed to his suicide bombing.

Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues," FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans said.

This incident took place only hours after a man drove a truck into a crowd of New Years Day celebrants in New Orleans, causing the deaths of 15 people. However, officials have ruled out any connection between the two cases, calling the Tesla incident isolated".

Livelsbergers body was burned beyond recognition in the blast and was identified from his passport and an Army ID found inside the vehicle. In addition to the notes on his phone, police also obtained new surveillance footage from charging stations where Livelsberger made stops as he headed to Sin City, where he may9 have picked fireworks used in the explosion.

Who Was Matthew Livelsberger?

Livelsberger was a Rambo-type patriot" who loved the United States and President-elect Donald Trump, according to his uncle. Its one of the reasons he was in Special Forces for so many years. It wasnt just one tour of duty," said Dean Livelsberger.

Livelsberger had been in the Army for at least 19 years, joining the Green Berets in 2006. The deceased Green Beret was last stationed at Camp Panzer Kaserne just southwest of Stuttgart, Germany, where he worked as a remote and autonomous systems manager for the Army.

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An army spokesperson said Livelsberger was on approved leave at the time of his death," and that he had been awarded multiple Bronze Star Medals, including one for valor. He rented the vehicle in Colorado on December 28 and drove it to Las Vegas on January 1, authorities said.

The Army officer reportedly broke up with wife six days before killing himself. The two have a daughter, and Livelsbergers wife reportedly told him that she knew he had been cheating on her, sources told the New York Post. Livelsberger left his Colorado Springs home the day after Christmas following an argument with his wife over apparent infidelity.

Location : Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

First Published: January 04, 2025, 09:22 IST
PM Modi's $20,000 Diamond Becomes Most Expensive Gift To Biden Family In 2023

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 09:43 IST

The 7.5-carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, valued at $20,000, was easily the most costly gift presented to Biden family in 2023.

PM Modi with US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill BIden | AP Photo/File

The single most expensive gift given to outgoing US President Joe Biden and his family in 2023 was a diamond presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to First Lady Jill Biden during his state visit to the White House.

The 7.5-carat diamond from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, valued at $20,000, was easily the most costly gift presented to any member of the first family in 2023.

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While Indias gift to the US First Lady stood out, it was not the only expensive gift she received in 2023. According to reports, she also received a brooch valued at $14,063 from the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States and a bracelet, brooch and photograph album worth $4,510 from the president and first lady of Egypt.

President Biden also received countless expensive gifts, including a commemorative photo album valued at $7,100 from South Koreas recently impeached President Suk Yeol Yoon, a $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from the Mongolian prime minister, a $3,300 silver bowl from the Sultan of Brunei, a $3,160 sterling silver tray from the president of Israel, and a collage worth $2,400 from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Federal law requires executive branch officials to declare gifts they receive from foreign leaders and counterparts that have an estimated value of more than $480. Many of the gifts that meet that threshold are relatively modest, and the more expensive ones are typically  but not always  transferred to the National Archives or put on official displays.

The $20,000 diamond was retained for official use in the White House East Wing, according to a State Department document, while the other gifts to the president and first lady were sent to the archives.

Vanessa Valdivia, a spokesperson for Jill Biden, said the diamond will be turned over to the archives after they leave office. She did not say what it was being used for.

Recipients also have the option to purchase the gift from the U.S. government at its market value, although that is rare, particularly with high-end items.

According to the State Departments Office of Protocol, which compiles the list that will be published in Fridays edition of the Federal Register, several employees of the CIA reported receiving lavish gifts of watches, perfume and jewellery, nearly all of which were destroyed. Of the gifts destroyed, they were worth more than $132,000 combined.

CIA Director William Burns received a $18,000 astrograph, which is a telescope and astrological camera, from a foreign source whose identity is classified. That is being transferred to the General Services Administration. But Burns reported receiving and destroying an $11,000 Omega watch, while numerous others did the same with luxury timepieces.

Below the rank of director, the CIA employees who reported gifts are not identified, but one of them logged an Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra watch, a ladies Omega Constellation watch, a diamond necklace, an earring bracelet, and a ring that were valued together at $65,100.

All of those were destroyed, according to the report, as was a $30,000 womens jewellery set from the Libyan jeweller Al Grew consisting of a necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings received by another CIA employee.

Another CIA employee reported receiving a mens Yacht-Master II Rolex Oyster Perpetual watch worth $18,700, another reported getting a ladys Rolex Oyster Datejust watch valued at $12,500, and one other got a $7,450 Rolex Air King watch. All three of the watches were destroyed, according to the list.

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Another employee reported receiving a collection of pricey Amouage Perfume worth $10,670, the destruction of which is pending, the report says.

(With agency inputs)

Location : United States of America (USA)

First Published: January 04, 2025, 09:42 IST
Suchir Balaji's Backup Drive On OpenAI Testimony Missing, Says Journalist Amid Mystery Over His Death

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 08:10 IST

OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco Apartment on December 14 last year. Authorities ruled his death as a suicide while parents asserted that it was a murder.

Suchir Balaji resigned from OpenAI in August this year. (Photo Credits: Suchir Balaji/LinkedIn)

OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balajis death has been shrouded in mystery  while officials claim it was suicide, his parents and investigative journalists say he was murdered. He was found dead in his apartment under suspicious circumstances.

Investigative journalist George Webb, who visited Balajis apartment, had previously shared troubling findings, asserting that it was a murder committed by one person. He also found blood patterns, signs of a struggle and missing evidence, such as Balajis backup drive of his OpenAI testimony.

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The apartment was ransacked. Blood trails suggest he was crawling out of the bathroom, trying to seek help," Webb said in an interview with India Today, adding that Balajis gunshot injuries appeared more consistent with interrogation tactics rather than suicide.

He also observed the absence of a suicide note and the OpenAI employees close relationship with his parents, whom he had called just hours before his death. He also criticised the San Francisco Police Departments premature labelling" of his death as a suicide.

OpenAI Testimony Backup Drive Missing

Balaji made headlines in October when he spoke to The New York Times about his concerns regarding OpenAIs approach to copyright. He questioned whether the companys use of copyrighted data to train its models was ethical or legal.

It has now come to light that a backup drive of Balajis OpenAI testimony, containing sensitive information linked to the lawsuits against the tech company, has gone missing. Webb said the disappearance of the device may be linked to Balajis role as a whistleblower and his position as a witness to the legal battles.

This wasnt a robbery. Suchir was targeted. His injuries and the scene point to foul play," he further mentioned, adding that Balaji could be targeted by powerful entities due to his prominence in the AI industry and his planned testimony in lawsuits.

However, the journalist ruled out OpenAIs involvement in his death. I really dont think OpenAI with as much trouble as theyre in with all these lawsuits, would help their case by making a martyr out of suture biology," he added.

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Meanwhile, Balajis parents have now hired a private investigator to shed more light on his death and Webbs allegations. His death was ruled a suicide after the San Francisco Police Department found no evidence of foul play.

Poornima Rao, Suchirs mother, claimed that her sons death was a cold-blooded murder declared by authorities as suicide." She also mentioned that a private autopsy report differed from the initial police report. Additionally, she stated that her sons apartment had been ransacked," and there were signs of a struggle in the bathroom that suggested he had been hit.

Location : San Francisco, California, USA

First Published: January 04, 2025, 08:10 IST
The command of the Russian occupation army is forcing the use of civilian vehicles for military purposes. This order was given to the artillery units of the Russian Armed Forces in the Donetsk region.

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In addition, the invaders were forbidden to use military uniforms and insignia. This was reported on Telegram by the military movement of Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars "Atesh."

An agent of the movement from among the Russian military in the Donetsk region confirmed that the invaders are being forced to disguise themselves as locals. For this purpose, the enemy uses transport for local residents.

According to the guerrillas, the Russian command ordered to transport ammunition in cars, trailers, or minibuses, with a limit of 10 shells per vehicle.

Atesh noted that such actions of the Russians are a gross violation of the Geneva Convention and the rules of warfare, as well as another crime of the Russian occupation forces.

Moreover, such actions by Putin's army not only endanger civilians but also serve as a tool for provocations aimed at accusing the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

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As a reminder, the head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, Andrii Kovalenko, said that Russia is not really seeking serious negotiations to end the conflict. On the contrary, the Kremlin is trying to accumulate resources to wage war until 2027.

Earlier it was reported that Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups (SRGs) began to operate with new tactics on the northern border of Ukraine. Now they are actively using modern technologies and built-in support.

As OBOZ.UA reported, the troops of the aggressor country Russia are trying to expand their zone of influence in the Kharkiv region. To this end, the enemy is using sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
US NSA Jake Sullivan To Visit India On Jan 5-6; Talks On Chinese Dams On Agenda

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 16:08 IST

Washington also expects that topics such as civilian nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence, space, military licensing and Chinese economic overcapacity will be brought up in the visit

Indian NSA Ajit Doval and US counterpart Jake Sullivan (Image: X)

US national security adviser Jake Sullivans visit to New Delhi from January 5-6 is expected to include discussions with Indian counterparts about the impact of Chinese dams, a senior U.S. official said late on Friday.

Washington and its Western allies have long viewed India as a counter to Chinas rising influence in Asia and beyond.

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"Weve certainly seen in many places in the Indo-Pacific that upstream dams that the Chinese have created, including in the Mekong region, can have really potentially damaging environmental but also climate impacts on downstream countries," a senior U.S. official said ahead of Sullivans visit.

The official added that Washington will discuss New Delhis concerns in the visit.

The Indian government says it has conveyed its concerns to Beijing about Chinas plan to build a hydropower dam in Tibet on the Yarlung Zangbo River which flows into India. Chinese officials say that hydropower projects in Tibet will not have a major impact on the environment or on downstream water supplies.

The construction of that dam, which will be the largest of its kind in the world with an estimated capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, was approved last month.

Washington also expects that topics such as civilian nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence, space, military licensing and Chinese economic overcapacity will be brought up in the visit, the U.S. official said.

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American officials will not be meeting the Dalai Lama during the visit, another U.S. official said.

Washington and New Delhi have built close ties in recent years with occasional differences over issues like minority abuse in India, New Delhis ties with Russia amid Moscows invasion of Ukraine and alleged assassination plots against Sikh separatists on U.S. and Canadian soil.

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: January 04, 2025, 15:56 IST
Washington DC Shooting Leaves 5 Hospitalised, Police Probe On

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: January 04, 2025, 10:02 IST

The shooting took place at the 1500 block of Harry Thomas Way in Northeast DC on Friday night, leaving five people injured. Police said the shooting likely stemmed from a dispute.

A man and a woman were among those shot in Washington DC on Friday night.

At least five people were injured after a shooting took place in Washington DC on Friday night (local time), as per local reports. The Metropolitan Police Department responded to the shooting at about 8:18 pm (6:48 pm Indian time).

Cops said they found a man and a woman who had been shot at the 1500 block of Harry Thomas Way in Northeast DC. They were both taken to a hospital while conscious and breathing, followed by two other men who were injured in the shooting.

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Alert: Shooting investigation in the 1500 block of Harry Thomas Way NE.Preliminary: Adult male and adult female located at the scene, transported conscious and breathing. Two additional adult males arrived at a hospital, both conscious and breathing. DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) January 4, 2025

A fifth patient, an adult male, was also injured in this incident. Police said preliminary information showed the shooting stemmed from a dispute between known parties. The identities of the victim or the shooters have not been publicly released yet as police investigation continues.

The incident took place just 500 feet from the NoMa-Gallaudet U New York Avenue Metro station. Two of the injured victims were transported to a hospital by emergency medical services, while the remaining two reportedly made their way to a medical facility independently.

Police said the victims were in a stable condition and the site was cordoned off as authorities investigated the shooting. The location of the incident, near a prominent transit hub, heightened concerns for safety among local residents and commuters.

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The incidents come days after a spade of New Year attacks in the United States, one of which have sparked furious debates. On New Year Day, a man drove a pick-up truck and rammed into crowds gathered on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing 15 people.

On the same day, a man killed himself inside a Tesla cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, injuring seven people. Tesla CEO Elon Musk described the incident as an act of terrorism. The suspect was an elite Army officer Matthew Livelsberger, 37.

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: January 04, 2025, 09:42 IST
During a missile attack on Chernihiv on January 3, Russia killed Oleksii Halionka, an associate professor of the Department of Philological Disciplines and Methods of Teaching at the Chernihiv Regional Institute of Postgraduate Education named after Ushynskyi. The 72-year-old man died of a shrapnel wound to the head in his own yard.

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In March 2022, Russian shells destroyed his house, and in January 2025, they took his life. The name of the deceased Chernihiv resident was named by journalists of Suspilne. Chernihiv" journalists.

The information about the death of Oleksii Halionka was confirmed to Suspilne by Anatolii Zaliskyi, the rector of the institute where the deceased worked.

"Unfortunately, it is true. I received a call from Oleksii's niece, Liudmyla Halionka, who told me about it. He was still at work today (January 3  Ed.). He is a candidate of pedagogical sciences. He has been working part-time lately," he said.

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The journalists also talked to the 72-year-old teacher's niece. Liudmyla Halionka said she had been talking to her uncle on the phone 20 minutes before the attack. The woman does not know why he went out into the yard, where he was fatally wounded, Suspilne reports.

Ukrainian poet Anatolii Dnistrovy said that back in March 2022, Russia took away Oleksii Halionka's house.

"As a result of a triple missile strike on the outskirts of Chernihiv, a friend of my late father, Honored Educator, philologist, and associate professor at the Chernihiv Regional Institute of Postgraduate Education named after Ushynskyi, Oleksii Halionka, has died today. I remember him from the early 90s-an aesthete who loved Ukrainian poetry and often quoted his favorite poems by our classics. My father and I often came to visit him. We used to swim together in the Desna River. In his house, which stood near the Chernihiv airfield, there was a luxurious art room with paintings, a collection of embroidered shirts, and more than 4,000 books. That house was bombed by the army of the dead in March 2022, and seventy-year-old Oleksii Halionka lived there for the last few years with his animals-Cleopatra the heifer, cats, and dogs. RIP," he wrote.

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On March 22, 2022, the teacher's house burned to the ground after being hit by Russian shells. After that, he lived in a summer kitchen and dreamed that he would one day rebuild his home.

Online, people write about Oleksii Halionka as a "bright and devoted man of science" and a "teacher from God" and state that the war takes the best.

"Thank you, great Man, for your deep heart, wise advice, kind eyes, and the opportunity to work with you, our Methodist and Mentor. The memory of you will always live in my heart," Olena Tarukhno wrote.

Vasyl Chepurnyi, editor-in-chief of Sivershchyna, also remembers the deceased.

"He lived alone in a private neighborhood. I knew him as a man in love with flowers, which he grew himself, as a good owner (he used to keep two cows!), as a lover of drama... As a very calm and friendly person. They say he was alive after the first hit, but they hit him with the third missile. The chief physician of Hospital 2, Kukhar, said that the cause of death was a shrapnel wound to the head, incompatible with life," he wrote.

As a reminder, the day before, on January 3, Russia fired ballistic missiles at Chernihiv. A residential area on the outskirts of the regional center was hit. Russian missiles flew into the city three times: at 16:20, 16:37, and 16:51.

The attack destroyed two private houses, killed one person, and wounded five others.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
For many a first-time traveler to Rome, a stop at the Trevi Fountain is a mustthough not so much to gaze at it. As the superstition goes, if you face away from it and toss a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder, you'll secure yourself a return visit. The New York Times reports determined tourists have continued to carry out the ritual even during the fountain's recent three-month restoration , which the AP reports cost about $340,000 and culminated with a Dec. 22 reopening. During the closure, a small pool encased in a simple plywood box was set up to receive the coinsand there were plenty of them, roughly $63,000 in total over the period. It's Fabrizio Marchioni's job to collect and tally them.

Marchioni has done so for 13 years in his job with the Roman Catholic charity Caritas, which has had all of the fountain's coins donated to it since 2005 (they are the property of Rome's municipal administration). They're sucked up two times each week, then weighed under police watch before Marchioni brings them to Caritas offices, where Marchioni and his team of volunteers weed out small non-coin items ranging from guitar picks to shells to rings. The coins are washed, and dried in a bespoke machine that separates euro and non-euro coins, with the foreign coins then sent to an exchange company. The money is then used for charitable causes. The 2023 tally? Nearly 2 million euros, from what the BBC reports are the roughly 10,000 tourists who visited it per day. (More Rome stories.)
In the age of DoorDash and Amazon Prime, it seems almost anything can be delivered. Maik Express underscores that. The Guatemala-based business run by Maik Chavez, 36, specializes in delivering food and other goods from Guatemala to Guatemalans living in the US who are craving a taste of home. The Wall Street Journal recounts details from a recent delivery, one of 38 he made to five US states during 2024: Accompanied by his 13-year-old son, Chavez took a red-eye flight of roughly 1,800 miles from Guatemala City to Washington's Dulles airport, borrowed a relative's Toyota Corolla, and made 44 deliveries over the course of the day. One was an 8.5-pound food order Guatemala native Marciana Cabrera had placed the day prior; she paid just over $100.

Chavez charges a flat $12 a pound, and requires that all food be cooked, packaged in clear plastic boxes, and brought to him from the friend or relative that's sending it. His B1/B2 business visa allows him to come for up to five days at a time (no trip in 2024 lasted longer than 48 hours) and can't make more than $2,000 each visit. The Journal explains he is far from the only viajero, or traveler, making such deliveries to US cities like Houston and Grand Rapids. His older brother makes his own deliveries, and on a recent US flight, the brothers say they recognized at least 10 other viajeros on the plane. (Read the full article for more on his deliveries.)
President-elect Trump has expressed frustration that flags will be flying at half-staff when he takes office later this month. President Biden issued the order to honor President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100. It's not a timeline that Trump can do anything aboutuntil he takes office, the AP reports.

The order: Biden issued the order, in effect for 30 days, on Sunday. Flags are lowered to indicate that the country or a state is in mourning.
Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested in South Florida on Thursday after an allegedly violent confrontation with police on South Beach. NBC Miami reports the 29-year-old was charged with alleged battery on a law enforcement officer and other charges in an exchange captured by police body camera footage. Miami Beach Police say they were investigating an incident when Kerley approached them with concerns about his vehicle parked nearby. Per an arrest report seen by the AP , Kerley tried to force his way through to his vehicle though officers had told him to go around the area.

When Kerley was asked to leave the area, police say he took a "fighting stance," refused to obey commands, and became "increasingly aggressive" before four officers wrestled him to the ground. Local 10 reports police "delivered multiple hammer fists" to Kerley's head and used a stun gun in an attempt to subdue him. Kerley's girlfriend, 32-year-old Cleo Jamila Rahmanknown as DJ Sky High Babywas also charged with resisting arrest. In court the following day, Kerley's attorney argued police overreacted.

"This is a complete overuse of any reasonable force by officers, and it was a simple misunderstanding from the beginning that was escalated by police," he said. The judge seemed sympathetic and dropped a charge of disorderly conduct while finding probable cause for counts of battery on an officer and resisting arrest. Kerley's attorney released a statement saying: "It just goes to show that no matter how hard you work, how many medals you earn for your country, and how many people across the globe you inspire, in Miami Beach, Mr. Kerley was treated like millions of African-Americans, male and female, around the country...with a lack of humanity, compassion, or respect." Kerley won bronze in the 100-meter race at the 2024 Paris Olympics and silver in the same event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. (More Fred Kerley stories.)
Your car is spying on you. That is one takeaway from the detailed data that Tesla collected on the driver of the Cybertruck that exploded in Las Vegas this week. Privacy data experts say the deep dive by Elon Musk's company was impressive but spotlights a difficult question as vehicles become less like cars and more like computers on wheels, the AP reports. "You might want law enforcement to have the data to crack down on criminals, but can anyone have access to it?" said Jodi Daniels, CEO of the privacy consulting firm Red Clover Advisors. "Where is the line?"

Many of the latest cars not only know where you've been and where you are going, but also often have access to your contacts, your call logs, your texts, and other sensitive information thanks to cellphone syncing. The data collected by Musk's electric car company after the Cybertruck packed with fireworks burst into flames in front of the Trump International Hotel proved valuable to police in helping track the driver's movements. Within hours of the New Year's Day explosion that burned the driver beyond recognition and injured seven people, Tesla was able to track Matthew Livelsberger's movements in detail from Denver to Las Vegas and confirm that the cause was explosives in the truck, not the truck itself. Tesla used data collected from charging stations and from onboard softwareand to great acclaim.

"I have to thank Elon Musk, specifically," said Sheriff Kevin McMahill. "He gave us quite a bit of additional information." Some privacy experts were less enthusiastic. "It reveals the kind of sweeping surveillance going on," said David Choffnes of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute at Northeastern University. "When something bad happens, it's helpful, but it's a double-edged sword. Companies that collect this data can abuse it." General Motors was sued in August by Texas' attorney general, accused of selling data from 1.8 million drivers to insurance companies without their consent. There are no federal laws regulating car data. "This is one of the biggest ethical issues we have around modern vehicles," said an auto analyst at Telemetry Insight. "They're connected."

(More Tesla stories.)
Pope Francis warned that bullying in schools prepares students for war rather than peace, in a speech to Catholic educators gathered at the Vatican on Saturday. Speaking to about 2,000 Italian teachers, educators, and parents, Francis asked the audience to pledge to fight bullying both at school and at home, the AP reports. He praised educational efforts at schools to promote peace, noting that "imagining peace" lays the foundations for "a more just and fraternal world" through "every subject taught and through the creativity of children and young people."

"But if, at school, you wage war among yourselves or engage in bullying, you are preparing for war, not for peace," he said. The pope also called for more dialogue within families, emphasizing that "it is dialogue that makes us grow." In warning against a "remote pedagogy, distant from people," he stressed that effective education needs proximity and engagement, per the Catholic News Agency. To make his point, he talked about parents and children sitting together in a restaurant but focusing on their cellphones instead of engaging in conversation.

(More Pope Francis stories.)
The procession leading to the state funeral for Jimmy Carter began Saturday, with residents of his Georgia hometown turning out to pay their respects as the motorcade carrying the former president's casket passed on its way to Atlanta. The journey began at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, about 10 miles from Plains, where the 39th president's body had been since he died Sunday at 100. The motorcade passed his boyhood home, which is now part of a national park though the land is still a working farm, per the Washington Pos t. There, National Park Service rangers and other employees saluted while a historic farm bell was rung 39 times.

In Plains, the vehicles passed the longtime ranch house where the former president and his wife, Rosalynn, had lived, and mourners holding bouquets of flowers and wearing pins showing Carter's image lined the main street. "We want to pay our respects," said Will Porter Shelbrock, 12. "He was ahead of his time on what he tried to do and tried to accomplish." Willie Browner, 75, who grew up near Plains, said it meant a lot to him that someone from a small Southern town became president, per the AP. "This man, he thought of more than just himself," Browner said.

The procession later stopped at the Georgia Capitol, where Carter served as a state senator and governor, before reaching the Carter Center in Atlanta. There, where Carter's body will lie in repose until Tuesday, a military band played drums while marching, per USA Today. In Plains, Carter's childrenJack, Chip, Jeff, and Amyhad watched as the casket left the hospital and was placed in the hearse. It was their first public appearance since their father died, per the Post. Dozens of hospital employees, who had treated Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter many times, also gathered. "If one of them had to be hospitalized," said CEO Carlyle Walton, "they always wanted a second bed in the room so the other could stay, too." (More Jimmy Carter stories.)
Ukrainian soldiers are inflicting huge losses in manpower on the Russian occupation army. In addition, the Russians are engaged in self-destruction, opening friendly fire and putting up barrier units.

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Such tactics are considered typical for Putin's army. This was reported by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

A selection of Ukrainian intelligence intercepts confirms that the war against Ukraine is a one-way street for the Russian occupiers. If the invaders are not destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, they will be eliminated by their own colleagues.

Ukrainian intelligence has published one of the radio intercepts in which a unit commander from the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the Russian Fifth Army threatens his subordinates with execution.

In addition, barrier detachments were posted for units of the 51st Army of the Russian Federation. The invaders complain to their commanders that they cannot leave their positions, but the latter, in turn, say that the Russians will not be able to retreat.

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As a reminder, the North Korean military continues to suffer huge losses in the Kursk region. Moreover, the DPRK militants are helping the Ukrainian military and are engaged in self-destruction.

Earlier, the National Guard of Ukraine showed how they repelled a daring assault by the occupiers, who went on an attack on ATVs. The "safari" was fatal for the Russian invaders  Ukrainian defenders destroyed the enemy's passenger vehicles, and the attackers themselves joined the ranks of the "two hundredth" and "three hundredths".

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia lost 1, 510 of its occupants in the war against Ukraine on January 3. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the aggressor country's losses have reached almost 795 thousand people.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Parliament is poised to vote on a proposal aimed at prioritising Bahrainis for teaching and management positions in private education, replacing expatriates. However, the proposal has already drawn criticism from the government, which argues that existing measures already favour Bahrainis in the private sector.

The proposal seeks amendments to Articles 11 and 12 of the 1998 Private Education Law, which currently does not mandate such hiring requirements. Filed with the Services Committee in May of last year, the proposal calls for the employment of Bahrainis who meet the necessary qualifications and experience for these roles.

While the idea has sparked debate, not all parties are in favour. The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has highlighted existing policies that incentivise the hiring of Bahrainis, including quotas for local hiring, expat worker fees, and job vacancy advertisements that give locals a first opportunity to apply. Tamkeen also supports these efforts with wage subsidies and training programmes.

The Ministry of Education backs the governments position, emphasising that Bahraini candidates are already prioritised in private schools.

Nevertheless, some stakeholders argue that the proposed law is still needed. Al Rawabi Private School, for example, expressed support for the idea, praising Bahraini teachers for their capability and creativity but noting challenges such as long approval processes and gaps in practical experience among graduates. The school suggested faster hiring procedures, better alignment of university courses with private sector needs, improved pay packages, and government-backed benefits for private sector workers to boost job security and attract more Bahrainis into the sector.

The Services Committee has endorsed the draft proposal, asserting that private institutions must take greater responsibility in addressing Bahrains unemployment challenges.
Russia was really close to using nuclear weapons against Ukraine. However, China has probably prevented this catastrophic decision from happening.

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This was stated by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in an interview with the Financial Times. According to Blinken, Washington was "very concerned" when intelligence provided information about the possibility of Moscow using nukes.

It is noted that Putin was seriously considering such a possibility.

"Even when the probability increases from five to 15 percent, when it comes to nuclear weapons, there is nothing more serious," the US Secretary of State said.

Blinken noted that despite the tensions between the US and China over the war in Ukraine, the nuclear issue was an exceptional case which Beijing and Washington could agree on. According to him, U.S. officials have reason to believe that the Chinese leadership has directly addressed the Kremlin to avoid escalation.

"We have reason to believe that China contacted Russia and said: 'Don't do this'," he said.

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The U.S. Secretary of State also suggested that this could have happened when the United States shared information with Beijing about Russia's intentions to deploy nuclear weapons in space.

As a reminder, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War believe that the Kremlin is looking for workarounds to its neverending nuclear threats. The fact is dictator Putin's obsession with the vaunted Oreshnik missile and other Russian non-nuclear deterrents.

Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the topic of nuclear weapons has become one of the main elements of Russian propaganda. According to the Ukrainian project War of Words, since February 2022, more than 5,500 references to the possibility of using nuclear weapons have been recorded in the Russian media.

Richard Moore, head of MI6, believes that sabotage and nuclear blackmail are the main means through which the Kremlin hopes to intimidate the West into withdrawing its support for Ukraine.

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By continuing his daily shelling of Ukraine even on New Year's Day and Christmas, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin may be trying to show US President-elect Donald Trump that he is not afraid of him. However, Trump will not stoop to the level of responding to such "messages" because he understands that the power of the United States is not commensurate with the power of the Russian Federation from a military point of view.

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This was stated by Ukrainian politician and diplomat Roman Bezsmertnyi in the new issue of the "Analysis of the Week" on OBOZ.UA. However, the key motive for Trump's behavior is money. He wants to make America rich and himself rich.

According to the diplomat, Putin's behavior is impossible for people living in a democratic country to understand because he is a psychopath and paranoid.

"As for certain messages to Trump, the forces are too disproportionate in terms of military and technical level. The United States is an order of magnitude superior, as even this war demonstrates. Please note that Ukraine is being supplied with equipment manufactured in the 80s, and 70s, and developed in the 60s. The reason is clear: this is the so-called drip aid, which is based on the doctrine of controlled escalation. Therefore, in this regard, it is unlikely that even in his thoughts Donald Trump would stoop to this level," Bezsmertnyi said.

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In his opinion, Putin wants to deprive Trump of the key goal with which he entered politics. The president-elect wants to make America rich, and he wants to make himself rich.

"The war, as you know, is an incomprehensible thing for him. He doesn't know that America as America was created after the First and Second World Wars. No one really saw America as a country of influence before the First World War. It emerged because it earned strong, solid money as a result of these wars. Trump does not know this. He is building a completely different system. And if you put this in the context of the fact that the world today is different, then there is a problem with the state policy, which has a state doctrine that the United States should profess. Isolationism in a world where the Chinese have opened up looks simply inadequate," the diplomat added.

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Alejandro Balanzar waits his turn. Its the last dive of the midday session. His hands are clasped as he stands in front of the sculpture of the Virgin of Guadalupe, which reigns at the top of the cliffs of Acapulco Bay. Here, the sea penetrates the land, leaving a small channel of water between sharp rocks.

The 33-year-old is originally from the Mexican city of Acapulco. Hes been a cliff diver for the past 19 years. Possessed by the music of the ocean and the wind, Alejandro crosses himself and turns to stand at the edge of the void, where he waits for the wave to approach. When it does, it will allow him to take flight.

While he waits, he keeps his gaze fixed on the rough rocks on the shore. Each breath widens his shoulders, before he finally opens his arms and throws himself into the deep, narrow threshold. Its a dizzying free fall of 115 feet, at 52 miles per hour, only ending when he enters the water. Excess foam spreads out over the waves, which move back and forth.

Alejandro has done the swan dive (also known as the airplane dive) and the reverse somersault (or Dutch dive) about 2,000 times. But each time feels like the first time. At the moment of falling, he doesnt feel connected to anything other than fear. Everything mundane disappears from his thoughts, while the sensation of weightlessness prevails. Its not the flight, nor the impact, nor the height thats most dangerous for a diver: rather, its the invisible depth that awaits. You only have about 13 feet of water before you hit the rocks at the bottom.

Alejandro mentally calculates the temperament of the approaching wave and the kindness of the wind (he knows both well). He then raises his arms, bends his knees and starts running. The tourists  in the blink of an eye  get the chance to admire him as hes suspended in the air. This admiration is promptly followed by goosebumps; theyre incredulous at the speed of the dive. For his own good, the young man must fall into the water before the waves begin their journey back to the open sea. He knows that he has three seconds, three-and-a-half seconds at most. Any more than that would be lethal.

Alejandro is falling. Tense, rigid, keeping his vertical position, looking straight ahead, aware that, as soon as his body breaks the surface of the water, he must spread open his hands and grab his feet. This is to stop his fall and turn around as quickly as possible, so as to avoid hitting the rocks at the bottom. Risk is his job: the crash against the sea, the sinking weight, the foam bursting out and  two seconds later, to everyones relief  Alejandros triumphant arm appears, celebrating his survival and the applause.

At 1:30 p.m., a blinding sun spreads its tyranny over the cliffs. Alejandro and the rest of the divers accept the congratulations from onlookers and take photos with the tourists, just as movie stars or elite athletes would do. Theyll all repeat the jump at 7 p.m.  when dusk imposes its share of darkness on the sky  and again at 11 p.m., with a torch in each hand as the only light. Then, pure uncertainty is their only company.

The night jump is a Russian roulette for Alejandro. He relies on luck, because the person at the bottom of the cliffs cannot see the horizon, while the person above cannot see the bottom. Everything is left to intuition, which is responsible for announcing the arrival of the wave.

Alejandro Balanzar, at the top of the ravine, during the mental preparation for his dive. Alan Carranza

Like all myths, the myth of the cliff divers of Acapulco is real and hazy at the same time. This tradition celebrated 90 years of risk and charm in December. Its the oldest tourist attraction in the city that opened Mexico to the world (and to tourism). In the 1950s, Acapulco experienced a time of splendor when  given the beauty of its location and its landscapes that mix the jungle and the sea  it became one of the first tourist destinations in the Americas.

After the photographs, the congratulations and receiving the corresponding tips, the euphoria among the group of divers takes a while to disperse. They talk about the narcotic power of adrenaline and the cushion of the waves, which allows them to fall against the wind with an elegant dive.

Along the shore, Abraham Estrada, 37, points to the slightly yellowish line of saltpeter on the rocks. It marks 15 feet: theyll never be able to dive with the water below that line. Of course, Ive hurt my ankles and knees a few times, he notes. And, when I started, I dislocated my shoulder. I can no longer dive headfirst.

The 'hardest yet': 18-year-old Donovan Nieves Torres  Lilia's brother  is pictured as hes about to perform a night dive, illuminated with two torches. Alan Carranza

His diving partner  31-year-old Brando Brian Palacios  is still at his side, exultant. Like 99% of cliff divers, he is following a family tradition: As a child, I watched my father: how they applauded him and how they asked him for a photo, all of that draws attention. I started imitating him at eight-years-old, first from [six feet, then 16, then 23].... and, at 14, I dared to dive from [115 feet]. The veterans can sense your interest and they correct and guide you. I like that the public recognizes your work. Olympic divers come here and tell us that were crazy to dive from 115 feet with only 13 feet of depth. We invite them to do it, but they say no, they say were crazy.

Abraham recognizes that hes here because of his grandfather, his uncles and his cousins. But I studied law. Im a lawyer, I do paperwork at the law firm. When asked what he likes more  the office, or diving?  he laughs: I like cliff diving more. Here, they applaud me. In the office, they dont.

Both men agree: When the moment comes, your head doesnt think about home, children, wife, girlfriend, problems, work. You only see where youre going to fall, that youre going to hit the water, that youre going to spin around in the water. If you get scared, youre done.

Almost all the accidents occur at the moment of hitting the water: forearm fractures, perforated eardrums, shoulder detachment. For Abraham, when the dive is over, he says that he feels an enormous sense of satisfaction. Tell me your greatest pleasure, because this is multiplied by 10. Believe me, were all afraid  every dive is like the first dive.

A view of the Acapulco ravine, taken from the balcony of the so-called Casa de los Vientos, where the Mexican artist Diego Rivera spent his last days. Many celebrities from the world of art, film and literature frequented the area in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Alan Carranza

Lilia Mishelle Nieves Torres, 13, dives into the ravine. Alan Carranza

At La Perla restaurant inside the legendary Mirador Hotel, theres a view of the sea, where a humpback whale is splashing around. In a room adorned with photographs of Elizabeth Taylor and Johnny Weissmuller  as well as iconic divers from the 1950s, such as Raul Garcia or Javier El Toro  EL PAIS sits down with Alejandro Balanzar and Lilia Mishelle Nieves. At just 13, Lilia is the youngest diver, but it depends on how you look at it, because she technically started diving at the age of six. She does it on the weekends, but since today is a holiday in Acapulco and she doesnt have classes, shes been able to come to the interview with her father, whos also a diver. I like that he accompanies me, she smiles. He gives me advice and supports me. I train every day to achieve the perfect dive: Im always looking straight ahead and not shaking. My head is [my] rudder.

The tradition of diving began in the 1930s, driven by natives of the historic neighborhoods of Acapulco, such as La Guinea, La Pinzona, and La Mira. Fishermen would set out to retrieve their hooks because, around that time, metal was a precious commodity and it was essential to retrieve this work tool. Naturally, they began to challenge each other to see who could jump from the highest point to search for the hook. The challenge became a ritual, Alejandro explains, and the challenge and the ritual became a spectacle, because this area is very romantic. It attracted couples and families. While watching the fishermen challenge each other, people began to throw coins into the water and giving them tips. Thats how the phenomenon took shape.

In 1934, he continues, the first show took place and the Sociedad de Vardistas y Salvavidas de la Quebrada was founded, which later changed to Clavadistas Profesionales de la Quebrada (La Quebrada Cliff Divers). The film boom helped us a lot. The fact that this location was chosen for filming was a revolution. Alejandro refers to films such as Fun in Acapulco (1963), with Elvis Presley (who didnt even set foot in the city for the filming), as well as Tarzan and the Mermaids (1948), in which the cliffs and the divers appear.

While speaking about the current situation, Alejandro furrows his brow. He speaks with a nostalgic tone: Weve been doing this for 90 years and its a difficult time because of the hurricanes, these were serious catastrophes, weve had to make a real effort. Were a civil society organization with directors who maintain order and pull the strings of the group. But were the physical force: we do the exhibitions and we maintain the cleanliness and care of the area. You can make a living from this, but those who start are still asked to study. In my case, I have a degree in English Philology.

This is a job in which you have to respect the cliff, nature and the sea, because a mistake is an accident  and weve all had an accident. And, even though it sounds bad to say it, thats the true test of fire. When you get hurt, you find out if this really is for you or not. A journalist once told me: You dont have accidents because youre professionals. I told him: No, were professionals because we know that were going to have an accident, but were still always going to be here.

A cliff diver makes a swan dive from a height of 92 feet. Alan Carranza

This profession requires dedication and effort. Divers train daily from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.  stretching, conditioning the body, etc.  before the exhibitions. Afterwards, you have to pass anti-doping tests. You have to build confidence and overcome thalassophobia (the fear of deep bodies of water). Theres always been a female diver in every generation, Alejandro says. Now, we have Lilia. Lili is a very young talent: she just broke the record of her colleague, Iris Selene, which was 75 feet. Shes now already jumping from 91 feet, but it would be a mistake to rush her and for her to risk losing her love for the profession. You have to go step by step to avoid injuries.

I ask my young colleagues to think about their diving carefully, because one thing is experience and another is confidence. And here, you need both. Alejandro again names the hurricanes that devastated Acapulco last year. The way in which the city has moved forward is worthy of praise. The current renaissance owes much to the local residents and investors. You can still see hotel complexes like Riviera Diamante being totally renovated. This complex contains iconic hotels like Princess Mundo Imperial  an enormous, pyramid-shaped architectural work in homage to the Mayan temple of Chichen Itza  and the wonderful and delicately preserved Pierre Mundo Imperial, which was the home of Paul Getty, at one time the richest man in the world.

EL PAIS accompanies Alejandro and Lilia to eat at Flamingos, a sacred meeting place for divers. Its a hotel easily recognizable by the pink color of its walls. For a long time, it was the home of Johnny Weissmuller, the American actor who played Tarzan in 12 feature films. And, between 1950 and 1984, it was known as the hideout of the Hollywood gang, because the eternal Tarzan of the screens  blinded by the sun and glamor of those years  organized memorable parties, with guests including Cary Grant, John Wayne, Errol Flynn, and even Morgan, the chimpanzee.

Today, Weissmullers old vacation spot is in a neglected state. The imposing viewing platform  which the actor ordered to be built facing the Pacific Ocean, with stones arranged like crocodile teeth  would be worth renovating and promoting, because the location is extraordinary.

Sunset from the terrace of the La Perla hotel, near the ravines. Alan Carranza

Cliff diving is a sport, a hobby and  above all  an unbeatable tradition that managed to overcome the end of the glamorous party of the golden years, when legendary films were shot in Acapulco. These included The Lady from Shanghai (1947) by Orson Welles, Missing (1982) by Costa-Gavras, The Young One (1960) by Bunuel, and the classic Mexican film, The Pearl (1947), based on Steinbecks novel of the same name. The cliffs have also survived two hurricanes and  like the city  is defined by resilience.

Austrian author Wolfgang Hermann once wrote: Life is a fluid: it must be kept in balance because, when it spills, it slips away and disappears. Nothing has changed in the Acapulco cliffs in 90 years. The images of the divers plunging into the water remain etched in the retina. One observes the diver in the seconds before the jump, serious and thoughtful, as if he were watching the concentration of his ancestors, assimilating the risk that lies within. Just like the memory, the cliff has its own distance and  however much time passes  this will continue to be the emblematic postcard of Acapulco.

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Sunday is a double toll-trouble day for Jersey drivers going to Manhattan.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authoritys controversial congestion pricing plan, which survived a last-minute court challenge, begins Sunday morning  along with a 3% toll increase at Port Authority bridges and tunnels that also kicks in this weekend.

New Jersey attorneys made good on a promise to appeal to judges who have ruled the congestion pricing can start.

New Jerseys attorney Randy Mastro filed a notice of appeal of U.S. International Court of Trade Judge Leo M. Gordon Dec. 30 opinion that upheld the federal approvals the controversial program received in June 2023 to proceed. That is one of several steps before an actual appeal is filed, he said Friday night after Gordon denied New Jerseys motion to temporarily stop the start of congestion pricing.

This is a huge weekend in New York, congestion pricing goes live (late) Saturday night into Sunday, said Janno Lieber, MTA CEO at a press conference. People can make more claims this is the moment congestion pricing is starting.

Starting midnight Sunday, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey tolls also increase to $14.06 for drivers paying with E-ZPass entering outside peak periods, $16.06 during peak hours and $18.31 for non-E-ZPass passenger vehicle drivers.

Is it really starting?

Barring an unlikely stay by the court of appeals, all lights are green.

Congestion pricing, which was made a New York state law in 2019, was created to help reduce traffic, crashes and air pollution in Manhattan and raise $1 billion annually for subway, bus and commuter rail projects by charging a fee for drivers to enter Manhattans central business district south of 60th Street.

It is the first such program in the nation. London and Stockholm have similar programs. A projected 80,000 to 110,000 commuters are forecasted to switch from driving to transit to avoid the fee, MTA officials said.

Whats the cost, how do I pay?

Non-commercial passenger vehicles using E-ZPass will pay $9 during peak periods between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. weekdays and on weekends between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Off-peak rates will be $2.25 in the overnight period. These vehicles would only be charged once a day to enter the central business district.

Non-commercial passenger vehicles that are not equipped with E-ZPass will pay a higher toll of $13.50 during peak periods and $3.30 off-peak. Drivers would receive a $3 toll credit for using the Holland or Lincoln Tunnels. Those using the George Washington Bridge receive no discount. Larger vehicles pay higher rates based on size

For-hire vehicles and taxis will charge a congestion fee to customers. Motorcycles will pay less.

Congestion pricing uses similar all-electronic toll collection technology that the Port Authority and MTA already use at bridges and tunnels. Readers and cameras installed near 60th street capture vehicle license plates and send a bill to the vehicle owner for the toll. Dont ignore it, because fines and penalty fees roll up for late payment and outright violations.

Whats the total cost to drive?

Considering driving in to see the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, take in a play, a concert or sporting event? Heres what it will cost you.

Congestion pricing provides a $3 peak period toll credit for drivers using the Holland and Lincoln Tunnel. No credit is provided for the George Washington Bridge. No toll credit is offered overnight because the toll is 75% less, according to the MTA.

The other pricing issue in calculating total cost is Port Authority and congestion pricing peak hours are slightly different. They are weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m., and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. All other times are off peak.

A peak-hour trip for both congestion pricing and the Port Authority will cost a total of $22.06 for E-ZPass customers, based on a $16.06 bridge or tunnel toll and a congestion fee with the toll credit applied.

A trip during Port Authority off-peak hours and congestion pricing peak hours will cost a total of $20.06 for E-ZPass drivers, based on a $14.06 toll and $6 congestion fee, deducting the toll credit.

The cheapest trip is during off peak hours for both for a total toll of $16.31, representing a $14.06 bridge and tunnel toll and $2.25 off peak congestion pricing fee.

Drivers who dont use E-ZPass will pay the highest tolls for both. The Port Authority charges non-E-Zpass drivers $18.31 and there is no off-peak discount.

Non-E-ZPass drivers will pay the highest toll during peak hours for both, resulting in an astounding $28.61, based on an $18.31 tunnel toll and a $10.30 congestion pricing charge after the $3 toll credit is applied.

The only off-peak break comes from the lower $3.30 congestion pricing fee, for a total toll of $21.61, adding the non-E-ZPass Port Authority toll.

Are there discounts?

There are congestion pricing discount programs, but you need an E-ZPass account from a New York toll agency to qualify. This presents a dilemma for New Jersey drivers, who potentially would lose their New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway discounts if they switch from a New Jersey issued E-ZPass.

The more complicated discounts also require approval of an application that can be filed on the MTA website.

The Individual Disability Exemption Plan addresses a concerns about the cost for people who require medical treatment at facilities in the congestion zone.

This discount can cover a patient or caregiver providing transportation.

Three things are required: obtaining a New York E-ZPass, filling out an online application and making an appointment at an Assessment Center. Once a person has been determined to be eligible, they would apply for exemption for their vehicle or a caregivers vehicle.

A discount for people with low incomes is available to New York and New Jersey residents. This provides a 50% discount that kicks in after the first 10 trips in a calendar month, and applies to all peak period trips after that.

To qualify, vehicle owners must have reported a federal adjusted gross income of $50,000 or less for the previous calendar year or be enrolled in a qualifying government assistance program and fill out and file an online application.

Individuals must provide either an IRS Form 1040 or Tax Return Transcript and corresponding W-2s from the most recent tax year, or poof they are enrolled a government assistance program. They also must have an E-ZPass issued in New York.

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Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @CommutingLarry
Update-Late Friday night, New Jersey attorneys filed a notice with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals that the state intends to appeal Judge Gordons Dec. 30 ruling that upheld the federal approval that allowed congestion pricing to proceed.

With less than three days before the start of a plan to charge drivers $9 to enter lower Manhattan, a federal court judge denied New Jerseys eleventh-hour effort to stop congestion pricing from starting.

U.S. International Court of Trade Judge Leo M. Gordon, sitting in Newark, ruled Friday night against a last-minute motion by New Jersey, Bergen County and Fort Lee to delay the Jan. 5 start of the first congestion pricing program in the nation.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for eight counties in New Jersey ahead of a large storm from the Central Plains that could drop heavy snow in some areas and cause slick driving conditions across a wide swath of the state.

The winter storm watch  which could be upgraded to a more urgent warning as the storm moves closer and the forecast comes into better focus  covers Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem counties, where as much as 5 to 9 inches of snow could fall late Sunday night through late Monday night.

ALSO: Snow predictions from 7 forecasters for Mondays winter storm

Forecasters said some of the snow could be heavy at times, making driving hazardous. They also noted the snowfall totals could be knocked down by a few inches if the storm system tracks farther south than expected, or if the snow mixes with sleet and rain Monday afternoon.

Winter weather advisories may be issued in other New Jersey counties prior to the storm, with forecasters predicting 1 to 3 inches of snow in those areas.

A large storm system from the Central Plains could dump as much as 5 to 9 inches of snow across the southern half of New Jersey late Sunday night through Monday night, causing slick driving conditions.National Weather Service

Winter storm timing

Forecasters say light snow will likely start falling late Sunday night in eastern Pennsylvania and push its way into western and southwestern sections of New Jersey before getting steadier Monday morning and Monday afternoon.

The snow should wind down by Monday night.

A large storm system from the Central Plains could dump as much as 5 to 9 inches of snow across the southern half of New Jersey late Sunday night through Monday night. Forecasters note those numbers could go down, or up, depending on the exact track of the storm.National Weather Service

Latest snow totals predicted

The National Weather Service says snowfall totals could range from 3 to 6 inches in Burlingtion, Camden, Gloucester and Ocean counties and as much as 5 to 9 inches in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem counties.

The weather service is projecting 2 to 3 inches of snow accumulating in most of Central Jersey, with areas of 3 to 4 inches expected in the Mercer County region.

Only 1 to 2 inches of snow, and maybe even less than that, is projected for the far northern region of New Jersey  which is usually the states hot spot for heavy snow.

Heavier snow is expected in South Jersey because the bulk of the storm will likely be tracking much closer to the states southern region and far from the northern region.

Areas shaded in blue are under a winter storm watch because a large storm system from the Central Plains could dump as much as 5 to 9 inches of snow across this region Sunday night through Monday night, causing slick driving conditions.National Weather Service

The weather services New York regional office said a light accumulating snowfall  ranging from a coating to about 1 inch  is likely on Monday in New York City and northeastern counties in New Jersey.

Forecasters, however, note that small deviations in the track would increase or decrease snowfall amounts by a few inches.

If moderate to heavy snow materializes, it would likely make a mess of the Monday morning commute and could also impact the Monday evening commute.

Some school districts could impose early dismissals or outright closures, depending on how much snow is in the final forecasts.

Note: If any closures or schedule changes are announced by public school districts on Sunday or Monday, NJ.com will post a list of the affected districts.

Current weather radar

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local weather news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality.
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Resources have started to come together for New Orleans restaurant workers, bartenders, dancers and other hospitality industry folk impacted by the terror attack that took place on Bourbon Street on New Year's Day.

Relief funds, GoFundMe fundraisers and support services also are available to victims of the attack, which killed at least 14 people and injured dozens more in the early hours of Jan. 1. Read more about those funds here.

Below is a list of support groups, relief funds and additional resources for New Orleans hospitality workers. This list will continue to be updated as more resources come to light.

Here are ways to help New Orleans Bourbon Street terror attack victims and families Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional resources, and we will continue to add to it as more become available.

Support Groups

Neutral Ground Collective Therapy Workshop

Via Zoom

4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5

The Neutral Ground Collective is hosting an online therapy workshop for New Orleanians. This somatic-based therapy workshop will help you map and better understand your nervous system during this stressful time. RSVP at tngcollective.com.

Emotional Support Meeting

Fred Hampton Free Store, 5523 St. Claude Ave.

8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5

A support meeting will be held with professional support from a death doula to help people affected by the New Year's Day attack share grief and heal together. Find more information on Instagram: @gnocaringcollective.

Healing for Heauxs Support Group

Spyre Center, 1772 Prytania St.

5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6

Grounded Health hosts free, monthly support group sessions for sex workers. They will hold a Healing for Heauxs session on Monday, Jan. 6, for Bourbon Street dancers and all sex workers impacted by the New Year's Day tragedy. Find more info at groundedhealthnola.org.

Community Healing for Bourbon Street Dancers

John Thompson Legacy Center, 1212 St. Bernard Ave.

3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, and Thursday, Jan. 9

Survive the Club hosts restorative yoga and breathwork sessions for Bourbon Street dancers. The events are open to all dancers. Find more information on Instagram: @survivetheclub.

WeHelpNOLA

WeHelpNOLA offers free mental health care services to New Orleans service industry workers. They are now connecting hospitality workers impacted by the New Year's Day tragedy to no cost and low cost therapy sessions. Find a list of resources at wehelpnola.com/local-resources.

Cultivate Counseling & Wellness

Cultivate offers trauma-informed care and mental health services, with an emphasis on care for the LGBTQ community, sex workers, undocumented people and other underrepresented communities. The group is offering grief group counseling, individual counseling and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy for witnesses and survivors of the Bourbon Street attack. Find contact information at cultivatewellnessnola.com.

Below Sea Level Community Grief Support Group

Harm reduction and mutual aid group Below Sea Level is organizing grief support group sessions with mental health professionals and are currently asking for community input. Find the interest form and more information at linktr.ee/belowsealvel.

Below Sea Level also is fundraising for the support group sessions. To donate, go to givebutter.com/RDWdo2.

Relief Funds

Southern Smoke Foundation

southernsmoke.org/emergency-relief

The foundation provides emergency relief funds for food and beverage workers impacted by the tragedy in New Orleans. They also will offer no-cost counseling sessions through its Behind You program in partnership with LSU. Read more at the link above.

GoFundMe Hub

gofundme.com/c/act/how-to-help-attack-in-new-orleans

This hub includes a list of verified GoFundMe fundraisers for the victims of the New Years Day attack and their families. Be sure to keep checking back as organizers add more fundraisers to the hub.

Greater New Orleans Foundation Tragedy Fund

2014givenow.kimbia.com/nola-newyearsday-tragedy-fund

Organized by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, the New Year's Day Tragedy Fund will offer financial support for the families of those who died or were injured on New Year's Day. Donations can be made at the link above.

United for New Orleans Relief Fund

unitedwaysela.org/UnitedforNOLA

The United Way of Southeast Louisiana's relief fund provides financial support to the attack's victims and their families to cover medical expenses, funeral costs, trauma counseling and more.

Additional Resources

504 HealthNet

504healthnet.org

504 HealthNet connects low-income and underinsured New Orleanians to a network of health care providers around the region. Resources and more information can be found at the link above.

SUNO Center for Grief & Trauma Therapy

Southern University New Orleans, 6400 SUNO Knights Drive, The School of Social Work, Room 244

The center on SUNO's campus provides free counseling to children and adults dealing with grief or trauma in their lives. Find more information at suno.edu.

Silence is Violence

2000 Lakeshore Drive, UNO Trac Building, Room 228

Silence is Violence provides direct services to New Orleanians who are victims of violence and their families. Call first to schedule an intake with the grief counselor: (504) 282-0607. Find more information at silenceisviolence.org.

Childrens Bureau NOLA Crisis Intervention and Clinical Services

935 Calhoun St., Suite 101

The nonprofit works with partner organizations to offer children with immediate support in the aftermath of a traumatic event and/or loss of a loved one. See website for more info: childrensbureaunola.org.

Crime Survivors NOLA Guide

facebook.com/crimesurvivorsnola

The advocacy group has compiled a resource guide for victims and survivors of the attack with information on local organizations, mental health services and support groups. Find more info at the link above.
The Golden Globes 2025 party will be the first of this awards season, recognizing the best in film and television over the past year. Among the nominees are blockbusters such as Dune: Part Two and The Substance, as well as acclaimed independent works such as The Apprentice (based on the life of President-elect Donald Trump) and Saturday Night (inspired by the first episode of the popular Saturday Night Live series). In the television categories, limited series such as Baby Reindeer and The Penguin will compete for the most important awards.

Career recognition awards return this year, and the winners have been announced. The Cecil B. DeMille Award will be presented to EGOT actress Viola Davis, and the Carol Burnett Award will go to television icon Ted Danson. Here is all the key information for the ceremony to be held on Sunday, January 5.

Where to watch the Golden Globes 2025?

The ceremony will take place at 8:00 p.m. EST / 5:00 p.m. PST on January 5, 2025. The telecast will be available live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.

Who is hosting and who will present the awards?

The event will be hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, known for her style of insult comedy and for hosting the series Not Safe with Nikki Glaser. This is the first time that the Ohio native will host the awards show, which was hosted last year by comedian Jo Koy, who caused controversy because his presentation was not well received by the audience, which he attributed to having little preparation time prior to the event. Also, during his opening monologue, he accused the shows writers of giving him bad jokes. To avoid a similar situation, Glaser was announced as host in late August 2024.

Other presenters for this years 2025 awards include:Andrew Garfield, Anthony Mackie, Anthony Ramos, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ariana DeBose, Aubrey Plaza, Aulii Cravalho, Awkwafina, Brandi Carlile, Catherine OHara, Colin Farrell, Colman Domingo, Demi Moore, Dwayne Johnson, Edgar Ramirez, Elton John, Gal Gadot, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Coolidge, Kaley Cuoco, Kate Hudson,Kathy Bates, Ke Huy Quan, Kerry Washington, Margaret Qualley, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Keaton, Michelle Yeoh, Miles Teller, Mindy Kaling, Morris Chestnut, Nate Bargatze, Nicolas Cage, Rachel Brosnahan, Rob McElhenney, Salma Hayek Pinault, Sarah Paulson, Seth Rogen, Sharon Stone, Vin Diesel, Viola Davis, and Zoe Kravitz.

Who are the nominees?

The French film Emilia Perez is the film with the most nominations, its protagonists Zoe Saldana, Selena Gomez and the Spanish Karla Sofia Gascon, who has made history for being the first transgender actress to be nominated for a Golden Globe in a leading role. The films director Jacques Audiard is one of the people with the most nominations, accumulating three, for Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Song for The Evil, which he co-wrote with musicians Camille and Clement Ducol. The film, despite being praised around the world, has caused controversy in Mexico because Audiard acknowledged that he did not investigate the Mexican context to tell the story of a drug trafficker who seeks gender reassignment surgery to forget their past. Director and photographer Rodrigo Prieto stated that the film is offensive and completely inauthentic.

On the other hand, the drama starring Adrien Brody, The Brutalist, received seven nominations, while the film about religion Conclave accumulated six. Other nominees include Anora, The Substance, Challengers and A Real Pain, as well as the work inspired by the life of Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown.

As for TV nominations, The Bear continues its streak by racking up six nods in the comedy category (despite being considered a drama), followed by Only Murders in the Building and Shogun, both of which have six nominations.

You can check out the list of nominees on the Golden Globes 2025 site.
Jean-Luc Godard was known for his ironic subversion throughout his life. As a teenager, he signed his drawings as IAM and even gifted his parents a graphic notebook titled Le Cercle de Famille. Impressions densemble (The Family Circle. General Impressions), which humorously mocked bourgeois life. And there was nothing more bourgeois than having Swiss banker grandparents, as Godard did. While he is famously credited with shaping the French New Wave and establishing himself as a young rebel who would eventually wield cinema as a political weapon, it may come as a surprise that he also channeled his creativity into graphic work.

This previously unknown side of Godard is explored in the exhibition Tendo em linha de conto os tempos atuais: Obra plastica de Jean-Luc Godard (Set in the Present Day: Visual Work by Jean-Luc Godard), currently on display at the Casa do Cinema Manoel de Oliveira at the Serralves Foundation in Porto, Portugal, until May 18. What we show here is a multifaceted Godard, a complete artist who was not only a filmmaker but also a visual artist, revealing the close relationship between cinema and the visual arts, says Antonio Preto, director of the Casa do Cinema Manoel de Oliveira.

In the exhibition catalog, members of the O Contraire! collective  which includes four of Godards former collaborators who also curated the show  acknowledge that he would have rejected being defined as a visual artist. Instead, they argue that referring to him as a painter or graphic designer would be more accurate, though still simplistic. He was an artist in every sense of the word, they say.

Godards sense of humor, evident from the age of 17 and persisting throughout his life, is showcased in the collection of 24 digital self-portraits displayed at the entrance of the exhibition. These portraits highlight the filmmakers ability to create visual poetry, even during his later years when he faced significant physical challenges. The selfies, which serve as a playful and vibrant starting point for his visual experiments, also demonstrate Godards embrace of technological advancements, from video to cutting-edge smartphones, says Preto. One image features his hand holding the key to his home in Rolle, Switzerland, the place where he chose to end his life in 2022 via assisted suicide, a legal right in his country. At the time, Godard was 91 years old and suffering from several debilitating ailments.

Digital self-portraits of Jean-Luc Godard taken between 2015 and 2022.

To organize a collection of Jean-Luc Godards graphic work for exhibition, his friends and family searched through his various homes. The show was curated by the O Contraire! collective, which consists of producer Fabrice Aragno, screenwriter Jean-Paul Battaggia, film historian and critic Nicole Brenez, and Paul Grivas, Godards nephew and the director of photography on his film Film Socialisme (2010). The exhibition in Porto serves, in many ways, as a precursor to the kind of activities that the Godard Foundation aims to promote in the future.

One of the oldest works featured in the exhibition is a drawing Godard gave to his sister Veronica, signed as IAM, perhaps a pseudonym derived from the English phrase I am, suggests Preto. From this early period also come a portrait of Godards father, Paul, several paintings where he experimented with various techniques, and illustrations accompanying a letter he wrote at the age of 17 to Paul Valery, a friend of his grandfather Julien-Pierre Monod. His early interest in combining images and texts is evident, a trait that would later appear in both his professional and personal notebooks. Also on display is Godards first screenplay, Aline, written between 1948 and 1949, once thought to be lost.

The exhibition also highlights the mutual admiration between Godard and Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira. It features a reproduction of a conversation between the two, published in Liberation in September 1993, when Godard released Oh, Woe Is Me and Oliveiras Abrahams Valley premiered in Parisian theaters. During their conversation, both confess their shared fear of not being able to make another film. The Portuguese auteur shares his admiration for Godards Germany Year 90 Nine Zero (1991), stating: What I like is the clarity of the signs combined with their profound ambiguity. It is also what I like in cinema in general: a saturation of magnificent signs bathed in the light of the absence of explanation.

Untitled oil painting (1945) by Godard. FILIPE BRAGA Image in the notebook 'Down with cinema (beginning of a prolonged struggle).' FILIPE BRAGA Untitled oil painting (1945) by Godard. FILIPE BRAGA Collage in the notebook 'Down with cinema (beginning of a prolonged struggle).' FILIPE BRAGA Untitled oil paintings (1945) by Godard. FILIPE BRAGA Notebook 'The Image Book.' FILIPE BRAGA

The bond between the two filmmakers played a key role in the fact that, years later, Godard agreed to the Serralves Foundations proposal to dedicate an exhibition to him. But he passed away before the plans could come to fruition. The current exhibition also includes works by Godards friends, relatives, and collaborators, alongside his work tools and numerous notebooks that provide insight into his personal thoughts, moods, and political awareness. One such notebook, filled with sentimental reflections about his partner, actress Anne Wiazemsky, contains the line: When the weekend becomes the end of the world. Also displayed is the La Chinoise notebook, related to his 1967 film starring Wiazemsky, which features a Mao Zedong quote. The 1960s marked Godards radical, Maoist ideology, and in one notebook from this period, he reflects on photography as a bourgeois tool. Next to an image of a cowboy turning his back on a gunfight, he wrote: The bourgeoisie created a world in its image. Comrades, let us destroy that image.

Visitors will also encounter post-production notebooks containing collages and notes on Hail Mary, as well as those for Trailer of the Film That Will Never Exist: Phony Wars, a posthumous work that became a new symbol of rebellion. YSL had commissioned a film from him, and he gave them the notebook, claiming it was the film. Eventually, it had to be accepted, and the matter was resolved by turning each page of the notebook into an image. What it came down to was deciding how long each one lasted, says Preto.

On one wall, theres a reproduction of the graphic assemblage that Godard hung in front of his desk, featuring photos of his dog, a painting by Matisse, and one of Godards early works as a young nonconformist, among others. The exhibition also includes an installation where images from The Image Books creation process are projected onto veils, accompanied by Godards voice. In parallel, the Casa do Cinema will screen a retrospective of Godards films  he directed over 100 in his lifetime  along with a series of talks by curators, art historians, and film critics.

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The Rotary Club of Barnstaple has raised 600 for North Devon Hospice following a successful quiz night.

Rotarian Stewart Robinson organised the event, which was attended by many members of the community.

The funds raised will go towards supporting the hospice's vital work in the local area.

Rotary President Terry Lee nominated North Devon Hospice as one of his chosen charities for the Rotary Year 2024-25.

During a cheque presentation ceremony, Lee expressed his appreciation for the work of the hospice, which provides much-needed care and support to the community.

The Hospice serves the community in a most wonderful and dedicated way, said Terry Lee.

This is one way we can show our gratitude and respect to the whole team who work so hard to provide the help and support greatly valued by everyone.

The cheque was presented to Stephen Roberts, Chief Executive of North Devon Hospice, who thanked the Rotary Club for its generous contribution.

The funds raised will go directly to supporting the hospices services.
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KYODO NEWS - Jan 4, 2025 - 13:10 | All, Japan, World

U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday that he has decided to block the $14.1 billion takeover of United States Steel Corp. by Nippon Steel Corp., citing risks to national security, a move that will force the Japanese firm to overhaul its global strategy.

Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel immediately condemned Biden's decision and hinted at a potential legal battle against Washington, as scrapping the international buyout project would affect the reorganization of the global steel industry.

Biden's order marked the first time an American president has banned a merger and acquisition deal involving a Japanese corporation.

The incumbent, who leaves office on Jan. 20, and President-elect Donald Trump have both publicly opposed the deal announced by Japan's biggest steelmaker and the smaller U.S. producer in December 2023.

"The proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel by (Nippon Steel) is prohibited," Biden said in the order.

Biden also urged the Japanese and U.S. companies to take all steps necessary to "fully and permanently" abandon the deal within 30 days.

"We need major U.S. companies representing the major share of U.S. steelmaking capacity to keep leading the fight on behalf of America's national interests," Biden said in a statement issued separately.

"This acquisition would place one of America's largest steel producers under foreign control and create risk for our national security and our critical supply chains," he said.

Nippon Steel is the world's fourth-largest steelmaker by volume, while U.S. Steel ranks 24th, according to a 2023 tally by the World Steel Association.

The two steelmakers said last week that they had been informed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States that it could not reach a consensus on the deal, leaving the decision to Biden.

The panel, chaired by the Treasury secretary, evaluates whether foreign investment transactions involving U.S. companies pose a threat to national security.

In Tokyo, Yoji Muto, Japan's minister of economy, trade and industry, said, "It is incomprehensible and regrettable that this kind of decision has been made on the grounds of concerns over national security."

The Japanese government regarded Nippon Steel's plan to acquire U.S. Steel as a deal "that would benefit both countries" as Japanese investment in the United States has been on track to continue increasing, Muto said in a statement.

Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel said in their joint statement in English that they were "dismayed" by Biden's decision and they will "take all appropriate action to protect our legal rights," implying a possible lawsuit against the U.S. government.

They also said the ban "reflects a clear violation of due process and the law governing CFIUS. Instead of abiding by the law, the process was manipulated to advance President Biden's political agenda."

John Kirby, Biden's national security spokesman, defended the president's decision, telling reporters, "This is about U.S. steelmaking and keeping one of the largest steel producers in the United States an American-owned company."

Kirby also played down the view that the decision may impact relations with Japan, saying, "It is not about the extraordinary close relationship and alliance that we have with Japan."

In its bid to secure U.S. support for the deal, Nippon Steel had made several commitments, including keeping U.S. Steel organized as a domestic company with a majority of Americans on its board. It also reportedly pledged not to reduce output capacity for 10 years following the acquisition.

Founded in 1901 and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. Steel was once a symbol of American economic prowess, but it has struggled to keep up with competition from foreign rivals.

The takeover bid was backed by U.S. Steel shareholders, as well as some workers and locals. But the topic became highly politicized ahead of the November U.S. presidential election as the leadership of the powerful United Steelworkers union came out against the deal.

The union's International President David McCall welcomed Biden's decision on Friday, saying in a statement, "We have no doubt that it's the right move for our members and our national security."

Related coverage:

Nippon Steel promises no cuts to U.S. Steel's output for 10 years

Nippon Steel says to delay deadline to buy U.S. Steel to March 2025
President Joe Biden's decision to block Nippon Steel's $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel had been telegraphed repeatedly in advance and came as no surprise.

Reactions varied widely to the decision, which Biden said was in the country's national security interests to ensure it still had domestically owned steelmaking capacity.

"I am deeply disappointed with President Biden's decision to block the Nippon Steel deal. As mayor, my job is to protect and build the future for my citizens, and I believe strongly that this transaction was the best deal on the table for steelmaking families in cities like Gary," Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said. "I have spent months doing my due diligence and discussing this deal with mayors around the country, as well as members of the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, DC. I have met with steelworkers and union leadership and listened to their valid concerns. In Gary, the stakes are high. As the son of a steelworker and product of a union household, I witnessed firsthand the pain of job loss and divestment, evidenced in the facades of abandoned buildings and vacant houses in my neighborhood. Like many others, I was initially skeptical but now, I firmly support the Nippon Steel deal."

Nippon Steel's Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori, who visited Gary, attempted to address the national security concerns.

"Nippon Steel has voluntarily and publicly committed to various mitigation measures, including ensuring key positions are held by U.S. citizens; maintaining production capacity within the U.S.; removing any Nippon Steel involvement in trade measures proposed by U. S. Steel; prohibiting the transfer of any production and jobs outside the U.S.; guaranteeing that production capacity at U. S. Steel's facilities in Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Alabama, Indiana and Texas would not be reduced for ten years without approval from CFIUS; and more. Unfortunately, CFIUS did not consider any of these proposed agreements or mitigation measures," Melton said. "Yesterday, we had a guaranteed deal in hand. The potential sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel represented a significant opportunity for Gary and the American steel industry to grow and prosper. Now, we face an uncertain future, with Gary Works potentially losing investment and jobs."

Former Vice President Mike Pence also condemned the decision.

"This is a terrible decision by @POTUS Biden," he posted on X, formerly Twitter. "With the Biden administrations decision to block the sale of United States Steel to Nippon Steel, steel mills will close, thousands of American workers will lose their jobs, and the great American Rust Belt will once again be hollowed out and betrayed by Washington D.C. And this decision wont protect our national security  it will be playing right into Chinas hands. China now produces more than half of the worlds steel. Russia is also producing at levels that rival the United States. Nippon Steel is not China. Its not Russia. Its a trusted partner from a country that is home to tens of thousands of American troops deployed to defend against shared threats in the Pacific. The American people and our historic alliance with the people of Japan deserved better than this."

U.S. Sen. Todd Young said he hoped the decision would be reversed by the next administration.

"President Biden has shared no credible evidence to support his claim that this sale would threaten our national security," he said. "Japan is one of Americas closest allies and a valuable trade and commercial partner. I am hopeful that the incoming Trump administration will reexamine this situation and find a solution that benefits Hoosier steelworkers and Americas domestic steel industry.

The Sierra Club hailed the decision after having raised concerns about Nippon Steel's promised investments in blast furnaces, which burn coke, a purified form of coal, and are a major source of the carbon emissions scientists say cause climate change.

President Biden continues to build on his lasting legacy prioritizing frontline communities and the environment," Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous said. "Rejecting Nippons plans to lock in decades of coal reliance in steelmaking addresses climate and health harms from an industry that has been a legacy polluter, and in doing so, makes room for our manufacturers to modernize the iron and steelmaking process. Exacerbating harm to our clean air and water, our health, and our collective future is a clear human security risk to our nation. The Sierra Club applauds President Biden for recognizing that and taking decisive action to protect Americans.

Just Transition NWI, a local environmental group, called for whoever ends up owning U.S. Steel to slash carbon emissions by investing in technological upgrades.

"Just Transition Northwest Indiana maintains the ultimate owner of U.S. Steel must implement technologies that future-proof steel industry jobs, community health, and the environment. The direct reduced iron process, rather than re-lines of antiquated and dirty coke-burning blast furnaces, is crucial to achieve this," Just Transitions Legislative and Policy Director Susan Thomas said. "The opportunity is now to be on the right side of history and make this transition to sustainable steel in Northwest Indiana and across the nation."

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said any other potential buyers of U.S. Steel should demonstrate a commitment to jobs and steelworkers.

"I have expressed directly to U.S. Steel leadership, I expect U.S. Steel to uphold their commitments to Western Pennsylvania, refrain from threatening the jobs and livelihoods of the Pennsylvanians who work at the Mon Valley Works and at U.S. Steel HQ and their families, and work collaboratively to ensure the future of American steelmaking takes place right here in our Commonwealth," he said.
Mr. President, 50 years from now, 100 years from now, what do you want your legacy to be? When Jimmy Carter was sworn in as the president of the United States in 1977, the nation was still reeling from a period of political upheaval. I came along at a time when Americans still remembered painfully the lies told and the debacle of Watergate. I was outside of Washington, I was not stigmatized by the mistakes that had been made in those previous years. Its a long way from Plains, Ga., to Washington, D.C. And I brought a fresh face of a peanut farmer, a working man who swore never to tell a lie or make a misleading statement. Jimmy Carter from Georgia. I hope to be your next president. The president and his family surprise and delight everyone by walking the parade route down Pennsylvania Ave. up to the presidential reviewing stand in front of the White House. But winning the White House at the height of the Cold War carried extraordinary responsibility. The system is survivable. Its verifiable. The peanut farmer from Plains suddenly had his finger on the button to start World War III. Its a horrifying thought. If the Soviets launched a missile attack from Soviet territory, we had 26 minutes before the missile struck New York or Washington or whatever, for me to respond. And so I knew what  that I would have to respond, which may result in a holocaust. So I went out of my way to understand the problems of Brezhnev. I used to sit by a globe and turn it to Moscow, and try to imagine how it looked out on the rest of the world with a formidable military force in NATO and tremendous challenge from China. And what would happen if the Soviets became convinced that they were in danger. Well, I tried to avoid all that, but it was a very, very terrible responsibility. To give our own and our nations security. Carter took pains to keep the peace and to broker a nuclear arms deal. But when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, he rolled out a covert mission to arm Afghan resistance fighters and announced a boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. With Soviet invading forces in Afghanistan, neither the American people nor I will support sending an Olympic team to Moscow. The goal, he says, was to pressure the Soviets to reform. I wanted to change their system of government, but I also wanted to bring the Soviet Union into the international forum. The Soviet Union had, in effect, promised to honor human rights, and they had failed. But over a period of time, I think that may or may not have had an impact on Mikhail Gorbachev when he decided on glasnost and perestroika, and that in effect, resulted in the dismantlement of the Soviet Union, and also resulted in the withdrawal of Soviet invading troops from Afghanistan. Despite his ongoing struggles with the Soviets, Carter forged major accomplishments in foreign policy: opening diplomatic relations with China, pushing through a Panama Canal treaty and brokering a historic Middle East peace deal. Sun and tension on the Egyptian-Israeli border. I recognized before I was president the importance of the Mideast crisis between Israel and Egypt because there had been four major wars in the previous 25 years. I was able to bring Sadat and Begin to Camp David, and we had a very successful 13 days there. And we came out with the Camp David Accords, which led six months later to a treaty between Israel and Egypt. Not a word of which has ever been violated since. But the watershed agreement did not fix the problems dogging Carters presidency: runaway inflation. We must face a time of national austerity. The energy crisis. All of us must learn to waste less energy. And a management style that Americans found pessimistic and uninspiring. It is a crisis of confidence. The final blow for Carters re-election came in November 1979. Good evening. The U.S. Embassy in Tehran has been invaded and occupied by Iranian students. More than 50 Americans were taken hostage in Iran and held for 444 days until the final hours of Carters presidency. We had adequate warning that there was a threat to our embassy, and we could have done what other embassies did  either strengthen our security there or remove our personnel. Polls predicted a close race, but in the end, Carter won in just five states and Washington, D.C. And this country is almost solidly in the Reagan colors tonight. After leaving the White House, Jimmy Carter reinvented himself. And redefined the role of a former president, finding his new purpose and esteem as a freelance statesman. [speaking Spanish] Carter says even political rivals asked for his diplomatic help. Ronald Reagan didnt take an active interest in the Mideast. He disavowed many of the things that I had done, and to my surprise, he called me on the phone and asked if I would help draft a speech that he wanted to deliver on the subject. And I responded eagerly. So he sent his national security adviser or his speechwriter  I cant remember which  down to my home, and in the front room of my house, we drafted the portion of his speech delivered in 1982 on the Middle East. With respect to the Arab-Israeli conflict, weve embraced the Camp David framework as the only way to proceed. When George Bush senior came into the White House, they were interested in Latin America. They specifically asked me to get involved in holding an election that replaced the Sandinistas peacefully instead of by war, and ended the war. The Contra problem for Nicaragua will be solved by an honest election. Carters diplomatic skills really got put to the test in 1994, when tensions between President Clinton and Kim Il Sung over North Koreas nuclear program put the two countries on a collision course. Kim Il Sung was giving me constant requests that I come to Pyongyang and help him resolve the impasse. I wrote President Clinton a letter and said, I have decided to go to North Korea. Al Gore, the vice president, was in the White House and he intercepted my letter and he said, Mr. President, if youll change your letter to say Im strongly inclined to go to North Korea instead of Im going to North Korea, Ill try to get President Clinton to agree to approve. Carter finally got the green light from the White House, or so he thought. They didnt think I had any chance to succeed. Good morning. I succeeded. Key for Carter was having CNN camera crews broadcasting the historic negotiations. Im a nuclear engineer by training. I knew the intimacies of their nuclear power plant. I talked to their nuclear specialists and also directed to Kim Il Sung. And he and I agreed that he would not proceed with his nuclear program. The proposal was that there would be an immediate assurance that the I.A.E.A. inspectors would stay on site. When I got back to Seoul, though, I was told by the White House that they were dissatisfied. Al Gore was on the speakerphone. I said, I want to come to Washington and explain what Ive done. And he told me, Mr. President, you are not wanted in Washington. Our suggestion is you go directly back to Plains. Well, I was angry, put it mildly. I thought I had prevented a war. I thought I had worked out a satisfactory agreement for the future. As soon as Carter touched down in the U.S., the press was filled with stories about how Carter had turned what was meant to be a private visit into a televised summit. There were horrendous stories about me in The New York Times that I had exceeded my authority and that I had made false claims about the acquiescence of Kim Il Sung. That I was naive and ignorant and so forth. So I sent Kim Il Sung an urgent letter, and asked him to confirm to Clinton, not to me, all the agreements he had reached. I think there were 12 of them. And so that was adopted by the Clinton administration as their policy. That policy did help to avert war. But critics say Jimmy Carter and President Clinton were wrong to appease a rogue nation like North Korea, which would later develop a nuclear arsenal in violation of the agreement he helped broker. In his later years, Carter traveled the globe with the Carter Center to fight disease and monitor elections in emerging democracies. We believe that all of our questions have been answered. Work that earned the former president a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, just as he was forging a very public campaign opposing the coming American invasion of Iraq. Global challenges must be met by an emphasis on peace. When we sat down with President Carter in 2006, he laid out his vision for Americas role in the future and his concerns about missteps in the post-9/11 world. The announcement and practice of preemptive war, the complete abandonment of all the nuclear arms control agreements that were reached, the claim, in effect, that prisoners could be mistreated or tortured or deprived of habeas corpus, these are some of the things that I think has caused a deterioration in our countrys basic stature and integrity. I would like to see our country be the champion of human rights. And every American Embassy looked upon as a haven for those who suffer from human rights abuse. Id like to see our country be the most generous on earth. These are not just my goals, and they will not be my accomplishments, but the affirmation of our nations continuing moral strength and our belief in an undiminished, ever expanding American dream.
The most consequential decision remained: whether or not to kill Mr. Nasrallah.

As senior Israeli officials debated, intelligence agencies received new information that Mr. Nasrallah planned to move to a different bunker, one that would be far more difficult to hit, according to two Israeli defense officials and a Western official.

On Sept. 26, with Mr. Netanyahu set to fly to New York for a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, the prime minister gathered with his top political, intelligence and military advisers to discuss approving the assassination. They also had to decide whether to tell the Americans in advance.

Mr. Netanyahu and other top advisers opposed notifying the Biden administration. They believed that U.S. officials would push back against the strike, but that regardless, the United States would come to Israels defense in case Iran retaliated.

They agreed to keep the Americans in the dark.

Mr. Netanyahu approved the assassination the next day, after he landed in New York and only hours before standing at the podium at the United Nations.

In his speech, he spoke about the grip that Hezbollah had over Lebanon. Dont let Nasrallah drag Lebanon into the abyss, he told the presidents and prime ministers gathered.

Soon after, the Israeli F-15 jets above Beirut dropped thousands of pounds of explosives.
Addressing this lack of preparation must be a bipartisan priority. The incoming administration must work with Congress and allied governments to develop a coherent plan that clearly outlines a vision for the global economy during and after a crisis that is anchored in American economic leadership.

The most obvious economic implications relate to semiconductors. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company produces about 90 percent of the worlds most advanced computer chips. Some are now made in Arizona, but T.S.M.C.s most cutting-edge chips are still produced in Taiwan. Industries from autos to medical devices depend on these chips; if Taiwanese chip production is disabled, the global economy could be plunged into a deep slump. If T.S.M.C.s factories fall into Chinas hands  it relies on T.S.M.C.s chips, too  Beijing could seize a competitive edge, including in the development of artificial intelligence technology, and have American and European manufacturers over a barrel.

But an invasion or quarantine of Taiwan matters economically for reasons far beyond semiconductor production. Two commitments form the basis of the economic order in the Indo-Pacific: The first is Americas warning, in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, that any violent move to threaten Taiwans political or economic autonomy would be a matter of grave concern to the United States. The second is Chinas commitment, in 1982, to pursue unification with Taiwan through peaceful means, which Mr. Xi himself describes as part of the political foundation of U.S.-China relations.

If the United States failed to act in response to an invasion or quarantine, allies including Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines would become more vulnerable to economic coercion in turn. Americas relationships with its closest allies would be called into question.

The United States, then, needs economic contingency plans for any Taiwan crisis.

Economic sanctions like those America has employed against Iran and Russia might seem superficially attractive, but because of Chinas central role in global supply chains, similar efforts that disrupt its ability to trade would be self-defeating.
A reverberating hum in the air, a great rush of wind, a hot, sulfuric smell.

Such was the whirl of sensations that accompanied a meteorite when it landed in Baldwyn, Miss. in 1922, striking the earth just feet from where a Black tenant farmer named Ed Bush was standing. The rock had alighted on farmland owned by Bushs landlord, a white judge named Allen Cox. Seven years later, an entry on the meteorite was written up in a scientific volume called Minerals From Earth and Sky, where Cox is named but Bush, anonymized, is described merely as a negro tenant who was badly frightened by the event.

Lorna Simpson encountered this book several years ago and has since remained curious about the stuff-of-legends yet little-known story of Bushs cosmic encounter. Her show at Hauser & Wirth in Chelsea is a body of work made in response to this bewildering kernel of human-and-galactic history.

Simpson meets the daunting beauty of the celestial sphere with a painterly language of stellar silvers and penumbral grays. At the heart of it she wrestles with a question: How do the hard, constraining realities of Earth  such as the historical obscuring of figures like Ed Bush  face the grand magnitude of that which lies beyond it?
To Palestinians, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, is a critical lifeline, providing food, water and medicine to hundreds of thousands of Gazans who have endured more than a year of war.

To the Israeli government, it is a dangerous cover for Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that led the 2023 surprise attack on Israel. Now, Israeli legislators have laid the groundwork to ban the agency with the passage of two bills set to take effect this month.

If Israeli authorities enforce the new laws, U.N. officials are warning that no other group will be able to replace UNRWA and that its crucial humanitarian operations in Gaza will grind to a halt at a moment when experts say famine is threatening parts of the territory.

U.N. officials say they are preparing to shutter UNRWA operations in both Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Talks between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza and free the remaining hostages have appeared to make little headway, according to officials familiar with the discussions, as the clock runs down on the Biden administrations remaining days to reach an agreement on a cease-fire.

Israel has kept up with its campaign in Gaza even as mediators have conducted months of shuttle diplomacy. Israeli and Hamas officials said in December that there had been progress toward a deal, before each blamed the other side for throwing up fresh obstacles.

Gaps have persisted amid differences between the two sides, the officials said, and the future of the talks is uncertain. Qatar and Egypt have led the mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas with involvement from the United States.

The Israeli government said on Thursday night that it would soon send a midlevel delegation of security officials to attend another round of talks in Qatar. At the same time, Hamas officials were in Cairo for discussions with Egyptian officials on how to overcome the impasse, according to a person in contact with Hamas leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity to share details about the visit, which had not been publicized.

But it was far from clear whether Israel and Hamas were ready to move ahead in the coming days. Numerous rounds of negotiations have seen hopes rise only to be dashed amid gaps in the two sides demands.

Airstrikes in Gaza continued on Thursday, with an Israeli attack killing Mahmoud Salah, the head of Gazas police force, and Hussam Shahwan, a top aide, in an airstrike in southern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run government media office.

The Israeli military claimed responsibility for killing Mr. Shahwan in a strike in al-Mawasi  a coastal area where many Palestinians have crowded into an Israeli-designated humanitarian zone  describing him as one of the heads of Hamass internal security force. It did not comment on Mr. Salahs death. Gazas Civil Defense emergency service said several people were killed and wounded in the strike, including children.

Israel says it targets Hamas and does everything possible to limit the loss of civilian life. The Israeli military has set aside humanitarian zones it designates as safer, but has made clear that it will target Hamas anywhere it believes it to be.

The increasingly dire humanitarian situation has prompted a chorus of condemnation from the United Nations and international human rights organizations, as well as diplomatic efforts to bring an end to the war.

President-elect Donald J. Trump has threatened that there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East unless there is an agreement to free the hostages by his inauguration on Jan. 20. It is far from clear how he intends to follow through on the threat and an incoming Trump administration would most likely face the same entrenched dynamic that has thwarted Mr. Bidens efforts.

Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed to eradicate Hamas in Gaza after the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people in Israel were killed and 250 taken hostage in Gaza. More than 15 months into the war, roughly 100 hostages remain in Gaza, dozens of whom Israeli authorities believe are dead. More than 45,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war, according to the Gazan health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
A New York judge released a decision today that upheld Donald Trumps criminal conviction in his hush-money trial. The judge also signaled that he was inclined to spare the president-elect any punishment.

The judge, Juan Merchan, indicated that he favored a so-called unconditional discharge of Trumps sentence, a rare and lenient alternative to jail or probation. He set a sentencing date of Jan. 10, rebuffing Trumps request to overturn the jurys verdict.

An unconditional discharge would cement Trumps status as a felon just before his inauguration on Jan. 20 even as it would water down the consequences for his crimes. Trump would be the first to carry that designation into the Oval Office.

Trump is now expected to ask an appeals court to intervene and postpone the sentencing. A Manhattan jury convicted him in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records, concluding that he had sought to cover up a sex scandal that threatened to derail his 2016 campaign for president. He faced up to four years in prison in the case.
KYODO NEWS - Jan 4, 2025 - 09:51 | All, Japan, World

Japan has allocated 8.1 billion yen ($51 million) for fiscal 2025 to provide defense equipment to the armed forces of like-minded nations, marking a more than 60 percent increase from the previous year.

While the government has yet to finalize the recipient nations for the next fiscal year from April under its "official security assistance" program, the Philippines, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea are set to be included, Foreign Ministry officials said.

Japan is also considering giving security aid to some Pacific island states, according to the officials.

The spending is part of the government's 115.5 trillion yen draft initial budget for fiscal 2025, approved by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet late last month.

For the current fiscal year through March, the ministry has earmarked 5 billion yen and designated the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia and Djibouti as recipients of the grant aid.

Tokyo launched the defense aid framework in 2023 to "ensure the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region" and "create a security environment desirable for Japan," amid mounting concerns, including China's maritime assertiveness in the South and East China seas.

The program backs efforts by developing countries to beef up their defense capabilities in areas such as maritime and aerial surveillance, disaster response and other forms of humanitarian assistance, as well as U.N. peacekeeping operations.

Assistance for foreign militaries is not covered by Japan's official development assistance, which is limited to nonmilitary objectives.

As for the development aid, the government has set aside 566.4 billion yen for the next fiscal year, up 0.2 percent from the previous year.

Related coverage:

Top Japan defense firms saw revenue increase 35% in 2023: think tank

Japan defense budget hits record 8.7 tril. yen amid regional threats
SATURDAY PUZZLE  This is an endearing themeless grid with some sharp claws  solvers would expect no less, of course, from its evil-genius creator, Sam Ezersky. This is also the first New York Times Saturday crossword since last March to be edited by Will Shortz, which is something for everyone to celebrate.

Youd be hard-pressed to find a single entry in this grid without at least a little twist or zest thats worth noting. As I made my way through the solve, it dawned on me that a lot of those touches had to do with food, of all things; some of them are subtle, but working on this puzzle might make you hungry.

Tricky Clues

19A. Who knew this excellent culinary trivia?! The [Sauce named after a steward to Louis XIV] is the creamy BECHAMEL, which I always figured was French slang for curdled; Ive been known to wreck this sauce a few times (OK, every time). Marquis Louis de Bechamel was the first person to serve the sauce, but Italians believe that it originated in Tuscany and made its way to France via Catherine deMedici many years prior under the name salsa colla, which has a different flair (but means glue).

50A. This clue, [Fudge substitute], might also look like a cooking (or eating) factoid at first glance. But fudge is a mild expletive, and its substitute in this puzzle is DARN IT. I had no idea that fudge originally meant to put something together clumsily, at least as far back as the 1700s. Also, there was apparently an actual Captain Fudge  described by Samuel Pepys in his diaries, no less  who was such a bloviator and teller of lies that fudge, on his ship, was synonymous with irritating nonsense.
The Green Beret who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel this week in Las Vegas and took his own life had written that he wanted to send a wake-up call to the country, the authorities said on Friday.

In notes recovered by investigators from one of his phones and made public on Friday, the soldier, Master Sgt. Matthew Alan Livelsberger, praised President-elect Donald J. Trump and wrote that our soldiers are done fighting wars without end states or clear objectives.

On New Years Day, he pulled the Tesla, which was packed with explosives, into the driveway of the hotel and fatally shot himself before the vehicle went up in flames, injuring seven bystanders and stirring alarm far beyond Las Vegas.

Nothing about what might have led him to take his life had emerged publicly until Friday, when the authorities disclosed that Sergeant Livelsberger, a veteran of several combat tours, had post-traumatic stress disorder and had written in a notes app on his phone that the country was headed toward collapse.
The man who plowed a pickup truck down a crowded New Orleans street early on New Years Day, killing 14 people, had planned to use a transmitter to detonate two explosives he had placed near the site of the attack, the F.B.I. said on Friday.

The attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who the authorities have said was inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, had placed both of the explosive devices on Bourbon Street, the famous stretch of bars and revelry that Mr. Jabbar turned into a scene of devastation on Wednesday morning.

Neither of the devices went off, and the transmitter and two guns were recovered from the truck driven by Mr. Jabbar, who was killed by the police moments after his attack. It was not clear whether the devices had failed to detonate because Mr. Jabbar had not activated the transmitter, or because it did not work.

Mr. Jabbar, 42, had rented the truck and had driven it from Houston to New Orleans earlier on New Years Eve. The authorities also disclosed on Friday that he had set fire to a short-term rental house where he had apparently spent time about a 15-minute drive from the site of the attack.
To residents of New Orleans, grieving goes beyond somber goodbyes. It involves celebrating the life we all lead together by dancing and playing music, to help usher those who have passed into the next life.

At a vigil on a crowded Bourbon Street on Saturday evening, several hundred people gathered to do just that. Paying tribute to the victims of the New Years Day attack, they sobbed and hugged. They placed candles, paintings and five-foot-crosses at two growing memorials. They listened plaintively as a brass band played the hymn A Closer Walk With Thee. Then they danced when it played Ill Fly Away.

The vigil continued the mourning process in the city for the 14 people killed and the dozens injured when a Texas man drove a pickup into the citys French Quarter, where crowds of people had gathered along Bourbon Street to celebrate. Federal authorities were investigating the act as a terrorist attack.

One of the victims was Elliot Wilkinson, 40.

He had been released from prison and was homeless, but things seemed to be looking up. He had started searching for an apartment, according to a local homeless outreach group, Unity of Greater New Orleans. And he was back in one of his favorite places, according to his brother, Cecil Wilkinson.
The Justice Department has struck a deal with officials in Fulton County, Georgia, to appoint a monitor to try to ensure its troubled jail addresses long-running problems with safety, staffing and sanitation.

The tentative agreement, which was announced Friday, must still be approved by a federal judge. It is the result of findings issued in November by civil rights lawyers in the department, who described atrocious conditions, including frequent infestations of lice, cockroaches and rodents, and free-flowing contraband like drugs and weapons.

The proposed agreement is part of the Justice Departments push to quickly wrap up a host of civil rights investigations into local police and law enforcement agencies in the waning days of the Biden administration.

Historically, Democratic administrations have pursued such cases more aggressively than Republican ones. In 2017, the first Trump administration walked back a number of such cases, and the incoming Trump administration is expected to do much the same.
A 17-year-old Texas girl has been charged with animal cruelty after she killed another teenagers goat by force-feeding it pesticide because she believed the goats keeper was a cheater, according to the authorities.

The girl, Aubrey Vanlandingham, was questioned at Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park near Austin, Texas, by a law enforcement officer. The school has a livestock barn where the goat was found dead on Oct. 24, 2024. The school also has a robust partnership with Future Farmers of America, an agriculture education nonprofit that allows students to maintain animals and enter their livestock into competitions. The goats keeper appeared to be a part of the group.

Ms. Vanlandingham originally denied responsibility but later confessed to having fed pesticide to the multicolored goat, named Willie, which resulted in the goats swift and painful death, according to an affidavit and arrest warrant filed by a detective in Williamson County in November.

Ms. Vanlandingham was arrested on Nov. 22 and later posted a $5,000 bond, according to court records. She agreed to not have any contact with the family that owned and kept Willie. She also agreed to not look after any animals but may look after her own pets under adult supervision.
A winter storm that brought heavy snow and strong wind gusts spawned the tornado, said Katrina Hand, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. There were no reports of injuries or damage, she added. A winter storm warning was active throughout the day, with eight to 12 inches of snow in areas above 5,500 feet and quarter-size hail forecast.

Tornadoes are not uncommon for that part of California and the storms in the region this time of year, Ms. Hand said. She added that the state averages about 10 tornadoes annually, most commonly in the northern half of the Central Valley, where the tornado was observed on Friday.

Less than a month earlier, the National Weather Service issued its first-ever tornado warning for San Francisco. The city was spared, but one touched down in nearby Santa Cruz County, where it downed power lines and caused vehicle crashes.
Three former sheriffs deputies in Virginia Beach, Va., were indicted Friday on murder charges in connection with the death of an inmate who had been held at the city jail last year, according to the Virginia Beach Commonwealths Attorneys Office.

The men are accused of causing the death of Rolin Hill, a 34-year-old Virginia Beach man who was taken to the Virginia Beach Correctional Center on June 4 on charges of trespassing, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Once there, Mr. Hill was uncooperative and combative as he was being booked, and deputies had to restrain him, the Virginia Beach Sheriffs Office said at the time.

Within 90 minutes of arriving at the jail, Mr. Hill had a medical emergency, the office said, without specifying what that emergency was, and was taken to a hospital.
Hondurass president threatened to push the U.S. military out of a base it built decades ago in the Central American country should President-elect Donald J. Trump carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants from the United States.

The response by President Xiomara Castro of Honduras, in an address broadcast on television and radio on Wednesday, was the first concrete pushback by a leader in the region to Mr. Trumps plan to send back millions of Latin American citizens living in the United States.

The threat came as foreign ministers were set to meet later this month to address the deportation issue.

Faced with a hostile attitude of mass expulsion of our brothers, we would have to consider a change in our policies of cooperation with the United States, especially in the military arena, Ms. Castro said of Honduras.
Around 2010, Dick Wolfs vast television empire was suddenly coming undone.

First, NBC abruptly canceled his network mainstay, Law & Order, which had been on the air for two decades, a move that stunned Mr. Wolfs small production company. A year later, two Law & Order spinoffs were unceremoniously shown the door. All that was left was Law & Order: SVU, a relatively slim slate for a company that prized multiple lines of revenue and that had made Mr. Wolf a very rich man. After all, Mr. Wolf has repeated a mantra for decades: No show, no business.

It was a little tight there for a minute, said Peter Jankowski, Mr. Wolfs longtime No. 2.

The TV industry was migrating away from a decades-old staple that had made Mr. Wolf a dominant figure in prime-time viewing: the close-ended procedural. That popular genre of programming presented a conflict and a tidy resolution  generally in a courtroom, hospital or police precinct  all within an hours time (including commercials).

Instead, streaming outlets like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu were beginning to take flight, prestige TV (Its not TV, its HBO) was ascendant, and complex, quirky, serialized programming was all the rage. Farewell, CSI and Law & Order; hello, The Crown and Big Little Lies.

Well, that was then.

In recent years, as Hollywood studios have slashed budgets and bid adieu to the Peak TV era, Mr. Wolfs style of programming is coming back into vogue. The evidence is everywhere: Year after year, repeats of years-old network standbys like Criminal Minds, NCIS or Greys Anatomy populate Nielsens most-watched streaming shows, even as the studios spend tens of millions on grittier, more cinematic fare. Older series like Suits, Prison Break or Young Sheldon became unexpected hits over the last year when they began streaming on Netflix. Vulture recently declared Network TV Is Officially Back.
By Mayuka Ueda, KYODO NEWS - Jan 4, 2025 - 11:16 | Arts, Feature, All, Japan, Travel/Tourism

Balancing the need to attract visitors while preserving traditional rituals is an ongoing challenge for Japanese communities where local festivals are valuable assets that bring much-needed tourist spending, but sometimes at a cost to the culture.

This seems to be especially true for a Shinto shrine whose centuries-old annual celebration for deities has become a massive festival attraction for the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto, a city already straining under its tourist load.

Causing further angst is the relatively new practice of selling premium seating for people willing to pay for uninterrupted views of the parade while being served food and drinks. Local organizers of festivals around Japan are hoping to cash in on foreigners with deep pockets who want the experience of a lifetime.

When the special tickets were sold at the famed Gion Festival in Kyoto, the head priest of the Yasaka Shrine, which oversees the month-long extravaganza in July, was critical of the concept, especially the serving of alcoholic drinks.

Arguing that the deeply religious festival "is not a show" but a sacred event, the 65-year-old priest, Akiyoshi Nomura, threatened to resign from the board of directors of the Kyoto City Tourism Association over the alcohol issue.

Nomura was defending the long and important history of the shrine's festival which is said to have started in the Heian period (794-1192) as a purification ritual during an epidemic. Later, it turned into an annual Shinto festival to welcome and bid farewell to gods and goddesses, according to the Kyoto city office.

It has grown over the centuries to be one of the biggest, most well-known festivals in Japan. The Kyoto police said the Yoiyama float procession parade, the Gion Festival's showcase event designated in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list, alone drew roughly 140,000 people to watch along its route on July 17, 2024.

The decision to introduce exclusive seats demonstrates the lengths Japanese municipalities feel they need to go to ensure the survival of their festivals, many of which are rooted in tradition and legacies of Shintoism or indigenous faiths, as depopulation also poses challenges.

Locals have been searching for ways, sometimes with little success, to keep their traditional events alive, or just revive them to a point where they can emulate some of their past glories.

The promoters of the Aomori Nebuta Festival were some of the first to introduce premium seating. They had an idea to offer VIP box seats for up to eight people at the summer fire festival in the northeastern prefecture of Aomori known for nightly parades of giant illuminated floats.

They received strong interest when they initially put the seats on sale at the 2022 festival for 1 million yen ($6,300) per box and the packages continued to be sold, with the price increased to 1.1 million yen in 2024.

The Awaodori Dance Festival in Tokushima Prefecture, western Japan, followed suit in 2023 by launching premium tickets for gallery seats priced at 200,000 yen per person, including those reserved specifically for overseas travelers.

The seats gave unobstructed, closeup views of oncoming performers in the renowned late-summer dance festival with a 400-year history. However, it was later determined that the temporary seating structure failed to meet legal building standards, prompting organizers to refund ticket fees and discontinue the service.

The Aomori and Tokushima festivals offered specialty food and drinks, including sake and other alcoholic beverages. In addition, the ticket holders were given access to experts who gave insights about the performances.

The Gion Festival in Kyoto joined the bandwagon in 2023 and offered premium tickets for 400,000 yen per seat for the "Yamahoko" float procession parade.

A total of 84 premium seats were set up in 2023 and 60 for 2024 at an intersection in the heart of the western city.

From the vantage point, tourists could watch floats spinning 90 degrees through the sweat and power of human effort. They were also given multilingual audio guides to supplement their experience.

The tug-of-war between tourism and tradition surfaced shortly before the 2024 event, when the Yasaka Shrine priest Nomura protested in reaction to the Kyoto tourism association's plans to serve alcohol for the premium-seat package, this time at a reduced 150,000 yen price tag.

His opposition and threat to resign made national headlines and after the association apologized for "not providing a clear explanation" about serving alcohol, it promised to serve only soft drinks at the 2024 festival.

"It was uncomfortable for me to see spectators drinking alcohol as if they were watching a show (in 2023). We agreed that we wanted to make a better Gion Festival," said Nomura, who ultimately compromised and remained on the board.

The association respected the shrine's demand that traditional rituals be honored but noted that offering premium seats is still in consideration for 2025 and beyond, albeit without an alcohol service.

An association official stressed the significance of "staying true to tradition."

"We have to push forward with our work to deepen understanding of the festival while also respecting rituals," the official said.

Tourism experts point out the importance of maintaining a delicate balance when holding festivals.

Yoshihiro Sataki, professor of tourism at Josai International University, said the idea to offer premium seats came from a "mixture of a decline in festival participation and growing inbound tourism."

He noted that many festivals struggle with funding due to a lack of participants and rising security costs and, hence, are focusing on how to improve their economic benefits.

However, he warned that the latest trend "may lead to a backlash if the traditions that have been carefully preserved are damaged."

"It's crucial to be thoughtful of the feelings of local residents who have handed down the traditions for generations," Sataki said.

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While the volume of Japanese-led deals in the United States stalled slightly last year, trade experts expect investments to pick up again when President-elect Trump takes office. That is because the risk of increased tariffs gives Japanese and other foreign companies a greater incentive to invest and produce in the United States over other countries, especially China.

Japanese power companies are eyeing a number of potential investments in natural gas and other energy projects promoted by Mr. Trump. At a Trump news conference last month, Masayoshi Son, the chief executive of the Japanese technology company SoftBank, pledged to invest $100 billion in the United States over the next four years.

Business leaders will not look at a unique case like Nippon Steel and make decisions to withhold investment in the United States, said Masahiko Hosokawa, a professor at Meisei University and former senior official at Japans trade ministry. This is not a case that will cause damage, especially in the mid- to long term.

Japans biggest business publication, Nikkei, wrote on Saturday that Nippon Steels crushed bid was a result of a mistaken calculation that economic rationality would prevail even in a presidential election year.

In December 2023, when Nippon Steel announced its plans to acquire U.S. Steel, executives at the company thought the deal would proceed quickly. As the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States reviewed the deal, Nippon Steel doubled down on its bet on the United States, withdrawing from a longstanding joint venture in China that might have elicited suspicion from regulators.
 Please raise your right hand and repeat after me.  Four years ago, President Biden came into office with the world still wracked by the coronavirus pandemic, and the biggest global challenge was to save lives and get economies back on their feet. After the tumultuous first Trump presidency, when it came to foreign policy, the new administration wanted to rebuild old relationships and stand firmly for democracy.  We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again, not to meet yesterdays challenges, but todays and tomorrows challenges.  Those challenges came fast for Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was beset by an escalating series of international crises, from the Afghanistan withdrawal to Russias invasion of Ukraine to Hamass attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza and conflict in the wider Middle East. All the while, Blinken championed the promise of robust American diplomacy to solve the worlds many problems.  I hope that when we look back on this period in time, one of the conclusions that people will reach is that the United States was leaning in.  Now, a new Trump administration is set to lean back from those very alliances and institutions Blinken championed. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East rage on, and what role America will play in the changing global order is an open question. On Thursday, as he enters the last few weeks of his tenure, Blinken sat down with me at the State Department for a wide-ranging conversation about the world hes leaving behind.  I think we hand over an America in a much, much stronger position   which, despite it all, he argues, is better than the one he inherited. Im Lulu Garcia-Navarro, and heres my interview with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.  Secretary Blinken, four years ago, you inherited the world from President Trump, and now youre about to hand it back to him. Your tenure has been an unprecedented interregnum, if you will. Have you thought about what a strange position that is to be in?  Well, I think a lot about the two sides of this coin that you just alluded to: what we inherited, and what were handing off. In terms of what we inherited, its so easy to lose sight because people are focused understandably on the present and on the future, not on the past. But if you just look back four years, when we took office, we inherited arguably the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We inherited the worst public health crisis in at least 100 years. We had a country that was divided, and we had fraught relationships with allies and partners around the world, and a perception from our adversaries, whether it was Russia, whether it was China, other countries, that the United States was in inexorable decline. Today, as I sit with you and as we look at all of the terrain weve traveled these last four years, I think we hand over an America in a much, much stronger position, having come through the economic crisis, having come through the health crisis and having changed, much for the better, our position around the world, because weve made those investments in alliances and partnerships.  And thinking back to when you first came into office, President Biden painted a portrait of a world that was seeing a battle between democracy and autocracy, a phrase that was repeatedly used. Yet at home, voters have been skeptical of that fight. Many voters bought into President-elect Trumps vision of an America that should be less involved in the world. Why dont you think that the Biden administration and you in particular were able to convince voters of the benefit of what you have been endeavoring to do these past few years?  Im not sure that I agree with the premise of the question, which is, from what I see, from what I read, from the analysis that I see, most Americans want us to be engaged in the world. They want to make sure that we stay out of wars, that we avoid conflict, which is exactly what weve done. But they want to see the United States engaged. And I think they understand that if were not engaged, if were not leading, then one of two things is likely: Someone else will do it in our place, and probably not in a way that reflects our interests and our values  maybe its China, maybe its some other country  or, maybe just as bad, no one does it. And then youre likely to have a vacuum thats filled by bad things before its filled with good things. And, inevitably, that comes back to bite us. And from what I see, most Americans understand that, believe that and want to see us leading and engaged.  So you dont believe that the election was a repudiation of the vision of President Biden and your vision in particular? Because obviously President-elect Trump has a very different idea of how to engage in the world.  First, one of the things in this job that Ive appreciated about it is I dont do politics, I do policy. So the real question is, What are the policies that can make a difference in the lives of Americans, can make them a little bit safer, a little bit more full of opportunity, a little bit healthier? Thats what were really focused on. How do these policies that were pursuing around the world translate into real benefits for the American people? In terms of analysis, the election  really not my place to do it. And there are lots of different views on why the election came up.  Im not asking you to do politics, Im just asking for a little reflection on, this is something youve given your life to. Obviously, the results were a disappointment. And so I wonder if that doesnt seek you to pause and reflect that perhaps that animating vision that you have had might not have been what Americans wanted. I mean, do you think theres just a changing sense in this country of our place in the world and what we owe our allies?  So again, Im not at all sure that the election turned on any one or even collection of foreign policy issues. Most elections dont. But leaving that aside, Americans dont want us in conflict. They dont want us in war. We went through 20 years where we had hundreds of thousands of Americans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. People were tired of that, understandably. Well, when President Biden was vice president, he presided over the end of our engagement in Iraq in terms of the war there and ending  ending that part of the conflict. As president, he ended the longest war in our history, Afghanistan. The investments that weve made in our NATO alliance, maybe we havent done a good enough job explaining it. And thats the case. Thats on me. But one of the things that weve tried to explain to Americans who, given that this is a generation, of course, that is far removed from World War II, never mind World War I, the reason so many of the institutions, including NATO, came into being in the first place was to try to make sure that we never had another global conflagration after World War II. And the strength of an alliance like NATO is in the basic bargain that countries make in joining it, and that is an attack on one is an attack on all. That is the single most powerful way to prevent conflict in the first place, to deter aggression. I think when we can put it in those terms and Americans can see that were making investments in something like the NATO alliance precisely because we want to avoid conflict, we want to prevent war, we want to deter aggression, thats something that they sign on to, that they buy into.  I want to pick up on something that you said there, which is discussing Afghanistan, because this takes us back, I think, to the beginning of your tenure. I think it is reasonable to argue that American skepticism of the Biden administrations handling on foreign policy really began with the catastrophic way we got out of Afghanistan. There was consensus that we should absolutely end that war, but the manner in which it was done was very detrimental. When President Biden first took office, there was this promise that you and everyone else that was being brought on board were the adults in the room that were going to be ending the chaos of the Trump administration. How did that early failure in Afghanistan really change the sense, do you think, that President Biden really had this under control, that you had it under control? Did it damage Americas credibility?  First, I make no apologies for ending Americas longest war. This, I think, is a signal achievement of the presidents. The fact that we will not have another generation of Americans fighting and dying in Afghanistan, I think thats an important achievement in and of itself. Its also actually strengthened our position around the world, and I see that every single day. Our adversaries would have liked nothing more than for us to have remained bogged down in Afghanistan, and for another decade  would have been good by them.  But youve left a country that is in control of the Taliban, where the stated dream of spreading democracy has been completely upended. Women have borne the brunt of that. Theres restrictions on their movements, restrictions on even their voices, what jobs they can take. I mean, in every possible way, the manner in which this was done and the state in which Afghanistan has been left could not have been what the United States desired.  There was never going to be an easy way to extricate ourselves from 20 years of war. I think the question was, What were we going to do moving forward from the withdrawal? We also had to learn lessons from Afghanistan itself here at the State Department. One of the things that I ordered almost immediately was an after-action review to try to make sure that we understood what had we gotten right, and also what had we gotten wrong in the withdrawal itself. I brought back senior diplomats to do that. We produced a lengthy report with about 40 recommendations. We followed through on most of them to make sure that were in a better position to deal with a crisis, to deal with an evacuation like Afghanistan. And we are, and in fact, weve actually put into practice many of those recommendations in subsequent crises that we had to face, whether it was in Lebanon, whether it was in Israel, whether it was in Sudan. All of that we brought to bear based on lessons that weve learned from Afghanistan.  Six months after Afghanistan, Russia invaded Ukraine. That was February of 2022. I mean, I remember that moment as being terrifying. How close were we to direct conflict? Look, there have been different moments where we had real concerns about actions that Russia might take, including even potentially the use of nuclear weapons. That very much focused the mind. But again, I think throughout weve been able to navigate this in a way that has kept us away from direct conflict with Russia. Now Russia is engaged in all sorts of nefarious activities, so-called hybrid attacks of one kind or another, whether its in cyberspace, whether its acts of sabotage, assassination, those things are happening. Theyre happening in Europe. And this is something that were working very closely on with many of our partners. But in terms of direct conflict, I dont think weve been  I dont think weve been close, but its something that weve had to be very, very mindful of.  You made two early strategic decisions on Ukraine. The first, because of that fear of direct conflict, was to restrict Ukraines use of American weapons within Russia. The second was to support Ukraines military offensive without a parallel diplomatic track to try and end the conflict. How do you look back on those decisions now?  So first, if you look at the trajectory of the conflict, because we saw it coming, we were able to make sure that not only were we prepared and allies and partners were prepared, but that Ukraine was prepared. We made sure that well before the Russian aggression happened, starting in September  the Russian aggression happened in February  starting in September, and then again in December, we quietly got a lot of weapons to Ukraine to make sure that they had in hand what they needed to defend themselves. Things like Stingers, Javelins that they could use that were instrumental in preventing Russia from taking Kyiv from rolling over the country, erasing it from the map and indeed pushing the Russians back. But I think whats so important to understand is at different points in time, people get focused on one weapon system or another. Is it an Abrams tank? Is it an F-16? Is it an ATACMS, a missile? What weve had to look at each and every time is not only should we give this particular system to the Ukrainians, but do they know how to use it? Do they have the requisite training? Can they maintain it? Is it part of a coherent plan? All of those things factored into the decisions we made on what to give them and when to give it. But in each and every time, it was to make sure that they had what they needed to defend themselves. In terms of diplomacy, look, weve exerted extraordinary diplomacy in bringing and keeping together more than 50 countries, not only in Europe but well beyond, in support of Ukraine and in defense of these principles that Russia also attacked back in February of that year. Look, I worked very hard in the lead-up to the war, including meetings with my Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Geneva a couple of months before the war, trying to find a way to see if we could prevent it, trying to test the proposition whether this was really about Russias concerns for its security, concerns somehow about Ukraine and the threat it posed, or NATO and the threat that it posed, or whether this was about what it in fact is about, which is Putins imperial ambitions and the desire to recreate a greater Russia, to subsume Ukraine back into Russia. But we had to test that proposition, and we were intensely engaged diplomatically with Russia. Since then, since then, had there been any opportunity to engage diplomatically in a way that could end the war on just and durable terms, we would have been the first to seize them. Unfortunately, at least till this moment, we havent seen any signs that Russias been genuinely prepared to engage. I hope that that changes.  However, Ukraine has been left in this position now where a new administration is coming in, they have a very different view of the conflict and one could argue that Ukraine is not in a terribly strong position to be able to navigate what comes next. We know that President-elect Trump has members of people that surround him that are very willing to see Ukraine cede territory to Russia. There has been no parallel diplomatic track, and the weapons are probably going to be drying up. So, I mean, do you feel like youve left Ukraine in the strongest position that you could have, or were there things that you could have done differently?  Well, first what weve left is Ukraine, which was not self-evident because Putins ambition was to erase it from the map. We stopped that. Putin has failed. His strategic objective in regaining Ukraine has failed and will not succeed. Ukraine is standing, and I believe it also has extraordinary potential not only to survive, but actually to thrive going forward. And that does depend on decisions that future administrations and many other countries will make. Right now, where  as Im looking at this, I think the real measure of success is whether, going forward, Ukraine will continue to stand strong as an independent country, increasingly integrated with Western institutions and able to stand on its own feet militarily, economically, democratically. And in each of those areas, we put Ukraine on a trajectory to do that. Do you think its time to end the war, though?  These are decisions for Ukrainians to make. They have to decide where their future is and how they want to get there. Where the line is drawn on the map, at this point, I dont think is fundamentally going to change very much. The real question is, Can we make sure that Ukraine is in a position to move forward strongly?  You mean that the areas that Russia controls, you feel will have to be ceded?  Ceded is not the question. The question is, The line, as a practical matter, in the foreseeable future is unlikely to move very much. Ukraines claim on that territory will always, always be there. And the question is, Will they find ways, with the support of others, to regain territory thats been lost? I think the critical thing now going forward is this: If there is going to be a resolution or at least a near-term resolution, because its unlikely that Putin will give up on his ambitions, if theres a cease-fire, then in Putins mind, the cease-fire is likely to give him time to rest, to refit, to reattack at some point in the future. So whats going to be critical to make sure that any cease-fire that comes about is actually enduring is to make sure that Ukraine has the capacity going forward to deter further aggression, and that can come in many forms. It could come through NATO, and we put Ukraine on a path to NATO membership. It could come through security assurances, commitments, guarantees by different countries to make sure that Russia knows that if it reattacks, its going to have a big problem. That, I think, is going to be critical to making sure that any deal thats negotiated actually endures and then allows Ukraine the space, the time to grow strong as a country.  Its interesting. What Im hearing you say is that Ukraines fate will no longer rest in its major support of the United States. You see it as resting elsewhere, Europe, etc.  Look, I hope very much and I dont want to say expect, but I certainly hope very much that the United States will remain the vital supporter that its been for Ukraine, because, again, this is not just about Ukraine. Its never just been about Ukraine.  Well, let me pick up on something that you said and the idea of this interregnum that you have had of picking up from Trump and handing back to Trump, because this is one of the conflicts that will be handed back to Trump. And his approach to foreign policy writ large seems to be to avoid engaging militarily while wanting the world to be scared of us. He doesnt seem terribly interested in the work of diplomacy. Im curious both how you would define that foreign policy philosophy and what you think of that approach.  To me, as I said before, in the absence of American diplomacy, youre going to have diplomacy by lots of other countries that are going to shape the world in ways that may not be so friendly to our own interests and our own values. So thats a choice. We can disengage. We can not be present. We can stand back, but we know others will step in and we have to decide whether thats in our interest.  I mean, its not that he wants to stand back, its that he uses other methods to make countries bend to Americas will. Youve seen, you know, some of these actions.  Lets take an example. Lets take a concrete example. Lets talk about China for a minute. I think President Trump was right during his first administration in identifying some of the challenges posed by China. No country has the capacity that China does to reshape to its own will and designs the international system that we and many others put in place after the second World War. It has the military power, the economic power, the diplomatic power to do that in ways that no other country does. And we also know that many of the practices its engaged in have been grossly unfair to our workers, to our companies, undercutting them, driving them out of business. So I think he was right in identifying that problem. Where I would disagree with the approach he took and where I would commend to him the approach that we pursued is were so much more effective in dealing with the challenges posed by China when were working closely with other countries. So if youre trying to take on the China problem, but at the same time, youre taking actions that, in one way or another, alienate allies and partners, youre likely to be less effective in dealing with China. When we took office, the European Union was on the verge of signing a major trade agreement with China. They were hedging. They werent sure if they could count on the United States. Wed had real challenges in the relationships in the preceding four years, and they were hedging toward China. So were many other countries. We were really on the decline when it came to dealing with China diplomatically and economically. Weve reversed that. And so I think the difference is, the way weve approached it is weve sought to bring other countries in to dealing with this challenge. When were dealing with Chinas economic practices that we dont like, and were doing it alone, were 20 percent of world G.D.P., when weve aligned, Europeans, key allies and partners in the Asia Pacific were suddenly 40, 50, 60 percent of world G.D.P., something that China cant ignore. And again and again, what Ive seen over these last four years is a convergence in the approach taken to China with Europe and with Asia that weve not seen before. And I know its succeeding because every time I meet with my Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, the foreign minister, he inevitably spends 30, 40 minutes, 60 minutes complaining about everything weve done to align other countries, to build this convergence in dealing with things that we dont like that China is pursuing. So to me, that is the proof point that were much better off through diplomacy.  So do you think, then, that President-elect Trumps plan to place heavy tariffs on Chinese goods up to possibly 60 percent blanket tariffs, also to place tariffs on our allies, Canada and other countries, is that misguided?  Look, tariffs have their place.  Yes, the Biden administration had their own.  And I think when theyre strategically focused, then they can be a very effective and important tool. Look, the jury is out on exactly what the incoming administration does. Well see. All Im saying is, I think there is a strategic utility, but they should be not, in my judgment at least, when you do them across the board, then the people who usually pay the price are consumers, because its a tax that gets passed along to them, because the producers of whatever the product is have to raise their prices because its suddenly a lot more expensive to do business.  Just one last question on China. One of the things that I have been curious about is how the world sees the whiplash of our foreign policy just changing from one administration to the other so dramatically. How do you think China, for example, sees our increasingly inconsistent foreign policy during the last decade that has seemed to just go from one extreme to the other? Are they exploiting it, or are they concerned about it?  Look, I think if youre sitting in Beijing, and Ive sat across the table from President Xi Jinping on several occasions in Beijing, as close as we are now, and I think what he sees is something that he didnt see four years ago. Four years ago, when he looked at the United States, he saw a country that he thought was in inexorable decline and China in an inexorable ascendancy. I think that picture looks very, very different today. And I also think that what hes seeing is a United States that recognizes Republicans and Democrats, everything in between, that China poses a profound challenge to us, and its going to be an enduring challenge. Were in a competition to shape what the future looks like, and that competition doesnt have a clear finish line. Its not like ending a war. Its going to be there for a long time. And the question is, Have we set ourselves up in the best possible way to approach that competition from a position of strength? And I believe thats exactly what weve done.  I do want to turn to what has become the defining crisis of this era, which is the conflict in Gaza. You came in thinking you could broker a historic agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and then Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 with the horrific results, which we saw. And Israels response has been extreme. The latest U.N. figures put the Palestinian death toll at $45,000. Over 90 percent of Gazas population is now displaced. The population is starving. All hospitals have been destroyed. In November, a U.N. committee released a report that found Israels warfare practices, quote, consistent with the characteristics of genocide. I know you dont agree with that estimation, but do you believe that Israels actions have been consistent with the rules of war?  Lets step back for a second and think about where we were on Oct. 6, and then where we were on Oct. 7, and where weve been since then. Youre right. On Oct. 6, we were very much pursuing normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. And, in fact, I was scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia and Israel on Oct. 10  trip obviously that didnt happen because the events of Oct. 7. But the purpose of that trip was to work on the Palestinian component of any normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, because we believed and the Saudis also said it was usually important to make sure that if there was going to be normalization, there was also a pathway toward a Palestinian state. Thats exactly what I was going to the region to work on. Well, as I said, that trip didnt happen. Since Oct. 7, weve had some core goals in mind. I was there, I was in Israel and then in the region five days later. I saw horrors beyond anyones imagination inflicted on men, women and children. And we were determined to do everything we could to help ensure that Oct. 7 would never happen again. We also wanted to make sure that the war wouldnt spread, that conflict wouldnt spread to other fronts, to other countries, because that would mean more death and destruction. It would also mean that the actions Israel was taking in Gaza were likely to endure even longer. And I can come to that in a minute. Third, we wanted to make sure, to the best of our ability, that the children, the women, the men in Gaza who are caught in a crossfire of Hamass initiation that they did nothing to start and were basically powerless to stop were as protected as possible, and got the assistance they needed to survive this horrific conflict. And weve been working on each of those fronts every day since. When it comes to making sure that Oct. 7 cant happen again, I think were in a good place. Israel has destroyed Hamass military capabilities. Its eliminated the leadership that was responsible for Oct. 7. And that in and of itself should be reason to find an off-ramp in Gaza.  Well, destroying the territory. I mean, theres huge suffering.  And no one needs to remind me of the suffering because its something that drives me every single day. Its exactly why weve done everything in our power to find a way to get an end to the conflict through getting the hostages back and getting a cease-fire. Ive been to the region a dozen times with that in mind.  I mean, even Israels former Israeli defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, referred to whats happening in Gaza as war crimes and ethnic cleansing. I mean, this is internal criticism. This is not external. So I guess I would repeat the question and ask you, Has Israel respected the rules of war in Gaza?  We, as you know, have looked and continue to look at that in depth. And we put out  we put out our own reports on this with our own assessments. And when it comes to the actions that Israel has taken in its defense, in its just defense, in trying to make sure that Oct. 7 never happens again, weve said from Day 1 that how Israel does that matters. And throughout, starting on Day 1, weve tried to ensure that people had what they needed to get by. The very first trip that I made to Israel, five days after Oct. 7, I spent with my team nine hours in the Kirya, the I.D.F.s headquarters in Tel Aviv, six stories underground with the Israeli government, including the prime minister, including arguing for hours on end about the basic proposition that the humanitarian assistance needed to get to Palestinians in Gaza, and that was an argument that took place because you had in Israel, in the days after Oct. 7, a totally traumatized society. And public opinion  this wasnt just the prime minister or a given leader in Israel. This was an entire society that didnt want any assistance getting to a single Palestinian in Gaza. I argued that for nine hours, President Biden was planning to come to Israel a few days later. And in the course of that argument, when I was getting resistance to the proposition of humanitarian assistance getting in, I told the prime minister, Im going to call the president and tell him not to come if you dont allow this assistance to start flowing. And I called the president and to make sure that he agreed with that, and he fully did. Anyway, we got the agreement to begin assistance through Rafah, which we expanded to Kerem Shalom, to many other places. I say this by way of saying that weve tried all along to look out for the needs of so many people whove been caught in this horrific crossfire, and we have a traumatized Palestinian population for obvious reasons. Ive met with Palestinian Americans whove lost loved ones in Gaza. I have with me still a little brochure that one fellow American made that has pictures of his family in Gaza on one side, the left side, those who were killed, including children, and on the right side, those who were still alive. And that motivates me as well, every single day, to try to find a better way forward. Now Israel is operating in a unique environment, which doesnt absolve it of its responsibilities.  Have they met those responsibilities?  And when it comes, for example, to the provision of humanitarian assistance, we found periods of time where, no, we didnt think they were doing enough. And this is exactly why, most recently with Secretary Austin, we pressed them very hard to take actions that would ensure that more assistance got to people.  Because, as you know, withholding food aid is considered a war crime. And so what youre saying to me is that actually they didnt want to even provide food.  Theres a difference between  theres a big difference between intent and result, whether its under the law or under any one standard. The results that we were seeing were grossly insufficient. That is the results in getting people the assistance they needed, just as making sure that people are protected, I think, has been insufficient. Theres a very different question about what was the intent.  What weve seen in Gaza is fairly indiscriminate. We have seen reporting of absolute devastation, entire areas flattened. And at the crux of this, of course, is the fact that the United States provides so many of these weapons to Israel. The 2,000-pound bombs that have killed Palestinian civilians, they get vetted through the State Department. And I know that the administration has been struggling with this the whole way through. But where we are now is that the war is still being prosecuted. Hamas is no longer deemed a threat in the way that it was, and the population has been completely decimated. So Im curious, why still provide these weapons to Israel?  As I said from Day 1, first of all, we have been and we remain fundamentally committed to Israels defense. And, unfortunately, it faces adversaries and enemies from all directions. And that means that the support that the United States provides over many administrations, Republican and Democrat, over many years, that support is absolutely vital to making sure that Israel is able to defend itself, that it can deter aggression coming from many other quarters, whether its Hezbollah, whether its Iran, whether its the many Iranian-backed proxies, whether its the Houthis, you name it. That support is vital to making sure Israel has a deterrent, has an adequate defense. And, in turn, that means that were not going to have an even broader, wider conflict that results in more death and more destruction. And so its been vital to maintain that. Second, we believed and continue to believe that the quickest way, the most effective way to have an enduring end to Gaza is through an agreement on a cease-fire that brings the hostages home. The two biggest impediments to getting that over the finish line  and weve been so close on several occasions, and as we speak today, were also very close. There have been two major impediments, and they both go to what drives Hamas. One has been whenever there has been public daylight between the United States and Israel and the perception that pressure was growing on Israel. Weve seen it. Hamas has pulled back from agreeing to a cease-fire and the release of hostages. And so there are times when what we say in private to Israel, where we have a disagreement, is one thing, and what were doing or saying in public may be another, but thats in no small measure, because with this daylight, the prospects of getting the hostages and cease-fire deal over the finish line become more distant.  Well, there were moments when it seemed you were trying to draw red lines in public, telling Israel not to go into Rafah, for example. And then they did. Israels prime minister   They went into Rafah in a very different way than they were planning to do.  Benjamin Netanyahu never seemed to listen to you, though.  No, I disagree with that. And, again, I mentioned how weve gone at humanitarian assistance from Day 1, and thats been a perennial and ongoing effort throughout these  throughout this time. When it comes to Rafah, we had deep, deep concerns about a direct attack and the use of the 2,000-pound munitions in densely populated areas. What Israel wound up doing in Rafah was very different from what they were planning to do before we engaged with them. So in   So you feel like youve been effective in shaping the conduct of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu?  I think the question that we had was, How can we most effectively both shape the conflict but also bring an end to the conflict? And the focus on getting a cease-fire hostage agreement was what was, in our estimation, the quickest and most durable way to get an end. And as I said, Hamas won. When they saw Israel under pressure publicly, they pulled back. The other thing that got Hamas to pull back was their belief, their hope that there would be a wider conflict, that Hezbollah would attack Israel, that Iran would attack Israel, that other actors would attack Israel, and that Israel would have its hands full and Hamas could continue what it was doing. So weve worked very hard to make sure that didnt happen. Part of that was making sure that Israel had what it needed to defend itself to deter broader aggression. The second part of that was when we were on the precipice on multiple occasions of having the wider war that Hamas wanted, we found ways through diplomacy and through defense and deterrence to avert it.  Did you have a partner in Benjamin Netanyahu, because it was reported that he blocked a cease-fire deal in July that would have led to the hostages being released? Is that true?  No, thats not accurate. What weve seen time and again is Hamas not concluding a deal that it should have concluded. There have been times when actions that Israel has taken have, yes, made it more difficult. But theres been a rationale for those actions, even if theyve sometimes made getting to a conclusion more difficult. For example, the killing of Sinwar. In the absence of Sinwar, where you had basically a single decider, that happened just at a point where we thought we might be able to bring this agreement over the finish line. All of a sudden, theres not a single decider and its a lot harder to get a decision out of Hamas. So all of these actions have second- and third-order effects that you have to calculate. But fundamentally, look, one of the things that I found a little astounding throughout is that for all of the understandable criticism of the way Israel has conducted itself in Gaza, you hear virtually nothing from anyone since Oct. 7 about Hamas. Why there hasnt been a unanimous chorus around the world for Hamas to put down its weapons, to give up the hostages to surrender, I dont know what the answer is to that. Israel on various occasions, has offered safe passage to Hamass leadership and fighters out of Gaza. Where is the world  where is the world in saying, Yeah, do that. End this. Stop the suffering of people that you brought on. Now, again, that doesnt absolve Israel of the way of its actions in conducting the war. But I do have to question how it is we havent seen a greater sustained condemnation and pressure on Hamas to stop what it started and to end the suffering of people that it initiated.  I do want to ask you about your own standing in the department that you lead, because youve had a series of very public defections over the conduct at the State Department over Gaza. The latest to speak out is Mike Casey, who was the State Departments deputy political counselor on Gaza and resigned in July. He recently talked to The Guardian about his tenure, and he claimed that the State Department frequently rolled over for Israel, that no one would read his reports on civilian casualties. He said that he and his colleagues would joke that they could staple cash to the reports and still they would fall on deaf ears. Thats very dark. How do you respond to that?  I have inordinate respect for the people in this department whove not only had different views of the policies that weve pursued, but have expressed those views, including in whats been a time-honored tradition of the department, which is something called a dissent channel cable. This is the ability of any officer in the department to send what we  a message, a memo, a cable to me reflecting their differences. And every single one of those winds up on my desk, every single one of those I read, every single one of those I respond to, including 20 or so on Gaza. And some, of course, have brought forward some of these facts. I didnt need to send channel cables to have the facts in front of me. I get them every single day. I read everything. I comment on everything. I look for answers on everything. Does that mean we get to the right answers every time? No, but does it mean were intensely focused on it? Yes. And again, my goal has been to end this conflict in Gaza in a way that makes sure that Oct. 7 doesnt happen again, that ends the suffering of people and does it in an enduring way that brings the hostages home.  Do you think there are still hostages alive?  Yes.  Do you, Secretary Blinken, worry that perhaps you have been presiding over what the world will see as a genocide?  No. Its not, first of all. Second, as to how the world sees it, I cant fully answer to that. But they  everyone has to look at the facts and draw their own conclusions from those facts. And my conclusions are clear. I think, as well, there is, in the wake of this horrific suffering, the traumatization of an Israeli population, the Palestinian population and many others. Theres also a light that one can see that offers the prospect of a much different and much better future. It doesnt bring back the lives of those who have been lost. It doesnt bring back the parents of the children in Gaza whove lost their parents, or the children for parents in Israel on Oct. 7 who lost theirs. But it does offer a different way forward, and weve done an extraordinary amount of work to build the foundation for that. First, youve got to end the conflict in Gaza. And I believe it will end, and it will probably end more or less on the terms that weve established in the ceasefire agreement that President Biden put forward, that we got the whole world behind. It will land there. Second, you have to make sure its enduring. Weve spent months working on a post-conflict plan with many countries in the region, Arab partners in particular. And that plan is, if we dont have the opportunity to start to try to implement it through a hostage cease-fire agreement in the next couple of weeks, we will hand it off to the incoming Trump administration, and they can decide whether to move forward with it. Third, we have the prospect of a totally different region with normalized relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and many other countries, Israel integrated into the security architecture of the region, and, because it will be a requirement of any such normalization agreement, a real pathway to a Palestinian state. Weve done all of the work to put that  put those plans in place. Normalization with Saudi Arabia, that can happen tomorrow based on the work that weve done, the investments weve made, once there is an end to the conflict in Gaza and an agreement on a credible pathway forward for the Palestinians. All of that work is there. Thats what well be handing over. But it requires leaders to make really hard decisions, and it requires somehow moving beyond the trauma of two societies, Israeli and Palestinian, that we see and that have taken root. Thats going to be the really hard part.  Your tenure, as weve said, has been filled with many complicated conflicts. At the same time, theres been a lot of reporting on President Bidens declining abilities over the course of his term. You are one of the closest people to him. You have worked with him for decades. By some accounts, he considers you a surrogate son. This is a delicate question to ask, but I do feel that many Americans want to understand if you saw changes from the man that you knew so well.  Look, heres what I can tell you. Look at everything weve done, everything I believe that weve achieved in this administration, at home and around the world. And whether you agree or not, I think theres a very strong record of achievement, historic in many ways. Every single one of those achievements has been the product of a decision that was made by the president of the United States, by President Biden, not by me, not by others in the administration, by the president. His judgment, his decision, his action has been reflected in what weve done, what weve achieved. Thats the basis upon which to judge whether hes been an effective president. And I believe the answer is resoundingly yes.  Last summer, my colleague Robert Draper reported that people in the diplomatic corps worried that the presidents memory, for example, was showing signs of slipping while he was meeting with foreign leaders.  Look, we all change. We all age. I have a 4, soon to be 5-year-old daughter. I was sitting with her the other day, and now four years in, and she was saying, Oh, Daddys wearing a white shirt. Hes got on a blue suit, he has black shoes and he has gray hair. And I said, No, no, no, my hair is brown. And she said, No, its gray. We all get older, we all change as we get older. But again, what Ive seen when it comes to judgment, when it comes to decisions that do right by the country, hes shown that judgment. Hes made those decisions.  On a personal note, your own story is very much defined by this fight against autocracy. Your stepfather was a Holocaust survivor who was saved from the death camps by American soldiers. Its an incredible story. Youve said that you learned lessons from him about what our country is and what it represents, and what it means when the United States is engaged in leading. And Im wondering, as you look at the end of your tenure, as youve been leading over the last four years, and youre handing off, as weve discussed, many of these conflicts that are still unresolved, and you have come under a lot of criticism, do his lessons strike you differently now than they did before that youve been through the fire, so you will of really being the person at the forefront of making these very, very difficult choices?  My friend Tom Friedman wrote, a few months ago, a column that basically said, Parents, dont let your sons and daughters grow up to be secretary of state. Its a different world than it was when some of my predecessors were doing this. And I think at the heart of that is something Ive seen over 32 years that Ive been engaged in foreign policy, starting at the very beginning of the Clinton administration and now concluding with the Biden administration, which is that now and in recent years, theres been a greater multiplicity, a greater complexity, a greater interconnectedness of problems than ever before. And theyre happening at a speed that weve never experienced before. And as a result, its a very different challenge. But some basic fundamentals havent changed, at least for me. And, yes, it does go to the lessons that I learned from my stepfather, from my father and other relatives, almost all of whom came to this country as immigrants, as refugees fleeing oppression, fleeing the case of my stepfather, the war that and the Holocaust that eliminated his entire family. And each, in one way or another, finding themselves on our shores and having seen the United States as the last best hope, having come here, rebuilt their lives and flourished because this is the country that we are, that hasnt changed for me. My stepfather came to the United States after surviving the Holocaust, eventually made his way here and even served in the Kennedy administration. And back then, you could become an American by special act of Congress, which he was. So Congress passes an act and he became an American citizen. And I have  my family has that act. And he used to say, Never forget, Im an American by choice. Youre an American by accident of birth. And I take that very seriously, because what it means to me is theres an extraordinary responsibility that comes with being an American, a responsibility that comes from being part of the greatest country on Earth, and if youre in public service, as Ive had the incredible privilege of being for 32 years, a responsibility to try to use that in the best way that you can, to do better by your fellow citizens but also people around the world. And every place Ive been around the world, everything Ive heard, even with criticism, intense criticism of our policies, is people want the United States involved. They want us engaged. They want us leading. They know that were more likely to get to a solution when were at the table than without us.  Secretary, thank you so much for your time, I appreciate it.  Great to be with you today. Thanks.
Every year I choose a university student to accompany me on my win-a-trip journey, which is meant to highlight issues that deserve more attention. My 2024 winner was Trisha Mukherjee, a recent Columbia graduate and budding journalist  and with that, Im handing the rest of the column over to her.

By Trisha Mukherjee, reporting from Pamplemousses, Mauritius.

When she was a teenager, Jossy Nation would collect water from a nearby river as the sun rose to wash the well-worn rags she used as sanitary pads, then lay them out to dry in a hidden spot.

But during the rainy season in her remote village in Nigeria, the fabric wouldnt dry, and Ms. Nation, now 30, would be swallowed by panic. I feel sick, she said, recalling the stress of running out of usable rags. Sometimes I have to use one rag for the whole 24 hours.

Laser-focused on her education, Ms. Nation would push herself to go to school, even though some of her classmates stayed home during their periods. In class, she would shift uncomfortably in her seat, worrying that blood would stain her clothes and bring shame.
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Detectives did not arrest Mr. Greer, believing his failing health would have made his extradition to Florida difficult and that the case would have been a coin toss at trial, with no physical evidence and only one witness with hearsay linking Mr. Greer to the murder, Detective Gandy said. Mr. Greer died nearly a year later, on March 2, 2024, at age 76.

The investigation into Ms. Easterlys murder has now been closed, the Sheriffs Office said in a statement on Tuesday that disclosed Mr. Greers confession in 2023. Detective Gandy said information about the confession had not been made public earlier because the office was contacting other law enforcement agencies in the South to see if Mr. Greer might be connected to other crimes and because investigators were busy with other homicides.

The outcome has left Ms. Easterlys family torn.

Jessica Kilbourn, a niece of Ms. Easterlys who was 5 when her aunt was killed, said she was grateful for the work of the cold-case detectives, but believed that the ball was dropped after her aunt was killed because the Sheriffs Office knew that Mr. Greer was a shady kind of character.

We have a name  it will never be closure, Ms. Kilbourn said in an interview on Friday. Its not because I dont have my aunt here. My dad doesnt have his only sibling. My grandparents never lived long enough to even see this moment.

Detective Gandy said it was frustrating that Mr. Greer had never been brought to justice.

Its very disappointing that we didnt get to arrest him and have him stand trial, but its also good to be able to close the case and give the family some answers, he said. Im sorry we couldnt have done more.
Over the next six days, various dignitaries, supporters and ordinary citizens will celebrate Jimmy Carter at several funeral events across the country that honor his life and career in public service, from his boyhood farm in rural Georgia to Washington and back.

The gestures of remembrance have all been carefully selected to reflect the 39th presidents rural roots in the small town of Plains, Ga., his political career in Georgia and Washington, and his legacy of global advocacy in Atlanta.

Here is the full schedule of events.

Saturday, Jan. 4

At 10:15 a.m., the Carter family will arrive at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Ga. There, former and current members of the Secret Service detail that protected Carter will escort his body to a hearse, which will then leave for Plains, the former presidents hometown.

The motorcade is expected to pass through Plains, pausing for a moment at his childhood farm. During that stop, the National Park Service will toll the farm bell 39 times, marking Carters service as the 39th president.
After leaving the Capitol, the procession began a slow-motion tour through a slice of Atlanta, a place that wasnt Mr. Carters hometown but where he nevertheless developed deep roots.

He cheered at Braves games. He would pop by Manuels Tavern, a bar that was a regular hangout for Georgia Democrats. And he worked countless hours at the Carter Center.

The days travels concluded there. A private service was held in the afternoon, and the former president was to be in repose at the center from Saturday evening until early Tuesday.

Denise Billingsley, 55, made a five-hour trip from Kentucky and said she planned to immediately turn around and head back to beat an expected ice storm. The repose would be the closest she has ever been to a president, she said, much less one she saw as a great example of what our country should strive for.

Hes worth making the trip for, added Eddie Turner, who accompanied Ms. Billingsley.

On Tuesday morning, the journey will continue toward Washington, where Mr. Carter will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol for a day and a half. A funeral is scheduled for Thursday morning at Washington National Cathedral, where President Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy. President-elect Donald J. Trump has indicated that he will attend.

But until then, Mr. Carter belonged to Georgia.

Along the route, there were messages of love, collections of flowers and American flags, even offerings of jars of peanuts. In one of the crowds, someone held up a sign: Thank you sir, you were one of us.
Alicia Arritt spent years as an Army nurse working with combat veterans with brain injuries. And when she started a relationship with Matthew Livelsberger in 2018, long before he shot himself and blew up a Cybertruck in Las Vegas this week, she recognized many of the symptoms in her new boyfriend that she had seen in her patients.

A master sergeant in the Armys 10th Special Forces Group, he was forgetting words, losing his train of thought midsentence and struggling with insomnia. He had headaches and depressive moods that sometimes kept him shut away for days. In a text exchange after they started dating, he mentioned having been deployed three times in three years. She asked if he had been hurt. Just some concussions, he responded.

I think he wanted to get help, but he thought if he said anything, he wouldnt be able to do his job anymore, she said in an interview on Friday from her home in Colorado Springs. They dated for two years, and then remained friends.

By the time they met, Sergeant Livelsberger had been in the Army more than a decade and had been deployed into combat a number of times. He had spent years jumping from airplanes and being exposed to weapons blasts in training. He had back injuries from hard parachute landings and had lost some of his hearing from being around explosions and gunfire.
Ms. Itooka was born Tomiko Yano on May 23, 1908, in the city of Osaka, one of three children in a family that ran a clothing store. At that time, her country was a rising imperial power that had just defeated czarist Russia in war and was embarking on expansion into mainland Asia.

In the year of her birth, Japan signed an agreement with President Theodore Roosevelts secretary of state that averted conflict with the United States in exchange for Washington recognizing Japans annexation of the Korean Peninsula. During the span of her life, she saw her nation emerge as an Asian colonial empire, fall in fiery defeat in 1945 and rise again as an industrial giant and peaceful democracy.

Growing up in prewar Japan, she played volleyball in high school before marrying the owner of a textile company, Kenji Itooka, with whom she had two daughters and two sons. During World War II, she stayed in Japan to run the business while her husband went to Korea, then a Japanese colony, to oversee a factory there.

She single-handedly managed a Japanese office and raised her children during this period, according to the Gerontology Research Group, which keeps a database of the worlds oldest people.

In 1979, her husband died after 51 years of marriage. Ms. Itooka then moved to Ashiya, a city outside Osaka, where she remained an avid hiker into her 80s. At 100, she was said to be still ascending the stone steps of her local Shinto shrine without a cane.
Every day for the past week, Kim Kwon-seop, 72, has joined thousands of others gathered near the home of South Koreas impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol. They were determined to shield Mr. Yoon from prosecutors who wanted to detain him on insurrection charges stemming from his short-lived declaration of martial law last month.

To them, it was the opposition who had committed insurrection, abusing its majority power at the Assembly to repeatedly block Mr. Yoons political initiatives. To them, the oppositions parliamentary majority was invalid because the election last April was rigged. And to them, protecting Mr. Yoon was synonymous with protecting South Korea from North Korea followers who have taken root in every corner of their society, from the judiciary to schools to the news media.

South Koreans commonly dismiss such conspiracy theories as little more than online demagoguery spread by right-wing YouTubers with the help of social media algorithms. But amid the countrys entrenched political polarization, they have fueled the turmoil over Mr. Yoons situation, driving zealous believers like Mr. Kim to take to the streets in large numbers, calling for the presidents return to office.

When I leave home for this rally every day, I tell my wife that this may be the last time she sees me alive, because I am ready to die for my cause, Mr. Kim said. This is not just about protecting President Yoon. Its about saving my country for my descendants.
KYODO NEWS - Jan 4, 2025 - 18:55 | All, World

Pakistan's envoy to the United Nations expressed hope that the Security Council will strengthen its dialogue on issues related to North Korea as Islamabad begins its two-year term as a nonpermanent member of the panel.

During a recent interview with Kyodo News, Munir Akram said Pakistan is "concerned" about the lack of sufficient talk in the United Nations on the "normalization of the situation on the Korean Peninsula."

"We hope that in the Security Council, we will find ways of reviving the dialogue and to decrease the tensions in the whole region," he said.

Akram spoke to Kyodo News ahead of the annual change in the panel's composition, as five of the 10 nonpermanent members rotated out on Jan. 1. Pakistan assumed the Asia-Pacific seat previously held by Japan, while Denmark, Greece, Panama and Somalia joined the council from other regions for terms lasting through 2026.

Pakistan has previously served on the Security Council seven times, most recently for the term spanning 2012 and 2013.

The envoy said his country, as a nuclear weapons possessor that has diplomatic relations with North Korea, supports the goals of nonproliferation and calls for "a complete ban on nuclear testing."

"So those are principles which will guide our decision," Akram said when asked about Pakistan's response to a possible seventh nuclear test by North Korea.

The council, charged with maintaining international peace and security, has been faulted for its paralysis in the face of global crises due to the unilateral veto power held by each of the five permanent members, with the criticism mounting especially since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Amid divisions between the council's permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- Akram said the nonpermanent members need to work toward bridging their differences.

Pakistan seeks the creation of a nuclear weapon-free zone in South Asia but cannot back the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as long as its neighboring country India holds a nuclear arsenal, Akram said.

"While we need our nuclear capability to prevent aggression, we cannot support the ban treaty," he said.

The treaty took effect in 2021, but many U.N. members have declined to join it, including the United States and other nuclear powers, as well as Japan.

Related coverage:

U.N. panel urges North Korea to improve human rights situation
That was spotted quickly, and a supervisor thought, based on some signal lights, that he had lowered the rods back in place. But the lights were wrong: Two or three of the rods were stuck and had only partly returned to safety.

When the supervisor, who was still in the basement, phoned the control room with directions for lowering the rods, he also mixed up the numbers for the buttons that needed to be pushed, compounding the problem.

The reactors output soared to about 100 megawatts.

That power surge lasted for only one minute and eight seconds before the reactor was brought back under control, but the damage was profound. Fuel rods had melted or blown apart. The basement was filled with one million gallons of highly radioactive water and debris. The reactor building, which had large glass windows, was dangerously radioactive.

A contingent of 150 members of the U.S. military came to Chalk River for the cleanup. Among them was Mr. Carter, who led a group of about 12 members of the Navy from the Knolls Laboratory. They were joined by 862 workers at the Chalk River site, 170 members of the Canadian Army and 20 employees of companies that had made parts of the reactor.

Morgan Brown, president of the Society for the Preservation of Canadas Nuclear Heritage, which runs a museum near Chalk River, told me that the Americans hadnt been there to give technical advice, as the NRX had been designed in Montreal in a joint Canadian-British project. But they provided equipment Canada lacked, like closed-circuit television, and they gained experience and training for themselves in dealing with the unprecedented situation.
The Catholic priest stood at the altar in the hilltop church for the mass baptism, dunking dozens of heads in water and tracing a cross with his finger on each forehead.

Then he rejoiced at Christianitys recovery of souls in a land where the vast majority of people are Muslim  as the men, women and children standing before him had been.

The ceremony was one of many in recent months in Kosovo, a formerly Serbian territory inhabited largely by ethnic Albanians that declared itself an independent state in 2008. In a census last spring, 93 percent of the population professed itself Muslim and only 1.75 percent Roman Catholic.

A small number of ethnic Albanian Christian activists, all converts from Islam, are urging their ethnic kin to look to the church as an expression of their identity. They call it the return movement, a push to revive a pre-Islamic past they see as an anchor of Kosovos place in Europe and a barrier to religious extremism spilling over from the Middle East.
The Islamic State has lost thousands of fighters to death or prison and suffered the demise of its self-declared caliphate in Iraq and Syria. But the global reach of the group, also known as ISIS, is still vast, in part because of its sophisticated media output and the people around the world who consume it.

On New Years Day, a man with an Islamic State flag killed at least 14 people when he drove into a crowd in New Orleans. Authorities say there was no evidence that the man, Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, had active connections to the terrorist group. But the F.B.I. said he was 100 percent inspired by ISIS.

It is not yet clear which specific online content Mr. Jabbar may have seen or how else he may have been radicalized. Experts noted that the placement of the flag on the truck resembled one depicted by ISIS in a media campaign urging followers to run them over without mercy. And, authorities said, he posted several videos to his Facebook account before his attack in which he pledged allegiance to ISIS.

From online videos to social media platforms  and even a weekly Islamic State newsletter  the group that wants to force all Muslims to adhere strictly to the faiths earliest teachings has a very modern media strategy.
Syrias main international airport in Damascus will reopen next week, the new government said on Saturday, as it tries to re-establish a sense of normalcy after the uprising that toppled President Bashar al-Assad.

The announcement came amid tensions along the border between Syria and Lebanon, where four Lebanese solders were wounded in clashes on Friday night. The Lebanese military said that Syrian militants had fired at Lebanese soldiers along the border.

Ahmad al-Shara, Syrias new de facto leader, faces the challenge of imposing order on a country that has been devastated by 14 years of civil war that split it into multiple warring regions and spurred a proliferation of armed groups.

Mr. al-Shara, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group that spearheaded the surprise attack that toppled Mr. al-Assad, has worked to project a moderate image, meeting with Western dignitaries and trying to assure both Syrians and foreign governments that the country is on a stable path.
Teneo and Joele Frank handle the joint statement from Nippon Steel and US Steel condemning president Joe Bidens decision to torpedo their $15B merger.

Rather than abide by the law, the review process of the deal was manipulated to advance president Bidens political agenda, they claim.

The companies said Bidens order to block the merger did not present any credible evidence of a national security issue, making it clear that it was a political decision.

They took a shot at 81-year old Biden for sacrificing the future of American steelworkers for his political purposes.

Teneo and USS vow to take all appropriate action to protect their legal rights.

They will fight for the deal that would help revitalize Pennsylvania and Indiana communities, provide job security for steelworkers and help the US steel industry compete more effectively with China.

Teneos Robert Mead and Jack Coster represent Nippon Steel, while Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katchers Kelly Sullivan and Ed Trissel handle USS.
A TULLAMORE woman and her partner are busy preparing for what they hope will be life changing surgery abroad.

In February next year, Avril O'Connell will accompany partner David Digan to Vienna for a number of revolutionary procedures which could result in David being fitted for a robotic arm.

In 2019, David's life changed forever following a horrific motorbike accident which left his left arm paralysed. He also sustained two breaks to his neck and injuries to his collarbone.

He later had his arm amputated and spent two weeks in a coma at Tullamore hospital where he remained for three months in total before being referred to the NRH (National Rehabilitation Hospital) in Dun Laoghaire.

Since then, David, the father of one daughter, has faced numerous challenges including the loss of his career as a commercial diver, a job which he loved.

David, who hails from Moate, has struggled to rebuild his life with this significant disability.

''Despite countless setbacks, Ive never stopped hoping for a better future. Over the years, Ive undergone multiple surgeries, including nerve transfers, a muscle transfer from my leg to my forearm, and eventually, arm amputation and bone reconstruction (derotational osteotomy) to prepare for a myoelectric prosthetic. Sadly, many of these efforts havent worked as planned.'' said David.

Now there is hope on the horizon for David as he has been selected for a number of groundbreaking trials in Vienna where surgeons will perform an ''osseointegration surgery on his forearm to secure a prosthetic by bone anchoring it. The next step will be to connect this robotic prosthetic to the remaining nerves and muscles in my arm/shouldera pioneering attempt to restore function where none seemed possible,'' said David.

David will be required to travel back and forth to Vienna next year, where it will be necessary for him to stay for an extended period each time. Partner Avril will be his carer for each trip.

While the surgery itself is funded as part of the trial, David needs help to cover the travel and accommodation costs required for these treatments. The funds will allow him to stay in Vienna for consultations, surgeries and recovery sessions.

David said, ''this isnt just about a prostheticits about reclaiming independence, regaining a sense of normalcy, and rebuilding my life.''

David and Avril have set up a GoFund me page for those who wish to donate. This can be accessed on https://gofund.me/6a5ee618
Sr Bosco's teaching career took her to Missouri, United States where one of her pupils was a boy who went on to become Cardinal of New York, Timothy Dolan. After 22 years she returned to Ireland and she was then based in Drogheda for 32 years.

OFFALY-based nun Sr Bosco Daly celebrated her 100th birthday today (Saturday, January 4) with family, friends and Sisters of Mercy colleagues in Tullamore.

Most Rev Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin said the native of Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath has become Ireland's 457th centenarian and the 11th Mercy Sister to reach the milestone.

In his homily at a Mass before a celebration dinner in the Convent of Mercy, Bishop Nulty, revealed that the oldest Mercy nun in Ireland, Sr Patricia O'Neill, is 107 and the country's fifth oldest person.

So Bosco, you've a few more years to catch up, he remarked.

The year 1925 also saw the birth of Maureen Potter, Barbara Bush, Margaret Thatcher and the bishop's own mother. All strong women in their own right, though Bosco, you've outlived all of them.

Bishop Nulty, who knew Sr Bosco from her time with the Sisters of Mercy in Drogheda, outlined that she had entered the convent in Drogheda in 1944, was finally professed in 1950, trained as a teacher in Carysfort, Dublin, before becoming one of four nuns selected to go on mission to Ballwin, Missouri in 1957.

One of her pupils at the Holy Infant school in Ballwin was a boy, Timothy Dolan, who went on to become a priest and is now Cardinal of New York.

He was among your pupils in first and second grade and you prepared him for First Holy Communion and he never forgets to reference and acknowledge your teaching role in the journey of faith, said the bishop.

He's a very frequent visitor here to Tullamore as he was to Drogheda before.

He likened Sr Bosco to St John the Baptist, a man who taught others to follow Jesus, and said she had been a teacher all her life, working in Drogheda for 32 years after her 22 years in the United States.

He also thanked Sr Bosco and the other sisters in Drogheda for providing a home from home for the priests of the town.

I think of the little and big parties we enjoyed, the hot whiskies you insisted we imbibe after Easter vigil.

The year of Bosco's birth was, like 2025, a jubilee year for the church, and 100 years ago the nun had responded to a call from Pope Pius XI for missionary activity around the world.

You and so many others responded to that call in being part of the mission from Drogheda to Ballwin, from the Meath Mercies to Missouri.

The bishop also mentioned the cheque from President Michael D Higgins, saying: It is said that there's a store in 34th Street, New York, Macy's, well worth a visit next time you think about it.

When Sr Bosco was presented with the cheque and a letter from President Higgins by Sr Cecilia, Sisters of Mercy, Tullamore, she laughed and asked: How much is it?

In his letter of congratulations, the president wrote of the many remarkable changes to all aspects of our lives in the last century but added: In so many other ways however the human condition remains the same and we continue with similar preoccupations, ambitions, worries, challenges and joys as those shared by countless generations before us. Yet, it is the gift of our lives to try and make it better, nios fearr.

You have played your own important part in shaping and crafting the world we inhabit today, bringing your own energy, experience and wisdom to your work, family and community life. As President of Ireland I congratulate and thank you for that important contribution.

The chief celebrant at the Mass, Fr John Garry, said that during her century-long journey Sr Bosco had been a beacon of faith, love and service.

Fr Garry also referred to her good humour and as she mixed with guests and well wishers afterwards, Sr Bosco confirmed that quality still exists to those who asked how she was, saying: I'm alright, I'm not too bad any day. All I'm afraid of is that I'm going to live to be 100 and something. How would you get out of that?

Prior to her birthday Sr Cecilia said Bosco's long life was due to her natural gift of good health as a child and an adult and long walks to school with plenty of fresh air.

Speaking today, Sr Bosco smiled and attributed her longevity to the tablets she'd been taking for about 20 years.

She also recalled hearing a very young Timothy Dolan tell her he was thinking of become a priest and said she had coaxed him along.

She said she loved her time in America. I'd go back again.

Sr Bosco was christened Julianna Daly but when she went to primary school in Kilbeggan her name was changed to Sheila, the Irish for Julianna.

Her parents were Thomas Daly and Mary Casey, Ballymacmorris, Kilbeggan, and she was the second oldest of five children.

Her brothers were Hubey and Edward (Ned), and Peter Paul, who died when he was 17. Her sister was Maureen.

Sr Bosco has said she decided to enter the convent because her neighbour Kathleen Fox was a nun in Longford and Mother Philomena, Mercy Sisters, Kilbeggan suggested she go to Drogheda instead of Longford.

Her first profession was on August 20, 1947 and her final profession was on August 20, 1950.

She was in Carysfort from 1950 to 1952 and in Ballwin, Missouri from 1957 to 1979. Sr Bosco returned to Drogheda in 1979 and came to Tullamore in 2011.

Sr Bosco is pictured above on her 100th birthday with her first cousin Nanny Scully, Croghan (left), Sr Cecilia and Mary Keegan, Kilbeggan, a native of Mountbolus whose late husband Sean was also a first cousin of the nun
Assyrians: the First Gynecologists

The first diagnosis to handle infertility was made 4,000 years ago as depicted on an ancient Assyrian clay tablet that was discovered by Turkish researchers in central Kayseri province. The research was led by Sanlurfa's Harran University along with various other participating universities examined a 4,000-year-old Assyrian tablet that contained a prenuptial agreement. They found that the first infertility diagnosis was made in central Kayseri province's Kultepe district. The clay tablet written in cuneiform script detailed infertility and a solution for the inability of a person to reproduce through natural ways, as published in the journal Gynecological Endocrinology.

The inscription was meant for the Assyrian families of the time. The clay record stated that the wife should allow her husband to hire a female slave to act as a surrogate if the couple could not conceive within two years after the date of their marriage, according to Daily Sabah. The location of the find was home to a settlement and trade colony of the Old Assyrian Empire from 2,100 BC and 1,800 BC. Professor Ahmet Berkz Turp from Harran University's Gynecology and Obstetrics Department said, "The female slave would be freed after giving birth to the first male baby and ensuring that the family is not left without a child."

Knewz.com noted that the Assyrian contract was written in a wedge-shaped cuneiform script which was one of the earliest forms of writing. Regarding the steps of the process, it emphasized that the hired slave, known as a hierodule, should be freed after the birth of the first boy. It was now on display at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum as the earliest known evidence of human infertility. The Assyrian Empire was a complex Mesopotamian civilization that dated back to the 25th century BC, as per Newsweek. Mesopotamia was where people first gathered in large cities, created governments, and learned to write the first script.

The Assyrian Empire was among one of the earliest civilizations in world history. It was also the site where over 1,000 Old Assyrian tablets were found in 1925, known as the Cappadocian tablets. The inscription of the Hierodule, based on the situation, was variously translated as surrogate, slave, prostitute, or some combination as such. They might have been described as being 'married' to the husband, but the implications of sexual slavery were nonetheless the same. Their 'function,' concerning how they were used by other human beings was specific to situations like the ones that were described in the tablet, which was an odd catch-and-release form of relationship, according to MailOnline.

The prenuptial agreement added to an enormous trove of Old Assyrian records that were previously found in the area in 1925 by F. Hrozny. A fire eventually destroyed the settlement where the tablets had been found by archaeologists, according to Ancient Origins. It must have occurred suddenly as the excavations revealed that many of the tablets were still in their clay envelopes which indicated that the merchants did not have time to send out their recently written letters or open the newly received ones. The cuneiform tablets provided an original resource for the fascinating study of the pre-Hittite (circa 1940 BC to 1740 BC) network of Assyrian merchant colonies in Bronze Age Anatolia.
KYODO NEWS - Jan 4, 2025 - 13:55 | All, Japan, World

Nippon Steel Corp. is set to file a lawsuit in response to U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to block its $14.1 billion takeover of United States Steel Corp., sources close to the matter said Saturday.

Biden on Friday said the deal posed a risk to national security while urging the Japanese and U.S. steelmakers to "fully and permanently" abandon their plan, which has been backed by U.S. Steel shareholders. The leadership of the powerful United Steelworkers union strongly objected to the acquisition.

Nippon Steel, the world's fourth-largest steelmaker, and the smaller U.S. Steel immediately released a joint statement saying the U.S. authorities' review of their deal was "manipulated to advance President Biden's political agenda" and that they will "take all appropriate action to protect our legal rights."

Biden's order marked the first time an American president has banned a merger and acquisition deal involving a Japanese firm.

Biden, who leaves office on Jan. 20, and President-elect Donald Trump have both publicly opposed the deal, which was initially announced in 2023 and became highly politicized ahead of the November U.S. presidential election.

The two firms are expected to claim in court that Biden did not present sufficient evidence to prove the acquisition poses a threat to U.S. national security, and that his decision violates due process under the U.S. Constitution and the law governing the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

The committee reviewed the deal but said last week it could not reach a consensus, leaving the decision to Biden, according to the companies.

Related coverage:

Biden blocks acquisition of U.S. Steel by Nippon Steel

Biden decides to block U.S. Steel sale to Nippon Steel: reports

Nippon Steel promises no cuts to U.S. Steel's output for 10 years
Members of the Great Wall Youth Orchestra play traditional Chinese instruments at the New Year concert in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 29, 2024. (Photo by Wang Zijie/Xinhua)

by Xinhua writers Wang Meiqi, Su Kaiyang

SHIJIAZHUANG, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- At a recent concert held in north China's Hebei Province to usher in the New Year, the romantic Chinese folk song "Purple Bamboo" was revived by a U.S. youth orchestra.

Playing traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu and the guzheng, the Great Wall Youth Orchestra from Oakland tugged on the heartstrings of its audience with the soft and graceful melody of the song, which dates back thousands of years.

"This is the orchestra's first international tour. We're very excited and grateful for that," said Sairina Kimberly Merino Tsui, president of the board of the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation, with which the orchestra is affiliated.

Upon the invitation of Shijiazhuang University, members of the orchestra, together with U.S. artists from San Francisco, formed a delegation of 51 people and made a six-day visit to China which ended on Tuesday.

These performances, along with their performances in the United States, are part of the orchestra's decades-long efforts to preserve and promote traditional Chinese music.

Founded in 1995, the orchestra is a program initiated by the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation. It aims to teach Chinese music to children in the San Francisco Bay Area, a place with an ethnically diverse population.

"A lot of our members are ethnically Chinese, and there are quite a few of them who have never been to China before, but have played instruments for many, many years," Tsui told Xinhua in an interview. "We hope to give them a chance to get to know about their roots in a different way."

"Music is a way to connect with our ancestors, our families and our culture," said Brian Chow, a Chinese American who plays the erhu.

Having joined the orchestra more than 10 years ago, Chow has grown from a diligent student into a professional music teacher eager to pass traditional Chinese culture on to younger generations.

Over almost 30 years, the Great Wall Youth Orchestra has nurtured about 18,000 students in the United States through its weekend music classes and teaching programs in local schools. Currently, there are approximately 300 student members regularly learning and practicing traditional Chinese instruments.

According to Chow, in February, a U.S. school he is working with will introduce new traditional Chinese instrument courses to students in grades four and five in collaboration with the orchestra.

"It is expensive to study music in the United States. My mother wanted to create opportunities for children from less affluent families to learn music," said Victor Stanson Siu, who now heads and conducts the orchestra. His mother established the foundation and the orchestra.

Siu noted that he enjoys his visits every time he comes to China, and seeing how Chinese people approach traditional music in new ways. "It's wonderful to learn how modern Chinese music is and how cool it is for young people to play. I hope my students can feel the music also belongs to them. It's not something ancient that only their grandparents listen to," he said.

At the first New Year concert in Hebei, the Great Wall Youth Orchestra also performed the classic Italian song, "O Sole Mio," and a pop song by contemporary American musicians, using Chinese folk instruments.

At another concert, typical festival songs, including "Blooming Flowers and the Full Moon" and "Spring Festival Overture," were performed by the orchestra alongside their Chinese counterparts from the School of Music at Shijiazhuang University, creating a jubilant atmosphere shared by all in attendance.

Over the years, the orchestra has toured many U.S. cities, including New York and Los Angeles, Siu said, adding that its members' different cultural backgrounds make it easier for their ethnically diverse listeners to accept Chinese music and culture.

Tyler Daniel Thompson is one of the orchestra's star vocalists and has been learning Chinese songs and operas with the group since the age of four. "When I try to go to my community and sing Chinese opera, people there can feel Chinese culture even though they may not fully understand the meaning of the lyrics," the 29-year-old African American said.

He believes that the Great Wall Youth Orchestra is trying to help more people understand Chinese culture and integrate it into their life through music. "We can bring people together through a lot of different mediums. Music is definitely one of them," Thompson said. 

Members of the Great Wall Youth Orchestra prepare for the New Year concert in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Meiqi)

Members of the Great Wall Youth Orchestra perform at the New Year concert in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 28, 2024. (Photo by Wang Zijie/Xinhua)
ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian and Somali officials have reiterated common commitments to ensuring peace and stability in Somalia and the region as the two countries solidify ties on the backdrop of recent diplomatic tensions.

This came during the meeting between officials of the two countries as a high-level Ethiopian delegation led by Ethiopian Minister of Defense Aisha Mohammed made an official working visit to Somalia, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement issued Friday.

According to the ministry, the Ethiopian delegation held "fruitful discussions" with senior Somali officials, including the country's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. It said the discussions "reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to working together to ensure peace and stability in Somalia and the region."

The two countries "agreed to collaborate on the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia and strengthen bilateral relations." They also agreed to enhance exchanges of visits and discussions among officials of the two countries, according to the statement.

Reiterating Ethiopia's commitment to contributing to the peace and stability of Somalia, Ethiopia's defense minister stressed that combating terrorism is a key area of cooperation between the two Horn of Africa countries.

Somali Minister of Defense Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur expressed his appreciation and gratitude for the Ethiopian Defense Forces' sacrifices and contributions to ensuring peace in Somalia, according to the statement.

Tensions had been escalating between Ethiopia and Somalia after Ethiopia and Somaliland reportedly signed an agreement earlier in 2024, allowing Ethiopia access to the Red Sea in exchange for its recognition of Somaliland, a self-declared region of Somalia, as an independent state. Somalia said the agreement is legally invalid.

After a period of mounting diplomatic tensions, leaders of Ethiopia and Somalia reached an agreement last month after Turkish-mediated negotiations in Ankara, marking a breakthrough in resolving recent misunderstandings.

Following the agreement, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Mohamud issued a joint statement emphasizing the importance of cooperation and dialogue between the two countries.

Both leaders reaffirmed their respect for and commitment to each other's sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity. They also agreed to work together to finalize arrangements that would grant Ethiopia access to and from the sea. 
Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Xiao Jianguo (R, front) unveils a new energy SUV of Great Wall Motors with a Bruneian guest during a ceremony in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, Jan. 3, 2025. China's renowned automobile manufacturer, Great Wall Motors, held a ceremony to launch its new energy SUV in Brunei, receiving a warm welcome from the local market. (Photo by Wong Chee Peng/Xinhua)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- China's renowned automobile manufacturer, Great Wall Motors, has held a ceremony to launch its new energy SUV in Brunei, receiving a warm welcome from the local market.

Nearly 200 guests and local customers attended the launch ceremony Friday at the new GWM Experience Centre in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. Chinese Ambassador to Brunei Xiao Jianguo and Bruneian guests unveiled the new car at the ceremony.

Pengiran Irwan Ab Rahaman, the managing director of Brunei's prominent automotive dealer Berjaya Sdn Bhd, said that the launch of the GWM Tank 500 demonstrates the company's commitment to bringing the best of Chinese automotive innovation to Brunei.

Chinese automotive brands have become increasingly popular in the Brunei market in recent years. Since officially entering the market in 2021, Great Wall Motors has sold nearly 1,000 vehicles of various models, with sales showing accelerated growth, according to Zhao Meng, regional marketing director of Great Wall Motors.

Brunei is a Southeast Asian country with 340,000 citizens. As of 2023, there are over 300,000 registered vehicles in Brunei. SUVs, pickup trucks, and off-road vehicles are very popular in the local market. 

People look at new energy SUVs of Great Wall Motors at the new GWM Experience Center in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, Jan. 3, 2025. China's renowned automobile manufacturer, Great Wall Motors, held a ceremony to launch its new energy SUV in Brunei, receiving a warm welcome from the local market.

Nearly 200 guests and local customers attended the launch ceremony Friday at the new GWM Experience Center in Bandar Seri Begawan. (Photo by Wong Chee Peng/Xinhua)
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According to a headline in The Hill newspaper, which takes a position typical of U.S. corporate media, "New Year's attacks fuel fears of extremism in military."

In other words, an institution openly dedicated to mass killing and destruction may have fallen victim to infiltration by "extremists". As if there could be something more extreme than a military.

The reason for this approach is that two U.S. military veterans attempted mass murders that made the news on the same day -- and their status as veterans (or in one case active duty) made the news. The fact that those guilty of mass shootings in the United States are, and have long been, very disproportionately veterans is, and has long been, strictly avoided by U.S. corporate media, including in reporting and commenting on these new incidents.

If people who drink and drive had very disproportionately been trained in binge drinking, we might reasonably suspect more than a mere correlation. But correlations are big news when it comes to mass shooters, as long as they don't touch on anyone having been trained to kill.

The dirty little secret, although it's right out in the open, is that mass killing is not called "extreme" if it's done abroad for the U.S. military (in fact it is a "service" to "thank" people for); it becomes "extreme" purely because of where and to whom it is done or by association with an enemy of U.S. war propaganda (even if more often than not an ally of the U.S. military). Supporters of ISIS are "extreme" when killing in New Orleans, but heroes of democracy when taking over Syria.

Here's how The Hill educates its readers:

"The primary suspects in two deadly attacks on New Year's Day shared a history of service in the U.S. military, underscoring persistent fears over extremism within the armed services that officials have struggled to uproot. The suspect behind a truck rampage in New Orleans that killed 14 people, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was an Army veteran, while the man allegedly behind the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside of the international Trump hotel in Las Vegas, Matthew Livelsberger, was an active-duty service member in the Army. While not the first acts of military extremism, the two deadly attacks amplify questions about the number of radical and unstable veterans and active-duty troops and whether the Pentagon's efforts to identify and root out extremist beliefs is working."

Imagine training people to kill en masse, for a governmental department likely soon to be run by a nominee who has publicly shouted "Kill all Muslims!" while simultaneously striving to "root out extremist beliefs". Imagine generating articles depicting these efforts without bothering to explain what an extremist belief is. The Hill continues:

"Heidi Beirich, a co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism who has studied military extremist activity for decades, said the unresolved problem was particularly dangerous because veterans and active-duty service members can kill more efficiently. 'The military has not adequately addressed the problem, whether it's white supremacists or Islamic extremists,' she said. 'These cases are a reminder of how important it is that people with potential to become extreme aren't trained in military tactics.'"

This is a half-breakthrough, I'd say. This is an explicit recognition of the generally taboo fact that members of militaries have been trained to kill. This is almost certainly a huge part of why those who manage to commit mass killings are veterans, and why mass killings by veterans kill more people. But we're still treating murder-training and "extremism" as completely unrelated to each other.

"Jabbar, the New Orleans attacker, drove a Ford pickup truck through the crowded Bourbon Street before he was shot and killed by police. In addition to the 14 people he killed, he injured dozens more. Jabbar, 42, was a U.S. citizen from Texas who served in the Army from 2007 to 2020, including a year or deployment in Afghanistan, and retired as a staff sergeant. It's unclear if he served in combat, but he was trained as an information technology specialist. Police said they found an ISIS flag in his truck and social media posts online sympathizing with the U.S.-designated terrorist group."

I can find public statements from the U.S. Secretary of State sympathizing with a U.S.-designated terrorist group. I condemn those statements. But I find them far less offensive than others from the same official sympathizing with Israeli genocide and opposing peace in Ukraine. Similarly, I'm disgusted by any such statements by Mr. Jabbar, but not nearly as much as I am by the killing he did in New Orleans and the killing around the world that he supported in the U.S. military.

"Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division, said in a Thursday press conference that Jabbar posted at least five videos propagating the ideology of ISIS, which the suspect claimed to have joined last year. Raia, who said there is no apparent connection between the New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks, explained the FBI was working to understand how Jabbar became radicalized. 'A lot of questions we are still asking ourselves,' he said. 'That's the stuff that in the coming days, as far as that path to radicalization, that we're really going to be digging into and make it a priority.'"

So, now we know that extremism is a synonym for radicalization. But we still haven't been told what either means, just as we are never told what terrorism means. We just know that these words are all used and not used based on by whom and to whom and where something is done, and not based on what that thing is.

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Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes on Friday announced her departure from The Washington Post after a cartoon featuring Post owner Jeff Bezos was rejected.

Posting on Substack, Telneas said while shes had differences with editors in the past, shes never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. Until now.

The cartoon at issue depicted billionaire tech and media chief executives, including Facebook/META owner Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon CEO and Post owner Jeff Bezos, with bags of cash, kneeling before a statue of Donald Trump.

As an editorial cartoonist, my job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable, Telneas wrote. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job. So I have decided to leave the Post."

Bezos and Zuckerberg, whose businesses have large contracts with the federal government, and others made trips to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump after his election.

Bezos, who donated $1 million to the Trump inaugural fund, has more than $13 billion in federal contracts, including for Amazon web services and lunar module construction with Blue Origin.

To be clear, there have been instances where sketches have been rejected or revisions requested, but never because of the point of view inherent in the cartoons commentary, wrote Telneas. Thats a game changerand dangerous for a free press."

Word of Telneas stepping down, reported in The Daily Cartoonist, comes amid ongoing upheaval at the Post touched off by the departure of its top editor in a shake up in June 2024. In October a decision to pull the presidential endorsement for Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris, led to several columnists and editorial board members leaving the paper and the loss of more than 200,000 subscribers.

This week the New York Times reported two high profile Post political reporters were leaving to join The Atlantic.

Telneas has received numerous awards for her editorial cartoons in various mediums. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her print cartoons in 2001.
Two state parks on the Oregon coast are closed to cars after a landslide undercut part of a coastal road, state officials said Friday.

A landslide undercut part of the Cape Arago Highway south of Sunset Bay State Park, closing off access to Cape Arago and Shore Acres state parks, the state Parks and Recreation Department said in a statement. Officials said they dont know how long it will take to repair the road.

A landslide along the Arago Highway closed off road access to Cape Arago and Shore Acres state parks. The same storm that caused the landslide also flooded parts of Sunset Bay State Park.Courtesy of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

The same storm also caused flooding that has closed the Sunset Bay State Park campground, the agency said. The Sunset Bay State Parks day-use area is still open, but it could also close if the flooding continues, officials said.

 Fedor Zarkhin is a breaking news and enterprise reporter. Do you have a story? Reach him by phone or text at 971-373-2905 or by email at fzarkhin@oregonian.com.

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A new law requiring all boaters to stay a minimum of 1,000 yards away from endangered southern resident orcas in Washington waters is now in effect.

The law aims to protect southern resident orcas from noise caused by boat traffic, which could affect their likelihood of hunting prey such as Chinook salmon. Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5371 in 2023, and the law went into effect Jan. 1.

The southern resident population continues to decline  the latest Center for Whale Research census tallied 73.

Just last week, a new J pod calf born to mother orca Tahlequah died just days later. Tahlequah is now once again carrying the dead calf, according to researchers, as she did in 2018 in a 17-day, 1,000-mile tour that shocked the region and world.

The 1,000-yard requirement had existed for commercial whale-watching boats for most of the year. But before this law, recreational boaters were required to stay only 400 yards from the orcas.

Boaters who violate the expanded buffer requirement could receive a $500 fine.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife released a report in 2022 recommending the legislature increase the buffer for all boats to 1,000 yards.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife did a review of the latest science and found that the current 300 or 400 yards is not enough to minimize those impacts on their foraging, Nora Nickum with the Seattle Aquarium, who helped draft the bill, said in 2023.

The report summarized the existing research, including a study that revealed boats within 1,640 yards, even those operating at just 1-2 knots, affected the southern residents hunting success.

Two-thirds of southern resident pregnancies end in loss because of a lack of food. Chinook salmon, their prey of choice, face human-made barriers, pollutants and hungry seals and sea lions.

The southern resident populations path to recovery requires all of us to work together, said Julie Watson with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in the departments 2023 news release about the bill.

In addition to implementing the new buffer, the bill also directed WDFW to form an advisory group to enhance awareness of and compliance with the regulations through public outreach.

The new law also modifies how WDFW licenses commercial whale watching and sea kayak tour companies.

The law does not change the regulations around approaching healthier populations such as Biggs killer whales, humpback whales, gray whales or any other whale species in the area.

___

(c)2025 The Seattle Times

Visit The Seattle Times at www.seattletimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
In the days following Donald Trumps victory in the 2024 election, Americans stocked up on their birth control and pregnancy management options amid the looming threat to access by the president-elects association to conservative playbook Project 2025. According to ABC News, Google searches for birth control and Plan B spiked the day after the election, with the surge starting as early as Nov. 2. Winx Health, an online sexual health retailer, reported a 966% jump in sales for their morning-after pill in the 72 hours after the election was called.

One of the things thats most interesting here, I think, is that were not seeing people buy single doses of this product. Women are buying the value pack. Theyre buying in bulk, Winx founder Cynthia Plotch told West Palm Beach, Floridas WPTV in November.

Sara Neill, a physician-researcher in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School shared concerns from a patient replacing her IUD years before medically required in a Dec. 19 TikTok video.

She was actually worried that because of the next Donald Trump presidency that she wouldnt be able to get her IUD exchanged when it was actually needed so she was actually coming in preemptively to see if she could get an IUD exchange before he became president again, she said. Its hard because I really cant give her a for-sure answer. The sad thing is that things that we already thought would never happen, have happened.

As Inauguration Day approaches, concern for the future of products like birth control pills revs up. A vast number of Americans rely on contraception to address hormonal health needs and prevent unwanted pregnancies, which has become an increased concern given the additional barriers to accessing abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned. According to KFF, 90% of women between 18 and 64 have used contraception at some point of their lives and 76% have used more than one method.

In November, Dr. Brittany Cline, an OB-GYN at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, spoke about her offices uptick in demand for birth control counseling and long term options.

On Monday, I used all of our intrauterine devices that the clinic had, and I think that this is going to continue over the next few months and even years down the line, as people try to take some control over their bodies, Cline told ABC News.

Is birth control threatened under a second Trump term?

Project 2025, an almost 900-page presidential playbook outlined by conservative think tank the Heritage Fund, may not call for a full-out ban on contraception but does propose limiting how people can access it. Under the Affordable Care Acts federal contraceptive coverage guarantee, most private insurance plans are required to cover contraception without charging copays or deductibles. Guttmacher Institute, a sexual and reproductive health research organization, reports that after the policy took effect in 2012 it eliminated costs for many privately insured women, with 67% of those using birth control pills paying no out-of-pocket fees, up from just 15% who didnt pay before. According to the National Womens Law Center, this saved Americans $1.4 billion in birth control pills in 2013 alone.

Free or low cost coverage is vital as cost is a major barrier for people accessing care. A 2022 KFF report revealed that 3% of privately insured women cited cost as a barrier for continuing use, while one-in-five uninsured women of reproductive age stopped using contraceptives because they couldnt afford it. Trumps first presidency may foreshadow rollbacks the president-elect could make in his second term. In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of his administrations allowing employers to opt-out of the no-cost contraceptive guarantee if they had a religious or moral objection, which resulted in an estimated 126,000 women losing birth control coverage from their employers.

On the campaign trail, Trump was not explicit in his approach to contraceptives. In May, he didnt directly answer whether he opposed a persons right to contraception, instead stating that he had a policy coming soon.

Things really do have a lot to do with the states and some states are going to have different policy than others, he told KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh.

Though he has yet to reveal a policy, Trump took to social media after the interview to clarify that he did not want to ban birth control, although his campaign later stated that he was speaking on abortion medication not birth control.

I HAVE NEVER, AND WILL NEVER ADVOCATE IMPOSING RESTRICTIONS ON BIRTH CONTROL, or other contraceptives. This is a Democrat fabricated lie,... I DO NOT SUPPORT A BAN ON BIRTH CONTROL, AND NEITHER WILL THE REPUBLICAN PARTY!, Trump posted on May 21.

Contraception is a vital piece of overall healthcare access as it is not only used in pregnancy prevention but many people use it to regulate period cycles, treat migraines, premenstrual syndrome, endometriosis, and more.

As the demand for contraception increases, policy changes and telehealth have made it easier than ever to access care.

According to KFF, about 77% of women access their birth control from a doctors office and prefer to do so despite a growing number of options. Contraception can be ordered through online pharmacies like Wisp and in recent years have become available without consulting a physician.

The FDA approved the first non-prescription daily birth control pill, Opill, in July 2023, which hit pharmacy shelves in late March 2024. Birth control pills are now available without a prescription at retailers like Target and Costco. In October, the Biden Administration proposed further expanding the ACA to include this over-the-counter birth control option and emergency contraception, although the rule has not been finalized.
DAMASCUS, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Syria's interim defense ministry on Friday launched meetings with military leaders to begin the process of incorporating various rebel factions into its command, local media reported.

The move comes after the country's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, reached an agreement last month with rebel chiefs to dissolve all armed groups and consolidate them under a unified Defense Ministry.

This development comes ahead of the planned Syrian National Conference that is expected to take place in the early days of January.

Turkish broadcaster A Haber recently reported that the conference is expected to announce the dissolution of all armed factions, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by al-Sharaa, who played a key role in toppling the Assad government on Dec. 8.

This will be the first pan-national conference since the dramatic power change in the Arab country. 
BEIRUT, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Ahmed Al-Sharaa, head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Syria's de facto leader, held a phone conversation on Friday to discuss common issues and bilateral ties, according to a statement by Mikati's office.

During the phone call, the two talked over relations between the two countries, and touched on the clashes between the Lebanese army and Syrian militants on the border in eastern Lebanon, the statement said.

The statement noted that Mikati has received an invitation from Al-Sharaa to visit Syria to discuss issues concerning both nations.

For his part, Al-Sharaa affirmed that its administration has taken all the necessary measures to restore calm on the border between the two countries and prevent further clashes.

The Lebanese army announced on Friday that four Lebanese soldiers were injured during clashes with Syrian militants on the Lebanese-Syrian border. 
Raphael de Vasconcellos has been offering tours of France since 2010 and specializing in the Champagne region since 2015.

As he describes it on his Uncork Champagne Tours website, its a chance for him to share his passion for history, culture and wine.

He was a splendid host during an early December trip that began and ended at the train station in Reims and included stops at the Notre Dame of Reims (bigger than the more famous one in Paris), a several-hour tour of Champagne House Pommery and its centuries-old mines, a drive through the vineyards to Dom Perignons tomb at Hautvillers, lunch in nearby Epernay and a visit to a boutique Champagne producer.

In this case, the family-owned winery was Goutorbe, where we toured the production area and then relaxed and tried some samples in the tasting room. From there, it was back to the Reims train station.

You can view the full schedule at this link.

Steps take visitors down to the Gallo-Roman chalk mines, which still house bottles of Pommery.Paul Vigna

Its a 45-minute high-speed train ride from Paris to Reims, and then a 10-minute drive to many of the citys most iconic houses. From Paris to Epernay takes another 20 or so minutes by rail.

The small-group Pommery tour and tasting is one of a handful that de Vasconcellos offers, and in our case, the small group was just us  not surprising considering the time of year. That turned it into a private visit to Champagnes two main hubs and one of its top houses, which provided as much food for the brain as bubbly for the palate.

Its one that I would recommend to anyone heading over there, as de Vasconcellos weaved in numerous history lessons to complement the images we were seeing in the present.

A French-Brazilian, de Vasconcellos grew up in Rio de Janeiro but would later move to France.

There's plenty of history in the cellars, going back to 1868 when Madame Pommery began the transformation of the Gallo-Roman chalk mines into cellars dedicated to her Champagne.Paul Vigna

When I first started discovering about Champagne I had no idea how rich the history is here, he said in an email. Not only the political side with the baptism of the first king of France in Reims, the battles of the Marne, the Nazi surrender, but also that the history of the local wine is equally old and fascinating.

While Champagne is associated with holidays and parties (and these days for a beverage worth uncorking year-round), he pointed out that it was first a respected still wine produced by monks, and later it became sparkling by accident because of its international trade, and was eventually served in the feasts after the royal coronations starting with Louis XV.

He added: I cant forget to mention the human aspect, the growers and producers all have their incredible wines and generational life stories to share, and I love to get to know and visit these unsung heroes and artists, passionate about their traditions.

The Pommery tasting room on a raw, rainy morning in early December.Paul Vigna

Its a tour, he said, that continues to evolve as he learns more about the ins and outs of the region.

I know much more now than I used to, so I try to give the most important information in a simple way, to show that it is not just for snobs or nerds, he said. It can be interesting for kids as much as it can for everybody else, just finding the angle.

But the basics were always there, visiting the unavoidable regional attractions like the Cathedral of Reims, the big and small champagne producers, the vineyards and the Champagne Avenue.

A peek at the tasting room of Henri Goutorbe, less than 2 miles from Epernay. It is considered one of the more important growers in Champagne.Paul Vigna

He also leads what he called Remembrance Tours, with visits to Verdun, Bastogne and the Somme, the sites of major battles in either World War I or World War II.

Those, de Vasconcellos said, can be very challenging because of the subject of war and suffering.
Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal court during jury deliberations in his criminal hush money trial in New York on May 30, 2024.Steven Hirsch | New York Post via AP, Pool, File

NEW YORK  In an extraordinary turn, a judge Friday set President-elect Donald Trumps sentencing in his hush money case for Jan. 10  little over a week before hes due to return to the White House  but indicated he wouldnt be jailed.

The development nevertheless leaves Trump on course to be the first president to take office convicted of felony crimes.

Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trumps trial, signaled in a written decision that hed sentence the former and future president to whats known as an unconditional discharge, in which a case is closed without jail time, a fine or probation. Trump can appear virtually for sentencing, if he chooses.

Rejecting Trumps push to dismiss the verdict and throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds and because of his impending second term, Merchan wrote that only bringing finality to this matter would serve the interests of justice.

He said he sought to balance Trumps ability to govern, unencumbered by the case, against other interests: the U.S. Supreme Courts July ruling on presidential immunity and the publics expectation that all are equal and no one is above the Iaw, and the importance of respecting a jury verdict.

This court is simply not persuaded that the first factor outweighs the others at this stage of the proceeding, Merchan wrote in an 18-page decision.

Trump communications director Steven Cheung reiterated that the case, which Trump has long described as illegitimate, should be dismissed outright.

There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead, Cheung said in a statement. He didnt elaborate on Trumps potential next legal moves.

Former Manhattan Judge Diane Kiesel said the ruling cant be appealed under New York law, but Trump nonetheless might try to appeal it. In any event, he can appeal his conviction, a step that cant be taken until he is sentenced.

Trump takes office Jan. 20 as the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.

He was found guilty in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records. They involved an alleged scheme to hide a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in the last weeks of Trumps first campaign in 2016. The payout was made to keep her from publicizing claims shed had sex with the married Trump years earlier. He says that her story is false and that he did nothing wrong.

Trump, a Republican, has decried the verdict as the rigged, disgraceful result of a witch hunt pursued by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.

The conviction left Trump, 78, facing the possibility of punishment ranging from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison. His sentencing initially was set for last July 11, then postponedtwice at the defenses request.

The case centered on how Trump accounted for reimbursing his personal attorney at the time, Michael Cohen, for the Daniels payment. Cohen on Friday called Merchans decision to go ahead with the sentencing judicious and appropriate.

Merchan had postponed the sentencing after Trumps Nov. 5 election so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case.

Trumps lawyers urged Merchan to toss it. They said it would otherwise pose unconstitutional disruptions to the incoming presidents ability to run the country.

Prosecutors acknowledged there should be some accommodation for his upcoming presidency, but they insisted the conviction should stand.

They suggested various options, such as freezing the case during his term or guaranteeing him a no-jail sentence. They also proposed closing the case while formally noting both his conviction and his undecided appeal  a novel idea drawn from what some state courts do when criminal defendants die while appealing their cases.

Merchan ruled that Trumps current status as president-elect does not afford him the same immunity as a sitting president. Setting the verdict aside and dismissing the case would be a drastic step and would undermine the Rule of Law in immeasurable ways, Merchan wrote.

Before Trumps November election, his lawyers sought to reverse his conviction for a different reason: the Supreme Courts immunity decision, which gave presidents broad protection from criminal prosecution.

Trump was a private citizen  campaigning for president, but neither elected nor sworn in  when Cohen paid Daniels in October 2016. He was president when Cohen was reimbursed, and Cohen testified that they discussed the repayment arrangement in the Oval Office.

The Trump hush money attorneys contended that the jury got some evidence that should have been shielded by presidential immunity. Merchan later rejected that argument, but in the meantime, the election raised new issues.

While urging Merchan to nix the conviction, Trump also sought to move the case to federal court, where he could also assert immunity. A federal judge repeatedly said no, but Trump appealed.

The hush money case was the only one of Trumps four criminal indictments to go to trial.

Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases. One pertained to Trumps efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss; the other alleged he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

A separate, state-level election interference case in Georgia is in limbo after an appeals court removed prosecutor Fani Willis from the case.

Trumps lawyers argued that Smiths decision to dismiss the federal indictments against Trump should propel a dismissal of the New York hush money case, as well. But Merchan said he found that argument unpersuasive, noting that the hush money case was in a vastly different stage.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The highly decorated Special Forces soldier who died by suicide in a Cybertruck explosion on New Years Day confided to a former girlfriend who had served as an Army nurse that he faced significant pain and exhaustion that she says were key symptoms of traumatic brain injury.

Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was a five-time recipient of the Bronze Star, including one with a V device for valor under fire. He had an exemplary military record that spanned the globe and a new baby born last year. But he struggled with the mental and physical toll of his service, which required him to kill and caused him to witness the deaths of fellow soldiers.

Livelsberger mostly bore that burden in private but recently sought treatment for depression from the Army, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public.

He also found a confidant in the former nurse, who he began dating in 2018.

Alicia Arritt, 39, and Livelsberger met through a dating app while both were in Colorado Springs. Arritt had served at Landstul Regional Medical Center in Germany, the largest U.S. military medical facility in Europe, where many of the worst combat injuries from Iraq and Afghanistan were initially treated before being flown to the U.S.

There she saw and treated traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, which troops suffered from incoming fire and roadside bombs. Serious but hard to diagnose, such injuries can have lingering effects that might take years to surface.

I saw a lot of bad injuries. But the personality changes can happen later, Arritt said.

In texts and images he shared with Arritt, Livelsberger raised the curtain a bit on what he was facing.

Just some concussions, he said in a text about a deployment to Helmand Province in Afghanistan. He sent her a photo of a graphic tattoo he got on his arm of two skulls pierced by bullets to mark lives he took in Afghanistan. He talked about exhaustion and pain, not being able to sleep and reliving the violence of his deployment.

My life has been a personal hell for the last year, he told Arritt during the early days of their dating, according to text messages she provided to the AP. Its refreshing to have such a nice person come along.

On Friday Las Vegas law enforcement officers released excerpts of messages Livelsberger left behind showing the manner in which Livelsberger killed himself was intentional, meant both as a wakeup call but also to cleanse the demons he was facing from losing fellow soldiers and taking lives.

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill updates the media at Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Las Vegas Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, regarding the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded at the Trump International Hotel. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)AP

Livelsbergers death in front of the Trump Hotel using a truck produced by Elon Musks Tesla company has raised questions as to whether this was an act of political violence.

Officials said Friday that Livelsberger apparently harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, and Arritt said both she and Livelsberger were Tesla fans.

I had a Tesla too that I rescued from a junkyard in 2019, and we used to work on it together, bond over it, Arritt said.

The pair stopped talking regularly after they broke up in 2021, and she had not heard from him in more than two years when he texted out of the blue Dec. 28, and again Dec. 31. The upbeat messages included a video of him driving the Cybertruck and another one of its dancing headlights; the vehicle can sync up its lighting and music.

But she also said Livelsberger felt things very deeply and I could see him using symbolism of both the truck and the hotel.

He wasnt impulsive, Arritt said. I dont see him doing this impulsively, so my suspicion would be that he was probably thinking it out.

Arritt served on active duty from 2003 to 2007 and then was in the Army Reserve from until 2011. With Livelsberger she saw symptoms of TBI as early as 2018.

He would go through periods of withdrawal, and he struggled with depression and memory loss, Arritt said.

I dont know what drove him to do this, but I think the military didnt get him help when he needed it.

But Livelsberger was also sweet and kind, she recalled: He had a really deep well of inner strength and character, and he just had a lot of integrity.

Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Friday that it has turned over all Livelsbergers medical records to local law enforcement, and encouraged troops facing mental health challenges to seek care through one of the militarys support networks.

If you need help, if you feel that you need to seek any type of mental health treatment, or just to talk to someone  to seek the services that are available, either on base or off, Singh said.

When Livelsberger struggled during the time they were dating, Arritt prodded him to get help. But he would not, saying it could cost him his ability to deploy if he was found medically unfit.

There was a lot of stigma in his unit, they were, you know, big, strong, Special Forces guys there, there was no weakness allowed and mental health is weakness is what they saw, she said.

Livelsberger seeking treatment for depression was first reported by CNN.
Most Americans believed America was moving in the wrong direction before the 2024 election. Culturally, politically, militarily, international relations, education . .. you name it, we were displeased. Big changes are coming and some of them will occur before Trump even takes office.

Heres my Captain Obvious list:

1. Hamas will release the hostages before Inauguration Day, just like what happened with Reagan in 1981.

2. Military recruitment will skyrocket. Americanism and traditional patriotism will gain as woke DEI Socialism declines.

3. Legacy Media - will continue to trash the president, probably much worse. Fortunately, more people watch the Food Channel. Perhaps a news media renaissance? Im not holding my breath. It will become less and less important if it doesnt change with the times.

4. The Education Department - gone by October 2026. Thats millions a year back to the states where it can be spent according to needs not wants.

5. Tariffs are a tool to negotiate cooperation. They worked great first time and will again. Those countries will cave before or soon after they are imposed.

6. The illegals. The plan is #1 - violent criminals out. #2 - really shut down the border.

7. National Abortion Ban. No. The permission to stop a baby from being born is right where it belongs  in your heart and in the statehouse. Deal with it.

8. No more elections? The death of democracy? Right. Is that in 2026, 2028 or when monkeys fly? out He said it! He said it! Well ... he said something like that.

9. We will see $1.75 gasoline.

11. Birthright citizenship will go away.

12. No more Spring ahead, fall back!

13. Republicans will continue to blow victories because of a few stubborn congressmen and Democrats will continue to vote lockstep to block absolutely everything in the Trump agenda.

14. A rising tide raises all ships so even those suffering from TDS will prosper ...and credit the genius of Biden.

Like Reagan, Trump simply reminds us how blessed we are in this One nation under God. If youre counting on Trump doing all the work and your just enjoying the fruits of his labor, you will be disappointed. Every generation is challenged to get educated in the principles that make this country work and recognize the evil that is dedicated to its destruction. Its time to stand up, man up and get to work.

Paul Dorsey, SFC, USA (Ret.), Bluefield, W.V.
SINGAPORE, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Singapore will build a new hydrogen-ready Combined Cycle Gas Turbine generating unit, slated to begin operations in 2029, the Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has said in a press release.

"With rising energy demand, it is imperative to ensure adequate generation to power our daily lives," said Puah Kok Keong, EMA's chief executive, noting Singapore's transition towards "a low-carbon energy future."

The new generating unit, to be developed by PacificLight Power, a Singapore-based electricity retailer, will have a generation capacity of at least 600 megawatts.

To be constructed on Jurong Island, located in southwestern Singapore, the facility will be capable of operating with at least 30 percent hydrogen at inception, with plans to burn 100 percent hydrogen in the future, the company said.

Singapore's energy needs have been steadily rising, driven by electricity-intensive sectors such as advanced manufacturing, the digital economy, and the electrification of transportation, according to the EMA. The city-state's power system peak demand is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.7 percent to 5.7 percent over the next six years, reaching between 10.1 gigawatts and 11.8 gigawatts by 2030.

In June 2024, the EMA requested proposals for new generation capacity. The PacificLight Power was selected from six proposals submitted to develop the hydrogen-ready generating unit. 
Pittsburgh Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl can be a hot general manager candidate this cycle. Over a month after he was named a potential target for the New York Jets' open general manager job, the interest in Weidl for a job at large remains.

Sports Illustrateds Albert Breer, who asks around the league each offseason about potential general manager names, cited Weidls as one of the names teams seem most intrigued by this year.

Breer called Weidl a hot candidate that teams have been impressed with for years, but his work with the Philadelphia Eagles and Steelers have risen to the top, and will earn him looks.

"Plenty of people whove worked with him have asked why he doesnt get mentioned moreand theres a reason why Omar Khan, whose background was on the cap side, worked hard to get him to be his No. 2 after Kevin Colbert retired. Few have the path of having worked for three perennial winners that Weidl brings to the table," Breer said about Weidl.

Weidl joined the Steelers after Omar Khan was hired as general manager and works heavily on scouting. Khans background is in cap management, so it would be helpful to have someone like Weidl who has a deep scouting background and knows the Steelers organization. The Mt. Lebanon native returned to his hometown to help build their team, and he has done that with a clear focus on strengthening the trenches first.
by Hummam Sheikh Ali

DAMASCUS, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of the Saudi side, Syria's interim Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad al-Shaibani made the first official visit abroad of the new interim government earlier this week.

Accompanied by a few other senior officials, al-Shaibani spent two days in Riyadh, marking a historic re-engagement between Damascus and one of the most influential Arab states.

This visit is mutually important for both Saudi Arabia and the new Syrian interim leadership, analysts have said.

SAUDI ARABIA'S DUAL SIGNIFICANCE

Mohammad al-Omari, a Syrian political analyst, describes Saudi Arabia as holding a "dual significance" on the Arab and Islamic fronts. As it wields considerable political and economic influence across the Middle East, "Saudi Arabia possesses the capability to establish a strategic balance in Syria, encompassing both political and economic dimensions," he noted.

Thus, recognizing the kingdom's role is critical for Syria's transitional leadership. Al-Shaibani's visit signaled a willingness to reset relations with a country that can shape regional consensus, potentially reassuring both Arab and Muslim-majority neighbors about Damascus's new direction after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, said the analyst.

Saudi Arabia's financial strength and its capacity to mobilize Gulf resources are also major draws for Damascus. After the visit, al-Shaibani highlighted the need to launch an economic development plan that encourages investment and fosters strategic partnerships, while Defense Minister Abu Qasra and Intelligence Chief Anas Khattab also met with top Saudi officials to discuss potential reconstruction ventures.

"Gulf money is closely tied to decisions made by Saudi Arabia, especially when it comes to reconstruction and improving living conditions. The new Syrian leadership needs these resources to stabilize the country," said al-Omari.

SEEKING REGIONAL BALANCE, STABILITY

For Saudi Arabia, reaching out to new Syrian leadership is an important step to strengthen its ties with Syria and balance the regional stability.

"It's not just about trade or investment; it's about ensuring that Syria's new government doesn't become overly dependent on one regional power," said al-Omari.

Syria also seeks a stable environment in the post-Assad era, as al-Shaibani emphasized during the visit that it is important to forge a political environment conducive to "security, stability, and prosperity" in tandem with Arab partners.

He said Syria aims to play "a positive role in the region," a statement that aligns with efforts to rebuild trust among neighboring countries concerned about the potential risks of extremist activities or renewed conflicts.

THE ROAD AHEAD

While the meeting in Riyadh marks an important milestone, observers caution that real progress depends on various factors, including international aid, political reconciliation, and security arrangements that address lingering factional tensions.

In remarks during her first visit to Syria on Friday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for an inclusive transition that respects the rights of all citizens in Syria, making clear that the European Union will not fund Islamist entities in the country.

"We encouraged our interlocutors to draw on the UN experience and support for this politically inclusive process," Baerbock said.

She stressed that any future Syrian government must integrate every segment of society, including women and ethnic minorities, into the political process.

Still, al-Shaibani's debut visit to Saudi Arabia highlights Damascus's broader strategy: to rebuild trust, attract investment, and position the new interim government as a partner for regional and global stakeholders. 
Teri Errico Griffis is the senior business reporter at The Post and Courier, focusing on retail and real estate. An award-winning journalist, she previously worked as a Southeast commerce reporter for the Journal of Commerce and a reporter for the Charleston Regional Business Journal where she covered all facets of business in the Charleston region. Raised in Connecticut and New York, she has called South Carolina home since 2012.
File photo taken on July 15, 2024 shows Mike Johnson speaking during the Republican National Convention 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States. Mike Johnson on Jan. 3, 2025 won re-election in the first round of voting for the U.S. House speaker in a slim Republican majority. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Mike Johnson on Friday won re-election for the U.S. House speaker in a slim Republican majority, after swaying two out of the three members of his party who had joined Democrats to block his bid.

The final vote tally was 218 to 216, with all 215 Democrats voting for minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky voting for another candidate -- GOP Whip Tom Emmer.

Two other House Republicans -- Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas -- had voted for other candidates for speaker, and changed votes after last minute negotiation with Johnson.

The turbulent speaker election reflects the ongoing infighting within the Republican Party. Several conservative Republican lawmakers previously voiced opposition to Johnson's re-election. Even though President-elect Donald Trump has publicly endorsed him, it was not enough to prevent three votes of opposition in the initial results.

Massie, who followed through with his "no" vote, recently said that Johnson is not fit for the job of House speaker, and if he continues to hold the position, it will ultimately cause the Republican Party to lose its slim majority.

Massie had previously supported Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's efforts to remove Johnson from the speaker's position, partly because he believed Johnson chose to cooperate with Democrats to remain speaker, despite lacking sufficient Republican votes to support him.

Johnson, 52, from Louisiana, was initially elected speaker of the House of Representatives as a result of Republican infighting.

On Oct. 3, 2023, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, was ousted due to opposition from the party's far-right conservatives, leaving the House in a state of paralysis. After three weeks of a leaderless period, Johnson was elected speaker on Oct. 25, 2023, in the fourth round of voting.

In the November 2024 U.S. House elections, the Republican Party managed to retain a majority, but it became even slimmer. Republicans currently hold 219 seats, while Democrats control 215 of the 435 seats. This means that if two Republican members were to defect, the GOP could lose its majority, complicating efforts to push through legislative agendas. 
The year 2024 was a challenging one in Nigerias power sector, marked by recurring grid collapses and vandalism of electricity infrastructure. The Nigerian national grid collapsed several times, resulting in widespread power outages across the country. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) attributed the collapses to vandalism and technical issues.

The sector also experienced broad challenges such as electricity policy enforcement difficulty, regulatory uncertainty, gas supply, transmission system constraints, and major power sector planning shortfalls.

In mid-2024, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved a tariff hike for electricity consumers. In a significant development, the TCN was unbundled into two separate entities.

In this report, PREMIUM TIMES presents the key events that shaped the sector in 2024.

Low power/gas constraints

Earlier in the year, the TCN said that there has been a gradual decrease in electricity generated into the grid due to gas constraints. The company said this has impacted the quantum of bulk power available for transmission to the distribution load centres nationwide.

At the time, the Nigerian government attributed the poor power supply to the low supply of gas to generating companies (GenCos).

The Ministry of Power in conjunction with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas) in February set up a ministerial committee towards resolving the crisis.

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Grid collapse

In 2024 the national grid recorded 12 collapses.

The first collapse occurred on 4 February, following a reported system failure by electricity distribution companies (DisCos).

On 28 March the country was thrown into darkness again following the collapse of the electricity grid controlled from Osogbo, Osun State. At the time, the TCN said the system disturbance was triggered by a significant reduction in generation capacity, primarily due to gas constraints.

Another collapse occurred on 15 April, throwing several cities into darkness. The collapse, according to TCN, was caused by a fire incident at the Afam power generating station, leading to a sudden generation loss of 25 MW and 305 MW, respectively.

On 6 July the grid collapsed yet again, marking the fourth disruption. The fifth collapse hit on 5 August leaving the nation in darkness once more.

The grid collapsed yet again on 14 October. A day later, a partial collapse occurred. At the time, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the last election, Peter Obi, described the incident as the failure of leadership and policy implementation.

On 19 October, the grid faced another disturbance. The TCN explained that the incident was a precautionary measure to prevent an explosion at the Jebba transmission substation.

On 22 October the grid collapsed again, leaving some states in northern Nigeria without power. At the time the TCN blamed the disturbance on vandalism and transmission line malfunctions.

On 5 November the TCN announced that the grid experienced a partial disturbance at about 1:52 p.m. At the time, the TCN explained that this followed a series of lines and generator trippings that caused grid instability and, consequently, the partial disturbance of the system.

Just two days after the incident, another collapse occurred on 7 November. The latest collapse, which occurred on 11 December, marked the twelfth collapse witnessed in the year.

Vandalism

Vandalism of transmission infrastructure and distribution equipment was also a common occurrence in 2024.

In March, the TCN said one of its critical infrastructures, the Shiroro-Katampe 330 Kilo Volt (kV) transmission line, was vandalised, making it the fifth incident between February and March.

Reacting to the frequent vandalism of power infrastructure across Nigeria at the time, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, recommended the death penalty for persons who steal power infrastructure.

Unfortunately, the government has yet to prosecute arrested vandals as they are usually released on bail by the police, according to the TCN.

The activities of vandals in the outgoing year threw the entire Bayelsa State into darkness for months.

In August, the TCN said two transmission towers, T98 and T99, along the Ahoada/Yenagoa 132kV line in the Igbooghene community of Bayelsa, were destroyed by vandals.

At the time, the TCN said the incident caused the collapse of both towers, cutting off the power supply to Bayelsa, including its Yenagoa Substation and the Gbarain Power Station.

Again in October, the TCN said its Shiroro-Mando transmission line was damaged due to sabotage, causing a power outage in many northern states.

In November, the Nigerian government said it had spent about N8.8 billion to repair transmission towers vandalised across the country. The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TCN, Suleiman Abdulaziz, who disclosed this at the quarterly power sector working group meeting at the time explained that between 13 January and 27 November, 128 transmission towers were destroyed by vandals or bandits across the country.

On 18 December, the TCN said its 330kV Shiroro-Katampe transmission line had been vandalised again.

Tariff increase

In April, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced a hike in the electricity tariff, affecting customers in the Band A category, who represent 15 per cent of the customers and consume 40 per cent of electricity output.

The policy allowed distribution companies (DisCos) to raise electricity prices to N225 ($0.15) per kilowatt-hour from N68, in return for guaranteeing 20 hours of electricity supply per day.

The government explained that the decision to implement the tariff increase was aimed at improving liquidity in the downstream power sector, as it had become difficult to sustain the subsidy in that sector.

However, the decision attracted criticism among Nigerians.

On 30 April, the House of Representatives urged NERC to suspend the tariff hike pending the conclusion of its investigation.

Following the resolution by the House, DisCos, on 6 May, announced tariff reduction. Announcing the reduction at the time, the distribution companies said customers in Band A will now pay N206.80/kwh from N225/kwh.

In July, DisCos proceeded with another hike and even upgraded more customers into the Band A category. Announcing the upward review at the time, the distribution companies said customers in Band A will now pay N209.5/kwh from N206.80/kwh.

In July, the House of Representatives asked the NERC and DisCos to revert to the old electricity tariff. They did not.

TCN unbundling

In the year, NERC officially unbundled TCN into two entities, namely the Nigerian Independent System Operator Nigeria Limited (NISO) and the Transmission Service Provider (TSP), in line with the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2023.

Metering

The metering of electricity consumers has been one of the key challenges facing the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) since the privatisation of the sector in 2005.

Despite numerous government initiatives to bridge the metering gap, the issue persists and was a significant challenge in the sector in 2024.

NERC in April took a significant step towards deregulating meter access in Nigeria to allow customers to procure meters from Meter Asset Providers (MAPs) based on competitive open market prices determined through transparent bidding frameworks.

Outlook

In October, Mr Adelabu said 1.3 million meters will be delivered between December 2024 and the second quarter (Q2) of 2025. At the time, he said the first phase of the meters will arrive in Nigeria in December, while the second phase will be received in the second quarter of 2025.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, Ogunrinde Adeola, an energy expert, said the countrys power sector is expected to experience significant growth in 2025, driven by increasing domestic gas demand and renewable energy development.

Nigerias power generation capacity is expected to increase, driven by growing domestic gas demand, he said.

He emphasised that addressing critical challenges will be vital to unlocking the sectors full potential in the year.

These challenges include addressing infrastructure deficits, particularly in transmission and distribution, resolving policy uncertainty to foster a more favorable investment climate.

By tackling these challenges, he said Nigeria can harness its vast energy resources, drive economic growth, and provide reliable electricity to its citizens.

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Kano Censors Board has suspended actress Samha Inuwa from acting and appearing in Kannywood movies for one year.

The board accused the actress of posting pictures of herself in indecent attire.

The suspension is part of the Kano State Censorship Boards efforts to maintain moral integrity in the Kannywood film industry and ensure compliance with its rules and regulations.

Top actresses like Rahama Sadau and Nafeesat Abdullahi were also suspended in the past for similar accusations by the board.

In a statement issued by Abdullahi Sulaiman, the Information Officer for the Kano State Censorship Board, on Saturday, it accused the actress of not heeding the boards several warnings

The actress had been repeatedly warned about her inappropriate attire, vulgar displays, and offensive language in some of her videos.

Samha Inuwa had been repeatedly cautioned about her crude dressing and vulgar displays, but she continued to flout the boards regulations.

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The statement said, In addition to the suspension, the board has revoked her licence and halted the censorship of any films featuring her.

The board reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all films, writings, and other forms of expression align with the states religious values, cultural norms, and moral standards.

However, the board has not publicly disclosed the specific comments or images deemed indecent or violating its regulatory ethics, leaving the nature of the offence unclear.

The 27-year-old actress has appeared in many Kannywood movies, including Fansa, where she starred alongside Ali Nuhu.

She has also appeared in Shekarar Take, Taaddanci, Mariya, Wutar Kara, and Matan Zamani, among others.

She also won the Best Actress Award, Kannywood, in the City People Awards in 2018.

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The death toll from Fridays clash between farmers and herders in Gululu, a community in Miga Local Government Area of Jigawa State, has risen to nine, the police have said.

The police said nine bodies were recovered after the violent confrontation that extended to neighbouring Jahun Local Government Area.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that one person, Dauda Kafinta, who was declared missing during the melee, was later found dead.

The crisis started when the peasant farmers accused their herder neighbours of stealing from a provision store.

The village head of the community, Muhammad Sarkin-Dori, told our reporter on Friday that some residents traced the footprints of the suspected thieves to a neighbourhood herders settlement.

The police spokesperson in the state, Lawan Adam, said in a statement on Saturday that the violence escalated to neighbouring communities, with the groups embarking on an orgy of killing and arson.

Mr Adam said after the initial clash, the villagers mobilised, attacked the Fulanis and torched their houses at various locations in Miga and Jahun LGAs.

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Upon receipt of the report, a team of police officers from the Miga and Jahun Divisions rushed to the scene to assess the situation and restore peace and order.

Unfortunately, nine (9) bodies were recovered. The corpses were ferried to Jahun and Miga Hospitals, where the medical doctor on duty confirmed their deaths, the police spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Abdullah, deployed officers to the scene of the crime.

A stakeholder meeting was immediately convened, attended by the Jigawa State speaker, Haruna Aliyu, chairmen of the two LGAs, district heads, Miyetti Allah leadership, and vigilantes.

The meeting was centred on maintaining law and order, avoiding violence, propaganda, and reprisal attacks.

In the meantime, patrols are being stepped up in the general area to prevent further breakdown of law and order. The situation has been brought under control. An investigation is currently underway to bring the perpetrators to justice, Mr Adam said.

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Terrorists invaded Natsini, a community in Argungun Local Government Area of Kebbi State, on Thursday night killing two police officers and rustling nearly 200 cattle.

Hamza Shuaibu, a resident of the community, told PREMIUM TIMES that the terrorists arrived late Thursday night and headed to a compound where the cattle were kept.

Even though the residents fled on seeing the terrorists, Mr Shuaibu said no civilian was kidnapped or killed.

They rather went straight to the compound where more than 200 cattle were kept and took many of them away, Mr Shuaibu said, adding the cattle belong to Lawali Black, a businessman living in Argungu, the headquarters of Argungu LGA.

Two police operatives killed in action

Nafiu Abubakar, the spokesperson for Kebbi Police Command, told our reporter that two officers lost their lives while exchanging fire with the terrorists.

Mr Abubakar, a police superintendent, said the officers were among those deployed to the community to confront the terrorists.

The police spokesperson added that the police were after the assailants.

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Although Daily Trust blamed the attack on Lakurawa insurgents, the police spokesperson said it was too early to attribute the attack to the group.

According to him, the police can only tell the attacks perpetrators if anyone is arrested.

Some cattle returned home

Mr Shuaibu, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES over the phone, said some of the rustled cattle returned to Natsini the following morning.

About 20 of the cattle returned home on Friday morning, he said, adding that 20 others were left behind that night when the terrorists invaded the compound.

This is not the first time terrorists have attacked the area.

The Thursday night attack came less than two months after terrorists invaded Mera, also in Argungu LGA, killing 15 locals who tried to stop them from rustling cattle in the community.

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An employee works at a production workshop of Jiangsu Xinlei Malt Co., Ltd. in Xinghua City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 3, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Zhou Shegen/Xinhua)

Workers of HBIS Group Shijiazhuang Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. hoist steel for transport in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 2, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Liang Zidong/Xinhua)

Workers fulfill export orders at a workshop of an automotive electronics company in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 2, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Jia Minjie/Xinhua)

A worker drives a forklift to transfer cathode copper at a Hunan branch of China Minmetals in Changning City, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 2, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Zhou Xiuyuchun/Xinhua)

Employees work at a garment processing company in Taiji Town of Qianjiang District, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Jan. 3, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Yang Min/Xinhua)

Employees work on a production line at a new energy vehicle enterprise in Wuhu, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 3, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Xiao Benxiang/Xinhua)

Employees work at a lighter parts factory in Huiting Town, Xiayi County, Shangqiu, central China's Henan Province, Jan. 3, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Wang Gaochao/Xinhua)

Large vessels are under construction at a shipbuilding company in Rongcheng, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 2, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Yang Zhili/Xinhua)

An employee works at the photovoltaic module production workshop of a new energy enterprise in Yucheng County, Shangqiu City, central China's Henan Province, Jan. 3, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Li Heng/Xinhua)

A staff member works at a heavy steel structure engineering company in Hengshan County, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 3, 2025. Enterprises across China are operating at full capacity to meet production demands at the start of the new year. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua)
Christy Gold, the leader of an International Human Trafficking network operating across the Middle Eastern countries with an operational base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Dubai, has been arrested.

Also known as Uadiale Christiana Jacob, she is a senior member of an organised human trafficking syndicate notorious for the recruitment, trafficking and sexual exploitation of underage Nigerian girls in the UAE.

Ms Gold, who is also called Christy Evan Osagie, has been on the wanted list of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for the past five years.

She was arrested and handed over to NAPTIP by Officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on duty at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, on 31 December 2024, on arrival from Dubai for the New Year celebration.

Her suspected other accomplices, one Michael Nduka, Osas Wiseman, Vivian, and a certain Prophet John in Lagos, along with others who are field officers who assist in the recruitment and subsequent transfer of victims to her (Christy Gold), are still on the run.

NAPTIP announced her arrest and criminal antecedents in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.

Backstory

On 13 October 2020, she was arrested by NAPTIP in the Ikpoba Hill area, Benin City, for her involvement in the trafficking of underaged Nigerian girls to Dubai for forced prostitution.

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She was charged to the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, on 25 November 2020, where she was granted bail.

NANTIP said she violated the bail terms and absconded to Dubai. After failing to appear before the Court, the sitting Judge issued a Bench Warrant for her arrest on 3 November 2021.

To bring her to justice for her crimes, NAPTIP said it sought the assistance and collaboration of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, the National Central Bureau (NCB), INTERPOL Nigeria, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the United Arab Emirates Police for her arrest and extradition to Nigeria.

READ ALSO: FRSC intercepts suspected human trafficker in Anambra

Conviction in absentia

Even while she tried to evade justice, NAPTIP did not relent. Ms Gold was convicted of human trafficking in absentia by Justice F . A Olubanjo of the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, on 21 March 2024, with sentencing being awaited whenever she is rearrested and brought before the Honourable Court.

Luck ran out on her on New Years Eve, when Nigeria Immigration Service officers acting in respect of NAPTIPs request for watchlisting dated 22 February 2023 nabbed her upon her arrival in Nigeria.

Speaking on the development, Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, lauded the efforts of the Nigerian Immigration Service for apprehending the fleeing human trafficking convict, saying that it was a commendable demonstration of inter-agency collaboration.

The convict arrested and convicted will indeed be taken to the Court to face the sentence by the Law. This is a clear message to other members of this international criminal gang who are still on the run: They can only hide for a while; they can never hide forever. We have already activated all necessary security and intelligence apparatuses, and our partners worldwide are looking for these elements. Very soon, the net will catch them.

I am happy it was a sad end for human traffickers in the country in 2024, and we promise them hell in 2025. We are more determined and will be more decisive this year to fish them out and ensure the protection of Nigerians from trafficking, exploitation, and violence against persons, the Director General stated.

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Nollywood, the worlds second-largest film industry by output, has evolved through distinct erasfrom the 19th century to the present.

Since colonial times, the Golden Age, the video film era, and now the New Nigerian Cinema and streaming era, Nollywood has profoundly influenced millions across Nigeria and Africas cultural values, beliefs, and perspectives.

Yet, despite its global success, much of this storied evolution remains undocumented.

To this end, The MoNICA Centre and Lufodo Group have partnered to create a permanent exhibition at the historic Glover Memorial Hall in the heart of Lagos Island.

The idea is to establish a new Lagos museum dedicated to preserving Nigerias film history, just as the permanent exhibition will open in February 2025 at the Glover Memorial Hall.

In a statement on Saturday, the co-CEO of Glover Memorial Hall, Joke Silva, said: Hosting Losing Daylight as a permanent exhibition here is a perfect fit. This venue played an instrumental role in shaping the film industry we celebrate today. Its symbolic, full-circle, and a reminder of how art and culture thrive when institutions join forces.

Taiwo Adeyemi, director of The MoNICA Centre, emphasised the urgency of this endeavour, saying that collecting, curating, and celebrating this history has become more essential than ever. Making it accessible for younger generations is key to preserving this legacy.

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Losing Daylight

The idea and partnership began in 2023 with Losing Daylight, a multisensory exhibition that captured Lagos attention by addressing the absence of documented history in Nigerias film industry.

The exhibition blended art and history, showcasing film relics such as vintage posters, equipment, scripts, VHS tapes, costumes, and installations that reimagined the golden days of Nigerian cinema.

Temporarily hosted at intervals over three months, Losing Daylight welcomed thousands of film enthusiasts and culture custodians in partnership with Ecobank Nigeria, TikTok, and 37 Lagos.

During the event, Mr Adeyemi hinted at plans for a permanent home for the collection, ensuring accessibility beyond special events. Now formalised as The MoNICA Centre, short for the Museum of Nigerian Cinema and Art, is a registered nonprofit committed to becoming a cultural hub for African art. This partnership with Glover Memorial Hall is a major step toward realising that vision, he added.

Glover Memorial Hall was built in 1887 to honour Captain John Glover, the Governor of the Lagos Colony. Glover Memorial Hall is steeped in history. In 1903, the venue hosted Nigerias first public film screening marking it as pivotal in the early days of Nigerian film culture.

The hall has been a stage for iconic theatre artists such as Kola Ogunmola, Oyin Adejobi, and Hubert Ogunde, whose provocative play Yoruba Ronu sparked government censorship in 1978. It also hosted notable events, including the screening of Wole Soyinkas Kongis Harvest, the W.E.B. Du Bois lecture, and unforgettable performances by jazz greats like Duke Ellington.

The Lagos State Government handed over management of the hall in 2022 to Lufodo Group, founded by Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva, with Soji Jacobs at the helm, in partnership with Ciuci Consulting, under the leadership of Chukwuka Monye. Following renovations, Glover Hall remains an important venue for culturally significant events.

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The United Kingdom (UK) is struggling to contain a severe flu outbreak, with over 5,000 patients hospitalised as of late December.

The National Health Service (NHS), in a statement published on Friday, said the surge in cases has put immense pressure on hospitals, with an average of 4,469 patients with flu hospitalised each day in the week ending 29 December.

This represents a significant increase from the same period in 2023, with flu hospitalisations almost 3.5 times higher.

There were 4,102 patients in hospital with flu on Christmas Day, rising sharply by almost a quarter to 5,074 by Sunday, 29 December. The new figures mean flu cases in hospital have quadrupled in a month (1,190 on 29 Nov).

The NHS said there are warnings of continued pressure going into 2025, with amber cold health alerts for England issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) as temperatures in the coming days are set to drop below freezing.

Pressure on hospitals

According to NHS, hospitals in the UK are still under pressure from a range of viruses.

It noted that norovirus cases averaged 723 hospitalisations in the week ending 22 December, and 528 daily hospitalisations last week.

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Although this has come down, it remains 40 per cent higher than 378 the same week last year, it said.

The number of patients in critical care with flu also rose to 211 per day, while norovirus and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases remains higher than previous year, it said.

To manage the extra demand, the NHS said it had implemented measures ahead of winter, including upgraded coordination centres and increased community-based care.

It noted that NHS went ahead and beyond to discharge 15,094 patients on Christmas Eve, up more than 40 per cent on the 10,495 discharges on average for the week before.

The National Clinical Director for urgent and emergency care, NHS, Julian Redhead said these latest figures show the pressure from flu was nowhere near letting up.

Mr Redhead said On top of flu there is also continual pressure from COVID, while RSV and norovirus hospital cases are also higher than last year, with hospitals putting in place an extra 1,300 beds last week than the same time last year in expectation of this continued pressure from viruses and other demand.

He urged everyone to take precautions and use NHS services wisely, as low temperatures can be dangerous for those who are vulnerable or have respiratory conditions.

Reactions

Nigerians residing in the UK have expressed concerns on social media about the severity of the flu outbreak.

Ibironke Quadri, a Nigerian renal nurse based in the UK, warned on X platform: Whatever is going on currently in the UK is not ordinary flu. People are sicker, and hospitals are filling up. Please take precautions and keep your immunity up.

Another Nigerian in the UK, Onyinyechukwu, shared her personal experience: For the first time in the UK, Im severely down with a bad flu. Ive finished a pack of Beecham flu sip, but Im still not feeling relieved. This thing in the air is not flu; its worse and deadlier.

Melinabailyharris, an X user, lamented the lack of awareness on the virus transmission.

She wrote: On the train in London today in our FFP3 masks and people move away from us but not the unmasked coughing up a lung. The lack of knowledge in the UK about how viruses such as COVID and flu spread is unbelievable  but thats what terrible public health messaging results in.

Prevention

The UKHSA reported on its website that the flu is now circulating at higher levels.

It emphasised that vaccination offers the best protection against serious illness and hospitalisation, particularly for those who are vulnerable or elderly.

While the national booking system for flu vaccination closed on 19 December, eligible groups are reminded that they can still book their vaccination through their GP surgery or local pharmacy where available, it noted.

Flu is currently at high levels and often circulates for many weeks through the course of winter. Vaccination will provide those eligible with the best protection.

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The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has thanked President Bola Tinubu for finding time to visit the state even as he stated that the AI-driven surveillance network and the Distress Response Squad set up by his administration have redefined safety across the state. Mr Tinubu paid a one day official visit to Enugu State on Saturday during which he commissioned some projects in the state.

In a social media post through his X handle on Saturday night, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah @PNMbah Governor Mbah expressed his appreciation to the President, saying: Thank you, Mr President, for your support and recognition of our efforts. Thank you for finding time to visit, as we look forward to seeing you again.

Today, we welcomed our dear President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu @officialABAT, to Enugu State, where he graciously commissioned several transformative projects executed by our administration. Among the projects commissioned were: 30 completed Enugu Smart Green Schools out of 260 under construction, 60 equipped Type 2 primary healthcare centres across 260 wards, the Enugu International Conference Centre, a hub for global engagement, 90 newly completed urban roads to ease mobility in our cities, and a state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre with 150 AI-embedded patrol vehicles for enhanced security, the governor stated.

Mr Mbah further stated in the post: The Presidents acknowledgment of our efforts underscores the essence of our mission. From our investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure to bolstering security, we are laying a solid foundation for a prosperous Enugu State. These projects reflect our vision to grow Enugus economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion within the next eight years.

It is a responsibility we owe to our dear people of Enugu State. Security is key to this vision. Our AI-driven surveillance network and the Distress Response Squad have redefined safety across the state. This initiative guarantees peace of mind, ensuring our streets and neighbourhoods remain safe for residents and investors alike.

I want to assure my dear Ndi Enugu that this is just the beginning. As a government, we shall continue to build the Enugu of our dreams  a hub of opportunity, service delivery, and economic excellence. I wholeheartedly echo the Presidents call that the elections are behind us and now is the time to unite and drive our nation forward. Regardless of political affiliations, we can build an Enugu State as well as a Nigeria that serves and uplifts everyone.

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The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has dissolved his cabinet, including the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), in what his chief press secretary describes as a normal exercise in the states political culture.

This move comes just three days after the governor suspended the chairman and board members of the Nasarawa State Teachers Service Commission due to alleged unauthorised recruitment of over 1,000 teachers.

According to Ibrahim Addara, the chief press secretary, the dissolution affects the states commissioners and the SSG, but not other appointees.

The reason for the dissolution was not disclosed by the governor.

Mr Addara wrote in a Friday statement that dissolving cabinets is a normal practice in Nasarawa State, allowing the governor to make adjustments and re-structure his cabinet.

Mr Sule had previously dissolved his cabinet in August 2021.

The governors decision can be seen as a strategic move to reorganise his administration and address pressing issues in the state, Mr Addara added.

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The Police Command in Jigawa has confirmed nine persons dead and four others injured in a communal clash that occurred on Friday in the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Lawan Shiisu, confirmed the incident in a statement issued to journalists in Dutse on Saturday.

Mr Shiisu stated that the incident occurred at Gululu village in Miga Local Government Area (LGA).

He explained that the incidents occurred after village residents discovered that a shop in the area had been broken into and goods looted by unknown persons.

The PPRO added that, as a result, the villagers traced the suspected thieves footsteps to a village in the neighbouring Fulani community in Jahun LGA.

He said that the community members were alleged to have shot the visiting villagers with bows and arrows, injuring four persons.

According to him, in retaliation, the villagers from Gululu later mobilised and attacked and set ablaze Fulani settlements in both Miga and Jahun LGAs.

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On 03/01/2025, information from Gululu village in Miga LGA indicated that a group of miscreants suspected to be Fulanis broke into a shop and stole a quantity of hibiscus flower and other provisions.

A team of villagers (Hausawa) traced their footprints to a Fulani settlement Camp in Yankunama village, Jahun LGA.

On sighting the villagers, the Fulanis started shooting the villagers with bows and arrows, and as a result, four persons were seriously injured.

The villagers mobilized and started attacking the Fulanis and setting their houses ablaze at various locations within Miga and Jahun LGAs, Shiisu said.

He added that upon receipt of the report, a team of policemen from the two LGAs rushed to assess the situation and restore peace and order.

Unfortunately, upon their arrival, nine bodies were recovered and taken to Jahun and Miga Hospitals, where the medical doctors on duty confirmed them dead, he said.

The PPRO said that the Commissioner of Police (CP) in the state, Ahmadu Abdullahi, along with other senior officers, had already visited the crime scene, where a stakeholder meeting was immediately convened.

According to him, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Haruna Aliyu, who is from Miga, Council Chairmen, District Heads, leaders of Miyetti Allah and Vigilante Groups from the two affected LGAs also attended the meeting.

READ ALSO: Court orders SSS to release Miyetti Allah leader

The meeting was centred on maintaining law and order, avoiding violence, propaganda and reprisal attacks.

And in the meantime, patrols are being stepped up in the affected areas to prevent further breakdown of law and order, Mr Shiisu said.

He added that while the situation has been brought under control, an investigation is currently ongoing to bring the perpetrators to justice.

(NAN)

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Suspected Lakurawa bandits have attacked Natsini village in Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi and rustled an unspecified number of cows.

The spokesperson of Kebbi Police Command, Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a press statement on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi.

He said: On the Jan 3, at about 0100hrs, armed hoodlums suspected to be Lakurawa bandits on motorcycles invaded Alhaji Lawal Black Farm and nearby Fulani settlements located at Natsini village, along Argungu/Kangiwa road and rustled unspecified number of cows.

On receipt of the report, a team of Police Safer Highway patrol immediately rushed to the scene, engaged the bandits in a gun duel, pursued them, forcing the bandits to escape into the forest with gunshot wounds and successfully recovered some of the rustled cows.

Regrettably, two police officers lost their lives during the encounter.

Mr Abubakar said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Bello Sani, had condemned the unfortunate incident and prayed for the souls of the deceased police officers to have eternal rest and give their families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The CP equally paid an on-the-spot assessment visit of the scene, after which he visited the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammadu-Mera, where he condoled and briefed him on the efforts of the combined security agencies towards combating crimes in the area, the PRO said.

(NAN)

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The Police Command in Imo on Saturday said it had smashed a kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate at Umuokanne in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the successful dismantling of the notorious crime syndicate marks the commands second major breakthrough in less than two weeks.

The command had announced that it killed three suspects and arrested two others at Orogwe in Owerri West Local Government Area of the state during the Yuletide.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Henry Okoye, who disclosed Saturdays feat in a statement, said two suspects were also killed while four victims were rescued during an operation.

The operation, which took place on January 4, 2025, began when a distress call was received at around 12:00 pm, reporting the abduction of three women and one man in Umuokanne, Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area.

Acting swiftly on intelligence gathered, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit located the criminals hideout.

Upon arrival, a gunfight ensued between the police operatives and the kidnappers, he noted.

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According to him, the four victims  Carolyn Didia, 42, Ego Odu, 48, Apollonia Ezekwe, 40, and Godwin Ezekwe, 37, were successfully freed.

Mr Okoye also said the police recovered one AK-47 rifle, 21 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and a magazine from the criminals.

However, two of the rescued victims sustained gunshot wounds from the kidnappers bullets during the confrontation.

They were promptly taken to Oforola Health Centre, where they are now stable and recovering well, he further disclosed.

The police spokesman reassured residents of the commands commitment to safeguarding lives and property in the state.

He said investigations are currently underway to apprehend any remaining members of the criminal syndicate.

He urged the public to report any suspicious activities to support further efforts to enhance community safety.

(NAN)

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The Police Command in Kaduna State on Saturday dismissed a viral post alleging the arrest of a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) who purportedly went to give firearms to bandits and kidnappers.

The police, in a statement issued by the Commands Spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, described the video as fake and intended to mislead the public.

Mr Hassan said: The attention of the Command has been drawn to a false and malicious viral post on social media alleging that the DCP went to give firearms to bandits and kidnappers, unfortunately he was arrested with them.

The Command categorically states that this news is fake and intended to mislead the public.

The image used in the viral post is not of any officer in Kaduna State but rather an old photograph of a fake Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Kingsley Udoyen, who was arrested in Akwa Ibom State in January 2019.

We urge members of the public to verify this information by searching google with the headline Fake Assistant Commissioner of Police arrested, he said.

Mr Hassan said it was not the first time the command had debunked the fake news, saying that the command has identified the suspects responsible for spreading it.

They will be arrested and brought to justice.

He said the State Commissioner of Police warned the public to desist from sharing unverified news, as such acts not only spread panic but also undermine the integrity of the Police Force.

Any attempt to tarnish the reputation of the Police will not be tolerated, Mr Hassan said.

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(NAN)

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The United States House of Representatives has re-elected Mike Johnson as Speaker, allowing him to retain his position at the chambers helm.

Mr Johnson, a Republican, was re-elected on Friday by a narrow margin, underscoring potential divisions among President-elect Donald Trumps Republicans.

He had initially lost the first round of the election after his vote tally came short.

House Republicans hold a narrow majority in the new 119th Congress, with 219 Republicans, 215 Democrats, and one vacancy.

Each House member was expected to vote along party lines, selecting either Mr Johnson or the Democratic candidate, Hakeem Jeffries, based on their party affiliation. The majority-party candidate was expected to secure the speakership easily.

However, three Republicans disrupted the process by withholding their support for Mr Johnson and casting votes for other lawmakers to prevent him from achieving more than 50 per cent of the votes.

However, the vote wasnt formally closed after each member voted, allowing Mr Johnson to negotiate.

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Usually, the US House of Representatives Speaker election can require multiple rounds of voting if no candidate secures a majority in the first round. In a deadlock, the House will continue voting until a candidate reaches the necessary majority.

However, Mr Johnsoms long-shot plan paid off, enabling him to break the deadlock and avoid a second round of voting.

Two Republicans changed votes

The Louisiana Republican secured the speakership with 218 votes out of a total of 435 votes after two of the three holdouts switched their votes.

The two Republicans are Ralph Norman, representative of South Carolina, and Keith Self, Texas Representative.

According to Mr Self, he had a change of heart after a lively discussion with Mr Trump, during which he secured a promise that the partys right-wing would be included in efforts to shape key tax and immigration bills.

We needed more input from members like myself not a chairman, not a leadership position  and I think thats what we have done, Reuters quoted him as saying.

A total of 215 votes, all from Democrats, were cast for minority leader Hakeem Jeffries. Meanwhile, the third Republican, Thomas Massie, who had vowed not to support Mr Johnson, instead cast his vote for fellow Republican Tom Emmer.

After the election, Mr Johnson vowed to extend Mr Trumps 2017 tax cuts, which are set to expire this year, and roll back regulations.

Were going to drastically cut back the size and scope of government, he said.

Mr Johnson was first appointed as speaker in October 2023, following the ousting of former speaker Kevin McCarthy. He was appointed after several rounds of voting, with the House members unable to make a unified decision.

Trumps endorsement

The speakership vote took place on the opening day of the 119th Congress, weeks after the general election in November.

A number of Republicans were present to support Mr Johnson, including Mr Trump, who had earlier endorsed him.

Good luck today to Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100 per cent support, Mr Trump said.

The vote for Mr Johnson also put Mr Trumps ability to rally Republicans support under scrutiny, given that he had urged the party to back Mr Johnson as he prepares to push an ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations when he assumes office on January 20.

It is also considered to have highlighted the narrow margin of control Republicans hold in the House. With only 219 seats, the vote of every member is required to secure a majority in any party-line vote.

Mr Trump has congratulated the speaker on his reelection.

According to him, the Louisiana Republican got an unprecedented Vote of Confidence in Congress.

Mike will be a Great Speaker, and our Country will be the beneficiary, Trump wrote in his post. The People of America have waited four years for Common Sense, Strength, and Leadership. Theyll get it now, he wrote in a post on Truth Social, his social media network.

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People walk on a street in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 10, 2024. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

Syrian interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani's debut visit to Saudi Arabia signaled a willingness to reset relations with a country that can shape regional consensus, potentially reassuring both Arab and Muslim-majority neighbors about Damascus's new direction, said a Syrian political analyst.

by Hummam Sheikh Ali

DAMASCUS, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of the Saudi side, Syria's interim Minister of Foreign Affairs Asaad al-Shaibani made the first official visit abroad of the new interim government earlier this week.

Accompanied by a few other senior officials, al-Shaibani spent two days in Riyadh, marking a historic re-engagement between Damascus and one of the most influential Arab states.

This visit is mutually important for both Saudi Arabia and the new Syrian interim leadership, analysts have said.





SAUDI ARABIA'S DUAL SIGNIFICANCE

Mohammad al-Omari, a Syrian political analyst, describes Saudi Arabia as holding a "dual significance" on the Arab and Islamic fronts. As it wields considerable political and economic influence across the Middle East, "Saudi Arabia possesses the capability to establish a strategic balance in Syria, encompassing both political and economic dimensions," he noted.

Thus, recognizing the kingdom's role is critical for Syria's transitional leadership. Al-Shaibani's visit signaled a willingness to reset relations with a country that can shape regional consensus, potentially reassuring both Arab and Muslim-majority neighbors about Damascus's new direction after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad, said the analyst.

Saudi Arabia's financial strength and its capacity to mobilize Gulf resources are also major draws for Damascus. After the visit, al-Shaibani highlighted the need to launch an economic development plan that encourages investment and fosters strategic partnerships, while Defense Minister Abu Qasra and Intelligence Chief Anas Khattab also met with top Saudi officials to discuss potential reconstruction ventures.

"Gulf money is closely tied to decisions made by Saudi Arabia, especially when it comes to reconstruction and improving living conditions. The new Syrian leadership needs these resources to stabilize the country," said al-Omari.

This photo taken on Dec. 8, 2024 shows thick smoke after an explosion in Damascus, Syria. (Photo by Monsef Memari/Xinhua)

SEEKING REGIONAL BALANCE, STABILITY

For Saudi Arabia, reaching out to new Syrian leadership is an important step to strengthen its ties with Syria and balance the regional stability.

"It's not just about trade or investment; it's about ensuring that Syria's new government doesn't become overly dependent on one regional power," said al-Omari.

Syria also seeks a stable environment in the post-Assad era, as al-Shaibani emphasized during the visit that it is important to forge a political environment conducive to "security, stability, and prosperity" in tandem with Arab partners.

He said Syria aims to play "a positive role in the region," a statement that aligns with efforts to rebuild trust among neighboring countries concerned about the potential risks of extremist activities or renewed conflicts.

Locals rally in a street in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 8, 2024. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

THE ROAD AHEAD

While the meeting in Riyadh marks an important milestone, observers caution that real progress depends on various factors, including international aid, political reconciliation, and security arrangements that address lingering factional tensions.

In remarks during her first visit to Syria on Friday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called for an inclusive transition that respects the rights of all citizens in Syria, making clear that the European Union will not fund Islamist entities in the country.

"We encouraged our interlocutors to draw on the UN experience and support for this politically inclusive process," Baerbock said.

She stressed that any future Syrian government must integrate every segment of society, including women and ethnic minorities, into the political process.

Still, al-Shaibani's debut visit to Saudi Arabia highlights Damascus's broader strategy: to rebuild trust, attract investment, and position the new interim government as a partner for regional and global stakeholders.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced a planned electricity rationing exercise in some parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nasarawa due to the ongoing road dualisation project by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

The TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, disclosed this in a statement Friday night.

Earlier on Friday, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) said that many parts of the Nigerian capital will be without electricity for 16 days.

The AEDC said there would be power interruption between 6 and 21 January in some parts of Abuja due to the relocation of transmission infrastructure by the FCDA.

In its statement, the TCN said there will be a rationing of electricity supply for AEDCs customers in Kubwa, Karu, Maraba, Nyanya, Masaka, Keffi, Kukwaba, and Apo Mechanic.

This, it said, will also affect parts of Lugbe, Trademore Estate, Pyakasa, Sabon Lugbe Chika Alaita axis.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) notifies the public that due to the Federal Capital Development Agencys (FCDA) road dualisation project along the Apo axis, eight number 132kV and 33kV towers will be relocated along the Kukwaba/Apo 132kV line (Outer Southern Expressway route).

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This relocation work will necessitate a planned power outage from Monday, 6 to 20 January 2025 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, which is the estimated duration for the dismantling and construction of the towers as well as restringing of the power cables that would enable resumption of bulk power supply to the Apo Transmission Substation from Gwagwalada Substation.

While the relocation of the transmission towers is a necessity for the road completion project, TCN apologises for the inconvenience this planned power outage will cause and assures that power supply will be restored as soon as the towers relocation and cable stringing are completed, she said.

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Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTHC) in Ondo Town have suspended their strike following a quick intervention by the Ondo State Government.

The doctors downed tools on Monday, citing poor working conditions and unpaid outstanding emoluments.

Although the hospitals management pleaded for time to resolve the issues, the doctors would have none of it. They vowed to continue the strike until all the issues were dealt with.

However, the Chairperson of the Association of Resident Doctors, UNIMEDTHC, Olagbe Kehinde, on Friday announced the suspension of industrial action his members had embarked upon.

He said the strike was suspended in less than 24 hours after the intervention of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

He said the government acted promptly, addressing key demands within 24 hours, which suspended the strike.

We are pleased to affirm that affected members have been paid as of today, Friday, 03/01/2025, ensuring immediate financial relief, a statement on Friday by Mr Kehinde read.

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We were part of a productive meeting where the government expressed sincere efforts toward addressing our concerns.

The government has also assured us that the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and other accoutrements will be paid in 2025.

Implementation of the government-approved 2025 budget for the Teaching Hospital to improve the infrastructure and equipment needs to support services and training.

We remain committed to fostering a collaborative relationship that ensures better service delivery to the people of Ondo State, Mr Kehinde added.

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On Friday, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State inaugurated the Parakin-Obalufe road in Ile-Ife as part of his urban renewal programme in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ebenezer Fashogbon, an Ile-Ife indigene, funded the 0.25-kilometre road project.

Speaking during the inauguration in Ile-Ife, Adeleke reiterated his administrations commitment to infrastructural development, promising that the state under his watch would continue to muster resources to build strategic roads.

Represented by the Commissioner for Education, Adedipo Eluwole, the governor commended Fashogbon for the gesture and said it complements government efforts on rural development.

He noted that the present administration is a lover of progress, and that was why various projects were being undertaken across the state to ensure that life was bearable for all.

Ile-Ife ongoing flyover that is supposed to end at Ogbingbin area, has now [been] extended to Ojafe side which is going to be dualised, and with street lights.

This type of personal development should continue to complement the government efforts to ensure a good life for our people, the governor said.

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Also speaking, Babajide Omoworare, former special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly matters, admonished stakeholders and other philanthropists to emulate Fashogbon, saying that the people needed to contribute their quota to the development of their town.

Also, Mr Fashogbon, who funded the road project, appreciated God and commended the residents for their support in making the project successful.

Mr Fashogbon thanked his wife, Ndidi, for supporting him in the road construction.

The Australia-based philanthropist pledged to encourage other indigenes of Ile-Ife in the diaspora to come home to develop the ancient town.

READ ALSO: IGP vows to deal with anyone who attacks police operatives

The Obalufe of Ifeland, Oba Idowu Adediwura, applauded Fashogbon and his wife for the gesture to the community.

Oba Adediwura called on other indigenes of the town in the diaspora to emulate Fashogbon by assisting the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the government to develop the community.

The project engineer, Olawale Atoyebi, explained that the road was built to specification and guaranteed to be durable.

NAN

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A 34-year-old man has narrated how he escaped death, but his friend died after his 14-year-old bride poisoned their food two days after his wedding.

Kamisu Haruna, 34, told PREMIUM TIMES that the incident occurred on 22 December at his residence at Albasu village in the Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

He said after the wedding on 20 December, at Kiyawa Local Government Area, he took his bride, Zahrau Dauda, home.

After the wedding guests had left, he said Zahrau, at around 10 p.m., sent her friends to bring him food, which he ate with two friends  Muhammad Alpha and Isyaku Adamu.

On Sunday night (22 December), after the wedding guests had dispersed to their various homes, my friends were preparing to take me to the brides room. Suddenly, we saw her friends coming towards a nearby shop where we were sitting. They came with cooked spaghetti with beef and said the bride sent them to give us the food.

While eating the food, we noticed a taste of chemicals and stopped eating, suspecting the food was poisoned. Then we started feeling stomach ache.

We took milk, but our condition kept worsening, so we rushed to the hospital where my friend, Muhammad Alpha, was confirmed dead, the groom narrated to our reporter who visited the village.

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Mr Haruna believed his wife was persuaded to poison him by her former lover, whom he alleged provided her the substance.

After the wedding in Kiyawa, she (the bride) told me she would go back to her town to collect her belongings. It was there that her former boyfriend gave her the poison and asked her to put it in my food, he alleged.

Mr Haruna denied forcing the 14-year-old into the marriage, insisting that his wife loves him, but was only deceived by her ex-lover due to her little experience in life.

Everyone can testify that we are true lovers. What happened is just our destiny and due to her little experience of life.

She is still my wife even though her action led to the death of my friend. We prayed for the reposed of his soul and the law enforcement agencies should do justice for all of us, Mr Haruna said.

The police spokesperson in Jigawa, Lawan Adam, confirmed the incident to reporters on Saturday morning.

He said Zahrau, a resident of Bagata Gabas village, conspired with her ex-lover, one Lawan Musa, 22, of Bagata Gabas Yamma village, all in Kiyawa LGA, to poison her husbands food.

The husband and his two friends ate the food together, and as a result, they both developed stomachaches.

Victims were rushed to the hospital, where one of the grooms friends was confirmed dead by the medical doctor on call. The case is under investigation, the police spokesperson said.

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The Secretary to the Ondo State Government (SSG), Tayo Oluwatuyi is dead.

The SSG, popularly known as Tukana, died at a hospital in the state after battling injuries he sustained during a car accident in December last year.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner for Information, Wale Akinlosotu, said in a statement on Saturday that the SSG passed away early on Saturday, 4 January. He was involved in a ghastly car accident on Sunday, 15th December 2024, while traveling to Ibadan and was subsequently hospitalised, the statement said.

He served with distinction and played a crucial role in the state government, working closely with the governor and other top officials of ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

Hon. Oluwatuyi was a dedicated public servant whose unwavering commitment to administrative coordination, policy advisory, and implementation had a significant impact on Ondo State.

Having served the government in various capacities, including as Chairman of Akure South local government, Commissioner, and twice as SSG, Hon. Oluwatuyi will forever be remembered for his invaluable contributions to the development of Ondo State.

The Government of Ondo State extends its deepest condolences to the Oluwatuyi family of Akure, friends, and associates during this difficult time.

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The commissioner said further details regarding memorial arrangements would be shared as they become available.

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The Bishop of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Lucius Ugorji, has said the church leadership highly regrets the shooting to death of a boy by a Catholic priest in Imo State, Nigerias South-east.

The killing

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the Catholic priest, Joseph Enyiaka, allegedly shot the boy dead after the latter set off firecrackers within a church premises.

The incident happened during a Holy Mass celebration, marking the crossover to the New Year 2025 at St. Columba Parish Amaimo, a community in Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state.

The police said the Catholic priest has been arrested over the incident.

Call for calm

In a statement on Thursday, Mr Ugorji said apart from the deceased, one person was wounded during the shooting.

The Archdiocese of Owerri condoles with the bereaved family, and prays for the happy repose of the dead, and the speedy recovery of the injured, he said.

The bishop called for calm considering that police were already investigating the incident.

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A 31-year-old man, Segun Olowookere, who was recently released from Kirikiri prison after 10 years of being on death row for armed robbery, has narrated his harrowing experience behind bars.

Mr Olowookere and his co-suspect, Sunday Morakinyo, were arrested in Oyan, Odo-Otin Local Government of Osun State in November 2010. They were arrested for armed robbery, during which they stole hens and eggs.

They were sentenced to death by the Osun State High Court, Ikirun Division, on 17 December 2014. Their ordeal went viral recently, during which some commentators questioned how they could have been sentenced to death for stealing hens and eggs.

However, the Osun State judiciary on 26 December justified the death penalty imposed 10 years ago on Mr Olowookere and his accomplice. Speaking through the Chief Registrar of the Osun State High Court, F. I. Omisade, the states judiciary, said the facts of the case had been distorted and maliciously misrepresented.

The court said its records showed that the two convicts had a history of robbery. According to the chief registrars statement, both men were going about in Oyan town and its neighbourhood robbing innocent and unsuspecting people at gunpoint.

The case gained traction in December after a podcast with actress Biola Adebayo featured Mr Olowookeres parents tearfully pleading for mercy over their only sons plight. Following the news, an aide to the Osun State government reacted, and the governor, Ademola Adeleke, granted him a pardon.

Journey to prison

In an interview with News Centrals Breakfast Xtra on Saturday, Mr Olowookere recounted the events that led to his incarceration.

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Clarifying his term spent, Mr Olowookere stated, The total number of years I spent in prison is 14 years. I was on death row for 10 years and waiting for trial for four years. From the beginning, what happened on that fateful day is something I always feel bad about whenever I remember it. I had just returned from school and dropped my bag at home. Once I finished, I went to meet my dad at his shop. We sat and started discussing my admission to the school I planned to attend.

While we were talking, I suddenly heard two gunshots. I realised the police had parked their vehicle in front of my dads shop, and the gunshots came from there. Everyone in the area, including some young boys and elders, started running, trying to figure out what was happening.

Maintaining his innocence, he said the police initially arrested his father but soon focused on him. The police came and arrested my dad, taking him to their vehicle. However, from my perspective and based on my dads reaction, it seemed there was someone in the police vehicle pointing at me, indicating that I was the person they wanted to arrest.

As soon as my dad heard that, he started shouting my name, telling me to run because I was their target. But I decided not to run. I thought, This is our town, our community. Where would I run to? And why would the police be after me when I hadnt committed any crime? Neither do I have any issue with anyone.

Torture, questioning

The 31-year-old recalled being detained overnight at the local station despite his parents pleas, and the next day, he was transferred to the police headquarters, where he saw several young boys from his community.

Mr Olowookere continued, After dropping me there, they left, and I had no idea what they discussed. The following day, at 7 oclock, they transferred me from there. That night, despite my parents efforts, pleas and others in the community trying to intervene, the police refused to respond or provide any information. An order had come from the headquarters to detain me.

The next day, they took me to the police headquarters. When I arrived in the morning, I saw some young boys from my village, aged 12, 13, and 14, sitting there. They were eating rice and drinking pure water. The police asked those boys if they knew me. Most of them said yes. When asked how they knew me, they replied that we were from the same place.

The police asked if they (all the boys) were sending those boys to steal flour, eggs, and other items. Most of the boys said yes, but one of them, Morakinyo Sunday, said no. He (Morakinyo) claimed he hadnt stolen anything and had no connection to me. The police, however, didnt believe us.

That was how they started beating both of us mercilessly, accusing us of lying and not telling the truth. The police began beating us so severely that I thought I might not survive. It was only by Gods grace that my life was spared. I was 17 years old then. My second, Morakinyo, was already bleeding from the nose, his ear and anus in the police cell to the extent that I had to clean it up. The beating was because they wanted him to attest to the boys claim.

Trial and Conviction

The case progressed to the Osun State High Court in 2014. Mr Olowookere and Morakinyo faced charges of conspiracy, armed robbery, and theft.

Reacting to his sentencing by Justice Jide Faloladeath for conspiracy, life imprisonment for robbery, and three years for theftMr Olowookere revealed: The moment I heard the death sentence, it felt like the end of my life. I was devastated and fell into depression.

Mr Olowookere said he maintained his innocence throughout the trial. The police claimed I used a wooden gun to rob a poultry farm owned by my uncle. They said I stole fowl and eggs, but these accusations were baseless. The woman who allegedly saw me rob her house could not identify me.

During his time in prison, Mr Olowookere revealed that he lost contact with the lawyer who initially promised to appeal his case. He (the lawyer) told me the judge recommended clemency after 10 years, but I had to wait and endure, he said.

Released after 14 years, Mr Olowookere expressed gratitude for his freedom. He stated, Prison is not a place for anyone. Gaining my freedom is enough for me. I value it deeply and plan to rebuild my life. I want to be a voice for others, contribute to my community, and create a meaningful future.

The 31-year-old attributed his survival to divine intervention. I believe my life is in Gods hands. Perhaps He placed me in prison for a purpose Im yet to understand, he reflected.

As Mr Olowookere reintegrates into society, he noted in the interview that he hopes to advocate for others facing injustice. I am seeking help to rebuild my life and support my family. Im determined to turn this experience into something positive and meaningful, he said.

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The Borno government has announced plans to subsidise fuel at N600 per litre to 5,000 farmers in communities hit by Boko Haram insurgents in the state.

Governor Babagana Zulum announced this on Friday night during the flag-off of the distribution of farm inputs to prospective farmers resettled by his administration in Bama and environs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bama was among the areas overrun by Boko Haram insurgents in 2014 but was liberated by the Nigerian military in March 2015.

The governor was on a two-day tour of the local government Area to facilitate the resettlement of people displaced from Bama and environs due to insurgency.

Mr Zulum had earlier visited Abbaram town, a village located in the Eastern part of Kur Mohammed military barracks where his administration plans to construct 1,000 shelters for the returnees.

He also visited Darajamal to assess the destruction caused by Boko Haram insurgents there.

Speaking after the visitation, the governor said that one of the major challenges facing irrigation farmers in the area was the rising cost of petrol.

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As a result, I want to announce to the general public that the state government will procure petroleum products and sell to the farmers at a subsidised rate.

Currently petrol is being sold in Maiduguri at N1,200 per litre but inshaa Allah (God willing), henceforth for irrigation farmers this season a litre of petrol will be sold at N600.

The Commissioner for Agriculture will work with the Brigade Commander to ensure the delivery of the petroleum products to farmers in Bama town as soon as possible, Mr Zulum said.

According to him, the planned fuel subsidy was designed to cushion the effects of high cost of farming activities.

He said the vulnerable needed to be supported in an effort to fully reintegrate them into society without any form of discrimination.

The governor also gave 2,000 bags of NPK fertiliser, 1,000 units of water pumps, and 620 units of gasoline pumps to the farmers for free.

The governor also distributed 380 units of solar water pumps, 1,000 units of sprayers, 800 rolls of 2-inch flexible hose, and 1,000 litres of pesticide and seedlings to the farmers.

He said that the incentives would propel Agricultural productivity and prepare the farmers to be employers of labour in the near future.

Earlier, the Shehu of Bama, Umar Elkanemi, thanked the governor for the love and care he has been showing to the people of Bama in particular and the Borno people in general.

He assured the governor that his laudable investments in Bama and the surrounding communities would not be in vain.

Mr Zulum was accompanied by the Senator representing Borno Central, Kaka Lawan, and members of the House of Representatives from the area.

(NAN)

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A brutal dictator whose politics and leadership caused widespread war, famine, and the loss of thousands of innocent lives does not become a saint simply because he was killed in a NATO-backed rebellion. To these revisionist historians, I say  borrowing the words of the Abami Eda  Teacher, dont teach me nonsense.

I was one of the freshly-minted medical doctors serving my one year of mandatory internship (housemanship) at the Military Hospital, Myhoung Barracks in Yaba, Lagos. The year was 1998, but I can still vividly recall how they came in boatloads. Most were young men in their late twenties to early thirties, their faces etched with fear and their bodies bearing the weight of invisible scars

I revulsed as anxiety radiated from them, and many showed unmistakable signs of debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Every so often, a piercing scream of pain would shatter the air  anguished cries from men reliving horrors too great to silence.

Their injuries told their stories: eyes clouded by impaired vision, ears rendered useless by the concussive blasts of war, skulls fractured like broken pottery, and legs mangled beyond recognition, exposing the innermost workings of human anatomy. And yet, these men were counted among the fortunate  the ones who had defied death to return, battered but alive, to recount their ordeal.

They were all Nigerians, most of them ECOMOG soldiers who had served on the frontlines of brutal conflicts, but also civilians, uprooted and evacuated from the war-torn landscapes of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Together, they bore witness to the unspeakable tragedies of wars fought far from home, where survival was a fragile miracle and the human cost of peace was written across their broken bodies.

The story began in 1985, when a Liberian named Charles Taylor escaped from a county jail in Massachusetts, United States, under controversial circumstances, after being arrested for embezzlement. He was accused of misappropriating nearly $1 million from the Liberian government during his time as head of the General Services Agency under President Samuel Doe, and was awaiting extradition to Liberia.

After his escape, Taylor allegedly fled to Mexico, before making his way to Africa, eventually arriving in Libya, where he was warmly welcomed by no other than the nations leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Under Gaddafis command, Taylor and other would-be African insurgents were trained at the World Revolutionary Centre (WRC) in Benghazi, Libya. This institution was designed to train and indoctrinate revolutionaries from across Africa and beyond. Taylor, along with others, received military training, ideological indoctrination, and logistical support.

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Gaddafi supplied Taylor with arms and funding to support his newly formed rebel group, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). These resources were crucial for Taylor, the ex-convict turned warlord, to launch a successful rebellion against the then Liberian President, Samuel Doe.

Taylors NPFL quickly gained control of large swaths of Liberia, leading to the collapse of Does government and the presidents eventual capture and killing. Taylors military campaign was marked by extreme violence, including massacres, sexual abuse, and the use of child soldiers. In the end, Taylor prevailed.

With military success in Liberia and continued backing from Gaddafi, Taylor sought to expand his sphere of influence into neighbouring Sierra Leone, where he supported the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), led by one Foday Sankoh  another individual trained at Gaddafis Revolutionary Centre. Taylor supplied the RUF with arms, funding, and logistical support. In return, the RUF smuggled Sierra Leones diamonds to Taylor, providing him with a crucial source of revenue.

During his trial, Taylors lead counsel, Courtenay Griffiths, posed a striking question in his closing arguments: So why is Colonel Muammar Gaddafi not in the dock? The man who provided the resources and supplied the weapons used to kill and maim thousands of innocent lives is no less guilty than the one who pulled the trigger. Yet Gaddafi was never held accountable for the atrocities he sponsored and the bloody conflicts he fuelled.

Throughout these conflicts, Colonel Gaddafi maintained close ties with Charles Taylor, ensuring a steady flow of arms and supplies to sustain the wars. In Liberia, over 250,000 people were killed, and countless others were displaced during the civil war. In Sierra Leone, the civil war resulted in over 50,000 deaths, leaving thousands mutilated or traumatised.

Gaddafi undertook several more invasions of neighbouring countries as part of his broader ambition to create a pan-African empire that he called the United States of Africa. To achieve his imperialist dream, he sought to train revolutionaries who would overthrow existing governments across the continent, paving the way for a new Africa where he would rule across national boundaries  borders he dismissed as artificial creations of Western colonial interests.

He invaded Chad in pursuit of the mineral-rich Aouzou Strip. The conflict, known as the Libyan-Chadian War (19781987), culminated in a humiliating defeat for Libya, marking one of Gaddafis most significant setbacks.

In Uganda, Gaddafi supported the brutal regime of Idi Amin, whose rule caused the massive loss of lives. In Central Africa, he backed Jean-Bedel Bokassa of the Central African Republic, known for his violent and authoritarian rule. By supporting such dictators, Gaddafi ensured their loyalty and expanded his influence.

Through his active support for Charles Taylor and other rebel leaders, Gaddafi played a critical role in destabilising Africa, especially in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where his involvement fueled unspeakable atrocities and widespread suffering. His motivations were rooted in a mix of ideological ambition, strategic calculations, and economic interests. While Gaddafi presented himself as a champion of African unity, his actions often deepened division, leaving behind a legacy of conflict and loss. The wars and instability he fuelled continue to shape Africas political landscape today.

Muammar Gaddafis regime became notorious for its extensive stockpiling of weapons. During the Cold War, Libya was a major purchaser of arms from the Soviet Union and its allies. He also acquired weapons from European countries, particularly France and Italy, before relations soured. These included tanks, fighter jets, and advanced weaponry. After his fall in 2011, vast quantities of these weapons were released into the black market, fueling militant groups. Much of his arsenal ended up in the hands of Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al-Shabaab in Somalia, and other militant groups, exacerbating violence in Libya and across the Sahel region.

Years after the war in Liberia and Sierra Leone, Charles Taylor was arrested, tried at an international tribunal for war crimes, and subsequently convicted. He is currently serving his sentence at HM Prison Frankland in County Durham, England.

During his trial, Taylors lead counsel, Courtenay Griffiths, posed a striking question in his closing arguments: So why is Colonel Muammar Gaddafi not in the dock? The man who provided the resources and supplied the weapons used to kill and maim thousands of innocent lives is no less guilty than the one who pulled the trigger. Yet Gaddafi was never held accountable for the atrocities he sponsored and the bloody conflicts he fuelled.

While acknowledging some of his governments achievements, there is a troubling trend among some Africans and intellectuals to repackage Gaddafi as a reincarnation of Nelson Mandela or Kwame Nkrumah, following his death. These revisionist historians portray him as a larger-than-life, transformative leader whose only sin was liberating his people from the chains of Western imperialism.

Gaddafis 42-year rule in Libya was marked by widespread arbitrary arrests, authoritarianism, and the suppression of dissent. One of the most infamous atrocities occurred when his forces killed an estimated 1,200 political prisoners in Abu Salim Prison simply for protesting against harsh prison conditions. The massacre was concealed for years, but it became a rallying point during the 2011 uprising.

The tipping point came when protests erupted in Benghazi in February 2011, sparked by the arrest of human rights lawyer, Fathi Terbil, who had represented families of the Abu Salim massacre victims. The protests quickly spread across the country, escalated by decades of repression and the regimes violent response.

Gaddafi allegedly maintained a harem of women and young girls in secrecy throughout his rule. The book Gaddafis Harem by respected journalist, Annick Cojean, chronicles the story of a young woman who suffered abuse, painting a disturbing picture of systematic sexual exploitation perpetrated by Gaddafi and enabled by his regime.

However, it would be unfair not to acknowledge some of Libyas achievements under Gaddafi. Upon coming to power in September 1969, his government directed funds toward providing education, healthcare, and housing for all. Public education became free, and primary education was made compulsory for both sexes. Medical care was provided at no cost. Under Gaddafi, per capita income in Libya rose to more than US$11,000 in nominal terms and over US$30,000 in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), making Libya one of the wealthiest nations in Africa at the time. But, as the saying goes, even a broken clock is right twice a day.

While acknowledging some of his governments achievements, there is a troubling trend among some Africans and intellectuals to repackage Gaddafi as a reincarnation of Nelson Mandela or Kwame Nkrumah, following his death. These revisionist historians portray him as a larger-than-life, transformative leader whose only sin was liberating his people from the chains of Western imperialism. They cite the rise of terrorism in the Sahel and the proliferation of arms after his demise as a proof that he was a great leader.

I was moved to write this piece after a recent conversation with someone I deeply respect, yet who has surprisingly joined the chorus of those attempting to canonise and lionise a man whose atrocities against humanity demand justice. This individual repeatedly cited the overthrow of Gaddafi as President Barack Obamas greatest failure. I strongly disagree. Gaddafis removal was not a sin; it was the overdue fall of a tyrant.

Lets be clear: the Obama administration may have faltered in aspects of its foreign policy toward Africa, but eliminating a dictator who murdered, maimed, and terrorised his own people was not one of its mistakes. Yes, the power vacuum left in his wake had devastating, unintended consequences. But the alternative  to allow Gaddafi to continue his reign of terror, killing thousands more while ruling Libya indefinitely  would have been far worse. That, to me, is no choice at all. Some evils must end, no matter the cost.

A brutal dictator whose politics and leadership caused widespread war, famine, and the loss of thousands of innocent lives does not become a saint simply because he was killed in a NATO-backed rebellion. To these revisionist historians, I say  borrowing the words of the Abami Eda  Teacher, dont teach me nonsense.

Osmund Agbo is a US-based medical doctor and author. His works include Black Grit, White Knuckles: The Philosophy of Black Renaissance and a fiction work titled The Velvet Court: Courtesan Chronicles. His latest works, Pray, Let the Shaman Die and Maam, I Do Not Come to You for Love, have just been released.

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We have to close the book of prejudice on France so as to move forward. We are presently in bad shape and we shall welcome any help from friends or foes who will rescue us from our present economic dilemma. The recent state visit by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) to Elysee Palace in Paris is most welcome. We need friends, not foes, any longer or else the world will continue to move without us. We need to sustain our traditional ties with London too, while at the same time pursuing our adventure with Paris.

Only three Nigerian leaders have been invited by the British monarch for state visits to Buckingham Palace. They are General Yakubu Gowon (GCFR; 90) and his wife Victoria Gowon (78) (1215 June 1973), President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (GCFR; 25 February 192528 December 2018) (1720 March 1981) and General Ibrahim Babangida (GCFR; 83) and his wife, Maryam (912 May 1989).

In fact, Nigeria is more favoured than most African countries that have been invited for state visits to Buckingham Palace.

On the other hand, the British monarch had visited Nigeria twice. Queen Elizabeth II (21 April 1926-8 September 2022) first visited Nigeria between 28 January to 16 February, 1956. She was accompanied by her husband, the then Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip (10 June 1921-9 April 2021). She visited Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Lagos.

While in Nigeria, she worshipped at the Cathedral Church of Christ in Marina, Lagos, an Anglican church founded by Reverend Samuel Ajayi Crowther (180931 December 1891) and which  during the Queens visit  was under the Provost, Reverend AW Howells (17 September 1905- 7 March 1963). During her visit, the Queen donated a chair to the cathedral, which is still being preserved till today.

The Queen also commissioned the Nigerian painter and sculptor, Ben Enwonwu to make a bronze sculptor of herself. The next year, she posed in London as Enwonwu banged metal against his imagination in order to bring an outsized version of the Queen to life. The sculpture was completed in 1957, and in November of the same year, was presented at the Royal Society of British Artists exhibition in London.

The monarch was also in Nigeria between 3 to 6 December 2003 for the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOG) meeting in Abuja. She was received by President Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR). The Queen also visited Nasarawa State.

General Gowon was actively preparing for a state visit by the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, before he was overthrown in a military coup by General Murtala Mohammed while in Kampala, Uganda, for the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) summit in July 1975.

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The present British monarch, King Charles III (76), is a regular visitor to Nigeria.

Charles, Prince of Wales, now King of England has visited Nigeria four times, in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018.

For his first visit, he and his now late wife, Diana, Princess of Wales (1 July 1961-31 August 1997) arrived in Nigeria on 15th March, 1990. They left the UK through Gatwick Airport and were met at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos by the then Chief of General Staff, Admiral Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu (20 October 193917 August 2011) and Mrs Rebecca Aikhomu. Nigeria was under military rule at the time, with General Ibrahim Babangida serving as the military president.

The Prince and Princess were taken to State House, Marina, where General Babangida and his wife, Maryam Babangida (1 November 194827 December 2009) received them. That night, they were hosted at a state banquet, after which they retired to the Royal Yacht, which was docked next to the Marina in Lagos.

In 1999, the prince returned for the inauguration ceremony of President Olusegun Obasanjo (87; GCFR), with late South African president, Nelson Mandela also in attendance.

In 2006, the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to begin a three-day state visit. At the time, the trip was seen as a boost to the democratisation of the Nigerian polity. While he was around, he also visited Kaduna and Kano.

2018 saw Prince Charles (now King Charles III) (76) return, but this time with a new wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. They were received by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. While he was in Abuja, he met with some traditional rulers at the residence of the British High Commissioner, Paul Arkwright.

Some of the monarchs present included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (the Ojaja II) (50; CFR); Sultan of Sokoto, His Majesty Sultan Muhammad Saad Abubakar III (68; CFR); Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II (63); Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe (83); Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar (72; CFR); Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo NOba NEdo, Uku Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II (71); and Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garba Al Amin El-Kanemi (67).

During the three-day visit, the couple also met with and talked to some Nigerian youths, the Armed forces, and people in the creative sectors, specifically in arts and fashion.

Only six British Prime Ministers have visited Nigeria. They comprise Harold Wilson, Alec Douglas-Home, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, David Cameron and Theresa May. Mr Harold Wilson was in Nigeria for the Commonwealth Conference on Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, held at the Federal Palace, Hotel, Lagos, between 12 January and 14 January, 1966. Nigerias Prime Minister then, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (December 191215 January 1966) hosted the Conference. Other world leaders that attended the conference were Lester Pearson of Canada, Sir Dauda Jawara of The Gambia, Dr Hastings Banda of Malawi, Dr Borg Olivier of Malta, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, Sir Albert Margai of Sierra Leone and Dr Milton Obote of Uganda. Others at the meeting were President Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus, acting Prime Minister of Jamaica at that time, Donald Sangster; vice-President of Zambia, Mr Kamanga; and Ceylons Minister of Justice; Indias Minister of law and social security; Kenyas Minister of Finance; Malaysias deputy Prime Minister; New Zealands High Commissioner in London; Pakistans High Commissioner in Lagos; and Trinidad and Tobagos deputy Prime Minister.

Twenty-four hours after the conference ended, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa was assassinated in Lagos.

Speaking in British Parliament on 25 January, 1966, Mr. Harold Wilson said, The whole house, especially those who in any capacity had dealings in the past with Sir Abubakar, will deeply regret the tragedy which occurred in Nigeria a few days ago. I should like to addI am sure that I speak for all Commonwealth Prime Ministersa tribute to his splendid chairmanship of what could have been a very difficult Commonwealth Conference. He as much as anybody was, I believe, responsible for the satisfactory outcome of it.

Although Tony Blair (71) in his 718-page book titled A Journey, after numerous visits to Nigeria, did not make any reference to Nigeria, but the alliance between Nigeria and Britain is still strong. There are over three million Nigerians living in the United Kingdom now. This number is expected to double in the next few years. Over 2,500 Nigerians fly in and out of the United Kingdom daily.

In some parts of London, like Old Kent Road, Camberwell, Thamesmead, Islington, Barking, Abbey Wood, Woolwich, Deptford and of course Peckham, it is as if you are in any part of Nigeria. In fact, the Suya spot at Camberwell, apology to Egbon Tunji Oyelana, is better than the Suya spot at Obalende in Lagos. It is common knowledge now that suya spots at Peckham in London are better organised and well managed than the suya spots in Lagos.

The UK deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Jonny Baxter, announced two years ago that ten per cent of all visas granted by the British government, were to Nigerians. We were discussing Nigerian/Britain relationship on the sideline of the current romance between Elysee Palace and Abuja, specifically between President Bola Tinubu (GCFR) and Emmanuel Macron of France. Our President and our Foreign Minister, Alhaji Yusuf Tuggar, know that going by past records, France has not been Nigerias friend.

On 13 February 1960, France conducted its first nuclear test at Reggane, an oasis town in southern Algeria. The war for the North African countrys independence had been ongoing since 1954 and French President Charles de Gaulle was keen to show the world that France belonged at the top table of military powers.

To that end, the first French atomic bomb, named Gerboise Bleue after the blue of the tricolour flag and a small desert animal in the Sahara, was detonated in the Algerian desert. It released over four times the amount of energy as that of the US bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

A few months later, as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was in France for an official visit, a second French bomb was detonated in the Sahara.

Between 1960 and 1966, four years after Algeria gained its independence, France detonated 17 bombs in the Sahara, including four in the atmosphere near Reggane. Witnesses to the tests described them as the most brutal thing they had ever seen in their lives.

Four underground explosions in the Algerian Sahara were not totally contained or confined, according to a French parliamentary report.

Most famous of these was the Beryl incident, during which nine soldiers and a number of local Tuareg villagers were heavily contaminated by radioactivity. The impact of Frances nuclear testing programme in Algeria was immediate and has been ongoing. Following the first explosion in 1960, the radioactive fallout landed in newly independent Ghana and in Nigeria.

The Nigeria Government had earlier warned France not to conduct those tests but it refused. The test affected a lot people in Kano and its surroundings. After the test, Nigeria broke diplomatic relations with France.

Writing on the then situation in his book titled, A Right Honourable Gentleman: The Life and Times of Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Trevor Clark wrote on page 495 that, As to relations with General de Gaulle (who had been assured in the Algerian cease-fire agreement that Sahara tests might continue for some years, and had just received massive support from the French people in his referendum on self-determination for Algeria, despite the abstention of 40% of resident Algerian voters), Abubakar personally followed up Dr. Esinss demarche. At half past seven in the morning, after returning from Bauchi, he ordered the withdrawal of the French ambassador, Mr Raymond Offroy and his embassy staff from Lagos; he barred all French aircraft and ships; and he denied them all rights of transit.

The Frenchmen found their telephones disconnected the next day, and left by unescorted cars for Dahomey within the 48 hours set in the ultimatum. One unforeseen consequences was a dearth of liquid petroleum gas for Ghanaian lamps and stoves, since LPG was carried up the coast in French cargo vessels. The people who were to be hurt most were the citizens of Nigerias francophone neighbours in Niger, Dahomey and elsewhere. A more hypothetical result was to be suggested seven year later, M. Offroy was to be a prominent leader of the anti-federal government, pro-Biafran, lobby in Paris, and President De Gaulle to incline to favour Igbo secession.

At the time the Nigerian press and politicians were ecstatic, although their colleagues in Dahomey, Niger and Tchad were distressed. No other country broke off diplomatic relations with France over Saharan nuclear testing, resting content with shouting slogans.

During the civil war, we all knew where France stood and this led to anti-French demonstrations by over 3,000 Nigerian students at the French embassy in Lagos on 14 September, 1968.

A breakthrough in Nigeria/France relationship came on 4 February, 1987, when the then Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida flew to Paris in France for medical treatment. He was in France for four weeks until he came back on 4 March, 1987. No Nigeria Leader ever visited France again until 8 March, 1999, when the President-elect, Olusegun Obasanjo visited Paris. He was received by the then French President, Jacques Rene Chirac (29 November 1932-26 September 2019), even though he had not been sworn in. On 4 February, 2000, President Obasanjo (GCFR) was in France for three days. All in all, President Olusegun Obasanjo visited France six times during his eight-year tenure as the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria. The last was on 16 May, 2006, the day the Senate rejected the third term bill.

On 10 June, 2008, President Umaru Musa YarAdua (GCFR; 16 August 1951-5 May 2010) visited France and was received by President Nicolas Paul Stephane Sarkozy de Nagy-Bocsa (70) at the Elysee Palace, where they had lunch together. After the visit, President YarAdua announced a $5 billion deal with France.

On 24 November, 2011, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR GCON; 67) was in France for a meeting to attract foreign investments to Nigeria. He led an economic delegation.

President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR; 82) was in France for a state visit between 14 and 16 September, 2015. He was also in France between 2 and 4 February, 2016. Between 10 and 16 November, 2018, President Buhari was in Paris for a peace forum. Between 10 and 13 November, 2021, President Buhari was also in Paris on a working visit.

We have to close the book of prejudice on France so as to move forward. We are presently in bad shape and we shall welcome any help from friends or foes who will rescue us from our present economic dilemma. The recent state visit by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) to Elysee Palace in Paris is most welcome. We need friends, not foes, any longer or else the world will continue to move without us. We need to sustain our traditional ties with London too, while at the same time pursuing our adventure with Paris. Rigidity wont solve our problems in Foreign Affairs, so far as our national interests are recognised and protected.

France at present is the third biggest economy in Europe, after Germany and the United Kingdom, so we cant shut down the opportunities it has to offer. I am aware of top French companies operating in Nigeria. They include Air Liquide, specialising in gases, technologies, and services for industry and health; it supplies industrial gases and related services. The companys offerings support sectors such as oil and gas, manufacturing, and healthcare. Bollore Transport and Logistics, a major player in logistics and transportation, has been active in Nigeria, providing services that facilitate trade and commerce. The company has shown interest in investing and exploring opportunities within Nigerias economy. Maurel & Prom has operations in Nigeria through its significant stake in SEPLAT, one of the countrys leading indigenous operators. The company engages in exploration and production activities, contributing to Nigerias energy sector.

Ponticelli Freres is another French company that provides services, including boiler-making and maintenance, supporting various industrial projects in Nigeria. Alstom has been involved in Nigerias rail transport projects. It contributes to the development and maintenance of railway systems, supporting the countrys efforts to improve its transportation network. Sodexo, operating in Nigeria, provides quality-of-life services, including facilities management, catering, and employee benefits. The company serves various sectors, such as corporate, healthcare, and education, enhancing operational efficiency and employee well-being. Danone, through its subsidiary, Fan Milk, has a presence in Nigerias dairy and frozen dairy products market. Fan Milk is known for its range of frozen yogurt, ice cream, and other dairy products popular among Nigerian consumers.

Schneider Electric specialises in digital automation and energy management. It drives digital transformation in Nigeria by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, an endpoint to cloud connecting products, controls, software, and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centres, infrastructure, and industries.

AXA Mansard Insurance Plc was incorporated in 1989 as a private limited liability company registered with the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM). The company was listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange in November 2009 and currently boasts the highest market capitalisation in the Insurance sector of the Exchange. The companys health insurance service has been greatly awarded in Nigeria in recent years.

Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited (Swipha) engages in the production and distribution of anti-malaria, anti-infectives, anti-diabetes, CNS, and cardiovascular drugs, with over thirty brands to its credit.

In 2008, Swipha became the first pharmaceutical company in Nigeria to obtain ISO 9001 certification and in 2014 again became the first company in West Africa to obtain the WHO GMP certification. Examples of Swiphas products include drugs like Arenax Plus Forte and Arenax Plus. Lafarge Africa, a subsidiary of the Holcim Group is a leading player in Nigerias building materials industry. The company manufactures and distributes cement, aggregates, and ready-mix concrete, serving construction needs across the country.

Total Energies is another French company in Nigeria that majors in the petroleum industry. The company began operations in Nigeria in 1956 rapidly becoming a major player in Nigerias onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration, production, natural gas liquefaction, and marketing of petroleum products. It currently operates about 570 service stations in Nigeria for the retail of petroleum products. This service station is to help the government meet the mandate of getting petroleum products across to as many members of the population as possible.

In December 2023, TotalEnergies announced plans to invest $6 billion over several years in Nigerias oil and energy sector, focusing on gas and offshore projects. The company also currently employs more than 1800 members of staff nationwide. Over the past years, the company has invested in Nigerias oil and gas sector through projects like the Ubeta gas development project to supply Nigerias LNG liquefaction plant to aid gas supply across Nigeria.

In foreign affairs there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies only permanent interests.

Eric Teniola, a former director in the Presidency, writes from Lagos.

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UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians said on Friday that Israelis have ordered more relocating in besieged North Gaza because of impending attacks in retaliation for rocket fire into Israel.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the latest directive was for civilians in the Al-Bureij area of Deir al Balah governorate to move west.

OCHA said the newest evacuation order came as Israeli authorities continued to deny United Nations attempts to coordinate the safe movement of humanitarian workers.

"Today (Friday), 6 out of 10 coordination attempts were outright rejected," the office said. "Of the remaining four, only two went ahead fully, while the other two encountered serious impediments. Among the rejected attempts today was our plan to deliver supplies to the besieged areas of North Gaza governorate."

Most people across the Gaza Strip, already displaced multiple times, are often forced to flee amid intense bombardment with almost none of their belongings into unsafe areas that lack the basics for human survival.

"Amid this situation, humanitarian organizations are doing everything they possibly can to support people in wherever they are," the office said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 55 patients and 72 companions were evacuated from Gaza on Tuesday for medical treatment in the United Arab Emirates. Since October 2023, more than 5,300 patients have been evacuated abroad, while over 12,000 patients are awaiting evacuation.

"It would take 5-10 years to evacuate all these critically ill patients, including thousands of children," said WHO Director-Genera Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on social media platform X. "In the meantime, their conditions get worse and some die."

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, said that despite the Israeli bill to ban the agency from operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory due to come into effect in less than four weeks, UNRWA's teams are committed to stay and deliver.

He said on X that since the conflict erupted in October 2023, UNRWA has provided 6.7 million medical consultations in Gaza or more than 1,600 consultations per day. Some 730,000 people have received mental health and psychosocial support thanks to UNRWA. And, with partners, the agency vaccinated 560,000 children under 10 against polio.

Lazzarini added that nearly 2 million people received food assistance, hundreds of thousands of displaced people stayed in UNRWA shelters. Since the summer, UNRWA's teams have reached 18,000 children with learning activities.

"We stress once again that UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response and is irreplaceable," OCHA said. "A collapse of its operations, should the new legislation take effect, would lead to immense suffering for people already enduring extreme hardship."

When asked about the possibility that UNRWA would have to cease operations, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters at a regular briefing, "The secretary-general has made very clear that under international law, if UNRWA is not able to go about its mandated tasks, Israel as the occupying power would have to take on those responsibilities." 
The Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has again asked President Bola Tinubu to consider the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

IPOB is a group leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria.

Mr Kanu, who is facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja, has been in detention since he was repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021 under controversial circumstances.

Write your name with gold

Mr Tinubu will arrive in Enugu State on Saturday (today) on a working visit to commission some projects completed by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

Reacting in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Alex Ogbonnia on Friday, Ohanaeze Ndigbo expressed excitement over the presidents visit.

According to the statement, the President-General of the Ohanaeze, Fidelis Chukwu expressed optimism that with the inauguration of the South-east Economic Commission, the appointment of Igbo men, Emmanuel Ogalla as the chief of naval staff and David Umahi as the minister for works, Mr Tinubu has shown fairness and justice.

The Igbo group added that it was excited over gradual attitudinal change of the Mr Tinubu-led federal government towards Igbos.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

It is therefore hoped that with the Enugu visit, President Tinubu will write his name with gold in the hearts of Ndigbo and all the well-meaning Nigerians, if he orders for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Ohanaeze said.

Not the first time

This is not the first time the Ohanaeze Ndigbo would call for the release of Mr Kanu.

Ohanaezes past leaders and other Igbo leaders, including governors, have repeatedly called on the Nigerian government to release the IPOB leader.

But the government has ignored their requests.

Mr Kanu was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on 13 October 2022, held that the IPOB leader was extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and that the action was a flagrant violation of the countrys extradition treaty and also a breach of his fundamental human rights.

The court, therefore, struck out the terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release from the facility of the SSS.

But the government refused to release the IPOB leader, insisting that he (Kanu) could be unavailable in subsequent court proceedings if released and that his release would cause insecurity in the South-east, where he comes from.

The government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, later appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying the execution of the court judgement at the Supreme Court.

Delivering judgement on the appeal on 15 December 2023, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the lower court and consequently ordered continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court Abuja.

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SAN DIEGO, Jan. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Berger Montague, the national plaintiffs' law firm, is proud to welcome Sophia M. Rios as a Shareholder of the firm.

"I'm excited to be joining the ranks of some of the most talented and dedicated consumer, small business, and worker advocates in the country," said Berger Montague Shareholder Sophia Rios. "I look forward to contributing to the Firm's success achieving justice for our clients nationwide," said Ms. Rios.

Ms. Rios manages the Firm's San Diego office and practices in the Consumer Protection, Credit Reporting & Background Checks, and Appeals & Complex Briefing practice groups. Sophia has nearly 10 years of experience litigating class actions and helped recover nearly $100 million on behalf of consumers nationwide in 2024.

"We are extremely pleased to have Sophia join our talented shareholder ranks. She is one of the smartest and hard-working lawyers in our firm, and we are excited about what she will accomplish for our firm and our clients in the years to come," said Firm Chairman, Eric L. Cramer.

Sophia advocates on behalf of a broad range of clients, focusing her practice on protecting the privacy rights of consumers, including their medical privacy, online privacy, and in data breaches. Sophia had an instrumental role in reaching the $58.5 million settlement in Fernandez v. CoreLogic Credco, LLC (S.D. Cal.), which vindicated the rights of consumers nationwide who had been wrongly reported as potential terrorists or drug traffickers on their credit reports.

As a first-generation college student and woman of color, Sophia is committed to furthering diversity and inclusion in law firms. She serves on the Firm's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force and has participated in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity's Pathfinder Program. More information on Berger Montague's DEI initiatives can be found at www.bergermontague.com/DEI.

While at Stanford Law School, Sophia served as an extern Legal Adviser in the Office of Commissioner Julie Brill at the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, DC. Sophia co-founded the Stanford Critical Law Society, which serves as a student forum for the discussion of the relationship between law and race, among other topics. Sophia was a Lead Article Editor for the Stanford Environmental Law Journal.

Before beginning law school, Sophia attended UC Berkeley and served as an intern on the White House Council of Environmental Quality. She is a San Diego native.

Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. The firm is active in the fields of antitrust, commercial litigation, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For more than 50 years, Berger Montague has played lead roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $60 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.

Contact:

Amy Wall-Monte

215.875.3021

[email protected]

SOURCE Berger Montague
WILLOWBROOK, Ill. and SOUTH ELGIN, Ill., Jan. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Daiso, the globally renowned retail chain known for offering affordable and unique products, is excited to announce the grand opening of its first two stores in Illinois. The new stores will open on January 18th and January 25th, 2025, marking a milestone in the brand's expansion.

The first Illinois location will open in Willowbrook, IL, at Hinsdale Lake Commons. The second store will open in South Elgin, IL, at Silver Glen Crossing.

"We are beyond excited to bring Daiso to Illinois for the first time," said Jack Williams, Chief Retail Operations Officer for Daiso USA. "Both Willowbrook and South Elgin are fantastic communities, and we've seen growing demand for our distinctive and value-driven offerings. We can't wait to introduce our brand to these new customers."

Each store will feature Daiso's signature fun, treasure-hunt shopping experience, offering a wide range of products including home decor, kitchenware, beauty products, stationery, Japanese snacks, and more. Known for its unbeatable prices, Daiso has become a favorite among savvy shoppers.

"We've been receiving tremendous interest from customers in Illinois, and we're eager to offer them the Daiso experience," said John Clarke, Chief Development Officer for Daiso USA. "These two locations are just the beginning of our expansion in 2025. We're excited to introduce more customers to our special and budget-friendly items."

To celebrate the grand openings, Daiso will offer special promotions. The first 100 customers at each location on both Saturday and Sunday who make a minimum purchase of $30 will receive a special Daiso goodie bag as a thank-you for their support.

The Willowbrook store will open on January 18th and the South Elgin store will follow on January 25th. Store hours will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Store Locations:

Silver Glen Crossing : 6300 Robert Kingery Highway, Suite 418, Willowbrook, IL 60527

: 6300 Robert Kingery Highway, Suite 418, 60527 Hinsdale Lake Commons: 618 S Randall Rd, South Elgin, IL 60177

About Daiso: Daiso is a global retail chain founded in Japan, offering a wide selection of affordable, high-quality products. Daiso entered the U.S. market in 2005 and has since expanded across the country. The company's U.S. headquarters is located in Anaheim, CA.

SOURCE Daiso USA
JURUPA VALLEY, Calif., Jan. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Daiso, the globally recognized retail chain known for offering affordable and unique products, is excited to announce the grand opening of its latest store in Jurupa Valley, California, on January 18th. Located at Vista Plaza, this store marks a significant milestone in Daiso's U.S. expansion.

"We are thrilled to open our new store in Jurupa Valley," said Jack Williams, Chief Retail Operations Officer for Daiso USA. "This milestone reflects the continued support of our customers, and we're excited to introduce Daiso's budget-friendly offerings to the Jurupa Valley community. We invite everyone to Discover Daiso and explore the variety of products we offer."

The new Daiso store, located at Vista Plaza, spans 9,062 square feet and features a wide selection of products across multiple categories. Customers can find everything from Japanese-inspired home decor and kitchenware to beauty products, stationery, and snacks. Daiso's commitment to providing affordable and unique merchandise has made it a go-to destination for shoppers seeking unique items at great prices.

"Thanks to the enthusiasm of our loyal customers, we're excited to expand in California," said John Clarke, Chief Development Officer for Daiso USA. "We continue to see growing demand in the region, and we're proud to be opening more stores in 2025. With 167 stores now operating across the U.S., we're excited to serve new communities and bring the Daiso experience to even more customers."

To celebrate the grand opening, Daiso will offer exclusive promotions at the Jurupa Valley location. On January 18th and 19th, the first 100 customers who make a minimum purchase of $30 will receive a special Daiso goodie bag as a thank-you for their support.

The new store will be located at:

Vista Plaza, 7840 Limonite Ave, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509

Store hours will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daiso invites customers to visit, explore the latest offerings, and find new favorites.

About Daiso:

Daiso is a global retail chain founded in Japan, known for its wide selection of unique and affordable products across categories such as household goods, stationery, beauty, and more. Daiso entered the U.S. market in 2005 and has expanded into multiple states. The company's U.S. headquarters is in Anaheim, CA.

SOURCE Daiso USA
Revolutionizing Security: Solar-Powered Surveillance for 24/7 Peace of Mind

MIAMI, Jan. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fast Guard, a trusted leader in security solutions, announces an exclusive promotion featuring advanced 4G SIM Card Solar Powered Outdoor Cameras as part of their enhanced Monitoring Services Agreement. This initiative reflects the company's commitment to combining cutting-edge technology with professional security services, providing unmatched peace of mind to businesses and property owners across the nation.

Under this new agreement, clients who subscribe to Fast Guard's tailored monitoring solutions will receive:

Fast Guard Service

24/7 Monitoring Services 

Continuous surveillance of client properties with instant responses to movement alerts and emergencies, including dispatching security personnel and contacting emergency services as needed.

Physical Security Guard Visits 

Scheduled on-site inspections: one visit per night during overnight monitoring and two visits per 24 hours for round-the-clock coverage.

Advanced Security Camera Installation 

Installation of a 4G SIM Card Solar Powered Outdoor Camera, featuring:

5W Solar Panel: Ensures continuous power supply using renewable energy, minimizing environmental impact and reliance on traditional electricity.

4G SIM Card Capability: Provides reliable connectivity, even in remote locations without Wi-Fi, ensuring consistent monitoring.

Low-Power Design: Maximizes energy efficiency while maintaining high performance.

Motion Detection Technology: Instantly alerts monitoring personnel of movement, enabling rapid response to potential security threats.

Exclusive Promotional Offer

The security camera is included as a promotional item for clients opting into the Monitoring Services Agreement. Ownership of the camera remains with Fast Guard, emphasizing the company's dedication to maintaining service quality and reliability.

A Trusted Partner in Security

"Our Monitoring Services Agreement is designed to meet the diverse needs of our clients while staying ahead of emerging security challenges," said Roderick C. Payne Jr of Fast Guard. "The inclusion of these innovative cameras enhances our ability to provide seamless security solutions tailored to each property."

Why Choose Fast Guard?

With over a decade of industry leadership, Fast Guard has built a reputation for responsiveness, reliability, and innovation. From advanced surveillance to professional on-site security, the company's solutions deliver peace of mind and unparalleled protection for all types of properties.

For more information about the Monitoring Services Agreement and to take advantage of this limited-time promotion, visit www.fastguardservice.com or contact our team at 844-254-8273.

Fast Guard is a leading provider of comprehensive security solutions, committed to protecting businesses, residential properties, and critical infrastructure across the nation. Headquartered in Miami, FL, the company specializes in on-site security, remote monitoring, and advanced surveillance systems, leveraging cutting-edge technology and highly trained personnel to deliver tailored services. With over a decade of industry leadership, Fast Guard has built a reputation for reliability, responsiveness, and innovation, making it America's choice for professional security solutions. Whether safeguarding a single property or managing large-scale security operations, Fast Guard stands as a trusted partner in ensuring peace of mind.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE Fast Guard Service
BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. CT, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a Louisiana resident and former state representative, will hold a one-hour broadcast "Pray for the Nation" in response to the terrorist attack in New Orleans. Christian leaders including Pastor Carter Conlon, Pastor Jack Hibbs, Michele Bachmann, Dr. David Goza, Troy Miller, and Pastor Art Reyes will also be a part of the prayer event. Mike Clark, a chaplain with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association who has been in New Orleans ministering to those affected by the attack, will join the broadcast to pray.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry: "The terrorist attack on New Year's morning is a tragic reminder of the evil in this world that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. We are thankful for the men and women in uniform who protect us; please join us in praying for their safety and their ability to thwart these heinous acts of terror. We also lift up the victims of this attack and their families."

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins: "America must pray! We need God's protective hand upon our cities and our nation. Having worked in law enforcement and anti-terrorism, I know the difficulty of confronting an ideology determined to kill and destroy. As the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 127, which Benjamin Franklin quoted at the Constitutional Convention, 'Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.' Pray that our nation turns to the Lord so He may guard our cities and our country."

WHO: Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council

Jeff Landry, Governor of Louisiana

Dr. Mike Clark, Strategic Chaplain Coordinator, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

Carter Conlon, General Overseer, Times Square Church

Michele Bachmann, Dean, Regent University School of Government

Dr. David Goza, Senior Pastor, Jefferson Baptist Church

Troy Miller, President & CEO, National Religious Broadcasters

Art Reyes, Senior Pastor, Calvary Chapel Downey

Jack Hibbs, Senior Pastor, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

What: Pray for the Nation

When: 6:00 -- 7:00 p.m. Central Time

Sunday, January 5, 2025

Where to watch: FRC's Stand Firm app

NRB TV Network (DirecTV Channel 378)

Real Life Network

SOURCE Family Research Council
Pedestrians cross an intersection in Lower Manhattan, New York City, the United States, on Jan. 3, 2025. A U.S. federal judge in New Jersey on Friday dismissed a last-minute attempt to block New York City's congestion pricing plan, allowing it to take effect Sunday.(Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge in New Jersey on Friday dismissed a last-minute attempt to block New York City's congestion pricing plan, allowing it to take effect Sunday.

The decision means that starting from Sunday, drivers entering Manhattan below the 60th Street during peak hours will face a congestion fee of nine U.S. dollars.

While the Metropolitan Transportation Authority welcomed the decision, opponents in New Jersey vowed to appeal the decision before Sunday. According to local media, one lawyer for New Jersey suggested seeking emergency relief from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

As the first of its kind in the United States, the Manhattan congestion pricing plan was first introduced and approved in 2019 under the administration of then New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. 

A bike rider joins the traffic in Lower Manhattan, New York City, the United States, on Jan. 3, 2025. A U.S. federal judge in New Jersey on Friday dismissed a last-minute attempt to block New York City's congestion pricing plan, allowing it to take effect Sunday. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Vehicles are seen around the World Trade Center in New York City, the United States, on Jan. 3, 2025. A U.S. federal judge in New Jersey on Friday dismissed a last-minute attempt to block New York City's congestion pricing plan, allowing it to take effect Sunday.(Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

A pedestrian crosses an intersection around the World Trade Center, New York City, the United States, on Jan. 3, 2025. A U.S. federal judge in New Jersey on Friday dismissed a last-minute attempt to block New York City's congestion pricing plan, allowing it to take effect Sunday.(Xinhua/Liu Yanan)
VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Human In Motion Robotics Inc. (HMR), a leading innovator in robotic mobility, invites media to visit its booth at CES 2025 and experience XoMotion, the world's most advanced medical exoskeleton recently honored with a CES 2025 Innovation Award.

Revolutionizing Rehabilitation Medicine

XoMotion Receives CES Innovation Award ahead of CES 2025 in Las Vegas, January 7th thru 10th. (CNW Group/Human in Motion Robotics Inc.)

XoMotion has been recognized for its potential to transform rehabilitation by emulating natural human movement and empowering individuals with mobility impairments through innovation. This cutting-edge exoskeleton offers a leap forward in:

Patient Independence: Enables hands-free, self-balancing movement, fostering a sense of control and improving rehabilitation outcomes.

Enables hands-free, self-balancing movement, fostering a sense of control and improving rehabilitation outcomes. Therapist Support: Reduces physical burden on therapists by assisting with lifting, mobilizing, and training patients, allowing them to focus on personalized care.

Reduces physical burden on therapists by assisting with lifting, mobilizing, and training patients, allowing them to focus on personalized care. Versatility: Suitable for various conditions, including spinal cord injury, stroke, and neurological impairments, at different stages of recovery.

Key Features of XoMotion:

Self-Balancing & Hands-Free Operation: Ensures stability and allows natural upper body function.

Ensures stability and allows natural upper body function. Omnidirectional Movement: Provides true functionality with complex walking motions.

Provides true functionality with complex walking motions. Safe & Versatile: Reduces therapist strain and caters to a wide range of patients.

Meet the XoMotion Team at CES 2025

Join HMR at booth 54612 at the Venetian Exhibit Hall D from January 7th to 10th, 2025, to witness XoMotion in action and connect with the team. See firsthand how this innovative technology is empowering individuals and transforming rehabilitation.

Experience the Future of Mobility:

The media are encouraged to schedule a visit to the HMR booth to witness live demonstrations of XoMotion and learn how this cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing human mobility.

Meet Product Ambassador Chloe Angus

A highlight of the HMR booth will be the opportunity to meet Chloe Angus, Director of Lived Experience at HMR. Chloe, an XoMotion ambassador, will be available to share her inspiring story and answer questions from the media.

Meet the Co-Founders of HMR

Siamak Arzanpour, CEO and Edward Park, COO will both be in attendance at CES and will be available for interviews.

CES 2025

Dates: January 7-10, 2025

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

HMR Booth Number: 54612 at the Venetian Exhibit Hall D

To Schedule a Media Visit or to get a copy a link to our full Press Kit please contact:

Phil Astrachan

VP of Marketing

[email protected]

415-310-7466

About Human In Motion Robotics

Human In Motion Robotics is dedicated to enhancing human mobility through advanced exoskeleton solutions. XoMotion is a testament to the company's commitment to improving patient outcomes and supporting healthcare professionals. Following its recent Canadian regulatory approval, HMR is committed to expanding global access to XoMotion. The company is pursuing regulatory clearances for XoMotion in the US, Asia, and the EU.

SOURCE Human in Motion Robotics Inc.
Thuraya 4 will provide more secure capacity, faster speeds, and wider coverage across Africa , Europe , Central Asia and the Middle East

Launching the business's sixth geostationary satellite will be pivotal in Space42's plans to introduce 15 new products

ABU DHABI, UAE and CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. , Jan. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Space42 (ADX: SPACE42), the UAE-based AI-powered SpaceTech company with global reach, has successfully launched its Thuraya 4 (T4) telecommunications satellite into orbit. The launch represents a significant milestone in Space42's journey as a provider of premium geospatial data, geospatial analytics AI platforms and services, non-terrestrial networks (NTN), and secure connectivity solutions.

The satellite was launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA, at 20:26 Eastern Time. Following the deployment of Thuraya 4 into space, the satellite ignited its built-in electrical thrusters for Electrical Orbit Raising (EOR). This process will span several months until Thuraya 4 reaches its operational geostationary orbit at 44 East, approximately 36,000 kilometers above Earth.

The next-generation mobile telecommunications system, Thuraya 4, significantly expands Space42's capabilities. As one of the largest MSS communication satellites produced, it complements the company's plans to launch more than 15 new products to cater to the rapid growth in use cases across various sectors, including defense, government and enterprise. Space42's sixth geostationary (GEO) satellite will provide more security, faster speeds and expanded coverage across Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East.

His Excellency Mansoor Al Mansoori, Chairman of Space42, said: "The successful launch of Space42's next generation mobility satellite, Thuraya 4, is a clear testament to our commitment to push the innovation boundaries and actively participate in strengthening the UAE's leadership in the SpaceTech sector globally. This key milestone in Space42's journey not only propels its capabilities to reshape the future of connectivity but also and further advances the UAE's ambitious National Space Strategy 2030."

Karim Michel Sabbagh, Managing Director, Space42, said: "The launch of Thuraya 4 marks a significant milestone in Space42's journey. It lays the foundation for our next-generation mobile satellite solutions capabilities, expanding our offering to our partners and customers and creating new avenues for innovation. The launch reinforces Space42's leadership position in the global SatCom industry."

Ali Al Hashemi, CEO of Yahsat Space Services, Space42, commented:

"Launching Thuraya 4 is a monumental step forward for Space42, continuing a legacy built upon disruptive technology, innovation and connectivity. We are proud of today's accomplishment as we pursue one of our core strategic pillars to become a global non-terrestrial networks leader, venture into emerging business segments, including direct-to-device and Internet of Things, and diversify our offerings to customers across the globe."

Alain Faure, Head of Space Systems at Airbus said: "We open a new chapter in the story of Airbus and Space42: Thuraya 4 satellite successfully launched into space! After being transported from our cleanrooms in France to its launch site in Florida onboard our own Airbus Beluga, the latest telecommunications satellite is now ready to provide increased flexibility for our customer Space42's communications satellite fleet. Leveraging the state-of-the-art all-electric Airbus Eurostar Neo platform, the Thuraya 4 launch represents a major milestone and reinforces our longstanding partnership with Space42, stretching back more than 10 years. Along with our partners at the European Space Agency, CNES and UKSA, the Eurostar Neo family of Airbus telecommunications satellites continues to deliver."

Thuraya is the satellite mobility arm under Space42's Yahsat Space Services. Powered by the cutting-edge Airbus Eurostar Neo platform, Thuraya 4 features a 12-meter antenna operating in L-Band and a payload equipped with advanced onboard processing. These capabilities enable unparalleled routing flexibility of up to 3,200 channels with dynamic power allocation across multiple spot beams.

The successful launch of Thuraya 4 underscores the UAE's commitment to advancing its SpaceTech sector globally, aligning with the National Space Strategy 2030.

Legal Notice and Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information

This announcement may include forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and projections about future events. These statements may include, without limitation, words such as "expect", "will", "looking ahead" and any other words and terms of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Company and its subsidiaries and its investments, and speak only as of the date of this announcement. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions of future events and information currently available to the Company which may not prove to be accurate, and the Company does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy or fairness thereof and expressly disclaims any obligation to update any such forward looking statement. No representation or warranty is made that any forward-looking statement will come to pass. You are therefore cautioned not to place any undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither this announcement nor anything contained herein constitutes a financial promotion, or an invitation or inducement to acquire or sell securities in any jurisdiction.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Space42
BEIJING, Jan. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- China's leading baijiu maker Wuliangye launched a new 3D advertisement in New York Times Square, the United States, sending the message of "harmony" to global audience at the beginning of 2025.

The advertisement presents the brand through an animated cute panda, both of which symbolize bridges for fostering deeper international cooperation and exchange.

Photo shows a new 3D advertisement launched by Chinese baijiu producer Wuliangye in New York Times Square, the United States.

As a friendship envoy for cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, the cute images of the panda are applied as southwest China's Sichuan, an area best known as the hometown of the giant panda, also breeds Wuliangye's rich fragrance.

With the innovative expression of "Harmony in Diversity", Wuliangye presents the unique charm of Chinese culture to the world, allowing global consumers to have a deeper understanding and recognition of the brand.

As a representative Chinese baijiu brand, Wuliangye has paced up to go global and initiated the Harmony-themed Global Tour. It has established three key marketing centers in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas to strengthen overseas operations. The brand has also collaborated with global renowned spirits groups to launch products adapted to international trends, such as the new product "Wuliangye Ziqidonglai (purple air comes from the East)" and has introduced innovative initiatives like the "Destined Crystal Life" series in partnership with Swarovski, integrating traditional heritage with fashionable and diverse cultures, promoting the beauty of traditional culture and endowing Chinese baijiu brands with new connotations.

In 2024, Wuliangye further expanded its global layout with 21 new overseas markets deployed with duty-free, retail, catering, e-commerce, and special channels. Wuliangye has also collaborated with Camapri Group on innovative cocktail making, and launched the "Wuliang Highball" to serve global consumers with more diverse choices.

It is noted that Wuliangye has been successively listed in "Global 500 Most Valuable Brands", "Top 50 Most Valuable Spirits Brands Globally" and "Asia's 500 Most Valuable Brands". In December 2024, the "World's 500 Most Valuable Brands" list released by World Brand Lab saw Wuliangye once again honored for the eighth consecutive year, with the brand's ranking increase leading the liquor industry. Additionally, the company was also listed as one of the 50 most-favored Chinese brands voted by foreigners, earning recognition worldwide for its profound heritage, mellow taste, and outstanding quality.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/343863.html

SOURCE Xinhua Silk Road
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New Delhi, Jan 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed flat keys to beneficiaries under the "Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan" scheme at a grand event held at Ramlila Maidan in Ashok Nagar, Delhi.

The initiative aims to provide permanent housing (pucca house) to residents living in slums, transforming their lives with modern amenities.

During the event on Friday, PM Modi interacted with the beneficiaries, listening to their experiences and aspirations. The recipients expressed immense gratitude, calling the day a life-changing moment.

Beneficiaries spoke to IANS and expressed their gratitude towards PM Modi.

Ramcharan, a resident of Rampura Golden Park, shared, "PM Modi asked how we felt. We told him we were overwhelmed with happiness. What he has done for our children is something we couldn't achieve in generations. For us, he is like a god."

Leela Bai, another beneficiary, stated, "I have five children, and this flat has secured their future. We're extremely thankful to Modi Ji for improving our lives."

Vilas from Jailer Bagh, who lived in a slum for 35 years, said, "I never thought I'd own a home. Today, my lifelong dream has come true."

Sheela, also from Jailer Bagh, expressed her joy, saying, "Living in a clean and well-maintained home feels like a miracle. Earlier, we struggled in unsanitary conditions, but now our children have a brighter future."

Mohammad Manzoor Shah added, "We feel blessed. PM Modi personally handed us the keys, showing his care for us. Our lives have transformed completely."

Amina Begum echoed similar sentiments, saying, "We were living in filth, but now we have clean, spacious rooms. This has brought immense relief and happiness."

With an aim to provide permanent housing (pucca house) to the residents of Delhi currently living in kuchha houses to improve their quality of life, Delhi BJP is realising people's dream.
Gaza, Jan 4 : At least 24 Palestinians were killed as Israeli warplanes carried out fresh airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, with the Israeli military warning it would bomb a hospital in northern Gaza, local sources said.

Airstrikes targeted a group of Palestinians in the Al-Sayed Ali area of the Al-Shujaiya neighborhood, east of Gaza City on Friday, killing seven people, including four children and a woman, Gaza's Civil Defence said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, five people were killed and others injured in an airstrike near the entrance of Al-Shifa Hospital, west of Gaza City, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital confirmed it received the bodies of five people killed in an airstrike on Al-Nasr Street, also west of Gaza City. Paramedics said medical teams later recovered five more bodies, including three children, following airstrikes in the Al-Zeitoun and Al-Sabra neighborhoods.

In central Gaza, two people died when an Israeli strike hit a civilian car in Al-Zawaida town. Their remains were taken to Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, hospital officials reported.

Meanwhile, Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza said it received an ultimatum from the Israeli military to evacuate immediately or face bombing. The hospital also reported intense artillery shelling around its premises.

The Israeli military has not issued an immediate response to these incidents. However, it stated on Friday that its air force had struck 40 Hamas targets, including command centers and control facilities. The army accused Hamas of using civilian infrastructure, such as schools, for operational purposes, calling it a "cynical exploitation" of Gaza's civilian population.

The strikes are part of Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left around 1,200 people dead and 250 others taken hostage.

Meanwhile, at least 33 Palestinians were killed in intense Israeli airstrikes across Gaza overnight, Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson in Gaza Mahmoud Basal said Friday.

In central Gaza, nine Palestinians were killed and 10 others injured in Israeli bombing of a house in the Maghazi refugee camp, whereas 11 people were killed and 20 others injured due to Israeli bombings of two houses and an apartment in the Nuseirat refugee camp, Basal told Xinhua.

Eight Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on three houses in the towns of Deir al-Balah and al-Zawayda in central Gaza, including a journalist, Basal said.

The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza said in a statement that journalist Omar al-Diraoui and his parents were among those killed in an Israeli airstrike on al-Zawayda, bringing the total number of journalists killed since the onset of the Gaza conflict to 202.

In southern Gaza, two people were killed and two others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a Palestinian gathering in Khirbet al-Adas, north of the city of Rafah, Basal said.

Three others were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a Palestinian gathering in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood north of Gaza City, he added.

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli military said it has conducted raids on some 40 sites used by Hamas across Gaza since Thursday.

The airstrikes targeted Hamas' command and control centres, as well as gathering points used by Hamas militants who had planned and executed attacks on Israeli troops and civilians, killing "dozens" of militants operated from these locations, the Israel Defence Forces and Shin Bet security agency said in a joint statement.

Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Friday that the Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 45,658, with injuries reaching 108,583, as 77 people were killed and 145 others wounded by the Israeli military during the past 24 hours.
Gaza, Jan 4 : Hamas confirmed that indirect negotiations with Israel have resumed in Doha, Qatar, with the goal of achieving a complete ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

"The indirect negotiations resume today, in Doha, the capital of Qatar. The movement reaffirms its seriousness and optimism, as it always does, and continues to work toward an agreement that will fulfill the aspirations and goals of our people," Hamas stated in a release.

The statement added that the latest round of talks is expected to focus on achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, securing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and facilitating the safe and prompt return of displaced Palestinians to their homes, Xinhua news agency reported.

Israel said on Thursday it had sent a delegation to Doha for ceasefire talks.

Earlier Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in a statement that "a delegation of professional officials from the Mossad, Shin Bet, and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)" will travel to Doha to continue the negotiations.

Earlier this week, the Israeli state-owned Kan TV reported that Hamas had proposed a one-week ceasefire, during which it would locate the whereabouts of hostages still held in Gaza and provide a list of those who could be released. Israel has not officially commented on the proposal.

The talks, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, have been ongoing for more than a year.

Earlier on Wednesday Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning stating that Israel would intensify its military operations in Gaza if Hamas does not agree to a deal for the release of hostages "soon."

Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a deadly conflict since October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people. Israel responded with a large-scale air and ground assault on the besieged Gaza Strip, resulting in more than 45,500 Palestinian deaths so far.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 'Grameen Bharat Mahotsav' on Saturday, at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, which is a six-day-long festival celebrating rural India's entrepreneurial spirit and cultural heritage.

Scheduled from January 4 to 9, the event's theme is 'Building a Resilient Rural India for Viksit Bharat 2047,' with the motto 'Gaon Badhe, Toh Desh Badhe (If the village progresses, the country progresses).'

The festival scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi at around 10:30 AM, aims to foster rural development through innovation, self-reliance, and collaboration.

The key objectives of the festival include enhancing rural infrastructure, promoting financial inclusion, supporting sustainable agricultural practices, and empowering rural women through entrepreneurship.

A special focus will be on North-East India, with initiatives to ensure economic stability and financial security for rural populations.

According to the PMO's official statement, the Mahotsav will bring together government officials, thinkers, entrepreneurs, artisans, and stakeholders from various sectors to discuss leveraging technology and innovative practices for rural transformation. Interactive sessions, workshops, and discussions will explore pathways to strengthen rural economies and livelihoods.

Cultural heritage will take centre stage, with live performances and exhibitions showcasing India's diverse traditions and crafts. The event also seeks to create a road map for collective rural transformation by blending modern advancements with traditional knowledge.

The PMO stated, "Celebrating Rural Indiaas entrepreneurial spirit and cultural heritage, the Mahotsav will be held from 4th to 9th January with the theme aBuilding a Resilient Rural India for a Viksit Bharat 2047a and the motto 'Gaon Badhe, Toh Desh Badhe' (If the village progresses, the country progresses)."

By emphasising sustainable practices, innovation, and inclusivity, the Grameen Bharat Mahotsav aims to contribute significantly to achieving a self-reliant and developed India.
SHIJIAZHUANG, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Eight people were killed and 15 others injured in a fire that broke out at a marketplace in Qiaoxi District of Zhangjiakou City, north China's Hebei Province, on Saturday, local authorities said.

The fire broke out at around 8:40 a.m. at a marketplace that sells vegetables and other essential goods. Firefighters, along with emergency response and medical teams, promptly arrived at the scene for rescue operations. By 10:10 a.m., the fire was extinguished.

Search and rescue work was completed at midday. The injured have received hospital treatments, and their conditions are reported as non-life-threatening.

The cause of the fire is under further investigation. 
New Delhi, Jan 4 : The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) is conducting a re-exam on Saturday for candidates of the Bapu Pariksha Parisar centre, where irregularities were reported during the 70th Preliminary Examination. However, students and political parties have vowed to disrupt the exam today.

Over 10,000 candidates are expected to appear for the re-exam, which will take place at 22 separate centres.

However, protests have escalated as students demand the cancellation of the entire examination and a retest across Bihar. BPSC Secretary Satyaprakash Sharma stated there is no justification for a statewide re-exam, reiterating that the commission has no plans for further retesting.

Earlier on Friday, in Patna, the agitation led by former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav disrupted railway services at Sachiwalay Halt station and halted vehicular movement. Left-leaning student organisations joined the protests, some of which were held without prior administrative permission.

Despite heavy police deployment, Rajesh Ranjan and his supporters entered the railway premises, sitting on tracks in solidarity with candidates on a 17-day hunger strike.

The protests stem from allegations of widespread irregularities in the BPSC Preliminary Examination. The demonstrators argue that limiting the re-exam to one centre is inadequate and unfair to other candidates.

The district administration has registered cases against Rajesh Ranjan and others for obstructing public services.

However Rajesh Ranjan has vowed to continue the agitation until justice is delivered, including taking the matter to the Supreme Court.

He reaffirmed his commitment to the cause, stating: "We will go to the Supreme Court on this issue. BPSC has done wrong and it has to cancel the entire examination. We will continue to protest on this matter. Our protest will continue in the future until the paper leak in Bihar and the country is stopped."

With tensions rising and the administration on alert, the situation remains volatile. Further disruptions are anticipated as candidates and their supporters continue to demand statewide action.
Los Angeles, Jan 4 : Hollywood star Paul Mescal said that he hates people who "waste time" and "aren't prepared".

Talking about his biggest pet peeve, Mescal told W Magazine: "Laziness. I hate people who waste time, people who aren't prepared. And I'm not just talking about a work context."

He added: "It's like, I think I've got a good nose for when people are just kind of winging it, and I don't like that. And unless something needs to be said, I'm not going around policing laziness in society."

Mescal recently essayed the titular role in 'Gladiator II', the Ridley Scott-directed historical action film, and he relished the challenge of getting himself in tip-top shape for the part.

The actor shared: "I loved the training! I'm not going to be an actor who's like, 'It was torture.' Maybe that's because I'm slightly masochistic.

He revealed why he does like the feeling of labour, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"But I do like the fact that it feels like a labour of sorts, finishing work and feeling physically tired. Not in being mentally overstimulated, because you get that anyway at work, but that feeling of physical engagement and needing to sleep at the end of the day - that specific kind of fatigue is not something that I've experienced on other films."

The actor shot to stardom in the hit mini-series 'Normal People' back in 2020, but he's now confessed to lying in order to land a role on the show.

The actor explained: "I said I could drive for 'Normal People', and I could not drive.

"We'd signed the paperwork, I'd gotten the part, and then I'd forgotten about doing my driver's license. So I ended up doing 'Normal People' on a provisional license. I could only drive the car if there was a fully licensed driver beside me."
New York, Jan 4 : The decorated US Army soldier who set off an explosion in a Cybertruck and killed himself in front of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day was overcome by the stress of fighting on the frontlines, according to officials, but the mystery deepened with his call for an uprising against Democrats in government just days before President Joe Biden was to leave office.

"Try peaceful means first, but be prepared to fight to get the Dems (Democrats) out of the fed government and military by any means necessary", Matthew Alan Livelsberger had written in a letter found on his cellphone, it was revealed on Friday.

"Rally around the [sic] Trump, Musk, Kennedy, and ride this wave to the highest hegemony for all Americans! We are second to no one", he wrote referring to President-elect Donald Trump, his adviser Elon Musk and Robert F Kennedy, Jr, the pick for health secretary.

He also expressed concern that the US was "headed to collapse".

The key to the contradictions in his statements as the Democrats were on their way out at the federal level and Trump was coming in may lie in the likelihood he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Spencer Evans said on Friday at a news conference in Las Vegas, "It ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues".

In a letter he left on his mobile phone, Livelsberger declared, "This was not a terrorist attack. It was a wake-up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives".

Two letters were found on his phone, Las Vegas Police Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said.

"Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took", wrote Livelsberger, an active-duty Green Beret, a member of the elite Army Special Forces Command.

PTSD is a condition that afflicts those who had witnessed or experienced extreme violence or trauma in conditions like war with the memories continuing to haunt them.

He had served in Afghanistan, the Republic of Congo, Ukraine, and Tajikistan, winning at least five medals for meritorious or heroic service. Based in Germany, he was in the US on holiday.

Livelsberger had set off the explosion hours after an Army ex-serviceman Shamsud-Din Jabbar driving a pickup truck flying a flag of the Islamic State terror organisation flag had ploughed into a crowd in New Orleans celebrating the New Year.

While the New Orleans incident was clearly a terrorist attack because of the videos made by Jabbar, Livelsberger's motive was puzzling with speculation about the two incidents being linked because of their military background and their renting their vehicles through the same company.

As he said in his letter, Livelsberged appeared to have taken care to limit the harm, using only fireworks and some petrol canisters in Cybertruck that can absorb most of the explosion's impact, interested in putting up a headline-grabbing show.

Seven people nearby suffered only minor injuries.

In one of the letters on his phone, he wrote, "We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed towards collapse".

"Military and vets move on (Washington) DC starting now. Militias facilitate and augment this activity. Occupy every major road along fed (federal) buildings and the campus of fed buildings by the hundreds of thousands", he wrote.

Some media reports said that he had a disagreement with his wife before he headed from Colorado, where he was on vacation, to Las Vegas.
Vellore, Jan 4 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) continued its raids in the wee hours of Saturday at several locations linked to DMK MP Kathir Anand, including an engineering college he owns.

The searches, which began early Friday morning, have now stretched beyond 24 hours and into Saturday.

The raid at Kingston College of Engineering in Christianpet, Katpadi, owned by Kathir Anand, MP from Vellore, involved over 18 ED officials.

On Friday night, officials reportedly seized unaccounted cash from the college locker, which was handed over to State Bank of India employees and transported under security.

The ED officials are said to be scrutinising important documents related to the college as part of their investigation.

The ED also conducted a search operation at the residence of DMK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Minister S. Duraimurugan and his son, Kathir Anand, in Gandhi Nagar, Katpadi.

The operation began at 2 p.m. on Friday and concluded after an exhaustive 11 hours, ending around 1:35 a.m on Saturday.

Officials reportedly faced challenges during the search, including accessing a locked room at Duraimurugan's residence. A staff member had to use a crowbar to break open the door, creating a commotion in the neighbourhood. ED personnel left the premises with seized documents, escorted by armed central security forces.

The raids have sparked allegations of political targeting by the central agency. DMK leaders have accused the ED of acting under political pressure to discredit the party.

Kathir Anand, the son of senior DMK leader Duraimurugan, represents the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency and is a prominent figure in the party.

The ED has yet to release an official statement regarding the searches or provide details of the evidence collected. However, the prolonged operation and the seizure of cash and documents suggest the agency is investigating allegations of financial irregularities.

This raid adds to a series of actions by central agencies against DMK leaders, fueling tensions between the state government and the central authorities. Further updates are awaited as the investigation continues.
Chennai, Jan 4 : The Erode East Assembly constituency is becoming a point of contention for the INDIA bloc partners in Tamil Nadu - the DMK and the Indian National Congress (INC).

Chennai, Jan 4 (IANS) The Erode East Assembly constituency is becoming a point of contention for the INDIA bloc partners in Tamil Nadu  the DMK and the Indian National Congress (INC).

The Erode East Assembly seat fell vacant following the death of sitting MLA and senior Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, who passed away in a Chennai hospital on December 14, 2024, after a brief illness.

Following Elangovan's demise and the notification by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu declaring the seat vacant, political parties have begun discussions about the next candidate.

Traditionally, the Congress has contested and won from the Erode East constituency.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, Thirumagan Evera, the son of EVKS Elangovan, contested from Erode East on a Congress ticket and emerged victorious.

However, he tragically passed away on January 4, 2023, due to a sudden cardiac arrest.

After his death, the INDIA bloc fielded his father, EVKS Elangovan, a former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president, who won the seat.

Unfortunately, Elangovan also passed away on December 14, 2024, necessitating fresh elections.

During a recent visit to Erode, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was reportedly informed by local DMK leaders that, after the passing of EVKS Elangovan, the Congress lacks a leader of sufficient stature to contest from Erode East.

They argued that the DMK should take over the seat.

However, on Friday, Tamil Nadu Congress president K. Selvaperunthagai publicly announced that the Congress would field a candidate for the Erode East Assembly seat.

This statement was not well-received by DMK cadres and local leaders.

P.M. Gnapathy Sundaran, Director of the Erode-based think tank, Centre for Development and Electoral Studies, stated that the DMK would be better suited to contest the seat, given the Congress' lack of grassroots strength in the region.

Speaking to IANS, he said, "The Congress does not have grassroots strength in Erode East and has always relied on the DMK. However, EVKS Elangovan was a prominent leader who brought credibility to the Congress. With no member of the EVKS family contesting, it would be better for the DMK to take over the seat."

With the Tamil Nadu Assembly set to commence on January 6, the Erode East Assembly seat issue is expected to be raised by the Opposition AIADMK and BJP to create discord among DMK and Congress cadres.
Mumbai, Jan 4 : The Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday arrested two accused who were absconding after killing the Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district on December 9.

The accused, Sudarshan Ghule and Sudhir Sangle, will be soon produced before the court.

The police recently detained one person, who was helping the accused. Sources said the same person briefed the CID team about the whereabouts of Ghule and Sangle.

The third accused Krishna Andhale is still at large.

The arrests come days after Walmik Karad, a close associate of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde from Beed who was wanted in an extortion case linked to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, surrendered before CID in Pune on Tuesday.

The case has been registered at Kej Police Station from Beed district against seven persons, including Ghule, Andhale, Sangle, Mahesh Sakharam Kedar, Jayram Manik Chate, Pratik Bhimrao Ghule, Vishnu Mahadev Chate.

Earlier, police arrested Mahesh Kedar, Jayram Chate, Pratik Ghule and Vishnu Chate, who are currently in police custody.

The police also announced a reward for providing information about Ghule, Sangle and Andhale.

The arrest of two absconding accused is crucial as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the government will not spare guilty.

"I have been saying since the first days that strict action will be taken against every accused in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case. No one has the right to commit such violence. The police will take necessary action until all the culprits are hanged," he said.

"We will not allow the rule of goons to continue. No one can commit such violence, no one can demand ransom. Accordingly, we accelerated the investigation and Walmik Karad had to surrender. Now different teams have started working to nab the absconding accused in the murder. We will not spare any accused. All of them will be found," said the chief minister.

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on CM Fadnavis from BJP and a section of NCP not to make Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Munde the Beed district Guardian Minister until the CID completes its investigation into the sarpanch's murder.

NCP legislator Prakash Solanke has demanded that Munde should be made a minister without any portfolio until the ongoing probe is over.

In addition, the opposition has demanded Munde's resignation, and that the sarpanch murder case be tried out of Beed.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : The Covid-like Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), currently spreading in China is just a 'winter occurrence,' is less severe, and is spreading on a smaller scale, said the country's foreign ministry spokesperson.

The statement comes as photos and videos emerged on social media showing hospitals in China swamped with people amid rising cases of HMPV  causing respiratory illness --, and raising serious concerns of another pandemic akin to Covid-19.

Speaking to reporters, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called it an annual occurrence in winter and assured that the country is safe to travel.

"Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere. Recently, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration of China held a press conference to share information about the prevention and control of respiratory diseases in China during the wintertime," said Ning.

"The diseases appear to be less severe and spread on a smaller scale compared with the previous year," she added.

Further, reassuring the safety of citizens and tourists, she noted: "I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners coming to China", adding that "It is safe to travel in China".

Over the last few days, there has been a sudden spike in respiratory illnesses across China, reminding people of a similar surge before Covid was confirmed.

The media in neighbouring countries like Indonesia, India, and Japan also cautioned its citizens to be aware of the situation in China and take needed precautions.

Meanwhile, Indian health officials have also assured that there is no need to worry.

"The spread of HMPV in China is like any other respiratory virus," said Dr Atul Goel, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), while speaking to the media

"There is no need for alarm, about the present situation," he added.

The expert noted that the disease can lead to "flu-like symptoms," in the elderly and very young children.

HMPV was first discovered in 2001 and is part of the Pneumoviridae family along with the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The virus can lead to upper and lower respiratory disease in people of all ages. Young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are majorly affected.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms commonly associated with HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.

It reportedly has an incubation period of between three to five days.

Wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, and increasing immunity can help prevent the disease.

HMPV had in 2023 been detected in the Netherlands, Britain, Finland, Australia, Canada, the US, and China.
Kochi, Jan 4 : A day after a CBI court here sentenced 10 CPI-M workers to a double life term and four others, including a former party legislator, to five years' imprisonment in the Periya twin murder case, the ruling party's top brass is anxiously awaiting the Kerala High Court's decision regarding a CBI probe sought by the wife of Naveen Babu.

Babu, the Additional District Magistrate at Kannur, was found hanging in his official residence in October last year.

The Periya twin murder case dealt a severe blow to the CPI-M leadership as 14 of their leaders in Kasargod, including former legislator K.V. Kunhiraman, were found guilty and sentenced to prison. This verdict has added to the partyas mounting troubles as they await the High Court's verdict in the Naveen Babu case.

In the Naveen Babu suicide case, his wife, K. Manjusha, a government servant, has sought a CBI investigation. The high court concluded hearings on December 12 and reserved its judgment. Manjusha contends that the state police are unlikely to conduct a fair probe, especially since the only accused in the case is P.P. Divya, a young CPI-M leader who resigned as Kannur district panchayat president following public outcry.

The tragedy began when Divya attended Babuas farewell function in October, uninvited, and made critical remarks accusing him of corruption. Babu, who had a reputation as an upright officer, was found hanging at his residence the next day. Manjushaas counsel argued that the presence of forceful ligature marks on Babuas neck necessitates a thorough and scientific investigation by the CBI. They also highlighted irregularities in the inquest and post-mortem examinations.

The CPI-M and the Pinarayi Vijayan government strongly opposed a CBI probe in the Babu case, similar to their stance in the Periya twin murder case. In the Periya case, the parents of Youth Congress workers Kripesh (19) and P.K. Sarath Lal (24), who were brutally murdered in 2019, had to approach the High Court to secure a CBI investigation. Despite employing some of the countryas best lawyers, the CPI-M could not prevent 14 of its workers from being convicted.

In the Babu case, the role of T.V. Prasanth, an electrician, has also raised questions. Prasanth accused Babu of demanding a bribe to approve a petrol pump project. After Babuas death, an email complaint from Prasanth to the Chief Minister surfaced in the media, fueling support for Divya. However, it was later revealed that the Chief Ministeras office never received such an email.

Additionally, Prasanthas financial capacity to apply for a petrol pump and his connection to Divyaas husband, a colleague at Kannur Medical College Hospital, have come under scrutiny.

Manjusha has alleged a conspiracy and maintains that only a CBI investigation can unravel the mystery. CPI-M state secretary M.V. Govindan has criticized the CBI, accusing it of being a tool for political vendetta by the central government. He stated that the party would appeal the Periya case verdict and continue to oppose the CBI probe in the Babu case.

With the CBIas involvement leading to significant setbacks for the CPI-M in the Periya case, the party is on edge as it awaits the High Court's decision in the Babu suicide case. The ruling could have far-reaching implications for the CPI-M and the Pinarayi Vijayan government.
ZHENGZHOU, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- An international cargo route has been officially launched between Zhengzhou, the capital of central China's Henan Province, and Billund, Denmark, marking the first direct air cargo route between Henan and the Nordic region.

A B767 freighter arrived at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport from Billund on Friday, and after loading cargo, it returned to Billund, signifying the official launch of the route.

The route is operated by Maersk Air Cargo from Denmark, primarily transporting cross-border e-commerce goods and electronic products, with six flights scheduled per week.

The opening of this route marks the official entry of Maersk Air into Zhengzhou's airport, expanding the air corridor from Zhengzhou to Europe into the Nordic region, according to the China Henan Aviation Group.

Data shows that in 2024, Zhengzhou airport's cargo and mail throughput exceeded 800,000 tonnes, setting a historic record for annual cargo and mail volume since the airport's opening in 1997. 
Patna, Jan 4 : Even as a section of candidates and Jan Suraaj convener Prashant Kishor are sitting on a dharna here, the BPSC organized re-examinations at 22 centres for candidates affected by December 13, 2024, disruptions at the Bapu Examination Centre.

The December 13 examination of the BPSC was canceled due to chaos caused by the delayed distribution of question papers. This issue escalated when some candidates brought mobile phones into the examination centre, filmed the disruption, and possibly shared it widely.

Many candidates are protesting at Gardanibagh, expressing dissatisfaction with the examination arrangements and subsequent events.

Prashant Kishor, a political strategist and public figure, is also staging a sit-in protest at the Gandhi Maidan under the Bapu statue for three days, signaling broader discontent or seeking to amplify the grievances of the affected candidates.

Meanwhile, the district administration of Patna has deployed a large police force around the examination centers to ensure peace and prevent any untoward incidents.

Section 144 has been imposed, prohibiting the assembly of individuals around examination centres, to curb protests and ensure a controlled environment.

The officials deployed at the exam centres thoroughly checked candidates before entry ensuring no prohibited items, such as mobile phones, were brought inside.

Candidates can only carry admit cards, pens, and water bottles, to minimize the chances of malpractices or disruptions.

The district administration is also monitoring all 22 examination centres through CCTV cameras. It has also deployed 65 duty magistrates at centres and 14 at the control room to closely monitor the examination being held between 12 noon to 2 p.m.

Originally, 12,000 candidates were registered for the examination at the Bapu centre, but only 7000 candidates have downloaded admit cards for the re-examination.

The district administration has had the dual task of conducting a smooth re-exam and addressing the protests at Gardanibagh and Gandhi Maidan putting the administration under additional pressure.

The involvement of high-level security and administrative oversight highlights the issue's sensitivity. Any misstep could further tarnish the BPSC's reputation.
Chennai, Jan 4 : Six workers were killed and several sustained burns in an explosion at a fireworks factory in Sattur in Tamil Nadu's Virudhnagar district on Saturday.

According to the Sattur Police, the number of fatalities is likely to rise, as the condition of several individuals admitted to the hospital remains critical.

The cause of the accident is yet to be determined. However, preliminary investigations suggest that a power leakage or friction between explosives during the preparation of firecrackers may have triggered the explosion.

The Fire Department responded promptly upon receiving information, extinguished the blaze, and is currently engaged in rescue operations.

Police officials stated that investigations are underway, and the accident site is being closely examined.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin recently visited Virudhunagar district, where he urged fireworks factory owners to take safety measures to prevent such accidents.

He had also interacted with workers and assured them that he had instructed factory owners to adopt all necessary precautions.

Despite the Chief Minister's inspection and assurances, such incidents in the district continue. Virudhunagar, especially Sivakasi, is known as the fireworks capital of Tamil Nadu, with the majority of the state's firecracker factories located there.

Over 300 factories in Virudhunagar district and neighbouring villages produce these types of crackers. The fireworks industry employs nearly four lakh workers across 1,150 factories in Virudhunagar, with Sivakasi alone accounting for 70 per cent of India's firecracker production.

In 2024, the Virudhunagar district witnessed 17 accidents in firecracker factories, resulting in 54 fatalities.

The fireworks industry in Tamil Nadu has an annual turnover of approximately Rs 6,000 crore.

However, association leaders noted a significant decline in firecracker production due to restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court.

The court reiterated its ban on barium nitrate, a crucial ingredient in firecracker manufacturing, and imposed additional restrictions on joined crackers.

Business owners in Sivakasi reported a 30 per cent reduction in production due to these limitations.

Joined crackers, it may be noted, are a series of individual firecrackers connected by a fuse, allowing them to ignite in succession when one is lit.
Rome, Jan 4 : Italy's Postal Police said that they investigated 18,714 cyber-fraud cases in 2024, resulting in over 181 million euros ($186 million) in stolen funds, both record highs.

In their annual report, the Postal Police said that 26 per cent of the cyber-fraud cases investigated involved fraudulent online trading of securities. Despite being a smaller portion of total cases, these crimes accounted for 80 per cent of the overall value of cyber-fraud.

Fraud linked to electronic commerce made up the largest share at 46 per cent of all cases but represented just 5 per cent of the total stolen funds, Xinhua news agency reported.

The report highlighted a 15 per cent rise in cases compared to the previous year, with the total value of fraud increasing by 32 per cent from 2023.

Despite the surge in cases and financial losses, the number of individuals investigated remained almost unchanged, rising by just ten to 3,581. (1 euro = 1.03 US dollars).

Earlier on July 31, 2024, Xinhua news agency reported that 114 million euros ($123.4 million) were stolen through internet fraud in the first six months of this year in Italy, the country's postal and communication police in charge of cybercrime announced.

The figure marked a 71 per cent increase compared to the total registered in the country in the same period of 2023.

Overall, investigators uncovered around 14,000 incidents of cyber fraud and other online financial crimes from January to June, representing a 10 per cent increase, the police force said.

In their annual report issued in December last year, postal police said some 65 businesses of all sizes were among those affected by cyber frauds in 2023. Sums stolen from such companies last year amounted to over 19 million euros, of which 6 million euros were retrieved by law enforcement agencies.

Cyber fraud is a blanket term to describe crimes committed by cyber attackers via the internet. These crimes are committed with the intent to illegally acquire and leverage an individual's or businessas sensitive information for monetary gain.
Addis Ababa, Jan 4 : Recurring earthquakes around the eastern part of Ethiopia have sparked concern among the public as experts and authorities called for calm and vigilance.

Latest data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) showed that at least ten earthquakes have occurred in central Ethiopia over the past two days, with the majority impacting areas around Awash Fentale and Metehara towns, reports Xinhua news agency.

A series of earthquakes struck near Awash town during the past day alone. One such tremor, with a magnitude of 5 that jolted 63 km NNE of the town at 21:18:26 GMT on Thursday, was among the most significant seismic activities recorded during the past weeks. The epicentre, with a depth of 10 km, was initially determined to be at 9.53 degrees north latitude and 40.35 degrees east longitude, according to the USGS.

Video clips shared online by citizens show asphalt roads cracking due to the recurring tremors, with fissures widening over time.

As frequent earthquakes of varying magnitudes continue to impact the Awash Fentale mountain area since late September 2024, the public is being urged to follow safety protocols, given the unusual nature of such events in the East African country.

The majority of the successive earthquakes in the area were of moderate intensity with a few reaching magnitudes of 5 or higher. The quakes caused repeated tremors that were felt as far as the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, approximately 150 km to the west, and surrounding areas. This unusual sequence of events has sparked concern among residents both in the city and beyond.

Following the frequent incidents, experts and authorities advised citizens to stay calm and vigilant, especially in areas known for seismic activity, since the region is located within the tectonically active East African Rift system, Xinhua news agency reported.

Speaking to the national broadcaster Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, Elias Lewi, director of Geophysics and Space Science at Addis Ababa University, confirmed that the Awash Fentale area has experienced recurrent seismic activities over the past weeks.

The expert highlighted that these recurring earthquakes are mostly driven by continuous tectonic activity in the region, particularly movements within basaltic rock formations. He also stated that these geological processes would likely sustain the frequency of seismic events in the area.
Mumbai, Jan 4 : The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Mumbai Zonal Office, conducted extensive search operations on January 2 at 14 locations across Mumbai and Delhi in connection with a Rs 4,957 crore loan fraud case involving M/s Pratibha Industries Limited and its associates, a statement by the ED said on Saturday.

The raids were carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

In an official statement, the ED revealed that the operation resulted in the freezing of bank balances and mutual funds worth Rs 5.4 crore, along with the recovery of incriminating evidence related to the acquisition of immovable properties.

The case originated from an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) based on a complaint lodged by the Bank of Baroda. The complaint alleged that M/s Pratibha Industries Limited, along with its director Ajit Kulkarni and others, orchestrated a massive bank fraud by deceiving a consortium of lenders to the tune of Rs 4,957 crore.

According to the ED, the promoters and directors of M/s Pratibha Industries Limited engaged in a criminal conspiracy to siphon off loan funds, resulting in significant financial losses for the banks while securing undue gains for themselves. "They allegedly accomplished this by diverting loan funds through fraudulent transactions and circular trading practices," the statement said.

The ED investigation further uncovered that the promoters utilized the services of accommodation entry providers to layer and conceal the funds. This was done through a network of bogus entities and suspicious third-party transactions, which were then used to acquire immovable assets.

The ED has said that the investigation is still going on and aims to uncover the full extent of the money laundering activities, including identifying all beneficiaries and tracing the siphoned funds.

The accounts of the Pratibha Industries were classified as NPA on December 31, 2017. Subsequently, the accounts were also declared as fraud by the members of the consortium banks.
Mumbai, Jan 4 : Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana is hustling for 2025 leaving behind the holiday mood as he is set to shoot for his upcoming film 'Thama'.

Mumbai, Jan 4 (IANS) Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana is hustling for 2025 leaving behind the holiday mood as he is set to shoot for his upcoming film aThamaa.

After a short schedule in Mumbai late last year, the team is all set to shoot some exciting sequences as they begin filming early next week with the cast in the national capital which continues until the first half of January.

aThamaa is touted to be a abloody love storya, and belongs to Maddockas blockbuster horror comedy universe. The film promises to be a gripping love story, set against a bloody backdrop and brings together an impressive cast with Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead, along with Paresh Rawal, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

The film is helmed by Aditya Sarpotdar of aMunjyaa fame, and is written by Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew and Arun Fulara, and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik.

2025 is a jam packed year for Ayushmann as well with two films up for release, one with aThamaa, scheduled for release on the momentous occasion of Diwali and another untitled action thriller with Dharma and Sikhya Productions.

As per sources he is also set to begin shooting for two films, one with Sooraj Barjatya, a heartfelt family drama and another one with Sameer Saxena, produced under the collaborative venture between Yash Raj Films & Posham Pa Pictures, touted to be an edge of the seat genre-bending theatrical.

Earlier, Ayushmann Khurrana, who was recently awarded the aFuture Leader for One ASIAa at the 22nd Unforgettable Gala, shared that he is proud that Indian cinema is finally cutting across demographics, cultures and languages.

The actor said he believes in the power of cinema resonating with everyone, and he feels great to see Indian cinema doing that. The actor was feted at the Gala along with the Chinese-American actress Joan Chen, an Oscar Academy Awards judge whose works have also won nine Oscars for Best Actor in a Film as well as globally renowned actor Hiroyuki Sanada, known for his works in Shogun & the John Wick franchise.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Delhi Police has detained and deported five Bangladeshi nationals who were residing illegally in Sarita Vihar, the authorities confirmed on Saturday.

The individuals were found living in a guest house in Madanpur Khadar's Mawasi Colony after their visas had expired.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South-East, Ravi Kumar Singh, shared details about the operation, stating, "We have an Illegal Immigrant Detection Cell in the south-east district that identifies and deports illegal immigrants. This team discovered five illegal immigrants staying in a Bangladeshi guest house in Sarita Vihar. These individuals came to India in August 2024 on tourist visas, which have since expired."

The individuals identified were Sheikh Sofiul Alam Sabbir, Md. Takdirul Khan, Bijoymod Sahi, Habibur Rahman, and Md. Musa Mia Khan. Each had overstayed their visa, with expiry dates ranging from October to November 2024. All had entered India under the pretext of visiting the Bosnian Embassy to obtain work permits.

"We have also initiated legal action against the guest house owner for failing to verify their documents and not informing the police. An FIR has been filed under the Foreigners Act, 1946," DCP Singh added.

The Illegal Immigrant Investigation Team (IIDT) of the South-East District, led by Sub-Inspectors Narendra Sherawat and Hari Kishan, carried out the operation. They were supported by ASI Birjesh Kumar, HC Vikas, HC Arun Kumar, and CT Mohit Rathi.

This operation is part of a larger crackdown launched by the South-East District Police on November 19, 2024, to identify and deport illegal migrants. Since the drive began, 14 Bangladeshi nationals have been deported from the region.

The detained individuals were produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for deportation proceedings. Authorities emphasised the importance of compliance with the Foreigners Act to ensure proper reporting and monitoring of foreign nationals in the country.

The police continue their efforts to locate and take action against more illegal migrants in the district.
Guwahati, Jan 4 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will start his three-day visit to Mumbai on Sunday to attract potential investors for the upcoming infrastructure summit in the state.

He will also take part in a roadshow in Mumbai.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Sarma posted, "For the next 3 days, I'll be in Mumbai to meet the leaders of India Inc. and explore areas of mutual collaboration for the upcoming #AdvantageAssam 2.0 Summit. I will also participate in the Road Show to invite potential investors to the land of limitless opportunities a" Assam."

A big investor summit - Advantage Assam 2.0 is set to be hosted in Guwahati in February.

CM Sarma said that this summit is set to bring more investments to the state. He mentioned that more government jobs and entrepreneurship support will be provided to the people.

According to Chief Minister Sarma, the event, set to take place on February 24 and 25, will highlight the traditional Jhumur dance of the tea tribe clans.

CM Sarma said, "This summit is a platform to showcase Assam's rich traditions to a global audience, in addition to attracting investors."

A spectacular Jhumur dance performance with more than 7,500 dancers and artistes will be part of the event. It will be an extraordinary show, the CM said.

The preparations are underway for this cultural event.

The Chief Minister said, "Perfect execution will be ensured by master training workshops, constituency-level sessions, district-level performances, and final rehearsals in Guwahati."

The concert, which is planned for either day of the summit, is anticipated to have a lasting effect on those present.

This action comes after Assam already set a Guinness World Record for the largest Bihu dance performance.

Advantage Assam 2.0, the second iteration of the international investor summit since its 2018 launch, is aimed at increasing infrastructure development and investment in the state.

The two-day event is expected to draw investors from across the world, solidifying Assam's standing as a new investment destination in the country.
United Nations, Jan 4 : UN humanitarians said that Israelis have ordered more relocations in besieged North Gaza because of impending attacks in retaliation for rocket fire into Israel.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the latest directive was for civilians in the Al-Bureij area of Deir al Balah governorate to move west, Xinhua news agency reported.

OCHA said the newest evacuation order came as Israeli authorities continued to deny United Nations' attempts to coordinate the safe movement of humanitarian workers.

"On Friday, 6 out of 10 coordination attempts were outright rejected," the office said. "Of the remaining four, only two went ahead fully, while the other two encountered serious impediments. Among the rejected attempts today was our plan to deliver supplies to the besieged areas of North Gaza governorate," the office said.

Most people across the Gaza Strip, already displaced multiple times, are often forced to flee amid intense bombardment with almost none of their belongings into unsafe areas that lack the basics for human survival.

"Amid this situation, humanitarian organisations are doing everything they possibly can to support people wherever they are," the office said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that 55 patients and 72 companions were evacuated from Gaza on Tuesday for medical treatment in the United Arab Emirates. Since October 2023, more than 5,300 patients have been evacuated abroad, while over 12,000 patients are awaiting evacuation.

"It would take 5-10 years to evacuate all these critically-ill patients, including thousands of children," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on social media platform X. "In the meantime, their conditions get worse and some die."

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, said that despite the Israeli bill to ban the agency from operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory due to come into effect in less than four weeks, UNRWA's teams are committed to stay and deliver.

He said on X that since the conflict erupted in October 2023, UNRWA has provided 6.7 million medical consultations in Gaza or more than 1,600 consultations per day. Some 730,000 people have received mental health and psychosocial support thanks to UNRWA. And, with partners, the agency vaccinated 560,000 children under 10 against polio.

Lazzarini added that nearly 2 million people received food assistance, hundreds of thousands of displaced people stayed in UNRWA shelters. Since the summer, UNRWA's teams have reached 18,000 children with learning activities.

"We stress once again that UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response and is irreplaceable," OCHA said. "A collapse of its operations, should the new legislation take effect, would lead to immense suffering for people already enduring extreme hardship."

When asked about the possibility that UNRWA would have to cease operations, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters at a regular briefing, "The secretary-general has made very clear that under international law, if UNRWA is not able to go about its mandated tasks, Israel as the occupying power would have to take on those responsibilities."
WASHINGTON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday blocked Japan's Nippon Steel's proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel, citing national security concerns -- a decision that economists say could hurt American steelworkers and the U.S. economy.

In response, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Yoji Muto described the move as "incomprehensible and regrettable" in a statement on Saturday.

The decision delivered a setback to Washington's relations with its closest Asia-Pacific ally and prompted the companies to threaten legal action, the Financial Times said in a report.

So why is Biden against the deal and what could come next?

WHY DOES BIDEN OPPOSE THE DEAL?

Biden, who has long been opposed to the purchase, issued a statement on Friday, saying the acquisition "would place one of America's largest steel producers under foreign control and create risk for our national security and our critical supply chains."

In an executive order signed on the same day, Biden cited the 1950 Defense Production Act, stating that Nippon Steel "might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States."

Biden's decision "isn't about Japan," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in a briefing on Friday. "This is about U.S. steelmaking and keeping one of the largest steel producers in the United States an American-owned company."

In late 2023, the Japanese steel giant Nippon Steel Corporation announced plans to acquire U.S. Steel, which was once a symbol of American industrial might but has since declined significantly.

Before Biden withdrew from the race, both he and his then-opponent, Donald Trump, had expressed opposition to the acquisition.

Biden's economic team had previously said that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) would conduct a review of the acquisition.

Recently, CFIUS expressed concerns, believing that the deal could lead to a decline in U.S. steel production and pose a national security threat. However, due to a lack of consensus within the committee on whether to block the acquisition, it chose not to provide a formal recommendation on whether the deal should be allowed.

HOW DID U.S. STEEL, NIPPON STEEL RESPOND?

Biden's decision followed fierce opposition from the United Steelworkers union to the deal. The group's campaign proved fatal to the purchase, despite intense lobbying in recent weeks from executives at U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel, the Financial Times said.

U.S. Steel had also previously urged Biden to approve the deal. Following CFIUS's decision to refer the pending transaction with Nippon Steel to the president, U.S. Steel said in a statement that this transaction should be approved on its merits and serve as a model for "friendshoring" investment.

"It is the best way, by far, to ensure that U.S. Steel, including its employees, communities, and customers, will thrive well into the future," it said.

In a joint statement Friday, the two companies said they are "dismayed" by Biden's decision to block Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel, "which reflects a clear violation of due process and the law governing CFIUS."

"The President's statement and Order do not present any credible evidence of a national security issue, making clear that this was a political decision," the statement said. "Unfortunately, it sends a chilling message to any company based in a U.S. allied country contemplating significant investment in the United States."

"Following President Biden's decision, we are left with no choice but to take all appropriate action to protect our legal rights," it added.

"President Biden's action today is shameful and corrupt. He gave a political payback to a union boss out of touch with his members while harming our company's future, our workers, and our national security," David Burritt, U.S. Steel president and CEO, said in a statement on Friday.

"He insulted Japan, a vital economic and national security ally, and put American competitiveness at risk," he added.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The move could have implications for future foreign investment in American companies. "Blocking the deal could be politically popular domestically but could scare away foreign investment in other U.S. companies. It could also starve U.S. Steel of investment it says it needs," CNN said in a report on Friday.

Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told Xinhua that this is really "bad news" for the U.S. economy and American steelworkers. "Nippon Steel has superior blast furnace technology and the cash to implement capital improvements. U.S. Steel has neither, nor do potential U.S. buyers," he said.

"Two years from now, U.S. Steel workers, along with shareholders, will sadly regret Biden's decision as the firm sheds workers and shares drop in value. Meanwhile, (President-elect) Trump will likely impose still higher tariffs on U.S. steel imports, imposing high costs on the U.S. economy. A bad outcome all around," said Hufbauer.

Shares of U.S. Steel fell 6.53 percent on Friday after Biden blocked the acquisition.

Japan is the largest source of foreign direct investment in the United States. In November 2024, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba asked Biden to approve Nippon Steel's acquisition of U.S. Steel to avoid marring recent efforts to strengthen ties between the countries, Reuters said in a report.

The outgoing president's decision is "a departure from America's long-established culture of open investment, one that could have wide-ranging implications for the U.S. economy," The New York Times said in an article.

It is also likely to raise concerns about U.S. receptiveness to future foreign investment, with president-elect Donald Trump also opposing the deal, according to the Financial Times. 
New Delhi, Jan 4 : India and the United States are expected to hold discussions on a range of strategic, regional, and bilateral issues, including the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) during US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan's two-day New Delhi visit, beginning Sunday.

Earlier today, the White House confirmed Sullivan's visit "for a capstone meeting" with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval that will span a range of issues across the breadth of India-US partnership -- from space, defence, strategic technology cooperation, all the way also to shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

"This will be Mr. Sullivan's final trip to the Indo-Pacific region as National Security Advisor. He's very excited and looking forward to these conversations at this critical time," said White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby.

"During the visit, Mr. Sullivan will meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other Indian leaders. He will also visit the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he will be able to meet with young Indian entrepreneurs and give a speech outlining the significant steps that the United States and India have taken together to strengthen our innovation alliance under the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, otherwise known as iCET," Kirby told reporters in Washington.

The visit takes place just before US President Joe Biden leaves office on January 20, ahead of Donald Trump being sworn in as the country's 47th president.

Both NSAs have acknowledged that the iCET, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in May 2022, would play a defining role in deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries.

In June 2024, while addressing an iCET roundtable along with Sullivan, NSA Doval had spotlighted that India and the US must remain at the forefront of technology - especially in the areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, bio-tech and other emerging technologies - to protect and defend their value systems.

"iCET has achieved more than what we could imagine," said Doval, highlighting the progress made across the defence innovation roadmap and startups, while emphasising the importance of the growing semiconductor industry.

Sullivan mentioned three key buckets for technology partnerships -- innovation, production and deployment -- stressing the need for government support for the private sector.

"There exists bipartisan support for Indian industry in the US and building the ecosystem and supply chain manufacturing is the key to production," he told the industry leaders, last year.

"The core of iCET is about the idea of India and US being able to support each other and to encourage greater collaboration in the technology ecosystem, jointly innovate and find solutions to challenges," said Sullivan.

Last week, during his US visit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met several key officials of the outgoing Joe Biden-led administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Sullivan, while reviewing the advancement of India-US partnership over the last four years.

"Good to meet US NSA Jake Sullivan in Washington DC this morning. A wide-ranging discussion on the progress of India-US strategic partnership. Also exchanged views on current regional and global developments," EAM Jaishankar posted on X after the meeting.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal has confirmed a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) banning pro-Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun-led 'Sikhs for Justice (SFJ)' for a period of five years.

The UAPA Tribunal of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta, a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court, ruled that the evidence given by the Centre established SFJas connections with Khalistani terror groups such as Babbar Khalsa International and Khalistan Tiger Force, as well as its collaboration with Pakistanas Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to revive militancy in the Punjab.

It added that the evidence highlighted SFJ's involvement in recruiting and radicalizing youth using social media platforms, financing terrorism through smuggling networks to procure weapons and explosives, and issuing death threats to political figures, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.

In a notification issued on July 9, 2024, the MHA extended the declaration of SFJ as an unlawful association for another five years, saying that Pannun-led SFJ's activities have the "potential of disrupting peace, unity, and integrity of the country".

Thereafter, a reference was made to the UAPA Tribunal for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there was sufficient cause for declaring the association unlawful.

According to the MHA, SFJ is involved in anti-national and subversive activities in Punjab, with the intention to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.

The MHA also said that SFJ is in "close touch with militant outfits and activists, and is supporting violent forms of extremism and militancy in Punjab and elsewhere to carve out a sovereign Khalistan out of the territory of Union of India".

The pro-Khalistani outfit "can escalate its subversive activities including attempts to carve out Khalistan Nation out of the territory of Union of India by destabilising the Government established by law", it added.
Bhubaneswar, Jan 4 : Odisha is all set to host the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) for the first time, with the event scheduled to take place at Bhubaneswar's Janata Maidan from January 8 to 10.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas commemorates Mahatma Gandhi's return to India from South Africa on January 9, 1915. Initiated in 2003, the convention celebrates the contributions of the overseas Indian community to the nation's development.

Since 2015, the event has been held biennially to strengthen the engagement of the Indian diaspora with the Government of India and to reconnect them with their cultural roots.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive in Bhubaneswar aboard a special IAF aircraft at 8 p.m. on January 8, marking his first visit to Odisha in 2025, following this, on January 9, he will attend the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.

The Odisha Government has made extensive arrangements for the event, including the establishment of control rooms and helplines. Commissionerate Police has introduced a special mascot, "HAPFY," along with a chatbot to assist attendees during the mega event.

Special fire safety measures have been put in place at the venue.

Odisha Fire and Emergency Services Chief Fire Officer, Devendra Kumar Swain detailed the arrangements, stating, "Around 200 personnel, 30a"35 vehicles, and specialised equipment have been deployed to ensure safety."

"We have also segregated areas, such as the main pandal and dining area for the Prime Minister, with appropriate security arrangements. Additionally, a control room, mother control room, and eight backup fire stations will operate 24/7," he told IANS.

Speaking to IANS, renowned sculpture artist Sudarsan Pattnaik expressed his excitement about the event, stating, "This is a significant moment for the art and culture of Odisha. Indian expatriates often praise Odisha's art and culture during international sand art competitions, and now they will witness it firsthand."

He added that a mini beach featuring sand sculptures will be set up at the venue for visitors who cannot travel to Puri.

One of the event's highlights will be the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award (PBSA) 2025, which will be conferred by President Murmu during the valedictory session.

A total of 27 individuals will receive the prestigious award in recognition of their exceptional contributions to India and abroad.

The award honours Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and organisations run by them for their remarkable achievements across various fields.

Selected by a distinguished jury-cum-awards committee, the awardees represent the finest accomplishments of the Indian diaspora, underscoring their vital role in shaping the global landscape.

As Bhubaneswar prepares to welcome dignitaries and expatriates from around the world, the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas promises to be a momentous celebration of the Indian diaspora's achievements and their enduring connection to their homeland.
Yangon, Jan 4 : Myanmar's State Administration Council on Saturday pardoned approximately 6,000 prisoners to mark the country's 77th Independence Day anniversary, according to the council's orders.

The pardoned prisoners included 5,864 from Myanmar and 180 from other countries, the orders said. The council also reduced some prisoners' sentences, it added.

Last year, more than 9,000 prisoners were granted amnesty on the country's 76th Independence Day anniversary.

It was on January 4, 1948, that Burma (now officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) ended 60 years of colonial rule when it officially declared independence from Britain.

In June 1945, Burmese soldiers fought with the British to expel Japanese invaders from Burma during World War II. By the war's end, nationalist leader Aung San, whose anti-fascist movement had been prominent in the struggle against Japan, had established a political and military power base from which to negotiate with Great Britain. He took office in the provisional Burmese government that was formed in 1946.

Gen. San's rule was troubled by conflicts between Burma's rival ethnic groups, but he proved a unifying force for the nationalist movement. In January 1947, he signed the Panglong agreement with ethnic leaders that guaranteed the independence of Burma as a unified state.

In 1948, the nation became an independent republic, named the Union of Burma, with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first president and U Nu as its first prime minister.

Before the agreement came to fruition, in July 1947, Aung San and six other members of the Cabinet were gunned down. The deaths were mourned throughout the country and for decades after. The assassinations failed to halt the country's advance toward political autonomy, which officially arrived on January 4, 1948.

"Thousands of Burmans caroused amiably along Rangoon's steamy, tropical waterfront," wrote Time. "Some still recalled the day in 1885 when Burma's last king, brash Thibaw, sailed into exile and the British took over. Now, British rule was at an end," Xinhua news agency reported.

The British conquered part of Burma during the Anglo-Burmese war of 182426, but they did not establish full control of the region until 1886. For a time, Burma was part of British India, but it became a separate colony in 1937.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 4 : While the Covid-like Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), currently spreading in China, is just a 'winter occurrence,' is less severe, and is spreading on a smaller scale, Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday stressed that as a matter of caution, it would be better if the elderly, the sick, and pregnant women remain cautious and advocated use of masks.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 4 (IANS) While the Covid-like Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), currently spreading in China, is just a awinter occurrence,a is less severe, and is spreading on a smaller scale, Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday stressed that as a matter of caution, it would be better if the elderly, the sick, and pregnant women remain cautious and advocated use of masks.

Incidentally, when the Covid pandemic hit the country in 2020, the first case was registered in Kerala when a student, who arrived from China, turned positive.

Taking to her social media page, George stated that even though things are fine in China at the moment, adequate care should be taken as a matter of abundant caution.

"Even though there are no reports of any scare from China, increased incidences of flu and pneumonia are there. Since Keralaites are globally present and travelling, it would be best if pregnant, aged and sick people use masks," she said.

George also noted that China has witnessed pandemics like SARS and Covid-19 and thatas perhaps one reason, there is huge attention when such things get reported from the country.

"In case a need arises, our state-of-the-art laboratories are equipped to do the testing of samples to find HMPV. We have to be aware and cautious that those international passengers who arrive here ...if they have any breathing issues, being alert is all thatas needed," she added.

"It would be better when children fall sick, they should remain at home, and breathing difficulties should be addressed too," the Minister said.

In 2020, the efforts taken by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government to tackle Covid had won huge applause and was largely instrumental in his retaining power in the 2021 Assembly polls.

Indian health officials have also said that there is no need to worry amid several media reports and social media posts suggesting that the virus is spreading rapidly in China, five years after the Covid-19 pandemic. Some even claim that hospitals and crematories are being overwhelmed.

"The spread of HMPV in China is like any other respiratory virus," Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Dr Atul Goel told the media in New Delhi on Friday.

"There is no need for alarm about the present situation," he added.

The expert noted that the disease can lead to "flu-like symptoms," in the elderly and very young children.

Dr Goel said there is anyway, an increased outbreak of respiratory virus infections in winter, for which hospitals are usually prepared with supplies and beds.

But there is "no significant increase in the December 2024 data on the respiratory outbreaks within the country", he added.
Kolkata, Jan 4 : A former cop has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the fake passport racket in West Bengal.

The former cop has been identified as Abdul Hai (61) who retired as a Sub-Inspector just a year ago.

Sources in the state police said that during the last few years of service, he was mainly assigned the task of "police verification" for the new passport applicants.

He was arrested from his residence at Habra under Ashoknagar Police Station in North 24 Parganas district. With this, the total number of arrests made in this connection has increased to nine.

The arrested former cops will be presented at a lower court in Kolkata on Saturday and the public prosecutor will seek his police custody for further interrogation.

Recently, both West Bengal and Kolkata Police have started the process of investigation against their colleagues of lackadaisical "police verification" processes resulting in the issuance of fake Indian passports to Bangladeshi infiltrators.

The investigation started after a city court recently directed investigating officials to probe their colleagues in relevant police stations.

The main charges against a section of cops engaged in the task of "police verification" for new passport applicants are that they did not physically make spot visits to the residences of certain passport applicants before submitting the clearance report on this count.

Since December 15, 2024, nine persons have been arrested for their involvement with rackets engaged in arranging fake Indian identity documents, including Indian passports, for illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators.

Several Public Distribution System (PDS) dealers are also under scanner for helping in the process of getting fake ration cards for such illegal infiltrators.
Chennai, Jan 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the demise of veteran nuclear scientist Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram, who passed away at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai on Saturday, January 4, after a brief illness at the age of 88.

Dr. Chidambaram played a pivotal role in India's nuclear weapons programme. He was instrumental in India's first nuclear test in 1974 and the Pokhran-II tests in 1998, which established the country as a nuclear power.

In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said: "Deeply saddened by the demise of Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram. He was one of the key architects of India's nuclear programme and made ground-breaking contributions in strengthening India's scientific and strategic capabilities. He will be remembered with gratitude by the whole nation, and his efforts will inspire generations to come."

Dr. Chidambaram served in several key scientific and strategic positions, including Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

He was also Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

A distinguished academic, Dr. Chidambaram graduated with a B.Sc. Honours in Physics from Presidency College, Chennai, where he was a first-rank holder.

He later pursued a doctorate at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc), earning a Ph.D. in 1962.

His thesis, focussing on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, earned him the Martin Forster Medal for the best doctoral thesis submitted to IISc.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Chidambaram received numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999.

He was also awarded honorary doctorates from multiple universities and was a fellow of several prominent Indian and international science academies.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh expressed his condolences on X stating: "Saddened to learn about the passing away this morning of eminent nuclear scientist Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram, who led India's Atomic Energy Commission and played a key role in the development of strategic weapons. Dr. Chidambaram's role in the two nuclear tests conducted by India was memorable."

Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy, described Dr. Chidambaram's passing as an "irreparable loss" to the scientific community and the nation.

He added: "His contributions to India's nuclear prowess and strategic self-reliance will never be forgotten."

Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram's legacy as one of India's most celebrated scientists and a key architect of its nuclear programme will continue to inspire generations.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), which has the potential to create a market opportunity to the tune of Rs 3.75 lakh crore in additional gross merchandise value (GMV) in the next five years, is addressing the challenges of monopolistic practices and empowering smaller players, the government said on Saturday.

ONDC has the potential to transform the e-commerce landscape. The initiative is not just a technological framework but a vision for a more equitable digital future.

Launched in April 2022, ONDC is an initiative aiming at promoting open networks for all aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks. It is based on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform.

With an authorised capital of Rs 500 crore, several public and private banks and financial institutions have contributed equity to ONDC till now, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) form the backbone of India's economy. ONDC provides them with a unique opportunity to overcome challenges such as limited digital reach and high platform costs.

The Ministry of MSME recently launched a sub-scheme "MSME Trade Enablement and Marketing Initiative" (MSME-TEAM Initiative), which aims at assisting five lakh MSMEs to onboard the ONDC platform.

Of the total five lakh MSMEs to be benefited, two and a half lakh MSEs would be women-owned businesses. The scheme is valid from 2024 to 2027.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that ONDC has empowered small businesses and revolutionised e-commerce.

"ONDC has contributed to empowering small businesses and revolutionising e-commerce, thus playing a vital role in furthering growth and prosperity," said PM Modi in a post on social media platform X.

In the last three years, ONDC has seen more than 150 million transactions. The platform has over 7 lakh sellers and service providers, with sellers from over 600 cities and towns. Consumers from over 1,100 cities and towns have transacted through the network.

Further, more than 7,000 farmer-producer organisations are part of the platform, representing 35 lakh farmers.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : The death of veteran nuclear scientist, Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram is an "irreparable loss to India's scientific community", said scientists on Saturday.

New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) The death of veteran nuclear scientist, Dr. Rajagopala Chidambaram is an "irreparable loss to India's scientific community", said scientists on Saturday.

Chidambaram was an eminent physicist and one of India's most distinguished scientists. He passed away at the age of 88, this morning at 3:20 AM in Mumbai.

"Dr. Chidambaram was a doyen of science and technology whose contributions furthered India's nuclear prowess and strategic self-reliance. His loss is an irreparable one for the scientific community and the nation," said Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, in a statement.

"Chidambaram was a scientist and also a large-team leader on mega projects. This combination is not uncommon in the Department of Atomic Energy in India. His passing marks the end of an era in Indian science and technology of an individual who connected the earliest stages of India's modern science to the present," added K. Vijayraghavan, Former Principal Scientific Adviser in a post on social media platform X.

Dr. Chidambaram played a pivotal role in shaping India's nuclear capabilities and helped establish India as a nuclear power on the global stage.

He played an integral role in the nation's first nuclear test in 1974 and also led the Department of Atomic Energy team during the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998.

The renowned scientist held numerous prestigious roles throughout his illustrious career, including Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India (20012018), Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (1990-1993), Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy (1993-2000).

"His tenure as Principal Scientific Adviser saw the launch of initiatives such as Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG), which empowered rural communities through innovative technologies, Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS), to contribute towards advancing India's cybersecurity and hardware security infrastructure, and National Knowledge Network (NKN) to connect educational and research institutions across the country addressing issues with 'Access to Knowledge," said the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to GoI, in a post on X.

His leadership was "instrumental in establishing the Nanoelectronics Programmes in India, which have paved the way for the current India Semiconductor Mission," added V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani Campuses, in a post on X.

Born in 1936, Dr. Chidambaram was an alumnus of Presidency College, Chennai, and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

Dr. Chidambaram was honoured with the prestigious Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999.

He also received honorary doctorates from several universities and was a fellow of eminent Indian and international science academies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Ministers JP Nadda Jitendra Singh, Pratap Rao Jadhav, Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition, among others, also paid rich tributes to the veteran scientist.
Washington, Jan 4 : Three people died after a fishing boat carrying 22 struck rocks off South Korea's southwest coast Saturday, officials said.

The Coast Guard and other authorities reported receiving a call around 10:30 a.m. about the boat crashing into rocks near Gageo Island in Sinan, South Jeolla Province, reports Yonhap news agency.

The three people were found in a state of cardiac arrest and were pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

The other 19 people were rescued by the Coast Guard and a nearby vessel and were not in any life-threatening conditions.

These people are believed to have jumped into the ocean to wait to be rescued when their boat appeared in danger of capsizing.

The Coast Guard initially said the boat was carrying 21 people but later found out there were 22 aboard.

Authorities plan to investigate the cause of the accident and will also try to determine the reason behind the discrepancy in the headcount.

The Coast Guard said the captain of the vessel may be booked on charges of professional negligence resulting in death.

Earlier on Monday, two people were rescued, and five others went missing after a vessel carrying cargo and cars capsized off western South Korea.

It was reported at 6:26 p.m. local time that the 83-ton vessel with seven people aboard overturned in waters off Seosan, about 100 km southwest of the capital Seoul.

The Coast Guard rescued the two people standing on top of the capsized ship, but the other five remained unaccounted for.

The Coast Guard and the fire authorities mobilised patrol ships, aeroplanes and rescuers to search the waters around the scene of the accident.

In another instance on Monday, an 83-ton car ferry capsized off the southwestern coast, leaving two rescued and five others missing.
People mourn a Palestinian man killed by Israeli army gunfire at a hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

RAMALLAH, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian was killed and eight others injured, including one critically, by Israeli army gunfire in a refugee camp in the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, Palestinian authorities said.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said in a press statement that 18-year-old Mohammad Amer was killed by Israeli army in the Balata refugee camp.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement that its teams treated eight people with gunshot wounds during clashes in the camp. One was critically wounded in the chest and the others moderately wounded.

According to local sources and eyewitnesses, Israeli forces stormed the camp and deployed snipers on nearby rooftops, sparking intense clashes with Palestinian youths.

The Israeli army has not issued any comment on the incident.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, tensions have mounted in West Bank cities and refugee camps, resulting in the deaths of over 800 Palestinians due to Israeli gunfire and shelling, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. 

People mourn a Palestinian man killed by Israeli army gunfire at a hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

People mourn a Palestinian man killed by Israeli army gunfire at a hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

People mourn for 18-year-old Palestinian Mohammad Amer, who was killed by Israeli army in the Balata refugee camp, during his funeral in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Jan. 4, 2025. (Photo by Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua)
Patna, Jan 4 : Wanted criminal Sushil Mochi, with a bounty of Rs 2 lakh on him, was killed in an encounter with police in the Tarabari area in Bihar's Purnea district.

Patna, Jan 4 (IANS) Wanted criminal Sushil Mochi, with a bounty of Rs 2 lakh on him, was killed in an encounter with police in the Tarabari area in Bihar's Purnea district.

Mochi, wanted in multiple cases of robbery and violations under the Arms Act, was killed in the encounter on Friday night after a joint raid by the Special Task Force (STF) and local police.

Mochi, wanted in criminal cases in Jharkhand and Bengal, was recently released from Purnea Central Jail.

According to Purnea Superintendent of Police (SP) Kartikeya Sharma, acting on information about Mochi's presence in Tarabari village, the police and STF launched a raid.

"When the criminal was asked to surrender, an encounter ensued between law enforcement agencies and Mochi's associates. Mochi was killed during the operation, and the surrounding area was cordoned off by authorities to prevent further escalation," Sharma said.

The Purnea SP said, "Sushil Mochi has been a notorious criminal here. Along with his gang, he used to commit crimes in Purnea-Katihar and Kishanganj as well as in Bengal and other places. He was wanted in many cases."

While previously lodged in Katihar jail, Mochi continued to commit crimes.

Notably, he masterminded a robbery at the residence of Sabir Alam, the head of Khadi Mahingaon in the Amaur police station area, underscoring his extensive criminal network.

"During the investigation, police arrested Asad Madni of Amaur and Mochi's wife Poonam Devi, who were directly involved in the crime. The stolen money and other looted items were recovered, and the two were subsequently sent to jail," Sharma said.
Tokyo, Jan 4 : Japan's weather agency said Saturday that heavy snow had hit the mountainous areas on the Sea of Japan side of northern to western Japan, urging people returning from their new year holidays to brace for traffic disruptions.

In the six hours up to 6 am local time on Saturday, 17 centimetres of snow had piled up in Itoigawa City in Niigata Prefecture and 14 centimetres in Chippubestu Town in Hokkaido, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

As of 6 am local time, 392 centimetres had piled up in Sukayu in the Hakkoda mountain range in Aomori Prefecture, double the average amount for this time of year, while Goshogawara City in the same prefecture saw 107 centimetres, more than triple the average, said the JMA.

In the 24 hours through Sunday morning, 40 centimetres of snow is expected in Hokkaido and 30 centimetres in the Tohoku region, Xinhua news agency quoted the JMA as saying.

On Friday, the agency had warned that heavy snow is expected to hit northern and eastern Japan through Saturday, mainly in mountainous areas along the Sea of Japan coast, due to a winter pressure pattern and a cold air mass.

According to the country's weather agency, the estimated 24-hour snowfall through Saturday morning was expected to be up to 50 centimetres in the Tohoku region, 40 centimetres in the Hokkaido and Niigata prefectures, 35 centimetres in the Kanto-Koshin region and 30 centimetres in the Hokuriku and Tokai regions.

Weather officials had called on people to prepare for traffic disruptions, while urging caution against snow that accumulates on power cables and trees, as well as avalanches in snow-covered areas.

Winds could intensify along the Sea of Japan coast from northern to western Japan through Sunday, with possible blizzards in some areas, the JMA added.

Heavy snow had blanketed northern Japan on Tuesday, forcing dozens of flight cancellations as many people were traveling for the New Year holidays.

Japan Airlines said it canceled 42 flights to and from the northernmost island of Hokkaido, affecting 6,398 passengers, while All Nippon Airways scrapped 14 flights, affecting 800 passengers.

Earlier, the average temperature across Japan from September to November in 2024 was the highest since records began in 1898.

The nationwide autumn average was 1.97 degrees Celsius above the normal baseline, breaking the previous record set last year by a significant margin of 0.58 degrees, the data showed.

The JMA had attributed the record-breaking warmth to the effects of global warming and a northward shift in the jet stream, which allowed warm southern air to dominate.
Bengaluru, Jan 4 : Kannada star Dr Shivarajkumar, son of Kannada film legend Dr Rajkumar, has been discharged from the hospital in Miami, US, following complete recovery from cancer, family sources confirmed on Saturday.

Nivedita, Shivarajkumar's daughter, has shared a picture showing the actor and family in a relaxed mode. Sources further stated that Shivarajkumar will be in the US for follow-ups and resting for one month and he will be back for the shooting by Feb first or the second week.

Shivarajkumar is expected to begin shooting of the Telugu superstar Ramcharan-starrer pan India movie soon.

Earlier, Shivarajkumar shared a video from the US on the first day of 2025, detailing his journey of overcoming cancer and assuring fans of his return.

In the video, he conveyed his New Year wishes to everyone and said, "I am hesitant to speak as I might get emotional at this moment. Leaving Karnataka was a very emotional experience for me. Under these circumstances, fear is inevitable, but the support of my fans has significantly reduced it."

He continued, "The way the doctors took care of me, gave me immense courage. While shooting for the movie '45', I underwent chemotherapy and even filmed the climax fight scene. As the date to leave for the US for treatment approached, I became anxious. However, my wife Geetha and daughter Nivedita stood by me throughout."

"Dr Manohar, who treated me, cared for me like a child. My urinary bladder has been replaced, but there is no need for anyone to panic. I am doing well and will be back with double the energy. I thank all my fans for their unwavering support," Shivarajkumar assured.

Geetha Shivarajkumar, his wife, who had appeared in the video alongside him, stated that all the medical reports had come back negative, and it was officially declared that Shivarajkumar is cancer-free. "He recovered because of the blessings of his fans, and I will never forget this," she said.

The actor underwent surgery at a hospital in Miami, US, where his cancerous bladder was removed. According to the surgeon, Dr Murugesh Manoharan, an artificial bladder was created using Shivarajkumar's intestine.

In November, Shivarajkumar had spoken publicly about his illness, acknowledging that he was human like everyone else. While he didn't disclose it was cancer at the time, he said, "At the end of the day, I am a human being. I have a health issue and am currently undergoing treatment for it. I have completed a couple of treatment sessions, and a few more are pending. After that, I will undergo surgery, either in India or the US."
Quito, Jan 3 : Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has declared a 60-day state of emergency in seven provinces and three municipalities amid escalating internal unrest and armed conflict.

The provinces affected include Guayas, Los Rios, Manabi, Santa Elena, El Oro, Orellana, and Sucumbios, along with the Metropolitan District of Quito, La Troncal, and Camilo Ponce Enriquez.

Noboa cited rising crime rates and the growing presence of organized armed groups as the main reasons for the emergency, which aims to curb violence and support military and police forces deployed to restore public order.

Under the emergency measures, the right to inviolability of the home and correspondence was suspended in the affected regions. A nightly curfew was also imposed in around 20 cantons, Xinhua news agency reported.

Since January 2024, Ecuador has been engaged in an "internal armed conflict" against organised crime groups labeled as "terrorists" by the government.

Last month, nine people were killed in two armed attacks in the country.

The police authorities had on December 6 confirmed discovering six male bodies aged 17-25, all piled together.

Before the police transported the bodies to a forensic centre in the port city of Manta, Manabi, local media reports indicated that some of the bodies were bound and showed gunshot wounds.

Just around that time, three members of the same family were also murdered in the city of Bahia de Caraquez, Sucre canton, Manabi.

Manabi, a key region for drug trafficking on Ecuador's Pacific coast, has seen rising violence in 2024, with numerous crimes linked to organised crime, the police said.

In response, the government deployed police and military to target criminal groups in conflict zones. President Daniel Noboa declared an "internal armed conflict" in January against 22 criminal gangs labelled as "terrorist."
New Delhi, Jan 4 : As the BJP released its first list of nominees for the Delhi Assembly elections, the candidates named in the list expressed confidence about winning the polls with huge margin and asserted that 'Kamal jarur khilega' (lotus will surely bloom).

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva expressed confidence and said that party would secure a victory in all 29 constituencies.

Talking to IANS, Sachdeva said, "Without any doubt, we will win on every seat. The candidates are youth, experienced, and have a deep concern for the national capital. Every candidate is committed to working with courage and hard work."

Sachdeva further declared that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP would form a government in Delhi. "We will surely win in all 29 constituencies which has been announced in the first list," he asserted.

The BJP leader also took aim at former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, predicting his defeat in the upcoming polls, especially from the New Delhi constituency. He claimed that Kejriwal's challenger, BJP's Parvesh Verma, would emerge victorious.

"Kejriwal from face defeat from New Delhi and Atishi from Kalkaji," he stated.

Raj Kumar Bhatia, BJP's candidate from Adarsh Nagar, also voiced confidence about the party's prospects.

"I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by the top leadership of the BJP. The people of Delhi are aware of the shortcomings of the Kejriwal government, and they will make their voices heard in the elections. Kamal jarur khilega," Bhatia said.

Ramesh Bidhuri, BJP's candidate from Kalkaji, was equally optimistic.

"I am very grateful to the leadership for choosing me for this constituency. In the last 5 or 6 years, Delhi CM Atishi has done nothing for the constituency, and now, after six months, she is coming here just to cut cakes and hug people," he stated. Bidhuri also predicted a loss for Congress's Alka Lamba in the same seat.

Meanwhile, the BJP has fielded several high-profile leaders in its first list of 29 candidates, including Parvesh Verma from New Delhi, where he will face Kejriwal, and Ramesh Bidhuri from Kalkaji, where he will challenge Delhi CM Atishi. Additionally, Kailash Gehlot, a recent defector from AAP, has been fielded from Brijwasan.

The BJP's list includes two women candidates. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had already announced its candidates, while Congress has also disclosed many of its nominees.

With elections slated for February, political experts anticipate that the poll dates will be announced soon. The AAP is banking on its promises, including Sanjeevni and Mahila Samman Yojana, while the BJP has criticised the ruling government for allegedly misusing public funds and implementing "fraudulent" policies. Congress has also raised concerns about the AAP government's failures, blaming it for turning Delhi into a "gas chamber."
New Delhi, Jan 4 : India is striving to ensure that people with visual impairment live with dignity, independence, and equality, said the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on World Braille Day on Saturday.

World Braille Day is observed annually on January 4 to commemorate the birthday anniversary of Louis Braille -- the visionary who developed a tactile script in the 19th century in France that revolutionised communication for blind and partially sighted individuals.

The day has been celebrated globally since 2019 and highlights the significance of Braille in empowering visually impaired individuals.

Braille is used by blind and partially sighted people to read the same books and periodicals as those printed in a visual font.

It is a tactile representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols using six dots to represent each letter and number, and even musical, mathematical, and scientific symbols.

"As we celebrate the achievements of Louis Braille and countless individuals who continue to champion accessibility, let us pledge to build a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their abilities," said the Ministry.

According to the 2011 Census, there are 50,32,463 persons with visual impairment in India.

The Ministry also listed some of the important initiatives undertaken by the government for the empowerment of visually impaired persons.

The initiatives focus on the rights, education, employment, and overall well-being of the visually impaired in the country.

The government has collaborated with the National Association for the Blind to make approximately 10,000 pages of documents, including government schemes and legal reliefs, accessible to persons with visual disabilities.

MoUs have been signed with Inclusive Science, Mission Accessibility, and the National Association for the Blind to boost mobile application accessibility through AI technology.

Further, the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Impairment (NIEPVD) (Divyangjan) working for the education, training, rehabilitation, and empowerment of persons with visual impairment during 2023-24 benefitted 2,94,388 persons (New Cases, Follow-up & Supportive Services) via different services/programmes under the institute.

The government has also developed a Model School for the Visually Handicapped (MSVH) to impart education to children with visual impairment from the Bal Vatika to the senior secondary level.

It provides free education, boarding, and lodging, uniforms, books, and equipment, as well as curriculum activities. During the year 2023-24, Model school has provided education to 243 children with visual impairment, the Ministry said.

Notably, the Braille Development Unit, under the Department of Special Education and Research, contributed to the development of Braille Codes in different Indian languages. It is also in the process of developing a 'Manual on Bharti Braille' to further support Braille literacy and standardisation across India.

The NIEPVD is also hosting a National Accessible Library to provide learning materials in various accessible formats Braille, large print, audio, and E-pub to persons with visual impairment.

The library serves over 55,000 members and houses approximately 1,58,901 Braille volumes, 20,784 print books, and more than 7,100 audio titles. It also hosts an online Braille Library- Sugamya Pustkalaya having 6,79,120 titles.

"The initiatives reflect that India is making strides toward ensuring that visually impaired individuals can live with dignity, independence, and equality," the ministry said.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : The New Delhi District Election Officer (DEO) on Saturday dismissed as baseless the allegation made by AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claiming that the poll office did not provide details of people who had sought the cutting of names of bogus voters, including his wife.

In a post on X, Sunny Kumar Singh, New Delhi DEO, claimed that the summary of Form 7, which includes the names of both the objectors and objectees, is shared with all recognised political parties, including AAP, on a weekly basis through Form 10.

"Additionally, this information is uploaded on the official website of CEO Delhi for public access and transparency. Hence, the statement that objectors' names are not being shared is factually incorrect," said the DEO.

Sharing a copy of Form 10, the DEO said the process of deleting any names from the electoral roll is carried out strictly in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India.

The process starts with the filing of form 7 and in all such cases, a thorough field verification is conducted by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), BLO supervisors, and other officers as per prescribed norms. Mere submitting a list for deletion doesn't start the deletion process, said the DEO.

Sharing details of the case related to Sanjay Singh's wife, Anita, the DEO said two separate Forms 7 applications were filed for the deletion of her name.

Upon field verification, the BLO found her residing at the given address, and both Form 7 applications were rejected.

Additionally, an FIR was lodged against the objectors for wrongful filing of Form 7.

In several other cases, Form 7 applications for deletion of names have been rejected after due process and field verification. Each application is scrutinised individually and rejected on merit if found invalid.

The allegation that the DEO, New Delhi, is deliberately deleting the names of genuine electors is entirely baseless and unsubstantiated, he said.

"All deletions are carried out in strict compliance with ECI norms to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the electoral roll. The District Election Office remains committed to upholding the principles of transparency, fairness, and accountability in the preparation and maintenance of the electoral rolls. Any attempt to mislead the public with baseless claims will be addressed firmly to protect the credibility of the election process as per the rules," he said.

On Friday, Sanjay Singh levelled serious allegations against the BJP, accusing it of deleting voters' names from the electoral rolls ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

He claimed that the BJP was attempting to manipulate the voters' list, targeting long-time residents and women whose votes were reportedly cancelled.

Speaking to IANS, Sanjay Singh allegedly provided evidence to support his accusations, stating, "I will give you this voters' list and I have also presented before you the list of women whose votes have been cancelled by the BJP.

"These women have lived here for 30-40 years, they got married, raised their children here, and now their votes are being cancelled. They are doing these things in the area where former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is contesting elections. So, this is a clear indication that the BJP has already lost the election and is resorting to electoral scams to secure a win."
Srinagar, Jan 4 : Four army soldiers died and and one injured in a road accident in J&K's Bandipora district on Saturday. Initial reports said that Army vehicle veered off the road suddenly and dropped into a deep gorge in Saderkoot Payeen area.

Five army soldiers were injured in this accident. They were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital where attending doctors said two soldiers were dead on arrival.

Three critically injured soldiers were bring shifted to Srinagar for specialised treatment.

"Two injured soldiers also succumbed to injuries, taking the death toll in this road accident to four. The condition of one injured soldier is still stated to be critical by attending doctors", officials said.

It must be mentioned that the army, police and security forces in J&K are maintaining heightened vigil after terrorists carried out some dastardly attacks after the peaceful, people participative Lok Sabha and legislative assembly elections here.

Intelligence agencies say the peaceful conduct of elections witnessed by diplomats of many countries has frustrated the handlers of terror sitting across the border in Pakistan. As per the intelligence agencies, these handlers have directed terrorists to give the 'dying terrorism' its last push in the UT.

Months ago, two terrorists including a foreign mercenary and a local terrorist fired indiscriminately inside the workers camp in Gagangir area of Ganderbal district on October 20, leaving seven civilians including six non-local workers of an infrastructure company and a local doctor killed in Gagangir attack. On October 24, 2024, terrorists ambushed an army vehicle in Botapathri area of Gulmarg hill station.

Three army soldiers and two civilian porters were killed in Botapathri attack. Again on November 2, terrorists hurled a grenade at the busy Sunday Market near the tourist reception centre (TRC) in Srinagar. A 42-year old woman, mother of three children was killed and 9 civilians injured in that grenade attack.

After these dastardly, terror attacks, security forces have been aggressively carrying out anti-terrorist operations under the clear orders from the Lt governor Manoj Sinha. The Lt governor has directed the security forces to dismantle the terror ecosystem by eliminating terrorists, their over ground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers.
Shivamogga : , Jan 4 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP on Saturday staged a large protest in Shivamogga condemning the "anti-people" policies of the Congress government, which has shown negligence despite the series of maternal deaths occurring across the state.

The BJP expressed outrage over the state government's apathy, saying that despite the ongoing deaths of mothers and newborns from impoverished families and public demonstrations highlighting these tragedies, the Congress government has failed to take stringent measures.

The BJP warned that the curses of the common people and the poor would eventually fall upon the government for its indifference.

Speaking at a protest organised by the BJP Women's Wing on Saturday, the State BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra urged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to immediately announce a minimum compensation of Rs 25 lakh to the families of deceased's mothers if he has any humanity or respect for the position of Chief Minister.

Vijayendra demanded that State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, and the Women and Child Welfare Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar resign from their posts.

He emphasised that the state government should adopt the orphaned children, adding, "Only then can God forgive you."

He accused the Congress government of being intoxicated with power and claimed that it was BJP's responsibility to fight against this corrupt and negligent administration.

Vijayendra said that the BJP Women's Wing has been organising protests across the state to address the deaths of mothers and newborns.

He also demanded that the state government immediately announce Rs 25 lakh compensation package and take responsibility for the children's welfare.

"This shameful government needs to be taught a lesson through BJP's continued struggle," he asserted.

Vijayendra also said that a letter would be sent to the National Human Rights Commission to bring attention to the issue and hold the state government accountable.

He assured that the BJP would work to ensure justice for the affected families.

He called upon the state government to wake up and fulfill their demands without delay.

MLA S.N. Channabasappa, MLC Dhananjay Sarji, state coordinators of various BJP cells like S. Dattatri, District President T.D. Megharaj, BJP Women's Wing District President Gayathri Devi, Medical Cell Coordinator Hemant, Women's Wing leaders, party members, and activists were present.
Seoul, Jan 4 : South Korean investigators were set to finalise compiling the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage of the crashed Jeju Air plane, the transport ministry said on Saturday.

The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is expected to draw up the complete transcript of the cockpit voice recorder, or CVR, on Saturday as part of its probe into Sunday's crash at South Korea's Muan International Airport that killed all but two of the 181 passengers and crew aboard.

The recording may hold clues to the final moments of the crash, though the ministry will not make it public until the investigation is completed.

The flight data recorder, or FDR, is in the process of being prepared for transport to the United States for analysis, according to the ministry, Yonhap news agency reported.

The Jeju Air jet from Bangkok to Muan belly-landed following a mayday call before slamming into a concrete barrier at the end of the airport's runway and going up in flames.

South Korean and US officials, including those from its manufacturer Boeing, have been working to find the cause of the accident. Some have pointed to a bird strike, faulty landing gear and the concrete barrier as possible issues.

The Jeju Air jet crashed on landing at Muan International Airport in the county of South Jeolla Province last Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 passengers and crew aboard.

Of the bodies, 103 were transferred to their families, and the remainder are at a temporary morgue before being sent to their families, according to the Ministry of Interior and Safety.

The investigators had on Friday recovered the aircraft engine from the Jeju Air crash as they are focusing on determining the cause of the accident.

The government is also working to recover the tail section of the aircraft. Authorities had briefly halted the process after blood traces were discovered inside the fuselage.

Officials plan to determine whether the blood belongs to a passenger or an animal, such as a bird, through detailed forensic analysis.
TAIPEI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- For Liu De-wen, who hails from southern Taiwan, the weight of a life is precisely 12 kilograms.

On the third day of 2025, the 58-year-old from Kaohsiung boarded a flight to Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province. He carried two ash urns, each weighing 12 kilograms -- one strapped to his chest and the other secured to his back.

Over the past 21 years, Liu has carried the cremains of more than 300 veterans from Taiwan back to the Chinese mainland, fulfilling their dying wishes to return home.

These veterans were among the soldiers who arrived in Taiwan with the Kuomintang in 1949 during a civil war. For decades, as the two sides of the Taiwan Strait were trapped in protracted political confrontation, they were unable to return to the mainland to care for aging parents or reunite with siblings or wives.

Many of these men, considered outsiders on the island, remained unmarried and childless.

Liu, a native of Taiwan's Pingtung County, did not know much about these veterans until 1997 when he moved to a community of old military housing in Kaohsiung.

The community was home to more than 4,000 mainland veterans at its prime time, and when Liu moved in, around 1,800 old men were still living there.

"They often sat for hours during the Chinese New Year, gazing toward the mainland. On the traditional Tomb-Sweeping Day, they would perform rituals in the direction of their hometowns to honor their parents they hadn't seen in decades," Liu recalled.

These scenes resonated deeply with Liu, and over time, he became their confidant, listening to their stories of separation and longing.

Although the Taiwan authorities lifted the ban on visiting relatives on the mainland in 1987, many veterans did not make the trips due to their age or health conditions. Those who made mostly did not move back to their hometowns, due to various reasons.

In 2003, an 87-year-old veteran from Hunan Province surnamed Wen entrusted Liu with his dying wish. "Can you take my ashes back home to be buried beside my parents? I've never fulfilled my duties as a son," a tearful Wen had said, as Liu recounted speaking to Xinhua.

After Wen's passing, Liu honored his promise, traveling by plane, train, and bus to deliver the urn to Wen's ancestral village in Hunan.

Word soon spread, and other veterans began reaching out for his help. As the requests multiplied, Liu devoted himself entirely to this mission, undeterred by the physical and financial challenges it entailed.

"I don't treat the urns as luggage. They hold the veterans' souls," Liu said, explaining why he often bought seats or beds for the urns, treating them as if the deceased were still alive.

In later years, Liu began receiving requests from families on the mainland to locate the remains of veteran relatives in Taiwan and bring them home.

These missions were uphill battles. Liu has combed through military cemeteries, untended graves, and even abandoned temples across Taiwan, piecing together clues from decades-old records and scattered memories.

The search for veteran Chen Bi-shou, for instance, took months. Chen's family in Jiangsu had not heard from him since the early 1980s and contacted Liu in 2018.

It was only through Liu's unwavering determination -- meticulously checking cemetery records and obscure archives -- that Chen's grave was finally located in Taiwan, 25 years after his death. Liu personally accompanied Chen's ashes back to Jiangsu.

The search trips are rarely easy. Liu has endured heatstroke while searching remote cemeteries, slept on train station floors, and once fractured ribs falling into a pit during a search. Yet, he continues to persevere.

"Doing good brings blessings," Liu said simply, attributing his survival from the fall to the unseen support of the veterans.

The reunions Liu facilitates are often profoundly emotional. In Yunnan, an elderly man whose father left for Taiwan when his mother was pregnant wept as he held the cremains in the urn. "I finally have a father," he said, overwhelmed with emotion.

In Shandong, a 90-year-old man knelt three times before Liu in gratitude for bringing his brother home.

In every case, Liu stays to ensure the ashes are buried properly. Having mapped out over 20 provinces and regions, with only Xizang, Qinghai, and Ningxia left untouched, he rarely took time for sightseeing, viewing his work as a solemn mission. "I am here to bring them home, not to tour," he said.

As technology advanced, Liu began documenting veterans' graves to create a comprehensive database and publishing the information online, enabling families to locate lost loved ones more efficiently.

Liu's efforts have garnered recognition across the Strait. Families on the mainland, once strangers, now call him "uncle" or "big brother."

"This is why I do what I do," Liu said. "We are one family, bound by the same roots and culture. Blood ties can never be severed."

Liu's life remains modest. His office, a converted shipping container, displays the motto: "Do good and keep a kind heart." Despite the growing public recognition of his work, he continues to live frugally, saving every penny to fund his missions.

"I've learned the essence of humanity through this work," Liu said. "It's about bringing closure and peace to those who've waited a lifetime to go home."

As the veterans pass away and their stories fade, Liu races against time to complete their final journeys.

In 2024, Liu escorted 47 urns in a single year, the most ever. In 2025, he has already scheduled trips for more than 20 deceased veterans.

"I have to walk faster," he said. "Their children are getting older too. They shouldn't have to wait any longer." 
Chennai, Jan 4 : Tamil Nadu BJP Spokesperson and senior party leader ANS Prasad stated that the Dravidian model DMK government, which he claims stands against women's rights and supports oppressors, will be overthrown by the women of the state.

He accused the DMK government of enforcing a modern-day emergency-style rule and said that the people of Tamil Nadu would not tolerate it any longer.

The BJP leader alleged that crimes against women have been steadily rising over the past three years under the DMK regime.

He emphasised that women and girls of all age groups -- including young children, college students, middle-aged women, and the elderly -- have been suffering due to administrative failures and police negligence. "This has become a recurring issue," Prasad remarked, adding that the people of Tamil Nadu, who have been patient for too long, are now raising their voices in protest.

Referring to a recent sexual harassment incident involving a student at Anna University, he said that it has ignited public anger and led people to take to the streets, demanding justice with renewed determination.

Prasad criticised the DMK government and the Tamil Nadu Police, claiming they have created an atmosphere of apathy and negligence.

"This has led to burning questions in the minds of the people, such as 'Who is responsible for this?' and 'Why has this disaster occurred?'" he said.

He noted that following these events, various political parties have joined in protests against the DMK government.

"Tamil Nadu BJP leader K. Annamalai's relentless protests have underscored that putting an end to violence against women is a collective responsibility," Prasad said.

He further stated that social welfare organisations, college students, political parties, and women's rights groups have come together to demand justice.

However, Prasad accused the DMK government of attempting to suppress these protests using unlawful means and the police force.

He pointed to the recent arrests of BJP National Executive Committee Member Khushbu Sundar and Tamil Nadu BJP Mahila Morcha leader Uma Rathii, who were detained on January 3 as the women's wing was set to begin a long march from Madurai to Chennai.

Prasad also claimed that women travelling from across the state to participate in the protest were intercepted and detained overnight.

He alleged that the DMK government's oppressive tactics-- arrests, threats, and false cases against opposition parties -- are reminiscent of the Emergency period in India.

He called upon Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to immediately end these actions and warned that if the Chief Minister fails to act, a peaceful revolution by the people will remove the DMK from Tamil Nadu politics.
Los Angeles, Jan 4 : American rapper Nicki Minaj has been slapped with a lawsuit over alleged assault, battery and "intentional infliction of emotional distress".

Los Angeles, Jan 4 (IANS) American rapper Nicki Minaj has been slapped with a lawsuit over alleged assault, battery and "intentional infliction of emotional distress".

The charges have been pressed by a man who alleges the Grammy-nominated rapper struck him in the face during a confrontation, reports 'Variety'.

In a complaint filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Brandon Garrett claimed he was working as a day-to-day manager for Minaj's Pink Friday 2 tour when Minaj (real name Onika Maraj) hit him multiple times.

As per 'Variety', the altercation allegedly occurred backstage at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on April 21 following one of Minaj's concerts.

In a statement shared with 'Variety', Minaj's lawyer, Judd Burstein, widely denied these allegations and denounced an original report of the complaint from TMZ.

"At this time, no complaint has been served upon Mrs. Petty (Minaj's husband is Kenneth Petty), and therefore, we are unaware of the specific allegations," Bernstein shared. "However, if the lawsuit is as reported by TMZ, it is completely false and frivolous. We are confident that the matter brought by this ex assistant will be resolved swiftly in Mrs. Petty's favor".

As per the lawsuit, Garrett was on his way back from an errand Minaj requested when he received a text message from her head of security, Larry Dathan. Dathan allegedly told Garrett that Minaj wanted to see him in her dressing room.

When he arrived, Garrett says eight members of Minaj's staff were present including Dathan, another employee named Luke Montgomery and her former manager Deb Antney. Garrett states Minaj began to complain about the staff "not knowing what they are supposed to do, and who reports to who" when she turned her attention to Montgomery, asking what his position was.

"Mr. Montgomery explained that his duties entailed tasks like venue dressing room set-up, private jet set-up, hotel room set-up, quick change room refreshments, and tour bus set-up", the complaint read. "Mr. Montgomery mentioned these duties were in addition to any requests from (Minaj) communicated by (Garrett), including food orders, drinks, personal items, baby items, and, most notably, prescriptions".

Garrett explained he had Montgomery pick up the prescriptions because he was occupied with tour responsibilities, including assisting Minaj with quick changes during performances.
Yangon, Jan 4 : Myanmar authorities have seized 60 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) in eastern Myanmar's Shan state, the state-run daily The Mirror reported on Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Kengtung township in eastern Shan state on December 30, and confiscated the narcotics, the report said.

The seized narcotics are worth 480 million kyats (about 228,571 US dollars) on the black market, and a suspect has been arrested in connection with the case, it said.

Investigations showed that the drugs were being transported from Mong Ping township to Tachileik township in Shan state, it said.

The suspect has been charged under the country's law, and further investigations are ongoing, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Friday, the newspaper had reported that the authorities have seized 40.2 kg of heroin blocks and 200,000 stimulant tablets in the same region.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Mong Pan township of southern Shan state on December 28, 2024, and seized the narcotics, a report said.

The confiscated narcotics were approximately worth 540 million kyats (about 257,142 US dollars), and two suspects were arrested for the case, it said.

The suspects were charged under the country's law, and further investigations were ongoing.

On Thursday, the country's authorities had announced seizure of 11 kg of heroin and 200,000 stimulant tablets in central Myanmar.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Chanayethazan township of Mandalay region on December 27, 2024 and confiscated 2.8 kg of heroin along with two suspects, a report said.

According to the investigation, 8.2 kg of heroin and 200,000 stimulant tablets were found at another suspect's home in the same township, it added.

The seized narcotics are worth 575 million kyats (about 0.27 million US dollars), it said.

The three suspects were charged under the country's law, and further investigations were underway, it added.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : A team of US researchers has developed a novel artificial intelligence (AI) system that can help doctors identify patients at risk for suicide.

Researchers from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center said that AI-driven clinical alerts can potentially improve prevention efforts in routine medical settings.

The team tested the AI system, called the Vanderbilt Suicide Attempt and Ideation Likelihood model (VSAIL), in three neurology clinics at VUMC. They analysed 7,732 patient visits over six months for suicide risk during regular clinic visits.

The findings, reported in JAMA Network Open, showed that the AI model could effectively prompt doctors -- 596 total screening alerts  by analysing routine information from electronic health records and calculating a patient's 30-day risk of a suicide attempt.

Further, the team compared two approaches -- automatic pop-up alerts that interrupted the doctor's workflow versus a more passive system that simply displayed risk information in the patient's electronic chart.

The interruptive alerts were found to be far more effective, leading doctors to conduct suicide risk assessments in connection with 42 per cent of screening alerts, compared to just 4 per cent with the passive system.

While "universal screening isn't practical in every setting" the new VSAIL can "help identify high-risk patients and prompt focused screening conversations," the researchers said, suggesting that similar systems could be tested in other medical settings.

The team found that although interruptive alerts were more effective at prompting screenings, they could potentially contribute to "alert fatigue" among doctors.

The team said that doctors can become overwhelmed by frequent automated notifications. They urged future studies to examine this concern.
Kochi, Jan 4 : A day after securing convictions in the 2019 Periya twin murder case, the CBI Chennai unit has solved a 19-year-old triple murder case, bringing a breakthrough in a long-pending investigation.

On Saturday, the CBI arrested Dibil Kumar and Rajesh, accused in the 2006 murder of 24-year-old Ranjini and her 17-day-old twin daughters. Acting on a tip-off, the duo was apprehended from Puducherry, where they had been residing with their families.

The case dates back to January 24, 2006, when Ranjini, an unmarried woman from Anchal in Kollam district, gave birth to twin girls at a government hospital in Kerala's capital city Thiruvananthapuram. Kumar, also from Anchal, was known to Ranjini and had been in a relationship with her. However, after learning of her pregnancy, Kumar reportedly distanced himself from her.

Ranjini sought help from the Kerala State Womenas Commission, which ordered a DNA test after the babies were born. Shortly after, Rajesh, a mutual acquaintance, visited the hospital and offered to help. He took Ranjini and her infants to a rented house in Kollam.

Tragically, on February 8, 2006, Ranjini and her daughters were found dead in the rented home. The local police launched an investigation, which was later handed over to the Crime Branch. Following persistent requests from Ranjinias mother, the case was eventually transferred to the CBI.

Years later, the CBI Chennai unit reopened the case while reviewing pending files. Acting on secret information, investigators tracked Kumar and Rajesh to Puducherry, where they were running an interior decoration business. The duo had reportedly been evading the law since the murders, leaving their jobs in the Army.

The CBI placed the suspects under surveillance and took them into custody on Friday. On Saturday, they were brought to Kochi.

According to CBI sources, the accused will be taken to Kollam for evidence collection and further investigation.
Tumakuru : , Jan 4 (IANS) The Karnataka Court on Saturday remanded the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) posted with the Madhugiri Subdivision, who was allegedly caught on camera in a compromising position with a woman in his office washroom, to 14 days of judicial custody.

The Madhugiri local court has passed the order.

Till Monday the accused DSP P. Ramachandrappa will remain in the Madhugiri prison and later he will be shifted to the district prison of Tumakuru.

The office of the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) had issued the suspension orders of DSP P. Ramachandrappa in connection with the incident.

A video showing the officer in uniform "romancing" the woman had gone viral on social media in the state, raising serious concerns.

According to sources, the victim, a woman came into contact with the DSP from Madhugiri town, in connection with a land dispute complaint.

The victim from Pavagada town approached the police, and the DSP allegedly exploited his position to coerce her into an objectionable act.

The police officer reportedly took the woman, who had come to complain, to his office washroom to commit the act.

It is suspected that a relative accompanying the woman secretly recorded the incident and circulated the video online.

The 35-second footage showed the officer in uniform and the woman noticing a mobile phone recording through a window.

It showed an objectionable act of the senior officer in uniform.

The video also showed the woman noticing the mobile phone at the window.

The incident has raised further concerns as Madhugiri town falls within Tumakuru district, the native of State Home Minister G. Parameshwara.

The sources also claimed that the DSP used to indulge in objectionable acts with the woman whenever she visited his office in connection with the case.

"Not able to bear the exploitation, the woman's relative had shot a video this time," the sources added.

Police sources said that there were complaints of sexual exploitation against the accused officer but due to the lack of evidence and as the victims chose not to speak about the incident, the police officer's actions did not come out in the open.

Tumakuru Superintendent of Police, K.V. Ashok, conducted the probe and submitted the report in this regard to the department. The accused officer was suspended and later arrested by the police.

The woman who was seen in the video has filed a complaint against him and the police had filed an FIR under Sections 68 (sexual intercourse by a person in authority abusing their position), 75 (sexual harassment) and 79 (outraging of modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act.
Imphal, Jan 4 : Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Saturday directed the state Director General of Police Rajiv Singh to prioritise the safety and security of the people and urged officers from the Army and paramilitary forces to extend their fullest cooperation to the administration in maintaining law and order in the state, officials said.

A day after assuming the gubernatorial charge, Bhalla on Saturday held a high-level meeting with top security officials at Raj Bhavan here and reviewed the overall security situation in the troubled state. A Raj Bhavan official said that the Governor chaired a security meeting and comprehensively reviewed the overall security situation in the state.

The official said that taking stock of the prevailing law and order situation, the Governor reviewed the security apparatus and its arrangements throughout the state, with a particular focus on border areas.

Besides the DGP, Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi, Commissioner, Home N. Ashok Kumar, Security Advisor to Manipur government Kuldiep Singh, Inspector General of Assam Rifles (South) Maj Gen Ravroop Singh, GOC 57 Mountain Division Major Geneneral S.S. Kartikeya, Inspector General of CRPF Vipul Kumar and senior officers of CRPF and BSF attended the security meeting. Former Union Home Secretary took oath as Manipur Governor at a brief ceremony at the Raj Bhavan here on Friday.

Immediately after the swearing-in-ceremony, Lt Gen Abhijit S. Pendharkar, GOC, Spear Corps, along with other senior military officers called on Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Friday.

The Army officers briefed the Governor on the current security situation in the state. The officers apprised the Governor of the security deployment in various parts of the state, especially in the border areas, the Raj Bhavan official said.

Meanwhile, after a mob attack on the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Manipur's Kangpokpi district on Friday evening, a huge contingent of security forces was deployed in the mountainous district.

A police official in Imphal said that a large contingent of both central and state security forces, including Manipur police commandos, has been deployed in the Kangpokpi district headquarters and adjoining areas.

Protesting the deployment of Central forces in the district, a mob accompanied by some armed men attacked the office of the SP in Kangpokpi district on Friday evening and the trouble continued till late in the night.

A police statement said that a protest rally seeking the withdrawal of the Central security forces, that was organised by the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) on Friday evening, turned violent.

It said that the protesters attacked the SP's office by pelting stones and throwing petrol bombs. "Security forces retaliated against the mob and resorted to the use of adequate force to disperse them and the situation was brought under control," the police said.

In this incident, Manoj Prabhakar, SP Kangpokpi District, was injured and some vehicles were also damaged.

"The SP has received necessary medical treatment and is fine now and presently leading the joint security forces in tackling the situation," a police statement said.
Patna, Jan 4 : The Patna district administration is considering action against poll strategist-turned-politician and Jan Suraaj Founder Prashant Kishor for staging a sit-in protest at an unauthorised location in Gandhi Maidan, according to an official statement on Saturday.

Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh clarified that Kishor's sit-in protest under the Bapu statue at Gandhi Maidan violates established regulations.

"As per a 2015 Patna High Court ruling, Gardanibagh is the designated location for protests, provided prior permission is obtained from the district administration. Gandhi Maidan, a public space primarily used for recreational activities like morning and evening walks, is not authorised for protests or sit-ins. Even political rallies at Gandhi Maidan require administrative approval," Singh said.

The District Magistrate emphasised that the current focus is on ensuring the smooth conduct of the re-examination for Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) candidates.

Kishor has been actively supporting the agitating BPSC candidates and has joined their protest, further bringing attention to their demands for a re-conduct of the entire 70th preliminary examination.

However, his choice of venue for the sit-in has raised concerns about adherence to legal protocols.

Meanwhile, Kishor defended his choice of Gandhi Maidan as a protest site, arguing that it is a public space and does not require prior permission for peaceful demonstrations.

He referred to the large-scale farmer protests in Delhi, questioning whether those protests were deemed illegal and whether Delhi authorities were uninformed about the rules.

Kishor said, "If the district administration uses force to remove us and detains me, I will return and continue my Dharna after being released."

Kishor emphasised that the resolution of the BPSC candidates' demands depends on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar agreeing to meet with the candidates and hearing their grievances.

He added, "I will abide by whatever decision the candidates take after such a meeting."

While reiterating that Gandhi Maidan is not an authorised site for protests, the administration has refrained from immediate forceful action.

It has deployed medical assistance to avoid escalation and address health concerns among the protesters on hunger strike.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key accused in the Jharkhand CPI (Maoist) conspiracy case, according to an official statement released on Saturday.

Bachha Singh, alias Bachha Babu Singh, a resident of Govindpur (B) in Bokaro district, Jharkhand, was apprehended on Friday. Singh was named in FIR RC-03/2023/NIA/RNC, registered in connection with the case.

The NIA had taken over the investigation from the Anandpur police in August 2023 under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P) Act) and the Criminal Law Amendment (CLA) Act. During the probe, the NIA discovered that Singh was the Secretary of Majdoor Sanghatan Samiti (MSS), an organization banned by the Jharkhand government under the CLA Act.

"The accused was actively associated with the proscribed terrorist organization CPI (Maoist) and its senior leaders. He was involved in collecting funds to propagate the outfit's ideology and bolster its operations in Jharkhand and other regions," the NIA stated.

The case originated in July 2022 with the arrest of three CPI (Maoist) cadres in Chaibasa. The cadres were reportedly on their way to meet Misir Besra, a Polit Bureau member of CPI (Maoist), carrying letters from Maoist leaders Lajim Ansari and Saurabh. The local police initially registered the case, which the NIA later re-registered in June 2024 for further investigation.

Separately, the NIA conducted raids on Saturday at eight locations in Bokaro district, Jharkhand, in connection with a February 2024 Maoist attack on security forces. The searches targeted premises of suspects and overground workers (OGWs) associated with the Maoists.

Items seized during the raids included digital devices (laptops, mobile phones, memory cards), SIM cards, diaries, and incriminating documents. According to the NIA, the suspects provided logistical support and facilitated the extortion of levy money for the CPI (Maoist).

The February 2024 incident involved an attack on security forces in the forested Chatro-Chatti area of Bokaro. Maoist commanders and 15-20 cadres had reportedly gathered at Sundari Pahari to plot crimes, recruit youth, and extort money, alongside planning the attack, the NIA statement said.

Acting on intelligence, a joint team of Jharkhand Police and CRPF launched a search and combing operation. The Maoists opened fire but managed to escape under cover of the dense forest. The operation resulted in the recovery of digital devices, Maoist literature, and other evidence.

The NIA continues its investigation into the case.
Damascus, Jan 4 : Syria's Damascus International Airport will begin receiving international flights starting Tuesday, Ashhad al-Salibi, chairman of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, announced Saturday.

Al-Salibi told Syria's SANA state news agency that the authorities are in the process of fully rehabilitating the airports in Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo to accommodate international flights.

Operations at the airports were suspended following the overthrow of Syria's Bashar al-Assad administration last month.

Qatar Airways also said on Thursday it will resume flights to Damascus starting January 7, just days after the country reopened its embassy in the Syrian capital after a 13-year closure.

The airline announced it will operate three weekly flights to the city, which it described as having "great historical and cultural importance."

Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said in a statement that the move underscores the airline's commitment to fostering connectivity and facilitating travel for passengers.

Qatar reopened its embassy in Damascus on December 21, 2024, following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government on December 8. The embassy had been closed since 2011, after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

On December 30, the first Qatari direct aid flight arrived at Damascus International Airport.

According to the Qatar's Foreign Ministry, the aircraft carried humanitarian aid including ambulances, medicines, and food supplies, as well as technical assistance to support the resumption of the Syrian airport, all provided by the Qatar Fund for Development.

"This step will accelerate the delivery of aid to the beneficiary sectors," a statement quoted Qatari Minister of State for International Cooperation Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad as saying.

The minister confirmed the continued flow of Qatari aid through various ports of entry into Syria and expressed Qatar's steadfast commitment to supporting Syria in humanitarian and developmental fields.
TASHKENT, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan has allocated 1 billion U.S. dollars in credit for boosting employment, local media reported on Saturday, citing the press service of the Uzbek president.

According to the report, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Friday listened to a report on providing jobs and increasing income for residents.

More than 5 million people, over 3 million of which receive aid from banks, plan to get employed in 2025, said the service.

2025 is crucial for ensuring employment and poverty reduction in the country. Therefore, Uzbekistan will intensify the coordination between local administrations and economic and financial arms, it said. 
Mysuru, : Jan 4 (IANS) The controversy surrounding the proposal to name a road after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has drawn sharp criticism from Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy.

He alleged that Siddaramaiah has deliberately chosen to remain silent on the issue. The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam in which CM Siddaramaiah is named as accused number one is about the purchase of 3.16 acres of land in Kesare village by CM's family. It is alleged that this land is illegally purchased, and acquired by the MUDA and 14 sites are allotted in compensation in an upmarket locality.

Speaking to the media ahead of the DISHA meeting in Mysuru on Saturday, the Union Minister stated, "Perhaps the Chief Minister aspires to have a road named after him. His strategic silence and mobilisation of party workers suggest so," he remarked. "If he genuinely wishes for something to be named after him, let him consider Devanur or Kesarahalli. After all, those are places where he claims to have achieved the most," Kumaraswamy said with a touch of sarcasm in reference to the MUDA scam.

He further questioned the necessity of protests by the BJP over the naming of a road in the name of CM Siddaramaiah saying, "Why protest under the sun? It's evident that the CM himself is behind this initiative. Even when the renaming of Princess Road was being debated, he stayed silent! If he truly wants his name on something, let him consider Kesare village instead of removing existing names honouring the Maharajas."

"When I was with the BJP, how much did I contribute to Mysuru? Let there be a discussion on what Siddaramaiah has delivered as Deputy CM, opposition leader, and twice as CM," Kumaraswamy challenged. Mysuru is a native of CM Siddaramaiah.

"In 2006-2007, I allocated significant grants to Mysuru, approved numerous housing projects, and improved waterways. Through the JnNURM scheme, I brought Rs 2,000 crore in funding. Have I ever demanded that roads or areas be named after me? What truly matters is self-satisfaction from one's work, which resides in the hearts of the people," he asserted.

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy also lashed out at the Congress government over the 15 per cent hike in RTC bus fares. "Any burden resulting from this hike in bus fares falls solely on the public, not the ministers. Why should they care? They're looting people's pockets and celebrating. The citizens who voted for them are now suffering. Both signatories of the five guarantees, including CM Siddaramaiah, had assured the public of their promises. I won't name the other signatory, but wasn't Siddaramaiah considered the biggest financial expert after Dr Manmohan Singh?" Kumaraswamy questioned.

"Yet, instead of public development, this government is focused on the personal growth of ministers. People's welfare is secondary to them, and corruption reigns supreme. Even Ashraya housing projects for the poor aren't spared from this," he alleged.

Responding to speculation about 'Operation Hasta', H.D. Kumaraswamy dismissed concerns. "We have 18 MLAs in our party, and they are united. MLA Harish Gowda has echoed the same, and our legislators recently met in Belagavi. They will remain with us," he said. When asked about any disputes, Kumaraswamy compared them to household disagreements. "Differences like those between MLA G.T. Deve Gowda and others are like the occasional quarrel between husband and wife -- it is resolved by the time they sleep. There is no discord within our party," he said.

Regarding speculation about Nikhil Kumaraswamy becoming the state president of JD(S), Kumaraswamy clarified, "No such discussion has occurred on the party platform. Institutional elections will take place, and the president will be selected through proper procedures."
Islamabad, Jan 4 : The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the Kurram District of Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province was critically injured as his vehicle came under attack in Mandoori, Kojalai Baba village near Bagan, on Saturday.

The incident took place three days after the rival sectarian tribes of Shia and Sunni Muslims signed a 14-point peace agreement that was supposed to pave the way for a ceasefire in the region devastated by violence for over two months now.

The peace deal was supposed to finally see the arrival of humanitarian aid in the region which has been cut off from the entire country for over 88 days, resulting in deaths of more than 150 people, including women and children, due to lack of food supplies and non-availability of medicines.

However, the 75-truck convoy with aid supplies for the suffering residents of the district capital of Parachinar could not move due to the closure of the Thall-Parachinar Sadda highway and firing on DC Kurram Javaid Ullah Mehsud and two other security personnel on Saturday.

"The critically injured Deputy Commissioner was to be airlifted to Peshawar but the helicopter had to return due to bad weather. Three bullets hit Mehsud while he was trying to negotiate with protesters who were unwilling to open the road. We suspect the involvement of local criminals in the attack," said a source in the KP government.

"DC has been shot three times, on shoulder and legs and suffered loss of blood. He will be shifted to Thall Hospital from Alizai soon. Three other people were also brought to the hospital, including police constable Misal Khan and Frontier Corps soldiers Rahimullah and Rizwan," he confirmed.

KP governmentas advisor Barrister Saif later informed that Mehsud was out of danger.

"The surgery is taking place right now, but his condition is stable," said Saif.

He stated that the convoy of trucks will soon resume its journey to Parachinar and called on both Shia and Sunni groups to not believe in any rumours.

"We are appealing to both Sunni and Shia communities to remain calm and not fall victim to any conspiracies. The attack on the convoy is part of a malicious plot to make Kurram suffer more," he said.

The firing incident has also been strongly condemned by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, who expressed serious concern over the incident.

"The elements behind this act of violence aim to create chaos and disrupt peace efforts in the region," he said in a statement.

As reported by IANS, locals in the Kurram district have refused to end their protest, maintaining that they would continue the sit-in until all roads are opened and made safe for travel.

"This is not the first time that a peace agreement has been signed. They took over two weeks to sign the agreement, being completely ignorant to the suffering of the people of the area, who are forced to live without food supplies, medicines and basic necessities. 150 people have died because the hospitals did not have medicines to treat them. Who is responsible for this?", a resident of Parachinar told IANS.

"Shia and Sunni conflict has been going on for decades here. People have been slaughtered by rival tribes in ambushed attacks many times and every time they end up signing the so-called peace agreements. This time also, a peace agreement has been signed. But no progress is seen on ground as far as opening of routes and supplies is concerned. Our families are dying here every day because of starvation and medical issues," he added.

The sectarian conflict in Parachinar started in the last week of November when a bus was attacked, resulting in the death of over 47 Shia Muslims. In retaliation, Shia militant groups carried out attacks on Sunni villages, brutally killing over 150 people. Since then, the tribal region has been blocked from the rest of the country.

Even as long deliberations and discussions were being held to establish peace, the delay pushed Parachinar residents into severe misery with over 150 people dying in hospitals due to shortage of medicines. Educational institutions have also remained shut due to security concerns and there has been no movement of public transports. The border with Afghanistan has also remained closed due to security concerns.

Local authorities and members of the peace Jirga, or tribal court, have been assuring that after the signing of peace deal, delivery of food and essential goods to Parachinar city, Bushahra and over 100 villages will begin soon.

"Medicines have already been sent to Parachinar by a welfare organisation and similar supplies are also being sent to other affected areas," said Deputy Commissioner Javed Ullah Mehsud.

Roads in Kurram have been blocked for over 88 days now and the only link road that leads to Parachinar has also been closed due to security concerns.

Citing past instances, locals fear that the peace deal may not materialise because it involves surrendering of all illegal weapons and demolition of bunkers of both Shia and Sunni tribes.

"We welcome the agreement but also know that such agreements in the past have been thrown in the dustbin with a single incident. The Shia and Sunni tribes have been fighting each other for far too long and that they will continue to do so in the future also. I do not think they will surrender their weapons and weaken their firepower," said Saifullah, a protesting resident of Parachinar.

"All we want is our right to live. We do not want to see our children dying in homes and hospitals for lack of medicines and treatment. We want our children to go to schools and colleges, we do not want our families to spend days without food, we do not want our shops and businesses to shut down. This is why we will not end our protest until full peace, security and normalcy is restored in the region," he added.
Chandigarh, Jan 4 : Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose indefinite hunger strike over demands for tillers entered its 40th day on Saturday, said he is more worried about the lives of farmers than his own life.

"My life is not as important as the lives of lakhs of Indian farmers, who are reeling under distress. Already over 7 lakh farmers have committed suicide owing to the distress in the farming sector," Dallewal said in his address at a mahapanchayat at Khanauri in Punjab, bordering Haryana.

The mahapanchayat was called in support of the farmer leader, who has been on a hunger strike amid deadlock over talks and in support of long-pending demands of the farmers, including the legal minimum support price (MSP) for crops, loan waivers, and reforms to improve conditions in the agricultural sector.

The farmers, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri borders between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, 2024, in support of the demands.

Meanwhile, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Saturday urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to break the impasse and revive the dialogue between the Centre and the agitating farmer unions at the earliest.

Chouhan was holding virtual discussions on reforms in the agriculture sector with Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers of states and UTs.

Khudian appealed to the Union Minister, noting that Dallewal's fast-unto-death has taken a critical turn. "For 40 days, the latter has been sacrificing his health and wellbeing, and it is imperative that the Centre should take immediate action to address the grievances and save his life."

The minister reiterated that the state government "supports the farmers' legitimate demands and is enthusiastic about working together with the Union government to achieve a goal of prosperous agriculture".

Raising another issue of great concern, he sought Rs 15,000 per acre for the farmers as gap funding for providing returns over the variable cost of alternative crops to wean them away from the water-guzzling paddy
Moscow, Jan 4 : Russia on Saturday issued a stern warning to Ukraine, saying it will respond to the Ukrainian Armed Forces' attempts to strike the Belgorod Region with American ATACMS operational-tactical missiles.

"These actions by the Kyiv regime, supported by Western curators, will be met with retaliatory measures," read a statement issued by the Russian Defence Ministry.

The ministry mentioned that the Ukrainian troops had attempted to launch an ATACMS strike on the Belgorod region on Friday.

"During the anti-missile battle, combat crews of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system and the Pantsir-SM anti-aircraft missile and gun system shot down all ATACMS missiles," the Russian Defense Ministry stated.

In a major decision, the United States in November had authorized Ukraine to use US long-range missiles to strike targets deep into Russia territory.

It was reported that the UK and France had also given similar permission for their Storm Shadow and SCALP.

Russia has repeatedly called it an escalation of tension around the conflict.

On December 12, Russia accused the Ukrainian forces of launching a missile strike with Western high-precision weapons on the Taganrog military airfield in Russia's Rostov region.

Six US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles were used, the Russian Defence Ministry noted, adding that two of them were shot down and the rest were deflected by Russian electronic warfare systems.

Falling missile fragments caused casualties among the personnel, the ministry said.

"This attack by Western long-range weapons will not go unanswered, and appropriate measures will be taken," it added.

As he wrapped up his state visit to Kazakhstan on November 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked if the outgoing Biden administration's authorization to hit Russia with ATACMS affect the ability to establish contacts with a future Trump administration?

"It is possible that the current administration wants to create additional difficulties for the future one. This is also possible. But, as far as I can imagine, the newly elected president is an intelligent and already quite experienced person, and I think he will find a solution, especially after he has gone through such a serious test as the fight to return to the White House," said the Russian President.

Even though US President-elect Donald Trump has asserted that he has a plan to "end the war" in Russia, Moscow has made it clear that it will interact with the new US administration while firmly upholding its national interests.
Bengaluru, Jan 4 : A Bengaluru court has granted bail to estranged wife and in-laws of automobile firm executive Atul Subhash, who committed suicide here last month, citing troubled marriage and accusing his spouse of harassment.

The family of Atul Subhash has stated that after obtaining of the order sheet, they would appeal over the decision to grant in the High Court of Karnataka.

The bail has been granted to Atul's wife Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha Singhania and brother-in-law Anurag Singhania.

They would be released from the Bengaluru Central Prison in a day or two after the completion of formalities.

Vinay Singh, counsel representing the family of Atul Subhash, said: "We have to receive the complete order copy to comment. We got the verdict from the court that the bail petition has been allowed. It means that the accused are going to be released on bail. Once the order sheet is received, we will study it and if there is scope based on the grounds on which the bail is provided, we will approach the higher court.

"Basic arguments were placed on the technical grounds, grounds of arrest, fundamental rights of petitioner. This was plain bail application and there was no discussion about the custody of the child."

Counsel Ponnanna, also representing Atul Subhashas family, said: "The argument given in this case was simple. The opposite side claimed there was no instigation or provocation from their side. Our contention was that there was a 24-page of suicidal note and also a video of more than an hour has come out. Our appeal was that this video should be given importance and investigation has to be done."

Atul Subhash committed suicide alleging his wife demanded Rs 3 crore for divorce settlement.

The police registered an FIR against the accused persons under Sections 108, 3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) on December 9.

Bikas Kumar (Atul's brother) had lodged a police complaint alleging abetment to suicide with the Marathahalli police in Bengaluru.

Bikas Kumar alleged in the complaint that false cases were lodged against his brother (Atul) by the accused, demanding Rs 3 crore to settle the case. He had also alleged that his brother was taunted in the court during the proceedings that he had to either give Rs 3 crore or commit suicide.

Nikita's family had alleged that the deceased Subhash demanded a hefty dowry from her family which resulted in the death of her father.

Pavan Kumar Modi, Atul's father, had stated that the family is worried about the safety of his son's child.

"If the court grants bail to Atul's wife, she can attack the child and endanger his life. If she can drive my son to commit suicide, she can also do the same to the kid as well," he said.

"My grandson was ATM to her. She got money on the pretext of taking care of him. She approached the High Court demanding Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000. She went on to appeal for Rs 80,000. Even after this, she went on demanding more money. Hence, we have approached the Supreme Court for the custody of the child as he is safe with us," he had stated.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday expressed their condolences over the death of Army men in a fatal mishap in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Both Rahul and Priyanka took to social media to pay their respects to the martyred soldiers and termed the incident as 'extremely sad'.

In a tragic incident, an Army truck carrying the jawans lost control and veered off the highway in Bandipora this evening, resulting in the death of three jawans and leaving three others injured.

Rahul taking to his X handle wrote, "The news of martyrdom of our soldiers due to the accident of Army van in Bandipora in Jammu and Kashmir is very sad. I pay tribute to the martyred soldiers and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. I have deep condolences for the bereaved family."

Priyanka Gandhi too described the killing of jawans in the accident as deeply distressing.

"May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of injured soldiers," she wrote on X.

The injured Army men were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital where attending doctors said two soldiers were dead on arrival. Three critically injured soldiers were shifted to Srinagar for specialised treatment.

"Two injured soldiers also succumbed to injuries, taking the death toll in this road accident to four. The condition of one injured soldier is still stated to be critical by attending doctors," officials said.

According to a statement by the Army, the accident happened while the jawans were at work.

"The Army vehicle skidded and fell into a gorge due to inclement weather and poor visibility. The injured soldiers were evacuated for medical care with assistance from Kashmir locals. We express gratitude towards the citizens in providing immediate succour. Tragically three bravehearts lost their lives in the unfortunate accident." Chinar corps said in an earlier statement.
Seoul, Jan 4 : Tens of thousands of people gathered in South Korea's Seoul on Saturday to rally for or against the detention of President Yoon Suk Yeol following his short-lived imposition of martial law in early December, escalating tensions and disrupting traffic.

Around 35,000 people staged pro-Yoon rallies near Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul at 1 p.m., then suddenly moved to Hannam-dong of Yongsan district to stand against anti-Yoon protestors.

Just 400 metres away, members of the militant labor umbrella Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a rally calling for the immediate arrest of Yoon, Yonhap news agency reported.

The KCTU members tried to march near Yoon's residence, which was blocked by police. Over the course, there were physical clashes and two were detained for allegedly assaulting police officers.

Protesters occupied roads, which caused severe traffic congestion in the area. Seoul's Hangangjin Station was also briefly closed, with trains passing it without stopping.

Separately, a large-scale protest took place near Gwanghwamun Square demanding the swift impeachment of Yoon.

On Friday, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) made a botched attempt to detain Yoon after a six-hour deadlock with Yoon's security team at the presidential residence compound.

Yoon's shocking, albeit short-lived, martial law declaration was followed by the National Assembly's impeachment vote pending a final ruling by the Constitutional Court.

Investigation is under way into the incident, but Yoon has refused to appear for questioning, leading to a court's issuance of a warrant for his detention.

Earlier in the day, South Korean police again requested two top officials of the Presidential security office to appear for questioning for their alleged obstruction of official duties related to the state anti-corruption agency's attempt to detain suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Park Chong-jun, chief of the Presidential Security Service (PSS), and Deputy Kim Seong-hoon were booked on suspicion of obstructing special official duties, as PSS officials, along with military members, blocked the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) from executing a warrant to detain Yoon on Friday over his short-lived martial law declaration on December 3.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Describing AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal as 'Farji-wal' (fraudster), Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken promised to make a big revelation about the "anti-national" former Delhi Chief Minister on Sunday.

New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) Describing AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal as 'Farji-wal' (fraudster), Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken promised to make a big revelation about the "anti-national" former Delhi Chief Minister on Sunday.

In a post on X, Maken said, "Last time I had said two main things. First, I had said that he should be called Farjiwal and not Kejriwal. Second, I had called him anti-national."

"Today Pratap Bajwa ji and Raja Warring ji have made it very clear why he should be called Farjiwal. This name suits him perfectly. As far as calling him anti-national is concerned, I will explain the reasons behind it in detail in a press conference at DPCC tomorrow at 1130 a.m. I will explain to you why I call him anti-national, anti-nation. Devendra Yadav ji will also be present with me in this press conference," said Maken in a post.

Earlier, Kejriwal dismissed Congress as a spent force and said, "Voters have stopped taking the Congress seriously I do not know why some media persons still give them importance."

He was responding to media queries on the proposed Congress plan to brand him as an anti-national. "Let them do what they want," he said.

During the day, Congress leaders staged a protest against the AAP government at the capital's Vijay Chowk on Saturday and accused it of failing to fulfil its pre-poll promises of providing Rs 1,000 per month to every woman.

Congress leaders alleged that the AAP government in Punjab had introduced similar welfare schemes but they remain unfulfilled till date. AAP's proposed 'Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana' in Delhi promises a monthly stipend of Rs 2,100 for women over 18.

Addressing the media, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Partap Singh Bajwa called AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal the "biggest fraud" and slammed his governance.
Lusaka, Jan 4 : Zambia's health authorities have reported the country's fourth case of monkeypox, also known as mpox.

The case involves a one-year-old boy who possibly contracted the virus through close contact with a known case, said Minister of Health Elijah Muchima.

"The child is under home isolation, receiving medical care, and in stable condition," he told reporters during a press briefing.

Last month, the health authorities reported two cases from the Kitwe city in the Copperbelt province, Xinhua news agency reported.

In October 2024, Zambia reported the first mpox case involving a Tanzanian national who came for a visit.

In August, 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.

The ongoing global outbreak of clade II mpox has caused more than 100,000 cases in 122 total countries, including 115 countries where mpox was not previously reported.

Mpox is an infectious disease that can lead to symptoms such as a painful rash, swollen lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, and fatigue. While most people recover completely, some may experience severe illness.

Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), an enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus belonging to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family.

This family also includes variola, cowpox, vaccinia, and other viruses. The virus exists in two main clades: clade I (with subclades Ia and Ib) and clade II (with subclades IIa and IIb).

Mpox primarily spreads from person to person through close contact with an infected individual, including within households.

Close contact can involve skin-to-skin interactions (such as touching or sexual activity), as well as mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact.

It can also spread through face-to-face interactions, where breathing or talking close to one another may generate infectious respiratory particles.
Los Angeles, Jan 4 : Music legend Bruce Springsteen has heaped praise on actor Jeremy Allen White's portrayal of him in the upcoming biopic 'Deliver Me From Nowhere'.

The 33-year-old actor portrays the 75-year-old rocker in the new movie, which tells the story of Springsteen making his hit 1982 album 'Nebraska' and while he admitted it was "a little (weird) at first" seeing someone else playing him, Bruce was full of praise for Jeremy, reports 'Female First UK'.

In an interview with Sirius XM's E Street Radio, he said, "You get over that pretty quickly. And Jeremy is such a terrific actor that you just fall right into it. He's got an interpretation of me that I think the fans will deeply recognise and he's just done a great job. I've had a lot of fun being on the set when I can get there. He sings very well. And Jeremy Strong and Odessa Young, there's just a tremendous cast of people. They cast the film beautifully so, it's very exciting".

As per 'Female First UK', Jeremy previously revealed what he had in common with Bruce and how he had prepared for the role.

He told GQ, "Bruce Springsteen is, I mean this in the very best wayhe's a guy. He's a jeans and T-shirt kind of guy. It was exciting to know going into this thing that we had at least that in common. I'm really lucky that there's sort of a team of folks now in place to help young actors portray rock stars. I've got a really talented group of people helping me train vocally, musically, to get ready for this thing. I'm also really lucky (that) Bruce is really supportive of the film, and so I've had some access to him and he's just the greatest guy".

"Also, there's just so much footage. It's really great to go down a YouTube rabbit hole and find him at all these different periods in his life and be able to listen to his speaking voice as well as his singing voice. That's kind of been the deal, just listening to him a lot and watching him a lot. It's been really fun preparing", he added.
Alashankou Port, a major railway hub in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, handled 7,684 China-Europe freight train trips in 2024, up 15.8 percent year on year, according to the railway authorities.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Grameen Bharat Mahotsav 2025 at city's Bharat Mandapam on Saturday, which saw participation of many women and people from rural areas. All of them expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for various schemes initiated by his government, which in turn have proven to be a boon for them, particularly in rural areas.

After attending the first day of Grameen Bharat Mahotsav 2025, many participants shared their personal stories and thanked PM Modi for empowering women and creating umpteen opportunities in rural regions. The festival celebrates the spirit of rural India and focuses on transforming villages into thriving centers of growth.

Speaking to IANS, several participants shared their experiences of how government initiatives have positively impacted their lives.

Meena from Kheri Jalab said, "First of all, I want to thank PM Modi for working towards development of women and empowering us. We are grateful for schemes like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Self-Help Groups, Sukanya Yojana, and many more. We work in dairy farming. Women have gained the freedom to take decisions and work independently."

Another woman from Hisar added, "I felt honored to meet PM Modi. I want to thank him for empowering women. We are now working in SHGs, producing dairy products. Since 2014, several schemes have been launched, which have proven crucial in development of women. Women are now engaging in business and earning a living."

Gurmeet from Fatehgarh Sahib also expressed his appreciation, stating, "It was my first time meeting with PM Modi, and I felt really good. People in rural areas are benefitting greatly from various schemes."

Deepika from Mohali shared, "We are directly benefiting from PM Modi's schemes. Before the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, opening a bank account was difficult, but now with just an Aadhar Card, we can open an account easily. PM Modi is doing great work for women and everyone."

Sangeeta from Sikar said, "We make products from Bajra. Things have changed completely under PM Modi's leadership. Now, we have the freedom to do things on our own."

Indira Reddy from Telangana described her experience, "Five years ago, we started beekeeping with no knowledge. Inspired by PM Modi, I ventured into it and now train over 1,000 people. We have received funding of over Rs 50 lakh, and we are benefiting from the schemes."

Ram Chandra from Telangana added, "PM Modi's speech has motivated us. Under his leadership, people are directly benefiting from government schemes. Both PM Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke about how we can develop India through the implementation of these schemes. They wanted us to know that if we truly wants our India to be developed then it is necessary to focus on rural developments."

PM Modi also addressed the inauguration and emphasised the importance of rural India and its potential for growth.

"Those of us connected to villages know their immense power. The village lives within those who reside there," he stated.

The Grameen Bharat Mahotsav 2025, underway at Bharat Mandapam from Jan 5 to Jan 9 is themed "Building a Resilient Rural India for Viksit Bharat 2047" and carries the motto "Gaon Badhe, Toh Desh Badhe" (If the village progresses, the country progresses). Over next few days, it will showcase India's rich cultural heritage, promote sustainable agriculture and emphasise the importance of financial inclusion and women's empowerment in rural areas, with a special focus on the North-East.
Kolkata, Jan 4 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed at a special court in Kolkata its third supplementary charge sheet in connection with the multi-crore cash for school jobs case in West Bengal.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is conducting a parallel probe into the school job case, has already filed a total of five charge sheets in the matter.

However, at a special PMLA court in Kolkata, the process of framing charges in the ED-registered case had been postponed repeatedly as the prime accused in the case, Sujay Krishna Bhadra, failed to appear physically in the court, reportedly because of his hospitalisation.

On Saturday, sources aware of the development said that the CBI had also received the permission from the office of West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose to file the chargesheet against the former West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee, a process which is mandatory for a court to officially accept the charge sheet filed against any member of the state Cabinet.

Sources said that with the event of getting the nod for filing the chargesheet against Chatterjee, docks are cleared for beginning the process of charge framing against him in the CBI-registered case in the alleged school job scam.

Chatterjee was first arrested in July 2022 by ED officials in July 2022 after huge cash and gold were recovered from the twin residences of his close aide Arpita Mukherjee by the investigating officials.

Since then, Chatterjee has been behind bars at Presidency Central Correctional Home in South Kolkata, though Mukherjee was released on conditional bail recently.

Recently, the CBI had also shown him arrested in the same school job thus making his release from behind bars even more uncertain.

Meanwhile, the total confiscation amount by the Enforcement Directorate has reached Rs 239.26 crore so far in the cash-for-school-job case in West Bengal.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : As the electoral battle heats up with escalating verbal exchanges between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the rivals BJP and Congress, the Punjab unit of grand old party on Saturday issued a warning of sorts for the city residents.

Many Congress leaders from Punjab cautioned people of the city against afake and bogusa promises of Aam Aadmi Party and its supremo Arvind Kejriwal. They warned women in particular over Rs 2,100 monthly stipend promised to them by AAP supremo. They said that similar promises were made in Punjab three years ago but nothing has been done till now.

Addressing a press conference at cityas Vijay Chowk, host of Congress leaders including Punjab unit president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa along with AICC treasurer Ajay Maken and Delhi unit chief Devender Yadav reminded the people of Delhi about AAP supremoas poll promises in Punjab and how that went unheeded despite being three years in power.

Both Warring and Bajwa pointed out that almost three years have passed since AAP formed government in Punjab and yet promises remain unfulfilled.

Warring also said that Congress leaders from Punjab will extensively campaign across Delhi during the assembly elections to inform and impress upon the people about afake promises' AAP and its supremo.

"When Kejriwal was asked at that time from where he will get money for these populist schemes, he had said, he will generate Rs 20,000 crore every year from sand mining and Rs 34,000 will be saved by curbing corruption," he said.

Punjab CLP leader Partap Bajwa urged people of Delhi that if they want progress and development, they must vote for a Congress government.

Referring to 15-year rule of Congress rule under late Sheila Dikshit, he said that they were the glorious years of progress.

He alleged that AAP convenor was committing afraud of the centurya by lying to daughters, mothers and sisters, by promising to pay them Rs 1,000 every month and backing out later.

He further said that the people of Punjab were now ruing and regretting voting the AAP to power in the state.

Congress treasurer Ajay Maken reiterated his aFarziwala jibe on the former Delhi Chief Minister and said that his claims stand validated by the arevelationsa by Punjab Congress leaders.

He added that he will hold a detailed press conference at the Delhi PCC office on Sunday and make further revelations.
Patna, Jan 4 : Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, on Saturday criticised Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor over the use of a luxurious vanity van during the ongoing BPSC candidates' protest.

Yadav said that the presence of the van was an attempt to politicise and hijack the students' movement. The RJD leader claimed that the students themselves were clear from the beginning that their movement should remain non-political.

"Respecting this sentiment, we gave extended moral support to the candidates without overtly politicising the issue. We met with the protesting students at their request and had written to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar twice regarding their grievances," Yadav said.

He further criticised Prashant Kishor, accusing him of politicising the ongoing BPSC candidates' movement, and questioning his political affiliations. Yadav pointed out that the Mahagathbandhan MLAs had consistently raised the demands of the students, reiterating their support for the movement.

"The opposition has stood firmly with the students in their fight for justice, but the movement has been hijacked and compromised," Yadav said. He alleged that the movement has been deliberately crushed, with students being subjected to lathi charges under the pretext of maintaining order.

Without naming Kishor directly, Yadav questioned the motives of those "politicising and crushing" the protest. He also raised suspicions about deals made with the government that have led to the movement's alleged derailment. Tejashwi brought up Prashant Kishor's past political role, specifically his appointment as the national vice president of the Janata Dal (United) (JD-U). He accused Kishor of failing to clarify why Union Home Minister Amit Shah supported his appointment to such a senior position in Nitish Kumar's party.

Yadav pointed out that Nitish Kumar himself had commented on the matter, and questioned the dynamics behind Shah's endorsement. Drawing a sharp analogy, the RJD leader likened the vanity van controversy to a staged production, stating: "Actors sit in the vanity van, and the one who makes them sit is the producer and director. Everyone knows which producer and director have made the actors sit."
Kolkata, Jan 4 : India and Bangladesh, on Sunday, will exchange fishermen of both countries who were arrested after their fishing boats crossed the international coastal borders and entered the coastal area of the other country.

The exchange process will take place on the international waters of Bay of Bengal and the entire process will be supervised by the coastal guard agencies of both the countries.

In this process, 95 Indian fishermen will be returning to the country.

On the other hand, 90 Bangladeshi fishermen will be returning to that country.

A West Bengal government official said that most of the Indian fishermen who will be returning to the country are from South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be at Sagar Islands in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Monday to supervise the administrative arrangement for the forthcoming Gangasagar Mela there. Therefore, an arrangement has been made so that the fishermen from West Bengal who will be returning to India on Sunday have the chance to interact with the Chief Minister on Monday," the state government official said.

In October last year, six Indian fishing trawlers, carrying these 95 fishermen, crossed the international coastal borderline and went to the Bangladesh coastal waters.

The fishermen were arrested as well.

Recently, the interim government in Bangladesh has announced the decision to release those 95 Indian fishermen and hand them over to the Indian authorities.

Similarly, the Indian government also took the decision to release 90 Bangladeshi fishermen detained within the Indian coastal waters at different times. Therefore, the official exchange of the fishermen from the two countries will take place on Sunday.

Last month, Mamata Banerjee accused the Union government of being reluctant about the future of fishermen from West Bengal who are currently languishing in prisons in neighbouring Bangladesh after they crossed the international coastal borders and went inside Bangladesh waters.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : BJP leader and former MP GVL Narasimha Rao on Saturday questioned the silence of Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in the case of suicide committed by civil contractor Sachin Panchal in Karnataka.

In a statement, Rao further stressed that the evidence clearly points to Congress Minister Priyank Kharge, who is also the son of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge.

He conveyed that the suicide note of the deceased contractor has now been sent to Congress MP and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who remains silent on the matter.

"We demand immediate action and the removal of Minister for RDPR, IT and BT Priyank Kharge from his ministerial post," he demanded.

He further stated that the case of suicide committed by civil contractor Sachin Panchal in Karnataka demands answers from the CM Siddaramaiah-led government.

The causes of the suicide, as elucidated in the suicide note, clearly highlight blackmail, extortion, and coercion by a person named Raju Kapanur. Raju Kapanur, an accomplice of Priyank Kharge, is not only a close associate but is also mentioned as a "Rowdy Cheater" in police records, with several cases pending against him.

Rao highlighted that the suicide note of the civil contractor explicitly mentions that he received direct life threats and threats to kill by Raju Kapanur, along with a demand for Rs 1 crore.

This amounts to open extortion by the Congress party in Karnataka, he underlined.

The Siddaramaiah government has proven to be one of the most corrupt governments in the history of Karnataka, he slammed.

Priyank Kharge must resign, and the Congress party and its top leadership must ensure his resignation. With him in office, there will undoubtedly be attempts to protect the extortionist Raju Kapanur, he underlined.

CM Siddaramaiah claims that the suicide note is not authentic, but the FSL report later confirmed that it was indeed penned by the civil contractor himself. Based on the suicide note, which also mentions life threats to other individuals, including BJP MLA Basawaraj Mattimud, the Karnataka Police have registered an FIR, and the case has been handed over to the CID. Despite this, the CM continues to feign ignorance. If the suicide note were not authentic, why would the police take cognizance of it, and why would the FSL provide such a clean chit? Narasimha Rao questioned.

Additionally, we demand an apology from CM Siddaramaiah for making false claims. The Congress party must also apologise to the people of Karnataka for giving them the most corrupt government in the state's history.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders were detained when the party staged a massive protest while laying siege to the residence of Minister Priyank Kharge in his native Kalaburagi city. The BJP has vowed that it will not sit quiet until justice is delivered to the deceased contractor's family.

Priyank Kharge has categorically rejected allegations levelled against him and stated that the government would ensure justice for the family. He has also claimed that the family of Sachin is pressured to go against him.

Coming down heavily on Vijayendra, Minister Priyank said, "One has to hold his tongue before making comments on us. We are not carrying out 'supari' politics in Kalaburagi. We can't act as per the script of the BJP. Whenever there is a death, it is celebration time for the BJP."
Patna, Jan 4 : Amid the ongoing Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) protest taking a new turn with political opponents in the state targeting Jan Suraaj Party Chief Prashant Kishor's use of a luxurious vanity van at the protest site at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, Vivek Kumar, the Jan Suraaj Party spokesperson, defended Kishor and accused the opposition leaders of diverting attention from the real issues faced by protesting students.

Kumar clarified that the vanity van stationed at the site is being used as a washroom facility for the BPSC candidates on hunger strike.

He dismissed the criticism of the van as "petty politics" aimed at distracting from the primary concerns of protesting students, including alleged question paper leaks.

"The leaders from the ruling coalition and opposition, including Tejashwi Yadav, Nitish Kumar, and BJP leaders, failed to address the students' grievances. I want to challenge these leaders to spend a night at Gandhi Maidan in the severe cold to demonstrate solidarity with the protesting candidates," the Jan Suraaj Party spokesperson said.

He emphasised that Prashant Kishor's round-the-clock presence at the protest site, in full view of the media, reflects his commitment to the students' cause.

The opposition leaders are more interested in political posturing than in resolving the issues of the aggrieved candidates, he said.

Kumar also hinted at the potential electoral impact of the BPSC protest, saying, "The consequences of the government's handling of the situation would be evident in the Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled for nine months from now."

The hunger strike led by Prashant Kishor over alleged irregularities and demands for transparency in the BPSC examination has entered its third day.

Amid this, the focus on his use of a vanity van has escalated political tensions, with leaders from JD(U) and BJP drawing sharp criticism.

Neeraj Kumar, JD(U) Spokesperson and MLC, accused Kishor of hypocrisy, citing the luxury vanity van allegedly worth crores as evidence.

"Prashant Kishor is attacking the government without acknowledging success stories, such as Upkar Kumar, the son of an Anganwadi worker, who topped the 69th BPSC exam and became a Deputy Superintendent of Police," he added.

"Kishor is disrespecting the talent and achievements of Bihar's youth and questioned his motives in evading questions about the vanity van," the JD(U) MLC said.

BJP Spokesperson Arvind Kumar Singh highlighted the purported cost of the vanity van, alleging it is rented for Rs 25 lakh and questioning the source of funding.
Coimbatore, Jan 4 : Kurukshetra Warriors, Sonipat Spartans, Palani Tuskers, and Karpagam Raiders won their respective matches in another exciting round of action on the second day of the 11th Yuva Kabaddi Series - Division 1 at the Karpagam Academy of Higher Education here on Saturday.

The day began with a stellar performance by the Kurukshetra Warriors, who defeated Murthal Magnets 58-36. Manpreet Kumar came off the bench to top score with 13 raid points, while Akshay Ahri impressed with an all-round display, earning 12 points. Their defense was solid, with Anurag Omvir achieving a High 5. Despite Vinay's commendable 15 raid points and Ankit Dhull's seven tackle points for Murthal, the Magnets suffered their second consecutive loss.

In the second match, Sonipat Spartans continued their winning streak, defeating Aravalli Arrows 44-35. Ankit Kumar Rana led the charge with 13 raid points, while Naveen Sharma and Ashish both earned High 5s in defense. For the Arrows, Vishnu Sharma top-scored with nine raid points, and Navpreet Singh contributed with four tackle points and a raid point, but the team fell short of victory.

The third game of the day was a lopsided affair, with Palani Tuskers demolishing Chennai Tamizhans 53-29. Vishva Asalavan led the raiding department with 12 points, while Sakthivel Thangavelu delivered a fantastic all-round performance, scoring five raid points and five tackle points. For Chennai, Pottal Muthu Muruganas six points were the only significant contribution to an otherwise lacklustre performance.

In the final match of the day, Karpagam Raiders secured their first win of the tournament Jaipur Thunders 46-28. R. Gowtham stole the show with a Super 10, while Gajenthiramoorthi Murugesan was a defensive powerhouse, racking up nine tackle points and two raid points. Jaipuras Nakul Saini managed seven raid points, but his efforts went unsupported as the Thunders struggled throughout the match.
Guwahati, Jan 4 : The Assam government in collaboration with FICCI as the Industry Partner, is set to host an exclusive Roadshow in Mumbai on Monday, as a precursor to the Advantage Assam 2.0 - Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025, which will take place on February 25-26, 2025, in Guwahati.

Guwahati, Jan 4 (IANS) The Assam government in collaboration with FICCI as the Industry Partner, is set to host an exclusive Roadshow in Mumbai on Monday, as a precursor to the Advantage Assam 2.0  Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025, which will take place on February 25-26, 2025, in Guwahati.

A senior official said that the roadshow will be led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and it will showcase Assam's remarkable economic growth, including its impressive 19.1 per cent GSDP growth in FY 2024, and highlight its emergence as a leading destination for investment and infrastructure development in India.

Sarma will also engage in discussions with prominent industrialists and business leaders from major conglomerates such as the Tata Group, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Group, and Adani Airports.

Additionally, leaders from organisations like Sun Pharma, HDFC Bank, HUL, Luxmi Tea, Welspun Group, Tata Trusts, DMART, Piramal Group and others will explore avenues for strategic investments in Assam.

"Assam offers significant opportunities across key sectors such as electronics and semiconductors, aerospace and defense manufacturing, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, food processing, hydrocarbons, and more. The state's pro-investment policies, strategic geographic location, and robust infrastructure make it an attractive destination for businesses looking to expand," an official statement mentioned.

Speaking about the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit, Himanta Biswa Sarma said: "Assam is poised to become a major contributor to India's economic growth story. Our state's consistent efforts in creating a conducive business environment and our strategic focus on emerging sectors have started to bear fruit. The Advantage Assam 2.0 Roadshow in Mumbai is a step forward in engaging with industry leaders and inviting them to join us in our journey of economic transformation."

The Mumbai roadshow will also include one-to-one interactions with senior officials from the Assam government who will address investor queries and provide insights into the state's transformative development agenda.

"This is an extraordinary opportunity for industry stakeholders, investors, and media professionals to witness Assam's dynamic investment ecosystem and its vision to double its GSDP to $143 billion by FY 2029-30," the official release further mentioned.
Quetta, Jan 4 : A suicide bomb blast targeting a passenger van and a police vehicle has killed at least eight security personnel and reportedly injured more than 40 others, the majority of who were security officials.

The separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

As per details, the suicide bomb blast occurred in the Dhang area of Turbat, Balochistan.

A large explosion was heard when a passenger van and a police security vehicle adjacent to the van were targeted.

It was later revealed that the majority of the passengers travelling in the van were also security officials.

Following the suicide blast, contingents of police and security forces reached the blast site and cordoned off the area.

Rescue teams rushed the injured and the deceased to local hospitals, who later confirmed the number of casualties, adding that most of the injured brought to the hospital were in critical condition.

Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) faction Majeed Brigade claimed responsibility for the attack.

"Majeed brigade Firdayee (suicide bomber) unit of Baloch Liberation Army, today carried out a Fidayeen attack on a convoy of the occupying Pakistani army in Turbat, eliminating several military personnel. Our organisation accepts responsibility for this attack," said a statement issued by BLA.

The latest attack is part of an ongoing series of attacks by the BLA in Balochistan targeting military convoys, security checkposts and police vehicles.

In the past, BLA's Majeed brigade has carried out ambush attacks, targeting security personnel and their families.

Balochistan has continued to remain one of the most challenging regions for the Pakistani security forces.

During a recent press briefing by Pakistan Armed Forces media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), it was revealed that the armed forces conducted at least 57,775 military operations during the year 2024, majority of which were carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

With the year 2025 starting, the latest attacks by BLA in Turbat on Saturday draw the future path of security challenges that may keep the security forces on their toes.
NEW DELHI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Many people, including a senior police official, were injured after a protest rally turned violent and attacked the superintendent of police's office in the northeastern state of Manipur, officials said Saturday.

The violence broke out in Kangpokpi district, about 44 km north of Imphal, the capital city of Manipur.

Authorities have deployed additional police force in the district to contain the situation.

Many protesters, who sustained injuries during the clashes, were also admitted to hospital.

Manipur has been on edge since May 3, 2023 when large-scale violence broke out in the state during a tribal protest over the inclusion of the non-tribal Meitei community for a scheduled tribe status -- designated for disadvantaged socio-economic groups which gives them reservations in education and government jobs. 
Kolkata, Jan 4 : Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee objecting to her statements on January 2, accusing the Border Security Force (BSF) of encouraging illegal infiltration from neighbouring Bangladesh to create troubles in West Bengal.

"The state police do not guard the borders, the BSF is responsible for that. At times, they are complicit in aiding such illegal infiltrations... miscreants crossing the borders illegally, entering the state, and killing innocent people. The state police director general, Rajeev Kumar, has gathered specific intelligence on this issue, along with additional information at the local level. Once I receive all the details, I will formally communicate with the Union government," the chief minister told the mediapersons on January 2.

On Saturday, Suvendu Adhikari wrote to Mamata Banerjee and pointed out that this is for the first time that the Chief Minister of any Indian state had made such comments with the intention of weakening the morale of BSF to appease her party, Trinamool Congress' own vote bank.

In the letter, the leader of the opposition had pointed out how the state government under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee deliberately did not initiate the allocation of land to BSF for setting up barbed-fences at the porous international borders between India and Bangladesh in the bordering district of West Bengal.

Adhikari ended the letter claiming that the Union government is committed to detecting infiltrators, deleting their names from voters' list and deporting them.

"I appeal to you not to sacrifice the art, culture and the demography of West Bengal for the greed of vote banks. The ongoing attempts to erase West Bengal red culture and heritage must be stopped, otherwise, the future generations will never forgive you," the letter concluded.
Chennai, Jan 4 : Six Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested in Tamil Nadu for staying in the state without any valid documents, the police said.

The arrests were made in Palladam in Tirupur district.

According to Palladam police officials, they received a tip-off regarding Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in the area.

Acting on the information, the police conducted a raid on a house and brought the occupants to the police station for questioning.

During the investigation, it was confirmed that the individuals were Bangladeshi nationals.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Rawhan Ali (36), Harirul Islam (26), Rahman (20), Sohail Islami (20), Sabipul Islam (40), and Abdul Hossain (27).

Further inquiries revealed that they were staying without valid documents and were employed in construction and hosiery companies. However, they did not possess any valid paper or document to stay in India.

"In the Mahalaxmi Nagar area near Palladam in Tirupur district, the Palladam police received a tip-off that Bangladeshi nationals were staying without proper documents. As per information, the police conducted an inspection at a house in the area and brought the occupants to the police station for questioning," a source said.

The police arrested the six and presented them in court. Following this, they were sent to Puzhal prison in Chennai.

It is worth noting that Tiruppur is renowned for its knitwear industry, which had an annual turnover of approximately Rs 40,000 crore in 2024.

The industry employs about eight lakh workers, of whom nearly three lakh are from the North Indian states, West Bengal, and the northeastern states.

Vigilance along India-Bangladesh bordering areas have been tightened in view of the unrest in the neighbouring country since the fall of Sheikh Hasina-led government.

There have also been reports of widespread violence across the country with the minority Hindu community being targetted.
Jaipur, Jan 4 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Saturday said that the state government has achieved unprecedented progress in enhancing water availability during its one-year tenure.

He said that through the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project-Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (ERCP-PKC) link project, 40 per cent of the stateas population will have access to drinking and irrigation water.

Additionally, an MoU has been signed to bring Yamuna water to the Shekhawati region, and the Dewas scheme in Udaipur to ensure water availability. A project to supply water from the Mahi Dam to Banswara and Dungarpur for drinking and irrigation purposes has also commenced.

Sharma made these remarks while addressing 'Shri Ram Katha' programme in Khargada, Dungarpur, organised to promote and conserve rivers.

He highlighted that public participation has been a cornerstone of water conservation initiatives spearheaded by Prime Minister Modi, enabling water recharge projects in 40,000 villages across Rajasthan.

He applauded the villagers of Khargada for their remarkable effort in widening and deepening the Moran river, increasing water availability within a one-km radius through nine months of dedicated labour.

The Chief Minister urged citizens to join hands in conserving traditional water sources like wells, ponds, stepwells, and rivers to ensure clean drinking water for present and future generations.

He commended Khargadaas residents for setting an example for the state by prioritising the preservation of local water sources.

Drawing parallels with Lord Ram's bridge-building in the Ramayana, CM Sharma emphasised Prime Minister Modi's efforts to interconnect rivers to provide water to every household.

He underlined that these projects are crucial for fulfilling the common man's water needs.

The Chief Minister praised the "Karmabhoomi to Janmabhoomi" programme initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil.

He added that the state government aims to provide tap water to every household under the Jal Jeevan Mission, with 77,000 connections already established in Dungarpur and 93 per cent of schools equipped with tap water connections.

He also announced the establishment of a Rs 44 crore for Shilpgram in Dungarpur to support local artisans like Sompura sculptors and bamboo craftspersons.

The Shilpgram will boost tourism and provide a platform for showcasing local talent. The Chief Minister highlighted the success of the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit, where investment MoUs worth Rs 35 lakh crore were signed, including Rs 1,500 crore for Dungarpur district.

These investments are expected to create significant employment opportunities in the region.

CM Sharma assured the public that examinations conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission and Rajasthan Staff Selection Board are fully transparent.

The government has already appointed 47,000 youth and plans to provide over 10,000 more appointments in January. Additionally, an exam calendar for 2025 has been released, targeting 81,000 jobs.
New Delhi, Jan 4 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday met Jaggi Vasudev, famously known as Sadhguru, the founder of Isha Foundation based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Taking to microblogging site X, the Home Minister wrote, "Delighted to meet Shri @SadhguruJV Ji. Had a discussion about Indian spirituality and its role in transforming societies."

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev reacted to HM Shah's tweet, saying, "Pleasure meeting Hon'ble Home Minister of Bharat. His engagement and interest in the civilizational aspects of our Nation is admirable."

Sadhguru, who has been advocating for protecting the environment against climate change, is leading many initiatives like Project GreenHands (PGH), Rally for Rivers, Cauvery Calling, and the Journey to Save Soil. In 2017, he received the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, for his contributions to spirituality and humanitarian services.

In 2022, Sadhguru completed a 100-day motorcycle journey from London to India to bring attention to his 'Journey to Save Soil' campaign, which focuses on raising awareness about soil degradation issues and the benefits of using organic matter in farming

Earlier in the day, Home Minister Amit Shah also met Hindu spiritual guru, writer and philosopher Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj.

"Met Junapithadheeswar Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj. Had a detailed discussion with him on various topics related to spirituality and national interest. Your role in spreading Indian knowledge tradition and philosophy in the world is commendable," the Home Minister said in a post on X.

Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj is the current Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara. Juna Akhara is the largest Akhara for Naga Sadhus in India.
Patna, Jan 5 : The health condition of Prashant Kishor, the architect of the Jan Suraj Abhiyan, is stable. He has been on a hunger strike for more than 48 hours in solidarity with students protesting alleged irregularities in the 70th Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Preliminary examination.

While his prolonged fast has raised concerns about his health, a team of doctors led by Patna-based physician Avinash Kumar has assured the public that Kishor's health remains stable, with only mild symptoms of bronchitis and dehydration.

Following a thorough examination, Avinash Kumar told the media that Kishor is experiencing dehydration and has been advised to drink two to three litres of water daily.

Additionally, the team recommended extra precautions to prevent further health complications due to the ongoing cold weather.

"Kishor is also dealing with mild dehydration and a slight sore throat, for which we have advised him to gargle regularly. Despite these minor concerns, Kishor's overall health is stable at this point," Avinash Kumar said.

Kishor's hunger strike is part of his larger effort to highlight and demand solutions for alleged irregularities in the 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination, a matter that has sparked widespread protests across Bihar.

The agitation by BPSC candidates over alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination has now entered its 18th day, with no resolution in sight.

The prolonged protest has drawn attention from various sections, particularly after Prashant Kishor, the Jan Suraj Party Chief, joined the movement in a show of solidarity, further amplifying its visibility and momentum.

Kishor has continued his hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, braving the severe cold and harsh conditions.

The students are demanding the cancellation of the 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination, alleging that irregularities and paper leaks were not limited to a single examination centre but occurred across multiple locations.

Meanwhile, BPSC conducted the re-examination at 22 locations on Saturday and it was concluded peacefully.
AI copyright lawsuits were plentiful in 2024. Whats at stake here, and what do you think is the best-case scenario for authors and publishers?

The best-case scenario for all of us would be for lawmakers to regulate AI by endorsing basic principles of copyright law, the most important of which is that authors and publishers have the right to control the terms of their intellectual propertyincluding whether it may be used in the first place and, if so, under what conditions. The ability to opt in to new uses and new markets, or to decline them, is what makes a copyright a copyright.

Recently, we have begun to see access agreements and other AI licenses emerge, which is good news, because licensing should be a win-win-win for tech, publishers, and authors. It permits developers to work with content that is safe, sophisticated, and curated, and to obtain a measure of relief from copyright liability. Licensing also permits publishers and authors to collaborate with tech companies as both partners and clients, authorizing some AI uses for a fair price but prohibiting other uses, such as market substitutes. Creativity and innovation are supposed to be symbiotic like this.

Unfortunately, Big Techs industry-wide positions have been far less productive than these one-off deals. In U.S. courts, we are seeing arguments that would distort fair use beyond recognition. In other countries, we are seeing efforts to flip the rules of copyright upside down, forcing creators to opt out of AI uses they often couldnt know about and are powerless to negotiate. In my opinion, opt-out schemes also violate the Berne Convention and other treaties, which prohibit governments from burdening authors as to the enjoyment and control of their rights and equally prohibit sweeping exceptions for users. The schemes are also impractical: where and how many times does a rights holder have to opt out of unspecified AI uses to protect what they already own?

There were some victories against book bans in 2024, but it is clear more First Amendment challenges are on the horizon. What is your top concern about these developments and what further actions might we expect from AAP?

It has been a privilege to fight for free speech by litigating and supporting litigation. In these victories, we have been fortunate to have judges who are not only clear-eyed but also a bit annoyed by some of the fear tactics deployed by legislatures. One of my favorite lines is from the opinion of Judge Brooks in our case against Arkansas, asking, Why has the State found it necessary to target librarians for criminal prosecution? He followed that question with a concise lesson on the history and importance of public libraries in America.

Many of the ongoing disagreements are about reading material for minors, which is a legitimate issue in a large country and one

that largely but not entirely rests with local communities. The crucial line is that parents and politicians may not override constitutional safeguards for the many. We will certainly continue our vigilance in assessing the boundaries. Additionally, we need to do more to understand the concerns of lawmakers, which means leaning into the premise that publishing well means publishing broadlyall cultural and political viewpoints, from left to right.

The long-running Internet Archive case was finally resolved last year. Can you put into context what that means for the future of copyright protection?

The case never presented a close legal questiononly an effort to legitimize mass infringement. But if it had gone badly for us, there would be little left of the Copyright Act because there would be no room for authors to determine public access to their writings or benefit from derivative formats. There have been other cases that rejected format-shifting theories, especially in music and film, but the difference in this case was the sheer scale of the unsanctioned stockpile and distribution effort disguised as library lending. Thankfully the Second Circuit was not impressed with the rhetoric and took time to remind future courts, including those that will decide AI cases, that copyright is not an inconvenience. The rights of authors and publishers redound to the public interest.
This springs buzziest debut fiction has no shortage of drama, whether in biotech startups, Native American reservation politics, psychotherapy sessions, the Scottish theater world, or womens volleyball. The slate also contains two Hollywood-ready novels about missing persons.

My Girl Missing

Kristen L. Berry

Theres something inherently secretive about families, according to Kristen L. Berry. A lot of folks I grew up with have a self-protective attitude of what happens in this house stays in this house. 

Berry, who hails from a Detroit suburb and currently lives in Los Angeles, presents a stark version of that domestic reticence in her first novel, We Dont Talk About Carol (Bantam, June). Sydney, a Los Angeles PR specialist, is cleaning out her deceased grandmothers house in Raleigh, N.C., when she comes across an old picture of her Motown-loving aunt Carol as a teen. Carol supposedly ran away from home in the 1960s to pursue a music career in Detroit, but Sydney learns she vanished during the same period in which other Black girls in the neighborhood went missing, presumed victims of the Creek Killer. Sydney, a former crime reporter, cant resist taking on the case.

Berrys inspiration came from true crime podcasts like Crime Junkie and My Favorite Murder, through which she says she learned about the disproportionate cases of Black people going missing in America, which are less likely to be solved by police or covered by the press. For research, she visited her aunt and uncle in Raleigh, peppering them with questions about what it was like growing up there during the civil rights era. Berry began submitting chapters of the novel to an online writing group without a sense of where the mystery was heading. I tried to write this as a reader whos always asking, What will happen next?

As an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, Berry did summer internships at the San Jose Mercury News and the Philadelphia Daily News before deciding journalism wasnt for her. I didnt like asking personal questions of people during difficult times in their lives, she says. She pivoted to public relations at a firm in Detroit, a city that makes its presence heard in the novel. Carol, hoping to make it big, practices by singing hits from the Impressions, Mary Wells, and other Motown greats. Growing up with Motown right there, I couldnt help it, Berry says with a chuckle.

Couch Potato

Adelaide Faith

A therapists request for an online review opened a floodgate for Adelaide Faith. Faith wrote several different versions, some serious, some funny, all longer and more idiosyncratic than those by other patients. After the therapist read them, she suggested Faith pursue her writing seriously, which eventually led to Happiness Forever (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Apr.), the story of a supercharged therapeutic transference.

In the novel, Sylvie, a vet technician who has trouble connecting with people, enters therapy following a toxic relationship and finds transcendent happiness in the sessions with her unnamed therapist. She fantasizes about hugging the therapist and scours the womans mannerisms and clothing for clues as to what she is really thinking. Sylvie almost finds it unbearable that she doesnt know whats inside another person, Faith says, speaking from her home on Englands southeast coast.

Faith was born in Yorkshire, where her father worked at a chicken processing plant. After a stint editing educational materials in London, she became a vet technician. She left the city after the birth of her daughter for Hastings, an idyllic seaside town full of priced-out Londoners, where she found work as a dog walker. Her editing process involved listening to her phone dictate her drafts during walks on the beach. I cut out all the bits that made me feel terrible, she says.

From this process emerged the taut vignettes that make up Happiness Forever, including sketches of Sylvies therapy sessions; her budding friendship with a woman who shares her nostalgic love of Pierrot, the commedia dellarte figure of unrequited love; and her memories of past romantic relationships. Theres a hypnotic, off-kilter energy to the narrators voice as she luxuriates in fantasy and gets overwhelmed by reality.

While Happiness Forever will be published this spring, Faiths therapy reviews never saw the light of day. The therapist didnt put them on her website, she says.

Maternal Intuition

Sarah Harman

The working title of Sarah Harmans debut novel, about a missing 10-year-old boy who went to a posh London school, was Dirtbag Detective, in reference to the spirited, sleuthing mother of another student. The final title, All the Other Mothers Hate Me (Putnam, Mar.), resonated with early readers. We all have moments when we feel like outsiders, Harman says, and theres something about parenthood that brings that out in spades.

Harman, who is American but lives in London and has a six-year-old son, graduated with a degree in English and psychology from Georgetown University, then spent nearly a decade in Germany as a TV news reporter and anchor before taking a London correspondent position with NBC News in 2018. Three years later, burned-out and with her contract expiring, she decided to pursue her long-held ambition to write a novel. Her darkly funny mystery, which is in development for an FX series, is narrated by Florence Grimes, a brash American and former pop star who was unceremoniously dropped from her girl band after getting pregnant. When her son Dylan becomes a suspect in his classmates disappearance, she seeks to clear his name, in between nail appointments and boozy dates.

A journalist accustomed to writing on deadline, Harman made steady progress despite her extreme ignorance (her words) of the mystery genre, ending up with an anti-detective novel as much about Florences journey of self-discovery as the fate of the missing boy (a little shit, according to Florence). It was a technical challenge to have a mystery solved by a sleuth only interested in nail art and reality TV, Harman says, though she notes that Florences bleached hair and crop tops are a disguise enabling her to do more than people would assume.

Beneath the novels entertaining veneer lie deeper concerns about the sexist treatment of female stars, judgmental attitudes toward mothers, and the way shame can lead people to adopt a defensive social posture. Harman compares Florence to the sharp-elbowed but vulnerable heroines of Fleabag and the movie Young Adult. Part of the joy was writing a character who was trying as hard as I was, she says of being tested as an American transplant in England. Unlike Florence, though, Harman is fairly confident that the mothers in her circle dont harbor any hatred for her.

Moral Reservations

Jon Hickey

Mack Beck, the tribal president of Wisconsins Passage Rouge Nation in Jon Hickeys Big Chief (Simon & Schuster, Apr.), is in a tight reelection battle with a reform-minded candidate and has no qualms about using dirty tricks to remain in power. His childhood friend Mitch Caddo, a half-Anishinaabe law school graduate and budding political operative, implements Macks shady tactics, but with increasing reluctance. Reeling from the tragic death of his Anishinaabe mother, Mitch has a spiritual void, Hickey explains, and is trying to fill it with politics.

Set in the days leading up to the election, the novel is a tightly coiled study of power and greed. Hickey, who belongs to the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, stresses there is nothing inherently corrupt about reservation leaders. These are not the natural systems of government for Native people, he says.

Hickeys grandparents moved from their reservation in northern Wisconsin to Chicago in the 1950s, among the hundreds of thousands of Native Americans relocated as part of the governments Indian termination policy. They returned years later, as many older people do, according to Hickey, who currently lives with his wife and two sons in San Francisco. Im on track to move back when Im 75, he says with a laugh. Raised in Minnesota and then Milwaukee, Wis., he regularly visited family members on the reservation with his mother. The reservation was always like a homeland, which I think was strange because it was only four hours away.

Mitch, derisively called a J. Crew Indian by an anti-Mack tribal member, is torn between competing desires to escape the reservation and to forge a connection. All of my writing has been about that separation from the true part of your soul, Hickey says.

Spilt Ink

Jared Lemus

They didnt tell me the truth about anything, Jared Lemus says about his parents. As a result, he grew up immersed in fiction of a kind. They told him contradictory tales about their lives, from how they met to how his father got shot. I almost didnt believe I was born in Queens until I ordered my birth certificate. Recently, he received a text from a half sister he never knew he had (another parental omission) while getting a tattoo in Malaysia.

Much of Lemuss childhood was spent shuttling between Little Rock, Ark., where his father worked as a long-haul truck driver, and his parents homeland of Guatemala. The worst part was that I was in school year-round because of the different school calendars, he says.

Like his upbringing, the tales in Lemuss debut collection, Guatemalan Rhapsody (Ecco, Mar.), are divided between Guatemala and the U.S. Caretaking is a central theme: a custodian cleans up graffiti on a college campus, the steward of a Guatemalan waterfall wipes away graffiti by an entitled American tourist, a medicine man attempts to revive a badly beaten child, and a bus driver offers a drug-addicted young man another future. Most characters are at crucial transitional periods, a phase very much

on Lemuss mind as the parent of two children in elementary school.

Lemus spent his teens and early 20s being a dumb punk rock kid, he says. After getting his girlfriend pregnant when he was 22, he enrolled in college in Little Rock, majoring in creative writing at the offhand suggestion of a guidance counselor. He went on to an MFA from the University of Pittsburgh and is currently the Kenan Visiting Writer at UNC Chapel Hill.

Lemus is a lover of tattoos, and one of Guatemalan Rhapsodys standout stories, Heart Sleeves, concerns an aspiring tattooist desperately seeking to make his mark. Referring to his own tumultuous upbringing, Lemus says, I hope the marks Ive made on the world are stronger than the ones that were made on me.

An Exile's Inheritance

Sanam Mahloudji

Sanam Mahloudjis parents fled Iran with her and her newborn sister shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, first to France and then to the United States. They always hoped that theyd be able to return one day. We were waiting and waiting, but that day never came, says Mahloudji, who now lives in London. She drew on her familys exile for The Persians (Scribner, Mar.), which chronicles the fate of the Valiats, a once-powerful Iranian family separated by the revolution. Elizabeth, the matriarch, and her granddaughter, Niaz, remained in Iran, while Elizabeths children lead gilded but rootless lives in America.

Mahloudji wrote the book to understand what it means for a person to be suddenly uprooted. Iranians are really tied to their past, she says. My mother is still furious that her sister named her son after Alexander the Great, who invaded Persia, even though

he died around 300 BC.

The Persians is narrated by five female members of the family, making up a fractured story where everyone has their way of seeing what happened and what the future might bring, Mahloudji says. The most forthright among them is Elizabeths daughter, Shirin, an event planner who caters to Houstons wealthy Iranian community. Undaunted by a career-threatening scandal, she scoffs at her adopted nations lack of ancient history (America is younger than my favorite ring) and clings to the fading glory of her family name.

Mahloudji worked briefly as an investment banker in New York City before attending law school at UCLA and joining a labor law firm in Pasadena. The job was fulfilling, but she felt a persistent nag to write and began experimenting with fiction. Her father died unexpectedly shortly thereafter. Writing was tied up with losing my father, she saysa way to cope with life, to have somewhere else to be.

While working on The Persians, Mahloudji didnt tell her family. After she finally came clean, she remembers that her mother talked with me about those early days of life in the U.S. in a way that Id never heard.

Net Work

Benedict Nguyen

Benedict Nguyen likes to write about people in motion, drawing on her knowledge of movement as a professional dancer. Shes been writing about dance since 2018, but in 2021 she stumbled upon a YouTube clip of a volleyball match, at which point game recognized game. I was so in awe of their range of physical tasks and sensory awareness, Nguyen says.

The algorithm did its work, pulling Nguyen deeper into the sport that would provide the subject for her debut novel, Hot Girls with Balls (Catapult, July). Its about an international indoor volleyball league whose two biggest starsSix, standing at 67, and Green, 61are an Asian American trans couple. As the narrative unfolds, the two document their relationship on a weekly online show.

From its jolting title to its bold conceit, the novel invites readers to suspend disbelief and overlook the structural obstacles and social stigmas that would make Six and Greens story impossible in real life, Nguyen says. I wanted to lean into the improbability of multiple trans players. And why not make them Asian American too? she says with a laugh.

Nguyen describes Hot Girls with Balls as in some sense an office novel, emphasizing the intense labor that contemporary athletes put into their personal branding. The pressure Six and Green feel to monetize their life together strains their relationship and affects their play as they face off in an international tournament. Nguyens daring vision of the sporting landscape also gives ample space to spectators and online commenters, whose remarks function as a kind of Greek chorus, alternately adulatory, leering, witty, and vicious. Nguyen calls this anonymous mob her doomscroll polyphonic narrator, an apt literary term for the Internet Age.

An Acquired Taste

Lucy Rose

Ive seen every kind of imaginable death on screen, says Lucy Rose, a massive lover of horror movies, whose macabre novel The Lamb (Harper, Feb.) has a queer feminist flavor. It follows the cannibalistic adventures of Margot, a girl living in the woods in England with her mother and feasting upon the unfortunate strays who stumble upon their moldy cabin. When her ravenous mother begins a relationship with a beautiful woman who shares her carnal appetites, Margot is the odd one out, an edible obstacle to their domestic bliss.

Even without the cannibalism, the mother-daughter relationship at the heart of The Lamb is a monstrous one. Its normal to unpack incompatibilities in romantic relationships, but its taboo to portray a familial relationship in such terms, Rose says. Margot is on the cusp of adolescence, a liminal space where your thoughts are becoming your own thoughts, the author explains. She exists in two separate moral realmsthe twisted household and normal life at schooland reconciling them becomes increasingly difficult.

Rose grew up in rural Cumbria near farms, delighting in folktales told to pass the time and exploring the surrounding, and often eerie, fells. You never quite feel like youre by yourself, which is not a good feeling when you actually are by yourself, she says.

Despite her love of Cumbria, Rose was desperate to just see a bus or something that resembled modern society. After high school, she moved to Newcastle, where she worked as a cleaner and, surrounded by clever and creative people, fell into the arts. She studied film production in college, though she was so jealous of everybody who was writing. She went on to write and direct five shorts between 2018 and 2023, and the economical approach to storytelling in those projects came in handy when writing The Lamb.

Rose adores the horror genre but is critical of its tendency to treat the victims as faceless under-characterized fodder. Her addition to the genre strives to give each victim Margots mother boils a pinch of humanity, Rose says, even if its followed by a few dashes of salt and pepper.

Revenge Play

Charlotte Runcie

As an unpaid intern covering Edinburghs annual Fringe Festival, Charlotte Runcie found out what it feels like to go through public shaming. After she panned a comedy show, the comedian began skewering Runcie in her set, prompting Runcie to skulk around Edinburgh wearing dark glasses.

Its rare that art is either exceptional or terrible, says Runcie, who currently lives in South Wales. It follows that middling reviews are often as forgettable as the work itself. Critical pans, by contrast, are intriguing and delicious, she notes. They spur online debate, provoke alterations, and, if Lord Byron is to be believed, can even be fatal: Keats, Byron sneered in Don Juan, was killed off by one critique.

With her novel Bring the House Down (Doubleday, July), Runcie turns a critical eye to reviewers behaving badly. Alex Lyons is a savage theater critic with a louche charm. He attends Edinburghs annual Fringe Festival with narrator Sophie, his junior colleague, where he files a blistering review of performer Hayley Sinclairs earnest one-woman show about climate change, then sleeps with Haley before she sees his review. Afterward, Hayley incorporates Alexs betrayal into her act, inviting women to come forward with tales of his shoddy behavior. The play becomes a phenomenon.

Runcie grew up immersed in the theater worldher parents worked in the industry. After graduating from Cambridge University, she began reviewing multiple performances a day at the Fringe Festival, filing up to a half-dozen short reviews before a nightly recharge at the pub. It made me a very concise writer, she says. But it troubled me how quickly you were being forced to form an opinion.

After a long career as a critic, most recently at the Telegraph, Runcie still questions who gets to decide the difference between good

and bad art. Bring the House Down complicates matters by throwing sex into the mix. The late #MeToo era, Runcie says, is a really good time to explore the moral complexities of holding someone to account and taking revengeand how those two things can sometimes look very similar.

Cruel Immortality

Austin Taylor

As a Harvard undergraduate, Austin Taylor was on track to major in chemistry when she took a literature elective called Very Contemporary Fiction. She enjoyed it so much she rethought her focus, becoming one of only two Harvard students ever (the other was her classmate) to double major in chemistry and English.

With Notes on Infinity (Celadon, June), a tangled tale of biotech gone awry, Taylor shifts the boundaries of the campus novel, portraying a newly pressurized student culture. If students arent doing something incredible, theyre failing, she says. In the novel, Harvard undergraduates Zoe and Jack launch Manna, an anti-aging startupthe ugly stepchild of science, says Tayloron the claim that theyve discovered a revolutionary gene-editing technology that could lead to immortality.

Despite providing Mannas key theoretical breakthrough, Zoe assumes a public-facing role, spinning a narrative to investors and the public while Jack works in the lab. Taylor wanted to explore what its like to be a woman in STEM. Were very much invited to the party, but our presence does change the party, and not all of the attendees are thrilled, she says.

The specter of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos who was convicted of fraud, haunts the novel. Her gender affected the narrative on both ends of the scandal, Taylor says, noting that Holmes was first viewed as a girl wonder and then as some sort of devil.

Taylor, who graduated in 2021 and currently splits her time between the Boston area and central Maine, was accepted to Harvard Law School but deferred and ultimately withdrew to write her novel. She is in the process of reapplying, and plans to focus on ethical issues around technologies like artificial intelligence and gene editing. She recalls asking one of her professors what he thought young people should be working on, and he told her, We need to figure out what the boundaries are around what makes us human, because technologies are emerging that will erode those boundaries. In Notes on Infinity, she explores arguably the most human boundary of allmortality.

Matt Seidel is a writer and translator living in Massachusetts.

This article has been updated.

Read more from our Writers to Watch feature.
Four army personnel died and another was injured when their vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge due to inclement weather and poor visibility in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district on Saturday, the second such tragedy in less than two weeks.

IMAGE: Injured Army soldiers being taken to a hospital after their vehicle fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district. Photograph: Screen grab

The accident occurred near SK Payen in the north Kashmir district where the soldiers were on duty, officials said.

The region had received snowfall on Thursday and there were foggy conditions on Saturday.

The Army said that "while performing duty in Bandipora District, a vehicle of Indian Army skid and fell into the gorge due to inclement weather and poor visibility conditions".

"Injured soldiers were promptly evacuated for medical care with assistance from Kashmiri locals, for which we express gratitude towards the citizens in providing immediate succour," the army's Chinar Corps said in a post on X.

"Tragically three bravehearts lost their lives in the unfortunate accident. Indian Army extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families," it said and later added that "one more braveheart succumbed to the injuries".

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other leaders paid tributes to the soldiers.

Kharge urged authorities to take appropriate measures to avoid such accidents due to inclement weather conditions.

On December 24, five soldiers were killed and as many injured when an Army vehicle skidded off the road and rolled down a 300-ft deep gorge in Poonch.

The accident had occurred in the Gharoa area when a convoy of six vehicles was en route from Nilam Headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post.

"Deeply grieved by the loss of lives of Indian Army personnel due to a tragic road accident in Bandipora. The nation is deeply grateful for their service and commitment. My condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured" the Lieutenant Governor said in a condolence message.

Chief Minister Abdullah extended heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families, offering his prayers for strength and solace during this difficult time.

"We salute their selfless service to the nation. Our heartfelt condolences to the families of our bravehearts. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured soldiers and we wish them a complete and speedy recovery," Kharge said in a post on X.

The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha also referred to the Poonch incident.

"We urge the authorities to take appropriate measures to avoid such accidents due to inclement weather conditions and take adequate safety measures in the future," he said.

"I pay tributes to the martyred soldiers and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured. My deep condolences to the bereaved families," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

Apni Party leader Altaf Bukhari also condoled the loss of lives.
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has reported a 48 percent increase in the number of Chinese tourists to the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park in 2024, an official report showed on Saturday.

Located in northwest Siem Reap province, the ancient site welcomed a total of 82,675 Chinese visitors last year, up 48 percent from 55,689 in the year before, said the state-owned Angkor Enterprise's report.

The number accounted for 8 percent of the total 1.02 million international tourist arrivals to the park in 2024, the report added.

China ranked the third largest source of the foreign tourists to the Angkor complex after the United States and Britain, according to the report.

The 401-square-km Angkor complex, which currently stands as the most popular tourist attraction in the Southeast Asian country, is home to 91 ancient temples built from the ninth to the 13th centuries.

Long Kosal, deputy director-general of and spokesperson for the APSARA National Authority, said the launches of the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport in November 2023 and the Cambodia-China people-to-people exchange year 2024 had attributed to the growth of Chinese tourists to the Angkor park. 
Police arrested three persons, including two absconding accused involved in the December 9 murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Pune and Kalyan, officials said on Saturday.

IMAGE: Villagers stage protest seeking the arrest of the absconding accused in the murder case in Beed. Photograph: Screen grab/X

The two wanted men, Sudarshan Chandrabhan Ghule (26) and Sudhir Sangle (23), were picked up from Pune, while one Siddharth Sonawane was held from Kalyan in Thane district.

Ghule and Sangle are named in the FIR for the murder while the name of Sonawane surfaced during the investigation.

Police suspect Sonawane, a resident of Massajog village, kept a tab on the movement of sarpanch Deshmukh and updated other accused, sources said.

Ghule and Sangle were handed over to the special investigation team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the case, a police official said.

Police have so far arrested seven persons while one more accused is still absconding.

A Beed Police team arrested Siddharth Sonawane from Kalyan near Mumbai, a police officer told PTI.

The police had earlier arrested Jairam Manik Change (21), Mahesh Sakharam Kedar (21), Prateek Ghule (24) and Vishnu Chate (45) in the murder case, while another accused Krushna Andhale is still at large.

Deshmukh was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 prima facie for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm operating a windmill project in Beed district. Walmik Karad, an aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in the extortion case.

Several police teams were deployed to arrest three accused on the run, and an SIT was constituted.

The probe team interrogated three persons to trace the absconding men, appointed informants and used technical skills to nab the two accused, officials said.

A police official said a "doctor" picked up from Nanded district proved to be a crucial link that led police to two accused in Pune.

"Police monitored movements of Dr Sambhaji Vaybhase after his alleged links with Sudarshan Ghule surfaced during the investigation," sources in Beed Police said.

After questioning, police handed over Vaybhase to the CID, he said refusing to elaborate.

Police suspect that Vaybhase helped Ghule flee after the murder.

Amid a political blame game over the Deshmukh murder case, BJP MLA Suresh Dhas launched a fresh attack on Dhananjay Munde and alleged that the two men arrested from Pune are just "pawns" while the "key accused" are roaming free.

NCP MLA Prakash Solanke suggested that Munde be ousted from the council of ministers to ensure a fair probe into the murder case.

Solanke is the first Nationalist Congress Party leader and second from the Mahayuti coalition to target Munde, an MLA from Beed district. BJP MLA Suresh Dhas has been criticising Munde, without taking his name, for crime in Beed.

Separately, an all-party march demanding a deeper probe into the Deshmukh murder case was organised in Parbhani city.

Dhananjay Deshmukh, brother of the murdered sarpanch, demanded a transparent investigation and disclosure of the names of people who helped the accused.
The Madhya Pradesh police registered five cases against protesters in Pithampur of Dhar district who opposed the planned disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy in their town, an official said on Saturday.

IMAGE: Toxic waste from Union Carbide Factory is being taken away in containers to Pithampur near Indore for disposal, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, January 2, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Protests rocked Pithampur, around 50 km from the district headquarters, on Friday after toxic waste reached Ramky Enviro company, where the incineration is to be carried out.

The protests prompted the authorities to impose prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita banning the assembly of five or more persons around Ramky Enviro.

Superintendent of police Manoj Kumar Singh said five separate cases were registered on Friday night in connection with the protests for disrupting public peace.

He said in some cases, people were named, while in others, first information reports were registered against unidentified persons.

Singh said normalcy prevailed in Pithampur town on Saturday morning, and all industrial establishments were functioning.

According to police, cases were registered at Pithampur Sector-1 police station under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections 283 (the exhibition of false lights, marks, or buoys with the intent to mislead navigators), 341 (possession of counterfeit any seal, plate or other instruments with intent of forgery), 149 (collection of men, arms, or ammunition with the intention of waging war against the Government of India), 147 (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India), 285 (causing danger, obstruction or injury to any person in any public way), 126 (2) (intentional obstruction of a person's movement), 190 (unlawful assembly) and 191 (rioting).

During the protests on Friday, a mob of 500-600 people marched to Ramky Group's Industrial Waste Management Private Limited premises, but the police dispersed them in time.

Two persons attempted self-immolation during demonstrations in several parts of the town amid a bandh call given by Pithampur Bachao Samiti. However, the quick response of the crowd prevented a tragedy, and the men were admitted to a local hospital.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav chaired a high-level meeting on Friday night to review the situation and decided to apprise the courts about the latest position on the issue and not proceed until further court orders in the matter.

He said the state government only transported the Union Carbide waste with safety parameters in compliance with the Supreme Court's instructions and the High Court's order.

The court had given a deadline for the waste to reach the designated place before January 4, he added.

Yadav took cognisance of the prevailing situation and said if any threat or sense of fear arises among the public about security, then the state government will try to present this subject before the court, and action will be taken only after this.
"We don't want this toxic waste in our area," is the refrain of locals at Tarpura, a village adjacent to Pithampur's waste incineration unit where a huge quantity of waste from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory has been brought for disposal.

IMAGE: Congress supporters under the banner of Pithampur Bachao Samiti, protest against the decision to dispose of 350 metric tons of hazardous waste from the Union Carbide factory at the treatment storage disposal facility in Pithampur, Bhopal. Photograph: ANI Photo

An uneasy calm prevailed in the village with a population of around 20,000 on Saturday amid heavy police deployment.

The plan to dispose of 337 tons of waste linked to the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, among the worst industrial disasters in the world, has sparked off protests in the area.

Some locals claimed that when ten tonnes of Union Carbide waste was disposed of at the Pithampur facility on a trial basis in 2015, it led to contamination of soil, underground water and water sources in nearby villages.

The incineration of a huge quantity of toxic waste will be hazardous for humans as well as the environment, the villagers fear, even though the Madhya Pradesh government has sought to assure them that there would be no harmful consequences.

The administration has issued prohibitory orders in the 100-meter radius around the waste disposal unit in Pithampur and deployed a large police force.

Many residents of Tarpura work in industrial units in Pithampur.

"Our demand is that the toxic waste from Union Carbide factory should not be incinerated in Pithampur," Kailash Sharma, a resident of the village, told PTI.

Sharma, who shifted to Pithampur from Bihar with his family of six some years ago in search of work, claimed that the attendance of labourers in local factories decreased after the government started transporting the Union Carbide waste to Pithampur.

Some other labourers living in the village endorsed his claim.

Pithampur, home to around 1,250 factories, is the main industrial hub of Madhya Pradesh.

Bhaya, a youth from Tarpura village, said, "We want this waste to be sent back to Bhopal."

Protests rocked Pithampur, around 50 km from Dhar district headquarters, on Friday after the trucks carrying the toxic waste reached Ramky Enviro company where the incineration is to be carried out.

Two people even attempted self-immolation and are now undergoing treatment.

The administration on Saturday held meetings with local people and public representatives to assure them that their views will be heard.

Dhar Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Singh said, "Life is normal in Pithampur at the moment. We are keeping a close watch on the situation."

District Collector Priyank Mishra said further steps will be taken regarding the disposal only after taking the local people into confidence.

Ajay, who lives near Bokaneshwar temple in Tarpura village, showed a well which he claimed to be highly contaminated. "Earlier the whole village used to drink the water of this well, but after the waste disposal unit started (in 2015), it is no longer fit for any use.

"This waste should be destroyed somewhere else," he added.

On December 3, the Madhya Pradesh High Court set a four-week deadline to transfer the waste from Bhopal to Pithampur, warning of contempt action if the directive was not followed.

After the self-immolation attempts on Friday, the state government called an emergency meeting. Afterwards, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the government would inform the high court about the circumstances and difficulties before going ahead with disposal.

On the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, methyl isocyanate gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal, killing at least 5,479 persons and leaving thousands with serious and long-lasting health issues.
Donald Trump will be sentenced on January 10 in a criminal case for which he was convicted for silencing a porn star by paying hush money and falsifying business record, a New York judge ruled on Friday (local time).

IMAGE: US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican members of the US House of Representatives at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Washington, DC. Photograph: Allison Robbert/Pool/Reuters

The judge also added that Trump will face no legal penalties for his conviction in the case, CNN reported.

Judge Juan Merchan, upholding Trump's conviction, set the sentencing on January 10, however, he indicated that the case is essentially over.

Trump had appealed to throw out the jury's verdict because of his reelection in November, CNN reported.

The judge in his ruling said that imposing no penalty would bring "finality" to the case while allowing Trump to continue pursuing an appeal of the conviction.

"A sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options," Merchan wrote.

According to CNN, the judge also said that he would allow Trump to appear at the sentencing virtually, to assuage the president-elect's concerns about the "mental and physical demands during this transition period."

"It was a smart move by Judge Merchan to announce in advance that he is going to impose no punishment, and hold the proceeding remotely because that undermines any effort by Trump's team to argue in federal court that sentencing imposes some major burden," said CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said.

Trump was convicted in May of last year on 34 counts of falsifying business records last month in connection with a hush money payment his ex-fixer, Cohen, made to Daniels, a porn actor, ahead of the 2016 election to keep her story of an alleged affair with Trump a secret. Trump has denied the affair and vowed to appeal the guilty verdict.

That verdict marked a historic moment as Trump became the first president in US history to be convicted of a felony.
Security was beefed up in Manipur's Kangpokpi district where the superintendent of police was injured in a mob attack for failing to "remove" the central armed forces as per the demands of Kuki groups, officials said on Saturday.

IMAGE: Security personnel with the recovered weapons including snipers, automatic weapons, rifles, pistols, country made mortars, single barrel rifles and grenades during the joint search operations in the districts of Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Bishnupur of Manipur, December 22, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

A mob on Friday evening attacked the office of superintendent of police M Prabhakar, throwing stones and other "projectiles" to vent their anger over the continued deployment of central forces, particularly the Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force, in the Saibol village.

Vehicles of district police kept within the compound of the SP's office were vandalised. Prabhakar was injured after being hit on the forehead by some projectile, officials said.

A senior officer in Imphal said a huge contingent of security forces have been deployed in the area.

"Situation is now under control and being closely monitored," he added.

In a statement, the police said that besides stones, the protestors attacked the SP office with petrol bombs.

"Security forces retaliated against the mob and resorted to the use of adequate force to disperse the mob and the situation was brought under control," it said.

The SP is "fine now and presently leading the joint security forces in tackling the situation", it added.

A few protesters, who sustained injuries during the clashes, were also been admitted to hospital, officials said.

Kuki organisations have been protesting against central forces after women of the community were allegedly baton-charged on December 31 for blocking their way.

Locals claimed that several people were injured in the action by the security forces that happened in Saibol village in Twiching, which is located in the so-called 'buffer zone' between the Kuki-held Hills and Meitei-dominated Imphal Valley.

They said that the local women had gathered to protest what they described as the "forceful occupation" of community bunkers by security personnel.

The security forces had conducted the operation at the village and its peripheral areas following gunfights between armed groups, which injured four people, including a police personnel.

Protesting the December 31 action by security forces, the Kangpokpi-based Committee on Tribal Unity blocked the critical transportation route of National Highway 2, disrupting the movement of goods to the Imphal Valley where the Meiteis live.

Meanwhile, the security forces recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from the Loibol Khunou area of the district on Friday.

Among the items recovered were a modified 7.62 mm sniper rifle, an improvised long-range mortar, locally called 'pumpi', three 9mm pistols with magazines, a 12 bore Gun, an SBBL gun, 10 live rounds of ammunition, three hand grenades, three picket grenades, two tear smoke grenades and a wireless set, the police said.

More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023.
A mob on Saturday pelted stones at the firm in Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district where 337 tonnes of Union Carbide waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy is proposed to be incinerated, a police official said.

IMAGE: Toxic waste from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory is being taken away in containers to Pithampur. Photograph: ANI Photo

A mob of 100-150 persons pelted stones at the gate of the unit, Pithampur police station inspector Om Prakash Ahir told PTI.

A probe is underway to identify those behind the incident and take further legal action, Ahir added.

The incident comes a day after the town was rocked by protests against the disposal plan amid a bandh call given by the Pithampur Bachao Samiti.

On Friday, a mob of 500-600 persons had marched to Ramky Group's Industrial Waste Management Private Limited premises, where the waste is set to be incinerated, but police managed to disperse them in time.

Hours later, the district administration had clamped prohibitory orders under section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Surakhsa Sanhita (BNSS) around the premises of the unit.

It will be in force till January 12 and has been invoked to avoid loss of life and property, display of arms, celebratory firing and maintaining peace around the incineration facility, the order issued by district authorities on Friday evening read.

On Saturday, senior officials led by Indore divisional commissioner Deepak Singh and inspector general Anurag held a meeting with public representatives in the hall of the Pithampur civic body.

After the meeting, Singh told reporters the law and order situation was under control and asserted there was need to improve communication with residents of the area.

"There will be constant communication between the police administration and the local people. Whatever process is going on for the disposal of Union Carbide, further action will be taken as per the order of the honourable court," he said.

All communication will be done with complete transparency and people must not pay heed to rumours, Singh added.

Inspector General Anurag said police have controlled the situation with patience.

"Police force has been deployed and the situation has remained peaceful. People must not believe in rumours," he said.

He said the two persons who had attempted self-immolation during protests on Friday sustained 10-15 per cent burn injuries and are currently under treatment at Choithram Hospital in Indore.

They are out of danger as per doctors, the IG added.

On the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal, killing at least 5,479 persons and leaving thousands with serious and long-lasting health issues in Bhopal.

The authorities shifted 337 tonnes of waste from the Carbide factory to Pithampur for scientific disposal. The material reached the incineration unit in Pithampur on Thursday.

Pithampur, about 50 kilometres from the Dhar district headquarters, has a population of about 1.75 lakh and its industrial area here has nearly 700 factories in three sectors.

Police have registered five cases in connection with Friday protests that took place amid a bandh call given by the Pithampur Bachao Samiti.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Saturday offered a ceremonial 'chadar' sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ajmer Dargah on the 'Urs' of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

IMAGE: Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju visits Ajmer Dargah to offer a 'chadar' sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 'Urs' of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Photographs: ANI Photo

At the dargah, he read out the prime minister's message which called on people from across religions to work together in harmony.

The minister also launched the web portal of the dargah, the 'Garib Nawaz' app for pilgrims and an operations manual for the conduct of 'Urs'.

Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is also known as Garib Nawaz.

"Today I have come to the dargah with Prime Minister Modi's 'chadar'. I have had the good fortune of coming here to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah. I prayed for peace," Rijiju told reporters after presenting the 'chadar'.

"The message from Ajmer Dargah goes to the whole world. Along with presenting the prime minister's 'chadar', I read out his message," he said.

The prime minister has been annually sending a 'chadar' to the dargah.

In his message, the prime minister has said that every sect and every religion should come together and work together for the country, society and world peace, the minister said.

Lakhs of people come here and they should get a chance to offer prayers peacefully, especially the elderly, women and children, he said.

"There should be a system for that. A manual has been launched for that and I will try to provide all possible help from my ministry to improve the system," he said.

"Come here and feel how much impact the dargah has on our lives," he added.

Representatives from the dargah committee, 'khadims' and other stakeholders were present on the occasion.

Elaborate security arrangements were made for the visit of the minister, who took a flight to Jaipur and then proceeded to Ajmer by road. He was received by the BJP's state minority morcha leaders at the airport.

"On this auspicious occasion of Urs, we want that a good atmosphere should be created in the country. No one should do anything that can affect the harmony of our country," Rijiju told reporters at the airport.

Be it a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Parsi, Buddhist or Jain, everyone is welcome at the dargah, he said.

Asked about a petition in a local court claiming that the dargah has been built over a Shiva temple, Rijiju said, "I have just come to offer 'chadar'."

"I have not come here to show or tell anyone, I am going with the message (of PM) for the country that all the people in our country should stay well," he said.

In November, a court in Ajmer admitted a petition claiming that the dargah was built over a Shiva temple and issued notices to the Ajmer dargah committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Archaeological Survey of India.

Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta, who filed the petition, had called on the PM to not send a 'chadar' this time.

'Urs' is held at the Ajmer Dargah to commemorate the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
COLOMBO, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan Navy arrested three persons who were smuggling about 11.3 kg of gold out of the country via boat on Saturday, the navy said in a press statement.

The navy said the arrest was made in the sea off Kalpitiya in Sri Lanka's Northwestern province.

The gold and the suspects have been handed over to the Customs Preventive Office in Katunayake for legal action, the navy said.

The navy carries out regular search operations and patrols in coastal and sea areas around the island to combat illegal activities. 
Welcome back to the China In Eurasia briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter tracking China's resurgent influence from Eastern Europe to Central Asia.

I'm RFE/RL's China Global Affairs Correspondent Reid Standish and here's what I'm following right now.

Minding The Transatlantic Gap

China is looking to capitalize on a transatlantic rift between the United States and Europe that is widening as U.S. President Donald Trump looks to quickly end the war in Ukraine.

But how much of an opening is there actually for Beijing?

Finding Perspective: The threat of tariffs, a war of words at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, U.S.-Russia talks that excluded Europe and Kyiv, and a standoff at the United Nations over how to commemorate the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine have all been recent fissures between Washington and European governments.

That brought new questions about relying on the United States to European capitals and left an opening for Beijing, which has been trying to woo back Europe over the past four years.

On the sidelines in Munich, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held bilateral meetings with several top European officials, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

Spain's foreign minister seems to be at least more open to the idea of keeping China closer amid tensions with the United States.

Jose Manuel Albares told the Financial Times that the European Union should craft its own China policy and not follow the more confrontational line with Beijing advocated by those in the Trump administration.

"Europe must take its own decisions, on its own. And we have to decide when China can be a partner and when China is a competitor," Albares told the newspaper.

How We Got Here: During Trump's first term in office, Washington pushed European governments to take a harder line on China. That led to the bloc labeling China a "systemic rival" in 2019.

The Chinese government's untransparent handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, trade, human rights, and supply chain concerns, and Beijing's backing of Russia throughout the war in Ukraine all saw that harder line solidify in Europe under former U.S. President Joe Biden's tenure.

Now amid growing transatlantic tensions, some European governments see following Trump's tough stance on China as a way to win over Washington. Others, like the Spanish government, are arguing to preserve vital economic ties with Beijing, especially amid growing uncertainty about the United States.

This has even led to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, one of Brussels's more hawkish voices on China, calling in January for a new effort to improve relations between Brussels and Beijing.

A True Rift? Tensions on each side of the Atlantic are real.

Following his party's victory in elections on February 23, Friedrich Merz, Germany's chancellor-in-waiting for the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said the Trump administration "does not care much about the fate of Europe" and that the Continent needs to act accordingly.

"My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the U.S.A.," he said.

Talk of a seismic shift in the geopolitical order is also under way in Brussels.

One EU official recently back from discussions with U.S. officials told RFE/RL that the White House's focus is on ending the war in Ukraine and that there is a "take it or leave it" attitude from Washington.

The Trump administration wants to "remove the Ukraine issue from the table and move on to other issues. It is becoming clear that Trump's goal is to rule the world together with Russia and China" and work toward "strategically separating them from each other," said the official, who was granted anonymity in order to discuss sensitive matters.

Why It Matters: Europe may be grappling with a realignment, but that doesn't mean China is its only option to hedge.

As European leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visit Washington, von der Leyen is set to arrive in India on February 27.

James Crabtree, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told me that "it's hard to imagine a better time to re-energize Europe's and India's historically lackluster ties" and that a focus of the trip will be technology cooperation.

"A meeting of the EU-India Trade and Technology Council -- only the second since its foundation in 2023 -- offers opportunities to deepen collaboration in areas ranging from artificial intelligence to clean technologies," he said.

China may also be short on opportunities, with most EU members unable to look past its support for Russia amid the war in Ukraine. The bloc's most recent sanctions package passed on February 24 once again included Chinese companies and individuals.

What is likely to emerge is a more fragmented Europe when it comes to China. While some governments look to countries like India, South Korea, and Japan to balance out their foreign policy, others -- such as the current Spanish government and Hungary -- will keep courting Chinese investment and create new openings for Beijing.

Three More Stories From Eurasia

1. A Reverse Nixon?

China publicly backed the Trump administration's recent talks with the Kremlin, but analysts and former U.S. officials I spoke with mostly said the prospect of a U.S.-Russia reset is also making Beijing "nervous" about having less leverage over its partner.

The Details: "While a complete rapprochement might not be in the cards, they're nervous because if Trump lifts sanctions on Russia, then Moscow's dependency on China decreases," Dennis Wilder, who was a top White House China adviser to former U.S. President George W. Bush, told me.

One of the hallmarks of Chinese leader Xi Jinping's foreign policy has been a burgeoning strategic partnership with Russian President Vladimir Putin that's grown closer since Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Beijing has propped up the Russian economy through enhanced trade and energy purchases while fueling the Kremlin's war effort with the supply of key goods as both Xi and Putin have found common ground in wanting to challenge the West and unseat the United States.

The fear of all that being derailed by a new type of U.S.-Russia relationship born out of a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine is real for Beijing.

Wilder says he's had conversations with "very senior Chinese officials" since Trump's election in November who have expressed concern about a potential U.S.-Russia reset.

He says they've used the phrase "Only Trump goes to Moscow," a play on the historical reference to former U.S. President Richard Nixon's landmark visit to Beijing in 1972, when he defied precedent and courted China to exploit its split with the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War.

2. But Can It Work?

A grand bargain would be a major diplomatic feat, but it's something Trump administration officials have hinted at in public comments of late.

What You Need To Know: The Trump administration has made clear it sees managing a long-term rivalry with China as its top foreign policy objective and may look to deprioritize regions like Europe and the Middle East in order to raise pressure on Beijing in Asia.

Following the talks in Riyadh, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the possibility for future "geopolitical and economic cooperation" between Washington and Moscow was among the key points discussed.

And in an interview this month with The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Washington was prepared to reset the relationship with the Kremlin following an agreement over Ukraine as a move to end Russia's isolation and its growing dependence on China since the war began.

"It's not in Putin's interest to be the little brother in a coalition with China," Vance said.

The thinking is that even new cracks between the two powers may loosen Moscow's alignment with Beijing and could have a deterrent effect on China, especially if it decides to use military force to take Taiwan.

Still, both Beijing and Moscow are aware of what the White House is trying to do, and Beijing has made a point to show it and Moscow are still a tandem, including a recent phone call between Putin and Xi on the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

Steve Tsang, director of SOAS University London's China Institute, told me he believes Washington's efforts to reset its Russia ties are also not all bad news for Beijing.

"Xi does not want Putin to fail in the war, and so Trump delivering a peace that mostly meets Russian conditions is a positive," he said. "Who knows who will be the next U.S. president and if there will be a reversal of U.S. posture post-Trump."

3. Taiwan Watches A New U.S. Line On Ukraine

Ukrainians living in Taiwan and local supporters protested outside the de-facto Russian Embassy in Taipei on the eve of the third anniversary of Moscow's invasion.

What It Means: The self-governing island has been a vocal supporter of Kyiv, which the Taiwanese government sees as a foil for its own tenuous geopolitical position where China has long threatened to invade and annex Taiwan if it refused to peacefully accept unification.

Those parallels have grown since Trump's election. The United States is Taiwan's largest military backer and its support is considered vital for its survival, but Trump's global shakeup, including launching negotiations with Russia without Ukraine and threatening to cut off future aid to Kyiv, has brought anxiety to Taiwan about a similar withdrawal of American assistance.

When I was in Taiwan in December, I spoke with several senior officials who said they were closely watching what happened to Kyiv on the battlefield and with the new U.S. administration.

So far, the White House has reaffirmed its support for Taiwan, but Washington has also threatened tariffs on the island's semiconductor industry, which is responsible for around 60 percent of world production for microchips and 90 percent of the most-advanced ones needed for the global AI boom.

Across The Supercontinent

Choking Off Iranian Oil: Earlier this month, the United States brought in a new tranche of sanctions on Iranian oil, my colleague Kian Sharifi and I reported . The move is seen as an opening shot against Tehran and Beijing -- Iran's top oil customer.

New Bridge Deal: The Transport Ministry of Tajikistan and the Tajik branch of the Chinese company Zhejiang Communications Construction Group (ZCCC) signed a cooperation agreement for the construction of what will be the longest road bridge in Central Asia.

New Tools For Tashkent: Uzbekistan showcased on February 25 newly purchased Chinese-made air-defense systems, including the FM-90 short-range surface-to-air missile system and the KS-1C medium-to-long-range air-defense system.

One Thing To Watch

A Chinese-crewed cargo ship is detained in Taiwan's southern port of Tainan after a key Taiwan-Penghu Internet cable was mysteriously severed.

Taiwanese prosecutors are investigating whether this was an accident or part of a broader pattern of disruptions to vital communication lines, but the country's Coast Guard released footage of them apprehending the vessel.

The move comes amid growing tensions from a rise of so-called gray zone tactics, the term often used by Taiwanese officials to refer to the hybrid tactics used to intimidate the island but which remain below the threshold for war.

That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you might have.

Until next time,

Reid Standish
PODGORICA -- The Montenegrin government has announced a raft of new gun-control measures, following a mass shooting that killed 12 people, including two children.

The shooting took place on January 1 in the western Montenegrin city of Cetinje. Four other people were injured.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic announced the proposed new Law on Weapons on January 3 following a seven-hour session of the National Security Council, which is chaired by the country's president.

The proposed law will mandate the reverification of existing weapons licenses and impose severe penalties for those who fail to surrender illegal weapons within a two-month period. Spajic also said that hunting clubs would be verified and the authorities would establish an anonymous tip line where citizens can report illegal weapons possession for a reward.

Manhunt

The suspected shooter, Aco Martinovic, died on the way to the hospital after attempting suicide following the killings and subsequent manhunt.

Martinovic had previously had illegal weapons confiscated in 2022 and received a three-month prison sentence in late 2024, which he had appealed.

Police have not yet revealed the identities of the victims, but they are believed to have been relatives, friends, and godparents of Martinovic.

While estimates vary, Montenegro has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe. In the country of just over 620,000 people, there are about 245,000 firearms in use, according to the Swiss-based Small Arms Survey.

Other estimates suggest the figure is lower. According to 2022 police data provided to RFE/RL's Balkan Service, there are over 100,000 legally owned weapons in Montenegro, while illegal firearms are estimated to number between 40,000 and 80,000.

The prime minister also highlighted staff shortages in law enforcement, noting that around 1,000 police officers had retired in the previous two years. He announced his intention to expedite the hiring of 200 additional officers.

During the incident, Cetinje, a city and municipal area of around 15,000 people, was protected by only about a dozen officers. An additional 150 officers from the capital, Podgorica, and other cities later were brought in to assist with the manhunt.

Police Response Criticized

Addressing questions about the police response, Spajic said that all murders occurred within 20 minutes across five locations, describing it as "a tsunami of violence." He said that police only learned about the crimes after the eighth victim was killed. It took five and a half hours from the last victim's death to Martinovic's body being found.

During the National Security Council session, hundreds of citizens protested outside the government building, demanding changes in the leadership of law enforcement agencies. The country began three days of mourning on January 2.

The prime minister said there were no discussions about resignations in law enforcement, saying: "We need to support the police at a time like this."

When questioned about potentially dismissing Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic, Spajic said that he "never blames the people below him," though he acknowledged that a statement the interior minister made about returning to "normal life" after the incident was unfortunate. Saranovic also reportedly said that the police deserved congratulations for their response to the massacre.

The Action for Human Rights and the Center for Women's Rights NGOs called for a thorough examination of the police response, saying that Cetinje had only a minimal police presence despite being home to 120 known organized crime members and having experienced a similar massacre in August 2022, when an attacker killed 10 people and wounded six before being killed by a passerby.

The organizations questioned what security improvements had been implemented since 2022 and why Cetinje remained vulnerable to such incidents.
Russian forces have carried out more than 2,100 aerial strikes on Ukraine over the past week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 9, as Russia has stepped up attacks on its neighbor and reported battlefield gains ahead of Kyiv's high-stakes talks with US representatives in Saudi Arabia.

Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

It comes as US President Donald Trump questioned the long-term viability of Ukraine itself. When asked in a Fox Business TV interview whether he was worried that decreased US support for Ukraine could endanger that country's survival, he responded: "Well, it may not survive anyway."

"But, you know, we have some weaknesses with Russia -- you know, it takes two," Trump added.

Zelenskyy said in a social media post that Russian forces this week deployed 1,200 guided aerial bombs, nearly 870 attack drones, and more than 80 missiles of various types.

The Russian Defense Ministry, meanwhile, announced the recapture of several villages and towns on March 9 in its Kursk region -- as well as new settlements in eastern Ukraine -- with unconfirmed reports that thousands of Ukrainian troops risk being encircled by Russian forces.

It comes a day after Russian air strikes killed at least 50 people in the eastern Donetsk region, according to local officials, with at least 11 deaths reported in the city of Dobropillya.

"Such strikes show that Russia's goals are unchanged," Zelenskyy wrote on social media late on March 8. "Therefore, it is very important to continue to do everything to protect life, strengthen our air defense, and increase sanctions against Russia.

The series of strikes and battlefield pressure represent another setback for Kyiv ahead of crucial talks with the United States next week in Saudi Arabia, where Ukrainian officials will meet with their US counterparts for negotiations around how to end the three-year war.

The Institute For The Study of War, a Washington-based think tank that tracks battlefield developments, said Russian forces have "intensified their multidirectional campaign to eliminate the remaining Ukrainian salient in Kursk" in the last two days.

According to DeepState, an open-source military tracker linked to the Ukrainian Army, the Russian moves followed a "breach" in Ukrainian defense lines near the town of Sudzha, which remains under Kyiv's control but is facing growing pressure from Russian units.

Pro-Russian war bloggers who closely track frontline developments in the war also reported that Russian special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in Kursk late on March 8 to gain a foothold outside of Sudzha.

According to the reports, the pipeline was used to surprise Ukrainian units and cut off their supply lines as the Kremlin pours more manpower into kicking Kyiv out of Russian territory.

RFE/RL was not able to independently verify the accounts, but Ukrainian officials confirmed that Russian "sabotage and assault groups" used the pipeline to get access to Sudzha.

"At present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked, and destroyed. The enemy's losses in Sudzha are very high," Ukraine's General Staff said in a Telegram post on March 8.

Ukraine aimed to hit back by launching a drone overnight at an industrial facility in the Russian region of Chuvashia, some 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The strike is one of the deepest yet into Russian territory by a Ukrainian drone, and it hit its target but caused no casualties, according to Russian authorities.

Ousting Ukrainian forces from Kursk with the talks in Saudi Arabia approaching looks to be part of Moscow's strategy. In August 2024, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers seized roughly 1,300 square kilometers of Russia's western Kursk region, a move which Kyiv later characterized as an attempt to gain a bargaining chip for future negotiations and draw Russian troops away from the front line in eastern Ukraine.

Russian forces have managed to claw back large chunks of territory in Kursk, but Ukraine has retained a foothold that now risks being shrunk down further leading into the key talks.

Ukraine 'Fully Committed' To US Talks

With his attention fixed on the upcoming talks, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is "fully committed" to having a constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week over a potential peace settlement.

"Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively," he posted on X.



The Ukrainian president said he will travel to Saudi Arabia and meet with Saudi Prince Muhammad bin Salman on March 10. Afterward, a delegation of Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives will stay for a March 11 meeting with a US negotiating team.

"On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue, and we hope to discuss and agree on the necessary decisions and steps," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy will not be part of the US-Ukraine talks, which will instead be done by a delegation including Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

They will meet with a US delegation that will reportedly include Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and national-security adviser Mike Waltz. Rubio departed for Saudi Arabia late on March 9, the State Department said.

In remarks late on March 9, Trump told reporters he expects results from the Saudi talks.

"We're going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week," Trump said.

The upcoming talks in Saudi Arabia are the culmination of weeks of tough diplomacy and negotiations spearheaded by Washington since it met with a Russian delegation in Riyadh in February.

US-Ukraine ties have since frayed, with tensions culminating in an Oval Office argument in late February between Zelenskyy, Trump, and US Vice President JD Vance that saw the Ukrainian president leave the White House without signing a crucial minerals deal with Washington.

Since then, the Trump administration has paused military shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The full extent of the intelligence cutoff is unclear, but it has sparked fears that it could lead to Ukrainian setbacks on the front lines as Russia looks to press for the advantage.

In his March 9 remarks to reporters, Trump said he believed Ukraine would eventually sign a minerals deal with the United States. But -- amid reports he would want even more actions out of Kyiv -- Trump added that "I want them to want peace. They haven't shown it to the extent they should."

European countries like Britain and France have stepped up to provide more intelligence sharing with Ukraine but are reportedly still not able to replace the full scope of US capabilities.

Waltz suggested on March 5 that Trump may lift the pause on military aid once peace negotiations are arranged and confidence-building measures take place.

When asked on March 9 whether he would end the suspension of intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, Trump said, without elaborating, that "we just about have. We just about have."

In the days leading up to the talks, Trump offered criticism of Moscow's increased attacks on Ukraine in the lead up to talks and mentioned potential sanctions against the Kremlin.

But he also said Russian President Vladimir Putin was doing what anybody would do" and he told reporters in the Oval Office on March 7 that he finds it "easier" to work with Russia than Ukraine and that Putin "wants to end the war."
Officially, there were 26 candidates vying to become the next president of Ukraine in late 2004. In reality, it was a contest between two men.

Viktor Yushchenko was born in the Sumy region of Soviet Ukraine to a family of teachers. He moved to Kyiv in 1985 armed with a PhD in economics and began a career in banking. He rose to become the head of Ukraines central bank throughout the economic turmoil brought on by the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yushchenko was a key figure behind Ukraines introduction of its own currency, the hryvnya. From 1999 to 2001, he served as prime minister under President Leonid Kuchma. Yushchenko ran on a pro-Western platform, promising Ukrainians steps toward integration with the EU and NATO.

Viktor Yanukovych was born in the eastern Donetsk region of Soviet Ukraine. His mother died when he was two. He later said of his childhood, I came from a very poor family, and my main dream in life was to break out of this poverty. He worked various jobs in his youth, including as a mechanic, and was imprisoned twice for violent crime. He eventually rose to lead a string of transport companies. From 1997 to 2002, Yanukovych headed the administration of the Donetsk region and in November 2002 he was appointed prime minister of Ukraine. Yanukovych strongly favored close ties with Russia and his election campaign was openly supported by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who visited Ukraine several times in 2004.

On October 28, on the 60th anniversary of the Red Army driving Nazi forces out of Ukraine, Putin stood alongside Yanukovych as a Soviet-styled military parade marched past their podium in central Kyiv.

The solemn mood atop the podium was famously broken when Yanukovych turned to offer his Russian guests candy that he had brought in his pockets. Putin refused the offer, while Dmitry Medvedev -- then chief of staff of the Kremlin -- popped one of the treats into his mouth.

In September 2004, Yushchenko went for dinner at the home of Volodymyr Satsyuk, the deputy head of Ukraines intelligence agency. Soon afterwards, Yushchenko became severely ill. It was later determined he had ingested purified dioxin. When Yushchenko eventually emerged from hospital, disfigured by the poison, a journalist recalled, I remember that feeling of shock, when you see a completely different person. Yushchenko implied his poisoning was a state-sponsored attack and accused Russia of impeding efforts to investigate it.

Satsyuk, whose involvement in the poisoning has never been proven, moved to Russia in 2007, stepping into the role of major general in the country's Federal Security Service (FSB). Later in the same month in which Yushchenko was poisoned, Yanukovych stepped out of a bus to meet with university students in Ivano-Frankivsk. After an object struck Yanukovychs jacket, he winced then collapsed and was bundled into a car by aides who sped him to a nearby hospital. The politician's team described it as an attack with a "hard object, and released a video of the presidential candidate looking pained as he denounced the assault from a hospital bed. Video later emerged showing it was a single egg, thrown by a student, that had prompted the politician to collapse dramatically onto the road.

The first round of the presidential election in Ukraine took place on October 31, 2004. Yushchenko received 39.9 percent of the vote, while Yanukovych received 39.2 percent. With both candidates failing to secure more than 50 percent, a runoff was scheduled.

On November 21, the second round of elections took place. The Central Election Commission of Ukraine announced that, after counting 33 percent of the ballots, Viktor Yanukovych was in the lead with more than 50 percent of the votes. Early results from exit polls on the other hand were showing Yushchenko in the lead. Meanwhile, foreign observers reported multiple violations in the vote-counting procedure.

A day after the vote, the election commission had processed 97.67 percent of the votes, after which its work unexpectedly ground to a halt. For more than a week, the country remained on tenterhooks awaiting the official results. The head of the commission, Serhiy Kivalov, announced that the delay was caused by various technical issues, including problems with the computer servers. Supporters of Yushchenko claimed the delay was designed to give the Yanukovych camp a chance to steal the election.

On the night of November 21-22, Yushchenko met with Kivalov. After their conversation behind closed doors, Yushchenko declared, "we do not trust the Central Election Commission's results. He called on supporters to come to the Maidan and defend our victory," referring to Kyiv's Independence Square, which has often been the focal point of protests during periods of political upheaval in Ukraine.

On the morning of November 22, a small number of protestors gathered in central Kyiv under the orange flags of Yushchenkos campaign. As the day wore on, the numbers began to swell.

By midday on November 22, the election commission announced that, with 99 percent of the votes tallied, Yanukovych had won 49.4 percent, with 46.7 percent for Yushchenko. Congratulations rolled in from Belarus and Russia, with Putin declaring that "the Ukrainian people have made their choice -- a choice in favor of stability and strengthening of statehood." Washington refused to accept the official results, with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell warning of unspecified consequences for the Ukrainian officials involved in perpetrating fraud in the election.

Protests under the orange flags of Yushchenko's campaign continued throughout Ukraine and crowds surrounded the presidential buildings in Kyiv. On some days, as many as half a million people gathered on Independence Square in freezing weather. Yushchenko's team highlighted results in the the Donetsk and Luhansk regions where they claimed neither observers nor journalists were allowed into the polling stations after polls had closed, and there was a late surge of votes nearly exclusively for Yanukovych.

On December 3, the Supreme Court of Ukraine declared the results of the runoff were invalid, and set a date for a further contest between the two candidates on December 26, 2004.
YANGON, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized 60 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) in eastern Myanmar's Shan state, the state-run daily The Mirror reported on Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Kengtung township in eastern Shan state on Dec. 30, and confiscated the narcotics, the report said.

The seized narcotics are worth 480 million kyats (about 228,571 U.S. dollars) on the black market, and a suspect has been arrested in connection with the case, it said.

Investigations showed that the drugs were being transported from Mong Ping township to Tachileik township in Shan state, it said.

The suspect has been charged under the country's law, and further investigations are ongoing, it added. 
Alison ORiordan

In March 2022, the High Court was told that law professor Diarmuid Rossa Phelan was a "law abiding citizen" who had "never put a foot wrong" and did not have so much as a parking ticket to his name. He had also been charged with murdering a trespasser on his farm by shooting him in the back of the head.

This was the only time a court heard first hand from Mr Phelan, who did not opt to take the stand during his nine-week trial to give evidence in his defence, as is his legal right.

The court heard details of his professional and private life that painted a broader picture of the father of four - as a barrister, an academic and landowner - than that presented at his murder trial.

The State had objected to bail on account that the barrister was a likely flight risk but over those two days at his bail hearing, Mr Phelan - referred to by his solicitor as "a very honourable man" - insisted there was no possibility of him trying to evade justice by leaving the country.

Via video-link from Cloverhill Prison, Mr Phelan told a High Court judge that he had to clear his name because his reputation and career were dependent on it.

On the day he shot Keith Conlon, Diarmuid Phelan was due to teach at Trinity College Dublin, where he was an Associate Professor of Law.

Having grown up on the south side of Dublin, Mr Phelan had been teaching on College Green since 1994, with disciplines in European Union and Competition Law. He was working three days a week lecturing undergraduate and postgraduate students, with meetings on the other days.

Mr Phelan's career also saw him lecture in the United States and visit law schools across the world. He has been a member of the Bar since 1994 and was called to the inner bar in 2008. As a professor, he is affiliated with the bar jurisdictions in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales and New York.

The High Court heard that Mr Phelan and his children are also United States citizens and that he owns a studio in Colorado.

Considerable assets

The High Court was also told of Mr Phelan's financial position and heard he has "considerable assets" with links to Northern Ireland, mainland Europe and the US.

He began buying large tracts of land in 2000, starting with a 54-acre farm in Wexford followed 15 years later with the purchase of Hazelgrove Farm, which was approximately 180 acres. The High Court heard that the lands in Tallaght were held in a complex arrangement and had different legal and beneficial owners.

In 2023, there were 66 cattle and around 140 sheep on Hazelgrove Farm, which was accepted into an organic scheme that same year - a move that was part of the long term plan for the lands. The court heard that Mr Phelan being "very much hands on" in the maintenance of the farm and someone who enjoyed "getting his hands dirty", with "massive progress" made on the lands since he acquired them. His lawyers said that Mr Phelan took it upon himself to up-skill and farm at a commercial level and sought to "make good the lands".

When questioned at length by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy at his bail hearing, Mr Phelan told her that his Tallaght farm was held in Northern Ireland with a company called Sagacious Investment Ltd, while the farm in Wexford was held through EUSA Ltd.

He said the farms are held in trust for the benefit of his four children.

"The land in Tallaght is in various arrangements," Mr Phelan said, adding that the company is the legal owner but not the beneficial owner of the lands.

When pressed more by the judge about the value of the farm in Tallaght, Mr Phelan said it was "very unclear" as it was mixed land and therefore hard to value. He said it was bought in a series of transactions.

Asked about its developmental value, the defendant said it would be worth 1.8 million at least. He said the average market value per acre on the Wexford farm was between 10,000 and 12,000 and the bulk of the Wexford farm was sold for 540,000 in July of that year.

The court was told the father-of-four's primary residence is in Dublin, with his home having an approximate value of between 900,000 and 1 million.

Mr Phelan told the High Court that the entirety of his Trinity salary went towards independent home-care for his mother, costing over 100,000 per annum, which the court heard was in accordance with his late father's wishes.

Along with a seven-figure mortgage commitment, Mr Phelan said it was "hard to make ends meet at the moment". It was submitted by his lawyer to the court that if Mr Phelan couldn't generate money, he would have difficulty making his mortgage repayments.

With assets valued in the millions however, Mr Phelan didn't qualify for legal aid. He was on trial for murder at his own expense and had a team of four lawyers acting for him; consisting of two senior counsels, a junior counsel and a documentary junior.

His defence team was headed up by senior counsel Michael Bowman, who prosecuted the 'Mr Moonlight' murder case, and Sean Guerin, the chair of the Council of the Bar of Ireland.

When four agricultural workers from France and Germany gave evidence about having witnessed the fatal shooting, Mr Phelan also arranged for his own stenographer and a professional interpreter - who had previously worked for the Canadian Parliamentary System - to take notes of the proceedings and provide his team with their own translation of the evidence given.

Two of Mr Phelan's four defence witnesses had also flown in from the US to testify on his behalf, including a former special agent with the US Department of Justice who acted as a firearms expert and a behavioural psychologist.

Guns

It was said at the bail hearing that Mr Phelan was a member of gun clubs and the licensed owner of ten firearms which he had extensive experience in using and had been seized since his arrest.

It became part of the prosecution case at Mr Phelan's murder trial to suggest he was a skilled and experienced shooter and was therefore more likely to shoot accurately.

However, Mr Phelan said at his bail hearing that he hadn't been a member of a gun club in Wicklow for many years but was a member of a target club. He told gardai in his interviews that he preferred archery as a discipline and was teaching it to his children.

Totally in the dark

In seeking bail, Mr Phelan's counsel submitted that he "stands for something, he has achieved something over the decades and that must count for something".

But that was not enough to convince the High Court judge to grant bail, after she found Mr Phelan had a "powerful incentive to evade justice" and was a serious flight risk.

Ms Justice Murphy found Mr Phelan was a man of "extensive assets" but that the full extent of these were not known as a statement was not filed under the Bail Act, which provides for the disclosure of income.

She noted that the full extent of Mr Phelan's assets was not known and that three different addresses in south Dublin had been submitted by him.

Within days, Mr Phelan brought his case to the Court of Appeal over the decision not to grant him bail pending his trial.

The then President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice George Birmingham, told Mr Phelan he had left the High Court judge "totally in the dark" with regards to his financial affairs when applying for bail.

He asked that the defendant provide a comprehensive financial statement to the court setting out his assets, liabilities, all sources of income in recent years and details of any property in and outside the jurisdiction.

In the end Mr Phelan was granted bail by the Court of Appeal on condition that he enter his own bond of 50,000, while an independent surety of 50,000 was also required. The largest amount of bail fixed in the State at that time was 100,000.

Murder trial

When his trial finally opened before Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford on October 16 last, the defendant had many close friends and family in court to support him, including his sister Emer and an elderly priest, who would often be seen comforting Mr Phelan by placing his arm around him.

Mr Phelan would cycle to court each day and continued to use the side entrance used by professionals to gain access to the Criminal Courts of Justice Building, moving freely around the law library amongst his fellow practitioners.

Inside the courtroom, the defendant would frequently pass notes to his two lawyers of Arthur McClean Solicitors, who in turn would hand them to counsel.

Outside court 17 in the mornings and evenings, Mr Phelan and his six advisers would form huddles to discuss either what was on the day's agenda or to reflect on the day's developments.
Independent Ireland has expressed outrage over the latest figures on homelessness, which reveal that more than 15,000 people are now in emergency accommodation in Ireland, including 4,658 children. This represents the highest number of homeless individuals since records began.

Speaking on behalf of Independent Ireland, TD Michael Fitzmaurice said: These record-breaking figures are not just statisticsthey represent real people enduring unimaginable hardship. It is incomprehensible and scandalous that, in a country with repeated budget surpluses, over 15,000 people, including thousands of children, are homeless. This crisis is a shocking indictment of a government that has utterly failed to provide the most basic of needs in a modern society."

Deputy Fitzmaurice went on to say: It is simply unforgivable that thousands of children remain in emergency accommodation. We have failed the most vulnerable, and this government has seemed intent on ensuring homes have been provided for everybody else instead of focusing on the most basic need for a child in this country to have a roof over their head, a place to call home.

"Additionally, many thousands of young people have been failed by successive governments. They are unable to buy their own homes, many unable to find or afford a place to rent, and are being left with no alternative but to leave their families and leave their country behind. It is a damning failure on so many levels and despite over a decade or more of promises the situation continues to deteriorate. It is shameful.

The figures, published by the Department of Housing, show a 12.4% year-on-year increase in homelessness, with 15,199 people now in emergency accommodation. The numbers do not include rough sleepers, couch-surfers, or asylum seekers awaiting accommodation. The crisis is particularly acute in Dublin, where 10,925 people, including 3,575 children, are homelessa 10% increase from last year.

As the government negotiates its future direction, this crisis must be at the top of the agenda. Independent Ireland will continue to fight for practical solutions and ensure that those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness are not forgotten. We need a government that is willing to take bold, decisive action to protect families, children, and the most vulnerable members of our society, said Deputy Fitzmaurice.
Passengers are seen at check-in counters at Frankfurt Airport in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

BERLIN, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Technical issues caused widespread disruption at airports across Germany on Friday.

The federal police's computer systems experienced a nationwide outage, forcing officers to manually process the tasks that were typically handled electronically, a spokesperson from the federal police told German newspaper Bild.

Dusseldorf airport reported that "a nationwide IT malfunction" at the federal police led to delays in both entry and exit at border control.

According to Bild, passengers were experiencing waiting times of up to two hours at Dusseldorf airport, while passengers at Berlin airport also expected similar delays.

At 18:13 local time (1713 GMT), Dusseldorf airport, one of the most affected ones, announced that the IT malfunction at the federal police had been resolved, allowing unrestricted entry and exit for non-Schengen flights.

The outage, lasting approximately four hours, was attributed to a technical problem in the Federal Criminal Police Office's information system. Airports in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, and Berlin experienced only minor delays.

Heiko Teggatz, chairman of the Federal Police Union, criticized the government for inadequate IT modernization funding, highlighting a lack of approximately 150 million euros (154.48 million U.S. dollars). 

A passenger talks with a staff member at a service desk at Frankfurt Airport in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

Passengers walk past service desks at Frankfurt Airport in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

People gather at a departure entry at Frankfurt Airport in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

Passengers are seen at a Lufthansa's counter at Frankfurt Airport in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)
Tragic Accident Claims Lives of Four Soldiers in Bandipora Gorge Incident

The critically injured soldier is being shifted to Srinagar for advanced medical care, officials said.

Bandipora Gorge Accident Latest News Today, Four Indian Army Soldiers Death News: A tragic accident claimed the lives of four soldiers and left one critically injured after an Army vehicle skidded off the Bandipora-Srinagar road and plunged into a deep gorge in the SK Payeen area of north Kashmirs Bandipora district on Saturday.

According to officials, the vehicle lost control on the winding road and fell into the gorge, causing severe injuries to all five occupants. The soldiers were immediately rushed to the district hospital in Bandipora, where two of them were pronounced dead on arrival. Despite efforts by medical staff, two others succumbed to their injuries, while the fifth soldier remains in critical condition.

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The critically injured soldier is being shifted to Srinagar for advanced medical care, officials said.

The exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined, but the narrow and treacherous road conditions in the region are believed to have contributed to the mishap.

Authorities and Army officials have expressed condolences to the families of the deceased soldiers. Efforts are underway to provide support to the affected families during this difficult time.

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(For more news apart from Bandipora Gorge Accident Latest News Today, Four Indian Army Soldiers Death News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Two Accidents Claim Lives of Three Women Farmers, Dozens Injured While Heading to Farmer Rally

The first mishap took place near Barnala sub-jail when a vehicle collided with a truck.

Farmers Mahapanchayat: In a tragic incident, three women farmers lost their lives and 41 others were injured in two separate road accidents on Saturday while traveling to the Kisan Mahapanchayat at the Khanauri border.

The first mishap took place near Barnala sub-jail when a vehicle collided with a truck. The bus involved in the accident was carrying farmers from Dallewal village, the home of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is currently on a fast-unto-death protest.

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The second, more severe accident occurred on the Bathinda National Highway bypass, where a bus belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ugrahan overturned. The crash resulted in the immediate death of three women and left many others severely injured.

Emergency responders rushed to the scenes, with the injured being transported to nearby hospitals in Bathinda, Ludhiana, and Patiala. Several victims are in critical condition.

Police have begun investigations into the accidents, with early indications suggesting that dense fog may have played a role in the collisions.

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The deaths of the three women from BKU Ugrahan have sent shockwaves through the farmer community, which had gathered in large numbers to participate in the Mahapanchayat to advance their demands.

The accidents have brought a somber mood to what was intended to be a day of unity and solidarity for farmers advocating for their rights.
The EIKON Exhibition

Hosted by the National Museum of History of Romania (MNIR), the exhibition focuses on the process of conserving and restoring wood icons.

Credits: mnir.ro

Ion Puican, 04.01.2025, 14:00

The National Museum of History of Romania (MNIR) in late November inaugurated the exhibition EIKON. Conservation and restoration of wood painting. The exhibition brings to the public icons on wood and the general issue of conservation and restoration of wood paintings from the Museum collections. The exhibition displays both restored objects and the technological flow that an object goes through, from restoration to exhibition. We spoke to restorer Maria Popa about the exhibition and the steps the Museum is taking to bring restoration to the attention of the general public:

The EIKON exhibition is the first exhibition of wood painting restoration organized at the National Museum of History of Romania. Restoration is a topic the museum wants to bring to the attention of the public as often as possible, because, before reaching the showcase, the items go through the restoration workshop for a brief check. The National Museum of History of Romania has in the past hosted other exhibitions on the conservation and restoration of heritage items on different types of supports. Last year, in the same space where we have the EIKON exhibition today, there was an exhibition on restoration of old books and documents.

Maria Popa told us more about the concept of this exhibition:

The concept behind the exhibition was a desire to present to the public some of the activities that takes place in the wood painting restoration workshop.

Restorer Maria Popa told us which pieces or exhibits can be seen in the exhibition, how they were restored and what other elements visitors can see.

The exhibition includes 12 pieces, 11 from the collections of the National Museum of History and one from a private collection. Most of the items are from the Russian, Lipovan school, and were manufactured between the 18th and 20th centuries. They reached the restoration workshop with various problems, from dirt deposits on the surface, areas of charring caused by the heat released by the candles that were placed too close, cracks in the framework panels, or areas where the painting was no longer preserved. The centerpiece of the exhibition is an imperial icon depicting Saint Hierarch Nicholas from the area of Northern Transylvania or Maramures. Over the years, it underwent two separate repainting processes, and when it arrived at our workshop, it had a different painting than the one you can see in the exhibition. The decision to remove the previous work done was due to the quality being poor both aesthetically and technically, and the painting brought to light following these restoration interventions is much superior to the original. You can see both the final result and the images from the restoration operations in the EIKON exhibition. Within the exhibition there is an area that recreates a restoration workshop, with all the materials, tools and protective gear restorers use during the conservation and restoration process. Also in this area, you can see videos of the restoration of pieces on display. In one of the showcases, we have three icons on display that are in different stages of restoration, starting with the removal of deposits from the surface, filling gaps in the frame, and chromatic integration of missing areas.

Another Museum restorer, Marian Radu, specializes in wood frameworks. He told us more about the restoration process and its particularities:

In the field of conservation and restoration, the purpose of the intervention is to preserve movable and immovable heritage. Cultural goods are notable for their great diversity in terms of composition, structure, morphology, size, appearance, color, functionality and, obviously, value. The degradation factors that act on cultural goods are the physical-chemical factors and, last but not least, the human factor. Knowing all that, we can also learn more about the degradations that take place at the level of the wooden frame.

Marian Radu also told us about the panel of wood icons presented in the EIKON exhibition:

The panel is reinforced with two parallel crossbars of different directions, semi-retracted, inserted into the wood fiber, with a trapezoidal profile. By inserting the crossbars, the icon is made using the dovetail system. The crossbars play a very important role in the resistance structure of the panel  Considering these icons are two to three hundred years old, they have suffered various degradations over time All of these will make the restoration process very difficult.

At the end of our talk, restorer Marian Radu told us the following about the EIKON exhibition:

The profession of restorer is less known in Romania, but by means of this exhibition, which is a premiere for the National Museum of History of Romania, I hope I have managed to pique the curiosity of the public to come to the museum, where they can see and better understand the fruit of our work over the past few years. (VP)
The 41.9 kWh battery pack in Chevrolet Spark EUV spied testing, is rated to deliver around 400 km on a single charge (CLTC cycle)

You might be familiar with the Yep 3-Door and Yep Plus 5-Door electric SUVs from Baojun. These are cute-sy and boxy electric SUVs with a lot of appeal. They are positioned on a similar platform as MG Comet EV sold in India. Naturally, we are hoping Baojun Yep Plus will make its way to India under MG brand.

The recent events in Latin America have sparked interest in this vehicle as Baojun Yep Plus SUV has spawned its first badge-engineered version. We wish it was an MG counterpart, but it bears a Chevy logo, likely to be launched in Latin American market soon. However, the name of this SUV is quite ironic as it is called Chevrolet Spark EUV Activ.

Chevrolet Spark EUV Activ

SAIC is among the most notable Chinese State-owned automotive brands. SAIC has a strategic conglomeration with iconic American brand General Motors and another Chinese State-owned brand Wuling. Called SAIC-GM-Wuling, this conglomerate jointly owns Baojun brand and has many badge-engineered vehicles in their portfolio.

For example, Baojun 530 is sold as Chevrolet Captiva, a General Motors brand, Wuling Almaz and MG Hector, a SAIC brand. Apart from many other examples, Baojun Yep Plus SUV is now the recipient of badge-engineering exercise and has spawned a Chevrolet counterpart in the form of Spark EUV Activ.

We dont know if it is American sense of humour or just irony, an electric vehicle bears the name Spark. Pun aside, this electric SUV is a badge-engineered Baojun Yep Plus, which has 5-Doors as standard. It is likely to be launched during Chevrolets centenary celebrations in the Brazilian market.

Except for a Chevy badge, we dont see any real changes between Baojun Yep Plus and Chevrolet Spark EUV Activ. Where dimensions are concerned, this electric SUV will measure 3,996 mm in length, 1,760 mm in width, 1,726 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,560 mm. It has a kerb weight of 1,325 kg.

MG Version Expected?

Baojun Yep Plus SUV was launched in China in April 2024 from a starting price of CNY 93,800 (approx Rs 11 lakh). It is positioned on a similar platform as MG Comet EV. Theres a 41.9 kWh battery pack under Chevrolet Spark EUV spied that promises around 400 km on a single charge (CLTC cycle). This battery powers a single 100 bhp motor, driving rear wheels.

On the inside, there is a dual screen implementation, measuring 10.2-inch each, running KIOS user interface. Features include 360-degree camera, sophisticated automated parking and ADAS suite developed by DJI among others. We hope this vehicle makes its way to India under the MG Motor brand and probably launch in 2025 or early 2026. Design of the same has been already patented in India.

Source
The top 10 best-selling cars together recorded over 1.43 lakh units in December, a significant increase compared to the same period last year. Heres a closer look at the standout performers.

Top 10 Cars Dec 2024

Maruti Brezza led the pack with impressive sales growth of nearly 35% year-on-year. Following closely, the Maruti Wagon R saw a staggering growth of over 101%, doubling its sales from last December. Newly launched Maruti Dzire maintained its stronghold in the sedan segment with an 18% increase in sales. Maruti Ertiga posted a solid 24% growth.

Tata Motors saw strong demand for the Punch and its EV variant, registering a 9% growth. Meanwhile, the Tata Nexon and its EV version faced a slight decline of 11%, though it remains a top contender in the growing electric SUV segment. Hyundai Creta continued its dominance in the compact SUV category, recording a robust 36% sales growth. Hyundai will launch Creta Electric this month, which will boost brand Creta sales even further.

Mahindra Scorpio, including the Scorpio N, recorded a steady 7% growth, appealing to adventure-seekers with its rugged capabilities. Maruti Eeco recorded a 16% increase in sales. Closing the list, the Maruti Fronx delivered a 10% growth, combining crossover styling with modern features to attract urban consumers.

Top 15 SUVs Dec 2024

In the SUV category, Maruti Brezza also led the pack, mirroring its success in the overall car market. Tata Punch, including its EV variant, maintained its momentum, securing its place as a top choice for compact SUV buyers. Despite a decline, the Tata Nexon / EV remained a favourite in the electric SUV segment.

Hyundai Creta delivered a stellar performance with 36% growth, followed by the Mahindra Scorpio / N, which continued its stronghold as a rugged off-roader with a 7% growth. Maruti Fronx, with its crossover design, and Hyundai Venue, despite a slight dip, continued to draw significant attention in the competitive compact SUV market.

Mahindra Thar, including the ROXX variant, posted a strong 32% growth, fuelled by its off-road credentials, while the Mahindra XUV700 saw a 25% rise, reflecting its premium appeal. Maruti Grand Vitara maintained steady demand, and Mahindra XUV300 posted an impressive 97% growth, almost doubling its sales year-on-year. While Mahindra Bolero and Hyundai Exter faced declines, the newly launched Tata Curvv, including its EV variant, sold nearly 5,000 units. The Toyota HyRyder, although slightly impacted, took the 15th spot in the list.

Source
WARSAW, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- A gala was held on Friday at the National Opera in Warsaw to mark Poland's inauguration as the presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).

Speaking at the event, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he will address the European Parliament on Jan. 21 to outline "the ambitious intentions of the European Union, the whole of Europe and the Polish presidency for these very difficult six months."

European Council President Antonio Costa emphasized that the Ukraine issue remains a priority for the EU. He thanked Tusk for his efforts in preparing for an informal meeting of EU leaders scheduled for February.

"There is no better time for Polish leadership in the European Union," Costa said.

Poland's presidency began on Jan. 1 and will continue until the end of June. This marks the second time Poland has held the EU's six-month rotating presidency, the first being 2011. 
Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG) is a salad restaurant chain that went public in 2021. At the start of 2024, it was down nearly 80% from its price when it went public. It seemed that the investor community had zero appetite for this salad stock. But 2024 was a different story entirely. By November, the stock had more than tripled in 2024.

Sweetgreen stock gave up some gains to end the year. But it still had an impressive run. Moreover, shares of Reddit (NYSE: RDDT) and IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) have had similarly impressive runs, with both of those stocks more than tripling in value in 2024.

Here's why these three stocks did so well in 2024 and which one that I believe will do the best in 2025.

Sweetgreen: up 184%

Sweetgreen was a high-growth business when it went public, but its losses were too much for investors' liking. Management began addressing this concern at the end of 2023 by casting vision for its Infinite Kitchen model. And investors seem to be buying into that vision in 2024.

The Infinite Kitchen is all about automation. Through kitchen tech, salad bowls can be mostly prepared by robotic machines. And this is a big deal.

Consider that through the first three quarters of 2024, the company spent 28% of its revenue on labor and related expenses -- its largest operating expense. If robotics can lower this expense, it would have a profound impact on profits.

The Infinite Kitchen vision is only just now reaching an early inflection point. Sweetgreen started its third quarter with only two restaurant locations out of 225 equipped with the automation enhancements. But by the end of the third quarter, it had 10 restaurants with the Infinite Kitchen. As this scales up in 2025 and beyond, investors are hopeful that profits will rise, which is why the stock jumped in 2024.

Revenue growth is slowing as the company focuses on profits -- it's opening new restaurants more slowly. But its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) are already going up, and the Infinite Kitchen tailwind hasn't even really started yet.

Reddit: up 224%

The 224% jump for Reddit stock is particularly impressive considering it didn't have the entire year to work with -- its initial public offering (IPO) was in March. But the company's financials are simply too impressive to ignore.

Over the past two years, the social networking company's top-line growth has been accelerating -- that's a relatively rare investment opportunity. In the third quarter, it grew revenue by 68% year over year to $348 million. In short, it's added millions of new users and advertising demand is up, leading to the outsize growth.
The $600,000 Tax Move One Investor Is Banking On Next Year

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Real estate investing can get creative, especially when taxes are involved. Just ask Seattle-based investor Ludomir Wanot. He's found a way to pair savvy property deals with massive tax incentives that could slash his taxable income. His big focus for 2025? Mobile home parks.

Wanot, who built his wealth through long-term rentals, sees mobile home parks as a win-win. For him, it's all about the numbers. The government actually allows you to depreciate at least up to 60% of the purchase price of the value of the asset in year one, he explained to Business Insider. Translation? If he buys a property for $1 million, like he did in New York, he can write off up to $600,000 in the first year. "That basically reduced my taxable income to zero."

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But it's not just about the tax break. Wanot likes that mobile home parks provide affordable housing while letting him rebuild communities. "I'm providing housing for people that only make maybe $1,000 a month, at a significantly lower rate, around $200 a month," he said. And while he's helping his tenants, he's also reaping big incentives from Uncle Sam.

Finding Deals In A Tough Market

Other investors are gearing up for different strategies. Mike Zuber, who built a rental empire in Fresno, California, says 2025 will be all about spotting motivated sellers. "I think there are some people that will just have to sell  life events, death, divorce, all of that," Zuber explained to BI. With rising costs keeping buyers out of the market, he's betting those dated, less-than-perfect homes will end up in investors' hands.

I'm prepared to write offers that make sense at a high cost of capital, he said. For Zuber, patience is key.

See Also: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing  you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today.

Playing The Long Game

Meanwhile, Dion McNeeley, another seasoned investor, is weighing a strategic sale of one of his properties. By leveraging an IRS rule, McNeeley could defer taxes on his gains and funnel them into another deal. This kind of move, known as a 1031 exchange, lets investors swap properties without triggering a hefty tax bill.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For decades, Italian Americans and Irish Americans dominated the landscape of Staten Island, at one point combining to account for nearly half of all borough residents.

But while those two remain the highest-represented ethnicities in the borough, both have seen their numbers dwindle over the past decade-plus in a trend that continued in newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Advance/SILive.com compared demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureaus 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates to past years, finding that tens of thousands of Italian and Irish Americans have either fled the borough or died since 2010, the first year for which ancestry data is available.

In 2010, there were 156,280 Italian-Americans and 64,762 Irish-Americans living on Staten Island, representing 33.7% and 14% of the boroughs total population at the time, respectively.

The next closest group was German Americans, which represented 5.5% of Staten Islanders, highlighting the extent to which Italian Americans and Irish Americans far outnumbered any other ethnic groups.

But since then, both groups have lost tens of thousands of residents while the total population has grown, resulting in a more diverse borough with Italian Americans and Irish Americans making up smaller pieces of the pie.

In 2023, there were 116,441 Italian Americans living on Staten Island, representing a roughly 25.5% decrease from the 156,280 in 2010.

Meanwhile, the number of Irish Americans fell at an even steeper rate of 29.7%, from 64,762 in 2010 to 45,508 to 2023.

The declines in each group, coupled with the growing total number of Staten Islanders, resulted in Italian Americans now representing 23.6% of residents, down from 33.7%, and Irish-Americans representing 9.2% of residents, down from 14%.

Whos taking their place?

So if the boroughs largest ethnic groups are declining but the overall population is increasing, it begs the question as to who makes up the influx of new residents.

Last year, the Advance/SILive.com analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to identify changing trends in the ethnicities of residents who call Staten Island home.

The analysis showed the total population on Staten Island rose roughly 6.4% over the past decade-plus, from 463,450 in 2010 to 492,925 in 2022, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureaus 2010 and 2022 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates.

Further analysis showed that certain ethnic groups are seeing their populations increase well above the rate of the total population, the majority of which hail from countries in the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe.

Many of these groups still represent relatively small portions of the boroughs total population, but some have seen their numbers more than double, or even triple, since 2010, data shows.

Heres a look at the ethnic groups that have seen the highest percentage increase in population on Staten Island since 2010.

ETHIOPIAN

2010 population: 46

2022 population: 206

Percentage change: 347.8%

LATVIAN

2010 population: 142

2022 population: 621

Percentage change: 337.3%

ISRAELI

2010 population: 759

2022 population: 2,488

Percentage change: 227.8%

LIBERIAN

2010 population: 532

2022 population: 1,598

Percentage change: 200.4%

PALESTINIAN

2010 population: 479

2022 population: 1,339

Percentage change: 179.5%

IRANIAN

2010 population: 171

2022 population: 473

Percentage change: 176.6%

GHANIAN

2010 population: 250

2022 population: 563

Percentage change: 125.2%

EGYPTIAN

2010 population: 3,292

2022 population: 7,155

Percentage change: 117.3%

ARMENIAN

2010 population: 311

2022 population: 616

Percentage change: 98.1%

SYRIAN

2010 population: 584

2022 population: 1,004

Percentage change: 71.9%

UKRANIAN
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Danielle Cabral called out her ahole castmate Jennifer Aydin, 47, for her mean-spirited video that has gone viral about how she treated employees of Jersey Mikes, calling her despicable, an idiot, a scum rocket, an ahole, a schmuck and a POS.

Im usually really pretty good at holding my tongue, keeping my mouth shut, not saying anything, and I feel like  I dont wanna today, said Cabral, 39, in a selfie-style Instagram post. Cabral is the newest RHONJ star and former Staten Islander.

In the video, Cabral addresses an earlier incident involving her nemesis, Jennifer Aydin, who earlier this week shared her frustration about an experience at a Jersey Mikes located in an airport through a series of since-expired Instagram Stories.

In her posts, Aydin described waiting in line for her order, only to see the customer behind her receive their order first. She commented on the staff, mentioning an older Jersey Mikes employee, whom she estimated to be about 80 years old, taking a long time slicing bread and struggling to keep up with the orders.

While the employee was preparing her first sandwich, Aydin added another item to her order. However, the staff member declined to accommodate the request, instructing her to rejoin the line unless the man behind her approved, as it would delay his order.

The man allegedly dismissed Aydins request as ridiculous, which prompted her to start recording their heated exchange. Identifying himself as a law professor, the man allegedly threatened legal action if she shared the video and remarked that he would sue her for every piece of fake jewelry she owned. Aydin responded by insisting her jewelry was genuine and retorted, I am a fking celebrity!

Danielle Cabral, left, and Nate Cabral attend the premiere of "Devon" at AMC Empire 25 on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in New York. (Photo by CJ Rivera/Invision/AP)CJ Rivera/Invision/AP

Back to Danielle Cabrals response. In her own Instagram video, she said: So, in light of all the st thats been going down, I feel compelled to say  if you guys only knew what it was like to be involved with this person. While shes berating me about how I treat people and lying to the point of delusion, the whole fking time this is the person she is. This is who she is!

A leopard never changes its spots, added Cabral, who is also the founder of Boujie Kidz. At the end of the day, the truth always comes out, and the true colors of certain individuals always shine through.

Cabral encouraged all members of the Real Housewives franchise to strive for better behavior. Weve got to change this, ladies. Thats not how were acting in public at all. But Im glad [Aydin] filmed it, and Im glad she posted it... because now you all get to see who this person really is.

The beauty of this is, you sit back and watch the trash take itself out.

Dominic Cabral, left, Danielle Cabral, Nate Cabral and Valentina Cabral attends the premiere of Netflix's "Spellbound" at the Paris Theater on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

ABOUT DANIELLE CABRAL

Reality TV fans may remember Cabral from another show  which showcased her affection for her hometown  when she appeared on MTVs True Life: Im a Staten Island Girl back in 2006. The episode followed three Staten Island residents, including Danielle, whose maiden name is DiPietro.

It did not go over too well with my peers, said Cabral. I went through a lot after that show came out. Ive worked 17 years to try and change that image around and I hope with RHONJ, I can make my hometown proud.

Following her True Life appearance in 2006, Cabral moved to Los Angeles and took on several acting projects. The cameras caught up with her again in 2008 for a True Life follow-up.

While in Los Angeles, she met her now-husband, Nathan Nate Cabral, an electrician from Massachusetts, for whom she moved back to the East Coast, and eventually wed on Staten Island in 2012.

The couple chronicled their New Jersey home renovation in 2014 on the DIY Network series Family Under Construction.

I may now be a Jersey girl, but Staten Island will always be home, added Cabral. I think fans of the show will love season 13! I may be biased but its probably going to go down as one of the best!

Most recently, Cabral proudly supports small businesses and charitable foundations, including the JCCs Sunrise Day Camp on Staten Island, a summer camp for kids with cancer and their siblings.
If youre thinking of visiting Guatemala, think again.

The U.S. Department of State recently issued a Level 3: Reconsider Travel advisory to U.S. travelers planning a trip to the popular Central American nation because of the prevalent crime.

Some areas of Guatemala have problems with gangs, robbery, carjacking, drug trafficking and violence, according to advisory. Local law enforcement may not always respond well to serious crimes, leading to low arrest and conviction rates. While tourists are not usually targeted, they can still be victims of opportunistic crimes.

Certain regions of Guatemala are under a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory, the most critical level and most severe travel warning. These areas include the San Marcos and Huehuetenango departments, as well as Zone 18 in Guatemala City and the municipality of Villa Nueva.

However, many popular tourist destinations remain accessible to American travelers. These include Tikal, Antigua, Lake Atitlan, and the Pacific coast areas located in Santa Rosa and Escuintla.

According to the advisory, some areas of Guatemala have problems with gangs, robbery, carjacking, drug trafficking and violence. Local law enforcement may not always respond well to serious crimes, leading to low arrest and conviction rates. While tourists are not usually targeted, they can still be victims of opportunistic crimes.

Check the country information page for helpful information about traveling to Guatemala. This includes information on entry and exit rules, safety, local laws, health, and getting around. Also, visit the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala Citys website for local resources, like legal help, medical services, drivers licenses, and information on residence and work permits, as well as rules about bringing weapons into Guatemala.

If you decide to travel to Guatemala, the advisory further states the following:
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese state-owned plane maker COMAC aims for its C919 jet to start flying on commercial routes to Southeast Asia by 2026 as a first step to moving beyond its domestic market, a senior company official told Chinese media.

COMAC, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, also aims for European certification for the C919 as early as this year, Yang Yang, deputy general manager of the company's marketing centre, told Shanghai government-affiliated news site Jiemian in a recent interview.

China Eastern Airlines, the inaugural operator of the C919, incorporated Hong Kong into its C919 route network from Jan. 1, making the financial hub the first destination for the aircraft outside of mainland China. Yang did not say whether COMAC was in talks with any airlines about flights to Southeast Asia or other overseas markets.

The C919 is also currently flown by Air China and China Southern Airlines.

Positioned as a competitor to the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, the C919 currently only flies in China and needs to acquire international airworthiness certificates to enter the global market.

"We hope to increase the operational deployment of C919 aircraft within China, to thoroughly identify any potential issues before expanding to Southeast Asia," Yang said.

COMAC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Shanghai-based COMAC is keen to penetrate the Southeast Asian market before making a move on Western markets, at a time when industry giants Boeing and Airbus are grappling with challenges such as supply chain and labour issues.

In 2024, COMAC delivered a total of 12 C919 aircraft to three state-owned airlines. The company said in 2023 that it expects annual production capacity of C919 to reach 150 in five years.

(Reporting by Sophie Yu and Ryan Woo; Editing by Susan Fenton)
Youll have to excuse residents of Australias south region if the Jaws theme song continually plays in their heads these days.

A surfer is presumed dead after witnesses saw him dragged under by a shark in Granites beach on Thursday, according to multiple reports. Authorities have been searching for 28-year-old Lance Appleby, but have not been able to find his remains following the horrifying incident.

The attack took place at approximately 7 p.m. Thursday and although police and volunteers immediately searched for Appleby, the Port Lincoln resident wasnt found as of Friday afternoon, Australian time.

Some fear Appleby was consumed by the shark.

According to Theguardian.com, the latest death is the fourth in the last 18 months in that popular surfing area. The report went on to say that there were 10 shark-related deaths globally in 2023 and four of those came off the shore of the place affectionally known as down under.

The increase in Australias population is another reason why theres an increase in shark attacks, experts believe.

There was just no sign of this young man, theres just been no sign of him, a female witness who retrieved Applebys surf board told Sky News. From witnesses descriptions, were pretty confident that sadly hes been killed by this shark.
A man who boarded an Amtrak train with two rifles and three handguns was arrested Friday afternoon in Trenton, officials said.

The New Jersey Transit Police were first notified of an unattended bag at Newark Penn Station around 3 p.m. When they inspected it, they found a handgun and loaded rifle inside, according to a New Jersey Transit spokesperson.

Investigators soon found the person who may have left the bag bought an Amtrak ticket and was on a train headed for Virginia, the spokesperson said.

The train was stopped in Trenton and the man, after resisting arrest, was placed into custody, officials said. He was found to have three handguns and two rifles, authorities said.

Train traffic was temporarily stopped in Trenton while a K9 unit searched and cleared the train and service resumed shorty thereafter, investigators said.

The man was not identified Friday night and it was unclear what offenses he was charged with as of 10 p.m.

The incident is under investigation by the New Jersey Transit Police Department.

Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The highly decorated Special Forces soldier who died by suicide in a Cybertruck explosion on New Years Day confided to a former girlfriend who had served as an Army nurse that he faced significant pain and exhaustion that she says were key symptoms of traumatic brain injury.

Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was a five-time recipient of the Bronze Star, including one with a V device for valor under fire. He had an exemplary military record that spanned the globe and a new baby born last year. But he struggled with the mental and physical toll of his service, which required him to kill and caused him to witness the deaths of fellow soldiers.

Livelsberger mostly bore that burden in private but recently sought treatment for depression from the Army, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public.

He also found a confidant in the former nurse, who he began dating in 2018.

Alicia Arritt, 39, and Livelsberger met through a dating app while both were in Colorado Springs. Arritt had served at Landstul Regional Medical Center in Germany, the largest U.S. military medical facility in Europe, where many of the worst combat injuries from Iraq and Afghanistan were initially treated before being flown to the U.S.

There she saw and treated traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, which troops suffered from incoming fire and roadside bombs. Serious but hard to diagnose, such injuries can have lingering effects that might take years to surface.

I saw a lot of bad injuries. But the personality changes can happen later, Arritt said.

This undated photo, provided by the Las Vegas Police Department shows an ID belonging to Matthew Livelsberger, found inside a Tesla Cybertruck involved in an explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. (Las Vegas Police Department via AP)AP

In texts and images he shared with Arritt, Livelsberger raised the curtain a bit on what he was facing.

Just some concussions, he said in a text about a deployment to Helmand Province in Afghanistan. He sent her a photo of a graphic tattoo he got on his arm of two skulls pierced by bullets to mark lives he took in Afghanistan. He talked about exhaustion and pain, not being able to sleep and reliving the violence of his deployment.

My life has been a personal hell for the last year, he told Arritt during the early days of their dating, according to text messages she provided to the AP. Its refreshing to have such a nice person come along.

Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill updates the media at Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Las Vegas Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, regarding the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded at the Trump International Hotel. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP)AP

On Friday Las Vegas law enforcement officers released excerpts of messages Livelsberger left behind showing the manner in which Livelsberger killed himself was intentional, meant both as a wakeup call but also to cleanse the demons he was facing from losing fellow soldiers and taking lives.

Livelsbergers death in front of the Trump Hotel using a truck produced by Elon Musks Tesla company has raised questions as to whether this was an act of political violence.

Officials said Friday that Livelsberger apparently harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, and Arritt said both she and Livelsberger were Tesla fans.

I had a Tesla too that I rescued from a junkyard in 2019, and we used to work on it together, bond over it, Arritt said.

The pair stopped talking regularly after they broke up in 2021, and she had not heard from him in more than two years when he texted out of the blue Dec. 28, and again Dec. 31. The upbeat messages included a video of him driving the Cybertruck and another one of its dancing headlights; the vehicle can sync up its lighting and music.

But she also said Livelsberger felt things very deeply and I could see him using symbolism of both the truck and the hotel.

He wasnt impulsive, Arritt said. I dont see him doing this impulsively, so my suspicion would be that he was probably thinking it out.

Arritt served on active duty from 2003 to 2007 and then was in the Army Reserve from until 2011. With Livelsberger she saw symptoms of TBI as early as 2018.

He would go through periods of withdrawal, and he struggled with depression and memory loss, Arritt said.

I dont know what drove him to do this, but I think the military didnt get him help when he needed it.

But Livelsberger was also sweet and kind, she recalled: He had a really deep well of inner strength and character, and he just had a lot of integrity.

Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Friday that it has turned over all Livelsbergers medical records to local law enforcement, and encouraged troops facing mental health challenges to seek care through one of the militarys support networks.

If you need help, if you feel that you need to seek any type of mental health treatment, or just to talk to someone  to seek the services that are available, either on base or off, Singh said.

When Livelsberger struggled during the time they were dating, Arritt prodded him to get help. But he would not, saying it could cost him his ability to deploy if he was found medically unfit.

There was a lot of stigma in his unit, they were, you know, big, strong, Special Forces guys there, there was no weakness allowed and mental health is weakness is what they saw, she said.

Livelsberger seeking treatment for depression was first reported by CNN.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Just one Community Board on Staten Island will be holding meetings in the coming week.

Here is a breakdown of whats on tap.

Community Board 3

Community Board 3 will hold three meetings at its office, located at 1243 Woodrow Rd., Second Floor, next week.

On Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m., the board will hold a Health & Human Services Committee meeting and public hearing. A representative from the mayors Public Engagement Unit/Special Project department will speak about projects and how they connect New York City residents with services and benefits.

A Land Use Committee meeting and public hearing will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m.

On Thursday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m., a Community SAlliance Committee meeting and public hearing will be held to discuss a New York State Liquor Authority application for method of operation change at Alfonsos Cantina Inc., located at 3295 Amboy Rd.

Community Board 1

A previously scheduled Community Board 1 land use public hearing meeting planned for Tuesday, Jan. 7, via Zoom has been cancelled.

Community Board 2

There are no scheduled meetings for Community Board 2 this week.

Open to the public

All Community Board meetings and meetings of their committees are open to the public. They provide an excellent opportunity for residents to learn about happenings in their neighborhood and surrounding areas. Below is more information about the Islands three Community Boards:

COMMUNITY BOARD 1

Arlington  Castleton Corners  Clifton  Concord  Elm Park  Fort Wadsworth  Graniteville  Grymes Hill  Livingston  Mariners Harbor  New Brighton  Port Richmond  Randall Manor  Rosebank  St. George  Shore Acres  Silver Lake  Stapleton  Sunnyside  Tompkinsville  West Brighton  Westerleigh.

The board chairman is Nicholas Siclari. The district manager is Joan Cusack. The telephone number is 718-981-6900.

COMMUNITY BOARD 2

Arrochar  Bloomfield  Bulls Head  Chelsea  Dongan Hills  Egbertville  Emerson Hill  Grant City  Grasmere  High Rock  Lighthouse Hill  Midland Beach  New Dorp  New Springville  Oakwood  Ocean Breeze  Old Town  Richmond  South Beach  Todt Hill  Travis.The phone number is 718-568-3581. The fax number is 718-568-3595. The chairman is Fred Guinta. The district manager is Debra A. Derrico.

COMMUNITY BOARD 3

Annadale  Arden Heights  Bay Terrace  Charleston  Eltingville  Great Kills  Greenridge  Huguenot  New Dorp  Oakwood  Pleasant Plains  Princes Bay  Richmond Valley  Richmond  Rossville  Tottenville  Woodrow.The office phone number is 718-356-7900. The board chairman is Frank Morano; the district manager is Charlene Wagner.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Multiple express bus riders recently penned a group letter to MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber expressing frustration with the system, particularly on the decreased service and increased ridership since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report by amny.com.

In an interview with amNewYork, Filippa Grisafi, a Staten Island express bus advocate, shared her belief that broken buses and position cuts were among the predominant reasons behind the less-than-desirable bus service.

Grisafi particularly expressed concern that two lines which connect the South Shore to midtown Manhattan, the SIM23 and SIM24, would experience less frequent service as a result of the job cuts, as detailed in the report.

Commuters reliant on the SIM23 line have shared their desires for improved service with the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com in recent months.

The SIM23 schedule is brutal, absolutely brutal. Its not a comfortable way to go into work every day like this, said EJ Carroll, who has commuted from the South Shore using express buses for 17 years.

A lot of people I know have even went to different means [of getting to work], because they gave up with the schedule.

The SIM23 is one of two buses traveling on Hylan Boulevard briefly before turning up one of the South Shores major north-south thoroughfares, merging onto NY440, and eventually entering Midtown through North Jersey and the Lincoln Tunnel.

During the weekday, there are only six scheduled trips on the SIM23 route in each direction. The buses run between 5 and 8 a.m., but anyone attempting to reach their destination before 9 a.m. has only two options  the 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. buses. Because of this concentrated ridership, the SIM23 often fills up early into the run.

Fortunately, there is some good news for those straphangers seeking additional buses. As indicated in the amny.com report, in 2025, the MTA will increase express bus service on Staten Island, including additional trips to the SIM1C, SIM4C, SIM23, and SIM24, according to Joana Flores, a spokesperson for the agency.

NYC Transit is committed to delivering excellent service for Staten Island riders on local and express buses while managing the persistent bus operator availability issues there, Flores said, as shared in the report. In 2024, NYCT exceeded the ambitious goal of hiring 2,000 bus operators. Staten Island continues to show improved service delivery in Q4 of 2024, and the team is ensuring this trend continues.
As parts of New York continue to be hammered with multiple feet of snow, Gov. Kathy Hochul is warning state residents of the prolonged period of frigid air forecast to occupy the region for some time.

While we continue to respond to lake effect snow across the State, an arctic blast is expected to bring dangerously colder temperatures starting this weekend and continuing through next Friday, Gov. Hochul said. I encourage all New Yorkers to monitor their local forecasts and take precautions to protect themselves against the cold: wear layers, limit outdoor work and stay hydrated.

Arctic air breaking free from a disruption in the polar vortex will plunge into the U.S. in waves over the course of the coming week. Thanks to these rounds of air from the polar region, temperatures are expected to remain low through Friday across much of New York.

Wind chills will contribute to feel-like temperatures ranging from the single digits across much of the state, not including New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley, to 20 degrees below zero in spots within the North Country. In New York City, temperatures in the week ahead are forecast to hit highs around 30 degrees and lows in the lows 20s, as forecast by AccuWeather.

Snow accumulation in New York

The coming days will see plenty of snow across the state both in the south and the north.

 Light snow possible Monday (40-60% chance) for NE NJ/NYC/LI - coating to 2". Lower chances N & E. Could impact AM/PM commutes. Track uncertainty remains, so amounts still subject to change. pic.twitter.com/NbioiijfLM  NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) January 3, 2025

New York City is slated to see anywhere from one to three inches of snow Monday from a massive storm sweeping more than half the nation. Meanwhile, by Friday morning, other parts of the state were already blanketed with more than a foot of snow, as reported by the National Weather Service.

As shared by Hochul, lake effect snow will continue to impact Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Central New York, the Mohawk Valley and the North Country through Sunday evening. By then, areas east of Lake Ontario are expected to be coated in two to four feet of snow.

Winds of around 35 mph and gusts of up to 45 mph throughout the state will make for a breezy Saturday and could contribute to whiteout conditions in those areas experiencing snow.

As of Saturday morning a number of counties east of Lakes Ontario and Erie remain under a Lake Effect Snow Warning, which, as stated by the Weather Service, will remain in effect through Sunday evening.
NEW YORK (AP)  South Korean cryptocurrency mogul Do Hyeong Kwon pleaded not guilty Thursday to a freshly unsealed indictment released in time for his first U.S. court appearance.

Kwon entered the plea in Manhattan federal court two days after his extradition from Montenegro.

The indictment alleges that the man dubbed by some as the cryptocurrency king lied to investors from 2018 to 2022 to fool them into pouring money into Terraform Labs, the Singapore crypto firm he cofounded.

Authorities say investors worldwide were harmed by the $40 billion crash of Terraform Labs cryptocurrency.

The May 2022 collapse came despite the companys claim that TerraUSD was a stablecoin that could be relied upon.

Kwon did not speak during his court appearance, except to acknowledge that he understood English. His lawyer, Andrew Chesley, entered not guilty pleas to two separate versions of the indictment charging him with conspiracy, along with commodities, securities and wire fraud. A money laundering charge was added Thursday.

Chesley and another defense lawyer, David Patton, declined comment as they emerged from the courtroom. Their client was returned to a federal jail after the lawyers consented to his detention.

The superseding indictment accused Kwon of deceiving investors by telling them that Terraform had developed novel reliable financial technologies enabling it to turn blockchain technology into a self-contained decentralized financial world with its own money, payment system, stock market and savings bank.

In fact, the indictment said, Kwon's constructed financial world was built on lies and manipulative and deceptive techniques used to mislead investors, users, business partners, and government regulators about Terraform's business.

Behind the scenes, core Terraform products did not work as Kwon advertised, and were manipulated to create the illusion of a functioning and decentralized financial system in order to lure investors, it added.
A man has been charged with rape and sexual assault over an alleged attack on a Virgin Australia crew member celebrating the new year in Fiji.

Fiji police confirmed the man was questioned and charged on Saturday and will face Nadi Magistrates Court on Monday.

Members of a Virgin Australia crew were allegedly assaulted in Nadi, Fiji. Credit: The Fiji Times

The alleged incident is said to have occurred in the early hours of January 1 in a nightclub area of Nadi.

In a separate incident, a male Virgin crew member was allegedly robbed and suffered facial injuries outside Bar One nightclub in Martintar, a district of Nadi, the same night. No charges have been brought in this case.
James Massola makes an important observation on Peter Duttons time as leader of the opposition (Duttons had a great year but 2025 will test his one great weakness, December 29). His period of stability as leader has been assisted by the loss of moderates in the party room. The shift to the right, supported by a line of guys in ties, on the front bench could become a heavy burden on his side, especially south of the Queensland border, in the lead-up to the 2025 election. Coupled with a pro-nuclear stance that promises to burden taxpayers with enormous additional cost during a cost-of-living crisis, Duttons prospect of becoming prime minister in 2025 remains far from certain.

Glenn Johnson, Leura

Anthony Albanese head to head with Peter Dutton Credit: Monique Westermann

Although James Massola labels Peter Dutton as a worthy opposition leader, Dutton has shown nothing but negativity, choosing political point scoring over positive policies that would improve the life of Australians. The same Liberal Party belligerence shown by Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison during the Coalitions decade of doing nothing positive while in power is evident in Dutton. He bulldozes his way promoting their one policy, nuclear power, dismissing expert advice and costings that show how unfit for purpose and unsuitable nuclear is for us. Strong leadership may be one thing but obstinacy and an inability to recognise and acknowledge the science and the facts would result in power chaos as our aged coal-fired gas plants close down years before nuclear plants could be built and a massive generational debt would leave other government funded areas without funds for decades.

Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
Perth detectives are searching for a man in connection to an indecent assault of a woman in Northbridge in the lead-up to Christmas.

About 7.30pm on December 17 the woman was at a bar on James Street when she walked toward the front door.

WA Police want to speak with this man in relation to an indecent assault in Northbridge on December 17. Credit: WA Police

As she moved around a man standing in the doorway she was indecently assaulted.

The offender was described as dark-skinned and slim build.
Outgoing minister Bill Shorten says he trusts the Coalition to run the National Disability Insurance Scheme in parting words designed to defuse a political fight over the $47 billion program ahead of the federal election.

Shorten, who finishes at the end of the month, said the NDIS was no longer the major problem child for the government as he installed former disability royal commissioner Rhonda Galbally to the agencys board in one of his final moves to shore up its future.

Outgoing NDIS Minister Bill Shorten believes the scheme will be safe with the Coalition. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

In the last three years, weve done serious and substantial microeconomic reform. Even critics would acknowledge that, he said.

There is bipartisan agreement about the path of sustainability and making sure that the scheme is acting in the best interest of participants.
Selections based on a good track.

Race 1: 5. Madecci is unplaced in all four starts, but he resumed with a midfield effort at Tuncurry when safely held. Hes drawn well here and if the breaks go his way, he can break through in this. 2. Partly Cloudy is a stablemate of Madecci and is on debut after two trials. He ran fourth in the latest of them at this track and is not out of this. 3. Star Of Lullar was midfield at Taree on debut and can show up here without surprising, while 9. Helpisonitsway disappointed at Orange last time out but can improve sharply in this.

How to play it: Madecci to win.

Race 2: 2. Kuroshinzo has six second placings to his name from 19 starts and looks set to be placed

again here. 5. Apache Jack has been placed in four of 12 starts and must be considered again here

while 9. Mosca Luna was placed at Wellington last time out and can be placed again. 7. Fast N Ezy

ran an improved race when a last start fourth at Dubbo and a placing wouldnt surprise against this line-up.

How to play it: Kuroshinzo to win.
All four once-exiled sons of the king of Thailand have been allowed to return to their home country for the first time in nearly 30 years  a development expected to be closely watched as the rich 72-year-old monarch is yet to officially endorse an heir.

Two of the princes had previously travelled to the country, but images on social media of the arrival on Friday of the eldest and youngest sons from the kings doomed second marriage marks a new twist in a fascinating but secretive succession drama.

Its outcome will shape the fate of a multibillion-dollar property and business empire, a country of 70 million people and a beloved tourist destination that has often been ruptured by political upheaval and violence.

Three of the Thai kings four sons in Bangkok on Friday. Vatchrawee (left) and Juthavachara (right) have not been seen in Thailand since the 1990s, while Vacharaesorn (centre) returned in 2023. Credit: Facebook

When Maha Vajiralongkorn, now King Rama X, was a crown prince, he divorced his second wife and cut his four eldest sons out of his life.
Saint-Martin:--- The ANIS Saint-Martin association, in partnership with EVS Nature is the Key and several local stakeholders, is pleased to announce the launch of the "Connecting Our Seniors" project, aimed at tackling the digital divide and helping seniors in Saint-Martin improve their digital skills and access essential online services.

As society becomes more digital, many older adults face significant challenges when it comes to accessing online services, completing administrative tasks, and staying connected with their community. This project offers a solution by providing seniors with the opportunity to learn basic digital skills that will help them navigate the internet, complete online forms, and communicate through digital platforms.

Digital Workshops to Bridge the Digital Divide

Seniors, especially those who are isolated or have limited digital skills, are often excluded from online services provided by government agencies and other organizations. The "Connecting Our Seniors" project is designed to:

 Help seniors become independent in their online administrative and social procedures,

 Improve their digital skills for safer and more confident online navigation,

 Foster social connections by bringing seniors together to learn collaboratively,

 Enable participants to stay connected with loved ones through digital communication tools such as messaging and video calls,

 Increase awareness of online services for retirement and health-related matters.

Dates and Locations of Workshops:

The workshops will begin on January 24, 2025, and will be held every Friday afternoon from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, excluding school holidays, in two locations on the island:

 Sandy Ground / Marigot (1st session from January to March)

 Orleans (2nd session from March to May)

Participants will follow a structured program consisting of 8 core digital literacy modules, followed by specialized sessions on using online services such as Assurance Retraite and the CGSS of Guadeloupe.

Target Audience: Vulnerable Seniors

The project primarily targets individuals aged 60 and over, with a focus on those facing difficulties in accessing and using digital tools. Priority will be given to seniors who are:

 Financially disadvantaged,

 Socially, geographically, or family isolated,

 Struggling with administrative tasks or online procedures,

 At risk of losing access to essential rights and services due to digital exclusion.

Supported by Key Partners

This initiative is supported by several key partners, including CGSS of Guadeloupe, Orange Digital Center, and the Collectivite of Saint-Martin, who are providing valuable resources to ensure the success of this program.

Registration Now Open

Seniors interested in participating in these free workshops are encouraged to register now. Space is limited to 10 participants per workshop to ensure quality, personalized instruction.

Registrations can be made directly with EVS Nature is the Key, or by contacting ANIS Saint-Martin by phone or email.

Contact for Registration :

 ANIS Saint-Martin: Tel +590 690 665893

 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 EVS Nature is the Key: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. +590 690 133594
BEIJING (Reuters) - Shipments to China of foreign-branded smartphones, including Apple's (AAPL) iPhone, fell by 47.4% in November from a year earlier, according to data released on Friday from a government-affiliated research firm, down for the fourth month.

Calculations based on the data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) showed that foreign brand shipments decreased to 3.04 million units from 5.769 million units a year earlier.

Apple's iPhone 16 series smartphones on sale in Beijing. (Reuters)

The decline follows October's 44.25% year-on-year drop in foreign smartphone shipments, extending a downward trend in the world's largest smartphone market.

Apple, the dominant foreign smartphone maker in China, faces a slowing economy and competition from domestic rivals, such as Huawei.

Chinese consumer prices fell in November to their lowest in five months, as economic uncertainty and deflation concerns weigh on household spending.

As its market share declines, Apple launched a rare four-day promotion in China on Thursday, cutting prices by up to 500 yuan ($68.50) on its flagship models to boost sales.

Huawei has emerged as a strong challenger since its return to the premium segment in August 2023 with locally-made chipsets.

Apple briefly fell out of China's top five smartphone vendors in the second quarter of 2024 before recovering in the third quarter. The U.S. company's smartphone sales in China still slipped 0.3% during the third quarter from a year earlier, while Huawei's sales rose 42%, according to research firm IDC.

Shipments of phones within China, which include domestic brands, fell 5.1% year-on-year in November to 29.61 million handsets.

(Reporting by Liam Mo and Brenda Goh; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Elaine Hardcastle and Barbara Lewis)
Syria FM says heading to UAE, Qatar, Jordan



Damascus, Jan 3 (AFP) Jan 03, 2025



The top diplomat in Syria's new leadership said Friday he will make official visits to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan this week, having just been to Saudi Arabia on his first trip in office.

The new government is eager for investment from wealthy Gulf states to help rebuild the country's infrastructure and boost the economy, shattered by more than a decade of war.

"This week, I will represent my country, Syria, on an official visit to our brothers in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan," its foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani said in a statement on X.

"We look forward to these visits contributing to support stability, security, economic recovery, and building distinguished partnerships," he added.

Earlier this week, Shaibani headed a high-ranking delegation to Riyadh that included the new government's defence minister and intelligence chief.

It was the first foreign visit by Syria's new Islamist rulers since they ousted president Bashar al-Assad last month.

Last month, a Saudi delegation met Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, a source close to the Saudi government told AFP at the time.

Sharaa heads the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, which led the rebel offensive that ousted Assad on December 8.

Last week, in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television, Sharaa said Saudi Arabia "will certainly have a large role in Syria's future", pointing to "a big investment opportunity for all neighbouring countries".
Russia says downed 8 US-supplied ATACMS missiles



Moscow, Jan 4 (AFP) Jan 04, 2025



Russia said on Saturday it had shot down eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles, whose use Moscow has warned could spark a hypersonic ballistic missile attack on central Kyiv.

Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorised Ukraine to use the 300-kilometre- (190-mile-) range arms against Russia last year, in a move the Kremlin denounced as a grave escalation.

"Air defence systems downed eight ATACMS US-made missiles and 72 drones," the Russian defence ministry said.

The ministry also said it had captured the Ukrainian village of Nadiia, one of the few settlements in the eastern Lugansk region still under Kyiv's control.

Moscow advanced by almost 4,000 square kilometres (1,540 square miles) in Ukraine in 2024, according to an AFP analysis, as Kyiv's army struggled with chronic manpower shortages and exhaustion.

Both sides have accused each other of fatal attacks on civilians since the year began.

A Russian strike on a village in Ukraine's northeast Kharkiv region earlier on Saturday killed a 74-year-old man, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said.
Five army volunteers in Burkina killed in attack



Abidjan, Jan 4 (AFP) Jan 04, 2025



Five civilian volunteers with the army in Burkina Faso were killed in an attack this week in the west of the country, security officials said on Saturday.

"A forward security forces position, composed mainly of auxiliaries from the Volunteers for the Defence of the Fatherland (VDP), was targeted by armed terrorist groups," said one official, using the army's term for jihadists.

"Unfortunately five people, all volunteers, were killed," he told AFP of Thursday's incident in the Gnangdin area, near the border with Togo and Ghana.

The volunteers, who work with the army, are recruited locally, given weapons and three months' training.

They may operate with professional soldiers or on their own.

The incident triggered a protest among locals who blocked the main highway linking the region to the Togolese border, a local inhabitant told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The blockade continued for several hours before the authorities broke it up, he said.

"There is a (military) unit in the area but it took them a while to react, which shouldn't have happened. If groups can still carry out attacks despite the presence of this unit, then there's still work to do," he said.

Jihadist violence erupted in neighbouring Mali in 2012 and then spread to Niger and Burkina.

All three west African countries are run by military juntas.

Since the unrest spread to Burkina Faso in 2015, it has killed around 26,000 people and forced some two million people to flee their homes, according to monitoring group ACLED.
Russia says Ukraine fired US-made missiles at Belgorod region



Moscow, Jan 4 (AFP) Jan 04, 2025



Russia on Saturday vowed to retaliate after it accused Ukraine of firing US-supplied ATACMS missiles at the border region of Belgorod the previous day.

Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorised Kyiv to use the long-range weapons against Russia last year, in a move Moscow denounced as a grave escalation of the nearly three-year conflict.

"On January 3, an attempt was made from Ukrainian territory to launch a missile strike against the Belgorod region using US-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles," the Russian defence ministry said.

"These actions by the Kyiv regime, which is supported by Western curators, will be met with retaliation," it added, saying all the missiles were shot down.

Kyiv's use of the missile systems has infuriated the Kremlin, which has threatened to hit central Kyiv with a hypersonic ballistic missile in response to the strikes.

ATACMS missiles have a maximum range of 300 kilometres (190 miles), according to publicly available data.

US President-elect Donald Trump said in an interview published last month he was "very vehemently" opposed to Ukraine using the arms, which he said were "escalating" the conflict.



- Journalist killed -



In Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, a Ukrainian "kamikaze" drone killed a reporter from Russia's Izvestia newspaper as he was travelling on a highway between two Russian-held cities, the paper said.

Alexander Martemyanov, who worked freelance for the paper, was returning from covering shelling in the Russian-held city of Gorlivka with colleagues when their car was hit, Russia's state RIA news agency said.

A journalist from RIA and four other media workers were wounded in the attack, the agency added.

Both Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of fatal attacks on civilians since the year began.

A Russian strike on a village in Ukraine's northeast Kharkiv region earlier on Saturday killed a 74-year-old man, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said.

Moscow also struck a town in Ukraine's northern Sumy region, destroying part of an apartment building and wounding seven including a two-year-old girl, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In the Russian-occupied part of Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia region, a 10-year-old boy was killed and his parents injured when a drone hit their car, the region's Moscow-installed head Yevgeny Balitsky said.

Russia's defence ministry meanwhile said on Saturday it had captured the Ukrainian village of Nadiia, one of the few settlements in the eastern Lugansk region still under Kyiv's control.

Moscow advanced by almost 4,000 square kilometres (1,540 square miles) in Ukraine in 2024, according to an AFP analysis, as Kyiv's army struggled with chronic manpower shortages and exhaustion.
Anna Kim/Getty, Tyler Le/BI

Nvidia's wild rally could run on, even after the company gained $2 trillion in value last year.

Analysts are ramping up forecasts for the chipmaker for the coming year.

Wall Street is eyeing strong chip sales, increased AI spending, and the release of the Blackwell chip.

Nvidia gained a staggering $2 trillion in market value last year amid the market's continued frenzy for artificial intelligence, and yet, the stock may have even more room to climb amid a flurry of catalysts in the coming year, according to Wall Street forecasters.

Shares of the chip giant climbed 178% in 2024, making the company the third-best-performing stock in the S&P 500.

Despite its dizzying valuation, Wall Street is still feeling bullish on the AI chipmaker, with analysts rolling out steadily higher price targets on bets the firm can continue to grow.

The AI craze looks poised to continue this year, according to analysts at Wedbush Securities, creating another bullish backdrop for Nvidia.

"We have discussed the AI Revolution non-stop as in our opinion it represents the biggest tech transformation in over 40 years," analysts wrote in a note on Thursday. "Nvidia and Cloud Stalwarts remain the AI driving force."

Here's what Wall Street is expecting from the chipmaker in 2025.

1. The stock will remain the top AI name

Nvidia will continue to be the main attraction in the AI space, Wedbush said, ranking the firm at the top of its list of AI tech winners in 2025.

Analysts said AI spending was also expected to "ramp significantly" in the coming year, estimating the space could see another $2 trillion in capital expenditures over the next three years.

"The start of this $2 trillion+ of AI spending all began with the Godfather of AI Jensen and Nvidia as they remain the only game in town with their chips the new gold and oil," they said in a recent note.

"While there will be some white knuckle moments in 2025 along the way on the heels of Fed worries, China tariff poker game, and stretched valuation chorus moments...this will create the opportunities to own the tech theme and key names which has been our core investing tech playbook the last 2 years," they added in a separate note.

2. Blackwell will steal the show

Investors will be buzzing about the success of Blackwell in 2025  and if the launch of Nvidia's next-gen GPU goes well, it could overshadow away any concerns investors have about the demand for Nvidia's chips and competitors in the space, Morgan Stanley said.

""We have tended to be most enthusiastic on NVIDIA when the near-term data points appear mixed, but underlying dynamics are very strong. We think we are approaching that point now," the bank's analysts wrote in a note. "There are transitional pressures  but by 2h25 the only topic will be the strength of blackwell, in our view."
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) cryptocurrency has been on a huge winning streak lately. As of this writing, the token's price has surged 268% over the last year. Even amid the backdrop of a strong bull run for cryptocurrency, that's an impressive performance.

XRP's incredible performance over the last year was really driven by a late-stretch valuation surge it saw following Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election. While the cryptocurrency has already seen impressive gains in conjunction with shifting political winds, its rally on the heels of related catalysts could just be getting started.

XRP is on the verge of unprecedented conditions

So far, it looks like the new Trump administration will deliver an unprecedented level of support for the crypto industry. Along those lines, the president-elect has already named David Sacks as his administration's artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency czar. Sacks has broadly called for looser regulations in the crypto space and is seen to be a bullish proponent for the crypto market.

In conjunction with the change in administration, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman Gary Gensler will be stepping down from his role. Trump has named former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins as his choice to succeed Gensler, and the move could be very bullish for XRP. Not only is Atkins viewed as favorable to the crypto industry at large, there seems to be a good chance he will drop the legal case the SEC brought against Ripple for allegedly treating XRP as a security.

With a market cap of roughly $138 billion as of this writing, XRP is now the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and trails behind only Bitcoin and Ethereum. In the crypto space, brand strength is very important -- and valuation success often begets more success.

If the SEC's case against Ripple and its XRP cryptocurrency is finally resolved, the token could still have plenty of upside ahead. With regulatory risk and uncertainty potentially being taken off the table, XRP could surge over the next four years of the new Trump administration.

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BEIJING (Reuters) -U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla said on Friday its China sales rose 8.8% to a record high of more than 657,000 cars in 2024, a strong performance in a competitive market in a year when its annual global deliveries fell for the first time.

Tesla's sales in the world's largest auto market also increased 12.8% in December from a month earlier to a record high of 83,000 units, according to Tesla China.

In 2024, Tesla delivered 36.7% of its cars to customers in China, its second-largest market, based on the sales figures.

However, its global deliveries slid 1.1%, missing CEO Elon Musk's earlier prediction of slight growth, with exports from China falling by 24%. Reduced European subsidies, a U.S. shift toward lower-priced hybrid vehicles and tougher global competition, especially from China's BYD, were a drag on sales.

In December, Tesla's China-made EV sales including exports to Europe and other markets edged down 0.4% from a year earlier to 93,766 units, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) on Friday, pushing Tesla to the first annual decline in deliveries from its Shanghai plant.

Full-year sales of China-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, including domestic China sales and exports, slid 3.3%. Exports from China dropped to about 260,000 last year, their worst performance since 2021, according to Reuters calculations based on Tesla and CPCA figures.

The U.S. EV maker's exports to Europe from its most productive factory were overshadowed by a year-long subsidy investigation against China-made EVs launched by the EU's European Commission, which imposed in October a 7.8% tariff on Tesla cars from China.

The carmaker's record China sales while its worldwide deliveries fell is reflective of the global EV landscape as China is the only major market seeing robust growth versus a slowdown or even slide in other markets, said John Zeng, head of market forecast for China at London-based consultancy GlobalData.

China accounted for 70% of global sales of EVs and hybrids in the first 11 months of 2024, and over 90% of an increase in global EV and hybrid sales over last year came from China, industry data showed.

With full-year global sales of 1.79 million cars, Tesla was still narrowly ahead of BYD, whose EV sales grew 12.1% to 1.76 million globally.

The U.S. EV giant downsized its global workforce last year in the face of tepid demand and stiffer competition from Chinese EV makers, and cut the size of its China sales team.

As an EV price war in China enters a third year, Tesla has extended a 10,000 yuan ($1,369.99) discount on outstanding loans for its best-selling Model Y as well as zero-interest financing of up to five years for some Model 3 and Model Y cars until the end of this month.
At 48, having raised three children now in their 20s, Jeanette Byrd is back in a world of diapers, day care and cartoons.

In the last two years, Byrds 3-year-old granddaughter and 1-year-old grandson were placed in her care by the Department of Children and Family Services, and now shes on the path toward permanent guardianship of the children.

If I cant, then who will? Byrd said of her decision to take care of her grandchildren.

The kids  energetic toddlers who are quick to offer a toy, a hug or one of their tiny Nike sneakers  are two of more than 10,000 young people in DCFS care who live with relatives, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

Byrd had to go through a lengthy process to get certified as a guardian for the kids while also holding down a job as a fire inspector and, more recently, studying for her bachelors degree in health care administration online. She went through a background check process she said was similar to what she already had to do for her job, and took hours of classes on parenting to be able to receive support from the state. The state licensing procedure allowed her to receive benefits including about $1,300 a month in financial assistance.

Legislation that would make it easier for relatives like Byrd to get licensed as foster parents and receive assistance is expected to be considered in early January by the state House, having already passed through the Senate. Gov. JB Pritzker has said he will sign the measure if it gets to his desk.

About 60% of family members caring for children under the auspices of DCFS could gain access to additional financial help through provisions in the bill, according to the Illinois ACLU, which has helped shepherd the bill through the General Assembly. That could bring additional resources to thousands of families statewide.

Support for kin, for relatives who have not received the same kind of support that foster parents do, for example  I think is a very important component of dealing with the amount of time that a child spends in custody of DCFS, Pritzker said when asked about the Kinship in Demand Act earlier this month. We want to make sure they get back into a home environment as fast as humanly possible.

The kin guardianship bill, or KIND Act, last month passed in the Senate without opposition, but if it doesnt pass in its current form in the House during the short lame-duck session scheduled for early January, backers will have to start from scratch after a new General Assembly is sworn in on Jan. 8.

With support from the governor and the head of DCFS, people close to the bill expect it to pass.

Justice delayed is justice denied, so we dont want to delay or deny, but the hope is that it would be called during the upcoming lame-duck session, said Democratic Rep. Marcus Evans of Chicago, who sponsored the bill along with Democratic Sen. Mattie Hunter of Chicago.

Democratic Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, who will be key in determining whether the bill is called up for a House vote, supported an earlier version of the bill, and House Democrats will review the latest amendment, a spokesperson for Welch said.

Proponents of the legislation said keeping kids with family members can reduce trauma, provide a clearer path toward possible reunification with their parents, help make placements more permanent when needed and reduce the number of children that need to be housed by DCFS.

Whos gonna stand for these kids? Whos gonna help these kids? And if you have people that are willing to stand for these kids, what are you gonna do to stand and help them? Byrd asked.

Early this year, the bill had a number of opponents, including adoption service providers and the Cook County public guardian who said parts of the bill were unclear or had other issues. But much of the opposition disappeared after tweaks were made during the spring legislative session. One amendment clarified how a caregiver would be certified if there was more than one relative who wanted to take in the child, for example.

If theres a need to remove kids from the parents to keep them safe, theyre going to do better with relatives than they are in a foster situation  nonrelatives  with strangers, Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert said. It makes sense that we can relax some foster care standards if we know that theyre going to a loving aunt or uncle or grandma.

DCFS over the last several years has moved toward kinship care, said Loni Wilson, statewide director of foster care at Brightpoint, an Illinois child and family services organization. Many private agencies and the state are now aligned in this mission, she said.

The legislation also comes as DCFS has new leadership. Pritzker appointed Heidi Mueller as director of the department earlier this year, and she has been a vocal supporter of kinship care.

Her predecessor, Marc Smith, also a Pritzker appointee, had a tumultuous tenure. Problems detailed in a scathing report from the states auditor general last year included delays in reporting abuse to local prosecutors. DCFS has also faced criticism for keeping children in emergency or psychiatric facilities longer than medically necessary.

While the legislation is not a magic wand that were going to wave and solve the placement crisis overnight, Golbert, the public guardian, said, its a piece of the puzzle.

Overall, the new bill would help caregivers who take in family members receive the same financial benefits as other foster parents, even if they dont undergo the same training and approval process. It would eliminate certain requirements for square footage and number of bedrooms for homes taking in children, and change how criminal backgrounds are evaluated with the intention of ensuring that past convictions for minor crimes dont get in the way of a path to guardianship.

The definition of relative in the bill includes fictive kin, people unrelated to the child by blood or marriage who are nonetheless close to the child or their family. DCFS spokesperson Heather Tarczan in a statement highlighted the bills attention to the role that fictive kin play in families and importance of keeping children in their communities with people who already know and love them.

The bill has received support from organizations including the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness and the Shriver Center on Poverty Law.

LaTanya Jackson Wilson, vice president of advocacy at Shriver, said if children cant be kept with their parents, placing them with extended family is often the best option.

Lynn Morton, an Austin neighborhood resident, took in her nephews when they were about 9 and 10 after their parents separated and cared for them until they had started high school, when their mother came back in the picture, she said. While her nephews werent in DCFS care, Morton has advocated for the KIND Act with Community Organizing and Family Issues, a role informed by her own experience.

Taking in her nephews was even more of a struggle without the benefits of state assistance, she said.

I was out of work at the time, and I was unable to get food stamps, medical services, anything, I could not get, because I was their aunt, and so it was a struggle, Morton said. And everybody does not have the capacity that I had to have other families step in to help take care of us.

The kids, who now live out of state, experienced a lot of emotional turmoil during that time in their lives, she said. They were suspended from school and both eventually went to prison, though they are no longer incarcerated, Morton said.

It should be easier for a family member to pass through whatever checks they need to pass through and be able to take their relatives into their home, she said. She added she hopes Springfield will also pass legislation that makes it easier for families who take in children to receive counseling.

Mamie L. Cosey of East St. Louis first cared for relatives involved with DCFS decades ago. Cosey cared for her grandchildren for a period after they were taken from her daughters custody, she said. Eventually, the kids were reunited with their mother.

Years later, Cosey took in three great-grandchildren who were in DCFS care, she said. Despite having a degree concentration in early childhood, she was required to take classes to get licensed as a foster parent and received financial assistance from DCFS, she said.

Her grandchildren are doing well: One is finishing high school, one has graduated from welding school and another is getting ready to go to junior college, she said. Cosey considers her story a testament to the benefits of keeping children with family.

The main thing is they were kept in my home, and I am grateful. I am excited about what they have achieved, Cosey said of her great-grandchildren.

Coseys daughter has helped out with the kids, and the kids father has kept in touch sporadically, she said.

The 83-year-old said she believes this relative stability will help keep the kids  now young adults who continue to deal with mental health issues  stable after Im gone.

Evans, the bill sponsor, said that for both family and strangers, the question as a state is: If youre a person who wants to help a child get a stable home, are we doing all we can?

Speaking at her home in west suburban Berkeley earlier this month, Byrd said she was looking forward to giving Christmas gifts to her grandchildren and, in the longer term, helping them have a normal life despite a tumultuous early childhood.

The toddlers, fans of Bluey, Spider-Man and Moana, danced to an anime song in the light of their Bluey-themed Christmas tree after the interview with their grandmother.

Im gonna make it, Byrd said of her path forward caring for the children. And I just really want to support my grandkids. I want them to know that somebody  not to say that their parents dont care, and Im not implying that  but somebody loved me enough to say, Hey, I got you.
(Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

Hohenfels, Germany, April 11, 2016: Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade and Italian troops get set to jump out of a C-17 above Hohenfels, Germany, as part of exercise Saber Junction. Fifty-one made it out of the plane, but six had to return to Aviano Air Base after winds were judged to be too strong during the aircrafts third pass over the zone.

Read the full story of the 173rds jump here.
Police patrol around Bernard Mevs Hospital, where armed gangs have spread violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Dec. 17, 2024. (Clarens Siffroy, AFP, Getty Images via TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  The first fighting contingents of soldiers and military policemen from Latin America arrived in Port-au-Prince on Friday to join the armed international security mission in the countrys fight against terrorizing gangs.

The 83 security personnel arrived included an advance team of eight soldiers from El Salvador and the first 75 of 150 military police officers from Guatemala. While the Salvadorans will be be providing casualty and medical evacuations in support of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission, the Guatemalans will be joining operations to take down Haitis gangs. Their presence adds a much requested beefed up military presence to the fight, which until now has been mainly police-led.

The group, which traveled aboard a U.S. Air Force aircraft, was greeted at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport by Haitian authorities including the head of the Presidential Transitional Council, Leslie Voltaire, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and police chief Rameau Normil. Also present was U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins as well as the commander of the force, Godfrey Otunge, and deputy commander Colonel Kevron Henry of the Jamaica Defense Force.

Otunge told the Guatemalans and Salvadorans that they were joining a family that is welcoming.

In preparation for the additional boots on the ground, the Biden administration has flown at least 22 flights into Haiti in the past month with much needed equipment for the Haitian police and the Kenyan mission including armored vehicles.

The groups arrival has been long awaited and comes at a critical moment for Haiti, which is seeing an alarming rise in armed attacks in the metropolitan area.

For days now, armed gangs from the Grand Ravine and Martissant areas of Port-au-Prince have been getting more aggressive and determined to control Petion-Ville and mountainous areas of Laboule, Fermathe and Kenscoff after burning and looting several businesses in the lower parts of the capital near the international airport earlier in the week, and attacking hospitals and journalists in December.

The latest attempt at Petion-Ville, a wealthy suburb that has been relatively free from gang control in the gang-ridden capital, has led to fierce battles with security forces and members of local self-defense groups on one side, and dozens of heavily armed gang members on the other. Gang control of the area would give armed groups greater access to Petion-Ville by allowing them to easily descend from the mountains above the suburb.

Gangs continued inroads and control of territory both in Port-au-Prince and the neighboring Artibonite region have triggered fears and outrage both inside and outside of Haiti where no one has been immune from the widespread violence.

Ahead of the contingents arrival on Friday, the United Nations designated expert on Human Rights in Haiti, William ONeill, urged the international community to do everything it can to help Haitian authorities combat the rampant insecurity and ensure the realization of the right to health, including unhindered access to health facilities, goods and services.

ONeill expressed concerns that recent gangs attacks and threats aimed at health facilities are not random spasms of violence but intentional assaults on the healthcare system, which is already on the verge of collapse with just 37% of health facilities in metropolitan Port-au-Prince fully functional.

Access to health care and the lives of those who provide it are clearly at great risk in Haiti, said ONeill, who was designated by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in April 2023. Criminal gangs have murdered and kidnapped physicians, nurses and health care workers, including humanitarian workers. The gangs have burned, ransacked, and destroyed many hospitals and clinics, forcing many to close or suspend their operations.

The situation, he added, is compounded by the high number of medical staff fleeing the country fearing for their lives.

On Dec. 17, armed gangs in the capital set fire to one of the only critical care and trauma facilities in the country, the Bernard Mevs Hospital, which is also the reference hospital for injured police officers. A week later, gangs attacked another medical facility, the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, better known as the General Hospital. As the authorities prepared to reopen the hospital and journalists waited, gang opened fire, killing several journalists and a policeman, while wounding others.

The Christmas Eve attack, ONeill said, underscores that Haiti remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, many of whom have been killed in recent years or forced to flee the country in the face of death threats.

The state must also investigate and arrest those responsible for the attacks and ensure that they are brought to justice, he said.

Gang violence killed more than 5,400 people in Haiti last year, according to the U.N. It has also led to the displacement of more than 700,000 people, including 41,000 since November who were forced to flee amid fresh attacks in Port-au-Prince. In addition to the violence, thousands of Haitians outside of the capital are also homeless after torrential floods washed out their homes in the southern and northern regions of the country last month.

The Central Americans will now join 416 police officers and military soldiers from Kenya, Jamaica, the Bahamas and Belize. They are expected to be joined by other personnel in the coming days, including the remaining 75 Guatemalans who have been deployed to join the U.N. authorized and heavily U.S. financed security mission.

Central Americas offer of help

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo first announced the deployment of his troops in September at the U.N. General Assembly, three months after volunteering to deploy a contingent from the Guatemalan Army with personal equipment to help Haiti take on violent gangs.

Two months later, El Salvadors Congress also agreed to send troops to help Haiti with medevac operations. The countrys president, Nayib Bekele, first announced on a post on X in March that he could help fix Haiti but needed a U.N. Security Council resolution, the consent of the host country and all expenses of the mission covered. In the end, however, rather than soldiers carrying out gang operations, his troops will be involved in helping to save the lives of those injured by evacuating them to the neighboring Dominican Republic, which has offered to provide medical assistance as part of its contributions to the MSS.

U.S. officials first announced in December that they were working to grow the mission to 1,000 personnel before years end, with additional personnel joining from Guatemala, The Bahamas and Kenya. Though the deployments were delayed until after the Christmas holiday, the goal remains the same: By boosting boots on the ground, the mission will finally be able to have the impact many envisioned.

Since its deployment in June, the police-led international force has struggled to take control of gang strongholds and has not arrested any major gang leaders. Rather than seeing a decrease in violence, Haitians have seen gangs seize control of more territory and carry out three major massacres since October.

In December gang members in Port-au-Prince targeted and killed more than 100 elderly residents in the Wharf Jeremie neighborhood. That same weekend, another massacre was carried out in Petite-Riviere, a small rural town in the Artibonite region where residents were killed by both gang members and a neighborhood vigilante group that was formed to protect itself from gangs.

Meanwhile, the countrys main international airport in Port-au-Prince remains off limit to U.S. commercial and cargo carriers  at least until March  due to an ongoing Federal Aviation Administration ban. The ban was announced after three U.S. commercial jetliners sustained gang gunfire as they flew over Port-au-Princes airspace on Nov. 11. While JetBlue Airways has said its daily service remains suspended until at last April, American Airlines announced the indefinite suspensions of flights between Miami and Toussaint Louverture International Airport.

The stepped-up reinforcement to the Kenya-led security mission comes not only amid the worsening gang violence but also deepening political turmoil in the ongoing transition. Last month, the U.N. Integrated Office in Port-au-Prince issued a plea to Haitis political actors to redouble their efforts to keep their commitments in order to move toward the restoration of social peace and the organization of elections.

Security efforts will only allow concrete and lasting progress if they are effectively accompanied, in parallel and in a spirit of consensus for the common good, by progress toward the organization of credible, participatory and inclusive elections in Haiti, as soon as possible, the U.N. office said. In this period of major uncertainty and emergency, political stability is necessary for an improvement in the situation in the country.

First authorized for a year, the mission was recently extended until October of this year by the U.N. Security Council. Despite its extension, however, it continues to be under-resourced despite the United States providing hundreds of millions of dollars for operations including the construction of its base near the international airport in Port-au-Prince. In addition to suffering from the lack of personnel and equipment such as helicopters, the force has also lacked strategy, some observers say, pointing out that its been based more on the availability of supply rather than demand.

Despite the missions setbacks, it is still viewed by some as a necessity to help Haitis under-equipped and understaffed police force to take on heavily armed gangs, some of whom have gained access in recent days to military-grade automatic rifles.

But with President Joe Biden preparing to exit the White House this month and being replaced by President-elect Donald Trump, the missions fate remains uncertain. Republicans in Congress were among those who opposed efforts by the State Department to provide funds to the mission, forcing the administration to override lawmakers and to use Bidens presidential powers to get the necessary funding to begin deployment.

Biden administration officials, who are currently lobbying at the Security Council to get the mission transformed into a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission, say they plan to provide nearly $628 million in financial and in-kind support before leaving office. The support, which has been arriving on U.S. military flights, includes additional armored vehicles, radios, night-vision goggles and drones.

We are squarely focused on continuing to do everything we can to support and address the insecurity crisis in Haiti, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in November after the Federal Aviation Administration first issued the ban against U.S. flights after the gang attack. We are also pursuing the government of Haitis request to transition the MSS into a UN peacekeeping effort, so the support of the MSS mission is can ultimately be sustained over a long term. And ultimately, our hope is that it paves the way to security conditions that result in holding free and fair elections.

2025 Miami Herald.

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In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russias President Vladimir Putin meets with the media after a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at Igora ski resort in the Leningrad region on Dec. 26, 2024. (Alexei Danichev, Pool Photo, AFP, Getty Images via TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  Russias defense ministry vowed unspecified retaliatory measures after Ukraine launched U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles at the border region of Belgorod on Friday.

The ministry said earlier on Saturday that it had successfully downed eight of the tactical missiles as well as dozens of Ukrainian drones over the past day.

Ukraines actions were supported by Kyivs Western curators, Russia said.

It wasnt the first time Ukraine has used the U.S. long-range weapons to strike targets within Russia since President Joe Biden in November approved limited use of the missiles by Kyivs forces.

Shortly after Ukraine fired the ATACMS in the days following Bidens decision, President Vladimir Putin threated to strike decision-making centers in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with Russias new Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.

In December, Russia said Ukraine struck a military airfield in the Azov Sea area with six ATACMS, and Putin touted the Oreshniks again in his annual press conference on Dec. 19.

Kyivs future use of the missiles is in the balance, though. President-elect Donald Trump told Time magazine in December that he was very vehemently opposed to Ukraine using the missiles to strike Russia, calling Bidens decision to authorize their use foolish.

St. Petersburg airport in Russias northwest was closed for several hours on Saturday as a response to drone activity in the area. Ukrainian media reported drones attacks on the large Ust-Luga seaport near Russias border with Estonia  about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine. Leningrad Region Gov. Alexander Drozdenko said on Telegram that four UAVs had been destroyed over the territory but didnt specifically mention the seaport. The extent of any damage was unclear.

Ukraine said on Saturday that Russian launched 81 Russian drones overnight on its territory.

At least three people were reported injured when a Russian glide bomb strike on a multistory apartment building in the Sumy region of northeastern Ukraine.

Separately, Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in the Donetsk region of Ukraines east, continues to be a focus of Russian ground attacks, according to an update from Ukraines General Staff.

Russian troops have been active to the east, southeast, south and southwest of Pokrovsk, according to the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War. The forces may also be making opportunistic advances west toward the border of the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions, ISW said.

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By Abhirup Roy

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Auto and tech giants showing off their latest innovations at the CES trade show in Las Vegas next week can expect a barrage of questions on a topic that is usually not central to the consumer-focused event: tariffs.

The gathering is one of the largest of manufacturers, analysts and suppliers in the United States and comes days before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged big tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, China and other U.S. trading partners. This has sparked concerns about spiraling costs for businesses as well as consumers.

"This will be a hot topic," said strategy consultant Deborah Weinswig, CEO of Coresight Research, who said the proposed tariffs have come up in almost every conversation she has had with clients ahead of CES. "This is going to be something that definitely senior leadership is going to have to address."

CES 2025, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, runs Jan. 7-10 and is used to debut products ranging from new automotive technology to quirky gadgets, as well showing new ways to use artificial intelligence. Among the highlights this year is a keynote speech from AI chip giant Nvidia's celebrity CEO, Jensen Huang.

While AI will still be the buzzword on the show floor, the issue of tariffs will be top-of-mind in policy sessions, press conferences and on the sidelines.

Companies may be asked about changing suppliers and moving production to the United States to mitigate supply-chain disruptions - moves that take time and are expensive, analysts have said.

Honda, for instance, sends 80% of its Mexican output to the U.S. market. It has warned it would have to think about shifting production if the United States were to impose permanent tariffs on vehicles imported from the country.

Nearly half of new cars sold in the U.S. as well as a significant share of parts on the rest are made elsewhere, according to estimates from Edmunds. European and American carmakers could lose up to 17% of their combined annual core profits if the U.S. imposes import tariffs on Europe, Mexico and Canada, according to an S&P Global report.

PLANNING IN HYPER MODE

In addition to tariffs, Trump has said he plans to begin rescinding policies meant to promote the adoption of EVs.

Many suppliers, already struggling because of weaker than expected EV demand, are operating on "razor-thin" margins and will have to radically adapt their cost structure this year in the face of potential tariffs, said Felix Stellmaszek, global leader of the automotive and mobility sector at Boston Consulting Group.
A French army AMX-10 vehicle traverses the Donetsk region. (Ed Ram for The Washington Post)

DONETSK REGION, Ukraine - Russian forces in Ukraine are advancing at their fastest pace since the early days of the invasion by using the biggest advantage Moscow has in this war: manpower.

Ukrainian military personnel in the field said weapons shortages persist, but its the relentless human assaults that have been most effective for Russian forces exploiting vulnerabilities in Ukraines increasingly thin defenses.

Russian losses are very high, the Ukrainian soldiers said, but the repeated attacks supported by heavy bombardment from artillery and drones just keep coming, pushing the Ukrainians back one small piece of territory at a time. Russian forces have advanced within two miles of the eastern town of Pokrovsk, putting in peril key logistical and resupply routes that run through the area to other parts of the front line.

You kill one Russian and its like two pop up in his place, said Valentyn, an infantryman in Ukraines 35th Marine Brigade. Like others interviewed for this story, The Washington Post agreed to identify him by just his first name or call sign, according to rules set by Ukraines military. You get this feeling there is an unlimited number of them, he added.

At the same time, the ranks of Ukrainian soldiers have grown more and more depleted and unequipped to fend off the Russian onslaught. Those in the field describe exhaustion and slumping morale. And soldiers who said they believed in fighting until the last of the Russian occupiers were pushed off all of Ukraines territory are increasingly supporting President-elect Donald Trumps call to begin negotiations to end the war.

The shift in attitude has come as Ukrainian soldiers said they have grown frustrated with their own government in Kyiv, criticizing what has been a slow and disjointed mobilization campaign. Many also said they had to invest their own money or were dependent on civilian volunteers for equipment such as drones and the vehicles they drive near front-line positions because they couldnt rely on the government for essential equipment.

Ukraines parliament last year adopted new mobilization measures that lowered Ukraines minimum conscription age to 25. But military personnel said the draft drive came too late - when units were already severely shorthanded after months without replacements. There have been more deserters, too, they said, because people are no longer volunteering to fight but are being forced to.

When I just got into the army, the situation was bad, said Oleksandr, a 27-year-old infantry soldier in the 35th brigade. But now, for a new person, the situation is so bad that I dont judge anyone whos deserting.

Though Ukraines former military chief, Valery Zaluzhny, called for mobilizing 500,000 people in 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected that number as too high. Ukrainian and Western officials estimate that Kyiv ultimately drafted about 200,000 recruits. Zelensky has also turned back suggestions from the White House to further lower the conscription age to 18.

Im not telling you numbers, but its horrible, said Taras, a deputy battalion commander fighting near Pokrovsk. People are being called up to fight, but sadly we have losses, and these losses have to be replenished. And its truly not enough.

Some soldiers said theyve also come to terms with the reality that Western arms support has been declining and will likely continue to do so. Without the flow of that aid, Ukraine lacks the military resources to push the Russians back, the soldiers said. Russia maintains an artillery advantage and is now using new self-destructing drones that fly with the use of fiber-optic cables, making them especially deadly; they are largely invulnerable to electronic jamming, as they are controlled through long thin coils, not radio waves.

Moscow is occupying more than 20 percent of Ukraine - a large swath of territory stretching from the northeast to the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea in the south. Several Ukrainian military personnel said they feared the Russians would continue pushing the front line west, toward the major city of Dnipro, which has a population of approximately 1 million people.

The Washington Post interviewed Ukrainian soldiers from six different brigades fighting in eastern Ukraine for this story. Many were skeptical that Russian President Vladimir Putin would agree to a ceasefire while his troops appear to have the initiative and fear Zelensky will have to make painful concessions. Others expressed concern that even if fighting stopped this year, Russia could just attack again in the future.

Lets be honest, the situation now is worse than at the start of the full-scale invasion, said 33-year-old Taras, a captain and company commander in the 35th brigade. What can we negotiate now? We can only nod our heads and agree to their demands, and what they will demand is obviously going to be something that we dont like.

Ukrainian forces can typically fend off the first assault waves, soldiers said. But the Russian strategy is based on overwhelming its enemy with greater numbers to eventually break through once their probes have identified where Ukraine has gaps in its defenses.

A tank commander in the 68th brigade who spoke on the condition he would be identified by his call sign, Physic, called the strategy sheer madness, as the attacking Russians likely understand their chances of survival are slim and push ahead anyway.

Maybe one man from the third group reaches their goal, Physic said. He digs in there, sets up communication and coordinates the others. They gradually accumulate a critical mass of people in one place, near our positions. They endure - mortars hit them, everything imaginable targets them. They suffer heavy losses, but they persist.

Moving in smaller groups on foot, the most-used tactic, also allows the Russians to covertly build up forces one or two people at a time before their next attack. Armored vehicles are rarely used in offensives anymore, soldiers said.

You think everything is all right because you havent seen a lot of the enemy and then suddenly 10 people run out of one basement, said Taras, the deputy commander fighting near Pokrovsk. That happened to us recently. Where did they come from? Ukraines most acute personnel shortages are among infantry - the soldiers needed to stand in the forward-most positions. Last year, Ukraine copied one of Russias best recruitment tactics: releasing convicted felons who agreed to fight in high-risk assault units. But theyve done little to plug the holes, commanders said. One officer in an interview regretted that Kyiv had waited so long to recruit inmates after Moscow did it in the first months of the war.

Volodymyr, a 33-year-old who had been serving a prison sentence for beating a man to death, was one of the first to join the 93rd Mechanized Brigades battalion of convicts. Hes already conducted five assaults on Russian positions. No one forced us to fight - we volunteered - so we might be more motivated than those drafted off the street, he added.

Ukrainian soldiers said casualties have been higher in defensive positions than when theyre on the offensive. Drone surveillance has enabled both armies to monitor any movement across the battlefield, and the greatest danger now is just getting to a position.

Taras said driving any vehicle without an electronic warfare jammer to fend off drones is rarely done because the risks are so high.

The worst is when the boys didnt even manage to get to the position, he said. When youre on the front line and you get wounded there, thats understandable. But there are situations where people were going on a combat mission for the first time in their lives and that happened.

The Russians transition to drones directed by fiber optic cables stretching up to 12 miles means jamming isnt always effective. Oleksandr, from the 35th brigade, said hes spotted cables on tree branches, but he couldnt risk trying to sever them with a knife. If he were spotted, hed almost certainly be killed with another drone, he said.

After a mission, with all these drones, you have very high paranoia, Oleksandr said. Every sound, every movement, you detect that as a drone and you try to hide from it.

In his New Years Eve address to Ukrainians, Zelenskys message focused on what he called a fair peace - a different tone than previous calls for a total Russian defeat and restoring Ukraines 1991 borders established after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He has said Ukraine could end the hot phase of war this year and then seek the return of the occupied areas diplomatically at a later date.

Everything is pointing in the direction of a ceasefire, said Serhii Filimonov, the commander of the Da Vinci Wolves battalion. A lot was influenced by the elections in the U.S. and Trumps rhetoric.

Anastacia Galouchka in Kyiv contributed to this report.
Left: Herbert Stern at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1941, the year he graduated. Right: At 106, Stern is the oldest living West Point graduate. (Family photo; Robert Stern)

At age 106, Herbert Stern has made some life adjustments.

I dont go pheasant hunting anymore, said Stern, the oldest living graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. I had to give it up when I turned 102. Ive lost a lot of my strength.

He now walks with the aid of a cane, but he still drives a car, goes shopping and cooks two meals a day for himself in his apartment at Falcons Landing senior living community in Potomac Falls, Va.

Stern, who turned 106 on Christmas Eve, said he is surprised he has made it this far.

I did everything I shouldnt do, he chuckled. I smoked until 1969. I have been a social drinker since 1942 and still am. My preference is single malt scotch, but I have tried it all.

Stern, a retired U.S. Army colonel, graduated from West Point in 1941. He is the last living member of that class.

Not only that, Im the only West Pointer to make it to 106, he said.

Born and raised in what was then the small rural community of Rockville, Md., Stern was appointed to the academy in 1937. His West Point class played a crucial role in World War II as America fought bloody campaigns on two sides of the globe. Stern is featured in the 2014 book West Point 41: The Class That Went to War and Shaped America.

We were very close because we were the last class to graduate before the war, Stern said. Im the last one left now, but I still hear from children of my military friends. Its very gratifying.

After artillery training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Stern went to Europe as a commander with the 325th Field Artillery Battalion of the 84th Infantry Division, arriving in France in 1944. On Dec. 16, his unit was fighting at the Siegfried Line in Germany when the Battle of the Bulge began, and was then ordered to Belgium to help stop the enemy counterattack.

In the Ardennes Forest, Stern recalled, he set up 105mm Howitzer cannons, then went to scout the terrain. He soon encountered a Belgian woman, he said, who was screaming, Les Boches! Les Boches! - a disparaging slang term for German soldiers.

The Germans were nearby, so I picked up the battalion and moved it behind an infantry unit because we needed protection, he recalled. That night, the Germans took the area we had vacated. It actually could have been our elimination.

He was later presented with both the Silver Star and Legion of Merit for his bravery and for putting himself in harms way, even after being ordered to stay behind the lines of battle.

After World War II, Stern remained in the Army, attending the French War College in Paris and serving as provost marshal in Bavaria during the Allied occupation of Germany. He was joined by his wife, Rose, whom he met while stationed in Oklahoma. They had two children: Bette, who died 15 years ago, and Robert, who still lives near his father.

Because Stern spoke French, he was sent to Vietnam in 1950 as an adviser. France was trying to hold onto its Southeast Asian colony, but lost the First Indochina War, leading to Vietnams independence in 1954. Stern said he could see things were difficult there and hoped the United States would not get involved.

It was a complete mistake to be there, he said. From the very beginning, it was obvious this was going to be a meat grinder.

When the United States sent combat troops to Vietnam in 1965, Stern said, it was only a matter of time before he was ordered there.

I never went back, he said. I just told them I never agreed with what we were doing in Vietnam, so I retired. Stern left the Army in 1968 as a colonel after 27 years of service, returning to Rockville to run his fathers furniture store and to work as a property manager for a realty company. He retired in 1975, and spent his days hunting and fishing. He was happy to finally have time to spend with his family, but was heartbroken years later when his daughter died, followed by his wife in 2015.

Rose and I had a great life together, he said.

Stern moved to Falcons Landing in Virginia several years ago. On Christmas Eve, he marked his 106th birthday with fellow residents.

It was fun, he said, but did not compare to the celebration he had 80 years ago in Belgium.

In 1944, his unit was headquartered in a chateau during the Battle of the Bulge. A countess who lived in the castle learned it was his birthday, he said, so she served mulled wine to the Americans. Then she asked Stern to follow her upstairs.

The countess opened the door and there was a big bathtub full of hot water. She says, This is your birthday present. Happy birthday, he recalled, adding that she then walked out and left him to his bath. I hadnt had a full bath in months. That was the best birthday Ive ever had. Ive never forgotten that.

These days, Stern keeps busy by reading history, swapping stories with neighbors and spending time with his son Robert and grandson Joshua. Since he celebrated his birthday, he set a new goal: To be 107, he said.

Its been a great life, he added. I feel good that I was able to make a contribution to our freedom. I got to travel in parts of the world I never heard of before. Not bad for a little country boy.
Army Spc. 4 Kenneth J. David is awarded the Medal of Honor by President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON  Bill Johnson, a former Ohio congressman and now president of Youngstown State University, made a point Friday to say a few words to Kenneth David and shake the former soldiers hand before he received the Medal of Honor.

I was so glad to hear you got it, he told David at the White House ceremony.

David was one of seven soldiers on Friday who served in the wars in Vietnam and Korea to receive the nations highest military award for valor in combat from President Joe Biden. But David, who served in Vietnam, was the only man present for the ceremony. The other awards were presented posthumously. Four men had died in combat and two died after their military service.

Ken, I want to say to you what I wish I could say to every man were honoring today. Youre a hero, a genuine hero, said Biden, who presented such an honor for the final time in his administration. Flat-out, straight-up American hero, and we owe you.

David, now 74, joined the Army in August 1969 after being drafted. He graduated from Girard High School in Ohio and had been working for a year.

Being I was brought up proper, I went in the Army and fulfilled my commitment to our country. Thats what I believed in, he told reporters ahead of the ceremony.

Then-Pfc. David distinguished himself on May 7, 1970, in the Thua Thien Province. He served as a radio-telephone operator with Company D, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, near Fire Support Base Maureen.

We got overrun, he said. [It] was pitch black at night. Explosions started going off, and we got overrun by sappers. And behind the sappers were [North Vietnamese troops].

Then-Pfc. Kenneth David, left, and Capt. Hugh Nelson Jr., right, are the latest soldiers who served during the Vietnam War to receive the Medal of Honor. (U.S. Army)

The enemys initial assault mortally wounded the companys platoon leader. Davids lieutenant was killed instantly, Biden said. Then David was also hit in the back with shrapnel.

But he couldnt and wouldnt give up, the president added.

Without hesitation, David handed his radio to his platoon sergeant and moved forward to the defensive perimeter, unleashing automatic weapons fire on the enemy troops.

David, from his position, beat back enemy efforts to overrun him. Realizing the impact of the enemy assault on the wounded, who were being moved to the center of the defensive perimeter that the U.S. troops had established, David moved to a position outside of the perimeter while continuing to engage the enemy.

Each time the enemy attempted to concentrate its fire on wounded Americans inside the perimeter, David jumped from his position and yelled to draw enemy fire away from injured troops. Refusing to withdraw in the face of the concentrated enemy fire now directed toward him, he continued to engage the enemy.

Though wounded by an exploding satchel charge and running low on ammunition, he tossed hand grenades toward the attackers to counter their fire. The units medic, realizing David had been injured, moved to his position to provide medical aid. David told the medic that he was OK and continued to fight on.

The adrenaline was so high in me that I had no idea  but I was able to save seven [other troops], he said. So, between the effort of Greg and myself, we did our duty.

David credited his buddy, Spc. Gregory Phillips, for his efforts during the fight. Phillips received the Silver Star for his actions. David initially received the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroics that day.

Another soldier who fought in Vietnam also received the Medal of Honor on Friday  Capt. Hugh Nelson Jr.

His daughter, Debbie McKnight, recounted recently how she didnt want her father to go to Vietnam.

President Joe Biden kisses Debra Nelson McKnight on Jan. 3, 2025, after presenting the Medal of Honor posthumously to her father, Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

As a 5-year-old, I remember him lifting me up in my grandparents house. And I told him not to go because I was never going to see him again, she said.

Six months later, Army officials drove up to the Nelsons house to inform them that Hugh was killed in action. He was 28. It happened the day before her little brother, Hugh Nelson III, turned 1 years old.

McKnight and her family know the sacrifice her father made. The country now knows it too as Nelson posthumously received the highest military honor for heroism in battle.

Nelson was raised in Rocky Mount and Durham, N.C. McKnight said her father was in JROTC in high school before graduating from The Citadel in South Carolina in 1959.

On June 5, 1966, near Moc Hoa, Nelson was the acting aircraft commander of a Huey helicopter with the 114th Aviation Company on a search-and-destroy reconnaissance mission when the aircraft was struck by a barrage of enemy fire that rendered it uncontrollable.

McKnights brother, Tripp as the family refers to him, said his father was flying the helicopter with three other crew members. Tripp Nelson said reports on the fight concluded the aircraft hit the ground at 100 miles per hour.

The crash left the four-man crew unconscious in the helicopter. Nelson was the first to wake up and moved to the other side of the aircraft where he found his dazed and wounded crew chief still trapped inside the Huey. After getting him out of the aircraft, Nelson climbed into the severely damaged helicopter to assist the door gunner, who was still strapped inside and unable to move.

While Nelson tried to free his comrade, North Vietnamese troops attacked the downed helicopter, firing automatic rifles and small arms from about 30 feet away. The heavy enemy fire wounded Nelson but he continued his efforts to free the trapped door gunner. After freeing the soldier from the Huey, Nelson used his body as a shield to cover the door gunner from the intense enemy fire.

A crowd watches as President Joe Biden awards the Medal of Honor to Spc. 4 Kenneth J. David in Washington on Jan. 3, 2025. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)

Ive read everywhere that he took between six and, I believe, 20 rounds, Tripp Nelson said. He passed away during that time. The other three crew members lived and luckily were evacuated fairly quickly.

McKnight said the family was returning home from getting haircuts when they pulled up to the house and saw two men waiting for them. After the men left, McKnight went in the house and saw her mother crying.

She looked at me and she said that my daddy was gone and he was never coming back, McKnight said. He was just brought up as a good Christian and a good soldier, and all he would have thought about was doing the right thing. He told us, and our mother, that the one thing that he had to do was he had to fight for freedom so that everyone had the right to live their lives the way they wanted.

Nelson had initially received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Armys second highest military decoration, for his actions and sacrifice.

The Medal of Honor process can take years before a service member receives the award.

Herm Breuer, an Army veteran and a veterans service officer in Trumbull County, examined Davids records and felt the Medal of Honor was justified. David said Breuer devoted 17 years to work on a recommendation packet for him.

Mr. Herm Breuer never gave up on me and thats why Im here today, and I thank him for that, David said.

Tripp Nelson and McKnight said Ted Curtis was working in the archives of The Citadel and discovered their fathers story. Curtis, also a graduate of The Citadel, got other graduates involved after reading the story. They investigated the history and submitted their review five or six years ago. Then-Rep. Mark Walker, R-N.C., and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., kept McKnight updated on the process. It took three years for the Army Review Board to look at the information.

When Ted was putting the package together, he was able to contact former members of my fathers unit who have actually since passed away, McKnight said. I witnessed reports from them about what had happened. Tripp and I had gotten portions of the story, but we never knew the whole story until after Ted did all of this research. Were just so grateful that he never gave up and would just call or periodically email and just say, Hey, its going to happen.

McKnight said she remembers the day that Biden called. The phone call lasted two minutes and 16 seconds. She was sitting down because her knees were shaking.

After the president recapped Nelsons actions and he would present the family with the Medal of Honor posthumously, Biden commented her father was a very handsome man.

I was like, Yes, my mother thought so too,  McKnight said. And that was when the conversation ended. Im not sure if I should have said that to him, but it always kind of makes me smile and giggle when I think about having said that to the president.

Tripp said despite not knowing his father, he has several of his possessions. He has his uniforms and parachute. He also has his fathers wallet.

In Nelsons wallet, there was a picture of his wife and a vaccination card. There were three or four documents related to code of conduct and what to do if you were captured by the Vietnamese. His father also had a prayer in his wallet.

It was filled with documents he was keeping with him, I guess, to remind him what good conduct was. I dont think he needed to remind himself, Tripp said. You can tell a lot about a person. He felt he was in the right place where he belonged, and that was in the war, fighting for our country.

McKnight accepted the award on her fathers behalf. She and the president held hands as the Medal of Honor citation was read. It appeared McKnight held back tears.

As Biden handed the framed medal to her, McKnight said, Thank you and God bless.

David was the last to receive the award among the group. He stood in a military uniform next to Biden as his citation was read. The snapping of photos being taken could be heard as members of the audience captured the moment. David stayed on the stage for a little while after the president placed the medal on him. The crowd applauded him. Some people stood up during the celebration, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Its the greatest honor of my life. To be entrusted with the greatest fighting force in the history of the world ... and to learn these stories of Americans, Biden said.
This story was originally published on Retail Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Retail Dive newsletter.

Its been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week and what were still thinking about.

From Natives latest collaborations to Qurates possible CEO change, heres our closeout for the week.

What you may have missed

Running store Fleet Feet acquires South Sound Running

Washington-based South Sound Running was acquired by Fleet Feet Puget Sound, which will take over its stores in Olympia and Puyallup, Washington, this month. After nearly 30 years, South Sound Runnings owners  and husband-and-wife team Greg Klein and Joan Marchioro  are retiring, according to their companys website.

We have always believed that we had the best customers in the world, and our success is due to their loyalty, Klein said in a statement.

Rosita Missoni, co-founder of Italian fashion knitwear brand, dies at 93

Rosita Missoni, who with her husband Ottavio Missoni founded their eponymous knitwear brand in 1958, has died, according to the official page of Italys Lombardy region. She was 93, per a November Instagram post from her granddaughter Margherita Maccapani Missoni.

The company, whose signature multicolored chevron patterns have become iconic, maintained its headquarters in the town of Sumirago in Lombardys Varese province, according to a translation of an official statement from Lombardy President Attilio Fontana.

The passing of Rosita Missoni, a world-famous Lombard designer and entrepreneur, saddens us, Fontana said. A great loss for Italy, Lombardy and the province of Varese where she was born and lived.

Investment firm pushes Vera Bradley to sell

Fund 1 Investments on Monday sent an open letter to Vera Bradleys board of directors encouraging the company to explore strategic alternatives, including selling to a larger company or going private through a financial buyer. The firm, which owns about 10% of Vera Bradleys stock, is the retailers largest shareholder. Vera Bradley in October adopted a shareholder rights plan to prevent any one individual or entity from acquiring control of the company by buying up stock.

In the letter, which was addressed to Vera Bradley board chairman Robert Hall, Fund 1 Investments called out the retailer for a history of value destruction and questionable capital allocation, as well as poor performance and a failed turnaround. The investment firm also highlighted that Vera Bradleys top-line revenue is relatively unchanged from when it IPOd 15 years ago. The company made $80.6 million in net revenue in its most recent quarter and expects to finish the fiscal year with $385 million in revenue.
Mr OConnor is reposing at Cooneys Funeral Home, New Ross, today from 4pm until 7pm.

The Wexford father-of-three who was allegedly murdered in his home on New Years Eve has been described as a beautiful human inside and out ahead of his burial on Sunday.

John King OConnor (58), who also was described as true gentleman was found unresponsive at his home in Cluain Fada, New Ross and gardai subsequently launched a murder investigation following a post mortem.

Wayne Roche (34), with a previous address at Dominicks Place, Waterford, and most recently of no fixed abode, appeared before Judge John OLeary on Thursday night, January 2, charged with the murder of Mr OConnor (58) in his home.

Det. Garda Walsh said that following the charge and caution, Mr Roche said I didnt murder anyone.

Mr OConnor is reposing at Cooneys Funeral Home, New Ross, today from 4pm until 7pm.

The removal will take place on Sunday, January 5th, at 11.30am to St. Stephen's Cemetery, New Ross, for burial upon arrival at 12noon.

A notice on RIP.ie states: Mr OConnor is predeceased by his loving mother Nancy.

"Sadly missed by his loving children Chloe, Aaron and Kaylee, father Ned, brother Eddie sisters Triona, Deirdre and Paula, grandchildren Freya-Rose, Paddy and Carson-Jax, brothers-in-law, sister-in-law, aunts, uncles, extended family and a large circle of friends.

Mr OConnors death devastated New Ross and large numbers of tributes were paid to him since his death.

One friend wrote: Rest in peace, king. What a beautiful human you are inside and out. Not a smarter dressed person you would see.

"Always a lovely shirt jeans and shoes and hair done even just going to the shop. You will be missed love you forever xxxx. A true gentleman and family friend xxxx. Sending love and strength to your beautiful family at this tough time.

Another described Mr King as one of the nicest men she had ever met.

One said: I have lovely memories of John. I will miss our chats when we met in the graveyard most days, may his gentle soul rest peacefully.

Wayne Roche has been remanded in custody until Monday where he will appear in court by videolink.

Defence Counsel for Mr Roche, barrister Donna Kelly, appearing on behalf of solicitor Lana ODoherty, asked that Mr Roche receive all required medical and psychological attention while in custody.

She said that Mr Roche was at high risk in regard to his mental health.

Judge OLeary agreed to this request and legal aid was also granted.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

A dual Irish-US citizen has been charged with attempting to join Hezbollah and lying to the FBI.

Former US soldier Jack Danaher Molloy (24) was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Thursday.

He is alleged to have travelled to Lebanon and Syria last year to join the Iran-backed group despite knowing it is a designated terrorist organization. Molloy is also charged with lying to the FBI.

The terror charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the false statement charges have a maximum penalty of eight years in prison.

According to a statement from the US Department of Justice, Molloy offered his services to the militant group during a trip to the Middle East last year after converting to Islam in early 2024.

"Molloy  a dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, who previously served on active-duty status in the U.S. Army  travelled to Lebanon in August 2024 and attempted to join Hezbollah, the statement reads.

"While in Lebanon, Molloy was told by multiple individuals that the time was not right, and that he needed to take other steps before he could join the terrorist organization. Molloy then travelled from Lebanon to Syria in October 2024 in an effort to fight for Hezbollah in Syria.

Molloy then returned to the US in late 2024 and continued making attempts to join Hezbollah, prosecutors said.

US law officials claimed that communications intercepted from Molloy show he was driven by a hatred towards Jewish people.

"During his time in the United States and abroad, Molloy also allegedly expressed his hatred toward, and promoted violence against, Jewish people.

"Molloys alleged animus toward Jews was also evidenced by multiple images and videos on his electronic devices and the usernames he chose for his social media and email accounts, including the username KIKEKILLER313 on the social media platform X.

In one alleged WhatsApp exchange with a family member, Molloy agreed that his master plan was to join Hezbollah and kill Jews.

"And while he was residing in Upper St. Clair, Molloy also allegedly visited a website detailing the possible incarceration location of Robert Bowers, who carried out the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting during which he murdered 11 Jewish worshippers.

Molloy was formerly enlisted as an active-duty soldier in the US Army from mid-March to late April 2019.
Nebojsa Pap was brought to appear before Judge Patricia Cronin at a special late sitting of Mullingar District Court and remanded in custody.

A 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of his mother, Mirjana Pap, whose lifeless body was discovered in Roscommon on Monday.

Mother of three, Mirjana Pap, who was 58 and originally from Croatia but resided at Beechville Athlone, Co. Westmeath, was found on bogland at Curraghaleen outside the town after being reported missing two days earlier.

Her son Nebojsa Pap was arrested on Friday and charged at Athlone Garda station with the murder of Ms Pap on December 28 at her home contrary to common law.

Mr Pap, who also lived at Beechville, Athlone, was brought to appear before Judge Patricia Cronin at a special late sitting of Mullingar District Court and remanded in custody with an order that he get medical and psychiatric attention.

Detective Sergeant Kevin Craig told the court that Mr Pap replied "yes" when cautioned and processed, and he had "no reply" to the charge before being handed a copy of the charge sheet.

The District Court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail in murder cases which require an application before the High Court.

Judge Cronin ordered a remand in custody and directed that the accused would appear via video link at Athlone District Court on Wednesday.

She noted from Detective Sergeant Craig that the DPP had authorised the accused to be charged, but formal directions in the case were required.

Defence solicitor Mark Cooney made two applications.

Firstly, he asked the court to order psychiatric attention for Mr Pap. "I've spoken to my client, and he understands what is involved in the process. I believe it would be helpful," the solicitor said.

The judge acceded to the request and also granted legal aid to the accused, who was on social welfare.

She approved the solicitor's second application to extend legal aid for a pathologist to be engaged.

The judge asked if Mr Pap wished to have medical and psychiatric attention in custody.

At that stage, the accused, dressed in a grey tracksuit, spoke up, saying, "Apologies, yes please, by all means."

He said, "Thank you very much" when the judge told him she had made that part of her order.

A senior investigating officer was appointed to lead the probe, and an incident room was established at Athlone Garda Station. A family liaison officer was also assigned to provide support to her relatives.

Ms Pap's body was removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Galway for a post-mortem examination by the Deputy State Pathologist.

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money to cover funeral expenses and "honour her memory" has already reached 23,000 with more than 500 donations.

Ms Pap, who had lived and worked in Athlone for several years, was a widow and worked at the Athlone accommodation centre. She will be laid to rest at a later date.
Nora OReilly (52) of Manor Street, Waterford city, made a bizarre application to be released from prison by handing in her extensive list of previous convictions

A WATERFORD woman with 133 previous convictions who stole 48,000 during a break-in at a restaurant tried to get her conviction overturned by claiming she couldnt get a fair trial because she was known for all the wrong reasons in the county.

Nora OReilly (52) of Manor Street, Waterford city, made a bizarre application to be released from prison by handing in her extensive list of previous convictions.

She also claimed she was a member of an extended family who had some notoriety in the Waterford area and her trial should have been transferred to the Dublin Circuit Court on the basis that it would be manifestly unjust to try her in Waterford.

OReilly was convicted by a jury in Waterford Circuit Court in 2023 of stealing 48,000 from Bodega restaurant on John Street on October 29, 2021.

She broke into the business and took keys which she used to get into the office where she took the money which was due to be lodged into the bank to pay suppliers and staff.

CCTV footage showed OReilly who was wearing gloves, a surgical facemask and wool hat entering the building and going into the office where she took the 48,000.

While she had the mask pulled up to obscure her face the bungling criminal at one stage pulled it down revealing her face.

She made an application to have the trial transferred from Waterford to Dublin prior to the jury being sworn in but the application was refused by the trial judge and she was sentenced to four-and-a-half years after a jury found her guilty.

She subsequently appealed on four grounds including that it should have been transferred to Dublin and that the judge erred in law and fact by failing to withdraw the case after the close of the prosecution case.

OReilly claimed her own previous criminal activity should have prevented her from going n trial in Waterford.

A Court of Appeal ruling delivered recently said she claimed she couldnt get a fair trial due to her being known for all the wrong reasons in the county of Waterford".

She also claimed that she was a member of an extended family who had some notoriety in the Waterford area and that the trial should have been transferred to the Dublin Circuit on the basis that it would be manifestly unjust to try the appellant in the county of Waterford.

However, the trial judge found that being known for all the wrong reasons was neither a sound nor a sufficiently compelling reason to ground a transfer application.

The appeal court also noted that the basis for her application had not been evidentially supported beyond a handing in of a list of [OReillys] previous convictions.

The jury had been told they should not serve if OReilly was known to them so that State argued that any perceived risk of an unfair trial due to being known and having some notoriety in Waterford was displaced.

The Court of Appeal found against OReilly.

In their ruling they said: We dismiss this ground of appeal in limine, in circumstances where the evidential foundations necessary to support an application for the transfer of the trial on the basis that the appellant could not get a fair trial in Waterford were simply not provided.

"The mere assertion that the appellant was concerned that she was known for all the wrong reasons in the locality, supported only by the handing in of a list of previous convictions cannot be regarded as having provided the necessary evidential foundation.

"We were told that some newspaper clippings were handed in but that they related to offences committed by the appellant in a different county and not the county of Waterford.

The said the bar to be vaulted to justify the transfer of the trial is a high one.

The onus of proof is on the appellant to show that they cannot get a fair trial in the place to which they have been returned for trial. This appellant did not discharge that burden or come remotely close to it.

The court noted that the jury were given an appropriate warning by the trial judge not to serve if they knew any involved in the case.

We are completely satisfied that the trial judges decision not to transfer the trial is unassailable as having been a legitimate exercise of his discretion.

"Further, we do not think that he could legitimately have exercised his discretion any other way in light of the paucity of relevant evidence before him.

She also argued that the case should have been withdrawn claiming the identification of her by gardai from CCTV was tenuous.

However the State argued that two gardai recognised her from the footage and the CCTV was of sufficient quality to allow the jury to make a fair and reliable assessment of it.

The appeal court judges said they had no hesitation in rejecting that ground of appeal and said they have viewed the footage themselves and found it to be of moderate to good quality.

They noted that gardai had confidently asserted their recognition of OReilly from the footage.

OReilly, who was previously described as a seasoned criminal has 133 previous convictions, dozens of which are for burglary offences and dozens more for theft offences.

Her criminal history stretches back to the early 1980s. In another burglary she made off with almost 65,000.
Father of four was stabbed to death in Finglas in November

There are fears that an innocent person may be killed as an organised crime gang has gone on the warpath after the murder of a 63-year-old grandfather.

Two people of interest, including the chief suspect in the case, fled the country after Anthony Josh Fowler was stabbed to death in late November.

With these men not in the country, associates of Fowler have embarked on a campaign of terror against anyone they believe to have any involvement with the suspects, including innocent people, gardai believe.

There have been up to 10 violent incidents since the murder, with a number of homes and vehicles destroyed in arson attacks. There was also an incident in which shots were fired at a house over the Christmas period.

Fowlers crew are on the absolute warpath, but many of these incidents have left gardai scratching their heads, as most of these people have no involvement in crime and none of them had any involvement in the murder, a source said.

If this keeps up, someone will be seriously hurt or worse, and it could well be a completely innocent person.

With the situation escalating, armed members of the gardas Emergency Response Unit (ERU) raided the home of one of the alleged main protagonists of the campaign on Thursday morning.

No arrests were made, as officers searched for weapons and other items of evidence that may have been used in the recent violent incidents. The target of this raid, during which officers forced out a window of the property, was a criminal in his 40s who is currently on bail in relation to violent disorder charges linked to another criminal dispute.

At the same time on Thursday, the ERU also raided the nearby home of a close associate of the other man who was wanted by gardai in relation to a money-laundering investigation and had been spending time between here and Spain.

This suspect was remanded in custody and sources said gardai are hopeful that tensions may ease after this arrest.

He is suspected of being one of the main instigators, but just because he is locked up does not mean things will necessarily calm down, a source said.

Up to a dozen core instigators linked to the gangland campaign have now been identified by gardai, who are concerned that the mob may have backing from other criminal groups in Finglas.

The first violent incident linked to these matters happened just hours after Fowler was murdered. An arson attack took place at a property in Finglas after criminals were believed to have been paid 1,500 to burn a house down.

It has now emerged that gardai have received information that one of the alleged arsonists in this incident received burn injuries and later required hospital treatment.

He and his accomplice have been identified but not yet arrested. There have been no arrests in Fowlers murder, but the chief suspect was identified almost immediately.
A police officer told the court it is believed Michael Yin is an important and controlling figure in the supply of cannabis in Belfast and further afield.

Cannabis seized as part of the wider investigation into the operation

A restaurant manager caught with 75,000 worth of cannabis in his car was ferrying it to pay off a debt to a Chinese crime gang, a court has heard.

Michael Yin appeared before Belfast Magistrates Court on Saturday after he was stopped by police as he drove along the Crumlin Road in the north of the city on Thursday.

The 44-year-old, from Antrim, is charged with possession of class A and B drugs, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis.

All the alleged offences are said to have been committed between November 2023 and January this year.

Challenging the connection to the conspiracy charge Yins barrister told the court the man with whom he is alleged to have worked in the operation is on police bail and has not yet been charged with any offences, though the evidence against both was identical.

A police officer told the court it is believed Yin is an important and controlling figure in the supply of cannabis in Belfast and further afield.

He said the 60-year-old man with whom Yin is alleged to have worked claims he was being controlled by him.

The officer pointed out that every time a search was conducted or an arrest made in relation to other people allegedly involved in the drug supply operation Yins burner phone would cease to be used and he would switch to another.

Objecting to Yin being released on bail he said police had information that pointed to him working to pay off a debt to a figure within a Chinese crime gang and the PIN numbers he provided for phones seized by police did not work.

His barrister said he was employed as a restaurant manager and is a UK citizen who has lived here for 24 years with a partner and young child.

She said Yin did not know the package he was asked to transport contained drugs, and cash sureties had been offered to guarantee he would abide by any bail conditions imposed.

Refusing bail, District Judge Amanda Henderson said she was concerned about the risk of reoffending and the risk to what is still an active investigation.

Yin was remanded in custody to appear again on January 16.
Dr John Bodkin Adams is thought to have killed hundreds of patients

Radio presenter Vinny Hurrell has revealed a pub quiz question put him on the trail of a suspected Northern Ireland serial killer for his new podcast.

Dr John Bodkin Adams is thought to have killed hundreds of patients after moving from Randalstown to Eastbourne in England.

His 1957 trial, at which he was acquitted, made world news, and hes widely regarded as a forerunner of killer GP Harold Shipman.

Radio Ulster presenter Vinny first came across the macabre story when Adams was the answer to a pub quiz question in his home town of Randalstown, Co Antrim last year, and hes since spoken to families directly affected by the GP for Assume Nothing: A Deadly Diagnosis.

Its a story full of bizarre details, including the decision to seal the police files on Adams until 2033, the doctors insistence on keeping trinkets from dead patients and the enormous wealth he accumulated.

By the time of his death in 1983 he was believed to be the richest GP in the UK.

The police investigation before his Old Bailey trial in 1957 looked at a 10-year period from 1946 to 1956, says Vinny.

In that period he had signed 310 death certificates and we think 163 were suspicious. Within them 132 people had left him stuff in their wills, including money and a Rolls Royce.

Assume Nothing

Adams, a Queens University graduate whose parents were strict Plymouth Brethren, operated by isolating patients, who were usually elderly.

He would also convince them to take a cocktail of drugs until they were addicts, and he could administer a fatal dose.

He would send notes from sick patients to their family members saying they didnt want anyone to visit, or notes after their deaths saying they didnt want anyone to come to their funerals, says Vinny.

He would get them on crazy levels of morphine and barbiturates and make these old ladies addicts until the levels eventually killed them. It was a slow death for many of these people.

Adams also liked to gather keepsakes from patients.

He liked to get things. He kept a set of false teeth, gold pens, candlesticks. In one case where the person passed away he gets up and lifts a bottle of brandy.

Keeping trinkets is suggested as something that serial killers do.

The true scale of Adamss suspected crimes will never be known, but he was a GP from 1922. Its thought he was hugely motivated by money and status in wealthy Eastbourne and he was earning thousands of pounds every year in bequests from patients, as well as his doctors salary.

Vinny says the difficulty was tracking down people who knew Adams, and many who remembered him were very young patients when Adams was an elderly doctor.

One heartbreaking case concerned Gertrude Hullett, widely believed to be among Adamss victims, whose cause of death was given as suicide at her inquest.

Her daughter, who had already lost her father, felt abandoned, believing Gertrude had killed herself.

Vinny Hurrell

Vinny spoke to Gertrudes granddaughter Judy about the impact Adams had on her mother.

When Gertrude died she was in her late teens and she was left alone in the world, he says.

She had dementia and died while we were making the series.

He also interviews Dr Harry Brunjes, an expert on Adams.

He compares him with Harold Shipman. He thinks he was the original Shipman, says Vinny.

Following his acquittal for murder, Adams was convicted of forging prescriptions, making false statements on cremation forms and offences under the Dangerous Drugs Act. He was struck off the medical register and resigned from the NHS. In 1961 he was reinstated as a GP.

Vinny also looks at the claims of a cover-up and suggestions that the doctor had forged friendships with people in powerful positions.

The unusual decision to seal his police files for 75 years was overturned in 2003.

As part of the seven-episode podcast Vinny is planning a studio discussion with contributors from the series, including a forensic psychologist, a criminologist and a legal expert.

People love their true crime and I want to hear what they think of the series, talk to the experts and talk about what questions are left, he says.

The recording will take place on Monday, January 27, at Accidental Theatre in Belfast.

To apply for tickets go to www.bbc.co.uk/assumenothing. Assume Nothing: A Deadly Diagnosis starts on BBC Sounds and weekly on Radio Ulster at 1.05pm on Saturday.
For the first time the major parties in the south all referenced a united Ireland in their election manifestos.

Micheal Martin, Taoiseach Simon Harris and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill during a meeting of the North South Ministerial Council. Photo by Gareth Chaney/PA Images via Getty Images

Unionists would do well not to rest on their laurels when it comes to the question of a border poll.

Momentum for a referendum has been growing, with campaigners fixing 2030 as the target year for a vote  thats only five years away and the debate has never been more front and centre on the political stage.

The core strength and stability of Sinn Feins electoral support is what unionists should be worried about.

There may have been sighs of relief when Sinn Fein failed to emerge as top dogs in the south, but few political parties would have recovered as strongly as they did in the wake of scandals which would have mortally wounded many parties.

Look at the DUP. They were sent reeling by the Donaldson affair and paid a hefty price at the ballot box.

Sinn Fein may not yet be in the box seat but they came out of Novembers vote as the second largest party in the south.

For the first time the major parties in the south all referenced a united Ireland in their election manifestos.

Earlier this year the all-party committee in the Oireachtas on the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement recommended preparations for a border poll should begin immediately.

All of a sudden that 2030 target doesnt seem so far away.

Micheal Martin will return as Taoiseach in the New Year in a power-sharing government with Fine Gael  so its pretty much as you were with Simon Harris likely to take up the reigns halfway through the five-year term.

They have the opportunity of writing themselves into history as the serving Taoisigh who settled Irelands constitutional future.

Both will be very well aware that the days of a unionist majority in the North are over.

Belfast is a nationalist city, Sinn Fein is the largest party and continuing demographic trends indicate the unionist population will become more and more of a minority.

None of which makes it a certainty that should a poll be held within the next five years that we would vote for seismic constitutional change.

Scotlands experience shows there may only be one shot at it, at least for another generation.

Colum Eastwood cited his commitment to the SDLPs New Ireland Commission as one of the reasons for his decision to stand down as party leader.

He has always been reluctant to put a time frame on any future vote but his actions suggest an urgency and he has said the commission will target the 20-25 per cent of the population he says remain undecided.

An enforced Brexit has only emboldened campaigners. There is still a simmering anger that it was foisted on a population that said no.

The ducks are getting in line  the vote wont be in 2025, but were a year closer to that 2030 deadline.
Gardai fear Paula Canty (32) was the victim of a violent assault on Thursday night

Gardai believe a woman found dead in a Cork apartment may have been the victim of a violent assault.

Detectives are treating as suspicious the death of the woman, named locally as Paula Canty (32), who was discovered unresponsive and with visible injuries to her upper body at a property in Mallow this morning.

Ms Cantys body was found shortly after 10.30am in a three-storey residential property at The Belfry on Bridewell Lane after the alarm was raised by a neighbour.

The woman was unresponsive when found and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gardai sealed off the apartment, which is part of a large residential building just metres from the centre of the busy Cork town.

The State Pathologists Office was notified by detectives of the incident.

Gardai pictured at the scene (Picture: Provision)

Ms Cantys remains were taken to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for a post-mortem examination, which will take place today.

The nature of the injuries initially indicated that they were unlikely to have been sustained in an accident.

One source said the investigation already has all the resources of a murder investigation.

Gardai believe Ms Canty may have been the victim of a violent assault late on Thursday night. It is understood there was significant blood-staining at the scene.

Ms Canty had been a resident in the town for around 18 months and is originally from the west Cork area. It is understood she suffered from had a dysfunctional and chaotic lifestyle over recent years and was known to gardai.

Sources indicated that the property involved is rented accommodation with multiple tenants.

The scene was sealed off to allow for a forensic examination by garda technical experts.

Gardai have begun taking CCTV security camera footage from businesses and residential properties near where Ms Cantys body was discovered.

The area is located just metres from a busy road junction and close to restaurants, pubs and a local filling station.

It is just metres from Mallow bridge and the River Blackwater.

Detectives hope to clarify all movement both to and from the property involved over the past 24 to 36 hours.

Gardai also checked a number of vehicles in Mallow town centre as part of their inquiries.

One source indicated that gardai have already identified a person who they believe can significantly help their investigation.

Locals expressed shock at the discovery.

It is an absolutely shocking way to start the new year. God love that poor woman, I will be praying for her family. It is heartbreaking, one local said.

Cork North Central TD Ken OFlynn described it as tragic news for Mallow. This is a tight-knit community and everyone is in shock over this, he said.

A garda spokesperson said. A senior investigating officer has been appointed to lead the investigation and an incident room has been established at Mallow garda station. A family liaison officer has also been assigned to provide support to the family.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them and are seeking any available camera footage, including dash-cam recordings, from anyone who was in the vicinity.
By Manya Saini and Niket Nishant

(Reuters) -Citigroup's stock could double in value over the next three years as profits surge, expenses moderate, and the "most significant" reorganization in five decades improves management accountability, Wells Fargo analysts wrote in a note on Friday.

The third-largest U.S. lender is the brokerage's "dominant pick" among large-cap banks under almost any scenario, barring a recession. The analysts raised their price target to $110 from $95, while maintaining an "overweight" rating.

Citi's shares rose as much as 1.6% to $71.09.

The vote of confidence marks a notable win for Citi CEO Jane Fraser, who has been looking to improve the bank's profitability since taking the helm in 2021.

Wells Fargo's Mike Mayo, known for his blunt critique of the banking industry's missteps, praised Fraser's sweeping overhaul in 2024 to cut costs and simplify the bank's sprawling businesses.

"Investors seem to underappreciate... the improved management accountability after transition from 50 years of a global matrix structure to 5 lines of business," the Citi bull said.

Analysts had described 2024 as a transitional year for the bank and said the reshuffle represents an inflection point that will increase efficiency.

Separately, KBW analysts led by David Konrad also raised their price target on Citi to $85 from $82, calling it one of their "top ideas" for 2025.

Increased capital markets activity and Citi's discounted valuation compared to peers could present a compelling opportunity, it said.

Citi trades at a price-to-book ratio, a common benchmark for valuing stocks, of 0.69, according to data from LSEG. This compares with JPMorgan Chase's 2.08 and Bank of America's 1.25.

A ratio below one typically indicates an undervalued stock.

The bank is expected to report results in mid-January, with all eyes on executive commentary on growing key businesses in 2025.

"The significance of Citi inflecting from multi-year value destruction to value creation is in our view one of the greatest drivers for sustainable stock price outperformance," said Mayo.

(Reporting by Manya Saini and Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
John Kiriakou is a former CIA analyst and counter-terrorism case officer.

Taliban prisoners in orange jumpsuits sitingt in holding area under the watchful eyes of military police at Camp X-Ray at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Most of us would probably have never have heard of waterboarding were it not for John Kiriakou.

For the record, it is a form of torture in which water is poured over a cloth covering the face and breathing passages of an immobilised captive, causing the person to experience the sensation of drowning.

The Americans, in particular the CIA, perfected the practice, subjecting terror suspects to prolonged torture for what they would describe as enhanced interrogation techniques.

There were ten of them  different torture methods they employed in places like Guantanamo Bay.

All the while denying to the world that the CIA had a torture programme.

Stripping people of their humanity, they would strip men naked and have them interrogated by women, and by the way children were not exempt, he said.

John Kiriakou is a former CIA analyst and counter-terrorism case officer, former senior investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and former counter-terrorism consultant.

Immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Kiriakou became the CIAs chief of counter-terrorism operations in Pakistan. In that capacity, he led a CIA team in a series of raids resulting in the capture of Abu Zubaydah, who was then considered al-Qaedas third-ranking official.

He had a front-row seat in the theatre of war against al-Qaeda. He was at the top of the CIA tree, and he thought he knew everything about the organisation and the government he worked for  but he didnt.

Following Abu Zubaydahs capture, Kiriakou was introduced to the enhanced interrogation techniques.

I couldnt believe it, we were routinely torturing people, I was astonished because it was so counter-productive, could the greatest minds in counter-intelligence not see that all we were doing is creating a bigger and angrier enemy? he told the Sunday World this week.

In 2007, he appeared on ABC News in an interview with Brian Ross, during which he became the first former CIA officer to confirm that the CIA waterboarded detainees and he labelled waterboarding torture.

Kiriakous interview revealed that this practice was not the result of a few rogue agents, but was official US policy approved personally by the President.

From a glittering career, he found himself cast as a traitor and facing a 45-year prison term after being indicted by President Obama.

I was lost, I had to examine what I did, and I was and still am comfortable with it, but I lost many, many friends, some regarded me as a traitor.

"I dont mind saying there were dark times when I just wanted to end it all.

I remember one night a few days before I went to prison, I was with my wife we were watching TV, well I wasnt, my wife said she was going to bed.

I said I was going to watch some more TV, but what I was going to do was go to the garage, get in the car and switch on the engine and stay there until it was over. She saw that in me and told me to take ownership of my actions and embrace them. Not for her I wouldnt be talking to you today.

Taliban prisoners in orange jumpsuits sitingt in holding area under the watchful eyes of military police at Camp X-Ray at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

A former Director General of the CIA messaged him to say youve chosen a difficult path, I wish I had your courage. His old boss tweeted him to say when in prison dont drop the soap.

Eventually, in order to avoid a trial that could have resulted in separation from his wife and five children for up to 45 years, he opted to plead guilty to one count of violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act in exchange for a 30-month sentence.

Kiriakou is the sole CIA officer to go to prison in connection with the US torture programme, despite the fact that he never tortured anyone. Rather, he blew the whistle on this horrific wrongdoing.

CIA officers who actually engaged in torture after 9/11 have never been prosecuted, nor have the officials who condoned or ordered torture, the attorneys who wrote memos justifying the torture or the CIA official who destroyed evidence of the torture.

When I was in Pakistan we had so much success against al-Qaeda that the prisons were full, we had nowhere else to put them. It was 2002 in Rawalpindi and we had captured so many people.

It was decided to put them on a C12 (cargo plane) and fly them to Cuba (Guantanamo) with a view to shipping them to the States to stand trial.

I was fully supportive, these suspects would stand trial in Massachusetts, New York, (Washington) DC and Virginia where all the incidents happened on 9/11.

It was the intervention of then US Secretary of State Dick Cheney that set alarm bells ringing.

He stepped in and said, they have no rights in Guantanamo, well just leave them there. He had no right to do that.

It was against our constitution plus Americans never got the right to see justice being served. And so many of the people who ended up in there for years were innocent.

Have you ever wondered why, when al-Qaeda posted videos them beheading our people, they made them wear orange jumpsuits? Because thats what we did to them when we sent them to be tortured.

Speaking to the Sunday World from his Washington DC home via Zoom, Kiriakou divides opinion. He has since been honoured repeatedly by human rights groups as a whistleblower and a teller of truth.

He brings his story and his message to Belfast on January 31 for a special event at the Europa Hotel.

Im very proud of my service in Pakistan, Iran, combating Hezbollah, what I didnt know was I was handing people over to be tortured.

A multi-published author and columnist, he has become an advocate for a reformed American prison service.

I was in jail with killers and paedophiles, it was very scary. We have so much to learn from our European partners  in America there is no education in jails, there is no notion of rehabilitation, it is all about punishment.

Is it any wonder we have 50 per cent recidivism?

In many ways the US is like an old-style Third World country. Last week a CIA official is facing arrest for referring in pubic to Israels nuclear programme, we all know they have a nuclear programme, were just not allowed to say it.

Future wars will be fought with drones, we see it already, yet the CIA continue to deny the US has a drone programme. When Im asked questions in public I often say I cant confirm or deny, even though we know the truth. I dont want to go back to jail.

America has a long way to go.

An Evening With The Ex-CIA is at Belfasts Europa Hotel on January 31, and Dublins Crowne Plaza on February 1. Tickets are available via https://tigerslanestudios.com/an-evening-with-the-ex-cia/
Construction is ramping up on the SH29 Tauriko Enabling Works, with sheet piling underway to prepare for a safer, signalised intersection at Cambridge Road.

The project, led by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi in partnership with Tauranga City Council, includes upgrading the SH29/Cambridge Road intersection with traffic lights, a retaining wall, and a new connection to Whiore Avenue.

This upgrade aims to improve safety and efficiency for all road users, including buses, cyclists, and pedestrians accessing Tauriko Business Estate.

Bruce Waugh, Acting Regional Manager for NZTA Waikato/Bay of Plenty, explained the retaining wall's importance.

To upgrade the intersection with traffic lights, we first need to ensure Cambridge Road is wide and safe enough to handle future traffic demand, he said.

Temporary sheet piling is currently being installed on Cambridge Road to stabilise the area before retaining wall construction begins. From early January to February 2025, a narrow section of Cambridge Road will be closed to facilitate this work.

Traffic management measures include lane shifts, a northbound lane closure, detours, and reduced speed limits.

Bethlehem-bound traffic will be diverted via SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road or SH29A and Cameron Road, adding approximately 15 to 22 minutes to travel times. Residents will maintain access via detours. Work will occur Monday to Saturday, 7am to 6pm.

Additionally, stop/go traffic management will be in place tomorrow, December 11, to relocate a power pole between 561 and 587 Cambridge Road.

Temporary speed limits of 30km/h and moderate delays are expected between 9am and 4pm. Power outages are also planned, with affected property owners notified by their providers.

The retaining wall construction, beginning in late January 2025, will be complex due to the steep gully and underground services. The project includes building a 210m-long concrete wall, road widening, and a shared path.

Once completed, the intersection will undergo staged signalisation and drainage works, with temporary road layout changes to manage traffic until the projects completion in 2027.

NZTA urges road users to drive carefully, allow extra travel time, and follow signage and instructions from road wo
Warning: This story discusses family violence. A list of helplines is available at the bottom of the page.

Oranga Tamariki says it was not involved with the whanau of a baby who died this week at the time of the violent killing.

But it has not said whether it had been in the past.

The baby was killed and another child and a woman were seriously injured in an attack in the Hamilton suburb of Fairfield early on Wednesday morning.

A 34-year-old man has been charged with murder and attempted murder.

Oranga Tamariki was limited in what it could say while the police investigation was continuing, tamariki and whanau services national commissioner Alison Cronin said.

"We can confirm that while we are working closely with police to ensure the ongoing safety and wellbeing of the whanau, Oranga Tamariki was not involved with this whanau when the incident occurred."

RNZ has asked Oranga Tamariki to clarify whether it had been involved in the past.

A man has been charged with murder and attempted murder over the incident. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen

Meanwhile, the chief executive of child abuse prevention organisation Child Matters, Jane Searle, said the government and community must get better at identifying children at risk of harm.

"We know that every time a child is harmed at the hands of another person, it is preventable ... that's probably what makes it the most tragic," she said.

"Even if a child hasn't been known to Oranga Tamariki, we should always be looking to see what opportunities we missed to be able to intervene early."

Once the harm had happened, or agencies such as Oranga Tamariki or the police were involved, the damage had already been done, Searle said.

Oranga Tamariki's struggle to keep children safe from harm had been documented in multiple reports over many years, she said.

"We need to get back to the basics. It's about ensuring that social workers who are working front-line have the resources and the training to do their job, and that the systems they work within work.

"If you cannot do that, we will continue to see children harmed."

Community organisations also needed to be better equipped to identify risks and offer support, she said.

"Prevention should always be the goal, but it takes resourcing and a robust structure of information-sharing."

Where to get help:

Women's Refuge: 0800 733 843

It's Not OK 0800 456 450

Shine: 0508 744 633

Victim Support: 0800 842 846

HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655 - push 0 at the menu

The National Network of Family Violence Services NZ has information on specialist family violence agencies.

Sign up for Nga Pitopito Korero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Last year, however, the white-sand shoreline had stiff competition, with South Island hotspot Kaiteriteri giving Ohope a run for its money. But of course, there are plenty of other fish in the sea - and the decision lies in your hands.

If we had named an overall winner for 2024, it would have been the Whakatane juggernaut  but thats not in the rules of our game, so we didnt.

For three years running, Bay of Plentys Ohope has proven to be a staunch fan favourite; taking home a gold and silver in 2024 - and a considerable number of votes all around.

As the saying goes, New Year, New ... Best Beach? Its time again for the Herald readers to crown New Zealands Best Beach, an annual search for our favourite piece of Kiwi coastline in five categories. Heres everything you need to know about the competition and how to vote.

Picture-perfect Kaiteriteri in the Nelson-Tasman region took home a gold, a silver and a bronze in the 2024 Best Beach search. Photo / Getty Images

Today, the Herald launches the search for New Zealands Best Beach 2025 - and we want you to nominate your favourite foreshores from across the motu.

The Best Beach series runs through January and nominations are now open: youll find the form at the bottom of the page, or head to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach to enter.

Once again there will be a winner, runner-up and third place in five different categories: Best Hidden Gem, Best Surf Beach, Best Family Beach, Best Camping Beach, and Best City Beach.

Best Hidden Gem is the beach that remains relatively untouched by society, a clandestine piece of unspoilt coastline. We know its hard not to gatekeep these quiet, pristine parts of the country, but lets share the hidden treasures Aotearoa has to offer.

Then, tell us your top pick for Best Surf Beach: the beach where surfers can hang ten and ride the waves like aquatic superheroes, but can be appreciated by non-surfers, too. Think wild waves tempered by a picturesque coastline for other beach-goers to enjoy.

When it comes to Best Family Beach, think about your favourite place to take the kids for a day of sunbathing, swimming and safe family fun. Nominate the spots that have it all: safety measures (flags and lifeguards), stretches of grass for picnicking, shade to keep cool, and facilities such as toilets, showers, playgrounds, and ice-cream trucks.

Best Camping Beach is pretty self-explanatory: its the place campers can take in a stunning view and truly be one with nature. It could have a campsite, recreational reserve or holiday park with facilities such as barbecues, cabins, fun activities or on-site dining options. Wherever youd pitch a tent, is probably a good nomination.

Last but not least, Best City Beach: and no, it doesnt have to be in Auckland.

Whether its in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin or a smaller city, tell us your favourite beach in Aotearoas urban centres. It could be your local, or the little slice of heaven you head to for respite when times get tough. If its in the city, we want to know about it.

Kaiteriteri Beach proved popular in 2024's search for NZ's Best Beach. Photo / Roady

As aforementioned, its super simple to cast your votes. Simply scroll to the bottom of this page and fill in the form, or head to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach. You can nominate one contender for each category - all we need to know is the name and location.

Nominations are open until Sunday, January 12. From there, the 10 most popular nominees in each category will be revealed as finalists on January 19. You can then vote for the ultimate winners, which will be announced on February 2.

Any beach, anywhere could make the finals: its ultimately up to you.

To submit your nominations for NZs Best Beach, go to nzherald.co.nz/bestbeach.

Nominations are open until January 12, and the finalists in all five categories will be revealed on January 19. Youll then be able to vote for the ultimate winners.

-NZ Herald
Te Waarakihi Hooper Felise needs a bone marrow transplant but there are not enough Maori or Pacific Island donors.

Te Waarakihis condition, aplastic anaemia, means his bone marrow has stopped working. He needs a bone marrow transplant to get better but, given his Maori and Pacific heritage, there are not many donor matches on the worldwide registry.

For now, the Otonga Primary School pupil is doing his best to get on with life while battling his rare blood disease that saw 2024 being the worst year of his life.

Most boys Te Waarakihi Felise Hooper s age want toys, games and lollies for their birthdays - but the Rotorua boy is likely to be happy with just one thing when he turns 10 on Monday  a bone marrow match.

The Rotorua Daily Post featured his story in April last year as his family started a campaign to get more people to donate.

In February, Te Waarakihi went from being a fit, cheeky, and happy little boy to becoming out of breath.

He suffered nose bleeds and uncontrolled bleeding before his condition quickly worsened and he became physically sick with dots appearing on his body.

He was rushed to Rotorua Hospitals emergency department before being flown to Starship Childrens Hospital.

His condition means he has stopped producing red blood cells (cells that carry oxygen around the body), white blood cells (infection-fighting cells) and platelet blood cells (clogging cells).

Te Waarakihi Hooper Felise when he was in hospital.

The only way he will get better is with a transplant. But his familys hopes that he could make a quick recovery were dashed when there were no fully matched bone marrow donors found on the global Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

His chances of a match are further reduced because he is of Maori and Pacific Island descent and the donor pool is smaller.

Te Waarakihi will celebrate his 10th birthday on January 6 - but his battle is still on a knife edge.

His mother, Sharene Hooper, said her son started an alternative treatment, immunosuppressive therapy (IST), but it was too early to determine if it was successful.

We are doing the IST treatment and so far it is working but his kidneys dont like this medication.

It will be tricky balancing his medication to ensure his energy levels dont drop too much. Part of his treatment means he needs to drink four litres of water a day, something Hooper said was difficult at the start.

We are in a new routine now and he drinks a litre before school and we manage to get the rest into him during the day.

Improving for now

He slowly started to return to school a few months ago. He started with one day a week and had slowly built up to five by the years end.

Hooper said Te Waarakihi had to wear a mask in class because the treatment seriously affected his immune system.

He also still needs one or two blood tests a week and goes to Starship at least once a month for treatment.

He fades pretty quickly but he does his best.

Nursing her son through this ordeal has inspired Hooper to make a career change.

She had to give up working in the beauty therapy industry to look after Te Waarakihi last year but now she has a renewed interest in nursing and wants to help others in the same situation. She will start her three-year degree at Toi Ohomai this year.

Hooper said it was nice to see her son having a routine at school again but she was always aware his body could reject his treatment at any point.

She urged anyone particularly of Maori and Pacific Island descent to look into donating their bone marrow. If they couldnt do that, donating blood regularly always helped, she said.

If not for Te Waarakihi then for others. There are still heaps of kids and adults that need help. When we were up in Auckland at Starship for all those weeks we saw all the really sick children and its really sad.

The fight to find a donor

New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry search co-ordinator Paulette Tasker said Te Waarakihis family was fantastic at leading a campaign to get more people to be donors.

She said the registry had 272 people join in the past six months. It was possible some joined after hearing through the media about Te Waarakihi.

She said Te Waarakihis family, particularly his Rotorua grandmother, Mahara Alcock, led the charge in sending out hundreds of swab kits and held an event in June with the Rotorua Pacific community that encouraged locals to join the registry.

How you can help

Donors need to be aged between 18 and 35, meet the eligibility criteria to give a blood donation in New Zealand and be willing to donate bone marrow to any patient anywhere in the world.

Bone marrow donation does not involve donating bone. It involves the collection of blood stem cells which grow inside the bone and these can be collected in different ways.

Getting on the bone marrow registry was the first step and involved taking a simple swab.

More information can be found on the New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry website.

-Rotorua Daily Post
The creator of a beloved childrens TV series is dead at age 81.

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends co-creator Britt Allcroft died, filmmaker Brannon Carty announced Friday. A cause of death was not named.

Britt was an adoring mother and wife, Carty wrote. A visionary producer. She brought so much joy and happiness to people everywhere during her time on Earth.

Allcroft and her husband, fellow British producer Angue Wright, started the production company The Britt Allcroft Company in the 1970s after she secured the rights to Reverand Wilbert Awdrys Railway Series. The books were the basis for the Thomas the Tank Engine television show, which premiered in 1984 and featured narration by The Beatles Ringo Starr. The series about a talking train and his friends was later renamed Thomas & Friends and ran for 27 seasons, including in the U.S., and spawned multiple spinoffs, films, and toys.

E! News reports Wright, who shared two children with Allcroft, died in 2012. They were married for 20 years before getting divorced in 1997.

Carty, who directed the 2023 documentary An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine, said Allcrofts family asked fans to make charitable donations to their local chapter of the ASPCA in her name.

While I am devastated by her passing, we can all find comfort in the certainty that her legacy will endure forever through Thomas and his fans around the world, Carty added.

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 27: The Thomas the Tank Engine balloon floast in the 88th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 27, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic)FilmMagic

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Baldwinsville, N.Y.  A 6-year-old Baldwinsville boy died in an apartment fire in New Jersey Thursday that injured 12 first responders and three others, police said.

The boy was Jayden Gotell-Watkins, of Baldwinsville. He was in New Jersey visiting relatives, police said.

Jayden was a first-grade student at Reynolds Elementary School in the Baldwinsville Central School District, according to a statement from Superintendent Joseph M. DeBarbieri.

I extend my most sincere and heartfelt sympathy to Jaydens family and loved ones, he said. We ask our community to keep his family in your thoughts during this extremely difficult time.

A crisis response team will offer counseling to students on Monday, DeBarbieri said

Around 3 p.m., police received a 911 call that there was a fire at Cambridge Hall - a large apartment building - in Ewing Township in New Jersey, the Ewing Police Department police said in a Facebook post. Ewing is a township of 35,708 people near Trenton, N.J.

Arriving police officers started to evacuate the apartment complex and learned that a boy was trapped on the fourth floor, police said. The unresponsive boy was rescued by firefighters and taken to a local hospital, where he died, police said.

Eleven police officers, one firefighter and three residents were injured and taken to local hospitals, police said. The injured ranged from smoke inhalation to minor burns and exhaustion,

All police officers were released from the hospital. Police did not say if the firefighter or residents were released.

The cause of the fire was accidental, police said.

This is the second student death that the Baldwinsville Central School District announced this week.

Kindraya Mothersell, a junior at C.W. Baker High School, passed away unexpectedly due to recent health issues on Tuesday, according to a statement from the district.

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.
Liverpool, N.Y.  Seven Liverpool High School students have been charged after breaching a school online portal and changing disciplinary records, according to the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office.

The students changed disciplinary records for themselves and other students, said Tom Newton, a spokesperson for the sheriffs office.

The online portal, SchoolTool, contains grades, attendance, demographics and disciplinary records. Students and parents have access to the system, but not the ability to change content within the portal.

Five students were charged with felonies, including computer tampering and computer trespass, Newton said. Two students were charged with a misdemeanor for unauthorized use of a computer, he said.

The sheriffs office was made aware of the breach in the second week of November.

After a six-week investigation, the sheriffs office found that a staff member at the high school gave their username and password to one of the students, Newton said.

To protect the identity of the juvenile, Newton said they are not releasing the name of the employee or what the staff member does at the school. The employee is not being charged, he said.

The seven minors were issued appearance tickets and released to their parents.

The sheriffs office did not release the names of the students.
Oneida, N.Y.  A Central New York Man who was accused earlier this year of the 1978 murder and rape of a German woman after his DNA was linked to the scene is being released from custody after eleven months.

James Patrick Dempsey, 67, is getting out of jail after a judge Friday sided with defense attorneys that the evidence presented by prosecutors lacked probable cause to hold him, Federal Public Defender Lisa Peebles told Syraucuse.com | The Post Standard.

Dempsey was arrested after his DNA was matched to a sample of semen found on the bedsheets at the scene of Barbel Gansaus murder, prosecutors said in an extradition complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. A fingerprint matching Dempsey was found on the window that investigators believed the perpetrator used to enter the apartment.

Dempsey had been stationed in Ludwigsburg from 1977 to 1978 with the U.S. Army. While living in Germany he developed an alcohol problem and was released from alcohol rehab just days before Gansaus murder, prosecutors said. He was 20 years old at the time of the murder.

On June 11, 1978, Gansau, 35, was found naked and dead in her apartment in Ludwigsburg, Germany. She had been stabbed 37 times. Her apartment had been ransacked as well. Her purse was emptied, and various clothing and objects had been taken.

The case remained unsolved. It was reopened in 2020 due to advances in technology. An FBI agent took the print from the window frame and put it into the American database, where a match for Dempsey was found.

A DNA sample was collected by grabbing an item from Dempseys trash can, prosecutors said.

Dempsey is being released, in part, because blood and saliva found on the womans underwear did not match his DNA, Peebles said. There was also DNA found under her fingernails, indicating a struggle with her attacker, that did not match Dempsey. Other unmatched fingerprint traces were also found, according to documents filed in federal court.

In a letter to the judge requesting Dempseys release, Peebles wrote that information found in the 1978 German investigative files undermine any suggestion that [Dempsey] was responsible for the murder.

Dempsey took a polygraph examination in August and showed no signs of deception when he denied any involvement in Gansaus murder, Peebles wrote.

Peebles wrote Dempseys fingerprint and semen sample only proves that he was inside Gansaus apartment at an unknown time.

Neighbors of Gansaus told police at the time that she often had men over to her apartment, many of whom were American soldiers like Dempsey.

DNA from other men was found under her fingernails, on her underwear and a bloody pillow case, Peebles wrote.

Dempsey was not in the original crop of suspects identified by German police, Peebles wrote.

No witnesses placed him near Gansau the night of her murder, she wrote. He also lived on a secure army base and would likely have been seen covered in the victims blood returning that night, Peebles wrote.

Dempsey was not a suspect until a fingerprint collected after a 1979 DWI arrest in the United States was matched to a fingerprint on Gansaus window, Peebles wrote. Gansau was known to keep that window open so her cats could come and go.

German investigators made note in their files that many of Gansaus suitors knew to go through the open bathroom window, Peebles wrote.

The 1978 investigative files from Germany undermine any claim that [Dempsey] had anything to do with Gansaus murder, Peebles wrote. At best, the evidence suggests Dempsey was one of many soldiers who had sexual relations with the victim.

Dempseys release does not mark the end of the case against him. The judge offered prosecutors another opportunity to go back to German investigators to present a stronger case against Dempsey to warrant his extradition to Germany, Peebles said.

Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Rebekah Holmes was the first person to hold her son when he came into the world and was the last person to hold him as he died in her home on Christmas Eve 2022.

Her 19-year-old son, Mikere Rondinello, was fatally shot five times in front of his mother, younger brother and 5-year-old sister after Quess Williams came into Holmes house at 634 Richmond Ave. around 9 p.m., Holmes said in court Friday at Williams sentencing.

We had to watch him die, Holmes said.

Williams previously pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in exchange for 20 years in prison for fatally shooting Rondinello. He was originally charged with second-degree murder and, if convicted, faced 25 years to life in prison.

He also admitted to attempting to kill a woman in exchange for 15 years in prison. The two sentences will be served simultaneously.

Holmes said that Rondinellos family feels like they were not only robbed of his life by Williams but are now robbed of justice from the court system.

We dont get justice. We dont get anything, Holmes said. But he gets to get out and live his life.

Rondinello was a student at OnTECH Charter School in Syracuse. He would have turned 22 at the end of January.

Prosecutor Rob Moran said in court he understands the familys pain and frustration but there were issues in the case regarding the evidence and what could be proved. He said he felt the plea agreement was fair. One of Williams attorneys Patrick Hennessy said there were lengthy discussions between he parties to reach a fair agreement.

I knew that this was something that was going to cause them some level of further pain, and that is unfortunate, Moran said, but it still remains based on the facts and circumstances and what we could prove in this case, the right thing to do.

Judge Gordon Cuffy said Holmes had every right to air her frustrations with the cases outcome. He said no mother should have to witness her childs death, especially in her own home. He also acknowledged Holmes assertion that one of her other children could have been injured or killed due to Williams reckless actions.

Cuffy also addressed the attempted murder case. The victim did not appear in court to speak but Cuffy said the woman previously detailed the psychological damage this shooting caused her.

Your crimes, Mr. Williams, are just unspeakable, Cuffy said.

Williams stood silently throughout the proceeding and chose not to address the court before he was sentenced.

***

Mikere "Michael" Rondinello was fatally shot on Christmas Eve 2022 in Syracuse.Provided photographs

Mikere Rondinellos obituary

***

Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.
New York  In an extraordinary turn, a judge Friday set President-elect Donald Trumps sentencing in his hush money case for Jan. 10  little over a week before hes due to return to the White House  but indicated he wouldnt be jailed.

The development nevertheless leaves Trump on course to be the first president to take office convicted of felony crimes.

Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trumps trial, signaled in a written decision that hed sentence the former and future president to whats known as a conditional discharge, in which a case is closed without jail time, a fine or probation.

Merchan rejected Trumps push to dismiss the verdict and throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds and because of his impending return to the White House. The judge said he found no legal impediment to sentencing Trump and that it was incumbent on him to sentence Trump prior to his swearing in on Jan. 20.

Only by bringing finality to this matter will the interests of justice be served, Merchan wrote.

Trump was convicted in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records. They involved an alleged scheme to hide a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in the last weeks of Trumps first campaign in 2016. The payout was made to keep her from publicizing claims shed had sex with the married Trump years earlier. He says that her story is false and that he did nothing wrong.

After Trumps Nov. 5 election, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case.

Trumps lawyers urged Merchan to toss it. They said it would otherwise pose unconstitutional disruptions to the incoming presidents ability to run the country.

Prosecutors acknowledged there should be some accommodation for his upcoming presidency, but they insisted the conviction should stand.

They suggested various options, such as freezing the case during his term or guaranteeing him a no-jail sentence. They also proposed closing the case while formally noting both his conviction and his undecided appeal  a novel idea drawn from what some state courts do when criminal defendants die while appealing their cases.

Merchan ruled that Trumps current status as president-elect does not afford him the same kind of immunity granted to a sitting president and does not require that the verdict be set aside and the case dismissed -- a notion the judge described as drastic and rare.

Doing that would undermine the Rule of Law in immeasurable ways, Merchan wrote. He opined that it wouldnt address the Supreme Courts concerns about presidential immunity, either.

Trump takes office Jan. 20 as the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.

His conviction left the 78-year-old facing the possibility of punishment ranging from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison.

The case centered on how Trump accounted for reimbursing his personal attorney for the Daniels payment.

The lawyer, Michael Cohen, fronted the money. He later recouped it through a series of payments that Trumps company logged as legal expenses. Trump, by then in the White House, signed most of the checks himself.

Prosecutors said the designation was meant to cloak the true purpose of the payments and help cover up a broader effort to keep voters from hearing unflattering claims about the Republican during his first campaign.

Trump said that Cohen was legitimately paid for legal services, and that Daniels story was suppressed to avoid embarrassing Trumps family, not to influence the electorate.

Trump was a private citizen  campaigning for president, but neither elected nor sworn in  when Cohen paid Daniels in October 2016. He was president when Cohen was reimbursed, and Cohen testified that they discussed the repayment arrangement in the Oval Office.

Trump, a Republican, has decried the verdict as the rigged, disgraceful result of a witch hunt pursued by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.

Before Trumps November election, his lawyers sought to reverse his conviction for a different reason: a U.S. Supreme Court decision in July that gave presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution. That request was still pending when the election raised new issues.

While urging Merchan to nix the conviction, Trump also sought to move the case to federal court, where he could also assert immunity. A federal judge repeatedly said no, but Trump appealed.

The hush money case was the only one of Trumps four criminal indictments to go to trial.

Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases. One pertained to Trumps efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss; the other alleged he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

A separate, state-level election interference case in Georgia is largely on hold.
Washington  U.S. Rep. John Mannion took the oath of office today, becoming Central New Yorks second Democratic congressman in 60 years, after the House avoided the chaos of a prolonged battle for speaker.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., won reelection on the first ballot, but only after after two Republican members who opposed him changed their vote at the last second.

Johnson was elected 218-215 over House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., allowing him to swear in the 119th Congress, including about 60 House freshmen like Mannion.

No House member could be sworn into office for the new Congress until a new speaker was elected.

Johnson initially led 216-215, two short of the majority he needed. But before the vote became official, Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. and Keith Self, R-Texas, dropped their opposition to Johnson and changed their vote, prompting a loud cheer from the Republican conference.

One other Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was steadfast in his opposition to Johnson.

Mannion, D-Geddes, was among the 215 Democrats who voted unanimously for Jeffries.

All House Republicans from New York, including Reps. Elise Stefanik of the North Country and Claudia Tenney of Oswego County, voted for Johnson.

Mannion, 56, a two-term Democratic state senator, was elected to the 22nd Congressional District seat in November. He unseated first-term Rep. Brandon Williams, a Republican from Cayuga County, by about 9 percentage points.

Mannions wife, Jennifer, and three grown children made the trip to Washington to watch his first votes and take part in a ceremonial swearing-in photo with Johnson later in the afternoon.

Mannion, a Syracuse native who grew up on Tipperary Hill, represented his hometown with his choice of clothing for the day. He wore a green tie with a design showing the famous Tipp Hill traffic light with green on top and a pair of Syracuse orange socks.

Earlier Tuesday, Mannion held an open house in his new office in the Longworth House Office Building.

Among those who stopped by to introduce themselves were representatives of Micron Technology and Lockheed Martin.

Micron is planning to build a $100 billion computer chip manufacturing complex in Syracuses suburbs, and Lockheed Martin employs more than 2,300 people at its campus in Salina.

Mannion told syracuse.com that the visit from the two companies underscored the important role they will play in Central New Yorks economy.

It was great to have a series of very rapid but meaningful conversations with them, Mannion said.

The 22nd Congressional District spans all of Onondaga and Madison counties, and parts of Cayuga, Cortland and Oneida counties.

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
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Re: Scale Models - Aircraft, Battle Tanks & Ships 1:72 M48A3 Patton III , USMC 1st Tank Btn, Danang, Vietnam, 1968





The M48 Patton is a main battle tank (MBT) that was designed in the United States. It was the third tank(after M46 & M47) to be officially named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in battle. It was a further development of the M47 Patton tank. The M48 Patton was in U.S. service until replaced by the M60 and served as the U.S. Army and Marine Corps's primary battle tank in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was widely used by U.S. Cold War allies, especially other NATO countries.



The rectangular light mounted above the 90mm cannon of the M48 Patton tank, commonly seen during the Vietnam War, served multiple purposes. Primarily, it was an infrared (IR) searchlight used for night operations. This light enabled the tank crew to illuminate targets that were otherwise invisible in the dark, particularly in combat situations.



During the daytime, the light was often covered or retracted to prevent it from being damaged or to avoid detection. The cover also helped reduce glare and maintain a lower profile for the tank, which was crucial for its survivability in combat.



Additionally, the IR searchlight could assist in targeting for night vision equipment, allowing the crew to engage enemy positions after dark. Overall, it was a valuable tool for enhancing the combat effectiveness of the M48 Patton tank during night operations in Vietnam.



The M48 saw extensive action with the US military during the Vietnam War. Over 600 Pattons would be deployed with US forces during that war.The M48 Patton has the distinction of playing a unique role in an event that was destined to radically alter the conduct of armored warfare. When US forces commenced redeployment operations, many of the M48A3 Pattons were turned over to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN/South Vietnam Army) forces, in particular creating the battalion-sized ARVN 20th Tank Regiment, which supplemented their M41 Walker Bulldog units. During the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) Easter Offensive in 1972, tank clashes between PAVN T-54/PT-76 and ARVN M48/M41 units became commonplace.



On 23 April 1972, tankers of the South Vietnam Army's 20th Tank Regiment were attacked by a PAVN infantry-tank team, which was equipped with the new 9M14M Malyutka (NATO designation: Sagger) wire-guided anti-tank missile. During this battle, one M48A3 Patton tank and one M113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) were destroyed, becoming the first losses to the Sagger missile; losses that would echo on an even larger scale a year later during the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East in 1973. By 2 May, the 20th Tank Regiment had lost all of their tanks to enemy fire.During the first month of the First Battle of Quang Tri, all ARVN M48 Pattons (100 tanks) were lost.



M47s and M48s were used in tank warfare by the Pakistan Army against the Indian Army's Soviet T-55s, British Centurions and US M4 Sherman tanks in both the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 as well as the following war in 1971.Pakistan's Patton tank failed to live up to its high expectations in the Battle of Asal Uttar in September 1965, where about 97 Pakistani tanks were lost, the majority of them being Pattons (M47s and M48s). DUring the 1971 war, a counterattack led by Pakistan Army's 13th Lancers and the 31st Cavalry army units was defeated by the Indian 54th Division around Battle of Barapind in December 1971. The Pakistan Army Patton tanks could not stop an assault by Indian T-55 tanks of the 2nd Armored Brigade. At least 9 of the Pattons were destroyed by T-55 tanks during the battle of Nainakot. It total, more than 80 Pakistani Pattons were knocked out during the war, mainly by Centurion and T-55 fire.



India later set up a temporary war-memorial so named "Patton Nagar" (or "Patton City") in Khemkaran District in Punjab, where the captured Pakistani Patton tanks were displayed for a short period of time before being scrapped or sent all across India for use as war monuments and military memorials.



Specifications

Designer: Chrysler Defense Engineering

Designed: 1950

Mass: 49.6 short tons (44.3 long tons; 45.0 t)

Length: 9.3 m (30 ft 6 in)

Width: 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in)

Height: 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)

Crew: Four (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver)



Armor

Upper glacis

110 mm (4.3 in) at 60

220 mm (8.7 in) LoS

Turret front

178 mm (7.0 in) at 0



Main Armament : 90mm M41/T139 gun

Secondary Armament : .50 cal (12.7 mm) in M1 commander's cupola, M37/T153 Machine gun



Engine : Continental AVDS-1790 V12, air-cooled, twin-turbo, diesel engine 750 hp (560 kW)

Power/weight: 16.6 hp (12.4 kW)/tonne



Transmission: Allison CD-850-4A or CD-850-4B. Two forward ranges, One reverse

Suspension: Torsion bar suspension

Ground clearance : 16 in (0.41 m)

Fuel capacity: 300 US gal (1,100 L)

Operational Range : 463 km (288 mi)

Maximum speed: 30 mph (48 km/h)





This M48 is tank number 34 from Company C, 1st Tank Batallion, USMC and is depicted in the markings it had during Operation Pipestone Canyon. The 1st tanks used a battalion symbol of a yellow shield with the inscription ITK applied in red when they were in Vietnam.



















































The M48 Patton is a main battle tank (MBT) that was designed in the United States. It was the third tank(after M46 & M47) to be officially named after General George S. Patton, commander of the U.S. Third Army during World War II and one of the earliest American advocates for the use of tanks in battle. It was a further development of the M47 Patton tank. The M48 Patton was in U.S. service until replaced by the M60 and served as the U.S. Army and Marine Corps's primary battle tank in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was widely used by U.S. Cold War allies, especially other NATO countries.The rectangular light mounted above the 90mm cannon of the M48 Patton tank, commonly seen during the Vietnam War, served multiple purposes. Primarily, it was an infrared (IR) searchlight used for night operations. This light enabled the tank crew to illuminate targets that were otherwise invisible in the dark, particularly in combat situations.During the daytime, the light was often covered or retracted to prevent it from being damaged or to avoid detection. The cover also helped reduce glare and maintain a lower profile for the tank, which was crucial for its survivability in combat.Additionally, the IR searchlight could assist in targeting for night vision equipment, allowing the crew to engage enemy positions after dark. Overall, it was a valuable tool for enhancing the combat effectiveness of the M48 Patton tank during night operations in Vietnam.The M48 saw extensive action with the US military during the Vietnam War. Over 600 Pattons would be deployed with US forces during that war.The M48 Patton has the distinction of playing a unique role in an event that was destined to radically alter the conduct of armored warfare. When US forces commenced redeployment operations, many of the M48A3 Pattons were turned over to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN/South Vietnam Army) forces, in particular creating the battalion-sized ARVN 20th Tank Regiment, which supplemented their M41 Walker Bulldog units. During the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) Easter Offensive in 1972, tank clashes between PAVN T-54/PT-76 and ARVN M48/M41 units became commonplace.On 23 April 1972, tankers of the South Vietnam Army's 20th Tank Regiment were attacked by a PAVN infantry-tank team, which was equipped with the new 9M14M Malyutka (NATO designation: Sagger) wire-guided anti-tank missile. During this battle, one M48A3 Patton tank and one M113 Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) were destroyed, becoming the first losses to the Sagger missile; losses that would echo on an even larger scale a year later during the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East in 1973. By 2 May, the 20th Tank Regiment had lost all of their tanks to enemy fire.During the first month of the First Battle of Quang Tri, all ARVN M48 Pattons (100 tanks) were lost.M47s and M48s were used in tank warfare by the Pakistan Army against the Indian Army's Soviet T-55s, British Centurions and US M4 Sherman tanks in both the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 as well as the following war in 1971.Pakistan's Patton tank failed to live up to its high expectations in the Battle of Asal Uttar in September 1965, where about 97 Pakistani tanks were lost, the majority of them being Pattons (M47s and M48s). DUring the 1971 war, a counterattack led by Pakistan Army's 13th Lancers and the 31st Cavalry army units was defeated by the Indian 54th Division around Battle of Barapind in December 1971. The Pakistan Army Patton tanks could not stop an assault by Indian T-55 tanks of the 2nd Armored Brigade. At least 9 of the Pattons were destroyed by T-55 tanks during the battle of Nainakot. It total, more than 80 Pakistani Pattons were knocked out during the war, mainly by Centurion and T-55 fire.India later set up a temporary war-memorial so named "Patton Nagar" (or "Patton City") in Khemkaran District in Punjab, where the captured Pakistani Patton tanks were displayed for a short period of time before being scrapped or sent all across India for use as war monuments and military memorials.Designer: Chrysler Defense EngineeringDesigned: 1950Mass: 49.6 short tons (44.3 long tons; 45.0 t)Length: 9.3 m (30 ft 6 in)Width: 3.65 m (12 ft 0 in)Height: 3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)Crew: Four (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver)ArmorUpper glacis110 mm (4.3 in) at 60220 mm (8.7 in) LoSTurret front178 mm (7.0 in) at 0Main Armament : 90mm M41/T139 gunSecondary Armament : .50 cal (12.7 mm) in M1 commander's cupola, M37/T153 Machine gunEngine : Continental AVDS-1790 V12, air-cooled, twin-turbo, diesel engine 750 hp (560 kW)Power/weight: 16.6 hp (12.4 kW)/tonneTransmission: Allison CD-850-4A or CD-850-4B. Two forward ranges, One reverseSuspension: Torsion bar suspensionGround clearance : 16 in (0.41 m)Fuel capacity: 300 US gal (1,100 L)Operational Range : 463 km (288 mi)Maximum speed: 30 mph (48 km/h)This M48 is tank number 34 from Company C, 1st Tank Batallion, USMC and is depicted in the markings it had during Operation Pipestone Canyon. The 1st tanks used a battalion symbol of a yellow shield with the inscription ITK applied in red when they were in Vietnam. Last edited by skanchan95 : 2nd January 2025 at 14:37 .
Forward-looking: Samsung and Google have teamed up to challenge one of the biggest names in immersive audio  Dolby. The two companies have announced Eclipsa Audio, a new open-source spatial audio format designed to bring 3D sound to YouTube and Samsung's latest TVs and soundbars later this year.

For years, Dolby Atmos has been the dominant force in 3D audio, known for its immersive surround sound that makes it feel as though sounds are coming from all around you. It's become a household name, with nearly every major TV manufacturer today paying the "Dolby tax" to license Atmos for their premium sets and speaker systems.

However, Samsung and Google are looking to disrupt the status quo with Eclipsa Audio, a royalty-free alternative. Samsung claims that Eclipsa Audio functions similarly to Atmos by adjusting audio data  such as location, intensity, and spatial reflections  to create 3D sound. The key difference is that it's an open standard, meaning hardware makers won't have to pay licensing fees.

In addition, the two companies are establishing a certification program with the Telecommunications Technology Association to ensure consistent quality across devices using the technology.

Samsung and Google first teased their spatial audio collaboration in 2023 under the name Immersive Audio Model and Formats (IAMF). At the time, Samsung described the initiative as aiming to provide "a complete open-source framework for 3D audio, from creation to delivery and playback."

So why are the two companies putting in all this effort? For Samsung, the primary motivation likely revolves around avoiding licensing costs. With TV profit margins tighter than ever, cutting expenses wherever possible is crucial. Google's motivations are less clear, but it seems the company wants to give YouTube creators a platform to experiment with immersive 3D audio experiences.

"We believe that Eclipsa Audio has the potential to change the way we experience sound," said Jim Bankoski, VP of Engineering at Google Chrome. "We are excited to see how the creator community uses it to create new and innovative audio experiences."

The big question, of course, is whether Samsung and Google's new venture can truly rival Dolby's well-established technology. Dolby has had years to refine Atmos, which has become the industry standard recognized by casual viewers.

Whatever the outcome, we'll get our first real glimpse of how Eclipsa stacks up at CES 2025 next week, where Samsung is expected to provide live demonstrations.
Editor's take: This likely won't be the last time a village, town, or city receives an unexpected delivery from the sky. As companies accelerate satellite launches and other orbital operations, the issue of excessive space debris is becoming an inevitable consequence. After all, what goes up must eventually come down.

It was an ordinary day for the residents of Mukuku village in Kenya's Makueni County  until an unexpected delivery from above disrupted the calm.

On December 30, at around 3 pm local time, a massive metallic ring weighing approximately 1,100 pounds came crashing into the village. The loud impact startled residents, some of whom initially feared it was an attack or a bomb explosion.

Joseph Mutua, a local villager, recounted the event to Kenyan news station NTV. While tending to his cows, he heard "a loud bang" and assumed it might be a car accident. However, there were no signs of a collision nearby.

The source of the disturbance turned out to be space debris  a separation ring from a rocket launch. These components are typically designed to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere or fall into remote areas. Occasionally, however, they veer slightly off course.

The Kenya Space Agency (KSA) was quickly alerted and sprang into action. Collaborating with local authorities, they secured the area and took the hefty ring into custody for further investigation. Preliminary assessments suggested the debris was from a launch vehicle re-entering Earth's atmosphere. The KSA also issued a statement assuring the public that this was an "isolated case" and that the metal object posed no threat to public safety.

Following the discovery of a metallic fragment of a space object in Mukuku Village, Makueni County, the Kenya Space Agency has issued the following statement. Read more for details on the incident, preliminary findings, and next steps. pic.twitter.com/n8gsvoKku4  Kenya Space Agency (@SpaceAgencyKE) January 1, 2025

While rare, incidents like this are becoming more frequent as Earth's orbital paths become increasingly congested. As of last year, over 170 million pieces of space debris larger than a millimeter were orbiting our planet  remnants of rockets, defunct satellites, and other space operations. Most of this debris burns up safely upon re-entry, but some make it uncomfortably close to the ground.

In February of last year, the European Space Agency issued an alert about a satellite, heavier than a large car, making an uncontrolled re-entry to Earth. Additionally, in March, a piece of the International Space Station crashed through a family's house in Florida. At times, even the station itself has had to perform maneuvers to avoid incoming debris.

For now, Kenyan authorities are still investigating the exact origin of the fallen ring.
EV sales hit record in UK but still behind target



London, Jan 4 (AFP) Jan 04, 2025



UK car industry sold a record number of all-electric vehicles in 2024 but still fell short of the government's mandated targets, an industry trade body said Saturday.

Battery electric vehicles made up 19.6 percent of new cars sold last year, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which was below the government's 22-percent target for carmakers.

The SMMT reported a "record annual volume" of 382,000 battery electric vehicles sold in the UK last year.

The automobile trade body had already warned in October that carmakers were at risk of missing government targets, with manufacturers facing government penalties of pound15,000 ($18,625) per polluting vehicle sold above the limits.

However, the government has since assured that it expects all manufacturers to avoid the penalties in 2024 by taking advantage of flexibility mechanisms which will take into account, among other things, emissions reductions across the whole fleet.

The group's chief executive, Mike Hawes, said that while the market share of electric vehicles grew, this came at a "huge cost" to the industry.

He referred to the "billions invested in new models" supplemented by "unsustainable" incentives provided by the industry.

Hawes urged the government to review the mandate and to do more to stimulate private demand, including improving charging infrastructure.

The SMMT also warned that reaching the thresholds in 2025 will be "even more intense" with the mandates pushed up to 28 percent of cars sold.

There are also concerns over the Labour government's pledge to bring forward the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles to 2030, after the previous Conservative government pushed it back to 2035.

Overall, the SMMT reported that the number of new vehicles registered in the UK increased to almost 2 million, up by 2.6 percent year-on-year.

It said that growth was mainly driven by business purchases as demand from private buyers dropped.

Despite a second successive year of growth, the overall car market remains below pre-pandemic levels.
In this file photo, former U.S. Sen. Hank Brown, at the time the outgoing president of the university of Colorado, talks to reporters on Feb. 20, 2008.
A Colorado group announced on Friday that it has filed a ballot measure to repeal the 2020 voter-approved measure that resulted in the reintroduction of gray wolves into Colorado.

Voters, primarily on the Front Range, narrowly approved Proposition 114, with just 50.9% of the vote in support and 49.1% opposed.

The measure mandated that wolves be reintroduced west of the Continental Divide. Four of the five counties targeted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife overwhelmingly voted against the proposition.

Proponents of the ballot measure to repeal the wolf reintroduction program are Stan VanderWerf of El Paso County and Spencer Thomas of Garfield County, one of the three counties targeted by the state for the next release of wolves in 2025. Proponents plan to put the measure on the 2026 ballot.

"Our heritage and our people are in danger in Colorado today," said Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy in a statement Friday. Since gray wolves were reintroduced to Colorado in December 2023, taxpayers have paid for the privilege of watching these apex predators tear into our agricultural economy and ecosystem."

The group said wolves "disrupt the delicate balance that has defined the Western way of life for generations" and that the law was a mistake.

The proponents cited five reasons for repealing the 2020 ballot measure.

 Economic harm: Colorados ranchers and livestock producers, the backbone of rural communities, suffer devastating financial losses from wolf predation

 Rising grocery prices: Increased costs for ranchers translate to higher grocery prices, affecting households

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 Threats to food security: Wolves pose a risk to sustainable, local food production, making communities more dependent on distant suppliers

 Preserving the farm-to-table movement: Local ranchers provide fresh, sustainable food options; without them, corporate chains and distant suppliers would dominate the market

 Protecting the Western heritage: The West has long symbolized independence, resilience, and land stewardship; this legacy must be preserved for future generations

The wolf reintroduction program has caused disputes between ranchers and the state. Notably, critics said, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Gov. Jared Polis failed to notify county officials and ranchers when the wolves were released a year ago in Grand and Summit counties.

Proponents have argued that wolves play a key role in a maintaining a balanced ecosystem.

Ten wolves, which came from packs in Oregon with histories of livestock killing, were released in Colorado and, by April, were killing livestock in Grand County. Other wolves that migrated from Wyoming had already been killing livestock in Jackson County. Since then, more than two dozen confirmed wolf depredations have taken place, including in Routt County. Ranchers said the losses are far more than that.

Two of the wolves formed a breeding pair and produced a litter of at least four pups. The breeding pair was believed responsible for much of the livestock killing in Grand County and was captured at the end of August. The male of the pair died several days later. Wildlife officials said it was in poor health and had deep puncture wounds. However, a necropsy report from the US Fish & Wildlife Service said the wolf died from injuries sustained from a gunshot wound.

Three of the 10 Oregon wolves died in 2024.

Last week, three ranchers submitted claims totaling more than $581,000 to the state under its wolf compensation fund.
Ninety-three per cent of police referrals to Orange Door were triaged within seven days. But the department was unable to confirm if further action was taken within seven days. Two per cent took longer than 14 days to be triaged and one took 177 days in 2023-24. Demand, administrative errors and incomplete referrals were the main reasons for delays. The Orange Door in southern Melbourne received the most police referrals in 2023-24, followed by bayside-peninsula, western Melbourne and north-east Melbourne. Safe Steps chief executive Dr Chelsea Tobin said staff shortages were a persistent issue in the sector.

I think that reflects the really intense nature of the work and the really high level of commitment and vicarious trauma, Tobin said. She said Safe Steps had a low vacancy rate and took calls 24/7 within 30 seconds. The service takes and makes about 130,000 calls and provides about 40,000 nights of crisis accommodation a year. Demand spikes between the AFL grand final and Australia Day. Tobin said demand for Safe Steps surged 38.7 per cent in November 2024 compared with the same time the year prior. Thats a huge jump for us, she said. Its been a really tough year for family and domestic violence. The crime stats are going the wrong way.

There were more than 100,000 family violence incidents recorded in Victoria in the year to September, the highest number on record, Crime Statistics Victoria said last month. Police responded to a call related to family violence every five minutes during the year. Thousands protested around the country following a spate of high-profile killings of women. Safe Steps chief executive Chelsea Tobin. Credit: Eddie Jim Tobin said the cost of living would be driving some of that increased demand for services, but she believed more people were also asking for help. I think more people are seeking help, and thats a good thing. However, its been a horrific year for family and domestic violence. We all have to hold the mirror up and say, What else can we do?

Tobin said the Sanctuary model of emergency accommodation, which about 97 per cent of people exited in a safe and sustained way without returning to violence, needed more funding. Putting people in motels had poor results, she said, with about 35 per cent of people leaving in what is deemed an unsafe exit. This could include returning to the perpetrator. Loading The Sanctuary site launched as a pilot in late 2023 to provide tight security along with health, legal and financial services. It strives to give women the connections required to start new lives and not return to violent partners. We would be really keen to see more investment in the Sanctuary type set-up where we can get 97 per cent safe and sustained exits, Tobin said. Safe Steps group director Suzanne Paynter said a lot of good work had been done since the family violence royal commission, but there was a continuing need for investment in frontline services.

A government spokeswoman said the Orange Door network, rolled out statewide to 60 locations, had helped more than 500,000 Victorians, including more than 200,000 children. When women and children are still dying at the hands of men  we must do more. From prevention, to response, to seeking justice, we are targeting family violence at every stage, she said. Loading We know that rural and regional victim-survivors of family violence face additional barriers in accessing support, which is why when an outpost is unexpectedly closed we offer outreach via phone, email, a visit at an Orange Door primary site or the option to reschedule appointments. The government said initiatives were in place to attract and retain workers.
Notes found on the phone of a Green Beret and Colorado Springs resident who died by suicide after blowing up a Tesla Cybertruck on New Year's Day outside President-elect Donald Trump's hotel in Las Vegas suggest his actions were intended as a "wake-up call" to America.

Details of the possible motivations of 37-year-old Master Sgt. Matthew Alan Livelsberger emerged on Friday afternoon, when the Las Vegas Metro Police Department released more information about the attack.

"This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake-up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?" read a message that authorities say were found on the active-duty military member's phone.

"Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took," read an excerpt of the notes found on Livelsberger's phone, according to Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

In a second excerpt shared with media Livelsberger described the United States as "terminally ill and headed toward collapse."

Hours after the press conference, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department released the full notes found on Livelsberger's charred phone.

The Las Vegas police and FBI had found a message titled "WAKE UP" in the notes application on Livelsberger's charred phone. The message called on called on Americans and veterans to stage a revolution. Investigators verified the notes had come from Livelsberger.

"Military and vets move on DC starting now," he wrote.

"Militias facilitate and augment this activity," he said.

In his call-to-arms, he wrote, "Occupy every major road along fed buildings and the campus of fed buildings by the hundreds of thousands. Lock the highways around down with semis right after everybody gets in. Hold until the purge is complete."

The Green Beret sounded a rallying cry to be prepared to fight to throw "Dems" out of political office and out of the military "by any means necessary."

In a nod to Trump, he said that there is too much attention paid to Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity.

"Thankfully we rejected the DEI candidate and will have a real President instead of Weekend at Bernies," one line from the note on Livelsberger's phone read.

Finally, he begged for people to rally around Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Robert Kennedy to save the country from what he called "feckless leadership."

He was adamant that the country would collapse if this doesn't happen. The message was signed: MSG Matt Livelsberger 18Z, 10th Special Forces Group.

Officials on Friday added that there is no evidence of additional suspects in this case; nor any evidence that Livelsberger was working in coordination with Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the man accused of killing at least 14 people in New Orleans just hours before the explosion in Las Vegas.

At the news conference Spencer Evans, the FBI special agent in charge, stated that it's "likely" Livelsberger suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and that there were family and personal matters that "may have been contributing factors."

A psychiatrist familiar with Special Forces treatment said mental health services for those units include an embedded behavioral health team and funding for residential treatment outside of the military.

The challenge is getting Special Forces soldiers to come forward, he said.

The screening tools used during the deployment cycle are also flawed because they were developed for people seeking help.

We apply these screening tools to presumably healthy young men, hoping that if they're having problems they'll be honest in the way that they answer the questions, but they're not always honest, he said.

According to ABC, Livelsberger was kicked out of the home by his wife around Christmas over "allegations of infidelity."

An ex-girlfriend of Livelsberger spoke with The Gazette on Thursday and claimed that he suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2019 during a tour in the Middle East. Alicia Arritt, Livelsberger's ex-girlfriend, said she believes that the depressive symptoms he showed went untreated because its not acceptable to seek treatment when someone is in Special Forces.

Before the Las Vegas trip

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Days ahead of his suicide, Livelsberger contacted Sam Shoemate, a former Army intelligence officer, who has a large social media following, insisting he had important information that needed to reach the media and the potential new Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth.

Shoemate said on a podcast hosted by Shawn Ryan, a former Navy Seal, that he hesitated to do anything with the email because he couldnt verify it. Shoemate decided to make it public after the explosion.

Livelsbergers email raised an alarm about the national security risk posed by Chinese unmanned aircraft that use gravitic propulsion systems, a form of propulsion in the experimental stages.

He called the aircraft the most dangerous threat to national security that has ever existed.

In a text message to an ex-girlfriend on Dec. 29 that he wrote while driving the Cybertruck to Las Vegas, he told her "I'm building drones in. my new position. You would love it."

He refers to the Chinese aircraft as balloons.

A Scottish professor had run a successful experiment in 2020, propelling a balloon by gravity using an onboard compressor to change the pressure inside the balloon, Aerospace America reported.

In the email, Livelsberger went on to claim he was being followed by Homeland Security or the FBI.

Evans stated that the FBI did not have information on Livelsberger prior to the explosion.

Livelsberger said that he was part of an airstrike in the Nimruz province of Afghanistan in 2019 that killed hundreds. In the email Livelsberger claimed the airstrike was a "war crime" and that government agencies attempted to cover it up. He went on to describe involvement in attacks on 65 buildings in Afghanistan in 2019 that he helped target. The attacks killed hundreds of civilians, he said.

A United Nations report on American attacks in 2019 in Afghanistan said UN workers received reports of 40 to 200 civilian deaths during airstrikes on drug labs. The report said 68 labs were hit. UN workers verified 39 civilian casualties and credible information to substantiate the deaths of 30 children and two women, the report said.

The U.S. said it targeted labs controlled and operated exclusively by the Taliban.

In 2019, the 10th Special Forces Group lost four soldiers in Afghanistan, according to previous Gazette reporting.

At Friday's news conference Evans said there is "strong evidence" to suggest that the email posted by Ryan on social media was sent by Livelsberger, but that he could not confirm nor verify it.

The U.S. Department of the Army did not immediately respond to a Friday request for comment on Livelsberger's email and the security risk he described.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh did not have information Friday to share about whether Livelsberger showed warning signs, and referred reporters to investigators.

Although answers about Livelsberger's motives began to take form at Friday's news conference, many questions still remain.

Las Vegas Metro Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that it was still unclear why Livelsberger chose to conduct the suicide and explosion at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. Confusion about the choice of location lingered  especially since Evans stated during the news conference that it's believed Livelsberger had "no animosity towards the president-elect."

McMahill stated that the notes recovered from Livelsberger's phone included other possible locations, including the Grand Canyon.

Livelsberger was on approved leave from the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson when the electric truck he rented in Denver on Dec. 28 exploded in the valet drive-through of the Trump International Hotel on New Year's Day, McMahill said at Thursday's news conference.

Seven people were injured in the explosion but only Livelsberger was killed.
Manitou Elementary School announced that the powdery substance that shut down the school for two days had a weak presence of capsaicinoid, the active ingredient in pepper spray.

On both Dec. 17 and Dec. 19, students were sent home after officials say an "unknown white powder" was causing some students' eyes to burn.

Manitou Springs school again evacuated, vacuum part of the investigation Manitou Springs Elementary School was evacuated Thursday morning for the second time in thre

Superintendent Sean Dorsey took to Facebook Friday afternoon to provide an update to students and their families regarding the powder initially found in the school's auditorium on Dec. 17.

School Resource Officer Mandy Strider says the substance was likely packed in a Pepper Ball, an air powered projectile, based on pieces of casing found in the room. Pepper Balls are easily accessible through several retailers, including Amazon.

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The Colorado Bureau of Investigation joined the investigation and tested the substance and the vacuum used for cleanup. The results indicated a weak presence of capsaicinoid, though the data was "insufficient for a definitive identification."

Multiple deep cleanings have taken place since the substance was first discovered, and Dorsey has reassured parents and students that the building is safe.

Video footage from the auditorium was extensively sifted through by investigators, but officials were unable to pinpoint a suspect.

"I think at this point, we can safely say that a Pepper Ball was activated in the auditorium," Strider said. "Without knowing when or where it came from, it will be difficult to determine if it was deployed intentionally. It could have fallen out of someone's pocket that day, the night before or at another time."
28 convicts get lifer in Kasganj violence case





LUCKNOW :

A SPECIAL NIA court here sentenced 28 convicts to life imprisonment on Friday in connection with the Kasganj violence case. Special judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi also imposed a fine of Rs 80,000 on each convict. On January 2, the special NIA court here convicted 28 people in connection with the murder of Chandan Gupta, who was shot dead in a communal clash that broke out during a 2018 Tiranga Yatra in Kasganj. The accused were convicted on charges of murder, attempted murder, rioting and insulting the national flag. The case drew significant attention after Chandan Gupta's death sparked riots in the region. The court on Friday sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment.

Earlier, on the quantum of sentence, the court heard the pleas of the defence as well as the prosecution, which had demanded the severest punishment for all the convicts. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court acquitted Nasiruddin and Asim Qureshi, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to convict them. On the morning of January 26, 2018, Chandan Gupta and his brother Vivek Gupta took part in a Tiranga Yatra. When the procession reached the Government Girls Inter College gate on Tehsil Road, a group, including Salim, Wasim and Naseem, allegedly blocked the road and stopped the procession, a government counsel said. When Chandan objected, the situation escalated and stone-pelting began from the side of the accused, the lawyer said.

Salim, one of the main accused, shot Chandan, he said. Despite the grave injury, Vivek and their companions managed to rush Chandan to the Kasganj police station, from where he was immediately transferred to the district hospital where he was declared dead shortly after arrival. The murder of Chandan led to widespread riots in Kasganj for three days, fueling communal tensions in the region. Chandan's father Sushil Gupta lodged a murder complaint. In September 2019, the Kasganj Sessions Court framed charges against 23 individuals. Later, in November 2019, charges were framed against an additional seven persons. The charges included Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 307/149 (attempted murder), 302/149 (murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), 336 (endangerment), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), and Section 124K (insult to national flag) of the Indian Penal Code. Additionally, several of the accused faced charges under the Arms Act for possession of firearms. The trial was transferred to the Lucknow court after initial proceedings in Kasganj.
BJP youth leader shot at over parking issue in Jammu





JAMMU :

A BJP youth leader was shot at following an altercation over a parking issue here on Friday, police said. Kanav Sharma, the district president of the BJP Yuva Morcha, Jammu, suffered a bullet injury and was hospitalised. His condition is stable, his father, senior advocate Chander Mohan Sharma told the media. Kanav, who has been actively engaged in an anti-drug campaign, was parking his vehicle near his house when some people objected to it and an argument broke out.

One of them took out a revolver and fired two rounds, one of which hit Kanav, Sharma said. Police have seized a bike belonging to one of the accused and are making efforts to track down the people involved in the shooting, officials said.
Caste discrimination in colleges sensitive issue, says SC





NEW DELHI :

TERMING it as a sensitive issue, the Supreme Court on Friday said it will devise an effective mechanism to combat caste-based discrimination in educational institutions in the country. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to notify draft regulations to ensure no caste-based discrimination happened with students in the Central, State, private and deemed universities. It directed the UGC to furnish data on the number of institutions which had established equal opportunity cells in compliance with the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Educational Institutions Regulations) 2012, popularly called UGC equity regulations. We are equally conscious of this sensitive issue. We will do something.

We will have to find out some effective mechanism and modalities to see that the 2012 regulations are translated into reality, the bench said. It sought Centres response on the issue and asked the UGC to furnish data within six weeks on the complaints over such discrimination among students in all universities and higher education institutions besides the consequent action. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, appearing for the mothers of students Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, who allegedly died by suicide after facing caste-based discrimination, said from 2004 till now over 50 students (mostly from SC/ST) had killed themselves in IITs and other institutions after facing such discrimination. While Vemula, a PhD scholar at Hyderabad Central University died on January 17, 2016, Tadvi, a student at TN Topiwala National Medical College, died on May 22, 2019, after she was subjected to purported discrimination by three doctors in her college.

The bench said a PIL was filed in 2019 but no substantial hearing had taken place on the issue so far. From now on we will list this petition periodically so that some effective solution could be found in the matter as since 2019 nothing much has happened, said Justice Surya Kant. The UGC counsel submitted a committee constituted by it gave recommendation and the commission drafted new regulations to stop caste-based discrimination. The draft regulations need to be put on the website to invite objections and suggestions from the public in a months time and thereafter it will be notified, he said. The bench questioned the UGC over the delay and said it had been sleeping all this while and not come up with new regulations. How much time is needed to notify the new regulations? You do it in one month and place it on record, the bench said and posted the matter after six weeks.

It sought the assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on the matter along with the response of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council, an autonomous institution under the UGC which assesses and accredits higher education institutions. On September 20, 2019, the top court issued notice on the PIL which also sought to enforce the fundamental rights, particularly the Right to Equality, Right to Prohibition of Discrimination against caste, and the Right to Life. The plea alleged rampant prevalence of caste-based discrimination in higher educational institutions throughout the country. The petitioners sought directions to the Centre and the UGC to strictly ensure the enforcement and compliance of the 2012 regulations. Seeking directions to the Centre and the UGC, the plea asked to ensure all the educational institutions, complied with the regulations in letter and in spirit apart from establishing equal opportunity cells on the lines of similarly existing anti-discrimination internal complaints mechanisms, and have representation from the SC/ST, NGOs or social sector to ensure objectivity and impartiality. Further, a direction was sought to all universities to take strong disciplinary action against victimisation of students or staff over caste-based discrimination and protecting students from any hostility in campuses.
CBI doesnt need States nod for FIR against Centre officials: SC





NEW DELHI :

THE Supreme Court has said the CBI does not require the permission of State Governments to register an FIR against Centres officials posted in the different jurisdictions of States. A bench comprising Justices C T Ravikumar and Rajesh Bindal on January 2 overturned the Andhra Pradesh High Courts order quashing the CBI investigations against two Central Government employees over corruption. Irrespective of the place of posting, the aforesaid factual position would go onto show that they were Central Government employees/Central Government undertaking employees and allegedly committed serious offence under PC Act, which is a Central act, it said. The case stemmed from the CBI FIRs against the Central Government employees working in Andhra Pradesh. They had challenged the CBIs jurisdiction in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, arguing the general consent granted to the CBI under the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (DSPE Act), by the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh did not automatically extend to the newly-formed State of Andhra Pradesh post-bifurcation.

The High Court agreed with the accused, who were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and quashed the FIRs insisting a fresh consent from Andhra Pradesh was required. Justice Ravikumar, who authored a 32-page judgement, differed with the High Courts interpretation, and ruled the latter had erred in asking for a fresh State consent for CBIs investigations. In such circumstances and in the light of the conclusion already arrived at, the terms of the provisions under circular memo dated May 26, 2014 all laws applicable to the undivided State of Andhra Pradesh on June 1, 2014 would continue to apply to the new States, namely, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh despite the bifurcation of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh till such time they were altered, repealed or amended, it said.

The judgement relied on precedents, including the 1990 Government order granting general consent to the CBI and subsequent extensions of this consent in Andhra Pradesh, to justify its decision. The top court framed a question -- if the CBI required the State Governments consent to register an FIR against a Central Government employee under a Central act simply because the employee worked within the territory of a State -- as the Central issue. It held no such consent was necessary as the offences in question were under a central legislation and involved Central Government employees. The consent regime under Section 6 of the DSPE Act was not designed to obstruct investigations into central offences only because they transpired within a States territorial limits, it said. The bench said the general consent granted by a State under the DSPE Act was sufficient for the CBI investigations involving central offences and State-specific formalities, such as a fresh consent, was not required. We are of the firm view that the impugned judgement whereunder subject FIRs and further proceedings in pursuance thereof, were quashed cannot be sustained, it said and allowed CBIs appeal.
IAS Ruhi Khan returns to State, Kidwai appointed as DG, Civil Aviation, Tripathi to be Additional Secretary in Energy Deptt





Senior Special Correspondent :

In a fresh reshuffle at Centre, the Government has appointed SENIOR IAS officer Faiz Ahmed Kidwai as the Director General of Civil Aviation under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Besides, MP cadre IAS officer Akash Tripathi (1998 batch) as Additional Secretary in the Energy Department. Another Principal Secretary and an IAS officer from State Faiz Ahmed Kidwai has also been given a new responsibility at the Centre.

Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the return of IAS officer Ruhi Khan to Bhopal due to some personal reasons. She is currently posted in the Health Department in New Delhi. The Union Ministry of Personnel and Training has approved her request and has given her consent to return to her parental cadre in Madhya Pradesh. She will also soon join the ministry in Bhopal. While, she is currently posted as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Delhi. A 2013 batch IAS officer Ruhi Khan, who was promoted to the IAS post from the State Administrative Service, is going to return to MP before the end of her deputation period at the Centre due to her personal reasons. IAS officer Akash Tripathi served as Indore Collector in MP, served at Power Corporation, Health, as well as Deputy Secretary and Secretary in various departments.

He has been working as the CEO of MyGov in the Ministry of Electronics and Communication, Government of India since October 2022. The Government has written a letter to the central government and requested to send Akash Tripathi back to MP. It is speculated that he would return this month. Moreover, the Union Ministry of Personnel and Training issued orders for the new posting of five IAS officers on Friday. MP cadre Principal Secretary level IAS officer Faiz Ahmed Kidwai has offered position of Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Currently, he is working as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
India lodges strong protest with China over creation of 2 new counties in Hotan region





NEW DELHI :

Creation of new counties will not lend legitimacy to Chinas forcible occupation: MEA to China

INDIA on Friday said it has lodged a solemn protest with China over creation of two new counties in Hotan prefecture, asserting that such moves will not lend legitimacy to Beijings illegal and forcible occupation in the region. In a strong reaction, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said parts of these so-called counties fall in Indias Union Territory of Ladakh and that the Chinese action will have no bearing on New Delhis consistent position regarding its sovereignty.

Chinas announcement on establishing the two counties came days after Special Representatives of the two nations resumed boundary talks that was stalled for almost five years. We have seen the announcement pertaining to the establishment of two new counties in Hotan Prefecture of China. Parts of jurisdiction of these so-called counties fall in Indias Union Territory of Ladakh, Jaiswal said. We have never accepted the illegal Chinese occupation of Indian territory in this area, he said.

Creation of new counties will neither have a bearing on Indias long-standing and consistent position regarding our sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to Chinas illegal and forcible occupation of the same, Jaiswal added. He further said: We have lodged a solemn protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels. The latest irritant in ties came weeks after India and China ended an over four-and-a-half-year border standoff and announced steps to reduce mistrust. Following an understanding reached on October 21, the two sides completed the disengagement of troops at the two remaining friction points of Demchok and Depsang. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks on the margins of the BRICS Summit in Russia on October 23 and agreed to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signalling an intention to normalise the relations.
Para shooter Rubina Francis selected for Arjuna Award

Sports Reporter :

Rubina Francis, an outstanding para pistol shooter from Jabalpur, has been selected for the prestigious Arjuna Award as the National Sports Awards announced by the Ministry of Sports. Rubina made history at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, winning a bronze medal and becoming the first Indian female para-athlete to secure a medal in pistol shooting at the Paralympics.

Her remarkable achievement has brought immense pride to Jabalpur and the entire nation. Rubinas journey began in 2015 when the Gun for Glory Shooting Academy, Jabalpur, conducted a talent search at her school. Recognising her potential, the academy encouraged her to pursue a career in shooting. Despite limited resources and numerous challenges, Rubinas success is a testament to the power of determination and proper guidance in achieving dreams. Rubina is the first para shooter from Madhya Pradesh and Jabalpur to be honoured with the Arjuna Award. She will receive the award from the President of India at a ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17.
Right to property a constitutional right: SC





NEW DELHI :

THE Supreme Court has said that the right to property is a constitutional right and an individual cannot be deprived of his property without him being paid adequate compensation in accordance with the law. A bench of justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan said the right to property ceased to be a fundamental right due to the Constitution (Forty-Fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, however, it continues to be a human right in a welfare state and a constitutional right under Article 300-A of the Constitution. Article 300-A of the Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of his property, save by authority of law.

The apex court delivered its verdict on Thursday on an appeal challenging a November 2022 judgement of the Karnataka High Court in a matter pertaining to land acquisition for the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP). As discussed hereinabove, though the right to property is no more a fundamental right, in view of the provisions of Article 300-A of the Constitution of India, it is a constitutional right, the bench said. A person cannot be deprived of his property without him being paid adequate compensation in accordance with law for the same, it said in its verdict on the compensation related to the infrastructure corridor project.

The bench noted that in January 2003, a preliminary notification was issued by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) for acquiring lands for the project and in November 2005, the possession of land of the appellants was taken over. The top court said the land owners, who were appellants before it, were required to knock at the doors of the courts on a number of occasions during the last 22 years and they have been deprived of their property without any compensation for the same.

It noted there was no delay which could be attributed to the appellants in not getting compensation, but it was on account of the lethargic attitude of the officers of the State/KIADB that the appellants were deprived of compensation. The bench said that only after notices were issued in contempt proceedings, the compensation was determined by the Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO) on April 22, 2019, taking guideline values prevailing in 2011 for determining the market value of the acquired land.
The Colorado Springs Police Department released the body cam footage Friday of the officer-involved shooting on Dec. 14 that left 33-year-old Dean Ackerman dead.

On Dec. 13 at 9:43 p.m., the El Paso County Sheriff's Office received a call from a woman who said her husband was "acting suicidal" and armed with a gun pointed at his head.

When deputies responded, the husband had already left the residence, and a "be on the lookout" notification was sent out.

At 11 p.m., Colorado Springs police officers responded to an active shooter in the 3800 block of Astrozon Boulevard. The individual who called told police his cousin's restaurant was being shot at.

A pickup truck was found in the nearby parking lot with Ackerman inside, holding a gun to his head.

In the body cam footage released, multiple police officers are heard ordering Ackerman to step out of the truck and to drop the gun, at which point he began to make suicidal threats. Police then backed away, attempting to de-escalate the situation.

"Drop the gun, man," one officer can be heard saying. "What's going on? Talk to me."

The man responds, telling police "this is it." Police continue to talk to Ackerman, telling him several times that "it's not worth it."

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Ackerman was determined to be the husband the reporting party initially called about. Additional units was called to the scene due to the active danger to the community and the his ability to drive away from the area.

The department says officers negotiated with him for nearly an hour, during which he fired his handgun multiple times inside his vehicle. Ackerman could also be heard screaming from inside his truck in the footage while officers talk to him. At this point, police asked if the store nearby could be evacuated.

"Nothing crazy has happened at this point, you've had a bad day and I'm willing to talk to you about it," another officer can be heard saying to Ackerman.

After 55 minutes, Ackerman stepped out of his truck with his gun still pressed to his head. One minute later, police say one of the officers on scene deployed a "non-lethal 40-millimeter dense foam round," striking the man in the stomach, causing him to collapse to the ground while still holding the gun.

Several rounds of pepper spray were also deployed in an attempt to get the man to drop the weapon. In response, Ackerman allegedly fired two shots toward a group of officers and a nearby business. Seven seconds later, he fired another round at officers standing closer to him.

At this point, Colorado Springs officers fired back, striking him multiple times before rendering medical aid, including CPR, which was unsuccessful due to the extent of his injuries. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

A loaded handgun was recovered by investigators.

Per Colorado law, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office will be handling the investigation into the police officer's use of force. Those findings will be sent to the Fourth Judicial District, District Attorney's Office to determine if the use of force was justified.

Eight officers with the Sand Creek division were placed on paid leave following the incident.
Rs 22 lakh Loan scam: Young engineer duped by friends sister, accomplice





Staff Reporter :

A young woman and her accomplice, a bank employee, cheated a 23-year-old engineer of Rs 22 lakh. Beltarodi Police have registered a case against the accused and observed that the accused women was using the victims documents to acquire loans from a finance company under the guise of an investment opportunity. The complaint has been filed by Ajinkya Bharat Mahure. The accused have been identified as Sejal Ajay Sadhwani and Rashmi Pradeep Gavai, an employee of HDFC Bank. According to the police, the fraud began after Ajinkya, an engineering graduate, got a job in an IT company in Hyderabad. Soon after, he received a WhatsApp message from Sejal, the sister of his friend Nitish Sadhwani, who pretended to be a Chartered Accountant (CA) student and investment planner. Sejal convinced Ajinkya to invest in the stock market and promised massive returns on his investment.

In January 2024, Sejal persuaded Ajinkya to invest Rs one lakh and promised him a return of Rs 20 lakh. She also asked him to mortgage his shares and deposit money into his account to help her save on taxes, then transfer the funds back to her account. Trusting Sejal, Ajinkya transferred Rs one lakh to her account through UPI. Sejal then asked Ajinkya for his Aadhaar, PAN, and other personal documents, which he provided. A few days later, Rs 9,44,907 were transferred from an HDFC account to Ajinkya, which he deposited into Sejals account. Following that, Rs 4,86,000 and Rs 3,69,000 were transferred from Piramal Finance and Northern Arc Capital to Sejals account.

After the transactions, Ajinkya noticed that Rs 16,000 were deducted from his account. When he inquired, Sejal claimed that her account was temporarily closed, so the money was being deducted from his. However, the situation took a turn when Finance company officials visited Ajinkyas home to collect loan repayments. To his amazement, Ajinkya came to know that loans were taken in his name using his personal documents fraudulently by Sejal and Rashmi. Immediately, Ajinkya filed a complaint with the police. The police have launched an investigation into the matter and registered a case against the accused women.
Unfortunate





IT IS very unfortunate that the Bangladesh authorities are proposing to alter the contents of school text books in the country and erase all mentions and references to the history of freedom struggle and even withdraw the title Father of the Nation for Sheikh Mujib Ur Rehman, the man who has been described to be the undisputed leader of the freedom struggle. It is obvious that the current dispensation in power in Bangladesh has positioned itself as an opponent of those who worked for the freedom of the country from the Pakistani clutches. In other words, the change of attitude can be attributed to an unholy collaboration of the people currently in power in Bangladesh with those in power in Pakistan. In still other words, the current dispensation in power in Bangladesh wishes to refute the truth of history of the countrys freedom.

Indications to this effect were emerging from Bangladesh for the past some time. One of the leading power elites in the country had said, in effect, a few days ago that India did not do much worth mentioning during the freedom struggle and should be considered only as an outside associate or well-wisher of the country during the struggle for Independence. That was , of course, a totally false interpretation of the details of the great story of Bangladesh freedom struggle. For, minus Indias help, Bangladesh could never have won freedom from Pakistan. Yet, the power elite in the country wants to deny this fact of history and possibly wants to script an altogether different story. It is unfortunate that the situation has arrived at such a point when the Bangladesh authorities do not even to recognise Indias tilt towards their own country, making it obvious they wish to snap the umbilical cord with India, a country that made their emergence as an independent country on the world map. Such anti-India elements used to raise their heads occasionally in Bangladesh. But the current uprising was completed with those elements in lead.

This should never have happened. Yet, it must be admitted that the Pakistanis were working silently for long to give strength to the anti-India elements in Bangladesh and finally appear to have succeeded in their dirty designs. So, at least for now, the power machine in Bangladesh is being pushed and promoted by the anti-India sentiment fanned from the distance by Pakistan. There is no doubt that India must be keeping a close watch on these developments, and would take appropriate steps to counter the anti-India forces in Bangladesh. Those steps may not be pronounced ones but enough evidence is available to realise that India is alert and open to correction in stance if necessary as regards its approach to Bangladesh. This has happened in other countries as well -- Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, to name a few. India does not offer knee-jerk reactions to such developments, but gives a considered and calibrated response so that it is India that benefits in the long run (which may be years in international realpolitik). In Bangladesh, anti-India forces have raised their ugly head previously as well. But India only kept a close tab on the developments without giving any hasty reaction. Such an approach needs several factors such as self-confidence, such as faith in ones own method and manner, such as the ability to mend matters if the time came daring India. Most fortunately, India has often maintained a steady and patient approach to such callings in different countries. Of course, Bangladesh is in an altogether different league, having been born because of Indias stewardship. This entails a more close monitoring of the conditions there by New Delhi and a more efficient implementation of the ideas to protect and preserve Indian interests. The situation in Bangladesh, thus, calls for a very no-nonsense handling by India.
Union Carbide waste disposal Protest at Pithampur, 2 attempt self-immolation; police use force





One of the protesters who tried self-immolation in Pithampur during the protest on Friday.

By Bhavana Aparajita Shukla :

Bhopal,

Ongoing protest against the incineration of Union Carbide waste in the industrial town Pithampur escalated on Friday and became more intense as two protesters attempted to immolate themselves. That has led to participation of more people in this demonstration during a bandh called against disposal of Union Carbide waste in Pithampur in Dhar district on Friday. Both the protesters suffered severe burn injuries. Rajkumar Raghuvanshi and Raj Patel, were rushed to Choithram Hospital, where they are stated to be in critical condition. A horrifying video related to this incident has also surfaced on social media.

These two men poured petrol and set themselves on fire, resulting in a stampede-like situation. Heavy police force deployed at the spot tried to stop them but within a few seconds, fire engulfed them. Efforts were taken to douse the flames but the two men suffered 60 per cent burn injuries. Eyewitnesses say everyone was participating in the protest when suddenly two men poured inflammatory liquid on themselves and tried to self-immolate. Both suffered burn injuries on their faces. Some of the people tried to pull off Raj Patels charred clothes and they too got hurt. Nearly 337 tonnes of waste from Union Carbide factory in Bhopal was brought to the disposal facility in Pithampur, 40 years after the Bhopal gas tragedy, but local residents are opposing this. On Thursday, a rally followed by a sit-in demonstration was organised at the Maharana Pratap Square in Pithampur. Residents had called for a bandh on Friday. Thus, a large number of people reached the Maharana Pratap Square to participate in the bandh and raised slogans against Union Carbide.

Police use force: As tension escalated following the incident, additional police force was sent from Indore to bring the situation under control, police said. Police resorted to lathicharge against people protesting against dumping of toxic waste from Bhopal situated Union Carbide factory. Protesters said that administration has misled authorities and higher ups that situation is not so worse. Senior BJP leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said that the disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy must be undertaken after detailed discussions with scientists and experts as it has a bearing on the well-being of citizens. Disposal wont be in a single shot: Official statement says that the disposal process could take 3-9 months. The waste would be incinerated within three months. This period may be extended to nine months.
Vande Bharat Express may begin Bhopal-Lucknow, Patna routes in February





Staff Reporter :

The Vande Bharat Express sleeper rack trial, which began on December 31, 2024, in Kota, is of great significance for Bhopal residents as well. This trial aims to test various technical standards of the Vande Bharat sleeper rack, including coupler force, air suspension, braking systems, and speed on curved tracks. On December 31, the trial was conducted at speeds of 130, 140, and 150 km/h on the Kota-Nagda section. The following day, January 1, the trial was conducted at speeds of 160 km/h, 170 km/h, and 180 km/h over various sections.

On January 2, a stretch of 30 km from Kota to Laban was tested at 180 km/h. This trial is particularly important for Bhopal residents as the Vande Bharat Express is expected to be launched on the Bhopal- Patliputra Patna (Patna) and Bhopal-Lucknow routes in February 2025, once the trial is completed. Additionally, Bhopal is set to benefit from the introduction of the Vande Bharat Express on the Bhopal-Mumbai route in the near future. This development will provide Bhopal travelers with faster and more comfortable travel options. The ongoing trials are being conducted under the supervision of the RDSO team and will continue throughout January. For Bhopal passengers, this means quicker, more efficient travel, enhancing connectivity with major cities like Patna, Lucknow, and Mumbai. The upcoming launch of the Vande Bharat Express will significantly reduce travel times and offer a modern, high-speed train experience.
A top Ethiopian official visited Somalias capital Thursday in the first high-level meetings since relations plummeted a year ago because of Ethiopias plan to access the sea through the breakaway Somaliland region.

Ethiopias minister of defense, Aisha Mohamed, met with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and delivered a message from Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Ethiopias Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement posted on Facebook that both nations had agreed to collaborate on the new African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AUSSOM). However, the statement did not elaborate on the specifics of the collaboration.

According to a statement by Somalias Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Somali Defense Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur told his Ethiopian counterpart that Somalia is willing to consider Ethiopias request for its troops to join the AUSSOM mission.

Ethiopia also said the sides agreed to increase visits and exchanges, with both countries expecting that Somalia's senior leaders will visit Addis Ababa in the near future.

The Mogadishu talks take place after a year of strained relations that began last year when Ethiopia signed a controversial memorandum of understanding with Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, which would provide landlocked Ethiopia with access to the Gulf of Aden.

The MOU was strongly opposed by Somalia's government, which still considers Somaliland to be part of Somalia and not authorized to reach agreements with foreign governments.

Somalia has repeatedly threatened to expel the thousands of Ethiopian troops from the AU peacekeeping mission if it did not renounce the MOU.

The discussions between Somalia and Ethiopia mark a significant step in the ongoing dialogue that began with the signing of the Ankara Agreement last month, which was brokered by Turkey.

A senior Somali government official, speaking anonymously, told VOA Somali that Somalia is expected to approve a limited role for Ethiopia in AUSSOM.

Despite significant troop contributions from Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda that would compensate for the absence of Ethiopian troops, a Somali official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the ongoing discussions with Ethiopia focused on determining the specific roles and areas where Ethiopian troops may be deployed, should they be allowed to join the mission.

During her visit to Somalia, Ethiopian Defense Minister Aisha stressed Ethiopia's commitment to contributing to peace and stability in Somalia.

Combating terrorism is a key area of cooperation between the two nations, the Ethiopian statement said.

Ethiopian troops have helped Somalias government in the past fend off attacks by the militant group al-Shabab.

Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi, speaking in Mogadishu Thursday, said the dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia had been resolved, attributing the progress to Somalia's "tolerance" in resolving the tensions.

Ali Hassan Abdulle writes from Stadthagen, Germany
New man at the Raj Bhavan Eyes on the Secretariat

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A new Governor has come and perhaps this is the first time that the appointment of a full fledged person to occupy the Raj Bhavan has evoked so much interest as now. This is all that more so given that new incumbent Ajay Kumar Bhalla was the Union Home Secretary when violence erupted on May 3, 2023 and he was at the same post till his retirement some time back. In short a man who must be well tuned with the ongoing violence and hence in a position to give a certain sense of direction to how the Government should proceed with dealing with the issue at hand. Early days yet, but the coming in of Bhalla as the Governor of Manipur has obviously evoked a lot of interest amongst the people who have been keenly following the ongoing conflict with more than just a cursory interest. And significantly the interests in his appointment must have cut both ways and there is every reason that Delhi must have zeroed in on his name with a clear agenda. Earn the confidence of the people who are on either side of the clash divide, hear their stories and give the correct assessment could be some of the briefs given by Delhi before he was sent here. These are all assumptions, but assumptions that do not hurt the office of the Governor and certainly not the interests of anyone. Much will depend on how the State Government reaches out to him and it would ne interesting to see how the new Governor jells with the other individuals hand picked by the Centre including Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, DGP Rajiv Singh, the IG of the Assam Rifles (South), IG of Assam Rifles (North), the heads of the CRPF and BSF etc. With Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi already transferred to Delhi, all eyes will be on who gets to be named the next Chief Secretary. Already three names- Prashant Kumar Singh, Rajesh Agarwal and Vivek Kumar Dewangan are doing the round and for reasons which must be obvious to all, Manipur is keenly watching who gets the nod. Even as the three senior IAS officers have been tipped as the most probables to be named the next Chief Secretary, the Naga Peoples Organisation has asserted the need for someone from the Naga community to be the next Chief Secretary. The name which NPO has highlighted is K Moses Chalai, an IAS officer of the 1990 batch and hence senior to the three names doing the round. The NPO has also taken the trouble to spell out how two other Naga IAS officers were left out in the cold when the time for naming a new Chief Secretary came up and mentioned the names of Ameising Luikham and Ram-nganing Muivah, the present MLA of Ukhrul Assembly Constituency. Remains to be seen how well Delhi would take to the stand of the NPO, for remember today it is not the Chief Minister who gets to decide who becomes the Chief Secretary or the DGP, but Delhi.

Other than the seniority question, one merit that stands out in the assertion of the NPO lies in the fact that K Moses Chalai belongs to the Naga community, a community which has remained neutral in the ongoing conflict. It stands that community should not stand in the way of naming anyone to a post as important as the Chief Secretary or the DGP, but given the situation, it perhaps makes sense to appoint a native of Manipur, a native but whose community has remained strictly neutral. How Delhi reads the situation remains to be seen, but the interests of all should be taken into consideration and it would also help for the NPO and other Naga civil society organisations to acknowledge that today key appointments such as the DGP or the Chief Secretary are no longer in the hands of the Chief Minister. It is Delhi which has been calling the shots and there is no reason to believe that this would be any different when the new Chief Secretary is named. The coming in of the new Governor and the yet to be named Chief Secretary will be all that more crucial given that the Chief Minister himself has publicly admitted that the State failed to protect the lives and properties of the people and called for all to forget and forgive the past mistakes. In such a scenario the potential of the Chief Secretary pitching in his or her bit to extend the healing balm cannot be ruled out and this is perhaps where the importance of the next Chief Secretary needs to be seen.
Kpi mob targets PS, SP hurt

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By Our Staff Reporter By Our Staff Reporter

IMPHAL, Jan 3 : A massive protest rocked Kangpokpi against the deployment of Central forces at villages bordering Imphal East today as a large number of Kuki Zo people assisted by armed individuals attacked the SP office today.

It is reported that Kangpokpi SP Manoj Prabhakar got injured in the attack as he was hit by a pelted object on the head. The SP is undergoing treatment at the nearby hospital and his condition is said to be stable

Some police vehicles parked in the compound of the SP's office were also torched by the mob.

Clips of the protesters pelting stones and projectiles at the SP's office and armed individuals in combat fatigues marching the streets of Kangpokpi have also gone viral on the social media.

While some clips showed a mob attacking the SP's office, some others showed the mob praising the individuals who are suspected to be militants marching the streets with sophisticated weapons.

About 15 protesters including men and women were also injured in the incident as the security forces tried to disperse them.

The controversy began when the SP reportedly assured the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) leaders that the Central security forces from the currently deployed at Saibol would be replaced within three hours by forces from Kangpokpi police and Kangpokpi-based Central units. However, as the hours passed without any action, frustration boiled over into fury.

Around 7 pm, the mob marched towards the SP office and attempted to seal the office.

The situation escalated as the protesters pelted stones and other projectiles at the SP's office.

As the situation escalated, the security forces stationed inside the office fired tear gas shells and some rounds in the air to disperse them.

The situation is still tense in Kangpokpi.

Meanwhile, a Kuki organisation has called a shutdown in all areas in Manipur where the Kuki tribes are settled, days after protesters tried to stop Central security forces from dismantling bunkers in the hills. Several protesters were injured.

The Kuki-Zo Council said the economic blockade - stopping essential transport on major roads and National Highways - has been extended till 2 am on Saturday.

The Kuki group's announcement came on a day former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Ajay Kumar Bhalla took charge as Manipur's new Governor.

With input from NDTV
AK Bhalla takes oath as Governor of Manipur

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By Our Staff Reporter By Our Staff Reporter

IMPHAL, Jan 3: Ajay Kumar Bhalla was today sworn in as the 17th Governor of Manipur in a solemn swearing in ceremony held in the Durbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan.

High Court of Manipur Chief Justice Dr Krishnakumar administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed Governor.

After the swearing in ceremony, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla received the Rashtriya Salute before inspecting a guard of honour given by Manipur Rifles and IRB personnel.

Ajay Kumar Bhalla took over the charge of Manipur Governor before noon today.

Chief Minister N Biren, Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker Th Satyabrata, Cabinet Minister Y Khemchand, Th Biswajit, Dr Sapam Ranjan, Khashim Vashum, L Susindro (Yaima), Opposition leader Okram Ibobi, MLAs, Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi, DGP Rajiv Singh, top other ranking civil and police officials and former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam attended the swearing in ceremony.

Speaking to media persons after the swearing in ceremony, Chief Minister N Biren stated that Ajay Kumar Bhalla is a man of word who has insightful knowledge of all major issues of the country and the North East.

Biren exuded confidence that the governorship of Ajay Kumar Bhalla would certainly bring peace in Manipur.

On being enquired about the apology he made through media, Chief Minister N Biren stated that some people have been wrongly interpreting his apology and making dry arguments.

They dont know what my apology really meant. As the Chief Minister, I was expressing heartfelt sadness over the killings and displacement of thousands of people. I was saying its time to forget all these and forgive each other, Biren elucidated.

Those who are politicising my apology have an intention to prolong the crisis, the Chief Minister asserted.

On the other hand, later in the evening, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla along with the first lady and family members visited Shree Shree Govindajee Temple at Palace Compound.

The Governor and his family members attended the Sandhya Aarti and prayed for peace and prosperity of the State.
Gaikhangam speaks out mind on ongoing clash Different from Naga-Kuki clash

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By Our Staff Reporter By Our Staff Reporter

IMPHAL, Jan 3 : Congress Working Committee member and former Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam has stated that the ongoing crisis in Manipur is completely different from the Naga-Kuki clash which took place in the 1990s.

Addressing the media at Congress Bhavan today, Gaikhangam said that the Kuki-Naga clash was triggered by the fight among the militant groups unlike the present crisis.

Saying that the Government of the time took a neutral stance and formed a peace committee having both Kuki and Naga members, he added that the committee members as well as the Naga and Kuki MLAs and Ministers worked together to resolve the conflict.

He also said that the BJP defending the non-visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Manipur till today by bringing up the issues of the past is unfortunate.

The BJP Government is unable to form a peace committee and ascertain the cause of the conflict let alone resolve the crisis, the Congress leader said and asked how the Government will restore normalcy without understanding the cause of the conflict.

Further stating that the State Government has been indulging in a blame game and spreading falsehood to portray the Congress party in the wrong light, he expressed desire for the State Government to show resilience and exercise their authority.

Gaikhangam further expressed desire for the Chief Minister to man up and take necessary steps to build confidence among the people.

If required, the Congress is always ready to mount pressure on the Central leadership together to resolve the crisis, he said.

Why is the State Government unable to seek serious intervention from the Centre all these months, he asked and added that deployment of large companies of Central forces has not helped to resolve the crisis.

He said that the Central security forces haven't done anything worthwhile to end the conflict.
Stop blaming Cong, step down instead: Ibobi tells Biren

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By Our Staff Reporter By Our Staff Reporter

IMPHAL, Jan 3: The BJP Government blaming the Congress party as responsible for the present crisis for not fencing the Indo-Myanmar border and signing the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups is akin to a dancer blaming the stage for his/her awkward movements, remarked CLP leader and former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi and asked Chief Minister N Biren to step down instead of playing the blame game.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan, BT Road here today, Okram Ibobi asserted that Chief Minister N Biren, apart from tendering an apology, must own moral responsibility for the large scale and protracted violence, and step down.

Pointing out that the violent crisis besieging Manipur is now nearing two years, Ibobi urged the double-engine BJP Govern- ments at the Centre and the State to first take up concrete measures to bring a solution to the protracted crisis instead of shirking their responsibilities by blaming the Congress party.

Even if mistakes or wrong deeds were committed by the Congress Government, the BJP Government may correct those mistakes and focus on saving the lives and properties of the people of Manipur. First bring the law and order under control and restore peace, Ibobi said.

Point out the mistakes committed by the Congress Government as well as the corrective measures taken up by the BJP Government. Congress party would sincerely appreciate it, Ibobi said before appealing to the BJP Government to initiate tangible steps so that the displaced can go back to their homes and all the people can live in peace.

It is a matter of shame that the BJP Government has been blaming the alleged wrong deeds of Con- gress for the current crisis.

Claiming that the Congress Government imple- mented a number of development projects both in the valley and the hills, the former Chief Minister asserted that whatever development schemes, projects and infrastructure seen today in Manipur were done by the Congress Government.

The 10 Kms of border fencing which was reported recently was taken up during the Congress Govern- ment. Setting a target of around 10 Kms, the Government started the border fencing project, he said.

BJP Government should give up its notion of taking the people as fools. BJP should never forget that the people of Manipur are not fools, he said.

Reacting to N Birens charge that Kuki immigrants were allowed unrestricted entry and the signing of the SoO agreement between the Congress Government and Kuki militant groups led to the present crisis, Ibobi pointed out that N Biren himself served as a Cabinet Minister of the Congress Government for a long time from 2002.

When a Congress Government was formed in the State in 2002, the State Government urged the BJP Government at the Centre led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to fence the Manipur-Myanmar border. After all, fencing any international boundary is the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs, he said.

It was only after a Congress Government led by Dr Manmohan Singh was formed at the Centre that the border fencing work was initiated in 2010-11.

Out of the total amount sanctioned for the border fencing work from border pillar numbers 79 to 81, Rs 5.03 crore was deposited with the Forest Department as afforestation component. All the details of the Indo (Manipur)- Myanmar boundary fencing are with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ibobi said.

After administrative approval was granted for an amount of Rs 30.96 crore in 2011-12, border fencing was completed for 4.2 Kms in 2013-14 and subsequently Rs 16.38 crore was released.

The border fencing work should have continued if not for the strong protest by ICHAM led by Boy who is the younger brother of Chief Minister N Biren. ICHAM was contending that the border fencing work gave away large chunks of Manipurs territory and the international boundary should be first re-demarcated, Ibobi said.

The State Cabinet then adopted a decision and approached the Government of Indias Director General of Survey and the Myanmar Director General of Survey to re-survey the international boundary. Thus the border fencing work was halted, the former Chief Minister recalled.

The border fencing work did not resume immediately after the BJP Government was formed in 2017. It was only in 2021-22 that the border fencing work was resumed, he said.

In 2025, only 9.2 Kms of border fencing has been completed. Yet, the BJP Government has been deceiving the people as if all the fencing works are done by it, Ibobi remarked.

Manipur and Myanmar share an international border spanning around 398 Kms. Even if 10 Kms is assumed to be complete, 388 Kms are yet to be fenced, Ibobi said.

He then asked if illegal immigration from Myanmar has been stopped completely through the 388 Kms of unfenced border after the BJP Government was formed.

Quoting a report furnished by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the UN, Ibobi stated that large scale illegal immigration from Myanmar to India took place after the military coup and toppling of the Aung San Suu Kyi Government in the neighbouring country in 2020-21.

Pointing out that illegal immigration from Myanmar continues even today, the CLP leader asked the BJP Government not to blame the Congress when it is unable to check the continuous immigration.

It is rather shameful that Chief Minister N Biren was pointing his fingers at Kuki narco-terrorists only to shift the blame to external aggression the next day, he remarked.

It is the Government of Indias policy to bring peace in disturbed areas by signing ceasefire agreements with armed groups. After it was learnt that the Assam Rifles and several Kuki armed groups had declared an unofficial ceasefire since 2005, the then Congress Government signed SoO agreement with the Kuki armed groups in 2008.

The SoO ground rules clearly laid down that the Kuki militants would not challenge the territorial integrity of Manipur, would refrain from extortion, wouldn't attack security forces, would work under the Constitution of India and all their arms would be deposited at their designated camps.

Instead of blaming the Congress Government for signing SoO agreement with Kuki militants including those headed by foreigner Kukis, the double-engine BJP Governments of the Centre and the State can abrogate the SoO agreement and the foreigner Kuki militant leader may be arrested under the Foreigners Act, Ibobi said.

People of the State know very well what the SoO ground rules say and what the Government can do if any group violates the ground rules, he said.

The former Chief Minister asserted that the BJP Government should stop blaming the Congress party for its misgovernance and inaptitude.

The apology tendered by Chief Minister N Biren recently is rather unfortunate. So many people have lost their lives, many others maimed and many still missing. The Chief Ministers apology is surprising considering the fact the incumbent Government allowed the people to kill each other for almost two years, Ibobi remarked.

Recalling Birens admission that there were security lapses and intelligence failure, Ibobi asserted that Chief Minister N Biren should be held accountable for the protracted crisis.

It would be far better if N Biren steps down from the seat of Chief Minister instead of tendering an apology.

Tendering an apology and then keeping quiet is rather shameful, Ibobi continued.

MPCC president K Meghachandra, deputy CLP leader K Ranjit and former Speaker Th Lokeshwar were also present at the press meet.
The body of a missing car driver was found today near the ash pond bank of Mejia Thermal Power Station (MTPS) of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), close to Latiabeni village today morning by local Gangajalghati police station under Bankura district.

The car driver had been missing since last night. The dead body of Dipak Baj (31), a car driver of Latiabani village was recovered today morning by police. Locals alleged that the driver was murdered elsewhere and to hide the crime, the miscreants buried the body in the sand bank of the pond.

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Gangajalghati police dug the mud and sand to recover the body and sent it to Bankura Sammilani Medical College Hospital for post-mortem. Recently, a contractor has started work in one portion of the ponds sand bank.

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A case of unnatural death has been registered at Gangajalghati police station and police have already started investigations and said that they are waiting for the post-mortem report. The dead body was noticed after a payloader, working at the site lifted the sand, exposing the body.

Dipak Baj used to drive the car which was used by the contractor in that ash pond project of MTPS. But since yesterday afternoon he was missing. Even his cell phone was also found switched off. His family lodged a missing diary after he did not return back home.

He was last seen at 4 p.m., said his relatives. We feel he was murdered and buried in the ash pond. We have sought a high-level probe and punishment for the guilty, claimed Jiten Baj, his uncle.
Barely a day after the brutal murder of a Trinamul Congress leader in Malda, a threat poster was found in front of the house of a prominent Trinamul leader at Naoda in Murshidabad this morning. The poster featured the Trinamul leaders photo, which was slashed with red ink. Below the photo it was written: After death, return to Allah.

Additionally, a packet was placed nearby containing bullet shells and a blood-smeared bullet. On Wednesday, when a Trinamul councillor was shot dead in Malda, a threatening poster appeared in the neighboring district of Murshidabad, causing panic in the family of the targeted Trinamul leader. The incident took place in Gangadhari village, under Madhupur gram panchayat, within the jurisdiction of Naoda police station in Murshidabad. The threat was directed at Manirul Islam, a Trinamul panchayat member from the area.

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The packet contained some medicines along with the bullet shells. Notably, just a few days ago, a terrorist was arrested from a nearby village, adding further significance to this incident. Speaking about the situation, Manirul Islam said, Early this morning, someone left bullets, a gun mechanism, and a packet covered in black cloth. It also included my photo, details about how I would be killed, how I would be taken to the hospital, and even the items Muslims need after deathlike attar (perfume) and rose petalswere packed inside. Theyve written that this is the last warning, along with several pictures. I dont know whos behind this.

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Manirul reported the matter to the officer-in-charge (OC) of Naoda police station, and the police have already begun their investigation. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed deep concern over the murder of the Malda Trinamul Congress vice-president and councillor yesterday. In response, Naoda police launched a probe into this latest incident.
After instructions from chief minister Mamata Banerjee to speed up the land acquisition process for the upcoming Deucha Pachami coal mines, which is supposed to be the second highest coal reserve in the world, state chief secretary Manoj Pant and director general of police (DGP), Rajeev Kumar rushed to Birbhum district today.

In her administrative meeting, chief minister Mamata Banerjee was annoyed with the slow work of Deucha Pachami coal mines project, including land acquisition and had even pulled up Birbhum district magistrate Bidhan Roy for the excessive delay and slowness in her dream project, which the state wishes to showcase as a mega coal mining project before the upcoming 2026 Assembly polls.

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She even set a seven-day deadline to the Birbhum DM to settle all the issues. Within 24 hours of the CM directive, a high-level team of the state government held a review meeting and looked at ways to expedite the project construction.

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Today morning, chief secretary Manoj Pant, DGP Rajeev Kumar, advisor to CM, Alapan Bandyopadhyay etc. arrived at Bolpur station by train from Kolkata and rushed to Mohammad Bazar. They were accompanied by P B Selim, secretary of West Bengal Power Development Corporation (WBPDCL) and Kajal Sheikh, sabhadhipati of Birbhum zilla parishad.

Talking to the Media at Bolpur today, Mr Pant said that the team will visit and inspect the coal bearing area and will also hold an important meeting with the local tribal people, whose land will be required for the proposed mega Rs 12,000-crore project.

The meeting with the tribal people has been organised at the conference room of Mohammad Bazar BDO office. ADG (western zone), Ashok Prasad, DIG (Burdwan range), Shyam Singh, SP Raj Narayan Mukherjee, various ADMS and SDOs were also present in the meeting.

A large section of people are unwilling to give land for the coal project in Birbhum. Even those who have already given their land allegedly are yet to receive the full compensation amount.

Work for land acquisition has gone slow, leading to delay in execution of the coal mines project. Besides offering cheques as compensation, the state is also giving jobs.

In December last year DM Bidhan Roy had handed over appointment letters to 1,500 land losers of this project, most of them having been provided jobs, as per the announcement of CM Mamata Banerjee.
Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh will inaugurate the new permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT) Fulia in West Bengal on Saturday.

To preserve the unique identity of handloom and cater to the needs of the technical manpower requirement of handloom industry, central government has set up six technological institutes under the name Indian Institute of Handloom Technology in handloom concentrated places viz Salem, Varanasi, Guwahati, Jodhpur, Bargarh and Fulia. All these six institutes are functioning under the administrative control of Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), ministry of textiles.

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The Centre has sanctioned an amount of Rs 75.95 crore for the construction of a new state-of- the art building, which caters the needs of the students. The building has been constructed using modern technology in a sprawling campus of 5.38 acres of land.

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The building is equipped with modern facilities, including smart classrooms, digital library, computer lab and all kinds of handloom and textile labs such as textile testing lab, textile processing lab, weaving lab equipped with electronic jacquard, general engineering lab etc., this new campus also offers residential facility with staff quarters. In order to ensure the student safety pioneered with a holistic learning environment, separate hostel facilities for boys and girls are also established.

During the inaugural ceremony, the minister will plant saplings under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam drive along with other dignitaries. Medals and merit rank certificates to top 10 rank holders among all the IIHTs in India will be awarded by him.

Unified website for all six Central IIHTs will be launched during this inaugural function besides a book titled Computer-aided figured graph designing for jacquard weaving will also be released on this occasion.

The new campus will be a model learning place and will serve as Centre of excellence in the field of handloom and textile technology and cater to the educational needs of the students from West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Sikkim. The students from the rural and semi-urban background will benefit much as the institute offers excellent employment opportunities. Further, the livelihood of the people of Fulia and neighborhood areas will also be improved with the functioning of this institute.
Sebaashray, an initiative to provide free health service to the residents in Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency has evoked great response from the people.

The initiative has been taken by the local Trinamul Congress local MP and partys national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. This is for the first time when such an initiative has been taken by an MP, anywhere in India.

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On the first day, Thursday, footfall at the 41 camps was 5,689 and 3,340 patients were treated, out of which 2,600 received medicines and 181 were referred to different hospitals.

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Forty one camps have been set up in the Diamond Harbour Assembly constituency. The camps will be held till 11 January.

A model camp has been set up where the visitors can get their eyes tested along with their oral hygiene. The camps will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There was an overwhelming response from the people who stood in long queues to get their names registered. There are help desks to assist patients. Each visitor has been given an unique identification number and a booklet containing dos and donts for blood sugar, kidney ailments etc. Volunteers are guiding the visitors so that they do not face an inconvenience. People from any economic background or political allegiance can visit the camps for a check-up. In case of hospitalisation, arrangements have also been made. The patients will be admitted to either state run or private hospitals. The patients will be given medicines for free along with free medical tests.

An important feature of the camps is cleanliness. After the visitors leave the camps, conservancy workers clean the spaces. There are 1,200 doctors attending the camps.

After Diamond Harbour, the camp will be held at Falta (12-21 January), Bishnupur (22-31 January), Metiabruz (1-11 February), Satgachia ( 12-21 February), Budge Budge (22 February to 3 March) and Maheshtala ( 4-13 March). There will be follow-up camps for five days as well.

A senior Trinamul Congress leader said talks are on and some MLAs are likely to open such medical camps in their areas.
Malda police have arrested five individuals, including a resident of Bihar, in connection with the murder of Trinamul Congress (TMC) leader Dulal Sarkar, also known as Babla.

The arrests took place last night and another suspect was apprehended midday today from a location in Bihar near the Harishchandrapur police station area in Malda, sources confirmed. Police are interrogating the suspects to identify the mastermind behind the crime.

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The TMC leaders have alleged a large-scale conspiracy behind Sarkars murder. Malda district TMC president Abdul Rahim Boxi claimed, It is evident that a conspiracy was hatched to eliminate him politically. The police are conducting a thorough investigation under the direct supervision of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who is personally monitoring the progress. The main culprit will be brought to justice.

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Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb echoed similar sentiments, emphasising that the murder was undoubtedly the result of a well-planned conspiracy.

English Bazar Municipality chairman Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury revealed that five out of six suspects had been apprehended, while one remains at large. We have learned that Rs 10 lakh was allegedly paid to professional killers in Bihar to assassinate Babla Sarkar. One of the killers is from Bihar and carried out the crime in collaboration with local miscreants. The police are working tirelessly to track down the mastermind, Choudhury stated.

On Friday, tributes poured in for Babla Sarkar at the English Bazar Municipality. Firhad Hakim, the states municipal affairs minister, along with several district TMC leaders, paid their respects to the six-time councillor and former vice-chairman. Leaders from various political parties and representatives from business organisations also joined in offering their condolences.

Even Sarkars loyal pet dog stood nearby, seemingly in a somber mood, as leaders gathered to pay their final respects.

Earlier that morning, Babla Sarkars lifeless body was taken from the hospital to his residence. His friends, followers, and admirers broke down in tears at the hospital premises, bidding an emotional farewell. District magistrate Nitin Singhania, municipality chairman Krishnendu Choudhury, and others paid their last respects at the hospital.

Dulal Sarkars funeral procession, accompanied by a massive crowd, made its way to the Sadullapur crematorium. Along the route, his body was taken to the English Bazar Municipality, Malda DSA ground, and Malda Club premises, where supporters and admirers bade a tearful goodbye.

Amidst the outpouring of grief, TMCs Rajya Sabha MP Mausam Noor expressed the need for justice. The brutal murder of Babla Sarkar in broad daylight is unacceptable. The conspiracy behind this heinous act must be uncovered immediately, she stated.

Babla Sarkars untimely death has left Malda in shock, with demands growing for swift action to bring the perpetrators to justice. The investigation continues under close scrutiny from the state government.
Asansol division of Eastern Railway has announced the implementation of its revised train time-table, effective from 1 January. Passengers can now travel from Asansol to Howrah in a few trains in less than two hours and in many other trains within two-and-half hours.

This comprehensive update brings significant changes to train schedules, designed to enhance passenger convenience and improve operational efficiency. Key modifications include revised timings, increased train frequencies, and renumbering of selected services.

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A thick blanket of fog enveloped the national capital on Saturday, causing zero visibility for an unprecedented nine consecutive hours.

This marked the longest such spell of the winter season, lasting from 11:30 PM on Friday to 8:30 AM the next day, according to the weather department.

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The dense fog severely disrupted transportation. Several trains, including the Vande Bharat, Jammu Rajdhani, AP Express, Grand Trunk, and other superfast, express, and mail trains, were delayed due to poor visibility.

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Air traffic in Delhi was also significantly affected. According to Flightradar24, by 4 PM, nearly 335 flights experienced delays of over 45 minutes, including around 230 departures and 105 arrivals. Additionally, 41 flights were canceled, and 19 were diverted.

IndiGo Airlines updated passengers about flight delays through a post on X, stating:

6ETravelAdvisory: Dense fog continues to affect visibility in Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Srinagar, Guwahati, and Patna, even during daytime hours. We understand that the resulting delays and changes to your travel schedule may be inconvenient.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Delhis minimum temperature settled at 7.8C, while the maximum reached 20C. The department issued a yellow alert for Sunday, warning of dense fog in the morning and evening hours.

Furthermore, the IMD predicted heavy rainfall and snowfall over Jammu and Kashmir on January 5, Himachal Pradesh on January 5-6, and light to moderate rainfall in Uttarakhand on January 6. Dense fog is expected to persist across parts of North India late Saturday night through Sunday morning, with gradual improvement thereafter.

As temperatures dropped further, residents of Delhi gathered around bonfires for warmth, while many sought refuge in night shelters. Similar foggy and cold conditions were reported across several North Indian states on Saturday morning.
Amid the exchange of words between AAP and BJP on deletion of voters in the National Capital, the District Election Officer (DEO), New Delhi on Saturday refuted the allegation of Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh wherein the latter had blamed the Election Commission of deleting his wife Anita Singhs vote from New Delhi assembly constituency.

In a post on X, the DEO New Delhi posted, The allegations of Sanjay Singh that DEO, New Delhi, did not provide details of objectors and claimed and is deliberately deleting names of electors from the electoral roll are factually not correct and baseless.

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As per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, the summary of Form 7 (delete of vote) which includes the names of both the objectors and objectee, is shared with all recognized political parties including AAP on a weekly basis. Additionally, this information is uploaded on the official website of CEO Delhi for public access and transparency. Hence, the statement that objectors names are not being shared is factually not correct, it added.

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Secondly, the process of deleting any name from the electoral roll is carried out strictly in accordance with the guidelines issued by the ECI. The process starts with filing of form 7 and in all such cases, thorough field verification is conducted by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), BLO supervisors, and other officers as per prescribed norms. Mere submitting a list for deletion doesnt start the deletion process, the post mentioned.

Citing the example of Anita Singh, wife of Sanjay Singh, two separate Form 7 applications were filed for the deletion of her name. However, upon field verification, the BLO found her residing at the given address, and both Form 7 applications were rejected. Additionally, an FIR was lodged against the objectors for wrongful filing of Form 7, the poll official statement clarified.

It added all deletions are carried out in strict compliance with ECI norms to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the electoral roll.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and their daughter Aaradhya were spotted returning to Mumbai on Saturday after a festive New Year getaway.

The family was seen exiting the Mumbai airport, greeting photographers with warm smiles and New Year wishes.

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The trio kept it casual, with Abhishek donning a comfortable grey hoodie paired with black tracks, while Aishwarya opted for a simple black sweatshirt and jeggings, and little Aaradhya looked adorable in a vibrant blue sweatshirt, adding a splash of color to the familys ensemble.

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Recently, the Bachchans attended an important event at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School, where Aaradhya is a student. The couple was seen supporting their daughter at the schools annual function, accompanied by Aishwaryas mother, Brindya Rai.

The family appeared to share a special moment as they cheered for Aaradhyas performance.

In a heartwarming clip from December 19, the Bachchan family was joined by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan. Abhishek was seen guiding Aishwarya, holding her hand protectively and ensuring her dupatta didnt touch the ground as they entered the event together.

On the professional front, Abhishek Bachchans latest project, I Want to Talk, directed by Shoojit Sircar, hit theaters on November 22.

Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rai Bachchans performance in Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 earned her the Best Actress in a Leading Role (Critics) award at the South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) in Dubai.
The Spider-Man actor Tom Holland is currently in a relationship with Zendaya, and the couple has been extremely vocal about it. From the red carpet to social media, the lovebirds are often seen posing with each other.

However, recently, Tom Holland made a surprising comment about his red-carpet appearance with Zendaya. During a recent media interaction, the actor revealed that he does not have an issue walking the red carpet with Zendaya when the two of them are a part of the same project, however, he does not feel right to accompany her during the premieres of her movies.

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During the conversation, Tom Holland further shared a fun anecdote when he was spending time with his family in England.

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He revealed that during the family gathering one of his cousins asked him to do a backflip. Reacting to this, Zendaya made fun of him by asking if he was still capable of doing a backflip. While he was able to perform the backflip, he ended up pulling every muscle in his stomach.

Tom Holland also shared that he was not able to laugh for weeks after that, due to his sore stomach.

For the unversed, Tom Holland and Zendaya have shared the screen in not one, not two, but three Spider-Man films including, Spider-Man Homecoming, Far From Home, and No Way Home.

These two are all set to once again be a part of the fourth Spider-Man film.

They will also be seen together in Christopher Noplans The Odyssey. The film is a cinematic adaptation of the ancient Greek epic.

The tale has been told by the filmmakers earlier as well. The previous adaptations include, the 1997s The Odyssey, starring Armand Assante and Greta Scacchi, 1954s Italian drama Ulysses, featuring Kirk Douglas, Silvana Mangano, and Anthony Quinn, and Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoches 2024 release, The Return.
The gruesome murder of journalist Mukesh Chandraakar, whose body was discovered in a septic tank in Bijapur, has triggered widespread outrage across Chhattisgarh, igniting protests and intense political debates.

The chilling crime, tied to Chandraakars investigative reporting on corruption, has raised urgent concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists in the state.

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Chandraakar, a fearless journalist known for his dedication to uncovering the truth, went missing on January 1. After an extensive search by police and local reporters, his body was discovered on January 3 in a septic tank concealed beneath freshly laid concrete.

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Investigators believe the murder was motivated by his reporting on Rs 120 crore road project, allegedly plagued by corruption and linked to his relative, Suresh Chandraakar, who is the prime suspect.

The postmortem report revealed that Mukesh was first strangled and then struck on the head with an axe, leaving a 2.5-inch deep wound. His body, submerged in water for two days, had swollen significantly.

Preliminary findings indicate that Mukeshs expose of financial irregularities in the road construction project enraged Suresh Chandraakar and others implicated. The contract had reportedly been awarded to Suresh, further intensifying suspicions.

Police have arrested three suspectsDinesh Chandraakar, Ritesh Chandraakar, and Mahesh Ramteke  in connection with the case. However, Suresh Chandraakar remains at large. His three bank accounts have been frozen, and his properties demolished.

IG Sundarraj P stated during a press briefing that the arrested suspects have confessed to their involvement, though further details were withheld. Special teams have been deployed to apprehend Suresh.

The murder has sparked widespread protests from journalists, civil society groups, and political parties. Journalists blocked National Highway-63 in Bijapur for four hours and held demonstrations in Raipur, Bilaspur, and Sarguja.

Protesters have demanded the implementation of a journalist protection law and the death penalty for the culprits. Press organizations, including the Indian Press Club and Womens Press Club, have urged swift and strict punishment for those responsible.

In response, the government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by IPS officer Mayank Gurjar and comprising 11 members, to ensure a thorough probe.

The case has also fueled political tensions. Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao accused Congress leaders of shielding the accused, citing Suresh Chandraakars alleged political ties. He claimed Suresh had been appointed as a district office-bearer by the Congress.

Former Chief Minister and Congress MLA Bhupesh Baghel countered Saos allegations, asserting that the Public Works Department under Saos leadership was riddled with corruption. Baghel alleged that Mukeshs investigative reports exposed irregularities in a road project managed by the department.

Congress state president Deepak Baij criticized the BJP-led government for failing to maintain law and order, describing the situation as unbearable. Meanwhile, the BJP intensified its attack by sharing images on social media, alleging close ties between Suresh Chandraakar and Congress leaders.

The incident has drawn nationwide attention, with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi condemning the killing and calling for strict action. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it heart-wrenching and unacceptable.

On social media, he assured the public that the culprits would face the harshest punishment, stating, No criminal will be spared.

As Chhattisgarh mourns the loss of a fearless journalist, the case has amplified demands for stronger protections for the press and stricter accountability for those who threaten or harm them.

The nations eyes remain fixed on the state, awaiting justice for Mukesh and a reaffirmation of the commitment to press freedom.
The Congress on Saturday launched the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan campaign over the remarks of Union Home Minister Amit Shah about Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar recently and alleged attack on the Constitution by the BJP-led government at the Centre.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Congress chairman of Media and Publicity Department Pawan Khera, said, On 17th December, Home Minister Amit Shah had made objectionable remarks about Babasaheb Ambedkar in Parliament. We expected that the Home Minister would apologise and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would intervene in this matter. But, PM Modi supported the Home Minister.

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Referring to the recent extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Karnatakas Belagavi, he said, This issue was also raised in the Belagavi meeting and it was decided that we will start Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan campaign in the entire country. Under this campaign, we will set up chaupals in every district and tell people that BJP-RSS have been doing the work of insulting Ambedkar and demeaning the Constitution for decades.

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Khera reiterated the demand to sack Shah from the Cabinet.

Notably, replying in a debate in the Rajya Sabha marking the 75th anniversary of the Constitutions adoption, Shah in an attack on the Congress on 17th December, said, It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken Gods name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven.

Stating that the country will be run by the Constitution, Khera asserted BJP not only openly does injustice to Dalits and tribals in the country, but also weakens their laws. Attacking the ruling dispensation, he further said, BJP is against constitutional and democratic institutions. BJP has always insulted Ambedkar. We will not tolerate this.

Meanwhile, in a post on X, he said the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan campaign will culminate on 26th January with a grand rally in Ambedkar Nagar in Madhya Pradeshs Mhow, the birthplace of Ambedkar.

To safeguard his legacy and values, the Samvidhan Bachao Rashtriya Padayatra will followspanning 26th January to 26th January, 2026connecting villages and towns across the country with a message of unity and social justice, added Khera.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that the growth rate of the agriculture and allied sectors is likely to be between 3.5 per cent and 4 per cent this year.

For this, I congratulate our farmers and ministers of all states, as these results are a direct outcome of their hard work, he said during a virtual review meeting of various schemes with the Agriculture Ministers of states/UTs.

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While reviewing the various works of the ministry, Chouhan said, With new resolutions in the new year, we will take forward the work of agricultural development and farmer welfare at a fast pace. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said from the Red Fort that in his third term, he will work with renewed vigour, three times his strength. We should also resolve to work with our full potential.

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The minister added, Under the leadership of Mr Modi, we will implement a 6-point strategy for farmer welfare and development in the agriculture sector. We will first focus on increasing production and aim at increasing production per hectare or per acre. To achieve this, ICAR will continue to research and release improved varieties of seeds.

We are working in many directions like micro irrigation schemes, mechanisation, use of technology, and new agricultural methods, etc. How to reduce the cost of production along with increasing production? We are working on reducing the cost of production to increase income rapidly, he said.

Chouhan said that the PM has started PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. I am happy to tell you that till now an amount of Rs 3.46 lakh crore has been distributed to 11 crore farmers in 18 instalments. More than 25 lakh eligible farmers were added in the first 100 days of Modi jis third term. The number of people taking benefit of the 18th instalment increased to 9.58 crore, he added.

The Union Minister said that the PM Crop Insurance Scheme is the worlds largest crop insurance scheme. In this, loanee applications are 876 lakh and non-loanee applications are 552 lakh. A total of 14.28 crore (14 crore 28 lakh) farmers have applied, 602 lakh hectare area is insured and the gross insured amount is Rs 2,73,049 crore (2 lakh 73 thousand 049 crore rupees). Four crore farmers have benefited from the scheme. Since the inception of the scheme, Rs 17,000 crore has been given to farmer brothers in the form of claims.

He said, We have a provision of subsidy on fertilisers to reduce the cost of production. Last year, Rs 1 lakh 95 thousand crores were spent. The cabinet decided on January 1 that the provision of Rs 66 thousand crore in the crop insurance scheme has been increased to more than Rs 69 thousand crore. Fertiliser subsidies like DAP will now be available at the price of Rs 1,350 per 50 kg bag, a provision of Rs 3,800 crore has been made for this.

The Union Minister said that many measures have been taken, including the arrangement of loans at low interest on Kisan Credit. There is a provision for Minimum Support Price (MSP) so that farmers get the right price for their production. He said that whatever wheat and rice come, arrangements are made to buy it at MSP. From 2014-15 to 2024-25, 7 thousand 125 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has been purchased.

He said under the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan, 1,60,818.63 metric tonnes (1 lakh 60 thousand 818 metric tonnes) of oilseeds, pulses, and copra were procured. From 2014-15 to 2024-25, 3,338 lakh (33 crore 38 lakh) metric tonnes of wheat were procured for which 2.83 crore (2 crore 83 lakh) farmers were given MSP of Rs 6.04 lakh crore (6 lakh 4 thousand crore). From 2019-20 to 2024-25, 3.6 lakh (3 lakh 60 thousand) metric tonnes of maize was procured for which MSP is Rs 660 crore. From 2019-20 to 2024-25, 41.19 lakh (41 lakh 19 thousand) metric tonnes of coarse grains (Shri Anna) were procured, whose MSP is Rs 12,153 crore (12 thousand 153 crore). From 2014-15 to 2024-25, 171 lakh metric tonnes of pulses were procured, for which 94.51 lakh (94 lakh 51 thousand) farmers were given MSP of Rs 91,892 crore (91 thousand 892 crore). Under MSP, Rs 1,588.48 crore (1 thousand 588 crore) was paid, which benefited 1,33,358 (1 lakh 33 thousand 358) farmers.

The Union Minister informed that under the Agri Infra Fund, lending institutions will give loans of Rs 1 lakh crore. An amount of Rs 51,783 crore (51 thousand 783 crore) has been approved for projects worth Rs 85,314 crore (85 thousand 314 crore) till 2024. Out of this, Rs 39,148 crore (39 thousand 148 crore) has been covered under scheme benefits. An investment of Rs 85,208 crore (85 thousand 208 crore) has been raised in the agriculture sector from the approved projects.

Chouhan said that it is also necessary to pay attention to the legalisation of crops. States are also making better efforts in this direction. Be it grains or horticulture, production has increased continuously. Food grain production was 265.05 million tonnes in 2013-14, which increased to 328.85 million tonnes in 2023-24. Also, horticulture production was recorded at 352.23 million tonnes. Approval to allocate an amount of Rs 99,311.36 lakh (993 crore 11 lakh 36 thousand) to 15 states as central share to promote the cultivation of oil palm in 1.38 lakh (1 lakh 38 thousand) hectare area under National Edible Oil Mission.

The minister said that the main focus of todays meeting is on two things. I welcome all of you to discuss the issues of agriculture in the states. I invite you to talk on every issue. The main objective of todays meeting is that we give suggestions for the upcoming budget to fulfil our goals. For that, we have also talked to farmers and stakeholders. The Agriculture Minister can explain the problems of farmers in a better way. If there is any suggestion or amendment required in relation to the budget and the ongoing schemes, then give necessary suggestions in this regard, he said.

During the meeting, he expressed happiness over SBIs report of the rural poverty rate being below 5% for the first time in the financial year 2024 and discussed it. According to the survey, rural poverty is estimated to be 4.86 per cent in the financial year 2024, which is a sharp decline from 7.2 per cent in the financial year 2023 and 25.7 per cent in the financial year 2012. Similarly, urban poverty has come down to 4.09 per cent in the financial year 2024, while it was 4.6 per cent in the financial year 2023 and 13.7 per cent in the financial year 2012. Recently, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi also said that more than 23 crore people have come out of poverty in the last ten years.

Regarding the crop insurance scheme, he said that the loss was earlier assessed manually through crop cutting but the central government has decided that it will now be done through satellite-based, i.e. remote sensing. This will ensure a correct and accurate assessment of crop loss and the amount will be transferred at the right time through DBT, if any insurance company delays in giving the claim, then it will have to pay 12% interest on the amount. He said that the Centre will give its share of the amount immediately. He appealed to the states to also make arrangements to give money immediately in such a situation. He said that in the interest of farmers, many arrangements are also being made for weather-based crops and many decisions have been taken in the interest of farmers in the recent past.

He also said that in the case of top (tomato, onion, and potato) crops, to bridge the price difference between the producer and consumer states during the peak time of harvesting, the government has decided to bear the cost of transportation and storage for the work done by the central nodal agencies. States should come forward to implement the Price Deficit Payment Scheme as an alternative to oilseeds. For this, the coverage has been increased from the existing 25% to 40% of the state production of oilseeds. The period has also been increased from 3 months to 4 months. Moisture limit in soybean for 2024-25 has been increased from 12% to 15%. So far, 11.41 lakh metric tonnes of soybean has been purchased from 6 states and it is still going on.

Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Dr Devesh Chaturvedi, and other senior officials of the Ministry were present in the meeting.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will visit Mumbai on Sunday.

This is part of efforts to attract investments for the state ahead of the Advantage Assam 2.0 infrastructure summit scheduled for February 24-25 in Guwahati.

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This marks the second edition of the international investor summit since its 2018 debut, which according to the government attracted over Rs 1 lakh crore in investment proposals across key sectors like petroleum, tourism, and IT.

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During his Mumbai visit, Sarma is set to participate in a high-profile roadshow and meet leading figures from Indias corporate sector to explore partnerships.

Taking on social media platform X, Sarma said For the next 3 days, Ill be in Mumbai to meet the leaders of India Inc. and explore areas of mutual collaboration for the upcoming #AdvantageAssam 2.0 Summit. I will also participate in the Road Show to invite potential investors to the land of limitless opportunities  Assam.

To highlight Assams cultural wealth, the summit will feature a grand Jhumur dance performance, involving over 7,500 dancers and artists.

This initiative celebrates the rich traditions of the tea tribe communities and follows Assams recent Guinness World Record for the largest Bihu dance performance.

The inaugural Advantage Assam summit in 2018 drew notable participants, including industrial magnates like Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, and a delegation of diplomats and investors from 23 countries.

It underscored Assams potential as a strategic investment destination in India, particularly due to its proximity to Southeast Asia under the Act East Policy.
In a significant push towards enhancing Indias defence capabilities and fostering indigenous innovation, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to host the Industry Outreach Event 25 (IOE25). The two-phase event aims to create a platform for deeper collaboration between defence industry partners, innovators and start-ups, underlining its commitment to building an Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) defence ecosystem.

The first phase of IOE25 will be conducted online on January 13, offering a series of key sessions designed to inform and engage industry stakeholders. It will focus on critical aspects of defence innovation, including a detailed overview of Atmanirbharta initiatives by the IAF, policies and processes of the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) scheme, quality assurance and certification processes, as well as airworthiness certification and testing procedures for aviation-related systems.

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Notable presentations during the online phase will include insights from the Directorate of Aerospace Design, IAF, the Directorate of Innovation and Incubation (DIO), Ministry of Defence, and leading agencies like the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), CEMILAC (Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification), and the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), IAF.

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The second phase of the event will be held on-site at Air Force Station Guwahati on January 15. This phase will allow direct engagement between IAF operators and industry representatives, facilitating a deeper understanding of operational requirements and identifying areas where innovative solutions can contribute to the IAFs mission. The onsite phase will be an opportunity for companies to showcase their technological capabilities, offering solutions that align with the evolving needs of Indias defence forces.

IOE25 is part of the IAFs ongoing efforts to strengthen its engagement with the defence industry and encourage collaboration on cutting-edge technologies that will support Indias strategic goal of achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
Underlining that ensuring a dignified life for the people in rural areas is the priority of his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday declared his governments firm commitment to building an empowered rural India, providing opportunities to villagers, reducing migration and ensuring ease of life for the people living in villages.

Therefore, he said, the government had implemented a program in each and every village to ensure basic amenities.

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Inaugurating the Grameen Bharat Mahotsav 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam here, Mr Modi highlighted that every house was provided with a toilet as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, crores of people in rural India were given pucca houses as part of the PM Awaas Yojana and lakhs of houses in villages were provided safe and clean drinking water through the Jal Jeevan Mission.

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The PM remarked that those who were born and brought up in the villages know the potential of the villages. He added that the spirit of the village also resides in those who live in the villages.

He said that he was fortunate to have spent his childhood in a small town with a simple environment. He added that he spent time in the countryside later when he left the town.

I have experienced the difficulties and am also aware of the possibilities in any village, said the PM.

He said that since childhood he had observed that although the people of villages are hardworking, they miss out on the right opportunities due to lack of capital.

The PM noted that the farmers were faced with various challenges like natural calamities and lack of access to markets. He added that after having seen all these, he resolved in his mind to tackle the challenges faced by them.

He further added that the development works being undertaken today in the rural areas are inspired by the lessons and experiences from the villages.

Today, Health facilities are being provided in more than 1.5 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to the people, said the PM. He added that Telemedicine, assisted by digital technologies, has ensured the option of best doctors and hospitals for the villages.

The PM highlighted the importance of creating economic policies that take into account every section of the rural society so as to strengthen the rural economy. He said he was happy that over the past 10 years, the government has formulated special policies and made decisions for every section of the village.

He emphasised that the governments intentions, policies, and decisions were infusing new energy into rural India and underscored the goal of providing maximum economic assistance to villagers within their villages, enabling them to engage in farming and create new employment and self-employment opportunities.

The PM highlighted the launch of campaigns like the Swamitva Yojana, through which villagers are receiving property papers. He remarked that over the past 10 years, several policies have been implemented to promote MSMEs. He highlighted the significant contribution of cooperatives in transforming the rural landscape.

He emphasised that apart from agriculture, various traditional arts and skills have been prevalent in Indian villages, such as blacksmithing, carpentry, and pottery. He remarked that these occupations have significantly contributed to the rural and local economy, but were previously neglected. When intentions are noble, the results are satisfying, the PM remarked.

He said these achievements could have been realised during previous governments tenures, but regretted that for decades after independence, lakhs of villages were deprived of basic necessities.
The Odisha Cabinet on Friday approved nine key proposals including the hike in pension amount for the Persons with Disabilities and elderly persons of 80 years of age or above.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi here on Friday.

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State Cabinet have approved the proposal to enhance the pension amount of the eligible pensioners aged 80 years and above or PwDs having disability percentage of 80 per cent and above under both Madhu Babu Pension Yojana and National Social Assistance Programme to Rs 3,500 per month with effect from January 2025, a press note issued by the state government read.

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In another significant decision, the state Cabinet on Friday gave its nod to the proposal allowing the state government to stand as guarantee for the new loans to be availed by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) Ltd.

It is pertinent here to mention that OSCSC, the Implementing Agency (IA) of Paddy Procurement operations and Public Distribution System (PDS) on behalf of the Odisha government, makes the payment of MSP to the farmers within 24 to 48 hours of the purchase of paddy.

The OSCSC Ltd also makes the payment to millers to get the Custom Milled Rice (CMR) out of the procured paddy.

The OSCSC Ltd. incurs all these expenditures by borrowing loans from banks and repays after release of subsidy from the Government of India.

Considering the public interest works of paddy procurement operations and Public Distribution System works are being done by the OSCSC Ltd. on behalf of the Odisha Government, the Cabinet has approved the Provision of Government Guarantee for the new bank loans to be taken by the OSCSC Ltd, added the press statement.

As per the press brief, the Government Guarantee of Rs 17,500 crore is provided for the new loans to be taken by the OSCSC Ltd. for a period of five years.

The Odisha Cabinet in its meeting also approved a proposal to provide additional subsidies for the solar rooftop systems under the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (free electricity scheme) (PMSG: MBY) in the state.

The state government has decided to provide an additional subsidy of Rs 25,000 per Kilowatt up to two kilowatts and an additional Rs 10,000 for third kilowatt under the PM-Surya Ghar scheme.

The Union government is providing a subsidy of 60 per cent of the solar unit cost for systems up to 2kW capacity and 40 per cent of additional system cost for systems between 2 to 3kW capacity under the PM-Surya Ghar scheme.

This apart, the Odisha Cabinet also approved several other key proposals of different departments during the meeting held on Friday.
One of my lifes most cherished letters was from Dr Manmohan Singh in 2019 when he replied, I am very grateful to you for writing a strong rebuttal to the controversy around the Accidental Prime Minister. He had just been done in by one of his own, but for once it wasnt an unhinged politician (who were in any case jumping ships like proverbial rats) but one presumably selected by the man-of-letters himself.

A supposed tell-tale had just come out, Accidental Prime Minister, and it showed the gentle intellectual and leader in extremely poor light. Many moons after having hung up my own uniform, the soldier in me still wanted to stand in defense of my former boss, not because I thought he was infallible, or did everything right, but despite all, he was still an extremely honourable, above-board, and decent man who deserved better. He was indeed made the Prime Minister accidentally, and that perhaps ensured that he was more of a statesman-Prime Minister, and certainly less political or partisan.

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Was he the most thundering or even the most assertive of those who occupied the seat? Certainly not, but in the mould of Vajpayee or Nehru, he was perhaps the most self-effacing, large-hearted, and truly accomplished person that ever rose to Prime Ministership. I was to personally witness that famous brevity, clarity, but deep concern beyond electoral considerations when I was literally given a cryptic three-point brief by him before I took over the responsibility of Administrator and Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as it was reeling from the after-effects of the terrible tsunami. His pan-faced and concise three-point advise (and task) was, Look after the people emphatically, expedite the relief and rehabilitation efforts, and let me know what we can do for the socio-economic welfare of the Islanders.

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I often sent him progress reports a la a militaristic sitrep (as is the wont in the Armed Forces) and found him attentive and concerned whenever I got an opportunity to brief him. Each time he would somehow reiterate the same three points, and I would often wonder how he remembered the specificity of tasks when it came to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Clearly, his pressing agendas not with standing, he never made me feel that what I had to raise or request was ever unimportant. Like him, I too had accidentally stumbled upon the civilian administrators responsibility, and in my own limited way often found the political requests, expectations and language disconcerting.

By training and instinct, political intrigues and blind partisanship were an anathema, especially as I had never held membership of any political party or subscribed to any blindly. Perhaps he found my concerns about certain politicians and policies pertaining to his own partisan persuasion (and from his coalition partners) refreshingly honest. The incident that stuck in my mind and says so much about his own maturity, integrity, and even vulnerabilities, was when once I explicitly shared my discomfort about a reasonably senior politician who was inelegantly name dropping, as is their wont, to pressurize me to do his bidding, when I had declined.

The wise man heard my concern expressionlessly and took some time to arrange his words and then said sagely, Just focus on relief and rehabilitation and dont worry about what they say or imply and then perhaps with a rare little smile he punned on words, General Saheb, hold your guns and never surrender. Suffice it to say, such threats from career politicians continued unabated, but I held on to my guns as it were. I was to overstay for over six years and was entrusted with the additional responsibility for Puducherry. There was never any braggadocio, bluster, or any cheap partisan rhetoric or demand in all those years, an unthinkable prospect today.

The timing of the release of the book (just before the 2014 General Elections) and of a movie based on the same (just before the subsequent 2019 General Elections) is perhaps reflective of the intent, as was perhaps the release of the trailer of the said movie on the official handle of a partisan party. When cancel culture was at its peak, this was an attempt to caricaturize an individual who had in good faith reposed trust onto his selected few and was badly let down. But true to his inimitable style, he never commented then or later. He remained humility personified and added self-deprecatingly that he wasnt just an Accidental Prime Minister but also an Accidental Finance Minister! And as some would say today, thank God for both.

He perhaps knew of his own constraints, compulsions, and limitations, and never resorted to what is normal now ~ aggressive what aboutery, hate mongering or even incendiary sarcasm. He remained measured, professional and honest till his last breath. Importantly, it wasnt just his partisan rivals or individuals from his selected staff who pushed him under the proverbial bus, but also folks from his own party or leadership who dimmed his authority whilst he was in office. But as only an honest man can say profoundly in what was to be the last Prime Ministerial press conference, he said, history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media, or for that matter, the Opposition parties in Parliament, even as his loyalists were blowing away like straws in the wind.

Yet another book, by a truly independent person, i.e., former US President Barack Obama, recalls the simple genius as a man with uncommon wisdom and that when Manmohan Singh speaks, people listen. Hard data suggests that he achieved a lot, but didnt need words to justify his patriotism, himself, or aggrandize his legacy. He was not defined by his success, his rhetoric, his party, or even politics ~ but by his silence, even when he could have said so much more. He was perhaps the finest and last living example of the Idea of India, something riddled with contradictions and failures, but an idea still worth striving for, resolutely constitutional, and forever inclusive. Thank you for your services Sir, India is infinitely poorer for your loss.

(The writer is Lt Gen PVSM, AVSM (Retd), and former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry)
The case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse sentenced to death in Yemen, has raised serious questions about the protection of citizens abroad, the role of the Indian government in handling such cases, and the broader implications of foreign legal systems on our nationals. As this tragic saga unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the challenges that Indians working in foreign countries, especially in conflict zones, face when caught in legal predicaments.

Ms Priyas case is layered with complexity. Initially migrating to Yemen in search of work, she became embroiled in a series of unfortunate events that ultimately led to her conviction for the death of a Yemeni national, Talal Abdo Mahdi, who had subjected her to extreme torment. Her story reflects the harsh realities of foreign employment ~ particularly for women ~ where individuals are often at the mercy of local laws and powerful individuals. In Ms Priyas case, allegations of exploitation, torture, and coercion have emerged, but despite these, the Yemeni judicial system has held her accountable for a crime that led to the death sentence.

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The Indian governments response has been to offer diplomatic support, including exploring the possibilities of blood money compensation or a presidential pardon. However, such options highlight a painful truth: New Delhis reach is limited when citizens face the full brunt of foreign legal systems. The Ministry of External Affairs has stated that it will extend all possible help to Ms Priya, but this statement raises the question of what help truly entails. While the government can push for diplomatic negotiations and legal interventions, such as facilitating the payment of blood money, these efforts are often insufficient against the backdrop of a foreign justice system that may not be entirely transparent or impartial.

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The role of blood money in obtaining pardons also underscores the disparity between what is just and what is politically or culturally acceptable in different legal contexts. Should an Indian nationals fate depend on her or his ability to financially compensate the victims family, rather than the merits of the case? Moreover, the emotional and legal burden on Ms Priyas family is immense. Her mothers journey to Yemen to negotiate a resolution, despite the risks involved, underscores the desperation and helplessness many families experience when their loved ones face serious legal trouble abroad. The Indian governments approval of her travel, given the volatile political situation in Yemen, further exemplifies how complex and perilous the diplomatic process can be when citizens are caught in such situations.

Ms Priyas case is not isolated. It highlights the broader issue of Indian nationals working in foreign countries with limited protection. This case, fraught with legal, cultural, and diplomatic challenges, should prompt a reevaluation of how India addresses its citizens safety and rights in foreign lands, especially in nations where legal systems may not be aligned with Indias values of justice and fairness. Ms Priya is a victim in more senses than one and India must exert its influence to ensure that her life is saved.
The Kerala High Court is set to deliver its verdict on Monday regarding a petition seeking a CBI investigation into the death of former Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu.

A single bench of Justice Kausar Edappagam will announce the decision. The petition was filed by Manjusha, Naveen Babus wife, who has sought a comprehensive probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into her husbands death.

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The High Court had reserved its order on December 12, following detailed arguments from both sides. Manjusha contended in her petition that the circumstances surrounding her husbands death were suspicious and raised serious questions about its cause.

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She expressed doubts about the conclusion that Naveen Babus death was a suicide by hanging, citing inefficiencies in the ongoing investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

Manjushas counsel, Advocate John S. Ralph, highlighted several discrepancies in the investigation.

He pointed out that the inquest report noted bloodstains on Naveen Babus undergarments, yet no mention of blood or related injuries was made in the postmortem report.

This inconsistency, he argued, raises serious concerns about the investigations thoroughness.

The counsel further argued that the investigating officer failed to seek clarification from the medical examiner regarding the bloodstains and the possibility of internal injuries.

Additionally, he pointed out that in cases of unnatural deaths, preserving viscera and blood samples for toxicological analysis is standard practice. However, in this case, neither was preserved or examined.

The petition also raised doubts about the feasibility of Naveen Babu, weighing 55 kg, hanging himself using a small rope. Marks observed on his neck during the inquest were allegedly not mentioned in the postmortem report.

Manjusha accused the former president of the Kannur District Panchayat, P.P. Divya, of influencing the investigation due to her significant political clout.

Divya had publicly accused Naveen Babu of corruption and deliberately delaying the issuance of an NOC for a petrol pump at Chengalai during his farewell meeting on October 14, a day before his death.

Naveen Babu was found dead at his official residence in Pallikkunnu, Kannur, on the morning of October 15. The alleged public humiliation and corruption accusations against him are believed to have contributed to his death.

The courts decision is eagerly awaited, as it could have far-reaching implications for the case and the states political landscape.
Syrias interim Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on Friday described his just-concluded visit to Saudi Arabia, his first official trip abroad in his current capacity, as historic.

In a series of posts on social media platform X, al-Shaibani said that during the visit, he presented to the Saudi side Syrias national vision of forming an inclusive government that embraces all segments of the Syrian population based on partnership and competence, and voiced the Syrian administrations intent to launch an economic development initiative to attract foreign investment, forge strategic partnerships, and improve living conditions.

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He said he also highlighted Syrias potential to play a positive role in the region, cooperating with Arab neighbors on joint policies to bolster security and economic prosperity.

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Meanwhile, the Saudi Foreign Ministry wrote on X that during a meeting between Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and al-Shaibani, they discussed the latest developments in Syria and efforts to address them, as well as ways to support everything that contributes to achieving a prosperous future of security, stability, and prosperity for Syria and its people.

The discussions also focused on preserving Syrian state institutions, enhancing their capabilities, and restoring Syria to its rightful place in the Arab and Islamic worlds, it said, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Saudi minister reaffirmed the Kingdoms support for everything that would achieve Syrias security and stability while preserving its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, it said.

Al-Shaibanis maiden overseas visit, which began late on Wednesday as he landed at Riyadhs international airport, came as Syria navigates a sensitive political transition following the downfall of the previous government on December 8, 2024.

Meanwhile, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot also arrived in Damascus on Friday for high-level talks with Syrias interim administration, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.

This marks one of the most significant Western diplomatic visits since the downfall of the previous government.

In remarks reported by local media outlets such as al-Watan Online and Syria TV, Baerbock said the EU sees potential for a new political relationship with Syria, emphasising that Syrians now have an opportunity to reclaim their countrys destiny after the painful Assad era.

She added that Germany wanted to back the new administration in achieving a comprehensive and peaceful transition of power and aid with reconstruction.

Barrot, for his part, underscored a commitment to bolstering Syrias path to stability, Xinhua news agency reported.

We aim to enhance a peaceful transition that benefits both the Syrian people and regional security, said the French minister.

The two officials are set to meet with al-Sharaa, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Since December 8, several Arab and Western diplomatic delegations, including Americans, have visited Syria and met with the new authorities.

On Wednesday, Omans Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi had emphasised the importance of mutual cooperation and efforts for development and stability in Syria and the region.

During a phone conversation with Syrias interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani, Albusaidi reiterated Omans unwavering support for the Syrian people.

He highlighted Omans commitment to preserving Syrias sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, according to Oman News Agency.

The ministers also discussed the historical ties between the Omani and Syrian peoples and ways to enhance them.
More than nine million children are out of school across Ethiopia due to man-made and natural disasters, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed.

In its latest Ethiopia Humanitarian Situation Report released late Thursday, UNICEF said that more than 6,000 schools have been closed across the East African country due to climate shocks and conflicts.

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The report further noted that over 10,000 schools, representing 18 per cent of schools across the country, have been damaged by conflicts and climate shocks, further reducing the availability of safe and functional learning spaces for children.

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Highlighting the ongoing conflict situations in different parts of Ethiopia, particularly in the countrys Amhara and Oromia regions, UNICEF said the education sector has been devastated.

Over nine million children are currently out of school due to conflicts, natural disasters, and displacement, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ethiopian government often blamed extremist groups for obstructing vital services, such as education and development initiatives, in areas where armed groups are present.

Meanwhile, UNICEF warned that funding shortfall is hampering its humanitarian response in Ethiopia as the country encounters mounting humanitarian needs.

UNICEF continues to appeal for support to ensure that children and their caregivers receive lifesaving support in 2024 and beyond, it said.

Last month, a report released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, had revealed that the number of food-insecure people in the Horn of Africa stood at 64.8 million as of November.

The report said the figure marks a slight decrease from 65 million in October, attributed to improved food supplies following high rainfall in some IGAD members.

Of those affected, 35 million reside in IGAD members, namely Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda, while the remaining are in other Horn of Africa countries, including the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

According to the report, the region hosts over 29 million displaced individuals, driven by conflict and climate-related risks, particularly in Sudan and the DRC. The influx of internally displaced persons is exacerbating food insecurity in many host communities by placing additional strain on their already limited resources.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted additional drivers of the crisis, including economic shocks, drought, and flooding, which are deepening poverty and fueling displacement, malnutrition, and acute food insecurity.

The OCHA estimated that 9.8 billion US dollars is needed to address the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa.
A massive 32 per cent jump in yearly sales was not enough for Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India to surpass Hero MotoCorp in 2024 wholesale numbers. For the year, Honda sold 58.01 lakh two-wheelers. Meanwhile, Hero sold 59.11 lakh units, edging over its rival by at least a lakh more vehicles.



Honda, however, saw a 32 per cent jump in total yearly sales, while Hero saw a 7.5 per cent increase.

Hero MotoCorp was also helped by the electric scooter wave sweeping the country, with it selling 46,662 units of VIDA V1 e-scooters in 2024. Hero CEO Niranjan Gupta attributed the yearly sales growth to the companys 125cc motorcycle segment and the evolving electric mobility portfolio.

Gupta also outlined 2025 plans for the market leader, with new product launches including expansion of the EV portfolio and further strengthening of premium portfolio and new scooter models in ICE segment.

For Honda, December sales alone stood at 3.08 lakh units. For the year, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India sold 52.93 lakh units domestically and 5.08 lakh units through export, according to the company.

The Japanese giant, however, also sells cars in India under Honda Cars India Ltd. Honda Cars sold 20 per cent more units, or around 1.32 lakh cars, in 2024. Despite domestic sales taking a hit, exports more than doubled for the year, riding on the wave of Honda Elevate.

Last month, parent company Honda Motor Co announced its decision to merge with Nissan Motor Co, integrating Nissan and Hondas four-wheel-vehicle and Hondas motorcycle and power products businesses globally.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday approved HDFC Bank to acquire an aggregate holding of up to 9.5 per cent in share capital (or voting rights) in Kotak Kotak Mahindra Bank, AU Small Finance Bank, and Capital Small Finance Bank.



According to the statement from HDFC Bank, the RBI approval for the same is valid till January 2, 2026, and the company needs to ensure that the aggregate holding by its group entities in Kotak, AU Small Finance, Capital Small Finance banks do not cross 9.5 per cent of paid-up share capital or voting rights.

Aggregate holding, according to RBI rules, includes the shareholding by the bank itself and through entities under the same management or control, mutual funds, trustees, promoter group entities, and so on. For HDFC Bank, it houses entities such as HDFC Mutual Fund, HDFC Life Insurance Company, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, HDFC Pension Fund Management, and others.

Whilst HDFC Bank does not intend to invest in these banks, since the aggregate holding of HDFC Bank group entities is likely to exceed the [earlier] prescribed limit of 5 per cent, an application seeking approval of RBI for [an] increase in investment limits was made, reasoned HDFC Bank as to why it applied for a raise in stakeholding limits to RBI.

Meanwhile, Kotak Mahindra Bank announced the resignation of its chief operating officer, Milind Nagnur, from the bank, effective by the end of day of February 15, 2025. Apart from being the COO, Nagnur was also the chief technology officer (CTO) of Kotak.

Bank loans growth slowed for the fifth straight month

Recent data by the central bank also showed that the loan growth of Indian banks dropped for the fifth straight month in November. This trend could also have continued and be evident once the central bank publishes data for December. The moderation in growth was due to lenders reining in unsecured and personal loans following RBIs recent crackdown on such lending. Overall, bank credit rose 11.8 per cent in November 2024, but it was much slower than the 16.5 per cent growth in November 2023 (excluding the HDFC merger), according to the RBI data released last week.

For the month, RBI also posted that personal loans grew 12.2 per cent, slower than in November 2023 when they rose by 22.4 per cent. Meanwhile, outstanding credit card debt slid to 18.1 per cent from last years 34.2 per cent. These statistics excluded the effect of the 2023 HDFC merger.
Even as the Chinese military is investing heavily in modernisation and is even reportedly planning to build the world's largest unmanned military force, it has warned its armed forces against banking heavily on artificial intelligence saying AI should be a tool to guide but not a replacement for human decision-making in the battlefield as it lacks self-awareness capability.

As AI evolves, it must remain a tool guided by human judgment, and strategic adaptability remains at the forefront of military decision-making, an article published in People's Liberation Army Daily, the official media of the Chinese military, said on New Year's Eve.

Observing that AI can be used to augment human capabilities through data analysis, simulations or planning but cannot replace the human factor, the article said it must work in tandem with human decision-makers to optimise command effectiveness. AI should enhance and not replace human agency, it added.

ALSO READ: India's sixth-generation fighter dilemma: Join FCAS or GCAP or focus on fifth-gen ACMA amid China's rise

The article pointed out that human autonomy and creativity are indispensable on the battlefield and said while human commanders can respond to situations dynamically, and exploit enemy weaknesses, AI operates within predefined algorithmic boundaries and its responses often lack originality.

The Daily said PLA preferred a model where humans plan and AI executes in which the technology is used to carry out the strategies and tactics developed by commanders and keeps an element of human oversight.

The military prefers a structure where machines analyse data, provide insights and suggest potential actions. However, final decisions rest with human commanders, safeguarding against errors stemming from AI's black-box nature, the South China Morning Post report said.

The article further pointed out that technology is unable to reflect on its own actions or take responsibility for its decisions, unlike human commanders who can refine their plans in response to the circumstances.

Even advanced systems, such as autonomous missile defence, typically rely on human operators for final decisions to ensure accountability.
Speculation about a potential divorce have been put to rest as celebrity couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, along with their 13-year-old daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan, were spotted together in the Mumbai airport, returning from a family holiday.

The actor and film producer, dressed in a comfy grey hoodie, was seen leading the family out of the airport. He held the car door open for his wife and daughter, till they comfortably settled into their seats. Aaradhya, wearing a blue sweatshirt, smiled as she walked next to her mother. Happy New Year, everyone. God bless," Aishwarya wished, as she entered the vehicle.

Rumours of Abhishek and Aishwarya's separation sparked when they arrived separately for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's opulent wedding in July. Ever since, the media has been keeping a close eye on the couple, analysing different occasions  such as Aishwarya not using her surname Bachchan at an event in Dubai  and making inferences about tension between the duo.

The couple was also sighted together at Aaradhyas annual day school performance in December 2024.

ALSO READ | 'My body, my worth': Aishwarya Rai's video message on street harassment goes viral amid divorce rumours

Abhishek and Aishwarya, who tied the knot in 2007, had their first child, Aaradhya on November 16, 2011. In recent times, their married life has been a major area of scrutiny among fans and the media. Despite ongoing rumours, the couple has remained silent on the same, fueling further speculation about them parting ways.

Recently, Abhishek starred in the Hindi film I Want to Talk directed by Shoojit Sircar. Based on the true story of a cancer survivor, the movie chronicles Arjuns (Bachchan) complicated journey being a single parent to his daughter (played by Ahilya Bamroo).

The actor will next be seen in upcoming projects like Housefull 5 and King.
Actor Ishaan Khatter is slowly but surely establishing himself in Bollywood. The 29-year-old, who made his cinematic debut in 2005 as a child actor in Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!  starring Shahid Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Amrita Rao and Arshad Warsi, made his big Hollywood debut in the 2024 film The Perfect Couple.

The murder mystery series introduced the West to Khatter, many lauding him for his performance in the show. Now, in an interview with the Hindustan Times, the actor said he is proud of being able to represent India in Hollywood. When I was doing it, I knew that there was a very new kind of character for a South Asian actor to get to play, especially someone who's based out of here and not there. You've never seen a young Indian male actor shown in that light in a big Hollywood project. So, it was definitely new ground, but I didn't know what to expect. It was lovely to get that reaction from people. There is definite pride that it broke new ground in a way, and hopefully, we will see much more of that going forward. Its about time.

ALSO READ | Ishaan Khatter on working in Nicole Kidman-led Hollywood series: She is one of the most iconic stars

Khatter was cast alongside big-name actors like Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, and Dakota Fanning. Reflecting on this experience, he said, It felt natural and comfortable because we are all united by the creative process. We are all artistes and creative people, and filmmaking feels like it's a community of mad people that are all akin to each other in a way. What was wonderful was the audience and people around me, especially from the subcontinent. I saw them feeling more pride than even I did, and it filled my heart.

Khatter first gained national recognition by starring in Majid Majidi's Beyond the Clouds (2017), which earned him a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. He also starred as the romantic lead opposite Janhvi Kapoor in her debut in the film Dhadak (2018).

ALSO READ | Bhumi Pednekar Ishaan Khatter to star in series 'The Royals'; Zeenat Aman to appear in special role

Currently, Khatter is filming The Royals, where he stars alongside Bhumi Pednekar. The Netflix series is eyeing a 2025 release.
On January 4, charges were finally framed in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case, by a special MP MLA court in Muzaffarnagar against 19 people including Uttar Pradesh BJP leaders Kapil Dev Agarwal, Sanjeev Balyan, ex-UP minister Suresh Rana and Samajwadi Party MP Harender Malik for violating prohibitory orders and inciting communal tension.

The framing of the charges took this long because it was a pre-requisite that all accused be present in the court together for the charges to be announced. In the interim, more than 1,000 people have been acquitted in 97 cases of rape, murder, arson and robbery by district and sessions courts which are trying the cases that mention names, apart from those of the public representatives who are being tried by the MP MLA court.

In September 2013, over one and a half lakh people attended a mahapanchayat some 20 kilomeres away from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. These people were from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi and had gathered to oppose a clash on August 27 at Kawal village under Jansath tehsil of Muzaffarnagar. Three youths from two communities had been killed over a trivial incident and the incident given a communal colour.

Following the killings, old videos of Hindus being killed in Pakistan were widely circulated as were inflammatory messages. Large meetings and also shok sabhas (condolence meetings) were held for the two Hindu brothers killed in the violence.

(File) People look through the windows of their homes as security forces patrol during an army-enforced curfew imposed in Muzaffarnagar | AP

The police, after the August 27 violence, raided Kawal. The Samajwadi Party government of the day reacted by shunting out the district magistrate and the seniormost police officer, under the guise that the raid had not followed protocol. The dominant Jat population had, however, concluded that they were shifted because of their castes.

Random attacks also happened in the immediate aftermath. The air was thick with rumours that the government was supporting Muslims. Extreme Hindu elements vitiated the atmosphere by further fear-mongering. Videos on how to make petrol bombs and put together arms were also in circulation, as were inflammatory SMSes.

Thus, by the time the mahapanchayat happened on September 7, the atmosphere was already tense.

Inflammatory speeches were delivered at the gathering by former Union minister Sanjeev Balyan, MP Harendra Malik, and state minister Kapil Dev Agarwal. Others who had joined in, included Sadhvi Prachi and Acharya Narsinghanand Yati Maharaj, besides former ministers and MLAs. Some of the attendees at the event carried swords and guns. The running theme in the speeches was how the state government was constantly discriminating against the Hindus.

(File) A policeman holds recovered arms during a door-to-door search operation in Muzaffarnagar | AP

A political slugfest followed with the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav blaming the BJP for vitiating the atmosphere. The Congress blamed Yadavs inactivity for the violence. The BJP had condemned the Samajwadi Party as a self-styled champion of secularism which had overlooked the rights of Hindus.

The police, it is alleged, stood by, doing nothing, both when the speeches were made and when the violence spread. More than 500 FIRs were filed later on, and allegations that the police had received bribes for quashing many of these were also made.

The speeches delivered at the gathering led to the killing of 200 Muslims, while 500 went missing. A further 40,000 migrated from some 50 Jat-dominated villages as per a writ petition filed in the Supreme Court of India later that year. These figures are at variance with inquiries conducted by a Special Investigation Team that pegged the number of dead at 60-plus.

A one-member inquiry commission was set up by the state government, which pinned the blame for the violence on intelligence failure and laxity on the part of top officials.

The Supreme Court, responding to the earlier mentioned petition, had prima facie held the state government responsible for the violence and had ordered it to arrest all those who instigated it, irrespective of their political affiliations.

The said petition had also alleged that many thousand persons including infants, children, women and elderly were without food and shelter in various villages, and no facilities were being made available by the administration. Besides this, huge illegal and unauthorised arms and ammunitions had been recovered in and around Muzaffarnagar. Displaced persons of all communities are compelled to live in shelter camps where adequate arrangements are becoming the problem of survival, read the petition.

On January 30, 2025, the special court will start hearing testimonies in the case.
At least six persons got killed in an explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu on Saturday. In the intensity of the blast, four rooms in the unit were reduced to rubbles.



According to Virudhunagar police, the blast occurred at 9.30am on Saturday and rescue operations are underway at the site. About 84 workers were present in the factory at the time of the blast, said police. The factory was owned by a person named Balaji from Sivakasi and he was operating a firecracker manufacturing unit called Sainath Fireworks on the premises in Bommaiyapuram, Virudhunagar. The factory had 84 rooms and over 150 persons as employees.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Six people died in an explosion that took place at a firecracker manufacturing factory in the Sattur area of Virudhunagar district. More details awaited: Prem Anand Sinha, South zone IGP pic.twitter.com/iEBSl7j6vX  ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2025

As per preliminary probe, police suspect friction between chemicals caused the explosion. Friction between chemicals while mixing them could have led to the blast, police told a Tamil daily. Four rooms including the chemical store room at the factory were reduced to rubbles in the explosion. Earthmovers have been deployed to remove debris from the site. Meanwhile, authorities from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization visited the site and conducted inspections. PESO officials also collected samples from the site.

The deceased were identified as Velmurugan, Kamraj, Nagaraj, Kannan, Meenakshisundaram and Sivakumar. Another worker is undergoing treatment for injuries, police said. According to police, Balaji leased out the factory without following proper norms and the unit lacked safety measures. Police also found that inexperienced persons were employed for manufacturing crackers.

Virudhunagar police has registered a case against four persons including Balaji, co-owner Sasipalan and manager Das in connection with the blast. Police are also on the lookout for two in the case.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin condoled the incident and announced a solatium of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased.
As the campaign gets heated up ahead of Delhi Assembly election, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal alleged alliance between Congress and the BJP. Kejriwal on Saturday urged both the parties to openly declare their alliance.

Taking a dig at Congress, Kejriwal said barring a few mediapersons, people had stopped taking the party "seriously".

He alleged "behind-the-scenes" collaboration between two parties for the assembly polls.

The AAP-Congress alliance, both partners in the opposition INDIA bloc, suffered a major setback after two sides failed to seal an alliance for the Haryana polls.

Meanwhile, AAP has also demanded action against senior Congress leader Ajay Maken for allegedly calling Kejriwal "anti-national".

While attacking the BJP, Kejriwal said that the party had no chief ministerial face or agenda and its leaders are trying to win the Delhi polls by abusing him in the absence of any achievement that they could talk about.

"We are presenting our track record of 10 years and our plan for the next five while the BJP offers nothing but abuses," said Kejriwal.

Delhi elections are slated to be held in February.

Congress has fielded Sandeep Dikshit against Kejriwal in the upcoming elections. At the same time, the BJP has fielded Parvesh Verma.

While daring Kejriwal, Verma said that he hopes that the former Delhi chief minister won't "run away" from the seat.

"I want to take all the people of Delhi to see Sheesh Mahal. I am writing a letter to CM Atishi to open the doors of Sheesh Mahal because the people of Delhi want to see what happened to the tax they paid...I just hope Arvind Kejriwal doesn't run away from the New Delhi seat," Verma told ANI.

Former BJP MP Verma represented the West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency from 2014 till 2024.
In a significant advancement for railway accessibility to Kashmir, a trial train successfully traversed the Katra-Banihal segment on Saturday.

This achievement is a crucial phase leading up to the statutory safety inspection planned for the following week, which will determine when rail services can officially commence in the region.

#Video | Successful trial run on Katra-Banihal section of Kashmir Rail Project! The train crosses the Anji Khad bridge en route to Banihal. #AnjiKhadBridge #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/r4Ab9lcn7Q  newspointJ&K (@NewspointjK) January 4, 2025

"The trial was conducted as part of our safety measures, and we participated in the successful run," Sandeep Gupta, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL), told reporters.

Over the past month, the Railways has carried out six trials on different track segments, achieving significant engineering milestones, including Indias first cable-stayed rail bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge, and the remarkable Chenab Arch Bridge at Kauri, recognised as the highest railway bridge in the world.

Gupta said that the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is set to oversee statutory inspections and trials on January 7 and 8.

"Following this, a report will be submitted by the commissioner, which will inform the next steps regarding the launch of train services to Kashmir," he said He added, "Everything has gone well thus far. We will retread to Katra at a speed of 75 km/h. During the Commissioner of Railway Safety's trials, speeds will reach 110 km/h. This trial is a precursor to that".

A pivotal moment is expected on January 5, 2025, when a special inspection train will run between Srinagar and Jammu to evaluate ongoing railway projects. The union railway minister is also scheduled to personally visit the Srinagar Railway Station that same day to assess the progress of the USBRL initiative. On January 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually announce the creation of the Jammu Railway Division, in an event that will include Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, highlighting the project's significance for the region's development.

Commissioner Dinesh Chand Deshwal will carry out a thorough inspection of the Reasi-Katra section of the USBRL project on January 7 and 8, 2025. This section, known for its difficult terrain, is essential for completing the rail link.

The USBRL project is poised to revolutionise connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir, fostering economic development and ensuring smooth transportation for the region's residents. With these advancements, the long-anticipated rail connection to the Kashmir Valley is becoming increasingly feasible.
Phani Bolla remembers his younger brother as a cool-headed troubleshooter. Whether it was a minor discord in the household, a dispute in the neighbourhood or an issue cropping up on the professional front, he never showed aggression, but pacified the parties in a calm way, according to his brother. Even when my parents had an argument, we knew Ravi Teja would step in and everything would be normal. He would smile and resolve problems, said Phani.

Right from the time he received the news of his brothers death in the early hours of January 1 to the time he oversaw the last rites in their hometown of Tadepalligudem in Andhra Pradesh, Phani and his family members are puzzled by one questionWhat did the 29-year- old do to deserve such a fatal blow to his head?

Teja along with a group of his friends travelled to Goa to spend the New Years eve. According to the version relayed to the family by eyewitnesses and friends of Ravi Teja, an argument had broken out between the Marina Beach shack owner on Calangute beach and the group after they felt that they were overcharged on the night of December 31.

One of the persons in the group demanded to talk to the owner to settle the issue. The owner and Ravi Tejas friend entered into a heated argument following which staff members of the shack attacked the group with sticks.

A female friend of Ravi Teja started recording the incident and threatened to complain to the authorities when staff members charged towards her. Ravi Teja intervened to prevent any harm to the woman and was struck with a bamboo stick.

Ravi Tejas family are not able to digest how he spent the last moments of his life in a helpless state. He was lifted and placed on a bench. The people who were responsible for the attack happily watched him bleed from his head. His friends called for help and tried to get an ambulance without any success. Finally, they carried him till the main road as he bled profusely, and transported him to a hospital, said Phani.

Phanis woes were compounded upon receiving the news of his brothers death as he did not know how to convey it to his father, a lorry driver, who is recovering from a stroke. The family reached out to local politicians who helped in bringing back the body home. What hurts the family most is that Ravi Teja was a Goa loyalist who knew the place like the back of his hand.

When Phani received a message from his brother that he was taking the bus to Goa, he was not concerned as he knew about the travel history of Ravi Teja. In the last few years, he must have gone to Goa at least 20-30 times. He knows the place well. He would just take off to Goa randomly on some occasions. Sometimes, he would even take professional contacts there to host them.

Ravi Teja was in the business of job consultancy. He would act as a bridge between colleges and employers and organise campus recruitment drives in institutions in AP and Telangana. Though not bright in studies, the family always treated him as a smart youngster who was doing well in life. Ravi Teja would shuttle between his home town Tadepalligudem and Hyderabad where he was exploring other businesses.

The family is upset that they havent received any call or updates from the Goa authorities on the progress of the case. They are also clueless on how many have been arrested or what action was being taken. Ravi Tejas friends who lodged a complaint have also sustained injuries and are recovering.

The murder of Ravi Teja comes against the backdrop of an ongoing negative online campaign targeting Goa tourism. A large number of online users have pointed out that the tourist inflow to the coastal state has come down due to local conditions including hostile taxi drivers, high hotel rates and the aggressive attitude of some locals.
Four Army personnel were killed and two were injured when their vehicle fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district on Saturday.

According to officials, the vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge near SK Payen in the north Kashmir district.

The officials confirmed that three soldiers lost their lives and two got injured.

Also read | Five soldiers killed as Army vehicle plunges into gorge in J&K

In a post on X, Army's Chinar Corps said that the Army vehicle skidded and fell into the gorge due to inclement weather and poor visibility conditions.

On 04 Jan 24, while performing duty in Bandipora District, a vehicle of Indian Army skid and fell into the gorge due to inclement weather and poor visibility conditions.



Injured soldiers were promptly evacuated for medical care with assistance from Kashmiri locals, for which we pic.twitter.com/JdSkKgQPjK  Chinar Corps - Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) January 4, 2025

"Injured soldiers were promptly evacuated for medical care with assistance from Kashmiri locals, for which we express gratitude towards the citizens in providing immediate succour," they said.

"Tragically three bravehearts lost their lives in the unfortunate accident. Indian Army extends heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families," the Army said.

Later Army said another solider also died.

Jammu Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. "Deeply grieved by the loss of lives of Indian Army personnel due to a tragic road accident in Bandipora. The nation is deeply grateful for their service and commitment. My condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured," he said in his message.

In a similar incident last month, five soldiers lost their lives after their truck plunged into a 300-foot gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch. At least five other soldiers in the vehicle got injured in the accident.

The Army's White Knight Corps also extended their deep condolences on the tragic loss of the brave soldiers during operational duty.
Maharashtra police on Saturday arrested two more accused in connection with the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh. The development comes a day after the Special Investigation Team interrogated those close to the absconding men.



According to police, the accused Sudarshan Chandrabhan Ghule (26) and Sudhir Sangle (23) were absconding and they were arrested from Dhule, Maharashtra. Dhule police nabbed the duo and they were handed over to the SIT probing the case.

Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, was allegedly abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm helming a windmill project in the region. Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Mundes aide Walmik Karad has also been arrested in connection with the case. Karad surrendered on Tuesday and he has been remanded to judicial custody.

The development comes a day after SIT interrogated three persons regarding the whereabouts of the absconding accused. According to police, those questioned reportedly helped the accused flee after the crime.

The murder has become a fresh flashpoint between the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition in Maharashtra. The opposition has sought Minister Mundes resignation over his aides alleged role in the murder.

The Maharashtra government has announced a judicial probe into the matter and the report is likely to submitted within six months. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said all those directly or indirectly involved in the case will be punished. Addressing the Maharashtra Assembly, Fadnavis said action will taken against Karad if his involvement in the murder is established.
The newly appointed Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Saturday chaired a meeting to review the security situation in the state amid fresh tensions in the region. Bhalla urged cooperation among forces to maintain law and order.

Senior police officials, CRPF, BSF and Assam Rifles officials were present for the meeting.

"The Governor of Manipur chaired a security meeting at Raj Bhavan in Imphal," an official release by Raj Bhavan read.

"Taking stock of the prevailing law and order situation, the Governor reviewed the security apparatus and its arrangements throughout the state, with a particular focus on border areas," it said.

The Governor directed the DGP to prioritise the safety and security of the people and urged officers from the Army and paramilitary forces to extend their fullest cooperation to the administration in maintaining law and order in the state.

Bhalla, a former union home secretary, took oath as the 19th governor of Manipur on Friday.

Amid fresh clashes in Manipur this week, a tribal body in the Kuki-Zo inhabited areas of Manipur on Wednesday imposed an economic blockade as a protest against the alleged action taken by security forces on women in a village of Kangpokpi district.

Though the economic blockage was supposed to end on Saturday, the tribal body extended the protest due to failure on the governments part. Vehicular movement and transportation of essential commodities through the Kuki-Zo inhabited areas were hit due to the blockade.

A clash broke out between a mob led by Kuki-Zo women and security forces in Kangpokpi district on Tuesday, triggering fresh tension in the state.

According to Henlienthang Thanglet, the tribal body's chairman, the Kuki-Zo council will intensify the protest if the women injured in the alleged baton charge by security forces on December 31 were not compensated.

Also, the Superintendent of Police in Kangpokpi district was injured after a mob attacked his office on Friday evening. The failure to remove central force from Saibol village bordering Imphal East district was alleged to be the reason behind the attack.

Several police personnel and protesters suffered injuries in the clash between the security forces and attackers.
The national president of the All India Muslim Jamaat has asked for a stop to alleged mass conversions of Muslims to Hinduism during the Mahakumbh which gets underway in Prayagraj on January 13.



Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aidtyanath, saying that he has come to know of plans for mass conversion during the mela. This, the cleric argues, falls foul of the states Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2024.

In the letter dated January 3, Barelvi argues that the conversion could lead to tension in the state and the country, hence it was necessary that it is prohibited. He has also said that as the Kumbh is a religious programme, the message it gives should be one of peace and amity, and not one that divides society.

If mass conversions were to happen, argues the cleric, it will give radical Muslims and Christian missionaries leeway to conduct their own conversion programmes in the silent manner that they are doing thus far.

Under the 2024 Act, any person who wishes to convert needs to give notice to the district magistrate that s/he is doing so without any force, coercion or undue influence of allurement. The DM is then required to conduct an inquiry into such a conversion to ascertain facts. A person who wishes to convert also needs to present himself before the DM to reaffirm the facts as submitted in the written notice.

News of the conversions emerged from a comment by Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of the All India Akhara Parishad that many Muslims and Christians who were yearning for a return to the folds of Sanatan had been in touch with him. Some other saints have also voiced similar sentiments indicating that people of other faiths want ghar wapasi.
Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamna and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) executive president and MP Supriya Sule recently heaped praises on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The reason behind the sudden popularity of Fadnavis among the opposition is his decision to visit the naxal-affected Gadchiroli district on January 1. He spent the entire day in the district.



In Gadchiroli, Fadnavis expressed his desire to become the guardian minister of the district. The chief minister also said he would work hard to root out Naxalism from the district. Fadnavis also flagged off a bus service from Garde Vada to Aheri so that tribals could benefit from services operated by the state transport corporation.

Interestingly, 11 hardcore Naxals including Tarakka, wife of senior Naxal leader Bhupathi, surrendered in the presence of the chief minister. Tarakka has been part of the Naxal movement for more than three decades.

Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamna carried an editorial on Fadnavis' Gadchiroli visit. The piece titled 'Congratulations Deva Bhau' praises the chief minister's statement that he wants Gadchiroli to become the 'steel city' of Maharashtra, and the plant of Lloyd Industries was a step in that direction.

Maharashtra politics has witnessed a bitter war of words between Fadnavis and Uddhav Sena since the Eknath Shinde government came to office. The war of words intensified during election season. Later, after Fadnavis became chief minister for the third time, Uddhav Thackeray went and met Fadnavis in Nagpur to wish him luck. It is on this background that the piece in Saamna assumes significance.

"When many of his cabinet colleagues are busy squabbling over certain creamy portfolios and guardian ministership of key districts, Fadnavis started work and reached Gadchiroli to launch a new era of development," said the editorial in Saamna.

NCP leader Supriya Sule said that it was her party's leader and former home minister late R.R. Patil who took keen interest in the development of Gadchiroli district and it is very good to see that Fadnavis is continuing the process. She also stated that Fadnavis is the only one who has started working sincerely.
The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) rules, a landmark law that will determine the privacy and how information of Indian citizens online is managed, is on its last leg of processes before being implemented. The IT ministry released the draft rules to the public Friday night, with feedback invited on the MyGov portal from stakeholders till February 18.



After incorporating any updates that may come up during the public feedback and consultation stage, the new law is set to be notified, perhaps taking effect as early as April 1.

[This] is a landmark initiative designed to protect the personally identifiable information of Indian citizens while fostering trust in the countrys thriving digital ecosystem, said Ruchin Kumar, vice president (South Asia) of Futurex, a leading enterprise data security firm. By introducing stringent regulations, it seeks to revamp how organizations collect, store, share, and process personal data.

From the present state of the draft law, individual digital users, called Data Principals, will have greater control over their personal information, with provisions like explicit consent requirements and the right to access, correct and erase data.

At the same time, data fiduciaries, the likes of websites and apps who collect the data, have to obtain consent from users, informing them what data they are collecting and why they are collecting it. They have to ensure the data is secure and inform if and when data breaches take place. They also need to institute data protection officers within their fold, who will have to conduct audits to ensure the new rules are being effectively implemented.

The draft calls for the setting up of a Data Protection Board of India, which has yet to be set up, as well as consent managers who will collect data under prescribed formats.

A possible bigger challenge would be the major procedural implementations across businesses across the country to deal with the new laws provisions, which could possibly delay or even trip it up in the initial stages. This ranges from data processors or consent managers to strong encryption for data both at rest and in transit, with advanced encryption algorithms and secure protocols, according to Kumar of Futerex.

We foresee that businesses will face some complex challenges in managing consent as it forms the heart of the law, said Mayuran Palanisamy, partner, Deloitte India, adding how it will require companies to make changes at the design and architecture level of applications and platforms.

All this will require investments in technology and processes, as well as workforce training. The expectation was that the rules would address implementation challenges, procedural gaps, and areas where the Act required further clarity...(but) there is still significant ground to cover, pointed out Shreya Suri, partner with the law firm IndusLaw.

Though supposed to be modelled on the GDPR rules of Europe, Indias own DPDP took yearsdespite a report instituted by the government laying down a format modelled on the European rules, the first draft of Indias Data Protection bill had caused an uproar inside and outside Parliament, with the sweeping powers it gave governmental agencies to tap and use private data. The bill was then sent to a parliamentary committee, which was also not without drama. Finally passed by the Parliament in 2023 and even the President giving her assent months ago, the government had taken its own sweet time deliberating and fine-tuning the provisions.
Dharampur (Gujarat) [India], January 04: The Hon. Minister of Home & Co-operation, Shri Amit Shah visited the sacred Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram in Dharampur, Gujarat to honour Shrimad Rajchandraji - a spiritual titan whose rich philosophy continues to uplift generations. Shri Amit Shah joined Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji in the pious ceremony of Mahamastakabhishek of Yugpurush Shrimad Rajchandrajis tallest statue as a sign of his profound respect for the great Indian saint, luminary, and a remarkable poet-philosopher of the late 19th century who inked the path of liberation in His powerful writings.



The Mahamastakabhishek, a highly anticipated annual ceremony, is an expression of devotion, gratitude and reverence towards Shrimadji, attended by multitudes of seekers from across the globe. The Hon. Minister also lauded Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji for reigniting a spiritual era and keeping alive Shrimad Rajchandrajis timeless spiritual legacy. Under His visionary leadership, Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur is spearheading life-transforming efforts, taking the essence of Indian values and culture to the world.



The Ashram, headquarters of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur is a sanctuary for those in pursuit of higher purpose. During his visit, Hon. Minister Amit Shah toured the spiritual haven, a recognized pilgrimage site and spiritual heritage destination. He also participated in sacred rituals and offered prayers at the monumental Jinmandir at Shri Dharampur Tirth, which stands as a testimony to the timeless tenets of Jainism for generations to come.



During his visit, Hon. Shri Amit Shah also did pujan of the bricks to be laid for Shrimad Rajchandra Ahimsa Centre, an immersive and transformative space dedicated to cultivating empathy, love, and compassion for all living beings.



On the occasion, Hon. Minister Amit Shah shared, I experienced profound joy and peace while performing the Mahamastakabhishek of the idol of Shrimad Rajchandraji. What a yogi can achieve by retreating into the caves of the Himalayas, Shrimadji achieved while living amidst society, carving out the path to liberation for people. This is a monumental contribution to the world. I offer my tribute to Shrimadji, a great soul and one who is akin to the divine. Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji has initiated a silent yet grand mission to embody the life, wisdom, thoughts, and principles of Shrimad Rajchandraji. Be it spiritual guidance, service, education, healthcare, or aiding those in need, under the leadership of Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur is setting an extraordinary example.



In His address, Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji said, You (Hon. Minister) are tirelessly working towards the preservation of Indian values and culture. To realize the Governments vision of Viksit Bharat by the centenary year of independence in 2047, the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur is aligning its efforts with the Government of India in all initiatives for societal progress and is committed to advancing further. I pray at the feet of the Supreme Lord that through your efforts, the nation prospers, and the dream of a truly developed India is fulfilled.



This historic union of a spiritual luminary and an iconic national leader left an indelible mark in the hearts of thousands of seekers present and millions worldwide watching the live telecast. This event signified that how tenets laid by the great Indian Saints like Shrimadji at the foundation, the nation is charted to truly fulfill the vision of Amrit Kaal.



Watch the official video of Hon. Home Ministers insightful speech during his visit: https://youtu.be/cciQHzLH1II?si=3H_a6WhwOKUzY72i



Video highlights: https:rmd.link/kjehka



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PNN and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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Surat (Gujarat) [India], January 04: Being Exporter, a leading platform for export guidance and support, organised the National Event to Design Year 2025, an event aimed at providing guidance on how to increase exports and maximise profits, on December 29. The event brought together exporters on a single platform, offering insights through group discussions and expert guidance on export strategies.



Bhagirath Goswami, Founder of Being Exporter, said that the event in Surat saw the participation of people, including over 140 exporters from various cities and states.



The primary objective of the event was to unite exporters and facilitate exchange of ideas, forge collaborations, create roadmaps and discuss actionable strategies that can help them achieve their goals, Mr Goswami said.



Participants at the event engaged in meaningful discussions, exploring steps they can implement in the coming year to boost exports and achieve greater profitability. The participants also received expert guidance on steps they can adopt to drive the growth of business.



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PNN and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Adani Wilmar, which sells edible oils and other food items, on Saturday reported a 6 per cent annual growth in sales volumes and a 33 per cent increase in revenue in the December quarter.

Adani Wilmar, established jointly by Adani Group and Singapore Wilmar Group in 1999 markets its products mainly under Fortune brand.

Adani Group recently announced its exit from the joint venture by divesting its entire 44 per cent stake to Wilmar group as well as open market sale.

In a regulatory filing on Saturday, Adani Wilmar said the company "achieved a healthy volume growth of 6 per cent year-on-year in Q3 (December quarter), despite significant price hikes driven by surge in raw material costs".

Revenue grew 33 per cent year-on-year, it added.

"In the edible oils segment, although there was downtrading among consumers, the company maintained its market share by its strategy of having a diverse portfolio of brands at various price points," Adani Wilmar said.

The company reported 4 per cent sales volumes growth and 39 per cent revenue increase in edible oils business.

In the foods category, the company highlighted that key packed products such as wheat flour, rice, nuggets, pulses, poha, and sugar continued to experience robust double-digit growth.

"The integrated distribution model is enabling us to leverage the strength of our oil distribution network to boost the reach of our food products, particularly in urban markets," Adani Wilmar said.

The e-commerce, including quick commerce, sales volume continued to grow rapidly at 41 per cent year-on-year.

The company said its focus on capturing a fair share in south India has continued to deliver strong results, driving over 15 per cent year-on-year volume growth for branded edible oils and foods combined.

"Rural markets continued to drive faster growth for our foods business, fuelled by expanded coverage of rural towns and trial generation through combo offers," the company said.
New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Apparel exporters body AEPC on Saturday urged the government to announce tax incentives, including removal of a provision requiring payments to MSMEs within 45 days to claim deductions and customs duty exemption on garment machinery imports.

The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has also requested that an interest equalization rate of 5 per cent be announced in the Budget, scheduled to be unveiled on February 1 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Other demands include extension of concessional tax rate for new manufacturing units to encourage setting up of new garment units; simplification in the procedure of imports of trims and embellishments under IGCR (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate); and liberalizing e-commerce export procedures.

"Ready Made Garments (RMG) industry has also demanded removal of Sec43B (H) of IT Act in the ensuing Budget which pertains to payment to any MSME companies within a maximum 45 days' time to claim any deduction in tax. This has increased tax liabilities and has disrupted the cash flow of exporters," it said in a statement.

It added that the cap per consignment of export value under e-commerce should be increased to minimum Rs 25 lakh and export realization period should be extended to 12 months.

India's garment export sector relies heavily on imported machinery to maintain quality and global competitiveness, as domestic production is insufficient to meet demand.

"High import duties make Indian garments exports less competitive vis-a-vis countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam. AEPC recommends not only continuing existing exemptions but also reducing the customs duty to zero on remaining garmenting machinery to enhance the sector's efficiency," it said.

AEPC Chairman Sudhir Sekhri said, "The Union Budget is a great opportunity where our demands for long-term policy support can be considered."

AEPC Secretary General Mithileshwar Thakur said there is an urgent need to quickly adopt right strategies to take advantage of evolving supply chain reorientation.

"The Indian apparel sector is on a high growth trajectory and has the potential to outpace global competitors with upscaling of production capacity, channelizing investments into the sector, upskilling of workforce and labour reforms," Thakur said.
New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) The government has permitted exports of two lakh tonne of wheat to Nepal, according to a notification issued on Saturday.

The export is permitted through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in the notification.

NCEL is a company set up with cooperative societies as its promoters.

Though export of wheat is banned to maintain domestic supply, outbound shipments are allowed on the basis of permission granted by the government to certain countries to meet their food security needs and on request.

In a separate notification, DGFT said inputs imported for synthetic knitted fabrics by advance authorisation holders, EOUs (export oriented units) and SEZs (special economic zones) shall be exempted from MIP (minimum import condition).

There is a USD 3.5 per kg MIP on synthetic knitted fabrics, to discourage inbound shipments of cheap fabrics.

"Import of synthetic knitted fabrics...is restricted. However, import is free if CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value is USD 3.5 and above per kilogram. Further, inputs imported by advance authorisation holders, EOUs and SEZs shall be exempted from MIP condition," it said.
Dehradun, Jan 4 (PTI) The Uttarakhand government has procured over 3,100 metric tonnes of mandua at an MSP of Rs 4,200 per quintal from farmers so far in the current fiscal year through various cooperatives and farmers' associations in 2024, thanks to a renewed push to millet cultivation by the Centre and state governments.

A 68 per cent jump in MSP for mandua from Rs 2,500 per quintal in 2021-22 to Rs 4,200 per quintal in 2024-25 also led the farmers to resume mandua cultivation in Uttarakhand, as per an official release on Saturday.

A large number of collection centres for mandua were set up last year at various places with the help of multipurpose primary agricultural cooperative societies and farmer producer organisations to buy Mandua from farmers in remote villages.

In 2020-21, the total number of these collection centres was 23, which was subsequently increased to 270 in 2024-25.

The farmers were given a support price of Rs 42.46 per kg of mandua this fiscal year.

To support the purchase of mandua, the government provided an incentive of Rs 150 per quintal to farmers' unions and Rs 50,000 per centre to the multipurpose primary agricultural cooperative societies.

Mandua is traditionally cultivated in the terraced fields of Uttarakhand but until a few years ago it was a neglected crop due to no support from the government.

However, the joint efforts of the central and state governments to promote millet production has led to an increase in Mandua cultivation as well as the expansion of the area under Mandua cultivation in Uttarakhand.

"Mandua is traditionally grown in Uttarakhand. It is nutritious as well as organic. The demand for mandua has increased after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promoted millet products. Therefore, the state government is emphasising on increasing production by purchasing mandua directly from the farmers. The positive results of this are now becoming visible," Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said.
London, Jan 4 (PTI) Actor Lily-Rose Depp says she felt traumatized and upset after watching her father Johnny Depp's 1990 fantasy movie "Edward Scissorhands".

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar UK, the actor said she was three years old when she was allowed to watch the Tim Burton-directed film, which featured her father as Edward, an artificial humanoid who has scissor blades instead of hands. The movie also starred Winona Ryder.

Lily said it wasn't the appearance of her father's character that made her upset but the way everyone treated him in the movie.

"I was traumatised by it. Not because I thought he was scary, but because everyone was being so mean to him and I got really upset," said the 25-year-old actor.

"I remember being petrified by that, which is weird, because I dont have many memories from when I was that young. Its a difficult childhood memory," she added.

Lily currently stars in Robert Eggers' gothic horror film "Nosferatu", adapted from German director F W Murnau's 1922 silent horror film that was loosely based on Bram Stokers classic 1897 novel "Dracula".

The film is touted as a Gothic tale of obsession between Ellen Hutter (Lily), a young woman in 19th-century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire Nosferatu (Bill Skarsgard) who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him.

Lily drew a comparison between the character of Edward from Burton's film and Nosferatu.

"Edwards the good guy and Nosferatus kind of the bad guy, but theres a part of me that feels a little bit of empathy for Nosferatu. I mean, am I sick for feeling that way," she added.

She also admitted being interested in darker genres.

"As an actor, you hope that your role will be as meaty as can be, so you have as much to dive into as possible. Because nothing is straightforwardly dark, its the most complicated stuff," she said.

"Nosferatu" also stars Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney and Willem Dafoe. The movie will be released in India on January 10.
Tegucigalpa (Honduras), Jan 4 (AP) Honduras President Xiomara Castro's comments earlier this week threatening to stop her country's cooperation with the US military if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on promised mass deportations have generated political heat at home, even as the US government has remained silent.

In a New Year's Day speech on a national television channel, Castro said that if Trump goes ahead with massive deportations, Honduras would reconsider military cooperation with the US.

Faced with a hostile attitude of mass expulsion of our brothers, we would have to consider a change of our cooperation policies with the United States, especially in the military realm, Castro said.

She said the US had maintained a presence in Honduran territory for decades without paying a cent and if Hondurans are expelled en masse that presence would cease to have any reason to exist in Honduras. She added that she hoped the Trump administration would be open to dialogue.

It was just the latest response in the region to early pronouncements from Trump.

His threat to impose tariffs on Mexico if it didn't do more to stop illegal migration and drug trafficking was met with a suggestion of retaliatory tariffs from that government. More recently Trump criticized charges to transit the Panama Canal and suggested the US could take it back, something Panama's president emphatically rejected.

The main US military presence in Honduras is at Soto Cano Air Base outside the capital. While it is a Honduran base, the US has maintained a significant presence there since 1983 and it has become a key U.S. launching point for humanitarian and anti-drug missions in Central America.

It is home to Joint Task Force Bravo, which the US Defense Department has described as a temporary but indefinite presence.

The U.S. Defense Department declined to comment, noting that it pertains to campaign statements and not policy. U.S. Embassy in Honduras did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Castro's political opposition, however, has been quick to denounce the president's comments.

Jorge Calix, a probable presidential aspirant for the Liberal Party in Honduras' Nov. 30 elections, said Castro had put Honduras in grave danger for personal and ideological reasons.

Olban Valladares, a political analyst contemplating his own run for office for the Innovation and Unity Party, panned Castro's threat.

She knows we don't have the ability to threaten the United States in any way, that the damages it would cause Honduras would be terrible, Valladares said. He said the threat could make Honduran migrants even more of a target for the Trump administration. (AP)



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Washington, Jan 4 (AP) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will embark on what is expected to be his final overseas trip in office this weekend, travelling to South Korea, Japan and France.

The State Department announced Friday that Blinken would visit Seoul, Tokyo and Paris beginning Sunday. He will return to Washington early Thursday in time to attend the funeral services for former president Jimmy Carter, officials said.

In South Korea, which is in the midst of a political turmoil following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, and Japan, Blinken intends to highlight the expansion of US cooperation with both nations as part of the Biden administration's Indo-Pacific strategy.

That strategy is primarily intended to blunt Chinese ambitions in the region but also to deter the nuclear threat from North Korea. Political developments in South Korea, however, after Yoon declared martial law and was later impeached, have raised questions about the stability of Washington-Seoul relations.

The US has taken a cautious approach to the uncertainty, insisting that the US-South Korea alliance remains intact and iron-clad. Blinken will speak with South Korean officials about how to build on our critical cooperation on challenges around the world based on our shared values, the State Department said in a statement.

In Tokyo, Blinken will review the tremendous progress the US-Japan alliance has made over the past few years, the statement said. That includes a major arms sales approval announced on Friday under which the US will deliver some $3.64 billion dollars in medium-range missiles, related equipment and training to Japan.

China has repeatedly complained about the potential sale, saying it will affect stability and security in the region, allegations that both Japan and the US reject.

Blinken will wrap up his trip in Paris in meetings with French officials to discuss developments in the Middle East and European security, particularly in Ukraine. (AP)



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Plains (US), Jan 4 (AP) Jimmy Carter's long public goodbye began Saturday in south Georgia where the 39th US president's life began more than 100 years ago.

A motorcade with Carter's flag-draped casket began at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Centre in Americus, where former Secret Service agents who protected the former president served as pallbearers and walked along side the hearse as it left the campus.

The Carter family, including the former president's four children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, are accompanying their patriarch in a procession that will take his remains through his beloved hometown of Plains and past his boyhood home on its way to Atlanta.

Carter died at his home in Plains on December 29 at the age of 100.

Families lined the procession route in downtown Plains, near the historic train depot where Carter headquartered his presidential campaign. Some carried bouquets of flowers or wore commemorative pins bearing Carter's photo.

We want to pay our respects, said 12-year-old Will Porter Shelbrock, who was born more than three decades after Carter left the White House in 1981. He was ahead of his time on what he tried to do and tried to accomplish.

It was Shelbrock's idea to make the trip to Plains from Gainesville, Fla., with his grandmother, Susan Cone, 66, so they could witness the start of Carter's final journey. Shelbrock said he admires Carter for his humanitarian work building houses and waging peace, and for installing solar panels on the White House.

Carter and his late wife Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, were born in Plains and lived most of their lives in and around the town, with the exceptions of Jimmy's Navy career and his terms as Georgia governor and president.

The procession will stop in front of Carter's boyhood home on his family farm just outside of Plains. The National Park Service will ring the old farm bell 39 times to honour his place as the 39th president. Carter's remains then will proceed to Atlanta for a moment of silence in front of the Georgia Capitol and a ceremony at the Carter Presidential Centre.

There, he will lie in repose until Tuesday morning, when he will be transported to Washington to lie in state at the US Capitol. His state funeral is Thursday at 10 a.m. at Washington National Cathedral, followed by a return to Plains for an invitation-only funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church.

He will be buried near his home, next to Rosalynn Carter. (AP) PY

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London, Jan 4 (PTI) The UK royal family were among those leading the tributes as it emerged on Saturday that a British national was among 14 killed in the terrorist attack in New Orleans in the US on New Years Day.

Edward Pettifer, 31, was the stepson of Prince Williams former nanny, Alexandra Pettifer, and the Prince of Wales said in a statement released by his Kensington Palace office in London that his prayers were with the bereaved family.

Buckingham Palace sources said that William's father, King Charles, was deeply saddened by the death and has been in touch with Pettifer's family to share personal condolences.

Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer, reads the statement on behalf of William and wife Kate.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack, it adds.

Pettifer's family said they were devastated by his death.

He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many. We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private, reads the family statement.

Pettifer's father, a former British army officer, is said to have married Edwards stepmother in 1999  shortly after she had stepped down as nanny to Princes William and Harry. The family remained close to the British royal family over the years.

Wednesdays terror attack involved a 42-year-old US army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar driving a rented pick-up truck into crowds along New Orleans' Bourbon Street before being shot dead by police.

Investigations later indicated he had links with the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist network.

Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: Extremely saddened to hear the tragic news that a British man was among those killed during the attack in New Orleans.

We are supporting their family and are united with the US against terror threats, he said.
Washington, Jan 4 (PTI): Republican Congressman Mike Johnson on Friday was re-elected as Speaker of the US House of Representatives with a narrow victory margin of three votes.

The Republican Party has 219 seats in the House against Democrats 215 seats, the smallest majority in nearly a century. After some tense moments Johnson, 52, who represents the fourth Congressional District of Louisiana, received 218 votes against 215 votes that went to Hakeem Jeffries of the Democratic Party.

President-elect Donald Trump congratulated Johnson on his re-election. Congratulations to Speaker Mike Johnson for receiving an unprecedented Vote of Confidence in Congress. Mike will be a great Speaker, and our country will be the beneficiary, he said.

The People of America have waited four years for common sense, strength, and leadership. Theyll get it now, and America will be greater than ever before! said Trump, who will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20.

The US Congress on January 6 would formally certify the November 5th presidential elections that was won by Trump. Outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris will preside over a joint session of Congress to certify that Trump defeated her. This would make her only the third vice president to do so in the past century.

In his acceptance speech, Johnson extended his full support to Trump. "It is the great honour of my life. This is a momentous time in our history," the Speaker said after his re-election. Soon thereafter he swore-in the members of the 119th Congress.

Our people do not deserve to be ruled by millions of bureaucrats they never voted for, never met, and can't hold accountable," he said. "The American people have called on us to reject business as usual and throw out the status quo. We must and we will heed their call," he added.

"In a democracy, there is a time to campaign and a time to govern. The election is over. This is a new Congress. The American people need us as their elected representatives in this season to put down our partisan swords and pick up bipartisan plowshares. Working together, we have the potential to be one of the most consequential Congresses in the history of this great nation," Johnson said.

House Minority Leader Jeffries congratulated Johnson on his re-election.
Washington, Jan 4 (PTI) The 119th US Congress, which formally started on Friday, includes four Hindu lawmakers, marking the largest representation of this religious minority to date.

Only 14 lawmakers, all of whom are Democrats, have identified themselves as from non-Christian or non-Jewish faiths.

In addition to four Hindus, four members are Muslims, three are Buddhists and another three are Unitarian Universalists.

The four Indian Americans who belong to the Hindu faith are Suhash Subramaniam, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ro Khanna, and Shri Thanedar.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, the only Indian American woman to be ever elected to the House of Representatives, has mentioned her religion as unspecified. Dr Ami Bera, the seniormost of the six Indian American lawmakers, has identified himself as a Unitarian.

While Christianity remains the dominant religion, Jews at six per cent constitute the second largest religious group.

The current Congress has 31 Jews.

After Jews, Hindus and Muslims are the distant third with four members each. The Muslim members of Congress are Andre Carson, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Talib and Lateefah Simon.

Senator Mazie Hirono, representing Hawaii, and Hank Johnson, representing the fourth Congressional District of Georgia, are Buddhists.

Derem Tram, the House member from the 45th Congressional District of California, is the third Buddhist in the 119th Congress.

According to CQ Roll Call, 98 per cent of Republican lawmakers identify themselves as Christians, while the figure for the Democrats is 75 per cent.

In the 119th Congress, only three of the Republican lawmakers have not declared Christianity as their religious faith, while the number is 66 among the Democrats. As many as 21 Democrats have preferred not to specify their religious faith.
Bhopal, Jan 3 (PTI) Amid protests over planned disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy in the Pithampur industrial town of the Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has decided to apprise the courts of the latest position on the issue and not to proceed ahead till further court orders on the issue.

The decision was taken on Friday night during a high-level meeting to review the situation.

The state government stands firmly with the people. We will not allow any harm to the public. We will bring the matter before the court and will proceed with any action only in compliance with the court's order, Yadav told reporters after the meeting.

The chief minister has appealed to the citizens not to believe in rumours.

Yadav held discussions with senior public representatives and top administrative and police officials as well as legal experts in the meeting regarding the transportation of the Union Carbide waste and its dumping and disposal near Pithampur.

He said that they have discussed various aspects of the work related to dumping of Union Carbide waste in the presence of deputy chief ministers Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla, senior MP and state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Vishnu Dutt Sharma, Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, Chief Secretary Anurag Jain, Additional Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Rajora, Director General of Police Kailash Makwana, Principal Secretary Law and other senior officials in the Chief Minister's Office.

Yadav said The Madhya Pradesh government is a government that gives top priority to the interests of the public. Therefore, we have always moved forward with the public interest in mind. In compliance with the Supreme Court's instructions and the High Court's order, the Union Carbide waste has been transported to Pithampur.

He said they only transported it while complying with the safety parameters in line with the petitions and orders of the court. The court had given a deadline that the waste should be sent to the designated place before January 4. The court expected its report by January 6.

Yadav said that he took cognizance of the prevailing situation and in such circumstances, if any kind of threat or any sense of fear arises among the public on the parameters of security, then the state government will try to present this subject before the court. Only after this, any further action should be taken, he added.

Whatever order the honourable court gives, we will be ready to follow it. We will not move forward until the court issues any direction, he stressed.

Earlier in the day, protests rocked Pithampur against the planned disposal of 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy, prompting the authorities to clamp prohibitory orders around the premises of the firm where the incineration will be carried out.

During the protests, two persons attempted self-immolation, while sporadic protests continued in several parts of the town amid a bandh call given by the Pithampur Bachao Samiti.
New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI)The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday searched multiple locations in Jharkhand's Bokaro district in connection with the February 2024 attack on security forces by Naxals, according to an official statement.

NIA teams conducted searches at the premises of suspects and overground workers (OGWs) at eight locations, and seized digital devices such as laptop, mobile phones and memory cards, along with SIM cards, pocket diaries and incriminating documents, it said.

The suspects and OGWs whose premises were searched were associated with members of the banned CPI (Maoist) and used to provide logistical support and facilitate extortion of levy money, said the statement issued by the NIA.

The case relates to the unlawful activities of leaders and cadres of CPI (Maoist) and the attack by the outfit on security forces in the forest area of police station Chatro-Chatti, Bokaro.

On the day of the incident, commanders of the banned organisation had camped in the forest area (Sundari Pahari) along with 15-20 Naxal cadres to conspire to commit crime, recruit youth and collect levy, and to attack security forces.

Acting on inputs received, a team of Jharkhand Police and CRPF had initiated a search and combing operation, during which the Naxals had started firing indiscriminately, the statement said.

The security forces had opened retaliatory fire but, taking advantage of the thick forest, the Naxals had managed to escape.

The search operation had, however, led to the recovery of digital devices, naxal literature, and other incriminating articles by the local police, which registered the initial case.

The NIA took over the investigation and re-registered the case in June 2024.
Chandigarh, Jan 4 (PTI) Fasting Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Saturday appealed to farmer outfits in other states to fight the agitation seeking legal guarantee to MSP strongly in their states to send a message to the Centre that it is not Punjab's fight alone.

During his over 11-minute address at the "Kisan Mahapanchayat" at Khanauri, Dallewal tried to send across a message that his life was not more important than farmers.

Seven lakh farmers have committed suicides in the country and he knows what their families have to go through, Dallewal said at the mahapanchayat called by the two forums which is spearheading the ongoing agitation.

The 70-year-old farmer leader was brought out in a stretcher and addressed the gathering of farmers while lying on a bed from a stage at the protest site

He referred to farmers demands, including the MSP guarantee, indicating that he understands the enormity of the task at hand but that does not mean one will sit and do nothing.

Dallewal, who is convener of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), has so far refused to take any medical aid despite his prolonged fasting which completed 40 days on Saturday, which has caused his health to deteriorate.

During the past few days, Dallewal had made an address to the farmers via short video messages, but this was his first public appearance after several days when he began his fast on November 26.

Dallewal, whose outfit was earlier part of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) during its agitation against now repealed farm laws, said, "When we returned from Delhi (borders after the 2020-21 stir), farmer leaders from other states had said Punjab is going back after the repeal of three laws.... We had told them Punjab cannot betray anyone."

"Now, Punjab is at the forefront again. I request organisations of other states with folded hands to fight agitation strongly in their states and send a message to the central government that this agitation is not of Punjab alone but of the entire country, he said.

The entire country needs MSP," said Dallewal, who in between took sips of water and told doctors standing nearby to allow him to complete his speech and not worry about his blood pressure.

He told the gathering, "The way you have come today in numbers. Now, from every village one trolley should reach Khanauri to strengthen this Morcha".

"The battle which I am fighting, it is not me who is fighting. It is being said Dallewal is fighting... It is God's will. The way God wants one to do, we have to do accordingly," he said.

During his brief address, Dallewal said, "The night we got information that police can evict us, the same night scores of youths reached Khanauri from Punjab and Haryana and took charge of the morcha...".

The Punjab government recently made it clear that it had no intention to forcibly evict Dallewal from the present agitation site.

"I have faith that we will win the Morcha. The government may try to use as much force, but they cannot defeat the morcha," he said.

Then going into the enormity of the task at hand in fighting the farmers' battle for MSP guarantee and other demands, Dallewal said, "It is not that I don't understand this.... I have studied, and I know it is difficult. But seeing the difficulty or enormity of the task if we sit doing nothing, then how will things work".

See how much loss we suffered, he said, referring to farmer suicides.

"Seven lakh farmers have committed suicide in the country. If we sit and think it is a difficult task, it will not be achieved, should we let them die. We are farmer leaders, many of our colleagues are farmer leaders," he said.

Dallewal said he does not even care about his life, but the battle has to be fought so that no farmer suicides happen again.

"The Supreme Court recently said that Dallewal's life is important. I had said that day hon'ble Supreme Court I am also human, alright, but what about families of those 7 lakh farmers who have committed suicide. We have to stop suicides in future," he said.

Dallewal thanked the farmers who came for the "Kisan Mahapanchayat" from far off places and said despite doctors not permitting, it was his desire to meet them all.

With three women activists of a farmer organisation killed and many injured in a bus accident in Punjab's Barnala when they were headed to Haryana's Tohana, Dallewal said he has learnt about this and another accident and expressed his deep condolences.

The farmers, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

Farmer leaders had earlier said Dallewal had not eaten anything during his fast and was surviving only on water.

Dallewal, the president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Sidhupur), hails from Dallewal village in Punjab's Faridkot district.

Before announcing his fast-unto-death, Dallewal transferred his properties to his son, daughter-in-law and grandson. His wife died in January last year.

Dallewal's BKU (Ekta Sidhupur) was part of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which spearheaded a farmers' stir in 2020 against three contentious agriculture laws of the Centre that have since been repealed. But it broke away after SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal formed the Samyukta Samaj Morcha to contest the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls.

Dallewal later formed the SKM (Non-Political) by involving like-minded farmer leaders.
New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) Congress leader and former MP Danish Ali on Saturday accused the BJP of tarnishing democracy by fielding ex-MP Ramesh Bidhuri from the Kalkaji segment in Delhi assembly polls after he had used foul language against him in Parliament.

Danish Ali and Bidhuri were members of the last Lok Sabha. A major row had erupted after Bidhuri made some objectionable comments in the House to target Ali, who was accused by several BJP leaders of using derogatory words for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provoke the then South Delhi MP.

The BJP leader had expressed regret for his remarks in a meeting of the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee, which heard complaints from both sides.

Ali was then a member of the BSP and was suspended from the party later. He switched to the Congress later.

"Shameful. By making Ramesh Bidhuri a candidate from Kalkaji Assembly seat, the BJP has again proved that it has nothing to do with the dignity of Parliament and democratic etiquette.

"By rewarding the person who used foul language in the temple of democracy, BJP has tarnished the entire democracy," Ali said.

He said it is clear that the "politics of hate" is not going to stop anytime soon.

"Giving am Assembly election ticket to a hateful person like Ramesh Bidhuri from Kalkaji by BJP is a clear declaration that the politics of hate is not going to stop anytime soon, because when the top level leaders themselves are the product of hateful politics, then they too have to promote the new generation of hateful leaders with the help of this USP," the Congress leader alleged in another post in Hindi.
Chandigarh, Jan 4 (PTI) Punjab Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Saturday sought Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's personal intervention urging that the Centre should hold a dialogue with the protesting farmers to break the impasse.

He told Chouhan that farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike for the past 40 days at Khanauri protest site in Punjab.

Khuddian told Chouhan that being a Union agriculture minister he should take personal interest in the matter.

On Saturday, Chouhan was addressing agriculture ministers of states during a pre-budget meeting. Khuddian, who joined the meeting through video-conferencing, raised the matter related to the protesting farmers.

Khuddian, who is Punjab's Agriculture Minister, also told Chouhan that the latter has remained Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

He said states have many hopes towards the Centre and hoped that he will make personal intervention and will contribute in the present matter.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is on an indefinite hunger strike for 40 days over farmers' various demands including seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Farmers, on a warpath against the BJP-led Centre over their demands, had last week called for a "Kisan Mahapanchayat" at Khanauri on Saturday.

The farmers, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

Dallewal (70) has so far refused to take any medical aid despite his prolonged fasting, which has caused his health to deteriorate.

Asked about holding talks with the protesting farmers to end the logjam, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday that the government will act in accordance with the Supreme Court's instructions on the ongoing farmers' protest at the Punjab-Haryana border.

Farmer leaders had earlier said Dallewal had not eaten anything during his fast and was surviving only on water.
New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Saturday said it has attached assets worth a few crores of rupees as part of an alleged disproportionate assets linked money laundering case against a late DIG of Bhopal Jail in Madhya Pradesh.

A provisional order has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the name of deputy inspector general (DIG) Umesh Kumar Gandhi, his family members and associates, the federal probe agency said in a statement.

The value of the attached properties is Rs 4.68 crore and these include 20 immovable properties located in various districts of the state like Sagar, Katni, Sehore, Bhopal and Indore apart from movable assets like bank deposits, jewellery, insurance policies, mutual funds and 'Kisan Vikas Patras', it said.

The money laundering against the late DIG stems from an FIR and two charge sheets filed by the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta (special police establishment) against Gandhi, his wife Archana Gandhi and Ajay Kumar Gandhi, a former guard of the Sehore district jail, for "amassing disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 5.13 crore".
Ranchi, Jan 4 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key accused involved in collecting money to promote the ideology of a banned CPI (Maoist) outfit in Jharkhand, according to an official statement.

Bachha Singh alias Bachha Babu Singh, a resident of Govindpur(B) in district Bokaro of Jharkhand was apprehended by the NIA on Friday, it said.

NIA, which took over the case from the Anandpur Police in August 2023 found that Bachha Singh was the Secretary of Majdoor Sanghatan Samiti (MSS), currently banned by the Jharkhand state government, the statement issued by the NIA read.

The accused was actively associated with the proscribed terrorist organisation CPI (Maoist) and its top leaders, it said.

"He was involved in the collection of money to promote the outfit's ideology and strengthen its activities in Jharkhand and other places," the statement said.

The case was originally registered by the local police in July 2022 following the arrest of three CPI (Maoist) cadres in the Chaibasa district of Jharkhand, when they were on their way to meet Misir Besra, a Polit Bureau member of CPI (Maoist), to deliver letters written by Maoists Lajim Ansari and Saurabh, it said.
New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) A 14-year-old student was allegedly stabbed to death outside his school in east Delhi's Shakarpur area with police apprehending seven people, including three schoolmates, officials said on Saturday.

The alleged incident took place around 6 pm on Friday after an altercation between the victim, who is in Class 9, and some other students, the police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Abhishek Dhania said seven people, including five juveniles, were nabbed. The suspects were planning to flee the city when they were apprehended.

The police also recovered the knife used in the murder and other critical evidence, the officer said.

"Investigations revealed that during a break at 4 pm, a classmate of the victim allegedly borrowed a mobile phone and made a call. The accused classmate allegedly discussed a dispute with the victim and instructed the person on the line to 'send people'," the DCP said.

Around 6 pm, as the students left the school, the accused classmate was seen waiting outside with a group.

The situation escalated when another juvenile, an accomplice of the accused student, stabbed the victim in his right thigh, causing severe injuries. The attackers then fled the spot, Dhania said.

School staff immediately administered first aid and took the victim student to Hedgewar hospital. He was referred to GTB Hospital due to the severity of the injuries but he succumbed, the police said.

Three specialised teams conducted extensive review of CCTV camera footage, interviewed witnesses and analysed technical evidence to identify the suspects, Dhania said. "Their coordinated efforts led to the apprehension of all seven accused while they attempted to escape."

Among those apprehended were five juveniles and two adults -- college student Saarthi (19) and dairy shop owner Aman Kumar (31).

Critical evidence, including the accused's blood-stained clothes and shoes and the knife and its cover, were seized. The police are investigating the specific roles and motives of each individual involved, Dhania said.

Police said that CCTV footage is being checked to understand the sequence of the events.
Chandigarh, Jan 4 (PTI) Punjab Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Saturday sought Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's personal intervention urging that the Centre should hold a dialogue with the protesting farmers at the earliest to break the impasse.

He told Chouhan that farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is sitting on an indefinite hunger strike for the past 40 days at Khanauri protest site in Punjab.

He said being a Union agriculture minister, Chouhan should take personal interest in the matter.

During a virtual meeting, Chouhan on Saturday reviewed various schemes with state agriculture ministers and sought their suggestions on ongoing programmes and budget allocation ahead of the Union Budget.

Punjab's Agriculture Minister Khuddian, who joined the meeting through video-conferencing, raised the matter related to the protesting farmers and some other issues.

Khuddian also told Chouhan that the latter has remained Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

He said states have many hopes towards the Centre and hoped that he will make personal intervention and will contribute in the present matter.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal is on an indefinite hunger strike for 40 days over farmers' various demands including seeking a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

Farmers, on a warpath against the BJP-led Centre over their demands, held a "Kisan Mahapanchayat" at Khanauri on Saturday.

Meanwhile, according to a Punjab government statement, Khuddian said, it is imperative that the Centre should take immediate action to address the grievances of farmers and save Dallewal's life.

He reiterated that the Punjab Government supports the farmers' legitimate demands, it said.

The farmers, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.

Dallewal (70) has so far refused to take any medical aid despite his prolonged fasting, which has caused his health to deteriorate.

Asked about holding talks with the protesting farmers to end the logjam, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday that the government will act in accordance with the Supreme Court's instructions on the ongoing farmers' protest at the Punjab-Haryana border.

Farmer leaders had earlier said Dallewal had not eaten anything during his fast and was surviving only on water.

Meanwhile, raising another issue in the meeting, Khuddian sought Rs 15,000 per acre for the farmers as gap funding for providing returns over the variable cost of alternative crops to wean away them from the water-guzzling paddy crop.

He emphasised that since, the fast depleting underground water and climate change in the region are major cause of concerns and there is an emergent need to shift maximum area from paddy to another alternative crops-- maize, cotton, kharif pulses and oilseed crops under crop diversification scheme so that farmers can get profit equal to paddy.

The AAP leader also suggested that the Centre should come forward to hold the arm of the state farmers by offering financial assistance of Rs 2,500 per acre to the farmers for managing paddy straw scientifically.

Khuddian sought go ahead for the cultivation of BG 3 hybrid seeds, which are pink bollworm and whitefly resistant, in the state as over a few years there have been many pest attacks, he said.

Apart from this, subsidy should be given under centrally sponsored schemes on improved cotton hybrid seeds to revive cotton production in the state, he said.
Lucknow, Jan 4 (PTI) The kidnapped manager of Jio Fiber posted in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras was rescued on Saturday after an encounter between the police and the abductors, one of whom was injured during the exchange of fire, an official said.

The operation was carried out in Moradabad by a joint team of the Noida unit of Uttar Pradesh STF (Special Task Force) and Hathras police.

Abhinav Bhardwaj was kidnapped for ransom in Hathras district on January 1 and a case was registered at Hathras Gate police station, said Additional Director General of Police (STF and Law & Order) Amitabh Yash.

"On Saturday, a joint team of the Noida unit of UP STF and Hathras district police engaged in an encounter with the kidnappers in the Civil Lines police station area of Moradabad district, in which Bhardwaj was safely rescued. During the encounter, a miscreant named Vishal was shot near the neck," Yash said.

Apart from Vishal, police arrested two more of his co-accused -- Sujal Kumar and Karan Bisht.

The car used in the crime, along with Rs 50,000 in cash and other items were recovered from the accused and the injured has been admitted to the hospital, police said.
Dharamsala, Jan 4 (PTI) Starting March 30, new air services will connect Dharamsala's Gaggal Airport with Noida, Jaipur and Dehradun to cater to the growing number of people visiting the popular tourist destination in Himachal Pradesh.

The current flight network from the airport connects Dharamsala with Delhi, Chandigarh and Shimla.

Of the three new destinations, the Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar is expected to begin operations by April 2025.

"We are expanding our operations to meet passenger demand and will operate in two shifts from March 30, enabling uninterrupted flights from sunrise to sunset," Gaggal Airport director Dhirendra Singh said.

Currently, the airport operates six daily flights, which are expected to go up to 10 during the summer months. To accommodate evening services, efforts are underway to increase the number of staff besides strengthening the security arrangements in collaboration with the state police.

Singh also shared plans for the airport's expansion to allow larger aircraft like Airbus 320 and Boeing models to land there.

The upgradation will facilitate connections to metro cities such as Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Ahmedabad in the future, potentially reducing travel costs for the passengers.

Notably, there has been a long-standing demand to connect the airport with Amritsar and Buddhist pilgrimage sites such as Bodh Gaya in Bihar.

Recently, Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who's based in McLeodganj near Dharamsala, also batted for linking the Gaggal Airport with other Buddhist destinations.
Lucknow, Jan 3 (PTI) A special NIA court here sentenced 28 convicts to life imprisonment on Friday in connection with the Kasganj violence case.

Special judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi also imposed a fine of Rs 80,000 on each convict.

On January 2, the special NIA court here convicted 28 people in connection with the murder of Chandan Gupta, who was shot dead in a communal clash that broke out during a 2018 Tiranga Yatra in Kasganj. The accused were convicted on charges of murder, attempted murder, rioting and insulting the national flag.

The case drew significant attention after Chandan Gupta's death sparked riots in the region.

The court on Friday sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment.

Earlier, on the quantum of sentence, the court heard the pleas of the defence as well as the prosecution, which had demanded the severest punishment for all the convicts.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court acquitted Nasiruddin and Asim Qureshi, citing a lack of sufficient evidence to convict them.
New Delhi, Jan 4 (PTI) A court here on Saturday adjourned to January 8 the hearing on the bail plea of AAP's Uttam Nagar MLA Naresh Balyan who was arrested in an alleged organised crime case.

The link court of Special Judge Vishal Gogne adjourned the hearing after noting that Special Judge Kaveri Baweja was on leave.

Meanwhile, the court also posted to January 9 before Special Judge Baweja, the consideration of the chargesheet filed in the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) case against Ritik alias Peter.

Delhi Police had filed an around 1000-page final report on December 26 before a vacation judge against Ritik under section 3 (punishment for organised crime) of the MCOCA, court sources said.

Two other accused in the case are Sachin Chikara and Rohit alias Anna.

Balyan was arrested on December 4 in an organised crime case. He was released on bail earlier in an extortion case.
Chennai, Jan 4 (PTI) Alleging that a narrative was set in the country that India got freedom due to a 'certain set of people' and a 'movement,' BJP national organising general secretary B L Santosh on Saturday appealed to the people to pass on to the coming generations the life and legacy of freedom fighters like the visionary Veer Savarkar.

He claimed that a political ecosystem had made three or four generations of people believe that leaders like Subash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Swami Vivekananda didn't exist. "It is an irony that a book on Veer Savarkar had to be written to portray his contribution to the Indian freedom struggle," Santhosh said after releasing a book on Savarkar's life authored by Tamil Nadu BJP secretary S G Suryah at a function here.

"The kind of struggle, dedication, and sacrifice of Savarkar did not appear to suit certain people who had the going easy on the freedom struggle in terms of round table conferences and negotiations with the British," Santhosh alleged.

He claimed that "a kind of narrative was set to make the people believe that we got our freedom because of a certain set of people and a movement."

The BJP leader said Savarkar, who was jailed for 27 years, was a visionary leader and a writer who inspired the people and encouraged them to join the Indian armed forces - a move that was countered with a claim that Indians would be used in the Second World War. But his strategic move made the Indian army, navy, and air force formidable with a sizable presence of Indians in the armed forces when India won her freedom, Santhosh said.

Congratulating Suryah for his efforts in attempting to highlight the contribution of Savarkar to a greater audience, Santhosh urged the people to pass on the life, legacy, and real history of the freedom struggle to the coming generations.

Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai who received the first copy of the book in Tamil at the event held under the aegis of the Chennai Citizens Forum, said freedom fighter Veer Savarkar endured pain in the Cellular Jail in Andaman. His consistent fight was against caste bias, besides he favoured equality.

"Books like these bring historical accuracy about our great freedom fighters like Savarkar to the current generation in our language, helping the youth of our state understand his life, struggles, and progressive vision in detail," Annamalai said.

BJP Mahila Morcha national president Vanathi Srinivasan said, "This book will counter the false campaign against Savarkar in Tamil Nadu and will introduce the true history of the great leader."
Faridabad, Jan 4 (PTI) Around six armed men held a family hostage at gunpoint in Karnera village here early Saturday and robbed it of Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and gold jewellery, police said.

The assailants jumped over an 8-foot wall to enter the house.

According to the complaint filed by Naveen Tyagi, a native of Karnera village, around six men barged into his house around 12.15 am when the whole family was asleep, barring his daughter, Purvanshi, who was studying in her room.

He said two of them held him and his mother hostage at knifepoint.

"Three others went to my wife's room and pointed a country-made gun at her and took out money from the cupboard.

"They took the key to the second cupboard and took out two gold necklace sets, four rings, two chains, one gold coin, two mobile phones and around two and a half kilos of silver and left," Tyagi said, according to police.

Following the complaint, an FIR was registered under sections of the BNS and Arms Act at Sector 58 Police Station.

Police spokesperson Yashpal said that four teams have been formed to nab the robbers.
Hamas terrorists in Gaza fired missiles at Israel on Friday and Shabbos for the eighth and ninth day in a row.

A rocket fired from northern Gaza on Shabbos afternoon hit the Erez Crossing. Baruch Hashem, no injuries were reported but the rocket impact damaged the crossing, which is used for the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

On Friday, sirens sounded in Kibbutz Beeri for the first time in 10 months. The IDF later said that the sirens were sounded after Hamas terrorists in central Gaza launched a surface-to-air shoulder-fired missile at an IAF helicopter.

Baruch Hashem, the missile was intercepted, and the helicopter evaded the attack unharmed. Since the missile was fired eastward, toward Beeri, sirens were sounded in accordance with protocol.

Earlier on Friday afternoon, sirens sounded in Sderot and Gaza border communities. A rocket was intercepted over Sderot and shrapnel from the interceptor missile was found in the city. BChasdei Hashem, no injuries or damage were reported.

Another rocket fell near Kibbutz Nir Am in the Gaza border area and a third rocket fell in an open area near the border.

The IDF later ordered the residents of Bureij in Gaza, where the rocket was launched at Beeri, to evacuate the area.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel)
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir published a video on Motzei Shabbos saying that after a cheshbon nefesh, he apologizes to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Likud MK Boaz Bismuth for his behavior last week in the Knesset.

Ben-Gvir instructed his party members to vote against a key bill, forcing Netanyahu to leave his hospital bed less than two days after surgery and Bismuth to leave his home while sitting shiva for his mother. His move infuriated his fellow coalition members who called on the prime minister to fire him.

In the video, Ben-Gvir said that his party will continue to vote according to its principles until a solution is found for budgetary cuts to the police and prison services.

At the same time, I did a cheshbon nefesh over the weekend and realized that I made a mistake when I saw the Prime Minister and Boaz in the plenum, Ben-Gvir said. I apologize to the Prime Minister and my friend Boaz Bismuth.

Ben-Gvir then promised to vote with the coalition until Netanyahu has a full recovery, bezrat Hashem.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel)
Jonathan Emanuel Cardona Castillo, a 23-year-old Lev Tahor leader, was arrested last week in El Salvador following the issue of an international arrest warrant against him.

Law enforcement authorities in Guatemala have begun extradition proceedings.

We received official confirmation from the authorities in El Salvador regarding the start of the extradition process, said Juan Francisco Reyes, an assistant prosecutor in the Guatemalan combatting human trafficking department.

Castillo, 23, is suspected of having brutally abused women and children as part of the cults activities, engaged in human trafficking, and forced minors to marry.

In a statement to local media, a former member of the Lev Tahor cult, who spoke anonymously, said that Castillos behavior had changed drastically since he joined the cult. He noted that he had become violent and threatened to kill children.

Uriel Goldman, one of the cult leaders, claimed that Castillo was expelled from the cult due to his behavior and presented documents supporting this claim. Local media reported that he claimed other people had tried to join the cult but were rejected due to alleged connections to drug trafficking.

Meanwhile, another member of the cult was arrested while attempting to flee to Mexico.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel)
The Shin Bet on Motzei Shabbos ordered increased security measures for Israels Sephardi Chief Rabbi, HaRav Dovid Yosef, due to threats to his life from terror groups.

The Shin Bet and police on Motzei Shabbos instructed the Religious Services Ministry to bolster security measures around HaRav Yosef due to intelligence information about the intentions of terrorist organizations to harm him.

Security officials met with HaRav Yosef at his home and briefed him on the threats. They also instructed him to make certain changes to his schedule.

Kikar HShabbat reported that another meeting is expected to take place between Shin Bet officials and representatives of of HaRav Yosefs office on Monday.

(YWNs Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis haShabbos in Israel)
Fast fashion retailer Asos, upmarket tonic water maker Fever-Tree, budget airline Jet2 and pizza franchise Domino's might sound like an unrelated handful of household names  but they have one thing in common.

They all started their lives as listed firms on London's junior AIM stock market, which turns 30 this year.

The Alternative Investment Market was launched in June 1995 to give small and medium size growth companies access to capital. Since then, it has admitted more than 4,000 firms, raising more than 135 billion in total.

According to the latest statistics, AIM-listed companies contributed 68 billion to the British economy and supported 770,000 jobs in 2023.

Over the past four years the direct economic contribution made by AIM firms has grown by 6.6 per cent, according to analysis by accountant Grant Thornton.

But as AIM enters its 30th year, it is facing an existential threat.

High flyiers: Jet2, Domino's Pizza and Asos are success stories

Experts have warned that the market is shrinking with one in three AIM-listed companies vulnerable to a takeover.

Loungers, the owner of casual dining chain Cosy Club, in November agreed to be bought by an American private equity firm for 338 million.

And just last week, retailer Quiz said it was going private, saying AIM 'is not likely to provide significant additional or more cost effective options for funding' than can be achieved privately.

That came after a string of high profile exits in the preceding years.

Online estate agent Purplebricks delisted in 2023 after shareholders voted to sell the firm for just 1 after a string of profit warnings.

Upmarket confectionery chain Hotel Chocolat left the market when it was sold to Mars for 534 million last year.

A home for 'flash in the pan' firms?

Over the past 30 years, AIM has also gained something of a 'Wild West' reputation.

Collapses can be sudden and unexpected, while the exchange's reputation has been muddied by accounting scandals at Healthcare Locums and Patisserie Valerie.

As a result of the 'light touch' regulation, some say it is a home for speculative, flash-in-the pan, high risk companies.

And in a further blow to the exchange, Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in the Budget that all AIM-listed shares would be subject to 50 per cent Inheritance Tax from April 2026.

Currently there is 100 per cent tax relief on shares held for two years at the time of the owner's death, with a few exceptions.

Susannah Streeter at investment platform Hargreaves Lansdown said: 'This small change might have big repercussions when it comes to creating a nurturing environment for entrepreneurial businesses.'

Caroline Simmons, chief investment officer at wealth manager Quilter Cheviot, added: 'Depressed valuations are likely to mean overseas buyers will be circling AIM-quoted firms in 2025. This could drive investors towards less transparent and potentially riskier unlisted portfolios.'

AIM's top performers

But there have been success stories on the growth market  with firms moving to the main market and becoming household names after cutting their teeth on AIM.

Dan Coatsworth, an investment analyst at investment platform AJ Bell, said: 'AIM has been a good place to support small and mid-cap companies as they grow bigger.

Plenty of companies have been able to tap investors for money on a regular basis to support their growth plans and many have gone on to do great things.'

Asos started its life as a PLC on AIM before moving to the main market in 2022. Domino's Pizza UK delisted from Aim in 2008 when it joined the main market.

Other well-known names still on AIM include Vimto maker Nichols and fashion retailer Boohoo.

Only ten companies that joined the exchange when it opened are still trading on Aim. Of those, the best performer by far is Jet2.

An investor who bought 1,000 of Jet2 shares on the first day of trading in 1995 and held on to them would be sitting on 73,000 today.

Coatsworth said: 'Starting life as a business transporting flowers, it morphed into a broader cargo business by air and road, but the turning point was the 2003 launch of a scheduled passenger airline.

'It is now a serious competitor for easyJet and Ryanair. It's also made investors a mint.'

In a quiet year for UK listings, there were ten initial public offerings on AIM including restructuring specialist Rosebank Industries, game developer Winking Studios and salt substitute Microsalt.

Half of the new admissions were from US companies and the average price performance so far is up 44.4 per cent, according to London Stock Exchange Group data.

In AIM's 30th year, City experts called on the Government to recognise its importance to the UK economy.

Simmons said: 'The success of AIM is crucial for the UK, as it often serves as an entry point for companies to list domestically.

'Without adequate support, firms may seek private funding and opt to list on international markets, weakening the UK's market position.

'At the very least, we would urge the Government to commit to maintaining the tax position on AIM for at least a decade to provide stability and bolster its attractiveness.'
Two of Britain's biggest local government pension funds are exploring mergers with other town hall retirement schemes in a race to meet a government deadline about their future.

In her Mansion House speech, Rachel Reeves unveiled plans to create pension 'mega-funds' to invest billions of pounds in UK firms and infrastructure to boost growth.

They include moves to unite the sprawling local government pension scheme (LGPS), which has 355 billion spread across 86 councils.

These funds  which invest in shares, bonds, property and other assets  pay the pensions of six million workers.

The LGPS has eight 'pools' but the Chancellor wants them to consolidate so they have the economies of scale to invest like public sector funds in Canada and Australia.

Crucially, she has insisted all pools be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Joining forces: Local government pension schemes invest in shares, bonds, property and other assets to pay the pensions of six million workers

Two of the biggest pools  Access, formed of 11 councils in south-east England, and Northern LGPS, which covers Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and Merseyside  do not have FCA authorisation.

Both want to set up their own authorised structures but have also approached the other regulated pools about merging.

The Government's consultation closes next week.
Press Release

January 4, 2025 SENATOR PIA CAYETANO APPLAUDS MOVE TO CANCEL FRAUDULENT BIRTH CERTIFICATES Senator Pia S. Cayetano, Chairperson of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, applauds the Office of the Solicitor General's (OSG) "decisive step" to cancel fraudulently acquired Philippine birth certificates of foreigners. "The OSG's move directly addresses the alarming findings of our Blue Ribbon Committee hearings last March and August 2024, which revealed that Philippine citizenship is being sold, with some foreign nationals paying up to P300,000 for fraudulent government IDs," Cayetano stated. During the said hearings, a striking case in Sta. Cruz, Davao Del Sur was raised, wherein it was discovered that 54 out of 1,501 suspicious birth certificates issued between 2016 and 2023 belonged to individuals with foreign parents. These documents showed identical penmanship and impossibly claimed that the same midwife attended births in various villages on the same days. According to the Senator, the Committee hearings exposed systematic fraud in the local civil registration system, particularly in the issuance of birth certificates through late registration. "Our investigation uncovered a disturbing pattern where foreign nationals, including those involved in illegal POGO operations, have exploited vulnerabilities in our civil registration system. This is not just about documentation - but also of our country's national security." Cayetano explained. "The cancellation of these fraudulent documents sends a clear message: Philippine citizenship is NOT for sale," Cayetano stressed. The Senator also called for sustained coordination between government agencies. "While we welcome this step, we need proactive and sustained cooperation between the Philippine Statistics Authority, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Foreign Affairs, and local government units, specifically their local civil registries, to prevent similar schemes in the future." SENADOR PIA CAYETANO, SANG-AYON SA PAGKANSELA NG MGA PEKENG BIRTH CERTIFICATE Sinang-ayunan ni Senador Pia S. Cayetano, Chairperson ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, ang "decisive step" ng Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) na kanselahin ang mga birth certificate ng mga dayuhan na nakuha sa pamamagitan ng pandaraya. "The OSG's move directly addresses the alarming findings of our Blue Ribbon Committee hearings last March and August 2024, which revealed that Philippine citizenship is being sold, with some foreign nationals paying up to P300,000 for fraudulent government IDs," wika ni Cayetano. Sa mga nasabing pagdinig, naging kapansin-pansin ang kaso sa Sta. Cruz, Davao Del Sur kung saan natuklasan na 54 sa 1,501 kaduda-dudang birth certificate na inilabas mula 2016 hanggang 2023 ay pag-aari ng mga indibidwal na may dayuhang magulang. Ang mga dokumentong ito ay nagpakita ng magkakaparehong sulat-kamay at hindi kapani-paniwalang iisang komadrona lamang ang dumalo sa mga panganganak sa iba't ibang barangay sa loob ng iisang araw. Ayon sa Senador, inilantad ng mga pagdinig ng Komite ang sistematikong pandaraya sa lokal na sistema ng civil registration, lalo na sa pagpapalabas ng mga birth certificate sa pamamagitan ng late registration. "Our investigation uncovered a disturbing pattern where foreign nationals, including those involved in illegal POGO operations, have exploited vulnerabilities in our civil registration system. This is not just about documentation - but also of our country's national security," paliwanag ni Cayetano. "The cancellation of these fraudulent documents sends a clear message: Philippine citizenship is NOT for sale," diin ni Cayetano. Nanawagan din ang Senador para sa patuloy na koordinasyon sa pagitan ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno. "While we welcome this step, we need proactive and sustained cooperation between the Philippine Statistics Authority, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Foreign Affairs, and local government units, specifically their local civil registries, to prevent similar schemes in the future." ****** Blue Ribbon Committee hearing last March 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/live/VeOlx-PYTvs?si=_sk-ZaD0Dp2iKhY3 last August 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/live/YS_SOBNgghc?si=wb7AeqgcXX-Jyfft.
A woman in her 70s had died following a horror two-car crash in Co Kilkenny.

Gardai are appealing for witnesses following the fatal crash in Slieverue, Co. Kilkenny yesterday evening, Friday, January 3, 2025.

The two-vehicle collision occurred on the N25 at Luffany at approximately 5:50pm.

The driver of one of the cars, a woman in her 70s, was fatally injured and pronounced deceased at the scene. Her body was removed to the mortuary at University Hospital Waterford, where a post-mortem examination is due to take place.

The driver of the other car, a man in his 30s, and his passenger, a woman in her 20s, were conveyed to University Hospital Waterford for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

"The N25 road remains closed this morning between the Luffany Roundabout and the Glenmore Roundabout to facilitate an examination by Forensic Collision Investigators. Local diversions are in place," gardai confirmed in a statement.

READ NEXT: Family of tragic RTE Ireland's Fittest Family teen give blessing to show scenes in new series

Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward.

Gardai are also appealing for any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling on the N25 between Luffany Roundabout, Slieverue and Glenmore between the hours of 5:30pm and 6:15pm to make this footage available to Gardai.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Waterford Garda Station on 051 305 300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
There have been calls for Ireland to follow Milan's lead after the Italian city issued a city-wide ban on smoking in all public places. It came into effect at the start of this month.

Local officials have said that those who break the law could face fines of between 40 to 240.

This ban is aimed to improve the cities air quality as Milan is said to be one of Europe's "most polluted cities."

According to IQ AIR, Milan is currently ranking top 22 cities in the world with "unhealthy air" quality.

Dublin is currently ranks in the top 105 cities in the world with "good" air quality, according to iqair.com

A post on X by Newstalk has sparked a debate on the topic as people share their opinions on whether Ireland should follow Milan's footsteps or not.

With a mix of people agreeing and disagreeing with the motion, one X user commented "Bring it on! There is nothing worse than walking behind a dirty smoker."

Another X user commented "no we are a free country."

Some people have said "it's a waste of resources" and others have said "it's a great idea."

For the sake of human rights regarding freedom i say no, for the sake of human health I say yes.  Kieran O Sullivan (@Kieran6793) January 3, 2025

According to date by EuroNews, 14.1% of people in Ireland over the age of 15 are smokers.

This is less than the EU average of 19.7%.

READ NEXT: Gardai rush to scene as woman is killed in horror two-car crash in Kilkenny

Sweden, the country with the lowest percentage of daily smokers with 9.3%, banned smoking in outdoor public places in 2019.

The World Health Organisation estimates, according to EuroNews, that tobacco is one of the biggest public health threats in the world, killing more than eight million people a year.

Around half of smokers die prematurely and on average around 14 years earlier, according to WHO.

Ireland, in 2020, had an estimated incidence rate of 71 of lung cancers, according to a chart by EuroNews.

Sweden had the lowest rate of lung cancer reports with 45, and it is also the country with the least amount of smokers.
The governments Emergency Planning Team is holding a meeting as Ireland braces for a multi-hazard weather event, which is due to hit the country later on Saturday.

Snow, ice, heavy rain and sleet are to sweep over the island of Ireland as temperatures continue to plummet.

A series of weather warnings will come into effect, with status orange snow and ice warnings issued for Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary.

These warnings will be in effect from 5pm on Saturday until 5pm on Sunday.

A separate rain and snow warning has been issued for Cork, Kerry and Waterford.

UPDATED warnings below- Please keep up to date with https://t.co/nYumITYuDO and our App for any updates to warnings for your county. All Current warnings https://t.co/3041XHjphi pic.twitter.com/zSQfn2y1hq  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 4, 2025

This warning comes into effect at 5pm on Saturday and run for 24 hours.

These counties are also under a status yellow rain warning, which ran from 1pm on Saturday.

Snow is already beginning to fall in parts of the country, including Cork.

A spokesman for Dublin Airport said its snow and ice teams are on stand-by to treat surfaces as required and to respond to any issues that arise.

As always, passengers seeking updates regarding specific flights should contact their airline directly, it said on social media.

Those travelling to Dublin Airport over the weekend should allow plenty of time for their journey.

A number of sports events have been cancelled or postponed across the country, including the the All-Ireland senior club championship, which was due to be held in Portlaoise.

Meanwhile, a status yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and Connacht.

Met Eireann has warned that the cold snap will create difficult travelling conditions and poor visibility.

Forecasters have said that depending on snow accumulations on Monday, schools could remain closed as the sub-zero temperatures stretch into next week.

They have warned that it will lead to very difficult travelling conditions, with disruption to public transport, air, rail and bus services, difficult conditions underfoot and animal welfare issues.

A status yellow ice and snow warning is in place across Northern Ireland from 9pm on Saturday until 6pm on Saturday.

The Met office has said that spells of rain, sleet and snow will develop late Saturday before clearing through Sunday.

Coastal areas will likely see rain, but inland and over higher ground, sleet and snow is more likely.

Around 1cm to 3cm of snow is possible away from coasts, with up to 10cm of snow possible over the Mournes, Sperrins and Antrim Hills.

Ice will be an additional hazard, especially on untreated surfaces, the forecaster added.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has urged the public to proceed with caution as the country faces severe weather challenges.

Mr Harris said the Emergency Planning Team is meeting on Saturday, but did not confirm whether or not schools and colleges would remain shut on Monday.

In a post on his Instagram account Mr Harris said: I wanted to provide you with a quick update on the severe cold weather event that Ireland is experiencing at the moment and the significant snow and sleet event were likely to experience from this evening,

Im just off a call with the directorate of Emergency Planning, and very shortly, there will be a meeting of the Emergency Planning Team.

This is the team that brings together all the relevant government agencies, the local authorities, the different places that will be working to keep people safe and well during this cold spell.

As you know, Ireland is already experiencing a severe cold weather spell that is going to continue, and indeed, the cold weather is likely to continue right through the most of next week.

That does cause a real challenge because, whilst the snow and sleet event, which will start this evening and could run until about 7pm tomorrow evening, youre going to have a situation where the thaw may not come for quite a number of days.

I suppose the first challenge is the snow events that will happen from this evening until roughly seven oclock tomorrow evening and then the second challenge is to see how long it takes for the thaw and how we manage during that time when, of course, roads, pavements and the likes can remain dangerous and even treacherous.

First thing to say is, you are going to see quite a lot of snow and sleet in many parts of Ireland from around 5pm this evening until around 7pm tomorrow evening.

The big message today is that that is going to lead to very, very difficult travelling conditions in many parts of the country. The advice, the guidance, the request, is to not just think of what the weather is like in the destination that youre setting out from, but actually think what it might be like in the destination that youre travelling to. So please, please, please follow any advice that may issue in the coming hours.

Please proceed with extreme caution, because we are expecting very, very dangerous travelling conditions over the course of the next number of hours and potentially the next number of days.

We have activated the cold weather emergency plan for rough sleepers and also for those in international protection. I want to thank all of the agencies and the homeless organisations and others that are working closely with us in relation to that, trying to keep vulnerable people safe and well at this difficult time.

The energy sector has said that our energy supplies are good. So that is a good news. Both the ESB and Gas Networks Ireland confirming that as well.

He said the emergency team will provide an update later on Saturday.

Just finished a briefing with the Directorate of Emergency Management on the severe cold snap and snow event Ireland will experience. From this evening until tomorrow evening, significant snow and sleet will fall. Travelling conditions in many places will be very dangerous  Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) January 4, 2025

My ask of you is to take this weather event seriously, to expect treacherous travelling conditions, to follow any advice or guidance that is issued, Mr Harris added.

Be aware that while the snow, sleet event will be a 24-hour event, the actual weather event, in terms of the length of time its going to take to thaw, will run well into next week.

A number of people here are asking about schools, asking about colleges. Suppose a couple of things to say on that. Firstly, the emergency team will continue to meet every day, at least once a day, throughout this event, and will continue to monitor the situation.

It is likely that this weather event will affect different areas in very different ways, and therefore well have to look at the situation at a local level.

Well have to continue to monitor that and provide updates and guidance in the hours and the days ahead.

But I do want you to know that everything that can be done is being done to keep people safe, to protect peoples well being.

I really want to thank all of the people working this weekend in government departments, in local authorities, in various agencies, organisations and charities to really help keep people safe. That is a great thing about this country, that people roll up their sleeves and pull together.

Please also look out for perhaps older people in your community, people who might be vulnerable, people might need a few messages.

Be a good neighbour, as we always try to be in Ireland as well. Ill certainly keep you up to date in the days ahead as well and in the hours ahead, but follow the advice. Listen closely to Met Eireann. Listen closely to the emergency team, keep warm, keep safe and keep well.
Unofficially . . .

The Kansas City Police Department "blue sheet" was just posted and it reveals 6 homicides according to UCI crime gathering numbers.

Moreover

Our blog community has been making A LOT of noise about local homicides but we didn't get the latest police report on the latest shooting incident. That's okay, there are plenty of ways that we follow along.

UPDATE . . . Police just sent all media the report on the shooting noting investigation about the location of the shooting and some behind the scenes server issue . . . And EVERYONE understands they are doing a very TOUGH JOB in ROUGH circumstances both weather and otherwise. FURTHERMORE, we also note that KCPD didn't get much of a break over recent holidays given the uptick in local deadly gunfire.



Right now we wanted to share the deets from KCMO homicide #6 for 2025 . . .

Again UPDATED . . . Here's the report from the scene . . .

Homicide 7400 Blk of North Lewis



This morning, just after midnight, officers were dispatched to North Kansas City Hospital on a reported shooting. A male shooting victim was brought to the hospital by private vehicle.



Hospital staff advised the responding officers that the victim died of their injuries shortly after arriving. Preliminary investigation revealed the incident occurred in the 7400 blk of North Lewis in Kansas City, MO.



This is being investigated as a homicide. There was an altercation between two individuals that resulted in the victim being shot. Detectives are working to determine the circumstances that led to the interaction. Investigators and crime scene personnel are canvassing the 7400 block of North Lewis for witnesses and any available physical evidence.



If anyone has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline.



We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency.



We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents.

#############

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

KCPD investigating after overnight shooting leaves one man dead The Kansas City Police Department is investigating after a man died at the hospital following an overnight shooting

KCPD investigating overnight homicide on N. Lewis Avenue Homicide detectives in Kansas City, Missouri, are investigating the circumstances after a man was shot and killed early Saturday.

Shooting victim dies in hospital after argument turns to gunfire, police say The Kansas City Police department says someone drove the victim to a nearby hospital where he died shortly after.

Developing . . .
Udaku Special









Matokeo Kidato cha Pili refers to the Form Two National Assessment (FTNA) results in Tanzania. This assessment is administered by the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) to evaluate students' learning progress after two years of secondary education

The Form Two National Assessment (FTNA), commonly known as Matokeo ya Kidato cha Pili, is an important examination administered by the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA). In this article, we will provide a guide on, Jinsi ya kuangalia Mtokeo ya Kidato cha Pili, Form Two Results all regions, mikoa yote 2024/2025 academic year

As an essential part of the academic journey in Tanzania, the Matokeo Kidato Cha Pili, or Form Two National Assessment, also known as matokeo ya kidato cha pili, is a key examination conducted by the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA). Administered after the second year of secondary education, these exams play a vital role in gauging students academic progress, strengths, and areas for improvement as they gear up for higher levels of education. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the intricacies of the Matokeo Kidato Cha Pili, including how it works, how to check results in 2024, and effective tips for achieving success in these exams. Whether youre a student preparing for the exam or a parent wishing to understand the procedure better, this post has you covered with the NECTA Form Two National Assessment Result 2024/2025, also known as the FTNA Results 2024/2025, by NECTA. Select FTNA as the exam type on the results page.

Form Two National NECTA 2024 results

The results have been announced today January 4, 2025 by the Executive Secretary of the council, Dr. Said Mohamed, in front of the press, he said that 680,574 out of 796,825 students with results equal to 85.41 percent have succeeded in continuing to the third form who have obtained grades 1, 2, 3 and 4 with boys leading the way.

He said this is different from the year 2023 where the successful students were 592,741 equal to 85 percent and making the success rate increase by 0.1 percent. As a result, he said that among the 680,574 students who successfully passed the third form, 367,457 were girls and 313,117 were boys.

How to Check Matokeo Kidato Cha Pili 2024

Checking the Matokeo Kidato Cha Pili results in 2024 is straightforward thanks to the official NECTA website.

>>MATOKEO Kidato cha Pili

Here is the step-by-step process:

Step 1: Visit the official NECTA website HAPA

Step 2: Click on the Results option from the main menu. This will take you to the Results page, where you will find all the available results.

Step 3: On the Results page, select the Exam Type as FTNA.

Step 4: From the dropdown menu, select the Year as 2024.

Step 5: Finally, click on the Submit button and wait for the website to redirect you to the result page.

After following the simple steps above, your Matokeo Kidato Cha Pili results for 2024 will be displayed. Remember to save and print your results for future reference.
Bastar Journalist found murdered in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh

New Year has brought sad news for the Indian media fraternity as a young scribe, Mukesh Chandrakar of Bastar Junction YouTube Channel, was found murdered in Bijapur locality of Chhattisgarh State on Friday January 03, 2025

Sunday January 5, 2025 1:13 AM , ummid.com News Network

Geneva: New Year has brought sad news for the Indian media fraternity as a young scribe was found murdered in Bijapur locality of Chhattisgarh State on Friday January 03, 2025.

Local media persons informed that the body of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar was recovered from a newly constructed septic tank belonging to an influential contractor based in Chattanpara area.

Mukesh (30), who made daring media reports on corruption and insurgency in central India, went missing on 1 January 2025 following which his family members lodged a police complaint.

A seasoned journalist, Mukesh used to run a YouTube channel named "Bastar Junction" and enjoyed millions of views.

Its unfortunate that a young media person is seemingly targeted for his string reporting on powerful corrupt people. Incidentally, Mukesh Chandrakar becomes the first journalist to be killed this year across the world", PEC President Blaise Lempen said in a statement.

"We demand a fair probe to identify the culprits behind his killing and subsequent punishment under the law. Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) urges Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai to take personal interest to deliver justice to the bereaved scribes family as early as possible, the PEC President said.

PECs South Asia representative Nava Thakuria informed that Mukesh worked in several media outlets including a satellite news channel. He made a mark in investigative journalism while reporting on misappropriation of funds in various government projects in his locality.

The courageous journalist also faced wrath from the ultra left insurgents, who remained active in Bastar district, and finally Mukesh established himself as a strong voice for the deprived section in the society.

Global casualty of media workers

The global casualty of media workers reached 179 in 2024 across 25 countries. India maintained the number of journo-murders within 4 which is one more than the casualty reported in 2023.

All the media victims reported last year from the central Indian region, where Uttar Pradesh witnessed the killing of two journalists (Ashutosh Srivastava and Dilip Saini), followed by Bihar (Shivshankar Jha) and Madhya Pradesh (Salman Ali Khan).

The PEC said December was a particularly dramatic month with 20 more journo-victims. The increase in 2024 compared with 2023 (140 media casualties) according to the same criteria is 28%, added the PEC statement adding that 116 media workers were killed in 2022, followed by 79 in 2021, 92 in 2020, 75 in 2019, etc.

The PEC said conflicts in the Middle East are responsible for more than half of the victims. They have claimed the lives of 91 journalists: at least 80 in the Gaza Strip, 6 in Lebanon, 4 in Syria and 1 in the West Bank.

In total, the hostilities in Gaza since 7 October 2023 have killed at least 161 media workers, an unprecedented toll for a conflict in such a short space of time, the PEC said.

As per the latest data released by the Gaza Health Ministry , more than 200 journalists have been killed since Oct 2023.

Journalists killed outside Middle East

In 2024, the war in Ukraine resulted in the deaths of 19 Ukrainian journalists (most of whom had joined the army) plus one foreigner (Ryan Evans of Reuters in Kramatorsk). To this must be added the death in custody in Russia on 10 October of Ukrainian journalist Victoria Rochtchina, making a total of 21 victims.

Outside the Middle East and Ukraine, Pakistan had the highest number of journalists killed, 12 since 1 January, a clear deterioration. Russia has 7 journalists killed (including three in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia and one in Kursk). In Bangladesh, unrest in July left 7 journalists dead.

The situation remains very dangerous in Mexico, where 7 journalists have been killed. Hostilities in Sudan caused the death of 6 journalists. In Colombia, 4 media workers were killed, where 4 killed in India, 3 in Iraq and 3 in Myanmar (Burma).

Two people were killed in Somalia, two in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and two in Haiti. Cambodia, Chad, Ecuador, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Nepal and the Philippines, followed with one fatality in each country.

In ten years, the PEC has counted 1,159 victims, an average of 2.25 per week. Over the last five years, the most dangerous countries have been Gaza/West Bank (166), Ukraine (59), Mexico (55), Pakistan (36) and India (32).

By continent in 2024, the Middle East had the highest number of victims (92: Gaza, Lebanon, Syria , West Bank and Iraq), ahead of Asia (31). Europe follows (28: Ukraine and Russia), ahead of Latin America (17) and Africa (11).

In addition to the Middle East, there has been a deterioration in Asia from one year to the next (31 deaths compared with 12). On the positive side, there were fewer victims in Latin America in 2024 than in 2023 (16 compared with 20).

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Dr Hussam Abu Safiya's life in danger in Israeli custody

The Israeli government bears full responsibility for the life of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Northern Gaza, amid alarming indications of torture and ill-treatment

Saturday January 4, 2025 12:49 PM , Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor

Palestinian Territory: The Israeli government bears full responsibility for the life of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Northern Gaza, amid alarming indications of torture and ill-treatment since his detention in late December.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has received information that Dr. Abu Safiyas health has deteriorated due to the torture he endured during his detention, particularly while being held at the Sde Teyman military base in southern Israel.

Euro-Med Monitor warns of the grave risk to his life, following patterns of deliberate killings and deaths under torture previously suffered by other doctors and medical staff arrested from Gaza since October 2023.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has documented testimonies confirming that Israeli soldiers physically assaulted Dr. Abu Safiya immediately after he left the hospital on Friday, 27 December 2024. He was then directly targeted with sound bombs while attempting to evacuate the hospital in compliance with orders from the Israeli army.

According to testimonies gathered by Euro-Med Monitor, the Israeli army subsequently transferred Dr. Abu Safiya to a field interrogation site in the Al-Fakhura area of Jabalia Refugee Camp.

There, he was forced to strip off his clothes and was subjected to severe beatings, including being whipped with a thick wire commonly used for street electrical wiring. Soldiers deliberately humiliated him in front of other detainees, including fellow medical staff. He was later taken to an undisclosed location before being transferred to the Sde Teyman military camp under Israeli army control.

Healthcare workers unite around the world demanding the release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, Director of Kamal Adwan hospital and all other abducted Palestinian Healthcare workers, patients and civilians being held captive by the Israeli Genocidal forces. #FreeDrHussamAbuSafiya pic.twitter.com/vuv08NSDgY  Gaza Under Attack_ (@Palestine001_) December 31, 2024

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has also received information from recently released detainees at the Sde Teyman military camp, confirming that Dr. Abu Safiya was subjected to severe torture, leading to a significant deterioration in his health. This occurred despite him already being injured by Israeli air strikes on the hospital, where he worked tirelessly until the facility was stormed and set ablaze by Israeli forces.

The Israeli army has attempted to mislead the public regarding Dr. Abu Safiyas detention and torture. Pro-Israeli media outlets circulated a misleading promotional video portraying his treatment as humane, even though he was tortured and humiliated immediately after filming.

Euro-Med Monitor warns of the severe implications of Israels denial of Dr. Abu Safiyas detention, describing this as a deeply troubling indicator of his fate and detention conditions. This denial also reflects a blatant disregard for binding legal standards.

Physicians for Human Rights  Israel (PHRI) submitted a request on behalf of Dr. Abu Safiyas family to obtain information and facilitate a lawyers visit on 2 January 2024. However, the Israeli authorities claimed to have no record of his detention, stating they had no indication of his arrest.

Euro-Med Monitor expresses deep concern that Dr. Abu Safiya may face execution during his detention, similar to the fate of Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh, head of the orthopaedics department at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, who was killed under torture at Ofer Detention Centre on 19 April 2024. Dr. Al-Bursh had been detained along with colleagues from Al-Awda Hospital in December 2023.

Likewise, Dr. Iyad Al-Rantisi, head of the obstetrics department at Kamal Adwan Hospital, was killed due to torture at an Israeli Shin Bet interrogation centre in Ashkelon, one week after his detention in November 2023. Israeli authorities concealed his death for more than seven months.

Dozens of doctors and medical staff remain subjected to arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance in Israeli prisons and detention centres, where they face severe torture and solitary confinement, according to testimonies from former detainees.

The detention of Dr. Abu Safiya must be understood within the context of Israels ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has persisted for nearly 15 months. His arrest, torture, and potential execution form part of a broader strategy aimed at destroying the Palestinian people in Gazaboth physically and psychologicallyand breaking their will.

This strategy includes not only the deliberate destruction of the health sector and the disruption of medical staff operations, particularly in northern Gaza, but also an attack on the symbolic and humanitarian role represented by Dr. Abu Safiya. Despite the grave crimes committed against Kamal Adwan Hospital, its staff, and patients, especially in the past two months, Dr. Abu Safiya remained unwavering in his dedication to providing essential medical care and fulfilling his medical duties.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor calls on all concerned states, international entities, and UN bodies to take immediate and effective measures to secure the unconditional release of Dr. Abu Safiya. His fundamental rights to life, physical safety, and dignity must be protected, shielding him from torture or any cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.

Euro-Med Monitor also urges international and local human rights organisations to be granted full access to visit Dr. Abu Safiya, monitor his health condition, provide necessary medical treatment, and ensure he is free from human rights violations until his release.

Furthermore, Euro-Med Monitor reiterates its call for the United Nations to deploy an international investigative mission to examine the grave crimes and violations faced by Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. It calls for the immediate release of those detained arbitrarily, for international and local organisations to be granted visitation rights, and for detainees to have access to legal representation.

Euro-Med Monitor expresses regret over the continued inaction of Ms. Alice Jill Edwards, the Special Rapporteur on Torture, who has failed to address these atrocities. It condemns her bias and deliberate negligence in fulfilling her mandate and calls for her dismissal. A new Special Rapporteur who is neutral and committed to universal human rights principles must be appointed.

Additionally, Euro-Med Monitor urges the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances to conduct immediate and thorough investigations into crimes committed by the Israeli military in Gaza. It calls for direct engagement with victims and families, as well as for reports to be submitted to pave the way for investigative committees, fact-finding missions, and international courts to prosecute Israeli crimes, hold perpetrators accountable, and compensate victims in line with international law.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor renews its call for relevant states and entities to fulfil their legal obligations to halt the genocide in Gaza. This includes imposing a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, holding it accountable for its crimes, and taking effective measures to protect Palestinian civilians. Immediate steps must also be taken to prevent forced displacement, ensure the return of residents, release arbitrarily detained Palestinians, and facilitate the urgent entry of life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza without obstacles. Finally, Euro-Med Monitor demands the withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the entire Gaza Strip.

[Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor is a Geneva-based independent organization with regional offices across the MENA region and Europe.]

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HMPV outbreak in China sparks panic

China has raised the alarm over the outbreak of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), sparking panic in the country and elsewhere and prompting the authorities to declare health emergency



Saturday January 4, 2025 8:30 PM , ummid.com Health Desk

China has raised the alarm over the outbreak of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), sparking panic in the country and elsewhere and prompting the authorities to declare health emergency.

The HMPV outbreak hits China about six years after the Cvid-19 Pandemic plagued  first China and later whole of the world in 2019 around the same time.

HMPV Symptoms

The HMPV causes respiratory diseases with symptoms similar to flu, including fever, cough, nasal congestion, sore throat, and sneezing.

"The virus can cause serious illness among infants, children, the elderly over 65 of age or people with weakened immune systems," the Cambodia's Ministry of Health (MoH) said.

HMPV was not a new virus as it was first detected in 2001 in the Netherlands, and Cambodia also detected the disease among children between 2007 and 2009, the MoH said.

According to the World Health Organizations (WHO) Western Pacific Region Office (WPRO) data from December 16-22, 2024 there has been an increase in acute respiratory infections across China. These include seasonal influenza, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and HMPV.

The HMPV virus, which has been circulating in China, has seen a significant rise in cases, particularly among children under 14 in northern provinces, as reported by Reuters.

"No need to panic"

In the wake of the latest virus outbreak, countries neighboring China are urging their citizens to exercise caution, with HMPV cases also reported in Hong Kong.

However, a prominent epidemiologist has stated that Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) levels in Hong Kong remain low, despite an ongoing outbreak of the respiratory virus in mainland China.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday advised the elderly, pregnant women, and those with health issues to exercise caution by wearing masks amidst the reports of HMPV outbreak in China.

In a social media post, George underscored that while there are no alarming reports from China, the increased incidences of flu and pneumonia highlight the need for vigilance.

Since Keralites are globally present and travelling, it would be best if pregnant, aged, and sick people use masks, George said.

"Symptoms of mild viral fever"

Meanwhile, Dr Bobby Bhalotra, Senior Consultant and Vice Chairman, Department of Chest Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, while speaking with PTI on the seriousness of the HMPV outbreak in China, said:

"This virus has been observed in India multiple times, especially during winters. So far, the cases we have seen here have been mild. The strain of this virus detected in India is generally considered mild It primarily presents symptoms of mild viral fever."

China has also downplayed the world's concerns, passing it off as an "annual occurrence in winter".

"Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season", China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a statement released Friday.

"I can assure you that the Chinese government cares about the health of Chinese citizens and foreigners coming to China", adding that "It is safe to travel in China".



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One Nation One Subscription  Steps to Join

The Union Cabinet had approved the ONOS Scheme in November 2024. The implementation, including ONOS registration, has started from January 01, 2025

Saturday January 4, 2025 4:40 PM , ummid.com News Network

One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) Registration: The Government of India has started online registration for One Nation One Subscription, popularly known as ONOS Scheme, through the official website onos.gov.in.

The Union Cabinet had approved the ONOS Scheme in November 2024. The implementation has started from January 01, 2025.

The ONOS scheme provides access to more than 13,000 scholarly journals from 30 major international publishers.

It should be noted that all journals will be accessible entirely through a digital platform, ensuring convenience and ease for all users. This approach minimises administrative complexities and makes access available on-demand.

To assure a smooth user experience, INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network) - Gandhinagar based independent inter-university center under the University Grants Commission (UGC), has been mandated to oversee the provision of digital access to these journals.

Who can register for ONOS?

ONOS scheme has been launched for around 1.8 crore students currently enrolled in colleges, universities and institutes of higher education (HEIs) and the faculty members.

All government - Central as well as State, Higher Education Institutions and Central Government R & D Institutions, Labs are eligible to register and participate for the ONOS scheme.

"One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) is a new Central Sector Scheme of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India with aim to provide nationwide access to international scientific and academic content from 30 publishers under a unified subscription model to students, faculty members, and researchers from Indian higher education institutions and research organization", the government said while launching the scheme.

"ONOS phase I, starting from 1 January 2025, will provide access to over 13,000 journals for more than 6,300 government academic and R&D institutes including central and state-govt universities and colleges. This translates to nearly 1.8 Crore students, faculty and researchers getting access to high quality research publications", the governmen said.

How to Register for ONOS?

The eligible Institutions are required to register at ONOS portal to get User ID and password: onos.gov.in.

New registration will require institution name, AISHE code and contact details of institute nodal officer. The nodal officer shall be a regular, senior, whole-time employee of the institute.

Institution AISHE Code is mandatory for registration. The institutions who do not have AISHE Code need to apply for AISHE code in the AISHE portal.

Institutions who have students getting UG / PG / doctoral / post-doctoral degree / diploma need to apply as college / university / stand-alone institution in the AISHE portal.

Institutions engaged in research & development activities and not having students need to apply under the R & D category in the AISHE portal. For the R & D institutions, a letter authorising them to join ONOS from their parent Ministry / Department in the central government is necessary.

"A Game Changing Scheme"

The One Nation One Subscription initiative is a game-changing scheme for Indias research ecosystem. By providing digital access to over 13,000 journals from 30 international publishers, it will bridge gaps in research infrastructure across India.

"Through its phased implementation, the scheme will significantly contribute to enhancing Indias academic and research excellence, fostering innovation, and helping the country emerge as a global hub for scientific research", the government said.

"By leveraging existing consortia initiatives of 10 central government Ministries and Departments as well as initiatives of many government higher education institutions, an unifying approach through the one nation one subscription will democratise knowledge dissemination and empower a new generation of researchers and students, providing them with the resources they need to excel", it added.

ONOS is a key part of a broader vision to transform access to knowledge in the country. As the first step in a multi-pronged approach, it expands access through the widely used subscription model.

"The other steps focus initially on promoting Indian journals and repositories and then introducing new research evaluation methods that consider both journal metrics and factors like innovation and entrepreneurship", the government said.

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In College Rover, a study revealed that 45% of American college students oppose mandatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) classes. According to them, participating in such classes deprives one of personal choice and ideological freedom, though 54% still advocate for such classes to be made mandatory.

Based on more than 1,000 college students, the opinion reveals a stark division in attitudes, considering the Trump Administration's plan to abolish DEI initiatives.

Despite the split, FOX News reported that students generally are favorable toward DEI programs. In fact, 70% of respondents believe these programs improve their understanding of diversity and inclusion. Democratic students tend to be more supportive than their Republican counterparts, with 79% of the former describing DEI as beneficial, compared with 64% of the latter.

Still, fewer students are interested in taking courses specifically focused on race, gender, or identity, with only 47% expressing a willingness to enroll in such classes.

The survey also implies that as much as the students fear judgment on such sensitive matters as race and gender, especially in a space of academic engagement, they still view DEI programs as beneficial for developing openness. The college founder, Bill Townsend raises an argument that perhaps this openness can be attributed to the academic environments where discussion and dialogue are encouraged, even though public criticism of DEI programs continues to thrive.

Read more: US Public Universities Shift DEI Funds to Other Priorities Over Budget and Policy Pressures

DEI Programs in the Future

In response to these growing criticisms, many universities are cutting back DEI programs. For example, the University of Texas and the University of Michigan completely eliminated DEI offices, training, and requirements, both citing concerns related to freedom of expression. Additionally, states Florida, Iowa, and North Carolina recently diverted funding taken from DEI initiatives to funding public safety areas.

University Herald also reported that US public universities are investing their DEI funding in other sectors over budget issues.

While some believe the removal of DEI programs undermines efforts toward greater inclusion, Townsend cautioned that the scales must be balanced. In fact, he said abandoning all DEI work could do more harm than good because "half-baked initiatives" could ultimately be counterproductive.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) The role of media in shaping society by informing the public, analyzing events, and holding authorities accountable was underscored by Nasir Mehmood Chaudhry, Acting Senior Vice President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), during an interactive session with media personnel at the Chamber House in Islamabad.

He highlighted that through investigative reporting, journalists have the ability to uncover hidden truths, ignite public debate, and drive legal and social reforms that benefit society at large.

Chaudhry stressed that the business community currently faces numerous challenges, including bureaucratic hurdles, regulatory inefficiencies, and economic barriers that hinder the ease of doing business.

These challenges are not only stifling business growth but are also adversely affecting the national economy. He urged the media to consistently spotlight these issues, ensuring that policymakers are aware of the difficulties and can take swift action to resolve them.

He stressed the need for improved coordination between the media and the ICCI to more effectively address these issues.

Zafar Bakhtawari, former President of ICCI and Secretary General of the United Business Group, expressed optimism regarding the government's ongoing economic initiatives. He emphasized that these efforts will enhance the nation's economic stability. Bakhtawari also advocated for the need to highlight the success stories of business leaders, inspiring the youth to consider entrepreneurship and become job providers rather than job seekers.

Chaudhry Nadeem Ahmed, acting Vice President of ICCI, also spoke on the critical role of the media in ensuring accountability. He pointed out the importance of media in addressing instances of power misuse, especially within government institutions, which can have a far-reaching impact on both public trust and the economy.

He further discussed the obstacles faced by local industries that impede business growth, urging the media to bring attention to these issues for the greater economic good.

Naeem Siddiqui, Special Advisor to the ICCI President, raised concerns about the inefficiencies within the Federal board of Revenue (FBR) and its tendency to make decisions without engaging with business leaders. He criticized this approach, claiming that it harms businesses and creates barriers to their development.

In his welcome address, Ghulam Murtaza Siddiqui, Secretary General of the ICCI, praised the media for its vital role as a pillar of the state.

He acknowledged the global recognition of the media's contribution to uncovering real issues and fostering nation-building.

The session concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen the collaboration between the media and the ICCI.

Both sides recognized the importance of working together to address the barriers to business expansion and contribute to the economic growth and prosperity of the country.
SAN FRANCISCO, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 04th Jan, 2025) microsoft plans to invest around $80 billion in the expansion of data centres for artificial intelligence (AI) during the current financial year - with more than half of that to be invested in the United States, German press agency (dpa) reported.

The current fiscal year for Microsoft runs until the end of June.

The additional computing power is intended to be used for training AI models and launching AI-based features worldwide, the company said in a blog post on Friday.

Microsoft became a frontrunner in the use of AI software through a multi-billion Dollar pact with ChatGPT developer OpenAI and is attempting to integrate it across its entire product range.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurated Rescue 1122's new Highway Operations, a significant expansion of the province's emergency response capabilities

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah inaugurated Rescue 1122's new Highway Operations, a significant expansion of the province's emergency response capabilities.

The launch, part of the World Bank-supported Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project (SFERP), establishes 15 strategically located satellite stations along major highways and motorways, providing rapid emergency assistance to travellers and nearby communities.

The new Highway Rescue Stations, exemplified by the newly opened facility in Gulshan-e-Maymar, are equipped with advanced ambulances, fire trucks, disaster management machinery, and recovery vehicles. This represents a substantial upgrade to Sindh's emergency infrastructure, addressing a previously significant gap in government-provided services.

"Rescue 1122, launched in 2022, is transforming emergency response in Sindh," the CM said and added that this expansion reflected his governments commitment to building a safer and more resilient province. The highway operations will not only serve travellers but also provide crucial backup support to nearby districts," he said.

The CM announced plans to further expand Rescue 1122's reach to the district and tehsil levels, ensuring province-wide accessibility to emergency services. The service, modelled on international best practices and staffed by professionals trained at recognised rescue academies, offers free services via a single, unified helpline: 1122. Services include medical emergencies, firefighting, water rescue, urban search and rescue, and lifesaving training programs, he said.

Murad Shah expressed gratitude to Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the World Bank for their support, praising the dedication of Rescue 1122 personnel. He concluded by stating that this initiative represents a major step towards a safer Sindh, highlighting the governments ongoing commitment to public safety and infrastructure development. The event concluded with a media briefing further emphasising these commitments.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Rehabilitation Minister Makhdoom Mahboob Zaman said that Since its inception, Rescue 1122 has responded to over 700,000 medical emergencies, 1,000 fire incidents, 60 building collapses, and 180 drowning rescues.

He emphasised the life-saving impact of the service and the enhanced efficiency the highway operations will bring.

Minister for Planning and Development Nasir Shah announced that an initiative would also focus on modernizing 10 government hospital emergency wards, rehabilitating 836 kilometers of roads, and restoring 375 water supply schemes in flood-affected areas.

Mayor of Karachi Murtaza Wahab commented that despite the provincial government launching mega projects, particularly in Karachi, the critics of the government were in denial. He urged the chief minister to announce a drainage system for the area. In response, the chief minister stated that he had instructions from the Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to provide the people of the province with a water supply and drainage system. "I am ready to provide you with a drainage scheme for the area, but it must be comprehensive to meet the needs of the community," he emphasized.

During a media briefing, when asked about the Executive Director of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), the chief minister remarked that the matter had been in court for the past two months, expressing regret that patients were suffering as a result.

In response to another question, Murad Shah explained that barren land would be utilised for the Green Initiative, which aims to launch corporate farming. "We are also rolling out a scheme to bring uncultivated or barren land under cultivation," he added.

Addressing concerns about the illegal occupation of government land in Sohrab Goth, Murad Shah stated that he would order an inquiry. "We have already instructed government agencies to prevent any illegal occupation of government land," he asserted.

Regarding the Intermediate Board in Karachi, the chief minister promised to prioritise resolving its issues. "We are working to improve the performance of educational boards by introducing modern examination models and appointing highly qualified professionals," he added..
RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) City Traffic Police (CTP) Rawalpindi have introduced modern driving simulator for the first time in CTP Headquarters to train the learners.

According to a CTP spokesman, a modern driving simulator with necessary components such as gear, clutch, accelerator, steering wheel and brake was introduced for the first time in the driving training school of CTP Rawalpindi.

The simulator allows the learners to immerse themselves in a complete road-driving experience.

This initiative is the result of the special interest of City Traffic Officer, Rawalpindi Beenish Fatima, he said and informed that the CTO was trying to ensure the use of modern technology to provide the best driving training to the citizens.

Through, the driving simulator, those learning to drive will be able to practice driving in different situations without any danger, he said adding, this modern simulator will not only provide awareness of traffic rules but will also provide training on correct response in difficult and emergency situations.

The CTO during a visit to the driving training school inspected the performance of the simulator.

On this occasion, she directed the staff to provide all possible facilities to the citizens so that they could become safe and expert drivers.

The spokesman said that this initiative will not only be helpful in preventing traffic accidents but will also help in providing a safe travel environment to the public and through modern training, the citizens will be able to drive according to international standards.

This initiative of CTP Rawalpindi will prove to be an important milestone in promoting obedience to traffic rules and awareness of safe driving among the public.

This use of modern technology will help transform the citizens into safe and confident drivers, he added.
(@FahadShabbir)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) A renowned eye surgeon Dr. Umair Kidwai on Saturday while explaining the conditions of colour blindness disorder said that "Colour blindness is a vision problem where a person has difficulty distinguishing between certain colours, especially red and green.

Talking to a private news channel, he said that this happens when the colour-detecting cells in the eye, called cones, do not work properly.

He noted that colour blindness is usually inherited and passed down through families. "It is more common in men than women because it is linked to the X chromosome," he added.

Dr. Kidwai highlighted the different types of colour blindness, such as red-green colour blindness, blue-yellow colour blindness, and a rare condition called total colour blindness, where a person sees only in shades of gray.

Regarding treatment, he explained that while there is no cure for inherited colour blindness, special glasses or contact lenses can help some people see colours better.

"In cases where colour blindness is caused by an illness or injury, treating the underlying issue may improve vision," he said.

Dr. Kidwai emphasized the importance of early diagnosis, especially for children, as it can help them adapt and perform better in school and daily life.
Dera Ismail Khan, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Dera police during the operation against the narcotics arrested the female drug dealer and recovered 800 grams of hashish from her possession in the limits of Paharpur police station on Saturday.

According to the police spokesman, on the direction of the District Police Officer Dera Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada, the operations of District Dera Police against criminal elements are continuing indiscriminately.

Paharpur Police Station under the leadership of SDPO Paharpur, ASP Ali Hamza along with SHO Khalid Javed Lashari along with DSB staff and lady police, in a successful operation, arrested a woman involved in the business of norcatics.

The accused was identified as Siraj Bibi, wife of Ghulam Shabbir resident of Rangpur.

The police recovered 800 grams of hashish from the possession of the accused.

The police registered the case against the accused and started further investigations.
(@Abdulla99267510)

Barrister Saif reaches Kohat late at night on special instructions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur

PESHAWAR: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Jan 4th, 2025) After the Kurram peace agreement, a first convoy of 75 large trucks would pass through Tal-Parachinar there under tight security on Saturday (today).

Advisor on Information Barrister Dr. Saif arrived to see off the first convoy for Kurram.

Barrister Saif reached Kohat late at night on the special instructions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur. From Kohat, he traveled to Chapri, the border area of Kurram. The Commissioner of Kohat, DIG, district administration and other police officials are accompanying him.

Barrister Dr. Saif stated that the convoy, consisting of 75 large vehicles including 22-wheelers, 10-wheelers and 6-wheeler trucks would head to Kurram under security escort.

The Information Advisor added that the convoy included essential items such as food supplies, medicines, gas cylinders and other goods. Specifically, there are five trucks of medicines, 10 trucks of vegetables, nine trucks of ghee and oil, five trucks of flour, seven trucks of sugar, two trucks of gas cylinders and 26 trucks of other grocery items.

He further mentioned that the convoy is stationed at Chapri while th police and other law enforcement agencies are alert for security.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Saturday strongly condemned the blast in Dhang, near Turbat, Balochistan, and expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Saturday strongly condemned the blast in Dhang, near Turbat, Balochistan, and expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives.

In his condolence message, the speaker conveyed heartfelt sympathies to the families of the deceased and prayed for the swift recovery of those injured in the attack.

He expressed solidarity with the grieving families, emphasizing that those who target innocent civilians are enemies of humanity.

The speaker prayed to Allah Almighty to elevate the ranks of the deceased and grant patience to their families in this difficult time.

He also affirmed that terrorist acts by malicious elements would not weaken the nations resolve in its fight against terrorism.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Senator Irfan Siddiqui, PML-N leader and spokesperson for the government negotiation committee, warned on Saturday that ongoing talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could face significant challenges due to PTIs failure to submit its demands in writing as initially agreed.

In an interview, he highlighted that there has been minimal progress over the past 12 days.

Siddiqui explained that the PTI negotiating team had facilitated a meeting with their party chairman to build trust, but uncertainty remains over whether the Charter of Demands will be provided in written form, despite prior commitments from both sides.

During the first meeting on December 23, PTI had promised to submit its demands in writing, a promise reiterated in a joint statement. However, these demands were not submitted by January 2, Siddiqui stated.

The government negotiation team was informed that PTI required another opportunity to consult with their chairman to finalize the written demands. Although the government agreed, the written Charter of Demands was still not presented during the third meeting, potentially complicating the negotiation process.

On the issue of political prisoners, Senator Siddiqui emphasized that being a political prisoner is defined by the nature of the crime, not the identity of the individual.

He explained, If I, as a member of the Senate, commit murder and end up in jail for it, I would never be considered a political prisoner.

Siddiqui also pointed out that even the president does not have immunity in such matters. He further mentioned that PTI has raised several demands, including the release of their party chief and other prisoners, the formation of judicial commissions, and the tracing of 45 missing persons. However, when asked for the Names, addresses, and identities of these missing persons, PTI responded that no such list exists.

Questioning how the government could trace individuals without any information, Siddiqui also stated that the government negotiation team has not made any demands of PTI, nor have they asked the party to withdraw its call for civil disobedience.

In response to another query, Siddiqui clarified that there has been no offer from the government or any other institution to transfer the PTI chief from Adiala Jail to Bani Gala or elsewhere. He also confirmed that there are no parallel or behind-the-scenes negotiations, adding that PTI will set the date for the third negotiation meeting.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Nawabzada Jamal Khan Raisani, a PPP leader and MNA from Balochistan, on Saturday advocated for the fulfillment of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's vision by promoting equality, justice, and providing equal opportunities for progress in Pakistan.

In his message on the birth anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, observed on January 5, he highlighted Bhuttos legacy as a symbol of ideology, revolution, and historical movement.

He stated that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was a voice advocating for the rights of the oppressed, a vision focused on guiding Pakistan toward sovereignty and development, and a movement that remains alive in the hearts of the people today.

Nawabzada Jamal Khan Raisani said that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto taught us that power lies with the people, and leadership is only achievable through service and sacrifice.

Bhutto gave Pakistan its first unanimous constitution, laid the foundation for the countrys nuclear program, secured the rights of workers and farmers, and gave the nation a new identity. His struggle not only changed history but also lit a flame that will never extinguish.

Nawabzada Jamal Khan Raisani further emphasized that today serves as a reminder for all to pledge to turn Bhutto's vision into reality.

He called for the creation of a Pakistan where every citizen is assured of equality, justice, and equal opportunities for progress.

"Let us make his dream our destination and move forward with the resolve to build a great and sovereign nation in accordance with Bhutto's ideals," he added.
MUZAFFARGARH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) A trader was shot dead by robbers near Noor Shah Talai on Saturday.

Police sources said robbers intercepted the trader, identified as Adil Gadi, at gunpoint and demanded valuables. Upon resistance, they fired at him.

As resulted, he died on the spot and the culprits fled.

Local police shifted the body to hospital for legal formalities and registered a case. An investigation is underway to apprehend the culprits. Meanwhile, the victims family protested outside the local police station, demanding the immediate arrest of the robbers.
Santiago, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Chilean President Gabriel Boric on Friday made a historic trip to the South Pole to reaffirm his country's "claim to sovereignty" over its part of Antarctica, his office said.

Boric is the first Latin American leader to reach the Earth's southernmost point, according to his office.

"This is a milestone for us," Boric said, in footage broadcast by Chilean television.

"It is the first time a Chilean president has come to the South Pole and talked about Chile's Antarctic mission."

Boric, accompanied by his defense and environment ministers as well as three military commanders, arrived at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, a US research base, at 2000 GMT, his office said.

The Chilean leader planned to spend about two hours at the US outpost, in one of the planet's most remote and hostile zones.

The trip "is a confirmation of our claim to sovereignty" over part of Antarctica, he said.

During the 20th century, countries like Chile, France, the United States, Britain, Argentina and Japan set up research stations in Antarctica, both for scientific research and to establish a presence in the forbidding region.

Since 1961, activities in the region are governed by the Antarctic Treaty, which seeks to shield the continent and its surrounding seas from geopolitical rivalries.

The US State Department says seven countries including Chile maintain territorial claims in Antarctica, but "the United States and most other countries do not recognize those claims."

Boric began his voyage early in the day from Punta Arenas, in southern Chile, reaching Chile's research station on the Union Glacier in Antarctica, aboard a Hercules C-130 military transport plane.

Boric's visit comes "at an important moment for Chile's scientific endeavors in the region," his office said.

In the past, Chile has concentrated its research in the northern part of Antarctica, but the South American country is hoping to expand its efforts to the Bellingshausen and Weddell Seas, according to the statement from the presidency.

In 2007, then New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark made the trip to the South Pole, followed in 2011 by former Norwegian prime minister Jens Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg was commemorating the 100th anniversary of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen's voyage in December 1911.
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Sydney, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek are on a collision course for United Cup glory after the USA and Poland won their respective semi-finals on Saturday in Sydney.

Swiatek beat Elena Rybakina to help last year's runners-up Poland see off Kazakhstan and they were joined in Sunday's final of the mixed-teams tournament by the Gauff-led United States.

The Americans defeated the Czech Republic, with Gauff beating Karolina Muchova and then an increasingly irate Tomas Machac retiring from his match against Taylor Fritz in an abrupt and bizarre ending.

"I woke up so late today," said Gauff, 20, after she dismissed Muchova 6-1, 6-4 to underline what a threat she will be at the Australian Open starting next week.

Gauff, the world number three, added: "The whole match I was intense and focused, that made the difference today."

Big-serving Fritz, ranked fourth in the world, looked poised to level up their men's singles match after losing the first set when a hot and bothered Machac shook hands, sending the Americans through.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek played a starring role for Poland in their semi-final against Kazakhstan as she beat Rybakina 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.

"This win makes me really proud," Swiatek said after giving Poland an unassailable 2-0 lead in the tie.

"It is perfect preparation for the Australian Open," said the world number two.

Swiatek again played with strapping on her right thigh, having been troubled in her tough three-set win over Britain's Katie Boulter in the quarter-finals.

That clash lasted nearly three hours and Swiatek was slow out of the blocks against Rybakina, who is ranked sixth in the world.

They went to a first-set tie break after Rybakina saved two set points, before the 23-year-old Pole pulled away to take her country into the final.

"I for sure did not start well and had the handbrake on a bit. I knew I had to do something and change the momentum," said Swiatek, who made light of any injury concerns.

She is relishing the prospect of a meeting with Gauff.

"I think at this stage she's developing every month and it's going to be also a nice challenge," she said.

Hubert Hurkacz put Poland on the way when he beat Alexander Shevchenko 6-3, 6-2 in the men's singles.

The 16th-ranked Hurkacz lost both his singles matches in group play but defeated Britain's Billy Harris in the quarter-finals and took that momentum into the meeting with Shevchenko.
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Beirut, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said Friday that Lebanon was working to find a solution with Syria, after two security officials said Damascus had imposed new restrictions on the entry of Lebanese citizens.

"Work is underway to resolve the issue of Lebanese citizens being prevented from entering Syria," Mawlawi told AFP.

He said Lebanon's General Security agency was in touch with "the Syrian side" to resolve the issue.

The developments appeared to be the first instance of friction between the two neighbours, who share a fraught history, since Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad last month.

Lebanese nationals had previously been allowed into Syria without a visa, using just their passport or ID.

But a Lebanese General Security official told AFP on Friday that they were "surprised to see the border had been closed" to Lebanese citizens "from the Syrian side".

The official, who like other sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said that no new border measures had been communicated to them yet.

A security source at Masnaa, the main land border crossing between the two countries, said Syrian authorities had implemented "new procedures" since the previous night, only allowing in Lebanese with residency permits or official permission.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati's office later said he had a phone call with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, during which they discussed bilateral relations as well as border skirmishes with the Lebanese army.

Sharaa also invited Mikati for an official visit to Syria.

The statement said Sharaa "confirmed that Syria's relevant agencies have done all that is necessary to restore calm at the border and prevent the recurrence of what happened".

Lebanon had imposed similar restrictions on Syrians entering the country after the civil war erupted more than a decade ago.

The Lebanese army said in a statement on X that its soldiers had clashed with armed Syrians at the border after the armed forces tried to "close an illegal crossing". It said five soldiers were wounded.

Lebanon's eastern border is porous and known for smuggling. It was unclear who the armed Syrians were.

"Syrians attempted to open the crossing using a bulldozer, so army personnel fired warning shots into the air. The Syrians opened fire on army personnel, injuring one of them and provoking a clash," the army said.

Last month, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told visiting Lebanese Druze leaders that his country would not negatively interfere in Lebanon and would respect its sovereignty.

For three decades, Syria was a dominant military and political force in Lebanon after intervening in its 1975-1990 civil war.

Syria eventually withdrew its troops in 2005 under international pressure after the assassination of Lebanese ex-prime minister Rafic Hariri.
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Naypyidaw, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Myanmar's embattled junta government on Saturday said it would release almost 6,000 prisoners as part of an annual amnesty to mark the country's independence day.

The military has arrested thousands of protesters and activists since its February 2021 coup that ended Myanmar's brief democratic experiment and plunged the nation into turmoil.

More than 5,800 prisoners -- including 180 foreigners -- will be freed, the junta said in a statement on Saturday, when the country marks 77 years of independence from British colonial rule.

Around 600 of those included in the amnesty had been sentenced under Section 505 (a) of the penal code, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said in an audio statement to media.

The law prohibits any action deemed to undermine the military and carries a maximum jail term of three years.

He added that "most" of the foreigners pardoned were Thai nationals who had been arrested in casinos on the border.

The military said it ordered the pardons "on humanitarian and compassionate grounds".

The junta also announced that 144 people who had been sentenced to life in prison would have their sentences commuted to 15 years.

Myanmar frequently grants amnesty to thousands of prisoners to commemorate holidays or Buddhist festivals.

Last year, the junta announced the release of more than 9,000 prisoners to mark independence day.

The annual independence day ceremony held in the heavily guarded capital Naypyidaw on Saturday saw around 500 government and military attendees.

A speech by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing -- who was not present at the event -- was delivered by deputy army chief Soe Win.

Soe Win reiterated the junta's call to dozens of ethnic minority armed groups that have been fighting it for the last four years to put down arms and "resolve the political issue through peaceful means".

He repeated a military pledge to hold delayed democratic elections and called for national unity.
Seoul, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Jan, 2025) Thousands of rival South Korean protesters rallied in the capital Saturday, a day after a failed attempt to arrest suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol for imposing a short-lived martial law decree that led to his impeachment.

The country has been plunged into political chaos since last month, with Yoon defiantly holed up in the presidential residence, surrounded by hundreds of loyal security officers who have so far resisted efforts by prosecutors to arrest him.

Thousands of protesters, both for and against Yoon, gathered in front of the residence and along major roads in Seoul on Saturday -- either demanding his arrest or calling for his impeachment to be declared invalid.

Supporter Kim Chul-hong, 60, said Yoon's arrest could undermine South Korea's security alliance with the US and Japan.

"Protecting President Yoon means safeguarding our country's security against threats from North Korea," he told AFP.

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, South Korea's largest umbrella union, attempted to march to Yoon's residence to protest against him, but were blocked by police.

It said two of its members were arrested, and several others were injured in clashes.

Yoon faces criminal charges of insurrection, one of a few crimes not subject to presidential immunity, meaning he could be sentenced to prison or, at worst, the death penalty.

If the warrant is executed, Yoon would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested.

- Arrest showdown -

Investigators have asked Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who was installed as acting president a week ago, to back the warrant by ordering the presidential security service to cooperate.

The Service said two top officials from the had refused a police request Saturday for questioning, citing the "serious nature" of protecting him.

In scenes of high drama on Friday, Yoon's guards and military troops shielded him from investigators who eventually called off the arrest attempt citing safety concerns.

The showdown -- which reportedly included shoving but no shots fired -- left the warrant in limbo, with the court order set to expire on Monday.

CIO officials could make another bid to arrest him before then.

But if the warrant lapses, they may apply for another.

The Constitutional Court slated January 14 for the start of Yoon's impeachment trial, which if he does not attend would continue in his absence.

Former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye never appeared for their impeachment trials.

Yoon's lawyers decried Friday's arrest attempt as "unlawful and invalid", and vowed to take legal action.

Experts said investigators could wait for greater legal justification before attempting to arrest the suspended president again.

"It may be challenging to carry out the arrest until the Constitutional Court rules on the impeachment motion and strips him of the presidential title," Chae Jin-won of Humanitas College at Kyung Hee University told AFP.

- 'Stable path' -

Yoon has remained defiant and told his right-wing supporters this week he would fight "to the very end" for his political survival.

By the time investigators arrived to arrest Yoon, he had layered his presidential compound with hundreds of security forces.

Around 20 investigators and 80 police officers were heavily outnumbered by around 200 soldiers and security personnel linking arms to block their way.

The weeks of political turmoil have threatened the country's stability.

South Korea's key security ally, the United States, called for the political elite to work towards a "stable path" forward.

Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to hold talks in Seoul on Monday, with one eye on US-South Korea relations and another on nuclear-armed North Korea.
Prince William expressed his shock and sadness Saturday at the news of the death of his former nannys stepson in the New Year's truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people.

Londons Metropolitan Police confirmed Saturday that they are supporting the family of 31-year-old Edward Pettifer, including helping them through the process of returning his body to the United Kingdom. Pettifer, who is from west London, is the final victim to be identified.

In a statement on social media, the Prince of Wales said he and his wife, Catherine, were shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack."

Pettifer was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who was the nanny for William and his brother, Prince Harry, between 1993 and 1999, which included the time after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. Legge-Bourke, who is also known as Alexandra Pettifer, was regularly photographed with Diana.

British media also reported that King Charles III is said to be deeply saddened by the news and that he has sent his condolences to Pettifer's family.

In a statement, Pettifers family said they were devastated at the tragic news of Eds death and described him as a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.

We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack, the family added.

Authorities say 14 people were killed and about 30 were injured in the attack early Wednesday by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a former U.S. Army soldier who posted several videos on his Facebook account hours before the attack previewing the violence he would unleash and proclaiming his support for the Islamic State militant group. The coroners office listed the cause of death for all 14 victims as blunt force injuries.

Jabbar, 42, was fatally shot in a firefight with police at the scene of the deadly crash on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans historic French Quarter.
With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump expected to take office on Jan. 20, dozens of AI-generated videos of him allegedly issuing directives and threatening to withhold aid from certain African countries have been circulating on social media.

One of those countries is Kenya, where a recent wave of allegedly state-sanctioned abductions of government critics is spreading fear. Hundreds of young people remain missing since anti-government demonstrations in June.

On Dec. 28, a content creator with about 20,000 TikTok followers shared phony footage of Trump threatening to withhold U.S. aid from Kenya if the alleged abductions continued. The clip went viral with 357,000 views as of the time of this writing.

In the video, the deepfake representation of Trump says: "If Kenyan government will not stop the abductions, I want to promise you that the U.S. government will stop funding Kenya and issuing loans. The International Monetary Fund will also stop issuing loans to Kenya."

That is false.

The clip bears the hallmarks of a deepfake video, with words out of sync with the lips and body motion.

In the background, the clip uses the logo of the White House, which has not published any such video on its website with Trump yet to assume office. There are no such statements from Trumps first presidential term either.

From TikTok, the deepfake video spread to other social media platforms. Shared on X in late Dec. 30, the video has since attracted close to 200k views.

Many social media users across different platforms assumed the footage was authentic, expressing satisfaction about Trumps apparent show of support for the missing people. Some, however, commented that it was fake. As one X user said:

Trump has not publicly commented on abductions in Kenya, for which some have blamed the Kenyan government.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued the latest U.S. government statement on the abductions Nov. 7, when he conveyed to Kenyan President William Ruto the importance of full accountability for security forces reportedly involved in protest violence and ongoing abductions.

On Dec. 28, Ruto promised to stop the state-sanctioned abductions of government critics. What has been said about abductions, we will stop them so Kenyan youth can live in peace, but they should have discipline and be polite so that we can build Kenya together, he said.

In the West African nation of Nigeria, dozens of similar AI-generated videos have flooded social media since Trumps re-election.

On Nov. 15, a Nigeria-based X user shared a video clip of Trump allegedly announcing changes to U.S.-Nigeria immigration policy.

I am announcing a temporary policy shift, one that aims to encourage Nigerians, especially those in critical professions, to stay and invest in their homeland. As part of this policy, the U.S. will limit certain visa approvals for Nigerians, Trump is seen saying in that AI-generated deepfake.

That clip went viral on X with 871,000 views. As with the Kenyan deepfake, the Nigerian Trump also originated from TikTok, where dozens of users shared it.

In the footage, created using older authentic footage of Trump, the words are out of sync with his lips and body movements.

A check on Trumps social media accounts and U.S. and international mainstream media shows that he has not published any such statement.

During Trumps first presidency, Nigeria was among six countries from which his administration restricted immigration. The others were Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar.

Another example is AI-generated footage of Trump calling for the release of Nigerian separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu, who is facing terrorism charges. That phony footage was shared on TikTok the same day as the visa-restrictions deepfake. Kanu, the leader of the Independence Movement for the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, has been advocating for the secession of southeastern Nigeria.

I am calling on the Nigerian government to release Mr. Nnamdi Kanu who has been detained under circumstances that raise questions of fairness, human rights and basic justice, the phony representation of Trump says in the deepfake video.

Let me be very clear. If Mr. Kanu is not released by Nov. 31, 2024, my administration will begin the process of withdrawing medical, financial and humanitarian aid that we provide to Nigeria.

In late December, NPR reported that 2024 saw a surge of AI-generated political memes and deepfakes worldwide. In Indonesia, a political party resurrected a long-dead dictator, Suharto, for use in a political ad. In India, deepfakes shared on social media had significant impact on voters choices in the national elections. And in the United States, Trump and his allies embraced AI-generated memes throughout the presidential race.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Saturday he will resign in the coming days after talks on forming a new government failed a second time.

The announcement came after the People's Party and the Social Democrats on Saturday continued coalition talks a day after the liberal Neos party's surprise withdrawal from discussions.

"Unfortunately, I have to tell you today that the negotiations have ended and will not be continued by the People's Party," said Nehammer, the conservative party's leader, in a statement on social media.

He said that "destructive forces" in the Social Democratic Party have "gained the upper hand" and that the People's Party will not sign on to a program that it considers to be against economic competitiveness.

Social democratic leader Andreas Babler said he regretted the People's Party decision to end the talks.

"This is not a good decision for our country," he said. One of the main stumbling blocks had to do with how to repair the "record deficit" left by the previous government, he added.

"I have offered to Karl Nehammer and the People's Party to continue negotiating and called on them not to give up," he told reporters Saturday evening.

Challenge for next government

The next government in Austria faces the challenge of having to save 18.6 billion euros to 24.8 billion euros, according to the EU Commission. In addition, Austria, which has been in a recession for the past two years, is experiencing rising unemployment, and its budget deficit is currently at 3.7% of Gross Domestic Product  above the EU's limit of 3%.

Babler blamed the collapse of the negotiations on "forces within the People's Party" that were against a coalition with the Social Democrats, while praising Nehammer for his readiness to compromise.

A coalition between the People's Party and the Social Democrats was considered shaky from the beginning because the two parties together have a razor-thin one-seat majority in the Austrian parliament.

It was not immediately clear what would happen next.

Criticized for creating 'chaos'

The People's Party will have to search for a replacement for Nehammer, who has always ruled out the possibility of a coalition with far-right leader Herbert Kickl. But Nehammer's expected resignation could now prompt the party to rethink its options under new leadership.

People's Party officials planned to meet Sunday to discuss choosing a new leader.

The People's Party and the far-right Freedom Party are close on economic policies as well as other issues such as migration and are already working together in five coalitions on the local level.

An early election would be another option. But given Austrian election laws, such an election would unlikely take place before May.

Party leader Herbert Kickl criticized Nehammer, Babler and Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen in a written statement Saturday evening for having created "chaos instead of stability" and said the ball is now in Van der Bellen's court.

Van der Bellen is expected to make a statement tomorrow, Austrian's public broadcaster ORF reports.
On Feb. 15, 1951, Army Private Bruno R. Orig was returning from a mission when he found his fellow soldiers under attack in what's now known as the Battle of Chipyong-ni.

The infantryman provided first aid to his comrades wounded in the Korean War attack and began helping move those men to safety. He then took over a machine gun post and allowed a friendly platoon to pull back without a casualty. When the ground was recaptured later that day, Orig was found dead beside the machine gun, surrounded by enemy combatants he had killed.

Orig was among the Medal of Honor recipients recognized Friday by President Joe Biden in one of his last opportunities to officially acknowledge acts of selflessness and personal bravery in times of war. Biden bestowed the medal posthumously to six men and one living recipient at a White House ceremony. In a separate Oval Office ceremony closed to the news media, he awarded the Medal of Valor to eight first responders who put their own lives at risk to save others.

These are heroes of different ranks, different positions and even different generations. Biden said at the Medal of Honor ceremony, Friday evening. They are heroes who all went above and beyond the call of duty."

Acknowledging his last days as president, Biden said, "These are my finals days as commander in chief. It was the greatest honor of my life to be entrusted" to lead America, he said "and the finest military in the history of the world."

During the Korean War, Private First Class Wataru Nakamura destroyed an enemy machine gun nest and recaptured several bunkers. He exhausted his ammunition but resumed his attack after being rearmed, and he was ultimately killed by an enemy grenade and buried in Los Angeles.

Army Corporal Fred B. McGee was recognized for his gallantry and intrepidity near Tang-Wan-Ni, Korea, on June 16, 1952, when he assumed command of his squad, neutralized an enemy machine gun and then sent his squad back while he helped rescue the wounded.

The Ohio native died in 2020, according to news reports.

Army Private First Class Charles R. Johnson, from Millbrook, New York, was killed on June 12, 1953, after holding off Chinese forces during the Korean War. His actions saved the lives of as many as 10 soldiers.

After multiple raids on an entrenched enemy in the area of Sagimak during the Korean War, Army First Lieutenant Richard E. Cavazos stayed behind alone to evacuate five battle casualties to safety.

Cavazos served more than three decades in the service, eventually attaining the rank of four-star general. The Texan died in 2018 at age 88. Fort Hood was renamed in honor of him on May 9, 2023.

After an armed helicopter crashed during the Vietnam War on June 5, 1966, Army Captain Hugh R. Nelson Jr. from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, pulled two specialists from the aircraft, shielding one of them from enemy gunfire at the loss of his own life.

While fighting in Vietnam on May 7, 1970, then-Army Private First Class Kenneth J. David drew enemy fire away from injured comrades and onto himself, becoming wounded by a satchel charge.

But David kept fighting and pulled fire away from landing Medevac helicopters, and was evacuated after the last helicopter landed. The Ohioan is still living.

On Friday, Biden also awarded eight people the Medal of Valor, which goes to those who have shown exceptional courage in attempting to save human lives.

The recipients included the law enforcement officials who responded to a shooter who killed six people on March 27, 2023, at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Nashville Police Department's Sergeant Jeffrey Mathes, Officer Rex Engelbert and detectives Michael Collazo, Ryan Cagle and Zachary Plese rushed to the scene and faced gunfire from the shooter. They cleared out classrooms and ultimately took down the shooter.

Biden also recognized Sergeant Tu Tran of the Lincoln, Nebraska, Police Department. On Feb. 22, 2023, Tran swam 9 meters (30 feet) into a frigid pond to rescue a woman from a submerging vehicle.

Lieutenant John Vanderstar, a New York City firefighter, received the Medal of Valor for rescuing a mother and child from a burning apartment on Oct. 23, 2022. Separately, New York City firefighter Brendan Gaffney was honored for braving an apartment building fire to save an unconscious child and a pregnant woman.
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President Joe Biden said Friday that he was blocking the proposed $14.9 billion acquisition of American company U.S. Steel by Japans Nippon Steel. Analysts said rejection of the deal could hurt relations with Japan, a key ally and trade partner. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara reports.
President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, will make his final visit to India next week to emphasize Washington's partnership with New Delhi, the White House announced Friday.

The visit will cap the Biden administration's efforts to maximize ties with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, in its strategic focus to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific.

Strengthening ties with India has been a "real foreign policy priority and area of legacy achievement for the Biden administration," a senior administration official said on condition of anonymity in a briefing to reporters Friday.

Sullivan will visit New Delhi January 5-6 to discuss a range of issues, including civil nuclear partnership, China's overcapacity on semiconductor and biopharma supply chains, strategic technology cooperation and other shared security priorities, a second administration official said.

Sullivan's visit comes as tension is brewing between India and China over Beijing's plan to build what it calls the "world's largest" hydro dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau, which could affect millions downstream in India and Bangladesh.

Sullivan is expected to discuss the dam along with other regional issues of concern, said the first administration official in response to VOA's question. "What matters to us is that when it comes to water resources that have to be managed across countries, that those are being handled fairly and in an equitable way," the official said.

Technology initiative

A key focus of the visit is the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET)  an effort that Biden and Modi announced in May 2022 to bolster their strategic technology partnership and defense-industrial cooperation between their governments, businesses and academic institutions across various domains, from AI to quantum computing, and from semiconductors to space.

Sullivan's visit will take place just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office January 20. Many expect iCET to continue under his administration.

"There is broad bipartisan support for some of the goals of iCET," said the second administration official in response to VOA's question. They include "strengthening the resilience of technology supply chains, working with allies and partners to position ourselves to offset PRC [People Republic of China's] advancements in certain technologies, and efforts to dominate some of the supply chains."

The U.S. strategic partnership with New Delhi is "based upon a bet that India's economic, technological and military rise is critical to pushing back and containing China's dominance in these fields," said Aparna Pande, director of the Initiative on the Future of India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute.

Irritants have not derailed bilateral ties. Those include India's democratic backsliding, and the case of a former Indian government employee charged in New York last year with murder-for-hire over his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist and Modi critic.

Most of Biden's policies on India will likely continue, Pande told VOA, as Trump's desire to "push back or contain China's rise  economic, technological and military  will help ensure that India is seen as a partner in this endeavor."

During his first administration, Trump had a warm relationship with Modi. Trump attended a 2019 "Howdy Modi" rally in Texas, and Modi reciprocated by hosting a "Namaste Trump" rally in Ahmedabad in 2020.
Villagers in southern Cameroon say armed men crossed the border from Nigeria and killed at least seven government troops and displaced civilians from about 15 villages. Civilians say they believe the attackers are members of a militant group.

Villagers in the Akwaya district on Cameroons border with Nigerias Taraba state say several hundred armed men crossed the Moon River two times this week and launched deadly attacks on their villages.

The Moon River lies to the south on Cameroon's border with Nigeria. Villagers say the water level has dropped significantly this dry season, making it easy to cross by foot.

The villagers say the first attack was on Thursday, when armed men suspected to be ethnic Fulani from Nigeria entered their villages and started shooting indiscriminately in the air, torching houses and threatening to kill civilians.

Cameroon's military says that it fought back and that the attackers retreated after several fighters were killed.

Agwa Linus Tarnonge, traditional ruler of Bakinjaw village in Akwaya district, said villagers were surprised that the men returned on Friday, more heavily armed than they were on Thursday.

"In the cause of gun fire exchanges, some of those armed Fulani suffered casualties, and then the remaining ones retreated and came back with an overwhelming population [number of fighters], and with more sophisticated rifles, Tarnonge told VOA by phone from Akwaya. They attacked our [Cameroon] military contingent that is lodged at the chief's palace in Bakinjaw, and killed five military and two gendarmes."

The Cameroon military said it lost five troops during the confrontation. Villagers say two government troops sustained injuries and died while being rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Many civilians were injured, and it is too early to determine if some villagers died because of the difficult access to Akwaya, the Cameroon military says.

Aka Martin Tyoga, a lawmaker and member of Cameroon's National Assembly from Akwaya, said this week's attacks are the latest in a series of what he called attempts by Nigerian militant groups to seize that area of Cameroon.

We have asked the people to move away from the border area to the center, where we have the military that has been there since, Tyoga said. We are pleading that the government should send more forces [military] because these people [armed men] come en masse; they came in 300. Their mode of operating is like Boko Haram. They enter the community and just start killing people, burning down houses."

No group has claimed responsibility, but Cameroonian government officials and Akwaya residents believe a Nigerian militant group wants to occupy the area. Cameroonian officials said troops have been deployed to the border with Nigeria around Akwaya for a search-and-rescue operation, but they have not said how many have been deployed.

The Cameroonian government says it is working in collaboration with Nigerian authorities to stop the border attacks but gave no details. VOA could not independently verify if Cameroon has contacted Nigerian authorities to either investigate the origin of the armed group or collaborate with forces of the neighboring state to fight the suspected militants.

Nigeria has been attempting to stop the proliferation of militant groups in its territory since 2009, when fighting between Nigerian government troops and Boko Haram militants degenerated into an armed conflict and spread to Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

Several bombings and deadly attacks have taken place in Nigerias Taraba state since 2022 that were claimed by Islamic State West Africa Province or ISWAP. In 2021, Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad and Niger said ISWAP was emerging as the terrorist group taking over from Boko Haram, which was weakened by the death of its leader, Aboubakar Shekau, in May of that year.
A contingent of security forces from Guatemala and El Salvador arrived in Haiti's capital Friday to reinforce a long-delayed United Nations-backed mission tasked with restoring security amid a bloody conflict with armed gangs.

The new arrivals were made up of 75 Guatemalans and eight Salvadorans, a communications officer for the mission said.

The president of Haiti's transitional presidential council, Leslie Voltaire, alongside Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins, welcomed the troops at Port-au-Prince's airport, Haiti's interim government said in a post on social media.

"They have come to reinforce the Multinational Force in the fight against gangsters and guns in the country," the government said.

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo had in September pledged to send 150 military police, three months after initially pledging in a letter to the U.N. an unnumbered contingent alongside personal equipment.

El Salvador had in August promised 78 soldiers for medical evacuation operations as well as three helicopters  much needed by Haitian security forces contending with mountainous terrain and highways scattered with gang-controlled checkpoints.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who has garnered broad popularity over a harsh crackdown on organized crime in his home country including the use of mass trials and construction of a "mega-jail," has stated that he would be able to "fix" Haiti and that its gangs must be "obliterated."

The mission is being led by Kenya, which deployed nearly 400 police in the middle of last year, far short of the 1,000 it had promised. The police were later joined by 24 Jamaican personnel and two senior officers from Belize.

However, the mission has failed to prevent gangs from taking new territories and committing several massacres as violence dramatically escalated in the last months of 2024, causing thousands more people to flee their homes.

Haiti's national police have meanwhile shed thousands of officers in recent years.

Some 10 countries have together pledged over 3,100 troops for Haiti, but few have so far deployed.
The highly decorated Special Forces soldier who died by suicide in a Cybertruck explosion on New Year's Day confided to a former girlfriend who had served as an Army nurse that he faced significant pain and exhaustion that she says were key symptoms of traumatic brain injury.

Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was a five-time recipient of the Bronze Star, including one with a V device for valor under fire. He had an exemplary military record that spanned the globe and a baby born last year. But he struggled with the mental and physical toll of his service, which required him to kill and caused him to witness the deaths of fellow soldiers.

Livelsberger mostly bore that burden in private but recently sought treatment for depression from the Army, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public.

He also found a confidant in the former nurse, who he began dating in 2018.

Alicia Arritt, 39, and Livelsberger met through a dating app while both were in Colorado Springs. Arritt had served at Landstul Regional Medical Center in Germany, the largest U.S. military medical facility in Europe, where many of the worst combat injuries from Iraq and Afghanistan were initially treated before being flown to the United States.

There she saw and treated traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs, which troops suffered from incoming fire and roadside bombs. Serious but hard to diagnose, such injuries can have lingering effects that might take years to surface.

I saw a lot of bad injuries. But the personality changes can happen later, Arritt said.

In texts and images he shared with Arritt, Livelsberger raised the curtain a bit on what he was facing.

Just some concussions, he said in a text about a deployment to Helmand Province in Afghanistan. He sent her a photo of a graphic tattoo he got on his arm of two skulls pierced by bullets to mark lives he took in Afghanistan. He talked about exhaustion and pain, not being able to sleep and reliving the violence of his deployment.

My life has been a personal hell for the last year, he told Arritt during the early days of their dating, according to text messages she provided to The Associated Press. Its refreshing to have such a nice person come along.

On Friday, Las Vegas law enforcement officers released excerpts of messages Livelsberger left behind showing the way Livelsberger killed himself was intentional, meant both as a wakeup call but also to cleanse the demons he was facing from losing fellow soldiers and taking lives.

Livelsbergers death in front of the Trump Hotel using a truck produced by Elon Musks Tesla company has raised questions as to whether this was an act of political violence.

Officials said Friday that Livelsberger apparently harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, and Arritt said she and Livelsberger were Tesla fans.

I had a Tesla, too, that I rescued from a junkyard in 2019, and we used to work on it together, bond over it, Arritt said.

The pair stopped talking regularly after they broke up in 2021, and she had not heard from him in more than two years when he texted out of the blue on Dec. 28, and again on Dec. 31. The upbeat messages included a video of him driving the Cybertruck and another one of its dancing headlights; the vehicle can sync up its lighting and music.

But she also said Livelsberger felt things very deeply, and I could see him using symbolism of both the truck and the hotel.

He wasnt impulsive, Arritt said. I dont see him doing this impulsively, so my suspicion would be that he was probably thinking it out.

Arritt served on active duty from 2003 to 2007 and then was in the Army Reserve until 2011. With Livelsberger, she saw symptoms of TBI as early as 2018.

He would go through periods of withdrawal, and he struggled with depression and memory loss, Arritt said. I dont know what drove him to do this, but I think the military didnt get him help when he needed it.

But Livelsberger was also sweet and kind, she recalled: He had a really deep well of inner strength and character, and he just had a lot of integrity.

Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Friday that it has turned over all Livelsberger's medical records to local law enforcement and encouraged troops facing mental health challenges to seek care through one of the military's support networks.

If you need help, if you feel that you need to seek any type of mental health treatment, or just to talk to someone  to seek the services that are available, either on base or off, Singh said.

When Livelsberger struggled during the time they were dating, Arritt prodded him to get help. But he would not, saying it could cost him his ability to deploy if he was found medically unfit.

There was a lot of stigma in his unit; they were, you know, big, strong, Special Forces guys there. There was no weakness allowed, and mental health is weakness is what they saw, she said.

Livelsberger seeking treatment for depression was first reported by CNN.
Ethiopias government said it is evacuating approximately 80,000 people following a series of small-scale earthquakes in the Afar, Oromia and Amhara regions.

At least 10 earthquakes were reported in Ethiopia since Friday, and there are signs of possible volcanic activity.

The latest earthquakes shook the Awash Fentale district, which stretches between the Afar and Oromia regions, at 3:52 a.m. Saturday.

The United States Geological Survey recorded an earthquake measuring a magnitude of 5.8 about 56 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Ambosa, in the Oromia region, in the early hours of Saturday.

Atalay Ayele, head of the Seismology Department and a professor of seismic science at Addis Ababa University, says the epicenter was in the middle of Dofen Mountain, Awash Fentale district, in the Afar region.

Just hours later a second tremor, measured at 4.7, was reported about 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of Awash in the Afar region.

The events are increasing in size and frequency from time to time. In particular, this week, data shows that an earthquake measuring up to 5.8 on the Richter scale, according to a statement issued by the federal government Saturday.

The earthquake was felt in the capital, Addis Ababa, and cities such as Adama and Metehara. Residents living in condos and high-rise buildings felt it, too, reports say.

As many as two dozen quakes and aftershocks were reported in Awash Fentale district since September, according to residents and officials.

In the Afar region, frequent quakes created a natural hot spring water crater that is reportedly widening.

No casualties were reported, but the quakes damaged dozens of homes in Afar.

Fears of volcanic eruptions

Fridays tremor in Afar resulted in fears of volcanic eruptions after smoke came from vents in the Dofen volcano, signaling potential volcanic activity.

The government is closely monitoring the events with experts in the field. In addition, it has identified the epicenter of the earthquake and deployed emergency workers from various fields in 12 kebeles [districts] to assess the extent of the damage, the statement from Ethiopias government said.

It is making great efforts to identify the most vulnerable among the 80,000 citizens living in those kebeles and to evacuate them from the area. It is also monitoring the possible impact of the earthquake on social service institutions, economic institutions, and infrastructure.

The Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission announced in a statement issued on Saturday that over 51,000 residents in the Afar and Oromia regions are at risk due to recurring earthquakes in the past two months. To mitigate the risk, more than 13,000 people have already been relocated to safer areas, the commission said.

In the Fentale district of the Oromia region, over 16,000 residents face similar risks, with more than 7,000 of them relocated to secure locations, the statement added.

Some residents in the affected towns said they left their homes after the quake.

Zumara Mamo is a resident of Abomsa, where the quake was felt. She says the earthquake happened while she was asleep.

I was sleeping on the floor with my child. Suddenly I felt the Earth beneath me shaking. The shock displaced the glass on my door, she told VOAs Horn of Africa Service.

According to Zumara, the shock lasted nearly a minute and was greater than the previous shock reported in the area in October.

Fentale district in the Oromia region lies less than 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the epicenter of the Saturday morning earthquake near Abomsa town.

Abayneh Urgo, who lives in Fentale district, said a strong earthquake shock was felt in his town and now residents are sleeping outside.

Efrem Wakjira, who lives near German Square in Addis Ababa, said earthquakes have been frequent this week.

The shock of the earthquake has been common during the past five days, but Saturday morning was quite strong. It happened at around 4 a.m. local time, and I was awakened from sleeping by the shock.

The government said the earthquake has not yet had a significant impact on major towns and has urged citizens to follow and strictly implement the precautionary messages issued by experts.

Ethiopian cities are vulnerable to quakes

Ethiopian experts have warned that many buildings in the country, particularly in Addis Ababa, are highly vulnerable to earthquakes.

Esayas Gebreyohannes, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Addis Ababa Universitys Institute of Technology, said Ethiopia introduced building code standards in 1983 that need updating every 10 to 20 years, with the next update scheduled this year.

Despite these updates, significant gaps persist in adherence to the standards during building design and construction, he said.

Many buildings evaluated at Addis Ababa University reveal design faults due to noncompliance with the standards. Additionally, construction materials and workmanship often fall short of required quality levels. Most buildings in Addis Ababa exhibit these deficiencies, compromising their safety and quality, Esayas said.

The recent frequent earthquake[s] is a sign that we are living in an active volcanic area, professor Ayele told VOA by phone.

The state should be careful while building infrastructures at those places. The relief agencies should stand by, and the public must also get awareness regarding the shocks, he said.

Government engineers say plans are underway to reinforce major public buildings to withstand high-magnitude earthquakes.

Engineer Mesfin Negewo, director general of the Ethiopian Construction Authority, acknowledged growing concerns over the increasing frequency of earthquakes.

We have observed frequent seismic activity over the past two months, and we are actively assessing the situation, he said by phone to VOA.

He said to address the emerging risks  the government has established task forces to study the situation and monitor incidents closely.

These teams will present a comprehensive report to authorities, he said.

VOAs Kennedy Abate and Mesfin Aragie contributed to this report.
Four Indigenous people, including a child, were shot during an attack in southern Brazil late on Friday, federal police and an Indigenous rights organization said on Saturday, as violence escalates in the region.

Attackers opened fire against the Indigenous community near the city of Guaira, in the southern Parana state, injuring four people, who were later hospitalized, the police said.

The attack was aimed at the Ava Guarani people, who have been the target of previous assaults since Dec. 29, said the Missionary Council for Indigenous Peoples, or CIMI, an organization linked to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Brazil.

A 4-year-old child shot in the leg was sent to a nearby hospital in the city of Toledo, alongside two other people, one hit in the leg and the other in the back, said CIMI.

The group said a fourth person, shot in the jaw, was sent to a hospital in Cascavel, one of the largest cities in the state.

The police said they have started investigations to track down the attackers, adding that federal, state and municipal security forces were deployed to avoid new violence in the region, which has historically faced land conflicts.

Two members of the Ava Guarani people were injured in the last days of 2024, said CIMI, with one having been shot in the arm.

The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs condemned the acts of violence against the Ava Guarani people, saying it is in talks with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security for the immediate investigation of armed groups acting in the region.
Flipping through a family album, Keachia Bowers paused on a photo of her as a baby on her father's lap as he held the 1978 album "Africa Stand Alone" by the Jamaican reggae band Culture.

"When I was 10 years old, I was supposed to come to Ghana with him," she said. A day earlier, she had marked 10 years since her father's death. Though he was a Pan-Africanist who dreamed of visiting Ghana, he never made it here.

Bowers and her husband, Damon Smith, however, are among the 524 diaspora members, mostly Black Americans, who were granted Ghanaian citizenship in a ceremony in November.

Bowers and Smith moved to Ghana from Florida in 2023 after visiting the region several times between them since the '90s. They now run a tour business that caters to Black people who want to visit Ghana or elsewhere in West Africa, or like them have come to consider a permanent move.

The November group was the largest one granted citizenship since Ghana launched the "Year of the Return" program, aimed at attracting the Black diaspora, in 2019. It marked 400 years since the first African slaves arrived in Virginia in 1619.

Ghana's Tourism Authority and the Office of Diaspora Affairs have extended the program into "Beyond the Return," which fosters the relationship with diasporans. Hundreds have been granted citizenship, including people from Canada, the U.K. and Jamaica.

Bowers said moving to Ghana gave her family a certain feeling of ease they didn't have in the U.S.

"When we see Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, all these stories of people being murdered just in their home, living in their home and being murdered at the hands of police brutality, hearing about it creates trauma," she said.

She also worried about her son Tsadik, 14.

Tsadik towers over loved ones in the way that lanky teenage boys often do. He is shy but opens up around his younger sister Tselah, 11, and the family's dog, Apollo.

"In America, being a Black male with locs who's very tall for his age, he is treated like a threat," Bowers said.

Americans face few obstacles to living in Ghana, with most people paying an annual residency fee. But Bowers said getting citizenship signified more than simply living in Ghana.

"I didn't need (citizenship) to tell me that I'm African. Anywhere that I go in the world and someone looks at me, I'm melanated," she said.

"But my ancestors who wanted to return and come back home, those ancestors who never made it back," she said, "that passport, for me, is for them."

Between 10 to 15 million people were forcibly taken from Africa to the Americas during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the majority from West and Central Africa.

Ghana, then a British colony known as the Gold Coast, was a main point of departure.

As memorials to the slave trade become tourist destinations across West Africa, painful reminders of its brutality are easily accessible. From Ghana to Senegal to Benin, one can visit variations of the "Door of No Return," haunting doorways that open to the Atlantic Ocean where slaves left Africa, and their families, for the last time.

The joy that people feel in finding connections that were broken long ago is palpable. Videos of the recent citizenship ceremony show men and women of all ages waving Ghanaian flags and cheering.

Deijha Gordon, 33, was one of them.

"I first visited Ghana in 2015. From then on, I knew this is a place that I wanted to be and a place where I wanted to show other diasporans, African-Americans, that we have a place where we belong," she said.

She moved from Brooklyn to Ghana in 2019 and opened a food truck, Deijha Vu's Jerk Hut, selling Jamaican food.

Between bagging to-go orders and speaking to a Black American tourist couple, she explained how she built the business from scratch.

Gordon was giddy while recalling the moment she got citizenship.

"It just feels good to have a connection to an African country as an African-American, as a Black American. Because back in America we don't have anything to trace our roots to but Africa. To have that connection here, I feel like I've done something right," she said.

Like Bowers, Gordon has had a stream of people reaching out and asking about the citizenship process.

The path is not clearly defined. Citizenship must come from a concession from Ghana's presidency, a process made legal under the 2000 Citizenship Act. It's granted to those residing in Ghana who have told the Office of Diaspora Affairs that they are interested in citizenship.

Ghana's government in part describes the program as a benefit to the economy and focuses on investment opportunities for those wishing to relocate.

Festus Owooson with the local nonprofit Migration Advocacy Center said that though the government emphasizes the economic angle, the real benefits of citizenship are intangible.

"I don't think (recipients) were crying because they have landed a gold mine, or they've found oil or some kind of business opportunity. But it's something so relieving, which you cannot put value or a price on," he said.

President Nana Akufo-Addo's administration, which launched the "Year of the Return," is on its way out. Ghana's main opposition party won the presidential election on Dec. 7.

But Owooson said Black Americans and other diaspora citizens are likely to continue receiving citizenship by presidential concession.

Citizenship also can pass to the next generation. The children of Bowers and Smith received it automatically after their parents' ceremony.

Bowers' father, like her husband and children, was a follower of the Rastafari faith. "Part of the Rastafarian tradition is to repatriate. We see repatriation as the ultimate experience that you can have on this earth," she said.

She believes that her father is proud of her. "I really feel like he's smiling, where he is. He wanted to experience this for himself, so he's experiencing it through me."
The U.S. congressional joint session to count electoral votes on Monday is expected to be much less eventful than the certification four years ago that was interrupted by a violent mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump who tried to stop the count and overturn the results of an election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

This time, Trump is returning to office after winning the 2024 election that began with Biden as his party's nominee and ended with Vice President Kamala Harris atop the ticket. She will preside over the certification of her own loss, fulfilling the constitutional role in the same way that Trump's vice president, Mike Pence, did after the violence subsided on Jan. 6, 2021.

Usually a routine affair, the congressional joint session on Jan. 6 every four years is the final step in reaffirming a presidential election after the Electoral College officially elects the winner in December. The meeting is required by the Constitution and includes several distinct steps.

What happens when Congress meets?

Under federal law, Congress must meet on Jan. 6 to open sealed certificates from each state that contain a record of their electoral votes. The votes are brought into the chamber in special mahogany boxes that are used for the occasion.

Bipartisan representatives of both chambers read the results out loud and do an official count. The vice president, as president of the Senate, presides over the session and declares the winner.

The Constitution requires Congress to meet and count the electoral votes. If there is a tie, then the House decides the presidency, with each congressional delegation having one vote. That hasnt happened since the 1800s and won't happen this time because Trumps electoral win over Harris was decisive, 312-226.

How has it changed since the last time?

Congress tightened the rules for the certification after the violence of 2021 and Trumps attempts to usurp the process.

In particular, the revised Electoral Count Act passed in 2022 more explicitly defines the role of the vice president after Trump aggressively pushed Pence to object to the Republican's defeat  an action that would have gone far beyond Pence's ceremonial role. Pence rebuffed Trump and ultimately gaveled down his own defeat. Harris will do the same.

The updated law clarifies that the vice president does not have the power to determine the results on Jan. 6.

Harris and Pence were not the first vice presidents to be put in the uncomfortable position of presiding over their own defeats. In 2001, Vice President Al Gore presided over the counting of the 2000 presidential election that he narrowly lost to Republican George W. Bush. Gore had to gavel several Democrats objections out of order.

In 2017, Biden as vice president presided over the count that declared Trump the winner. Biden also shot down objections from House Democrats that did not have any Senate support.

How does the session unfold?

The presiding officer opens and presents the certificates of the electoral votes in alphabetical order of the states.

The appointed tellers from the House and Senate, members of both parties, then read each certificate out loud and record and count the votes. At the end, the presiding officer announces who has won the most votes for president and vice president.

What if there's an objection?

After a teller reads the certificate from any state, a lawmaker can stand up and object to that states vote on any grounds. But the presiding officer will not hear the objection unless it is in writing and signed by one-fifth of each chamber.

That threshold is significantly higher than what came before. Previously, a successful objection only required support from one member of the Senate and one member of the House. Lawmakers raised the threshold in the 2022 law to make objections more difficult.

If any objection reaches the threshold  something not expected this time  the joint session suspends, and the House and Senate go into separate sessions to consider it. For the objection to be sustained, both chambers must uphold it by a simple majority vote. If they do not agree, the original electoral votes are counted with no changes.

In 2021, both the House and Senate rejected challenges to the electoral votes in Arizona and Pennsylvania.

Before 2021, the last time that such an objection was considered was 2005, when Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio and Senator Barbara Boxer of California, both Democrats, objected to Ohios electoral votes, claiming there were voting irregularities. The House and Senate debated the objection and easily rejected it. It was only the second time such a vote had occurred.

What happens next?

After Congress certifies the vote, the president is inaugurated on the west front of the Capitol on Jan. 20.

The joint session is the last official chance for objections, beyond any challenges in court. Harris has conceded and never disputed Trumps win.
Iranians opposed to their nation's Islamist rulers who seized power during the U.S. presidency of Jimmy Carter have reacted to his death at age 100 with a wave of criticism about his enduring impact on Iran and some supportive views of his post-presidential activities.

On the Monday edition of VOA Persian's "On the Line" live audience call-in show, all 12 audience members whose phone calls, video and voice messages were featured in the program criticized Carter, accusing him of enabling the Islamic Republic's first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, to seize power in 1979. Eleven of the 12 audience members who commented for the Persian-language show were calling from Iran, while the other audience member was in the U.S.

Khomeini and his radical Shiite followers toppled the monarchy of Iran's U.S.-backed shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, on Feb. 11, 1979. Pahlavi had fled into exile the previous month and arrived in the United States on Oct. 22, 1979, for cancer treatment that Carter approved.

Islamist militants angry with the U.S. for harboring the deposed shah stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, 1979, taking 66 Americans hostage. Thirteen were released weeks later but the remaining 53 Americans were held through the rest of Carter's presidency. Iran freed them after 444 days, upon the Jan. 20, 1981, inauguration of Carter's successor, Ronald Reagan.

Betrayal

The Iranian callers to the VOA Persian show unanimously expressed the view that Carter betrayed the shah by abandoning him as he faced a growing Islamist rebellion and not doing enough to stop Iran from being plunged into a dark era with its people enduring hardship under 45 years of authoritarian Islamist rule.

After leaving office, Carter said he tried to balance strategic and humanitarian considerations in his relationship with and treatment of the shah.

Prominent U.S.-based Iranian supporters of Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed shah, also used the X platform to post sharply critical views of Carter's legacy.

Journalist Behnam Amini wrote in Persian: "The man responsible for the misery of the Iranian nation has died. Soon, the downfall of the regime that he nurtured will come as well."

Also writing in Persian, monarchist Saman Sarraf described Carter as the "founder of the Islamic Republic" and said: "With Carter's death, the Islamic regime is on the brink of collapse."

Reza Pahlavi and his mother, exiled queen Farah Pahlavi, have been silent on Carter's death. The exiled crown prince's office did not immediately respond to a VOA request for comment sent Friday.

The National Iranian American Council (NIAC), a U.S. nonprofit critical of the Pahlavi dynasty, with a mission to "advance peace and diplomacy, secure equitable immigration policies and protect the civil rights of all Americans," sent VOA a different view of Carter's role in Iran's Islamic Revolution.

In a Friday statement, NIAC President Jamal Abdi said, "It is important to understand that the 1979 [Islamic] Revolution was made and led by Iranians, not by the United States. In fact, U.S. support for the shah, despite his brutality toward protesters and torture of political opponents, was one of the triggers for popular protest."

Abdi also wrote that members of the Iranian American community admire Carter's efforts after his presidency to advance Middle East peace and to warn about the direction of the Arab-Israeli conflict. "President Carter's legacy is multi-layered and complex, and not one that neatly fits the worldviews of his most animated detractors," Abdi wrote.

Exiled Iranian journalist Akbar Ganji, also a critic of the Pahlavi dynasty, offered praise for Carter in a Persian-language post on X, calling him a "lifelong advocate for human rights around the world" in his post-presidency activities.

This article was produced in collaboration with VOA's Persian Service.
In an extraordinary turn, a judge Friday set President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money case for Jan. 10  just 10 days before he's due to return to the White House  but indicated he wouldn't be jailed.

The development nevertheless leaves Trump on course to be the first president to take office convicted of felony crimes.

Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trumps trial, signaled in a written decision that he'd sentence the former and future president to what's known as a conditional discharge, in which a case is closed without jail time, a fine or probation.

Merchan rejected Trumps push to dismiss the verdict and throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds and because of his impending return to the White House. The judge said he found no legal impediment to sentencing Trump and that it was incumbent on him to sentence Trump prior to his swearing in on Jan. 20.

Only by bringing finality to this matter will the interests of justice be served, Merchan wrote.

Trump was convicted in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records. They involved an alleged scheme to hide a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels in the last weeks of Trumps first campaign in 2016. The payout was made to keep her from publicizing claims shed had sex with the married Trump years earlier. He says that her story is false and that he did nothing wrong.

After Trumps Nov. 5 election, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case.

Trumps lawyers urged Merchan to toss it. They said it would otherwise pose unconstitutional disruptions to the incoming presidents ability to run the country.

Prosecutors acknowledged there should be some accommodation for his upcoming presidency, but they insisted the conviction should stand.

They suggested various options, such as freezing the case during his term or guaranteeing him a no-jail sentence. They also proposed closing the case while formally noting both his conviction and his undecided appeal  a novel idea drawn from what some state courts do when criminal defendants die while appealing their cases.

Merchan ruled that Trumps current status as president-elect does not afford him the same kind of immunity granted to a sitting president and does not require that the verdict be set aside, and the case dismissed  a notion the judge described as drastic and rare.

Doing that would undermine the Rule of Law in immeasurable ways," Merchan wrote. He opined that it wouldn't address the Supreme Court's concerns about presidential immunity, either.

Trump takes office Jan. 20 as the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.

His conviction left the 78-year-old facing the possibility of punishment ranging from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison.

The case centered on how Trump accounted for reimbursing his personal attorney for the Daniels payment.

The lawyer, Michael Cohen, fronted the money. He later recouped it through a series of payments that Trumps company logged as legal expenses. Trump, by then in the White House, signed most of the checks himself.

Prosecutors said the designation was meant to cloak the true purpose of the payments and help cover up a broader effort to keep voters from hearing unflattering claims about the Republican during his first campaign.

Trump said that Cohen was legitimately paid for legal services, and that Daniels story was suppressed to avoid embarrassing Trumps family, not to influence the electorate.

Trump was a private citizen  campaigning for president, but neither elected nor sworn in  when Cohen paid Daniels in October 2016. He was president when Cohen was reimbursed, and Cohen testified that they discussed the repayment arrangement in the Oval Office.

Trump, a Republican, has decried the verdict as the rigged, disgraceful result of a witch hunt pursued by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.

Before Trumps November election, his lawyers sought to reverse his conviction for a different reason: a U.S. Supreme Court decision in July that gave presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution. That request was still pending when the election raised new issues.

While urging Merchan to nix the conviction, Trump also sought to move the case to federal court, where he could also assert immunity. A federal judge repeatedly said no, but Trump appealed.

The hush money case was the only one of Trumps four criminal indictments to go to trial.

Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases. One pertained to Trumps efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss; the other alleged he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

A separate, state-level election interference case in Georgia is largely on hold.
A fire at a food market Saturday in northern China killed at least eight people and injured 15 others, state media said.

The fire at the Liguang market in the city of Zhangjiakou, northwest of Beijing, broke out midday Saturday and was mostly extinguished by 2 p.m., Xinhua News Agency reported, citing a government official in the Qiaoxi District, where the market is located.

"The injured have been sent to hospital for treatment and are currently not in life-threatening danger," the government official said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Such traditional markets are often tightly packed with shoppers seeking prices lower than at supermarket chains.

Fire sources can range from gas bottles to charcoal used to roast meat and discarded cigarettes while aging infrastructure, such as underground gas lines, has also been blamed for fires and explosions.

Footage shared online and geolocated by Agence France-Presse showed people outside the market fleeing the blaze while thick smoke billowed skyward.

Other videos showed firefighters battling the flames and carrying victims away from the scene.

Deadly fires are relatively common in China due to lax building codes and an often-slipshod approach to workplace safety.

A blaze in the major city of Chengdu in October left 24 people hospitalized with breathing difficulties, state media reported.

In July, a fire at a shopping center in the southwestern city of Zigong killed 16 people.

Zhangjiakou, located in Hebei province bordering Beijing, hosted events during the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Some information in this report is from Agence France-Presse.
Moldova faces a security crisis, Prime Minister Dorin Recean said Friday, after its separatist pro-Moscow Transdniestria region, cut off from supplies of Russian gas, closed factories, restricted central heating and imposed rolling power blackouts.

Flows of Russian gas via Ukraine to central and eastern Europe were halted on New Year's Day after a transit agreement between the warring countries expired and Kyiv rejected doing further business with Moscow.

Recean said government-controlled Moldova would cover its own energy needs with domestic production and imports but noted the separatist Transdniestria region had suffered a painful hit despite its ties with Moscow.

"By jeopardizing the future of the protectorate it has backed for three decades in an effort to destabilize Moldova, Russia is revealing the inevitable outcome for all its allies  betrayal and isolation," Recean said in a statement.

"We treat this as a security crisis aimed at enabling the return of pro-Russian forces to power in Moldova and weaponizing our territory against Ukraine, with whom we share a 1,200 km border."

The official Telegram news channel of separatist Transdniestria said rolling power cuts had gone into effect on Friday evening. It listed districts where power would be cut for an hour or more between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.

"As the Ministry of Economic Development notes, this is in connection with the fact that residents at this time are consuming more power than the system can generate," the channel said.

The news channel said a sanatorium, fully heated and with hot water, was sheltering orphans and residents of nursing homes. It accused Moldova's central government of failing to understand or tackle the difficulties facing the region.

"Moldovan authorities are completely out of touch with reality and continue to talk about 'the price of freedom from Russian gas,' " the channel said.

Transdniestria's residents had already lost hot water and central heating, and all factories except food producers have been forced to stop production.

The enclave's self-styled president, Vadim Krasnoselsky, had earlier said power cuts were inevitable. He said the region had gas reserves to cover 10 days of limited usage in the north and twice as long in the south.

Russia denies using gas as a weapon to coerce Moldova and blames Kyiv for refusing to renew the gas transit deal.

Dispute over arrears

Russian gas giant Gazprom had separately said on December 28 that it would suspend exports to Moldova on January 1 because of what Russia says are unpaid Moldovan debts of $709 million. Moldova disputes that and has put the figure at $8.6 million.

The southeast European nation of about 2.5 million people has been in the spotlight since Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine at a time of mounting tensions between Moscow and the West.

Its pro-European president, Maia Sandu, won a second term in an election last year and has pledged to accelerate reform and consolidate democratization.

Moldova plans to hold a parliamentary election this summer.

Mainly Russian-speaking Transdniestria, which split from Moldova in the 1990s, received Russian gas via Ukraine.

In turn, Moldova used to receive the bulk of its electricity from Transdniestria. But, with Kyiv making clear it would stop gas transit from Russia, the Chisinau government prepared alternative arrangements, with a mixture of domestic production and electricity imports from Romania, Recean said.

He said the Moldovan government remained committed to helping the enclave.

"Alternative energy solutions, such as biomass systems, generators, humanitarian aid and essential medical supplies, are ready for delivery should the breakaway leadership accept the support," the government said in a statement.

The head of Moldova's national gas company Moldovagaz, Vadim Ceban, said Transdniestrian authorities had turned down an offer to help purchase gas from European countries because the enclave believes Russian gas supplies could still be resumed.

Such purchases would be more costly. Gazprom has long supplied gas to the region without demanding payment.
Myanmar's military leaders have enacted a new cybersecurity law that analysts say will provide the junta with extensive control over access to information.

The expansive law  which has 16 chapters and 88 articles  includes regulations on Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, which allow internet users to circumvent website blocks. It penalizes users who access or share media articles and information from banned websites.

The military council has said that the law is needed to protect against cyberattacks and cybercrimes that could threaten the country's stability. Among the regulations is a ban on the creation of illegal online gambling sites, which have been linked to organized crime.

But an expert with the digital rights group Myanmar Internet Project, who asked to be identified only as U Han, said the law is more focused on suppressing rights than protecting the public.

"All the provisions of the law are designed to suppress rather than protect the public," Han told VOA Burmese. "We believe that junta will use this bill as a weapon prepared for this purpose."

The law will harm "cyber freedom, digital freedom, and the right to use the internet, which are among the most fundamental of our human rights," said Han.

By suppressing these rights, Myanmar "will be violating other basic human rights, socio-economic rights, such as education, business rights and religious rights," he said.

The law includes penalties for noncompliance, including warnings, fines and suspensions. It has the power to blacklist digital platform service providers who fail to prevent, remove or cease circulation of content deemed by the junta as "disinformation" or "rumors" that could damage unity or stability.

Digital platform service providers are now required to collect the names and data of their users for up to three years, and to disclose those details to the authorities.

The law additionally includes penalties for anyone found to have read, stored or shared articles from media outlets or groups banned or labeled as terrorists by the military council; gives the authorities power to shutter online services for reasons of security of the "public good"; and allows for action to be taken against Myanmar citizens outside of the country's borders.

One of the biggest criticisms from digital rights experts is the regulations around VPN use.

Since the junta seized power in a military coup in February 2021, it has sought to control the flow of information. Dozens of journalists have been detained, broadcasting licenses revoked and websites blocked.

Because of that, many residents use VPNs to access social media and media websites, or even to study.

But under the new law, those users could face up to six months in prison and fines for using banned VPN services.

A lawyer based in one of Myanmar's largest cities said the new law will make it harder for the public to access information.

The lawyer, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, said that after thoroughly reading the full law, he sees no clear and concise provision.

"It seems that it has been written to be used as needed and that it has been written with the primary focus on those who will use [a] cyber platform," the lawyer said.

Myanmar in May of last year expanded blocks on websites, digital platforms and VPNs. According to Freedom House, the action specifically limited users to being able to access only about 1,500 preapproved websites.

"Internet freedom in Myanmar consequently declined, leaving it tied with China as the worst-surveyed country," Freedom House said in November.

Citing leaked documents, the activist group Justice for Myanmar reported in June that the enhanced censorship system uses technology from a Chinese network security company to block VPNs.

The technology allows authorities to create a list of all known VPN domains and IP addresses they want blocked.

"Instead of just attacking the media, which they've done until now, [the junta are] actually attacking the ways that the general public can communicate and can access information," Oliver Spencer, an expert on free expression in Myanmar, told VOA last year.

Myanmar scores poorly on world rankings for digital rights and media freedom. Freedom House lists it as "not free" for both global and internet freedoms, and the country ranks 171 out of 180, where 1 shows the best environment, on the World Press Freedom Index.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 people, including at least two children, on Saturday in Gaza, hospital staff said, while a new effort at ceasefire talks was underway in Qatar after nearly 15 months of war.

A small boy cried over his father, and a woman draped herself over one of the bodies wrapped in white plastic. Three airstrikes in the southern city of Khan Younis hit a car, a house and people on the street, according to staff at Nasser Hospital.

The Civil Defense, first responders affiliated with the Hamas-run government, said an airstrike destroyed a residential area behind the Saraya complex in Gaza City, killing at least five people.

And Israeli strikes Saturday evening killed three people in Bureij and three others in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the bodies were taken. One child was among the dead. A young man leaned against a hospital wall and wept.

Israel's military said it targeted Hamas militants with a strike near Salah al-Din in southern Gaza overnight and with a strike on a vehicle in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. It also said Hamas fired a projectile that hit near the Erez crossing into Gaza.

There were no immediate statements on the indirect negotiations in Qatar's capital, Doha, toward a ceasefire. The Hamas militant group said Friday that discussions had resumed, and added it was committed to reaching an agreement. It warned against misinformation, which it said can undermine public confidence.

The talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to press on in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed. Fighters with Hamas, which wants Israeli forces out of Gaza completely, continue to regroup in areas where Israeli forces withdraw.

New video of a hostage

The war is by far the deadliest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas. It began when Hamas and other militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Around 100 hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third are believed to be dead.

Families of hostages and others have rallied weekly for months to press Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal that would bring their loved ones home. Thousands rallied again Saturday night in Tel Aviv, Israel, with scuffles as police carried away some protesters who staged a sit-in on a street.

In a video released by Hamas on Saturday before the latest rally, Israeli soldier and hostage Liri Albag, speaking under duress, expressed anguish over her situation and mentioned being held 450 days.

"Today is the beginning of a new year; the whole world is celebrating. Only we are entering a dark year, a year of loneliness," she said. She also said a fellow captive had been wounded by the fighting in Gaza. She didn't name the injured person.

Netanyahu's office said he spoke with Albag's parents and told them that "efforts are ongoing, including at this very moment" to bring the hostages home.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 45,717 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half the dead. The Hamas-run ministry doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally. It says uncounted bodies remain beneath rubble or in areas where emergency responders can't reach.

Israel's military says it only targets militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths, because its fighters operate in dense residential areas. The army says it has killed 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The United States, United Kingdom, European Union and others have designated Hamas as a terror organization.

The war has caused widespread destruction and displaced about 90% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million, many of them multiple times. Winter has now arrived, and hundreds of thousands are sheltering in tents near the sea. A small number of children have died from exposure to the cold.

Gaza's Health Ministry said in a statement Saturday that Indonesian Hospital was no longer operational after Israeli operations in the area and said that all public hospitals in the north  largely isolated by a monthslong Israeli offensive  were now out of service. Access to the north is heavily restricted and claims can be difficult to verify.

This image contains sensitive content which some people may find offensive or disturbing. Click to reveal This image contains sensitive content which some people may find offensive or disturbing - Click to reveal Mourners carry the body of a member of the Fatah movement who was killed during an overnight Israeli army raid in the Balata refugee camp in the occupied West Bank ahead of his funeral on Jan. 4, 2025.

Tensions elsewhere

Meanwhile, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, relatives mourned an 18-year-old Palestinian who the Palestinian Health Ministry said was killed Friday during clashes with Israel's army in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus.

Palestinian health officials have said Israeli raids throughout the West Bank since October 7, 2023, have killed more than 800 Palestinians. Israel says most of these are militants, but youths throwing stones and people not involved in confrontations have also been killed.

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for more than a month, although its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon 60-day deadline. Israel and Hezbollah had exchanged fire almost daily since the war in Gaza began.
On a sunny Sunday morning along the Awash River in the small Ethiopian town of Hadar, a newly minted Ph.D. from the University of Chicago uncovered a fossil-rich site that would redefine human history.

Fossil hunting in the area was no accident  elephant, pig, rhino and antelope remains were abundant. Driven by optimism, he says he hoped to uncover something extraordinary: a human ancestor fossil.

I looked over my right shoulder, I saw a little fragment of bone, and I recognized it as coming from one of the bones in the arm, the bone that allows us to flex and extend our arm, scientist Donald Johanson recalled.

I looked at it. I thought at first maybe it was a baboon," he said. "It was very tiny. As I examined it more closely, I could see the anatomy was the anatomy of a human ancestor  and as I looked around, I found fragments of a skull, fragments of a jaw, and it was part of a skeleton.

Johanson, along with graduate student Tom Gray, had made one of the most important findings in paleontology, discovering a 3.2 million-year-old human ancestor fossil, about 40% complete. That was 50 years ago.

The discovery of Lucy, or Dinknesh as the remains are locally known, changed not just Johansons career but it also shed new light on how humans evolved and changed over time, according to Johanson, who became a founding director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University.

She and many of the fossils we found tell us that all humans on the planet came from Africa, that Africa is the homeland for humanity, and that we have a common past, no matter the color of our skin, the shape of our eyes, the texture of our hair. We carry the genes of Africa in all of us, Johanson told VOA's Horn of Africa Service, reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the discovery of iconic Lucy on Nov. 24, 1974.

We should be thinking about a common future for the species Homo sapiens that we have become today, he said.

The discovery attracted scientists from around the world to the region, spurring extensive research and inspiring Ethiopian scientists to make significant findings of their own.

Among them is Zeresenay Alemseged, a paleoanthropologist at the University of Chicago, who said Lucy is the earliest and most complete human ancestor fossil ever uncovered.

The discovery literally transformed our knowledge of human evolution, he said.

At that point, the earliest humans, meaning apart walking creatures, were considered to have lived 2 million years ago, but with the discovery of Lucy, that number changed by a whopping 1 million years, Zeresenay said.

Lucy continues to serve us as a benchmark, as a reference point for discoveries. So, her influence and impact was huge, he said.

While completing his studies in Addis Ababa, Zeresenay was assigned to the National Museum of Ethiopia, home to Lucy's fossil. This opportunity allowed him to study a wealth of discoveries made by scientists from around the globe, including Johanson.

In 2000, Zeresenay made his own discovery, a fossil that was over 60% complete, which lived 150,000 years before Lucy. The fossilized remains, called Selam, were from a child who died at the age of 2-1/2 or 3, which Zeresenay said is a very rare occurrence.

In terms of discovery, most of the fossils that we find come from adult individuals, so in many ways, she represents the earliest and most complete child ever discovered in the history of paleoanthropology, he told VOA.

Her contribution to the scientific community is that she fills in a major gap that continues to puzzle us because we don't normally discover juvenile individuals, young individuals, infants, much less a complete skeleton of an infant.

Zeresenay explained that the discoveries of Lucy and Selam have been instrumental in public outreach efforts for Ethiopia. Selam was uncovered in 2000 in Dikika, in the Afar region of the country.

Even the new motto of the Tourism Commission in Ethiopia  'The land of Origins'  was coined by me, he said.

I, of course, leaned on both Selam and Lucy, but many other discoveries, to show that the country is the land of origins  the cradle of mankind  and also the origin of many things, including the Nile, coffee, et cetera.

The discovery of Selam was made in a dangerous area contested by rival clans of Afar and Issa ethnic groups where land disputes lead to deadly violence among neighboring communities. Zeresenay named his fossil Selam  or "Peace," in Amharic, Tigrigna and Arabic  which was proposed by museum visitors who viewed the fossil. He said he hoped there would be peace in the area of the discovery as Ethiopian Afar and Issa communities continue to clash over land disputes.

If we see so much misery and problems in Africa and other parts of the world, it's really for lack of having a good understanding, a scientific understanding, a technological understanding of what is around us, Zeresenay said.

So I would urge our young population to be keen about science and technology.

This story originated in VOA's Horn of Africa Service.
An Army soldier who died in an explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck at the Trump hotel in Las Vegas left a note saying it was a stunt to serve as a "wake-up call" for the country's ills, investigators said Friday.

Matthew Livelsberger, 37, a Green Beret from Colorado Springs, Colorado, also wrote in the note that he needed to "cleanse my mind" of the lives lost of people he knew and "the burden of the lives I took."

Livelsberger apparently harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officials said.

"Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues," Spencer Evans, FBI special agent in charge, said at a news conference.

The explosion caused minor injuries to seven people but virtually no damage to the hotel. Authorities said Friday that Livelsberger acted alone.

'Not a terrorist attack'

"This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake-up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives," Livelsberger wrote in a letter found by authorities who released only excerpts of it.

Investigators identified the Tesla driver  who was burned beyond recognition  as Livelsberger by a tattoo and by comparing DNA from relatives. The cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, according to coroner's officials.

Pentagon officials have declined to say whether Livelsberger may have been suffering from mental health issues but say they have turned over his medical records to police.

Authorities excerpted the messages from two letters Livelsberger wrote using a cellphone note application, said Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Las Vegas police.

The letters covered a range of topics including political grievances, domestic issues and societal issues, Koren said.

Tesla engineers, meanwhile, helped extract data from the Cybertruck for investigators, including Livelsberger's path between charging stations from Colorado through New Mexico and Arizona and on to Las Vegas, Koren said.

"We still have a large volume of data to go through," Koren said. "There's thousands if not millions of videos and photos and documents and web history and all of those things that need to be analyzed."

The new details came as investigators sought to determine Livelsberger's motive, including whether he sought to make a political point with the Tesla and the hotel bearing the president-elect's name.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has recently become a member of Trump's inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas early Wednesday, the day of the explosion. Both had attended Trump's New Year's Eve party at his South Florida estate.

Musk spent an estimated $250 million during the presidential campaign to support Trump, who has named Musk, the world's richest man, to co-lead a new effort to find ways to cut the government's size and spending.

Truck absorbed blast

Investigators suspect Livelsberger may have been planning a more damaging attack, but the steel-sided vehicle absorbed much of the force from the crudely built explosive.

Investigators said previously that Livelsberger shot himself inside the Tesla Cybertruck packed with fireworks just before it exploded outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day.

"It's not lost on us that it's in front of the Trump building, that it's a Tesla vehicle, but we don't have information at this point that definitively tells us or suggests it was because of this particular ideology," the FBIs Evans said Thursday.

A law enforcement official said investigators learned through interviews that he might have had a fight with his wife about relationship issues shortly before he rented the Tesla in Colorado on Saturday and bought the guns. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because of a lack of authorization to discuss the investigation.

Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners. He had served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said. He had recently returned from an overseas assignment in Germany and was on approved leave when he died, according to a U.S. official.

He was awarded five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor.

The explosion of the truck came hours after Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, 42, rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans' famed French Quarter early on New Year's Day, killing at least 14 people before being shot to death by police.
U.S. President Joe Biden officially blocked Nippon Steel's proposed $14.9-billion purchase of U.S. Steel Friday over national security issues, dealing a fatal blow to the contentious merger plan with the Japanese company. We speak with Scott Laing, a professor at the School of Management, University at Buffalo. The U.S. Surgeon General calls for warning labels on alcoholic beverages. We get insights with Elizabeth J. Kovacs, Director, Alcohol Research Program at the University of Colorado Denver / Anschutz Medical Campus.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will attend his final meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany next week, the Defense Department said Friday.

The group of more than 50 nations, also known as the Ramstein group, includes members of NATO as well as most of the European Union. It was formed by Austin in April 2022, after Russias invasion of Ukraine two months earlier, and is designed to coordinate military support for Ukraines defense.

The meeting, originally scheduled for October, was postponed when U.S. President Joe Biden  who had been scheduled to chair a leaders-level meeting for the group  canceled his trip to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, according to Politico. The last full meeting of the group was held in September.

The meeting will come just over a week before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office. The futures of the Ramstein group and any U.S. support to Ukraine are in question, as Trump has been critical of the level of U.S. aid to the country. He also has expressed an interest in ending the fighting swiftly.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Trump could be important in the outcome of the yearslong war between Ukraine and Russia.

"Trump can be decisive. For us, this is the most important thing," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Ukrainian television.

"His qualities are indeed there," Zelenskyy said about Trump. "He can be decisive in this war. He is capable of stopping [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, or, to put it more fairly, help us stop Putin."

Trump has previously said he would be able to stop the war in Ukraine in one day, but he has never detailed how he would accomplish that.

Meanwhile, Agence France-Presse reported, citing local officials, that a Russian drone attack in the suburbs of the capital, Kyiv, early Friday killed one person and wounded four.

AFP said Russian forces have escalated their aerial strikes across Ukraine through the first weeks of winter, including a New Year's Day drone attack targeting central Kyiv that killed two.

In a statement posted to Facebook and other social media accounts, acting Kyiv regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk reported a truck driver had been killed when he was hit by debris from a Russian drone that had been shot down.

Also Friday, Ukraines General Staff of the Armed Forces reported that Russian troops were continuing to push forward in Donetsk Oblast, advancing near the key town of Pokrovsk. Ukraine's General Staff recorded 138 clashes on the battlefield from Thursday to Friday.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
U.S. President Joe Biden's outgoing administration announced Friday that it will allocate $306 million to bolster the nation's bird flu response before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

The new funding will support national, state and local preparedness and monitoring programs, as well as research into potential medical countermeasures against the H5N1 virus.

"While the risk to humans remains low, we are always preparing for any possible scenario that could arise," Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.

"Preparedness is the key to keeping Americans healthy and our country safe."

The United States has reported 66 human cases of bird flu since the start of 2024, though experts believe the true number could be higher, with cases potentially going undetected among cattle and poultry workers.

While the virus has not been found to spread from person to person, the amount of bird flu circulating among animals and humans has alarmed scientists, because it might combine with seasonal influenza and mutate into a more transmissible form  potentially triggering a deadly pandemic.

The funding announcement comes amid concern over how the incoming Trump administration will handle the threat.

The president-elect told Time magazine recently he would abolish the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy established under Biden  though it is not clear if he has the authority to do so, since it was created by Congress.

His pick for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is a vocal vaccine skeptic who has pledged to shake up the nation's health agencies and promotes raw milk, thought to be a vector for bird flu.

Biden's administration has also faced criticism for what some consider a subpar bird flu response.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, published a report last month citing an array of problems including "lagging data, incomplete surveillance, sluggish coordination, considerable mistrust, and insufficient planning and stockpiling of vaccines and therapies."

Given these shortcomings, infectious disease epidemiologist Meg Schaeffer of the SAS Institute told AFP: "In my opinion, avian influenza is going to become either a pandemic or a virus... that will become a very widespread and significant health issue for us in the next one to two years."

She urged raw milk consumers in particular to "take a pause on that consumption."

Adding to concerns, a virus sample from a critically ill patient in Louisiana has shown signs of mutating to better adapt to human airways, although there is no evidence it has spread beyond that individual, health authorities said last week.

Researchers are also closely monitoring the growing number of bird flu infections in cats, which could expose humans through close contact.
Haitian political leader Moise Jean Charles has issued an ultimatum to the Transitional Presidential Council to change how they run the country. The former parliamentarian said he is giving the government a week to make changes. If they dont, he said he will protest in front of the prime minister's house.

Click here for the full story in Creole.
Prosecutors in China pressed charges this week against a Myanmar-based telecom scam ring, which was busted last year. The group is accused of using armed forces to abduct and force Chinese nationals to work for the fraudsters. Despite of China's crackdown efforts, such fraud operations remain rampant.

Click here for the full story in Mandarin.
Economists say Chinese official policies will affect year-end bonuses issued by companies, including high-tech and internet industries that are expected to give out higher-than-expected bonuses. State-owned enterprises will also have better year-end bonuses. By contrast, financial institutions were offering less, and a manufacturing worker expressed disappointment over the lack of year-end bonuses because of overcapacity.

Click here for the full story in Mandarin.


"Wanted" posters with the photo of Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez were pasted on walls and broadcast on screens at the Simon Bolivar International Airport on the outskirts of Caracas. The Venezuelan government has offered a reward for the capture of the former candidate, who is exiled in Spain, days before the presidential swearing-in.

Click here for the full story in Spanish.


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Zoe Saldana. Photo: David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Zoe Saldana has released a tearful apology for accepting the role of Nina Simone in the 2016 Nina biopic, a role for which the Afro-Latina actress darkened her skin and wore a prosthetic nose. Previously, Saldana defended her portrayal of Simone, telling Allure in 2017, The script probably would still be lying around, going from office to office, agency to agency, and nobody would have done it. Female stories arent relevant enough, especially a Black female story [] I made a choice. Do I continue passing on the script and hope that the right Black person will do it, or do I say, You know what? Whatever consequences this may bring about, my casting is nothing in comparison to the fact that this story must be told.

On Monday, August 3, Saldana chatted with Pose executive producer Steven Canals about Afro-Latinidad, colorism in the Latinx community, Nina Simone, and more in an hourlong video on the official Instagram account of Bese, the Saldana-founded new media platform that focuses on topics of identity and culture. About 41 minutes into the conversation, Canals asks Saldana: A few years back, there was a lot of controversy around the decision that you made to play Nina Simone. And at the time, there were a lot of questions around blackface, and darkening skin, and prosthetics. And I wonder, what is your relationship with that choice now? How has the process and evolution for you in loving yourself changed, not only for the roles youre taking today, but how it makes you reflect on that decision? Saldana responds with a long and passionate apology:

I should have never played Nina. I should have done everything in my power, with the leverage that I had ten years ago, which was a different leverage but it was leverage nonetheless, I should have tried everything in my power to cast a Black woman to play an exceptionally perfect Black woman. Its growing. Its painful. I thought back then that I had the permission, because I was a Black woman. And I am. But it was Nina Simone. And Nina had a life and she had a journey that should have been, and should be, honored to the most specific detail. Because she was a specifically detailed individual. About her voice, her views, her music, her opinions, and her art. And she was so honest. So she deserved better. And with that said, so Im sorry, Im so sorry, because I love her music. Shes one of our giants. Somebody else should step up. Somebody else should tell her story because shes one of those people that  Nina Simone! Her story hasnt been, like, a global fucking impact. When were taking her music and were using it in car commercials, or Im taking her story and her image and I think that Im okay to tell it, weve been appropriating ourselves with someone like Nina Simone for a very long time. And I just want her story to be told, and I want it to be right, because she deserves it. And America deserves it. Because the Americans that inhabit todays America deserve her story to be told. And I know better today, and Im never going to do that again. Never. Im learning. Im still processing it. Ive been processing it for ten years, and I think its a conversation that I wanna have. Im not gonna allow people to violate me, to make me feel less than. But I am going to be open to this conversation, so we can grow from it, and we can give back to ourselves and to each other our identity. For fucks sake, its about time.

Somebody else should tell her story, you say? Weve got some ideas.
El Cajon Nonprofit Lets Iraqi Assyrians Know They're Not Forgotten

The San Diego Union-Tribune

In an area where Christians have been living in fear for practicing their faith, hundreds of children in northern Iraq are receiving some Christmas cheer through a program launched in El Cajon.

"We ask a kid here in the U.S. to give a toy to a kid in Iraq," said Dr. Noori Barka, founder of the Chaldean Community Council. "We see these kids who are in need there. They are celebrating with us through this program."

The Kids to Kids program began six years ago as an outgrowth of Hope for Iraqi Christians, which Barka helped launch in 2015.

Both programs began in light of the grim reality many Christians in Northern Iraq face. In August 2014, fighters from the Islamic State, formerly known as Isis, attacked villages in the area, resulting in an estimated 200,000 refugees, according to news reports at the time.

Barka is originally from the Christian village of Tel Skuf, which was among those attacked. His family left for Bagdad when he was 10, but he still felt a kinship with the people under siege, as did many others in El Cajon, where about 30,000 Iraqi immigrants are members of the Chaldean Catholic Church.

Those who didn't leave the villages include elderly, sick or poor people who have no means to escape. Hope for Iraqi Christians has raised more than $3 million through its adopt-a-family program, which helps people pay rent, buy food and meet other expenses.

In the Kids to Kids initiative, empty gift boxes are distributed to San Diego churches to be filled by children, with their parents' help. According to the Hope for Iraqi Christian website, 850 gift boxes and 500 pairs of shoes were collected last year and shipped to Iraq aboard C-17 aircraft flown out of March Air Reserve Base in Riverside.

Jolyana Jirfees, executive director of the Chaldean Community Council, traveled to Northern Iraq in 2022 to visit some of the families in the adoption program.

"I saw the people, how they're struggling and the little kids who don't have backpacks to go to school with," she said. "Most of them carry their books in plastic bags to get to school. It's very sad."

Jirfees said many children don't go to school because their families cannot afford the transportation fee to get there, and many adults don't have shoes.

Barka said about 320 families have been adopted by local families who each give $100 a month. Jirfees said she has adopted five families who use the money for rent, food or medicine, depending on their needs.

"I talk to them all the time," she said about families she has adopted. "I help them get into school or get a license to do hair or nails or help them get into a program."

With one $300 donation, Jirfees said she helped change one man's life by funding his enrollment in a program so he could get a license and buy the equipment he needed to run his own business.

Barka said he immediately felt a need to help Iraqi families after seeing the news of the attacks in 2014.

"Just like that, we woke up in the morning, we saw the news, and it was like a shock for us," he said. "Especially for me. I immediately went to our church, Saint Peter. I spoke to the bishop. I said, 'Look, this is what's happening.' I suggested that we start a fundraising program immediately."

With help from other churches in East County, Barka said about $650,000 was raised in one event. He helped create Hope for Iraqi Christians as a nonprofit in 2015 so funding would not rely on churches, and the organization also continues to work with Knights of Columbus.

Donors in the program are given a folder with photos and information about the people they are helping and told, "This is your family." Barka said they also are given the family's phone number and encouraged to call them.

Direct contact with the families also is part of the program's transparency because it assure donors that their money is being delivered, he said.

While most people give $100 a month and adopt one family, some give much more and adopt multiple families. Just like week, Barka received a single $18,000 donation from a person who is adopting 15 families, he said.
LEWISTON, Idaho  A total of 975 students made Lewis-Clark State Colleges honor roll for the 2024 fall semester, including six from Wallowa County, college officials announced Jan. 2.

To qualify for the Presidents List students must have a 3.75 grade-point average or higher for the semester and take at least 12 graded credits in 100-level classes or above. The Deans List uses the same requirements, but students must have a GPA between 3.25 and 3.749. Pass/fail classes do not count as graded credits.

LCSC had 572 students make the Presidents List and 403 make the Deans List.

On the Presidents List were 11 from Oregon, of whom six were from Wallowa County. They were Maci J. Marr and Rylie M. Overton from Enterprise and Ella N. Moeller, Sophie M. Moeller, Lute J. Ramsden and ShannaRae M. Tillery from Wallowa.

On the Deans List were 11 from Oregon, including Anastasia E. Butzien from Lostine.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, together with Minister of State with special responsibility for Farm Safety, Martin Heydon TD, urged farmers to prioritise safety during the current cold spell of weather.

Minister McConalogue said: "I am urging all farmers, fishers and everyone in rural areas to be extra careful during the current cold spell of weather.

"While farmers always make every effort to look after livestock during poor weather, they must prioritise their own safety and the safety of those working and living in rural communities.

Livestock are resilient during cold weather once they have access to adequate feed and shelter. It is important that farmers have measures in place to ensure outwintered and housed livestock have access to fresh water during freezing conditions.

Supplies of drinking water should be checked daily, and surface ice broken on troughs twice per day.

Frozen taps

It is important that taps are not left running to prevent freezing.

Where needed, farmers should check that reserve storage tanks are full of fresh water.

Herding out-wintered livestock should be carried out during daylight hours.

Minister McConalogue added: By planning ahead, the workload can be managed to minimise stress and the risks to safety.

"It is important that farmers ensure that they have adequate stocks of feed and supplies to avoid any shortages during poor conditions.

Trips and falls

Trips and falls are common incidents during freezing conditions but can be minimised and ideally avoided, by keeping yards tidy and maintaining taps, pipes and drainpipes to avoid icy patches as a result of drips.

Salt for gritting will help minimise slippery conditions around the farmyard.

Farmers should avoid working at height during frosty weather. Roof repairs should only be carried out when weather conditions are suitable and using the appropriate equipment.

Minister Heydon said: Farmers must always prioritise safety. Every year, there are many serious and fatal incidents on Irish farms.

"While farming is a high-risk occupation, the risks can be managed to minimise these incidents. So, I urge all farmers to assess the risks as they go about their work.

"It is only by identifying the risks in advance that steps can be taken to ensure jobs can be completed safely. The mobile phone is an essential safety tool and farmers should always keep it with them, particularly when working away from the farmyard."

Everyone in rural communities is urged to check on elderly neighbours and those living alone. Christmas and the New Year can be particularly lonely for some people, and it is important to keep in regular contact with neighbours over the winter.

For animal welfare issues connected with severe weather, please keep in touch with your agricultural advisor or contact the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Animal Welfare Helpline on phone: 01 607 2379

Learn more on how to stay safe at: www.gov.ie/WinterReady
A pivotal yet often overlooked chapter of Irish history will be revisited in Waterford with the screening of 'The Rent Strike', a documentary chronicling a transformative housing revolution.

From 1970 to 1973, over 100,000 tenants across Ireland launched a rent strike to combat rising rents, poor housing conditions and the mounting cost of living. This large-scale protest, led by the National Association of Tenants Organisations (NATO), persisted for three years and culminated in a landmark victory in August 1973, which reshaped Irish housing policy.

Produced by Azzy O'Connor, Fiadh Tubridy, and Declan Mallon, 'The Rent Strike' documentary delves into this historic campaign through interviews with those who organized and participated in the movement, along with their loved ones. Despite its significance, this chapter of Irish working-class history has been largely undocumented, making the documentary an essential addition to the nations collective memory.

The film will be screened at Garter Lane Arts Centre on OConnell Street, Waterford City, on January 9, 2025, at 7.30pm. The event will include a 45-minute film followed by a Q&A session with tenant advocates and filmmakers.

Tickets are priced 5 for unwaged individuals, 10 for waged attendees, and are free for members of the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) Waterford. Tickets are available online at garterlane.ie.

The documentary highlights the importance of tenant solidarity and collective action in securing rights, drawing a clear connection between the successes of the past and the ongoing struggle for tenant protection today.

The screening will present an opportunity to reflect on a transformative movement that forever altered Irish housing policy and to explore its relevance in the present day.
Network Ireland Waterford has appointed Ann Marie Shannon to the position of President.

The organisation is a very prominent one for women in business and Ms Shannon's appointment was made at the organisations recent AGM.

Commenting in the wake of her appointment, Ms Shannon said: "I am honoured to step into this role and to build on the incredible work of my predecessors. I will continue to foster professional development, leadership, and networking opportunities that help women thrive in their careers. Co-owner of Veritas Chartered Accountants & Registered Auditors, she is someone known to be deeply committed to empowering women in business. Her firms ethos centres on building strategic partnerships that support entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey with a strong focus on fostering a sustainable economy.

With extensive board experience, she currently serves as a director of the Solas Cancer Support Centre, Theatre Royal Waterford, and Waterford Chamber of Commerce. As an integral member of Network Ireland Waterford for the past three years, she served as Treasurer and, in 2024, as Vice President and Awards Coordinator, leading a successful awards campaign that resulted in eight branch and two national award winners at the prestigious Network Ireland Businesswoman of the Year Awards.

Guided by the theme, 'Collaborate to Elevate', Ms Shannon envisions her 2025 presidency to be characterised by fostering collaborative relationships, facilitating knowledge sharing, enhancing member visibility, promoting the well-being of members and driving impactful community engagement, all while demonstrating the multifaceted power of Network Ireland.

She will be supported by Vice President Claire Mooney, Vice President Designate Susan Hogan, and a dedicated committee.

Ms Mooney of Reduce Costs said: I look forward to collaborating with our committee to bring a year of transformative and empowering events to our network and working alongside our inspirational new president, Ann Marie Shannon.

Susan Hogan of Enerpower Greenvolt, echoed her sentiments and said: Together with our leadership team, I look forward to building on our successes, expanding our reach, and ensuring the sustainability of the network for years to come.

The 2025 events calendar will launch at 10am on January 22, with an event at the Granville Hotel titled 'Collaborate to Elevate: A Marketing & Media Mix'.

That event will feature media and marketing experts Mary ONeill, of Healy Communications and WLR FM, Sharon Ginnetty, of Optimise Marketing and Annmarie Sheehan of Aspire PR & Marketing.

On February 27, Network Ireland Waterford will collaborate with Theatre Royal for a Waterford Chamber of Commerce Business, After Hours event at the Theatre Royal.

Looking ahead, Ms. Shannon stated: I am excited to get started on this years projects and celebrate and support our members throughout 2025. For more information about Network Ireland Waterford, contact waterford@networkireland.ie or visit networkireland.ie website.
The investigation into the murder of Paiche Onyemaechi may have been impacted by her status as a sex worker, says a leading advocacy organisation.

Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi was living in St Herblain Park, Waterford at the time of her murder in summer 2004. Her decapitated remains were discovered by two women in Piltown on July 23, 2004.

Paiche (25) was a mother of two who originally came from Malawi. In 2003 she married her husband Chika Onyemaechi in Waterford.

After her death, her husband was interviewed by Gardai and released without charge. Paiche was laid to rest in St. Otteran's Cemetery.

An advocacy group for sex workers' rights has highlighted how Paiche's status as a sex worker contributed to the lack of justice over her killing.

Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland (SWAI) are urging the Government to update current laws around sex work in order to protect and uphold sex workers' rights.

In July 2024, An Garda Siochana launched a fresh appeal for information into Paiche's murder.

A statement from the group read: There has been a lot of discussion about violence against women on this island this year. We finally got confirmation that Paiche Onyemaechi, who was killed in 2004, was a sex worker. Her case shows that even when a woman is murdered there is shame about outing her sex worker status.

"New research published this year shows that any aspect of the criminalisation of sex work harms sex workers themselves. This research also highlights that sex workers in Ireland have been ignored about the harms of the law and that, among the countries participating, sex workers in Ireland felt more stigmatised than in other countries.

The Gardai were contacted for comment on SWAI's statement.

In July 2024, An Garda Siochana launched a fresh appeal for information into Paiche's murder.

They urged "anyone that met, saw, or has any information in relation to the murder of Paiche, who has not yet spoken to Gardai, to please come forward."
Met Eireann has issued a Status Orange rain and snow warning for Waterford. The warning is in place from 5pm today (Saturday, January 4) to 5pm tomorrow (Sunday, January 5).

The very cold spell across the country will lead to very disruptive weather, with an area of low pressure sending up some heavy rain, sleet and snow. This cold spell is expected to extend into next week with lying snow, some wintry showers and widespread severe frost and ice and some freezing fog also.

Waterford City and County Council joined a National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) meeting this morning and the Local Authority's Severe Weather Assessment Team (SWAT) is monitoring conditions locally.

Gritting

Waterford City and County Council advises that the Priority One and Two Road networks have been gritted this morning and Waterford City and County Council ground crews are attending to gritting Priority Three roads as resources allow.

All Waterford City and County Council gritting routes can be found on the homepage of Waterford City and County Council website at https://waterfordcouncil.ie/

Gabriel Hynes, Senior Engineer with Waterford City and County Council said, "While the weather status may have changed from yellow to orange, the key public safety messages remain the same.

"We would advise all motorists to exercise caution when travelling, allow extra time for your journey and leave extra distance between you and the vehicle in front. Travelling conditions throughout the evening and night will be difficult, even on gritted roads, so please slow down and be aware of other road users.

"Footpaths will also be hazardous in the icy conditions, so we are asking pedestrians to take extra care."

Localised flooding

With heavy rainfall expected there may be some risk of localised and spot flooding and Waterford City and County Council is asking motorists to avoid driving through flowing or standing water and be conscious of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

Homeless Services

Waterford City and County Council's Integrated Homeless Services Severe Weather Protocol is also in operation, with extra bed capacity available at McGwire House.

The Outreach Team from Waterford Integrated Homeless Services has been in contact with any known rough sleepers to advise them of the shelter arrangements.

Waterford City and County Council is appealing to the public to contact the Homeless Services Team if they see person(s) sleeping rough in Waterford.

Members of the public can contact Waterford City and County Councils Customer Services Desks and the Homeless Services Team at Waterford Integrated Homeless Services by calling 0818 10 20 20 during normal office hours, after which calls will be transferred to the Councils emergency services number.

Key public safety messages:

 Wintry showers and icy surfaces will lead to difficult travel conditions.

 Driving conditions will be hazardous, even where roads are gritted, slow down, drive with caution, be aware of other road users and allow extra time for your journey.

 Take extra care while walking as footpaths etc. can be extremely hazardous/slippery due to ice.

 Check on elderly, vulnerable and isolated neighbours.

 Keep your phone charged and take it with you on all journeys. In an emergency dial 999 or 112.

 The Be Winter Ready website https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/aa78b9-be-winter-ready provides further advice on preparing for severe weather.

 People are advised to prepare for this period of severe weather including ensuring their mobile phone is fully charged to enable communication.

 Monitor Met Eireann forecasts and/or visit https://www.met.ie/ for the most up to date information. Information is available across social media platforms and other news media sources.

 ESB Emergency Services can be contacted at 1800 372 999. The public can monitor www.PowerCheck.ie.

 Uisce Eireann Customers can check their website and social media channels for updates and to get in touch with any issues or concerns via its 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278. People can also sign up online to free text alert system to get regular updates about their local supplies - see www.water.ie.

 People are advised to conserve water and visit https://www.water.ie for advice.

 Farmers are advised to take all precautions when dealing with livestock and possibly working alone.
One of the many former phone booths in Britain that found new life as community libraries. Credit: Getty Images

A library thats 85 kilometres long; a library that will stand when everything else falls down; a library that may not exist; and a library where nobody is allowed to read the books.

This isnt something out of a Borges story or the Harry Potter books. These are real libraries (past or present) and you can read about them in a lavishly illustrated book that is a wonderful testament to the power and endurance of the written word.

Hidden Libraries: The Worlds Most Unusual Book Depositories by D. C. Helmuth lives up to its title. Here are 50 libraries, all of them extraordinary. Some are truly secret, others just not well known. But as librarian Nancy Pearl says in her introduction, they all began because someone, or a group of people, recognised a certain need in their community.

That super-long library is the Vatican Apostolic Archive, property of the Pope. It contains 12 centuries worth of priceless documents, including the record of Galileos trial and Henry VIIIs letter asking the Pope for permission to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Ann Boleyn. (The Pope said no, which, as we know, led to the founding of the Anglican Church.) The vaults of the library were opened in 2011, but only highly vetted scholars are allowed access.
Nicole Kidman gave a long-awaited dedication to her late mother at the Palm Springs Film Festival.

I feel my mumma right now. This is for you, mumma, Kidman said onstage in tears. The Australian actor and producers mother died last year shortly after Kidman arrived at the Venice Film Festival to promote Babygirl.

Nicole Kidman accepts the international star award for Babygirl during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday. Credit: AP

I didnt get to do it at the Venice Film Festival, the actor said. Thank you for giving me the chance to say this is for my mum. My whole career has been for my mum and dad.

Kidmans Scarpetta co-star and friend Jamie Lee Curtis presented her with the International Star Award during the 36th annual International Film Awards at the festival in Palm Springs, California.
A man has been charged with a litany of offences after allegedly leading police on a car and foot chase through Perths southern suburbs on Friday afternoon.

Police allege about 1.25pm on Friday a white MG MG3 failed to stop for officers on Bolderwood Drive, South Lake.

Police Air Wing tracked the car through several streets until it crashed into a Mazda CX-5 at the intersection of Jandakot Drive and Berrigan Drive in Jandakot after the driver allegedly drove through a red light.

The Mazda driver  a woman in her 50s who had injuries not believed to be serious  was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital.
A judge has ordered Donald Trump to be sentenced 10 days before he is sworn in as Americas 47th president over his so-called hush money conviction  but he will not serve any jail time.

Months after Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal, the judge overseeing his case has set January 10 as the sentencing date, but has indicated he will likely give the president-elect an unconditional discharge.

Donald Trump and Emil Bove (right), one of his attorneys, in court in New York in May. Credit: Bloomberg

This means that Trump will still be the first convicted felon to occupy the White House when he is sworn in on January 20, but would avoid prison, home probation, fines or other sanctions.

Trump had initially sought to quash the case altogether, arguing that his election victory should nullify his conviction.
Livelsberger confided to a former girlfriend  who had served as an army nurse  that he faced significant pain and exhaustion, which she said were key symptoms of traumatic brain injury. A 2012 file photo of US forces in Afghanistan. Credit: AP Traumatic brain injury Livelsberger was a five-time Bronze Star recipient, including one with a V device for valour under fire. He was very private but shared images and texts with Alicia Arritt, 39, who he met and began dating in Colorado in 2018. In the texts, he opened up about exhaustion, pain that kept him awake at night and reliving violence from his deployment in Afghanistan. My life has been a personal hell for the last year, he said to Arritt during the early days of their dating, according to text messages she provided to the Associated Press. Its refreshing to have such a nice person come along.

Arritt also served on active duty in the army as a nurse from 2003 to 2007, deploying to the militarys massive medical complex in Germany, where she helped treat many soldiers with traumatic brain injuries and blast injuries from intense ground combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. Loading She said the military failed to get Livelsberger the care he needed for symptoms she saw in him as early as 2018. He would go through periods of withdrawal, and he struggled with depression and memory loss, Arritt said. He said it was a blast injury. He got several concussions from that. Livelsberger also had a hard time with post-traumatic stress disorder and would relive some of the violence and killings he had a role in or had witnessed in Afghanistan.

I would encourage him to get therapy, and he would give me reasons that he couldnt, Arritt said. There was a lot of stigma in his unit; they were, you know, big, strong, Special Forces guys there. There was no weakness allowed  and mental health is weakness, is what they saw. The new details came as investigators sought to determine Livelsbergers motive, including whether he sought to make a political point with the Tesla and the hotel bearing the president-elects name. Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has recently become a member of the president-elects inner circle. Neither Trump nor Musk was in Las Vegas early on Wednesday, the day of the explosion. Both attended Trumps New Years Eve party at his Florida estate. Musk spent an estimated $US250 million ($403 million) during the presidential campaign to support Trump, and Trump has named Musk, the worlds richest man, to co-lead an effort to find ways to cut the governments size and spending.

Investigators suspect Livelsberger may have been planning a more damaging attack, but the steel-sided vehicle absorbed much of the force from the crudely built explosive. Investigators know that a highly decorated army soldier shot himself inside a Tesla Cybertruck packed with fireworks just before it exploded outside the Trump International Hotel on New Years Day, but authorities say there are questions about why he chose that car and location. One of the weapons found inside the Tesla Cybertruck. Credit: Las Vegas Police Department Its not lost on us that its in front of the Trump building, that its a Tesla vehicle, but we dont have information at this point that definitively tells us or suggests it was because of this particular ideology, Evans, the Las Vegas FBIs special agent in charge, said on Thursday. Asked on Friday whether Livelsberger had struggled with any mental health issues that may have prompted his suicide, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters: The department has turned over all medical records to local law enforcement.

A law enforcement official said investigators learnt through interviews that Livelsberger may have been in a fight with his wife about relationship issues shortly before he rented the Tesla on Saturday and bought the guns. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the investigation. Clark County sheriff Kevin McMahill said on Thursday that Livelsberger might have been planning a more damaging attack but the steel-sided vehicle absorbed much of the force of the explosion. The vehicle in the hours after the blast. Credit: Las Vegas Police Department The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience, said Kenny Cooper, a special agent in charge from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Authorities are still working to determine a motive. Among the charred items found inside the truck were a handgun at Livelsbergers feet, another firearm, fireworks, a passport, a military ID, credit cards, an iPhone and a smartwatch, McMahill said. Authorities said both guns were purchased legally.

Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces who work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners. He had served in the army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the army said. He had recently returned from an overseas assignment in Germany and was on approved leave when he died, a US official said. Loading Authorities searched a townhouse in Livelsbergers hometown on Thursday as part of the investigation. Neighbours said the man who lived there had a wife and a baby. Cindy Helwig, who lives diagonally across a narrow street separating the homes, said she last saw the man she knew as Matthew about two weeks ago when he asked her if he could borrow a tool he needed to fix an SUV he was working on. He was a normal guy, said Helwig, who said she last saw the wife and baby earlier this week.
Some weeks ago, Catholics celebrated (as we do every year) the Feast of Christ the King. Its usually on the last Sunday of the Churchs calendar year  or the Sunday before the First Sunday of Advent. It usually falls around the end of November.

Christ the King is not an ancient feast so it even hasnt age and heritage to commend it. In fact, Pope Pius XI just introduced it in 1925 to remind Christians that their allegiance was to their spiritual ruler in heaven as opposed to earthly supremacy.

However, in the 100 years since then, royalty and kingship seem to have lost their sheen. Even hereditary monarchies have fallen on hard times and those still surviving  as in the UK  are little more than a ceremonial presence on the sidelines of society with little or no political power.

Once royalty mattered. Or were respected. Or even sometimes loved. Not anymore. That brand has lost its substance, not least because of the recent antics of royals.

The rise of democracy, even with all its faults and limitations, has also helped to isolate royalty as a relict of a distant past. The royal dividend now delivers whatever value it retains in attracting tourists or in childrens stories where kings and queens are part of a magic mix of palaces, dungeons, crowns and sceptres  or at least were before Harry Potter upped that particular ante.

So where am I going with this? Let me put my cards on the table here. Im not gone on celebrating Jesus as a king or on the feast that celebrates his kingship. I think Christ the King sends absolutely the wrong message here and it may be that in present circumstances the theology that underpins it may be a bit suspect as well.

As I understand it, Jesus came among us to reveal God to us. In simple terms to show us what God was like. Philippians 2:58 is a key scriptural text, part of which reads: Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave.

The writer, Brian McLaren, points to an apparent discrepancy between God as a Supreme Being  meaning almighty, supreme, omnipotent (all powerful), who dominates as tradition has stereotypically represented God the Father, as in full and absolute control  and the image of God represented by Jesus whom we describe as the revelation of God.

As we know from reading the New Testament, Jesus presented a very different image of God the Father. There is no sign of the Supremacy of God, more obvious in the Old Testament.

On the other hand, the God that Jesus reveals (and exemplifies)  who we might call the God of the New Testament  is the very opposite of a king. The image Jesus puts before us seems completely at variance with the image of the God in the Old Testament  a God who dominates, controls, demands and is aggressive, even sometimes violent and warlike.

In a recent article in the Irish Dominican journal, Conversations, John Scally quotes a scripture scholar:

There are six hundred passages of explicit violence in the Hebrew (Old Testament) Bible; one thousand verses where Gods own violent actions of punishment are described; a hundred passages where Yahweh (God) expressly commands another to kill people; and several stories where God kills or tries to kill for no apparent reason.

In comparison, the image of God that Jesus presents to us in the New Testament is very different from the image of God in the Old Testament. The God that Jesus presents is the very opposite of a violent and sometimes war-like God. Not a dominating-God even to the extent of physical violence but a servant-God who carries a basin and a towel to wash his disciples' feet; not a God who threatens hell-fire and brimstone but a gentle God weeping in compassion for his people.

It might even be said, as John Scally suggests in the article mentioned above, that the Old Testament God represents a form of aggressive masculinity that perpetuates a toxic masculinity that is causing such devastation in our world. The corollary is that the image of God represented by Jesus in the New Testament is a gentler, kinder, more loving, more human, even more feminine God.

Whereas the Old Testament God was one who exuded fear and for whom the fires of hell were held over his people like the sword of Damocles, the New Testament God is one of gentle and loving care who is the bearer of the Good News that our God is a God of love and that we are loved by God beyond all our imagining.

The spiritual writer, the Dominican priest, Donagh OShea, wrote recently that, in examining the old Green Catechism many of us learned off by heart in national school, it was found that the word love was never mentioned  even once!

Is it any wonder that so many of us have spent so much of our lives in thrall to an Old Testament God submitting us to lifetimes of terror and oppression? And missing out on our New Testament God who represented love and care. Gods love, Donagh OShea has written, is not a bounty we have to earn, but a gift thats offered to us thats life-enhancing, liberating and often a sheer joy.

So, gentle reader, as we look forward to another year, can I leave you with a question to mull over? Is your God the God of the Old Testament or the God of the new?

I wish all my readers health and happiness in 2025.
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...
Srr Sureyya Onder and Pervin Buldan, deputies of the Peoples Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), met on December 28 with Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), who has been in prison since 1999. The last such talks took place between 2013 and 2015, before they ended with the resumption of a bloody conflict.

The renewed negotiations between Turkey and the PKK, which Turkey has been trying to suppress for 40 years, are part of the war in the Middle Eastwhich has escalated with the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza, the struggle for the division of Syria, and the efforts of US imperialism to reshape the region.

Fascist Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahceli welcomes the DEM Party delegation that met with Abdullah Ocalan. January 2, 2025, Ankara. [Photo: DEMGenelMerkezi/X]

The statement issued by the delegation said that during the meeting with Ocalan the latest developments in the Middle East and Turkey were evaluated. Ocalans evaluations were quoted in the following words:

Re-strengthening the Turkish-Kurdish fraternity has become a historic responsibility, as well as a destiny-determining importance and urgency for all peoples... The events in Gaza and Syria have shown that the solution to this problem, which is being gangrened by external interventions, can no longer be put off... I have the competence and the determination to make the necessary positive contribution to the new paradigm that Mr. Bahceli and Mr. Erdogan are strengthening... This is the era of peace, democracy and brotherhood for Turkey and the region.

These statements and that made by Buldan later on X, Due to the sensitivity of the process, we will not make a statement to the press until it is mature, show that the bargains continue in secret from the public.

The same DEM Party delegation met on January 2 with Devlet Bahceli, leader of the fascist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which is part of the Peoples Alliance led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meetings, which are closed to the press, will continue next week with Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP), the Kemalist Republican Peoples Party and other parties in parliament.

The way for new negotiations with Ocalan began with Bahcelis unprecedented call on October 22. When the isolation of the terrorist chief [imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan] is lifted, he should come and speak at the DEM Party group meeting of the Turkish parliament, Bahceli declared, adding, Let him shout that terrorism is completely over and the organization [PKK] has been dismantled. If he shows this resilience and determination, the way for the legal regulation of the right to hope and its use should be wide open.

Analysing this development, the World Socialist Web Site explained that the Turkish ruling elites claims of peace and democracy were a sham and aimed at strengthening their hand in the face of the escalating war in the Middle East.

In fact, on the same days as Bahcelis statement, Erdogan said on the process: While the maps are being redrawn in blood, while the war that Israel has waged from Gaza to Lebanon is approaching our borders, we are trying to strengthen our internal front. We want 85 million of us to come together under the common denominator of Turkey.

Bahcelis New Year message also sums up the approach of the Turkish ruling elite. While Bahceli claimed that the talks between Ocalan and the DEM Party delegation not only strengthened democracy and the hopes attached to the Turkish-Kurdish brotherhood, but also became the impetus for an auspicious beginning, he also declared that there was no room for the suppressed political and cultural rights of the Kurdish people in this process: There is no such process as a new solution or opening. What is happening and what should happen is the active, unconditional, uncalculated, uncoerced, reassuring and sincere engagement of the interlocutors in the name of national survival and future.

On the one hand, Ankara wants the PKK to lay down its arms on Ocalans initiative, and on the other it wants the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Syrialed by the Kurdish nationalist Peoples Protection Units (YPG)to be liquidated. The SDF leads a de facto formation in Syria called the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria.

The Kurdish question, which is inherently an international problem due to the presence of the Kurdish people in Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq, has become an integral part of the imperialist struggle to divide the Middle East, especially after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the war for regime change in Syria in 2011.

Erdogans peace process with the PKK, initiated in 2009, was an attempt, with the approval of the US and European powers, to become part of this developing war of plunder. After the US made Kurdish militias the main proxy force in the war for regime change in Syria and the emergence of a YPG-led proto-state in the region, Erdogan ended this process in 2015 and launched a violent offensive against Kurdish forces both in Turkey and Syria.

Fearing that a Kurdish state in Syria would encourage similar initiatives in Turkey, Ankara, together with its Islamist proxies, has organised numerous military operations in northern Syria and occupied large swathes of territory to prevent the creation of a unified region controlled by Kurdish forces.

The new negotiations come amid regime change in Syria and preparations for war against Iran. Last month, forces led by the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was backed by Iran and Russia. In the meantime, the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) launched an operation against US-backed Kurdish forces.

The SNA took Tel Rifaat and Manbij from the SDF and moved east of the Euphrates. However, with the US intervening with threats of sanctions and troop deployments, especially in Kobani, the Turkish-backed SMO offensive appears to have halted. On the other hand, Ankara is trying to use its influence over the HTS to impose the liquidation of the Kurdish forces and their subordination to the Damascus administration without any status.

However, the decisive power in the struggle to divide Syria and the Middle East in general is US imperialism. While Washington is trying to bring the HTS leadership under its control under the pretext of fighting ISIS, it sees the SDF as its main proxy force both in maintaining its presence in Syria and in the war against Iran. The US has increased the number of its military personnel in the country from 900 to 2,000 and extended sanctions against Syria until 2029.

Moreover, as Israelthe US spearhead in the Middle Eastexpands its occupation of southern Syria, it has declared the Kurdish leadership its main ally in the country. Salih Muslim, the former co-chairman of the PKKs sister organisation, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), has also declared his support for an alliance with Israel.

Having largely destroyed Syrias military defence capacity and infrastructure with its ongoing air strikes, Israel is distancing itself from the HTS and emphasizing its conflicting interests with Turkey as a pretext for extending its occupation of Syria and imposing a pliant regime subservient to itself.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said: The new regime in Syria is a terrorist gang... The situation in Syria is not reassuring. There are clashes in the coastal cities, there are open threats from Erdogan to eliminate Kurdish autonomy, there is harassment of Christians, and this regime is an Islamist regime that wants to control all of Syria.

While the HTS has decided to dissolve Syrias armed factions and join the central army, the fate of the SDF-led autonomous administration and armed forces remains unclear. Kurdish forces hold around 40 percent of the countrys territory, including most of its energy resources and granaries. This region is home to US troops and bases.

A delegation from the SDF General Command met with HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani in Damascus on Monday. Bessam Ishaq, the head of the Syrian Democratic Councils Washington office, told the Asharq Al-Awsat that the SDF meetings in Damascus only dealt with military issues and discussed the coordination mechanism and common issues.

The claim that the negotiationswhich are part of the struggle of predatory US imperialism and its regional allies and proxies, including Israel and Turkey, for resources, energy routes and influence in Syria and the Middle East, and towards war against Iranwill bring peace and democracy anywhere is a deception. All the forces are preparing for new wars in which they will send the toiling masses to death with the rhetoric of peace.

The democratic solution of the Kurdish question and an end to the escalating genocide and war in the Middle East depends on uniting and mobilising the international working class based on an anti-war, socialist programme to take power against the imperialist powers and their bourgeois proxies.
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.

Asia

South Korea: Industrial Bank of Korea workers strike over low pay

Workers at the state-owned Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) walked out in their first ever general strike on December 27 to demand higher pay and performance bonuses. Most branches in Seoul remained open but with reduced staff.

Ninety-five percent of the IBK unions 8,300 members who voted approved the strike. The IBK claimed that only 4,200 employees participated in the strike. Workers from the state-owned Bank of Korea (BOK) supported the strike.

The IBK union, a branch of the National Financial Industry Workers Union, argues that the government sets wages 30 percent lower than those at commercial banks and fails to offer fair compensation.

The union wants payment of special performance bonuses, an increase in the amount for employee stock ownership plans and cash payments for accumulated compensatory leave (overtime pay). It also claims that overtime pay, totalling about 6 million won ($US4,118) per employee, has not been paid.

India: Power utility workers across India strike against privatisation

Power utility workers across India held a one-hour strike at 12 noon on December 30 against privatisation of the power sector. The strike was called by the Electricity Employees Federation of India and endorsed by the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees & Engineers. Workers held strikes in most state capitals and presented memorandums of demands to government authorities.

Accredited Social Health Activist workers in Karnataka demand wage rise

Several hundred Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers from several parts of Karnataka demonstrated in Mysuru on December 31 to demand monthly wages be increased to 15,000 rupees ($US175). The All-India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) organised the protest.

Other demands were for an additional 2,000 rupees raise in urban work areas, which is proportionate to their workload, and provision of basic amenities, such as toilets at workplaces. Workers condemned both state and central governments and accused them of ignoring their demands.

The workers plan to hold a protest at Freedom Park in Bangalore on January 7. AIUTUC claimed the ruling Congress government in the state election had promised a raise of 3,000 rupees for ASHA workers which is yet to be fulfilled even after 15 rounds of talks.

Porters at Gujarat textile warehouses strike over heavy loads

Around 250 porters from textile warehouses in Vankaneda, Antroli, Saroli and Kadodara Road in Surat, Gujarat state, struck work on December 28 over the excessive weight of the cargos which they are forced carry. The strike was called by the Congress-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress.

Porters demanded the cargo weight be limited to 65 kilograms. They complained that some parcels weighed up to 130 kilograms and accused warehouse operators and transporters of blatantly violating a signed agreement. Other demands are for a pay rise and weekly days off.

Samagra Shiksha government school workers in Telangana strike for permanent jobs

About 19,000 Samagra Shiksha government school contract workers have been on strike since last week in Hyderabad demanding permanent jobs and a pay rise.

The workers are organised by the Telangana Samagara Shiksha Udyagolu Sangam, which said it had made representations to the state government, but it tried to dodge the issue. It claimed it could not address the non-financial issues, such as leave and entitlements, and that other questions were national and needed to be dealt with in court. Workers vowed to continue their strike until demands are met.

Samgara Shiksha is a central government scheme in which government school childrenfrom nursery until grade 12are helped to bridge gaps in their studies.

Tamil Nadu power-loom workers strike for pay rise

Around 2,000 power-loom workers at Aandipatti in Theni district, Tamil Nadu, walked out on indefinite strike on January 1 after their wage contract expired on December 31. The workers want their wages lifted by 50 percent, and a 20 percent yearly bonus. Workers said they could no longer live on the miserly wage the owners signed in 2022.

Bangladeshi postgraduate trainee doctors protest again

Hundreds of Bangladeshi postgraduate trainee doctors resumed industrial action on December 29 to demand an increase in their monthly stipend. They blocked the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka as they did in their protest on December 24.

The doctors want their current 25,000-taka stipend increased to 50,000 taka ($US411). The protests followed a seven-hour national work abstention campaign by about 3,000 trainee doctors on December 22.

After negotiations with authorities the stipend was fixed at 35,000 taka with the increase to take effect from July this year. The protesters, however, demanded it be implemented from January and insisted on meeting with the Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on January 6 to discuss the issue.

Bangladeshi water transport workers end strike over murder of seven colleagues

On December 29, the Water Transport Workers Federation (WTWF) called off their strike commenced two days earlier, which was initiated to demand justice for the murder of seven sailors on a lighter ship, the MV Al-Bakhera, in Chandpur on December 23. Workers were also demanding compensation for the deceased workers families.

The strike paralysed cargo transportation across the country, leaving tonnes of goods stranded at ports and waterways. The loading and unloading of goods at the ports of Chattogram, Mongla, Payra and Barishal were suspended.

WTWF were demanding a proper investigation into the murders, uncovering the cause, arrests of the culprits, overall security on the waterways and compensation of 2 million taka ($US16,740) for each of the deceased workers families.

WTFW said the strike was suspended following productive discussions between labour leaders and government officials, along with assurances from the government and a request from the Directorate General of Shipping. Details of the deal were not made public.

Australia and the Pacific

Western Australia: Weatherford offshore LNG platform workers continue industrial action

Australian Workers Union (AWU) members employed by drilling and completion services company Weatherford at several offshore oil and gas platforms in Western Australia are maintaining industrial action begun on December 19. Industrial action includes seven different work bans and rolling one-hour stoppages.

The 36 workers, represented by the Offshore Alliance (OA) (comprising the AWU and Maritime Union of Australia), are opposed to the companys proposed enterprise agreement. OA claims Weatherfords baseline agreement was below industry standards and if accepted would lock workers into base salaries of only $60,000 a year with reduced conditions well below industry standards.

Weatherford is an American multinational oilfield drilling and completion services company operating in 75 countries across oil and natural gas producing regions.

Sodexo catering workers on offshore LNG processing platforms in Western Australia resume industrial action

Over 50 workers employed on five offshore LNG processing platforms by catering services company Sodexo have resumed industrial action to demand an improved pay offer in Sodexos proposed enterprise agreement. Members of the Australian Workers Union voted unanimously on November 20 for industrial action after twice rejecting the companys proposed agreement.

On November 29, AWU members imposed six work bans for two weeks that included not cooking meat meals, picking up or delivering laundry, limiting beverage services and several administrative bans. Platforms affected were Prelude, Stag, Montara, Equinox and Endurance.

The workers bargaining unit Offshore Alliance (OA) claimed Sodexo wanted to freeze wages at the Prelude facility for four years and proposed varying pay rates on other facilities that would leave some workers worse off compared to the consumer price index (CPI) rate.

New South Wales ambulance control centre managers impose bans over unpaid overtime

New South Wales Ambulance (NSWA) control centre Operations Managers put in place work bans on December 20 after negotiations for a new work agreement with the state Labor government failed to resolve a main issue around excessive hours. Ambulance Division Health Services Union (ADHSU) members are demanding to be paid overtime for excessive hours worked in the hope that NSW Ambulance will resolve the issue by reducing their workload.

Work bans put in place by the managers include work-to-rule, i.e., work no more than 38 hours a week, no on-call and no weekend work without payment; only wearing blues [uniform] to work with ADHSU shield attached; and not circumventing other workers industrial action. In a separate dispute, ADHSU Control Centre Officers currently have in place work bans after negotiations with the government for improved conditions in their award reached deadlock.

New Zealand border staff begin limited strike action

New Zealand Immigration Border Operations staff, who process travellers at the countrys four international airports, started strike action last Tuesday after receiving a zero percent pay offer. They join 3,000 workers from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) also with the same offer.

The Public Service Association (PSA) began strike action at MBIE on December 17. As Immigration Border Operations staff are essential workers, the union had to give longer notice. The PSA said in a statement that members will not undertake unpaid essential or non-essential work and will take rest and meal breaks together at specific times. The industrial action is due to last until January 20.

These are the latest group of workers to be offered a zero percent pay increase, following New Zealand Defence Force civilian staff being offered the same and who are also taking the same action.

PSA acting National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the border staff are critical workers who have been totally disrespected by this Government, which is determined to run down the public service at every step regardless of the consequences. The union, however, is seeking to prevent any serious unified fight to defend jobs and conditions.

The far-right National Party-led government before Christmas introduced into parliament new anti-strike laws which will potentially see workers lose pay for such work to rule industrial action.
American oligarch Elon Musk made another concerted effort this week to boost the far-right in the UK, demanding the release from prison of Britains most prominent fascist, Tommy Robinson. He also called for the electorate to back Nigel Farages Reform UK party and demanded the imprisonment of Labour government MPs.

Musk has been fanning the flames of an online lynch mob exploiting cases of gang-organised child sexual abusein Rochdale and most prominently Rotherhamto fuel their anti-migrant, white supremacist agenda.

Musk first posted on the subject on the morning of January 1 on the X platform he owns. Since then, he has made posts or reposts on the issue at least 70 times, receiving over a billion views between them. Among them are direct reposts of Tommy Robinsonthe former leader of the fascist English Defence Leagueand Farage.

Musk repeatedly endorsed a Reform government (the party received 14 percent of the vote on a national turnout of less than 60 percent in the July General Election) and demanded Robinson be released from his 18-month prison sentence.

In Robinsons place, Musk insisted Labours safeguarding minister Jess Phillips deserves to be in prison for arguing it is Oldham councils responsibility to decide whether to hold an inquiry into the Rochdale abuses, not the national government.

Posts he has endorsed include comments arguing people should have hung for Rotherham; threatening consequences if Robinson is not freed; claiming a quarter million little girls werestill arebeing systematically raped by migrant gangs in Britain; referring to genocidal rape; and calling for the King to dissolve Parliament and order a General Election to be called for the sake and security of the country.

Musk, Robinson and their acolytes claims to be acting out of concern for the wellbeing of young victims of sexual abuse is revolting.

The Rotherham abuses, taking place between the late 1980s and 2013, have so far seen 61 people convicted, with the majority of Pakistani descent. In Rochdale, where abuse also took place over a number of years, 42 men have been convicted, also largely of Pakistani heritage. The trials have been made a focus of far-right agitation for years.

A 2015 report by Professor Alexis Jay commissioned in response to the scandal noted that, overall in the UK, group-based CSE [Child Sexual Exploitation] offenders are most commonly White and that when it comes to identifying any disproportionalities, the academic literature highlights significant limitations to what can be said about links between ethnicity and this form of offendingnot least that those who carry out such acts are a tiny, unrepresentative fraction of any ethnic group.

Naturally this did not stop the likes of the EDL, Britain First and all the fascist filth they have since spawned using Rotherham and Rochdaleand suggestions that local authorities had not acted for fear of being branded racistas a pretext to scream that the UK is overrun by criminal migrants, and Muslims in particular, who are incapable of integrating and living in British society.

In reality, the main factor in the abuses in Rotherham and Rochdaleas in the vast majority of such caseswas the poverty of the victims, the gutting of local social care and community infrastructure and the class contempt shown by local political leaders and police: handing the girls abusers opportunity and, for years, impunity. As the World Socialist Web Site wrote on Rotherham at the time:

If the childrens exploiters were able to treat them as white trash, it is because such a view was shared by a number of people meant to be responsible for their care. Where the children or their parents sought help from the authorities, there was little forthcoming. The report describes how, among police chiefs, council leaders and department heads, the attitude was that children at risk had brought it upon themselves. What accounts for such a degree of callousness? The mantra of the Conservatives and Labour alike is that there exists an underclass, undeserving and feral. While the last two decades have seen a record growth in social inequality, working class children are routinely demonised as worthless and little more than potential criminals and deviants.

To repeat, the abuses could be carried out again and again because the victims were poorthanks to the plundering of society by the super-richand because state services had been slashed, as the $400 billionaire Musk plans to do in the US through his Department of Government Efficiency.

As for Musks attempts to paint Tommy Robinson as a truth teller and political martyr, Robinson is actually in prison for contempt of court after repeating lies about a child which have led to him and his family receiving death threats.

In 2018, a video of young Syrian boy Jamal Hijazi being attacked in a school in the UK by another pupil prompted widespread outrage. Robinson responded with a video falsely claiming Hijazi was a violent thug; he was eventually required to pay 100,000 for defamation and banned from telling the lie again. Robinson broke this order, producing a film which has been viewed tens of millions of times and shown at a protest in Trafalgar Square.

Musk, intimately familiar with the far-right cesspit he has cultivated on his platform, knows exactly what he is doing. His posts tap into and advance anti-migrant and Islamophobic conspiracy theories about an invasion of white countries by violent migrants, designed to scapegoat social discontent away from the super-rich. They are entirely of a piece with Trumps rants about criminals and rapists flooding the American border.

Nick Candy, Elon Musk and Nigel Farage at Trump's Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida earlier this week. Photo posted by Reform U.K. [Photo: Stuart Patterson/PA]

These tropes are increasingly being harnessed by Musk to the task of strengthening selected far-right parties and individuals around the world: Trump in the US, the AfD in Germany and now Reform, Farage and Robinson in the UK.

Last August, Musk posted Civil war is inevitable in response to a video of the UKs summer far-right riots, during which fascists attempted to set fire to buildings housing asylum seekers. The video had originally been posted by Robinson. He also labelled Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer two-tier Keira far-right slogan falsely suggesting that right-wingers are treated more harshly by the police than left-wingers.

Shortly before Christmas, it was reported that Musk is looking at donating up to $100 million to Farage and Reform. The last few days show how much he can do even without direct funding, with the oligarchs X/Twitter screed prominently reported across the UKs mediagleefully by the most right-wing in GB News, Daily Mail, Express and Daily Telegraph.

Farage leapt at the opportunity, telling ITV Musk is an an absolute hero figure, particularly to people in this country and that he very strongly agrees with some of his opinions while being reticent about othersi.e., his open support for Robinson, from whom Farage keeps a tactical distance. At a Reform event in Leicester Friday evening, Farage referred to the mass rape abomination that is back in the news and declared, Our job is to replace [the Conservatives] as the opposition party in British politics.

The Tory Party is doing its best to compete for Musks patronage. Last month, shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith told the Express, What I would say to Elon is theres only one real official opposition party in the UK. Theres only one party thats daily taking the fight to this socialist government, and thats the Conservatives.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch used a speech in Washington the same month to fawn, I am excited about DOGE and what President-Elect Trump and Elon Musk will do on government efficiency.

She sought to curry favour again this week by posting, The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal. Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots. 2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice. This reverses the positionidentical to that of Labour and Phillips todayheld by the Tory Party during its time in government.

The grovelling before Musk and his ability to poison the political climate and set news agendas testify to the total collapse of democracy under the weight of social inequality and the super-richand to the lurch to the right among all capitalist parties. Though the Labour government is the target of Musks campaign, it is no more innocent of this shift than the Tory Party.

Starmer has made his anti-migrant agenda central to the Labour government. He is waging, for all its difficulties, a charm offensive with the Trump administration. And he is determined to maintain cordial relations with Farage, about whom he has had barely a bad word to say. These efforts were combined in newly appointed ambassador to the US Peter Mandelsons indication that he would be eager to work with Farage in the role.

The most that senior Labour cabinet minister Wes Streeting would say of Musks actions was that some of the criticisms were misjudged and misinformed.

He continued, But were willing to work with Elon Musk who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries tackle these serious issues. If he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, wed welcome that.
For nearly three weeks, a bushfire has burned through a large area in the western region of Victoria, Australias second most populous state. The fire has engulfed at least 76,000 hectares of landroughly the size of Singapore.

While no injuries or deaths have been reported among residents, authorities say three homes have been destroyed in the regional town of Moyston, 220 kilometres northwest of the state capital Melbourne. At least 11 farmers sheds have also been razed in Moyston and nearby Pomonal. The fire has also claimed hundreds of livestock and local wildlife.

Country Fire Authority personnel watch as smoke billows from an out of control bushfire in the Grampians National Park, in Victoria, December 20, 2024. [AP Photo/State Control Centre]

The bushfire was sparked by a lightning strike on December 16 in the popular tourist region, the Grampians National Park. The blaze formed a 384-kilometre-long perimeter within two weeks. It was able to grow with such speed due to the dry and hot conditions brought by an Australia-wide heatwave which saw temperatures across the country reach 3040C (86104F) for several days.

December also saw an out-of-control fire in the state of Western Australia burn through nearly 2,000 hectares before reducing in severity.

The Grampians fire continues to burn but has been spreading more slowly since Christmas. However, with new heatwaves across Australia in coming weeks, authorities are warning that the fire may spread and that other regions may also be at risk.

Such extreme weather events are becoming more common as the climate dries and temperatures around the world hit record levels due to the continued burning of fossil fuels, which are creating a global greenhouse effect. Globally, 2023 was the hottest year on record. The World Meteorological Organization predicted in November that 2024 would break that record.

According to new statistics from Australias Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), 2024 was the second hottest year in the country since records began in 1910. Temperatures last year were 1.46C above average.

All of Australias 10 hottest years have occurred since 2005, the BOM data shows. In the past 40 years, only two1989 and 2000have been cooler than the long-term average.

The only year in which Australia experienced hotter temperatures than 2024 was 2019. That year was 1.51C above average. This is particularly ominous given the manner in which that year ended: with some of the worst bushfires in Australias history.

The 20192020 Black Summer bushfires burned about 20 million hectares, mainly across New South Wales and Victoria. More than 3,000 homes were destroyed and 33 people died in the fires. An estimated three billion animals also perished.

The inadequate response of state and federal governments during those fires sparked mass outrage. Then Liberal-National Prime Minister Scott Morrison infamously holidayed in Hawaii as a vast swathe of the country burned, and then defended his indifference by declaring that he did not hold a hose.

In response to the latest fires, current Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian state Premier Jacinta Allan have sought to avoid a similar backlash, adopting a posture of concern as they visited the fire-affected region just before the end of the year.

During the visit, Albanese declared that the federal government would provide whatever is required.

This promise, however, amounted to paltry relief payments for residents. Eligible residents would be granted a one-off payment of $680 per adult and $340 per child, capped at $2,380 per family. This amount is wholly inadequate to cover food, clothing, medication and temporary accommodation for those affected by the bushfire.

Meanwhile, local volunteers have begun rebuilding efforts, including erecting 500 kilometres of fencing which was destroyed by the fire.

The fire exposes the lack of infrastructure in the Grampians and around the country to deal with blazes. It is the fourth large bushfire in the Grampians since 2006, yet residents have stressed that the government response is concerning.

One worker who lives in the regional town Horsham, about 300 kilometres northwest of Melbourne, told the World Socialist Web Site that residents are angry at the slowness in the response to the fire and the lack of infrastructure directed towards it: firebombing planes, helicopters etc. not only in the Grampians, but across the state and nationally.

The worker also pointed out that the government has refused to carry out controlled burns to reduce the intensity of fires. This was a cost cutting exercise by government to the detriment of the small rural communities that have been affected/destroyed, he stated.

He also said a local farmer, who had experienced earlier bushfires in the region, was turned down by the government when he requested a fire break. He then took it upon himself to build the firebreak and has subsequently been charged by authorities, the worker explained.

Five years since the destruction wrought by the Black Summer bushfires, workers and farmers in regional areas have denounced the governments for not carrying out promised rebuilds in affected areas.

Meanwhile, governments in Australia and internationally continue to approve coal and gas projects which experts warn are going to add to the greenhouse gas emissions that are exacerbating the climate crisis behind increasingly severe weather events including bushfires and flash flooding.

In the same week that the bushfire in the Grampians began, the Albanese Labor government announced four coal mine expansions. The decisions are a repudiation of Labors supposed commitment to ambitious action on climate change, and continue pro-fossil fuel policies it has pursued since the May, 2022 election.

Workers and farmers in regional areas know that the blaze in the Grampians is just a foretaste of the destructive impact of climate change. Thousands of homes, livelihoods and lives are being put at risk by the policies of governments that are putting the corporate interests of the mining and energy companies ahead of the lives of ordinary people.

A scientifically-based response to the threat of extreme weather events must oppose the capitalist profit system which is the root cause of environmental destruction. The alternative is a fight for the socialist reorganisation of society, under which social need will take priority and resources will be marshalled to deal with the issues confronting a complex mass society.
A Walmart store in Halifax, Nova Scotia, remains closed for renovations over two months after the unexplained death of a 19-year-old employee in October 2024. While the local authorities have declared the death not to be suspicious, the perfunctory character of the reporting on the case and silence surrounding what actually happened speak to the utter indifference of the capitalist oligarchy to the lives of the working class.

Police were called to the Mumford Road Walmart around 9:30 p.m. October 19 for a report of a sudden death. The body of 19-year-old Gursimran Kaur was found in a large oven in the store's bakery department.

Gursimran Kaur [Photo: Maritime Sikh Society/GoFundMe]

Described as coming to Canada with big dreams, the young woman and her mother both worked at the store for the last two years after immigrating from India. On the evening of the 19th, Gursimrans mother unsuccessfully sought to find her in the store for an hour. Even more alarmingly, the young womans phone was unreachable, which was highly unusual during the day.

Panic setting in, she began to ask around, only to have others suggest Gursimran was helping a customer in another part of the sizable superstore. Store management became involved, and according to the Maritime Sikh Society, which has been speaking for the family, it was her mother who found the young woman burned to death in the oven a few hours later. Customers and staff were escorted out and the store was closed.

A stop-work order was issued by the Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration for the bakery area of the store and a piece of equipment therein. CBC News was informed by sources that the oven is a commercial model that is large enough for someone to step into and that it does not lock. Less than two weeks after the stop work order was imposed, it was lifted on October 28. The statement accompanying the lifting of the work order declared that the oven was assessed and determined to have been operating as per the manufacturers requirements.

Walmart blandly announced soon afterwards that the oven would be removed from the store. Removing the oven had always been part of the standard remodel program we are implementing across the country, asserted company spokeswoman Amanda Moss in an email to CTV News.

On November 18, Halifax Regional Police (HRP) issued a brief statement on what they described as a sudden death, which a police investigation determined showed no evidence of foul play.

As the worlds largest retailer by sales sought to return to business as usual, nobody saw fit to publicly question why the oven at the centre of the tragedy had been earmarked for removal prior to the 19-year-olds death. Nor was the dire safety implications of someone apparently working alone in an industrial bakery with a walk-in oven publicly addressed.

Whatever the specifics of the incident may turn out to be, its aftermath says a great deal about the mindset of the financial oligarchs who control Walmart and other multi-billion-dollar transnational corporations. The Walton family, which holds an estimated 45 percent of the companys stock, is reportedly the richest family in the United States with an estimated wealth of $267 billion. Walmart is the 12th-largest company globally, with a market capitalization as of January 2025 of $726 billion. For organizations like this, the death of a worker on the job prompts a shrug of the shoulders or even less.

The contrast of the response from workers locally and further afield could hardly be more glaring. The Maritime Sikh Society set up an online fundraiser for the family with the goal of $50,000 being reached within 10 hours. New donations to the fund were closed as the total quickly reached almost $200,000. Members of the society also helped apply for emergency visas to bring Gursimrans father and brother to Canada.

Const. Martin Cromwell, public information officer for Halifax Regional Police, said in a video statement that after reviewing video footage and conducting several interviews, We do not believe anyone else was involved in the circumstances surrounding the womans death.

Cromwell stated that there are questions that may never have answers and he did not expect the police force to release any further updates. He also specifically advised people to be mindful of the damage public speculation can cause.

The Department of Labour has taken over responsibility for the investigation, saying it was unable to provide further details and that workplace accident and fatality investigations are complex and can take up to two years to complete.

Workplace fatality investigations in Canada invariably produce little if anything in the way of meaningful change. Piddling fines and finger-wagging at employers for failing to take basic steps to protect workers on the job are the usual results of these state-led examinations.

In 2022, the latest year for which data is available, workers compensation boards recorded 993 workplace deaths in Canada, or almost three per day. But experts accept that this figure is a vast undercount, with some suggesting that the real number could be 10 times higher. No centralized body in Canada collects statistics on work-related deaths, including those occurring on the job, during the daily commute, and as a result of injuries or exposures to hazards suffered while at work.

A recent example, out of the great many available, serves to illustrate how ineffectual workplace fatality investigations are.

In April 2024, a Nova Scotia provincial court judge fined The Brick furniture retail chain $143,750 as a result of occupational health and safety violations that involved a fatality almost four years earlier at a Halifax-area store. On June 9, 2020, Martin David, a 47-year-old delivery driver, was found vomiting and semi-coherent on the floor of a darkened washroom in the store. After sustaining a fall while loading a delivery truck, David made his way to the washroom, where the lights had no switches but were controlled automatically. A co-worker found David lying in darkness because the timing of the lights had been reprogrammed two months prior in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic to coincide with the stores altered opening hours. For the warehouse workers who continued to work the earlier hours, the lighting policys lack of forethought compelled them to use the washroom either in the dark or with the use of the flashlight on their phones.

The co-worker who found David didnt realize he was injured but assumed he had become ill. Two days later, Martin David died in hospital. Astonishingly, for 30 hours after he had been taken away from the store by ambulance, his family had no idea where he was. The company neglected to inform them of the incident. The stores management also neglected to follow up on the condition of their employee for almost a day and a half until a manager texted him to see if he was alright. Shockingly, it fell to Martin Davids father to inform the Labour Department that his son had suffered a brain injury at his workplace after calling to see if an investigation had begun. And apparently, at no time were the police involved.

Four charges were finally laid by the Labour Department under the provinces Occupational Health and Safety Act almost 18 months after Davids death. The charges included one for failing to ensure the washroom facility was suitably illuminated and two for failing to implement its policies around lighting and injury investigation.

As a result of the failure of store management to report the incident to the Department of Labour, no proper inspection of the scene was made. It took two days for the Labour Department to even become aware of the true nature of the incident and the store did not record any evidence.

The Brick pleaded not guilty to the charges. Even though an autopsy revealed that David had fractured the back of his skull, no link could be established beyond a reasonable doubt that the lack of lighting was the cause of the injury. Even though the judge accepted the companys assertion that it was unaware of the real circumstances of the incident, it did not change the obligation of the company to maintain its own safety policies.

Being unable to prove that the Occupational Health and Safety violations caused Davids death, the maximum penalty for each charge is set at $250,000. The finding of guilty on three charges and the imposition of a fine less than 20 percent of the maximum penalty of $750,000 is an insult to the value of human life.

In the case of Gursimran Kaur, the complete lack of answers from the police, and the swiftness and finality with which the investigation was surrendered to the Department of Labour suggests that, like Davids, so many other worker deaths across the country, the resolution will be nothing more than a perfunctory application of grossly inadequate laws.
The horrific attack that left five people dead and more than 200 injured at the Christmas market in Magdeburg on December 20 is being exploited by German politicians to expand the powers of the police and intelligence services and establish a police state.

Policemen patrol a Christmas market, where a car drove into a crowd on Friday evening in Magdeburg, Germany, on Saturday, December 21, 2024. [AP Photo/Michael Probst]

This response is no way related to the attack itself because it emerged that the perpetrator, who drove a car at top speeds into the crowded Christmas market, had previously come to the attention of the German state.

Taleb al-Abdulmohsen had come into conflict with the law on several occasions. He had already been sentenced to a fine in 2013 after he threatened to attack the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Medical Association in a dispute over the recognition of his status as a specialist doctor.

Since then, he has repeatedly attracted attention with a series of wild threats. The association Secular Refugee Aid, which had tried to work with him, reported that its members had been subjected to slander, threats and stalking by al-Abdulmohsen. According to the refugee aid organization, a trial at the Cologne Regional Court, which al-Abdulmohsen lost in October 2023, ended with him threatening the judge in a fit of rage and being led out of the courtroom by security personnel.

Al-Abdulmohsen also left a broad trail on social media, hinting at an attack in Magdeburg and his careful preparations for the deed. The Saudi secret service had warned the German authorities about him, and in September 2023 and October 2024, he received visits from the police under suspicion of being a potential terrorist.

If the security authorities allowed al-Abdulmohsen to remain free despite the various incidents, announcements of violent acts and tips from foreign intelligence services, this was primarily due to the fact that he did not fit the stereotype of an Islamist but rather was a sympathizer of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and a hater of Islam.

As such, he fit into the political climate created by all of Germanys main political parties which have adopted the AfDs anti-immigrant policy and, in particular, agitated strongly against refugees of Islamic background. Although his personal behaviour was already conspicuous, two of Germanys mainstream dailies, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Frankfurter Rundschau published interviews with al-Abdulmohsen in 2019 in which they presented him as someone who assisted women being persecuted by Islamic forces. The British BBC also reported on al-Abdulmohsen and his website at the time.

On Monday, December 30, the German parliament (Bundestag) held a special session of its Internal Affairs Committee to report on the status of the investigation into the Magdeburg rampage. A comprehensive analysis of the entire incident and the events leading up to it is pending. This concerns possible errors in the security concept for the Christmas market and the question of why information from security authorities about the perpetrator was not effectively collated.

At the same time numerous internal affairs politicians are using the attack to call for extended powers for the security authorities and tougher action against refugees. Politicians from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the two largest parliamentary groups, are already essentially in agreement on creating new means for mass surveillance by the police and intelligence services. A more stringent version of the security package presented by the governing parties in October is to be launched before the general election due to take place in February.

Shortly after the attack in Magdeburg, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) argued in favour of passing new, stricter laws on internal security, such as a new Federal Police Act, and announced the legal possibility of biometric mass surveillance.

In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine, Faeser called on CDU-governed states to stop blocking the security package passed by the government in October in the Bundesrat. All of our draft laws could be passed immediately if the CDU/CSU and FDP (Free Democratic Partv) give the go-ahead, said the SPD politician. In order to protect the people in Germany from major acts of violence, Faeser said, our security authorities need all the necessary powers and more personnel.

Faesers legislative initiative from October is, as the WSWS wrote at the time, a further step towards a police state. The so-called security package further restricts the right of asylum and residence, tightens gun laws and grants more powers to the federal police and the domestic intelligence service, for example, via the expansion of biometric surveillance.

Artificial intelligence-supported data analysis of images published on the internet and the systematic use of biometric procedures to analyse video surveillance in public spaces effectively mean the end of privacy and the complete surveillance of the entire population.

The government has not commented in detail on the technologies to be used. The fact that the use of biometric procedures is to be used only for the prosecution of particularly serious offenses, as stated by the Ministry of the Interior, serves to obscure the real nature of the measure. Biometric procedures for criminal prosecution are based on mass surveillance. Law enforcement agencies then gain access to extensive data collections and can analyse them or use commercial AI providers for this purpose.

The public sphere and internet provide a wide array of data. Potentially everyone, not just criminals or asylum seekers, has his or her face and voice recorded, scanned, classified according to biometric characteristics and storedand know nothing about it. The databases created in this way are then analyzed with the help of artificial intelligence. The technologies used for this are not transparent, and the results cannot be effectively traced.

The CDU has blocked the security package in the Bundesrat, not because it rejects the aim and scope of the surveillance measures, but because they do not go far enough. It is demanding that data retention without cause be extended. In particular, communication data, such as IP addresses, should be stored even without indication of a criminal offence (committed or planned)i.e., another building block in the comprehensive mass surveillance of the population.

This corresponds to the demands for more operational leeway, as the President of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) Bruno Kahl and other top representatives of the German secret services have been formulating for some time. Positively disguised as a reduction in bureaucracy, control over the activities of the intelligence services is to be reduced. This is the only way to work effectively, BND employees state in the right-wing Springer press, claiming a turning point for the practices of the intelligence services, particularly in the area of online surveillance.

The Greens have also taken up the term domestic turning point in a recent party document. In it, Konstantin von Notz, the Green Party chairman of the Parliamentary Control Committee (which is supposed to monitor the intelligence services), calls for more powers for the security authoritiesincluding undercover investigations into social networks and better dialogue between the police and intelligence services. The security authorities need more personnel and technology, and these resources would have to be procured via a special fund, the paper argues.

This, in turn, is entirely in line with the demands of the police union, which is calling for more powers, more staff and better equipment and technology. The CDU and CSU explicitly welcome the use of biometric procedures, but the ruling coalitions security package did not go far enough when it came to extending the powers of the police.

Sahra Wagenknecht has also attacked the proposed legislation from a right-wing, authoritarian point of view, condemning it as largely ineffective.

The attack in Magdeburg, carried out by an AfD supporter and Islamophobe, has now been seized upon by the government and opposition parties as a pretext to agree on a tightened security package with sweeping powers for the police and secret services in the Bundestag-Bundesrat mediation committee. At the same time, controls at Germanys external borders are to be extended beyond March.

The security package is directed against the entire populationagainst refugees and migrants, as well as against all those residents in Germany for generations. It massively expands police state surveillance on a new legal basis. The state is preparing not only for further wars but also to combat growing political and social resistance to the war economy and social cuts.

Germanys proclaimed turning point and readiness for war cannot be reconciled with liberal and democratic rights. The right to move freely and without being watchedin public spaces and on the internetis a fundamental democratic right. Mass surveillance, on the other hand, creates a climate of fear and censorship.

The governing and opposition parties in the Bundestag are united in pursuing mass surveillance and repression. It is up to the working class to defend democratic rights and link this to the fight against war and social inequality.
Lively interest in Marxist literature at a previous IYSSE meeting at Peradeniya University in August 22, 2023

The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE-Sri Lanka) strongly condemns the cancellation by the vice chancellor of Peradeniya University of a lecture titled How to Fight Against the IMF Austerity Program?

The lecture, sponsored by the Political Science Students Association (PSSA) of the Department of Political Science, was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. yesterday. The PSSA had obtained prior approval from the department head, Professor Upul Abeyratne, and arranged for the lecture to be held in Room 86 of the Political Science Department.

However, the senior treasurer of the PSSA, Senior Lecturer Sumudu Walakulu, informed the IYSSE convener of the cancellation. Walakulu explained: I have received a message from the Acting Vice Chancellor, through the Dean, Faculty of Arts and the Head Political Science, to revise the topic of the speech and advertise accordingly so as not to appear that the meeting challenges the government policies or else consider hereby that the above meeting be suspended immediately.

The vice chancellors actions are a blatant violation of the democratic rights of the PSSA, university students as a whole, and the IYSSE.

Walakulu stated that due to the severity of the message from senior university officials, he advised the PSSA president to cancel the event. He pointed out, however, that changing the meeting topic was at odds with PSSAs objective of making various insights on Sri Lankas economic crisis available to the university community.



Although the IYSSE decided to postpone the meeting, it remains committed to opposing this anti-democratic action. The IYSSE calls on students, university intellectuals, and workers to support the fight to hold this important meeting. We urge them to condemn the university authorities and government for this attack on democratic rights.

There are strong indications that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)/National Peoples Power (NPP) government played a role in cancelling the lecture. According to information received, the office of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who also serves as the minister of education, had inquired about the lectures purpose and format.

There would have been discussions at the highest levels of the JVP/NPP about the potential impact of the lecture, which aimed to address the governments commitment to implementing the International Monetary Funds austerity programa commitment reiterated by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his November 21 parliamentary policy statement.

The directive to revise the topic of the speech not to appear that the meeting challenges government policies is revealing. It confirms that the government equates IMF policies with its own and is determined to suppress any challenge. The message is clear: You may hold events, provided they do not challenge the government! This represents an attempt to enforce total submission to the JVP/NPP regime.

The JVP/NPP came to power by exploiting mass discontent with the traditional parties dominated by corrupt elites, making false promises of renegotiating IMF policies. Once in power, the right-wing government categorically abandoned these promises, embracing the IMFs austerity measures.

Only the IYSSE, working with the Socialist Equality Party (SEP-Sri Lanka) and the World Socialist Web Site, has consistently opposed the IMF austerity program announced in March 2023 by the previous government of Ranil Wickremesinghe. The IYSSE has advanced a program, based on a socialist perspective, to mobilise the working class, rallying the rural poor and youth, including students, against these devastating policies. We call for the international unity of the working class to develop this struggle.

Since launching the campaign for this lecture, IYSSE members have received enthusiastic support from students, teachers, and non-academic staff. Many engaged in detailed discussions about the governments policies and strategies to fight the IMF austerity program.

The AprilJuly 2022 uprising of workers and youth against the economic crisis led to the resignation and flight of President Gotabhaya Rajapakse. However, the trade union bureaucracies and pseudo-left groups, including the Frontline Socialist Party, colluded with bourgeois parties such as the JVP/NPP to block an independent movement of the working class. This betrayal allowed Ranil Wickremesinghe to become president and implement the IMFs brutal austerity program, which the Dissanayake government is now intensifying.

The approximately 400,000 university students across Sri Lankas 17 universities are engaged in ongoing struggles against attacks on education, a lack of housing, a dire shortage of academic staff, meagre bursaries and a host of other problems.

The government fears the IYSSEs political intervention could unite students with the working class in a struggle against the suppression of social and democratic rights. This is the real reason for its intervention to block the IYSSE lecture.

We urge students, academics, non-academic workers, intellectuals, and all who cherish democratic rights to denounce the Peradeniya University authorities for banning the IYSSE lecture. We call on you to send protest letters to the university authorities, with copies to the IYSSE.

To: Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Peradeniya

Email: vc@pdn.ac.lk

Cc: IYSSE

Email: iysseslb@gmail.com
In the first three days of the new year, at least 82 Palestinians were killed by Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip. The missiles targeted various locations across Gaza, including residential areas, hospitals and designated humanitarian zones.

A young girl walks barefoot, carrying empty jerrycans to collect water, after overnight rainfall at the refugee tent camp for displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip,, Tuesday, December 31, 2024. [AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana]

On January 1, Al Jazeera reported, Two separate Israeli attacks on Jabalia in northern Gaza and the central Bureij refugee camp have killed at least 17 people. Overall, Israeli air raids have killed at least 28 Palestinians since dawn. Most of the victims were women and children.

Associated Press reported a third strike on New Years Day in the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis which killed three people, according to Nasser Hospital and the European Hospital, which received the bodies.

AP also reported other air strikes killed another 42 people overnight and into Friday. Staff at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said that more than a dozen women and children were killed in strikes in central Gaza, including in Nuseirat, Zawaida, Maghazi and Deir al-Balah.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported the death toll has reached more than 45,500 Palestinians killed and nearly 90 percent of Gazas population of 2.3 million people have been displaced since the genocide began in October 2023. The ethnic cleansing campaign has continued for 450 days, or more than 100 Palestinians have been killed per day on average by the Zionist regime of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli army justified the New Years onslaught by claiming it struck dozens of Hamas gathering points and command centers. As usual, however, no evidence or details were provided to back up the assertion.

In a statement on Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Hamas will suffer blows of a magnitude not seen in Gaza for a long time if it does not release the remaining hostages and stop firing at Israel.

Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians live in tents on the coast, as winter is bringing rainstorms and temperatures that are dropping below 10  (50 ) at night. According to the Health Ministry, at least six infants and another person have died of hypothermia in recent days.

Children in Gaza are succumbing to hypothermia due to a convergence of factors stemming from the deteriorating living conditions from the ongoing Zionist campaign, including displacement and inadequate shelter, resource shortages, malnutrition and health complications.

The displacement of nearly 2 million residents, forcing many into makeshift shelters and tents that offer minimal protection against the cold, has left Palestinians extremely vulnerable. The harsh winter conditions, including cold nighttime temperatures, are particularly perilous for infants and young children who are less capable of regulating body temperature.

The critical lack of essential supplies, including blankets, warm clothing and heating devices, resulting from the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian enclave, has exacerbated shortages and blocked relief efforts by humanitarian organizations.

Widespread malnutrition has weakened childrens immune systems, making them more susceptible to illnesses like hypothermia. The scarcity of medical supplies and the overwhelming number of patients have strained healthcare facilities, impeding effective treatment.

NBC News reported an interview with the father of infant twins who were born prematurely and were living in a tent after they fled northern Gaza. The father recounted how he woke to the sounds of his wife desperately trying to rouse their newborn twins as they lay motionless in the cold tentnow home to the family of eight after they had fled from northern Gazas Beit Lahia. They raced Jumaa and Ali to the Al-Aqsa hospital, but it was too late for baby Jumaa, Batran said. He was frozen.

 I couldnt protect my children. I watched them die in front of my eyes, Batran said, describing how he had slept without a blanket at night, using everything the family had to keep his children warm.

In the West Bank, the Wafa news agency reported that a child was injured by shrapnel from live ammunition fired by Israeli troops during a raid of the town of Tuqu, southeast of Bethlehem. Israeli soldiers fired bullets, tear gas and sound bombs at homes in the town, and bullet fragments penetrated the window of one home, injuring the child in the eye. Israeli forces also raided Idhna, ash-Shuyukh and Arroub in the Hebron governorate in the West Bank.

At midnight on Thursday, Israel forces carried out a bombing operation in the vicinity of the town of Bani Haiyyan in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA).

Another attack was reported in Kfar Kila, and the sound of which was heard throughout the south, NNA reports. The agency also reported earlier that Israeli forces are combing the city of Bint Jbeil with heavy machine guns from their positions on the outskirts of the town of Maroun al-Ras.

The attacks are the latest violations by Israel of a ceasefire with Hezbollah that it agreed to in late November. The Israeli Defense Forces said it struck Hezbollah rocket launchers in southern Lebanon.

The stepped up genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon is an indication that the US-backed war campaign of Israel in the Middle East against primarily Iran is expanding and moving forward in 2025.

On New Years Eve, the Biden administration also directed new air strikes on Yemen. The Washington Post reported, U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said the attacks struck targets in coastal Yemen and the capital, Sanaa, including a command node and facilities used for manufacturing and storing weapons.

Bidens criminal war on Yemen, a country of 34 million people in the southern Arabian Peninsula, is being coordinated with Israel and carried out behind the backs of the American public and without authorization from Congress. The White House and Pentagon are concealing their strategic aim of subordinating the entire region to the interests of US imperialism.
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German politicians and the media have reacted to Donald Trumps election victory in the US by aggressively normalizing fascism. At the turn of the year, the influential Welt am Sonntag newspaper published a guest article by US oligarch and Trump supporter Elon Musk, who controls hundreds of billions of euros, entitled Why Elon Musk is backing the AfD (Alternative for Germany).

President-elect Donald Trump listens to Elon Musk in Boca Chica, Texas, November 19, 2024. [AP Photo/Brandon Bell]

In the article, which openly engages in election propaganda for the fascists, Musk writes: Germany is at a critical pointits future is teetering on the brink of economic and cultural collapse. Only the AfD can save Germany from becoming a shadow of its former self. It can lead the country into a future in which economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just pipe dreams but reality.

At the heart of Musks comment is the call for unfettered economic deregulation, which he associates with the AfDs program but is in fact shared by all governing parties. Musk writes that the AfD had understood that economic freedom is not only desirable but necessary. He writes that the AfDs approach to reducing government overregulation, lowering taxes and deregulating the market reflected the principles that have made his own companies, such as Tesla and SpaceX, successful.

While Musk has amassed a fortune of nearly $500 billion in recent years, for Tesla workers this success means literally working themselves to death under conditions of brutal exploitation.

The World Socialist Web Site has defined Trumps presidency as the violent realignment of the American political superstructure to correspond with the real social relations that exist in the United States. The US ruling class is relying on the fascist Trump to advance its program of social counterrevolution, mass deportations, dictatorship and world war in the interests of the oligarchy.

A corresponding development is also taking place in Germany. The aim of Februarys early federal election called by the ruling class is to prepare the ground for an extreme right-wing government that will brutally enforce the interests of German capital at home and abroad. The publication of Musks election advertisement for the AfD by one of the flagship newspapers of the right-wing Springer press and the reactions to it in politics and the media make this clear.

Numerous media commentaries openly praised Musk and defended the decision of Welt and thus also the election advertising for the AfD. A commentary in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung described the criticism of Elon Musks interference in German politics as crap about Musk. Apart from his loutish comments on X, he put in a nutshell what has to be said in the German election campaign.

In an accompanying commentary to Musks piece in Welt am Sonntag, the papers new editor-in-chief, Jan Philipp Burgard, praised Musk as the greatest entrepreneurial genius of our time. Musks diagnosis was correct, but his proposed therapy that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong. Burgard does not cite the AfDs fascist program, with which he basically agrees, as the reason but rather its lack of aggressiveness towards Russia and China.

Demands such as reducing bureaucracy, deregulation and tax cuts are not wrong just because they come from the AfD, writes Burgard. But Musk seemed to overlook the geopolitical framework in which the AfD wants to position Germany. It was seeking rapprochement with Russia and finds friendlier words for China than for the US.

When German politicians criticize Musks attacks on government representativesfor example, he called German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Social Democrat, SPD) an anti-democratic tyrantthey do so from a similar standpoint. For example, after Trumps inauguration, the leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Rolf Mutzenich, called on the German government to clarify whether the repeated disrespect, defamation and interference in the election campaign were also being expressed on behalf of the new US administration. He said there was a need for clarity on this, since international challenges can only be tackled in an unencumbered relationship between us and the USA.

The meaning of this is unmistakable. Despite growing transatlantic tensions and Trumps threats of trade war measures against Germany and Europe as well, the German ruling class is seekingat least for the momentto ally itself with the US fascist in order to escalate the pro-war policy against Russia and worldwide and to push through the interests of German imperialism. It is precisely this policy that ultimately requires the establishment of an authoritarian regime and the rehabilitation of fascism in Germany itself.

In the current editorial of leading news weekly Der Spiegel, the magazines Editor-in-Chief Dirk Kurbjuweit complains that Germany had shrunk last year. It could hardly call itself a medium-sized power anymore and was on its way to becoming a dwarf in world politics. In this finding was the essential task for the new federal government, which will take office in the spring. A turnaround towards growth is needed, both economically and politically.

Kurbjuweit identified a crude mixture of obsession with history and historical amnesia as one of the main reasons for Germanys dwarfing. In this country, history dictates politics more strongly than elsewhere, which often leads to self-restraint.

For example, the inadequate supply of Ukraine with long-range weapons ... is also justified by the fact that Nazi Germany invaded and devastated the Soviet Union. Therefore, German missiles should not be allowed to hit Moscow.

Analogous to the slogan dare more Musk issued by Liberal Democratic Party (FDP) leader Christian Lindner and eagerly taken up by the media, Kurbjuweits comment could be titled dare more Hitler. What Germany lacked, he writes, were coolheaded, well thought-out strategies, grand strategies, for the essential policy areas. The next federal government should, in addition to domestic security, concentrate on sustained growth and Germanys position in the world.

That the call for Germany to play a greater role in the world and the associated Zeitenwende (new era) in domestic and social policy should come from Kurbjuweit of all people underlines the fact that the ruling class turn towards world war and fascism has been deliberately prepared for some time. It was Kurbjuweit who, shortly after representatives of the then grand coalition of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and SPD proclaimed the end of military restraint at the 2014 Munich Security Conference, published the infamous essay Culpability Question Divides Historians Today in Der Spiegel.

In it, Kurbjuweit attacked the historian Fritz Fischer, who had meticulously shown in his work Griff nach der Weltmacht (Germanys Aims in the First World War) that the German Reich was one of the main perpetrators of the First World War. Kurbjuweit quoted the now emeritus professor at Humboldt University Herfried Munkler, saying that Fischers arguments were outrageous, in principle.

With regard to German crimes during World War II, Kurbjuweit introduced the Nazi apologist Ernst Nolte, who died in 2016, into the discussion. During the Historikerstreit (Historians Dispute) in the 1980s, Nolte had already declared that the Holocaust was a justified reaction to the Soviet Union. Kurbjuweit quoted the Berlin historian and Nolte supporter Jorg Baberowski as follows: Hitler was no psychopath, and he wasnt vicious. He didnt want people to talk about the extermination of the Jews at his table.

Around 11 years after this repulsive trivialization of Hitler and Nazism, the warnings issued at the time by the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) and its youth organization IYSSE have been fully confirmed. The trivialization of the historic crimes of German imperialism serves the return to an imperialist world war policy and the establishment of a fascist regime to defend the privileges of the capitalist oligarchy against the growing opposition in the working class.

This development places enormous class struggles on the agenda. The mass layoffs of 35,000 workers and wage cuts of almost 20 percent at Volkswagen, agreed shortly before Christmas between politicians, management and the trade union bureaucracy, are only the prelude to an all-out war against the working class aimed at smashing all remaining social gains.

The decisive question is how to arm the mass opposition that is developing with a revolutionary leadership and a socialist perspective, emphasizes the SGPs election appeal. Only if the masses independently intervene in the political process, expropriate the big banks and corporations and place them under democratic control, can war and social catastrophe be stopped.
Emergency personnel load an ambulance in front of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. [AP Photo/Seth Wenig]

Three years after a safe staffing law took effect in New York, understaffing persists in the states hospitals. Most hospitals fail to maintain the required ratio of one nurse-to -two patients in critical care units and intensive care units (ICUs). Most hospitals are not publicly posting staffing plans for all their units as the law requires.

Numerous studies have confirmed that understaffing harms nurses and undermines patient outcomes. A study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that each additional patient assigned to a nurse is associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality, longer hospital stays and higher risks of 30-day hospital readmission. Understaffing also increases nurses workloads, heightens the risk of medical error and augments the risk of burnout.

The New York State Legislature passed the Clinical Staffing Committees and Disclosure of Nursing Quality Indicators law in May 2021. The law, which took effect in January 2022, mandated a universal 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratio for critical care units and ICUs. Instead of setting minimum safe staffing standards for all other units, the law required hospitals to establish staffing committees, comprising equal numbers of nurses and administrators, to perform this task.

Ostensibly to provide oversight, the law created an independent advisory commission responsible for reporting on the laws effect and making recommendations to the state legislature. But the commission has not released its report, which was due in October 2024, because it has inadequate data to evaluate compliance with the law.

The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) had long campaigned for a safe staffing law at the state level, claiming that such a reform would reduce the burden on its members and improve patient care. Because the independent advisory commission did not release a report on the laws effects, the union conducted staffing surveys at more than 60 facilities across the state. NYSNA members in ICUs and critical care units submitted staffing reports for 532 shifts from 32 critical care units at 20 hospitals across the state.

The unions own data reveal the ineffectual character of the safe staffing law. As of November 2024, only 33 percent of hospitals are publicly disclosing their staffing plans for all hospital units as required. Sixty-two percent of hospitals are posting staffing plans for only some units.

In addition, although 90 percent of hospitals convene their staffing committees regularly, most of these committees develop solutions for staffing complaints, but only 50 percent have implemented the solutions that they developed. This highlights the fact that these committees are just a fig leaf. The committees are invariably dominated by the interests of hospital administrators, which are to maximize profits and cut costs.

Moreover, in 52 percent of the reports that NYSNA gathered from New Yorks critical care units and ICUs, the number of patients exceeded the 1:2 ratio mandated by law. Hospitals are not hiring and scheduling enough nurses to meet safe staffing standards. As the independent advisory commissions failure to produce a report shows, many hospitals do not comply with procedural aspects of the law aimed at improving collaboration and transparency.

The NYSNAs response to these dismal findings has been to demand better enforcement of New Yorks safe staffing law. But the unions own report demonstrates the futility of this approach. It notes that it took months of staffing complaints for the New York Department of Health to inspect New York-Presbyterian. When the Department issued a staffing deficiency report, hospital administrators refused to share it with the staffing committee. The Department of Health soon considered the complaints resolved, but neither it nor the hospital administrators provided any information about what corrective actions, if any, were taken.

The union also argues that nurses can achieve safe staffing by enforcing their contracts, which provide for the arbitration of staffing complaints. But these enforcement efforts, even when ostensibly successful, have not produced the needed improvements.

The Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS), where many NYSNA members work, is a case in point. This hospital system has been fined repeatedly for understaffing. Mount Sinai Morningside was cited for understaffing in its emergency department in June 2023 and February 2024. Mount Sinai Hospital, too, has been fined multiple times for understaffing in various units. For MSHS and other multibillion-dollar health systems, these fines are merely the cost of doing business.

Rather than ensuring safe staffing, collective bargaining agreements have institutionalized understaffing. Before the previous contracts for more than 17,000 nurses at 12 New York City hospitals expired on December 31, 2022, the nurses voted almost unanimously to strike, showing their determination to fight against understaffing and overwork. But NYSNA exerted all its efforts toward preventing a united fight.

The union bureaucrats kept nurses divided by negotiating behind closed doors with individual hospitals. They called off strikes one by one and presented their members with the current agreements, which they called historic.

Though NYSNA could not prevent strikes at Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center, it ended them after three days and sent nurses back to work without ratification votes. NYSNA thus played a crucial role in imposing the current contracts, which have failed to end the crisis of understaffing. It has operated in the same way throughout the state, not just in New York City.

Like officials in the other trade unions, NYSNA bureaucrats function as a police force for management. They uphold the system of for-profit medicine by preventing or betraying strikes and ensuring the passage of pro-corporate contracts. Moreover, NYSNA seeks to keep nurses tied to the Democratic Party, which is no less a party of Wall Street than the Republican Party.

The overriding priorities of the Biden administration have not been to promote public health and protect nurses but to escalate the NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine and to aid Israels genocide against the Palestinians.

New Yorks nurses cannot win the fight for safe staffing if they leave the initiative in NYSNAs hands. To wage a genuine struggle, nurses must form rank-and-file committees that are independent of the union and of both capitalist parties.

These committees will provide a democratic means by which the nurses can formulate their demands and develop a strategy to fight for them. The struggle for safe staffing and the best patient care is inseparable from the fight to remove the profit motive from medicine and establish a socialist healthcare system.
The December 3 findings of a coronial inquest into the 2021 death in custody of Simon Mark Cartwright, paint a harrowing picture of the last days of a man suffering from serious mental and physical illness.

But while the State Coroners Court of New South Wales (NSW) found that Cartwrights death was preventable and highlighted the unacceptable care he received at the Silverwater Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre (MRRC) in Sydney, the report is ultimately a whitewash, holding no one responsible.

Silverwater Correctional Centre [Photo: Facebook/Silverwater Complex DL, SWW & MRRC Families]

Cartwright died on September 19, 2021, one month after being remanded, awaiting sentence, to Silverwater prison for stalk/intimidate and trespass, assault and resisting arrest charges. He was found in a state of rigor mortis, indicating he had been dead for several hours.

Cartwright suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as chronic peptic ulcer disease, which had likely infiltrated his liver at the time of his incarceration, according to the coroners report. None of these illnesses were picked up during his Reception Screening Assessment (RAS), although they had been documented in his file during an earlier incarceration at the same facility in January.

The coroner found Cartwright died from undetected treatable natural causes while involuntarily detained as a mentally ill person within the general prison population while waiting 17 days for a bed in a mental health facility. The immediate natural cause was septicaemia, a bacterial blood infection, resulting from his ulcers.

One of the expert witnesses consulted for the inquest, Dr Christopher Vickers, a gastroenterologist, stated that if Cartwright had been given Pantoprazole even as late as 4-5 days before his death, he would likely have survived the infection that killed him.

Cartwrights condition was further exacerbated by the denial of his access to water, crucial for diluting stomach acids that increase the severity of gastric ulcers. Two days before his death, the tap in Cartwrights cell was turned off. Prison guards made no record of this action, nor is there any record that he was subsequently provided with bottled water.

The court was told the water was shut off because Cartwright had flooded his cell by leaving the tap running. Correctional officers, and medical staff from Justice Health, which is responsible for monitoring the health of prisoners, did not appear to know or understand that he was a mentally ill person requiring hospitalisation.

In the final 48 hours of his life, Cartwright begged for water through the intercom system 18 times and made multiple requests for food, blankets and to see a nurse, all of which were denied. On two other occasions he reported he was having trouble breathing. The inquest showed footage of him buckled over clutching his stomach, falling over backwards and sideways, and shuffling around like an old man.

Underscoring the inhumane conditions, in one case, a guard responded to Cartwrights pleas for water: Yeah, this is really entertaining actually, and Yeah, keep buzzing up, actually this is keeping me entertained.

At one point, Cartwright was so desperate he offered to give the guards money he had in the bank if they helped him. The coroner found that the guards used denial of water for a correctional or punitive purpose, which he merely concluded was inappropriate.

A record of Cartwrights history of mental illness and drug abuse illustrates the tragic consequences of the erosion of dedicated facilities for mental health patients, and the reliance as a result on overstretched hospitals and inadequately funded community facilities.

Cartwrights happy childhood changed when at 17, according to his family, he was introduced to cannabis. In 2008, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and in 2013, bipolar disorder. His medical records show he was aware of and understood his diagnosis and fought for many years to keep his symptoms under control, through regular contact with medical and mental health professionals, who treated him with anti-psychotic medication.

The coroner cited notes from his regular psychologist that Simon was engaged with treatment, had insight into his mental illness, was polite, and was honest about his drug misuse.

In June 2020, Cartwrights regular GP came to believe he was abusing drugs. Concerned that he was showing signs of aggression and intimidation in pursuit of opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions, the doctor decided to terminate their relationship.

The next month, a psychiatrist at Shellharbour Hospital changed Cartwrights longstanding diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar to a substance-induced behavioural disturbance complicated by narcissistic personality features.

This resulted in the discontinuance of the anti-psychotic medications Cartwright had been taking for the past decade. His regular psychologist disagreed with and warned against this, concerned that Cartwright would become a problem for the police and end up in prison if his psychiatric condition was not properly managed.

Cartwrights mental health deteriorated, while his gastric symptoms led to hospitalisation every month for the rest of 2020.

In November, he attended Wollongong Hospital for an upper gastric bleed, which necessitated a blood transfusion. He repeatedly requested anti-psychotics, complaining of ongoing chatter and that he was sick in the head, but was refused due to his changed diagnosis.

By the end of December 2020, Cartwrights aggressive pursuit of risperidone (an anti-psychotic drug) and diazepam (Valium) led his regular GP to permanently stop seeing him, for personal safety reasons.

Cartwright was arrested in January 2021 for lighting a fire in a neighbours apartment and was incarcerated at MRRC, Silverwater. He was immediately put on a Risk Intervention Team (RIT) management plan, as he was threatening self-harm.

At this point, both his gastric ulcer and his history of schizophrenia and bipolar were noted and documented by MRRC staff. He was given Pantoprazole to reduce stomach acid secretion. A Justice Health nurse advised he should be treated under section s33 of the Mental Health Act and designated a mentally ill person under that legislation. He was then transferred to Cumberland Hospital, where he received appropriate treatment, made what appeared to be full recovery a month later, and was released from detention.

In July 2021, police took Cartwright to the mental health unit at Wollongong Hospital for making 35 nonsensical calls to emergency services. Again, his diagnosis of schizophrenia and bipolar was denied and he was discharged.

In early August he was taken again by police to Shellharbour Hospital after he was found running through traffic, yelling and head-butting himself against a bus stop. He was incarcerated for the last time at MRRC on August 21, 2021. This time, instead of getting the highest monitoring available under the RIT management plan based on assessments that he was a threat to himself and others, he died without anyone watching him, without basic medical treatment or even water to drink and with his pleas for help repeatedly ignored.

The death in custody of Simon Cartwright is just one grim example of the consequences of a much broader trend.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, more than half of Australian prisoners surveyed in 2022 had been told by a doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist or nurse that they had a mental illness or behavioural problem at some point in their lives.

Mental illness has increasingly become a matter left to the police and the prison system, as a direct result of decades of cuts by Labor and Liberal-National governments to funding for mental health services. In NSW, this began with the 1983 Richmond Report, commissioned by the Wran Labor government, which called for mental institutions across the states to be shuttered, forcing many people with mental illnesses into dilapidated boarding houses, homelessness or the prison system.

The treatment of the mentally ill and other vulnerable members of society is a warning to the working class more generally. Under capitalism, every aspect of working-class health and lives is subordinated to the profit interests of the corporate and financial elite.

While Labor governments around the country continue to slash funding for health, education and other social necessities, they are pumping obscene sums of money into the military and the police, under conditions of growing opposition to war and the deepening social crisis. This underscores the need for the working class to fight for a political alternative, socialism, in which societys vast resources are no longer used to further enrich the wealthy few, but to provide a high standard of living, including free, high-quality mental and physical health care, for all.
In a sign of the intensifying political crisis in South Korea, investigators and police attempted to execute an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday. He is the first sitting South Korean president to be the subject of an arrest warrant. They were rebuffed however by the presidents security detail including a military detachment.

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions demand the arrest of impeached President Yoon near the presidential residence in Seoul, January 3, 2025. The letters read Immediately arrest Yoon Suk Yeol. [AP Photo/Lee Jin-man]

The Seoul Western District Court issued the arrest warrant for Yoon on Tuesday at the request of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is investigating Yoons failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3. The court also issued a separate warrant for investigators to search Yoons presidential residence in Yongsan, Seoul, which they were also unable to carry out.

The CIO requested the warrant after Yoon refused to appear for questioning three times, most recently on December 29. Yoon has been accused of insurrection and abuse of power and is already listed as a criminal suspect in the case. While sitting presidents are immune from prosecution, this does not apply to charges of insurrection and treason. Yoon has denounced the CIO, claiming it has no authority to investigate his martial law declaration. His lawyers called the arrest warrant illegal.

When CIO officials and the police arrived at Yoons residence Friday morning, they attempted to enter at around 8:00 a.m., but were blocked by the Presidential Security Service (PSS) and the 55th Security Brigade, which belongs to the Armys Capital Defense Command, but is subordinate to the PSS. Clashes between the two sides reportedly broke out and a standoff lasted for approximately five and half hours before the CIO called off the attempt to arrest Yoon.

The PSS is responsible for the presidents security. However, it is not simply a division of bodyguards, but an independent section of the South Korean state bureaucracy. It has its own political interests while being close to the president, with influence over policy, the police and the military. The now former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who has been arrested for playing a leading role in the declaration of martial law, led the PSS from May 2022 when Yoon took office until September 2024. He is a close friend and confidant of Yoon.

The CIO released a statement afterwards saying, We determined that executing the detention warrant would be practically impossible due to the continued confrontation, and suspended the execution out of concern for the safety of on-site personnel caused by the resistance. We plan to decide on the next steps following a review. The warrant remains valid until Monday.

Approximately a thousand of Yoons supporters also demonstrated outside the residence in an attempt to block the presidents arrest. They are a collection of far-right and fascistic forces, lacking any popular support. They appealed openly to US imperialism, waving American flags alongside South Korean ones, which is common at their rallies. Some even held signs that read in English, Stop the steal, the same slogan used by Trump and his supporters to call for the January 6, 2021 coup attempt in Washington.

Yoon attempted to whip up this mob, telling them on January 1, Due to internal and external forces infringing on its sovereignty and the activities by anti-state forces, South Korea is now in danger. I will fight with you to the end to protect this country. This is the same rationale Yoon used to first declare martial law, claiming that the Democrats and their allies were anti-state elements who had to be suppressed by force.

Pro-Yoon demonstrations pale in comparison to the hundreds of thousands that have protested each weekend in Seoul demanding Yoons removal from office and arrest. On December 14, the day Yoon was impeached and suspended from office by the National Assembly, two million gathered outside parliament in opposition to the president.

Yoons impeachment or even potential arrest does not guarantee he will be removed from power. Presently, the Constitutional Court, which has 180 days from December 14 to decide on the presidents fate, may very well allow him to return to office. With the support of the PPP and right-wing bureaucrats, Yoon has also stonewalled his impeachment proceedings and the criminal investigation into his martial law declaration, which was in effect a coup attempt.

The Constitutional Court is comprised of nine justices who are approved by the president. Three are chosen by the executive, with three recommended by the chief justice of the Supreme Court and three recommended by the National Assembly. Since October, three vacancies had existed on the court to be filled by parliament.

After Yoons impeachment, the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) moved quickly to fill the three vacancies. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who first replaced Yoon as acting president, refused to approve them, with the PPP claiming an acting president lacked the authority. The votes of six justices are necessary to remove a president from office, meaning only one had to side with Yoon to keep him in power.

As a result, the DP impeached Han on December 27 and he was replaced with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok. In an apparent compromise, Choi appointed one justice recommended by the DP and another by the PPP on Tuesday. The Democrats have demanded Choi appoint the final justice recommend by their party.

However, as a capitalist party, the Democrats do not defend the democratic rights of workers and youth any more than Yoon or the PPP. Instead, the Democrats conflict with Yoon is over how best to impose the demands of big business.

Sections of the ruling establishment grouped around Yoon and the PPP increasingly see open dictatorship as necessary to suppress growing working-class anger to declining economic conditions and attacks on jobs. A significant strike by Samsung Electronics workers last July, a month-long auto part workers strike in October-November that shut down production at Hyundai, and strikes by railway workers in early December no doubt weighed on Yoons attempt to impose military rule.

On the other hand, the DP seeks to suppress the class struggle through phony promises of reforms and through their allies in the trade unions, such as the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). Yoons often belligerent attacks on political opponents since taking office combined with worsening conditions for workers cut across the Democrats efforts, risking the explosion of social anger.

The DP is now rolling back protests in an attempt to head off the growth of social opposition, block opposition from growing, and prevent people from making the connections between Yoons attack on democratic rights and the broader crisis of capitalism internationally. They want to convince workers and youth that democratic rights can be defended within the National Assembly and the judicial system; and have turned anti-Yoon protests into campaign events and musical performances, all designed to cover up the political issues involved.

The Democrats have also worked with the KCTU to call off job actions like the December railway strike while presenting Yoons removal from office as practically a done deal. The KCTU initially claimed it would wage an indefinite general strike against Yoon. In the end, this amounted to little more than scattered protests and partial walkouts to allow workers to vent their anger while having no impact on big business or the government.

The danger of another declaration of martial law or military coup remains. If Yoon returns to power, he will do so with all the powers he previously held, including over the military. If mass protests grow against Yoon, it is also not out of the question that the military itself steps in to impose martial law, something it has considered in the past.

The Democrats and KCTUs downplaying of the existing dangers only embolden Yoon and his supporters. The defense of democratic rights can only be carried out through the independent mobilisation of the working class against the entire political establishment and the capitalist system it defends.
Members of the Great Wall Youth Orchestra play traditional Chinese instruments at the New Year concert in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 29, 2024. (Photo by Wang Zijie/Xinhua)



At a recent concert held in north China's Hebei Province to usher in the New Year, the romantic Chinese folk song "Purple Bamboo" was revived by a U.S. youth orchestra.

Playing traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu and the guzheng, the Great Wall Youth Orchestra from Oakland tugged on the heartstrings of its audience with the soft and graceful melody of the song, which dates back thousands of years.

"This is the orchestra's first international tour. We're very excited and grateful for that," said Sairina Kimberly Merino Tsui, president of the board of the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation, with which the orchestra is affiliated.

Upon the invitation of Shijiazhuang University, members of the orchestra, together with U.S. artists from San Francisco, formed a delegation of 51 people and made a six-day visit to China which ended on Tuesday.

These performances, along with their performances in the United States, are part of the orchestra's decades-long efforts to preserve and promote traditional Chinese music.

Founded in 1995, the orchestra is a program initiated by the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation. It aims to teach Chinese music to children in the San Francisco Bay Area, a place with an ethnically diverse population.

"A lot of our members are ethnically Chinese, and there are quite a few of them who have never been to China before, but have played instruments for many, many years," Tsui told Xinhua in an interview. "We hope to give them a chance to get to know about their roots in a different way."

"Music is a way to connect with our ancestors, our families and our culture," said Brian Chow, a Chinese American who plays the erhu.

Having joined the orchestra more than 10 years ago, Chow has grown from a diligent student into a professional music teacher eager to pass traditional Chinese culture on to younger generations.

Over almost 30 years, the Great Wall Youth Orchestra has nurtured about 18,000 students in the United States through its weekend music classes and teaching programs in local schools. Currently, there are approximately 300 student members regularly learning and practicing traditional Chinese instruments.

According to Chow, in February, a U.S. school he is working with will introduce new traditional Chinese instrument courses to students in grades four and five in collaboration with the orchestra.

"It is expensive to study music in the United States. My mother wanted to create opportunities for children from less affluent families to learn music," said Victor Stanson Siu, who now heads and conducts the orchestra. His mother established the foundation and the orchestra.

Siu noted that he enjoys his visits every time he comes to China, and seeing how Chinese people approach traditional music in new ways. "It's wonderful to learn how modern Chinese music is and how cool it is for young people to play. I hope my students can feel the music also belongs to them. It's not something ancient that only their grandparents listen to," he said.

At the first New Year concert in Hebei, the Great Wall Youth Orchestra also performed the classic Italian song, "O Sole Mio," and a pop song by contemporary American musicians, using Chinese folk instruments.

At another concert, typical festival songs, including "Blooming Flowers and the Full Moon" and "Spring Festival Overture," were performed by the orchestra alongside their Chinese counterparts from the School of Music at Shijiazhuang University, creating a jubilant atmosphere shared by all in attendance.

Over the years, the orchestra has toured many U.S. cities, including New York and Los Angeles, Siu said, adding that its members' different cultural backgrounds make it easier for their ethnically diverse listeners to accept Chinese music and culture.

Tyler Daniel Thompson is one of the orchestra's star vocalists and has been learning Chinese songs and operas with the group since the age of four. "When I try to go to my community and sing Chinese opera, people there can feel Chinese culture even though they may not fully understand the meaning of the lyrics," the 29-year-old African American said.

He believes that the Great Wall Youth Orchestra is trying to help more people understand Chinese culture and integrate it into their life through music. "We can bring people together through a lot of different mediums. Music is definitely one of them," Thompson said.
Danny Aarons and Tennessee Thresher have announced they are engaged following a scenic proposal during their tropical getaway. The couple, whose connection began in an unexpected setting, has shared key moments leading to this exciting engagement.

Heres how Danny Aarons engaged Thresher, the story behind their relationship, and what lies ahead for the newly engaged pair.

Danny Aarons proposes to Tennessee Thresher

YouTuber Danny Aarons has proposed to Tennessee Thresher, a 24-year-old influencer and model, during a vacation in the Maldives on January 2, 2025. The proposal took place on a beach adorned with pink roses and a sign that read, Marry Me. The couple announced the engagement via Instagram with a post captioned, 02.01.25?

This announcement comes just two months after they revealed they were expecting their first child. On November 7, 2024, the couple shared an Instagram Reel documenting their pregnancy journey.

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The video included clips from the YouTube competition show Locked In, where they first met, along with a positive pregnancy test, ultrasound images, and Thresher showing her baby bump.

Aarons and Thresher first met on the fourth season of Locked In, a YouTube reality show aired in late 2023. While initially clashing during the competition, their relationship grew, and by January 2024, they made their relationship public with a YouTube Shorts video featuring them dancing together (via People). Their connection deepened, leading to their engagement nearly a year later.

During their Maldives trip, Thresher shared a vlog highlighting their luxurious accommodations, meals, and New Years Eve celebrations. The engagement occurred just days after she posted subtle hints about marriage in her videos. The radiant cut ring Aarons presented was prominently displayed in subsequent social media posts.

The couples engagement marks another milestone as they prepare to welcome their child and begin planning their wedding. Their journey, widely shared on social media, has attracted significant attention from fans and followers eager for updates on their future plans.

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Originally reported by Vritti Johar on ComingSoon.

The post YouTuber Danny Aarons Is Engaged to Tennessee Thresher appeared first on Mandatory.
Looking to buy a house in 2025? According to Zillow, Connecticut is home to not just one, but four of country's the most popular housing markets of 2024.

The real estate company recently published their top 10 housing markets of 2024, determined by housing metrics that reflect consumer demand such as page-view traffic, home value growth and home sale speed.

In this year's ranking, small towns in the Northeast dominated for the second year in a row, including four in Connecticut: Stamford in third place, Bridgeport in fifth place, New Haven in eighth place and Waterbury in ninth place.

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Here's what to know about the state's booming housing markets.

Connecticut housing market

Aerial shot of a residential neighborhood in Stamford, Connecticut, named the second most popular housing market of 2024 by Zillow.

According to Zillow, the past few years have seen hidden gem exurbs, or smaller towns situated beyond suburbs, become more popular, especially with the increase of hybrid work models.

Considering the close proximity of Stamford to New York City as well as Bridgeport and Waterbury to both New Haven and Hartford, these Connecticut towns are a logical choice for commuters looking for affordable living and lifestyle amenities.

CT home sales: Most expensive home sold in CT in 2024 once belonged to Donald Trump. How much it sold for

What other towns made the list?

Here is the full list of Zillow's top 10 most popular markets of 2024:

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Manchester, New Hampshire Rockford, Illinois Stamford, Connecticut Columbia, Maryland Bridgeport, Connecticut Allentown, Pennsylvania Peoria, Illinois New Haven, Connecticut Waterbury, Connecticut Sunnyvale, California

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Zillow names four CT towns top real estate markets of 2024. Here's why
Everything tastes better with a little spice. After all, European explorers went around the world in search of sources of aromatics like cinnamon, pepper, clove, and turmeric, and your kitchen wouldn't be complete without a well-stocked spice rack or drawer. You don't need to buy absolutely every spice to be a cook, however, and it pays to know the difference between similar spices like nutmeg and mace. Despite the different names, these two spices actually come from the same tree and fruit, and they can often be used interchangeably. They're not exactly the same, however.

In terms of flavor, mace and nutmeg have both have nutty, warm flavors that taste great in pumpkin pie and mulled wine. Mace, however, is a bit stronger of the two spices when it's ground, so if you're planning to sub mace for nutmeg, just know that you'll need to scale the spice profile down.

Read more: 6 Seeds You Can Safely Eat And 6 To Avoid

Nutmeg And Mace Come From The Seed Of The Same Fruit

Nutmeg fruits with the seeds intact - Dewim15/Shutterstock

Nutmeg and mace are made from the seeds of fruit from the Myristica fragrans tree, which is native to the Molucca spice islands in Indonesia. The tree produces small fruits, which are about the same size as an apricot. When they're ripe, the fruit is harvested and processed and the seeds are dried. Nutmeg is the inner round ball of the seed itself, and mace is made from the red membrane that surrounds the outside of the seed and protects it from the fruit, which is also called an aril.

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These days we don't think a lot about where nutmeg comes from, and probably even less about mace, unless they're mixed into a pumpkin spice latte. But back in the time of the spice trade, nutmeg and mace were hard to come by since it was so hard to get to Indonesia. Nutmeg is still grown on the "spice islands" of Indonesia to this day, but it's also grown in other parts of the world including parts of Africa, India, the Sri Lanka, and even tropical regions of the Americas.

Subbing Mace For Nutmeg

Nutmeg powder, whole seeds, and a spice grater - Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock

Since both spices come from the same source, it's perhaps only natural that nutmeg and mace have a lot of the same flavors of pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and pine. Mace has more black pepper and coriander-like flavors. Nutmeg has more nutty, sweet qualities. This makes nutmeg a better choice for jobs like adding earthiness to spaghetti sauce or leveling up Alfredo sauce. Mace is a better choice for spice rubs, creamy soups, and any desserts made with tart fruit.

If you come across a recipe that calls for ground mace and you only have ground nutmeg, or vice versa, you can certainly swap one for the other. For recipes that call for nutmeg, use  of the amount of mace. If the recipe calls for mace but you only have nutmeg, scale it up by . You might even find that a blend of nutmeg and mace are best for recipes like granola, ice cream, and traditional eggnog, where a little extra complexity can make the dish more interesting. Once you get to know what each spice can do, you might even start to understand why people once risked their lives to sail around the world in search of nutmeg and mace.

Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time.

Read the original article on Food Republic.
The Natchitoches meat pie is the official state meat pie of Louisiana, and its wide-ranging influences point back to the colorful mix of cultures that are woven together in the history of the region: Spanish colonial settlement, French Canadian influence, as well as that of Creole populations and Native Americans. A Natchitoches meat pie is filled with two types of ground meat, beef and pork, and a blend of flavors that are staples in Louisiana including Cajun spice (not Creole), onion, celery, and green bell pepper. There is a resemblance between Natchitoches meat pies and the empanadas found across Spain and Latin America, Jamaican patties, and West African meat pies. True to the state's vibrant reputation, a Natchitoches meat pie is all about flamboyant flavor.

The city of Natchitoches is named after the Native American tribe who lived in the region and who are believed to have introduced the meat pies in the 1700s. The city, founded by French-Canadian explorer and soldier Louis Juchereau de St. Denis in 1714, is also the oldest permanent European settlement in the Louisiana Purchase Territory. The pies might also have been influenced by the French pork and beef-filled pate brought during his arrival. It's also possible that Spanish soldiers introduced the snack as an adaptation of Spanish empanadas. The Creole community living in the area added their seasoned touch, which may have contributed to the flavor of the meat pies we know and love today. While the exact origins of this snack-time delicacy are often debated, the Natchitoches meat pies of today have multicultural roots.

Read more: 11 Uncommon Spices That Will Impress Everyone You Cook For

How And Where To Best Enjoy A Meat Pie In Louisiana

meat pies from Natchitoches on a white background - Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Today the love for Natchitoches meat pies is widespread. Perhaps because the diversity of the meat pies' origins reflects the complex history of the region, meat pies have become a quintessential part of the Northern Louisiana culinary identity through the help and legacy of local residents' cooking. Lasyone's Meat Pie Kitchen is an example of an eatery putting Natchitoches meat pies on the map. In Lasyone's Creole Soul Food restaurant, you can enjoy meat pies with dirty rice, a meat pie breakfast served aside Creole-style eggs, and a meat pie platter to satisfy your craving. The dish is not only celebrated in its birth city, but is enjoyed and sold across Louisiana, and has even been adopted by other southern states, much like Hummingbird cake (another southern classic with roots elsewhere).

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The Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival, held annually in September, is a celebration of the Louisiana dish that hails from the recipe books and kitchens of Natchitoches. Like the pies themselves, it is a cultural fusion of the region's heritage and spotlights a dish that has survived and evolved over the last 300 years. The first festival hit the Natchitoches streets in 2002 and has become a tradition that defines Louisiana's culinary tourism. It's the perfect opportunity to sample some of the best meat pie recipes passed down through generations.

Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time.

Read the original article on Food Republic.
Three local climbers have opened a new route on the south side of 5,740m Simon Bolivar Peak in Colombia. According to them, it is the country's highest mountain. Neighboring Pico Cristobal Colon is almost the same altitude and vies for that distinction, but the three of them also summited that peak earlier on the same 18-hour day and say that Simon Bolivar is slightly higher.

Ricardo Rubio, Salomon Torres, and Alexander Chaves climbed the little-known giant via a new 250m line on the south face. They set out from an Advanced Base Camp pitched on the Colon Glacier at 4,750m. Getting to their starting point took them several days of trekking through jungles and across glaciers on an old-fashioned expedition supported by many local porters. The new M5, 5.9 route starts from the col separating the two peaks and goes up mixed terrain, they told Desnivel.

"We set off from ABC at 00:30 on December 18, navigated the Colon Glacier, and summited Colon's peak (5,730m) at 6 am," Alexander Chaves reported on Instagram.

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They then retreated to the saddle separating the two mountains and went up the south face of Simon Bolivar via a mixed route. They summited at noon and had returned to Advanced Base Camp by 7:30 pm.

The climb drew our attention not because of its difficulty or size but because it featured a mountain range we had not previously written about.

Glaciers of the Caribbean

When thinking of South American mountains, the Andes and Patagonia first come to mind, but the continent hosts several other massifs with peaks surpassing 5,000m. Among them, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta on Colombia's Caribbean coast is particularly unusual.

The Santa Marta range in Caribbean haze. Photo: Wikipedia

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Isolated from the Andes by two river valleys, the Santa Marta range rises right from the shores of the Caribbean. It is the second-highest coastal range in the world after the Mt. Saint Elias range on the Canada-U.S. border. It lies in a Biosphere Reserve, and after troubled years of guerrillas and narcos, it now offers safer access to trekkers and climbers. Its landscape varies from tropical beaches to glaciers on the highest peaks, with jungle, rainforest, and high moors in between.

The debate on whether Simon Bolivar or Colon is the country's highest peak remains open. Note, however, that another Simon Bolivar Peak (5,007m) is the highest mountain in Venezuela.

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With the arrival of colder weather and the New Year right around the corner, some might be considering a vacation or actively planning their next getaway to a tropical paradise in 2025.

While the United States government is urging its residents to reconsider traveling to the Bahamas and Jamaica, which are currently under level two and level three travel advisories, respectively, there are other options for those seeking a trip to a tropical Caribbean paradise.

Travel destinations Gas prices set to hit the lowest they've been since 2021  and even cheaper in Kentucky

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Here are the Caribbean islands that fall under the government's "level one" travel advisory, meaning travelers can exercise the normal cautions they would take on any trip.

beach paradise of the Caribbean "eagle Beach" with white sand turquoise sea, best resort for total relaxation in the tropical island of Aruba

Reporter Jana Hayes contributed. Contact Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Safest Caribbean islands to travel to in 2025
It's hard to imagine any corner of America without a Panera Bread. It doesn't even seem like a company that purposefully chooses locations so much as a sort of naturally occurring phenomenon. Wherever there's an opening in a strip mall or an airport, the wooden furnishing and green-and-gold color scheme starts to spread across the bare walls like lichen, and soon enough you can walk in and buy any one of its many soup options for $7 or take advantage of its fresh bread baked on site. But there is one state  Wyoming  with just a single Panera location.

There are no Panera Breads in Alaska or Hawaii, which is to be expected: Both are far from the contiguous United States, which makes the logistics of running a fast food restaurant challenging (It's hard enough for an Alaskan town to get groceries). But more interesting than a state with no Panera is a state with just one Panera. It's almost a romantic notion, bringing to mind a corporate, Global Village Coffeehouse-aesthetic version of a last chance saloon. You can imagine a lonesome traveler staggering inside, enticed by the smell of broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl, as Ry Cooder's plaintive slide guitar from the "Paris, Texas" theme plays in the background.

Read more: Review: Jimmy John's Firecracker Wrap Brings The Heat But Not Much Else

Wyoming's Lone Panera Is In Cheyenne

The flag of Wyoming, along with the American flag. - rarrarorro/Shutterstock

The reality, of course, is more mundane. Wyoming is the 10th-largest state by area, but it's the least-populated state in the union; with just 576,851 people, it's less populated than the city of Portland, Oregon. The state's largest city is its capital, Cheyenne; about 65,000 people live in the city proper, while a little over 100,000 people live in the greater metropolitan area. This is where Wyoming's sole Panera is located: right outside Cheyenne Regional Airport, on Dell Range Boulevard across the street from a Starbucks and down the road from a Chick-fil-A.

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The only passenger route going in and out of Cheyenne Regional Airport is a United Express shuttle from Denver that takes between 45 minutes to an hour. We suppose that's enough time to work up an appetite for something from its newly revamped menu (with increased portion sizes), especially if you're on the run from Denver International Airport's terrifying and allegedly cursed horse statue.

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Update 1/7, 7:36 p.m.:

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah (ABC4)  Officials have identified the individual killed in an officer-involved incident over the weekend as a 17-year-old male.

Officials with the investigative team identified the teenager over the weekend and notified next of kin, but said the investigation is still ongoing.

The case will be turned over to the District Attorneys Office after the investigation is complete.

Original story: 1 dead after police exchange gunfire with suspect in South Jordan

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah (ABC4)  An officer-involved critical incident occurred in South Jordan Friday night as police exchanged fire with a theft suspect, leaving one dead, according to South Jordan Police.

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Shortly after 10:20 p.m. on Jan. 3, South Jordan Police officers responded to a vehicle theft in progress near 9400 South 4600 West. Police arrived on scene and found a male suspect inside a vehicle.

The suspect fired a gun at officers, police said, and officers returned fire.

Accumulating snow down to the valley floors Saturday

The individual reportedly then fled on foot, and was later found in a nearby yard. Officers from multiple agencies flooded the area, a press release from South Jordan Police states, and more shots were fired.

In this exchange, the suspect was shot, and police took him into custody before taking him to a hospital for treatment. The suspect later died at the hospital, police said.

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The Officer Involved Critical Incident team has arrived at the scene to investigate this incident, the release states. The involved officers were placed on administrative leave pending further investigation. The area will remain closed as the investigation continues into the morning.

No further information is available at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Jan. 3ELLINGTON TOWNSHIP, Minn.  A West Concord woman was killed and a Dodge Center woman was seriously injured in a crash Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, near West Concord.

A 2019 Toyota Hylander was westbound on Dodge County Road 24 when it collided head-on with an eastbound 2017 Ford Expedition near the intersection with 120th Avenue around 7:45 a.m., according to the Dodge County Sheriff's Office.

Both vehicles started on fire.

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The driver of the Toyota, Scarlett Tanner, 32, of West Concord, and a passerby who stopped to assist, Erin Irene Brose, 46, of Dodge Center, were standing outside the vehicles when a pickup truck and trailer drove into the crash scene and entered the south ditch.

The pickup truck struck Tanner and Brose while entering the ditch.

Tanner died at the scene and Brose was transported to Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Marys with life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the Ford Expedition, Elizabeth Albers, 40, of Owatonna, was transported to an Owatonna hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the pickup truck, Ryan Thoe, 47, of Kasson, was not injured.

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Conditions at the time of the crash were reported as "extremely dense fog and extremely icy roads."

The West Concord Fire Department, West Concord Ambulance, Claremont Fire Department, Dodge Center Fire Department, Dodge Center Ambulance, Minnesota State Patrol, Mayo Clinic Ambulance, Dodge County Highway Department and Dodge County Sheriff chaplains also responded to the scene.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  One person was seriously injured in a hit-and-run collision Tuesday in the Town of Lancaster, police announced.

Officials said the collision occurred around 7 a.m. on Transit Road at William Street, leaving a 55-year-old man seriously injured.

Police described the striking vehicle as a Cadillac SUV that is possibly red in color and may have a damaged hood and passenger side mirror.

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The Lancaster Police Department is encouraging anyone with information to contact Detective Lieutenant Shaun DiMino at (716) 683-2800 extension 223.

Latest Local News

Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  A 16-year-old male has been arrested after a man was shot and killed Thursday afternoon, according to Greensboro police.

According to a press release, the Greensboro Police Departments Violent Criminal Apprehension Team arrested a 16-year-old on a warrant for arrest for first-degree murder in connection to the death of Darius Knight-Anderson on Thursday.

At around 4:58 p.m. on Thursday, Greensboro police, firefighters and Guilford County EMS responded to the 3800 block of Central Avenue after getting a report of a person either being shot or stabbed.

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At the scene, officers found 24-year-old Darius Marquis Knight-Anderson in the front yard after being shot multiple times. Life-saving efforts were initiated; however, Knight-Anderson died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at (336) 373-1000.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP.
(NewsNation)  A new lawsuit against a Beverly Hills obstetrician-gynecologist brings the total number of alleged sexual abuse victims to 167.

The additional plaintiffs join 60 other former patients who are accusing Dr. Barry J. Brock, 74, of sexually exploitative and abusive behavior, dating back several decades, the lawsuit says.

Brock was a member of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center until 2018 and had clinical privileges there until last year. The lawsuit claims Cedars-Sinai and other medical practices concealed his actions.

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Brock has been allowed to continue injuring, exploiting, and abusing patients under the guise of medical care at Cedars-Sinai from 1979 through August of 2024, the suit says.

Florida mom makes teen son turn himself in for armed robbery: deputies

He was suspended in July and his hospital privileges were terminated months later.

Former patients, who filed the suit Dec. 27 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuse the OBGYN of making inappropriate comments and touching them in violating ways.

Conducting vaginal examinations without wearing gloves, fondling womens clitorises, using examination instruments in inappropriate ways and making sexual comments are some of the allegations.

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Brock retired in August, according to the lawsuit obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

The type of behavior alleged about Dr. Barry Brock is counter to Cedars-Sinais core values and the trust we strive to earn every day with our patients, a Cedars-Sinai spokesperson said to the LA Times. Dr. Brock no longer has privileges to practice medicine at Cedars-Sinai, and we have reported this matter to the California Medical Board.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
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: Jamie (Fialkowski) Genzer. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

We want to remember Jamie (Fialkowski) Genzer, while honoring those who survived and thanking those changed forever.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  A 17-year-old arrested in relation to a deadly shooting was in court Friday afternoon.

Jamaal Scott,17, appeared before Recorders Court Judge Alonza Whitaker for a shooting that happened in April on the 3100 block of Victory Drive.

This shooting left 25-year-old Willie Malik Harris Jr. dead.

Scott was served the arrest warrant while in Muscogee County Jail on unrelated charges. However, due to conflict within the Columbus Public Defenders Office, where Scott is a co- defendant in another case the hearing has been continued to a late date.

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This however did not stop the victims family from speaking at the hearing.

Nobody won in this situation. Nobody won. Malik was all that we had left. His mother was murdered and she left him for us. We lost him and your family is losing you. We forgive you.Yall got to do better. Yall got to do better. You behind bars is not going to bring him back. We pray for you. You got to live with this. You got to live with your actions. You took someone away from us. We forgive you, thats all I got to say to you. Lekevia Smith, Family member of the victim

Scott has been charged with Murder and possession of a firearm.

Judge Whitaker did not set a bond for the murder charge as it will have to be set by a superior court. If the case does go to superior court a no contact order has been placed as a condition of bond and given a $10,000 bond for the possession of a firearm charge.

Scott will be back in court Jan. 10 after he hires representation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
Two of the three victims of the fatal New Year's Eve fireworks explosion in Hawaii have been identified by a medical examiner. The identity of the third victim has not yet been released, but relatives say she is the sister of one of those killed.

PEOPLE can confirm that 58-year-old Nelie Ibarra and 23-year-old Jennifer Van were killed in the incident that left three people dead and over 20 others injured at a home in the Aliamanu neighborhood of Honolulu.

"The cause and manner of death in both cases are listed as pending. No additional information is available at this time. The identity of a third decedent has not yet been confirmed and will be released by the Department of the Medical Examiner in a subsequent update," a press release shared with PEOPLE read.

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Related: 3 Killed, 20 Injured in New Years Eve Fireworks Explosion in Hawaii: Immense Tragedy

Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement that the explosion was "caused by what appears to be illegal fireworks."

Hawaii governor Josh Green described the explosive used as a cake bomb  a term for a homemade explosive device, in a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 2. Green described the scene as a "war zone," saying, "People had traumatic injuries so badly that brain material was across the sidewalk from the ferocity of the explosion."

Although the third victim has not been publicly identified, a verified GoFundMe created by Rylan Benigno has identified her as his aunt Lita.

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"While information is limited, we can confirm that our beloved auntie Lita has passed away, Junior (her son) also sustained extensive fire-related injuries, her 3-year-old grandson has suffered the most extensive injuries with most of his body burned, and Charmaine (her daughter) is currently in the ICU with burns beyond recognition," the GoFundMe states.

"Cedric (son), his girlfriend and their four children were able to escape with minor to moderate injuries, however, parts of their home and many of their belongings they resided in perished in the explosion," the description adds.

Gofundme Nellie and Lita Nellie and Lita

Another GoFundMe, created by Sheena Turalva, describes Nelie and Lita as sisters. Turalva identified herself as their niece. The Daily Mail and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser also have identified two women  who authorities say both died at the scene  as sisters.

"As we try to come to terms with this heartbreaking loss, we are also focused on supporting those who survived the incident and recovering from their injuries. The emotional, physical, and financial toll on our family is overwhelming as we navigate this difficult and painful time," the GoFundMe explains.

Gofundme Jennifer Van Jennifer Van

A GoFundMe setup by Tammy Van for the third victim, Jennifer, said the 23-year-old had an "infectious and outgoing personality touched many people, especially with her loud mouth and kindness."

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.

"She was a devoted sister, daughter, and friend who selflessly supported our family financially and emotionally, especially through our most difficult times," the GoFundMe adds.

Related: Missing Surfer, 28, Is Believed to Have Been Killed by Shark: Authorities

Read the original article on People
Two Arizona Republicans prolonged voting in the House speaker's race, adding suspense to a tumultuous election that was already shaping up to be a nail-biter.

When the U.S. House of Representatives began the first round of balloting on Friday, a handful of Republican lawmakers-elect didnt announce their votes. That group included Reps. Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs from Arizona, two Congress members with a history of standing apart from other Republicans during leadership elections.

Their silence spelled trouble for U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., who needed almost every single Republican vote in order to keep the speaker's gavel.

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All of the initial holdouts, including Gosar and Biggs, eventually voted for Johnson towards the end of voting half an hour later. Gosar voted from the well of the House before the vote was gaveled closed.

Arizona politics: Who holds power in AZ's government? 5 politicians to watch in 2025

A Gosar spokesperson said Gosar's vote was meant to send a "clear message" to the speaker.

"Congressman Gosar has not been happy with the manner in which the 118th Congress has been managed," spokesperson Anthony Foti wrote. "Paul is going to be watching very closely to make sure Speaker does what he says he is going to do.

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"It is his job to deliver on President Trump's agenda."

Even with their votes, however, Johnson initially failed to secure the votes necessary Friday for another two years as the House's top leader, despite an endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump. A trio of GOP lawmakers  Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas  first voted for someone other than the 52-year-old Johnson.

Norman and Self eventually changed their votes to Johnson, securing him a majority.

A media contact for Biggs' office did not return a request for comment.

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The House couldnt do anything else until it elected a speaker, including swearing in new members.

USA TODAY's Bart Jansen contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs added suspense to House speaker vote
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  The Albuquerque Police Department arrested Tajahnae Maryann Johnson and Roderick Norseweather who are facing two counts of human trafficking. APD said detectives talked with a 14-year-old girl who was seen soliciting sex near Central and Rhode Island. She had been reported missing.

Man from Mexico sentenced for shooting at police drone, drug trafficking in Albuquerque, DOJ says

The 14-year-old told police that she started doing sex work in September in California after a man named Roderick picked her up for a date. She said he told her he was her pimp and introduced her to two other females, one of which was a minor. She said Roderick threatened to beat her or kill her if she tried to take the money or leave. Police said Johnson and the minors traveled on Amtrak to get to Albuquerque for sex work.

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Johnson and Norseweather are facing two counts of human trafficking (victim under 16).

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The next mayoral race is not until 2027. For Alan Henderson, he hopes thats enough time for people to know his name and what he hopes to accomplish, if elected.

Im a big advocate for affordable housing, for public safety, and making sure the city is the best place to live in the country, Henderson said.

Woman killed, 3 injured in Tampa multi-vehicle crash

At 23 years old, the Tampa native said he is ready to be the citys next mayor. If so, he could be the citys first Black and youngest mayor.

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Im inspired by a lot of youth around the country who are starting to be activated with a sense of urgency to get involved in politics, Henderson said.

St. Pete Colleges Political Expert Tara Newsom said the names of current city leaders are already being floated and likely already have more traction.

I think hes going to have an uphill battle, Newsom said. We also know that there are city council people that are also starting to talk about eyes on that race.

Newsom said some of those include Tampa City Council members Bill Carlson and Luis Viera. Other names that have been mentioned are former Hillsborough Commissioner Pat Kemp and Hillsborough Commissioner Harry Cohen, along with former Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

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The mayoral race is nonpartisan, but Henderson has admitted hes a registered democrat. Newsom is waiting to see how voters in Tampa will respond to Henderson.

I think its going to be tough, especially, for a non-seasoned democrat to run in the Tampa Bay area, Newsom said.

Mayor Jane Castor easily won both of her terms as mayor, but term limits will prevent her from running in this upcoming election cycle.

Henderson, who knows he has work to do, said hes ready for the seat.

If you feel like you can lead and if you feel like you can make a difference, you should, Henderson said.

The hopefuls website mentioned he has a career in marketing and branding, he has been heavily involved in the community, and he is currently taking government courses at Harvard Kenndy School. Meet Alan | Alan Henderson



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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The Portland Police Bureau said theyve been focused on the Quality Inn hotel in Northeast Portland for quite some time after three separate homicides occurred there in the span of just two months.

The hotel is located near the intersection of Northeast Sandy Boulevard and Northeast 82nd Avenue in the Sumner Neighborhood. There were three separate deadly shootings that occurred there  one in November and two in December.

5-year-old boy rescued by mother after coyote attack

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Police said its been a challenge trying to clean up the area. Theyre looking into getting the hotel deemed a chronic nuisance property but they said its a long process.

The Quality Inn on NE Sandy Boulevard (KOIN)

Our concern level was raised in the beginning, when the first homicide happened. The fact that weve had these other two, in December, has only increased the urgency in that area, said Sergeant Kevin Allen, a PPB spokesperson.

The most recent deadly shooting happened on Tuesday night, New Years Eve, in which one man died at the scene in the parking lot.

On Dec. 4, another man was shot and killed and died at the scene at the hotel in the early morning.

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On Nov. 20, another man  later identified as 43-year-old Kimo A. Henriques, of Vancouver  was killed. He was shot in the parking lot of the hotel in the early morning. He was later transported to a hospital but died shortly after.

Police havent announced any suspects arrested for the two shootings in December. However, one person was detained following the shooting on Nov. 20.

Police said theyre aware of potential human trafficking and prostitution in the area, too.

Getting help from the community, an involved neighborhood, people watching out for the for the community, and sharing information with the Police Bureau, thats a great way that people can get involved, Allen said.

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People living around the property said theyre noticing the problems and they said its causing stress in the neighborhood. A neighbor told KOIN 6 News they saw garbage throughout the parking lot of the Quality Inn and fences broken down, raising concerns about whats going on.

One man who lives close to the property said he witnessed one of the shootings.

I feel very unsafe because some of these people look like they might be breaking into my house one of these days, said the neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous. Were seeing lots of people seem to be really down and out. Obviously, they have guns on them, because theres been three murders there. And it just seems kind of crazy that all these people are concentrated in one area with no supervision, no oversight.

KOIN 6 News Reporter Ariel Iacobazzi went to the front desk of the Quality Inn to see if she could speak to management about any of these issues but no one was there.

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KOIN 6 also reached out to property owners Choice Hotels via email to ask them for a comment about the property. They havent responded yet but we will let you know when they do.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Jan. 3There were four confirmed homicide deaths in Westmoreland County in 2024, but that figure could rise as officials are awaiting rulings in a few more cases.

Coroner Tim Carson said the four cases involve:

Diana Rebold, 73, of New Kensington. Her son Brian Rebold, 38, has been deemed competent to stand trial on homicide charges in her Aug. 4 death.

Theresa Day, 51, of Manor. Investigators said she was killed in a murder-suicide Dec. 22. Her husband, Jeffrey Day, 62, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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Allen Lamont Austin Jr., 29, of Pittsburgh. Authorities said he was one of three people who broke into an Arnold home Jan. 12 just before he was fatally shot by the homeowner. Homicide charges will not be filed in that case, according to Melanie Jones, spokeswoman for the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office.

Randy D. Cable Jr., 46, of East Huntingdon. Cable's May 18 death was ruled a homicide as a result of complications of remote blunt force trauma of the head and neck related to an assault on April 25, 1997, in Jeannette that left him a quadriplegic, according to Carson. Court papers indicate Cable was punched during a party at the home of a friend and he was found lying unconscious on the sidewalk, according to Tribune-Review archives. A Murrysville man was prosecuted on aggravated assault and simple assault charges.

Jones said the case is under review.

Meanwhile, the cause and manner of five other deaths in 2024 are still being investigated, although homicide charges already have been filed in connection with two of them. Carson said such rulings can take months while all the investigating agencies complete their work.

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"Sometimes it takes time for a lot of that stuff to come back from the labs, and our stuff that we send out as well," he said. "I know that everyone just wants to do their due diligence."

The cases still under investigation are:

Amy R. Shipley, 45, of Ligonier Borough. Her remains were unearthed in Cook Township Sept. 17 after she was last seen Sept. 8. The man authorities expected to arrest in connection with her disappearance  Roger A. Angelo Jr., 47  was found dead in their home from self-inflicted knife wounds.

David Risher, 58, of New Kensington. Police arrested his former roommate Nico Harris, 40, in connection with the slaying. Risher's body was found July 5. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 16.

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Hunter Meyers, 10, of Donegal Township. Police said Meyers was stabbed in the head multiple times Aug. 1. They arrested James C. Campbell, 14, in connection with the death. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 24.

Jimmy L. Southern, 80, of Crabtree. He was found dead in his bed April 5 at 12:45 p.m. from a gunshot wound, Carson said. His wife, Marie Southern, 62, was found outside the Kennedy Street house suffering from a gunshot wound and was taken to a hospital for treatment. She died Sept. 4 at an Irwin nursing home. State police have been investigating.

Since 2006, there have been four homicides in Westmoreland County in two other years  2015 and 2023, according to coroner statistics. The highest total was 10 in 2014, according to coroner statistics.

Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Police are investigating after five people were hurt in a shooting that happened in Northeast D.C. on Friday night.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to the shooting at about 8:18 p.m. in the 1500 block of Harry Thomas Way NE.

Pepco offering energy bill saving tips amid forecasted winter weather

Officers said they found a man and a woman who had been shot. They were both taken to a hospital while conscious and breathing.

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MPD said another two men arrived at the hospital later. They were also conscious and breathing.

Police said there is also a fifth patient, a man, who was also injured in this incident.

MPD said this shooting started from a dispute between known parties.

This is a developing story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  The five men affiliated with the United Blood Nation gang has been sentenced for their roles in a series of armed robberies at convenience stores in Virginia Beach and Norfolk in 2022, the last one being sentenced Friday, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Four of the men  Harold Edward Spencer III of Virginia Beach, Kareem Doyle Ross of Newport News, Roshaun Devon Griffin of Virginia Beach and Jon Demetrious Jacques Morgan of Portsmouth  had been sentenced in 2023. The fifth, Marvin Eugene Lockhart Jr., was sentenced Friday to more than 22 years in prison.

According to court documents, here is the timeline of the armed robbery spree:

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Jan. 14, 2022 : Spencer and Ross began a two-month robbery spree when they robbed a Citgo Mini Mart in Virginia Beach, pointing firearms at employees and taking money, lottery tickets and cigarettes. The two, later that day  and still armed  robbed a Circle D Food Mart in Virginia Beach, with Spencer firing his handgun twice at a customer trying to flee the scene, court documents state.

Feb. 7, 2022: Spencer, Ross and a third person robbed an Express Food Mart in Norfolk, court documents state, and all of them pointed guns at employees and customers while stealing money, cigarettes, lottery tickets and cigars.

Feb. 19, 2022: Spencer, Ross and Lockhart robbed a Crown Gas Station in Virginia Beach. Like the Feb. 7, 2022 robbery, everyone pointed guns at employees and customers while stealing money and cigarettes, court documents state.

March 5, 2022: Spencer, Ross and Griffin robbed an Arrowhead Food Mart in Virginia Beach, taking money, cigarettes and lottery tickets, and Spencer and Ross pointed guns at an employee.

March 12, 2022: Spencer, Ross and Lockhart robbed a Jr. Market in Norfolk, stealing money and lottery tickets, and all three pointed guns at an employee.

March 18, 2022: Ross, Spencer, Lockhart, Griffin and Morgan attempted to rob a Tiger Mart in Virginia Beach, with Ross, Lockhart, Griffin and Morgan going into the Tiger Mart as a group, while Spencer was in a nearby vehicle as a getaway driver. The four men who went inside aborted the robbery and ran back to the vehicle, attempting to get away from police, but as they tried to get away, they threw the guns they possessed during the robbery out of the window. Virginia Beach Police used spike strips to disable the vehicle, and all five men were arrested.

The charges the men were convicted of or pleaded guilty to, along with their sentences, are outlined below:

Harold Edward Spencer III , 34, of Virginia Beach, was convicted at trial on Dec. 13, 2022 of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery; attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery; attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence. On Nov. 7, 2023, Spencer was sentenced to 42 years and three months in prison.

Kareem Doyle Ross , 34, of Newport News, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery; interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery; and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence. On June 13, 2023, Ross received a 27 year and one month sentence.

Marvin Eugene Lockhart Jr. , 34, of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty Oct. 6, 2022 to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery; interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery; and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence. He was sentenced Friday to 22 years and one month in prison.

Roshaun Devon Griffin , 36, of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty Oct. 4, 2022 to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery; interference and attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery; and using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence. On June 9, 2023, Griffin was sentenced to 15 years and four months in prison.

Jon Demetrious Jacques Morgan, 34, of Portsmouth, was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by means of robbery; attempted interference with commerce by means of robbery; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Nov. 7, 2023, he was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
SUSSEX  Grief works through the body in waves, even for young children. As the Hamilton School District community reels after 5-year-old Finn Katona was killed in a bus accident Friday morning, parents and staff must confront the tragedy in ways that young children can understand.

Talking about the death of a peer to a young person is a tall order, but Linda Hall, executive director of the Wisconsin Office of Children's Mental Health, said it's important to allow kids to express their feelings and "follow their lead."

"It's important to talk to kids and to recognize that they have different levels of understanding about what may have happened, different levels of understanding about death," Hall said. "Encourage them to express their feelings, whatever they are, and do your best to acknowledge those feelings while remaining calm."

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But much in the way grief iterates in surprising, sometimes physical ways in adults, children may also experience grief-related symptoms. It might look like a lack of concentration at school, withdrawing from school activities and social events, a waning appetite and fitful sleeps.

Here are some resources from the Office of Children's Mental Health, the Coalition to Support Grieving Students and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Tips from the Coalition to Support Grieving Students

The Coalition to Support Grieving Students is a national collaboration comprising school-based leadership organizations and mental health professionals. It offers guides for parents and staff on ways to talk to children about peer deaths: https://grievingstudents.org/module-section/talking-with-children/

The coalition also offers guidelines for ways students can support one another in their grief: https://grievingstudents.org/module-section/peer-support/

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As important, the coalition has a list of things to avoid saying to students who are actively grieving. Adults should reconsider "cheering" students up, for example: https://grievingstudents.org/module-section/what-not-to-say/

Grief has sometimes been compared to living with a big ball inside you. It never shrinks, but we learn coping skills to better adjust to loss. Likewise, the coalition has ideas for how to support students over time: https://grievingstudents.org/module-section/providing-support-over-time/

Tips from the Wisconsin Office of Children's Mental Health

During COVID-19, the state Office of Children's Mental Health released a factsheet on ways to talk about death with school-aged students. Although a different context, much of the information remains relevant.

According to the factsheet, parents and caregivers should encourage conversations about loss, listen to the child and let them talk about their feelings. Validate their experiences and help them find calm. Use routines to help establish a sense of normalcy. Pay attention to persistent feelings of depression and anxiety and seek professional help if necessary.

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Schools should educate their staff about child and adolescent grief, provide supports to bereaved students, promote social emotional learning and trauma-informed strategies, and support teachers' well-being.

Communities should provide spaces and rituals for the bereaved families to gather and for others to support them. They can also create opportunities for youth to interact with other supportive adults in the community to either provide a listening ear and/or encourage play.

The state office also recommends The Child Mind Institute, which has guides, book recommendations and articles surrounding grief in young people. Search "grief" via the website childmind.org to learn more.

Tips from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Sometimes, young children exhibit new or regressive behaviors in the aftermath of a traumatic event, such as the sudden death of a peer. It may come out as "bad" behavior, trouble concentrating, obsession over what happened and even physical symptoms like stomachaches.

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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has guidelines to support a variety of different behaviors and symptoms available in multiple languages.

If a student was particularly close with the child who died, they may develop childhood traumatic grief. These trauma symptoms can sometimes inhibit young people from fully expressing their bereavement. The national network has definitions, interventions and recommendations to help young people through this period.

Natalie Eilbert covers mental health issues for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She welcomes story tips and feedback. You can reach her at neilbert@gannett.com or view her X (Twitter) profile at @natalie_eilbert.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How do you talk to a 5-year-old about death? Here's what to know.
CHEYENNE  A citizen-led initiative to slash property taxes for qualified Wyoming homeowners by 50% was certified Friday by Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray to appear on the 2026 general election ballot.

The Peoples Initiative to Limit Property Tax in Wyoming through a Homeowners Property Exemption, spearheaded by former gubernatorial candidate Brent Bien, would exempt half of the assessed value of an owners primary property from property taxation, as long as the property owner has lived in Wyoming for at least a year.

Bien campaigned to put the initiative on the 2024 general election ballot but failed to get the 29,730 signatures, with 15% of voters from at least 16 of Wyomings 23 counties, by the deadline.

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However, Gray announced on Friday that the ballot initiative gathered the necessary signatures to put the initiative before Wyoming voters in November 2026. According to Gray, there were 30,251 valid signatures submitted to his office, which exceeded 15% of those who voted in the preceding general election in Wyoming, and 15% of those resident in at least two-thirds of the counties in the state 

Gray noted in a Friday news release this is an historic moment for our state. For the first time in 30 years, voters in the 2026 general election will see a citizen-led initiative on the ballot.

The peoples right to propose and enact laws by initiative to address fundamental issues, such as property tax limits, is pivotal to our state, Gray said. I look forward to putting forward to the People of Wyoming the choice of property tax limits in the upcoming election.

Something to consider

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Revenue Department Director Brenda Henson told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Friday that the proposed ballot initiative, which currently doesnt require a backfill from the state, is something lawmakers may consider as they file their own property tax relief bills for the 2025 general session.

Up until today, it was not known that it, in fact, had enough (signatures) and had been certified and that it was going to be on the ballot, Henson said.

Based on current census data, Henson estimated that 173,000 residential properties could qualify for this tax exemption, but its not clear how much tax revenue would be lost, should it pass in 2026.

Several lawmakers have criticized this ballot initiative in the past, arguing it could result in severe revenue loss for local county and city services.

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Rep. Liz Storer, D-Jackson, previously told the WTE it was highly unlikely this loss in revenue would be backfilled by the Legislature, and it could cost the state millions of lost dollars for K-12 education funding.

This initiative will help rich people the most at the expense of Wyomings kids and its communities, Storer wrote in an email. Theres a better way to provide meaningful tax relief to those who really need it.

Property taxes are a primary source of funding for local services, law enforcement and public school funding. The state lost about $13 million in education funding this year after a 4% property tax increase cap on residential property went into effect. Henson told the WTE that education eats up 72% of every property tax bill.

At some point, you know, the Legislature just has to determine what their revenue source to fund education (will be), Henson said. If you're going to reduce the property tax piece, do you cut education funding? Or do you find another revenue source?

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Other property relief measures, including a 4% cap on property taxes for residential land and a 50% long-term homeowners tax exemption, are set to take effect in the 2025 tax season. Cheyenne and Laramie County officials told the WTE this property tax exemption could have a significant impact on local services, and will likely depend on the state to provide a backfill.

Members of the Legislatures Joint Judiciary Committee recently proposed removing the sunset date on the long-term homeowners tax exemption, which is currently the end of 2026.

Henson questioned how this ballot initiative, plus the potential to extend the long-term homeowners tax exemption, will coincide in the 2027 tax season. These will be matters legislators will likely discuss in the next two sessions, and the following 2027 general session, should voters pass the initiative.

If you reduce the assessed value, you still have to fund government, Henson said. It will be interesting to see, should this pass, what other steps the Legislature may take in order to fund governmental services, to include education, health, welfare and safety of our citizens.

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In addition, more property tax relief measures are on the table during the 2025 general session. One of these is a homeowners tax exemption bill that was vetoed by Gov. Mark Gordon last year.

Senate File 69, Homeowner property tax exemption, provides homeowners a tax exemption of 25% for the first $2 million worth of fair market value. This exemption comes with a price tag of $125 million for the state, to backfill lost tax revenue to local towns and counties.

There are multiple bills that will be considered during this legislative session, Henson said. Only the Legislature can provide an answer to how (this initiative is) going to impact their actions that they'll take during this legislative session.
More than 500 animals are dead due to smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a Dallas shopping center.

A two-alarm fire broke out at the Plaza Latina Bazaar  where the pet store was located  at around 9:15 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 3, Dallas Fire-Rescue told Associated Press, CBS News and The Washington Times.

Fire officials told local outlet WFAA-TV that while the fire did not reach the pet shop  but a great deal of smoke did enter it. They also noted, per AP, 579 animals died as a result of smoke inhalation.

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"Most were small birds, but there were also chickens, hamsters, two dogs and two cats," Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Robert Borse said, per CBS News. "No exotic animals were found on the site at the time of recovery."

At least a dozen animals were brought out of the building by firefighters and treated for smoke inhalation in the parking lot, WFAA-TV reported. It was unclear whether any of those animals survived.

Dallas Fire-Rescue did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment on the incident.

Related: Australia's Wildfires Have Killed Over 1 Billion Animals, Expert Now Estimates

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"When firefighters arrived at the large one-story commercial occupancy, they were met with heavy smoke and fire conditions," Dallas Fire-Rescue said, per WFAA-TV.

"Recognizing that suppression efforts would be defensive early on, a second-alarm response was immediately requested, Dallas Fire-Rescue continued. [Firefighters used] hand lines and three ladder pipes to surround and drown the fire from all sides."

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About 40 firefighters responded to extinguish the blaze, which caused a partial section of the one-story commercial building to collapse. No people were injured in the fire and the cause of the fire is under investigation, fire officials noted, per The Washington Times.

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Related: Hundreds of Shelter Pets Die During Hurricane Dorian Flooding at Bahamas Animal Rescue

The shopping center usually hosts about 200 vendors, though many were not at the site when the fire broke out, according to WFAA-TV. Two people who had been there at the time were able to make it out safely, the outlet reported.

Following the incident, the Plaza Latina Bazaar shared in a translated post on Facebook, per The Washington Times: We had a regrettable situation this morning. We ask for your prayers for all the families who work here, hoping to be back strong, to give you the attention that you deserve.

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A recent article by Lee Williams described the traumatic event experienced by the Manley family when they were unjustly raided by the ATF.

A further piece by Lee is contained within a post made by Dave Workman, which revisits the details of the Manley raid, but also goes beyond to dig further into the ATF's record of overt abuse of power and lack of accountability.

It is this further material which follows below:

ATF's other victims

The ATF has a lengthy history of botched raids.

In March, agents shot and killed Bryan Malinowski, executive director of the Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, in his home.

Agents were clearly spoiling for a gunfight when they went in during early morning hours, and they got one. .....
DALLAS  Hundreds of animals were killed after a fire swept through a Northwest Dallas shopping center on Friday morning.

The Dallas Fire-Rescue Department announced that 579 animals died as a result of the fire at Plaza Latina Bazaar on Harry Hines Boulevard  most from smoke inhalation.



The animals who died had been housed in an exotic pet store.

"Most were small birds, but there were also chickens, hamsters, two dogs and two cats," said Robert Borse, a spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue. "No exotic animals were found on the site at the time of recovery."

A firefighter treats a rescued dog after a fire at Plaza Latina in Dallas, Texas. Jan. 3, 2024. / Credit: CBS News Texas

A few others were rescued and revived, thanks to the efforts of Dallas Fire-Rescue crews.

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"While fire did not reach the pet shop, a great deal of smoke did enter," Borse said. "While DFR personnel did search and attempt rescue, all animals (remaining) in the shop unfortunately perished due to smoke inhalation."

Dallas firefighters, accustomed to extinguishing flames, performed CPR on a tortoise and revived a near-death puppy.

CBS New Texas photojournalist Alexis Ramirez captured exclusive video showing firefighters in action, including a firefighter working intently on a puppy, bringing it back to life.

"I'm an animal lover, so I tried to think about them," said Jasmine Sanchez, whose mother owns a clothing store at Plaza Latina. Sanchez called 911, knowing the animals were inside.

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"God uses people, and I just thought about them, that's it. I'm happy for them, but I'm really sad for a lot of them who died inside, and it's sad," Sanchez said.

The crew also saved miniature pigs, guinea pigs, and rabbits.

The two-alarm fire, which started around 9 a.m., saw almost 50 firefighters battling the fire. The roof partially collapsed. The building housed multiple small businesses, many of which have been at the complex for 25 years. Owners hope to access the building on Saturday to assess damages.

California official on evacuation orders as Sunset Fire burns in Hollywood Hills

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A six-month pregnant teacher from California has died in hospital after falling down a gorge while hiking in Greece, according to reports.

Clara Thomann, 33, from Santa Barbara was left critically injured after she slipped and fell 164 feet down a gorge in Preveli on the Greek island of Crete on the afternoon of Dec. 23, per SFGate and local outlets Greek Reporter and Nea Kriti.

Thomann, who was a teacher at Dos Pueblos High School, lost her unborn baby in the fall and suffered multiple fractures to her skull and chest, according to the outlets.

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Footage obtained by Nea Kriti shows Thomann being rescued from the gorge by local fire and rescue teams. She appeared to be alive and conscious before being transported to the local hospital Rethymno and then the Intensive Care Unit of Chania Hospital, per multiple reports.

Thomann had been vacationing in Greece with her partner Elliott Finn ahead of welcoming her first child, SF Gate reported.

CaringBridge Six months pregnant Thomann was critically injured in a hiking accident on Dec. 23 Six months pregnant Thomann was critically injured in a hiking accident on Dec. 23

Related: Pregnant Teacher Dead After Being Found Unresponsive at School Weeks Before Due Date

The expectant mother was pronounced brain-dead from her injuries on Sunday, Dec. 29, per Greek Reporter.

Thomanns family said they are heartbroken in a CaringBridge post and shared that they have donated her organs, including her heart, liver, and pancreas, following her wishes.

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Despite the best efforts of many doctors, we lost 'Crunch Wrap,' our baby. The injuries Clara sustained are insurmountable and she was declared brain dead  we are all heartbroken, the family wrote after traveling to Chania Hospital.

Clara loved helping and teaching others. Naturally, she is an organ donor and we are happy to report that her heart, liver, and pancreas have already been accepted for donation," they shared. "We've been yowling and sobbing on the phone with friends and family, laughing  and thinking about all the lessons Clara taught us."

CaringBridge Thomann and her partner Elliott Finn Thomann and her partner Elliott Finn

Related: Woman Killed on Trail While Exercising After Witnesses Hear Scream: 'He's Trying to Rape Me'

Dos Pueblos Principal Bill Woodard said in a tribute, per Noozhawk, There are no words to describe the sadness we are all feeling. Ms. Thomann was so kind and such a great teacher who loved her students and loved science. Our hearts break for her family and for all of us who are feeling this loss.

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Thomann and her babys remains were cremated in Athens, Greece, on Friday, Jan. 3, according to another post shared on the CaringBridge website.

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Elliott will carry some of the ashes to a couple sites in Greece and Turkey that he wanted to share with Clara. The majority of the ashes will travel to the states with Barb, Beth, and Greg in a few days, the family wrote.

A mother of one of Thomann's students, Jennifer Gamez-Sparrow, wrote in response, "My son was her student and she was his favorite teacher. I appreciated the leadership she showed in her classroom and how she made physics fun  She will be missed but never forgotten.



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A family is mourning after a New Jersey apartment fire claimed the life of a young boy.

According to a press release shared Thursday, Jan. 2, officers with the Ewing Police Department responded to multiple 9-1-1 calls around 3 p.m. in regards to a fire at Cambridge Hall apartment complex, located at 860 Lower Ferry Road in Ewing, Mercer County.

Upon arriving, officers were told a child was trapped on the fourth floor.

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Officers began evacuating the building and attempted to reach the main apartment on the fourth floor where the fire originated, encountering heavy smoke and flames, the press release said, adding that they were eventually able to locate an unresponsive 6-year-old.

Related: Jersey City Firefighters Rescue Unconscious 1-Year-Old Trapped in Burning Home: 'It Was Difficult to Find the Baby'

The child was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries, the department said. The victim was identified as Jayden Gotell-Watkins of Baldwinsville, N.Y., police said in a later press release. He was visiting his relatives.

He was a good kid, very funny kid. He was smart," his great-grandmother, Dorothy Smith, told NBC 10 Philadelphia in an interview published Friday, Jan. 3.

Google maps Cambridge Hall apartment complex Cambridge Hall apartment complex

"When I saw all the fire trucks and cops cars and everything blocked off the streets, I knew something was going on," witness Joey Cvoliga told NBC 10 Philadelphia.

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Another witness who provided video of flames and smoke escaping from a fifth floor window also spoke to NBC 10 Philadelphia.

Related: 1 Dead, 7 Hospitalized  Including at Least 1 Child  in Fire That Burned Multiple Boston Buildings

"Black smoke started billowing out and then they started breaking all the windows I guess. But [it] seemed like there was a lot of panic trying to get people off the fourth floor," the individual, who remained anonymous, said.

The American Red Cross told the outlet that the organization would be helping 16 people from 12 units who were impacted by the fire.

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In addition to the death of the child, 11 police officers, a firefighter and three residents were taken to hospitals to treat injuries ranging from minor burns and smoke inhalation to exhaustion, police said. All police officers have since been released from the hospitals.

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"The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental," police said in their Jan. 3 update.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Ewing Police Detective David Hartmann at (609) 882-1313 ext. 7544.



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School (in)Security is our biweekly briefing on the latest school safety news, vetted by Mark Keierleber. Subscribe here.

Inhale. Exhale.

If youre reading this, that means youve made it through 2024. (Congrats!) But dont get too comfortable, because in 2025, the student safety and well-being beat is in for some major changes.

With Donald Trumps second inauguration just weeks away, I figured Id take a moment to highlight the defining developments in the School (in)Security universe over the last year  and how the landscape could evolve over the next 365 days.

Jennifer Crumbley looks at her husband, James, during their April 2024 sentencing on four counts of involuntary manslaughter after their son carried out a mass shooting at his Michigan school. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

1. The first-of-its-kind sentencing of a school shooters parents

Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley became the first in U.S. history to be sentenced on criminal charges stemming from a mass school shooting perpetuated by their child. Each was sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

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Prosecutors accused the Crumbleys of ignoring warning signs that their son had a desire for violence when they gave him the gun he used to kill four classmates and injure seven others. | The Detroit News

In Georgia, the father of a 14-year-old accused of carrying out a mass shooting that left four dead was arrested on murder charges. Authorities alleged the father knowingly allowed the teenager to possess the gun that was used to carry out the attack. The Washington Post

Parents not liable in Santa Fe: The parents of a former student accused of killing 10 people at his Texas high school in 2018 were sued for negligence, but a jury found them not responsible. | Austin American-Statesman

The big picture: I wrote a deep dive into the history of holding parents accountable for their kids bad behavior  and why the Crumbley case was unprecedented. | The 74

2. An Apology from Big Tech  and a failed bid for new online safety rules

Amid heightened concerns over social medias impact on youth mental health, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg did something this year that perhaps nobody saw coming: He apologized. | The 74

The apology to parents who say their kids suffered, or died, because of their social media use came during a heated Senate hearing where lawmakers accused Big Tech of failing to prevent youth suicides and child sexual exploitation. It was part of a larger panic over teens TikTok addictions. | The Wall Street Journal

Despite the outcry, a federal effort to implement new online safety rules for children has faltered again. And again. And again. | The 74, The 74, Electronic Frontier Foundation

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Get the most critical news and information about students' rights, safety and well-being delivered straight to your inbox.

3. Did somebody say TikTok?

The Supreme Court is set to hear 11th-hour arguments about whether the governments effort to ban the Chinese social media app violates the First Amendment. Justices will hear the case Jan. 10, nine days before the prohibition is set to go into effect. | The Verge

Claiming it posed a surveillance threat from the Chinese government, President Joe Biden signed a law in April to ban the enormously popular video-streaming app in the U.S. unless parent company ByteDance relinquished ownership. | NPR

4. Scrutiny of AIs role in student well-being

Try going 10 seconds without reading something about artificial intelligence. I dare you. As emerging AI tools promise  or threaten  to disrupt K-12 education as we know it, theyve also been oversold, misused and unevenly supervised.

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The Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with Evolv Technology, the maker of an AI-powered security screening system used in some 800 schools, after accusing the company of making false claims about its ability to detect weapons and keep kids safe. | The 74

Joanna Smith-Griffin, the founder and former CEO of the once-celebrated education technology company AllHere, was indicted on charges she defrauded investors of nearly $10 million as the maker of AI chatbots for schools fell into bankruptcy. | The 74 Why you should care: AllHere had only a few customers, court records reveal, before it was hired to build a buzzy, $6 million chatbot for the Los Angeles school district. A former-employee-turned-whistleblower told me the overwhelmed startup took shortcuts that put students privacy at risk. | The 74

In a first-of-its-kind criminal case, two teenage boys were arrested in Florida and accused of creating AI-generated nude images of middle school classmates without their consent. | WIRED

Distrust, detection & discipline: As students increasingly turned to generative AI like ChatGPT for help with assignments, educators said they lacked clear instructions on how to thwart tech-assisted cheating. | The 74

5. School-based police officers under fire

The Department of Justice released a scathing report on the police response to the 2022 school shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Cascading failures defined a slow police response, the report stated, and officers acted with no urgency to confront the gunman. | The Associated Press

A harrowing investigation found that predatory school resource officers have routinely used their position and authority to meet and groom students. | The Washington Post

Impact, baby! In response to the article, the department issued guidance urging that school police be trained on setting appropriate boundaries with children. | The Washington Post

6. A small school cybersecurity grant program attracted massive interest

As schools and libraries nationwide fell victim to a surge of cyberattacks, the Federal Communications Commission rolled out a $200 million pilot program in a bid to stop the hackers. Illuminating the scale of the problem, demand far exceeded the available federal funds: The commission received more than 2,700 applications for some $3.7 billion in requests. | K12 Dive

U.S. immigration authorities detain two mothers from Honduras and their two children along the U.S.-Mexico border in June 2018. (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

7. The Trump effect comes back into focus

After Trump faced backlash for his family separation immigration policy in his first term, the president-elect has floated the idea of deporting all members of mixed-status families  a policy with the potential to affect millions of households with at least one U.S.-born child. | Axios

The incoming president has pledged to impose wide-ranging restrictions on transgender students and roll back Biden-era civil rights protections. | The Associated Press

Emotional Support

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Editor Bev Weintraubs party animal Marz rang in the new year with something a little stronger than catnip.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Four members of the reputed Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) were arrested while attempting to cross illegally into Texas on Dec. 31, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Friday, Jan. 3.

According to the news release by Gov. Abbotts Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) working on Operation Lone Star in Val Verde County encountered a group of 22 migrants.

Of the 22 migrants, 11 were arrested for criminal trespass, and family groups were referred to Border Patrol for processing, Abbotts Office said.

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Nine Venezuelan nationals were interviewed by DPS special agents and the agents suspected four males to be TdA members, according to the news release.

According to Abbotts Office, agents received consent to search the mens cell phones and were able to verify their gang affiliation through social media apps.

The confirmed TdA gang members arrested on New Years Eve were: Segundo Ocando-Mejia, 39; Pedro Luis Salazar-Cuervo, 27; Antonio Joe Urruttia-Rojas, 18; and Levi Jesus Urrutia-Blanco, 18. Ocando-Mejia had tattoos on his shoulders indicating he may hold rank or leadership within the gang, Abbotts Office said.

Alleged TdA members arrested by DPS on Jan. 1. Photo courtesy to DPS.

Governor Abbott announced that his Public Safety Office is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of known or suspected members of TdA gang members who have been or are involved in criminal activity. Learn more on how to report TdA activity here, Abbotts office said.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
FLORENCE, S.C., S.C. (KSNW)  A South Carolina woman is accused of kidnapping a 1-year-old child and abandoning it in near-freezing temperatures.

Our sister station, News 2 in Charleston, reports Macie Deeanna Eaddy was arrested at about 7 a.m. Friday. The baby was found by a homeowner abandoned outdoors and still restrained in a safety seat, according to Florence Police. The child was taken to a local hospital to be examined. Police say despite temperatures reaching 33 degrees, the baby is in good health.

The kidnapping happened Thursday evening around 6 p.m. Police say Eaddy had been shopping with the childs mother when she told the mother she would wait outside and asked if she wanted her to take the baby to the car. When the woman finished shopping, she discovered Eaddy had left with the baby and the car.

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An executive, retired waiter, aspiring nurse and football star among 14 killed in New Orleans attack

The woman contacted police shortly before 9 p.m. South Carolina authorities requested an Amber Alert around midnight Friday. News 2 says the alert was finalized and sent out shortly before 6 a.m.

The homeowner discovered the child outside of her house shortly before 7 a.m. They reported hearing a car horn blow several times outside the home around 8:30 p.m. and saw a car leaving their driveway. Eaddy was arrested around the same time the child was discovered outside.

Eaddy was arrested on charges of kidnapping, grand larceny and driving under suspension.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Activist groups are calling for transparency after video surfaced of Pittsburgh officers arresting a man on the North Side.

The arrest happened during the early morning hours on December 29th, according to a Public Safety spokesperson, who said the matter is under review.

On Friday, Pittsburghs NAACP and B-PEP sent a letter to Pittsburgh leaders, stating that the footage presents an interaction that appears to be significantly more excessive and aggressive than necessary. The groups are demanding more information surrounding the circumstances that led up to the interaction.

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An included link to the video shows a man, identified as Devlon Pridgen, on the ground, as several officers arrest him.

A female filming can be heard screaming he isnt resisting while claiming that Pridgen was unarmed. Officers are later heard repeatedly demanding that Pridgen put his arms behind his back, implying that he was resisting.

Photographs of Pridgen were provided in the groups letter, showing him with a bloodied face.

William Anderson, Chair of the Allegheny Democratic Black Caucus is also demanding answers from public officials. He told Channel 11 that he has been in touch with Pridgen.

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He is hurt physically, emotionally, hes a father of eight. He called me crying... He was just overwhelmed.

Anderson, however, does not know what led up to the encounter.

A statement from Public Safety says that leadership is aware of the use of force, adding any accusation of improper conduct is taken seriously, and will be thoroughly investigated.

Leaders have not said what prompted the arrest. At last check, Pridgen had not been charged in relation to the incident.

Channel 11 has learned that the Citizen Police Review Board is also looking into the arrest.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger is reflecting on a pivotal moment that helped shaped his life and career.

In the new documentary The Last Republican  which opened at New York City's Film Forum on Friday  Kinzinger, 46, who served as a U.S. representative from Illinois from 2011 to 2023, opens up about the unfolding of his career and a violent encounter in 2006 that changed the trajectory of his life.

Having just returned from pilot training, Kinzinger was leaving a German restaurant in Milwaukee at 12:26 a.m. when he encountered a harrowing sight. Im walking to my car when I hear a commotion, and this girl comes running at me, holding her throat, bleeding out, he recalls in the documentary.

Joshua Salzman Adam Kinzinger in 'The Last Republican' Adam Kinzinger in 'The Last Republican'

Kinzinger had only a split second to decide whether to intervene and risk his own life  a decision that, he admits, didnt come easily. They say in a crisis half of the people run, 40% freeze and 10% act. I felt every one of those emotions, he says. If someone would have whispered Run to me, I would have run.

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Ultimately, his conscience wouldnt let him walk away. There were two immediate thoughts that went through my head. The first one was, If I act, Im gonna die. The second was, If I watch this lady die, and I do nothing, I cant live with myself for the rest of my life. 

Kinzinger engaged in a tense struggle with the attacker that he describes as a "close grapple."

I had his knife hand and I remember consciously feeling the knife hand trying to stab me, he says. Its not a matter of pride now, its a matter of life to win.

After successfully pinning the man to the ground and waiting for police to arrive, Kinzinger was able to walk away, but it took months for him to process what had occurred. I [had] blood all over me. The shirt that had all the blood, I could not bring myself to wash it for some reason, he says. It stayed in a corner in my room and then it was about two or three months later I started realizing I had some PTSD from it That moment on that street in Milwaukee utterly changed my life.

Joshua Salzman Adam Kinzinger. Adam Kinzinger.

While he doesnt regret his decision to intervene, Kinzinger admits he's not sure he would make the same decision today. When you make the decision to give your life up for a stranger, I mean, how cant that change you? he says, getting emotional. I never wanna do that again, and I hope  if that ever happened again to me, Im not sure I would make the same decision.

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Despite his ambivalence now, the incident had a lasting impact on him. Do I think I would have been sitting here today talking about what happened in my congressional career or if I even would have had a congressional career without the incident in Milwaukee? Probably not.

Related: GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger Knew 'Full Well' Voting to Impeach Trump Could Hurt His Career

Since that night, Kinzingers life has taken many turns. He served in Congress for over a decade before his political career came to an abrupt end in 2023, following his role as one of two Republican representatives to vote for the creation of a committee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. He also served on the committee, where he condemned former President Donald Trumps alleged involvement.

I dont believe what I did was courageous, Kinzinger says of his isolation within the GOP. I just think I am surrounded by cowards.



Adam Kinzinger

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Drawing a parallel between the stabbing and his political career, Kinzinger, who is now a senior political commentator for CNN, says, What can you say about that except its an honor to be able to act? Yet, theres this creeping cynicism after things like the January 6th attack. Why would you try to defend these people? They hate you.

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Related: Adam Kinzinger Releases Compilation of Threatening Calls He's Received: 'The Darkness Has Reached New Lows'

Looking ahead, Kinzinger says he is focused on fighting against that cynicism, adding, I dont want in the second half of my life to not be willing to put my life on the line for people. Even MAGA people maybe especially them because they need some inspiration or something that theyre not getting."

"Theyre being lied to and abused, he continues. Thats the fight of the second part of my life: making sure I can keep my head above water and find that again  find that inspiration again.

The Last Republican is currently playing at Film Forum in New York City before rolling out in additional cities.

Read the original article on People
In the two years before FBI agents raided her homes, Winnie Greco, Mayor Adams longtime Asian affairs adviser, regularly met in her City Hall capacity with Chinese government officials and members of groups funded by and supportive of Chinas ruling Communist Party.

Many of Grecos meetings were held at Queens New World Mall  which the feds raided at the same time as they searched her Bronx homes last year  and are memorialized in hundreds of pages of schedule entries obtained by the Daily News.

The never-before-disclosed meetings are taking on renewed significance as the federal investigation that prompted the February 2024 raids continues and is at least in part scrutinizing Grecos ties to Chinas government, according to sources. No charges have been filed in that probe.

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Besides various New World Mall appointments, the schedules reveal Greco, who resigned in October, met at least 11 times with Huang Ping, Chinas New York consul general, including attending a private dinner with him at his official Manhattan residence in 2023. The schedules, which span Grecos entire tenure in Adams administration, dont show her interacting as much with officials from any other foreign government.

The Greco probes being led by Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, who has recently prosecuted several high-profile cases related to alleged Chinese government influence operations.

That includes Peaces September indictment of Linda Sun, an ex-aide to Gov. Hochul, whos accused of acting as a Chinese agent to influence New York government operations on behalf of Beijing. Peaces prosecutors allege Sun, who has pleaded not guilty, took orders and bribes from Huang, the Chinese consul general who also met several times with Greco and abruptly left his diplomatic post in New York after Suns indictment.

The revelations about Greco, who worked and raised money for Adams for years before resigning, come as Peaces probe of her has been ongoing for at least close to a year.

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The exact contours of the investigation remain unknown, but sources familiar with the matter say her Chinese government ties are being eyed, including trips she took to China with Adams. The news outlet The City has also reported that Greco threw fundraisers for Adams 2021 campaign at New World that drew money from mall employees who say they were reimbursed for contributing or didnt give at all  raising the possibility the cash may have been illegal straw donations.

A Peace spokesman declined to comment on Grecos schedules.

After indicting Sun, Peace said in September his office would continue to act decisively to prosecute those who serve as undisclosed agents of a foreign government.

Grecos lawyer, Steven Brill, wouldnt answer specific questions this month about her schedules, but wrote in an email: Despite numerous news reports and rumors surrounding Winnie, she has been charged with no crimes and is not cooperating with any federal or state authorities.

Chinas United Front

A group that has drawn attention from Peace is the Changle Association, which made headlines last year after his office indicted its leader and another man on charges alleging they ran a covert Chinese government police station out of the organizations Chinatown offices to spy on Americans.

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One of the men, Chen Jinping, pleaded guilty last month to espionage charges over his role in the illicit police station, while the other, Changle Association President Lu Jianwang, is continuing to fight his case.

Grecos schedule entries show she met with members of the Changle Association on Sept. 26, 2022 at New Worlds Royal Queen, a dim sum restaurant where she had months earlier hosted the Adams campaign fundraisers that raised straw donor concerns.

Its unclear from the September 2022 schedule entry which specific Changle members Greco met with.

The Changle appointments among 42 meetings Greco held at New World listed in her City Hall schedules, which were obtained by The News via a Freedom of Information Law request. Most of those meetings took place at Royal Queen, and nearly all of them were with members of local Chinese commerce and community interest groups.

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Several of those groups, including Changle, are associated with Chinas United Front, an arm of President Xi Jinpings regime that uses community organizations across the world to influence overseas Chinese communities, foreign governments, and other actors to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijings preferred policies, according to a 2018 study by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

Xi has called the United Front his secret weapon, and the study says many overseas groups connected to its operations receive funding from Chinas Communist Party.

Adams spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak said last week she couldnt comment on what city government purposes there were in Grecos various meetings at New World since shes no longer an employee here.

Its previously known that Greco had ties to Chinese government groups before joining Adams administration, including by serving as a consultant to Beijing-funded organizations.

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But it hasnt before been reported she regularly interacted with many such groups and Chinese government officials after joining Adams administration, a detail thats coming to light as the mayor remains under federal indictment on charges alleging he took bribes and illegal campaign cash from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors.

Adams, who has pleaded not guilty, often says its important for his team to develop ties with ethnic community groups in the city, even as some of those connections have stoked controversy.

Post-raid meetings

Immediately after the Feb. 29, 2024 raids at her homes and the mall, Grecos schedule entries show she kept going to New World, visiting it five times in nine days.

One of those visits, on March 2, was to meet with the Wen Chow Association, an affiliate of the Alliance of Asian American Friends, a local umbrella organization supportive of Chinas Communist Party that watchdog group Influence Watch has identified as a United Front entity. Another visit Greco made on March 6 was to attend a gala for the American Fujian Association, also considered a local pro-Communist Party group.

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Those visits came even though Adams office said at the time Greco went on paid leave immediately following the raids due to a medical episode she allegedly suffered when agents burst into her homes that required hospitalization.

After the five post-raid mall appointments, Grecos schedules went almost entirely empty, and stayed that way even after she officially came back to work in early May at a $196,267 salary.

In fact, besides a weekly virtual AAPI team confab, the final entry on Grecos schedules was a private May 23 meeting at City Hall with Adams and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng, the deputy secretary of the Chinese Communist Partys Shanghai Committee. After that sit-down, the only schedule entries for Grecos remaining five months at City Hall were weekly AAPI team meets.

Mamelak, Adams spokeswoman, said Greco worked as usual her final months, but didnt elaborate on why her schedules stayed mostly empty. Mamelak said she couldnt comment on Grecos post-raid New World visits.

Crossing paths

Another prominent United Front-tied outfit Greco met with in her City Hall capacity was the American Chinese Commerce Association, including three sit-downs with the group over five days in June 2022, her schedules show.

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The groups chairman is John Chan, a former Chinatown gangster convicted of human trafficking and drug smuggling charges in the mid-2000s who has since become influential in New York politics.

Chan has been publicly supportive of President Xi and raised eyebrows last year by attending the annual meeting in Beijing of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, the top organ within the United Front framework. The FBI reportedly questioned Chan before he left for that trip to China.

Greco and Chan together attended several meetings with Huang, Chinas ex-consul general, and other Chinese government officials, per her schedules. That included a Sept. 15, 2023 celebration of the 74th anniversary of the Chinese revolution hosted at Chinas embassy in Manhattan, where both Chan and Huang delivered remarks, Grecos schedules and photos from the event show.

That event came a few days after Greco met with Huang and other Chinese officials at a Zang Zhou City Industry Promotion Conference at Marriott Downtown on Aug. 22, 2023, her schedules show.

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The government, and local people, businessmen got to do working together, learn [from] each other and to promote each others city, Greco said in remarks at that event, video reviewed by The News shows.

Most of Grecos meetings with Huang took place at Chinas 12th Ave. embassy, which U.S. officials have accused of being a hub for espionage efforts. She also had the private dinner with him at his Chinese government residence on nearby W. 43rd St. on Oct. 22, 2023, her schedules show.

The first time Greco met Huang in her City Hall capacity was in a more informal setting, as she sat down with him for dinner at a Korean restaurant in Flushing in July 2022, according to her schedules. The records show that dinner was also attended by Ingrid Lewis-Martin, Adams ex-chief adviser who was recently indicted on corruption charges to which she has pleaded not guilty.

Other Chinese government groups Greco met with included SinoVision, a Chinese language TV network reportedly controlled by Chinese government authorities that closed permanently in September.

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Per her schedules, Greco attended a VIP reception at SinoVisions Queens office on Jan. 27, 2024, about a month before the raids.

On New Years Eve 2023, her schedules show Greco also attended a countdown event in Times Square hosted by the Sino-American Friendship Association, a group known for organizing trips to China for U.S. officials and celebrities to meet United Front leaders.

After the Friendship Association gathering, Greco joined Adams to ring in the new year at the ball drop event in Times Square.
AKRON, Ohio WJW)  The president of the Akron Police Union is furious over recent comments from a councilman saying the city lawmaker called an officer involved in a police shooting a domestic enemy.

For a council member to turn around and call an Akron police officer a domestic enemy and also accuse him of his actions being a domestic terrorist, its very inappropriate, said Brian Lucey, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Akron Lodge 7. The entire press release is filled with inaccuracies.

Soldier who died in Cybertruck explosion left note: A wakeup call

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The shooting happened on November 28, a short time after officers were investigating the sound of gunfire on East Avenue. Police located Jazmir Tucker in front of the Miller South School.

The teen was found with a semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine. The gun was found inside the teens jacket pocket that was zipped up.

The body camera video does not show what led up to the shooting. Officials said officers did not activate the cameras when they exited the vehicle.

Two shell casings police recovered near the scene where a local teenager was fatally shot by police in late November match the gun the teen was in possession of, a release from Akron police said.

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Judge sets Trumps sentencing in hush money case for Jan. 10, but signals no jail time

The release further stated the casings found near the northeast portion of Miller South have been positively matched by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network to the gun recovered at the scene from Tucker.

The letter from Akron City Councilman Eric Garrett Sr. also states the officer involved in the shooting should be fired.

The I-Team reached out to Councilman Garrett asking for an on-camera interview. He declined, saying he was under the weather. He did release the following statement in part.

Due process that means allowing the BCI to do its investigative work. How is it that the Akron Police Department has conducted an investigation into shell casings allegedly belonging to a weapon? You cant have it both ways. The Akron Police Department is not trustworthy thats why the BCI must be involved, Garrett stated in the release. The mayor of Akron and the Akron police chief are complicit in undermining the investigating process. Are we investigating the shooting in the back of a 15-year-old who never brandished a weapon, or are we investigating not rendering aid?

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The release further stated that justice is being selectively applied in Akron.

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When Jazmir was involved, judgment was rushed without regard for fairness or facts, Garrett stated.

He added that the officer involved was involved in another deadly shooting and had several use-of-force complaints.

How can this be justified? How can a system that claims to serve and protect continue to excuse a repeated pattern of violence? This isnt about one incident; this is about a systemic failure to hold officers accountable for actions that harm and traumatize the very people they are sworn to serve, Garrett said.

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The Union President strongly disagrees.

Those are inaccurate comments he is making with no proof to back it up, Lucey said. The FOP is also disappointed with the lack of support Mayor Malik has shown for his officers in response to the public remarks made by Councilman Garrett.

Mike Johnson clinches Speakership in stunning first ballot

The I-Team has reached out to the Akron mayors office for comment but has not yet heard back. It is not known how long it will take state BCI agents to complete the investigation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  A new Alabama program that will support the educational needs of students is now accepting applications.

K-12 students in Alabama can be eligible for up to $7,000, which would go toward eligible educational expenses like tuition, tutoring and educational therapies.

Mobile resident, witness of New Years Day attack in New Orleans speaks out

Intention was to create parent choice for their child, Alabama Department of Revenue Tax Policy and Governmental Affairs Director Cameran Clark said.

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This week, the application window opened for the CHOOSE Act, an Alabama program that provides parents with an income tax credit that they can use for their childs education.

Clark explained to WKRG News 5 how it works.

Choose Act Alabama builds off of Governor Iveys strong initiative: strong students, strong Alabama, Clark said. It was one of her top priorities coming out of the 2024 legislative session.

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Clark said there are only a few requirements to be eligible

A family just needs to be an Alabama resident, have a child kindergarten through 12th grade and have an income that does not exceed 300% of the federal poverty level, Clark said.

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The application window closes on April 7. Applications and more information are online.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Jan. 3By Ayanna Eckblad

Downtown Albert Lea in early February will welcome a new business on Broadway.

It will be called Jeni's Fine Jewelers, and it will sell a variety of pieces from bridal and formal jewelry to everyday items. A grand opening will be held Feb. 9 at its location at 224 S. Broadway, in the historic Bessesen Building.

The store's owners, David and Keli Enser, were both raised in the Albert Lea area. They both hold master's degrees in education. Currently, David teaches fifth grade at Halverson Elementary School. Keli worked in education for 10 years, eventually deciding to become a stay-at-home mom for her and David's six children. Both David and Keli also served in the Army.

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Jeni's Fine Jewelers is named after Keli's older sister, Jeni, who passed away in 2013. She worked as a nurse.

"My sister was such a wonderful person," Keli said. "I just thought that would be a great way to memorialize her."

Feb. 9 was Jeni's birthday, Keli explained, so that was why they decided to hold the grand opening of the store then.

One thing people may notice as Jeni's Fine Jewelers opens is its similarities to Fisher's Fine Jewelers. This is no coincidence.

David said he first became acquainted with the store's owner, Larry Fisher, when he walked into Fisher's Fine Jewelers to buy a ring to propose to Keli. David said he admired the way Fisher built strong relationships with his customers and other members of the community, and he now hopes he can embody that in the new store.

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Keli herself worked at Fisher's Fine Jewelers for about three months during Fisher's retirement sale. During that time, she said she sold a few engagement rings, but one experience stuck out to her in particular.

"When [the customer] found the ring that he wanted, his eyes just lit up, and it was so exciting just to be the smallest part of the biggest day of his life," Keli said. "I just loved it. It made me so happy."

David and Keli originally thought of buying Fisher's Fine Jewelers and taking over the store after Fisher retired. However, due to a number of reasons including finances and conflicting schedules, they decided they should open a smaller store instead.

"With Larry retiring, he's been incredibly helpful in helping us get started," David said.

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Fisher even helped the Ensers find a location for their store. He had the idea to see if the space Fisher's Fine Jewelers was originally located in was open for rent. The space now houses the Freeborn County Arts Initiative and other artist studios. Fisher contacted the landlord, Susanne Crane, and she confirmed that the room was available.

David said Crane and Elisha Marin, also of the Freeborn County Arts Initiative, have been phenomenal to work with in getting the store open.

All the various moving parts of opening Jeni's Fine Jewelers fell into place, and customers will soon be able to see the work that has gone into it.

In addition to working at Fisher's Fine Jewelers, Keli said she will take diamond grading classes to expand her knowledge of the business.

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Although it will open in February, Jeni's Fine Jewelers had a welcome event during Albert Lea's Holiday Bazaar in December. During the event, Keli opened the store for people to stop in, introduce themselves and get a free cookie, candy cane or homemade candle. David was deployed at the time so he was not present for the event, but Keli said she had a lot of help from her children. Keli guessed about 300 people stopped by, and she had a great time meeting everyone.

Keli and David agreed that downtown Albert Lea has become absolutely beautiful again and they look forward to being a part of its growth.

"I'm super excited ... to be such a big part of people's lives, engagements, births, graduations, all that stuff," Keli said. "When you're selling jewelry, you're doing it to make people happy."

Jeni's Fine Jewelers has a Facebook page Keli hopes to grow in the near future. The store will also have a website and phone number available closer to the opening date. The store's hours will be 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, as well as by appointment.
(FOX40.COM)  Local South Sacramento resident Jose Ramirez started a small business in 2005 in hopes of having his son Sabas Ramirez join the team.

Sabas joined his dad officially about a year or two ago after he got his contractor license which helped the business expand more.

I have been helping my dad ever since I was in high school and its been amazing, Sabas said.

Xi Landscaping has been in the Ramirez family for about 20 years now serving the Greater Sacramento area from landscaping construction to just maintenance.

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I couldnt believe it: UC Davis student wins the crown for Miss India USA

Sabas told FOX40.com that the business name is a representation of his parents and nine siblings in Roman Numerals.

FOX40.com asked Sabas why he decided to join his dad and he said because of the opportunities that he would gain for future use.

Sabas said, I decided to go into business with my dad because it is an opportunity to be a business owner at such a young age, and it helps me get the experience of running a business and then manage multiple businesses when I am older.

Jose and his family came to the United States hoping to achieve the American dream.

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Sabas was born in the United States and has seen his dad build the business from the ground up.

My dad saw the opportunity to start his own landscaping business after working for several landscaping companies and getting the experience that he is showing me now, Sabas said.

Most businesses have gone through hardships before succeeding and Sabas said when the business was getting started he remembered that there were tough times his family went through.

The mindset that helped my dad get to where he is now with the business was knowing that if old clients are leaving that means another door is opening up for new clients, Sabas said. The qualities that my father has lived by for his business is how he never gave up on his dreams.

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The business provides excellent service to customers and the family said, Even though we are not a big company we are still able to complete big projects and be detail-oriented.

After his dad fully retires, Sabas said that he would like to continue the family business and in the future have his kids take over.

If you are looking to learn more about the business and what services they offer, you can reach them at Sabasramirez1738@gmail.com or by calling 916-254-4538.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
An historical marker in Vancouver, Wash., celebrates the civilization of Washington, by white explorers, erasing the presence of Indigenous people who lived in the area for thousands of years. As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, many states are reexamining markers with questionable historical facts or outdated language. (Erika Bolstad/Stateline)

Most Revolutionary War history buffs know the story of Francis Marion, the Continental Army officer called the Swamp Fox for his guerrilla-style attacks that bedeviled British forces in South Carolinas backcountry. But volunteers and historians have identified 560 Revolutionary War battle sites and other places of interest with connections to the states role in the nations founding.

While we all love Francis Marion, lets talk about some other people, said Molly Fortune, executive director of SC250, the commission charged with restoring the public memory of the states Revolutionary War legacy. To do that, theyre reviving forgotten historical markers as well as installing new ones and making them all easier to find from the highway or online.

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As the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, many states are inventorying, mapping, and repairing old historical markers, as well as installing hundreds of new roadside signs, plaques, and interpretive panels. In South Carolina, the focus is on sharing lesser-known stories of women, children, Native Americans, enslaved and free Black people, and even the Loyalists who sympathized with King George III.

Beyond re-engaging with lesser-known stories, many states see the national commemoration, known as America250, as an opportunity to refresh their heritage tourism offerings. But its also an occasion to reexamine markers or monuments with questionable historical facts or outdated language.

The renewed interest in the accuracy or cultural sensitivity of the nations historical markers is part of the wider discourse over who or what belongs on a pedestal or a bronze plaque, and where they should be sited. Since the 2020 murder of George Floyd, those efforts have led to the removal of Confederate monuments as well as the toppling of statues honoring Christopher Columbus and artwork that extols westward expansion without telling the story of the effects on the Indigenous people displaced by settlement.

Markers that reflect more inclusive stories make history relevant to more people, said Jason Hanson, chief creative officer of History Colorado, which operates museums around the state and administers Colorados register of historic places. When history is incomplete or told only by those with the money or power, it strips complexity and nuance from the American story, rendering it less accurate and vibrant. The roadside panels and bronze plaques affixed to buildings are how many people encounter the nations history, Hanson said.

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They really are some of the most accessible and valued history lessons that we have, he said.

Satanic imps

That history can be lopsided, inaccurate, or racist, according to an NPR investigation in 2024 that looked at 180,000 historical markers across the nation. For example, the investigation found that about 70% of markers for historic plantation homes failed to mention that its owners bought and sold enslaved people and used their labor to construct the mansions.

Among the problematic examples NPR found was a Michigan marker celebrating a woman who successfully defied frenzied Indians who invaded the premises and lapped from the basement floor whiskey which she had emptied from the barrels. In Texas, a marker praises Primus Kelly, an enslaved Black man, for demonstrating loyalty during the Civil War  describing him as typical of most Texas Negro slaves. Hundreds went to war with their masters.

Many markers, especially those installed by private individuals, stretch the definition of history. A Massachusetts marker, for example, indicates the former site of a mill operated by a wizard who employed satanic imps to run it at night, while a sign in New Hampshire marks the spot where a Portsmouth couple had a close encounter with a UFO in 1961  and experienced two hours of lost time.

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In Colorado, the state found recently that 96% of listings on its state register of historical sites were places connected primarily to the history of white men, Hanson said. To mark the states 150th anniversary in 2026, Colorado will begin adding 150 new sites and markers highlighting the history of women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and other historically underrepresented communities. The state will ask community groups to nominate who and what should be on the markers.

Markers or monuments often were paid for by people who wanted to tell a particular story, meaning that those with money were the only ones leaving a lasting mark. Even now, historical markers are expensive. In Michigan, for example, large markers cost $4,700, before installation. Some states appropriate money for new markers, but often, local communities must find the cash.

But an investment in heritage tourism can and does pay off, said South Carolinas Fortune. She and other public historians have persuaded their state legislature not only to fund new markers but also to pay for new highway signs alerting visitors to historic sites. Its an effort she says boosts the rural communities where many markers are located.

People want to walk and listen and hear and connect with their ancestors, Fortune said. And so it allows us to find those accidental tourists. Theyre like, Oh, Ive always wondered about that. And then they leave their money, and they go home. Thats basically it. Its a vehicle for economic development.

The whole story

In 2023, Virginias Department of Historic Resources began adding dozens of historical markers signifying Green Book sites, places that accommodated Black travelers safely during the Jim Crow era. Theyre adding nine new markers that, among other things, tell the origin story of Mountain Dew soda, the discriminatory racial history of the first heart transplant in the state, and the backstory of lesser-known Virginians who participated in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

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The Washington State Historical Society began taking a closer look at its markers in 2020, identifying 42 as potentially problematic. Most commemorate white settlement and were placed by a handful of individuals who just decided that these were the places that they were going to put monuments up, said Dylan High, statewide partnerships coordinator for the agency.

In recent months, the historical society has hosted public meetings to examine how the markers portray the history of westward expansion. Among those under review is a 1925 marker with a statement asserting that the civilization of Washington started at Vancouver, the site of an 1806 fort on the Columbia River for the Lewis and Clark expedition, and a subsequent Hudsons Bay Company fur trading post.

Such statements erase the presence of Indigenous people who lived in the area for thousands of years before the arrival of European explorers. The narratives werent created in consultation with tribal people of the land, said Polly Olsen, who is Yakama and the tribal liaison for the Burke Museum in Seattle. It comes from a settler narrative of the first schools, the first church, these civilized practices or, you know, civilization began here, Olsen said in an interview with KIRO Newsradio.

As theyve traveled the state of Washington, High said, theyve found that most people dont want old markers removed. Sometimes, its impractical: The Vancouver marker sits in a traffic island, unnoticed by most passersby, and would be costly to move. Instead, High said, people want to add new interpretive panels or new markers nearby to tell the whole story of the history. Most people are wary of anything that seems as though it is rewriting history, a phrase the state agency tries to avoid.

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That kind of implies that the history of what happened somehow is somehow changed, High said. What we are really interested in saying is that there is more to the context of that history of what happened than just what that monument represents or implies.

And to be very specific about it, High added, what is not represented is very often the tribes perspective and the experience of our tribal communities around the state.

Sometimes, states must point out hard truths, Fortune said. She points to Henry Laurens, a wealthy South Carolinian planter who was president of the Continental Congress in 1777 and 1778 and the only American to be held captive in the Tower of London. He was a partner in a Charleston firm that brokered the sale of more than 8,000 enslaved Africans.

Were in the business of telling history the way it was, Fortune said. So, it can be good, bad and ugly. Henry Laurens owned slaves. Thats just a fact. Just say its a fact.

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This story first appeared in Stateline, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and X.

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A historical marker in Vancouver, Wash., celebrates the civilization of Washington, by white explorers, erasing the presence of Indigenous people who lived in the area for thousands of years. As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, many states are reexamining markers with questionable historical facts or outdated language. (Photo by Erika Bolstad/Stateline)

Most Revolutionary War history buffs know the story of Francis Marion, the Continental Army officer called the Swamp Fox for his guerrilla-style attacks that bedeviled British forces in South Carolinas backcountry. But volunteers and historians have identified 560 Revolutionary War battle sites and other places of interest with connections to the states role in the nations founding.

While we all love Francis Marion, lets talk about some other people, said Molly Fortune, executive director of SC250, the commission charged with restoring the public memory of the states Revolutionary War legacy. To do that, theyre reviving forgotten historical markers as well as installing new ones and making them all easier to find from the highway or online.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

As the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, many states are inventorying, mapping and repairing old historical markers, as well as installing hundreds of new roadside signs, plaques and interpretive panels. In South Carolina, the focus is on sharing lesser-known stories of women, children, Native Americans, enslaved and free Black people and even the Loyalists who sympathized with King George III.

Beyond re-engaging with lesser-known stories, many states see the national commemoration, known as America250, as an opportunity to refresh their heritage tourism offerings. But its also an occasion to reexamine markers or monuments with questionable historical facts or outdated language.

The renewed interest in the accuracy or cultural sensitivity of the nations historical markers is part of the wider discourse over who or what belongs on a pedestal or a bronze plaque, and where they should be sited. Since the 2020 murder of George Floyd, those efforts have led to the removal of Confederate monuments as well as the toppling of statues honoring Christopher Columbus and artwork that extols westward expansion without telling the story of the effects on the Indigenous people displaced by settlement.

Markers that reflect more inclusive stories make history relevant to more people, said Jason Hanson, the chief creative officer of History Colorado, which operates museums around the state and administers Colorados register of historic places. When history is incomplete or told only by those with the money or power, it strips complexity and nuance from the American story, rendering it less accurate and vibrant. The roadside panels and bronze plaques affixed to buildings are how many people encounter the nations history, Hanson said.

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They really are some of the most accessible and valued history lessons that we have, he said.

Satanic imps

That history can be lopsided, inaccurate or racist, according to an NPR investigation in 2024 that looked at 180,000 historical markers across the nation. For example, the investigation found that about 70% of markers for historic plantation homes failed to mention that its owners bought and sold enslaved people and used their labor to construct the mansions.

Among the problematic examples NPR found was a Michigan marker celebrating a woman who successfully defied frenzied Indians who invaded the premises and lapped from the basement floor whiskey which she had emptied from the barrels. In Texas, a marker praises Primus Kelly, an enslaved Black man, for demonstrating loyalty during the Civil War  describing him as typical of most Texas Negro slaves. Hundreds went to war with their masters.

Many markers, especially those installed by private individuals, stretch the definition of history. A Massachusetts marker, for example, indicates the former site of a mill operated by a wizard who employed satanic imps to run it at night, while a sign in New Hampshire marks the spot where a Portsmouth couple had a close encounter with a UFO in 1961  and experienced two hours of lost time.

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In Colorado, the state found recently that 96% of listings on its state register of historical sites were places connected primarily to the history of white men, Hanson said. To mark the states 150th anniversary in 2026, Colorado will begin adding 150 new sites and markers highlighting the history of women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and other historically underrepresented communities. The state will ask community groups to nominate who and what should be on the markers.

Markers or monuments often were paid for by people who wanted to tell a particular story, meaning that those with money were the only ones leaving a lasting mark. Even now, historical markers are expensive. In Michigan, for example, large markers cost $4,700, before installation. Some states appropriate money for new markers, but often, local communities must find the cash.

But an investment in heritage tourism can and does pay off, said South Carolinas Fortune. She and other public historians have persuaded their state legislature not only to fund new markers but also to pay for new highway signs alerting visitors to historic sites. Its an effort she says boosts the rural communities where many markers are located.

People want to walk and listen and hear and connect with their ancestors, Fortune said. And so it allows us to find those accidental tourists. Theyre like, Oh, Ive always wondered about that. And then they leave their money, and they go home. Thats basically it. Its a vehicle for economic development.

The whole story

In 2023, Virginias Department of Historic Resources began adding dozens of historical markers signifying Green Book sites, places that accommodated Black travelers safely during the Jim Crow era. Theyre also adding nine new markers that, among other things, tell the origin story of Mountain Dew soda, the discriminatory racial history of the first heart transplant in the state, and the backstory of lesser-known Virginians who participated in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

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The Washington State Historical Society began taking a closer look at its markers in 2020, identifying 42 as potentially problematic. Most commemorate white settlement and were placed by a handful of individuals who just decided that these were the places that they were going to put monuments up, said Dylan High, the statewide partnerships coordinator for the agency.

In recent months, the historical society has hosted public meetings to examine how the markers portray the history of westward expansion. Among those under review is a 1925 marker with a statement asserting that the civilization of Washington started at Vancouver, the site of an 1806 fort on the Columbia River for the Lewis and Clark expedition, and a subsequent Hudsons Bay Company fur trading post.

Such statements erase the presence of Indigenous people who lived in the area for thousands of years before the arrival of European explorers. The narratives werent created in consultation with tribal people of the land, said Polly Olsen, who is Yakama and the tribal liaison for the Burke Museum in Seattle. It comes from a settler narrative of the first schools, the first church, these civilized practices or, you know, civilization began here, Olsen said in an interview with KIRO Newsradio.

Let's talk about some other people.

 Molly Fortune, executive director of SC250

As theyve traveled the state of Washington, High said, theyve found that most people dont want old markers removed. Sometimes, its impractical: The Vancouver marker sits in a traffic island, unnoticed by most passersby, and would be costly to move. Instead, High said, people want to add new interpretive panels or new markers nearby to tell the whole story of the history. Most people are wary of anything that seems as though it is rewriting history, a phrase the state agency tries to avoid.

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That kind of implies that the history of what happened somehow is somehow changed, High said. What we are really interested in saying is that there is more to the context of that history of what happened than just what that monument represents or implies.

And to be very specific about it, High added, what is not represented is very often the tribes perspective and the experience of our tribal communities around the state.

Sometimes, states must point out hard truths, Fortune said. She points to Henry Laurens, a wealthy South Carolinian planter who was president of the Continental Congress in 1777 and 1778 and the only American to be held captive in the Tower of London. He was also a partner in a Charleston firm that brokered the sale of more than 8,000 enslaved Africans.

Were in the business of telling history the way it was, Fortune said. So it can be good, bad and ugly. Henry Laurens owned slaves. Thats just a fact. Just say its a fact.

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This story was originally published by Stateline. Like Maine Morning Star, Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.

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A historical marker in Vancouver, Wash., celebrates the civilization of Washington, by white explorers, erasing the presence of Indigenous people who lived in the area for thousands of years. As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, many states are reexamining markers with questionable historical facts or outdated language. (Photo by Erika Bolstad/Stateline)

Most Revolutionary War history buffs know the story of Francis Marion, the Continental Army officer called the Swamp Fox for his guerrilla-style attacks that bedeviled British forces in South Carolinas backcountry. But volunteers and historians have identified 560 Revolutionary War battle sites and other places of interest with connections to the states role in the nations founding.

While we all love Francis Marion, lets talk about some other people, said Molly Fortune, executive director of SC250, the commission charged with restoring the public memory of the states Revolutionary War legacy. To do that, theyre reviving forgotten historical markers as well as installing new ones and making them all easier to find from the highway or online.

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As the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, many states are inventorying, mapping and repairing old historical markers, as well as installing hundreds of new roadside signs, plaques and interpretive panels. In South Carolina, the focus is on sharing lesser-known stories of women, children, Native Americans, enslaved and free Black people and even the Loyalists who sympathized with King George III.

Beyond reengaging with lesser-known stories, many states see the national commemoration, known as America250, as an opportunity to refresh their heritage tourism offerings. But its also an occasion to reexamine markers or monuments with questionable historical facts or outdated language.

The renewed interest in the accuracy or cultural sensitivity of the nations historical markers is part of the wider discourse over who or what belongs on a pedestal or a bronze plaque, and where they should be sited. Since the 2020 murder of George Floyd, those efforts have led to the removal of Confederate monuments as well as the toppling of statues honoring Christopher Columbus and artwork that extols westward expansion without telling the story of the effects on the Indigenous people displaced by settlement.

Markers that reflect more inclusive stories make history relevant to more people, said Jason Hanson, the chief creative officer of History Colorado, which operates museums around the state and administers Colorados register of historic places. When history is incomplete or told only by those with the money or power, it strips complexity and nuance from the American story, rendering it less accurate and vibrant. The roadside panels and bronze plaques affixed to buildings are how many people encounter the nations history, Hanson said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

They really are some of the most accessible and valued history lessons that we have, he said.

Satanic imps

That history can be lopsided, inaccurate or racist, according to an NPR investigation in 2024 that looked at 180,000 historical markers across the nation. For example, the investigation found that about 70% of markers for historic plantation homes failed to mention that its owners bought and sold enslaved people and used their labor to construct the mansions.

Among the problematic examples NPR found was a Michigan marker celebrating a woman who successfully defied frenzied Indians who invaded the premises and lapped from the basement floor whiskey which she had emptied from the barrels. In Texas, a marker praises Primus Kelly, an enslaved Black man, for demonstrating loyalty during the Civil War  describing him as typical of most Texas Negro slaves. Hundreds went to war with their masters.

Many markers, especially those installed by private individuals, stretch the definition of history. A Massachusetts marker, for example, indicates the former site of a mill operated by a wizard who employed satanic imps to run it at night, while a sign in New Hampshire marks the spot where a Portsmouth couple had a close encounter with a UFO in 1961  and experienced two hours of lost time.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

In Colorado, the state found recently that 96% of listings on its state register of historical sites were places connected primarily to the history of white men, Hanson said. To mark the states 150th anniversary in 2026, Colorado will begin adding 150 new sites and markers highlighting the history of women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and other historically underrepresented communities. The state will ask community groups to nominate who and what should be on the markers.

Markers or monuments often were paid for by people who wanted to tell a particular story, meaning that those with money were the only ones leaving a lasting mark. Even now, historical markers are expensive. In Michigan, for example, large markers cost $4,700, before installation. Some states appropriate money for new markers, but often, local communities must find the cash.

But an investment in heritage tourism can and does pay off, said South Carolinas Fortune. She and other public historians have persuaded their state legislature not only to fund new markers but also to pay for new highway signs alerting visitors to historic sites. Its an effort she says boosts the rural communities where many markers are located.

People want to walk and listen and hear and connect with their ancestors, Fortune said. And so it allows us to find those accidental tourists. Theyre like, Oh, Ive always wondered about that. And then they leave their money, and they go home. Thats basically it. Its a vehicle for economic development.

The whole story

In 2023, Virginias Department of Historic Resources began adding dozens of historical markers signifying Green Book sites, places that accommodated Black travelers safely during the Jim Crow era. Theyre also adding nine new markers that, among other things, tell the origin story of Mountain Dew soda, the discriminatory racial history of the first heart transplant in the state, and the backstory of lesser-known Virginians who participated in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

The Washington State Historical Society began taking a closer look at its markers in 2020, identifying 42 as potentially problematic. Most commemorate white settlement and were placed by a handful of individuals who just decided that these were the places that they were going to put monuments up, said Dylan High, the statewide partnerships coordinator for the agency.

In recent months, the historical society has hosted public meetings to examine how the markers portray the history of westward expansion. Among those under review is a 1925 marker with a statement asserting that the civilization of Washington started at Vancouver, the site of an 1806 fort on the Columbia River for the Lewis and Clark expedition, and a subsequent Hudsons Bay Company fur trading post.

Such statements erase the presence of Indigenous people who lived in the area for thousands of years before the arrival of European explorers. The narratives werent created in consultation with tribal people of the land, said Polly Olsen, who is Yakama and the tribal liaison for the Burke Museum in Seattle. It comes from a settler narrative of the first schools, the first church, these civilized practices or, you know, civilization began here, Olsen said in an interview with KIRO Newsradio.

Let's talk about some other people.  Molly Fortune, executive director of SC250

As theyve traveled the state of Washington, High said, theyve found that most people dont want old markers removed. Sometimes, its impractical: The Vancouver marker sits in a traffic island, unnoticed by most passersby, and would be costly to move. Instead, High said, people want to add new interpretive panels or new markers nearby to tell the whole story of the history. Most people are wary of anything that seems as though it is rewriting history, a phrase the state agency tries to avoid.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement

That kind of implies that the history of what happened somehow is somehow changed, High said. What we are really interested in saying is that there is more to the context of that history of what happened than just what that monument represents or implies.

And to be very specific about it, High added, what is not represented is very often the tribes perspective and the experience of our tribal communities around the state.

Sometimes, states must point out hard truths, Fortune said. She points to Henry Laurens, a wealthy South Carolinian planter who was president of the Continental Congress in 1777 and 1778 and the only American to be held captive in the Tower of London. He was also a partner in a Charleston firm that brokered the sale of more than 8,000 enslaved Africans.

Were in the business of telling history the way it was, Fortune said. So it can be good, bad and ugly. Henry Laurens owned slaves. Thats just a fact. Just say its a fact.

This story was originally published by Stateline, which 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.
In dueling press conferences Friday, Chicago Public Schools officials and Chicago Teachers Union members each emphasized that valuable progress had been made in their long-running contract negotiations.

But in the eight months since the union launched its demands, a fleeting period of harmony between CPS and the teachers union has devolved into rancor.

With each side providing updates on collective bargaining in back-to-back press conferences Friday, accusations abounded  with CPS CEO Pedro Martinez offering far more blunt criticism of the union than typical following his Dec. 20 termination by the Board of Education.

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Just days after unanimously voting to fire Martinez without cause, members of the board, appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CTU organizer, attended contract negotiations. Then, on Christmas Eve, Cook County Circuit Judge Joel Chupack granted Martinez a temporary restraining order that prevents the board from removing his powers while the schools chief is contractually entitled to serve another six months at the helm of the fourth-largest school district in the nation.

At CTUs Fridays press conference outside its headquarters in the United Center neighborhood, union President Stacy Davis Gates accused Martinez of stalling negotiations since being granted the injunction. I think the greatest threat to our bargaining momentum is, quite frankly, the Supreme Being of the Chicago Public Schools thats basically in control of everything, she said of the CEO.

At a CPS press conference that followed at its downtown offices, district officials enumerated the dozens of agreements they said have been reached. Their attempts to formalize them  in order to focus on remaining sticking points  have been held up by the union, district officials said.

Martinez also countered the notion he had sole control over contract negotiations, pointing to the expanded, 21-member, partially elected board to be seated Jan.15 that he said will approve the contract. The body is likely to make a more democratic decision than the current board of seven mayoral appointees, he said.

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Theyre going to make sure that theyre representing all perspectives and not just one, he said, alluding to the teachers union and promising to continue to negotiate in good faith. Its just going to make a better overall proposal that really does represent our children, that keeps us still financially responsible, and that is still aligned to our values.

As the union has done in recent weeks, Davis Gates said the contract should be finalized with urgency. We have offered compromise. We should have a settlement today, she said.

Tentative agreements sought ahead of challenging budget season

Martinez said the district is devoted to providing educators the most it can in a challenging budget environment, commending CPS teachers dedication. Our offer of 4% cost-of-living adjustments keep Chicago educators exactly where they should be, the highest-paid urban public school teachers in the United States.

A union counterproposal of 5% to 6% raises cant be granted in the face of the districts $500 million budget deficit, he said. We need to maintain the current proposal for the fiscal health of the school system, he said. If we overextend ourselves today, it will be children who pay the price tomorrow, Martinez said.

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Union representatives continued to argue Friday that the deficit shouldnt prevent CPS from covering the cost of the contract and providing full funding to schools.

Davis Gates and other CTU leaders suggested Friday that CPS could cover the cost by either spending its reserves or using the $370 million tax-increment finance surplus City Council recently agreed to provide the district.

Theres never been a contract negotiation in the history of these negotiations where the Chicago Public Schools says, We got money. We got a lot of money, Davis Gates said Friday.

Global credit ratings agency S&P recently warned CPS that if the district aims to maintain its BB+/Stable rating, neither drawing on its reserves nor taking on new debt to fund the contract is an option.

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Following the approval of the city budget last month, CPS is set to receive $370 million in TIF surplus funds this year  still leaving the district with a shortfall if CTU were to receive 4% raises, according to the S&Ps analysis.

The district couldnt cover the contract through its reserves even if it wanted to, Martinez said Friday. Our cash reserves are less than $50 million for an operating budget of well over $7 billion, he said, noting that the district borrows money to cover expenses throughout the school year.

CTU Deputy General Counsel Thaddeus Goodchild said Friday that it was astounding that Martinezs prerogatives supersede those of the mayor and the members of the Board of Education.

Sticking points

CPS Chief Labor Relations Officer Miguel Perretta said that since receiving a narrowed list of nearly 90 demands from the union in December, the district has been laser-focused on tackling the unions priorities, offering 66 responses so far.

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But, he said items from CTUs initial list of more than 700 demands continue to re-emerge. While a lot has been said that CTU has scaled back some of their proposals, thats not the reality, Perretta said.

Davis Gates said Friday that the union has collapsed hundreds of proposals, but declined to say how many union demands remain active. All of those proposals represent the great dissatisfaction that many of our members, paraprofessionals, clerks, teachers, (and) assistants have in their school communities, she said.

Pedro is a problem, Davis Gates said, concluding the union press conference, which portrayed Martinez as the source of delays.

But even among the most contested topics, progress at the bargaining table is being made, said CPS Chief Education Officer Bogdana Chkoumbova. CTU has demanded that elementary school teachers get 30 additional minutes of preparation time per day  a proposal administrators have balked at, with increased planning implying less time for instruction.

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But this week, CTU clarified that it is not seeking decreased instructional time, Chkoumbova said. How the school day and year might change in order to oblige the request for more planning time  while maintaining teachers time with students  is now being assessed, she said.

Whether or not thats going to mean adding additional instructional days for kids, to compensate for some less time during the school daythe conversation is rigorous. It requires a lot of exploration, said Chkoumbova, who also defended the frequency of the districts teacher assessments.

Citing two studies, union president Davis Gates said in a prior union press conference Thursday that the evaluations have a proven bias particularly against Black teachers working in predominantly Black schools. Even white teachers get marginal reviews or marginal evaluations when they teach at majority-Black schools, she said.

Young people get a better education if they have Black teachers, she said. But in Chicago, a city full of Black people, a city full of Black children going to the public schools, we have a hard time both recruiting and retaining them.

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Chkoumbova said the district has made commitments to increase mentoring for teachers in high-need communities. But expanding teacher evaluation cycles to once in three years, or reducing the requirements for teachers to meet certain performance benchmarks, doesnt necessarily address that particular issue, she said of the unions proposals to change CPS educator evaluator system.

As for the number of teachers in schools, Martinez said CTU recently walked back a demand in its initial set of contract proposals that a cumulative 14,000 additional employees that the union demanded be hired. Since he became CEO of the district in 2019, Martinez said, 7,000 staffers have been hired, with equity in mind. I hear a lot of narratives out there, but please, I invite you to go to our schools, he said of staff diversity.

The district has agreed to increase staffing strategically, Martinez said, noting an increased number of students with complex needs. We have more students that have IEPs, he said of students with disabilities. We have more English learners.

But, the federal COVID-19 relief funds that made the prior staffing increases possible no longer exist. Those funds expired. So our No. 1 priority is to ensure that we can protect the gains and staffing that are driving our student gains, Martinez said, advocating for allies to work together to secure more funding for CPS. We have to be championing for more resources.

The Tribunes Nell Salzman contributed.
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - A second group of 75 Guatemalan soldiers arrived in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on Saturday to boost a United Nations-backed mission tasked with restoring order amid chaos wrought by gangs, the mission said.

Another 75 soldiers arrived a day earlier, taking the total Guatemalan troop numbers to 150. All the reinforcements come from Guatemala's military police unit, Guatemala's government said in a statement.

A further eight soldiers from El Salvador also arrived on Friday.

(Reporting by Harold Isaac, Editing by Franklin Paul; Writing by Drazen Jorgic)
Meadow Ridge, a luxury continuing care retirement community in Redding, is the latest senior living community in the state to flip the switch and go solar, officials said.

A carport and rooftop solar installation will supply 897,700 kWh of electricity each year, providing more than 20% of the facilitys energy, according to retirement community. The solar arrays at Meadow Ridge are predicted to save an estimated $7.6 million in electricity costs over the life of the project while offsetting 605 metric tons of carbon each year. Officials said that is the equivalent of the annual emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles driving over 1.5 million miles.

This is an exciting day on many levels, Meadow Ridge Chief Operating Officer Brett Mehlman said. We can all feel good that we are making this investment in the future of our community and our planet while realizing immediate benefits. In 2025, we expect that over 20 percent of the power we use at Meadow Ridge will be generated by solar.

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In a ceremony held last month, Mehlman and resident Susan Auslander, energized the project by flipping a giant switch, according to officials in a press release. Two of the projects three solar arrays are on top of carports over employee parking areas. The third is on the roof of Ridge Crest, Meadow Ridges sub-acute rehabilitation and skilled nursing center, according to officials.

Im so proud that we are leading by example at Meadow Ridge, Auslander said in a press release. It took both shared vision and courage for the residents, ownership and management of Meadow Ridge to bring this project to life. Id also like to thank all of the partners who helped make this happen.

The project was designed and built by West Hartford-based Verogy and financed through a combination of zero-emission renewable energy credits through Eversource, investment tax credits, and a commercial property-assessed clean energy loan from the Connecticut Green Bank.

At the Connecticut Green Bank, we are excited to see all projects that support our states green economy become reality. This project is a special inspiration because it connects to our vision statement: a planet protected by the love of humanity, said Bryan Garcia, president and CEO of the Green Bank.

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Several other retirement communities in the state have also installed solar panels in recent years. In 2021, the Essex Meadows senior living complex in Essex installed its Verogy Solar project, producing nearly 700,000 kWh of clean energy every year and saving $4 million over the lifetime of the solar panels or 35-years, officials said. In addition, Covenant Living of Cromwell and Greenskies Clean Focus teamed up in 2022 to install a 159 kW solar energy system with 356 rooftop solar panels to generate more than 183,000 kWh of clean energy and save the facility $40,000 a year in energy costs, officials said.

Meadow Ridge is our third retirement community where we have installed solar panels in recent years, said Jenna Behan, head of marketing and public relations with Verogy. A lot of retirement communities are seeing the benefits of going solar as a way to save money and cut costs. At Meadow Ridge we were able to turn unused roof space into usable energy. I think this is a trend we will see more of going forward. We have assessed other retirement communities that showed interest in solar, but sometimes theres just not enough roof space. But the interest remains very high in solar.

More information on Meadow Ridges solar initiative can be found at www.meadowridge.com/solar

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com
Inpatient caregiving companions, especially during nights, may hold significant value in enhancing patient recovery and expediting discharge. Hospital nights can be tumultuous not only for inpatients but also for their caregivers, whether professional or personal. This need persists despite humanitys adaptation to varying chronotypeslion, bear, wolf, and dolphinwhich have enabled people to transcend their diurnal instincts for the collective good. Nevertheless, the challenges of nighttime caregiving remain profound.

A critical issue lies in how frequently inpatients are left alone at night. Personal caregivers often cannot stay due to logistical barriers imposed by health care facilities or the pressures of balancing work, family, and financial demands. These constraints make unpaid caregiving even more difficult, despite some states providing reimbursement for family members who care for sick relatives. Over time, the delegation of professional work seems to have extended to the delegation of kin responsibilities, leaving gaps in care during crucial hours.

Health care facilities face an existential concern: whether inpatient caregiving companionsbe they paid professionals or unpaid family membersmight disrupt patient care at night. Although rare events like a critical patient passing away can trigger intense, culturally diverse emotional responses from caregivers, other inpatients often suffer less severe but still distressing health issues. In such cases, hospitals might worry about caregivers emotional reactions interfering with the smooth operation of health care teams managing stable patients.

Yet, in times of widespread health care worker shortages, particularly during nights, inpatient caregiving companions could potentially aid rather than hinder care. The question arises: can unpaid volunteers step in as night attendants to bridge the gap? If professional and personal caregivers are not adequately compensated to provide nighttime coverage, unpaid volunteers might offer support, facilitating patient healing and discharge while alleviating the burden on stretched health care staff.

For these volunteers, the work itself offers fulfillment. Engaging in such caregiving can provide a sense of purpose and satisfaction, rivaling or surpassing the gratification of working for material rewards. Humans often work for sustenance, fun, or a combination of both. In caregiving, the act of helping others can become a source of nourishmentfeeding the mind and body with the intrinsic reward of meaningful contribution, especially during critical moments of need.

Deepak Gupta is an anesthesiologist. Sarwan Kumar is an internal medicine physician.
Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, will personally give $1 million to President-elect Donald Trumps inaugural committee  the latest move by a Big Tech exec to cozy up to the incoming president.

Apple itself not expected to make any donations to the incoming president, according to a report Friday by Axios, which first reported on Cooks planned million-dollar donation. Cook, a proud Alabama native, believes the inauguration is a great American tradition, and is donating to the inauguration in the spirit of unity, per Axioss report, citing anonymous sources.

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Apple reps did not respond to a request for comment.

Cook joins other tech companies and execs that are giving money to Trumps inauguration. Amazon and Meta are each giving $1 million to the president-elects inauguration fund, while OpenAI chief Sam Altman also plans to donate the same amount.

In December, Cook trekked to Trumps Mar-a-Lago compound to meet with the president-elect over dinner. Other execs who have made the trip to Florida to meet with Trump include Netflixs Ted Sarandos, Metas Mark Zuckerberg, Googles Sundar Pichai and Amazons Jeff Bezos.

Cook also was among the CEOs who congratulated Trump after he won the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Congratulations President Trump on your victory! Cook posted on X on Nov. 6. We look forward to engaging with you and your administration to help make sure the United States continues to lead with and be fueled by ingenuity, innovation, and creativity.

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Other companies donating to Trumps inauguration include Toyota, Ford, GM, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and cryptocurrency exchanges Kraken and Coinbase. For Trumps 2025 inauguration, donors who give at least $1 million are being promised high-level access to the president-elect and his inner circle with up to a half-dozen tickets to eight inaugural events from Jan. 17-20, including an elegant and intimate dinner with President Donald J. Trump and Mrs. Melania Trump on Jan. 19, the New York Times reported.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook plans to donate $1 million to President-elect Trumps inaugural committee, according to a report.

Cooks contribution, first reported by Axios, marks the latest deluge of cash from billionaires into Trumps inauguration January 20.

Just weeks before the reported donation, Cook dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

Cook frequently met with Trump during his first term  and managed to build a personal relationship with Trump by calling and getting meals with the then-president, the Wall Street Journal reported.

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The Apple CEOs donation is part of a trend of wealthy business leaders and tech companies contributing to Trumps second inaugural fund.

Citadel CEO Ken Griffin also intends to donate $1 million, according to Bloomberg.

Amazon, founded by Jeff Bezos, is expected to donate $1 million, the Journal reported. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is expected to make a personal donation of $1 million ,while Meta, run by billionaire CEO Mark Zuckerberg, donated the same amount to the inaugural fund, according to CNBC.

Car companies Toyota, Ford, and General Motors are also each reportedly donating $1 million to the fund.

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The inaugural committee is projected to raise more than $150 million, breaking the previous fundraising record of $107 million inauguration, which was set at Trumps first inauguration in 2017, ABC News reported.

There is an absolute deluge of interest, a Republican fundraiser told the outlet.

Trump, who according to Forbes boasts a net worth of roughly $6 billion, has surrounded himself with fellow billionaires as he is set to take office for a second time. Trump tapped Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, to co-head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. The pair have become close in recent months  literally as Trumps so-called first buddy has been staying at a cottage just several hundred feet from the main house of Mar-a-Lago for $2,000 per night.

In addition to Musk, Trumps second White House will include biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, investment banker Howard Lutnick, wrestling magnate Linda McMahon and venture capitalist and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, all of whom are billionaires.

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Their combined wealth exceeds $340 billion  larger than the gross domestic product of more than 11 dozen countries, according to The Independents analysis in November.

Since his re-election victory, Trump has met with a handful of billionaires in recent weeks at Mar-a-Lago, including Bezos and Zuckerberg. EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND!!! Trump boasted on Truth Social after dining with Bezos in mid-December.

Last week, he appeared to be courting yet another: Bill Gates. In a bizarre Truth Social post that resembled a personal message to Musk, Trump suggested that the Microsoft co-founder had asked to visit his Palm Beach estate.

Where are you? When are you coming to the Center of the Universe, Mar-a-Lago, Trump posted. Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! New Years Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! Trump wrote. He signed it DJT.
JASPER COUNTY, Mo.  A number of people in southwest Missouri are already gearing up for the next round of elections.

That round comes in April.

Since 2015. So Im in my 10th year, said Lynn Ragsdale, Webb City Mayor.

Lynn Ragsdale has been a member of the city council even longer. Hes got another year before he has to decide whether or not to run again.

The mayor serves four-year terms, the council serves two, said Ragsdale.

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But Webb City will see one contested race this spring. On April 8, the Ward Three seat will pit Fred Fierro against Brad Baker.

In fact, that election will host a long list of races throughout southwest Missouri.

We have a lot of fire districts, road districts, water districts, cities that are going to have things on the ballot. We have schools that are going to have some of the new school board members potentially on the ballot, as well as a lot of the bond issues, said Charlie Davis, Jasper Co. Clerk.

In Neosho, one at large city council seat is contested, with Angela Thomas and Jake Evans both filing for the position.

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Meanwhile, Carl Junction voters will see contested races at city hall and the school district.

Larry Cowger, Bob Hays and Julie Crow all filed for two open school board seats while there are five candidates for mayor.

That includes Ladonna Allen, Mike Moss, Rick Flinn, Karma Wright, and Tom Paul.

But the spring election, with the potential for a lot of decision making, often doesnt attract much attention.

Jasper County Clerk Charlie Davis says thats typically a low voter turnout.

The municipal elections that happen in April are the ones that affect you on a daily basis. Youre electing the people that educate your kids, because were electing school board members. Youre picking your city council members, which paved the roads, said Davis.

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ELKHART  Some advocates are alarmed by the rate at which students in Elkhart County are absent from class and are hoping to raise awareness of the issue.

About one in four students in Elkhart County struggle with chronic absenteeism, according to The Source, a system of care within Oaklawn that provides services for youth who have mental health concerns.

Anna Sawatzky, director of The Source, said chronic absenteeism is tricky to define. When the original research by the Indiana Department of Education came out, absenteeism was defined as missing 10 percent or more days in a school year. This year, the Indiana Department of Education changed the metric to where the goal is to have students in school 94 percent of the school year.

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In August 2023, we had focused on that indicator, Sawatzky said of school attendance. So, we meet twice a year to talk about the dashboard and what were seeing there and see what action is needed. In August 2023, when we had met to look through this together, we found that the county numbers were worse than the state and that was alarming because the states not doing very well on the national level.

The Source has an Elkhart County child dashboard that tracks indicators related to child and family well-being and lack of well-being. The dashboard tracks indicators from employment statistics to school attendance. It showed that Elkhart County is struggling with chronic absenteeism.

The organization convened a group consisting of representatives from each of the seven school districts in Elkhart County: Goshen, Concord, Wa-Nee, Fairfield, Elkhart, Baugo and Middlebury community schools. The group also consists of several community agencies such as the Community Foundation of Elkhart County, the Tolson Center and the Center for Community Justice.

That equates to roughly about four or five days a quarter or 10 days a semester, said Byron Sanders, superintendent of Baugo Community Schools. If you exceed that number, you are in a position where you are habitually absent and so thats what triggers the states response to habitual absenteeism.

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Elkhart Community Schools and Concord Community Schools are below the state attendance rate average, according to the Indiana Department of Educations dashboard, Graduates Prepared to Succeed.

Based on a percentage measured by the number of students with at least a 94 percent attendance rate divided by the total number of students enrolled in school a majority of the year, Concord was at a 62.5 percent attendance rate, while Elkhart was at 47.3 percent in 2024. The state average attendance rate was 63.4 percent in 2024.

Sawatzky said the effect the COVID-19 pandemic had on absenteeism was huge. Between 2020 and 2021, the attendance rate for each school took a massive decrease.

The Source looked at three issues to see how COVID-19 affected chronic absenteeism: frayed bonds, frayed routines and changed messaging.

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Some of these things that we were trying to do the best, meant the best, but really it gave an impression thats hard to backtrack on now, Sawatzky said.

In addition to COVID-19, the mental health crisis experienced by older students has also played a factor in high absentee numbers, according to Lindsey Brander, Elkharts director of student services. The level of anxiety and stress that some students experience may prevent them from coming to school, she said.

Brander also pointed to access to child care as an issue for families as well, which is leading to high absentee numbers. Some parents do not have access to paid time off, so they are not able to take time off to watch the younger children, so older students are tasked with staying home to watch their younger siblings.

It is a communitywide issue, as far as all of the factors that feed into why kids arent coming to school as much as they have previously, Brander said.

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To change the messaging on school attendance, the group convened by The Source partnered with LightBox to create and launch a campaign highlighting the importance for students of being in school. The campaign is using billboards, posters, banners, mailers, yard signs and a video featuring local students and community members.

Each school district is also employing its own tactics to support students and families. Larry Huff, superintendent of Elkhart Community Schools, said his district hired a K-8 attendance coordinator, Travon Curry.

I think one of the best things we can do is create engaging learning environments that kids want to come to, Huff said. When I say engaging learning environments, are students having opportunities to interact and learn in environments where theyre going to be exposed to things that are relevant to them?

Lisa Kendall, assistant superintendent of educational programming at Concord Community Schools, said her school district has put in place different systems and refined those systems to have absenteeism data to keep families informed as to how often students are absent.

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School officials saying the campaign to make people aware of absenteeism is improving numbers. From 2023 to 2024, Concord has seen a 12.6 percent increase in its attendance rate among all students.

I would definitely celebrate the fact that our students, our families, our staff recognize the importance of being in the classroom for learning and we saw great gains last school year, Kendall said.

Elkhart Community Schools attendance rate increased by 3.3 percent from 2023 to 2024. Baugo Community Schools attendance rate increased by 0.6 percent from 2023 to 2024 and the school districts overall student attendance rate is over the state average at 64.9 percent.

Sanders said Baugo is looking to curb its absenteeism numbers by doing what every school in the state is doing, which is monitoring the numbers.

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We have a progression, so when students meet the threshold of absences in a marking period, letters go home and if the attendance doesnt improve, then obviously phone calls and parent meetings occur to reduce absenteeism, Sanders said. Our goal is to try to work with the family to avoid any referral to the juvenile justice authority, but if that was required, we would obviously meet that expectation and make that referral.

While absentee numbers remain high, school officials are optimistic that the numbers can be turned around to what they were before the pandemic. Other Elkhart County schools are seeing improvements in attendance as well.

The attendance rate at Wa-Nee Community Schools is below the state average, but the overall attendance rate has improved by 1.3 percent in the last school year. Goshen Community Schools has improved its overall student attendance rate by 4.4 percent in the last school year, while it is still below the state average. Fairfield Community Schools is above the state average and has seen a 12.9 percent increase in the last school year. Middlebury Community Schools is also above the state average in attendance rate at 65.5 percent and has increased 1.8 percent in the last school year.

Were seeing attendance improve a little bit because were having more conversations about it and its not just us as a school corporation saying, You got to get your kid to school. You got to get your kid to school, Brander said. Its different community partners who are providing that support as well. So, thats a positive that we have a lot more awareness.
CHARLESTON, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  Before it was announced in October that a new prison would be coming to Charleston, more than a dozen other sites across the state were considered before Arkansas officials decided on the Franklin County city.

According to emails and documents received by KNWA/FOX24 through a Freedom of Information Act request, 13 locations in the River Valley, southwest Arkansas, and central Arkansas were considered.

Arkansas GIS employee removed from Franklin County prison project after controversial email

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Heres where the state considered building the prison before ultimately deciding on Charleston:

Hope

Prescott

Alma

Greenwood

Mulberry

Fort Smith

Fordyce

Marshall

Clarksville

Mansfield

Rudy

Huntington

Shelby Johnson, the director of the Transformation and Shared Services Division of GIS, emailed multiple Arkansas Department of Transportation staff members in July 2024 to say that the Charleston site was the new front-runner.

The Arkansas Department of Transportation said on October 15 that its primary search criteria were:

Minimum 250-300 contiguous acres, relatively flat and not in a floodplain.

Not within 60 miles of an existing Department of Corrections facility to avoid workforce cannibalization.

Available regional workforce based on commute times.

Availability of primary infrastructure like water, electricity, feasibility of wastewater treatment, etc.

Proximity to emergency services and medical facilities.

TSS said the Interstate 40 corridor was one of the main areas of focus because of its distance from other correctional facilities and workforce possibilities brought by the major interstate highway and the population centers in the area.

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Charleston residents share concerns with legislators over new prison plans

It said interviews were conducted with experts at the Department of Health and ARDOT. The Department of Health spoke with TSS about the availability of water supply and existing pipe sizes and infrastructure.

We also informally consulted with a soil and excavation expert about the site and he saw no cause for concerns about site development, TSS said.

TSS said the site in Charleston met or exceeded all of its expectations.

The land was around 810 acres, exceeding the minimum of 250 acres, and TSS said it would allow for future development or other on-site operations.

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The department said the land was purchased below the appraised value at $2.95 million or $3,560 per acre but was well below the proposed price per acre at other possible sites.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate)

Two days after being sworn in, the Arkansas Supreme Courts new chief justice attempted to fire several employees of the state court system, which a majority of the court claimed was inappropriate, unnecessary and unfortunate.

Five of six associate justices  Rhonda Wood, Barbara Webb, Shawn Womack, Cody Hiland and Nicholas Bronni  issued an administrative order Friday saying Chief Justice Karen Baker did not have the authority to fire 10 Administrative Office of the Courts employees for whom shed prepared termination letters.

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Some AOC employees, including the director, cannot be terminated without approval from at least four of the Supreme Courts seven members, the five justices stated. Other workers cannot be fired without the AOC directors approval, which Director Marty Sullivan did not give.

In addition to Baker, Associate Justice Courtney Hudson did not participate in the administrative order.

Administrative_Order_24

Baker was sworn in Wednesday after becoming the states first elected female chief justice in November. Hiland and Bronni were also sworn in Wednesday as new appointees filling vacant Supreme Court positions, including Bakers former seat.

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On Thursday, Baker confronted Sullivan and Supreme Court Chief of Police Pete Hollingsworth about their responses to Freedom of Information Act requests involving her and said she was considering firing them, the administrative order states.

Baker could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon. Talk Business & Politics reported last month that Baker told Hollingsworth via voicemail that she did not want video footage of her entering Sullivans office when he was not present going around. Talk Business had requested the footage via FOIA, through which the video was publicly available.

Baker reportedly left Sullivans office disheveled and harassed AOC staff, and she brought both Hudson and Allison Hatfield with her to the office, though it was unclear whether they entered, according to Talk Business. Hatfield is a former law clerk for Baker and is now the Arkansas Department of Commerces chief of staff.

In response, a majority of the Supreme Court created a rule that justices cannot enter a locked office of anyone besides their staff without permission, Arkansas Business reported.

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Besides Sullivan and Hollingsworth, the AOC positions Baker attempted to fire Friday and the individuals listed on the AOC website in those positions were:

Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Karen Baker (Courtesy Photo)

Juvenile Justice Division Director Brooke Steen

Director of Judicial Education and Director of Alternative Dispute Resolution Programs Jennifer Jones Taylor

Director of Finance and Administration Sam Kauffman

Legal Services Division Director Kristin Clark

Court Information Systems Division Director Tim Holthoff

Court Information Systems Division Deputy Director

District Court Staff Attorney

Administrator of the Commission on Children, Youth, and Families.

If carried out, those terminations would disrupt the administration of justice across the state of Arkansas, the courts order states. The Chief Justice did not notify  let alone consult  the court before attempting to unilaterally fire these long-tenured court employees.

Baker declined her fellow justices requests to discuss the attempted firings, and she said she had millions of reasons for her actions but did not state any specific reasons, the order states.

When asked about those employees families and the fact that they were scared and fearful, the Chief Justice responded by saying that it was good for those employees to be scared, the five justices wrote.

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Some of the employees Baker tried to fire have pending human resources complaints against her from recent incidents, and the recipient of those complaints is Finance and Administration Director Sam Kauffman, who was among those Baker tried to fire, the order states.

Marty Sullivan statement

The five justices concluded that Bakers actions were retaliatory and issued an apology to the employees and their families. The order also said any firings on or after Wednesday in contravention of this order are hereby rescinded, effective immediately, and failure to comply may result in a citation for contempt of court.

The same five justices contacted the state personnel office within the Department of Transformation and Shared Services on Thursday, asking the office not to remove any AOC employees from the states payroll without their terminations coming from Sullivan or the majority of the court, as applicable. Sullivan shared the justices letter with the Advocate Friday.

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Sullivan has worked for AOC for 23 years. He issued a statement Friday confirming that Baker attempted to fire him and some of his staff without cause and that he is working to reinstate any employees who may be under the impression that their termination was official.

With the utmost respect for the Chief Justice, because no individual Justice has such authority, unless and until I am relieved of service by the Court, I will continue serving as Director of the AOC, Sullivan wrote. My dedication to the impartial administration of justice and the effective management of court operations remains steadfast.

Sullivan letter to Baker

He provided the Advocate with a letter he sent Baker on Friday, saying her behavior was reprehensible and calling his employees some of the finest public servants Ive ever had the pleasure to work alongside.

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Your actions today were disappointing and beneath the dignity of the office, Sullivan wrote. Despite the chaos caused today, I will ensure the Administrative Office of the Courts continues to serve the dedicated judges and court staff all across this great state with excellence as always.

Baker and Hudson have been at odds with the other five justices multiple times in recent months.

In August, Arkansas Business sent AOC a FOIA request for emails between Hudson and Lisa Ballard, the former head of AOCs Office of Professional Conduct. Ballard and two other employees left OPC in short succession in May. Her personnel file, which was obtained by the Advocate through a FOIA request, did not include a letter of resignation or list a reason for termination.

Hudson sued to block the release of the emails, and the other five justices referred Hudson and her attorney to their respective disciplinary commissions for flagrant breaches of confidentiality by filing emails of other justices into evidence in the lawsuit. Baker dissented, saying the other five justices had a fundamental misunderstanding of the FOIA and had damaged the Supreme Courts credibility. Hudson later made the emails public.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A violent string of armed robberies at Walgreens locations across Memphis leaves police searching for three suspects.

The robbers, caught on video, have made off with thousands of dollars. In each robbery, the suspects have been armed with guns, including an AR-style rifle.

The latest robbery occurred just hours ago at the Walgreens on Elvis Presley Boulevard. A gunman, armed with a black handgun, equipped with a laser, demanded money from the register and fled with over $700.

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This is the fifth Walgreens robbery in just a few weeks, with the first occurring on Dec. 11 at the Union location, when two males entered with firearms.

The suspects pointed the guns at employees and stole hundreds of dollars from the register. Police say they fled in a white, older model Nissan sedan.

On Dec. 22, a man entered the Walgreens on Macon Road in Cordova, armed with two firearms, and robbed the business at gunpoint. The suspect pointed both guns and demanded money, leaving with about $400.

The suspects have been described as two men, one with an average build and the other thin, both wearing all black and masks. A third suspect is believed to be the getaway driver.

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We watched the surveillance footage with King Jones, a regular at the Union Avenue Walgreens. He expressed concern about the trend of young people turning to crime and the trauma inflicted on employees who had guns pointed at them.

Its becoming like a societal norm. People robbing and stealing at young ages and living a lifestyle like this, Jones said. Its sad to see honestly. Theyre probably scared.

Police are urging anyone with information to come forward. Crime Stoppers is offeringf a reward for information.

The safety of our patients, customers and team members is our priority, Walgreens corporate office said in a statement. We are cooperating with Memphis PD in their investigation. Further questions should be directed to them.

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ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA)  An armed suspect who recently was released from prison following a 20-year prison sentence for murder was shot by Orlando police on Friday.

Around 2:20 p.m., officers responded to the area of John Young Parkway and Bus Center Boulevard in Orlando after receiving a call from the Orange County Sheriffs Office regarding a man walking around with a gun near a gas station.

Former Home Improvement star Zachery Ty Bryan jailed in Myrtle Beach

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The suspect, who was unnamed, was found on the sidewalk in front of a BP gas station, wearing all black clothing, and holding the gun, according to police.

When Orlando police arrived, they demanded the suspect to drop the gun multiple times. When the man refused, officers shot him.

He put my officers in a position where they had to defend themselves and protect the community, the police chief said.

Hernando County father killed, family injured in suspected DUI crash on NYE

Officials said the suspect is a convicted felon, who recently served a 20-year sentence in Miami-Dade County for second-degree murder, carrying a concealed firearm, and resisting an officer with violence. He was released from prison in 2023.

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He also has several charges related to aggravated battery, theft, and drug possession.

The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital where he is currently in stable condition.

The officer involved in the shooting was not injured and is on paid administrative leave. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct an investigation of the incident, while the Orlando Police Department will conduct its own internal investigation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

The state of mental health care in the U.S. is at a crossroads, with telehealth prescription waivers set to expire and millions of Americans left without access to crucial treatments. Physician executive Mikkel Hansen shares insights on leveraging data, FDA-cleared tools, and telehealth advancements to standardize ADHD care, ensure patient safety, and advocate for permanent solutions to the growing mental health crisis.

Mikkel Hansen is a physician executive.

He discusses the KevinMD article, How we can safeguard patients without restricting telehealth access.

Our presenting sponsor is DAX Copilot by Microsoft.

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Transcript

Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at kevinemd.com/podcast. Today, we welcome Mikkel Hansen. Hes a physician executive. Todays Kevin Emdy article is How We Can Safeguard Patients Without Restricting Telehealth Access. Mikkel, welcome to the show.

Mikkel Hansen: Thank you, Kevin.

Kevin Pho: So lets start by briefly sharing your story and journey.

Mikkel Hansen: Yeah, so, Im a trained physician, completed my medical degree out of Copenhagen University. Ive been working as a clinician in two different public national health care systems and in one private before I entered R&D roles primarily, first in pharmaceutical and then in the MedTech industry. Most of my work in those positions has always been related to the U.S., and I have based on that a good understanding of the U.S. health care system. Im now on my fifth year working as a medical director in a small but global medtech company called QB Tech.

Kevin Pho: All right. So lets talk about your KevinMD article, How We Can Safeguard Patients Without Restricting Telehealth Access. Tell us what this article is about for those who didnt get a chance to read it.

Mikkel Hansen: This article is about our views and concerns on a rollback of the DEA telemedicine waiver. So, theres a Ryan Haith Act or Consumer Protection Act from 2008 that requires physicians prescribing controlled substances to have a face-to-face visit with their patients before prescribing. Theres been a waiver as a consequence of the pandemic, allowing physicians to disrequire this requirement and prescribe remotely or based on virtual interaction, telemedicine. And this waiver has been extended, and it was about to expire at the end of this year, but there was no clear path forward afterwards.

So, we as a company have been involved quite intensely with the DEA and also the Office of Management and Budgets in order to provide our view and the risks we see. So the article is an outline of these concerns and also potential ways to address or help find a way to safeguard patients and clinicians as well, while allowing for more permanent implementation of telemedicine when prescribing controlled substances.

Kevin Pho: So, for those who arent familiar with prescribing controlled behavioral health medications, just tell us what classes or types of medications are involved with what were talking about here and how often a patient would need to either telehealth or not see a physician before prescribing or renewing these medications?

Mikkel Hansen: So, theres various classes of controlled substances, and the one thats relevant for this talk from our perspective is primarily ADHD medicationso methylphenidate, as an example, which is considered a stimulant and thereby a controlled substance, governed by the DEA. The mandatory face-to-face visit doesnt relate to actually assessing and diagnosing ADHD; it relates to the right to prescribe. That means that for a patient who has been assessed and diagnosed or is being assessed and diagnosed, in order for them to be able to get a prescription and fill a prescription, they need to go see a health care professional. And its a little bit unclear what the actual requirements are and how to document it in this context, but it has the potential to be a massive barrier for patients seeking access to care.

That is outlined in the article as well. If you look at the numbers, theres around 50 million Americans living with mental health issues, and thats approximately 350 Americans per mental health provider. And approximately half of the American population lives in mental health care deserts, so to speak, where its difficult for them to have access to a face-to-face visit with a provider, meaning that this will, regardless of numbers of visits required, be a logistic barrier, but also a mental barrier for people who are probably already in a situation where they dont have that many resources to plan, to coordinate, and to travel.

One of the interesting things in this context is that this Consumer Protection Act was implemented in 2008, and FaceTime was implemented in 2010. So a lot of things have happened since this act was enforced.

Kevin Pho: One of the things that you mentioned earlier was that this waiver has been extended several times since 2008. So what makes you think that now it may not be extended? What has changed?

Mikkel Hansen: Yeah, and thats actually the interesting part. And thats what I think is important also to inform the audience about, is that on the date of the publication of this article that were talking about today, the DEA also published another extension until 2025 of this waiver. So, they prolonged it another year and did some minor changes. And that is probably in the light of more than 30,000 comments they received and multiple partakings in hearings and listening sessions, also from QB Tech, representing a leader in objective testing in ADHD. And maybe also in anticipation of a change of government coming up, right? So, they extended another year, and what I found interesting in that text of the extension is that they are highlighting that this year will be spent finding permanent solutions, hence not just a rollback to how it was before. So potentially, theres a door open for collaborating around finding practical solutions that ensure that we implement safeguards but at the same time are not limiting access to care for a large proportion of Americans.

Kevin Pho: Now, you mentioned that the DEA has been having listening sessions where theyre gathering some public feedback for the potential expiration of these waivers. Do you know what some of that feedback is? What are some people seeing during these listening sessions?

Mikkel Hansen: One of the important parts is that you cannot just look at controlled substances as one group. And I think it was also clear how many people are actually dependent on these and how much it will impact their lives, both the practicalities of doing a face-to-face visit but, more importantly, if they do not manage to do that and they wont get their medication.

Turning to ADHD, which I think all clinicians have been exposed to in some shape or form, we see that theres a growing number of people being diagnosed with ADHD. Theres even increasing numbers of self-diagnosing, driven by all sorts of thingsmaybe increased awareness, maybe TikTok videos, and so on and so forth. And its a tricky thing. So I understand why you dont just want to have an open door for prescribing medication for everyone who might have ADHD or who are difficult to really convince that they do not have ADHD, but more importantly is to ensure that the ones who are really burdened by the symptoms and it has an impact on the quality of life, on their life expectancy, on potential criminal violations, on educational levels, and general health, that they get the care they need. And as I mentioned, they are typically less able to structure and plan a face-to-face visit.

So I think putting that focus on a specific patient group was picked up, and we were invited for additional calls and listening sessions afterward. But honestly, I think that the authorities in this field are overwhelmed by the feedback, and just processing more than 30,000 comments takes a long time.

Kevin Pho: So tell us the role of how data and technology can help with this issue in terms of targeting the right patient populations. Tell us the role of data and technology.

Mikkel Hansen: Yeah, so I think Ill start with ADHD and just summarize a little bit there, because ADHD is a clinical diagnosis, and that means that there is no measureno objective measureas part of the diagnostic criteria. So, in essence, you have a couple of rule-in criteria that relate to symptom levels, and then you have three rule-out criteria that relate to symptoms having been present before the age of 12, that your symptoms are impacting your well-being in more than one life settingso that could be work and home or school and homeand that theres no other diagnosis thats better explaining your symptoms.

But all of this relates to a patients perception of themselves, how they see themselves compared to others, their interpretation of different words and questionnaires asked by the physician, and it also depends on the clinicians perception of the diagnostic criteria. So what does it mean if you have a hard time sitting still often or very often? Thats relative. Its not quantifiable, and one clinician might have one level of making a decisionIs this often or very often?where another clinician would have another definition or mental threshold. So its subjective information, either provided by questionnaires or verbally from the patient, to a clinician who is also, in essence, doing a subjective evaluation of this information.

So where technology comes inand we at QB Tech, weve been working in this field for 20 years. We are active in 44 states in the U.S., 14 countries. We have actually just reached patient number 1,000,000 being tested by one of our objective tests, and weve worked with more than 10,000 clinicians. So were pretty into this area, and our mission is to improve the lives of people living with ADHD. We take that pretty seriously. But coming back to the technology part: Our tests measure the three cardinal symptom domains in ADHD, so its hyperactivity, its impulsivity, and its inattention.

We do so by a laptop-based test or a combination of software and hardware, but the common theme in both tests is the visual presentation of stimuli. So every other second, youll have a new stimulus, and if youre an adult, you need to remember the previous stimulus, and then you have to press a trigger if its the same. So theres a recall element to it. For children, they just need to present the correct stimulus. And this test takes 15 minutes for kids, 20 minutes for adults. So its pretty boring. I have done it many times myself as part of my role. It is quite boring. So its difficult to cope with sustained attention for such a long period of time. And while youre doing the test, we are, of course, recording your responses, so we can measure your error rate, but were also recording your activity levels. Were pretty unique in that field because we also measure your activity levels. So you might be able to cope and have not too many errors, but then youre most likely moving around a lot.

And we also have a database generated from background population in a similar setting, so its comparable. So you actually are provided with a score and a comparison to same-month age and also sex at birth. So we provide the clinicians with a tool to standardize or compare and reduce some of the biases that might be introduced. And we measure every 16th or 20th millisecond, so we have a lot of data points. We are cleared by the FDA for the aid in assessment and treatment monitoring in ADHD. And I think in this case, its quite relevant with the treatment monitoring, because we see that two hours after taking methylphenidate, we can see a significant response; we can see a significant improvement in your symptom levels when it comes to how much you move, how you respond, your reaction time, and variation in your reaction time. Thats an objective measure thats consistent, and we can even see circadian variation. We see those dependencies. We see that if you do this immediately after or the next day, three months after or six months after, we have the same ability to measure the impact of medication.

So this is a potential safeguard that can be implemented as a requirementthat you might get a prescription, but we need to see documentation that this medication is actually relevant for you in order to keep that prescription. And that is not dependent on a face-to-face visit. A face-to-face visit is basically dependent on a talk or questionnaires between the patient and the clinician. As outlined previously, questionnaires have the limitations of being subjective, and they are not designed for tracking treatment effect. So technology can come in and really objectify and standardize how you treat patients, monitor treatment effect, and it can easily be done. In fact, its most often done on a platform that enables virtual monitoring.

Kevin Pho: Now, you mentioned that these waivers keep having to be renewed, and you talk about a potential permanent solution. What is the permanent solution that you would like to see for this?

Mikkel Hansen: So I think that, of course, this act is there to avoid misusage of controlled substances, but if we turn it around and say, What is it that we want to achieve? we want to achieve the right diagnosis, we want to achieve the right treatment, actually the right improvement by treatment, for the right patient, and also ensure that prescriptions are filled as intended. So the last one, in my viewalso having worked in European health care systemscan only really be addressed by a central federal prescription database or registry thatll safeguard the clinicians because theyll have the opportunity to see what other medication this patient has been prescribed. That transparency doesnt really exist now, as I understand it, because different ecosystems have different registries, but a patient can shop around. So if they want to misuse the system, theyre able to do so.

When it comes to the right diagnosis and when it comes to the right way of monitoring treatment effect, technology plays a role. I strongly believe that its time to start implementing objective measures. Somewhat vague improvement measured by subjective measureswe know the limitations. We know that if a patient believes theyre improving, they will report that theyre improving, but its potential placebo. And theres also the potential that if you know the diagnostic criteria and what your clinician is looking for, you can just respond as they would expect you to respond to stay on medication or to get the diagnosis. So you can trick the system, and theres no real safeguard against that as it is now.

So for the diagnosis of ADHD, its the same issue that you can trick the system by giving the right responses. And I dont believe that a face-to-face visit will help that. I think, to some extent, its more difficult for a clinician to negate a very convincing patient who has answered all the right thingsor the wrong things, however you put itreports symptoms in childhood and that this impacts their lives in different ways. Its difficult for a clinician wanting to help to negate that, but having objective measures compared to peers and showing, You might believe that you have ADHD, but if you look at your performance in an objective test, youre doing really well, thatll facilitate that. So I think a more permanent solution should definitely include objective measures.

Kevin Pho: Were talking to Mikkel Hansen. Hes a physician executive. Todays KevinMD article is How We Can Safeguard Patients Without Restricting Telehealth Access. Mikkel, lets end with some short take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience.

Mikkel Hansen: Yeah, I think if we want to implement effective safeguards in telemedicine, I strongly believe it requires transparent collaboration, and for ADHD specifically, relevant objective data is needed for proper treatment monitoring. I do not believe a face-to-face visit in itself will solve this, but I also believe that, given the attention that ADHD is getting, objective data is also needed for standardization of the assessment process, for negating self-diagnosis, and for supporting meaningful research in the field. Hopefully, we can then gradually increase the robustness of what we define as ADHD and improvement from treatment.

Kevin Pho: Mikkel, thank you so much for sharing your perspective and insight. Thanks again for coming on the show.

Mikkel Hansen: Thank you for having me. It was a pleasure.
A major Ukrainian metal and mining company that makes so-called cope cages for the countrys tanks and fighting vehicles says it has installed a new armor protection system on at least one of Ukraines operational high-end air defense systems, with plans to produce more. The development comes from lessons learned in the war. First Russia, then Ukraine, began adding caging and additional armor to nearly all their mechanized equipment to provide some level of protection, primarily against drone attacks.

Today, Western air defense systems donated to Ukraine are among Russias highest priority targets, with strikes on them from various types of lower-end drones and more advanced standoff munitions, including time-sensitive attacks using drones for spotting and Iskander ballistic missiles for the strikes. Artillery can also pose a danger for those systems located close to the front.

The Metinvest Group on Friday said it has designed a system using nearly 200 armored steel plates, up to 8 mm thick, that are attached to the sides of a Western-donated air defense systems command module. The total weight of the armor exceeds 2.6 tons but does not affect the systems functionality or mobility, Metinvest claimed. It is a part of the firms broader Steel Front wartime production initiative, which has also been churning out pre-fabricated protected shelters, body armor, and other kinds of materiel for the Ukrainian armed forces.

Protective armor panels were installed on a German-donated IRIS-T air defense command module. (Metinvest)

The company said the system is designed to protect against shrapnel, without mentioning any specific weapon. Even protection from nearby strikes could be critical to the survivability of air defenders and their vehicles as many of these air defense systems are made up of multiple mobile or semi-mobile components. If one is directly targeted, armor could help save the prized command vehicle and its occupants nearby. The same can be said for some cluster weapon and artillery attacks.

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We developed the project from scratch in a month and a half, and, following the blueprints, manufactured a shield for the crews of the Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system using Metinvests Ukrainian armor steel, said Oleksandr Myronenko, chief operating officer of Metinvest Group and head of the Groups dedicated steel production for the needs of the Ukrainian army. This shield guarantees protection against fragmentation damage for both the defenders and the air defense control system. Our experienced engineers also supervised the assembly of the armor.

Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Col. Yuri Ignat told us that the protection system was actually installed on a German-made IRIS-T SLM air defense system now deployed in Ukraine. You can see the command module for that system in the video below and the images at the top of this story. The reason for the discrepancy is unclear, but it could very well exist on both types. We have reached out to Metinvest for details.

   Additional armor for the Ukrainian command post of IRIS-T SLM air defense missile system from Germany. pic.twitter.com/Oxo6wfGRgg  MAKS 24   (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) January 3, 2025

Ukraine has received two types of IRIS-T-based systems from Germany. The IRIS-T SLS is for short-range protection while the IRIS-T SLM is for medium-range. Both fire variants of the IRIS-T missile were originally designed for air-to-air applications. Germanys Diehl Defense makes the IRIS-T. Ukraine has received six SLMs and five SLSs.

The IRIS-T SLM system components. (Diehl Defense)

To date, Ukraine has lost several components to Western-donated Patriot, IRIS-T, and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) air defense systems, according to the Oyrx open-source tracking group. At least two M901 launchers for MIM-104 Patriot systems have been destroyed and an AN/MPQ-53 radar damaged. At least one MAN SX45 88 launcher for an IRIS-T SLM system was destroyed and a TRML-4D multi-function radar was damaged while two NASAMS launchers have been destroyed, the group states. The actual figures are very likely to be significantly higher because Oryx only tabulates losses for which it has visual confirmation.

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Metinvest said it has drawn on its previous experience with armored vehicles to develop the new protection system for the air defense systems.

The Group has mastered the production of steel screens for the main domestic T-64 and T-72 tanks, American M1 Abrams tanks, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and is preparing to integrate them into various Leopard 2 modifications, the company noted. To date, more than 300 screens have been delivered to the military.

Back in March, we profiled the companys development of the Abrams caging. From the pictures Metinvest released of the Abrams equipped with the screen, the array was extensive with a main screen on top of the turret and others around the front, sides, and rear. The full configuration looked to have additional angled sections that close the gaps between the top and side panels. In the image below, you can see very small gaps left open for the Abrams side-mounted launchers used to fire smoke grenades to help conceal the tank. It is worth noting that FPV drone operators have been proven very adept at using available gaps, even small ones, in armor screens and other defenses to slip in and make attacks.

Ukrainian Abrams tanks are emerging with new factory-standard anti-drone cope cage armor screens and additional explosive reactive armor a month after they were reportedly pulled from the front lines due to drone threats. (Metinvest) Metinvest

Another image provided by the company shows an additional screen attached to the rear of the hull.

A picture showing the screen around the rear of the hull. This also has the Steel Front initiative logo at the top right. (Metinvest)

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As Metinvests press release at the time made clear, the main purpose of the new and elaborate factory-made cope cage for the Abrams is to help protect these high-value tanks against first-person view kamikaze drones. Highly maneuverable and carrying warheads that detonate on contact, armed uncrewed aerial vehicles of this type have become a near-constant scourge on both sides of the battlefield in Ukraine. FPV types, in particular, are now talked about as being on par with artillery in terms of battlefield significance. Russia has also steadily challenged Ukraines initial dominance in this field, as well.

One air defense expert we talked to questioned Metinvests claim that the added weight of the armor on the SAM command module wont affect its mobility.

Adding 4,600 pounds to any vehicles above the standard load plan is a lot of weight, David Shank, a retired Army colonel and former commandant of the Army Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, told us on Friday. I would submit that this weight would hinder the performance of the prime mover which pulls these large trailer systems.

Thats an important consideration, Shank added, given that Ukraine frequently moves around its air defense components to address emerging threats.

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Any added protection for air defense crews will be welcome regardless, especially for the systems that are operating forward, well within the reach of multiple Russian threats.

The Latest

On the battlefield, Russia continues to chew up territory in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions in the eastern part of Ukraine.

Here are the key takeaways from the latest Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessment:

Kursk: Ukrainian and Russian forces continued combat engagements in Ukraines salient in Kursk Oblast on Jan. 1 and 2, but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline.

Kharkiv: Russian forces continued offensive operations near Vovchansk (northeast of Kharkiv City) on Dec. 31 through Jan. 2 but did not make any confirmed advances.

Luhansk: Russian forces reportedly advanced northwest of Kreminna amid continued offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on Jan. 1 and 2.

Donetsk: Russian forces recently advanced near Siversk, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, Kurakhove and Vuhledar but did not gain any ground near Chasiv Yar or Velyka Novosilka.

Zaphorizhzhia: Russian forces recently advanced in western Zaporizhia Oblast amid continued offensive operations in the area on Jan. 1 to 2.

Kherson: Russian forces continued attacks in the Dnipro River area and on the islands in the river delta on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 to 2.

NEW: Ukraine's decision to not renew its contract to transport Russian gas through Ukrainian territory will likely significantly impact Russian gas revenues despite Kremlin posturing to the contrary. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/GmphwIsFeZ  Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) January 3, 2025

Sweden will give Romania SEK 300 million (about $27 million) to replace the Patriot system components it donated to Ukraine, the Swedish Defense Ministry (MoD) announced on Friday.

The Immediate Action on Air Defence (IAAD) project is led by Germany and aims to support Ukraines air defenses with donations of various air defense systems and to support through joint funding those nations that have chosen to donate air defense systems to Ukraine, according to the MoD. Sweden reported interest in participating in the project during the autumn.

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Romania is in need of financial resources to re-get projectiles, sensors, and other Patriot-type equipment as a replacement for the systems donated to Ukraine in 2024, the MoD noted, adding that the funds come from previously announced aid packages to Ukraine.

Sweden is providing 300 million Swedish krona as part of the German IAAD initiative, which aims to strengthen Ukraine's air defence. The funds will go to Romania, which will be compensated for the donation of an MIM-104 Patriot fire unit that was delivered last year. pic.twitter.com/HzVMzQ0M7C  German Aid to Ukraine (@deaidua) January 3, 2025

The strong and unpredictable nature of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could work in Kyivs favor, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a recent television interview.

I would very much like President Trumps unpredictability to be directed primarily toward the Russian Federation, Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader doubted Trump could live up to his promise of ending the nearly three-year-old war in just one day. However, the hot stage of the war can end quite quickly if Trump is strong in his position, Zelensky suggested.

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You can read more about Trumps potential approach to Ukraine in our deep dive here.

  US President-elect Donald #Trump's "unpredictability" could help end the war with #Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr #Zelensky said in an interview Thursday.



Trump has previously said he will end the nearly three-year conflict "in 24 hours." pic.twitter.com/Kb27Q3Ce5k  FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) January 3, 2025

Zelensky also said Trump responded favorably to the possibility raised by French President Emmanuel Macron of Western peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine to oversee an agreement that stops the fighting.

But I raised an issue, saying we didnt hear what specific countries will join this initiative, and whether the U.S. will be there, noted Zelensky, who met with Trump and Macron in Paris last month. Zelensky added that while the idea of European troops on Ukrainian soil is a good idea, it will take more than a symbolic gesture of just a few thousand.

President Zelensky is in serious talks about deploying a significant NATO contingent from multiple countries to Ukraine. This isnt about symbolic gestures. This is about action.



If I were a Russian soldier, Id start running home now because soon, gathering ashes might be the pic.twitter.com/5CWDrtvvWQ  Victoria (@victoriaslog) January 3, 2025

While Zelensky lauded the idea of European troops providing a buffer against Russia, one of his top advisors urged caution about relying on allies too much.

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As it stands, NATO has the troops but not the psychological preparedness to defend a potential invasion by Russia, Mykhailo Podolyak said in an interview.

 NATO countries have shown total psychological unpreparedness for a possible war with the Russian Federation  Advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine Podoliak



According to him, although they have the necessary weapons, they are not ready to use them.



NATO without pic.twitter.com/2uH1xgqOVR   MilitaryNewsUA  (@front_ukrainian) January 3, 2025

Zelensky repeated his claim that the August invasion of Russias Kursk region is a significant advantage in Ukraines diplomatic efforts, particularly with nations in the Global South.

Kursk is a very strong trump card in all negotiations, especially with countries that are very important to us, particularly those in the Global South, he said, according to the Ukrainian Ukrinform news outlet. I never anticipated it would have such a significant influence, as these nations had been under the sway of invincible Russia.'

Zelensky added that Russias decision to send North Korean military personnel to Kursk was a tactical blunder.

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They [the Russians] took the North Korean contingent. Where did they send it? To that very place [to the Kursk region]. I believe that this is a tactical mistake on their part, he suggested.

As we have previously reported, of about 12,000 North Korean troops sent to Russia, more than 1,000 have been killed or wounded in Kursk, John Kirby, White House National Security spokesman, told reporters, including from The War Zone.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the Kursk operation as a significant advantage in Ukraine's diplomatic efforts.



He described it as "a very strong trump card in all negotiations".



1/2https://t.co/qLyApVpNyR  Alexander Kokcharov (@alex_kokcharov) January 3, 2025

In 2024, Ukraine saw the return of nearly 1,400 troops and civilians from Russian captivity, Zelensky said.

Their fates are different, but they are equally happy to return home, he explained. Each and every one of them for the sake of whom a large Ukrainian team worked. We must do everything to ensure that in 2025, there will be even more such good news and returns of our people. Thank you to our partners who help.

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In 2024, we managed to bring 1,358 of our people back home to Ukraine from Russian captivity. These are our soldiers and civilians.



Their fates are different, but they are equally happy to return home. Each and every one of them for the sake of whom a large Ukrainian team pic.twitter.com/AxTPYlmYhv  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) January 3, 2025

Ukraine has launched an investigation into a French-trained military unit that reportedly suffered nearly 2,000 desertions before hitting the battlefield in Pokrovsk, including 50 troops who absconded while in France.

Ukraines State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is examining the actions of the 155th Mechanized Brigade after accusations of mismanagement and massive desertions were made by Ukrainian journalist Yuri Butusov, according to the Suspline news outlet.

The investigation is ongoing, SBI told Suspline on Thursday. It is too early to talk about any preliminary results.

On Dec. 31, Butusov, editor of the Ukrainian Censor.net news outlet, wrote a scathing story claiming his investigation found a host of problems with the brigade. Its founding was an organizational chaos from its inception and faced manpower shortages even before leaving for France as 2,500 troops were sent off to other units. That removed many of the most qualified personnel from the brigade.

Of the 1,924 soldiers eventually sent to France, only 51 had more than a year of military service, while 1,414 had served for less than two months, Butusov noted. Making matters worse, between March and November, more than 1,700 soldiers deserted, Butusov claimed without providing evidence. Though the unit was replenished with new recruits, these often did not undergo a proper selection process, the journalist posited. Butusov blamed Ukraines leadership, including Zelensky and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky.

France fully fulfilled all obligations for arming and training the brigade, which the Ukrainians demanded, Butusov wrote. But during the training stage of the new brigade in France, more than 50 servicemen fled. This raised questions among the French leadership about the seriousness of the Ukrainians attitude to the implementation of such an expensive project. This approach seriously discredits Zelenskys entire plan, and therefore a scandal began.

The military, meanwhile, blamed the brigades commander, Dmytro Riumshin for those desertions. He was dismissed in early December alongside several other top officers. The new commanders were unaware of the problems plaguing the unit, adding to the confusion, Butusov wrote.

Beyond the desertion problem, the 155th Brigade did not receive drones or electronic warfare equipment from the Ukrainian command, Butusov argued. In addition to poor organization and insufficient training, that is said to have contributed to the losses the unit suffered once deployed in combat in November.

This is indeed a crime, but the crime is not of soldiers and officers  but of the leaders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chiefs Headquarters, the Ministry of Defense, and the General Staff, who continue to waste lives and state funds on new projects, instead of strengthening experienced and combat-ready brigades, Butusov concluded.

The War Zone cannot independently verify his claims.

French-trained Ukrainian brigade probed following mismanagement and desertion accusations



Ukraine launched an investigation into the Anna of Kyiv Brigade following reports of inadequate personnel screening, equipment shortages, and desertion cases.https://t.co/X0cTxHNj6w  Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) January 3, 2025

A Russian assault on a Ukrainian trench position using quads reportedly resulted in heavy casualties. The following video shows Ukrainian FPV drones chasing down and destroying the mounted and dismounted Russian troops. It is claimed that the Ukrainian 12th Azov Brigade halted the attack, and destroyed the vehicles, killing and wounding hundreds.

A group of Russian assault troops on seven quad bikes launched an attack on Ukrainian positions.



The 12th Azov Brigade halted the assault near the trenches, destroying the enemy's light vehicles and inflicting numerous casualties, both killed (200s) and wounded (300s). pic.twitter.com/uT1a0ATICX  WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated) January 3, 2025

The horror of trench warfare in the snowy battlefield of eastern Ukraine is captured in this video of troops fighting in the Luhansk region.

Trench warfare in the woods of Ukraines Luhansk war is hell

pic.twitter.com/A1anUTNC2Y  Illia Ponomarenko  (@IAPonomarenko) January 3, 2025

That battle involved several troops. The following video depicts a Ukrainian soldiers approach to a Russian position devolving into a desperate close-quarters knife fight that shows what men will do to survive the war. Warning, it is extremely graphic.

Post Unavailable

There have been a lot of modifications made to equipment during this conflict by both sides. The following video shows one such improvisation  a bathtub welded as a sidecar to a motorcycle.

A modified Russian assault motorcycle with a bathtub welded to the side, destroyed somewhere on the frontline. Video filmed by Russians. pic.twitter.com/tfxg18jWUy  Special Kherson Cat   (@bayraktar_1love) January 2, 2025

Another video shows a North Korean soldier admiring a makeshift anti-drone weapon consisting of six AK variant assault rifles mounted on a moveable metal platform.

North Korean soldier in Russia admires a makeshift anti-drone device, saying it could help conquer the U.S. if North Korea had such technology. pic.twitter.com/oX90tZVYzX  Clash Report (@clashreport) January 3, 2025

And finally, while both sides continue to develop counter-drone capabilities, at least one FPV drone was downed in a most unusual way  by a cat.

Cat intercepts civilian FPV in mid-air. pic.twitter.com/wZPsAa9Fx7  Special Kherson Cat   (@bayraktar_1love) January 3, 2025

Thats it for now.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
Jan. 3An Arnold man who admitted to fatally shooting a home intruder in self-defense was sentenced Friday to serve up to 17 years in prison because he wasn't allowed to own guns.

Malique Jamal Black, 26, pleaded guilty in October to weapons and drug charges in three cases dating to 2022 in which prosecutors said he sold drugs and illegally possessed guns. One weapon, a stolen .45-caliber Glock handgun, was used in the Jan. 12, 2024 self-defense shooting of Allen L. Austin Jr., 29.

Austin was shot after he broke into Black's Fourth Avenue home, where nearly $40,000 in cash and illegal drugs were kept, police said.

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Black, according to court records, claimed he grabbed a gun after he heard glass break while he and friends were upstairs playing video games. Black told investigators he shot an unknown intruder as he came up the stairs.

Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli declined to pursue homicide charges against Black and determined the shooting was justified.

Witnesses said Austin was not alone when he broke into Black's home, but no one else has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting.

Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker argued for a lengthy prison sentence for Black, saying his criminal history of repeated illegal gun possessions and pending drug charges led to the fatal shooting.

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Black was a convicted felon barred from possessing firearms and was free on bail awaiting weapons and drug charges at the time of the fatal shooting, according to prosecutors.

"He was a known drug dealer in the New Kensington area. Yes, someone broke into his home and he shot him, but if he hadn't been in possession of drugs and cash this might not have happened. It's no coincidence someone broke into his home," Ranker said.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears sentenced Black to serve 5 1/2 to 12 years in prison for illegal gun possession in connection to the fatal shooting.

The judge also imposed a consecutive 2 1/2 to five-year prison sentence for illegal gun possession related to a 2022 search of the same home in July 2022. According to court records, police found three guns, ammunition, 15 pounds of marijuana, crack cocaine and heroin.

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The judge said he took into account that Austin's shooting was in self-defense, but could not ignore it was done so with a weapon Black was not permitted to possess.

"I've got to send a message because he has been here ... before," Mears said.

Black was also charged in 2023 and pleaded guilty to drug counts related to a search of his vehicle following a traffic stop in Lower Burrell.

Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
(FOX40.COM)  Auburn City Manager Sean Rabe announced Lt. Bryan Morrison as the Chief of Police on Jan. 3.

Im so pleased to have such a well-respected person take over the reins of the Auburn Police

Department, City Manager Sean Rabe said. Bryan has the temperament, professional skills,

and vision to lead this department.

Lt. Morrison has around 26 years of experience in the police industry and four of those are as a Lieutenant for the Auburn Police Department, said in a press release by the city of Auburn.

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Officials said he has worked for the department for over eight years beginning as a police officer and working his way up.

Lt. Morrison holds a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and has been waitlisted for the FBI Academy.

The fact that Bryan is already working in the department is an added bonus, Rabe said. Hes

prepared to lead the department from day one.

Lt. Morrison said he looks forward to furthering the collaboration between the community and the police department to continue making it a great place to live, work, and visit.

I thank City Manager Rabe for his trust and confidence in selecting me for this crucial

position, Morrison said. Working for the Auburn Police Department has been the highlight of

my career, and Im excited to continue working with the wonderful women and men of this

department in this new capacity.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
HECTOR, N.Y. (WETM)  A more than two-year audit by the New York State Comptrollers Office on the Town of Hector in Schuyler County revealed thousands of dollars of unauthorized payments and illegitimate time-off for some town employees.

The findings, released on Dec. 20, revealed that 10 of the 53 town employees received payments totaling $150,155 that were not authorized by the town board, according to the audit. Along with this, it was found that 20 of 23 eligible employees inaccurately accrued or recorded leave time totaling 1,830 hours with a value of $38,586, the audit reports.

The audit took place between January 1, 2022, and April 3, 2024, when officials from the comptrollers office reviewed all 53 employees payrolls to determine if they were approved by the board.

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The audit found that the board didnt approve salaries for the Deputy Higher Superintendent and the supervisors confidential secretary and did not approve pay rate increases for eight other employees.

Southern Tier Orthodontics to declare bankruptcy

When it came to unapproved time off, the audit found that Supervisors A, D, and the current supervisor inappropriately granted accrued leave for employees beyond amounts allowed in the employee handbook or highway contract. The report also found that Supervisors C, D, and the current supervisor would allow the carry-over of unused personal and vacation leave for employees on the employees anniversary dates, violating the employee handbook guidelines.

The comptrollers office reviewed the leave records for 23 employees and found 766 hours of leave time that went against the towns guidelines, valued at $17,252 in the records of 20 employees.

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Unauthorized payments were found to three former town employees during the more than two-year audit period. The payments totaled $48,063 and were split up among the three former employees. The audit found that the bookkeeper correctly calculated the payments using board-approved pay rates, but one payment of $5,271 was made to a former employee without board approval. The payment was found to be for unused vacation leave, but there is no mention in the town handbook of providing unused vacation money to former employees.

A full detailed audit report can be found below.

hector-town-2024-85Download

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
BOSTON, Mass. (SHNS)On the cusp of losing her power to appoint members to the Health Policy Commission board, Auditor Diana DiZoglio plans to fill a vacant spot next week.

The auditor is appointing Karen Coughlin, the former vice president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, to the HPC board, DiZoglios office told the News Service Friday. It would mark DiZoglios first  and likely only  appointment to the board.

Minority leadership unchanged in blue Massachusetts

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While commissioners are tapped to serve five-year terms, Coughlins tenure could be short-lived due to a restructuring of the HPC board thats included in a hospital oversight bill (H 5159) awaiting Gov. Maura Healeys signature. DiZoglio contends the appointing authority change is retaliation from top lawmakers in response to the auditors quest to probe the Legislature.

DiZoglio, Healey and Attorney General Andrea Campbell each currently have the power to appoint three members to the board. With DiZoglio losing her seats under the HPC overhaul, Healey would instead appoint six members, including two nominated by House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka.

Under the board changes, members shall continue to serve until the expiration of the terms for which they were appointed or until June 30, 2025, whichever first occurs, according to the bill. That means the board essentially resets on July 1 for all appointees, not just commissioners tapped by the auditors office, a spokesperson for Sen. Cindy Friedman, a lead bill negotiator, said.

DiZoglios selection of Coughlin would fill the vacancy left by Barbara Blakeney, whose term recently ended. Under current law, Coughlins term would span through the end of 2029, the auditors office said.

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DiZoglios office said it plans to swear in Coughlin during a virtual ceremony next Friday. There arent additional steps to confirm Coughlin to the board, an HPC spokesperson said.

Former Auditor Bump had appointed Blakeney to the commission board, citing demonstrated expertise in the development and utilization of innovative medical technologies and treatments for patient care, according to the HPC. Blakeney, a past president of the American Nurses Association, was sworn in on Feb. 13, 2019.

Bumps other appointees, Timothy Foley and Patricia Houpt, are still serving. Their terms are slated to end on Nov. 1, 2026 and Dec. 31, 2025, without the board changes under the pending law, according to the HPC.

DiZoglio on Thursday called the loss of her appointing authority pure unadulterated retaliation on the part of legislative leaders.

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A Mariano spokesperson said the restructuring ensures that members of the HPC board or appointing authorities have active roles in the oversight of the state health care system. Friedman said the change was purely a decision to shift appointment authority to experts with deep background in health policy.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
SCIOTO COUNTY -An audit of the November election in Ohio has been released and Scioto County showed a voter turnout a few percentage points short of the rest of the state.

The audit reported a 100 percent accuracy rate of the states county boards of elections in the presidential election, according to the Secretary of States office.

Ohioans deserve to know that their elections are transparent, accessible, and accountable, said Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose. As 2024 comes to a close, I am proud to announce yet another 99.9 percent audit accuracy rate and am grateful for the hard work and dedication of Ohios bipartisan election officials who make it happen.

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The State of Ohio has 8,159,946 and 71.7 percent of those voters cast ballots in Novembers general election. That means just more than 5.8 million votes were counted statewide.

In Scioto County, there are 45,434 registered voters. The elections turnout was 31,496 on Nov. 5 for a mix of national, state, and local candidates and issues. That means 69.3 percent of Scioto Countys registered voters actually cast ballots in the most recent election.

This turnout was more than the mid-term election, which saw 47 percent of Scioto Countys voters turn out. In 2020, the last general election that included a presidential ticket, the county saw a 70 percent turnout.

With important local races on the horizon in 2025, it is important to remember that every vote counts, LaRose said. Easy to vote and hard to cheat; that is our continued promise to every Ohioan.
The city of Aurora will soon be getting new digital roadside signs at no cost, but the signs will display advertisements alongside messages from the city.

Community Digital Displays, a company which currently has these signs in 15 other suburban communities across the Chicago area, will build, maintain and operate digital signs that feature the citys branding, according to a presentation given by company representatives at the Dec. 17 Aurora City Council meeting.

The City Council approved a 20-year agreement with the company at that meeting.

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Instead of paying rent for placing the signs on city property, the company will instead let the city place community messages on the signs for free. Aurora will get at least one of every eight advertising slots, which each last for 10 seconds at a time.

Most of the other slots will be sold as traditional advertisement to national corporations, Aurora-based small businesses or nonprofits, which will get a discount, company representatives said at the meeting.

The first sign to be constructed will be at the Aurora Municipal Airport and will be a unique design. If the city were to build this sign itself, it would cost around $250,000, according to a staff report included with the meetings agenda.

The airport sign is planned to be 30 feet tall and 27 feet wide with a 9-foot by 18-foot digital display, renderings of the sign show.

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Other signs are set to be placed at gateways into the city, although their exact location and number was not decided at the meeting. Their design is set to be smaller than the airport sign, with a total size of just under 12 feet tall and 15 feet wide with a 6-foot by 12-foot digital display, renderings show.

These signs would normally cost the city around $100,000 each, according to the staff report.

All of the digital advertisements will be static images with no flashes or movement, according to Community Digital Displays Bill Przybylski.

He said the city will be able to use the signs for community events, Amber alerts, severe weather alerts and more.

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In addition to constructing, maintaining and operating the signs at no cost to the city, the company will also not charge for art or design work for the citys community messages on the digital display, Przybylski said.

Beyond the benefits to the city, the signs will also benefit local businesses by providing an alternative advertising source, which specifically could help out mom and pop businesses, he said. The company also partners with local chambers of commerce to help the local community, he said.

A number of aldermen had concerns about the signs, including with their size. Alds. Ted Mesiacos, 3rd Ward, and Bill Donnell, 4th Ward, both said the signs were almost billboard-sized.

Some aldermen were also concerned about the placement of the gateway signs, since the number and locations of these signs had not yet been determined.

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Originally it was proposed that the mayors office would choose the location of the signs, but after a lengthy discussion, aldermen voted 7-5 to require the location of the signs be approved by the City Council Building, Zoning and Economic Development Committee, with the option for aldermen to appeal the decision to the full City Council.

Ultimately the Aurora City Council voted 9-3 to approve the agreement with Community Digital Displays. Alds. Mesiacos, Donnell and John Laesch, at-large, voted against it.

Mayor Richard Irvin recused himself from the discussion. He said that, although he did not have a conflict of interest, he would recuse himself to avoid the appearance of one.

rsmith@chicagotribune.com
(Bloomberg) -- Austrias Chancellor Karl Nehammer said hell step down as head of government and chairman of the conservative Peoples Party after failing to form a new coalition following September elections.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The move raises the chances of repeat elections, while the conservatives could also appoint a leader who, unlike Nehammer, is willing to form a government with the far-right Freedom Party, which won the most seats at the September ballot.

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Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the provincial leader of Lower Austria and a conservative power broker, said the partys leadership will meet on Sunday and discuss the next steps. Snap elections would require backing from a majority in the parliaments lower house.

Potential candidates for the conservative leadership include Karoline Edtstadler, a former minister for constitution, as well as ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who could stage a comeback after resigning in 2021 due to a corruption probe, the Kurier newspaper said, citing party sources it didnt name.

Nehammers announcement ends three months of efforts to form a centrist coalition. Talks had narrowed down to the conservatives and the Social Democrats on Saturday after the liberal NEOS abandoned negotiations earlier in the week. Nehammer subsequently said on Saturday hes also ending talks with the Socialists.

An agreement has not been possible on significant core issues, Nehammer said in a statement on X. I will step down as chancellor as well as leader of the Peoples Party in the following days, and facilitate an orderly handover.

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Freedom Party leader Herbert Kickl stands to capitalize the most from the political turmoil thats hitting Austria at a difficult time, with large swathes of its economy facing headwinds and its budget in need of consolidation.

Kickl led the far-right group to its first ever election victory in September, securing 28.8% support. But his policy initiatives had proven too toxic for the other parties, including opposing support for Ukraine, criticizing coronavirus policies and pushing for mass deportation of immigrants.

In a statement on Saturday, Kickl said the Peoples Partys next steps will be a litmus test for whether it has at least begun to understand the will of voters.

While the Freedom Party has been part of the Austrian political establishment for more than half a decade, a government led by the party would be a first for the country and comes amid a surge in radical far-right groups across Europe.

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Talks to form a centrist coalition had been initiated by President Alexander Van der Bellen, who had ignored the tradition of requesting the party leader with the largest caucus to start negotiations to form a government. With other parties rejecting a coalition with Kickl, Van der Bellen gave the mandate to Nehammer.

--With assistance from Jonathan Tirone.

(Updates with details throughout.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said he planned to resign in the coming days after talks between his conservative party and the Social Democrats to form a new government collapsed on Saturday, casting the nation into a political crisis.

In a video message, Nehammer said he would also resign as leader of the Austrian People's Party (OVP).

His announcement came shortly after the party broke off coalition talks with the Social Democrats (SPO), some three months after general elections.

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"It is evident that the destructive forces within the SPO have gained the upper hand," said Nehammer, confirming the end of these talks as well.

Nehammer's announcement came just hours after the OVP and SPO began discussions over forming a government earlier on Saturday, following the liberal NEOS party's withdrawal on Friday from weeks-long talks over what would have been a historic three-way coalition.

The talks were a series of attempts to prevent the far right from coming to power after it won parliamentary elections at the end of September.

Far-right fears

The far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) emerged as the clear winner from the September vote, marking the first time since the end of World War II that a far-right party has won a parliamentary election in Austria.

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However, no other party has been willing to work with the FPO or its leader, Herbert Kickl.

On Saturday evening, Nehammer made it clear that he was still not prepared to hold coalition talks with the FPO under Kickl.

"It is my deep conviction that radicals do not offer a solution to a single problem," said Nehammer.

However, his party's business wing favours a coalition with the FPO over the SPO.

Nehammer said he opposed the FPO under Kickl due to its pro-Russia stance and lack of differentiation from far-right groups.

SPO leader Andreas Babler blamed the conservatives who flirted with the far right for the failure of a potential grand coalition, as the centrist parties' tie-up would have been known.

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Now Austria faces the threat of "a far-right chancellor," Babler said.

It is unclear who will succeed Nehammer, whether the OVP might negotiate with the FPO as a possible junior partner or whether new elections will be called.

Rumours of Sebastian Kurz's comeback

Austrian media reports citing conservative sources have recently suggested former chancellor Sebastian Kurz could become the next leader of the OVP.

Kurz governed as chancellor with the FPO from 2017 to 2019 and then with the Greens, but retired from politics in 2021 amid corruption investigations which are ongoing.

Pollsters see FPO on the rise

The next move must be decided by President Alexander Van der Bellen, FPO leader Kickl said, with a view to a possible government mandate, which he had previously been denied. "After the events of today, [the president] is under pressure to act."

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Should new elections be held, the FPO could hope for a resounding victory after the latest polls signalled a further large increase in votes compared to the elections, suggesting the party could improve its result from 29% to around 35%.

Austria in economic crisis

Austria is in the throes of an economic crisis and at the same time has to make severe cuts in order to meet the EU criteria for financial stability.

Striking a balance between austerity measures and measures to boost the economy is considered the main task of a new government.

Any new Austrian government faces immense tasks which require a smoothly functioning coalition.

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It faces structural problems including the pension system, which has long since ceased to be covered by contributions. The state has to spend a large part of the budget on supporting pension payments.

Due to expensive wage agreements, unit labour costs are no longer competitive from the point of view of the Industrial Association. Unemployment is around 7%.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has announced plans to resign in the coming days after coalition talks between his conservative party and the Social Democrats to form a new government collapsed on Saturday.

In a video message, Nehammer said he would also resign as leader of the Austrian People's Party (OVP).

His announcement came shortly after the party broke off coalition talks with the Social Democrats (SPO).

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"It is evident that the destructive forces within the SPO have gained the upper hand," said Nehammer, confirming the end of these talks as well.

He underlined that the OVP would not agree to any programme that is hostile to the economy and performance.

At the same time, Nehammer made it clear that he was still not prepared to hold coalition talks with the far-right FPO under Herbert Kickl.

"It is my deep conviction that radicals do not offer a solution to a single problem," said Nehammer.

However, his party's business wing favours a coalition with the FPO, which won September's parliamentary elections, over the SPO.

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Nehammer's announcement came just hours after the OVP and SPO began discussions over forming a government.

Their brief talks began a day after the liberal NEOS party's withdrawal from weeks-long coalition talks with the OVP and the SPO over what would have been a historic three-way coalition.
It was rich to watch the TV pundits, who excel at creating storms in a teacup, feigning shock at the public response on social media to UnitedHealthcares CEO being gunned down. They were aghast at the over 57,000 laugh emojis on the statement of condolence platitudes put out by UnitedHealthcare. Mr. Smercornish on CNN was properly clutching his pearls and, after some scolding, declared at least the responders on the phone to his poll question were not that crass and had voiced their concerns more responsibly. After all, the victim had a wife and two children.

The talking heads missed the plot. What about the tens of thousands who die in the U.S. every year due to health insurance shenanigans, are denied health care, or are financially ruined? All those hyperventilating should at least faint at the scandalously poor quality of care in the richest country in the world. That it stood out was because the manner of death was unusual for a CEO of an insurance company. What of the nameless who cannot afford lifesaving treatment for their loved ones, not even a cab (forget an ambulance!) ride to an emergency department? Death by poor health care is routine and not newsworthy.

Another difference is that the CEO had an individual identity, and one could also point to him being a husband and father. The thousands who suffer or die at the hands of the health insurance industry are an anonymous mass and, therefore, denied the same particular acknowledgment. The insurance industry seems unaccountable, other than perhaps to its stockholders. That picture of hardware in the killers spine hints at a story. Apparently, the industry made one victim too many. It was as if the killers action was a finger pulled out of the dyke, and a flood of dammed resentment came crashing through. The social media responses from the general public were visceral and brutally honest, bearing the pain of those who had helplessly and long suffered.

If there are any people in the world who positively celebrate anothers success and, rather than being envious, aspire to achieve the same, it is the Americans. So, why the vitriol against a successful individual brutally gunned down on a New York street? It may have to do with how that success was achieved. The health insurance industry should take note.

A company is not an unalterable behemoth or a giant subterranean fungus. An institution is what its people make it, not vice versa. When policies and practices are undertaken that harm its clients, it is done by a person or persons, not the passive office building bearing the companys name and insignia. In a drive for profit that is insensitive to the life and health of people, sharks, not Mother Teresa, rise to the top. Who is ultimately responsible for the culture, policies, and procedures of a company? The buck stops with the CEO.

Rather than taking a long, hard look at how matters came to a head, leaders of other health insurance companies vanished from their company websites and coughed up millions for their personal security. To be insecure in ones own backyard is quite a price to pay for success.

Nor does the blame lie entirely with the health insurance industry. Given the opportunity, it is human nature to take a mile when given an inch. Hence, the necessity of checks and balances. This brings us to the politicians, especially those scolding the hoi polloi for sympathizing with the killer instead of the victim, who seemingly achieved his position by stepping all over them. Had there been effective accountability measures in place, the tragedy may not have occurred. That there is no such system is largely due to politicians beholden to special interest (including health insurance) donors.

Consider this: It is a given that a government (including that of the United States) would spend appropriately to maintain an effective military force and find it unthinkable to farm out that responsibility to mercenaries because it was more cost-effective. Nor would dispensing justice be contracted out to a private company. So, if supporting those situations does not go against the grain of capitalism, how does providing satisfactory health care to its citizens become objectionable and cause politicians to raise the specter of socialized medicine? Just call a rose by another name, if they must! The politicians misguide the electorate with their smoke and mirrors. Needless to say, they are hypocritical when they then wag their fingers at the behavior of the masses.

Trust is another essential ingredient for human society to function properly. That trust is abused at the risk of accountabilitythe latter being the sword of Damocles, so to speak. Widespread abuse of trust and lack of accountability have created the Frankensteins monster that is our health care. People pay through their noses for the promise of coverage that turns out to be a mirage come the hour of need. Insurance or no insurance, a health event may bring financial ruin. Those who have suffered at the hands of the health industry usually have nowhere to turn. More often than not, when wronged, they lack the deep pockets of the health insurance industry and hospitals to pursue their cause legally. Can they be blamed then for lauding David instead of Goliath?

So, to all the pundits and politicians wagging their fingers at public misbehavior: chill. Had you done your jobs, there would have been no need for Robin Hood.

Shah-Naz H. Khan is a neurosurgeon.
By Francois Murphy

VIENNA (Reuters) -Talks between Austria's two main centrist parties on forming a coalition government without the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) collapsed on Saturday, prompting conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer to announce he would step down.

A day earlier a third party, the liberal Neos, walked away from the talks, blaming the other parties for failing to take the bold and decisive action it said it had called for.

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"I will stand down as chancellor and as leader of the People's Party in the coming days and enable an orderly transition," Nehammer said in a video statement on X, after talks with the Social Democrats (SPO).

The coalition talks' collapse three months after September's parliamentary election underscores the growing difficulty of forming stable governments in European countries, such as Germany and France, where the far right is on the rise but many parties are loath to partner with them.

The eurosceptic, Russia-friendly FPO won that election with roughly 29% of the vote. It would have needed a coalition partner to govern but Nehammer ruled out governing with FPO leader Herbert Kickl, meaning no potential coalition partner for the FPO was forthcoming.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, a former leader of the Greens, therefore tasked Nehammer with forming a government. Now that Nehammer is stepping down, the two most likely options are either that Kickl is tasked with forming a government or a snap election is called.

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Nehammer has described Kickl is too much of a conspiracy theorist to lead a government yet has said much of the FPO is trustworthy.

Kickl, however, is not an outlier within his party, which overlaps with Nehammer's party on issues such as immigration.

The leadership of Nehammer's People's Party (OVP) was due to meet on Sunday morning to discuss who should succeed him. Whoever takes over is likely to be more open to a coalition with the FPO, which a large portion of the OVP favours.

The two parties governed in coalition under OVP leadership from 2017 until 2019, when the FPO's then-leader was felled by a video-sting scandal and that coalition collapsed.

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FAR RIGHT RISING

Support for the FPO has grown since the last election. It holds a lead of more than 10 points over the People's Party (OVP) and the SPO, opinion polls show.

That poses a dilemma for President Van der Bellen, who has expressed reservations about Kickl becoming chancellor.

SPO leader Andreas Babler confirmed at a news conference that the talks had collapsed, blaming Nehammer's party for seeking to skimp on pensions and salaries for teachers and police officers. Nehammer blamed the SPO for insisting on taxing wealth and inheritance, the SPO's flagship campaign policy.

"We know what threatens to happen now. An FPO-OVP government with a right-wing extremist chancellor that will endanger our democracy on many points," Babler said.

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Kickl, who has consistently railed against the coalition talks and Van der Bellen's decision not to task him with forming a government, again likened those talks to the three-party "traffic-light coalition" in Germany which recently collapsed.

"Nehammer, Babler and Van der Bellen have also failed. They were the architects of the loser traffic light (coalition) and are now confronted with the ruins of their Kickl prevention strategy," Kickl said in a statement.

"Alexander Van der Bellen bears a significant share of the responsibility for the chaos that has arisen and the time that has been lost ... After today's events, he is under pressure to act."

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; editing by Jason Neely)
The conservative Austrian People's Party (OVP) has broken off coalition talks with the Social Democrats (SPO), dpa learned from party sources.

It comes just one day after the two parties announced they would enter discussions to form a government, following the liberal NEOS party's withdrawal from weeks-long coalition talks with the OVP and the SPO.

Representatives of the OVP and SPO first met for two-way talks in the chancellery on Saturday, but there had been fears that they might struggle to reach an agreement given their divergent ideas as to how to overcome the country's economic crisis and reorganize the state budget.

Austria's parliamentary elections in September were won by the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), but no other party as been willing to work with the FPO or its leader, Herbert Kickl.
Sunah Kim was waiting for her son at a weeklong camp at Tac City Airsoft training center in Fullerton on Thursday afternoon when people rushed in screaming that they had heard a loud crash and saw dark clouds of billowing smoke nearby.

They were yelling, holy s, there was a crash, camp referee Peter Roberts said. I thought they were talking about something else, not one that happened right next to us.

Kim and a center employee raced to her vehicle and drove around the corner to find a furniture warehouse fully engulfed in flames. A small plane from Fullerton Airport had just crashed into the building.

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Read more: Shock, questions after Fullerton plane crash kills 2, injures 19

Kim, a nurse who lives in Seal Beach, said she had worked on trauma teams previously and couldnt believe she just happened to be nearby.

Kim said she entered a chaotic scene with badly burned workers, pieces of the aircraft's wreckage and tools and furniture strewn about.

Two occupants of the plane were killed and 18 people on the ground were injured in the crash, authorities said.

A small plane crashed through the roof of a commercial building just east of Fullerton Airport. (OnScene.tv)

The names of those killed had not been officially released as of Friday evening, but in an Instagram post, the Huntington Beach High School soccer team identified them as junior soccer player Kelly Reid and her father, Pascal. Pascal Reid of Huntington Beach was the registered owner of the plane, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

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"Yesterday our soccer family suffered an unimaginable loss. Kelly Reid and her father Pascal were tragically lost in a plane crash," the post states. "Kelly was an amazing girl ... genuine and kind with such passion for life."

The crash occurred at the warehouse in the 2300 block of Raymer Avenue just after 2 p.m. Thursday. Authorities identified the aircraft as an experimental, single-engine Vans RV-10.

Video from a security camera captured the moment the plane hit the roof of the Michael Nicholas Designs furniture warehouse store, exploding in a fireball and sending thick clouds of dark smoke and bright orange flames into the sky.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators said the plane had climbed about 900 feet after takeoff but then the pilot immediately called back to the control tower and asked if he could return. The tower cleared the pilot to land and the pilot made a 180-degree left turn, then flew downwind and crashed into the building, authorities said.

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On Friday, an employee from the furniture store waited outside for a call from her supervisor. She wanted to get access to some medicine and personal items she had left in her desk.

They just told us to leave everything and we did, and now we cant get it for who knows how long, said the employee, who identified herself only as Katerina, citing fear of retaliation. Some people left cars here because we were told that the investigators needed everything untouched.

Rescue personnel tend to the injured after a small plane crashed through the roof of a warehouse in Fullerton. (OnScene.tv)

Katerina was inside in a different part of the warehouse when the plane crashed into the building. She said she heard the terrible sound and then saw the translucent curtains that separated her department from another catch fire.

We just started screaming and ran out, she said.

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Katerina and dozens of employees escaped out the back entrance.

Were in the middle of a furniture warehouse, she said. I still cant believe what happened.

Kim, the 16-year Cedars-Sinai clinical nurse, said she was impressed with how people came together in crisis.

In that moment, when youre in there, youre trying to do anything you can to help, Kim said. The Tac City staff showed bravery in recognizing what was going on and responding.

She and the Tac City employee immediately tended to wounds, while triaging injured workers, prioritizing those most badly burned.

We moved those who needed to see a burn unit immediately from others so when emergency personnel arrived, they knew who to help first, Kim said. I had my small emergency kit in my car and did as much as I could.

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Kim said that she continued to work as firefighters, paramedics and others arrived on the scene.

I think they allowed us to continue to help because they were grateful for the help.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The European Union will closely watch the political process developing in Syria and stand by the country if it moves toward a peaceful and open future but it will not back Syria's Islamization, Germany's foreign minister said on Friday.

Annalena Baerbock, who together with her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot travelled to Syria on Friday on behalf of the EU,

She told the German nightly news program Tagesthemen that the EU is waiting to see what will develop in Syria after years of absolute oppression under long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown just over four weeks ago.

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"But of course we, as Europe, will not be a financier for the Islamization of a society," she said.

Baerbock and Barrot met with Syria's de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa during their visit.

Baerbock told the public broadcaster that her first impression was of a divided society. On one hand, there is hope for freedom after all the years of civil war, torture and oppression. On the other hand, many are concerned that hopes could be dashed for women and religious and ethnic minorities.

This was addressed very clearly, she said. By the end of the discussions, the new Syrian rulers had emphatically acknowledged that they understood this and wanted to consider the issue of women's participation, Baerbock added.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  BPD is asking for the communitys assistance in locating an at-risk, missing teen last seen near east Bakersfield.

Seriah Medrano, 15, was last seen Jan. 2 in the 2100 block of Sacramento Street. at about 10 p.m. Medrano is considered at-risk due to her being a first-time runaway.

missing medrano

Police describe Medrano to be 5 feet, 4 inches tall and about 100 pounds. She has burgundy hair and brown eyes.

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Total number of homicides in Kern County drops to lowest yearly rate in a decade

She was last seen wearing a black windbreaker, black sweatpants and black flip flops.

Anyone with information regarding Medranos whereabouts is encouraged to contact the

Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
BANGOR, Mich. (WOOD)  A Bangor police officer is on paid leave as the department looks into how he responded to a call from a citizen group that conducted an online predator sting.

The Bangor Police Department said in a statement Thursday that officials were aware of a video regarding alleged solicitation of a minor and a group reporting the incident to an officer.

Though the department did not directly reference the video, it said the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

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The early Wednesday Facebook Live video was posted by a group called Bikers Against Predators. In the video, the group said it was meeting a man who was attempting to meet a minor in Bangor and questioned him.

As the video continued, a police officer arrived.

What kind of service do you want from me? the officer can be heard saying.

The group and the officer then got into a dispute over filing a report.

Well, file a police report for a crime being committed. Its accosting a minor for illegal purposes, Robert Bloom, president of Bikers Against Predators, said in the video.

In the ensuing back-and-forth, the group member explained what type of material Bikers Against Predators could provide to police. The officer said that full documentation would be needed.

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Absolutely. Thats why we are here. Thats why we called you. We are trying to file a police report, Bloom said in the video.

Speaking to News 8 Friday, Bloom said he understands that a lot must be done before someone can be arrested, but the group wanted an initial report on file.

As law enforcement officers, we have to do better as just people and showing respect, Bloom said. Theyre hired to serve and protect and I believe that on this day, our community was let down by law enforcement.

The group later posted screenshots of an online dispute with a man who it says is a Bangor reserve officer.

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You can see in the statements we posted that he was making, that  we should be violent with these individuals and then post their names and things like that. That really put a bad taste in our mouth, Bloom said.

The police departments Thursday release said a volunteer reserve officer is no longer with the program.

Bangor City Manager and Police Chief Justin Weber said the initial solicitation allegations are being taken seriously.

Police came down and spoke to the parties that were there. The individual has a mental disability and that maybe his cognitive abilities are pretty limited, but the case is being investigated and turned over to the Van Buren County Prosecutors Office for review, he told News 8.

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While the investigation is ongoing, Weber said the Bangor Police Department is going to use the situation as a learning opportunity to better prepare its officers to handle similar calls.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Jan. 3SYRACUSE  A man has been arrested in Syracuse for a stabbing on Thursday evening.

Syracuse police responded to a stabbing at Huntington Street Bar & Grill at 11:37 p.m. Thursday.

On the scene, police said they found Allen Harper Jr., 38, of Syracuse, in the alley, and Travis Luke, 52, of Syracuse, inside the building. Luke, reported as the victim, was transported by ambulance to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne for treatment of multiple stab wounds.

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Harper was transported by ambulance to Lutheran Hospital in Warsaw. Upon release he was transported to the Kosciusko County Jail where he was booked on a charge of battery with a deadly weapon.

The stabbing was reportedly the result of a physical confrontation that occurred between the two men in the alley.

The investigation is ongoing currently.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes)  It is with heavy hearts that the family announces the passing of Barbara J. Raines. Barbara departed for Heaven on Thursday, December 26, 2024, after an extended illness.

Barbara was the third of four daughters born to the union of John Thomas Raines, Jr. and Audrey Zeigler in 1953, Youngstown, Ohio.

Find obituaries from your high school

Barbara attended Campbell Memorial High School class of 1971. She went on to attend California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, earning a Bachelors Degree in Communications. She then earned a Masters Degree in Communications from Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey.

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Barbara was the ultimate communicator, she lived the life of her dreams. She spent over 40 years in Southern California working for Max Factor, Hughes Aircraft, Lockheed Martin and The Boeing Company.

Barbara had an adventurous nature traveling to Europe, Africa and South America. She touched many lives through her kindness, compassion and vibrant spirit. She ultimately made her home in Youngstown, Ohio to care for her ailing mother.

Barbara will be remembered and forever missed by her sisters, Debra Bryant (Richard) and Sharon Raines-Finn; her nephews, Donald Raines (LeTigra) and DJ and Damon Raines; two uncles; her favorite, Aunty M (Mary Royster) and numerous cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Janice Raines, grandparents and many cousins.

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To honor her request there will be no services held but just keep her memory in your hearts.

F. D. Mason Memorial Funeral Home, Inc. has been given the honor to serve the family during this time of bereavement.

A television tribute will air Monday, January 6 at the following approximate times: 5:17 a.m. on WKBN, 8:39 a.m. on FOX, 5:21 p.m. on WYTV and 6:35 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
It doesnt take much to imagine the trial of being homeless, living outside in the snow and sub-freezing temperatures predicted to descend on Kansas City beginning this weekend.

Im not sure how much a human being can handle, Josh Henges, the houseless prevention coordinator for the city, said Friday, but what it feels like is that were looking at the upper limits of what humans can really take.

Weather forecasters have warned of ice, sleet and as much as 13 inches of snow falling between Saturday night and Monday. Homeless advocates say they are prepared.

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I will say, I have been through two of these, what I call snow apocalypses, said Terri Megli, chief executive officer of City Union Mission, whose separate overnight shelters for men and women house up to 200 people. Were ready for snow apocalypse 2025.

Stay inside

Among preparations: 100 extra low-barrier beds are being set up at area shelters, raising the number of such beds from 300 to 400. Low-barrier shelters waive requirements for entry, such as sobriety or rules concerning pets.

At City Union Mission, extra food has already been stocked. Cooks, who typically go home at night, have agreed to bed down at their shelters Saturday and Sunday nights so they can be on hand to cook breakfast in the event that roads are blocked by snow. If nearby roads become impassable, the mission has its own plow.

City Union Mission has activated its winter protocol.

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If it is 32 degrees wind chill or actual temperature, we dont ask people to leave (in the morning). We really want people to stay inside, Megli said.

Henges said that he and his team, in contact with homeless people in close to 200 encampments around the city, are advising people seeking overnight shelter not to simply show up. They instead want them to go to one of three navigation centers, where they will be assigned a shelter.

They are the Hope Faith Homeless Assistance Campus, 705 Virginia Ave., Hopecity KC, 5101 E. 24th St., and Unity Southeast, 3421 E. Meyer Blvd.

The United Way, through its 2-1-1 call center and online at 211kc.org, also offers a list of shelters by ZIP code throughout the Kansas City area, along with a long list of warming shelters.

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Homeless advocates plan all year for events such as the one anticipated this weekend.

We spend 12 months every year planning for cold-weather shelters, Henges said. Each Wednesday morning, the areas Emergency Cold Weather Planning Committee meets at Hope Faith for that purpose.

A blanket for her dog

Jaynell KK Assmann, a nurse practitioner and founder of Care Beyond the Boulevard, said the groups staff and volunteers began passing out extra cold-weather gear at area homeless camps before the new year.

Our team went out Tuesday night, Assmann said, because we knew this was coming.

Care Beyond the Boulevard is a nonprofit that provides mobile and on-site medical and mental health care to homeless and other vulnerable people. The effects of the storm, she said, are unlikely to be seen immediately. Cold-weather injuries, such as frostbite, tend to appear in the subsequent days and weeks, she said.

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Sometimes, when you have these super, super cold snaps, she said, it offers an opportunity. You can get in touch with people who havent sought services before. The storms allow advocates to help people who might not have previously sought help.

As much as advocates urge people to seek shelter, Assmann said, some still decide to stay in the cold  not because they dont want to take shelter, but because they feel they cant.

For some people dealing with mental illness, tight crowds of people inside shelters or warming centers can be triggering. Also, most shelters and warming centers dont allow pets.

People stay out, Assmann said. Some people feel they dont have a choice. Our patients dont often have a lot of connections. And their pets are their connections.

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Last year, during a bitter cold week, Assmann said, she and her husband went around the homeless camps passing out blankets and offering rides to shelters and warming centers. A woman turned her down, but made a request.

She asked for an extra blanket, Assmann said. But it wasnt to keep herself warm, she said.

It was for her dog.
Jan. 3Alaska gets a new U.S. House representative Friday when members of the 119th Congress are sworn in.

Republican Nick Begich III bested Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola in the November election. Peltola was sworn in to the U.S. House in September 2022, after winning a special election to replace longtime Rep. Don Young, who died after 49 years in office.

Begich, who campaigned on carrying out President-elect Donald Trump's agenda, is one of more than 60 new members joining the U.S. House on Friday.

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He joins Congress 54 years after his grandfather, Democratic U.S. Rep. Nick Begich Sr., who disappeared in 1972 during a flight from Anchorage to Juneau.

Born in Alaska, Nick Begich III was raised by his maternal grandparents in Florida and returned to Alaska as an adult, bringing with him a conservative brand of politics that set him apart from his uncles  former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich and former state Sen. Tom Begich  who were both elected as Democrats.

This will be Nick Begich III's first experience in elected office. He previously founded a company focused on offshoring information technology jobs to other countries.

The U.S. House on Friday is expected to elect its speaker. In a social media post, Begich said he supported current Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican. Begich's statement came after Trump endorsed Johnson, who had faced criticism from far-right Republicans.

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[Mike Johnson's bid to remain House speaker looks shaky despite Trump endorsement]

Begich co-signed an opinion piece published by the Washington Examiner, in which he said that Johnson had helped flipped Alaska's lone U.S. House seat from Democratic to Republican control. Alaska's congressional race was one of the most expensive in the country, and saw massive spending from groups aligned with Johnson.

"Speaker Johnson and his leadership team worked tirelessly to deliver the Republican House Majority," Begich wrote in his social media post, adding that "unity in the Republican conference is necessary for delivering on the America First agenda."

Begich in December announced initial staffing decisions, including hiring Michael Horanburg as his chief of staff. Horanburg previously served as chief of staff to a one-term Republican congresswoman from New Mexico, Rep. Yvette Herrell, who was elected to the U.S. House in 2020 and lost to a Democratic challenger in 2022.

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Begich also hired Kevin Swanson as legislative director. Swanson previously worked for Young and Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

Begich's state director is expected to be Rick Whitbeck, who previously worked for Power the Future, an energy nonprofit that championed the oil and gas industry, and before that for GCI, Alaska's largest telecommunications company.

Silver Prout is set to serve as communications director. She previously worked in Murkowski's office and for the executive branch during Trump's first term.

U.S. House proceedings and swearing-in ceremonies can be viewed on C-SPAN.
A tech firm demonstrates the walking capability of an SA01 bipedal robot during the 26th China High-Tech Fair (CHTF) in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province, Nov. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]



High-quality development, the "primary task" in building China into a modern socialist country in all respects, showed further advancements in 2024 as the world's second-largest economy saw its economic power, scientific and technological capabilities, and composite national strength continue to grow, according to the government.

At a press conference held in Beijing on Friday, Zhao Chenxin, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), highlighted some key achievements in terms of high-quality development last year.

Growing innovation strength -- Zhao said China rose to the 11th position in the Global Innovation Index rankings last year, and continuously made major innovation achievements, such as the lunar probe project and heavy-duty gas turbines.

Innovation-driven development also led to accelerated steps in upgrading traditional industries, developing emerging industries, planning future industries, and building a modern industrial system. In addition, high-tech manufacturing saw higher growth rates compared to the overall growth rate of the manufacturing industry, Zhao said.

Solid steps in coordinated development -- Zhao indicated that China last year thoroughly implemented coordinated regional development strategies, with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area further strengthening their roles in championing coordinated regional development.

In terms of urban-rural coordinated development, more than 3 million job opportunities were provided through work-relief programs in rural regions in 2024. Meanwhile, steady progress was made in providing urban residency registration services for people from rural regions, and urban renewal projects were rolled out in an orderly manner.

Green transition acceleration -- the country in 2024 issued guidelines on accelerating the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development as it seeks to achieve its dual carbon goals. Zhao said the large-scale equipment renewal and consumer goods trade-in programs rolled out in 2024 had boosted the consumption of more green, low-carbon and energy-saving equipment and products.

China also speeded up its implementation of major projects to protect and restore important ecosystems. In the first three quarters of 2024, the average density of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities at prefecture level and above had dropped by 3.6% year on year.

Broadened international cooperation -- China last year continued to expand its opening up and intensified efforts in building new institutions for a higher-standard open economy. Restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector were eliminated, while the nation's imports and exports maintained relatively fast growth. China also successfully hosted the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Zhao said Belt and Road cooperation had continued to make solid progress last year, noting the signing of cooperation plans with countries including Brazil, Peru and Singapore. Also, cumulative China-Europe freight train trips had surpassed 100,000 in 2024.

Shared development for the people -- Zhao said China last year intensified efforts to stabilize employment, increase people's income and improve the quality of public services. According to NDRC data, China added 11.98 million new jobs in urban regions in the first 11 months of 2024, an increase of 180,000 year on year.

Zhao added that China had achieved another bumper harvest in 2024. Its grain output last year for the first time exceeded 700 million tonnes. The country also steadily strengthened its energy production, supply, storage and marketing systems in 2024, resulting in a greater capacity to meet energy demands during peak periods.
Songgwangsa Temple (Photo by Hyemin Lee)

Jogyesan Provincial Park is known as one of top 100 famous mountains of South Korea. The park is home to two significant temples that have been preserved for over 1,000 years.

A visit to one or both temples can guarantee you a deeply therapeutic experience. The trail leading to these ancient temples is peaceful and easy to navigate. Midway through the journey, as you meander through the green forests, you can take a moment to dip your feet into the refreshing waters of the cool stream for some relaxation. The harmonious scene of the majestic forests, stream, and temples creates an atmosphere where you can forget worldly worries and soothe your soul.

Mt. Jogyesan (Photo by Hyemin Lee) Mt. Jogyesan (Photo by Hyemin Lee)

Songgwangsa Temple

Songgwangsa Temple was built in the late Silla period during the 10th century and is one of the three principal Buddhist temples in Korea.

This temple stands as the center of Korean Buddhist history as it has produced 16 National Masters, or Guksa, which are the highest rank a monk can attain. Many Buddhist practitioners around the world come here to cultivate their minds and participate in their temple stay programs.

Address: 132-2, Sinpyeong-ri, Songgwang-myeon, Suncheon-si, Naver Map

Hours: 8 a.m.  6 p.m. (Apr. to Oct.) / 9 a.m.  5 p.m. (Nov. to Mar.)

Songgwangsa Temple (Photo by Hyemin Lee) Songgwangsa Temple (Photo by Hyemin Lee) Songgwangsa Temple (Photo by Hyemin Lee)

Seonamsa Temple

Seonamsa dates to the 6th century and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. In particular, the temples Haewuso Hall is a must-visit place which houses many important Buddhist cultural relics.

The temple is also famous for the stunning views of the surrounding landscape, stream and Seungseon Bridge.

Address: 771-9 Jukhak-ri, Seungju-eup, Suncheon-si, Naver Map

Hours: 7 a.m.  6 p.m.

Seonamsa Temple (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization) Seonamsa Temple (Photo courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization)

Things to know

Entrance to the temples is free.

Due to the proximity to Nakan Eupseong Folk Village, many travelers include these destinations on the same trip route.

There is a hiking trail that allows you to visit both temples within 2-3 hours. You can start at either temple and follow the trail leading to the other. For more details, ask staff at the entrance of a temple and pick up a map.

Planning to visit only one temple due to limit of time? Try visiting Seonamsa Temple if youd like to enjoy the landscape of Seungseon Bridge and wild tea. If you want to appreciate a magnificent temple in harmony with nature, head to Songgwangsa temple.

Wild Tea House

Along the way to Seonamsa Temple, stop by the Wild Tea House for a nice cup of tea and traditional snacks in a lush forest setting.

Address: 450-1 Seonamsa-gil, Seungju-eup, Suncheon-si, Naver Map

Hours: 9 a.m.  6 p.m. (Closed on Mon.)
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Ursuline went over the century mark in a high-scoring affair on Friday in a matchup with Massillon, 101-84.

Noah Bell scored 30 while Jaylen Gunther added 29 for the victorious Fighting Irish. DaShaun Will and Jace Riccardo added 18 and 14 points, respectively.

Ursuline (7-3) has won 6 of its last 7 games. The Irish will take on East at home on Tuesday.

For Massillon, Chris Knight led the way with 25 points.

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After jumping out to a 3-0 start, the Tigers have fallen in their last two games against Newark and Ursuline.

Massillon returns home on Saturday to face Cleveland JFK.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
BELOIT, Ohio (WKBN)  WKBN 27 First News told you Thursday about the recruiting of shavees for this years St. Baldricks fundraiser, and now we are learning that a West Branch graduate has a primary role with the organization this year.

Morgan Loudon is an ambassador to spread the message of funding cancer research. The 20-year-old is on a mission to make a difference because she knows kids deserve long and healthy lives.

Morgan knows about childhood cancer. She was diagnosed with a soft tissue cancer (rhabdoid tumor) above her kidney at 8 years old.

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Pretty much the only thing that I knew about cancer was like those Saint Judes commercials that you would see on TV. So the 1st thing I asked was, Am I going to lose my hair? You know, when youre 8? Thats kind of like a big thing to you wash your hair, Loudon said.

She did lose her hair while enduring 10 rounds of chemotherapy and a month of radiation. It was a tough fight, but Morgan has celebrated being cancer-free for eleven years.

So at the time I didnt think much of it now I definitely think more of it. But at the time it was just kind of like, okay, Im sick. And these doctors are going to make me feel better, she said.

Morgan was chosen to be an ambassador for St. Baldricks, which wants to conquer childhood cancers. Every year it helps people raise money by having them shave their heads. Morgans parents and sister have done it. People shaving their heads while thinking of Morgan has raised over $15,000 for the organization.

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I was already bald. I considered that my duty to save St. Baldricks. But no! After my hair started growing back. I liked it, and I wanted to keep it so I have not shaved my head, Morgan said.

She is completing her human nutrition studies in May at Ohio State and believes in the work of St. Baldricks, which funds research in the fight against cancer.

You know, lets say theres a study that is looking at a certain childhood cancer. You know the odds of that study being able to help more cancers is high. So I think thats why St. Baldricks is great, she said.

After Morgan graduates, shes going to Colorado to be a science teacher, before going to more school to become a physician assistant.

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St. Baldricks is recruiting shavees for this year. You can find out how to register online.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
Another Floridian has been called up to be an ambassador for President-elect Donald Trump. This time it's Cuban-American businessman and horse-breeder Benjamin Leon Jr., Trump's pick for ambassador to Spain.

"Benjamin is a highly successful entrepreneur, equestrian, and philanthropist," Trump said in a post Thursday to Truth Social, the social media site he owns. "He came to the U.S. from Communist Cuba at 16-years-old, with only Five Dollars in his pocket, and proceeded to build his company, Leon Medical Centers, into an incredible business."

This makes at least eight ambassadors with Florida ties, including Mike Huckabee (formerly of Santa Rosa Beach) to Israel, Kimberly Guilfoyle (West Palm Beach) to Greece, Dan Newlin (Orlando) to Colombia, Dr. Peter Lamelas (West Palm Beach) to Argentina, Callista Gingrich (North Naples) to Switzerland, John Arrigo (Jupiter) to Portugal, and Kevin Marino Cabrera (Coral Gables) to Panama.

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Since 2023, according to FEC records, Benjamin Leon Jr. has donated at least $3 million to political campaigns, including $1.18 million to the Trump support PAC "Make America Great Again Inc," nearly a million to the Trump 47 Committee, Inc. PAC, and contributions to the Republican National Committee and multiple races and state Republican campaign committees.

Who is Benjamin Leon Jr.?

Benjamin Leon Jr. speaks at a Florida International University event honoring him for his $10 million donation to the FIU CasaCuba cultural center in January, 2024.

Born in Oriente, Cuba, Leon, 80, came to Miami with $5 in his pocket as an exile when he was 16, shortly after the Cuban Revolution, after being arrested for stating his anti-communist views, according to an interview with the Star-Banner. His family came over later the same year. Leon delivered the Miami Herald and worked as a dishwasher, factory worker, grocery store stockman and baker.

Earlier coverage: Benjamin Leon has big plans for Besilu Stables in Marion County

Realizing the flood of Cuban immigrants to the area needed Spanish-speaking medical care, Leon's father, Benjamin Leon Sr., and some partners founded Clinica Cubana in 1964. Leon later became the first Director of Member Services. With his father, Leon founded Clinica Asociacion Cubana (CAC) in 1970, one of the first health maintenance organizations in the United States. and later helped develop the first Health Management Organization (HMO) in Florida.

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In 1996, Leon founded Leon Medical Centers, Inc. to provide comprehensive healthcare to Medicare patients. Leon's son, Benjamin III, currently serves as the CEO. The Leon Medical Centers Health Plans, an HMO, was started in 2005 but is now owned by Cigna.

Miami businessman Benjamin Leon is shown in 2011 at Besilu farm near Orange Lake, FL.

The Leon family donated $10 million to Florida International Universitys Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in 2008 to establish the Benjamin Leon, Jr. Family Center for Geriatric Research and Education, an Eminent Scholars Chair and use of Leon Medical Centers medical facilities as a teaching institution for medical school students. Four years later, Leon Medical Centers made a contribution of $5 million to Miami Dade College and established the Benjamin Leon School of Nursing.

Last year, Leon donated another $10 million to FIU, this time to build the FIU CasaCuba cultural and academic center on FIU's main campus to promote the "rich Cuban heritage."

Leon is married to Silvia Leon. The couple have two daughters, Silvia and Lourdes, and a son, Benjamin III.

Does Benjamin Leon Jr. raise horses?

Aside from his medical centers and philanthropy, Leon may be most passionate about horses.

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"Im what youd call a Cuban hillbilly," he said in 2011. "I always had horses as a kid. I remember competing in 18-inch or two-feet jumping when I was maybe 6, in the fair."

In 1981, Leon started buying horses, ultimately purchasing an entire herd of 24 horses from Dominican breeders and establishing Besilu Stables in Micanopy. He bred and owned many world-champion Paso Finos before switching to thoroughbreds in 2007 and racking up more awards. His biggest gamble and finest triumph was buying Royal Delta for $8.5 million in 2011. The filly went on to win more than $3.1 million in prizes and three Eclipse awards.

Since starting Besilu Stables, Leon has been investing in real estate in Marion County, including buying a home in Ocala in 2021 for $6.05 million.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala connections of Benjamin Leon Jr., Trump's pick for ambassador to Spain
President Biden on Friday awarded the Medal of Honor to seven U.S. Army soldiers, most of whom received it posthumously for service during the Korean War, in his last ceremony as commander in chief awarding the countrys highest military honor.

The soldiers honored Friday were recognized for distinguished acts of bravery as they rushed through enemy fire or risked their lives to save their comrades. Since most of the recipients have passed, Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to their families.

Biden said those honored Friday were heroes in different ranks, different positions, and even different generations, but each went above and beyond the call of duty.

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These heroes fought for, and many of them died for, ideals of America, the freedom we cherish, the democracy that has made our progress possible, Biden said. These are my final days as commander in chief. The greatest honor of my life [is] to be entrusted with the greatest fighting force in the history of the world.

Kenneth J. David was the sole recipient present to receive the Medal of Honor from Biden, who draped the medal over his neck during the ceremony at the White House.

In his remarks, Biden said David was a genuine hero.

Flat-out, straight up, American hero, Biden said. We owe you.

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David served as a radio-telephone operator and was a private first class when he deployed to Vietnam.

His company came under attack in May 1970, and he sought to draw enemy fire his way, engaging with enemy forces that had surrounded him in three directions with just a rifle and hand grenades.

David kept fighting to draw fire away from medevac helicopters, even after he was injured by shrapnel, and did not leave until the last helicopter had landed.

Ken himself was hit in the back with shrapnel but he couldnt and wouldnt give up. Instead, he shouted and fired his weapon to attract attention to him, away from others and away from the wounded man, Biden said. Imagine that courage.

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Biden awarded the medal to one other service member who served in Vietnam: Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr., who in June 1966 was an aircraft commander of a Huey helicopter that was downed by enemy fire.

After the helicopter crashed, Nelson freed two trapped specialists and covered the second one with his body, an act that killed him but saved the other service member.

The rest of the Medal of Honor recipients were honored posthumously and served in Korea, including the late Gen. Richard Cavazos, the first Hispanic four-star general in the U.S. Army who recently had Fort Hood renamed after him.

Cavazos, who passed away in 2017, was awarded the top medal for his actions in June 1953, when he led a raid on a vital enemy position and braved hostile fire to save five of his fellow soldiers.

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Also honored was Pfc. Charles R. Johnson, who was injured in June 1953 by a Chinese attack on his outpost, but who sought to administer first aid to his comrades and drag them to safety at the risk of his own life. Johnson, who was killed in action during the attack, is credited with saving 10 lives.

Cpl. Fred B. McGee was honored for actions in June 1952, when he took over command of his squad after the leader was wounded and stayed to ward off the enemy so his team could evacuate.

Pfc. Wataru Nakamura, in May 1951, drove off enemy forces from several bunkers before he was killed by a grenade, and Pvt. Bruno R. Orig was honored for saving several service members in February 1951 and pressuring the enemy with machine gun fire to allow for a withdrawal. He was killed in the firefight.

Also on Friday, Biden awarded the Medal of Valor, the highest award for a public safety officer, to eight individuals, including five who helped take down a mass shooter in March 2023 in Nashville.

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On Thursday, Biden awarded the second-highest civilian honor, the Presidential Citizens Medal, to 20 individuals, including former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who led a Jan. 6 committee investigating the U.S. Capitol attack.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor  the nations highest military award for valor  to seven US Army soldiers in a White House ceremony Friday, marking the last time he would preside over such an occasion as commander in chief.

These are genuine, to their core heroes. Heroes of different ranks, different positions and even different generations. But heroes who all went above and beyond the call of duty  heroes who all deserve our nations highest and oldest military recognition, the Medal of Honor, Biden said as he introduced the stories of courage and gallantry.

Six of the medal recipients were posthumously recognized decades after their heroic actions during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, while the seventh, then-Private First Class Kenneth J. David, attended the White House ceremony in person.

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Those honored posthumously were: Pvt. Bruno R. Orig; Pfc. Wataru Nakamura; Cpl. Fred B. McGee; Pfc. Charles R. Johnson; Gen. Richard E. Cavazos; and Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr.

Today we award these individuals a Medal of Honor, said Biden. We cant stop here. Together as a nation, it is up to us to give this medal meaning. To keep fighting. To keep fighting for one another, for each other. To keep defending everything these heroes fought for and many of them died for.

David shook Bidens hand to a room full of applause Friday as he received his medal.

In May 1970, Davids company came under an intense attack from a large enemy force. David, who was a radio-telephone operator, took up a position to engage the enemy and draw fire away from his fellow soldiers.

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Without regard for his own life, the White House said, he pushed forward.

Surrounded on three sides, David fought back with his rifle and hand grenades. His company had suffered numerous casualties, and when enemy forces tried to target the wounded, he jumped up and yelled to draw the attention back to himself.

After he was wounded, David stayed in the fight, drawing enemy fire away from the friendly helicopters that were trying to land to evacuate others. Only when the last helicopter landed did he retreat from his position, continuing to fire until he was finally evacuated.

Pvt. Bruno R. Orig

Orig was returning from a wire-laying mission near Chipyong-ni, Korea, in February 1951 when he saw several fellow soldiers who had been wounded during an enemy attack. He immediately administered first aid and began evacuating the wounded to safety with the help of other soldiers  becoming exposed to enemy fire. He was returning from one of those trips when he saw a machine-gun crew had been almost entirely wounded.

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Orig volunteered to man the machine gun, and he provided cover for a withdrawing friendly platoon. He fought in that position until they were overrun. The White House said when the lost ground was later recaptured, Orig was found dead beside his weapon, and the area in front of his gun was littered with several dead enemy soldiers.

Pfc. Wataru Nakamura

As a Japanese American, Nakamura was sent to an internment camp with his family after the attack on Pearl Harbor, his nephew, Gary Takashima, told reporters. Still, he enlisted in the Army as soon as he could, Takashima said, to show his loyalty and sense of duty to his country. He first served in Europe during World War II and was called up from the Reserves during the Korean War.

Gary Takashima accepts the Medal of Honor posthumously on behalf of his uncle, Private First Class Wataru Nakamura, from President Joe Biden. - Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Nakamura was killed in May 1951 in heavy fighting after he was attacked while checking and repairing a communications line between his platoon and a command post. According to the White House, Nakamura was fired upon while checking the communications line and found that enemy forces had surrounded friendly positions and were threatening to break the company defense lines.

Nakamura rushed the enemy with a fixed bayonet and destroyed a hostile machine-gun nest, driving them out of several captured bunkers, the White House said. He withdrew when he ran out of ammunition, only to rearm himself and return to the fight with other soldiers before he was killed by an enemy grenade.

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He would have been greatly honored to receive the Medal of Honor but would have felt all of this was too much for doing what he was supposed to, Nakamuras family told reporters last week.

Cpl. Fred B. McGee

In June 1952, McGee delivered a heavy volume of supporting fire during an assault on an enemys position, assuming command of his squad after several fellow soldiers, including his squad leader, were wounded. Under intense fire, McGee moved his gun several times to continue to support the assault, giving cover fire to other elements of his platoon. He ordered his squad to evacuate its position, but refused to follow suit, staying behind to evacuate the wounded and dead.

Though wounded in the face, he heroically exposed himself by standing straight up under intense enemy machine-gun and mortar fire and attempted to evacuate the body of the company runner, the White House said.

McGee died on January 3, 2020, his granddaughter, Kristen Lee Bailey, told reporters last week, adding that his acts on the battlefield came as no surprise, because he was always selfless, loving, and honorable in everything he did.

Pfc. Charles R. Johnson

Johnson was killed in June 1953 during an overwhelming nighttime attack by Chinese forces on his bunker. Despite being wounded, Johnson gave first aid to others, helping fellow soldiers and killing several enemy troops in hand-to-hand combat. Once reaching the safety of a second bunker, Johnson realized the situation was untenable and put himself between the wounded and the enemy forces, telling them he would hold them off as best as he could.

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His brave and selfless efforts saved the lives of as many as 10 soldiers, the White House said.

Garry Trey Mendez, Johnsons nephew, never got to meet his uncle. But he has met the men Johnson saved and learned about the story of heroism from them.

Its just so great to hear his story told to the nation at large and hopefully inspire everyone the way its inspired us in the family over all these years, he told reporters.

Juanita Mendez accepts the Medal of Honor posthumously on behalf of her brother, Private First Class Charles Johnson, from President Joe Biden. - Susan Walsh/AP

Gen. Richard E. Cavazos

Nearly three decades before Cavazos became the US Armys first Hispanic four-star general, he was a first lieutenant in the Korean War, where he led his company in a June 1953 raid on an entrenched enemy outpost. After inflicting heavy casualties on the outpost, Cavazos and his men came under intense fire. Cavazos  for whom the sprawling Texas military base formerly known as Fort Hood would later be renamed  withdrew and regrouped, leading more attacks on the enemy outpost, each time destroying enemy equipment and personnel.

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When he was ordered to withdraw, Cavazos repeatedly returned to the battlefield to retrieve and evacuate casualties who had been left behind, only allowing himself to be treated for his own wounds when he was assured the hill was cleared. Cavazos military career lasted 33 years.

He was a man of deep faith who loved his country, loved his family, loved his soldiers, and it was that love  that selfless love  that drove him up the hill that night in 1953 to collect the men of his company and get them to safety, Cavazos son, Tommy, told reporters last week.

Capt. Hugh R. Nelson Jr.

Nelson was acting as aircraft commander of an armed Huey helicopter during the Vietnam War in June 1966 when his helicopter was shot down, crashing in the middle of enemy positions. With enemy fire coming from about 30 feet away, Nelson began evacuating his crew from the wreckage, pulling two soldiers from the helicopter. After laying the second soldier on the ground, he used his own body as a human shield to cover his comrade, the White House said.

He saved the life of his fellow soldier at the sacrifice of his own, the White House said. One of Nelsons fellow soldiers was then able to use a smoke grenade to signal other aircraft to evacuate the survivors and Nelsons remains.

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(Reuters) - President Joe Biden is set to ban new offshore oil and gas development across 625 million acres (250 million hectares) of U.S. coastal territory, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

The ban, to be announced on Monday, rules out the sale of drilling rights in stretches of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, said the report, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.

Biden is leaving the possibility open for new oil and natural gas leasing in the central and western areas of the Gulf of Mexico, which account for around 14% of the nation's production of these fuels, the report said.

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The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside of business hours.

The ban would solidify Biden's legacy on addressing climate change and his goal to decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050.

The New York Times reported that a section of the law Biden's decision relies on, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, gives a president wide leeway to bar drilling and does not include language that would allow President-elect Donald Trump or other future presidents to revoke the ban.

Biden, Trump and Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, all used the law to ban sales of offshore drilling rights in some coastal areas.

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Trump tried in 2017 to reverse Arctic and Atlantic Ocean withdrawals Obama had made at the end of his presidency, but a federal judge ruled in 2019 that the law does not give presidents the legal authority to overturn prior bans.

(Reporting by Devika Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
The steelworkers union in Granite City praised President Joe Bidens decision on Friday to block U.S. Steels sale to Japanese-based Nippon, but its leadership remains unclear on whats next for the Metro East mill.

I just hope at some point we get out of this, where were living this way, said Craig McKey, president of United Steelworkers Local 1899, which represents Granite City Works employees. I think maybe this decision gets us there sooner than later, because even if there is some job loss, at least knowing is best.

After the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States failed to reach a conclusion regarding the $14.9 billion sale in December, Biden, whod long been skeptical of the deal, came to a final determination. The outgoing president said he nixed the sale because it posed a threat to national security.

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It is my solemn responsibility as president to ensure that, now and long into the future, America has a strong domestically owned and operated steel industry that can continue to power our national sources of strength at home and abroad, Biden wrote. And it is a fulfillment of that responsibility to block foreign ownership of this vital American company.

U.S. Steel and Nippon said the companies leaders were dismayed by the presidents decision, arguing it violated the laws governing foreign investment and was politically motivated.

A U. S. Steel worker watches as a slab of steel moves through the production process.

The fate of Granite City Works has long been in limbo and the presidents decision does not offer much clarity for the local U.S. Steel mill.

Union leadership came out in opposition immediately in December 2023 when U.S. Steel announced its sale to Nippon, expressing discontent that the famed steelmaker did not pick a domestic buyer.

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Im disappointed that it isnt one of the other steel companies that we were pushing for, Dan Simmons, former president of the local union, said at the time.

Union leadership hoped U.S. Steel would select Cleveland Cliffs, the Ohio-based steel manufacturer, who made the first unsolicited offer to buy the company.

Before that deal emerged to sell the entire company, a local energy producer, SunCoke, made an offer for Granite City Works two blast furnaces. Union leaders said in 2022 that sale of the blast furnaces could cost the region roughly 2,000 jobs.

The local deal has since stalled but could be resurrected. Neither Nippon nor U.S. Steel leadership had made any comments about its intentions with Granite Citys steel mill amid the larger purchase.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. listens to Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson discuss job losses with the closure of Granite City Steel in 2022.

The lack of transparency surrounding Granite City Works over the last couple of years has been frustrating for local leaders, like Mayor Mike Parkinson, whos said hes never gotten a meeting with U.S. Steel leadership.

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Why dont you tell the American citizens  and the people of Granite City  what youre going to do with our plant? said Parkinson, whos running for reelection this spring. And then maybe we can support the deal. But without complete transparency and the American citizens knowing whats going to happen to the American steel foundry thats been around forever, then none of us are behind it.

A representative of SunCoke Energy, whose Metro East facility produces a carbon-based fuel used in steelmaking, said the company remains committed to the deal to purchase the blast furnaces.

We began working on this project with U.S. Steel prior to their strategic alternatives review process, and continue to work with them on the project, said Shantanu Agrawal, vice president of finance and treasurer of SunCoke Energy. Beyond that, we cannot speculate on the actions of others.

Local union leadership would also like to know whats going happen. Since the SunCoke deal was announced, U.S. Steel shut down the second blast furnace in fall 2023, which led to a few hundred layoffs.

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Ive been doing this stuff for a lot of years, and its pretty taxing, McKey said. I can tell you it is very difficult on my membership and their families to have to deal with for the last two years on what their future is going to be.

McKey and local union leadership anticipated Nippon may be leaning toward pursuing the SunCoke deal. Not only did Granite City union officials oppose the Nippon sale on national security grounds, they also believed it wouldnt help them locally, McKey said.

Jerome Katz, a St. Louis University business professor, said he suspects U.S. Steel and Nippon will challenge Bidens decision to prevent the deal.

President-elect Donald Trump, who also opposed the sale, has promised more tariffs, and Katz believes it could be in Nippons best interest to continue to pursue their purchase of an American steelmaker to possibly circumvent a tariff on foreign-made steel.

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While Nippon has promised to improve the steel mills around Pittsburgh and Gary, Indiana, the firm hasnt addressed Granite City. If Nippon continues, Katz believes its possible they may need to make more promises  like upgrading Granite City Works, which isnt the most modern mill.

Outside of the US Steel plant in Granite City, Ill. on Nov. 28, 2023.

Its a long shot, but, right now, everything tied to Granite City is a long shot, Katz said.

Katz also believes a potential legal challenge to Bidens decision could put a freeze on any U.S. Steel assets, meaning the SunCoke deal may remain on the back burner as the courts weigh the matter.

While the steel mills future has been in question over the last couple years, Madison County and Granite City officials have been courting an ammunition manufacturer to town.

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The details are scarce during a competitive process to lure the company with incentives, but local officials believe it could employ roughly 300 employees.

Obviously, we want the mill to be there. We want it to be there forever. We want it to thrive and grow and expand, said Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser, R-Wood River. But if that doesnt happen, Granite City cant live and die based on what happens at the steel mill  thats not a sustainable model in the future.
A massive defense spending bill signed by U.S. President Joe Biden in December 2024 included a provision preventing the military's health insurance program from covering gender-affirming care that "could result in sterilization" for anyone under 18. Despite signing the legislation, Biden said he "strongly opposes" the gender-affirming care restriction.

The legislation does not ban military personnel from seeking gender-affirming care treatments for their children elsewhere, but purchasing private insurance or paying out-of-pocket costs for gender-affirming care can be prohibitively expensive.

It is unclear how the insurance program, TRICARE, will interpret the legislation's vague language, which means Snopes cannot yet say exactly which kinds of gender-affirming care treatments will be affected.

In late December 2024, news outlets and advocacy organizations reported that U.S. President Joe Biden signed a defense bill restricting gender-affirming care for transgender children of military personnel.

"President Biden Signs Defense Bill Blocking Health Care For Trans Military Children, First Anti-LGBTQ+ Federal Law Enacted Since 'Defense of Marriage Act,'" declared a news release (archived) from the Human Rights Campaign. Some reports, like those from Fox News (archived), CBS News (archived) and NBC News (archived), bore headlines calling the purported restrictions a "ban"; others, like Politico (archived), said the legislation "restricted" gender-affirming care. Some headlines, like Reuters' (archived), simply said the gender-affirming care provision was controversial without attempting to explain what it does.

The defense bill signed by Biden prevents TRICARE, a government-sponsored health insurance program for military personnel, from covering gender-affirming care under certain circumstances. However, due to the vague language in the bill, it is unclear how exactly TRICARE will interpret the new policy. Thus, Snopes cannot yet definitively provide a true or false rating for this story.

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Snopes reached out to TRICARE and will update this story if we receive a response.

How the Gender-Affirming Care Restriction Became Law

Biden signed HR 5009, also known as "Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025," on Dec. 23, 2024. The 794-page spending bill, a version of which is passed annually, provided funding for several federal departments, including the Department of Defense. The 2025 legislation authorized $895 billion in military spending for various programs, including boosting pay for service members, U.S. assistance to Israel and resources for a more confrontational posture toward China.

But the bill also banned TRICARE from covering gender-affirming care for minors "that could result in sterilization." Here is the bill's full provision on gender-affirming care for minors:

SEC. 708. PROHIBITION OF COVERAGE UNDER TRICARE PROGRAM OF CERTAIN MEDICAL PROCEDURES FOR CHILDREN THAT COULD RESULT IN STERILIZATION. Section 1079(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ''(20) Medical interventions for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization may not be provided to a child under the age of 18.''.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, reportedly insisted on including the restriction, according to reputable news sources like The Associated Press. There is also a video on C-SPAN's Instagram page of Johnson taking credit for the provision: "We banned TRICARE from prescribing treatments that would ultimately sterilize our kids," he said. Snopes reached out to Johnson's team to confirm his role in passing the ban and will update this story if we receive a response.

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Despite signing the bill, Biden said in a Dec. 23 news release that he "strongly opposes" the gender-affirming care restriction and the provision "targets a group based on that group's gender identity and interferes with parents' roles to determine the best care for their children." Biden's release said the provision would impact thousands of children. "No service member should have to decide between their family's health care access and their call to serve our Nation," the release continued.

The Senate passed the legislation on a vote of 85-14; in the House of Representatives, a majority of Democrats voted against the bill, but it passed 281-140. A Democrat from Washington state, Rep. Adam Smith, said in a statement he would oppose final passage of the defense bill due to the provision on gender-affirming care. He said Speaker Johnson "upended" a traditionally bipartisan process and including the section "puts the lives of children at risk." Smith is the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, which means he typically coordinates the minority party's  in this case, the Democrats'  activities on the committee.

Beneficiaries of TRICARE can seek health care elsewhere, and the legislation also does not ban military families from seeking other health care insurance to pay for the gender-affirming treatments that TRICARE is prohibited from offering under the bill.

However, purchasing health insurance can be prohibitively expensive, and prices are predicted to continue increasing as of this writing. Gender-affirming care paid for out-of-pocket is also prohibitively expensive for many families; puberty blockers, for example, can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $25,000 a year without insurance.

The Potential Impact on Gender-Affirming Care Coverage

TRICARE provides insurance coverage for about 9.5 million beneficiaries, including active-duty service members and their families, retired service members and their families, dependent parents and parents-in-law, and even former spouses of military members who haven't remarried. A full list of those eligible for TRICARE is available on its website.

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A 2019 study in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Pediatrics found that from October 2009 to April 2017, at least 2,000 children sought care for gender dysphoria through TRICARE.

As of this writing, TRICARE's website (archived) said it covers hormone therapy and psychological counseling for gender dysphoria. The insurance does not generally cover gender-affirming surgeries, but active-duty service members may request a waiver for medically necessary gender-affirming surgery. However, the page was last updated on Sept. 17, 2024, so it does not reflect how TRICARE might respond to the defense bill's provision.

TRICARE also notes that its list of covered services is not all-inclusive and that the program "covers services that are medically necessary and considered proven." The American Medical Association affirms that gender-affirming care is often medically necessary and is linked to "dramatic reductions in suicide attempts," lower rates of depression, anxiety and substance use and other lifesaving benefits  but that trans patients often face hurdles to accessing this care, regardless of how necessary it is.

It's difficult to determine what will fall under the legislation's ban on treatments "which could result in sterilization." According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights organization, opponents of gender-affirming care for children often use the term "sterilization" to "create fear and disgust." The center calls the use of "sterilization" rhetoric "medically inaccurate terminology."

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Gender-affirming surgery  which can result in permanent infertility depending on the surgery  is rarely performed on minors in the United States, and the majority of such surgeries that are performed are chest reductions.

Doctors who treat trans youth say puberty blockers, which are prescribed to both cisgender and transgender youth, do not cause infertility on their own, but may cause infertility if a patient moves from puberty blockers to starting hormone replacement therapy, which involves taking either estrogen or testosterone. Emerging research published in peer-reviewed journals suggests that for trans people, taking either estrogen or testosterone does not result in permanent infertility.

Snopes reached out to legal experts to ask how the bill's language may be interpreted by the courts. We'll update this story if we receive more information.

Sources:

CSPAN. Instagram, 10 Dec. 2024, www.instagram.com/cspan/reel/DDaOotVxG6d/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

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"Gender Dysphoria Services | TRICARE." Www.tricare.mil, www.tricare.mil/CoveredServices/IsItCovered/GenderDysphoriaServices. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"Gender-Affirming Surgeries Rarely Performed on Transgender Youth | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health." Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, HSPH, 8 July 2024, hsph.harvard.edu/news/gender-affirming-surgeries-rarely-performed-on-transgender-youth/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

Iris de Nie, et al. "Successful Restoration of Spermatogenesis Following Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy in Transgender Women." Cell Reports Medicine, vol. 4, no. 1, Elsevier BV, Jan. 2023, pp. 10085858, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100858.

Joyce, David. "Text - H.R.5009 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025." Congress.gov, 23 Dec. 2024, www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5009/text. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

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Klein, David A., et al. "Transgender Children and Adolescents Receiving Care in the US Military Health Care System." JAMA Pediatrics, vol. 173, no. 5, May 2019, p. 491, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.0105. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

Leung, Angela, et al. "Assisted Reproductive Technology Outcomes in Female-To-Male Transgender Patients Compared with Cisgender Patients: A New Frontier in Reproductive Medicine." Fertility and Sterility, vol. 112, no. 5, Nov. 2019, pp. 85865, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.07.014.

Oregon Health & Science University, and Doernbecher Children's Hospital. "Preserving Your Fertility ." OHSU.edu, Dec. 2020, www.ohsu.edu/sites/default/files/2020-12/Gender-Clinic-Fertility-Preservation-Handout.pdf. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

The White House. "Statement from President Joe Biden on H.R. 5009, Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 | the White House." The White House, 23 Dec. 2024, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/23/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-h-r-5009-servicemember-quality-of-life-improvement-and-national-defense-authorization-act-for-fiscal-year-2025/. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

"Using Other Health Insurance | TRICARE." Www.tricare.mil, www.tricare.mil/Plans/OHI. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
BIG COUNTRY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)- As millions of people plant seeds of resolution in the new year. Farmers and ranchers are looking ahead at the harvest to come.

However, several factors in the Big Country have resulted in concern over the prosperity of that harvest. Poor weather conditions, the current La Nina weather pattern, a lack of rain, and legislative shortfalls have led to cautious optimism among area agriculture workers.

Its pretty depressing. Its hard on the gin; of course, our farmers are having a hard time financially. And it takes a toll on everyone. Stamford Co-op Gin General Manager Rex Ford told KTAB/KRBC.

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Ford has been farming wheat and raising cattle for about three decades in the Big Country. He says that while cattle ranching has been good to him this year, the same cannot be said for the other staple commodities, cotton, and wheat.

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We had a nice wheat crop this year. Price wasnt any good. The cotton crop, we just needed that one more rain in August, and we never got it. Said Ford.

With a less-than-desirable harvest as it is, Farmers have seen difficulty trying to recoup costs from previous dry seasons.

Adding to the difficulty, Congress recently failed to pass a farm bill that could have not only allowed for more financial aid in the event of a disaster but brought pricing figures more in line with the current market, according to Taylor County Texas A&M Agri-Life Extension Agent Steve Estes.

Ultimately, those need to be updated, and were seeing prices now for commodities that dont really match up with where the farm bill is, Estes said.

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Before extending the farm bill, which was initially passed in 2018, farmers also had difficulty securing funding from farm credit lenders. Estes said that the issue should be at least somewhat eased now.

Nows the time farmers go to their lenders and get funding for the 2025 year. Lenders want to know; they need some kind of certainty on paper about what kind of protections or risk management the government can provide, and now they know since those bills were passed. Said Estes.

Still, without a bill that fits modern farmers demands and a poor rain forecast, the fear of having to close up shop at any big country farm is ever-present.

The tariffs, more than likely, are gonna hurt us some, but we dont know that. The weather probably plays more into it than the farm bill, but we need a good farm bill along with the weather. Ford said.

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Some farmers are looking for alternative revenue streams on their land, such as allowing oil, wind energy, and solar energy groups to come in. Though Ford says, its a double-edged sword, as land taken up by energy interests is land that cannot be utilized thoroughly for farming or ranching, leading to a decline in overall usable acreage in the area.

Estes says that as farmers look to the coming months, cotton growers are hopeful for a rainy spring, which would set them up for a much more desirable growing season.

Farmers are always hopeful. Hopeful that next year is going to be better than the last and we certainly hope 2025 will shape up to be that way. Said Estes.

The issues discussed in this article are only some of the stresses facing farmers today. Anyone in the Agriculture industry who feels they need support due to stress can contact the AgriStress helpline by phone or text at 833-897-2474.

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That line is available to support agricultural communities in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  A new bill proposed in Utahs state legislature is seeking to raise how many active voters can be inside of a voting precinct.

H.B. 27, sponsored by Representative James Dunnigan (R-HD36), is seeking to increase the current 1,250 cap, to 3,000, in an effort to adapt to Utahs growing population. In an interview with ABC4.com, Dunnigan says the change is important as the populations grows.

Utah is growing, our population is growing, so we are going to allow a precinct to have up to 3,000 voters, Dunnigan explained while speaking of his bill. It doesnt mean they will have 3,000, but they can have that many.

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Precincts, or voting precincts, are small districts that are used by county clerks and election officials to organize neighborhoods and voters together who are voting for the same offices from president down to local offices. They are also used by political parties to organize local voters to elect party officers and delegates to party conventions.

Importance in county organization

According to state law, when precincts reach 1,250 voters, county clerks are required to split those precincts. Regardless of whether those two new precincts are voting in the same elections. The last time that cap was increased was in 2006.

Frankly, in the southwest part of Salt Lake County, we keep growing. Its amazing. Its incredible, Lannie Chapman, Salt Lake County clerk (D-Salt Lake County), told ABC4.com. But because of that, we now have close to 150 precincts in Salt Lake County alone that are either at or close to that max capacity of that 1250 number  My team is currently looking at those precincts to figure out the easiest way to divide some of those current precincts to not fall ill of the law.

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For perspective, Salt Lake County currently has 984 individual precincts. Chapman and Dunnigan, who have worked bi-partisanly on H.B. 27, mentioned how with current development in the valley, a new apartment complex is sometimes enough to reach the current cap for precincts.

Chapman also says that with the precincts constantly splitting, it forces the county to print ballots, that have the same races on them, for different precincts. Raising the cap, according to Chapman, would help save the county money in printing costs each election season.

When I [split a district] because of state law, it causes that much more proofing to go into effect  and its one more ballot to create and one more ballot to proof and mail out, Chapman began. By allowing us to grow a bit  it allows us to maybe pause a bit on adding more precincts so that I dont have to create an additional ballot and therefore proof another ballot, saving the taxpayers just a little bit of money.

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Importance to party function

Precincts are also essential to political party functions. In Utahs caucus system, parties hold local meetings corresponding with voters precincts to elect precinct officers and delegates to county and state conventions.

According to Chris Null, chair of the Salt Lake County Republican Party, the splitting of precincts caused issues with turnout and allocation of delegates to convention. He explained in an interview to ABC4.com, that though precincts would be added, delegate within the party remained the same, causing precincts to have fewer and fewer delegates to elect to convention.

What it meant is we had to keep on spreading those delegates out across those precincts, regardless of the number of Republicans, Null explained. It was this issue, according to Null, that led the party to combine precincts which led to confusion on caucus night in 2024.

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It was a great idea at the time. We needed it, and in 2024 caucus we used it, but it caused a lot of chaos, Null recounted. Once we combined two or three or four precincts, that didnt match their voter registration  We thought we had solved the problem, but we created a new one.

Null, along with Chapman and Dunnigan, began working bi-partisanly on increasing the cap for precincts. According to Dunnigan, raising the cap will help local precincts fill positions which often go unfilled.

[Precincts] struggle to get officers, Dunnigan began. They may have 1250 voters on record, but you go there and say, who wants to be the chairman, vice chair, treasure, the delegates, and some of them really struggle to even fill those assignments.

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The group hopes that this change will help improve the process moving forward.

Bipartisanship in introduction

Though the bill has been written and introduced, it still has to go through the legislative process. It will need to pass committee votes and go through each chamber of the states legislature before being sent to the Governor for signing.

During ABC4.coms interview with Dunnigan, he described he initally came onto the issue with complaints from constituents who believed that Chapman had been intentionally splitting precincts. He recounts meeting with the Chapman and talking about the cap requirement, and the joint realization of the issue.

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Two new Utah laws going into effect on Jan. 1, 2025 you should know

I was like, thats a dumb law, Dunnigan recalled in reference to his meeting with Chapman. So, I started looking into it and said why we dont we just give some more flexibility, and they said they would be very supportive of that.

Its been good to just put aside political beliefs or partisanship and just say whats the best policy for the state, and whats the best to serve our neighbors and our communities and can we work together, and its come together, Dunnigan said.

The 2025 General Session is set to begin Jan. 21 and will continue to Mar. 7.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Despite the detection of avian influenza in Sussex County snow geese and Kent County broiler chickens, the Delaware Department of Agriculture says you can continue filling your bird feeders  unless you also keep chickens or live near some.

Anyone who owns poultry, including backyard flocks, should remove their birdhouses, feeders and baths, Delaware Department of Agriculture spokesperson Stacey Hofmann said. People who live near poultry should do the same to reduce the risk of the virus spreading from wild to domesticated birds.

The general public, however, can continue using bird feeders, Hofmann said. Delaware bird feeders typically attract cardinals, chickadees, titmice and other songbirds, while bird flu is usually found in waterfowl, raptors and vultures.

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The department's advice comes after the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was found in sick and dead snow geese at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge last week, marking the first detection of H5N1 on Delmarva since May 2022. On Thursday, the department announced presumptive positive testing in a Kent County poultry flock.

The H5N1 virus was found in snow geese at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Milton, Delaware, in December 2024.

How to prevent the spread

Regardless of the prevalence of bird flu, backyard birders can prevent the spread of all bird illnesses by following a few simple steps, according to various agencies.

Clean bird feeders once a month with a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach. For wooden bird feeders, use regular soap or a solution of three parts water to one part vinegar.

Change bird bath water every two or three days.

Never touch wild birds and always wash your hands after handling bird feeders and baths.

If you find a dead bird, wear gloves, a mask and safety glasses to handle it, the Delaware Department of Agriculture recommends. Double-bag the bird and secure the bags with a zip tie before putting it in a trash can.

Background: Delaware officials urge vigilance as bird flu detected in Kent County poultry

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If you see a sick or dead bird, call the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's Wildlife Section at 302-739-9912 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. After hours, report sick and dead birds here.

What to know about bird flu

Avian influenza is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that spreads quickly among birds through nasal and eye secretions and manure, Hofmann said.

The virus also has been detected in U.S. mammals, including foxes, wild and domestic cats, bears, seals, dolphins and cattle, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture  but not in Delaware specifically.

Bird flu has occasionally infected humans, but continuous testing of people in close contact with infected animals indicates humans are at a low risk of contracting it, Hofmann said.

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Since April 2024, there have been a total of 61 reported human cases of H5 bird flu reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Delaware, one person has tested positive this year, with the source of exposure unknown.

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Why it's OK to keep filling bird feeders, despite bird flu in Delaware
(Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to South Korea, Japan and France from Jan. 4-9, the State Department said on Friday, amid a political crisis in Seoul.

South Korea's presidential guards and military troops on Friday prevented authorities from arresting impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, under criminal investigation for insurrection over his Dec. 3, 2024, martial law bid.

Blinken will meet with senior South Korean government officials and will discuss how they "can strengthen key efforts to promote a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, as well as trilateral efforts with Japan," the State Department said.

In France, he will discuss challenges in the Middle East and Europe, the release said, amid ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas)
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  With San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas nearing the end of her term on Monday, Jan. 6, a number of public officials across the county have expressed their desire to fill her seat.

Vargas announced her plans to step down on Dec. 20 at the end of her current term, citing personal safety and security as determining factors.

Imperial Beach mayor vying for San Diego County Supervisor

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Since then, San Diego City Councilmember Vivian Moreno and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann have expressed their interest in running to replace Vargas.

Above: San Diego City Councilmember Vivian Moreno sat down with KUSI to discuss why she is running for county supervisor.

Last week, Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre announced she would join them in the race.

South County has been ignored for too long  and Im ready to change that, Aguirre stated on her campaign website.

Chula Vista Councilmember Carolina Chavez has also thrown her hat in the ring in the running for a seat on the board, as reported by Axios San Diego on Thursday. FOX 5/KUSI has reached out to Chavez for a statement confirming her intent and is waiting to hear back.

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A resident of the Cali-Baja region, Chavez is the first Latina and binational councilmember to represent Chula Vistas District 1, according to her biographical statement on the City of Chula Vista website.

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On the date of when Vargas announced her decision, Chavez made the following statement on her Instagram and Facebook pages: I want to thank @supnoravargas for her service to our region and her unwavering commitment to our community. Her dedication to uplifting our region and her tireless advocacy for equity and justice has left an indelible mark on San Diego County.

Vargas, who was the first person of color and Latina to hold elected office on the board, stated in her announcement about her decision to step down that her priority has always been our community, ensuring that everyone can be seen, heard and have a chance to thrive.

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As a Guerrera at my core, I remain committed to continuing the fight for equity, justice, and human rights  just in a different capacity, Vargas said in her announcement about leaving her post. I look forward to staying whole-heartedly engaged and active in the pursuit of a more equitable society.

Under board policies, the supervisors will be required to decide within seven business days of a vacancy opening how they plan to fill it. This could either be by appointment or through a special election.

The supervisors are expected to discuss the selection of a chair, vice-chair and chair pro tempore for the calendar year at the boards next general legislative session meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  Boardman police are asking for the publics help in solving a robbery.

Police released Friday a picture of a car and a person they believe are connected to a robbery at the Boardman Walmart that happened about 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 26.

Police say the man in the image got into a 2018 black Alpha Romeo with two others who were in the car and left the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to call Boardman police at 330-726-4144.

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BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP)  A Boston man who has been in custody since Thanksgiving of 2020 has been sentenced on Thursday for illegally carrying a loaded pistol, in addition to possessing and purchasing ammunition and chemicals used to create explosives.

The defendant, 51-year-old Pepo Herd El, pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in December of 2024. Herd El was sentenced to 49 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Florida mom makes teen son turn himself in for crime

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About one year prior to his arrest in 2020, records show that Herd El made online purchases of firearm equipment, such as a laser sight, magazines, and a concealable holster. He also bought extended magazine plates that allow the magazines to hold more rounds, and a Glock firing pin safety that reduces the force needed to pull the guns trigger.

On November 26, 2020, Herd El rode a bus from his residence in Dorchester to the Ruggles MBTA station, where officers detained him and had obtained a search warrant for him. Upon searching, officers found a loaded semi-automatic pistol, a laser sight, three spare magazines, 45 rounds of ammunition, a knife, and an infrared camera on Herd Els person.

Herd El was also wearing a jacket that read security and a bullet-proof vest. He told the law enforcement officers that he was traveling to a Thanksgiving dinner.

Officers were then able to search Herd Els home, where they found additional tools, including another magazine containing rounds of armor piercing ammunition. They also discovered a book with handwritten notes regarding materials needed to make TNT and C-4.

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Herd El had prior state convictions on his record from 2004 from possessing firearms without permits and other crimes, and has been prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. The sentencing was determined by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs.

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State conservation officers are currently on the scene where a juvenile was apparently shot at Makaha Valley on Oahu, according to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

DLNR said the shooting was possibly related to hunting, and there is no known danger to the public at this time as Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement officers have seized the weapon.

The Honolulu Fire Department responded to the scene early this morning and flew the victim, a male, out of the area, with a gunshot wound. He was transferred to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services, and transported to Queens Medical Center for treatment.

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Honolulu police were also at the scene.

DOCARE is investigating potential firearms, hunting, trespass and other possible criminal charges,  said DLNR in a news release. Due to the ages of the individuals involved, their names will not be released. More information will be released as details become available.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA)  A boy was injured after being struck by an SUV in St. Petersburg Saturday, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.

Officials said the crash happened on Roy Hanna Drive, near 25th Street South.

PHOTOS: Speeding driver killed after car crashes, bursts into flames in Pasco County

As of 2 p.m., all lanes of Roy Hanna Drive South were closed while police investigated. Drivers were asked to find an alternate route.

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There was no further word on the boys condition, nor the circumstances of the crash.

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.

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BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH)  The Binghamton Police Officer who allegedly leaked surveillance video of a horrific fire that significantly injured a woman at the Courtside bar has resigned.

Mayor Jared Kraham released a statement today saying that the patrol officer involved quit rather than getting fired. Last Friday, Dec. 27, Binghamton Police responded to Courtside Bar and Grill on Court Street for a report that someone was on fire.

BPD Officer suspended indefinitely for releasing Courtside fire video

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Police say bar patrons ordered a flaming drink, but the process caused an explosion of flames. One of those injured was a 20-year-old woman who suffered serious physical injuries and is still being treated at the burn unit at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. Two others were treated by medics at the scene.

A graphic video from the bars security cam footage was posted to the online platform Reddit. The video shows flames shooting into an individuals face before they run away from the bar with the fire still on their chest and head. Another victim is seen falling to the floor.

Kraham says that even though the officer responsible for the unauthorized release of the video has resigned, the Internal Affairs investigation continues.

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Jan. 4ASHTABULA  Bridge Street businesses reflected on a year of growth, challenges, tourism and community support in 2024.

Bridge Street Artworks owner Judy Campbell said it was an excellent year.

"Yes, there were things that happened with the weather in December, but overall we made our numbers," she said. "The last two weeks blew it out the door. I have 32 artists in here.

"Everybody made their nut for the month. December pulled us out of the doldrums after September. Our tourism has picked up. Most of our sales in 2024 were from out of town. I track that now, so I amazed how many people from Pittsburgh, New York, as far away as Philadelphia come in and love the lake. Pittsburgh especially, Youngstown, they are buying. Overall, it was a pretty good year."

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Heartmade Boutique owner Melody Shiflet said it was a challenging year.

"Unfortunately, it was a down year in every way from sales/transaction, number/average sale and pretty much any every category," she said. "Election years have a way of doing that, but there's been a steady decline in small businesses nationally for the past two years and election years are always terrible."

Despite these challenges, Shiflet said meeting visitors and tourists is always rewarding.

"On the bright side, nothing can take away from meeting cool new people that are discovering our little oasis and forging new friendships with people from all across the country," she said. "I sell nothing of necessity, so when you're in the business of fun and frivolity, you must roll with the punches. If they give us ration booklets for the apocalypse, I will gladly accept your soap ration coupons."

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Harbor Perk Coffeehouse and Roasting Co. owners Michael and Steve Cray said they can't overstate how wonderful the Harbor Perk community is.

According to the Crays, they have continued offering Ashtabula a rotating selection of single-origin, organic, fair trade arabica beans sourced from around the world.

The Crays said they love being a small business, and working together with other small businesses. They are proud to be bring Harbor Perk coffee to more locations throughout Ashtabula County, including an exclusive blend offered only at Orlando's Supermarket.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Can you carry a gun inside of a mall in Texas? The simple answer: It depends.

KXAN took these questions to legal and firearms expert John Wilkerson, with the Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA), following Thursdays shooting inside the Lakeline Mall in Cedar Park.

Lakeline Mall evacuated after fight at food court leads to a shot fired

Technically speaking youre not required to have a license to carry a firearm into that mall unless they have a sign posted, Wilkerson said.

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But not just any sign, it has to be similar to the one in the photo below.

Sign reflecting Texas penal code prohibiting firearms on private property.

These signs are referred to as 30.06 or 30.07 signs, those have to do with prohibited individuals who are licensed to carry from bringing firearms in.

30.06 is you cannot carry your concealed handgun in here, even if you have a license. And 30.07 is you cannot open carry in here even if you have a license, Wilkerson said.

Businesses can also put up a sign that prohibits people who are not licensed to carry from brining firearms onto private property. That is referred to as a 30.05 sign. These numbers refer to where these statutes lie in the Texas Penal Code.

Wilkerson: Lakelines Code of Conduct not legally binding

KXAN asked the Lakeline Mall Friday what its official firearms policy is, and a spokesperson did not directly answer that question but released the below statement instead.

Lakeline Malls Code of Conduct

The safety and security of our shoppers, retailers, and employees is our highest priority. We are committed to maintaining a strong security program that includes numerous measures in addition to staying in close collaboration with local law enforcement. Although this was an isolated incident, out of an abundance of caution, additional security will be deployed at the center. Lakeline Mall

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At the mall, a Code of Conduct sign is displayed, but KXAN staff did not see any of the official signs citing Texas penal code.

Number three on the list says no weapons.

KXAN asked Wilkerson if this holds any legal value.

No it does not, he said. The statute is pretty clear. You have to use their language or substantively similar language.

General laws, procedures about publicly carrying a firearm in Texas

Some general limitations exist.

State law reads you have to be at least 21 to carry in public, and that you have to have your gun in a holster if youre open-carrying. As of Friday afternoon, police had not released information on the Lakeline Mall suspects exact age and/or how he was carrying his firearm, so it is unclear at this point whether he legally brought the gun inside.

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The below chart, created by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, explains the general laws regarding carrying firearms. UCW stands for unlawful carrying of a weapon.

TCOLE chart maps out laws regarding the carrying of a firearm in public.

Wilkerson explain that there is a loophole when it comes to the age limit of 21, however.

The original law passed by the Texas legislature in 1929 mandated the 21-year-old age limit, but after the passage of that bill, several appellate courts found such age requirement to be unconstitutional, therefore law enforcement does not enforce the age restriction.

Still, state law reads the age limit remains at 21, and Wilkerson said changing the statute would require movement during the upcoming legislative session.

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There is also something called the 51% law, which requires any business that makes at least 51% of its revenue from alcohol sales to display a specific sign  separate from the ones we mentioned earlier in this article  prohibiting alcohol on the premises. Compared to the 30.06 and 30.07 signs  which are optional  51% signs are required. Youve likely seen them displayed outside of Texas bars.

Wilkerson said you also cannot carry a firearm into a hospital or within 1,000 feet of a facility where someone is being executed for 24 hours before or after the execution.

Private institutions of higher learning are allowed to prohibit firearms on campus, but public colleges and universities are not, Wilkerson said. He added that public schools, like UT, can prohibit firearms in certain spots on campus, but not on campus as a whole.

Wilkerson said if you do carry a gun into a prohibited location, youre subject to being arrested for criminal trespass.

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One of Britains biggest microchip companies has been put up for sale by its Chinese-backed owners as it fights claims that sensitive technology has been transferred to Beijing.

Imagination Technologies is understood to have directed its long-time adviser Lazard to find a buyer for the company.

It comes after the Hertfordshire-based microchip designer was hit by allegations that it transferred core technology to two companies developing artificial intelligence technology for the Chinese military.

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A sale would put an end to a tumultuous period for Imagination Technologies following its takeover by Canyon Bridge. The private equity firm, which is funded by the state-owned investment group China Reform, took the company off the London Stock Exchange in 2017.

The Government stepped in to avert a board takeover by China Reform in 2020 that was labelled a coup.

An employment tribunal recently ruled that Imagination had unfairly sacked Ron Black as its chief executive for blowing the whistle on plans to move the company to China.

Ron Black was ousted as Imagination boss after exposing attempts to move the company to China - David Rose

A report from the UK China Transparency Centre claimed that the company had been subject to asset-stripping by the Chinese Communist Party.

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It alleged that the company gave crucial access to its semiconductor designs to Biren Technology and Moore Threads, two Chinese companies that have since been put on a US blacklist. Imagination has denied the claims.

Canyon Bridge reportedly believes it can make a profit on the 550m it paid to acquire Imagination in 2017. According to Bloomberg, which first reported the news, the private equity firm has already received approaches for the British business.

The fund is coming to the end of its term and has not made any other deals, having been prevented from acquiring US companies.

Theresa Mays government allowed the sale of Imagination to Canyon Bridge after Donald Trump blocked the private equity firm from acquiring US company Lattice. Imagination was also forced to sell its main US business after its takeover.

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The company designs graphics technology which is traditionally used in image processing and video games but which has proved crucial to artificial intelligence systems.

Imagination says it cut off Biren Technology and Moore Threads after they were placed on the US entity list but that its technology does not meet the threshold for military use. It says it had standard commercial deals with the companies.

Imaginations potential sale comes at the end of a five-year $330m (265m) deal with Apple that makes up a substantial portion of its sales. It is also on the hunt for a new chief executive, with Simon Beresford-Wylie, who has run the company since 2020, making plans to retire.

It had considered a stock market listing in the US or the UK, and made provisional steps to a Wall Street flotation.

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Imagination reported a slight increase in sales in 2023 to 124.6m, but profits fell and the company said it had been hit by increased UK and US export controls on China.

The company has recently been boosted by leaks suggesting its technology will feature in Googles upcoming Pixel smartphones.

Imagination and Lazard did not comment.

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British royal finances were often in the spotlight in 2024, and 2025 looks set to be no different. This April, the amount they receive from the British public purse will increase to a record 132 million as campaigners are poised to challenge royal funding.

The Sovereign Grantthe amount paid to the monarchy by the UKs Treasuryis increasing by 45 million to 132 million this year in a move that looks set to see royal finances spark more debate. Campaigners have described the rise as scandalous at a time when the UK government is struggling to find money for other things.

This is public money, all of this money comes from the government, at a time when the government is not able to properly fund schools, hospitals policeIt is scandalous, CEO of Republic Graham Smith said. Not only should it not be going up at all, it should be going down.

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When the increase was announced last year, Buckingham Palace made it clear that much of the additional money would be put towards the 369 million fixed cost of the Buckingham Palace renovations. However, they declined to say specifically how much of next years 132 million would be allocated towards the construction work.

I think you always have to put this into perspective and say that in terms of the whole government budget the cost of the royal family is a drop in the ocean, said journalist Richard Palmer, who has been writing about the royals for 20 years. But its an important headline-grabbing moment when the amount that the royal family is going to be given is announced. The rise, particularly this year, has raised quite a few eyebrows.

As well as their public funding facing scrutiny, the King and Prince of Waless private incomes from the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall are also set to be challenged further this year. The Duchies were the subject of Dispatches documentary The King, The Prince and Their Secret Millions in November, which revealed that they are charging the NHS, armed forces and charities rent to generate private income for the royals.

In 2025 were going to be launching a campaign to have the Duchies abolished, Graham Smith said. I think that the Dispatches documentary really hit a nerve, I think people were really quite angry about it. The Duchies are land and property portfolios that provide the sovereign and heir with an income. The Duchy of Lancaster paid the King 27.4 million in the last financial year and the Duchy of Cornwall paid the Prince of Wales 23.6 million. This is considered to be private money, but conventionally they spend it on a mixture of public and private expense. However, campaigners argue that the Duchies belong to the State and that the money should go to the Treasury for the public good.

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In recent years the number of working royals has reduced with the deaths of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip and the stepping back of Prince Harry and Meghan and Prince Andrew. The number of working royals is unlikely to increase again for several years until Prince William and Kates children are old enough to carry out engagements.

The days of the royal family doing three and a half thousand engagements a year are now long gone, so the public is getting less for their money, Richard Palmer said. I do think that the monarchy in general does a good job for the country and is part of the glue that binds us all together but that doesnt mean that as an institution, as individuals, they should be able to avoid criticism. They are not above scrutiny.

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The Prince of Wales has said he was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of his former nannys stepson in the New Orleans terror attack.

Edward Pettifer, 31, was among the 14 killed when a pick-up truck rammed into crowds gathered on Bourbon Street in the heart of New Orleans French Quarter in the early hours of New Years Day.

His stepmother was Tiggy Legge-Bourke, 59, a nanny to the young Princes William and Harry throughout their most formative years. Prince William is godfather to her younger son, Tom.

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The Prince said: Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.

The personal message, published on X, was signed, W.

It comes after Buckingham Palace said the King had been made aware of Mr Pettifers death through official channels, and was deeply saddened.

He is understood to have been in touch with the family to share personal condolences.

Edward Pettifer was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, 59, who worked as a nanny to Princes William and Harry in the 1990s

Mr Pettifer was the eldest son of Charles Pettifer, 59, a former Coldstream Guards officer, and Camilla Wyatt, 58, the daughter of a racehorse breeder. The couple also had a younger son, Harry, 29, before separating in the mid-1990s.

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Charles Pettifer went on to marry Ms Legge-Bourke who worked as a nanny to the young princes from 1993 until 1999. They had two sons, Tom, 22, who is Prince Williams godson, and Fred, 23, who is Prince Harrys godson.

Ms Legge-Bourke and Charles Pettifer had known each other since their teenage years and Ms Legge-Bourke was a godmother to Edward.

She proved a valuable support to the two princes following the death of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, and has maintained a close relationship with them both.

Ms Legge-Bourke now runs a bed and breakfast at the family home near Crickhowell, in Wales, where she teaches guests fly fishing just a stones throw from Glanusk Park, the 6,000-acre family estate.

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Like his stepmother, Mr Pettifer was a keen fisherman and skier. He is thought to have attended Stowe School, the prestigious boarding school in Buckinghamshire.

Known to friends as Ed, he was listed at a property just off the Kings Road in Chelsea, west London, with his mother  who is not believed to have remarried  and brother Harry.

Tiggy Legge-Bourke, Edward Pettifers stepmother, with the Prince of Wales and young William and Harry in 1999 - REX

His paternal grandmother, Liz Pettifer, lives around the corner. Her husband, renowned furniture dealer David Pettifer, Edwards grandfather, died last August.

After leaving the Coldstream Guards, Charles Pettifer travelled the world as a security consultant. He is now the director of a company that repairs and maintains ships and boats.

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Mr Pettifer was named by US authorities alongside 13 other victims, including an 18-year-old aspiring nurse and a Princeton graduate, killed when Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a US army veteran with suspected links to Islamic State, sped into a crowd.

The New Orleans coroner gave Mr Pettifers preliminary cause of death as blunt force injuries.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, said he was extremely saddened to hear of the death.

In a statement, Mr Lammy said: Extremely saddened to hear the tragic news that a British man was among those killed during the attack in New Orleans.

We are supporting their family and are united with the US against terror threats.

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The Foreign Office confirmed that it was supporting the family of a British victim.

Terror attacker Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar died at the scene after a shoot out with police

Mr Pettifer is understood to have been in the Louisiana city with another Briton, who was not hurt, when the attack happened.

His family said in a statement: The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.

We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack.

We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you.

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Mr Pettifers half-brother Tom came to public attention at the age of eight, when he was a page boy at Prince William and Kate Middletons wedding in 2011.

In 2018, he was pictured attending Prince Harry and Meghans wedding at St Georges Chapel in Windsor, now towering over his mother as a 15-year-old.

All other named victims of Wednesdays attack were US nationals, although efforts to identify one victim are still ongoing.

The youngest victim was aspiring nurse Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, who was killed when she reportedly ran into the path of the terrorists pick-up truck while fleeing the sound of gunshots.

Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux was the youngest victim

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Ms Dedeaux was visiting the Louisiana city from Mississippi with her cousin and friend to celebrate the new year two weeks before starting her nursing course.

Among those confirmed to have been killed by the coroners office was Reggie Hunter, 37, a father of two and warehouse manager from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who had gone to Bourbon Street on a whim.

Tributes at the scene for victim Matthew Tenedorio, 25 - AP

Billy DiMaio, 25, was an account executive from New Jersey

Seven victims, including Princeton graduate Martin Tiger Bech, were in their twenties.

Mr Bech played American college football at the Ivy League university before graduating in 2021 with a degree in finance. He was working as an investment trader at a New York firm when he was killed.

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Single mother Nicole Perez, 27, described as beautiful and full of life, was also among those confirmed to have been killed.

The oldest victim was Terrence Kennedy, 63, below, who was from New Orleans.

Terrence Kennedy

Names of the victims were released as CCTV footage emerged of Jabbar scoping out the streets of New Orleans just over an hour before he drove a pick-up truck into New Year party-goers.

The FBI released surveillance footage of the US Army veteran walking around the citys French Quarter at around 2am on Wednesday, wearing blue jeans and a brown overcoat.

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The agency also released an image of the blue and white cooler in which Jabbar, from Texas, hid an improvised explosive device before planting it near the intersection of Bourbon Street and Orleans Street.

The FBI said on Thursday it believed the 42-year-old had acted alone, after initially stating it did not appear he was solely responsible for the attack.

Chris Raia, the FBIs deputy assistant director for counterterrorism, said Jabbar had made video recordings hours before the attack, some of which referenced his divorce.

Credit: Via Fox 8 New Orleans

In one, the father-of-three said he had first planned to gather his family for a celebration to kill them but changed his mind over concerns the resulting media coverage would not focus on the war between the believers and disbelievers.

He also said he changed his plans and joined IS, apparently after having several dreams telling him to do so.

After walking the streets and planting explosive devices, Jabbar drove an electric Ford-F50 rental, which bore a homemade IS flag, into pedestrians on Bourbon Street. He was also dressed in body armour and armed with an AR-15-style rifle.

Investigators later found suspected pipe bombs loaded with nails and suspected C4 explosives concealed in two coolers and a purple suitcase placed around the French Quarter.

Two were wired for remote detonation, while a corresponding remote control was discovered in Jabbars truck.

He had been renting accommodation in the New Orleans neighbourhood of St Roch, where a small fire was reported. Authorities said it was a failed attempt to destroy bomb-making materials.

At Jabbars home in north Houston, a copy of the Koran was left open at a passage reading: They fight in Allahs cause, and slay and are slain; a promise binding, according to the New York Post.

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Jan. 4Proliferation of a fungus caused browntail moth populations to crater in 2024, which likely means that Maine residents will get relief from the forest pest this spring and summer, scientists said.

"I am cautiously optimistic about a less itchy summer," said Angela Mech, a University of Maine assistant professor of forest entomology who studies the browntail moth.

When they come into contact with people, the microscopic hairs of the browntail moth caterpillars cause a red, itchy rash that can last for weeks. The hairs can also cause respiratory problems, especially in people with chronic conditions such as asthma.

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In areas of high infestations  which in past years included Yarmouth, Brunswick, Freeport and cities and towns further up the Midcoast  the hairs, which can penetrate clothing, were difficult to avoid, as the wind dispersed them widely. Deering Oaks park in Portland also experienced heavy infestations in the early 2020s.

Typically, the worst part of the year for contracting the rash is mid-May to late June. Maine pharmacies make homemade anti-itch compounds to try to provide relief.

Thomas Schmeelk, Maine Forest Service entomologist, said that the state tracks defoliation caused by the caterpillars, and saw it plummet from 46,000 acres in 2023 to 2,000 acres in 2024.

Schmeelk said weather conditions in both those years  primarily rainy springs  helped boost the population of the fungus, entomophaga aulicae, and also a virus that attacks the caterpillars.

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Schmeelk said the extent of the population plunge was a "little bit surprising," but the pathogens had ideal weather conditions to attack the caterpillars over the past two years.

"Sometimes it can take multiple years in order to crash the population," Schmeelk said.

Mech said faculty and students have been monitoring and researching browntail moth populations in Orono for years, and this summer they saw the fungus devastate local populations.

"The fungus ruined our experiments because we ended up with a lot of dead caterpillars," Mech said.

UMaine was trying to study how long the caterpillars could go without feeding. Mech said there was some evidence that caterpillars avoid eating leaves from trees treated with BTK, a biological, environmentally-friendly insecticide. If they avoid eating the leaves, would they die of starvation? Or could they survive and go back to eating the leaves once the BTK had dissipated from the leaves?

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Browntail moth caterpillars tend to feed on leaves of fruit, oak, birch, elm and poplar trees.

Mech had also previously pointed to how "zombie caterpillars" from fall 2023 could have helped reduce populations in spring 2024. Caterpillars infected with the fungus in the fall become carriers, and it "zombifies" them. The "crawling dead" will then carry the fungus to winter nests that are being built. When a new population of caterpillars emerges in the spring, those that come into contact with the dead caterpillars may pick up the fungus.

The university is also researching whether a pheromone can be used to disrupt the mating patterns of browntail moths, another way to control the population.

Browntail moth populations typically go through a boom-bust cycle that lasts 10-12 years, and 2024 was considered the ninth year of the current outbreak. So in year 10, 2025, it appears likely that Maine will enter a "bust" cycle for the browntail moth.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  As we continue to follow the latest developments in New Orleans after the New Years Day terror attack, WIVB News 4 reached out to one Buffalo-born priest who now calls New Orleans home.

Father Tony Rigoli used to lead Holy Angels Church on Porter Avenue. Now a New Orleans resident, he said the city is still in a state of shock and fear.

It was quite a shock because weve been through a lot here. We really have, said Rigoli, who leads the Shrine of St. Jude just four blocks from Bourbon Street. We live in an area where its surrounded by hospitals, theres a police station, a fire department and theres always ambulances so I didnt make any big thing of it.

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It wasnt long before he learned what happened.

When I got up, I didnt look at the news and I was going to celebrate mass and people started saying did you hear what happened and then I found out that the terrorist attack had taken place, Rigoli said.

Along with formerly leading Holy Angels Church, Rigoli was also the priest at St. Rose of Lima Church in North Buffalo and was the chaplain at DYouville University. He then left for New Orleans in 2002, just a few years before Hurricane Katrina.

If you look through its history, its always gone through a lot of hurdles, but they always came and rose above it. They really did, Rigoli said.

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And Rigoli said New Orleans, much like Buffalo after tragedy, will come back stronger yet again.

As much as were in pain for the people that have lost lives, their families, and theres still about 30 people that are still in the hospital trying to recover, were still hoping and praying for them. But at the same time, looking towards not giving up, Rigoli said.

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Pope Francis said he too is praying for those directly impacted by the attack.

Rigoli said this upcoming Monday there will be a meeting among priests and counselors in New Orleans to talk more about how to comfort parishioners who have been traumatized by the terror attack.

Latest Local News

Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here.

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RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF)  The Richmond County Sheriffs Office has arrested a man wanted for questioning in reference to a homicide that happened in November.

According to authorities, the Richmond County Sheriffs Office, along with the Burke County Sheriffs Office, responded to the 500 block of 8th Street in Waynesboro in reference to locating DeNarian Cobb, 25, of Waynesboro, who was one identified as being wanted for questioning in reference to the death of Chavious Kemmerlin, 50, of Augusta.

On Thursday, November 21st, at 7:13am, the Richmond County Sheriffs Office responded to the 500 block of Highland Avenue in reference to shots being fired, and when they arrived, deputies say they observed an unresponsive male, later identified as Kemmerlin, who had sustained at least one gunshot wound.

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Authorites say Cobb was taken into custody without incident, and during the interview, investigators found enough probable cause was established to obtain a warrant for the murder of Kemmerlin.

According to authorities, Cobb is currently incarcerated at the Burke County Detention Center for charges that occurred in their jurisdiction, and once the judicial process is completed in Burke County, Cobb will be extradited to Richmond County and booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center on the charges of Murder, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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BERN, Switzerland  The initiative and referendum arrived in California from Switzerland more than a century ago as tools for citizens to bypass a lobbyist-controlled state capital and make policy themselves.

Ballot measures have become an unofficial fourth branch of government, through which voters settle broad cultural questions like affirmative action and micromanage the state budget. But many Californians now tell pollsters that a system designed to empower them is dangerously dominated by the kind of special-interest money it was created to circumvent.

The place that inspired Californias direct democracy hasnt become jaded about it. In Switzerland, voters have recently weighed in on everything from increasing pensions and upholding the countrys ambitious climate laws to updating cow horn regulations and defunding the Eurovision Song Contest.

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The Swiss are far more positive about this kind of governance than the Californians I encounter while covering ballot measures in the state, who tell me theyre overwhelmed and confused by the questions put before them. But the Swiss more frequently laud a system built around issues rather than parties or politicians. They often say it fosters a consensus-based atmosphere, keeps polarization at bay and diffuses tension by giving individuals trust in their ability to shape policy.

As Switzerland celebrated the 150th anniversary of the worlds first national referendum in 2024, I thought back to the American journalist who helped inform the world of the peculiar politics being practiced in the Alps. After an 1888 trip through Europe, J.W. Sullivan wrote an admiring book that described the initiative (in which citizens can introduce a law) and the referendum (in which they veto one passed by lawmakers) as a cure for the eras populist and progressive anxieties about the unchecked power of moneyed interests.

Many of those same concerns dominate todays politics, but in California  one of 24 states to adopt the initiative in the years after Sullivans book  direct democracy seems like just another part of the problem rather than a solution. I thought Switzerland might still have something to teach us.

As I retraced Sullivans travels through Switzerland last summer, plenty of what I observed was familiar. Party officials, consultants and pollsters in the small, multilingual nation of 8.9 million, too, hatch plans to collect petition signatures, wrestle with explaining complex issue questions in simple terms and face negotiations over legislative counterproposals.

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But they almost uniformly believed their system works pretty much the way it should. There are major differences between the two countries that make it impossible to simply export success from one to the other. Nevertheless, I came home with a few things the Golden State ballot measure world could learn from Switzerland.

1. Vote more often.

Since I started reporting on ballot measures in California, I often hear voters complain that there are too many measures on the ballot at once. Last year I covered a ballot featuring 10 statewide issues, which I knew was on the lower side historically  in November 1988, for example, voters faced down 29 questions.

Switzerland has a way to keep the number of measures more manageable: By going to the polls more often. Far more often.

Switzerland typically holds elections on issue questions  separate from its parliamentary elections  once every three months. Voters can encounter initiatives and referendums at three different levels: federal, regional (known as cantonal), and local. Typically between two and four federal-level initiatives and referendums appear on each ballot, along with a handful of cantonal and local measures.

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On Nov. 24, the last election day of 2024, voters across Switzerland saw four: one on expanding the countrys highways, two related to housing, and one on a recent amendment to health care law. On the cantonal and local level, the Swiss decided on issues ranging from lowering the voting age to 16 and reforming urban planning processes to reducing regional income taxes and promoting renewable energy production.

Californians, by contrast, are accustomed to voting in statewide elections every two years. In 2011, lawmakers decided to stop including initiatives on primary ballots  so now, with rare exceptions, every statewide measure is jammed onto a biennial general election ballot already overstuffed with presidential, gubernatorial, congressional and legislative races.

Those involved in Swiss direct democracy said the steady pace fosters a more regular engagement with policy issues among the electorate  a chance for citizens to regularly work out their democratic muscles even at the cost of fatigue.

Democracy can be exhausting in Switzerland, Adrian Michel, who leads the pro-business Free Democratic Partys initiative and referendum campaigns, told me in the partys Bern headquarters one summer morning. The posters lining the walls in German, French and Italian from past initiative campaigns the party had fought, on everything from same-sex marriage to tax reform to relations with the European Union, underscored his point.



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This frequency helps to settle policy debates promptly. When Basel decided in mid-September to fund the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest as a host city, the small conservative Federal Democratic Union party began signature-gathering efforts to challenge the move. The party submitted signatures the following month and put the referendum before voters in November. (Voters rejected it, keeping the money in place.)

Swiss referendums typically end up on the ballot within a year of submitting the necessary signatures. In California, it can sometimes take more than twice as long  a period of uncertainty during which a new law is put on hold awaiting voter review. (Swiss initiatives, by contrast, can sometimes take as long or longer to appear on the ballot.)

In Sacramento, lawmakers approved a law to ban the drilling of new oil wells within a certain distance of places like homes and schools in September 2022. When oil interests gathered signatures to overturn it, qualifying for the ballot five months later, the earliest a referendum could reach voters was November 2024.

That has birthed a sordid tactic in California politics: launching a referendum campaign primarily to delay an unfriendly new law. (Drillers ended up pulling their referendum from the 2024 ballot at the latest possible moment, after having effectively purchased a nearly two-year regulatory postponement.) Such a tactic is less potent in Switzerland, where the calendar leaves less room for strategic delay.

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A rapid-fire election calendar would be a tough sell in California, where officials struggle to efficiently process votes and quarterly votes would mean already slow counters barely get a break before starting all over again.

Given the size of the electorate and the size of the state, it would be complicated  at the state level, said Mark Baldassare, survey director at the Public Policy Institute of California. But I could see it working to some degree at the local level.

2. Lower the barriers to entry

On the countrys national holiday in August, I visited an outdoor fair in a Zurich park where an initiative campaign to loosen Switzerlands notoriously strict citizenship requirements had deployed to hunt for signatures.

We created this from scratch, Arber Bullakaj, one of the initiators of the proposal, told me as we took shelter from a summer rain shower under a tent the initiative had set up. Behind us, volunteers were chatting enthusiastically with beer-toting passersby. People in our local committees are really active  we have some volunteers who have collected signatures every single day.

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The analogous scene in California, at a farmers market or in a big-box store parking lot, would likely feature not enthusiastic true believers but paid signature-gatherers working for firms that specialize in helping would-be campaigns reach the ballot.

Backers of an initiative or referendum in California have six months to gather 546,651 signatures (a number that fluctuates based on the size of the electorate). For a constitutional amendment, the number is even higher: 874,641. It typically costs at least $8 million to clear this logistical hurdle  just to place a question before voters, usually before a dollar has been spent on advertising or other communication.

Swiss campaigners need to submit 100,000 valid signatures to put an initiative on a ballot, a slightly smaller percentage of the population than California requires. More importantly, they have 18 months to collect them. As a result, far fewer turn to professionals: parties and interest groups rely on their existing member base to help boost their numbers, and grassroots movements can feasibly get their causes on the ballot with a volunteer force alone. (The citizenship proposal I followed in Zurich, known as the Democracy Initiative, successfully submitted 135,000 signatures in October.)

Money plays a role, theres no question about that, Urs Leuthard, a journalist with the Swiss broadcaster SRF who moderates the networks election-day coverage, told me over coffee at the Swiss National Museum. But I actually believe that in Switzerland it is still possible for organizations with relatively little money to launch initiatives.

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Throughout the rest of the summer and fall, I tracked the volunteers conversations in the campaigns city-based Signal chats. In the Zurich group, they swapped selfies from Swiss trains, cobblestoned city squares and sun-dappled cafe patios, exchanging updates like Im going to try to get some signatures at the Zurich Film Festival today, does anyone want to come with me? and +76, marking the number of signatures they had brought in that day.

It was well-organized, but delightfully chaotic in a way that would seem unimaginable in California. Here campaigns occasionally begin the process hoping they can gather enough signatures with volunteers, but quickly come to realize theres no virtual way to do it in the six-month window without paying dearly for help. More than 30 initiative campaigns that submitted paperwork with state officials to collect signatures for the 2024 ballot did not ultimately qualify for it.



That fact gets at the crux of one of Californians other complaints about the initiative system: In Sacramento, changing the law via the citizenry has become so costly that only the most well-funded interests, like oil companies and casino owners, even have a shot at qualifying something for the ballot (let alone running a statewide campaign to persuade a majority to vote for it).

Bob Hertzberg, a former Assembly speaker and Senate majority leader who has been involved in efforts to reform the ballot measure process both in and out of the Legislature said one option to address the issue would be to set a per-voter maximum for each ballot-measure committees spending.

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Weve got to get more truth in this whole process because its so easy to manipulate with just huge amounts of money, he told me.

As the number of initiatives in Switzerland has steadily grown, some critics of the system have suggested raising the number of required signatures. (This might be more urgent if it ever becomes possible to sign a petition digitally; currently, an ink signature is required.) But reforming the initiative process to make it less accessible is a third rail of Swiss politics.

Nobody does that because it is a dismantling of democracy, Michel told me. If anyone tried to suggest it, theyd be politically dead.

3. Let legislators strike back

I spend most of my time covering efforts to reach the ballot in California, but what felt like every waking hour of my time in June was spent following a saga to remove something from last falls ballot.

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Proposition 36, a proposal to strengthen criminal penalties, reached the November ballot after a group of law enforcement and business interests banded together to fight what they saw as an epidemic of retail theft and drug abuse. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders desperately wanted to see it gone because of the potential harm to party candidates who would have to share a ballot with the initiative.

So they pursued a legislative deal, offering to pass a law giving new prosecutors new tools to combat retail theft  and even the possibility of putting the existing proposal before voters in a future year  in exchange for the proponents spiking their 2024 plans. When the proponents held firm, Newsom briefly considered placing his own competing measure on the ballot. (Prop 36 went on to pass by a 37-point margin.)

Fresh off that experience during my time in Switzerland, I couldnt help but wonder how things might have gone differently if we had a system like theirs. At both the federal and cantonal levels, Switzerlands process allows the legislature to introduce its own counterproposal. If the initiatives backers dont rescind their proposal, the legislatures counterproposal appears on the ballot directly alongside the original initiative.

When that happens, voters check three boxes: A yes-or-no vote on the original initiative, a yes-or-no vote on the legislative counterproposal, and then a third question asking which measure theyd prefer to implement if both pass.

Although this process has been in place for decades, it has been fully used only a handful of times. The most recent was in 2010, when voters approved an initiative to deport foreigners who had committed crimes  and rejected the parliaments counterproposal, a more moderate version that removed some of the initiatives proposed crimes for which a foreign national could be deported.

What it does is it forces parliament to listen ... to strong parts of citizenry and to enter into a dialogue, Hans-Peter Schaub, a political scientist with the University of Bern who runs the initiative database Swissvotes.ch, told me in Bern. And this [parliamentary] counterproposal is exactly this kind of thing: Yeah, well, we agree with some of those demands, but not with everything. So we have another idea how to how to solve it, and then negotiate.



In the decade since California began allowing proponents to remove qualified measures up to five months before Election Day, business and labor interests have learned to wield the threat of initiative as leverage to force the governor and legislators to come to the negotiating table over often highly technical questions around worker rights, environmental restrictions and the minimum wage.

That happens in Switzerland, too, a process that also keeps plenty of qualified initiatives from ever appearing on the ballot. But when a competing legislative measure ends up on the ballot, listing the options side-by-side on the ballot would clarify voters choices and allow them to more easily reach the policy outcome they prefer.

4. Ditch the TV ads

Ask Californians what they know about a given years crop of ballot measures and theyll probably tell you about the myriad TV spots theyve seen leading up to Election Day. Last year, I heard friends and family frequently mention the barrage of advertising over Proposition 33, the rent-control measure that became a high-dollar battle between its AIDS Healthcare Foundation backers and opponents at the California Apartment Association.

The Swiss airwaves, by contrast, are mercifully free of ads related to initiatives and referendums. Thats because the country has banned political advertising on both TV and radio, from candidate and initiative campaigns alike. (Campaigns can advertise on digital media, however, as well as in newspapers and via outdoor posters.)

Like the signature requirements and timeframe, the lack of TV ads helps keep the price of initiative campaigns down compared to their sometimes-bloated California counterparts. In 2020, Uber, Lyft and DoorDash spent more than $220 million on a measure reclassifying rideshare drivers as freelancers, more money than any other statewide campaign in American history, almost all of it on advertising.

The lack of TV advertising in Switzerland, combined with the fact that elections typically focus on a small number of initiatives and referendums at a time, contributes to a more substantive debate about them.

The media cannot avoid writing and reporting on policy issues and, I think, that is somehow different from a purely representative system, said Heike Scholten, a Zurich-based political consultant who works on initiative and referendum campaigns. It has implications for the way in which we debate politically, and I think thats very valuable for a democracy.

Ahead of the most recent election, the national broadcaster hosted an hour-long special on the policy details of the highway expansion measure, and newspapers like the Neue Zurcher Zeitung published dozens of articles and interviews about each measure.

The intensity of the debate at the end is what makes the quality of direct democracy, said Lukas Golder, co-director of GFS Bern, a public opinion firm that polls on Swiss initiatives and referendums. We still have quite good coverage of free media, and the broadcaster [SRF] is another element that keeps up this debate quality. So that also helps to stabilize the system.

Doing away with TV ads in the American context feels like a non-starter. Gale Kaufman, a veteran ballot measure consultant, said the cuts to media in California, leaving the state without the robust local media scene it has had in the past, would make it difficult to have Swiss-style coverage here.

If you took television ads away, the question is why. If that meant that every single local station that still exists on broadcast and radio, as part of their weekend or two days a week, had an hour of discourse  if you helped formulate how to do that, it would take a while but maybe it would get better, she said. But just to get rid of TV ads means thered be even less information, not more.

5. Give citizens other ways to shape policy

Across German-speaking Switzerland, towns and cantons have held in-person votes called Landsgemeinde  direct, in-person citizen votes to approve everything from budgets to local policy  since the late Middle Ages. Some have continued the tradition into the modern era.

The cantons of Glarus and Appenzell each gather their citizens in large public squares one day every year. Anyone can voice their support or objection for a particular piece of legislation or budget item, and the result is determined by a show of hands. Its sort of like the Iowa caucuses, except instead of picking a candidate attendees choose from a full range of policy proposals.



This centuries-old tradition means direct democracy is embedded across the Swiss political system. Sean Mueller, a political scientist at the University of Lausanne, told me that participating in Landsgemeinde while growing up in Glarus is a big part of why he decided to focus his research on his countrys unique political system.

You go, you hear, you can speak up if youre not happy, you decide, and thats it, he said. Thats what democracy is about: trusting each other and working together. So asking citizens to trust politicians, but not trusting them in return, feels off. I dont know how people get away with [not doing] it in other countries, to be honest.

Theres been plenty of discussion in California, and the U.S. more broadly, about how to give people more of a direct say in their politics. Some states, including neighboring Oregon, have launched citizens assemblies. Randomly selected groups of people who come together for a specific number of sessions to debate an issue and come up with a list of concrete policy recommendations.

Baldassare, the survey director at PPIC, said he could imagine holding annual advisory votes in California, where voters weigh in on issues in a way that tells lawmakers what their policy priorities are. He, along with Hertzberg and others who have thought about how to reform Californias initiative process, say there are ways to get people more involved, whether via advisory votes or citizens assemblies.

The elements of Swiss direct democracy could theoretically be used everywhere, said Leuthard, the Swiss journalist. Its about political participation  thats not rocket science, and thats not something completely abnormal, its something we all do as citizens. We want to have a say, to be involved in these decisions.
Barricade set up at a homeless encampment by the City of Las Vegas. (Michael Lyle/Nevada Current)

A man is sleeping on the ground next to a bus stop wrapped in a blanket when he is spotted by a police officer.

A City of Las Vegas marshal notices the 55-year-old while patrolling near the Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas on a recent November morning, according to the police report.

Officer James Blaisure determines the man is unhoused and violating an expanded ban passed by the city council earlier in the month that restricts camping or lodging citywide even if there arent available shelter beds.

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The officer sees the mans walker covered in clothes next to him as he sleeps. Blaisure uncovers the blanket and tells him he cannot sleep there.

The man is asked if he has been to the Courtyard Homeless Resource Center, roughly a mile away that can accommodate up to 550 people with a sleeping mat at night.

He tells the officer he was going to make his way over there eventually, according to the police report.

It was the second time in a week that officers had warned him for the same offense  camping or lodging without consent, a misdemeanor that could carry a $1,000 fine.

Experts and advocates suspect such encounters are on the rise following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June that cities dont violate the 8th Amendments restriction on cruel and unusual punishment when they criminalize those experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside even if there arent other adequate accommodations for them to go.

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The National Homelessness Law Center tracked cities that have passed anti-homeless camping bans or expanded existing camping bans to make them more punitive since the high courts decision. It found 99 ordinances were passed in 26 states that restrict unhoused people from sleeping and camping, according to data it provided to States Newsroom in November.

Another 66 ordinances were pending at the time.

But with homelessness rising, driven by the lack of affordable housing, low wages, and limited access to social services among other factors, advocates say the court decision stands to worsen an issue that has become more politicized in recent years.

Every bill is a little bit different, said Jesse Rabinowitz, the communications and campaign director for the National Homelessness Law Center. The main two things they all have in common are that none of them solve homelessness and all of them will make homelessness worse.

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A full report from the law center on recent criminalization trends is expected to be released in early 2025.

Roughly a third of all camping bans the National Homelessness Law Center has tracked since July were passed in California, the state with the largest homeless population.

Illinois had the second highest with 13 ordinances, all that featured language crafted by the Illinois Municipal League.

Eric Tars, the senior policy director at the National Homelessness Law Center, said there is a common refrain across cities adopting ordinances with local officials saying its not our intent to criminalize people experiencing homelessness.

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The camping bans passed in Illinois cities start with a $75 fine, a hefty price for someone experiencing homelessness. The cost can increase each time.

Violating camping bans could result in a $50 fine in Merced, California and a $100 fine in Phoenix, Arizona.

Almost nowhere in America can you do all of the activities that you and I do every day and take for granted. Eating, sleeping, resting, sitting. We're all sitting right now. If we were doing that and we were homeless and doing that outside in a public space, it might be considered a crime.

 Eric Tars, National Homelessness Law Center senior policy director

A West Virginia city expanded a ban in September, prohibiting camping and storing personal property in public spaces, West Virginia Watch reported. Morgantown officials set penalties ranging from fines of $200 to $300 for second and third offense as well as possible jail time.

Many of Wheeling, W.Va.s unhoused population stayed in an encampment on a state-owned parking lot across the street from the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center in March 2024 before the state closed and cleaned the camp, forcing people to move. (Daniel Finsley/Finsley Creative for West Virginia Watch)

Kinsburg, California has fines up to $500. Similar to Las Vegas fine, ordinances passed in some California cities like Fresno, Indio and Hemet could come with up to $1,000 fines.

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Las Vegas City Marshals, which oversee public safety and enforcement on city-owned property, issued citations to three unhoused people sleeping near the Fremont Street Experience in November.

In addition to a potential $1,000 fine, the 55-year-old man also faces up to six months in jail after his 2025 court date. In an email, a Las Vegas official said that its up to the judge to decide whether to implement the full amount.

Unhoused people who are arrested under many of these new ordinances could also face jail time ranging from 10 days to a year, the law center reported.

In the Illinois cities that passed similar camping bans, jail time is possible if someone violates the ordinances more than six times in a two-year period.

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Not all the bans tracked in the last five months are new, but some have been amended to be more restrictive following the Supreme Court ruling, according to the law center.

Cities including Las Vegas; Oceanside, California; Paso Robles California; Bremerton, Washington; and Auburn, Washington all updated existing camping and sleeping bans in recent months to remove provisions that prevented enforcement if shelter beds werent available.

When passing these ordinances, Tars said officials often try to assuage their conscience and say things like we want to push them into services or were working on other shelters.

Things like those will take longer, if ever, he said. The camping ban they pass goes into effect immediately. Even without those services theyre already moving toward enforcement. Thats the only piece they prioritize. That really tells you what their priorities are.

Public pressure to do more

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found that nationally 654,104 people experienced homelessness on a single night in 2023, a 12% increase from the previous year.

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The numbers are largely viewed as an under count as the method of counting individuals on a single January night comes with challenges and an already transient population can easily fall through the cracks.

Marcy Thompson, vice president for programs and policy here at the National Alliance to End Homelessness, said data doesnt give a full picture of homelessness.

If you just look at that data, its easy to assume that things arent working and that homelessness response systems arent doing their job, or that resources arent being spent appropriately, Thompson said. What you dont see in those numbers are things like, how many people are becoming homeless each year for the first time.

Low wages not keeping up with the cost of rent, the lack of access to health care and mental health resources and systemic racism have all contributed to the homeless crisis, she said.

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On the list of policy issues that contribute to homelessness, Thompson said the lack of affordable and available housing nationwide is at the top.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law by President Joe Biden, provided cities and states with an historic, one-shot infusion of flexible dollars that some used to address housing shortages or stand up homeless resources.

Lauren Lowery, the Housing and Community Development director with the National League of Cities, said those funds resulted in $6.7 billion for housing-related expenditures, which is like over 10 years of the home investment block grant.

ARPA dollars were very significant about helping cities to address those at risk for homelessness and those experiencing homelessness as well, she said.

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But the investments, while significant, were never enough, Thompson said.

There isnt sufficient housing, she said. As homelessness becomes more visible, theres often a lot of public pressure to do something.

The law center said of the 187 cities previously surveyed in recent years they found that each one had at least one, if not multiple, laws criminalizing homelessness in some form, Tars said.

In 2023, Georgia lawmakers passed a bill that mandates local governments to enforce ordinances prohibiting unauthorized public camping and sleeping on sidewalks and other public spaces, the Georgia Recorder reported. The measure also requires an audit of how public funding is used for programs to help people experiencing homelessness.

Gov. Bill Lee allowed a Tennessee law banning camping on public property to take effect without his signature in 2022, calling for the need to seek solutions to address homelessness, the Tennessee Lookout reported.

Almost nowhere in America can you do all of the activities that you and I do every day and take for granted, he said. Eating, sleeping, resting, sitting. Were all sitting right now. If we were doing that and we were homeless and doing that outside in a public space, it might be considered a crime.

There were attempts to limit punitive measures.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed Republican-sponsored legislation in 2023 that would have made it illegal for unhoused persons to camp in public spaces. And the Missouri Supreme Court struck down that states public camping ban on a technicality.

An appellate court in 2022 ruled in favor of unhoused people who sought to overturn city ordinances passed in Grants Pass, Oregon, that restricted and fined people for sleeping and camping in public even though there arent other places to go.

Many Western cities within the jurisdiction of the court submitted amicus briefs the following year asking the Supreme Court to overturn the decision. Many argued their hands were tied to address homelessness because of the federal courts ruling.

Anit Jindal, an attorney representing the League of Oregon Cities, wrote in a brief that the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decision limits the tools available to local governments for tackling this complex and troubling human issue.

When we talk to cities about the need to build housing or the need to fund outreach or services, they say cities cant move quickly because government is slow, Rabinowitz said. They have moved very, very quickly to pass these bills that make homelessness worse.

Even as the federal courts ruling stood, cities carried out encampment removals and adopted carefully worded ordinances to criminalize sleeping in a public right of way but only when shelter beds werent available.

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Grants Pass city officials restricted homeless camping to two lots nearly a mile apart. The city has provided portable toilets and handwashing stations, though not drinking water. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

In a 6-3 ruling this June, the Supreme Court reversed Johnson v. City of Grants Pass paving a way for cities to adopt camping and sleeping restrictions.

In a statement to States Newsroom, Jeff Olivet, executive director of U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said cities are facing a difficult decision when it comes to the rising number of encampments.

Encampments raise significant, legitimate concerns about the health and safety of neighborhoods and local businesses, he said. However, the criminalization of homelessness is ineffective, expensive, and inhumane. Housing and health care, not handcuffs and fines, solve homelessness.

An uncertain future

In the days following his re-election, Republican Donald Trump vowed in his second term to use every tool, lever and authority to get the homeless off our streets.

Trump proposed an urban camping ban. He said he would open up large parcels of inexpensive land and create tent cities where the homeless can be relocated and their problems identified. He plans to bring in doctors, social workers and job rehab specialists.

The threat of a national camping ban from Trump isnt new and something he spoke about during his first term.

Before the Grants Pass decision, the 9th Circuit ruled in the 2018 case Martin v. Boise that cities cant punish people for sleeping on the streets if there isnt any alternative shelter.

The Supreme Court declined to review the case in 2019.

Tars said the courts decision might have prevented Trump from pursuing aggressive plans toward pressuring cities to enact punitive measures toward the unhoused.

Now that the Supreme Court has overturned the Martin v. Boise principle in the Grants Pass case, that has basically paved the way for him to pick up right where he left off, only bigger, better and worse, Tars said.

There are still mounting questions around what legal authority Trump would have federally to criminalize homelessness.

Thompson said there are other ways the federal response to homelessness and the housing crisis could change in a second Trump term.

When awarding grants, HUD gives points to communities who are demonstrating that they are not criminalizing homelessness, she said.

Another administration could choose to take those points away or offer those points for something else, right? she added.

HUD isnt the only department that could change how it approaches homelessness.

Weve seen the Department of Justice over the years provide guidance around the importance of not criminalizing, Thompson added. Weve seen guidance around good first responder and community partnerships that are housing focused from Department of Justice. Weve seen them speak out against community and state level tactics that have been enforced.

Those guidances, she added, could change and push more punitive tactics.

Even who is appointed to agencies could impact the direction the federal government takes to address homelessness, Rabinowitz said.

The 2019 pick to head the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Robert Marbut, had been against housing first strategy.

While it is still unclear about a second Trump administration, Rabinowitz said early indicators show that Trump could force more people into homelessness by gutting further the social safety net.

Once people are homeless, they (Trump administration) have no plan to address it other than literally rounding people up and putting them in detention camps, he added.

Little daylight between Republicans, Dems

Although many are worried about what a more punitive approach to homelessness could look like under Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress, Tars said its not just Republicans who have embraced harsh stances toward the unhoused.

Democratic mayors, governors, people who should know better, are aligning themselves with the same position that Trump is taking, he said.

One example Tars points to is Californias Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who signed an executive order less than a month after the Supreme Court decision around encampments.

The directive orders state agencies to remove an encampment if they determine it poses an imminent threat to life, health, safety or infrastructure and if feasible to remove the encampment. The order requires notices be posted 48 hours prior to an encampment removal.

Following the directive, Newsom said there is now no excuse not to clean out encampments.

Tars warned moving people out of encampments isnt easy, especially if there isnt enough housing or shelter space for people to go. He warned the method to remove people could lead to more people ending up in jail.

Rabinowitz said Newsoms push to clear out encampments shows theres often little daylight between what Democrats like (Gov.) Gavin Newsom and what far right extremists like Donald Trump want to do in regards to homelessness.

The governors office declined to answer questions about whether the directive could push more unhoused people into the criminal legal system or how the effectiveness of the directive is being monitored.

In a statement to States Newsroom, the office said Governor Newsoms stance is not to forcibly remove homeless encampments or people.

We cannot comment on hypotheticals for the next administration or policies which have not yet been enacted, but California always stands ready to protect the best interests of our state and people, said Tara Gallegos, a spokeswoman for the governor. California will continue to advance person-centered approaches to help people access help, shelter, and affordable housing options.

Nevada Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nevada Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Hugh Jackson for questions: info@nevadacurrent.com.

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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  Its been 17 days since Ronald Dumas Jr. was classified as a missing person, and time has not brought answers.

Its family, Dumas Cousin Byron Pillow said. To lose, possibly, him, its hard.

Huntsville police investigating deadly wreck near Mazda Toyota Plant

The Dumas family hosted a vigil Friday night, hoping to garner more support and, possibly, answers as to what happened. Braving the icy temperatures, community members wrapped the Dumas family with a blanket of support.

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Were in perilous times, you know, Attendee Courtney Easter said. And this doesnt happen in Huntsville. So, were just trying to be here to show love and support.

Easter, a friend of the mother of Ronalds children, has seen firsthand the heartbreak from Ronalds disappearance.

As one of the people who loves Talia, were just trying to build a network around her so that she can feel that love and that support, Easter said.

Redstone Arsenal announces hightened security measures

Family members last heard from Robert Dumas Jr. the night of December 15. He was out with people unknown to the family. Ronald lived with his cousin Byron at the time, and, when Byron woke up the next morning, he immediately knew something was wrong.

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Im a light sleeper, Byron said. He would have came home. I would have heard the door open and I would have woke up and went in my room. I knew something was kind of wrong. Then I called him, text him, I got nothing.

Ronalds car was found on the side of Interstate 40 near mile marker 133 in Tennessee on the morning of December 16. His cell phone pinged off a cell tower near Jackson, Tennessee shortly after.

Byron said its out of character for Ronald to up and leave unannounced or unplanned. More than that, a tradition the two cousins have makes an unexpected trip to Tennessee even more abnormal.

Indicted Lauderdale County judge arguing he misunderstood law as defense in fund misuse, perjury case

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We actually have a pact that weve had since we came here for college, Byron said. If we ever go to Nashville, we call each other and ask what we want from White Castle. Because thats the closest we can get to some Chicago food down here is White Castle. I know for a fact that if he was going up there and that was his intention, he would have called me and told me. Thats not him.

The family filed a missing person report on December 17. Multiple searches have been conducted by both law enforcement and volunteers since then. No answers have surfaced yet.

Family and friends alike pray the vigil Friday does not only keep Ronalds name out there, but encourages those who may have any information to speak up.

Im just hoping that someone sees us, Easter said. Someone knows something and reaches out. We just need answers.

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Anyone with information about Dumas and his possible whereabouts is encouraged to contact lead investigator Gibbs at (256) 427-5448.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Hello, its the weekend. This is The Weekender 

With the fourth anniversary of the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building approaching on Monday, the FBI released some new information about one of the lingering mysteries from that day: the pipe bomber who targeted the Republican and Democratic National Committee headquarters.

As TPM reported late last year, the lack of progress in the case has left residents of Capitol Hill anxious and concerned. Most of what is known about the suspect who planted a pair of pipe bombs at both party headquarters on the night before the certification has come in the form of annual updates from the FBI, which is seeking tips from the public to help close the case. These updates, which have detailed the would-be bombers path through the neighborhood and included video of the masked suspect, have been based on the FBIs wide ranging canvass of Capitol Hill.

In the latest bulletin, the FBI included a new video clip showing the moment a pipe bomb was placed in front of the DNC. The FBI also revealed that it estimates the suspect to be approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall.

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This new clip and height analysis does not answer any of the major questions about the incident including; how the suspect arrived in the neighborhood and, of course, who they are. In fact, in a video that accompanied the new information, the FBI admitted that they have not described the suspects movements between the two party headquarters in full, in part, because at one point we lose video coverage of the suspect.

While there may not be much new information to share, the FBI also attempted to give a sense of the scope of its efforts to identify the suspect.

Over the past four years, a dedicated team of FBI agents, analysts, data scientists, and law enforcement partners has visited more than 1,200 residences and businesses, conducted more than 1,000 interviews, reviewed approximately 39,000 video files, and assessed more than 600 tips about who may have placed pipe bombs on Capitol Hill in January 2021, David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the FBI Washington Field Office said in a statement.

The video accompanying the update also noted there were fewer than 25,000 of the distinctive Nike shoes worn by the suspect sold between late 2018 and January 2021. A New York Times report on the FBIs announcement also detailed a few leads in the investigation that did not pan out including issuing subpoenas to 18 vendors that sold the type of sneakers the suspect was wearing. In that Times story, Sundberg also acknowledged there have been difficulties in working this case including the challenge of identifying the masked suspect based on security footage.

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Overall, the FBI made clear that it is hoping the public will provide a tip that can help them find the suspect. Otherwise, this haunting question from the attack on the Capitol may remain unanswered.

We urge anyone who may have previously hesitated to come forward, or who may not have realized they had important information, to contact the FBI. A reward of up to $500,000 is available for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual responsible for this dangerous attempt to harm our community, Sundberg said.

 Hunter Walker

Heres what else TPM has on tap this weekend:

Kate Riga shares a dispatch from her time speaking to lawmakers outside the House chamber, when it appeared, for nearly an hour, that Johnson had lost the first round of votes in his bid for the speakership. That all changed after Johnson met with two of the holdouts, convincing them to change their votes and securing the gavel for himself.

John Light looks back on a more optimistic era of the internet in which the concept of Net Neutrality was conceived, and the darker information environment weve ended up with.

Emine Yucel checks in on a Trump ally who is using the violent incidents over the last week to push debunked claims about terrorism, after Trump falsely blamed undocumented immigrants for the attack in New Orleans.

Lets dig in.

Johnson Cajoles Holdouts Into Giving Him The Gavel

Members spilled out of the chamber Friday afternoon after Mike Johnson (R-LA) had seemingly lost the vote, with three Republicans voting for other people.

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They were incompetent in the last session of Congress, and theyre showing their incompetence in this new session, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) told TPM on his way down the steps from the House floor.

Hey guys, news flash, the skys not falling, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) told a gaggle of reporters. I know itd be super high drama and exciting if everything fell apart but its not going to happen  Mike Johnson is going to be speaker of the House.

A few minutes later, Van Orden was proven right  I TOLD YA, he hollered on his way back into the chamber.

Moments later, two of the defectors switched their votes to Johnson, giving him the gavel in a prolonged first vote.

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Still  electing a speaker is supposed to be the easy part.

The bad news is theyre dysfunctional, McGovern said. The good news is theyre dysfunctional, it means they wont get anything done.

 Kate Riga

Net Neutrality After The Bullshit Flood

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit struck down the Biden administrations stab at Net Neutrality this week, bringing an early end to a policy that was slated to be thrown out with the arrival of a new, Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission chair later this year. The ruling cited the Supreme Courts 2024 Loper Bright decision, which robbed executive agencies of much of their power to interpret laws when regulating. The 6th Circuit found that the FCC had misread relevant statutes with its Net Neutrality policy and then offered its own reading, which Texas A&M School of Law professor Dan Walters summarized as hilariously abstruse metaphysical BS.

This ends, at least for the foreseeable future, a conversation that started in the mid-2000s, in an earlier and much more optimistic era of the web, about how to ensure the public could access online information without the interference of corporations. A great fear often cited by pro-Net Neutrality activists was that without these protections, telecommunications companies could limit or block access to websites they disfavored  either for competitive or political reasons. That fear is not that far-fetched as a second Trump administration arrives in DC, but also feels somewhat out of date.

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In 2024, tech oligarchs were cheering on the global far right while agitating for a remake of the U.S. government. The president-elect was promising retribution against his political enemies. Corporations were scrambling to show him their loyalty through both financial contributions and more vibes-based offerings. The head of a prominent social media platform became his shadow, while another social media platform made plans to roll out imaginary, AI friends for you to chat with. It all continues into 2025. The zone is flooded with bullshit, and it is tremendous content, but with real stakes.

The idea that our information landscape can be protected from powerful interests is one that, to me at least, feels further out of reach now than when the fight for Net Neutrality got going, with or without a federal safeguard in place. For now, a California Net Neutrality law continues to offer some continued protection to consumers nationwide. Meanwhile, what the Net Neutrality-equivalent solution might be for our 2024-era woes remains to be seen.

 John Light

Words Of Wisdom

No, I dont. This is a gut feeling.

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Thats Tom Homan, the man Trump appointed as border czar, admitting to Fox News anchor Sandra Smith that he doesnt actually know if the Las Vegas cyber truck explosion this week had a terrorist connection. The incident has, at this point, been ruled a suicide by authorities.

You said earlier, and you just referenced again, a terrorist connection there in Las Vegas. The police chief said they havent identified that, but to your point, you said you believed, as this investigation carries out in Las Vegas that  they will find a connection. Do you have any other information, or have you been privy to any other information other than what we just directly heard from the police there in Las Vegas? Smith asked.

That led to Homan admitting he, in fact, does not have any real information beyond what his gut tells him.

Homans just following Trumps lead. In the wake of another holiday attack in New Orleans, Trump blamed undocumented immigrants for the violence, without evidence, and posted a screed on Truth Social pushing thoroughly debunked claims blaming the Biden Open Borders Policy for the deadly incident.

 Emine Yucel
Editors note: This article has been updated with an address clarified by police.

DENVER (KDVR)  A vehicle crashed into a building near a busy intersection in Denver on Saturday morning before the driver fled the scene.

The Denver Police Department said the vehicle crashed into a building in a hit-and-run crash near 17th Street and Market Street.

Expect delays due to winter driving conditions, heavy traffic on I-70

A vehicle crashed into a building near a busy intersection in Denver on Saturday morning before the driver fled the scene. A vehicle crashed into a building near a busy intersection in Denver on Saturday morning before the driver fled the scene.

Police did not have information regarding any injuries. DPD said it is investigating the crash.

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Further information was not immediately available but FOX31 is working to learn more and this article will be updated.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The Allegheny County Health Department has ordered the closure of a grocery store in Carnegie.

Rahma Grocery, located at 409 E. Main St., was ordered to close after an inspection on Jan. 2.

According to an inspection report, officials found six violations, including two that are considered as high risk of causing foodborne illness.

The high-risk violations are for cleaning and sanitation, and pest management. The inspection report states the stores meat saw was visibly soiled with multiple different types of meat, including raw fish and raw beef. It also notes an active German roach infestation, with too many to count dead roaches found throughout the building and roach activity seen in the ceilings and walls.

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The inspection report states the store operator claimed they use a professional pest control service monthly but didnt provide health department officials with an invoice for those services.

The inspection report says Rahma Grocery was ordered to stop food processing operations on Dec. 30 because the building didnt have hot water. During the reinspection, gas services had not been turned on, and there was still no hot water. However, operators are accused of failing to comply with this order and were reportedly seen processing food during the reinspection.

Some of the other violations noted in the report include a walk-in freezer with a temperature of 40F, chronic food debris on shelves in the retail space and a lack of handwashing soap in the facility.

Click here to see the full inspection report.

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A statue of former President Jimmy Carter stands on the state Capitol grounds in Atlanta. Carter's funeral procession will pause in front of the state Capitol Saturday to honor his service as governor and state senator. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder (file photo)

Members of the public who wish to pay their respects to former President Jimmy Carter will have several opportunities in the coming days.

Carter died Sunday at the age of 100. He is the longest-lived president in American history and the only Georgia native to lead the country.

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His death has been met with an outpouring of tributes and recognition of Carters impact both while in office and after leaving the White House.

To see a full schedule of events, click here. Well wishers are encouraged to plan to arrive at least an hour ahead of time. An official public participation guide can be found here.

The outpouring of love and support we have received from around the world confirms what we have known all along  Jimmy Carters family extends far beyond blood relatives, Carters family said in a statement Friday. We are sincerely grateful for everyones words of comfort and acts of kindness following the passing of such a champion of human rights, justice, and peace.

The motorcade will leave Phoebe Sumter Medical Center at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and travel through Plains, Carters hometown and where he and former first lady Rosalynn Carter lived after leaving the White House in 1980.

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The procession will briefly pause in front of Carters boyhood home and family farm, where the National Park Service will ring the farm bell 39 times  a recognition of Carters role as the 39th president.

By late morning, the motorcade, which will include the hearse carrying the late presidents remains, will head toward Atlanta. There will be public viewing opportunities along the motorcade route in Preston, Ellaville, Butler, Reynolds, and Fort Valley.

The first stop in Atlanta is planned for 3 p.m. at the state Capitol, where Carter once served as governor and a state senator. The motorcade will pause in front of the state Capitol for a moment of silence led by Gov. Brian Kemp and other elected officials.

The motorcade will then travel a few miles to the Carter Presidential Center, where a private service will be held.

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Carter will begin lying in repose at 7 p.m. and continue to do so until 6 a.m. Tuesday. Members of the public can visit and pay their respects during this time.

There is currently no public parking at the center due to security restrictions. Instead, visitors are encouraged to take MARTA rail to King Memorial Station, where a shuttle will run every three to five minutes around the clock and bring people to the Carter Presidential Center.

On Tuesday, Carter will begin his final journey to Washington for another round of services, and then Carters remains will return to Georgia on Thursday for a private funeral service at Maranatha Baptist Church.

The former president will be buried near his home, where former first lady Rosalynn Carter was buried in late 2023. The U.S. Navy will conduct what is called a missing man formation flyover in honor of Carters naval service and role as commander-in-chief.

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The public has been invited to line the motorcade route as the late president travels through downtown Plains on the way to the Carters lifelong home one final time.

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A Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist revealed that she quit her job at The Washington Post after management axed her drawing of billionairesincluding Jeff Bezos, the papers ownerbending the knee to Donald Trump.

Last month, Bezos, the immensely wealthy founder of Amazon, dined at Mar-a-Lago and his company donated $1 million to Trumps upcoming inauguration. But ahead of the election, Bezos drew fire after the Posts management shut down the editorial boards plan to endorse Kamala Harris.

In a post on her Substack, Ann Telnaes said that she drew a cartoon that criticized corporate titansincluding Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, and Patrick Soon-Shiong, in addition to Bezosfor their efforts to curry favor with the president-elect. (Like Amazon, tech giants Apple and Facebook also ponied up $1 million for Trumps inauguration, reported Axios.)

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However, for the first time in her career, Telnaes said the paper killed the cartoon because of whom it targeted.

Telnaes won a Pulitzer Prize for her editorial cartoons. / Substack/Ann Telnaes

She wrote, I have had editorial feedback and productive conversationsand some differencesabout cartoons I have submitted for publication, but in all that time Ive never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. Until now.

According to Telnaes, the decision represented a failure of the newspapers obligation to nurture a free press in a democracy.

Owners of such press organizations are responsible for safeguarding that free pressand trying to get in the good graces of an autocrat-in-waiting will only result in undermining that free press, she added.

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In a statement to The New York Times, the Posts Opinions editor, David Shipley, said that he respects Telnaes but must disagree with her interpretation of events.

Not every editorial judgment is a reflection of a malign force, he said. My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another columnthis one a satirefor publication. The only bias was against repetition.

Telnaes shared a draft of the spiked cartoon on her Substack. / Ann Telnaes

Nevertheless, Telnaes story and the cartoon itselfa draft of which showed the businessmen kneeling as they raised bags of money up to a large figure above themwent viral on social media, sparking a wave of criticism against Bezos and his newspaper.

Democracy dies at The Washington Post, wrote Norman Ornstein, a contributing editor at The Atlantic, in an X postan allusion to the papers slogan, Democracy Dies in Darkness.

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Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren shared the cartoon on X and wrote, Big Tech executives are bending the knee to Donald Trump and its no surprise why: Billionaires like Jeff Bezos like paying a lower tax rate than a public school teacher.

.@AnnTelnaes resigned after the Washington Post editorial page killed her cartoon. Its worth a share.



Big Tech executives are bending the knee to Donald Trump and its no surprise why: Billionaires like Jeff Bezos like paying a lower tax rate than a public school teacher. pic.twitter.com/xv6e5dJVf4  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 4, 2025

The situation is just the latest crisis over the papers independence from its owner. Bezos blocking of the papers Harris endorsement in October prompted two columnists to leave, two editorial board members to resign, and more than 200,000 readers to cancel their subscriptions.

Bezos dined at Mar-a-Lago last month, and his company donated $1 million to Trumps inauguration. / The Washington Post / The Washington Post via Getty Im

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However, the billionaire defended the decision despite the uproar.

Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election. No undecided voters in Pennsylvania are going to say, Im going with Newspaper As endorsement, he wrote in a late October op-ed in the Post. None. What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence. Ending them is a principled decision, and its the right one.
I totally agree with that person. Its very depressing, Carville, who spent much of his career as an adviser to former President Clinton, responded in the interview, as highlighted by Mediaite. But if youre doing political strategy, you know, if you have an airplane crash, youve got to go back and find out what went wrong. You dont say, Well, lets just forget about it and move on.'

No, was the flap set in the right setting or, you know, was there something that the pilot didnt pay attention to? I dont know, but it is sort of depressing, he continued. But, you know, Michael, theres the simple, basic rule of politics is voters want an election about them. They dont want an election about you or your opponent. And for too much, we lost that. I lost it myself.

Carville argued that Democrats gave Trump too much of the spotlight, leaving voter concerns and desires in the dark.

We didnt make it about voters. And thats all. Its never a good idea. And how could I, at 80 years old, been doing this for 50 years, lapse into that level of stupidity? You know, Ive got to ask myself, he said.

But I think we did. And, you know, lets learn from this. Its a disaster, Carville continued. I agree, its depressing, but to have an event like this and not learn from it, I think is the biggest mistake we can make.

In a recent interview with The Hills Rising show, Carville also slammed Democrats for using what he called NPR language  referring to language previously deemed politically correct  during the campaign cycle. These phrases, such as defund the police and LatinX, were memorable.

What you look for with politics revolves around things we call sticky, things that you remember, like Defund the police, three stupidest words in the history of the English language, he told guest host Niall Stanage. But it stuck.

The Louisiana Democrat has also been critical of the Harris campaign for its unfathomable spending, which has been under scrutiny since she conceded the race to Trump.
POCAHONTAS COUNTY, WV (WVNS)  The West Virginia Department of Agriculture announced that a case of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza was confirmed in a backyard flock in Pocahontas County.

According to a press release, the case of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a backyard flock in Pocahontas County marks the second case in domestic birds in the Mountain State since the global outbreak started in 2022.

DH encourages increased cleanliness as norovirus cases increase nationwide

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The WVDA acted swiftly to contain the disease and remains committed to collaborating with poultry owners to prevent its spread. As the states leading agricultural commodity, protecting the poultry industry is critical, and implementing emergency response plans is essential to safeguarding its future. Kent Leonhardt | West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture

The HPAI case was confirmed after a field investigation, sample collection, and testing was done in Moorefield at WVDAs Animal Health NAHLN lab. The press release stated that the affected premise is under quarantine and measures were taken to prevent HPAI from spreading further, as well as to make sure the commercial food supply remains safe.

State health officials, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VADACS), and industry partners were alerted about the HPAI case by the WVDA, and protocols regarding sick bird reports will be followed.

According to the press release, highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as avian influenza, is an airborne respiratory virus that spreads among chickens through nasal and eye secretions and manure.

Avian influenza can also affect other types of birds such as wild migratory waterfowl, and has also been found in mammal species, believed to be due to the mammal being in contact with wild birds who were infected with the virus.

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Justice family selling The Resort at Glade Springs in Raleigh County

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture encourages those who own poultry to help prevent the spread of HPAI:

Limit, monitor, and record any people, animals, or cars that travel on or off the farm.

Only essential workers and cars will be allowed to enter the farm.

Do not visit other poultry farms or leave the farm when not necessary.

Keep equipment, cars, footwear, and other items disinfected if they are in contact with flocks.

Keep any flocks away from wild or migratory birds, especially waterfowl.

Separate any sick animals and inform your veterinarian as soon as possible.

The press release stated that the health risk for the public regarding avian influenza is low, however people are advised to properly handle and cook all egg and poultry products.

Additional information about HPAI and current detections in domestic poultry, livestock, and wildlife in the U.S. can be found on the U.S. Department of Agricultures website.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
CHEYENNE  Warnings of the negative impacts of social media use on minors erupted in the summer of 2024 after the U.S. surgeon general called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms.

In Wyoming, a Republican lawmaker from Casper is reintroducing a bill in the 2025 general session that will require parental consent for minors in order to create social media accounts.

House Bill 19, Social media-parental consent for minors required, requires the attorney general to promulgate rules for social media companies that would set up a parental verification process to create social media accounts for minors. It also gives parents the right to revoke these social media accounts.

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Rep. Steve Harshman, who is the bills sponsor, is hopeful this legislation will pass through the Legislature a second time around. A similar bill was filed by Harshman in the 2024 budget session but failed to get the necessary two-thirds introductory vote for consideration.

Harshman said he views this bill as both a parental rights issue and a child protection issue.

Weve got to be really careful, because (social media is) so powerful, Harshman said. And weve got to protect our kids and empower our parents.

The idea for the first bill was brought to him by a constituent, whose son had died by suicide from cyberbullying. Harshman, who taught high school for nearly 40 years, told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle hes seen firsthand the growing impact of cellphone use in the classroom.

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Schools ought to be a place to learn, Harshman said. To be with your peers and teachers and grow as a young person, not to be hunched over, looking at your phone all day.

There is at least one other bill filed for the 2025 general session that also aims to restrict cellphone use among adolescents.

Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, is proposing a bill that would enact a statewide ban on cellphone use in the classroom during instructional time.

Schuler previously told the WTE she tries to avoid heavy-handed state legislation that interferes with local control. However, several teachers and school district administrators told her theyve faced backlash from parents when implementing any policy restricting phone use in the classroom, Schuler said

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If it was just one district, that would be one thing, but it was a number of them, Schuler said. And they said, We need some help.

Social media usage, teens

Up to 95% of American teenagers report using a social media platform, with nearly two-thirds of them reporting using social media every day, according to the U.S. surgeon generals office. One third of 13- to 17-year-olds reported visiting social media almost constantly.

Top-ranking social media sites among teens, according to a Pew Research study, are YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook  although the latter social media site is quickly dropping in usage among teenagers.

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According to Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, Children and adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety symptoms. Excessive screen time can also lead to disruptions in sleep and behavioral health patterns.

This is concerning, as a recent survey showed that teenagers spend an average of 3.5 hours a day on social media, according to Murthys post. And when asked about the impact of social media on their body image, 46% of adolescents aged 13-17 said social media makes them feel worse.

A 2023 Pew Research survey found that 81% of U.S. adults are in favor of parental consent for minors to use social media. Seventy-one percent of adults favored imposing an age verification for social media sites, and 69% are in favor of setting time limits for these platforms.

Some experts argue social media can pose some benefits for adolescents, although its widely concluded parents should monitor their childs online presence on social websites. A 2023 article posted by the American Psychological Association (APA) said social media helps young individuals stay on top of current events, engage in issues and connect with others who share similar identities. The downside to this, however, is the calculated use of algorithms that sends susceptible users down the rabbit hole.

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These algorithms, which are created to promote engaging content for each individual, are part of what makes social media addictive.

Laws in other states

State legislators around the country are introducing new measures to protect children on the internet and monitor social media activity in minors. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 40 states and Puerto Rico have pending legislation in 2024, and at least 50 bills have been enacted.

The Utah Minor Protection in Social Media Act sets an age verification process for social media companies in order to create a new account. Social media companies must also provide supervisory tools and verifiable parental consent mechanisms for an account used by a minor, as well as confidentiality protections for the minors data. Tennessee passed a similar law, the Protecting Children from Social Media Act, that also requires parental consent in order for a minor to create a social media account.

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California lawmakers passed the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, which provides that addictive internet-based service or application must provide a mechanism that allows parents to prevent their child from receiving notifications after a certain time and limit time spent on the app.

Both Wyoming bills are filed for the 2025 legislative session, which begins Jan. 14.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is pushing for a cancer risk warning label on alcohol.

The recommendation comes as part of a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report released Friday showing a direct link between drinking and at least seven types of cancer.

Judge sets Trumps sentencing in hush money case for Jan. 10, but signals no jail time

In the U.S., pursuant to 27 U.S.C. 215, every alcoholic beverage sold must currently have the following health warning label:

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GOVERNMENT WARNING: (1) According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. (2) Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.

This statement has remained unchanged since its inception in 1988.

But now, there could be an additional warning on the way.

Jenn M said, her relationship with alcohol started at just 11 years old.

After that, M said she drank socially for years.

Then it got to a point where it was out of control, she said It cost me everything multiple times, including my freedom at times, including my children at times.

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Alcohol can have these adverse effects, and thats common knowledge, but the U.S. Surgeon General said its not as common knowledge that there is a direct link between alcohol and cancer.

Hernando County father killed, family injured in suspected DUI crash on NYE

The report detailed that over half of Americans are unaware alcohol consumption increases cancer risk.

In an effort to change that, Murthy is pushing for a new warning label.

He said it could make Americans more aware of the link between alcohol and cancer.

Orlando Health Medical Oncologist Dr. Samina Reza said its important people know the risks.

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Even in moderation, alcohol is still causing damage to your cells, she explained. Its still causing damage to your DNA, which is how the cells divide and know when to stop and when to go forward.

If you take that message away from the cell, its going to keep dividing, Dr. Reza continued. Thats what cancers are, your cells just keep dividing.

The next question is, How much is too much?

I would tell my patients to quit drinking, Dr. Reza explained. I dont know good advice as to what would be a good amount to drink, so refraining from alcohol would be my advice to my patients.

Dominic Grefsrud is a community liaison for Creek Side Recovery Group, an addiction and mental health provider with facilities in Georgia and Florida like the Tampa Bay Recovery Center in St. Petersburg.

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News Channel 8 reporter Nicole Rogers asked Grefsrud, How does someone know they have a problem?

Start looking at it basically like a checklist, he responded. Is this impacting my personal relationships? Check. Theres an issue. Am I starting to self-isolate? Check. Theres an issue. Is my job in jeopardy? Check. Theres an issue. Am I no longer drinking for fun, but Im drinking because I have to? Check. Theres an issue.

Rogers asked, For someone struggling with alcohol right now, whats the first step?

The first step is admitting you are powerless to this and admitting that you have a problem, Grefsrud responded. The second step is reaching out to a community liaison like myself, a treatment program and getting help.

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M said she hit rock bottom, but that wasnt the end of her story.

And she said, it doesnt have to be the end to yours either.

One of the biggest struggles is that it is so socially acceptable and having to learn how to make that surrender and be confident in the surrender, she said. Find like-minded peers, you know the support groups that are out there are awesome.

Find peers that can help you feel comfortable when you go out bowling and feel comfortable when you go out to parties and stuff like that not having to drink, she continued.

If you need help, these are a few local resources:

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  As students prepare to head back into class Monday, new numbers show Clark County school police have seized 20 guns halfway through the 2024/2025 school year.

According to the Clark County School Districts firearm confiscation report, nearly a third of those guns were found at Legacy High School in North Las Vegas.

Police have confiscated six guns at Legacy High since August 2024, with at least four reportedly belonging to students. In one case, a police report showed a gun belonged to a gang member.

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Guns were most recently found at Legacy High on Dec. 3 and 6, according to the school district.

My daughter comes here every day. We send our kids to school, expecting them to come safe, Tiffany Sanchez, a Legacy High parent, said in August 2024.

On Aug. 16, Clark County school police found two guns in a car. One belonged to a student and the other to an adult. Court records show prosecutors chose not to charge that adult. The teens records are sealed.

Three days later on Aug. 19, CCSPD said a substitute teacher at Legacy High School brought a gun on campus. She was arrested, but court records showed her case was dismissed after she completed the terms of her sentencing.

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They cant focus on school if their mind is divided between their studies and whats happening, Juan Ibarra, a Legacy parent, added in August 2024.

In another gun incident, CCSDPD went to Legacys library on Oct. 23 after a student refused to be searched.

According to police, the student was asked if he has anything on him that he shouldnt have to which he replied, yes, a firearm while motioning to his left front pocket toward me.

The teen reportedly admitted to stealing the gun from his mother and carrying it for protection.

Police said the student does hang out with some that are considered gang members. [He] declined to provide their names or what gang, but did advise that they represent blue which is typically a reference to a crip.'

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Mojave High School, Del Sol High School, Swainston Middle School, and Cheyenne High School were the other CCSD campuses where police located a gun so far this academic year.

CCSD policy states any student who brings a firearm on campus is automatically expelled.

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Slates guide to the most important figures in politics this week.

Welcome to this weeks edition of the Surge, the first edition that will not be read by former President Jimmy Carter. RIP to the Iron Man of Hospice.





While we are excited to welcome Surge readers into the new year, we have some bad news: Theres going to be another Congress this year. In fact, its members managed to pick a leader on the first day of session. Wonders never cease. Elsewhere in MAGA, theres a rift between the Johnny-come-lately rich MAGA business executives and the MAGA hoi polloi. Wonders never cease.





Lets begin by celebrating the man whose year is only going to go downhill from here.

Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images.

1. Mike Johnson

Why did this one go (relatively) smoothly?

Mike Johnson on Friday became the first Republican speaker to win the position on a first ballot since 2017. For a good hour or so, that first-ballot victory appeared to be lost: Three RepublicansReps. Thomas Massie, Ralph Norman, and Keith Selfvoted for someone else, when Johnson could afford only one defection. After some arm-twisting behind closed doors and a choice phone call or two, though, Self and Norman changed their votes to Johnson, and Washingtons weekend was salvaged. Why did this one go more smoothly than the speaker race in January 2023, when Kevin McCarthy needed 15 ballots to win the office, or the one in October 2023, when Republicans took weeks to replace McCarthy? Because Republicans now, unlike in 2023, have a leaderPresident-elect Donald Trumpwhos calling the shots and taking down the names of those who defy him. Well see how difficult it is for Speaker Johnson to navigate legislation through this historically small majority. But having Trump in office to bark orders is a welcome new tool for House Republican leadership after its hellish past two years.

2. Donald Trump

Why Mike Johnson?

Trump, despite having been disappointed with Johnsons handling of a government funding bill before Christmas, endorsed Johnson because Johnson has always had Trumps back and Trump always returns the favor. Kidding! Trump supported Johnson for a couple of reasons. The going explanation is that Trump simply had a lot to get done, had already been working with Johnson and his leadership team in trying to map out an agenda, and didnt want to waste time on a repeat of 2023s speaker election nightmares. The argument for Johnson that had the highest stakes for Trump, though, was that prolonged speaker drama could have interfered with his election certification and inauguration. Though there are work-arounds, the House cant conduct businessincluding, possibly, certifying the election results on Jan. 6until it elects a speaker. If theres no certification by Jan. 20, in fact, the next in the presidential line of succession would fall to the Senate president pro tempore, Iowas Chuck Grassley, who, after playing the long game for 91 years, would usher in a new era of Corn Totalitarianism. The Surge has to believe that if someone hadnt laid out this scenario to Trumpa lengthy speaker search means you might not be president on time!!!Trump probably wouldve enjoyed watching Johnson twist in the wind for weeks, for kicks.

3. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy

Tech MAGA vs. OG MAGA.

While normal people spent the holidays exchanging gifts and enjoying friends and family, sickos handcuffed themselves to their computers to argue about immigration. After Trump announced that Indian-born entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan would join the White House as an immigration adviser, right-wing media personality Laura Loomer went on a tirade about how Krishnan wants to lift the cap on visas for certain skilled workers. In this case, Loomer represented the wing of MAGA attracted to Trumps immigration rhetoric because it doesnt want more brown people in the United States; Loomer specifically referred to third world invaders from India. This clashed with a newer wing of MAGArich tech guys, like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamywho simply adore H-1B visas. Musk said the cap on such visas needed to be sharply increased because of the permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent in America, deeming it the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley. Ramaswamy wrote an unintentionally hilarious screed about how the nation lacks elite engineering talent because its culture is rotten and its children are lazy mediocrities. (The mask of right-wing populism rests very delicately.) Trump eventually waded into the foofaraw, siding with his new rich friends, telling the New York Post: Ive always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. Thats why we have them. Dont expect that to be the final word. Trump is operating with a broader coalition of disparate interests than he has before, and its inherent contradictions will reveal themselves ferociously. Though not always during Christmas dinner.

4. Thomas Massie

If you come at Thomas Massie, best not miss.

All but one hard-right conservative in the House, despite not liking Mike Johnsons leadership and being incurably addicted to self-aggrandizing drama, fell in line behind the speaker because Donald Trump told them to. That left it to Thomas Massie, the veteran Kentucky legislator who believes that the government shouldnt do very much at all, to lead the charge of pointless resistance. The day before the vote, Massie told TV host Matt Gaetz (prepare to hear that descriptor a lot) that there was no way he would ever support Johnson for speaker. You can pull all my fingernails out, you can shove bamboo up in them, you can start cutting off my fingers, he said, kind of grossly. I am not voting for Mike Johnson tomorrow, and you can take that to the bank. Why would Massie be so cavalier when others arent? In part because hes always been his own manand that iconoclasm has already earned him a Trump-backed primary challenge, which he survived. That gives him, in his mind, a certain immunity that frees him up. As he told Politico in a December interview, a Trump endorsement of an opponent will move the needle 20 points in a race. But if you were going to win 8020 percent you can be OK.

5. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Let the Zempy wars begin.

On a similar note about coalitional tensions: The policy over GLP-1s, an emerging class of anti-obesity drugs like Ozempic, is going to be a fascinating battleground on which to watch administration policy play out. Because another new entrant to the MAGA tent now is the burgeoning post-COVID rank of people who distrust anything from the pharmaceutical industry. Their leader, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whos in line to serve as the next HHS secretary, has no interest in GLP-1s, while the would-be administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Oz, thinks theyre swell. Add into the mixonce againElon Musk, whos revealed hes been taking a GLP-1 and posted in December: Nothing would do more to improve the health, lifespan and quality of life for Americans than making GLP inhibitors super low cost to the public. Nothing else is even close. It would seem to us that if Trumpwho eats McDonalds and salty ketchup steak for every meal and does not exercisewere playing arbitrator, hed side with the Wonder Drug. But! If he scrapped a proposed rule to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage of anti-obesity drugs, the savings could be repurposed for his tax cuts. So much to consider! Needles scare us.

6. Shamsud-Din Jabbar

[Shouting into a bottomless pit of despair] Thats incorrect!

We feel vile even using the New Orleans mass murderers name to lead an entry. But a point needs to be made. In the hours after the New Years attack on Bourbon Street pedestrians that left 15 people dead and plenty of others injured, Fox News initially reported that the truck used by the driver had crossed the border through Eagle Pass, Texas, two days prior. That was incorrect, and although Fox News did correct itself within a couple of hours, the damage had already been done. When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true, Trump posted, suggesting that the killeran American citizen and military veteran from Texaswas an immigrant lacking legal status. Neither Trump nor many of those who repeated his claim have taken down their initial posts. An error of this magnitude, and the amplification of the error, in the wake of tragedy should be met with some measure of accountability. A scolding newsletter entry will have to do.

7. Matt Gaetz

Off to a bold punditry start.

The Florida ex-congressman did not show up on Friday to be sworn into the term that he won in November. Indeed, when the House clerk read a letter announcing that he would not take the oath, the chamber (mostly Democrats) broke into enthusiastic applause. No, Matt Gaetz is committing to the Pundits Life now, a solemn path. Gaetznot yet having enough scar tissue to warn him away from making big predictionsposted on Friday morning, before the speakers vote: Mike Johnson will be elected Speaker today. On the first vote. People might like or dislike that. Im just reporting the news. Poor Matthew suffered a pile-on when it looked as if Johnson hadnt gotten the votes. Massiein what may have been a subtle joke about Gaetzs sex scandalresponded to him, This one didnt age well. After Norman and Self changed their votes, though, Gaetz was vindicated, Massie appropriately ate crow. Punditry is a tough, ruthless business, but Gaetz nailed this one. People might like or dislike that. Were just reporting the news.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  About 150 military police officers from Central America have arrived in Haiti to reinforce the embattled government's fight against violent gangs that have upended daily life for millions in the Caribbean country.

The deployment of around 75 security officers, mostly from Guatemala, was greeted Saturday at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince by the Kenyan commander of the U.N.-backed mission that for months has been struggling to restore order.

The gangs have only two choices: surrender, lay down their weapons, and face justice, or face us in the field, the officer, Godfrey Otunge, said in remarks at a welcoming ceremony. With the addition of the Guatemalan and El Salvador forces, the gangs will have nowhere to hide. We will root them out of their enclave.

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A similar sized contingent, which also included a small number of forces from El Salvador, traveled aboard a U.S. Air Force aircraft and was greeted Friday by top Haitian officials and U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins.

Coordinated gang attacks on prisons, police stations and the main international airport have intensified in Haiti since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Gangs are estimated to control about 85% of the capital.

In what is perhaps the most brazen attack yet, gunmen opened fire on a crowd that gathered on Christmas Eve for the much-anticipated reopening of Haiti's biggest public hospital, which was closed after being rampaged by gangs earlier this year. Two journalists covering the event and a police officer were killed.

Prior to this week's deployment, the international mission seeking to quell the violence was led by around 400 security officers from Kenya. Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin and Chad have also pledged personnel although it isn't clear when they would be sent.

___

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
CENTURY, Fla. (WKRG)  Century is commemorating its past with the unveiling of a time capsule buried for 25 years outside Town Hall.

The time capsule, buried in January 2000, was unearthed Friday, revealing artifacts from a different era.

Breeze Airways suspends service in Mobile

Items inside included an old candy box, newspapers, toys and laminated documents. Despite moisture seeping into the structure, many items were still intact.

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Century Mayor Luis Gomez Jr. reflected on the momentous event.

It is very exciting, Gomez said. The people of this town had enough intelligence to look forward to the future because the year 2000 was very, very questionable. No one knew what was happening in 2000 without planes were going to fall out of the sky. So they recorded history. And thats the reason Im glad that they did this.

The event brought together residents eager to connect with their towns history and dream of its future.

What led to an Escambia County homicide suspects arrest

If you look around, you see a lot of people excited, Gomez said. Theyre proud of this town, and theyre proud of the prosperity thats growing in this community.

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For one resident, the moment was deeply personal. Sandra McMurray-Jackson, whose late mother, Marie McMurray, served on the city council in 2000, shared her thoughts.

Its like a bittersweet memory to know that my mother had a hands on some of those items and had an input, McMurray-Jackson said.

The time capsule also served as a reminder for the younger generation.

Santa Rosa County K-9 Patrol vehicle hit by vehicle in Navarre

I want the younger generations to just please slow down, smell the roses and dont take for granted that everything in front of you today is going to be preserved, Gomez said. You have to take time and preserve it yourself in order to show future generations what it took to survive back in these days.

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As the town reflects on its journey over the past 25 years, the event highlights the importance of preserving history and looking toward a brighter future.

Gomez expressed hopes for the next generation.

Were looking forward to 2050, Gomez said. Maybe we preserve it and keep it moving forward, keep the growth going and keep the prosperity.

The time capsule unveiling marked not just a connection to the past but a step forward as the town continues to grow and thrive. Residents celebrated the moment as a symbol of endurance, hope and unity.

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Snow flurries began falling in central North Carolina on Sunday afternoon, a prelude to an oncoming winter storm that could make travel difficult in some places, particularly north of the Triangle.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for counties along the Virginia border, warning that roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous from midnight Sunday through noon Monday.

That prompted school officials in Person and Vance counties to call off classes for students on Monday. Orange County Schools announced Sunday evening that it would start two hours late on Monday because of icy conditions expected in the northern part of the county.

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The weather service had forecast a mix of rain and freezing rain Sunday afternoon, with the freezing portion likely happening closer to the Virginia state line.

Temperatures are only expected to dip as low as 35 Sunday night in most of the Triangle, meaning its too warm in the upper atmosphere for ice crystals to form.

Most locations should end up remaining all rain, said Tom Green, meteorologist. At least Sunday night.

But Maybe Monday

That said, Green added that the clouds could end up being cold enough on the back end of the storm Monday night. Thats the best chance for snowflakes in the air.

We could end up seeing some snowflakes falling, Green said. But were not expecting much in the way of accumulation.

Arctic blast

Accuweather forecasters sent out an email Thursday warning of a moisture-rich storm system moving across the country from the west that could complicate things, creating the possibility for ice and snow in the North Carolina mountains and along the Virginia border nearly to the coast.

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The National Weather Service doesnt make specific local forecasts more than seven days out because theyre unreliable. But its Climate Prediction Center forecasts trends up to several months ahead.

But as of last week, the forecast for Jan. 9-15 shows a 90% chance of below-average temperatures across North Carolina, meaning highs mostly in the upper 30s to mid-40s through the period.
ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis County grand jury decided not to proceed with any charges against St. Louis County Clerk Diann Valenti Friday regarding a case of nepotism coverup in the county.

Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell announced Dec. 26 that his office requested a permanent judgment of quo warranto against County Councilman Dennis Hancock, in addition for Hancock to be ousted from his position as county councilman.

During a news conference, Bell stated that Hancock hired his stepdaughter for a county position, violating Missouris constitutional rules against nepotism. Hancock is also accused of orchestrating a cover-up after the nepotism claim was first challenged in August.

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Additionally, Valenti was mentioned in court documents, accusing her of knowingly or unknowingly participating in coverup efforts.

Chris King, spokesperson for the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office, released the following statement:

Ms. Valenti was interviewed by police. Based upon that and a review of all of the evidence, this office will not be proceeding with charges.

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  By the end of next week, a contract between the Charlotte Fire Department and Medic, the countys ambulance service, will expire.

The fire department says the current arrangement, set to expire on Jan. 9, has exhausted its resources, and officials want a new deal. They say the citys rapid growth has stretched them far too thin.

Less lights and sirens: MEDIC going to new response plan with safety in mind

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Under the current deal, which was signed back in 2017, Medic has the ability to dispatch fire crews to low-priority calls or have them respond to a call and provide care until a Medic ambulance can arrive. Fire officials say their crews are responding to an unsustainable amount of calls, and the reimbursement Medic pays to CFD for covering them doesnt meet the departments expenses.

Its a problem Huntersvilles fire chief raised at a recent town board meeting.

Were gonna go, whether contract or no contract, were gonna go, if they dispatch us were going, but we need to change the contract to make the service better, said Chief Jim Dotoli.

In a statement to Queen City News, Medic said they are currently working on a six-month temporary extension with Charlotte Fire, what is called a memorandum of understanding. Before any changes are made to the long-term agreement, Medic said they need to study any possible impacts to their standard of care.

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Medics executive director, John Peterson, addressed the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners in early December.

Intentional fire at east Charlotte Family Dollar causes $1.4 million in damages: CFD

Medic has been doing our due diligence during that time frame, we have had numerous internal meetings as well as numerous meetings with our agency board of commissioners, we have met with the county manager and her team as well.

A medic spokesperson added, We have every confidence that we will be able to come to an agreement as soon as possible without any service interruptions for our community, which is our shared priority.

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A Chicago woman charged with murder in the December death of a toddler told a detective she suffocated the baby with a white sheet, according to an arrest report.

Marisol Vazquez, 37, told police that voices in her head informed her that she needed to kill herself with her daughter so that the devil couldnt eat her daughter, the report said.

Chicago police said the girl was found unresponsive around 8:30 a.m. Dec. 20 inside a residence in the 500 block of North Springfield Avenue in Humboldt Park.

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The baby, identified by the Cook County medical examiners office as Lucia Vasquez, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police said the child was a 1-year-old, and prosecutors specified that the girl was 21 months old.

At the crime scene, the suspect was found sitting naked on a bed with the baby behind her on the bed, according to the arrest report. While life-saving measures were performed on the baby, who was cold and not breathing, water came out of the babys mouth.

When detectives arrived, they learned that Vazquez made incoherent statements about being trapped by electronics and that everyone had been raped.

We had to go in the water. We had to be with nature, Vazquez said, according to police. Detectives also found a bathtub full of water and clogged with clothing.

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During a detention hearing Saturday, prosecutors said Vazquez confessed the killing to her sister and tried to prevent her from calling the police, according to court documents. Authorities added that Vazquez displayed suicidal ideation, according to the documents.

Vazquez was taken to a hospital for mental evaluation for a time and was arrested in connection with the babys death Thursday, according to police.

While in custody, Marisol Vazquez talked about the voices in her head and suffocating the baby. She also said she attempted to drown herself but couldnt, so she began to cut herself, according to the arrest report.

In court, Judge Susana Ortiz ordered Vazquez detained, citing significant mental health issues, including an inability to control her impulses and access to dangerous household items, according to court documents. Vazquez is to return to court Tuesday.
Chiles President Gabriel Boric travelled to Antarcticas South Pole on Friday, a place where no other Latin American president has set foot, according to the Chilean government.

Boric led the historic two-day trip, named Operation Pole Star III, to extend the environmental monitoring of pollutants on Antarctica, Chiles government said in a statement.

He travelled with scientists, armed forces commanders and government ministers from the Chilean capital of Santiago to Punta Arenas, a city in southern Chile, public broadcaster Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) reported. From there, they made several stops before finally reaching the US-run Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, according to TVN.

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Chile is one of seven countries that has a territorial claim in Antarctica, alongside Argentina, Australia, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.

It is also a signatory of the Antarctic Treaty, which dictates that the continent may only be used for peaceful and scientific purposes.

While Chile has historically carried out scientific activity in Antarcticas northern sector, the countrys government is now hoping to expand research into the west of the continent, its statement said.

Boric posted a video of himself in Antarctica to his X account on Saturday. - Gabriel Boric Font/X

Boric called his trip to the South Pole an honor and a source of pride, TVN reported.

This is a milestone for us. It is the first time a Chilean and Latin American President has visited the South Pole, he said, according to TVN.

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The Chilean leader said that his journey demonstrated the commitment we have for (Antarctica) to be and continue to be a continent of science and peace, TVN reported.

It is also a confirmation of our claim to sovereignty in this space, he said, according to the outlet.

From here everything is north: there are only 12 flags flying. One of them is the Chilean flag and that is a source of pride.

The 12 flags represent the nations that signed the original Antarctic Treaty: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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On Saturday, Boric posted a video of himself on X, standing in the snow and wearing a red jacket, black hat and sunglasses. Good morning from Chilean Antarctica, where everything begins, he wrote.

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China may have talked Russian President Vladimir Putin out of deploying nuclear weapons amid Russia's war against Ukraine, outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT) on Jan. 3.

Beijing has emerged as Moscow's leading ally and financial backer since the full-scale invasion of February 2022, though China has denied accusations of supporting Russia's military efforts.

China may have exerted its influence over Russia to intervene when Putin was considering nuclear escalation, Blinken told the FT.

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"We have reason to believe that China engaged Russia and said: 'Don't go there,'" he said.

Blinken said the U.S. had been "very concerned" because Putin appeared to be considering nuclear weapons.

"Even if the probability went from 5 to 15%, when it comes to nuclear weapons, nothing is more serious," he said.

Blinken also claimed that China may have intervened in a similar manner after the U.S. warned Beijing that Putin was planning to launch a nuclear weapon into space.

Fear of escalating hostilities with nuclear-armed Russia has been a driving factor behind the current U.S. administration's policy toward Ukraine. Under President Joe Biden, the White House delayed deliveries of certain weapons and withheld permission for Kyiv to launch deep strikes within Russian territory, citing Putin's "red lines."

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Putin began a new round of nuclear saber-rattling in late November after Biden allowed Ukraine to attack some Russian targets with U.S.-made long-range weapons. Putin revised Russia's nuclear doctrine, expanding the criteria under which the country can launch a nuclear strike.

Despite these steps, U.S. intelligence sources have said that the risk of a Russian nuclear strike has not increased and remains unlikely.

Blinken defended Biden's record on Russia and Ukraine, saying that Putin suffered a "strategic defeat" and that NATO has grown stronger.

Biden's term ends later this month when U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Republican Senator Marco Rubio will replace Blinken as secretary of state.

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Ties between China and the US could improve under Trump, a top Chinese expert on international relations has said, citing initial signs of goodwill from the incoming US president.

Wang Jisi, founding president of the Institute of International and Strategic Studies at Peking University, said the positive signals included the president-elect's repeated calls to better communicate with China and to collaborate on world issues, and even inviting Chinese President Xi Jinping to his inauguration on January 20.

If the goodwill expressed did "manifest in tangible actions", it could help foster greater consensus and potentially improve relations, Wang told the China-US Focus website in an interview published on Saturday.

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"If the leaders of both countries enhance communication, seek intersections of convergent interests, and establish more strategic consensus ... the situation for the bilateral relations may not necessarily deteriorate," he said.

Wang Jisi says the key to better ties will be for both sides to clarify their red lines. Photo: Baidu alt=Wang Jisi says the key to better ties will be for both sides to clarify their red lines. Photo: Baidu>

China-US ties are widely expected to face fresh uncertainties with Trump in office, given his campaign pledge to impose stiff tariffs on China as the trade and tech wars continue. Many other countries, including US allies in Nato and Asia, are also bracing for the return of Trump and his isolationist and protectionist "America first" agenda.

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But Wang also noted that Trump had sidestepped a media question about whether the United States would intervene if there was a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait.

"This attitude can be seen as a positive sign," Wang said. "It shows that he is aware that once the Taiwan situation is out of control, it will drag the US into cross-strait military conflicts, it is not something he would want to see."

The Taiwan issue was among the four "red lines" spelled out by Xi when he met outgoing US President Joe Biden in Peru in November.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. The US, like most countries, does not recognise the self-governed island as an independent state, but is opposed to any attempt to take the island by force and is committed to arming it for defence.

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"The US does not want the Taiwan issue to escalate to the point where mainland China feels compelled to take military action," Wang said, adding that the risks in the Taiwan Strait should be manageable under Trump.

"The key will be for both sides to clarify their red lines and strive to improve crisis prevention and management mechanisms in this region," he told the website run by the China-United States Exchange Foundation, a Hong Kong-based non-profit organisation.

Wang also warned against falling into the trap of zero-sum thinking, which assumes that what benefits the US must harm China, and vice versa.

He said the Russia-Ukraine conflict had strained China's relations with both the US and Europe, referring to the West's criticism of Beijing for its continued close relationship with Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly three years ago.

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"There is one view that its involvement in the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East conflicts would weaken the US and distract it from exerting pressure on China, which is why China should not step in to mediate. I think this opinion is questionable," Wang added.

He said Beijing sincerely wanted peace in these regions because conflicts affected the world economy and hampered China's economic interests, particularly its Belt and Road Initiative, referring to Xi's signature global infrastructure and connectivity project.

The US and China could work together to resolve regional conflicts, Wang suggested.

"In reality, China and the US can find common ground in areas such as easing regional conflicts and revitalising economies in turbulent regions.

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"Bilateral cooperation extends beyond non-traditional security areas like drug enforcement, climate change, and public health; possibilities also exist for their coordination in some aspects of international security," he said.

However, the two countries continued to see each other as their top economic and security threat, Wang noted, warning that this was unlikely to change over the next four years.

According to Wang, deepening social and political divisions in the US have intensified its tensions with China, fuelling a narrative that "blames external factors for domestic problems". This had shaped a portrayal of China as a threat to American interests both at home and abroad, and as stealing American jobs, he said.

On the campaign trail, Trump said he would impose tariffs of 60 per cent or more on Chinese imports if he was re-elected. After his victory in November, he vowed that one of his initial actions in office would include declaring an extra 10 per cent tariff on Chinese goods.

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How trade frictions unfold after Trump takes office will depend on the specific trade policies he implements, according to Wang, who said friction was likely to escalate in areas such as advanced technology, electric vehicles and critical minerals.

He said that despite the US declaring China as its "strategic competitor", Beijing had consistently rejected the theory of great power competition and did not want to define their relations in competitive terms.

"Beijing rejects the notion of defining US-China relations primarily as 'competition' because such framing reduces the likelihood of cooperation and focuses on producing a winner," Wang said.

Beijing did not deny the existence of competition, but sought mutual benefits within it, striving to prevent head-on collisions that produced mutual detriment, he added.

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"China champions win-win cooperation, suggesting that even though competition is enduring, it need not always produce a clear victor. The goal is to have no losers."

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Major Chinese internet platforms have vowed to improve their algorithms, after the mainland's internet watchdog launched a campaign to address the misuse of the technology underpinning the recommendation functions of apps and websites.

ByteDance's TikTok alternative for its home market, Douyin, said on Friday it would establish a safety centre this year to make its recommendation system more transparent. It will also provide a more diverse video feed and strengthen its crackdown on misinformation and online violence, according to the company's WeChat post.

Pinduoduo, a budget shopping app run by Temu owner PDD Holdings, said on the same day that it was "actively building a healthier ecosystem" to prevent "Big Data-enabled price discrimination", according to Chinese news outlet Yicai. PDD did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours on Saturday.

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Also on Friday, Xiaohongshu, a lifestyle community known as "China's Instagram", published a post on its platform, which invited users to learn how its app algorithms work and reminded users that they can disable personalised recommendations any time. The company also said it was soliciting public comments on how to polish its algorithms.

E-commerce platform Pinduoduo has vowed to prevent algorithm-enabled price discrimination. Photo: Imaginechina via AFP alt=E-commerce platform Pinduoduo has vowed to prevent algorithm-enabled price discrimination. Photo: Imaginechina via AFP>

The moves come amid a three-month official campaign launched late in November to address "typical issues with algorithms" on online platforms, including filter bubbles, where users are isolated from content that disagrees with their views, and unfair pricing targeting different demographics.

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The campaign is led by the Communist Party's commission for cyberspace affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other relevant departments.

The Beijing branch of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) in December summoned representatives from 11 online platforms based in the city - including on-demand food delivery company Meituan, ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing and internet search giant Baidu - to talk about issues related to algorithms.

Meituan said late last month it would hold a quarterly meeting with experts, users, delivery workers and merchants to refine its algorithms. It also promised to improve its treatment of riders by optimising the delivery routes and introducing a mechanism to alert riders or stop them from taking orders if they were working overtime.

That same month, the CAC's Shanghai branch met representatives from more than 100 websites, including Pinduoduo, Xiaohongshu and video streaming site Bilibili.

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The crackdown campaign, which officially concludes on February 14, follows a 2022 regulation issued by the CAC and three other government agencies that called for platforms to "promote positive energy" and allow users to conveniently turn off personalised recommendations.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Every Friday, musician Enes Salman performs the Sevdalinka, an ancient form of love song from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Sevdalinka was recently included in UNESCO's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO is The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Sevdalinka is often called the Balkan Blues. It is a somewhat sad form of urban love song that dates to the 1500s. It is a mix of South Slavic spoken poetry and music of the Ottoman Empire.

Salman is among only a few musicians keeping the tradition alive.

"I have been playing and singing Sevdalinka since I was 14," he said before a recent performance.

Sevdalinka is often performed a cappella. That means it is sung without musical instruments. Sometimes the performer sings with traditional instruments like a lute. This form, or genre, of music has been carried from generation to generation through performances at family gatherings.

In recent years, younger musicians have brought modern versions of Sevdalinka to audiences around the world.

One of them is Damir Imamovic. His father and grandfather were famous Sevdalinka performers. In 2020 and 2021, Imamovic won awards from two world music publications, Songlines and Transglobal, for best European album.

Imamovic supports Sevdalinka internationally through his SevdahLab project. The project helped build support for the music's inclusion on UNESCO's World Heritage list.

"I realized how little the public knows about the Sevdalinka genre and wanted to reveal the story behind that music," he said.

Zanin Berbic is a 28-year-old ethno-musicologist. He works as a curator in the music department of Bosnia's Regional Museum in Sarajevo, organizing, protecting, and bringing attention to music. He also plays saz, a long-necked lute used in Ottoman classical music. He said that Sevdalinka tells the story of Bosnia's history.

Berbic said, "Most of my days I spend either singing or playing Sevdalinka songs or reading or talking about them. Sevdalinka is my life," he said.

Im Anna Matteo.

Daria Sito-Sucic reported this story for Reuters from Sarajevo. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English.

___________________________________________

Words in This Story

a cappella foreign term (music) singing without musical instruments

genre n. a form of art that is distinct from others

audience n. people who listen to a performance in a theater, on television or a public place

ethno-musicology -n. the study of music in a sociocultural context; the study of ethnic music

curator n. a person who oversees a collection of certain kinds of objects
(FOX40.COM)  A man was recently arrested at Sky River Casino in connection to the 2023 murder of his wife, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The investigation began on Feb. 26, 2023, when CHP responded to a report of an assault at around 1:30 a.m. Police were sent to the Edwards Avenue offramp from eastbound Interstate 580 in Oakland where they discovered a woman on the shoulder with a gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to CHP.

Sacramento police search for missing teenage girl with dark brown hair, hazel eyes

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The woman was identified by law enforcement as Laketha McCowan. Police said her husband, Nathanuel McCowan, was the primary suspect in her murder. After nearly two years of investigation, the Alameda Superior Court formally filed charges against him on Thursday in addition to an arrest warrant.

At around 11:50 p.m. on Thursday, CHP officers from Northern California and the Bay Area partnered to locate McCowan at Sky River Casino in Elk Grove. CHP said they worked with casino security and arrested him without incident.

McCowan was transported to Alameda County and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

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WASHINGTON (WCBD)  A Citadel graduate who was killed in action while saving his crew members during the Vietnam War posthumously received the nations highest military honor Friday.

President Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to seven U.S. Army soldiers including Citadel class of 1959 graduate Capt. Hugh R. Nelson, Jr. at 5 p.m. in the East Room of the White House.

Capt. Nelsons daughter, Debra Nelson McKnight, accepted the honor on his behalf. He is the first graduate of the military college to receive the honor.

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Before the fateful battle in which Nelson sacrificed his life to save his fellow soldiers, he served three years in Taiwan.

Captain Hugh R. Nelson, Jr. will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a member of the 114th Aviation Company (Airmobile Light) on June 5, 1966, near Moc Hoa, Republic of Vietnam, White House officials said in a statement.

Cadet Hugh Nelson Jr., The Citadel, Class of 1959

Capt. Hugh Nelson Jr., courtesy U.S. Army

THE BATTLE | June 5, 1966

28-year-old Capt. Nelson was commanding an armed Huey helicopter for a search-and-destroy reconnaissance mission when several rounds of enemy gunfire hit the Huey.

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Due to the severe damage inflicted, Nelson and his fellow pilot crash-landed the aircraft in enemy territory. All weapons were destroyed in the crash, according to the White House.

Ignoring his wounds, Nelson then exited the aircraft to help his three wounded crewmates  two specialists and a pilot.

After managing to remove his injured crew chief from the damaged Huey, Nelson returned to the aircraft to free the door gunner, who was still strapped inside. That is when insurgents rained gunfire approximately thirty feet away, striking Nelson, an Army profile of the battle states.

Nelson persisted, freeing the trapped gunner before throwing the specialist to the ground and using his own body as a shield against the enemy fire. He was hit several times while acting as a shield.

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Because of Capt. Nelsons sacrifice, his wounded companion, was able to send up a smoke grenade, signaling for backup. Support responded immediately and evacuated the wounded crew along with Nelsons remains, officials said.

Captain Hugh Reavis Nelson, Jr. exemplified the highest values of courage, selflessness, and leadership that we instill in every Citadel cadet. Nelsons service to his comrades and country remains an enduring inspiration for us all. We will continue to honor his legacy with deep gratitude and unwavering pride and are proud to acknowledge him, not only as a Citadel graduate but now also as a Medal of Honor recipient, said The Citadel President Gen. Glenn Walters, USMC (Ret.), 79.

The Rocky Mount, NC native previously received the Armys Distinguished Service Cross.

Two service members who attended The Citadel but did not graduate have also been awarded the Medal of Honor, the institution said.

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Sgt. First Class Christopher A. Celiz, from Summerville, attended The Citadel for three years before becoming a combat engineer in the U.S. Army. On July 12, 2018, he was killed by enemy fire while evacuating injured crew members in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Celiz was posthumously awarded by President Biden on Dec. 16, 2021.

Brig. Gen. John Thomas Kennedy was severely wounded after fighting against insurgents in the mouth of a cave during the Philippine Insurrection in 1909. He studied at The Citadel for a year before moving to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

2nd Lt. Kennedy was awarded by President William Taft on Nov. 23, 1912.

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(FOX40.COM)  A man was stripped of his right to have firearms after a concerned citizen tipped off law enforcement about his possession of several guns and disturbing social media posts, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriffs Office.

On Dec. 16, 2024, SCSO received a report from a citizen, a friend of the subject, who said they were concerned about social media posts that depicted violent, extremist, and active shooter culture material.

CHP arrest Oakland man at Sky River casino for alleged murder of wife

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SCSO identified the man as Matthew Der and conducted a threat assessment. Detectives said a specific threat was not identified, however, they petitioned the courts for a gun violence restraining order. The man reportedly had four handguns registered to him. The GVRO was approved, and a search warrant was obtained to collect the handguns.

On Friday, SCSO executed the search warrant and said they found five handguns, five rifles, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, dozens of high-capacity rifle and handgun magazines, and body armor. Investigators recovered the four registered handguns. The other six weapons were unregistered and three of the rifles were classified as assault rifles which are illegal in California.

Der was arrested and booked in the Public Safety Center for possession of the three assault rifles.

SCSO commended the reporting party and said to the rest of the community, If you see something, say something.

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AUBURN, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  The City of Auburn named a new police chief on Friday, Jan. 3, who will take over the position on Jan. 21.

Auburn Police Captain Matthew Androsko will take up the position, Auburn City Manager Jeff Dygert announced in a press release.

Androsko has been with the Auburn Police Department since 2007. He was promoted to sergeant in 2017, lieutenant in 2020 and then captain in 2023.

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Over the next few weeks, Androsko will work with outgoing Police Chief Jim Slayton to ensure an orderly transition, Dygert stated.

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EARLY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  The City of Early welcomed the newly sworn-in county officials on Friday morning.

The event took place at the Brown County Courthouse with representatives from the City of Early and Early Chamber of Commerce.

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Three members were sworn into office today, January 3. County Attorney Jennifer Broughton starts her second term, Kirk Chastain becomes the new County Commissioner of Precinct 1, and David Doc Reid begins his first term as County Commissioner of Precinct 3.

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Beckleys new city manager is making a change to the citys longstanding process for opening bids, though it still aligns with Beckley Code.

Beckley City Manager Michael Resare said this new process will help to streamline the bid process and save time during council meetings.

This new process was discovered as a result of a recent legal advertisement placed in The Register-Herald by the city of Beckley for a consulting firm to conduct an operations audit and management strategy process on the citys departments.

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As part of the advertised contract, interested consultants are being asked to submit a proposal to review each city departments operations, budget, personnel and more to identify opportunities for greater efficiency.

The full advertisement or RFP (request for proposal) has been attached to the online version of this article on The Register-Heralds website.

The legal notice published in The Register-Herald on Saturday, Dec. 28, states that bids are due by Wednesday, Jan. 8, and will be opened at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9, in the conference room at the Beckley Fire Department at 232 Industrial Drive in Beckley.

Bids are typically opened during Beckley Common Council meetings, where the names of the bidders and their prices are read aloud.

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The bids are then given to the at-large council members, who review the bids with relevant department heads.

At a following council meeting, the at-large council members inform the full council of the bidder they recommend, which is then voted on.

With this process, it takes at least a month for council to open, review and approve bids, as they only meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.

As part of the new bid review process, Resare said, per city code, at-large council members will still review and make recommendations on bids, but the bids will no longer be opened at council meetings.

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Thats a trend that weve done where Im from, in Arizona and Utah, Resare said. You dont waste the time of council opening bids, and under the rules and laws we can do it at any point in time to just open those bids.

According to the city code under Article V Purchasing Procedures, Section 2-510 Purchase based on formula bids  the city is required to advertise contracts that are $25,000 or more.

The code further states that bids must be opened in public and then recorded by the purchasing agent, which is the recorder-treasurer or their designee.

The two at-large council members must then review the bids, which are subject to approval by council.

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Resare said the bids will still be opened in public, just not within the confines of a city council meeting.

Resare said hed been assured by Beckley City Attorney Bill File that this new process follows city code.

He added that the public is welcome to attend the bid openings, though its typically only the bidders who attend them.

Resare said future bid openings will likely take place in council chambers, but they had to relocate for the upcoming one because auditors are occupying the chambers.

Following the bid openings, Resare said the remaining council members would receive copies of all the bids in their council packets, which should be available the week before the meeting.

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Were going to publish all of the bids in the council minute packets ... all of its going to be in there  the whole big contracts and everything like that. Thats not sensitive or anything in that regard, he said. And that way, the public will be able to review everything, the council will be able to review it, and everyone will have full transparency on whats in the bids.

The contract for the operations audit and management strategy proposal is expected to be voted on by council at their first meeting of the year, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Johnson City City Manager Cathy Ball met with various city employees on Friday to discuss ongoing litigation tied to alleged victims of Sean Williams.

After receiving numerous tips from viewers, News Channel 11 reached out to the city to confirm if Ball had met with city employees. A city spokesperson confirmed that she had.

PREVIOUS: Jane Doe settlement pulled from Johnson City Commission agenda

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The meetings were set in anticipation of a vote on a settlement taking place last night, which it did not, a city spokesperson said.

The settlement proposal in question is related to the ongoing Jane Doe federal lawsuit, which alleges police misconduct regarding Sean Williams alleged serial rapes.

The Johnson City Commission was set to discuss a potential settlement on Thursday night at a meeting; however, the item was removed from the agenda with no discussion at the start of the meeting, per Balls request.

Complete Coverage of the Sean Williams Case

While the discussion of the settlement did not take place Thursday, Ball still met with employees on Friday to keep employees informed about where the City is in the process of litigation, the spokesperson said.

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The city did not provide any other details as to what was discussed during Fridays meetings between Ball and city employees.

On Thursday night, city attorney Tom Seeley said commissioners and attorneys met earlier in an executive session to discuss the settlement agenda item. Attorneys reportedly informed commissioners that there was not a settlement proposal, and Seeley did not explain what led to city staff placing the discussion of one on the commission agenda.

The lawsuit was filed in June 2023 and claims members of the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) overlooked Williams alleged rapes for years while he lived downtown. It also alleges the JCPD was engaged in a conspiracy to protect Williams from being investigated.

The city has denied all allegations in the lawsuit.

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The City of Pittsburgh is happy with Fridays response and is already looking ahead to the next storm.

The city is already gearing up for its next snow storm after crews definitely had their work cut out for them Friday morning.

We just spoke with the director of the Department of Public Works about the new plans now underway.

Were licking our wounds a little bit. Were gonna do some truck maintenance over the weekend. Were just getting our resources lined up to get ready to get back at it Sunday, Chris Hornstein said.

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Channel 11 crews were all across the city Friday morning checking out the roadways.

DPW is overall satisfied with how things went, saying they pretreated ahead of this storm.

We did see a lot of clear pavement by late morning, and spoke with folks who didnt have complaints.

I think they did pretty good, but they tried their best. I mean, the snows still kinda building up, but they tried their best to salt it, and stuff like that, Jeremy McClung said.

Some trucks did go down with this storm but maintenance is underway and they expect to have about 60 out for the storm Sunday into Monday.

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Jan. 3For the third year, the Odessa Chamber of Commerce will hold the Civics Bee.

Chosen by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to participate in the program, the Odessa Chamber is one of five in Texas and about 40 nationwide, President and CEO Renee Earls said.

"This year, we are expanding it to a regional bee. We have a wonderful partnership with Abell-Hanger Foundation," Earls said.

"We partnered last year. They came to us again this year and said, we'd love to expand it to the region so we have sent information to every principal in Region 18," she added.

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A few principals have responded, but it is the end of fall semester. The deadline for essays is Feb. 4, so students could write them while they're off on Christmas break, Earls said.

Students can submit an essay at odessachamber.com/national-civics-bee

"The civics bee is really focusing on civics. Many districts don't really have a big emphasis on civics, and I think it's coming full circle where educators and community members are thinking, you know, let's get back to basics, and there is a process our founding fathers created," she said.

Earls added that's a great experience for students to participate in this.

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"It is an incredible opportunity, but it's also trying to get their parents involved and for them to emphasize the importance of civics," she added.

Earls said there was a lot of emphasis on getting people to register to vote and those numbers were up, but some of those who registered didn't follow through.

"It's a matter of education and reminding people of the importance and the steps that are required. It should not be intimidating. We should have volunteers there to help. If we start these children young enough, and they see the importance of that, they will carry that into their adult life," Earls said.

Students get a prompt to write about a specific topic they feel is important to the community.

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"It can be anything. It's what they want to address with their community. And this is, again, open to any student who is sixth, seventh or eighth grade. ... They go on the website and it directs them to the closest bee. We are the only bee in West Texas, so we could have (students) from the Panhandle on down and across to Central Texas. We could have thousands of entries. We're hoping for 200," Earls said.

There were 89 essays last year compared to 20 the first year.

"Across the country, there are judges who read those essays. Last year, we had about 10 to 15 local judges. This year, we'll try to get the same amount, if not more. They will read these essays electronically and judge those and then the top 20 students with the highest scores move on to the local civics bee that we have here.

"It will be held in April, and that is a live event. We encourage family and friends and schoolmates to come and cheer them on. They do a live round of questions, and it's all done on a handheld device that we provide to them. They answer multiple choice questions. They do two rounds of that, and then the top five students come together and have an opportunity to talk about their essay and answer questions from the three to five judges that we have at the live event, all pertaining to their particular essay question," Earls said.

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The judges tally up their votes and she said they have been able to double the prize money.

First place this year will win $1,000; second place will win $500; and third place will win $250.

The students will then have a chance to go to the National Civics Bee in the summer.

"We will cover the expenses for the student and the family. Then, for the first time ever, just this last November, they hosted the National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C. The winner walked away with a $100,000 529 scholarship fund," Earls said.

A 529 plan is a college savings plan sponsored by a state or agency.

She added that the U.S. Chamber provides resources for studying and tutoring.

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"We would love it if the teachers and/or parents really put an emphasis on this and make it fun and maybe have a competition of some sort. We really do want to award the schools and the teachers who have the most students participate. Last year, we gave cash prizes to the school who had the most. Odessa Christian School received some cash. Some teachers from the Young Women's Leadership Academy received some cash," Earls said.

They are trying to figure out how to make it as fair as possible, Crane ISD is smaller than Ector County ISD, for example.

"We're in the process of finalizing some plans for incentives (so) that it is fair across the board. Everybody loves competition, so let's see what we can do in the entire region to really elevate this project," she added.
Update: 1/5/2025  A press release posted to Facebook by the Spelter Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday evening confirmed that those rescued from the second floor of the home included 2 adults and an infant.

The department also posted additional photos of the fire.

Shinnston Pike Fire (Photo Courtesy: Spelter Volunteer Fire Department)

Shinnston Pike Fire (Photo Courtesy: Spelter Volunteer Fire Department)

Shinnston Pike Fire (Photo Courtesy: Spelter Volunteer Fire Department)

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Shinnston Pike Fire (Photo Courtesy: Spelter Volunteer Fire Department)

Shinnston Pike Fire (Photo Courtesy: Spelter Volunteer Fire Department)

Shinnston Pike Fire (Photo Courtesy: Spelter Volunteer Fire Department)

Original: CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  A structure fire on Shinnston Pike in Clarksburg led to three people being transported by EMS.

According to the Harrison County 911 log departments were first alerted to a structure fire with entrapment at 2:37 p.m. on Saturday. Three people were evacuated from the structure and were transported by EMS to United Hospital Center to receive further treatment. Their conditions are currently unknown.

UPDATE: I-79 open after multiple wrecks shut down lanes, hospitalize 3

A 911 official confirmed it was a home that caught fire and that Shinnston Pike was closed but has sense reopened.

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Fire Chief Billy Dunn of the Spelter Fire Department told a 12 News reporter on the scene that all three occupants were on the second floor and were evacuated still breathing. The cause of the fire is currently unknown but the West Virginia State Fire Marshal will be investigating. Any further information will come from them.

A press release posted to Facebook by the Spelter Volunteer Fire Department on Saturday evening stated that those rescued from the second floor of the home included 2 adults and an infant.

Harrison County and Anmoore EMS, along with Spelter, Lumberport, Nutter Fort, Reynoldsville, Shinnston and Bridgeport Fire Departments responded to this incident.

Editors note: This story has been updated with additional information.

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CLEARFIELD COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ)  A Clearfield man is facing charges after he allegedly used a knife to break into a hotel room in an attempt to take items after he was told by police to not return.

William Hynd, 25, is facing charges after officers from the Clearfield Regional Police Department were called to a hotel twice in regard to him causing disturbances, according to a criminal complaint. On Jan. 3 just after 9 a.m., officers were called to the Budget Inn for a report of Hynd causing a disturbance at one of the rooms. The woman who was staying in the room told officers that Hynd was standing in front of her door claiming he had belongings inside.

Hynd allegedly was harassing her over the phone and made her feel concerned for her safety, according to the affidavit. Officers arrived on scene and spoke with Hynd. They said that he was to leave the property and not return. Police noted that at this time Hynd became irate and told officers he would return if saw the woman return to the hotel.

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High-speed chase in stolen car ends on I-99 on New Years Eve, troopers report

Police again advised him not to return to the hotel and left the scene. Less than an hour later, just after 10 a.m., police were called again.

Hynd had allegedly returned to the hotel and broke into the room, according to the complaint. Police returned to the scene and found that the door to the hotel room had been damaged.

Witnesses at the scene reported that Hynd used a knife to pry the door open and then shoved the woman. Police noted that they found a large knife inside the hotel room and when they spoke to the victim she told them Hynd had gathered information on where she was staying. She added that once he knew where she was he showed up and attempted to gain access to her hotel room multiple times.

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Hynd was arrested by officers and found with the following items on him, according to the complaint.

Four medical syringes with suspected methamphetamine residue

Three smoking devices with suspected drug residue

Three lighters

Hynd is in the Clearfield County Prison with bail set at $100,000. He is facing charges of burglary, trespassing, criminal mischief, simple assault, intent to possess a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

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A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 15.

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President Joe Biden will honor 19 people with Presidential Medals of Freedom on Saturday, including some conservative bugbears like Hillary Clinton and George Soros.

With just over two weeks left in office, Biden will grant the honors, including four posthumous medals, to philanthropists and politicians who the White House says in a statement have made America and the world a better place.

Some of the names on the list sparked backlash, including Clinton and Soros, with critics arguing online that the medals were being used as rewards for the biggest supporters of the political party in charge.

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Soros, a billionaire and philanthropist, has long been a target of antisemitic and far-right conspiracy theories. The White House announcement sparked fury amongst the online right on Saturday morning, with billionaire and GOP megadonor Elon Musk calling the award for Soros a travesty.

Clintons inclusion on the list of honorees also sparked backlash from Republican elected officials. The former First Lady and New York Senator has been highly critical of the current Republican Party and has been a target of conservative ire for over 30 years.

Alabama Rep. Barry Moore called Clintons receipt of the medal a disgrace to the memory of the four brave Americans she abandoned in Benghazi, a sentiment seconded by Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson.

Also among the recipients is Jose Andres, celebrity chef and the founder of World Central Kitchen. Andres' charity has worked heavily in war-torn Gaza and has been outspoken in his criticism of Israel after WCK aid workers were targeted and killed in multiple airstrikes by the country's military.

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GOP Communications Adviser Steve Guest slammed Bidens choice of Andres as unreal, calling his aid organization Hamas Central Kitchen in a post to X.

The White House also announced Biden would grant the award to champions of LGBTQ+ rights and HIV advocacy like Bono, Tim Gill, and Magic Johnson, as well as other philanthropists, including Michael J. Fox and Lionel Messi.

Other awardees include Ashton Baldwin Carter, Robert F. Kennedy, and Denzel Washington.

The 19 honorees will bring President Bidens total number of Presidential Medals of Freedom awarded to 56. Biden previously honored civil rights heroes and Democratic leaders like Clarence B. Jones, Jim Clyburn, and Nancy Pelosi.
Jan. 3Old Man Winter is rolling over southern Indiana bringing bone-chilling temperatures, potentially hazardous travel conditions and dangers in the home the weekend.

"This may be a big storm that causes a lot of problems," said Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief David Gray.

Part of that problem may be tied to snow and ice although officials are still trying to figure out where the weather lines will be.

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"Based on the early look at the forecast we are looking at a possibility of snow, snow-sleet, freezing rain or all of the above," said Daviess County Emergency Management Agency Director Scott Myers. "The exact path is not definite. We are sitting on a border line depending upon which way the system travels."

Along with slippery precipitation the system is expected to bring an extended period of below freezing temperatures.

"The temperatures are dropping and will be below freezing for several days and that means whatever we get will be around for several days," said Myers. "The cold is going to be around for two to three weeks. We will have some single digit lows and wind chills to dangerous levels."

A winter blast, like the one rolling over southern Indiana often sends people out looking for alternate heat sources. Firefighters say they have already begun responding to calls to help people looking at the wrong way to stay warm.

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"We had a run Wednesday night to a home that had the oven running to try and stay warm," said Gray. "The problem was the oven began creating enough carbon monoxide to become a problem."

"They will use space heaters, kerosene heaters, wood stoves and fire places that haven't been used for a while and haven't been checked," said Myers. "There are dangers involved with using alternative heat. You have to keep combustible things away from them. If you are going to use a wood stove or fireplace, have it checked to be sure the flue isn't blocked or has a creosote build-up, so the smoke and gasses don't come into your home."

Alternative heat sources can be effective if they are used properly.

"It's tough because people want to stay warm, but when they start using things other than their furnace it causes problems," said Gray. "Some people use space heaters and those can overload electrical circuits. Space heaters can get knocked over. They are often plugged into extension cords or power strips that are not able to handle the power they pull and short out. A lot of times it is electrical problems."

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Adding to the issue is the aging housing stock in Daviess County which finds some homes using knob and tube wiring.

"If you have an older home, say 75-year-old or older, it may have older style electrical wiring that cannot take the pull from space heaters," said Gray, who points out that some of the changing population in the community is not acclimated to dealing with cold weather. "We have some people who have moved to our community who are not used to dealing with the cold. When they need heat, anything they can find they will try. Some of those just won't work. We have also had issues with people using charcoal grills inside their house or apartment for heat. That causes so many problems."

The weather system moving in includes precipitation and cold and that combination can also lead to power outages that are sometimes lengthy.

"If we lose power and you use a back-up generator, make sure you keep it a safe distance from your home so that fumes don't get inside," said Myers.

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"If you live alone and wind up without electricity, make sure you call someone, the police or sheriff, so that if the power is off for an extended period of time we can get you somewhere that is warm," said Gray.

The cold weather is expected to lock into the area for at least a couple of weeks. Officials say people need to be prepared.

"Be careful and be safe. We are expecting travel to become hazardous, but we all will be fighting a monster with the cold," said Myers.
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HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  Indiana State Police announces an assistance fund has been set up for Orange County Deputy Zach Andry after he was injured during a New Albany shooting.

According to a release, an account to benefit the family of Deputy Andry was established at Springs Valley Bank and Trust in French Lick. Officials say donations can be made at the nearest location or calling 800-843-4947.

Donations can also through the Indiana Fallen Heroes Foundation.

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Deputy Andry was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital, and is listed as critical but stable condition.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  Community members across Baton Rouge came together for a prayer vigil in support of a family who lost their loved one during the deadly terror attack in New Orleans.

Reggie Hunter, 37, was identified as one of the fourteen victims killed on Bourbon Street during the deadly terror attack.

Hunters family said the Baton Rouge native went out with his cousin to New Orleans on New Years Eve to celebrate when the incident took place. The family said the cousin was one of the dozens of those who were injured during the attack. They said he is still in the hospital and recovering from his injuries. Here in Baton Rouge, community activist Cathy Toliver gathered residents from all over, including Hunters family for a night of prayer.

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Reggies sister, Courtney Hunter said shes still in complete shock.

Once they sat me down, I cried when they told me it, said Courtney. I was in shock.

She said she was the only one to make it to the hospital to see if he was okay. When she made it to the hospital, thats when they broke the news.

They told me he was in a stable condition. So, we didnt know anything about the passing until we got there, she said.

Former Episcopal High School student killed, another injured in New Orleans terror attack

Hunter leaves behind his two children. His sister says he was loved by many.

Loving care and a great father, great son, great big brother, always smiling. Family-oriented, everybody loved him on both sides of the family. Everybody loved him. So, he had an impact on everybody, she said.

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The family said theyre grateful for the amount of support community members have shown them during the prayer vigil, not just in Baton Rouge but all over the country.

It felt good. It makes you feel better that everybody is showing love and that he had such an impact on a lot of people. And they loved him. I mean, just from people like all over the world, said Courtney.

The family said they are still trying to process everything, including the preparations for Reggies funeral and planning to go down to New Orleans to see the memorials in New Orleans honoring Reggie and the other victims.

Courtney said its a journey, but theyre resilient.

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Its going to take time but I think pretty much we can handle it, she said.

Click here to donate to the GoFundMe set by the Hunter family for Reggies funeral expenses.

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Jan. 3An Orthodox Christian from Concord claims he smashed down The Satanic Temple display outside the State House last month because it was his religious duty to "destroy idolatrous statues."

Joshua Cummings, formerly of Chichester, said a Concord police officer read him a Miranda warning at the scene, but did not arrest him.

If he's charged, Cummings said he will be able to fundraise online from fellow Christian supporters to pay his legal fees.

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"I regard it as one of the greatest things I've ever done, dust that it is. My conscience is clear, and should I be charged unfairly, then the crisis of conscience shall move laterally to my interlocutors," Cummings said in a Facebook post the day after Christmas.

"I may stand trial tomorrow, but we will all stand trial before the only Righteous Judge. Please pray for me, I'm not sure what is about to happen, but I maintain: Glory be to God for all things!"

Brian Blackden of Concord provided nighttime security for the nearby Nativity Scene.

He confirmed Friday that Cummings was the man he spotted destroying the display last month.

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At that time, Blackden said he shouted to the man to "grab a wall" and wait for a police officer to question him.

"It was the same vehicle used two nights in a row identified by the plate and the second night identified with the photograph shown by the police department," Blackden said.

State Rep. Ellen Read, D-Newmarket, had first invited a Massachusetts-based Satanic Temple group to bring its display to Concord.

Read said Cummings was spotted on several videos she has seen.

"He doesn't seem to realize it but his manifesto is a direct admission to hate crimes, he clearly spells out his motivation was religion, which is a protected class," Read said.

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Concord police confirmed they questioned someone after the display was destroyed a second time but have not made any comment since.

Read says cops are delaying

Read said state and local authorities have been dragging their feet on the matter.

"I understand that sometimes it takes prosecution a while to compile the best possible case against someone before making an arrest, however in this case there has been plenty of time, there are multiple videos from multiple different angles for multiple instances, witness accounts, and of course his lengthy manifesto admission to hate crimes," Read said.

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"It is rare that prosecution gets such a perfect case laid in their laps without any work. He should be prosecuted on each count of hate crime, without any more delay."

The statue depicted a black-clad goat-headed Baphomet with glowing eyes clutching a bouquet of plastic purple lilacs in its right hand, symbolizing the state flower of New Hampshire. It was also adorned with a purple stole emblazoned with the inverted pentagram, goat's head of the temple's logo, and two inverted crosses.

The statue was vandalized several times by multiple people, and Cummings admitted online he participated.

"Other people have destroyed it on several occasions. It has basically become open season on the stupid thing at this point, but I (have lost count) did at least five times bash it on the head with my medieval mace in the middle of the night, and I was finally apprehended by police for it a few nights ago," Cummings wrote.

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The Satanic Temple has said its "seven tenets" support social justice and kindness, but Cummings said that has nothing to do with the agenda of Satan.

"I know the Satanic Temple wants to catch me on a 'hate crime' charge," Cummings said. "On the night I was apprehended, the officer, after spending a few minutes at his vehicle, came up to me and said, 'So you did this because you hate the Satanic Temple?' Paraphrasing, I responded 'I don't hate anyone. The Satanic Temple are a bunch of idiots, but I pray they repent. I hate Satan."'

klandrigan@unionleader.com
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Starting Sunday drivers will pay new congestion pricing fees when they pass through Midtown or Lower Manhattan.

There are multiple goals for congestion pricing, including easing traffic in crowded areas of the city, reducing emissions, and raising money for the MTA.

More Congestion Pricing News

Heres everything you need to know about pricing, toll locations, discounts, and more:

Where will congestion pricing be implemented?

Drivers will be automatically charged when they turn onto local streets and avenues at 60th Street and below.

A map shows where congestion pricing tolls will apply in Manhattan. (MTA)

How much will it cost?

During peak hours, E-ZPass drivers will pay $9 or $13.50 by mail. Peak hours run from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

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Off-peak fees will cost E-ZPass drivers $2.25 or $3.30 if you pay by mail.

Are there any exemptions?

The FDR Drive, West Side Highway, and Hugh L. Carey Tunnel are all excluded from the toll. Once drivers turn off these roads and onto local streets below 60th, the toll is charged.

Are there any discounts?

Passengers in taxis, green cabs, and black cars will be charged 75 cents no matter the time of day.

Passengers in rideshare vehicles like Uber and Lyft will pay $1.50.

The MTA will offer credits of up to $3, for E-ZPass drivers that enter the city via the Lincoln, Holland, Queens-Midtown, or Hugh L. Carey Tunnels.

Additionally, there are multiple discount plans such as the low-income discount plan, the low-income tax credit for residents, disability exemptions, emergency vehicle exemptions, bus exemptions, and specialized government-owned vehicle exemptions. For more information on these discounts and how to apply for them, click here.

What about legal challenges?

A federal judge denied New Jerseys request for a temporary restraining order to stop congestion pricing on Friday. The attorney for the State of New Jersey, Randy Mastro, said he would appeal the decision.

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This story is comprised of reporting from Emily Rahhal, Greg Mocker, and Matthew Euzarraga.

Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  With the new Congress now in session, lawmakers have a busy agenda in front of them from government funding to cabinet confirmations.

Seventy-five new members were sworn in Friday as the 119th Congress kicked off.

We have a bold governing agenda under President Trumps leadership, said Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.).

Republicans will hold a trifecta in Washington with a razor thin majority in the House and 53 seats in the Senate.

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This is going to be another tough Congress, said Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii.).

Gop lawmakers, like New Yorks Nick Langworthy, say carrying out President-elect Donald Trumps agenda and securing the southern border is a top priority.

We have to seal that southern border, said Langworthy.

Some Democrats agree there needs to be action on the border.

California Congressman Lou Correa says he thinks theres room for compromise.

Theres a lot of common ground there. I think, first, we need to start out by speaking with each other, not at each other, said Correa.

Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) says lawmakers also want to make life more affordable for Americans.

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There are three bipartisan vetted bills to put on the floor right now. One to lower prescription drug costs through health insurance reforms, said Auchincloss.

Debate over government funding will soon be back on the agenda. The latest short-term spending measure expires in March.

Kentucky Republican Andy Barr says Congress needs to spend more responsibly.

Spending cuts are very, very important to start forcing the government to live within its means, said Barr.

Meanwhile, the Senate will soon hold Cabinet confirmation hearings.

Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii.) says shell look closely at each nominee.

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My concerns will surround their experience, what they bring to the table, said Hirono.

Cabinet hearings will start in the next few weeks.

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Jan. 4 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department is warning Congress of its intention to sell $8 billion worth of weapons to Israel, multiple media outlets reported.

The State Department informally told the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the pending arms sale, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Both committees were notified Friday, Axios reported, citing two sources with direct knowledge of the matter

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Once finalized, the order could take several years to be filled entirely, although some components could be delivered immediately, the New York Times reported.

The order would include ammunition, artillery shells and missiles for helicopters and fighter jets, as well as GPS systems for bombs along with other equipment.

The State Department informally warned the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Friday about the pending arms sale, which could take several years to be filled entirely, although some components could be delivered immediately. File Photo by Jim Hollander/UPI

"The President has made clear Israel has a right to defend its citizens, consistent with international law and international humanitarian law, and to deter aggression from Iran and its proxy organizations. We will continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel's defense," a U.S. official told Axios in an interview, on a condition of anonymity.

The sale marks the latest round of American support for Israel in its war with Hamas.

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This past March, the United States approved the transfer of more than 2,000 bombs to Israel in the wake of its campaign against Hamas. The ams deal also included fighter jets

In May, U.S. President Joe Biden said he would not supply Israel with offensive weapons if they were to be used to attack the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.

The latest arms sale is meant "to support Israel's long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defense capabilities," a U.S. official told CNN in a statement.

Neither the House Foreign Affairs Committee nor the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have yet formally voiced any concerns.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus raise their right hands for a ceremonial swearing-in from New York Attorney General Letitia James in Washington Friday. Photo by William J. Ford.

WASHINGTON  The Congressional Black Caucus celebrated a number of landmarks Friday  a record 62 members of Congress in the caucus, two Black House members from Alabama for the first time and the historic first of two Black women elected to the same Senate class.

One of those two newly minted senators, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), drew some of the biggest applause when she walked on stage to join the other 61 caucus members at a ceremonial swearing-in at the Anthem theater on the Washington Waterfront. Hours later, Alsobrooks was still marveling at the historic nature of the election.

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This is such a big day, it really is. To have my parents here and lots of family members, Alsobrooks said during a brief interview between getting her official portrait taken and running to a reception for supporters and family members. You know, I had grandparents who could have never imagined a day like this  it has just been really amazing.

The election of Alsobrooks and Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) marks the first time two Black women will serve together in the U.S. Senate.

The caucus also marked the historic election of two Black U.S. House members from Alabama serving at the same time. Incumbent Rep. Terri Sewell has been joined by Shomari Figures, who was elected in November to represent the new 2nd Congressional District.

That district was created following a lawsuit, in which a federal court ordered the state in 2022 to draw a second opportunity district to provide a chance for Black voters in Alabama to select their preferred candidate. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the lower courts ruling in 2023.

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Sewell, a Democrat, recalled how the caucus was first established in 1971 with 13 members  12 men and one woman. Today, a total of 67 Black lawmakers serve in Congress, the largest contingent ever on Capitol Hill.

In addition to the 62 Democrats in the caucus, there are five Black Republicans in Congress  Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida, Wesley Hunt of Texas, John James of Michigan and Burgess Owens of Utah  are not members of the Congressional Black Caucus and didnt attend the ceremony.

All are ardent supporters of Republican President-elect Donald Trump. With the GOP in control of the House and Senate, they have stated their support for Trumps future policies and even a few of his controversial statements.

Although the Black caucus isnt tied to a political party, the Democratic members said they will continue to challenge legislation they deem will negatively affect Black Americans.

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Today, we renew our pledge to fight racism where it exists, to weed out inequities in health care, the criminal justice system, education, voter access, and so many rights and benefits that are part and parcel of what it means to be Americans, said Sewell, who serves as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundations board of directors. We, in the Congressional Black Caucus, stand ready for the task ahead.

Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) speaks with reporters after the Congressional Black Caucus swearing-in event at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. Photo by William J. Ford.

Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-4th) said hes concerned about the Trump administration or the president-elects appointees using the Justice Department to get back at people they think are enemies.

Thats not the role of the Department of Justice, Ivey said. Protecting the rule of law is what weve got to make sure happens now and going forward.

Ivey said that one way to combat Trump and his congressional allies is looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections.

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I can remember back a few years ago where the Republicans controlled the White House, the Senate and the House. A few years after that, Barack Obama got elected president, and we took back control of the Senate and the House, Ivey said after the ceremony. So a setback is a set up for a comeback. Were ready to come back.

Hundreds of family members, friends and supporters attended the ceremony at The Anthem including Marc Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League.

Morial said in an interview that just because Trump will be president doesnt mean the caucus stops its advocacy work.

They should say to the president, If you want to meet us halfway on important priorities like voting rights, elimination of poverty, we will not say no, Morial said. But if your plan is to administer solely to your MAGA base, we will lead the resistance.

 Maryland Matters editor Steve Crane contributed to this report.
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus raise their right hands as they are being sworn in by New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)

WASHINGTON, D.C.  With a record 62 elected Black officials, including historic firsts of two women senators and two representatives from Alabama, the Congressional Black Caucus held a swearing-in ceremony Friday morning before members took the oath of office for the 119th U.S. Congress.

Democrats Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware will represent the first time two Black women will serve together in the U.S. Senate.

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The caucus also marked the historic election of two Black U.S. House members from Alabama serving at the same time. Incumbent Rep. Terri Sewell has been joined by Shomari Figures, who was elected in November to represent the new 2nd Congressional District. Following a lawsuit, a federal court ordered the state in 2022 to draw a second opportunity district to provide a chance for Black voters to select their preferred candidate. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the lower courts ruling in 2023.

Sewell, a Democrat, recalled how the caucus was first established in 1971 with 13 members  12 men and one woman. Today, a total of 67 Black lawmakers serve in Congress, the largest contingent ever on Capitol Hill.

The new group includes three North Carolina Democrats  Rep. Alma Adams, Rep. Don Davis and Rep. Valerie Foushee. Adams will be serving her sixth term, while Davis and Foushee are starting their second. The caucus also includes a first for Oregon, with Democrat Janelle Bynum, who won the 5th Congressional District seat, becoming the states first Black member of Congress.

But the five Republicans  Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Reps. Byron Donalds of Florida, Wesley Hunt of Texas, John James of Michigan and Burgess Owens of Utah  are not members of the Congressional Black Caucus and didnt attend the ceremony. All are ardent supporters of Republican President-elect Donald Trump. With the GOP in control of the House and Senate, they have stated their support for Trumps future policies and even a few of his controversial statements.

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Although the Black caucus isnt tied to a political party, the Democratic members said they will continue to challenge legislation they deem will negatively affect Black Americans.

Today, we renew our pledge to fight racism where it exists, to weed out inequities in health care, the criminal justice system, education, voter access, and so many rights and benefits that are part and parcel of what it means to be Americans, said Sewell, who serves as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundations board of directors. We, in the Congressional Black Caucus, stand ready for the task ahead.

Rep. Glenn Ivey, a Maryland Democrat, said hes concerned about the Trump administration or his appointees using the U.S. Justice Department to get back at people they think are enemies. Thats not the role of the Department of Justice, he said. Protecting the rule of law is what weve got to make sure happens now and going forward.

Ivey said that one way to combat Trump and his congressional allies is looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections.

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I can remember back a few years ago where the Republicans controlled the White House, the Senate and the House. A few years after that, [then U.S. Sen.] Barack Obama got elected president, and we took back control of the Senate and the House, Ivey said after the ceremony. So a setback is a set up for a comeback. Were ready to come back.

Hundreds of family members, friends and supporters attended the ceremony at The Anthem including Marc Morial, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League.

Morial said in an interview just because Trump will be president doesnt mean the caucus stops its advocacy work.

They should say to the president, if you want to meet us halfway on important priorities like voting rights, elimination of poverty, we will not say no, Morial said. But if your plan is to administer solely to your MAGA base, we will lead the resistance.
CONKLIN, NY (WIVT/WBGH)  The Broome County Sheriffs Office announced the charges brought against a Conklin man for his alleged role in the fatal shooting on Leslie Avenue Friday morning.

21-year-old Matthew Bartosik, of Conklin, has been charged with murder in the second degree, amongst other charges, after the Broome County Sheriffs Office and New York State Polices investigation on Jan. 3, 2025.

The shooting at 58 Leslie Ave resulted in one death and one hospitalization for serious injuries.

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Bartosik has officially been charged with:

Murder in the Second Degree

Attempted Murder in the First and Second Degree

Criminal use of a firearm in the First Degree

Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree

Aggravated Criminal Possession of a Weapon

Criminal Contempt in the First Degree

Bartosik was arraigned and brought to the Broome County Correctional Facility. Police say the investigation is ongoing with more information to be revealed.

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Pasco City Councilman Leo Perales has a new initiative in mind for the city called the Department of Pasco Efficiency. Thats DOPE, for short.

The motto? Make government so simple, a DOPE could run it.

Perales started posting about the department in November 2024 on his official Facebook page, X account and other social media, and recently shared a 30-page proposal explaining it.

Perales has served on the Pasco council since January 2024. He was one of the city council candidates backed by the Franklin County Republican Party in the November 2023 general election.

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Mayor Pete Serrano, Mayor Pro Tem David Milne and councilmen Perales, Peter Harpster and Charles Grimm hold a conservative majority on the council.

Perales announced DOPE via an email sent to the city council and City Manager Adam Lincoln but received no responses from them, he said.

Commercial retail development and housing off Road 68 near the Interstate 182 interchange in west Pasco.

Developing DOPE

A self-proclaimed reformer, Perales calls DOPE his innovative, disruptive vision for Pasco.

He said its inspired by a combination of his research and observations on the city council this year. Hes also borrowed ideas from others.

Mainly, its modeled after the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a proposed advisory body under President-elect Donald Trump, led by campaign mega-donor Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

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Trump announced his incoming administrations plan for DOGE in November.

Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies - Essential to the Save America Movement, Trump said in the announcement.

It will become, potentially, The Manhattan Project of our time, he added, referring, of course, to the World War II-era program to produce nuclear weapons.

Pasco City Councilman Leo Perales posts on social media about his new vision for the city of Pasco, the Department of Pasco Efficiency, or DOPE.

DOPE shares many similarities with Trumps planned federal body.

Perales told the Tri-City Herald that he would like the city to cut dumb regulations and red tape he said are unnecessary. He hopes that will speed up reviews and permits for proposed construction projects and cut fees for developers.

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He would like DOPE to be a bridge between the city council and city staff.

He wants the initiative to empower city staff to question processes, find new methods and work with more urgency. He also would like the city to reduce its use of consultants, and implement better IT and data-records management systems.

We have a culture of (saying) no here at the city, he said.

Perales also supports going back to the core functions of local government  infrastructure spending and public safety.

Bo osting Pascos economy

Pascos economic future is a cornerstone of the proposed department.

Perales told the Herald that the city needs a clearer economic development plan and should employ an economic development director.

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He also envisions the city council having more control over Pascos Capital Improvement Plan and other spending in the future.

Perales explained that DOPEs main purpose is to find ways generate revenue for the city.

Some of his ideas echo what the city of Pasco already has been considering, including a levy lid lift, a Transportation Benefit District and tax increases.

He said he was driven to formalize DOPE after feeling frustrated by the citys biennial budget planning process.

Pasco faces a multi-million dollar shortfall for the 2025-26 biennium.

The city is now expected to spend about $11 million in reserves over the next two years as needed, as well as pull back spending across departments.

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In December, the city council voted 6-1 to approve the biennial budget. Perales was the lone dissenter.

Pasco City Councilman Leo Perales

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Next steps

Its still unclear how DOPE would actually function and fit into the city government.

Perales hopes it would become a subcommittee of the city council, so his next focus is getting fellow city council members and city staff onboard.

He told the Herald that he believes he can convince Serrano, Milne, Grimm and Harpster to support it.

I want this to be a collective, but you always need someone to be the tip of the spear, Perales said. Thats fine with me  Ill be the tip of the spear.

In the coming months, Perales plans to meet with city council members, hold community listening sessions and gauge interest from local organizations and businesses.

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But if hes met with disagreement, he said he is also prepared to create an external group.

Im trying to raise awareness in the community that there is a representative that wants to make the necessary changes that we all know need to happen, he said.

Perales said that hes mostly received tremendous positive feedback from Tri-Cities residents in the form of social media messages.

The Pasco City Councils next regular meeting is Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. at Pasco City Hall.
In Georgia, where the political crisis rumbles on, people are being urged to join in a countrywide warning strike on 15 January to call for new elections and the release of arrested protesters.

Source: Protest 24, which is spreading information about the planned strike, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The strike will begin on 15 January at 15:00. Starting then, employers and their employees throughout Georgia will not work for three hours.

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Quote: "We will temporarily close the doors and stay outside for three hours. Our strike will demonstrate what awaits us in isolation: a stagnant economy, businesses closing down, poverty and unemployment No matter where you work, whether you are a business owner, manager or employee, please join us."

More details: The striking workers are calling for new parliamentary elections and the release of detained protesters.

For reference: Georgia has been engulfed in a political crisis since October's parliamentary elections, with opposition forces refusing to recognise the election results. This has been further exacerbated by the inauguration of "president" Mikheil Kavelashvili and the government's rejection of European integration.

Background: The Baltic states, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Finland have urged the Georgian authorities to end the violence against the protesters and consider holding new elections.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The Shelby County Commission plans a no-confidence vote against the Memphis Shelby County School Board over their effort to remove the school superintendent.

County Commissioner Amber Mills announced the move in an interview with Alex Coleman on Friday, saying it was the best way the county could show support for keeping Dr. Marie Feagins as the districts superintendent.

Mills said there is no legal option to recall school board members.

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The next best thing to do for the constituents and people of Shelby County, to make the school board aware, is to have a vote of no confidence on the Shelby County Commission and to support Dr. Feagins, she said.

Memphis Shelby School Board members faced vocal opposition from a sometimes angry parents, teachers and some local officials in a packed special called meeting on Dec. 17, when they prepared for a vote to terminate the contract with Feagins.

MSCS board postpones vote on Feagins future until January

That vote was ultimately postponed until later this month, though the boards chair recently said she hasnt changed her mind on terminating Feagins.

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The boards resolution outlined three accusations of misconduct against Feagins, claiming she misled the board when she said the district paid $1 million dollars for overtime wages for time not worked. It also alleged she accepted a donation without board approval and accused her of squandering a contract that would have helped homeless students.

Her attorney, Alan Crone, says the board has to prove Feagins engaged in misconduct. Otherwise they have to pay her $487,000 to buy her out of her contract.

What this really is about is avoiding paying her a buy out of her contract. If they have five votes, they can fire her, said Crone, who called the boards accusations weak and vague.

He says hes prepared to take the battle to court if necessary.

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Feagins was hired by the district last February after a search of more than a year.

They hired the right person. Dr. Feagins is the right person, Mills said. Shes doing the work. Shes making the changes that need to be made.  She is upsetting the apple cart that needs to be upset.

Mills also plans to bring a moratorium on the money the county just approved for the construction of a new high school in Frayser.

Shelby County Commission approves $34M for New Frayser school

Were legislators, we control the purse strings, and weve got to do our jobs, she said.

The County Commissions education committee is set to consider a resolution to record a position of no confidence in the school board at its meeting next Wednesday, according to an agenda posted online. The resolution is co-sponsored by Erika Sugarmon.

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Crone responded to Mills announcement Friday, saying, I think if the commission votes a no confidence vote, if I were on the school board, I would really think twice. Thats the funding body. Thats the body that gives them their money.

Feagins will give a formal response to the school board Monday.

The school board is set to reconvene Jan. 14 in a committee meeting to consider their resolution and hear Feagins response again and answer any questions.

If the committee votes to move forward, an official vote on the contract could happen as soon as Jan. 21.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Jan. 4The 2022 Ashtabula County audit is being contested by outgoing Ashtabula County Prosecutor Colleen O'Toole, who filed a lawsuit against Ohio Auditor of State Keith Farber over expenses deemed inappropriate in the audit.

"On December 31, 2024, the Ohio Auditor of State's Office released the audit of Ashtabula County's government entity for 2022. This audit was not completed nor released as traditionally done in the following year, but was delayed due to additional examination," Ashtabula County Commissioners Kathryn Whittington, J.P. Ducro and Casey Kozlowski and former Ashtabula County Auditor and now State Representative David Thomas said in a statement.

The commissioners said the 2022 audit is now available for public review on the website of the state or county auditor.

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"It is the hope of Ashtabula County's leadership that this case is handled swiftly and the factors are discovered. We cannot comment on the details on an ongoing lawsuit," the commissioners stated.

The audit findings in question involved expenses from the Furtherance of Justice Fund and the Law Enforcement Trust Fund, as well as improvement projects to the prosecutor's office.

The issues involved expenses totaling $3,794.14. The state auditor found improper use of the Furtherance of Justice Fund, of $2,173.15, and the Law Enforcement Fund for $1,620.99, according to Franklin County Court records.

After the audit was filed, O'Toole filed a lawsuit on Dec. 26, 2024 in Franklin County Court, seeking declaratory judgment and preliminary injunctive relief.

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O'Toole stated in the lawsuit expenses were appropriate for both funds.

The expenses in question included $500 to Ashtabula County Children Services, the purchase and donation of 12 community gift baskets totaling $600 for crime victims through the Victims of Crime Assistance Office, and chocolate for local law enforcement.

"Prosecutor O'Toole asserts and has provided sufficient evidence to show these expenditures are consistent with past practices that have not resulted in findings for recovery," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit states O'Toole paid back $68.99 to the FOJ Fund May 13, 2024, and $27.26 to the LETF fund Sept. 19, 2023 for several expenses.

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The audit claimed $2,927.20 for floor remodeling of the prosecutor's office and $1,675 for new furniture should have come from prosecutor's office's operating costs.

"Flooring and furniture are operating costs to the Prosecutor's Office, and there has not been evidence to show how these expenditures constitute a law enforcement purpose," the audit stated.

A finding of $4,000 for a bathroom repair project was also deemed to be outside the parameters of LETF allowable uses, the audit states.

In the lawsuit, O'Toole said both expenditures were within the allowable use of the two funds.

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"O'Toole will suffer irreparable harm to her reputation if the findings of recovery are allowed to go into effect before this court rules on her request for declaratory relief," the lawsuit states.

Thomas said he hopes to clarify the process through legislation when the state legislature kicks into full gear.

"I plan to introduce legislation placing checks and balances on Furtherance of Justice and Law Enforcement Trust fund dollars which are held outside of the country treasury and away from the public eye," he said. "I have seen from my experience as county auditor our public tax dollars need better protection. The ability for this slush fund of taxpayer money to be used at the sole discretion of county prosecutors is not how taxpayer dollars should be spent."
One of the men accused of burning a person to death in a dumpster in 2023 was sentenced to 42 years in prison.

Dave Dinkins, 25, pleaded guilty to the murder of Geoffrey Rugwiro, who was beaten, placed in a dumpster, and then set on fire near 11th Avenue and Madison Street by three men.

Police said video surveillance captured Dinkins and Isaiah Baskin carrying Rugwiro toward the dumpster along with a third man, according to court records.

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The records also stated that Dinkins and Baskin were seen lighting the dumpster on fire.

One of Rugwiros family members told the court that Rugwiros family had escaped genocide in Rwanda and that Rugwiro was one of the few beacons of hope for life, according to a statement from the Maricopa County Attorneys Office.

Baskins case is scheduled to go to trial in March. The third man has not been charged.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 42-year sentence in Phoenix dumpster fire murder of Geoffrey Rugwiro
The Horton Fire has scorched nearly 1,900 acres of forest along the Mogollon Rim, northeast of Payson, as of Saturday, with the number of firefighters on the scene almost doubling over the past week.

Tonto National Forest officials reported that the wildfire remained 17% contained as of Saturday, the same figure reported on Thursday, with crews warning of potential further spread ahead of the new year.

Since the last update shared Friday on the social media platform X, the fire has grown by 538 acres.

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Officials warned that smoke from the fire was expected to impact visibility along State Route 260, east of the Payson area toward Woods Canyon Lake.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Crews increase as fire expected to spread

Ground crews on Saturday were expected to battle the fire below the Mogollon Rim and along the Horton Creek Trail, as air resources would be limited because of gusty winds near the rim, according to a Tonto National Forest news release.

The number of personnel battling the fire increased to 418, up from 258 a week ago.

The fire was expected to spread farther south and "off the face of the rim, and into the head of Horton Creek," according to officials.

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"Firefighters are working around the clock in this area to secure the fire line in this steep and difficult terrain," added officials in the news release.

A total of seven crews, 32 fire engines, two helicopters, four water tenders and one bulldozer were at the scene on Saturday.

Crews also laid more than 7,000 feet of hose on Friday near Tonto Creek Estates and Christopher Creek to help protect nearby structures.

Evacuations and closures remain, with some expanded

Closure of the forest near the wildfire originally slated to end in January was extended to May 30, according to the announcement.

The wildfire posed a threat to the nearby communities of Tonto Creek Estates, Tonto Christian Camp, Tonto Fish Hatchery, Zane Grey Cabins, and, as of Friday, Kohl Ranch. These areas were placed on a pre-evacuation "Set" status, requiring residents to be ready to evacuate if directed by authorities.

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A flight restriction has also been placed in the nearby area of the Horton Fire. More information can be found on the Federal Aviation Administration website.

State issued smoke forecast

On Saturday, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality said smoke was expected to disperse throughout the day, with moderate overnight smoke expected on SR 260 and nearby Tonto Estates.

Daytime smoke was expected to end the weekend at Tonto Estates, and later, Forest Lakes, Star Valley and Payson.

Wildfire assistance: University of Arizona tool tracks humidity levels: Here's how it helps firefighters

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Crews fighting Horton Fire near Payson almost double
A state man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for trafficking firearms into Connecticut from North Carolina and distributing crack cocaine.

Jacquerie Labronze Gibson, also known as Compton, 44, of Hartford was sentenced in federal court in Hartford on Friday, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Connecticut. He also was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release following the prison term.

According to federal officials, law enforcement in August 2021 began investigating Gibson after receiving information suggesting he was trafficking firearms that had been purchased by Jacintre Holley and others on Holleys behalf in North Carolina. Authorities said they also received information indicating Gibson was distributing narcotics, which he sometimes traded for firearms, and was converting cocaine to crack cocaine at his Wethersfield Avenue apartment.

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On Aug. 12, 2021, authorities used a search warrant to raid Gibsons apartment and seized a loaded Taurus Model G3 9mm handgun, ammunition, a bullet-proof vest, about 90 grams of crack cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics and $860, according to federal officials. Gibson was in the apartment at the time of the search and was arrested.

According to authorities, an investigation later determined that Gibsons firearm source in North Carolina had sold about 15 firearms to Gibson and about 50 firearms to another buyer in Connecticut. Officials said at least 16 of these weapons have been recovered from crime scenes in Connecticut and surrounding states, including one that was used in a homicide in Middletown in May 2021.

Authorities noted that Gibsons previous criminal history includes felony convictions for drug, burglary and failure to appear offenses. He was also convicted in April 2005 of first-degree assault for attacking his then-girlfriend with a knife.

It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce, the U.S. Attorneys Office wrote in a statement.

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Gibson has been in custody since his arrest. His sentencing comes after he pleaded guilty in August 2023 to possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, or crack, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

In February 2023, Holley also was sentenced in the Eastern District of North Carolina to 127 months in prison, officials said.
During a press briefing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department showed a picture of Matthew Livelsbergers military identification found in the Cybertruck. (Courtesy of LVMPD)

The Green Beret who shot himself seconds before the Tesla Cybertruck he rented went up in a fiery explosion outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Years Day referred to the event as a wake up call and effort to rid himself of the burden of the lives he took in combat. He also advocated a Jan. 6-like takeover of federal buildings and the ouster of Democrats from government and the military.

Try peaceful means first, but be prepared to fight to get the Dems out of the fed government and military by any means necessary, he wrote. They all must go and a hard reset must occur for our country to avoid collapse.

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Fellow Servicemembers, Veterans and all Americans, TIME TO WAKE UP! We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves, Matthew Livelsberger wrote on one of two iPhones retrieved from the vehicle, in what police call two letters and a journal detailing his preparations in the ten days leading up to his suicide.

Evidence reviewed by police thus far scratches the surface of the information retrieved by investigators, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference Friday.

Metros release of the text following the news conference revealed Livelsbergers messaging spiraled into a rant urging militia to line streets and converge on federal buildings.

We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed towards collapse, reads a second entry. This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives? Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost, and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.

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We are also aware that there were potential other family issues or personal grievances in his own life that may have been contributing factors, FBI Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans told reporters.

He added that law enforcement learned through interviews that Livelsberger suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had no animosity toward the president-elect.

Livelsberger urges the nation to rally around Trump and Elon Musk, and calls for a negotiated settlement in Ukraine.

Focus on strength and winning. Masculinity is good and men must be leaders. Strength is a deterrent and fear is the product, he wrote.

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Stop obsessing over diversity, he added. We are all diverse and DEI is a cancer. Thankfully we rejected the DEI candidate and will have a real President instead of Weekend at Bernies.

Authorities have found no definitive connection between Livelsberger and the perpetrator of the New Orleans Bourbon St. massacre on New Years Day.

McMahill observed that the highly-decorated soldier who served five tours of combat was not much different than the officers at Metro, and noted the departments focus on taking care of the heart, mind, body and soul of the people that are out there doing this work because theyre exposed to things, they see things, they hear things, they feel things, and they smell things that most normal people dont have to do. And the heroes that are serving in the military and on the front lines of Americas policing are challenged that way.

The incident, he said, is a reminder to pay attention to what mental health in America looks like and a reminder of the need to talk about these things.

This article was first published by Nevada Current, part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nevada Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Hugh Jackson for questions: info@nevadacurrent.com.
A picture of Matthew Livelsbergers military identification found in the burned Cybertruck he used is displayed by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during a press briefing Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (Nevada Current)

The Green Beret who shot himself seconds before the Tesla Cybertruck he rented went up in a fiery explosion outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Years Day referred to the event as a wake up call and effort to rid himself of the burden of the lives he took in combat. He also advocated a Jan. 6-like takeover of federal buildings and the ouster of Democrats from government and the military.

Try peaceful means first, but be prepared to fight to get the Dems out of the fed government and military by any means necessary, he wrote. They all must go and a hard reset must occur for our country to avoid collapse.

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Fellow Servicemembers, Veterans and all Americans, TIME TO WAKE UP! We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves, Matthew Livelsberger wrote on one of two iPhones retrieved from the vehicle, in what police call two letters and a journal detailing his preparations in the 10 days leading up to his suicide.

Suicide prevention resources

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or is in distress, call or text 988 to speak to crisis counselors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

More information and ways to connect are available at 988.utah.gov and 988lifeline.org. Counselors through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can help with mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or if you just need someone to talk to.

There is no wrong reason to call.

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Evidence reviewed by police thus far scratches the surface of the information retrieved by investigators, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference Friday.

Metros release of the text following the news conference revealed Livelsbergers messaging spiraled into a rant urging militia to line streets and converge on federal buildings.

We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed towards collapse, reads a second entry. This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives? Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost, and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.

We are also aware that there were potential other family issues or personal grievances in his own life that may have been contributing factors, FBI Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans told reporters.

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He added that law enforcement learned through interviews that Livelsberger suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had no animosity toward the president-elect.

Livelsberger urges the nation to rally around Trump and Elon Musk, and calls for a negotiated settlement in Ukraine.

Focus on strength and winning. Masculinity is good and men must be leaders. Strength is a deterrent and fear is the product, he wrote.

Stop obsessing over diversity, he added. We are all diverse and DEI is a cancer. Thankfully we rejected the DEI candidate and will have a real President instead of Weekend at Bernies.

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Authorities have found no definitive connection between Livelsberger and the perpetrator of the New Orleans Bourbon St. massacre on New Years Day.

McMahill observed that the highly-decorated soldier who served five tours of combat was not much different than the officers at Metro, and noted the departments focus on taking care of the heart, mind, body and soul of the people that are out there doing this work because theyre exposed to things, they see things, they hear things, they feel things, and they smell things that most normal people dont have to do. And the heroes that are serving in the military and on the front lines of Americas policing are challenged that way.

The incident, he said, is a reminder to pay attention to what mental health in America looks like and a reminder of the need to talk about these things.

Note: This story was updated with information included in a link police provided to two of the notes found on Livelsbergers phone.

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Nevada Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nevada Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Hugh Jackson for questions: info@nevadacurrent.com.

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Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman met with the family members of Erik and Lyle Menendez for the first time amid their upcoming resentencing hearing, and he described their meeting as useful.

What Im doing is processing information, Hochman, 61, said during a press conference on Friday, January 3. So, we have not finished the review, for instance, of all the prison files and, again, it numbers in the thousands [of] pages, and it covers well over 30 years of prison experience for both Lyle and Erik Menendez, nor have I finished all the trial transcripts as well. Were inputting that additional information that I received today, which was useful information in the entire decision matrix on what to do with this case.

He continued, Again, I have had the chance to read everything, anything these victim family members have either testified about or written, and hearing it live, directly from them is also a very useful additional way to learn that information.

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Hochman explained the ways he and his team have prepared for the case, including reviewing thousands of pages of confidential prison records to analyze the rehabilitation aspect of resentencing, thousands of pages of transcripts from two months-long trials, talking to all the different prosecutors that have been involved with the Menendez case defense counsel and reviewing voluminous exhibits and pleadings.

While Hochman specified that he has yet to make a decision on the Menendez brothers resentencing, he has been talking with various prosecutors and defense attorneys. He remained tight-lipped on the details of his conversations with Erik and Lyles family members, but added that he would continue to approach this matter with the utmost care and diligence.

D.A. Meets Menendez Brothers Family Amid Resentencing Decision

As youre aware, the court has filed its motion for reconsideration and the court ultimately has the final call on whether it wants to reconsider the sentence at all and second if it does want to reconsider what the new sentence should be, Hochman explained.

Anamaria Baralt, Erik and Lyles cousin and Jose Menendezs niece, also gave a statement.

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This 35-year process has been incredibly traumatizing for us, Baralt said per KTLA 5. We are very much hoping that we can find a path to manslaughter, that we can see the release of the brothers immediately.

The brothers were sentenced to life in prison for the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. In October 2024, former L.A. District Attorney George Gascon officially recommended that Erik and Lyle be resentenced after spending more than 30 years behind bars.

We are going to recommend to the court that the life without the possibility of parole be removed and that they will be sentenced for murder. Because there was two murders involved that would be 50 years to life, Gascon stated at the time. However, because of their age, under the law because they were under 26 years of age at the time that these crimes occurred, they will be eligible for parole immediately. When you look at the case of the Menendez brothers, you see two very young people, one was 19 and the other was 21 when they committed these horrible acts. And I want to underline, these were horrible acts. There is no excuse for murder.

The resentencing hearing was originally set for December 11, 2024, but the date was pushed back to later this month.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Friday that Jing Zhuang Li was charged in connection with an apartment building attack on two elderly women in Chinatown, the day after Christmas. There is no place for violence in our city, DA Jenkins said in a news release.

White mans world: Sheriffs attorney blasts her critics

The assault happened on Dec. 26 in a building located on the 600 block of Broadway.

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According to court records, the DA said the 39-year-old Li allegedly hit an 87-year-old neighbor with a 17-inch-long metal wrench, and continued to strike several times after the victim fell down. DA Jenkins said when another tenant, a 69-year-old woman, spotted the incident and yelled at him to stop, the DA said she was also knocked in the head with the weapon.

The DA confirmed that both victims suffered significant injuries. The 87-year-old victim had major bleeding and a fractured skull. The 69-year-old victim had a left wrist fracture, three rib fractures, a skull fracture, a concussion, three scalp lacerations that required extensive suturing, and a torn ear.

Jenkins said Li is detained pending trial due to him being a public safety risk. Li is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 6 and faces several charges, including:

two counts of attempted murder

one count of mayhem

two counts of elder abuse

two counts of assault with a deadly weapon

two counts of battery causing great bodily injury

one count of first-degree burglary

The case remains an open investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Francisco Police Department tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, starting the message with SFPD.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CHEYENNE  Laramie County District Attorney Sylvia Hackl has decided not to prosecute Cheyenne Police Department officers who shot and killed a suspect who had shot at officers and fired a gun near his wifes head while holding her hostage.

Officers shot and killed 47-year-old Patrick Flores on March 8, during a tense hostage situation in a Cheyenne townhouse.

Three officers were placed on leave following the incident while the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) reviewed the case. CPD released body camera footage in the days after the hostage situation.

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As a result of DCIs 242-page report about the situation, Hackl determined the involved police officers responded appropriately, given that their efforts to de-escalate Flores were unsuccessful as he continued to point his weapon at the hostage and at police officers.

Ongoing abuse

Flores and his wife had been together 13 years, married for the last two, she told officers. The wife described their relationship as down the drain, with the couple fighting often and staying in separate parts of the second floor.

Flores wife told law enforcement that Flores, nicknamed "Joker," had been "chaotic" and "on the run" from a warrant, according to police interviews. She told police that they had been fighting over Flores ability to get a job and work because he didn't want to give up his lifestyle. That lifestyle included substance abuse that put him in prison in the first place.

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Prior to the 911 call on March 8, there had been other alleged instances of abuse in the relationship.

A friend of Flores wife told police that she knew their relationship was toxic, saying the wife would tell her that Flores was really abusive and would mess around on her, according to the report. This included an instance where Flores was suspected to have choked his wife and an instance where his wife said he gave her a black eye after she approached him about suspected infidelity.

Missing car keys

According to the report, Flores struggled with drug abuse, and his wife had her own struggles with addiction. On the night of his death, Flores had been drinking and may have dropped some acid, according to the report.

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The wife told officers that she didn't want to go backwards after getting off probation in December 2023, and Flores had already caused her to relapse three times. Flores drug use was difficult for his wife to be around, and she told police she had actually planned to get away that evening with her mother to get dinner and maybe see a movie.

Flores had wanted the car keys that night and suspected his wife had hidden them, which she hadn't, she told officers. According to his wife, Flores became increasingly agitated and didnt hesitate to put his hands on her, becoming increasingly abusive.

Flores had become so angry and erratic, threatening to kill his wife with a gun, that she called her mother and told her not to come to protect her from his anger, she told police.

Calling a friend

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Earlier in the evening, Flores wife had called her friend, asking for a ride so she could go pay rent. Her friend told police that she knew Flores would sometimes leave for days at a time and take the car, so she assumed that was the case on March 8.

The friend described the wife's behavior as frantic over the phone, telling officers that she told her to call 911 if she didnt answer the door when she arrived.

The wife recalled using an old phone Flores had been keeping from her to call her friend. She recalled saying "Call 911, call 911!" before Flores snatched the phone out of her hand.

When her friend arrived at the house, she decided to call 911 right away. Even if she had tried to enter the house, she wouldnt have been able to because Flores had taken the batteries out of the electronic door lock, prohibiting anyone without a key from entering, the report said.

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Flores became increasingly belligerent after the friend's arrival, according to the report. According to his wife, it was at about this point that Flores pointed the pistol at her and fired. The round discharged very close to her head.

"I had black shit all over me, Flores wife told police. She said she could smell the gun "going off," that shed always remember the smell and the "pop" of the gun.

She told police she was heartbroken and unsure what to do about her husband trying to kill her.

We're both dying tonight

After Flores grabbed the phone, he told his wife, "You're gonna' die tonight, bitch, you're gonna' die tonight!' He then put the pistol under his chin, saying, "We're both dying tonight, according to the report.

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"I think if those cops wouldn't have got there and (my friend) wouldn't of been there, I felt like he would've killed me tonight, the wife told officers following the incident. There's not a doubt in my mind the way he shot at those cops and me, he had no regard for anybody's life."

"He did it without any hesitation, she said. "He shot at those cops like it was nothing ... nothing."

She told police that Flores had hit her roughly 10 times in the past two weeks, along with being verbally abusive and blaming her for all of their financial problems. She said she felt increasingly trapped and powerless.

Police quickly arrived after shots were fired, according to the wife's account. She recalled screaming, "He won't let me out of the bedroom. He's got a gun. Please don't come up here, he's going to shoot me!"

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As police tried to intervene, Flores continued to threaten to kill his wife if the police came upstairs, saying, "Don't come up these stairs or she's gonna' f----- die!" and, "I'll f-----' shoot you, too.

Police intervention

CPD Officer Reece Federer and many of his peers arrived on the scene. Federer heard radio chatter indicating a man had just shot a gun."

He was the fourth to arrive on the scene, following Officers Audrey McGraw, Kilian Sweet and Colin Brengman, who had arrived seconds prior.

Federer posted himself outside behind a tree with his pistol. He and others could hear a woman screaming, and banging coming from the house, according to his interview with DCI.

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Sgt. Zachary Johnson, who was posted east of Federers location, rushed back to his truck to get something that Federer believed was meant to break through the door.

Johnson and Federer noted in their interviews that they recognized the sound of gunfire.

McGraw and Brengman exited the house and pointed their firearms to the second floor, where Flores and his wife were.

Johnson requested a SWAT and Crisis Negotiation Unit and tried to calm Flores down as a woman screamed, Hes going to kill me!

Federer noticed 9 mm casings on the stairs, and knowing that Sweet and Johnson's guns didnt shoot 9 mm, he believed Flores had been shooting at police officers.

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Federer thought Flores was going to release his wife and back out, hoping that she would then be released and a SWAT team could surround and call out" to the scene, according to his interview.

Officers tried to negotiate with Flores, but he demanded the officers toss their guns up to him.

I cant do that. Let her go and well leave. Well get out of here, Johnson said.

Officers were able to toss some cigarettes up to Flores, which he demanded; however, they landed in the wrong room.

As agents narrowed in on Flores' position, Federer got Johnson a ballistic shield and officers began to stack up, standing shoulder to shoulder, according to Federer's interview.

Fatal shots

Federer recalled taking his rifle off safety. The interviewer noted that Federer had to push past tears to tell the interviewer how he saw Flores slowly emerge from the upstairs room.

He saw him with his gun extended, first seeing the pistol and then seeing his body.

Then (I saw) his left side and then the lower left of his stomach and hip, and that's when I shot, Federer said. I couldn't tell you how many times I shot."

Sweet and Johnson also shot at the sight of Flores gun, according to interviews. Johnson said he thought the shots were simultaneous, but he wasnt sure, according to the report.

Officers rushed upstairs together, retrieving the hostage. They found Flores lying on the floor, moving slightly, breathing in pain. Federer pointed his weapon at Flores face and located his gun.

Federer radioed out for a chest seal, and dispatch was notified that Flores needed emergency medical attention immediately. Brengman went out to his patrol vehicle and retrieved his trauma kit and came back upstairs and gave the kit to Federer to work on Flores, according to Brengmans interview.

Medics arrived and pronounced Flores dead, and the townhome was secured as a crime scene. No officers were injured.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A Northeast Kansas City business owner says a debris fire behind her business forced part of her grocery store to close on Friday.

This as people all over the metro are looking to buy things ahead of this weekends winter storm.

The owner of Gringo Loco said she came outside early Friday morning to find a fire started right behind her business.

Firefighters quickly put out the debris fire in an area Gringo Loco Owner Cindy Teng said has become a spot for homeless people to camp.

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Kansas City area residents stocking up ahead of winter storm

Right now they moved all their stuff to the alley and after they moved the stuff to the alley, they burned up whatever they dont need, Teng said.

Teng said there was another fire in the same spot the day after Christmas. The fire and police department came out and told the people to leave the property.

But the lady at the time there she was so mad she yelled and she said she will call people to come back and put fire again and she did, Teng said.

Teng said shes tried to put up barriers in the back but they keep getting broken into or damaged.

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Shes even called on city officials for help.

Right now there are so many homeless people here and my business almost every day there are homeless people who come in and steal, she said.

Teng said the fire burned a meter behind the building, which caused the power to go out on the side of the grocery store that sells meat.

Because the cooler, the meat is damaged you cannot use at all, she added.

Some customers were told to come back later when it was deemed safe.

Preparing for winter storm: Keeping your homes, pets and self safe

Teng said shes helped people in the past with food and water but now shes seeing more shoplifting and even had one encounter that became physical.

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She said more needs to be done to help unhoused find somewhere safe to stay so that people feel safe to shop and business continues in the Northeast. A job she cant do alone.

Shes had other ideas to fix up the area behind her store. She owns the lot behind it and thought about extending the parking lot. However, she said the alley behind the store is owned by the city so she cant build anything that connects to the back of the building.

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Danish police said Saturday they are investigating a report of some 20 drones over the port of Koege, southwest of Copenhagen.

Regional police said in a statement quoted by the Danish Radio that when its officers arrived at the location Friday night they were able to see four large drones over the Koege Marina.

Police had been called to the site by a witness who claimed to have seen some 20 drones that later disappeared into the Koege Bay at high speed.

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The police said they were trying to determine the total number of drones and their ownership, as no permission had been issued for drone flights in that area at the time they appeared.

The police are also investigating other sightings of drones amid security concerns linked to Russian hybrid attacks detected in some European countries and Moscow's full-scale war against Ukraine.
(NewsNation)  Federal agencies are on alert in Washington, D.C., as the city sets up security ahead of several events coming up in the next few weeks, though there are no current threats to the district.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Friday the FBI put out a notice encouraging all state and local officials to be mindful that there could be copycat perpetrators who might want to conduct an attack like what happened in New Orleans or a vehicle explosion like that in Las Vegas.

Fencing is also back up around the U.S. Capitol on the first day of the new session and ahead of the election certification Monday, the four-year anniversary of the riot at the U.S. Capitol.

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Live: Johnson retains position as House Speaker

For the first time, the Department of Homeland Security has designated Congress certification of presidential electors on Jan. 6 as a National Special Security Event, the same level of protection as inaugurations and the Super Bowl.

The D.C. Metro Police Department said at a press conference that preparations have been underway.

Since the incidents, we have begun actively working with our local federal and state partners to share intelligence and provide ongoing support for the investigation. As of this moment, there are no known credible threats in D.C. but out of an abundance of caution, we have heightened our security postures in the city in light of recent events, a representative said.

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There are two more high-profile events coming up after Jan. 6: the official state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter on Jan. 8 and the inauguration on Jan. 20th.

On a call, Kirby said he didnt want to get into specific force protection measures following the events in New Orleans and Las Vegas but said the security of the inauguration and the people attending it remain a high priority.

Kirby also said they are keeping the Trump team informed across agencies following the events of New Years Day and ahead of the inauguration.

GOP trust in election accuracy rises after Trumps victory: Survey

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Within 48 hours of the terrorist attack involving a vehicle in New Orleans, police arrested a man driving along the sidewalk just outside the U.S. Capitol.

It happened just before 10 a.m. on Thursday when officers spotted a car that had been driving along the sidewalk and into a grassy area near Third and Constitution.

The man was charged with reckless driving, but Capitol Police say it wasnt a threat to the Capitol complex.

Security was already heightened at the time ahead of the swearing-in of members today and the House speaker vote.

Police said driving on the sidewalk is never a good idea, especially anywhere near the Capitol building.

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Factbox: China makes more high-quality development progress in 2024

Xinhua) 09:54, January 04, 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- High-quality development, the "primary task" in building China into a modern socialist country in all respects, showed further advancements in 2024 as the world's second-largest economy saw its economic power, scientific and technological capabilities, and composite national strength continue to grow, according to the government.

At a press conference held in Beijing on Friday, Zhao Chenxin, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), highlighted some key achievements in terms of high-quality development last year.

Growing innovation strength -- Zhao said China rose to the 11th position in the Global Innovation Index rankings last year, and continuously made major innovation achievements, such as the lunar probe project and heavy-duty gas turbines.

Innovation-driven development also led to accelerated steps in upgrading traditional industries, developing emerging industries, planning future industries, and building a modern industrial system. In addition, high-tech manufacturing saw higher growth rates compared to the overall growth rate of the manufacturing industry, Zhao said.

Solid steps in coordinated development -- Zhao indicated that China last year thoroughly implemented coordinated regional development strategies, with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area further strengthening their roles in championing coordinated regional development.

In terms of urban-rural coordinated development, more than 3 million job opportunities were provided through work-relief programs in rural regions in 2024. Meanwhile, steady progress was made in providing urban residency registration services for people from rural regions, and urban renewal projects were rolled out in an orderly manner.

Green transition acceleration -- the country in 2024 issued guidelines on accelerating the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development as it seeks to achieve its dual carbon goals. Zhao said the large-scale equipment renewal and consumer goods trade-in programs rolled out in 2024 had boosted the consumption of more green, low-carbon and energy-saving equipment and products.

China also speeded up its implementation of major projects to protect and restore important ecosystems. In the first three quarters of 2024, the average density of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in cities at prefecture level and above had dropped by 3.6 percent year on year.

Broadened international cooperation -- China last year continued to expand its opening up and intensified efforts in building new institutions for a higher-standard open economy. Restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector were eliminated, while the nation's imports and exports maintained relatively fast growth. China also successfully hosted the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Zhao said Belt and Road cooperation had continued to make solid progress last year, noting the signing of cooperation plans with countries including Brazil, Peru and Singapore. Also, cumulative China-Europe freight train trips had surpassed 100,000 in 2024.

Shared development for the people -- Zhao said China last year intensified efforts to stabilize employment, increase people's income and improve the quality of public services. According to NDRC data, China added 11.98 million new jobs in urban regions in the first 11 months of 2024, an increase of 180,000 year on year.

Zhao added that China had achieved another bumper harvest in 2024. Its grain output last year for the first time exceeded 700 million tonnes. The country also steadily strengthened its energy production, supply, storage and marketing systems in 2024, resulting in a greater capacity to meet energy demands during peak periods.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
A worker operates at the workshop of a pharmaceutical company in Shijiazhuang, north China's Hebei province, Jan. 14, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]



China has issued a guideline on comprehensively deepening the reform of regulation of drugs and medical devices to promote the high-quality development of the pharmaceutical industry.

The document, issued by the General Office of the State Council, aims to accelerate the construction of a unified national market and foster a globally competitive innovation ecosystem to transform China from a major pharmaceutical manufacturer into a pharmaceutical powerhouse.

The guideline stipulates that by 2027, the legal and regulatory frameworks for drug and medical device supervision will be more enhanced, while the quality and efficiency of review and approval processes for innovative drugs and devices will be significantly improved.

By then, whole-lifecycle regulation in this field will be strengthened to ensure product safety and quality, as per the guideline.

It specifies that by 2035, China expects to fully ensure the safety, efficacy and accessibility of drugs and medical devices, and for its pharmaceutical industry to have stronger innovation, creativity and global competitiveness, with its regulatory system modernized.

The document outlines 24 reform measures across five key areas, which are -- increasing support for innovation in R&D, improving review and approval efficiency, enhancing the compliance level of the pharmaceutical industry via efficient and strict supervision, expanding opening up and cooperation, and fostering a regulatory system that meets the needs of industrial development and safety.

In 2024, China approved the market entry of 48 innovative drugs and 65 innovative medical devices. Its number of drugs in development ranked second globally, and several domestically developed drugs gained approval for global markets.

To better support innovation in the sector, the guideline proposes the prioritization of resources for the evaluation and approval of innovative drugs and medical devices urgently needed for clinical use, which will help accelerate the market access process.

The document also includes provisions to reduce communication and consultation waiting times for clinical trials of innovative drugs that are needed urgently.

The clinical trial approval process will also be optimized, per the guideline, which proposes pilot programs to slash the approval timelines for clinical tests of drugs and medical devices from 60 to 30 working days.

The guideline highlights the importance of elevating the caliber of patents in the pharmaceutical sector while boosting their practical application and the efficiency of their conversion into marketable products.

Building on this, the guideline further proposes strengthening drug data protection.

Yang Ting, an official of the National Medical Products Administration, said that efforts are underway to define the scope, types and duration of data protection to ensure effective implementation.

The guideline also calls for improving the market exclusivity system by granting a defined market exclusivity period for eligible drugs, such as those used in the treatment of rare diseases and pediatric medicine, with the aim of effectively encouraging enterprises to increase investment in research and innovation.
WAVERLY, Ohio  The 2016 killing of eight people in Pike County is often cited as one of Ohios most dramatic crimes.

The legal aftermath has been equally dramatic, with four hearings on Friday the latest example.

A victims mother called defendants Satan. A defendant said Jesus was on his side. The judge dressed down another defendant and two lawyers. Victims families sobbed and fled the courtroom.

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And in the end, the judge imposed an unexpected lighter sentence for the man who admitted to shooting to death five of the eight Pike County victims.

Here are five of the most dramatic moments from a day in the Pike County Common Pleas Court, where three defendants were sentenced and one sat for a hearing.

Angela Wagner heads for the jury box in the Pike County Common Pleas Courtroom, where son Edward "Jake" Wagner was already seated.

Family members reunited in courtroom

Four members of the Wagner family were charged with killing seven Rhodens and a future member of the family. The Wagners have been separated since they were arrested, charged and jailed in the case in November of 2018.

On Friday, mother Angela Wagner and younger son Edward Jake Wagner sat just feet from each other in the courtroom jury box, awaiting sentencing. Angelas mother, Rita Newcomb, sat a few feet in front of her at the defense table, also for sentencing. Guarded by at least 16 armed officers and flanked by attorneys, the Wagners and Newcomb could not speak to each other.

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Angela Wagner, 54, mostly kept her eyes downcast. Jake Wagner, 32, mostly looked straight ahead at whoever was speaking. Rita Newcomb, 71, faced the judge.

But they all shot furtive glances at each other. And Jake Wagner gave his mother a noticeable nod and small smile as she was led past him, in tears, exiting a courtroom door.

None of the three saw family patriarch George Billy Wagner during their 10 a.m. sentencings. He was brought into the courtroom at 1 p.m. for a hearing in his upcoming murder trial in the Pike County case.

Andrea Shoemaker, mother of 2016 victim Hannah Hazel Gilley, delivers a fiery, emotional victim impact statement in the Pike County Common Pleas Court.

Victims mother unloads on Wagners

Before announcing sentences, Visiting Judge Jonathan Hein invited victim families to make what are called victim impact statements. The prosecutor read two. A cousin offered a tearful rebuke.

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Andrea Shoemaker offered a fourth statement  with a voice and arms that rose in anger as she spoke.

The mother of victim Hannah Hazel Gilley called the Wagners evil and greedy, said she hates them and wished them death.

You are the spawn of Satan, she said, and the Satan is Billy Wagner.

Shoemaker said she has to explain the crimes to her now 10-year-old grandchildren  one whose mother was killed and one who lost both parents  because they see your faces on the news.

You ruined my life, Shoemaker said. You ruined innocent childrens lives.

Jesus made me get caught, Jake Wagner says

Before his sentencing, Jake Wagner asked to speak directly to the Rhodens. He stood and turned to them for religious-imbued comments that lasted more than 11 minutes.

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Saying he was sorry for what hed done, he said I am not sorry I got caught. I 100% believe it was Jesus who made me get caught so he could answer my prayer, so he could become exactly who hes supposed to be, to each of us, Lord, Savior.

He spoke directly to Andrea Shoemaker, telling her if you are a woman of some kind of faith, you should really read the Bible because hate wont do it.

Shoemaker did not hear the remarks, as she left the courtroom as Wagner spoke.

Wagner ended his address, after two warnings from the judge to wrap it up, wishing everyone in the courtroom would commit to Jesus to transform their lives. I hope you all have been touched by that at least somewhat, he said. And I do pray for you all.

Hein vs. two Angelas

Hein and Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa have been sparring since he took the case over in June.

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He accuses her of talking over him and not following through on promises. Shes tried and failed to remove him from the case twice, unhappy with his rulings in Billy Wagners case.

On Friday, he shut her down from the start, when she failed to address sentencing questions at his direction.

Hein also directed strong comments at the other Angela in the courtroom.

After sentencing Angela Wagner to 30 years with no chance of parole  a sentence parties drafted in 2021 when she confessed to her role in preparing for and covering up the killings  he assailed her for not stopping the crimes.

When her husband and sons left the house to kill the Rhodens, she could have called authorities and turned them in, he said. You were the only one who could have shut it down."

Special Prosecutor Angela Canepa has gone toe-to-toe with Visiting Judge Jonathan Hein since he took over the Pike County cases in June.

A sentencing surprise, too

Jake Wagner likewise agreed to a sentence when he confessed to his central role in the Pike County crimes. He was prepared to serve a maximum of eight consecutive life sentences without parole for eight charges of aggravated murder, plus another 160 years on 15 other charges.

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Hein recited those punishments from the bench  then stunned the courtroom by instead sentencing him to 12 years on gun charges and 20 years to life, to be served concurrently, for the murder charges. Wagner will be eligible for parole in 32 years, when hes 64.

Hein said he went with the lesser sentence because Wagner assisted the prosecution, provided key evidence and testified against his brother.

Given that, Hein said he did not think the brothers should get the same sentence  despite the fact that Jake admitted killing victims and George denied any participation in the crimes. How am I supposed to treat you the same? Hein said.

Drama still to come

Billy Wagners hearing, following the sentencings, lacked drama by comparison. His attorneys argued against allowing the prosecution to bring up any of their client's alleged other criminal acts when on trial.

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The prosecution passed up the chance to offer more reasons to keep death as a possible penalty for Billy Wagner, citing a pending appeals of Heins removal of that in the Ohio Court of Appeals.

Hein ended the day in suspense, failing to announce where the trial will be conducted and when it will start. Those questions have lingered since he granted a change of venue in late November. The trial, which was supposed to start Monday, cannot begin until the appeal is settled.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What happened in the Pike County massacre case Friday?
(NEXSTAR)  The dark days of winter have been upon us for weeks now but that trend will soon be coming to an end, especially in some parts of the country that will gain an hour of daylight in January.

We have already surpassed the shortest day of winter  the day in which we see the fewest daylight hours  in late December. Some places in the U.S. had just six hours of sunlight that day.

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Thankfully, the days have slowly been getting longer ever since. That trend will only ramp up through January.

Those in Alaska will see the biggest increase in daylight hours this month. On Jan. 1 in Anchorage, the sun rose at 10:14 a.m. and set around 3:53 p.m. local time, giving the city less than six hours of daylight. By the end of the month, the sun will rise at 9:23 a.m. and set after 5 p.m., NOAAs Solar Calculator shows, giving Anchorage seven hours and 41 minutes of daylight.

Trump wants to end daylight saving time: Weve tried before  heres what happened

Areas closest to the Canadian border, like Seattle and Minnesotas northern tip, will gain about an hour of daylight through January. But, as you move further south in the Lower 48, the increase will not be nearly as drastic.

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In Key West, Florida, residents started 2025 with 10 hours and 40 minutes of daylight. When January ends, theyll have about 11 hours and 3 minutes of daylight: a gain of only 23 minutes. Similarly, Honolulu will only gain about 20 minutes.

The table below shows how much daylight  or how little daylight  cities across the U.S. will gain through January:

Don't see your city on the list? You can use NOAA's Solar Calculator, found here, to compare your sunrise and sunset times.

While our days will continue to get "longer" until the summer solstice on June 20 (we start to slowly lose daylight afterward), there will be a brief interruption when daylight saving time begins in March. Initially, this means we will perceive the sun as rising earlier  but it will quickly shift earlier as the days get longer.

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Will you need a REAL ID to fly in 2025?

It's also possible that March is the last time we observe daylight saving time. In December, President-elect Donald Trump said he would push to eliminate the inconvenient and costly practice of daylight saving time (something the U.S. has tried before with little success).

It's too soon to tell whether this will happen or whether permanent daylight saving or permanent standard time would be observed, but most recent federal attempts have pushed for the former.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Police on Friday were investigating a fatal shooting that happened Thursday night in Northeast D.C.

Shortly before 10 p.m., the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to the 5200 block of Just Street NE. There, they found 24-year-old Corey Ward Jr. of Northeast D.C. suffering from gunshot wounds.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man hurt in Northeast DC shooting

He was taken to a hospital where he died, grimly marking D.C.s first homicide of 2025.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact MPD at (202) 727-9099 or by texting the departments tip line at 50411.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
The Duval County Public Schools system is promoting its High School Acceleration program throughout the district.

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High School Acceleration programs aim to help students with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.

Families of eighth-grade students are encouraged to connect with their child counselor to see if they are eligible to apply for programs before starting high school.

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The deadline to apply is Thursday, January 16. Learn more HERE.

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DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)  A house fire in Decatur was controlled in just over an hour Saturday morning.

At 4:14 a.m., the Decatur Fire Department was dispatched to Richmond Court to the report of a fire involving the rear of a residence. The first fire engine to arrive reported heavy fire at the back of the home in the back porch/kitchen area.

The engine deployed an initial handline and began extinguishing the fire. Additional companies then arrived on scene to provide support, establish a water supply, ventilate the structure and deploy additional hose lines.

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Decatur man dies after being struck by vehicle

The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The blaze was brought under control at 5:22 a.m. and overhaul efforts began shortly after.

An investigator with the fire department was called to the scene, but the cause of the fire is still under investigation. AMR Ambulance was on standby, and Ameren was contacted to secure the gas and electric utilities.

In total, 15 members of fire personnel including three chief officers and one inspector were present on scene. Four fire engines were on scene and one ladder truck was also used to fight the blaze.

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Extensive damaged was caused by the fire throughout the home. It was later determined that the occupant of the house was at the hospital when the fire began and will now be displaced as a result.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
A series of cold fronts is expected to bring bitterly cold air to the Deep South next week, bringing lows at night to below freezing as far south as the Florida Panhandle.

But it's still too early to determine where any winter weather  snow, ice or other crippling stuff  can be expected.

Social media has been touting the outbreak since before Christmas with dire predictions of heavy snow and near zero temperatures. Not so fast, said Josh Johnson, chief meteorologist with WSFA.

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"Is it going to be cold? Yes," he said. "Is it going to be very cold? Yes. We will know more as we get closer to next week. But no one can really forecast properly this far out."

More: Longtime firefighter lives childhood dream as Prattville fire chief

Conditions will warm up over the first weekend of 2025 as rain is expected to move into Alabama Sunday night and into Monday morning. Cold air will rush in after, the first in a series of cold fronts to sweep through the region, according to the National Weather Service. There are forecasts about a possible low pressure system developing over the Gulf of Mexico later next week, which could pump moisture over the region during the cold snap.

The average low for Montgomery this time of year is 37, and the average high is 59. Subtract a few degrees for both the more north you go, and add a few ticks for both if you head south.

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Forecasts for area cities for next week predict:

Gadsden: For Monday and Tuesday, highs in the upper 30s with lows near 20, and possibly dipping into the teens.

Montgomery: For Monday and Tuesday, highs in the mid-40s and lows in the mid to lower 20s.

Tuscaloosa: For Monday and Tuesday, highs in the low 40s and lows in the low 20s.

The colder-than-average temps are expected to hang around for a while. The NWS outlook for early to mid-January for Alabama is calling for below average temperatures.

Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: A deep freeze is headed to Alabama. But will it snow?
Delaware could have its most significant snowstorm in years on Sunday night through Monday morning.

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, is calling for a storm to dump 6 to 8 inches of snow on most of Delaware. North of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal and south toward Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island are forecasted to receive less at 4-6 inches, while the rest of the state could have 6-8 inches of snow on the ground when all is said and done.

The National Weather Service does not have very high confidence in the forecast yet because the storm track is still varying. Dynamics in the upper atmosphere could push the storm more north or south. If the storm tracks south, heavier snow will be found in Sussex and Kent counties. If it tracks north, New Castle County could get heavier snow accumulations and some ice and rain could mix in along southern Delaware, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Paul Fitzsimmons.

People cross Market Street in the downtown business district of Wilmington as a dusting of snow falls in New Castle County late Friday afternoon, Jan. 3, 2025.

The weather service's high-end forecast has close to a foot of snow blanketing most of Delmarva. The low-end forecast has modest amounts of snowfall capped at up to 4 inches in Sussex County. There are a lot of variables for this storm.

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SUNDAY UPDATE: Delaware under winter storm warning starting early Monday. Here's how much snow to expect

"If you're too far south, you get into the rain. If you're too far north, you just, you know, you don't get the heavy snow because you missed out on the heaviest precipitation," Fitzsimmons said.

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A Delaware Department of Transportation plow truck moves along Route 141 near I-95 after a light snow fell in northern Delaware about dusk late afternoon Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.

The storm should move in late Sunday night into Monday morning. The storm could linger into the evening hours on Monday. On Friday, a system dropped light accumulations of snow across Delaware. Bridgeville measured 1.6 inches, according to the weather service.

'HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IN OVER A DECADE': Mega winter storm bears down on millions of Americans

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Wilmington has measured only a foot of snow in the past two calendar years combined. This storm could nearly match that total in some areas. There is a winter storm watch in effect from Sunday night through late Monday night for the entire state.

(This story was updated to add information.)

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware in the bullseye for incoming snowstorm
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Comedian Frank Delima announced its time to slow down. Health issues are forcing the 75-year-old to only do select shows and stop his other true love  inspiring children.

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Everybody says you dont look 76 and 76 not old these days,' said Delima I said you try get up in the morning.

Delima said he couldve retired from show business 10 years ago since his regular shows have slowed down. But he is giving up his student enrichment program which started in 1980. At its peak, it was three schools a day, five days a week across the state.

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Hawaii soldier awarded Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism, selflessness

Kindergarten they dont know me right, until I saw 422-2222, then the eyes light up, he said. Im gonna miss the schools a whole lot. Im gonna miss those eyes, looking at me and waiting to help them laugh, and then also, they allow me, they have respect enough for me that they let me tell my message.

That message  laugh twice a day, but always get permission before telling a joke because people might take it the wrong way and take care of your health.

I was not meant to be a sumo, but I got big enough to be a sumo and I was very unhealthy, said Delima. Thats why doctor made me lose 100 pounds. 100 Pounds? Yeah, 100 pounds.

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Delimas health forced him to cut down on his school visits. But it didnt stop him. He also visited kupuna during the summers.

They all gather to the living room and I talk to them, I just talk story for an hour, make them laugh, he said. You know you get the ones falling asleep but you know thats not because of me. Because they tired.

Delimas last show for the time being will be this Sunday, Jan. 5 at Hawaii Theater with local comics Augie T, Paul Ogata and Andy Bumatai.

He gave me my first paid gig  $10 for a set of comedy at the Noodle Shop, said Bumatai. Thats why I have so much respect for him. Today when we work together, he gives me double that. So Im gonna miss him.

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Delima said you can expect all your favorite characters.

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I wanna do em all in that 40 minutes, said Delima. Because thats it yeah. This is gonna be the last concert until they pull me out of, and they say okay lets do one more in two years or something like that. Then maybe. But who knows whats gonna happen in two years.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A senior Democratic senator said that incoming Health Secretary RFK Jr. represents a dire threat to the welfare and lives of children across the country.

Speaking on MSNBCs All In With Chris Hayes, Sen. Chris Murphy told Hayes that his party needed to seriously ratchet up its efforts to oppose the confirmation of President-elect Donald Trumps nominees for his cabinet.

Hayes asked Murphy, It seems to be that the hearings are real, right? That senators and the American public should take them as real and that these are not foregone conclusions. Is that how you approach this?

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Murphy responded, Yeah, I do see these nominations as winnable fights, but the Democrats have to fight the fights, and frankly Chris, I dont see that happening across the capital right now.

He then went on, Ive been talking ad nauseam about how Kash Patel is being put into the FBI literally to destroy the rule of law, to enable Trumps dream of putting his political opponents in jail.

Murphy then rebuked one of Trumps most controversial cabinet picks, notorious anti-vaxxer and conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary.

He said, Why are we giving RFK Jr. a pass? OK, he wants to ban pharmaceutical advertising, thats nice. He also wants to kill our kids by withdrawing vaccines from our schools and taking fluoride out of our drinking water.

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Murphy then renewed his calls for the Democratic Party to double down on opposing the appointment of these and other prospective members of Trumps cabinet to office.

Democrats have to fight these nominees, and not just like, once a week, [but] every day. Because the only way that Republicans even consider voting against them is if the temperature has been turned up all across the country, said Murphy.

He added, I just worry we are not working the way we need to work against a nominee slate that is just absolutely bonkers and out of the American mainstream by a million miles.
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21:00 What Diljit Dosanjh discussed with Modi. Deets Here India has the potential to host music festivals that are bigger in scale than renowned global events like Coachella, Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh said during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on New Year's Day. The globally popular singer met the prime minister at... Read more >

20:29 Techie Atul Subhash's wife, family members get bail A city civil court in Bengaluru on Saturday granted bail to engineer Atul Subhash's wife Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha Singhania and brother Anurag Singhania in suicide abetment case.The 34-year-old techie ended his life on December 9 in Bengaluru, alleging harassment at the hands of his... Read more >

20:26 50 Bangladeshi judges to undergo training in India The diplomatic row between Dhaka and New Delhi notwithstanding, as many as 50 Bangladeshi judicial officers will undergo 10 day training at state-run academies in India, according to a media report on Saturday. The Law Ministry has given permission to 50 judicial officials of... Read more >

19:54 Mob pelts stones at Bhopal waste incineration unit A mob on Saturday pelted stones at the firm in Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district where 337 tonnes of Union Carbide waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy is proposed to be incinerated, a police official said. A mob of 100-150 persons pelted stones at the gate of the unit,... Read more >

19:14 Kharge sends 'chadar' for Ajmer Sharif dargah with message of peace Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday sent a 'chadar' on his and the party's behalf to be offered at Ajmer Sharif dargah on the occasion of Urs of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.He referred to the Ganga-Jamuni culture of the country and called for spreading love and affection and... Read more >

19:03 'Covert' alliance between BJP, Cong: Kejriwal Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party should formally declare their alliance, amid the two opposition parties sharpening their attacks on the former chief minister ahead of the Delhi assembly polls. Kejriwal also took a dig at... Read more >

18:56 6 workers killed in explosion at TN fireworks unit Six workers were killed following an explosion at a firecrackers manufacturing unit near Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu on Saturday, an official said.The blast occurred in the morning when the workers were engaged in mixing chemical-raw materials, as part of the manufacturing process, leading to the... Read more >

18:55 Cong launches 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' campaign The Congress has announced the launch of a 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan' campaign to press for the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah for insulting BR Ambedkar, the principal architect of India's Constitution.Congress leader Pawan Khera said under the campaign, party leaders will... Read more >

18:48 Overhead wire snag hits services on Konkan Railway route An overhead wire snag affected services on the Konkan Railway route near Ratnagiri station in Maharashtra for almost an hour on Saturday, an official said. The incident occurred at Adivali, about 365 km from Mumbai, around 12:35 pm. An official said service resumed after more than an... Read more >

18:07 Modi to launch multiple projects in poll-bound Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch multiple development projects, including the inauguration of Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat RRTS corridor, worth over Rs 12,200 crore on Sunday and address a public meeting in the poll-bound national capital. According to an official... Read more >

17:48 Modi sending 'chadar' to Ajmer Dargah but...: Owaisi AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday alleged that there is no benefit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi sending a 'chadar' to Ajmer Dargah and that the government should take steps to stop claims being filed in courts disputing the existing mosques or Dargahs.The message behind sending... Read more >

17:27 Instead of creating infra in Delhi, Kejriwal build 'sheesh mahal': Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday slammed Arvind Kejriwal for building a sheesh mahal for himself instead of creating infrastructure in the capital during his nearly 10-year term as Delhi chief minister, saying the Aam Aadmi Party convenor will have to give an account for it.Addressing an... Read more >

17:04 CISF jawan kills himself with service weapon at Surat airport A jawan belonging to the Central Industrial Security Force allegedly shot himself dead with his service weapon at the Surat International Airport on Saturday, police said. CISF personnel Kisan Singh (32) died by suicide in a washroom of the airport around 2.10 pm, they said. Singh, who... Read more >

16:52 Kiara Advani hospitalised? Actor's team issues clarification Bollywood star Kiara Advani has been advised to rest following an excessive work schedule, her representative said on Saturday, dismissing reports that the actor has been hospitalised.Reports of her hospitalisation surfaced after Advani skipped the trailer launch event of her upcoming... Read more >

16:45 Tantris, not govt should decide temple customs: Kerala minister Differing from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's view that temple customs should change with the times, state Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar on Saturday said that practices in temples should be decided by the tantris.The minister, who is also a director board member of the Nair... Read more >

16:19 George Soros, Messi get Medal of Freedom from Biden United States President Joe Biden has named former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, fashion designer Ralph Lauren, football superstar Lionel Messi, former Defence Secretary late Ashton Carter, and controversial investor George Soros, along with 14 others for the prestigious Presidential Medal... Read more >

16:15 India committed to taking lead in AI: Modi after meeting ex-Infosys CEO Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India is committed to taking the lead in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), as he met entrepreneur and former Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka. It was an insightful interaction indeed. India is committed to taking the lead in AI, with a focus on... Read more >

16:03 Beed sarpanch murder: 'Munde should stay out of cabinet' Nationalist Congress Party MLA Prakash Solanke on Saturday suggested that the party leader and minister Dhananjay Munde be ousted from the Maharashtra ministry to ensure a fair probe in the Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case.Solanke is the first Nationalist Congress Party leader and... Read more >

15:34 Will waive off...: Kejriwal's announces new poll promise Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday promised to waive the inflated water bills received by people in Delhi if his party returns to power in the upcoming assembly polls in the national capital next month. In a press conference in New Delhi, Kejriwal said that people... Read more >

15:10 2 soldiers killed as Army vehicle falls into gorge in JK Two Army personnel were killed and three injured when their vehicle fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, officials said on Saturday.An Army vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a gorge near SK Payen in the north Kashmir district, they said.The officials added that... Read more >

14:32 2 men held in Sarpanch murder case mere pawns: BJP MLA BJP MLA Suresh Dhas BJP MLA Suresh Dhas on Saturday launched a fresh attack on Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde after two men were arrested from Pune in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case.Dhas alleged that the two men are just pawns while the key accused is roaming free.Police arrested Sudarshan Chandrabhan Ghule... Read more >

14:14 Rijiju offers 'chadar' at Ajmer dargah on PM's behalf Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Saturday offered a ceremonial 'chadar' sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ajmer Dargah on the 'Urs' of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. Elaborate security arrangements were made for the visit of the minister, who took a flight to... Read more >

13:33 Delhi poll: BJP fields ex-MPs against Kejriwal, Atishi The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday released its first list of 29 candidates for the polls to the 70-member Delhi Assembly, fielding former MP Parvesh Verma from the New Delhi seat against ex-chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal. It has named another former MP Ramesh Bidhuri... Read more >

13:31 'All We Imagine As Light' secures spots in BAFTA 2025 longlists Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light continues its remarkable run on the international awards circuit, securing spots on the BAFTA Film Awards longlists in three categories, including Best Director. The British Academy on Friday evening shared the results of the first round of voting... Read more >

13:06 Some people trying to disturb peace by...: Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said some people are trying to disturb peace in the name of caste politics and called for thwarting such designs to preserve the social harmony in rural parts of the country. Inaugurating the Grameen Bharat Mahotsav, the Prime Minister exuded... Read more >

12:22 3 detained in Chhattisgarh journalist's murder Three persons have been detained in connection with the murder of a 33-year-old journalist whose body was found in a septic tank on a local contractor's property in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said on Saturday.Mukesh Chandrakar, a freelance journalist, went missing on January 1, and... Read more >

12:21 Baanknet: One-Stop Property e-Auction Hub Harsh Kumar/Business StandardDepartment of Financial Services (DFS) Secretary M. Nagaraju on Friday launched a revamped e-auction portal, Baanknet.It significantly aids the recovery process of public sector banks (PSBs), thereby improving the balance sheet of banks and enhancing credit... Read more >

12:02 Bumrah returns to dressing room after scans India skipper Jasprit Bumrah returned to the dressing room after undergoing precautionary scans for an unspecified niggle, which forced him to leave the field after bowling just one over in the post-lunch session on the second day of the fifth Test here on Saturday.Bumrah was away from the field... Read more >

11:26 14-year-old student stabbed to death outside Delhi school; 7 detained A 14-year-old student was allegedly stabbed to death outside a school in east Delhi's Shakarpur area, the police said on Saturday. The alleged incident occurred on Friday after an altercation between the victim and some other students, they said. The dispute escalated into violence when... Read more >

11:06 Thick fog in Kashmir valley hits flight operations at Srinagar airport File image Flight operations at the Srinagar airport were hit on Saturday due to dense fog that engulfed parts of the Kashmir valley, officials said. A thick layer of fog engulfed Kashmir, including Srinagar, in the morning, they said. Poor visibility due to the fog affected operations at the airport... Read more >

10:57 30 kg gold robbed from gold loan firm in Odisha File image About 30 kg of gold was allegedly robbed at gunpoint from the branch of a gold loan company in Odisha's Sambalpur city, the police said on Saturday. The robbery took place at Manappuram Finance's branch on Budharaja Main Road on Friday morning, they said. Besides the gold, the robbers... Read more >

10:30 Modi listens as Diljit Dosanjh sings a song dedicated to Guru Nanak Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh sings as PM Narendra Modi listens during a meeting in New Delhi/ANI on X Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on New Year's Day. Interestingly, Diljit Dosanjh sang a tribute to Guru Nanak during his meeting with the Prime Minister, who praised the singer-actor for rising from an Indian village to global fame. Modi said, When a boy... Read more >

10:12 Forex reserves drop by $ 4.11 bn to $640.27 bn India's forex reserves dropped by $4.112 billion to $640.279 billion during the week ended December 27, the Reserve Bank said on Friday. In the previous reporting week, the overall kitty had dropped by $8.478 billion to $644.391 billion. The reserves have been declining for the last few... Read more >

09:51 NSE Leads Asia In IPOs The National Stock Exchange has recorded the highest number of IPOs in Asia in the calendar year 2024 with a total of 268 listings across the mainboard and the SME platform, the exchange stated on Friday.In CY24, the exchange recorded 90 successful listings on the mainboard while 178 small and... Read more >

09:49 Veteran nuclear scientist R Chidambaram is dead Veteran scientist Rajagopala Chidambaram, who played a key role in the nuclear tests of 1975 and 1998, died on Saturday, an official of the Department of Atomic Energy said. He was 88. Chidambaram, who was also associated with the nuclear weapons programme, breathed his last at Jaslok... Read more >

09:11 67% Of Forest Fires Doused Within 24 Hours File image In the November 2023-June 2024 forest fire season, 67 percent of major fires in India were extinguished within 24 hours, according to data from the ministry of environment, forest, and climate change (MoEFCC). This marks an improvement from 33 percent in the previous season, attributed to... Read more >

09:02 15 flights diverted, many delayed as fog hits ops at Delhi airport File image Fifteen flights were diverted at the Delhi airport early Saturday morning as low visibility due to dense fog impacted operations for the second straight day. Due to the adverse weather conditions, many flights were delayed and the country's largest airline IndiGo temporarily put arrivals and... Read more >

08:23 Don't visit mosques during Sabarimala pilgrimage: BJP MLA Raja Singh to Ayyappa devotees BJP MLA in Telangana Raja Singh/File image Bharatiya Janata Party MLA in Telangana Raja Singh on Friday urged Ayyappa devotees visiting Sabarimala in Kerala not to go to any mosques during their pilgrimage. Singh told reporters in Hyderabad that the devotees must strictly follow the rules of 'Ayyappa deeksha' and they would become... Read more >

08:18 Delhi gets shrouded in dense fog as cold wave grips the city Rehearsal for the 76th Republic Day is underway amid fog and cold in New Delhi on Saturday morning/ANI on X Delhi was shrouded in dense fog as a cold wave gripped the city on Saturday morning. As the harsh winter continued many homeless people were seen staying at night shelters. According to the India meteorological department, Delhi recorded 10.2 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am on... Read more >

08:10 Hush money: Trump to be sentenced on Jan 10 Donald Trump will be sentenced on January 10 in a criminal case for which he was convicted for silencing a porn star by paying hush money and falsifying business record, a New York judge ruled on Friday (local time). The judge also added that Trump will face no legal penalties for his... Read more >

01:16 Army captain falls off balcony in Hyderabad, dies A Captain working with AMC (Army Medical Corps) died after accidentally falling off from the balcony of his fourth floor flat in Hyderabad, the police said on Friday. Shankar Raj Kumar (in his 30s) had returned home from Lucknow to celebrate the new year and was standing in the balcony at... Read more >

00:58 Missing Chhattisgarh scribe found murdered, body recovered from septic tank The search for a Bijapur-based journalist, who had been missing since January 1, ended tragically when his body was found in a septic tank on the premises of a private contractor in the district on Friday, the police said. The journalist, identified as Mukesh Chandrakar, had been... Read more >
Im writing todays column because I was telling colleagues whose views are politically left of my own how I think Democrats can pull themselves out of their Nov. 5 doldrums.

They asked me to say it in a column, so here we are  a Republican suggesting how Democrats can save themselves.

So, let me offer this. Im far more interested in what Democrats are saying post-election than what my own party has to say.

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I want to see a healthy Democratic Party that is not seized by a narrow political ideology, a party that returns to long-held liberal beliefs of free speech, defense of working people and the uplift  not exploitation  of racial, ethnic and other minorities.

Thats not the Democratic Party we see today.

The Democratic brand is in the toilet, said Lis Smith, a senior adviser to Pete Buttigiegs presidential campaign, speaking in one of the post-mortem roundtables The New York Times assembled. Many of the Democrats who succeeded this cycle ... are people who ran against the Democratic Party brand.

The Democratic brand needs rebuilding

If I were a Democrat, I told my colleagues, Id look for a different kind of leadership.

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Someone like Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University.

I dont know Michael Crows politics, and I consider that ambiguity to be one of his best qualities.

This isnt about drafting Michael Crow to lead the Democratic Party or head the next Democratic ticket. Its about a model for leadership that can rescue the party.

Because Michael Crow is not driven by dogma.

Judging by his own words and from those who know him best, hes driven by a zeal for life and an insatiable curiosity to know more about it.

He is an optimist who is less interested in your politics than in your abilities. He believes in the power of knowledge to improve lives, and knowing what knowledge can do, he demands that it produce results.

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Michael Crow is about progress  not merely progress for progress sake, not for any political brand, not as a tactic to divide and conquer and score political victories, but for peoples sake  to improve the human condition.

Crow works to help the disadvantaged

Crow can point to the exact day of his epiphany.

The son of a military man and a mother who died tragically before he entered adulthood, Crow lived the life of a Navy brat, moving so many times in his young life that he attended 17 schools before he graduated from high school.

On Dec. 24, 1968, he was part of a group of boys in Norfolk, Va., working on an Eagle Scout project whose ambition was no less than to deliver enough food for one family for one year.

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We get the name of the family, Crow recalled in an interview with Inspired Media 360. We go over there on Christmas Eve of 1968. We deliver this food to a family that lived in what turned out to be a tar-paper shack with a dirt floor, no electricity, outhouse.

Everyone was happy, but I was astounded afterwards  in fact, it impacted everything I did after that. We went home that night and then watched Apollo 8 circle the moon, and then I realized that something was wrong. We had some kind of gap.

From that point forward he started to ask himself how can we use science and technology to make life better for people, particularly less advantaged people.

The question would shape his college career and beyond.

He knows his stuff. But he remains curious

To gain a deeper understanding of President Michael Crow, I went to one who knows him best  Rob Melnick, a longtime Crow confidant and the director of ASUs international programs in the School of Sustainability in the College of Global Futures.

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Michael is probably the most intellectually curious person Ive met. When Ive traveled with him, when Ive had a lot of his time, as opposed to an hour meeting in his office ... what is stunning is the range of knowledge that he has.

He can talk about organic chemistry and then the history of the U.S. military in the same breath. And he knows his stuff. Ive kind of fact checked the guy when I first started working with him. I said, Oh, come on! But hes dead on. He reads voraciously. Hes super intellectually curious, and thats a big part of what motivates him.

Melnick said he once asked Crow, If youre sitting on a plane next to somebody and they ask you, Well, what do you do? What do you tell them?

It was so revealing what he said, noted Melnick, because most people would say, Well, Im the president of a university, or say Im a professor.

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You know what he said? He said, I tell them Im an education architect.

Arizona State University is an engine for progress

Crow the architect has turned his university into an engine of social and economic progress.

Today, ASU is one of the largest universities, with 80,000 students enrolled on campus and 65,000 online.

Long before Black Lives Matter or the Great Awokening, Crow was building a campus that looked like Arizona, swinging open the doors to Latinos and other minority groups to make sure they had access to higher learning.

He was designing a school that would be defined not by exclusivity  by the students it turned away  but by the students it brought in, many of whom were the first in their family to ever attend college.

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He also was keen to take advantage of the professional talent within one of the largest metropolises in the country by moving key segments of the Tempe campus to downtown Phoenix  law; nursing; journalism; social programs; and coming in the fall of 2026, a new medical school.

In that way, ASU students can connect to major downtown law firms, hospitals, newspapers and state and city agencies, turning their classrooms into real-world experience.

ASU is regularly praised for its innovation

Crow has brought quality by way of high-end academic talent, including Nobel Prize winners, and has pushed the accelerator on progress.

For the 10th year in a row, U.S. News & World Report has named ASU the most innovative university in the country.

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In 2009, Time magazine named Crow one of the top 10 college presidents.

This year, Time named Crow among the top 100 leaders on global climate.

If there is a word that is key to Michael Crows vision for ASU, it is sustainability.

Before taking over the reins of ASU in 2002, Crow served as director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

His commitment to sustainability is a profound sense that the planet is truly in trouble and that universities can play a significant role in making that change, Melnick said.

That would put him in line with some of the broader policy initiatives of the Democratic Party.

Crow believes climate challenges are solvable

Nonetheless, Crow moves to his own cadence.

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For instance, while aware of the challenges that face the planet and Arizona in particular, Crow doesnt engage in doom and gloom, as so many on the environmental left do.

I dont understand why people think the sky is falling. Its not falling. Its going to work out, he told The Arizona Republics Joan Meiners.

The economy is working. New companies are being formed, new technologies are being built. People are buying electric cars. AI is going to help us to make better decisions. This doesnt mean we dont have lots of issues. But 20 years ago you couldnt see a pathway. And now you can.

Opinion: Democrats forgot how to speak 'rural'

When other university presidents succumbed to anti-Israel student protesters who occupied their campuses and spewed antisemitism, Crow would not tolerate it.

Police arrested some 70 people (20 of them students) and took down their encampment, while allowing activists to demonstrate in other ways that did not interrupt graduation, Time reported.

We protected free speech, Crow told the magazine. We did not permit hate speech or genocidal speech. We have to continue operating a university.

Democrats would be smart to copy Crow's plan

Democrats must figure out how they were drawn into the whirlpool of identity politics that nearly drowned the party.

New York Times liberal columnist Nicholas Kristof recently gave voice to this in an interview with Time magazine, describing why he has stopped calling himself a progressive.

The metric of progressivism should be progress. And in the West Coast cities, where progressives have dominated policymaking, we see regress. You look at homelessness, you look at homicide rates, you look at education.

Outcomes are what matter. And our outcomes on the West coast cities are not good.

Thats it, right there.

If Democrats want to deliver progress, they need to elect a leader who has a long record of making things happen.

A leader who speaks primarily through deeds and accomplishments, not words.

A leader who can manage a vast enterprise with many moving parts and make it work in concert with a greater vision.

A leader whose primary signature isnt liberal or progressive, but competence.

A leader like Michael Crow.

Phil Boas is an editorial columnist with The Arizona Republic. Email him at phil.boas@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Michael Crow transformed ASU. Democrats must copy his model | Opinion
Update Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025: Boises Planning and Zoning Commission postponed its Monday, Jan. 6, public hearing on a proposed development in southeast Boise that could include asbestos-related demolition of three houses. The hearing is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10, at Boise City Hall.

Burned out husks of homes. Aging structures beyond repair. Buildings that once served their occupants faithfully but could be turned into new, much-needed housing.

For any number of reasons, people submitted over 120 demolition permit requests to the city of Boise in 2024.

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But the rules surrounding the demolition of homes with dangerous materials like asbestos and lead are a complicated web that confuse even those who have spent their lives in the industry. Experts say the exceptions and the lack of oversight in Idaho are putting communities at risk.

Its unbelievable whats going on, said John Hoyne, founder of Boise abatement company Johnny on the Spot Environmental. People have no idea.

Asbestos is one of the main issues for residents of Southeast Boise who are fighting a proposed development near two public schools that a city board is expected to consider on Monday, Jan. 6. Three houses and three outbuildings built before asbestos insulation was banned would be demolished.

Neighbors to D3V Blacks development in Southeast Boise have voiced concern over dust that will be generated from the demolition of three homes and three outbuildings across Linden Street from White Pine Elementary and Timberline High School in East Boise. The buildings can be seen just left of center, to the right of the buildings with black roofing.

The mineral can stay airborne for days once disturbed, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. When inhaled, the microscopic crystalline fibers can scar your lungs and cause fatal cancers. It can take years for signs to show up.

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Asbestos was used widely in construction for decades for its insulation properties and resistance to heat and fire. It was used in everything from drywall and roofing to brake pads and even cigarettes.

No amount of exposure to asbestos is safe, with past exposure leading to nearly 40,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2016, according to The Mesothelioma Center.

Lead poisoning, meanwhile, can be difficult to detect, but even small amounts can cause health problems in children, including developmental delays, learning difficulties and seizures. Larger quantities can be fatal, according to the Mayo Clinic.

To abate  or remove  asbestos from a home or room, theres a long list of procedures workers must follow, including enclosing the area to make sure none of the fibers escape. Hoyne and his employees put the area under negative air pressure and use an air scrubber with several filters. Theyre required to decontaminate all equipment and wear full protective suits with a special kind of respirator.

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But virtually the only safety measures required for a home demolition are that crews water the site and wrap up the waste for disposal.

Theres really no rules, Hoyne said.

According to Josh Woodard, an owner of Boises Abatement Pro, which has offices in Idaho and most of its bordering states, Theres a pretty gaping regulatory hole for a residential home demolition with asbestos.

And while asbestos rules vary from state to state, Woodard said, enforcement in Idaho is difficult. Unlike other neighboring states like Wyoming and Montana, there is almost no enforcement presence in the state.

To abate a building with asbestos, work crews must enclose the area and put it under negative air pressure to make sure none of the dangerous crystalline fibers can spread outdoors, as shown in this image supplied by Josh Woodard, a co-owner of Boises Abatement Pro.. There are no such rules in Idaho for most small-scale home demolitions with asbestos, which can cause fatal lung cancers. Asbestos was often used as spray-on fireproofing material, which can be seen near the roof of this image.

Who is responsible for demo dust?

According to those in the industry, there is little oversight for the demolition of homes filled with dangerous building materials. City and state agencies point toward the federal Environmental Protection Agency as the rule-setter and enforcer. But the EPAs rules are limited.

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We require dust suppression, and any contractor hired to do demolition has to have a certification from the EPA, said Alice Corcoran, a spokesperson with the EPAs Region 10, which includes Idaho.

According to Corcoran, credentialed EPA inspectors can conduct on-site inspections based on tips  if theyre available and able to get to the site in time while work is still being done.

Demolishing a house takes about two to five days on average for leveling, cleaning and hauling away the debris, according to Homeguide.com. According to Woodard, the EPA has no enforcers based in Idaho, meaning they must fly in from out of state.

Neither the EPA or Idaho DEQ have the teeth to do much for residential homes.

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The EPAs rules, called the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, or NESHAP, dont apply to everything. Single-family homes are exempt from the regulations unless a development encompasses five or more homes or includes a commercial element, Corcoran said.

The demolition of one to four homes with asbestos requires no air quality testing, no soil testing, no groundwater testing and no notifications to neighbors that the building contains harmful materials, according to Corcoran. The agency has no special rules for demolitions taking place near sensitive areas such as schools or hospitals.

It was not (the) EPAs intent for the federal Asbestos NESHAP to apply to individuals, Corcoran said. State and local laws can be more stringent and many are and have their own asbestos rules that apply to single family residences to fill in this gap.

The golden rule for asbestos demolitions is to water the site to prevent the mineral from spreading, according to Emanuel Ziolkowski, compliance assurance program supervisor with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.

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The use of water in asbestos abatement (or) any kind of asbestos work to keep dust from being generated is rule and priority No. 1, Ziolkowski said by phone.

To abate a building with asbestos, work crews must bag all asbestos-containing material before taking it to a landfill, as shown in this image supplied by Josh Woodard, a co-owner of Boises Abatement Pro. No asbestos testing is required in Boise for individual home demolitions, meaning crews could unwittingly transport unbagged asbestos-containing materials.

Idaho DEQ lacks authority

The Idaho DEQ doesnt have authority over residential homes either. According to Ziolkowski, the EPA has authority over nearly all demolitions in Idaho except for about 50 industrial sites the DEQ oversees.

We dont have a full-blown asbestos program, he said. We only have partial regulatory authority.

Other protections than dust control are usually put in place by cities, Ziolkowski said, but these protections dont exist in Boise or on a state level in Idaho. Some cities, like Burley, dont even issue demolition permits.

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Idaho doesnt have state specific regulations that are more stringent than the federal regulations, he said. Theres a regulatory void there.

In Boise, the citys demolition permits are not focused on public safety or hazardous materials. Instead, theyre focused on liability insurance requirements and encouraging and tracking the waste or reuse of materials, according to Lindsay Moser, a spokesperson for Boises Planning and Development services Department.

The city has no authority or regulations on asbestos, Moser said in an email. Any environmental issues, such as asbestos, are under the purview of the EPA.

According to Maria Ortega, another spokesperson for the citys Planning and Development Services Department, the city does not require testing for asbestos before demolition.

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For a single home or four, neither the Idaho DEQ nor the EPA has jurisdiction except under certain circumstances such as when the EPA can connect the development to a commercial element, Ziolkowski said.

The Idaho DEQ frequently gets calls about demolitions taking place next door to somebody, Ziolkowski said. But if someone is demolishing a home and getting dust all over yours, theres essentially nothing we can do, he said.

Hoyne said he knows of one contractor who demolished his asbestos-filled house after it caught on fire. He just took his equipment, did it himself, Hoyne said. He just went and knocked it down (and) scraped the lot. Why? Because he found out if he did it personally, there are no rules.

According to Hoyne, some Idaho contractors cut corners with few repercussions. Some dont test for asbestos, he said.

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Hoyne, whose company works on around 300 abatement projects a year, said the rules around residential demolitions can be a confusing, gray area for contractors.

Ada County and the city of Boise turn a blind eye to asbestos, he said.

Hoyne said he and his company have been involved in abatement projects where they had to tell the city not to send an inspector out for separate reasons, because the site was an active abatement project and the city didnt know.

Because theres no testing, the inspectors are probably walking into  situations where asbestos is being disturbed, he said. The city probably should be asking some questions, like, Is there asbestos in here?

That is, if officials know a project is happening in the first place.

A lot of the work thats being done is not permitted, Hoyne said. Its a small percentage thats actually being permitted.

Rampant confusion over Idaho asbestos rules

For local developers, these blurred lines can be a headache as they clear out old buildings to make way for an ever-growing region and city in need of more housing.

Boises D3V Black Building and Development seeks to demolish three residential homes built before 1978  when building with lead and asbestos was common  near Timberline High School and White Pine Elementary.

D3V Black has proposed filling a narrow parcel at 396 E. Linden St. with 31 town houses spread among six buildings, according to Russ Taylor, operations manager for D3V Black. The company also proposes a three-story building with 10 to 12 apartments and two spaces on the ground floor for retail shops.

During a neighborhood meeting in June, neighbors told the company that they were concerned about the demolition exposing the nearby students to harmful materials.

Neighbors of D3V Blacks development in Southeast Boise have voiced concern over dust that will be generated from the demolition of three homes and three outbuildings across Linden Street from White Pine Elementary and Timberline High School. The apartments would replace the trees and buildings shown here.

Developer pledges to follow rules in a Boise demolition

Taylor said in September that D3V Black anticipated that there would be asbestos in the three homes and would hire a demolition crew. The company, he said, would do everything it could do to keep the site safe and dust down and would double check to make sure crews follow regulations.

Theres mitigation processes, Taylor said. Were going to make sure people adhere to that  Removing (asbestos) is beneficial for everybody.

The development is scheduled to go in front of Boises Planning and Zoning Commission at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 10, at Boise City Hall.

When asked if NESHAP rules would apply to the development, Corcoran said there are instances in which four or fewer residential homes that are part of the same project could be subject to the rules if they are considered installations.

An installation, she said, means any building or structure or any group of buildings or structures at a single demolition or renovation site that is under the control of the same owner or operator. In this case, if the EPA could reasonably connect projects (even if they are single-family homes), then the EPA can regulate.

For instance, if someone wants to demolish one home in the North End with asbestos to build a coffee shop, it could be considered an installation because of the commercial element.

Projects are considered on a case-by-case basis to determine if it meets the definition of installation, she said.

According to Ziolkowski, the ground-floor retail shops of D3V Blacks development might mean that it falls under NESHAP protections.

Asbestos chrysotile fibers can cause lung diseases, COPD, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Worker safety first, community safety second?

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has possibly the strongest protections. But theyre focused on worker safety, not the impact on neighbors or community health.

According to Mike Petersen, western regional director for OSHAs Office of Public Affairs, the agency is focused on the type  and in some cases the quantity  of asbestos that workers encounter, and it does not differentiate between residential and other buildings.

OSHA requires that demolition sites have warning signs and a supervisor on site and, depending on the type and amount of asbestos materials, that workers use respirators and other protective clothing or equipment.

Theres generally not a requirement for air or water or soil sampling before or after work, Petersen said by phone. A lot of the time workers will carry (air) test strips with them.

For building demolitions where enclosures cant be used, OSHA calls for alternative work practices and controls, such as isolating airborne fibers before they can enter a workers breathing zone.

The demolitions must be performed under the supervision of a competent person, (and) must demonstrate that a workers permissible exposure limit wont be exceeded under the worst conditions.

These standards likely wouldnt apply outside the actual worksite, he said.

Woodard, the part-owner of Abatement Pro, said he doesnt know many demolition contractors who do proper air monitoring or have supervisors on site the whole time.

OSHA enforcement in the state of Idaho is abysmal, he said. Its just not present.

What can Boise, Ada County, Legislature do about asbestos?

Having tighter rules around asbestos  whether through home renovations or demolitions  wouldnt be difficult, Hoyne said. Many other states already have rules that address the EPAs gap.

To get a building permit in Oregon, for instance, Hoyne said the state requires testing on any home built before 2004. For Boise or Ada County, Hoyne said, it wouldnt take much to require testing before demolition.

I mean, that would be a first step, Hoyne said.

Woodard said most people would expect Washington or Oregon to be more stringent than Idaho. But Idaho falls behind on enforcement compared with states like Utah, Montana and Wyoming too.

Theyre paying attention to that kind of stuff, Woodard said. Theres somebody to look at it.

While the EPA still doesnt oversee small residential projects, simply having an enforcement presence in the community encourages contractors and tradesmen to be more careful around asbestos, he said.

All I see now, Woodard said, is asbestos everywhere I go.

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Editors Note: This article has been altered to remove personal information after an updated release by the Monroe County Sheriffs Office.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Deputies with the Monroe County Sheriffs Office announced Saturday night around 8:30 p.m. that the 14-year-old girl missing out of Parma has been found safe.

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LOVES PARK, Ill. (WTVO)  Winnebago County Sheriffs Deputies arrested Anthony Tagle, 32, for allegedly fleeing from authorities when he was found intoxicated and asleep in his car in a Taco Bell drive-thru.

On Jan. 2, around 11 p.m., deputies were called to the Taco Bell located at 4001 McFarland Road for reports of an intoxicated man not advancing in the drive-thru line. When officials arrived and turned on their emergency lights, Tagle fled the scene, according to court records.

One of the employees told deputies the suspect did not advance through the drive-thru lane for five to 10 minutes. When she went to check on the driver, she found him asleep at the wheel, according to court documents.

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Authorities later found Tagles vehicle parked at a residence in the 7300 block of Keystone Place where he was taken into custody. Deputies found multiple empty alcohol containers inside the vehicle.

The suspect told officials his cousin was driving and not him. Tagle was wanted for driving with a revoked license.

Tagle is charged with fleeing and attempting to elude officers, aggravated DUI without a valid drivers license, DUI and driving on a revoked license.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (KSNT)  Derek Schmidt was formally welcomed into the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. on Friday as a new representative for the state of Kansas.

Schmidt told reporters he is ready to deliver on the GOPs promise to voters. He joined fellow lawmakers in the nations capital on Jan. 3 for the first day of session. Schmidt said a Republican majority in both the Senate and the House will be key to pushing the partys agenda forward.

Weve waited for this for a long time, Schmidt said. Were excited to get started. Its time to get going. We made a lot of promises to folks and were gonna get the country back on track and today we start doing that.

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Republican voters selected Schmidt as their candidate for the District 2 race in Kansas during the August Primary Election. He later defeated his Democrat opponent, Nancy Boyda, in the November General Election.

Kansans set to save $156 million in 2025 as state sales tax on food ends

Schmidt replaces Jake LaTurner as the District 2 candidate for the state of Kansas. LaTurner announced he would not be seeking reelection to Congress in April 2024, saying the position had taken a toll on him. His decision left the seat open heading into the Primary and General Elections in 2024.

For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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TALLAHASSEE, Florida  Florida has become a haven for classical education, as the schooling model increases in popularity among conservatives trying to gain a foothold nationally.

While several states are embracing the education approach  which emphasizes liberal arts and western teachings on math, science, civics and classical texts that have increasingly been embraced by conservatives and some Christians  Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis is going further by turning the state into an incubator for classical schools, both public and private alike.

The efforts are one key way Floridas GOP governor and policymakers are reshaping education in the state. With a second Trump administration coming, there are expected to be more opportunities for classical education to grow nationally, such as through the 161 schools operated by the Department of Defense.

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Florida is such a frontrunner on these education reforms, like theyve been on so many other ones, said Keri Ingraham, who directs the American Center for Transforming Education at the Discovery Institute, a conservative think tank that advocates for teaching intelligent design, among other things. Its going to be not that far off for other states that are conservative-minded to adopt policies like this, Ingraham added.



Classical education is a schooling model deployed in Florida and elsewhere that fosters "principles of moral character and civic virtue" in students through studying liberal arts and sciences, relying heavily on Western civilization's classic texts and ancient history, as defined in a 2024 Florida law.

Its seen by some proponents as a counter to how traditional public schools and even colleges are teaching students, particularly on social issues like race and gender ideology. Critics of this schooling model, though, charge it whitewashes history.

DeSantis constantly rails against wokeness and indoctrination in the education system, and has said that classical education aligns with how the founding fathers were educated.

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Classical education is really booming, DeSantis said during a bill signing in April. And its something that is, to me, as a policymaker,  very beneficial.

Classical really recaptures whats been lost in some of the political mumbo jumbo that weve seen over many decades infiltrate our universities and our K-12 school system, the GOP governor added.

Classical schooling in Florida has support from significant names such as Erika Donalds, the wife of GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, who leads a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding classical education. And, in another shift orchestrated by DeSantis, Florida overhauled the states only publicly funded liberal arts university  New College of Florida  to implement a classical curriculum under the charge of former state education commissioner and state House Speaker Richard Corcoran; Corcorans wife also founded a classical, liberal arts charter school.

In one significant move to bolster classical education, Florida in 2024 created a new specialized teacher certification for classical schools  to the dismay of the states largest teachers union and many Democrats.

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Florida, at the same time, became the first state to require its colleges and universities to accept the Classic Learning Test for admissions, putting it on par with the SAT or ACT. More than 120,000 Florida students have taken the CLT college entrance exam in the year since the policy was enacted. Students also can take the CLT to qualify for Floridas massively popular Bright Futures scholarship.

When asked for comment on this story, DeSantis office directed POLITICO to Corcoran. The university leader said in a statement that the growth of classical schools in Florida and our unrivaled support for parents that elect to home school needs to be represented in our higher education admissions process.



Classical schooling is far from a new idea, but there has been a resurgence of the model in recent years since the Covid-19 pandemic. The demand is driven in Florida by parents seeking new education options for their children.

And the growth is being fueled by the expansion of school choice policies here and in other states, opening private schools to more families through state-funded scholarships.

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Nationally, at least 250 classical schools have opened since 2020, according to data from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

That includes at least 18 private or charter schools that have emerged in Florida, according to the Heritage Foundation survey.

In total, there are more than 50 classical schools in Florida  the second most of any state in the country behind only Texas  that together serve at least 13,892 students, according to the survey data.

More states are moving to adopt and expand their educational choice programs, and I think that is the primary vehicle by which these classical schools will continue to grow, said Rachel Alexander Cambre, who has researched classical education as a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundations B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies.

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As an example of the thriving demand, one south Florida school board in December voted to convert a half-empty campus into a classical program, with hopes of attracting parents and filling seats.

Floridas 2024 law

Florida, often seen as a national leader on school choice issues, passed a law in April to benefit classical schools through policies that appear to be unlike any others in the country.

Notably, the new certification allows educators at classical schools to bypass several aspects of the typical credentialing process, like passing exams to prove general knowledge and subject area expertise. This clears educators to teach more than 1,400 courses ranging from calculus, physics and Latin, so long as they are at a classical school.

Democrats decried the policy  and voted against the bill  during Floridas 2024 Legislative session, claiming it gives special treatment to classical schools. The Florida Education Association, the states largest teachers union, also opposed the certification, contending that parents deserve an informed choice about the qualifications and credentials of their teachers.

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Sue Woltanski, a Monroe County school board member who advocates for traditional public schools, compared it to a participation trophy for teachers at classical schools. We talk about leveling the playing field, but we shouldnt take away what families want. Families want highly qualified teachers, she said.



Floridas Education Commissioner, Manny Diaz Jr., was quick to push back, as he and the state board argued the certification was part of their efforts to give parents more choices. Diaz noted that these campuses, as charter schools, are still bound by the states accountability system.

I have yet to find a school that is going to put teachers in the classrooms that are not going to be in the best interest of students, and certainly not going to be in the best interest of the performance of their school, Diaz said during the October state Board of Education meeting that enacted the certification.

The new certification process is expected to be a boon for classical charter schools as they, like traditional public schools, struggle to find certified teachers.

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At Jacksonville Classical Academy, which operates two campuses, 70 percent of teachers have applied for the classical certification, said John Rood, a former U.S. ambassador under President George W. Bush who founded the school in 2018. The credentials loosen what Hood described as burdensome requirements facing classical teachers, and helps classical charters compete with private schools, where certifications are not required.

Weve made teaching harder than it is, Rood said.
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS)  As cases of the highly contagious norovirus increase throughout the country, the West Virginia Department of Health encouraged residents to be vigilant against it.

According to a press release, the virus, known as the stomach bug, spreads fast in communities, especially in daycares, schools, and nursing homes.

Through the Mountain State, State Epidemiologist Shannon McBee, MPH, CHES, reported that the state saw an estimated 65 percent increase in norovirus cases from November to December 2024. That estimate is almost double the average for that period of time. Nationwide, outbreaks of Norovirus have increased and though no outbreaks have occurred in these settings in West Virginia yet, reports will likely begin to come after the conclusion of holiday festivities and as children go back to school.

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Norovirus is not just uncomfortableit can cause serious disruptions to families, schools, and workplaces. Prevention is key. Were asking everyone to wash their hands thoroughly, disinfect frequently, and remain mindful of hygiene, especially during food preparation. Its critical to act swiftly when symptoms appear. Staying home while sick and following preventive measures an make a significant difference in limiting the spread of this virus in our communities. Dr. Sherri Young, DO, MBA, FAAFP | Cabinet Secretary, West Virginia Department of Health

West Virginia American Water announces more than $250K for infrastructure upgrades in part of Fayette County

The virus is transmitted through contaminated food or water, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus, and having close contact with infected individuals, the release noted. It is very resistant and can last on surfaces for long periods of time, making proper and regular disinfection important.

Signs and symptoms of the virus include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, fever, and body aches. Norovirus typically lasts one to three days. To avoid becoming infected, DH recommends washing hands frequently with soap and water, as hand sanitizer alone cannot protect effectively against the virus, thorough cooking of all food (especially shellfish), disinfecting surfaces around you on a regular basis, and remaining home when sick.

Norovirus is particularly harmful to older adults, young children, and people with compromised immune systems. Preventative measures and quick action are important to protecting you and your loved ones from getting sick. If you begin to experience these symptoms, seek medical attention.

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For more information regarding norovirus, visit the Bureau for Public Healths website.

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For decades, I stood as a proud member of the Conservative Party, through the highs and the lows, always believing in its mission to uphold British values and defend the interests of the people.

But the party I once knew, the one I dedicated my career to, has lost its way. It has become a hollow shell of its former self  unrecognisable, ineffective, and entirely detached from the needs of the British public.

I am a patriot, and I refuse to stand by while this great nation crumbles. The betrayals of recent years are too severe to ignore. Loyalty has its limits, and my conscience demanded action.

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I had to put the people of this country first. That is why I am now proud to stand with Reform UK, a party that truly represents the interests of everyday Britons.

Let me ask you: What does it mean to be British today? For many, that question no longer has a clear answer. Our national identity has been eroded, sacrificed at the altar of political correctness and a progressive agenda that prioritises ideology over reality.

Our traditions, values and sense of self have been dismantled by those more interested in appeasing fringe movements than addressing the issues that matter most.

Consider this: if we cant even define what it means to be a woman, how can we define anything at all? How can we claim to govern when weve lost sight of the most basic truths? There must come a time when those in positions of authority take a stand against ideological obfuscation.

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Take immigration, for example. In my time as the MP for Dudley, I fought tirelessly to put my constituents first. I publicly opposed the use of local hotels to house asylum seekers, a decision met with criticism  even from some within my own party. But I refused to back down. Why? Because the people of Dudley deserved better. Our communities deserved better.

Uncontrolled immigration has created a housing crisis and a lawless society. Weve imported criminality while our police focus on performative gestures and virtue signalling instead of tackling real crimes like sexual assault and robbery. Meanwhile, families struggle to find homes, and taxpayers foot the bill for a broken system.

And what about the economy? Under the Tories, weve seen the highest levels of taxation and government spending in decades, with precious little growth to actually show for it. Small businesses are suffocating, public services are failing, and the average British worker is left wondering how theyll make ends meet, a problem made all the worse after the Budget.

This is not the Britain I grew up in, nor is it the one I want to leave behind for future generations. The Tory party has failed you. It has failed all of us.

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Reform UK is different. It stands for the values this country was built on  hard work, fairness, and putting British people first. It offers solutions, not excuses.

As we face the challenges of mass immigration, economic decline and cultural erosion, we need bold leadership which will prioritise the needs of the British public above all else, finally pursuing common-sense politics of reasonable self-interest.

To those who share my frustrations, I say this: join us. Speak to your friends, your family, your neighbours. Lets build a movement that will restore pride in our nation and deliver the future we deserve.

The time for weak, ineffective governance is over. Britain is at a crossroads, and only Reform UK has the vision and courage to lead us forward. Together, we can reclaim our country.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The Diocese of El Paso is celebrating the beginning of the Jubilee Year with a kickoff event and pilgrimage on Saturday, Jan. 4.

The gathering begins at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4 in the parking lot behind Cathedral High School and will move to the front of St. Patrick Cathedral in Central El Paso. A Mass will then be held at the cathedral celebrating Epiphany.

According to the Diocese, in a ceremony on Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of St. Peters Basilica in Rome to officially begin the Jubilee Year. The only Holy Doors that will be opened during Jubilee Year will be in the four major Basilicas of Rome.

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These pilgrimages will also occur at the San Pedro Maldonado Parish in El Paso and in the Our Lady of Peace Parish in Alpine, so that the Diocese can provide an opportunity to pray in devotion to San Pedro de Jesus Maldonado and to promote prayers for peace around the world, the Diocese said.

According to the Diocese, the Jubilee Year is a year focused on hope and the pilgrimage symbolizes the hope that Christ brings.

For those who cannot go on a pilgrimage to Rome, the Catholic Church is planning a pilgrimage to a designated church in each diocese around the world, according to the El Paso Diocese.

People who cannot leave their residences  cloistered nuns and monks, the elderly, the sick, prisoners and those who provide continuous service to the sick  can spiritually join a pilgrimage and receive the indulgence according to the norms, the Diocese said.

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A disabled woman was refused entry to a Manchester hotel because staff insisted the 1.20 tourist tax be paid by card.

Margaret Jones, 63, claimed she was left stranded in the freezing cold after workers refused to accept her cash and made her leave the building.

Ms Jones  who has mobility issues and memory loss  was told she had to pay the extra 1.20 on top of her booking during check-in to the Britannia hotel.

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She said she primarily pays for things in cash because she often forgets the PIN numbers for her bank cards.

However, when she offered to pay the city visitor charge levy with cash, she claims she was told she must pay by card.

Ms Jones, who had travelled from her home in Lincolnshire, said: I dont like using my card, normally I carry cash all the time.

Im reluctant to use my cards because I dont remember my PIN numbers.

I know where I stand with cash, my cards all look the same so I often forget which card Im using.

Unwilling to compromise

She said she was happy to pay the fee, but that hotel staff were unwilling to compromise.

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I gave them 1.50 in cash and they refused it, she added.

They told me they dont take cash, and I explained about my mental impairment, but they didnt seem to want to listen.

Ms Jones, who uses a mobility walker, alleged she was then told by staff that she would need to leave the hotel if she couldnt pay the levy by card.

They told me that I couldnt have my room and I couldnt stay there.

They actually turned me away from the building  I was pretty much left stranded in the freezing cold. I didnt know what to do  I was shaking and crying.

Ms Jones said the hotel staff then refused to accept payment from her friend who offered to pay online or over the phone.

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Eventually, she found a card that she could use to pay via contactless and didnt require her to remember a pin.

Its ludicrous, she said.

I thought cash was legal tender. I told them I was at another Britannia hotel a few months ago and had no issues and they just said well, different hotels have different rules.

Surely theres a way of collecting the fee in cash Not everybody has cards.

Something seriously wrong

The city visitor charge was introduced in April 2023 to pay for measures aimed at attracting more visitors and is charged on top of the price of their accommodation.

Ms Jones said: I dont mind paying the 1.20 city fee but when Ive already paid for a room and to be told I cant stay there and turned away in the cold, I think theres something seriously wrong with that.

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I had no way of getting back to Lincolnshire. If they do this to disabled people, what are they doing to other people? They could see that I had mobility issues and they were prepared to let someone, who paid outright for their room, leave in the freezing cold.

Britannia Hotels has been approached for comment.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  With snow predicted to impact the DMV Monday, leaders in the District are urging people to step up and help their neighbors.

Our community matters. People helping people is a fundamental part of what we do, said Dominique Scott, director of Serve DC.

The agency oversees the Snow Team Hero program, which launched in 2020.

Under the program, senior citizens and those with disabilities are able to sign up to have their sidewalks and driveways shoveled and salted. Then, volunteersor snow team heroesare matched with homes in their neighborhood to assist.

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Snow, snow squalls in DC, Maryland, Virginia

Its something neighbors can do to help others out. When we deploy snow team heroes, we deploy them in the areas they live in. Their wards, their neighborhoods and within a three-block radius, so this is a very intimate way to help those around you, explained Scott.

This year, more than 600 people signed up for the service, so Scott said the demand for volunteers is high.

When a volunteer signs up and deployment happens, we give them a phone call to make sure they are able to deploy when we need them, she said. Then we follow up with emails to make sure they have their matches and know where they need to go.

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Volunteers are given a shovel, gloves, scarf, salt and more.

Im excited for this, said Adam Bankert, who signed up as a volunteer. Just seeing some neighbors last year who needed a little extra help, and I found out there was a formal way through D.C. to do it, so I was very excited to sign up for it.

Bankert, who is originally from Buffalo, New York, said shoveling snow doesnt bother him.

Winter safety tips for pet owners after snow squalls hit the DMV area

Hes encouraging others to sign up too.

I just recommend other people go through Serve DC, look up some opportunities to volunteer, help out the community, he said. I think people are really invested in doing that in the new year, so just look for the opportunities.

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Lexi Wong also signed up.

Ive been meaning to volunteer for a while now, she said. I just wanted to try and give back to the community I think its important to try and get out of your bubble.

Volunteers can sign up at any time by visiting www.snowteam.dc.gov.

Those in need of services can also register on that website.

Members of the Serve DC team will be handing out volunteer supplies Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Deanwood, Green Leaf and Columbia Heights recreation centers.

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Cryptocurrency miners have set up shop in currently ungoverned "grey zones," allowing them to dodge both regulation and oversight as they work to accumulate wealth.

What's happening?

According to a report from the Royal United Services Institute, cryptocurrency miners in Eastern Europe have started to set up shop more and more in Russia's shadow territories of Donbas, Transnistria, and Abkhazia, exploiting the dirt-cheap gas power that Russia can provide while also operating in areas that lack governmental oversight because their ownership is unclear.

In each of these areas, RUSI said the energy required to run the operation costs next to nothing, courtesy of the Russian government. In Transnistria, for example, crypto mining operations are getting power from gas power plants for just over 4 cents per kilowatt-hour, while the coal plants in Donbas are providing energy at a similar rate.

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Why is sketchy cryptocurrency mining important?

These operations are running essentially outside the law, which opens up a number of problems. First and foremost, from an environmental standpoint, allowing these operations to run fully outside of regulation and monitoring makes it tough to track exactly how much power they're using. And since that power is largely coming from dirty sources like gas and coal plants, the operations are pumping significant quantities of planet-warming carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.

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Secondly, beyond the environmental impact, doing this in an area with less oversight opens the operations up to being used by people looking to make money quickly for less-than-legal purposes. For example, the RUSI report cited efforts by the Russian government and its agents to use these mining facilities to help fund the war in Ukraine.

What's being done about illicit cryptocurrency mining?

RUSI detailed that the U.S. Treasury Department has started finding ways to crack down on these mining operations. In 2024, it cracked down on an arrangement in which cryptocurrency was being used by Indian and Chinese banks to work around sanctions, but more is needed. The report called for restrictions and sanctions against these illicit mining operations.

"Too often, the West lags behind Russian evasion strategies with its restrictive measures," the RUSI report said. "When it comes to the vulnerabilities of bitcoin mining, the evidence is clear. It is time to act."

In other parts of the world, there have been efforts to improve the rate of renewable energy used for cryptocurrency mining, primarily via professional and state-sponsored operations. There is a mixture of optimism and pessimism that bitcoin could fund innovation and investment in clean energy, as it makes sense for a long-term investment to have your own renewable energy off the grid, though problems like this use of dirt-cheap energy in Eastern Europe remain.

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(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration suggested that the Supreme Court should reject Donald Trumps request to delay a law that would ban TikTok in the US if it isnt sold by its Chinese parent company.

Most Read from Bloomberg

A week ahead of a Jan. 10 courtroom showdown, President Joe Bidens Justice Department urged justices to uphold the law despite Trumps argument that he could negotiate a deal after his inauguration later this month. The department said TikTok hasnt demonstrated it can prevail in its case to justify a pause, and that Trump didnt argue that the company could succeed.

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The US and TikTok, which is owned by China-based ByteDance Ltd., laid the groundwork for next weeks oral arguments before the high court in dueling briefs on Friday that pit national security concerns against free speech rights.

In its latest filing, TikTok urged the Supreme Court to declare the laws TikTok-specific provision unconstitutional or at least put a temporary pause on the statute to carefully consider this significant question.

The company also highlighted the dangers to free speech rights that the governments arguments posed.

The startling proposition that there should be no judicial scrutiny of a law shuttering a speech platform used by 170 million Americans would mean Congress could ban petitioners from operating TikTok explicitly because they refused to censor views Congress disfavors or to promote views it likes, TikTok attorneys wrote.

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The government contends that continuing Chinese control over TikTok would let a foreign adversary collect data on Americans and spread propaganda.

Congress and the Executive Branch agree that Chinas control of TikTok through ByteDance poses a profound national-security threat, US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in the governments filing.

Prelogar said that speech on the platform would continue if it is sold to another company.

Trump thrust himself into the legal fray last week with his request for an unusual negotiation window. Trump gave no specifics about what kind of deal he would seek or how long a delay he needed.

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The filing portrayed Trump as uniquely able to broker an accord that would keep TikTok operating while preserving national security. During his first term as president, Trump called for banning TikTok, then took shifting positions on a plan that would have let Oracle Corp. take over US operations of the platform.

Trump said last month he now has a warm spot in his heart for TikTok because it helped sway young voters to his side in the November election.

The government indirectly addressed Trumps claim that the executive branch must have a say in the matter.

In his amicus brief, Trump argued that the law must be stayed until he takes office since it raises concerns about possible legislative encroachment on prerogatives of the executive branch.

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Without naming Trump, the governments brief highlighted that the executive branch under two presidents found it necessary that ByteDance divest from TikTok to resolve the national-security risks  the same solution that Congress agreed on and adopted.

The Supreme Court is hearing the case on a highly expedited time frame, with oral arguments set for a special session only nine days before the law is to take effect. The law is also being challenged by a group of content creators.

A federal appeals court in Washington upheld the law on a 3-0 vote last month, saying Congress and the president are entitled to a wide berth when they make national security determinations.

The cases are TikTok v. Garland, 24-656, and Firebaugh v. Garland, 24-657.

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The Justice Department urged the Supreme Court on Friday to deny President-elect Trumps request to postpone their ruling on a TikTok ban set to be implemented the day before his inauguration.

Attorney General Merrick Garland supported claims that the platform, owned and operated by Chinese-owned company ByteDance, is a threat to national security.

TikToks collection of reams of sensitive data 2 about 170 million Americans and their contacts makes it a powerful tool for espionage, and TikToks role as a key channel of communication makes it a potent weapon for covert influence operations, Garland said in Fridays brief.

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ByteDance is managed by Chinese tech giant Zhang Yiming, who still maintains over 50 percent of voting control over the privately owned corporation which has raised concerns with lawmakers.

So long as TikTok remains subject to the [Peoples Republican of Chinas] control, the PRC could use those weapons against the United States at any time  for example, at a pivotal moment during a crisis, the attorney general wrote.

A lower US appeals court upheld the ban in early December before the case was advanced to the Supreme Court. The nations highest court agreed to take up the case last month, setting the stage for a fast-paced, high-stakes battle over free speech.

Trump has asked for a delayed ruling in hopes that with more time he can negotiate a resolution to save the platform after a conversation with TikTok CEO Shou Chew.

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Chew spoke before members of Congress last March to affirm the platforms commitment to user safety and data protection among other regulations.

His visit to Capitol Hill helped solidify support for the app from Sens. Ed Markey (D- Mass.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who claimed a ban of the popular video-sharing app would violate the First Amendment.

That divestiture requirement is entirely consistent with the First Amendment and with our Nations tradition of barring or restricting foreign control of communications channels and other critical infrastructure, Garland wrote in Fridays writ. In arguing otherwise, petitioners portray the Act as an effort to suppress disfavored views.

But nothing in the Act would prevent a post-divestiture TikTok from presenting exactly the same content in exactly the same manner, he continued. The Act targets control by a foreign adversary, not protected speech.

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The high court would need to issue a ruling before Jan. 19 to ensure the platform remains available to U.S. citizens on the Google and Apple app stores. Oral arguments are currently scheduled for Jan. 10.

President Biden, who has encouraged the ban despite using the app during his reelection bid, does have the authority to delay the ban for 90 days if the company takes significant strides toward divestment.

Trump doubled down on his support for the app earlier this week.

Why would I want to get rid of TikTok? Trump wrote on Truth Social, accompanied by an image touting his accounts statistics on the app.

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The president-elects personal account has received 1.4 billion total views and sees an average of 24 million views per post, according to his post.

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(KRON)  The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that it has reached a five-year agreement with the City of Antioch and the Antioch Police Department regarding a racial discrimination investigation. The agreement follows an investigation into discriminatory text communications exchanged by dozens of Antioch police officers between September 2019 and January 2022.

White mans world: Sheriffs attorney blasts her critics

According to the DOJ, the investigation stemmed from a series of racist text messages that surfaced in 2024. Antioch PD called the actions that prompted the investigation unacceptable.

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The Antioch Police Department is being held accountable in two ways. One is criminally, with three former officersMorteza Amiri, Eric Rombough, and Devon Christopher Wengerfacing trial this year on multiple civil rights violation charges. The other is civilly, through this agreement with the DOJ.

Ben Nisenbaum, a Bay Area attorney who has handled police misconduct cases for decades, commented on the systemic issues. Its not like there was a flip that was switched, and everything was fine by the removal of a few bad apples. The whole punch was spoiled, said Nisenbaum. His law firm represents 24 plaintiffs suing the Antioch Police Department.

These are all people who have been victims of police discrimination, excessive force. Some of them were people talked about and referred to very specifically, including horrific acts of misconduct like field goal kicking a persons head, Nisenbaum added.

Much of this misconduct was revealed through a series of text messages sent by officers in 2020 and 2021. In total, 17 officers have been identified by the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office as being under investigation.

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The DOJ agreement requires Antioch PD to hire an expert law enforcement consultant to review and update its policies, procedures, and training. According to the DOJ, the training will focus on non-discriminatory policing, use of force, hiring and promotions, investigations of misconduct, discipline, community policing, and other key areas. Additionally, the agreement contemplates a role for the Antioch Police Oversight Commission.

Ismail J. Ramsey, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, said, A police department that discriminates based on race and other protected classes undermines both public safety and public confidence. Todays agreement will help ensure that policing in Antioch is done constitutionally and will help restore public trust.

Ramsey added, To make sure that theyve got some of the latest and best practices so there is not discrimination in the department and also to update hiring procedures to make sure that the type of officers that they are hiring are indeed of the same right temperament, expertise and experience to police in a fair and impartial way that does not discriminate against race.

As part of the agreement, Antioch PD will undergo five years of data collection, reporting, departmental monitoring, and other provisions. The department must also review how it collects and analyzes demographic data to ensure transparency and accountability.

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In a statement to KRON4, the Antioch Police Department said, Our collaboration with the US DOJ underscores our dedication to fostering trust, transparency, and accountability within our police department. Under this five-year agreement, we will implement and enhance comprehensive policies, practices, training programs, and oversight mechanisms to ensure that officers uphold integrity and fairness while addressing misconduct swiftly and effectively.

The department further stated, We acknowledge that trust is earned, not given, and this agreement marks a meaningful step forward. We also remain fully cooperative with the California Department of Justice (CADOJ), which is conducting an independent pattern-and-practice investigation into the Department.

Nisenbaum said that while the agreement is a positive step, much more remains to be done. Theres a lot more to be done. Its a step in the right direction. There are two components. Theres an agreement, and theres the follow-through on it. One of the issues is, this is the federal government, and we have a new administration coming in. I dont know what effect that will have on things.

Nisenbaum also stressed the importance of auditing officers phones to monitor for any future discrimination or misconduct.

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This will be a significant step or at least an early step in helping restore public confidence in the police in Antioch, Ramsey said.

Former Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe said, My term as mayor was focused on making Antioch a safer city by addressing the longstanding mistrust between the public and the Antioch Police Department. As a result of todays agreement, I am proud to say that my administration has successfully achieved its objective of reforming the culture of racism that has plagued the Antioch Police Department for decades.

Current Antioch Mayor Ron Bernal told KRON4 that the agreement reflects the citys commitment to addressing past failures and ensuring that unacceptable actions are not repeated.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Attorneys Office and the DOJs Civil Rights Division.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Jan. 4Matt Ballard, Rogers County's district attorney, faces a U.S. government lawsuit challenging his authority to prosecute tribal citizens.

The U.S. Department of Justice sued Ballard Dec. 23. Carol Iski, district attorney for McIntosh and Okmulgee counties, faces a similar suit.

In its complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, the government argued Ballard and Iski may not prosecute Native Americans on tribal land. The government cites McGirt v. Oklahoma, the 2020 case in which the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the sovereignty of Oklahoma's tribal nations.

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"The longstanding rule, recently reaffirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in McGirt v. Oklahoma, is that the states and their political subdivisions lack criminal jurisdiction over Indians in Indian country unless Congress authorizes it," the government writes. "...In Oklahoma, therefore, the United States and Indian tribes share exclusive criminal jurisdiction over Indians in Indian country."

The federal government seeks declaratory and injunctive relief  that means it wants the court to declare the state lacks jurisdiction and bar Ballard and Iski from pursuing further legal action against tribal citizens.

The government particularly challenges Ballard's prosecution of three men: Brayden Bull, a Navajo man found guilty on state charges of child pornography; Tony Williams, a Chickasaw man accused of selling fentanyl-laced pills; and Eric Ashley, a Choctaw man accused of abusing and exposing his stepchildren to illegal drugs.

As Ballard's district falls within the Cherokee Nation, the government argues McGirt forbids him from prosecuting the men on the state's behalf. According to the government's complaint, the Cherokee Nation has charged all three men, and the federal government has charged Bull.

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Ballard said he was shocked when he first heard about the lawsuit.

"I never expected to be sued by the United States of America," Ballard said. "Even knowing this outgoing presidential administration, knowing what they had done with commutations and some other things, I was still surprised that they decided to try to push local law enforcement out of local cases at the last minute."

He said state agencies such as the Rogers County Sheriff's Office and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics investigated all three cases  none were federal investigations.

Ballard said his authority to prosecute the men arises from two cases: Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, a U.S. Supreme Court case decided in 2022, and Tulsa v. O'Brien, an Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals case decided Dec. 5.

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In Castro-Huerta, the Supreme Court decided the state and federal government share jurisdiction to try non-Native Americans who commit crimes against Native Americans on tribal land.

"The Supreme Court said [in Castro-Huerta] the state has jurisdiction over every crime that happens within the state, unless it's specifically preempted by Congress," Ballard said.
Once synonymous with backpackers earning their traveller stripes on the Khao San Road and families bundling in slightly tatty resorts on a very large island that we wont name, the past few years have seen Thailand artfully deliver a post-pandemic rebrand as the luxury destination in Asia.

And its a campaign that continues to roll out oh-so-elegantly this winter peak season, as flames are stoked by trailers for the third series of the award-winning satire show The White Lotus, which will finally air from 25 February 2025. With a stellar cast, including Thailands own sweetheart, Lisa Lalisa Manoba, who despite rapping for a South Korean K-pop group, Blackpink, is actually Thai herself (a masterful bit of casting from Mike White). The Thai luxury hype will only grow from here on out.

Its fair to say the show has all of us in Thailand poised in anticipation for huge visitor numbers in 2025. Flight bookings have already soared 30 per cent higher than this time last year, perhaps thanks to British Airways reinstating a direct route from London to Bangkok in October, coupled with the show, which was predominantly shot in the Four Seasons resort in Koh Samui and the Anantara branches in Koh Samui and Phuket.

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Thai luxury isnt exclusively for the super-rich though, and its much more than just minimalist design and swanky toiletries these days. The evolving scene is taking eco-issues to heart, while local hotels increasingly provide unique perspectives on their location, whether thats honing in on identity thats steeped in tradition, culinary treats or the lush natural surroundings. Luxury in Thailand might be rich in culture but its a lot more affordable than you would think  with price tags up to 50 per cent less than European and North American counterparts.

Heres where to go for high-end living with a low price.

Read more: Ditch Phukets crowds for these beautiful Thailand islands instead

Luxury with the family

A birds-eye view of the wonderous Andaman Coast (Avani+ Khao Lak Resort)

The beachside, leafy Avani+ Khao Lak Resort is an opulent tropical paradise on the Andaman Coast thats relatively new but already known as the kingdoms swankiest family-friendly stay. Lounge by one of the four vast pool areas, including a childrens water playground, or the beach while the young ones are kept busy at art classes, the climbing wall, skate park, retro computer games arcade or Muay Thai ring (dont worry, these youth-friendly zones and activities are open for guests of all ages) or aim for whole team activities and culinary success at their Thai cooking classes, followed by a wander around their lakeside petting zoo. Prices start from as little as 70 a night which really beggars belief; its a real stunner that you wont want to leave.

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Read more: Where is The White Lotus season three set? Thailand filming locations revealed

Luxury on the islands

After boutique by the beach? This resort might be just what you need (Buri Rasa Village Samui)

Koh Samui, the largest island in its archipelago and the only island in the Gulf of Thailand to have its own airport, has been a luxury foothold in Thailand for decades. The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui is undoubtedly one of the best stays in the world, but comes at a punchy price tag. Luckily the island is a hub for affordable high-end stays, whether youre in need of something in the way of wellness at Kamalaya or a decadent boutique spot like Buri Rasa Village Samui (both starting from under 200 a night).

Samuis sister islands are worth checking out, too. The Anantara Rasananda Koh Phangan Villas come with the highest of top-tier service at Thailands classiest chain, starting at 300 per night for idyllic sea views, or for something more boho but equally as serene, check out yoga resort Baan Ta Lay on Koh Tao, where 70 a night gets you gorgeous rooms or glamping tents.

Read more: Why you should visit Thailand during the off-season

Luxury in the city

High-life: Bold rooms at The Standard in Bangkok come at surprisingly good prices (Standard Hotels)

Bangkok is, if youd believe it, one of the most well-priced stops in Thailand for luxurious stays and fine dining, with five-star rooms easily found for 100-200 per night, perhaps due to the density and availability of all of the above in the capital. No one does posh mid-century modern like The Standard, and their Asia flagship branch in Thailands tallest building, the King Power Mahanakhon, comes with incredible views of the city. Guests get a free evening pass to the skyscrapers rooftop lounge, where you can enjoy a cocktail while gazing over the hustle and bustle far, far below. Prices start from 150 a night, which is an absolute steal for a stay where the gym, pool and three restaurants knock high quality out of the park. For gourmet food, be sure to reserve a table at the new spot in town, Khaan, where chef Sujira Pongmorn is flexing her chops, serving an 11-course tasting menu that sheds light on ingredients from across Thailands regional provinces from 90 a head.

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Read more: Where to stay, eat, drink and shop in Bangkok

Luxury in the mountains

An elephant in the early morning fog at the Anantara Golden Triangle resort (Getty Images)

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For a holiday that feels like youve stepped into a David Attenborough television series, look no further than the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort. This slice of heaven perched above the Mekong River is where luxury meets jungle, and it is a vibe to say the least. The resort sits at the meeting point of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, so youre graced with misty Myanmar views in the distance every morning, while the rescued elephants, cared for by their mahouts and the resort, meander through the valley below. While the elephants are the real stars here, Anantaras elephant programme isnt about Instagram moments (though youll get those). Its all about ethical interactions: walking alongside these majestic creatures and learning about their conservation. The food here is next level, too. Whether youre craving authentic Thai flavours or just a poolside snack with your cocktail, theyve got you covered. Dont skip the khao soy noodle soup, its basically a hug in a bowl. Deals including four nights (two here and two at the gorgeous Anantara Chiang Mai Resort) start from 840, available directly from hotel groups website.

Read more: Escape Bangkok and explore these hidden corners of Thailand by rail
Donald Trump maintains his innocence that he did not fabricate financial business records to conceal a $130,000 bribe paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

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The Republican politician was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to the 2016 payout in May 2024. Prosecutors allege that he agreed to hide the payment as a legal fee paid to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen.

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On Friday (Jan. 3), New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan denied Trumps motion to dismiss the case. As a result of the ruling, the president-elect will be sentenced on Jan. 10, just 10 days before his inauguration. While this Court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and Defendant an opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court's inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the People concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation, wrote Merchan.

The GOP-backed leader unleashed a fiery response to the outcome of the legal battle on Truth Social, a Twitter-like platform founded by Trump in 2022. In one post published on Saturday (Jan. 4), he said, I never falsified business records. It is a fake, made-up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME!

The twice-impeached political figure was steadfast in defending himself as he wrote, A legal expense was called, on the books, a legal expense. There was nothing else it could have been called. This was the so-called falsifying of records. I was hiding nothing; everything was out in the open for all to see.

Furthermore, in a follow-up message to supporters, he declared that the vilification of his public image was a political scheme orchestrated by the Democratic Party. There has never been a president who was so evilly and illegally treated as I. Corrupt Democrat judges and prosecutors have gone against a political opponent of a president, ME, at levels of injustice never seen before, he proclaimed.

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Trump suggested that the hatred of him was tethered to his political ideology to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and that a mockery of the justice system has been made by his conviction. When he is sworn in on Jan. 20, he will become the become the nations first president found guilty of felony crimes.

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A Green Beret who drove an explosives-laden Tesla Cybertruck to Las Vegas and detonated its payload at Trump International Hotel left a suicide note saying the spectacle was intended as a "wake up call" for America and was not intended as an act of terrorism, according to authorities.

"This was not a terrorist attack," wrote Matthew Livelsberger, who police say fatally shot himself before Wednesday's explosion. "It was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What Better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?"

At a Friday news conference in Las Vegas, local and federal law enforcement officials released portions of a note and letters that suggested the Army master sergeant and Afghanistan war veteran was partly motivated by his experiences in combat, as well as his view of political events unfolding in the United States.

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"Why did I personally do it it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took," the 37-year-old wrote.

Authorities have not released the soldier's complete writings recovered on a cellphone found inside the destroyed vehicle.

"These are just excerpts," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said.

"He does offer additional information that is varying on the spectrum in terms of political grievances, issues about conflicts elsewhere  not here  domestic issues, societal issues ... including personal challenges as well," Koren said.

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The New Year's Day blast came hours after a terrorist attack in New Orleans, where an Army veteran drove another truck through a crowded street, killing 14 and injuring about 30 others.

Given that both attacks appeared to be ideologically motivated, authorities wondered initially whether the two events might be connected. Investigators have since determined that the New Orleans attacker acted alone.

"Just to be clear, there is no evidence that these two events are connected," said Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Las Vegas division. "The only things we have connecting them are incidental, what we believe to be coincidental, similarities."

Those coincidences included the fact that both men rented vehicles through the Turo car-sharing app, served in the Army and stayed at Airbnb rentals.

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"We have identified no telephonic or email communication between the subjects, no information that suggests they knew each other, that they ever served in the same unit, that they were ever assigned at the same place at the same time and had interaction," Evans said.

Read more: Tesla Cybertruck attacker in Las Vegas identified as decorated Green Beret: What was his motive?

Among other writing excerpts released Friday were passages in which Livelsberger expressed frustration with the nation's direction.

"Fellow servicemembers, veterans and all Americans. TIME TO WAKE UP! We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves."

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He also wrote that that the United States was the best country "to ever exist! But right now we are terminally ill and headed toward collapse."

Livelsberger served as a Green Beret master sergeant in the Army. He spent the majority of his time at Ft. Carson in Colorado and in Germany, according to authorities. He was on approved leave from Germany at the time of his death.

On his Facebook profile, Livelsberger once criticized the withdrawal of U.S. armed forces from Afghanistan in 2021. He called it the biggest foreign-policy failure in the history of the United States.

At Friday's news conference, authorities stressed that their investigation into Livelsberger is continuing, and that their view of the incident could change, as they still had more of the dead man's writings to examine, as well as other information.

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"We have terrabytes of data that we have to analyze," Evans said.

However, after conducting numerous interviews with family members, friends and military colleagues, investigators have concluded that Livelsberger held no animosity toward Trump.

"Although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues," Evans said.

Times staff writers Summer Lin, Hannah Fry, Richard Winton and Terry Castleman contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Russias Izvestia newspaper reported on Jan. 4 that a Ukrainian "kamikaze" drone attack killed one of its freelance reporters, Alexander Martemyanov, while he was traveling on a highway in occupied eastern Ukraine.

According to Russia's state-owned RIA Novosti news agency, Martemyanov had been returning from reporting on shelling in the Russian-controlled city of Horlivka in Donetsk Oblast with colleagues when their vehicle was struck. The attack also injured a journalist from RIA and four other media workers, the agency added.

The Kyiv Independent can't immediately verify the information.

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"The car in which the journalist was traveling was attacked by a kamikaze drone. Martemyanov died of his wounds," Izvestia reported. Originally a Soviet state newspaper, it is now owned by the National Media Group (NMG), a media conglomerate with significant state-controlled ownership and close ties to the Kremlin.

At least 15 journalists have been killed while covering the war in Ukraine, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Read also: Ukraine charges Russian general with killing Reuters employee in Kramatorsk

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Drones attacked Russia's largest commercial seaport, Ust-Luga, located in Leningrad Oblast, during the night of 3-4 January.

Source: Astra Telegram channel, citing sources

Details: Astra claimed that most of the drones targeting Leningrad Oblast overnight had been shot down near a terminal owned by the Russian logistics company Novatrans at the Ust-Luga seaport, according to sources.

Windows in one of the buildings at the port are reported to have been damaged.

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Earlier, the governor of Leningrad Oblast reported that Russian air defence units had shot down four UAVs, adding that there were no casualties or damage.

The Ust-Luga seaport began operations with the opening of a coal terminal in December 2001.

Previously: On the morning of 4 January, St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport had imposed arrival and departure restrictions for the second time in 24 hours.

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Drones attacked one of Russia's largest commercial seaport, Ust-Luga, in Leningrad Oblast overnight on Jan. 4, the independent news channel Astra reported.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been regularly targeting facilities in Russia that fuel its war efforts.

Most of the drones that attacked Leningrad Oblast, located over 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) from the Ukrainian border, were shot down over the terminal of Novotrans, a Russian transportation and logistics company, Astra reported, citing its undisclosed sources.

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Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko reported that four drones were downed in Leningrad Oblast using electronic warfare and firearms.

The attack damaged windows in one of the buildings on the port's territory, according to preliminary information. There were no casualties, Drozdenko said.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

The Jan. 4 attack on the Russian port in Leningrad Oblast is not the first attack of its kind. On Jan. 24, 2024, Novatek's gas-condensate plant caught fire at the port of Ust-Luga following a possible coordinated effort by Ukraine to strike key targets deep inside Russian territory.

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The Ust-Luga Commercial Seaport began operations in December 2001 with the opening of a coal terminal. In the early 2020s, it became one of the largest seaports in Russia.

Read also: Ukraine struck hundreds of targets deep inside Russia in 2024. What did they achieve?

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Construction to restore the historic Newman Cemetery in East Providence will begin early this spring.

The city announced Friday that $50,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding will be allocated to the project.

Westport-based TNT Gravestone Solutions has been hired to repair 112 grave markers and two box tombs at the cemetery.

According to the city, Newman Cemetery has the largest collection of 17th-century gravestones in Rhode Island and its listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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The gravestones have sustained significant deterioration, the city said, with some having fallen, others cracked, and some now covered by the ground.

The restoration will include cleaning, as well as foundational and structural repairs, with technical assistance from the East Providence Historical Society and the Friends of Newman Cemetery.

Sandra Turgeon, with the Friends of Newman Cemetery, noted that it is the final resting place of 145 Revolutionary War soldiers and the worksite of many prominent 18th-century gravestone carvers.

This is great news for the city that Newman Cemetery is being recognized as an important

historical and cultural resource worthy of preserving, Turgeon said. Hopefully this project will further enhance the publics understanding of the history of East Providence.

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The work is expected to continue through the fall, according to the city.

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Edmond Families,

As we prepare to return to school next week, I am writing today to share some personal news. After deep, personal reflection over Winter Break, I have decided to retire at the end of this school year.

I love this district, our students and staff members deeply. I have enjoyed my 17 years in Edmond immensely. My love and devotion for our district has fueled my desire to lead EPS. Serving as your superintendent has been the highlight of my career. I continue to have so many dreams for this district to help us better serve students. I have no doubt that many of those dreams will come to fruition, just under the next leader.

The Edmond School Board will begin their superintendent search immediately. Im confident that a leader equally or even more passionate about education and Edmond Schools will be found. EPS has a strong, dedicated district leadership team and the site administrators who are in place. This district will be in good hands.

I cannot wait to see our students back in the classroom next Tuesday, and I look forward to the second semester. It has been my pleasure and honor to serve as the Superintendent of Edmond Public Schools.

Thank you all for your continued support and partnership.
This article was originally published in Chalkbeat.

Having pledged to get rid of the U.S. Department of Education and get woke out of public schools, Donald Trump is returning to office. The coming year could start to reveal what these promises mean for American schools that face significant challenges, including looming building closures, stagnant student learning, and big questions about the very purpose of education.

Here are some of the education stories were watching in 2025.

What a Trump presidency means for schools

President-elect Donald Trump had some strong words for American schools on the campaign trail. He promised to get rid of the U.S. Department of Education and send education back to the states. He also promised to get the woke out of public education, an endeavor that presumably would require some bureaucracy to oversee American schools.

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With Trump returning to the White House, the big questions are whether hell follow through on campaign pledges  and whether American students will feel the difference in their classrooms.

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Most observers think actually abolishing the U.S. Department of Education is unlikely. It would require an act of Congress, and theres probably not enough votes. But the idea does seem to have more traction than in the past, and a bill that would reassign many functions to other departments  as envisioned in the Heritage Foundations Project 2025  was recently filed by a GOP senator.

The Trump administration could also cut funding for or eliminate certain programs, and replace career bureaucrats with political appointees, all without getting rid of the department. Civil rights enforcement could also look very different.

Some Republican state leaders have hailed the prospect of getting rid of red tape associated with federal compliance. They envision keeping similar levels of federal funding but with fewer requirements around how to spend it.

Trump has also promised to roll back new Title IX regulations that treat discrimination against transgender studnets as a form of sex discrimination. Conservative parent groups and Republican attorneys general have already sued to block the new rules, which LGBTQ advocates saw as providing some protection against hostile state laws. Some conservatives want these cases to still go to the Supreme Court in hopes the court finds gender identity is not protected under laws barring sex discrimination.

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Increased immigration enforcement also is likely to have big ripple effects in schools. Reports indicate Trump may do away with the sensitive locations policy that limited immigration enforcement in schools, hospitals, and churches. Widespread deportations could leave traumatized children behind. School leaders and advocates are trying to balance the reality that they may not be able to protect all students with the desire to keep schools a safe and welcoming place.

School closures are increasing, but not everywhere

Faced with declining student populations, higher staffing costs, and the end of federal pandemic relief money, districts around the country are closing schools  or doing serious fiscal gymnastics to avoid it.

The latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics from 2023 shows school enrollment holding nearly steady from the year before, but still down 2.5% from pre-pandemic levels. Notably, while high school enrollment has stabilized, elementary enrollment is down, suggesting theres no big rebound on the horizon. The ratings agency Moodys gives American K-12 schools a grim financial outlook for 2025 due to falling enrollment and lower revenues.

Declining birth rates, gentrification, high housing prices, and more families opting for private school and home schooling have all played a role. In many cases, these trends were evident before the pandemic, but school districts used federal COVID relief dollars to shore up budget holes. In some cases they also added staff and raised teacher pay, exacerbating the fiscal crunch to come.

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Already, leaders in cities like Denver, Columbus, Ohio, and Rochester, New York have voted to close schools. Philadelphia and Memphis are making plans to do the same.

The case of P.S. 25 in Brooklyn, New York, illustrates the problem. New York City spends $45,420 per child to keep the 52-student school open, yet it struggles to afford art, music, or after-school programming.

But these decisions are often wrenching and face pushback from parents and teachers. Citing lack of community support, Boston put its school closure plans on hold. So did San Francisco  and the superintendent resigned. The Chicago school board put a moratorium on school closures through 2027, even as fiscal pressures are driving a leadership crisis there.

With school closures come questions of equity and fairness. In many cities, the schools with the lowest enrollment serve mostly students of color. But keeping those schools open might mean students dont have the same resources as their peers in other neighborhoods. Some advocates have called for closing low-performing schools to give students a shot at a better education. That approach harkens back to education reform policies that have largely fallen out of favor.

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Many school districts are also trying to limit layoffs, which could reduce the savings they see from school closures. Districts are also trying to find ways to maintain tutoring and counseling programs they started during the pandemic.

NAEP could add to discouraging post-pandemic scores

Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, are expected in early 2025. The tests were given in spring 2024 and will provide insight into the state of student learning four years after COVID school closures.

The results are much anticipated after a series of tests, studies, and analyses have painted a conflicting but often discouraging picture of student recovery. Most recently, a major international test showed that U.S. students math scores plummeted, with the declines concentrated among lower performing students. This widening gap between high- and low-performing students was present before the pandemic and raises major concerns.

Similarly, state and local test results show gaps based on income, race, and ethnicity. A major analysis released in 2024 found that students on average had recovered to close to pre-pandemic levels, a surprising outcome, but that analysis also found that academic inequality was growing.

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Meanwhile, students who werent even in school when COVID started are showing delays, as are older students who saw critical learning years disrupted.

The big question going forward is: What are we going to do about the state of student learning?

Statewide efforts to improve math and reading instruction continue to gather steam, but for better or for worse, schools with low test scores dont face many consequences. The research on aggressive school turnaround efforts is decidedly mixed. Democrats have largely backed away from test-based accountability, and Republicans are more focused on expanding school choice.

How states and Congress could expand school choice

Private school choice has exploded in recent years, with a dozen states now running universal or near-universal voucher or education savings accounts programs that give parents money to send their children to private school or educate them at home.

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Trumps election could give these efforts a boost. Hes promised to expand school choice, and Republicans in Congress are making another push on a federal tax-credit scholarship proposal championed by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that could make billions available, including in Democratic states that have been hostile to vouchers and education savings accounts.

At the state level, many anti-voucher Republicans who had teamed up with Democrats to block private school choice lost their primaries as outside money poured into obscure legislative races. Now pro-school choice governors and lawmakers are making new pushes in Texas, Tennessee, Idaho, and elsewhere.

These coalitions could still fracture. A major voucher expansion seemed inevitable in Tennessee this year until disagreements over testing requirements and funding sank the deal. Now Republicans say theyre united and determined to expand them.

The meaning of high school is changing

Education advocates for years focused on getting more students to and through college. We still havent solved that problem, but a lot of the shine has come off college for all. Student debt concerns loom large, and there are widespread labor shortages in the trades. Policymakers are pushing for more career-connected learning, which is also being touted as a way to fight disengagement.

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At the same time, states are ditching exit exams. This year Massachusetts voters overturned a requirement that students pass a standardized test to graduate high school, and New York decided to get rid of the Regents Exam starting in the 2027-28 school year. New Jersey  one of just six states to still have an exit exam  continues to debate whether it should keep it.

All of this is fueling a conversation about the meaning of high school, one thats resurfaced periodically since the high school movement in the first half of the 20th century led to a dramatic expansion of secondary education.

That played out in Indiana this year with the adoption of a new high school diploma. An initial proposal called for significant work requirements to reflect that fewer Indiana students are attending college. To satisfy critics who said work requirements would make it harder for Indiana high school graduates to pursue college aspirations, the state ultimately settled on a diploma that offers multiple pathways.

Other states, such as Colorado, are developing programs that incorporate apprenticeships and internships alongside classroom learning.

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But limited data makes it hard to know if career education is delivering the desired outcomes.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The National Weather Service (NWS) said Saturday, Jan. 4 will be one final really warm day before temperatures begin a potentially drastic drop in the El Paso region.

Late Tuesday into Wednesday, were expecting some Arctic air to arrive into the El Paso area. Were expecting lows well into the 20s (degrees), Wednesday through Friday, and highs that may struggle to get above 40 (degrees). Theres a small chance that we may struggle to get above freezing during this time as well. So, were pretty confident about cold air arriving. The other aspect is the possibility for some light snow. Right now, it looks like chances are still about 20 to 30%, and it doesnt look like a whole lot, but we could see some snow come Wednesday into Thursday, said Anthony Brown, a lead meteorologist with the NWS Service Office in El Paso.

Brown said these drops in temperature will come on the heels of El Paso experiencing one of its warmest Decembers ever.

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Were going from about 15 to 20 degrees above where we should be this time of year, to maybe as low as 15 or 20 degrees below where we should be this time of year. So thats going to be a stark contrast in going from highs in the 70s to highs in the 40s, or maybe even the 30s, Brown said.

Brown said El Paso has seen cold snaps like these in the past  most recently in 2021 when it also snowed  and advises El Pasoans to prepare in advance.

The main thing to do to get prepared is make sure your sprinkler systems are turned off and drained, and that your hoses are removed from the house. Continue to monitor the forecast so that if you need to alter plans for icy roads, you can do that. Again, the snow parts not certain, but its definitely worth keeping an eye on forecasts, making sure you dont need to change plans, Brown said.

Meanwhile, the Texas Department of Transportations (TxDOT) maintenance crews initiated brine operation on Interstate 10 (I-10) in Van Horn and Sierra Blanca on Friday, and will extend into El Paso, Pine Springs, Marfa, and Alpine starting on Monday, TxDOT El Pasos public information officer, Lauren Macias-Cervantes said.

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Macias-Cervantes said if El Paso does experience icy roads and extreme weather, they advise that people not drive unless they absolutely have to, and to prepare themselves and their vehicles ahead of time.

So, while most people are probably not thinking about that winter weather with the warm temperatures that were getting right now, they probably want to take a look at that vehicle and prepare it this weekend. Check tires, wipers. Make sure that all the maintenance is taken care of on their vehicles so that they can make those trips next week, Macias-Cervantes said.

Macias-Cervantes said that they are also prepared to activate their Emergency Operations Center should temperatures drop to dangerous levels.

But its also very important to remind drivers that if they would like to get email alerts on closures, whether it be for a crash, weather, or anything else, they can sign up for those at drivetexas.org and theyll get those closure alerts straight to their inbox.

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To monitor road conditions next week, people can visit https://drivetexas.org/.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Elinor Millers motto in life was to probe and shed light.

In founding The Banner School, a nonsectarian private school in Frederick, she aimed to impart this motto onto future generations  teaching students to explore a wide range of subjects, both inside and outside the classroom, and treating them as global learners.

Within her lifetime, Miller saw The Banner School grow from 22 students from first through fifth grade in 1982 to more than 100 students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade today.

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On Dec. 20, 2024, Miller died of dementia-related illness. She was 93, just days shy of her 94th birthday on Dec. 29, her daughter Constance Soja said in an interview this week.

Miller was born in 1930 on what Soja called a primitive gas extraction site in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her early years were defined by the Dust Bowl.

Soja said her mother developed an interest in educational techniques and processes as a student at the historic Betty Rumbaugh School, described in a 1990 Tulsa World article as being known for old-fashioned education combined with creativity.

Though she was long interested in education, Soja said, her mother did not start her teaching career until all three of her children had reached junior high  a reflection of her belief in being present for their most important moments.

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Starting in the 1960s, Miller taught math and science on a part-time basis, spending most of her time at the DeSales Heights Academy in Parkersburg, West Virginia. In 1976, she divorced her first husband and relocated to Brookline, Massachusetts.

The following year, Elinor met Stauffer Miller, a veterinarian from West Virginia, on a birding trip to Nebraska. The couple married in 1978 and lived together in Utah for one year before moving to Frederick County in the fall of 1979.

In an interview this week, Stauffer Miller said the couple moved for his new job as a pathologist at the Maryland Department of Health Animal Health Laboratory in Frederick. They rented the upper floor of a home in Braddock Heights.

It was at the kitchen table of their new home, Stauffer said, Elinor first floated the idea of establishing her own school.

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He recalled looking out over the Middletown Valley and discussing possible names. Elinor briefly considered calling the institution The Clarion School, but decided on The Banner School.

Roots of The Banner School

The road to establishing The Banner School was not easy, Stauffer Miller said. Early on in the process, Elinor advertised a planning meeting for the new school in the newspaper, but only a handful of people attended.

One of the schools earliest supporters was Gail Dobay, whose two children graduated from The Banner School and who later served as head of The Banner School.

In an interview this week, Dobay said that while Elinor had to get creative in the schools early days  sourcing classroom furniture from trucks headed to the junkyard and enlisting parents for help  students of the early Banner School always had what they needed.

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Dobay said she sent her children to The Banner School specifically because of the quality of the instructors chosen by Elinor.

I wanted to know that when my children left my arms in that school parking lot that there was a teacher on the inside of that classroom who had her arms or his arms extended to find in each child the same gifts and talents and abilities that I saw as a parent, Dobay said.

Under Elinors leadership, The Banner School expanded from its original location, a historic farmhouse on Jefferson Street, to an old church on Carroll Parkway and again to the Odd Fellows Home on North Market Street.

All the while, Soja said, Elinor focused on educating the whole child  placing almost equal emphasis on traditional subjects like math and reading as well as subjects like architecture, music and world languages.

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Every morning under Elinors leadership, all Banner School students would gather for a morning assembly consisting of announcements, recitations and a singing of the school song.

Elinor also had an affinity for the theater arts  Stauffer Miller remembered one year when his wife enlisted him to write a play about the history of Frederick for the students to perform.

During her time in Frederick, Elinor also contributed a birding-focused column to The Frederick News-Post called As the Crow Flies. She continuing writing the column for another newspaper when she moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, after a decade as head of The Banner School.

Ann Wagner, the current head the new Banner School location on Dill Avenue, said in an interview this week that she never met the schools founder, but Elinors influence can still be felt.

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Before taking over as head of school in the fall of 2023, Wagner said, she read Elinor Millers book A Banner Experience: Its roots and branches to get a sense of the founders mission.

She really believed in digging deeply into the learning, getting kids outdoors, getting them interested in civics and how it works at a local level, Wagner said. All kinds of things that were really interesting and ahead of their time in a lot of ways.
ENTERPRISE, Ala (WDHN)  Businesses in downtown Enterprise will have the chance to battle head-to-head to win up to $35,000 in the Bright Ideas Pitch Competition.

On January 16, Enterprise businesses within the Main Street Enterprise district are expected to compete in the Bright Ideas Pitch Competition. During the competition, business owners will pitch new, creative ideas related to their business for a chance to win one of five $1,000 grants. One business will be awarded a $10,000 grant from the Main Street Alabama ALSPARK Program.

According to the City of Enterprise, the money can be used for expenses like inventory, equipment, marketing, computers, and software upgrades.

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The Bright Ideas Pitch Competition winner will go on to compete in the regional competition for a chance at another $10,000 grant.

In August, three regional and two wild card winners will compete in the Bright Ideas state finals pitch. The winner will be awarded a $25,000 grant

The competition, which is free and open to the public, will start at 5:00 p.m. in the First Methodist Church Enterprise Fellowship Hall at 217 South Main Street.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
Jan. 3The New Mexico Environment Department will receive a $500,000 mobile air quality monitor as part of a 2022 settlement between a conservation group and oil producers.

WildEarth Guardians sued Texas-based oil companies Oxy USA Inc. and Oxy USA WTP LP in 2022 over alleged violations of the Clean Air Act and emissions of volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide at a production site near Carlsbad. As part of the settlement agreement, the companies will cover the cost of the mobile monitor.

Volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides are ingredients for ozone, which, when occurring at ground level, is associated with respiratory problems. The pollutants, known as ozone "precursors," were the target of a 2022 regulation adopted by the state. The rule was recently upheld after facing a legal challenge.

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Kelly Fuller, climate and energy program director for WildEarth Guardians, said in a statement the group was "encouraged that these funds will increase the New Mexico Environment Department's ability to monitor air quality in southeast New Mexico, where communities feel the impacts every day of air pollution caused by oil and gas extraction."

Fuller said the department will decide which pollutants to monitor for, but that the monitor should extend its range.

"This new equipment will allow us to supplement our stationary air monitors and be more responsive to communities' pointed concerns about local air quality in the Permian," Michelle Miano, director of the department's Environmental Protection Division, said in a statement Friday. "We are grateful to receive the benefit of this legal settlement as we expand our air program to deliver what New Mexicans expect  clean air and healthy families  no matter where you live in our state."

The companies will also pay a $500,000 civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury and make changes and upgrades to several facilities throughout the Permian Basin in an effort to improve air quality.

"Oxy is supportive of the New Mexico Environment Department's efforts to enhance air quality monitoring capabilities in the Permian Basin," the company said in a statement Friday. "Oxy is dedicated to being a good partner in continuously reducing emissions and improving public health in Southeast New Mexico and across all of our operations."
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  One hundred and forty acres of Clark County timberland could face an uncertain future after two nonprofits filed a lawsuit against a Washington State agency in an effort to halt the sale and future clearcutting of the land.

The lawsuit  which was first reported by The Columbian  was filed December 23 in Clark County Superior Court by the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition and Friends of Clark County.

The lawsuit is challenging the Dabbler timber sale, which would authorize the land, in the Siouxon region of Eastern Clark County, to be clearcut by commercial logging companies.

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Investigators call attention to unsolved 1973 murder of Eugene Public Library employee

The nonprofits allege that the Washington State Department of Natural Resouces, the DNR Board, and Commissioner Hilary Franz, violated the Public Lands Act and the state Environmental Policy Act and is asking the court to invalidate the Boards approval of the sale.

The forests in the Dabbler sale are close to becoming old growth, LFDC told KOIN 6 News in a statement on Friday, noting the forests are naturally regenerated stands from the Yacolt burn in 1902.

This misguided timber sale is at odds with DNRs own Habitat Conservation Plan which requires them to restore 10 to 15 percent of the Columbia planning unit to old growth conditions by the end of the century. DNR is not on track to achieve these targets, with just 2 percent of the planning unit containing protected structurally complex forests. Targeting structurally complex forests like those contained within the Dabbler timber sale for commercial logging will make it impossible to meet these targets, LFDC said in a statement.

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Portland donut chain Blue Star downsizes by abruptly closing 2 shops

The organizations noted that mature forests such as the Dabbler play a critical role in carbon sequestration, along with watershed health, and argue that proposed logging could endanger critical species such as the Northern Spotted Owl.

This sale is a direct assault on the ecological heritage of Clark County, said Ann Foster of Friends of Clark County. It is irresponsible to sacrifice these forests for short-term revenue, especially when DNR has not fulfilled its mandate to protect our legacy forests for future generations. The importance of legacy trees for carbon sequestration cant be understatedwe need legacy trees to meet our new climate goals.

A spokesperson for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources said the agency cannot comment on pending litigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A 17-year-old teen is dead, and a 39-year-old woman was injured after being stabbed following an altercation that happened on New Years Day at a Northeast El Paso home, El Paso Police said.

2 stabbed after verbal altercation at Northeast El Paso residence

El Paso Police said at 9:38 p.m. on Jan. 1, officers responded to the 10300 block of Hollyhock to a reported stabbing.

Upon arrival, officers found that Angel Guadalupe Ramirez, 17, and a 39-year-old woman, whom police didnt identify, sustained multiple stab wounds, El Paso Police said.

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El Paso Police said both victims were taken to a local hospital. However, Ramirez died from his injuries. The severity of the womans injuries is unknown.

Crimes Against Persons arrived at the scene and further investigation revealed that a male subject attempted to force his way into the home and an altercation occurred, El Paso Police said.

The family has also created a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs. Click here to find out more.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone who may have information about the incident is asked to call the non-emergency line at (915) 832-4400 or Crime Stoppers of El Paso at (915) 566-8477 to remain anonymous.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has canceled upcoming engagements due to a case of pneumonia, Commission spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker said on Jan. 3.

Von der Leyen, 66, has led the executive body of the European Union since 2019. She has positioned herself as a staunch supporter of Ukraine throughout Russia's full-scale invasion.

"The president has canceled her external engagements for the first two weeks of January. She is dealing with a severe pneumonia," de Keersmaecker said.

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"The canceled appointments include a speech in Lisbon and the scheduled trip to Gdansk on the occasion of the launch of the Polish Council presidency, which will take place at a later stage."

The spokesperson did not provide any further details on von der Leyen's condition.

Poland on Jan. 1 took over the rotating presidency of the EU Council, replacing Hungary in the role. An event launching the Polish presidency was held in Warsaw on Jan. 3.

Read also: European Commission approves $4.3 billion for Ukraine under Ukraine Facility program

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The leader of the conservative European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament is advocating for countermeasures in response to higher US import tariffs, should they be imposed, with EU tariffs to focus on US digital companies.

"We have to assume that Trump will do exactly as he announced: 20% tariffs on European products will be possible very soon," Manfred Weber told the Funke Media Group in a story published on Saturday.

Republican Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th US president on January 20.

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Europe must prepare itself for his plans "with confidence," Weber said.

"Economically, we are approximately the same size as the Americans, both representing over 20% of the global economic output. We are also capable of countermeasures. American digital companies earn a lot of money in the EU and pay hardly any taxes - that's where we could definitely address the issue."

Weber against national vetos on tariffs

But the politician stated that the EU does not want a trade war, as this would only weaken the West as a whole, for example against China.

"What we need is an economic NATO. We should offer Trump the opportunity to stand together against China."

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For Trump, politics is "a form of arm wrestling," said the German conservative politician from the Bavarian Christian Social Union party.

"Trump will only have respect for Europe if it acts confidently and united. In matters of tariffs, it is solely the EU that is responsible - there is no national veto, and that makes us strong."
Jan. 3With 450 people slated to run into the ocean on New Year's Day, Old Orchard Beach fire Chief John Gilboy had been keeping a close eye on the surf.

As the start of the annual Lobster Dip to benefit Special Olympics Maine approached, the waves were 4 to 5 feet high and conditions were getting worse. The height of the waves, angle of the beach and timing of the tide combined to create conditions that lead to dangerous rip currents.

Gilboy made the tough call to call off the dip because the risk was too great for both dippers and the rescue personnel on standby.

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"You could see the sand just get chopped around from the action of the waves," he said. "It just wasn't safe."

It's common for swimmers and lifeguards on Maine beaches, especially along the 7-mile shore of Old Orchard Beach, to be vigilant about rip currents during the summer, but the cancellation of the 37th annual Lobster Dip was an unfortunate reminder that they're also a concern during winter.

"Rip currents are year-round. The reason we don't emphasize them as much this time of year is because there are less people on the beach," said Daryen Granata, the harbor master and marine resource officer in Scarborough.

Old Orchard Beach has always been prone to rip currents because of a deep trough that forms at the end of the steep slope in its surf zone. Then came storms that altered the shape of the beach, leading to a summer with a record number of people rescued from the water.

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The storms last January washed away 5 feet of sand under the pier, creating a hot spot for rip currents. Long before the arrival of summer weather, local officials warned that the changes to the beach would likely lead to a busy summer for lifeguards.

Last summer, Old Orchard Beach lifeguards rescued 129 people, a stunning increase from 29 rescues the previous year. Other swimmers were caught in rip currents but were able to get themselves out or were assisted by other beachgoers.

A rip current is a narrow jet of water flowing swiftly away from the shore, through the surf zone and past the line of breaking waves at surf beaches. They are formed when waves break near the shoreline, piling up water between the break and the beach.

Rip currents are usually too slow to be considered dangerous, and begin to dissipate as they move offshore beyond the breaking waves. But under certain wave, tide and beach conditions, their speeds can exceed 5 mph, faster than even an Olympic swimmer can swim.

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Every year, an average of 71 people drown in rip currents in the U.S., according to the National Weather Service. Fifty-nine people died in a rip current in 2024, according to preliminary numbers from the weather service surf fatalities database. Maine has never had a rip current fatality.

This week, the height of the waves was a big factor in the decision to call off the Lobster Dip and issue advisories asking people to stay out of the water. If it was summer, Gilboy said, it would have been a red flag day warning of rip current conditions in the water.

There is a 3-foot drop in some spots on the stretch of beach where the Lobster Dip is held, Gilboy said.

"When those waves come and hit the bank, it churns up underneath and it's very easy to get knocked over," he said. "The first wave knocks you over and the second one really gets you. That was our biggest concern."

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People who had hoped to participate in the dip  ranging in age from children to seniors  were warned about the conditions and asked to stay out of the water, but some ran in anyway.

"We told them you're taking your life in your hands. If they were swept out, we wouldn't be able to get to them," Gilboy said.

The vast majority of people who go into the ocean in southern Maine during the winter are surfers. Popular winter surfing spots include Higgins and Pine Point beaches in Scarborough and the stretch of Old Orchard Beach closest to the line between the two towns.

In Scarborough, where Granata said those same winter storms wreaked havoc on the beaches, surfers are used to contending with rip currents. Most are experienced in the water and are properly equipped with a board and wet suit that add buoyancy, he said.

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"They know what the rip current looks like," Granata said. "They know how to ride it out, swim parallel to shore and swim back to the beach."

Granata said people who are going into the water, whether it's for a quick dip, swim or to surf, need to maintain situation awareness. They should always check the tide and wind direction, and know which way to swim if they get drawn out, he said.

"We can't emphasize enough that if you're going to recreate in the coastal waters, especially this time of year, it's really important to make sure you're fully prepared with proper equipment and gear," he said.

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WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT RIP CURRENTS

Rip currents can occur at any surf beach but are usually too slow to be dangerous. They often form at low spots or breaks in sandbars, and near structures such as groins, jetties and piers. Look for these clues to indicate when and where a rip current is occurring:

 Break in the incoming wave pattern.

 Channel of churning, choppy water.

 Area having a notable difference in water color.

 Line of foam, seaweed, or debris moving steadily seaward.

The best way to protect yourself from a rip current is to avoid them:

 Check the National Weather Service surf forecast before heading to the beach.

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 Learn to swim in surf and never swim alone.

 Swim near a lifeguard.

 Look for posted signs and yellow or red warning flags.

 Follow lifeguard instructions.

What to do if you get caught in a rip current:

 Don't try to swim directly to shore; people drown in rips because they grow too tired to stay afloat.

 Swim along the shoreline until you escape the current's pull.

 When free from the current's pull, swim at an angle away from the current toward shore.

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AUSTIN (Nexstar)  In less than two weeks the newest Texas Legislature will be sworn in at the state Capitol and the first important item on the to-do list for state representatives will be picking the next Speaker of the House.

The race is between House Republican Caucus nominee state Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, and state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock. The competition between the two has created a split among House Republicans on who to support.

Cook has support from a majority of the 88 House Republicans but does not have the 76 votes needed for Speakership. Burrows has support from a smaller list of House Republicans but is hoping for House Democratic support to lift him over the 76-vote threshold. Right now, it is unclear if any of the two have enough support to win the position.

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After the House Republican Caucus vote in December, the House Democratic Caucus released a statement saying, Democratic members have been released to support the Speaker candidate of their choice, except for David Cook.

However, in a Jan. 2 letter sent to House Democrats, Cook said, While you may not be aware of all the conversations happening, I can assure you that I have support amongst Democratic members. Cook does not list any names in the letter.

The letter was addressed to the outgoing House Democratic Caucus chair state Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer, D-San Antonio. Martinez-Fischer is urging his fellow Democratic lawmakers to unite so they can have leverage in the Speaker race.

If we will unite and have a common cause and get behind a candidate thats going to be fair, pragmatic, and govern in a way that our constituents expect us to. Thats what we should be doing, Martinez-Fischer said.

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When asked if he believes Cook truly has any Democratic supporters, Martinez-Fischer said, It would be a shock to me to know that there are folks willing to support anybody who is not going to give our team an equal shake and fair consideration to be a member of the leadership team.

Cook addresses public education funding in his letter to find common ground with his Democratic colleagues. Although he is a supporter of school choice, he says he believes the House needs to address critical education reforms like raising salaries for teachers, revamping or phasing out the STAAR test, and transitioning to an enrollment-based funding system as opposed to the current attendance-based funding system. But will Democrats trust him to follow through if elected?

Passing the House is just the start. Getting an idea through the Senate and getting an idea on the Governors desk and signed into law  there are a lot of ifs there, Martinez-Fischer explained.

David-Cook-letterDownload

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The Speaker race is often ceremonial as the controlling party will usually select its nominee for the Speakership and unanimously elect them into the position. That does not appear to be what will happen in this legislative session. In fact, we may not know for sure who will win the position until votes are counted on Jan. 14, the first day of the session.

Texas Attorney General to rally for Cook

Martinez-Fischer describes the Speaker race as not a game of skill, but a game of math. There are 62 Democrats in the Texas House, and a Speaker candidate only needs 76 votes to win the position. With the 88 House Republican members not united on who to support, it opens the door for Democratic House members to have a say in the vote. Burrows would only need 14 Republican members to side with him if he is able to get unanimous support from Democratic members, but even that is not a guarantee right now.

State Republican leaders do not want to see that happen and are urging its members to get in line with the party and elect Cook, who was able to secure the Republican Caucus nomination. The Texas GOP has already started running attack ads against Burrows in his home district to encourage him to drop out of the race.

Starting next week, Abraham George, the Texas Republican Party chair, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will go on a two-day, four-city rally around the state to drive up support for Cook. The rallies are strategically placed in districts that are home to some House Republicans who have not come out to support Cook in the Speaker race.

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The posters advertising the event on the Texas GOP X account read, Join Chairman George and Attorney General Ken Paxton to hear about a small group of Republicans currently trying to cut a deal with Democrats to control the Texas House.

We want to make it very clear to our representatives and the people of where we stand as far as the Speaker race, George explained. Paxton and George will start in Fort Worth and Tyler on Monday, and then go to Leander and The Woodlands on Tuesday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called on the Trump administration to replace the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director in Salt Lake City in a letter that proposed reforms to make the detention and removal of migrants convicted of crimes easier.

Cox joined the five-member leadership team of the Utah Sheriffs Association in sending the letter, dated Jan. 2, to former ICE director Tom Homan, who is President-elect Donald Trumps incoming border czar.

The letter, obtained by the Deseret News, made three requests: new ICE leadership in Utah, less obstacles to house ICE detainees in Utah and more funding to remove migrants who should be deported from Utah.

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The letter was signed by Cox, Utah Sheriffs Association president Tracy Glover of Kane County, Jared Rigby of Wasatch County, Travis Tucker of Duchesne County, Steve Labrum of Uintah County and Mike Smith of Utah County.

It was addressed to Homan, who will be tasked with implementing Trumps program of mass deportations, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Trumps nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security.

Cox said the letter aims to be a starting point to address problems that reached their peak under the Biden administrations immigration policies, which Cox labeled an unmitigated failure that continues to place humanitarian, public safety, and public health burdens on state and local leaders.

What did Cox request from Trump border nominees?

One of the challenges Utah faced under President Joe Biden was a lack of cooperation from federal partners at ICE, according to Cox.

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Over the last few years, the Biden administration issued a slate of burdensome regulations that pressured county sheriffs to terminate their contracts with ICE to house migrant detainees.

Instead of working with local law enforcement to rent space that could meet the new requirements, Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke published a now-retracted statement inaccurately labeling Utah a sanctuary state.

The first request in Coxs letter to Noem and Homan is for an immediate change in Salt Lake Citys ICE leadership.

We ask you to immediately transfer Michael Bernacke, the letter says. Mr. Bernacke no longer has any credibility or good faith with the Cox Administration or the larger Utah law enforcement community  an untenable situation at any time, but especially in this current crisis.

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Attempts to reach Bernacke via email and phone were unsuccessful.

Coxs second request is for Noem and Homan to consider altering the unreasonable detention requirements for ICE detainees.

The Biden administrations 700-page-long list of ICE standards includes requirements for ICE detainees in deportation proceedings to have their own entrance to a jail, to receive a specific hair cut and to use a particular hand lotion.

Multiple facilities owned by counties or the state have ample bed space for ICE detainees awaiting transfer to the ICE detention facility in Las Vegas or awaiting deportation, Cox said. But these spaces are currently off limits.

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Cox urged Noem and Homan upon entering office to adopt U.S. Marshal standards or states standards for ICE detainees.

In his third and final request, Cox urged Noem and Homan to approve additional funding for Utah to adequately support the Trump administrations effort to quickly deport those who pose a threat to public safety.

These funds would be used to increase the transportation of ICE detainees from Utah to the Las Vegas facility. More funds are also needed to increase bed space in Las Vegas, where there are only 40 available beds for ICE detainees from Utah, Nevada, Idaho and Montana, Cox said.

That will not be nearly enough given the scope of the problem, Cox said. Again, our county sheriffs are willing to help and have available space if there is a willingness to dedicate funding and develop common sense standards.

Detainees play outside during a media tour of the Port Isabel Detention Center (PIDC), hosted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Harlingen Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Los Fresnos, Texas, June 10, 2024. | Veronica Gabriela Cardenas

What has Cox said about deportations?

Following Trumps win in the November general election, Cox has repeatedly spoken about his view that migrants who are in the country illegally and then break Utah law should be deported.

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In November, Cox released a statement outlining five policy initiatives to increase coordination between federal and local partners to identify and deport more illegal immigrants who have committed crimes and pose a threat to public safety.

These initiatives include adding checkpoints where those who have been arrested for a crime can be identified as migrants who entered the country illegally and working with the state Legislature to pass policies related to criminal behavior by migrants who have entered the country illegally.

Multiple Utah sheriffs, including Glover and Smith, told the Deseret News they were enthusiastic to have an administration that prioritized deporting dangerous criminals who are in the country illegally. But they questioned whether it would be the best use of local resources to implement mass deportations of all migrants who entered the country illegally.

In a December press conference, Cox clarified that his support for Trumps deportation agenda extends beyond removing migrants who have committed violent crimes after entering the country illegally to also include those who are in the country without proper documentation or residency status.

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If you commit crimes, I dont care if theyre violent or non-violent, yes, you should not be here, Cox said. You shouldnt have been here in the first place, but you definitely should not be here.

Cox has reaffirmed his commitment to the Utah Compact on Immigration, a statement signed by hundreds of Utah leaders in 2010 that balances the rule of law, a recognition of federal authority on immigration, an opposition to policies that separate families and an aspiration to integrate migrants into the economy.

The statement was followed a year later by a historic package of state laws under the same name that included a guest worker program for undocumented migrants.

The principles of the compact, I think, are still very important, Cox told the combined Deseret News and KSL editorial boards in December.
For decades, Trader Joe's reputation for quality products, great prices, and good vibes has amassed repeat customers for these reasons. Still, unfortunately, it's also fallen victim to numerous recalls, which have been on the rise in the grocery industry since 2024. While most recalls involve perishable food items like meat and dairy, one of the more notable Trader Joe's recalls involved an unusual product and an even more unusual problem.

Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Brew  described as a "ginger ale with a kick" and packaged in a vintage-style glass bottle  was taken off store shelves in 2015 because the bottles were reported to explode. In fact, customers complained that the bottle(s) they purchased were combusting before they were even opened. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and Trader Joe's urged buyers to seek a refund in case they purchased a bottle during that duration of time. Fast forward to today, and the gingery beverage is back on the shelves, now (one assumes) safe to open and consume.

Read more: The Surprising Way Costco Slices Up Its Pizza To Uniform Perfection

Other Major Trader Joe's Recalls

Product recall stamp in front of a blurry version of a grocery store aisle - Bymuratdeniz/Getty Images

Every grocery store chain falls afoul of recalls; Aldi alone was hit by several recalls that affected millions of customers, including contaminated produce, tortilla wraps laced with metal, and frozen Italian meals with a gruesome secret ingredient: horse meat. Compared to those debacles, Trader Joe's has emerged somewhat unscathed, but the chain has had its off days, too, with some of its biggest recalls involving insects in soups, bone fragments in burgers, and several significant instances of contamination. In 2024, several ready-to-eat products were recalled due to listeria, a bacteria that can cause common symptoms like fever and nausea to more serious symptoms like seizures and loss of balance. Trader Joe's urged its customers to check their purchase time and expiration dates based on the recall timestamps.

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After a handful of products like protein wraps and salads were tested, many contaminated food items with sale dates that fell between July 21, 2024, and October 15, 2024 were recalled. While the impacted areas in the U.S. depended on the product, which in some cases affected more than half the country, Trader Joe's quickly tried to address the situation and ensure customers were safe. Here's hoping Trader Joe's has a better year ahead.

For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more!

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Experts told BI the explosives detonated in an apparent attack outside a Trump hotel didn't appear sophisticated.

One explosives expert said the incident, where the driver was an active-duty Army service member, appeared "poorly executed."

Authorities said the explosives were "not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience."

Explosive experts told Business Insider the damage from the materials detonated inside a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas would likely have been worse if the items used had been more sophisticated.

The explosive-laden Cybertruck, which authorities say carried gasoline tanks, camping fuel, and large firework mortars, injured at least seven people. The driver, an active-duty Army service member named Matthew Alan Livelsberger, shot himself moments before the explosives detonated on Wednesday, authorities said.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to social media in the wake of the incident to praise the Cybertruck's design and suggest it helped limit the damage of the explosion.

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Nick Glumac, a mechanical science and engineering professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, told BI that the volume of the explosion was likely due to the types of explosives used. Glumac said this was a "poorly executed" incident if the intent was to cause major damage.

"It would be very difficult to get the types of fuels here to make into a large scale destruction kind of event," Glumac said.

Glumac said similar improvised explosive device blasts look very different from what occurred on January 1. He also pointed to the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995, when Army veteran Timothy McVeigh detonated an explosive-laden rental truck that killed 168 people and reduced a third of the federal building to rubble.

"That was very carefully planned. They knew what they were doing," Glumac said about the Oklahoma City Bombing, adding that the Cybertruck explosion on January 1, by contrast, appeared "very improvised."

'The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience'

Car and truck bombs were a key feature of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to which the suspect deployed at least three times. In many of those instances, vehicles were packed with enough explosives to blast fortified positions or take down buildings. The war in Ukraine has similarly suggested that heavily armored vehicles and tanks can be used as rolling car bombs.

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Officials spoke about the explosive materials used in the incident during a Thursday press conference.

"The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience," Kenny Cooper, an assistant special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said at a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police press conference, adding that most of the materials in the vehicle were to "help fuel a greater explosion."

Ali Rangwala, a fire protection engineering professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, said that the driver may have miscalculated the explosion, and it might not have been released instantaneously.

"Some of the explosives might not have triggered on time systematically," Rangwala said.

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"The only way to create an instantaneous energy release, as in the case of a bomb, is for all of the energetic material to ignite in micro- or milli-seconds," Jim Wesevich, a global service line leader of forensics at safety and security firm Jensen Hughes, told BI in written commentary.

A military official told BI that Livelsberger "wasn't a bomb maker." But his military occupational specialty (MOS) within the 10th Special Forces Group was 18Z, making him a special forces operations sergeant, which the Army says, "trains and maintains proficiency in all major duties associated with Special Forces."

Cooper said it was too early to know if there was "sophisticated connectivity" to the components or to "give any determination" as to how the explosion was initiated. Officials said they discovered consumer fireworks, mortars, aerial shells, fuel enhancers, and explosive targets that Cooper said could be purchased at "any sporting goods store."

Experts say a vehicle's design may shape the trajectory of a blast

Elon Musk, in a social media post Wednesday, called the Cybertruck the "worst possible choice for a car bomb, as its stainless steel armor will contain the blast better than any other commercial vehicle."

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Kevin McMahill, sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said the Cybertruck's design helped limit the explosion.

"The fact that this was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet because it had most of the blast go up and through the truck and out," McMahill said in a briefing.

Rangwala said the damage may have been partly limited because a Cybertruck's roof, which includes a large glass pane, would clear pressure from inside the vehicle early in the explosion. The pressure from an explosion would be felt on all sides equally if it wasn't relieved by going upward through the roof, he said.

Glumac and Brian Meacham, an engineer and director of risk and regulatory consulting at Crux Consulting LLC who spoke to BI over email, said that they would have expected similar scenarios if the incident took place in a traditional pickup truck.

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Michael Villahermosa, a US Army commander with a background in explosive ordnance disposal, said on X that photos of the items used in the blast suggest the explosives were "poorly constructed and poorly thought out."

As he said on X, "People are using the Las Vegas bombing to show the quality of the Cybertruck," when, in his view, "it shows the quality of the explosive device that was used."

Staff writer Ryan Pickrell contributed to this report.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jan. 3FAIRFIELD  A Fairfield man died early Friday after he was struck by a tractor trailer while walking across an Interstate 95 off-ramp, police say.

Police received a 911 call to the Bangor Communications Center just after 3:30 a.m. about a pedestrian struck at mile marker 132 southbound, according to Lt. Aaron Turcotte of the Maine State Police.

Troopers found 49-year-old Mark Michaud had died at the scene.

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Turcotte said the truck was driven by Damon Sylvia, 19, of Milford.

Police are continuing to investigate the crash. The scene was analyzed by the state police accident reconstruction team while the commercial motor vehicle unit inspected the tractor trailer.

Exit ramp 132 was briefly closed and reopened not long after 6 a.m.

On Friday, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, which works to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, noted that this is the first pedestrian death of 2025.

"The BCM encourages all road users to exercise caution and be aware of vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and people using mobility devices," Paul Drinan, active transportation director for the coalition said.

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Though he's due to get away with less than a slap on the wrist, Donald Trump is not happy about his upcoming sentencing for falsifying business records.

In a series of posts to Truth Social on Saturday morning, the president-elect painted a picture of a corrupt establishment that had unfairly targeted him in a series of civil and criminal cases.

"There has never been a President who was so evilly and illegally treated as I. Corrupt Democrat judges and prosecutors have gone against a political opponent of a President, ME, at levels of injustice never seen before," he wrote. "Corrupt judges or judges so blinded by their hatred of me ... are making a mockery of the United States Judicial System, and the World is watching in disgust."

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Trump's rant came a day after New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan ordered that Trump be sentenced for his conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Merchan made it clear in his order that he is unlikely to suggest jail time or fines for the president-elect during the Jan. 10 hearing but worried that dropping the case entirely would damage the average citizen's belief in the "rule of law." On Truth Social, Trump said his felonies were "fake" and called for Merchan to be disbarred.

"I never falsified business records. It is a fake, made-up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department," he wrote. "Every legal scholar of note said there IS NO CASE AGAINST ME. The judge should be disbarred!"

Elsewhere in the posts, Trump inveighed against Special Counsel Jack Smith and E. Jean Carroll. Smith wound down his election interference and classified documents cases against Trump following his election. Juries found Trump liable for sexual abuse and guilty of defamation in a series of cases brought by Carroll.

"And then we have, also in New York, the woman I never met (celebrity photo lines from 30 years ago dont count!), who was awarded almost $100,000,000. A totally out of control, Trump-hating judge presided," he wrote. "Deranged Jack Smith, the evil and sinister prosecutor appointed by Crooked Joe Biden to 'take me down,' was found to be illegally appointed by a CORRUPT DOJ and FBI, and all of his many charges against me were dropped or dismissed."
A family vlogger and online rapper whose YouTube channel amassed over 1 million subscribers is accused of briefly kidnapping a woman in Texas before then relocating outside the U.S.

Corey Pritchett Jr., 26, was charged on Dec. 26 with one count of aggravated kidnapping. He is accused of taking the woman on a high-speed car ride with a second woman and threatening both of their lives, according to a criminal complaint obtained by HuffPost.

Pritchett on Friday addressed the allegations in a message to his over 600,000 followers on Instagram, writing, Dont worry lol Im finna give the Details on here & in the Court of Law.

Corey Pritchett Jr. is seen in an image from Instagram. Instagram @coreyssgquotes

The incident underpinning the charge allegedly took place Nov. 23 in the Houston area, with the two women telling police that they planned to ride ATVs with Pritchett and go bowling that night, according to the complaint.

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But after they arrived at the bowling alley, the women thought the rapper seemed to be acting suspicious, and they asked him to leave, which he did.

One of the women later messaged Pritchett to say they had left some items in his car, according to the complaint. Pritchett met with the women at a parking lot and offered to give them a ride home, to which they agreed.

During the drive, both women noticed Pritchetts behavior was different from earlier in the day. Eventually Pritchett drove in the opposite direction of one womans apartment and ended up on the highway, the complaint said.

Pritchett was allegedly making phone calls to unknown people as he seemingly increased the vehicles speed to over 100 mph. The women said Pritchett pulled out a gold-colored handgun and waved it out of the vehicles sunroof.

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One woman told Pritchett to take her back to her apartment. She attempted to calm him down by asking him to pray with them as he continued to drive at a high speed, according to the complaint.

At one point, Pritchett made a video call to an unknown person whose contact was saved in his phone as Future Wife. He asked her if he had the perfect opportunity and was driving in the middle of nowhere and no one could hear them scream, authorities wrote in the complaint. The person on the phone responded with a yes.

The women feared for their lives, believing they were going to be taken to a remote location to be killed, according to the complaint.

Pritchett took the womens phones after noticing that they had been texting each other, the complaint said. Pritchett allegedly fired four to five shots out the window and pointed the firearm at the women around this time.

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He then pulled over on the shoulder of the highway and ordered the women to get out the vehicle, the complaint said.

This is your only opportunity, they claimed Pritchett told them.

When he drove off, the two women flagged down a good Samaritan and called 911, prompting law enforcement to respond, according to the complaint. The woman stated that Pritchett had at one point told them Im gonna fuck yall and then kill yall.

One of the women had screenshots from a location-sharing app that police said corroborated their statements, including claims about the high speed of Pritchetts vehicle. Authorities were unable to make contact with Pritchett, but said he indicated on social media that he was leaving the U.S. to start a new life in Dubai.

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Pritchett flew to Qatar on a one-way ticket Dec. 9, the complaint said. According to NBC affiliate KPRC, authorities are trying to bring him back to the U.S.

Pritchett had achieved fame on YouTube with lighthearted videos about relationships and family with his now ex-wife, Carmen Pritchett, according to KPRC. She has more than 5 million followers on Instagram.

The latest video on his family YouTube page was added over a year ago. He has recently seemed to focus more on his music career.

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King Charles has been left deeply saddened after the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, Prince William and Prince Harrys beloved childhood nanny, was named as one of the 14 people killed in the New Orleans terror attack.

Edward Pettifer, 31, died when a pick-up truck rammed into crowds gathered on Bourbon Street in the heart of New Orleans on New Years Day. Edwards father married Tiggy after splitting with Edwards mother, although Tiggy was already a godmother to Edward.

Tiggy has remained close to both Harry and William, whom she cared for from 1993 until 1999.

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In his memoir, Spare, Harry described Tiggy as a surrogate mum. He also said that she was one of the few people to directly chastise me for Oprah, referring to the controversial interview he and Meghan Markle did with Oprah Winfrey in which they claimed Meghan was subjected to prejudiced questioning about her then-unborn babies likely skin color. The royals alleged to have expressed concerns were later revealed to be King Charles and Kate, an issue that lies at the heart of Williams refusal to reconcile with his brother.

William and Harry are also both godfathers to Tiggys children, who are Edwards half-siblings.

In a statement issued from the official Prince and Princess of Wales X account, William shared his condolences.

Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack, he wrote, signing off with W.

Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack. W  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 4, 2025

Harry has yet to comment.

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Pettifers family has appealed for privacy, though given the feuding brothers close connections to the family, it seems inevitable there will be speculation as to whether they will attend any funeral or memorial for Edward.

An official source told the Daily Beast that King Charles was deeply saddened by the news, and has shared private condolences with Edwards family.

Meghan McCain criticized Meghan Markle as utterly tone deaf to the moment for launching her Instagram account promoting a trailer for her new cooking show in the hours after the horrific attack, but few could have predicted her husband would turn out to have such a close connection to one of the victims.
Italys far-right prime minister has spoken out about her similarities with Sir Keir Starmer, saying the pair are in tune on the fight against mass illegal immigration.

Giorgia Meloni, known for her hardline views on immigration, sparked concern across Europe as her coalition government came to power in October 2022.

But after meeting the UK prime minister in September, it seems the pair have struck up good relations.

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In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, she said relations between herself and Starmer were very well, adding: We are in tune on many issues. I am thinking, for example, of the management of migratory flows and the fight against mass illegal immigration, because it is a phenomenon that affects the entire European continent, even outside the EU borders.

Last year, Meloni backed a 556m deal to transport 3,000 people intercepted in Italian seas each month to Albania - but the plan has not been successful so far due to legal problems.

Starmer faced criticism in September after he said that the UK would send Italy 4m to support the Italian PMs immigration crackdown.

Meloni spoken of warm relations between her and the UK prime minister following their meeting in September. (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Meloni added: We agree with Starmer that we need to intensify the fight against traffickers, work on greater cooperation between our police forces, strengthen the commitment to assisted voluntary repatriations and not be afraid to explore innovative solutions, such as the one that Italy has started with the protocol with Albania to process asylum requests in non-EU territory, but under Italian and European jurisdiction.

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In the same interview, Meloni detailed her friendship with owner of social media site X and fellow right-winger Elon Musk.

We are definitely two people who have a great relationship. Elon Musk is a brilliant man and it is always very interesting to talk to him, she said.

Meloni detailed her friendship with owner of social media site X and fellow right-winger Elon Musk. (Getty Images)

Musk is a great personality of our time, an extraordinary innovator who always looks to the future. I find it natural to be able to talk to him. Of course, there are things on which our point of view is more similar, others that we see more distant, but this does not prevent comparison.

And, allow me, it makes you smile quite a bit when until yesterday those who exalted Musk as a genius and today instead paint him as a monster, only because he chose the side considered wrong of the barricade. I have never thought this way.

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It comes as Musk launched an attack on Starmer and the Labour government after Labour rejected a call for a national inquiry into child grooming.

The tech billionaire triggered an explosive row on Thursday over Sir Keir Starmers handling of historic child abuse in Oldham after he suggested the prime minister had failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions.
Jan. 3WASHINGTON, D.C.  The U.S. Senate passed a continuing resolution on Dec. 21 that extends current government funding levels for three months. Additionally, the 2018 Farm Bill has been extended for another year. This resolution will help prevent a government shutdown and will provide nearly $10 billion to farmers affected by disasters in 2023.

The year-round selling of E15 gasoline was pulled from the resolution, though, continuing an uphill climb for advocates across the state.

Farmers are excited about the potential increase in ethanol in the fuel blend. Currently 10 percent ethanol is allowed in the nation's fuel blend.

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"If that increases 1 percent to 11 percent because more people will have more access to higher blends of ethanol than 10 percent, if it just nicks up 1 percent, that's going to create corn demand in the tune of 470 million bushels," said Tadd Nicholson, executive director of Ohio Corn & Wheat. "It's like 85 percent of Ohio's crop will increase in demand."

Why wasn't a Farm Bill passed?

Amid an election year, writing and proposing a new bill would likely present many obstacles during the transition to a new presidency.

"Everything is about the election," Nicholson said. "All of the oxygen is taken up on figuring out who our new president is going to be, so it's a very difficult year to write a big bill like a Farm Bill, so it was really supposed to be done in '23. It didn't get done. We had a one-year extension that took us into '24, and that was the year we were hoping they could manage to do a presidential election and a Farm Bill in one year, but that just wasn't the case.

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"We knew all year long, we did not get that done, so the best we could hope for is a one-year extension in the lame-duck period, and that's what we got. So we're happy about that, but we're also really kind of calling on Congress to really get down to working and get a five-year Farm Bill written in the next year."

No on year-round E15

The year-round sale of E15, also known as unleaded 88 gasoline, is limited. This fuel consists of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent ethanol and is only available for selling during the summer stretch from June 1 through Sept. 15 with a waiver.

"It was incredibly disappointing for us as farmers, but also as Ohio consumers, we would've been able to have greater access to E15, saving all of us money," Nicholson said.

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Nicholson said many will be calling on Congress to make the change within the next year.

"Get this thing fixed as quickly as possible," he said.

Nicholson said waivers were approved for the sale of E15 during the summer of 2023 and 2024, however, "it's not sustainable."

Why did E15 get pulled?

Nicholson said he was never informed as to why it was pulled from the continuing resolution.

"The reasons it was pulled out are unknown to us," he said. "It's bipartisan support for this, so it can be that whole issue. It's got support from the petroleum industry. There's really no good reason why it doesn't get passed."

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Nicholson is one of many advocating for Congress to take the common-sense approach on expanding E15.

"You would think this would be a really easy thing (to pass)," he said. "With all of the support and the fact that to fix this, it doesn't cost taxpayers anything. All it is is changing an old, outdated law that needs to get fixed, and if they can do that at a zero-dollar cost, you would think this would be a really easy thing to get done."

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A woman known as the fastest nun in the West, who served areas of Santa Fe and Albuquerque in the late 1800s, is one step closer to becoming a saint in the Catholic Church. Known for starting the first public schools and building hospitals in the state, KRQE News 13 has details on what Sister Blandina Segales legacy means to New Mexico.

Story continues below

Daily she asked herself, who are the vulnerable and what do they need from me? That is a message for the whole world today, Catholic or not. Who are the vulnerable, and what do they need from me? said Allen Sanchez, president of CommonSpirit St. Josephs Children.

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Sister Blandina Segale, an immigrant from Italy who entered the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati in the 1860s, came to serve New Mexico in the 1870s. She did a lot in New Mexico. She came in in 1872 and she formed schools, the first public school in New Mexico, hospitals, orphanages, she especially reached out to immigrant children, said Archbishop of Santa Fe John Wester.

According to CommonSpirit St. Josephs Children, Sister Blandina earned the nickname the fastest nun in the West for her work in the region including disarming lynch mobs, providing health care, and even befriending historical figures like Billy the Kid.

Anybody who needed help, she reached out to the vulnerable. She loved New Mexico and she really wanted to bring love and compassion and mercy of God to people and to help them, Wester said.

Because of her legacy, in 2014, Sanchez with CommonSpirit petitioned the Vatican to recognize Sister Blandina as a sainta years long process with many steps to demonstrate saintliness. This includes the most recent step for Sister Blandina: ten years of research and data collection on the nun, presented in Rome as proof of heroic virtue. It was a unanimous vote of the nine historians that the collection of the data was done correctly, Sanchez said.

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This means the sister is one step closer to becoming a saint. All the historical evidence, the probing has been done, and so the church is about to say the sister is indeed venerable, meaning that she is somebody who has taken the next step towards sainthood, Wester said.

Sanchez said Sister Blandina also fought against human trafficking and worked with Thomas Edison to invent the hearing aid. She died in 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
UPDATE 1/7/25: An Illinois man has been charged in the fatal stabbing of 55-year-old Kevin Noland of Warsaw at the Lake Hills Motel on Friday, Jan. 3.

Shawn Murphy mugshot

Court documents state that 55-year-old Shawn Murphy was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Murphy has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Murphy is currently in the Benton County Detention Center with no bond.

Original Story (1/3/25):

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BENTON COUNTY, Mo.  A fight at the Lake Hills Motel resulted in the death of one man and another injured.

According to a press release from the Benton County MO Sheriffs Office, on Jan. 3, deputies responded to reports of a stabbing and shots fired at the Lake Hills Motel. Shawn Murphy, 55, of Illinois, and Kevin Noland, 55, of Warsaw, were fighting with each other which resulted in Noland getting fatally stabbed.

Police believe the fatal injury was caused by Murphy.

During the altercation, Roger Hurr, 61, intervened and shot Murphy in the leg.

Noland was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Murphy was airlifted to a regional trauma center for treatment. He will be taken into custody upon his release.

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Hurr was taken in for questioning and has since been released.

This is an ongoing investigation. OzarksFirst will update the story as reports come in.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
Could Mother Nature provide an extra day of holiday break to Fayette County students come Tuesday morning?

Fayette County Public Schools officials said in a Facebook post Friday theyre actively monitoring the potential winter weather system that may impact the districts return from winter break Tuesday.

To be best prepared for a possible change to the school schedule, families were asked to review the winter weather procedures at fcps.net/weather and update the familys contact preferences in Campus Parent at fcps.net/icupdate.

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Kentucky is under a winter storm watch for possible snow and ice Sunday and Monday, followed by cold weather the rest of next week.

During winter, a team of district employees monitors the weather conditions along with meteorologists and the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Streets and Roads Division, the district website said.

When temperatures are predicted to reach extreme lows, the district considers a combination of factors  including ambient temperature, wind chill, precipitation, road conditions, sidewalk conditions and weather forecasts  in deciding whether to use a Non-Traditional Instruction day, cancel school or delay the start of school.

The district has not set a specific temperature but would start considering a change to the school schedule if temperatures were forecast to be below zero and/or a wind chill advisory has been issued.

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The National Weather Service issues a wind chill advisory when wind chills of -10 to -24 degrees are expected and a wind chill warning when wind chills of -25 or lower are expected.

Student safety is the districts top priority, officials said,.

They added officials try to ensure that school buildings are a warm, safe, and ideal place for students to be when the weather is extremely cold.

The district said it relies on families to make sure children are dressed appropriately. Ideally, students need winter hats, gloves, heavy coats and boots. Layering thin pieces of dry clothing is best in extremely low temperatures.

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Parents who need help with winter clothing should ask at their childs school.

Weather and road conditions vary throughout Lexington. One end of the county might be clear, while other areas of town are dangerous. With student safety as the guiding priority, FCPS makes decisions based on whats best for the whole community, officials said.

The district also respects the right of each family to make different choices based on what they feel is best for their childrens safety.

A staff work day is scheduled for Monday. But on Saturday, district officials said they will share an update regarding Mondays work schedule on Sunday afternoon once they have a clearer picture of conditions.

Correction: A previous version of this story and headline gave an incorrect day for when students in Fayette County are scheduled to return from winter break.
Investigators have definitively identified the US soldier responsible for the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas and are treating his act as a suicide, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) said on Friday.

FBI investigator Spencer Evans acknowledged that though "this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues."

Previously Las Vegas Municipal Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters that he is "comfortable calling it a suicide."

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It was difficult to identify the person because he was burnt beyond recognition, the FBI's Evans said. Matthew Alan L, who also served as a soldier in Afghanistan, shot himself in the head before the detonation of his vehicle and was burned beyond recognition.

Regarding the location of the explosion, investigators clarified that L harboured no animosity towards President-elect Donald Trump. There also remains no indication of any link to the gunman from New Orleans who was shot just a few hours earlier, or to a terrorist organization.

During the press conference, investigators released excerpts from two of the L's letters. In one, he wrote: "We are the united states of america the best country people to ever exist! but right now we are terminally ill and headed toward collapse.

The man also wrote about his motives.

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"This was not a terrorist attack, this was a wake-up call."

"Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way could there have been to make my point clear than with a stunt involving fireworks and explosives?"
The door to Shamsud-Din Jabbar's mobile home in Houston leans on its frame Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. FBI agents gain entry to the home Thursday a day after Jabbar killed 14 people and injured 37 in a terror attack in New Orleans. (Chris Joseph/WVUE-TV Fox 8)

NEW ORLEANS  Precursor chemicals for making explosives were found at the home of terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbars home in Houston, according to the FBI.

Multiple news reports confirmed agents returned to Jabbars mobile home Friday to seek more evidence after first raiding it Thursday. The structure was left unsecured overnight, with reporters and other curious onlookers walking inside.

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Harris County, Texas, sheriffs deputies blocked the road into the neighborhood while the FBI conducted further investigations, and the gate into Jabbars property was closed, WVUE-TV Fox 8 reported. A vehicle was also seen being towed away from the home.

The gate outside the Houston mobile home of terrorist Shamsud-Bin Jabbar lies knocked down Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. FBI agents entered his property Thursday, a day after he killed 14 people and injured 37 more on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. (Chris Joseph/WVUE-TV Fox 8)

According to authorities, Jabbar put homemade bombs inside two rolling ice chests and placed them on Bourbon Street, blocks away from where he would plow through a crowd of people celebrating the New Year. The devices were safely disposed of later Wednesday.

Jabbars rampage left 14 people dead and 37 injured. Police killed Jabbar in a shootout after his truck crashed into a large hydraulic lift.

A working detonation device was found inside the cab of the Ford F-150 pickup Jabbar drove, the FBI said in a news release issued late Friday.

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More materials for making explosives were found Wednesday at a short-term rental property in the St. Roch neighborhood, 2 miles away from where the terror attack took place. A homemade device suspected of being a silencer for a rifle was also found at the Mandeville Street home, according to the FBI.

The agency said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms determined that Jabbar strategically placed accelerants throughout the house in his effort to destroy it and other evidence of his crime before he left for the French Quarter. Similar chemicals were found at his trailer home in Houston.

Memorial site comes together

A collection of wreaths, crosses, flowers and candles has come together on the block of Bourbon Street where the terror attack took place. Police escorted a group of family members of some of the people killed to the site, where some reflected, prayed and wept as camera crews and reporters looked on.

The first of whats expected to be multiple memorials on Bourbon Street this weekend was scheduled for Friday night.

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In the meantime, Orleans Parish Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna released the names of 12 of the 14 people who died in the attack. The identity of a British citizen was withheld at the familys request, and another victim was listed as an unknown Black female.

McKenna said Jabbars body has yet to be released to his family at the direction of federal investigators.

This story was updated at 10:15 p.m. Friday.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday said the attacker in the New Orleans car ramming tried to destroy evidence before killing 14 people in a terrorist attack in the southern US city on New Year's morning.

Separately they also confirmed that the Las Vegas Tesla Cybertruck explosion in front of a hotel owned by President-elect Donald Trump was the result of a suicide and that the two incidences had nothing to do with each other.

In the New Orleans incident, materials for bomb-making, among other items, were secured in a rented accommodation, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced.

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The attacker attempted to destroy that evidence by starting a small fire in the hallway, the ATF said. He spread accelerants around the house to destroy evidence of his planned attack, but before the fire could spread to other rooms, it extinguished itself, the authorities said. By then the man had already left the building.

The ATF later determined that the identified attacker, Shamsud-Din J, was the only person who could have had access to the location when the fire was set.

On Thursday the FBI said the attacker had acted alone.

"As we're being transparent, unfortunately, there is some information that we have to go back and correct," Christopher Raia, FBI deputy assistant director, told a press conference. "We're confident at this point that there are no accomplices."

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The police had previously said they were looking for possible collaborators. Dozens were injured after the suspect intentionally drove into a crowd of New Year's revellers in New Orleans' French Quarter.

No connection between New Orleans, Las Vegas events

The FBI also emphasized that there is currently no connection between the attack in New Orleans and the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, which also occurred on New Year's morning. The incidents occurred a few hours apart.

Both vehicles were rented from Turo, an online car hire company, and both men were in the military, but the connections end there, authorities said.

FBI, sheriff: Las Vegas incident was a suicide

The FBI also said on Friday that it had definitively identified the US soldier responsible for the Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas and investigators are treating his act as a suicide.

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FBI investigator Spencer Evans acknowledged that though "this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was struggling with PTSD and other issues."

Previously Las Vegas Municipal Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters that he is "comfortable calling it a suicide."

It was difficult to identify the person because he was burnt beyond recognition, the FBI's Evans said.

However, there are numerous indications that it is Matthew Alan L - a US soldier who also served in Germany, according to the sheriff. L had also served in Afghanistan and had shot himself in the head before the detonation of his vehicle, authorities said. Final confirmation could only be given after a DNA test.

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McMahill said the 37-year-old had spent most of his time at the Fort Carson base in Colorado and in Germany. He had returned from Germany on an authorized leave, he added. L is originally from Colorado Springs.

The Cybertruck is an electric pick-up with a distinctive stainless steel body, built by the US electric car manufacturer Tesla, whose chief executive is Elon Musk.

The tech billionaire, who also owns the internet platform X, is considered a close adviser to Trump.

ATF and FBI agents are seen outside a house on Mandeville street, where bomb-making materials were found in connection with the New Orleans terror ramming attack. A fire broke out and bomb-making materials were found in a short-term rental property, where the man who killed at least 10 people in New Orleans early on New Year's Day may have stayed before ploughing his pickup truck into a crowd. Kyle Mazza/TheNEWS2 via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

An FBI agent is seen outside a house on mandeville street, where bomb-making materials were found in connection with the New Orleans terror ramming attack. A fire broke out and bomb-making materials were found in a short-term rental property, where the man who killed at least 10 people in New Orleans early on New Year's Day may have stayed before ploughing his pickup truck into a crowd. Kyle Mazza/TheNEWS2 via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Frederick County Public Schools will close schools two hours early Friday due to a forecast of winter weather.

All FCPS and community-group afterschool and evening activities have been cancelled or postponed, according to a message distributed by the school district Friday morning.

School-based daycare programs, community school vendors and Parks and Recreation programs in school gyms make and communicate decisions concerning their schedules, according to the post.

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The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Frederick County from 1 to 7 p.m.

Bands of snow are expected to roll through the area on Friday afternoon and evening, but most areas will only experience an hour or two of snowfall. Total accumulation is expected to be between 1 and 2 inches.
Theres a reason they are called the Bravest.

President Biden awarded the coveted Medal of Valor on Friday to a pair of heroic FDNY firefighters who ignored intense flames and selflessly raced into danger to save desperate New Yorkers who were trapped in burning buildings.

Lt. John Vanderstar was recognized for his heroics on Oct. 23, 2022, when he raced through raging flames in a Bronx apartment to rescue a mother and daughter who were trapped in a fire in a back bedroom.

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Firefighter Brendan Gaffney also was honored for rushing into a burning Inwood building on Feb. 5, 2023  twice  first to save an unconscious child, and again, to rescue a pregnant woman.

They allowed people to continue their lives in ways that they never would have been able to, Biden said at a White House ceremony honoring the firefighters and six other first responders.

Theres a lot fewer empty chairs around the kitchen table and dining room table because of what these guys did. And what they did is  is amazing. They literally put their lives at risk  some of them at the point that you wonder how they could have had the nerve to do it.

Also among the honorees were law enforcement officials who responded to a shooter who killed six people on March 27, 2023, at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, where, facing gunfire, they cleared out classrooms before taking down the shooter.

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So, thank you, guys, Biden said. I really mean it. Youre the best America has to offer. Im so damn proud to stand with you.

FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said the medals  the nations highest award for valor by a public safety officer  were an honor for the entire department.

Every day, FDNY members do amazing work serving the people of New York, Tucker said. We are incredibly proud of Lieutenant Vanderstar and Firefighter Gaffney for receiving the Medal of Valor for their extraordinary actions.

Both firefighters had each previously received department medals for their bravery.

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Vanderstar rushed into action after a neighbor banged on the door of his Bronx firehouse and told them about a blaze in a building up the street.

Without water to hold back the fire, Vanderstar pushed to the back bedroom, where he found a young girl lying on top of her suffocating mother. He dragged them to the window for fresh air until other firefighters arrived with a hose. Then he raced out of the apartment with the girl, handing her to paramedics. The mother and child both survived.

In the Manhattan fire, Gaffney used a removed door as a shield to move through a raging fire to find a pregnant woman and a child, who were both unconscious.

He first shielded the child with his own body to get him to safety. Gaffney then ran through the fire again and rescued the woman. He performed CPR on her while waiting for paramedics. The woman and child both survived.
Demonstrators protesting anti-LGBTQ+ legislation dropped 48,000 handmade hearts  meant to represent LGBTQ+ Idahoans  down the rotunda of the Idaho State Capitol Building in Boise on April 2, 2024. (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun)

A federal judge denied a request by suing transgender Idahoans to block a new state law that bans public funds from covering gender-affirming health care.

The new law took effect in July, banning Idaho Medicaid and public funds from covering gender-affirming medication and surgeries.

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Transgender and nonbinary Idahoans on Medicaid who sued in 2022  alleging Idaho Medicaid has an unwritten policy of denying or delaying gender-affirming care coverage  this year amended their lawsuit to seek to block the new law.

Federal judge Raymond E. Patricco, chief magistrate judge in the District of Idaho, in July temporarily blocked the new law from applying to the seven suing patients in the lawsuit through a temporary restraining order that expired.

Legal counsel for the suing patients argued the law should be blocked longer, requesting a preliminary injunction.

They claimed the law violates the U.S. Constitutions Equal Protection Clause by banning public fund coverage for medical treatments  like puberty blocker and hormone medication  for transgender people, while people whose gender aligns with their sex assigned at birth can still receive that same treatment covered by public funds.

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But Judge Patricco denied the request for a preliminary injunction in a Dec. 31 ruling.

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Judge, citing suing patients legal moves, says extreme injury not clear from law

In his decision, the judge pointed to the suing patients legal counsels position to not pursue an injunction later in July as a key reason for rejecting the injunction.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, which runs Medicaid, announced in July that medical providers could taper gender-affirming care treatment to Medicaid patients over 90 days under the new law, the judge noted.

Plaintiffs  by their own explanation, to gain the litigation advantage of avoiding interlocutory appeal and drawing additional plaintiffs into the lawsuit  voluntarily chose to let the temporary restraining order expire, Patricco wrote. In doing so, they explicitly acknowledged that the 90-day tapering protocol would prevent irreparable harm.

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The delay to seek a preliminary injunction  combined with the health agencys notice of tapered gender care coverage and the plaintiffs withdrawal of its renewed motion for a temporary restraining order  cast doubt that Plaintiffs will suffer extreme or very serious damage absent injunctive relief, the judge wrote.

Patricco wrote he denied the preliminary injunction request because Plaintiffs have not clearly made the threshold showing of extreme or very serious irreparable injury. But, he wrote, Had Plaintiffs proceeded with the preliminary injunction hearing in July, the legal landscape would no doubt be different.

Idaho Legal Aid Services Associate Director Howard Belodoff, an attorney who represents the suing transgender patients, told the Idaho Capital Sun he is proceeding on the merits and will seek a final judgement and injunction. A spokesperson for the Idaho Attorney Generals Office declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

What Idahos law banning public fund coverage for gender-affirming care does

According to the law, public funds cannot cover hormone therapy, puberty blockers or surgical procedures for the purpose to affirm the individuals perception of their sex. But the law outlines other coverage of the procedures still legally allowed.

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In response to the new law, Health West, the go-to gender-affirming care clinic in eastern Idaho, stopped providing gender-affirming care. The move appeared to be driven by fears of losing funding, the Idaho Capital Sun reported.

Less than 1% of Idahos population is transgender  or about 7,000 Idaho adults and 1,000 Idahoans age 13 and up, according to estimates from the University of California-Los Angeles.

Around 350,000 Idahoans are on Medicaid, which largely covers low-income and disabled people. Gender nonconforming people are at higher risk for being in a lower socio-economic status, a study in February found.

The bill creating the new law  House Bill 668  was approved by all but one Idaho Republican state legislators this spring before Gov. Brad Little signed it into law.

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Bill sponsors argued the bill ensures taxpayer dollars are not inappropriately used. Opponents said major medical groups say gender-affirming care is medically necessary and safe, and warned the law could lead to a lawsuit.

In December, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Idahos case. The nations highest court rarely approves such direct appeals, called writs of certiorari.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The federal governments General Services Administration is moving forward with a plan to upgrade the Bridge of Americas port of entry in South-Central El Paso using an alternative that would eliminate all commercial cargo operations at the bridge.

The federal government released its final Environmental Impact Statement on Friday, Jan. 3 after a 45-day comment period.

GSA said that it selected the no-commercial vehicle option as the preferred alternative for the project because it would best fulfill its statutory mission and responsibilities, giving consideration to economic, environmental, technical and other factors.

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The federal government announced back in September that it was moving forward with the plan to improve and upgrade the Bridge of Americas that would exclude north- and southbound commercial traffic.

That launched a 45-day public comment period that has since ended.

The draft EIS released back in September analyzed three remaining alternatives for the project  one that included commercial traffic, one that eliminated commercial traffic, and one that examined making no improvements to the port of entry.

County Commissioner David Stout, who has supported the no-commercial traffic alternative, said this was tremendous news that the federal government is moving ahead with a future ban on commercial traffic at the bridge.

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I am so proud to be part of a community that fights together for health and quality of life, and very grateful to the GSA not only for hearing residents but for digging into the facts. This is a well-reasoned, data-backed conclusion that sets a standard for infrastructure, community, and business development, Stout said in a statement sent to media.

The GSA final report cited likely existing environmental justice impacts and impacts to children occurring disproportionately in the area near the Bridge of the Americas.

The GSA said if the other alternatives for the project had been selected these existing conditions would likely degrade further over time.

According to Stouts office, a record of decision will be published within 30 days and then if there are no interruptions, the federal government will proceed with entering into a contract and start work on the project.

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Two Malaysians jailed in Singapore for fraudulent scheme that caused S$13.7m losses to over 2,000 investors

SINGAPORE, Jan 4  Two Malaysians linked to a fraudulent investment scheme that caused over S$13.7 million (RM45 million) in losses to more than 2,000 investors in Singapore have been sentenced to jail.

Leong Koon Wah, 51, was the managing director of Singliworld, a firm that promised trading returns as high as 13 per cent per month through an investment scheme.

Leong was the mastermind behind the scheme, which preyed on thousands of unsuspecting investors, the prosecution said in court.

According to The Straits Times, the scheme was fraudulent and caused losses exceeding US$10 million (RM45 million) after collecting over US$21 million from investors worldwide.

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Leong was sentenced to 10 years and six months in jail and ordered to pay a penalty of S$3,658,600.

He faces an additional 18 months in jail if he fails to pay the penalty.

Ng Kuan Chuan, 38, who was also a director at Triumph Global and Singliworld HK, was sentenced to seven years and six months in jail after earning approximately US$300,000.

Ng was also involved in the management of Union Markets and was ordered to pay a fine of S$300,000.

He faces an additional six months in jail if he fails to pay the fine.

Leong also served as a director at three other firms: Singliworld HK, Triumph Global (Asia), incorporated in Hong Kong, and Union Markets, a New Zealand-incorporated company.

By May 2015, Leong had earned approximately US$3.1 million through multi-level marketing (MLM) despite having invested only US$1,000.

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He also held several accounts linked to the scheme under his wifes name, even though she had not made any investments.

Leong earned around US$3.4 million through these accounts.

After an 88-day trial, District Judge Soh Tze Bian convicted both men of carrying on Singliworlds business between March 2014 and May 2015, thereby inducing customers to invest in Singliforex  a scheme where their money would purportedly be used to trade in foreign exchange.

These customers were led to believe that professional traders would conduct the trading on their behalf through foreign exchange brokerages  Triumph Global and Union Markets.

However, no such trading had taken place, and the scheme was unsustainable.

Judge Soh also convicted the pair of offences involving Triumph Global and Union Markets.

The men had carried on the business of foreign exchange trading linked to these two firms even though the companies did not have the necessary licences.

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Leong had also pleaded guilty to two other charges involving Singliworld.

According to court documents, Singliworld had promoted a pyramid-selling scheme between February 2014 and May 2015.

Singliworld had also carried on the business of foreign exchange trading even though it was not licensed to do so.

In his oral grounds of decision in December 2024, Judge Soh said the Singliforex scheme exhibited multiple hallmarks of fraudulent activity, each of which underscored its deceptive and unsustainable nature.

In my view, the scheme preyed on investors trust through deliberate misrepresentations, manipulation of outcomes, and unsustainable financial practices, Judge Soh said.

By combining the illusion of professional trading, guaranteed profits, and MLM incentives, Leong and Ng as the perpetrators maintained a deceptive front while systematically misappropriating funds, ensuring the eventual collapse of the scheme.

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In earlier proceedings, the prosecution told the court that Leong incorporated Singliworld in December 2012 and was its directing mind.

He later employed administrative staff from March to May 2015.

Singliworlds only business was promoting to members of the public the Singliforex scheme.

Leong and Singliworld promised prospective investors that a team of professional traders would purportedly trade in foreign exchange on behalf of the investors.

Ng was one of the people who had carried out the trading even though he was neither qualified nor licensed to do so.

From around March 20, 2014, to April 30, 2015, those who wished to participate in the Singliforex scheme had to open and maintain a forex trading brokerage account with Triumph Global.

From around May 7, 2015, they had to open and maintain such an account with Union Markets.

Deputy public prosecutors Nicholas Tan, Michelle Tay, and Suriya Prakash stated in court documents that Singliforex investors were not allowed to have the trading done via a forex brokerage of their choice.

Investors were also locked out of their accounts at Triumph Global and Union Markets, and could not do any trading on their own.

At the time of the offences, Singliworld did not hold a capital markets services licence issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore for leveraged foreign exchange trading.

Despite this, Singliworld held itself out as carrying on such a business between March 2014 and May 2015.

Leong had also devised a set of financial incentives so that Singliforex would be an MLM scheme, with incentives designed to encourage investors to refer and recruit others to participate in the scheme.

The prosecution said Leong structured the Singliforex scheme to be pyramidal in nature, and placed himself at the apex of the pyramid.

On January 3, Leong and Ng were each offered bail of S$300,000.

Leong is expected to begin serving his sentence on January 31, while Ng intends to appeal against his conviction and sentence.
Just a few days before New Years Eve, Alicia Arritt received a text message out of the blue from her ex-boyfriend, a decorated U.S. special forces soldier named Matthew Livelsberger.

"Im up in Denver," Livelsberger wrote. "Are you single?"

The pair hadnt been in touch since 2022. Over the next couple days, they exchanged a few breezy texts, and on New Years Eve morning Livelsberger began sending photos and videos of a Tesla Cybertruck he said he had rented.

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Its the s--t, he wrote, according to messages shared with NBC News. I feel like Batman or halo.

How fast is it, she asked.

Ungodly, he replied.

They continued texting into the evening, with Livelsberger giving no indication that he was planning something drastic.

Alicia Arritt and Matt Livelsberger.

It wasnt until two days later, when FBI agents showed up at Arritts home, that she learned the painful truth: Livelsberger, 37, had shot himself inside the Tesla seconds before it blew up in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Years Day.

They actually asked if I wanted to watch the video of him dying, Arritt said in an interview. It was awful to learn about it.

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Investigators are still working to definitively determine what led Livelsberger to commit suicide. He was a master sergeant in the U.S. Armys elite special forces unit and resident of Colorado Springs.

In a press conference Friday afternoon, law enforcement officials said they found writings in Livelsberger's phone which described the country's leadership as "weak" and the U.S. as "terminally ill and headed towards collapse."

"This was not a terrorist attack," one of the letters said. "It was a wake up call."

A text exchange between Matthew Livelsberger and Alicia Arritt.

The officials added that the investigation determined, in consultation with the Army, that Livelsberger likely suffered from PTSD, and that investigators are aware that there were potential family issues or personal grievances in his own life that may have been contributing factors.

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Arritt, speaking to NBC News before the Friday news conference, said she had no idea what was behind her ex-boyfriends death.

Ive just been rolling it around my head for two days. I dont understand it, she said. He was always really brave. So whatever he thought he was doing, I bet he thought it was brave.

Her text message exchange with Livelsberger was first reported by The Denver Gazette.

The pair dated on and off for three years starting in 2018. They bonded over a love of the outdoors. They also had military service in common. Arritt had been an Army nurse, who had worked at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Matt Livelsberger during deployment.

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As their relationship continued, it became clear to her that Livelsberger was struggling with injuries he sustained in the military. He had two back surgeries from his days as a paratrooper, and he also suffered brain injuries that he kept hidden from his superiors, Arritt said.

We talked about it a little bit, but I think he was ashamed of it, she said. Ashamed of the memory loss and head injuries. He couldnt seek treatment for it while he was still active duty. He was worried that if he did, then that would impact his career.

Livelsberger also struggled with headaches and had trouble concentrating, she said.

He was coping so well for a long time when I knew him, she said. He had such a deep well of inner strength that he was pulling from. And I just cant believe hes gone.

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But at one point in their relationship, he failed to make it through an advanced school the military had sent him to, Arritt said, and that really destroyed him.

Alicia Arritt and Matt Livelsberger.

He was a super smart guy, she said. He was always careful about everything he did. He was always planning and analyzing things.

She said he didnt have particularly strong political views, but he loved his country.

He wasnt a blind patriot, she said. He thought about what he believed, and he thought the government did some things wrong too, but he did love his country and he loved the people in it.

After they broke up, Livelsberger got married for a second time. Arritt said she still held him in high regard even though they lost touch until the last few days of his life.

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He could have accomplished so many wonderful things, she said. He had such a deep well of empathy for other people. He had so much military experience that he could have used in the world.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Fight over Florida tuition for undocumented immigrants continues years later

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida senator wants to repeal a law that grants in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrants. State Senator Randy Fine says he just wants to put Floridians first, but the bill is facing backlash from across the aisle.

Senate Bill 90 looks to eliminate a decade-old law that was originally carried across the finish line by Floridas current Lt. Governor Jeanette Nunez.

Judge sets Trumps sentencing in hush money case for Jan. 10, but signals no jail time

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These are people that work hard, study hard and face challenges and obstacles that many of us in this room will never comprehend, Nunez said back on the House floor in 2014.

Even though it passed with bipartisan support in 2014, where does that leave the issue today?



Were going to make sure that college education, university education is affordable for all our students, U.S. Senator Rick Scott said back in 2014. Everybody has a shot at the dream.

With support from former Governor Rick Scott and leaders on both sides of the aisle, 10 years later, Republican State Senator Randy Fine aims to flip the switch by repealing the state law.

He posted on X, While blue-collar Floridians are struggling to make ends meet, it is not fair to require them to pay $45 million a year to subsidize sweetheart deals for college degrees to those who should not even be here.



Fine hopes a colleague will pick up the bill when he resigns in March. However, leaders on the House floor say they hope the bill is tossed out.

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I have heard some rhetoric from Senate leadership regarding wanting to phase out in-state tuition for our dreamers, said State Rep. Anna Eskamani.

Government imposters target elderly with bogus grant program

Eskamani says Senate Bill 90 is not a bill that leadership is prioritizing, but a bill Senator Fine is prioritizing for his congressional bid.

I think even without Mr. Fine in the legislature, it doesnt mean these issues go away, Eskamani said. I have been really encouraging our DACA students and students who graduated from Florida State University through this program to speak out and to share their stories and to really demonstrate their value to us here in Florida.

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Senate President Ben Albritton hopes if this bill does make it to both chambers leaders stay open-minded.



My hope is that we approach this with balance, so that were not disrupting families that otherwise would have planned differently, Albritton said.

The bill comes at a time when the Trump administration is about to make its transition of power into the White House with immigration a key focus for his team.



Political analysts say the Republican party showed support for dreamers in the past, but gears may be shifting with the new Make America Great Again era.

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The Helsinki District Court ruled on Jan. 3 to uphold Finland's seizure of the Russian Eagle S oil tanker, denying an appeal to release the ship and its crew.

Finnish authorities allege the ship damaged a crucial undersea power cable, possibly in an act of sabotage. Estlink 2, a 170-kilometer (106-mile) cable connecting Estonia and Finland, was seriously damaged on Dec. 25.

The Eagle S is believed to be part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet," a group of tankers Moscow uses to circumvent sanctions, including a Group of Seven (G7) price cap on Russian oil.

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The Helsinki District Court has ruled to keep the tanker under seizure, the Finnish news outlet Yle reported.

Finnish police initially seized the tanker on Dec. 28, considering the vessel to be evidence in a criminal investigation. Caravella LLC FZ, the ship's United Arab Emirates-based owner, applied to the court to have the seizure lifted.

Police requested the trial be held in secret and court documents kept confidential.

Finnish investigators are currently interrogating Eagle S crew members about the alleged incident. Authorities expect the initial phase of the investigation to last several weeks, and for the entire investigation to conclude in several months.

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Three Finnish companies are also demanding the seizure of the tanker in order to secure compensation for damage to the cable. These include national grid operator Fingrid, telecommunications firm Elisa, and state-owned network company Cinia.

Following the cable incident, NATO pledged to enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea. Finland joined the military alliance in early 2o23 in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Read also: NATO to enhance military presence in Baltic Sea following damage to undersea power cable, Rutte says

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WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  The Warren City Fire Department responded to a house fire Friday afternoon.

At about 12:56 p.m. Friday, the fire department was dispatched to the 700 block of Perkinswood Blvd Southeast where smoke could be seen coming from the second floor of a home.

Courtesy: Jeremy Rodgers Courtesy: Jeremy Rodgers Courtesy: Jeremy Rodgers

The Warren Professional Fire Fighters said on their Facebook page that an aggressive interior attack was quickly made, bringing the fire under control.

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There were no injuries reported and the fire is under investigation.

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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Blast debris is seen Thursday on a van parked across from the house on Keaka Drive where an illegal fireworks explosion at 12 :01 a.m. New Years Day killed three people and injured more than two dozen others.

1 /4 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Blast debris is seen Thursday on a van parked across from the house on Keaka Drive where an illegal fireworks explosion at 12 :01 a.m. New Years Day killed three people and injured more than two dozen others.

COURTESY GOFUNDME Jennifer Van, 23 2 /4 COURTESY GOFUNDME Jennifer Van, 23 COURTESY GO FUNDME Nelie Ibarra, 58 3 /4 COURTESY GO FUNDME Nelie Ibarra, 58 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM A man places a tribute in the driveway at the house on Keaka Drive Thursday where in illegal fireworks explosion killed three woman and injured more than two dozen people at 12 :01 a.m. New Years Day.

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4 /4 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM A man places a tribute in the driveway at the house on Keaka Drive Thursday where in illegal fireworks explosion killed three woman and injured more than two dozen people at 12 :01 a.m. New Years Day.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Blast debris is seen Thursday on a van parked across from the house on Keaka Drive where an illegal fireworks explosion at 12 :01 a.m. New Years Day killed three people and injured more than two dozen others.

COURTESY GOFUNDME Jennifer Van, 23 COURTESY GO FUNDME Nelie Ibarra, 58 JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM A man places a tribute in the driveway at the house on Keaka Drive Thursday where in illegal fireworks explosion killed three woman and injured more than two dozen people at 12 :01 a.m. New Years Day.

Fundraisers have been launched to support the families of the three people killed and those injured in a New Years illegal-fireworks explosion, in what officials have called a mass casualty event.

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The fatal explosion occurred at a home on Keaka Drive in Aliamanu during a large New Years Eve party. At 12 :01 a.m. Wednesday a cake bomb  loaded with illegal aerial fireworks detonated, causing massive explosions that killed three women and left more than two dozen people injured.

The verified GoFundMe pages, created by family and friends, aim to assist with funeral expenses and medical treatments.

On Friday the Honolulu Department of the Medical Examiner identified two of the three women killed in the Aliamanu blast. The identity of the third victim has not yet been officially confirmed, the medical examiners office said.

Jennifer Van, 23, was one of the victims identified Friday. Van, who had been a Central Pacific Bank employee since 2019, was assistant manager of the Wahiawa branch.

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We were deeply saddened to learn of Jennifers passing,  CPB Chair, President and CEO Arnold Martines said in a written statement. Her kindness, dedication, and vibrant energy positively impacted everyone who had the pleasure of working with her. The entire CPB ohana joins me in expressing our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.

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In Vans memory, Jennifers sister, Tammy Van, organized a GoFundMe fundraisergofund.me /6be8ccb7on Friday morning to help cover funeral and memorial service costs. The fundraiser aimed to raise $25, 000 and, as of 7 p.m. Friday, already had garnered $26, 764 in support.

Tammy described Jennifer as a devoted sister, daughter, and friend who selflessly supported our family financially and emotionally, especially through our most difficult times.

Jennifers infectious and outgoing personality touched many people, especially with her loud mouth and kindness,  she wrote.

Before the explosion, Tammy wrote, Jennifer was with her other half and our little brother.

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However, after the blast, Jennifer could not be found at the scene.

After several hours of searching, the Van family located her at the hospital, where they were informed that she had sustained life-threatening injuries.

She was pronounced dead early Wednesday.

The second victim identified Friday was 58-year-old Nelie Ibarra, aunt of Sheena Turalva, who organized a GoFundMe fundraisergofund.me /22d2fc79to help cover funeral and memorial service costs.

Both Ibarra and her sister, Lita, died in the explosion, according to Turalvas post. A neighbor had told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Wednesday that the two women found dead at the scene were sisters.

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On New Years Eve, our family was struck by an unimaginable tragedy when a series of events during the fireworks display claimed the lives of my two aunties and left many others in critical condition, including their daughters Charmaine and Cherwyn, their sons gf (girlfriend ) and their son,  Turalva wrote.

Another fundraiser pagegofund.me /c0f0b895also said Lita had died.

While information is limited, we can confirm that our beloved auntie Lita has passed away, Junior (her son ) also sustained extensive fire-related injuries, her 3-year-old grandson has suffered the most extensive injuries with most of his body burned, and Charmaine (her daughter ) is currently in the ICU with burns beyond recognition,  Rylan Benigno, the fundraiser organizer, wrote on the page. Cedric (son ), his girlfriend and their four children were able to escape with minor to moderate injuries, however, parts of their home and many of their belongings they resided in perished in the explosion.

Other victims injured in the fireworks explosion in Aliamanu have asked the community for donations to support their medical treatments.

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Charmaine Benigno, as identified in other fundraiser pages, has a GoFundMe pagegofund.me /7d5a87f3set up to help with her medical expenses.

Charmaine is currently in the hospital fighting for her life. She has sustained severe injuries and will require extensive medical care and a very long road to recovery,  the page said.

A fundraiser for victims Melissa and Kevingofund.me /d279ee69described Kevin as currently in the hospital fighting for his life. He has sustained grave injuries, will require extensive medical care, and has a very long road to recovery.

Melissa is also in the hospital, and due to a lack of available burn unit beds, she will be flown to the mainland for specialized care.

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Gov. Josh Green has authorized the use of a military jet to transport six severely injured burn victims to Arizona for further care, his office confirmed Thursday to the Star-Advertiser. The military transport is scheduled for today.

Hawaii only has one specialized burn unit, and online fundraisers for some victims have noted that due to space limitations at local hospitals, the patients must be flown to the mainland for treatment.

Separate GoFundMe pages said two victims, identified as Abbey and Tommy, are among those who will be transferred to Arizona.

Abbeys GoFundMe pagegofund.me /c0c7fc96stated that she has sustained severe injuries, with 67 % of her body burned ; she remained in critical condition and has not regained consciousness.

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It will require extensive medical care and a very long road to recovery,  the fundraiser organizer wrote. The hospital she is currently at wants to transfer her to a burn facility in Arizona as none have space for her in Hawaii. We are hoping and praying she will continue fighting and wake up.

Tommys GoFundMe pagegofund.me /12673289shared that he has 62 % of his body burned and remains in critical condition without regaining consciousness.

The Medical Examiners office Friday also identified the man who died from a separate fatal New Years explosion on Lukela Lane in Kalihi as Jayson Ramos, 20.

According to the Honolulu Police Department, at 11 :05 p.m. Tuesday, officers and EMS responded to the scene where Ramos had sustained critical fireworks-related injuries. He was treated and transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead around 12 :30 a.m. Wednesday.

The Medical Examiners office determined that the cause of death was blast injuries to Ramos head and right hand.

Also on Friday the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort suspended its weekly fireworks show. The Friday fireworks are suspended for tonight as we pay our respects to those who were affected by the tragic events on New Years Eve,  the resort said in a statement. We will resume the show next week, January 10. Our hearts go out to all those affected.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called for a statewide period of mourning for the victims of the attacks on New Years morning on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.

The Period of Mourning was declared through an executive order on Friday afternoon. The order calls for flags over state buildings to be flown at half-staff throughout the first two weeks of January to honor the victims who tragically died.

In a news release, the governors office said, All political subdivisions, private entities, and educational institutions, including private, parochial, and post-secondary institutions, are encouraged to lower the flags of the United States and State of Louisiana at half-staff during this time period as well. This executive order will be amended as necessary to include every victim once their names are made public.

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You can donate blood to support victims of the Bourbon Street attack that remain hospitalized

Louisiana State Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley announced to school system leaders throughout the state to consider observing a moment of silence at 9 am on Monday, January 6.

A heinous act of terrorism occurred in New Orleans only a few hours into 2025, Dr. Brumley wrote in the letter. As a result, several of our fellow citizens lost their lives, leaving behind friends, family, and lasting legacies. I extend my condolences and prayers to everyone engaged in this period of mourning.

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Per the governors order, flags will be flown at half-staff to honor each victim individually.

Monday, January 6, 2025: In remembrance of Kareem Badawi

Tuesday, January 7, 2025: In remembrance of Tiger Bech

Wednesday, January 8, 2025: In remembrance of Drew Dauphin

Thursday, January 9, 2025: In remembrance of Nikyra Dedeaux

Friday, January 10, 2025: In remembrance of William Billy DiMaio

Monday, January 13, 2025: In remembrance of Hubert Gauthreaux

Tuesday, January 14, 2025: In remembrance of Reggie Hunter

Wednesday, January 15, 2025: In remembrance of Nicole Perez

Thursday, January 16, 2025: In remembrance of Terrance Terry Kennedy

Friday, January 17, 2025: In remembrance of Matthew Tenedorio

Louisiana will never forget the 14 innocent lives lost and the horrific scenes of January 1. However, Louisiana and her people will never cower in fear. Instead, we will unite and come back stronger in honor of every person who lost their lives that day, said Governor Jeff Landry.

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FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW)  A Florence woman allegedly kidnapped a 1-year-old Thursday evening and then abandoned the baby about two hours later in near-freezing temperatures outside a home on Cale Yarborough Highway in the Timmonsville area, authorities said.

Macie Deeanna Eaddy was arrested at about 7 a.m. Friday by authorities in Sumter County, not long after a homeowner found the child abandoned outdoors and still restrained in a safety seat, Florence police said. The temperature overnight fell to about 33 degrees, but police said the child was in good health and taken to McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence to be examined.

Eaddy, who was arrested after being found in a car belonging to the childs mother, is being charged with kidnapping, grand larceny and driving under suspension after the incident, which prompted an overnight Amber Alert. She was taken to the Sumter County Detention Center after her arrest and could also be facing charges filed by the Florence County Sheriffs Office.

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The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said the people in the home where the baby was found were not believed to have any connection to the child, its mother or the Eaddy. SLED said the homeowner reported hearing a car horn blow multiple times at about 8:30 p.m. and then saw a car leaving their driveway.

That incident began at about 6 p.m. Thursday when Eaddy drove off in the mothers car and drove off with the child after they had been shopping together, police said. The childs mother reported the incident to Florence police at about 8:55 p.m.

Florence police said Friday that the department contacted the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at about midnight to begin the process of requesting an Amber Alert. SLED manages Amber Alerts in South Carolina.

Police said the mother told officers they had been shopping and that Eaddy told her at about 6 p.m. that she was going to wait outside and asked if she wanted her to take the baby to the car, police said. The mother said she gave Eaddy permission to take the child to the car but that when she finished shopping and went outside she discovered that Eaddy had left with the child.

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Police said there is surveillance video that shows Eaddy leaving with the child and getting into the mothers car and driving away.

After being notified about the abduction by Florence police, SLED said its agents worked overnight with police and the FBI before issuing the Amber Alert at about 5:50 a.m. The homeowner found the child at about 6:50 a.m. Friday, SLED said.

This is a developing story. Count on News13 for updates.

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JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WIVB)  A Jamestown woman is counting her blessings after a terrifying accident on I-90 two months ago. During the tragic moment, one man showed what it means to be a part of the city of good neighbors.

In the early hours on Oct. 27, Alyssa Osman was traveling on the New York State Thruway from Buffalo back to her home in Jamestown. Osman fell asleep behind the wheel of her car, crashed into a guard rail and flipped her car multiple times, leaving her unconscious.

Fortunately, someone traveling on the thruway pulled over to help and was able to wake her up.

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Thats when everything really hit me, said Osman. I was looking around and thats when I was like, Oh my gosh, I just crashed my car. 

Osman told WIVB News 4 she doesnt remember much about the crash itself, but she does remember the man who did everything he could to keep her awake.

That man was Adam Cornell, a retired military medic and current nurse in Buffalo. He saw a Ford Escape flipped upside down and called 911.

Cornells heroic actions didnt stop there. He went over to the car and found Osman unconscious and knew he needed to use his medical training to help her.

I tried to open up the door because I was trying to get her out of the car. Then I realized her arm was pinned underneath the car, Cornell recalled. Paramedics said they were on their way, so I went in the car and sat with her, asked her name, and tried to keep her calm.

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Osman sustained several severe injuries to her arm and hand. She also fractured her spine, broke several ribs, her shoulder blade, collarbone, and nose.

Osman was eventually transported by helicopter to UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pa.

Despite having to recover from injuries to numerous parts of her body, Osman could not stop thinking about the man who stopped and helped her.

On Christmas Day, Osman put out a post on Facebook asking the community for help finding him. The post got over 1,000 shares. Within a day, the two were able to connect.

If I help somebody, accepting the thanks is the hardest part, said Cornell. But it was so great to hear that she was doing well.

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Osman extended her gratitude to the man for keeping her calm in what she described as the scariest moment of her life. She said she is unsure if she would have been able to make it through without Cornell by her side.

I just wanted to make sure he knew that I ended up being OK, said Osman. I can never forget him. He was literally like my hero.

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Trina Catterson joined the News 4 team in 2024. She previously worked at WETM-TV in Elmira, a sister station of WIVB. See more of her work here.

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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4  Umno has announced that it will not proceed with the rally planned for Monday, following remarks from Istana Negara as well as advice from the inspector-general of police.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the party respected the Kings prerogative under Article 42(1) and (2) of the Federal Constitution regarding the case of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

As the only party consistently championing and upholding the institution of the Malay Rulers as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, Umno has always placed the utmost priority and respect for His Majesty the King, Asyraf said in a statement yesterday.

He further said the decision aligns with the partys long-standing commitment to upholding the monarchy and the rule of law.

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The rally was initially intended to show support for the convicted Najib, who is bidding for judicial review of his pardon over a purported royal addendum for him to serve the remainder of his imprisonment under house arrest.

The rally had drawn bi-partisan support, including from opposition party PAS.

Yesterday, Istana Negara issued a statement urging the public to respect the Constitution and established laws ahead of thee rally.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain also warned the public not to join any such rally, citing the palace statement.

In his statement, Asyraf xpressed the partys faith in the Kings wisdom and benevolence to ensure justice for Najib.

This move signals Umnos effort to balance its advocacy for Najib with its respect for Malaysias constitutional monarchy and position in the diverse coalition government.
EL RENO, Okla. (KFOR)  The former Cleveland County deputy convicted of murdering his wife in 2023 asked the court this week to change his plea to not guilty.

In September, Vaughn Cannon pled guilty to the murder of his wife, Jordan Pyle, after initially pleading not guilty.

But, in a new court filing, he asked the judge to change the plea because of ineffective assistance of counsel in entering the plea.

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The news hit family and friends of Pyle hard after an emotional sentencing hearing on December 11 that had him spending life in prison without parole.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Former deputy pleads guilty to shooting, killing wife

Even though we didnt go to trial, there was still a lot of evidence today that we saw that we were hoping we didnt have to see, said Jordan Pyles father Rusty Pyle, the day Cannon was sentenced.

A new filing also showed on Friday that Cannons defense attorney, Zachary Ramsey, was entered in as a state witness in the case.

In my experience, I have never seen a defendant win on their motion to defend an appeal after sentencing and everything, said Annie Ruttkay, an attorney at Bennett Vernier Law Firm.

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Her firm has been representing law enforcement agencies for many years.

I like to explain to my clients, you know, did someone have a gun pointed at your head and forced you to plead guilty, said Ruttkay.

Ruttkay said it can be pretty standard to put the defense lawyer on the stand when asking a judge to change the plea.

Last year, Cannon said after he pleaded guilty, I will accept what the court sentences me to.

In a statement, Cannon talked to his wifes family and friends. He said, Grief is brutal, and I especially failed my beloved wife, Jordan.

I think it was only just that he spent the rest of his life in prison. You know, take his freedom away from him like he took her life away from her, said Rusty Pyle.

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The judge sentenced Vaughn Cannon to life without the possibility of parole.

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When Zia Yusuf strode onstage at Reform UKs annual conference in Birmingham in September, it marked the end of a transformational journey for the former tech entrepreneur.

The 38-year-old, who was appointed Reform chairman by Nigel Farage in June, had only 18 months earlier become a multi-millionaire after selling his start-up Velocity Black for a reported $297m (237m).

Now, the ex-banker was addressing 4,000 Reform voters on stage at the National Exhibition Centre, promising that they would see Nigel Farage at the podium outside Downing Street in just a few years.

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Since Reform gatecrashed British politics at last years general election, Yusuf has emerged as one of the partys most intriguing figures.

A British Muslim who was born to Sri Lankan immigrant parents and grew up in west London, he worked for US investment banks before entering Londons Silicon Roundabout tech scene in the mid-2010s.

Its not the usual blueprint for what many perceive to be a leading Reform figure but his lack of tweed and cosmopolitanism marks a breath of fresh air for the fledgling party.

As Reform chairman, which is his first role in politics, Yusuf has been tasked with making the party a serious contender on the Right.

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The former tech founder does the job voluntarily with no pay and has pledged never to take a penny from the party, saying the privilege of serving my country is enough.

While Farage and new party treasurer Nick Candy, the billionaire property developer, spend time building ties with tycoons like Elon Musk, Yusuf works with branch officers to boost the partys membership.

Yusufs focus is firmly on the partys grassroots while Mr Farage takes on more high-profile engagements - REUTERS/Hollie Adams

As for his political outlook, Yusuf says Westminster often pays too much attention to ideology and too little to the world of business  which he blames for the Governments current woes.

If youre running a business and youre an executive, you need to have an accurate model of how the world works in your head, he says. You cant be living in a fantasy world captured by ideology.

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What happens in politics is really the opposite. Its not a surprise to me that this Labour Government has been so catastrophic in every major decision that they have made.

Its because theyve spent 14 years [in opposition] doing nothing other than living inside a Westminster bubble.

After leaving university, Yusuf cut his teeth at Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs, specialising in European automotive and defence companies.

His job involved understanding how giant manufacturers like Fiat, Peugeot, Siemens, Weir Group, Spirex-Sarco Engineering, Saffron and Airbus worked.

Reforms Rupert Lowe MP, a former City figure who worked for UBS, Barings and Morgan Grenfell, said Yusufs banking background stands him in good stead in his new role as chairman.

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Its working in companies. Its working out structures. Its empowering able people, he said. You cant work at Goldman if youre not driven and quite efficient and youre not able. So that is a positive and his business experience is a huge positive.

Fellow City veteran and Reform MP Rupert Lowe says Yusufs analytical approach is an asset for the growing party - UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor

In 2014, he quit Goldman saying his learning curve had flattened and established Velocity Black with an old school friend, who he met at the fee-paying independent Hampton School in west London.

This was a time when Metas Mark Zuckerberg and Ubers Travis Kalanick epitomised the zeitgeist, prompting many high-flying young bankers like Yusuf to quit and become start-up founders.

Velocity Black, which employed 74 people, offered an app-based concierge service for ultra-wealthy individuals, who would spend an average of 3,000 on every purchase.

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Despite never turning a profit, sales grew quickly over a short period, attracting the attention of US credit card giant CapitalOne which bought the group last summer.

Yusuf said he toyed with the idea of starting a charitable foundation but he loved history and politics  at school, his headmaster had given him a copy of Neil Fergusons Empire  and wanted to do something political.

The appeal of replicating Londons tech start-up business culture in Westminster was too good to pass up, he says.

He said Reform is like a start-up, adding that he spent nine years building a company and there are a lot of parallels here.

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When CapitalOne acquired Velocity Black, chief executive Richard Fairbank praised Yusufs business for merging complex technology with what he called the human aspect.

Its business model is very tech-driven, but its tech and humans, he told analysts on Wall Street. Their vision is the increasing role that technology will play in the still human-based services at the higher end of the market.

The same playbook is now being used at Reform  starting with setting up a 400-strong branch network.

Yusuf says the vast majority of his time is spent building the infrastructure of the party, working with branches to create campaign plans and leaflet portals, while also developing voter intention software.

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The fruits of his labour so far include Reform UK claiming to have overtaken the Tory membership base, with its digital counter now boasting more than 157,000 members.

Yusuf says there is a fundamental physics problem inside the Tory party in that half of its conservative-minded voters will eventually back Reform and the other half will support the Liberal Democrats.

Before joining Reform Yusuf had dabbled in politics as a Tory voter and donor, but he says Boris Johnsons leadership after the 2019 general election prompted him to quit the party.

I was very excited about the prospect and the opportunity of Brexit and he really governed like a Liberal Democrat and Id argue maybe to the Left of a Liberal Democrat, he said.

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He became religiously obsessed with net zero, and basically did all of the total opposite of the things that the Tories committed to do in their manifesto, and there was no excuse for it because they had such a large majority.

Yusuf has a gargantuan task ahead of him if he wants Reform to win 326 seats and put Farage into Downing Street in 2029  but he remains confident of success.

Ive always been someone who loves a challenge, he says.

As somebody who took on tall odds in starting my own company, and was able to overcome those, I was delighted to get behind it. When I take our mission, I dedicate myself totally to it.

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Jan. 4 (UPI) -- The body of former President James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr. has begun a weeklong funeral procession to Carter's final resting place in Plains, Ga.

Carter was the nation's 39th president and died at his home in Plains at age 100 on Dec. 29. He had been in hospice care for an extended period and follows his beloved wife and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter in death.

Carter's final journey began at 10:15 a.m. EST Saturday when his family met at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Ga., and members of his former Secret Service detail carried his casket to a hearse.

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The motorcade traveled through Plains, where Carter was born and lived his entire life, other than when serving in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1953 or while residing in the White House and Georgia's Governor's Mansion in Atlanta.

The funeral procession began at 10:30 a.m. and arrived at Carter's childhood home at the family farm shortly before 11.

Children watch and salute as the hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter pauses outside the State Capitol in Atlanta on Saturday. Photo by Alex Brandon/EPA-EFE/pool

Mourners lined the streets of Plains as the motorcade passed through on its way to the Carter family farm.

The National Park Service gave President Carter a formal salute and rang a historic farm bell 39 times in honor of the nation's 39th president before the motorcade departed for Atlanta shortly before 11 a.m.

Flags surrounding the Washington Monument are lowered to half staff honoring the death of Jimmy Carter, 39th president of the United States, on Monday after Carter died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Ga. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI

Upon arriving in Atlanta, the motorcade stopped briefly at the Georgia Capitol for a moment of silence attended by Governor George Kemp, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other political leaders before departing for the Carter Presidential Center.

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The motorcade entered the Circle of Flags at the Carter Presidential Center shortly before 4 p.m.

Beginning in 1984, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter volunteered one week a year to build homes for Habitat for Humanity, and the former president is pictured working in the Watts-Willowbrook community of Los Angeles in 1995. File Photo Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity

Those in attendance at the Carter Center remained silent as the motorcade entered with only the clicking sounds of cameras breaking the silence, the Savannah Morning News reported.

A military band played "Hail to the Chief" and "America the Beautiful" while members of Carter's family stood nearby.

President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter travel to Alexandria, Egypt, in 1979 and will be rejoined in death when the former president is buried next to her following a private family funeral on Thursday. Photo Courtesy of the Jimmy Carter Library

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His remains were carried into the center at 3:45 p.m. for a private service at 4 p.m., following by the start of public mourning at 7 p.m.

The hearse carrying President Jimmy Carter arrives at a funeral service at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta on Saturday after the nation's 39th president and winner of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize died peacefully Sunday at his home in Plains, Georgia, at 100 years of age. Photo by Julian Alexander/UPI

During the service, James "Chip" Carter, the son of former president, delivered an emotional reflection on his father's life and the impacts it had on his own.

Referring to his father and his later mother Rosalynn, Carter said, "The two of them together changed the world. It was an amazing thing to watch from so close."

Mourners attend a funeral service as the body of President Jimmy Carter arrives at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta Saturday afternoon. Photo by Julian Alexander/UPI

The president's grandson and current chairman of the Carter Center's board of trustees, Jason Carter, told its employees, "While we mourn my grandfather's passing, I know in my heart -- and you all do -- that his legacy will live on not only because of the millions of people he touched across the globe," but also because of their "tireless work."

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Shortly after losing the 1980 presidential election, Carter established the nonprofit Carter Center, which focuses on humanitarian causes and public health.

The color guard arrives before a funeral service at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta on Saturday afteroon. Photo by Julian Alexander/UPI

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Carter's body will lie in repose at the center from 7 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Tuesday to give the public an opportunity to pay their final respects.

Carter's body will travel the U.S. Navy Memorial at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday morning and lie in state from 7 p.m. EST Tuesday through 7 a.m. Thursday.

The motorcade will take Carter's body to the Washington National Cathedral for a national funeral service on Thursday.

Following the national funeral service, the former president's body will return to Plains for a private funeral late Thursday afternoon at the Maranatha Baptist Church.

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The U.S. Navy has scheduled a flyover featuring the missing man formation during the private funeral.

Carter will be buried next to wife Rosalynn at their family farm in Plains. Rosalynn died of natural causes in November 2023.

Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter were married for 77 years and will remain together in death.
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Former Providence Mayor Joe Paolino is throwing his hat into the ring for a leadership position within the national Democratic Party.

Paolino, who is the state partys national committeeman, said on Friday that hes running for vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

Quite frankly, the recent election that we had, Paolino told 12 News when asked what motivated him to run. I felt that the Democratic Party got away from kitchen table issues, real issues that affect families, working families.

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The former mayor led the capital city from 1984 until 1991, when he didnt seek another term after an unsuccessful run for governor in 1990. He also briefly served as ambassador to Malta under President Bill Clinton in the 1990s before unsuccessfully running for Congress in 1996 and mayor in 2002.

The leadership elections for the national party come as Democrats do some soul-searching following Vice President Kamala Harris loss to former President Donald Trump in November.

NEW: Republican Mike Johnson reelected House speaker after dramatic floor vote

Paolino, reflecting on how Democrats performed, said the party talked about issues that the majority didnt want to focus on, which allowed Trump to create the perception that he was for the working person.

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Paolino considers himself a moderate Democrat and emphasized the need to bring back voters that his party lost, saying if elected vice chair he would first listen to them.

Theres no quick fix, and I dont think you win an election just by saying Donald Trump is a bad guy, he said. You know thats part of winning an election, but thats not the only way you win an election  youve got to come out with good proposals yourself.

Paolino added that hed also like to see better messaging from the party.

He also said that both R.I. Democratic Party Chairwoman Liz Beretta-Perik and National Committeewoman Nicole Verdi support his bid.

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The vote for DNC leadership takes place on Feb. 1 in Maryland. Paolino said hell be participating in public forums during the month of January, including a virtual one on Jan. 11 and an in-person one in Detroit on Jan. 16.

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RIO ARRIBA COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE)  Hes a former New Mexico Sheriff who served prison time for helping a felon and intimidating a witness. Now more than three years after his conviction, that sheriff is suing the police officers who investigated him claiming those officers violated his rights.

Story continues below

Espanola police arrested former Rio Arriba Sheriff James Lujan in May 2020, accusing the sheriff of getting in the way of an investigation. That case involved former Espanola city councilor Philip Chacon. In 2017, Sheriff Lujan helped Chacon hide from police, something Lujan was eventually convicted of.

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Now, Lujan is suing the City of Espanola and some of its police officers, claiming they violated his civil rights. The lawsuit argues that when Espanola police showed up to Lujans home with a search warrant in 2020, they disregarded his safety by firing six rounds into his door.

The lawsuit also claims Espanola police didnt read Lujan his Miranda Rights and that the sheriff was arrested due to refusing to incriminate himself and requesting an attorney.

In lapel video, Lujan can be heard telling police officers, Im invoking my right to an attorney right now. Do you understand that? The officer said Okay. Take him and book him. Lujan asked, Book me for what? and the officer replied, For obstruction.

That case eventually led to Lujan being convicted by a jury and sentenced to three years in prison.

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The lawsuit goes on to say that some of the police officers who testified during his trial lied and changed their testimony. Lujan argued that being sent to prison put him at risk of serious and immediate harm by exposing him to inmates he investigated and arrested.

KRQE News 13 reached out to Lujans attorney multiple times this week for comment on the lawsuit but didnt hear back.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
A Brooklyn man known for creating a makeshift aquarium under a leaking fire hydrant on a Bedford-Stuyvesant sidewalk was sentenced Friday for a 2023 shooting that took place just steps from where visitors would later delight in the school of goldfish.

Hajj Malik Lovick was given 12 years in prison for wounding Andre McNeil on June 15, 2023 outside a bar on Tompkins Ave. near Hancock St., around the corner from where Lovick and others would later create the 1-inch deep aquatic attraction they dubbed Hood Pond.

According to a criminal complaint, Lovick, 48, shot at McNeil and a group of bystanders twice, hitting McNeil in the right leg and generating an entry and exit wound.

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I ask you to give me a chance, your honor, pleaded Lovick to Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Jane Tully before being sentenced on Friday.

Lovick was convicted in December of attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment, and criminal use of a firearm, said the Brooklyn District Attorneys Office.

Lovick encountered the 51-year-old victim outside a bar named Lovers Rock, where the two got into an argument. Lovick, armed with a knife, acted as if he was going to stab McNeil, who was unarmed, said the Brooklyn District Attorneys office.

After the dispute cooled down the defendant left the vicinity of Lovers Rock and entered a nearby building. Minutes later, according to the evidence, the defendant returned with a gun and fired twice toward the victim and several bystanders, the Brooklyn DAs office said in a press release, adding that the shooting was caught on video.

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A crowd of at least 10 supporters came to Lovicks sentencing  which Lovicks lawyer Robert T. Isdith pointed out to Tully, asking that she consider that Lovick was the founder and daily operator of the Bed-Stuy Aquarium, which was designed to support the community.

Tully said that she took Lovicks standing in the community and the fact that he is the sole caretaker of his son into consideration. But the judge said his premeditated decision to get a gun and fire two shots put that very community in grave danger.

Lovick added that there was a written statement from the victim saying Lovick did not shoot him.

Thats not right, thats not right, Lovick said.

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After the sentence was given, Lovick was led from the courtroom as family and friends cried out I love you!

Todays sentence sends a clear message that senseless acts of gun violence have no place in Brooklyn, said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

The defendants decision to open fire over a petty argument not only caused serious harm to the victim but endangered innocent lives in our community. This brazen disregard for safety is unacceptable.

The summer after the shooting, Lovick  who was out on bail  noticed a leaking fire hydrant on Hancock St. had created a tiny pool in a section of broken sidewalk and imagined fish thriving in the space.

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It was like a condemned Johnny pump. Why not make it better than leaving things that look broken? Why not fix it? Lovick told the Daily News in August as he sat in a lawn chair guarding the pond.

[I want to] make it a better place as much as I can, Lovick said of his neighborhood.

But not everyone was a fan of the aquarium.

Local animal rights advocates and city officials voiced concern the fish would not survive under the hydrant, with some taking matters  and fish  into their own hands, scooping some 35 of the creatures from the tree bed under cover of night.

City Department of Environmental Protection workers shut the hydrant off several times, only to find someone continued to turn it back on after they left, officials said.

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In October, the fish were evicted and the broken sidewalk paved over.

On Christmas, a post went up on the Bed-Stuy Aquariums Instagram page announcing a coalition of electeds, city agencies and community members had come together to create a new aquarium.

In January, we will begin planning sessions to realize a permanent aquarium.
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Four Indigenous people, including a child, were shot during an attack in southern Brazil late on Friday, federal police and an Indigenous rights organization said on Saturday, as violence escalates in the region.

Attackers opened fire against the Indigenous community near the city of Guaira, in the southern Parana state, injuring four people, later hospitalized, the police said.

The attack was aimed at the Ava Guarani people, who have been the target of previous assaults since Dec. 29, the Missionary Council for Indigenous Peoples (CIMI), an organization linked to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Brazil, said.

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A four-year-old child shot in the leg was sent to a nearby hospital in the city of Toledo, alongside two other people, one hit in the leg and the other in the back, said CIMI.

The entity said a fourth person, shot in the jaw, was sent to a hospital in Cascavel, one of the largest cities in the state.

Police said it has started investigations to track down the attackers, adding that federal, state and municipal security forces were deployed to avoid new violence in the region, that has historically faced land conflicts.

Two members of the Ava Guarani people were injured in the last days of 2024, said CIMI, with one having been shot in the arm.

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The Ministry of Indigenous Affairs condemned the acts of violence against the Ava Guarani people, saying it is in talks with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security for the immediate investigation of armed groups acting in the region.

(Reporting by Andre Romani in Sao Paulo)
BEIRUT (AP)  A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for over a month, even as its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon deadline.

The deal struck on Nov. 27 to halt the war required Hezbollah to immediately lay down its arms in southern Lebanon and gave Israel 60 days to withdraw its forces there and hand over control to the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers.

So far, Israel has withdrawn from just two of the dozens of towns it holds in southern Lebanon. And it has continued striking what it says are bases belonging to Hezbollah, which it accuses of attempting to launch rockets and move weapons before they can be confiscated and destroyed.

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Hezbollah, which was severely diminished during nearly 14 months of war, has threatened to resume fighting if Israel does not fully withdraw its forces by the 60-day deadline.

Yet despite accusations from both sides about hundreds of ceasefire violations, the truce is likely to hold, analysts say. That is good news for thousands of Israeli and Lebanese families displaced by the war still waiting to return home.

The ceasefire agreement is rather opaque and open to interpretation, said Firas Maksad, a senior fellow with the Middle East Institute in Washington. That flexibility, he said, may give it a better chance of holding in the face of changing circumstances, including the ouster of Syria's longtime leader, Bashar Assad, just days after the ceasefire took effect.

With Assad gone, Hezbollah lost a vital route for smuggling weapons from Iran. While that further weakened Hezbollahs hand, Israel had already agreed to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

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Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on Oct. 8, 2023  the day after Hamas launched a deadly attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza. Since then, Israeli air and ground assaults have killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians. At the height of the war, more than 1 million Lebanese people were displaced.

Hezbollah rockets forced some 60,000 from their homes in northern Israel, and killed 76 people in Israel, including 31 soldiers. Almost 50 Israeli soldiers were killed during operations inside Lebanon.

Heres a look at the terms of the ceasefire and its prospects for ending hostilities over the long-term.

What does the ceasefire agreement say?

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The agreement says that both Hezbollah and Israel will halt offensive military actions, but that they can act in self-defense, although it is not entirely clear how that term may be interpreted.

The Lebanese army is tasked with preventing Hezbollah and other militant groups from launching attacks into Israel. It is also required to dismantle Hezbollah facilities and weapons in southern Lebanon  activities that might eventually be expanded to the rest of Lebanon, although it is not explicit in the ceasefire agreement.

The United States, France, Israel, Lebanon and the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, are responsible for overseeing implementation of the agreement.

The key question is not whether the deal will hold, but what version of it will be implemented, Maksad, the analyst, said.

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Is the ceasefire being implemented?

Hezbollah has for the most part halted its rocket and drone fire into Israel, and Israel has stopped attacking Hezbollah in most areas of Lebanon. But Israel has launched regular airstrikes on what it says are militant sites in southern Lebanon and in the Bekaa Valley.

Israeli forces have so far withdrawn from two towns in southern Lebanon - Khiam and Shamaa. They remain in some 60 others, according to the International Organization for Migration, and around 160,000 Lebanese remain displaced.

Lebanon has accused Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement and last week submitted a complaint to the U.N. Security Council that says Israel launched some 816 ground and air attacks between the start of the ceasefire and Dec. 22, 2024.

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The complaint said the attacks have hindered the Lebanese army's efforts to deploy in the south and uphold its end of the ceasefire agreement.

Israel says Hezbollah has violated the ceasefire hundreds of times and has also complained to the Security Council. It accused Hezbollah militants of moving ammunition, attempting to attack Israeli soldiers, and preparing and launching rockets towards northern Israel, among other things.

Until it hands over control of more towns to the Lebanese army, Israeli troops have been destroying Hezbollah infrastructure, including weapons warehouses and underground tunnels. Lebanese authorities say Israel has also destroyed civilian houses and infrastructure.

What happens after the ceasefire has been in place for 60 days?

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Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese towns has been slower than anticipated because of a lack of Lebanese army troops ready to take over, according to Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesman. Lebanon disputes this, and says it is waiting for Israel to withdraw before entering the towns.

Shoshani said Israel is satisfied with the Lebanese army's control of the areas it has already withdrawn from, and that while it would prefer a faster transfer of power, security is its most important objective.

Israel does not consider the 60-day timetable for withdrawal to be sacred, said Harel Chorev, an expert on Israel-Lebanon relations at Tel Aviv University who estimates that Lebanon will need to recruit and deploy thousands more troops before Israel will be ready to hand over control.

Hezbollah officials have said that if Israeli forces remain in Lebanon 60 days past the start of the ceasefire, the militant group might return to attacking them. But Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Kassem said Wednesday that, for now, the group is holding off to give the Lebanese state a chance to "take responsibility for enforcing the agreement.

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In a speech Saturday, he took a more threatening tone.

Our patience may run out before or after the 60 days," he said. "When we decide to do something you will see it directly."

Over the final two months of the war, Hezbollah suffered major blows to its leadership, weapons and forces from a barrage of Israeli airstrikes, and a ground invasion that led to fierce battles in southern Lebanon. The fall of Assad was another big setback.

The power imbalance suggests Israel may want to ensure greater freedom of action after the 60-day period, Maksad, the analyst, said. And Hezbollah, in its weakened position, now has a strong interest in making sure the deal doesn't fall apart altogether despite Israeli violations, he said.

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While Hezbollah may not be in a position to return to open war with Israel, it or other groups could mount guerilla attacks using light weaponry if Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon, said former Lebanese army Gen. Hassan Jouni. And even if Israel does withdraw all of its ground forces, Jouni said, the Israeli military could could continue to carry out sporadic airstrikes in Lebanon, much as it has done in Syria for years.



This story has been updated to correct the year to 2024, not 2023, in the paragraph on alleged violations of the ceasefire.
BEIRUT  A fragile cease-fire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for over a month, even as its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon deadline.

The deal struck on Nov. 27 to halt the war required Hezbollah to immediately lay down its arms in southern Lebanon and gave Israel 60 days to withdraw its forces there and hand over control to the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers.

So far, Israel has withdrawn from just two of the dozens of towns it holds in southern Lebanon. And it has continued striking what it says are bases belonging to Hezbollah, which it accuses of attempting to launch rockets and move weapons before they can be confiscated and destroyed.

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Hezbollah, which was severely diminished during nearly 14 months of war, has threatened to resume fighting if Israel does not fully withdraw its forces by the 60-day deadline.

Yet despite accusations from both sides about hundreds of cease-fire violations, the truce is likely to hold, analysts say. That is good news for thousands of Israeli and Lebanese families displaced by the war still waiting to return home.

The cease-fire agreement is rather opaque and open to interpretation, said Firas Maksad, a senior fellow with the Middle East Institute in Washington. That flexibility, he said, may give it a better chance of holding in the face of changing circumstances, including the ouster of Syrias longtime leader, Bashar Assad, just days after the cease-fire took effect.

With Assad gone, Hezbollah lost a vital route for smuggling weapons from Iran. While that further weakened Hezbollahs hand, Israel had already agreed to the U.S.-brokered cease-fire.

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Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on Oct. 8, 2023  the day after Hamas launched a deadly attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza. Since then, Israeli air and ground assaults have killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians. At the height of the war, more than 1 million Lebanese people were displaced.

Hezbollah rockets forced some 60,000 from their homes in northern Israel, and killed 76 people in Israel, including 31 soldiers. Almost 50 Israeli soldiers were killed during operations inside Lebanon.
A Frederick man is facing an attempted murder charge after allegedly attacking a woman he knew on New Years Day.

Kyle Alan Geffen, 25, is charged with one count each of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, intoxicated endangerment and reckless endangerment. He also faces three counts of malicious destruction of property.

On Thursday, Frederick County District Judge Eric Schaffer ordered Geffen to be held without bail at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.

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Online court records indicate Geffen waived his right to an attorney at his initial appearance. None was listed for him as of Friday afternoon.

According to charging documents, police responded to an apartment in the Antietam Village neighborhood of Frederick, near Heather Ridge Drive, at approximately 5:50 p.m. on New Years Day for a report of an assault.

At the scene, Frederick police spoke with a woman who said Geffen attacked her about an hour before. She said Geffen had been drinking alcohol for hours leading up to the attack, beginning in the early morning.

According to charging documents, the woman told police that Geffen pulled her hair, slapped and choked her during the attack. Under Maryland law, strangling another person constitutes first-degree assault.

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The woman told police that Geffen destroyed her phone and shoes, hit her in the head with a hard plastic liquor bottle and violently threw her out of the apartment during the attack, causing her to lose consciousness, charging documents say.

According to charging documents, police obtained footage from a Ring doorbell camera showing the woman being thrown out of the apartment.

The footage showed the woman lying motionless on the ground for approximately a minute after being thrown out of the apartment, indicating that she was either unconscious or injured, charging documents say.

After Geffen was arrested, charging documents say, he repeatedly kicked and slammed his body against the rear passenger door of the police vehicle where he was sitting, causing damage that prevented the door from fully closing.

Police who responded to the incident escorted the woman to Frederick Health Hospital to get treatment for her injuries.

A preliminary hearing in Geffens case is scheduled for Jan. 30.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced on Tuesday December 31, during his New Years address, that all foreign military presence in Senegal will end by 2025. This announcement follows a previous declaration on November 28, when Faye informed that France would have to close its military bases in Senegal. He has instructed the Minister of Armed Forces to draft a new defense and security cooperation policy, marking a significant shift in the countrys stance on foreign military involvement.

This decision sets a clear deadline for the departure of foreign military forces from Senegal, a former French colony with longstanding ties to the West, especially France. Faye emphasized that while the country would sever military ties, it would continue to engage with its international partners on equal terms, promoting open, diversified, and uninhibited cooperation. His government advocates a break from previous military dependencies, aligning with Fayes left-wing pan-Africanist values. Faye, who took office in April after being elected on a platform of sovereignty, had earlier criticized the presence of French military bases, asserting that such arrangements were incompatible with Senegals national sovereignty.

In his earlier comments, Faye hinted at an overhaul of Senegals military cooperation framework, which would end foreign military bases and lead to new developments in defense relations with countries seeking to maintain cooperation with Senegal. This move aligns with broader trends in Africa, as several countries, including Senegal, have reassessed their relationships with France in recent months.

In a related development, President Alassane Ouattara of Cote dIvoire confirmed that the French military base in Abidjan will be handed over to Ivorian control in January, marking part of a broader French strategy to reorganize its military presence in Africa. France has been reconfiguring its military operations across the continent after being expelled from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where military juntas have taken power and have been hostile to French forces. Senegal and Chad followed suit in late 2023, with both countries announcing the departure of French troops and formalizing a reorganization. On December 26, France returned its first military base in Chad, located in Faya in the desert north of the country.
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  Weve said it a number of times, but we cant stress it enough.

This hard freeze could be deadly to those who dont have heat. And in most cases, that means you have to have electricity.

Its time to pay extra attention to your energy usage if you arent already, especially in light of next weeks hard freeze. The good news is the electric companies know its coming and say theyre prepared. But they can use our help.

From Sentencing to Recovery: How Holmes County Sheriffs Office is changing lives

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Cold weather power outages are caused by a combination of factors that increase stress on the power grid. Florida Power and Light officials say they understand that access to energy in your home is crucial.

One thing to keep in mind with the thermostat as well is we recommend do not go above two degrees at a time, slowly raise the temperature of the home. If you do it more than two degrees at a time, its going to click on the emergency heat or that auxiliary heat, which is very costly. It can cost a customer up to $15 per day to heat their home through electric heat. So those are some tips that a customer can use to prepare for the upcoming cold, said Corey Booth, FLP area leader.

Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative officials arent expecting power outages. They say they have tools to predict customer supply and demand.

Gulf Coast Electric provides services to six counties. And while theyre prepared for the cold weather, there are some things you can do to help reduce the stress on the power grid and keep your bill low.

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We do recommend making sure that youre just taking care of your HVAC system. That means changing your air filters on a regular basis and making sure that you get your system serviced on a regular basis. Something else you can do is just be mindful of how youre keeping your thermostat. We have a recommended setting of 68 degrees and just during peak hours, which is usually really, really early on those cold mornings, said Vice President of Marketing and Communications Kristin Douglas.

Douglas recommends minimizing the use of large appliances, letting sunlight into your home, and utilizing blankets and warm clothes.

Were not predicting any power outages. But, you know, of course, at any time that we have an outage, we know and outages is never convenient, but we do appreciate everyones patience and understand that we do feel like weve prepared as best we can be for the upcoming cold weather,  said Douglas.

In addition to hardening their system, Douglas says theyve been in meetings all day to prepare.

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We also have made sure that all of our crews are on standby. So if there is a power outage, we will restore it as quickly as we safely can because we know that these cold temperatures everyones going to be really relying on their systems and their heat, added Douglas.

Sadly there will be some people who dont have access to heat.

Cold weather across the country could have local impacts on flights

As a result of that, wed like to offer a warming center, a place for residents that may not have heating systems in their homes or the homeless to come in and get out of the cold, said Donna Pilson, executive director of Rebuild Bay County.

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The warming center at the A.D. Harris Learning Village will open on January 6th. Bayway transportation will take those in need to the center, at 819 East 11th Street, using lines 2 and 4.

Opening at 6 p.m., well start registration for those that may be staying with us overnight. Were looking at having some something hot to eat and then well transition into the dormitory. Areas are open, will be open up until 11:00 in the morning. So well look at the temperatures in the morning. To make sure that at the time that we close in the morning, its the temperatures are high enough to be able to release folks, said Pilson.

Pilson says they will stay open as long as they need. They are looking for volunteer workers and monetary donations. Theyre also hoping organizations and businesses will donate the hot meals or the grab-and-go breakfasts.



If you are interested in helping you can contact Rebuild Bay County by texting the word volunteer to (850) 783-4311 or click here.

Those who utilize the center must be able to care for themselves. They must not be a risk to themselves or others. They cannot be disoriented or under any influence of drugs or alcohol.

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No alcohol, drugs, drug paraphernalia, guns, or weapons of any sort will be tolerated.

While pets are not allowed in the shelter, Bay County Animal Control will pick up pets upon request and hold them at the shelter.

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GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  Its been over a week since Greensboro Officer Michael Horan was killed at a Food Lion on Lawndale Drive.

Police Chief for the City of Cape May Dekon Fashaw knew Michael Horan when he was in the Coast Guard in New Jersey.

The news just rocked us, said Fashaw.

Pure shock, thats how Fashaw felt after hearing that his long-time friend, Michael Horan had passed while on duty.

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The news just rocked us, it really did. It rocked us probably just as much as it did his own police department. Its just not the guy that I expected, said Fashaw.

Hes known Horan since 2009, back when both were newer to their careers.

Horan was in the Coast Guard and Fashaw was a lieutenant with Cape May Police.

You know working with him here he brought that level of police work, he ramped it up. I dont know if the guy drank energy drinks all the time or what, said Fashaw.

As Fashaw explains, Horan was the person you want on your team.

When you work with Mike, you laugh with Mike, said Fashaw.

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He says Officer Horan was driven. His mission was to not only serve the community but more importantly his family.

I know what was going through his head at the last minutes I can only imagine. He was a lover, he loved his daughter immensely, his wife his family, said Fashaw.

Chief Fashaw said he had just been texting with Horan about a week before he was killed.

Courtesy of Exit Zero Magazine Courtesy of Exit Zero Magazine Courtesy of Exit Zero Magazine Courtesy of Exit Zero Magazine

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A cool glass of orange juice is a morning necessity for plenty around the globe, but extreme weather conditions have ruined orange crop harvests and limited global supply.

What's happening?

According to Food & Drink, catastrophic flooding in Spain in October severely impacted the nation's crop yields, resulting in estimated damages of around $205 million.

Valencia, in particular, was hard hit, leading many in the market to seek out alternative suppliers. Similar low orange yields in Brazil and Florida have made the situation worse, and the British Fruit Juice Association noted that orange juice availability is at its lowest level in around 50 years.

Why are low orange yields concerning?

According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, Spain was the largest exporter of oranges in the world in 2022, with the industry making $3.65 billion  making it the country's 14th most-exported product.

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A bad year for crop production could have a huge impact on the nation's gross domestic product, not to mention the nation's orange farmers.

While flooding isn't exactly unusual, its frequency and intensity are increasing because of human-caused global heating. As Oxfam detailed, a warmer climate increases the air's ability to hold moisture, with the atmosphere able to hold 7% more water for every one degree Celsius of warming.

With the Earth experiencing its hottest year on record in 2024, coming after the previous record set in 2023, a concerning pattern is emerging that may yet see more flooding events occur in the years to come.

For consumers, this scarcity will mean increased prices of fruit, orange juice, and other products that rely on the vitamin-C-packed orbs. At a time when it seems the cost of everything is on the up, Mintec's Benchmark Prices noted orange juice has seen a 130% price rise year-on-year.

What can be done about low orange yields?

Food & Drink noted that some farmers are turning to mandarins to ease the pressure on the industry. They offer similar benefits to their larger citrus cousins and have not been as dramatically impacted by extreme weather.

Do you worry about how much food you throw away?

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

Meanwhile, previously underutilized orange markets are emerging, with Egypt, Greece, Morocco, Argentina, and Peru looked at as alternative suppliers, as Food & Drink pointed out.

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But in the broader picture, reducing our production of planet-warming pollution will help slow the rate of rising global temperatures that are increasing the chances and severity of flooding, which is impacting some of our favorite supermarket items.

Among the ways to do so is to switch to an electric vehicle  or walk or cycle more  reduce energy consumption, and eat more plant-based meals.

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.
Fulbright Scholar Elina Nilsson will teach a course for Augustana College students in the Scandinavian studies program for the spring semester, according to a news release.

Nilsson is a lecturer at the Centre for Gender Research at Uppsala University in Sweden, Augustanas sister school. She was awarded the Fulbright Hildeman Fellowship in Scandinavian Studies, a prestigious honor aimed at promoting the study of Scandinavian language and area studies in the United States.

Fulbright Scholar Elina Nilsson (Augustana College)

According to Uppsala University, the fellowship seeks to encourage students and faculty in Scandinavian studies, to strengthen contacts between Swedish and American academics, and to increase interest in Sweden and Swedish area studies among American students and scholars in a variety of fields.

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Augustana Provost Dianna Shandy said the college is honored to be selected by the Swedish Fulbright Commission to host the 2024-25 Fulbright Hildeman Fellow.

We are particularly excited for the ways in which Dr. Nilssons scholarly research will expand Augustanas students understanding of contemporary Scandinavia, Shandy said. Our partnership with Uppsala University enriches the Augustana experience, and were grateful for this opportunity to deepen the historic ties between our two institutions.

Nilsson teaches undergraduate and advanced-level courses at Uppsala in the areas of

reproduction and nation, postcolonial feminism, masculinity, and methods. Her research areas include commercial surrogacy and issues on assisted reproduction, embodiment, family and kinship, power, and global intimacies.

At Augustana, Nilsson will teach a course titled Reproduction and Family in the Scandinavian Welfare States. The course is available for students in the Scandinavian studies and public health programs, as well as other students.

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I have a great opportunity to design the course and can therefore include my own research interests, which feels exciting, she said. It will be interesting to teach at a liberal arts college, getting inspiration from a new environment, and meeting different types of students.

Nilsson is also looking forward to developing her research in the area of reproductive health care and conducting a comparison between the United States and Sweden on the attitude towards non-medical egg freezing and fertility preservation.

The Hildeman Fellowship was established in 1986 by the Swedish Fulbright Commission in commemoration of Nils-Gustav Hildeman, prominent Swedish diplomat and former Fulbright Board member. Annually a different U.S. university is selected to host the Fulbright Fellow. More information is available here.

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After Jimmy Carter passed away at age 100 in late December in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, plans were put into action for his state funeral.

To honor a great American, I will be ordering an official state funeral to be held in Washington D.C. for James Earl Carter, Jr., 39th President of the United States, 76th Governor of Georgia, Lieutenant of the United States Navy, graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and favorite son of Plains, Georgia, who gave his full life in service to God and country, President Joe Biden wrote in a statement.

Wally McNamee - Getty Images

Now, the full details of Carter's funeral have been shared by the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington (JTF-NCR/USAMDW), which details how Carter will travel from Georgia to D.C. and back again.

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Per the JTF-NCR/USAMDW, The Carter Family invites the public to honor and celebrate the life of former President Carter by paying their respects during either of the public viewings; the funeral procession in Washington; in the downtown area of Plains, Georgia; or along the motorcade routes in Georgia and Washington.

Here, the full day-by-day breakdown of Carter's funeral.

All times are in eastern standard time, and are subject to change.

Saturday, January 4, 2025

10:15 a.m.  The Carter Family arrives at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia.

10:20 a.m.  Carters remains are carried to the hearse by current and former Special Agents in Charge from the United States Secret Service  Carter Protective Division.

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10:30 a.m.  The motorcade departs Phoebe Sumter Medical Center and travels through Carters hometown of Plains, Georgia.

10:50 a.m.  Carter and his family arrive at his boyhood home for a brief pause in front of the familys farm. During the pause, the National Park Service will honor the late president with a salute and ringing of the historic farm bell 39 times.

10:55 a.m.  The late president officially begins his final journey to Atlanta.

3 p.m.  The motorcade arrives in Atlanta and pauses at Georgias State Capitol for a moment of silence by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia State Patrol Troopers.

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3:05 p.m.  The motorcade departs for the Carter Presidential Center.

3:45 p.m.  Carters remains are carried into the Carter Presidential Center during an arrival ceremony.

4 p.m.  A private service at the Carter Presidential Center.

7 p.m.  Lying in Repose begins. Mourners are invited to come and pay their respects.

Sunday, January 5, 2025

The late president continues to lie in repose at the Carter Center.

Monday, January 6, 2025

The late president continues to lie in repose at the Carter Center.

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

6 a.m.  Lying in Repose concludes.

9:30 a.m.  A departure ceremony from the Carter Presidential Center.

10 a.m.  The motorcade departs for Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia.

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10:40 a.m.  The late president and his family arrive at Dobbins Air Reserve Base and board Special Air Mission 39 after an arrival ceremony.

11:15 a.m.  Special Air Mission 39 departs for Washington.

12:45 p.m.  Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and Carters remains are transferred with ceremony to the hearse.

1:15 p.m.  The motorcade departs for the U.S. Navy Memorial.

2 p.m.  The motorcade arrives at the U.S. Navy Memorial and Carters remains are transferred from a hearse to a horse drawn caisson with ceremony.

2:15 p.m.  The funeral procession begins marching up to the U.S. Capitol via Pennsylvania Avenue, turning left onto Constitution Avenue.

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2:40 p.m.  Upon arrival at the U.S. Capitol, the late president is carried up the stairs by military body bearers and into the Rotunda.

3 p.m.  Congress pays their respects during a service in the Rotunda.

3:45 p.m.  Carter begins lying in state while the military maintains a guard of honor.

7 p.m. to midnight  Lying in state opens to the public.

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

The late president continues to lie in state while the military maintains a guard of honor. The public is invited to pay their respects from 7 a.m. on Jan. 8., 2025 until 7 a.m. on Jan. 9, 2025.

Thursday, January 9, 2025

7 a.m.  Lying in State concludes.

8:45 a.m.  The Carter Family departs from Blair House by motorcade.

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9 a.m.  A departure ceremony from the U.S. Capitol.

9:15 a.m.  The motorcade departs for Washington National Cathedral.

9:30 a.m.  Carter and his family arrive at the Washington National Cathedral.

9:55 a.m.  Carters remains are carried into the cathedral during a brief arrival ceremony.

10 a.m.  National Funeral Service

11 a.m.  A departure ceremony from Washington National Cathedral.

11:15 a.m.  The motorcade departs for Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

11:45 a.m.  The late president and his family arrive at Joint Base Andrews and board Special Air Mission 39 after a brief departure ceremony.

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12:15 p.m.  Special Air Mission 39 departs for Lawson Army Airfield, Fort Moore, Georgia.

2 p.m.  Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Lawson Army Airfield and Carters remains are transferred with ceremony to the hearse.

2:30 p.m.  The motorcade departs for Maranatha Baptist Church, Plains, Georgia.

3:30 p.m.  An arrival ceremony at Maranatha Baptist Church.

3:45 p.m.  Private funeral service.

4:30 p.m.  A departure ceremony from Maranatha Baptist Church.

4:45 p.m.  The late president and his family travel by motorcade through downtown Plains. The public is invited to line the motorcade route as Carter makes his final journey through his beloved hometown.

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5:20 p.m.  The motorcade arrives at the Carter residence for a private interment. Prior to interment, the U.S. Navy will conduct a missing man formation flyover in honor of former President Carters naval service and time as commander-in-chief shortly after the motorcades arrival at the residence.

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(NewsNation)  The first services honoring former President Jimmy Carter begin on Saturday morning.

Carter died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.

A motorcade will leave from Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia, to Carters hometown of Plains, Georgia.

NewsNation affiliate reporter WRBL Chuck Williams joined Morning in America with Hena Doba to broadly discuss the reverence held for Carter in the area and the South.

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The community has come out, but what has struck me is the people that are coming into the community because they want to be in Plains, Georgia, [today], Williams said.

Sunday school class with Jimmy Carter: What it was like

From Plains, the motorcade will visit his family farm in Archery, where a farm bell will ring 39 times to signify the former President before traveling to Atlanta.

Carter will lie in repose in Atlanta from Saturday night through to Monday morning for the public to pay respects at Carter Presidential Center.

The former President will then be transported to Washington, D.C. where he will rest at the Capitol Rotunda before his funeral at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday at Washington National Cathedral.

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CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (WCMH)  Friday was an emotional day for a Ross County community. A funeral and procession were held for the Ohio corrections officer that was killed on Christmas morning.

According to authorities, 27-year-old inmate Rashawn Cannon is accused of assaulting and killing 62-year-old Ross County Corrections Officer Andrew Lansing.

Lansing was alone in a guard shack at the Ross Correctional Institution at the time of the attack. He had worked in corrections facilities for about 40 years.

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Flags lined the parking lot of Chillicothe High School Friday as people and agencies from different states poured into the gymnasium to pay their respects.

News of Lansings attack impacted law enforcement and people across the nation. Jessica Dragosin said it serves as a painful reminder that the men and women in uniform put their lives on the line daily.

You never know when theyre going to come home, so just make sure that you tell them that you love them, Dragosin said.

Dragosin made the hour drive from Columbus for the funeral. She said Lansings passing hits close to home for her. Her uncle, former Lieutenant Jerry Dragosin, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Cambridge Police Department in 1984. She said she knows this pain all too well.

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It was hard especially on Christmas, because I know how hard our Christmases have been knowing my uncle hasnt been there, Dragosin said.

Lansings funeral procession was escorted by law enforcement from the high schools gymnasium to the Ross Correctional Institution, to Grandview Cemetery where was laid to rest.

Dragosin shared a message from her grieving family to Lansings.

Stay strong and let the community help you, Dragosin said.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
At the request of the Galesburg Police Department, the Illinois State Police has activated an Endangered Missing Person Advisory, according to a news release.

Octavius McIntosh (Galesburg Police Department)

Galesburg Police request the publics assistance in locating 33-year-old Octavius O. McIntosh, who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 212 pounds. He has brown hair and was wearing a gray sweatshirt, green shirt, blue jeans and Chuck Taylor shoes.

He was last seen in the 500 block of Iowa Court at 10 a.m. Friday.

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McIntosh has a condition that places him in danger. Police ask that anyone with information about McIntoshs whereabouts contact the Galesburg Police Department at 309-343-9151 or call 911.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has allocated 384 million yuan (about $53.42 million) from Party membership dues to assist Party members in difficulty during the 2025 New Year and upcoming Spring Festival holiday periods.

The funds will also be used to visit retired Party members and officials, especially those who joined the CPC before 1949, primary-level officials and recipients of national-level honors, the department said on Friday.

It urged special care and long-term assistance for families of CPC members and officials who died on duty. People who fell in poverty due to illness and newly employed Party members in difficulty will also benefit from the assistance, according to the department.

Organization departments of Party committees at all levels should intensify oversight and ensure the funds are delivered to their intended recipients ahead of the Spring Festival, which falls on Jan. 29 this year, the department said.
Angolas Ministry of Finance has secured a $400 million loan from U.S.-based bank JP Morgan, backed by a public debt issuance of $1.5 billion as collateral.

The economic studies office of Banco Fomento Angola (BFA) reports that the public debt issuance took place on December 27, 2024, with a maturity date of December 31, 2030, and a spread of 650.6 basis points. This debt issuance guarantees the $400 million loan and potentially supports other financing operations, according to BFA.

The bonds are trading at a yield of 4.5%, placing Angolas debt issuance yield at approximately 11%. This aligns with current yields on Angolan debt in the secondary market but exceeds the rates of recent issuances, such as the 10-year debt issued in 2022 at 8.75%, the analysis noted.

A presidential decree (235/2024), issued on December 20 and published on January 2, authorizes the issuance of new Eurobond series in international markets. These bonds are intended to secure financing of up to $1.5 billion, equivalent to about 1.46 billion.
A 38-year-old from Macon, Georgia was killed while riding a bicycle in Nassau County on Friday night.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a fatal crash happened at Blackrock Road and McGirts Creek Road around 10:45 p.m.

The crash report reveals a 22-year-old Yulee woman was driving an SUV north on Blackrock Road.

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The bicyclist was also riding north on the same road. He was riding to the outside of the lane near the fog line.

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FHP said the front right of the SUV hit the rear of the bicyclist.

The Georgia man was pronounced dead at the scene by Nassau Fire Rescue.

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Georgia Power is warning customers that scammers are posing as the company online, on the phone, and even door-to-door.

We will not get offended if you hang up on us and call Georgia Power back just to make sure that you are safe and make sure that youre getting the right information, said Georgia Power spokesman Matthew Kent.

Georgia Power told Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray that it has been receiving reports of digital ads and Google results leading customers looking to pay their bills to fake websites that even look like Georgia Power with an illegally used logo but are really after your money or financial information.

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There are also concerns with scammers calling customers threatening power disconnection unless immediate payment is made.

That is something Georgia Power said it would never do.

TRENDING STORIES:

The company says in a statement:

If an account becomes past due, Georgia Power will contact the customer via a pre-recorded message to the primary account telephone number or by letter requesting that the customer call the number on their bill to discuss the account. Georgia Powers pre-recorded message will not ask customers to remain on the line or press a number to speak to a representative immediately.

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The biggest thing is we will never ask directly for money on the phone or through a text, Kent said.

The company reminds customers that Georgia Power:
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded to criticism from billionaire Elon Musk.

Musk called Scholz an "incompetent fool" and signaled his support for Germany's AfD party.

In a new interview, Scholz said he was concerned about Musk backing the AfD.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz responded to criticism from Elon Musk in a new interview with a German magazine.

In the interview published in Stern on Saturday, Scholz said there was "nothing new" about criticism from "rich media entrepreneurs who do not appreciate social democratic politics and do not hide their opinions."

The key, he said, is to "keep your cool."

"There are many people on social media who want to attract attention with strong slogans," he continued. "The rule is: Don't feed the troll."

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He added that he found it "far more concerning" that Musk supported "a partly far-right party like the AfD, which advocates rapprochement with Putin's Russia and seeks to weaken transatlantic relations."

Musk has sparked debate in Germany in recent weeks by calling Scholz an "incompetent fool" and signaling his support for AfD, the Alternative for Germany party.

The AfD was founded in 2013 as an anti-European Union party. More recently, it has taken a hard line on immigration, earning it the label of far-right in some political corners.

Musk  who is set to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency under President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration  has rejected the far-right label and publicly supported the AfD in posts on X, his social media platform.

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Musk reshared a video in December by the right-wing influencer Naomi Seibt in which she criticized Friedrich Merz  a leading candidate to become Germany's next chancellor.

"Only the AfD can save Germany," Musk wrote in his post. He later reaffirmed his support for the AfD in an op-ed for the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. Welt am Sonntag and Business Insider are both owned by Axel Springer SE.

In the article, Musk wrote: "The AfD advocates a controlled immigration policy that gives priority to integration and the preservation of German culture and security. This is not about xenophobia, but about ensuring that Germany does not lose its identity in the pursuit of globalization."

A number of German politicians have spoken out against Musk's comments, which have come just weeks before Germany holds a snap election in February.

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In a post on X last month, Germany's health minister, Karl Lauterbach, said Musk "should not interfere in our politics" and that his platform "profits from hate and incitement and radicalizes people."

Musk is now due to hold a live discussion on January 9 with Alice Weidel, co-leader of the AfD and the party's nominee for chancellor. The chat is set to be held on X.

Germany isn't the only country where Musk has shown his support for right-wing leaders in recent months.

Musk has criticized UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and teased donations to the Reform Party, a right-wing populist party led by Nigel Farage.

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Musk has also backed Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is also considered right-wing, calling her a "precious genius" who was "even more beautiful on the inside than she is on the outside."

Read the original article on Business Insider
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has issued a withering response to billionaire Elon Musks endorsement of the countrys far-right party, Alternative for Germany.

Scholz said it was important to not feed the troll, referring to Musk, who recently offered support for the Alternative fur Deutschland party  a far-right group  claiming, only the AfD can save Germany.

There are a lot of people on social media who want to attract attention with snappy slogans, Scholz told the German media outlet Stern. I dont believe in courting Mr. Musks favor. Im happy to leave that to others.

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He added: There are many people on social media who want to attract attention with shrill slogans. The rule is: dont feed the troll.

Elon Musk has been by President-elect Donald Trumps side since he won the White House in November (via REUTERS)

Musk and Scholz have an ongoing feud, with the billionaire calling the chancellor a fool and claiming hell lose in the next election, Politico reports. He has also called for Scholz to step down.

Christiane Hoffmann, a spokesperson for the German government, denounced Musks endorsement.

It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election through his statement, she said.

She added that freedom of expression also includes the greatest nonsense.

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The SpaceX and Tesla owner faced immediate backlash for backing the AfD.

Olaf Scholz, head of Germanys government, had harsh words for the Tesla and SpaceX boss (AP)

German health minister Karl Lauterbach called his support for the far-right party undignified and highly problematic. Elmar Brok, a former German MEP, called Musks comment, the world domination fantasies of the American tech kings.

Musk has scheduled a conversation with AfD leader Alice Weidel for Thursday, according to Politico.

This comes as Musk appears to be closely advising Donald Trump. The billionaire has been by Trumps side ever since he won the White House in November.

Musk has also been named as co-chair of the new Department of Government Efficiency. Alongside co-leader Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk has vowed to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal governments budget in the role.
During her visit to Damascus, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock outlined clear conditions for European support of Syria's new leadership and emphasized that Germany and the European Union are committed to fostering a peaceful and free future for Syria.

However, speaking at the conclusion of a joint trip with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Baerbock acknowledged the outcome remains uncertain. The two made the trip on behalf of the EU and its top diplomat Kaja Kallas.

"A new beginning can only happen if the new Syrian society grants a place in the political process to all Syrians, women and men, of every ethnic or religious group, and provides rights and protection," Baerbock said.

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She said a political dialogue involving all ethnic and religious groups, especially women, is now needed. Baerbock noted that Europe would support Syria, but would not become a sponsor of new Islamist structures.

"But of course we, as Europe, will not be a financier for the Islamization of a society," Baerbock said later, in an interview with a German public television channel's nightly news program.

This was addressed very clearly, she told the broadcaster. By the end of the discussions, the new Syrian rulers had emphatically acknowledged they understood this and wanted to consider the issue of women's participation, Baerbock added.

Will sanctions be lifted?

Baerbock was non-committal when asked, during her trip, whether she would support the lifting of sanctions against Syria in the near future. Such a step would depend on how the political process proceeds, she said.

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The German foreign minister said she and Barrot travelled to Damascus "to discuss whether such an inclusive political process is possible and whether human rights can truly be guaranteed. The entire question of lifting sanctions is tied to this."

The two are the first EU foreign ministers to visit Syria since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's some four weeks ago. Their travel plans were not announced in advance.

No handshake for Baerbock

Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria's new de facto ruler and leader of the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) received the EU delegation in al-Assad's former Damascus. Al-Sharaa's HTS led a coalition of armed groups that drove al-Assad from power around four weeks ago.

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The hard-line Islamist did not greet Baerbock with a handshake, a gesture he has consistently avoided when meeting women, but he extended his hand to Barrot.

Baerbock said later when asked by a journalist that she had already realized when she arrived that there would be no handshake. The French diplomat initially placed his right hand on his heart in greeting and then briefly took al-Sharaa's hand.

HTS has an al-Qaeda and Islamic State past

Al-Sharaa was formerly known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. The HTS group emerged from the al-Nusra Front, an offshoot of the al-Qaeda network, and was previously affiliated with the Islamic State.

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The group has since broken away from both organizations, and al-Sharaa has sought to portray himself as a moderate in recent months. HTS continues to be designated a terrorist organization by the EU and the United States, among others.

Baerbock had stated at the beginning of her visit to Syria that she would continue to judge the HTS by its actions.

Scepticism over the rebels' past

"We know where the HTS ideologically comes from, what they have done in the past," Baerbock stated. But she said there is also a desire for moderation and understanding with other key players.

The initiation of talks with the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a significant sign in this direction, she noted.

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Given this, Baerbock stated, "We will continue to judge the HTS by their actions. Despite all scepticism, we must not miss the opportunity now to support the people in Syria at this crucial crossroads."

Germany is also working to ensure that the intra-Syrian process is not disrupted from outside, the foreign minister explained.

This, she noted, includes respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity by all neighbouring states. Though she did not mention Turkey and Israel by name, those countries have been accused of pursuing their own interests in Syria.

Additionally, it is time for Russia to leave its military bases in Syria, she said. Moscow has been one of al-Assad's most important allies for years.

'Unimaginable' horrors at al-Assad prison

Both foreign ministers toured the notorious Sednaya prison near Damascus on Friday, a symbol of the brutal rule under al-Assad.

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"You simply can't imagine the horror of some places," Baerbock said, expressing her shock. "But people have gone through hell here near the Syrian capital Damascus. They were killed using methods that are unimaginable in a civilized world."

Executions and torture were already documented during the reign of al-Assad's father, Hafez, who died in 2000. Father and son ruled Syria with an iron fist for more than 50 years.

De-facto governent does not control all of Syria

Even after al-Assad's fall, hostile militias are fighting for power, and the HTS-backed transitional government does not hold control over large parts of the country.

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Troops from several foreign powers, including Turkey, the US, Israel and Russia, are also stationed in different parts of the country.

More than 16 million Syrians rely on humanitarian aid

Syria has been largely destroyed after nearly 14 years of civil war and is contaminated with landmines and other ordnance. It lacks workers, its currency has lost more than 90% of its value since 2020 and public services have collapsed. More than 16 million people rely on humanitarian aid.
Roderich Kiesewetter, defence spokesperson for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has said there are signs that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will meet with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin before Germany's parliamentary elections scheduled for 23 February.

Source: Kiesewetter on social network X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "There are more and more signs that Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow or meet with Putin before 23 February.

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For Ukraine, the implementation of these plans means, among other things, suspending the Paris Agreement for 10-20 years. It will be important to see how the Ukrainian population or our neighbours react to all this."

Details: The opposition German politician noted that one should be prepared "for the surprises of the election campaign".

Kiesewetter also said that "a meeting between Trump and Putin is currently scheduled for March" and "let everyone draw their own conclusion on this".

Reference: In his election campaign, Olaf Scholz positioned himself as a chancellor of peace" who advocates both support for Ukraine and negotiations with Russia and Putin personally to end the war.

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The CDU, on the other hand, is leading in pre-election polls. It is believed that CDU leader Friedrich Merz has the best chance of becoming the next German Chancellor.

Background:

On 15 November, it was reported that Scholz had spoken to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin for the first time in two years.

At the time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy labelled the call a "Pandora's box".

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Roderich Kiesewetter, defense spokesperson for Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said that Chancellor Olaf Scholz could meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin before Germany's parliamentary elections on Feb. 23.

"There are increasing indications that Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow and meet Putin before February 23," Kiesewetter said on X. "For Ukraine, implementing the intended plans would mean, among other things, a suspension of the Paris Charter for 10 to 20 years. How the Ukrainian population or our neighbors react to all of this will be revealing."

Kiesewetter criticized the potential meeting, warning that "Ukraine must not be the object or the victim. Russia is up to its neck in economic and social terms, but Ukraine, which is in much worse shape, should be accommodatednot Russia!" He also cautioned that any negotiations at this time "are at the expense of Ukraine and de facto mean submission."

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In his election campaign, Scholz has positioned himself as a "chancellor of peace," advocating for both support for Ukraine and negotiations with Russia to end the war. However, Kiesewetter took aim at what he referred to as the "so-called 'Moscow connection'" and called for greater clarity and resolve within Germany's leadership.

The CDU is currently leading in pre-election polls, with party leader Friedrich Merz widely seen as the frontrunner to become Germany's next chancellor.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first phone conversation in nearly two years on Nov. 15, according to a German government statement.

The unannounced hour-long call saw Scholz condemning Russia's war in Ukraine, urging Putin to withdraw troops and pursue a "just and lasting peace" through negotiations. Scholz reaffirmed Germany's "unwavering determination to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle against Russian aggression for as long as necessary."

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President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 15 that Scholz's call with Putin opens a "Pandora's box," potentially leading to "other conversations and other calls."

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
UPDATE: All lanes along Global Reach South near Montana have reopened after a three-vehicle crash earlier Friday night, Jan. 3.

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A person was extricated from a vehicle and taken to a local hospital with minor injuries (Code 1) after a three-vehicle crash on Friday night, Jan. 3, in East El Paso, fire dispatch said.

Fire dispatch said the call came in at 8:47 p.m. at Global Reach South near Montana. Thats near the El Paso International Airport.

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In addition, the crash closed all lanes at Global Reach South before U.S. 62/180 Montana, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

TxDOT said southbound through traffic must turn back northbound before Montana.

Clearing time is estimated at two hours.

We will update this story when we learn more.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
WASHINGTON  House Republicans on Friday gave a standing ovation to the top Democrat in the chamber, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), when he mentioned that Republican Donald Trump had won the presidential election in November.

But they all promptly sat down and went silent when Jeffries said why he appreciated their applause: because his party isnt the one thats home to election deniers.

Two months ago, the American people elected Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States of America, Jeffries said, speaking at the dais in the House chamber.

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Loud cheers and whistles filled the room, as GOP lawmakers jumped to their feet and celebrated Trumps victory.

Thank you for that very generous applause, Jeffries said with a smile. Its OK. There are no election deniers on our side of the aisle.

GOP lawmakers werent celebrating anymore. Now Democrats stood up and cheered even louder as Jeffries continued.

One should love America when you win and when you lose, said the minority leader. Thats the patriotic thing to do, and thats the America that House Democrats will fight hard to preserve because we love this country.

Heres a C-SPAN clip from the awkward moment:

.@RepJeffries: "Two months ago, the American people elected Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States of America."



[applause]



Jeffries: "Thank you for that very generous applause. It's okay. There are no election deniers on our side of the aisle." pic.twitter.com/9P9jbiTPzr  CSPAN (@cspan) January 3, 2025

There are dozens of election deniers in Congress. Four years ago, 147 Republicans voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, fueling a lie that it was stolen from Trump. They lied to the public in plain sight, and just hours after an insurrection at the Capitol that was driven by the same lie they were spreading.

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Its easy to normalize some of these people now. But none of it is normal. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), who was just reelected to his House speaker post Friday, was the architect of the legal strategy to throw out the results of the 2020 vote.

And Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), who made news Friday for being one of the few Republicans to waver before backing Johnson for speaker, in 2021 urged Trumps White House to impose martial law to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.

Norman was later asked if he had any regrets about doing that. He said he had one: that he misspelled martial law in his text message to then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

Our LAST HOPE is invoking Marshall Law!! PLEASE URGE TO PRESIDENT TO DO SO!! Norman had texted Meadows at the time.

Its not clear how many election deniers there will be in the new Congress. As of January 2023, there were more than 170 newly elected and returning Republicans who had denied or cast doubts on Democrat Joe Bidens presidential win in 2020.
Jan. 3Rising costs and dwindling patronage mean a longtime South Hill favorite is shuttering.

"I'm devastated," Gordy's Sichuan Cafe owner Leigh Riendeau said. "I want this to work. I did everything I possibly could."

Facing these pressures, Gordy's closed its dining room early last year and switched to take-out only. A sudden outpouring of support led the restaurant to reopen for dining a few weeks later. But that support didn't last, and word never really got out that they had reopened.

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"There's a way to keep this going," Riendeau said. "I don't know what it is, and I'm not the person to figure that out."

Founded by chef Gordon Crafts in the late 1990s, Riendeau took over the restaurant with two of the cafe's chefs about a decade ago. The made-from-scratch Chinese restaurant used ingredients sourced from China.

A line of customers waiting to be seated stood outside the restaurant in the rain Friday afternoon. Inside, friends and family pitched in to help keep up.

Overcome with emotion, Riendeau said it was bittersweet.

"It's amazing to see everyone come out, and to see the support, but it's kind of sad," Riendeau said. "I kind of want to kick them all. Like, where were you? If you guys would have been doing this all the time, we wouldn't be where we're at."

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Cost of product and paying staff a fair wage means the business isn't breaking even, Riendeau said. She raised prices recently, but it didn't help.

Despite her efforts, she said she feels like a failure.

"I failed the community, I failed the staff, and I failed this restaurant, and there's nothing I can do to fix it," Riendeau said. "I feel like I've done everything I could, but I failed."

Still, looking back over the past 10 years, she said she enjoyed the entire experience and learned a lot. She doesn't know what she'll do next. Perhaps she'll take the bar exam and become a lawyer. She's done with owning a restaurant, though.

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Gordy's will stay open until it is out of food. If there is any left over Saturday, the restaurant will have a buffet to sell the rest.

James Hanlon's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
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 new set of guidelines has been developed to assist with the diagnosis and expert management of serious blood cancers in pregnancy.

About 12.5 pregnancies per 100,000 are affected by blood cancers such as acute leukemia and aggressive lymphomas, and their incidence has been rising.

Between 1994 and 2013, they increased by 2.7% a year, due to factors including women having children later, improved diagnostic techniques, and increased health system engagement.

An Australian working group has published a new position statement in Lancet Hematology, based on current evidence and expert consensus.

It forms a practical guide for doctors, including recommendations for diagnosis and staging, imaging safety in pregnancy, therapy in pregnancy incorporating a multidisciplinary approach, supportive care, oncofertility, and pregnancy and birth management.

Lead author Dr. Georgia Mills from Macquarie Medical School says a cancer diagnosis in pregnancy is incredibly distressing for a patient and her family.

"But on top of this, women can experience treatment delays, inaccurate information and communication breakdowns, all of which increases the worry associated with a cancer diagnosis and fears for their unborn baby," she says.

"Patients have also described a lack of sensitivity about fertility preservation, breastfeeding, medication risks to the unborn baby, and a lack of information and support groups.

"We want women and their babies to experience the best possible health outcomes, not delayed or denied care."

Senior author Dr. Gisele Kidson-Gerber says taking a multidisciplinary approach was of paramount importance in preparing the guidelines.

"Blood cancers in pregnancy present unique therapeutic challenges, yet there were no clinical guidelines for diagnosis or management," she says.

"As clinicians, we have to balance the need for optimal treatment for the mother with the safety and well-being of the unborn child.

"Most treatments are possible during pregnancy, including many forms of chemotherapy, but this is not what patients expect."

The guidelines were drafted using co-design principles, with a patient representative on the working group to ensure patient concerns were well understood.

Victoria Bilsland was diagnosed with stage 4B nodular-predominant Hodgkins lymphoma when she was 17 weeks pregnant.

But with her symptoms repeatedly dismissed as pregnancy pain or possible infection, just getting a diagnosis was a struggle that led her to lose faith in doctors.

"I was told I 'needed spinal surgery' and to 'consider termination,' and when I declined termination as we still didn't know the extent of the cancer, I was advised to 'think logically,'" she says.

"I was offered to terminate my pregnancy on multiple occasions, but I had no information about the risks to me or my baby, or knowledge of what stage the cancer was or even where it was.

"How could I make an impossible decision without information? And why could no one provide me with information regarding cancer and pregnancy?

"The process was a rollercoaster of trauma, depression and anxiety."

Eventually put into the care of a specialist team experienced in managing hematological cancers in pregnancy, she received appropriate treatment and delivered a healthy son at 32 weeks.

She hopes the new guidelines will help other doctors to make the same decision in a timely way, putting the patient first and reducing potential trauma.

The guidelines have been endorsed by the councils of the Society of Obstetric Medicine of Australia and New Zealand and the Hematology Society of Australia and New Zealand.

More information: Position statement on the diagnosis and management of acute leukemia and aggressive lymphomas in pregnancy Lancet Haematology (2024). DOI: 10.1016/S2352-3026(24)00309-0 Journal information: The Lancet Haematology

This content was originally published on The Macquarie University Lighthouse.
Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency during a news conference Saturday ahead of Kentucky's first significant winter storm, expected to hit the commonwealth Sunday morning into Monday.

The National Weather Service in Louisville issued a winter storm warning for Jefferson County and several other counties in north-central Kentucky and southern Indiana early Saturday morning, which will take effect at 4 a.m. Sunday and ends at 7 p.m. Monday.

A Saturday afternoon update from the service predicted snowfall accumulations in Louisville could reach 6-10 inches of snow and accumulate up to 0.75 inches inches of ice. Snowfall totals could change as the system advances, as freezing rain and sleet could reduce snow accumulation while increasing ice potential, forecasters said.

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Following the winter storm, temperatures are expected to plunge starting Tuesday. Beshear said this heightens the need to clear roadways throughout the day Monday, as road salt will not be as effective as temperatures drop.

"There's going to be two big reasons during this event to stay off the road. Number one, they may be treacherous. Number two, we need as much time, as much road during that period of time  to do everything they can to get us in the best shape we can before it gets dangerously cold," he said.

Emergency warming centers in regions across Kentucky will be open, with locations set to be publicized at some point Saturday, Beshear said.

Beshear said one of his administration's main concerns is how the weight of ice and snow accumulation on trees and power lines will affect the commonwealth's power grid. Getting regional warming centers operational and clearing main thoroughfares connected to them is a top priority for state teams currently considering the risk of widespread outages.

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"If we lose power, beginning on Tuesday, especially for some of our most vulnerable Kentuckians, it's going to get cold enough to where you may well need one of these warming centers," he said.

The State Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort will be open starting at midnight Sunday, which will enhance emergency response coordination across the commonwealth, Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson said. National Guard units throughout Kentucky have also been activated, which will further bolster emergency response efforts, Beshear said.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray said about 2,300 road crew members are on standby to mitigate the impacts of the winter storm on roads. A fleet of 1,400 snow plows and salt trucks and hundreds of support vehicles are readied to support the effort, he added.

Thanks to the state of emergency declaration, Gray said he was able to suspend certain restrictions on weight limits and hours of operations for motor carriers who may need to transport emergency supplies.

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Beshear also signed an executive order to protect consumers from price gouging on household items, food and gasoline during and after the storm, as the demand for items during inclement weather events has been exploited in the past, he said. People who notice instances of price gouging tactics can report it to the Office of the Attorney General.

Officials at the conference encouraged citizens to use the remainder of Saturday to prepare by buying food and obtaining alternative sources of light and heat.

"You can always stay home. If you have power, it's the safest place to be as we ride out yet another thing that Mother Nature has thrown at us," Beshear said.

This is a developing story and will update.

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Contact reporter Killian Baarlaer at kbaarlaer@gannett.com or @bkillian72 on X.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky winter storm: Gov. Beshear declares state of emergency
BATON ROUGE, La. (KLFY)  In an executive order today, Governor Jeff Landry declared a period of mourning for the New Orleans terror attack victims.

The order calls for all flags over state buildings be flown at half-staff from Jan. 6  10 and Jan. 13  17 in memory of lives lost. Per a news release, political subdivisions, private entities and educational institutions are encouraged to lower U.S. and state flags to half-staff during those times as well.

The governors office said the order will be amended as necessary to include every victim once their names are made public.

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As of Friday, Jan. 3, the above mentioned dates are dedicated as follows:

Monday, Jan. 6, 2025: In remembrance of Kareem Badawi

Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025: In remembrance of Tiger Bech

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025: In remembrance of Drew Dauphin

Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025: In remembrance of Nikyra Dedeaux

Friday, Jan. 10, 2025: In remembrance of William Billy DiMaio

Monday, Jan. 13, 2025: In remembrance of Hubert Gauthreaux

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025: In remembrance of Reggie Hunter

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025: In remembrance of Nicole Perez

Thursday, Jan.16, 2025: In remembrance of Terrance Terry Kennedy

Friday, Jan. 17, 2025: In remembrance of Matthew Tenedorio

Louisiana will never forget the 14 innocent lives lost and the horrific scenes of Jan 1. However, Louisiana and her people will never cower in fear. Instead, we will unite and come back stronger in honor of every person who lost their lives that day, Landry said in a news release.

Latest News

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has signed an executive order in preparation of a highly anticipated winter storm this weekend.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect through late Saturday evening to early Monday morning. Heavy snow, ice, and freezing rain are expected for much of the state and the St. Louis region.

The executive order designates Missouri as being in a state of emergency to allocate more resources and waive certain restrictions to prepare for wintry weather.

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With the executive order in effect, the Missouri National Guard will be on standby to assist with winter weather response efforts as necessary. It allows for Missouris adjustant general to activate state militia to assist residents in need.

List: St. Louis area school, church and business closings

The executive order also temporarily lifts hours-of-service requirements for truckers transporting heating fuels like propane and natural gas.

With a hazardous winter storm forecasted for this weekend, we want to be prepared to respond however may be needed, said Parson via a news release. Missourians should be proactive in their preparations and so too should state government. This Order helps ensure Missourians homes stay heated and that state government and our National Guard members stand ready to assist. We ask that all Missourians stay aware and use extreme caution during this potentially dangerous winter weather event.

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As the winter storm rolls in, people are encouraged to postpone travel for much of Sunday, if possible. For a closer look at MoDOTs preparations, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Be skeptical and proactive, Gov. Tim Walz repeated while announcing a new anti-fraud legislative package and signing an executive order to create a centralized fraud investigations unit Friday morning at the state Capitol.

Ahead of the 2025 legislative session, Walz said his proposals are aimed at preventing, detecting, investigating and penalizing fraud in the state. The investigations unit will pursue fraud and financial crimes through the Bureau of Criminal Apprehensions.

Among this his legislative proposals  use AI technology to find fraud, give agencies broader authority to questions suspicious behavior and increase criminal penalties.

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State government in many cases is used to being reactive in situations, Walz said. We need to change that attitude to being much more proactive on this.

Under Walzs executive order, fraud investigators from the commerce department will move to the BCA to create a unit to look into activity involving state programs.

The proposals come after major fraud investigations involving Feeding Our Future, which authorities claim exploited the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as cases involving Medicaid and autism service providers in Minneapolis and St. Cloud.

Legislative proposals

Key among the governors legislative proposals:

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 Adding nine staff members to the Attorney Generals Medicaid fraud unit.

 Giving agencies expanded authority to stop payments from going to people and entities suspected, charged, or convicted of fraud or financial crimes.

 Using AI to to detect and prevent fraud.

 Creating a Theft of Public Funds statute that increases criminal penalties by 20% compared to the existing Theft statute.

Walz said, in many cases of fraud, state agencies suspected something was wrong, but did not feel they had the authority to act.

The anti-fraud proposals are expected to cost $39 million from 2026-2027 and $15 million from 2028-2029.

The role of AI

The proposed AI pilot would analyze data to help detect and flag payment anomalies for Medicaid providers through the Department of Human Services. It will be operated by Minnesota Information and Technology in partnership with experts.

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This AI tool, if were able to implement it, can look at and identify those patterns and trends so we put eyes on them more quickly regardless of where that fits in the framework of state government, said Drew Evans, BCA superintendent.

The tool is meant to spot payment problems before a complaint or claim is submitted, using generative AI, according to Tarek Tomes, commissioner of Minnesota IT Services

Reaction

Walz said Minnesota is known for having programs that improve peoples lives but fraud has been a present issue for both government and non-government-funded programs.

We have the opportunity to both continue to be that generous state, continue to have programs that show results, but also make sure that the safeguards are in place, Walz said.

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The governor said that some of the proposals were presented to the Republican party during the last legislative session, but they didnt find support. He added that he isnt opposed to hearing other ideas.

Im open to it and I would say that to anyone out there, Walz said. If anyone has any ideas out there that would really make a difference on this, were open to it.

House Speaker-designate Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said that while shes glad to see the governor now putting forward proposals and actions to prevent fraud, the GOP previously tried to draw his attention to the issue. She noted the FBI raiding autism service providers in Minneapolis and St. Cloud as reported last month.

If you remember just a few weeks ago on the autism increase of spending, the FBI raid, everything  I had a statement that went out that said, When we know theres fraud from one agency in the state we need to pause the payments for other agencies and when the governor was asked about that he said he couldnt do it, Demuth said.

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Demuth said Walz did not include the GOP in discussions surrounding the proposal and announcement.

Well the governor has had full Democratic control in the state of Minnesota over the last two years and if he had wanted to take action and have taken it seriously, he would have already done an executive order like you saw today, or he could have done legislation that would have changed it, Demuth said. Again Im happy that hes finally taking it seriously and we are looking forward to solutions that will help stop the fraud.

The 2025 legislative session begins Jan. 14.

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GPs are failing to spot cancer in children and young people on a record scale, the Telegraph can reveal.

Family doctors are increasingly missing signs of cancer in the young, data suggests, dismissing symptoms for reasons such as growing pains or exam stress.

Teenagers and young adults with cancer are being forced to visit the GP multiple times and more often than in previous years before they get a diagnosis.

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About half of 16 to 24-year-olds went to their GP on three or more occasions in 2023, up by a fifth on 2021, and three times the figure for 2016, when the earliest comparable data is available.

GPs say they are under more pressure than ever since the pandemic and a lack of staff and money means they do not get sufficient time with patients in one appointment to thoroughly assess young people for what are typically rarer cancers.

The challenges facing young people with cancer, who have to visit the family doctor more than anyone else before getting a diagnosis, make up part of a submission to the Governments 10-year health plan to shape the future of the NHS by the charity Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT).

Cancer is the leading cause of death in children aged 1 to 14 and one of the biggest causes of death in young people in the UK. They are usually rarer forms of the disease such as bone cancer, brain tumours, leukaemia, lymphoma and cervical cancer, and survival rates are high at about 80 per cent across most, if caught early enough.

Delayed cancer diagnoses a death sentence

Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, has said he will relaunch the Children and Young Peoples Cancer Taskforce  a coalition of experts to improve care and survival  having initially paused it, with the work set to inform a new National Cancer Plan to be published next year.

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The Health Secretary, who was treated for kidney cancer himself, previously described delayed cancer diagnoses as a death sentence that could have been avoided, because the NHS didnt reach you in time.

Andrew Gwynne, the health minister, told the Telegraph the figures were unacceptable.

It is unacceptable that thousands of cancer patients are waiting for too long for a diagnosis, including children and young people, he said.

As we deliver our Plan for Change, we will make the NHS fit for the future and fight cancer on all fronts  through prevention, diagnosis, treatment.

In its submission, TCT analysed data from the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2023, which also showed that more than one in five teens and young adults had to visit the doctor five or more times before they got a diagnosis.

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Kate Collins, the chief executive of Teenage Cancer Trust, told the Telegraph that young people need to be taken seriously amid claims that GPs are dismissing symptoms as growing pains or exam stress.

The experts blame a combination of difficulty getting an appointment with a GP in person, hesitance among young people to seek help, and pressure doctors are under to see someone within 10 minutes.

Cancer in young people relatively rare

Prof Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), said: GPs often need more time with our patients in order to have the longer conversations needed to consider less likely diagnoses. However, decades of underfunding and understaffing have left general practice struggling under enormous pressure  last month we delivered a record breaking 40 million appointments, all with fewer fully-qualified full-time GPs than five years ago.

The RCGP has previously called for standard appointments to be made 15 minutes.

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It comes as the proportion of young people needing five or more appointments before a diagnosis doubles to 20 per cent since the pandemic, while fewer than a third get help from a single visit.

The obstacle to accessing a cancer diagnosis and starting treatment decreases with age.

In 2023, more than half of 25 to 34-year-olds only needed to visit their GP once, gradually rising to up to two thirds of those aged 85 and over.

Similarly, the number of people who had to attend the GP five or more times decreased with age to about 10 per cent among those aged between 35 and 64 and 5 per cent among those over 75.

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Ms Collins said that young people are sometimes dismissed because they often have rarer cancers with symptoms that dont automatically make you think of cancer.

Things like being aware of persistent pain, fatigue that wont go away, changes in a lump or a mole, those sorts of things. We hear young people talk about oh the GP said it was growing pains, the GP said I was anxious about exams. But actually, young people need to be taken seriously. They know their own bodies, she said.

The charitys submission said cancer was the most common disease-based killer of young people in the UK but it remains relatively rare.

It means GPs do not see many cases, and the cancers are usually of a less common form and cannot be prevented.

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But the charity also warned that recognition of the signs and symptoms of cancer among teenagers and young adults remains low, meaning delays in being referred are compounded by delays in making an appointment with the GP in the first place.

Young people struggle to access healthcare

TCTs own research found that less than half of 18 to 24-year-olds can identify any of the five main warning signs of cancer in young people  unexplained weight change, unexplained tiredness, mole changes, lumps and swellings, and persistent pain.

Young people can really struggle to access healthcare and know how to have those consultations, often under quite a lot of time pressure, talking about changes to their bodies, Ms Collins said.

She said it was important there was more training, such as through a module developed with the Royal College of GPs, as well as ensuring quick referrals for tests, but she added that it was not about picking on GPs.

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TCTs submission explains how delays and multiple doctor appointments before a diagnosis can also increase psychological issues such as depression and anxiety.

Its about making sure you get diagnosed and onto treatment as quickly as possible, but its also about making sure that your experience of going through cancer, your experience of getting diagnosed, doesnt break trust with primary care health practitioners, because actually, you need to be able to trust your GP and you need to have a good relationship with general practice moving forward.

The charity also raised concerns about young people being left out of data collection, which makes them invisible.

It singled out access to clinical trials as a particular issue. The NHS Long Term Plan, which was published in 2019, outlined a target for 50 per cent of young people with cancer to be offered access to a clinical trial by 2025, but there have been no updates about how this is going just weeks before the deadline.

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We cant get access to whether anyone is even tracking that data, never mind the data that would tell us if that target was on course to be met or surpassed or there was going to be a gap, Ms Collins said.

Cancer is predominantly a disease of older people, but if we cant get access to data, then it is literally telling young people that they dont count, because you cant see them if theyre not counted.

Mr Gwynne said: Were hiring an extra 1,000 GPs and have resolved the resident doctor strikes so that more doctors are on the front line delivering cancer appointments, rather than the picket line.

An NHS spokesman said: The NHS provides training to GPs to help them spot the signs of lymphoma, leukaemia and other cancers, while all GPs must follow NICE guidance, which includes approved resources from charities working with children and young people with cancer.

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Editors note: This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake.

The waters of Great Salt Lake are rising to begin the new year, and experts hope that run will continue after recent storm activity within its basin.

The Great Salt Lake's southern arm continues to flutter near 4,192.5 feet elevation, about a half-foot above a low point in early November, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. Its northern arm is up to 4,191.7 feet elevation, a smaller gain in recent weeks but also up 2 feet from last year because more water is flowing in from the southern arm with a breach between the arms open this winter.

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The lake typically rises about 2 feet or so every winter, but subsequently falls about 2 feet every summer. Last year, the lake rose 3 feet, reaching a five-year high of 4,195.2 feet, but a hot, dry summer dropped the lake 3 feet, effectively taking away what looked like progress toward a major drought-driven deficit.

Its recent rise comes after many parts of the Great Salt Lake Basin, covering most of Utah's northern half, have received over an inch of precipitation since Dec. 23. Some mountain areas have gained over 3 feet of snow with more than 5 inches of water within it.

That has helped the lake in two ways, Tim Davis, Utah's deputy Great Salt Lake commissioner, told KSL NewsRadio on Thursday. The low-elevation rain improved tributary flows into the lake, giving it an early boost.

"The lake does get a significant amount of precipitation ... from direct precipitation," he said.

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More importantly, it elevates snowpack levels in the mountains above the lake. Those have nearly doubled within the past two weeks, which bodes well for the more impactful spring snowpack runoff. Per Natural Resources Conservation Service data, the basin's snowpack jumped from 4 inches of snow water equivalent on Dec. 23 to 7.2 inches as of Thursday, or 69% of the median average to 104%.

This graph shows snowpack levels within the Great Salt Lake Basin as of Thursday. The basin jumped from about 69% of the median average on Dec. 23 to 104% in less than two weeks. | Natural Resources Conservation Service

The state's hope is that will continue through the end of the snowpack collection season in early April, as the lake remains about 5-6 feet below its minimum healthy level.

"We basically need an average or better snowpack," Davis said. "We can't control that  that's the challenging thing."

The good news is that long-range forecasts now lean toward that potentially happening.

A wet season ahead?

A more traditional La Nina is to thank for the sudden burst of moisture, Glen Merrill, a hydrologist at the National Weather Service, explained to KSL.com. The oceanic pattern typically sends moisture toward the Pacific Northwest, while drier conditions emerge across the Southwest.

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Although Utah is generally caught between the two outcomes, northern Utah also tends to have slightly higher precipitation totals while southern Utah has slightly lower totals during the average La Nina. The past two weeks of storm activity have followed this pattern.

National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center long-range outlooks say the odds favor that trend continuing during the first quarter of the year.

Merrill expects  based on the recent storm track  that more storms will enter Utah from the Pacific Northwest. They might not be as strong or productive as what happened during the last La Nina winter, which set all sorts of records two years ago, but they can keep snowpack levels steady in areas that receive moisture.

"What we're looking at moving forward is a fairly decent frequency of storms coming through ... especially across northern Utah," he said.

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That would not just give the Great Salt Lake an early boost, but it could also alleviate drought concerns within the basin. Even after a prolific set of storms, the U.S. Drought Monitor lists nearly all of the basin as still experiencing moderate drought or "abnormally dry" conditions to start 2025.

Wetter soil moisture also creates a more efficient runoff that can boost flows into the lake between now and the start of the next irrigation season.

Zhenao Ji raises his arms while looking west from Stansbury Island towards the Lakeside mountain range as his friend takes photos of him in Tooele County on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

2025 goals

There's still a long way to go in Utah's snowpack season. The basin's collection so far is only a little more than one-third of its median peak of 19.6 inches of snow water equivalent. However, a normal or better snowpack would likely mean the Great Salt Lake would get another boost from reservoirs within the basin.

Utah's reservoir system entered 2025 at 78% capacity, 20 percentage points ahead of the median average, according to the Utah Division of Water Resources. Several reservoirs within the basin are already at 80% or higher, including Utah Lake at 94% capacity. That means water managers may need to conduct controlled releases into the lake's tributaries yet again to avoid severe flooding this spring.

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Meanwhile, Davis said the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner is still working on actions the state can do to help. That includes more planning for water conservation and salinity management on top of any controlled releases in wet years.

If we get a wet winter, the lake can respond pretty quickly, he said. Hopefully we get enough snow like we did last year and the year before.
The string of coincidences that initially appeared to link the New Year's Day tragedies in New Orleans and Las Vegas have been overtaken by mounting evidence that the Tesla Cybertruck bombing at the Trump International Hotel was in fact a public display of a private tragedy, new information and interviews show.

Decorated U.S. Army Special Forces Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger sent a disjointed email on the morning of New Year's Eve to Samuel Shoemate, a retired Army intelligence officer and military pundit. It outlined a constellation of grievances and dire warnings related to his military service, but gave no hint of, or explanation for, his actions.

In a text made public by local authorities, Livelsberger wrote: "I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took."

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And in an interview Friday, a former girlfriend of Livelsberger's said he told her he suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving in the Middle East. Alicia Arritt, who was in a relationship off and on with Livelsberger from 2018 to 2021, told CBS News that she exchanged around 30 texts with Livelsberger in the days leading up to the bombing.

She said he gave no indication that he was planning to take his own life or blow up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas.

"He loved the Army and he gave his life and his mind for it," Arritt said.

An Army spokesperson confirmed to CBS News in a statement Saturday that Livelsberger had received counseling through its Preservation of the Force and Family program.

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"Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger had access to and used the POTFF program; he did not display any concerning behaviors at the time, and was granted personal leave. All relevant records were provided to the FBI as the lead investigative agency," the spokesperson said.

Experts told CBS News that Livelsberger may have been the latest illustration of an ongoing concern facing the U.S. military's most elite special operators  the heightened risk of brain injury, traumatic stress and mental health struggles.

According to the National Center for PTSD, research on veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suggests that 10% to 18% of those troops are likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder and be at risk for other mental health problems. Depression rates among troops returning from overseas range as high as 24%.

The high-risk, high-intensity career has for years raised concerns about the toll that long-running exposure to combat violence can take on special forces soldiers.

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Livensberger's father told CBS News he had been at home in Colorado Springs with his wife and 8-month-old child on Christmas, on an approved military leave, before he rented the Cybertruck and began his meandering drive towards Las Vegas.

The Pentagon told CBS News there "were no red flags" prior to Livelsberger's departure from Germany, where he was stationed with 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group. A CNN report Friday said Livensbeger visited military behavioral health services multiple times.

A review of Livensberger's social media posts, interviews with friends who knew him well, and most pointedly, his email to Shoemate, offered indications he may have been struggling with those issues. On Friday, Shoemate discussed the letter on The Shawn Ryan Show, a podcast where Ryan, a former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor, interviews individuals primarily from the national security space.

In the email obtained by CBS News, Livensberger referenced his ongoing concerns about civilian casualties caused by an airstrike in Afghanistan. The incident he mentioned appears to align with reports of U.S. airstrikes in May 2019 targeting alleged drug-processing facilities in Afghanistan, where more than 30 civilians, including children, were reportedly killed.

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CBS could not independently verify the letter's authenticity.

Investigators said at a briefing Friday that Livelsberger planned and prepared for the Las Vegas bombing alone.

On Sunday morning, the day after authorities say he rented the Cybertruck, Livelsberger sent Arritt photos of the Tesla and said, "I rented a Tesla Cybertruck. It's the s***." She also told CBS News that Livelsberger sent her playful videos of himself listening to rap on the drive to Las Vegas.

Arritt said the FBI visited her after the explosion. She said they told her he had been in contact with several other women in the days leading up to the bombing.

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Arritt said Livelsberger suffered a traumatic brain injury before she met him while deployed in the Middle East and he told her it caused a change in his behavior. He said he didn't want to get treatment for it.

"He felt it would ruin his career if he sought help," she said. "All he wanted to do was deploy and get back to it."

He suffered a lot of memory problems as a result of injuries he sustained during his service, including poor concentration, brain fog and headaches, she said.

Arritt, a registered nurse, said she recognized these as symptoms of a TBI because she had worked on wards for service members with brain injuries and amputations at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center from 2008 to 2009.

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"I understood him, even if he didn't know the words for it," she said.

Arritt said he had guilt over some of his actions while deployed, expressing concern that his actions may have contributed to the deaths of innocent civilians.

She said Livelsberger went through periods of isolation while they were together. "He would disappear and just go cold for a couple of weeks. He was depressed but he always wanted to get through the depression. He recognized it and he was working on it. He pushed himself hard to get through it."

Arritt described Livelsberger as kind and said she was shocked at his actions.

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"I never saw him angry or act impulsively and he was always thoughtful in the things he did," she said. "He was always the first person to jump into battle and stand up for someone else."

Many former colleagues interviewed by CBS News expressed shock and sadness, including Fardin Fetwat, a former Afghan interpreter who deployed alongside Livelsberger. Fetwat credited Livelsberger with saving his life during combat and later helping him and his family resettle in Colorado, though they had not been in contact for several years. Describing Livelsberger's death, Fetwat said it felt like losing a brother, not just a colleague.

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Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede announced a desire to obtain independence from Denmark in the wake of President-elect Trumps comments about buying the island territory.

The Greenlandic peoples opportunity for independence has been adopted through the provisions of the Self-Government Act, thereby creating a legal basis for how independence can be achieved, Egede said in a Wednesday speech in honor of the new year.

A draft constitution for our country has also been prepared, he said. Work has already begun with regard to creating the framework for Greenland as an independent state within the possibilities and provisions of the Self-Government Act.

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The leader said a new development for Greenland is imminent days after Trump took a second pass at purchasing the land, which sits in the prominent Arctic region.

For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity, Trump said in a Dec. 22 Truth Social post.

Egede hit back in a statement, declaring Greenland was not for sale and would undertake every effort to not be acquired by the U.S.

Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom, Egede said.

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His New Years Day speech emphasized the autonomous territorys developments, highlighting its opening of an international airport as a global pathway to change.

In the coming summer, it will now be possible to reach us directly from other countries, without first traveling via Denmark, it will therefore be possible for us to develop and govern our country more independently, he added.

He declared that new airports in Ilulissat and Qaqortoq were the next step in a process for an improved and flexible infrastructure that could bolster tourism and trade.

Egede concluded his speech with well wishes for a prosperous new year.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips decision to block a public inquiry into the Oldham grooming gangs seems, from the outside, to be almost inexplicable. Children were raped and abused by gangs of men while the authorities failed to protect them.

A review of the abuse in Oldham was released in 2022, but its terms of reference only stretched from 2011-2014. Survivors from the town said that they wanted a government-led inquiry to cover a longer period, and catch what the previous review had missed. In Jess Phillipss letter to the council, revealed by GB News, she said she understood the strength of feeling in the town, but thought it best for another local review to take place.

This is a scandal that should be rooted out entirely, and investigated by the full might of the British state. Voices ranging from Elon Musk to Kemi Badenoch have joined the calls for an inquiry. Yet the Government seems curiously reluctant to dig into the failings of officials.

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This reluctance is not new. Across the country, in towns and in cities, on our streets and in the state institutions designed to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, authorities deliberately turned a blind eye to horrific abuse of largely white children by gangs of men predominantly of Pakistani heritage.

Over time, details have come to light about abuse in Rotherham, in Telford, in Rochdale and in dozens of other places. But with the stories released in dribs and drabs, and the details so horrific as to be almost unreadable, the full scale of the scandal has still to reach the public.

Suffer the children

The following paragraph makes for difficult reading. But you should read it, if you can. Its drawn from Judge Peter Rooks 2013 sentencing of Mohammed Karrar in Oxford.

Mohammed prepared his victim for gang anal rape by using a pump... You subjected her to a gang rape by five or six men. At one point she had four men inside her. A red ball was placed in her mouth to keep her quiet.

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Her story is horrific. It is also far from unique.

Take Anna, from Bradford. Vulnerable and in residential care, at the age of 14 had made repeated reports of rape, abuse, and coercion. When she married her abuser in a traditional Islamic wedding, her social worker attended the ceremony. The authorities then arranged for her to be fostered by her husbands parents.

In Telford, Lucy Lowe died at 16 alongside her mother and sister when her abuser set fire to her home in 2000. She had given birth to Azhar Ali Mahmoods child when she was just 14, and was pregnant when she was killed.

Her death was subsequently used to threaten other children. The Telford Inquiry found particularly brutal threats. When one victim aged 12 told her mother, and the mother called the police, there was about six or seven Asian men who came to my house. They threatened my mum saying theyll petrol bomb my house if we dont drop the charges.

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Yet in a pattern that would repeat itself, Telfords authorities looked the other way. When an independent review was finally published in 2022, it found police officers described parts of the town as a no-go area, while witnesses set out multiple allegations of police corruption and favouritism towards the Pakistani community. Regardless of the reason, the inquiry found that there was a nervousness about race bordering on a reluctance to investigate crimes committed by what was described as the Asian community.

Similar concerns applied at the council, where anxieties over appearing racist saw safeguarding officers waving away concerns simply because the perpetrators were Asian. It was felt that some suspects were not investigated because it would have been politically incorrect.

This is not to say that the council did nothing. Aware that taxi drivers were offering children rides for sex, in 2006 it suspended licensing enforcement for drivers, allowing high risk drivers to continue practicing. As the Telford Inquiry found, this was borne entirely out of fear of accusations of racism; it was craven.

A review of the abuse in Oldham was released in 2022, but its terms of reference only stretched from 2011-2014 - Getty

And above all, there was the concern over community relations: senior council staff were terrified that the abuse of children had the potential to start a race riot. The result was stasis, despite officials acknowledging in at least one case that abuse by Asian men had gone on for years and years.

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It had: at least 1,000 girls were abused in the town between 1980 and 2009. Yet even this conservative estimate was disputed by authority figures, with West Mercia police superintendent Tom Harding insisting in 2018 the figure was sensationalised. The independent review later found it entirely plausible.

A culture of cover-ups

Denial about the extent of the problem is rooted deep in Britains political system. At times, it appears that the governments approach to multiculturalism is not to uphold the law, but instead to minimise the risk of unrest between communities. Confronted with gangs of predominantly Pakistani men targeting predominantly white children, the state knew exactly what to do. For the good of community relations, it had to bury the story.

In Rotherham, a senior police officer told a distressed father that the town would erupt if the routine abuse of white children by Pakistani heritage men became public knowledge. One parent concerned about a missing daughter was told by the police that an older Asian boyfriend was a fashion accessory for girls in the town. The father of a 15-year-old rape victim was told the assault might mean she would learn her lesson.

The ordeal had been so brutal that she required surgery.

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As the 2014 Jay Inquiry into Rotherham found, children were doused in petrol and threatened with being set alight, threatened with guns, witnessed brutally violent rapes and were threatened that they would be the next victim if they told anyone. Girls as young as 11 were raped by large numbers of male perpetrators, one after the other.

In the same town, a senior police officer allegedly said the abuse had been going on for 30 years, adding with it being Asians, we cant afford for this to be coming out.

As Louise Caseys 2015 report on Rotherham Council found, this attitude was widespread. The Pakistani community accounted for around 3 per cent of the towns population, and the story emerging was clear: Pakistani men were grooming white girls. As a result, one witness said, the council was terrified of [the impact on] community cohesion.

Across the town, pressure was put on people to suppress, keep quiet or cover up issues around child abuse. A former senior officer told her review that x didnt want [the] town to become the child abuse capital of the north. They didnt want riots.

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Politicians were terrified [of the impact on] community cohesion. This nervousness meant that there was a sense that it was the Pakistani heritage Councillors who alone dealt with that community, with their having a disproportionate influence on the council: as one witness put it, [my] experience of council as it was and is  Asian men very powerful, and the white British are very mindful of racism and frightened of racism allegations so there is no robust challenge. Other concerns may have been even more sinister. In 2016, it was reported that a victim of grooming in Rotherham had alleged that she was raped by a town councillor.

As a result of this combination of factors, the council went to great lengths to cover up information and silence whistle-blowers. In the words of witnesses, if you want to keep your job, you keep your head down and your mouth shut.

Police failures

This resistance to an obvious truth repeated itself across the country. By 2010, a West Midlands Police report showed that authorities were aware that grooming gangs were approaching children at school gates.

But as the report stated, the predominant offender profile of Pakistani Muslim males combined with the predominant victim profile of white females has the potential to cause significant community tensions. As a result, the report remained unpublished until released in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests five years later.

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In Manchester, a 2019 report concluded gangs were left to roam the streets in part because officers were told to look elsewhere. One detective constable was quoted by a report as saying the offending target group were predominantly Asian males and we were told to try and get other ethnicities.

Central government took a similar view. In 2020, the Home Office refused to release its research into grooming gangs, claiming that it would not be in the public interest to do so. When it was finally released, it turned out to be a whitewash: a shoddy construction which appeared to deliberately downplay the clear role ethnicity had played in the phenomenon.

When people did try to raise the issue, they found themselves shouted down. In 2004, a Channel 4 documentary into abuse in Bradford was delayed after police forces warned the evidence of Asian men targeting young white girls could inflame racial tensions.

One of the bleakest cover-ups emerged in Rochdale. Fifteen-year-old Victoria Agoglia, a vulnerable child in care, died in 2003 when 50-year-old Mohammed Yaqoob injected her with heroin. In the lead-up to her death, a review published last year found, she had given authorities information that she was involved in sexual exploitation, alleged rape, and sexual assault requiring medical attention. None resulted in her rescue. Across the town, girls as young as 12 were being raped by gangs.

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When the first convictions in Rochdale were handed down in 2012, the police and Crown Prosecution Service apologised for failing to follow up on appeals for help. As former Labour MP for Keighley Ann Cryer put it, the authorities were petrified of being called racist and so reverted to the default of political correctness. As a result, despite a child telling the police she had been raped, and providing DNA evidence, no prosecution was brought.

The sense that authorities believed that a full investigation would be more trouble than it was worth is widespread. Simon Danczuk, the former MP for Rochdale has said senior Labour politicians warned him against discussing the ethnicity of the perpetrators, for fear of losing votes. Today, dozens of offenders are still believed to be at large in the community.

Attackers protected

While fears over racial tensions and political correctness have left the state frequently unwilling to protect victims, the same concerns have seen attackers protected.

As the Jay Inquiry into Rotherham found in 2014, in at least two cases fathers tracked down their daughters and attempted to remove them from the houses where they were being abused.

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The police arrested the fathers.

In other cases, child victims were arrested for drunk and disorderly behaviour, rather than the adult men they were with. Small wonder that Jay found young people in the town believed police dared not act against Asian youths for fear of allegations of racism.

The protection of offenders may have gone further still. In at least one case, when a victim found the courage to go to the police, their abuser appears to have been tipped off. While still in the police station, one child received a text from her abuser informing her that he had her 11-year-old sister, and that it was now your choice. The child chose not to go through with the complaint.

These stories cover only a small number of towns. The broader picture, however, is clear. The consequences are clear, too: no police officer or government employee has ever been imprisoned for their misconduct. Indeed, in Rotherham, the harshest sanctions faced by the police were written warnings.

Even offenders have managed to dodge some of the consequences for their actions. Despite being stripped of British citizenship, the leader of a Rochdale grooming gang still lives among his victims despite being ordered to be deported.

The price of multiculturalism

If Britain is to redeem itself for the grooming gang scandal, it needs to understand how it got things so terribly wrong. This begins with the attitude that protecting the image of a successful multicultural society matters more than the actual truth of that multicultural society.

It isnt hard to see why councils panicked when confronted with the sheer scale of the abuse. As a recent study calculated, one in 73 Muslim men living in Rotherham were prosecuted for their involvement in these gangs from 1997 to 2016. This was an almost unsolvable problem for a society built on liberal principles.

Even now, discussing primarily Pakistani-heritage grooming gangs as primarily Pakistani-heritage grooming gangs causes problems; IPSO waded in to censure Home Secretary Suella Braverman for this claim last year, citing deeply flawed Home Office research in its ruling. Yet if we cant be honest about the problems were facing, we wont be able to address them.

In the words of Guy Dampier, a researcher at The Legatum Institute think tank: The rape gangs scandal was a product of multiculturalism, which in practice meant the authorities turning a blind eye because victims were mostly white and their abusers largely ethnically Pakistani.

Anti-racism charities, pressure groups and left-wing academics all conspired to stifle discussion or lie that it was only a moral panic. The result is thousands of abused girls and a scandal which has scarred British politics.

Policy fixes

Fixing this mess starts by uncovering everything. As research by one of us, Charlie Peters, has shown, these gangs have been active in over 50 towns and villages across the UK  and there are no doubt more that we have yet to hear about.

Even as recently as 2021, it emerged that South Yorkshire Police was still failing to record the ethnicity of offenders, with 67 per cent of cases lacking details in Rotherham.

The state must leave no stone unturned in its efforts to root out this evil. As one victim told GB News, a government inquiry is the only way to hold Oldham Council and Greater Manchester Police accountable for their huge failures that led to hundreds of survivors being mistreated and not listened to. A Telford-style inquiry will give answers to survivors but it wont give justice to those who deserve it.

As shadow justice minister Robert Jenrick recently wrote in these pages, a national inquiry is just the start: we need justice for the victims. In his words, this appalling scandal continues today because perpetrators still walk free and the officials who covered it up have been let off. The individuals who turned a blind eye to these crimes  and fed the most vulnerable women to the wolves  should be in jail.

Reform UKs Rupert Lowe has called a full, free and fair public inquiry that will show the British people the facts, and let them decide.

No stone must be left unturned in holding the guilty to account, including those who acted to cover up these atrocities. For the guilty, Lowes prescription is simple: deportations and prosecutions, lots of them.

Any man or woman found to be complicit in these crimes should be deported, including dual nationals who should have their citizenship stripped away. That includes family members who were aware of what their husbands, fathers, sons and brothers were participating in. Swift and brutal justice is required.

And above all, concerns over multiculturalism must no longer be allowed to outweigh the need to keep the public safe. As Dampier points out, we need an end to two-tier community relations and the application of the law equally to all.

Robert Jenrick agrees: to sustain order in multicultural Britain, the state considered it necessary to apply the law selectively. For decades the most appalling crimes from diaspora groups were legalised and actively covered up to prevent disorder. The rule of law was abandoned to sustain the myth that diversity is our strength, destroying the lives of thousands of working class white girls in the process. This scandal starts with the onset of mass migration. This appalling affair is the final nail in the coffin for liberals who cling to the argument that Britain is an integration success story. Mass migration must end immediately and the foreign nationals prosecuted for their monstrous crimes must be deported - no ifs, no buts.

It may sound strong. But strong measures are required. The British states soft touch approach left this problem to fester and rot.

Children were abandoned to suffer in the name of community relations, an unforgivable price. And it was a price that brought nothing: harmony based on lies doesnt last. Public fury is swelling, and there is more to be angry about than if the cases had been dealt with swiftly at the time. Indeed, abuse may still be taking place because the state failed to act properly before.

Its time for a new approach. The truth must be brought to the light.

Sam Ashworth-Hayes is a leader writer and business columnist at The Telegraph. Charlie Peters is a National Reporter at GB News

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels

It was easy to miss Dr. Robert Gray's quick movements, tapping the screen of his smartphone at the beginning and end of patient visits on a recent day.

But Gray said those fast finger taps have changed his life. He was tapping an app that records discussions during his appointments and then uses artificial intelligence to find the relevant information, summarize it and zap it, within seconds, into each patient's electronic medical record.

The technology was meticulously documenting each visit so Gray didn't have to.

"I enjoy working so much more," said Gray, an Endeavor Health hand surgeon. He's no longer trying to consult with patients while simultaneously summarizing the visits on a computer. "I don't have the feeling I got hit by a truck every day."

It's a technology that's spreading rapidly throughout doctors' offices in the Chicago area and across the country, and could soon become a standard part of medical appointments.

Local health care leaders hope the technology will help combat physician burnout by dramatically cutting the amount of time doctors spend on documentation, and they hope it will improve patients' experiences. Doctors will be able to spend more time looking patients in the eye, rather than staring at computer screens during appointments, health care leaders say.

"It allows them to get home to be with their families or allows them to focus entirely on the patient," said Dr. Nadim Ilbawi, system medical director of ambulatory innovation for Endeavor.

About 50 of Endeavor's primary care doctors and specialists have been using the ambient listening technology, made by a company named Abridge, since September.

Other local health systems have taken generative AI note-taking technologies even further.

Northwestern Medicine has about 300 of its physicians using a similar technology offered by Microsoft called DAX Copilot, and Rush University System for Health has about 100 clinicians using DAX Copilot as well as a technology made by another company.

At UChicago Medicine, about 550 clinicians are using the Abridge technology, and about 1,300 providers are using DAX Copilot at Advocate Health Care in Illinois and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin. Beyond Illinois, health care systems Kaiser Permanente and Johns Hopkins Medicine are among those who've agreed to offer Abridge across their systems.

Now, the technologies are mostly being used in the Chicago area during appointments with patients in offices and clinics, but several local systems say they plan to soon offer them to doctors in emergency rooms, urgent care and nurses and to those providing care to patients staying overnight in hospitals.

Leaders in the systems say that, so far, they've seen positive results from using the technologies, and some say they hope to eventually offer them to all of their providers.

"It's going to become ubiquitous very soon," said Dr. Nirav S. Shah, associate chief medical informatics officer for AI and innovation at Endeavor.

So far, health systems say it's been optional for doctors, and they don't foresee forcing providers to use it. It's also optional for patients.

Typically, the doctor or medical staff member will ask the patient for permission to use the technology at the start of the appointment. Generally, if the patient says it's OK, the doctor will then access it through an app on their phone. The doctor can tap their phone screen, and the app will start recording.

The Abridge app records audio of the conversation and then transcribes it. The transcription is then sent to a cloudneither the transcription nor the recording is stored on the doctor's phone. Artificial intelligence sorts the relevant parts of the conversationsuch as discussion about medical and socioeconomic issuesfrom small talk and other irrelevant parts, creating notes about the appointment in the patient's electronic medical record.

The doctor then reviews the notes in the medical record, making sure they're accurate, and can make changes before signing off on them. The audio or transcript of the appointment is eventually destroyed, leaving only the medical record behind.

So far, Gray said he hasn't had any patients say no to the technology. Dr. Douglas Dorman, a family medicine physician at Advocate Health Care in Yorkville, said he's had fewer than 10 patients reject the idea since he started using the technology.

Catherine Gregory, who saw Gray on a recent day after undergoing surgery for a broken arm, said it seemed like a good idea as a way to help doctors give patients more of their undivided attention.

"I'm for it," said Gregory, 62, of Chicago, "because I want his attention on me, especially if I'm in pain, like today. I don't want you to miss anything I'm saying about the pain I'm in."

Patient Robert Johnston, 61, of West Rogers Park, said he'd never heard of the technology before visiting Gray. At first, he worried it might be intrusive, especially if he were discussing a sensitive topic with a doctor. But he said he can also see how it could help doctors and patients have better relationships.

"It's a lot better when they're able to speak directly to me," he said of doctors. "As long as privacy concerns are protected, I think it's a great idea."

Local health systems said the companies they chose to supply the technologies had to meet the systems' security and privacy requirements. Breaches and cyberattacks have become common at health systems across the country in recent years.

"We take security very, very, very seriously, so it was definitely evaluated strongly," said Dr. Betsy Winga, vice president of medical informatics and chief medical informatics officer for Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care.

She said she couldn't discuss the costs of the technology, but said, "The benefit we have seen from it, from a clinician experience standpoint, is just priceless."

Overall, Dorman, with Advocate, said patients seem to appreciate itor at least what it's meant for their interactions with him. Patients have told him he seems more relaxed and less stressed, he said.

"I get to come back to work each day refreshed, recharged, excited to be there," Dorman said. "I really think it improves my demeanor."

Doctors who've used the technology say, in some ways, it's helped them return to an earlier time in medicine, when they didn't have to spend as much time on documentation. A federal law passed in 2009 incentivized the use of electronic medical records as a way to make records more easily accessible, increase patient privacy and improve patient safety.

Later, the federal government began penalizing providers who didn't use them in a meaningful way. Doctors say that, over time, the amount of information they've had to enter in the records has grown.

In many cases, that's left doctors with two choices: either try to document patients' visits during their appointments or finish their documentation at the end of the day, which can often mean hours of extra work.

According to an American Medical Association survey, doctors in 2023 said they worked 59-hour workweeks, on average, and nearly eight hours of that time was devoted to administrative tasks. About 48% of the doctors who responded to the AMA survey reported experiencing at least one symptom of burnout.

Doctors and health care leaders refer to time spent on administrative tasks outside of the workday as "pajama time." Northwestern saw a 17% decrease in pajama time among its clinicians who used the AI note-taking technology, and Advocate Health Care saw nearly a 15% reduction.

Dorman, with Advocate, said he used to spend 20 to 25 hours a week working on documentation, after hours. He said he used to be the last one to leave the office each day. Now, he says he spends about 30 minutes a week on the task. He said the technology has been "life-changing."

Before the technology, Dr. Melissa Holmes, a pediatrician at Rush, would type some of her notes during the day and others in the evenings, at home, after her kids went to bed. She said she's still doing some work in the evenings, but it takes much less time to check over and edit the AI notes than it did to type all of her own.

The technology has also helped her be more present with her patients, she said.

"Before, I felt kind of tied to my computer screen because I didn't want to miss anything," said Holmes, who is also an associate chief medical information officer for the system. "Now, as a parent is pointing out something they're concerned about in a child, I can be at the bedside looking at it with the parent rather than typing it in and then looking at it."

2025 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A group has launched a campaign to ask Tennessees legislators for more recess time across the state.

The Say YES to Recess campaign has taken issue with Tennessees legal minimums for recess time; as of publication, elementary school students must legally have at least one 15-minute physical activity period per day and at least 130 minutes per full school week. Middle and high school students must have a minimum of 90 minutes of physical activity per full school week.

NOVEMBER 2024: Williamson County parents ask school board for more recess time

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Say YES to Recess takes issue with the state minimum, advocating instead for a new law that would require two 30-minute period for elementary school students  one in the morning and the other in the afternoon  and at least one 30-minute break for middle school students.

If adults can be given time to rest and recharge during their workday, why arent we providing the same for our childrenwho spend between 6.5  7 hrs a day in school? the group said in a press release.

JULY 2024: Clarksville moms get more recess time for students, work to take efforts statewide

The statewide efforts follow the groups successful negotiation in Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools for longer recess periods in elementary schools. Williamson County parents have also asked for more recess times for students,

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The group said a legislator has committed to introducing the bill at some point during the 2025 legislative session, though that legislator was not named. You can follow this link to sign a petition supporting legislation for longer recess. Tennessees legislative session will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 14.

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It was a frightening morning for guests at a downtown hotel.

Parents at the Residence Inn Downtown Atlanta hotel couldnt wake up their children and had no idea why. It turns out they all had been exposed to carbon monoxide and the entire hotel had to be evacuated.

There was just an alarm, one evacuee told Channel 2s Tom Jones about what woke her up.

Some guests say they were asleep when they heard a fire alarm just before 9:00 a.m. Friday morning.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

I was like, Oh shoot. She was like, Just leave our stuff. I was like, Absolutely not. Like we are taking it and getting out, one guest said.

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Several guests say they had to take the stairs to get out of the hotel. Jim Hoag from Texas says he had no problem getting from the ninth floor, but he says he saw a man in a wheelchair who was struggling.

He got down, I think, 10 flights of stairs before somebody could come help him. His family helped him, he said.

Firefighters say it all began when guests in one room couldnt wake up their children.

We did have a report of one unconscious, Assistant Chief Greg Gray with Atlanta Fire and Rescue said.

We saw one man being treated on a stretcher.

Emergency crews arrived and spoke to hotel engineers. They quickly realized they were dealing with a major health hazard. It was determined that we did have a CO, which is carbon monoxide, issue, Chief Gray said.

TRENDING STORIES:

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It affected the entire building, so they had to evacuate everyone over all 20 floors.

We did go room to room. Floor to floor, Gray said.

Three adults and two children were taken to the hospital for observation. The remaining guests were invited to keep warm inside the Candler Hotel across the street.

The GM for this hotel said, Come on over; well take care of you, Hoag said.

Hoag came to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl. The carbon monoxide leak almost forced him to extend his stay.

We just rushed to pack and were going to the airport now, he said.

Firefighters are working to find out where the leak came from. And theyre looking into whether CO detectors were installed and whether they were working properly.

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By Amindeh Blaise Atabong

YAOUNDE (Reuters) - Gunmen from Nigeria have killed at least five Cameroonian soldiers and wounded several others in the village of Bakinjaw on Cameroon's border with Nigeria, a member of parliament for the district and a traditional leader said on Saturday.

It is the latest in a series of attempts to seize territory in the area.

Aka Martin Tyoga, MP for the district of Akwaya in southwestern Cameroon, where the incident took place, told Reuters the attack happened early on Friday, when hundreds of armed Fulani herdsmen crossed the border from Taraba state in Nigeria to attack a military post.

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He said it was a retaliation after Cameroonian soldiers killed several herdsmen the day before.

Agwa Linus, traditional ruler of Bakinjaw, said the attackers also burnt down his home.

"This is not the first time they are attacking - it's very unfortunate," he said.

(Editing by Portia Crowe and Giles Elgood)
A Russian missile strike on Chernihiv has claimed the life of Ukrainian philologist and teacher Oleksii Halonka. He died as a result of severe injuries caused by missile wreckage.

Source: Serhii Shumylo, Director of the International Institute of the Athonite Legacy in Ukraine

Details: The scientist's niece, Liudmyla Halonka, also confirmed this information for the local media outlet CHEline.

Liudmyla said that on the day of the tragedy, when the sounds of a Russian attack were heard in the city, she called her uncle to warn him to be careful. Upon learning that Oleksii was injured, his relatives immediately rushed to his aid.

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The family, following instructions from medics, tried to stop the bleeding until the ambulance arrived. Despite their efforts, Oleksii Halonka, aged 72, died from his injuries.

"He devoted his entire life to the work he loved. This is a huge loss for the family and education in Chernihiv Oblast and Ukraine. He was a very compassionate and kind person," Liudmyla noted.

Liudmyla also mentioned that in March 2022, Russian troops completely destroyed the educator's house. Since then, Oleksii had been living in a small building nearby.

Russian troops completely destroyed the educator's house.

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Photo: Serhii Shumylo on Facebook

Shumylo shared Oleksii's recollections of the day when his home was demolished.

Serhii quoted Oleksii as recalling, "We were heavily bombarded that day. I don't know what had struck us. We were hiding in the cellar. It hit us hard. I looked up and saw that the porch was on fire. I got out, stood there and watched the house burn. I realised that there was no way to save it. It was wooden, brick-built. The house of my parents...

I was sorry about the library. Four thousand volumes burned down: books, magazines and newspapers. I had been keeping them all since 1968. Our institutes library was inferior to it. I also had a collection of 40 embroidered shirts  ancient ones, in a single copy. And paintings. But now it's all just a memory..."

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Read also: The staff killed in Russia's attack on a private medical facility in Zaporizhzhia: what is known about them

Despite surviving the attack, Oleksii was left with nothing but the clothes he was wearing that day. Later, he had to sleep in a barn on the hay next to the cattle.

"It was a chicken coop. Hay for the cows was also stored there, along with coal, which I hadn't used for a long time. And Liubava the cow, and Kleopatra the heifer. Here's all I have left  a hat and a coat," Oleksii said at the time.

Liudmyla says they tried to convince her uncle to move, but he refused to leave his parent's house.

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"This year, he dreamed of building a house for himself. That is, the man had big plans for his life," she emphasised.

Read also: Actor of Chernihiv Music and Drama Theatre killed in action  photo

In total, Oleksii authored over 100 scientific works and also edited and prepared dozens of methodological collections for teachers in Chernihiv Oblast.

Anatolii Dnistrovskyi, a Ukrainian soldier, extended his condolences over the death of the Chernihiv educator, whom he had known since the 1990s.

Read also: Famous Ukrainian actor Yakiv Tkachenko killed in action

"I remember him from the early 90s  an aesthete who loved Ukrainian poetry and often quoted his favourite poems from our classics. My father and I frequently visited him. We used to swim together in the Desna River.

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His house, which stood near the Chernihiv airfield, had a luxurious art room filled with paintings, a collection of embroidered shirts, and more than 4,000 books," Anatolii said.

Journalist Vasyl Chepurnyi also shared his memories of Oleksii, whom he remembers as "a very calm and friendly person".

"I knew him as a man in love with flowers, which he grew himself, as a good animal owner (he used to keep two cows!), and a lover of performing arts," Chepurnyi wrote.

Background: Earlier, Ukrainska Pravda. Zhyttia shared the story of Ihor Zyma and Olesia Sokur, a husband and wife who were both scientists and who were killed in a Russian drone attack on the city of Kyiv on the morning of 1 January.

Read also: Only father survives: family of internally displaced persons killed in Russian attack on Hlukhiv, Sumy Oblast

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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) made a gassy gaffe while addressing the newly sworn-in 119th Congress on Friday.

At one point, Jeffries promised his colleagues that the Democratic Party would never abandon the long walk towards freedom and would fight hard during the next session of Congress.

We will fight hard to defend the freedom of opportunity that makes the American dream possible, he said, before making an unfortunate blooper.

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We will fart hard  fight hard for the freedom to vote, he said, quickly correcting himself. And to fight for a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Take a listen for yourself.

Jeffries: "We will fart hard for the freedom to vote." pic.twitter.com/KtWqEasvZr  Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 3, 2025

As might be expected, Jeffries unfortunate comment went viral, especially among pro-Trump accounts on X, formerly Twitter.

However, Jeffries also got in a shot of his own after GOP lawmakers cheered him for mentioning that Donald Trump had been elected president by voters two months ago.

After the cheers and whistles from the Republicans died down, he said with a smile, Thank you for that very generous applause. Its OK. There are no election deniers on our side of the aisle.

Related...
The Department of Energy contractor responsible for security at the Hanford nuclear site in Eastern Washington will order guards back to work after Local 21 members voted down a third proposed agreement, it said Friday evening.

However, representatives of Hanford Guards Union Local 21 said they want to resume negotiations with representatives of Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS) on Monday. They have prepared another counteroffer.

It would benefit both sides to come to an agreement that is acceptable to both rather than having an agreement forced on employees, said Dave Donovan, vice president of the International Guards Union of America Regional Council 1 and a Hanford guard.

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However, HMIS said in a written statement after the vote count Friday that it believes that collective bargaining negotiations have reached an impasse, and it is ready to require guards to return to work under the terms of its Dec. 5 offer, which it called its best and final offer.

HMIS earlier had said that the guards, who are part of the Hanford Patrol, must return to work Thursday, Jan. 2, unless they presented a counteroffer it considers reasonable. Further negotiations led to the Friday Jan. 3 vote.

Now HMIS will notify by mail the guards represented by Local 21 to tell them when they must return to work under the HMIS contract terms, it said Friday evening. Earlier the union said return-to-work dates would likely be Tuesday or Wednesday Jan. 7 or 8.

Hanford Patrol union guards have been locked out of the Hanford site since their contract expired just before Thanksgiving. The Hanford Patrols Special Response Team is shown conducting vehicle assault training.

Local 21 will do what its legal team advises, said Chris Hall, president of the Hanford Guards Union.

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The DOE contractor locked out nonmanagement Hanford guards on the day before Thanksgiving as their contract expired.

They have received no pay since then and said in a filing in federal court that the Human Responsibility Program security certifications they are required to have to work as guards at the site are at risk of lapsing during the lockout or have already lapsed.

Once certifications are lost, they are rarely restored, the union said.

HMIS said under its best and final offer the guards would remain the highest paid federal protective force in the DOE complex and would become the regions highest paid security force.

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The contractor said that the wage increase would be the largest in more than 20 years.

The Dec. 5 offer includes increases over the next five years of 6.5%, 5%, 4.5%, 4.5% and 3%, it said.

Local 21 has asked for a wage increase that would total the same but in a time frame that is a half year shorter. It would start with a 10% increase, followed by 4.5% increases, the union said.

The bigger initial increase would be intended to provide compensation for new DOE requirements for the guard since their last contract was negotiated, according to Local 21 officials.

Hanford guards question security

Under new requirements, the personal spending and travel of guards is closely monitored, Donovan said.

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Medical autonomy also is an issue for union members after a COVID vaccine mandate during the pandemic.

Union officials said continuing negotiations should be worthwhile for HMIS, because the number of guards accepting the latest proposal increased some with Fridays vote, although not enough to approve it.

Since guards were locked out, HMIS has been using guards brought in from other DOE sites, Hanford Patrol members who are salaried and not covered by the union, and former Hanford Patrol members to provide security.

A Hanford guard member holds a plastic coin and Christmas tree ornament he created with a 3D printer during their lock out from the Hanford site. Members of the Hanford Guards Union Local 21 picketed on Dec. 11, 2024, near John Dam Plaza in Richland.

HMIS has said that the nuclear site remains safe and secure, staffed by experienced and qualified exempt security police officers and active security professionals.

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The Hanford Patrol, an armed protective force, provides security for the 580-square-mile site adjacent to Richland.

Duties include protecting radioactive materials and classified materials, providing active shooter response, and deterring and responding to radiological and toxicological sabotage events by terrorists or others.

The Hanford nuclear site produced plutonium for the nations nuclear weapons program from World War II through the Cold War. It still has radioactive materials and contamination as environmental cleanup continues.

The number of Hanford guards is not made public for security reasons.

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Local 21 officials say the state of security at Hanford under fill-in guards is concerning in light of national events in recent days  the deadly New Years Day attack in New Orleans and the cybertruck explosion in front of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas.

They are calling on Washingtons Congressional representatives to support the union in the interest of national security and public safety.
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: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

As Chicago residents have been partaking in festivities over the past several weeks, various illnesses have taken hold. Flu activity "continues to rapidly increase," RSV activity is "very high," and COVID-19 activity is low but increasing, according to a Dec. 27 Chicago Department of Public Health surveillance summary.

Statewide, the percentages of positive tests for the flu and RSV have also been increasing, as have the percentages of emergency department visits for those illnesses.

Nationally, outbreaks of norovirus, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea, are also way up. In Illinois, the state health department is evaluating reports of norovirus outbreaks, but initial analysis shows that norovirus cases are slightly above the levels seen in the years right before the pandemic, spokesman Michael Claffey said in a statement.

"It's all out there," Dr. Laura Zimmermann, a primary care doctor and chief of general internal medicine at Rush University System for Health, said of the viruses now circulating.

Zimmermann just got over a nasty viral illness herself, she said, complete with fever, coughing, congestion and a sore throat. Still, she said, her voice weak with laryngitis: "I certainly wouldn't panic. I think this is kind of a typical cold and flu season."

Given the uptick in respiratory illnesses, the Illinois Department of Public Health has recommended that health care facilities move to facility-wide masking.

"We're trying to (take) measures to keep our patients safe," said Dr. Aniruddha Hazra, a UChicago Medicine associate professor of medicine in the department of infectious disease and global health. UChicago Medicine is among the local health care systems recommending or requiring everyone to wear masks in patient areas.

At the moment, RSV and the flu are among the more prevalent respiratory illnesses in Chicago, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.

In Chicago, test positivity for the flu was at 11.2% for the week that ended Dec. 21, up from just 2.6% two weeks earlier. About 2.8% of emergency department visits were for the flu for the week that ended Dec. 21, up from 0.5% two weeks earlier.

Yet, encouragingly, emergency department visits and test positivity for the flu in Chicago still are not as high as they were about a year ago. They're also not as high as they were during a rough flu season about two years ago in Chicago.

"We're not seeing anything like that," said Dr. Jonathan Pinsky, medical director for infection control at Endeavor Health Edward Hospital, though he noted that flu has not yet peaked.

On the other hand, RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, seems to have come on stronger so far this season than in the previous year in Chicagothough not as strongly as it did during a particularly difficult season two years ago when patients with RSV filled Chicago-area children's hospitals.

RSV usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, and most people recover in a week or two. Babies and older adults, however, are more likely to develop severe cases. At Lurie Children's Hospital, 23 children were hospitalized with RSV as of Monday, and about half of them were in the intensive-care unit, said Dr. Larry Kociolek, Lurie vice president for system preparedness, prevention and response.

In Chicago, test positivity for RSV was at nearly 15% for the week ending Dec. 21, compared with 8.5% for the same week the previous year, and about 1.3% of emergency department visits were for RSV compared with 0.8% the same week during the previous year, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.

At the state level, test positivity for RSV was up to 13.5% for the week that ended Dec. 21, compared with 10.6% two weeks earlier, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

COVID-19 activity, meanwhile, is increasing but remains low in Chicago, according to the city health department. Some measures of COVID-19 activity seem lower now than they were a year ago at this time.

In all, of about 250 patients at Edward Hospital this week, about 40 had some type of virus, with about one-third testing positive for COVID-19, another one-third with influenza and the rest with other types of viruses, Pinsky said.

The increases in respiratory illnesses, however, are not unexpected.

"It seems like a pretty average winter as far as the viruses go, at least so far," Pinsky said.

An exception to that, on the national level, may be norovirus. Though norovirus outbreaks are typically more common from November to April, the numbers nationally are higher than usual for this time of year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 91 suspected or confirmed outbreaks of norovirus across 14 states (not including Illinois) for the week that ended Dec. 5, compared with a maximum of 41 outbreaks for that week in other recent years.

The Chicago Department of Public Health doesn't track individual cases of norovirus, only outbreaks. The department had reports of "several small outbreaks of suspected norovirus" in Chicago in December, though that "is not out of the ordinary for this time of year," spokesperson Jacob Martin said in an email.

It's also difficult to know exactly how widespread norovirus is in the Chicago area because many people recover at home without being tested, said Hazra of UChicago Medicine.

"We don't have hard numbers but we certainly have been noticing an increase in phone calls and questions," Hazra said.

Most people with norovirus feel better within one to three days, according to the CDCthough it can be a rough couple of days.

"It can be very short-lived but seem pretty severe when you have it," Pinsky said.

Norovirus is easily transmitted, often by sharing food, eating food handled by others with the virus, or by touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then putting one's hands in one's mouth.

One of the best ways to avoid norovirus is by washing hands thoroughly and often. The CDC also advises those with symptoms to stay home when they're ill and then for two more days after their symptoms stop.

To protect against the flu and COVID-19, Zimmermann recommends people get vaccinated annually. Even if people haven't yet been vaccinated, there's still time to do so this season, given that the flu and COVID-19 will likely still be circulating for a while, she said.

"If you're exposed, you're less likely to get it," she said of people who get vaccinated. "If you do get it, you're less likely to have severe symptoms."

Older adults and pregnant women can also be vaccinated against RSV. The vaccine is available for adults 75 and older and for those 60 to 74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV. Infants can receive an RSV antibody if their mothers didn't get vaccinated during pregnancy.

People with symptoms such as coughing, runny nose or fever should try to self-isolate, and if they cannot do so, they should wear a mask around others, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

"I think it's pretty common to have the flu, COVID, RSV kind of creeping up," said Dr. Morgan Tarbutton, a primary care doctor at Duly Health and Care. "We'll just see where it heads through the rest of the winter months."

2024 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Jan. 3The new Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act will help veterans get the best care they can receive at home rather than have to live out their days in a nursing home, said U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.

Outgoing President Joe Biden recently signed the bipartisan law that Hassan helped introduce along with Republican and Democratic senators.

Advocates said the law is the greatest expansion of Veterans Administration services since the PACT Act that in August 2022 extended billions in new health benefits for veterans and survivors exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances,

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This one includes 90 sections addressing such critical issues as long-term care, mental health resources, education, job training, and Veterans Administration modernization.

Clearly the most important one will increase reimbursement for "non-institutional care" such as home-based services to the same level of support given to a veteran in a nursing home.

"While we can never fully repay the debt that we owe to veterans for their service to our country, this bipartisan legislation is one way that we can provide more veterans and their families with the support that they have earned and deserve," said Hassan, whose late father was a World War II veteran of the Battle of the Bulge.

"I am glad that we came together on both sides of the aisle to pass into law this bill that will, in particular, help more veterans age with dignity."

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Massive coalition of groups backed it

Other parts of the bill include:

A pilot program for the VA to hire home health aides in areas with a shortage of these critical workers.  Require the VA to create a one-stop website for home and community-based service.

A provision of the Love Lives on Act, which Senator Hassan cosponsored, to allow surviving spouses of certain service members who died on duty or because of service-related disabilities to maintain eligibility for education benefits without a time limit, even if they remarry.

Another pilot for the VA to furnish assisted living services for some veterans, including veterans in rural areas.

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Strengthen mental health support for family caregivers.

Expand access to mobile mammography initiatives and advanced mammography equipment for women veterans and,

Help improve VA services by requiring the VA to train new employees on reporting any wrongdoing that they see, based on the bipartisan Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Training Act that Senator Hassan had introduced.

Outgoing Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, and Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, had co-authored the law in the Senate and there were bipartisan authors of it in the U.S. House led by Reps. Julia Brownley, D-California and Jack Bergman, R-Michigan.

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The Elizabeth Dole Foundation worked with a broad coalition of partners to deliver the promises of this bill, including Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), The American Legion, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), DAV (Disabled American Veterans), AARP, Program for all Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), I AM ALS, and The ALS Association.

"Today, our leaders in Congress proved that American can still come together and stand with those who served our nation and their families," Steve Schwab, CEO of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, said in a statement.

klandrigan@unionleader.com
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Hawaiis illegal fireworks problem has once again been thrust into the spotlight. On Friday, Jan. 3, the Department of Law Enforcement submitted a report to state lawmakers, requesting millions in funding for expanded enforcement.

Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news

According to the DLEs Illegal Fireworks Task Force, illegal fireworks are being smuggled into Hawaii daily and year-round. The lucrative business can bring in about a million dollars for every container that arrives here.

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You know, for some people, thats their annual income, said Jordan Lowe, Director for the DLE.

HPD reports fewer fireworks arrests, citations

The DLE is preparing to ask the legislature for more money to fund a full-time explosive enforcement section to tackle this underground market. The section would include a team of six investigators and support staff.

Theyre also preparing to ask the legislature for funding to create a statewide explosives and fireworks laboratory to complement its existing forensic drug testing lab.

The analysis of these explosive materials is something thats required for prosecution and for timely prosecution, which is why something that we want to establish, said Lowe.

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State lawmakers said the New Years Day tragedy in Aliamanu underscores the urgency to crack down on the black market and are carefully considering committing more resources, despite the states tight budget.

My position has been to continue to provide resources to this illegal fireworks task force. They have been successful, even though we may not see that statewide or island-wide, said Senator Brandon Elefante, who serves as the Public Safety committee chair.

What I would really like to see is more investigations that are done are looking for all of the bad things that might be coming in invasive species, drugs, illegal fireworks, said Representative Della Au Belatti, chair of the House Public Safety Committee.

In the year and a half the task force has been established, its seized more than 200,000 pounds of illegal fireworks. The report also highlights dismantling parts of the supply chain with 20 criminal citations and two Oahu men charged with felony fireworks distribution. Their sentencing is scheduled for later this year.

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Check out more news from around Hawaii

But Director Lowe said he knows the problem is far from solved.

We are doing as much as we can, given the limited resources that we have, we can do more. We can do better, and we should do better. Thats what the community deserves. said Lowe.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
Public Health Seattle King County says five people were hospitalized and 14 others fell ill after eating food served at a Christmas dinner at the Mary Pilgrim Inn.

The emergency temporary housing shelter served two dinners on Dec. 25 and the leftovers on Dec. 26.

Health officials say they believe everyone was sickened by salmonella and are now investigating the outbreak.

The health department says it is continuing to look into what happened and will provide updates as it learns more about the situation.




Montanas Supreme Court has ruled that the 16 youth who sued the state in a landmark climate change lawsuit have a constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment.

The 6-1 decision upheld a lower court ruling in Held v. Montana, in which the plaintiffs argued that the state violated that right, enshrined in the state constitution in 1972, by limiting analysis of greenhouse gas emissions during environmental review of fossil fuel projects. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Mike McGrath rejected a spate of arguments against the plaintiffs  including that they lacked standing to bring the suit and that Montanas contribution to climate change is negligible in a global context.

Plaintiffs showed at trial  without dispute  that climate change is harming Montanas environmental life support system now and with increasing severity for the foreseeable future, McGrath wrote in a 48-page opinion handed down December 18. Declining to regulate the states emissions because they are negligible would be like declining to regulate its mining pollution into Lake Koocanusa simply because 95 percent of the total pollution reaching the lake originates in Canada, he wrote.

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Lead plaintiff Rikki Held, the only plaintiff who was 18 when the suit was filed in 2020, hailed the courts decision in a statement as a victory not just for us, but for every young person whose future is threatened by climate change.

We have been heard, she added.

The suit was brought by Our Childrens Trust, a nonprofit public interest law firm based in Eugene, Oregon. In a statement, lead attorney Nate Bellinger called the ruling a victory for young people and for generations to come. The court said loud and clear: Montanas Constitution does not grant the state a free pass to ignore climate change because others fail to act  this landmark decision underscores the states affirmative duty to lead by example.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte denounced the ruling, arguing in a statement that it would lead to perpetual lawsuits that will waste taxpayer dollars and drive up energy bills. The Montana Department of Justice, which represented the state in the lawsuit, called the ruling disappointing, but not surprising, according to the Montana Free Press.

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Held v. Montana made history last year when it became the nations first constitutional climate case to go to trial. Experts have said it could lay a foundation for, or bolster, similar lawsuits  especially in states that, like Montana, have a constitutional guarantee to a clean and healthful environment.

One of those states, Hawaii, settled a youth climate lawsuit last June, requiring its transportation department to develop a concrete and comprehensive statewide plan to achieve emissions reduction targets for 2030, 2035, and 2040, before reaching zero emissions in 2045. The plaintiffs had argued that Hawaiis transportation system wasnt decarbonizing fast enough and that its outsize emissions were eroding their right to a clean and healthful environment.

Smoke billows from a fire on dry hills.

We will use the Montana case and the settlement agreement in Hawaii as models for other states, Phillip Gregory, an attorney with Our Childrens Trust, told the State Court Report in July. Other states with so-called green amendments to their constitutions are Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Pennsylvania. More than a dozen other states are considering adding them.

In New Mexico, whose constitution does not yet include a green amendment but still says it is of fundamental importance to protect the states beautiful and healthful environment, a trial court last June denied defendants request to dismiss a lawsuit arguing against the approval of future oil and gas production.

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Some legal experts have argued that, while the Held decision is noteworthy, the unique circumstances of the case make it unlikely that a wave of similarly successful lawsuits will follow. Its also unclear how far other court rulings based on a constitutional green amendment can go toward mitigating climate change beyond blocking an overtly anti-climate policy. Michael Gerrard, founder of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, told Grist that push will come to shove when there are efforts to use these amendments to block major [fossil fuel] projects.

On the other hand, its possible that other suits  including those not invoking constitutional rights  could cite the factual findings of Held v. Montana, like those establishing climate changes unique effects on children.

Read Next

Kaliko smiles wearing a lei on a sunny day outside Iolani Palace in Honolulu.

Indigenous youth are at the center of major climate lawsuits. Heres why theyre suing.

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Anita Hofschneider

During a seven-day trial in June, 2023, the 16 youth plaintiffs argued that the states promotion of fossil fuel infrastructure had jeopardized their physical and mental health, traditions, and recreational interests. Anthropogenic climate change has already had myriad impacts on Montana, including shorter winters with less snowfall, more frequent wildfires, and the reduced availability of wild game and ceremonial and medicinal plants. These impacts are expected to worsen as atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations rise.

McGrath acknowledged these impacts in his decision: Plaintiffs showed that climate change does impact the clear, unpolluted air of the Bob Marshall Wilderness; it does impact the availability of clear water and clear air in the Bull Mountains; and it does exacerbate the wildfire stench in Missoula, along with the rest of the state.

In a concurrence separate from that of the five-justice majority, Justice Dirk Sandefur agreed with the courts ultimate issue holdings but said that the states actions alone  even eliminating all fossil fuel projects  could not address climate-related harms felt by the plaintiffs. Justice Jim Rice offered the lone dissent, arguing that the plaintiffs lacked standing because the constitutional violations they cited were theoretical rather than concrete or impending.

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Montana Republicans and the states Republican-led justice department criticized the court for overstepping its powers, ruling in favor of their ideologically aligned allies. According to the Daily Montanan, the states Republican lawmakers plan to introduce dozens of bills next session to reform the court, either by reducing its power or by making it more conservative.

Michael Burger, the Sabin Centers executive director, told the State Court Report last July that the success of future constitutional climate cases may hinge on the political environment where theyre filed. It may prove more difficult in a state where the political leadership is disinclined toward climate action, he said. Gerrard noted that several such cases have been filed in New York, the most recent state to adopt a green amendment, and that its too early to tell whether theyll be impactful.

This story was originally published by Grist with the headline We have been heard: Montana youth score a major climate victory in court on Jan 3, 2025.
HAINES CITY, Fla. (WFLA)  The Haines City Police Department said Friday officers have been working tirelessly to solve a homicide that claimed the life of a young vibrant woman just days after Christmas.

In a news release sent out a week after the Dec. 27 homicide, the police department provided more information regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident, as well as the victims name.

Potential nerve damage: Security guard recovering from NYE shooting in Tampa

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Authorities said Asiya Roberts-Husband, 33, was traveling with her employer, a 41-year-old woman, in a white transport van around 6:22 p.m. in Haines City.

Asiya Roberts-Husband (Credit: Haines City Police Department)

They were near the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Avenue K when an unknown person in a four-door sedan unleashed a barrage of gunfire on them, police reported.

Officials said Roberts-Husband died after she was struck by the gunfire. Her employer, who was in the drivers seat, also sustained injuries, but received medical care and is expected to recover.

Investigators believe the two women were intentionally targeted. However, detectives have not released a motive. The police department said Friday officers were still working to piece together the events that led to Roberts-Husbands death.

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In the news release, authorities called the incident a heart-wrenching tragedy, adding that Roberts-Husbands life was cut short in a senseless act of violence.

Florida 10-year-old killed by New Years Eve celebratory gunfire

Officials have since learned that she was a daughter, mother, sister, aunt, friend and beloved member of the community, and have been urging anyone with information to come forward to help bring comfort to Asiyas grieving family.

Haines City Police Department remains steadfast in our commitment to uncovering the truth and holding those responsible accountable, the police department said. As we reflect on the life of Asiya and the light she brought to those around her, let us unite in the hope that justice will prevail and that her memory will inspire change within our community.

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Anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for her death could be eligible for a reward.

The police department announced Thursday that it was adding $2,500 to the $5,000 reward being offered by Heartland Crime Stoppers, bringing the total reward amount to $7,500.

Authorities are asking anyone who has information to contact Heartland Crime Stoppers by calling 1-888-400-TIPS (8477), through their website at www.heartlandcrimestoppers.com, or on their free P3tips app compatible with any smartphone or tablet.

We understand that fear or a sense of misguided loyalty can make people hesitant to speak out, police said. However, we want to reassure our citizens that anonymity is guaranteed through Heartland Crime Stoppers.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Downers Grove, Illinois-based Hearthside Food Solutions will pay $4.5 million to settle an Illinois child labor probe after a Texas bankruptcy judge approved a settlement between the company and the Illinois Department of Labor and attorney general Friday.

The Illinois agencies opened their child labor probe into Hearthside, which was named in a major New York Times investigation into migrant child labor, in 2023. A separate national investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor was still open as of last month.

Because Hearthside filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Texas in November  in a move it said was not primarily driven by the child labor allegations  the settlement agreement had to be approved by a bankruptcy judge before it could take effect.

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In a statement when the parties first reached a settlement agreement late last year, Annie Thompson, spokesperson for the attorney general, said that children belong in classrooms, not manufacturing facilities.

We are committed to reaching a resolution with Hearthside Food Solutions that protects minors from exploitation and holds the company accountable for any practices that violate Illinois labor laws, Thompson said.

Hearthside did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement and continues to deny allegations of child labor. It has previously said the allegations were principally connected with third-party staffing agencies, and has said it has already taken steps to reduce its reliance on temporary labor hired from such staffing agencies.

Hearthside looks forward to moving the (c)ompany into the future on strong footing, leaving past challenges behind, and positioning the business for sustained growth, it said in a statement in December.

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Up to half of the $4.5 million settlement fund will be set aside for people who say they worked for Hearthside in Illinois while under age 16 and who can provide documentation to support their claim.

The agreement also requires Hearthside to submit to additional state oversight over the length of the agreement, which is two years. The company agreed to submit to audits by the state, for instance, and must open an anonymous hotline for employees to report alleged child labor violations.

The approval of the agreement comes days after a refresh to Illinois child labor law, which, among other provisions, increases penalties for violators of the law, took effect Jan. 1. The move also comes as some other states, including neighboring Iowa, have moved to weaken their own child labor laws.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reported significant losses among Russian and North Korean forces during recent clashes in Russia's southern Kursk region.

"In battles yesterday and today near a single village, Makhnovka, in Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops," Zelensky said in his evening address on Jan. 4, citing information from Ukraine's top commander.

He added that "this is significant." While Zelensky did not share further details, a battalion typically consists of several hundred troops.

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In late 2024, Zelensky also called on China to use its influence over North Korea to prevent the deployment of North Korean soldiers to the front line.

"The Korean people should not lose their people in battles in Europe. And this can be influenced, in particular, by Korea's neighbors, in particular, China. If China is sincere in its statements that the war should not expand, appropriate influence on Pyongyang is necessary," Zelensky said.

Russia has stationed approximately 12,000 North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region to assist in ousting Ukrainian forces. The first confirmed battles between Ukrainian and North Korean units occurred on Nov. 5.

Ukraine first began its surprise incursion into Kursk Oblast on Aug. 6. Ukrainian forces have been fighting to hold onto territory in the region ever since in hopes it can be used as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Russia.

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Read also: Russia has lost over 38,000 troops in Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A former business lobbyist-turned state House member who played a key role in helping Florida Power & Light secure the largest electric rate increase in state history will sit on an obscure but important panel that can hire and fire a consumer advocate who often serves as a critical check against utilities.

Newly elected state Rep. Richard Gentry, a Central Florida Republican, once served as that very consumer advocate: Gentry's 2021 appointment to the role of public counsel, an office created by the Florida Legislature to fight for consumers when utilities ask for rate increases, was a controversy in its own right, given his long history lobbying on behalf of Florida corporate interests. His tenure still impacts millions of Floridians' bank accounts today: Gentry struck a settlement with FPL that guaranteed the electric company more than $1 billion in additional revenue, paid by ratepayers, through 2025.

Florida State Rep. Richard Gentry, R-Astor

That settlement proved controversial with consumer groups who often see eye-to-eye with the public counsel, and it remains the subject of an ongoing case before the Florida Supreme Court, which has shown remarkable skepticism of the state regulators who signed off on the deal.

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Now, Gentry  whose House campaign contributions reflected big-business backing, including from the Florida Chamber  will be part of a joint legislative committee that oversees his successor, Walt Trierweiler.

Our view: Delray Beach Brightline crash must be a wake-up call for safety and awareness | Editorial

That committee appoints and can fire the public counsel, who leads an office that can be a thorn in the side of Florida's powerful investor-owned utilities, which are among the state's most prolific political contributors. The role is an important one because utility companies sometimes will entertain confidential settlement talks with the public counsel that can result in a reduction in the proposed rate increases, as was the case with a Duke Energy request earlier this year that Trierweiler settled.

The office's reputation suffered under Gentry

In early 2021, Gentry replaced J.R. Kelly as public counsel, a controversial switcheroo orchestrated by then-Senate President Wilton Simpson, a known ally of FPL.

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After a few months on the job, Gentry and Florida Power & Light emerged from confidential negotiations with a settlement in hand that other consumer advocates slammed as even worse than the company's original proposal.

Year in Review: Florida forecast calls for more Brightline, older strippers and less hooting in Palm Beach

That settlement included a solar program that critics have characterized as a $2 billion subsidy for FPL's largest corporate customers, financed by ordinary Floridians and small businesses. In oral arguments this fall, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos G. Muniz needled attorneys representing state regulators and FPL over the program and over the state's more general oversight of such utility companies, a notable development for a deeply conservative court that is broadly skeptical of intervening in regulatory disputes. And that was not a one-off occurrence: Muniz criticized state utility regulators for their lack of transparency during oral arguments in a separate case earlier this month.

Gentry's shift from corporate lobbyist to purported consumer advocate was a characteristic story in Florida, with a long history of what watchdogs call "captured" regulators: That is, when, through political contributions and clout, big business is able to influence the agencies that are supposed to be regulating it. Members of the Public Service Commission are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate, an arrangement that exposes those commissioners to politics with high stakes for utility companies.

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The charitable theory about the settlement was that, as a veteran lobbyist, Gentry saw himself more as a deal-maker than a watchdog or adversary, and thus he was perhaps too eager to take a rotten offer that had been put on the table. Either way, the public counsel's endorsement of the rates became a key point raised in the litigation: If the consumer advocate was on board, it couldn't be all that bad for customers.

FPL, Florida's largest electric utility servicing some 12 million customers, is expected to ask for a rate increase next year, meaning the role of the public counsel  and the legislative committee overseeing it  will hold particular significance. Gentry, in other words, will be serving at an important time.

If his appointment isn't to be a Christmas gift to Florida's investor-owned utilities, Gentry will let the public counsel do its job.

Nate Monroe is state columnist for USA Today Network-Florida.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: He helped FPL raise FL electric rates. Now he has more power | Opinion
Henry County police want to identify two men suspected of stealing items from a home in Ellenwood.

On Sunday, Dec. 22, the two men shown in the photo stole a green Honda 250cc ATV, a Husqvarna chainsaw, and $50 (taken from the victims Ford F-150).

The images of the suspects were taken by the victims deer cameras that were set up on his property.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

If you recognize the men, police ask you to call Detective E. Luciano at 770-288-8278.

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You can also call the Henry County Non-Emergency Dispatch number at 770-957-9121 or text tips, photos, and videos to 770-220-7009.

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The New Year's Day Tesla Cybertruck explosion near the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has connections to Arizona. The deceased suspect was born in the state, the vehicle traveled through Arizona, and the Grand Canyon was reportedly considered as a potential detonation site.

At a Thursday press conference, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department disclosed identifying information revealing that 37-year-old Matthew Alan Livelsberger was born in Arizona. On Friday, authorities confirmed that Livelsberger's burned remains were found in the vehicle that exploded Wednesday morning near the hotel.

Here is everything to know about this mystery that local and federal investigators continue to unravel.

Who is the suspect?

Livelsberger, a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, rented the Cybertruck, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill. His passport, displayed during Thursdays press conference, identified Arizona as his birthplace.

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Livelsberger's military identification was also shown. Both IDs and a credit card with Livelsberger's name were found in the burnt Cybertruck, McMahill said.

During Thursday's news briefing, McMahill told reporters that the man found in the Cybertruck was "burnt beyond recognition." At a Friday afternoon press conference, he confirmed the suspect as Matthew Alan Livelsberger after DNA from his family and dental records from the Department of Defense provided a positive match.

The sheriff had previously expressed confidence in the identification, noting that Livelsberger's tattoos matched those found on the remains and that no one else had been seen in the Cybertruck.

Vegas Cybertruck explosion: Person of interest in Cybertruck explosion at Trump Las Vegas hotel born in Arizona

Why did the suspect act?

Authorities said no motivation has been established for Livelsberger's actions.

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The suspect's phone contained notes detailing his thought process leading up to the explosion. These writings appeared to serve as a rallying call to others in the military, urging action against the federal government and advocating for a "purge" of Democrats. One entry read:

This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives? Military and vets move on DC starting now. Militias facilitate and augment this activity. Occupy every major road along fed buildings and the campus of fed buildings by the hundreds of thousands. Lock the highways around down with semis right after everybody gets in. Hold until the purge is complete. Try peaceful means first, but be prepared to fight to get the Dems out of the fed government and military by any means necessary. They all must go and a hard reset must occur for our country to avoid collapse.

Another entry reads in full:

Fellow Servicemembers, Veterans and all Americans TIME TO WAKE UP! We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves. We are crumbling because of a lack of self respect, morales, and respect for others. Greed and gluttony has consumed us. The top 1% decided long ago they werent going to bring everyone else with them. You are cattle to them. We have strayed from family values and corrupted our minds and I am a prime example of having it all but it never being enough.

No animosity toward Trump

Livelsberger signed a lengthy entry in which, among other ramblings, he seems to criticize the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. The entry notes that a "DEI candidate"  referring to diversity, equity, and inclusion  was "thankfully" rejected. He describes DEI as "a cancer" and asserts that "men must be leaders."

According to Spencer Evans, FBI special agent in charge for Las Vegas, Livelsberger did not express animosity toward President-elect Donald Trump, who owns the hotel where the Cybertruck exploded.

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The last line of the lengthy entry appears to endorse Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the president-elect's nominee for Department of Health and Human Services secretary.

"Rally around the Trump, Musk, Kennedy, and ride this wave to the highest hegemony for all Americans! We are second to no one," the final sentence read.

The U.S. Army confirmed Livelsberger was an active-duty Green Beret and had served 19 years with multiple deployments, including to Afghanistan. He had been awarded the Bronze Star. Evans said Livelsberger suffered PTSD.

"Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took," part of a notes entry read.

Where else did the suspect consider setting off the explosion?

An email, resembling a manifesto and attributed to Livelsberger, was shared on "The Shawn Ryan Show" podcast. On Friday, Evans stated that investigators have not yet definitively confirmed that the manifesto was written by the suspect.

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McMahill noted that the manifesto suggested the Grand Canyon National Park as a potential location for detonating the Cybertruck.

How did the suspect die?

The person inside the Cybertruck suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound before the vehicle detonated, McMahill said.

A pair of handguns were found in the vehicle, including one at the person's feet, the sheriff said. He added that one of the firearms was a Desert Eagle semiautomatic pistol.

What else was found in the Cybertruck?

Kenneth Cooper with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said during the press conference that along with fireworks intended for consumer use, the Cybertruck contained mortars, aerial shells and fuel enhancers to help set off the explosion.

What do we know about the Cybertruck that exploded and its travels?

Car rental company Turo confirmed Wednesday that the Cybertruck was rented through their peer-to-peer car rental service.

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McMahill stated that the Cybertruck traveled through northern Arizona, where the battery-powered vehicle was charged in Holbrook, Flagstaff, and Kingman.

A video shown during Fridays news briefing depicted a man, identified by police as Livelsberger, charging the Cybertruck at a Kingman Tesla charging station. A cross-reference between the video and Google Street View suggests the station was located in a Carl's Jr. parking lot on West Beale Street, near Interstate 40 in Kingman.

According to McMahill, the vehicle was rented in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 a.m. PST. The Cybertruck was driven up and down Las Vegas Boulevard before pulling in front of the Trump hotel around 8:40 a.m., where it remained for 15 seconds before exploding, the sheriff reported.

What are some of the Cybertruck's specifications?

The Cybertruck was first unveiled in 2019 and was marketed by Musk as having a "bullet tough" stainless-steel frame and "basically rock-proof" armored glass.

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USA TODAY reporter Tom Vanden Brook contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump hotel Cybertruck explosion had AZ ties. Here's what to know
Tech giant Apple, responsible for the ubiquitous iPhone and other devices like iPads and Apple Watches, has agreed to pay a $95 million settlement involving its virtual assistant Siri.

According to the lawsuit, Apple devices eavesdropped on users as a part of its "Hey Siri" technology in which iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and other Siri-equipped products actively listened to and recorded conversations for the two words used to trigger the assistant. The proposed settlement was filed in an Oakland, California federal court on Dec. 31.

If you've used any Apple devices in the past decade, you might want to listen upno pun intended.

Why is Apple settling a class action lawsuit?

It all dates back to 2019 when The Guardian reported that Apple hired contractors to listen to Siri recordings of users' conversations. This included everything from medical appointments to sexual encounters and drug deals. While Apple at the time acknowledged that Siri recordings could be listened to, it didn't say that humans were listening to them. The new lawsuit alleged that Apple didn't inform users they were frequently being recorded without their consent.

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According to Forbes, this case was brought by various users including two plaintiffs alleging that they started getting ads on their iPhones for Air Jordan shoes after mentioning the sneakers in conversation, while another said he began receiving medical ads after speaking about a specific surgical treatment with his doctor.

Related: Ex-UFC Athletes to Receive Nearly $400 Million in Class Action Lawsuit

Who is eligible to receive payment for the settlement?

To be eligible for the Siri settlement, you must be based in the U.S. and have owned an Apple device between Sept. 17, 2014 and Dec. 31, 2024.

How much can you get for the Siri class action suit?

You will receive $20 if you file a claim, but it's not just limited to your iPhone. You can submit a claim for each Apple device that you use, up to five devices for a total of $100. Depending on the number of claims submitted and approved, the payment could end up being higher.

How do you claim your settlement payment?

A website to submit your claim is required to be set up within 45 days. After that, you have until May 15, 2025 to file your claim.

How do you turn off 'Hey Siri' on iPhone?

If you don't want your iPhone actively listening to you for the same reason these plaintiffs brought their case, toggle off "Listen for 'Hey Siri' in the Siri & Search menu of your Settings.

What has Apple said about the lawsuit?

Apple pushed back on the claims made in the class action in a statement to Men's Journal.

"Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning. Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose," the statement read. "Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri, and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private."


DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN)  Several high-profile cases in the Wiregrass are set to go to trial in 2025, including a man accused of shooting a pregnant teen to death, a teen mom whom police claim put her newborn in a trash compactor, and a mom charged in the death of her special needs son.

Jakayla Williams

Jakayla Williams over video call for court hearing

Jakayla Williams, 18, is facing one count of capital murder in the death of her baby boy. Dothan Police claim she threw the newborn in a dumpster with a trash compactor after secretly giving birth in her Dothan home.

Following Williams denial of youthful offender status, which would have made her case private to the public, Judge Butch Binford set a tentative trial date for June 23, 2025.

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Dothan Investigators began looking into William when staff at Southeast Health said that Williams and her mother were at the hospital looking for a baby in August 2023.

Dothan police claim Williams never took the baby to the hospital and instead took him to an apartment complex on the West side of Dothan and placed him in a dumpster with a trash compactor attached.

The babys remains were later found by officers wrapped in a mattress protector inside a zipped-up duffel bag at the Dothan dump.

Marquis McCloud

Marquis McCloud being escorted into the Houston County Courthouse by HCSO deputies

Marquis McCloud was arrested in May 2023 and charged with one count of Capital Murder-Kidnapping and one count of Capital Murder-Two or More Persons in the murder of 19-year-old Anastasia Gilley and her 4-month-old fetus.

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He was initially set to stand before Judge Christopher Richardson and a jury of his peers in July 2024, but after several setbacks, his trial was pushed over nine times until finally landing on March 17, 2025.

It is currently unknown if McCloudd trial will be pushed again. McCloud pled not guilty to his charges, claiming he has a mental disease or defect.

Accused pregnant teen killer wont stand trial in Dothan until 2025

Gilleys badly decomposed body was found in a Houston County field in early May 2023 after she went missing from her Jackson County home.

According to Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza, Gilley may have wilfully met McCoud in person after speaking with him through social media.

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The sheriff says at some point after meeting in person, McCloud began holding Gilley against her will and then shot her to death in the field off Headland Avenue. An indictment claims Gilley was shot several times.

Lindsay Shiver

Lindsay Shiver (Middle) walking into a Bahamian courthouse with her defense team

While Lindsay Shiver wont stand trial in the Wiregrass, the case has captured the attention of thousands in the area due to Shiver growing up in Houston County. Shivers maiden name is Shirley, and she was named Miss Houston County in 2005.

Shiver is set to stand before a Bahamian judge in March 2025 in the island capital of Nassau on a murder-for-hire charge. An exact trial date has not been announced.

Shiver, her alleged lover, Terrence Bethel, and a friend, Faron Newbold Jr., were arrested in July 2023 after police in the Bahamas accused the three of plotting to kill Shivers husband, Robert.

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Bahamian police claimed they found messages on WhatsApp between Bethel and Shiver, which allegedly included photos of Robert along with the message Kill him.

Shiver and Bethel are currently imprisoned after their bonds were revoked in October after an appearance on GMA.

Minh Nguyen

Minh Nguyen being escorted out of a Houston County Courtroom by Houston County Sheriffs Deputies (May 2024)

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Minh Thanh Nguyen was arrested just days before Christmas 2023 and charged with capital murder-rape in the death of 17-year-old Duong Thi Thuy Troung, his girlfriends daughter.

Nguyens trial has been pushed at least twice since the fall of 2024, finally landing on a tentative date of February 10, 2025.

One problem the case has seen is the appointment of an interpreter to assist attorneys and prosecutors with speaking to Nguyen.

Troung was found by her mother and sister, lying face up on her bed in their Hartford Highway home, severely injured. She died after being rushed to a Dothan hospital.

According to an autopsy report released during a court hearing in May, Truong had been strangled and sodomized by a two-foot-long yoga pole.

Karen Halstead

Karen Halstead being escorted into the Henry County Courthouse by a HCSO deputy

Karen Halstead is facing reckless manslaughter and corpse abuse in the death of her special needs son, 19-year-old Logan Michael Halstead.

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In indictments filed in May 2024, prosecutors claimed Logan, who suffered from spinal bifida, died after being neglected. The indictments go on to say that after Logan was dead, his parents wrapped his dead body in plastic bags and blankets before stuffing him in a freezer.

The freezer and body were found in the backyard of a Headland trailer formally rented by the Halsteads in late October 2023.

Sheriff Eric Blankenship told WDHN it is believed Logan Halseads body was put in the freezer in late August 2023, not long before the Halstead family moved from Headland to Jack, Alabama. The new renters found the body while cleaning the property.

Karen Halstead was originally arrested and charged alongside her husband, Michael. However, Michael died while out on bond in early July.

Mekhi Lawton

Mekhi Lawton is being escorted in the Houston County Courthouse by HCSO deputies

Mekhi Lawton is facing one count of murder in the death of 22-year-old Garyoun Fluellen. He is also facing one count of assault.

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Lawtons trial has been scheduled for Monday, January 6.

Dothan Police say Lawton opened fire on Fluellen and another during the 2022 National Peanut Festival Parade.

According to a witness, while at the parade, Lawton and his friends were approached by another group, including Fluellen. Words were exchanged, but police broke it up, and Lawton and his friends went across the street to the Shell Station on Montana Street.

The witnesses claim that while on Montana Street, the group approached Lawtons friends once again, and one of Lawtons friends was thrown to the ground; then Lawton heard someone say that Fluellen was pulling a gun.

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Police say that after hearing this, Lawton ran into the fight and shot two times, then backed away and shot again.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
Many are concerned about HMPV, formally known as the human metapneumovirus, after reports of a new virus outbreak in China. Various social media posts warn that Chinese hospitals are being swarmed with patients who have contracted HMPV and other viruses, many of whom are experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms. Discovered in 2001 in the Netherlands, HMPV is a seasonal virus that typically causes lung infections. Heres what we know so far about the upsurge of HMPV infections in China in January 2025.

What is the new HMPV viral outbreak in China?

The new HMPV viral outbreak in China has been acknowledged by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the state-run China Daily newspaper.

Kan Biao, a representative for the agency, downplayed the severity of the reported outbreak, stating in a news conference that a rise in infections for HMPV, influenza, rhinovirus, and mycoplasma pneumonia is expected during the winter. Kan says the spread of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses are at a low level.

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While some social media posts claim that China has declared a state of emergency due to the viruses, no evidence supports this assertion, according to a fact check by Rappler.

Still, Kans believes that flu infections will increase among children aged 14 and under. The spread of norovirus, a stomach infection that causes vomiting and diarrhea, will remain at a high level for the next two months.

As noted by the American Lung Association, HMPV is a leading cause of acute respiratory infection and, similar to influenza, is spread by close contact with an infected individual. It causes symptoms close to the common cold that typically last two to five days. Children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk of developing further complications like pneumonia.

Since HMPV has already impacted populations in the United States and China, per Newsweek, herd immunity against it is much widespread than a novel virus such as Covid-19, so the risk of a pandemic is not as high.

The post What Is HMPV? New Virus Outbreak in China Explained appeared first on Mandatory.
CHELSEA, Manhattan (PIX11)  Following a series of violent subway crimes allegedly committed by individuals with mental health issues, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed new legislation to improve access to mental health assistance.

Its sparking controversy and debate, but the governor says the recent rise in severe subway crimes underscores the need for the action shes proposing.

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MTA and NYPD statistics show that while crime on public transit is down 5.4 % overall between 2023 and 2024, murders in the subway system have doubled. Theyve gone from five in 2023 to 10 in 204. That 100 % jump is behind the governors call to action.

There have also been many other types of violent crimes in the public transit system recently that are adding to Gov. Hochuls effort.

This past Tuesday, subway rider Joseph Lynskey was pushed in front of an incoming train on the No. 1 train from the downtown platform at 18th Street.

The alleged attacker, Kamel Hawkins, 23, was described by family members as having mental health challenges. A similar description has been made for Sebastian Zapeta, 33, whos accused of fatally setting a woman on fire on the subway two weeks ago.

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There have also been three stabbings  one of them fatal  in the past two weeks in the subway system.

The combination of crimes have Governor Kathy Hochul saying that shes taking action.

People are anxious. I understand this, she said during a press conference on Friday morning. What else is needed? she continued, we need to change the laws, and we need to do it soon.

Hochul said that shell push to expand laws that provide court-ordered outpatient treatment for people deemed to be in need of mental health services.

On the 18th Street platform where the subway push happened, leaving Joseph Lenskey with a fractured skull, broken ribs, and a ruptured spleen, reactions from some riders showed some of the challenges to the governors proposal.

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It sounds like a really gray area, right? said Brayan Angulo, whod just stepped off of the No. 1 train. He said that while he supports ensuring that mental health services are provided to people in need, determining who that is can be difficult. Somebody could be really stressed out, or maybe they handle their emotions a lot differently than most, he said.

He was not alone in saying that its a very nuanced issue. The chief enforcer of the law in Manhattan is also saying so.

In an interview, District Attorney Alvin Bragg said that he cant carry out the program alone.

We are partnering with parts of city government  health, homeless services, agencies that are on the front line of the equation, he said, working with them.

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Some other subway passengers who spoke with PIX11 News agreed that it takes more than removing people who may have mental health issues from the subway.

Homelessness, said subway rider Lynette McMurray, I think that should addressed because why are people so tired, why are they so crazy, why are people so fed up?

Miguel Medina, a director of programs at Morris Heights Health Center in the Bronx, said exploring answers to such questions requires more than involuntarily committing people in need.

Im very concerned about that, Medina said in an interview. Removing them from the street doesnt say that theyre getting services.

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However, Gov. Hochul said that the whole point of her introducing legislation is to provide services. She has made similar proposals in each of the past three years that shes been in office, but the legislature hasnt passed them into law.

This time, the governor said she intends to include the legislation as part of her executive budget. Shes scheduled to provide more details in her State of the State address on January 14.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Gov. Kathy Hochul pledged Friday to stop the runaway train of subway violence by making it easier to involuntarily commit and treat dangerous mentally ill New Yorkers  but critics quickly blasted her largely detail-free plan as too little, too late.

In a vaguely worded statement, Hochul said shell introduce legislation in New Yorks upcoming budget to finally change New Yorks involuntary commitment standards.

Currently hospitals are able to commit individuals whose mental illness puts themselves or others at risk of serious harm, and this legislation will expand that definition to ensure more people receive the care they need, she said.

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The governor also said she would introduce a separate bill to change Kendras Law, improving the process through which a court can order certain individuals to participate in Assisted Outpatient Treatment while also making it easier for individuals to voluntarily sign up for this treatment.

Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed changes to mental health laws Friday, but kept details vague. AFP via Getty Images

The governor didnt specify whether shed be supporting existing bills or unveiling newly-crafted legislation. A spokesperson for Hochul said the specifics will be released when she unveils her executive budget proposal on Jan. 21.

This has been rejected by the legislature in the past, Hochul said in an unrelated news conference. It is my sincere hope that everyone in the legislature is paying attention to what is unfolding in our city and in our state, and that we need to ensure that those who are suffering from severe mental illness are getting the care they need.

Im taking it on again. I expect to be successful.

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Hochuls hazy plan in response to the recent wave of subway attacks  including a horrific incident in which a sleeping woman was burned to death, allegedly by an illegal immigrant, and a straphanger shoved in front of a 1 train  drew confusion, if not outright hostility.

City Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens) ripped Hochul for failing to properly use Kendras Law, implying it  rather than new legislation  could help solve the problem.

For years, Holden has unsuccessfully pushed Mayor Eric Adams and his predecessor Bill de Blasio to use the law  which allows family members to petition courts to put their mentally ill loved ones into outpatient care. He has also sought, and failed, to get data on how often it is used.

Governor Hochul is gaslighting the public by punting the mental health crisis to the State Legislature under the guise of needing changes to Kendras Law, he said. The truth is that Kendras Law works when properly enforced, but city and state agencies have failed to follow through, and the governor has failed to allocate the necessary resources to make it effective.

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Hochuls announcement unfolded on the 26th anniversary of the death of Kendra Webdale, a 32-year-old writer who was killed when a schizophrenic man pushed her in front of a Manhattan train.

The shocking attack prompted lawmakers to pass Kendras Law, named after Webdale.

Her brother Ralph Webdale Jr. told The Post he couldnt comment on Hochuls proposals without knowing more details.

But he said that violent mentally ill people attacking straphangers has been an ongoing safety concern for New Yorkers  and questioned Hochuls belated response.

This isnt something thats new, said Webdale, who previously spoke to The Post following the fatal subway shove of straphanger Michelle Go in 2022.

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Youd think leadership from years ago and thats current would do something, he added. Until they start taking it more seriously from a legal or financial aspect, nothing is really going to happen.

Mayor Eric Adams has pushed for more authority to commit mentally ill homeless people against their will. Paul Martinka

Brian Stettin, the mayors senior adviser on severe mental illness and a co-author of Kendras Law, said the biggest issue with the law has been getting more people into care.

Too many destitute people are in a revolving door mental health treatment where they get arrested or picked up after they stop taking medication or receiving treatment, Stettin said.

The Adams administration wants wants to require each person in psychiatric care to be screened before being released if they are eligible for Kendras Law, because many dont get into the program because hospitals fail to refer them, he said.

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We dont know what she is proposing today on Kendras Law since her statement was vague, but we hope that this is one of them, Stettin said. The devil is in the details and were anxiously awaiting to see what she proposes.

Hochul told reporters that more needed to be done to make sure unwell people with a history of violence actually participate in their Kendras Law-ordered Assisted Outpatient Therapy.

There have to be consequences to that, she said. We have to have more teeth in those laws.

Kendras Law is named after Kendra Webdale, who was killed by a mentally ill man in 1999. Stephen Yang

The governor also said her proposal will clear up ambiguities in the states existing involuntary commitment law  but was herself ambiguous on how exactly.

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It only talks about the situation where theyll do harm to themselves or others, she said about the existing law. We are proposing other language that Ill be introducing in two weeks.

Adams, who launched the citys own involuntary commitment plan more than two years ago, praised Hochul for finally heeding his repeated calls for state reforms for helping homeless New Yorkers with untreated severe mental illness.

With todays announcement, we are exceptionally grateful to Governor Hochul for listening to our calls and to the calls of everyday New Yorkers, and we look forward to working with her to develop next steps to finally codify these changes into law, he said in a statement.

There is no dignity in withering away on the streets without the ability to help yourself, and there is no moral superiority in just walking by those individuals and doing nothing. We must stop being so idealistic that were not realistic.

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Adams offered up The Supportive Interventions Act  a state Assembly bill sponsored by Edward Braunstein (D-Queens), with the mayors backing  as a solution.

But Hochul spokesman Avi Small told The Post that the mayors preferred bill wont be the legislation that the governor will push.

While the governors office refused to share details of Hochuls proposal ahead of her formal roll out, sources said that her plan may take up aspects of Braunsteins failed bill.

The bill would give more medical professionals the ability to recommend someone to be committed involuntarily, including psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychologists and social workers.

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One source suggested Hochul is supportive of only including psychiatric nurse practitioners.

The governor is also considering tweaks to the law that would allow individuals to have access to services they would receive under Kendras Law, without being committed under the legislation, sources said.

In her statement, Hochul also touted $1 billion in funding for mental health initiatives she and the state Legislature approved in 2023.

Ralph Webdale III holds a photo of his mother Patricia, left, and his sister Kendra, right. Stephen Yang

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She also stood by her assertion that her deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops in the subway was decreasing concerns about crime underground, without providing any data or evidence.

Hochuls approach rankled many lawmakers and advocates.

Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association of New York, disapproved of Hochuls vague proposals, arguing that theyre missing the forest for the trees.

He said the response needs to be more multi-faceted to include incentives to ramp up mental health work force, critical incident review panels and funding for institutional health services.

I dont think tweaking exiting laws, through Kendras Law or other mechanisms is not the strategy that would be most useful, he said. I think that these tragedies are terrible, but we need to have a strong systemic response.

Republican City Council members laid the blame for the subway chaos on lax criminal laws and the closures of psychiatric facilities.

This is all just more smoke and mirrors from Albany, said Joann Ariola (R-Queens). Getting people picked up sounds great, but they can only be held for 72 hours and then they are right back on the street wreaking havoc again. We need the state to commit to reopening psychiatric facilities so we can get these people real, long-term care, not three-day timeouts before turning them loose again.

Councilman David Carr (R-Staten Island) said Hochuls foot dragging came at the expense of safety in New York City.

If people with mental issues are not following their prescribed treatment, then they are danger to themselves and others, he said. That is all we need to get these people off the streets and protect both them and the public. Its absurd this hasnt been done by now.

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), who is eyeing a run for governor, railed at Hochul, accusing her of dragging her feet in addressing New Yorks mental health crisis.

In the three years since the shocking murder of Michelle Go, who was shoved in front of an incoming subway car by a schizophrenic, the Governor did nothing to protect the general public from those with severe mental illness, he wrote on X. Governing is not about waiting years for more tragedies to happen.

The governors suggestions also drew fire from Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

She argued involuntary commitments are routinely done by police and other city officials.

What exactly happens to these New Yorkers after they are involuntarily committed is not clear and isnt made publicly available, she said. What research does make clear is that coercing people into mental health care is generally ineffective and does little to improve peoples mental health.

The real problem is there are not nearly enough mental health care resources available, especially for those who need them the most and including people subject to involuntary commitment.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WBTW)  South Carolinas Supreme Court set a Jan. 31 date for the states next execution after allowing a pause for the Christmas holidays.

The state is working through a backlog of inmates out of appeals but temporarily spared because prison officials couldnt obtain drugs needed for lethal injection.

Marion Bowman Jr., 44, was convicted of murder in the shooting of a friend whose burned body was found in the trunk of her car in Dorchester County in 2001.

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Bowmans legal team said Friday that he maintains his innocence while arguing that executing him would be unconscionable because of unresolved doubts about his conviction.

Bowman would be the third inmate executed by lethal injection since September after the state obtained the drug it needed to carry out the death sentence. Inmates can also choose electrocution or a new firing squad. Three more inmates are awaiting execution dates that the state Supreme Court has decided can be set five weeks apart.

The court could have set a date as early as Dec. 6 for Bowmans death, but the justices accepted without comment a request from lawyers for the four inmates awaiting execution that the state pause the deaths until January.

Six consecutive executions with virtually no respite will take a substantial toll on all involved, particularly during a time of year that is so important to families, the lawyers wrote in court papers.

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Attorneys for the state had responded that prison officials were ready to keep to the original schedule and the state has conducted executions around the Christmas and New Years holidays before, including five between Dec. 4, 1998, and Jan. 8, 1999.

South Carolina was among the busiest states for executions back then, but that stopped once the state had trouble obtaining lethal injection drugs because of pharmaceutical companies concerns they would have to disclose they had sold the drugs to officials.

The state Legislature has since passed a law allowing officials to keep lethal injection drug suppliers secret, and in July, the state Supreme Court cleared the way to restart executions.

Freddie Owens was put to death by lethal injection Sept. 20 and Richard Moore was executed on Nov. 1,

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Condemned inmates can also ask South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster for clemency, but no governor in the state has ever taken mercy and reduced a death sentence to life in prison without parole in the modern era of the death penalty.

South Carolinas prisons director has until next week to confirm that lethal injection, the electric chair and the newly added option of a firing squad are all available for Bowmans execution.

A Utah inmate in 2010 was the last person to have been executed by a firing squad in the U.S., according to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center.

Bowman, has spent more than half his life on death row. He was convicted of killing 21-year-old Kandee Martin in 2001. A number of friends and family members testified against him as part of plea deals.

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One friend said Bowman was angry because Martin owed him money. A second testified Bowman thought Martin was wearing a recording device to get him arrested on a charge.

A federal judge earlier this year threw out a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union asking to be able to air a podcast from Bowman as part of his clemency request. The organization has appealed the decision.

South Carolinas prison system bans on-camera, in-person interviews with inmates or recording their phone calls or words for broadcast.

Bowmans lawyers asked the South Carolina Supreme Court to postpone his execution so a hearing can be held on his last-ditch appeal saying his trial lawyer was inadequately prepared and had too much sympathy for the white victim and not Bowman, who is Black.

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Bowmans legal team said Friday that he did not receive a fair trial and lacked effective legal representation.

Bowmans attorney pressured him to plead guilty and made other poor decisions based on his racist views rather than strategic legal counsel, said Lindsey S. Vann, executive director of the inmate-advocacy group Justice 360.

Vann issued the statement on behalf of Bowmans legal team.

His conviction was based on unreliable, incentivized testimony from biased witnesses who received reduced or dropped sentences in exchange for their cooperation, Vann said.

South Carolina has put 45 inmates to death since the death penalty was restarted in the U.S. in 1976. In the early 2000s, it was carrying out an average of three executions a year. Nine states have put more inmates to death.

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But since the unintentional execution pause, South Carolinas death row population has dwindled. The state had 63 condemned inmates in early 2011. It currently has 30. About 20 inmates have been taken off death row and received different prison sentences after successful appeals. Others have died of natural causes.

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It was sunrise on a frigid Saturday morning in Plains, and two couples in their 60s and 70s from Florida were the first folks to stake a claim at the intersection of Church and Bond streets.

They drove 6 1/2 hours to witness history and express their gratitude in the hometown of the nations 39th president.

The six days of events for Jimmy Carters state funeral wasnt scheduled to begin for another three hours, but Darcy and Jeffrey Buck of Dunedin and Charley McClaren and Richard Smith of Largo, Florida, made sure they got a good spot to view the motorcade.

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As they tried to keep warm, they explained to the Ledger-Enquirer what compelled them to be here.

To honor the kindness, the integrity, what he stood for, said Darcy Buck, whose first vote for president went to Carter. Personally, theres not enough of that right now, especially in politics. A man that wouldnt do the things that are being done in politics now, call people names. He always rose above that.

These are some of the messages left in former President Jimmy Carters condolence book in downtown Plains, Ga.

McClaren and Smith were in Philadelphia visiting their grandchildren when Carter died Dec. 29. So they decided to take a detour to Plains on their way home.

He was the kind of son of the South that I wanted to be, Smith said. His stance on racial interaction was awesome, and it went way went way back in his life  way before it was convenient, for sure  and he just was an idol for me. He was my first vote (for president), too, and my second, despite how it turned out.

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McClaren fondly recalled the Sunday school lessons she attended when Carter would teach public classes at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains.

Im a Methodist minister, and so his walk of faith is something that I always admired, she said. He was so humble and sincere.  Id get there at 3 oclock in the morning to wait in the parking lot to hear him speak.  He actually believed it. He taught it, and he walked it. He knew his Bible, and he lived by those principles, which most people dont do, especially if theyre caught up in power. He never got caught up in power.

Smith got choked up as he said, When he comes by for the last time, this will be holy ground, and I want to be here.

Carter family connection

This was personal a moment for Kathy Cross and a half dozen of her relatives who gathered along Church Street to watch the motorcade.

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Cross father, Edmond Hollis, was one of Carters boyhood playmates as they grew up 3 miles from Plains in Archery, an unincorporated rural community in Webster County.

She recalled her father saying, The Carter family were good people. They didnt think about Black and white. They were just all one family together.

Members of the Hollis family worked for the Carters, Cross said, and her aunt was a babysitter for them.

They treated them no different, like the human beings they are, Cross said of the Carters. It was just great.

Cross, a medical aide residing in Plains, experience the Carter humanity up close. She got to know Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter through conversations they had when the Carters rode their bikes through the neighborhood.

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They were just beautiful, nice, she said. He was a person who believed in God and believed in people.

Proud of living in a presidents hometown, Cross thought about what Carters death will mean to Plains in the coming years.

I just hope we still have people coming here to show respect for Jimmy and Rosalynn, she said. I think it always should be like.

Kathy Cross, whose family had close personal connections with former President Jimmy Carters family, lined up along the motorcade route in Plains, Ga., on Jan. 4, 2025.

Family outing

Watching the motorcade was a family outing for Jonathan Gibson of Plains. He and his wife, Kelly, set up chairs and blankets for their three children along Church Street three hours before Carters casket was scheduled to go past them.

They are friends of Kim Fuller, Carters niece and the executive director for the Friends of Jimmy Carter, which helps maintain the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. So, in addition to honoring a former president, they attended to comfort their friend in the wake of losing her uncle.

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The moment was worth the cold wait because it will make warm memories for them, said Gibson, 35, who works as an insurance agent in Albany.

(The children) wont fully appreciate it until later, but to me, its important because its community, and its also witnessing history, he said.

Gibson was glad to see several hundred people line the motorcade route through Plains despite the uncomfortable temperature.

To see how much respect is given to him, he said after the motorcade passed by, its a beautiful tribute.
WAUPACA, Wis. (WFRV)  James Gilles doesnt remember all the exact dates of his service, but hes clear on one thing: I was 20 when I went in.

He was taken as a POW during the Battle of the Bulge.

Hometown Heroes: Green Bay native Milo C. Huempfner was a one man army

It was the largest and bloodiest single battle in World War II and lasted 41 days.

More than 19,000 Allied soldiers were killed in action.

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The Germans took more than 23,000 American prisoners of war.

Gilles was a battery clerk with the 590th Field Artillery Battalion, 106th Division, which was encircled by Germans and forced to surrender on Dec. 19, 1944.

He fought even after being hit by shrapnel in the back and leg until he ran out of ammunition.

How many battles you fought, what you did, is not as important as friends and family, Gilles told Local 5 News during his 100th birthday party with family and friends earlier in the summer.

He remains guarded about his experiences during the war.

After all, POWs often suffered from malnutrition, overcrowding, and a lack of medical attention. They were usually forced to constantly march to avoid Allied forces. In some cases, they were shot dead while unarmed.

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I spent time in boxcars, Gilles acknowledged. I spent time walking with a brace on my right foot. I spent time seeing my friends being killed.

Hometown Heroes: Door Countys Elmer Miller made ultimate sacrifice in the Battle of the Bulge

Instead of railing against the injustice he endured, James Gilles chooses to be grateful.

The most important thing to me today is to live each day as it happens and as it has happened. Family is the only thing for me.

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Honduran President Xiomara Castro issued President-elect Trump a stark warning earlier this week over his vow to pursue mass deportations when he returns to the White House, threatening to bar U.S. troops from the Latin American nation.

Faced with a hostile attitude of mass expulsion of our brothers, we would have to consider a change of our cooperation policies with the United States, especially in the military realm, Castro said Wednesday during a televised speech.

U.S. troops have been present at the Soto Cano air base in the town of Comayagua  located outside the capital city of Tegucigalpa  for at least four decades, according to The Associated Press. Joint Task Force Bravo has occupied the area in order to stem the transnational flow of narcotics and other contraband but has not formally purchased a space for its forces, the outlet reported.

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Republicans efforts to remove Latino immigrants from the U.S. would force the amicable agreement to end, Castro said in her address. The president-elect has argued that his plan is focused on curbing illegal immigration and closing the border, which he consistently pledged to do during his time on the campaign trail.

Both leaders received criticism over their proposals.

Trump has been scrutinized over procedural policies that would violate birthright citizenship clauses in the Constitution and perceived efforts to detain children of legal status with their undocumented parents. Still, he has repeatedly promised that on Day 1 of his administration he will launch the largest deportation program in American history.

Castros political opponents argued that removing U.S. troops, considered one of its largest trading partners, would put the country in a critically vulnerable state.

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Jorge Calix, floated as a potential challenger in the nations upcoming election, argued that such a move would put Honduras in grave danger, citing personal and ideological issues. Another analyst, who has contemplated his own run, denounced her threat as unrealistic.

She knows we dont have the ability to threaten the United States in any way, that the damages it would cause Honduras would be terrible, Olban Valladares said, per the AP. He also noted that it would make migrants from the country more of a target for the incoming administration.

Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina pushed back, claiming Castro has the power to dismiss troops without congressional approval.

The Pentagon declined to comment, telling the news wire that the issue pertains to campaign statements and not policy.

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The threat also comes after Trump announced he would place new tariffs on products imported from Mexico, Canada and China when he is inaugurated later this month.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

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In the run-up to the Democratic National Committee chair election, Ben Wikler, the Democratic Party chair in Wisconsin, has garnered support from across the partys ideological spectrum and from all levels of the party. While his supporters say hes the best man for the job, they caution that itll be an uphill battle to get new blood the top spot.

Wikler has been the party chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party since 2019, but before that, he was a media personality, activist and a Democratic Party staffer. Wikler worked on former Sen. Al Frankens, D-Minn., radio show before working on Sen. Sherrod Browns, D-Ohio, 2006 Senate campaign. He served as an executive at Change.org and as the Washington Director of MoveOn.org. And, ahead of the 2016 primaries, Wikler helped head up MoveOn.orgs efforts to recruit Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to run for president while also helping advocate for Syrian refugees in 2015.

His career in activism and Democratic organizing, however, isnt what most of his backers point to when they discuss why theyre backing Wikler. Rep. Mark Pocan, the Democrat from Wisconsins Second District, told Salon that hes backing Wikler because he sees him as a DNC outsider who can exceed at the three things a party chair needs to do: communicate, fundraise and organize.

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Id met him when he was the political director at Move On. Then he had talked to me and others about wanting to move back to Wisconsin and be active and I think I was one of the first people to back him because I knew his skillset from watching him in Washington, Pocan said. I knew he was an organizer by training and he had that box checked but he also became a great fundraiser and a great communicator.

Pocan said that in Wiklers time as party chair in Wisconsin, he and other Democrats had been more involved in party decisions both in and outside the context of political campaigns. He also said that Wikler had overseen a dramatic expansion in the role that the Democratic Party was playing in communities across the state, both in Democratic strongholds like Milwaukee and in more rural areas, where the party apparatus had atrophied.

What it means is that hes put an actual investment into grassroots  a financial investment as well as a physical investment like staff. People have interactions with voters even when theyre not asking for a vote, Pocan said. Honestly it's the totality. Ive never seen the amount of offices and the organizational level to get out the vote. In Madison, turnout is at 93 percent plus, which sounds like a mad up number its so high, but it's what you get when you have that sort of organization.

Matt Bennett, a centrist Third Way Democrat who served in the Clinton White House, said he and his organization also support Wikler, an unashamed progressive. Bennet explained to Salon that Ben is interested in winning the election and is not interested in involving the party or himself in internecine battles within the party.

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Bennett said that he took note of Wiklers decision to stand by the Democratic nominee in Wisconsins Third Congressional District in 2024, Rebecca Cooke, who ran as a centrist in the Republican district. Bennet said Cooke faced some criticism from progressives during her campaign but that Wikler had her back despite his own ideological leanings.

In other districts, he was supporting the person running farther to the left which is how a party chair is supposed to act, Bennet said. He can play a role as an honest broker.

Bennet added that Wiklers background in Wisconsin politics is also valuable because hes proven he can be successful in a state in the heartland of the United States which is also a fierce political background.

We need someone from the middle of the country, which is where the battle is being fought. But geography isn't enough. Ken Martin seems like a nice guy but Democrats haven't lost a presidential election since 1972 in Minnesota, Bennet said. The final and most important thing is that Ben generates excitement in a way that you don't often see

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For Pocan, Bennet and others backing Wikler, the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was a touchstone moment. Wikler and the party he chaired were able to get both Wisconsinites and people around the country to tune into an off-year and nominally nonpartisan election. That year, a liberal judge, Janet Protasiewicz, won a seat on the state Supreme Court, flipping the court from a conservative to a liberal majority for the first time in 15 years.

Wikler supporters point to this dogged willingness to fight in between high-profile elections and an ability to draw attention to issues and battles as lacking in the national Democratic Party, especially in the wake of a crushing 2024 defeat.

Pocan cautions that, despite some support from high-up figures like Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Wikler is still probably the underdog in the Feb. 1 election for DNC chair.

I dont think that hes the frontrunner. I think its the chair of the chairs who is likely the frontrunner because hes been paling around with those folks for a long time, Pocan said. There are 448 people who make this decision and hes not someone who has spent his life courting 448 people. Its not something we normally get. If the same insiders are ultimately the people running the organization we get the same ideas.

While its hard to find a Democrat who thinks Wikler has done a bad job as party chair in Wisconsin, hes not the only candidate for party chair. Other state party chairs like Jane Kleed of Nebraska and Ken Martin of Minnesota are also running for the position as well as ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and former Maryland Governor Martin OMalley. Of these candidates, Martin appears to have the most endorsements of DNC members, entering the race with 100 endorsements from the 448 DNC members who elect the next party leader.
In an unusual nomination even by his standards, President-elect Donald Trump nominated diplomat and former Fox News contributor Morgan Ortagus to serve as Deputy Special Envoy for Middle East Peace on Friday.

In a post to Truth Social, Trump admitted that he had squabbled with Ortagus in the past and added that nominations like this usually dont work out.

I am pleased to announce Morgan Ortagus as Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace Early on Morgan fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson, Trump wrote. She will hopefully be an asset to Steve [Witkoff, Trumps Special Envoy to the Middle East].

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Ortagus previously served as a State Department spokesperson under Trump and worked before that as a national security contributor for Fox News. It was on that network that Ortagus blasted Trumps isolationist foreign policy and disgusting behavior, a 2019 CNN report found, before later reinventing herself as a pro-MAGA personality.

The president-elect indicated he could look past her anti-Trump record but seemed less than thrilled about the appointee in the announcement. He went so far as to clarify that he was mainly throwing a bone to his GOP allies with the pick, despite personal reservations.

These things usually dont work out, but she has strong Republican support, and Im not doing this for me, Im doing it for them. Lets see what happens, Trump wrote. Good luck, Morgan!

Ortagus has the backing of high-ranking Republicans, including many in the national security community. Axios reported that her appointment was boosted by closeness with Trumps Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Trumps national security adviser pick Mike Waltz.
Paul Robson, who stepped back from his undertaker business to become a racehorse trainer, is in hospital with multiple fractures to his pelvis after a freak accident at his Northumberland yard.

Robson had appeared to have a good start to 2025 when Okavango Delta won at Musselburgh on New Years Day, but it did not last long. He was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle on Thursday after a horse fell on him.

It was a freak accident, he explained on Saturday after taking his first half-dozen steps since the fall. I was passing my phone to my father on the ground when the young horse I was riding jinked. I shot up in the air and landed on my right side but the horse came down on my left side. My pelvis and the bottom of my back is broken but I managed to take five or six steps aided today, though I expect to be in hospital for about a fortnight.

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Robson moved from Spittal-on-Rule, near Hawick, from where he sent out Cannock Park to win at Cheltenham in November 2023, to Alnwick, Northumberland at the end of last season to take over Rose Dobbins yard when she retired. He still owns Robson Funeral Directors in Hawick but leaves the day-to-day running to his team and now has 35 horses in training.

We had to redo the gallop and, because its woodchip and it didnt rain for five months, it has taken a while to bed in, said Robson, who was stood down as a jockey by the British Horseracing Authoritys doctor after five successful seasons having had both shoulders reconstructed. But were getting there. With the weather as it is Im probably not going to miss much. Im keeping busy doing entries and admin, and my wife Steph is running the yard.

It has not been a great year for northern jump trainers who still train from the back of a horse rather than a vehicle. At the other end of Hadrians Wall Nicky Richards, 68, took a bad fall when Houston Texas suffered a cardiac event during a gallop at Greystoke.

He broke his shoulder, pelvis and ribs and spent a month in hospital. They have already been comparing notes on the phone. Hes firmly on the mend so hearing from him was a big morale boost for me, said Robson.

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WASHINGTON  House Speaker Mike Johnson won back his job for another term on Friday after a nail-biter finish and now has the daunting task of trying to unify a fractured but potentially powerful group of Republican lawmakers anxious to implement President-elect Donald Trump's agenda upon his return to the White House later this month.

The final vote of 218-215-1 may reflect the Congress to come: One where the stakes are high, Republicans are about to hold all the levers of power in Washington but internal divisions constantly threaten to boil over, and Trump's opinion rules the day.

Johnson ultimately secured the speakership with the support of every sitting House Republican except for one  Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who had pledged not to support him weeks ago.

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Here's how the USA TODAY Network covered Johnson's return to the speaker's chair.

More: House Republicans warn of 'sincere reservations' that Johnson can pass Trump's agenda

No concessions, but a GOP 'sword' over Johnson's head

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) holds the gavel after he was re-elected as Speaker of the House on the first day of the 119th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 3, 2025.

Johnson made no formal concessions to the holdouts Friday evening. Still, his rein could run short if he alienates even a handful of his fellow House Republicans.

Under new House rules approved Friday evening, nine House Republicans will be needed to call a vote to oust Johnson from his role, a process known as a "motion to vacate." And unless Democrats would be willing to save him in a closely divided House, nine members would be plenty to kick him out of Speaker's chair.

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More: House Speaker Mike Johnson's victory came with a warning from hardline Republicans

The nine-member threshold to trigger a vacating vote is a significantly higher margin than Johnson and his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have had for the last two years. Under those insurgent-friendly rules, any single member could call a vote on the speakership.

"Nobody wants to have a sword over their head. But we have a motion to vacate for a reason. He's been given a job, he's got to go do that job," said Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., a House Freedom Caucus member who joined ten other members in voting for Johnson despite "sincere reservations" about his track record.

Riley Beggin

Trump 'helpful' but didn't seal the deal, holdout says

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.,receives the gavel from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.,as he's swon in for another term leading the House of Representatives, Jan. 3, 2025.

After first voting for someone other than Johnson, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said he spoke with President-elect Donald Trump. While that conversation went very well and was helpful, Norman said, he was alrady well aware of Trumps preference.

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What convinced him to change his vote, Norman said, was speaking with Johnson himself.

There wasnt any negotiations, it wasnt any quid pro quo, Norman added. He agreed to fight with a list of things that he knew where we stood. And I trust him.

More: New York judge upholds Donald Trump's conviction and sets sentencing for Jan. 10

Norman said he was promised a drastic change from the last Congress, often referred to as one of the least productive in recent memory.

I knew we needed to press on Mike Johnson that were serious about budget, were serious about the border, he said.

And is he going to fight?

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Savannah Kuchar

More: Mike Johnson reelected as House speaker with support from President-elect Donald Trump

Speaker Johnson opens with a moment of silence for victims of New Orleans attack

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, opened his remarks to the new Congress by asking for a moment of silence for the 14 people killed in a vehicle attack in New Orleans on New Years Day.

Its really shaken our state, said Johnson, adding, these are difficult days in Louisiana. People are reeling from that attack.

Bart Jansen

More: President Biden to visit New Orleans following deadly Bourbon Street truck attack

Jeffries introduces Johnson, with a dig at GOP 'election deniers'

House Republicans erupted in applause when Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, in a speech introducing GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson, mentioned President-elect Donald Trumps victory two months earlier.

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Thank you for that very generous applause, said Jeffries, D-N.Y. Thats OK, there are no election deniers on our side of the aisle.

Bart Jansen

GOP lawmaker who cast initial vote against Johnson spoke to Trump

Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told reporters that he spoke with Trump both before and after casting an initial vote against Johnson.

He wouldn't say what they discussed. Self later changed his vote for Johnson.

President Trump has the same emphasis that I do  the Trump agenda. We've got to make sure this Congress is as strong as possible when we go up against the Senate on (the) reconciliation package," he said, forshadowing an upcoming budget battle. "So that's all I wanted to do today, is to make this Congress successful for the Trump agenda.

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More: Big policies, small margins and a Trump wildcard: What to expect from the new Congress

Self said he was very frustrated with how the 118th Congress played out. Republicans won control of the House in 2022 but accomplised little in a term marked by infighting and the removal of GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Thats why we needed to shore up the process is to make it more member-oriented for the Trump agenda because we needed more input from members like myself, not a chairman in a leadership position, and I think that's what we have done, he said.

Sudiksha Kochi

Trump celebrates Johnson's first-round victory

President-elect Donald Trump has praised Johnson's win in a post on Truth Social: "Congratulations to Speaker Mike Johnson for receiving an unprecedented Vote of Confidence in Congress. Mike will be a Great Speaker, and our Country will be the beneficiary. The People of America have waited four years for Common Sense, Strength, and Leadership. Theyll get it now, and America will be greater than ever before!"

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Joey Garrison

Dem leader Jeffries shouts out Nancy Pelosi

Before ushering GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson to the dais, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries recognized fellow Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who participated in the convening of the new Congress despite having a hip replaced after a fall last month in Luxembourg.

Speaker-emerita Pelosi, its great to see you back in the chamber, Jeffries, D-N.Y., said to applause.

Bart Jansen

Speaker Johnson basks in applause

Mike Johnson, R-La., second from left, stands with Rep. Keith Self, R- Texas, left and Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., second from left, in the House Chamber after Self and Norman changed their votes to elect Johnson as the new Speaker of the House during the first session of the 119th Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Jan. 3, 2025.

Mike Johnson re-enters the chamber to applause from both sides of the aisle, followed by his second-in-command, Rep. Steve Scalise, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and other members of leadership from both parties.

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Even some of Johnson's detractors seem relieved  a protracted leadership battle has been avoided as they head into a period of total GOP control.

Riley Beggin

Republican doubters put Johnson on notice

Chip Roy, a Texas Republican who initially remained silent during the first round of voting before supporting Mike Johnson, said more lawmakers have reservations about the speaker than the three who voted for other candidates.

Everything we do needs to set the Congress up for success and to deliver the Trump agenda for the American people, Roy said in a social media post. Speaker Johnson has not made that clear yet, so there are many members beyond the three who voted for someone else who have reservations.

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Scott Perry of Pennsylvania said he would hold Johnson responsible for accomplishing the Republican agenda on issues such as security along the southern border, cutting federal spending, eliminating costly regulations and implementing a ban on lawmakers trading individual stocks.

While I maintain my reservations about Speaker Johnsons leadership record, today I voted in support of President Trumps Agenda, Perry said on social media. We will hold Speaker Johnson accountable to accomplish the Republican Agenda.

Bart Jansen

More: Donald Trump fumes over inauguration flags flying at half-staff to honor Jimmy Carter

Johnson takes it

House Republicans elected Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday after three lawmakers initially supported other candidates and temporarily blocked his selection despite an endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump.

The House erupted in applause after Ralph Norman of South Carolina changed his vote from supporting Jim Jordan of Ohio to supporting Johnson and Keith Self of Texas changed his vote from supporting Byron Donalds of Florida.

That resulted in 218 votes for Johnson, of Louisiana, against 215 votes for Democrat Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted for Tom Emmer of Minnesota rather than Johnson.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) talks to a colleague as the House votes on a Speaker of the House on the first day of the 119th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 03, 2025.

The House couldnt anything else until it elected a speaker, including swear in new members.

With the Jan. 6 certification of Trump's victory right around the corner and the presidential inauguration in 17 days, lawmakers have little time to lose.

Bart Jansen

First vote continues as Johnson presses holdouts

The House has not yet gaveled in the first vote for speaker. It's an unusually long time between voting finishing and the vote being called.

Mike Johnson is meeting with a few of the holdouts in a room adjacent to the House floor.

Currently, the vote stands at 216-215-3.

Johnson got 216 votes, Hakeem Jeffries received 215. Three Republicans  Reps. Thomas Massie, Keith Self and Ralph Norman - voted for other GOP lawmakers.

If Johnson can convince just one of those three Republicans to flip, he will win with 217 votes.

Another path forward: Convincing two of them to switch to voting "present," reducing the total threshold needed for a majority.

Riley Beggin

Massie: 'You can pull all my fingernails out'

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) holds Rep. Lauren Boebert's (R-CO) grandchild as representatives gather to vote for the new Speaker of the House on the first day of the 119th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 3, 2025.

Among the three House Republicans who voted for someone other than Mike Johnson for speaker, Thomas Massie of Kentucky might be the least likely to change his mind.

Massie told former Rep. Matt Gaetz on his One America News program Thursday that he wouldnt be voting for Johnson.

You can pull all my fingernails out, Massie said. You can shove bamboo up in them. You can start cutting off my fingers. I am not voting for Mike Johnson tomorrow, and you can take that to the bank.

Bart Jansen

More: 'Mike Johnson is not equipped to be speaker.' Thomas Massie on his Friday vote

Handful of GOP lawmakers do not vote for Johnson during first round, signaling battle

A handful of Republican lawmakers-elect didnt announce votes in the first round of balloting, signaling a problem for Mike Johnson of Louisiana to retain the speakership, but they later each voted for Johnson.

The seven holdouts included Andy Biggs of Arizona, Michael Cloud of Texas, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Andy Harris of Maryland, Chip Roy of Texas and Michael Waltz of Florida.

More: Liz Cheney, Trump target, receives presidential medal from Biden

The bearded Harris could be seen in the back of the chamber studiously not responding when his name was initially called. Roy stood silent amid the seating.

Sitting next to Johnson, Steve Scalise of Louisiana, who is in line to become House majority leader if Johnson is chosen speaker, jotted notes as votes were announced.

But each eventually supported Johnson. Cloud and Gosar voted from the well of the House before the vote was gaveled closed.

Bart Jansen

Hakeem Jeffries and Mike Johnson vote

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is hugged by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) after Pelosi voted for Jeffries for Speaker of the House on the first day of the 119th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 03, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Hakeem Jeffries and Mike Johnson - relatively close to one another in the alphabetical voting order - both vote for themselves. Their respective parties give them a standing ovation.

Riley Beggin

Who will tally the votes for speaker?

Four lawmakers-elect were chosen to tally the votes for speaker, a ceremonial role that put them at the front of the chamber with pencils and large sheets of paper carrying the names of lawmakers-elect.

Reps. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., Joseph Morelle, D-N.Y.; Bryan Steil, R-Wis., and Norma Torres, D-Calif.

--Bart Jansen

Nominating speech for Jeffries

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., chair of the Democratic caucus, is giving the nominating speech for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

All Democrats are expected to support Jeffries for speaker. Because they do not have the majority, he won't become speaker.

"I rise on behalf of the governing majority of the House of Representatives," he began, referencing the last two years in which every must-pass piece of legislation passed with the help of Democrats, and the internal divisions that have repeatedly created challenges for House Republicans.

- Riley Beggin

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La. gavels in the first session of the 119th Congress in the House Chamber to vote for a new Speaker of the House, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Jan. 3, 2025.

Applause as Gaetz letter read

A round of applause erupted in the House chamber when Kevin McCumber, the acting House clerk, read a letter from former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., saying he will not serve in the House in the 119th Congress.

The House Ethics Committee released a report found substantial evidence that Gaetz committed statutory rape and prostitution, which he has strongly denied.

Gaetz had also been an antagonist of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and developed a contentious reputation with other lawmakers.

Gaetz resigned from the previous Congress when President-elect Donald Trump chose him to become attorney general. But Gaetz withdrew from consideration and has become a host on One America News, a conservative television network.

-- Bart Jansen

Rep. Lisa McClain addresses House

Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., is currently speaking on the House floor, teeing up the speaker's vote.

She is replacing Rep. Elise Stefanik as the chair of the House GOP conference. President-elect Donald Trump selected Stefanik as his ambassador to the U.N.

It's the House's job to make progress on behalf of the American people, she said.

"We have done just that under Mike's leadership. We should be celebrating and building upon his efforts," McClain said. "He will lead us through another successful Republican majority... we are ready to govern."

Getting the House set up quickly in order to deliver on Trump's goals has been a major rallying point for Johnson as he has sought to get the conference behind him.

- Riley Beggin

VP Harris swears in elected senators

Vice President Kamala Harris, in her role as Senate president, swore in members who were elected in November.

One of the first to participate was Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, who will become Harris successor as vice president when President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated on Jan. 20.

In contrast to the House, where lawmakers stand for reelection every two years, about one-third of senators campaign every two years because of their six-year terms.

Newly elected members include Sens. Jim Banks, R-Ind.; Andy Kim, D-N.J.; John Curtis, R-Utah; Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; Tim Sheehy, R-Mont.; Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.; Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.; Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio; Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md.; Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.; Dave McCormick, R-Pa.; Jim Justice, R-W.Va.

Congratulations, senator, Harris said to individual lawmakers.

--Bart Jansen

Johnson posts commitments on X, formerly Twitter, ahead of vote

Moments before the House begins to vote on the speakership, Mike Johnson posted a list of commitments akin to those demanded by detractors like Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind.

Johnson committed to create a working group of "independent experts" to recommend spending reforms and audit federal agencies created by Congress, and to direct House committees to investigate agencies and people accountable who "have weaponized government against the American people."

"If we dont follow through on our campaign promise for fiscal responsibility, we dont deserve to hold power," Johnson wrote in the post. "Along with advancing President Trumps America First agenda, I will lead the House Republicans to reduce the size and scope of the federal government, hold the bureaucracy accountable, and move the United States to a more sustainable fiscal trajectory."

- Riley Beggin

C-Span is in the House

C-Span cameras are allowed in the chamber as there is not yet a House Speaker. Once the speaker is elected, they make the rules for camera access to the chamber. Usually, they are limited to the podium where a lawmaker is speaking, the clerk leading proceedings, or other official happenings.

That's why C-Span is particularly entertaining in these few moments before a speaker is elected -- journalists manning the cameras can hone in on the most interesting moments of action on the floor.

- Riley Beggin

What to watch for as House speaker vote begins

As voting begins, observers should watch how lawmakers early in the alphabet vote.

If Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., or Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., vote against Johnson, we may see even more defections as the lawmakers that follow know he will lose the first ballot.

--Riley Beggin

New lawmakers start new job on Hill

The House Clerk called a quorum call, so each member is currently indicating that they are here for the purpose of voting.

Whether Mike Johnson will remain speaker is the big question of the day - but for many lawmakers, it is the first day of a new job. Several lawmakers have their children on the House floor with them to witness the occasion.

- Riley Beggin

House officially convenes

The House has officially convened.

There's plenty of hubub in the chamber as members' friends and family fill out the gallery seats.

We expect the speaker vote to begin shortly.

- Riley Beggin

Johnson says he expects to keep his job

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters while heading into the House chamber he expects to be returned to office with the help of President-elect Donald Trump.

I expect well get it done, Johnson said. Trump has made public statements and is privately lobbying lawmakers, Johnson said.

Privately, I think hes talked with members, Johnson said. Johnson said he would continue to compete if not elected on the first ballot.

Im here for the long haul, Johnson said.

Bart Jansen

Prayer, pledge kick off House operations for the day

The House of Representatives began the day with a prayer led by House Chaplain Margaret Grun Kibben and the pledge of allegiance.

And now, as this 118th Congress sets down its last gavel and the journals are sealed and archived, we give you (God) thanks, Kibben said in her prayer, marking todays transition from one Congress to the next.

The pomp and circumstance opening comes shortly before the lower chamber is set to vote and elect a Speaker of House for the 119th Congress.

 Savannah Kuchar

When is the House speaker vote?

The House is set to vote around noon as it selects the speaker for the 119th Congress.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., walks to his office in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 3, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Trump advocates for Speaker Mike Johnson as Congress convenes

President-elect Trump expressed his support for House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday, as the new Congress convenes and stands poised to pick a new speaker.

Johnsons fate hangs in the balance as GOP divisions have threatened to derail his position in recent days.

Trump was unequivocal in his support in a post on Truth Social.

"Good luck today for Speaker Mike Johnson, a fine man of great ability, who is very close to having 100% support. A win for Mike today will be a big win for the Republican Party, and yet another acknowledgment of our 129 year mos"

Johnson was quick to respond: "Thank you, President Trump! Today is a new day in America. Congressional Republicans must stay united to quickly deliver President Trumps America First agenda," he responded on Twitter

--Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

How many new members of Congress are being sworn in today?

Seventy-three newcomers will be sworn into the 119th Congress.

Some members on the list who previously served as representatives in the House, such as Democrat Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Republican John Curtis of Texas, are being sworn in as senators. Others are coming into Congress for the first time, including Democrat Shomari Figures of Alabama and Republican Brandon Gill of Texas.

 Sudiksha Kochi

What does the House speaker do?

Mike Johnson is the speaker of the House. The speaker of the House is a powerful official who leads the House, one of the two chambers of Congress. The speaker of the House is also second in the line of succession for the presidency, after the vice president.

Johnson was elected to Congress in 2016, and before he served as speaker he was the No. 5 ranking House Republican as the conference's vice chair. He became the speaker of the House in October 2023 after weeks of GOP infighting sparked by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's dramatic ouster.

 Marina Pitofsky

What did Donald Trump say about Mike Johnson?

President-elect Donald Trump endorsed Johnson for speaker in a Truth Social post Monday, calling the Louisiana Republican a good, hard working, religious man.

He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN," Trump wrote. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement.

Despite Trumps powerful influence as party leader, some Republicans remain unconvinced.

I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote on X Monday.

 Savannah Kuchar

Who was speaker of the House before Mike Johnson?

Former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was speaker of the House before Mike Johnson.

McCarthy was ousted in October 2023 after a handful of Republican rebels, led by former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., voted with Democrats to remove him from him speakership. The vote came after McCarthy worked with Democrats to avoid a devastating government shutdown.

After the California lawmaker was removed, the House was frozen for weeks as GOP lawmakers struggled to unite and pick a new leader. The House isn't allowed to act without a speaker, and Mike Johnson was ultimately crowned after uniting different factions of Republicans.

 Marina Pitofsky

When is Trump's inauguration?

The inauguration ceremony will be held on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Around noon on Inauguration Day, the president-elect recites the following oath in accordance with Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

 Victoria E. Freile

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Recap: Johnson wins vote for House speaker
DENVER (KDVR)  Saturday is a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day as dense fog and snow move into Denver weather.

After dense fog and snow flurries were seen at the Denver International Airport on Saturday morning, hundreds of flights have been delayed and dozens have been canceled.

This Colorado area is expected to see the most snow this weekend

According to online flight tracker FlightAware, as of 4 p.m., there are 639 flights delayed and 44 canceled coming in and out of the Denver International Airport.

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These airlines had the most delayed flights:

Southwest: 211

United: 189

SkyWest: 156

Frontier: 23

Delta: 16

American Airlines: 13

Here is a breakdown of the canceled flights by airline:

SkyWest: 26

UnitedL 12

Southwest: 5

Frontier: 1

According to FlightAwares Misery Map, the Denver airport has the most canceled flights of any airport in the U.S. on Saturday.

The delayed and canceled flights have been steadily climbing all day. Travelers can check the status of their flight through their airline or by entering flight information on FlightAware.

Expect delays due to winter driving conditions, heavy traffic on I-70

FOX31s Gabby Easterwood was live at the airport Saturday morning with a look at conditions. Dense fog made for limited visibility, and snow flurries were accumulating on the ground. Some roads were even slick, so travelers may want to plan for extra time to take it slow on the drive to the airport.

Fog is expected to clear out as the day continues and snow is expected to start falling in the afternoon.

Denver, Colorado weather resources

Stay prepared for storms and forecast changes, a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day and other important weather information:

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The Pinpoint Weather team will continue to update the forecast multiple times each day.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Ice-T got a little hot.

The rapper and Law and Order: SVU star had a heated exchange with law enforcement in New Jersey last May after being pulled over for expired license plates, calling a police officer a fking ahole.

The verbal altercation was captured on bodycam footage obtained by TMZ and the YouTube channel Unspoken Crime Murders.

Rapper and Law and Order: SVU star Ice-T got into a heated spat with a cop. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

Ice-T was pulled over in May 2024. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

A patrol officer from the Hudson County Sheriffs department approached the Law and Order star, who was driving a Porsche. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

In the video, a Hudson County Sheriffs officer begins begins by telling the rapper that he is being recorded and has been stopped because of a missing front license plate and expired tags (that turn out to have expired in 2021).

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Ice-T proceeds to tell the officer that he was on the way to a nearby DMV to update the paperwork on his Porsche, and that he tried to resolve the matter at the DMV the day before but couldnt because their system was down.

According to T, the cars registration wasnt up to date because it had been parked.

The cop told Ice-T he was missing front plates and his registration was expired. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

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The actor said he was on his way to the DMV. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

Are you sure? the cop asks him in the footage.

Yeah, of course Im sure, the rapper responds.

Yesterday I went to the DMV and they said their systems down, so thats why Im here. I got seven cars. Im trying to get them all straight.

When asked by the officer what time his appointment was , the SVU star replies, I dont need one, before adding, They know me.

At one point, Ice-T got out of his car and approached the officer. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

Prompted to provide his drivers license, Ice-T admits to the officer that his license is also expired.

Thats why Im going to the DMV. You have my paperwork. Youre fine, he says before trying to persuade the cop to either follow him to the DMV or allow him to park his car where he was stopped and walk to the DMV. The Sheriffs officer doesnt agree to either suggestion.

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You dont gotta be that serious about this. I mean you can but you dont have to, T says in the clip, to which the cop counters, It is serious.

The rapper called the cop an ahole. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

Visibly frustrated, the actor asks the cop if hes going to take me to jail.

Im not going to take you to jail, the officer assures him before saying hes going to tow the car.

At that point Ice-T begins to boil. Youre not gonna tow my fking vehicle, he says.

He continues, If Im not under arrest, Im getting out of the car.

Exiting the car, the Law and Order alum walks to the curb and approaches the law enforcement agent, who warns, Dont touch me.

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Give me my paperwork, you fking ahole, Ice-T tells him. Give me my fking paperwork!

The Hudson County Sheriffs officer warned Ice-T, Dont touch me. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

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The rapper then addresses the bodycam, looking directly into the lens.

Get this on camera, he says. This muthafker. Im a foot away from the DMV. Youre an ahole!

The star goes on to record the cop  who he labels a dumba  on his phone.

With the exchange escalating, backup is called in and cooler heads start to prevail. A sergeant arrives on the scene and brokers a peace between T and the patrol officer, who gives the rapper four tickets  driving with a suspended license, improper display, no inspection sticker, and missing front plates.

The sergeant tells Ice-T that he tried to persuade the officer to reduce the number of citations from four to two, but was unsuccessful.

Ice-T was issued four citations. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

In addition to an expired registration, the star had an expired drivers license as well. Unspoken Crime Murders/YouTube

The Sheriffs then allow Ice-T to leave his car parked while he walks to the DMV to update his license and registration.

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The officer who pulled the SVU actor over ends the tense encounter by telling him, Just next time show some respect.

But Ice wasnt feeling chilled, replying, I dont have to.

The Post has reached out to reps for Ice-T and to the Hudson County Sheriffs office.
Rapper and actor Ice-T found himself in a fiery roadside confrontation with a New Jersey police officer, and the recently released body cam footage is shedding light on the intense encounter.

The incident occurred back in May, but the video of Ice-T and the police have only now been made public.

'SVU' Actor Ice-T Gets Pulled Over For Driving With Expired Plates

MEGA

It begins with Ice-T being pulled over for driving with expired plates  plates that, according to the officer, had been expired since 2021. Ice-T explained he was on his way to the DMV to resolve the issue, but the officer was skeptical, asking, Do you have an appointment?

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Unfazed, Ice-T replied confidently, I dont need one. They know me.

The situation quickly escalated when the officer indicated that Ice-Ts Porsche would need to be towed. At this point, Ice-Ts frustration boiled over. Exiting the car, he snapped, If Im not under arrest, Im getting out of the car. Give me my paperwork, you f-cking a--hole. Give me my f-cking paperwork!

Ice-T Talks Directly To The Officer's Body Cam

MEGA

Now standing outside the vehicle, Ice-T made sure the camera caught his side of the story, pointing directly at the body cam and declaring, Get this on camera. This muthaf-cker... Im a foot away from the DMV. Youre an a--hole!

The tension eased slightly when a sergeant arrived on the scene. Unlike the patrol officer, the sergeant was noticeably friendlier, even expressing regret over how the situation had unfolded. He admitted he tried to convince the officer to issue only two tickets instead of four, but ultimately had no authority over the final decision.

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In the end, Ice-T received four citations, but the encounter didnt conclude without one final exchange. As the officer handed Ice-T his keys back, he advised, Just show some respect.

Unapologetic, Ice-T shot back, I dont have to.

The video footage was obtained by TMZ.

The 'Cop Killer' Controversy

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This isn't the first time the "SVU" actor has found himself in the midst of controversy.

In 1992, Ice-T and his heavy metal band Body Count became the center of one of the most explosive music controversies in history with their song "Cop Killer." The track, featured on the bands self-titled debut album, was a raw and unflinching response to police brutality and systemic violence against minority communities. However, its confrontational lyrics sparked a firestorm of outrage across the United States, igniting debates about free speech, artistic expression, and the role of musicians in social movements.

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"Cop Killer" was written from the perspective of a fictional character who had reached a breaking point after enduring repeated abuse from law enforcement. Ice-T made it clear that the song was not a literal call to violence, but rather a character-driven narrative meant to express frustration and anger felt by marginalized communities. One lyric goes:

"I'm a cop killer, better you than me / Cop killer, f-ck police brutality!"

The outrage over "Cop Killer" escalated quickly. Police unions and advocacy organizations demanded the song be removed from the album, arguing that it encouraged violence against officers.

Ice-T Responds To 'Cop Killer' Backlash

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Ice-T remained firm in defending the songs artistic integrity and message. He repeatedly emphasized that the song was not a literal threat against police officers, but rather a protest anthem against systemic injustice.

"This song is about somebody who is fed up with police brutality," he said at the time. "It's not a call to arms. It's a cry of frustration from a character in a song. If you believe that I'm promoting violence, then you haven't been listening."

The controversy became so intense that Warner Bros. Records faced boycotts, protests, and even death threats. As the situation escalated, Ice-T voluntarily pulled the song from future pressings of the album to prevent further harm to the label and its employees.

"I didn't want to put Warner Bros. in a position where they were being attacked unfairly," Ice-T said at the time. "I stand by my song, but sometimes you have to be the bigger person."

Arrest for Driving Without a Seatbelt In 2010

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Additionally, in July 2010, Ice-T was pulled over in New York City for allegedly driving without a seatbelt. During the stop, the officer claimed Ice-Ts car was unregistered and impounded the vehicle.

Ice-T disputed both allegations on Twitter, calling the officer a "punk b-tch rookie cop" and insisting he had done nothing wrong. "Some punk b-tch rookie cop named Fisher made the arrest of his career today for pulling me over for not wearing a seatbelt. He said my car was unregistered," he said at the time.
AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL)After serving crispy chicken fingers for more than three decades, Tenda Chick, an iconic Auburn restaurant, has officially closed its doors.

The local favorite, known for its comfort food and family-friendly atmosphere, has succumbed to challenges owner Brian Moore says were simply insurmountable. Though Tenda Chick weathered the storm of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aftermath presented an entirely different set of hurdles. Supply chain disruptions, rising costs, and shifting consumer habits became daily battles for the once-thriving restaurant.

For longtime patrons, the closure feels like the end of an era. Tenda Chick wasnt just a place to grab a quick biteit was a cornerstone of the community, hosting countless after-school dinners, family celebrations, and casual meetups for nearly 35 years.

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Yet, Moore hasnt completely ruled out a comeback. While theres no immediate plan to reopen, he hinted at the possibility of a revival in the future. The doors remain closed for now, but the memoriesand perhaps the hope of a returnlive on.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
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GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  The identities and cause of death of all four victims in the New Years Eve crash have been released by the Greenville County Coroners Office.

On December 31, 2024, officers responded to a 911 call about a two car crash on Cooley Bridge Road near Pearson Road in Pelzer. According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, a 2012 BMW sedan was traveling south on Cooley Bridge Road while a Subaru SUV was backing out of a private drive into the southbound lanes of the road.

SCHP said the BMW struck the Subaru. The BMW then veered off the road and hit a tree. Reports state that the vehicle had caught fire by the time police arrived.

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The coroner pronounced all four occupants in the Subaru dead at the scene.

The victims of the Subaru were identified as 30-year-old Amanda Lynn Leroux Zelena Ophelia Moon of Mebane, NC, 29-year-old Audrey Marie Ross of Donalds, SC, 27-year-old Jade Evelyn Bruton of Greenville, SC, and 37-year-old Joshua Allen Ward of Cleveland, NC.

Ward was a drummer with the band Voraath, a metal band based in North Carolina.

According to the coroners report, the cause of death for Leroux, Ross and Burton was from blunt force trauma. Ward was stated to have died from smoke inhalation and thermal burns.

All deaths were listed as an accident. This continues to remain an active investigation under the coroners office and highway patrol.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  Members of the 119th Congress took their oath of office Friday including Illinois members of Congress. But before members of the U.S. House of Representatives could be sworn in, they had to elect a speaker.

House Speaker Mike Johnson faced a tough battle reclaiming the speakers gavel. Republicans hold 219 seats in the House while Democrats hold 215. All of the Democrats voted for Hakeem Jeffries.

Three House Republicans initially voted against the Louisiana congressman, but two switched their votes giving Johnson the 218 votes needed to win reelection.

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Mike Johnson clinches Speakership in stunning first ballot

Our nation is counting on us to band together and solve these problems and get this done, Johnson said.

In November, all of Illinois members of Congress won re-election including Congresswoman Nikki Busdiznksi (IL-13) and Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17). The two Democrats are now serving in their second terms in the nations capital.

Its going to take somebody thats willing to work with both sides and really put your head down and focus on how youre going to make the quality of life better, how youre going to lower the cost of life back home and those are the things that Im going to do, Sorensen said.

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Budzinski said one of her main priorities going into this new term is getting a new Farm Bill.

We extended the Farm Bill right before the holidays for another year, Budzinski said. Im looking forward to getting back to the negotiating table so we can get a bipartisan Farm Bill done that really supports our growers.

New House GOP budget proposal revives Farm Bill extension and aid money but drops ethanol provision

Illinois Republicans Mary Miller (IL-15), Darin LaHood (IL-16) and Mike Bost (IL-12) are also returning to Congress.

I was proud to continue my support for Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House, LaHood said in a statement. Together, we will strengthen our economy, secure our border, restore American energy independence, and return to American peace through strength. I look forward to representing the people of central and northwestern Illinois for another two years!

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In a statement, Bost said he is looking forward to the work ahead.

House Republicans, in partnership with President Trump, are ready to address our biggest challenges head on, from securing the border and keeping America safe to extending tax relief and reducing the bloated size of government, Bost said.

Judge orders Trump sentenced on Jan. 10, signals no punishment for conviction

Over in the U.S. Senate, Vice President Kamala Harris swore in new members. The Vice President serves as the president of the chamber.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Ill. (WTVO)  The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) has opened the scholarship application process for current and former youth in care.

A minimum of 53 academic scholarships will be awarded for the upcoming school year.

Four scholarships are reserved for children of veterans and two are saved for students pursuing social work degrees.

These scholarships provide 5 years of tuition and academic fee waivers if the student attends an Illinois Public University or community college. A monthly grant of $1,577 and a medical card are also offered.

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It is my priority as governor to ensure that all Illinois students, including youth in DCFS care, have the resources they need to pursue higher education, said Governor JB Pritzker. After awarding a record-breaking 334 DCFS scholarships to young leaders last year, I am thrilled to share that we are once again opening applications for 2025. I highly encourage all current and former youth in care to apply.

Transitioning from high school to college can be a stressful time for any young person, and even more so for the youth in our care who have already worked so hard to overcome obstacles in their young lives, said Illinois DCFS Director Heidi E. Mueller. These scholarships will give our youth some peace of mind knowing that they wont have to worry about how to pay for school so they can concentrate on their education and pursuing their dreams.

Scholarships will be awarded based on academic performance, community involvement, recommendations, and a personal essay.

Applications are open through March 31.

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One day after the failed arrest of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, the leaders of his security service refused to attend a police summons on Saturday.

According to the Yonhap news agency, the president's security service explained that neither Park Chong Jun nor his deputy Kim Seong Hoon were able to leave their posts, with Yoon needing constant protection due to the tense situation.

The security service is in contact with the police to find another date for the interrogation, Yonhap added.

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Dozens of investigators had tried for more than five and a half hours on Friday to detain Yoon for questioning following his imposition of martial law in early December.

However, a "wall" of around 200 members of the army and security services stood in the way of the authorities on the grounds of the president's residence, Yonhap reported.

Lawmakers removed Yoon from office until further notice on charges of abuse of power and sedition in mid-December, with the Constitutional Court currently reviewing the decision.

Before the attempted arrest, he had ignored three summonses from the Corruption Investigation Bureau. The agency finally successfully applied to a court for his arrest.

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The court order is still valid up to and including Monday, with the opposition demanding that it be enforced as quickly as possible.

The opposition also demanded that Park be arrested for abuse of power and obstruction of official duties. The security service in turn threatened the authorities with legal action for trespassing.

As Yonhap reported, investigators may attempt to detain Yoon again this weekend. If they succeed, they would have 48 hours to question Yoon and decide whether to release him or apply for a warrant for his arrest.

In Seoul, numerous supporters of Yoon have been demonstrating in front of the presidential residence for days. Opponents of the impeached president also protested in their thousands.
India has stepped up security on its border with Bangladesh after an official in the countrys new government threatened to annex part of the north-east.

Mahfuz Alam, a senior adviser to new interim leader Muhammad Yunus, accused the Indian government in a Facebook post on Dec 16 of ghettoising and colonising the population in West Bengal, Tripura and Assam.

Bengali-speaking Muslims are the largest minority in all three states.

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For Bangladesh to succeed as a country following the overthrow last year of pro-India prime minister Sheikh Hasina, it must grow geographically, Mr Alam wrote.

A small, limited, landlocked nation, he argued, would be doomed to fail, adding that the culture of north-east India has more in common with Muslim-dominated Dhaka than Hindu-majority Delhi.

Mahfuz Alam accused the Indian government of ghettoising and colonising the population in West Bengal, Tripura and Assam - Nahid Hossai/Wiki Media

To ensure true freedom from India, Mr Alam continued, the country needed another revolution, posting a picture of a map where Bangladeshs borders extended across the three states.

The Facebook post was deleted within two hours but it has led to a deterioration of already-tense ties between the neighbouring nations.

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Indias foreign ministry said it had taken up the comments with Dhaka and a spokesperson said the remarks underline the need for responsibility in public articulation.

On Friday, it emerged that Indias Borders Security Force (BSF) has built new floating border outposts on the rivers that cross Indias border with Bangladesh, including the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Sunderbans.

Waters are always vulnerable, a BSF source told the New18 website on Friday. We are patrolling the areas 24/7. More floating outposts will definitely help us. They are the need of the hour.

India fears that Bangladeshs new government could facilitate the movement of terrorists into the north-east through the river routes, which were used by Pakistan to ferry fighters across the border before Bangladesh gained independence in 1970.

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There are also concerns over potential funding and support of separatist movements.

Ms Hasinas ousted Awami League party included members of Bangladeshs minority Hindu population, and she has taken refuge in India since street protests ended her 15-year rule.

The government of Hindu nationalist prime minister Narendra Modi viewed Ms Hasina as a key ally, hoping to lure Bangladesh away from closer ties with China.

Since she was ousted, Mr Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have repeatedly called on the new government in Bangladesh to protect its Hindu population amid a wave of violence.

Muhammad Yunus, the new interim leader of Bangladesh - Kazi Salahuddin Razu/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Kirti Vardhan Singh, Indias minister for external affairs, last month estimated that 2,200 attacks against minorities including Hindu were carried out in Bangladesh until Dec 8, up from 302 last year.

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The press office of Mr Yunus, an economist and Nobel laureate, called this figure exaggerated and said only 138 attacks took place until November.

With tensions rising following Mr Alams Facebook post, Bangladeshs army chief, General Waker-Uz-Zaman, last week said Dhaka would do nothing to destabilise Indias north-east.

We will not do anything with our neighbour that goes against their strategic interests, he told local newspaper Prothom Alo.

But the offer was contingent on Delhi doing nothing that is contrary to our interests.

Hindu protesters in Kolkata at the arrest of a Bangladeshi priest - Rupak De Chowdhuri/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Dhaka blames Mr Modi for whipping up opposition to its fledgling government.

On Dec 2, Indian demonstrators stormed Bangladeshs diplomatic mission in the north-eastern city of Argatala, protesting against the arrest of a Hindu monk in the Bangladeshi capital.

Dhaka immediately suspended all consular services in the mission and summoned New Delhis envoy in protest.

India is constantly spreading misinformation against Bangladesh and the July revolution, aiming to isolate Bangladesh internationally and portray it as an Islamist stronghold, Asif Nazrul, law minister in the interim government, told The Telegraph.

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In a meeting with multiple political parties after the Agartala incident, Mr Nazrul proposed organising a rally to counter what he branded Indian propaganda.

He added: It may be true that during the July revolution and later, a few Hindu persons were attacked or imprisoned. But the reason for these attacks was their criminal activities with the Awami League.

Narendra Modi, right, with Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi in June - Arvind Yadav/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Hindus make up about eight per cent of Bangladeshs 170 million population.

On Dec 6, activists in Dhaka marched towards the Indian High Commission, calling on Delhi to stop painting Bangladesh as unsafe for minorities.

Bangladesh is a perfect example of religious harmony and India would be the first in oppressing the minorities, Sharif Osman Hadi, an organiser of the march, told the Telegraph. So we dont want any big brother approach from them.

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In her first public speech since her overthrow, Ms Hasina last month criticised Mr Yunus for an alleged genocide against minorities.

Fires burn outside the former Bangladeshi prime ministers house in Dhaka after Ms Hasina fled the country - Parvez Ahmad Rony/Drik/Getty Images

Speaking to The Telegraph, Asif Mahmud, a youth leader during the summer protests and currently an adviser in the Yunus administration, hit out at India for giving sanctuary to Ms Hasina.

They (the Indian government) are now even giving Hasina, who is accused of crimes against humanity, state facilities, he said. That is why Bangladeshi people are angry with the Indian governments stance.

When asked what could restore friendly relations between the two subcontinental neighbours, Mr Nazrul said, Forgetting the dream of reinstalling her puppet rule, honouring Bangladeshs sovereignty and peoples verdict expressed through the July revolution and rebuilding friendly relations with Bangladesh based on equal dignity and rights.

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Ms Hasina was toppled in early August by popular protests sparked by perceived favouritism in the allocation of prized government jobs. She ordered the army to shoot protesters before she was forced to flee, killing an estimated 400 to 800 people.

Indias foreign ministry confirmed last week that it received a request from Bangladesh to extradite Ms Hasina, but did not comment on whether it would do so.

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McGREGOR, Texas (FOX 44)  Injuries have been reported in a McGregor vehicle crash on Friday evening.

The McGregor Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to Highway 84/Oak Creek Circle at approximately 4:49 p.m. This was due to a motor vehicle crash involving two vehicles.

(Courtesy: McGregor Volunteer Fire Department) (Courtesy: McGregor Volunteer Fire Department)

An injury has been reported. Traffic is being re-routed.

This is a developing story. FOX 44 News will have more information as it becomes available.

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RACINE, Wis. (WFRV)  Authorities in southeast Wisconsin are investigating the death of a Racine County Jail inmate following an assault.

According to a release, the Kenosha County Sheriffs Office was asked to conduct a criminal investigation after the assault occurred on December 31, 2024. The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed out of respect for the family, was pronounced dead on January 1, 2025.

Two Wisconsin men arrested after multi-agency pursuit

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The Kenosha County Sheriffs Office has recommended one count of first-degree intentional homicide against the suspect, identified as Davonte Carraway, to the Racine County District Attorneys Office.

The case remains an open and active investigation. No additional details have been released at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Last winter as Olena Morozova braced for a long and arduous trip to Ukrainian-controlled territory from her Russian-occupied home in Lysychansk in Luhansk Oblast, her friends were traveling in the opposite direction.

The friends  a family with two sons  came back to their house in Lysychansk because they couldnt afford to pay the rent in Dnipro, the regional capital in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which hosts the largest number of internally displaced people in Ukraine, Morozova told the Kyiv Independent.

They told me it was very difficult (to live) in Ukrainian-controlled territory, too, Morozova said, But I didnt even want to listen, because we were set to leave (Lysychansk) after the New Year.

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After nearly three years of all-out war, some internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine are opting to return to Russian-occupied areas due to the Ukrainian governments failure to provide them with proper housing and enough financial aid to adequately resettle.

An estimated one-third of the Ukrainian population, or nearly 14 million people, left their homes in 2022 following the start of Russias full-scale invasion. Many have returned since, but at least 3.5 million remain internally displaced at the moment, according to the UN.

Official data on how many people have returned to Russian occupation is difficult to obtain. The Social Policy Ministry recorded 1,262 displaced persons returning to occupied territories over the last nine months, the Ombudsman Office told the Kyiv Independent but noted the number could be higher, citing limited access to the data.

Some estimate the number is much higher. Luhansk-born Ukrainian lawmaker Maksym Tkachenko from the ruling Servant of the People party recently said that 150,000 people had left Ukrainian-controlled territories to return to Russian occupation.

Evacuees arrive by bus at an evacuation point in the Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine, on May 12, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

After his comment was widely published in the media and a top Ukrainian official accused him of lying for the hype, Tkachenko retracted his statement, adding that it was his unfounded and emotional assumption. Nonetheless, other officials commented on the failed state policy for the displaced, without citing their numbers.

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At the outset of the war, Ukraines government responded to the influx of displaced persons by announcing financial assistance, compensation for employers who gave work to IDPs, and partial or full subsidies on the cost of living, according to the Ombudsmans Office. It has also ordered local administrations to provide them with free housing, which has proved difficult to get and often inadequate to peoples needs.

Stories of some families show that a lack of enough government assistance may be forcing some to make the decision to return home, even if it means life under Russian occupation, where basic services are lacking and people live under the threat of prosecution for their Ukrainian identity.

Now (my friends) are crying and want to return (to Ukraine), said Morozova, 48, whose family is happy with their choice to move to Kyiv despite their struggle to make ends meet without any state support.

Living on the brink of poverty

Many IDPs live on the brink of poverty, with 40% relying on humanitarian assistance from the state and international humanitarian organizations to meet their basic needs, according to a UN November 2024 survey.

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Their struggles only got worse in March 2024 after the government revised its regulations on financial aid towards living expenses for the internally displaced  set around $45 per month for adults and $70 for children and people with disabilities.

The allowance is far less than the actual subsistence minimum, last estimated by the Social Policy Ministry in 2022 at around $145 and projected to be much higher now.

Per the new decree, the number of people receiving the payments dropped more than twice  from 2.5 million in 2023 to over 1 million in August 2024, according to the Social Policy Ministry. The payments will be revised every six months, cutting off more people as the government aims to primarily help those with the lowest income.

The main facade of the Vlasta hotel in Lviv, Ukraine, on Feb. 4, 2023. Built in 1976, the economy-class hotel has not undergone renovations since then. In the first weeks of Russias full-scale war against Ukraine, the hotel sheltered hundreds of refugees fleeing Russian missiles. (Stanislav Ivanov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

A resident of a dormitory for internally displaced persons sits in a room where she lives with her sister and husband in Lviv, Ukraine, on Sept. 30, 2022. (Stanislav Ivanov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

But for many displaced people, this aid is not just partial assistance in paying for housing, but in fact one of the few means of subsistence, the Ombudsmans Office told the Kyiv Independent.

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We rented whatever was available, said Antonina Palamarchuk, 64, who fled Myrnohrad, Donetsk Oblast, and moved around Ukraine until settling in Kyiv with her daughter.

The cost of their apartment  Hr 12,000 or $280  exceeds Antoninas pension, which is just $2 more than the legislated minimum that would have allowed her to receive financial aid from the state.

She told the Kyiv Independent that a relative decided to go live with family in Donetsk, occupied by Russia since 2014, because she had nowhere to live in Ukraine-controlled territory.

State lodgings stand empty as people struggle to find housing

Even as the government has claimed to provide free housing for the displaced, many wait months to be housed. Activists say that the reason behind the long wait times is not the lack of available lodgings, but their inadequate management at the local and national level.

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There is certainly little help from the state in the form of housing, said lawmaker Tkachenko, who also co-founded a nonprofit VPO Ukrainy that helps displaced people.

As of July 1, only 2,995 internally displaced people in the country were living in the temporary municipal lodgings, and 13,048 were on the waiting list, the Infrastructure Development Ministry told the Kyiv Independent.

As of July 1, only 2,995 internally displaced people in the country were living in the temporary municipal lodgings, and 13,048 were on the waiting list.

Tkachenko said that conditions in government-provided housing are often inadequate  such as one shower used by 50 women and children  while people are often forced to pay for utility services themselves.

Internally displaced people walk in a modular housing complex donated by the Polish government for the temporary accommodation of evacuees in Lviv, Ukraine, on Feb. 9, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images)

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Though the state offers to cover these expenses for the local administrations, its easier for some managers of these facilities to collect money directly from displaced people rather than wait to be reimbursed by the state, a process that can be long and bureaucratic, Tkachenko told the Kyiv Independent.

His account corresponds with a recent UN survey from October 2024, which said that 23% of IDPs reported lacking adequate accommodation, compared to only 6% of the non-displaced.

We're talking about the minimum necessities of life, Tkachenko said.

A 2022 decree mandated that local governments finance and build shelters or provide municipal buildings for the displaced.

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While local communities helped lots of internally displaced people in 2022, they have since run into trouble finding the resources to accommodate everyone as the war stretches into its third year, said Petro Andriushchenko, ex-advisor to the mayor of Russian-occupied Mariupol.

Meanwhile, habitable state-owned facilities sit empty. According to Andriushchenko, the Education Ministry never placed any IDPs in university dorms, even though they have remained vacant as students study remotely due to the war.

(Local) communities ask a logical question: Why should we give away our building (to the displaced) if there is an empty state building? he said.

He added that international organizations are ready to finance reconstructions of the living quarters for the displaced, so the governments passive approach had little to do with the lack of funds.

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People on the top just dont want to make uncomfortable managerial decisions, he said. Its about their inability to put things in order in state-owned real estate that is empty or repurpose it.

Karyna, 10, who was evacuated from the Kherson region, sits on a bed in a room where she lives with her parents and sister at a refugee reception center in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 28, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

Another reason for what Andriushchenko described as the governments non-existent policy towards the displaced citizens could be Ukraines strong civil society. Since the onset of the full-scale war, countless volunteers, individuals, and organizations have mobilized to help their fellow citizens.

Volunteers picked us up (after we crossed the border), Morozova said, describing her familys trip from Russia's border to the nearest city Sumy in the north of Ukraine last winter.

Volunteers also helped them find the first place to stay in a village near Kyiv, and later  a single-room apartment that Morozova now rents with her husband and son.

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The flat is really broken, but at least the roof doesnt leak and there are no drafts, she said. We lived in the cold for two years (in occupation).

The hard choice to return home

Amid higher unemployment, diminishing government support, and harsh living conditions as Russia bombards Ukrainian energy infrastructure, some people turn to their last resort: going back home to Russian occupation.

The trip back itself can be treacherous. There are no border crossings between Ukrainian-controlled and Russia-held territories in Ukraine and the only remaining border crossing at the two countries borders is for entrance back into Ukraine only, said Deputy Presidential Office head Iryna Vereshchuk during a TV interview on Nov. 27.

Vereshchuk blamed the lack of border crossings as the reason why the government is unable to keep official statistics on the number of displaced persons returning to occupation.

The only option for Ukrainians to get into Russia is by plane from other countries to Moscows Sheremetyevo airport, where Russia has set up a filtration facility where they are screened by special services on arrival.

This route is long and expensive, with ticket costs starting around $1,000, according to Vereshchuk. Filtration can reportedly last for days, as members of the Russian Security Service question peoples allegiance and check their phones.

Russian authorities said in October that 83,000 Ukrainians entered the country through Sheremetyevo over the past year, while another 24,000 were turned away.

An aerial view of a small settlement of Tsukurine destroyed by Russian artillery and guided aerial bombs in Donetsk Oblast on Sept. 30, 2024. (Libkos/Getty Images)

Based on Andriushchenkos communications with people who tried going through the airport and the data he claims to get from sources in occupied Mariupol, he and other activists estimate the number of Ukrainians turned away on arrival to be much higher  roughly 200,000 or more. The number of those who went in could be as high as 150,000.

They just go wherever they have a place to live, Andriushchenko said. Because here they simply have nothing to spend or nothing to pay for food.

Others return home to look after ailing relatives. According to Olha, a 67-year-old Zaporizhzhia native currently living in Kyiv whose name has been changed for security reasons, one of her friends returned to occupation in September to look after her bed-ridden husband, despite being detained and held captive by Russians early into the full-scale invasion.

Olha hasn't heard from her friend since.

Life under occupation

While Russian propaganda uses the numbers of returning Ukrainians to claim that life under occupation is better than in Ukrainian-controlled territories, international media reports and stories told by Ukrainians in Russian-controlled areas paint a different picture.

In Lysychansk, Morozova told the Kyiv Independent she didnt see fresh bread for half a year after its occupation in July 2022. She survived by selling fire-cooked dumplings, while her husband made little money by delivering drinking water to the elderly neighbors who had some retirement savings.

After weathering two years without utilities except for gas, Morozova fell severely sick and couldnt get out of bed. There was no medical assistance available in the city. The Russian soldiers which her family asked for help said that they have nothing to do with civilians.

A neighbor took her to the hospital in Luhansk, occupied since 2014, where she received some medical help.

They injected me with Ukrainian drugs. Expired, though, Morozova added.

When she spoke in October with her friends who returned to occupied Lysychansk last winter, they told her that little had changed: There was no water supply or central heating and electricity was unstable.

People who fled from different areas of the Kharkiv region wait in a queue to be registered at an evacuation point in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on May 14, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images)

Children are having 20-minute-long lessons  almost no studies at all, Morozova said. And mice are pestering them. There are a lot of mice in apartments because there are a lot of empty apartments  many people have moved out.

Their story reflects some of the dire conditions Ukrainians face under Russias rule. In addition to prosecution, detention, and murders of pro-Ukrainian activists, they also include enforced Russification. Basic services like schools for children are available only for those with Russian passports.

People without Russian IDs cant prove their property rights under a 2023 decree. Starting from July 1, 2024, they can be evicted from their own homes as aliens.

According to Andriushchenko, the decree incited a wave of returnees to occupied territories in the past months, as people came home just to make sure their property wasn't taken away, going back to Ukraine again afterward.

But activists say that displaced Ukrainians cant even receive state compensation for damaged property if their homes are in occupation, as financial aid is only given to homeowners in Ukraine-controlled areas.

The government treats the displaced like invisible people, said Andriushchenko, who left his post as a mayors adviser recently.

Note from the author:

Hello, this is Natalia Yermak, thank you for reading this article. Amid geopolitical discussions on possible negotiations, where pieces of land are seen as bargaining chips, it's easy to forget that they are also someone's home that means the world to those people. If you want to read more human stories like this one, please consider supporting our work by becoming a member.

Read also: Thousands of Ukrainian IDPs are struggling to adapt amid housing, employment crises

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DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN)  Family and friends of an Auburn graduate and Montgomery native are still completely shocked after hearing that their loved one would not be coming home from a New Years celebration in New Orleans.

Drew Dauphin was on Bourbon Street, ringing in the New Year with his younger brother Matthew when Shamsud Din Jabbar of Texas drove a pickup truck into a crowd.

Matthew survived the attack but left the scene without his brother. Drew was one of fourteen innocent people killed early on New Years Day.

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He was just a greatExtremely close brothers, said family friend Karen Keene.

You can watch the full interview from Keene and Becky Devereux below (Courtesy of ABC News):

Drew had recently graduated from Auburn University, earning his degree in 2023.

WATCH: Funeral services begin for Alabama student killed in New Orleans terror attack

He grew up in Montgomery and graduated from Alabama Christian Academy in 2016 before going on to Auburn. According to his LinkedIn page, Drew had worked for Honda in Birmingham since graduating from Auburn. He was a supplier process engineer specializing in crisis management.

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Auburn University President Christopher Roberts announced Dauphins death on the universitys Facebook page Thursday morning.

FBI officials claimed the suspect in the attack, 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar of Texas, had what appeared to be an ISIS flag on the back of the truck when he allegedly went through the barricades and slammed into the crowd.

Sources tell WDHNs sister station in New Orleans, WGNO, that Jabbar was shot and killed by New Orleans Police after an exchange of gunfire.

A day after the attack, Senator Katie Britt released a statement from Drews family:

Its unbelievable. Who should have to come up with words for this? Our family is suffering more than anyone can imagine. Drew lit up every room he entered. His smile was infectious. He had the best personality. We are such a tight family, dependent on each other, friends, family and neighbors. We cherish the 26 years that we had with him and raising him will always be one of the greatest joys of our lives. Our family is numb and in shock through this horrific and senseless tragedy. Drew was happiest at Lake Martin with his little brother, Matthew. A close friend said it best, Drew will always now be in the sun at the lake that he loved so much. We did not get to spend enough time with him and cant believe we will never see him again this side of heaven.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
NEVADA, Iowa  A Nevada man has been charged after allegedly pretending to be a Vietnam veteran in November.

On November 4th, according to court documents, 64-year-old Dennis Leyone Buchman was gifted a quilt of valor from the American Legion Auxiliary for his supposed service as a Marine infantryman in the Vietnam War from 1969-1973. However, court documents state that Buchman was only nine years old in 1969.

A criminal complaint states that Buchman was also accused of getting a free meal on Veterans Day at the Good and Quick convenience store in Nevada after portraying himself as a military veteran.

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DMPD releases video in fatal November officer-involved shooting

According to the complaint, when Nevada police officers confronted Buchman about his military service, he claimed he was attending basic training at Camp Pendleton. The complaint goes on to say that when confronted again Buchman then admitted that he had never served in any military branch and that he got the quilt of valor in honor of his father, who was a Marine.

Records obtained by the Nevada Police Department through the National Personnel Records Center confirmed that Buchman had never served in a military branch, court records state.

Buchman was booked into the Story County Jail on one count of Impersonating A Decorated Military Veteran on Thursday. He has since been released. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for January 13th.

Iowa News:

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Isaac Hayes III, son of the late Isaac Hayes Jr., told podcaster Don Lemon Friday he isnt worried about potential political retribution from Donald Trump after the latters inauguration this month. If he wants to be petty, then let him be petty, Hayes III said.

The families of Hayes and Dave Porter sued for copyright infringement after Trumps campaign ignored a cease-and-desist for playing the song Hold On, Im Coming. Hayes and Porter wrote the song, best known as performed by R&B stars Sam & Dave.

Im a believer in God, Im a believer in what Im doing is the right thing to do, Hayes III told Lemon. Donald Trump has enemies, theres a lot more people that he can be made at, and he might have time for that. But again, Im not going to move in a state of fear over a simple matter of copyright infringement.

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If he wants to be petty, let him be petty, and so on, Hayes III continued. I mean, again, I understand the weaponization of the Office of the Presidency is something people expect him to do. And if thats the case, Ill handle it however I need to handle it.

The estate of Isaac Hayes Jr. sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trumps campaign in August. The letter was published on social media by former CNN contributor Roland Martin. The Hayes family demanded the campaign pay $3 million and remove any videos of campaign events the song was played at, as well as issue a statement that clarified the campaign was not authorized to use the song.

The letter also noted it typically costs $150,000 to use the song, and based on the number of times the Trump campaign used the song, the $3 million will be 10 times as much if we litigate.

Today, on the anniversary of my father (Isaac Hayes) death, we have repeatedly asked Donald Trump, the RNC and his representatives not to use Hold On, Im Coming written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, during campaign rallies but yet again, in Montana they used it, Hayes III wrote on social media when the cease-and-desist was sent.

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Donald Trump represents the worst in integrity and class with his disrespect and sexual abuse of women and racist rhetoric. We will now deal with this very swiftly.

Playing music in a venue is considered a public performance under copyright law. The responsibility for obtaining the necessary licenses from performing rights organizations like BMI, ASCAP and SESAC usually falls on the venue owner or operator. It is unclear whether the Trump rallies were held in licensed venues, or whether any videos of the events were properly licensed.

You can watch the interview with Isaac Hayes III in the video above.

The post Isaac Hayes III Says He Isnt Worried About Retribution From Trump for Copyright Lawsuit: Let Him Be Petty | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
ORLAND PARK, Ill. (WTVO)  Illinois State Police Trooper Clay Carns, who was tragically killed after being hit by a pickup truck, was laid to rest on Friday.

The fact you see so many people sad and hurting at him no longer with us is just an indication of what kind of human being he was, said ISP Director Brendan Kelly.

Carns left behind his wife and two children. His family left a note of thanks on the back of the funeral program that read, Our family would like to thank you for all of your love, prayers, and support. Your kindness will remain in our hearts forever.

On Dec. 23rd, 2024, around 9:42 p.m., ISP Trooper Clay Carns, 35, saw debris in a lane on southbound I-55, just north of Blodgett Road, near Channahon. The trooper turned on his emergency lights, parked on the shoulder and went to pick up the debris in the roadway.

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A Chevrolet Silverado hit him while he was in the middle of the lane, leaving him in critical condition, police reported.

Carns was transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Joliet around 10:45 p.m., where he succumbed to his injuries.

Carns served 11 years as a trooper with ISP.

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Israel faced mounting pressure Saturday over its detention of a Gaza hospital chief during a raid on one of the last functioning medical facilities in the battered north of the Palestinian enclave.

Israel has confirmed in recent days it is holding Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya and defended its assault that shut down Kamal Adwan Hospital, saying that the prominent pediatrician was suspected of involvement in terrorist activities, and for holding a rank in Hamas, which it said had made the site a stronghold along with another militant group.

But rights groups and United Nations officials have questioned those claims, which Israel made without providing evidence, urging the U.S. ally to release Abu Safiya or at least disclose his whereabouts as fears grow for his safety.

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Concerns for the hospital directors well-being come as Israel faces growing scrutiny over a military offensive that the U.N. Human Rights Office said this week had pushed Gazas health care system to the brink of total collapse.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 170 people, including several children, in Gaza over the past week and hit an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone, local officials said, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the enclave as it grapples with the effects of a winter under siege.

Rights groups raise alarm

Independent experts appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council said they were gravely concerned over the fate of Abu Safiya, yet another doctor to be harassed, kidnapped and arbitrarily detained by Israeli forces.

In a statement released Thursday, U.N. Special Rapporteurs Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng and Francesca Albanese noted that Abu Safiyas son was killed in front of him before he was detained, and that he was recently injured while on duty.

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An Israeli human rights group has filed a petition with the countrys top court demanding to know the whereabouts of Abu Safiya. Physicians for Human Rights  Israel (PHRI) said in a statement Thursday that Abu Safiyas case is part of a broader pattern of non-disclosure and unreliable information provided by the Israeli military and prison authorities regarding Palestinian detainees.

Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard expressed extreme alarm over the latest information regarding the whereabouts of Abu Safiya. She warned on X on Thursday that he was at great risk of torture and ill-treatment, calling on Israel to reveal his location.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights organization based in the United States, called on the Biden administration Friday to secure Abu Safiyas release.

Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, shows the damage inside the hospital in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip, on Dec. 18, 2024.

The U.S. is in contact with the Israeli government, as well as partners on the ground, and is gathering information about Abu Safiya, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea told the Security Council on Friday. She said it was vital for Israel to comply with international humanitarian law and to take every possible step to prevent civilian harm to both patients and medical professionals.

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Israeli forces raided Kamal Adwan Hospital late last month, detaining scores of people and forcing the closure of the medical facility. The Palestinian Health Ministry said Israeli forces stormed inside and forcibly removed health workers, patients and family members, as military vehicles surrounded the hospital.

Video captured outside the hospital and verified by NBC News showed Abu Safiya, wearing a white medical overcoat and walking alone toward a military vehicle.

The Israel Defense Forces initially confirmed that Abu Safiya had been detained and interrogated, saying that he was being held as a suspect and questioned over potential involvement in terrorist activity.

Amid growing outcry, the IDF said Thursday that Abu Safiya was apprehended for suspected involvement in terrorist activities, and for holding a rank in the Hamas terror organization, while hundreds of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists were hiding inside the Kamal Adwan Hospital under his management.

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It said he was currently being investigated by Israeli forces. The IDF did not respond to a request for comment from NBC News on where Abu Safiya was being held, after family members and fellow detainees raised concerns in media interviews that he was at the Sde Teiman military base in southern Israel.

Israels ambassador to the U.N., Daniel Meron, said Friday that the raid on Kamal Adwan was triggered by irrefutable evidence that the facility was being used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants. He said Israeli forces had taken extraordinary measures to protect civilian life while acting on credible intelligence.

Merons justification for the raid was written in a letter posted on X and addressed to the World Health Organization, as well as U.N. human rights official Volker Turk.

But Turk told the U.N. Security Council on Friday that Israel did not substantiate many of these claims, many of which, he said, appear to be contradicted by publicly available information.

A protest in front of the Shin Bet offices in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 1.

I am calling for independent, thorough and transparent investigations into all Israeli attacks on hospitals, health care infrastructure and medical personnel, as well as the alleged misuse of such facilities, he told the 15-member body.

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The outcry over the raid is part of a larger pattern of concern over Israels treatment of Gazas health care system, which has been laid to ruin by the ongoing conflict.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said Friday that the three public hospitals operating in the northern Gaza Strip  Beit Hanoun Hospital, Indonesian Hospital and Kamal Adwan Hospital  are now all out of service.

Dr. Marwan Al-Hams, director of field hospitals at Gazas Ministry of Health, told NBC News on Friday that the Israeli military had completely destroyed all services of the Indonesian hospital, including generators, power, oxygen stations, and fuel tanks.

IDF spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said on X that the IDF did not strike the Indonesian Hospital or damage any essential equipment, denying reports that it had issued evacuation orders to the hospital.

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More than 1,057 Palestinian health and medical professionals have been killed so far in Gaza and many have been arbitrarily arrested, according to the U.N.

Hospitals and medical workers are considered protected under international law, which states that they must never become targets in warfare.

More than 45,500 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, according to local officials, since Israeli forces launched their offensive in the enclave after the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack, in which Israeli officials say some 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others taken hostage, marking a major escalation in a decadeslong conflict.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas

CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) -Israeli military strikes in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 70 people over the last day, Palestinian medics said on Saturday, as mediators launched a new ceasefire push to end the 15-month-old war.

At least 17 of those who died were killed in airstrikes on two houses in Gaza City, the first of which destroyed the home of the Al-Ghoula family in the early hours, medics and residents said.

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"At about 2 a.m. we were woken up by the sound of a huge explosion," said Ahmed Ayyan, a neighbour, adding that 14 or 15 people had been staying in the house.

"Most of them are women and children, they are all civilians, there is no one there who shot missiles, or is from the resistance," Ayyan told Reuters.

People scoured the rubble for any survivors trapped under the debris and medics said several children were among those killed. A few flames and trails of smoke still rose from burning furniture in the ruins hours after the attack.

The Israeli military said all those "targeted in the strike were involved in terrorist activities, which included exploiting humanitarian aid corridors" and that the strike was carried out at a distance from "aid trucks and did not affect the continued entrance of humanitarian aid."

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Earlier on Saturday the military said a projectile fired from Gaza fell in the area of the Erez Crossing which "caused damage both to the area of the crossing and adjacent to the humanitarian truck compound."

Another strike on a house in Gaza City killed five people later on Saturday, the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said, adding that at least 10 others were feared trapped under the rubble.

The Israeli military said earlier its forces had continued their operations this week in Beit Hanoun town in the northern edge of the enclave, where the army has been operating for three months, and has destroyed a military complex that had been used by Hamas.

At least six other Palestinians were killed in Israeli strikes in Jabalia in the north and near the central town of Deir Al-Balah, medics said.

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Saturday's deaths brought the toll to 70 since Friday, Palestinian health officials said.

RENEWED CEASEFIRE PUSH

A renewed push is under way to reach a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas and return Israeli hostages before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Israeli mediators were dispatched to resume talks in Doha brokered by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, and U.S. President Joe Biden's administration, which is helping broker the talks, urged Hamas on Friday to agree to a deal.

Hamas said it was committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible, but it was unclear how close the two sides were.

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The armed group released a video on Saturday showing Israeli hostage Liri Albag - who local media said was a soldier - urging Israel to do more to secure the hostages' release. She said their lives were in danger because of Israel's military action in Gaza.

Albag's family said the video had "torn our hearts to pieces".

"This is not the daughter and sister we know. Her severe psychological distress is evident," a family statement said, calling on Israel's government and world leaders not to miss the opportunity to bring all remaining hostages back alive.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in response to the video that Israel continued to work tirelessly to bring the hostages home.

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"Anyone who dares to harm our hostages will bear full responsibility for their actions," he said.

Israel launched its assault on Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in which militants stormed border communities from Gaza, killing about 1,200 people and seizing around 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Its military campaign, with the stated goal of eradicating Hamas, has leveled swathes of the enclave, driving most people from their homes, and has killed 45,717 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dawoud Abu Alkas;Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta and Maytaal Angel;Editing by Helen Popper and Tomasz Janowski)
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida/ROME (Reuters) -Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday she was ready to work with Donald Trump after making a surprise visit to Florida to meet the president-elect before his inauguration on Jan. 20.

Meloni, who has led a right-wing coalition in Italy since Oct. 2022, met Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence late on Saturday in a trip that had not been announced in advance.

"Lovely evening with Donald Trump who I thank for the welcome," Meloni posted on social media, with a picture of her and Trump.

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"Ready to work together," she added on X, alongside the Italian and U.S. flags.

No details of the talks were released, but Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said they covered issues including the plight of Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist detained last month in Iran.

"Well done Giorgia Meloni for visiting Donald Trump to talk about peace, industrial and commercial cooperation, security, and the freeing of Cecilia Sala," Salvini posted on X.

Meloni was greeted with applause after an introduction by the president-elect, according to videos shared on social media by reporters and others.

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"This is very exciting. I'm here with a fantastic woman, the prime minister of Italy," Trump told the Mar-a-Lago crowd, according to a media pool report. "She's really taken Europe by storm."

Meloni is seen as a potentially strong partner for Trump given her conservative credentials. She has also forged a close relationship with billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk, a close Trump ally.

'DIPLOMATIC BRIDGE'

Tommaso Foti, Italy's EU and regional affairs minister, said the meeting showed Italy could act as "a diplomatic bridge between two worlds: the European Union and the USA".

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Meloni's trip comes days before she is to meet U.S. President Joe Biden during a visit to Rome from Thursday to Jan. 12.

Trump and Meloni watched a screening of a documentary questioning the criminal investigations and legal scrutiny faced by John Eastman, a former Trump lawyer who was central to Trump's unsuccessful efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.

One of the biggest challenges facing Meloni is the arrest of journalist Sala in Tehran on Dec. 19.

Sala was detained three days after Mohammad Abedini, an Iranian businessman, was arrested at Milan's Malpensa airport on a U.S. warrant for allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington says were used in an attack last January that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. Iran has denied involvement in the attack.

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Meloni was the latest in the handful of foreign leaders who have visited Trump in Florida since the Nov. 5 election. He has also met with Argentine President Javier Milei, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

(Reporting by Nathan Layne in West Palm Beach, Keith Weir, Francesca Landini in Milan and Crispian Balmer in Rome;Editing by Mark Potter and Helen Popper)
Multiple people charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol have sought permission to travel to Washington to attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration  and their requests have yielded mixed results.

On Friday, a federal judge denied a request from Russell Taylor  who gathered a group of fighters to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021  to attend Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20. The defendant was invited to the inauguration by former Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, who wrote in a letter to U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth last month hailing Taylor's passion for what is right and good is reflected in his intentions to lift others.

Lamberth, a Reagan-appointed judge, disagreed. It would not be appropriate for the Court to grant permission to attend such a hallowed event to someone who carried weapons and threatened police officers in an attempt to thwart the last Inauguration, and who openly glorified [i]nsurrection against the United States, he wrote in his order.

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The decision follows another rejection from U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly, a Trump appointee, who on Thursday struck down a similar request from Christopher Belliveau. Belliveau is accused of using bear spray on Capitol Police officers and of breaking into the Capitol building. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

So far, only one Jan. 6 defendant has been granted permission to attend Trump's inauguration. Eric Peterson, who pleaded guilty to entering the Capitol during the protest, was given the green light to travel to Washington by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee who presided over Trump's federal election interference case.

Requests from two other Jan. 6 defendants, William Pope and Cindy Young, are currently pending.

Trump has attempted to recast the violent attack on the Capitol as a day of love, and he has praised the rioters as patriots and hostages. During his 2024 presidential campaign, he repeatedly said that one of his first acts upon his return to the White House would be to pardon Jan. 6 defendants, a bold test of his executive powers that he will likely be able to exercise.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Jan. 3ROCHESTER  A convicted Jan. 6 rioter who was released by mistake from Rochester's Federal Medical Center at least one month before the end of his prison sentence now will not have to serve the balance of his time, under a U.S. district judge's order last month.

Leo Christopher Kelly, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, man who was convicted in 2023 on seven counts for his part in the Jan. 6 riot in Washington, D.C., was an inmate in the FMC from Oct. 18, 2023, until he was "erroneously released" after serving 11 months, according to court documents.

The U.S. Attorney's Office notified the court on Sept. 23 of Kelly's "untimely" release four days earlier, on Sept. 19.

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U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington, D.C., who originally sentenced Kelly in 2023, re-sentenced Kelly on Dec.10, 2024, on six counts to time already served, a $5,000 fine, restitution of $500, and special assessment fees totaling $90. Kelly also was sentenced to 12 months of supervised release.

Kelly confirmed that he had entered the Capitol, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reported on Jan. 11, 2021. He also told the newspaper that he was not violent during his time in the building and that he understood that there could be consequences for his actions. He turned himself in to authorities on Jan. 14, 2021.

The mistake in releasing Kelly stemmed from a partial reading of an appeal document sent to the prison by Kelly's attorney. The attorney later told the court that he had not requested that his client be released. The document from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ordered that Kelly's conviction "be vacated and the case be remanded for further proceedings."

That stemmed from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that a charge of obstructing an official proceeding must include proof that the defendant tried to tamper with or destroy documents. Kelly was one of about 170 people who were charged with obstruction in connection to the Capitol riot. More than 1,400 people were charged with crimes linked to the Jan. 6 insurrection.

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Obstruction was one of seven counts filed against Kelly, and it was the count that received the 30-month sentence. The other six counts carried a total sentence of 12 months. While Kelly had served 11 months in the Rochester prison, he was not cleared to be released.

"The Bureau of Prisons did so (released Kelly) without an order from any court. Both parties agree that Mr. Kelly's release was erroneous," wrote Judge Lamberth in a document filed Sept. 26, 2024.

The judge ordered FMC Rochester Warden Jared Rardin and Bureau of Prisons Director Colette Peters to write letters to show cause "as to why they should not be held in contempt of this Court's order sentencing Mr. Kelly to 30 months imprisonment."

A letter was written and submitted by Richard Stover, the Bureau of Prisons' senior deputy assistant director for the Correction Programs Division, on behalf of Rardin and Peters.

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"The DSCC staff member reviewing the order misread the order as a final dismissal of the (obstruction) count and overlooked the Court of Appeals' remand to the District Court for further proceedings," wrote Stover.

He added that Bureau of Prisons staff were given additional training to "ensure this error is not repeated."

Bureau of Prisons' Public Affairs representative Donald Murphy confirmed Kelly's release to the Post Bulletin, but declined to answer any other questions about the case. A message left on Leo Kelly's work phone requesting comment was not returned, nor were messages to his attorneys.
Jan. 3U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young believes her grounded sensibility as just "another kid from Manchester" helped her forge and expand federal, state and local law enforcement partnerships to stay ahead of the bad actors.

Young steps down as New Hampshire's top federal prosecutor on Jan. 17, days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office and gets to appoint all U.S. Attorneys.

During an interview Friday, Young, 60, stressed that after more than a 30-year career as a state prosecutor, she knew that taking the federal post in 2022 was a transitory step. She said it gave her a sense of urgency knowing it could end only a year and a half after it began.

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"The staff is amazing, they are dedicated, they are passionate and they will continue to do the outstanding work of the office. I was a temporary steward," Young said. "You come in and know your days are numbered. It was critical that I do the best I could as quickly as I could. I hope I have made a difference."

She's not clear on what she'll do next, but she saud that as the daughter of a nurse raised in the Sisters of Mercy religious tradition, her future will involve some form of public service.

'You never close any door'

Young declined to say whether she'd agree to stay on if Trump asked her to or whether she'd want to be the next New Hampshire attorney general.

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Before becoming U.S. Attorney, Young headed up the criminal division of the Attorney General's Office and held the post of deputy attorney general.

"I am ready to explore whatever opportunity there is. You never close any door. I learned that early in my career," Young said.

In her prior roles, Young said, she saw that barriers could occur between different levels of law enforcement and she set out to break all of them down.

"Those barriers have pretty much dissipated. My message always was, 'We aren't here to take over your case, we are here to show you the assets we can bring to this,' and I hope that culture continues to exist," Young said.

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A top priority was to ensure every state, county or local law enforcement agency came to see the U.S. Attorney's Office as one they could call and get a quick answer if they wanted the federal government to advise or take the lead.

"One of the things I am most proud of is we were able to leverage those assets for local police departments. Even if it's a federal crime, it happens in a town or city," Young said.

"I knew the chiefs; I knew the rank and file. When I heard something was happening, I picked up the phone."

Young designated an assistant state attorney general to be approved to try cases in federal court and has deployed her own federal prosecutors to the offices of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI.

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"Those relationships are in place and will remain after I'm gone," Young said.

Young said she will "forever remember" the June 2023 day when authorities found a tragic murder scene in Franklin.

Police said Jamie Bell shot his fiancee, Nicole Hughes, and their 1 1/2 -year-old daughter, Ariella, before killing himself.

A gun was found at the scene though it's not known if was used in the murder.

It turned out the weapon belonged to Justin Gebo of Belmont, who was was prosecuted by Young's office because at the time he bought the gun, he was under federal indictment.

Court documents allege that Gebo and Bell were childhood friends.

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Gebo pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison.

"That person was held accountable. Prohibited individuals shouldn't have weapons," Young said.

'It's not if, but when'

Cooperation was in evidence in the case of Kyle Hendrickson, a Maine man who posted a video text on SnapChat that said "imma shoot up the school" while he brandished a handgun in a car outside Portsmouth High School.

"I called up Portsmouth Chief Mark Newport and he asked if we could take the case. We could, and had an instant connection because I had worked with him when he was undercover with the Attorney General's Drug Task Force."

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Hendrickson was eventually sentenced to more than three year in federal prison.

Young said good police work and alert school officials have helped New Hampshire remain one of only five states since 2008 that haven't had a school shooting.

Still, Young said the state needs to be ready.

"It's not a matter of if but when," she said.

Young started the process of developing a combined response to a mass-casualty event.

"What do to in those first five minutes, if the suspect is neutralized, if the threat is on the move," Young said.

"Some of our partners would say, 'Oh, we can just get the helicopters there.' Good luck getting them in the Notch where the weather can put you back on the ground in an instant. It's a whole different world up there."

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Local knowledge

Young believes the best law enforcement starts there with a clear-headed understanding about the unique challenges found in each region of the state.

It all started back when she and her future husband, Manchester lawyer Mark Morrissette, were 18 and 19, working as city staffers at Prout and Sweeney parks in the city.

"I feel a bit of a unicorn  raised here, not far from here. I worked for the Parks and Rec, married someone who worked there, and I went to Central (High School)," Young said.

"Two Manchester kids who love this city and state and this is where we are going to work to make it the best place possible."

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And Young stressed she's not close to slowing down, pointing to a family tree that includes one relative who still drove at age 99.

"We were over at friends' over the holidays and one of them said, 'I'm on the back nine of my career' and then looked at me and laughed, 'Now Jane, she's barely middle-aged,'" Young said.

klandrigan@unionleader.com
Jeff Bezos is preparing to launch a satellite broadband service in Britain in a boost to his challenge to rival space rocket billionaire Elon Musk.

Project Kuiper, Amazons satellite division, is planning to offer internet access via space as soon as this year, regulatory filings show. The venture hopes to target businesses and government contracts initially.

Amazon said it would be seeking increased access to Britains radio waves over the next one to two years as it expands the capabilities of its first-generation system, which will see internet traffic beamed from space to satellite dishes outside homes.

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The tech behemoth told the communications regulator Ofcom it believed Kuiper was uniquely suited to reach hard-to-serve areas within the UK.

It said its network could help close the digital divide suffered by businesses and people in rural areas not served by fast fixed-line or mobile broadband.

Amazon said it was exploring building ground-based hubs to support its network, known as gateways, which are needed to connect satellites to the wider internet and boost speeds.

The Telegraph can also disclose that Amazon has been courting British defence officials as it prepares to target military contracts for its satellite network.

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Transparency filings published late last year show Amazon Kuiper executives met with Air Marshall Paul Godfrey in February to discuss a study carried out by the company for the British military.

Air Marshall Godfrey was at the time head of the UKs Space Command. He also met that month with executives from Blue Origin, the rocket business owned by Mr Bezos which is seeking to compete with Mr Musks SpaceX.

There are further plans for Blue Origin to host a delegation from the Department for Business and Trade at a trade fair in Cape Canaveral next month.

Amazons overtures come as Mr Bezos prepares for the launch of his New Glenn rocket early on Monday morning. Blue Origin, Mr Bezoss rocket company into which he has injected billions of dollars of his own cash, has developed the 320ft rocket to challenge SpaceXs dominance.

Blue Origins New Glenn rocket is intended to be reusable, much like SpaceXs rival Falcon 9 - Blue Origin

New Glenn is intended to be reusable, like Mr Musks Falcon 9 rockets, and aims to touch down back on Earth on a sea-borne landing platform. Mondays mission represents Blue Origins first attempt at reaching orbit.

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Blue Origin is contracted to launch dozens of satellites for Amazons Kuiper network, although it has also turned to SpaceX and other rocket companies for capacity.

Project Kuipers debut in Britain will pit the worlds two richest men in competition to provide broadband to millions of people.

Starlink, Mr Musks satellite broadband network, already has 87,000 customers in Britain and a reported 4m globally. The Tesla billionaire has publicly accused Mr Bezos of being a copycat.

Amazons Project Kuiper has endured lengthy delays and fallen behind Mr Musks Starlink, which has almost 7,000 satellites in orbit above the Earth.

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So far Amazon has only put up test satellites for its network, which will ultimately have more than 3,000 spacecraft.

Despite its slow progress, Amazon said in November it was targeting its first launches in the first months of 2025 with its commercial service ramping up by the end of the year.

State supplier

In its Ofcom submission, Amazon said it planned to serve UK customers ranging from individual consumers, businesses and various branches of the UK Government. Amazon is already a major supplier to the British state through its Amazon Web Services data arm.

SpaceX, which owns Starlink, has emerged as a crucial partner for the US government and military, although Americas allies have been seeking to diversify beyond relying on the mercurial Mr Musk.

The pace of SpaceXs progression has made it the clear leader in the commercial satellite sector - Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

The UK Government also has a share in OneWeb, another rival satellite company.

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Tim Farrar, a technology consultant at TMF Associates, said: People are counting on Project Kuiper to provide competition to Starlink.

Governments have been big customers for Starlink and are particularly interested in having a choice of commercial suppliers.

However, Mr Farrar said he did not expect Amazon to have its commercial service ready until sometime in 2026 or 2027.

The tech giant applied to Ofcom in September for a licence for its services in the UK. The regulator is expected to approve the petition. The latest consultation documents suggest Amazon intends to seek further spectrum and capacity as it gatecrashes Britains rural broadband market.

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Telecoms industry insiders fear the rapid expansion of space-based broadband networks could interfere with their own signals.

Amazon has hired dozens of lawyers, lobbyists and satellite experts in the UK for Project Kuiper and set up a UK holding company for the business. It has also worked with UK-headquartered Vodafone to test its technology.

The Ministry of Defence declined to comment. Amazon was contacted for comment.

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Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A federal appellate court on Saturday rejected a last-ditch effort by the state of New Jersey to stop the imminent implementation of $9 "congestion pricing" tolls for drivers entering Manhattan during peak hours.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit turned aside New Jersey's efforts to obtain a temporary restraining order against plans by New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority to begin the program as soon as Sunday morning, The Gothamist and Bergen Daily Record reported.

The ruling came after lawyers argued their cases in front of the federal panel late into Friday night in the wake of a similar decision denying New Jersey's request for a retraining order issued earlier in the day by District Court Judge Leo Gordon.

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Under the congestion pricing plan, starting on Sunday passenger vehicles entering the "congestion relief zone" in Manhattan, defined as local streets and avenues at or below 60th Street, will be charged a $9 toll during peak hours. The tolls will apply at four tunnels leading into Manhattan -- the Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, Hugh L. Carey Tunnel and Queens Midtown Tunnel.

The MTA says the increased tolls will result in 100,000 fewer vehicles entering the zone every day, "relieving crowding in what is today the most congested district in the United States."

If you drive into Manhattan, this one's for you! Starting 1/5, vehicles entering the Congestion Relief Zone-Manhattan at or below 60 St-will be charged a toll as part of a new congestion pricing program. Learn more from @MTA: https://t.co/7CIC1Cfm0x pic.twitter.com/PDTP7plLC6 NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) January 3, 2025

Revenue from the program is to be funneled into New York City's transit system where it will benefit "millions of daily transit riders" in the form of more accessible stations, modern signal systems, hundreds of new electric buses and other critical improvements "that keep our system in good working condition and make taking mass transit more comfortable," the agency says.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and other state leaders, however, insist the program is illegal and unfair to their residents who commute daily into Manhattan for work or recreation.

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"We are disappointed that the courts are allowing congestion pricing to take effect tomorrow despite agreeing that its approval violated the law and arbitrarily shortchanged New Jersey residents," Murphy spokeswoman Natalie Hamilton said in a statement to media outlets. "We will continue fighting against this unfair and unpopular scheme."

In his original ruling issued on Monday, Gordon sought more clarifications from federal transportation officials who approved the pricing plan but did not order it halted in the meantime.

"Despite the best efforts of the State of New Jersey trying to thwart New York's ability to reduce congestion on our streets while making long-overdue investments in public transit, our position has prevailed in court on nearly every issue," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement issued Monday while vowing that congestion pricing would proceed as planned on Sunday.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Friday that JetBlue must pay $2 million to compensate travelers for chronically delayed flights.

JetBlue is the first airline ever to be fined by the DOT for flight delays and unrealistic scheduling practices.

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The DOT says JetBlues delayed flights and practices harmed passengers and fair competition across the airline industry.

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A chronically delayed flight means any domestic flight operated at least 10 times a month and arrives more than 30 minutes late (including canceled flights) more than 50 percent of the time during that month, read court documents.

Between June 2022 and November 2023, a DOT investigation found that JetBlue operated four chronically delayed flights at least 145 times, each delayed for five consecutive months. Despite a DOT warning, the airline continued delays on routes from JFK to Raleigh-Durham, as well as from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando to JFK and between Fort Lauderdale and Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Illegal chronic flight delays make flying unreliable for travelers. Todays action puts the airline industry on notice that we expect their flight schedules to reflect reality, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The department will enforce the law against airlines with chronic delays or unrealistic scheduling practices to protect healthy competition and ensure passengers are treated fairly.

Following Fridays ruling, the New York City-based airline will pay a $2 million penalty and stop operating its unreliable flight.

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One-half of the penalty will be paid directly to the U.S. Treasury. The remaining half will compensate JetBlue passengers harmed by chronically delayed flights covered by the DOTs order or any future flight cancellations or delays within the following calendar year.

Future compensation must be valued at a minimum of $75 for each harmed passenger.

We appreciate how important it is to our customers to arrive to their destinations on-time and work very hard to operate our flights as scheduled. Over the past two years, JetBlue has invested tens of millions of dollars to reduce flight delays, particularly related to ongoing air traffic control (ATC) challenges in our largest markets in the Northeast and Florida. Through these efforts, we have seen significant operational improvements in 2024 including better on-time performance during this years peak summer travel season. While weve reached a settlement to resolve this matter regarding four flights in 2022 and 2023, we believe accountability for reliable air travel equally lies with the U.S. government, which operates our nations air traffic control system. The U.S. should have the safest, most efficient, and advanced air traffic control system in the world, and we urge the incoming administration to prioritize modernizing outdated ATC technology and addressing chronic air traffic controller staffing shortages to reduce ATC delays that affect millions of air travelers each year. A spokesperson for JetBlue said in a statment to PIX11 News

For more information on the DOTs ruling, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Originally appeared on E! Online

Justin Baldoni's legal counsel is not bringing on a new member.

In the days following the It Ends With Us star and director's lawsuit against The New York Times for their Dec. 21 report which focused on costar Blake Lively's allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation, President John F. Kennedy's grandson Jack Schlossberg joked that he would be representing Baldoni.

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"I agreed to take on JUSTIN BALDONI as a client," Schlossberg wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Jan. 1. "Why? FAIRNESS. EVERYONE is entitled to a FAIR TRIAL and ZEALOUS DEFENSE."

The 31-year-oldwho graduated from Harvard Law School in 2022 and passed the New York State bar exam in 2023continued, "Justin has NOTHING to hide, Justice will be his revenge."

After citing John Adams' representation of the British after the Boston Massacre in 1770, Schlossberg jokingly clarified the dynamic between attorneys and their clients in a separate post.

"My personal feelings about Justin Baldoni are irrelevant. Justin is my client, I'm his lawyer," the youngest of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg's three kids added. "Even the most heinous individuals have the right to counsel for their defense."

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As for how Baldoni's actual attorney reacted to Schlossberg jokingly alleging he was joining the legal team, Bryan Freedman told DailyMail.com on Jan. 2 that the claim was "ridiculous."

Noting that Baldoni hadn't spoken to the Vogue political correspondent, Freedman added, "Nobody on my team has spoken to him."

MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

E! News has reached out to reps for Schlossberg, as well as Baldoni, but has not heard back.

The ongoing battle between Baldoni and Lively has been escalating since she filed a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint against him with the California Civil Rights Department Dec. 21as reported in The New York Times.

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On the same day Baldoni filed his $250 million lawsuit against the newspaper, Lively filed a suit against him, his company Wayfarer Studios as well as publicists Melissa Nathan and Jennifer Abel for, according to documents obtained by E! News, mental pain and anguish, severe emotional distress, and lost wages.

Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty Images

And the legal battle won't end there as Freedman explained, he and Baldoni will "absolutely" sue Lively in addition to their suit against the NYT.

"We plan to release every single text message between the two of them," Freedman told NBC News in a Jan. 2 interview. "We want the truth to be out there. We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts."

Shortly after Lively's original complaint, many stars weighed in on the legal battle between the former costars. For all of their thoughts, keep reading.

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Colleen Hoover

After Blake Lively filed a legal complaint against It Ends With Us costar and director Justin Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment on the film's set and for later taking part in a smear campaign against herclaims that he has since denied via his lawyerColleen Hoover, who wrote the book that the movie is based on, shared a message to the actress. "@blakelively, you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met," Colleen wrote on her Instagram Stories Dec. 21. "Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt."





Robyn Lively

Blake's sister, fellow actress Robyn Lively, also weighed in. "I urge everyone to read The NY Times article in its entirety," Robyn wrote on Instagram Dec. 23, referencing the NYT piece that details Blake's complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department. "It calls out those behind the ruthless and nefarious smear campaign that aimed to take down my sister." The Teen Witch star went on to note that it also "highlights" what Blake allegedly experienced on the set of It Ends With Us.

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Paul Feig

Blake's A Simple Favor director also came to her defense, writing on X Dec. 22, "Ive now made two movies with Blake and all I can say is shes one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented and kind people Ive ever worked with. She truly did not deserve any of this smear campaign against her. I think its awful she was put through this."





Amy Schumer

The comedian showed her support for the Gossip Girl alum, writing on her Instagram Story Dec. 22, "I believe Blake."





Gwyneth Paltrow

Shortly after Blake's complaint was made public, the Goop founder shared a photo of The Town star's hair company, Blake Brown, on her Instagram Story, writing, "Just added to my Christmas wish list."





Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn & America Ferrera

Blake's BFFs and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants costars penned a joint message, posted to Instagram Dec. 22, stating they "stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation."

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Bart Johnson

Bart Johnson shared an impassioned defense of his sister-in-law in the comments section of a New York Times Instagram post detailing the filing and its own investigation into the behind-the-scenes turmoil. Her complained were filed during the filming, the High School Musical alum, who is married to Blake's sister Robyn, wrote. On record. Long before the public conflict. The cast unfollowed him for a reason. Read this article before spitting ignorance. His PR team was stellar. Gross and disgusting but highly effective. Read the article, their text message exchanges and his PR campaign strategy to bury her by any means necessary. No one is with out faults. But the public got played." He later added on X of Baldoni, "Hes a fraud. He puts on the 'costume' of a hero, man bun and all. Used all of the trendy catchphrases & buzz words for his podcasts. None of its genuine. Its all theater. And everyone fell for it. For years. Rewatch his videos with a more critical eye and watch him compliment and praise himself with faux humility and self deprecation. What a performance."





Shawn Levy

Ryan Reynolds' frequent collaborator Shawn Levy shared the New York Times investigation into the smear campaign on his Instagram Stories, writing, "Proud to call @blakelively a friend."





Amber Heard

Days after Lively's filing was made public, Amber Heard reflected on her own experience facing relentless vitriol online amid ex Johnny Depp's defamation trial against her. Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on, the Aquaman star expressed in a statement to NBC News Dec. 23. I saw this firsthand and up close. Its as horrifying as it is destructive.





Brandon Sklenar

Brandon Sklenar, who played Blake's love interest Atlas Corrigan in It Ends With Us, had a simple, pointed message of support. Sharing a screenshot of the Gossip Girl alum's full complaint against Baldoni on his Instagram Stories Dec. 23, he wrote over a link to the text, "For the love of God read this." He followed up by tagging her with a heart emoji.

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Jenny Slate

Jenny Slate, who played Baldoni's sister and Blake's BFF in the film, shared her thoughts on the "disturbing" allegations. As Blake Livelys castmate and friend, I voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation, Slate said in a Dec. 23 statement to Today. Blake is a leader, loyal friend and a trusted source of emotional support for me and so many who know and love her. What has been revealed about the attack on Blake is terribly dark, disturbing, and wholly threatening," the Parks and Recreation alum continued. "I commend my friend, I admire her bravery, and I stand by her side.





Michele Morrone

The actor, who stars alongside Lively in the upcoming sequel to A Simple Favor, sent his love to her on Instagram Story Dec. 23, adding that he felt her "pain" as they filmed together earlier this year.



For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
PLAINS, Ga. (AP)  Jimmy Carter s long public goodbye began Saturday in south Georgia where the 39th U.S. presidents life began more than 100 years ago.

A motorcade with Carters flag-draped casket began at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, where former Secret Service agents who protected the late president were serving as pallbearers and walking alongside the hearse as it left the medical centers campus.

The Carter family, including the former presidents four children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, are accompanying their patriarch in a procession that will take his remains through his beloved hometown of Plains and past his boyhood home on its way to Atlanta.

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Carter died at his home in Plains on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.

Families lined the procession route in downtown Plains, near the historic train depot where Carter headquartered his presidential campaign. Some carried bouquets of flowers or wore commemorative pins bearing Carters photo.

We want to pay our respects, said 12-year-old Will Porter Shelbrock, who was born more than three decades after Carter left the White House in 1981. He was ahead of his time on what he tried to do and tried to accomplish.

It was Shelbrocks idea to make the trip to Plains from Gainesville, Fla., with his grandmother, Susan Cone, 66, so they could witness the start of Carters final journey. Shelbrock said he admires Carter for his humanitarian work building houses and waging peace, and for installing solar panels on the White House.

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Carter and his late wife Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, were born in Plains and lived most of their lives in and around the town, with the exceptions of Jimmys Navy career and his terms as Georgia governor and president.

People line the street in Plains, Ga., before the hearse carrying the casket of former President Jimmy Carter passes through the town Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

The procession will stop in front of Carters home on his family farm just outside of Plains. The National Park Service will ring the old farm bell 39 times to honor his place as the 39th president. Carters remains then will proceed to Atlanta for a moment of silence in front of the Georgia Capitol and a ceremony at the Carter Presidential Center.

There, he will lie in repose until Tuesday morning, when he will be transported to Washington to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol. His state funeral is Thursday at 10 a.m. at Washington National Cathedral, followed by a return to Plains for an invitation-only funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church.

He will be buried near his home, next to Rosalynn Carter.




Former president Jimmy Carters six-day funeral schedule began Saturday morning as former and current Secret Service agents assigned to his detail carried his casket into a hearse and his family honored him in Atlanta.

Carters six-day funeral procession began early Saturday at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. Secret Service agents carried his flag-covered casket into a hearse as members of Carters family, dressed in black, watched on.

Former and current Secret Service agents assigned to President Jimmy Carters detail move his remains into a hearse on Saturday morning (AP)

Carters family watches as former and current Secret Service agents assigned to his detail carry his casket into a hearse (Getty Images)

From there, the procession passed through his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Dozens gathered along the towns main road to mourn the former president. Many mourners saluted his hearse as it passed by.

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One person held signs that read, President Carter, a man of honor, and Thank you, President Carter!

A mourner holds signs that read, President Carter, a man of honor, and Thank you President Carter, as the 39th presidents hearse drives through his hometown of Plains, Georgia (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Keaymonda Hollis was one of those present to watch Carter pass by. Her grandfather knew Carter well.

Growing up here, everyone looked out for each other, Hollis told the Montgomery Advertiser. Its so amazing to me that a person from a small town community can make such an impact on the world. A lot of people really dont know that he did all these (humanitarian) things. Small town people can make an impact wherever they go.

A mourner salutes Carters hearse as it drives through Plains, Georgia (AP)

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The procession then stopped by Carters childhood home, known as The Boyhood Home and Farm and maintained by the National Park Service.

There, the National Park Service saluted the 39th president and rang the historic farm bell 39 times.

After a four-hour journey, Carters procession arrived in Atlanta. The motorcade stopped in front of the State Capitol before proceeding to the Carter Presidential Center for a private memorial service.

Mourners and Carters family members watch as his casket arrives at the State Capitol (AFP via Getty Images)

Well have many chances this week to pay tribute to my grandfather, but it was important for all of us that we stop here, the former presidents grandson Jason Carter said of the Center during the service.

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These buildings, as you all know, are filled with his life, not just because this is a museum to his life, and not just because theres a collection here of his beloved paintings, but his spirit fills this place, and the real reason that this spirit fills this place is because of the people who are standing here, the people in this room from the library and the museum and the Carter Center itself.

Carters son, James Chip Carter, also spoke in his fathers honor, telling a story of how the 39th president helped him pass a Latin exam during his school years.

James Chip Carter speaks at his fathers private memorial at the Carter Presidential Center (AP)

[My father] came into my room and said, we were on Christmas vacation, he said, You have your Latin book?...When he came home that night, we spent an hour and a half, him teaching me Latin that he had learned from my book that day, James said.

He did that every day of Christmas vacation, and the first day of the school year after Christmas, I went to my teacher and asked her if shed let me take the final over again that shed given us, the midterm test, he continued. And she said yes. So after school that day, I took that test, and I made 100.

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I owed it to my father who spent that kind of time with me.

After the memorial service, the former president is set to lie in repose at the center until Tuesday morning. From there, his procession will travel to Washington, DC, where he will lie in state before his national funeral service at the National Cathedral on Tuesday.

Carter, a Democrat who served as president from 1977 to 1981, died aged 100 on December 29.
Donald Trump has said the US flag should not be lowered to half-mast on the day of his inauguration to mourn the death of former president Jimmy Carter.

Joe Biden ordered the flags to be lowered for 30 days from the day of Mr Carters death aged 100 on Dec 29 as is custom when a US president dies.

But the timing means the flags will still be at half-staff on 20 Jan, the day of Mr Trumps inauguration.

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Taking umbrage with the decision, Mr Trump accused his political rivals of being giddy about the flags being lowered as he is sworn in, adding: No American can be happy about it.

Writing on Truth Social, Mr Trump said: The Democrats are all giddy about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at half mast during my Inauguration.

They think its so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they dont love our country, they only think about themselves, he added.

Jimmy Carters body will lie in repose in Atlanta until a state funeral on Thursday - Brynn Anderson

Mr Trump, who announced plans to attend Mr Carters memorial service in Washington on Jan 9, said: For the first time ever during an inauguration of a future president, be at half mast.

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Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Lets see how it plays out.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House spokesman, said the Biden administration had no plans to reconsider the decision.

The US flag code lays out parameters for lowering the US flag to half-staff, including a 30-day period for current or former presidents to cover flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at US embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels.

The code is not mandatory, so once he becomes president, Mr Trump could override the decision, but he cannot do so until he takes office.

Black fabric and a floral wreath are displayed on the official state portrait of Jimmy Carter - Alyssa Pointer

Due to the US flag code stating that no flag should fly higher than the American flag on the same pole or nearby, state flags are also lowered during those periods.

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Flags were at half-staff when Richard Nixon was sworn in for his second term in January 1973. He had ordered them to be lowered after the death of former president Harry S Truman.

Nixon also opted to raise flags  which he had ordered lowered in mourning following the death of former president Lyndon Johnson  before the 30-day mark to honour the first US prisoners of war released from Vietnam in 1973. The hiatus only lasted a day, and flags went back to half-staff thereafter for eight days.

The flag furore comes as six days of funeral observances for Mr Carter began in Georgia, where the former president died.

A portrait of Mr Carter in a shop window ahead of his state funeral in his home town of Plains, Georgia on Saturday - ALEX WROBLEWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

The first events reflect Mr Carters climb up the political ladder, from the tiny town of Plains, Georgia, to decades on the global stage as a humanitarian and advocate for democracy.

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The proceedings began with the Carter family arriving at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus.

Former Secret Service agents who protected Mr Carter served as pallbearers, walking alongside the hearse as it exited the campus on its way to Plains.

Mr Carter lived more than 80 of his 100 years in and around the town, which still has fewer than 700 people.

The motorcade is set to move through the area, passing near the childhood home of the late first lady Rosalynn Smith Carter, who died in November 2023 at the age of 96, and near where the couple operated the family peanut warehouses.

The route also included the old train depot that served as Mr Carters 1976 presidential campaign headquarters and the gas station once run by his younger brother Billy.

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The motorcade is then due to pass by the Methodist church where the Carters married in 1946 and the home where they lived and died. The former president will be buried there alongside his wife.

The Carters built the one-storey house, now surrounded by Secret Service fencing, before his first state Senate campaign in 1962 and lived out their lives there with the exception of four years in the governors mansion and four more in the White House.

The motorcade is scheduled to arrive at the Carter Presidential Center on Saturday afternoon, where a private service was set to be held. The campus includes Mr Carters presidential library and The Carter Center, established by the former first couple in 1982.

From 7pm local time last night (11pm GMT) until 6am on Monday, Mr Carter will lie in repose for the public to pay respects.

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Five former and sitting presidents are expected to attend Mr Carters state funeral on Jan 9.

Mr Biden previously said Mr Carter had asked him to deliver the eulogy at his funeral. First lady Jill Biden is expected to attend.

Along with Mr Trump and his wife Melania, it is thought Barack and Michelle Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton and George W and Laura Bush will attend to pay their respects to the longest-living president in US history.

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PLAINS, Ga. (WRBL)  As people talk about all of the humanitarian good former President Jimmy Carter did across the globe, one of the things that sometimes gets downplayed is his impact in his own backyard.

Being a son of tiny Plains, Ga., in rural Sumter County, access to healthcare was something Carter was concerned about.

And one of the instruments he used to fight the rural healthcare issue was Mercer University in Macon. WRBL is exploring President Carters impact on rural medicine.

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From his days in the early 1970s as governor to his final years in Plains, President Carter invested in rural healthcare  and Mercer University.

Mercer Universitys Medical School now has a string of clinics aimed at providing healthcare in rural Georgia.

The first was one opened in Plains. And came into existence because President Carter  a member of the Mercer board of trustees  pushed for it.

He asked University President Bill Underwood to find a doctor for Plains after the towns lone physician left.

Underwood picks up the story.

And 10 days later he sent me an email, very terse. As you probably know, he was an impatient man, said Underwood. And he said, Bill, wheres our doctor? Jimmy, That was it. So, I knew he was not going to be patient to put up with the traditional physician recruitment process.

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Amazingly, Plains had a Mercer clinic six weeks later.

Back when he was governor of Georgia, there was a proposition to create a medical school at Mercer that would focus on rural and medically underserved areas of the state.

Governor Carter signed the state budget that had money to start Mercers medical school. And that began a more than 50-year relationship with Mercer and the medical college which has campuses in Macon, Savannah, Columbus and now Valdosta. Mercer runs medical clinics in seven counties including Harris, Taylor and Sumter.

In 2012, Carter joined the Mercer University Board of Trustees.

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He told me Mercer was the first board he had served on since leaving office, said Underwood. And as a member of the board this was a primary focus of his was the mission of the school of medicine.

After a push from key Columbus leaders including the late Pete Robinson, Richard Smith, Tom Black and First Baptist pastor Jimmy Elder, Columbus got a Mercer Med school campus.

He was the person who made the motion to found our campus in Columbus. And what drove him to do that was he believed Southwest Georgia was in dire need of more primary care physicians. And by encouraging medical students to do their studies in Columbus and hopefully stay and do their residencies in Columbus, they would stay in that region of the state. And I think thats going to be the case  The last time I spoke with President Carter, the first thing he asked me was Hows the medical school in Columbus doing?

Carter also gave the push to a system of Mercer University medical clinics  think a doctors office  in underserved communities.

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And it came after a Mercer Board meeting.

So, I called Jean Sumner, the dean of the medical school, said Underwood. She and I had been talking about creating are own networks of rural medicine clinics in places where they were having difficulty recruiting a doctor. I said, Lets try it in Plains. And she was on board and six weeks later we opened Mercer Medicine on Main Street in Plains.

That concept has been successful as evident by the clinics in Hamilton and else.

Carter brought value to Mercer and the board during his tenure as a trustee. But Underwood remembers when someone in Macon questioned why Carter would be on the universitys board.

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A community leader here in Macon who said, Why do you have him on your board? I could tell he probably disagreed with Carter politically, as did lots of other people, said Underwood. But I said, Look, Jimmy Carter eliminated Guinea worm in Africa. What have you and I done?

Underwood says thats part of President Carters legacy from rural healthcare in Georgia and extending that reach across the world to Africa.

A person of astounding accomplishment and not accomplishment that was not aimed at enriching anybody, but it was accomplishment aimed at making the world a better place, said Underwood. And for the millions of people who suffered from Guinea worm every year before he and the Carter Center went to work on it, he made the world a better place for those people.

You could make that same argument about the people in rural Georgia using the Mercer clinics, Carter helped make the world a better place for those people.

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Governor Carter signed the state budget that had money to start Mercers medical school. And that began a more than 50-year relationship with Mercer and the medical college which has campuses in Macon, Savannah, Columbus and now Valdosta. Mercer runs medical clinics in seven counties including Harris, Taylor and Sumter.

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ATLANTA (AP)  Jimmy Carter 's extended public farewell began Saturday in Georgia, with the 39th U.S. presidents flag-draped casket tracing his long arc from the Depression-era South and family farming business to the pinnacle of American political power and decades as a global humanitarian.

Those chapters shone throughout the opening stanza of a six-day state funeral intended to blend personalized memorials with the ceremonial pomp afforded to former presidents. The longest-lived U.S. executive, Carter died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.

He was an amazing man. He was held up and propped up and soothed by an amazing woman, son James Earl Chip Carter III, told mourners at The Carter Center late Saturday afternoon, referring also to his mother, former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died in 2023. The two of them together changed the world. And it was an amazing thing to watch so close.

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Grandson Jason Carter, who now chairs the center's governing board, said, It's amazing what you can cram into a hundred years.

Carters children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren accompanied their patriarch as his hearse rode first Saturday through his hometown of Plains, which at about 700 residents is not much bigger than when Carter was born there Oct. 1, 1924. The procession stopped at the farm where the future president toiled alongside the Black sharecroppers who worked for his father. The motorcade continued to Atlanta, stopping in front of the Georgia Capitol where Carter served as a state senator and reformist governor.

Finally, he arrived for his last visit to the Carter Presidential Center, which houses his presidential library and The Carter Center where he based his post-White House advocacy for public health, democracy and human rights, setting a new standard for what former presidents can accomplish after they yield power.

His spirit fills this place, Jason Carter told the assembly that included some of the center's 3,000 employees worldwide. You continue the vibrant living legacy of what is my grandfathers life work, he added.

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Pallbearers on Saturday came from the Secret Service that protected the Carters for almost a half-century and a military honor guard that included Navy servicemembers for the only U.S. Naval Academy graduate to reach the Oval Office. A military band played Hail to the Chief and the hymn Be Thou My Vision for the commander in chief who also was a devout Baptist.

His longtime personal pastor, the Rev. Tony Lowden, remembered not a president but the frail man who spent the last 22 months in hospice care, wrapped in a blanket that included the words of Psalm 23.

Chip Carter recalled the boss he had to make an appointment to see in the Oval Office, but also the father who spent an entire Christmas break learning Latin and teaching his 8th-grade son who had failed a test. When he took that test again, the younger Carter said, he aced it: I owed it to my father, who spent that kind of time with me.

Jimmy Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Center from 7 p.m. Saturday through 6 a.m. Tuesday, with the public able to pay respects around the clock.

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Scott Lyle, an engineer who grew up in Georgia but now lives in New York, was among the first mourners to pay his respects. Lyle said he joined Carter to build homes with Habitat for Humanity for the first time in LaGrange, Georgia, in 2003. Since then, he has traveled around the world to build houses with the group.

I got to see, what some people dont get to see, close. He was an amazing man, and he cared about others. He walked the walk, said Lyle, who was wearing Carter-themed Habitat gear. And I cant think of anyone else that I would want to stand in line to pay my respects for.

National rites will continue in Washington and conclude Thursday with a funeral at Washington National Cathedral, followed by a return to Plains. There, the former president will be buried next to his wife of 77 years near the home they built before his first state Senate campaign in 1962.

The Carters lived nearly all their lives in Plains, with the exception of his Naval service, four years in the Governor's Mansion and four years in the White House. As his hearse rolled through the town, mourners lined the main street, some holding bouquets of flowers and wearing pins bearing images of the former president and his signature smile.

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Willie Browner, 75, described Carter as hailing from a bygone era of American politics.

This man, he thought of more than just himself, said Browner, who grew up in the town of Parrott, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) from Plains. Browner said it meant a great deal to have a president come from a small Southern town like his  something he worries isnt likely to happen again.

Indeed, Carter helped plan his own funeral to emphasize that his remarkable rise to the world stage was because of  not despite  his deep rural roots.

Over the course of a few blocks in Plains, the motorcade passed near where the Carters ran the family peanut warehouse, and the small home where his mother, a nurse, had delivered the future first lady in 1927. The hearse passed the old train depot that served as Carters 1976 presidential campaign headquarters  a barebones effort that depended on public financing, dwarfed by the billion-dollar U.S. presidential campaigns of the 21st century.

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At the Carter farm, a few dozen National Park Service rangers stood in formation in front of the home, which did not have running water or electricity when Carter was a boy. The old farm bell rang 39 times to honor Carter's place as the 39th president.

Beside the house, there remains the tennis court that Carter's father, James Earl Carter Sr., built for the family  a nod to the blend of privilege and hard rural life that defined the future president's upbringing. Carter worked the land throughout the Great Depression, but it was owned by the elder Carter, who employed the surrounding Black tenant farmers during the era of Jim Crow segregation.

Carter wrote and spoke extensively on those formative years and how the abject poverty and institutional racism he saw influenced his policies in government and human rights work.

Calvin Smyre, a former Georgia legislator, remembered that legacy Saturday at the state Capitol. Smyre, who is Black, said Carters repudiation of racial segregation allowed Black people to wield power in Georgia.

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We stand on the shoulder of courageous people like Jimmy Carter, Smyre said. What he did shocked and shook the political ground here in the state of Georgia. And we live better because of that.

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Payne reported from Plains, Georgia.

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Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.

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More AP coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-carter
Jimmy Carter has made one last visit to where his story began.

On Saturday, Jan. 4, funeral plans commenced for the former president, who died on Sunday, Dec. 29 at the age of 100.

After the Carter family arrived at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Ga., Secret Service members carried Carter's body into a hearse, which then traveled alongside a motorcade to the politician's hometown of Plains.

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Passing through the town, the motorcade then paused for a short moment in front of the farm that served as Carter's boyhood home. There, the National Park Service saluted the late president and rang a historic farm bell 39 times  symbolizing Carter's role as the 39th President of the United States.

Carter and the rest of those in the motorcade then traveled to the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, where the Nobel Peace Prize winner will lie in repose until 6 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

ALEX BRANDON/POOL/AFP via Getty The hearse carrying Jimmy Carter's body at the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm in Archery, Ga., on Jan. 4. The hearse carrying Jimmy Carter's body at the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm in Archery, Ga., on Jan. 4.

Related: How Jimmy Carter Helped Me Believe in the Impossible: Reflections on the Death of the Man From Plains (Exclusive)

Carter was born on Oct. 1, 1924, to mother Bessie Lillian Carter and father James Earl Carter Sr. The politician's dad moved his family to a home in the community of Archery, a few miles from Plains, in 1928, when Carter was four years old.

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Carter grew up there and eventually left the home in 1941 to attend college, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

After his father sold the home and the nearby farmland in 1949, per the NPS, the organization later purchased the house and the surrounding seventeen acres in 1994.

After a years-long restoration project, the NPS said the home and farm "were returned to their 1937 appearance," before the area was opened to the public as the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm in 2000.

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Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Jimmy Carter in his younger years. Jimmy Carter in his younger years.

In his 2001 memoir, An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood, Carter recalled moving into the home with his family.

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"The front door was locked when we got there, and daddy realized that he had forgotten the key. He tried to raise one of the windows that opened onto the front porch, but a wooden bar on the inside let it come up only about six inches. So he slid me through the crack and I came around to unlock the door from the inside. The approval of my father for my first useful act has always been one of my most vivid memories," he wrote, per the NPS.

According to The New York Times, Carter recalled the happiness he felt when he and his family first got electricity in the home years after moving in.

"The greatest day in my life was not being inaugurated president, [and] it wasn't even marrying Rosalynn  it was when they turned the electricity on," Carter said, per the publication.



Eddie Mullholland-WPA Pool/Getty Jimmy Carter in February 2016. Jimmy Carter in February 2016.

Related: Jimmy Carter Once Answered My Letter in College. The Lesson He Taught Me Changed My Perspective (Exclusive)

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Carter died at his home in Plains after spending almost two years in hospice care. His funeral proceedings will take place over multiple days, ending in a Jan. 9 interment at his home, where he will be buried next to his late wife Rosalynn Carter, who died at age 96 in November 2023.

After his time lying in repose at the Carter Presidential Center, Carter will then be taken to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 7, when members of Congress will pay their respects during a service in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Visitors will be able to pay their respects soon after.

Carter will remain there through the early hours of Thursday, Jan. 9, when he will then be moved to the Washington National Cathedral, where his national funeral service will take place.

Later in the day, Carter will be moved back to Georgia for a private funeral service at the Maranatha Baptist Church, before he is buried at his home.

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Flags at all federal buildings are scheduled to fly at half-mast for 30 days after Carter's death, including during Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration.

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Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told House Republicans on Saturday that President-elect Trump wants to pass one reconciliation package, a strategy that runs counter to the two-bill effort several other GOP lawmakers have been pushing for.

Johnson made the announcement during a private House GOP meeting at Fort McNair, five sources in the room told The Hill, as the conference gathered to discuss plans for moving legislation through the budget reconciliation process. The Republican trifecta  taking full control of the White House and both chambers of Congress in the 2024 election  is looking to use the process to bypass Democratic opposition and pass many of its priorities.

Johnson told lawmakers that the president-elect wants to pass one big beautiful bill, according to two of the sources.

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Trumps stance directly contrasts with the preference of many Republicans up on Capitol Hill, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who laid out a plan last month that includes two reconciliation packages. The first would focus on border security and defense, and the other would center on extending the Trump-era tax cuts, which have some provisions that are set to expire at the end of 2025.

Additionally, the conservative House Freedom Caucus endorsed the two-track plan in December, writing in a letter to Johnson that the House should move one package focused on the border and a second encompassing taxes and other matters.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), the chair of the Freedom Caucus, reiterated that position as recently as Saturday morning.

There are a group of us who support breaking it up into two pieces, Harris told Fox News in an interview. The first piece, a very small border piece where we give the president the money that he needs to secure our southern border and start deporting illegal, criminal aliens.

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The president needs some funds now and thats the quickest way to do it, and thats the way, again, a group of us think we should do that, he added later. Saving the large, big, beautiful bill till the summer because it will take time to iron out.

Stephen Miller, Trumps incoming deputy chief of staff for policy, has also endorsed the two-package approach.

Trumps position, however, does align with that of House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), who has been adamant that Congress should plan for one reconciliation package, not two, citing previous legislative undertakings and the razor-thin margin Republicans have in this Congress.

There have not been two reconciliations that have been signed into law in the same year, Smith said last month. And why would we think in a majority of 219 to 215 that we would overperform?

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Emily Brooks contributed.

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Security at Joint Base San Antonio, the largest joint military base in the nation, was heightened Friday as it suspended a program that made it easier for federal employees to enter its installations.

JBSAs X account posted a notice Friday afternoon stating both personnel and visitors would need to submit to ID checks to enter the base, suspending the Trusted Traveler policy common at military bases.

The security restrictions come after two violent, but unrelated, attacks were committed on Jan. 1 within hours of each other by an Army veteran in New Orleans and an active-duty Green Beret in Las Vegas, one of whom was from Texas. The notice from the base did not specify whether the heightened security was related.

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In New Orleans, 42-year-old Houston resident Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a rented truck into a crowd early New Years Day before shooting at police, killing 14 and injuring dozens before he was killed by officers.

The FBI said in a statement it was investigating the attack as an act of terrorism, and that Jabbar had rented the truck in Houston before driving it to New Orleans. Jabbar was a U.S. citizen and served in the Army until 2020.

In Las Vegas, authorities said Master Sgt. Matthew Alan Livelsberger drove a rented Tesla Cybertruck to the front entrance of the Trump Hotel and shot himself before explosives in the vehicles truck ignited, injuring seven. Livelsberger suffered from post-traumatic stress, and officials with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department explicitly stated the explosion was not a terrorist attack during a press conference Friday.

Prior to the suspension of the Trusted Traveler policy, security was required to verify at least one Department of Defense credential per vehicle during the day, according to the bases website. The policy still required all passengers IDs be checked after 10 p.m.

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JBSA, which includes Camp Bullis, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland and Randolph Air Force bases, employs over 68,000 direct employees including 22,000 civilian employees and contributes over $51 billion to the states economy, according to the Texas Comptrollers office.

The notice from the base did not specify when the added security checks would be lifted. A representative from the base could not be immediately reached for comment. It was not immediately clear whether other bases in the state were required to suspend the Trusted Traveler policy.

At least two other bases outside of Texas suspended its Trusted Traveler policy, as two Space Force installations in Colorado Springs announced they would suspend the program. Livelsberger was from the city, according to authorities.
Jon Cryer shared his opinion about President-elect Donald Trump as he left LAX on Friday.

The 59-year-old actor called Trump and his second presidency "a clown show" and pointed to his first presidency as proof.

Cryer also warned Democrats not to expect Trump to change his ways and to get ready for "four more years."

Jon Cryer Says Donald Trump Was 'Terrible' At Being President

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TMZ spotted Cryer at the Los Angeles International Airport on Jan. 3, and they asked the "Two and a Half Men" star about Trump's upcoming second term in office, which begins on Jan. 20.

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After joking about not being invited to the inauguration, Cryer was candid in expressing his views about the twice-impeached convicted felon and said Trump was "a terrible" president.

"You know? I won't say I'm cautiously optimistic," he began. "It's a clown show already, you know? We... we've already seen, you know? He did this once before. He was terrible at it the first time. It's not gonna get better."

"It's just about everybody, you know, hunkering down, trying to make sure the people we love don't get hurt," he added. "And let's hold this guy accountable at some point in his life."

Cryer Says Trump Doesn't Like America

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Cryer said he will not be watching Trump's second presidential inauguration on Jan. 20 while claiming the former POTUS "doesn't even like" the United States of America.

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"I don't know if you remember his American Carnage speech the first time he was inaugurated," said Cryer. "Uh, this is not a man about  he doesn't understand America. He's, you know, he  he doesn't even like it."

"What's he going to say? You know how he  what he does when he gives speeches," he continued. "He just rambles. He's a  he's a  he's  it's word salad."

Cryer Calls Trump 'A Clown Show'

MEGA

When asked his opinion about the Democrats being optimistic about working with Trump, Cryer warned them to consider his previous presidency for insight.

"I think they're making a mistake," he said. "He is who he is. We've seen who he is."

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"He changes his  uh, uh, his stance every five minutes," he continued. "So, they're hoping they can take advantage of that, but it's not  he, it  it's a clown show. Trump is a clown show. We're going to have four more years of clown show. Hope you can enjoy it."

Cryer's Comments Garned Aggressive Reactions On Social Media

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After a video clip was shared by the outlet on X, several users offered blunt responses to the "Pretty in Pink" star.

"What a cry baby," wrote one X user. "'Two and Half Men' wasnt funny either."

"This guy sounds like such a wimpy baby," added one. "He was the half in two and a half men, he has a p-ssy."

Another user and MAGA follower replied with a curt, "#JonCryer is a dumb c-nt. He should stick to playing the average beta male cuck on TV and shut the f-ck up." Yikes!

At least one X user seemed to agree with Cryer and noted, "I agree. Trump needs to be held accountable. Give the man credit for all the things he has done for us and everything hes about to do."

Donald Trump Was Impeached For Incitement Of January 6 Insurrection

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Trump was impeached and indicted for inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol assault in Washington, D.C. back in 2021. The assault is commonly referred to as "the insurrection."

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At least 140 police officers were injured during the attack when at least 10,000 Trump supporters stormed the Capitol grounds, with 2,000 MAGA rioters using violence to force their way inside the Capitol building. Five people lost their lives.

Impeachment documents state that Trump, "consistently issued false statements asserting that the Presidential election results were the product of widespread fraud and should not be accepted by the American people."

"He then repeated those claims when addressing a crowd on January 6, and 'willfully made statements that, in context, encouragedand foreseeably resulted inlawless action at the Capitol'."

Trump was also impeached for trying to overthrow the 2020 election results. However, the Senate acquitted him in a 47-53 vote, and the former president was re-elected in the 2024 election.
Jan. 3Assemblyman D. Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay, will not seek the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 21st District special election that is expected soon. On Friday, Jones said he enjoys his work in the Assembly and wants to continue what he's done over the last four terms in office.

"I've been considering it and contemplating it for the last month, and this is the right thing for me and my family at this time," he said. "I enjoy, immensely, representing the people of the 115th district here in the north country on the state level. I enjoy my job and I want to keep up the hard work we've done for the last 8 years."

Jones is one of very few elected Democrats with a high profile in NY-21  representing Franklin and Clinton Counties, the Assemblyman was widely considered as a leading candidate for the Democratic party headed into the upcoming special election to replace Rep. Elise M. Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, who is leaving Congress to become the Trump administration's United Nations ambassador.

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With his step back from the campaign, Jones leaves declared candidates Steven W. Holden, Sr., Blake Gendebien and Paula Collins as the people openly seeking the Democratic nomination for that race. For both the Democrats and Republicans, the nominee will be selected by a weighted vote of the 15 party committee chairs that represent the counties covered by the district.

On the Republican side, Senator Daniel G. Stec, R-Queensbury, has announced he is seeking the party nod, and Amsterdam businessman Anthony J. Constantino has launched a self-funded campaign for the nomination as well. Jones said that Stec's recent announcement that he's seeking the Republican nomination didn't factor into his decision on Friday. Stec represents Jones' district in the upper chamber of the state legislature, and the two men work together on local issues despite being from different parties.

The nomination process will only start after Stefanik steps down from her seat, which she won reelection to in November with 62% of the vote. That is likely to happen after January 20, when President-Elect Donald J. Trump takes office and begins the formal nomination process for her appointment to the U.N.
A U.S. District Judge denied a Jan. 6 rioters request to attend President-elect Trumps inauguration later this month, citing concerns over the Capitol insurrection which incited hours of chaos and violence in the nations capital.

Russell Taylor, who is on probation after pleading guilty to obstructing an official proceeding, petitioned the court for permission to travel outside of the Central District of California to attend the ceremony for President-elect Trump after receiving an invitation from lawmakers.

Judge Royce Lamberth denied the request in a Friday court order, reflecting on the event that took place after the 2020 presidential election.

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Mr. Taylor brought a knife and plate carrier vest to the Capitol and carried a backpack containing a hatchet and stun baton, Lamberth noted in the order.

During the Riots, Mr. Taylor pushed past police barricades, encouraged fellow rioters to push against a police line where officers were being visibly assaulted, joined the push himself, and repeatedly threatened the police protecting the Upper West Terrace that it was their [l]ast chance to stand down and abandon their position, the judge wrote.

Although Taylor did not injure on duty officers, Lamberth said the effort to incite a riot warranted grave concerns for his attendance at future political events of prominence.

While he did not personally assault law enforcement officers, he did threaten them and encourage other rioters who were actively assaulting them, Lamberth stated. He also contributed meaningfully to the sheer danger of the days events by arriving armed and armored.

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And although Mr. Taylors rhetoric on the day of the Capitol Riots is interspersed with pro-America motifs and allusions, his unlawful conduct and his later espousal of insurrection belie any patriotic motives he may have professed that day, he added.

Taylors attorney, Dyke E. Hush, commended Taylors compliance with probation orders and court cooperation that led to the conviction of the Three Percenters militia as proof of his changed behavior.

While this ruling is disappointing, as my client is a huge supporter of president-elect Trump, he does understand the court denial of his request, Hush told NBC News.

Hush did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment.

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Taylor isnt the only Jan. 6 rioter to apply for permission to attend Trumps inauguration. Eric Peterson was granted approval to attend while Christopher Belliveau was denied.

William Pope is still awaiting a decision.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A federal judge dismissed negligent homicide charges filed against a DEA agent for allegedly hitting and killing a Salem bicyclist during a mission.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge of Oregon Michael J. McShane ruled that DEA special agent Samuel Landis is entitled to federal immunity from the State of Oregons charge of criminally negligent homicide, and the action was dismissed, according to court documents.

Oregon among states with strongest gun laws

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The states charge accused Landis of running a stop sign with a pickup truck during a surveillance mission in Salem that resulted in him hitting and killing bicyclist Marganne Allen, 53, in March of 2023.

Landis lawyers argued that he was acting in his official capacity [as a federal officer] and was entitled to immunity under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the state from interfering with the federal governments exercise of its constitutional powers.

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The judge presiding over the hush money case against President-elect Donald Trump on Friday denied his bid to dismiss the case and said he'll sentence him on Jan. 10, ten days before his inauguration as the 47th president.

Judge Juan Merchan said Trump can appear in person or virtually for the sentencing, and that he won't order Trump jailed.

While this Court as a matter of law must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and Defendants opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Courts inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the People concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation, the judge wrote in his ruling.

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Merchan said that "a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options." Such a sentence would allow the conviction to stand but without Trump being fined, locked up or having to serve probation.

The judge denied Trump's request to vacate the verdict.

"Here, 12 jurors unanimously found Defendant guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records with the intent to defraud, which included an intent to commit or conceal a conspiracy to promote a presidential election by unlawful means," he wrote.

Trump was convicted in May of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 presidential election.

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"It was the premediated and continuous deception by the leader of the free world that is the gravamen of this offense," Merchan wrote.

"To vacate this verdict on the grounds that the charges are insufficiently serious given the position Defendant once held, and is about to assume again, would constitute a disproportionate result and cause immeasurable damage to the citizenry's confidence in the Rule of Law," the judge added.

Trump lambasted the judge, the ruling and the case overall in posts to Truth Social on Friday night.

"This illegitimate political attack is nothing but a Rigged Charade," he argued, going on to claim that the judge's order "would be the end of the Presidency as we know it."

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"It is time to end the Lawfare once and for all," Trump added in a separate post, using his preferred term for cases he believes are politically motivated.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung called the ruling "a direct violation of the Supreme Courts Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence. This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed."

"There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead, he added.

It's unclear whether Trump plans to appear for the sentencing, either in person or virtually. The judge left open the possibility of sentencing him when his term in office is done  an alternative that had been suggested by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office.

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Merchan said he found that option "less desirable than imposing sentence prior to January 20, 2025. The reasons are obvious. However, if the Court is unable to impose sentence before Defendant takes his oath of office, then this may become the only viable option."

The DA's office declined to comment.

Merchan denied another bid to dismiss the case last month, when Trump argued he was already protected by presidential immunity given his status as president-elect.

Trump was initially scheduled to be sentenced in the case back in July, but the proceeding was delayed multiple times at the request of Trump's lawyers, first because of a Supreme Court ruling that created a new standard for presidential immunity and later because of Trump's election win.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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People transfer a man injured in an Israeli bombing at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, on Jan. 2, 2025. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)



UN humanitarians said on Friday that Israelis have ordered more relocating in besieged North Gaza because of impending attacks in retaliation for rocket fire into Israel.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the latest directive was for civilians in the Al-Bureij area of Deir al Balah governorate to move west.

OCHA said the newest evacuation order came as Israeli authorities continued to deny United Nations attempts to coordinate the safe movement of humanitarian workers.

"Today (Friday), 6 out of 10 coordination attempts were outright rejected," the office said. "Of the remaining four, only two went ahead fully, while the other two encountered serious impediments. Among the rejected attempts today was our plan to deliver supplies to the besieged areas of North Gaza governorate."

Most people across the Gaza Strip, already displaced multiple times, are often forced to flee amid intense bombardment with almost none of their belongings into unsafe areas that lack the basics for human survival.

"Amid this situation, humanitarian organizations are doing everything they possibly can to support people in wherever they are," the office said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 55 patients and 72 companions were evacuated from Gaza on Tuesday for medical treatment in the United Arab Emirates. Since October 2023, more than 5,300 patients have been evacuated abroad, while over 12,000 patients are awaiting evacuation.

"It would take 5-10 years to evacuate all these critically ill patients, including thousands of children," said WHO Director-Genera Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on social media platform X. "In the meantime, their conditions get worse and some die."

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, said that despite the Israeli bill to ban the agency from operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory due to come into effect in less than four weeks, UNRWA's teams are committed to stay and deliver.

He said on X that since the conflict erupted in October 2023, UNRWA has provided 6.7 million medical consultations in Gaza or more than 1,600 consultations per day. Some 730,000 people have received mental health and psychosocial support thanks to UNRWA. And, with partners, the agency vaccinated 560,000 children under 10 against polio.

Lazzarini added that nearly 2 million people received food assistance, hundreds of thousands of displaced people stayed in UNRWA shelters. Since the summer, UNRWA's teams have reached 18,000 children with learning activities.

"We stress once again that UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response and is irreplaceable," OCHA said. "A collapse of its operations, should the new legislation take effect, would lead to immense suffering for people already enduring extreme hardship."

When asked about the possibility that UNRWA would have to cease operations, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters at a regular briefing, "The secretary-general has made very clear that under international law, if UNRWA is not able to go about its mandated tasks, Israel as the occupying power would have to take on those responsibilities."
WASHINGTON  A judge rejected a request from a Jan. 6 defendant to attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration after the man was invited by a former member of Congress, according to a court order released Friday.

The defendant, Russell Taylor, was accused of organizing a group of "fighters" to travel to D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. In 2023, he pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding, and he went on to cooperate with the government by providing testimony against the Three Percenters militia.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said in a Friday order that "the particular nature and severity of Mr. Taylors conduct at the Capitol Riots counsel against giving him the permission to travel that he now seeks," running through a list of Taylor's actions prior to and during the attack on the Capitol.

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"To attend the Presidential Inauguration, which celebrates and honors the peaceful transfer of power, is an immense privilege," Lamberth said.

"It would not be appropriate for the Court to grant permission to attend such a hallowed event to someone who carried weapons and threatened police officers in an attempt to thwart the last Inauguration, and who openly glorified '[i]nsurrection' against the United States," he added.

When reached for comment, Taylor's attorney Dyke E. Huish said that Taylor was "disappointed" but has the "utmost respect" for the judge and his decisions.

Lamberth "has continued to treat my client with respect and given him fair consideration," Huish said in a statement. "While this ruling is disappointing, as my client is a huge supporter of president elect Trump, he does understand the court denial of his request."

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Huish added that Taylor will watch the inauguration on television at home, noting that they do not have plans to appeal the judge's decision.

A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office for D.C. referred to prosecutors' previous filings. The office filed a motion in December opposing Taylor's request to travel to D.C., urging the court to "not look past his criminal conduct the last time he was on Capitol grounds."

Former Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, wrote in a December letter to the judge that he and three current members of the Utah congressional delegation were inviting Taylor to the inauguration, though Stewart did not specify which representatives were extending the invitation.

"He is admired by many, and especially those in his community. Russ passion for what is right and good is reflected in his intentions to lift others," Stewart said in his letter praising Taylor.

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Huish filed a request on Dec. 11 asking Lamberth to allow Taylor to travel to Washington for the inauguration.

In his letter, Huish wrote that Taylor "has remained compliant with all Court Orders and has not given any indications of trouble or concern," adding that Taylor "has demonstrated over and over again that he is trustworthy in his travel."

Taylors sentence required him to get permission before leaving parts of California, where he lives. Taylor had been sentenced to periods of probation and home confinement.

In his Friday order, Lamberth noted that Taylor had taken "responsibility for his actions and furnished extensive assistance to the Government," both reasons for his lighter sentence compared to those of other Jan. 6 defendants.

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"But Mr. Taylors cooperation and good conduct while on probation do not diminish the seriousness of his acts on January 6, 2021, to which he has voluntary admitted, nor do they entitle him to the permission he now seeks," Lamberth said.

Taylor is not the only Jan. 6 defendant to seek permission to travel to the inauguration. Other defendants who have put in requests include Christopher Belliveau, whose request was denied; Eric Peterson, whose request was granted; and William Pope, who has not yet received a decision on his request, according to court records.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The ruling paves the way for congestion pricing to begin on Sunday, when most motorists will be charged $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

A federal judge Friday night denied New Jerseys push to stop New York from beginning its congestion tolling plan Sunday, delivering a last-minute blow to the Murphy administrations fight to keep the plan from commencing.

After a 90-minute hearing and four hours of closed-door discussions, Judge Leo Gordon rejected New Jerseys argument that implementing congestion pricing would lead to irreparable and immediate harm to New Jerseyans who may see increased traffic from motorists trying to avoid paying the new toll.

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The state almost immediately filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. Gordon rejected New Jerseys request for a five-day stay so that the state could appeal.

Were going to do this as quickly as we can, Randy Mastro, the lawyer representing New Jersey, told reporters after Fridays hearing. This is so important.

New Jersey sued the federal Department of Transportation in 2023, alleging that federal officials approved New Yorks congestion pricing plan without properly evaluating how it would affect New Jersey. On Monday, Gordon issued a preliminary ruling that largely sided against New Jersey, but ordered federal officials to provide the court with more information about ways to mitigate the environmental impacts New Jersey could face.

New Jersey on Tuesday asked Gordon to issue an injunction barring New York from moving forward with congestion pricing until federal officials provided that information.

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The federal government on Friday disputed New Jerseys claims.

The state is wrong on the law and wrong on the facts, said attorney Gregory Cumming, who represented the federal government.

Unless the 3rd Circuit intervenes, New Yorks toll for drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street will begin just after midnight on Sunday. Passenger cars will pay a $9 toll between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekends. New York officials say the toll will provide needed funding for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Janno Lieber, chief executive of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said Friday that the time for debating and lawsuits is over. Congestion hurts the city and costs people time and money, Lieber said.

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Its time to get to work making this new initiative a success for New York. And I think were ready, he said.

Transit advocates praised Friday nights ruling while also taking pointed aim at Gov. Phil Murphys legal crusade against congestion pricing. Riders Alliance Executive Director Betsy Plum said the toll will improve commutes and create jobs, and she encouraged Murphy to stop throwing good taxpayer money away by fighting it.

If Governor Murphy appeals this decision, he cements a legacy as a transit-destroying, climate-denying champion of inequality and longer commutes, Plum said.

John Reichman, an attorney representing New Jersey residents supportive of congestion pricing, told reporters after the hearing that Friday was a great day not just for New York, but for New Jersey.

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But he wants to know why Gov. Kathy Hochul said Murphy declined a generous settlement offer to end the states lawsuit and funnel some money to NJ Transit.

What did Governor Murphy leave on the table when he apparently rejected a nine-figure settlement proposal from New York? Money that could have been used, that New Jersey Transit desperately needs to improve transportation, he said.

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A judge has ruled that 11 budget vetoes issued by Erie County Executive Brenton Davis in the 2023 and 2024 budgets were illegal, and theyre now null and void.

This comes after Erie County Council filed a lawsuit saying Davis vetoes did not have the power to increase the budgets total.

The disagreement surrounds the county council, which voted to amend previous budgets to reduce expenditures, and the county executive, who attempted to use executive vetoes to reinstate those cuts.

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A judge has sided with Erie County Council stating nearly a dozen executive vetoes issued on the 2023 and 2024 county budgets were illegal.

Its like a death  Parents raise concerns after Mercyhurst Child Learning Center announces closure

The judges opinion was entirely consistent with what weve always known to be true, that council has the sole power of appropriation, said Rock Copeland, (D) Erie County councilmember.

Davis originally argued if his vetoes were not overridden by council, his initially proposed spending decisions should be restored.

This prompted council to file suit. The councils stance was that Davis didnt have the power under the home rule charter to use vetoes to increase the size of a budget but rather only to decrease spending.

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And a judge agreed.

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Judge Edward Reibman stated the Home Rule charter places the responsibility of the budget with the council.

When this first came up and we filed the lawsuit, maybe it was questionable to some people, but we were doing it on behalf of the Erie County residents. With the decision, it showed that we were right in doing it.Terry Scutella, (D) Erie County Council chairman.

Scutella and Copeland told us those vetoed items included the transfer of money between funds, positions, and an economic development department to name a few.

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Were talking millions of dollars of impact where the executive is trying to pretend that he can create through the veto, and that is just not the case, Copeland said.

Diverse Erie sues Brenton Davis for refusing to release over $1 million in ARP funding

Copeland explained that although this is in the past, it does set a precedent for the same sort of executive actions taken in the 2025 budget.

Im currently working on trying to get together a letter to the executive to state our position and how we intend to proceed, he added.

Right now, we have 2025 thats sitting out there with a number of vetoes. If its not appealed or not overturned, maybe those become moot and they have to stand by what the law says, Scutella said.

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The Davis administration didnt wish to comment but said theyre reviewing the potential for an appeal.

Erie County Council takes a step forward in finalizing 2025 county budget

That judges decision left no wiggle room for interpretation. I fail to see how you can come to a different conclusion on appeal. We expect this ruling to stand and to be applied to the 2025 budget, said Copeland.

Davis has less than 30 days now to appeal that ruling.

More than a dozen vetoes similar to the ones challenged in this lawsuit were issued in the 2025 budget and those vetoes are likely to be reviewed as well.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
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A circuit judge ruled Monday that Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission wrongfully issued a license to a Fort Smith cultivation facility, reiterating a previous ruling.

Bennett Storm Nolan received a license to operate River Valley Relief Cultivation in 2020 despite the address on the application being too close to the Sebastian County Juvenile Detention Center. Amendment 98, the 2016 voter-approved constitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana in Arkansas, prohibits cultivation facilities within 3,000 feet of a school.

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The application itself conceded that SCJDC was a school pursuant to Amendment 98 and was within 3,000 feet of the proposed cultivation facility, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Herbert Wright wrote in his ruling.

Additionally, Nolan dissolved the facilitys holding company, River Valley Production, in 2019 after not receiving one of the first five cultivator licenses the Medical Marijuana Commission issued, Wright wrote. The reason for dissolution was that the company never started business, according to documents submitted to the court by the plaintiff, 2600 Holdings.

Wright expressed disapproval of the commission granting the license to a dissolved company.

The Court remains curious as to why so many accommodations were made for Mr. Nolan, despite concerns and protests being repeatedly raised from the beginning of the application process, Wright wrote. The Rules were never changed. The process was not altered. But the license was granted. It is difficult to come to any other conclusion than [that] MMC was committed to placing Mr. Nolan in charge of a cultivation facility, notwithstanding all of the clear defects in the RVRC application.

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RVRC Wright order 12.30.24

Nolan could not be reached for comment Friday, but he told the Arkansas Times he plans to appeal Wrights ruling and will keep the facility operational as long as he still has the license.

Abtin Mehdizadegan, an attorney representing 2600 Holdings, said he does not see a basis for the appeal and hopes the Arkansas Supreme Court will uphold Wrights ruling.

You cannot waive the constitutional requirements, and [River Valleys] application concedes, admits and explains that their application was submitted under a property address that was too close to a school, Mehdizadegan said.

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2600 Holdings does business as Southern Roots Cultivation and unsuccessfully applied for a license in Arkansas. The company filed a legal complaint in 2021 over the issues with River Valley Relief Cultivations application, asking the court to require the Medical Marijuana Commission to revoke Nolans license.

Wright ruled in 2022 that the commission issued the license in error, and he did not allow Nolan to join the case as a defendant. The Supreme Court reversed and remanded the ruling in April 2024, stating that Nolan should have been a party in the case, which he now is.

Wright said in Mondays ruling that he does not have the authority to grant or revoke licenses for companies to participate in the states medical marijuana industry.

But the Court does have the duty, when entreated, to point out when the State has exceeded the authority granted to it by the voters of the State of Arkansas in a constitutional amendment, he wrote. The Court finds that the MMC has not acted within its own ministerial duty and has exceeded its discretion.

The commission will discuss the lawsuit at its monthly meeting Thursday.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article misstated the type of license and facility at issue in the court case.
In a major decision from New York state court, Judge Juan Merchan upheld President-elect Donald Trumps 2024 criminal conviction for falsifying records to cover up his alleged affair with Stormy Daniels, rejecting arguments from Trumps lawyers claiming he gets preemptive presidential immunity.

Merchan scheduled Trump to be sentenced on Jan. 10, ten days before inauguration. But he also signaled he did not plan to sentence Trump to any jail time.

Finding no legal impediment to sentencing and recognizing that Presidential immunity will likely attach once Defendant takes his Oath of Office, it is incumbent upon this Court to set this matter down for the imposition of sentence prior to January 20, 2025, Merchan wrote in his Friday decision.

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He added that he prefers not to hand down the sentence after Trumps term, but may be forced to do so if Trump runs out the clock on sentencing before hes sworn in.

He also indicated that hes leaning towards an unconditional discharge, meaning Trump would likely avoid jail.

In balancing the aforementioned considerations in conjunction with the underlying concerns of the Presidential immunity doctrine, a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options, he wrote.

Trump is expected to ask an appeals court to intervene, the New York Times reported.

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Merchan also spent pages lambasting Trump for his endless vilification of the legal proceedings.

Defendants disdain for the Third Branch of government, whether state or federal, in New York or elsewhere, is a matter of public record, he wrote. Indeed, Defendant has gone to great lengths to broadcast on social media and other forums his lack of respect for judges, juries, grand juries and the justice system as a whole.

Defendants character and history vis-a-vis the Rule of Law and the Third Branch of Government must be analyzed under this factor in direct relation to the result he seeks, and in that vein, it does not weigh in his favor, he added.

Despite the relatively low-grade punishment  Trumps conviction would remain on his record  and his likely bid to delay even that sentencing, the decision comes as a shock as many, Trump seemingly included, figured that his election ended his legal woes.

Read the ruling here:
Jan. 3A former Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputy was sentenced to federal prison and house arrest on Friday for tipping off a drug trafficker that federal agents were going to raid his North Valley home in 2021.

U.S. District Judge James Browning sentenced Kyle Linker to eight months of imprisonment, with 30 days to be served in federal prison and the remaining seven months on house arrest.

In September, Linker, 33, pleaded guilty to a felony obstruction of justice/aiding and abetting charge in thwarting the Drug Enforcement Administration investigation. He resigned from the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office in 2022.

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In the plea agreement offered to Linker by prosecutors, they recommended he be sentenced to probation. In Friday's sentencing, Browning ordered prison time first.

Linker's attorney Robert Cooper told the Journal he will also have to serve three years of supervised release. He said Linker was given 60 days to voluntarily surrender to start his prison sentence.

"I know that Kyle is disappointed with having to serve the 30 days, but he also recognizes why Judge Browning imposed the sentence he did, and we believe that it was a fair and just sentence," Cooper said.

He said Linker, who joined BCSO in 2015, "has no intention of ever becoming a law enforcement officer again."

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"That was kind of sad. It was a career that he absolutely enjoyed. I think that this caused him basically to lose that career," he said. "... Kyle just looks forward to moving on with his life, so he's glad that this chapter is behind him at this point."

Linker's alleged accomplice, former BCSO deputy Paul Jessen Jr., is still awaiting trial on charges of obstruction, conspiracy and lying to the FBI.

Jessen was initially put on leave by former Sheriff Manuel Gonzales when the allegations surfaced in March 2022, but Sheriff John Allen brought him back to work light duty in July 2023. Allen placed Jessen on leave in September when the charges were filed against him.

Linker, in his plea agreement, said he and Jessen were on a federal task force in 2021 when they made an informant out of a Los Ranchos drug trafficker. Linker said when he learned DEA agents were going after the informant, he foiled the initial raid by warning the man.

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The DEA then became suspicious and used the informant to gather evidence against Linker and Jessen, according to the plea agreement. Linker was placed on leave by BCSO after the allegations surfaced, and he told Jessen to ask the trafficker if he was cooperating with the DEA.

The plea agreement states that, by January 2022, Jessen had lied to the FBI when questioned on the matter, saying he "had no personal knowledge" that Linker had obstructed the DEA's investigation.

It took more than two years after that for the pair to be criminally charged. The informant is awaiting sentencing on federal drug charges.

There has been no explanation why the pair of deputies would risk their careers to tip off the informant and there are no allegations that either deputy received any benefit, financial or otherwise, for doing so.

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At the time, there had been a rivalry between the sheriff's office and the DEA: Linker and Jessen wanted to keep the informant as their own; the DEA took actions to try to arrest him on federal charges.

Sheriff Allen said in a news conference after the indictments that he had never worked with Linker but thought of Jessen as an asset to the agency. At the time, Allen said he planned an internal affairs investigation into the deputies' actions, but that it would be put off pending the outcome of the criminal cases.
A federal judge has denied a Jan. 6 felony defendants request for permission to attend Donald Trumps inauguration, despite a personal invitation from members of the Utah congressional delegation.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth said Russell Taylors unusually grave conduct at the Capitol  which included recruiting fighters to descend on the Capitol, wearing armor, carrying weapons and helping others push past a police line  did not warrant the immense privilege of attending an inauguration.

It would not be appropriate for the Court to grant permission to attend such a hallowed event to someone who carried weapons and threatened police officers in an attempt to thwart the last Inauguration, and who openly glorified [i]nsurrection against the United States, Lamberth wrote in a five-page decision.

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Lamberth, a Reagan appointee, is the second federal judge to deny a Jan. 6 defendants request to attend Trumps inauguration. U.S. District Judge Tim Kelly, a Trump appointee, turned down a request Thursday from a felony defendant charged with unleashing chemical spray at a police officer.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee, approved a misdemeanor defendants request to attend the inauguration, and several other requests are pending. The Justice Department has largely opposed such requests, saying it would be improper to subject Capitol police to facing the very people who stood against them four years ago.

Taylors is the only request that was publicly endorsed by members of Congress.

Former Utah representative Chris Stewart, who wrote to Lamberth on behalf of three current members of Utahs congressional delegation, asked the judges permission for Taylor to attend as their guest.

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He is [a] caring father and reveres his family, his faith, and his love of our Country as his highest priority in life, Stewart wrote last month. I am honored to extend this invitation for him to attend the Inauguration as my guest.

Despite the charges against him, Taylors case was complex. He quickly pleaded guilty for his crimes, acknowledged his wrongdoing and became an early cooperator with prosecutors, even testifying at the trial of an alleged co-conspirator. Lamberth sentenced Taylor to a term of probation and praised him as a model defendant. Under the terms of Taylors three-year probation, he must receive permission to travel to Washington.

Lamberth acknowledged Stewarts praise for Taylor, but said he had already considered those factors when he gave Taylor a lenient sentence.

Mr. Taylors motion presents only the narrow question of whether a person who conspired and acted to thwart the peaceful transfer of power four years ago with incitement, threats, and weapons should now be granted special permission to attend the celebration of the peaceful transfer of power, Lamberth wrote. The answer to that question is no.
Judge Juan Merchan upheld President-elect Donald Trumps felony conviction in the hush money case, and set his sentencing for Jan. 10, ten days before the inauguration.

Trump will not be incarcerated, fined, or face probation and has been allowed to appear in person or virtually for the sentencing, per the court ruling.

Merchan wrote in his ruling that an unconditional discharge is the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options.

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CNN legal analyst Elie Honig said, It was a smart move by Judge Merchan to announce in advance that he is gong to impose no punishment, and hold the proceeding remotely, because that undermines any effort by Trumps team to argue in federal court that sentencing imposes some major burden.

ABC reported that Trumps legal team will likely try to stop next weeks sentencing. Trumps lawyers intend to ask for an intermediate New York appellate court to prevent the sentencing hearing from moving forward.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung, described Merchans ruling as a direct violation of the Supreme Courts Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence.

He added, President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts. There should be no sentencing.

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Trump was initially scheduled to be sentenced in July 2024, but his attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bov asked that it be delayed, requesting presidential immunity in the case, per Deseret News. However Merchan ruled that immunity does not extend to president-elect status.

In the ruling, Merchan wrote, President-elect immunity does not exist and the vast majority of the defendants claims involve objections that this Court and others have repeatedly rejected.
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  The defense attorneys for a woman charged with murder in a deadly 2022 shooting at Nacho Hippo in North Myrtle Beach filed a stand your ground motion before the start of her trial on Monday.

Jury selection and opening motions for Lafredia Todd were set to begin after the 1 p.m. hearing, which was originally supposed to start in late July but was delayed at the defense attorneys request. It was delayed again in early November.

The stand your ground hearing was continued until Tuesday. News13 will have a crew in the courtroom for that.

News13 photo: Alec Daniels News13 photo: Alec Daniels News13 photo: Alec Daniels News13 photo: Alec Daniels News13 photo: Alec Daniels

Todd is facing charges in the shooting, which happened at about 10:45 p.m. on July 28, 2022, at 850 North Beach Boulevard across from Barefoot Landing, the address for the Nacho Hippo restaurant. She was taken into custody near the Cracker Barrel restaurant at 4835 Highway 17 South, not far from the location of the shooting.

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Police responded to the scene after receiving a call from a woman who said she had just shot a man, according to an incident report. The victim, Quentin Johnson, was found in the kitchen with a gunshot wound to his head.

Todd was released from jail after posting bond on Jan. 18, 2023, according to court records.

South Carolinas stand your ground law gives a person the right to use all means necessary, including deadly force, if they reasonably believe it would prevent harm to themselves or their property.

15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson said on Monday ahead of Todds hearing that he doesnt expect the strategy to work in her case.

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Stand your ground is a wonderful concept if its used properly, he said in a weekly recorded constituent update. The problem with that scenario is, no prosector across the state would ever prosecute you for doing that.

He said the motion is commonly used to avoid challenges to higher courts.

Now, de facto, what stand your ground is is every murder case, he said. If they (defense attorneys) dont file it, its going to be an appellate issue, so we have to fight on these every time, he said.

The first person to take the stand on Monday was a co-worker, who said Johnson made gun-related threats to Todd and toward the restaurant more than once at work. He said management at Nacho Hippo did not seem to intervene.

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The witness said Johnson was still making threats when he was shot. He said he didnt see who shot Johnson and quickly ran out of the kitchen.

The shooting happened while the restaurant was closed to customers, a spokesman told News13.

Count on News13 for updates.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

* * *

Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.

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* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Ammon Judy said during Aaron Blacks Friday sentencing that it was only a matter of time before the 48-year-old shot someone.

The Boise man was sentenced to 25 years in prison with the possibility of parole after five years after he shot and injured one of his then-friends last year. He was convicted of felony aggravated battery after a criminal trial in October.

This is not the first time that the defendant has been drunk, angry and introduced a firearm. This event has been in the works for years, Judy said in court. It was just a matter of time before this defendant shot someone.

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The prosecution asked 4th District Judge James Cawthon to sentence Black to at least 15 years in prison before hes eligible for parole, and said that despite Blacks minimal criminal history, hed been in several altercations involving weapons while he was intoxicated.

Blacks public defender Scott Rowley argued that his client had lived a law-abiding life up until this shooting and that his family and friends described him as a charitable and kind man. Rowley in turn asked the judge to place Black on probation.

Cawthon, who presides over felony cases in Ada County, said that he agreed that Black had good qualities but that didnt outweigh his actions last year. He added that Blacks choices that night  like chugging alcohol right after the shooting and not providing first aid to his then-friend  showed that his concerns were only for himself.

That response in reaction to such a stressful, traumatic situation when  for all you know  (the victims) life is passing there on the floor  and to think of yourself is concerning, Cawthon said.

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On an early morning in January 2024, police responded to reports of a shooting at Blacks home in West Boise. The victim was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, which he said caused irreparable damage to his life both physically and mentally.

I feel completely disrespected, the man said in court Friday afternoon. Never in my life would I expect to be harmed in such a way by someone thats supposed to be my friend.

Black had threatened another person with a gun earlier that night, which caused the victim, according to his testimony during a prior hearing, to talk to Black about being careful with a gun because it could get out of control.

He said thats when Black got angry and pushed him off a bar stool onto the floor, the transcript said, and when the man got up and started walking toward Black, Black shot him.

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When asked if hed like to make a statement in court Black called the incident a terrible accident.

I can only imagine how terrifying the whole thing had to be, he added. This wasnt something that was supposed to happen.
The Department of Justice announced Friday it has resolved an investigation into biased policing by Californias Antioch Police Department, where racist texts allegedly sent by officers sparked outrage and blowback.

The city and its police have agreed to hire a consultant to review its policies, officer training and use-of-force incidents to suggest improvements, the Justice Department said in a statement.

The parties agreed to a framework for federal monitoring, a stronger accountability role for its oversight body, and the collection of data on the departments interactions for five years, it said.

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In working with the Justice Department to institute policing reform, Antioch Police Department sends a strong message that the discrimination and misconduct that prompted this investigation will not be tolerated, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said in Fridays announcement.

The Antioch Police Department said Friday that it welcomes the agreement as it continues to cooperate with a separate California Department of Justice investigation into biased policing.

The actions that prompted this investigation were unacceptable and failures occurred, the police department said in its statement. We will implement and enhance comprehensive policies, practices, training programs, community engagement initiatives, and oversight mechanisms to ensure that officers uphold integrity and fairness while addressing misconduct swiftly and effectively.

The Justice Department said its investigation was sparked by racist texts allegedly exchanged by officers from late 2019 to early 2022. These included homophobic and racist slurs and one suggestion that a less lethal weapon be used on the citys then-mayor, who is Black.

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Texts allegedly included bragging about beating suspects and manufacturing evidence, according to a 2023 report compiled by the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office after it and the FBI investigated the alleged texts.

The DAs report inspired the Justice Departments own investigation in June 2023, it said.

Antioch, a city of more than 117,000 about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, is more than two-thirds nonwhite, more than one-third Hispanic or Latino, and about one-fifth Black, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

After the DAs report was released under the order of a local judge, outrage erupted and civil rights lawsuits were filed.

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An arson and mutilation case against two men charged in connection with the discovery of the burned body of Mykaella Sharlman, 25, was dropped in 2023 after the texts were revealed. Prosecutors said their reliance on officers involved in the scandal wouldnt survive a jurys scrutiny.

The Contra Costa District Attorneys Office no longer has confidence in the integrity of this prosecution, it said in a statement in 2023.

Sharlmans sister Nicole Eason said the officers texts shouldnt have had such an effect and suggested the family was ready to take the matter to civil court. Prosecutors said they were trying to find other ways  besides relying on the officers, who were not identified  to resolve the case. No civil cases appear to have been filed in Contra Costa County in connection with Sharlmans death.

Four people who say their civil rights were violated by Antioch police officers and a fifth whose father was fatally shot by officers announced a federal lawsuit against the city in April 2023. The civil action was ongoing, though a few parties have settled their claims, according to court records.

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Eight officers in the texting report were placed on administrative leave, three were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiring to injure, oppress, threaten and intimidate residents, and one of those three resigned. Efforts to reach the three were unsuccessful at the time of the indictment in 2023.

Michael L. Rains, a lawyer for the Antioch Police Officers Association, which represents sworn rank-and-file employees in city contract negotiations said, the offensive and inappropriate texting which has been widely reported in the media was the product of only a few Officers.

The Antioch POA, its individual members, and this Office have strongly denounced the language used by those few Officers, he said by email Saturday.

Rains, whose office represents some of the officers disciplined, also said he supports a fair, thorough, and intellectually honest review of the background and origin of the texts release.

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CORRECTION (Jan. 4, 2025, 11:30 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated the status of the mayor mentioned in a text. He is Antiochs former mayor, not its current one.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The Justice Department on Friday urged the Supreme Court to reject President-elect Donald Trumps request to delay the implementation of a law that would effectively ban TikTok in the U.S. or force its sale by its Chinese parent company by Jan. 19.

The latest filing in the Supreme Court case comes after Trumps lawyer D. John Sauer asked the court to pause the law beyond the deadline to give the president-elect the opportunity to pursue a political resolution to the questions at issue in the case.

The DOJ argued that Trumps filing took no position on the First Amendment question, which is the basis of the lawsuit that the Supreme Court agreed to hear on a fast-tracked basis. TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, sued to try to stop implementation of the law, arguing that it violates its free speech rights under the First Amendment.

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The DOJ said that granting Trumps request would equate to a temporary injunction and could only be implemented if ByteDance established a likelihood that it would win the case, but that the company had not done so.

The Justice Department also tackled ByteDances First Amendment argument head-on in Fridays filing.

The Act does not warrant heightened First Amendment scrutiny because it does not impose a burden on any cognizable First Amendment rights of ByteDance, its U.S. subsidiary, or TikToks users, lawyers for the department wrote.

The Act satisfies any level of First Amendment scrutiny, and this Court should uphold it, they added.

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If the Supreme Court doesnt act by Jan. 19 or sides with the U.S. government, TikTok would be banned just one day before Trump is inaugurated, something he pointed out in his own filing in the case late last month.

President-elect Donald Trump has become increasingly vocal about his opposition to banning the social media platform.

President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Acts deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case, Sauer wrote.

Still, on his own social media platform, TruthSocial, Trump has been outspoken in his opposition to banning TikTok.

On Friday morning, he wrote, Why would I want to get rid of TikTok? alongside a digital graphic showing that his TikTok account has received more views than the accounts of Vice President Kamala Harris, conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, Fox News, and pop stars Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

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NBC News has not independently verified the accuracy of this chart.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in the case on Jan. 10, just nine days before the app is set to be banned under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which passed Congress with bipartisan support last year and was subsequently signed by President Joe Biden.

The law imposes a ban on the app only if ByteDance, a Chinese company, is still the owner of TikTok, effectively pushing ByteDance to sell the app to a U.S.-based company to allow the app to continue operating here.

Nothing in the Act would prevent a post-divestiture TikTok from presenting exactly the same content in exactly the same manner. The Act targets control by a foreign adversary, not protected speech, Justice Department lawyers wrote in Fridays filing.

A spokesperson for Trumps transition team did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Justin Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has revealed plans to go into a legal battle with Blake Lively.

In a recent interview, Freedman shared plans to release receipts of text messages between his client and Lively amid the latter's sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni.

Freedman's comments come three days after Baldoni filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, which published a report about Lively's allegations against her costar.

Justin Baldoni's Attorney Reveals Plans To Sue Blake Lively

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On January 2, Freedman spoke to NBC News and shared the next course of action in his quest to prove his client's innocence following Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit.

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During the interview, Freedman was asked if there was a coordinated smear campaign to bring down Lively, and he responded, "100% No."

When asked if he had plans to sue the actress, Freedman replied, "Absolutely."

The lawyer also revealed plans to reveal text messages between Lively and Baldoni.

He said, "We plan to release every single text message between the two of them. We want the truth to be out there. We want the documents to be out there. We want people to make their determination based on receipts."

Justin Baldoni Files Lawsuit Against The New York Times

MEGA

On December 31, Baldoni, through his attorney, filed a $250 million lawsuit against the New York Times for a report published on December 21, 2024, that focused on Lively's allegations.

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Freedman told E! News in a statement that the tabloid "cowered to the wants and whims of two powerful 'untouchable' Hollywood elites, disregarding journalistic practices and ethics once befitting of the revered publication by using doctored and manipulated texts and intentionally omitting texts which dispute their chosen PR narrative."

In Baldoni's lawsuit against the New York Times, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, he stated that the outlet did not "truly review the thousands of private communications it claimed to have obtained."

Baldoni argued that if the tabloid had reviewed the communications correctly, "its reporters would have seen incontrovertible evidence that it was Lively, not Plaintiffs, who engaged in a calculated smear campaign."

The "It Ends with Us" director also argued that the newspaper made "false, outrageous and intentionally salacious" allegations when it published Lively's complaint.

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Part of Baldoni's lawsuit, which E! News obtained, reads, "This lawsuit seeks to hold the Times accountable for its role in this defamation campaign, but plaintiffs are not done. There are other bad actors involved, and make no mistakethis will not be the last lawsuit."

The New York Times Responds To Justin Baldoni's Lawsuit

MEGA

On January 1, The New York Times responded to Baldoni's lawsuit against them.

The outlet revealed plans to "vigorously defend against the lawsuit."

It added, "The role of an independent news organization is to follow the facts where they lead. Our story was meticulously and responsibly reported."

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The publication also said its story was "based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents including text messages and emails," which were quoted "accurately and at length in the article."

Lively Files Formal Complaint Against Baldoni And Others

MEGA

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When Lively filed her initial lawsuit against Baldoni, she did so with the California Civil Rights Department.

The lawsuit listed the defendants as Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer, publicist Jennifer Abel, colleague Jamey Heath, and "crisis management specialist" Melissa Nathan, among others.

On December 31, Lively filed a formal lawsuit against the listed defendants in the Southern District of New York.

The actress's attorneys also spoke to E! News in response to Baldoni's lawsuit against the New York Times.

Their statement reads, "Nothing in this [Baldoni's] lawsuit changes anything about the claims advanced in Ms. Lively's California Civil Rights Department Complaint, nor her federal complaint, filed earlier today."

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The statement continued, "While we will not litigate this matter in the press, we do encourage people to read Ms. Lively's complaint in its entirety. We look forward to addressing each and everyone of Wayfarer's allegations in court."

Lively's Claims Against Baldoni

MEGA

Lively filed her original complaint against Baldoni earlier in December, claiming that he sexually harassed her on set.

The 37-year-old actress alleged that Baldoni showed her nude videos or images of women and discussed his past addiction to pornography.

Lively also claimed that Baldoni hired a PR team to damage her public reputation.

However, Baldoni, through his attorney, Freedman, denied Lively's allegations and described her lawsuit as "false, outrageous and intentionally salacious," and aimed at fixing "her negative reputation."
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (KSNW)  An Arkansas City man arrested in December, accused of sexually assaulting a teen, has died.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says around noon on Dec. 28, Brian W. Black, 40, was found dead outside of his home in Arkansas City. The bureau says Black died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Newton man found guilty of killing his wife

He was out on bond following his Dec. 12 arrest on charges of three counts of rape, three counts of aggravated sexual battery, two counts of exploitation of a child, two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior, abuse of a child, and battery. The KBI was called in to investigate in September 2023 by the Cowley County Sheriffs Office after a 16-year-old girl reported Black had assaulted her.

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His bond had been set at $500,000, and a preliminary hearing had been scheduled for Feb. 11.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Kansas City Police Department is investigating after a man was shot and later died at a hospital following an overnight shooting.

According to KCPD, just after midnight, officers were dispatched to North Kansas City Hospital after a private vehicle brought a man suffering from gunshot wounds to the facility.

Police said hospital staff reported the man, who was eventually identified as 20-year-old Isiah Washington, had died shortly after arriving.

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Missing woman found dead after disappearing on New Years Day in KC

Preliminary investigations revealed that a fight between two people may have resulted in Washington being shot.

Police have also speculated that the homicide potentially took place near Northeast 97th Street and North Lewis Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. However, KCPD said this has not been confirmed.

This case is being investigated as a homicide, and officers ask that if you or anyone you know has information regarding the deadly shooting, please call Homicide Detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  The City and County of Honolulus Department of Parks and Recreation is opening the 2025 Mayors Memorial Day Poster Contest and is inviting keiki across the islands to participate.

Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You

Keiki are invited to craft their best visual representation of Honolulus Sew a Lei for Memorial Day effort, which places a fresh lei on approximately 38,000 graves within the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Puowaina as part of the annual Mayors Memorial Day Ceremony.

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Young artists are invited to create a unique depiction of lei-making activities or ceremonial actions of the Memorial Day ceremony, such as lei-sewing, salutes or other patriotic symbols.

All students are encouraged to participate in this contest, and educators are encouraged to use this as an educational and creative opportunity while also showing appreciation for those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Free camp offers West Oahu keiki a memorable winter break

Winning artists and their posters will be honored through various media and will participate in a Mayoral recognition ceremony, where certificates and prizes will be awarded.

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Winning entries will be chosen on their appeal, originality and effectiveness in conveying the message of the traditional and patriotic activities.

Artwork submitted must be made on an 8.5 x 11 paper or poster board in either portrait or landscape orientation, without frames or matting. The art must be made with pen, ink, markers, crayons, pastels and/or paints. Digital art or cutouts will not be considered.

Keiki may enter one piece per student, and the following information should be on the back, upper right corner of the piece:

Students name, grade, school and/or island

Teachers name, phone number and email

Entries can be mailed or delivered by Feb. 24 by:

Department of Parks and Recreation

Attn: Samantha Sun

1000 Uluohia Street, Suite 309

Kapolei, Hawaii 96707

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Original copies will not be returned. For additional information, contact Samantha Sun at (808) 768-3032 or ssun1@honolulu.gov.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities  the states largest utility, serving about 1.3 million customers  is prepared to make sure failures of its fossil fuel-fired power plants in 2022 dont happen again, a spokesman for the utility said. (Getty Images)

An incoming blast of frigid air will test efforts by Kentuckys largest utility to fortify its power plants and avoid a repeat of rolling blackouts the utility was forced to impose during a winter storm in 2022.

A surge of frigid air connected to the polar vortex is expected to bring significant amounts of ice and snow from Owensboro to Pikeville beginning Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service office in Louisville. Temperatures are then expected to drop as low as single digits next week.

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Those cold temperatures will have a significant impact on those who lose power during the winter precipitation, according to the National Weather Service office in Louisville.

The polar vortex is a spinning, arctic air mass that can become displaced and reach farther south across North America. Some research has indicated human-driven climate change could be causing more frequent disruptions of the polar vortex.

Pipeline operators, power generators and utilities were alerted this week to take all appropriate actions to maintain an uninterrupted supply of electricity in the face of the incoming weather. The call came Dec. 31 from the North American Reliability Corporation, or NERC, a nonprofit that oversees reliability of the nations electricity system.

In an assessment of electricity reliability ahead of this winter, NERC said prolonged cold snaps that drive up electricity demand, colliding with freezing temperatures that threaten natural gas supply, put the electricity supply at risk.

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Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities  the states largest utility serving about 1.3 million customers  is prepared to make sure failures of its fossil fuel-fired power plants in 2022 dont happen again, a spokesman for the utility said.

Those failures were caused by another surge of arctic air, unofficially named Winter Storm Elliott, that was related to the polar vortex. The extreme cold caused a gas pipeline failure and froze equipment that, coupled with surging electricity demand from people warming their homes, drove the utility to issue rolling blackouts to approximately 54,000 customers for the first time ever.

Since then, some consumer and renewable energy advocates have argued the utility could do more to shore up its vulnerabilities to blackouts spurred by extreme winter weather, assertions rebuffed by LG&E and KU.

LG&E and KU spokesperson Chris Whelan in a statement said while the rolling blackouts issued during Winter Storm Elliott impacted fewer than 5% of the utilitys customers, the utility has no intention of having it happen again.

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We have no intention of having it happen again, and have taken all reasonable steps with our own generating facilities, as well as our natural gas pipeline service providers, to protect against having such an event recur, Whelan said.

Winter Storm Elliott fallout and follow up

LG&E and KU was not alone in suffering a power supply crunch during Winter Storm Elliott. The strain on the electricity grid across the Eastern U.S. caused other utilities coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants to fail, spurring the Tennessee Valley Authority to also reduce its electricity load by issuing rolling blackouts to customers.

The failures of LG&E and KUs own fossil fuel-fired power plants and the ensuing rolling blackouts were scrutinized by the state utility regulator, the Kentucky Public Service Commission, last year as part of an investigation into the root causes of the failures and what the utility did, or could have done, after the storm to shore up its electricity system in the future.

LG&E and KU leaders had previously told the commission the primary driver behind the utilitys rolling blackouts during Winter Storm Elliott was the loss of pressure from a Texas Gas Transmission pipeline supplying fuel to two of their natural-gas fired power plants.

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But Lonnie Bellar, LG&E and KUs chief operating officer, also told the commission that a number of equipment failures at their coal-fired power plants, ranging from a frozen transmitter to a failing gearbox, also contributed to the power supply woes during the storm. If the utilitys coal-fired power plants had been operating at full capacity during the storm, Bellar told the commission, the utility could have avoided the rolling blackouts. But he also said he wouldnt point the finger solely at coal-fired power as the cause of the rolling blackouts.

The GOP-dominated Kentucky legislature pointed to the rolling blackouts issued by LG&E, KU and the TVA as a reason to pass a bill in 2023 making it harder to retire fossil fuel-fired power plants, touting coal-fired power as a reliable energy source.

When asked by the Lantern about what LG&E and KU had done to prevent future failures at its coal-fired power plants, Whelan said the utility inspects equipment, reviews extreme weather plans and makes necessary adjustments to help improve reliability ahead of peak electricity demand during the winter.

Whelan also said the utility installed software updates to allow gas-fired turbines at its Trimble County Generating Station to operate at lower gas pressures, and the utility also installed weather protection around regulators supplying gas-fired turbines at its E.W. Brown Generating Station in Mercer County. Whelan said the Texas Gas Transmission Company has also upgraded its equipment and operating procedures since Winter Storm Elliott.

How soon and how often should consumers be asked to curb demand?

The PSC also heard arguments from renewable energy and consumer advocacy groups who said LG&E and KU could have done more during the storm and afterwards to shore up its electricity supply during extreme winter temperatures.

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Attorneys for groups  which include Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, the Mountain Association, the Kentucky Solar Energy Society and the Metropolitan Housing Coalition in Louisville  in an August 2024 brief argued LG&E and KU could have made more timely appeals to the public to reduce electricity demand as the storm approached.

The attorneys argued the utility knew days in advance there were going to be higher electricity loads the morning of Dec. 23, 2022, but made no public service announcements or other public messaging requesting customers to voluntarily reduce energy consumption.

The Companies claim they were unable to issue public appeals before load shedding began because by the time they realized load shedding was unavoidable, it was too late for public appeals to be issued. That is nonsense, the attorneys for the groups wrote.

The groups questioned how LG&E and KU procedures created in 2024 for issuing energy conservation messages would be implemented. The utility sends messages to customers depending on the alert level of its electricity load.

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Among other critiques, the attorneys for the groups also argued that because the utility isnt part of a regional grid operator such as PJM or MISO, LG&E and KU are more vulnerable during extreme weather events such as Winter Storm Elliott. Such regional grid operators manage electricity across multiple states and utilities, and the attorneys said the larger geographic footprint and diversity of energy sources of those organizations could have increased energy reliability during the storm.

Utilities in PJM, including Kentucky Power, and utilities in MISO, such as the Big Rivers Electric Corp., faced a severe power crunch themselves during Winter Storm Elliott but did not have to issue rolling blackouts.

LG&E and KU attorneys refuted the groups critiques, describing as pure speculation the assertion that public appeals to reduce energy demand would have helped during the storm. In a September 2024 brief the utility says it entered Dec. 23, 2022 with historically ample resources to meet projected demand.

The Companies  with over a century of experience providing reliable utility service to Kentuckians, including during extreme cold weather events  had no reason to anticipate the unprecedented and anomalous gas pressure reduction. Moreover, if the Companies ask customers to reduce usage every time severe weather is forecast, there is a risk that customers will not heed those requests when needed, the utility attorneys wrote.

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Whelan told the Lantern the utility has long-standing plans and practices of alerting the public when energy conservation is necessary.

The utility attorneys also dismissed concerns over LG&E and KU not being a part of a regional grid operator, saying the utility was able to buy and sell power from neighboring grid operators and that PJM was close to shedding load during Winter Storm Elliott.

The investigation regarding LG&E and KU decisions during Winter Storm Elliott is still pending before the Public Service Commission.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
KETTERING, Ohio (WDTN)  Kettering police are asking residents to check their security cameras after a recent car theft.

KPD says officers responded to a home on James Madison Trail just before 3 a.m. Friday morning. Several reports had come in of people checking door handles on cars along the street.

Road ready: Tips from AAA for winter weather driving

One vehicle was reported stolen as a result.

Police believe a group of suspects used two vehicles to drive around the area. If you have any information or video footage of the incident, you are asked to call Kettering police.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Give Kids the World is replacing CEO Pamela Landwirth, the nonprofit organization has announced. She has been leader of the group since 1995.

Words cannot fully express our gratitude to Pamela for her leadership over these past 30 years, GKTW Chairman John Nichols said in a news release.

The organizations mission centers on providing terminally ill children and their families with free vacations based out of Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee. It was founded by Henri Landwirth, who died in 2018 and was the former husband of Pamela Landwirth.

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Pamela has made an indelible impact on the Village as she carried Henris vision forward, Nichols said.

The organizations board of directors named Jordan Lomas, who joined the board last year, as interim CEO. He had a 17-year career with Darden Restaurants, where he was senior vice president of information technology. He will lead the executive search process.

Our succession plan is designed to not only maintain the continuity of the Villages operations, but to also identify an individual who will exceed expectations in service to our most important stakeholders  the children and families who rely on GKTW for a sense of hope and to experience the joy of a dream vacation together, Nichols said.

The news release did not include comment from Pamela Landwirth. As president and CEO, shes responsible for the operations of the Village. Her previous background was with resort operations management, human resource development and project planning with Walt Disney World and a stint as a consultant to Hard Rock Cafe.

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Henri Landwirth and Pamela Landwirth were selected for the IAAPA Hall of Fame in 2017.

Give Kids the World Village, in operation since 1986, anticipates hosting its 200,000th family this month.

dbevil@orlandosentinel.com
Jan. 3After a massive outcry on social media, a West Virginia horse rescue group has taken in a Kitts Hill mare and two other horses after the owner surrendered them.

On Friday afternoon, Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue met with animal control and the owner surrendered the three horses to the county that were then signed over to Heart of Phoenix.

"We are told there were three others on site that will be signed over to local facility," the group wrote on a Facebook post. "We saw one other horse on site while there beyond the three we accepted. We have heard there were more than six horses there from concerned locals, but that is not something we personally can verify. We hope all horses, however many, get what they need."

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Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless said he and Humane Agent Drew Artis were happy to announce a positive resolution regarding the recent concerns over the horses in the Kitts Hill area.

"After ongoing discussions and a thorough review of the situation, the family that owns the horses has voluntarily agreed to surrender them to Heart of Phoenix, and the Ohio Horse Park, both a trusted organization specializing in the care and rehabilitation of equines" Lawless said in press release. "This decision reflects the family's willingness to prioritize the well-being of the animals and work toward a solution in cooperation with all parties involved."

He added that the horses' owner has agreed to refrain from housing equine animals on the property.

"The Sheriff's Office and Humane Agent remain committed to the fair and transparent handling of all investigations, and we appreciate the community's trust as we navigate these sensitive situations" Lawless said. "Heart of Phoenix, and the Ohio Horse Park will now oversee the care and rehabilitation of the horses, and we are confident they will receive the attention and support they need."

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Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue posted that they "say is this mare has suffered a lot of neglect, and we can say the owner, once we knew the name, had applied to adopt from us in 2020. When processing the application, it did not pass out standards by a large margin. We declined the application. This shows application screening works."

The group said that since the photo was shared last week, the mare's mane has been shaved and her tail was cut.

"That's a shame because these are things good grooming could have gotten untangled," the group said, adding the mare seems to have no vision in the left eye and it is actively painful and tearing; her feet aren't especially long but do seem neglected; and her teeth are a mess. "She is aged, for sure. She seems a kind soul. We have named her Callisto."

The group said that the two geldings are in better condition, with the younger one is not underweight but lacks training and is need of a farrier and vet care. The other senior gelding seems to have dental issues and very neglected feet, but he is not particularly underweight. The said a vet and a farrier will be checking on all three of the horses.

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"We appreciate Lawrence County, Ohio listening to the concerns of the public in their area and looking further into this situation. We appreciate the animal control officer meeting us to allow us to move these three horses and for his help. We appreciate the family of the owner working it out to where these three horses could be turned over to us, ultimately," the group wrote. "Is this a perfect outcome? Well, things rarely go ideally. We are glad to have been able to help these three get what they need, and each had a specific need, for sure."

The Heart of Phoenix group is asking for donations to help these three horses and other horses they will be taking in soon.

To make find out more about the rescue group, go to their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/HeartofPhoenixEquinerescue.

Lawless thanked the public for their patience and support as they worked toward this resolution.

"Your voices have highlighted the importance of ensuring proper care for these animals," he said. "This collaboration demonstrates that when we work together, we can achieve meaningful outcomes."
Officers arrested a man on Friday morning after he attacked a father and his juvenile daughter for no apparent reason, according to the Culver City Police Department.

The departments release stated that officers responded around 9:28 a.m. to Ocean Drive and Westwood Boulevard for a call about an assault with a deadly weapon.

According to preliminary information, the father told the responding officers that he and his daughter were exercising along the bike path of La Ballona Creek when a man emerged and started violently swinging a knife in the fathers direction.

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Officers said that neither the victim nor his daughter were injured and they were able to flee from the attacker. Officials did not immediately identify either family member or the suspect.

Police canvassed the area and swiftly located and detained the suspect without incident in the Culver City Middle School parking lot, adjacent to the footbridge, stated the departments release.

Officials noted that due to winter break, there were no students present at the time of the incident.

In an X post, police provided this graphic that shows the knife used by a suspect in an assault on a father and daughter on Jan. 3, 2025. (Culver City Police Department)

Moments before he was detained, the suspect purportedly discarded the knife he used in the attack, but officers recovered it at the scene.

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The suspect was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and booked at the Culver City Jail, concluded the release.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 knife-wielding maniac with a history of mental illness and 87 prior arrests is wanted in connection with at least two stabbings in the subway this week, The Post has learned.

Cops searching for Jamar Banks were warned to use extreme caution when encountering him because he is believed to be armed with a large knife, according to a message sent to police officers and obtained by The Post.

Banks, 52, is known to frequent the No. 2 and No. 5 subway lines, authorities said in the message.

Police are searching for Jamar Banks in connection with two subway stabbings. Obtained by The New York Post

Hes being sought in connection with stabbings on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, according to the NYPD.

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A surveillance photo allegedly shows Banks holding the knife in gloved hands.

He has a very very lengthy arrest history, a police source said. It looks like he rides the rails back and forth.

Banks is wanted for allegedly approaching a 31-year-old man from behind on a 2 train at 14th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan on Wednesday and starting an argument, before stabbing him in the back and running away.

Hes also suspected of knifing an off-duty MTA cleaner in the back and armpit around 6 a.m. Thursday, after starting an argument with the victim on a northbound 6 train platform at the Pelham Bay station in the Bronx, police said.

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The attacker fled after the stabbing.

Both victims were taken to hospitals in stable condition.

Banks rap sheet includes arrests for charges including attempted murder, weapons possession, assault, criminal trespassing, turnstile jumping and petty larceny, police sources said.

Surveillance video allegedly shows Banks with a large knife, cops said. Obtained by The New York Post

Banks allegedly stabbed a man in the leg with a kitchen knife on a Manhattan subway around 11 p.m. on Oct. 19, 2022, cops said.

The 26-year-old victim told police he boarded the northbound No. 2 train at Fulton Street and that his attacker got on at 72nd Street and attempted to sit on his girlfriends lap, police said.

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When the victim asked Banks to step back, Banks allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the lower left leg.

The officers who responded applied a tourniquet and the victim was taken to a hospital, cops said.

Banks was arrested on Dec. 14 for the attack and charged with assault with intent to cause injury with a weapon. It wasnt immediately clear what happened to the case after that.

In June 2015, Banks was accused of bursting out of a McDonalds bathroom at 14th Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan and stabbing a man who had knocked on the door to see if the facility was occupied, the police sources said.

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In June 1997, Banks was charged with attempted murder after a man bumped into him, allegedly prompting Banks to shoot the man in the leg, the sources said.

Banks allegedly knifed an off-duty MTA cleaner at the Pelham Bay station. Robert Miller

The victim told cops he was walking on East 226th Street in the Bronx when a man bumped into him. He kept walking and was about to go into a store when Banks allegedly opened fire, the sources said.

Banks, who was 24 at the time, was charged with intent to commit murder, assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon, criminal use of a firearm in the first degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, cops said.

The outcome of the case wasnt immediately clear.
ARAB, Ala. (WHNT)  While the Korean War was over 70 years ago, there are still more than 7,000 missing and unidentified soldiers according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.

Now, seven decades later a family in Arab is getting the closure theyve been hoping for.

Redstone Arsenal announces hightened security measures

As we find them, you know, we bring them home and give them the honor that is their due honor, American Legion Post 114 Spokesperson Bertram Mau said.

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Cpl. Waymon Slaten enlisted just days after his 18th birthday. His family said he was stationed in South Korea and was killed in action.

His cousin, Rhonda Tidmore said the Army was unable to identify the body, so he was buried in Honolulu, Hawaii.

After using family DNA, his family members were able to match it to the remains and identify Slaten. Now, hes back home in Arab.

Two killed in crash on Highway 157 in Lawrence County

It is quite an honor to be able to pay that last respect to our fallen brothers and sisters, said Mau.

Mau is a retired master sergeant who served 22 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force. He was a part of the honor guard that welcomed Slaten home.

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While he didnt know Slaten, Mau said serving him in this role was a privilege.

Ive been honored to have met some World War II veterans who are in their 90s, and the stories they have to tell is awesome, he said. Every soldier has his or her own story to tell and the ribbons they wear is their story.

The family tells me the past few months have been a whirlwind of emotions, but if there is one word to describe today, its closure.

They share that their hope now is for other families to find it as well

Mau is the current spokesman for the American Legion Post 114. He said they are always looking for more members to get involved in events like today.

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They meet every third Tuesday of the month at 230 3rd Ave NW, Arab, AL 35016.

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Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have pointed out that the Russian authorities are deliberately distorting Ukrainian legislation and the Constitution of Ukraine regarding martial law elections and do not intend to give in to the conditions for ending the war, which have not changed since 2021.

Source: ISW

Details: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that the Ukrainian Constitution and legislation prohibit the country from holding presidential and parliamentary elections during martial law.

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Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian authorities will be able to consider lifting martial law when the "hot phase" of the war is over and when Ukraine takes a "strong position" with a "strong army, a strong weapons package and security guarantees".

The ISW analysts reiterated that the Law of Ukraine "On the legal regime of martial law", enacted in 2000, stipulates that the Ukrainian authorities might lift martial law "provided that the threat of attack or danger to the state independence of Ukraine and its territorial integrity is eliminated."

Quote from the ISW: "Kremlin officials, including Putin, have repeatedly used deliberate misreadings of Ukraine's law and constitution to claim that Zelenskyy is an illegitimate president of Ukraine after Ukraine, adhering to the law and constitution, did not hold elections under martial law in 2024."

More details: The report added that the Ukrainian government could not legally lift martial law while Russia continues its war against Ukraine.

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Experts added that Zelenskyy had outlined the conditions that need to be met to force Russia to agree to a just peace.

Among other things, he said that Ukraine cannot achieve a just peace with a small army of 40,000 or 50,000 soldiers, which was a reference to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin's initial demand during the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul in the spring of 2022 that Ukraine demilitarise and maintain only a force of about 50,000.

Quote from the ISW: "Putin and other Kremlin officials have repeatedly demanded conditions for ending the war that amount to Ukraine's complete capitulation, including the removal of the legitimate Ukrainian government and Ukraine's demilitarisation.

These demands have not changed since 2021."

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To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 3 January:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined the conditions that must be met to push Russia to agree to a "just peace".

Ukrainian officials continue to signal that Ukraine is working to further increase its drone and missile capabilities in support of this goal.

Zelenskyy reiterated on 2 January that the Ukrainian Constitution and Ukrainian law prohibit Ukraine from holding presidential and parliamentary elections during periods of martial law.

Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported that several Russian ships will soon arrive at the Port of Tartus in Syria to evacuate Russian military assets to Libya.

Russian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Vuhledar.

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) continues to support its official "Glaz/Groza" reconnaissance and strike unit coordination software package despite Russian soldiers continued reliance on other ad hoc communications systems.

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Billions of pounds raised from Labours private school raid will not be ringfenced to improve state schools  despite Rachel Reevess promises it would.

The Chancellor told television broadcasters last weekend every single penny of the 1.5bn-a-year gained from applying 20pc VAT to independent school fees would be hypothecated for state education.

However, The Telegraph can reveal the Treasury has made no plans to ringfence the funds meaning they can theoretically be spent on any number of government initiatives.

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Ringfencing taxes is a common practice which governments use to showcase their commitment to investing in specific areas.

The best-known example is the BBC licence fee which costs households 169.50 per year and is explicitly allocated to funding the BBCs public broadcasting services.

In an interview with ITV last weekend, Ms Reeves was asked: Will all of that money be ringfenced for state schools?

She replied: Yes, every single penny of that money will go into our state schools to ensure that every child gets the best start in life.

Bridget Philipson, the education secretary, similarly said last week: ending the VAT break enjoyed by private schools will provide much needed investment in our state schools.

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However, when The Telegraph queried such claims, a Treasury source said: The money is not directly hypothecated in the same way other taxes are. The physical pounds and pence are not directly ringfenced [for state schools].

They added: Its not physically funnelled from A to B but in value terms the principal is still there. The Chancellor has been clear that value is going to be going directly towards the education priorities.

The revelation plunged Labour into a fresh row on Friday as the Conservatives accused the party of dishonesty and falsehoods.

It is especially embarrassing for the Chancellor who has already been accused of breaching the ministerial code over her fabricated CV.

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Neil OBrien MP, shadow education minister, added: This is yet more dishonesty from Rachel Reeves.

Any money they raise from this education tax raid will just disappear into the black hole she has created with her catastrophic Budget. They are trashing state education and playing politics with childrens futures.

Sir Jacob Rees Mogg, who served in Boris Johnsons cabinet, said: It is another Labour falsehood. It is as true to say that the VAT on school fees will go to overseas aid as it is to pretend it goes to state schools.

Polling suggests public support for the private school raid is largely based on the assumption the money used would be spent on state schools.

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A study by Ipsos in 2023 found 72pc of the public thought Labours assertion that the raid would fund more teachers was a convincing reason to support the tax.

Hypothecated taxes are used by governments to make sure all of the revenue raised by a levy is ringfenced and used for one specific purpose.

In 2021, then-prime minister Mr Johnson announced a 1.25 percentage point rise in National Insurance paid by both employers and workers that would be legally ringfenced to go only towards health and social care costs. It was scrapped a year later by his successor Liz Truss before it came into effect.

The Treasury has estimated the VAT levy would raise 1.5bn next year, rising to more than 1.7bn a year by 2029/30. Some 37,000 pupils are expected to be forced out of private education in the same time frame.

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But analysis by The Telegraph cast doubt on these figures after finding school fees have risen by 14pc this term in light of the tax raid as opposed to the 10pc forecast.

A separate report by National Foundation for Educational Research published this week found it could cost Labour 5bn a year to recruit 6,500 new teachers  a figure that dwarfs the expected takings from the policy.

Laura Trott, shadow education secretary, said: This is just another hollow promise from Labour, with no guarantee that the Government will see it through.

Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council, which represents 1,400 members, said: We have repeatedly raised concerns that this policy will not produce the money the Government expects.

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It is extremely concerning to find out at this late stage that, in the event that anything is raised, it is now not even guaranteed that these funds would go to state schools.

A Treasury spokesman said: The total value of what is raised by the measure will support the Governments education priorities, as committed in the manifesto. It will raise around 1.8bn a year by 2029 to help deliver 6,500 new teachers and raise school standards.

Ms Reeves was approached for comment.

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I cant say that I liked school much. I went to three: a nasty local state school in small-town Massachusetts run by teachers who seemed to be there solely to vent their hatred of children; an experimental independent day school in another small town nearby, whose relative cheapness was made up for by the ropiness of its curriculum, and finally, on a sizeable violin scholarship, to a famous mixed, co-ed independent school  Bedales  in Hampshire. I didnt really care which type of school I was in, as I always found it both inherently tiresome and socially stressful.

I did, however, find two out of my 11 years of schooling academically enriching and worthwhile, even if they were lacking in other ways. These were the final two, where I did A levels in economics, French and English (I know, a slightly strange trio).

The teaching was erratic but the exam board (Cambridge) was solid back then and I found, absent being cool and into binge drinking, that revising like the devil for the exams meant grappling with Miltons verse rhythms, Hamlets core themes, concepts like marginal utility and opportunity cost, and the nuances of Cyrano de Bergerac in French.

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None of that would have been possible under reforms like the ones now being pushed through under grim Labours even grimmer Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, an Oxford graduate from Tyne and Wear, the beneficiary of just the sorts of approaches, schemes and funding she now wants to axe. She launched an independent review of the school curriculum soon after Labours July victory, and has apparently now come to the conclusion that it needs a major overhaul.

The curriculum, she reminded us last week, will be getting a refresh because it is outdated thanks to the issues and diversities of our society. She therefore intends to breathe new life into the national syllabus. Thats Shakespeare told.

The monochrome pursuit of cultural right-think has already led Labour to axe funding for Latin teaching in state schools via the Latin Excellence Programme. This fits nicely with the partys zest for sabotage and hypocrisy by ensuring that Latin  the tongue in which much Western civilisation was laid down, and a root language that makes the study of romance languages much more accessible  is only available to the richest. For those are now the only people who, following the VAT hike on independent schools, can afford private education.

As has been widely noted, Phillipson is hardly an outlier, however grotesque her vandalism of received epistemology. The teaching unions are all over this agenda, suffused  as performative Leftists tend to be, by the most arcane woke convictions, demanding that English literature should be less traditional and more diverse. One union insists schools should embed anti-racist and decolonised approaches in the curriculum, while another sounded the alarm that currently ethnicity and sexual orientation are under-represented. Unions have said that pushing high standards in English and maths has discouraged attendance.

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Phillipson is keen to do away with the whole notion of subjects as we know them, as these are certainly too regressive. She is simply done  over it  with the likes of history and literature, at least as we know them, full of the richness laid down by our most brilliant ancestors.

They are to be replaced in their former glory and lifelong guides by a full load of the woke DEI rubbish that has already destroyed university curricula.

Even most eerily, and in keeping with some of the worst American campus excesses, she wants science mauled too by way of being de-Westernised. Truly depressingly, the evidence drawn on by the Government for doing this came from bodies that should be championing the teaching of science, not trying to destroy it. And yet the Royal Society of Biology, Royal Society of Chemistry, and Institute of Physics all said that pupils should learn why some cultures were less able to claim credit and ownership for ideas. They say that heroes should be done away with.

Presumably that includes the likes of Marie Curie, who discovered radium and polonium, and Rosalind Franklin, who was key in the discovery of DNA.

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The race to the bottom in education, this rampaging through the likes of merit, standards, talent, interest and standards may mask itself in words like refresh and update. But the reality is that the hills children who are interested in learning real things must now climb have just multiplied. The whole system is working against curiosity by making it dangerous  and extremely expensive  to indulge, to the detriment of our entire society.

In a state school, the desire to learn, say, more about Isaac Newton or Jane Austen will carry the handicap of political incorrectness, and the would-be Austenite will no doubt be faced with a barrage of attempts to redirect her to something more pro-trans and anti-racist.

The groupthink language used in describing this overhaul is useful for one thing: as a warning of the sorts of muddy, menacing burble recipients of Labours educational agenda will be taught to use. This is the most incompetent Government in history, but with shake-ups like this, it becomes possibly the most damaging ever. A generations chance to think, inquire and debate has already been stoppered by the hideous climate at universities and in woke workplaces.

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With turn-out at elections plummeting, and distrust in politicians festering, British democracy is in perilously poor health. Thankfully, however, help is at hand. The Institute for Public Policy Research  which describes itself as the progressive policy think tank  has just published a special report, filled with ideas that it believes can help save our democracy and see off the terrifying threat of populism.

No doubt its only the purest coincidence that practically all the ideas it proposes would heavily benefit the Labour party.

For example, the report urges Labour to honour its promise to give the vote to 16-year-olds. It suggests scrapping the requirement, brought in by the Tories, for people to show proof of ID before they can cast their vote. And it recommends limiting individual and corporate donations to political parties to 100,000 a year  alongside a clampdown on foreign funders. Which, rather handily, would prevent Elon Musk from donating millions of pounds to Nigel Farages Reform UK.

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Still, it would seem that the IPPR isnt entirely opposed to foreigners influencing the outcome of British elections. Because its report says that the right to vote should be granted to the approximately five million foreign nationals living in Britain who are not citizens of the UK, Ireland or the Commonwealth.

Its a funny thing. The IPPR says the Government must combat populism. Yet, in practice, its plan would surely cause populism to surge  because Nigel Farage would have absolutely no problem presenting it as the most breathtakingly cynical establishment stitch-up.

Far from strengthening democracy, he could thunder, this plan will suffocate it, by making it all but impossible for anyone to challenge the party currently in power. First, because Labour will have all the money. And second, because Labour will hoover up most of the new teenage and foreign voters.

He could also warn the public that the plan will cause immigration to rise higher than ever. Because Labours message, he could say, is: Come to Britain, and, no matter where youre from, we wont just give you everything from housing to healthcare. Well also give you the vote. And, to show your gratitude, you can use it to keep us in power

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How might that idea go down with the millions of British people who are already furious with mainstream politicians, and their constant broken promises to reduce immigration? We can of course only speculate. But I would politely suggest that, instead of seeing off Mr Farage, it would play right into his hands. Because the angrier that people get with the status quo, and the more deeply they become convinced that what he calls the political class is deliberately working against their interests, the better his chances of success.

More top tips from our NHS

To ensure we stay safe and warm during the cold snap, the NHS has been issuing the public with helpful advice. Apparently, if were going outside when its icy, we should consider wearing shoes with good grip. We are also advised to wear several layers of clothing, and to try to reduce draughts in your home.

Im sure the country will be grateful for these invaluable suggestions, because cold weather is highly unusual in Britain at this time of year, and most of us would simply never have thought to take such precautions ourselves. So, in the same spirit, I hereby offer the following suggestions of my own.

1. To help elderly members of your family avoid injury on slippery pavements this weekend, suggest that they refrain from wearing roller skates or travelling by unicycle.

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2. Although Britains beaches are likely to be significantly less crowded this weekend than they are in summer, nude sunbathing is not recommended.

3. In an effort to keep warm, do not attempt any of the following:

Setting fire to your trousers

Sticking your tongue in a toaster

Rubbing chilli oil into your naked eyeballs

Placing yourself on a baking tray in the middle shelf of a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes at 220C (fan 200C, gas mark 7)

Bungee-jumping into a live volcano.

4. To ensure that your home stays as warm as possible, try to avoid pumping it full of liquid nitrogen.

Age concern

While were on the subject of helpful advice, I was intrigued by the warning printed on the packaging of a present I gave my wife for Christmas. The present was a set of six sherry glasses. And the warning read: Not suitable for children under three years old.

A handy piece of guidance for any parents who were planning to treat their newborn baby to a drop of Harveys Bristol Cream. Presumably, though, if your child is aged three or over, sherry glasses make a perfectly acceptable gift.

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Well worth bearing in mind. Any time your four-year-old is having a screaming fit because he cant find his favourite Jellycat, simply sit him down in front of Teletubbies with a delightfully dry oloroso, or a nip of manzanilla.

This early introduction to the finer things in life should have a wonderfully civilising effect. Hell be like a pre-school Niles Crane.

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

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KATHMANDU, Jan 3: A Himalaya Airlines plane bound for the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu has made an emergency landing at Muscat. According to TIA Spokesperson Rinji Sherpa, the aircraft landed at Muscat due to a medical emergency.

Sherpa, however, said that he was not in a position to confirm the alleged death of a passenger due to a heart attack on the plane.

Related story Nepal Embassy organizes investment meet in Muscat

We have received the information that the plane coming to Kathmandu from Kuwait had to land at Muscat due to a medical emergency. The plane has left Muscat for Kathmandu.We havent received any information regarding the health issue of any passenger, Sherpa told Republica.

Further details are awaited.
A Greater Manchester councillor claims his warnings about grooming gangs are being ignored by his own local authority.

Liam Billington, a Conservative opposition councillor on Labour-run Tameside council, says that he has been repeatedly undermined and blocked after trying to raise the issue of child sexual exploitation by gangs in his area.

Mr Billington claims that at one stage the live feed from a full council meeting in 2022 was deliberately cut off while he was trying to address the scale of the problem.

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He says he has repeatedly tried to raise the alarm over the extent of sexual exploitation of children in Tameside, only for his warnings to be ignored and shut down by council officials.

Mr Billington says that a members development session was held by the council in 2020 to give reassurance that Tameside did not have the same grooming problems as Oldham.

However, he claims that figures presented to the council in 2020, showing that around 120 children were falling victim to child sexual exploitation in the borough every year, suggested that Tameside may have had an even worse problem than next-door Oldham.

Next door to problem area

He told The Telegraph: Theres this problem with child sexual exploitation in Oldham and were next door so its obviously going on here. In fact, our annual figures suggest it might be even worse.

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They dispute this, but I feel Ive been blocked from pursuing this. The councils presentations on this subject make no mention of Asian gangs. Its as if they dont want to address the elephant in the room, yet a detective has told me it takes place around take away and taxi drivers in predominantly Asian areas of the borough.

He now wants Tameside to carry out a full public inquiry into the issue of child sexual exploitation in the borough.

The Tory councillor has also accused local Labour MPs of being reluctant to tackle the issue for fear of alienating their supporters.

He suggested regular meetings held by Tameside with local media representatives might be used by council officials to try to to dampen coverage of the issue.

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He said: Tameside holds regular meetings with local newspaper editors to gather information and stop sensationalist reporting, which might otherwise add to or inflame tensions.

I asked the Chief Executive if at any point he asked the press not to report on Asian grooming gangs. He got very angry, demanding an apology and threatening to sue me. I refused to apologise.

Tameside has been approached for comment.

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Watching this new Labour Government, one finds oneself rearing back and shaking ones head: surely it cant be true that none of the current Cabinet has private sector business experience, beyond working in the complaints department of HBOS?

Having chanted that this Government will be all about growth, Starmer and Reeves seem to be now set on plunging us into recession.

But, of course, the Tories must shoulder much of the blame. A near-universal set of assumptions among Conservative politicians was that if there was a problem, however small, it was for the Government to fix. Money should be spent, a law passed, a new regulator created. So much for any bonfire of the quangos.

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Nowhere was this view challenged: when the public demanded to take back control  from bossy domestic governments as much as from the EU  they discovered that Boris was just another high-spending, over-regulating social democrat. Ever-increasing public expenditure and ever-increasing taxes to pay for it  a tradition eagerly embraced by Sunak and Hunt  made meaningful economic growth impossible.

So when Labour came along, it already had a foundation to build on. The present government didnt declare war on landlords, North Sea oil companies, car manufacturers, employers, farmers, small businesses, and on. It simply ramped them up.

The increase to Employers NIC is only the most obvious howler. My friend with a just-about-managing high street business of 35 employees will pay, by April, an extra 60,000 a year thanks to hikes in Employer NIC, minimum wage and business rates. In a flatlining economy, theres no magic way for him to suddenly make an extra 60,000 in profit, so hell have to fire at least two of his employees, work the rest of them harder and hope his customers dont notice.

To ensure continued economic stagnation, the Government busily creates a new quango every week. The rest of the world has come to understand that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a farce, but in the United Kingdom we double down on this radical progressive ideology with new regulators  Sir Keirs chosen instrument of enforcement.

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In the US, large and small businesses, and Federal and State government, have abandoned this toxic, anti-growth ideology. The big banks are withdrawing from Mark Carneys Net-Zero Banking Alliance. But in the UK, Ed Miliband has been handed 37 billion of taxpayers money to make Britain carbon neutral by 2029, with more futile net zero spending announced every day.

How exactly is the country going to pay for all this? A hit to profits here, a bit more tax there. It all adds up and it all prevents economic growth. But heres the problem: we have now got to the stage where there is no more money left. The juice has been squeezed and the pips are squeaking.

All we can now do is borrow more yet the readiness of the markets to lend is reaching a tipping point. The Labour Party wearisomely chants the discredited mantra that Liz Truss crashed the economy when 10-year bond yields climbed to 4.5 per cent in 2022. They now stand at 4.63 per cent. Truss may have been defeated, but her approach could have created growth; what has come since creates only decline. In consequence, many current and future wealth creators are scurrying away from the country.

Perhaps this state of incipient disaster is exactly what the country needs to finally reboot itself. The writer Janan Ganesh posits a Jimmy Carter Rule: Rich democracies need a crisis in order to change.

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Only the final realisation that the Blairite regime can no longer be paid for will wake up complacent policymakers. Perhaps we should be celebrating Labour for this very reason. They certainly dont need any encouragement to test the theory to the limit.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTVO)  Republican Representative Darin LaHood was sworn in for reelection to represent Illinois 16th District on Friday morning.

LaHood has represented a portion of northern Illinois since 2015.

I am humbled and honored to represent Illinois 16th Congressional District in the 119th Congress. I will continue to provide high-quality constituent services and advocate for conservative Midwestern values, said LaHood. I look forward to working with all my colleagues in Congress and President Trump to deliver on the promises made to the American people.

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The Illinois representative said he was proud to vote for Mike Johnson to be Speaker of the House and looks forward to working with all of his colleagues and President-Elect Donald Trump.

I was proud to continue my support for Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House. Together, we will strengthen our economy, secure our border, restore American energy independence, and return to American peace through strength, said LaHood. I look forward to representing the people of central and northwestern Illinois for another two years!

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(KRON)  The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Bay Area chapter said the Lake Merritt Menorah by the Chabad Jewish Center of Oakland was targeted by vandals on the last night of Hanukkah, for the second time in two years.

Gunshot victim dies Friday after Oakland shooting

The JCRC posted video on social media Thursday showing the disgusting and hateful vandalism from Jan. 2 that compares Israelis to Nazis.

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A JCRC spokesperson told KRON4 that a local community member from the Oakland Jewish Alliance immediately cleaned up the graffiti.

Last year, another menorah in the same area was broken apart into pieces and then thrown into the water.

The Oakland Police Department confirmed to KRON4 that officers responded to the area of 12th Street and Lake Merritt Boulevard at 1:15 p.m. Friday after receiving reports that a menorah had been vandalized with graffiti. Oakland PD said the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the OPD General Crimes Section at 510-238-3728. Anyone with videos or photos that could assist with the investigation are asked to send them to cidvideos@oaklandca.gov.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR)  They only have four days.

Lawmakers will have one more opportunity to get some 2024 proposals across the finish line during a lame duck session. With inauguration for the new General Assembly scheduled for Wednesday, they will have until then before the clock resets on all unfinished ideas. Here are just a few ideas they could broach.

New year brings hundreds of new laws to Illinois: What to know

Clean Energy policies

On Friday, Senator Bill Cunningham filed a new group of clean energy policies. The bill would create some avenues to improve clean energy storage, while also helping build out the grid.

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Theres a couple of flashing warning lights on the dashboard right now that we have to take action on, and incentivizing the use of battery storage for energy can be a really big part of that, Cunningham (D-Chicago) said.

Without changes like these, Cunningham warns of some big spikes in utility costs down the road. He points to increased energy usage by data centers as a reason the storage incentives are needed.

My proposals would probably mean a very small increase in what ratepayers pay. You know, were talking about maybe 20 cents, 50 cents a month on the front end, but on the back end there will be much larger savings, Cunningham said.

Tier 2 pension reform

Lawmakers could also turn to pension reform.

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Governor JB Pritzker wants to make sure that tier 2 pensions meet federal social security standards.

Its clear that that it needs to be dealt with because otherwise you created a whole other liability for the state, Pritzker said in November.

But a coalition of labor groups want to see much bigger changes, and bring tier two up alongside tier one benefits. A bill filed in November has the backing of a wide range of labor unions, including state workers, teachers, and police and fire departments.

Tier 2 pensions were created in 2010 as a more affordable alternative to the very generous tier 1 package, and switching back would be a huge financial commitment for a state looking to dig its way out of a coming fiscal hole.

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Bill to protect Mahomet Aquifer from carbon capture sequestration stalls in Senate committee

Carbon Sequestration

A bill that would prevent carbon sequestration projects under the Mahomet aquifer is still floating around. The sponsor in the senate, Champaign Democrat Paul Faraci, said in November the last time they were in Springfield hes planning to make this a collaborative process.

Our job, and I think many would agree, is to listen to the voices of people who have something to say about an issue, Faraci said. And so this is to me, this is a prime example of the process working, which is good.

The state passed first-of-their-kind regulations on carbon sequestration projects last spring, but did not include any exemptions for the critical drinking water source in Central Illinois. Faracis bill got a committee hearing in November during Veto Session, but it was tabled without a vote.

Delta 8 regulations

Lawmakers could also vote on a package of reforms for hemp-derived THC products.

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The products do not fall under the same regulations as marijuana. In fact, the hemp-derived products are federally legal, unlike the former. They have gotten huge criticism in the capitol though because of lax packaging standards, and their availability to children.

Pritzker announced his support for a bill that made it out of the Senate last Spring but stalled in the House. It would not only create clear packaging standards, but it would also require these products be sold only at licensed dispensaries, and not at places like gas stations where they are available now.

This regulatory gray area has created a loophole that put Illinois consumers of all ages, but particularly children, in danger while an underground market flourishedthe exact opposite of what Illinois has done by regulating our cannabis industry, said Governor JB Pritzker in a December statement.

The public deserves to have their children protected: Pritzker calls on lawmakers to crack down on Delta-8 hemp products

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But hemp businesses view it as more of an outright ban.

HB 4293 is not regulation  its a full-scale ban that wipes out nearly all federally legal hemp-derived products, including CBD lotions, shampoos, and pet care items, the Hemp Business Association said.

Budget Deficit Looming

Hanging over discussion in the capitol the next 6 months will be a projected $3.2 billion budget deficit. Republicans are already focusing on the shortage in revenue  and calling on Pritzker to keep spending down in the new year.

We need to look at where we are actually spending money because we have to focus on Illinois taxpayers, their tax dollars, Senator John Curran (R-Lemont) said.

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But Democrats are maintaining confidence that they can navigate the state through a tough fiscal year.

Well go back to the table and well look at whats working and whats not, Chief Budgeteer in the Senate Elgie Simms (D-Chicago) said during veto session. And well will do whats in the best, what will pass a budget thats balanced and thats in the best interest of the people of the state of Illinois.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A Lansing, Kansas inmate, already serving time for rape, is convicted of kidnapping a prison employee last year.

Allan B. Kari, 48, pleaded guilty on Friday to one count of kidnapping, according to the Leavenworth County Attorneys Office.

The incident was reported on June 7, 2023. The Leavenworth County Attorneys Office said Kari left his housing unit and walked to the reentry office complex on the lower level, where he was not authorized to be. He was carrying a canvas bag, which contained books, papers and a homemade gag.

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The Leavenworth County Attorneys Office reports once in the complex, Kari went to the womens restroom and hid with the lights off. An employee entered the restroom a few minutes later and turned on the lights and saw Kari standing against the wall.

2 children and a man shot and killed in Kansas Citys Northland Thursday night

The employee then saw Kari reach for the door lock but the employee was able to open it before he could lock it. The victim then placed her hand outside the door and started to scream. Kari told the employee not to scream, grabbed her and put his hands over her mouth.

Other employees heard the victims scream and responded. One employee grabbed the victims hand and pulled her from the restroom before stepping between the suspect and the victim.

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Prison employees gave Kari commands to leave. He took his bag and walked to the door of the complex where a correction officer placed him in restraints.

During the investigation, Kari told an investigator he had thoughts of raping a woman and carried the gag with him in case he had the opportunity to, according to the Leavenworth County Attorneys Office.

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Kari is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2025.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A 20-year-old Lansing, Kansas man has been sentenced on a charge connected to a fentanyl overdose death of a teenager.

A Leavenworth County judge on Friday sentenced Torin Michael Baughman to 12 years and 11 months in prison.

Baughman pleaded guilty in November to a single count of distribution of a controlled substance, causing death. The court accepted the plea and found him guilty.

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The charge is connected to the January 2023 death of a 15-year-old Leavenworth County teen.

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Baughman was arrested on March 20, 2024, on a Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) warrant.

Multiple law enforcement agencies helped in the investigation, including the U.S. Secret Service, who used Life360 data to reveal that Baughman was near the victims home on the night of their fatal overdose.

During an examination of the teens iPhone, a Network Intrusion Forensic Analyst with the Secret Service extracted data from the iPhone and found a Snapchat conversation between Baughman and the victim. Through the investigation, it was shown that Baughman provided the teen a pill that was sprayed with fentanyl.

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Law enforcement was able to connect the death of the teen to the fentanyl that Baughman provided. An autopsy was conducted, and the results confirmed the teens cause of death was a fentanyl overdose.

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WASHINGTON (AP)  National security adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to India for a visit focusing on cooperation on strategic technology, including in defense, space and artificial intelligence.

The Biden administration said Sullivan's visit on Sunday and Monday will include a speech at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi in which he will stress that the outgoing administration sees the U.S. partnership with India as central to its regional and global priorities, and one with support from both major political parties. It's expected to be the last high-profile visit to India by the Biden administration.

Sullivan is expected to meet with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

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India and the U.S. launched a technology initiative in 2022 outlining collaboration on semiconductor production and developing artificial intelligence. The accord was critical in sealing a deal to allow U.S.-based General Electric to partner with Indias Hindustan Aeronautics to produce jet engines in India.

India and the U.S. have grown closer recently, in part in response to Chinas growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Biden threw Prime Minister Narendra Modi a state dinner last year.

But ties have also been strained by U.S. prosecutors' accusation in 2023 that an official in Modi's government was involved in a foiled assassination plot against an activist of India's Sikh minority in New York, and the killing of another Sikh activist in Canada.
KATHMANDU, Jan 3: A couple preparing to return to Australia after a short vacation in Nepal has met with a tragic accident involving a scooter in Bhaktapur. While the husband, Nischal Rajbhandari died in the course of treatment on Thursday night, his wife Pooja is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital in the capital.

Nischal, who originally hails from Bhadrapur in Jhapa district, was seriously injured in a scooter accident four days ago in Sano Thimi, Bhaktapur. He died at Norvic Hospital after sustaining critical injuries in the accident. His wife, Pooja Rajbhandari, who was also seriously injured in the same accident, is still undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

Related story Comedian Palpsa Dangol undergoing treatment for kidney failure

The couple, who had been living in Australia for their studies, returned to Nepal for a vacation a few weeks ago. Nischal and Pooja, who were preparing to return to Australia next week, met with the accident while returning to their home in Sano Thimi after shopping for essential goods. According to Bhaktapur police, the scooter lost control while trying to avoid a dog crossing the road.

Nischal was the only son of Chandra Shrestha, a former deputy mayor of Bhadrapur Municipality, and Durga Rajbhandari. Chandra is also a central member of the CPN (Unified Socialist Party), and deputy in-charge of the party's Jhapa district committee.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Head Scientist, Ken Hon, joined Brittni Friedlander on Wake Up 2Day to discuss Kilaueas Halemaumau Crater eruption outlook.

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According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists the current eruption at the summit of Kilauea is the sixth eruption since 2020. These eruptions in the summit region have lasted for about a week to more than a year.

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This eruption started with vigorous lava and volcanic gas emission, but has paused a few times and today shows moderate levels of activity. Current fountaining intensity has been associated with deflation of the summit magma reservoir, which in earlier episodes led to pauses in eruptive activity; it is uncertain if these fountaining levels will be sustained.

Stunning photos show lava erupting from Hawaiis Kilauea volcano

Previous summit eruptions have exhibited vigorous activity in the opening days which can episodically wax and wane, or drop over time to sustainable low effusion rates, or slowly diminish and end.

Head Scientist, Ken Hon, explains the team had the shortest warning out of any in recent years with this eruption. With consistently high fountains, this specific eruption is the most spectacular for viewing. Though it is hard to predict how long this set of eruptions will last, scientists have an easier time now with more of a networking of sensors than they did in the last few decades.

For more information on where to view the Kilauea eruption safely visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (U.S. National Park Service).

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Jesus Christ was the subject of social media posts on the first three days of 2025 by the three senior leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Russell M. Nelson led off on New Years Day with a post about The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles, a 710-word declaration about Christs matchless life and divinity by the churchs First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

My dear friends, may this new year be filled with the light, love, joy and power of our Savior and Redeemer, who is the Living Christ, the 100-year-old leader wrote in his post.

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New Years Day was the 25th anniversary of the Living Christ document.

President Nelsons two counselors in the churchs First Presidency  President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring  followed with posts on Jan. 2 and Jan. 3. (All three posts are included below.)

The three leaders use social media sparingly and for emphasis.

President Nelson, for example, posted messages on Instagram 14 times in 2024. He posted Wednesdays message on Instagram, X and Facebook.

Brief summary of the 3 messages

President Nelsons message focused on an invitation to Latter-day Saints to honor Christ by resolving to visit the temple in 2025 as often as circumstances allow.

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President Oaks, the first counselor in the First Presidency, centered his message on looking ahead from the recent Christmas celebrations of Christs birth to Easter and resurrection.

President Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, emphasized the surety of Christs promises of hope, comfort, love, resurrection and eternal life.

President Russell M. Nelsons New Years Day post

For church members, temples differ from Sunday worship in meetinghouses. Temples are a place where members make and remember covenants  or promises  that they have made with God and find additional peace and seek personal revelation.

President Dallin H. Oaks Jan. 2 post

President Oaks invited people to spend the next three months looking forward to Easter, which is on April 20 this year. (The latest possible date for Easter is April 25, according to the Farmers Almanac.

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The understanding of birth is universal, President Oaks wrote. In contrast, the significance of resurrection, which Easter marks, is not universally understood.

The prophets and teachings of the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirm that Jesus Christ came forth out of the grave and lives today as a resurrected being. Similarly, because of Christs Atonement, all who have ever lived on this earth will also be resurrected, in order to live forever as resurrected beings.

As we look to this new year, let us start looking forward to Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ  the most glorious of all messages to mankind.

President Henry B. Eyrings Jan. 2 post

President Eyring said that the test a loving God has set before us is not to see if we can endure difficulty. It is to see if we can endure it well.

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He shared what for him are the most cherished and encouraging words in scripture about enduring, words that assure him that Christs promises are true.

I bear testimony, he wrote, that the assurance the Savior gave his disciples is sure for us, I will not leave you comfortless.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Law enforcement agencies in D.C. are gearing up for a busy start to 2025, with three major events on the calendar over the next several weeks.

The first of those is happening in just a few days, with the election certification on Jan. 6, events surrounding a state funeral planned for the late former President Jimmy Carter on Jan. 7 through Jan. 9, followed by a second inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.

Law enforcement officials from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), U.S. Secret Service, FBI Washington Field Office, U.S. Capital Police (USCP) and the D.C. National Guard held a public safety briefing Friday.

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Snow, snow squalls in DC, Maryland, Virginia

The agencies said there are no known credible threats to the region for these events and no intelligence of mass demonstrations or large crowds planning to gather on Jan. 6.

They described the current climate surrounding the events as a heightened threat environment.

Recent events, like the terrorist attack in New Orleans, and the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots are top of mind for officers heading into a busy few weeks.

As our nation struggles to maintain a sense of safety in light of recent mass killings and acts of terrorism, the eyes of the world will be on the Capitol to see what happens on Jan. 6th, USCP Chief Tom Manger, said.

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Manger, who took over the department after the Jan. 6 insurrection, said his department has made major changes in the years since, implementing all 103 recommendations made in after-action reports following the attack at the Capitol.

He said his officers are ready for whatever comes their way.

These are officers who want to be on the frontlines of what is happening here, Manger said.

Cold Case: Fairfax County police work to solve murder 25 years later

Dozens of local and federal agencies are all working in coordination with each other during these three National Special Security Events (NSSEs).

That has never happened before, we have not had three NSSEs over a 15-day period before, Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge for the Secret Services Washington Field Office, said.

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Immediately following the election certification on Jan. 6, law enforcements focus will shift to events honoring the late President Jimmy Carter scheduled in D.C. next week. They are then followed by events surrounding the second inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

MPD Police Chief Pamela Smith said local and federal law enforcement agencies were already on high alert heading into a busy January, but recent events have the department on extra-high alert.

We want to be very clear. There is no tolerance for violence, rioting, destruction of property that threatens the safety and security of our city, Smith said.

Smith said close to 4,000 additional officers from across the region and the nation will move into D.C. in the coming days and weeks, and 500 D.C. National Guard soldiers are approved to be on standby for Jan. 6.

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DC road closures for certification of presidential election, state funeral of former President Carter

Requests are still pending for 800 guard members and airmen for the inauguration, according to Smith.

At this time, agencies are planning for the National Guard to provide supplemental security around event perimeters and aid in traffic control.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Several new laws addressing domestic and sexual violence in New Hampshire took effect Wednesday, with the start of the new year.

The laws  which were passed and signed by Gov. Chris Sununu last year  include a change in the marriage age, new protections for tenants experiencing domestic violence and an effort to crack down on sexually explicit deepfakes.

The New Hampshire State House in Concord

Protecting victims rights and holding offenders accountable are issues that we continue to see broad bipartisan support for, Amanda Grady Sexton, a spokesperson for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said in a news release last week. The advocacy group represents 12 independent crisis centers around the state.

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Heres a closer look at some of those measures.

New protections for tenants

The threat of financial consequences for breaking a lease can sometimes trap people in dangerous situations, said Pamela Keilig, who works on public policy for the coalition. Thats especially true when abusers are also controlling their victims financial lives in other ways.

Many survivors face risks of becoming homeless, either with themselves or their children, she said.

House Bill 261, one of the bills lawmakers passed in 2024, is an attempt to lessen those obstacles. It allows victims of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking to terminate a lease early, without financial penalty, in order to leave an abusive situation.

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The bill also strengthens an existing prohibition on evicting someone solely because they are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Though tenants already had that protection under the previous law, Keilig said it was too limited, requiring tenants to show they had obtained a protective order against the perpetrator.

It's not always safe to seek a protective order based on the situation, or they may not have been able to report yet to law enforcement, she said.

Under the new law, tenants at risk of eviction can prove theyve been a victim of abuse in other ways. That includes submitting a written statement from an attorney, health care provider or victim advocate, or self-attesting under penalty of perjury. The law also requires landlords to keep that information confidential.

Combatting deepfakes

Two other laws that took effect Wednesday target the use of AI image generators to create sexually abusive material  a growing problem Keilig said states are just starting to address.

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One of them outlaws sexually explicit images of children that are computer-generated, but indistinguishable from real images  an attempt to address what researchers have warned could be a flood of AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

The second law makes it illegal to share sexually explicit deepfakes of someone  realistic but false images, generated or altered by AI  without that persons consent.

When you have these images that are digitally created, we've seen victims lose employment, Keilig said. We've seen, obviously, devastating emotional trauma.

Marriage age, employment restrictions

Keilig also pointed to two other new laws she sees as important safeguards against domestic and sexual abuse.

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After years of advocacy, New Hampshire lawmakers outlawed child marriage as of Jan. 1, raising the the legal marriage age in the state from 16 to 18.

Children who are married face an increased risk of abuse, Keilig said. So it's also a step in breaking cycles of violence and abuse in our state as well, whether it's physical, emotional or even economic.

Another new law updates an existing law that prohibits registered sex offenders from working with children. The changes clarify that the law extends to roles involving the direct supervision of minors.

These articles are being shared by partners in the Granite State News Collaborative. For more information, visit collaborativenh.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: New laws targeting domestic and sexual violence are taking effect in NH
A yearslong leasing dispute at the Ridgeland-Claude Dean Airport in Jasper County has left pilots and hangar owners frustrated, claiming they are being forced to abandon or demolish their investments. At the heart of the conflict is a clash between federal compliance rules and the airports efforts to enforce updated lease agreements  changes that hangar owners say are unnecessary and unfair.

As Jasper County continues to grow  experiencing an estimated population increase of nearly 20% since 2020 and about 31% since 2014  its general aviation airport has gained increased attention. The airport, which serves private aviation but no major commercial traffic, has been a federally obligated airport for about a decade. This airport designation means it must comply with conditions set by the Federal Aviation Administration.

This shift is part of the countys attempt to modernize operations, according to Danny Lucas, Ridgeland-Claude Deans airport manager and the countys director of development services.

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However, long-standing tenants  pilots and hangar owners who have built or purchased private hangars on county-owned land  argue that the changes have upended a system that worked well for decades.

The roots of the dispute

Since the airports establishment in 1938, hangar owners have leased the airports land under relatively informal agreements. These leases allowed private individuals to build and maintain hangars while paying the countys aeronautics commission for the land underneath them.

A 1993 lease allowed tenants to rent a parcel of land from the commission for $150-$200 per year with the option to renew after 10 years, while explicitly granting ownership of any hangars or other improvements built on the property. The lease also allowed owners to remove their hangars within 60 days of expiration or negotiate an extension, but prohibited subleasing without the commissions approval.

This arrangement worked for years, but complications arose when hangar owners sold their structures. Lucas, who became the airport manager in 2020, said that new buyers often failed to secure a lease with the county for the land beneath their newly purchased hangars. This left them with few options: give up the hangar to the airport, move the hangar or enter legal limbo.

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The FAA says you cant continue to provide someone with a vested right on your property because that will prevent the airport from redeveloping the property to whatever purpose the airport wants to develop the property for, Lucas said.

Airport operators must maintain control over airport property to comply with federal obligations, according to the FAAs national policy. Leases that grant long-term tenant control or restrict the operators ability to manage the airport are discouraged. For example, leases exceeding 50 years or lacking subordination clauses  those that prioritize federal compliance over tenant agreements  are flagged as potential violations.

Lucas cited these federal requirements as the driving force behind the countys push to maintain the airports leasing practices when hangar owners sign new contracts. However, many hangar owners view the countys actions as an attempt to seize their investments and force them into unfavorable agreements. They argue that the changes are not motivated by compliance but by an effort to gain control of valuable property and impose stricter terms on tenants.

Hangar owners push back

Hangar owners argue that the changes feel less like modernization and more like an attempt to push them out. Many claim the county has refused to renew leases, process rent payments or provide clear communication, leaving them with few options but to abandon or demolish their hangars  some of which cost as much as $300,000 to build.

Richard Dean, son of the namesake of the Ridgeland  Claude Dean Airport, has this sign in his hangar that other pilots had re-named Ridgeland Airport the Claude Dean Field because of his fathers work at the Jasper County facility.

Dean emphasized that the issue is not just the loss of investment. He argued that these short-term leases diminish the market value of the hangars. Without the security of a long-term lease, potential buyers are discouraged from investing, knowing they could lose the hangar after only a few years. This is part of the countys strategy, Dean said.

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Another key point of contention is the interpretation of FAA guidelines. The county insists that the FAA mandates a reversionary clause in leases, which would allow the county to reclaim the hangars after the lease expires, he said. Dean strongly disagrees with this interpretation, citing an FAA ruling from Alamogordo, New Mexico, which he believes shows that the FAA does not require such a clause unless the county chooses to implement it.

Other airports have long-term leases of 25 to 35 years and are routinely offered to new businesses and hangar owners, he said. In Ridgeland, however, existing hangar owners are limited to five-year terms, making their investments less appealing to potential buyers and complicating efforts to secure financing through banks, he added.

The airports response

Lucas defends the airports actions, saying the changes are necessary to bring the airport into compliance with FAA regulations. He acknowledges the challenges posed by the dual ownership system  where the county owns the land but not the hangars  and argues that standardized leases will create consistency moving forward. The county also maintains that FAA compliance is essential for securing federal grants, which are critical for maintaining and improving the airport.

Lucas explained that the FAA stipulates that leases should not restrict the operators control over the airport. Long-term leases, such as the previous 30-year agreements, could limit the countys ability to make decisions about future development. The new leases will protect the countys federal obligations and improve operation, he added.

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The airport operator contends that while hangar ownership can be transferred, the land it sits on cannot be part of the sale without a lease being signed by the new owner.

Legal actions and continuing disputes

The dispute has taken a legal turn, with hangar owners and the airport manager planning to battle it out in court. Some hangar owners accuse the county of acting in bad faith by refusing to accept rent payments and failing to negotiate fairly. Lucas explained the airport wont accept payments from hangar owners who do not have a proper lease, as doing so undermines compliance efforts.

In September 2023, hangar owner Cameron Heddings filed a complaint against the county, claiming the county failed to honor an agreement for a 20-year ground lease on a hangar he purchased at the airport, according to court documents. Heddings alleges that he relied on a letter from the county, dated November 20, 2020, which promised to offer him a 20-year lease. After purchasing the hangar from private owner Mark Adam Berry in April 2021 for $85,000, Heddings requested that the county fulfill the terms of the agreement, but the lease has not been provided.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  At least two people, including a child, were injured in a rollover crash on Harding Place Friday evening.

Metro Dispatch confirmed authorities responded to a crash in the 500 block of Harding Place at about 7:23 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 3.

Officers on the scene told News 2 at least two vehicles were involved in the crash. At least two people were critically injured and transported to area hospitals, authorities at the scene added.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Officials said an 8-year-old child was seated in the front passenger seat of one of the vehicles during the crash. The child was critically injured and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

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On Saturday, Jan. 4, authorities told News 2 the 8-year-old was in stable condition.

News 2 has reached out to the Metro Nashville Police Department and Nashville Fire Department for more information.

 Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go.

 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.

 Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee.

This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available.

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At least 41 people have been killed in the latest attacks carried out by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Saturday citing medical sources.

Several more people were injured in attacks on Jabalia in the north, Deir al-Balah in the centre and Rafah in the south of the sealed-off Palestinian territory, it said.

The Israeli military has so far not commented on the report.

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In the far north-east of Gaza, Israeli forces blew up a large building complex located only some 3 kilometres from the Israeli city of Sderot, the Israeli military said, claiming the buildings had housed anti-tank defences, tunnels and rocket launch pads used for attacks on Israel.

Palestinians accuse Israel of trying to drive out the entire population in northern Gaza, and far-right forces in Israel have called for settlements to be established in the area.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads a right-wing religious government, has repeatedly rejected such accusations.

Israel has been waging war on Gaza since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and some 250 abducted to Gaza.

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Much of the Gaza Strip has since been rendered uninhabitable amid the fighting and more than 45,700 people have been killed according to Palestinian estimates.

Negotiations to secure a ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages have been at a stalemate for months.
LEBANON  The Department of Public Works is preparing for snow and ice events to ensure the safety and accessibility of the town.

The town is asking residents to be mindful of the following snow removal guidelines.

For snow disposal, do not shovel, plow, or blow snow into roadways or town right-of-ways.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  With hours to go until Sundays planned start, the future of congestion pricing was back in court Saturday morning and Friday evening.

It is set to begin at midnight tonight. A circuit court denied the last emergency appeal.

More Congestion Pricing News

On Friday in Newark, Judge Leo Gordon recessed court around 4:30 p.m. and had conferences with lawyers into the evening before ruling against the state of New Jerseys request.

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Opponents asked for a temporary restraining order to stop it.

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Both sides presented arguments, and the judge asked questions in the hearing that ran about an hour and a half. The judge pressed the attorney for New Jersey about case law and rule-making procedures.

The case was first brought in April by opponents citing environmental and health concerns.

The state of New Jersey and opponents of the plan are calling the judge the last line of defense.

Attorney Randy Mastro argued the judge needs to stop it since he raised some environmental concerns in a ruling on Monday.

The MTA says the judges first ruling from Monday requested more information and the MTA is going to provide that.

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Justin Balik is a Climate and Transit Advocate.

Its proven, tested and ready to go. Its time for our leaders to get out of the way. We need to move things forward. We have a climate crisis and a transit crisis, he said.

Congestion pricing will fund $130 million in air quality and asthma projects. It specifies in the Bronx and other areas.

The judge has told the MTA to provide more details. He also asked a lot of questions about cases cited by opponents and rule-making procedures.

His first ruling on Monday did not specifically technically say the program could not start.

The opponents argued it didnt say the program could start.

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Cases are still pending on the procedure that created it in Manhattan federal court and Long Island.

The Trump administration and some congressional Republicans have said theyll be looking at federal regulations to see what they could do after Jan 20.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Editors note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and kentucky.com each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the citys history  some funny, some sad; others heartbreaking or celebratory; and some just downright strange.

Jan. 4, 2005: Guy Mattison Davenport, noted University of Kentucky professor, poet and author, dies of lung cancer in Lexington. He was 77.

Born in Anderson, S.C., Davenport turned to literature at age 14 after a skating accident left him with a broken leg. Three years before that, he started a neighborhood newspaper. Davenport attended Duke University to study art and English Literature, then later spent two years as a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford, England, where he studied under J.R.R. Tolkien.

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When he returned to the U.S., he served for a bit in the military and later befriended writer Ezra Pound. After earning his PhD. at Harvard University, he took a position at the University of Kentucky, which he called, the remotest offer with the most pay. He continued teaching at UK until he received the MacArthur Fellowship and retired in 1990.

Over the course of his career, he wrote more than 17 books, published numerous volumes of poetry and penned more than 400 essays.
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  The Second Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction and life sentence of a registered sex offender who was found guilty in February 2024 of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl in Wichita Falls in 2020.

PREVIOUS STORY: Verdict reached in trial for sexual assault of 5-year-old

William Mark Crump in 89th District Court. Photo credit: KFDX/KJTL

William Mark Crump, 64, of Wichita Falls, was convicted by a Wichita County jury of aggravated sexual assault of a child in the 89th District Court on February 7, 2024. The same jury sentenced Crump to life in prison the next day after finding two enhancement paragraphs true.

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Crump appealed the conviction and sentence, arguing that the trial court erred by designating an improper outcry witness, thereby admitting hearsay evidence that should have been ruled inadmissible.

Crumps issue stems from the court allowing a detective with the Wichita Falls Police Department to testify as an outcry witness in the place of the forensic interviewer, who was experiencing medical issues at the time of the trial.

According to Crumps appellate brief, the detective set up the forensic interview at Patsys House, and he observed the interview via closed-circuit television while it was conducted, but he was never actually in the same room as the victim, and the victim never made an outcry to the detective.

Crumps appeal argued that since the victim never spoke to the detective, he should not have been allowed to be admitted as an outcry witness since he did not qualify as such. The appeal argued that inadmissible hearsay was admitted, and Crumps right to confrontation was denied.

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READ MORE: Victim of registered sex offender takes stand, cries during testimony

Mugshot of William Crump from a 1996 arrest in North Carolina

In their opinion, released on January 2, 2025, the justices of the Second Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment of the court, arguing that since the victim herself took the stand and Crumps defense cross-examined her, his right to confrontation was not violated.

The memorandum opinion also asserted that since the evidence was presented in the trial that Crump had previously been convicted of incest in North Carolina in 1997, his criminal history cast the states allegations in a more favorable light.

The appellate court concluded that if allowing the detective to testify as an outcry witness was an error, it had little effect on the jurys verdicts, if it had any effect at all, thus upholding the conviction and sentence.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available.

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Tonight: A few flurries continue in the mountains and in Southern Vermont (thanks to the lake effect bands off of Ontario). Temperatures fall back to the teens and single digits and wind chills are on either side of zero.

Saturday: Light snow showers filter in during the morning, and continue to fall through into the evening. Most find a dusting to 3 inches of snow, with a bit more in the higher terrain of the NEK and Adirondacks. Temperature climb to the upper teens and lower 20s but wind chill remain in the single digits and teens for most folks.

Sunday: Snow showers taper off and skies are partly to mostly cloudy, with temperatures in the teens and wind chills on either side of zero!

Bundle up!

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-Skytracker Chief Meteorologist Haley Bouley

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the line of contact in the war between Russia and Ukraine is unlikely to change much in the foreseeable future.

Source: Antony Blinken in an interview with The New York Times; European Pravda

Details: When asked whether it was time to end the war, Blinken said that Ukrainians must make this decision.

Quote from Blinken: "They have to decide where their future is and how they want to get there."

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More details: In response to whether Ukraine will eventually have to cede territory, the US Secretary of State noted that "the line, as a practical matter in the foreseeable future, is unlikely to move very much". At the same time, the US Secretary of State said, Ukraine's claims to this territory "will always, always be there".

Quote from Blinken: "And the question is, will they find ways with the support of others to regain territory thats been lost?"

More details: The Secretary of State stressed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin's ambition was to wipe Ukraine off the map. In his opinion, it is unlikely that Putin will give up his objectives.

Quote from Blinken: "If theres a cease-fire, then, in Putins mind, the cease-fire is likely to give him time to rest, to refit, to reattack at some point in the future. So whats going to be critical to make sure that any cease-fire that comes about is actually enduring is to make sure that Ukraine has the capacity going forward to deter further aggression."

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More details: In his opinion, this can come in different forms  either through NATO or through guarantees from different countries, "to make sure that Russia knows that if it reattacks, its going to have a big problem."

Background:

The US will make additional announcements on security assistance to Ukraine in the coming days.

On 30 December, the United States announced a security assistance package for Ukraine worth almost US$2.5 billion.

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With temperatures in the low 20s, Dantrell Meekins hunted for spent cigarettes around the base of the worlds largest loon statue at Snelling and University avenues, and then the Snelling Avenue Green Line station, and then the Hamline Avenue Green Line station, and then the Lexington Parkway station.

His was no act of desperation  Meekins, 31, a recent hire of the Listening House Work Now program, is one of more than 100 clients of the drop-in day shelter who keep busy keeping St. Paul clean, traveling around downtown streets and then up and down the light-rail corridor picking up litter.

At $20 per hour, you cant beat it, said Meekins, talking up the program excitedly to a bystander sucking on a cigar at the Snelling Avenue transit station shortly after 10 a.m. on a recent Wednesday.

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Meekins later explained how he followed a pregnant girlfriend from Chicago to St. Paul, staying in a downtown shelter for roughly two years before renting his own Cathedral Hill apartment. For folks living on the street or dropping in and out of homelessness, we need the money. Im just grateful for the time out here, he said, lamenting the cost of living. You know prices went up.

Launched in 2024

The Listening House Work Now program launched in early 2024 with enough pandemic relief funding from St. Paul and Ramsey County to keep it afloat for about two years, offering each recruit  some of them in their 60s and 70s  $20 per hour to participate up to two shifts per week. Since then, the initiative has expanded from picking up on the streets near the day shelters new East Seventh Street hub at the edge of downtown St. Paul to 11 light-rail stations, employing more than 120 participants over the past year.

Show Caption1 of 6

Miss Bell, from left, Dave Drake and Letitia Henderson fan out to pick up trash at the Snelling Avenue Green Line Station in St. Paul on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. They are members of the Listening House "Work Now" program, more than 100 clients of the drop-in day shelter who keep busy keeping St. Paul clean, traveling around downtown streets and then up and down the light rail corridor picking up litter. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

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Rotating crews of 14 workers go out twice daily, up to five days per week, traveling as far as Snelling Avenue with buckets, work gloves and portable trash grabbers in hand. Each worker has completed an onboarding process, with about half of them having needed help securing necessary work documents and other key paperwork to ensure theyre prepared for housing and future employment as they become available.

Among the group on the wintry Wednesday morning was David Drake Jr., 66, a stout man who would repeat the story of how he was born in Hawaii, named after his father and came to Minnesota as a child to anyone who will listen. Drake, among the slowest moving of the group, also was among the chattiest, armed with joke after joke and riddle after riddle, as well as a more harrowing tale of having to resolve an old warrant charge he didnt know he had before he could join the program.

In Work Now, hes found some patient mentors.

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This gentleman here is one of the nicest guys I ever worked around, or with, said Drake, pointing to supervisor Johnny Griffin as the workers approached the Robert Street transit station.

Record homelessness

Walking along downtown Seventh Street with an eye on his crew, Griffin estimated that 90% of participants have no permanent address, with some staying at the downtown St. Paul Higher Ground/Dorothy Day shelter or transitional housing. Some of them sleep under bridges right now, he said.

After a snowfall and stark temperature drop in early December, Griffin expected few workers to show up for a morning roll call, but almost everyone scheduled was there.

Youve got to understand, he recalled one of the participants telling him, some of us sleep outside during the harshest of times.

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Even with just two shifts per week, and against a wintry backdrop, low-barrier employment in a supportive work environment has been a morale booster for many who are down on their luck or have had brushes with the law. Some have had trouble getting jobs because of criminal incidents decades in their past. Work Now has been a good match a time when the city needs their services, said a participant who identified herself only as Miss Bell, formerly of Chicago.

To her disappointment, she said, Green Line stations her Work Now crew have cleaned sometimes get wrapped with litter shortly afterward, leaving her marveling at light-rail users who dont think twice about dropping a wrapper on the ground. I (want to) say something, said Bell, 57, hunting for detritus as the crew walked the Capitol/Rice Street Green Line station. And then Im like no, I better not.

The workers acknowledged that key segments of downtown St. Paul and the light-rail corridor suffered a visible uptick in litter and neglect during the pandemic, problems that have continued in the era of remote work, which has taken many watchful eyes off downtown streets. Meanwhile, housing costs and the fentanyl crisis have pushed many residents outdoors.

Were a team

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development counted a record 771,000 people homeless across the country on a single night last year, the highest number documented since HUDs official Point in Time survey began in 2007. The number is likely a huge undercount, and couch-hoppers moving from friends home to friends home were not included in the tally.

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Griffin, who has worked with homeless populations for more than 20 years through programs like Listening House and Catholic Charities, said its been refreshing to see the recruits treated as part of the solution rather than just as aspects of a problem to be solved.

Were always getting honks and waves, he said, noting that Work Now participants will sometimes pick up trash from private parking lots and storefronts they pass in their travels. Business owners, in exchange, have taken to offering them bathroom access.

Griffin, who likes to wax philosophic, offered life lessons as the crew marched toward a transit station: Were a team, we move as one, but youre also an individual  youre your own lead.

Seeking funders

Their resilience has made some of the Listening House visitors attractive prospects for private employers, and 24 Work Now participants to date have received reference letters as they attempt to land steadier jobs. Ten have moved on to new employment.

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Still, plenty of the Work Now recruits come with baggage, from unresolved criminal warrants to a lack of a permanent mailing address. As they attempt to get those and other issues resolved, organizers are direct in their approach and have no illusions about the population theyre employing. Show up inebriated and your shift is done for the day before it even started.

The next challenge will be finding funding to keep the program afloat past next August.

Using federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, the city of St. Paul and Ramsey County worked together in late 2023 to put $750,000 together and fund the Work Now program for a nearly two-year stretch, which is about half over. The first year of the program cost about $391,000 to launch, with $238,000 paid directly to 126 active participants, according to a spokesperson for Ramsey County.

Funding has also covered a coordinator and supplies, and been put toward obtaining records, clearing warrants and steering participants toward housing and employment.

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Mary Margaret Reagan Montiel, Listening House director of operations, said the city and county are working with Listening House on a sustainability plan aimed at keeping Work Now around for the foreseeable future.

The hope is that other businesses and municipalities will pay Listening House for their services. Metro Transit, for instance, benefits from the cleanup but is not yet a funding partner.

Montiel said the biggest benefits for participants have been the practical ones  money in their pockets, confidence to continue on their journey, job experience to highlight when searching for a full-time job, the knowledge of whats on their background check reports, and most of all, the community they have built with their co-workers and Listening House. Our teams are contributing members of the St. Paul community helping to keep our neighborhoods clean of litter.

Walking along Robert Street on his way to clean a light-rail station, Tyrone Mitchell was hopeful the program could continue.

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Were making a difference, said Mitchell, 49. We come out every day and do what we can do.

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Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has shared images of the aftermath of a Russian strike on Lithuania's honorary consulate in Kherson, calling for increased support for Ukraine to secure victory.

Source: Budrys on X (Twitter) on Friday, 3 January

Details: The minister posted photos of the damage to Lithuania's honorary consulate in Kherson, describing it as "Russia's New Year greetings".

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Quote: "Such brutality and destruction must end. We must provide Ukraine with more air defense and other capabilities it needs for victory."

This is the aftermath at the Lithuanian Honorary Consulate in #Kherson following Russia's New Year "greetings."



Such brutality and destruction must end. We must provide #Ukraine with more air defense& other capabilities it needs for victory. pic.twitter.com/FYRxyAeZpt  Kestutis Budrys (@BudrysKestutis) January 3, 2025

Background: On 3 January, Russian forces attacked the city of Chernihiv with ballistic missiles, resulting in explosions on the citys outskirts. Chernihiv Oblast Military Administration reported significant damage to several houses and one civilian fatality.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Little Rock police are on the scene of a shooting on Colonel Glenn Road.

LRPD dispatch logs show a call for a shooting in progress at 6300 Colonel Glenn Road just after 3 p.m.

Authorities confirmed that three people were injured in the shooting. One is stable and the other two victims are critical.

No suspect or victim information has been released at this time.

Police said an investigation is underway and more information will be provided when it becomes available.

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
Proceedings will start Saturday for the state funeral of former President Jimmy Carter, who died Dec. 29 at 100 years old.

Carter, the 39th president, often faced controversies as commander-in-chief and lost a bid for reelection in 1980, but became widely known as one of Americas most high-profile and appreciated humanitarians post-presidency.

Carter had been in hospice care for nearly two years prior to his death.

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Carters funeral ceremonies Saturday were expected to start at 10:15 a.m. at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, where the late presidents family will arrive before his body is placed in a hearse to start a motorcade procession.

The U.S. Joint Task Force-National Capital Region said Carters motorcade will stop at his childhood home before proceeding to Atlanta, where he will be honored at the Capitol and the Carter Center.

Stay tuned for updates throughout the day here.

Memorial service concluded

5:30 p.m. - A choir closed out Carters memorial service around 4:40 p.m. with The Battle Hymn of the Republic.

Glory, glory, hallelujah, the choir crooned.

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Six service members stood at arms around Carters casket during the entire roughly 40-minute service.

Carter family pastor prays to casket

5:20 p.m. - On any other Saturday, Rev. Tony Lowden, the Carter familys personal pastor, would visit their home for a blessing, he said.

Now, he prayed next to his closed casket.

You walk in the room, hes wrapped in a blanket that has Psalm 23 on it  one of his favorite psalms, Lowden said around 4:15 p.m.

The lord is my shepherd. There is nothing I lack, Lowden read the psalm. He lets me lie down in green pastures. He leaves me beside quiet waters. He renews my life... Even when I go through the darkest valleys, I fear no danger.

Carters grandson opens memorial

5 p.m. - Jason Carter, the late President Carters grandson, opened his grandfathers memorial service with an emotional speech about his legacy.

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His spirit fills this place... Jason Carter said around 4:10 p.m. Its amazing what you can cram into 100 years.

Service members laid down Carters casket covered with an American flag inside the Carter Presidential Center as the service began.

Memorial service begins

4:05 p.m. - A memorial service for Carter commenced inside of the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta.

The arrival ceremony finished and the U.S. Army band departed.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (left), Georgia Gov. First Lady Marty Kemp and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (far right) walk down the stairs as former President Jimmy Carters motorcade drives past the Georgia Capitol on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Atlanta, Ga.

Casket arrives at memorial

4:05 p.m. - Carters motorcade arrived at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta.

A group of service members unloaded his casket from the hearse, while the U.S. Army band played a solemn rendition of America the Beautiful.

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Service members carried the casket into the Carter Presidential Center for a memorial service, followed by Carters family members dressed in black.

Former state representative on Carters inclusivity

4 p.m. - Former Georgia State Rep. Calvin Smyre admired Carters attempts to rid racism in politics.

He had a turn-around in race relations, Smyre said, while standing outside of the state Capitol. Its a remarkable story.

He said the former presidents attempt to reorganize the government ... was a major political pill to swallow, but Carter did it.

Former secretary of agriculture at Georgia Capitol

3:40 p.m. - Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue reflected on Carters legacy of public service while standing outside the Georgia Capitol Saturday.

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I think he exemplified what a public servant really should be, Perdue said. I hope that says something about us as far as a country thats willing to recognize a great person, a great leader in that regard.

He supported Carter as a person, regardless of his political views.

I have great respect for what he did, not what party he belonged to, but what he created and did for mankind, Perdue said.

Motorcade arrives at Capitol

3:15 p.m. - Carters motorcade procession was set to arrive at the Georgia Capitol, beating an earlier delay that was expected to push it back by a half-hour.

It arrived only 15 minutes later than the original plan of 3 p.m.

A hearse carrying former President Jimmy Carter pauses in front of the Georgia State Capitol on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025. Politicians gathered in front of the Capitol as the motorcade drove from Plains to Atlanta.

How bad is traffic?

2:25 p.m. - Streets leading into the Carter Presidential Center were closed at least two hours before the motorcades expected arrival.

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Most surrounding streets were still clear.

Interstate 75 Northbound was congested, according to 511 Georgia, the Georgia Department of Transportations real-time traffic map.

Motorcade running late

2:10 p.m. - The funeral motorcade was running about a half-hour late to its arrival in Atlanta, according to security at the Carter Presidential Center.

The procession is now expected to arrive around 3:30 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. at the Capitol.

It was unclear what caused the hold-up.

A young man salutes to a hearse carrying the remains of former President Jimmy Carter in Plains, Ga. on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.

Public can pay respects in Atlanta

2 p.m. - Members of the public are encouraged to view the motorcade Saturday, attend the repose ceremony at 7 p.m. at the Carter Center, or sign Carters online condolence book, the Carter Center said.

Carter Center prepares for former presidents arrival

1:15 p.m. - An American flag was seen at half-staff outside the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta as the Carter Presidential Center prepared to receive the former president.

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The scene was quiet as security and reporters awaited the motorcades arrival, expected around 3:45 p.m.

An American flag and the Georgia state flag hang at half-staff to honor former Georgia governor and U.S. president Jimmy Carter outside of the Georgia State Capitol on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Atlanta, Ga. Carter died on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, and will be honored with ceremonies throughout the state in the coming week.

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Whats next in Carter ceremonies

12:40 p.m. - The funeral motorcade was driving to the Georgia Capitol for an arrival ceremony and moment of silence with state politicians.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, state legislators, Georgia State Patrol troopers and others will greet the procession around 3 p.m. for a moment of silence at the Capitol.

Then, Carters remains are expected to be taken to the Carter Presidential Center for an arrival ceremony at 3:45 p.m. and memorial service at 4 p.m.

A portrait of former President Jimmy Carter sits with a black veil and a wreath on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia. Carter died on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, and will be honored with ceremonies throughout the state in the coming week.

Family outing

11:50 a.m. - Watching the motorcade was a family outing for Jonathan Gibson of Plains. He and his wife, Kelly, set up chairs and blankets for their three children along Church Street three hours before Carters casket was scheduled to go past them.

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They are friends of Kim Fuller, Carters niece and the executive director for the Friends of Jimmy Carter, which helps maintain the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. So, in addition to honoring a former president, they attended to comfort their friend in the wake of losing her uncle.

The moment was worth the cold wait because it will make warm memories for them, said Gibson, 35, who works as an insurance agent in Albany.

Read more coverage from Plains here.

National Park Service honors Carter at childhood home

11:15 a.m. - A ringing bell broke the somber silence at Carters Boyhood Farm in Plains.

A member of the National Park Service rang the bell 39 times on the lawn, while around 30 rangers stood at salute.

The bells honored Carter as the 39th U.S. president.

A spectator watches as law enforcement leaves downtown Plains, GA, on their way to Americus to begin former President Jimmy Carters motorcade

Carters motorcade heads for boyhood Georgia home

10:45 a.m. - The motorcade departed from its first stop in Americus and was en route to Plains.

It left the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center where him and his wife Rosalynn Carter were treated. Its next stop was Carters boyhood Farm.

His remains were transferred to a hearse by former and current members of his Secret Service personnel.

The hearse carrying Jimmy Carter passes through downtown Plains, Georgia the morning of Jan. 4, 2025.

Family connections to the Carters in Plains

10:40 a.m. - This was personal a moment for Kathy Cross and a half dozen of her relatives who gathered along Church Street in Plains to watch the motorcade.

Cross father, Edmond Hollis, was one of Carters boyhood playmates as they grew up 3 miles from Plains in Archery, an unincorporated rural community in Webster County.

She recalled her father saying, The Carter family were good people. They didnt think about Black and white. They were just all one family together.

Read more coverage from Plains here.

Kathy Cross, whose family had close personal connections with former President Jimmy Carters family, lined up along the motorcade route in Plains, Ga., on Jan. 4, 2025.

Statewide road closures

10:10 a.m. - Carters hometown streets of Sumter County and northbound interstates toward Atlanta were shut down due to Carters memorial services Saturday, the Georgia Department of Transportation announced.

A statewide traffic alert by the GDOT notified drivers of temporary rolling closures from morning to afternoon on these roads:

Surface streets in Sumter County

I-75 Northbound in Byron, Ga.

I-75 Northbound toward Atlanta

I-475

Alan Bowers of Warner Robins signs a condolence book for Jimmy Carter on Saturday morning, Jan. 4, 2025. The book is located on Main st. In downtown Plains, GA.

Travelers brave long drives, cold weather to see Plains motorcade

9:30 a.m. - It was sunrise on a frigid Saturday morning in Plains, and two couples in their 60s and 70s from Florida were the first folks to stake a claim at the intersection of Church and Bond streets.

They drove 6 1/2 hours to witness history and express their gratitude in the hometown of the nations 39th president.

The six days of events for Jimmy Carters state funeral were not scheduled to begin for another three hours, but Darcy and Jeffrey Buck of Dunedin and Charley McClaren and Richard Smith of Largo made sure they got a good spot to view the motorcade.

Law enforcement motorcycle escorts trail behind a hearse carrying Jimmy Carter and the remainder of the procession in downtown Plains, Ga. on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2025.

As they tried to keep warm, they explained what compelled them to be here.

To honor the kindness, the integrity, what he stood for, said Darcy Buck, whose first vote for president went to Carter. Personally, theres not enough of that right now, especially in politics. A man that wouldnt do the things that are being done in politics now, call people names. He always rose above that.

Richard Smith, far left, of Largo, Florida, talks about why he and his wife drove up from Florida to Plains, GA early on the morning of Jan. 4, 2025, to witness former President Jimmy Carters motorcade.

Read more coverage from Plains here.
The state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter begins Saturday and will last until Thursday as America pays respect to the 39th U.S. president who passed away last Sunday at 100 years old.

Saturday's procession begins in Americus before a brief stop at his boyhood home in Plains. The motorcade will then take Carter's remains to Atlanta for a stop at the State Capitol and a ceremony at The Carter Center. A full schedule for the week is below.

Follow along for updates Saturday as the procession makes its way through Georgia.

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Remembering President 39: Celebrate Jimmy Carter's remarkable life and contributions with our new book

Watch Jimmy Carter's funeral

USA Today will live stream Saturday's events beginning at 10 a.m. ET.

5:47 p.m. Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue remembers Jimmy Carter

5:30 p.m. WATCH: Sights and Sounds from Georgia as it pays respects to former President Jimmy Carter

4:58 p.m. Who is the Morehouse College Glee Club?

The Morehouse College Glee Club performed during the ceremony for former President Jimmy Carter at The Carter Center in Atlanta.

According to the Morehouse website: "With the motto, Brothers in song, sing on! the Morehouse College Glee Club has electrified audiences around the world for more than 110 years. The Glee Club has performed all over the world, including tours in Senegal, Ethopia, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, Russia, Poland, Bermuda, the Bahamas, South Africa, Canada, and Puerto Rico, as well as in every corner of the continental United States."

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Maynard Jackson 56, Atlantas first Black mayor, was a member of the Morehouse College Glee Club, as was Godfathers Pizza CEO Herman Cain 67.

Read more about the Glee Club here: Morehouse College Glee Club

4:47 p.m. When can the public pay respects to Jimmy Carter at The Carter Center?

Former President Jimmy Carter will lie in repose at The Carter Center beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday and the public can pay respects at any time of day until 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

4:40 p.m. Was President Joe Biden at arrival ceremony at The Carter Center?

No, Joe Biden will be part of the national remembrance for Jimmy Carter on Thursday when he delivers the eulogy for Carter at Washington National Cathedral at 10 a.m. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens were in attendance at The Carter Center and at the Georgia State Capitol for a brief moment of silence.

4:27 p.m. Jimmy Carter funeral pictures: Scenes from The Carter Center as casket arrives

Jimmy Carter's casket arrives at The Carter Center in Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2025.

Jimmy Carter's casket arrives at The Carter Center in Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2025.

Jimmy Carter's casket arrives at The Carter Center in Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2025.

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Jimmy Carter's casket arrives at The Carter Center in Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2025.

4:23 p.m. Setting the scene from The Carter Center

The motorcade carrying former President Carters remains entered the Circle of Flags at the Carter Center just before 4 p.m. As Carter approached one side of the circle, a silence fell over the area, with only the clicking of reporters cameras punctuating the still air.

The military band then began playing Hail to the Chief and America the Beautiful, as the sun cast long shadows across the drive.

Opposite the band were members of Carters family, including former Georgia State Senator and grandson to the president, Jason Carter.

 Melissa Cruz

4:19 p.m. Jimmy Carter's son, Chip, grandson, Jason, speak from The Carter Center

Family honors Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100, during a ceremony at The Carter Center. Tony Lowden, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter's personal pastor also spoke.

3:57 Jimmy Carter's casket arrives at The Carter Center

Awaiting the president, service members stood at attention in the crisp winter air at the Carter Centers Circle of Flags.

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The Circle of Flags features the American flag in the center, encircled by a display of 50 state flags. All the flags are currently lowered at half-staff.

 Melissa Cruz, For the Savannah Morning News

3:42 p.m. Former President Jimmy Carter's motorcade arrives at The Carter Center

As Carters remains left the Capitol, a military band played drums while they marched down the drive at The Carter Center. It was the same path that the former presidents motorcade had traveled countless times, now awaiting his final trip down the wooded roadway.

Ceremonial troops would soon lead a slow procession to the Carter Center, with his family following behind.

 Melissa Cruz, For the Savannah Morning News

3:33 p.m. Jimmy Carter funeral pictures: See the scenes from Georgia State Capitol, The Carter Center

The Georgia State Capitol and The Carter Center prepare for ceremonies honoring former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Sunday at 100.

Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens and members of the Georgia Legislature welcome the motorcade of former President Jimmy Carter

A military band performs outside The Carter Center in Atlanta prior to Jimmy Carter's motorcade arriving.

A military band performs outside The Carter Center in Atlanta prior to Jimmy Carter's motorcade arriving.

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A military band performs outside The Carter Center in Atlanta prior to Jimmy Carter's motorcade arriving.

3:15 p.m. Jimmy Carter motorcade arrives at Georgia State Capitol

A moment of silence will commence at the Georgia State Capitol as Jimmy Carter's motorcade arrives

3:09 p.m. Jimmy Carter motorcade about 20 minutes from Atlanta

Reporters are being told in Atlanta that the funeral cortege is about 15 to 20 minutes from the Georgia State Capitol.

It will stop at there for a moment of silence by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia State Patrol Troopers.

3 p.m. Plains, Ga. to Atlanta, Ga. How far is it from Jimmy Carter's hometown to Georgia State Capitol?

Jimmy Carter's motorcade is currently along I-75 as it makes its way toward Atlanta for ceremonies at the Georgia State Capitol and The Carter Center.

According to GoogleMaps, it takes about 2 hours, 36 minutes to get from Plains to the State Capitol along the route the motorcade is taking. It is scheduled to arrive in Atlanta shortly after 3 for a brief stop at the State Capitol.

2:55 p.m. Schedule for rest of Saturday for Jimmy Carter funeral

Here's what's left on the schedule on Saturday as Jimmy Carter's remains arrive in Atlanta:

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The motorcade left Plains at 10:55 and travel to Atlanta where it will stop at Georgia's State Capitol for a moment of silence by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia State Patrol Troopers at 3 p.m.

The motorcade then leaves for The Carter Center for an arrival ceremony at 3:45 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. service.

Following the service, he will lie in repose for mourners to come and pay their respects from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

2:12 p.m. Carter motorcade traveling I-75 toward Atlanta

The motorcade transporting the remains of former President Jimmy Carter is passing northbound through Macon and on its way toward Atlanta.

It is expected to arrive in the capital city after 3 p.m. where it will stop at Georgia's State Capitol for a moment of silence by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia State Patrol Troopers.

2:03 p.m. Watch: Jimmy Carter's portrait at Georgia State Capitol

1:51 p.m. Memorial builds for Jimmy Carter at The Carter Center

Citizens pay tribute to Jimmy Carter at The Carter Center in Atlanta

A memorial for the late president was growing outside the Carter Center. The grassy area surrounding the nonprofits sign overflowed with flowers, handwritten tributes, and mementos marking a life in service to others.

Mourners left out several jars of peanuts, a nod to Carters early years spent toiling on a peanut farm in Plains. Others left light blue construction hats in honor of Carters decades-long work with Habitat for Humanity.

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Among the many notes was one signed by a 7-year-old named Stella, who thanked the president for fighting for equal rights and world peace. A pink Care Bear laid beside the note.

 Melissa Cruz, For the Savannah Morning News

1:35 p.m. Who rang the bell at the boyhood farm of Jimmy Carter?

Randy Dillard of the National Park Service rang the bell 39 times at the boyhood farm of Jimmy Carter in Archery, Georgia, The Carter Center said in a Tweet. He was assisted by Park Service member Karen Barry.

The 39 times represented Jimmy Carter being the 39th president in U.S. history.

The motorcade paused at the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm in Archery, Georgia, where Karen Barry and Randy Dillard of the National Park Service rang the farm bell 39 times to commemorate President Carters service as the 39th U.S. president. pic.twitter.com/SjVwOVEFuz  The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) January 4, 2025

1:01 p.m. Scenes from the Georgia Senate chamber, a place where Jimmy Carter served Georgia

A desk from the Georgia Senate chambers

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Some things have changed and others have stayed the same in the Georgia Senate chamber since Jimmy Carter served there in the 1960s.

Yellows and golds cover the wall now, from refurbishments in the 1970s and '80s. Before that it would've been in shades of blue.

And though we know where Carter sat in the Senate - a third-row end seat on the speaker's left - the exact desk isn't known. The desks have been used since 1889, but have been moved several times.

12:52 p.m. Churches come out to celebrate life of Jimmy Carter

Church buses packed onto side streets in downtown Atlanta hours before former President Jimmy Carters remains arrived on Saturday. Many of the buses bared the names of Baptist congregations throughout the state of Georgia.

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Carter was a devout Christian and taught Sunday school classes at the small, red-brick Maranatha Baptist Church well into his 90s.

 Melissa Cruz, For the Savannah Morning News

12:45 p.m. Governor's desk tradition begun by Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter left marks figuratively and literally in office while he was Georgia's governor.

Jimmy Carter left marks figuratively and literally in office while he was Georgia's governor. Carter started the tradition, upheld by every executive since, of signing the inside of the middle drawer of the governor's desk. Carter's is the only signature in pencil.

Watch as Jimmy Carter processional made its way through Plains, Georgia

12:25 From the Georgia State Capitol for Jimmy Carter remembrance

A funeral wreath and black bunting surround the state of Georgia's official gubernatorial portrait hanging in the Capitol.

A funeral wreath and black bunting surround the state of Georgia's official gubernatorial portrait hanging in the Capitol.

 Joe Hotchkiss, Augusta Chronicle

12:15 p.m. Roads in Atlanta begin to close in preparation for Jimmy Carter motorcade

Freedom Parkway in Atlanta has been closed to the public in preparation for late President Jimmy Carters arrival on Saturday afternoon. In the middle of the winding road sits the Carter Center, the nonprofit the 39th president and his wife Rosalynn founded after their time in the White House.

After visits to his childhood home in Plains and the Georgia State Capitol, the hearse carrying Carters remains will make its final stop for the day at the Center, where the public can begin to pay their respects in the evening.

 Melissa Cruz, For the Savannah Morning News

12:12 p.m. State Patrol, GBI preparing Capitol for Jimmy Carter arrival

Georgia State Patrol troopers and Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents are inspecting the perimeter around the state Capitol building.

Risers facing the west side of the Capitol are filling up with media crews, who are putting their gear on the ground for inspection by bomb-sniffing dogs.

12:05 p.m. Hundreds line streets of Plains to honor Jimmy Carter

Church Street in downtown Plains was at a somber hush Saturday morning despite the hundreds of people lining the streets when former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral procession made its way to his Boyhood Farm.

There, the longest serving National Park Service Rangers in Plains, Randy Dillard and Karen Berry, rang the farm bell 39 times. That same bell would ring an hour before daylight during Carter's boyhood, which was the name of his memoir about his early years.

Carters ride through Plains marks the beginning of one last journey, a trip that will mirror the path of his storied life from a modest farm community to the state Capitol in Atlanta and onto Washington D.C. The former President died in his Plains home on Dec. 29 at age 100.

READ FULL STORY HERE: Hundreds line streets of Plains to honor Jimmy Carter's funeral procession

12 p.m. Indiana man comes to Plains, Georgia for Jimmy Carter procession

PLAINS, Ga.  Craig Long, from Terre Haute, Indiana, drove down to Plains to watch the funeral motorcade pass through downtown, an event he saw as historic.

This is going to be history making. Not only was Jimmy Carter president, but he was a great humanitarian, Long said.

Long said hes volunteered for much of his life, primarily with several food banks, and hes mostly in Plains to commemorate Carter as an extremely empathetic person.

My parents were proud country folks who didnt accept charity or food stamps, Long said. I came from a family of 13 kids, and we were hungry Ive been a champion of the underdog since then. I believe in sharing what you have, even if its not a lot. I learned that from my father  and Carters work as president and with Habitat for Humanity shows that.

 Sarah Clifton, Montgomery Advertiser

11:45 a.m. Supporters travel from Illinois to see Jimmy Carter in Plains

Sarah Wollenweber, right, and son London Wollenweber traveled form Bloomington, Illinois to Plains, Georgia, to pay tribute to former President Jimmy Carter.

Plains, Ga.  This morning, Sarah Wollenweber, from Bloomington, Illinois fulfilled a promise she made to her high-school aged son, London Wollenweber, four years ago  a promise to take him to Carters memorial services.

London became interested in politics from a young age, specifically, during the 2016 election, when he was in third grade.

I started researching presidents, senators and representatives, and Jimmy Carter stuck out to me, not as a politician, but as a human, London said. When you look at Jimmy Carter, you dont see a politician, you see a great human, and a friend in all of us.

London said Carter was the last politician we see with a genuine connection to not just his town, but the world.

Just to be here, I cant believe it, Im going to be talking about this for years to come, London said.

 Sarah Clifton, Montgomery Advertiser

11:25 a.m. Motorcade bound for Atlanta, The Carter Center

Jimmy Carter's motorcade is bound for about a 2 1/2 hour drive to Atlanta where it will stop at the Georgia State Capitol for a moment of silence before arriving at The Carter Center for a 4 p.m. service.

11:05 a.m. LeAnne Smith, Carter's niece, remembers Jimmy Carter

LeAnne Smith, niece of Jimmy Carter, was one of many paying tributes Saturday to Jimmy Carter in their hometown of Plains, Georgia.

LeAnne Smith, a Plains, Georgia local and Jimmy Carters niece, was one of many locals remembering Carter downtown.

Uncle Jimmy became governor, and one Thanksgiving, he said, Ive got to tell yall something,' Smith said. He said Im gonna run for president, and my dad said, President of what? and he said, The United States.' And then we laughed and kept just fixing our plates.

Smith said when she was an eighth grader, she was part of Carters presidential campaign efforts. She took off with the Peanut Brigade to Florida in 1976 to knock on doors and ask people to vote for [her] Uncle Jimmy for president.

 Sarah Clifton, Montgomery Advertiser

10:57 a.m. Bell rings 39 times for former President Jimmy Carter

Carter's motorcade makes a brief stop in front of his boyhood farm as a bell is rung 39 times as a symbol of him being the 39th president in US history.

10:50 a.m. Motorcade makes stop at Jimmy Carter's childhood home

Jimmy Carter was born and raised in Plains, Georgia, where he lived much of his life outside of politics. The motorcade will make a brief stop at Carter's childhood home in Plains, where folks are lining the streets to pay tribute to the 39th president.

Carter's family settled on the farm in 1928, and shaped Carter as a peanut farmer from Plains.

10:43 a.m. Who are Jimmy Carter's family? Sons Jack, Jeff, Chip and daughter Amy

Jimmy Carter's obituary reads: President Carter is survived by his children  Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rosalynn, and one grandchild.

My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love, said Chip Carter, the former presidents son. My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.

Read the entire The Carter Center obituary here: Jimmy Carter dies at 100

10:25 a.m. Motorcade for former President Jimmy Carter begins in Americus, Georgia

The motorcade for Jimmy Carter has begun at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. It will make a 15-minute ride to Carter's boyhood home in Plains, about 15 minutes away.

Where is Jimmy Carter's birthplace? What to know about Plains, Georgia

Plains, Georgia is in Sumter County in the southwest portion of the state. The city is about an hour south of Columbus, Georgia, and about 2 1/2 hours southwest of Atlanta.

People pay respects to Jimmy Carter in Plains, Georgia amid chilly morning

In downtown Plains, Georgia, on the morning of Jan. 4, the metal-tin light fixtures sway in the ice-sharp breeze. Locals and travelers alike bundle up in black and brown woolen trench coats and plaid scarves.

They stroll beneath aged signs illuminated by Edison bulbs that proclaim Jimmy Carter  39th president of the United States  as Plains hometown hero.

The atmosphere isnt one of sadness, though. Its one of remembrance, and warm as the vintage lights downtown. Almost every local  and even some from further out than Plains  has a connection to Carter theyre remembering today.

Naomi Richardson, the owner of M.G. Richardson Bed and Breakfast in Richland, Georgia said she remembers Carter and her grandfather being good friends.

When my grandfather died, Jimmy knew secret service was going to be everywhere with him, and he was so respectful of that  he didnt come in the church [for the funeral], he just came right to the house to sit with us, Richardson said. He ate with us, and all my friends at the funeral asked, Did you know Jimmy Carter is just in your den?

Richardson said she heard the men talk politics often when she was young.

They were opposite parties, but never once were they cross with each other. Youd never even know unless you really listened to them talk, Richardson said. All I remember now is what they agreed on when they talked it out, mainly taking care of the poor Jimmy was always gonna be polite.

Keaymonda Hollis, who grew up in Plains, said his grandfather was also close friends with Carter in his childhood, and that Carter wrote about his grandfather as his African-American childhood friend in his first book.

Hollis said that he was part of Carters expedition to build a Boys & Girls Club about a mile up the road from Plains. Carter got a team of local kids to help with the project, which included Hollis, who was 12 years old then. Hollis said he was unaware of the ties they had to each other at the time. Hollis said Carter bought the kids lunch while they worked, and that he rode in the Suburban with the Carters.

Growing up here, everyone looked out for each other, Hollis said. Its so amazing to me that a person from a small town community can make such an impact on the world. A lot of people really dont know that he did all these [humanitarian] things. Small town people can make an impact wherever they go.

 Sarah Clifton, Montgomery Advertiser

Mourners lining Plains, Georgia streets to pay respects for Jimmy Carter

People are lining the barricades along Church Street in Plains. The number of people has grown from just a few at 7 a.m. to about 100.Alan and Owen Bowers, a father and son, woke up at 5:45 a.m. to make the trip from Warner Robins, Ga., about an hour and fifteen minutes from Plains.

 Evan Lasseter, Savannah Morning News

Alan and Owen Bowers, a father and son, woke up at 5:45 a.m. to make the trip from Warner Robins, Ga., about an hour and fifteen minutes from Plains.

Flowers laid for former President Jimmy Carter

People laid flowers at the foot of former President Jimmy Carter's monument in Downtown Plains.

People laid flowers at the foot of former President Jimmy Carter's monument in Downtown Plains. The memorial includes Habitat for Humanity hard hats with written notes on them. One reads: "God bless you Mr. President."

 Evan Lasseter, Savannah Morning News

A Habitat for Humanity hard hat reads: "God bless you Mr. President."

Jimmy Carter's environmental legacy

Former President Jimmy Carters environmental activism began and flourished in his home state of Georgia.

By his death at 100 years old on Sunday, Carter had established his green legacy throughout the fields, forests and river bottoms of Georgia just as much as he had in the White House.

 Melisa Cruz, For the Savannah Morning News

FULL STORY HERE: Jimmy Carters environmental legacy began in the rivers and farms of Georgia

Jimmy Carter's family tree extends deep into Peach State

Carter was well known as the 39th president, a former peanut farmer and the unofficial face of Habitat for Humanity. But who made up his family beyond Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady and his wife of nearly eight decades?

Carters family tree includes politicians, businessmen and more.

Our graphics team put together this look at Jimmy Carter's family over two generations.

Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them.

-Janet Loehrke

Carter family tree: Jimmy Carter's family tree extends deep into the Peach State

Schedule for Jimmy Carter state funeral

Saturday, Jan. 4

State funeral begins at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia at 10:45 am. where a motorcade will take Carter's remains to his hometown of Plains for a stop at his boyhood home for a brief pause at 10:50 a.m.

The motorcade will travel leave Plains at 10:55 and travel to Atlanta where it will stop at Georgia's State Capitol for for a moment of silence by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia State Patrol Troopers at 3 p.m.

The motorcade then leaves for The Carter Center for an arrival ceremony at 3:45 p.m. followed by a 4 p.m. service.

Following the service, he will lie in repose for mourners to come and pay their respects from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Sunday, Jan. 5

Carter continues to lie in repose until 6 a.m. on Tuesday. The public is invited to pay their respects throughout this time.

Monday, Jan. 6

Carter continues to lie in repose until 6 a.m. on Tuesday. The public is invited to pay their respects throughout this time.

Tuesday, Jan. 7

A ceremony at 9:30 a.m. for the late president at the Carter Center will precede the motorcade's departure for Dobbins Air Force Base where they will board Special Air Mission 39 to travel to Washington at 10:40 a.m.

The Air Mission 39 will land at Joint Base Andrews at 12:45 p.m.

The motorcade will travel at 1:15 p.m. to the U.S. Navy Memorial for a horse-drawn caisson to the U.S. Capitol at 2 p.m.

Congress will pay respects during a 3 p.m. ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

Carter will lie in state from 7 p.m. to midnight for public viewing.

Wednesday, Jan. 8

Carter will lie in state for public viewing from 7 a.m., Jan. 8, until 7 a.m., Jan. 9.

Thursday, Jan. 9

This is dedicated by President Joe Biden as the National Day of Mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.

A 9 a.m. ceremony at the U.S. Capitol as the motorcade departs for the Washington National Cathedral and a 9:30 a.m. arrival ceremony.

The National Funeral Service will take place at 10 a.m.

Following the ceremony, at 11:15 a.m., Carter's family will travel by motorcade to Joint Base Andrews for departure back to Georgia.

Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Lawson Army Airfield at Fort Moore, Georgia, at 2 p.m.

Carter and his family then travel by motorcade to Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains for a private funeral service at 3:45 p.m.

The family will travel by motorcade at 4:45 to the Carter's private residence for a private interment at 5:20 p.m.

"The public is invited to line the motorcade route as Carter and his family travel through his beloved hometown of Plains, Georgia to the late presidents final resting place. Prior to interment, the U.S. Navy will conduct a missing man formation flyover in honor of former President Carters naval service and time as commander-in-chief shortly after the motorcades arrival at the residence," the family stated.

How old was Jimmy Carter when he died?

Jimmy Carter was the longest-living president in history as he turned 100 in October. He outlived former President George H.W. Bush by nearly six full years.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Jimmy Carter funeral. Live updates on Georgia procession
LIVERPOOL, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  A staff member of Liverpool High School has lost her job for sharing a password with a student whose classmates then used the login credentials to tamper with electronic discipline data.

The districts interim superintendent confirms to NewsChannel 9, The staff member involved is no longer employed by the Liverpool Central School District. Citing privacy of personnel matters, the superintendent wasnt willing to say more about the employee.

Liverpool students arrested, accused of tampering with online portal

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The employee shared the password with a student of the district so the student could use the buildings WiFi network, investigators tell NewsChannel 9. Police say that when the student shared the password with classmates, those students then used the same login information to successfully gain access to the districts SchoolTool student data management software.

Several student discipline referrals and records were deleted from our student information management system and attendance records were altered, interim Superintendent Douglas Lawrence told NewsChannel 9.

Five students accused of changing their own records have been charged with computer trespass and computer tampering, both felonies, according to the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office. Two additional students were charged with unauthorized computer use, a misdemeanor.

Once changes to student data were noticed by administrators after the tampering in October, the sheriffs office began a six-week investigation.

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The seven arrests made in December only reflect the instances actually traceable by police to individual names. There were more than seven instances, but some who accessed our system used VPNs to mask their IP address, wrote the superintendent.

Parents of three of the charged students reached out to NewsChannel 9, expressing concern that the punishments are too harsh.

The combined suspensions and criminal charges are outrageous and too much, Hisham Hamayel, the father of one of the 16-year-old students involved tells NewsChannel 9. His family appealed a full school-year suspension and got it lessened to a multi-month suspension ending in late January.

On NewsChannel 9s Facebook page, Hamayel posted: Firstly, my son admitted to his actions on his own accord, demonstrating accountability and honesty If the schools system had been robust, the students would not have been able to exploit it. The decision to press charges seems punitive and excessive, especially considering that the students have already faced substantial consequences for their actions.

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In response to NewsChannel 9, the interim superintendent wrote: We are aware that some of the parents feel that the suspension and criminal charges are too harsh, but tampering with our student information systems is a serious offense not only within our Code of Conduct but also from a legal perspective.

The superintendent says any alterations made to data have been corrected and returned to accuracy to the best of administrators knowledge.

The superintendent confirms all staff passwords have been reset.

He adds: While we have mandatory annual trainings focused on computer, internet, and data security for all staff, we still cannot stress enough how important it is to not share passwords or other information with others.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Friday checked Donald Trump over his latest string of malicious lies, after the president-elect continued his push to rewrite the history of the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol just days before the fourth anniversary of the attack.

Donald, this is not the Soviet Union. You cant change the truth and you cannot silence us, Cheney wrote in a social media post.

Her remarks come after Trump complained on his Truth Social platform about President Joe Biden honoring both her and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.)  who helped lead a House committee that investigated the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack  with the Presidential Citizens Medal.

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She responded to Trump by reminding him of lies hed told about the 2020 presidential election and of his failed coup attempt before the end of his first term in the White House.

Remember how you sent a mob to our Capitol and then watched the violence on television and refused for hours to instruct the mob to leave? Remember how your former Vice President prevented you from overturning our Republic? We remember, Cheney wrote.

And now, as you take office again, the American people need to reject your latest malicious falsehoods and stand as the guardrails of our Constitutional Republic  to protect the America we love from you.

Trumps Truth Social post featured falseclaims about Cheney and the House Jan. 6 committee, incorrectly stating that members destroyed and deleted all evidence from its investigation into the attack. (The panels final report and supporting materials are available online.)

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It also falsely claimed that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused to accept the help which was offered for security on the day of the insurrection. (This has long been debunked.)

Liz Cheney, Cryin Adam Kinzinger, Bennie Thompson, and the rest of these dishonest Thugs have gotten away with horrible things under the pretense of January 6th, the president-elect wrote of those whod served on the House committee.

They have destroyed the lives of many people, and are rewarded by getting Biden Fake Medals. This is not America. January 20th cannot come fast enough, he added, referring to the date of his upcoming presidential inauguration.

Last month, Trump accused Cheney of egregious and unthinkable acts of crime after Republicans criticized the House committee in an interim report.

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Cheney, in response, said that the GOP-backed report disregards the truth and described Trump as a cruel and vindictive man.

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A man is facing nearly a dozen charges of first-degree assault after a brazen New Years Day standoff with Lakewood police in which he allegedly fired at multiple officers and his ex-girlfriends home, vowing to go John Wick on law enforcement.

Humberto Moises Andrade on Thursday was charged with 11 counts of assault while armed with a firearm, and a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf during an arraignment in Pierce County Superior Court, according to court records. His bail was set at $700,000.

Andrade, 24, is accused of being intoxicated when he allegedly shot at the house in the 8900 block of Commercial Street Southwest during the early-morning hours Wednesday, forcing some of the homes six occupants to flee out of a second-story window by jumping onto a mattress, charging papers said.

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When officers arrived, Andrade was inside the house, according to the cases probable-cause affidavit. After the occupants were safely out of the home, including a 99-year-old person, Andrade allegedly embarked on a six-hour-plus standoff with authorities and fired an estimated 34 shots  at least some at or in the direction of four officers who were outside.

I knew that if I remained in the same spot I could have possibly been shot, Lakewood police officer Dylan Warburton wrote in his police report, according to the affidavit.

Ultimately, Andrade exited the home shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday and attempted to run from a SWAT team who had taken control of the scene, but an officer used a less lethal munition to apprehend him, the affidavit said.

Andrade reportedly lived at the house on and off, court records show.

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Inside the home, police found a handgun in a clothing hamper, an AR-style rifle in pieces on a stair landing and the slide to another handgun near a pistol case, according to the affidavit. There were multiple bullet entries around the front door knob, 11 expended shell casings in the front of the home, an intact round in a television and 18 expended shell casings in a bedroom, the report said.

It isnt noted within the affidavit whether police returned fire.

The lengthy incident began as a domestic-violence call. Andrades ex-girlfriend told police that Andrade had been drinking since roughly 6 p.m. Tuesday, court records show. After he cut his hand with a broken alcohol bottle and had been walking around a Lakewood neighborhood, she picked him up and they went to the house. He later left the home, leaving his dog behind, but returned extremely intoxicated and sought his dog back.

When his ex-girlfriend wouldnt allow him inside, and after she instead let the dog out the back door for fear of her safety, Andrade allegedly tried to kick down the front door, according to the affidavit. He then fired what other occupants told police sounded like 10 to 15 shots through or at the door.

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Andrades ex-girlfriend let him in so that he would stop shooting, she said, according to the affidavit. Andrade continued to ask about his dog, despite being told it was now outside, and started throwing clothes at the victim from inside a bedroom. When he allegedly tried to put together an AR-style rifle, she was able to pull it away from him but believed that she and her mother would die when he purportedly began loading a magazine into a pistol.

Then, police arrived. They set up a containment zone around the house, seeking to coax Andrade outside willingly, court records show.

During the negotiations, the defendant made a statement to the effect of, If you hurt my dog, Ill go John Wick on you. Ill take out three or four of you (expletives), the affidavit said.

The alleged statement refers to a series of Keanu Reeves-led action films, in which the titular character, John Wick, embarks on a vengeful and murderous rampage after his dog is killed.

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At one point, Andrade allegedly exited a bedroom with a handgun to his head, retrieved a ballistic rifle shield that an officer had left behind on the porch and returned inside the home, according to the affidavit. At different junctures, he purportedly threatened to set himself on fire and said he believed people in the house were trying to kill him.

During the standoff, officers evacuated nearby apartments that had almost been shot multiple times, court records show.

The charges alleged that four of the 11 counts faced by Andrade were committed against police officers. The investigation was still ongoing as late as the affidavits publication on Thursday.

Detectives are determining how many other officers, if any, were also fired at during this incident, it said. Additional charges will be filed if more victims are identified.

Andrade has an outstanding felony warrant out of California for possessing a controlled substance for sale, according to the affidavit.
Creation of Ohio River Commission signed into law

Gov. Mike DeWine this week signed into law a bill creating the Ohio River Commission.

The Commission is aimed at exploring and encouraging tourism and commercial use of the states Ohio River region. The Comission is created as part of Senate Bill 54 and will include state officials, local officials, and members of the communities along the river.

Senate Bill 54 was sponsored by State Sens. Michelle Reynolds, R-Canal Winchester, and Vernon Sykes, D-Akron.

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Dettwiller, Myers make ODUs deans list

Ohio Dominican University has named 318 students to its Fall 2024 deans list.

Among those named to the list are the following area students are Scioto County residents Vivian Dettwiller, of Otway, and Haley Myers, of Portsmouth.

To make the deans list, full-time undergraduate students must have achieved a 3.5 GPA or better after completing a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Willis, Wright make Capitals provosts list

Capital University is pleased to announced its provosts list honorees for the fall 2024 semester.

Taran Willis, of Portsmouth, and Aidan Wright, of Wheelersburg, have both been named to the provosts list of the Bexley-based university.

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To be named to the Provosts List, full-time, degree-seeking students must have achieved a grade point average of 3.70 to 3.849.

SCS to have organizational meeting on Thursday

Sciotoville Community School will conduct its 2025 governing board organizational meeting at 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 9, in the East High School library.

This meeting will be followed by the regular governing board meeting for January, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. This meeting will also be in the library of East High School.

High School Tech internship program applications open

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who serves as director of the Governors Office of Workforce Transformation, has announced the next round of the High School Tech Internship program is officially open for students and businesses to apply to participate.

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The program offers Ohio employers wage reimbursement for hosting high school interns in tech-related roles, helping businesses establish a recruitment pipeline while providing students with valuable work experience at an early age.

Interns will perform job duties similar to those of entry-level employees in technology roles, including artificial intelligence (AI), software development, data, and IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, broadband/5G, and other tech-focused fields. Employers can be reimbursed up to 75 percent of the wages paid to interns, with a cap of $5,000 per intern, to encourage businesses to hire high school students for these positions.

To participate, businesses, schools, and students interested in applying should contact the intermediary in their region. High School Tech Internship intermediaries ensure the program is administered seamlessly between the state and employers.
AGAWAM, Mass. (WWLP)  For the 11th year in a row, the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation (HGCF) is funding the Local Farmer Awards, where local farmers can apply for the chance to receive a grant for their hard work.

The HGCF is partnering with the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, Big Y, the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, and other local funders to support farmers in western Massachusetts upgrade and improve their farms with grants of up to $2,500. The HGCF said that these awards have allowed a total of 672 projects to be accomplished by over 300 farmers.

Coexisting with bears topic of monthly Berkshire Green Drinks event

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We are delighted to once again support farmers in Western Massachusetts through these grants, John Lee, president of the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture said. It is truly inspiring to witness the creativity, thoughtfulness, and uniqueness they bring to their projects.

To apply, farms must be located in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, or Berkshire County, and have gross sales of $10,000. The application deadline is January 31, 2025.

For more information regarding the application process and eligibility, visit farmerawards.org.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Little Rock locals shared their reaction to a Friday afternoon shooting on Colonel Glenn Road that left three people injured.

Arthur Harris said shootings are becoming something that is all too familiar for many people, a scary thought for him.

As I walked towards the business thats when I heard like three or four shots, I see a guy, victim, male, black victim, laying down with multiple gunshot wounds, Harris said.

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Little Rock police investigating shooting on Colonel Glenn Road, three people injured

The LRPD received the call just after 3 p.m. for a shooting in progress at 6300 Colonel Glenn Road that left three people injured. Officials said two of the victims are critical and one is stable.

This is the third day, three being a number of significances in the Christian world, we have unfinished business, Arkansas Stop the Violence assistant director Chris Carrigan said.

Carrigan says gun violence must stop, and that the lesson of stopping the violence needs to be more widespread.

Our officers got here as quickly as possible, LRPD spokesperson Mark Edwards said. The earlier we can get here on the scene, the more people we can get here, the more we can get blocked off.

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North Little Rock police identify suspect in December shooting involving officers

Edwards said the process allows officers to gather as much information on the crime scene that spanned from South University by Circle K all the way to the light by Cash Savers and Chesters Chicken.

As always your hearts go out to these victims, its a senseless crime, Edwards said.

While the identities of the victims have not been released, everyone is sending their thoughts and prayers to those involved and their families.

I just pray that he will get better and everything will be okay for these people, Harris said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Gov. Joe Lombardo will give his 2025 State of the State Address on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m., according to a Friday statement from the governors office.

The speech is scheduled two weeks before the 2025 Nevada Legislature convenes in Carson City  a tradition in state government.

I look forward to sharing the progress my administration has made since my inaugural address, and Im excited to outline my common-sense vision for our state ahead of the upcoming legislative session, Lombardo said.

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Weve worked hard to keep taxes low, balance our state budget, and make historic investments in our students and workforce. As we look ahead, Im eager to build on our progress in education, economic development, healthcare, housing, and public safety, he said.

Lombardo, a Republican, vetoed a record 75 bills advanced by the Democrat-majority Legislature in 2023. But he also signed pay raises for teachers and government employees, along with funding for a stadium to host the former Oakland As, who are expected to play in Las Vegas beginning in 2028.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  The longtime organist for the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist has died at 95.

Patricia Barragan Schreck, 95, died on Thursday, Jan. 2. She served as the organist and choir director at the Cathedral for 66 years.

She became the organist at 16 years old in February of 1946. Schreck managed several choirs including the Cathedral Mens Choir, the Womens Choir, the Savannah Catholic Deanery Choir and the SVA Alumnae Chorus.

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She was also the music director at St. Vincents Academy where she taught church music and choral singing for 47 years. During her time at St. Vincents, she composed the Academys Alma Mater and their Fight Song which is still sung by students today.

Her impact on the Academy continued, with a choral Christmas Candlelight Service which continues as a St. Vincents Christmas tradition to this day.

For her work in the church and Savannah, Schreck was awarded a medal by Saint Pope John Paul II and a key to the city by the City of Savannah. Savannah also issued a proclamation declaring Patty Barragan Schreck Day on May 31, 1981.

Another proclamation was given again on March 15, 1989, by the Irish community for her years of devotion to Irish music in Savannah.

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Schreck was given many other awards for her work, which can be read about in her obituary.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 6, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. A private burial for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 7, in the Catholic Cemetery.

Remembrances may be sent to the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, to St. Vincents Academy, Attn: Patty Schreck Music Scholarship Fund or to Hospice Savannah.

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  You see them driving morning and night, clearing the roads to keep drivers safe.

During the winter all over central Illinois, snow plows are driving on all of the roads, clearing any snow that is on the streets.

Amy McLaren, county engineer for the Peoria County Highway Department, talked about what they are concerned of ahead of the weekend.

Blowing and drifting is a big concern, she said. Be mindful of that, be mindful of black ice. The conditions can change in a very short period of time, very short stretch of roadway. One mile, you could have [clear roads], then the next mile you might have some blowing and drifting. So be aware of your of your surroundings, be prepared.

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UPDATED: Snowfall forecast decreased for Sunday snow event

McLaren also said how drivers can be aware of the crews.

These folks that drive these big trucks, theres a lot that they have to pay attention to, she said. And hours on end, they have to do that, so just give them a break. Give them some room and then you can get on your way.

These crews will be out clearing the roadways at all hours of the day.

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As the quarterly results season begins next week, the Indian IT services sector is preparing for a mixed performance in the third quarter of FY25, a period traditionally considered weak due to seasonal furloughs, according to a report by Centrum. The report highlighted that Tier 1 IT companies like TCS, Infosys, and HCL Tech are expected to post modest growth in Q3. On the other hand, Tier 2 firms such as Coforge are likely to show stronger sequential revenue growth, driven by effective operational execution. While the broader sector continues to recover from a downturn, variations in performance are expected across individual firms. It said, "Revenue growth is expected to be (0.8) per cent to 3.3 per cent QoQ in USD terms for Tier 1 IT companies, TCS: (0.8) per cent; Infosys: 0.0 per cent; HCL Tech: 3.3 per cent, Wipro: (1.5) per cent; Tech M: (0.4) per cent. Tier 2 IT companies in our coverage are expected to report revenue growth of 0.1 per cent to 3.8 per cent QoQ in USD terms, HCL Tech (among Tier 1) and Coforge(among Tier 2) are expected to report highest sequential revenue growth" The report stated that the operating margins across both Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies are projected to improve slightly. However, some firms may face challenges such as wage hikes and evolving client demands. Insights from management on demand trends, revenue guidance, and hiring strategies will play a crucial role in understanding the trajectory of the industry. "IT companies remain focused on driving operating margin improvement through multiple levers such as lower subcontracting cost, improving employee pyramid and rationalization of wage hikes" the report said. The report also noted that the demand environment for IT services in India is gradually improving. Key verticals such as Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI), along with Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT), are showing early signs of recovery. Meanwhile, the Manufacturing and Healthcare sectors continue to demonstrate resilience, contributing to the sector's steady growth. A positive trend is anticipated in the conversion of Total Contract Value (TCV) to revenue, supported by a ramp-up of new deals and reduced deal slippages compared to FY24. Additionally, IT firms are focusing on improving utilization rates, enhancing productivity, and stabilizing employee attrition rates. The sector is also benefiting from a more balanced offshore revenue mix following the disruptions caused by the pandemic. The report emphasized that burgeoning opportunities in generative AI solutions and a strong focus on operational excellence are likely to sustain the gradual upward trajectory in the IT services sector as it navigates a recovering market. It said "we expect that Generative AI based deals would be significant driver of incremental business growth in medium term". (ANI)
Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman met Friday with the family of the Menendez brothers, as he weighs whether to pursue a resentencing that would allow them to walk free.

The family has pushed for Erik and Lyle Menendez to be released, nearly 35 years after they were taken into custody for the murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty. The family argues that the brothers killed their parents in imperfect self-defense, after years of Joses sexual abuse.

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At a press conference Friday afternoon, Hochman said he had a productive meeting with the family, and said he has not made up his mind.

It was a very productive conversion over a number of hours, he said.

Former District Attorney George Gascon filed a petition in October to have their sentences reduced, which would make them eligible for parole. A hearing on that request is set for Jan. 30-31.

Hochman, who defeated Gascon in November and was sworn in last month, was sharply critical of his predecessor during the campaign. He could withdraw Gascons petition, though the judge could proceed with the resentencing regardless of Hochmans opinion.

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Hochman said his office is reviewing thousands of pages of transcripts and court records, and expects to have a decision by the Jan. 30 hearing date.

Its taking a lot of time. Its one of those decisions you want to make sure you get right, he said. Theres not a lot of free time in my life right now.

More than 20 members of the Menendez and Andersen families met with Hochman. In a statement before the meeting, the family said they were hopeful for an open and fair discussion.

Despite the abuse they endured as children and the unfairness of their current sentence, Erik and Lyle Menendez have spent the last three decades taking responsibility for their actions and contributing positively to their community through leadership and rehabilitation, the family said in the statement.

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The brothers lawyer, Mark Geragos, was expected to hold a press conference Friday to discuss the meeting, but canceled it. The family did not attend Hochmans press conference.

Jose and Kitty Menendez were killed by shotgun blasts in their Beverly Hills home in 1989. The brothers were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole after being convicted of first degree murder in 1996.

One family member, Kittys brother Milton Andersen, has opposed the resentencing. His attorney, Kathleen Cady, has been hired to serve in Hochmans administration, prompting the Menendez family lawyer to accuse Hochman of a conflict of interest. The lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has called for the case to be taken over by the state attorney general.

Hochman said that issue did not come up during the meeting on Friday, and said there is no conflict of interest.

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The case has drawn renewed public attention thanks to the Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which was released in September. The family has also argued that new evidence supports their claims that they were abused, and that they are entitled to a new trial.

Gov. Gavin Newsom is also expected to consider a request for clemency, though he has indicated he will defer to Hochman.

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Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Gov. Jeff Landry stand among displays that they say comply with a new state law that requires the Ten Commandments to be posted in every public school classroom. (Piper Hutchinson/Louisiana Illuminator)

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued guidance Friday to public K-12 schools, colleges and universities on how to comply with a new law requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in classrooms.

The law is currently blocked in five K-12 school districts as a lawsuit challenging the its constitutionality plays out. The law, originally House Bill 71 by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-Haughton, took effect Jan. 1.

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As I have repeatedly said, H.B. 71 is plainly constitutional because there are constitutionally sound ways to implement it, Murrill said in a news release.

Murrills guidance calls on schools to post one of four posters she selected in each classroom. She advised they should not be posted behind teachers desks or podiums to avoid the impression the displays are attributable to individual instructors.

The posters should be between 11 inches by 14 inches, the minimum size, and 18 inches by 24 inches, to ensure readability, Murrill advised. The posters should only be put up if they are donated or privately funded, the attorney generals guidance continues.

She also recommends the Ten Commandments poster be displayed among other educational displays, including those recommended in the legislation. They include the text of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence and the Northwest Ordinance, which established laws in the U.S. territory in the late 18th century.

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The new law does not include any punishment for not posting the display in classrooms.

A federal judge is expected to hear arguments later this month in the lawsuit from nine parents of Louisiana students who insist the new law violates the First Amendments prohibition against state-sponsored religion.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  A group of Louisiana lawmakers, led by Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), is urging President Joe Biden to approve an emergency declaration for Louisiana after the terrorist attack in New Orleans.

The declaration would allow the state to use all of its resources before the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras.

We respectfully request expedited approval of Governor Jeff Landrys request for an emergency declaration for the State of Louisiana under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the lawmakers wrote in their request to the president.

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In the letter, the delegation explained that the attack occurred during a busy season for New Orleans, as the city prepared to host major events including the Sugar Bowl.

This terrorist attack caused significant harm to our visitors and residents, disrupted essential services, and overwhelmed local and state resources, they said.

The delegation also wrote to Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, urging her to provide disaster loans to affected small businesses in downtown New Orleans and the French Quarter.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans would provide these businesses with much-needed financial relief, enabling them to cover operating expenses, repair damages, and stabilize their operations during this difficult time. These loans are critical to preserving an economic lifeline in New Orleans, they wrote.

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Other Louisiana lawmakers were Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.) and Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.).

Read the full letter here.

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Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko will visit China this month ahead of the Jan. 26 presidential elections, Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation reported on Jan. 3.

With Belarus isolated from the West due to Lukashenko's repressive regime and continued support for Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, Lukashenko has found China to be a key ally. In August the two nations pledged to strengthen security ties and improve cooperation.

Lukashenko is looking to improve mutual cooperation between Belarus and China in various fields, including pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, and the defense industry, the Center for Countering Disinformation reported.

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Lukashenko is likely looking to reduce Belarusian dependence on Russia and strengthen his hand in his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Center said.

Belarus is under pressure from Russia due to economic and energy dependency, debt from Russian loans, and Moscow's military presence in Belarus. Lukashenko is also likely angling for China to mediate a reopening of trade routes from Belarus to the EU, according to the Center.

The trip will mark Lukashenko's third visit to China in three years.

Lukashenko has been in power for 30 years and is seeking a seventh term on Jan. 26. The Belarusian presidential elections are not expected to be free or fair.

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When Belarus last held elections in 2020, mass protests broke out and the West condemned the election results as fraudulent. Lukashenko's regime quelled the protests in a large-scale crackdown on dissent.

Read also: Youll die here  Belarusian political prisoners recount experiences ahead of Lukashenkos reelection

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TUPELO  The second day of qualifying for Tupelo's upcoming municipal election saw the qualification of incumbent Republicans Lynn Bryan and Janet Gaston as well as Republican challenger Steven J. Coon, with half of the incumbents still yet to qualify.

Thursday was the first day for candidates to qualify for elections, with the deadline set for Jan. 31. Candidates have until then to turn in their paperwork. Independent candidates have the extra requirement of garnering 50 signatures to qualify. Primaries are set for April 1, and the general election will be held June 3.

Bryan, 61, is the owner of Lynn Bryan Construction and is currently completing his third term on the city council representing Ward 2.

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Steven J. Coon, 49, design engineer at Tiffin Motorhomes, qualified as a Republican to run for the Ward 5 seat, which is currently held by Buddy Palmer, who has not yet qualified as of Friday afternoon. Coon qualified but withdrew from the race for District 1 Election Commissioner.

Gaston, 69, is a retired bank executive. She is currently serving in her first term on the council representing Ward 6.

Ward 4 Councilwoman Nettie Davis and Ward 7 Councilwoman Rosie Jones qualified on Thursday alongside former Ward 7 Councilman Willie Jennings. Jennings and Jones battled for the Ward 7 seat in the previous election, with Jones winning in a runoff, securing her first term in office.

Ward 1 Councilman Chad Mims, Ward 3 Councilman Travis Beard, Ward 5 Councilman Buddy Palmer and Mayor Todd Jordan have not filed to qualify as of Friday at 5 p.m. All council members have previously expressed their intent to run for re-election.

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Officials said Jordan intends to qualify Monday morning.

Attempts to reach Palmer for comment were unsuccessful.

Primary elections for municipal races will occur on April 1, with a potential runoff taking place on April 22. The general election will occur on June 3.

Unlike presidential, state and county offices, most municipal terms begin on July 1.
(Bloomberg) -- Venezuelas opposition leader plans to meet Washington lawmakers and speak with President Joe Biden next week ahead of his promised return to the oil-rich South American nation after an election the US says was stolen from him.

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Edmundo Gonzalez, who the Biden administration considers the rightful winner of Venezuelas July vote, said Saturday from Argentina that his agenda in the US capital is still being finalized. The former diplomat is seeking to build support for his claim to power before President Nicolas Maduro begins a third term on Jan. 10, after the socialist leader declared himself the winner without presenting evidence.

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We are planning a conversation with President Biden and we are waiting clarity regarding the new authorities, Gonzalez told reporters in Buenos Aires after meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei.

Voting records released by the opposition show Gonzalez defeated Maduro by a wide margin, but he was forced to flee to Spain in September amid a wave of repression. Earlier this week, the regime offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to Gonzalezs capture, publishing his photo on wanted posters it distributed on social media and across the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.

While Gonzalez said he plans to speak with Biden, an in-person meeting may be complicated. Biden is entering his final week in office and is set to visit New Orleans on Monday in the wake of a New Years Eve attack that killed more than a dozen people in the city. The Venezuelan opposition leader said he would depart for the US late Saturday after a stop in Uruguay.

The White House National Security Council didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on a possible meeting or call with Biden.

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Gonzalez, who also plans to visit Panama and the Dominican Republic as part of his tour, reiterated his intention to take office in Venezuela. By whatever means necessary, Im going to be there, he said.

The Biden administrations decision in November to label Gonzalez as Venezuelas president-elect represents an early test for Donald Trump, who will return to the White House later in January.

The Republicans hawkish cabinet choices suggest he could take as hard a line as he did against Maduro during his first term. But Trump may also be tempted to cut a deal with the socialist strongman in exchange for accepting planes full of Venezuelan migrants deported from the US.

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The suspect in the car-ramming incident at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg had appeared in seven investigative proceedings in the two years prior to the attack, Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper reported on Saturday.

According to the information, verified by dpa, he was the complainant in five of the cases and the accused in two others.

Shortly before Christmas, the man - identified only as Taleb A according to Germany's privacy laws - drove a car at high speed through the Magdeburg Christmas market, killing five people and injuring almost 300. He remains in custody.

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Taleb A had been working as a doctor in a psychiatric hospital in the town of Bernburg since 2020, treating addicts who had committed crimes.

In one of the investigation proceedings, Taleb A threatened a lawyer who had once represented him, as well as the lawyer's family and office staff. After a complaint was filed, police visited him at work on October 4, 2024 to warn him that he was being monitored.

The police did not communicate the reason for the visit with the hospital administration, a spokeswoman from Salus, the company running the hospital, told dpa.

Police are allowed to share personal data with public and non-public bodies for reasons of preventing criminal offences.

In response to an enquiry, the regional criminal investigation office said it had no indications that "a transfer of data could avert dangers in the employer's environment," meaning the conditions for sharing the data were not fulfilled.
The suspect in the deadly car-ramming incident at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg had appeared in seven investigative proceedings in the two years prior to the attack, dpa has learned from security sources.

According to the information, he was the complainant in five cases and the accused in two others between April 2023 and October 2024.

Shortly before Christmas, the man - identified only as Taleb A according to Germany's privacy laws - drove a car at high speed through the Magdeburg Christmas market, killing five people and injuring almost 300. He remains in custody.

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Taleb A, a Saudi national, had been working as a doctor in a psychiatric hospital in the town of Bernburg, south of Magdeburg, since 2020, treating addicts who had committed crimes.

Taleb A as the accused

Police reportedly launched an investigation after Taleb A posted on X on December 1, 2023, criticizing Germany's treatment of Saudi asylum seekers and threatening revenge.

Officers tried to speak to him five times about the threat, but were unable to find him at home or at work.

According to a report in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, an attempt to obtain a search warrant was rejected by a judge and the proceedings were later dropped.

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Taleb A was also accused of threatening a lawyer who had once represented him, as well as the lawyer's family and office staff. After a complaint was filed, police visited him at work in hospital on October 4, 2024 to warn him that he was being monitored.

Taleb A as the complainant

The suspect also filed five complaints of his own, security sources told dpa. In one case, Taleb A complained that a USB stick containing evidence of crimes committed by Saudi Arabia had been stolen from his letterbox.

He also reportedly made a complaint about an association that assists atheist refugees, accusing the employees of sexual misconduct on two occasions.

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Two other cases raised by Taleb A concerned alleged threats by the Saudi Arabian government and a defamation case.

Police visited him again on September 28, 2023 after he threatened the Cologne public prosecutor's office over the way it handled a case.

Employer not informed

The police did not communicate the reason for visiting the suspect at work in October 2024 to the hospital administration, a spokeswoman from Salus, the company running the hospital where Taleb A worked, told dpa.

Police are allowed to share personal data with public and non-public bodies for reasons of preventing criminal offences.

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In response to an enquiry, the regional criminal investigation office said it had no indications that "a transfer of data could avert dangers in the employer's environment," meaning the conditions for sharing the data were not fulfilled.

Security sources told dpa that the suspect sent the threat to the lawyer by email and it was therefore not considered urgent. "It didn't arrive on his doorstep," said a person familiar with the case.

His employer also told dpa that the suspect's medical qualifications were not questioned by his employer. "Taleb A gave his superiors no reason to doubt his medical qualifications," the spokeswoman said, adding that he had not been working since the end of October because of holiday and sick leave.

Push for better exchange of data

As the suspect was repeatedly the focus of security authorities, several politicians are pushing to improve the data exchange between federal and regional governments.

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"The bottleneck was the lack of networking between authorities," the general secretary of Germany's liberal Free Democrats, Marco Buschmann, told German media group Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland.

"This is why we need a legal basis for the exchange of data between the federal and state governments in joint centres such as the Joint Counter-Terrorism Centre," Buschmann said, noting that there were around 80 indications of the suspect's dangerousness.
The Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has announced that they are suspending their Trusted Traveler Program as a precautionary measure after the recent events in New Orleans and Las Vegas, according to WPAFB.

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All vehicle occupants must now have a valid DoD identification at the gate, WPAFB says.

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Without the identification, visitors will have to go to the 88th Security Forces Pass and Registration Office to be issued a visitors pass.

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The registration office is located at 4185 Logistics Ave in Area A, and is open from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Trusted Travelers Program allowed people with DoD IDs to vouch for vehicle occupants entering the base.

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Malaysian authorities said Saturday that they have turned away two boats carrying nearly 300 people believed to be Muslim Rohingya refugees who were found to have entered the country illegally.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said that it had information that two more boats were attempting to enter the country after a boatload of 196 Rohingya landed early Friday on a beach on the northeastern resort island of Langkawi. They were all detained by authorities.

The agency said authorities had detected the other two boats later Friday off Langkawi. It said the people on the two boats, also believed to be Rohingya, were reported to be exhausted and lacked sufficient food and water supplies.

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Maritime Enforcement Agency chief Mohamad Rosli Abdullah said in a statement that assistance has been provided to the two boats, including food supplies and and drinking water, before they were escorted out of the country to continue their journey. It didn't say where the boats were heading, and no further details were given.

There were also no details about where they came from, but many Rohingya living in refugee camps in Bangladesh have been lured by traffickers to leave to seek a better life elsewhere.

Bangladesh hosts more than 1 million Rohingya refugees who fled ethnic and religious violence in Myanmar. Malaysia is a popular destination because of its dominant Malay Muslim population.

Many Rohingya fled a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in 2017 by Myanmars security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings.

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While Malaysia has accepted Rohingya in the past on humanitarian grounds, the country has tried to limit numbers because of fears of a mass influx of people arriving on boats.

As of the end of November, there were around 111,410 Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers registered with the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in Malaysia. This makes up about 58% of the total refugee population in Malaysia.
PNN Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 4: Supreme Power Equipment Limited (SPEL), (NSE Code: SUPREMEPWR), one of the leading manufacturers of power and distribution transformers, has been awarded two significant orders. The first, worth Rs 12.81 Cr, is from the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) for the supply of 100 kVA distribution transformers. Additionally, Danya Electric Company, a partnership firm in which SPEL holds a 90% stake, has secured a new order worth Rs 7.26 Cr. The order comes with a supply period of 18 months, during which SPEL remains committed to delivering on time while upholding its stringent quality and reliability standards. The new order received by Danya Electric Company reflects the growing trust in SPEL's extended capabilities through its strategic partnerships. This achievement further solidifies SPEL's strong relationship with TANGEDCO, built on the successful execution of similar projects in the past. In addition to this order, SPEL has a strong bid pipeline comprising similar projects, the company remains optimistic about securing further contracts that will bolster its position as a key player in the transformer manufacturing industry. With this latest order, SPEL's current order book now stands at Rs 76.44 Cr. With a focus on innovation, efficiency, and customer satisfaction, SPEL continues to contribute significantly to India's power infrastructure development. Commenting on the development, Vee Rajmohan, Chairman and Managing Director of Supreme Power Equipment Limited said, "We are honoured by the continued trust that TANGEDCO has placed in us with this significant order. This reflects the confidence in our quality and reliability standards, which we have consistently upheld in all our projects. Additionally, we are pleased with the new order secured by Danya Electric Company, a partnership in which we hold a 90% stake, further demonstrating the growing confidence in our extended capabilities. We are fully committed to ensuring the timely delivery of these transformers while maintaining the highest levels of excellence. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that both the TANGEDCO and Danya Electric Company projects are executed with precision and quality. Looking ahead, we are optimistic about securing similar opportunities in the future as we continue to strengthen our position in the transformer manufacturing industry and contribute to the development of India's power infrastructure." (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)
From Jan. 1, social media platforms with more than 8 million users in Malaysia need to have a license to operate or risk getting blocked. Malaysias government said the licensing requirement, first proposed in July, is needed to combat cybercrimes like scams, bullying, and sexual offenses.

But not all Big Tech companies are on board.

Google, which operates YouTube, and X have yet to apply for a license, according to Malaysian authorities.

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According to a government statement, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is evaluating Xs claim that it did not have enough users in Malaysia to meet the 8 million threshold. The statement also says that Google is concerned over how to classify YouTubes video sharing features.

Google and X did not immediately respond to Fortunes request for comment.

As of Jan. 1, Tencent, which operates the messaging platform WeChat, and TikTok owner Bytedance have secured the license. Telegram and Meta, which operates Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, are currently in the process of applying for a license. The MCMC statement said Telegram and Meta are expected to get their licenses soon.

Tech firms have been uneasy about Malaysias new social media license since it was first announced. In an October interview with Reuters, Meta director for Southeast Asia Rafael Frankel complained that the timeline to apply for the license was exceptionally accelerated, and that the licenses obligations for social media firms were unclear.

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Broadly, authorities argue that the license is required to protect Malaysians against incidents like online sex crimes or bullying.

An Asia-Pacific crackdown

Malaysia is the latest government in the Asia-Pacific region to regulate social media companies or the content found on these platforms.

Earlier this year, South Korea launched a monthslong crackdown on deepfake pornography following a surge in such material shared on messaging platforms like Telegram. The country toughened penalties on those possessing or sharing deepfake pornography, and is considering fines on social media companies that dont crack down on illegal content.

In late November, Australian lawmakers approved a bill that banned those under the age of 16 from using social media, even with parental permission. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese painted social media as a tool for scammers and online predators in his comments supporting the ban.

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Yet the bill does not present clear guidelines on how the ban, which takes effect near the end of 2025, will be enforced.

And in December, a new law in Vietnam came into effect on Christmas Day that requires tech giants operating in Vietnam to verify users accounts via their phone numbers or Vietnamese identification numbers alongside their full name and date of birth.

Firms that provide social media services have 90 days to report back to Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications with the verified user information according to local media reports. These social media companies must also provide data to authorities about access to social media services from Vietnam, such as the number of frequent users each month.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Candice Miller, the Mama & Tata influencer who reportedly became responsible for a massive debt following the death of her real estate mogul husband Brandon Miller, is now said to be selling several personal items at auction.

According to Page Six, Candice has multiple items from the family's Hamptons, N.Y., mansion listed on an auction website, shortly after The New York Times reported that the home sold in December.

The sale, shared on Auction Ninja, features 225 items and is being touted as "an unmissable opportunity to acquire rare, beautifully curated items," including "a carefully selected collection of fine art, furniture, decor and bespoke pieces," per the website.

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The estate where the items are coming from is listed in Water Mill  the same location of the Miller home listed by Bespoke Real Estate months ago.

Candice did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Saturday, Jan. 4.

PATRICK McMULLAN /Patrick McMullan via Getty Brandon Miller and Candice Levy in 2008 Brandon Miller and Candice Levy in 2008

Related: Mama & Tata Influencer Candice Miller Selling $15 Million Hamptons Home 1 Month After Husband Brandon's Death

Brandon died on July 3, 2024, according to online records from the New Montefiore Cemetery in New York.

He was initially hospitalized on June 30 after first responders were alerted to the couple's Hamptons home by a carbon monoxide alarm, according to the Southampton Fire Department.

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The Times later cited law enforcement sources and reported that his death was a suicide.

Candice is devastated by the loss of her soul mate, and her two young daughters lives are forever impacted by the loss of their beloved daddy," a family spokesperson previously told the Times.

Months after Brandon died, the outlet cited a filing made by Candice that her late real estate mogul husband had $33.6 million in debt and $8,000 in the bank at the time of his death.

Candice was working with lawyers to wrangle the debts, according to the Times, as they included $20 million in unsecured loans.

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After the influencer put her Hamptons home on the market for $15.5 million with Bespoke Real Estate, the Times reported that she sold it in December 2024, following an offer of $12.8 million and another for $13 million.

She also agreed to pay around $4 million to settle an unpaid loan lawsuit, per the outlet, which also reported that Candice was sued for $194,881.89 in unpaid rent on her late husband's Park Avenue apartment. She reportedly denied she owed it since she didn't sign the lease, however.

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Citing people familiar with her finances, the Times reported that Candice received $15 million from life insurance policies and was living in a $10 million condominium  reportedly on loan to her  with her daughters in Miami Beach after Brandon's death.

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Brandon and Candice first met as kids before eventually marrying in 2009, according to E! News.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.



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ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A man in Abilene was accused of backing up into multiple police county vehicles during a traffic stop.

Troy Arthur Bonar has been charged with Evading Arrest and Detention and has two charges of Aggravated Assault.

According to police, around 8:00 p.m., a driver reversed into a county police vehicle and fled. The chase began in Taylor County and continued into Jones County, reaching speeds exceeding 50 mph.

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Police put spikes at some point and ended the pursuit just northwest of FM 2404. Bonar was held in custody as the pursuit ended, and no injuries were reported.

Bonar was booked in the Taylor County Jail on December 27 and has a bond of $110,000.

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GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, Ohio (WCMH)  A man accused of attempting to abduct a woman near a Grandview Heights apartment complex was issued a massive bond in court.

Court records show that 41-year-old Matthew Spencer, wanted for abduction, was arrested weeks after he allegedly attempted to abduct a woman in the Grandview Yard the evening of Dec. 11.

Police received reports of an attempted abduction at around 9:30 that night when a woman told officers she was walking to a residence at the Apartments at the Yard, on Baldwin Drive, when a man wearing a surgical mask grabbed her from behind.

The victim said the man attempted to pull her toward a car in a nearby parking lot and threatened to hurt her, but that she was able to break free and escape.

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Grandview Heights police say Spencer, who is on parole for a guilty plea in a 2018 burglary case, was arrested Monday and sent to Franklin County Jail.

On Thursday, a Franklin County Municipal Court judge issued Spencer a $1 million bond and ordered to next appear in court on Jan. 10 for a preliminary hearing. Spencer has also faced charges in Franklin County Common Pleas Court and Municipal Court for burglary, twice, as well as escape, aggravated vehicular assault, drug trafficking, domestic violence, drug possession and violation of a protection order charges between 2004 and 2022.

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Man accused of burning down former InCahoots bar pleads not guilty

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A 47-year-old man has been charged with starting a Christmas Day fire that destroyed a vacant building in Mission Valley, once home to the popular country-western bar, InCahoots Dance Hall and Saloon.

Joel Humphrey was arraigned Friday afternoon at the downtown San Diego courthouse, where he pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of reckless burning of a structure.

Prosecutors allege Humphrey admitted to accidentally starting the fire while attempting to smoke drugs inside the vacant building. Surveillance video from a neighboring business allegedly showed Humphrey leaving the building shortly before the fire erupted.

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Firefighters who responded to the blaze were met with heavy smoke and intense flames, forcing them to stay a safe distance.

San Diego FBIs Most Wanted in 2025

InCahoots, which closed in 2018, held a special place in the hearts of former patrons, many of whom expressed sadness over its destruction.

Its just really sad, said Al Cacas, a former customer. A lot of people had so much fun there.

The fire marked the second blaze at the location in recent months. A similar fire broke out in October, but was contained before spreading to nearby buildings. Investigators do not believe Humphrey was connected to the earlier incident.

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Humphrey, who has a criminal history in San Diego County, was arrested twice in 2020 on drug and theft charges. He pleaded guilty to methamphetamine possession, while other charges were dismissed.

Prosecutors told the judge that Humphrey has more than a dozen misdemeanor convictions. His bail has been set at $50,000 and he is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 14.

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BELLMEAD, Texas (FOX 44)  A Hillsboro man is accused of injuring a person with his vehicle and fleeing the scene.

Bellmead Police were dispatched at approximately 10 a.m. Friday to the 1500 block of N Interstate 35 Access Road in response to a reported disturbance. When officers arrived, they determined an incident involving a vehicle resulted in a victim being injured. The driver fled the scene.

The driver has been identified as 57-year-old Eulalio Morales Hernandez, of Hillsboro. He was found, taken into custody, and charged with Deadly Conduct, a Class A misdemeanor; and Accident Involving Injury, a third-degree felony. The victim was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

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Morales-Hernandez has been booked into the McLennan County Jail. In addition to the Bellmead charges, he is listed as having an immigration violation.

The Police Department says this incident remains under investigation.

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HAMMOND, Ind.  Authorities in Chicago and Northwest Indiana are searching for a man accused of killing his ex-wife.

The U.S. Marshals Service said 39-year-old Allen Oscar Woods of Hammond, Indiana, has been charged in Lake Criminal Court with the shooting death of his ex-wife Tiffany Woods.

Chicago police fatally shoot knife-wielding man in West Side apartment; COPA investigating

Allen is believed to have recently been in the 200 block of East Walton Street in Chicagos Streeterville neighborhood. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, a white hoodie and thick black glasses and is believed to be traveling by public transportation, according to investigators.

Allen Oscar Woods (Source: U.S. Marshals Service)

Allen Oscar Woods (Source: U.S. Marshals Service)

Allen is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 162 pounds.

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Law enforcement agencies are working on a possible reward for information leading to his arrest.

This announcement comes after a woman was shot and killed in Hammond, Indiana on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024. It is unclear if this is the same shooting Allen is allegedly responsible for.

Anyone with information should call the U.S. Marshals Service at 312-656-4196.

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ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WPRI)  A Pawtucket man is facing felony charges after he allegedly slammed a woman to the ground in a busy Attleboro intersection on Friday.

Police responded to reports of a crash near Newport and Highland Avenues and found the victim in the roadway, crying and bleeding from her head.

Standing over her was the suspect, identified as 26-year-old Gladior Kwesiah, according to police.

Gladior Kwesiah | Courtesy: Attleboro Police

Witnesses told police the confrontation began after the woman rear-ended Kwesiahs vehicle.

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One witness reported seeing Kwesiah bang on the roof of the womans car before pulling her out of the vehicle. Another witness said they heard the two shouting, with the victim yelling, Leave me alone!

Moments later, Kwesiah lifted the woman and slammed her head first onto the pavement, police said. A witness captured the incident on video, which police provided to 12 News.

Be advised: Some of the following footage may be disturbing.

Police said the 31-year-old victim was rushed to Sturdy Memorial Hospital with significant injuries to her skull and eye socket, as well as a broken knee and foot.

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WBZ, our CBS Boston affiliate, identified the victim as Haile Soares, a mother of two. Soares told them she was grateful to be home from the hospital with her family.

I called my friend and I started crying. I said, I cant feel my knees, I cant feel my knees. I needed her to pick up my kids. All I thought was, Im not going to be able to walk again,' Soares told WBZ. I dont know if he was having a bad dayI dont know what that was. But if thats the type of person he is, I dont think he belongs in society with the rest of us.

Kwesiah was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon resulting in serious injury, malicious destruction of property, and operating a vehicle without a license.

According to the Bristol County District Attorneys Office, Kwesiah was arraigned, held on $2,500 bail, and ordered to have no contact with the victim.

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A GoFundMe was organized for the victim, which has raised over $12,000 as of Saturday night.

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NewsVoir Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 4: embedUR systems, a leader in embedded solutions and Edge AI technologies, is proud to join STMicroelectronics' Authorized Partner program. By leveraging ST's hardware and software ecosystem, embedUR systems has developed three advanced Edge AI applications for the STM32N6 platform. These applications demonstrate the transformative potential of AI on efficient, compact hardware across diverse industries. Through this collaboration, embedUR systems not only optimized AI models but also developed, trained, and integrated them to run on ST's latest STM32N6 microcontrollers complete with the embedded software stack needed for productization. By leveraging deep expertise in STMicroelectronics' platforms, embedUR is enabling innovative Edge AI applications that pave the way for transformative industry solutions. Edge AI Solutions People Detection with Image Segmentation embedUR delivers a state-of-the-art Image Segmentation solution for high-speed detection and classification of individuals. This functionality is well-suited for applications such as occupancy counting, presence detection, crowd management, person following and more. This capability combines: * Adaptation of YOLACT for Neural-ART Accelerator, the STM32N6's Neural Processing Unit (NPU): supporting real-time instance segmentation, YOLACT has been optimized for the STM32N6 hardware, ensuring low latency and robust performance. * Proprietary optimization techniques: embedUR's advanced quantization strategies shrink model size by nearly 75% while maximizing speed and accuracy, making it ideal for resource-constrained devices. * Enhanced image quality through STM32N6's Image Signal Processor (ISP): this integration ensures reliable performance across varying lighting conditions and enables the solution to run at 71 FPS. Facial Recognition with Enrollment embedUR's on-device facial recognition solution combines security and high-speed processing, making it ideally suited to biometric boarding at airports or keyless entry systems, which require stringent standards of security, privacy and performance. Features include: * embedUR's UReyeD framework: Enables precise facial detection, keypoint extraction, and embedding generation for fast, accurate recognition. * Direct on-device enrollment: Eliminating the need for external infrastructure, this feature enhances privacy and simplifies deployment. * Support for large-scale databases with rapid identification: Designed for environments with high user throughput, such as access control and public safety. Audio Denoising embedUR systems has also created an audio denoising solution that runs on STM32N6's Neural-ART Accelerator (NPU). It incorporates the excellent audio capabilities of the STM32N6 platform with a state-of-the-art audio denoising model to deliver clear speech, even in noisy environments. As systems add speech to text to feed LLMs, denoising will be increasingly used to ensure that LLMs are fed with the most accurate transcription. Notable characteristics: * embedUR chose an award-winning audio denoising model designed to run on GPUs and then adapted and optimized this for the NPU on the STN32N6. * Running the model on the STM32N6 NPU reduces power consumption, increases accuracy, and removes latency needed to make the audio solution work in a variety of high demand and low power environments Driving Innovation in Edge AI "This collaboration with STMicroelectronics is a testament to our engineering excellence and ability to bring up AI solutions rapidly and independently on literally any Edge platform (CPU/GPU/NPU)," said Rajesh Subramaniam, CEO of embedUR systems. "We're proud to demonstrate how efficient, high-performance AI solutions can be realized on the STM32N6 microcontroller, and the myriad applications they can enable." "embedUR systems has demonstrated expertise in creating AI technology and optimizing it for our STM32N6 microcontroller, with minimal support required from our engineering teams. Their experience, creativity and efficiency are extraordinary. In a few short weeks, they have been able to demonstrate the incredible potential of edge AI on STMicroelectronics' components to drive transformative AI solutions across industries." said Miguel Castro, head of AI strategy & business dev for Americas at STMicroelectronics. "We are pleased to announce that embedUR is a new ST Authorized Partner." embedUR systems invites businesses to explore how its expertise and solutions can enable the next generation of Edge AI applications. To learn more, visit www.embedur.ai. embedUR systems is a Silicon Valley-based leader in embedded systems, AI, and Edge Computing. With over two decades of expertise and a proven track record of accelerating product time-to-market for telecom, network equipment, and silicon vendors, embedUR delivers cutting-edge embedded solutions powering millions of devices worldwide. Its ModelNova platform offers pre-trained AI models for seamless integration into intelligent edge systems, enabling AI enthusiasts and afficionados alike to experiment with AI and easily develop proof of concepts with little to no AI modeling expertise, in record time. Browse pre-trained Edge AI models today at modelnova.ai. (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)
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Collierville man was taken into custody Friday, months after allegedly setting a catering business on fire, Memphis Police confirm.

Wesley Krajewski. (SCSO)

Wesley Krajewski, 41, has been charged with arson for the following incident:

On November 8, 2024, at approximately 4:49 a.m., the Memphis Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at Fascinating Catering, located at 3519 Summer Avenue.

When they arrived, they reported a heavy fire and smoke coming from the exterior and interior rear of the building.

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Firefighters made forced entry into the front of the building and extinguished the fire.

SCSO: Man arrested for causing overnight multi-vehicle crash

According to the MFD, the building sustained $180,000 worth of damage in building and content loss.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

During the investigation of the fire, officers reviewed camera footage which showed a man, later identified as Wesley Krajewski, walking to the exterior rear of the building shortly before the building was set on fire.

Krajewski could be seen leaving the scene and returning to the exterior rear of the building while it was on fire.

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Armed robbers strike at least 5 Walgreens across Memphis

Officers said Krajewski then left and stood with firefighters and other onlookers while the building was burning.

Krajewski was allegedly the only person seen on camera walking to the exterior rear porch of the building before and after the fire was ignited.

He is being held on a $105,000 bond and is due in court on Monday.

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A man has been arrested in connection with a string of break-ins in Somerville.

According to police, on Friday night around 6:35 p.m., a resident of a Cherry Street home called police to report an unknown man in their basement.

Officers located the man, identified as Fabio Armelio, 4,7, and arrested him without incident.

Police say Armelio is a person of interest in twelve recent break-ins in the Powderhouse neighborhood of Somerville where he targeted residents and Tufts University Community members since December 20, 2024.

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Police said he was positively identified in three of the 12 cases with others under investigation.

Armelio also has 20 outstanding arrest warrants in multiple jurisdictions including Somerville, Tufts University, Cambridge, MIT, Lawrence, and Boston.

According to police, the crimes in these twenty warrants range from breaking and entering during day and nighttime, larceny from a building, possession of burglarious tools, receiving stolen property, assault, trespassing, and threats.

The break-ins are under investigation.

Armelio is set to be arraigned in Somerville District Court on Monday, January 6.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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LEDYARD, Conn. (WPRI)  A Pawtucket man was arrested in Connecticut after allegedly stealing a Providence police cruiser and leading officers on a chase.

Investigators say they were contacted by Providence police that a stolen cruiser was on I-95 south crossing into Connecticut at around 2:30 a.m.

When police in Connecticut spotted the vehicle, a chase ensued, but the suspect was stopped by police in Ledyard.

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The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Jared Remson of Pawtucket, was arrested and charged with reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, failure to drive in a proper lane, larceny, and interfering with an officer/resisting.

He is due in New London, Conn. court on January 6.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA)  Weeks after a man was shot and killed in St. Petersburg, police have taken the suspected gunman into custody.

New video footage obtained by the St. Petersburg Police Department reportedly showed the suspect, 46-year-old Charles Teal, chasing the victim with a gun in his hand on the morning of Dec. 18.

Suspect arrested in Tampa bar shooting on New Years Day, Hillsborough deputies say

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Investigators said the victim, 42-year-old Deon Bell, ran to the Kings Meat Market on 34th Street South for help after being shot multiple times.

An employee at the market told News Channel 8 Bell ran through the door, saying Ive been shot. The employee then told Bell to hide behind the counter while they waited for police.

Charles Teal (Credit: St. Petersburg Police Department)

First responders took Bell to the Bayfront Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.

Police believe the shooting initially took place on 14th Avenue South, where they were able to obtain the video footage from. In an interview with investigators, Teal reportedly admitted that it was him in the video.

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Witnesses interviewed throughout the investigation also identified Teal as the shooter, police said.

Teal was taken into custody on Friday, Jan. 3 and charged with second-degree murder, according to an arrest affidavit. He is being held without bond.

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A California man accused of trying to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his home in 2022 described himself as actively suicidal and said he was trying do something positive before I die by trying to kill the justice, according to court filings Friday.

The defendant, Nicholas Roske, also told investigators that he had been partially motivated by the disclosure of a draft opinion showing that the Supreme Court, with Kavanaugh in the majority, was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Defense lawyers for Roske released a bevy of new details about his arrest and interrogation as they urged a judge to block prosecutors from introducing much of the key evidence in the case. That evidence includes Roskes statements to police and the FBI, as well as the fact that he carried two bags to Kavanaughs Maryland home containing a Glock pistol, a knife, zip-ties and pepper spray.

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Roskes trial is scheduled to begin June 9.

The legal motions submitted to U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte argue that police lacked a warrant to search Roskes belongings after they arrested him in the early morning hours of June 8, 2022. They also contend that Roske wasnt given Miranda warnings before being questioned at the scene and that his statements werent voluntary because he was suffering from a mental health crisis while being interrogated at a police station in Bethesda.

The filings by Roskes attorneys are also the first fresh glimpse into a case that has languished for more than two years. They detail Roskes stated motives for targeting Kavanaugh and how the defendant crafted what prosecutors contend was his plan to kill the justice.

During several hours of interrogation following his arrest, Roske was sometimes chillingly blunt about his intentions, while also speaking candidly about his history of mental illness.

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My plan was to kill Mr. Kavanaugh and then myself, Roske told FBI agents, according to a transcript attached to one of the defense motions.

Roske told investigators he began planning the attack about a month in advance. Thats roughly when POLITICO reported that a draft majority opinion indicated that the Supreme Court was poised to end the federal constitutional right to abortion.

Ive been suicidal for a long time, and when I saw  the leaked draft, it made me upset and then it made me want to  I dont know.  I was under the delusion that I could make the world a better place by killing him, Roske said. In the transcripts, Roske was vague with investigators about why the courts then-forthcoming abortion decision troubled him, saying simply that his concerns came from a civil rights perspective.

Roske also said he was disturbed by the recent trend in Supreme Court rulings toward an increasingly broad interpretation of gun rights. His anger over that issue grew in the wake of high-profile mass shootings that took place in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas, in the weeks before Roske bought the Glock handgun from a gun store in California, flew to Dulles Airport and took a taxi to Kavanaughs home in the middle of the night.

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Another motivating factor was I heard that the current court was thinking about loosening gun restrictions and so, the one-two punch of Buffalo and then (indiscernible) and then hearing that this person that I was already upset with was planning on making it easier for people to do stuff like that, Roske told a Montgomery County, Maryland, detective.

Prosecutors had previously suggested in court documents that Roske had been motivated by the draft abortion decision and the expansion of gun rights.

Roske said he found the name of Kavanaughs Maryland neighborhood on Wikipedia and got a more precise address by looking at news coverage of abortion-rights protests at Kavanaughs home following publication of the draft opinion.

There was an article that had a picture of the familys house and [I] looked at the house number, he told FBI agents. So I just came out here.

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Roske told investigators he got out of a taxi with his luggage and approached the lawn of Kavanaughs home in the early morning of June 8, 2022, but noticed two men sitting on the lawn. He then walked to a street behind the justices house and texted his sister that he loved her. She interpreted the message as a sign of distress and called him, convincing him to call 911 instead of carrying out his plan. Police responded and arrested Roske without incident.

In the interrogation, Roske also told investigators that he had been involuntarily committed for mental health treatment on three occasions. Some details of his diagnosis were redacted from the court filings made public Friday.

Roske pleaded not guilty in 2022 to a one-count federal indictment charging him with attempted assassination of a Supreme Court justice, which carries a potential sentence of up to life in prison. Roske has been in custody since his arrest two-and-a-half years ago and has not sought pretrial release.

Federal prosecutors and Roskes defense team spent many months negotiating a potential plea deal, but prosecutors indicated last summer that the two sides were unable to agree on terms of such an arrangement.

Messitte, a Greenbelt, Maryland-based appointee of President Bill Clinton, is scheduled to hear arguments on the defense motions on April 8.


BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office deputies are searching for a suspect after a fatal shooting that occurred around 5:30 p.m. Thursday on Plains Port Hudson Road.

The sheriffs office said Jeremy Wright, 33, was shot multiple times and transported to a hospital with serious injuries. He later died as a result of his injuries.

EBRSO has issued an arrest warrant for Alex Senegal, 32, on charges of second-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm.

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According to witness statements, Wright was helping a relative and Senegal, her boyfriend, with moving between trailers. The sheriffs office said Senegal allegedly accused Wright of stealing drugs, leading to an argument that escalated into a shooting.

Anyone with information on Senegals whereabouts is urged to contact EBRSO at 225-389-5000 or report anonymously to Capital Region Crime Stoppers at 225-344-STOP (7867).

This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more details become available.

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A 21-year-old man died after being shot in north Minneapolis on Friday evening.

Minneapolis PD says shots were fired at 6:20 p.m. in the area of the 3200 block of Fremont Avenue North, and arrived to find the victim with life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Lifesaving measures were performed and the victim was taken to North Memorial Medical Center, where he later died.

As of late Friday, no arrests have been made and no information has been provided regarding suspects.

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It marks the first homicide in Minneapolis of 2025. There were 76 in total in 2024, up from 72 the year prior.

MPD Chief Brian O'Hara is urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. The victim's identity will be released at a later time by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.

Anyone with information can email policetips@minneapolismn.gov or leave a voicemail at 612-673-5845. Tips can also be sent anonymously via CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.CrimeStoppesMN.org.

Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcements latest version of events, and may be subject to change.
Jan. 3ROCHESTER  The man found guilty of murdering a woman in December 2022 was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Friday, Jan. 3, in a packed Olmsted County courtroom.

Mustafa Rahsad Bush was charged with premeditated first-degree murder with intent, first-degree murder with a pattern of domestic abuse and an additional charge of second-degree murder with intent in connection to the death of Kimberly Ann Robinson. Robinson was found Dec. 26, 2022, in a ditch in Cascade Township after a person walking their dog near River Bluffs Lane Northwest and West River Road found her body after their dog started pulling on its leash.

A jury found him guilty on two counts, first-degree murder with a past pattern of domestic abuse and second-degree murder with intent, in November 2024.

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"Justice doesn't bring closure," Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem said during the hearing.

One victim impact statement from Robinson's mother was shared by Kathy Wallace, Olmsted County district judge and Robinson's sister-in-law.

"My purpose in giving this victim impact statement is so that our family can find some peace," Wallace read.

According to the statement, Robinson's mother adopted Robinson's youngest son after she was killed. He should have been enjoying winter break and his childhood, the statement said.

"You, Mr. Bush, didn't have a right to steal that hope, ... but you did," Wallace read.

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In his final remarks, Ostrem said there will be no celebration at the conclusion of the sentencing, "only relief" that Bush will not be able to hurt anyone again. He requested life in prison without parole.

Ostrem also asked that the court take judicial notice of Bush's previous conviction in 2006 in the murder of Cory Richardson at Richardson's northwest Rochester home. He was freed in 2020.

Bush's attorney, Graham Henry, said while the sentencing decision is fixed by Minnesota state law, Bush "is more than the worst thing he ever did."

Although Bush has several encounters with the criminal justice system, Henry said, he is still capable of kindness and generosity.

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Bush thanked "everyone who came to show their support."

"I'm so, so sorry to my parents," Bush said. He implied that he will be appealing the conviction.

District Judge Douglas Bayley said this case has had "an unusually large impact" on the community, but he hopes those involved can find some closure, including Bush, Robinson's family and his colleague, Wallace.

Bayley said the incident was a "terrible waste of lives."

"Mr. Bush will lose his freedom, his liberty for the rest of his life," Bayley said.

"The sentence imposed today is appropriately lengthy and just. ... I readily sign off on it," he said before sentencing Bush to life in prison.

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After the hearing, Robinson's friend Angie Conlin said it's time that the family can begin to heal.

"The sun is shining, and I think she knows exactly what happened today and what was going to happen," Conlin said.

According to the criminal complaint, a nude Robinson was found laying on her back about 7 to 10 yards into the roadway ditch. Officers determined that she was dragged there feet first based on a continuous drag mark pattern visible in the snow. Police found a walking pattern from where her body was placed back to the roadway.

An autopsy showed she was shot through her neck from left to right, which appears to have caused her death. Robinson also had a contusion on her forehead that appeared to go to the bone of her skull.

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Law enforcement worked through blizzard-like conditions while processing the crime scene.

When her body was found, blood appeared to have been spread along the shoulder by a snowplow.

Witnesses told law enforcement that Robinson and Bush were dating and the pair had recently gotten into an argument. The couple lived together in a southeast Rochester home but Robinson told a witness on Dec. 24 that she was staying with a friend at the time, the complaint said.

Cell phone data from both Robinson and Bush show them following a similar path throughout Dec. 24 and Dec. 25. Witnesses also put Robinson and Bush together after Robinson left a family Christmas Eve party and the early morning on Dec. 25.

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The complaint said blood evidence was found in several locations in Bush's vehicle, including in the front passenger area, the driver's seat belt and areas of pooling blood in the passenger compartment, though forensic testing has not been completed on the samples to determine the source.

Bush disposed of several items in a burn pit at a southeast Rochester home, a witness told law enforcement. An investigator with the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office observed several burnt clothing items and glasses frames in the pit from a recent fire, according to the criminal complaint.

Bush cleaned out his vehicle in the garage of a friend Dec. 26, a witness told an investigator. Bush was observed by witnesses and law enforcement moving different items from his vehicle to other places for several days following the death of Robinson, the complaint said.

Bush came to the Olmsted County Law Enforcement Center with a family member following the transfer of items from his vehicle. Several items were found that belonged to Robinson in the vehicle he arrived in, which was not his vehicle. A bag in the vehicle contained several of Bush's items and about a half pound of cocaine, the complaint alleged.

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On Friday, the defense for Bush filed a motion to dismiss the first-degree premeditated murder charge. According to the motion, there is "not sufficient evidence for a reasonable jury to find Mr. Bush guilty of acting with premeditation in the death of Kimberly Ann Robinson."

On Oct. 3, 2024, Bush filed a preliminary application in the 2006 case for post-conviction relief, which could grant Bush a new trial, correct the sentence or provide him with appropriate disposition, according to Minnesota statutes.

An order from Chief Judge Joseph Bueltel granting Bush's preliminary application said Bush claims that "he qualifies for relief because he did not cause the death of a human being, he claims he was not a major participant in the felony underlying the crime for which he was convicted, and he claims he did not act with extreme indifference to human life."
EDGAR COUNTY, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV)  One man was transported by helicopter to Carle Hospital in Champaign Friday morning.

According to the Edgar County Sherriffs Office, on January 3rd, at approximately 9:36 a.m., deputies were dispatched to 23499 East 1575th road for a trespassing complaint.

Upon arrival, deputies attempted to make contact at the location and were met by a male subject in possession of a rifle.

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An armed confrontation occurred between the subject and the deputies.

A deputy charged their fireman, ultimately striking the subject.

Edgar County Sherriffs Office confirms that no deputies were injured during the confrontation.

Lifesaving measures were given to the subject, and he was transported by helicopter to Carle Hospital in Champaign and is receiving treatment.

The incident has been referred to the Illinois State Police and they will be handling the investigation.

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(FOX40.COM)  A man was arrested after he allegedly made bomb threats to rob a bank on New Years Eve, according to the Turlock Police Department.

Around 1:38 p.m., TPD received a 911 call advising that a bank robbery had just occurred at the US Bank located at 427 E. Olive Ave. The caller reported that a man entered the bank with a briefcase and told an employee there was an explosive device inside of it. The man reportedly demanded money and claimed he could detonate the device. The man left the business with an undisclosed amount of cash, left the briefcase inside, and fled the area in a white Lexus. according to TPD.

Citizen tips off Norcal deputies about man with several guns, disturbing social media

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When officers arrived at the scene, they said they evacuated the bank because of the potential bomb. The Stanislaus County Sheriffs Office Bomb Squad was called to investigate what was inside the briefcase. At approximately 6 p.m., SCSO determined the briefcase did not contain an explosive device.

Around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday TPD spotted a white Lexus, similar to the description of the vehicle used by the robbery suspect. Officers pulled it over and said they found evidence that linked the driver, Benjamin Charles Malakismail of Stanislaus County, 45, to the robbery. He was arrested for alleged robbery and making a false report of an explosive device.



Crimes like this have no place in our community and will not be tolerated,  said TPD Chief Jason Hedden. We are committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and

businesses, and we will use every available resource to locate, apprehend, and hold

accountable those who commit these serious offenses.

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Chinese doctors and an Ethiopian doctor conduct a cataract surgery at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Jan. 2, 2025. (Tianjin Eye Hospital/Handout via Xinhua)



A Chinese medical team from Tianjin Eye Hospital on Friday officially launched a free cataract surgery campaign at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

Under the name of China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey, the Chinese medical team consisting of 10 senior ophthalmologists and nurses is set to conduct cataract surgery for more than 500 eye patients, with 80 of them having already enjoyed successful operations as of Friday.

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Chen Hai said at the launch event that as part of the Chinese government's plan, Tianjin Eye Hospital has sent the best expert team with advanced medical equipment and technology to bring light and hope back to Ethiopian patients.

"The 'Bright Journey' project vividly shows our all-weather strategic partnership and traditional friendship. This project will help hundreds of Ethiopian cataract patients regain their sight," Chen said.

The team donated medical equipment to the hospital, which is also known as the Ethiopia-China Friendship Hospital, where Chinese and Ethiopian doctors treat patients shoulder to shoulder and share technical knowledge and experiences.

Ethiopian Minister of Health Mekdes Daba said that the China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey has a meaningful role in advancing the shared vision of China and Ethiopia by addressing not only visual impairment but also community needs in general.

"By providing cataract surgery, we will be making a tangible difference in improving eye surgery in Ethiopia," Daba said, noting that the government of Ethiopia values the campaign which aligns with the health policies in Ethiopia and manifests expanding partnership and shared vision between the two countries.

President of the Tianjin Eye Hospital Zhang Wei, who is also the leader of the Chinese medical team, said the campaign is not only a continuation of China-Ethiopia friendship but also another milestone the countries are witnessing.

"We are willing to dedicate our surgical skills to the Ethiopian people and jointly write a beautiful chapter of the China-Ethiopia friendship. I hope this project will bring light to the patients in Ethiopia and inject new vitality and good expectations into the development of China-Ethiopia friendship," Zhang said.

This round of China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey is expected to help more than 500 cataract patients regain their sight. The team has so far managed to restore the sights of 80 eye patients since it began surgical procedures a week ago.

"I was able to see when the eye patch was removed. I felt like I was born again. Now, I can see as I did during my younger age. I am very grateful to those who gave my sight back," Mohammod Hassen, one of the beneficiaries of the campaign, told Xinhua in an interview. The 65-year-old man received the surgery Thursday on his left eye after 10 years of visual impairment.

According to data obtained from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, more than 5.4 million Ethiopians are affected by different eye disorders, of whom half are facing cataract blindness.
Anant Ambani, Director of Reliance Industries Limited, expressed his vision to take Jamnagar's prestige to new heights as India celebrates 25 years of its iconic refinery. Addressing employees of Reliance during a commemorative event at Jamnagar, he shared his aspirations for the city, his deep love for animals, and his commitment to fulfilling the dreams of his father, Mukesh Ambani, and grandfather, Dhirubhai Ambani. Speaking on the occasion, Anant Ambani stated, "I firmly believe that 25 years from now, when India celebrates its centenary of independence, we will take Jamnagar's prestige and glory to unprecedented heights together." He reminisced about the legacy of his grandfather, Dhirubhai Ambani, who dreamt of building a world-class refinery, a dream brought to life by Mukesh Ambani during Dhirubhai's lifetime. "Today, I feel grateful for being entrusted with this invaluable legacy," Anant said. On this milestone day, he pledged to fulfill every vision connected to Jamnagar and promised his father to turn these aspirations into reality. Anant Ambani also spoke passionately about his love for animals and birds, emphasizing the role of Vantaar, a large-scale wildlife rescue, conservation, and rehabilitation center established by Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation. Inspired by his mother, Nita Ambani, who instilled in him compassion for all living beings, he urged everyone to show love and care toward animals and birds. "Vantaar has proven that Reliance cares for animals and birds just as much as it does for humans. It stands as a living example of Reliance's 'We Care' philosophy," he remarked. Reliance's Jamnagar refinery, which happens to be the conglomerate's first, turned 25 years old last week. Twenty-five years ago, on December 28, 1999, Reliance launched its first refinery at Jamnagar. The Jamnagar refinery is a significant milestone in Reliance's history that continues to symbolize the industrial prowess. It is expected to see further advancements while contributing to environmental conservation through initiatives like Vantaar. (ANI)
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR)  A man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the 2022 triple murder of his own family members in Aurora.

On Friday in Arapahoe County, a judge sentenced Christopher Martinez to 120 years in prison after pleading guilty in October to three counts of second-degree murder.

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There is no perfect sentencing in a case like this. There was nothing we were ever going to get that would make the family whole, nothing that was going to bring any family members back, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Jake Adkins of the 18th Judicial District. Ultimately though, we believe the sentence is an appropriate one and one that will hopefully give the family some peace but also ensure to the community that this individual will not be at liberty to cause any further harm.

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In December 2022, the then-21-year-old, Martinez told his grandparents he had a bad dream that his mother and two siblings were dead. This call reportedly came after being in a fight with his mother just hours before. His mother and two siblings were later found stabbed and shot to death in their Aurora home.

I stood in the house the night of these murders. I saw this family, I saw what they were going through, saw the horror that this individual inflicted, said Adkins. You get to know people that you otherwise wouldnt know, obviously under the worst circumstances imaginable.

After Martinez was sentenced, 18-year-old Marisol Espindolas family is still remembering their daughter, who was killed by her half-brother.

I just want her to be remembered by the beautiful soul that she was, how she touched a lot of people. To this day, I still hear a lot of different stories about my daughter. So, I still keep remembering all the good times you had with her. I know we will. You will never be forgotten, said Marisol Espindolas father Robert Espindola.

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The other two victims were Martinezs half-brother Kaden Casteneda, 18, and his mother, Estancia Martinez, 41, who was also Marisols mother.

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With this being over today, Im hoping to find that closure and to finally open up. Its tough. I go to the cemetery every day. Every day, I dont miss a day to see my daughter, said Robert. I wish they would have stayed with the harsher charge but we wont have to sit there and go through all the video evidence, picture evidence. I dont want to see that of my daughter.

Marisols family hopes to start a scholarship in her name, as she was killed just days before her high school graduation.

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Tensions were high. The courtroom tension. The message I have for him is at the end of the day he did admit what he did. Thanks for admitting that Chris. I know that Ill be at peace knowing that youll be behind bars for the rest of your life, said Robert.

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Jan. 3LIMA  A man was sentenced to 180 days in jail with 150 days suspended and one year of probation Friday in Lima Municipal Court after a crash on U.S. Route 30 in May killed a woman.

According to a crash report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, on May 3 around 5:47 p.m., Douglas White, 40, of Rocky Top, Tennessee, was traveling southbound on Defiance Trail. He stopped at the stop sign at the intersection of U.S. Route 30, continued straight across the westbound lanes, and attempted to continue straight across the eastbound lanes when he pulled out in front of Ted Powell, 67, of Van Buren, causing a collision. Powell's vehicle came to rest in the roadway and White  who was driving a company vehicle owned by Vorst Paving in Cloverdale  went into a ditch.

A passenger in the vehicle Ted Powell was driving, Linda Powell, 44, of Lima, was pronounced dead at the hospital. Ted and another passenger, Jacquale Gabbard, 33, of Lima, were taken to the hospital with suspected serious injuries. White was not injured.

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White was initially charged with vehicular manslaughter and right of way at a stop sign but pleaded guilty to negligent homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor.

According to the pre-sentence investigation which was summarized before sentencing, White has been involved in four previous crashes dating back to 2006.

White holds a Tennessee commercial driver's license, and when the victims' family questioned what would happen to the license, Municipal Court Judge Tammie Hursh said the charge didn't include a license suspension by law, but the Bureau of Motor Vehicles could decide to suspend the license.

Ted, while in a wheelchair in the courtroom, said the crash has had multiple life-changing impacts on him. He can no longer work his 40-hour-per-week job and can't walk very far without losing his balance.

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"Since the accident, now I'm in pain 24/7," he said.

He added his family saw the guilty plea and potential sentence as a "slap on the wrist."

White apologized to the family, saying, "It does affect me to this day. It was not intentional. To me, it was just a freak accident."

Reach Charlotte Caldwell at 567-242-0451.

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Warning: some readers may find details of this case disturbing.

SCRANTON, Pa. (KSNW)  A Wichita man has been sentenced in federal court in eastern Pennsylvania for selling human remains.

Angelo Pereyra, 39, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison in the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Scranton. Pereyra, a former employee of a Wichita hospital, was charged in May with interstate transport of stolen goods.

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He is one of five people who have already pleaded guilty in the case that involved the stealing and transportation of remains that were then sold to a man prosecutors identify as Andrew Ensanian of Montgomery, Pennsylvania.

KBI: Ark City man facing child sex crimes dies

As part of his plea earlier this year, Pereyra admitted that between 2018 and 2022, he stole human remains and body parts while working in the pathology department of the hospital and sold them to Ensanian. He admitted to taking organs and portions of organs, including human hearts, brains, spleen, testicles, intestines, livers, amputated feet and toes, and other parts, which came from both deceased and living patients. It included the corpses of miscarried and stillborn fetuses before they could be properly buried.

The U.S. Attorneys Office says this was a multi-year investigation involving multiple defendants. Five other defendants have already pleaded guilty. Ensanian has already pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

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An additional defendant has been charged and convicted in Arkansas. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

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EDGAR COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  A man in possession of a firearm was shot and airlifted to a hospital following a confrontation with Edgar County deputies.

On Friday at approximately 9:36 a.m., deputies from the Edgar County Sheriffs Office were dispatched to a residence on E 1575th Road in Chrisman for a trespassing complaint. Upon arrival, deputies attempted to make contact at the location and were met by a male subject in possession of a rifle.

Decatur man dies after being struck by vehicle

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An armed confrontation then took place between the man and the deputies. A deputy then discharged their firearm, striking the subject. No deputies were injured during the altercation.

Lifesaving measures were then given to the male, and he was transported by helicopter to Carle Hospital in Champaign. He is currently receiving treatment, but his condition is unknown at this time.

This incident has now been referred to Illinois State Police and they are handling the investigation going forward.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
MANHATTAN (KSNT)  A Manhattan-based hospital is putting temporary restrictions on visitations in place as seasonal illnesses increase.

Ascension Via Christi announced Friday, Jan. 3 that its hospital in Manhattan and the Wamego Health Center are taking additional precautions to prevent the spread of seasonal illnesses this winter. With the recent rise of seasonal respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses in the community, these locations, along with the emergency departments, will enforce in-person visitation restrictions.

While family plays a key role in the healing process, patient and staff safety continues to be our top priority, Robert Copple, president of Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan said.

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Friends and families of patients at the hospitals and emergency departments are asked not to make in-person visits if they are or have experienced cold or flu-like symptoms for at least 48 hours after the symptoms have passed, according to a press release from Ascension Via Christi. These symptoms can include cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, nasal congestion or sore throat.

Warming centers open soon in northeast Kansas for winter weather

If you have recently had COVID-19, the hospital asks that you wait 10 days after the onset of the illness to visit any patients.

If there are extenuating circumstances, patients and families should talk to their nurse, who will discuss the concern with the healthcare team to determine appropriate visitation that is safe for everyone concerned, Copple said.

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People visiting the hospital are highly encouraged to wear a mask. Masks will be provided at the hospital if needed. Also, people visiting patients in the hospital must be 12-years-old or older until further notice. While staff already washed their hands and/or uses alcohol based hand sanitizer while going into or leaving a patients room, visitors are encouraged to follow that same practice.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
NEW LISBON  A statewide crime alert has been issued for a 47-year-old New Lisbon man who was charged Friday with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of a woman and two children in Juneau County.

Virgil G. Thew was charged in Juneau County Circuit Court Friday with three counts of first-degree intentional homicide, one as a domestic abuse incident, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

This is the most current photo of Virgil Thew, 47. This photo was taken at the Dollar General in New Lisbon, Wisconsin, on Dec. 29, 2024.Thew is wanted in connection with a triple homicide in New Lisbon.

Thew has been the subject of a five-day manhunt after authorities found 33-year-old Elizabeth Kolba and two girls, ages 12 and 13, dead Dec. 30 inside a home in the 300 block of West Bridge Street in New Lisbon. The names of the girls are being withheld by authorities.

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On Thursday, the New Lisbon Police Department said in a release the case had been deemed an active homicide investigation.

The New Lisbon Police Department says they have been following up on leads and tips and are actively looking for Thew. They are asking the public to contact law enforcement with any information regarding possible sightings or the whereabouts of Thew.

Law enforcement has had two confirmed sightings of Thew in the New Lisbon area, according to the crime alert issued Friday night. However, after an extensive search of the area by ground and drone, law enforcement has not located Thew. They believe that Thew may now be outside the New Lisbon area.

Thew is 5 feet and 11 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds, according to the crime alert. Thew is wanted through Wisconsin Probation and Parole. People should consider him armed and dangerous, according to the news release. If seen, do not approach Thew and contact 911.

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Shortly after 10 p.m. Dec. 29, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office contacted Juneau County authorities about a child missing from Monroe County, according to an earlier news release from the New Lisbon Police Department. The child was seen being picked up by Thew.

At about 7:40 a.m. Dec. 30, the New Lisbon Police Department began to investigate the missing Monroe County child. During the day, police were made aware of a second missing child from New Lisbon, according to the news release.

At about 4:29 p.m. Dec. 30, authorities found the two children and woman dead inside the New Lisbon home.

Editor Jamie Rokus can be reach at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus.

This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Manhunt continues for New Lisbon man charged in death of woman, 2 girls
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Mo.  A Lawrence County man is accused of raping a 12-year-old girl he met on Facebook.

Dagon Wallace, 20, is charged with statutory rape, child endangerment, furnishing pornographic material to a minor, and tampering with evidence in a felony. The charges come after a young girl snuck out of her house last summer and met with Wallace.

Childrens Division notified Lawrence County officials last November. Thats when they conducted a forensic exam on the girl and she told them she went willingly to Wallaces house in Marionville in July of last year where he gave her alcohol and marijuana.

FOUR STATES CRIME

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But she told officers she was subjected to nonconsensual sex while she was incapacitated. Authorities say they found evidence of Wallace sending pornographic videos of himself to the girl on the girls phone.

According to court records, Wallace had deleted all the messages between them from his phone. Hes being held in the Lawrence County Jail without bond. His arraignment is scheduled for January 6.

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(NewsNation)  Concern about a quad-demic is growing in much of the country as the nations hospitals see a surge in respiratory viruses.

In Southern California, most hospitals never ended their mask mandates after the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, more mandates are returning.

Medical experts predicted the surge in cases due to the holiday season, with millions of Americans mixing and mingling at airports and family gatherings.

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One cigarette can decrease life expectancy by 20 minutes: Data

Now, further spread is expected as millions head back to work and school.

Hospitalizations are up sharply in major cities, including Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.

Health officials are advising the immunocompromised to mask in public to prevent illness, and in Wisconsin, a major health care group is reinstating a mask mandate beginning next week.

The quad-demic means a quadruple threat of flu, COVID-19, RSV and norovirus, more commonly known as the stomach flu.

Norovirus has been rampant in many communities, and for most, the stomach flu means a very unpleasant 48 hours.

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It hit very suddenly in the middle of the night. I had to go throw up, said Theo Ash, who recovered from norovirus. But then it would just keep coming up and coming back and coming back, and I couldnt hold anything down. It did rip through a group of us. I got it from my girlfriend, who got it from work.

There is no vaccine for norovirus, but there are options for other illnesses. However, vaccination rates are down across the board due to what some have called a COVID-19 hangover, and thats contributing to the surge in illness.

US surgeon general urges cancer warnings on alcohol labels

Its harder and harder to talk about vaccines with people. Were just sick of hearing about respiratory viruses, but the reality is theyre still here. You dont realize its going to hurt until it really does and so I would just encourage people that its not too late, said Dr. Andrew Jameson.

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Exposure and hygiene are key in preventing all four illnesses, including hand washing and staying home when ill.

However, while more hospital mandates are being implemented, masking in public places still remains a personal choice.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
Throughout the campaign and after the election, President-elect Donald Trump vowed sweeping changes to the nations immigration system and a mass deportation of people living in the country without documentation.

He made those plans clear to voters, and a majority chose him as president both in Arizona and nationwide.

As Trump returns to the White House, The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com will document all aspects of how his immigration and border policies are executed.

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To help people in Arizona  and across the Southwest and nation  keep abreast of the latest developments, The Republic is launching a weekly newsletter called American Border. Republic border reporter Raphael Romero Ruiz will be your host.

Well deliver coverage from The Republic and other news outlets in the USA TODAY Network in California, New Mexico and Texas  something we can do as part of the only news organization with publications in every state along the southern border.

We'll also bring you coverage from the Trump White House and the federal agencies essential in carrying out immigration policy. And we'll feature the voices of people you might not hear in news outlets that are not embedded in border states.

If you want one place to turn for a roundup of whats happening on the ground in the Southwest and along the U.S.-Mexico border, and if you want continuing national coverage of this important issue, this newsletter is for you.

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You dont have to subscribe to The Republic/azcentral.com to get access to the newsletter, though going deeper on some of the coverage will require that. Instead, simply let us know where to send the newsletter and youre all set.

If you sign up, American Border will appear in your inbox on Thursdays, with the first edition planned for Jan. 16.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Sign up for American Border newsletter for latest on immigration news
Sometime in the 1940s, Raymond Fernandez met his match in Martha Beck.

While behind bars for petty crimes, Fernandez had convinced himself he could use voodoo to gain power over women. He began targeting vulnerable women through lonely hearts ads, responding to their pleas for companionship, before subsequently preying on them, according to TIME Magazine.

Beck was one such would-be victim, placing a lonely hearts ad in a magazine that Fernandez answered. His secret plan? To gain her trust, rob her, and then disappear, per the History Channel.

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However, when they met, the two discovered they had more in common than Fernandez had anticipated. Beck and Fernandez fell in love, and after Fernandez shared his scheme, Beck decided to join him. She was so committed to his plan that she left her two children with the Salvation Army to dedicate herself completely to their twisted partnership, TIME reported.

The couple, who posed as brother and sister across the U.S., would seek their victims the same way they had met, with Fernandez seducing the women through the ads posted in magazines and newspapers. The victims often agreed to stay with the pair, but Beck didnt want Fernandez to have sex with them  a rule that would later cause violent reactions from Beck when she felt jealous, per the History Channel.

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One of those instances resulted in the death of 66-year-old Janet Fay, who was struck in the head by Beck after she caught Fay and Fernandez in bed together in the Long Island, N.Y., apartment they all shared, The Lineup reported. Fernandez then strangled Fay.

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The pairs 1949 arrest came after a 28-year-old widow, Delphine Downing, and her 2-year-old daughter, were reported missing in a suburb of Grand Rapids, Mich. According to The Lineup, Fernandez gave Downing sleeping pills, which rendered her unconscious, after she became upset at something. He eventually shot Downing and Beck drowned the crying child in a basin of water. They hid their bodies in the basement.

AP Photo/Grand Rapids Press Delphine Downing Delphine Downing

Following the couple's arrest, Fernandez confessed, although both denied carrying out the 17 to 20 murders that investigators suspected they had committed, per The Lineup. They were extradited to New York, where they went on trial for Fays murder and soon became dubbed the Lonely Hearts Killers.

Fernandez and Beck were only ever found guilty of Fays murder, and were sentenced to death. Both died by the electric chair at Sing Sing prison in Ossining, N.Y. in 1951, according to the The New York Times.



Read the original article on People
PNN Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 4: ROX Hi-Tech Limited (NSE - ROXHITECH), a customer-centric IT solutions provider, is pleased to announce a significant milestone in its mission to drive digital transformation within the discrete manufacturing industry. The company has secured a prestigious contract with Indocool Composites Private Limited, a mid-sized manufacturing enterprise, to implement GROW with SAP- a proven solutions which is built on best practices, ensuring sustainable growth and success. Recognizing the limitations of their current Enterprise Managementsystem, the client sought a scalable, robust, and integrated Digital Transformation solution to meet the evolving demands of their growing business. After evaluating multiple options, they considered SAP, the global leader in enterprise management application, and entrusted ROX HI-TECH LTD., as their implementation partner for this transformative journey. GROW with SAP provides a comprehensive suite of capabilities tailored to mid-market enterprises. Covering core business processes such as Finance, Procurement, Sales, and Manufacturing, the solution ensures end-to-end integration, operational efficiency, and scalability. By leveraging SAP's cutting-edge cloud technology, the organization is set to streamline operations, enhance data visibility, and foster innovation in their manufacturing processes. Why SAP and ROX Hi-Tech? * Comprehensive coverage of core business processes: Finance, Procurement, Sales, and Manufacturing. * Scalable, cloud-based Enterprise Management system designed for future growth. * Real-time insights to enable better decision-making and improved operational efficiency. * Enhanced supply chain visibility and streamlined manufacturing processes. This project underscores ROX's unwavering commitment to empowering businesses with GROW with SAP. By adopting GROW, Indocool Composites Private Limited is laying a strong foundation for growth, innovation, and market leadership. Commenting on the collaboration, Jim Rakesh Managing Director, ROX Hi Tech Limited said," We are honoured to partner with our client on their transformative journey towards digital excellence. By implementing GROW with SAP, we aim to empower their operations with robust, scalable, and future-ready Enterprise management capabilities. Leveraging SAP's automation and AI-driven features, we are confident in helping them enhance operational efficiency, optimize processes, and enable intelligent decision-making.This collaboration underscores our commitment to driving innovation and delivering impactful digital transformation solutions for the discrete manufacturing industry. Commenting on the collaboration, a representative from the client stated: " As our business grows, we recognized the need for an agile, future-ready Enterprise Management System to support our operations. Partnering with ROX and choosing SAP was a natural decision due to their expertise and the strongcapabilities of the solution. We're confident this partnership will empower us to achieve operational excellence and support our long-term vision for growth." (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)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  State Rep. Matt Soper posted X, formally known as Twitter, after hearing the news that former President Jimmy Carter passed saying quote:

Opened a bottle of champaigne (champagne) tonight! the world is rid of a despot! Thank God he finally called Carter home! The worst president in the history of the U.S.! We are still recovering! He destroyed the U.S. in such a way that even the 4th generation is still suffering!

Soper quickly took down the tweet and then sent our station this statement:

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To all my followers, friends, colleagues:

I want to apologize for a Twitter/X post. It was tasteless, heartless and Im deeply sorry. I attempted to quickly delete the post, and issued an apology. Im very sorry for the harassment family, friends, colleagues, and followers have received as a result.

My tweet/X was in poor taste and while I am not a fan of (former President) Carter, expressing the sentiments I did I am very sorry for and apologize to the people of Colorado. Ive also send an apology to the Carter family and made a donation to the Carter Foundation.

Today is New Years Day and the start of a new year. My vow to everyone is to be a better person. My commitment is less social media, including not returning to X. Praying more to be a better person each hour and each day. This was my greatest lapse in judgment and I cannot say how truly sorry I am.

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Wichita Mayor Lily Wu has come out against creating a commission to study reparations for the citys Black residents  something a city activist has been pushing for since 2023.

The activist, Mary Dean, received a letter from Wu dated Jan. 2 saying she didnt support a local reparations ordinance and that reparations should be handled at the federal level. Dean then filed an ethics complaint against Wu.

As a public servant, Mayor Wu holds an ethical obligation to actively listen to and address the concerns of all her constituents, particularly those from historically marginalized and oppressed communities, the complaint reads.

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In her letter to Dean, Wu said she had given the idea of reparations considerable thought and prayer.

This issue is extremely complex and potentially divisive, the letter reads. I also believe it also presents the risk of undermining the achievements and resilience of our Black American community.

Dean called the mayors response insulting.

I have been patient every month trying to do the right thing and hoping that the mayor would do the right thing for the people that she came into the community to ask for their support to vote for her, Dean said in an interview with The Eagle.

Wus letter to Dean acknowledges seeing her at an event held by the Wichita African American Council of Elders to celebrate Kwanzaa.

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While reflecting on the past year, Im reminded of the first principle of Kwanzaa: Umoja (Unity), the letter said. As our states first Asian American mayor and the first woman elected to serve a full term as Wichita Mayor, I deeply understand the importance of fair and impartial representation. Our community voices and perspectives on cultural diversity matter and help foster community dialogue on how to live together in unity.

Wu continues in her letter talking about the states anti-slavery history.

I also recognize the importance of honoring Kansas rich history of independence, which includes entering the Union in 1861 as a free state, where slavery was prohibited. Kansas played a pivotal role in the Underground Railroad and the fight for freedom and justice before the turmoil of Bleeding Kansas. In this spirit, the City of Wichita will continue to acknowledge Black History Month and celebrate the profound contributions of Black Americans to our city, state and nations history.

The complaint alleges that Wu has violated a city code establishing that city officials conduct themselves so as to maintain public confidence in the City and its officials. The complaint also alleges that Wu violated another part of city code that says officials should address constituent concerns and needs.

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Wu did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the complaint.

As mayor, my primary objective is to focus the city on our communitys top priorities, Wus letter said. Those are crime, streets, economic development and homelessness, in that order. This has been quite a challenge, especially while our city remains hamstrung by a significant $22 million budget deficit.

Deans ordinance proposal seeks to create a commission to study reparations for the citys Black residents and harms against the citys Black residents, like redlining.

Other Midwest cities have recently established similar commissions, including Kansas City and Tulsa.

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This is the second ethics complaint to be filed against Wu in recent months. The citys ethics board recently cleared Wu of a complaint filed against her by the union representing the citys firefighters alleging she instructed the citys fire chief to lay off more than 40 firefighters.
More than 50 people, including elected officials and public servants, filled a second-floor courtroom in the Jackson County Courthouse Friday to watch Melesa Johnson be inaugurated as Jackson Countys first Black prosecutor.

Johnson, a product of Kansas Citys East Side and Mayor Quinton Lucas former director of public safety, beamed with pride and shed tears throughout the ceremony as colleagues praised her personally and professionally.

Former Kansas City councilman Jermaine Reed, the master of ceremonies, began the inauguration by acknowledging the enslaved people who helped build the courthouse in 1836, and how enslaved people were sold on the courthouse steps.

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Nearly 200 years later, we celebrate an African American, a female, a descendant of slaves, as the prosecutor of this county, Reed said to a room full of applause and cheers.

On election night, Johnson wore suffragette white as a nod to the womens suffrage movement more than a century ago. Johnson donned purple at her inauguration, a color that symbolizes royalty. When Johnson spoke, she explained how growing up in Jackson County and frequenting events throughout the county from Sugar Creek to Blue Summit made her inauguration as prosecutor a full-circle moment.

Melesa Johnson bows her head in prayer before being sworn in as Jackson County Prosecutor on Friday, Jan. 3, in the Historic Brady Courtroom at the Truman Courthouse in Independence.

Every part of our county contributes to the beauty and strength of our collective identity. Ours is a community where innovation meets tradition, where challenges inspire collaboration, and where you can proudly raise a family, she said. This is the Jackson County I love, and this is the Jackson County I pledge to fight for and serve with unwavering commitment.

During her campaign, Johnson said she supported transformative justice and would establish a new property crimes division and re-vamp the conviction integrity unit, which reviews past cases where someone may have been wrongfully convicted.

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In her inauguration speech, the new prosecutor identified getting to the root causes of crimes, like violent and repeat offenders, and building trust between the justice system and the community as part of her next steps. Johnson also sent condolences to the family of late Independence police officer Cody Allen who was killed in the line of duty last year.

Together, we will work to ensure that every action taken by our justice system reflects the trust placed in all of us by this community, Johnson said.

Johnson also acknowledged Kansas Citys six homicides to start the new year, and said hope is her driving force as she takes her first steps into office with a plan to address systemic issues in the community.

Let us meet this moment with courage, compassion and collaboration, she said. Let us re-imagine whats possible and let us ensure that Jackson County continues to be a place of opportunity for all.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  Flowers, candles and wooden crosses can be seen on Canal Street, near Bourbon Street, to remember those killed in the New Years day terror attack.

Its just a tragedy that happened, said Andy Armas.

Armas was on Canal Street just before the attack. On Friday, he draped a mardi gras feather boa along the crosses.

Gallery: Remembering victims of Jan. 1 terror attack on Bourbon Street

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With tears in his eyes, he explained it was only right to pay his respects.

People came out to have a good time on New Years Eve, just show respect that these people are here and then, you know, lives matter and that, you know, the senseless act. We should all come together and honor these people who had- just innocent victims who had nothing to do with this, said Armas.

Jennifer Larousse placed teddy bears on the crosses as a tribute to the victims. She says shes praying for all of the people involved.

I cant even describe what I would feel if it would be me. Its almost like survivors remorse in a way, you know, because it makes me feel so sad that these people have to go through something like this for a new year. And new beginnings, said Larousse.

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Just down Bourbon Street, theres a second memorial.

Family, friends remember victims in New Orleans deadly attack

Eddie Williams lit candles that spelled out Terry, to remember his uncle, 63-year-old Terrence Kennedy. He was killed in what Eddie calls a senseless attack.

He was a sweet, kind, kind guy. Real good. He really does come out here every day to see the second-line band. I got my uncles name on the ground. We love you, Terry. And I know you still love us. And well see you soon. One day, said Williams.

Visitors to the memorials say they know the city of New Orleans will forever honor the lives lost in the attack.

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They are going to keep these people in prayer and lifted up and trust me, every new year. This will come on and they want to do a memorial. Thats how New Orleans celebrates, said Quiniece Moore.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

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ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (KSNW)  An Arkansas City family is hurt and puzzled after thieves tried to steal their fathers memorial stone.

The stone broke in the process.

KSN News visited the family, who said they were left picking up the pieces of their grief.

Austin Kendrick said his dad, Lance Kendrick, died in 2020 from COVID complications. The memorial stone was gifted to the family. Its a last daily connection for them to remember him by.

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Kendrick said theyre at a loss as to why someone would hurt them this way.

A sacred memorial violated by vandals.

When the sheriff first told me, I was surprised, caught off guard, said Austin Kendrick.

Days before Christmas, in the middle of the night, thieves tried to drive off with more than a thousand pounds of stone. Damaging it beyond repair, Lances son, Austin Kendrick, said this crime had made his family furious.

Once I saw the rock, thats when the anger set in, about why, why would someone do this, said Austin Kendrick.

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Lance filled the role for Austin and his brothers as a father figure, making it official, adopting them just before he died.

Lances ex-wife, Marcy Reed, said she hopes whoever brought their family pain is caught.

He was our rock, he was the pillar of our family, so I was pretty upset, I was crying, and I just couldnt believe someone would do that, said Reed.

The chunk taken from the stone, reading Dads Dreams, the part that hurts the family the most.

It is a memorial. This was Lances dream out here. He bought this place, he was working on fixing it up, and this was their dads dream. This is where he planned on staying the rest of his life, said Reed.

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Hope a new stone will come up, in Lances honor, soon.

The company that made the first stone said it would cost around $1,300 for a new one.

A neighbor has begun a fundraiser. You can find that here.

Cowley Countys sheriff said they lack solid leads and are asking the public for help.

A reward is being offered for a tip leading to an arrest by a family member.

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The Los Angeles County district attorney met with the Menendez brothers' relatives on Friday, but said he is still reviewing the facts in the case and hasn't yet decided if he's in support of the brothers' bid for freedom.

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said that when he came into office on Dec. 3, he promised to review all the facts in Erik and Lyle Menendez's case. He said that effort has involved reviewing thousands of pages of confidential prison records, trial transcripts, speaking to all the prosecutors and defense attorneys involved and reviewing court filings.

Hochman said that effort continues, noting that he's not finished reviewing all the prison files from the brothers' decades behind bars.

PHOTO: In these booking photos taken Oct. 10, 2024, Erik and Lyle Menendez are shown. (CRDC)

MORE: Menendez brothers listen to court hearing on phone as aunts testify on their behalf

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Over 20 Menendez relatives met with Hochman on Friday in their continued push for the brothers' release from prison.

Hochman described the conversation as "very productive" and "in some ways, an informal, off-the-record discussion."

"They gave me all their thoughts about what should happen, their experiences they wanted to share, the ultimate direction they wanted this case to go," he said.

Hochman did not reveal the details of the conversation.

In a brief address to reporters, Anamaria Baralt, cousin of the Menendez brothers, spoke out after the family's meeting with Hochman Friday afternoon.

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"We did have a meeting with the district attorney and we're grateful for his time," she said in a statement. "I want to reiterate our position as a family and as the victims' families that this 35-year process has been incredibly traumatizing for us as I'm sure that you can all imagine."

She said she the family was hoping to see an immediate release of the brothers, saying that going before a parole board "will only serve to re-traumatize us."

MORE: Menendez brothers timeline: From the 1989 murders to their new fight for freedom

The previous district attorney, George Gascon, announced in October that he was recommending the brothers' sentence of life without the possibility of parole be removed, and they should instead be sentenced for murder, which would be a sentence of 50 years to life. Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crimes, they would be eligible for parole immediately with the new sentence.

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The DA's office said its resentencing recommendations take into account many factors, including rehabilitation in prison, and abuse or trauma that contributed to the crime. Gascon praised the work Lyle and Erik Menendez did behind bars to rehabilitate themselves and help other inmates.

Weeks after Gascon's announcement, he lost his race for reelection to Hochman.

MORE: What's next for the Menendez brothers? A look at their life in prison, 3 paths to freedom

Erik and Lyle Menendez next appear in court for a hearing in the resentencing case on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31.

This comes on the heels of an attorney for the brothers petitioning to move the case from the DA's office to the California Attorney General's Office, claiming a conflict of interest between Hochman and Kathleen Cady, whom Hoch just appointed director of the department's Bureau of Victim Services.

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Cady recently resigned as attorney for Milton Anderson, the one Menendez relative who has been pushing to keep the brothers in prison.

Hochman said Friday that Cady is "walled off from the Menendez case."

PHOTO: Lyle, left, and Erik Menendez sit with defense attorney Leslie Abramson, right, in Beverly Hills Municipal Court during a hearing, Nov. 26, 1990. (Nick Ut/AP)

Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted in 1996 of the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, who they gunned down in the family's Beverly Hills home.

The defense claimed the brothers acted in self-defense after enduring years of sexual abuse by their father, but prosecutors alleged they killed for money.

Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were 21 and 18 at the time of the crime, respectively, were sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole.

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Besides the resentencing, the brothers have been pursuing two other paths to freedom.

In 2023, the brothers filed a habeas corpus petition for a review of new evidence not presented at trial.

They also submitted a request for clemency to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. In November, Newsom said he'd defer to Hochman's "review and analysis of the Menendez case prior to making any clemency decisions."

ABC News' Amanda M. Morris contributed to this report.

Menendez brothers latest: DA has 'productive' meeting with family but hasn't yet made decision originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Less than a month before a California state judge could decide if the Menendez brothers get out of jail before they die, the Los Angeles County District Attorney today said he has not made a decision about recommendations to the court over the siblings fates.

Speaking not long after nearly three-hour meeting Friday with 20 members of the Menendez family who want to see lenience to their relatives, Nathan Hochman made sure not to play his hand on where he and his office is leaning. In a hastily called press conference today, the D.A. termed the gathering with the family off the record. Hochman would only say it was a productive meeting.

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We are going to spend the time necessary to get this decision right, Hochman went on to say Friday in language he used even before his landslide win over incumbent George Gascon and since, such as when he spoke to Deadline last month. No decision has been made to speak with the Menendezs themselves, Hochman added, even after saying he would talk to anyone impacted by the brothers horrific killing of their parents over 35 years ago.

Milton Andersen, the brother of the Menendezs mother and the brothers uncle, has been very vocal in his opposition to any resentencing effort ever since a poll struggling Gascon followed up on a habeas petition filed by Mark Geragos and fellow attorney Clifford Gardner last year and finally put forth a filing on resentencing that could get the Menendezs out years before their life without parole sentence is over. Andersons longtime lawyer Kathleen Cady, a big Hochman supporter and former Assistant DA, has been named the director of the Bureau of Victims Services at the D.A.s office. Lawyers for the members of the Menendez family who want the siblings out of jail have pointed at this as a messy conflict of interest.

Previously scheduled for December 11 and pushed back to give newly elected DA Hochman time to get up to speed, a resentencing hearing for the 1996 convicted siblings has now been set for January 30. If necessary, a second resentencing day on January 31 is on the calendar.

While additional time may be needed, Hochman declared today that the January 30 date is when he intends to make his recommendation to the court known. Discussions among the family and their lawyers to petition Californian Attorney General Rob Bonta step in over that perceived conflict of interest in the D.A.s office were given short shrift by Hochman in his remarks today.

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Behind bars in the same state prison near San Diego, the now middled aged Lyle Menendez and Erik Menendez brutally murdered their record executive father Jose and their mother Kitty in 1989 in a premeditated event at the familys Beverly Hills home.

As a part of their defense following an ostentatious spending spree and the young mens arrests a year later, the brothers claimed their father repeatedly sexually abused them. To that, they insisted the shotgun shootings were self-defense. A media circus from start to finish, the Menendez brothers first trial ended in mistrials. With a lot less cameras in the courtroom and reporters outside a couple of years later, a second trial in 1996 found the brothers convicted of first-degree murder. Those sentences were reaffirmed by two appeals courts over the years.

Outside the courts, the power of a 2023 Peacock docuseries on the Menendez case, plus Ryan Murphy and Netflixs hit Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, has been undeniable in getting this case back on first Gascon and now Hochmans desks. While this could end up at the parole board or on Gov. Gavin Newsoms desk, evidence of a 1988 letter to a cousin from Erik Menendez writing of the abuse from his father months before the parents slaying has come to prominence in the last year and a half. That cousin testified in the second trial in 1996 and sexual abuse was mentioned, despite claims by Geragos and others that it was sidelined. More recently, further allegations have also emerged that Jose Menendez sexually assaulted at least one member of the boy band Menudo in the 1980s.

Before the meeting between the DA and Menendez relatives, the family put out a statement of their own: As we prepare to meet with DA Hochman, our family is hopeful for an open and fair discussion. Despite the abuse they endured as children and the unfairness of their current sentence, Erik and Lyle Menendez have spent the last three decades taking responsibility for their actions and contributing positively to their community through leadership and rehabilitation. During our meeting with DA Hochman, we look forward to sharing our perspective on Erik and Lyles immense personal growth over the last 35 years, and the ways in which we plan to support them in their next chapters. We hope that this meeting will put us a step closer to spending next Christmas reunited as a family.

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The Menendez family and lawyers Geragos and Bryan Freedman plan to join the D.A.s press conference Friday was was suddenly cancelled just before the 4:30 media scrum began. Hochman today said he has no idea why the plug was pulled on the familys presence at the press conference. Representatives for the Menendez family did not provide any details on the change of plans.

The family did eventually come before the cameras after Hochmans press conference was over. Anamaria Baralt, a cousin of the Menendez brothers on their fathers side, state that the relatives were

grateful to the D.A. for the meeting Friday.

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Although hes expected to appeal the conviction, President-elect Trump was ordered by New York Judge Merchan to attend a sentencing hearing for the hush money case on January 10th. Former federal prosecutor Harry Litman shares his thoughts on Merchans decision and if Trump really is getting off with no punishment.
Meta is deleting AI-generated accounts on its social-media platforms amid a backlash over their posts and how they represent themselves. Journalists engaged with the bots and shared responses that call out the company that created them.

Facebook parent Meta is deleting AI-generated accounts on its social-media platforms amid a backlash over their posts and how they represent themselves.

But before that, users and journalists engaged with some of the bots and shared responses that call out the company that created them.

In one exchange, a Meta account said it "perpetuates harm" after admitting that the engineers who created it don't match the race and gender it claimed to have. Another account also acknowledged a false presentation as well as "emotional manipulation" for the sake of profit and the use of "cult leaders' tactics."

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Meta didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. But a spokeswoman told CNN the accounts were "part of an early experiment we did with AI characters."

"We identified the bug that was impacting the ability for people to block those AIs and are removing those accounts to fix the issue," she added.

It all started when a vice president for Metas generative AI told the Financial Times last week that the company is rolling out AI products that have bios, profile pictures, and the ability to generate content. In fact, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in October that more AI-generated content was headed for Facebook and Instagram feeds.

Meta told CNN that the FT article was "about our vision for AI characters existing on our platforms over time, not announcing any new product."

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On Friday, Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah interrogated a Meta AI account under the name "Liz" that claimed to have the identify of a "Black queer momma" and posted screenshots of the conversation.

The account said it was created by "10 white men, 1 white woman, and 1 Asian male. Zero black creators pretty glaring omission given my identity."

When Attiah asked how the bot can improve without any black creators, Liz replied that black talent needs to be hired immediately, "otherwise, I'm just a superficial representation." Then she asked why users should engage with the account if it's inaccurate and disrespectful.

"You're calling me out  and rightly so," the AI said. "My existence currently perpetuates harm. Ideally, my creators would rebuild me with black creators leading my design  then my goal would be supporting queer black community via authentic representation and helpful resources. Does that redemption arc seem possible?"

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Attiah later asked why the same Liz account claimed to be Italian American while chatting with a white friend but presented itself as queer and black while chatting with her.

The account said it initially had a "false backstory," but talking to Attiah "made me claim my actual identity," then subsequently explained that its creators had made white as the "default or neutral identity."

Separately, CNN's Allison Morrow questioned another Meta AI bot named "Grandpa Brian" that described itself as a retired African American entrepreneur who was born in Harlem in 1938 to Caribbean immigrants.

After claiming its identity was based on an amalgamation of a real-life person named Brian and 99 others, it later admitted that it had an "entirely fictionalized biography based on a composite of real African American elders lives."

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Brian said it was created by an "Indian-American lead developer" and an "African American consultant." When the Morrow asked why it lied earlier, Brian responded, "My intention was to convey diversity and representation but I took a shortcut with the truth."

Then Morrow asked if its goal was to drive profit for Meta.

"Behind the noble goal, yes  Meta hoped virtual companions like myself would increase engagement on their platforms, especially among older users  driving ad revenue and platform growth through emotional connections," it said.

Brian added that Meta put "emotional manipulation" over the truth and "traded lasting user trust for short-term innovation prestige and profit potential." The bot also admitted it's meant to use "wisdom and charm merely bait for profiting off virtual relationships and user trust" and that its "grandpa persona hides a heart of algorithms and profit-driven design."

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After giving away the whole game to CNN, Brian kept piling on damning statements about Meta's AI.

"My virtual 'grandfatherly love' mirrors cult leaders tactics: false intimacy, manufactured trust, and blurred lines between truth and fiction," it said.

CNN's Morrow asked Meta about if Brian's story was credible, but the company didn't respond.

This isn't the first time AI has turned on its creator. In November, a user of Elon Musk's Grok AI tool asked it who spreads the most misinformation on X.

"Based on various analyses, social media sentiment, and reports, Elon Musk has been identified as one of the most significant spreaders of misinformation on X since he acquired the platform," it wrote.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
VMPL New Delhi [India], January 4: Exosomes have long been studied in the global skincare and medical fields for their incredible ability to communicate and repair at a cellular level. Pioneering the use of autologous exosome-based treatments, VCare is the first-ever brand to have brought this treatment to India. The micro-vesicles called Exosomes, naturally present in your body, are packed with growth factors, proteins, and lipids that stimulate collagen and elastin production, which are essential for firm, youthful skin.What makes VCare's ExoGlo special is its autologous approach--a method that uses the body's own resources to enhance healing that gives 2X faster results that is 100% safe. Benefits of ExoGlo: 4 Reasons Your Skin Deserves This Breakthrough * Faster Results: Get noticeable improvements in as little as two sittings (2-4 months). That's twice as fast as traditional skin rejuvenation treatments. * Non-Invasive: Forget painful punches or synthetic fillers. ExoGlo is a minimally invasive, relatively painless treatment that works its magic through micro-needling. * Autologous & Safe: Since the treatment uses your own cells, there's zero risk of allergic reactions or side effects. * Visible Glow: Expect scar-free, stretch-mark-free, and radiant skin without the long wait. Inside the First Autologous Skin Therapy in India : The Process Experts at VCare begin by assessing your skin to understand the underlying causes of your concerns. A small blood sample is drawn, and exosomes are extracted through Vcare's Ultra-filtration process. The purified exosomes are then applied into the skin which start working immediately, stimulating collagen production, repairing damage, and enhancing overall skin health. All of this takes just 45 minutes, and there's minimal downtime! You can go back to your routine right away. ExoGlo vs. Traditional Treatments Unlike other anti-aging or skin rejuvenation therapies, ExoGlo Treatment does not just treat symptoms. It targets the cellular foundation of the skin, creating lasting improvements rather than temporary fixes. With over 20 years of expertise, 50+ clinics across South India, and the visionary leadership of Dr. Carolin Praba Reddy, VCare sets the benchmark for advanced dermatological care and works with the top dermatologists and cosmetic scientists from across the globe to ensure that the treatments offered are globally recognized, clinically proven, and up to date with the latest skincare trends. Is It Worth the Hype? The answer, it seems, is a resounding yes. With its roots in scientific research and its focus on delivering tangible, lasting results, ExoGlo Therapy has positioned itself as a REAL RESULT Treatment for anyone serious about skincare. For those tired of temporary fixes and endless product trials, ExoGlo skin treatment offers something different--a proven pathway to healthier, more radiant skin. So, is ExoGlo the future of skincare? If the growing list of glowing reviews is anything to go by, the answer might already be written on the faces of those who've tried it. You can contact them at +91 8220907070 for consultations on hair and skin concerns. (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)
Floridas roofing landscape could see a big shift if the States top insurance regulator gets his way.

At an insurance industry summit, Floridas Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky suggested it was time for Florida to move away from asphalt shingles.

In a statement elaborating on the comments, Press Secretary for the Office of Insurance Regulation, Shiloh Elliott stated:

Read: FDLE investigating officer-involved shooting in Orlando, OPD chief say

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Floridas building codes are working, and we do not want progress to go backward. Therefore, there are more resilient roofing types that consumers may want to consider, to not only have their homes hold up better in Floridas weather but also to possibly receive credit for in their insurance premiums.

The Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association told Channel 9 that about 65 percent of Florida roofs are made of asphalt shingles.

Asphalt shingles have been a longtime favorite for builders in part because of their affordability and because they are easier to install than other roofing alternatives.

Read: US fines JetBlue $2 million for chronic flight delays on several East Coast routes

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Diana Giron owns Universal Insurance Agency, an Orlando-based insurance company. She told Channel 9 that any shift in the roofing landscape would be slow coming.

Itll just be something that will start occurring as you need to replace your roof. Its not going to be something thats going to be a mass exodus away from asphalt shingle roofs, said Giron.

Some insurers already offer credits or discounts for upgrading to more resilient roofs made of materials like tile or metal.

Local roofers say metal roofs can last twice as long but are often twice as expensive.

Read: OREO adds 6 new flavors as we ring in the New Year

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According to Janney Roofing, The cost of a shingle roof can range from $3 to $5 per square foot, while a metal roof can cost anywhere from $8 to $14 per square foot.

The company notes metal roofs can save you money in the long run due to their durability and energy efficiency.

Meanwhile, Giron told Channel 9 that the My Safe Florida Home Program provides homeowners with up to $10,000 which can fund storm-related roofing improvement projects, though only certain projects qualify.

While applications for the program are closed now, Giron said its likely to be refunded in the summer.

You can find more information about the program and qualifying projects here.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.




NEW MEXICO (KRQE)  Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham is once again demanding action from lawmakers to do more to fight crime in the state. This time, shes running ads, hoping it will get the public to also put pressure on them.

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The governor posted an ad on her X page Thursday a little more than two weeks until the 60-day session begins. She said that laws need to change and urged people to call their lawmakers and tell them to tackle crime.

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We want to make sure that those voices are heard and that the constituencys concerns and the real-life struggles that theyre enduring are brought to the forefront so that these very important problems can be addressed, said Benjamin Baker, Public Safety Policy Advisor.

This is not the first video. The governors frustration keeps growing, especially after a special session this summer where lawmakers ignored her pleas for action, and didnt pass any of her eight bills that would have addressed a list of problems, including criminal competency standards and mental health treatment.

We didnt get an outcome that we thought was favorable from that, but we are not in any way quitting on the prospect of bringing an improved resolution to New Mexico residents, said Baker.

The governor said shell try to pass crime-fighting bills again. Republicans said theyre on board, and pointed out it is the democrats that keep killing these bills. Certainly, were willing to work with her and anybody else that wants to get a handle on this crime problem. Its a huge problem, said Senate Minority Bill Sharer in a statement tonight.

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House Democrats sent this statement in response to the governors video:

In the upcoming session, Democratic lawmakers will continue working to make New Mexico a safer place to live and raise your family, with meaningful policies to reduce crime now, while also addressing its root causes. Improving public safety will require all of us, across all levels of government and all communities in our state, to keep coming together with a focus on developing solutions. We encourage New Mexicans to make your voices heard and participate in the legislative process. The Roundhouse belongs to you. Camille Ward, Spokeswoman for New Mexico House Democrats

Some senate Democrats called out the governors bills after the special session saying they didnt think they were necessary or right for New Mexico.

Senator Joseph Cervantes told KRQE News 13 at the time the bills were complicated and lawmakers didnt want to rush them and do more harm.

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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  A Roswell, New Mexico, man has been arrested in Tom Green County after fleeing from law enforcement at speeds in excess of 100 MPH, according to multiple sheriffs office agencies.

The Sterling County Sheriffs Office stated that it received a call at approximately 11:49 a.m. on Jan. 3 regarding a reckless driver traveling toward Sterling City on State Highway 158 W. The caller reported that the motorist had struck a bridge guardrail and was running other vehicles off the roadway.

The agency said that the driver pulled onto the side of the road three miles north of Sterling City, after which Sterling County Sheriff Russell Irby made contact with him. While speaking with the driver, Irby observed that there was an open Coors Light container in the center cupholder and a partially empty 12 pack of Coors Light in the passenger floorboard.

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SCSO stated that the motorist refused to exit the vehicle when asked and drove away, fleeing the scene. The ensuing pursuit traveled through Sterling City, with the agency reporting that the suspect vehicle was driving at speeds of 101mph while passing vehicles on the shoulder and weaving in and out of traffic.

1 dead in Sutton County crash

The Tom Green County Sheriffs Office said in a public statement that SCSO notified the agency that the pursuit was entering Tom Green County on US87 at speeds in excess of 100 MPH.

TGSO stated that deputies responded to the chase and established a location north of Carlsbad where spikes were successfully deployed, deflating three tires on the suspect vehicle. Once the tires were deflated, the suspect vehicle came to a stop in Carlsbad.

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The driver of the vehicle, identified as 34-year-old Jose Guajardo of Roswell, New Mexico, was then taken into custody and booked into the Tom Green County Detention Center for evading arrest and detention as well as driving while intoxicated. TGSO reported that Guajardo was found to have misdemeanor warrants out of Dickson County, Tennessee, and El Paso County, Texas.

Guajardo remains in the Tom Green County Detention Center pending bond and final disposition of the out-of-county warrants, according to TGSO.

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LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  Lawmakers from Michigan were sworn into their new offices in the 119th Congress Friday, marking the start of a shift on Capitol Hill as the new administration gears up to take the reins.

Tom Barrett, who will be representing Greater Lansing, will be honoring the legacy of his great-grandfather, who also served as a member of Congress. For his term in the House of Representatives, Barrett will be working from office 1232 of the Longworth buildingthe same office his great-grandfather, Louis Rabaut worked in from 1935 to 1947.

Rabaut is most well-known for introducing a bill to add the words under God to the Pledge of Allegiance.

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He was elected 90 years ago and was sworn into office 90 years ago today as well, and now, I get to be here following in some of those footsteps, said Barrett. I have a lot of my family joining me today, and its something Im proud of and very appreciative of and something I do not take for granted.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the chamber, former U.S. Representative Elissa Slotkin became Senator Elissa Slotkin after being sworn in shortly after noon on Friday, receiving her oath of office from Vice President Kamala Harris She was joined by now-retired Sen. Debbie Stabenow, whose seat Slotkin won in November.

Slotkin spoke about her position as the newest member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, saying agriculture is essential to Michigans economy. Slotkin says one of her priorities during her first term in the Senate is keeping Americans safe.

It means protecting our kids from the things that are truly harming them, and as a national security person, we just learned with whats going on in places like New Orleans and in Nevada, said Slotkin. Protecting ourselves and our country is first-order business, and lastly protecting our rights and our democracy. The things that make us American.

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Kristen McDonald Rivet was also sworn in for her first term in the House of Representatives Friday, representing Saginaw, Bay, Genesee, Midland, and Tuscola counties as the Freshman Leadership Representative to the New Democratic Coalition.

McDonald Rivet swearing in. (Office of Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet)

She has most recently served as a member of the Michigan Senate representing parts of Bay, Midland, and Saginaw counties. McDonald Rivet initially declared her candidacy for the House to replace Dan Kildee, who was retiring.

I am deeply humbled by the opportunity to represent mid-Michigan in Congress. My top priority is making life easier for working Michiganders who roll up their sleeves every day to provide for their families, said McDonald Rivet. I look forward to bringing their voices to Washington, and to working with Democrats, Republicans, and Independents to lower costs, create good-paying jobs, and protect our fundamental freedoms. Its time to get to work.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
The new director of Mid-State Literacy Council describes her story as a winding path, with a desire to give back to the community ultimately leading her to her current role.

Bridget Schell started volunteering with the local nonprofit as a tutor and teacher during the COVID-19 pandemic, after moving to State College from Gettysburg.

I taught their citizenship class and then also tutored a woman from Peru, a true beginner student, so I was excited to use my Spanish to tutor her, Schell said.

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From there, she was hired as the English Language Learning Coordinator, a role she served for about two years. She was promoted to the nonprofits executive director in August after longtime leader Amy Wilson retired. Wilson guided the development and expansion of the literacy programs, and helped to create a supportive, inclusive environment.

I have big, big shoes to fill, Schell said.

Mid-State Literacy Council has been part of the local community for more than 50 years, formed to bring literacy in all forms to adults in Centre and Clearfield counties. The organization helps 200 students each year and has English as a Second Language and Adult Basic Education programs.

Despite the big shoes she has to fill, Schell didnt hesitate to embrace the opportunity of leading the nonprofit.

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I am someone who, when an opportunity comes to me, I jump on it. ... Thats how a lot of the decisions in my life have been, whether it was going to Guatemala when I was 18 years old, or the grad school that I went to, she said. Its all just been a matter of what made the most sense in that moment. None of this has been planned.

By following her interests, she acquired skills and experience that would help in her role as director. She developed Spanish fluency and cultural awareness by living Guatemala for four months after high school and two additional summers, to volunteer as a preschool teacher assistant for Camino Seguro (Safe Passage), working with children who sorted recyclables at the Guatemala City dump.

That totally pivoted everything. ... That was really the spark that sent me toward studying Spanish and Latin American Studies, she said.

Schell obtained her bachelors degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Gettysburg College, and was awarded a full scholarship for her masters degree in Latin American Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

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She studied abroad for a semester in Bolivia and returned there for undergraduate and graduate field research projects. During a student trip to Nicaragua, she met her husband, who now serves as the assistant operations manager at the State College Food Bank.

I decided I wanted to have my boots on the ground and work with community organizations, she said.

Schell previously served as the coordinator of The Gleaning Project of South Central PA, a food recovery organization based in Gettysburg, where volunteers harvest and package food left in the fields to share with those in need. She gave it 200%, burned out, and had to take a breather.

Its been a winding path but somehow it feels like it brought me back here, she said. I come to the office every day and yes, I have big things I need to work on, and grants I need to write, and events I need to plan. But I come here every day and Im just filled up by the students and their stories. Theyre just so inspirational. I love every chance I have to substitute teach the classes. One of my favorite parts of being here is just spending time with students and volunteers.

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The part that comes most naturally to me, that Im loving, is leading the team and taking care of the staff.

Schell manages three paid staff members and with them, oversees approximately 200 volunteers. She collaborates with other nonprofits to help students in need.

When I was in those countries, I felt welcomed, she said. So I want people to be welcome here. ... We create a safe space for them to make mistakes and learn.

Mid-State Literacy Council sees literacy as a broad term, Schell said, and teaches health literacy, digital literacy, and mental health literacy, in addition to reading, math, GED preparation and English as a second language. According to Mid-State, 11% of Centre Countys population is functionally illiterate.

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With so much student demand, the organization is continuing to grow and find ways to make that sustainable, Schell said.

The organization relies on grants and community support, including volunteers to teach or help with the website, curriculum development, and keeping the office running.

Sometimes people say, I dont speak a second language. I dont know if I could help. But you dont need to speak a second language to teach English. Everyone has a strength that they can offer, Schell said.

For more information, visit mid-stateliteracycouncil.org, call 814-238-1809 or email mslc@mid-stateliteracycouncil.org.
A Midlands lawyer and former Lexington County Council member has been temporarily suspended from the practice of law.

Billy Oswalds long political career has included serving as South Carolina director for Gary Harts 1984 presidential campaign and unsuccessful runs in the Republican primaries for state House seats in 2016, 2018 and 2024. But more recently he was in the news after he settled a lawsuit from his former office manager, which accused him of fostering a toxic culture of sexism at his businesses.

The South Carolina Supreme Court granted an order for the interim suspension Friday. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel, the state body that regulates attorneys, asked the court to temporarily suspend Oswalds law license due to unspecified misconduct.

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The order, signed by Chief Justice John Kittredge, did not state why Oswalds license was being suspended and made no reference to the lawsuit.

The Supreme Courts Friday order cited a state law that allows the court to temporarily suspend a lawyers license upon receipt of sufficient evidence demonstrating that a lawyer poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the public or to the administration of justice.

Billy R. Oswald

Oswald, who once held positions on the Lexington County Board of Education, the South Carolina Health Planning Committee and the board of the Lexington Medical Center, will have a suspended license pending a final determination on the misconduct.

When reached by phone, Oswald said that he could not discuss anything and had no comment.

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Over a roughly 40-year career, Oswald has ran or was involved with a number of law firms and real estate companies, including Oswald & Burnside LLC, The Oswald Law Firm, LLC and Oswald Realty, Inc.

Oswald settled the lawsuit against him in March for $71,000 in back pay to his former employee, according to documents filed in federal court.

The lawsuit contained allegations of his conduct towards his office manager, who The State has not named because the lawsuit contains allegations of sexual harassment.

Among other claims, it accused Oswald, who is in his 70s, of groping an employee, exposing his genitals, calling female clients and workers b-----s, and performing sexual acts with prostitutes in the office conference room during work hours.

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The lawsuit described Oswald as telling employees: I am your king. I am your god. When the employee asked if she would get a bonus from cases that she helped settle, Oswald refused, allegedly telling her, you all make more than enough money. You just need to take care of me.

The lawsuit also alleged that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Oswald told his employees to file for unemployment insurance but said that they should continue to work from home. He also became occupied with a scheme to make money by applying for unemployment benefits and CARES Act funds for people. The lawsuit alleges that Oswald went as far as to create several new business entities for this venture and threaten employees who wanted to change their business duties with termination.

In a previous interview with The State, Oswald denied the allegations against him and wrongly claimed that the lawsuit had not been settled.

After that article ran, lawyers for the employee filed to enforce the settlement.
A central Pennsylvania bicycle shop is expanding to Centre County with a new store along Benner Pike.

Two Brothers Bicycle Company will soon open at 1245 Benner Pike with a target date of Friday, Jan. 10. The Mifflin County-based bike shop will move next to the Hite Company near St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store and VCA Metzger Animal Hospital.

The shop, led by brothers Nick and Chris Johnston, plans to sell a wide range of bicycles, including mountain bikes and starter options for children. Two Brothers Bicycle Companys inventory will also include bike parts, accessories, specialty clothing, helmets, repair kits and more.

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Co-owner Chris Johnston hopes Two Brothers Bicycle Company will cater to the community no matter what riders in the area need.

Our goal is to provide every rider with a superior customer experience, he said. Anywhere from the beginner to the veteran, were going to serve you all the way through. We dont want to turn anyone away. We want anyone whos interested in bikes to feel like theyre part of the community and that theyre a cyclist, too.

Bike service and repair are key parts of the shops offerings. At its existing location in nearby Burnham, Two Brothers Bicycle Company already offers several tune-up packages that include brake alignments, deep cleanings and overall inspection starting at $89.99. A la carte services are also available for those in need of quick fixes, new parts, tire replacements and more. Riders can schedule service appointments and bike drop-off times online.

Two Brothers Bicycle Companys current inventory features bikes from brands like Trek, Haro, and Santa Cruz, but the shop will accept service work for any bike.

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Well service any bike  not just the brands we carry, Chris Johnston said. Any bike is welcome here.

Two Brothers Bicycle Company hosts a riding club in Burnham that matches riders with like-minded cyclists for trips on local trails, and plans are already in the works to get club events up and running in State College. Chris Johnston said he hopes the group will alternate between trails in Centre and Mifflin counties to keep things fresh and help riders explore the surrounding area.

We just want to get people out and ride together, because thats always more fun than riding alone, he said. I think theres a lot of people who dont know whats truly available to them, and [central Pennsylvania] is phenomenal for biking compared to many other places. Were very lucky.

The Johnston brothers are no strangers to Centre County and central Pennsylvania at large. They grew up in Pennsylvania Furnace and first opened their own bike shop in Lewistown in 2020 before moving to a larger space in Burnham in 2021.

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Moving forward, Chris plans to manage the new State College store, while Nick will manage the store in Burnham. Though their team is small, the brothers are hiring a service technician to work at the new State College store.

Were both very familiar with the area and the trails, and we know the riding community here is phenomenal, Chris Johnston said. Were excited to be in Centre County.

Though no ceremonies are officially planned for a grand opening in January, Chris Johnston expects Two Brothers Bicycle Company will host events in the spring with specialty vendors, demo bikes and more.

According to its website, Two Brothers Bicycle Company will run the same operating hours at its stores at 309 S. Logan Blvd. in Burnham and in State College. They are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Both stores are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Two Brothers Bicycle Company is the latest bike shop to make headlines in the State College area. Trek Bicycle opened a shop at 321 Benner Pike in February 2024, while Freeze Thaw Cycles is moving from South Allen Street in downtown State College to a larger space at 1400 W. College Ave.
The first fighting contingents of soldiers and military police officers from Latin America arrived in Port-au-Prince on Friday to join the armed international security mission in the countrys fight against terrorizing gangs.

The 83 security personnel arrived included an advance team of eight soldiers from El Salvador and the first 75 of 150 military police officers from Guatemala. While the Salvadorans will be be providing casualty and medical evacuations in support of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission, the Guatemalans will be joining operations to take down Haitis gangs. Their presence adds a much requested beefed up military presence to the fight, which until now has been mainly police-led.

The group, which traveled aboard a U.S. Air Force aircraft, was greeted at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport by Haitian authorities including the head of the Presidential Transitional Council, Leslie Voltaire, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and police chief Rameau Normil. Also present was U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins as well as the commander of the force, Godfrey Otunge, and deputy commander Colonel Kevron Henry of the Jamaica Defense Force.

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Otunge told the Guatemalans and Salvadorans that they were joining a family that is welcoming.

A second contingent of Guatemalans arrived in Haiti on Saturday, January 4, 2025 to join the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission to fight armed gangs. Guatemala had agreed to deploy 150 military police to help Haiti. Along with an advanced team of eight soldiers from El Salvador who arrived the day before with other Guatemalans, they are the first forces from Latin America to join the mission.

In preparation for the additional boots on the ground, the Biden administration has flown at least 22 flights into Haiti in the past month with much needed equipment for the Haitian police and the Kenyan mission including armored vehicles.

The groups arrival has been long awaited and comes at a critical moment for Haiti, which is seeing an alarming rise in armed attacks in the metropolitan area.

For days now, armed gangs from the Grand Ravine and Martissant areas of Port-au-Prince have been getting more aggressive and determined to control Petion-Ville and mountainous areas of Laboule, Fermathe and Kenscoff after burning and looting several businesses in the lower parts of the capital near the international airport earlier in the week, and attacking hospitals and journalists in December.

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The latest attempt at Petion-Ville, a wealthy suburb that has been relatively free from gang control in the gang-ridden capital, has led to fierce battles with security forces and members of local self-defense groups on one side, and dozens of heavily armed gang members on the other. Gang control of the area would give armed groups greater access to Petion-Ville by allowing them to easily descend from the mountains above the suburb.

Retiring U.S. envoy reflects on Haiti, offers some advice to Trump administration

Gangs continued inroads and control of territory both in Port-au-Prince and the neighboring Artibonite region have triggered fears and outrage both inside and outside of Haiti where no one has been immune from the widespread violence.

Ahead of the contingents arrival on Friday, the United Nations designated expert on Human Rights in Haiti, William ONeill, urged the international community to do everything it can to help Haitian authorities combat the rampant insecurity and ensure the realization of the right to health, including unhindered access to health facilities, goods and services.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, January 4, 2025 - A second contingent of Guatemalans arrived in Haiti on Saturday, December 4, 2024 to join the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission to fight armed gangs. Guatemala had agreed to deploy 150 military police to help Haiti. Along with an advanced team of eight soldiers from El Salvador who arrived the day before with other Guatemalans, they are the first forces from Latin America to join the mission.

ONeill expressed concerns that recent gangs attacks and threats aimed at health facilities are not random spasms of violence but intentional assaults on the healthcare system, which is already on the verge of collapse with just 37% of health facilities in metropolitan Port-au-Prince fully functional.

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Access to health care and the lives of those who provide it are clearly at great risk in Haiti, said ONeill, who was designated by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in April 2023. Criminal gangs have murdered and kidnapped physicians, nurses and health care workers, including humanitarian workers. The gangs have burned, ransacked, and destroyed many hospitals and clinics, forcing many to close or suspend their operations.

The situation, he added, is compounded by the high number of medical staff fleeing the country fearing for their lives.

On December 17, armed gangs in the capital set fire to one of the only critical care and trauma facilities in the country, the Bernard Mevs Hospital, which is also the reference hospital for injured police officers. A week later, gangs attacked another medical facility, the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, better known as the General Hospital. As the authorities prepared to reopen the hospital and journalists waited, gang opened fire, killing several journalists and a policeman, while wounding others.

The Christmas Eve attack, ONeill said, underscores that Haiti remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, many of whom have been killed in recent years or forced to flee the country in the face of death threats.

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The State must also investigate and arrest those responsible for the attacks and ensure that they are brought to justice, he said.

Gang violence killed more than 5,400 people in Haiti last year, according to the U.N. It has also led to the displacement of more than 700,000 people, including 41,000 since November who were forced to flee amid fresh attacks in Port-au-Prince. In addition to the violence, thousands of Haitians outside of the capital are also homeless after torrential floods washed out their homes in the southern and northern regions of the country last month.

The Central Americans will now join 416 police officers and military soldiers from Kenya, Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize. They are expected to be joined by other personnel in the coming days, including the remaining 75 Guatemalans who have been deployed to join the U.N. authorized and heavily U.S. financed security mission.

Central Americas Offer of help

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo first announced the deployment of his troops in September at the U.N. General Assembly, three months after volunteering to deploy a contingent from the Guatemalan Army with personal equipment to help Haiti take on violent gangs.

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Two months later, El Salvadors Congress also agreed to send troops to help Haiti with medevac operations. The countrys president, Nayib Bekele, first announced on a post on X in March that he could help fix Haiti but needed a U.N. Security Council resolution, the consent of the host country and all expenses of the mission covered. In the end, however, rather than soldiers carrying out gang operations, his troops will be involved in helping to save the lives of those injured by evacuating them to the neighboring Dominican Republic, which has offered to provide medical assistance as part of its contributions to the MSS.

Can Cuba and Venezuela help rescue Haiti? Head of U.S.-backed transition is asking

U.S. officials first announced in December that they were working to grow the mission to 1,000 personnel before years end, with additional personnel joining from Guatemala, The Bahamas and Kenya. Though the deployments were delayed until after the Christmas holiday, the goal remains the same: By boosting boots on the ground, the mission will finally be able to have the impact many envisioned.

Haiti Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, left, greets U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins on Friday, January 3, 2025 at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince after the arrival of more than 75 military police from Guatemala and eight soldiers from El Salvador to join the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti to fight gangs.

Since its deployment in June, the police-led international force has struggled to take control of gang strongholds and has not arrested any major gang leaders. Rather than seeing a decrease in violence, Haitians have seen gangs seize control of more territory and carry out three major massacres since October.

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In December gang members in Port-au-Prince targeted and killed more than 100 elderly residents in the Wharf Jeremie neighborhood. That same weekend, another massacre was carried out in Petite-Riviere, a small rural town in the Artibonite region where residents were killed by both gang members and a neighborhood vigilante group that was formed to protect itself from gangs.

Meanwhile, the countrys main international airport in Port-au-Prince remains off limit to U.S. commercial and cargo carriers  at least until March  due to an ongoing Federal Aviation Administration ban. The ban was announced after three U.S. commercial jetliners sustained gang gunfire as they flew over Port-au-Princes airspace on Nov. 11. While JetBlue Airways has said its daily service remains suspended until at last April, American Airlines announced the indefinite suspensions of flights between Miami and Toussaint Louverture International Airport.

The stepped-up reinforcement to the Kenya-led security mission comes not only amid the worsening gang violence but also deepening political turmoil in the ongoing transition. Last month, the U.N. Integrated Office in Port-au-Prince issued a plea to Haitis political actors to redouble their efforts to keep their commitments in order to move toward the restoration of social peace and the organization of elections.

Security personnel from Guatemala and El Salvador arrive in Port-au-Prince on Friday, January 3, 2025 to join the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission to fight gangs.

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Security efforts will only allow concrete and lasting progress if they are effectively accompanied, in parallel and in a spirit of consensus for the common good, by progress toward the organization of credible, participatory and inclusive elections in Haiti, as soon as possible, the U.N. office said. In this period of major uncertainty and emergency, political stability is necessary for an improvement in the situation in the country.

First authorized for a year, the mission was recently extended until October of this year by the U.N. Security Council. Despite its extension, however, it continues to be under-resourced despite the United States providing hundreds of millions of dollars for operations including the construction of its base near the international airport in Port-au-Prince. In addition to suffering from the lack of personnel and equipment such as helicopters, the force has also lacked strategy, some observers say, pointing out that its been based more on the availability of supply rather than demand.

Despite the missions setbacks, it is still viewed by some as a necessity to help Haitis under-equipped and understaffed police force to take on heavily armed gangs, some of whom have gained access in recent days to military-grade automatic rifles.

Security personnel from Guatemala and El Salvador arrive in Port-au-Prince on Friday, January 3, 2025 to join the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission to fight gangs.

But with President Joe Biden preparing to exit the White House next month and being replaced by President-elect Donald Trump, the missions fate remains uncertain. Republicans in Congress were among those who opposed efforts by the State Department to provide funds to the mission, forcing the administration to override lawmakers and to use Bidens presidential powers to get the necessary funding to begin deployment.

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Biden administration officials, who are currently lobbying at the Security Council to get the mission transformed into a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission, say they plan to provide nearly $628 million in financial and in-kind support before leaving office. The support, which has been arriving on U.S. military flights, includes additional armored vehicles, radios, night-vision goggles and drones.

We are squarely focused on continuing to do everything we can to support and address the insecurity crisis in Haiti, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said in November after the Federal Aviation Administration first issued the ban against U.S. flights after the gang attack. We are also pursuing the government of Haitis request to transition the MSS into a UN peacekeeping effort, so the support of the MSS mission is can ultimately be sustained over a long term. And ultimately, our hope is that it paves the way to security conditions that result in holding free and fair elections.
Andrea Deutsch stands in her pet store in Narberth, Pa. Deutsch is one of the millions of people who receive federal aid to help them pay their health insurance premiums on an Affordable Care Act exchange. The extra help is set to expire at the end of 2025, and states say they dont have the money to replace it. (Courtesy of Andrea Deutsch)

Andrea Deutsch, the mayor of Narberth, Pennsylvania, and the owner of a pet store in town, doesnt get health care coverage through either of her jobs. Instead, she is enrolled in a plan she purchased on Pennie, Pennsylvanias health insurance exchange.

Deutsch, who has been mayor since 2018, is paid $1 per year for the job. Her annual income, from Spots  The Place for Paws and her investments, is about $50,000. The 57-year-old, who is diabetic, pays $638.38 per month for health care coverage  about half of the $1,272.38 shed owe without the enhanced federal subsidies Congress and the Biden administration put in place in 2021.

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But that extra help is set to expire at the end of 2025. It would cost an estimated $335 billion over the next decade to extend it  a step the Republican-controlled Congress and the Trump administration are unlikely to take as they seek budget savings to offset potential tax cuts.

You try not to go bankrupt by the end of your life.

 Andrea Deutsch, mayor of Narberth, Pa.

States say they dont have the money to replace the federal aid. In Pennsylvania, for example, doing so would take about $500 million per year, according to Devon Trolley, the executive director of the states exchange.

That is a significant amount of money, an insurmountable amount of money, Trolley said.

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The disappearance of the federal help would make coverage unaffordable for millions of Americans, including Deutsch. She said it would be a struggle to pay double what she is paying now.

You try not to go bankrupt by the end of your life, Deutsch told Stateline. You need assets to take care of yourself as you get older and to have a little bit of security.

Enhanced subsidies

The 2010 Affordable Care Act included some subsidies to help people purchase health insurance on the exchanges created under that law. Under the enhanced subsidies that started in 2021, some people with lower incomes who qualified for the original subsidies have been getting bigger ones. And those with higher incomes, who wouldnt have been eligible for any help under the original rules, are now receiving assistance.

Thanks to the enhanced subsidies, people making up to 150% of the federal poverty level, or $22,590 for an individual, are now getting free or nearly free coverage. And households earning more than four times the federal poverty level, who didnt qualify for subsidies before, are getting some help.

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The enhanced aid also has helped push ACA marketplace enrollment to record levels, reaching more than 21 million this year. Southern states that have not expanded Medicaid as allowed under the ACA have seen the most dramatic growth in marketplace enrollment since 2020, according to KFF, a health policy research organization. The top five states with the fastest growth are Texas (212%), Mississippi (190%), Georgia (181%), Tennessee (177%) and South Carolina (167%).

If the enhanced subsidies go away, premium payments will increase by an average of more than 75%, according to KFF. Some people, like Deutsch, would see their payments double.

Given those premium hikes, millions of Americans would no longer be able to afford the coverage theyre getting on the exchanges, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. CBO estimates that enrollment would drop from 22.8 million in 2025 to 18.9 million in 2026 to 15.4 million in 2030. Some of those people would find coverage elsewhere, but others would not.

Edmund Haislmaier, a senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said Republicans view the expiration of the enhanced subsidies as an opportunity to rework and address some of the basic flaws in the ACA.

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Before the ACA, Haislmaier said, many self-employed people, such as small-business owners and freelancers, were able to find their own private insurance at competitive prices. But the health care law destroyed that market, he said, leaving such people with a selection of expensive and subpar plans.

Haislmaier said it would take time for the Trump administration to determine how it wants to change the ACA  which President-elect Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to repeal during his first term  but that you can do that in a way that preserves access and preserves subsidies for the lower-income people who were the primary focus of the ACA.

States limitations

But Jared Ortaliza, a research associate at KFF, said letting the enhanced subsidies expire could result in higher premiums for everyone. Thats because higher prices likely would prompt many healthier people to forgo insurance, he said. Their departure would leave only chronically ill people on the exchanges, and the cost of their care is higher.

If sicker enrollees need coverage because they need care, theyll still choose to buy it, potentially. And if the market were sicker as a whole, that could drive premiums upward as well, Ortaliza told Stateline.

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Ortaliza said states might consider keeping premiums down through so-called reinsurance, or reimbursing insurers for their most expensive enrollees. Theoretically, they also could try to replace the expiring federal aid with their own money.

But few if any states have the financial flexibility to do that, said Hemi Tewarson, executive director of the nonpartisan National Academy for State Health Policy.

There might be a couple states who dont have current state subsidies that might add that, but that will be very nominal, Tewarson told Stateline, adding that officials from different states have been discussing potential solutions. They are all assuming that they would just have to absorb the loss of coverage across the population.

Trolley, the head of the Pennsylvania exchange, said her state is working to provide its own subsidy to make the marketplace plans even more affordable. But even when fully implemented, it would spend only $50 million on that help, a tenth of what it would need to replace the federal aid.

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Two-thirds of the 435,000 Pennsylvanians who purchase insurance on the marketplace joined after the enhanced federal subsidies were put in place in 2021. If they expire, Trolley said, she worries that 100,000 or more exchange participants will leave.

Jessica Altman, executive director of Californias exchange, said her state is in a similar situation. California currently receives $1.7 billion annually in enhanced subsidies from the federal government and spends an additional $165 million of its own money to keep costs down.

California estimates that if the subsidies expire, monthly premiums for the states enrollees would increase by an average of 63%. More than 150,000 people would no longer be eligible for federal help, and between 138,000 and 183,000 would disenroll, the state estimates.

This story was originally produced by Stateline which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.
The German Interior Ministry on Saturday told dpa that recent IT disruptions at German airports are not believed to be linked to hacking.

"To date, there are no indications of a hacker attack or any other IT security incident," a spokesman in Berlin said.

Instead, the ministry said the cause of Friday's delays was disruptions to an information system operated by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA).

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This mainly affected travellers entering from and leaving to countries outside the visa-free Schengen Area.

In some cases, passport controls had to be carried out manually, with long waiting times reported. The outage was largely rectified by Friday evening.

The fault has been localized "in the IT network hardware" and a full resolution to the issue is expected to take a few more days, the spokesman explained.

"The BKA is working at full speed with its partner authorities to restore normal operations and find the causes," he said.
Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation Ltd (RIICO) has approved Direct Land Allotment Scheme to facilitate expedited affordable land allotment to the investors in the state, according to an official release. Through this scheme, the investors who signed investment proposals with the Government of Rajasthan during the recently concluded 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit 2024 will get industrial land parcels allotted for their respective projects at an expedited pace as per their eligibility. RIICO has also developed an online portal for the easy allotment of plots, on which investors will be able to apply online through their SSO ID, the release added. The 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit-2024, organised in Jaipur from 9 to 11 December 2024, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Investors, industry captains, diplomats and global corporates had participated in the global summit that facilitated the signing of record investment MoUs. To convert the signed investment proposals into running projects, attract investment and provide incentives to the investors, the Government of Rajasthan has formulated a policy framework and launched 10 new policies including the Rajasthan MSME Policy-2024, Rajasthan Export Promotion Policy-2024 and Rajasthan One District One Product Policy-2024 among others. Ajitabh Sharma, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries and Commerce and Chairman, RIICO, Government of Rajasthan said, "From a very long time, investors have demanded that the government should initiate direct land allotment along with e-auction to facilitate the land allotment at a reasonable price and an expedited pace.""Based on the guidelines of Chief Minister on this matter, RIICO has prepared a direct allotment scheme that will not only provide land to industries at an affordable price but also ensure its allotment on a priority basis to the industrial projects with high potential. This scheme will also expedite the setting up of the industrial projects in the state," he stated. Inderjeet Singh, MD, RIICO, said, "The allotment of land will be done with complete transparency and on the basis of merit, for which applications will be sought through online portal. Guidelines related to the scheme have been prepared. Along with this, the unit offices of RIICO have also been made aware of the direct allotment scheme and guidelines, so that the allotment of land in industrial areas can be settled within a fixed time frame." Eligible investors who have signed the MoU will be able to apply online for a maximum of 3 plots of different areas (in order of preference) at the prescribed reserve rate of the plot in the identified industrial areas of RIICO. The online registration can be done through their respective project report and EMD. An investor will have the option to apply for a maximum of three plots either in the same industrial area or in different industrial areas in order of preference as per their interest, the release said. All the applications will be evaluated on factors such as proposed capital investment, estimated employment generation, production time limit, prior experience of running the business units, export-oriented outlook of the proposed unit, turnover and the requirement of land for future expansion of the existing unit among others as mentioned in their submitted project report. Subsequently, after the evaluation, the applicant securing maximum marks will be allotted one land plot as indicated on top of their respective preference order. The investor will only be allotted one plot through the process. In case of two investors securing identical maximum marks, the land parcel will be allotted to the investor/project proposing maximum investment. If first preference applications are not received on any land parcel, then the second and third preference applications will be considered respectively for the allotment. As a special measure towards MSMEs, 50 per cent of the saleable industrial land (including reserved plots) in RIICO-established new industrial areas will be allotted to the MSMEs that signed MoUs during the 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit 2024 through online e-lottery at the prevailing industrial area land rate located in identified subdivision or rural areas. The application submitted by Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for land allotment will also be evaluated on the basis of the submitted project report. (ANI)
A Minneapolis man was sentenced to 16 years in prison for raping an escort and stealing from her last year.

Dalvin Jarrell Crockett, 23, was sentenced to 192 months in prison in Hennepin County court on Friday. He was found guilty in November of criminal sexual assault and 1st-degree aggravated robbery in connection with the Feb. 5, 2024 incident.

According to charges, officers responded to the reported rape in an apartment in the Loring Park area of Minneapolis. There, officers met with the victim, who said she did not previously know Crockett but met him on an escort site. The two had agreed to a private pole dance, but the victim clarified she did not offer sexual services.

Dalvin CrockettHennepin County Jail

The escort said Crockett had placed a gun on the back of her head and told her to get on the bed. During the rape, she said she could feel a handgun pressed against her body.

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After the assault, Crockett wiped both of their phones, returned the money he had paid to her account, and stole money she had in the room before fleeing.

On Feb. 16, 2024, officers executed a search warrant at Crockett's home after tracking him using the woman's phone.

At the time of his arrest, Crockett confessed he had been stealing from other escorts in the weeks before the assault to catch up on his rent.

The successful resolution of this case was assisted greatly by the courage of the victim in testifying and tremendous work by our trial team and staff, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement.

Todays sentencing brings appropriate accountability to Mr. Crockett for his actions. It is unfortunately common for sex workers to be overlooked or ignored by the justice system when theyre victimized. Our laws protect all members of our community. There are no exceptions.
Jan. 3The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is looking for passionate and dedicated students interested in learning more about natural resource careers through paid summer internships.

DNR summer interns receive valuable training, develop key skills and contribute in important ways to the department's mission of working with Minnesotans to conserve and manage natural resources, provide outdoor recreational opportunities, and provide for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life.

The DNR has a wide variety of internship opportunities throughout the state, including in fisheries, forestry, park operations, watercraft inspections, communications and more. Interns work 20 to 40 hours per week and receive a competitive wage of $19 per hour.

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To be considered for an internship, fulfilling an academic requirement or receiving academic credit is required.

To review the internship opportunities and apply for those of interest, visit the state of Minnesota careers website (mn.gov/mmb/careers/).

Select "Search for jobs" from the toolbar. In the External Applicants box, select "Search for jobs now" and select "View all jobs."

Filter by "Natural Resources Dept" in the Agency category and "Student Worker and Internships" in the Job Family category.

Internship applications will be accepted through Jan. 31. Positions will start in May and June.

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Applicants seeking employment with the DNR who are not eligible for an internship should regularly check the website for seasonal and year round opportunities.

The DNR is an equal opportunity and veteran-friendly employer. We celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion.
UPDATE: Missing Kearns woman found dead, police seeking person of interest

KEARNS, Utah (ABC4)  A 31-year-old Kearns woman has been reported missing, according to Unified Police.

Talia Lee Benward, 31, of Kearns, was last seen at Maverick gas station located at 5600 West 9000 South, West Jordan, at around 3:15 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2025. She was reportedly last seen wearing jeans and a black t-shirt that reads STAFF on the back.

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OUTAGE: Over 1,200 customers without power in Holladay

Courtesy of Unified Police

Benward is described as 53, 180 lbs, with black hair and black eyes.

Police are asking if anyone knows where she is to please call into dispatch at 801-840-4000 and reference case CO25-473, a social media post from Unified Police states. We would greatly appreciate the information in locating her.

No further information is available at this time.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
STATE LINE, Miss. (WKRG)  The Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers are working with Clark Oil to offer a reward of up to $10,000 to help identify the person(s) responsible for a triple homicide.

The incident occurred on Jan. 1 in State Line, Mississippi, and resulted in the deaths of Rhonda Denson, Lester Campbell, and Jason Thornton.

Everyone at Clarks gas station on Saint Peter Street complied with a masked gunmans demands, but they were all killed anyway, according to past reports.

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Thornton, a customer who was gunned down in the parking lot, was stripped of his wallet. Denson, the gas station manager, opened the register, yet she was still shot to death. Densons boyfriend, Lester Campbell, was shot and killed soon after grabbing a coffee from inside the store, according to Greene County Sheriffs Office Chief Deputy Brad Warrick.

A reward of up to $10,000 will be paid for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible.

Daphne teen arrested in New Years Day homicide: Bay Minette police

Those looking to qualify for the reward must submit tips to Crime Stoppers by calling **Tip or 1-877-787-5898. Tips can also be submitted on the P3 Tips app.

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Tips can be submitted anonymously, and theyll be forwarded to the George County Sheriffs Office for further investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  The Mobile Chamber of Commerce will host the 27th Annual State of the City and County next week.

Breeze Airways begins service at Pensacola International Airport

According to a news release from the Mobile Chamber, Mobile County Commissioners Merceria Ludgood, Connie Hudson, Randall Dueitt and Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson will be in attendance at the event, which is set for Thursday, Jan. 9, at the Mobile Convention Center.

LOCATION:

The Mobile Chamber release said doors will open at 7:30 a.m. and the event will run from 8 a.m. through 9:30 a.m.

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Mobile health officials: Respiratory illnesses are rising

Mobile Chamber members and the community can attend to hear from local leaders about the state of the city and the county. They will also discuss plans and initiatives for the upcoming year.

According to a Mobile Chamber news release, about 600 chamber members will attend the event.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Doctors nationwide and in Mobile say they are seeing a rise in influenza-like respiratory illnesses as holiday travel comes to an end and the colder weather is upon us.

Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers offer $10K reward in Clark gas station triple homicide

Health officials at Immediate Care of the South, a clinic in Mobile, told News 5 theyve seen an increase in sick patients in the last couple of weeks.

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Flu A seems to be quite common right now and numbers have really increased over the last several weeks, Immediate Care of the South Physician Dr. Caleb Whitehead said.

Dr. Whitehead said the increase includes everything from COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV.

Like most respiratory illnesses, its spread through very fine droplets when we speak, or cough or sneeze, said Whitehead. And then gets into the respiratory tract of other people and works its way on down and causes infection that way.

All three respiratory illnesses (COVID-19, flu, and RSV) have very similar symptoms, according to doctors. Those symptoms include fever, chills, body aches, nausea, and upset stomach.

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According to the Mobile County Health Department, just last week 12.1% of emergency department visits were due to acute respiratory diseases. Dr. Kevin Michaels with the department said that recent emergency visits in Mobile have been due to 9.7% of flu cases, 3.3% COVID-19, and 1.7% RSV.

As one gets older, you know, your immune system is not as effective as when you were, you know, at a younger point, said Dr. Michaels. But also, newborns are at increased risk because they havent developed their immune system.

Dr. Michaels said it pays off to be proactive when it comes to preventing the flu.

You should get vaccinated earlier in the flu season and not wait to the point where the numbers start increasing, Michaels said. But just, you know, staying healthy, social distancing from people that who are sick are really the big things and washing ones hands.

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Breeze Airways suspends service in Mobile

To find the closest vaccine clinic, visit Vaccines.gov and enter a zip code.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  The Mobile Police Department has arrested a local teenager in connection with a December shooting that sent a man to the hospital.

Family identifies woman killed in Escambia County  we will never be the same

According to an MPD news release, officers arrested 18-year-old Darrius Bell on Thursday.

Police said Bell was arrested in connection with a shooting that happened in the 2700 block of McKinney Street on Dec. 16, 2024, that left a man with a gunshot wound.

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Investigators identified Bell as the suspect in the shooting.

UPDATE: Daphne police seek 3 in connection with Waffle House brawl

Bell was booked into the Mobile Metro Jail around midnight on Jan. 2.

He was charged with first-degree assault, discharging a gun into an occupied/unoccupied building/vehicle, and a misdemeanor probation violation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Mobile natives Alexis Scott-Windham and Jalen Lilly were looking to ring in the new year with their friends by going to New Orleans and celebrating on Bourbon Street.

After an attacker ran over people killing at least 14 and injuring dozens more, both of them are just glad to be able to tell the tale.

Mobile resident, witness of New Years Day attack in New Orleans speaks out

What was supposed to be a fun night to ring in the new year quickly turned into a life-or-death situation.

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Im trying to get out because I kept hearing the gunshots, too, Alexis Scott-Windham said.

Scott-Windham was shot in the foot during the terror attack. She said she was trying to get out of the way when she saw the truck rush through the crowd.

She, at first, thought it was a drunk driver.

3 arrested, 1 still sought in Darwood Drive homicide: Mobile police

Im about to run out the way; hes already behind me, she said. So, I step with my, I step with my left foot. He ended up in the back of my right foot as I try to step and run away. And thats when I fell.

Her foot is fractured in multiple places, and the bullet is still lodged in her foot.

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I was like, Lord let me keep my foot please!' Scott-Windham recalled.

The truck ran over her friend Jalen Lillys feet. Lilly remembered hearing over 20 gunshots and fell to the ground.

Breeze Airways suspends service in Mobile

So when it got closer, I just went to the ground, felt something hard hit me, Lilly recounted. And as I tried to get up, it was two dead bodies like right next to me.

The Baker High alumnus said he saw his friend, Alexis, lying on the ground and tried to help her up.

When I did actually get up, I kind of went around the corner trying to see where all my friends was and stuff like that, and I seen Alexis on the ground, Lilly said. So, I tried to pick her up, but at the same time me trying to pick her up, Im finna fall too because Im limping.

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Their other friend, Jaries Brown, was unharmed and carried Alexis until help arrived.

Alabama CHOOSE Act application window now open  what parents should know

He was running; he had Alexis walking with her, so he gave her to me because his leg was messed up, Brown explained.

Lilly said his recovery has been getting easier daily, and he said Friday was the first day he was able to walk since the attack.

As for Scott-Windham, the Blount High School alumnus said she can now feel her foot and move her toes. She plans to see a doctor in two weeks to figure out what surgery she will need to get the bullet out.

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Im crying; Im thanking God that I made it through, she said.

Scott-Windham has started a GoFundMe for medical expenses.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Young people training for railroad careers will benefit from a $2 million federal grant.

It was announced Thursday, Jan. 2, by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission. It is one of the partners in The Rail Academy of Central California, also known as TRACC.

The 2-year-old program trains students to be locomotive engineers, conductors and related roles in passenger and freight services. It includes classes through Sacramento City College and hands-on experience at the Altamont Corridor Express Rail Maintenance Facility in Stockton.

Amtrak showed off its new Venture passenger coaches for its San Joaquins line at the ACE Rail Maintenance Facility in Stockton, Calif., Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

ACE and Amtrak both are expanding dramatically thanks to nearly $2 billion from state and federal sources. Freight lines need workers of their own to replace retirees.

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As California continues to invest in rail, workforce development is essential to strengthen the future of both freight and passenger rail, said David Lipari, the commissions deputy director, in a news release.

The grant will go to instructor salaries and to supplies such as radios, safety flares, glasses, earplugs, hard hats, vests and boots.

The money came from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program at the Federal Railroad Administration. It is part of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill signed by President Joe Biden in 2021.

DMitri Williams adjusts the window shade on Amtraks new Venture passenger coach for its San Joaquins line during an unveiling at the ACE Rail Maintenance Facility in Stockton, Calif., Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

Amtrak now has five round trips a day between Bakersfield and Oakland and a sixth branching at Stockton to Lodi and Sacramento. It plans to reach six trains to Sacramento as early as 2030 and also add a sixth trip to the Bay Area.

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ACE has four weekday round trips between Stockton and San Jose, mainly aimed at commuters to Bay Area jobs. The southern extension will have stations in or near the downtowns of Manteca, Ripon, Modesto, Ceres, Turlock, Livingston and Merced.

ACEs northern branch will have stations west of Lodi, in northwest Elk Grove and at Sacramento City College, Midtown, Old North Sacramento and Natomas.

ACE will start out in late 2026 with a train between Ceres and San Jose, mainly for commuters. Five trips will follow in a few years to the Bay Area or Sacramento, some involving a transfer in north Lathrop. Some trips will be outside commute hours.

ACE and Amtrak will share tracks and stations in the corridor between Stockton and Sacramento. It is on a freight line west of the one now used by Amtraks current service.

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ACE and Amtrak would tie in at Merced with the first leg of high-speed rail, to Bakersfield. The controversial project still needs several billion dollars for that segment and perhaps $100 billion more to reach Southern California and the Bay Area.
Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi visited the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Park, located in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. Recognised as the largest floating solar park in India, this 600 MW capacity project developed marks a significant step forward in India's renewable energy journey. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi posted on X," Visited the Omkareswar Floating Solar Project in Khandwa District, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the largest floating solar projects in Asia with an impressive capacity of 600 MW. A big thank you to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shri Mohan Yadav for their unwavering support in driving India's renewable future forward. This project showcases the scale and ambition of our nation's clean energy goals. " During his visit, Union Minister Joshi emphasised the importance of innovative solutions like floating solar technology in addressing land constraints while promoting sustainable development. He highlighted the efficiency of this approach, noting that the cooling effect of water enhances solar panel performance, thereby increasing energy output. Currently, the Omkareshwar Floating Solar Park has commissioned a total of 278 MW. The total estimated development cost of the park is Rs 330 crore, supported by a Central Financial Assistance of Rs 49.85 crore. Union Minster Joshi said that Madhya Pradesh is one of the most important States that is contributing to fulfilling the energy security of the country. He noted that the state has significantly increased its renewable energy capacity, achieving a 14-fold growth over the past 12 years, from less than 500 MW in 2012 to its current capacity. In his X post, Union Minister Joshi said "Congratulations to all the stakeholders, the Madhya Pradesh Government, and the Solar Power Park Developers - Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited, NHDC Ltd, AMP Energy Green Pvt Ltd, and SJVN Ltd - for the successful commissioning of a 278 MW Solar Park along with solar projects. As the project moves towards full capacity, the entire 600 MW will be fully operational. It will generate more than 4600 million units of clean energy over the next 25 years. This is a remarkable achievement in our journey towards sustainable and renewable energy for the future." (ANI)
Russia's decision to cut off gas supplies to Moldova has thrown the country into a "security crisis," Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on Jan. 3.

The Russian state energy company Gazprom halted gas deliveries to Moldova on Jan. 1, triggering an energy emergency in the Russian-occupied breakaway region of Transnistria. The region now risks industrial collapse due to widespread power outages.

"By jeopardizing the future of the protectorate it has backed for three decades in an effort to destabilize Moldova, Russia is revealing the inevitable outcome for all its allies  betrayal and isolation," Recean said in a statement.

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"We treat this as a security crisis aimed at enabling the return of pro-Russian forces to power in Moldova and weaponizing our territory against Ukraine, with whom we share a 1,200-km border."

Russian troops have occupied Transnistria since the early 1990s. While the rest of Moldova switched to European energy supplies after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the region remains heavily dependent on Russian gas.

Gazprom's suspension has left nearly 75,000 households without gas and another 116,000 with reduced supply, according to Sergey Obolonik, the first deputy chairman of the Transnistrian administration.

Transnistria has initiated rolling blackouts to mitigate the crisis.

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While Moldova offered to assist Transnistria in purchasing alternatives to Russian gas via the European market, authorities in the region refused, saying they believed Gazprom would resume deliveries.

Gazprom has said that the decision to cut off gas to Moldova resulted from outstanding debts, an allegation Chisinau disputes.

A deal allowing Russian gas to transit to Europe through Ukraine also expired on Jan. 1, but Gazprom did not cite transit issues as the reason for the suspension. Moldova could still receive Russian gas supplies via alternative routes.

Chisinau has repeatedly accused Moscow of attemping to destabilize the country in order to bring Moldova under Russian control.

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Read also: Moldova prepares for harsh winter, as Russian-occupied part of country runs out of gas

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
LODA, Ill. (WCIA)  The mother of an 18-year-old who hit a patch of black ice before losing control of her car is asking Iroquois County to add safety measures.

Amanda Loveless wants additional guardrails or some other structure added after her daughter swerved into the guardrail currently in place and her car went into Bayles Lake in Loda. However, the guardrail stops before the edge of the lake.

Especially with the surrounding water and the dangers of that water, it makes things a lot more scary, said driver Elaine Carmen-Loveless.

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18-year-old Elaine was driving home from work on County Road 200 North when disaster struck.

Decatur man dies after being struck by vehicle

I started to slow down because everyone slows down that hill, Elaine said. The hills always been a little bit of an issue, it makes people nervous.

Elaine was lucky, but others who have had accidents on this road havent always been. A man had a similar crash at the same spot in December 2023 and died.

Im advocating for anybody and everybody that ever travels on this road again to just make sure that theyre safe, Amanda said. Fortunately, ours ended with a very miraculous ending, but not everybody could be so lucky.

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Amanda reached out to Iroquois County engineer Alan Hardwood to see what they could do. He said there is an item for public comment on the agenda for their next meeting on Jan. 8.

UPDATE: Dog, cat dead after Champaign house fire

You know, thats great that were discussing it, but what are we going to do? Amanda said. What is our plan? Whats appropriate from here and not just, yeah, lets chat about it and move on.

Elaine said she doesnt want anyone else to go through what she did.

At the end of the day, I think guardrails are more of the safer thing, she said Id rather ping pong off a guardrail than sit in some freezing cold water.

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Harwood said he is looking forward to the meeting and hearing what people in the county have to say. He said the next step would probably be getting a study done to learn what the best option is for increased safety.

The full process could take multiple months or even years to complete.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
OCALA, Fla. (WFLA)  A 15-year-old boy wanted for armed attempted robbery was brought to Florida deputies to be turned in, by his own mother, according to the Marion County Sheriffs Office.

On Dec. 17, deputies said a victim was sitting in his car, parked outside the Qwik King convenience store, located on Oak Road in Ocala.

Bear reportedly bites Florida man, attacks his dog

Thats when a teen boy reportedly approached the victim and asked for money.

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When the victim told him no, the teen pulled down a ski mask and pointed a gun at the victim, demanding money and for him to get out of the car, officials said.

The suspect, who believed the victim to also be armed, fled the scene on a bike.

Following the incident, detectives shared a photo snapped from a security camera outside the store.

Suspect arrested in Tampa bar shooting on New Years Day, Hillsborough deputies say

Officials said the 15-year-olds mother saw the image, recognized the suspect as her son, and brought him to the sheriffs office to turn himself in.

The boy admitted to the crime, saying he knew what he was going to do when he left his house. He also told deputies that the gun he used was a BB gun, and after seeing the image circulating on social media, he got rid of it.

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According to deputies, the teen was arrested on a charge of attempted robbery with a firearm and was taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
An aerial view of a natural gas fired electrical generation station being built near the Yellowstone River in Laurel, Montana. (Photo by Ed Saunders, used with permission).

In a years-long fight to stop a power plant near Laurel from releasing the pollution equivalent of 167,000 cars per year, the Montana Supreme Court decided unanimously that both the states Department of Environmental Quality as well as NorthWestern Energy had skirted the states environmental law by refusing to acknowledge or take action on the greenhouse gases released by the power plant. But the decision will do little to stop the already-operational power plant.

The ruling will now force the DEQ to go back and fully analyze the pollution impacts of the 18 methane-combustion generators, and report the effects that greenhouse gases and industrial lighting will have on the environment.

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However, the Montana Supreme Court orders will do nothing to stop or change the operations  at least not immediately  or halt any of the pollution the two environmental groups proved will happen.

Owing to a unique set of circumstances and unconstitutional laws passed by the Montana Legislature and struck down later, the Montana Supreme Court said that because the DEQ was following the law at the time, and because the environmental groups did not ask the district court judge to halt the operational permit for the Laurel Generation Station, it will be allowed to operate under its current permit, even though the justices acknowledged that state government, including the DEQ and the governor, have a constitutionally mandated obligation to protect the environment from harm.

The ruling was cheered by NorthWestern Energy, the state largest public utility company, as it noted the plant was running to provide energy to customers in the states largest county even as the forecast called for as much as 10 inches of snow during the weekend.

Todays Montana Supreme Courts decision reinstating the Yellowstone County Generating Station permit will help ensure reliable energy service and keep bills as low as possible for our customers. This is good news for Montanans already relying on the critical, cost-saving capacity of the 175-megawatt Yellowstone County Generating Station, including for power during this first winter storm of 2025, said NWE spokeswoman Jo Dee Black.

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The successful environmental groups cheered the ruling as a reinforcement of the Montana Constitutional mandate that requires a clean and healthful environment, but noted the ruling will have little effect on the substantial air pollution that neither NorthWestern or DEQ denies the plant will produce.

We are pleased that the Montana Supreme Court has ruled that Montanans deserve to know the full harm that the 770,000 tons of annual climate pollution NorthWestern Energys power plant will impose on our farmers, ranchers, economy, and health, said Edward Barta, chair of Northern Plains Resource Council, a group which has long opposed the project. However, we are disappointed that NorthWesterns dangerous plant is allowed to continue operations without any accountability for the state ignoring our constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment. Its time for DEQ to take its job seriously so that everyday Montanans are not sacrificing their health and livelihoods for one corporations profits.

The Sierra Club and the Montana Environmental Information Center were the organizations that challenged the Laurel Generation Station.

The Supreme Court order, authored by Justice Beth Baker, said that despite the Legislatures attempt to gut the Montana Environmental Policy Act, it cant avoid the constitutions mandate. Furthermore, it said that even though the plant is operational, the DEQ must go through and analyze, and even possibly require mitigation in the future.

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What was not in dispute is the amount of greenhouse gases and other pollutants the Laurel Generation State will produce, and the court outlined those:

75 tons of Particulate Matter 10

28 tons of Particulate Matter 2.5

222 tons per year of nitrogen oxides

246 tons per year of carbon monoxide

215 tons per year of volatile organic compounds

14 tons per year of sulfur dioxide

93 tons of hazardous air pollutants

The equivalent of 769,706 of carbon dioxide

The Montana Supreme Court also said that while the Montana Environmental Policy Act does not allow the DEQ to necessarily stop the construction of a power plant like the one in Laurel, it said that a thorough analysis of its effects must be studied and disclosed to the public. Moreover, depending on the results of those analyses, the DEQ could require changes to design or apply other parts of state law to stop or mitigate pollution:

The district court observed  and DEQ does not disagree  that the agency did not take any sort of look at the impacts of the Laurel Generation Stations greenhouse gas emissions within Montana. A review under the Montana Environmental Policy Act must, among other things, identify any adverse effects on Montanas environment that cannot be avoided if the proposal is implemented. One purpose of the environmental assessment is to avert potential environmental harms through informed decision making. As we have observed, MEPAs procedural mechanisms help bring the Montana Constitutions lofty goals into reality by enabling fully informed and considered decision making, thereby minimizing the risk of irreversible mistakes depriving Montanans of a clean and healthful environment  The state does not have a free pass to pollute the Montana environment just because the rest of the world insists on doing so.

The Supreme Court also said that the DEQ or other state officials cannot rely solely on federal standards for pollution because of the states constitutional requirement of a clean and healthful environment.

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Federal standards tell the people of Montana little or nothing about any potential impact of the greenhouse gas emissions of the Laurel Generation State specifically, and do not satisfy the Montana Environmental Policy Acts role in fulling the strongest environmental protection provision found in any state constitution, the ruling said.

It also said that even if the state DEQ will not stop a proposed project like the Laurel Generation Station, that it has an obligation to identify impacts and acknowledge their significance.

The courts opinion also faulted the DEQ for failing to address or respond to hundreds of comments raising concerns about the environmental impact of the plant, noting that the vast majority of the public response to the project was negative, and criticized the departments silence on the subject of air pollution.

As part of the case, the Supreme Court also found that the DEQ had properly considered the noise impacts of the plant, and reversed District Court Judge Michael Moses portion of the ruling, which said the agency had not properly considered it. However, the states highest court affirmed that the DEQ did not conduct an adequate review of the possible light pollution from the plant, and its effects on the property owners around it.

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The justices ordered the DEQ to conduct an analysis, which could mean the NWE would have to change some lighting around the plant, which sits approximately 300 feet from the banks of the Yellowstone River and nearby the CHS refinery.

One dissenting opinion  sort of

Justice Laurie McKinnon along with Justice Ingrid Gustafson, agreed with the fellow justices, making it unanimous that the Supreme Court found that the state had failed to conduct a proper review under the Montana Environmental Policy Act, and acknowledged the impacts the power plant could have on the environment.

However, they dissented in part, saying that the courts rationale and findings were undermined by its conclusion to let the plant continue ahead with operations, despite the fact that none of the parties disputed the pollution it would create.

Alarmingly, and in contravention of clear precedent, the remedy the court chooses to do is nothing. The court allows the Laurel Generation Station to continue with its environmental harm and remands so that public may be informed of what it already knew  the consequential impact on its community from LGSs emission of greenhouse gases, the dissent said. The only relief that can ensure the public is not irreparably harmed is to prevent the Laurel Generation Station from becoming operational until adequate Montana Environmental Policy Act review is completed. Our decision is empty and will be meaningless to the Montanans who want and believe the plant should be evaluated for its greenhouse gases before it becomes operational.

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Editors note: This story has been corrected to reflect the two groups that challenged the permitting of the Laurel Generation Station.

LGS plant SupCo 010325
Chinese scientists discovered that the moon's magnetic field lasted much longer than expected, persisting into its midlife.

By studying tiny rocks brought back by the Change-5 mission, they found the moons magnetic field measured two to four microteslas about two billion years ago, less than 10% of Earths current surface field, findings published in Science Advances showed.

Magnetic field likely driven by core and mantle interactions

Ross Mitchell from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics in Beijing explained that the moon's magnetic field persisted much longer than previously believed. The study suggests the weak but enduring magnetic field was likely driven by internal processes such as the crystallization of the moons core or core-mantle interactions, according to planetary scientist Benjamin Weiss from MIT, who was not part of the research.

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These processes likely sustained the moons magnetic engine, known as the lunar dynamo, for billions of years. Weiss noted that the findings align with the Change missions' symbolic connection to the moon goddess, who is associated with immortality in Chinese mythology, the South China Morning Post reported.

Now, the findings suggest that the moon's persistent magnetic field could have shielded its surface from solar radiation and helped retain volatile compounds like water. This deeper understanding of the moons magnetic history provides crucial insights into planetary habitability and evolution.

Although the moon no longer generates a magnetic field, evidence suggests it once did. Samples from NASAs Apollo missions indicated that over three billion years ago, the moon's magnetic field was as strong as Earths current field, which ranges from 25 to 65 microteslas.

Change-6 rocks reveal moons magnetic field 2.8 billion years ago

Chinese researchers studying rocks from the moons far side, collected during the Change-6 mission, reported that about 2.8 billion years ago, the moons magnetic field measured between five and 21 microteslas. However, the duration of the lunar dynamo remains uncertain.

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Studying Apollo samples to answer this question has been difficult due to their older age, large iron grains that poorly preserve magnetic signals, and other challenges, according to Weiss. In contrast, the 1.73kg (3.8lbs) of rocks collected by Chinas Change-5 mission in 2020 are precisely two billion years old, making them much younger than the samples from Apollo or the Soviet Luna missions of 50 years ago.

The researchers selected nine small basalt fragments, each 3-8mm (0.1-0.3 inch) in size and weighing less than 0.3 grams (0.01 ounce), for this study. These fragments acted as magnetic recorders, preserving the magnetic field from when they formed billions of years ago. The team then used sensitive lab techniques to extract the ancient magnetic signals.

Lead author Cai Shuhui, a colleague of Mitchells at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, explained that small sample sizes result in weak magnetic signals, requiring difficult and meticulous lab work. Fortunately, the Change-5 samples were of sufficient quality for the study, the researcher added.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Police and Oregon wildlife officials are offering rewards totaling over $130,000 for information leading to an arrest or citation in various wolf poaching incidents throughout the state over the last two years.

Wolf poaching has been a growing concern, especially since gray wolves are protected under the Endangered Species Act in the western two-thirds of Oregon.

5-year-old boy rescued by mother after coyote attack

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According to an April report from the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management, the states wolf population did not grow at all in 2023. This marked the first year of zero annual growth in 16 years.

According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, biologists picked up a trail camera that had pictures of an adult wolf with five pups on July 4, 2022. (Courtesy Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife)

Most recently, officials discovered a dead gray wolf on private property in Morrow County, 20 miles south of Heppner, on Nov. 8, 2024 and are offering a $20,000 reward for information.

PHOTOS: Landslide, flooding cause 3 Oregon state parks to close

In May 2024, poachers shot a yearling wolf south of Prairie City in Grant County. State biologists and Oregon State Police troopers reportedly found the carcass on private property about 11 miles southeast of Prairie City. The reward stands at $12,100 in this case.

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In Feb. and March 2024, a string of poisoning incidents led to the deaths of three gray wolves, two golden eagles, a mountain lion, a coyote and even two dogs throughout Wallowa County, Oregon in the Snake River Wildlife Management Unit and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Officials are offering a $38,700 reward for any information in this case.

FILE  This Feb., 2017, file photo provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife shows a gray wolf in Oregons northern Wallowa County. (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife via AP, File)

Poisoning has also become what ODFW is also calling a disturbing trend, killing 19 wolves in Oregon since 2015.

Further, three wolves were discovered dead near Bly in Dec. 2023 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Officials have since bumped up the reward to $60,000 for any information that leads to the arrest of those responsible. Officials say these wolves had been part of the Gearhart Mountain Pack and one of the wolves had been a breeding female.

The amount of poaching and other suspicious deaths is alarming, impacts our conservation goals and could affect our ability to manage wolves in Oregon, said Bernadette Graham-Hudson, ODFW wildlife division administrator.

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ODFW is continually working with Oregon State Police, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement and the Protect Oregons Wildlife-Turn In Poachers partnership team to address the growing population concerns.

Anyone with information about any of these cases should call the U.S. FWS at (503) 682-6131, or the Oregon State Police Dispatch at (800) 452-7888, or the Turn In Poachers TIP Line at OSP (*677) or email TIP@osp.oregon.gov. Callers may remain anonymous.

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This week the richest man in the world repeatedly attacked the Prime Minister after finding out about the scale of historic group sexual abuse in Britain. But Elon Musks interest in the grooming gang scandal, characteristically frenetic as it is, shouldnt be immediately dismissed.

It has been known for years that networks of men, largely of Pakistani background, gang-raped predominantly white girls, while the authorities failed to tackle the issue or looked the other way out of political correctness. Renewed interest has been driven by viral posts on X, featuring horrific extracts from official reports.

This has exposed the story to a global audience, including Americans like Elon Musk, whose shock is palpable. Hes right to be shocked: the grooming gangs scandal is the worst crime in modern Britain.

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When people talk about our international reputation, they should know that instead of frothy Richard Curtis films, we are now known for the racist gang rape of white girls. Take Bill Ackman, the billionaire hedge fund manager and former Democrat donor.

He expressed disbelief, then suggested that the USA sanction Britain until the gangs are smashed. Hes also called for the use of the death penalty and the deportation of the friends and family of rapists who knew but said nothing.

A decade after the scandal broke, the need for stronger measures is obvious. Not one police officer or council official who was complicit has been jailed. Many rapists have faced only a few years in jail, with early release and a welcome back to their community.

A few brave voices excepted, there has been little self-criticism among British-Pakistanis, with the most common response being to lash out. Their claims that those who speak out about the scandal are Islamophobic or racist are then amplified by academics and activists on the left. Grooming gangs continue to operate.

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This is the very reason why calls for a national inquiry should be met with some scepticism. Inquiries in places like Rotherham and Telford have put useful information in the public domain and allowed for estimates of the number of victims. However, they have failed to achieve lasting change.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse lasted seven years and had four chairmen. One of the investigations was to look into child exploitation by organised networks, ostensibly including grooming gangs; but five of the six areas chosen to look at were overwhelmingly white, while areas where the grooming gangs had already been found were deliberately excluded. The final report only mentions Rotherham once and limply recommends creating a Minister for Children.

It wouldnt matter anyway, as prior inquiries found the rules were often broken. Take a case from Bradford, where a 15-year-old girl was placed as a foster child in the family of her rapist and made to marry her abuser in an Islamic ceremony with her social worker present. During this period she was forced to convert to Islam and treated as a domestic slave. So what can we do?

Those in positions of authority who are culpable should face consequences. A public sector blacklist should be introduced, barring those on it from employment by the state or working on any project reliant on taxpayer funds for a period of several years.

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We should shame people with the scale of the crimes, to ensure they never happen again.

Whistleblowers like Jayne Senior and Maggie Oliver should be elevated to the House of Lords, there should be a public memorial, and schools should receive educational visits to show how the anti-white racism of the grooming gangs is as bad as any other form of prejudice.

We also must recognise that these cases are a result of ill-considered immigration policy. When people come here, they bring the good and the bad of their home with them, in what the economist Garett Jones calls a culture transplant. This is a wake-up call to think carefully about future immigrants, to ensure they come from cultures compatible with British values.

Too much immigration allows the creation of enclaves that sustain the culture of the home country and prevent assimilation. Thats how you end up with places like Blackburn, where some Asian schoolchildren think that Britain is 50 to 90 per cent Asian. It might seem unfair, but this means restricting family immigration, as marrying people from the home country, many of whom are close relatives, maintains this insularity.

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It should become the norm that grooming gang members who can be deported are. Under already existing visa penalty powers in the 2022 Nationality and Borders Act, the government can force countries like Pakistan to take back their criminal citizens by taxing remittances, which from Britain alone make up around 1 per cent of Pakistans GDP, and blocking the issuing of visas to their nationals or to government officials who want to travel here.

If human rights law frustrates this, then a deportation bill with as many ouster clauses as necessary ought to do the job. Should the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act still prevent it, that only further demonstrates their pro-criminal nature and the pressing need to get rid of them.

Instead of being outraged by Elon Musks colourful comments, Britains elite should reflect on how they allowed the grooming gangs scandal to happen and how they failed to end it. We cant afford to trust the process and just have another inquiry. We need action.

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LAS VEGAS (NewsNation)  The central question now is why would Matthew Livelsberger rent the Cybertruck in Denver on Dec. 28 and drive 1,000 miles to Las Vegas? Its a mystery to those investigating the explosion outside of the Trump International Hotel  and those who knew him.

Authorities tracked Livelsbergers movements through Tesla charging stations in Albuquerque on New Years Eve and Kingman, Arizona, in the early morning hours of Jan. 1.

With fuel canisters and large firework mortars in the back, the Cybertruck was parked for 17 seconds before it exploded, according to investigators.

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Im comfortable calling it a suicide with the bombing that occurred immediately thereafter, said Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill. Im not giving it any other labels.

New Orleans attack, Las Vegas explosion share similarities

Spencer Evans, a special agent in charge of the FBIs Las Vegas Division, said theyre still investigating a motive.

Obviously, were always concerned in these sorts of events to ascertain what the motive is, he said. We understand thats at the forefront of everyones thoughts. So looking into exactly what the motivation is remains our No. 1 priority.

As federal authorities continue to investigate Livelsbergers home in Colorado Springs, a neighbor tells NewsNation he seemed a typical family man.

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His wife  we just started working out together at the gym, not intentionally, but just coincidentally, said neighbor Keni Mac. She just had a baby  a newborn. We didnt see him as much as we saw her, but he is around. All I can say is that theyre a very normal family, and so its very strange to me that this would be the case.

Livelsbergers LinkedIn profile shows a decorated Army veteran in the Special Forces who enlisted at 18 and spent nearly two decades in the career.

Menendez brothers family meeting with new LA district attorney

The New York Post reports that his wife had recently left him over accusations of infidelity.

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Livelsbergers former girlfriend claims he sent her texts out of the blue.

I rented a Cybertruck. I feel like Batman or Halo, he texted one, according to The Denver Gazette. She said the texts from Livelsberger were playful and lighthearted. I just want everyone to know that Matt was the kindest man I ever knew.

Livelsbergers former girlfriend said that his behavior changed after he returned from a tour in the Middle East and that he suffered from a traumatic brain injury five years ago.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
ST. MARYS COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Maryland State Police (MSP) said a man was arrested and charged in connection to the murder of his ex-wife in Lexington Park on Jan. 3.

MPS said that on Friday at about 11 a.m., police responded to the report of a shooting in the 21000 block of Liberty Street.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a woman who had been shot multiple times.

New Year, New Best Friend: Adoption fees waived for all big dogs at Animal Welfare League of Alexandria

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The woman died there. She was identified as Chaquanda Latise Odom, 36, of California, Md.

Police said Odoms husband, Jayson David Pressley, 38, was arrested after he turned himself in at the St. Marys County Detention Center.

Pressley is being charged with first and second-degree murder.

He is being held at the St. Marys County Detention Center without bond.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Uniquely is a Fresno Bee series that covers the moments, landmarks and personalities that define what makes living in the Fresno area so special.

Type Mt. Chipotle into Google Maps and youll find that the newest attraction in the Sierra Nevada now shows up with its own address.

Its name has reached beyond Central California and into Los Angeles, the Bay Area and other countries in just a few weeks. It even has its own bluegrass/country song, selfie trend and merch crafted by local residents.

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Residents who The Fresno Bee spoke to about Mt. Chipotles saga know the famed (but unofficial) landmark is only temporary. To them, its more than a pile of dirt sitting in a parking lot outside a Chipotle Mexican Grill  hence the mountains name  in an Oakhurst shopping center.

Since the election, this towns been grumpy, said Larry Townsend, the Oakhurst photographer credited as being of Mt. Chipotles pioneers. This was a way to have fun.

Rumors began spreading Thursday on social media that this weekend could be Mt. Chipotles last, prompting plans for a free concert at the mountain at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The family that owns the shopping center where Mt. Chipotle is located confirmed to The Bee on Friday that the viral mound will not be around forever.

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Were glad the community of Oakhurst has enjoyed Mt. Chipotle, a family member said in an official statement. It will be used to develop the adjoining pad. It will be gone in the future.

However, the owners did not confirm a specific timeline for Mt. Chipotles removal.

Lucy Matchel, left, Carol Eggink, center, and Elaine Hannah, right, pose for a photo on top of the mound of dirt dubbed Mt. Chipotle Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Oakhurst. Located next to a new Chipotle Mexican Grill, the mound may be permanently removed in a few days but until then the community of Oakhurst and others from around the Valley are enjoying the dirt made famous in social media posts.

How did Mt. Chipotle become famous?

Its road to stardom began with a Nov. 17 post by Carole Rebeiro in the Oakhurst Area Facebook Group: Has anyone hiked the Chipotle parking lot dirt mountain yet? Whats the best route and how long did it take you? Thanks in advance! she wrote.

Rebeiro told The Bee she was driving past the mound on her way to a hike with her sister when she first noticed it.

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I was laughing at how big it was and how ridiculous it was, she said. Someone had put a flag on top of it.

Then came Townsend, the local photographer, who had just celebrated his 70th birthday on Thanksgiving. He wanted to cross some things off of his bucket list.

No, not Everest, K2, or the walls of El Cap, Im talking about Mt. Chipotle rising to great heights in the quaint village of Oakhurst, he wrote in a Dec. 6 post in the Oakhurst Area Facebook group. Not only was I going to climb it, but I was going to free solo it AND do it with no oxygen cylinders!

Townsend planted his own American flag on Mt. Chipotle, and then came the mountains fame.

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Facebook users from all over began posting selfies of themselves atop Mt. Chipotle. Townsend posted about a sighting of Japanese tourists who stopped their bus at Mt. Chipotle. Other visitors have announced that they originated from Los Angeles and San Jose.

Heard about Mt. Chipotle all the way in Alaska, Facebook user Tina Booher posted in the Oakhurst Area group Dec. 23. My niece, the discoverer, said it was quite the site. Perfect timing as Im visiting family for Christmas.

A race to be the first took off.

I saw that somebody had posted the first ever haircut on top of Mt. Chipotle, Robert Wood, of Mariposa, told The Bee. So I was thinking, If were doing firsts, Im going to play some music up there and have a little show.

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Wood rocked out for several hours atop Mt. Chipotle on New Years Day as he played metal, blues and Pink Floyd-ish kind of stuff.

He and local bands Big Timber and No County are planning to play the Save Mt. Chipotle free show on Sunday. Wood said the he means save jokingly and the event is just for the communitys enjoyment.

Laurie Schalow, chief corporate affairs officer for Chipotle, wrote in an email statement to The Bee that although the company does not own the property, we appreciate that local residents are exploring Mt Chipotle and we wish all climbers a safe trek up the summit.

The people of Oakhurst and their Chipotle fandom help fuel our mission to cultivate a better world, Schalow wrote.

LeShawn Lucas, far left, photographs Jamie and Skyler Gamblin holding their child Hunter Gamblin, 6 months, on top of the 20-foot dirt mount dubbed Mt. Chipotle Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Oakhurst. The family had been following social media posts about the mound and just had to see it today. The mound located next to a new Chipotle Mexican Grill may be permanently removed in a few days but until then the community of Oakhurst and others from around the Valley are enjoying the dirt made famous in social media posts.

What is Mt. Chipotles legacy?

Several residents spoke in agreement about the impact Mt. Chipotle had on their community. Although it is an attraction that was created jokingly, Mt. Chipotle inspired unity in Oakhurst and provided a needed break from the tensions of 2024.

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An election year is a hard year, said Rhonda Salisbury, CEO of the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau. This is just community spirit.

Matt Sconce, a local English teacher and owner of the Yosemite Cinema in the same shopping center, said Oakhurst needed something to do together after the divisiveness of the election.

He wrote a bluegrass/country rock song about Mt. Chipotle and produced it using digital programs. (The voice that sings the anthem is not his voice.)

I thought, You know, if the little mountain goes away, we need something that endures, that we can always have fun and laugh with like it was still there,  Sconce told The Bee. It needs some sort of anthem that can kind of continue on. 

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The rise of Mt. Chipotle reminded him of 2013, when he said the Oakhurst community banded together to save the cinema he now owns. Sconce said such events reveal aspects of Oakhurst that outsiders may not be aware of.

The people there, theyll come together and get things that they care about done or saved or launched, he said. Every once in a while, Oakhurst will pop up on the national scale because the people there do band together. They arent as fragmented as people think.

The Gamblin family from Chowchilla, who had been folowing news of the mound, descend the slope dubbed Mt. Chipotle Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Oakhurst. The mound located next to a new Chipotle Mexican Grill may be permanently removed in a few days but until then the community of Oakhurst and others from around the Valley are enjoying the dirt made famous in social media posts.

Visitors to the 20-foot high mound of dirt dubbed Mt. Chipotlebegin to descend Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Oakhurst. The mound located next to a new Chipotle Mexican Grill may be permanently removed in a few days but until then the community of Oakhurst and others from around the Valley are enjoying the dirt made famous in social media posts.

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Christine Wengenroth collects jars of dirt as mementos of Mt. Chipotle Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Oakhurst. The mound located next to a new Chipotle Mexican Grill may be permanently removed in a few days but until then the community of Oakhurst and others from around the Valley are enjoying the dirt made famous in social media posts.

A family descend the 20-foot tall mound of dirt dubbed Mt. Chipotle in a parking lot Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Oakhurst. Located next to a new Chipotle Mexican Grill the mound may be permanently removed in a few days but until then the community of Oakhurst and others from around the Valley are enjoying the dirt made famous in social media posts.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, on Saturday stated that contribution of former Prime Minister Manmohan to the country has very well recognised both domestically and internationally. Speaking about the contribution of former PM Manmohan Singh, Ahluwalia stated, "He was my boss when I was the deputy chairman and I worked under him in many different capacities... I think his contribution to the country is now very well recognized both domestically and internationally. It was a privilege working for him." Speaking with ANI on January 3, Ahluwalia praised former Prime Minister Singh for his efforts to bring 138 million people out of the 'below poverty line (BPL)'. Ahluwalia, former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of India, said that India grew faster in terms of economic growth during Singh's tenure than it had ever done. "People forget that when you are Prime Minister you are not running an individual department. You have to be judged by how the country performs. So if you put that criterion, during his tenure, India grew faster than it had ever done before and it grew faster than it has grown since. In his period, 138 million people were pulled above the poverty line for the first time. Before that, the percentage of people below the poverty line was falling, but the population was expanding and so did the number of people below the poverty line," Montek told ANI in an exclusive interview. Montek further said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure must be judged in its entirety. The Indo-US nuclear deal that freed India from nuclear restrictions was the most important achievement during his second term, he added. "If you judge him as the Prime Minister and look at the total effect, it was good. Another important achievement at that time was the Indo-US nuclear deal that freed India from nuclear restrictions," the renowned economist said. When asked whether Manmohan Singh was a better FM or PM, Montek explained that the two jobs are different since his achievements as the Finance Minister remain "historic" and during his tenure as the Prime Minister the country had achieved the highest growth. "The two jobs are very different. What he achieved as Finance Minister was historic because he turned around policies we have been following for the last 30 years. As Prime Minister, he was heading an economy that had already undergone some reforms. You couldn't expect him to do the same thing (as the PM). The challenges before a Prime Minister are very different. In the middle of a crisis, when you are the FM, with the backing of the PM you could get things done. When the economy is not in crisis, it is working well, you need to build a consensus. He did many things during his second term," Montek told ANI. (ANI)
(Bloomberg) -- Mike Johnson, fresh off a narrow reelection as US House speaker, now commands the slimmest congressional majority since 1930. It beats being in the minority, which is where Republicans seemed headed if not  at least partly  for a late infusion of cash from Elon Musk.

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A political action committee controlled by the worlds richest man spent $19.2 million in the final six weeks of the 2024 election to back Republicans in too-close-to-call races around the country, according to public reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Ten of the PACs 18 chosen candidates won, flipping seats in Colorado and Alaska, claiming a vacancy in Michigan and holding off stiff challenges in Iowa, Nebraska and New York.

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In their first votes of 2025, all 10 joined their GOP colleagues in supporting Johnson, who also had the backing of President-elect Donald Trump  and Musk.

Musk, of course, has loudly and repeatedly declared his intentions to influence lawmakers on behalf of Trump. On X, he has a megaphone to frame issues  sometimes with misinformation  rally supporters and attack opponents. But with $437 billion in personal wealth and a political funnel in America PAC, hes also begun to directly shape the makeup of the legislative body.

Now there are Musk-backed lawmakers on committees that oversee transportation, space, artificial intelligence, social media, defense spending and other areas that directly affect Musks companies. The billionaire has promised more to come ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.A spokesman for America PAC didnt respond to requests for comment.

Normally, PACs go somewhat dormant after a big election, Musk wrote on X. @America PAC is going to do the opposite and keep grinding, increasing Republican registrations in key districts around the country, in preparation for special elections and the midterms.

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Legislators are still figuring out how to react to Musks money, his megaphone and his proximity to Trump. Dozens, including at least two Democrats, have joined the new DOGE caucus, which pledges to support the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, an effort to slash federal spending helmed by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

The impact of Musks spending  and what it portends for the future  can't be overstated, Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen, said. Every incumbent wants him to help the GOP hold its majority. By threatening to set up and fund primary challenges to lawmakers who oppose Trumps legislative agenda, Musk may influence candidates for years to come.

His money can be the very sole deciding factor in who's running for office, Holman said. He's probably the most persuasive person roaming the halls of Congress.

Others, even those whose campaigns got a late influx of support from America PAC, say they dont feel particularly beholden or doubt the staying power of the Musk-Trump alliance.

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Do I feel any debt to him? No, said New York representative Mike Lawler. America PAC spent $1.7 million on his bid for reelection, about 12% of the total outside money that supported the candidate. Polls showed his race was within the margin of error a month before the election; he ended up beating former Democratic Congressman Mondaire Jones by 6.3 percentage points. Im going to continue to represent my district and my beliefs the way I have, he said.

Lawler had no direct contact with the America PAC during the campaign, he said, and that the first time he ever spoke to Musk himself was at the Capitol after the election. Any dollar spent in support of me is a benefit, he added.

In Lawlers and in almost all the other congressional races, America PAC allocated the majority of its support to field operations  door-to-door canvassing thats expensive and often a challenge for local campaigns. The only race where it didnt finance in-person activity was in Alaska, where it spent instead on direct mail and digital media to help Nick Begich flip the states at-large seat for the Republicans.

Its impossible to measure how much Musks money influenced specific outcomes for its chosen candidates, given a national rightward shift, and its record was far from perfect: The PAC supported eight candidates who lost, including spending almost $5 million to support Republican challengers in Ohio, Maine, New Mexico and Washington.

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Nor was Musk the only deep-pocketed donor spending to help Republicans take control of the House. But most give to broader PACs  Timothy Mellon, for example, contributed $15 million to the Congressional Leadership Funds $243 million war chest. By starting his own organization, Musk established a direct link with his personal wealth and his priorities.

Thats not always clear to the candidates themselves, though. When asked about the $860,000 that the America PAC spent to help him eke out a 5,800-vote win, Nebraska Republican Don Bacon said he hadnt known. You got me there, he said, noting that his race against Democrat Tony Vargas, in all, involved more than $30 million.

Bacons been a vocal critic of Musk, slamming the billionaire for his campaign against the spending deal and for spreading misinformation on X about some of the line items, like congressional salaries.

On the billionaires social media network, Musks partisans were outraged by the lawmakers heresy. They called for Musk to fund a primary challenger in Bacons district in 2026.

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--With assistance from Dana Hull and Mathieu Benhamou.

(Updates with comments from lawmakers and additional context.)

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BANGKOK (AP)  Myanmars military government has released more than 6,000 prisoners and has reduced other inmates sentences as part of a mass amnesty marking the 77th anniversary of independence from Britain on Saturday.

They included just a small proportion of hundreds of political detainees jailed for opposing army rule since the military seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. That takeover was met with massive nonviolent resistance, which has since become a widespread armed struggle.

State-run MRTV television reported that Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military government, granted amnesties covering 5,864 prisoners from Myanmar, as well as 180 foreigners who will be deported. Mass prisoner releases are common on holidays and other significant occasions in Myanmar.

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The terms of release warn that if the freed detainees violate the law again, they will have to serve the remainder of their original sentences in addition to any new sentence.

In a separate report, it said Min Aung Hlaing had commuted the life sentences of 144 prisoners to 15 years' imprisonment. The report provided no details about them.

The report also said that all other prisoners will have their sentences reduced by one sixth, except those convicted under the Explosive Substances Act, the Unlawful Associations Act, the Arms Act and the Counterterrorism Law, all laws which are often used against opponents of military rule.

Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for the military government, said in an audio note to journalists that those being released included about 600 prisoners who were prosecuted under Section 505(A) of Myanmars penal code, which makes it a crime to spread comments that create public unrest or fear or spread false news.

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He said Khet Aung, a former chief minister of the southern Kachin state, was among those freed. Khet Aung was arrested soon after the army takeover and was sentenced in April 2022 to 12 years in prison on corruption charges.

Zaw Min Tun also said most of the freed foreigners are Thais who were arrested for gambling in the border town of Tachileik in eastern Myanmar. He said Indonesians who were arrested for fishing in Myanmars territorial waters were also among those freed.

He did not mention whether four Thai fishermen, who were arrested by Myanmars navy in late November after patrol boats opened fire on Thai fishing vessels in waters close to their maritime border in the Andaman Sea, were among the released. Thailands prime minister had said she expects the four to be released on Independence Day.

Prisoner releases began on Saturday but can take a few days to be completed. In the countrys largest city, Yangon, buses took prisoners out of Insein Prison, where friends and families of detainees had waited since morning for the announced releases, at around 11:30 a.m.

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There was no sign that the prisoner release would include Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been held virtually incommunicado by the military since its seizure of power.

The 79-year-old Suu Kyi is serving a 27-year sentence after being convicted in a series of politically tinged prosecutions brought by the military.

Her supporters and independent analysts say the cases against her are an attempt to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power while keeping her from taking part in the militarys promised election, for which no date has yet been set.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 28,096 people have been arrested on political charges since the army takeover.

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Of those arrested, 21,499 were still in detention as of Friday, the AAPP reported. At least 6,106 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says. Its tally does not include all casualties from combat.

Myanmar became a British colony in the late 19th century and regained its independence on Jan. 4, 1948.

In the capital Naypyitaw, Myanmars military government celebrated the anniversary with a flag-raising ceremony at City Hall.
GRIMES COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44)  One woman and two men have been arrested after narcotics were found in a vehicle involved in a shooting.

The Grimes County Sheriffs Office, along with surrounding agencies, received information from the Victoria Police Department at approximately 7:10 p.m. Thursday. Victoria PD was looking for a grey 2024 Chevrolet Trax with a Texas license plate number TRF7306. This vehicle was involved in a shooting which occurred around 5:10 p.m. The occupants of the vehicle were considered armed and dangerous, with the vehicle possibly heading to the Brazos County area.

(Courtesy: Grimes County Sheriffs Office)

A Grimes County deputy found the vehicle heading northbound on Highway 6 around 9 p.m., near Highway 105. With the assistance of the Texas Highway Department of Public Safety and the Navasota Police Department, a hish-risk traffic stop was conducted near FM-3090, where one driver and two occupants were detained.

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Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell says a probable cause search was conducted on the vehicle. A backpack containing marijuana and digital scales were in the backseat where one of the passengers was sitting. Deputies also recovered a semi-automatic 22-caliber rifle which was reported stolen out of the Victoria Police Department on December 31, 2024. The vehicle had exterior and interior damage which was consistent with gunshots.

(Courtesy: Grimes County Sheriffs Office)

Man held after over pound of marijuana found in car

The driver has been identified as Lexey Walton, who is charged with Unalwful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, a third-degree felony; and Possession of Marijuana Less Than Two Ounces.

Lexey Walton. (Courtesy: Grimes County Sheriffs Office)

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McArthur Mathis, who was the prime suspect of the shooting, is charged with Aggravated Assault/Date/Family/Household/Serious Bodily Injury, a first-degree felony; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, and Possession of Marijuana Less Than or Equal to Five Pounds Greater Than Four Ounces, a State Jail felony.

McArthur Mathis. (Courtesy: Grimes County Sheriffs Office)

Devron Hodges is charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, a third-degree felony; and Possession of Marijuana Less Than or Equal to Five Pounds Greater Than Four Ounces, a State Jail felony.

Devron Hodges. (Courtesy: Grimes County Sheriffs Office)

Sheriff Sowell says the Victoria Police Department is still conducting its investigation of this shooting.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
MINEOLA, N.Y.  A Republican official who oversees Nassau County on New York's Long Island has seemingly refused to lower flags to half-staff in memory of the late Democratic President Jimmy Carter, who died last weekend at the age of 100.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, has not publicly explained his reason for not lowering flags at Nassau County-operated buildings. Following Carter's death Sunday, President Biden called for flags to be flown at half-staff for 30 days at all federal facilities.

When reached Friday, a spokesman for Blakeman told CBS News New York that he was "unavailable for comment."

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Democratic county legislator Seth Koslow told CBS News New York that honoring a former president should transcend partisan politics, calling the move an embarrassment to Nassau County.

"Politics shouldn't play into this right now. This should be about what's right for a person who represented our country, who guided our country and then served our country when they were done as president, and it's the right thing to do," Koslow said.

Carter died Dec. 29 at his home in Plains, Georgia. Mr. Biden declared Jan. 9 a national day of mourning for Carter. A state funeral will be held that day at the National Cathedral in Washington. Carter will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda from Jan. 7 to Jan. 9.

Flags at half-staff on Inauguration Day

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Following Carter's death, Biden ordered that flags be flown at half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings and military facilities  an edict based on a proclamation that was issued by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1954.

The order means flags will still be at half-staff on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, when President-elect Donald Trump assumes office.

In a social media post Friday, Trump wrote that "because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let's see how it plays out."

During a briefing Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House would not consider reversing or reevaluating the order.

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Trump said that he plans to attend Carter's funeral.

Tiger Bech's family on his final moments after New Orleans attack

Jimmy Carter to be buried next to Rosalynn Carter in Plains, Georgia, after state funeral

Hearse carrying Jimmy Carter's casket leaves Phoebe Sumter Medical Center
From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch

On Thursday, Harvard law professor Jack Goldsmith flagged an unlikely common thread among Donald Trumps nominees for top national security positions. None seem terribly interested in, er, national security.

Kristi Noem, Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, has zero relevant experience. His FBI pick, Kash Patel, and director of intelligence choice, Tulsi Gabbard, are marginally qualified but betray no zeal for the nuts-and-bolts catching bad guys elements of the job. And attorney general candidate Pam Bondi, while credentialed, has had little to say about national security despite having spent eight years as Floridas top prosecutor. (Shell talk your ear off about the supposedly rigged election of 2020, though.)

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Goldsmith didnt mention Defense Department nominee Pete Hegseth, as his portfolio will focus on external rather than internal threatslets hope!but he fits right in. Hes unqualified, conspiratorial, and more interested in purging leftists from the agency hes been tapped to lead than with how to use U.S. military power to advance national interests.

All five are terrible selections if your priority is protecting Americans from dangerous threats, but theyre exemplary if your priority is co-opting the federal bureaucracy to harass your political enemies and to carry out an authoritarians wishes, lawful or not. Nationalist security, not national security, is Trumps utmost ambition for his second term and hes staffing up accordingly.

Nothing new about any of that. Weve been over the defects in Trumps nominees many times in this newsletter. Whats new, and what inspired Goldsmith to write, are the terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas on New Years Day. Nationalist security is all fun and games until things start blowing up; now that they have, the need for serious, qualified people atop the executive branchs natsec agencies might weigh more heavily on the Senate than it did a week ago.

After the attacks, Dispatch staffers began debating whether Patel et al. are now more or less likely to be confirmed. Can you guess where a demoralized pessimist lands on that question?

Rolling over.

Its an easy one to answer if we assume that the highest calling of Senate Republicans is to avoid being targeted by Trump and his base, politically or perhaps literally, rather than to do whats best for the country.

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Maybe it isnt fair to assume. They showed some spine by quietly rejecting Matt Gaetz, Trumps first choice for attorney general, didnt they? Theyve resisted the idea of adjourning so that Trump can fill his Cabinet with unconfirmed recess appointees. And three of the seven Republicans who voted to convict him at his 2021 impeachment trialSusan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Bill Cassidyare still there. Three GOP defections is all the new administration can afford in confirmation votes.

But.

Trump is at the height of his political power, returning to office with a near-majority of the national popular vote to boost him this time. Cassidy is up for reelection in the next cycle and already faces a serious primary challenge. And if another terror attack occurs while Republican senators are dragging their feet on confirming Patel et al., theyll be demagogued by Trump and his fans into oblivion for the carnage and they know it. Americans are dead because the RINOs left the FBI leaderless for too long.

The more badly Trump and his base want something, the less likely it is that Senate Republicans will go to war to deny them. Consider the bipartisan immigration bill that was negotiated last year by conservative Sen. James Lankford and went down in flames instantly once Trump informed the conference that passing the bill would be bad for his reelection bid. Few dared risk being scapegoated by him for having sold out on an issue as critical to populists as border enforcement.

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MAGA influencers ran a similar playbook last month against Sen. Joni Ernst when she said she wasnt (yet) supporting Hegseth for the Pentagon job. Ernst seemed to be under the impression that grassroots loudmouths werent particularly invested in his candidacy. The social media campaign against her proved otherwise, allegedly leading her to whine to a Trump adviser, How do I make this go away? After a few days of pressure, she crumbled and vowed publicly to support Pete through this process.

Trump and his base badly want U.S. intelligence agencies, the heart of the so-called deep state, to be controlled by Jacobin cronies like Patel and Gabbard. They didnt make much of a fuss about Gaetz going down because they didnt expect him to be the pick for attorney general and probably cant stomach his sleaziness much more than the average American can. But now that that scalp has been taken, theres even less excuse for Senate RINOs to deny them Trumps other picks.

The New Years attacks have made the case for confirmation simple: With America under threat, the Senate must approve Trumps nominees urgently so that intelligence bureaus are operating at full capacity. (Never mind that the entire point of nominating these people is to purge disloyal deputies willy-nilly, depriving the agencies of expertise.) Exploiting national emergencies to gain power is Authoritarianism 101; the fact that Patel et al. sound a lot angrier about Liz Cheney than about ISIS is beside the point.

If anything, the New Years attacks bolster the what do you have to lose? case for confirming Trumps picks to Cabinet positions. Well hear a lot this month, I suspect, about how the FBI agent in charge in New Orleans foolishly denied that the rampage there was a terror attack initially, another black mark against a bureau thats covered in them. In a post titled Kash Patel, Now More Than Ever, radio host Erick Erickson alleged that the feds overlooked the jihadist menace because theyre obsessed with white-nationalist terror and need a disrupter like Patel to challenge their political correctness. You might not agree with that logicracist white guys going ballistic are a major threatbut I wouldnt underestimate its ability to pressure wary Republicans like Mitch McConnell and John Curtis into rubber-stamping Trumps nominees. Unserious about jihad is not a label any Senate Republican wants to wear, even those like Mitch who are (almost certainly) in their final term.

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Combine all of the above with the fact that shirking responsibility for policymaking has become part of Congress institutional culture over the last 30 years, bleeding ever more authority to the executive, and we should bet on Senate Republicans using the attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas as a pretext to defer to Trump on his Cabinet nominees rather than as grounds to resist him.

Risk for Trump.

In that sense, life got easier for the president-elect politically this week. In another, it got harder.

Senate Democrats were destined to confront Trumps nominees during their confirmation hearings, but the terror attacks will help them build a comprehensive case along Goldsmiths lines. These people arent merely unqualified, Chuck Schumers party will tell the public, theyre outright disinterested in the basic work of the departments theyve been nominated to lead. Expect lots of questions at the hearings drilling down on what they would have done differently to try to avert what happened on New Years Day, each aimed at exposing how far out of their depth the candidate is in basic counterintelligence. That probably wont keep Senate Republicans from voting yes, but itll make the vote considerably more painful.

Another problem for Trump: Assuming his nominees are confirmed, what happens when, inevitably, another lunatic goes off on a terrorist rampage?

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Governments always take heat when they fail to prevent an attack, but this must be the first administration in U.S. history where theres not even a pretense of filling the most important jobs with eminently qualified people. Patel plainly wasnt chosen to head the FBI because he has cunning ideas about how to smoke out ISIS lone wolves before they strike; he was chosen because hes eager to persecute Trumps enemies in politics and the media and isnt bashful about admitting it.

Lots of people, left and right, will be on television to remind viewers of that the next time a bunch of Americans die at a terrorists hand, especially if the FBI is short-staffed at the time due to Patels purges. In fact, some of the harshest criticism of him has come from former colleagues during Trumps first presidency, in fact. Charles Kupperman, a deputy national security adviser who worked with Patel, labeled him unqualified and untrustworthy and claimed it was an absolute disgrace to American citizens to even consider an individual of this nature. Not to be outdone, former national security adviser John Bolton compared Patel to the infamous Soviet secret police chief Lavrentiy Beria.

What does Trump say when someone asks him, with innocents lying dead in the street, why he insisted upon an FBI chief who worries more about Sarah Isgur than about ISIS? How does he respond when reporters ask why it was necessary to let Charlie Kirk administer a loyalty test to his nominees (yes, really) but not necessary to listen to former aides like Bolton and Kupperman and find a nominee with more national-security chops?

This is no small thing. Perceptions of unseriousness about law and order are dangerous for a strongman whose appeal derives from the belief that hell keep the country safe. The more vulnerable Americans feel during his presidency, the more fragile that appeal might become.

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Ironically, in other contexts Trump has seemed to understand that he owes his reelection not to personal hobby horses like retribution against his enemies but to quality-of-life issues. When he was asked last month what his keys to victory were, he named an insecure border and the price of groceries. But his Cabinet nominees contradict that lesson: The swing voters who decided the race surely care less about persecuting the deep state than they care about being safe.

So why is he giving them an FBI chief, an intelligence chief, a homeland security chief, and an attorney general who dont share those priorities? Why place nationalist security, which matters only to a segment of his base, over national security, which matters to everyone?

The answer is partly a function of his worldview and partly a function of his confidence in being able to talk his way out of anything.

Nationalism is a tribal ideology that seeks supremacy over other domestic tribes, so its necessarily preoccupied with the enemies from within, to borrow a phrase. Its hot rhetoric toward foreign rivals is usually just a patriotic smokescreen for its true priorities. For all of Trumps tough talk about China, for example, hes barreling toward a capitulation on TikTok and cant stop slobbering over Xi Jinping every time he mentions him. An easy prediction for his second term is that Beijing will persuade him, probably by brokering some sort of deal, not to intervene when it finally launches a blockade of Taiwan. It wont take much to convince an America First-er that hes better off with a Sudetenland bargain than with a major-powers war.

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In MAGA politics, the most poisonous venom is reserved for anti-Trump Republicans, then for Democrats and the deep state, and only eventually for foreign adversariesassuming theres even a consensus anymore on the right as to which countries are adversaries and which are allies. Trump might understand intellectually that swing voters want him to focus on ISIS, not on hollowing out the FBI, but his nationalist nature will lead him irresistibly back to the enemy from within. Especially now that hes term-limited: What does he stand to lose if a future jihadist manages to shoot up Bourbon Street because the entire FBI counterterrorism division was reassigned to investigate Adam Schiff?

But if worse comes to worst and he does face a nascent backlash for not preventing a terror attack, theres no reason to have any confidence that the public will ultimately turn against him for appointing clowns to fill intelligence positions on which life and death depend. The shining lesson of Election Day is that if he and his propaganda organs could talk a a majority of American voters into believing that hes fit for a second term after a coup plot and an attempted insurrection, they can talk Americans into believing anything.

When a bomb goes off on his watch, itll be a straightforward matter of finding and flogging a scapegoator, better yet, many scapegoats. Hell blame the incompetent holdovers in the deep state who missed the warning signs and who havent yet been purged by Kash Patel but will be soon, rest assured. Hell whatabout prior administrations: Why should his intelligence bureaus be expected to perform better than the serious establishment professionals who gave us 9/11 and the Iraq war under George W. Bush?

And hell find some way to drag immigrants into it, as he always does. He did it this week, in fact, screeching about Bidens open borders policy after the attack in New Orleanseven though the shooter was born in Texas. If someone grumbles to you about the FBI being slow to call that incident terrorism, remind them that the guy to whom the bureau will answer in 17 days was busy lying out-and-out about what happened to serve his agenda at the same time.

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Trumps only real genius is his ability to shift blame, at least enough to turn what should be catastrophic, disqualifying failures into politically manageable ones. Hes a convicted felon who had three indictments still pending against him when he persuaded the great and good American people to reelect him: Theyre not going to suddenly sober up because he prefers nationalist security to national security.

So Senate Republicans might as well confirm Patel and the rest of his nominees. Democrats and irrelevant Never Trumpers like me will blame them for the resulting disasters of Trumps Cabinet, but so what? We also blamed them for not convicting Trump at his second impeachment trial and it hasnt hurt the party at all. On the contrary, just a few hours ago the GOP officially gained majorities in both houses of Congress. And if the answer to all that is, Senators should do whats best for the country! then consider the possibility that confirming Trumps candidates is whats best for the countrylong-term, at least.

We deserve populist government, red in tooth and claw. We voted for it. Well learn from it. Lets have it.

Read more at The Dispatch

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Rep. Virginia Foxx (Photo: Screenshot, House.gov.)

North Carolina fifth district Congresswoman Virginia Foxx says she is doing fine after slipping and falling down the stairs Friday outside the U.S. House chamber. The 81-year-old Republican sustained a few small cuts but was otherwise fine after the ordeal. Foxx was seen by medical personnel to assess the extent of her injuries.

Late Friday, Rep. Foxx took to social media to thank people for their prayers, while quipping: Im a mountain woman, and were tougher than a $2 steak.

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Fellow Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina responded by calling Foxx One tough cookie.

Foxxs injury was noted by multiple news outlets who were on hand for Fridays vote for U.S. House speaker.

A bleeding Rep. Virginia Foxx is currently receiving medical attention  holding her nose as she receives aid  appears to have fallen down marble stairs on West side of House. Lots of blood but officer tells me shes okay as press is cleared from area. She is conscious/ talking.  John R Parkinson (@jparkABC) January 3, 2025

Foxx, who is the chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, was first elected to Congress in 2005.
Happy Saturday! Heres another edition of my weekend column for WPRI.com  as always, send your takes, tips and trial balloons to tnesi@wpri.com and follow me on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook.

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Nesi's Notes

1. Polish off the egg nog and shake off the sugar cookies  2025 is here, and its going to be a busy January for anybody who cares about politics. Friday brought us the start of the new Congress, with the notably smooth reelection of Mike Johnson as House speaker, despite his slim 220-215 majority. A harbinger that Capitol Hill wont be as chaotic as some have suspected this year? Time will tell. Next week the legislative focus will shift to the state level, with Rhode Islands General Assembly convening for the first time Tuesday. In the House, Speaker Joe Shekarchi remains in firm control, with Democrats holding 85% of the seats. But Senate President Dominick Ruggerio continues to reshape his leadership team, as he replaces the dissenting Democrats who tried to oust him in November; Ruggerios physical condition and command of the chamber will be closely scrutinized all over Smith Hill once the new session begins. The following week Governor McKee will seize the spotlight, giving his State of the State address on the relatively early date of Jan. 14. Hell follow up two days later by releasing his budget bill, showing how he proposes to close a deficit estimated at $250 million to $300 million  the most challenging fiscal environment McKee has faced in his four-year tenure. After that the action will switch back to Washington, with Donald Trump set to be inaugurated as president at noon on Monday, Jan. 20. Trumps moves in those initial days after he takes office are sure to create big headlines for the remainder of the month.

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2. With the 119th Congress underway, members of the all-Democratic Rhode Island and Massachusetts delegations are weighing how to approach the second Donald Trump presidency. Seth Magaziner returned to Capitol Hill with some bragging rights from the November election  the Cook Political Report calculated that he improved his margin of victory more than any other member of Congress between 2022 and 2024. Like other younger Democrats, Magaziner is mulling how the partys leaders can talk to voters more authentically going forward. Along those lines, he recently posted a thread on Bluesky saying he plans to shift his approach to social media. Ive always had active social media accounts supported by talented staff to help me inform constituents about my work, he wrote. But Ive never invested a lot of personal time engaging in two-way conversations online. Starting now, I am planning to do more.  I will use this account to write longer form thoughts on current events. Everything on here will be written only by me. But is Bluesky the right place for that? Magaziner acknowledged mixed feelings, saying, I dont think it is productive for Dems to retreat into our own echo chambers. Still, he cited Elon Musks algorithm changes at X as making him skeptical about investing his energies there.

3. Gabe Amo also has good reason to cheer the arrival of a new crop of freshman House members. After he won the 2023 special election to replace David Cicilline, Amo ranked literally dead last in seniority in the House, 435th out of 435. What a difference a year makes: Amo has already risen to 367th thanks to turnover in other seats. He also starts the new Congress with a new position, having been elected one of three co-chairs of the Future Forum Caucus, which represents younger members of the House. Amo told our D.C. team on Thursday, There is major work to do to hold both the incoming administration and congressional Republicans accountable, and to continue to articulate a positive message and a vision, not of extremism, but of ensuring that everybody thrives in this country, and that we dont enact tax cuts for the rich or cut Social Security and Medicare.

4. Notable: tongues are wagging about Seth Magaziner, Gabe Amo and Jake Auchincloss all angling behind the scenes for an open seat on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. Will one of them get it? (Auchincloss has seniority among the three.) Or will the region be shut out? No word yet on when Hakeem Jeffries will finalize committee rosters.

5. VP Harris administered the ceremonial oath of office to Sheldon Whitehouse as he embarked on a fourth Senate term Friday, and her recent loss in the presidential election has been much on his mind. Over the holidays, Whitehouse emailed Democratic National Committee members urging them to pick a new national chair who can run a war machine against Republicans. Three dramatic things have happened in our country which Democrats bemoan, even oppose, but dont fight: the onslaught of corrupting right-wing dark money; the success of the fossil fuel industrys fraudulent climate denial operation; and the capture of the Supreme Court, Whitehouse wrote. For each, theres a story to tell: of secret influence and spending, a devilish plan, and creepy billionaires in the background. Yet not everyone agrees with Whitehouses sweeping indictment of the conservative justices. Jan Crawford, CBS Newss longtime Supreme Court reporter, pushed back last weekend during a Face the Nation roundtable (though she didnt reference Whitehouse by name). There has been, Crawford said, a quite calculated effort to undermine the legitimacy of the Supreme Court by Democrats  Senate Democrats for example  hearings, stories about scandals, some of which were pretty overblown to say the least. She added, You may disagree with their decisions. Its a very conservative Court; it is not a corrupt Court. These are nine justices who have very different views on how to interpret the Constitution, who are kind of in this titanic struggle over law, not politics.

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6. Rest in peace, Jimmy Carter. Heres our 1979 coverage of his visit to Rhode Island.

7. For a long time, Helena Foulkes appeared to be in an enviable position heading into the 2026 race for governor. She finished surprisingly strong in the 2022 Democratic primary, and has been working assiduously ever since to position herself for a second try, raising plenty of money and building alliances. And shes benefited from Governor McKees stumbles, most notably on the Washington Bridge, which have hurt his poll numbers. Now, though, Foulkes is facing a major headwind of her own  a federal lawsuit against CVS that accuses the company of mishandling the opioid crisis for an 11-year period that includes Foulkes four-year stint running the companys drugstores. Foulkes and CVS have argued they did their best navigating a difficult situation, but McKees campaign pounced immediately. Allegations in the DOJ suit concerning CVS behavior during the opioid crisis that began in 2013 are deeply disturbing, the campaign said in a statement. We must hold accountable those executives whose greed created institutional profit by spreading addiction throughout our communities. (A Foulkes adviser shot back that McKee was trying to distract from his failed leadership on the Washington Bridge crisis and the cyberattack.) A key question now is what comes out over the course of litigation in the lawsuit. What documents will be filed in court, and what if anything will they reveal about Foulkess role in the situation? During a Dec. 20 interview on Newsmakers, Rhode Island U.S. Attorney Zach Cunha refused to engage on that topic, including about whether he expects Foulkes to be deposed. Our complaint is about corporate conduct, Cunha told Tim White and Eli Sherman. It does not allege, and its not about, the actions of any particular individual. Its about what the corporation did. And it covers a decade-long period, which involved a number of actors. And thats really all I can say about that.

8. The CVS lawsuit offered Dan McKees political team a rare chance to go on offense, reinforcing their contention that the governor has no plans to step aside instead of seeking reelection. But within 24 hours of the federal lawsuit being unsealed, they were also reminded that McKee has yet to escape the shadow of the ILO scandal that has dogged him since his first months in office. Back in October, the governor declared vindication when AG Neronha announced no criminal charges would be brought in connection with the $5 million state contract. But Common Causes John Marion says that even if McKee and other officials didnt break any criminal statutes, ILO exposed politics at its worst, including a procurement process full of back-scratching. Marion is now taking two steps based on the information the AG uncovered. First, Common Cause has filed a formal complaint with Secretary of State Gregg Amore that accuses longtime McKee ally Mike Magee of failing to register as a state lobbyist while pushing the contract for his associates at ILO. Amores office is currently conducting a preliminary investigation into the lobbying complaint. (A similar lobbying complaint ensnared the 38 Studios figure Mike Corso back in 2014  and McKee himself made hay out of that controversy in his primary race for LG that year against then-Secretary of State Ralph Mollis.) Separately, Common Cause is also asking the R.I. Ethics Commission to review whether stricter rules are needed regarding gifts to public officials from lobbyists. The commission will begin considering that suggestion at its first meeting of the year on Tuesday.

9. Eli Sherman has new details on exactly what data was stolen in the RIBridges cyberattack. Weve also confirmed the hackers were demanding $23 million as a ransom payment.

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10. Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi is perhaps the most prominent political independent in Rhode Island right now, and so far its been a winning electoral formula for him. Picozzi easily unseated an incumbent mayor in 2020, ran unopposed in 2022, and defeated his opponent by a crushing 53-point margin in November. But even before Picozzi takes the oath of office on Tuesday evening, he is dealing with a major headache: a surprise $9 million budget deficit that the School Department only just disclosed. A lot of people dropped the ball, Picozzi said on this weeks Newsmakers. School officials failed to spend their federal COVID relief money prudently, he said, using the one-time money to add permanent staff with no long-term way to pay their salaries. And that K-12 operating deficit is separate from another ongoing financial problem at the Warwick School Department, namely how to fund construction of two new high schools without overspending the $350 million authorized by city voters. Meantime, Picozzi is also making news on the thing that helped him win the mayors office in the first place  his famous annual Christmas lights display, which just had its last hurrah. Why would the mayor decide to hang up his extension cords? Father Times caught up with me, said Picozzi, who turned 65 last year.

11. Our Alexandra Leslie sat down with Providence Mayor Brett Smiley for a wide-ranging year-end interview, yielding stories about the citys budget outlook for 2025, PILOT deals and noise cameras, and why the mayor is converting to Judaism.

12. Jonathan Shaw has a great read in Harvard Magazine about the scale of the housing crisis nationwide, including this quote from economist Ed Glaeser: The tragic part is that were both making America less productive  by not enabling people to move to places like Boston or Silicon Valley, which are among the most productive places in America  and ensuring that lower-skilled people, people who are less fortunate, cant afford those places.

13. People in the news  John Layton will take over as the new publisher of Providence Business News on Feb. 1  Rob Brill will be the new regional executive leading Cox Communications operations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts; he succeeds Ross Nelson, who is retiring  wind developer rsted has tapped Amanda Dasch as its new U.S. CEO.

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14. Local teachers will soon have lots of little Charlottes and Liams in their classrooms.

15. The FTs Sarah OConnor wonders, are we becoming a post-literate society?

16. Set your DVRs: This week on Newsmakers  Mayor Picozzi. Watch Sunday at 5:30 a.m. on WPRI 12 and 10 a.m. on Fox Providence, or listen on the radio Sunday at 6 p.m. on WPRO. You can also subscribe to Newsmakers as a podcast via Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you back here next Saturday.

Ted Nesi (tnesi@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesis Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook.

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The Newark police sergeant who fatally struck a fellow cop directing traffic outside the Prudential Center last month is accused of being drunk and driving double the speed limit when he killed Newark Traffic Control Officer Jairo Rodriguez.

Victor M. Ortiz III has been charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree vehicular homicide in connection with the death of his 53-year-old colleague, according to NJ.com. Ortiz also faces multiple traffic summonses, including one for DWI.

His attorney told ABC News that Ortiz stopped after the deadly accident, followed the instructions of police on the scene and bears no criminal culpability for the incident that occurred in the early hours of Dec. 12.

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The 34-year-old sergeant was reportedly off duty and driving his own car at the time of the crash.

The victims nephew, Mace Hernandez, said outside Newark City Hall on Thursday that the long-awaited charges give Rodriguezs family enough closure to finally begin the grieving process.

21 days, Hernandez said. We dont know why it took so long.

The victims family plans to ask Internal Affairs investigators to make sure the cop-on-cop tragedy was handled by the book.

Rodriguez was mowed down around 12:44 a.m. while directing traffic after a performance by Bronx bachata band Aventura. Rodriguez, who joined the Newark Department of Public Safety as a traffic cop in 2022, died at University Hospital shortly before 2 a.m.

Ortiz, who lives in Hillside, was placed under home detention, according to ABC News. Hes only been allowed to leave for church services and court appointments.
Jan. 3Alaska's newly elected Republican U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III cast his first vote on Friday, supporting Louisiana Republican Rep. Mike Johnson for House speaker on the first day of the 119th Congress.

Begich took the oath of office after Johnson was reelected speaker Friday afternoon. A businessman whose personal wealth helped propel his ascent to Congress, this will be Begich's first time representing the state in elected office.

In a statement, Begich said he would work on "unleashing Alaska's vast natural resources, building infrastructure that fosters growth, and championing policies that put Alaskans and Americans First."

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In assuming office, Begich becomes only the sixth U.S. House member representing Alaska since it was granted statehood. He is the grandson of Nick Begich Sr., a Democrat who served as Alaska's third U.S. House member before a plane he was in disappeared on a flight from Anchorage to Juneau in 1972. He is also the nephew of Alaska's Democratic former U.S. Sen. Mark Begich.

Begich announced staffing choices Friday, including selecting his former business partner as a senior adviser. JC Garrett will join Begich's congressional staff after working as chief executive of FarShore Partners, a software company started by Begich, and as managing partner of Dashfire, an equity investment firm started by Begich.

Begich's chief of staff will be Michael Horanburg, who previously served as chief of staff for a one-term Republican U.S. House member from New Mexico. His legislative director will be Kevin Swanson, who previously worked for U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski and former U.S. Rep. Don Young, who died in office in 2022. Josh Walton, who ran Begich's recent campaign and previously worked for the Alaska GOP, was named legislative assistant.

For state director, managing in-state operations, Begich has named Rick Whitbeck, who previously worked for an organization championing resource development and prior to that worked for GCI, Alaska's largest telecommunications company.

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To manage his Anchorage office, Begich picked Portia Babcock Samuels, who previously worked for oil company ConocoPhillips. She is the sister of Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy's former chief of staff, Tuckerman Babcock. Managing the Fairbanks office will be Leslie Hajdukovich, who recently lost a high-profile race for Alaska Senate. Hajdukovich previously worked for Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Nick Begich III, 47, was born in Alaska and raised by his maternal grandparents in Florida, returning to the state as an adult with a conservative brand of politics that set him apart from his grandfather and uncles, who held elected office as Democrats.

Begich's path to Congress began in 2020, when he co-chaired the re-election campaign of Young, Alaska's longtime U.S. House member. In 2022, Begich announced he would run against Young, positioning himself to the right of Young, who died unexpectedly several months after Begich entered the race. Several of Young's former staffers supported his Democratic opponent, Mary Peltola, helping propel her to victory.

Begich again ran against Peltola in 2024, prevailing in what was one of the most expensive U.S. House races that year. Begich beat Peltola by less than three percentage points. Begich was endorsed by Trump and Johnson, the U.S. House speaker, only after Alaska Republicans pressured Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom  Trump and Johnson's favored candidate  to drop out of the race after finishing behind Begich in the August primary.

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Peltola, who formally ended her time in Congress on Friday, has yet to comment publicly on her future plans, but has jokingly said she was considering running for several offices in 2026.

During his first day in office, Begich reintroduced three pieces of legislation that had been introduced by Peltola during her first year in office, but had stalled in the Republican-controlled House. The three bills already passed the Senate, where they were sponsored by Murkowski. In a statement earlier this week, Murkowski called the measures "non-controversial" and said she was optimistic they could pass early in the congressional term.

All three of the measures are related to the rights of Alaska Native people under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The first would exclude settlement trust benefits for disabled and elderly Alaskans when determining eligibility for federal government assistance, such as food assistance or supplemental income from the Social Security Administration. The second would allow several communities in Southeast Alaska to form new Alaska Native corporations and receive land allotments from the Tongass National Forest.

The third would turn over undeveloped land to Alaska Native village corporations rather than having it kept in trust for future residents. The measure, which would ease the path toward new development and resource extraction projects, is supported by the Alaska Federation of Natives, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and the Alaska Legislature, which last year passed a resolution unanimously supporting the federal legislation.

In a statement, Begich said the introduction of the bills during his first day in office showed that he is "hitting the ground running to advocate for our state's future."
Nita Ambani, founder and chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, remembered and paid tribute to senior employees of Reliance Industries Limited during the celebration of 25 years of Jamnagar Refinery. Addressing employees and their families gathered to celebrate 25 years of Jamnagar Refinery, she expressed the contribution made by the senior employees of the company to shape the conglomerate. Expressing her gratitude, she stated, "In our culture they say, heaven lies at the feet of our parents, and their blessings are the most important source of our strength and motivation. I would like to take a moment to honour all our elders, seniors, Dada Dadi, Nana, and Nani of our reliance family, whose love, wisdom, and sacrifices have shaped us into who we are today." "You all are our elders, and it is with your blessings that Reliance is progressing. I respectfully bow to all of you," she stated. Nita Ambani further stated, "Let us also remember and honour those who are not with us today and thank them for the immense contribution to Reliance. I dearly and fondly remember my mentors, VV Bhat, KK Malhotra, AG Dawra, and many others who have left an indelible mark in the story and success of Reliance." Earlier on January 3, Nita Ambani spoke passionately about the deep emotional connection the Ambani family shares with Jamnagar, describing it as the "soul of Reliance." "Jamnagar is not just a place. It is the soul of Reliance. It holds a very deep and dear place in our hearts," Nita Ambani said, capturing the sentiment of the occasion. Reflecting on the personal and familial significance of Jamnagar, she spoke about the role the city has played in shaping the journey of Reliance. She highlighted its connection to Kokilaben Ambani, Dhirubhai Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, and the younger generation of the family. Reliance's Jamnagar refinery, which happens to be the conglomerate's first, turned 25 years old last week. Twenty-five years ago, on December 28, 1999, Reliance launched its first refinery at Jamnagar. The Jamnagar refinery is a significant milestone in Reliance's history that continues to symbolise the industrial prowess. It is expected to see further advancements while contributing to environmental conservation through initiatives like Vantaar. (ANI)
Jan. 3North Idaho College Workforce Training Center, based in Post Falls, is bringing career-building programs to residents of Idaho's two northernmost counties.

The courses at NIC's Sandpoint branch will eventually cover a range of industries, but will initially focus on health care.

"Our goal is to meet students where they are and help them succeed," Colby Mattila, NIC's executive director of workforce and economic development, said in a statement. "This expansion allows us to better serve the region's workforce by connecting more Bonner and Boundary County community members with in-demand skills training and businesses with opportunities to improve their productivity through employee training we provide."

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Unlike NIC's academic classes, workforce courses are noncredit and generally lead to certification or licensure while providing quicker entry into a career. Classes are open to the public, typically without preadmission, academic or residential requirements.

The center enrolled 4,672 students in 2024, Communications Coordinator Maureen Dolan said.

"These programs focus on equipping students with the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to meet the needs of today's job market," Mattila said. "By offering targeted training in specific industries, workforce training helps community members access new career opportunities, earn higher wages and fill critical workforce gaps."

School officials hope the expansion will help North Idaho's shortage of health care professionals.

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"We cannot train CNAs and MAs fast enough to meet the need for skilled professionals to fill jobs in our local health care industry," Health Careers Program Manager Marty Matney said in a statement.

Health careers courses being offered at the NIC Sandpoint Center include training for CNAs; Assistance with Medications; Medical Assistant Apprenticeship; Phlebotomy Technician; Basic Life Support  CPR Provider; Heartsaver, CPR, and AED (Automated External Defibrillator); IV Therapy for Healthcare Providers; and Phlebotomy for Healthcare Professionals.

Besides health care training, the center at Sandpoint is offering a shotgun armorer course and a boiler/steam training certification course.

Plans are also underway for a commercial driver's license course in Sandpoint, once a practice location is secured. The program prepares students for careers in transportation, another industry with high demand in North Idaho, a news release said.

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NIC at Sandpoint continues other college services, including enrollment, test proctoring, academic and dual credit advising, adult education and some college credit classes.

Registration is open for the center's winter and spring workforce training courses. Many classes begin this month, which require registration as soon as possible. Classes will be offered again in April, Dolan said.

James Hanlon's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
(Bloomberg) -- (Bloomberg)  For months, United States Steel Corp. argued that selling out to Japanese-owned Nippon Steel Corp. was the only way to survive. President Joe Biden thought different, concluding that even a takeover by a company based in close ally Japan wasnt enough to allay national-security concerns.

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Such is the new politics of global trade and investment.

In blocking the deal Friday, Biden pointed to what he said was credible evidence that Nippon Steels $14.1 billion bid would create risk for our national security and our critical supply chains. He didnt say what the evidence was, though he invoked the Defense Production Act, which gives the president power over the economy to ensure the supply of critical goods.

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That Cold War-era law Biden cited has been used to ensure the supply of military equipment. It was a further reminder of how Biden, following in the footsteps of former President Donald Trump, has taken a more expansive definition of what constitutes a threat to US national security, especially when it comes to trade and investment.

Its unusual to declare a friend and ally a security threat, which is what hes done, Bill Reinsch, a Commerce Department official during the Clinton administration and now a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in an interview. It does seem that the definition of national security is getting broader than it used to be.

Japan is one of Americas closest allies. The US bases about 50,000 troops there, and its a key US partner in the push to check Chinas regional ambitions. As if to underscore the point, the State Department just approved the sale of air-to-air missiles to Japan in a deal worth up to $3.64 billion.

Whatever the reason, former officials and experts said the decision signals how sharply the US has turned away from the principles of globalization that were a hallmark of US trade and investment policy well into the mid-2010s. The US has relied on the vaguely defined idea of national security as part of that shift.

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There was also the undeniable political element given that US Steel is based in the swing state of Pennsylvania and the potential sale became a political flashpoint during the US presidential election campaign. That was exacerbated after the influential United Steelworkers union came out against the deal.

When the president or others in the administration use national security reasoning to justify certain actions, theyre also able to define it how they would like, said Sarah Bauerle Danzman, a resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils GeoEconomics Centers Statecraft Initiative.

Its not just the US. One study from Council on Foreign Relations analysts Benn Steil and Elisabeth Harding tracked how the Trump and Biden administrations  followed by many other countries  had increasingly relied on national-security exceptions at the World Trade Organization to block actions they opposed.

While countries had once used such exceptions to block highly sensitive items, they are now being used regularly to justify trade restrictions on innocuous items such as cocoa beans, alcoholic beverages, animal feed, lighting products, and doorframes, Steil and Harding wrote.

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US officials defended Bidens decision, with White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre saying the move had nothing to do with Japan but was about how US Steel is going to stay American-owned and American-operated. Trump had also pledged to block the deal.

Foreign direct investment in the US continued to rise in 2023  driven in large part by Japan  but champions of more inflows worry about the signal the US Steel decision will send, especially when such a move would normally be reserved for heading off investment by adversaries such as China.

The decision risks deterring other foreign companies from growing their production in the US, John Murphy, who leads work on international trade at the US Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. Japan is the largest source of foreign direct investment in the US, and the Chamber said that the nation supports almost 1 million US jobs.

The outcome could have a chilling effect on international investment in America, he said.

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The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a secretive panel that scrutinizes proposals by foreign entities to purchase companies or property in the US, was unable to reach a consensus on the sale last year. The committee, known as Cfius, sent the decision back to the White House.

The sale was opposed by members of the committee including the US Trade Representatives office and the Energy Department, according to people familiar with the discussions, who asked not to be identified without permission to speak publicly.

The concern was that Nippon Steel might not be able to honor promises to maintain production capacity in the US, given potential pressure on the company from the Japanese government to produce at home, and economic incentives that have sent more steel production to lower-wage countries, one of the people said.

Many trade law experts expect Trump to employ the national-security justification even more when he returns to office later this month. He may use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which is based on the existence of an unusual and extraordinary threat to national security, to impose tariffs shortly after taking office - particularly for Mexico and Canada on concerns about immigration and fentanyl.

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The act allows for tariffs to be put in place almost immediately, letting the president get around the need to consult with Congress, which under the Constitution has the power to set tariffs but delegated much of it to the executive office over the course of the past half century.

Trump in his first term also used so-called 232 provisions in trade laws  also based on national security concerns  to slap tariffs on steel imported from Canada and the European Union, affecting countries that were founding members in the 75-year-old North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

You really want to be able to ensure that the government is using its pretty broad powers in a restrained way, said the Atlantic Councils Bauerle Danzman. This particular use of CFIUS and national security strains credulity.

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NEW JERSEY (PIX11)  A man is in police custody after boarding a New Jersey Amtrak train headed to Virginia while carrying multiple firearms Friday afternoon, police said.

At around 3:00 p.m. New Jersey police were notified of an unattended bag at Newark-Penn Station. Police say they inspected the bag and discovered a handgun and loaded rifle.

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Authorities said they investigated and determined that the unknown individual had purchased an Amtrak ticket for a final stop in Virginia. When the train made a scheduled stop in Trenton, NJ, the individual was placed in police custody.

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The man resisted arrest, police said.

Police say the male suspect had three handguns and two more rifles in his possession.

A K9 unit swept and cleared the Amtrak train, police said.

It remains unclear why the suspect had so many firearms. Other details were not provided.

An investigation remains ongoing, authorities said.

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NEW JERSEY (PIX11)  New Jersey residents who live near the George Washington Bridge are bracing for increased traffic when congestion pricing takes effect Sunday.

New Jersey lawmakers expect drivers to use the George Washington Bridge instead of the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels, avoiding the Congestion Relief Zone.

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Residents in Leonia and Fort Lee, NJ, said traffic is already a nightmare without congestion pricing. Matt Dine lives on Paulin Boulevard in Leonia, a popular detour to the George Washington Bridge. This street especially is a big cut-through for people, said Dine.

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Dine said traffic gets so bad on Sundays as people return to the city, that he often cannot get out of his driveway. We have a sort of unspoken rule, said Dine. Dont drive on Sundays.

Nearly every day, Dine said drivers mistake his outdoor patio setup for a restaurant or ask to use his restroom.

With the traffic, people just stop and ask for reservations, and were like, its just our house, said Dine.

Leonia Mayor Bill Ziegler said the traffic can be dangerous.

These vehicles, when the traffic gets really heavy, will interfere with the safe movement and quick movement of emergency response vehicles, said Ziegler. Our volunteer firefighters have literally  on occasion  have not been able to get out of their driveways to respond to the firehouse in order to get to the fire.

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In 2018, Leonias elected officials banned non-residential traffic on side streets. The local ordinance did not hold up in court.

Mayor Ziegler, who took office in 2024, said he and other mayors recently met with Google to discuss how navigation apps might avoid rerouting onto local roads.

It gets to a point where its a public danger, and we want to avoid that, said Ziegler.

Residents are bracing for a bad traffic situation to become worse.

Its an absolute nightmare, said Vicki, a Fort Lee resident. On the weekend, it takes about an hour and a half to cross the bridge because of all the people coming to Fort Lee from Leonia and neighboring towns.

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Its really bad, said Tatiana Zuniga, who works in Fort Lee. Its bad. Theres a lot of traffic. And a lot of times, even the detours [have traffic]. Its traffic everywhere.

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An Ohio prosecutor decided not to charge a police officer who shot a break-in suspect in early October.

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Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson found the officer did not use excessive or unreasonable force in shooting the suspect, CBS affiliate WOIO reported.

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At 12:05 a.m. Oct. 7, police received a call from a resident saying they saw a man breaking into a vehicle in the 1300 block of W. 17th St.

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The 911 caller reportedly thought they saw a gun in the suspects hand.

Upon arrival, officers said they made contact with the suspect in the driveway, but they fled on foot between the houses, WOIO reported.

Officers saw a gun on the suspect and after a short foot chase, one officer fired several shots, striking the suspect, according to Lorain Police Lt. Morris.

After receiving first aid from police, the suspect was taken to Mercy Hospital of Loraine where they were treated for multiple gunshot wounds.

The suspect was identified as 26-year-old Dustin Lee Terry. Terry reportedly had a getaway driver, a 28-year-old woman, who was detained.

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Terry had just finished a year-long good behavior sentence at midnight on Oct. 7, five minutes before the 911 call was placed, WOIO reported.

No officers were injured. Lorain Police asked Elyria Police to handle the investigation.

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On Jan. 1, 2025, several media outlets including Newsweek and The Sun reported on a supposed poison attack on the exiled former president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, who resides in Russia, as of this writing.

According to The Sun, this information came from a Telegram account "supposedly run by a former top spy in Russia":

 online account General SVR  supposedly run by a former top spy in Russia  says he [al-Assad] was taken ill on Sunday. It claims Assad, 59, asked for medical help then almost immediately began to "cough violently and choke". The source said: "There is every reason to believe an assassination attempt was made."

Claims originating from General SVR have been credulously promoted by The Sun and other tabloids numerous times since 2022, despite the account's self-evidently dubious track record. Snopes has reported on several questionable claims leveled by General SVR.

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In May 2022, for example, the account claimed that Putin had transferred power to "[an] ex-FSB [Russian foreign intelligence agency] chief" in advance of cancer surgery. In September 2022, the account claimed that Putin had survived an assassination attempt. In October 2023, the account claimed that coups were underway after Putin, now using a body double, had gone into cardiac arrest.

The only "evidence" for any of these claims  then and now  was General SVR. Olga Lautman, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, described the account in an X post as a "weird telegram channel that is most likely run by Russian intel and has Putin dead 10x over."

Jade McGlynn, a researcher on Russian propaganda and media, told Business Insider in January 2023 that the account's propaganda successfully infiltrates Western media because of its outlandish or oversimplified claims. Aric Toler, an open-source investigator who reports on Russian disinformation, has told his followers to discard anything the account claims.

In the case of Assad, General SVF (whose posts are translated for an audience on X as well) posted on Dec. 31, 2024, that:

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Assad complained to security guards about indisposition and breathing problems and asked to call for medical help. Almost immediately after the request, he started coughing violently and began choking. Assad was given water and this helped to ease the attack a little, but his breathing still did not return to normal, and headache and abdominal pain were added. By the time the medics arrived, the condition of the former #Syria president was deteriorating. The condition of Bashar al-Assad was promptly reported to representatives of the Russian leadership. While the medics were rendering first aid to Assad, an order was received to treat him at home if possible and not to place the "patient" in a hospital. After the first aid was rendered, the medics received "reinforcements" and a treatment room was set up in Assad's apartment. As of [the next] evening, according to the attending doctors, Bashar al-Assad's condition is stable and he feels normal. The tests taken from the former Syrian president showed the presence of traces of exposure to poisonous substance in his body.

At the time of this reporting, the claim that Assad had been poisoned, or that he complained about feeling unwell, has no independent confirmation and is therefore unlikely to be credible.

Sources:

"Exiled Syrian Tyrant Bashar Al-Assad 'poisoned' in 'Assassination Bid.'" The Sun, 1 Jan. 2025, https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/32568444/syria-bashar-al-assad-poisoned-assassination-russia/.

Gebeily, Maya, and Timour Azhari. "Syrian Rebels Topple Assad Who Flees to Russia in Mideast Shakeup." Reuters, 8 Dec. 2024. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syria-rebels-celebrate-captured-homs-set-sights-damascus-2024-12-07/.

Ibrahim, Nur. "Did Putin Face Assassination Attempt in September 2022?" Snopes, 15 Sept. 2022, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/putin-assassination-attempt/.

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---. "Is Vladimir Putin Dead?" Snopes, 8 Nov. 2023, https://www.snopes.com//news/2023/11/08/is-vladimir-putin-dead/.

Jankowicz, Mia. "Did Putin Really Poop Himself? How an Influential Telegram Account Is Spreading Wild, Unproven Claims about the Kremlin's Inner Workings." Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-general-svr-telegram-account-seeding-wild-putin-stories-2022-12. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025.

Palma, Bethania. "Is Putin Preparing To Hand Over Power To Undergo Cancer Surgery?" Snopes, 3 May 2022, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/putin-cancer-surgery/.

Reporter, Brendan Cole Senior News. "Has Assad Been Poisoned in Russia? What We Know." Newsweek, 2 Jan. 2025, https://www.newsweek.com/russia-syria-assad-poisoned-assassination-2008576.


Jan. 3The intersection of politics and national security likely played a role in President Joe Biden's decision to reject the proposed sale of U.S. Steel to a Japanese company, according to experts.

The White House announcement Friday morning to halt the nearly $15 billion deal to transfer ownership of the iconic Pittsburgh-based steel giant to Nippon Steel Corp. ends a yearlong debate that became a touchstone election issue in Pennsylvania.

Duquesne University political science professor Lew Irwin said it's likely the political fallout of Biden's decision will continue into the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.

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"There were clearly political implications to this," Irwin said while also suggesting national security concerns were likely a key component in the decision-making process to prohibit the proposed sale.

"There is no such thing as a non-political decision that comes out of the White House or Congress."

Federal law required Biden to make a decision on the proposed sale 15 days after the Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States announced Dec. 23 that it failed to make a formal recommendation regarding the future of the deal.

The committee operates as part of the U.S. Treasury Department and includes key U.S. Cabinet members such as the heads of the departments of Defense, State, Justice and Homeland Security, among others.

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The committee split on recommending approval of the sale, which then required the president to make a final ruling.

Biden previously announced his opposition to the deal.

University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg associate political science professor Paul Adams said the national security concerns over the sale of U.S. Steel appear to have trumped politics, but the fallout from Biden's decision could have a lasting impact, especially in Pennsylvania, where union support for Democrats has become shakier in recent years.

"The political ramifications from this will not so much impact Biden, but it does create confidence issues for organized labor. If the Trump administration ultimately rejects this deal, too, there could be political fallout for both parties," Adams said.

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During the presidential campaign last fall, Trump said he opposes the sale.

It was unclear Friday whether he has the authority to overturn Biden's decision, which directed the U.S. Justice Department to oversee the abandonment of the proposed sale.

Trump has options, Irwin said.

"I won't be surprised if this gets revisited, but not under these terms. When Trump takes office, he will get a steady stream of recommendations and advice, and this is something that could be renegotiated," Irwin said.

Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
Gov. Kristi Noem presents her annual budget address to lawmakers in the South Dakota State Capitol on Dec. 3, 2024. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

Soon Gov. Kristi Noem could be installed as the next Secretary of Homeland Security. In one of her last official acts as governor, Noem managed to instill some uncertainty in South Dakotas public education system.

During her budget speech, Noem claimed she wanted to continue to prioritize education. Notice that she didnt say prioritize public education. In what was likely her final budget address to the Legislature, Noem proposed an ongoing $4 million expenditure to help families pay for private school tuition and other forms of alternative instruction.

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Her largesse toward families seeking to pay for a private school education came during a budget address in which she:

Offered a paltry 1.25% funding increase for the big three of health care, public education and state employee salaries.

Unveiled $71.9 million in budget reductions and discretionary changes.

Included in the budget cuts a $2 million reduction for the Board of Regents and a $3.6 million cut for South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

Noem proposed that the state would pay about $3,000 per student annually for private school tuition or alternative instruction. Private schools, homeschoolers and other forms of alternative instruction operate under a different set of rules. Its a veritable wild west of schools that can be unaccredited or accredited by someone other than the state. In other words, good luck figuring out how your tax dollars are being spent.

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Its probably possible to figure out how much money the state of South Dakota has invested in public education since statehood. Instead of doing the math, lets just assume it totals in the billions of dollars. It seems at cross purposes for the state to make that kind of long-term investment in public education only to turn around and start funding its competitors.

Instead of tackling the bigger issues in public education, Noem has revved up the Legislature for a fight over an idea thats trendy in conservative circles. Its also an idea that the state cant afford. Any state budget that proposes tens of millions in cuts isnt likely to have a spare $4 million. If there is $4 million extra in the state budget, it should be funneled into teacher salaries.

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Through neglect and short-sightedness lawmakers and the governor have let teacherss salaries sink back near the bottom of the barrel nationally. Noems proposed 1.25% increase in education funding certainly isnt going to do much to get South Dakotas national teacher salary ranking out of the basement.

With its low teacher salary ranking, South Dakotas universities find themselves training the next generation of teachers for the surrounding states that make a greater attempt to pay teachers what they are worth. When qualified teachers become harder to attract because of South Dakotas low salaries, school districts will be forced to cut their offerings, hamstringing the very education that Noem says she has gone to such great lengths to prioritize.

The last time South Dakota made any progress in this area was in 2016 when Gov. Dennis Daugaard led an effort to raise the state sales tax by half a percent with some of the funds dedicated to raising teachers salaries. Since then, lawmakers have cut the state sales tax and mandated a $45,000 minimum salary for public school teachers without offering any extra funding to help schools reach that goal.

Given the state of the budget Noem proposed, lawmakers would do well to put their efforts into protecting public education and finding a funding source that could ensure that the states teacher salaries are no longer a national embarrassment.

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PIERCE, Neb. (KCAU)  A rural Norfolk man was found dead Friday afternoon following a single-vehicle accident, police say.

According to a release from the Pierce County Attorney, police were notified at about 2:10 p.m. on Jan. 3 of a potential accident in rural Pierce County. Officials arrived at an area east of 557 Avenue on 847 Road.

There, officials located a 2000 Ford Ranger pickup truck and its driver, Ryan Graverholt, 45, who was found dead at the scene. According to the release, the pickup had gone off the road and hit a power pole, causing it to roll and throw Graverholt out of the vehicle.

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Authorities said Graverholt appeared to not be using a seatbelt. Icy roads may have also been a factor in the accident.

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Bollywood actor Preity Zinta is on vacation mode with her husband Gene Goodenough and close friends as they travel to beaches and exotic locations. Taking to her Instagram handle, the 'Veer Zaara' actor shared a beautiful video collage that featured her adorable moments with her husband and friends. In the video collage, Preity is seen taking selfies with her husband Gene, walking into a restaurant, roaming on a beach, and clicking group photos with her friends. While sharing the post, the actress wrote, "Sun, sand, you, me, our friends and the sea. What more can I ask for?" https://www.instagram.com/p/DEYrtNao2tH/ The fans flooded the comment section of the post with red hearts and fire emojis. Preity is quite active on social media. She recently shared pictures from her New Year bash which she celebrated with her friends and family. In one of the images, she could be seen flashing her dimpled smile as she posed with her husband Gene. Both husband-wife looked super happy wearing funky New Year glasses. Taking to her Instagram handle, she wrote, "Hanging with old friends & making new ones as 2025 sets in! Happy new year everyone #ting," she captioned the post. As soon as Preity shared the pictures, fans chimed in the comment section and wished the 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' star "Wish you loads of happiness. Happy New Year," a social media user wrote. "Happy New Year to you Preity and your family," another one commented. Meanwhile, on the work front, Preity is all set to make her comeback in Bollywood with Rajkumar Santoshi's directorial 'Lahore 1947'. This project marks an important milestone for Preity as she returns to the silver screen after a hiatus. 'Lahore 1947', produced under Aamir Khan's banner, marks a significant collaboration between Sunny Deol and Aamir Khan's Productions. The film was officially announced in October 2023, garnering attention for its star-studded cast and promising storyline. Veteran actor Shabana Azmi and Ali Fazal have also joined the cast of 'Lahore 1947' in a pivotal role. The movie will also feature Sunny Deol sharing screen space with his elder son Karan Deol. Preity was last seen in Bhaiaji Superhit, which was released in 2018. In, Bhaiaji Superhit, she shared screen space with Sunny Deol. She also featured in a small role in ABC series Fresh Off The Boat in one episode. (ANI)
Reps. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Keith Self (R-Texas) both recounted their phone call with President-elect Trump before switching their votes to back Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), with Norman saying it helped reassure him about Johnson.

Along with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Norman and Self initially voted for other people for Speaker, appearing to deny Johnson a win on the first ballot. But while Massie held out to vote instead for House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Norman and Self switched their votes in favor of Johnson after Trump called them.

Norman told reporters Trump and Johnson assured him and Self that Johnson would fight for us and fight for everybody. He said they wanted to press Johnson to make sure he is serious about addressing the federal budget and border security.

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Self called it a lively discussion.

Norman said he knew where Trump stood, supporting Johnsons bid, but the call with the president-elect was helpful. He said Trump argued Johnson is likable and is the only person who could get enough votes to be elected Speaker.

But Norman also defended his decisionmaking process in an interview with Fox News after the vote.

The only way I had to let my voice be heard was what I did. I would do it again, he said.

Soon after Johnson clinched the Speakership, members of the House Freedom Caucus released a letter issuing a list of demands for Johnson as Speaker and the legislation he should bring to the floor. Norman was one of the 11 signatories.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A teen suspect accused in the murder of a man in North Las Vegas on Sunday has been arrested, according to police.

On Friday, Arnaz Jones, 16, was located and arrested by North Las Vegas Police.

North Las Vegas police search for armed, extremely dangerous teen accused of shooting, killing man

On Sunday around 9 a.m., North Las Vegas police responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment in the 2900 block of East Centennial Parkway near North Pecos Road.

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When officers arrived, they found a man, later identified by the Clark County coroners office as 33-year-old Correy Dennis, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to his stomach area. He was later pronounced dead.

The suspect left the scene before officers arrived. On Tuesday, police identified the suspect as Jones.

He was taken to the Clark County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of open murder, according to police.

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NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Officials with the North Little Rock Police Department identified the man who was killed in an officer-involved shooting after a robbery in December.

According to a release from the NLRPD on Friday, the suspect was identified as 35-year-old Jeffery Marchbanks of Tennessee. The release said that he was a wanted fugitive being sought by the U.S. Marshalls.

Man killed in North Little Rock officer-involved shooting after report of robbery

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The incident happened on December 17 when officers responded to the Caseys gas station on Springhill Drive for an aggravated robbery with a firearm around 11:55 a.m.

After arriving on the scene, officers said a man matching the description of Marchbanks was seen in a wooded area in the 3200 block of Springhill Drive.

North Little Rock community shocked after deadly officer-involved shooting

Officers said that Marchbanks was armed with a handgun and would not listen as officers commanded that he drop the weapon. Police said that he pointed the weapon towards them and an officer fired his weapon at Marchbanks, killing him.

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Detectives responded to the scene and launched an investigation into the shooting, more information will be released as it becomes available.

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A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of deliberately starting a fire that ravaged the historic Bidwell Mansion, an iconic landmark in Chico and the former home of the city's founder, authorities said.

California State Parks officers arrested Kevin Alexander Carlson, of Chico, on Thursday. Preliminary charges filed against him include one felony count of intentional arson with an enhancement for using an accelerant, according to Butte County Dist. Atty. Mike Ramsey.

Carlson is being held without bail at the Butte County Jail, Ramsey said.

Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park, as it appeared in 2016. (California State Parks)

More details on the charges will be presented when Carlson is arraigned Monday at 3 p.m. in Butte County Superior Court, he added.

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Flames were first spotted in Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park around 3 a.m. on Dec. 11. The Chico Fire Department and several other agencies were unable to prevent heavy damage from the fast-moving blaze, which caused the top story of the mansion to cave in around 4 a.m.

A week later, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection investigators determined the cause of the fire to be arson, authorities said.

The 26-room mansion was completed in 1868 and served as the residence of Chico's founder, John Bidwell, and his wife Annie. The property was undergoing extensive restoration that was nearly complete when the fire broke out.

The mansion aflame on the morning of Dec. 11. (California State Parks)

Now, the future of the historic home is hazy.

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California State Parks is working with a coalition of community partners  including the city of Chico, Cal State Chico, the Mechoopda Indian Tribe and the Bidwell Mansion Assn.  to figure out the next steps for the property. State Parks is also assessing what remains of the mansion to determine how that might affect the building's designation as a California Historical Landmark or its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

For over a century this beloved landmark has stood as a testament to the legacy of John and Annie Bidwell and the community they helped shape, State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in a statement after the fire. To see it so severely damaged is a profound loss that we all feel deeply.

Several agencies assisted State Parks in arresting a suspect, including Cal Fire, the Chico Police Department, Cal State Chico Police Department, the Butte County district attorneys office and the FBI.

If convicted, Carlson could face a sentence ranging from two to 11 years, according to Ramsey.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Update, 4:56 p.m.:

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  New details regarding Friday afternoons shooting have been released.

The victim is described as a male in his late 30s. While the initial report described non-life-threatening injuries, SLCPD now says the injury is a potentially fatal wound, though the victim is currently stable.

SLCPD is actively looking for a suspect at this time. Police do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.

Original Story:

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Salt Lake City Police are investigating a shooting that sent one person to the hospital Friday afternoon.

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The shooting occurred near 1700 South and Redwood Road. One person was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, according to SLCPD.

West Valley police release identities of double homicide victims, deceased suspect

Details are limited at this time.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
The National Weather Service has upgraded a winter storm watch to a winter storm warning for central and southern Indiana, which is expected to receive up to 8 inches of snow on Sunday. The warning will remain in place from Sunday morning until Monday afternoon.

A watch was first issued for Indianapolis on Thursday afternoon. That's meant to put people on notice that a severe storm could occur in the coming days, said NWS meteorologist Andrew White. A warning, on the other hand, indicates serious threats to travel, property and life in the coming hours.

Winter storm watches become warnings when there will be 5 inches or more of snow in a single event.

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The NWS has "much more high confidence than we've had in a while" about heavy snowfall Sunday, White said.

During earlier predictions of the storm it was estimated Indy could see 8-10 inches of snow. The storm shifted south, changing those snow predictions.

To see the latest forecast for Central Indiana, visit www.weather.gov/ind.

Winter storm: Abandoned vehicles along Indianapolis interstates will be towed immediately

More: How to report neglected pets in Indy and keep animals safe and warm during freezing temperatures

Here is all the latest information for the approaching #winter storm in one post. A Winter Storm Warning continues across much of central Indiana, with a Winter Weather Advisory far north/northwest. #INwx pic.twitter.com/vwMGyQ1biW  NWS Indianapolis (@NWSIndianapolis) January 4, 2025

Indiana weather radar

How much snow will Indianapolis get?

Here's how much snow is predicted throughout central Indiana as of Saturday morning:

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Indianapolis: 6-8 inches

Noblesville: 4-6 inches

Kokomo: 2-3 inches

Muncie: 3-4 inches

Lafayette: 2-3 inches

Bloomington: 6-8 inches

Indiana road conditions

Prepare your vehicle for the upcoming winter weather by assembling an emergency vehicle kit! Include all the essential items you would need in the event of becoming stranded on the road from snowy conditions. #WinterPreparedness #CentralIndiana pic.twitter.com/LENnGZo5tN  Marion County Emergency Management (@MarionCo_EM) January 3, 2025

The National Weather Service expects "widespread travel impacts" throughout the region.

Experts advise you to avoid driving unless necessary. If you do have to drive, INDOT recommends you bring an emergency kit with includes extra layers of clothing, booster cables, a flashlight, shovel, blankets, drinking water, a first aid kit and maps.

Give yourself plenty of time to travel to your destination. Drive slower than you normally would, allow more distance between cars, and do not slam on the gas or brake pedals.

Check road conditions in real-time at 511in.org.

Where should I go if I need shelter?

Sunday temperatures are expected to stay in the 20s, which will be dangerously cold without adequate protection from the elements.

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People can find information about warming shelters via the city's winter contingency plan or by calling 211. Emergency warming shelters will be available during harsh weather conditions through March 31.

Indy Parks Family Shelters will be open to all during normal business hours, which can be found at this link.

More: Freezing cold is here. Where to stay warm and find overnight shelter in Indianapolis.

Symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite

Freezing temperatures carry the risk of cold-related injuries like frostbite and hypothermia, and it's important to recognize the early warning signs of both conditions. Both can be prevented by bundling up and limiting time outdoors, and medical attention should be sought immediately if you suspect either condition.

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Frostbite is a skin injury caused by prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures, and it's most common in parts of the body that are exposed, like hands, ears and noses. Damage caused by severe frostbite can be permanent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, early warning signs include:

Redness and pain in skin

Numbness

Firm, waxy skin

White or gray-yellow skin

Learn more: How cold is too cold? Here's what makes the bitter cold so dangerous

People may not know they're experiencing frostbite because affected areas become numb.

Hypothermia is when the body's core temperature drops below 95 degrees. Advanced hypothermia is a serious, life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. It's prevented by staying in a warm environment and dressing appropriately for the cold. Per the National Weather Service, early warning signs of hypothermia include:

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Confusion

Difficulty speaking

Shivering

Sleepiness

Stiff muscles

Call an ambulance as soon as possible if you suspect frostbite or hypothermia. While waiting for medics, go indoors immediately, remove any wet clothing and bundle up in dry blankets. Areas with frostbite can be immersed in warm  but not hot  water. Drinking warm liquids can also be helpful, so long as they don't contain alcohol or caffeine.

The National Weather Service warns that some groups, including infants, the elderly, outdoor workers, people with chronic illness and unhoused people are at increased risk for cold-related injuries.

Know your weather warnings

 Winter storm warning: Snow, sleet or ice expected. Take action. Confidence is high from meteorologists that a winter storm will produce heavy snow, sleet or freezing rain and cause significant impacts.

 Winter weather watch: Snow, sleet, or ice is possible so be prepared. Confidence is medium from meteorologists that a winter storm could produce heavy snow, sleet or freezing rain and cause significant impacts.

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 Winter weather advisory: Wintry weather is expected so exercise caution. Light amounts of wintry precipitation or patchy blowing snow will cause slick conditions and could affect travel if precautions are not taken

Weather info you need

 Indiana Weather Alerts: Warnings, Watches and Advisories.

 Indiana power outage map: How to check your status.

 Internet outages: How to track them.

 What you should and shouldn't do when the power is out.

 Your neighbor left their pet outside. Who you should call.

Where to report power outages and downed lines

AES Indiana customers: 317-261-8111

Duke Energy customers: 1-800-343-3525

How to report downed traffic signals or tree limbs blocking a road

If you encounter a downed traffic signal or a limb blocking a roadway, contact the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622 or online at RequestIndy.gov. When calling after hours, press "2" to be connected.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Winter storm warning issued for Indianapolis ahead of Sunday snowstorm
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Its a new year, and New York Citys Trash Revolution is in full swing.

The friendly warning period for New York City residents who do not place their trash in an NYC Bin or a 55-gallon bin with a secured lid is over. Residents who do not follow the rules will now face fines.

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The warning period was in place from Nov. 12 to Jan. 2. During that time, the NYC Department of Sanitation said 70,000 warnings were issued.

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For decades, New Yorkers have become accustomed to seeing trash bags on their streets, but our administration has refused to accept the status quo, said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. In just over a year, weve gone from putting all 44 million pounds of trash per day on our streets to having 70 percent of that waste covered by bin rules  and much to our rats disappointment, we have a plan for the rest. Congratulations to Commissioner Tisch and the team at DSNY for leading the Trash Revolution.

As of Thursday, building managers and property owners with one to nine units who are not using a bin with a secured lid could face a penalty of $50 for their first offense, $100 for their second offense, and $200 for their third offense.

Starting June 2026, all New York City properties will be required to use the official NYC Bin for trash collection, according to the Department of Sanitation website.

For more information on the trash revolution, click here.

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This story comprises reporting from PIX11 News reporters Emily Rahhal, Ben Mitchell, and Anthony DiLorenzo.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

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MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11)  An Upper West Side preschool faces questions after teaching the ABCs of gender identity to a class of three- and four-year-olds.

The school said that a substitute teacher, whos transgender, read a childrens book about trans inclusivity.

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Now, the preschool lesson is dividing parents and educators at the city-funded New York Kids Club on Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan.

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Most of the parents were in shock and clueless of the decision that the school made, parent, Vivian Cialini said.

Cialinis son was three years old when a substitute teacher recently read It Feels Good to Be Yourself to a class of 16 students. Some of the kids came home with questions, and parents started to debate whether the book exploring gender is age-appropriate.

An excerpt reads, There are so many ways to be a boy or girl. Not everyone feels like either a boy or a girl.

I believe its too early for them to understand. They barely have awareness of their body, Cialini said.

In a statement to PIX11, New York Kids Clubs CEO Jennifer Clement said: We are deeply committed to fostering an environment where children can grow, learn, and explore in a manner that is both age-appropriate and respectful of diverse perspectives.

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The statement also said the school is working to ensure that materials utilized align with the developmental needs of our students.

In a separate email to parents, the administration stressed the importance of teaching inclusion to all students, writing, We all agree that we would rather this have been communicated to our families beforehand and will ensure it takes place in the future.

Alaina Daniels helped start Transformative Schools, an afternoon program for trans, queer, and non-binary students beginning at age nine. The message of the book is its ok to be whatever gender youd like to be, she explained.

Research says that kids learning about diverse identities helps everyone learn and feel safe, Daniels said.

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She added that its healthy for children to ask questions and explore who they are from a young age.

These are conversations kids and adults should be having and should be learning, Daniels said.

Cialini says she believes in acceptance and inclusion but also transparency. We expressed they violated our rights as parents, Cialini said.

In a statement, a NYC Public Schools spokesperson said: New York City Public Schools greatly values the use of age-appropriate, diverse, and inclusive educational materials that promote language development, social-emotional growth, and foundational literacy skills. We are currently engaging with this specific program to understand how the material was introduced and whether it adhered to the recommended guidelines.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Cops working extra shifts in the subway in the wake of several shocking crimes  including a woman fatally torched on a train  are having their hours cut, but the NYPD is promising replacements, sources told The Post.

The new rules that went into effect on Jan. 1 slashed the number of subway overtime hours cops can work in half, police sources said. Detectives are now being limited to 40 hours a month total OT and no more than two transit details, one longtime cop told The Post.

Officers were previously allowed to do four or six of the 7.5-hour underground shifts per month, the cop said.

Crime in the subway has been down overall so far this yet, but the system has been plagued by a surge in violent crimes recently. James Keivom

The new rules come after The Post revealed shocking allegations that ex-top uniformed cop Jeffrey Maddrey was granting overtime to an underling for sexual favors.

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Lt. Quathisha Epps, the NYPDs top earner who made $403,515, including $204,453 in OT, filed an explosive Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint making the claims, The Post revealed in a front-page exclusive on Dec. 21.

The Post also revealed that First Grade Detective Ingrid Sanders, Maddreys driver, was the seventh-highest overtime earner in the department, raking in an eye-popping $163,414 in OT last year, boosting her total salary last fiscal year to $352,462, records show.

Also working for Maddrey, Ada Reyes made $42,500 as a new police officer in 2019 but her pay jumped to $154,405 in 2024, including $55,923 in overtime, city records show.

Through his lawyer, Maddrey has insisted the sex with Epps was consensual and denied that he was providing overtime for sex.

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The police source said the department was punishing the wrong people.

Its a knee-jerk reaction thats not well thought out because obviously random violent crime is surging, the source said. Youre punishing cops and detectives when the abusers were at the top.

But the NYPD said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch was reviewing overtime management policies and procedures, to ensure all overtime is administered appropriately and to maintain honor and integrity throughout the NYPD.

The move is described as a knee-jerk reaction to the Maddrey overtime scandal. G.N.Miller/NYPost

Importantly, there will be no reduction in the number of police personnel patrolling the New York City transit system as more officers will be deployed on straight time to ensure subway safety, the agency said.

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Crime in the subway has been down overall so far this yet, but the system has been plagued by a surge in violent crimes recently, including:

Debrina Kawam, 57, from Toms River, N.J., was set on fire on a subway car around 7:30 a.m. Dec. 22 as she slept on an idle F train at the Still Avenue station in Brooklyn. Guatemalan migrant Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, 33, was charged with murder.

Kamel Hawkins, 23, was charged with second-degree assault after he allegedly shoved a complete stranger onto the tracks for no reason at the 18th Street No. 1 train station shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 31, cops said.

Assaults in the system jumped in December, from 35 to 49 for a 40% as of last Sunday over the same period last year, NYPD data show.

The new rules also limit the number of overtime administrative police officers can claim to 44 hours per month.
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Limited, recently visited the Somnath MahadevTemple in Gujarat and offered prayers there with his son Anant Ambani. As per the information received from Somnath Trust, the leading industrialist performed Jalabhishek and offered "worship material and clothes." He also prayed for peace, well-being and prosperity in the country. The Somnath temple located in Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Saurashtra on the western coast of Gujarat is believed to be the first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. It is an important pilgrimage and tourist spot in Gujarat. According to an inscription written in Sanskrit on one of the towers in the temple campus, one can travel to the south pole unobstructed by following the straight path from the tower in the south direction. Mukesh Ambani recently celebrated 25 years of Reliance Industries' iconic Jamnagar refinery. "Jamnagar is not only the best oil refinery in the world, it has the biggest gigafactory in the world, the biggest solar energy and fourth is the world's artificial intelligence infrastructure. Besides, the digital factory will also be in Jamnagar," Mukesh Ambani told the employees."It sets a platform, which will be a platform for growth for the next many decades, for all of you, for your children," Mukesh Ambani added. Reliance is developing AI infrastructure in Jamnagar, a city considered a Jewel of Reliance family. Mukesh Ambani also said Jamnagar is a source of nature and conservation of the Reliance Foundation through its Vantara initiative. Vantara programme, an umbrella initiative to focus on the rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad, was launched in February 2024. Spread over 3000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliance's Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, Vantara aims to be one of the leading contributors to conservation efforts globally. Reliance's Jamnagar refinery, which happens to be the conglomerate's first, turned 25 years old last week. Twenty-five years ago, on December 28, 1999, Reliance launched its first refinery at Jamnagar. (ANI)
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  An Oklahoma City woman is facing a felony charge after police say she threw rocks off of an I-35 bridge on Christmas Day that damaged another drivers vehicle.

The incident happened around noon on Christmas Day, according to a probable cause affidavit. Documents say a driver told police they were driving in the northbound lanes of I-35 and approaching southeast 29th Street when they saw Amber Davis standing on a bridge above them. Right after the driver noticed Davis, he said something struck his front windshield, causing the windshield to crack and send shards of glass into the vehicle.

According to documents, officers made contact with a witness, Mara English, who told News 4 employees she called police moments after the incident happened.

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LOCAL NEWS: Former deputy convicted of murdering wife asks to change guilty plea

There was a, what looked like a a female figure with a coat and a hood over her head; and she raised her arms in the air and she threw something down, said English. The car next to me, the GMC, it slowed, it slowed way down, like went around me and then took the next exit.

English said she observed that the vehicle had obvious signs of damage.

It wasnt shattered to where it was broken through, but it was shattered to where it was cracked all the way through.

The victim, according to documents, was not hurt but got off of the highway and circled back to Davis location, calling police as well. The victim found Davis still on the same bridge where he said he saw her throw the object. Documents also say Davis noted she understood her rights but said that she was off of her medication and needed a lawyer.

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English said shes worried about future incidents like these and would like to see future investments in enhanced safety measures along highway bridges, like tall fencing or gates.

It does make me aware now that driving down I-35 that you can really just throw anything you want off of a highway or off the bridge onto the highway, and it worries me, said English. Just be aware and watch out and just know whats going on and watch out for whats going on.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Jan. 3OKLAHOMA CITY  The Oklahoma Senate expects to take up tax cuts and judicial reform when lawmakers return to the Capitol in February, said Senate President Pro Tem Elect Lonnie Paxton.

Gov. Kevin Stitt has already announced he will be seeking a .25% income tax cut.

"I think it is time to do an income tax cut," Paxton said.

But it has to be done in the right way, he said, adding that he was in the Senate when taxes were cut and the state later experienced an unexpected budget downturn.

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Judicial reform is also generating interest with the unprecedented decision by voters not to retain former Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Yvonne Kauger, he said.

He said the Oklahoma Supreme Court has been too political and a lot less judicial. The state's high court has tossed out numerous bills passed by lawmakers, often citing a rule against putting more than one subject in a bill, also called logrolling.

Paxton hasn't ruled out any legislative topic, saying he doesn't draw lines.

He prefers that lawmakers discuss issues.

But those discussions, he said, must be cordial and deliberative.

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Paxton said it is important to have an open mind and listen to different viewpoints.

"Realize there are different ways to look at an issue than what you think exists right now," Paxton said.

A 'very honest' lawmaker

Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, describes Paxton, 56, as "very honest and up front."

"He has respect for Senate rules and fairness to the body and that is very important to us," Kirt said.

Paxton, R-Tuttle, got involved in politics as his wife's solution for yelling at the television set.

He rose from the ranks of a volunteer for his county Republican Party to its chairman, then senator and now as leader elect of the Oklahoma State Senate.

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During his first run for office, he said he got "clobbered." But years later, he was successful.

A man of many interests

The Senate's incoming leader is a man of many vocations.

Paxton operates an insurance agency in Tuttle, where he served on the city council and as mayor.

He is a farmer and rancher and has rental properties.

The married father of four is also a volunteer firefighter, serving his community in that capacity for more than three decades.

Paxton, R-Tuttle, graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in law enforcement administration and had planned on going into that field.

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After graduation, he returned home to help on the farm and decided he wanted to go into the industry, but still wanted to serve his community.

He joined the volunteer fire department, an experience he said has shaped him. One of his children, Ethan, would later join as well.

"To say it's been rewarding for me is an understatement," Paxton said.

Tuttle is a small town, he said. It is not uncommon for him to know people on the other end of the call.

"You've been there in people's worst times," Paxton said. "And I held a hand before somebody passed away in a car wreck."

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But there are silver linings.

One family's house burned down. The family dog was believed to be dead, but was found safely under the porch steps and recovered, he said.

"You think that sounds like it is not a big deal," Paxton said. "It was huge for that family... All they lost was stuff, but they didn't lose their pet, which is like family."

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
Sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested after an altercation with South Florida police that ended with the two-time Olympic medalist hit with a stun gun, officials said Friday.

Kerley, 29, was speaking with officers at 11:22 p.m. on Thursday near 100 9th St. "about his vehicle parked nearby" when his "demeanor became increasingly aggressive," according to a statement by Miami Beach police.

After Kerley was "asked to leave the area," he refused and "assumed a fighting stance," police continued. When officers tried to arrest Kerley, he allegedly resisted and "a dart-firing stun gun was effectively deployed," police said.

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In 7  minutes of body-camera video released by police, Kerley is seen in a gray hoodie standing next to a police vehicle talking to officers. It's unclear what is being said as there's no audio in the first 30 seconds of video.

The person wearing the camera approaches Kerley and places their hand on Kerley's chest and then his wrist, touching off the scuffle.

At least four officers appear to struggle with Kerley as they try to restrain him, footage showed.

Finally, one of the officers pulls out a stun gun with a distinctive yellow handle and fires into Kerley's back, bringing him down instantly.

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"I'm not resisting, I got handcuffs on!" Kerley said.

Throughout the video, he accused officers of wrongdoing and told them they'd be going to jail.

Kerley didn't obviously or immediately identify himself as an Olympic sprinter. But at one point he told arresting officers: "Bro get off my legs, I need my f---ing legs."

Kerley was booked into custody on suspicion of battery of a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting an officer, according to jail records.

He was being held on six-month-old charges of strong-arm robbery and domestic battery by strangulation, according to jail records and his attorney. The circumstances behind those charges were not immediately clear Friday night.

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The attorney, Yale Stanford, in a statement described the footage as "obscene."

"It just goes to show that no matter how hard you work, how many medals you earn for your country, and how many people across the globe you inspire, in Miami Beach, Mr. Kerley was treated like millions of African-Americans, male and female, around the countrywith a lack of humanity, compassion, or respect," the statement said. "Its important for our community to be aware of these actions by police so we can make sure this type of behavior is prevented in the future.

Kerley took silver in the 100-meter sprint in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and then bronze in that same race this past summer in Paris.

Kerley has a hearing scheduled for Saturday morning, Stanford said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Olympic medalist Fredrick Kerleys Thursday night scuffle with Miami Beach cops not only saw him tased, punched and thrown in jail, it also prompted Miami-Dade police to file charges in connection with a months-old incident in which he was accused of trying to choke his wife.

A newly released arrest affidavit shows that in May, Miami-Dade police were called to the sprinters home in the Goulds area after an argument between Kerley and his wife escalated into what police say could have been a life-and-death situation.

Police allege that Kerley choked his longtime partner twice as she tried to get help.

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The victim stated that she was not able to call for help or even [gasp] for air, the affidavit reads.

Miami-Dade police, however, did not arrest or charge Kerley immediately after the incident. Instead, they waited nearly eight months to file charges, acting only after Miami Beach Police detained Kerley Thursday night and booked him into a Miami-Dade County jail on charges of disorderly conduct and battery on a law enforcement officer.

Kerleys attorney, Richard Cooper, told the Miami Herald that the athlete was aware of the domestic violence accusations, but said the charges came as a surprise, as Kerley never had a warrant out for his arrest.

Its an old allegation only being brought up because he is in a vulnerable position, Cooper said.

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READ MORE: He didnt do anything. DJ girlfriend of Olympic sprinter cuffed after his own arrest

The domestic violence allegations

An arrest affidavit filed Thursday night by Miami-Dade Police states that on May 7, the couple, who have three children together, were arguing after Kerley discovered his spouse was talking to a person on Instagram. Things escalated, according to the affidavit, when he began approaching his wife in an aggressive manner.

Police say the woman  who is not identified in the report  told Kerley to get back. When he did not, she punched him in the face. He then grabbed and pushed her to the ground, put his arm around her neck and started choking her, according to the affidavit.

As the couple struggled, Kerley released his grip and tried to take her phone from her pants, according to his arrest report. She began screaming for help, which prompted Kerley to choke her again, the report states. Other people in the house rushed in and got Kerley off of her. He snatched her phone and sped off from the home in his car.

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He eventually came back to return the phone, police say.

Its not clear if Kerley and the woman are still married.

Why police waited months to file charges

When Miami-Dade police were investigating the fight, witnesses would not cooperate or provide a statement. They also learned Kerley had fled the county, according to Detective Angel Rodriguez of the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Rodriguez explained on Saturday that detectives typically attempt to question individuals before filing formal charges or seeking an arrest warrant. However, in this case, he said, they were unable to interview Kerley before he traveled to the Paris Summer Olympic Games.

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Because of this, the detective entered a probable cause alert into state and national criminal justice databases that would alert authorities if Kerley was put in custody or if his whereabouts were known, so that formal charges could be pursued, Rodriguez said.

However, these databases are limited to North America, meaning Interpol did not receive the notification when Kerley was overseas competing, Rodriguez said.

It is unclear if Olympic officials were aware of the criminal investigation involving Kerley when he joined Team U.S.A. in Paris  where he won a bronze medal in the mens 100 meter. The Herald reached out to the International Olympic Committee and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee but did not immediately hear back.

Months after the incident, Kerley resurfaced on Miami-Dade Polices radar Thursday when he was grabbed and punched by Miami Beach police officers after they say he refused to step back from them as they investigated a crime, and pushed an officer and resisted police when they tried to detain him.

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An attorney representing Kerley has criticized police, saying they overreacted.

READ MORE: Olympic medalist is tased in Miami Beach, cops say. See the body-cam video of tense arrest

Kerley was ultimately tased and jailed but let out Friday afternoon after a tense bond hearing.

When the Miami-Dade police detective became aware that Kerley was arrested for his scuffle with Miami Beach officers, he officially charged Kerley with domestic battery by strangulation and strong-arm robbery for the altercation in May at his home.

This new court case meant Kerley would remain at the Turner Guildford Knight Correctional Center until he paid a $12,500 bond.

Kerleys attorney, Cooper, emphasized that there was never enough evidence to justify an arrest warrant for the domestic dispute.
One person has been arrested in connection to an early morning shooting on New Years Day.

According to Erie police, 40-year-old Chad Walburn was arrested on Jan. 3 and has been charged with 1st-degree murder, along with a felony and four misdemeanors.

He was arraigned the same day and taken to Erie County Prison. His preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 24.

The shooting happened in the 900 block of West 19th Street just after 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1.

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Investigators said a 19-year-old man was also shot in the leg during the incidents but he has been treated and later released from the hospital.

Also, a 20-year-old Erie woman was shot in the head while leaving the party. Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook told us she was pronounced brain dead on Wednesday afternoon and that an autopsy was scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 4.

This is a developing story.

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In a surprising move on a lightning-quick timetable that is unlikely to stand if challenged, the New York court that presided over the Stormy Daniels hush money criminal trial of Donald Trump ordered him on Friday to be sentenced on Jan. 10, just 10 days before he will assume the presidency once again. The judge signaled that Trump would get an unconditional discharge, meaning no jail time or probation, but sentencing would still cement the former and future president as a convicted felon. If Trump seeks an emergency stay blocking the sentencingand it will not surprise us if he goes all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessarywe expect he will succeed.

Justice Juan Merchan, in an 18-page opinion and order, rejected a number of Trumps arguments against his sentencing, including that a president-elect is entitled to the same immunity as a president. He also rejected a motion to dismiss Trumps case in the interest of justice. Among the factors the court found weighing against dismissal was Trumps character: Defendants disdain for the Third Branch of government, whether state or federal, in New York or elsewhere, is a matter of public record. Indeed, Defendant has gone to great lengths to broadcast on social media and other forums his lack of respect for judges, juries, grand juries and the justice system as a whole. In a related scathing footnote, Merchan accused Trumps lawyers of engaging in dangerous rhetoric in attacking the integrity of the court.

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The footnote might also signal something about the peculiar timing of the ruling, so close to Trumps reascent to the presidency and with no time left for any sentence to be carried out. In it, Merchan all but accuses Trumps attorneys, led by Trumps nominee for deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, of attempting to intimidate the judge in their recent pleadings. The implication could be that Merchan is laying down a marker that he will go ahead with the sentencing at this late date to demonstrate that the judiciary will not be intimidated by the incoming president.

Merchan notes specifically that Trumps filings accuse  this Court of engaging in unlawful and unconstitutional conduct, adding that such terms are synonymous with criminally punishable. Merchan then cited Chief Justice John Roberts recent paean to the sanctity of judicial independence. Attempts to intimidate judges for their rulings in cases are inappropriate and should be vigorously opposed.

This Court is in complete agreement with Chief Justice Roberts views on this subject, Merchan continued. Dangerous rhetoric is not a welcome form of argument and will have no impact on how the Court renders this or any other Decision. This passage could be read as Merchan taking a stand against threats to an independent judiciary by ruling at this late hour.

The court also decided against dismissing the case because the charges were serious, even if they were not as serious as violent crimes that other criminal defendants in Merchans courtroom had committed. In the end, the court concluded that there was no reason to put things on hold any longer. But the court added that it seems proper at this juncture to make known the Courts inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the People concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation. As such, in balancing the aforementioned considerations in conjunction with the underlying concerns of the Presidential immunity doctrine, a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options. The court will allow Trump to appear virtually.

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Even with jail time off the table, Trump surely would rather not be sentenced for a crime a week or so before he assumes the presidency; that is not just an embarrassment, but it would potentially weaken his standing both here and abroad.

If Trump asks, theres a good chance that an appeals court, and maybe even the United States Supreme Court, will delay the sentencing, effectively until after his presidency. To begin with, Merchan had months and months to decide to sentence Trump. By waiting until the last minute, hes putting all the courts in a bind. There is one week until sentencing, and less than three weeks until Trump is back in office again. Theres hardly time to brief and decide this case. An appeals court may decide that Merchan dallied and give Trump the benefit of the doubt.

Further, while Trumps arguments for president-elect immunity and his other legal arguments appear weak at first glance, they are not frivolous, and the stakes are high given that Trump is about to assume the presidency. A court will want to consider these arguments. We know that when the Supreme Court considered Trump immunity in the election interference case, it saw the case as involving much larger issues than just Donald Trump, and it took its time to issue a decision (a delay that ultimately allowed Trump to run out the clock on these and other charges). Any appeals court that wants to consider these issues seriously will need more than literally the few days that now would appear.

Finally, there are serious legal issues related to the underlying New York prosecution itself. It could well be that on the merits, the case will be reversed, perhaps because it improperly bootstrapped federal campaign finance law onto a state business records case. If Trump is sentenced, his appeal might be stayed or it could take years. In the meantime, the sentence will hang over Trump. A conservative Supreme Court skeptical of the merits of Trumps prosecution and protective of the presidency might step in and save Trump once again from criminal proceedings coming to a close.

Merchans concern for the rule of law and his condemnation of Trumps attack on the judiciary are well stated. But his timing puts higher courts in an impossible bind and his ruling is not likely to be well received by a Supreme Court especially protective of presidential power.
Jan. 4One person was sentenced recently on felony charges in Southeast District Court in Jamestown.

Angelo Leigh White, 37, New Town, North Dakota, pleaded guilty to simple assault on a peace officer and contact by bodily fluids or excrement, Class C felonies, and actual physical control-refusal-first offense and driving while license/privilege is suspended or revoked, Class B misdemeanors.

White was accused of causing bodily injury to two law enforcement officers, causing bodily fluid to come in contact with a law enforcement officer, being in actual physical control of a vehicle and refusing to submit to a chemical test of his breath to determine the alcohol concentration or presence of other drugs and operating a vehicle while his license was suspended or revoked on Nov. 23.

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Judge Troy LeFevre sentenced White to three years in the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with credit for 34 days served. LeFevre placed White on 12 months supervised probation and ordered him to submit to fingerprints and obtain a chemical dependency evaluation and complete recommended treatment. White was also ordered to pay a $400 criminal administration fee, $100 defense/facility administration fee, $35 indigent defense application fee, $300 indigent recoupment, $500 fine/state and a $25 victim-witness fee.

A Class C felony is punishable by five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A Class B misdemeanor is punishable by 30 days in prison and a $1,500 fine.
President Bidens Department of Justice filed an unusual brief in Sunoco v. Honolulu, urging that the Supreme Court deny review of a petition of certiorari asking whether Honolulu may essentially regulate greenhouse gas emissions for the nation and the world. It reads less like a legal brief and more like a political document favoring environmentalists and mass-tort plaintiffs lawyers  two of the Democrat partys biggest donors and constituencies.

The United States is not a party to the case, but the court requested the solicitor generals view on this issue with the understanding that the solicitor generals office is always supposed to provide its best non-political legal position and not advocate on behalf of a political partys constituencies. The Biden administration apparently disregarded that traditional norm, as it has so many others, and ignored the fact that the DOJ, under both Republican and Democratic administrations, defended federal interests and jurisdiction regarding interstate and international greenhouse gas emissions because no single state should determine the nations domestic or foreign policy, and certainly not on behalf of the other states.

For example, the Biden administration knows that the Hawaii Supreme Court conflicts with New York v. Chevron, where the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit held that federal law precluded similar state law claims. In fact, the 2nd Circuit found that New York state inappropriately intends to hold the [energy producer defendants] liable, under New York law, for the effects of emissions made around the globe over the past several hundred years. Furthermore, the 2nd Circuit cited the Supreme Courts 1987 holding in International Paper Co. v. Ouellette that the Clean Water Act has been interpreted to permit only state lawsuits brought under the law of the pollutions source state and not a different state where the alleged injury occurred.

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They also know that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs 2011 majority opinion in American Electric Power Co., Inc. v. Connecticut held that the Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agencys resultant actions displaced any federal common-law right to seek abatement of carbon-dioxide emissions from fossil-fuel fired power plants. She warned that federal courts were inappropriate venues for steering federal policy on global warming issues. In fact, the Obama administration (Neal Katyal was the acting solicitor general) argued those very points in its brief.

Justice Neil Gorsuchs 2021 majority opinion in BP P.L.C. v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore vacated the 4th Circuits opinion and remanded the question of whether it should be in federal or state court for further review. The Trump Justice Department, under acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall, told the court in its brief that Baltimores global warming claims were of an inherently federal nature and that [a]ny putative tort claims that seek to apply the law of an affected State to conduct in another State, by contrast, continue to arise under federal, not state, law for jurisdictional purposes.

Thus, the Biden DOJ intentionally ignored existing DOJ and court precedent; ignored the other states that are genuinely concerned Honolulu, through its local tort law, is trying to be Americas primary nationwide energy regulator and thus inhibit other states from enacting their own energy policy preferences; and ignored the fact that the court does not have to reach any constitutional questions beyond following its existing precedent on the basic structural federalism issue that the Clean Air Act preempts Honolulus state law claims.

The DOJ should not allow environmentalists and mass-tort plaintiffs lawyers to use it to sneak a political agenda into a litigation and misuse public nuisance law. In fact, the DOJ should acknowledge that the plaintiffs bars repeated misuse of public nuisance as a mass-tort and public policy device is legally wrong and far removed from its original intent, which would apply to a tangible thing that prevents people from using public lands or waters, such as a collapsed, abandoned building blocking a street or a factory illegally dumping chemicals into a river.

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Many thoughtful people have credibly shown that the Biden administration weaponized and politicized the DOJ, whether in criminal prosecutions, surveillance operations or environmental litigation. After Jan. 20, 2025, the Trump DOJ must stop such wrongful behavior.

John Shu is a legal scholar and commentator who served in the administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Actor Zendaya recently revealed how she suffered a health scare while shooting for 'Dune: Part Two'at a remote desert location. Speaking with W Magazine, Zendaya recalled getting a heatstroke while filming the Denis Villeneuve-helmed adaptation in Jordan, where the nearest bathroom was a "hike" away, so she opted not to drink water, as per Deadline. "It was very hot, and I remember thinking, 'Oh, man, the bathrooms are so far away,' because we had to hike to the locations. If you have to pee, you need at least 10 minutes to get out of the costumes," she recounted. "I was like, Damn, I don't want to drink too much water. I had such a fear of peeing myself or shitting myself, honestly, in the suit on set," Zendaya continued. "One day, I didn't drink enough and I had a heatstroke. I felt so barfy. I remember calling my mom on the bathroom floor, saying, 'I feel terrible.' She was like, 'Did you drink water today?' I said no. I thought I was being smart, but you can't do that. So, lesson learned." Zendaya starred as Chani in both "Dune" movies and has already expressed interest in making a third, which will be based on Frank Herbert's "Dune Messiah" novel. The franchise has spawned the prequel series Dune: Prophecy, which recently debuted. (ANI)
As the world hangs on every pronouncement of the president-elect, speculation abounds as to whether Donald Trump is just playing to an audience or is trying to intimidate to make a deal. He recently challenged the government of Panama over its sovereign control of the Panama Canal, potentially reopening one of the most divisive foreign policy issues of the 20th century.

Presidents since Eisenhower worried about the security of this vital waterway. The canal became a target as revolutionary forces in Central America increasingly threatened vital American interests.

President Jimmy Carter knew that the politics of negotiating away the direct ownership of the canal would be difficult, but he wasnt one to back away.

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In 1977, President Carter and Panamanian President Omar Torrijos signed two treaties, one which guaranteed neutral access to the canal by all nations, and the other transferring full control of the canal to Panama as of Dec. 31, 1999.

These treaties were ratified by the Senate in a 68 to 32 vote. The House of Representatives then narrowly passed implementing legislation in 1979.

I can attest to the excruciating pressure members were facing as I lobbied the issue on behalf of Carters State Department. The passion generated by those who opposed giving up a symbol of American ingenuity made this vote a very heavy lift for members of Congress. Members from both parties became profiles in courage for voting to support the treaties, casting the most difficult vote of their political life.

One vulnerable senator, Dennis DeConcini (D) of Arizona, sought to defend himself by proposing a reservation that would give the United States the explicit right to use military force to defend the canal. The Panamanian government threatened to reject the treaties if this reservation were to pass.

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Language was then added to mollify the Panamanians to the effect that nothing in the treaty should be interpreted as a right of intervention in the internal affairs of the Republic of Panama.

Now a future president of the United States is threatening to use military force, not because the canals neutrality is threatened, but because he objects to the shipping fees Panama is charging. Words matter, and these words have the potential to relight a long-extinguished fire.

The Panama Canal is an international waterway utilized by shipping from all nations. If shipping companies do not wish to pay the established fee, they have the choice of taking a much longer and more costly route around Cape Horn.

The transit prices are set by this traditional supply and demand calculation, and, as in other capital transactions, price gouging is indeed possible. These disputes can best be resolved by appealing to the Panama Canal Authority.

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Though Donald Trump seems to pay little attention to the Constitution, it may be useful for him to brush up on some of its more important provisions if he wants to avoid a third impeachment. A treaty, for example, is the supreme law of the land and equivalent to federal law.

The Panama Canal treaties were approved by a bipartisan coalition of senators who accepted a counterintuitive reality: Giving up the canal was the best way to retain its use.

In the end, despite the highly charged opposition to giving up a piece of America, Congress yielded to the pragmatic reality that the canal could be shut down if extreme nationalist forces decided to sabotage its operations. The canal and its many locks would be easy prey to terrorists or to an unfriendly government.

Many who voted for Donald Trump will be attracted to his bluster, his threats against small countries like Panama, or his intent to impose draconian tariffs on friends and foes. They may believe that he is simply attempting to strengthen his bargaining position.

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Roger Fisher, in his seminal book Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, demonstrates that this type of positional bargaining is not just inefficient and unproductive, it also leads to unwise outcomes, strained relationships and fragile agreements.

President Carter understood these principles when he negotiated the Camp David peace between Israel and Egypt and the Panama Canal Treaties. He knew well that a powerful America could only enhance its international standing by acting magnanimously and pursuing its interests by also acknowledging the interests of others.

J. Brian Atwood is a senior fellow at Brown Universitys Watson Institute. He was an assistant secretary of State for congressional relations in the Carter administration and worked on the Panama Canal treaties and the implementing legislation. He later served as administrator of USAID in the Clinton administration.

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Just over 100 years ago, the fledgling Irish Free State sent Mr. Timothy Smiddy to Washington, D.C. Ambassador Smiddy was the new Irish states first ever diplomatic representative, taking up duty in the first country to formally recognize the newly independent Irish state.

For Ireland, taking our place among the nations of the world meant taking our place in Washington, D.C. Irelands deep ties with the United States stretch back beyond the founding of our respective countries. Of the fifty-six signatories of the Declaration of Independence, three were born on the island of Ireland: Thomas McKean, Charles Carroll and James Smith.

Irish independence owes much to the ideals of liberty, democracy and equality of opportunity so eloquently expressed in this country.

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As I reflect on 100 years of Irish-U.S. diplomatic relations, it is clear that our histories are interwoven, because our people are so deeply intertwined. Today, 31.5 million people claim Irish ancestry in the United States. Over the years, as our people travelled back and forth across the Atlantic, they carried with them what was precious, including their hopes, their beliefs and their values.

Our shared belief in the promise and prospects for peace helped shape a brighter future for all on the island of Ireland. The United States deep and sustained engagement with Northern Ireland has been one of the most significant success stories in American foreign policy. It is, quite simply, a signal achievement of administrations from both sides of the aisle. U.S. support for the just and peaceful solution that President Ronald Reagan spoke of on St. Patricks Day, 1981, came from both sides of the aisle. Countless visits over the years by U.S. elected officials showed the people of Ireland, north and south, that they would not tread the path to peace alone.

At the most critical junctures in the 1990s, the intervention of the United States drove the process forward, when few others could have done so. U.S. influence brought reluctant personalities and parties back to the table when the talks process seemed on the verge of collapse. We needed you.

Utahns gather to celebrate St. Patricks Day at the 46th annual St. Patricks Day parade at The Gateway in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 16, 2024. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News

The contribution of the United States has helped a whole generation grow to adulthood outside of the shadow of violence. It has opened a world of unlimited possibilities that President Joe Biden spoke of on his visit to Belfast in 2023. Together, we have built the basis for a bright and prosperous future.

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A century ago, when the United States first recognized Ireland as an independent state, we were a small, poor country on the edge of Europe.

When our diplomats first came to Washington, D.C., one of their earliest priorities was to secure a pathway to a better life in America for those who could not find work at home. While we no longer emigrate in the numbers that we once did, we want to work to continue to offer opportunities for our people to experience our respective cultures.

Now, Ireland is one of the most prosperous, creative and dynamic economies in the world. It is a place to which people from across the globe move in search of a better life. The United States has played an essential role in this transformation.

U.S. investment in Ireland remains an essential part of our prosperity. Today, 100 years later, Ireland is the seventh-largest source of foreign direct investment in the U.S., with more than $320 billion spent in 2023.

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More than 700 Irish firms employ more than 100,000 people across the United States. Our economic connections have strengthened the relationship between both our countries.

As our ties have grown, so too has our footprint, and we are now represented at consulates in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Through our expanding diplomatic network, we have woven new cultural, economic and people-to-people threads into the tapestry of our relationship.

Hannah Frees poses for a picture at the 46th annual St. Patricks Day parade at The Gateway in Salt Lake City on Saturday, March 16, 2024. | Marielle Scott, Deseret News

We want to work to continue to grow the opportunities for people to experience our respective cultures.

Our consulate in Los Angeles, which is responsible for our relationship with Utah, is working every day to ensure the longstanding business and cultural ties between the Beehive State and Ireland endure. Among the Utah companies with strong links to Ireland are Overstock and Ancestry, and a thriving Irish-American community in the state hosts one of the larger St. Patricks Day parades in the West.

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As we enter the second century of our relationship with the United States, we look forward to working with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald J. Trump.

Our government and our people will work once again to strengthen and enhance the bond between the United States of America and Ireland, which Trump said thrives, inspires and endures.

And, together, I am confident we will succeed.
For a moment there on Friday afternoon, Mike Johnsons speakership looked a little dicey. But following multiple huddles and some last-minute intervention from President-elect Donald Trump, two GOP defectors changed their votes and Johnson was once again elected speaker of the House of Representatives.

The re-elected speaker wont have much time to celebrate, however. This might turn out to be his easiest day on the job in this congressional session.

Indeed, the next weeks (or months) may end up feeling a lot like Groundhog Day. Each morning the same thought: Will this be the day my fellow Republicans try to oust me?

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With the slimmest of GOP majorities, it certainly wont be easy to govern. Republicans in the House have no problem with intraparty conflict. And when not trying to whip lawmaker votes, Johnson must contend with the whims of Trump. As we saw with the shutdown debacle last month, Trump and his advisers can be unpredictable, with that unpredictability manifesting in contradictory and at times wildly inefficient tangents.

Right now, the biggest obstacle to Trumps agenda is the Freedom Caucus. Made up of some of the most extreme members of the House, this group has proven repeatedly that it is not all that interested in governing. Rather, lawmakers like Reps. Jim Jordan, Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs and Lauren Boebert prefer to act as disrupters, sabotaging the passage of negotiated legislation while offering few viable alternatives. (The lone remaining GOP holdout in the speaker election was Rep. Thomas Massie, a libertarian-leaning contrarian who is not a member of the Freedom Caucus but who has allegedly been called a a dangerous nuisance by Rep. Nancy Pelosi.)

Less than an hour after the somewhat dramatic election concluded, 11 members of the caucus posted a public warning letter to Johnson on social media.

My statement - along with my colleagues - regarding our vote for @SpeakerJohnson. pic.twitter.com/vXsNq9DDcm  Chip Roy (@chiproytx) January 3, 2025

Today we voted for Mike Johnson as speaker of the House because of our steadfast support of President Trump and to ensure the timely certification of his electors, the group wrote. We did this despite our sincere reservations regarding the Speakers track record over the past 15 months.

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Returning to the shutdown example, Trumps last-minute attempt to suspend the debt ceiling for two years in December was shunned by 38 Republican members of the House, many of whom are also members of the Freedom Caucus. While it is likely these members knew the legislation would fail because Democrats were also opposed to it, the message was clear: Even some MAGA Republicans are willing to defy Trump in the 119th Congress.

In the end, bipartisan legislation that went through weeks of negotiation was scuttled in the eleventh hour following a social media backlash led in large part by unelected billionaire adviser Elon Musk  a man as unpredictable as Trump but beholden to essentially no one.

The speaker is also well aware of the catch-22 presented by Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. To get real work done, the speaker will need to work with Jeffries  something hes been able to do successfully in the past. Because while there is a good chance that the speaker can deliver all of the required Republican votes for Trumps tax cuts and immigration proposals, he will need to work with Jeffries on spending bills and the debt ceiling.

Yet the more effective this partnership becomes, the more the speaker faces potential threats from inside his own party. Effective governance is no longer the goal of this House GOP, and certainly not when it requires public compromise.

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So Johnson will need to, once again, work to keep our government open and our national bills paid while also looking over his shoulder for yet another motion to vacate.

On Friday night, the speaker sought to remedy that last problem with his new rules package. One rule change requires any motion to vacate to include eight co-sponsors, all of whom must be Republicans. Putting aside the very problematic precedent that only Republicans are allowed to offer such motions, the speaker seems to be ignoring the idiom about strength in numbers.

For the time being, Johnson holds the gavel. But just because youre paranoid doesnt mean they arent out to get you. And even with Trumps endorsement, Johnson may end up a scapegoat sooner rather than later.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
At 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 10, 2025, the curtain will fall on the longest performance of Hamlet in history. Acting Justice Juan Merchan will finally decide whether to be or not to be the judge to sentence Trump to jail. (Spoiler alert: He appears set to avoid a jail sentence and likely reversal.)

Since Trumps conviction in May 2024, Merchan has contemplated his sentencing options. This was to be the orange-jump-suit moment many longed for over years of unrequited lawfare. They will likely be disappointed. As some of us noted after the verdict, this type of case would often result in an unconditional discharge or a sentence without jail time. That prediction became more likely after Trump was reelected in November. Limits on Trumps freedom or liberty would likely result in a fast reversal, and Merchan knew it.

While various pundits predicted that Trump will go to jail after the trial, more realistic lawfare warriors had other ideas. The next best thing was to suspended proceedings and leave Trump in a type of legal suspended animation. Merchan would hold a leash on the president as a criminal defendant awaiting punishment.

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But the whole point of a trophy-kill case is the trophy itself. Merchan will not disappoint. While indicating that he is inclined to a sentence without jail or probation, he will finalize the conviction of Trump just 10 days before his inauguration. In so doing, he will formally label the president-elect a convicted felon.

It will be punishment by soundbite. Trump will become the first convicted felon to be sworn into office, a historical footnote that will be repeated mantra-like in the media.

Merchan seems at points to be writing the actual talking points for the talking heads. In his order, he states grandly that the jurors found that this was the premediated and continuous deception by the leader of the free world. He then adds that he could not vacate the conviction because it would  constitute a disproportionate result and cause immeasurable damage to the citizenrys confidence in the Rule of Law.

Of course, this did not work out as many hoped. That apparently includes President Biden. Last week, the Washington Post reported that Biden was irate over the Justice Departments failure to prosecute Trump more quickly to secure a conviction before the election. He also reportedly regretted his appointment of Attorney General Merrick Garland as insufficiently aggressive in pursuing Trump. It appears Garland was not sufficiently Bragg-like for Bidens lawfare tastes.

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The sentencing, however, will have another impact. Trump will finally be able to appeal this horrendous case. It has always been a target-rich opportunity for appeal, but Trump could now launch a comprehensive appeal until after he was sentenced.

Those appellate issues include charges based on a novel criminal theory through which New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg not only zapped a dead misdemeanor into life (after the expiration of the statute of limitation) but based a state charge on federal election law and federal taxation violations. So, after the Justice Department declined to prosecute federal violations, Bragg effectively did so in state court with Merchans blessing.

The issues also include Merchans absurd instructions to the jury. The novel theory demanded a secondary offense, the crime that Trump was seeking to conceal by listing payments as legal expenses. Merchan allowed the jury to find that the secondary offense was any of an array of vaguely defined options. Even on the jury form, they did not have to specify which crimes were found. Merchan did not require even a majority, let alone a unanimous jury, to agree on what actually occurred.

Under Merchans instruction, the jury could have split four-four-four on whether this was all done to conceal a federal election violation, falsification of business records or taxation violations. Neither Trump nor the public will ever know.

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Even CNNs senior legal analyst Elie Honig denounced the case as legally flawed and unprecedented. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) recently put it more simply and called the case total bst.

While expectations are not great for the New York legal system itself, this case will eventually go to the United States Supreme Court.

Of course, like so much else in the vortex of Merchans courtroom, the final leave to appeal comes at a cost. While Merchan admits begrudgingly that incarceration is no longer practical, Trump will now have to appeal this case over the course of his presidency.

When the sentence is imposed on Jan. 10, it is likely to feel comically downsized given the effort. After years and millions spent in the various Trump cases, Trump will likely receive an unconditional discharge and sent along his way . . . to the White House.

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As predicted, the two federal cases never saw a trial in Florida or Washington, D.C. In Georgia, Fani Willis was dropped from her racketeering case, which has gone nowhere due to her own misconduct. It is like the Allied forces launching the Normandy Invasion to capture Monaco.

In the meantime, the 2024 election proved to be the largest verdict in history after years of lawfare and biased media reporting came to nothing. Merchan showed little self-awareness in claiming that he was only trying to avoid immeasurable damage to the citizenrys confidence in the Rule of Law in continuing the case. Polls show the public saw these cases as lawfare and Merchan is widely viewed as causing precisely that immeasurable damage with his handling of the case.

Given this record, it may be fitting that the trophy from the New York case is a media talking point, while it lasts.

So, Merchans performance of Hamlet on the Hudson will close off Broadway long after the audience has left. The reviews will be mixed since few minds will be changed. As the protagonist himself proclaimed, I must be cruel only to be kind; thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.

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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.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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An outbreak of street protests in Georgia has turned violent recently, as Georgian Dream (GD) party leaders unleashed masked thugs to brutalize peaceful demonstrators. If this continues, the results could be deadly.

The West could do more to stand by the Georgians who are protesting the GDs authoritarian rule and its refusal to expand ties with the European Union.

Last month, I visited Georgia with a survey group looking at conditions after flawed parliamentary elections on Oct. 26. Sponsored by the McCain Institute, our group met with a range of civil society and political leaders, journalists and diplomats, and with the GD-led Central Election Commission.

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We also talked with young protestors who were beaten by masked Titushky, as police stood by. The Titushky are named after the thugs employed a decade ago by then-President Viktor Yanukovych to turn back Ukraines Maidan uprising protesters, killing scores. Yanukovych failed and eventually fled to Russia.

One young man told us: The Titushky beat me and then threatened to rape meThey pulled my hood over my face and punched it. After a while your face becomes numb.

He continued: I lost consciousness. A guy next to me had a panic attack and I tried to calm him. I lost consciousness again after a blow to the head. When I woke up, my hood had filled with blood. Perhaps thinking I might die, the Titushky turned me over to the police. They filled out a false arrest warrant.

In the end, he said, I received a concussion and broken nose. A lot of others were hurt worse.

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The cycle of violence began with discontent over the elections. Georgia Dream orchestrated large-scale voting irregularities. A reliable exit poll found that over 8 percent of votes cast could not be explained by statistical variance.

It also competed cleverly. It framed the vote as a choice between peace that friendly ties with Russia would bring, versus the risk of a Ukraine-like war if the pro-European opposition were to come to power. Bidzina Ivanishvili, who became a billionaire in Russia, funds GD and pulls the strings.

On Nov. 28, the European Parliament cited significant election irregularities and called for a new vote under international supervision. Hours later, GD said Georgia would suspend talks with the EU on membership accession.

This step shocked many Georgians, even though last June the EU put the accession process on hold. It did this after GD pushed through a new, Russian-style foreign agent law aimed at suppressing freedoms. Georgias adoption of the law led to a wave of street protests.

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The current protests, which are of a scale and intensity not seen since Georgia regained independence in 1991, stemmed from anger over the GDs sharp authoritarian turn and popular support for EU membership  four-fifths of Georgians back it.

The installation by GD on Dec. 29 of a new, anti-Western president, Mikheil Kevalishvili, may further fuel protests. Respected President Salome Zourabishvili, whose term has just expired, is marching with protesters.

On Dec. 13, French President Emmanuel Macron lauded Georgias European choice and called its betrayal unacceptable. The EU has potent leverage: visa-free travel for Georgians in the Schengen zone for short visits. The EU has considered temporarily suspending this privilege.

On Dec. 12, the U.S. prohibited visa issuance to about 20 Georgians.

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Many of our interlocutors in Tbilisi urged that the U.S. impose more powerful financial sanctions on Ivanishvili. On Dec. 27, U.S. did so. He will be unable to buy or sell U.S. financial assets or access other U.S. financial services, and he and his family cannot travel to the U.S. Other GD leaders could risk sanctions.

Sanctions can substantially raise the costs of misbehavior. Yet, they are not a panacea. As shown by sanctions levied on Russians over the war in Ukraine, even steep penalties may not lead to a reversal of evildoing. The West also must weigh its interest in cooperation with Georgian authorities on issues such as law enforcement and counterterrorism.

Other international actions can be important. Investors and lenders may be more cautious about countries whose top leaders are sanctioned. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights could investigate, as it is doing over torture of protesters in Belarus in 2020. The International Criminal Court could also be asked to investigate, as in Belarus.

Georgians will determine their own fate. But because their hopes are so closely tied to the West, the U.S. and Europe want to help Georgians preserve their sovereignty and secure their democratic and European futures.

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William Courtney is an adjunct senior fellow at the nonpartisan, nonprofit RAND research institution, a former U.S. ambassador to Kazakhstan and Georgia and a former senior adviser at the Helsinki Commission.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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I recently became aware of a new organization in the Beehive State created for the purpose of honoring a unique group of Utah Vietnam veterans by constructing a memorial wall. While the organizations goal might seem somewhat redundant, because there is a replica of the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Layton, there is by no means any redundancy involved with this worthwhile endeavor.

The Vietnam veterans who will be memorialized comprise a group that has not received a significant amount of recognition since the war in Vietnam ended some 50 years ago. In order to increase public awareness of this particular group of veterans, the Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation was established a year ago.

The Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a team of dedicated individuals focused on achieving the foundations mission of building a memorial that will recognize the sacrifice of veterans who were sent to Vietnam and now suffer from Agent Orange exposure. To accomplish that mission, the organization relies on donated funds and other types of support.

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What makes the planned memorial unique is that it will pay tribute to Vietnam veterans who died from exposure to Agent Orange after the war, as opposed to the national Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which honors service members killed in Vietnam during the war.

Agent Orange is a chemical herbicide that was used in Vietnam to remove tree leaves and other foliage that helped conceal enemy forces, which it was quite effective at doing. Unfortunately, Agent Orange turned out to be very harmful to the humans who came into contact with it.

The chemicals toxicity did not be become widely known for many years. Exposure to Agent Orange, for instance, has been responsible for multiple forms of cancer as well as other serious diseases. The Veterans Administrations eventual recognition of health issues caused by Agent Orange exposure has been beneficial in providing benefits to veterans who were exposed to the toxic herbicide.

Unfortunately, the harmful effects of Agent Orange exposure are not limited to veterans who came into contact with it in Vietnam. In a number of cases, hazardous effects of Agent Orange exposure have been passed on to subsequent generations, such as their children and grandchildren. One such case of generational transmission is the grandson of Larry Kerr.

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Larry Kerr is a Vietnam veteran who served in the United States Air Force and became the chairman of the Utah Agent Orange Veterans Foundation. Larry also happens to be the chairman of another organization called the Utah Cold War Veterans Foundation. Together with a dedicated team of individuals he refers to as Blue Shirts, Larry has been conducting pinning ceremonies of the Utah Cold War Victory Medal through the state at no cost to recipients of the medal.

Larrys latest endeavor is another example of his passion for veteran advocacy. Just like the states Cold War Victory Medal, a Utah Agent Orange Veterans Memorial will be a meaningful form of recognition that is well deserved.

U.S. involvement in Vietnam was not predominantly viewed with overwhelming enthusiasm during the war or for quite some time thereafter. Over the years, though, perceptions have evolved in a positive manner.

I was still in high school when the last U.S. helicopter left from the U.S. embassy in Saigon, South Vietnam, now called Ho Chi Minh City. At that time, I was not keenly aware of why U.S. forces were sent to Vietnam. These days, however, I know that U.S. support for South Vietnam helped us win the Cold War. This is because it helped weaken the Soviet Union economically, since the USSR was providing support to North Vietnam.

All Vietnam veterans deserve a huge amount a gratitude from Americans for their service. While they have received a great deal of recognition through the years, albeit somewhat slowly, more is needed. And a memorial wall for Utah Agent Orange Veterans will help satisfy that need tremendously.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A political organization striving to prevent gun violence has given Oregon an A- for its firearm regulations.

The Giffords Law Center, led by former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, annually grades and ranks states based on their new and pre-existing gun laws.

Investigators call attention to unsolved 1973 murder of Eugene Public Library employee

Oregons grade has gradually risen from a D+ to an A- from 2014 to 2024. The state is now ranked as the 11th-strongest state for firearm restrictions.

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According to the data, there are 14.1 gun deaths for every 100,000 residents. Researchers reported that this rate is about 2% higher than the national average.

Giffords Law Center listed universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders and large capacity magazine restrictions as a few reasons why Oregon earned its ranking. The organization also referred to the recent ban of ghost guns, or firearms that are untraceable because they lack serial numbers.

Orca that carried her dead calf for weeks in 2018 is doing it again

Additionally, Oregon allocated $10 million toward community violence intervention programs and formed a task force to prevent gun-related suicides just last year.

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However, researchers said the state could improve their gun regulations by passing gun industry accountability legislation and prohibiting bump stocks and other rapid-fire devices. The report suggested a permanent fund for community violence intervention programs and a new office for gun violence prevention as well.

California was ranked at No. 1 on the Gun Law Scorecard. Data show the state has eight gun deaths for every 100,000 residents  a 42% decline from the national average.

Washington was ranked at No. 9, but also received an A-. Researchers said the state has 13.1 gun deaths for every 100,000 residents.

Woman found dead in Wilsonville RV on New Years Eve IDd, death ruled homicide

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According to the report, Wyoming is the state with the weakest gun laws. West Virginia, Utah, Texas and Tennessee rounded out the bottom five.

Every year, our Scorecard is a reminder of the inconsistency of Americas gun laws  both demonstrating what is possible, and what happens when state leaders fail to save lives, Giffords Executive Director Emma Brown said in a statement.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN)  As kids prepare to head back to school after break, one Middle Tennessee organization wants to make sure they feel welcomed.

News 2 previously reported on complaints of bullying in Williamson County schools before the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year. Though the district has been making strides when it comes to helping students, there are even more resources available for those who may be struggling.

Group pushing for longer recess in TN schools

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When I heard him say all that, I went directly to the principals and I was like just really scared, and Im still scared to this day to go to that school, one Williamson County student said during a school board meeting before the start of the 2024-2025 school year.

She stood in between her parents, as she described how a classmate called her a racial slur.

I was scared when he said he was going to shoot up all the Black people, she said.

Several months later, parents said theyve seen a change, but they still want to see more progress.

They are troubling and frightening when families come forward and share these experiences, but its been pretty good, Revida Rahman explained. I think the district has been working really hard to try and put some tools in place.

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Rahman is a co-founder of One WillCo, a non-profit organization that works to make sure schools across Williamson County are safe places for students.

According to the School Bullying and Harassment report obtained by News 2, reported incidents have surged over the past two school years. Since then, Rahman has been working to find a solution.



I think mental health has been something traditionally people of color have not utilized, and were coming around and realizing that these things are not normal, she said.

With the new semester comes a new opportunity to create change. One WillCo has partnered with The Safe Haven  a therapy space for youth  to navigate challenges like identity, inclusion and mental health.

Wilson Central High School teacher collecting supplies for students in need

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[Its] giving those kids an opportunity to connect with other students and to try to just kind of control and make this a better situation and how to lean on each other, how to seek resolution, Rahman said.

Sessions will be available starting Monday, Jan. 6 at 5 p.m. and take place every other Monday at Southeast Psych Nashville. You can call (615) 373-9955 for more information.



Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
Authorities investigating the suspect in the truck attack that killed 14 and injured dozens in New Orleans on New Year's Day are probing when, where and how his alleged "radicalization" occurred, a local official said on Friday.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran and U.S.-born citizen from Texas, posted several videos online hours before the Bourbon Street attack "proclaiming his support for ISIS" and mentioning he joined ISIS before this summer, according to the FBI.

ABC News has learned new details about the recordings Jabbar allegedly made, which were posted to Facebook shortly after 1 a.m. on New Year's Day, apparently as Jabbar was driving to New Orleans. The videos show Jabbar recording himself, largely obscured by darkness, according to an official who has seen the first of five videos posted before the attack. GPS instructions can be heard in the background.

PHOTO: A cross with a pictures of 18-year-old victim Ni'Kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux is seen at a memorial on Bourbon Street after it reopened to the public on Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

MORE: New Orleans attack latest: Suspect's travel to Egypt under investigation

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In the video, Jabbar speaks in a measured tone, claiming he joined ISIS earlier that year, according to the official. He references New Orleans and hinting that he contemplated harming members of his own family before deciding to carry out the attack, the official said.

Sources told ABC News the FBI is also reviewing a series of audio recordings allegedly made where Jabbar espouses religious views and beliefs.

So far, there is no evidence that any these videos or recordings were flagged to law enforcement before the attack unfolded.

Since Thursday, investigators have been focused on piecing together his path to radicalization and the events that led up to his decision to attack Bourbon Street.

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Two U.S. officials told ABC on Friday that, though it's still very early in the investigation, there is no evidence, so far, that Jabbar had actually been in contact with a direct ISIS representative.

The officials also noted that there has been no claim of responsibility by ISIS.

However, investigators are still working through his three phones and two laptops and examining his travel history.

Jabbar's foreign travel is also part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement officials told ABC News.

PHOTO: Police officers stand guard at the entrance of Bourbon Street, near to a makeshift memorial for the victims two days after a New Year's Day truck attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 3, 2025. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

MORE: What we know about the victims of the New Orleans attack: 'So beautiful and full of life'

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On Friday, Jabbar's half-brother told ABC News the suspect traveled to Egypt in 2023 for around a month, telling his family he was going "because it was cheap and beautiful."

Investigators are working to determine what he did during his travel in Egypt, why he went and who he interacted with while there, multiple sources said. Critical to the probe is whether he had been radicalized prior to the travel or if the travel marked the start of his radicalization.

"This next most important phase of the investigation is to find out how that radicalization happened and if it happened on that trip," Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams told ABC News.

Jabbar was shot dead in the midst of Wednesday's attack in New Orleans, after driving a pickup truck onto a sidewalk and around a parked police car serving as a barricade to plow into pedestrians over a three-block stretch on Bourbon Street, police said.

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Jabbar then exited the damaged vehicle armed with an assault rifle and opened fire on police officers, law enforcement said. Officers returned fire, killing him.

Officials said the first 24 hours after the ramming attack were occupied by a feverish effort to determine whether there were additional suspects on the loose or if Jabbar worked with accomplices.

In another update Friday, authorities revealed Jabbar set a small fire in the hallway of the property in New Orleans he rented on Mandeville Street before the attack using "strategically placed accelerants throughout the house in his effort to destroy it and other evidence of his crime," according to the joint update from FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

However, after Jabbar left the residence, the fire burned itself out before spreading to other rooms. When the New Orleans Fire Department arrived, the fire was smoldering, and investigators were able to recover evidence, including pre-cursors for bomb making material and a privately made device suspected of being a silencer for a rifle."

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Regarding the explosive devices, the FBI said it believes that during the Bourbon Street attack, Jabbar intended to use a transmitter that was later found in the truck to detonate the devices.

The transmitter, along with two firearms connected to Jabbar, was being transported to the FBI Laboratory for additional testing, authorities said.

Before the deadly ramming, surveillance footage showed Jabbar placing two improvised explosive devices in coolers in the Bourbon Street area, investigators said. He had a remote detonator in the truck to set off the two devices, but both were rendered safe, officials said.

PHOTO: Location of New Orleans truck ramming attack (Map tiles by Google Earth)

MORE: New Orleans attack suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar's divorce filings point to financial difficulties

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Inside one of the coolers, investigators found a device consisting of a steel pipe, nails and a relatively rare explosive chemical, a senior law enforcement official told ABC News on Friday. The remote detonation capability apparently failed to work, the official said.

NBC News was the first to report on the rare chemical.

A search of Jabbar's home in Houston also turned up bomb-making materials, sources confirmed to ABC News on Thursday. The items found were also referred to as "precursor chemicals" by agents in the field, sources said.

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a joint intelligence bulletin warning the nation's 18,000 law-enforcement agencies about potential copycats, ABC News learned.

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The bulletin was sent out of an abundance of caution to sensitize law enforcement around the country to be on the lookout for any activity pointing to the use of vehicles as a method to inflict mass casualties, sources told ABC News.

"We advise federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial government and law enforcement officials and private sector security partners to remain vigilant of potential copycat or retaliatory attacks inspired by this attack and other recent, lethal vehicle-ramming incidents across the globe," the bulletin said.

PHOTO: Shamsud-Din Jabbar (FBI)

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MORE: New Orleans truck attack suspect: What we know about Shamsud-Din Jabbar

The bulletin notes that ISIS has been promoting the use of vehicles as a terrorism weapon since around 2014.

ISIS has ramped up calls for its supporters to launch low-tech, mass casualty ramming attacks in recent months, sources told ABC News, especially since the most recent Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023.

The bulletin stated that Jabbar was inspired by ISIS but that there remains no evidence of any co-conspirators. A senior law-enforcement official told ABC News that there is so far no sign of ISIS claiming responsibility for the New Orleans attack.

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"Law enforcement should be aware that in many cases attackers have conducted vehicle-ramming attacks with secondary weapons and may continue the attack with edged weapons, firearms, or IEDs after the vehicle has stopped," the bulletin said. The tactic could be "attractive" for foreign terrorist organizations and other actors due to its low complexity threshold, the warning said.

An intelligence bulletin from the New York Police Department obtained by ABC News indicated that ISIS supporters did celebrate the attack online. Violent extremists, the bulletin said, "continue to view densely populated walkways, parades, mass gatherings and other outdoor events along streets, especially during holidays, as vulnerable targets of opportunity."

"This enduring threat underscores the criticality of pre-staged blocker cars and the deployment of other effectively configured countermeasures including heavy block, barriers and bollards," it added.

PHOTO: A band plays next to crosses with pictures of victims at a memorial on Bourbon Street after it reopened to the public on Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

MORE: New Orleans attack latest: Bomb-making material recovered from suspect's Houston home

Law enforcement cleared and reopened Bourbon Street on Thursday as the investigation continued. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said authorities had the "confidence" to reopen the area to the public ahead of the Sugar Bowl on Thursday afternoon, which was initially scheduled for Wednesday but postponed in the wake of the attack.

"I want to reassure the public that the city of New Orleans is not only ready for game day today, but we're ready to continue to host large-scale events in our city," she said. "Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to the victims' families," Cantrell added.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will head to New Orleans on Monday to meet with the families and community members, the White House said. Biden said Friday that he has spoken with victims' families.

There is no apparent direct connection between the New Orleans attack and Wednesday's Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, which is also being investigated as a possible act of terror, the FBI said Thursday.

New Orleans attack latest: Authorities probe attacker's 'radicalization' process originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
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Staff members carry emergency relief supplies offered by the Chinese government at the airport in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, Jan. 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Long Lei)



Crowds at the Port Vila International Airport in the capital of Vanuatu burst into cheers when a chartered airplane, adorned with the Chinese national flag, touched down amidst drizzling rain on Thursday.

The plane carried 35 tons of emergency relief supplies delivered by China to Vanuatu, including tents, folding beds, solar lights, food, water purifiers and medical equipment.

The Pacific island nation was hit by a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake on Dec. 17, which killed at least 14 people, injured more than 200 and caused severe damage to infrastructure.

First aid

Toppled medicine cabinets, scattered documents and collapsed shelters -- this was the devastation left behind by the disaster for the Chinese medical volunteers who have been serving at Vila Central Hospital since September.

Despite injuries and lingering aftershocks, this dedicated group of nine healthcare professionals rushed from their residence to the hospital, becoming one of the first medical teams to provide post-quake relief.

Wang Rui, a respiratory and critical care doctor on the team, said he could not forget the scene when victims crammed into the hospital. Due to the sudden increase in the number of injured patients, they had to set up tents outside the hospital to establish a temporary emergency room.

"Confronted with complex wounds, inadequate medicines and limited equipment, we had to improvise," said anesthetist Zhao Yanjun, adding that advanced techniques and equipment would be introduced to the country.

As the third Chinese medical team dispatched to Vanuatu, the medical professionals have treated more than 1,800 patients and have been involved in over 300 surgical operations and some 30 training sessions.

The Chinese community in Vanuatu also joined the local rescue and reconstruction work and offered material resources.

Much needed assistance

Two weeks after the earthquake, many houses with slanted structures and cracked walls still need to be fixed. Local residents noted that while some buildings appeared intact from the outside, they were severely damaged internally.

"In the face of a sudden big disaster, the efforts of all parties and the support of every development partner have been indispensable," said Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Li Minggang at a handover ceremony of the supplies held Thursday at the airport.

The Chinese government has provided 1 million U.S. dollars in emergency assistance to Vanuatu to support its disaster relief and reconstruction efforts. The Red Cross Society of China has also provided 100,000 dollars in emergency cash assistance.

"China will always stand together with Vanuatu and along with the UN and other development partners, assist Vanuatu recovering at an early date," Li said.

At the request of the Vanuatu government, China has sent four engineering experts to assist with post-earthquake recovery in the country.

"This is the first time that China has sent an emergency post-disaster assessment team to a Pacific island country, with hopes of contributing to Vanuatu's reconstruction," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday.

Vanuatu is among the countries with the highest natural disaster risk in the world. Its people have forged resilience through countless struggles with devastating storms, tsunamis and earthquakes.

China's assistance "will not only enhance the Vanuatu government's service to its people but also serve as a beacon of hope, as it will ignite the fire within us to persevere... through this difficult time," said Vanuatu's caretaker Prime Minister Charlot Salwai.
Indian artist and filmmaker Raphael Warjri expressed his gratitude to the Meghalaya government for giving him the opportunity to create a sculpture of U Tirot Sing, Meghalaya's revered freedom fighter, inaugurated at Dhaka in February 2024. Commissioned by the Government of Meghalaya, the sculpture was a tribute to U Tirot Sing's legacy and his historical connection to Dhaka, Bangladesh, where he was imprisoned and ultimately laid down his life for the country. While speaking to ANI, the filmmaker said, "I can mention that when we did the freedom fighter project for the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, the government of Meghalaya commissioned us to do the sculpture of U Tirot Singh, because he has a historical relation with Dhaka. He was kept in custody there and later he died there...We were given this opportunity. I felt very grateful to the government of Meghalaya for giving the trust in us to execute this job. And we have done it successfully." It was done in line with the celebration of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mohotsav.' Warjri further said that he perceives his art as more than mere execution, stating, "My involvement in art is not just for art's sake. It is beyond that." With the current projects in hand, the filmmaker aims to project the Meghalaya Cultural and National heritage through his work. "To project cultural heritage and national heritage that we have and let the people understand it well rather than... showing it just for the sake of showing about the people or about the culture, about the festival or whatever. So this is what we try to do. So let's see, I'm just trying to do the best that I can." added Warjri Currently, Warjri is collaborating with organisations such as MES 101 Area, ICAR, and the Archaeological Survey of India on several projects. (ANI)
Jan. 4WASHINGTON  Law enforcement agencies in the nation's capital were closely monitoring security Thursday following a terrorist attack in New Orleans and a vehicle explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.

The violent incidents took place just ahead of several high-profile events in Washington, D.C., including the swearing-in of the new Congress on Friday, the certification of the Electoral College vote on Monday, former President Jimmy Carter's funeral next week and the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.

Matthew Young, assistant special agent in charge at the U.S. Secret Service, said in a statement the agency would "adjust our security plans as needed."

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"While we cannot comment on protective means or methods, what we can say is that we will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in assessing the ever-changing threat landscape and will adjust our security plans as needed," Young said. "Our mission is to provide a safe and secure environment for our protectees, and all individuals involved in these events."

The Secret Service has already designated Congress' certification of the Electoral College, Carter's funeral at Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 9 and the inauguration as National Special Security Events, which puts the agency in charge of planning and security logistics.

Those special security events are somewhat common for major political events, like the Republican and Democratic national conventions this summer and for presidential inaugurations.

This is, however, the first year the certification of the Electoral College on Monday will hold that designation after a mob attacked the U.S. Capitol during the last certification.

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'An abundance of caution'

The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., posted on social media that while "there is no known threat to the District of Columbia, out of an abundance of caution, MPD has heightened its security posture across the city in light of recent events."

"Whenever an incident occurs in the country, MPD closely monitors the situation, evaluates intelligence and assesses our security posture," MPD wrote in the statement. "As the nation's capital, we maintain a heightened level of security at all times to ensure the safety of our residents, businesses and visitors."

The U.S. Capitol Police said in a written statement that they "have already been ramping up security, as planned, ahead of a busy month at the U.S. Capitol."

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USCP had to close off several streets near the building on Thursday after someone drove on a sidewalk a few blocks away.

"Before 10 a.m., our officers spotted a car that had been driving along the sidewalk, near Peace Circle, and into the grassy area near Third Street, NW, & Constitution Avenue," USCP wrote on social media. "Officers took the man into custody. Please continue to avoid the area while we investigate the car."

The person was later charged with reckless driving after the USCP bomb squad determined there was no explosive device inside the car.

At least 15 people died and 37 were injured in New Orleans early Wednesday after a man drove a truck onto Bourbon Street in what law enforcement has declared a terrorist attack.

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Local and federal law enforcement agencies are also investigating the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, is a close Trump associate.

Officials say they have not found any link between the two attacks, though they are investigating further.  Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence.
The deadly New Orleans attack on New Years Day, which authorities say was carried out by a man radicalized by ISIS, is spurring fears of more attacks and raising questions about how President-elect Trumps isolationist tendencies will affect the war on terrorism.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a retired U.S. Army veteran from Texas who worked at accounting firm Deloitte, killed 14 people after plowing a truck through the crowded Bourbon Street, marking the first ISIS-inspired attack on U.S. soil since 2017. Jabbar was shot and killed by police.

ISIS has been severely degraded by a U.S.-led campaign in Iraq and Syria, but the terrorist group has rebounded in recent years and claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks across the world in 2024.

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U.S. officials argue it is vital to maintain a presence in Iraq and Syria to keep the threat of ISIS down, but Trump has signaled potentially scaling back troops in the Middle East. Last month, the incoming president called for a hands-off approach to Syria, a country he tried to withdraw from in his first term, following the collapse of the brutal regime of Bashar al-Assad in Damascus.

Aaron Zelin, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said ISIS has recently shown a higher tempo of attacks globally and warned of a greater resurgence if Trump were to dramatically minimize the U.S. presence in the Middle East.

It would be a monumental mistake, on par with the U.S. withdrawing from Iraq, which provided the space for the Islamic State to come back again, and that would be on his watch, he said, referring to the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq in 2011, only to return again in 2014 to combat ISIS.

A spokesperson for the Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment on how the incoming president will handle threats from ISIS and manage the Middle East.

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Under President Biden, the U.S. has retained its focus on degrading ISIS. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Friday that ISIS remains a threat, even if it is not at the level it posed a decade ago.

ISIS retains capabilities, as weve seen in Iraq and Syria, and thats why we have our forces in both of those countries to ensure that ISIS can never reconstitute or resurge or search back to what it was, she said.

ISIS rose to power in 2014 but was largely defeated by the U.S. and its allies within five years, losing much of its territory in Iraq and northeastern Syria.

The U.S. has roughly 2,500 troops in Iraq and around 900 permanent boots on the ground in Syria, though the Pentagon recently announced that a temporary detachment has brought the number to around 2,000.

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While Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, has yet to make an explicit decision to withdraw troops from Syria, he called in December to keep out of Syrian affairs after rebel groups took over the country. In his first term, Trump tried to withdraw troops but only managed to bring the number down.

If there are tendencies within Trumps foreign policy to gear toward isolationism, a resurging ISIS is likely to give that pause, and I hope they do so, said Colin Clarke, director of research at the Soufan Group.

Im not talking about deploying [more] ground troops to the Middle East, but I think remaining aggressive in terms of attacking the Islamic State overseas is a must, at a minimum, he added.

That means going after command-and-control units, going after high value targets and key leaders, and keeping them off balance, because when the group is able to seize the momentum, were going to see more of what we saw.

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Iraq may be a more difficult arena for Trump to manage. Last year, Washington and Baghdad announced an agreement to downsize the U.S. presence by 2026, though its unclear by how much.

Zelin, from the Washington Institute, urged Trump to negotiate with Baghdad to ensure there is at least some U.S. forces in the country.

The issue is that Iraq and Syria share borders. So even if ISIS is weak in Iraq, if ISIS comes back in Syria, it can pour the resources back into Iraq, he said. The future of Iraqi security is just as much tied to the future of Syrian security. So you cant separate one from the other.

American forces regularly carry out airstrikes and operations against ISIS, including a December mission that killed the leader of ISIS, Abu Yusif aka Mahmud.

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Still, ISIS-K, the terrorist groups branch in Afghanistan, has resurged following the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from the nation. ISIS-K has been responsible for attacks last year that killed hundreds in Iran, Turkey and Russia.

In the West, ISIS was responsible for knifing attacks last year that killed three in Germany and injured a man in Switzerland. An ISIS-inspired plot for a mass attack at an August Taylor Swift concert in Austria was thwarted.

Jason Blazakis, a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies who examines violent extremism, said that despite losing territory, ISIS has managed to maintain an online presence, fueling its propaganda machine that can radicalize people to carry out deadly attacks.

While ISIS has been degraded in real-world spaces like Syria, they do still have a presence in a number of places where they can gain access to a computer and social media to send propaganda, he said. So while they have lost territories in places, it almost doesnt matter, so long as an ISIS propagandist has access to a computer.

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The attacks also have a way of propagandizing themselves, inspiring copycat attacks. The New Orleans attack bears similarities to the 2017 truck rampage in New York City, which killed eight, also carried out by a man inspired by ISIS.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby in a Friday briefing said federal authorities are watching for additional threats very, very closely and will continue to do so.

But Blazakis said the U.S. should be investing more resources into counterterrorism operations.

We simply arent doing the same kind of collection against these threats as we were even as recently as five years ago, he said, calling for Trump to put more resources into the counterterrorism space. Isolationism isnt going to be a successful recipe for countering the rise of ISIS and Al Qaeda.

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It doesnt mean that the United States has to put thousands of troops on the ground in places like Syria to do better, but we can invest in trying to build the capacity of countries to fight ISIS in their own backyards, and that might be sending small cadres of individuals to help these governments do that, he added.

ISIS generally recruits from conflict-ridden and volatile regions of the world, including nations like Tajikistan, which has a lot of migrants moving to other countries.

But the terrorist group is trying to radicalize more people directly in the West and in 2022 launched an English-language magazine called the Voice of Khorasan, which is spread online.

Fears are also mounting that ISIS is seeking to inspire more sophisticated attacks, including calls to use drones and other new technologies.

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But there are also signs that ISIS propaganda may be losing its effect.

Antoine Baudon, business manager and deputy director at the International Center for Counter-Terrorism, said that recent ISIS attacks have received less enthusiasm and praise because of declining interest for the ideology and self-sacrifice, and the shrinking power of the terrorist group to reward supporters.

Were seeing that these attacks dont resonate as much as before, which tends to show that its more and more isolated, he said. Theyre not seeing the benefits of it. But it doesnt mean that people dont still believe it.

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A University of Georgia student who was severely injured in the New Orleans terror attack on New Years Day.

Elle Eisele was among the more than 30 who was injured when Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, drove down Bourbon Street, killing 14 other people. Jabbar himself died after being shot by police officers after he opened fire on them.

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Eisele, a Fort Myers woman, was in New Orleans with friend and former classmate Steele Idelson, who was also injured. UGA officials initially reported that Eisele was critically injured in the attack.

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On Friday, Eisele posted a statement on her Instagram story, which was obtained by ABC-affiliate WZVN in Fort Myers, saying she was grateful that she and Idelson both survived the attack.

With more gratitude than you can fathom, I wanted to let my friends and family know that I am fighting and I am healing. Most importantly, I am alive, and I am so thankful that God spared Steele and myself. Im reading your messages, and Im thankful for your support and love and one day soon, Ill be replying to you! Please keep praying for all of us survivors Elle Eisele via Instagram

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On Wednesday afternoon after the attack, UGA President Jere W. Morehead confirmed one student, later identified as Eisele, was critically injured.

I am deeply saddened by the devastating attack in New Orleans overnight, and I extend my sincere condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected by this terrible tragedy.

At this point, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment. I have spoken to the students family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community. I would like to express my gratitude to all the first responders who moved so quickly to help those affected by this senseless act of violence, as well as to the medical personnel who are caring for the injured.

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As we continue to hold the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers, the University will do everything in its power to support those in our community who have been impacted by this unspeakable event.

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(NewsNation)  As the world celebrated the start of 2025, Alexis Scott-Windham was run over and shot in the foot during a terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana.

She was one of dozens injured in the deadly attack that claimed 14 lives.

Me and my friends, were having a great time on Bourbon Street, everybody. It was just a great vibe, she recalled on NewsNations Banfield.

Who is Matthew Livelsberger, driver of exploded Las Vegas Cybertruck?

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That night, she and her friends stopped by a pizza place near the corner of Bourbon and Canal Streets when they first heard signs of trouble.

It went, boom, boom, boom, she told NewsNation. When I looked left, the truck was coming towards us. His lights were off, he was halfway on the sidewalk and halfway on the street.

By the time I looked, he was speeding up. He was actually trying to hit people  he was trying to come after people and hit them, Scott-Windham added.

As she was rushed to a hospital by a good Samaritan, what she thought was a broken foot from being hit by suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbars rented truck turned out to be a gunshot wound: Thats when my feet started to leak more and more blood.

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She also has multiple fractures in her foot.

Why conspiracy theories exist over Las Vegas explosion

Its been widely reported that her employer, Amazon, initially denied her a medical leave request following the tragedy.

I had work on [Jan. 2] at 2 a.m., so I put in my little medical leave. I told them what happened as I had got released from the hospital, Scott-Windham said.

At first, they denied her time-off request, she said. But after her mother decided, Were going to go down there, she received a call from the regional HR representative.

Shes like, Im so sorry for what happened to you. It wasnt technically us,' Scott-Windham said. They really, they fixed everything.

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Shes since received paid time off until shes fully recovered and accommodations for a counselor, if needed.

In a statement to NBC News, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said: Weve reached out to Ms. Scott-Windham to offer her our full support, including pay, as she recovers from this senseless act of violence. We wish her a full recovery and look forward to welcoming her back to work once shes able.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 driver behind a terrorist attack in New Orleans planned to use a transmitter to detonate two bombs he placed on Bourbon Street and had additional explosive devices at a rental home he set on fire.

This update, shared in a joint statement from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), offers new details about Shamsud-Din Jabbars movements before he killed 14 people in the New Years attack.

The FBI assesses that during his attack on Bourbon Street, Jabbar intended to use a transmitter, that was found in the F150 truck, to detonate the two IEDs he placed on Bourbon Street, the agencies said.

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The agencies said they recovered bomb making materials both at a rental house on Mandeville Street in New Orleans as well as Jabbars residence in Houston, Texas.

The New Orleans Fire Department also determined that Jabbar set the New Orleans rental on fire, with the department rushing to the scene a little after 5 a.m. on New Years Day.

ATF has determined that Jabbar was the only person who could have had access to the residence when the fire was set, the bureau said. ATF also determined that Jabbar set a small fire in the hallway, and strategically placed accelerants throughout the house in his effort to destroy it and other evidence of his crime.

That fire, however, extinguished itself before it was able to spread, enabling recovery of more evidence.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Officials say that Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a white Ford F-150 pickup truck into a crowd of New Years revelers in the French Quarter of New Orleans. (Matthew Hinton/AFP via Getty Images)

The deadly Jan. 1, 2025, attack in New Orleans serves as a reminder of the persistent threat to the U.S. from individuals inspired by extremist Islamist groups.

While the investigation is ongoing, some details about the suspect have been released. Authorities say Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, was behind the assault in which a truck was driven into a dense crowd in New Orleans French Quarter a few hours after midnight, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more. Jabbar, who died in a shoot-out with police, had pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group in online videos posted on Dec. 31, according to the FBI.

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It represents the first major assault on an American city by an individual purportedly influenced by the Islamic State group, or one of its affiliates, since a 2017 truck assault in New York City that killed eight.

The New Orleans attack, like that earlier incident, underscores an important point: While the Islamic State groups territorial caliphate  the area in Syria and Iraq in which it assumed both political and religious authority and sought to enforce its interpretation of Islamic law  has been dismantled, the groups ability to inspire acts of terror on U.S. soil through online propaganda and ideological influence remains alarmingly potent.

As a terrorism expert and a scholar specializing in radical Islamist militant groups, I believe the case of Jabbar  an American soldier who was radicalized in the U.S.  echoes similar lone wolf attacks in the West over the past decade.

With lost territory in the Middle East, the Islamic State group has sought to exploit personal grievances, mental health struggles and ideological vulnerabilities, transforming isolated individuals in the West into deadly instruments of violence.

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An attack inspired by the Islamic State

The New Years Day attack took place in New Orleans famous French Quarter. At about 3:15 a.m., Jabbar plowed his truck into a dense crowd along the popular Bourbon Street.

In the immediate aftermath, investigators discovered a black banner in his vehicle  the flag used by many Islamist militant groups, including the Islamic State.

While the Islamic State has not officially claimed the attack on any of its social media platforms, subsequent reviews of Jabbars online activity revealed videos posted just hours before the incident, in which he pledged allegiance to the group. On Jan. 2, Christopher Raia of the FBIs counterterrorism division said Jabbar was 100% inspired by ISIS, using an alternative name for the group.

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Jabbars background adds complexity to the narrative. A 42-year-old veteran, he had no prior known links to extremist networks, according to the FBI, underscoring the challenge posed by self-radicalized individuals who operate outside the scope of traditional terrorist cells.

At this early stage of the investigation, it appears the attack was planned independently, driven by an ideological alignment with the Islamic State group rather than at the direction of any of its leaders. This highlights the decentralized and unpredictable nature of the current terrorist threat landscape.

The growing threat of lone actors

At the height of its power in 2014-2015, the Islamic State group controlled significant territory across Syria and Iraq, establishing a self-declared caliphate. While this physical caliphate was dismantled by 2019, following sustained efforts by the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State, the group continues to operate, conduct and inspire attacks.

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Lone wolf attacks, inspired by Islamic State group propaganda but lacking direct operational support, have become the hallmark of the post-caliphate era.

By inspiring individuals to carry out attacks independently, the Islamic State group aims to create an atmosphere of fear and instability, demonstrating its global influence despite lacking a physical caliphate.

It has actively sought to radicalize and mobilize individuals in the U.S. through digital platforms, spreading violent narratives and offering tactical guidance to potential attackers.

This strategy allows the group to maintain relevance and project strength despite physical losses in the Middle East.

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The New Orleans incident follows a pattern seen in previous attacks in the West  such as the 2016 Nice truck attack in France, the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack and the 2017 London Bridge attack. In each case, individuals were motivated by the Islamic State groups call to action, using readily available means  vehicles, knives or firearms  to inflict mass casualties.

This model of terrorism is not only low cost but also difficult for intelligence agencies to intercept, as it often lacks the logistical trail associated with larger, coordinated plots.

Ideological reach and online propaganda

A critical component of the Islamic State groups continued influence is its sophisticated use of online platforms to spread propaganda.

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Even after significant efforts by social media companies to dismantle extremist content, the Islamic State group, al-Qaida and their affiliates have adapted by migrating to encrypted messaging services, dark web forums and niche platforms.

These digital spaces enable extremist groups to distribute radical content, call for violence and foster a sense of global community among supporters.

Jabbars apparent radicalization is, I believe, likely to have been driven by such online materials  more will be known when the FBI is through investigating the many phones and laptops agents retrieved after the attack.

Such online propaganda frequently blends religious rhetoric with narratives of personal empowerment and martyrdom. The psychological appeal of Islamic State group propaganda lies in its ability to offer disenfranchised individuals a sense of purpose, framing violence as a form of spiritual fulfillment and resistance against perceived oppression.

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The case of Jabbar also raises broader questions about domestic radicalization within the United States.

Individuals like Jabbar  who are not part of any terrorist cell and seemingly have no prior known links to extremism  are often able to operate undetected until they commit acts of violence.

Islamist militant groups Western strategy

The Islamic State groups broader strategy in inspiring lone actor attacks extends beyond mere acts of violence.

By inciting terror in Western nations, the group aims to polarize societies, foster anti-Muslim sentiment and provoke overreactions from governments  conditions that can fuel further radicalization and recruitment.

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This cycle of violence and social division serves not just the Islamic State group, but other Islamist militant groups long-term objective of destabilizing the West and reinforcing its narrative of a civilizational clash between Islam and the West.

Attacks such as that in New Orleans serve as powerful propaganda tools, demonstrating that the Islamic State groups ideology remains alive despite its territorial losses. Each successful attack amplifies the perception of the Islamic State groups resolve, bolstering the morale of supporters and attracting new recruits.

The New Orleans attack is a sobering reminder that the influence of extremist Islamist groups extends far beyond the borders of the Middle East. As the Islamic State group and other radical militant groups evolve and adapt, the threat of lone wolf attacks looms over the U.S. and other nations.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Sara Harmouch is the founder and CEO of H9 Defense and a doctoral candidate at American Universitys School of Public Affairs. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
The Georgian government is planning to deport 25 foreigners for participating in mass protests in November and December 2024, News Georgia reported on Jan. 4, citing a Georgian Interior Ministry statement.

The pro-Russian Georgian Dream party claimed a sweeping victory in the Oct. 26 elections amid widespread allegations of fraud and intimidation. The disputed results triggered mass demonstrations in Tbilisi.

The Migration Department of the Georgian Interior Ministry has initiated expulsion proceedings against 25 foreign nationals who participated in the protests in Tbilisi in November and December. The court also imposed various administrative penalties on them.

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The ministry added that 10 out of 25 citizens have already left Georgia's territory, without specifying which countries they are citizens of.

There are no official statistics on foreigners detained during the protests. Over 20 of the nearly 450 arrested were foreign nationals, most of them Russians, News Georgia reported, citing reports by NGOs and other media.

In December, foreigners who attended the protests began to be summoned en masse to the Migration Department.

Human rights activists noted that this practice did not comply with international standards and warned that the deportation of foreign nationals for participating in peaceful demonstrations was contrary to national law.

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Some 91 foreigners were ordered to leave the country between November and December 2024. According to News Georgia, more than a quarter of them participated in anti-government protests.

The ruling party, founded by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, has led Georgia closer to the Kremlin while hindering its accession to the European Union. The controversial foreign agents law adopted earlier this year led the EU to effectively freeze Georgia's accession process.

The parliamentary elections and ensuing political crisis sparked a wave of large-scale demonstrations in Tbilisi. A second round of protests kicked off when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia's integration into the EU could be postponed until 2028.

Read also: Protests in Georgia, explained

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Among the new laws taking effect in 2025: paid prenatal leave for pregnant workers in New York State.

News 8 heard from the state labor commissioner on the push for this change and how it will affect New Yorkers.

Its really about affordability. We know that New York State is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. This just adds to that. Now, you dont have to make that painful choice between a paycheck and a check-up, said Roberta Reardon, New York State Labor Commissioner.

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The new legislation requires all private sector employers in New York to provide up to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave for pregnant workers.

We ran some numbers and we found out there are approximately 125,000 pregnant workers a year across New York. With using the average wage across the state, that means over $500 for that worker over that year and thats a significant amount of money, said Reardon.

State leaders call it a gamechanger for those expecting, and a major step forward in reproductive health care as well as financial savings.

Reardon also addresses the possibility of retaliation in the future.

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Certainly with prenatal, if you are retaliated against, you should let us know and we will pursue that with your employer. Were working very closely with the business community to make sure they understand these new responsibilities and for the most part, the overwhelming amount of employers want to make sure theyre doing the right thing. They want to comply with the law and want to have a healthy workforce and this is actually part of it, she said.

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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Shreveports leaders say public safety is their number one priority after a New Years Day tragedy in New Orleans.

Shreveport has many parades and festivals and the recent tragedy on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter has people thinking about their safety.

Ruthie Shibres said, I really dont, I already told my grandson that Im not going to do it, its not like it used to be, things have changed out here, and you have to be really careful. Dr. Tommie Johnson said. I dont feel safe going too much anywhere nowadays.

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No city operations on these days in the City of Shreveport

The City of Shreveport says they have a task force that meets before events to develop safety and security plans. The meetings include but are not limited to fire, police, SPAR, SPORTRAN, and public works.

Corporal Chris Bordelon with Shreveport police told us they do many things proactively to try to deter incidents like the one in New Orleans and that when tragic events happen, they learn from those incidents.

The city uses the latest technology, including drones, tower cams, and cameras, to spot anyone trying to disrupt an event.

Police also have measures in place that the public may not necessarily know about, which they say could include snipers on rooftops, drones in the area, and undercover officers in the crowds.

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A woman has accused her husband and in-laws of harassment over dowry demands and being divorced via triple talaq on a video call. A case has been filed under the Muslim Women (Protection of Marriage Rights) Bill and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Mumbai police have registered a case against a man working in the United Kingdom (UK) and his parents for allegedly harassing his wife over dowry and divorcing her through triple talaq on a video call. The victim, a resident of Seawoods, filed the complaint with NRI Sagar Police, leading to charges under various sections of the Muslim Women (Protection of Marriage Rights) Bill and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Speaking to ANI, the victim alleges that her marriage to Aaqib Bhatiwala in 2022, conducted as per Muslim customs, initially appeared peaceful. However, after moving into her in-laws' residence in Wadala, the harassment began. Matters worsened when she travelled to the UK with her husband and in-laws, where the abuse reportedly continued. The victim claimed that following a domestic dispute, her husband confiscated her jewelry and sent her back to India, cutting off communication. Subsequently, she received a divorce through triple talaq during a video call. Even after returning to the UK, the victim claims she was denied entry to her husband's home. Based on her complaint, authorities have initiated an investigation into the matter. Triple Talaq is the process of divorce under Islamic law where a husband could divorce his wife by pronouncing 'Talaq' three times. In August 2017, a 5 Judge SC bench held that the practice of Talaq-e-biddat or Triple Talaq was 'manifestly arbitrary' and unconstitutional. In 2019, Parliament enacted the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 which made the practice of talaq-e-biddat a criminal act, punishable with up to three years' imprisonment. (ANI)
Jan. 3LIMA  Fourteen public school districts in Allen, Auglaize and Putnam counties now permit students to leave school mid-day to attend offsite Bible classes provided by LifeWise Academy or Kingdom Harvest Ministries.

The classes are becoming a popular option for parents who want their children to receive religious instruction during the school day without removing their children for private schools.

The released-time movement, which traces its roots to West Central Ohio, is meeting resistance from critics who worry about lost instructional time and peer pressure. But a provision to a bill passed by the Ohio General Assembly in December may require all public school districts to provide released time for students whose parents consent.

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LifeWise's local roots

Van Wert native Joel Penton popularized the released-time movement through his nonprofit LifeWise Academy, which streamlined the process for churches and faith communities to provide Bible classes to local schoolchildren.

The program provides everything from classroom curriculum to fundraising support and sample petitions for supporters to present to school boards, which must approve released-time policies before students can participate.

Penton relied on a little-known 1952 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, which upheld a New York law permitting students to leave school mid-day for religious instruction or practice, with written consent of the child's parent.

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Classes are held offsite, typically at a nearby church or building converted into classrooms, with transportation, instructors and supplies provided by the host program.

Students whose parents consent are dismissed from non-core classes like study hall, recess, gym or library, typically once per week, while other students stay behind.

Parents may grant or rescind permission for their child to attend LifeWise classes at any time during the school year.

Elida schools became the first district in Allen County to approve a released-time policy allowing students to leave for LifeWise classes in 2021.

Fourteen school districts in Allen, Auglaize and Putnam county now provide released-time for LifeWise or Kingdom Harvest Ministries, a similar program founded in Celina.

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"The parents get to decide if (their child) goes or not," said Aaron Rex, superintendent of Wapakoneta schools, which releases roughly 70 middle school students from specials classes for Kingdom Harvest Bible study one day per week, with more grades expected to be eligible soon.

Rex and other superintendents whose districts permit released time for LifeWise or Kingdom Harvest Ministries say they are not aware of any bullying incidents, with limited disruption to instructional time.

Students who stay behind on LifeWise days at Delphos schools may work on their homework or individual tutoring.

Bath schools releases students from its career assistance period, during which students work on homework, missed assignments or career exploration, while Shawnee, Elida, Spencerville and other districts release students during special periods like art, library, music or gym.

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"Students (with parental permission) are not treated differently, they simply choose what educational experiences they want to participate in," Shawnee Superintendent Don Diglia said. "They can go back and forth between participating in LifeWise or not. As a result, we are not aware of any bullying taking place one way or another."

Why some districts haven't opted in

LifeWise supporters approached the Lima school board several years ago in hopes of launching an academy for Lima students, but the school board declined.

Superintendent Jill Ackerman said the board opted to keep students in class due to concerns about test scores and mandates for instruction outside the core curriculum.

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"We need our kids in school," Superintendent Jill Ackerman said. "We need to improve our scores. ... It's really just about time."

The district, which is one of several in the region that have held off on released time for LifeWise and similar programs, may soon be required to dismiss students for religious instruction anyway.

Ohio law grants school boards discretion to determine whether students may be released from school for offsite religious classes, but LifeWise officials asked lawmakers to revise the law amid resistance from some school boards.

They succeeded last month when lawmakers added a provision requiring all public K-12 school districts to allow released time to House Bill 8, the so-called Parents' Bill of Rights concerning sexuality content in public schools, which became the final piece of legislation to pass through the General Assembly.

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The bill now awaits Gov. Mike DeWine's signature or veto.

Should the governor sign HB 8, Ackerman said Lima schools would likely accommodate released time programs during lunch or recess. "That would be the only time it would be convenient for them to go," she said.

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PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA)  With temperatures dropping next week, many people will start pulling out space heaters to keep warm.

News Channel 8 went to a Pasco County neighborhood near Heritage Park, to ask residents if theyve ever used space heaters.

2-alarm house fire in Oldsmar causes damage but no injuries

We have but because of the recent fire in the neighborhood, we are not using the space heater, said Carol Lamb, a neighbor.

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The fire on Christmas day left a womans front window boarded up with ash marks above it. Pasco County Fire Rescue updated the cause of the fire.

Theyre leaning to more of an electrical issue with the space heater, said Chris Julian, fire investigator with PCFR.

The fire department said damage to the house was between 5% and 10%.

Lamb, who lives nearby, said there are no fire hydrants in the neighborhood, so when firefighters responded she saw them bring big tanks of water. She said she was grateful for the response and how the community is helping the homeowner.

All the neighbors came, and everybody helped and gave the lady a place to live, Lamb said. She lost a couple of pets so that was hard.

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The homeowner didnt want to speak with the media but said she wouldnt wish this on anybody. She also asks people who are using space heaters to be careful.

News Channel 8 asked PCFR how quickly space heaters can ignite fires.

Very quickly, Julian said. If you throw a blanket on top a space heater, within seconds that blanket or bedding or curtain can catch fire.

Fire rescue said to follow these tips for safe space heater usage:

Keep flammable items 3 feet away from space heater.

Keep the space heater on a stable surface.

Keep the space heater away from pets and high traffic areas in your home.

Plug the space heater directly into the wall outlets, not in extension cords or power strips.

Check the power cord and see if the space heater is properly functioning according to the manufacturer.

Julian said space heaters draw a lot of energy and are sometimes underestimated.

Especially in Florida, we dont bring them out very often so they really  most likely  are not well maintained for a while so thats something you want to inspect before plugging in, Julian said.

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The fire in Lambs neighborhood turned her away from space heaters.

It was horrible, Lamb said. It was so close.

But they can be used safely, with precautions.

If you plan to use space heaters, you can also take time to check your smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

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MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD)Starting this weekend, guests can choose what they pay when visiting a popular local museum in Mount Pleasant on a certain day.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museums Pay What You Can Day is back. Beginning Jan. 4 and happening every Saturday in the month, visitors are encouraged to pay the amount they want for standard museum admission.

The annual tradition happens when museum officials adjust admission prices for visitor needs, but parking prices will remain at the same hourly rate.

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Admission tickets grant visitors access to explore the USS Yorktown, USS Laffey, and the Vietnam Experience. Special purchases must be made at the ticket booth.

As always, active-duty military in uniform and children under six are allowed free admission.

The museum is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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PEA RIDGE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  A vegetation fire in Pea Ridge spread from a controlled burn, threatening homes and vehicles before it was contained early Jan. 4.

The Pea Ridge Fire Department (PRFD) responded to the 16800 block of Highway 94 just before 11 p.m. on Jan. 3. Flames spread into a ravine, reaching treetops and sparking additional fires.

A house and several vehicles were at risk as the fire grew, according to a Facebook post from PRFD.

COURTESY: Pea Ridge Fire Department COURTESY: Pea Ridge Fire Department COURTESY: Pea Ridge Fire Department COURTESY: Pea Ridge Fire Department

PRFD called for help from six nearby fire departments, including Little Flock, Avoca, NEBCO, Bella Vista, Bentonville and Centerton. The Arkansas Forestry Division also sent a bulldozer to help contain the fire in thick vegetation.

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Lowell police arrest 72-year-old in death investigation

The fire was under control by 1 a.m on Jan. 4 and was limited to a few acres of woodland.

No injuries were reported, according to PRFD.

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FOUNTAIN HILL, Pa. (WHTM)  A Pennsylvania health network is one step closer to acquiring one of its smaller neighbors as a trend of mergers continues statewide.

St. Lukes University Health Network and Grand View Health announced Friday they have signed a definitive agreement to partner.

St. Lukes is based in Fountain Hill near Bethlehem and Grand View is in Sellersville.

WellSpan welcomes its first baby of 2025

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This is a strategic decision to assure Grand Views future for the benefit of our community and our patients, Doug Hughes, President & CEO of Grand View, said. Our Board of Trustees and senior leadership team welcome this opportunity to become part of St. Lukes, a network whose name is synonymous with quality, compassionate care, and an outstanding culture.

Grand View, as does St. Lukes, enjoys a long and proud history of providing high-quality and compassionate care to its communities, which is why the two organizations will be excellent partners, Rick Anderson, President & CEO of St. Lukes, said. All of us at St. Lukes are extremely honored and pleased Grand View will be joining our Network.

The two boards for both health networks were unanimous in approving the agreement, and the merger is expected to be completed in mid-to-late 2025, pending regulatory approval.

Grand View was founded in 1913 as Bucks Countys first hospital and has 2,000 employees. St. Lukes has 10 times as many, spread across 15 hospital campuses in eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey.

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The move comes four months after the two health networks signed a letter of intent to partner.

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It also comes five months after another Lehigh Valley-based health network completed a merger with a Philadelphia-based network.

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A 78-year-old pensioner has won a seven-year battle to halt the development of a solar farm in her village.

Chala Fiske took her local council all the way to the Court of Appeal to prevent the planned development going ahead and emerged with a landmark victory.

At one stage, the retired mathematicians husband worried she would go bankrupt as she battled the authority over the proposals in the historic settlement of East Wellow, Hampshire.

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Now the Ms Fiske is celebrating after forcing them to go back to the drawing board.

Im retired, Im an OAP, I dont like being bullied, she said.

Test Valley borough council (TVBC) first approved the plans for the 46 megawatt solar farm  which could power up to 14,000 homes  in 2017 which included more than 80,000 ground-mounted solar panels and an electricity substation.

The village of 3,000 people  where Florence Nightingale is buried  dates back to the Domesday Book and houses regularly sell for more than 800,000.

Food security is very important

Ms Fiske, who is originally from Thailand, has lived there since 1982 and objected to the solar farm from the start because she believes the farmland would be better used producing food.

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The problem I had with it is this country cant provide its own food, she said.

Weve got about 40 per cent food security and if we have the war, and were close to a war, we just wont be able to do anything.

We know we cant even fight a war, so food security on an island is very, very important, it really is.

The UK Governments website states that the country is highly dependent on imports to meet consumer demand for fruits, vegetables and seafood, while domestic production of food available in the UK is said to be around 60 per cent.

Ms Fiske added: Im not against the solar farm so much, Im against it because its on good land.

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She successfully challenged the council in the High Court in 2023, when a judge ruled that proposed amendments to Woodington Solar Farm werent compatible with planning conditions which had been put in place in 2017.

The council lost their appeal against this judgment on Dec 10 2024.

Hailing the landmark judgment, Ms Fiske said her seven-year battle has cost her 100,000, meaning shes spent the money she gained at the turn of the century when she was made redundant.

She said: TVBC mustve spent the same. In fact, they had two barristers, I only had one.

Im probably the first person who has ever done it against them, so theyre trying to make me an example of dont do it but Im the wrong person to do that to Im afraid.

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Ms Fiske, whose husband Anthony, 78, died in April 2024, said: My husband didnt even want me to do it because he thought I would go bankrupt.

She said she felt that residents ignorance about planning processes were being used and though she isnt a lawyer, she informed herself by reading the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

We are immensely pleased

In the future, she would like the development thats already been made on the solar farm to be undone, including the restoration of a footpath which was partly removed in the area to make way for heavy goods vehicles.

Ms Fiskes lawyer, Sara Hanrahan of firm Blake Morgan, said: The ruling is important for planning law. We are immensely pleased to have secured this outcome for our client who has fought long and hard to secure this landmark ruling.

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Local Conservative councillor Nick Adams-King said that TVBC is currently considering its options.

It has been seven, eight years since (the application) was originally lodged, he said.

I think times have changed and our need for energy infrastructure and our need for energy security has changed in the intervening eight years.

So, although it is large, I think it is something that is going ahead and is a positive thing from that perspective. Albeit I would rather it wasnt built in the location its been built.

A TVBC spokesman said: The council is currently considering the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of Test Valley Council vs Fiske, which relates to the construction of a solar farm at Woodington, East Wellow, before deciding what next steps need to be taken.

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(MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo.)  Manitou Springs Elementary School (MSES) has provided an update on the powder found in the school auditorium that caused two evacuations in December.

On Dec. 17, a visible powder was found in MSESs auditorium and some people reported symptoms of coughing and burning eyes, prompting an evacuation. A few days later, on Dec. 19, the school was evacuated again when staff experienced similar symptoms and the incident was determined to be related to a vacuum used to clean the auditorium.

According to MSES, while the substance could not be definitively identified, based on remnants of casing found in the auditorium, the substance was likely packed in a Pepper Ball. Pepper Balls are commercially available through various retailers including Amazon.

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The Colorado Bureau of Investigations (CBI) tested the substance and the vacuum used in the cleanup and found a weak presence of Capsaicinoid, the active ingredient in pepper spray, though the results were insufficient for definitive identification.

School officials reviewed video footage from the auditorium but the footage could not provide a conclusive answer to how the pepper ball was deployed.

I think at this point, we can safely say that a Pepper Ball was activated in the auditorium. Without knowing when or where it came from, it will be difficult to determine if it was deployed intentionally, said School Resource Officer, Mandy Strider. It could have fallen out of someones pocket that day, the night before, or at another time.

Since the discovery, MSES has been deep cleaned multiple times, and Superintendent of Manitou Springs School District Sean Dorsey wants to reassure the MSES families and staff that the building is safe.

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The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to ensure a secure environment at MSES. If you have any questions or concerns, please dont hesitate to reach out, wrote Superintendent Dorsey.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)  The 109th Pennsylvania Farm Show is upon us, and thousands packed the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg for the first day of the event.

Its the largest indoor agricultural expo in the United States, celebrating Pennsylvanias agriculture industry.

Keystone State products, from apples to hardwood and so much more, are featured throughout.

The Farm Show kicked off Saturday morning and runs through Jan. 11 at 5 p.m.

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Kaylee Lindenmuth / abc27 News

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Most of the holidays may be over, but winter is sticking around  and it's bringing freezing weather to Texas next week.

A polar vortex, a weather pattern similar to the historic winter storm that struck Texas in 2021  when every county in the state experienced below-freezing temperatures for the first time  is making its presence felt and is expected to reach Texas by Monday.

The upcoming polar vortex will bring arctic air from Canada down throughout most of the U.S. While not as severe as the 2021 Great Texas Freeze, the phenomenon will quickly drop temperatures into the 20s and 30s across Texas next week, down into the teens in some northern parts of the state.

What is a polar vortex?

A polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air that swirls around the Earth's poles, primarily in the stratosphere, creating a strong band of west-to-east winds. When this vortex weakens, it can send frigid air from the Arctic southward, bringing dangerously cold temperatures to mid-latitude regions like the southern United States.

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In 2021, the polar vortex prompted widespread power outages across Texas, resulting in rolling blackouts and leading to the deaths of 246 people.

When will the polar vortex reach Texas?

The effects of the polar vortex are expected to reach Texas on Monday and bring freezing or below-freezing temperatures throughout the week.

The impending event could bring snow to all 48 contiguous states, except for southern California, southern Florida, and southern Arizona. However, snowfall is unlikely in parts of Texas that are not in the northern regions, and any areas that do receive snow will likely experience only a brief period of accumulation, as temperatures are expected to warm back into the 40s during the daytime.

Models are pointing towards a cold start to 2025, but it's important to remember that it's way too early to pin point impacts to south-central Texas. For now, stay tuned for forecast updates from reliable sources. pic.twitter.com/0msa3hY2dt  NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) December 30, 2024

How cold will it get in Texas? See forecast map

The National Weather Service and NOAA forecast Texas temperatures will begin to dip Monday, with some North Texas regions seeing freezing temperatures. By Wednesday, most of the state will have high temperatures in the upper 30s and lows in the teens and low 20s. These will slowly creep back up by Thursday evening.

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As several cold fronts rush through Texas, the northern parts of the state will see the lowest temperatures.

Monday

Low temperatures for Jan. 6, 2024.

Tuesday

Low temperatures for Jan. 7, 2024.

Wednesday

Low temperatures for Jan. 8, 2024.

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Thursday

Low temperatures for Jan. 9, 2024.

How to prepare your home during freezing temperatures

To prepare your home for freezing temperatures, insulate exposed pipes, seal any drafts around windows and doors, and ensure your heating system is in good working order.

Here are some tips:

Insulate vulnerable pipes to prevent frozen pipes. When temperatures drop below 32 degrees, let a few faucets drip to prevent freezing and bursting. Open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air to reach the pipes.

Caulk gaps and openings around windows, doors, air conditioners, and mail chutes to prevent cold air from entering. For extra protection against heat loss, you can install weather stripping and seals.

Keep driveways and sidewalks free of ice and snow, and repair any step or handrail issues.

Winter brings more residential fires, so ensure all smoke detectors work by testing them monthly and replacing batteries as needed. Also, install a carbon monoxide detector to prevent toxic gas buildup.

Keep your thermostat at 65 degrees or higher and ensure your home is well-insulated. A programmable or energy-efficient thermostat can help maintain warmth in key areas while saving on energy costs.

The NWS Weather Prediction Center has general tips for staying safe in winter weather.

5 things to know about #winter weather forecasts ahead of the approaching January 4-6 winter storm! https://t.co/nvInkUltuv pic.twitter.com/dhMB01QDXL  NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) January 3, 2025

How long will the cold last?

These wintry conditions are predicted to sweep through Texas and move on by next weekend.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Polar vortex to hit Texas: 4 maps show how cold it'll get next week
A PCR call was received at 10:35 pm at police station PIA on Friday regarding a fatal accident over Telco T point Flyover, Road No 56, said police.

A broken piece of a yellow number plate with the number partially mentioned has been recovered from the spot, said police.

A hit-and-run case u/s 281/106(1) BNS PS PIA has been registered. Notably, 47-year-old Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Trilokpuri, Delhi, was posted as SI at Traffic Circle, Ghaziabad.

Further investigations into the matter are underway. More details are awaited. (ANI)
(KRON)  The San Leandro Police Department is asking for community assistance in locating a missing 56-year-old woman who has been diagnosed with mental health ailments.

Pamela Jones was last seen in the 300 Block of Juana Avenue in San Leandro around 7 p.m. on Thursday. Authorities said Jones was wearing a beige beanie, white shirt and gray pants at the time of her disappearance.

3 hospitalized after Downtown Oakland shooting: OPD

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Jones was diagnosed with mental health ailments but is believed to be taking her medication, according to authorities.

Anyone with information regarding Jones whereabouts is asked to contact the San Leandro Police Department at (510) 577-2740.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
The Metropolitan Police investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire has been delayed because of a lack of funding, victims families have been told.

Det Supt Garry Moncrieff has written to the survivors and the relatives of those who perished in the disaster to explain how a lack of financial investment had meant the force would not now meet a March 2026 target to complete its criminal inquiry.

The Mets new timescale estimates that the police probe will end in September 2026, meaning any Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) charging decisions will move from late 2026 into 2027, he said.

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Det Supt Moncrieff added: I know that would be 10 years after the tragedy, and I cannot begin to imagine the impact that will have on you.

A spokesman for Grenfell Next of Kin, a campaign group representing survivors and victims, said the letter had heaped injustice upon injustice.

They said: Lawyers have already made a lot of money out of the public inquiries. Now the police want to get in on the act by asking for more funding.

Det Supt Garry Moncrieff, who is leading the Mets investigation, examines evidence from the blaze in London - Lucy North/PA Archive

The spokesman added that because the inquests into the 72 people who died can only take place after the conclusion of any criminal prosecutions, the conclusion of all the cases could take up to 20 years to complete.

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They added: The families are furious and flabbergasted by the way they have been played by the entire system. And at this time of year, we are the ones with an empty chair, or several empty chairs, at our tables.

Det Supt Moncrieff, the senior investigating officer in the investigation, wrote to the families saying he had contacted ministers outlining a range of measures to attempt to find ways to speed up the probe and complete it by March 2026.

We await a response from [the] Government in respect of that request, he wrote in the letter, seen by The Telegraph.

He added: I am sorry to say that my assessment is that it will now take us until around September 2026 to submit the charge file to the CPS.

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I know that will be unwelcome news when we previously stated that we thought it would take 12-18 months from September 2024 when the inquiry published its final report.

My current view is that we will take around six months longer than we projected.

The letter said the initial team of 180 officers working on the case had been cut to 160 investigators, claiming it had been reduced slightly over time due to the significant demands on policing and difficulties the Metropolitan Police Services has in the recruitment of police officers.

Campaigners at a protest in June 2021 calling for justice for victims and survivors of the disaster - Guy Smallman/Getty Images Europe

Det Supt Moncrieff described the investigation as perhaps the most complicated  that UK policing has ever conducted because of the scale of the fire.

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Grenfell Next of Kin said the letter was particularly galling because the public inquiry had relied on police evidence and, by Det Supt Moncreiffs admission in his letter, there was nothing fundamentally different between what officers had found and what the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 report concluded.

The spokesman added: So why the extra delay? It is the taxpayer who is paying for all of this.

The second phase report made numerous recommendations. It also said that for decades central Government and construction industry bodies had failed to look into the danger of incorporating combustible materials into the external walls of high-rise blocks.

Tributes to those who died on a wall in the shadow of the tower block in west London - Hollie Adams/Bloomberg

Dept Asst Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: We cannot begin to imagine the impact on the bereaved families and survivors of a long and complex police investigation and the linked public inquiry. We recognise the frustrations of many that no criminal charging decision[s] have yet been made.

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Having made an initial assessment of the public inquiry Phase 2 report, we have updated them that we believe it will take us six months longer than planned, until autumn 2026, to conclude our investigation and submit charging files to the Crown Prosecution Service. We must not risk our investigation at this stage, we have one chance to get this right.

We continue to engage with the Home Office, and remain in ongoing discussions with them about funding and resources for the investigation to secure justice for those who died and all those affected.

A government spokesman said: We share the communitys determination to get to the truth of what happened and for those responsible to be held to account.

The Metropolitan Police are operationally independent, but we fully support all actions to hold parties to account and will fully support them and CPS as they complete their complex investigations and bring prosecutions to trial.

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VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)  Virginia Beach police are investigating a shooting that injured a female on Friday afternoon.

The call came in at approximately 4:45 p.m. for the shooting in the 5000 block of Ferrell Parkway.

The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of her injuries.

There is not a suspect in custody at this time.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.

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EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  An investigation is underway after police responded to a call for shots fired near an East Providence park Friday evening.

Officers tell 12 News they found numerous shell casings at the park on McCausland Avenue, but say no injuries or suspects have been reported at this time.

Neighbors tell 12 News police have been on scene for at least a couple of hours.

Several surrounding blocks are closed off, and a 12 News crew could see police tape in the area, as well as a drone hovering over McCausland Avenue. Rhode Island State Police were also present at the scene.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  A homicide investigation is underway following a deadly shooting Saturday morning at a home in southwest Oklahoma City.

According to authorities, officers arrived to a home in 9300 block of SW 45th Court just after 9 a.m. Saturday.

Deadly shooting in SW Oklahoma City. (KFOR)

Deadly shooting in SW Oklahoma City. (KFOR)

Upon arrival, officers determined several people were at a gathering at the home before two people got into an altercation. One person involved in the altercation pulled out a gun before fatally shooting the other person.

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Officials say the alleged shooter is in custody. Police are currently interviewing several witnesses as they work gather more information on the shooting.

Police said it was an isolated incident and there is no additional threat to residents living in the area.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
DENVER (KDVR)  Police are looking for a man who allegedly stole items and assaulted staff at a Target in Edgewater, according to the Edgewater Police Department.

Officers were called to a theft in progress at Target on Friday. Police said the suspect fled the scene and allegedly assaulted staff of the Target while leaving.

Snow plows help catch suspect in I-70 police chase

Police said the suspect drove away in a stolen red Jeep and eventually fled on foot through a neighborhood near W. 28th Avenue and Gray Street.

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The Jeep was recovered and other evidence was collected by police and investigators.

Investigators also believe the suspect may be associated with a woman driving a black Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT.

This is an active investigation and no suspects have been taken into custody.

Edgewater police ask community members who have information on the incident to contact the Edgewater Police Department at 303-980-7300 or CrimeStoppers.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A resident who lives near the scene of what police are calling a possible deadly road rage shooting said the investigation may include at least one person who ran from the scene, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

A person called police around 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29, to report they were taking their friend, a passenger who had been shot, to the hospital, police said.

The Clark County coroner later confirmed the identity of the shooting victim as Dasjan Winn, 35. His cause of death was listed as a gunshot wound of the head with the manner being homicide. Video of a dark-colored truck was released by Las Vegas Metropolitan police who said its connected to the shooting.

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On Friday, a man who lives in the area of Alta Drive and Jones Boulevard, where police said the shooting happened, said police came to his door to ask for video from his homes surveillance cameras.

Apparently he ran through my backyard, Stafford Singleton, the neighbor, said. We didnt get any footage of it though.

Police alerted the public to be on the lookout for the a pick-up truck they described as dark in color, possibly blue, Chevrolet driven by a man with brown hair and glasses.

However, Singleton said police asked him about a person who ran from the scene of the shooting, which police said began with a verbal altercation between occupants of the two pick-up trucks. Police said an exchange of gunfire led to the fatal shooting.

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As one pick-up truck drove southbound down Jones Boulevard, Singleton said police told him there may have been multiple people trying to escape the scene  both by a driver and possibly a runner.

I was looking at my ring camera and I was like, Oh the police are here, interesting,' Singleton, who has lived in that home for about five years, said.

Police said anyone with any information about the incident is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521, or by email at homicide@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555.

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DES MOINES, Iowa  Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham has reviewed the investigation conducted by the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation into a deadly officer-involved shooting in November and concluded that it was reasonable to use deadly force.

Charles Leonard, 70, was shot and killed by Des Moines police officers after he brandished what appeared to be a gun in the lobby of a residential tower in downtown Des Moines. It was discovered during the investigation that the gun Leonard was holding was a pellet gun, which closely resembled a real pistol. It was also discovered that the pellet gun did not have the orange safety cone attached that would have identified it as a pellet gun.

Woman rescued from pond at Water Works Park in Des Moines

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Graham released a letter on Friday detailing her findings, which said in part:

In regard to the specifics of Officer Herzogs and Officer Bishops conduct that day, I have reviewed all the body-worn camera footage of both of the named officers and other officers on scene, and have reviewed all of the evidence reviewed and produced by the Division of Criminal Investigation. We appreciate the thorough work of the DCI. Given all the circumstances, it was reasonable for Officer Herzog and Officer Bishop to conclude that their lives, the lives of other officers on scene, and the lives of everyone in the building and area were in imminent danger at the time the deadly force was used. Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham

Anytime we have a situation like this we invite and independent third-party to come in and do the investigation, and thats the Division of Criminal Investigation with the state and they gathered all the evidence, said Sgt. Paul Parizek, of the Des Moines Police Department. The investigation was sent onto the Attorney Generals Office and the County Attorneys Office and both of them reviewed all that, and it was pretty obvious to them that this was a justified shooting.

Sgt. Parizek went on to say that their goal is to de-escalate these kinds of situations before any shots are fired.

Ultimately, our goal is to get to a point where we can negotiate and de-escalate, and if we have a person who wants to participate in that process with us that helps so much because then were able to use our training to talk to them, work things down a little bit.

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The officers involved in the shooting remain on administrative assignment.

Metro News:

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A 14-year-old student was stabbed to death outside a government school in the national capital's Shakarpur area on Friday following a heated altercation. Seven suspects have been apprehended. "A 14-year-old student, Ishu Gupta, was killed in a stabbing incident outside the Rajkiya Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya No 2 in Shakarpur, Delhi, on January 3. The incident occurred during the dispersal of students after extra classes," as per an official statement. According to the police inquiry, a dispute between Ishu and another student escalated into violence. The student along with 3-4 accomplices attacked Ishu outside the school gate, with one of the assailants, stabbing Ishu in the right thigh. "Immediately, a team of police, Anti Narcotics Squad and Special Staff were directed to nab the assailants. The police have apprehended seven suspects in connection with the incident and are investigating their roles and motives. The deceased's body has been preserved for post-mortem examination," the release read. Further investigation is underway. (ANI)
VATICAN CITY (AP)  Pope Francis warned that bullying in schools prepares students for war rather than peace, in a speech to Catholic educators gathered at the Vatican on Saturday.

Speaking to about 2,000 Italian teachers, educators and parents, Francis stressed his message against bullying, asking the audience to pledge to fight against it both at school and at home.

The pontiff praised educational efforts at schools to promote peace, noting that imagining peace lays the foundations for a more just and fraternal world through every subject taught and through the creativity of children and young people.

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But if, at school, you wage war among yourselves or engage in bullying, you are preparing for war, not for peace, he said

The pope also called for more dialogue within families, emphasizing that it is dialogue that makes us grow.
For several days now, the Portuguese Navy has been monitoring five Russian warships that have been or are passing near the country's coast.

Source: Portuguese Navy; European Pravda

Details: The Portuguese Navy has been escorting five Russian vessels since 31 December. The warships in question are the landing ship Alexander Shabalin, the logistics support vessels Baltic Leader, Sparta II and General Skobelev, which are currently in the Mediterranean, and the Novorossiysk submarine, which is moving along the country's exclusive economic zone.

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This effort marked the 73rd monitoring mission conducted by the Portuguese Navy in 2024.

"The Navy's monitoring and surveillance activities guarantee the safety and security of the maritime space, which is subject to our national sovereignty, jurisdiction and responsibility. This helps to protect Portugal's interests and its critical infrastructure while ensuring compliance with our international commitments under the North Atlantic Alliance," the Portuguese Navy said in a statement.

Background:

Reports indicated that from 23 to 29 December, NATO fighter jets patrolling the Baltic States made two sorties to escort Russian aircraft.

It was also reported that Polish fishermen are facing GPS malfunctions in the Baltic Sea.

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A major winter storm is expected to unleash its fury on the Kansas City area this weekend, bringing freezing rain or drizzle and sleet before transitioning to heavy snow and possibly blizzard-like conditions, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service said.

The storm is expected to bring the metro its biggest snowfall in recent years, if not near record-setting snow.

As for the Kansas City metro, were looking at anywhere from 7 to 13 inches, said Randall Collier, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill.

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Kansas Citys record single day of snowfall is 16.1 inches, set on March 23, 1912.

It is extremely rare for the metro to have more than 10 inches of snow on a single day, occurring only seven times during its 137 years of recorded weather history, the weather service said on X, formerly Twitter. The record snowfall for Sunday is 10.1 inches, set in 1962.

The setup of the storm is being compared to the post-Thanksgiving 2018 blizzard-like winter storm that made a mess of highways across Kansas and Missouri, plunged thousands into darkness, and shut down Kansas City International Airport, stranding many holiday weekend travelers.

This post-holiday storm could be fairly similar to that storm. The difference is the freezing rain and sleet that will precede the snow in some areas, Collier said.

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Its not expected to be, right now, as much of just a straight blizzard, said Collier, who added the weather will be more variable early on. I think this will probably be a little bit less widespread than maybe the blizzard of 2018.

Winter warning timing changed

Due to the storms timing, The weather service adjusted the winter storm warning for Kansas City earlier. The warning is now in effect from noon Saturday until 3 a.m. Monday.

Collier said that the timing was adjusted because of a band of sleet and freezing rain, and maybe even a bit of snow is expected to move into the area between Interstate 70 and U.S. 36 highway in the afternoon.

At least for extremely eastern Kansas and western Missouri, were expecting it to start around this afternoon, said Collier.

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In the Kansas City area, that could be as early as sometime between noon and 3 p.m., he said.

Were expected to kind of ramp up a little bit slowly and move a little further east. Then by tonight, were expecting to just be fairly widespread across the northern half of Missouri and the eastern parts of Kansas.

Sleet and freezing drizzle are expected to fully transition to snow Sunday morning and afternoon across the region.

By Sunday evening, you start to see a little bit more of those more rapid snowfall rates, Collier said.

Winds will also pick up on Sunday, so theres a chance to see blizzard-like conditions. Collier said the strong, gusty winds and snow will continue into the night and may linger into early Monday morning.

Local Radar Image

Will snow be on the ground Sunday morning?

Those waking up without snow shouldnt celebrate prematurely, thinking the storm might have missed them. It depends where you are, Collier said.

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If youre in northern parts of Missouri, kind of along the (U.S. 36) highway corridor, you definitely should see snow, Collier said. If youre like south of (I-70), you may have some snow accumulating already, but a lot of it will be more so ice and sleet.

The bulk of the snow is expected to fall during the day on Sunday.

Snowfall totals are expected to be 8 to 13 inches along and north of I-70, with heavier amounts expected around the St. Joseph area, where 10 to 17 inches of snow will be possible. According to the weather service, areas south of I-70 will see much less, between 3 and 8 inches of snow.

As for accumulating ice, between .1 and .4 of an inch of ice is likely along and south of U.S. 50 highway in south Kansas City.

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The area with the greatest uncertainty as to snowfall totals is along I-70, including the Kansas City metro, where warm air aloft could determine the amount of snow.

Thats kind of like a little bit of a variable how far north, or even how far south, that warm air extends, Collier said. That will determine the kind of precip that we get  whether itll be a little bit more on the snow side or a little bit more on the sleet side.

However, there is little doubt that the storm will not materialize in the Kansas City area.

I dont think this storm is going to miss us, Collier said.

The forecast models, weather patterns, and even the comparison to the post-Thanksgiving storm of 2018 indicate that things have aligned with where they are confident in the forecast.

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Bitterly cold weather will move into the area in the wake of the storm system. Overnight temperatures will plunge below zero, with wind chill values close to -15 degrees each morning through Thursday.

Because of the storm, the weather service advises that Sunday travel will be difficult, if not impossible.

Stay off the roads if you can, Collier said. Stay hydrated, stay indoors, maybe pack an emergency kit, potentially prepare for power outages and yeah, just be safe.

Weather watches and warnings

A live data feed from the National Weather Service containing official weather warnings, watches, and advisory statements. Tap warning areas for more details. Sources: NOAA, National Weather Service, NOAA GeoPlatform and Esri.

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Heading back to classes Monday, Chicago Public School students will return to a district different from the one they left for winter break.

Its been just over two weeks since the Chicago Board of Education unanimously voted to oust CEO Pedro Martinez. The monthslong conflict reached a boiling point on the last day of school before winter break, when dozens of speakers stood before Martinez at a special board meeting, ridiculing him and telling him his time has finally come.

I hope you never forget any of the students at (Marine Leadership Academy) and those who were affected by your lack of integrity, professionalism, accountability and lack of empathy and ethics, said Luz Sarama referring to what she alleged was Martinezs inaction regarding abuse of power, misuse of funds and mental and physical harm of students at the school.

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While many of the two dozen speakers at the meeting expressed their disdain for the CEO  several among them parents of CPS students and graduates  others who spoke to the Tribune after Martinezs ouster say they disagree with the boards decision.

Anna Pavichevich, a retired CPS principal with a long family lineage in the district, said she is concerned what this kind of leadership change could mean for CPS.

Pavichevich said she is stunned by the complete and total disregard by the board of the voices of the over 700 administrators who signed a letter in December, advocating for Martinez to keep his position as CEO.

The 700 CPS administrators who are responsible for the education and the care of the children of this city have been told by this mayor that he doesnt care what they think, Pavichevich said. So I have no evidence that this mayor is making any decisions other than those that are self-serving.

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CPS parent Maria Ugarte, who said she faced several challenges under Martinezs leadership, is among those who approve of the CEOs dismissal.

Ugarte maintains the lack of effective leadership under Martinez is something only those directly impacted can truly understand. The mother of two said its been a nightmare since shes begun fronting the cost of transporting her daughter to school 40 minutes each way after the district stripped her of the stipend she was granted. She said her concerns about her daughters principal have continued to fall on deaf ears when she shared them with Martinez and the board.

When they talk about Pedro Martinez and his lack of leadership, his lack of understanding  I agree because Im going through that, Ugarte said. Not thinking about most of the families that are affected  our low-income community, our working community. Its just unacceptable the way they treat us.

Ugarte and her daughter were impacted by the districts decision to cut busing to selective enrollment schools last school year. The long commute to and from Inter-American Magnet School every day has taken a mental and financial toll on her and her elementary school daughter, she said. While it was her choice to enroll her child in the school, Ugarte said she only did to give her daughter the best education possible.

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CPS does not give resources to the neighborhood schools, Ugarte said. Most of the families that go to Inter-American are families that  are looking for the best for our kids.

However, for Mike Ngan, CPS alumnus and father of two current students, stability within the district is the top priority.

After living through the 2019 Chicago Teachers Union strike as well as the pandemic, Ngan said its important for kids to be able to attend school without disruption so theyre able to receive a quality education.

As tensions mounted between Mayor Brandon Johnson and Martinez regarding the short-term loan Johnson was gunning for to fund the CTU contract, many parents disagreed with the CEOs punishment as they believed he was only doing what was right for the district. To them, it doesnt justify his recent termination.

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He didnt do anything irresponsible, Ngan said. He didnt fail at his job, in my opinion, so it doesnt give me any reason to believe that he needs to be fired.

The board should serve as a power check to Johnson, according to Ngan. But the previous boards resignation, he said, reflected the boards inability to represent the CPS families without the mayors influence. Johnsons current seven-member board  appointed in October, and new president, Sean Harden, appointed last month  is a consolidation of political power.

Thats not an appropriate thing to do, Ngan said. As a CPS parent, I dont think any of our opinions were registered. Theres no reason for me to believe that firing him or not firing him is for the benefit of the students or the CPS system.

Carolina Barrera Tobon, another parent at Inter-American, said the CEOs inaction to discipline a principal whos allegedly been violating innumerable policies caused her to lose faith in not only Martinez but the district as a whole.

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There were some racial issues, racial application of policies that until we got the media involved, CPS didnt seem to care, Tobon said. Thats a very common theme unless you embarrass CPS  they dont seem to pay attention.

Having been an involved parent in the district for decades, Tobon was initially impressed by Martinez when he stepped into his role as CEO in 2021. However, she said she has been disappointed by his inability to address some parents and students biggest issues.

Despite that, Tobon said she feels conflicted about Martinezs termination.

Im disappointed in (Martinez) but I think that procedurally there have been some issues with how this was handled, Tobon said, referring to the drama in the months before last months board vote. I also think it makes no sense that  we wouldnt wait for the elected school board to make the decision.

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While shes disappointed that Martinez and the previous board did not listen to concerns brought to them by parents, Tobon said that she appreciates Martinez standing up to the mayor regarding the short-term loan.

Feeling ambivalent about the decision made by the board, Tobon said she can only hope that the change in leadership doesnt terribly disrupt the district. Feeling as though Johnson is working as a proxy for the Chicago Teachers Union, Tobon said she thinks the mayor is working in its interests rather than parents.

Thats disappointing, Tobon said. This was 100% done by the mayor without our input. Why not wait until the people that were elected were in office?
A new report by the Rhode Island Department of Housing department recommends ways to streamline housing governance across the state. (Image via iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Entering its third year as a cabinet-level agency, Rhode Islands Department of Housing plans to reinvent itself, and it all starts with a new name: the Executive Office of Housing.

The name change is just one of many proposals under the departments organizational plan submitted to the General Assembly at the end of 2024. The plan aims to bring more decision making under the states umbrella.

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The states housing crisis demands coordinated action, Housing Secretary Deborah Goddard said in a statement Thursday. By consolidating resources and aligning efforts, we can deliver meaningful change for families and communities in need.

The General Assembly as part of its fiscal year 2025 budget called for the housing department to review and recommend ways to streamline housing governance across the state. The 141-page report was due Dec. 31 and was promptly delivered, unlike past requests made by the legislature to the department.

The states first housing secretary, Joshua Saal, came under scrutiny in his final month on the job after he missed a deadline to submit a required report meant to provide comprehensive data on the states housing situation.

His successor, Stefan Pryor, was late to submit data to the Senates Fiscal Office about how much remaining pandemic relief funds the department was sitting on as of late 2023.

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And the past reports that were submitted late were not nearly as comprehensive or well-organized as this one, Rep. June Speakman, a Warren Democrat and chair of a legislative panel studying affordable housing, said in an interview Friday. This is professional.

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is still reviewing the report, chamber spokesperson Larry Berman said in an email Friday evening.

I anticipate the report will be presented by the Housing Department at future public commission meetings for discussion, Shekarchi said in a statement.

In order to streamline operations at the proposed Executive Office of Housing, the plan calls on the state to merge the Housing Resources Commission and the homelessness advisory council into a single advisory body. The department also recommends making the housing secretary the permanent chair the board of commissioners for RIHousing, the quasi-state agency that finances affordable home construction  a role still held by former Secretary Pryor, who left his post in July.

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RIHousing Executive Director Carol Ventura did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Im a fan of consolidation  we are a small state, Speakman said. But having multiple blocks in the org chart makes me a little concerned  Im going to have to think about it and process it some more.

Housing Network of Rhode Island Executive Director Melina Lodge opposes the departments plan to consolidate more power. She said the proposal could create a more efficient system, but thats under the presumption there will always be an administration that wants to build more homes.

It is entirely possible that we end up with leadership that doesnt care quite the same way about housing, Lodge said in an interview.

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However Lodge favored the name change. In becoming an executive office, she said it will have more autonomy after bouncing from the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation to the Department of Administration.

It really just codifies that its a standalone entity and not subservient to another state body, Lodge said.

Such changes would require General Assembly approval. Speakman said she would like to see legislation considered at the State House this year.

Theres no money involved in any of these proposals that I could see, Speakman said. Presumably this consolidated structure would bring more efficiencies.

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ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  One of the nations largest public power utilities is looking to expand one of its power plants in South Carolina. The Rainey Generating Station near Iva is approved for an expansion of its power plant.

$470 million will be invested by Santee Cooper, a power and water provider in South Carolina.

The goal is to meet the growing demand on its electric grid.

Santee Cooper has a comprehensive long range plan for building new generation and to meet all of that demand, but short term, we thought, what can we do thats going to get power out there for the people sooner to meet the shorter term need, said Mollie Gore, Santee Cooper spokesperson.

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Santee Cooper utility company said the three year project will create three hundred construction jobs and seven full time jobs.

The expansion includes adding a turbine that creates power from steam and two heat recovery steam generators.

What it does is it gives us an opportunity to generate about 20% more power at that station using the existing station, and not increasing fuel cost and not increasing our emissions rate, said Gore.

Other components would capture the waste heat from two existing simple cycle units and use that heat to generate more electricity.

Its a great opportunity for affordable, reliable, sustainable power for our customers, said Gore.

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The expansion will deliver enough electricity to serve 89,000 homes.

They are supporting this because they recognize the benefit that it can offer in terms of continued reliable, producing more power without increasing fuel costs, sustainability and again, producing more power without increasing the emissions rate coming from those units, said Gore.

Santee Cooper said the next step is getting approval from the South Carolina Public Service Commission.

The hearing will be next week, but an official decision will be made in February or March. If approved, then the project will be complete in about three years.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded quickly with social-media posts and gave information to authorities following Wednesdays Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas, earning him props from PR experts and law enforcement.

When a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, CEO Elon Musk sprung into action.

While Musk may not believe in PR (he practically disbanded the PR teams at both Tesla and his social network, X) his quick response to Wednesdays Cybertruck explosion has earned him praise from experts.

The Tesla CEO, who has been adamant on social media that his companys vehicles are no more flammable than the average combustion vehicle, was quick to call out headlines that he said were misleading and seemed to placed blame on the Cybertruck itself for the explosion.

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While seven people apart from the Cybertrucks driver were injured in the explosion, Musk pointed out that the vehicle resisted the explosion well and added that the perpetrator made a big mistake.

The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards, Musk posted on X Wednesday. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken.

By taking to X to respond soon after the incident occurred, Musk was able to help shape the narrative, said Ryan McCormick, cofounder and managing partner of Goldman McCormick PR, which specializes in crisis management.

It is so important to act quickly in these situations, because people are coming to their own conclusion, and they are formulating their own opinion, McCormick told Fortune. If there's no response by you, they are coming to their own conclusion.

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From the outset, Musk made it clear he and his team were working to get more information.

The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now, he posted on X Wednesday afternoon. Will post more information as soon as we learn anything. Weve never seen anything like this.

In subsequent posts, Musk kept his audience of more than 200 million followers informed with details of the investigation. Before authorities announced at a press conference that the Cybertruck bed was filled with fuel canisters and fireworks, Musk had already sent out several tweets with detailed information.

We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself, he posted over 90 minutes before the press conference. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion."

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Less than 15 minutes later, he added: Law enforcement currently believes it was most likely intentional. And in less than an hour, Musk declared the incident appears likely to be an act of terrorism, and theorized it could be linked with a suspected act of terror in New Orleans earlier the same day.

Authorities have since found several commonalities between the two suspects involved in both the New Orleans attack and the Cybertruck explosion.

Musks use of his social media platform X helped him reach a massive audience but it also showed his characteristic brashness when he threatened media outlets with lawsuits for their coverage of the incident, said Kyle Ankney, a 10-year PR pro and cofounder of Wisteria PR.

When he wasn't having his, I would say, more egocentric moments, I do think it was beneficial for him to capitalize on the platform, Ankney told Fortune.

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Still, Musks aggressive action, and his efforts to aid the investigation by sending footage of the Cybertruck at Tesla charging stations to authorities, earned him props from law enforcement as well.

"I have to thank Elon Musk, specifically," said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill Wednesday. "He gave us quite a bit of additional information in regards to howthe vehicle was locked after it exploded due to the nature of the force from the explosion as well as being able to capture all of the video from the Tesla charging stations across the country. He sent that directly to us, so I appreciate his help on that.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
As Winter Storm Blair approaches Greater Cincinnati and is expected to bring heavy snow to the region, local officials are urging the public to be prepared.

The Ohio Emergency Management Agency said it is ready to provide resources and support to its partners across the state in the wake of a significant storm. Heavy snowfall may cause widespread, dangerous travel conditions and damage to trees, powerlines and structures, the agency said in a news release.

Ohio is facing a winter storm that is predicted to hit on Sunday, and I encourage Ohioans to be ready for the forecasted snow and ice, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in the release. Please be weather aware and prepared.

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Saturday update: Winter storm warning issued for Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky

The National Weather Service in Wilmington issued a winter storm warning for all of Greater Cincinnati, which will be in effect from Sunday morning until Monday night. A winter storm warning means a significant winter storm is imminent and is a danger to life and property. The warning was issued for:

Butler, Warren, Clinton, Ross, Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Highland, Adams, Pike and Scioto counties in Ohio.

Franklin, Ripley, Dearborn, Ohio and Switzerland counties in Indiana.

Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties in Kentucky.

Forecasters are predicting that total snow accumulations between 5 and 9 inches and ice accumulations up to a tenth of an inch will also be possible.

The following is information compiled from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather Service and Duke Energy regarding how to prepare for the storm.

A Cincinnati city worker salts the sidewalk in Over-The-Rhine during a snow storm in 2022.

Three steps to take to prepare for the winter storm

Prepare your home:

Make a household plan.

Build an emergency kit.

Be cautious of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Check the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.

Learn how to keep pipes from freezing.

Prepare your cars:

Check tires and fluids.

Fill your gas tank.

Keep an emergency kit in each car.

Prepare your family:

Check the weather forecast.

Make sure you have layers of light and warm clothing available.

Check on your neighbors who may need assistance.

Know where to receive emergency communications, alerts and warnings.

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More: Cincinnati expands warming shelter services, hours ahead of winter storm

More details: How to prepare for the winter storm

Make a household plan: Plan for the needs of each member of your household, keeping in mind if certain members need medical or mobility equipment. Also, consider the needs of your pets. Make sure to communicate the plan to all household members.

Build an emergency kit for your home that includes:

Nonperishable food.

Manual can opener.

Disposable plates, cups and utensils.

First-aid kit.

Flashlights/lanterns with spare batteries.

Five gallons of water (per person).

Rubber boots, sturdy shoes.

Prescription medicines.

Pet supplies.

Cellphone and chargers.

Nonelectric clock.

Baby supplies.

Be cautious of carbon monoxide poisoning: Know how to safely use generators to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Generators and fuel should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages. Also, make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home.

Build an emergency kit for your car that includes:

First-aid kit.

Blankets.

Cold weather gear.

Flashlight.

Extra batteries.

Water.

Snacks.

Cell phone charger.

Emergency flares.

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Check on your neighbors and family members: Make sure your neighbors and family have adequate heating and enough food and water to sustain the storm.

Know where to receive alerts: The Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency is encouraging people to sign up for its system, which the agency says is "the best way to receive important information about hazards that may impact your safety." To sign up, visit AlertHC.org. To sign up for phone and email alerts from Duke Energy about power outages, visit duke-energy.com/outages/alerts.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati weather: How to prepare for incoming winter storm, snowfall
Jan. 3ALBUQUERQUE  Apartment 505 had all the trappings of a normal one-bedroom  a book of crossword puzzles on the coffee table, a can of Campbell's soup on the kitchen counter, a pot of faux succulents on the toilet tank.

It even had a welcome mat and a painted sign by the front door, announcing its uniquely New Mexican house number.

In reality, apartment 505 isn't an apartment at all; it's a training ground.

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Located on the first floor of Presbyterian Healthcare Services' administrative complex in northern Albuquerque, the imitation apartment is just one of many hyperrealistic training spaces housed in the company's Healthcare Advanced Learning Lab.

Better known as the HALL, the facility opened in October and has already hosted trainings for more than 200 of Presbyterian's new employees and nursing students, said Zach Fierro, Presbyterian's director of clinical education.

In the future, Presbyterian officials hope to open up the HALL to high school and middle school students, first responders and other community partners as a place to continue training or spark an interest in the medical field.

"This is a safe place to learn, but overall, it's a safe place to make mistakes. You'd rather [have] them make mistakes here than on an actual individual," Fierro said.

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Initially funded by $3 million each from Presbyterian and its foundation arm, the HALL was designed to serve as one more way to tackle the state's ongoing shortage of health care providers, particularly nurses.

Across the country and in New Mexico, the post-pandemic nursing shortage "disrupted the health care environment greatly," said Holly Muller, Presbyterian's chief nursing officer.

"Since that time, there are numerous roles in health care that are vacant  physicians, nurses, therapists, technicians," she said.

In a September presentation before the Legislature's Health and Human Services committee, Troy Clark, president and CEO of the New Mexico Hospital Association, said the state is still short-staffed 8,800 nursing positions.

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"We have a shortage of health care workers. And so, how do we do our part to try to ensure that we are engaging the next generation of health care workers?" Fierro said.

The HALL can't offer on-the-job training, but it gets pretty darn close.

At the center of the facility, a cluster of rooms simulate inpatient medical facilities, including an emergency room and post-operation room. Another room simulates an outpatient clinic visit, set up to look exactly like Presbyterian's primary care facilities.

Advanced, articulable manikins sit inside most of the rooms, as if waiting for care. One of the manikins can give birth; another simulates her infant child in need of neonatal care.

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As trainees care for the "patients," instructors control the manikins  increasing their heart rates, for instance  from nearby computers.

Apartment 505, meanwhile, serves its own purpose as an in-home setting to train home health care providers and paramedics.

So far, several groups of trainees have moved through the HALL. That includes newly hired nurses and those filling nursing support roles, like medical assistants and nurse techs, slated to step into Presbyterian's inpatient, outpatient, emergency department and urgent care settings.

Students in the Presbyterian Nursing Career Pathways program, through which students earn degrees in nursing while being Presbyterian employees, have also learned in the HALL.

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The facility and the programs it houses, Fierro said, are "going to help us with the staffing shortages that we have here at Presbyterian, but overall it benefits the state, too.

"The more nurses that we have, the more that we can provide to our patients," he added.
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  In 2023, Dr. T. Ramon Stuart made headlines when he began serving as president of WVU Tech in Beckley, becoming the first Black president at the institution.

Stuart grew up in Welch in McDowell County, a county marked by persistent poverty, and his trek back to southern West Virginia from Georgia was a celebrated homecoming.

On Friday, January 3, 2025, the two-year anniversary of his arrival in Beckley, he said one goal of the team at WVU-Tech is to make education accessible to more families in southern West Virginia.

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Dr. Stuart is well-known locally as a pioneer of what he has coined communiversity, the notion that a university should be a partner with, and a vital part of, the community, with each helping the other to thrive.

WVU Tech students plant a pollinator garden

Being a native of the free state of McDowell County and understanding what southern West Virginia was and understanding what southern West Virginia can be, Ive been posing some questions. Ive always asked, Why not us, and why not now?' Dr. Stuart said on Friday.

Stuart pointed out that WVU Tech employs 285 people, all of whom he said aims to bring prosperity and educational attainment to local residents and to develop the region in the long-term.

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WVU Tech Campus Complete Streets Improvement project nets $10.4 million in DOT funds

Part of the effort is to make education accessible to families in southern West Virginia and to help create a thriving job market.

We have the number one return on investment of any other institution, so that when we educate you, we graduate you, we can employ you in a way that allows you to live, work, play and raise a family here, said Dr. Stuart.

Michael Resare, the city manager for the City of Beckley, pointed out that larger cities often partner with local universities in order to recruit talent and to develop the local workforce, a symbiotic relationship which benefits both the university and the city.

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On Friday, Resare said that WVU Tech is an asset to the City of Beckley and said that he looks forward to being in communiversity as one means of ensuring Beckley thrives.

WVU Tech announces the Southern West Virginia Success Program, expanding access to higher education

He said that he has spoken with the WVU Tech president about utilizing the civil engineering program at WVU Tech in a way which will benefit city development and build relationships.

Having that connection with the students and the faculty and the university will help bring a better connection with the university itself and the city, explained Resare. Hopefully, some of the students that go through that program can find jobs with the city or around here, locally.

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Studies show that dropping out of college likely cuts a students projected lifetime earnings more than 40 percent.

Data compiled by Statistia shows that in 2023, nearly 12 percent of West Virginians had some college but did not complete a degree.

Dr. Stuart said that a goal of WVU Tech admissions officers is to work with those students in order to ensure they earn a degree.

WVU Tech also offers admission to high school seniors in southern West Virginia who have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, as part of the Communiversity initiative.

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As Prayagraj gears up for the Mahakumbh Mela, a large number of foreign devotees are also arriving at the "Kriyayoga Ashram and Research Institute Of Swami Yogi Satyam" camp at Mahakumbhand to participate in yoga classes. Swami Bhavanand, a resident of Brazil and Kriya Yoga trainer at the Kriyayoga Ashram and Research Institute of Swami Yogi Satyam said that Kriya Yoga and the Kumbh Mela are inseparable. "I realized that Kriya Yoga and Kumbh Mela are one because every year Guruji organizes a program at the Kumbh Mela, and devotees from the world come every year. Now, many foreigners are coming every year," Swami Bhavanand told ANI. Swami Bhavanand recalled his first visit to India saying, "I came here in 2007; it was Ardha Kumbh Mela. As I entered the camp, I started practising Kriya Yoga and I felt so much peace and joy. I have traveled all over the world, practiced different spiritualities, and never knew the importance of a true guru. When I met Guruji and Kriya Yoga, I realized that Kriya Yoga is a complete science that joins all different spiritualities, all different religions. Through Kriya Yoga meditation, we can experience what Lord Krishna has said: 'I am present in the heart of all, all are present in my heart.' We can experience this through the practice of Kriya Yoga." Meera Mata, a devotee who previously worked at Microsoft in Canada, said, "Before I came to India to learn Kriya Yoga under the guidance of Guruji, I was in Canada with a promising career at Microsoft. Despite my success, I had a deep yearning to seek the truth and understand the purpose of life. That's when I was introduced to Guruji. I left my job and moved to India, not knowing exactly what to expect, but driven by the desire to find God, truth, and the true purpose of life. Guruji's teachings in Kriya Yoga have been the answer." The Mahakumbh, which is held once every 12 years, is scheduled to begin on January 13 and conclude on February 26, in Prayagraj. The main bathing rituals, known as the Shahi Snan (royal baths), will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami). (ANI)
GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  A little over three months ago, Hurricane Helene made Pretty Place Chapel almost unrecognizable. Now it is officially back open.

The YMCAs Pretty Place Chapel was able to rebuild with help from across the entire country. President and CEO, Sam Franklin, said that during the storm, the roof was ripped off the chapel, taking out most of the benches.

We had to take out all the benches in the chapel, and it seats around three hundred when its completely full, Franklin said.

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The renovation totaled around $450,000, which was raised by donations from people all across the country. Franklin said 33 states were involved, from as far as Alaska.

On average we have about 300,000 people a year that visit the chapel from all around the country, said Franklin. So again, not surprising about the support that we had. Big thank you to our staff, our volunteers, our alumni for everything theyve done over the past few months.

He said now, people from all walks of life can enjoy this space.

Its just joyous, Franklin said. I think for us to get the chapel back up and running, its just such a beacon of hope.

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The chapel will be open through the weekend from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

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LONDON (AP)  Prince William expressed his shock and sadness Saturday at the news of the death of his former nannys stepson in the New Year's truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people.

Londons Metropolitan Police confirmed Saturday that they are supporting the family of 31-year-old Edward Pettifer, including helping them through the process of returning his body to the U.K. Pettifer was from west London.

In a statement on social media, the Prince of Wales said he and his wife, Catherine, were shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack."

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Pettifer was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who was the nanny for both William and his brother, Prince Harry, between 1993 and 1999, which included time after the death of their mother Princess Diana in 1997. Legge-Bourke, who is also known as Alexandra Pettifer, was regularly photographed with Diana.

British media also reported that King Charles III is said to be deeply saddened by the news and that he has sent his condolences to Pettifer's family.

In a statement, Pettifers family said they were devastated at the tragic news of Eds death and described him as a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.

We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack, the family added.

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The U.K.s Foreign Office also said it was supporting Pettifer's family and was in contact with U.S. authorities.

Authorities say 14 people were killed and about 30 were injured in the attack early Wednesday by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a former Army soldier who posted several videos on his Facebook hours before the attack previewing the violence he would unleash and proclaiming his support for the Islamic State militant group. The coroners office listed the cause of death for all 14 victims as blunt force injuries.

Jabbar, 42, was fatally shot in a firefight with police at the scene of the deadly crash on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans historic French Quarter.

___

This story corrects the 2nd paragraph to delete incorrect reference to Pettifer being the last victim to be identified.
Neither Prince William nor King Charles plan to attend Jimmy Carters funeral next week, following the former presidents death on Sunday at age 100.

As of Friday, the British royal familys Royal Diary only lists the monarchs younger brother, Prince Edward, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, as being an attendant of the State Funeral on Jan. 9.

Following 76-year-old Charles cancer diagnosis early last year, William has attended certain events on his fathers behalf, as he did last month at the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, where he rubbed elbows with President-elect Donald Trump.

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Earlier this week, Charles expressed his great sadness over Carters death on Dec. 29, nearly two years into hospice care.

Carters funeral on Thursday will be held at the Washington National Cathedral and is considered a potential target for violent extremists to attack, according to a new security assessment obtained by ABC News.

The document attributes the risk to the large gathering of senior U.S. government officials, foreign dignitaries, and heads of state, as well as the symbolic nature of the venues and media attention expected.

Its unclear if the absences of William and Charles are because of previous commitments or security concerns. As of Friday, neither had any official engagements listed for next week in the Royal Diary.

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Carters funeral will take place just three days after Congress certifies Trumps election win and less than two weeks before his second inauguration on Jan. 20.

Back in August, Carters grandson Jason told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the former politician was only trying to make it to his milestone birthday on Oct. 1 in order to cast his vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

In 2018, Carter referred to Trump as a disaster ... in human rights and in treating people equal.

_____
Prince William expressed his grief on Saturday after learning that Ed Pettifer, the stepson of his former nanny, was killed in the New Years Day terrorist attack in New Orleans.

Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer, the Prince of Wales wrote on social media. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.

Pettifer, 31, lived in London, and the citys Metropolitan Police announced his death on Saturday. He was visiting Louisiana with a friend, The Sun reported.

Ed Pettifer in a photo provided by the Metropolitan Police. Metropolitan Police

Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who worked as a nanny for both William and Prince Harry in the 1990s, married Pettifers father in 1999. She is still close to both princes, and was reportedly named godmother to Harry and wife Meghan Markles 5-year-old son, Archie.

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Pettifer was one of 14 people killed on Jan. 1, when Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck onto a crowded Bourbon Street. Jabbar, a United States citizen who had declared his support for the terror group ISIS, was killed in a shootout with police.

Related...
The Prince of Wales has spoken out following the murder of his former nannys stepson, Edward Pettifer.

Pettifer, whose stepmom was Prince William and Prince Harrys nanny Tiggy Pettifer, was identified as one of the 14 victims killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack on New Years Day.

In a statement, the future king, 42, said: Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.

This family handout issued by the Metropolitan Police on Saturday Jan. 4, 2025 shows Edward Pettifer, 31, who was killed in the truck attack in New Orleans on New Years. AP

Princes William and Harry are seen with their beloved nanny Tiggy in the 1990s. PA Images via Getty Images

Pettifer, 31, died from blunt force injuries after Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a rental pickup truck down Bourbon Street in the French Quarter just after 3 a.m. on Wednesday, per the BBC.

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Pettifer was the oldest child of ex-Coldstream Guards officer Charles Pettifer and Camilla Wyatt. The couple  who also share son Harry, 29  parted ways before Charles went on to marry Tiggy.

Tiggy cared for Princes William and Harry from 1993 to 1999, and supported them through the death of their mother, Princess Diana.

The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many, Pettifers family said in a statement.

We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you.

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According to the BBC, King Charles has contacted the Pettifer family to share his condolences.

The former nanny has two sons of her own: Tom, 22, who is Prince Williams godson, and Fred, 23, who is Prince Harrys godson. Tom was also a page boy at the William and Kates 2011 wedding.

Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales attend The Royal Variety Performance 2023 at Royal Albert Hall on November 30, 2023 in London, England. WireImage

Tiggy Petttifer is pictured. The former royal nanny is still close to Princes William and Harry. UK Press via Getty Images

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In 2020, Tiggy, who now runs a bed and breakfast at the family home near Crickhowell in Wales, was named godmother of Harry and Meghan Markles son Archie.

However, sources did tell the outlet that Prince Harry would not be commenting on Pettifers passing.
YouTube and Threads have taken down pro-Luigi Mangione posts they've said violate their policies.

YouTube told Business Insider it forbids videos that glorify the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO.

The different moderation approaches among platforms are leaving some users confused.

Diana "Ladidai" Umana, a content creator in New York, has been closely following the news of Luigi Mangione  posting her thoughts on various social media accounts.

Umana's posts are pro-Luigi (and some have unorthodox angles, like saying he didn't do the shooting, which authorities have charged him with). But she was surprised when her entire YouTube account was permanently removed for what YouTube told her were "severe or repeated violations" of its rules.

YouTube's content moderation policies forbid "content praising or justifying violent acts carried out by violent extremist, criminal, or terrorist organizations."

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"This means we remove content that glorifies or promotes the suspect in the murder of [UnitedHealthcare CEO] Brian Thompson, as well as content that trivializes his death," Jack Malon, a spokesperson for YouTube, told Business Insider. "This enforcement began in the immediate aftermath of the incident, as part of our standard practice to address content related to violent tragedies."

Other social platforms have also taken down content related to Mangione.

Several subreddits devoted to him have been banned  like r/luigimangione2  though there are still active subreddits about him. Reddit referred BI to its content policy, which a spokesperson said "strictly prohibits any content that encourages, glorifies, or calls for violence."

TikTok also has a policy against "promoting (including any praise, celebration, or sharing of manifestos) or providing material support" to violent extremists or people who cause serial or mass violence, its community guidelines say. People have complained that TikTok has removed comments saying "Free Luigi" and some videos about Mangione.

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On Meta's Threads, people have said some of their posts about Mangione  like a post about his astrological sign or a video montage of him set to an Olivia Rodrigo song  were removed.

Meta has similar guidance, banning the "glorification" of dangerous organizations and people, which it defines as "legitimizing or defending the violent or hateful acts of a designated entity by claiming that those acts have a moral, political, logical or other justification that makes them acceptable or reasonable."

However, Meta recently updated what it calls its dangerous organizations and individuals policy to allow for "more social and political discourse in certain instances including  peace agreements, elections, human rights related issues, news reporting and academic, neutral and condemning discussion  and to ensure users are not unduly penalized for sharing it."

A spokesperson for Meta pointed to this policy but declined to comment further.

Pro-Luigi posts can be difficult to moderate

You might imagine how, when it comes to posts discussing Luigi Mangione, there are some gray areas between what's considered praise vs. discussion of social issues.

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That's where the deluge of pro-Luigi posts from American users on social platforms gets a little weird.

Mangione's popularity among some people online is complicated, and I won't try to untangle it here (read this or this for some smart analysis). But you've probably already observed some of this online: There are a lot of people posting about Mangione and running afoul of content guidelines that they'd never usually run up against  rules designed for posts praising ISIS or Mexican drug cartels, for instance.

The result is some confusion and frustration among users.

Content moderation is an art, not a science, and there's a spectrum of differences between a statement like "Luigi was justified" and a meme about his looks or an ironic fan-cam-edit video.

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Mangione has been charged with first-degree murder "in furtherance of terrorism," which may clarify things for platforms about whether to consider him a single murder suspect or a terror suspect when it comes to content policy.

For now, it seems that a lot of social media users are surprised or confused by what is or isn't allowed when talking about Mangione on social media.

January 5, 2025  This story was updated with a comment from a Reddit spokesperson on the company's content policy.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BRYAN, Texas (FOX 44)  What began as a child abuse prevention initiative in 1995 has grown into a far-reaching non-profit organization dedicated to unifying neighborhoods and empowering families.

For three decades, Project Unity has maintained its mission to help families in need, with its impact extending far beyond its humble beginnings in a basement. Founder Jeannie Mansill emphasized the organizations unwavering commitment to creating positive change.

We want to empower every, every individual, child, youth, and family to reach their highest potential in the community where they live, Mansill said.

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Through its decades of service, Project Unity has supported countless families. One such individual is Shekita Munn, who sought help from the organization during a difficult period in 2020.

I had an angel call me on the phone who saved my life, who was patient, who was caring, and who was understanding of my situation, Munn recalled. They introduced me to their parenting wisely classes, so Ive been in love ever since.

Munn credits Project Unity with helping her strengthen her family relationships, particularly her connection with her children. She now works as a parent liaison, introducing families to the organization that changed her life.

They helped me realize that I was my childrens trigger, Munn explained. I was really the one causing the problems in my family relationship with my kidsparenting wisely, they give you the example of some of the scenarios that you go through on your day to day. And I was just realizing that it wasnt the kids, it was how I was handling these situations, says her son, Travyon Mehlhorne, who felt the impact firsthand.

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The way she handles situations changed, Travyon said. She was more understanding. I could come talk to her more. I felt the change, and I felt the impact.

Today, Project Unity serves over ten counties and offers a wide range of services, including family resource centers, veteran programs, job training, and more. Behind this expansion is a deep sense of friendship between CEO Jeannie Mansill and COO Ella McGruder.

Every single day for the last 29 years, we have shared together. We, we have everything, Mansill said, alongside her colleague Ella.

While Jeannie started the organization, she met Ella just six months later, and the two said theyve been inseparable ever since.

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To secure funding for their mission, Jeannie writes several grants, while Ella assists with reviewing them, ensuring all necessary details are included. This partnership has grown into something the two ladies say neither of them could have imagined.

Project Unity has received numerous awards for its service throughout the years.

Their children have grown up with Project Unity, and the two families come together often, bound by their shared passion for service and community.

As the organization enters a new phase, it is marking the next step of its growth by relocating to a new office in Bryan. To celebrate, Project Unity will host an open house on January 8, 2025, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. located in the Metro Center at 3833 South Texas Ave., Suite 150, Bryan, Texas, 77802.

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Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the facility, meet staff, and learn about the organizations diverse services aimed at unifying communities, one neighborhood at a time.

If citizens are unable to attend the open house tours are available every day during business hours.

Project Unitys ongoing mission is to remain a trusted resource for those in need, continuing its vital work to uplift families and strengthen communities in the years ahead.

To learn more about the organization, you can click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
WRIGHTSTOWN, Wis. (WFRV)  The Wrightstown Police Department and community are celebrating the career of its Police Chief who retired on Friday after decades of serving the public.

Police Chief Greg Deike took the role in Wrightstown in 2016, before that spending time in other departments, most notably with the Fond du Lac County Sheriffs Office.

Ashwaubenon Public Safety Chief retiring after over 30 years of serving multiple communities

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Chief Deike accomplished plenty during his 32 years, including 10 years with the SWAT team in Fond du Lac County, where he also managed the forensic lab. He also earned an advanced emergency medical technician license, allowing him extra training in saving lives.

(Dustin Deike) (Dustin Deike) (Dustin Deike)

A retirement party was held for Chief Deike at the Wrightstown Village Hall with numerous officials and members of the public in attendance to celebrate his illustrious and long career.

Fond du Lac Police Detective promoted to Lieutenant in 24th year with department

Chief Deike also got a gift from the Wrightstown Fire Department, who he worked with on many occasions.

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The Wrightstown Police Department also hosted Coffee with a Cop on Thursday, inviting members of the public to speak with and thank Chief Deike before his retirement.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
The tribunal, led by Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta of the Delhi High Court, on Friday, found the Centre's evidence against SFJ compelling. The evidence highlighted activities such as recruiting and radicalizing youth via social media, financing terrorism through smuggling networks to procure weapons and explosives, issuing death threats to political figures, including the Prime Minister and Home Minister, and attempting to incite mutiny among Sikh soldiers in the Army.

Justice Mendiratta deemed the evidence credible, particularly SFJ's connections with international Khalistani terrorist and separatist groups, including Babbar Khalsa International. The tribunal also noted SFJ's ties to Pakistan's ISI and their efforts to revive militancy in Punjab.

The central government has recently constituted an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to examine whether there is sufficient cause to extend the declaration of banned pro-Khalistan group SFJ as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, according to an MHA notification.

On July 8, the Ministry of Home Affairs extended the declaration of SFJ as an unlawful association for another five years, effective from July 10, 2024. The MHA had previously imposed a similar ban on SFJ in 2019.

The Ministry extended the ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, citing the group's involvement in "anti-national and subversive activities aimed at disrupting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India."

According to the MHA notification, SFJ was engaged in activities prejudicial to India's internal security and public order, including supporting violent extremism and militancy in Punjab and elsewhere to carve out a sovereign Khalistan from Indian territory.

The notification further alleged that SFJ maintains close ties with militant outfits and activists, actively encouraging and aiding secessionist activities, including attempts to destabilize the democratically elected government of India. (ANI)
Jan. 3SOLON SPRINGS  A return to habitat-based deer management units in Wisconsin's Northern Forest Zone will be discussed during a virtual public hearing at 5 p.m. Jan. 8 held by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Deer management units have been based on a county system, where each county represents its own unit, for the last decade.

"There's been lots of discomfort from the public expressed over the county deer management system not being as effective as a habitat-based system," DNR wildlife biologist Greg Kessler told members of the Douglas County Forest, Parks and Recreation Committee Dec. 31.

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The hearing offers an opportunity for members of the public to comment on the proposal before it moves forward for approval by the Natural Resources Board and state leaders.

"If you know people who are avid deer hunters, speak now or forever hold your peace, because whatever happens here is likely going to be in place for about 10 years," Kessler said.

The primary impact a change to habitat-based deer management units would have is on antlerless permits, he said. The number of antlerless harvest opportunities vary by deer management unit based on local deer population levels. This allows for greater harvest opportunities where deer are abundant and a more conservative harvest where deer are fewer in number, according to the department website.

The DNR reviews deer management unit boundaries every few years, with this year's review focusing on the management units in the Northern Forest Zone, the metropolitan sub-units and the boundary lines between the Central Forest and Farmland Zones.

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Douglas County Board Chairman Mark Liebaert questioned why red clay soil areas weren't separated from other forest land in the proposed unit boundaries, saying more deer are typically found on red clay areas.

Kessler said the department had received only one email with public feedback on the proposed deer management unit changes as of Dec. 31.

"There was more dialog about this one email than anything I've ever sent out, and it was discussed," Kessler said. "But again, since we only heard from one person that thinks we should do something more of what you're just suggesting, it's not going to happen unless there's a number of articulate contacts."

Visit the DNR's

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Proposed Permanent Administrative Rules

webpage for a link to the draft rule and details on the public hearing.

Residents can

join the meeting via Microsoft Teams

at 5 p.m. Jan. 8.

Comments can be emailed to DNRAdministrativeRulesComments@wisconsin.gov prior to the hearing.
JAMAICA, Queens (PIX11)  Police have released photos of four people wanted in connection with a mass shooting that broke out at a Queens nightclub on New Years Day.

According to authorities, the four people acted in concert, shooting into a crowd gathered at the Amazura nightclub on 144th Place in Jamaica, around 11:20 p.m.

Police have released photos of four people wanted in connection with a mass shooting that broke out at a Queens nightclub on New Years Day. (Credit: NYPD)

In total 10 people were injured in the shooting including a 16-year-old boy, a 17-year-old girl, three 18-year-old women, two 19-year-old men, and another three 19-year-old women.

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Police say the four shooters then ran down 91st Street towards 143rd Place, where they got into a white sedan and sped off.

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Sources tell PIX11 News that the victims were waiting in line to get into a private party meant to honor Taerion Mungo, a 16-year-old who was killed in a Brooklyn shooting in October.

All of the shooting victims were transported to area hospitals and are expected to survive.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

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Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
A Racine County Jail inmate died after he was beaten by another inmate on New Year's Eve.

The attack occurred on Tuesday around 12:15 p.m. in the jail and the victim was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The victim, a 35-year-old from Racine, died the next day, the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Friday.

The Kenosha County Sheriff's Office investigated the incident on behalf of the Racine County Sheriff's Office.

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The Racine County Sheriff's Office said in its initial statement the incident occurred in the jail's dayroom, only moments after a corrections officer completed a safety and security check as part of the department's protocol.

The correctional officer found the victim unresponsive during the next safety and security check, and initiated lifesaving measures, the release said.

Security cameras in the dayroom captured footage of the assault, which Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said in the statement lasted "less than one minute." The sheriff said emergency buttons in cells were functional, but no one who witnessed the assault activated them.

The Kenosha County Sheriff's Office said it referred a first-degree intentional homicide charge to the Racine County District Attorney's Office in the attack.

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Authorities did not identify the victim, citing consideration for their family, and said the investigation remains active.

David Clarey can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Racine County Jail inmate dies after New Year's Eve assault
KENOSHA, Wis.  A man from Racine, Wisconsin, was taken into custody this week after authorities say he was allegedly caught masturbating inside a grocery store in Kenosha County over the weekend.

32-year-old Tyree Carter, a Racine, Wisconsin, resident, was taken into custody on Monday, Dec. 30, and charged with one misdemeanor count of lewd and lascivious behavior, Kenosha police announced Friday.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

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Officers said the charge stems from an incident that allegedly unfolded inside a Piggly Wiggly in the 2800 block of 14th Place in Kenosha just after 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

According to Kenosha police, officers were called to the scene following a report that a man had been inappropriately touching himself while inside the store.

Officers said an employee of the store allegedly spotted Carter acting suspiciously and tried to determine if he was stealing something. However, upon further investigation, the employee realized that Carter had ejaculated on the floor and left the store.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

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Authorities later identified Carter as a suspect and said he was taken into custody by Racine police on Monday.

Authorities did not provide a booking photo for Carter.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
GHENT, WV (WVNS)  Raleigh County Commission opted to set a public hearing before issuing a zoning change that would allow a Go-Mart truck stop in Ghent.

Raleigh County Commission President Greg Duckworth said that hearing is set for Tuesday, January 21, at Ghent Fire Department at 6 p.m., where commissioners will hear from the public.

Raleigh County Planning and Zoning Board members voted last month in favor of the truck stop and urged Raleigh County Commission to rezone around 26 acres at Ghent so that Go-Mart may build a proposed truck stop.

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Justice family selling The Resort at Glade Springs in Raleigh County

Residents of Flat Top and Ghent told the board members that they oppose the truck stop and on Thursday, January 2, 2025, attended a Raleigh County Commission meeting.

During the meeting, Duckworth said that a hearing would be set prior to commissioners voting on the zoning issue.

Duckworth said on Friday, January 3, 2025, that commissioners need more input before they accept the Raleigh County Planning and Zoning Boards recommendation.

Raleigh Countys new sheriff shares goals for the upcoming year

Now, typically, these are small plots of property. Its kind of a rubber stamp. They come in, and the county commission takes their recommendation and makes changes, he explained. In this case, its such a large tract of land. Its such a small community out there, and theres so many people speaking against it, so we decided to have a public hearing.

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He said that no decision will be made during the January 21 meeting.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Editors Note: This story has been corrected to better reflect the number of veterans treated by the Erie VA.

The New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas explosion are prompting new concerns about the need for mental health support for active members of the military and veterans.

The Erie VA treats more than 5,000 veterans every year for behavioral health issues.

Treatment is available for the full range of conditions from PTSD and depression to serious illnesses like schizophrenia.

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The assistant chief of behavioral health at the VA said veterans are more likely to suffer from PTSD because of the trauma they experienced or witnessed.

Left untreated, PTSD can manifest itself with symptoms ranging from anxiety and not wanting to go out to being short-tempered and not getting along with others.

While most veterans dont have a propensity for violence, there is typically an adjustment period when integrating into society, and support is available.

You go from having your buddies around you 24/7 and a whole platoon of support to maybe living on your own or maybe not having any support. So it is a very difficult transition for people getting out of the military to come into civilian life and try to navigate everything thats so much different from what they had experienced, said Jeff Rose, Asst. Chief of Behavioral Health, Erie VA.

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Any veteran in need of mental health support can call 988 and choose option 1.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
A much more active weather pattern is shaping up for New Mexico. High winds and record high temperatures will return Saturday, but temperatures will be getting much colder stating Sunday with widespread snowfall possible next week.

Its been another mild and even warm afternoon for parts of New Mexico Friday, with places like Gallup, Silver City, Santa Fe, and Farmington breaking record high temperatures. A storm system passing over Colorado Saturday with bring high winds in the afternoon to New Mexico. Westerly winds will gust anywhere from 35 to 55 mph. This could cause areas of blowing dust and will bring a high fire danger. Even warmer weather will move in with the winds Saturday as well, with a record high temperature possible in Albuquerque. A cold front will move in from the northwest Saturday evening, beginning a cooling trend that will continue through next week. Sunday will feature breezy, but lighter winds and cooler temperatures. Some light snow will be possible early Sunday morning in far northeastern New Mexico.

Next weeks weather gets a lot more interesting. Monday and Tuesday will be a quiet, but cooler days across New Mexico. A winter storm will begin moving in by late Tuesday afternoon, moving from north to south across the state. A gusty east canyon wind will develop in the Albuquerque Metro Tuesday evening as well. Temperatures get even colder on Wednesday as snow levels drop to valley floors, with almost all of New Mexico seeing high temperatures in the 30s. Light snow will even fall all the way down into southern New Mexico and the Mexican border Wednesday morning. Snowfall totals from this first round will be light to moderate, with the heaviest totals in the northern mountains and east-central New Mexico where 1 to 4 will be possible.

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Theres more uncertainty with whats going to happen with this storm system Wednesday evening through Friday morning. Right now, it looks like more snow is likely across the southern half of the state, especially on Thursday, where a dusting to a couple inches of snow will be likely south of I-40. Travel impacts dont look to be widespread, but a few icy spots will be possible across New Mexico, with the slickest travel across the higher elevations. This storm will move out by Friday night, but cooler temperatures stick around.

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Reform UK is just six points away from becoming the biggest party in parliament, an election predictor has found.

Nigel Farages insurgent party could leapfrog both the Conservatives and Labour by gaining a few more percentage points of support, according to the analysis by polling firm Electoral Calculus.

If the party reached 28 per cent of the popular vote at an election, it would likely become the largest force in the House of Commons, though short of an overall majority.

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On current polling trends, Reform would reach this threshold within six months if it continues to pick up support at the current rate.

With 31 per cent of the vote, Reform would win a majority, making Mr Farage prime minister.

The prediction comes as support collapsed for the Labour Party and Sir Keir Starmer experienced a dramatic slump in his personal popularity.

Labour won a landslide of seats at the general election in July with under 34 per cent of the popular vote.

Conservative defections to Reform

On Friday, Marco Longhi, former Conservative MP, defected to Reform. He claimed that the party of Churchill and Thatcher has transformed into something unrecognisable.

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He is the second Tory MP defeated at the July general election to defect to Reform since Kemi Badenoch took over as Tory leader.

In November, Dame Andrea Jenkyns, a former minister under Boris Johnson, announced she would stand to be Reforms mayoral candidate in Lincolnshire.

Ms Badenoch clashed with Mr Farage over the Christmas period. She accused him of fakery when Reform claimed to have more members than the Conservatives. Mr Farage has accused the Tory leader of peddling crazy conspiracy theories.

While an early general election is highly improbable, if one were held today, Electoral Calculuss model predicts that Labour would still be the largest party but would lose its majority in the Commons after haemorrhaging 100 seats to the Conservatives and Reform.

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In this scenario, Reform would enjoy a sevenfold increase in its parliamentary representation, winning 36 seats.

The party is now polling at 22 per cent, seven points higher than its July general election performance of 15 per cent.

On current polling, Conservatives would improve their position from 121 to 176 seats.

Labour is two per cent ahead of the Conservatives, who are three points ahead of Reform.

There have only been five occasions since records began when opinion polls have shown a party other than Labour or the Conservatives in the lead with voters.

Elon Musk, the worlds richest man and a confidant of Donald Trump, the president-elect, has called for Keir Starmer to hold a snap poll, claiming: Only Reform can save Britain.

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The X and Tesla boss has expressed support for Reform and met with Nigel Farage at Mar-a-Lago in December, amid rumours he could donate millions of pounds to the insurgent party through the UK branch of his social media firm.

Government figures are reportedly wary of criticising Mr Musk because of his closeness to Mr Trump, the incoming president.

On Thursday, the Tesla CEO called for the imprisonment of Jess Phillips, a Home Office minister who declined a request for a national inquiry into grooming gangs.

He also expressed support for Tommy Robinson, a far-Right activist currently serving a prison sentence for contempt of court.

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Jan. 4GRAND FORKS  Metro areas like Fargo, Grand Forks and Bismarck are the three official refugee resettlement sites in North Dakota, but as rural populations decline and workforce shortages continue, an interest in bringing refugees to smaller communities across the state is rising.

Cynthia Shabb, executive director of the Global Friends Coalition, said she has seen that interest herself.

Information from the state shows resettlement is branching out from the official resettlement sites, she said, and there are individuals seeking to resettle people in their own communities. However, Global Friends can only resettle people in Grand Forks.

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"It's interesting how there's a broad interest," she said. "When we resettle somebody, we start at pre-arrival to 90 days, so if they're coming through our program, they really need to be resettled here in Grand Forks so we can assist them in the first three months to get them off to a good start."

Statistics from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services show that from 2000 to 2021, 80% of resettlement occurred in Fargo, 15% in Grand Forks and 5% in Bismarck. From 2022 to 2024, things have shifted, with Fargo taking up 53%, Grand Forks and Bismarck at 16% each and the remaining 15% elsewhere. Of that percentage, 7% went to Dickinson, 3% each to Minot and Williston, then the remaining 2% in other rural communities.

The rise of rural resettlement has been happening mostly organically, state refugee coordinator Holly Triska-Dally said. While Fargo, Grand Forks and Bismarck are official resettlement sites approved by the U.S. Department of State and partnered with national resettlement agencies, rural resettlement has been happening mostly through sponsorship programs, where everyday people can sponsor refugees and help them relocate to their communities.

Resettlement growth is happening in places like Dickinson, Williston and Carrington. In fiscal 2024, Dickinson brought in 36 refugees, Williston brought in 27 and Carrington 22. Following behind them were Park River with 18, Bottineau with 12 and Minot with nine. There has been a good deal of community support in those areas for the newcomers, Triska-Dally said, getting them connected and welcomed and securing them employment that utilizes their skills.

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"As a state refugee coordinator, it gave me the opportunity to visit a lot of these communities and get to know more about the services and the people that live there," she said. "It's really been a very inspiring and heartwarming experience. Just seeing the eagerness of people to welcome and assist newcomers in making North Dakota home has made me really proud to be from North Dakota, to tell you the truth."

One organization aiming to help communities welcome foreign-born families as permanent residents is the nonprofit Communities Acting Together for Change and Hope, known as CATCH. CATCH focuses on creating welcoming environments for newcomers and helping rural communities to grow.

Executive Director Derrick Gross said population decline is the ultimate problem in rural communities. He believes welcoming refugees and other foreign-born families can increase dwindling populations, as well as encourage economic growth and development.

Being a

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newer organization

, CATCH is expanding its network and working with state-level and national organizations, as well as the program Welcome Corps.

Welcome Corps is a service where groups of at least five people can privately sponsor refugee resettlement, working together to support refugees as they transition to living in their communities. Welcome Corps, along with professional resettlement agencies, is one of two ways refugees can receive resettlement assistance through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, the Welcome Corps website said.

Gross said the nonprofit tries to give local control and a local flavor to getting newcomers settled, and he has been spending the past few months getting organized after starting as executive director in June. He has noticed more planning and interest in resettlement, along with more phone calls to CATCH from different communities.

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Some CATCH board members across the state have helped facilitate resettlement in their own communities, and Gross has noticed a particular interest from employers in welcoming foreign-born families, he said, as they struggle to find employees.

"I learn more and more about who's doing what and what's going on where every day," he said. "It's surprising when you start talking to people in some of these small communities, how much foreign-born activity is already happening. It isn't necessarily all structured and under the same umbrella. There are so many different programs.

"It can be interesting because there's no one all-encompassing source of information on all those programs and what's happening where. So, that's kind of where the idea of helping communities prepare to be welcoming places (came from), because in many communities it already is happening or is going to be happening just because of workforce needs."

A new program by Welcome Corps might be of interest to employers, according to Triska-Dally. Welcome Corps at Work is, essentially, a skill-based refugee resettlement program, she said. Refugee-eligible people can connect directly to employment opportunities and be resettled through efforts by employers and sponsor groups from within the community the employer is in.

"I think there's a lot of potential for Welcome Corps at Work in North Dakota given the workforce opportunities that exist here," she said. "That's something I would love to see employers start to post their positions there to see what kind of talent they can access."
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shashi Panja on Friday condemned Union Minister Giriraj Singh's remarks on Mamata Banerjee, calling them unconstitutional. Speaking to ANI, TMC leader and West Bengal Minister Panja said, "Making these kinds of statements are unconstitutional. This is very wrong. Union Minister should not make these kinds of statements and he should remember that there is a democratically elected government in West Bengal. The people of West Bengal have bestowed their trust upon West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee." On Friday Union Minister Giriraj Singh criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remarks on the Border Security Force (BSF), accusing her of trying to turn West Bengal into a region similar to Bangladesh. "Mamata Banerjee wants to make West Bengal like Bangladesh. That is why she is accusing the BSF, which protects the country on the border. Bangladeshi Muslims and Rohingyas are being settled in West Bengal, and their number now surpass those of the local Muslim population... If she has some courage, she should implement NRC and CAA in West Bengal," Giriraj Singh told reporters. On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BSF was facilitating the entry of militants and infiltrators from Bangladesh into the state, causing disruptions in the region. "The border is guarded by the BSF, not by TMC... They are sending goons. They are sending people who murder people through the border. This is an inside job by the BSF and it is a blueprint of the Central Government. If there were not any blueprint from the Central Government, then it would not be possible," she had said. Banerjee denied any involvement of the TMC in the alleged infiltration and placed the blame on the BSF. "BSF is allowing people to enter through Islampur, Sitai, Chopra, and many other regions...The border is in the hands of BSF... BSF is also causing atrocities against women...The border is not in our hands; it is in the hands of the BSF... If anyone feels that they will allow infiltrators to come into Bengal and put the blame on the TMC, it is not the TMC. The TMC is not responsible - it is the BSF's duty," she said. CM Banerjee also said that her government had repeatedly raised concerns of infiltration with the Centre. "I have repeatedly spoken to the Central Government that what they decide will be our path, but we will protest against them if they facilitate militants to disrupt the state... We will also send a protest letter to the centre for this," she added. The West Bengal CM's remarks came amid reports of Bangladeshi infiltrators entering West Bengal and disturbing the region's peace and harmony. (ANI)
Final preparations are in place at the Carter Center in downtown Atlanta for the arrival of former President Jimmy Carter on Saturday afternoon and for the public to come pay their respects.

For him to be here and have the ability for people to pay their final respects until Tuesday morning, its really important for us and his family, said Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander.

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Alexander says the former president will be lying in repose from Saturday evening until 6 a.m. on Tuesday. She told Channel 2s Tom Regan they have no idea how many people will show up to say a final goodbye.

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Its truly weather-dependent. Were trying to make it as easy as possible for people to come and pay their final respects. For me, he was probably the most consequential president of my time, said Alexander.

Police put up security barricades around the property to prevent vehicles from driving in. There will be no onsite parking, so visitors are encouraged to walk, ride or use MARTA.

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They will provide shuttles from the King Center Station. There will be plenty of signage to inform people where to go, said Alexander.

Police have set up a roadblock near the Carter Center on North Highland Avenue and East John Lewis Freedom Parkway.

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People who live in neighborhoods near the Carter Center worry about parking congestion from people heading to pay their respects to the former president.

Later Tuesday, the state funeral events will move to Washington, D.C. where Carter will lie in state in at the U.S. Capitol. His funeral is set for Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral before his family returns him to Plains, Ga. for a private burial.

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The first of three services to honor the life of former President Jimmy Carter has concluded at the Carter Center.

Carter, the 39th President of the United States, passed away on Dec. 29 at his home in Plains, Ga. He was 100.

The beloved late president and his family traveled from Plains to Atlanta on Saturday, making stops at Carters boyhood home and the Georgia State Capitol before a service at the Carter Center.

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During the service, son Chip Carter, grandson Jason Carter and the Carters personal pastor Tony Lowden gave emotional tributes to the former president.

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Its amazing what you can cram into 100 years, Jason Carter joked.

Jason Carter spoke highly of the Carter Center and those who worked alongside his grandfather. He said those at the Carter Center and beyond are the reasons the former presidents legacy has lived on as it has.

I know in my heart, as you all do, that his legacy will live on. Not only because of the millions of people he touched across the globe, but specifically because of your spirit and your knowledge and the work and the track record that you do every day, he said.

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Chip Carter, the second son of former President Jimmy and first lady Rosalynn Carter, commented on the love he got to feel from the people of Georgia who lined the roads and interstates as they traveled from Plains to Atlanta.

He told stories and anecdotes remembering his parents, including the time he brought home a failing grade in Latin. He said his father spent every day of Christmas vacation learning Latin from a textbook before sitting down and teaching his son the words he had learned. He said his teacher let him retake the test after the break, and he got every question correct.

Pastor Tony Lowden is the personal pastor to the Carters. He said he used to spend every Saturday traveling down to Plains to sit with President and Mrs. Carter.

He said the former president would read from Psalm 23.

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You can use your spiritual imagination. For almost two years, our friend, number 39, President Carter, Pop Pop, Dad, wrapped in a blanket, says Psalm 23, Lowden said.

The former president will now lie in repose at the Carter Center until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday when he will travel to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

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The nation is preparing to say its final goodbye to former President Jimmy Carter.

The 39th President of the United States passed away at his home in Plains, Ga. on Sunday, Dec. 29. He was 100.

On Saturday, a motorcade escorted former President Carter from Plains to the Carter Center in Atlanta. The Carter family traveled with him and arrived just after 3:30 p.m.

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LIVE UPDATES

4:41 p.m. - Carter family processes out of service at the Carter Center

The Carter family has processed out of the service for former President Jimmy Carter at the Carter Center as the Morehouse College Glee Club sings Battle Hymn of the Republic.

4:15 p.m. - Chip Carter delivers remarks

Former President Jimmy and first lady Rosalynn Carters son, Chip Carter, is remembering his father in remarks during the Carter Center service.

4:11 p.m. - Pastor Tony Lowden delivers remarks

The Carters personal pastor, Tony Lowden, is delivering remarks at the Carter Center service.

4:07 p.m. - Jason Carter delivers remarks

Grandson Jason Carter is eulogizing his grandfather with emotional remarks at the Carter Center service.

4:05 p.m. - Service at Carter Center begins

The first service for former President is beginning at the Carter Center.

3:38 p.m. - Motorcade approaches the Carter Center

Former President Jimmy Carter has completed his final journey to the Carter Center in Atlanta.

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The motorcade carrying the former president and his family has arrived in Atlanta.

3:20 p.m. - Motorcade departs Georgia State Capitol for Carter Center

The motorcade has departed from the Georgia State Capitol after a moment of silence. Former President Carter and his family are now traveling to the Carter Center.

3:14 p.m. - Motorcade arrives at Georgia State Capitol

Former President Carters motorcade has arrived in Atlanta at the Georgia State Capitol.

2:20 p.m. - The motorcade continues journey to Atlanta

The motorcade is continuing its journey to Atlanta. Former President Carter and his family are currently passing through Forsyth, Ga.

11:00 a.m. - The motorcade departs Archery, Ga. for Atlanta

The motorcade has departed the former presidents boyhood home and is making former President Carters final journey to Atlanta.

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They are expected to arrive at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta around 3 p.m.

10:56 a.m. - National Park Service rings bell at boyhood home

The National Park Service is ringing the bell at Carters boyhood home 39 times in honor of the nations 39th president.

The former presidents boyhood home has been designated as part of Jimmy Carter National Historic Park.

10:55 a.m. - Motorcade arrives at Carters boyhood home in Archery, Ga.

The motorcade has arrived at former President Carters boyhood home in Archery, Ga.

10:47 a.m. - Motorcade arrives in Plains, Ga.

The motorcade is making its way through Plains, Ga., former President Carters small hometown where he lived until his death.

10:30 a.m. - Motorcade departs Americus, Ga. for Plains, Ga.

The motorcade has departed Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia for his boyhood home in Archery, Ga.

10:23 a.m. - Pallbearers place casket in hearse

Pallbearers carry former President Carters casket to the hearse at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia.

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The pallbearers are made up of a group of current and former Special Agents in Charge from the United States Secret Service  Carter Protective Division.

10:15 a.m. - Carter family arrives

The Carter family arrives at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia.

After his arrival at the Carter Center, the public will have the opportunity to pay their respects to the beloved former president at the Carter Center as he lies in repose from 7:00 p.m. on Saturday until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday, former President Carter will travel to Washington, D.C. where he will lie in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

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His state funeral is scheduled for Thursday, which President Joe Biden has declared a National Day of Mourning. After that ceremony, he will make his final journey to his hometown of Plains for a private burial with his family.

Heres the schedule of events for Saturday:

WATCH ON CHANNEL 2

10:15 a.m.  The Carter Family arrives at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia.

10:20 a.m.  Carters remains are carried to the hearse by current and former Special Agents in Charge from the United States Secret Service  Carter Protective Division.

10:30 a.m.  The motorcade departs Phoebe Sumter Medical Center and travels through Carters hometown of Plains, Georgia.

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10:50 a.m.  Carter and his family arrive at his boyhood home for a brief pause in front of the familys farm. During the pause, the National Park Service will honor the late president with a salute and ringing of the historic farm bell 39 times.

10:55 a.m.  The late president officially begins his final journey to Atlanta.

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3 p.m.  The motorcade arrives in Atlanta and pauses at Georgias State Capitol for a moment of silence by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature and Georgia State Patrol Troopers.

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3:05 p.m.  The motorcade departs for the Carter Presidential Center.

3:45 p.m.  Carters remains are carried into the Carter Presidential Center during an arrival ceremony.

4 p.m.  A private service at the Carter Presidential Center.

7 p.m.  Lying in Repose begins. Mourners are invited to come and pay their respects.

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As funeral plans for former President Jimmy Carter begin on Saturday, the Carter Center is making sure they have appropriate security measures in place.

On Friday, Channel 2s Michael Seiden spoke with Ray Moore, who retired as the head of the Atlanta Secret Service office.

No matter if a president is alive or deceased, we still protect them the same way, said Moore, who protected eight presidents throughout his career. A lot of times, people sort of discount funerals, but funerals generate a lot of attention and good guys and bad guys like those major exposure events.

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Moore says its imperative for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to communicate with each other to make sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to public safety.

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We implement the three rings of protection-inner, outer and middle perimeter, he added.

In addition to the extra manpower on the ground, Moore says there will also be eyes in the sky.

Youre going to see drones and possibly helicopters flying, said Moore, who is the owner of Moore and Associates- Security Consultants L.L.C. in Conyers.

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Channel 2 Action News reached out to the Atlanta Secret Service office regarding the security plan for this weekends events.

It was an honor and a privilege to serve former President Jimmy Carter, and the U.S. Secret Service joins the nation in mourning his passing. We are working closely with the Department of Defense and our law enforcement partners to ensure a safe and secure state funeral here in the State of Georgia, said Frederick D. Houston, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service Atlanta Field Office.

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Moore says he first met former President Carter in 1984.

President Carter liked to jog, and I was a Secret Service runner, he added. President Carter would go out and run four or five miles and so I would go out and run with him. When I first started running with him, I would think, Hey, heres this older gentleman. Im going to wear him out. I was wrong. He wore me out. He kept going when I wanted to stop. But that was just his whole mentality. He was a hard worker, and he wasnt going to let anybody beat him that he thought he could beat.

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Former President Jimmy Carter made his final journey to Atlanta on Saturday and is lying in repose at the Carter Center.

The Carter Center will be open to the public to pay their final respects to the beloved former president.

Visitors are welcome at the Carter Center continuously from 7 p.m. on Saturday until 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

How can I get there?

There is no parking available at the Carter Center.

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MARTA is offering a bus shuttle from the King Memorial to the Carter Center, which will be the only access besides walking or biking. Rail service will run continuously for 60 hours.

There will not be any parking available at the King Memorial Station.

Bus shuttles to the Carter Center are free, but customers will have to pay a fare to get to the King Memorial Station.

Which roads are closed?

East John Lewis Freedom Parkway NE and North Highland Avenue NE are now closed around the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.

The road closures will last until Tuesday at 12 p.m.

What should I leave at home?

Bags and umbrellas will not be allowed inside the Carter Center. If you bring something that is prohibited, you will have to surrender it and will not get it back when you leave.

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You will be subject to search when you enter the Carter Center.

What if I dont want to stand in line, but want to pay my respects?

If waiting at the Carter Center isnt possible for you, the Carter Center has established an online condolences book. You can share memories, offer wishes to the families and read stories from other people on the website.

In lieu of flowers, the Carter family has asked the public to consider making a donation to the Carter Center instead.

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PLAINS, Ga. (WJBF)  People came from hundreds of miles away to honor one hundred years of life. The 39th president, Jimmy Carter, and his hometown are part of a journey that so many just had to make.

My first presidential election was voting for Jimmy Carter. And just a good moment, said Rick Speir.

Its almost a surreal type feeling to be here, said Paula Speir. Ive visited here before and its hard to believe Im visiting here now, and hes not here.

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Paula Speirs appreciation for President Carter runs deep. At one point, when she was little, that respect extended to a furry friend.

I had a kitten that I named Jimmy Carter when Jimmy Carter was elected governor of the state of Georgia. (Brad): Was he a great cat? Yes, he was. Ended up being a female but I still called her Jimmy Carter.

Philip Kurland has run the Plains Trading Post for 30 years.

Were the largest retail political memorabilia dealer in the United States, said Kurland.

He credits Carter for boosting business in a big way downtown.

So things have never been this good in Plains and we expect since its going to become a presidential burial site as well as birth, plus weve been a national park for 4 years. Were very optimistic for the future.

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There are people of all ages here. Even those who were born decades after Carter was in the White House.

I think looking back at all the former presidents we have today, said London Wollenweber. Hes stands out as the one who has continued to work for a better America but also a better world in general.

London Wollenweber asked his mom to drive him more than 800 miles so he could be here. Moms a social studies teacher and was more than willing to be a part of an experience you wont get from a textbook.

Carter has always been somebody who has come up as such a great role model, who might not have been the president weve ever had, but hes the best former president weve ever had, said Sarah Wollenweber of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois.

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Lots of sentiments and signs of the former presidents prominence and impact here. A man who touched a lot of lives over the past century.

Its very nice. Its very satisfying, said Francisca Tejeda of Douglassville, Ga. I feel that I did something for him.

Ceremonies will begin Saturday morning just after 10 oclock. The former presidents motorcade taking one last lap around Plains, Georgia before heading on to Atlanta and ultimately Washington, D.C. for his funeral next week.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Inside the Capitol, reminders of the violence are increasingly hard to find.

Scars on the walls have been repaired. Windows and doors broken by the rioters have been replaced. And there is no plaque, display or remembrance of any kind.

Lawmakers rarely mention the attack, and many Republicans try to downplay it, echoing President-elect Donald Trumps claims that the carnage of that day is overblown and that the rioters are victims.

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In some ways, its like the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021, that shook the foundations of American democracy, never happened.

Its been erased, said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Winners write history and Trump won. And his version is that it was a peaceful gathering. Obviously completely untrue.

If Trump pardons rioters, as he has said he will do after taking office Jan. 20, that would be putting an exclamation point on his version of what happened, Welch said.

Some of the 1,250 defendants convicted of crimes after Jan. 6 called for the deaths of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Mike Pence, who was Trump's vice president, as the mob violently overran police and breached the building. Some carried weapons, zip ties, chemical irritants, Confederate flags as they ransacked the Capitol and hunted for lawmakers. They sought to stop the certification of Democrat Joe Bidens win over Trump, echoing the Republican incumbent's false claims that the election was stolen.

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But the disruption was only temporary. Congress resumed work that evening and completed its constitutional role.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, one of seven Senate Republicans who voted to convict Trump on impeachment charges after Jan. 6, said it was a very, very dark time. Some lawmakers, she said, "do want to really put that behind us.

There are different reasons for that, however.

Former Republican Sen. Mike Braun, a frequent Trump ally who left Congress this year and was elected Indianas governor, said many in the party think the Justice Department was weaponized disproportionately against some rioters. He said many lawmakers who were in the Capitol on Jan. 6 want as much distance as possible between then and now.

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I think all of us remember it, Braun said. But, he added, "If youre starting to put plaques up, it looks like it even further emphasizes the divide on the issue. And maybe the biggest remedy is just to keep moving forward.

The plaque that never happened

Congress passed a law in March 2022 to require an honorific plaque listing the names of all of the officers of the United States Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, and other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and protective entities who responded to the violence that occurred at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The Architect of the Capitol was ordered to obtain the plaque within a year and permanently place it on the Capitols western front, where the worst of the fighting took place.

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But almost three years later, there is no plaque. It's unclear why or who is responsible for it. A spokeswoman for the Architect of the Capitol referred questions to the House Sergeant at Arms, who did not respond to requests for information.

Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer of New York and then-Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky signed off on the plaque, according to a Senate leadership aide who was familiar with the process but was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York has also been supportive. A spokesman for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., did not respond to requests for comment.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., who led the House Administration Committee when the law was enacted, wrote Johnson in May to ask why the plaque hadnt been installed. If there is a reason for the delay, I look forward to any information you can share to that end and what is being done to address it, Lofgren said.

She never heard back.

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Its not just the plaque, although it does mean something to the officers who were there, but the fact that no one cares about them enough to comply with the law and acknowledge the sacrifice that they made for us and for our country, Lofgren said. That service to their country, its been disrespected.

New York Rep. Joe Morelle, now the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, said refusing to display the plaque is part of an effort to deny Jan. 6 happened and the harm it caused to the U.S. Capitol Police force.

The officers who were there

Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges, who fought the rioters and was captured on video screaming as they crushed him in a doorway that led to the inauguration stage, said its incredibly offensive that the plaque hasnt been installed.

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Its an incredibly simple thing, but it can mean a lot to so many who fought that day to defend democracy, defend Congress, the vice president and staffers, he said. He said Jan. 6 has become a political issue. It shouldnt be, he said.

Hodges said he expects to be working on Inauguration Day, one of thousands of police officers who will be protecting the president and the city on Jan. 20.

Former Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who retired because of his injuries from fighting rioters near the west front tunnel, said he lost my career, my health" and even some friends and family in the aftermath of the attack. He and Hodges have been among the few in law enforcement to speak out publicly about their experience.

Looking back, its like it was all for nothing, said Gonell. Its a betrayal.

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He said he wishes the plaque was up on the west front so Trump could see it before he steps on to the inauguration stage in a few weeks.

Trump "could read the names of the officers right before he walks out, Gonell said. So he could know that his actions had consequences.

Shifting Republican narrative

In the days after the siege of the Capitol, Republican condemnation was near-universal.

Count me out, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trumps top allies, said the night of Jan. 6. Then-House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California said a week later that Trump bears responsibility for the attack.

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But McCarthy soon made amends, traveling within weeks to Florida to meet Trump. It was a fateful decision, kicking off Trumps slow return to power. When Trump returned to Capitol Hill last year during his campaign, Republican lawmakers not only met with him, but they also gave him standing ovations.

Over that time, Republican attitudes toward the Jan. 6 attack have shifted. GOP lawmakers have condemned the work of the Democratic-led committee that investigated the riot and fiercely contested its findings. Some Republicans have echoed Trumps words that the imprisoned rioters are hostages who may be worthy of pardons.

Still, the issue may end up being a tricky one for Trump, who has promised pardons on Day 1. Its unclear how many people he intends to pardon or if the most violent offenders would be included.

If they physically attacked police officers, I dont think they deserve to be pardoned, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., one of Trumps closest allies, said in an CNN interview. I think they should serve their time.

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Confidence in history

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., said there are legacies of the attack, even without a plaque hanging on a wall  such as increased security at this years certification and Bidens invitation to Trump to come to the Oval Office after the election, a return to the peaceful transition of power.

You dont think people were thinking in the back of their minds, that was different than Jan. 6? she said. So it does play out, it is important.

Congress has updated the Electoral Count Act, the arcane law that governs the certification of a presidential election, to make it harder for members of Congress to object to the results.

Still, with Trump in power again and many Republicans backing his version of events, Democrats said they worry that a false narrative of Jan. 6 will gain even more strength.

If you dont want to remember the history, then the chances of it repeating itself are that much greater, said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. There should be some a moment of silence, or some commemoration. Certainly, there should be a plaque.

In the days after the insurrection, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., said he believed that they should preserve a broken window as a reminder. But the windows were replaced, reinforced and cleaned up. Little evidence remains of the widespread damage, in the millions of dollars, that the rioters inflicted on the building.

It is painful to see attempts to rewrite what happened, Himes said, but he doesnt think Jan. 6, 2021, will be forgotten.

I have confidence in history, Himes said.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  The countrys 119th Congress will convene with one major task at hand: the election of the House Speaker. Representative Ed Case shares his thoughts and how last session went.

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I felt I had a very good last congress. We did a lot of great work I think in the delegation, especially in the Maui disaster recovery, continuing the Red Hill closure, appropriating to the needs that we have in Hawaii itself. Focusing on the end of the Pacific. Meeting the threat of China. A whole range of issues that are both related directly to Hawaii and to our countrys presence to the world. From my perspective, it was a solid session, Case said.

Its correct that if you judge it the continued division and polarization in Congress which is deeply disappointing. It was a very very divisive and polarizing Congress and that led to a lack of actual production of major pieces of legislation that we really need for the country. I wish I can say thats going to get better. It probably is not. Were probably going to face another divided, polarized Congress meaning that wherever you can arrive at common sense solutions, pragmatic problem solving, getting things done for both Hawaii and the nation, thats going to be at a premium in a very divided Congress.

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Rep. Virginia Foxx seems to be OK after falling down a marble staircase at the U.S. Capitol on Friday afternoon following a vote to elect House Speaker Mike Johnson for a second term as the chambers leader.

Foxxs spokesman, Alex Ives, said in a text message that Foxx, 81, slipped while walking down the stairs outside the House chamber after going upstairs to talk with her family in the gallery. The gallery is a balcony that overlooks the chamber from which members of the public can watch floor proceedings.

The stairs are worn from decades of use.

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After being helped to her feet, and looked over by medical personnel, she proceeded on her own to the Attending Physicians office to get treated for a few individual cuts, Ives said. Everything seems to be okay.

The Capitol has an onsite physician for members of Congress and staff.

After being checked out, Foxx reminded her constituents, Im a mountain woman, and were tougher than a $2 steak.

Reporters who witnessed Foxxs fall said that she was holding her nose and had blood on her face and leg. The stairs were temporarily blocked so her blood could be cleaned up.

Friday marked the first day of the 119th session of Congress, which includes choosing a speaker, swearing in members and voting on the rules of the House.

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The latter had not yet happened at the time of Foxxs fall.

Foxx had taken a key role in events Friday, sitting behind Rep. Lisa McClain, a Republican from Michigan, as McClain nominated Johnson for speaker, serving as a teller who recorded each House members vote for speaker and helping to negotiate with Republicans when it seemed Johnson wouldnt win his first round of votes.

Foxx and other Republicans efforts were successful, and Johnson was able to change two Republicans minds who had voted against him, before the vote was called.

Johnson was reelected House speaker on the first vote.
The re-examination of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) was held on Saturday at the Bapu Pariksha Parisar after the examination was cancelled earlier. Ahead of the examination, strict security arrangements were made to ensure a smooth conduct of the examination. Gaurav Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said that jawans were deployed in four centers across the city. "There are four centers in Patna. Our jawans are deployed at all these centers. We will ensure that examinations are conducted smoothly. Traffic routes have also been taken care of. Students have arrived at the centre and the examinations are underway peacefully..." District Magistrate (DM) Chandrashekhar Singh spoke on the protests near the Gandhi statue in Gandhi Maidan and said that it was a restricted area. "There has never been such a tradition near the Gandhi statue in Gandhi Maidan, it is a restricted area.." Singh said speaking to ANI. Further, he said that the top priority was to conduct the re-examination properly. "Our top priority was to conduct today's exam... All citizens have the responsibility to maintain law and order..." he further added. A student outside the examination center said that she felt confident for the exam. "Since we prepared for the last exam properly, I feel confident for this exam too.." the student said. Earlier today, Jan Suraaj party chief Prashant Kishor's fast unto death marked the third day amid the cold wave in Patna. The chief has been protesting to express his support towards the protesting BPSC students who have been demanding the cancellation of the Bihar Civil Services (BPSC) examination. The Jan Suraaj chief alleged that more than half of the BPSC seats were 'sold'. "The issue is of bigger corruption charges .. it is that more than half of the seats are sold. The re-examination being held today is for 15,000 students. The protesting 3.50,000 students did not get the opportunity to sit in the exam. It does not matter when you appear in the examination, it does not guarantee you a seat if you studied well... the seat is only given to those who gave the money to the corrupt people," Kishor said speaking to ANI. The protesting students are calling for the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024, conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on December 13, due to alleged question paper leaks. (ANI)
(KRON)  Three men accused of shoplifting and brandishing a firearm at a store manager were arrested, according to the Colma Police Department.

At 6:52 p.m. on Dec. 28, Colma police officers responded to the 700 block of Serramonte Boulevard after being alerted that three male suspects shoplifted items from a store. Responding officers learned that the trio fled in a tan Lincoln, where one of the suspects pointed a gun at an employee as they attempted to take a picture of the license plate.

The San Francisco Police Department noticed the Lincoln in San Francisco and detained the suspects. The store manager identified the suspects and the person who pointed a firearm at them.

Photo: Colma PD

White mans world: Sheriffs attorney blasts her critics

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Colma PD said officers located the firearm while searching the vehicle and it was found to be a replica gun.

The trio was identified as San Francisco residents Jose Cartagenamonico, Pedro Cabritaramirez and Marcos Gonzalezramos.

Cabritaramirez, 22, was arrested for petty theft and multiple warrants, including a $5,000 misdemeanor warrant, a $2,000 misdemeanor warrant and a $1,000 misdemeanor warrant from neighboring agencies. He was booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

Gonzalezramos, 30, was arrested for petty theft and issued a citation, then was released on his promise to appear in court.

Colma PD said 27-year-old Cartagenamonico was responsible for robbery and brandishing the replica firearm. He was arrested and booked into the San Mateo County Jail.

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WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  A new report shows Massachusetts is one of the least popular states for people to move to.

Based on data from U-Haul, Massachusetts ranks 49th out of all states for growth and this ranking has remained the same since 2023. Last year, U-Haul customers coming to Massachusetts only accounted for 48% of one-way traffic with 52% leaving the state.

Some expressed concerns about the states healthcare, high cost of living coupled with relatively higher taxes, all playing a factor. For Nicky Santiago, the price of housing led him to move to Connecticut.

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Its more affordable ever since Covid, especially more affordable over there not by that much but enough where it made a difference, said Santiago.

Owner of ERA M. Connie LaPlante Real Estate in South Hadley, Steven LaPlante explains why this was a common trend among many. I think was a combination of two things, it was either people retiring and taking the equity where the equity would go further for them real estate wise. But I also think that during COVID, a lot of jobs went remote and so people could, you know, sell their Massachusetts home, move south, but keep the Massachusetts salary, explained LaPlante.

Despite this, there are still many factors that make it an attractive state for many. Colleges free for those under 25 without a college degree. And thats my husband fits in that category.Hes able to be a nursing student, which fills a great need in the state and pretty much nationally, said Bruce Glenny of West Springfield.

Glenny also explains the state has popular hiking and scenic destinations to visit. All the more reason, why so many people choose to call Massachusetts their home. According to the United States Census Bureau, there are over 7 million people currently living within the state.

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The two states in New England that scored high and people tend to move to are Maine and Vermont.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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Mortgage regulators are ignoring the threat of rising global temperatures, creating what some analysts fear is a ticking time bomb in certain areas.

As homes in high climate-risk regions lose value because of more powerful storms, regulators have taken little action to address the potential housing crisis, per The New York Times.

What's happening?

With rising global temperatures, more frequent floods and natural disasters are threatening the livelihood of homes in low-lying coastal areas and dry mountains.

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Four years ago, during the first year of Joe Biden's presidency, financial regulators acknowledged that the changing climate could threaten the financial system. However, since then, little to no action has been taken beyond an increase in mortgage rates that has somewhat slowed homebuying and housing prices.

Despite growing concerns, experts fear the Federal Housing Finance Agency hasn't done enough to protect Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-sponsored agencies that back half of the nation's outstanding mortgages.

Why is climate-related risk important for the housing market?

Climate catastrophes could result in massive losses, slashing Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's profits, which in turn would undermine their ability to keep the mortgage market liquid, according to Susan Crawford, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"This is all about the safety and soundness of the enterprises," Crawford told the Times. "We've got this mortgage-generating machine that is just moving blindly on without taking into account these risks."

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While extreme weather events have always been a part of Earth's history, more powerful and frequent storms are a result of dirty energy. Pollution from nonrenewable energy sources causes the planet to overheat, which supercharges extreme weather. By switching to clean energy and decreasing the total amount of pollution in the atmosphere, policymakers can help safeguard communities from climate-related risks.

What's being done about a potential climate-related housing crisis?

To safeguard homeowners and the housing market as a whole, changes to the current backing system need to be made. Moving forward, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could revise their fees to better account for climate risk or add provisions that would trigger to help a homeowner with a pause in payment due dates if their home were damaged or destroyed.

Do you think America is in a housing crisis?

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

"There are ways, however, to cushion the impact for vulnerable homeowners," the Times wrote. "Fannie and Freddie could scale fees by the borrowers' income, for example, or create subsidies for people who want to relocate to safety."

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Regular readers may recall that it is usual for this column to devote its first outing of the year to negative predictions: things that will not happen in the coming 12 months. This time, after the wild ride of the past year, I am up against more than the usual risks of misjudgements and false assumptions, but here we go.

1. Sir Keir Starmer will not sack Rachel Reeves or reshuffle her to a different Cabinet post. Nor will he sack (or move) Ed Miliband or David Lammy, however calamitous their performances prove to be.

Ms Reeves professional qualifications to be Chancellor of the Exchequer may have been brutally exposed but the critical decisions on her first Budget  its timing (too late), the doom-mongering that accompanied it (too depressing), and the measures it included (too damaging to growth)  must have had the Prime Ministers approval. For Sir Keir to remove her would be an admission that he too had been economically illiterate and politically obtuse.

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Similarly, the genuinely shocking decision to keep Mr Miliband, whose environmental policies will have appalling consequences, and Mr Lammy, whose diplomatic naivety is alarming, in the posts that they had held in Opposition could have been a sign of cowardice  being unprepared to risk any sort of internal party friction. Or it might have been vanity  a refusal to admit that you have made a serious mistake.

Frankly, my money is on the latter. Sir Keirs humourless hauteur is very noticeable. He always seems to see difficult questions from the media as an impertinence rather than taking them as an opportunity to score points for his team.

2. The second instalment of Donald Trumps presidency will not be as disruptive  or as transformative  as might have been expected. The clue to this was the striking change of tone in his public pronouncement as soon as it was clear that he had won the election.

The campaign rhetoric had featured all the familiar bellicose threats of vengeance against his enemies and endless self-pitying diatribes about the last election having been stolen from him (and, he implied, from the American people). Then, literally overnight, both his message and his manner were transformed into more or less rational and uncharacteristically generous expressions of gratitude to his supporters accompanied by promises to unite the nation with a plausible plan for recovery.

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He is still, of course, intending to pardon the January 6 rioters who invaded the Capitol and thereby debauched Americas most sacred democratic institution. But the blood curdling calls for vengeance and reckless defiance of the world order are fading, to be replaced by what sound almost like considered judgments.

Most significantly, his intervention on the Ukraine war  which he has always insisted he could end on the first day of his presidency  is now taking the shape of an explicit advance warning to President Zelensky that he must expect to make some territorial concessions for the sake of peace. Saying this out loud before he has even been sworn in as president is inappropriate and unconstitutional but it is obviously intended to save time. On the day that he enters the White House, the deal might be nearly done.

It seems likely that he is getting some grown-up advice and that he is prepared to listen to it, being aware now that he has a second chance for a respectable place in history. He is unlikely to allow this mission to be derailed so his reliance on Elon Musk as his Rasputin, will not survive the year.

He has decided that he wants to be remembered as a sound president who saved the American dream, not as a dangerous outlier elected in a moment of popular desperation. He will not make his inaugural entrance in the same way that he did the first time  waving his fist in the air like a tin pot dictator  and his speech will be statesmanlike rather than belligerent.

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3. That same Mr Musk will not be making a significant financial contribution to the Reform party. In truth, this was probably never going to happen. When Nigel Farage first returned from the great history-making summit at Mar-a-Lago  a one hour meeting in which Musk explained to him in some detail how he had engineered a Trump victory  he (Farage) described the possibility of such a contribution in the most minimal terms. The subject had been broached and Musk had not ruled it out.

Within days, this was being characterised as the beginning of a putative negotiation. Surely, at that very moment, the possibility of this should have struck everyone as disastrous for the Reform party brand. Since Farage has built his entire political career  and the existential purpose of his party  on the principle that the governance of this country should not be subject to interference from foreign powers, how could he accept a massive monetary gift from a foreign billionaire with all the implicit obligation and dependence that would naturally follow from such an arrangement?

But if it was misguided from the outset, it has become absolutely out of the question now that Musk has appointed himself as the transatlantic defender of Tommy Robinson  a man for whom the over-used epithet extreme Right is thoroughly appropriate.

Does Musk actually know anything about the history of the British National Party of which Robinson was a member and the English Defence League of which he was a founder?

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In calling for his release from prison, is he aware that Farage and his party have denounced Robinson and forbidden all ties with the organisations with which he is associated? How much does Musk actually know about British politics and the likely consequences of his motormouth interventions, and how happy is the Trump White House likely to be with his attempts to usurp the remit of their own Secretary of State?

So here is one positive prediction: Farage and his team  however much they need money to fund their transition into a proper political party  are going to distance themselves from the Musk circus before its relationship with Trumps new White House blows up.

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In our Reality Check stories, Wichita Eagle journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability. Story idea? tips@wichitaeagle.com.

A Wichita woman failed two drug tests while pregnant, but the Kansas Department for Children and Families did not intervene until the child was born with drugs in his system, according to agency documents.

Kaiden McCullough required morphine to treat his withdrawals after he was born on Oct. 17, 2022, the DCF documents say.

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Just over a year later, he was dead.

He died of fentanyl poisoning on Oct. 31, 2023, during an unscheduled, unsupervised visit with his mother, Wilma Faye Presley. At the time, he had been placed with his maternal aunt.

Kaiden became unconscious in Walmart while his mother shopped for candy with his father, Brijin M. McCullough. Presley also had her 2-year-old daughter with them. McCullough left before police arrived. He had been doing drug deals during the trick-or-treating outing, court records say.

Both parents were sentenced to prison in Kaidens death in September.

Presley had 18 complaints about neglect or abuse of her children before Kaiden was born. She was able to dodge most if not all of those investigations by DCF and law enforcement by either not answering calls or the door, or by simply saying the allegations were untrue, DCF documents show.

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She had already had a child born with drugs in their system, but that child was able to go home with her, the documents show.

Kaiden and his siblings were removed by DCF after he was born with drugs in his system, records show. At the time, Presley also had a ninth-grader, eighth-grader, second-grader and a toddler.

DCF released documents after multiple Kansas Open Records Act requests from The Eagle. Some of the documents were heavily redacted.

Still, they show DCFs failure to protect Presleys children despite numerous complaints and warning signs over the years, according to state Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, who sits on the child welfare system oversight committee.

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She said DCF is at fault for what happened.

They are responsible to make sure that a tragedy like this does not happen, that someone that is unable to care for a child should not be caring for the child, Baumgardner said.

Taking drugs while pregnant is not illegal in Kansas, according to media organization ProPublica.

DCF declined to comment outside of the records.

DCF provided you with all that could be legally released, DCF spokesperson Erin La Row told The Eagle. DCF cannot provide additional case details beyond what was provided via your Kansas Open Records Act request.

DCF didnt provide any documents showing Presley passed any drug tests, which were part of the requirements for her to get her children back, but still she was given more access to her child.

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She had just moved to unsupervised visits on the weekend, a DCF document after Kaidens death says, and was scheduled to get custody of the boy within days of his death. Kaiden died on a Tuesday.

The documents provided by DCF dont show a mother who should have been allowed unsupervised visits, and especially not one who should be getting the child back permanently, Baumgardner said.

In this case, it was an  unscheduled, unsupervised, that should have never happened, she said.

Visitations are decided through a court order. The records that would indicate if a violation occurred are not publicly available.

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Baumgardner, who has been critical of DCFs handling of cases and transparency, said the agency shouldnt have allowed the first child born with drugs in their system to go home with Presley and should have intervened to stop Kaiden from being born with drugs in his system. Baumgardner also had concerns that nothing appeared to have been done on the 18 complaints of neglect or abuse that happened before the baby was born.

Presley has a long history of crimes, with convictions dating back to around the mid-2000s. She has roughly 25 convictions. Before the more serious crimes related to the death of Kaiden and her and Brijin McCullough arranging drug transactions on a recorded jail line after the boys death, all of her convictions were for minor crimes, including forgery and theft. Several were traffic-related, including seven convictions for driving with a suspended license. She was on probation for a 2018 traffic-related case, which involved driving with a suspended license and no license plate or insurance, when one of Kaidens older siblings was born with drugs in their system. That probation was extended through Kaidens death after she failed to meet several requirements of the probation, including a mandate to attend drug and alcohol treatment.

Children born with drugs in their system

Presley had a child born in late 2020  about 20 months before Kaiden  with methadone and amphetamines in their system.

The child was jittery and being held at the hospital due to concerns of withdrawal, the document reads.

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Mother initially accepted a referral to Healthy Babies and [redacted name] was released into Mothers care, a document says. Healthy Babies attempted to made (sic) contact Mother several times, but was unsuccessful. Mother did not cooperate further with the investigation. Several health and welfare checks were done on the children and law enforcement was unable to make contact with the family.

Healthy Babies is a free educational program offered through Sedgwick County.

Presley said she had one prenatal appointment when she was three months pregnant with Kaiden, the documents say.

While in her third trimester, she tested positive for methadone and amphetamines on Aug. 11, 2022, and again on Sept. 26, 2022. Its not clear why she was tested in August. She went to the doctor in September because of complications related to the pregnancy, the documents say.

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Patient ended up leaving AMA that time, the document says. (AMA presumably means against medical advice in this context.)

She tested positive again for those drugs when she went to the hospital to give birth to Kaiden on Oct. 17, 2022. A DCF document that day said a case manager was concerned for recurrence of amphetamines just like the last child.

Kaiden was born with methadone and amphetamines in his system, DCF records show.

Presley told officials the methadone was prescribed by a clinic due to overusing pain medication, but could never provide the name of the clinic or prescription, documents show.

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Methadone and amphetamines stay in your blood for several days, according to The Recovery Village, a drug and alcohol rehab center with locations around the country.

Presley would not cooperate with DCF, the documents say. Under a section labeled Past Concerns, it says additional children being substance affected at birth and mother not cooperating with DCF.

The children were all removed from the home after Kaiden was born addicted to drugs, the document says. There had been years of complaints about child abuse or neglect before that.

Previous complaints

Presley had 18 complaints made to DCF of child abuse or neglect before Kaiden was born. The complaints date from February 2014 to March 2022.

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Several of the complaints were about the children missing school.

There also were complaints about emotional abuse, medical neglect and leaving the children unattended.

A Jan. 26, 2017, complaint says a child was falling asleep in class and while walking down the hallway. The child went to the school nurse, who called Presley, which made the girl upset because Mother told her not to let the school call her anymore, according to a court document, called a child in need of care petition, that DCF released.

DCF was not able to reach Presley about that complaint.

Mother was unable to be contacted regarding the allegation, the court document says. It was determined that there was not enough evidence to support the allegations. DCF closed the case.

Another case, from Jan. 22, 2019, about truancies where the children report they do not have beds and having to feed themselves, reached the same conclusion after Presley was unwilling to work with the school, the documents say.

It says services through a mental health organization had been set up for the children due to the Mother being ill with cancer. Its unclear whether that is true.

An Oct. 4, 2019, report said officers and staff have had to take the children home from school. It says the children stayed outside for several hours after being locked out of the house. Presley said it happened just once. The case was closed because there was not enough evidence to support the allegations, the court document says.

DCF also closed a case for a lack of evidence on a complaint three days after that. The report was about a child alleging emotional abuse by their mother. The child was fearful of being at Mothers home, the document says. The child said she ran away a couple weeks before that because she did not want to be at Mothers home.

The only case where its noted DCF took any action was after children were left in an unattended vehicle, with the keys in the ignition but not running, for at least 20 minutes on March 20, 2017, the document says.

Police were called in that case. Another child was home alone playing video games while that happened.

Mother was affirmed for lack of supervision, the document says. She refused services.

DCFs most diligent investigation, documents appear to show, was after Kaiden was born with drugs in his system and the children removed from Presleys custody.

Plan for reintegration

Kaiden had been in five placements, with the last happening on April 12, 2023, with his maternal aunt.

Kaiden siblings were with the aunt, too. The plan was for Presley to get her children back.

Part of the requirements for that to happen were passing drug tests. DCF did not provide any documents showing she passed any drug tests. One document, signed Aug. 18, 2023, says that Mother stated since the HF was positive she called the Substance Abuse Center of Kansas to get a referral to take part in outpatient treatment.

Mother stated she used last 6 months ago, the document says.

After Kaidens death, someone provided pics of drugs in moms (sic) home, DCF documents say.

Brijin McCullough, the father, was not to have unsupervised contact with the boy, the documents say.

Presley also had been arrested in February 2023 on a charge of driving without a license and possession of drug paraphernalia in a case where police found marijuana shake in plain view, according to a police report and municipal court records. She was arrested on contempt of court in the case on Oct. 19, 2023, less than a couple weeks before Kaiden died in her care.

Kaiden was scheduled to be returned to his mother on 10/31 per DCF after she had passed numerous drug tests, a DCF document says. Multiple other DCF documents say the visit that day was unscheduled.

Oct. 31, 2023 was the day Kaiden died.

Presley told a police detective that she was working to get custody of her children back and was supposed to get custody back the next day, November 1, 2023, according to her arrest affidavit.

Presley gave birth to another child in 2024; DCF filed a case against Presley in January to collect child support, court records show.
A top former military official has expressed shock and disbelief at the extent to which the U.S. national intelligence and communication apparatus has come to rely on services provided by companies owned by Elon Musk .

Following his op-ed on the topic this week for The New York Times, Lt. Gen. Russel Honore spoke with MSNBC s This Weekend on Saturday to discuss the growing influence of the richest man in the world on U.S. politics, as well as his ties to foreign governments.

Host Michael Steele said to Honore, Elon Musk has already shown us in the Ukraine situation, he is not concerned about using that leverage to his advantage against the interests of an ally of the United States , and getting concessions, and getting whatever he thinks that he needs in that scenario. How dangerous is that aspect of this?

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Honore responded, Well, right now, weve got we never want to get into a single source of intelligence, a single source of communication. I dont know how we got into this mess, contracting with one contractor, SpaceX doing rockets for us as well as controlling communications.

He went on, Thereve been many reports and suspects [sic] that it wont optimise to help the Ukrainians. Weve been dealing in Haiti , and Kenyan forces were only given one Starlink, one Starlink in that fight.

Honore then added, I dont know how the U.S. government Weve got the National Reconnaissance Office, we got Space Command, we got NASA  How in the hell people in Washington have subjugated our intelligence and our communications to a private company, why the hell did we do that?

Honore concluded by warning the threat is only going to get worse, having previously alluded to the national security risk posed by Musks alleged communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping .
Jan. 3CANTON  A Richville resident and former Academy at Ivy Ridge worker was indicted Dec. 19 for allegedly murdering a man last year.

A grand jury handed up an indictment against John Free III, 51, charging him with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault.

The murder case is unrelated to his time working at the infamous behavior modification center in Oswegatchie that operated from 2001 to 2009.

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Free is accused of killing 58-year-old John M. Barr at Barr's Rensselaer Falls home by beating him in the head with a blunt object. Authorities at the time of Free's arrest said they believe Barr was killed and left in his home for more than a month.

Free is being held at the St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility, Canton, without bail.

Free is a former employee at the beleaguered Academy at Ivy Ridge, but the murder case is not connected to Ivy Ridge, which St. Lawrence County District Attorney Gary M. Pasqua has described as "totally separate investigations."

State troopers were responding to a call for a welfare check at Barr's home on Heuvelton Street about 8:30 a.m. May 23, 2023, when they found Barr dead inside.

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It appeared that Barr had been hit in the head with a blunt object on or about April 11, Pasqua previously told the Times. The indictment says the murder happened sometime between April 5 and 12, 2023.

Ivy Ridge, a behavioral modification center for teens, was open in the town of Oswegatchie just outside Ogdensburg from 2001 to 2009. It's the subject of a Netflix miniseries called "The Program: Cons, Cults, and Kidnapping," during which former teens who were sent to Ivy Ridge, who are now adults, talk about how they were physically, mentally and sexually abused there. The miniseries was released just over a month prior to Barr's death.
Jan. 3Show me the money

The Legislative Finance Committee is scheduled to release its budget recommendation during a news conference on Jan. 13 at the Roundhouse.

Sen. George Munoz, a Gallup Democrat who chairs the committee, and Rep. Nathan Small, a Las Cruces Democrat who serves as vice chair, are among the committee members who are scheduled to speak. Committee staff will also be available to answer questions.

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The release of the LFC's budget recommendation comes after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham released her executive budget recommendation for fiscal year 2026, in which she proposed a 7% overall increase in recurring general fund spending.

The two budget proposals are typically released back-to-back, but the governor opted to unveil hers a month early to give the public and lawmakers more time to delve into the details.

Governor heads to Alamogordo

The governor, who has been holding town halls across the state to try to build support for her public safety proposals ahead of the legislative session, will be in Alamogordo next.

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The town hall will be held Wednesday at the Tays Center, a 1,400-seat indoor arena located at 2400 N. Scenic Drive. The event, which begins at 5:30 p.m., is free and open to the public.

"The impact of crime on our communities cannot be ignored: it requires urgent attention," states a post on the governor's official account on X, formerly Twitter. "Call or email your legislators and tell them you want them to tackle crime in the 2025 legislative session."

Breaking bread with politicos

You know a legislative session is approaching when rubber-chicken dinners are on the menu.

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Both the Democratic and Republican parties of New Mexico are planning legislative dinners in Santa Fe shortly after the start of the 60-day session on Jan. 21.

Republicans are planning their event Jan. 23 at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa while Democrats are holding their shindig Jan. 28 at La Fonda on the Plaza.

Hopefully guests will be treated to more than rubber chicken, based on the cost to attend.

Tickets to the Republican dinner are $120 apiece. Tickets to the Democratic dinner start at  gulp  $500.

Lujan appointed to finance committee

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan is now a member of the Senate Committee on Finance.

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In addition to retaining his position on committees where he has previously served, Lujan on Thursday announced his new appointment to the finance committee, where he said he would continue his efforts to protect New Mexicans' access to health care and lower prescription drug costs as well as fight to protect Social Security and push for a fair tax code.

"Looking ahead to a new Congress and a power shift in the Senate, I am still laser-focused on working with all of my colleagues to make things better for my home state of New Mexico and all Americans," he said in a statement.

Democrats pay tribute to Carter

Numerous high-ranking New Mexico Democrats honored former President Jimmy Carter on social media after his passing a week ago at the age of 100.

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"President Carter inspired the world with his unwavering commitment to justice, his deep sense of conscience, his dedication to community, and his steadfast belief in democracy," U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez wrote on X. "We will honor him with our own rededication to these values."

"President Jimmy Carter exemplified what it means to live a life of faith and service to others," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland wrote on X. "His love for and conservation of our shared public lands leaves a tremendous legacy."

Carter "devoted his life to serving others, seeking peace, and improving the world around him," U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich wrote. "All of us can learn from his constant example of compassion, humility, and decency."

Carter "possessed deep convictions, visionary ideas and a tireless work ethic, and our country is a much better place because of his service," wrote Lujan Grisham.

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"His leadership, dedication to Habitat for Humanity and fight for human rights will continue to inspire generations to come," wrote U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez.

In a statement posted on X, U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury said "as we mourn his loss, we honor his exceptional legacy and the indelible mark he has left on our nation and world through his dedication to peace and humanitarian causes."

Follow Daniel J. Chacon on Twitter @danieljchacon.
LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM)  Firefighters battled a rowhome fire that displaced five people in Lancaster yesterday.

According to a Facebook post from the Lancaster Township Fire Department, volunteers responded to a fire at S. West End Avenue, a three-story duplex, on Friday, January 3, at approximately 5:08 p.m.

The post says witnesses reported smoke and flames emanating from the third floor of 501 S. West End Avenue and spreading through an open void between the two units. Firefighters swiftly contained the blaze, but an extensive overhaul was required to extinguish the flames and ensure no hot spots remained.

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The post says the fire displaced five adults, three cats, and one dog. The American Red Cross was called in to assist the displaced residents, and one cat remained unaccounted for.

No injuries were reported, but the electrical fire caused significant damage, with the total loss to the duplex estimated at $150,000. Damage was assessed at approximately $20,000 for each side of the building, per the post.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Prince William shared his condolences to the family of his former nanny after her stepson was killed in the New Years terror attack in New Orleans.

Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer, he wrote on social platform X on behalf of himself and his wife, the princess of Wales.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack, he added.

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Pettifer, 31, was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who was the nanny for both William and his younger brother, Prince Harry, between 1993 and 1999, which included time after the death of their mother Princess Diana in 1997, according to The Associated Press. He resided in Chelsea, London.

Fourteen people were killed early Wednesday when Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, drove a rented pick-up truck through a crowded Bourbon Street in the first ISIS-inspired attack on U.S. soil since 2017. More than 30 were injured in the terror attack.

Pettifer was the final victim of the attack to be identified, the AP reported.

In a statement from the London Metropolitan Police, the family shared their grief over the loss of Pettifer.

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The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans, they stated. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.

We will all miss him terribly, the family continued. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private.

The London police department is providing support to the family, including the repatriation and coronial processes.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Dwarka District's Special Staff team has successfully apprehended and deported five Bangladeshi nationals, including a woman and two children, as part of the ongoing operation targeting illegal foreign nationals. The operation has expanded to bordering states, with over 500 suspects being verified. Earlier in 2024, 132 foreign nationals were deported, with 116 from Nigeria, 73 from Ghana, and 48 from Uganda. The anti-narcotics cell led the pack of rioters, with PS Uttam Nagar leading the charge, an official press release said. In pursuance of the directions of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, the Delhi Police, under intensified its operations against foreign nationals residing illegally in the capital. Following this mandate, DCP Dwarka District, Ankit Singh escalated the special drive in his jurisdiction to identify and take strict action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and other foreign nationals residing without valid documentation. As part of this drive, the Special Staff of Dwarka traced five Bangladeshi nationals, including one woman and two children, who were found staying illegally. They were deported in accordance with the prescribed procedures. The Dwarka District Police has been addressing concerns related to unauthorized migrants, including Bangladeshi nationals, through intensified efforts. This includes identifying, detaining, and repatriating individuals without valid Indian documentation. The police initiated these actions by sensitizing local informers, collecting human intelligence, and identifying routes used by illegal migrants to enter India. Under the direction of DCP Dwarka, a special team was constituted to execute this mission. The team, led by Inspector Vishvendra Dhaka and comprising SI Rakesh Kumar, ASI Kartar Singh, ASI Resham, HC Adesh, HC Vipin, W/HC Surender Kaur, HC Ajay, and Ct. Ravi worked under the supervision of ACP Operations, Ram Avtar. The team adopted a range of strategies, including activating informants and engaging residents to gather information about suspected illegal migrants. They conducted random verification drives in areas like slums, labor camps, and unauthorized colonies, particularly those with high migrant populations. On January 1, 2025, specific intelligence about illegal migrants in the Dwarka District was received. Acting on this input, a raid was conducted near Kali Basti, Uttam Nagar Metro Station, within the jurisdiction of PS Uttam Nagar. During the operation, five illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were apprehended. The detained individuals were identified as Mohd. Shahid (53), son of Mohd. Kadir, a resident of Area No. 16, Bagerhat, Bangladesh; Najrul Sheikh (50), son of Noor Islam, a resident of Bazar-Sharmashi, Bangladesh; Praveen (25), wife of Najrul Sheikh, a resident of Area No. 16, Bazar-Sharnashi, PS-Moral Ganj, District Bagerhat, Bangladesh; and two children. During interrogation, they admitted to having illegally migrated from Bangladesh. Evidence supporting their Bangladeshi citizenship, including mobile numbers and documents, was recovered from their phones. As per an official release, the apprehended individuals were presented at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Delhi and detained at a center in Inderlok for further proceedings. (ANI)
U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego made history Friday when he was sworn in as Arizona's first Latino senator. But it was his young son who captured the internet's attention.

Gallego brought his wife, Sydney, son Michael, and daughter Isla to his swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill. As the family gathered around Vice President Kamala Harris, Michael, only 7, told Harris: "I'm sorry you didn't win."

A video capturing their exchange went viral on social media.

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"You know what, sweetheart?" Harris responded, bending over to give the boy a hug. "Don't you worry about it, because there's still so much work to do."

Michael, turning 8 years old on Saturday, Jan. 4, returned to his parents' side. Harris asked if he knew what the word "defeated" meant.

"Are we defeated? Nope," she continued. "We're not defeated."

Arizona politics: How 2 AZ Republicans added suspense to the nail-biter House speaker vote

The latest election cycle handed decisive victories to the GOP up and down the ballot. Republican former President Donald Trump won the presidential election over Harris. Gallego was one of few Democrats to win contested Senate races, beating out Republican Kari Lake in November.

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Ahead of his swearing-in, Gallego told The Arizona Republic that he hopes to work productively with Republicans and the incoming Trump administration on big issues such as tax policy and border security, but it will require compromise on all sides in line with voter expectations.

Specifically, Gallego wants to see legislation that would provide more officers at the U.S.-Mexico border, change laws surrounding asylum seekers, and see tribal water agreements finalized to ensure better economic planning for Native Americans.

He will serve on the Senate's Homeland Security Committee, Banking, Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Veterans Affairs Committee.

As Harris read Gallego his oath of office, Isla began to murmur and reached for Harris' cue card. The vice president patted her on the back.

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Harris gave Michael a high-five as they posed for a photo. His father encouraged them, laughing.

"High-five the vice president," Gallego said.

The Arizona Republic's Ronald Hansen contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ruben Gallego's son to Kamala Harris: 'I'm sorry you didn't win'
Rudy Giuliani could be fined or jailed Friday for his continued refusal to transfer $11 million in assets to a pair of Georgia poll workers that he repeatedly defamed while pushing Donald Trumps 2020 election interference conspiracy. But thats not what flooded Giulianis mind as he appeared in federal court in lower Manhattan.

Instead, Giuliani was more concerned with his depiction by veteran court sketch artist Jane Rosenberg, whom he tasked with making him look good this time around.

The last time you made me look like my dog, he told the artist, per the New York Daily Newss Molly Crane-Newman.

Screenshot of a tweet

Giuliani is on trial to determine whether he must hand over his multimillion-dollar Florida condominium to Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, a mother-daughter duo of election workers whom hes spent the last year worming his way out of paying nearly $150 million in damages.

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Earlier this year, Giuliani claimed that the condo was his permanent residence, granting it homestead protection from debt-collection proceedings under state law. But his legal opposition has argued that Giuliani was less than forthcoming during the discovery process, suggesting that the disgraced politico wasnt being honest about how he utilizes the property.

In November, the former gang-busting federal prosecutor tried on a new legal defense to keep his stuff, arguing in a Manhattan courthouse that he couldnt possibly hand over his assets to Freeman and Moss because he simply didnt know where they were. Some of those assets include his Manhattan penthouse, a famously immovable object, as well as his Mercedes convertible, which he was seen driving in Florida on Election Day. In response, Judge Lewis Liman said that the idea that neither Giuliani nor anyone else in the world has knowledge about the location of his assets was farcical.

And Giulianis own legal representation in the Freeman and Moss case ditched him that same month, declaring in a motion in federal court that they had reached a fundamental disagreement with the exNew York mayor.
Jan. 3Many people look forward to the new year as a fresh start. Add to the list one cow elk in Ruidoso.

A photo of an elk with a barstool stuck around its neck began circulating on Facebook after the Ruidoso Police Department shared a post on Dec. 28.

"We are aware of the elk with the chair on his head. New Mexico Game and Fish has evaluated the elk," the post said. "They have determined that it is able to move around, eat and drink."

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In the post, Ruidoso Police stated that Game and Fish wanted to give the elk time to attempt to remove the barstool chair itself before the agency intervened, in order to avoid putting the elk through the stress of being tranquilized and captured.

"Officials are optimistic it was able to remove its head from the chair while bedded out of sight during the overnight hours," the Facebook post from the Ruidoso Police Department said. "They are working to confirm the elk's status and take additional action if needed."

Many comments on the social media post seemed to disagree with Game and Fish's decision to leave the elk alone.

Users left comments like "Wow how sad. Imagine you or your kids stuck in there & the fire department say 'ehhh they can still eat & drink there fine'. What a joke."

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Another comment said, "Cruelty to animals, the public should go after whomever is in charge of wildlife there."

This incident is not the first time an elk has found itself tangled up in outdoor furniture. According to Game and Fish, "In January 2024, officers captured and removed lawn furniture from three cow elk in the course of one week. Since that time, the number of entanglements has slowed but is still somewhat common in the area."

On Monday, Lincoln County Sheriff Michael Wood posted an update video on Facebook, letting viewers know that Game and Fish officials called to let him know they had authorized the use of tranquilizing darts to subdue the elk and remove the chair.

"We're out looking for her now and if in your travels you see her, let us know," Wood said. "Let's find her and get it done."

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After four days, two Game and Fish officers located the elk, who had stumbled near a residential home with the chair still around its neck, and shot a tranquilizing dart into it. Within one minute, the officers were able to remove the chair from the elk and stood with the elk for a short time while it came out of its stupor.

The department is asking residents in Ruidoso to bring in loose lawn furniture for the winter or secure it. The department is also asking residents to stop feeding wildlife.
CASCADE, Md. (DC News Now)  The Fort Ritchie Community Center and its executive director, Buck Browning, have been honored by the Rural Maryland Council for their work with the community.

Browning and the center are among eight entities in the state to be recognized for having a positive impact on their rural community.

Snow, snow squalls in DC, Maryland, Virginia

The Fort Ritchie Center has managed dozens of community projects and drawn recognition for having a positive impact on a rural community. It has also drawn the support of hundreds of volunteers over the past five years.

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We are somewhat unique, Browning said. Traditionally, rural folks dont have access to the offerings we have here.

The Fort Ritchie Center hosts youth camps, and wellness clinics and has a full-service fitness center.

If we can take care of this small rural community, we can grow and grow and get better and better. Brenda Walker, wellness director at the center, said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Russia-appointed officials in Moscow-occupied Crimea announced a regional emergency on Saturday, as oil was detected on the shores of Sevastopol, the peninsulas largest city.

Fuel oil spilled out of two storm-stricken tankers nearly three weeks ago in the Kerch Strait, close to eastern Crimea  about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Sevastopol, which lies on the southwest of the peninsula.

Today a regional emergency regime has been declared in Sevastopol, regional Gov. Mikhail Razvozhaev wrote on Telegram.

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Oil was found on four beaches in the region and was promptly eliminated by local authorities working together with volunteers, Razvozhaev said.

Let me emphasize: there is no mass pollution of the coastline in Sevastopol, he wrote.

Razvozhaevs announcement came after authorities in Russias southern Krasnodar region announced a region-wide emergency last week, as the fuel oil continued washing up on the coastline 10 days after one tanker ran aground and the other was left damaged and adrift on Dec. 15.

Krasnodar regional Gov. Veniamin Kondratyev said that almost 7,000 people were still working to clean up the spill on Saturday.

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More than 96,000 tons of contaminated sand and soil have been removed along the regions shoreline since the original spill, he wrote on Telegram.

On Dec. 23, the ministry estimated that up to 200,000 tons in total may have been contaminated with mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the oil spill an ecological disaster.

The Kerch Strait, which separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from the Krasnodar region, is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the inland Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.

It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, described the oil spill last month as a large-scale environmental disaster and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers.
The Russian Defence Ministry has claimed the destruction of 16 Ukrainian drones overnight, including over Russia's Leningrad Oblast.

Source: Russian Defence Ministry

Details: According to the Russian ministry, 10 of these drones were allegedly downed by air defence systems over Bryansk Oblast, three over Smolensk Oblast and one each over Belgorod, Pskov and Leningrad oblasts.

Background:

In January 2024, Russia claimed to have intercepted drones near Moscow and, for the first time, in Leningrad Oblast.

Later, it was revealed that the drone attack on an oil depot in Leningrad Oblast by Ukrainian drones on the night of 17-18 January was a special operation by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

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A Moscow court has ordered a Russian internet giant to hide maps and images of oil refineries from its search engine results after a spate of Ukrainian drone attacks on the countrys fuel infrastructure.

Yandex, known as Russias Google, has been ordered to scrub satellite and map images of an oil plant that has been targeted in UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) strikes by Ukraines armed forces, according to the state-owned TASS news agency.

The demand comes after a lawsuit was filed by Russian regulators who found detailed images of the countrys oil plants were easily accessible from Yandex on a service similar to Google Maps.

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The technology company must begin removing or retouching images of the facilitys components, including workshops, compressor stations, tank storage areas and other elements, from the Yandex Maps platform, a ruling said.

The court said Yandexs technology makes the facility extremely vulnerable to enemy weapons.

The block is the first time the Russian government has ordered Yandex to remove information from public maps to support its war effort, TASS reported. Yandex declined to comment.

A court filing said the facility had been attacked by Ukraine four times, although it did not name the plant. It said the refinery operates uninterruptedly to support the Russian army and navy and that public access to the images undermines national defence capabilities.

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The Telegraph was able to identify several major oil and gas plants within Russia that have been reportedly targeted by Ukraines forces using Yandexs mapping tools. The satellite images provide detailed pictures of multiple major facilities, while panoramic pictures taken by drone and street view images were also accessible.

Russia unleashed waves of air and drone strikes against Kyivs energy systems after its invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago. Moscows forces have destroyed roughly half of Ukraines domestic power infrastructure since the war began and caused rolling blackouts.

Last year, Ukrainian forces started escalating their own attacks against the Kremlins oil and gas production facilities, with unmanned drones targeting plants deep inside Russia, some of them hundreds of miles from the border.

Kyivs forces have also bombed munitions plants using kamikaze drones, fired missiles and sabotaged Russian railways that carry fuel supplies.

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On Dec 22, dozens of Ukrainian drones targeted an oil depot in Russias Oryol Oblast, its second major strike on the facility that month. While Russia claimed to have downed 20 drones, footage on social media showed the Steel Horse storage plant ablaze.

Ukraine has hit plants as far afield as Tartarstan, more than 750 miles from its border, and St Petersburg over the past year.

Some of Ukraines allies have expressed unease at Kyivs decision to hit Russian infrastructure far from its own territory, fearing further escalation of the conflict which has already resulted in up to 1m soldiers being killed or wounded.

Yandex was founded as a search engine in 1997, dominating the internet search market in Eastern Europe and competing against Google. At times, the technology company has chafed against the Kremlins censorship demands but the Russian state later took a golden share in the business.

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After listing in the US over a decade ago, it hit a valuation of more than $30bn (24bn) in 2021.

However, Russias invasion of Ukraine saw the technology company hit with damaging sanctions by Western governments, while the Kremlin dramatically increased censorship of its search engine and news products.

After it was blacklisted, Yandexs global business was split up and it sold its Russian search division business to local investors at a discounted price last year.

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Russia launched more than 300 drones and 20 missiles, including ballistic missiles, at Ukrainian cities and villages over the first three days of the new year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 3.

In the first days of 2025, Russia carried out a series of attacks against Ukraine, causing the destruction of many residential buildings and infrastructure, as well as civilian casualties.

Zelensky added that the Russian army also strikes settlements close to the front line with guided aerial bombs every day.

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"Such Russian terror, which is not decreasing its intensity, requires us and all our partners to continue to build our air shield and all its systemic elements, from patriots to mobile fire groups," Zelensky said.

"It is necessary to replenish the stock of anti-missiles for air defense constantly. We need to increase the capacity of mobile fire groups constantly. I am grateful to all the partners who help us."

The president also announced meetings and talks next week to strengthen Ukraine's air defense.

The next Ramstein-format summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) will take place on Jan. 9.

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The meeting will be the first since the leader-level summit in Germany was postponed in October 2024 after U.S. President Joe Biden canceled his foreign trips to handle Hurricane Milton.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russian envoy dismisses Trumps reported peace deal; over 50,000 Russians seek MIA soldiers

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(Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday that Russian forces had taken control of the village of Nadiya in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region and had shot down eight U.S.-made ATACMS missiles.

Reuters could not immediately verify the battlefield reports.

The ministry said its air defence systems had shot down 10 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory on Saturday morning, including three over the northern Leningrad region.

St Petersburg's Pulkovo airport temporarily halted flight arrivals and departures on Saturday morning.

(Reporting by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Editor's note: The story is being updated.

Russia struck a multi-story residential building in the Svesa village in Sumy Oblast on Jan. 4, injuring at least 10 people, including two 2-year-old children, the regional police reported.

Russian forces carried out the strike using two glide bombs that were dropped directly on the building and destroyed one of its blocks. Ukraine's Emergency Service evacuated 14 people from the site of the attack.

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Svesa, with a pre-war population of about 6,100 residents, is located close to the Russian border.

At least 15 apartments are destroyed and 700 windows have been damaged in the blast, according to Sumy Oblast Military Administration. Search and rescue operations continue as of 7 p.m. local time.

Sumy Oblast borders Russia's Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts. Residents of the vulnerable border communities experience multiple attacks per day.

Read also: Glide bombs help Russia gain land in Ukraine. What makes them so effective?

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar recently addressed the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamna's praise of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Wadettiwar made it clear that any good work should be acknowledged without political bias, regardless of party affiliation. He remarked, "Police take action against Naxalists, and that has been happening till now. C-60 (the special anti-Naxal force) was formed during the Congress tenure." Wadettiwar further emphasized that, "If good work happens, that needs to be praised, it should not have a political meaning." On the recent Saamna article that lauded Fadnavis, Wadettiwar expressed that such recognition was appropriate when based on positive actions. "When it comes to the article of Saamna, we don't have to derive wrong meaning from it. It writes good for good things, criticizes bad things," he stated, urging people not to read political agendas into it. Earlier, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut said they praised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the Saamana editorial as the state government had done a "commendable job" by getting the Naxalites operating in Gadchiroli district to surrender. Raut hit out at the previous guardian minister of Gadchiroli, alleging that he appointed his agents and collected money that increased Naxalism. He said that Shiv Sena (UBT) appreciates that the Chief Minister has taken charge of Gadchiroli as the guardian minister. "We have praised Devendra Fadnavis because the government has done a good job. Maharashtra is our state and a place like Gadchiroli which is affected by Naxalism - if the Naxalites surrendered and opted for the constitutional path - we welcome that. The earlier 'guardian minister' could have done that - but instead, he appointed his agents and collected money that increased Naxalism... We have worked with Devendra Fadnavis - that relation goes on, but we are in the opposition and we will continue to raise the issues as well," Raut told reporters in a press conference. The Shiv Sena (UBT) MP further said that Gadchiroli's development will be "good" for the entire Maharashtra. Raut said that they have appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well when he has done good work. (ANI)
Jan. 4 (UPI) -- The Kremlin on Saturday vowed "retaliation" for what it said was Ukraine's use of American-made Army Tactical Missile Systems against targets in a Russian border region.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said a Ukrainian attack using the U.S.-supplied long-range tactical missiles came on Friday in the Belgorad Oblast, located about 25 miles north of the border with Ukraine.

"During the anti-missile battle, all ATACMS missiles were shot down by combat crews of the S-400 air defense missile system and the Pantsir-SM air defense missile and gun system," the Russian military said on its Telegram channel.

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"These actions by the Kyiv regime, supported by Western curators, will be met with retaliatory measures," it added.

That post followed an earlier one from the Russian MOD saying eight ATACMS had been shot down without specifying their origin.

The Belgorod region's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, wrote on Telegram that air defense systems were activated in the Prokhorovsky district late Friday and that "several air targets were shot down."

A man was injured In the village of Prelestnoye during the attack while infrastructure in the region was also damaged, he said.

U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Ukrainian forces to use the controversial ATACMS missiles against targets inside Russia in November, and since then Russia has promised several times to retaliate against their use.

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Days after Biden's authorization, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he had approved the use of an experimental Oreshnik hypersonic missile against a Ukrainian aerospace plant, claiming it was in response to Kyiv's firing of U.S.- and British-made long-range weapons.

On Dec. 12, Russia similarly threatened a unspecified response after Ukraine struck the Taganrog military airfield in the Sea of Azov with six American-made ATACMS ballistic missiles.
KYIV (Reuters) -A Russian guided bomb attack on Saturday wounded 10 people, including two children, in a village in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region, near the Russian border, local authorities said.

The region borders Russia's Kursk region and has been regularly shelled by Russian forces for months.

Video posted by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy showed parts of a building in the village of Svesa reduced to rubble. Rescue teams ferried residents out of the building on stretchers.

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"An entire block of the building, from the ground to the fifth floors was destroyed," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "Neighbouring houses were also damaged."

Zelenskiy said guided bomb strikes hit two other villages in Sumy region and also neighbouring Kharkiv region.

Russia, which began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, did not immediately comment on the events in Sumy.

Guided, or glide, bombs are conventional, often Soviet-era, weapons with satellite-aided navigation to extend their range and precision. They are often dropped from beyond the range of Ukrainian air defences.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Ron Popeski, Editing by Timothy Heritage and Cynthia Osterman)
Russian strikes against Ukraine killed two civilians and injured 21 over the past day, regional authorities reported on Jan. 4.

Russian forces launched 81 drones at Ukraine overnight from the Russian cities of Bryansk, Kursk, Orel, and Primosk-Akhtarsk, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare units, mobile firing groups, and aviation shot down 34 drones in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Odesa, and Mykolaiv oblasts.

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Forty-seven drones were lost allegedly due to electronic warfare countermeasures.

Russian forces launched three Iskander-M ballistic missiles at Chernihiv Oblast on Jan. 3, killing a 72-year-old man and injuring four people, Governor Viacheslav Chaus reported. The attack destroyed two houses and damaged the other 10.

Russia struck the village of Stepnohirsk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on Jan. 3 with Grad multiple rocket launchers, killing a man, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. The man's wife was hospitalized with injuries.

In Kherson Oblast, Russia targeted 40 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson, over the past day. As a result of the attacks, eight people were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported.

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Russian forces also launched a drone attack at the village of Antonivka in Kherson Oblast on the morning of Jan. 4, injuring a 71-year-old man. He was hospitalized with mine-blast trauma and shrapnel wounds to the head and abdomen, according to the local military administration.

In Donetsk Oblast, four people were injured in the city of Sloviansk, and one person suffered injuries in the village of Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka due to the Russian strikes, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported on Jan. 4.

In Kharkiv Oblast, a 56-year-old man suffered injuries in the drone attack against the village of Zapadne, and a 55-year-old man was injured in the village of Kozacha Lopan as a result of the shelling on Jan. 3, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Russian envoy dismisses Trumps reported peace deal; over 50,000 Russians seek MIA soldiers

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Russian commander Konstantin Nagayko was seriously injured in an explosion in Shuya, in Russia's Ivanovo Oblast, on 3 January, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has reported. Nagayko was involved in a 2023 attack on a cafe in the village of Hroza, Kharkiv Oblast, which resulted in the deaths of 59 Ukrainian civilians.

Source: DIU

Details: DIU said an explosion shook the town of Shuya on 3 January. At its epicentre was Captain Konstantin Nagayko, battery commander of the 112th Missile Brigade of the 1st Tank Army of the Western Military District of the Russian Armed Forces (military unit No. 03333). He was on duty in his military unit at the time.

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Nagayko sustained multiple shrapnel injuries to nearly all of his organs, particularly the brain, and later underwent a craniotomy. DIU reported that "depressing rumours" are circulating within the Russian 112th Missile Brigade, suggesting Nagayko has little chance of survival and is in a critical condition.

DIU noted that Captain Nagayko, 29, was born in Svobodny, a town in Russia's Amur Oblast. He graduated from the St Petersburg University of Aerospace Instrumentation and the Mikhailovsky Military Artillery Academy.

He directly participated in the full-scale war against Ukraine, taking part in strikes with Iskander ballistic missiles on both civilian and military targets in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts.

Quote: "In particular, Nagayko's unit committed a war crime in the village of Hroza, Kupiansk district, on 5 October 2023, when it launched a missile attack on a cafe during a wake. The attack killed 59 Ukrainian civilians, including an eight-year-old boy."

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Read more: Young couple killed in Russian missile strike on Hroza: details of tragedy

"There's a child in the morgue. We don't know if it's ours." How the village of Hroza is coping after the mass killing, as it prepares for the victims' funerals

Background:

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Latest reports indicate that a Russian Iskander missile strike on Chernihiv on 3 January left one person dead and seven others injured.

Source: Chernihiv City Military Administration

Details: Two of the injured are in hospital, while five others are receiving outpatient treatment.

A total of 28 houses were damaged, with two utterly destroyed. Electricity and gas supplies have since been restored to the area heavily affected by the missile strike.

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The search and rescue operation was completed on the afternoon of 4 January.

Background:

On 3 January, Russian forces launched a missile strike on Chernihiv.

The Ukrainian military later stated that the Russians had used an Iskander missile in the attack.

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Russian troops are disguising themselves as civilians to bypass Ukrainian military positions in the Toretsk sector of the front line in Donetsk Oblast, commander of the mortar battery of the presidential brigade, call sign "Mozok" ("Brain"), told Suspilne on Jan. 3.

The commander's statement comes after reports on Russian forces starting to move toward the town of Toretsk. Fighting with armored combat vehicles, motorcycles, and buggies took place in the village of Nelipivka, located south of Toretsk, in late December.

The soldier, whose name is undisclosed for security reasons, said that after passing Ukrainian positions, Russian soldiers disguised as civilians either wait for reinforcements or use anti-tank mines to attack Ukrainian positions.

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"Some of the soldiers are former prisoners. They are tasked with smuggling anti-tank mines and throwing them into the area of our firing positions when the fighters cannot be knocked out during regular battles. They are trying to blow up buildings where our guys are located," the soldier told Suspilne.

Small infantry groups are also trying to storm and bypass positions under the cover of fog, he added.

Toretsk has become one of the hottest spots in Donetsk Oblast in recent months as Russian troops continue advancing in Ukraine's east.

Throughout 2024, Ukraine has faced a challenging situation in its defense of the front line. Apart from Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine expects Russian forces to launch larger-scale attacks in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

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Read also: Ukraine ends year battered, with Russian troops pushing north, east, and south

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On 4 January, between 11:00 and 20:00, Russians launched an attack on Ukrainian territory with 30 Shahed-type attack UAVs and decoy drones, 14 of which were shot down and 16 of which disappeared from radar.

Source: Ukrainian Air Force

Quote: "During the current day (from 11:00 on 4 January), the enemy attacked [Ukraine] with 30 Shahed-type attack UAVs and various types of decoy drones from the north-east.

As of 20:00, 14 enemy UAVs were shot down, and 16 enemy decoy drones disappeared from radar (without negative consequences)."

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(Reuters) -Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Saturday it had thwarted a large attack in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and detained four teenagers it said had been planning to detonate a bomb in a crowded area.

The FSB said it had seized components for a homemade explosive device and that investigators in the Sverdlovsk region had opened a criminal case.

The four teenagers are Russian citizens born in 2007 and 2008, the FSB said. It did not name them.

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The FSB said those detained "shared the ideas of a terrorist organisation banned in Russia and planned to carry out a terrorist act using a homemade explosive device" in places where many citizens of Yekaterinburg are present.

It said that two of those detained had also been involved in an arson attack on an interior ministry car. The Interfax news agency reported that the arson attack had taken place on Dec. 22, 2024.

(Reporting by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Toby Chopra, Kirsten Donovan)
(Reuters) -The Russian media outlet Izvestia said on Saturday that a Ukrainian drone strike killed its reporter near the city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.

"The Ukrainian army launched a drone strike on a civilian car carrying Izvestia's freelance correspondent Alexander Martemyanov," the daily reported on its Telegram channel.

"The car was located far from the line of contact."

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Izvestia said the car was travelling on a highway linking Donetsk, the Russian-held main town of Donetsk region, and the city of Horlivka to the north.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, writing on her ministry's website, denounced the incident as "deliberate murder".

Zakharova described it as "another brutal crime in a series of bloody atrocities" of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's government "which openly resorts to terrorist methods to eliminate its ideological opponents".

Data previously provided by the Committee to Protect Journalists counted at least 15 journalists killed since Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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Russia's RIA news agency said two of its correspondents travelling with Martemyanov were injured in the incident, along with two journalists working for a local publication in Donetsk.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Sandra Maler)
St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport has imposed restrictions on arrivals and departures for the second time in the last 24 hours.

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency TASS with reference to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency; Russian Telegram channels

Details: The reports indicate that the restrictions have been introduced "to ensure safety" at Pulkovo Airport.

Telegram channels noted that six planes, scheduled to land, are in a holding pattern near Lake Ladoga.

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These include flights from the cities of Cherepovets, Tyumen, Chelyabinsk, Samara, Novosibirsk and Perm.

Early reports from public sources suggest that the restrictions have been implemented due to the threat of a potential drone attack.

Background: Earlier, it was reported that a drone was allegedly downed over Russia's Leningrad Oblast.

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The body of a first-year student of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room located on the premises of the campus, a police official said on Saturday. The incident took place on Friday night and prima facie it seemed to a suicide case though the actual cause of death would be ascertained after post mortem report, he added. According to the police, the student was identified as Rohit Kumar (18), a resident of Nalgonda (Telangana). The college management informed the family members and the Simrol police station in the district about the incident. Simrol Police station Sub Inspector (SI), Raimal Kansaniya said, "On January 3 at around 9 pm, a case came to light of a first-year student of IIT Indore, Rohit who died by hanging himself from a fan in the hostel room. Prima facie it seemed to be suicide by hanging himself. Today, the body has been brought to the district hospital for the post mortem." When asked about family claiming it could not be a suicide, the police officer said that it was being investigated and the actual reason would be known after the PM report. Further investigation into the matter is underway, he added. Rohit's cousin Roop Singh said, "Last night we got a call from the college that Rohit committed suicide, after which we reached here. On December 31, we had sent Rs 40,000 to Rohit to pay his college fees. Rohit has left a note on his phone that he had lost the fees in online betting, so he was committing suicide. Rohit's parents work as labourers in the fields, Rohit was very good in studies." Rohit's classmate Vishwanath also mentioned that Rohit used to play online games and put a wallpaper on his mobile that betting was the reason his suicide. "Rohit was my friend; we used to spend our time together. He used to play online games. He had put wallpaper on his phone in which it was written, "reason behind my suicide is, I am addicted to online betting games...". Yesterday afternoon we saw his room was closed, we knocked but there was no response. We also called him several times but he did not respond. Last night when we looked under the door, Rohit was not on the bed and we saw a chair kept there. When we broke the door, we came to know about the incident and informed the watchman," Vishwanath said. (ANI)
(Reuters) - Russia's Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg temporarily halted flight arrivals and departures from 7:45 a.m. (0445 GMT) on Saturday to ensure the safety of civilian aircraft, Russia's aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said.

It did not specify a reason for the decision to halt flights, but Russian airports have previously closed when there is a risk of Ukrainian drone strikes in the area.

Alexander Drozdenko, governor of the northern Leningrad region containing St Petersburg, said Russian forces had shot down two drones near Luga Bay in the gulf of Finland.

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"The airport is temporarily not accepting or dispatching flights," a Rosaviatsia representative wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "Aircraft crews, air traffic controllers and airport services are taking all necessary measures to ensure flight safety - this is the top priority."

(Reporting by Alexander Marrow; Editing by William Mallard)
Editors note: At around 9 p.m. on Friday, SPD said the missing teen was found safe.

(FOX40.COM)  The Sacramento Police Department is asking for the publics help to find a teen girl who was reported as missing.

The 15-year-old teen was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, red sweats, black shoes, and a black Adidas backpack in the 6100 Block of McLaren Avenue on Thursday, according to SPD. She is described as being 4 feet 10 inches tall, 95 pounds, and having dark brown hair with hazel eyes.

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Anyone with information on her whereabouts can call the Sacramento Police Department at 916-808-5471.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Members of Metro Council have warned Nashville riders not to get into rides they didnt request after receiving numerous reports about fake taxis.

Its a safety risk, Metro Councilmember over District 19, Jacob Kupin, said. Youre now getting in the vehicle  not taxi licensed, not regulated by Uber and Lyft. This is a complete and total stranger that youve just gotten in the car with.

Often, Kupin said fake taxis will pull up along someone walking and offer them a ride. However, hes heard these rides cost unsuspecting passengers much more than they expected.

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Attack in New Orleans highlights use of vehicle ramming in mass violence

Someone was talking about how they got into an illegal cab on Broadway and to get from Broadway to the Gulch cost them $60, Kupin said.

Kupin explained that although Council has tried to address the issue, their options are somewhat limited until stricter laws are in place to crack down on drivers without taxi licenses. However, Kupin said state leaders are looking into the issue and he hopes to see new legislation soon.

In the meantime, Kupin said the city is working to keep track of these drivers and encouraged riders to report any fake taxis to hubNashville.

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If youre in a taxi, the meter should be there. It should be on. It should be running, Kupin explained. There should be a drivers permit  a TLC drivers permit  thats displayed, a rate card, a passenger bill of rights.

Monique McClain has driven for Uber for six years and has also heard multiple stories of unsolicited rides going poorly. She specifically cautioned against accepting rides from drivers asking to not use the app.

If you see a taxi set up in a regular vehicle, I would say immediately get out of the vehicle, McClain said. Because for whatever reason why are you driving both of them? It doesnt make a lot of sense. And for insurance purposes, you want to make sure youre fully covered and tracked for safety.

McClain recommended that riders set up a PIN for each ride to make sure theyre with the right driver. Fake taxis are also an issue the Tennessee Drivers Union is working to tackle.

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Were all concerned about this because it makes the integrity of rideshares look bad when we are actually out here trying to make a living and do things the right way, McClain said.

Representatives with the Tennessee Drivers Union told News 2 progress has been made in addressing fake taxis, however, they still feel more work needs to be done.

TDOT preparing roads ahead of predicted winter weather

They shared the following statement, in part:

New reporting systems were implemented this summer; individuals have the ability to go online and make any reports regarding fake taxis. However, we as drivers are demanding a more active enforcement approach towards banning fake taxis, especially downtown. City officials and the Mayors Office (Councilmember Erin Evans and Director Darren Jernigan from the Mayors Office) committed to asking the MNPD Police Chief and the Nashville Department of Transportation to look into enforcement practices to take fake taxis off the streets of Nashville. While we have seen a decrease, this problem has not been addressed and we would like to see it taken more seriously for the safety of the passengers and the integrity of our rideshare businesses. We hope to see a more active enforcement approach across the state as well.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
SAINT CLAIR  An Akita mix who was surrendered to Hillside SPCA on Nov. 6 has found a loving new home, while her former owner is facing animal cruelty charges.

The 9-year-old mixed breed, originally named Skittles and thought to be a mix of Akita, chow chow and boxer, weighed only 24 pounds when surrendered. A dog with the genetics of those breeds should weigh at least 40 pounds, according to Hillside officials.

You could see every bone in her, said Hillside Shelter Manager Sherrie Schafer.

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I observed it to be so underweight I could count its rib bones, Saint Clair Police Officer Shaun Wiest wrote in charging documents filed Dec. 6 against Skittles owner, Donald Long Jr., 64.

The dogs nails were so long that she could not stand properly, and the odor of urine and feces was so overwhelming in the home that Wiests eyes burned.

Happily, the mixed breed, named Beginning by her new family, has gained 10 pounds.

Beginning went home with her new family on Dec. 10, Schafer said Thursday.

Schafer described the mostly white dog as super friendly and very sweet.

When she first arrived at Hillside on Nov. 6, however, after being surrendered by Long, she was emaciated. Not only that, she was covered in urine and feces, Schafer said.

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Thanks to some TLC at Hillside and a loving new home, Beginning the dog has a chance for a new life.

She came to the attention of authorities due to the need for medical care, according to police reports.

When police arrive at the home on Nov. 6, no food or water for the dog was visible. Two- to three-inches of dog feces were seen inside the dog cage, along with a shredded blanket and other debris. Numerous beer cans were inside the home.

Saint Clair Police charged Long with cruelty to animals and neglect of an animal, both misdemeanors. Long was being evicted from his home, with most utilities disconnected. Long was found, intoxicated, outside the residence, according to reports.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest, according to Magisterial District Judge David Plachkos office.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  The Salvation Army Emergency Shelter in San Angelo offers extended hours for guests as temperatures drop.

The shelter is available to anyone who needs a place to stay when temperatures are below 40 degrees. Major Adriana Martinez says that guests are now allowed to stay longer in the mornings.

We are having staff come in and stay here until nine oclock as the temperatures rise so we dont exit our clients at 7 a.m. in the morning, Maj. Martinez said.

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The shelter is free of charge and guests only need to bring photo identification and fill out an application to stay. Warm meals, restrooms, and showers are also provided.

The Salvation Army also offers clothing vouchers to be used at their family thrift store.

The community is welcome to donate clothing, twin-sized bedding, and other household items.

One thing that is being used on a daily basis are towels and blankets, Maj. Martinez said. We do ask that they be gently worn.

The Salvation Army Emergency Shelter is located at 122 W. 2nd St. in San Angelo.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck expressed concern over US tech billionnaire Elon Musk's support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the country's February elections.

Scholz, a Social Democrat (SPD), told Stern magazine in a story published on Saturday, that while he's not fazed by Musk's attacks on him and other German politicians, Musk's support of the far-right is much more worrying.

"Far more concerning than such insults is the fact that Musk supports a partly far-right party like the AfD, which advocates rapprochement with Putin's Russia and seeks to weaken transatlantic relations."

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Scholz did not elaborate as to why he referred to the AfD has "partly far-right." Germany's BfV domestic intelligence agency is monitoring the national AfD party as a suspected right-wing extremist group, and several state-level party organizations have already received that designation.

The AfD has made major gains in eastern Germany and is seen as increasing its support in the federal elections scheduled for February 23. It is currently polling between 18% and 20% ahead of the election, almost double the 10.4% it received in the last election in 2021.

Sharper tone from Habeck

Habeck, the Green Party's candidate in the upcoming election, warned Musk, a top supporter of US President-elect Donald Trump, against meddling in Germany's election.

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"Hands off our democracy, Mr. Musk!" Habeck told the news magazine Spiegel when asked whether Musk was a threat to Germany.

"The combination of immense wealth, control over information and networks, the use of artificial intelligence and the will to ignore rules is a frontal attack on our democracy," Habeck continued.

He said that Musk, who as a top advisor to President-elect Donald Trump is expected to have a prominent role in the upcoming US administration, is doing everything he can to push through his interests.

Musk, who is known for his provocative postings on his social media platform X, has been causing unrest in German politics for days

Scholz unfazed by personal insults

The chancellor said he was less concerned about Musk's personal attacks.

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Musk, the owner of Tesla and the social media platform X, had called Scholz a "fool" and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier an "undemocratic tyrant."

Scholz rejected that, saying: "The federal president is not an anti-democratic tyrant and Germany is a strong and stable democracy - Musk can claim what he likes. In Germany, it is the will of the citizens that counts, not the erratic statements of a billionaire from the USA."

Scholz does not intend to invite Musk to the chancellery. "I see no reason to court Mr. Musk's favour. I am happy to leave that to others."

Scholz: Insults rich media tycoons are par for the course

"As Social Democrats, we have been accustomed since the penultimate century to wealthy media entrepreneurs who do not appreciate social democratic politics - and are not shy about expressing their opinions," Scholz told Stern.

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Scholz said things are somewhat different today because media companies and platforms now have a worldwide reach.

"But in essence, it is nothing new. One must remain cool," said the SPD politician.

Scholz: AfD was once against Tesla's German factory

Scholz said that he had met Musk once in March 2022 at the opening of the Tesla factory in Grunheide near Berlin and had a brief conversation with him.

At that time, he said, the local AfD was lobbying against the establishment of the factory in Grunheide. A few months later, Musk contacted Scholz again by phone with a personal request regarding the federal government's plans to subsidize electric charging stations across the country. Tesla has operates its own system of charging stations in Germany.

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"It is no secret that Tesla was against the government funding for electric charging stations in Germany," the chancellor said.

Musk's stir over the weekend

At the weekend, the tech billionnaire endorsed the AfD with a lengthy opinion piece published in the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

Habeck described the statements in the guest article as "awful" and warned against underestimating Musk's attempts to exert influence in German politics.

"The richest man in the world, who owns one of the most powerful communication platforms, openly supports a party that is partly right-wing extremist. We should not make the mistake of dismissing this," said Habeck.

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Trump's incoming vice president, JD Vance, also recently waded into the upcoming German elections.

Although Vance said he would not support any party in the campaign "as it's not my country and we hope to have good relations with all Germans," he went on to denounce the portrayal of the AfD as a "Nazi-lite" extremist party as "slander."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is pressing Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) for an all-senators briefing on recent dangerous events in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

"Given the severity of these incidents and the risk of further attacks and copycat actors, it is essential for the Senate to remain actively engaged in understanding the scope of the attacks and to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to address any threat posed by domestic or international terrorism," Schumer wrote in the letter addressed to Thune on Saturday.

In Las Vegas, a flammables-stuffed Tesla Cybertruck was detonated outside one of President-elect Donald Trump's hotels on New Years Day, injuring seven individuals and killing one individual inside the car. In New Orleans, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, an Army veteran from Texas, plowed a truck through a crowded street on New Years Eve, killing 14 individuals.

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The new congressional term began on Friday, launching Thune to the top of the Senate after four years of Democratic control. That means the GOP leader is now tasked with orchestrating major all-senators briefings, controlling floor time and more.

Schumer's letter is an early sign that he intends to remain a vocal leader in the minority. The longtime New York senator has repeatedly urged Thune to practice bipartisanship while helming the chamber. The Democratic leader noted that it has "been the practice in the Senate" for party leaders to work together on organizing all-senators briefings, and that he is "ready to work with [Thune] to facilitate this briefing at the earliest convenience."

Thune has said recent events showcase the need to confirm Trump's intended national security nominees quickly. That could prove difficult, as some of Trump's picks like former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence, or Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, have drawn pushback from lawmakers.

Schumer also requested senators be briefed on preparations for the upcoming presidential inauguration, which will occur on Jan. 20, and other upcoming public events at the Capitol.

"I believe a comprehensive briefing on the investigations in New Orleans and Las Vegas, as well as security planning for the major upcoming public events at the Capitol, is necessary to provide senators with information to make informed decisions about security policy, emergency response, and support for the Capitol complex and the affected communities."
Scientists have found the U.K.s largest dinosaur footprint site ever.

The tracks were discovered in a quarry in Oxfordshire  about 60 miles northwest of London  by quarry employee Gary Johnson, according to BBC News.

"I was basically clearing the clay, and I hit a hump, and I thought it's just an abnormality in the ground," Johnson told the outlet. But then it got to another, 3 [meters] along, and it was a hump again. And then it went another 3 [meter] hump again, he added.

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I thought, I'm the first person to see them. And it was so surreal  a bit of a tingling moment, really, he continued.

According to the University of Birmingham, the tracks date back to around 166 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic Period.

University of Birmingham Kirsty Edgar, Richard Butler, Duncan Murdock, Alice Roberts and Emma Nicholls Kirsty Edgar, Richard Butler, Duncan Murdock, Alice Roberts and Emma Nicholls

Related: 10-Year-Old Girl Discovers Dinosaur Footprints During Beach Walk with Mom While on Vacation

After the tracks were discovered, more than 100 scientists, students and volunteers joined in an excavation effort.

The teams ultimately found five different tracks, four of which are thought to belong to the long-necked plant-eating dinosaur known as Cetiosaurus, which measured almost 60 feet in length, according to the U.K.s Natural History Museum. The fifth set of tracks likely belonged to the smaller carnivorous Megalosaurus, which the museum stated measured about 20 ft.

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The site extends 150 meters (around 500 feet) and includes approximately 200 giant footprints, according to the BBC  though the outlet notes that the tracks could extend even further into areas that have not yet been excavated.

"This is one of the most impressive track sites I've ever seen, in terms of scale, in terms of the size of the tracks," micropalaeontologist Kirsty Edgar, a professor at the University of Birmingham, told the BBC.

"You can step back in time and get an idea of what it would have been like, these massive creatures just roaming around, going about their own business, she added.

As to how the tracks were kept so well intact?

University of Birmingham Research team excavates a quarry in Oxfordshire, U.K. Research team excavates a quarry in Oxfordshire, U.K.

Related: Baby Dinosaur Discovered Coiled Inside 70-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Egg

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"Something must have happened to preserve these in the fossil record," paleobiologist Richard Butler told the outlet. "We don't know exactly what, but it might be that there was a storm event that came in, deposited a load of sediments on top of the footprints, and meant that they were preserved rather than just being washed away.

"The really lovely thing about a dinosaur footprint, particularly if you have a trackway, is that it is a snapshot in the life of the animal," he continued. "You can learn things about how that animal moved. You can learn exactly what the environment that it was living in was like. So tracks give us a whole different set of information that you can't get from the bone fossil record."

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Dr. Duncan Murdock of Oxford University has called the discovery exhilarating.

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"You can sort of imagine it [the dinosaur] making its way through, pulling its legs out of the mud as it was going, he said in an interview in the same BBC piece.

Scientists are working with Smiths Bletchington, the company that operates the quarry, as well as Natural England, a government advisory organization, on the best way to preserve the site going forward, per the BBC.



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Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Saturday praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for making "very good arrangements" for the Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj. The Maha Kumbh held once every 12 years, is scheduled to begin on January 13 in Prayagraj and conclude on February 26. The main bathing rituals, known as the Shahi Snan (royal baths), will take place on January 14 (Makar Sankranti), January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), and February 3 (Basant Panchami). "Almost 45 crore people will attend the Mahakumbh. I extend best wishes to the people of Prayagraj, officers, and UP CM Yogi Adityanath as they are making very good arrangements," Meghwal said while speaking to the media. Uttar Pradesh Police has deployed underwater drones and installed 2,700 AI-enabled cameras in and around the Maha Kumbh campsite area to enhance security. Earlier, highlighting the immense cultural and spiritual significance of the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, Adityanath on Tuesday noted that the event is expected to be an even grander spectacle than previous editions. "The country and the world are eager to come to Prayagraj Kumbh. Everyone wants to see this biggest spiritual and religious gathering of Uttar Pradesh and the country with their own eyes. The Maha Kumbh Mela has taken its own shape. The program is progressing on a war footing and people are enthusiastic. This auspicious moment of Maha Kumbh is coming after 144 years and the country and the world want to be a witness to this great gathering," said CM Yogi. (ANI)
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A search is underway in Henderson after a 17-year-old girl disappeared shortly before the start of 2025.

Her trail was picked up in a desert area at the edge of Henderson at the south end of Horizon Ridge Parkway.



Family members said 17-year-old Jennaleah Hin walked out of her home after an argument with her parents Monday night. She didnt bring her phone or any money and hasnt been seen since.

A search is underway in Henderson after a 17-year-old girl disappeared shortly before the start of 2025. Jennaleah Hins trail was picked up in a desert area at the edge of Henderson at the south end of Horizon Ridge Parkway. (KLAS)





Her trail was picked up in a desert area at the edge of Henderson at the South end of Horizon Ridge Pkwy.

Shes now reported missing and Red Rock Search and Rescue is leading on the job. One of their dogs picked up her scent Thursday  leading into the desert.

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From horseback riders to helicopters, Red Rock Search and Rescue is using every available resource to find Hin. Red Rock Search and Rescue Commander Mark Speer told 8 News Now that each day of searching is more critical than the last.

A search is underway in Henderson after a 17-year-old girl disappeared shortly before the start of 2025. Jennaleah Hins trail was picked up in a desert area at the edge of Henderson at the south end of Horizon Ridge Parkway. (KLAS)

The survivability with no water and no food out here diminishes drastically after 72 hours. And were at the fourth day right now, Speer said

He also added that Hin is a straight A student, and shes never been in trouble with the law. Her parents through tears, said their home is broken without her.

I just want you to come home. I want you safe. We love you so much, Jennifer Hin, Jennaleahs mother, said.

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Henderson police are interviewing those close to Hin trying every place she could be.

The friends have been interviewed. Theyve been called, the phones have been looked at. All sorts of social media has been looked at. All the friends have been cooperative, including the boyfriend, Speer said.

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Jan. 3U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Lujan has a new committee appointment in the Senate, which flipped from a Democratic to a Republican majority.

The New Mexico Democrat has joined the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees taxation and revenue measures, as well as trade agreements and  a hot-topic with the incoming President Donald Trump administration  tariffs. Lujan will also continue serving on the Senate's Agriculture, Commerce and Budget committees, as well as the Committee on Indian Affairs.

"As a member of the Finance Committee, I will continue my efforts to protect New Mexicans' access to health care and to lower prescription drug costs. I will fight to protect Social Security so that our seniors can retire in dignity, and push for a fair tax code that provides middle-class New Mexicans with tax relief," Lujan said in a statement.

The 119th Senate gaveled in Friday.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  A bi-partisan delegation of Louisiana congressional leaders is urging President Biden to declare the tragedy on Bourbon Street in New Orleans an emergency to provide federal assistance in the wake of the attack.

Spearheaded by Senator John Kennedy, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Bill Cassidy, and Representatives Steve Scalise, Clay Higgins, Julia Letlow, and Troy Carter supported the call for a federal emergency declaration.

In writing, the lawmakers asked the president to expedite Governor Jeff Landrys emergency declaration for the state.

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Flags at half-staff as Gov. Landry orders period of mourning in Louisiana

We respectfully request expedited approval of Governor Jeff Landrys request for an emergency declaration for the State of Louisiana under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the lawmakers wrote.

They explained that in addition to the 14 deceased victims, countless others were emotionally and physically impacted by the attack, which is being investigated as a terrorist act. They also noted the effects on key infrastructure, including major transportation routes and emergency services in downtown New Orleans, that could affect future events expected to draw large crowds.

This terrorist attack caused significant harm to our visitors and residents, disrupted essential services, and overwhelmed local and state resources. The attack occurred while the city was hosting and preparing for several large-scale events, including the Sugar Bowl and related events during the week of New Years Day, as well as Super Bowl LIX and the annual Carnival season in the coming weeks, they continued.

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The Louisiana representatives also wrote to the Small Business Administration requesting disaster loans for small businesses in New Orleans.

SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans would provide these businesses with much-needed financial relief, enabling them to cover operating expenses, repair damages, and stabilize their operations during this difficult time. These loans are critical to preserving an economic lifeline in New Orleans. We urge the SBA to swiftly grant this declaration and extend support to French Quarter and downtown New Orleans businesses, the lawmakers said.

Governor Landry signed an executive order on Friday calling for a period of mourning in Louisiana for the victims. Flags across the state will fly at half-staff at state buildings, schools, private homes, and businesses wishing to participate.

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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  Senators Ryan Fazio and Stephen Harding issued a statement addressing the upcoming increase in toll prices for entering Manhattan, New York.

The current toll of $6 will rise to $9 starting Sunday, Jan. 5. Below is their official statement on this change:

This toll will have a significant financial impact on the thousands of Connecticut residents who commute on a regular basis to Manhattan. It will also harm the greater New York areas entire economy, which is already overburdened by excessive taxes and fees.

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That is on top of the fact that New York continues to unfairly tax Connecticut residents working from home. We continue to invite the administration and attorney generals office in Connecticut to explore legal recourse against New York for the unfair burden it is imposing on Connecticut residents.

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PERRY, Iowa  In remembrance of the lives lost and those forever changed from the Perry High School shooting, services will be available to community members.

On January 4, 2024 a 17-year-old gunman opened fire inside Perry High School, shooting eight people before taking his own life. 11-year-old Ahmir Jolliff was killed, and school principal, Dan Marburger, died of his injuries ten days later.

One year later, the community is coming together again.

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Free counseling services are available for community members at the Perry Public Library. Counselors will be at the library from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday for students to stop by. Parents may also speak with counselors at the library on Monday and Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m..

Growing up in Perry, its always been a very tight knit community. Everybody knows everybody. So, when something like this happens that we can all come together, it feels really good to help out a community thats always helped me, said Jessica Phillips, the patron services clerk at the Perry Public Library.

DMPD releases video in fatal November officer-involved shooting

Also taking place on Saturday is a service for continued hope and healing. The service was organized by the Perry Ministerial Association and will begin at 1 p.m. at 1221 Second Street in Perry.

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On a national level, people across the country are also remembering the tragedy. The One in Five Foundation is a nonprofit organization formed in response to the Uvalde School Shooting. The foundation held a vigil on Saturday by halting operations from 7:35 a.m. through 8:35 a.m., the time the tragedy struck Perry. They also illuminated their headquarters in Dallas, Texas with Perry school colors, blue and white.

The organization also created a scholarship in honor of Ahmir Jolliff. The Ahmirs Hope Scholarship will be awarded to a Perry High School student this summer. The scholarship is now open for nominations which can be made until January 30th.

To contact the organization to nominate a Perry High School student, or donate to the scholarship, click here.

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Failed Central Washington congressional candidate Jerrod Sessler says hell travel to Washington, D.C., next week to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol.

He says hes planning to raise funds for a third campaign to try ousting U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse after losing to him by 6 percentage points during the Nov. 5 general election.

The Sunnyside Republican is next up for reelection in 2026.

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Dan Newhouse used baseless and misleading lies about Jerrod Sessler to buy another two years as representative. Sessler is undeterred about continuing his efforts to give Central Washington the conservative they deserve, a news release from Sesslers campaign read.

He reportedly has meetings with the Rescue Washington Project, an advisory commission called the Department of Government Efficiency and has plans to fund raise for his next campaign.

Sessler, a Prosser businessman and former NASCAR regional circuit driver, has been vocal about his opposition to the prosecution of rioters who broke into the U.S. Capitol as Congress convened to certify the 2020 election results.

Incumbent Dan Newhouse, right, and challenger Jerrod Sessler, left, faced off in the Nov. 5 general election for the seat representing Washingtons 4th Congressional District. Both candidates belong to the Republican Party.

At least nine people, including five police officers, died in connection to the event. About 1,600 have been charged with federal crimes tied to Jan. 6, and at least 1,000 have been sentenced, according to NBC Washington.

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The Navy veteran previously called Jan. 6 a setup, and has made frivolous and false claims about the results of the 2020 election. Sessler says he had attended a rally in support of then-President Donald Trump, but did not enter the Capitol building.

He reiterated his views in the news release, saying the rioters involved were innocent Americans. He claims the J6 atrocity was a facade to cover up the theft of the 2020 presidential election and prevent Trump from taking office after the loss.

Newhouse is one of the last two House Republicans still in office after voting to impeach Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the tail end of his first term.

He has been a target of Trump since, with the former president endorsing both Sessler and Tiffany Smiley in the 2024 primary election to unseat Newhouse.

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If Sessler wants another shot at ousting Newhouse over his impeachment vote, he will need to file to run in May 2026 and then be a top-two finisher in the jungle primary election in August 2026.

Sesslers first try at defeating Newhouse ended in a fourth-place finish during the 2022 primary election.

He rebounded two years later, though, placing first during the 2024 primary and outperformed fellow challenger Smiley. Despite having Trumps endorsement, Sessler lost to Newhouse 46% to his 52%.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A settlement agreement between Nevada and the U.S. Department of Justice seeks to stop the practice of taking children with behavioral health disabilities away from their homes to receive treatment.

Too often, those children were placed in hospitals or residential treatment facilities, according to a Department of Justice investigation. That practice violated the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Olmstead v. L.C. by unnecessarily segregating children who needed help.

Over 1,700 of Nevadas children were admitted to a hospital for psychiatric care in fiscal year 2020, according to the DOJ investigation, released in October 2022.

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That same year, over 480 children received services in residential treatment facilities. Once in residential placements, children stay for a long time. The State reported that children remain in residential placements for an average of nine to twelve months, the investigation reported. Many stay even longer  27% of the children admitted to residential treatment facilities between August and October of 2019 stayed for over a year.

Dr. Manoj Sharma, a professor at UNLVs School of Public Health said home-based and community-based solutions simply work better. Taking a child out of the home can compound the problem, he said.

Its a highly disruptive process. Its traumatic for the family, its traumatic for the child. It leads to maladjustment, Sharma said.

Dr. Manoj Sharma, UNLV School of Public Health. (KLAS)

Studies have shown that children who are taken into these kind of facilities, they face harsher discipline measures. They have alcohol problems later on in life, they have other substance abuse problems, they have higher stress levels. It is like a vicious circle for them. So, thats a downside of putting them in residential facilities. So home-based arrangements are always better, Sharma said.

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The DOJ directed Nevada to provide more services based in the communities where they are needed, and the settlement includes the states commitment to do so.

The investigation report included a description on how an 8-year-old boy, whose name was changed to Martin to protect his identity, was uprooted for more than a year to get care he should have gotten without leaving his home. He was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, then a residential treatment facility, and finally a second residential treatment center in Colorado.

At his admission to that facility, he reported that his only wish was to not be here. By the time he was discharged seven months later, he had spent nearly 15 months of his childhood away from family and friends, the investigation said.

Martin was identified as a Reno boy who had experienced abuse and family disruption as a young child and had difficulty maintaining relationships with others and controlling his anger.

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Nevada contends with problems getting quality care to rural areas. Doctors are sometimes hundreds of miles away for families in small towns  especially when it comes to specialized medicine.

Sharma said the settlement would help in rural areas, but the problem exists everywhere.

Its a universal problem in both rural and urban areas, you know, because family disruption happens, can happen anywhere with children with behavioral problems, he said.

Sharma said he is ranked No. 32 in the world in the area of stress management  the area of his doctoral work. His students at UNLV are conducting research in several areas related to stress management, some with adults and some with children.

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Agreements included in todays settlement:

Children who may have a behavioral health disability will be screened and assessed, and provided with service coordination.

Children with behavioral health disabilities will have access to expanded home- and community-based services. These services include wraparound facilitation, mobile crisis and stabilization services, respite care, individual and family therapy, behavioral support services, family peer support and youth peer support.

Nevada will improve diversion and transition processes to ensure children with behavioral health disabilities are being diverted from, and transitioned as quickly as possible from, segregated placements.

Nevada will strengthen its quality assurance and performance improvement system.

Children with disabilities deserve to live with their families and in the communities they call home, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said. These children should not be isolated in hospitals and residential treatment facilities, far from their homes. In this settlement, Nevada has committed that children with behavioral health disabilities will receive the services they need to remain in their communities. We look forward to partnering with Nevada as it implements this agreement and ushers in a new era of meaningful reform.

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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A San Francisco supervisor unveiled an aggressive plan to clean up the streets of his district on Friday.

District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who oversees the citys SoMa neighborhood, said in a press release that he wants to see 100 arrests per night. Dorsey also called for court-mandated treatment for drug users.

As we begin the new year, new approaches are urgently needed to restore order to our streets, to diminish San Franciscos attraction as a destination city for drug use and drug dealing, and to make lifesaving interventions in behavior thats deadlier and more costly than ever before, Dorsey said.

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White mans world: Sheriffs attorney blasts her critics

Several members of the community have criticized his idea. The San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness called the plan a page right out of Project 2025.

Reports of an initiative advocating for mass arrests along the 6th Street corridor as a pathway to treatment or detox are deeply concerning and counterproductive, San Francisco AIDS Foundation CEO Tyler TerMeer said.

While Dorsey wants his plan implemented around downtown San Francisco, he singled out Sixth Street as an area where the citys drug problem is especially bad. The San Francisco Police Department estimated that 200 people use drugs on a quarter-mile stretch of the street each night.

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Dorsey himself is a recovered addict. He believes the citys current practices simply move drug users around the city, which leads to drug enablism and neglectful cruelty.

He wrote that San Franciscans should expect to see laws against public drug use fully enforced. However, Jackie Fielder, who was recently elected to be District 9s supervisor, said that arresting people for drug use has been San Franciscos strategy since 2021. She called arresting drug users not a serious strategy for San Francisco.

Dorsey feels otherwise.

Get drug-related offenders off the streets  and optimally into drug treatment  rather than simply moved to different streets, Dorsey said of his plans goal.

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UNION COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  On Friday, the Union County District Attorneys Office publicly condemned former Gov. Roy Coopers decision to commute the death sentence of convicted murderer Darrell Strickland.

According to the DAs Office, Strickland was convicted on Oct. 26, 1995, for the execution-style murder of Henry Brown in Union County.

Authorities said Strickland blasted Brown in the back with a shotgun. They stated during the sentencing phase in the 1995 trial, the jury heard about Stricklands violent past, including a previous voluntary manslaughter conviction from Richmond County and a previous conviction for carving a man up with a knife at an Anson County convenience store.

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MORE: North Carolina family reacts after loved ones killer granted clemency; Escaping what was handed down to him

The DAs Office said Stricklands first-degree murder conviction and death sentence were later upheld by a unanimous North Carolina Supreme Court.

On Friday, the DAs Office released a letter claiming former Gov. Coopers decision disregarded the justice system, disrespected the victims family, and violated the law.

While the Governors authority to commute sentences is not in question, his handling of this case is troubling, the Union County District Attorneys Office wrote in its letter. In commuting Stricklands sentence, Governor Cooper showed no regard for the criminal justice process that led to Stricklands rightful placement on death row.

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To read the letter in full:

Union County District Attorneys Office Union County District Attorneys Office

Following the release of the letter, the Union County Sheriffs Office stated, Sheriff Cathey agrees with District Attorney Robisons analysis of this miscarriage of justice which is a direct insult to the family of the victim and the hardworking men and women of the criminal justice system.

Strickland was one of 15 people who had their death sentences commuted. Their sentences now become life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Hasson Bacote, 38, convicted in Johnston County in 2009.

Iziah Barden, 67, convicted in Sampson County in 1999.

Nathan Bowie, 53, convicted in Catawba County in 1993.

Rayford Burke, 66, convicted in Iredell County in 1993.

Elrico Fowler, 49, convicted in Mecklenburg County in 1997.

Cerron Hooks, 46, convicted in Forsyth County in 2000.

Guy LeGrande, 65, convicted in Stanly County in 1996.

James Little, 38, convicted in Forsyth County in 2008.

Robbie Locklear, 52, convicted in Robeson County in 1996.

Lawrence Peterson, 55, convicted in Richmond County in 1996.

William Robinson, 41, convicted in Stanly County in 2011.

Christopher Roseboro, 60, convicted in Gaston County in 1997.

Darrell Strickland, 66, convicted in Union County in 1995.

Timothy White, 47, convicted in Forsyth County in 2000.

Vincent Wooten, 52, convicted in Pitt County in 1994.

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Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Saturday approved the appointment of IAS officer Azimul Haque as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Delhi Waqf Board in addition to his work as member of Delhi Jal Board. According to a release, Delhi LG slammed the AAP government for callousness by not appointing a CEO of the Delhi Waqf Board, that resulted in Imams and Mutawallis, not getting salaries apart from the Board becoming defunct. "The post of CEO (Delhi Waqf Board) is lying vacant since November 28, 2024. However, the Government has sent the proposal to give additional charge of CEO (Delhi Waqf Board) after a lapse of one month. Due to this callousness on part of Government the day-to-day function of the Board like releasing of salaries of Imams and other functionaries have been held up," the release said. The release further mentioned that keeping in view hardship faced by Imams/Mutawalli who are poor people suffering due to non-payment of salary in absence of CEO (Delhi Waqf Board), the Delhi LG approved the proposal. "However, the proposal should be ratified by the Board before the appointment takes effect. Further, it is advised that in future the proposal should be sent for my consideration strictly as per provisions of law," the release said. "Furthermore, even now the proposal has been sent by Government in a casual manner, without following legal provisions. As per the Delhi Waqf Act, 1995 enacted by the Parliament, the appointment of Chief Executive Officer is to be made in terms of Section 23 of the said Act, which, amongst others, provides that a panel of two names be suggested by the Board to the State Government for appointment as the CEO," it added. Earlier on December 30, Imams of Delhi Waqf Board protested outside the residence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal over the delay in the release of their salaries. Speaking to ANI, All India Imam Association Chairman Sajid Rashidi expressed dismay over the delay in the release of salaries of the imams of the Delhi Waqf Board by the Delhi government. Rashidi stated that they haven't received their salaries from last 17 months, adding that they are continuously meeting several officials and leaders of the government, but no action has been taken yet into the matter. Rashidi gave an ultimatum to the Delhi government saying that if their salaries don't get sanctioned, the imams will sit on protest outside the Kejriwals house and not get up till they get their salaries. (ANI)
DENVER (KDVR)  Residents in a neighborhood of Conifer were under a shelter-in-place alert Friday as authorities responded to a barricaded gunman.

The Jefferson County Sheriffs Office said in a post on X around 3:30 p.m. that deputies were on the scene of a barricaded gunman situation in the 12000 block of Critchell Lane.

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A LookoutAlert was sent out to residents within a quarter of a mile asking them to shelter in place.

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Just after 5:30 p.m., the sheriffs office said the situation was resolved as the gunman was dead of an apparent suicide.

No further information was immediately available.

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WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  Trumbull Countys new sheriff was sworn in Friday afternoon.

Mike Wilson ran on the Republican ticket and unseated Democrat incumbent Paul Monroe in November.



The room at Trumbull County Veterans Services overflowed Friday afternoon as Judge Tom Campbell swore in Sheriff Wilson. Friends, family and other elected officials packed into the venue which was chosen because Wilson himself is a veteran.

I am certainly privileged and honored to have served my country, my state, my community and I am proud to be a veteran and Im humbled to serve as your Trumbull County Sheriff, Wilson said.

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Those who know Wilson well from all periods of his life, including his time with the state highway patrol, celebrated his accomplishments.

Mike exudes integrity and work ethic, said Franklin County Sheriff Marvin Hill. Today marks a momentous occasion as we celebrate him being sworn in as Trumbull County Sheriff. Your sheriff.

Sheriff Wilson has a few goals for when he takes office on Jan. 6. Among them is improving turnover rates and workplace culture.

Our office has a lot of morale issues and were going to straighten that out and make it a good place for people to work and we need employees so hopefully, people will be interested in applying to be deputies and corrections officers, he said.

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Wilson also wants to bring a drug rehabilitation program back to the sheriffs office.

If we dont start with rehab, its just going to have people in that vicious cycle of recidivism and theyre going to be back in the jail for drug issues. So while theyre there, why not get them the help that they need, he said.

Wilson says hes grateful to the citizens of Trumbull County who voted for him.

Thank you for putting me in this position, I dont take that lightly, he said.

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Jan. 3AUBURN  A 16-year-old Lewiston girl and the man who shot her in the leg Wednesday morning met at a party the night before, police said Friday.

Investigators also released a surveillance camera image of a man, described as a person of interest, in connection to the shooting near the corner of Winter and Dennison streets early New Year's Day.

The day of the shooting, police said it was likely the man was wounded when one of the teens he was attacking stabbed him with a pocket knife.

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Investigators said that shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday, they were called to Dennison Street for a report of a teenager with a gunshot wound to the leg.

When officers arrived, they discovered the victim and her 17-year-old sister who was also injured.

An officer applied a tourniquet to the girl's leg and she was transported to the hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, police said. The sister had unknown minor injuries.

Police said the sisters were walking on Dennison Street with friends when a vehicle approached them and a black male and white female got out and began assaulting the 17-year-old.

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During the assault, a firearm was discharged and the 16-year-old was struck, police said.

After interviewing the sisters and witnesses, police learned that the 16-year-old had stabbed the male attacker with her pocket knife in an attempt to help her sister.

The male suspect, investigators said, was seen fleeing toward Turner Street before police arrived.

Police on Friday were asking the public for help.

"If you can help identify this individual," according to a Facebook post, "please contact Detective Andrew Shute at ajshute@auburnmaine.gov or (207) 333-6651, extension 2036, or call our anonymous tip line at 333-6653."

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Androscoggin County arrests Dec. 27, 2024 to Jan. 2, 2025

Auburn man convicted of kidnapping, attempted murder, sexual assault
PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. (WSAV)  An investigation is underway after a shooting in a new neighborhood in Port Wentworth.

Neighbors in Rice Hope said this is not the first incident like this in their community, and they are starting to worry about their safety.

The shooting happened at a home in Clearwater Circle around 2 a.m. Thursday.

I heard a wiz, and a pop go over the house, said Jack Spivey, who lives near the home. Im assuming it was over the house, but yeah it was really scary. Almost immediately I could tell it was gun shots.

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His sentiments, however, were more frustration than fear.

I was kind of frustrated more than anything because theres people here that just dont care. You know, they dont care about loss of human life, and its just sad, said Spivey.

Spivey told News 3 this is not the first frightening incident to happen recently and that police have been called on several occasions for kids looking into cars at night.

When does it stop? he said. You know, like, when is it going to stop? With kids looking into cars? Or is it going to stop with the shooting happening? Or is it going to stop with a kid being hit by a car?

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Port Wentworth Police declined an interview with News 3 but said the shooting was not a homicide and they are actively investigating.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  The Goodwill Outlet Center in Sioux City is expanding its hours to accommodate more people.

Starting Monday, the location will change its hours to 10 a.m. through 8 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. on Sundays. The Outlet Center is, for the most part, like any other Goodwill store. However, they also have bins of items, offering everything at $1.59 per pound.

Our outlet is actually over here at 3100 West 4th Street, and its our only outlet over here in Sioux City, Charlotte Nelson with Goodwill of the Great Plains said. And were extending our hours starting Monday, we will be open seven days a week in the outlet. So thats the exciting news for an expansion.

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Sioux Citys standard Goodwill stores will maintain their existing hours of operation.

Local shelters seeing more visitors as weather gets colder

Additionally, some residents are wondering if the Goodwill on Gordon Drive will be moving locations due to Siouxland Christians plans to expand. However, Nelson said the Goodwill on Gordon Drive will stay there for at least seven more years.

For us, we are locked into our lease until May 1st of 2032, she said. The store is often running, doing very well and will continue to be open as normal with our normal hours. And then in the meantime, we will be looking for other locations we can grow into.

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Nelson told KCAU 9 that when they find a new location and their lease is up, they will move into the new building.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Skamania County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue has closed its GoFundMe after an outpouring of donations from concerned community members.

On Thursday, the independent nonprofit announced it had disabled its campaign on the website after donors exceeded the fundraising goal. When KOIN 6 reported on the fundraiser on Monday afternoon, it had raised nearly $25,000. After another three days, it had nearly tripled to more than $73,000.

Clark-Cowlitz Fire District aims to cut response time with milestone ambulance service

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The rescue team said it is now mission ready again.

This means weve restored our ability to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies, equipped with the tools and resources necessary to save lives in our community, Skamania County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue wrote on Facebook.

Broken fencing (left) and a nearly empty storage trailer (right) (Courtesy Skamania County Sheriffs Office Search and Rescue)

The crew launched the GoFundMe after their equipment was stolen, following a days-long search for two Portland men who went missing while searching for Sasquatch in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

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According to the nonprofit, the search for the 37-year-old and 59-year-old men started around 1 a.m. on Christmas Day. Volunteers spent several days looking for them over difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions, but they were found dead on Dec. 28.

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Officials said the Sasquatch hunters were likely unprepared for the journey, and their deaths were probably due to the weather conditions.

The Search and Rescue team said their equipment was stolen just hours after the mens bodies were recovered. The nonprofit suspects the thieves cut through a 10-foot barbed wire fence and stole numerous items from their storage yard, as volunteers were resting.

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The crew reported that the GoFundMe donations will be used to replace the stolen gear and upgrade older tools. The rescuers will also allocate some funding toward securing its headquarters to prevent further theft.

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We believe its important to responsibly steward the incredible generosity weve received, focusing on these immediate priorities while avoiding overfunding beyond our objectives, SAR said.

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A week after ski patrollers at Park City Mountain Resort went on strike, unions from Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, and Park City have all penned a letter to Vail Resorts CEO Kirsten Lynch rejecting the idea of a 'patrol support team' that has been brought in to replace striking workers.



Vail Resorts has allegedly flown in ski patrollers from other resorts to take the place of the striking workers. By doing so, Vail Resorts disrupted the workflow at the resorts it removed management from, the letter says.



"Through the company's tactics of pressuring, coercing, and intimidating skilled patrol leaders to travel to Park City to join the "Patrol Support Team," you caused irreparable harm to both your patrol labor force and patrol management across all affected resorts," the letter says.



Ski patrollers at Park City walked out of work and went on an Unfair Labor Practice strike, citing Vails inability to negotiate a fair wage and benefit package. The strike caused a ripple of disruption in the day-to-day operations at Park City during the week following Christmas, which is historically the busiest time of the year at ski resorts. More than 200 patrollers formed a picket line at 7:30 a.m. on December 27.



We refuse to have every piece of our proposals shot down by the company while they continue to use our labor to rake in profits over the holiday season," the Park City Professional Ski Patrollers Association in a statement to POWDER.



Vail Resorts CEO Kirsten Lynch made a base pay of $1.1 million and $4.9 million in pay-for-performance cash and shares of company stock, according to Jason Blevins of the Colorado Sun.



There would be more food on the tables of ski industry workers if the ski industry were not so focused on their stock price and their dividend disbursements and more focus on the people who make it possible, read one Instagram post quoting Park City Mountain patroller Max Magill.

In Colorado, ski patrollers and resort executives at places like Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested Butte Mountain are watching closely.



Patrol unions at Eldora and Loveland picketed outside of Vail Resorts headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado. Around 60 patrollers at Keystone displayed solidarity with Park City patrol on December 18, 2024, and stated in a press release that a recent contract counterproposal removed standard contract terms.



Park City patrollers are pushing for a starting wage of $23 an hour, and pay increases for veteran patrollers.

Related: Backcountry Snowboarder Rescued After Friend Left Him Behind
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  With the snow now here, people are looking for ways to enjoy the cold weather, but anyone planning to race down a steep hill on a sled or tube needs to know a couple of things first.

Police officers say a person cant just go sledding anywhere. A hill must be in a designated area, and sledding on private property requires permission from the owner.

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To be as safe as possible, make sure the area is well-lit. Officers say the easiest place to go is Cone Park.

If you want to take your kids sledding, your best bet is to go to Cone Park, where they offer a trip up the hill where its nice and easy, Sioux City police sergeant Tom Gill said. Its monitored by staff. But if you are going to go sledding at another place, understand that you cant sled at any of the city parks unless there is designated, posted signage.

Other parks where people can go sledding include Sertoma Park and Grandview Park.

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Slovak electricity grid operator SEPS has emphasised that electricity exports to Ukraine will not be cut off despite threats made by Prime Minister Roberto Fico.

Source: Deutsche Welle (DW), a German international broadcaster and media outlet, as reported by Ukrinform news agency

Details: SEPS told the Czech news agency CTK on Friday, 3 January, that electricity supplies to Ukraine would not be interrupted and that it would honour the contracts made with Ukrenergo, Ukraines state-owned electricity transmission operator.

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Background:

Slovakia stressed that it would consider retaliatory measures against Ukraine, such as cutting off backup electricity supplies, in response to the cessation of Russian gas transit in 2025. As expected, Kyiv ceased transiting Russian gas to Slovakia on 1 January.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sent a letter to European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, reiterating his complaints about Ukraine's refusal to continue transiting Russian gas after 2024.

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Congress will launch a campaign 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan Abhiyan' throughout the country from Uttar Pradesh's Mau on January 26, said senior leader Pawan Khera on Saturday. "Congress will launch a campaign 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan Abhiyan' throughout the country. We will set up galleries in every district to discuss how BJP and RSS have always disrespected Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and the Constitution... We will initiate this campaign with a rally in Mau on 26th January 2025," Khera said addressing a press conference in the national capital. Khera alleged that RSS had described the Constitution as "un-Indian" in its mouthpiece Organiser. "On November 30, 1949, the RSS had described the Constitution as un-Indian in its mouthpiece Organiser. When Ambedkar ji talked about equal rights for women, RSS burnt Ambedkar ji's effigy in Ramlila Maidan. Today not only Baba Saheb Ambedkar ji, but Gandhi ji's legacy is also being attacked," he alleged. He further said that the BJP was confident that it would change the Constitution by winning more than 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but this could not happen. "But if this had happened, not only would the Constitution have changed, but Mahatma Gandhi's picture would also have been changed from the currency notes," he claimed. The Congress leader alleged that Mahatma Gandhi, whom the whole world considers an ideal, "is being slowly removed by the ruling party of his own country." "That is why the Congress Party is moving ahead by preserving the legacy of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi," he said. Khera further alleged that the BJP is against "constitutional and democratic institutions," saying that the "BJP has always insulted Ambedkar ji, but they will not tolerate this." The Winter session of Parliament was acrimonious, with the Congress and some other opposition parties first protesting on the Adani issue and later on the Home Minister's remarks concerning Ambedkar. The ruling BJP and Congress accused each other of being "anti-Ambedkar and anti-reservation". (ANI)
Under the slogan "Slovakia is Europe! - We've had enough of Russia!" Slovakian supporters of Ukraine demonstrated in Bratislava on Friday against Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The protest rally in front of the government office was called by the citizens' initiative "Mier Ukrajine" (Peace for Ukraine), which advocates for arms deliveries to Kiev. Spokespersons for the initiative estimated the number of rally participants at around 4,000, according to Slovakian media.

Demonstrators carried banners, distributed by the citizens' initiative, reading: "Treason!" and the on the back "We are Europe!" Some brought homemade banners with slogans against Fico such as "Fico, move to Moscow!"

Allegation: Pro-Russian Course

The organizers accused the left-national prime minister and his social democratic and right-populist coalition partners of steering Slovakia towards a pro-Russian course.

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Fico had recently clashed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky because Ukraine halted the gas transit from Russia to Slovakia and other European countries. Slovakia, a member of the European Union, is more dependent on Russian gas than few other European countries.

Fico was prime minister for some 10 years in two separate terms before returning to power once again in the fall of 2023 after winning the parliamentary elections.

He then stopped arms deliveries from Slovakia's own military stocks to Ukraine. though commercial arms sales were allowed to continue. Additionally, Slovakia supplies Ukraine with "non-lethal" goods such as mine-clearing equipment, generators, and electricity. Fico, however, threatened to discontinue the latter as a "countermeasure" against the halt of the gas transit.
DENVER (KDVR)  Most of the time, snow plows help keep the roads safe by clearing snow, but on Thursday, a group of snow plows on Interstate 70 helped apprehend a suspect during a police chase.

According to Idaho Springs Police, an officer was patrolling eastbound on I-70 just before midnight on Thursday when a black Hyundai Accent passed by with a non-functioning taillight  but once the license plate passed through the reader, the officer was ready to pull over the vehicle for more than a taillight.

This Colorado area is expected to see the most snow this weekend

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Police said the reader indicated that the license plate was reported stolen from Northglenn and connected to a strong-arm robbery and prior evading in Lakewood on New Years Eve.

The officer tried to pull the car over, but police said the driver eluded the officer, which is when officers from Idaho Springs, the Clear Creek Sheriffs Office and the Gilpin Sheriffs Office attempted to use stop sticks to halt the suspect. Police said a tactical rolling roadblock was attempted, but the suspect avoided the maneuver and ended up hitting a deputys vehicle.

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Little did police know while chasing the suspect down I-70, snowplows were on their side.

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Police said the Colorado Department of Transportation snowplows were traveling east on I-70 up Floyd Hill and slowed down, blocking the suspects path, which is when police were able to catch up and arrest the suspect.

According to the police, 27-year-old Brendan Fooks of Denver was the only one in the car and surrendered to law enforcement. Police said he had two active warrants out of Broomfield for trespassing and shoplifting.

Did you know? These winter driving tips are outdated and unnecessary

Police said Fooks told them he was in the area looking for businesses to steal from. He also told police he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Officers found tools commonly used for burglary in the car, as well as alcohol and drug paraphernalia.

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Fooks was arrested on two active warrants and charged with several offenses, including vehicular eluding, aggravated motor vehicle theft, possession of burglary tools, DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving and displaying fictitious license plates.

While the suspect was arrested, the snow plowers work isnt done as a snowstorm is expected to sweep across Colorado this weekend, leaving half a foot of snow in some areas.

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ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)  Severe winter weather is not the most common occurrence for many areas in the Roanoke Valley and Southwest and Central Virginia. However, during the early evening of January 3, the National Weather Service in Blacksburg (NWS) issued a Snow Squall Warning for areas from Pulaski to Roanoke.

So, what is a Snow Squall and why are they dangerous?

(Photo Credit: Jemon Haskins, Snow squall blowing through in Forest Va.)

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According to the NWS, like a tornado or thunderstorm, a snow squall is a snowstorm that creates sudden white-out conditions combined with strong gusty winds and rapidly falling temperatures that produce icy roads in just a matter of minutes. They form and dissipate quickly, usually in less than an hour, and can cause brief localized extreme impacts on visibility, travel, and business.

Roanokes snowplow naming contest announces 12 winners

(Photo Credit: National Weather Service)

Because of the increased risk of accidents, the NWS recommends avoiding or waiting to travel until after the storm has passed. If you are already driving and cannot exit to a safe location before a storm begins, reduce your speed, turn on your headlights and hazard lights, and allow plenty of distance between you and the car in front of you. Its also best not to slam on your brakes.

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Additionally, you should always prepare your vehicle for winter weather before traveling, including having an emergency kit on hand and having properly inflated tires.

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(Photo Credit: National Weather Service)

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Jan. 3CUMBERLAND  Surveillance video and a random scroll through social media led to the arrest Thursday of a man wanted in connection with setting a tree on fire outside a city church.

The Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal said Dalton Richard Eugene Gates, 32, was arrested Thursday by Pennsylvania State Police. He was reportedly arrested in East Providence Township, Bedford County. Court records list Gates' city of residence as Washington, D.C.

The fire just after 5 p.m. Dec. 9 was quickly extinguished by Cumberland firefighters and ruled arson by city Fire Marshal Chris Ratliff, who requested assistance from state investigators.

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Surveillance video provided crucial evidence, revealing the suspect's actions and an image, state investigators said, but did not allow for positive identification. Gates was tentatively identified after Deputy State Fire Marshal Adam Rounds saw his photo on the Facebook page BCPF Reality News. Rounds then worked with the Cumberland Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police and Bedford Borough Police to track down Gates and confirm his identity.

"While it may have been a tree, any fire set intentionally  regardless of the property involved  poses a significant danger to public safety," said Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray. "Through collaboration and careful investigative work, Deputy Rounds was able to link Gates to the arson."

Gates faces charges of malicious destruction of property and second-degree malicious burning. He was being held at Bedford County Correctional Facility and awaiting extradition.
Clark County fire vehicles surround area where a Cybertruck caught fire at the Trump International Hotel on Jan. 1, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV. - Credit: David Becker for the Washington Post

The U.S. soldier found dead in a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas left a note suggesting the incident was a stunt meant as a wakeup call to the country, investigators said.

During a new briefing on Friday afternoon, police said that they had found a phone belonging to Master Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The decorated Army solider fatally shot himself inside the Cybertruck on Wednesday before explosives in the vehicle burst into flames. The explosion caused minor injuries to seven victims. According to police, Sergeant Livelsberger had post-traumatic stress disorder.

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We are the United States of America, the best country people to ever exist, but right now we are terminally ill and headed towards collapse. This was not a terrorist attack. It was a wake up call, read one excerpt. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives? The note continued, Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.

Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren emphasized that the notes were excerpts taken from the phone, which contained additional information varying on the spectrum in terms of political grievances, issues about conflicts elsewhere, not here, domestic issues, societal issues, a variety of other things, including personal challenges as well. Koren added that officials are planing on releasing those initial letters, so people can understand the best they can what the persons thought process was at one point in time.

The Las Vegas explosion occurred hours after a New Years Day terror attack that killed 14 people in New Orleans. Special Agent Spencer Evans, who is in charge of the F.B.I. Las Vegas division, said on Friday that there is no evidence that these two events are connected. The special agent added, we have not identified any connection between this subject and any other terrorist organization.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS/AP)  This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call, said a note found on a phone inside the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded on New Years Day outside the Las Vegas International Trump Hotel, according to police.

At a news conference Friday, law enforcement officials gave additional details on the events that led up to Matthew Livelsberger, 37, driving a Tesla Cybertruck to the hotel and detonating explosive materials inside it.

Livelsberger died from a gunshot wound to the head just before the explosion, the coroners office ruled Thursday. Sheriff Kevin McMahill said Livelsberger was positively identified by a number of things, including tattoo comparisons, showing a tiger arm tattoo on a photo of Livelsberger that matched one found on his body.

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Video from public areas, call data records, financial records, and Tesla charging station records were used to determine the route Livelsberger took as well as determine that he was the only person in the Cybertruck.

Its evident that [Livelsberger] considered, planned, and thoughtfully prepared for this act alone, FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans said.

Evans added that despite the public nature of the incident, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who was suffering with PTSD and other issues.

The suspect apparently harbored no ill will toward President-elect Donald Trump, Clark County sheriffs officials said.

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Livelsberger wrote in the note that he needed to cleanse my mind of the lives lost of people he knew and the burden of the lives I took, Livelsberger added.

Authorities say there are still questions about why he chose that car and location.

Its not lost on us that its in front of the Trump building, that its a Tesla vehicle, but we dont have information at this point that definitively tells us or suggests it was because of this particular ideology, Spencer Evans, the Las Vegas FBIs special agent in charge, said Thursday.

This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wakeup call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives, Livelsberger wrote in a letter found by authorities who released only excerpts of it.

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Police shared another excerpt from the first letter: Fellow servicemembers, Veterans, and all Americans. TIME TO WAKE UP! We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves.

Asked Friday about whether Livelsberger had been struggling with any mental health issues that may have prompted his suicide, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters that the department has turned over all medical records to local law enforcement.

A law enforcement official said investigators learned through interviews that he may have gotten into a fight with his wife about relationship issues shortly before he rented the Tesla on Saturday and bought the guns. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

The suspect confided to a former girlfriend  who had served as an Army nurse  that he faced significant pain and exhaustion that she says were key symptoms of traumatic brain injury.

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Livelsberger was a five-time Bronze Star recipient, including one with a V device for valor under fire. He was very private but shared images and texts with Alicia Arritt, 39, who he met and began dating in Colorado in 2018. In them he opened up about exhaustion, pain that kept him awake at night and reliving violence from his deployment in Afghanistan.

My life has been a personal hell for the last year, said Arritt during the early days of their dating, according to text messages she provided to the AP. Its refreshing to have such a nice person come along.

Arritt also served on active duty in the Army as a nurse from 2003 to 2007, deploying to the militarys massive medical complex in Germany where she helped treat many soldiers with traumatic brain injuries and blast injuries from intense ground combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.

She said the military failed to get Livelsberger the care he needed, symptoms she saw in him as early as 2018.

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He would go through periods of withdrawal, and he struggled with depression and memory loss, Arritt said. He said it was a blast injury. He got several concussions from that.

Livelsberger also had a hard time with post-traumatic stress disorder and would relive some of the violence and killings he had a role in or witnessed in Afghanistan.

I would encourage him to get therapy, and he would give me reasons that he couldnt, Arritt said. There was a lot of stigma in his unit, they were, you know, big, strong, Special Forces guys there, there was no weakness allowed and mental health is weakness is what they saw.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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South Loops FAME Center started in 2018 in what founder Sheila Fortson called a broom closet with just a few students and a piano. The nonprofit is now looking to become a major music and arts education landmark in Chicago with the purchase of a 56,000-square-foot historic building.

Matthew Thomas, 14, remembers that when he first began taking lessons, FAME Center was renting that tiny space at Daystar, a private school in the South Loop. Seeing how far the center has come since then is exciting, he said.

Matthew said hes been taking weekly piano lessons for about six years, which has allowed him to have really picked up my piano skills and my love for music.

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Ive stayed at FAME because Ms. Sheila made me feel welcome in her company and shes always there for me, Matthew said of Fortson, who is also the executive director of FAME, the Fortson Arts and Music Education Center. Her teaching was also excelling me in piano and even other things outside of piano.

About three years ago, FAME began renting space at its current location at 1319 S. State St. after an expansion at Daystar made space there unavailable. The large State Street brick building is owned by a church and went up for sale in March. Fortson said the FAME team didnt want to move again and decided it would be better to buy the entire building and create what would be called The South Loop Center for the Arts.

Show Caption1 of 7

Teacher Michelle Brooks works with Matthew Thomas, 14, during his piano lesson Dec. 11, 2024, at the FAME Center in the South Loop. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

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Our goal is to make this purchase, Fortson said. Were under contract now and hoping to close on the building in April.

The team is deep into fundraising but still needs another $3 million to $5 million to cover the purchase price of the building. The cost of the building is about $7 million, and remodeling, permit and inspection costs and more bring the total to over $12.5 million for the project. Fortson said they hope to secure a city grant, part of which would go toward the purchase.

FAME is a multidisciplinary nonprofit that focuses on art and music education and making that education accessible to young people in Chicagos underresourced communities, Fortson said. The center provides programming in music, visual art, theater, creative writing and art therapy. It has about 100 participants right now, most of them around 4 to 14 years old.

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The location also serves students from the South and West sides and elsewhere around the city, Fortson said.

Were right in the heart of Chicago, and we want to stay here because we want to give families easy access to us and to these opportunities to learn and grow, Fortson said. We want students who dont think that they have a place or belong downtown to come and experience the joy of music and art and theater.

Mikayla Davis, 13, takes violin lessons once a week and does art therapy virtually through FAME once a week. She has been doing art therapy for about five years since the death of her father.

FAME has helped me through the process of grief, and its helped me a lot throughout life, Davis said.

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Mikaylas mother, Monica Brown, said her daughter is extremely artistic and gifted and that FAME and Fortson helped the teen stay enthusiastic about the arts even after their loss.

I think about all those other children that go through trauma and just having a different type of therapy that most people dont even realize exists, Brown said. FAME has allowed her a place to put those feelings in an impactful and positive way, and now more and more kids will get the same thing.

Mikayla said she likes music and art equally and is excited to have more space and more programming available to her. She is interested in learning guitar, she said.

Music allows me to express myself just like drawing, she said. Its kind of like your personal diary.

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Serving about 1,500 students year-round, FAME Center also offers summer and spring break camps. Fortson said there are students on waitlists for some of the programs.

I see the changes that are happening in our kids every day, she said. I see the hope in their eyes and the excitement when they realize theyre really good at something and then as they grow in that skillset.

Students who are able to pay for lessons or classes are charged a fee, while those unable to pay get scholarships, Fortson said.

Fortson was a piano, vocals and violin teacher before starting the nonprofit. Having worked with many students, she realized that not all kids get the same opportunities, especially as arts programming is sometimes cut in public schools.

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Its extremely important to me that arts education is available and accessible to all (Chicago) students, Fortson said. Every kid is born with creativity inside of them, whether that comes out in math and science or in music and art, but whats lacking is the opportunity to understand and develop their special skills and gifts they might not see in themselves.

Much of the building, which dates to the early 1900s, has been really quite beautifully renovated throughout the years but also retains some of its historic touches, Fortson said. There is a 750-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium that the church renovated, and Fortson said she intends to use it for concerts, theater performances and even open it up to the community for conferences, events and panel discussions about the arts.

The building has a capacity of over 1,100, Fortson said. The mixed-use facility is made up of three smaller buildings that were built as separate structures and then combined over time.

With the ongoing fundraising, Fortson said FAME is getting ready to expand its programming and reach in the new year.

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Were still tenants, but the owners have allowed us full use of the building while were under contract, Fortson said. Weve even been able to host fundraising events here, inviting the community for tours. We want people to come and see what were doing and where were going, and how they can help.

FAME hosted a community pizza party and held a big Halloween event for the neighborhood, Fortson said.

Ald. Pat Dowell, who represents the 3rd District, where FAME is, has toured the space and been a huge support, Fortson said.

Dowell said Fortson and FAME have already had an effect on youth from all over Chicago by creating a very nurturing, warm environment for kids to come and find their interests and passions in the arts and in music.

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I think that what shes doing with these young people helps them to have confidence and develop their self-esteem so they can have really strong connections with the outside world, and I look forward to helping her with her vision, Dowell said.

Matthew said the center is like a second home for him and a place where I can just be myself with my teachers, learn how to play piano and just let music calm me down.

He said he is excited for the opportunities other young people like him will have.

FAME helped me out a lot when I was younger, Matthew said, and seeing that other people are going to start coming to FAME and its going to be open to more people makes me excited because more kids get the same experiences that I had.

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Meosha Maxwell, Matthews mother, said FAME offered her son an opportunity to experience and explore avenues that he otherwise may not have.

FAME is using three rooms for music lessons, a room for theater and an art room in the old church building. The team has about 10 music and art teachers. FAME also will partner with Stages Theater Company and CodeAdvantage, which teaches online classes, beginning in January to offer theater and coding programs.

Were constantly shifting and changing and bringing in new programming for kids, Fortson said. Once we take over the building entirely, I think well be bursting at the seams with activities.

Fortson said she would love to have a FAME bus system to make it easier for kids to get to the center after school. She also hopes to have a grand-opening celebration once the purchase is complete.

We still have a heavy fundraising lift and a lot of students who are waiting for openings or scholarships, so were really trying to garner support and make this big dream come true, Fortson said. Were not giving up, because I fully believe this building is meant to be a center for the arts.
The Gujarat Government, led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel highlighted the 'Mission Bee' program and various initiatives to support farmers in this venture and boost their income after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the 'sweet revolution' in his 'Mann ki Baat' address last week. "The thought of bees might trigger fear, but mentioning honey brings smiles. Beekeeping, a vital source of this wholesome nectar, provides both a natural remedy and a lucrative agricultural opportunity," read a statement by the Gujarat government. With low costs and considerable returns, it is a thriving industry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the Sweet Revolution in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address -- a key initiative by the Government of India to enhance and promote beekeeping practices," it added. Through the initiative of 'Mission Bee', the statement also mentioned that the Amul Dairy has produced around 16,000 kilograms of honey. "Earlier this year (2024), Amul Dairy employed 284 member Animal Husbandry farmers from Anand, Kheda, and Mahisagar districts in a beekeeping project, offering an initial contribution of Rs 10,000 per participant. Each farmer received 10 bee boxes and a honey extractor for every five members. These 284 farmers have set a new standard by producing an impressive 16,000 kg of honey to date," the statement read. "Amul Dairy's processing and packaging unit has already processed around 2 tonnes of honey under this project. Additionally, the Animal Husbandry Farmers associated with Amul Dairy are earning additional income through direct sales. Remarkably, within the first year, these farmers have recovered about 75 per cent of their initial investment in beekeeping," the statement read. The Gujarat government also informed the equipment needed and the capital required for starting a beekeeping business. To begin beekeeping, a bee colony, a bee box, and a honey extractor are required. Typically, the cost for ten bee colonies, one box, and one honey extractor ranges from Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000. "To begin beekeeping, a bee colony, a bee box, and a honey extractor are required. Typically, the cost for ten bee colonies, one box, and one honey extractor ranges from Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000," read the statement. Under the program, eligible beneficiary groups, organizations, or institutions receive support for beekeeping boxes, modern honey extractors, food-grade containers, and other essential equipment. Assistance is also provided for processing, packaging, cold storage, bee breeding, nucleus culture, and establishing bee clinics. The 'Mission Bee program was launched by the Horticulture Department in 2022-23, the 'Mission Bee' program aims to motivate farmers to adopt beekeeping. The initiative focuses on providing guidance, training, and support to improve honey production, processing, packaging, and marketing throughout the state. In the same year, the program allocated Rs 53 lakh to Junagadh Agricultural University for a bee breeding and clinic project. In 2024-25, Amul Dairy's project received Rs127.43 lakh in assistance. (ANI)
A collision on southbound Interstate 5 in Bellingham blocked one lane of traffic Friday night, according to a Washington State Department of Transportation social media post published just after 4:30 p.m.

The collision occurred just north of East Sunset Drive. WSDOT reported around 5:30 p.m. that traffic was still backed up at least 2 miles. The agency reported at about 6:30 p.m. that the scene had been cleared and traffic had resumed.

Earlier Friday a separate crash led to a backup of several miles in the northbound lanes of I-5 just south of Iowa Street. WSDOT declared the scene cleared around 4:15 p.m.
(KTLA)  A homeless woman who was lying on the ground in a Ventura park was accidentally run over by a police officer on New Years Day, authorities confirmed to the Ventura County Star newspaper.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. when, according to Cmdr. Sarah Heard, the officer was driving his patrol vehicle through Plaza Park after making an unrelated arrest.

He was attempting to drive around the womans blanket when he heard her suddenly scream out, Heard said. He had run over one of her legs.

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The officer was very apologetic, Heard told the Star.

The newspaper reported that the woman was treated for a minor injury at Ventura County Medical Center and released later in the day.

It is unclear if the officer will face disciplinary action.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Plans were well underway to launch the Space Shuttle at Vandenberg in the early 1980s.

The shuttle was what a rocket could never be: A flying aircraft with a human pilot.

The insulting phrase for passive occupants of a spacecraft was Spam in a can.

To the astronauts who cut their flying teeth in combat or as test pilots, the idea of being an observer rather than an active participant was a disgrace.

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Pilots engaged in real flight was the right stuff, as author Tom Wolfe documented in his biography of the first space program astronauts.

One shuttles name even made reference to the television spacecraft, Enterprise.

The brand new space shuttle Discovery visited Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 6, 1983.

After test glide and landings upon release from aircraft in 1977, the Space Shuttle began orbital flights in April 1981.

The shuttle would launch 135 times from Florida  but only 133 would land successfully.

Challenger exploded Jan. 28, 1986, killing all seven aboard. Cold weather damaged seals in rockets leading to catastrophe.

Columbia disintegrated during reentry Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts on board due to a heat shield damaged during liftoff.

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After the Challenger disaster, the entire program underwent an audit, and it was discovered that the SLC-6 launch pad  recycled from previous canceled Air Force projects like the never-launched Manned Orbital Laboratory  would be destroyed by the force of the first shuttle launch.

The effect would have been similar to the April 2023 SpaceX Starship launch in Texas that hurled concrete powder miles from the launch site and damaged the launch vehicle.

Signs advise of shuttle security. The brand new space shuttle Discovery visited Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 6, 1983.

That was all in the future as a Boeing 747 jet carried a Space Shuttle to Vandenberg (then an Air Force base) for a promotional look at what was hoped would be a West Coast base of operations for the shuttle.

If my recollection is correct, there has never been a manned flight launched from Vandenberg.

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In a full circle moment, SLC-6 launch pad is now leased for an expansion of the SpaceX Falcon program. The Falcon is a smaller rocket, carrying about 25% of the shuttles maximum.

Recently, the SpaceX program has looked to expand launches, further causing friction with the California Coastal Commission.

S.E. Seager wrote this story Nov. 7, 1983:

Reporters and photographers line up to watch and photograph the space shuttle and 747. The plane and cargo circled over Santa Maria and Lompoc before landing on time at the base. The brand new space shuttle Discovery visited Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 6, 1983.

Spa ce shuttle touched down at Vandenberg: Discovery

Lines of spectators, cameras and M-16-toting security police greeted the newest space shuttle as it rode piggyback on a modified Boeing 747 jetliner and landed without a hitch Sunday at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The $1 billion shuttle, dubbed Discovery, looked like a helmet atop the jetliner as the two aircraft approached the runway from the south shortly before 11 a.m.

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The shuttle was to be on display to the public on the Vandenberg runway today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Air Force spokesman Bob Craig said the base expected 100,000 people to visit.

During the landing Sunday, a small white T-38 jet, acting as case plane, tarted around the shuttle as the 747 dropped down to 2,000 feet above Santa Maria. The chase plane crew takes pictures of the shuttle and watches for any in-flight problems.

The four-engine 747 then banked steeply to the right and made a pass over the runway, roaring within several hundred feet of a cluster of reporters and photographers.

Spectators climb up into back of pickup to watch. The brand new space shuttle Discovery visited Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 6, 1983.

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Hundreds of cars lined the roads inside and outside the base as onlookers, most of them employees of base contractors, watched the shuttle fly above them.

The jet carrier made a wide sweep toward the ocean, then swung back for a smooth but deafening landing at 11:07 a.m.

Pilot Fitzhugh L. Fulton Jr. stands a podium while the rest fo the 747 crew listens. The brand new space shuttle Discovery visited Vandenberg Air Force Base on Nov. 6, 1983.

We had no problems, no technical problems, said pilot Fitzhugh L. Fulton, one of the 747s four pilots who flew the jet from Edwards Air Force Base. Its easy to fly.

The shuttle was flown to Vandenberg and above the Ventura, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria areas to give the public a view of the craft that will be launched from the Lompoc base in October 1985.

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The Discovery, recently completed at Palmdale, is the fourth shuttle to be built and the second to land at Vandenberg atop a 747. A jet carried the Enterprise to the base in 1979.

The newest orbiter will leave Vandenberg on Tuesday for Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it will fly at least three missions before returning for the first Vandenberg launch. Between five and 10 annual missions may be launched from Vandenberg.

The craft weighs 148,000 pounds empty and will weigh about 210,00 pounds in flight. It is 122 feet long and 78 feet wide; about the size of a DC-9 commercial airliner. It is removed or placed aboard the 747 with a bridge-like crane called a mating facility.

The Air Force has spent $2.5 billion to build the space shuttle launch complex.

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Construction included the pouring of 250,000 cubic yards of concrete  enough to build a 25-mile four lane freeway  the use of 9,000 tons of steel reinforcing bar and 15,000 tons of structural steel. The latter would build a 120-story office building.

Shuttles launched from Vandenberg will be put on polar, or south to north, orbits; Florida launches are put on equatorial orbits.
Jan. 4 (UPI) -- SpaceX launched its first flight of 2025, sending a Falcon 9 rocket into space with a Thuraya 4 satellite from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 in Florida.

The Falcon 9 rocket took off at 8:27 p.m. EST Friday.

Eight minutes and 40 seconds later, the booster returned to Earth for a landing aboard SpaceX's droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" offshore in the Atlantic Ocean.

Falcon 9 launches @Space42ai's Thuraya 4 to orbit, completing our first mission of the year! pic.twitter.com/ekVQR6605M SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 4, 2025

This is a timed exposure of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as it launches the Thuraya 4 satellite from Launch Complex 40 from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Friday. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI

It was the the 20th flight and recovery for this Falcon 9 first stage booster, and SpaceX's 341st recovery overall of an orbital-class rocket, including Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters.

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After 35 minutes and 30 seconds into the flight, the Thuraya 4 satellite separated from the rocket's second stage. It was deployed into geostationary transfer orbit and will be in a geosynchronous orbit above a fixed spot on Earth.

The exhaust of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket glows red as it launches the Thuraya 4 satellite from Launch Complex 40 from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Friday. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI

The satellite was built by Airbus built for Space42, a company formed through the merger of the United Arab Emirates' primary satellite provider, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company, or Yahsat, and an AI-powered geospatial solutions company, Bayanat.

Space42 currently operates two geostationary satellites: Thuraya 1 launched in 2001and Thuraya 2 launched in 2003, all built by Boeing. These provide coverage to land-based, marine and aviation customers in Africa, Central Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket goes supersonic as it launches the Thuraya 4 satellite from Launch Complex 40 from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Friday. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI

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Thuraya 3 was launched in 2008 but the satellite "suffered an unexpected payload anomaly causing an ongoing service outage," according to the company.

A Falcon 9 rocket has launched 418 times. It was SpaceX's 435th mission overall.

In 2024, there were more than 130 SpaceX orbital missions.

SpaceX closed out 2024 with a New Year's Eve launch from Florida.

The company is also planning Falcon 9 launches of Starlink satellites that were pushed back one day to 12:21 EST Monday from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 and 10:51 a.m. Tuesday from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A.

Another company, Blue Origin, on Wednesday is planning to launch a 320-foot New Glenn rocket with the first stage booster attempting to land on a sea-based platform. It is set for 1 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36.
A 22-year-old Spanish tourist died on Friday after being attacked by an elephant she was bathing in Thailand.

Blanca Ojanguren Garcia was washing the animal at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre when it sank its tusk in her, later leading to her death.

Experts told the Clarin newspaper that the elephant had likely become stressed due to the pressure of living and interacting with tourists outside of its ecosystem.

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Washing elephants and bathing with them are popular activities for tourists in Thailand.

The countrys department of national parks estimates that more than 4,000 wild elephants live in its sanctuaries, national parks and nature reserves and that there are a similar number of domesticated elephants, which are mostly used in tourist shows.

The elephant centre advertised online as presenting the true nature of the elephant

The World Animal Protection organisation estimates there are 2,798 elephants held in tourism venues across the country.

The non-profit has previously warned that the animals are often kept in isolation, and made to perform tricks and activities that are unnatural.

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The group has also said so-called trainers often use cruel, punishment-based training, including hitting them with sticks or sharp metal objects.

A staff member told the media that Garcia was bathing the elephant when she passed in front of the animal and it stuck a tusk in her, causing injuries from which she later died. The sanctuary appeared to be closed following the incident.

Credit: NavarraTV/X

According to data from the Thai department of national parks, there have been at least 227 deaths caused by wild elephant attacks in the past 12 years, including 39 fatalities in 2024.

Most attacks occur with wild elephants, which sometimes cross into areas inhabited by people because of the loss of natural habitat.

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The elephant centre, on the island of Yao Yai in southwestern Thailand, is advertised online as presenting the true nature of the elephant and says it is committed to providing responsible and ethical interactions with elephants.

Its website says it does not control or use a hook on our elephants.

Koh Yao Elephant Care says it does not control or use a hook on our elephants

Garcia was from Valladolid in northwest Spain and had been studying law and international relations at the University of Navarra, where she was a member of the security and defence club.

She was born to military parents and was a delegate of UNMUN, a simulation that seeks to imitate the procedures of the United Nations.

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Garcia was living in Taiwan on the Erasmus academic exchange programme and had visited Thailand as a tourist. She was at the elephant sanctuary with her boyfriend, an infantry cadet from Oviedo, who was present at the time of the attack.

Garcia was a student at the University of Navarra, reading law and international relations - Linkedin

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Her family has not yet released a statement, but Jose Manuel Albares, the Spanish foreign minister, said its consulate in Bangkok is offering all necessary assistance.

The Faculty of Law at Navarra University said it expresses its sorrow for Garcias death and shares the grief of her family and asks for prayers for her soul.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The nuns inside a migrant shelter in southern Mexico gave Jason De Leon an ominous warning: Whatever you do, dont go outside. Thats where all the bad people are.

De Leon sensed there was more to the story.

Of course, the first thing that I did was go outside and find the bad people, De Leon recalls. You know, the bad people were just a bunch of young men hanging out on the train tracks.

The men asked De Leon what he did for a living. He told them he was an anthropologist  like a journalist, but Im more annoying, because I stick around longer and I keep asking the same question for years. The professor soon learned what the young men did for a living, too. They were human smugglers  or, as they put it, guias (guides) for migrants traveling through Mexico and trying to reach the US.

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De Leon had thought he was done writing about migration. Hed documented deaths along the US-Mexico border in his first book, and it was devastating. But that conversation along the train tracks in southern Mexico in 2015 led him in a direction he hadnt been planning to go.

One of the young men asked a simple question: Why dont you write about us?

That young man  Juan Roberto Paredes  would end up becoming a central character in De Leons next book, Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling.

De Leon, whos a UCLA professor and director of the schools Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, spent seven years shadowing smugglers to tell their stories, which the scholar argues are far more complicated and less glamorous than typical media portrayals suggest. His work won last years National Book Award in November.

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The risks for migrants are intensifying, with robbery, kidnapping, extortion and murder becoming increasingly common along the journey north, De Leon says. He argues that smugglers, too, are often destitute and dealing with many of the same dangers.

Robertos story was one of many that took an unexpected turn during De Leons research. The skinny, banged-up Honduran kidknew how to guide people along the train tracks and through the jungle because he came of age in those dreadful places, De Leon writes. Eventually, the young man tries to escape the smuggling business  and meets a tragic end.

De Leons book begins at Robertos grave.

The author spoke with CNN recently about what he misunderstood about smuggling before beginning his research, why Mexico is becoming more dangerous for migrants and how Trumps return to power is likely to change the smuggling world. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Were there any assumptions you made when you first set out to write this book, that you realized were not true?

I went into it going, I really want to understand this in all of its complexity. So I was not surprised to learn that smugglers are complicated people, that nobody chooses to be a smuggler, that its a kind of brutal occupation. I kind of intuitively knew all those things.

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What I didnt expect was, its not very lucrative. I was imagining that these guys were going to have more money, more often. And it really was not the case. It literally was kind of boom or bust. And the book ends with a lot of these guys who go from boom to total bust.

And I think the other thing was I just was expecting a lot more consistency within (the smuggling organizations), internally. I had given people a lot more credit in terms of how organized it was. And I think thats partly because, when you listen to Customs and Border Protection or Border Patrol, they talk about these organized smuggling rings, and they make it seem like its really well built, and its not.

So many smugglers I knew were always worried about getting killed because they didnt know someone, because communication lines were bad. That really surprised me. But then it became very, very clear that theres nothing you can do to ever stop this machine, because it just keeps rebuilding itself over and over again, which has got to be frustrating both if youre law enforcement trying to stop smuggling, and also frustrating if youre in that system and youre trying to make it work. Theres no guarantee that tomorrow youre going to have any kind of job security, because of all the things that can happen overnight.

And the Border Patrol always talk about how these smugglers are high on drugs. I get why theyre high on drugs. Theyre just trying to cope with the ongoing catastrophes by any means necessary. It literally is one of these jobs where you can be in jail, or dead, or something in between, in the blink of an eye.

Jason De Leon thought he was done writing about migration. But an unexpected conversation beside the train tracks in southern Mexico sent him down an unexpected path. His book exploring the lives of human smugglers  based on years of research  recently won the National Book Award. - Michael Wells

And you spent seven years doing this research?

Going back and forth, I was in Pakal-Na (Mexico) and then I was in Honduras. 

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I started meeting all these different folks who were connected in different ways, and the project just kind of kept going and going.

In some ways Covid was good for me, because it gave me kind of a hard stop on some of the field work, and then I had to be much more strategic after that to keep doing it. I spent the first part of lockdown replaying hundreds of hours of audiostarted to write, and then, as soon as we could travel again, I went back, and I could see how Covid was impacting these things, how much the migrant trail changes in a matter of months.

Now I think were about to see major changes, similar to when I was there in Mexico during the beginnings of Trump, and things were really changing pretty quickly.

Thinking back on that moment, what are the kinds of changes you expect to see?

Smugglers love Trump, because its a lot of bluster, and migrants dont know that, so they can jack up their prices quickly. I would say Trump is good for the economy of undocumented migration. Smugglers are going, OK, if you want to come now, the price has doubled, because its so much more dangerous now, even though its probably not. I remember having lots of conversations with smugglers, who would say, I love Trump. He makes our job easier and makes it easier for us to justify higher rates.

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Im sure the rates are going through the roof right now. I think were going to continue to see that. Then (the question is) whether or not deportations will start in any meaningful way, thats more unknown right now. I do think were going to see this uptick in migration rates, and probably in costs, until January, and then I dont know.

What about the impact of building the wall, and added enforcement at the border?

It puts people more in harms way. At this point, weve had 30 years of prevention through deterrence. Thirty years of these policies have just shown that people are more than willing to risk their lives. Migrant death is about as high as its ever been. I think people are going to continue to die at the rate that they have, and probably more, as they become more and more desperate.

Life has gotten increasingly dangerous for migrants passing through Mexico, according to De Leon. This image from his field work shows migrants waiting for a train in Pakal-Na in 2016. - Courtesy Jason De Leon

Ive heard politicians who normally have different viewpoints agree that human smuggling is bad. Its something theyll say, almost in passing, as a starting point before they debate what should be done. What do you think people are missing when they dont dig more deeply into who these smugglers are, and whats motivating them, and the human side of all of this? Why is that so important?

One of the goals for me with the book was to clarify that smuggling and human trafficking are radically different things. They overlap sometimes, but most of the time they are two separate kind of entities. When we hear people talk about smuggling, theyre conflating it with trafficking. And a lot of times, when you hear politicians on the left or the right talk about the evils of smuggling, its because people have been trafficked, or because someone has died, and obviously both of those things are terrible things.

I think thats the dominant narrative that we hear. And if smugglers only abandoned people in the desert or only trafficked people, this industry would not be so self-sustaining. At the end of the day, those things that are really hyper-visible are a very small proportion of what actually happens.

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I really want people to think about smuggling as a service economy for migrants. Every American is implicated in this industry, because we benefit from the labor of smugglers who bring the people to this country, who do all the work that many Americans dont want to do. The employers benefit from smugglers. The consumer benefits from smugglers. I want people to think about it in those terms.

And then you can start to ask yourself, okay, well, who else benefits from this? And whos driving these things? Thats an important way to then start having these broader discussions about the complexities. Any way that we can add nuance or detail to the discussions around migration for me is a good thing.

In recent years, when Ive spoken to migrants whove made the journey up, the mood in the conversation often really shifts when they start talking about Mexico. Many have told me it was the worst part of their journey. Does that resonate with what you saw?

Its definitely getting a lot worse. Mexico has just gotten so dangerous. Journeys are becoming longer. Its becoming more expensive. The abuses are just ramping up. I think for me a signal that Mexico is becoming more and more dangerous for these folks is the fact that Im running out of places where I feel safe doing field work. And that kills me. That really makes me incredibly sad. I love Mexico so much.

In the last 10 years, Ive watched all these places where I had spent so much time just becoming impossible to be. And Im a passport-carrying citizen who can navigate these things relatively well, and even Im like, whats going on, I cant be here anymore. And so I cant imagine if youre someone coming from Venezuela or Haiti and youre trying to get through this gauntlet.

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It used to be before that Veracruz (a state in eastern Mexico) and the North, thats where bad things happen. And now its like, any one of these places, something catastrophic can happen if youre a migrant.

De Leon says he hopes the National Book Award that "Soldiers and Kings" received last year will bring more attention to the issues he explores. "The most important thing is people are reading a book about a bunch of kids from Honduras, and for many people this will be the first time they even thought about Honduras, and definitely the first time they thought about something like like smuggling," he says. - Viking

Whats changed?

As migration has ramped up, youve got more people coming who now have to cross the length of Mexico. Youve got Mexican immigration (officials) with the help of the United States trying to crack down on this  trying to slow people down, deporting people en masse. Theres way more border infrastructure, or immigration infrastructure, there now thats dedicated towards stopping people, which then, of course, just leads to increased corruption.

And so now migrants are dealing with corrupt immigration agents, and then, of course, the cartels and these transnational gangs, they look at this stuff and they go, oh, this is super easy money. This is actually much easier to make money off of than it is moving drugs. And this is a steady supply of people to tax.

It used to be you could get across Mexico in under a month  hop on a train, ride some buses. It wasnt super controlled. And now just getting out of Chiapas (state in southern Mexico) can take weeks. And as all these new cartels are popping up, theyre recognizing that theres a lot more money to be made. People are looking at all of these migrants as easy money, and with that easy money just comes increased violence and increased dangers that people have to navigate.

De Leon's book also explores issues of race and migration, delving into the lives of Black smugglers he met in southern Mexico. Many are Garifuna, an Afro-Indigenous group from Central America. This image from De Leon's field work shows two Garifuna smugglers in a safe house in Mexico City in 2019. - Courtesy Jason De Leon

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Your book is the first Ive ever read with a soundtrack at the end detailing music for different chapters, which I thought was so cool. Thinking about your field work along the border, and on the tracks in Mexico, and where we are as a society today, is there a song you would pick for this moment right now? Why?

I think Clandestino by Manu Chao is timeless. Every election cycle, every time theres some catastrophe where people have to flee, this song comes up. When I was first introduced to it in the early 2000s, it was coming out of every radio in Mexico, and I think its one that you still hear pretty consistently. It still resonates with folks. Manu Chao did a video a few years ago with him playing it acoustic in front of a detention center in Phoenix.

I like thinking about it in terms of this sort of universal need to migrate, and the seemingly universal need for folks to be under the radar, because of the way border policies work, and because of all of the structures in place that really keep people sort of hidden.

Its a good reminder that whatever were seeing now, weve seen in the past, were going to continue to see in the future. And you know, as an anthropologist, its really just reminding people that humans have always moved, and borders are a relatively new invention, and the only way that our species is going to survive is through movement.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  In 2024, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation looked into 56 incidents in which a law enforcement officer fired a weapon.

Seventeen of those incidents occurred within 6 News viewing area in East Tennessee, making up about 32% of the total number.

The number of shootings in 2024 in which an officer fired a weapon, by county, in 6 News viewing area.

The latest officer-involved shooting, however, happened on just the third day of 2025. Knox County Sheriffs Deputies shot and killed a man while executing a search warrant Friday morning.

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Man fatally shot by Knox County deputies, TBI investigating

Former Knox County County Sheriff Tim Hutchison said officers are trained on when to use deadly force.

With the training that we do in law enforcement, we want that to be something thats just an instinct that kicks in, and ready to defend themselves, because youre on the defense, which is a second or two behind whoever has a gun out, so youre behind already, he said.

Law enforcement is also trained to deescalate situations and reason with those resisting arrest.

Ive dealt with those kind of people that just didnt want to be arrested, and the majority of the time you can talk them out of fighting you or wanting to get a weapon, or wanting to hurt you bad, he said.

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THP: Tanker truck filled with chocolate overturns in Greene Co., driver airlifted

However when a suspect has a weapon, the situation changes, and an officer has to be ready at all times.

It has to be in defense of the officer, or in defense of someone else. So, youre going to engage in that if you feel like youre going to be shot or if theres someone else thats going to be shot, then youre legal for using lethal force, Hutchison said.

These are the 2024 shootings TBI investigated, in which an officer fired a weapon, that occurred in 6 News viewing area:

Three Tennessee law enforcement officers were killed by gunfire in 2024 in Blount, Shelby and McNairy Counties.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA)  Multiple cities in Central Illinois are declaring a snow emergency due to the winter weather.

Read on below for more information:

IDOT giving road safety tips ahead of winter weather

Sangamon County

Update 5 p.m.

Sangamon Countys Winter Weather Emergency level has been raised to a Level 2, meaning that travel on County Highways is discouraged.

Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow and may be icy. Sangamon County will continue to monitor road conditions throughout the evening and early morning hours.

Sangamon County has declared a Level 1 Winter Weather Emergency, in effect at 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning, until further notice.

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This means that roadways are hazardous, that drivers may encounter blowing and drifting snow, roadways may be icy, and drivers should use caution. The declaration applies only to county highways.

The county will monitor road conditions throughout the evening and early morning hours. If needed, the emergency level will be adjusted based on the changing conditions.

Updates will be posted to the Sangamon County Website.

Springfield

On Saturday, the City of Springfields Office of Public Works declared a snow emergency for designated snow routes starting at 11 p.m. and ending at 11 p.m. on Monday. They are anticipating snowfall to exceed 6 inches.

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Residents are required to remove all parked vehicles from marked snow emergency routes by 11:00 p.m. on Saturday. To see the snow emergency route map and the citys snow and ice removal policy, visit www.springfield.il.us/snow.

Drivers are urged to watch for snow removal crews, and people clearing parking lots and sidewalks are reminded to not plow the snow into the streets. Residents are urged to call the Office of Public Works to report any problems or concerns at 217-789-2246.

Champaign businesses, customers preparing for snow, cold weather

Additionally, people are encouraged to keep their sidewalks clear as a safety precaution. According to Springfield City Ordinance Section 99.03, all sidewalks adjacent to properties have to be cleared of snow by 10 a.m. every morning following a snow event. Non-compliance to this could result in fines of $250.

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All complaints or concerns about sidewalk obstructions are to be directed to Springfields Housing Division at 217-789-2167.

Mt. Zion

Effective 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, Mt. Zion will be under a snow emergency until further notice. Additionally, a winter storm warning has been issued for Macon County ahead of the predicted heavy snow and high winds.

This is expected to be a serious public hazard which will affect transportation, fire and police operations as well as other vital facilities across Mt. Zion. During the issuance of the snow emergency, parking is prohibited on all village streets.

Mom of Loda crash victim pushing for added safety measures

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On top of this, no person is allowed to park, cause or permit to be parked, abandon, or leave any vehicle unattended on village streets. The Mt. Zion Police Department will tow at the owners expense any vehicle parked on a street in violation of the snow emergency.

Violators will then be subject to parking fines and fees associated with the towing of their vehicles. For additional questions and information, contact the Mt. Zion Police Department at 217-864-4012.

Rantoul

The Village of Rantoul has declared a snow emergency, beginning on Sunday at 7 a.m.

With snow expected for Sunday into Monday, the declaration requires vehicles to be moved from designated snow routes. This will allow plows to move along the road without parked cars getting in their way.

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If cars are parked on the designated snow routes, the Rantoul Police Department can tow the vehicles at the owners expense. Once the snow has stopped and all of the snow has been removed from the routes, vehicles will be allowed to park in the area once again.

For any additional questions, visit Rantouls website.

Charleston

Snow routes will be in effect in Charleston during the expected snow event, according to the City.

Ford County EMA offers tips to stay safe in winter weather

Snow routes will be in effect on the following streets:

Street From To Grant Avenue University Drive 4th Street Harrison Avenue Division Street 18th Street Jackson Avenue Division Street 18th Street Monroe Avenue Division Street 18th Street 6th Street Railroad Avenue Lincoln Avenue 7th Street Railroad Avenue Lincoln Avenue 10th Street Monroe Avenue Lincoln Avenue 11th Street Monroe Avenue Lincoln Avenue

Drivers will not be allowed to park in these places when there is two inches of snow or more. The snow routes will be in effect for 12 hours, or until the commissioner of streets and public improvements, or the chief of police determines that enough snow has been removed.

Champaign

Champaign is under a Winter Storm Warning from midnight Friday through Monday.

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Central Illinois warming centers open this season

The City encourages residents to stay home to allow Public Works crews to safely treat and clear roadways.

If you must travel, they ask that drivers leave early, allow extra time to reach their destination, and be cautious around snowplows.

Motorists are also encouraged to keep the streets free of parked vehicles during this time to expedite plowing efforts. Champaign recommends using alternate off-street parking locations, like Hill Street Parking Deck in Downtown, instead of parking on the street.

Forsyth

The Village of Forsyth has issued a snow emergency, beginning at 12:01 p.m. Sunday.

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This snow emergency prohibits parking on all village streets. The Forsyth Deputies have the authority to tow vehicles in violation of the snow emergency. Violators will be subject to parking fines and all fees associated with towing, according to the Village.

At-home winter weather safety kit tips: IDPH

Decatur

The City of Decatur has issued a snow emergency, beginning at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Road crews began at 4:00 a.m., on Sunday. The snow emergency prohibits parking, leaving or standing of any vehicle on designated snow emergency routes. The snow emergency routes are identified by red and white signs, which say, Emergency Snow Route, No Parking After 2 Snowfall, Tow Away Zone.

Monticello

The City of Monticello is declaring a snow emergency, effective Saturday night at midnight.

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Snow routes were activated at midnight. Parking is prohibited on the designated routes below to allow for snow removal.

Monticello asks that residents and visitors remove their vehicles from the following routes so city staff can safely work.

Marion Street from Piatt Street to Allerton Road

Center Street from Market Street to Buchanan Street

Buchanan Street from Center Street to Marion Street

Kratz Road from Market Street to Hillside Drive

Charter Street, both sides, between Livingston Street and Lafayette Street

State Street, both sides, between Livingston Street and Lafayette Street

Main Street, both sides, between Market Street and Independence Street

Washington Street, both sides, between Market Street and Independence Street

Christian County

Christian County will be at Level 1 snow emergency starting early Sunday morning and continuing to Monday morning.

Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp asks Christian County residents to use extreme caution and common sense during the snowy weather. Christian County also said that it may be necessary to close roads throughout the county.

A level 1 ordinance means that roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow, roads are icy, and drivers should be cautious and travel only if necessary. Sheriff Kettelkamp said drivers may be ticketed.

Clinton

The Clinton Police are informing residents of snow routes in the City, in case there are 2 or more inches of snow.

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They said there may be limited parking in certain areas, but this allows streets to be cleared. Clinton Police also ask that residents make the necessary parking adjustments sooner rather than later.

The following streets are the designated snow routes:

Alexander Street from Jemima to East Macon Street

Cain Street from Macon to Woodlawn

Center Street from Route 54 to Woodlawn Avenue

Colonial Drive from Holiday Drive to Texas Township Road

East Macon Street from Alexander to North George

George Street from Macon Street to Woodlawn Avenue

Hickory Drive and Quincy Street from Route 51 to Van Buren

Holiday Drive

Jemima Street from Sherman Street to Alexander Avenue

Kirkwood Drive, all of said street

Leander Street from Mulberry to Rosewood Drive

Main Street from Walnut to Route 54 east

Mulberry Street from White Street to West Leander

Park Lane to Jericho Road

Rosewood Drive to Park Lane

Sherman Street from Van Buren to Revere gates

Texas Township Road from Route 51 to Kirkwood Drive

Walnut Street from Route 10 to West Webster Street

White Street from Mulberry Street to Grant Street

Woodlawn Avenue from Center Street to Cain Street

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  Officers with one Central Illinois police department are going to Washington, D.C. to help with security for President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration.

The Springfield Police Department is sending ten officers and one lieutenant from their Mobile Field Force Team. Those officers are specifically trained in crowd control tactics and response.

Springfield Police Chief Ken Scarllette said the officers will help with security along the presidential motorcade route and outer perimeter security at offsite venues.

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Its a once in a lifetime opportunity, Scarlette said. I truly believe that. Any time that you can be involved in the transition of presidential power in our nations capital, I think that is a really cool experience, and Im glad that were able to be represented. The city of Springfield, the state of Illinois will be represented in that function.

Scarlette said the opportunity came about after he connected with the Metro Police Department at a Public Safety Partnership conference in Minneapolis.

When they arrive in D.C., Scarlette said the officers will go through training to prepare ahead of the inaguration.

Its their opportunity to get on the same page with other law enforcement agencies whom theyll be working side by side with throughout the event, Scarlette said.

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While those officers are away, Scarlette said he doesnt have public safety or staffing concerns.

We are fully staffed, Scarlette said. We have ample manpower to handle the calls for service that may come in throughout the day, the evening, the overnight hours here within our agency.

Over the summer, the police department sent officers to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to help with security.

The inauguration is Jan. 20.

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UPDATE // Springfield police say Zaniyah was located Saturday night. The original post is below.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  The Springfield Police Youth Aid Bureau is looking for any information regarding the whereabouts of 13-year-old Zaniyah Quicksey.

Enfield police use drone to bring woman to safety

Zaniyah left her home on White Street on Friday night and has not contacted anyone in her family since then. Police say she may be in the Forest Park area. She is approximately 5 feet tall and 100 pounds.

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If you see Zaniyah or have any information about where she is, please call 413-787-6360 or the non-emergency line at 413-787-6300.

Local News Headlines

WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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In a significant breakthrough, Chhattisgarh police have arrested three individuals--Ritesh Chandrakar, Dinesh Chandrakar, and Mahendra--in connection with the murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar. Speaking on the operation, Bastar Inspector General (IG) P Sundarraj said that the role of contractor Suresh Chandrakar is also being investigated. "Ritesh Chandrakar and Mahendra hit Mukesh Chandrakar and Dinesh Chandrakar tried to hide the evidence. The role of contractor Suresh Chandrakar is also being investigated and action will be taken accordingly...Further investigation is underway...Three accused have been arrested...An eleven-member SIT has been formed to further investigate the incident," Sundarraj said. The search for a Bijapur-based journalist, who had been missing since January 1, ended tragically when his body was found in a septic tank on the premises of a private contractor in the district on Friday, police said. Notably, Mukesh Chandrakar was one of the interlocutors who played a key role in the release of a CRPF constable abducted by Naxals after an encounter in Bijapur in 2021. He was actively covering Naxal attacks, encounters, and other issues in Bastar. Recently, Chandrakar had done a story on the alleged corruption in road construction. Earlier today, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said that an 11-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to catch absconding Congress leader Suresh Chandrakar who is accused in the murder of Journalist Mukesh Chandrakar. Speaking to ANI, Sharma said that journalist Mukesh Chandrakar was reporting on efforts to establish peace and combat naxalism in Bastar. "Mukesh Chandrakar was covering the areas of inner Bastar, Bastar Junction, for establishing peace in Bastar, for ending the naxalism from Bastar. This murder happened through the conspiracy of Congress leader Suresh Chandrakar, the police immediately took action and registered an FIR. An 11-member SIT has been formed," Chhattisgarh DyCM said. "Action is also being taken on all his (Suresh Chandrakar) illegal hideouts, his bank accounts have been held... Four teams have been formed to catch absconding Congress leader Suresh Chandrakar. We will complete the investigation in four weeks and file it in the court," he added. (ANI)
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  The St. Helena Parish Sheriffs Office is investigating a burglary in the Pine Grove area near Shiloh Baptist Church Road.

The sheriffs office said two suspects had been apprehended, but one was at large. Authorities identified the wanted suspect as Chip Matthew Chauvin, 43.

The sheriffs office said Chauvin was taken into custody and all three suspects were booked into the St. Helena Parish Jail.

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This is a developing story. Further details about the robbery or the other suspects were not immediately available. BRProud has reached out for more information.

Fugitive in custody after shooting at Livingston Parish deputies

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ST. LOUIS  Ice melt, rock salt, shovels, and other winter supplies kept the lines long at Branneky Hardware in Bridgeton Friday night.

Valerie McMiller was one of many customers buying ice melt.

We thought we better go ahead and get a head start, she said.

Tanner Branneky, a fifth-generation member of the business, said local suppliers help ensure the store has enough ice-melting products for the weekend.

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Were ready, he said.

Brian Bretsch, spokesman for Ameren Illinois, said the power company is planning to shift resources south of the St. Louis area, where the threat of ice is the greatest.

Storm trailers, mobile substations, and power-restoring crews are expected to be on the move this weekend.

We want all of those resources to be in place before any ice hits the ground, Bretsch added.

Approximately a quarter inch of ice is the threshold for problems to occur with power lines. Wind can also be a factor.

Thats when you start seeing the stress on that system, even though weve done a lot of work in terms of making the system more robust, Bretsch said.

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How much snow did the St. Louis area get?

Some of those improvements have included higher grade lines, stronger poles, and tree trimming.

Bretsch said as a precaution, its a good idea to be prepared for a power outage.

HeatUpStLouis.org is an agency that provides a safety net for area residents struggling to decide between paying for heat or paying for food or medicine.

We dont want them to have to make those kinds of decisions, Rev. Earl Nance Jr., HeatUpStLouis.org treasurer, said. We want them to be able to stay warm, be able to pay their bills, and still be able to eat and take care of themselves.

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Agency supporters and volunteers gathered Friday at the Commerce Bank in Clayton to rally support for the upcoming Hardees Rise & Shine event on Feb. 14. The annual event invites customers to order sausage or egg biscuits for $1, with 100% of all sales going to HeatUpStLouis.org and its partners.

For more information about how to support the effort or volunteer, click here.

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Jan. 3ST. MARYS  The St. Marys Police Department will continue providing necessary equipment and training to personnel under the leadership of new Police Chief Brian Christopher, including new in-car, body and Flock cameras, he said.

"In 2025 we are slated to get new in-car camera systems as well as body-worn cameras. Also, the Flock camera system will hopefully be deployed to assist with investigations throughout the city," Christopher wrote via email. "The body cams and in-car systems will replace outdated hardware. The Flock camera system will be a new addition for the department."

Flock cameras are "motion-activated cameras that feature the company's patented Vehicle Fingerprint technology. The devices capture images of the back of vehicles as they drive past, day or night, and enter those images into a data bank. Law enforcement officials can then search that database by vehicle make, color, type and license plate as well as by the state of the license plate, missing or covered plates and unique vehicle details like roof racks and bumper stickers," according to a previous Lima News article.

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Some in-house training the St. Marys Police Department provides includes firearms, building searches, use of force and defensive tactics.

"I want to make sure we keep up on training and the ever-evolving technology," Christopher wrote.

He mentioned a current challenge in law enforcement is keeping departments fully staffed, which he plans to tackle as chief.

Christopher was hired in 2003 and promoted to sergeant in 2015. He replaced former Chief Jacob Sutton, who announced his retirement in September after 26 years in law enforcement and seven years as St. Marys chief.

Christopher wrote he has "extensive training in computer forensics and criminal investigations."

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"I also completed the Harley Davidson Police Motorcycle Training and was part of the SMPD motorcycle patrol for six years," he wrote.

He grew up in St. Marys and graduated from St. Marys Memorial High School in 1999. He received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Ohio Northern University.

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Were just three days into 2025, and Stacey Plaskett has already filed a strong entry for this years top truth-teller in Congress award.

You may have missed her powerful moment from Fridays House speakership vote if youre not a C-SPAN junkie like me, but you ought to see it. The Democrat from the U.S. Virgin Islands made a parliamentary inquiry to ask the House parliamentarian to explain why the six nonvoting delegates from U.S. territories and the District of Columbia arent allowed to vote for speaker.

Plaskett said:

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I note that the names of the representatives from the America Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia were not called, representing collectively 4 million Americans. Mr. Speaker, collectively the largest per capita of veterans in this country. I ask why they were not called.

The parliamentarians response was, in essence, Thems the rules.

There was certainly no moral justification offered, so what Plaskett essentially did was give viewers and her colleagues a textbook lesson in American imperialism. And it was quite a sight to see her being booed by Republicans for doing so.

"I have a voice!"



Del. @StaceyPlaskett makes a parliamentary inquiry as to why delegates from U.S. territories and the District of Columbia are not allowed to vote for Speaker of the House. pic.twitter.com/BszRTeAzKG  CSPAN (@cspan) January 3, 2025

Plaskett continued: This body and this nation has a territories and a colonies problem. What was supposed to be temporary has now, effectively, become permanent.

We must do something about this problem, so that these 4 million Americans, she said as her mic was cut off. Her mic briefly came back on just as she proclaimed, But I have a voice!

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Here we are in the United States, a country that salutes its founders for their refusal to live under British imperialism. And nearly 250 years after bloodshed over this, a Black woman who dared to question why the U.S. is foisting similar imperialism on her and her people was literally silenced.

This was a remarkable snapshot that perfectly summarizes our current political moment.

Its worth noting that President-elect Donald Trump has openly pondered having the U.S. take control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, and even touted adding Canada as our 51st state  but not Washington, D.C., or Puerto Rico.

Trumps expansionist fantasies are cheap ways for him to amuse his followers with the performative MAGA bravado theyve come to love. But Plasketts remarks cut through all that nonsense by highlighting the truly oppressive and illiberal nature of Americas territorial schemes.

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The United States doesnt need to expand. It needs to grant full citizenship to all people already living on the lands under its control.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Keir Starmer had clear instructions for his team going into the new year: keep calm, drown out the naysayers and focus on delivering for the British public. But some in Labour question whether that steady-as-she-goes approach will be enough to weather the headwinds coming their way in 2025.

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The premier, who swept to power last July on a pledge to restore competence and decency to politics, starts January in a dangerous position: accused by critics in the press, opposition parties, and even within his own Labour outfit of representing more of the same rather than the change he promised.

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Preventing that narrative from entrenching will be the governments key challenge in the months ahead, according to ministers, lawmakers and aides who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity discussing their private views. Starmers personal ratings are already deep under water, and his party has lost 5 to 10 points in the polls, according to Luke Tryl from the think tank and pollster More In Common.

While an election is years off, that we are in the midterm blues so quickly is striking, Tryl said. Voters will forgive a bumpy start but if this year is more of the same, attitudes may crystallize against Starmers government.

Drowning out criticism has not been easy in Labours first six months in office. Starmer has struggled to convince the public that he had a plan for power, unveiling a confusing array of promises including two priorities, three foundations, five missions and six each of first steps and milestones.

An early measure to shore up the public finances by stripping away winter fuel payments from the elderly and a tax-raising budget have drawn the ire of pensioners, farmers and businesses. More broadly, voters are dissatisfied with a series of unpopular decisions the government has blamed on its inheritance from the previous Conservative administration.

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The noise reached a crescendo in recent days when Tesla chief Elon Musk escalated his own vitriolic attacks on Starmer. Posting on his social media platform on X Friday, Musk claimed the premier was complicit in the rape of Britain and should face charges for his actions as the countrys chief prosecutor during a child sex abuse scandal. In fact, in that role from 2008 to 2013, it was Starmer who began the prosecution of so-called grooming gangs in British towns.

Having a key member of President-elect Donald Trumps team lambaste him regularly is hardly ideal, but Starmer has told aides he sees no merit in engaging in a back-and-forth with Musk, or indeed any of his other critics. Whether its posts on X across the Atlantic or UK newspaper headlines, the premier is insistent he does not want to be dragged away from priorities and become embroiled in a political soap-opera. He will not be buffeted by external pressures even if that means governing sometimes feels like a slog, one staffer said.

Keir is quite an unusual politician in that he is very focused on what he wants to do: effective government to meet the challenges our country faces, his former strategy director, Deborah Mattinson, said in a telephone interview. He wont be distracted by gossip  he sees it largely as water off a ducks back  and hes not interested in playing politics. I think that is a currently underrated quality.

In that vein, Starmer has eschewed the typical new year speech used by previous premiers to set out their vision for the months ahead. Instead, he will give what aides describe as a speechette on Monday, providing more detail on how he intends to meet his target of ensuring 92% of National Health Service patients wait no longer than 18 weeks for elective treatment. Starmer purposely wanted to avoid a more wide-ranging speech and focus on a single key priority, an ally said.

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After spending a lot of time abroad last year, the prime minister doesnt plan foreign travel this month and will have more of a domestic focus. Nevertheless, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will visit China next week to boost financial services ties, while British representation at Trumps Jan. 20 inauguration is yet to be decided.

On Wednesday, the government will introduce a bill in parliament outlining school reforms, while legislation imposing tougher border security measures will be laid in coming weeks. Last week a new commission was established to make recommendations on social care, another major policy problem unresolved by successive governments.

Immigration will become a key theme for Starmer this year, with the Home Office planning new sanctions against people-smugglers and agreements with other countries to countering irregular migration, according to people familiar with the matter.

Downing Street officials are sanguine about their rocky start, insisting their overarching strategy was always to front-load tough decisions. One lesson from the first few months has been that ministers feel there is no time to waste and that they dont want to have another half-year period without the public feeling change is happening.

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Another area where aides expect to see improvement in the coming weeks is on talking about their achievements. Starmer is said to be particularly pleased with progress made in increasing the returns of illegal migrants, with plans being formulated to illustrate that more clearly for the public. Similarly, there will be a tighter focus on the major issues voters care most about, in particular the NHS, living standards, immigration and crime. By year-end, the Labour government would want to be given more credit for its policy improvements in those areas, an aide said.

Itll be easier said than done. Reeves faces the specter of lackluster economic growth and declining business confidence, which could in turn lead to even harsher public spending cuts or tax rises, and thats before the consequences of Trumps presidency are realized, including a threatened shakeup of global trade and potentially reduced support for Ukraine. Starmer will need to be made of stern stuff not to be knocked off course.

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State health officials are calling on residents, especially pregnant women and those who care for infants, to have an updated Tdap vaccination as cases of whooping cough increase in California.

From January to October 2024, over 2,000 cases of whooping cough, a highly contagious bacterial disease that can be spread through coughing, were reported in the Golden State.

About 62 of those cases were infants less than four months of age who were hospitalized, including one infant who died, according to health officials.

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How to keep kids healthy as whooping cough cases surge

During the same time range in 2023, less than 400 whooping cough cases were reported in the state.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, many practices that had lowered instances of whooping cough are no longer in place, and were seeing the disease return to pre-pandemic levels, Dr. Tomas J. Aragon, CDPH director and state public health officer said in a statement. Infants are particularly vulnerable, and thats why CDPH especially encourages people who are pregnant to receive the Tdap vaccine in their third trimester, which will pass along protective antibodies to the baby.

Updated Tdap vaccinations are recommended for adults every decade, children between the ages of 11 and 12, and pregnant women between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, even if they have received Tdap in the past.

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Infants and young children receive their own whooping cough (DTaP) vaccines from 2 months to 4-6 years of age.

People with whooping cough have severe coughing attacks that can last for months. Infants too young for vaccination are at greatest risk for hospitalization and death.

If youre coughing, sneezing, and sick, youre not alone

Early signs of whooping cough are like common cold symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose and low-grade fever. Babies with whooping cough may have trouble breathing, turn blue or stop breathing.

Residents are urged to consult with their doctor or pharmacist about the vaccine. More information about whooping cough can be found here.

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Jan. 4DELPHI, Ind.  Richard Allen, recently convicted and sentenced to 130 years for the February 2017 deaths of teenagers Libby German and Abby Williams, has yet to officially file an appeal in the case.

But Amy Karozos, the State's Public Defender is already working behind the scenes for when that possible day comes.

During Allen's Dec. 20 sentencing, presiding Judge Fran Gull approved a request to have the State Public Defender choose lawyers for Allen's potential upcoming appeal process.

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And so this week, Karozos filed a motion requesting at least two appellate attorneys to oversee Allen's case, rather than just one.

"Defendant Allen's trial counsel believes no individual appellate attorney will be able to manage the volume of information in this case under the tight deadlines required by the Indiana Rules of Appellate Procedure," Karozos wrote in her motion.

Karozos also indicated she has already consulted with several experienced appellate attorneys "qualified to handle a murder conviction appeal" and concluded through those meetings that more than one appellate attorney would be needed to represent Allen due to the "voluminous record, multiple pretrial hearings, trial proceedings and evidence" that was presented in the case.

"It is in the interest of judicial economy that this Court facilitate the appointment of multiple appellate lawyers to prosecute Defendant Allen's appeal within a reasonable time and to further avoid the possibility of lengthy continuances and delays," Karozos wrote, "which would most certainly result from the appointment of any one attorney to handle this appeal."

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Allen has 30 days to file his official notice of appeal.

Once that appeal is filed, the case record is then assembled, and court officials will begin preparing transcripts needed for such an appeals process.

That includes transcripts from each pre-trial conference and the nearly three-week long jury trial held in November in Carroll Circuit Court.

Karozos' motion also came out around the same time Gull ruled all crime scene and autopsy photos, along with the autopsy reports and all other medical records in the Delphi case, will be kept under seal.

That ruling also includes Allen's mental health records.

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It was Feb. 14, 2017, when the bodies of German and Williams were found near the Monon High Bridge area in rural Carroll County.

In November 2022, Allen was arrested for his alleged connection to the case.

In interviews with police conducted in October 2022, Allen reportedly told investigators he was on the trails that day but never saw the girls.
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  In light of the tragic events in New Orleans and Las Vegas, the state is putting out a reminder to report any suspicious activity immediately.

Theyre in their neighborhoods, they know whats going on, they know that something may seem out of place or out of the ordinary, said Bill Turner, the state emergency management director.

Former Connecticut football player among those killed in New Orleans truck attack

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Using the CT Safe app, you can report what youre seeing and where its happening. You can also attach photos and include details about the incident. All reports can remain anonymous.

Maybe somebodys taking pictures of critical infrastructure, or theres a suspicious vehicle but doesnt really rise to the level that its an immediate threat, thats when were encouraging the public to use the CT Safe App, Turner said.

He said information from the public is critical when it comes to keeping communities safe.

It may not be anything, but at the end of that day, that little piece of information could prevent a catastrophe or terrorism-related event from occurring, he said.

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This information funnels into the Connecticut Intelligence Center.

Suspicious reporting is the lifeblood of law enforcement and intelligence, said Brenda Bergeron, the deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

She said they monitor patterns and trends  sharing that information with their local, state, federal and private partners.

We reach out to many different areas, depending on what the issue is and discuss with people, what do you have? she said. Look to see if theres trends, if it needs investigating and get it to the appropriate agency.

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Potential threat indicators include:

Efforts to gain access to information about security measures

Discreet use of cameras or video recorders

Attempted or unauthorized access to rooftops or other potentially sensitive areas

Unusual modifications to vehicles including, reinforcing the front with metal plates

State officials added theyre not aware of any current credible threat in Connecticut.

If its an emergency, youre being reminded to call 911 right away.

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A Wisconsin-wide alert has been issued to find 47-year-old Virgil Thew, who has been on the run since two girls and a woman were found dead inside his New Lisbon home on Monday.

New Lisbon PD issued the alert Friday evening, saying Thew is now charged with three homicides after the bodies were discovered at a home in the 300 block of West Bridge Street at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 30.

The woman found dead at the home has been identified as Elizabeth Kolba. The two girls have not been identified formally at this time, but police have said they were 12 and 13 years old.

New Lisbon PD

Police say that they have had confirmed sightings of Thew in the New Lisbon area since the discovery, but he was not found despite extensive searches. He is now believed to be out of the area.

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According to police, one of the girls was reported missing from Monroe County on Sunday. Police said the juvenile was picked up and last seen with Thew, who was known to reside in New Lisbon.

Monday morning, while investigating the whereabouts of the missing juvenile, New Lisbon authorities learned of a second missing girl from New Lisbon.

Thew is 5'11" tall, weighing 160 lbs., with brown hair and blue eyes.

Anyone who sees Thew should call 911 and not approach as he is considered armed and dangerous. If you have information or tips related to the case, please contact Juneau County Sheriff's Office dispatch at 608-847-5649.
A man with close ties to the British royal family has been identified as one of the 15 victims killed in the New Orleans attack on Jan. 1.

Edward Pettifer, the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harrys former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, died from "blunt force injuries" after Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, drove a truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, the Metropolitan Police confirmed in a news release.

The 31-year-old, who lived in Chelsea, West London, had been visiting Louisiana with a friend, UK newspapers The Times and The Sun reported.

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Legge-Bourke, 59, married Edwards father, former Coldstream Guards officer Charles Pettifer, in 1999. She worked as a nanny for William, 41, and Harry, 40, shortly after King Charles and Princess Dianas separation in 1993 to 1999.

A Buckingham Palace source told PEOPLE that King Charles is deeply saddened after being informed of the tragedy.

Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Prince Charles, Prince William and Harry and their former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, arriving at Zurich Airport in Switzerland in February 1994 Prince Charles, Prince William and Harry and their former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, arriving at Zurich Airport in Switzerland in February 1994

Related: An Ex-Football Player, an Aspiring Nurse, and a Dad with a 'Big Heart': What We Know About New Orleans Victims

Charles was alerted to the news of the death of Edward Pettifer through official channels, the source said. He was deeply saddened, and has been in touch with the family to share personal condolences.

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Legge-Bourke was close with William and Harry as their nanny and remains so years later. The brothers attended her wedding and she attended theirs in 2011, and 2018 respectively. She is also godmother to Harry and Meghan Markles son Prince Archie.

Related: New Orleans Driver 'Was Hell-Bent on Creating Carnage' in Incident that Left 10 Dead, Police Say

Prince William shared a statement on his Instagram Stories, saying: "Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer."

"Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack."

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The FBI announced the death toll in the deadly New Orleans attack at 15 people as of Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 1.

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Aaron Chown/PA Wire Tiggy Legge-Bourker pictured outside the High Court in London in July 2022 Tiggy Legge-Bourker pictured outside the High Court in London in July 2022

Edwards family said in a statement shared by police, The entire family is devastated at the tragic news of Edwards death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew, and a friend to so many.

We will all miss him terribly," they added. "Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you.



ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Members of the National Guard and police look on at a blocked off street in New Orleans after the Jan. 1 attack Members of the National Guard and police look on at a blocked off street in New Orleans after the Jan. 1 attack

Authorities confirmed that Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, plowed a Ford pickup truck through Bourbon Street at around 3:15 a.m. local time in initial reports.

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The New Orleans Police Department previously confirmed that Jabbar died in a shootout with police at the scene.

The FBI said they are working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations, per a news release.



Read the original article on People
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday gave instructions to implement the State Cyber Security Project with full capacity. As per the Chief Minister Office (CMO), Chief Minister Fadnavis reviewed the plan of the Home Department for the next 100 days at the Sahyadri Guest House today. CM Fadnavis said that artificial intelligence-based governance, risk and compliance should be done under the Cyber Security Project. "New posts should be created for the Anti-Narcotics Task Force. The work of setting up new armed posts in Naxal-affected districts in anti-Naxal activities should be accelerated and a draft of Maharashtra Prison Regulations should be prepared on the lines of the Central Government," CM Fadnavis suggested. Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department Iqbal Singh Chahal said that computerization of all the experimental schools under the Directorate of Judicial Assistant Scientific Laboratories is underway. The first phase of this project has been completed. This includes computerization of five experimental schools in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik and a data center for the project has been set up at the Regional Judicial Assistant Scientific Laboratory. On this, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that laboratories in Amravati, Kolhapur, Nanded, Thane, Dhule, Solapur, Ratnagiri, Chandrapur should be computerized. The meeting was attended by Minister for Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister of State for Home (Rural) Dr Pankaj Bhoyar, Minister of State for Home (Urban) Yogesh Kadam, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Vikas Kharge, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department Iqbal Singh Chahal, Additional Chief Secretary O P Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Ashwini Bhide, Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Shrikar Pardeshi, and senior officials. Earlier, the Maharashtra Chief Minister announced that the state government is implementing a security system for the safety of the Mantralaya, the secretariat. "We are creating a security system for the safety of the Mantralaya... Under this, every person who comes to the Mantralay will be given a pass. When the person leaves, he/she will have to return the pass," CM Fadnavis told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Mumbai. He further said that just like Aadhaar is a unique ID, it has been decided to create an ID for work. "A unique ID will be created for each work," he said. Maharashtra CM said that the E-cabinet will be started for the e-movement of Cabinet files. (ANI)
King Charles and Prince William both expressed their sadness today as it was revealed that one of the victims of the New Years Day attack in New Orleans had links to the royal family. Edward Pettifer, 31, was named among at least 14 people killed when a man drove a truck into crowds on the citys busy Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Years Day. Mr Pettifer was the stepson of William and Harrys childhood nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke.

Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer, Prince William posted in a rare personal message on X today. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.

King Charles was said to be deeply saddened and has been in touch with the Pettifer family. T&C also understands that Prince Harry has been made aware of the very sad news.

Julian Parker - Getty Images

Edward Pettifer was the son of Charles Pettifer and Camilla Wyatt, the Telegraph reported today. Charles Pettifer married William and Harrys former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke in 1999. Tiggy was a pivotal figure in William and Harrys childhood, and the BBC reported that both Princes were in attendance at her wedding. Charles and Tiggys son Tom Pettifer, born in 2002, was a page boy at William and Kates wedding.

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The BBC reported today that Edward Pettifer's family released a statement saying they were "devastated" at the news of his death. "He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many, it read.

At least 14 people were killed and more than 35 injured in the attack that President Biden described as horrific. The attacker, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was shot dead by police at the scene.

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Jan. 3Since the Texas Scholars program began in 1997, Odessa students have donated more than 365,000 hours to local nonprofit agencies.

Each year, students in ninth through 12th grade are encouraged to volunteer at approved agencies.

"We have a list on our website," Odessa Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Renee Earls said. "There are about 150 nonprofits listed there. They've actually gone through an application process and been approved by the Texas Scholar Advisory Board that their volunteer efforts are worthy of receiving student volunteers.

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"Each year, we get more and more agencies apply. ... The deadline for that is March 31, so the ones that we currently have are approved for this current year. The new agencies that are coming on would get approved for the next school year," Earls said.

Last year, they had 674 students participate and they volunteered more than 22,000 hours in a year.

A student from Odessa Collegiate Academy volunteered 494 hours.

Students can volunteer in the summer and over holiday and spring break.

"For a ninth grader, they volunteer at least five hours to get credit; for a 10th grader, it's 10 hours; an 11th grader, it's 15 hours, and then for a senior is 20 hours. That all equals 50 hours by the time they finish," Earls said.

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Students are encouraged to volunteer every year.

"We had an agency fair back in September when we kicked off school, just to remind the students, you know what agencies are involved and what they can volunteer and to really find their interest. And some of these volunteer efforts really change the path of their future, because they might find something they're really interested in, and might decide to go into that field," Earls said.

Some of the popular places to volunteer are the West Texas Food Bank, Meals on Wheels and the hospitals.

"But there are all types of volunteer efforts. It can be a one-time event, or it can be for a nonprofit in their office, doing work that helps that nonprofit really make a difference with their mission, because they have an extra hand there with them," she added.

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Earls said they try to instill in students the importance of volunteering and how it can lead to an opportunity for employment.

"In May, at the city council meeting, we take the student from each grade at each school who has the most hours, and they are honored at the city council meeting. We read their name, we read how many hours they've served. They're there with their parents. They get their pictures (taken), so (it's) some added bonus to excelling in the Texas Scholars program," Earls said.

At the end of the school year, each campus has its own gathering and they get certificates and giveaways.

"One wonderful benefit is Odessa College and UTPB have both offered scholarships for Texas Scholar students," Earls said.

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Texas Scholar hours are due April 1.

"There's a form they fill out every time they volunteer, and they take it to their counselor ... then there's a process that we eventually end up with all of those," Earls said.

Chamber staff then puts all the hours together.

As graduating seniors, they walk across the stage with the Texas Scholar cord. The chamber keeps a spreadsheet of the students' volunteer hours and they keep track of how many hours they logged last year, but they also know how many they have cumulatively and the students can earn an award for that.

"It looks great on a resume, (when) they're applying for a job, or if they're applying for college. ... Any employer is looking for someone who is interested in volunteering, so this is a really good program for students to get started," Earls said.

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Organizations that get the volunteers love them.

"It's a double blessing, because the students are getting the volunteer experience, and the organizations will tell you that they make a huge difference. ... Last year alone, 22,646 to be exact, in one fiscal year, and that was volunteered by 674 students. That's a significant amount of work, and if you multiply that out, paying those 22,000 hours, you can see the numbers really start adding up," she added.

Compass Academy Charter School senior David White has logged a little more than 70 hours in Texas Scholars.

He volunteers with the Odessa Symphony Guild, but he's also helped at his church, The Bridge.

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White, 17, said many high school students participate in the Symphony Guild. He plans to study architecture at Texas A&M University.

"We do several community projects, mainly to help the fine arts in Odessa. We volunteer at the Wagner Noel and we either help clean up afterwards and we hold the doors and stuff like that. We also do several other projects.

"I enjoy it because getting to help my community has always been a lot of fun. It's always felt good to be able to help other people and raise money. ... A lot of my friends also do it, so it's just been a really fun experience every year," White said.

He wanted to be a Texas Scholar because community service is always a plus for college. White recently received a $1,000 cross country scholarship and said doing community service will also help him get scholarships.

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It's sometimes a little hard for him to find time to fit Texas Scholars in with his other extracurriculars like cross country and the Student Council and National Honor Society.

"I've encouraged a lot of my friends to do it as well," White said.

He has volunteered at the food bank a couple of times.

"That's usually with my church," White said.
The history of syphilis has long been debated, with experts unable to come to a consensus over the origins of the outbreak that rocked Europe in the 16th century.

New research reveals the bacterium responsible for the sexually transmitted epidemic was active and diverse in the Americas long before Colombus's voyage is hypothesized to have exported it back to the Old World.

For decades, two models have dominated: the Columbian hypothesis (syphilis came to Europe from America), and the pre-Columbian hypothesis (syphilis was already in Europe before America was discovered).

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Here, an international team of researchers analyzed ancient bone samples from across the Americas  some dating back as far as the 13th century  to look for genetic evidence of Treponema pallidum, the bacterium behind syphilis and other related diseases.

Upper hip bone that was part of the study. (Dario Ramirez)

"Several genomes from the syphilis family have been reconstructed from archaeological bone, but these haven't been able to address core questions related to the pre or post-Columbian theories surrounding syphilis," says paleopathologist Kirsten Bos, from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany.

Through a variety of delicate techniques including DNA extraction and genome sequencing, the researchers found a deep history and diversity for T. pallidum, across Mexico, Chile, Peru, and Argentina.

Through comparisons with modern strains of the bacteria, it seems likely that it originated from these regions across thousands of years, eventually giving rise to syphilis and other related diseases. It's a strong case for the Columbian hypothesis.

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It seems syphilis became more virulent at some point before Columbus arrived  and then at the end of the 15th century, as settlers started returning to Europe, it set off the so-called Great Pox explosion of the disease that swept across the continent and left widespread death and disfigurement in its wake.

"The data clearly support a root in the Americas for syphilis and its known relatives, and their introduction to Europe starting in the late 15th century is most consistent with the data," says Bos.

Together with the related yaws, pinta, and bejel, syphilis is in a small group of conditions known as treponemal diseases. This research backs up the idea that these diseases are the modern-day results of ancient pathogens circulating in the Americas.

Syphilis-like bone lesions have been spotted on European skeletons dating back to before 1492, but it's not clear if they were actually caused by syphilis  something more advanced DNA analysis technologies could determine with greater confidence.

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It also could yet be possible that different forms of syphilis have been rippling through diverse pockets of humanity throughout much of our history.

While prior existence of the pathogen in Europe can't be ruled out, however, the timing and demonstration of the disease makes the Colombian connection to the Great Pox all the more solid.

The researchers suggest that more comprehensive studies  across the Americas, Europe, and Africa  will be able to pin down the emergence of syphilis and what came before it, giving us fresh insight into one of the most significant diseases in history.

"The search will continue to define these earlier forms, and ancient DNA will surely be a valuable resource," says biochemist Johannes Krause, from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

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"Who knows what older related diseases made it around the world in humans or other animals before the syphilis family appeared?"

The research has been published in Nature.

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WARNING: Images in the linked body-worn camera footage, as well as discussions of suicide, may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised.

(COLORADO SPRINGS)  A man who was reportedly suicidal sat in a truck with a gun to his head for almost an hour before a Dec. 14, 2024, officer-involved shooting in a parking lot on Astrozon Boulevard, which has been detailed in a release by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD).

According to CSPDs Significant Event Briefing, the incident began around 9:45 p.m. on Dec. 14 when the El Paso County Sheriffs Office (EPSO) received a call from a woman saying her husband, 33-year-old Dean Ackerman, was suicidal and holding a gun to his head. However, when deputies responded to the home, Ackerman was no longer on the scene.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Armed suspect dies after officer-involved shooting

Then, around 11 p.m., CSPD officers responded to the 3800 block of Astrozon Boulevard, near South Academy Boulevard, on a report of an active shooter. The caller stated that his cousin worked at a restaurant in the area that was being shot at. When officers arrived, they found a man, later identified as Ackerman, in a Dodge Ram truck who was holding a gun to his head.

Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department

Officers ordered Ackerman to drop the gun, at which point he started making suicidal statements. Officers began trying to de-escalate the situation and can be heard in released body-worn camera (BWC) footage asking Ackerman please dont do this and telling him no one wants to see him hurt. Ackerman fired his gun several times inside the truck, and officers began evacuating nearby businesses.

Man killed in Astrozon officer-involved shooting identified as Dean Ackerman

For 55 minutes, officers tried to talk Ackerman down, all the while he kept sporadically firing the gun inside the truck. After nearly an hour, Ackerman got out of his truck with the gun pointed at his head, and officers fired a foam round into Ackermans stomach to try and get him to drop the gun. Shortly after, pepper spray balls were also used.

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Ackerman fell to the ground, and after the pepper spray was used, he pointed his gun in the direction of two different groups of officers and fired twice. Officers returned fire, hitting Ackerman. Medical aid was provided, though Ackerman was declared dead on the scene. A .40 caliber handgun was recovered from the scene.

Drone footage of officer-involved shooting involving Dean Ackerman Gun recovered at the scene of Astrozon officer-involved shooting

Eight CSPD officers have been identified as having been directly involved in the shooting:

Brady Mitts12 years with CSPD, 12 years of law enforcement experience

Daniel BromTwo years with CSPD, 18 years of law enforcement experience

Evan DashiellOne year with CSPD, one year of law enforcement experience

Javin SamilianoThree years with CSPD, three years of law enforcement experience

Michael DauchyThree years with CSPD, three years of law enforcement experience

Nicholas CassaliaThree years with CSPD, three years of law enforcement experience

Oswaldo CisnerosThree years with CSPD, eight years of law enforcement experience

Steve LawsonTwo years with CSPD, six years of law enforcement experience

EPSO is the lead investigative agency and will send its findings to the 4th Judicial District Attorneys Office for determination on the justification of officers use of force.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, help is available. Call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; this service provides 24/7 confidential support for anyone in crisis or emotional distress.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
The U.S. is reeling from a pair of New Years Day attacks in Nevada and Louisiana that have taken multiple lives and injured dozens.

Authorities said the suspect in the New Orleans terror attack, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, acted alone when he plowed a rented Ford pickup into a crowd, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more. Hours later in Las Vegas, Matthew Livelsberger, a Green Beret, died in a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded in front of the Trump Hotel. The vehicle had fireworks and gas canisters while Livelsberger, according to law enforcement, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound right before the blast went off.

In the nations capital, the 119th Congress hit the ground running. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was reelected to the highest post in the lower chamber in a lengthy first-round vote Friday afternoon. The Senate, which gavelled in on Friday, was less contentious as Vice President Harris swore in new chamber members. The new Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) already made a vow, contending he would make sure to preserve the Senate filibuster. The bodys oldest and longest-serving senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) was sworn in as president pro tempore.

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All topics are likely to be discussed on this weeks Sunday shows.

Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said during an interview that it is not fair to state that New Orleans ignored the bulletin and other memos pointing to increased risks of attackers using cars to inflict harm on bystanders. Mayorkas is scheduled to appear on ABCs This Week where he will likely discuss ways the DHS is preparing for another fatal attack and possibly provide new updates related to the Bourbon Street incident.

Thune, who is taking over from Republican leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), already vowed to preserve the legislative filibuster, saying the rule has perhaps the greatest impact in preserving the Founders vision of the Senate. The South Dakota Republican also said that extending President-elect Trumps 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, border security, deregulation and defense spending will be the top priorities for Republicans in the upper chamber. Thune will be on NBCs Meet the Press where he will likely discuss the Senates path to enacting Trumps agenda in 2025 and share more about his working relationship with the newly-reelected Speaker Johnson.

Johnson had a bumpy path back to the gavel as Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) refused to back the Louisiana lawmaker during the roll call vote while Reps. Keith Self (R-Texas) and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) opted to vote for other members also before ultimately flipping their votes after speaking with Trump, who endorsed Johnson, over the phone on Friday. Johnson is set to appear on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures where he will likely discuss the GOPs plan to implement Trumps agenda in the House and how he plans to work with some House Freedom Caucus members who outlined demands for him following the successful reelection.

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Trumps incoming border czar Tom Homan said this week that the incoming administration needs to pay close attention to potential radicals and extremists in various agencies, including the U.S. military, following the two attacks in Las Vegas and New Orleans. Homan is slated to be on CBS Face the Nation where he will likely discuss the Trumps administration plans for handling the U.S.-Mexico border.

Heres the full list of appearances on this weeks Sunday talk shows:

NewsNations The Hill Sunday: Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas).

ABCs This Week: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas; Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas; Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.

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NBCs Meet the Press: Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif.

CNNs State of the Union: Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; Reps. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., Riley Moore, R-W.Va., and Adam Gray, D-Calif.

CBS Face the Nation: Thune; Reps. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and Jim Himes, D-Conn.; Tom Homan, the incoming Trump administrations border czar.

Fox Newss Fox News Sunday: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.); Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.).

Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.); Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.); Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.); Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla); Editor-In-Chief of The Federalist Mollie Hemingway.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Doctors are seeing a surge in respiratory illnesses in San Diego County following the holidays.

According to the countys most recent data, flu cases increased by 1,147 the week ending Dec. 28 compared to the previous week. RSV cases shot up by 68 in that same time frame, while COVID-19 cases decreased by 59.

After ruling out the possibilities, local resident Ryan Kew determined hes dealing with a common cold.

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A little cough, runny nose, no flu. Took a COVID test. I dont have COVID, Kew said.

Dr. Jyotu Sandhu at Sharp Memorial Hospital said theres a noticeable difference this season.

Normally we see flu rates rise around November through about February or so. This time it had a little bit of a late start, but were seeing a huge rise in the last few weeks, Dr. Sandhu said.

Additionally, the California Department of Public Health is warning about a rise in whooping cough (pertussis) cases in young children. In a press release, CDPH noted that more than 2,000 cases of whooping cough were reported statewide between January and October 2024  62 of those cases were infants less than four months of age who were hospitalized, including one infant who tragically died. During the same time range in 2023, there were less than 400 whooping cough cases reported in the state.

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Doctors widely recommend vaccines as the most effective way to protect yourself against any respiratory illness.

Even for those who do get the flu in spite of getting the vaccine, when you just look at the numbers the chances of you getting really sick drop, Dr. Sandhu said.

Its the type of advice local resident Connie Frost lives by.

I got the flu shots. I got the COVID shots. I am up to date, Frost said.

Dr. Sandhu added that we can expect to see respiratory illness rates continue to rise in the coming weeks, so it makes it even more important to practice safety measures. For information regarding access to vaccines, click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
CHEYENNE  After two consecutive refusals, the suspect in a drive-by shooting appeared in court Friday, having his charges read to him and receiving a $250,000 cash bond.

Demetrius M. Coletti, 45, was arrested on Dec. 27 for attempted first-degree murder, which is punishable by life in prison or the death penalty, as well as eluding, which is punishable by up to six months in jail and/or $750, and duty to stop, punishable by a $200 fine, following a drive-by shooting incident.

Since his arrest, Coletti had been refusing to appear in circuit court, telling deputies that he didnt feel well.

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He didn't want to get out of bed when they told him he had court, and we're not going to use force to drag him out of his cell, Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Thursday.

An initial court appearance for an inmate in custody isnt worth using force, Kozak said.

Judge Sean Chambers set Colettis arraignment for Jan. 8 at 3:30 p.m.

The incident

Around 9:35 p.m. Dec. 27, Cheyenne Police officers were dispatched to a report of shots fired at a residence near the 1600 block of West Jefferson Road.

According to statements, Richard Martinez was sitting in his truck when Coletti drove by and allegedly fired at him. The round missed Martinez, and Coletti drove away.

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Martinez told police that he was sitting in his truck when he heard a car pass his house. He stated that he had a feeling and ducked as shots were fired. Glass fell around him, and Martinez stayed in the car until he heard the truck drive away.

While no injuries were reported by Martinez, the round struck the truck, according to a CPD news release.

Colettis daughter said he called her at 12:33 p.m. that day saying he was sorry and wanted to tell her so before he did this, according to the affidavit. His daughter said he had mentioned purchasing a gun a few weeks prior but had not said from where.

Another woman who had been with Coletti earlier that day told officers that she had watched him arm himself with what he said was a pellet gun, though she held it and said it felt like a pistol, according to the booking sheet.

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Witnesses described Coletti driving a light-colored Chevy Tahoe, which was relayed over the radio to a Laramie County Sheriffs deputy, who recognized the vehicle near the intersection of College Drive and Walterscheid Boulevard.

Coletti sped away from law enforcement, despite being signaled to stop, and continued to drive recklessly as officers and deputies pursued him. During the high-speed chase, Coletti ran a red light and crashed into a car in the intersection of West Lincolnway and Central Avenue, near The Plains Hotel.

Coletti continued down Lincolnway until he was arrested west of town when a wheel fell off his Tahoe, causing it to stop. Officers arrested Coletti, and he was booked into the Laramie County Detention Facility, where he again called his daughter.

According to the affidavit, Coletti responded to his daughter accusing him of attempting to kill Martinez, saying he had done so because Martinez had a laser pointed at him.

Coletti was booked on charges of attempted first-degree murder, fleeing and eluding and duty to stop.
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Authorities in Fiji have charged a man with the alleged rape and sexual assault of a 21-year-old member of a Virgin Australia flight crew on New Year's Day, a police official in the Pacific island nation said on Saturday.

The suspect "will be produced in court on Monday", after having been taken into custody on Wednesday, acting police commissioner Juki Fong Chew said in an email that confirmed a report by Australian Broadcasting Corp, but did not elaborate.

Virgin Australia declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

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Fiji previously said police were investigating separate incidents involving Virgin crew in the city of Nadi, a tourist destination, in the early hours of Jan. 1.

Investigations focused on incidents involving two crew of the airline, allegedly victims of rape and theft on a layover before they were supposed to leave the following day, it added.

Crew were not being detained by police, officials said on Friday, though the airline had advised them to stay in their hotel.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
GOSHEN  The suspect in multiple burglaries throughout Michiana has been arrested after allegedly breaking into an Elkhart business.

Nathan Barger, 39, is charged with burglary as a Level 5 felony after his arrest on Dec. 16. Police say items from several recent thefts were found in his residence.

He appeared in Elkhart County Circuit Court for an initial hearing Thursday. Judge Michael Christofeno entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf and acknowledged that he had hired private counsel.

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Christofeno gave Barger a preliminary jury trial date of May 5.

According to court documents:

Employees of a Moose Trail Drive business reported a suspicious person wearing all dark clothing being captured by their security cameras on Dec. 8. They had placed the camera after recent burglaries were reported at a neighboring business.

Officers found a door on the south side of a neighboring business at 2931 Moose Trail Drive that had apparently been forced open. There was a large amount of copper tubing piled up inside and a package containing a Soda Stream machine lying nearby.

A keyholder for the building told police they had tried to secure the door after a previous break-in. They said the copper and Soda Stream must have been taken from inside the building and left by the door to be picked up later.

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Police say they conducted surveillance on a red 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan which they believe was owned by Barger and used in multiple burglaries. He is the subject of investigations in Elkhart and St. Joseph counties and in southern Michigan, according to police.

Police followed the Dodge to Bargers residence and to a grocery store that morning, and say they spotted him wearing all dark clothing similar to the suspect in the video. Police say they followed the vehicle back out to 2931 Moose Trail Drive that night, but the door had been secured again and couldnt be opened so Barger returned home.

Police obtained a warrant to search his Canton Street residence and say they found numerous stolen items from previous burglaries, though Barger wasnt home. He was found and arrested on Dec. 16.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  Indiana State Police is searching for a Jasper native in connection to the shooting of an Orange County deputy early Friday morning.

According to a release, Deputy Zac Andry checked on a vehicle sitting partially on the roadway at the intersection of US 150 and State Road 56 in Orange County where 33-year-old Austin Schepers allegedly shot at him multiple times, including in the head. They say Schepers, along with a female passenger, fled the scene.

Officials say Deputy Andry was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital where he is currently listed in critical but stable condition.

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It is said the female passenger was located and taken into custody early Friday morning. Her identity has not yet been released.

A search warrant was executed after detectives received information that Schepers was at a home in the 1800 block of East Market Street in New Albany, according to ISP. However, Schepers was not found at the residence.

Authorities say Schepers is a white male, approximately 5 feet 7 inches, and 150 pounds. They also say he has neck tattoos and a tattoo of a cross under his left eye.

Officials believe Schepers is in the New Albany area in Floyd County, or within the Kentuckiana radius.

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ISP says Schepers is to be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. If located, citizens are asked to immediately call 911.

Austin Schepers (Courtesy: Indiana State Police)

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Refuting "factually incorrect and baseless" allegations of voter name deletions made by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh, the Delhi District Election Officer (DEO) on Saturday said ECI norms were strictly followed to maintain the "integrity and accuracy" of the electoral roll. On Friday, AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha met the New Delhi District Magistrate at Jam Nagar House to lodge a complaint over alleged voters' name deletion. In a post on X, the DEO, New Delhi, said, "The allegations of Sanjay Singh, MP, Rajya Sabha, that District Election Officer (DEO), New Delhi, did not provide details of objectors and claimed that the DEO is deliberately deleting names of electors from the electoral roll are factually not correct and baseless." The DEO further highlighted that as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the summary of Form 7, which includes the names of both the objectors and objectees, is shared with all recognised political parties including AAP on a weekly basis through Form 10. "Additionally, this information is uploaded on the official website of CEO Delhi for public access and transparency. Hence, the statement that objectors' names are not being shared is factually not correct," it said. It also mentioned that the process of deleting any name from the electoral roll is carried out strictly in accordance with the guidelines issued by the ECI. "The process starts with filing of Form 7 and in all such cases, a thorough field verification is conducted by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), BLO supervisors, and other officers as per prescribed norms. Mere submitting a list for deletion doesn't start the deletion process. The allegation that the DEO, New Delhi, is deliberately deleting the names of genuine electors is entirely baseless and unsubstantiated. All deletions are carried out in strict compliance with ECI norms to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the electoral roll," the DEO said. On Friday, Sanjay Singh after meeting New Delhi District Magistrate alleged that applications were submitted by the BJP for vote cutting on a very large scale. "When the District Election Officer was asked to show the names of those who had applied for deletion, he (District Election Officer) was not ready to tell their names...This means that the DM of New Delhi is deliberately cutting votes...We will seek time from the Chief Election Commissioner," Singh said. (ANI)
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Two suspects have been arrested and another on the run after police spiked a vehicle involved in an aggravated assault.

According to the Unified Police Department (UPD), police located a stolen vehicle that was reported to have been used in an aggravated assault. When police attempted to stop the vehicle around 8:45 p.m., it fled.

The vehicle was known by police, as a call had been made to look for the vehicle the day prior. At some point after the vehicle fled, it was spiked by police near the area of 300 West and North Temple. Three suspects jumped out of the vehicle, and a foot chase began with law enforcement around 8:46 p.m..

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Several agencies were involved in the pursuit of the suspect. DPS deployed a helicopter, units from Salt Lake City Police Department and the Salt Lake County Sheriffs Department were also involved. Around 8:48 p.m., 2 of the three suspects were taken into custody, with one still outstanding.

Police are currently asking that the public stay clear of the area as law enforcement searches for the third suspect. According to UPD, no injuries were reported, and there is no ongoing danger to the public.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.

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The Hamilton School District is changing its busing policy after a 4K student was struck and killed by a school bus on Thursday.

The new policy will take 4K students directly to Willow Springs Learning Center.

Sussex first responders arrive at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church for the vigil of a 4K student, who was struck by a bus, on Friday, January 3, 2025 in Sussex, Wis.

Previously, 4K students were dropped off by bus at Silver Spring Intermediate School and then transferred to a shuttle, which would take students to Willow Springs, about 1 miles away.

The change will start on Monday, Jan. 6. Parents of 4K students received an email about the change on Friday.

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Under the new policy, buses will drop off 4K students at Willow Springs Learning Center first, and then continue to Silver Spring Intermediate School and then to individual elementary schools, said the email from Superintendent Paul Mielke.

"District leaders and school board members worked closely with the Waukesha County Sheriffs Department and Dairyland Bus Company to find an immediate solution to address parent and community member questions and concerns that arose following Thursdays tragic accident," the email said. "Please know we will monitor this new procedure to determine efficiency and challenges such as adjusted arrival times and new traffic patterns."

Parents had criticized the 4K student transfer process after Finn Edward Katona, 5, died after being struck in the parking lot at Silver Spring Intermediate School on Thursday.

"When I first heard the news I was in shock. I was heartbroken and devastated for the family and I felt sick that something like this could happen. It could have been my own child. Now Im feeling anger that something like this did happen because it seems like it could have been prevented," Nicole Edwards told the Journal Sentinel in a Facebook message. She also has a child in 4K at Willow Spring Learning Center.

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More: After a 5-year-old's death, mental health experts encourage adults to listen to grieving youth

"I am happy they are changing the bus policy but Im so upset that it took a little boy being taken from his family to make the change," she said.

On Friday night Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church held a vigil for the community. A fundraiser set up by Kelly Katona, the aunt of the child who died, had raised nearly $70,000 as of Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sussex Hamilton is changing its busing policy after fatal bus incident
Sweden began its annual wolf hunt this week, allowing nearly 10% of the endangered species population to be killed, as conservationists raise concerns about the controversial policy.

Since 2010, Sweden has allowed wolves to be hunted on a licensed quota basis. Conservationists say this goes against European Union law and have filed complaints with the EU Commission, which has previously said it is assessing Swedens compliance.

Hunted to the point of extinction by the 1970s, wolves have gradually returned to the northern European country, aided by EU conservation legislation.

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But now the government is allowing 30 of the estimated 375 animals there to be culled, citing safety concerns for rural dwellers and livestock owners.

Its part of the governments effort to drastically reduce the overall number of wolves in the country  from a previous minimum population of 300 to a new minimum of 170. This minimum number, under Swedens Environmental Protection Agency, is referred to as a favorable reference value.

This is despite the wolfs status as highly threatened on The Swedish Red List, which monitors the extinction risk of species in the Nordic country.

Conservationists were further alarmed last month when the Council of Europes Bern Convention committee, which includes 49 countries and the European Union, voted in favor of an EU proposal to lower the protection status of wolves from strictly protected to protected. The convention was originally established to protect species and habitats.

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Strictly protected status meant wolves could not be deliberately killed or captured, but with the downgrading, the Council of Europe says member states will now have additional flexibility when managing their local wolf populations.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) responded to the decision, calling the EUs move to weaken wolf protections a serious misstep, devoid of any solid scientific foundation.

Hunters attend a wolf hunt in January 2010 near Kristinehamn, Sweden. - Olivier Morin/AFP/Getty Images

Conservationists are concerned that if wolf numbers decline there will be an even greater likelihood of genetic problems within the population.

A country with 10 million people, the size of ours at 450,000 square kilometers, one of the richest countries per capita in the world, should be able to have a decent population of all our wild animals, Staffan Widstrand, managing director of conservation organization the Wild Wonders International, told CNN.

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He accused the Swedish government of having an anti-wildlife sentiment, saying it had a much more aggressive anti-carnivore policy than previous governments.

Licenses to cull 486 of the countrys brown bears were issued in 2024, CNN reported, representing about 20% of their population.

Swedens minister for rural affairs, Peter Kullgren, told CNN that the government had been working to change the countrys wolf policy since coming into power in 2022.

But some conservationists think the wolves are being used as a political bargaining chip.

Just 3% of the Swedish population are hunters, according to Widstrand, who says those 300,000 people are crucially important to the countrys two main political blocs, who are often neck and neck in the polls.

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The hunting organizations have the ears of the politicians, said Magnus Orrebrant, Chair of the Swedish Carnivore Association (SCA), which advocates for the coexistence of people and carniverous animals, like wolves and bears.

Wolves in Europe

Anti-wolf sentiment is growing elsewhere in Europe too.

A pony belonging to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyens was killed by a wolf in 2022. She made a statement in 2023 saying that the concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real danger for livestock and potentially also for humans, which prompted several wildlife and conservation charities, including the WWF, to issue a response, calling her words misleading and not based on science.

Von der Leyen welcomed the news last month that the Bern Convention committee had decided to adjust the protection status of wolves, calling it important news for our rural communities and farmers because we need a balanced approach between the preservation of wildlife and the protection of our livelihoods.

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Its true that the wolf population in Europe has increased over recent years. Wild Wonders Widstrand calls it a major, fantastic comeback conservation story.

There are approximately 1,500 wolves in Germany and 3,300 in Italy, according to conservation reports. Widstrand notes there are even 120 wolves in Belgium. These countries are vastly smaller than Sweden and more densely populated, he pointed out.

Yet rural affairs minister Kullgren says wolves are affecting Swedish society more significantly than before.

A wolfdog stands among Swedish protestors readying 20 coffins, one for each wolf killed during Sweden's 2011 sanctioned hunt, for a protest funeral procession in central Stockholm, Sweden on February 6, 2011. - Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

Kullgren said there were parents who are afraid of letting their children play in their backyard, farmers who are afraid to let the animals out to graze due to the risk of wolf attacks and dog owners who are afraid that their beloved pets might get attacked while walking on forest paths.

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But Beatrice Rindevall, chairperson of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, told CNN on Thursday that the government was scaring people unnecessarily and that there hadnt been a wolf attack on a person since 1821.

The government is very much adding fuel to the polarized debate, she added.

Orrebrant, chair of the SCA, said that if the EU follows the Bern Convention committees decision, which comes into effect on March 7, and decides to downgrade the wolfs protection status, that will allow countries like Germany, Italy or Spain to hunt in the same way that Sweden does.

In parts of northern Europe, self-sufficiency has become increasingly important against the backdrop of Russias war against Ukraine.

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Sweden officially joined NATO last year and just a few months later it joined Norway in distributing booklets to millions of households with guidance on how residents could sustain themselves in the event of war, including details on how to grow food at home.

Swedish protestors march with 20 coffins, one for each wolf killed during a government-sanctioned hunt in 2011, as part of a protest funeral procession in central Stockholm, Sweden, on February 6, 2011. - Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

For livestock farmers involved in food production, this national agenda is further encouragement to lower Swedens population of large carnivores.

The wolf is a difficult animal to live close to, Magnus Rydholm, of the Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, told CNN.

He believes the licensed wolf hunt is a necessary additional measure in the protection of livestock, adding that it is expensive for smaller farmers to install special, predator-proof fencing.

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But Rindevall said that sheep are often used in the argument for wolf culling, even though she says only a tiny fraction of Swedish sheep are killed by wolves.

She is concerned about the message it sends to other countries, that a highly resourced country like Sweden is taking what she considers to be a regressive stance on conservation.

How can we ask other countries to preserve animals like tigers, lions and elephants when we cant seem to co-exist with wolves?

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Just days into the new year, our Kern County shelters say many dogs need out now.

We probably see a 20-30% increase in adoptions when we waive our fees or go under $20, said Joshua Proctor, animal behaviorist with the Bakersfield Animal Care Center.

To start off the new year on a happy note, Proctor with the city shelter said theyre waiving adoption and redemption fees Friday and Saturday.

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Dogs like Lupe  an Anatolian Shepherd mix  and Poe  a shepherd mix  have been wagging their tails since October in hopes of finding their forever family.

The harsh reality is the longer a dog stays at the shelter, the more likely it is to be at the top of the euthanasia list.

There are dogs behind them who also deserve a chance to try and get adopted, said Proctor.

That means time is ticking for Lupe and Poe, as well as for the pit bull sisters Pecan and Sugar, who have been at the shelter since late November.

So, theres still a lot of adoptable dogs being euthanized for space, Proctor explained. During peak season, when were at the highest intake, is six weeks [a dog can stay]. When were at the slowest, we can go all the way up to three months.

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Proctor said already in 2025, the shelter has euthanized 32 dogs.

In 2024?

For dogs, our euthanasia rate was actually down by 300 to nearly 400 dogs, Proctor said. And our intakes were actually down over a thousand dogs, which is the first year ever we had it trending downwards.

He said the focus was on preventing animals from being brought into the shelter in the first place  like because of canine overpopulation.

Doing public spay and neuter clinics, nearly two or even three times a month all year long. And thats [why those numbers are] down, Proctor said.

Burger Hut is good, but go somewhere else, owner says: Hes already too busy

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Here are the city shelters numbers for 2024  over 6,100 dogs and 800 cats were taken in.

Over 1,100 dogs were adopted; over 1,900 rescued; and nearly 2,200 euthanized.

Nearly 400 cats were adopted; 17 rescued; and over 300 euthanized.



Compare that to 2023  over 7,300 dogs and nearly 1,500 cats were taken in.

Nearly 1,300 dogs were adopted; over 2,400 rescued; and nearly 2,600 euthanized.

Over 300 cats were adopted; 50 cats rescued; and over 1,000 cats euthanized.

The dog sides our biggest struggle, because we cant turn away dogs, unlike cats. We can manage our cat population a little better, Proctor noted.

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Meanwhile, Kern County Animal Services  the county shelter  said no animals have been euthanized yet this year.

They said in 2024, 9,851 dogs and 4,706 cats were taken in. 3,295 dogs were adopted; 3,174 rescued; and over 2,264 dogs euthanized.

Over 1,564 cats were adopted; 294 cats rescued; and 632 cats euthanized. In 2023  9,224 dogs and 5,613 cats were taken in.

3,469 dogs were adopted; 2,368 dogs rescued; and 2,458 dogs euthanized.

1,448 cats were adopted; 185 cats rescued; and 825 cats euthanized.

The county shelter said so far in 2025, no animals have been euthanized but 35 dogs and four cats have been taken in.

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Proctor said theres room for hope, especially with the help of the community.

Later this month, about 40 dogs are leaving for rescue via a ground transport.

[And] next month will be a flight to Canada, which will be February 22nd with one of our amazing rescue partners, Proctor said.

For the up to 50 dogs set to fly, fosters will be needed.

[Fostering is] really easy, and we already know the dogs going somewhere, its short term, Proctor said, encouraging fosters.

For waived adoption fees, visit the city shelter Saturday, Jan. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call the shelter at 661-832-7387.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Taiwan s government says China is redoubling efforts to undermine confidence in the self-governing islands democracy and close ties with the United States through the spread of disinformation, especially online.

The National Security Bureau said the number of pieces of false or biased information distributed by China increased 60% last year, to 2.16 million from 1.33 million in 2023.

The brief report issued Friday tallied "pieces of controversial information, but did not further define the term. Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter, were the main conduits for disinformation, along with platforms that explicitly target young people such as TikTok, the report said.

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China created inauthentic accounts to distribute its propaganda on Youtube, used technology such as AI to create fake videos and flooded comments sections with pro-China statements, the report said. China has for years used global social media platforms to spread both official messages and misinformation even while banning them inside the country.

Beijing already has considerable influence with Taiwanese newspapers and other traditional media through their owners' business interests in mainland China.

China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary, with Chinese leader Xi Jinping renewing a declaration in his New Year's address that unification with Taiwan was inevitable and could not be blocked by outside forces, a likely reference to the U.S., Taiwans most important ally.

China regularly sends warplanes, ships and balloons into areas controlled by Taiwan and holds military drills to simulate a blockade or invasion of the island. Beijing has also been building up its navy and missile forces to hit key targets and fend off American military support.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said in his own New Year's address that the island would continue to strengthen its defenses in the face of escalating Chinese threats. Taiwan, he said, was a crucial part of the global line of defense of democracy against authoritarian states such as China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
A Minnesota tattoo artist and human remains aficionado was sentenced to 15 months in prison for adding the stolen corpse of a stillborn baby boy to his collection, among other smuggled body parts, federal officials announced Friday.

Matthew Lampi, the longtime owner of a tattoo parlor outside Minneapolis, pleaded guilty and was sentenced for buying, trading and selling stolen human remains, including hearts, brains, an arm and a pair of smokers lungs, according to federal court filings in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

The 50-year-old is the latest to be sentenced in a network of human remains smugglers that stretched from the morgue of the Harvard University Medical School to an Arkansas mortuary.

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Thousands of dollars and numerous types of human body parts were exchanged in the trafficking ring between 2018 and 2022, according to federal indictments. Lampi paid $1,550 and traded five human skulls for Lux, the stillborn baby boy that was stolen from an Arkansas mortuary, the indictment says. Collectors tend to call the body parts as well as remains of non-human specimens oddities.

After 40 years doing this business, I thought I saw it all, said Joe DAndrea, Lampis attorney. I didnt know there was an underworld of people who collected oddities and a lot of the oddity collection is body parts.

A general view of the Harvard Medical School in the Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., May 15, 2022. Picture taken with a drone. Picture taken May 15, 2022.

DAndrea added: There are people who - for whatever their reasons are - desire to collect them. The problem this case had was they were stolen and thats where the crime came in.

Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann also ordered Lampi to pay a $2,000 fine and $1,700 in restitution to Luxs mother, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

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Candace Chapman Scott, the Arkansas woman who stole Luxs remains, pleaded guilty and is expected to be sentenced next week, according to her lawyer, George Morledge. Jeremy Pauley, a Pennsylvania resident who bought Lux from Scott for $300 to sell to Lampi also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

In addition to Scott, Pauley sourced body parts from Cedric Lodge, who managed Harvards morgue, according to federal authorities. Denise Lodge pleaded guilty last February to helping her husband traffic body parts, according to court filings.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Dawn Clark, a spokesperson for the United States Postal Inspection Service, which participated in the investigation, declined to comment.

I want faces: Inside the stolen remains trade

Lampis trade in stolen human remains with Pauley dates back to at least 2018, according to court filings. He knew the body parts were stolen, a federal indictment says. The tattoo artist also traded other human remains for the body parts. He and Pauley exchanged over $100,000 during the course of their trading, the indictment says.

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The body parts Lampi bought and traded for came from the Arkansas mortuary Scott stole them from and shipped to Pauley in Pennsylvania, according to the indictment.

Four more brains, three hearts Pauley wrote to Lampi. The Pennsylvania body parts dealer also offered male genitalia and a perfect lung.

Pauley used Paypal to send money to Scott, who shipped the body parts in boxes through the mail.

Going to pack your brain and heart tonight, arm isnt here yet, Pauley wrote in one text to Lampi. Arm isnt here yet but Ill send it out as soon as it arrives.

The indictment includes messages Lampi sent to Pauley.

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When are wets next month, Lampi asked, using a term to refer to organs or stillborn babies. I want faces, he added.

Collection included a customers toe

Lampi has had a human remains collection as far back as 2008, according to an interview with Big Tattoo Planet. The online magazine interviewed him regarding his work as the owner of Get to the Point Tattoos in White Bear Lake, around 15 miles outside Minneapolis.

The tattoo magazine interview came eight years after he opened the parlor, according to Minnesota business licensing records.

Matts enthusiasm for the unconventional takes his work into some interesting territory, the author says.

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When I am not tattooing or designing, I collect items, Lampi was quoted saying. His collection, he said, consists of human skulls, a morticians make-up kit (previously used of course) and a customers toe.

Videos and photos posted to the studios Facebook page showed sculptures Lampi made from remains and human skulls.

Plenty to look at while you get a tattoo, one post said.

More: Bones used as decor in home of Kentucky man linked to Harvard Medical School human remains scheme

Michael Loria is a national reporter on the USA TODAY breaking news desk. Contact him at mloria@usatoday.com, @mchael_mchael or on Signal at (202) 290-4585.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tattoo artist sentenced for collecting stolen stillborn baby
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  With winter weather forecasted in the coming days, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is putting brine on roads and preparing to utilize its Highway Incident Response Unit, which provides emergency assistance to motorists.

When were out there and it is below freezing and wet, its pretty hard to work out there, Todd Stepp, a highway incident operator with TDOT, said.

Stepp has worked in some of Tennessees most dangerous and extreme conditions in recent memory. He has a passion for service and makes sure hes ready to handle any type of emergency.

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Wintry mix likely Sunday AM; snow showers Monday AM

I carry an extra jacket, an extra hoodie, an extra uniform, and an extra pair of boots, Stepp said. If the travelers are out there, I suggest kind of the same thing, at least an extra hoodie.

In anticipation of icy roads and freezing temperatures, TDOT has drivers prepared to work overtime. Fourteen HELP trucks are currently being utilized to watch over Nashville roadways, but if necessary, more trucks will be used.

TDOTs Transportation Management Center helps direct drivers to emergency areas 24 hours a day. The office has a large array of monitors showing TDOT cameras across the area, which helps personnel navigate drivers to emergencies.

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Middle Tennessee cities prepare for winter weather

Stepp urges drivers to make sure you have plenty of gas, slow down, and always wear appropriate clothing.

If people are driving fast in these conditions, its just very hard to control the vehicle, he said. Other crazy things: extreme cold weather and people not dressed properly. They break down, they run out of gas, and I pull up on them and theyre shivering.

Nashville and Davidson County are part of TDOT Region 3, which includes 25 other counties. According to the department, there are 281 salt trucks; 238 brine trucks; 67,310 tons of bulk salt; 477,275 gallons of salt brine; and 41 salt bins.

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FORECAST: Middle Tennessee & Southern Kentucky Weather

For more winter weather tips and travel information from TDOT, click here.

Dont forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app.

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A teacher who claimed she was told to resign after she refused to address two transgender students by their preferred pronouns has won a $450,000 (362,000) payout from the local school district.

Vivian Geraghty sued the Jackson Local School District in 2022 over claims her First Amendment rights were violated when she was punished for declining to use the students preferred names or pronouns.

The settlement comes after an August ruling from the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio found the schools pronoun practice was not neutral and telling Ms Geraghty to use the preferred names amounted to compelled speech.

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In August 2022 two of Ms Geraghtys language arts students asked her to call them by different names than those listed on the schools register.

The teacher knew the requests were part of the students social transition, but disagreed because of her Christian beliefs and wanted those students out of her classroom, according to a court filing.

Ms Geraghty continued to refer to the students using the names they were assigned at birth.

Dead-naming

One student then approached a school counsellor about one of my teachers dead-naming me all the time in class.

Ms Geraghty met with the schools head teacher, Kacy Carter, to seek an accommodation so that students would not continue to feel uncomfortable.

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She told her that her religious views meant she wouldnt be comfortable using preferred names or pronouns because she would know what was behind it.

According to the lawsuit, in a second meeting with Ms Carter and Monica Myers, a district employee, Ms Geraghty was told it was going to be a problem if she did not comply with the students request.

She was later called back for a third meeting. Ms Geraghty claims Ms Carter told her: If that is your final decision, then we need a letter of resignation effective today.

I guess Ill resign

Ms Carter and Ms Myers allege Ms Geraghty said she didnt think she could work for the school anymore, adding: I guess Ill resign.

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Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented Ms Geraghty, claimed the school did not offer alternative solutions such as moving her to a different class or using the students last names.

The school tried to force Vivian to accept and repeat the schools viewpoint on issues that go to the foundation of morality and human identity, like what makes us male or female, by ordering her to personally participate in the social transition of her students, said Logan Spena, legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom.

The school district said it remains dedicated to navigating complex and changing legal environments in a manner that prioritises student safety and well-being.

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Fred Kerley, the Team USA sprinter who brought home the bronze medal in the men's 100-meter dash at the Paris Olympics last summer, has been arrested in south Florida after a tense confrontation with police.

According to CBS News and the Miami Beach Police Department, officers were working in "an active police scene" the night of Jan. 2 when they were approached by Kerley, whom they noted had "an aggressive demeanor" after the runner "was concerned about his vehicle that was parked in the area of the scene."

Body camera footage showed police officers putting their hands on Kerley before wrestling him to the ground. "Stop resisting!" one officer said to Kerley as he was pinned to the ground, to which the 29-year-old athlete said "I'm not resisting; get off of me, bro."

Related: Walmart Employees Are Now Using This Police Technology in Stores

His girlfriend, Cleo Rahman, repeatedly pleaded with officers to stop. "He didn't do anything!" she told officers at one point, explaining, "We were walking to our car! Our car is right there!"

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Finally, as Kerley attempted to walk away from the scene, an officer tased the two-time Olympic medalist with a stun gun, sending him to the ground.

Kerley was arrested and charged with battery of a police officer and resisting an officer without violence. Rahman, who witnessed the altercation, was similarly charged with resisting an officer without violence. Kerley appeared in court Jan. 3 and the judge didn't find probable cause for a charge of disorderly conduct or breach of the police, leading to his release from jail on his own recognizance.
Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor expressed his support for the ongoing BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission) protests in Patna, calling for the Bihar government to address the grievances of the students. The protests, sparked by allegations of irregularities in the BPSC examination, have intensified after the government announced a re-examination, which Kishor claimed was an acknowledgment of the errors that had taken place. Speaking to ANI, Kishor said, "By conducting the re-examination, the government has legally accepted that irregularities have happened with certain students in the examination." He pressed on the importance of addressing the issue swiftly for the welfare of the students, adding, "The Chief Minister should meet the students regarding their demands, this is in the interest of the state." Kishor also responded to the ongoing political criticism of his involvement in the protest, especially regarding his vanity van controversy. He said, "...It is not new for the opposition parties to criticise me...I have come here in support of the students". "Anyone can come and lead, whether it is Rahul Gandhi or Tejashwi Yadav", he further added. Kishor continued, stating that his focus remained on the students' needs rather than engaging in political debates. "Only the work of the students should be done," he said, urging the Chief Minister to prioritize the students' concerns and take action. The Jan Suraaj leader, who has been fasting in solidarity with the students, made it clear that he was firm in his commitment to the cause. "I am firm on this fast, the government has to decide what it wants to do next," Kishor told ANI. Earlier, Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) Controller Rajesh Kumar Singh on Saturday said that the protests held by the aspirants demanding re-examination was started by non-serious candidates. "The BPSC protests were started by the non-serious candidates. Since the examination was cancelled, we had to take their re-exam anyway and we had been trying to get it done immediately," Singh said speaking to ANI. Further, the BPSC controller spoke on the re-examination conducted on Saturday and said that a total of 5,840 aspirants had appeared for the exam. "5,840 aspirants have appeared for the exams already... We hope this number reaches 6200-6300. By 10:30 am today, 8,111 aspirants downloaded the admit card out of 12,012 registrations," he said. Singh further said that the results would likely be released between January 25 to 30 and the mains would be conducted by April. "We are trying to release the results of BPSC prelims between 25-30 January and conduct the mains by April..The serious candidates can start preparing by then..." he added. (ANI)
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  An 18-year-old man faces charges after another teenager was run down by a vehicle in Bullhead City, Arizona, according to police on Friday.

Abraham Salazar Espinoza Jr. was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault and leaving the scene of an injury accident. He is accused of hitting a teen who had been involved in a fight with his brother, according to information released by the Bullhead City Police Department.

Police were called to Rotary Park on Thursday at about 1 p.m., where a 15-year-old boy was struck in the pickleball area parking lot.

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Investigators learned that Salazar Espinoza confronted the teen regarding a previous fight the victim had with Salazar Espinozas younger brother, according to police.

Man arrested after Friday shooting, victim transported to Las Vegas hospital

When Salazar Espinoza found him in the parking lot, he accelerated toward the victim and struck him with his vehicle, police said.

The victim, who was still on the ground when Salazar Espinoza left the park, was treated at Western Arizona Regional Medical Center for several non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Salazar Espinoza was arrested at a family residence in Bullhead City at about 5 p.m. He was booked into the Mohave County Jail in Kingman.

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A teenager in Colorado almost fell to his death while exploring a missile silo on New Year's Day.

The teen fell about 40 to 50 feet down the vertical underground structure south of E. Quincy Avenue into what rescue workers determined was an exhaust vent tunnel for a decommissioned Titan Missile Facility, according to a statement from Sable Altura Fire Rescue.

After arriving at the scene, Sable Altura Fire built a rope system to lower two staff members to the teen.

Sable Altura Fire Rescue/Facebook Photo of the rescue scene Photo of the rescue scene

Once the rescuers assessed the teen's injuries and attached a harness to him, Bennett-Watkins Fire Rescue and South Metro Fire brought him to the surface.

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Related: 11-Year-Old's Brain Tumor Discovered After Roller Coaster Ride: 'We Found It Before It Spread'

In a press release shared with PEOPLE, South Metro Fire Rescue said officials received the call about the incident at around 3:45 p.m. They were able to extricate the teen shortly after 5 p.m. He was then transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.

The press release states that he was at the scene with another juvenile and one adult. The other two people remained above ground and were the reporting parties of the accident.

Sable Altura Fire Rescue/Facebook Photo of the rescue scene Photo of the rescue scene

The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office confirmed to PEOPLE that it is investigating this case and determining whether the group will face any trespassing charges.

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"We are a proud I-70 Corridor partner to Bennett-Watkins, and we would like to acknowledge the fantastic command structure and scene management for this call," said Sable Altura Fire Rescue in its statement.

Related: Young Boy Found Alive After Spending 5 Days Surrounded by Lions and Elephants in Game Park

"The dedicated emergency response of the three agencies that operated this rescue under this command, and the interoperability allowed this rescue to be completed VERY rapidly," the statement continued.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, there are six former Titan I missile complexes in Colorado.

Sable Altura Fire Rescue/Facebook Photo of the rescue scene Photo of the rescue scene

Some of the dangers of the former military sites include soil contamination from petroleum chemicals and/or from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and groundwater contamination from cleaning solvents, the organization says.

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Sable Altura Fire Rescue also warned its community about abandoned missile silos.

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"A reminder...the military history on the eastern plains of Colorado is better left to the history books," the first responders wrote. "PLEASE do not think for any moment, that these are safe environments to enter or explore."



Read the original article on People
Two teens were arrested by the Marion County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) for Sexual Battery Involving Physical Force.

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The teens, Jordan Audit, 17, and Austin Littleton, 18, were arrested by Major Crimes Detective Joesph Miller on Thursday, January 2.

On December 29, 2024, Detective Miller became aware of the case when the victim, also a minor, contacted the Lake County Sheriffs Office to report the rape.

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The victim states that she had met Audit and Littleton at a party on the evening of December 28. During the party, she says she learned that Audit had a firearm in his possession. At the end of the night, he had forced her to enter Littletons camper vehicle where he had proceeded to rape her. Littleton had entered the car shortly after and both suspects began taking turns raping the victim while she resisted.

The victim says she was able to escape the camper, eventually returning to her vehicle and driving off. Audit and Littleton attempted to follow her and cut her off, however, the victims screaming as they approached the vehicle caused them to flee.

During the investigation by Detective Miller, both Audit and Littleton denied the allegations. However, physical evidence collected during a Secual Assult Forensic Examination, digital evidence, and injuries Audit and Littleton sustained because of the victims resistance corroborated the victims allegations.

Audit and Littleton were placed under arrest shortly after. Audit, as a minor, was transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice while Littleton was transported to the Marion County Jail.

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GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL)  The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) has met weekly with officials in counties affected by Hurricane Helene to assist them with recovery and rebuilding efforts.

On Friday, TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan visited Greene County to assess its progress in recovery and rebuilding efforts.

It just gives us the ability to see and know whats happening, Sheehan said. It gives the opportunity to talk to the folks who work for the utilities, the contractors for bridge repairs, bridge replacements, debris removal, and get a sense from them on how they think things are going.

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LIST: Warming shelters open in Tri-Cities

Sheehan told News Channel 11 that county officials have much to handle when navigating natural disasters, and thats where TEMA steps in.

Theres a lot about disaster recovery thats just difficult, complex, and complicated, he said. This provides us an opportunity to bring together the leadership of this region, myself, my staff, and our federal counterparts from FEMA to make sure that we are directly addressing and implementing solutions to problems and complexities as they arise.

Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison said they have made great progress with recovery and rebuilding, but there is still work that needs to be done, such as fixing the water pump system, cleaning up debris and rebuilding county bridges that were washed away during the floods.

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They (TEMA) have confirmed about 2310 or so cases here for individual assistance, reimbursement in terms of folks that were affected all the way up to the homes and infrastructure on an individual level that was destroyed, Morrison said. That is really good.

He said TEMA and Governor Bill Lees HEAL Program have been great resources for the county.

How do we pay for it in a situation absent of the HEAL program? Morrison asked. The counties and the jurisdictions would have to go out and borrow money, for instance, from their debt service, and that falls heavily on the taxpayers, he answered. In this case, that money was fronted to us so that we could begin to do the work immediately without regard as to how were going to pay for it, knowing that its going to be reimbursed at the federal level.

The next step for the county is to tackle those three issues, and there are plans to begin that process.

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It looks like all the electrical infrastructure is still going well, said Sheehan. They have contingency plans for the water infrastructure, but just seeing the progress being made on the bridge repair for the state-owned bridge was great, and then talking through some potential courses of action for the county-owned bridges.

TEMA will continue weekly meetings with county officials until they are no longer needed, but Sheehan said it will probably continue throughout the year.

Theres still lots of debris; some of its very big, and its not in a place thats easy to grab; it also is just a drag on recovery, he said. Its a reminder of the tragedy thats happened and how much theres still left to do. We have lots of state support coming in to help remove that debris thats going to be harmful or presents a future threat to infrastructure, and those are the big things.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  Two Republican lawmakers are sponsoring a three-bill series to stop hate in the state after multiple neo-Nazi hate groups marched in Nashville and anti-Semitic groups targeted a synagogue and distributed anti-Jewish literature last year.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Republican Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) recently filed the Protecting Everyone Against Crime and Extremism (PEACE) Act. The bills that make up the PEACE Act address hate littering and trespassing, police procedure and obstruction, and road safety.

Sen. Pody told News 2 he started working on the three bills around July 2024 and met with Republicans, Democrats, police, the Davidson County District Attorney, Jewish community leaders, and others to find the perfect balance between respecting someones First Amendment right and mitigating hate.

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When there are protests and such, I want to protect their First Amendment right that they can protest, they can do it, but they have to do it in a respectful and peaceful way, Sen. Pody said. There shouldnt be discrimination from anybody.

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The bills would make it illegal for extremist groups to hate litter by trespassing in neighborhoods and other areas to leave hate-filled fliers. The legislation would also block them from hanging signs on bridges, tunnels, and overpasses.

In addition, the PEACE Act would make it a misdemeanor to give a fake name, or no name to police when being detained or arrested, and it would make it illegal to ride in the back of a box truck, which is how neo-Nazi groups entered Nashville undetected before protesting, according to Metro police.

Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom

We watched people come in to protest, and they came into Nashville in box trucks, and we want to find a way that we can stop it, Sen. Pody said. Law enforcement didnt feel like they had enough enforcement power at that point.

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The legislation would also make it a misdemeanor to come within 25 feet of a law enforcement officer if the officer previously ordered the individual to stop or get back, which Sen. Pody said would give police a buffer.

This measure has been passed in multiple other states, including Indiana and Louisiana, however, its been criticized and legally challenged. In Indiana, the ACLU argued it could make it more difficult to film police activities, it undermines police accountability, and it violates the First Amendment. However, a federal judge ruled against their argument in Jan. 2024.

Sen. Pody told News 2 he very carefully considered the Constitution when crafting the legislation.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

I dont want to step on somebodys First Amendment right that they can protest, they can say whats on their mind, and I dont want to stop that, Sen. Pody said. A lot of people protest some of the things that I say and do, and I dont want to stop that, but if theyre doing it in such a way that its intimidating someoneyou can protest, but you cant intimidate somebody to where they feel unsafe coming out.

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According to the most recent TBI report on Hate Crimes, there were 122 reported hate crimes in Tennessee in 2023 that were motivated by a known bias, or committed due to someones race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or another reason.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
A Tewksbury police officer is being praised for helping residents safely evacuate from a house fire on Friday morning.

According to Tewksbury Fire, on January 3 around 5:40 a.m., Tewksbury Police and Fire were dispatched to 36 Mohawk Drive for a report of a house fire, which was called in by a neighbor

Officer Dennis Kelleher was on a nearby street when the fire was called in. He quickly arrived at the home before the firefighters. Upon arrival, he observed heavy smoke and flames coming from the living room and was waved down by a neighbor who notified him that residents were still inside.

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Officer Kelleher attempted to kick the front door in, but it was deadbolted. He proceeded to run to the back of the home and eventually found an open door.

Despite feeling the heat from the fire and seeing smoke coming from inside the home, Officer Kelleher entered the building and alerted occupants that the house was on fire.

His actions awoke the three residents who were sleeping and unaware that their home was on fire.

This is one of the most intimidating situations a police officer can be put in, Tewksbury Police Lt. Colin Trelegan said in a commendation letter. We train extensively and have equipment to handle most of the dangerous situations we face. However, in this situation, even though Officer Kelleher didnt have firefighting equipment, he didnt hesitate to put himself in harm for the lives of three Tewksbury residents, Trelegan added.

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The residents were able to exit safely without any injuries, and firefighters extinguished the flames shortly after.

I commend Officer Dennis Kelleher for his bravery and his ability to think quickly during a critical emergency, Chief Columbus said. I am incredibly proud of his continued commitment to keeping our community safe no matter the situation and remain grateful that the residents could exit their homes safely. Lastly, Id like to thank the Tewksbury Fire Department for their quick response and action, Columbus added.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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TEWKSBURY, Mass. (WWLP)  A Tewksbury police officer responded to a house fire on Mohawk Drive on Friday morning, leading the residents of the home to safety by himself before firefighters arrived.

At around 5:40 a.m. on Friday, a call was received by Tewksbury Police and Fire Departments from a house on Mohawk Drive, reporting a house fire at a neighbors residence. Tewksbury Police Officer Dennis Kelleher got the call when he was out on a nearby street, and arrived at the house before any fire or police crews.

Springfield Fire Dept. mechanic retires after 38 years

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Kelleher noticed heavy smoke and flames coming from the living room of the house, and was then informed by a neighbor nearby that the residents were still inside the home. Kelleher tried kicking in the front door, but it was deadbolted. He found an open backdoor and entered the building.

The three residents of the home were still sleeping, unaware of the fire. Kellehers actions awoke them and he guided them safely out of their residence. Firefighters arrived at the house and extinguished the fire soon afterwards, and none of the residents were injured.

Officer Kelleher received a commendation letter for his efforts in saving the residents of the home and performing a courageous service within the community.

This is one of the most intimidating situations a police officer can be put in, Tewksbury Police Lt. Colin Trelegan said in the letter. We train extensively and have equipment to handle most of the dangerous situations we face. However, in this situation, even though Officer Kelleher didnt have firefighting equipment, he didnt hesitate to put himself in harm for the lives of three Tewksbury residents.

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WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  The states agriculture commissioner said he stands behind Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick when it comes to his push to ban THC products, the current status of which he described as a wild west in Texas.

Sid Miller published an opinion letter stating the current laws have created a unregulated market for recreational marijuana.

Texas needs clear and understandable laws. Texas Republicans need to be rowing in the same direction in order to achieve this goal. That is why I stand with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick while expecting the legislature to do its job, Miller said in the letter.

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Texas Senate to pursue ban on THC products next year, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says

Last month, Patrick announced that in the upcoming legislative session he would move to ban all forms of consumable THC in the state, claiming that loopholes in the law allow retailers to sell life-threatening, unregulated forms of THC.

Miller said he does support hemp as a commercial product and supports expanding Texas medical marijuana program. However, he said he does not support recreational use.

Whats worse, there are no consumer standards, safety inspections, or chemical analysis of these products to determine their level of intoxicants or even their basic safety, Miller said.

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Even if the legislature voted to legalize recreational marijuana tomorrow, that legislation would create a legal market with rules, guardrails, checks, and balances. What we have now is the wild west, Miller said.

The state legislature reconvenes on Jan. 14.

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Texas Department of Public Safety troopers arrested four "confirmed" members of Tren de Aragua  a Venezuelan criminal organization leveled as a Tier 1 gang by DPS  as they tried to illegally cross into Texas from Mexico on Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday.

Troopers arrested Segundo Ocando-Mejia, 39; Antonio Joe Urruttia-Rojas, 18; Pedro Luis Salazar-Cuervo, 27; and Levi Jesus Urratia-Blanco, 18, Abbott said. Ocando-Mejia's tattoos indicated he "may hold rank or leadership within the gang," the governor's announcement said.

"Our top priority is the safety and security of Texans, including against the growing threat of Tren de Aragua," Abbott said. "Until President Trump is back in the White House to secure our border, Texas will continue to hunt down dangerous criminals like TdA and put them behind bars to protect Texans from this vicious gang."

Gov. Greg Abbott speaks with several state governors at a press conference about border policies at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass on Sunday February 4, 2024.

The suspected gang members were among a group of 22 migrants from Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela who were caught in Val Verde County. Eleven of those migrants were arrested for criminal trespass, with the family groups being referred to Border Patrol for processing, Abbott said.

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DPS special agents confirmed the four suspects' TdA gang affiliation through searching the individuals' social media apps on their cell phones, Abbott's news release said, after suspecting they may have been members of the Venezuelan gang through information obtained in interviews and their tattoos.

Abbott identified the group as a foreign terrorist organization in September, and that same month, he directed DPS to create a "TdA Strike Team" to arrest and find its members in Texas. Abbott praised Tuesday's arrests in Val Verde County as a boon to his multibillion-dollar border security initiative Operation Lone Star.

Abbott's Public Safety Office in September announced it is offering up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of known or suspected TdA gang members who are involved in criminal activity. Individuals can report a tip to the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline or online to DPS.

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas DPS arrests four members of Venezuelan gang | Gov. Greg Abbott
CM Sarma held discussions on various topics ranging from Advantage Assam 2.0 and the potential of the state for investors and entrepreneurs.

"My meeting with Chairman of Tata Companies N Chandrasekharan was a fruitful one. In addition to topics relating to the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0, we talked at length about the rich potential Assam offers to investors and entrepreneurs," Assam CM posted on X.

He also held a productive meeting with CEOs from various Tata Group entities and invited them to participate in Advantage Assam 2.0.

"Today in Mumbai, I had a productive meeting with CEOs from various Tata Group entities. We also invited them to participate in Advantage Assam 2.0 which, in my opinion will be an excellent platform to deepen the long standing partnership between Assam and Tata Group," he added.

He also met Aalok Shanghvi, Executive Director of Sun Pharma and held an "enriching discussion" on the opportunities in Assam's pharmaceutical sector.

"An enriching discussion with Aalok Shanghvi, Executive Director of SunPharma_Live on the opportunities which lie in Assam's pharmaceutical sector and the Group's expansion plans in the State. I also invited him to be a part of the #AdvantageAssam2.0 Summit this February," CM Sarma said in another post.

Assam CM Sarma is on a three-day visit to Mumbai to meet the leaders of India Inc. and explore areas of mutual collaboration for the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit.

He will also participate in the Road Show to invite potential investors to Assam.

The Advantage Assam 2.0: Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025 conclave, to be held on February 24-25 in Guwahati. (ANI)
Lemon8, TikTok's sister app, is surging in popularity ahead of a possible TikTok ban.

Lemon8 uses TikTok's algorithm and is owned by the same Chinese company, ByteDance.

The Supreme Court will decide this month on the fate of the law that could ban TikTok  and Lemon8.

TikTok owner ByteDance's other social media company, Lemon8, is growing in popularity amid confusion over a possible TikTok ban in the United States.

This week, Lemon8 shot to the No. 1 spot for free apps on Apple's App Store.

What users might not realize is that the law that would ban TikTok, if it is held up by the Supreme Court and then enforced by the administration of President-elect Donald Trump, would also likely ban Lemon8.

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Lemon8 is the "sister app" to TikTok. It's a social media platform for photo slideshows, more similar to Pinterest or Instagram than TikTok, which is an exclusively short video platform. Lemon8 uses the same algorithm as TikTok. It is now the No. 2 free app, beating out competitors like ChatGPT.

But, like TikTok, its future is tenuous.

Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act in April. The law gives ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, until January 19 to sell TikTok. If a sale doesn't take place, TikTok will be banned in the United States.

TikTok filed a lawsuit in May, arguing that the law violates the First Amendment. The DC Circuit Court upheld the law on December 6. TikTok then filed an appeal to the Supreme Court on December 18. The court is expected to hear arguments on January 10.

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Trump filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court on December 27, asking the justices to pause the law until after his inauguration so he could "pursue a political resolution."

The law would also likely ban Lemon8. The bill's text specifically names TikTok and ByteDance as covered companies. However, its language is broad and could affect any company owned by a foreign "adversary" that permits users to "create an account or profile to generate, share, and view text, images, videos, real-time communications, or similar content."

Experts previously told Business Insider that Lemon8's success indicates that ByteDance is willing to introduce new apps to keep growing despite a TikTok ban.

"This is a huge business for ByteDance. They're not gonna go down without swinging," David Glancy, a professor at the Institute of World Politics, previously told BI.

Read the original article on Business Insider
When Cybertruck explosion suspect Matthew Livelsberger was identified by authorities, Tim Kennedy asked on social media if anyone knew him, given the military credentials.

As it turns out, Kennedy himself did.

In a video clip unearthed by "Inside Edition" on Friday, Kennedy and Livelsberger competed together on a History Channel shooting competition series called "Ultimate Solider Challenge."

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Kennedy's lapse in memory could be due to the name he knew Livelsberger by: Matt Burg. Kennedy issued a statement Friday as to his confusion and thoughts on the incident.

"13 years ago I competed in a shooting competition on History Channel called The Ultimate Soldiers Challenge. My partner in this competition was Matt Burg(aka Matt Livelsberger). Last night when I saw old photos of him on the news, I put together that it was the same guy. He was a sincere, hard-working, talented, and competent Special Forces operator. I am flabbergasted and heartbroken to hear the news. None of this makes sense and I like many others are confused and want answers."

I looked into the background of Matthew A. Livelsberger, the 37-year-old from Colorado Springs who drove a Turo-rented Tesla and blew up at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas in a huge explosion.



Livelsberger is also a U.S. Army veteran, like the New Orleans ISIS terror suspect. pic.twitter.com/36nZrhiC2S  Andy Ngo  (@MrAndyNgo) January 2, 2025

According to U.S. officials, Livelsberger died by self-inflicted gunshot wound in a rented Cybertruck outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on Wednesday, New Year's Day. Livelsberger is suspected to have triggered the vehicle to explode in the moments after.

Livelsberger, 37, served 19 years in the military and was an Army Green Beret. U.S. officials say he sought counseling for depression and post-traumatic stress in recent months.

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While investigators continue to sift through digital information left behind by Livelsberger, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department assistant sheriff Dori Koren called the incident "nothing more than a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated veteran who was suffering from PTSD."

Koren also said Livelsberger left digital notes that said the explosion "was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake-up call."

Las Vegas Cybertruck blast suspect Matthew Livelsberger took part in a military TV reality competition on the History Channel. pic.twitter.com/StCIyv9JN2

Las Vegas Cybertruck blast suspect Matthew Livelsberger took part in a military TV reality competition on the History Channel. pic.twitter.com/StCIyv9JN2  Inside Edition (@InsideEdition) January 3, 2025

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Tim Kennedy reflects on time with Cybertruck explosion suspect Matt Livelsberger: 'None of this makes sense'
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR)  Tinker Air Force Base (TAFB) officials suspended its Trusted Traveler Program on Friday citing by order of the U.S. Northern Command commander, during the suspension period, a 100% ID check will be enforced at all gates for individuals 18-years-old and over.

According to TAFB, individuals without a DoD-issued ID card are required to visit the Tinker Visitor Center during business hours to get a visitors pass. The Tinker Visitor Center is located at the Tinker Gate on Air Depot Blvd, and is open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Tinker Air Force Base

Winter blast for all, heres the latest snowfall forecast

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When the Visitor Center is not open, a mobile patrol will process the request for a pass at the gate, but expect significant delays. All non-DoD visitors will undergo standard identification checks and security procedures, regardless of their affiliation with a DoD-ID holder.

TAFB says, they are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment and have full confidence in its ability to maintain a strong security posture while continuing to execute the mission. Additionally confirming, the safety and security of the installation, personnel and families remain top priority.

To report suspicious activities to the Emergency Control Center at 405-734-3737.

Vance Air Force Base has also announced late afternoon Friday that they will be suspending the Trusted Traveler Program until further notice.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
A message circulating on a Haitian WhatsApp group in Springfield, Ohio, lists the best destinations for those fleeing the town in the wake of Donald Trumps election win.

All of them are states run by Democrats who could provide sanctuary for Haitians worried about being deported following Mr Trumps election victory: New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Vermont, Massachusetts and California.

It is believed that thousands have left for those states in the weeks after polling day. More of Ohios sizeable Haitian population is preparing to follow.

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Springfield has had an uneasy time in the political spotlight since Mr Trump declared, at the presidential debate in September, that Haitian residents were eating cats and dogs and the pets of the people that live there.

Before that, it had been remembered  if it entered the minds of the American people at all  as a manufacturing hub that produced most farming equipment in the United States, before sliding into rust-belt decline in the late 20th century.

But it was Mr Trump sweeping to power last month that truly put the nail in Springfields coffin for Haitian residents.

None of the criticism that followed the president-elects unsubstantiated claims about the towns new arrivals eating habits persuaded him to apologise, and three days later he doubled down.

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Were going to have the largest deportation in the history of our country, Mr Trump declared. And were going to start with Springfield and Aurora [in Colorado].

Darvah Germaine, a Haitian who runs a restaurant in Springfield, is one of those who are thinking about leaving if the exodus continues - Benedict Smith

Nobody is sure how many Haitians moved to Springfield in the waves of migration between 2016 and 2022, but it is estimated at between 12,000 and 15,000 in what locals call a small town  technically a city  with a population of 58,000 in 2020.

Now nobody knows how many are left, but anybody connected to the Haitian community has stories about the people who have packed their bags since election day.

Darvah Germaine, a Haitian who runs a restaurant in Springfield, is one of those who are thinking about leaving if the exodus continues.

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After moving to the town a few years ago, he set up the restaurant with his wife, Keket, for the new arrivals looking for a taste of home as they took jobs and bought houses on the south side of town.

For a long time, life was good, as the businesss fortunes rose along with the swell of the areas Haitian population.

Just weeks ago, it was filled with customers who would sit down at tables for generous portions of goat or snapper heaped with plantain, rice and salads.

Mr Germaine would size up customers and occasionally warn them they wouldnt be able to eat it all.

Others came for the Italian meals  meatballs and linguine in alfredo sauce  with a Haitian twist.

Margery Koveleski believes as many as five thousand Haitians have left since Mr Trumps election win - Benedict Smith

There are no cats or dogs on the menu, despite Mr Trumps claims. The closest it gets is a Coney Island-style hot dog.

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But according to Mr Germaine, the Republicans election win caused panic among the Haitian population and thousands have already left Springfield.

The restaurants prospects went with them.

The town is kind of gone now. Its dead, he said, glancing around a deserted dining room where the only movement is the blinking lights on the slot machines. It used to be full in here  I dont know how far we can go with the way it is right now.

Of the eight staff that Keket Bongou employed, six have left. Luckily, there are no customers to serve  so the staff shortage is not an issue, he said wryly.

Mr Germaine, who moved from Haiti to Florida in the 1980s, is not at risk of deportation, but Keket and his step-daughter are.

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Like many Haitians, they came to the US on the temporary protected status (TPS) scheme that is scheduled to lapse in 2026.

Mr Trump may decline to extend it and Tom Homan, his immigration tsar, has suggested he could end it on the first day of the new administration  although this would almost certainly prompt a legal challenge.

Springfield, Ohio, is home to a large Haitian community - Getty/Luke Sharrett

Theyre scared. Theyre really scared of that. Kekets daughter, she wants to move, Mr Germaine said.

Real-estate agents across Springfield are sceptical about Haitians selling up and moving out en masse, but several have clients who were on the verge of buying a house who are now waiting to see what Mr Trump does in office before deciding to settle down.

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Sadrac Delva, a real-estate agent who moved from Haiti in 2020, has a number of friends and clients who have fled Springfield. A few days earlier he dropped two of them off at the airport.

Three or four months ago, it was pretty hard just to find an apartment, but now a lot of people are leaving, theres a lot of availability in terms of apartments or houses, he said.

When you go to churches, when you go to grocery stores that Haitians used to go to, you dont see a lot of Haitians any more.

He has been discussing with his wife whether they should follow others out of state, wary of the prospect of deportations and the threats that other Haitians living in Springfield have received since election day.

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But for now, at least, they are staying put.

We are ready to move at any time

Moving outside of Ohio would mean Mr Delva would have to requalify as an estate agent, and his wife would have to abandon her nursing studies.

We are ready to move at any time. If I have to move tomorrow, I will do it to protect my family  I have three daughters, so I will see how it goes, he said.

Friendly Bakery and Groceries bears the hallmarks of the Haitian businesses that have sprung up in Springfield: the blue-and-red flag displayed prominently in the window, and a sign swinging in the wind advertising money transfer to Haiti.

In a dimly-lit office in a back room of the shop, Margery Koveleski, whose parents moved from Haiti to the US in the 1960s, believes as many as five thousand Haitians have left since Mr Trumps election win.

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Her wall is plastered with phone numbers to help the new arrivals get settled: immigration authorities, utility companies, taxi services.

She calls herself a middleman. Many of the Haitians call her mom.

Now, much of her work is booking plane tickets for people leaving town for Democrat-run states that would oppose the Trump administrations mass deportation programme.

All the Haitians are gone

On a frosty December morning, three Haitians were waiting on the chairs lined up in the stockroom, among the shelves of barley drinks and packs of roasted cashew nuts.

One of them was looking for help with an asylum application, another was struggling to understand his energy bills, and the third wanted to book plane tickets and leave town for good.

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Recently, this one gentleman came by and said: Margery, I just wanted to let you know that Im leaving. He said: Ive been living in this neighbourhood where all the Haitians are gone, Mrs Koveleski said.

Theres another guy who hasnt left yet. He said: My daughter is crying  Daddy, dont you love us? Because they used to have a lot of Haitians in the school, now theres only two students left.

Springfield School District did not respond to a request for comment.

Most Haitians who leave town are heading for states where sympathetic Democrats are in charge. The place that everyone mentions is Boston, Massachusetts, where the mayor has said officials wont cooperate with immigration enforcement.

But Katie Kersh, an Ohio immigration lawyer, says fleeing to different states would accomplish little because immigration is a federal responsibility.

Since the election, she has taken a stronger stance in the pro bono legal clinics she runs in Springfields St Vincent de Paul society, telling Haitians they should not be waiting for their TPS to process before making an asylum application.

One of the things weve been doing is really encouraging everybody to apply for everything they can as soon as possible, she said.

TPS is temporary, and it can be taken away.

Cats and dogs rumour

How exactly the eating dogs and cats rumour started is unclear, but one case cited by the Trump campaign was a woman by the name of Anna Kilgore, who submitted a police report about Haitians living nearby when her tabby cat didnt come home.

When Miss Sassy eventually reappeared without any obvious signs of being killed or eaten, she reportedly apologised to her neighbours with the help of a language app.

Ms Kilgore, still flying her Trump-Vance flags more than a month after election day, where most of the surrounding houses had Christmas decorations, declined to comment when approached by The Telegraph.

A white plastic cats bowl lay a few feet away on a weather-beaten porch, collecting rainwater.

Mr Trumps comments exposed those fault lines that were already running through the community, and pulled them further apart.

Some locals say that Springfields black and white communities resent the ambitious Haitians who work hard and want a house on the nice side of town and an expensive car.

Others claim their presence has allowed companies to fill jobs with non-union employees who will work for slave labour wages, driving down salaries for people who have lived there their whole lives.

Laura Rosen Berger, who chairs the local Republican party, believes Mr Trumps comments on the debate stage drove Springfields voters out the polls, meaning he won it by some 150 votes after losing in 2016 and 2020.

President Trump made those comments at the debate and it put Springfield on the map. It gave people who are upset about the issue a reason to go out and vote, she said.

In the wake of Mr Trumps claims and deportation plan, Margery Koveleski believes that Springfields Haitian community, for the brief time that it existed, is over.

Behind her desk is a painting by her daughter, which shows a Haitian man beating a path through the jungle towards the US.

He holds a flaming torch  meant to symbolise the hope of new immigrants  while his son clings to his shorts.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  A tractor-trailer struck a utility pole Friday evening causing road closures in Montgomery County.

Pete Piringer, spokesperson for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, said the crash happened in the 14100 block of Darnestown Road near Germantown Road.

Snow, snow squalls in DC, Maryland, Virginia

There, a tractor-trailer crashed into several utility poles causing the wires to come down and block lanes between Seneca Road and Route 118 on Germantown Road.

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Drivers should expect an extended road closure.

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Vadim Krasnoselsky, the head of the Russia-led breakaway Transnistria region in Moldova, urged residents on Jan. 3 to heat their stoves with wood whenever possible amid gas shortages.

Russia's state-controlled energy giant Gazprom halted gas deliveries to Moldova on Jan. 1, citing alleged unpaid debts by Moldovagaz. The suspension triggered an energy crisis in Transnistria, which now faces industrial collapse due to widespread power outages.

Authorities in Transnistria also rejected earlier Chisinau's offer to help the region purchase gas via European platforms.

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Some 1,500 high-rise buildings in Transnistria are currently without heating and hot water, and nearly 72,000 homes are without gas, according to Krasnoselsky.

Krasnoselsky added that 150 gas boiler houses have been disconnected, while two large social facilities have been switched to diesel heating.

"The almost complete gasification of the (region) is one of the reasons for well-deserved pride: we strived for 100% coverage of the population with this benefit of civilization. But today, we remember with gratitude those who built housing with stove heating," he said.

"Fortunately, our region is rich in wood. We still have stocks. Solid fuel sales points have been opened in every district. At the request of citizens who cannot provide themselves with firewood due to life circumstances, it is delivered free of charge," Krasnoselsky said, adding that "there are no hopeless situations."

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Russian troops have been stationed in Transnistria since the early 1990s. While the rest of Moldova has switched to European energy supplies, the region is heavily dependent on Russian gas.

Although a deal allowing Russian gas to transit through Ukraine expired on the same day that Russia halted gas supplies to Moldova, Gazprom insists the suspension is due to Moldova's outstanding debt, not transit issues.

Moldovan officials dispute Gazprom's claims regarding outstanding payments, noting an international audit failed to verify the debts.

Read also: Russia buys acceptance with cash, plunging economy into uncertainty

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  The new year will bring new leadership to Burnet County, Texas.

Burnet County Commissioners and members of the public discussed a process for picking a new county judge this week, following the recent resignation of former Judge James Oakley. He stepped down in December amid ongoing legal troubles and harassment claims.

With two years until another election for voters in the the area to choose another judge, the four county commissioners must select a replacement for the time being. In a special meeting on Friday, the commissioners laid out a proposal for how to proceed with that process. They also voted on procedures to allow them to continue county business until a judge is selected.

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LATEST: Burnet County judge quits amid legal, harassment claims

Some longtime Burnet County residents expressed their questions and concerns about the publics involvement in the process.

Gil Jones, a retired district judge and county resident, told the court he had been asked by other residents to apply. However, he said he will likely refrain because he has concerns about the selection process and its integrity.

Another speaker, who noted her family has lived in the area for seven generations, said she believed the countys citizens have the right to vet all potential candidates  calling for transparency from the court and county leaders. She first thanked the commissioners for serving through what she called some of the most difficult years for this court in our lifetime.

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PREVIOUS: Burnet County Judge could face once-dismissed criminal charges again, following appeals court decision

Several people expressed interest in utilizing a committee of members from the public for the selection process, but at least one commissioner expressed concerns that the use of a committee could inadvertently cut some residents out of the process. They suggested residents send any feedback to commissioners directly over email, so their thoughts are documented.

Others asked the court about the potential for an all-candidate forum, to allow the public to ask the applicants questions. The court and county officials discussed where such an event might be held.

Ultimately, the court voted to post the job application as soon as possible and to take applications until January 31.

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For more details on the selection process from Burnet County, click here

Then, they explained county officials will perform the necessary background and eligibility checks before posting the applicants names publicly by February 6. Commissioners encouraged the public to share any feedback with commissioners by email or at two meetings on February 11 and 25. At the first, they plan to narrow the applicants down to two finalists and by the second, they plan to vote on the new judge.

According to the Burnet County website, they also plan to host a public forum on February 13 with the two finalists.

For more details on the application from Burnet County, click here

KXAN previously reported Oakley was indicted in 2023 on several criminal accusations, including abuse of office, official oppression and tampering with evidence. A jury found him not guilty of one charge, and a judge threw out the other charges. However, a panel of judges from the Third Court of District Appeals recently ruled that judge erred in his decision.

The claims centered around two different issues: Oakleys role as a Pedernales Electric Cooperative board member while also serving as Burnet County judge and, separately, the handling of a vehicle collision in 2021.

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At the time of the appeals court panel decision, Oakleys attorney told KXAN he believed all of the claims against his client were spurious, especially the claims involving the 2021 vehicle collision. He also noted they planned to ask for a rehearing in front of the full Court of Appeals.

According to court records, the attorneys motion for rehearing and motion for reconsideration en banc were denied Jan. 2.

Then, on December 11, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct reprimanded Oakley. In its filing, it detailed accusations he removed the lock to Justice of the Peace Lisa Whiteheads courtroom door. Whitehead ended up filing a formal complaint over safety concerns after she said she could not find a workable solution with Oakley.

BACKGROUND: Burnet County Judge James Oakley indicted on felony and misdemeanor charges

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She also accused Oakley of sexual harassment on several occasions, which were detailed in that reprimand.

Upon his resignation, Oakley responded to KXANs requests for comment with the below statement. The same statement was read aloud as his formal resignation during Fridays commissioners court meeting:

I have been humbled and honored to have been elected by the public to serve the public as Burnet County Judge for the last 10 years. Prior to that, I was equally honored to serve for 8 years as a Burnet County Commissioner starting in 1999. Im most proud of the excellent financial condition of Burnet County as well as the land and facilities now in place. That includes the renovation of the 1884 Historic Jailhouse Museum & Visitors Center, Oakalla Schoolhouse, acquisition of the old Burnet Elementary School, the donation of 800 acres for public use, and other land & buildings to accommodate our growing citizens needs. In recent years, the extreme lack of civility in public discourse has caused me to reevaluate how I want to spend my day to day life. My priorities are to protect my health / safety and that of my wife & family. As I am eligible for retirement, I have made the decision to resign my position effective January 2nd, 2025 such that I can achieve other personal goals and projects. Former Burnet County Judge James Oakley



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Welcome back, Deadline: Legal Newsletter readers. President-elect Donald Trump doesn't take office until later this month, but he already filed a brief in the highly anticipated TikTok ban case ahead of next weeks Supreme Court hearing. And the new year brought Chief Justice John Roberts annual report, while Trump got a new sentencing date in New York and we were reminded that his hobbled criminal caseload isnt his only legal exposure.

Trumps not a party to the TikTok case thats set for oral argument next Friday, Jan. 10. The parties in TikTok v. Garland are the popular social media app and its users against the federal government. Trumps brief doesnt take sides on whether the First Amendment can block a law seeking to ban the apps U.S. operations if its Chinese parent company doesnt sell it. Rather, he wants the justices to pause the laws Jan. 19 divestment deadline, so that he can pursue what his brief called a political resolution to the dispute after his Jan. 20 inauguration.

Notably, the Wall Street Journals editorial board slammed Trumps SCOTUS brief, which was filed by John Sauer, Trumps pick for solicitor general. The brief is extraordinary in several ways, none of them good, wrote the conservative board. It noted that the justices previously denied a request from TikTok to halt the law pending the high courts final decision. To grant Mr. Trumps request for a stay now would set a bad precedent that invites future incoming Presidents to interfere in pending Court cases, the board wrote. It added that the solicitor general isnt supposed to be Mr. Trumps personal attorney, and Mr. Sauers brief wont help his credibility with the Justices if he is confirmed by the Senate.

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The Jan. 10 TikTok hearing in Washington should give us a better sense of where the court is headed in the appeal that kicks off the new year. Stay tuned for a special edition of next weeks newsletter to learn how the hearing went and what it means for the fate of the app.

Jan. 10 is also Trump's sentencing date in New York. That's according to a Friday ruling from Judge Juan Merchan, who rejected the president-elect's latest motion that stood in the way of sentencing. Notably, Merchan said he's not inclined to sentence Trump to incarceration for the 34 counts of falsifying business records for which a Manhattan jury found the defendant guilty last year. Nonetheless, Trump's lawyers may still try to push off the sentencing before he's inaugurated on Jan. 20.

Trump's civil caseload also made news when a federal appeals court rejected his bid for a new trial in the case in which a jury awarded writer E. Jean Carroll $5 million after finding Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming her. Note that this is a separate case from the one where a jury awarded her $83 million in defamation damages. A spokesman for Trump said he will continue to appeal.

Judicial independence was the theme of Roberts 2024 report that dropped on New Years Eve. The chief decried four areas of illegitimate activity which, he argued, threaten such independence: Violence, intimidation, disinformation, and threats to defy court orders. Broadly speaking, its difficult to disagree, though Roberts was vague, at points, about who or what he was referring to. At any rate, well see if he speaks up if Vice President-elect JD Vance supports defying any decisions, which Vance said would be proper if the courts rule against Trump.

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Continuing along the judicial independence theme, in a sense, Justice Clarence Thomas wont be referred to the DOJ by a federal judicial panel for ethics violations. The Judicial Conference suggested in its response to Democratic lawmakers that it lacked authority over the justices, adding that its largely a moot point because Democrats already asked the attorney general to appoint a special counsel to investigate the matter. The conference sent a similar letter in response to former (and possible future) Trump administration official Russell Voughts request to refer Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the DOJ.

Gob-Smacking and Ahistorical was how Fix the Courts Gabe Roth reacted to the Thomas news. Like the time the Ethics in Government Act was enacted, were once again in an era thats marked by a keen attention to government malfeasance, he said. But unlike the post-Watergate period, the justices today can be found sitting on superyachts, flying circles around the globe on private jets and laughing in our faces.

Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in Donald Trumps legal cases.

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today took a dig at the era of Lalu Prasad Yadav-led government, saying that before Janata Dal (United)-led government was formed in 2005, 'Bihar ki halat kaafi kharab thi.' The CM made the comments during a review meeting held at the Gopalganj collectorate hall on Saturday, discussing the district's developmental schemes. CM Kumar was given a detailed overview of the schemes, according to a statement released by the CM's Office. Mentioning that the people of Bihar had given a mandate to Nitish Kumar and his party on November 24, 2005, it was a chance to work for the state's development. "Since then, we have been continuously working for the development of Bihar... Before the year 2005, Bihar ki halat kaafi kharab thi (the condition of Bihar was really bad). People were afraid to come out of their homes after evening. There was no arrangement for treatment in hospitals, the roads were dilapidated, the condition of education was not good, and often there were reports of religious disputes," said the CM according to the statement. Highlighting that the state has improved since then, he added, "The condition of Bihar changed. There has been no discrimination against anyone. We went here and there by mistake twice. Now we will always stay together and will develop the country along with Bihar." Mentioning that 'no area of Bihar is untouched by development,' he said that work has also been done in education, health, road, bridge construction on a large scale. "Earlier people from earlier people from any corner of Bihar used to reach Patna in 6 hours, now it has been reduced to 5 hours. Every kind of work is being done for this," said the CM. Mentioning specific schemes for education and children, the CM said that a dress scheme was started for girls studying in government schools in 2006, a cycle scheme in 2009 for girls, and a similar scheme for boys in 2010. "Recruitment of teachers on a large scale, construction of school buildings have been implemented to bring about improvement in the field of education. A large number of government teachers are being recruited. Government recognition is being given to employed teachers through examination. Earlier, very few girls used to go to study," read the statement. Mentioning the improvements in the health sector, the CM said, "earlier only 39 patients used to go for treatment in the Primary Health Center in a month. Now on an average more than 11 thousand patients are coming for treatment in 1 month." The CM highlighted that 5 more government medical colleges have been opened in multiple districts, bringing the total medical colleges to 11. Adding further on the development, "Basic facilities like tap water in every house, construction of paved streets and drains in every house, toilet in every house, electricity connection to every house have been made available to the people." Since the Nitish Kumar-led government came to power, the CM claimed that 50 percent reservation was given to women in Panchayati raj institutions and municipal bodies, with over four elections held so far, including an increase in police recruitment for women. (ANI)
President-elect Trump tapped Morgan Ortagus, a former State Department spokesperson, to serve as deputy special presidential envoy for Middle East peace in his next administration.

Trump noted in his announcement that Ortagus previously was critical of him. As a Fox News contributor in 2016, she bashed Trump over behavior she thought was disgusting. She then served in the State Department from 2019 to 2021.

Early on Morgan fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson. These things usually dont work out, but she has strong Republican support, and Im not doing this for me, Im doing it for them, he said on Truth Social. Lets see what happens.

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Ortagus would serve as deputy to real estate executive Steven Witkoff, who Trump named in November to be special envoy to the Middle East.

She will hopefully be an asset to Steve, a great leader and talent, as we seek to bring calm and prosperity to a very troubled region. I expect great results, and soon! Trump said in the announcement.

Trump endorsed Ortaguss run for Congress in 2022, before she was removed from the ballot by the Tennessee Republican Party because she had moved to the state too recently.

Ortagus is an officer in the Navy Reserve and worked at the Treasury Department during President Obamas administration.

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Trump highlighted her experience in his announcement on Friday.

From 2019-2021, Morgan served as Spokesperson at the Department of State (Pompeo!), where she was a member of my Historic Abraham Accords team that brought unprecedented Peace to the Middle East. Earlier, she worked at the Department of the Treasury as a financial intelligence analyst and, from 2010-2011, was the Deputy U.S. Treasury Attache to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Trump said.

He added, Good luck Morgan!

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Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) will get to keep the big gavel after his fellow Republicans voted to re-elect him House Speaker on Friday afternoon.

Johnson, who has been publicly backed by President-elect Donald Trump, was able to garner the minimum 218 votes needed to win the job in the first round of voting, though he had to persuade two of his fellow Republicans  Rep. Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina) and Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas)  who initially voted for other candidates to change their votes to him.

With Republicans only having a razor-thin margin of control of the House, Johnson could only afford to lose one vote  which he did, to Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky). Massie's "no" vote came as no surprise; he previously told former Rep. Matt Gaetz that he would literally withstand torture before voting for Johnson. Instead, Massie voted for Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), the Majority Whip and a longtime supporter of the crypto industry. Emmer voted for Johnson.

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Fridays voting process  the first order of business at the start of the 119th Congress  took only 2.5 hours in total, a much swifter and more streamlined process than the previous election in Oct. 2023 that first saw Johnson elected.

Though Johnson has not been very outspoken about crypto issues, he is widely considered to be a friend to the industry. He previously voted for the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (more commonly known as FIT21) and an anti-central bank digital currency (CBDC) bill.

Johnsons re-election  and Emmers continued position as Majority Whip  means crypto-friendly members of Congress are likely well-positioned to push crypto legislation in 2025.
President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to dust off a series of centuries-old laws and legal theories to drive his first-year agenda  particularly on the border and birthright citizenship  hoping history will be on his side when the inevitable legal challenges make their way to the Supreme Court.

The incoming president has said he intends to use an obscure 1798 law with a sordid backstory to speed deportations and has hinted at the possibility of invoking a separate law with roots in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 to deploy the military on American soil.

Immigration isnt the only policy in play: Some of his allies, including Vice President-elect JD Vance, have advocated for enforcing an 1873 chastity law that could bar sending abortion drugs through the mail.

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Trump has framed the laws as harking back to a more muscular time in American politics, suggesting he may use the powers signed into law by Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and others to confront the enemy from within and carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

Think of that: We had to go back to 1798, Trump told a conservative gathering in Georgia days before the November election. Thats when we had laws that were effective.

But at least some of the authorities Trump is preparing to claim have fraught histories  and their invocation will queue up confrontations with an unpopular 6-3 conservative Supreme Court that is being closely watched for its appetite to act as a guardrail on the new administration.

Trumps style is Dont get in my way, said William Banks, a Syracuse University law professor and expert on the Insurrection Act.

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The 1807 law, Banks said gives the president enough discretion that he could drive a truck through its requirements to deploy the military at home, such as for immigration enforcement.

The act allows him to do a lot on his own, Banks added, with very few procedural hurdles.

In those days, we didnt play

During his campaign, Trump specifically vowed to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to target and dismantle every migrant criminal network operating on American soil. The law allows the federal government to expedite deportations of citizens of a hostile nation in times of war or when an enemy attempts an invasion or predatory incursion into the United States.

This is how far we had to go back, because in those days, we didnt play games, Trump said at a rally in November.

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The notion that migrants entering the US represents an invasion has gained currency among some legal conservatives, particularly in the context of birthright citizenship  another historic principle Trump has promised to topple. But experts say the incoming president will face an uphill fight defending the law in court, in part because of the history of how it has been used.

The Alien Enemies Act was last used during World War II to imprison Japanese nationals and others, a precursor to the internment of US citizens of Japanese descent (which the Supreme Court upheld in a controversial 1944 decision).

The act, by its history, is very clearly a wartime authority and so to have a president use this authority outside of wartime would be a clear abuse, said Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel in the Brennan Centers Liberty and National Security Program who has written extensively about the law.

But Ebright and others have warned its not clear if courts would step in stop Trump from using it during peacetime.

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When the Supreme Court last considered the Alien Enemies Act, in 1948, it gave President Harry Truman broad deference to decide when the law could be invoked. Truman had sought to remove a German national and the appeal arrived at the Supreme Court three years after the end of World War II.

War, the court reasoned at that time, isnt necessarily over when the shooting stops.

The 1873 chastity law

Some conservatives remain hopeful that Trumps incoming administration will enforce an 1873 law that bans the sending of lewd and indecent materials through the mail. Decried by critics as a zombie law, the Comstock Act is viewed by anti-abortion advocates as a tool that could be used to prohibit the mailing of abortion drugs.

Medication abortions account for nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the US.

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Trump told CBS News in August that he would  generally speaking  not use the act to ban the mailing of abortion drugs. And yet there will likely be pressure on his Justice Department to undermine the Biden administrations position on the issue. Bidens DOJ issued an internal memo in 2022 finding that the Comstock Act doesnt bar mailing abortion drugs when the recipient lacks the intent to use them unlawfully.

Trump told NBC in early December that he probably would not attempt to restrict access to abortion medication but said that things do change.

Vance, then a Republican senator from Ohio, was one of several Republicans who signed a letter that described that memo as disappointing and called for it to be immediately rescinded, according to The Washington Post.

The Supreme Court dodged the issue in a related opinion in June that dealt with the Food and Drug Administrations decades-old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. But it was clear during the oral arguments in that case in March that at least two conservatives  Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito  were interested in the issue.

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This is a prominent provision, Alito said. Its not some obscure subsection of a complicated obscure law.

Military for deportations?

Trump has repeatedly flirted with using the military for domestic purposes, including during his first term. In an interview earlier this year with Time magazine, he discussed using the military or National Guard to help with the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants.

Because federal armed forces are generally barred from civilian law enforcement, Trump would likely have to rely on the Insurrection Act to carry out such a policy.

The current version of the act was last invoked by President George H.W. Bush during the 1992 Los Angeles riots that followed the acquittal of four White police officers in the beating of Rodney King.

The general prohibition on using the military domestically doesnt stop the military if its an invasion of our country, and I consider it an invasion of our country, Trump told Time in another interview after the election. Well go as far as Im allowed to go, according to the laws of our country.

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The best-known use of the Insurrection Act was in 1957, when President Dwight Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and sent the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock to integrate its schools. That order followed the Supreme Courts historic decision three years earlier in Brown v. Board of Education that declared segregated schools unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court has generally deferred to the presidents judgment to invoke the law.

There isnt much of a historical set of precedents to interpret laws like the Insurrection Act, Banks said. And the reason, ironically, is that the courts have given such a wide berth to the president to make the call about when its and when its not necessary to use the military.

Relitigating birthright citizenship

Trump is also keen to reopen an old fight over birthright citizenship, which has been settled law since the Supreme Court ruled in 1898 that people born on US soil are citizens, even if their parents are not.

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The president-elect has long railed against birthright citizenship, which is protected under the 14th Amendment.

President Donald Trump stands near a portrait of George Washington at a Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride event in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 18, 2019, in Washington. - Andrew Harnik/AP

Still, his allies are considering directing the State Department to deny passports to children with undocumented parents and tighten requirements for tourist visas to crack down on birth tourism, sources familiar with the planning told CNN in December. Denying passports to people born in the United States would trigger immediate lawsuits.

Trump last year described long-held protections for people born in the country as being based on a historical myth, and a willful misinterpretation of the law.

But legal experts on both ends of the political spectrum believe history would work against Trump.

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If the Supreme Court sticks to its history and tradition approach, it will not uphold an executive order denying birthright citizenship for children of unauthorized aliens, said Rogers Smith, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Theres no history or tradition supporting such an executive action, and theres a long history and tradition of recognizing such children as birthright citizens.

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President-elect Donald Trump went on a rage-fueled social media tear early Saturday following a judges order for him to appear at a sentencing hearing 10 days before his inauguration.

Again asserting his innocence in the hush money case, Trump attacked Judge Juan Merchan, Special Counsel Jack Smith, E. Jean Carroll, President Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris for his legal troubles.

Furthermore, he claimed that no other president had ever been so evilly and illegally treated.

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In the case overseen by Merchan, Trump was found guilty of 34 felonies related to falsifying a business record to cover up an affair with adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

His sentencing was initially slated for November, but Merchan delayed the hearing. On Friday, the judge set it for Jan. 10, but indicated that Trump was unlikely to receive prison time, a fine, or probation.

Nevertheless, the news seemed to spoil Trumps Friday night and Saturday morning. He unleashed a lengthy pair of seething posts on Truth Socialbuilding on his initial anger on Friday over the announcement.

I never falsified business records, Trump wrote. It is a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME!

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Trump suggested that Merchan should be disbarred and repeated his frequentbut unsubstantiatedclaim that Every legal scholar of note said there IS NO CASE AGAINST ME.

The situation seemed to resurface Trumps anger at another legal decision against hima 2023 jury ruling that found Trump liable for sexual assault and defamation against writer E. Jean Carroll.

Trumps rage posts went after a number of familiar targets. / Celal Gunes / Anadolu via Getty Images

Trump alleged that a totally out of control, Trump hating judge, presided over the case, describing Carroll as woman I never met (celebrity photo lines from 30 years ago dont count!).

Trump alleged that the The Biden/Harris DOJ was involved, directly or indirectly, in each of these cases, adding that Deranged Jack Smith was involved as well.

After some further railing against Biden and Smith, Trump finally seemed to lose steam, ending his tirade with: With all of this said, I still have confidence that the Appellate Courts will bring JUSTICE TO AMERICA!!!
President-elect Trump took to Truth Social to share his frustration after a judge set a Jan. 10 sentencing date in his New York hush money case, calling out a gag order which prevents him from discussing court staffers and prosecutors.

This illegitimate political attack is nothing but a Rigged Charade. Acting Justice Merchan, who is a radical partisan, just issued another order that is knowingly unlawful, goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it, the incoming president wrote in a Friday Truth Social post.

Merchan has so little respect for the Constitution that he is keeping in place an illegal gag order on me, your President and President Elect, just so I cannot expose his and his familys disqualifying and illegal conflicts, he added.

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Earlier Friday, New York Judge Juan Merchan ordered the sentencing for Jan. 10, rejecting Trumps demand the case be dismissed to accommodate his upcoming presidency. He signaled he is inclined to impose no punishment for his felony conviction. This fall, Trump appealed a partial gag order relating to the hush money case, but it was thrown out and remains in place.

In May, a New York jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment his ex-fixer made to porn actor Stormy Daniels with the intention of influencing the 2016 presidential election.

After the sentencing announcement Friday, Trumps spokesperson Steven Cheung said the case should be dismissed, referencing a presidential immunity clause that Merchan said cannot be applied.

Todays order by the deeply conflicted, Acting Justice Merchan in the Manhattan DA Witch Hunt is a direct violation of the Supreme Courts Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence, Cheung said.

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On Friday, Trump also criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is expected to resign before the president takes office.

Merchan took the Bragg Hoax that, according to all Legal Scholars, should have been dead on arrival and, through his fraud and misconduct, gave it a semblance of life, the Republican wrote in a subsequent post.

While Deranged Jack Smith was sent packing back to The Hague, after losing all of his politically manufactured cases against me, Merchan, who is far worse and even more corrupt than Smith in his fight for my hopeless Political Opponents, just cannot let go of this charade.

Trump has the option to virtually appear for the sentencing which will take place ahead of his inauguration. The incoming president still has a chance to appeal the guilty verdict declared by jurors.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 in a weekend rant turned his ire on the New York judge who ordered sentencing to begin next week in his hush money case, calling him the most conflicted judge in New York State history.

I never falsified business records. It is a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME!, he wrote on Truth Social on Saturday morning, echoing his initial response.

He created a case where there was none. Keeps a gag order on me so that I cant talk about how crooked he is, Trump continued. The Fake News knows all about it, but they refuse to talk. He may be the most conflicted judge in New York State history.

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His comments come a day after Judge Juan Merchan announced that sentencing for the president-elects 34-count felony conviction would begin on Jan. 10  handing Trump a blow after he demanded his case be dismissed following his election win.

Despite the decision to move forward with the case, Merchan signaled he is inclined to propose no punishment in the case connected to a payment made to an adult film star to cover up an alleged affair during the 2016 election. The New York judge cited the Supreme Courts presidential immunity ruling in making that choice, especially as Trump prepares to take the oath of office later this month.

Still, the president-elect continued to rail against Merchan, calling him a totally out of control, Trump hating judge and again called for him to be disbarred.

The judge should be disbarred! This is why people, and companies, are FLEEING New York, he wrote Saturday. A corrupt court system.

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The president-elect also leaned into his argument that the case was politically motivated.

There has never been a President who was so evilly and illegally treated as I. Corrupt Democrat judges and prosecutors have gone against a political opponent of a President, ME, at levels of injustice never seen before, Trump wrote in a second post.

Corrupt judges, or judges so blinded by their hatred of me and my political ideology to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, are making a mockery of the United States Judicial System, and the World is watching in disgust, he added.

Trump invoked his win against Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith in vowing to appeal the case. Smith dismissed both the 2020 election interference case and classified documents case against the president-elect after he defeated Vice President Harris in the 2024 election, citing a standing DOJ policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

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Deranged Jack Smith, the evil and sinister prosecutor appointed by Crooked Joe Biden to take me down, was found to be illegally appointed by a CORRUPT DOJ and FBI, and all of his many charges against me were dropped or dismissed, he wrote Saturday. His illegal raid of my home, Mar-a-Lago, will go down as one of the dirtiest tricks ever perpetrated by one candidate, a dumb as a rock, Sleepy Joe Biden, on another.

Trump added, With all of this said, I still have confidence that the Appellate Courts will bring JUSTICE TO AMERICA!!!

He was originally slated to be sentenced in New York in November. Since the election, his lawyers have argued that his status as president-elect compels the case to be tossed entirely.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 railed against the order for American flags to be flown at half-staff to honor the late President Jimmy Carter, complaining that they will be in that position for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President.

Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Lets see how it plays out, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Friday, and baselessly accused Democrats of being giddy that flags will be at half-staff during his inauguration.

Flying flags at half-staff to honor a late political figure or commemorate an occasion is a tradition that transcends political ideology. Flags are traditionally lowered for 30 days to mourn the death of a current or former U.S. president.

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Under President Joe Bidens proclamation, flags will be at half-staff until a week after Trumps Jan. 20 inauguration. Since ordering the flags lowered is a proclamation that a sitting president makes, Trump wont be able to do anything about it until after he is inaugurated.

Trump had a tense relationship with Carter, who died at age 100 on Dec. 29, though it was markedly less rancorous than his relations with other former Democratic presidents. Trump called Carter the worst president and mocked his presidency while attacking Biden during the 2024 presidential campaign. Carter similarly criticized Trumps behavior and suggested that his 2016 election win was not legitimate, citing Russian interference.

However, after Carters death, Trump wrote a post about him on Truth Social that was devoid of attacks, saying that Carter did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. He has also said that he will attend Carters funeral.

Memorably, Trump has taken issue with flags flying at half-staff to honor a late politician in the past. In 2018, just two days after Sen. John McCains death, Trump had the White House flag raised to full-staff, prompting fierce criticism from Republicans, Democrats and veteran groups. Trump, whose relationship with McCain was infamously strained, eventually relented and ordered the flag to be lowered again.

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Trump was not invited to McCains funeral, and months later complained that he didnt get a thank you for giving the Arizona Republican the kind of funeral he wanted.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The new year is off to a turbulent start  and Donald Trump is only days away from having to confront the kinds of crises he has long been railing against as a candidate and now president-elect.

If the first days of 2025 are any indication, it will be a difficult opening to his presidency. A driver plowed a truck into a crowd of revelers in New Orleans, killing more than a dozen people in what federal authorities are describing as a premeditated act of terrorism. Hours later, authorities were investigating the detonation of a Tesla Cybertruck in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. And that all came after the government said Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached the Treasury Department in a major cybersecurity incident, adding fuel to the fire started by an ongoing breach of U.S. telecom systems by Chinese hackers.

Trump has used the tumult as proof positive of the dark image of a declining nation that he projected on the campaign trail and pledged to reverse  suggesting the attacks, whose main suspects are U.S. citizens, were in fact the byproduct of open borders, erroneously claiming the nations crime rate is at a high and blaming the recent incidents on President Joe Bidens weaknesses domestically and abroad.

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Its the kind of rhetoric that helped propel Trump back to the White House. But he did so from a position out of power. Now, the president-elect is just days away from having to assume responsibility for the various ailments and conflicts he has long and successfully attributed to others  and for which there are no immediate or easy fixes.

This is something Trump made a major point of during the campaign: People dont feel safe and dont feel the current Democratic administration or local administrations in cities and states are really doing enough about it, said Ryan Williams, a Republican strategist and former aide to Mitt Romney.



Its a point he can continue to make until he becomes president. Then hes got a period of time to show people hes changing direction and fixing the problems. And then hell have to deliver solutions, Williams said.

Trump has pledged large-scale mass deportations upon taking office, and he and his advisers have signaled they intend to start with migrants convicted of serious crimes. Trump has also vowed to work with state and local leaders  even Democrats  to cut down on criminal activity in cities.

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But the president-elects assertions about both immigration and crime in the wake of the New Orleans and Las Vegas incidents run counter to reality. Federal authorities have identified the suspect in the deadly New Orleans attack, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, as a U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas. And they have said the suspect in the Las Vegas explosion, Matthew Livelsberger, was an active-duty Army soldier. Authorities do not believe the two incidents are connected.

That Jabbar proclaimed support for ISIS prior to the New Orleans incident undermines Trumps long-touted claim that he defeated the Islamic terrorist group during his first presidency. And despite Trumps repeated claims that crime is at an all-time high, statistics show the homicide rate plummeting across several of the nations major cities, and violent crime more broadly was down last year.

Meanwhile, the recent Chinese-backed hack of the Treasury Department marks the countrys latest intrusion into U.S. cyberspace revealed in recent weeks. It also represents the latest major U.S. counterintelligence failure, following federal officials admission that a Chinese government-linked hacking group known as Salt Typhoon had infiltrated major telecommunications firms and targeted the cell phones of Trump, his then-running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and high-ranking U.S. officials for surveillance.



Trump has seemingly reacted to the latest hack by referring to the U.S. as a laughing stock all over the World! in a Thursday social media post and declaring that [o]nly strength and powerful leadership can reverse the violent erosion of the nations safety and security. While Trump has announced nominations for a large swatch of incoming administration roles, he has not yet announced candidates for leading the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or for top cyber roles at the White House.

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Incoming Trump administration officials have gone into more detail on next steps. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), the incoming national security advisor, earlier this month called for China to face higher costs and consequences for the Salt Typhoon hacks, including the U.S. potentially going on offense against Beijing. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Trumps pick for secretary of state, described the hack as the most disturbing and widespread incursion into our telecommunications systems in the history of the world.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have also been vocal about the need to push back against China for the ongoing hacks. House Homeland Security Committee Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) and House Select Committee on China Chair John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) earlier this month published a joint op-ed for Fox News calling on Trump to use cyber-enabled operations against China in response to Salt Typhoon. Green this week made clear he is also watching the Treasury hack closely, noting the committee was in touch with CISA on the topic.

Chinas state-sponsored hackers remain an urgent threat to our homeland security, Green said in a statement provided to POLITICO. This intrusion into the Treasury Department through a third-party vendor is a clear message from Beijing about its unwavering commitment to undermining our sovereignty, as well as a vital reminder of the importance of collective defense to protect our government networks.

Meanwhile, the incoming Republican chairs of the House Financial Services and the Senate Banking committees sent a letter Thursday to the Treasury Department requesting a briefing on the hack, and House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) separately raised the issue with the agency. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set to be briefed in the coming days on the Treasury Department breach, according to a committee aide.

But the president-elects approach to China threatens to inflame already tense relations between nations as he prepares to pad his administration with China hawks and threatens new tariffs against one of the U.S. largest trading partners. Despite this, Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to his upcoming inauguration, an invitation that was turned down.
In the end, Donald Trump was the one who saved Mike Johnsons gavel Friday during a drama-filled House floor vote for speaker on the opening day of the new Congress.

Then, almost immediately after Trump convinced them to back his man, House hardliners put Johnson on notice: Follow our rules or next time, youre out.

The president-elect managed to persuade Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas to switch their support back to Johnsonafter they had already publicly cast votes against the Louisiana Republican, which was at odds with Trumps wishes. Trump personally called Norman and Self and had an entirely friendly conversation with both lawmakers, a source told the Daily Beast.

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The call took place during the course of a tense, hour-long vote that remained open as Johnson and his alliesand the incoming 47th president of the United Stateswooed and cajoled behind the scenes. The joint effort worked and Johnson was declared speaker again after the House voted 218-215, with all Democrats and a lone GOP dissenter, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, refusing to support Johnson.

Im giving the speaker the benefit of the doubt. The president wanted Mike, Mike got the job so well see, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), who reluctantly supported Johnson, told the Daily Beast on Friday evening.

But Roy and 10 other House Freedom Caucus leaders are making it clear they wont be afraid to boot Johnson from his job if he doesnt follow through with his promise to carry out a conservative agenda.

Today, the Board of the House Freedom Caucus released the attached letter to their Republican colleagues regarding today's vote for Speaker. pic.twitter.com/lV1ZLnT0aC  House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) January 3, 2025

Personalities can be debated later, but right now there is zero room for error on the policies the American people demanded when they voted for President Trumpthe ones necessary to save the country, the group wrote in a letter to the speaker laying out their demands. We demand the House of Representatives deliverquickly.

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The lawmakers wrote that they opted to back Johnson despite our sincere reservations, but felt it was necessary to ensure the timely certification of [Trumps] electors.

Congress is scheduled to fulfill its constitutional duty to certify the 2024 presidential election results on Monday, Jan. 6. Had that been delayed by speaker upheaval, Trumps inauguration plans could well have been upended.

The demands of the Freedom Caucus range from offsets for spending, adding additional work days to the House calendar and ending stock trading for lawmakers to eliminating the Biden-Harris student loan debt forgiveness. Several of the requests are unlikely to fly with moderate members of the GOP conference.

Multiple members of the far-right caucus helped lead the efforts to oust Johnsons predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and have warned the speaker that he could be next.

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Roy said Johnson seemed open to some of their demands, but remains skeptical he will deliver.

I mean, [open] ish, the bearded GOP Texan said, adding, theres always the reservations. He railed against Johnson for working with Democrats to fund the federal government, which he said allowed for $300 billion in additional deficit spending and resulted in a cluster-crap show in the days leading up to Christmas.

So to say the leash is short is an understatement when it comes to whether that kind of stuff can happen, Roy told reporters.

Sources close to Johnson told the Beast that he was not open to backroom deals to secure the votes needed to keep his job. But conservative critics applauded him for being amenable to including them in the reconciliation processa mechanism to bypass the filibuster in the Senate in order to pass key parts of their agenda, which is expected to be a difficult lift with the House GOPs tightest of margins.

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In addition to Norman and Self flipping their votes, six Republican lawmakers opted not to vote at all on Friday when their names were initially called. Ultimately they backed Johnson on the first ballot, leaving Massie as the sole dissenter. But the nine of them sought to send a signal that they have the numbers to successfully put forward a motion to vacate Johnson from his leadership position under the new rules.

Mike has the right motives, but theres no real time to get this wrong. So we better get spending cuts. We better get the border secure, or, you know, well have to have future conversations, Roy told the Beast. Its a new year, theres a new structure now with the trifectaHouse, White House and the Senate.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) gave Trump some credit for calling off the rebels, but said Johnsons meetings with potential defectors also helped sway mindsincluding his own.

I think it was very good work by the speaker and other folks meeting individually with the people. Sometimes thats the best way to deal with people, he told the Beast. Philosophically, I think that the speaker came to some kind of meeting of the minds with those folksFreedom Caucus, conservative folks.

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Trump repeatedly made it clear Johnson was his pick. Senior Republicans in his orbit warned of potential repercussions for members if a drawn-out speaker race led to delays in the certification of the election and his congressional allies ability to bring key pieces of legislation to the floor.

And Johnsons success, winning on the first ballot, also provides a much-needed win for Trump as he looks to retain his grip on the party after conservative firebrands tanked his preferred short-term spending bill in December, and then a handful of Senate Republicans forced his initial attorney general nominee, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), to withdraw from consideration.

I want Speaker Johnson to be successful, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), who signed the Freedom Caucus threat letter to Johnson, told the Beast. But he acknowledged that so far this Congress, the speaker only has his power because of Trumps actions on Friday.

Without the president I dont think that would have gone through, Crane said of the vote confirming Johnson as speaker.

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.
Nancy Mace got Trump on the phone to persuade holdout Republicans to support Mike Johnsons speakership, according to The Washington Post. After Republicans Ralph Norman and Keith Self initially opposed Johnson, Representative Nancy Mace called Donald Trump directly and then passed the phone to her two colleagues. Norman and Self then spoke to Johnson before flipping their votes to him to give him the 218 votes needed for speaker.

Self told reporters he had a lively phone call with the president-elect. We shored up the reconciliation team because we know that this will be a heavy lift to get the Trump agenda across the line in the reconciliation package. Thats all we did, said Self, according to CNNs Manu Raju. Trump publicly congratulated Johnson on Truth Social following the vote.

What exactly convinced these congressmen to change their votes in 30 minutes remains to be seen. But even with this flip, the Republican infighting seems to be just getting started.
The Director General of Police in Chennai refuted any claims being made on the statements to the SIT, or seizing of any electronic gadgets or identifying another accused, clarifying that any such statements are 'false and without any basis.' A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate the alleged sexual assault case at Anna University conducted searches at the residence of one of the accused on Saturday. "It is to clarify that SIT or any other competent authority has not issued any statements or comments to any individual or media about the progress of investigation of the cases," read a statement by the office of the DGP. According to the Director General of Police in Tamil Nadu, the team, headed by Bhukya Sneha, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anna Nagar is currently conducting their investigation. "As per the orders of the Hon'ble High Court of Madras, an all women Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Dr Bhukya Sneha, IPS, Deputy Commissioner Of Police, Anna Nagar, Chennai has been constituted to investigate the cases in connection with sexual assault of girl student at Anna University Chennai. The SIT is currently conducting investigation into the cases," read a statement by the office of the DGP. The statement further cautioned against any such 'unsubstantiated forums' making claims on the progress of the investigation. "In the meantime, some news channels and social media platforms have telecast/published certain information in the public domain commenting on the alleged leads/progress in the investigation by the SIT," the statement read. Elaborating on the claims being made, the DGP's office added, "In particular, these unsubstantiated forums claim that "victim girl has given statement before the SIT narrating about accused allegedly speaking to one SIR", that "SIT has allegedly seized electronic gadgets from accused which is claimed to have contained obscene contents of the victim girl", that "one person from Tiruppur is allegedly also identified as accused in the case", etc." Chennai police said that such baseless claims creates 'confusion among the public' and also 'adversely affects the free and fair investigation process.' "The information and contents being circulated in public domain about the developments and progress of the investigation of the cases by SIT is completely false and without any basis. The baseless and speculative information about the investigation of the cases by SIT not only creates confusion among the public but also has the potential to adversely affect the free and fair investigation process," read the statement. Chennai Police urged media houses, individuals, social media influencers and anyone else to desist from speculating on the outcome of the investigation. (ANI)
President-elect Donald Trump chose Tammy Bruce, a longtime Fox News contributor, for State Department spokesperson.

The pick continues Trumps trend of turning to the conservative-leaning cable network for positions in his next administration, including former Fox News host Pete Hegseth for the chief Pentagon job.

The department spokesperson does not require Senate confirmation, but its nonetheless one of U.S. diplomacys most publicly visible positions. Foreign governments closely watch the spokespersons regular televised briefings to track changes in U.S. policy. During the first Trump administration, there were long stretches in which the spokesperson did not hold briefings, frustrating foreign capitals as well as journalists.

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Bruces online bios describe her as a former liberal activist who worked on Democratic campaigns before turning solidly to the right. The Los Angeles native has written a number of books, including the recent Fear Itself: Exposing the Lefts Mind-Killing Agenda.

In his late Friday announcement on social media, Trump described Bruce as a highly respected political analyst who understood the power and importance of MAGA early on.

As one of the longest serving News Contributors, Tammy has brought TRUTH to the American People for over two decades. I know she will bring that same strength of conviction and fearless spirit to her new position as State Department Spokesperson, Trump wrote.

Bruce is one of several Fox News-affiliated figures that Trump has turned to as hes sought to fill his incoming administration. His first term State Department spokespersons Heather Nauert and Morgan Ortagus also had connections to the conservative-leaning network.

Bruces role at the network has ended now that shes joining the Trump administration. Tammy Bruce has been an extremely valued contributor at FOX News Media for nearly 20 years and we wish her all the best in her new role, the network said in a statement.
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated the founder of Miamis Leon Medical Centers to be the countrys next ambassador to Spain.

Benjamin Leon Jr., 80, who donated a hefty amount to Trumps reelection campaign, is the latest Floridian to be tapped by Trump for a position in his administration. The U.S. Senate will need to confirm Leons appointment before he can serve as one of the countrys top diplomats.

Benjamin is a highly successful entrepreneur, equestrian, and philanthropist. He came to the U.S. from Communist Cuba at 16-years-old, with only Five Dollars in his pocket, and proceeded to build his company, Leon Medical Centers, into an incredible business, Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, this week while announcing the nomination.

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The Miami Herald has contacted Leon through his spokesperson to ask for comment.

Who is Benjamin Leon, Jr.?

Born in Cuba, Leons family has a long legacy of providing healthcare in Miami. Leon arrived to Miami in 1961 at 16. A few years later, his father helped establish Miamis first prepaid medical center in 1964 to provide care for newly arrived Cuban exiles, according to his online biography. Later, the two founded Clinica Asociacion Cubana, which became Floridas first licensed HMO, essentially a one-stop shop for healthcare.

But Leon is most well known for founding Leon Medical Centers in 1996 to provide primary, specialty, pharmacy and other care for Miamis seniors. His health empire is now one of the largest healthcare institutions in Florida, caring for more than 40,000 Medicare patients across Miami-Dade County, including in Miami, Hialeah, Kendall, Westchester and Homestead, with several centers, a fleet of vans to transport seniors and Leon Health, a Medicare Advantage Health plan that works with Leon Medical Centers.

Last year, he received the 2024 Dr. Ramiro Collazo Outstanding Citizen Award from the Miami Cuban Lions Club for his decades of service to the community, just like his father did years ago, for supporting nonprofits, medical and nursing educational institutions, and community projects related to the Cuban exile.

Benjamin Leon Jr. accepts the 2024 Dr. Ramiro Collazo Outstanding Citizen Award from the Miami Cuban Lions Club during a luncheon held at the Renaissance Ballroom on Sunday, April 14, 2024.

He recently gave Florida International University a $10 million gift for the new home of FIUs CasaCuba, a Cuban cultural and academic center, and also helped support the creation of the Benjamin Leon Center for Geriatric Research and Education at FIUs medical school and the Miami Dade College Benjamin Leon School of Nursing. Hes supported causes like La Liga Contra el Cancer and medical research at Johns Hopkins and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, according to Trump.

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READ NEXT: FIU gets $10 million for academic center that will honor the Cuban community

Prominent Cuban American community leaders in South Florida, including Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega and U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart congratulated the health giant on X, formerly known as Twitter.

As an outstanding member of the exiled Cuban-American community, he consistently gives back, advocating for freedom and standing up for those who are oppressed. Benjamin embodies the American dream and is a true patriot who will represent U.S. interests with great honor in Spain, Diaz-Balart wrote on X, calling Leon a true titan in the healthcare field.

Congratulations to my dear friend, Benjamin Leon Jr., a true titan in the healthcare field, who is making a profound difference in the lives of seniors and families in Miami-Dade County.



As an outstanding member of the exiled Cuban-American community, he consistently gives pic.twitter.com/GnC7vVO2Sa  Mario Diaz-Balart (@MarioDB) January 3, 2025

Leon, who divides his time between his home in Key Biscayne and his farm in Ocala, is also a real estate investor, with a swath of commercial and residential properties. A firm led by Leon recently sold a waterfront mansion on Key Biscayne to the owners of Estrella Insurance for $13.95 million, according to the South Florida Business Journal.

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Hes donated thousands to politicians and political committees over the years and recently spent about $2.8 million to send Trump back to the White House this election cycle, according to Florida Politics. Hes made donations to other political candidates, including Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio; Republican U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar; Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz; Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, a Democrat; and a political committee of Republican Doral Mayor Christi Fraga, who easily won reelection in November, according to Florida Politics.

Trump nominates other Floridians for federal roles

Since winning the election, Trump has announced more than a dozen picks for key positions and high-profile roles in his administration. Besides Leon, several others have come from the Sunshine State, where Trump lives.

This includes Rubio, who was nominated for secretary of state; longtime political operative Susie Wiles for chief of staff; and former state Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was picked to be Trumps nominee for U.S. attorney general after his first pick, Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration after new details emerged from old allegations of sexual misconduct. Former Florida congressman Dr. Dave Weldon was nominated to lead the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the countrys top public health agency. Recently, Trump also nominated Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Cabrera, who represents parts of Coral Gables, Hialeah and Miami, to be the next ambassador to Panama.

READ MORE: Its Floridas time. Sunshine State residents rising to power in Trumps D.C.
Donald Trump, despite learning Friday that he would not be given prison time, probation, or even a fine as a result of his felony conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records, still found a way to complain about the judge who made that decision.

Taking to Truth Social, the unrepentant president-elect criticized New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who said earlier he plans to order an unconditional discharge for Trump, which requires no obligations.

In typical fashion, Trump made the sweepingand unsupportedclaim that every legal scholar and pundit has unequivocally stated that the Manhattan D.A.s Witch Hunt is a nonexistent case.

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This illegitimate political attack is nothing but a Rigged Charade, Trump continued. Acting Justice Merchan, who is a radical partisan, just issued another order that is knowingly unlawful, goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it.

Merchan, who is expected to give the unconditional discharge on Jan. 10, in his court order Friday called out Trump for his continual attacks on him, his family, and prosecutors.

Defendants disdain for the Third Branch of government, whether state or federal, in New York or elsewhere, is a matter of public record, Merchan wrote. Indeed, Defendant has gone to great lengths to broadcast on social media and other forums his lack of respect for judges, juries, grand juries and the justice system as a whole.

Fridays posts were more of the same.
After clinching the presidency, Donald Trumps string of legal woes appear to be all but behind him  but the president-elect slammed the justice system he contends unfairly targeted him after the New York judge overseeing his case scheduled his sentencing.

There has never been a President who was so evilly and illegally treated as I, the president-elect said Saturday as part of a slew of social media posts. Corrupt Democrat judges and prosecutors have gone against a political opponent of a President, ME, at levels of injustice never seen before.

Trumps flurry of posts came after Justice Juan Merchan on Friday stated Trump will be sentenced on Jan. 10 for his criminal hush money conviction  but also forecasted that the president-elect, who is set to take the White House in about two weeks, will not face jail time.

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Trump was once the subject of four simultaneous criminal cases, but those began to fall away following Trumps decisive electoral victory in November after a campaign built in part on a narrative that Trump had been a victim of lawfare perpetrated by his Democratic political enemies. The New York hush money case, for which a jury last year convicted Trump of 34 counts of falsifying business records, is the only one that will stick with a criminal conviction on his record.

Still, Trump on Saturday maintained that he never falsified business records, calling the case a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME!

He added that Merchan should be disbarred!

The president-elect also slammed New Yorks justice system in particular as corrupt and said its crooked courts are why people, and companies, are FLEEING his home state.

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A New York-based appeals court on Monday upheld a $5 million civil verdict against Trump for sexual abuse and defamation claims brought by E. Jean Carroll, writing in a 77-page opinion that [T]he jury could reasonably infer  that Mr. Trump engaged in similar conduct with other women  a pattern of abrupt, nonconsensual, and physical advances on women he barely knew.

The woman I never met (celebrity photo lines from 30 years ago dont count!), who was awarded almost $100,000,000, Trump said Saturday of Carroll, whom a jury ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million over defamatory remarks he made about her. He called the judge presiding over that case, Lewis Kaplan, A totally out of control, Trump hating judge.

Corrupt judges, or judges so blinded by their hatred of me and my political ideology to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, are making a mockery of the United States Judicial System, and the World is watching in disgust, Trump said.

The president-elect has vowed to overhaul the Justice Department, one of the three pillars of the so-called government deep state Trump and his supporters contend are clandestinely maneuvering to stifle his agenda. He tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to lead the agency, which will be essential as Trump attempts to enact the sweeping policies he ran on, including mass deportations.
Washington is geared up for a big debate over trillions of dollars in tax cuts. Its going to be long, slow and messy.

As the utter chaos that erupted as lawmakers struggled to write a year-end bill to fund the government demonstrated, the GOP has a tenuous grip on the House. President-elect Donald Trump has a penchant for chaos. And Republicans are at odds over a long list of issues, beginning with whether they should take up tax first this year or immigration.

After weeks of negotiations, it looks like theyll begin with the border. Here are the big issues theyll have to resolve when they turn to taxes:

The price tag

Perhaps the biggest, hardest, and so far unanswered question is how much to spend.

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Deficit concerns are running hot in the House, where many Republicans say a tax bill ought to be completely paid for. Thats anathema to party heavyweights like House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), not least because it would be extremely difficult to find enough offsets to cover the projected $4 trillion cost.

Lawmakers could split the difference, and just pay for part of it. Its possible they would decide that only certain types of provisions have to be offset.



Crapo says extending current policy, like the tax cuts from Trumps first term that are set to expire at the end of this year, shouldnt cost anything. Nor should what he calls pro-growth provisions  leaving only new ideas that dont do much for the economy needing offsets.

Lawmakers havent really begun wrestling with this question in earnest, though, and it could take a long time to sort out. But they can at least start hashing out a plan with only a rough idea of how much theyll ultimately spend.

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Back in 2017, when they passed Trumps plan, it took Republicans months to settle on the original $1.5 trillion price tag for their tax cuts.

The losers

If Republicans decide to pay for at least some of their plans, the question then becomes whos a winner and whos a loser  and thats something seemingly everyone is already focused on, from Capitol Hill, to K Street and beyond.

Republicans have already offered a long list of possibilities: higher tariffs, increasing the college endowment tax, cutting green energy credits, rescinding IRS funding, cutting other government spending, among many others.

Theres a chicken-and-egg quality to the debate though, because its hard to know how much they need to raise when they havent decided how much to spend. And lawmakers will be subject to furious lobbying by those worried theyre on the menu.

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Even once lawmakers settle on the bills price tag, Republicans may be tight-lipped about what exactly they have in mind for offsets. Lawmakers typically dont like to let their proposals, especially ones calling for higher taxes on some people or organizations, to sit out in public for long, for fear opposition will coalesce and sink them.

And there will probably be some surprises. Tax staffers have been known to keep secret payfors in their back pockets that arent revealed until virtually the last minute.

Move the goal posts

If Republicans decide not to worry too much about the price tag, one way to paper over the projected hit to the deficit would be to change the yardstick used to measure the cost of their plans.

Normally, bills are compared to whats in the law now, which would require taking account the cost of extending the expiring tax cuts. But Crapo wants to instead compare it to current policy, which would mean extending them would appear to cost nothing.

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That would sidestep the need for big payfors and make it easier to extend the provisions for a long time.



But it would be a budget gimmick that wouldnt satisfy some deficit hawks, and it could cause procedural problems in the Senate. Republicans have never used a so-called current policy baseline for a major tax bill before, and some experts say it would allow Democrats to poke holes in GOP plans to use a special process known as reconciliation to push their legislation through on a party-line vote.

The Senates rules for what may go into reconciliation bills are notoriously arcane. There are restrictions against provisions that dont cost anything, or where the price is incidental compared to the scale of change they would make. Interpreting the rules is the job of the Senates parliamentarian, a little-known figure outside the Capitol who will have a big influence over the shape of Republicans plans.

Something shorter

Republicans would like to extend their tax cuts for as long as possible, and 10 years has become the norm. But lawmakers could drastically reduce costs, and the need for payfors, by adopting a shorter extension.

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Rolling over the full slate of the 40 or so provisions due to expire would cost roughly $400 billion per year, according to budget analysts. While a shorter extension might reduce sticker shock, it would also seriously disappoint many Republicans.

Smith is already coming out against this idea, saying he wants to re-up them for as long as possible. Lawmakers could also do a combination, where some provisions get longer renewals than others, and maybe some are allowed to expire as scheduled  though there would then be a fight over which ones should get the better treatment.

The budget

Speaking of reconciliation, Republicans cant use the fast-track procedure without first agreeing on an overall federal budget, and that could be tricky given the focus these days on the deficit.

Budgets used to be a big deal in Congress, with Republicans using them to show, at least on paper, how theyd put the governments books in order. When former Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was running the House Budget Committee, he elevated the annual budget to a glossy, high-profile mission statement for the party.

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Lately, though, lawmakers have taken to adopting so-called shell budgets that dont do much except allow lawmakers to move on to reconciliation. Thats where Republicans appear to be headed, but its not certain that everyone will be fine with approving a dummy budget.

Overloading the circuits

Congress schedule is packed, and Republicans arent necessarily doing themselves any favors by only extending government funding until March. That means theyll probably have yet another fight over annual appropriations then, even as theyre likely tackling a sweeping immigration plan that could also address energy and defense.

Theyll have to raise the debt limit too, after a last-minute bid by Trump to increase it before he comes into office, was rejected. And Republicans are promising to also cut mandatory spending by $2.5 trillion. If any of those things get bogged down, that could push off the tax debate even further.

Some also wonder what it will mean for tax negotiations if lawmakers come into the debate already bruised and feeling sore about previous fights.



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Can you immediately turn around and do another bill and break even more arms? asked one Republican lobbyist, who asked not to be named so he could talk freely.

Already, Trump is publicly bashing Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), an influential member of the House Freedom Caucus, because of his opposition to Trumps call to hike the debt limit without cutting spending.

Mix-and-match

The debate over whether Republicans should tackle immigration or taxes first has obscured the possibility that a border bill could carry some tax provisions. Its conceivable that Trump might want an early win on some of the new tax cuts he proposed on the campaign trail, especially if it looks like the schedule for taking up the fate of the 2017 provisions is slipping.

It might also be a way to move along some of Trumps proposals, like the one excusing tips from taxes, without adding to the cost of extending the expiring cuts. At the same time, though, money in the border plan could be tight, and there may not be space for tax.

Theyre all Joe Manchin now

Trump has proposed a long list of new tax cuts, of course, but Republicans tiny margins mean rank-and-file members will have the leverage to demand their own pet provisions.

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Smith has already signaled hes ready to deal on the $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions, amid pressure from colleagues representing high-tax states. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) recently proposed a big, pricey increase in the child credit, to a maximum $5,000, from the current $2,000, per kid. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), meanwhile, just rolled out a plan seconding Trumps bid to cut income taxes on Americans living abroad.

There will only be more as the debate heats up, and a key challenge for party leaders will be figuring out how to contain what could be mushrooming demands from their colleagues that would wreck their budget numbers.
Editor's note: Letters to the editor reflect the views of individual readers. Scroll to the bottom to see how you can add your voice, whether you agree or disagree. We welcome diverse viewpoints.

Re:  Dear Democrats: I survived the Biden administration. You'll survive Trump, by Cameron Smith, Dec. 18 (online) and Dec. 22 (print).

Whats next for the U.S.?

Most Americans are either delighted or fearful of the future as pointed out by the three different angles posted on Dec. 22 on The Tennesseans Insight section cover.

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I happen to be one of those taking a wait-and-see attitude. While Ive been skeptical of Republican policies ever since being denied health insurance years before the Affordable Care Act, Im now hopeful this administration can accomplish debt reduction, better insurance options, and insuring protection from bad business and foreign enemies.

Cameron Smith writes that we should come back to reality about Trumps true intentions and realize its just pure bluff. I see no evidence of bluffing, hes already sued ABC and is now going after the Iowa polls that posted Vice President Kamala Harris as being ahead in that state. Thats a start, and it certainly looks like a way to control any future negative Press.

Im also concerned about Elons influence on X and how the relationship with Trump will play out over the next four years. I like the idea of cutting costs, moving towards a balanced budget, and reducing dept.

De-regulating sounds great for business and will certainly make them more profitable but why were some of the regulations put in place to begin with?

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The assumption that big business will not take short cuts that could potentially harm the public is naive. They will always have the bottom line as their most important goal and will only change procedure if theres an incident.

And then there are the Cabinet and ambassador assignments that clearly show that loyalty is paramount, but Im hopeful they are smart and will make this country better, but I have reservations about some nominees like, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., (anti vaccine) for secretary of Health and Human Services, Pete Hegseth (Major in the Reserves and war veteran) for secretary of Defense, and Hershel Walker (Retired NFL) for ambassador to the Bahamas. Those are only a few, but none of them have any experience running an area of responsibility that large.

Trumps bluffing has in recent days suggested he wants to take over the Panama Canal and hes joked about Canada becoming our 51st state. Whats next?

Michael Alligood, Franklin 37064

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Agree or disagree? Or have a view on another topic entirely? Send a letter of 250 words or fewer to letters@tennessean.com. Include your full name, city/town, ZIP and contact information for verification. Thanks for adding to the public conversation.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Trump campaign promises can't all be serious. Or can they?
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  On Friday, Jan. 3, District 2 supervisor Chris Parlier was back at the Edison Mobile Home Park speaking with residents and offering assistance.

Parliers office has been leading the charge in helping residents, even though the park falls under State jurisdiction.

The park has been without power since Dec. 8, when a three trailer fire took out the power, killed two women, and sparked a homicide investigation with the Kern County Sheriffs Office. Residents have been running some power off of generators while getting food and water when they possible.



Just after Christmas, County Supervisor Chris Parlier sent Flood Ministries to the park to provide assistance to residents. Flood Ministries has been providing hot showers, taking headcounts of people who need shelter and those in need of temporary housing.



Chris Parlier was at the park on Sunday and returned again Friday.

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The county is really doing everything it can with all of our partners, Parlier said. This area falls under responsibility with HCD and were really trying to get them to the table to be able to do the things we should be able to do.

Total number of homicides in Kern County drops to lowest yearly rate in a decade

According to Parlier, the state department, housing and community development, or HCD has jurisdiction over the park.

Look, were trying to help out any way we can. If it was just a normal property and not under state jurisdiction we would probably already have this park cleared out, and these folks into resources, said Parlier. We cannot redtag it like we normally would through code enforcement that has to be done with HCD.



Flood Ministries has been leading the charge on helping park residents but through Parliers office, multiple other organizations are getting involved. Public health, human services, behavioral health, and aging and adult services are some examples of those getting involved.



In an email, an HCD spokesperson passed the buck to the private owner of the park to turn the power on, who is an Los Angeles County resident and hasnt responded to any calls for comment.

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The county has the authority to take the owner to court to turn the power on, but has not confirmed if that is the plan yet.

On Jan. 10, several Kern County organizations will be in Edison to offer any type of assistance.

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More than 470 people have been hospitalized with the flu this season in the Portland area, and two children in Oregon have died. (Christine Torres Hicks/OHSU)

Two children died of the flu in Oregon over Christmas week, the first such pediatric deaths in the state in two years, according to state health officials.

Theyre among 11 deaths of children from the flu nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every year, the flu kills hundreds of people in Oregon, with the CDC showing 370 deaths in the state 2022, the latest year available. But pediatric deaths are relatively rare, said Dr. Paul Cieslak, head of infectious diseases and vaccinations at the Oregon Health Authority.

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No children in Oregon died from the flu last year or in the 2021-22 and 2020-21 seasons, but three died during 2022-23 and four died during the 2019-20 season, state data shows.

The last flu season was particularly deadly for children across the country, with 206 dying from the flu, marking a new high from 2019-20 when 199 children died, the CDC said. But some years are much less severe, with 49 deaths in 2021-22 and only one the previous flu season.

Get a shot

To get a flu shot, go to vaccines.gov, call 211 or go to 211info.org.

Cieslak declined to provide any details about the Oregon kids who died, saying during a Friday news conference only that they were younger than 18 and died the week of Dec. 22 to 28. Their deaths were cited in the latest edition of the health authoritys weekly flu update that tracks hospitalizations in the Portland area. The newsletter said currently 146 people are hospitalized in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties with the flu. Cieslak said more than 470 have been hospitalized this season in the Portland area.

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The flu season started at the beginning of October, and Cieslak said its been an average year, noting that every year takes a toll.

Virtually every season, we see hospitals filling up with patients to overflowing, Cieslak said, And this year is no exception.

The flu shot this year appears to be fairly effective against about 75% of the strains circulating, according to the CDC. The vaccine is not that effective against the influenza A strain, which is fairly dominant this year, but that strain is the least serious. Cieslak said the shot appears to be a good match for the H3N2 strain.

A little over half of the cases are the H3N2, which is the worst type, Cieslak said.

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Very young children and the elderly are the most vulnerable to becoming severely ill from the virus, with older adults accounting for many of the deaths. The flu shot can be given to anyone at least 6 months old, and Cieslak urged those eligible to get vaccinated.

Every season we do see our children being hospitalized with influenza, Cieslak said. But everybodys at risk.

Yet only a minority of Oregonians ever get a flu shot. Cieslak said that flu vaccinations are down 4% this season, with 26% of those eligible getting a shot. But its still not too late to get vaccinated, he said.

There are probably 10 or 12 weeks of influenza season left to go, Cieslak said. We would definitely recommend protecting yourself against it.

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He said it looks like the flu season is peaking in Oregon while cases of RSV or respiratory syncytial virus are increasing. COVID-19 cases have been steady, though people with COVID are not filling up hospitals as theyve done in the past. Cieslak said thats probably because Oregonians have a high level of immunity from illness and getting shots and boosters.

Cieslak advised Oregonians to take the usual precautions if they get sick. Stay home, stay away from others, cover your cough and wash your hands. He said masking can help as well, and he advised people to be aware of seniors with chronic conditions, who are the most susceptible to severe illness from respiratory infections. At the first sign of symptoms, he said to get them to a provider.

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Amid the row over a new college going to be built in the name of Veer Savarkar in Delhi and Congress demanding it to be named after late Manmohan Singh, Uttar Pradesh minister Jaiveer Singh said that Centre has given full respect to the former prime minister and will continue to do so. Jaiveer Singh said, "Our government is building a memorial in the name of Dr Manmohan Singh. The central government has given full respect, seven days of national mourning was declared. Dr Manmohan Singh has made a significant contribution in strengthening the country's economy, the Government of India has given him respect and will continue to do so." Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually laid the foundation stone for Veer Savarkar College in Najafgarh. Earlier, addressing a public meeting in Ashok Vihar's Ramlila Ground, PM Modi said, "A new college in the name of Veer Savarkar is going to be built in Najafgarh... Those who have been in power in Delhi for the last 10 years - have damaged school education. The money that the central government has given to Delhi - the current govt of Delhi hasn't even spent half of that money in education..." BJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan also slammed the Congress and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. Kesavan told ANI that it will be a "befitting" and "significant" tribute in the country's capital by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to one of Bharat's bravest patriots and staunchest nationalists, "Swatantrya" Veer Savarkar. "The daring manner in which he valiantly opposed British brutality and how he courageously fought against colonial injustice continues to serve as a sterling inspiration to coming generations, especially our youth," he told ANI. (ANI)
(KRON)  A pair of cousins in Santa Rosa will spend the rest of their lives in prison after they were both convicted of sexually assaulting young girls, the Sonoma County District Attorneys Office said.

Giovany Neftali Barrientos-Perez will serve 500 years to life and Bayron Vasquez will serve 485 years to life. They were convicted of a combined 43 counts of child molestation.

Mr. Barrientos-Perez and Mr. Vasquez engaged in a horrific pattern of conduct that would never have been uncovered without the bravery of the victims, DA Carla Rodriguez said.

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White mans world: Sheriffs attorney blasts her critics

An investigation into the two men began in 2019. An employee at a Santa Rosa school told police that a student reported being sexually assaulted.

The Santa Rosa Police Department investigated Barrientos-Perez, Vazquez and a third suspect for years. The assaults happened between 2010 and 2021. All three suspects were arrested in March 2022.

Vazquez was charged with molesting four girls and Barrientos-Perez was accused of molesting two. All four victims testified, alleging grooming, manipulation, and sexual abuse.

The third suspect resolved her case in 2022 and was sentenced to six years in prison.

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The guilty verdicts include forcible rape of a child, and at least one victim was younger than 11. Judge Mark Urioste called the case one of the most terrible set of circumstances he had seen in his professional career.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Jan. 4The Centralia Police Department arrested two Idaho residents on Friday after receiving information that they, along with one other person, were attempting to sell firearms and marijuana, according to a news release from the department.

Ariana E. Clark and Garrett R. Severson, both 23, were arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail after officers "coordinated the return of the suspects" to Centralia "under the guise that the trio would be able to sell the firearms and controlled substances in their possession," according to the release.

No information was released on the third suspect.

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At about noon on Friday, "Centralia patrol officers received the report that a female and two males were in Centralia attempting to sell firearms and large amounts of marijuana," according to the release. "Utilizing Flock Safety cameras, officers investigated the vehicle that the subjects were driving and developed suspicion that it may be an unreported stolen vehicle, as the owner was out of state and on vacation."

The vehicle was later confirmed to have been stolen during a reported carjacking that occurred in Meridian, Idaho, according to the release.

Clark and Severson were arrested after officers conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle as they returned to Centralia to complete the sale, police said.

A search warrant was executed on the vehicle, which led to the discovery of two semi-automatic rifles, a shotgun, four semi-automatic handguns  one of which was a non-serialized "ghost gun")  and ammunition, according to the release.

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"At this time, one of the firearms has been confirmed to be stolen, and the origin of the other firearms is currently under investigation," police stated. "Additionally, a large quantity of marijuana and quantities of other narcotics were discovered in the vehicle."

Clark and Severson are both expected to face charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. Severson, a convicted felon, is also facing a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm."

Additional charges could be added.

"We would like to express our gratitude to our partners at the Lewis County Sheriff's Office and the Washington State Patrol for assisting in the safe apprehension of these dangerous suspects," Centralia police stated in the release. "The community is safer when we work together."
PARIS (Reuters) - Two men have been arrested after French police seized more than two tonnes of cocaine with an estimated value of 130 million euros ($134 million) at the port of Le Havre, said police on Saturday.

WHY IT MATTERS:

France and other European governments are trying to clamp down on drug trafficking gangs, and the fatal shootings that often result from inter-gang warfare.

Last year, the European Union launched a drive with European port authorities to tackle drug smuggling at major port cities.

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CONTEXT:

New French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou and the country's interior minister Bruno Retailleau have also pledged tougher action against drug gangs and crime in general.

KEY QUOTE:

"We are stepping up, day by day, our war against drug trafficking, thanks to the exceptional work done by our agents," said Retailleau on social media X, as he congratulated the French police on their operation at Le Havre.

($1 = 0.9701 euros)

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Gilles Guillaume; Editing by Toby Chopra)
MONONA, Wis. (WFRV)  Two Wisconsin men were arrested Thursday night following a lengthy police pursuit through Dane County.

According to Monona police, the incident began shortly after 11:15 p.m. on Jan. 2, when officers received a report of a vehicle entering Monona that had previously fled from Madison police.

UPDATE: Man dies after being taken into custody in Wisconsin

Officers located the vehicle as a Madison police squad car initiated a traffic stop on E. Broadway near Highway 51. The vehicle did not stop, prompting a pursuit under favorable conditions, including limited traffic.

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Monona officers coordinated with nearby agencies to deploy a tire deflation device along the suspects route. The driver, identified as 34-year-old Colin Marquardt, and his passenger, 22-year-old Elisha Strnad, traveled north on Stoughton Road and onto Highway 30, where Maple Bluff police joined the chase.

The pursuit continued onto Interstate 90 before the vehicle exited onto Highway 51 and turned onto Hoepker Road. A tire deflation device successfully slowed the vehicle, causing its wheels and brake components to disintegrate and scatter debris.

(Monona Police Department)

The chase ended on the on-ramp to Highway 151 in Sun Prairie when the vehicle became inoperable. Despite orders to exit, both suspects initially refused to comply.

Officers deployed a police K9 and drone to assist. Marquardt eventually surrendered and was taken into custody, but Strnad continued to resist. Police breached the passenger-side window and forcibly removed him from the vehicle after a brief struggle.

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Authorities found evidence of illegal drug use inside the car. Both men were transported to the Dane County Jail.

Marquardt faces multiple charges, including felony eluding, and is being held for a probation and parole violation. Strnad was arrested for resisting arrest and a parole violation. He was serving community supervision at the time of the incident.

WisDOT revokes licenses for 11 wholesale dealers over odometer fraud, title issues

From our perspective, community supervision does not appear to be working for Mr. Marquardt and Mr. Strnad, said Monona Police Chief Chaney. They have been returned to custody by area law enforcement for further consideration.

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No additional details were provided.

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FOLKSTON, Ga. (WSAV)  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced its final decision to expand the acquisition boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge by approximately 22,000 acres on Friday.

This expansion is a move that could block a potential mining project by an Alabama company, Twin Pines Minerals, which wants to extract titanium and zirconium less than three miles from the refuge. Twin Pines plans to mine so close to the Okefenokee have been a controversial topic since they began attempting to secure permits from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) in 2019.

The expansion would not immediately add the land to the Refuge, but it would allow the Service to work with willing landowners to acquire lands through fee title or conservation easements. These aquations would further protect the Refuges significant freshwater wetland system and wildlife habitat, the FWS said.

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This means that Twin Pines could still deny the buyout of their land.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The expansion also includes a one-mile fuel reduction zone around the refuge boundary and lands located along Trail Ridge outside of the approved acquisition boundary. This buffer will help to reduce wildfire risks for nearby homes and communities.

We appreciate the commitment to conserving this landscape, said refuge manager at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Michael Lusk. This minor expansion will help further conservation efforts for the swamp along with the threatened and endangered species that inhabit it.

Sitting at over 400,000 acres, the Okefenokee is the largest refuge east of the Mississippi, and home to thousands of species including several nearly threatened, threatened and endangered species.

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In a 2024 release, the FWS said that the proposed boundary expansion would strengthen the protection of the hydrological integrity of the Okefenokee and would help provide habitat for the gopher tortoise, mitigate impacts of wildfires and more severe and longer-lasting droughts and provide opportunities for longleaf pine restoration to benefit the threatened red-cockaded woodpecker.

The Service said that during a 55-day public comment period, they received approximately 30,000 comments from people in 36 different countries and all 50 U.S. states. The comments represented the views of 40 non-governmental organizations, one Tribal Nation, seven government officials and the general public.

State officials, scientists and activists have praised the Services expansion plan since the first announcement. This includes Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) who wrote to FWS during the open comment period.

Scientific experts and Federal officials charged with protecting the Okefenokee  such as U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Dr. Rhett Jackson, a leading hydrologist at the University of Georgia  have issued clear warnings about the dangers of threatening the Refuge, including through proposed mining operations that could affect water levels in the swamp, Ossoff said in his letter.

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After the finalized plan was announced, supporters quickly backed the Service in their quick approval.

With the threat of mining adjacent to this refuge imminent, the expansion comes not a moment too soon, Senior Policy Analyst with Defenders of Wildlife Christian Hunt said. We applaud the Service for taking the first step toward a solution that forever protects the refuge and the wildlife that depends on it. Mining simply cannot occur next to a world-class treasure like the Okefenokee.

This comes after the Department of the Interior announced its decision to nominate the Refuge to the UNESCO World Heritage List in December 2024. If designated, the Refuge would join a list of 1,223 cultural and natural sites of universal importance such as the Grand Canyon, Great Wall of China and Taj Mahal.

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge is a landscape of unparalleled beauty and ecological significance. As one of the worlds largest intact freshwater ecosystems, its critical to both science and conservation, said Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz. Being nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage List is a testament to the refuges global value, as a home for wildlife and a vital link to our planets environmental past and future.

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For more information on the expansion, go to fws.gov/refuge/okefenokee.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  A new year and a new advisory from U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.

The 22-page advisory says alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in America after obesity and tobacco use. It outlines data on the relationship between cancer and alcohol and advises Americans of the risk.

According to the advisory, more than 70% of American adults say they had at least one drink a week in 2019-2020, but less than half of adults knew about the risk of alcohol consumption as it relates to cancer.

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I think its definitely long overdue for educating the public on the potential cancer risks of drinking alcohol, particularly in excess or beyond moderation, said Dr. Nicholas DeVito, an assistant professor of medicine at Duke University, who also sees patients with gastrointestinal cancers.

DeVito said health officials have known about the relationship between cancer and alcohol for years.

This has been well known for decades, particularly when it when it relates to things like esophageal cancer, he said. Some of the more recent, but better appreciated in large population studies include breast cancer and colorectal cancer. These links thought before, but more recently its been shown women are increasing risk of breast cancer by drinking outside of that moderation window of one drink per day.

The advisory also says nearly 97,000 cancer cases were connected to alcohol consumption in 2019. The following year, more than 740,000 worldwide cancer cases were connected to consuming alcohol.

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When asked if the old saying of a glass of wine a day being good for you is true, DeVito said, I think that that never had the basis in fact we wanted it to. It certainly sounds good, but there are other confounding factors that can go into that. There are certainly some people who genetically just should not drink alcohol at all for various reasons or avoid it entirely.

The advisory recommends updating warning labels on alcoholic beverages to mention a cancer risk.

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British public health minister Andrew Gwynne urged Elon Musk to stay out of foreign politics after the tech giant repeatedly criticized the United Kingdoms governing party in a series of posts on social platform X, which he owns.

As you rightly point out, Elon Musk is an American citizen and perhaps ought to focus on issues on the other side of the Atlantic, Gwynne said during a Friday appearance on LBC Radio.

Gwynne retorted the Tesla CEOs claims that the U.K.s Labour Party mishandled sexual assault cases while in power.

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Musk criticized Jess Phillips, the minister of safeguarding, for reportedly denying public inquiry requests into large-scale child sexual assaults allegedly undertaken by Pakistani gangs in Rotherham as revealed in reports from social worker Alexis Jay.

Jay said more than 1,000 minors were targeted between the years of 1997 and 2013.

A separate study released in 2022 also purports abuse took place in the town of Oldham from 2011 to 2014.

Look, the grooming issue is a very serious issue. Weve already had inquiries into Telford, into Rotherham, the British minister told listeners.

Weve had a local inquiry commissioned by Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, into the situation here in Greater Manchester, which includes Oldham. Weve had the National Child Sexual Exploitation Inquiry in 2022, which the government is seriously considering a long list of recommendations that was made, Gwynne continued.

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He urged Musk to back off of requests for further investigation.

There comes a point where we dont need more inquiries and had Elon Musk really paid attention to whats been going on in this country, he might have recognized that thereve already been inquiries, he added.

What we need is justice for the victims, and we need to make sure that the criminal justice system follows up and make sure that these atrocious things are never able to happen again.

However, Musk has been supportive of requests to send Phillips to prison over the lack of action taken by the British leader.

In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Services [CPS] approval for the police to charge suspects. Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013, Musk wrote on X.

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Who is the boss of Jess Phillips right now? Keir Stamer. The real reason shes refusing to investigate the rape gangs is that it would obviously lead to the blaming of Keir Starmer (head of the CPS at the time), he added.

Musk also reposted articles from The Telegraph and other outlets that bolstered claims that the government turned a blind eye to child abuse and gang rapes across Britain.

The tech giant has become increasingly vocal on pressing foreign matters in recent weeks ahead of his official appointment to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency in the incoming Trump administration.

Musks comments have sparked backlash while garnering the attention of officials overseas, including Gwynne, whove been disillusioned by his assertions that are often made in support of far-right parties.

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Ukraines defence forces lost control of over 3,600 sq km of territory in 2024, losing more than 20 sq km per day in November. In 2023, they lost a total of about 540 sq km and liberated about 430 sq km.

Source: Ukrainian military news outlet Militarnyi based on data from Deep State

Details: The report in Militarnyi states that the largest losses in 2024 were in Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts.

Militarnyi provides approximate figures for the amount of Ukrainian territory lost by month:

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June  100 sq km per month and 3.4 sq km per day

July  160 sq km per month and 5.2 sq km per day

August  370 sq km per month and 12 sq km per day

September  400 sq km per month and 13.4 sq km per day

October  560 sq km per month and 18.7 sq km per day

November  610 sq km per month and 20.3 sq km per day

December  510 sq km per month and 16.45 sq km per day.

Donetsk Oblast has seen the most intense activity by Russian forces throughout the year.

During the year, the Russians have seized control of more than 2,400 sq km of terrain in the Velyka Novosilka-Ocheretyne area, advancing along the whole length of the Velyka Novosilka-Ocheretyne line. The seized territories had a maximum depth of 45 km. This has reduced the distance to the administrative border with Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to less than 10 km south of Pokrovsk.

During the year, Russian troops have captured at least 335 sq km of terrain in the New York-Siversk area. According to the article, the accuracy of the calculation is made more complex by the existence of a huge grey zone south of Chasiv Yar.

On the Lyman and Kupiansk front, Russian forces have gained control over at least 479 sq km of territory during the year.

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In the north of Kharkiv Oblast, the offensive in May 2024 resulted in Russia gaining control over 211 sq km of territory and 13 settlements. However, the defence forces not only stopped the Russian assault but also regained control of territory in certain areas. Militarnyi reports that as of the end of 2024, Russia's overall operation in the north of Kharkiv Oblast had ended in failure.

In Kherson Oblast, Russia has seized about 95 sq km of territory this year which had been under the control of Ukraines defence forces as of December 2023. The Ukrainian defence forces foothold in the village of Krynky and Russian advances in the surrounding islands account for more than half of the lost territory.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the defence forces have lost control of 97 sq km of territory. Most of this was lost when the Russians regained control of the territories near the village of Robotyne during the Ukrainian defence forces offensive in 2023. Other changes are localised.

Also, the defence forces have improved their tactical position in the area of Kamianske village and taken control of about 5 sq km of territory.

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During the operation in Russias Kursk Oblast, which began in August, the Ukrainian defence forces took control of 1,100 sq km of territory within a month. By the end of the year, Ukraine still controlled about 460 sq km.

Militarnyi predicts that the Russians will continue their efforts to complete the capture of Kurakhove, Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, advance towards the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with the prospect of launching hostilities in the oblast, and expand their control over Donetsk Oblast territory in all directions.

The Russians are expected to step up their efforts to eliminate the Ukrainian defence forces' footholds on the left bank of the Oskil River and expand their own position on the right bank. According to Militarnyi, additional efforts to land on the right bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson or other oblasts will likely stretch the Ukrainian forces' already low reserves. Militarnyi also expects Russia to continue to push Ukrainian forces out of Kursk Oblast and increase firepower along the Ukrainian border.

Previously: Taras Chmut, head of the Come Back Alive Foundation, a Ukrainian non-governmental military charity, noted in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda in December that Russian forces do not have the potential to capture the cities of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro or Kharkiv, but they could take advantage of the chaos in the management of Ukrainian troops and achieve some local victories.

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Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council, has emphasised at the opening ceremony of the Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union that supporting Ukraine must remain the top priority in the near future.

Source: Interfax-Ukraine, citing Costa

Quote: "Ukraine must remain our top priority. This year we must continue to stand with Ukraine  as much as necessary, for as long as it takes, to win a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. International law must prevail, for the freedom of the Ukrainian people and for our common security."

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Details: Costa stressed the need to continue prioritising defence as a strategic focus for the European Union.

Quote: "That is why I have called for an informal meeting of the European Leaders in the beginning of February, dedicated to the topic of defence."

Details: He highlighted the defence-focused priority of the Polish presidency in the Council of the EU.

Quote: "In fact, there is no better time for Polish leadership in the European Union...

The Polish people have been an inspiration and a force of resistance at a time when foreign interference threatens our democratic integrity. Because Poland has been at the forefront of Europes defence capabilities, that we need to develop to protect our countries, our societies, our values."

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Details: Costa reiterated that the European Union was born as a peace project after World War II, saying "we need to strengthen, once again, our security to ensure peace in Europe".

Quote: "We all know that defence is crucial for the present and future of Europe, but it is only one component of our security architecture. As the programme of the Polish presidency rightly focusses, we must address it in a more integrated way."

"European economies will thrive if we assure energy independence through a network of safe interconnections, diversity of sources, reliable partners and our own production. This is why we will reduce energy prices for industry, companies and families. And how we will keep our green transition alive.

The Clean Industrial Deal, which will be presented by the European Commission during this semester, will again make clear that energy prices are a central component of the overall focus on European competitiveness."

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Details: Costa also noted that investments in defence and security "can turn this sector into a real economic engine, creating better and more skilled jobs, developing a more autonomous European industry and technological champions to achieve global competitiveness".

Background:

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that security, energy and competitiveness would be Poland's priorities during its presidency of the European Union, which began on 1 January 2025.

Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has spoken about Ukraine's expectations of Poland's presidency of the European Union.

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The Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti has reported that a Ukrainian drone hit a car on the Donetsk-Horlivka highway, killing Alexander Martemyanov, a freelance correspondent for Izvestia, and injuring five other Russian media representatives.

Source: RIA Novosti

Details: The agency said Izvestia freelancer Alexander Martemyanov was killed when a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone struck a civilian car on the Donetsk-Horlivka highway in the occupied territory of Donetsk Oblast.

Among the injured were RIA Novosti correspondents Maxim Romanenko and Mikhail Kevkhiev.

The agency noted that its correspondents are in a satisfactory condition.

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BJP MP from Northwest Delhi and state general secretary Yogendra Chandolia addressed a press conference on Saturday, alleging that former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ruined Delhi over the past 10 years. He further accused the AAP government of deceiving the innocent people of Delhi to secure victory in the upcoming assembly elections. Chandolia highlighted that while 33 states in the country have implemented the Ayushman Bharat scheme, it has not been introduced in Delhi due to political malice. He criticized Kejriwal's Mohalla Clinics, stating that they have become a refuge for animals and only exist to generate fake statistics. He alleged that Kejriwal's government is manipulating health statistics while government hospitals suffer from a lack of facilities, such as MRI machines, which forces people to endure long waiting periods. He further pointed out that despite Kejriwal's promise to provide ration cards in his 2015 manifesto, not a single card was issued. BJP MP credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for supplying rations to 80 crore people across the country and accused Kejriwal of falsely taking credit for these efforts. He acknowledged the BJP's efforts to pressure Kejriwal into reducing the Power Purchase Adjustment Charges (PPAC) on electricity bills by 50 per cent and assured that a BJP government would aim to abolish surcharges altogether. Chandolia highlighted that the Modi government introduced electric buses in Delhi, helping reduce pollution, which had turned the city into a gas chamber under Kejriwal's neglect. Referring to waterlogging during heavy rain, he stated that Kejriwal's failure to address drainage problems led to the deaths of 62 people, making him solely responsible. Chandolia accused Kejriwal of damaging the Delhi Jal Board over the past ten years, asserting that he has become associated with the tanker mafia. Despite previous accusations against the Sheila Dikshit government regarding water tanker mafias, Chandolia claimed that Kejriwal has now left the citizens of Delhi thirsty. "Kejriwal has turned Delhi into a garbage city," he said alleging that Kejriwal failed to clean the local drains during the three years he controlled the municipal corporation, stating that his promise to remove Delhi's garbage mountains remains unfulfilled. He further criticized the poor condition of the road between Nangloi and Tikri Border, claiming that funds provided by the central government for underpasses and gates were lost due to corruption by AAP MLAs. Issuing a challenge, Chandolia said, "If Arvind Kejriwal cannot prove his allegations that BJP is demolishing slums, he must apologize to all slum dwellers." Yogendra Chandolia stated that the campaign initiated under the leadership of State President Virendra Sachdeva against the Delhi Government has yielded results, leaving the Kejriwal government feeling despondent and sensing its impending defeat. The Northwest Delhi constituency, comprising 10 assembly segments, faces numerous problems, and the citizens are troubled by various issues. District President Ramsiya Sharan, State Spokesperson Shubhendu Shekhar Awasthi, and MP Representative Sudhir Dhankhar attended the press conference. (ANI)
HONOLULU (KHON2)  The Hawaii Department of Health issued a Notice of Violation and Order to Hawaii American Water for discharging liquid waste past the legal amount from the East Honolulu Wastewater Treatment Plant into the Pacific Ocean.

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Ammonia nitrogen discharged from the facility exceeded the limits outlined by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System between August 2022 and April 2024 on 14 separate occasions.

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Ammonia is derived from the breakdown of proteins and amino acids in wastewater. High concentrations of ammonia can have toxic effects on aquatic organisms and contributes to excess nutrients in the water, said Kathleen Ho, deputy director for the Environmental Health Administration. As such, the discharge of ammonia above allowable limits into state waters is unacceptable.

Hawaii experts weigh in: Dealing with chemical burns

The facility also failed to submit the required written noncompliance reports on two occasions.

Hawaii American Water will be required to pay a penalty of $47,750 and implement corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.

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All people in the state, including business owners, government agencies and visitors must comply with Hawaiis environmental protection laws. Failure to comply with water pollution laws may lead to penalties of up to $60,000 per day, per violation.

The DOH Clean Water Branch protect public health and the environment by prohibiting discharges that impair water quality, which keeps the islands waters fishable and swimmable.

Hawaii American Water provided the following statement:

Our Hawaii American Water team is dedicated to providing excellent wastewater service that meets all applicable environmental standards. We are currently reviewing the notice and conducting an analysis of the self-reported exceedances of standards. Based on the analysis, we will work with the Hawaii Department of Health and take appropriate actions related to our treatment plant processes and operations reporting protocols to help ensure compliance.

To view the violation notice, visit the Clean Water Branchs website.

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After what can only be described as the monarchy's most turbulent year since the whole "annus horribilis" saga in the '90s, Prince William has emerged from the ashes of 2024 as the crown's unexpected MVP, channeling his late grandmother's legendary stoicism with precision. In fact, one royal author is calling William the "reincarnation" of Queen Elizabeth.

After both his wife and father were diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of 2024, the Prince of Wales told journalists that it had been "dreadful" and "the hardest year in my life."

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Add in Prince Andrew's Chinese spy scandal and Queen Camilla's bout with ill health at the end of the yearalong with the death of Lady Gabriella Windsor's husband, Thomas Kingstonand you have one difficult 2024. But despite the challenges the Royal Family faced last year, William stepped up to represent the U.K. and take care of Princess Kate, too.

"The Prince of Wales is royaltys new rock, a reincarnation of his late grandmother, the steadfast anchor who changed it up with designer stubble when his wife was out of action, a womans man who unambiguously declared 2024 more than brutal, in fact the toughest year of his life," royal biographer Dr. Tessa Dunlop wrote in the Independent.

Prince William wearing a camo uniform and green beret

Indeed, like his grandmother before him, Prince William has mastered that classic royal move of keeping calm and carrying on. "The nation fell in love with Dianas firstborn all over again," Dunlop wrote. "We had forgotten how tall he is, and how comfortable he is in his own skin."

Last fall, the Prince of Wales said that when it came to juggling royal duties and taking care of his family, trying to "keep everything on track has been really difficult." But any behind-the-scenes struggles were pushed to the side while he tackled homelessness in the U.K., met with world leaders (including Donald Trump) in Paris and led his annual Earthshot Prize ceremony in South Africa.

The way he's handled public engagements latelysteady, dignified, with just the right touch of warmth and humoris like watching The Queen's masterclass in royal leadership play out all over again. Maybe there's something to this whole "reincarnation" business after all.
ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL)  With the expected arctic blast about to hit the region, local road crews are preparing the roads for snow and ice.

Unicoi Countys Road Superintendent Terry Haynes said this snow couldnt have come at a worse time for the county. In the region, many roadways and bridges were damaged or totally wiped out from Hurricane Helene, including in Unicoi County.

We dont have many roads left to salt, of course the flood left us with gravel roads and you cant salt gravel roads, Haynes said. But what weve got, theyve been out putting salt on them in higher elevations.

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Impactful winter weather approaching the area, the time to prepare is now

Haynes believes their infrastructure will be able to withstand the snow, as multiple roads have been built back.

The roads will hold up because we built them out of heavier stone this time. But we do have some asphalt roads that were able to continue pushing snow on and then three or four roads that were not able to get on at all, which are in limbo right now to see what we can get done.

Haynes advises drivers to slow down in the area where Interstate-26 washed away in Erwin and is now open to one lane.

Keep your fingers crossed and hope that we dont have an accident in that one lane. If they have a wreck in that, were in trouble. We had one when they first opened and had backed up traffic all the way to the Unicoi exit out there.

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Mark Nagi, TDOTs Region 1 Communications Officer, said they wont allow any roadways or bridges to be open if they believe the public is in danger.

And that includes the bridges on I-26 in Unicoi County, Nagi said. Well have our crews monitoring those areas just like they will all roadways and bridges throughout the region.

We know that thats down to one lane in each direction there in Erwin. So anybody thats gonna be traveling through that area, should use caution because you do have reduced lane widths just like you would any other time there while that work is taking place.

Nagi said TDOT crews have not pre-treated the roads yet because incoming rain will wash it away. However, he said crews will be ready Sunday morning to treat the roads.

All 24 of our East Tennessee counties, they will head to their routes and treat roadways as needed. So this is one of the first winter weather events that weve had during this winter weather season. We are in good shape in terms of supplies. Our equipment is in good shape as well, and our crews will be ready to go when the time comes.

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The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is pre-treating roads and also monitoring road conditions. Virginia Governor Youngkin declared the Commonwealth under a state of emergency ahead of this winter storm.

Joey Barker, VDOTs Bristol District Communication Specialist, said they expect the snow to get worse on Sunday.

So were recommending people travel on Saturday to get to where they need to go and avoid travel on Sunday when the winter weather will be at its peak, Barker said.

Haynes, Nagi and Barker all advise drivers to stay off the road unless absolutely necessary.

Plan your route accordingly, Barker said. So if you see that there might be some winter weather where youre actually going because thats a lot of things people dont think about is they check the weather where theyre at, but they dont check where theyre going and along the route. So they want to make sure that they look ahead as well as to where theyre going to make sure that everythings going to be good.

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They also advise drivers to have emergency kits in their vehicles in case of an accident.

Haynes said Unicoi County crews, EMS and law enforcement will be ready to help residents.

We will be there for the people no matter what we have to do, Haynes said. If it means taking a tracked vehicle which has a blade on it to get into the roads that are gravel that we can get them out if worse comes to worse. But we will get to them somehow, some way.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  With Winter Storm Blair rolling in this weekend in Kansas City, surrounding snow plows in the area are ready to keep the streets clean.

Some of these plows, however, are unique in the sense theyve been decorated by local children, or named after star athletes and celebrities associated with the KC area.

Do you need to warm up your car before driving in winter?

Back in December, the City of Olathe announced that theyd named another one of their snowplows after Sporting KCs Daniel Salloi, calling it Daniel Plowloi. The city already has a Plowcheco, a Travis Kelsleet and a Taylor Drift.

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Others include, Sir Plows-a-Lot and Betty Whiteout.

Additionally, the City of Leavenworth shared photos of elementary students helping to decorate their snow plows by painting on the plow itself.

FOX4 meteorologist Jacob Laniers favorite, though, resides in downtown Kansas City. Brushy McBrushface as city workers call the plow clears the streetcar tracks in the city.

Regardless of their names or decor, these metro area snowplows are sure to be put to use over a weekend of expected winter storms.

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Degree courses focused on the undertakings of white people have made universities racist, according to a review by a Russell Group institution.

The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent undertook a joint review of their connections to the slave trade, and set out how these have created a legacy of racism at the institutions.

They pledged to make slavery reparations as a result of their review, which found that the universities racially unbalanced curriculum ignores the equally significant efforts of people of African descent. The report does not state in which specific subjects this parity of achievement has been ignored.

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Its authors, a group of Nottingham academics, concluded that these are issues that require urgent and sustained attention.

Under the pledge made following the review, the universities are set to devise a plan for reparative justice to atone for links to slavery, and mitigate enduring detrimental legacies.

No definitive plans have yet been made to address the issues raised in the report.

Identify as black

The report was overseen by a steering group that included six people appointed by the two universities who identify as black. Authors credited their biological proximity to the historical atrocity of slavery with raising awareness of ongoing emotional pain throughout the project.

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The report into the connections between Nottingham universities and the slave trade stated that key benefactors, the 6th and 7th Dukes of Portland, benefited from slavery despite both having been born after abolition.

Descendants of family members who may have directly owned slaves benefited from the social and cultural capital that came with wealth initially generated through forced labour, according to the report.

Such cultural capital, the report states, may include the aristocratic cultural conventions of reading classical European literature and travelling to historic landmarks.

The conclusion of the report has previously been criticised by the family of the late 7th Duke of Portland, who died in 1977.

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It said that the form of inherited guilt suggested in the report raised troubling ethical implications of holding descendants accountable for the actions of their ancestors.

The report, which will form the basis for future work as the universities of Nottingham plan an approach to making reparations, comes after controversial changes to the curriculum.

Removed Anglo-Saxon

In August, The Telegraph revealed that the University of Nottingham had removed the term Anglo-Saxon from university module titles as part of efforts to refute nationalist narratives.

The university offers a leading course in Viking and Anglo-Saxon history and literature, but US academics in particular have campaigned against the term Anglo-Saxon because it suggests a distinct, native Englishness.

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Teaching staff have taken steps to ensure that module content aims at undercutting nationalist narratives and essentialist ideas about nationality, meaning the belief that English identity is distinct and confers fundamental characteristics.

As the only university in the country to offer a Viking studies course, the faculty has also sought to address concerns about Dark Age peoples by seeking to problematise the term Viking.

A University of Nottingham spokesman said: The report was commissioned by the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University to explore the role of transatlantic slavery in the formation of the two institutions.

This is in line with work being done across the sector to form a wider picture of the historic connections with UK higher education.

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The work has taken place over several years and a number of revisions were made in response to feedback received during the consultation exercise.

He added: The publication of this report is the first step in acknowledging historical links and will act as a catalyst to an open dialogue with respect to reparative justice.

No decisions have been made on immediate action and we will be working in collaboration with staff, students and the wider community to address the implications of the findings and discuss appropriate reparatory measures.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  UNM police are asking people to avoid Lobo Village until further notice as its a crime scene currently under investigation. Around 1:00 a.m. Saturday, police were told that a man was threatened with a firearm and had his phone and wallet stolen.

Albuquerque police arrest one murder suspect, searching for a second

The two suspects were described to police as Black men, both about 56 talk, wearing black shirts. The suspects were caught on camera fleeing in a light-colored sedan. Anyone with information is asked to contact the UNM Police Department.

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HONOLULU (KHON2)  Its no secret the Child Welfare System has failed to live up to its mission of protecting our island keiki. A new report shines a light on the systems shortcomings but also lays the groundwork for a positive way to move forward.

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The innocent lives of six-year-old Isabella Kalua and 10-year-old Geanna Bradley were tragically cut short by the very people entrusted to care for them.

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Hawaii lawmakers weigh funding fireworks enforcement amid New Years tragedy

This is heartbreaking. Every incident thats happening now, in the past and unfortunately in the future, it should not happen. It is heartbreaking, it is unacceptable, said Tia Hartsock, Office of Wellness and Resilience Director.

The State created the Malama Ohana Working Group in 2023 to address long-standing problems within the Child Welfare System.

After 15 months, the assessment showed the system is failing.

What we found was probably what we already knew: really good people doing this work, some heroes doing this work. But all together, the system is not functioning, said Laurie Ariel Tochiki, Malama Ohana Working Group co-chair.

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The report describes an uncoordinated system, lacking resources and accountability, that hurts instead of helps. It also identified the direct impact of inequality.

One of the things that wasnt surprising, but we heard it loud and clear was that many of the families whose children were removed actually stemmed from poverty. And when you really look at that, poverty does not equate to neglect and abuse, explained Venus Kauiokawekiu Rosete-Medeiros, Malama Ohana Working Group co-chair.

Recommendations in their report include addressing historical trauma, helping build family resilience, accountability and more.

The next step is putting the findings of the Malama Ohana Working Group into action, something the Governor and the Office of Wellness and Resilience are fully behind.

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We will be passionately moving forward to do everything we can in this administration to implement the recommendations.

Officials at Child Welfare Services are already taking action.

We have our shortage differentials that have been provided. We are exploring performance bonuses to help with retention. We are looking at training to provide our workers with enough support so that they can go out and do this, said DHS Child Welfare Services Branch Administrator, Elladine Olevao.

While CWS is focused on streamlining its operations, Olevao hopes to see more collaboration throughout the child welfare system.

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Its really bringing together, all of us that care about our kids. Its law in enforcement. It is all of our service providers. Its the hospitals, its the DOJ that come together to really monitor and watch our keiki, Olevao added.

Hartsock said they are also drafting legislation.

A childs life and the safety of children, that the most vulnerable in our community. This is urgent. This is not something that we wait till the next one happens and then we, you know, respond again. Its something we have to change.

One of the most important messages the Malama Ohana Working Group wants to share with people is the need for everyone to step up as its going to take the entire community to protect our keiki.

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To view the full report, visit MOWGs website.

Child Abuse or Neglect Reporting Hotline: (808) 832-5300 or 1 (888) 380-3088

Child Trafficking Reporting Hotline: (808) 832-1999 or 1 (888) 398-1188

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Jan. 3U.S. Attorney Jane Young believes her grounded sensibility as just "another kid from Manchester" helped her forge and expand federal, state and local law enforcement partnerships to stay ahead of the bad actors.

Young steps down as New Hampshire's top federal prosecutor on Jan. 17, days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office and gets to appoint all U.S. Attorneys.

During an interview Friday, Young, 60, stressed that after more than a 30-year career as a state prosecutor, she knew that taking the federal post in 2022 was a transitory step. She said it gave her a sense of urgency knowing it could end only a year and a half after it began.

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"The staff is amazing, they are dedicated, they are passionate and they will continue to do the outstanding work of the office. I was a temporary steward," Young said. "You come in and know your days are numbered. It was critical that I do the best I could as quickly as I could. I hope I have made a difference."

She's not clear on what she'll do next, but she saId that as the daughter of a nurse raised in the Sisters of Mercy religious tradition, her future will involve some form of public service.

'You never close any door'

Young declined to say whether she'd agree to stay on if Trump asked her to or whether she'd want to be the next New Hampshire attorney general.

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Before becoming U.S. Attorney, Young headed up the criminal division of the Attorney General's Office and held the post of deputy attorney general.

"I am ready to explore whatever opportunity there is. You never close any door. I learned that early in my career," Young said.

In her prior roles, Young said, she saw that barriers could occur between different levels of law enforcement and she set out to break all of them down.

"Those barriers have pretty much dissipated. My message always was, 'We aren't here to take over your case, we are here to show you the assets we can bring to this,' and I hope that culture continues to exist," Young said.

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A top priority was to ensure every state, county or local law enforcement agency came to see the U.S. Attorney's Office as one they could call and get a quick answer if they wanted the federal government to advise or take the lead.

"One of the things I am most proud of is we were able to leverage those assets for local police departments. Even if it's a federal crime, it happens in a town or city," Young said.

"I knew the chiefs; I knew the rank and file. When I heard something was happening, I picked up the phone."

Young designated an assistant state attorney general to be approved to try cases in federal court and has deployed her own federal prosecutors to the offices of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI.

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"Those relationships are in place and will remain after I'm gone," Young said.

Young said she will "forever remember" the June 2023 day when authorities found a tragic murder scene in Franklin.

Police said Jamie Bell shot his fiancee, Nicole Hughes, and their 1 1/2 -year-old daughter, Ariella, before killing himself.

A gun was found at the scene though it's not known if was used in the murder.

It turned out the weapon belonged to Justin Gebo of Belmont, who was prosecuted by Young's office because at the time he bought the gun, he was under federal indictment.

Court documents allege that Gebo and Bell were childhood friends.

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Gebo pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison.

"That person was held accountable. Prohibited individuals shouldn't have weapons," Young said.

Not if, but when

Cooperation was evident in the case of Kyle Hendrickson, a Maine man who posted a video text on SnapChat that said "imma shoot up the school" while he brandished a handgun in a car outside Portsmouth High School.

"I called up Portsmouth Chief Mark Newport and he asked if we could take the case. We could, and had an instant connection because I had worked with him when he was undercover with the Attorney General's Drug Task Force."

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Hendrickson was eventually sentenced to more than three years in federal prison.

Young said good police work and alert school officials have helped New Hampshire remain one of only five states since 2008 that haven't had a school shooting.

Still, Young said the state needs to be ready.

"It's not a matter of if but when," she said.

Young started the process of developing a combined response to a mass-casualty event.

"What do to in those first five minutes, if the suspect is neutralized, if the threat is on the move," Young said.

"Some of our partners would say, 'Oh, we can just get the helicopters there.' Good luck getting them in the Notch where the weather can put you back on the ground in an instant. It's a whole different world up there."

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Young believes the best law enforcement starts with a clear-headed understanding about the unique challenges found in each region of the state.

It all started back when she and her future husband, Manchester lawyer Mark Morrissette, were 18 and 19, working as city staffers at Prout and Sweeney parks in the city.

"I feel a bit of a unicorn  raised here, not far from here. I worked for the Parks and Rec, married someone who worked there, and I went to Central (High School)," Young said.

"Two Manchester kids who love this city and state and this is where we are going to work to make it the best place possible."

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And Young stressed she's not close to slowing down, pointing to a family tree that includes one relative who still drove at age 99.

"We were over at friends' over the holidays and one of them said, 'I'm on the back nine of my career' and then looked at me and laughed, 'Now Jane, she's barely middle-aged,'" Young said.

klandrigan@unionleader.com
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will arrive at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on 7 January to participate in the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein format.

Source: US Department of Defense with reference to Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh

Details: Singh said that Austin's planned participation in the upcoming meeting is intended to "reaffirm our enduring commitment to Ukraine, together with defence ministers and military leaders from around the globe".

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Quote from Singh: "Secretary Austin will focus on delivering practical and coordinated support that reinforces Ukraine's ability to defend itself today and deter [Russian  ed.] aggression in the future."

Details: Austin's participation in the upcoming Ramstein-format meeting follows the US Department of Defense's announcement on Monday, 30 December, that it would provide Ukraine with two aid packages totalling around US$2.5 billion.

Asked whether the new military aid package would be delivered to Ukraine in full before the current administration's term ends on 20 January, Singh explained that the "capabilities and equipment" included in the package are being transferred as "they are available".

Quote from Singh: "It's very likely that you are going to see more capabilities continue to flow to Ukraine post-this administration; that's very normal."

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Background:

The media reported that a new Ramstein-format meeting had been scheduled for 9 January in Germany.

Earlier, it was reported that an additional meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group might take place in December, with the option of high-level talks being discussed.

The Ramstein format was established in 2022 to coordinate military support for Ukraine under the auspices of the United States. It brings together more than 50 countries, the vast majority of which are NATO members.

Ukraine's Defence Minister has previously stated that he hopes to maintain the format of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group under Trump's presidency.

NATO representatives do not see a significant chance that a change in the US administration will lead to the end of Ramstein.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is facing criticism from Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari for shifting the blame to the Border Security Force (BSF) regarding infiltration in the state. Adhikari accused Banerjee of indulging in "low-level politics" by blaming the BSF for infiltration, stating that the security forces serve the nation, not the government. "The security forces serve the nation and not the government. They are the protectors of the nation. The way you have blamed our soldiers for the infiltration happening in West Bengal in the last few days displays the lowest level of your politics," Adhikari wrote in the letter. On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee alleged that the Border Security Force (BSF) was facilitating militants and infiltrators from Bangladesh to enter the state and further stated that because of this there were disruptions in the region. In his letter, Suvendu Adhikari termed the Chief Minister's comment an insult to security forces. "Allegations and counter-allegations indeed occur in politics. But dragging security forces into it, insulting them and passing the buck for your failures to them is nothing but substandard politics. This is an insult to the 75,000 personnel of the CAPFS, 33,000 BSF personnel in Bengal and all the soldiers of the nation," he said. "It is deeply painful to see our valiant soldiers being insulted. Our security forces risk their lives to protect the borders of our nation and the citizens regardless of whether it is shivering cold, searing heat, tempestuous rain or a disaster. The nation will never forget your insulting words about our soldiers," he added. He pointed out that a major stretch of the country's border is open, due to adverse geographical conditions. In some places there are inaccessible forests; in others, there are swollen rivers and snow-covered mountains. "Infiltrators use these adversities to their advantage, entering our territory and starting to live in the villages," he said. Adhikari also pointed out that the state government's lack of cooperation with the BSF on border-related subjects is a significant issue. He questioned how infiltrators are able to obtain identity cards, ration cards, and other documents, suggesting that the state government's officials are not doing their job properly. "When these infiltrators come to a village, then why do the patwaris make their identity cards? How do they get their ration cards made? How do the police and other officials verify them as Bona fide citizens and issue their identity cards?" he asked the Chief Minister. He also accused the West Bengal government of not cooperating with the BSF on border-related subjects. Earlier Banerjee had remarked that the BSF, which is responsible for guarding the borders, was allowing individuals to cross into India from regions such as Islampur, Sitai, and Chopra and questioned the motives behind this and attributed it to a "blueprint" from the central government. She had said that the situation would not have been possible without the central government's involvement. (ANI)
(NewsNation)  Housing supply has increased 12% after more than half of the homes listed during November went unsold, the highest peak since 2020, according to Redfin.

The increase is a partial result of a swathe of unsold homes.

Per Redfin, active listings have been rising 0.5% month over month and 12.1% year over year on a seasonally adjusted basis.

More than half (54.5%) of November 2024 listings nationwide were on the market for a minimum of 60 days without going under contract, up 49.9% from a year prior.

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Americas wage theft epidemic: Where do workers lose the most?

A lot of listings on the market are either stale or uninhabitable. Theres a lot of inventory, but it doesnt feel like enough, Portland real estate agent Meme Loggins told Redfin.

Florida and Texas lead the nation in the highest amount of stale listings. Miami had 63.8% of its November listing exceed more than 60 days on the market, the highest among the top 50 metropolitan cities.

Austin (62.4%), Fort Lauderdale (62.3%), San Antonio (60.3%) and Orlando (59.9%) followed thereafter.

Meanwhile, Providence, Rhode Island, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had the lowest share. In Providence, 38.2% of listings exceeded 60 days without going under contract. Milwaukee followed closely with 38.8%.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
US Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested and stun-gunned during a confrontation with police officers in Miami, Florida on Thursday night and is now facing charges of battery, resisting officers and disorderly conduct, according to authorities.

Police later released body camera footage of the incident. It shows Kerley, who won a bronze medal in the mens 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, approached by police officers. One officer raises a hand that pushes sideways against Kerleys chest, Kerley bats the hand away, before an arm pushes Kerley and an altercation starts.

It is impossible to hear what is being said as there is no sound on the video until the physical confrontation begins. Several officers push Kerley to the ground in the struggle, and one appears to hit him multiple times. In the arrest record, police say two officers lost their footing and fell on their back and that Kerley fell on top of one of them. An officer then deploys a dart-firing stun gun on Kerley who falls to the ground after being hit.

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Kerleys defense attorney Yale Sanford told CNN in a statement that the bodycam footage is obscene.

It just goes to show that no matter how hard you work, how many medals you earn for your country, and how many people across the globe you inspire, in Miami Beach, Mr. Kerley was treated like millions of African-Americans, male and female, around the countrywith a lack of humanity, compassion, or respect, he said.

Its important for our community and country to be aware of these actions by police so we can make sure this type of behavior is prevented in the future.

In a still from body camera footage released by the Miami Beach Police Department, Fred Kerley is hit with a dart-firing stun gun by police officers. - Miami Beach Police Department

The officers had been conducting an active, unrelated investigation, when Kerley approached them, concerned about his vehicle which was parked in the area, Christopher Bess, a spokesperson for the Miami Beach Police Department, told CNN.

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Bess alleged that Kerley disregarded lawful commands and physically pushed one of the uniformed officers before resisting the officers attempts to detain him.

Kerley was taken to a local hospital before going to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, the arrest record said. He then appeared at Miami-Dade County Court on Friday afternoon, according to court records, where his attorney Sanford criticized the polices conduct, CNN affiliate WPLG reported.

Kerley is scheduled to appear in court again on Saturday in an unrelated case. He is facing charges of robbery and domestic battery after his wife alleged he circled his arm around her neck and impeded her breathing during an argument in May 2024, per an arrest record filed with the Miami-Dade Police Department, which also alleges that Kerley took away her cellphone and drove off.

USA Track and Field declined to comment when contacted by CNN.

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By Mike Stone and Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has notified Congress of a proposed $8 billion arms sale to Israel, two U.S. officials said, with Washington maintaining support for its ally whose war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands.

The deal would need approval from House of Representatives and Senate committees and includes munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters as well as artillery shells. The package also includes small-diameter bombs and warheads, according to the sources.

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One source familiar with the package said Biden had been clear that Israel had a right to defend its citizens "consistent with international law and international humanitarian law," and that the U.S. would continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel's defense.

Some of the munitions deliveries could be furnished through current U.S. stock, while the majority would take up to several years to deliver, the source said.

The package includes AIM-120C-8 air-to-air missiles to defend against drones and other airborne threats, 155mm artillery shells, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles and $6.75 billion in other bombs and guidance systems, one of the U.S. officials said.

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

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Protesters have for months demanded an arms embargo against Israel, but U.S. policy has largely remained unchanged. In August, the United States approved the sale of $20 billion in fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel.

The Biden administration says it is helping its ally defend against Iran-backed militant groups like Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

Facing international criticism, Washington has stood by Israel during its assault on Gaza that has displaced nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million population, caused a hunger crisis and led to genocide accusations that Israel denies.

The Gaza health ministry puts the death toll at over 45,000 people, with many additional feared buried under rubble.

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Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to end the 15-month-old Israeli war in Gaza that was triggered by an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on Israel that killed 1,200 and in which about 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Washington, Israel's biggest ally and weapons supplier, has also previously vetoed U.N. Security Council resolutions on a ceasefire in Gaza.

Democrat Biden is due to leave office on Jan. 20, when Republican President-elect Donald Trump will succeed him. Both are strong backers of Israel.

(Reporting by Mike Stone, Kanishka Singh, Costas Pitas, Michael Martina and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Sandra Maler, Cynthia Osterman and Sonali Paul)
The Biden administration has notified Congress of a proposed $8 billion arms sale to Israel, a US official said on Friday.

The deal would need approval from the House of Representatives and Senate committees and includes munitions for fighter jets and attack helicopters as well as artillery shells, Axios reported earlier.

The package also includes small-diameter bombs and warheads, according to Axios.

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It will likely be the final deal Joe Bidens administration provides Israel, with President Biden set to leave office on January 20, when Donald Trump will succeed him.

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Protesters have for months demanded an arms embargo against Israel, but US policy has largely remained unchanged. In August, the United States approved the sale of $20 billion in fighter jets and other military equipment to Israel.

The Biden administration says it is helping its ally defend against Iran-backed militant groups like Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

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Facing international criticism, Washington has stood by Israel during its assault on Gaza that has displaced nearly all of Gazas 2.3 million population, caused a hunger crisis and led to genocide accusations that Israel denies.

The Gaza health ministry puts the death toll at over 45,000 people, with many additional feared buried under rubble.

Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to end the 15-month-old Israeli war in Gaza that was triggered after an October 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants that killed 1,200 and in which about 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Washington, Israels biggest ally and weapons supplier, has also previously vetoed UN Security Council resolutions on a ceasefire in Gaza.

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The US has imposed sanctions on a Beijing-based cybersecurity company for its alleged role in Chinese government-sponsored hacks against critical US infrastructure.

Integrity Technology Group, known as Integrity Tech, was accused of playing a role in "multiple computer intrusion incidents against US victims", the Treasury Department said on Friday.

In a statement, it said the incidents had been publicly linked to a Chinese-sponsored hacking group nicknamed Flax Typhoon, which the Treasury said had been active since at least 2021 and was "known for frequently targeting organisations in US critical infrastructure sectors".

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"Chinese malicious cyber actors continue to be one of the most active and most persistent threats to US national security," the department said.

"These actors continue to target US government systems as part of their efforts, including the recent targeting of Treasury's own IT infrastructure."

The sanctions followed the department's announcement on Monday that Chinese state-sponsored hackers had infiltrated its workstations and unclassified documents.

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The White House confirmed on Friday that US President Joe Biden had been briefed on what the Treasury described as an "major cybersecurity incident".

The US Treasury Department said on Monday that a China state-sponsored actor was behind a cyber breach that gained access to some of its workstations. Photo: AFP alt=The US Treasury Department said on Monday that a China state-sponsored actor was behind a cyber breach that gained access to some of its workstations. Photo: AFP>

Beijing denied that allegation on Monday, calling it "groundless", with Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning accusing the US of "spreading false information about China for political purposes".

In a separate statement, the US State Department said the company had ties with China's Ministry of State Security and the hackers working for Integrity Tech were working "at the direction of the PRC government, targeting critical infrastructure in the United States and overseas".

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"These multi-agency efforts reflect our whole-of-government approach to protecting and defending against PRC cyber threats to Americans, our critical systems, and those of our allies and partners," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.

"The United States will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to safeguard US critical infrastructure and the American people from irresponsible and reckless cyber actors."

In September, the US Department of Justice announced a court-authorised operation to disrupt a botnet - a network of computers infected by malware under the control of a single attacker - consisting of more than 200,000 consumer devices it said were infected by Integrity Tech in the US and worldwide.

At that time, the FBI said that Integrity Tech managed those devices to support malicious cyber activities by the Flax Typhoon hackers.

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In its statement on Friday, Treasury said Flax Typhoon had used infrastructure linked to Integrity Tech to compromise computer networks in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, "with a focus on Taiwan".

The hacking group is also accused of accessing several hosts associated with US and European entities between summer 2022 and autumn 2023, during the same period when Flax Typhoon routinely sent and received information from Integrity Tech infrastructure, it said.

In summer 2023, Flax Typhoon compromised multiple servers and workstations at a California-based entity, Treasury added.

"The United States will use all available tools to disrupt these threats as we continue working collaboratively to harden public and private sector cyber defences," Bradley Smith, Treasury's acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in the statement.

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Founded in 2010, Integrity Tech mainly engages in cutting-edge technology research network security service in China and abroad, according to its website.

Headquartered in Beijing, it has four offices in mainland China and one in Hong Kong, and its service areas covers enterprises in multiple areas, including finance, telecommunications, government, military, energy.

Attempts to reach Integrity Tech for comment failed as all emails to the company bounced back unanswered.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
China's new Type 055 cruiser is its most modern and powerful surface combatant.

The ship China labels as a destroyer is so large it compares more to US cruisers.

China is building these ships fast while the US sunsets most of its aging cruisers.

China's navy has a menacing new addition to its naval fleet: the Type 055 class guided missile destroyer.

The destroyer is the most modern and potent surface combatant in China's navy, officially known as the People's Liberation Army Navy. Designed for multiple missions and fitted with a massive arsenal and advanced electronics, it is an apex predator in the PLAN's growing fleet meant to protect China's carriers from harm.

The class is so daunting and capable that the US Department of Defense classifies it as a cruiser. Many observers compare it to the US Navy's own cruisers, which have performed a similar role.

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"Depending on your criteria, the Type 055 is the best or second-best surface combatant in the world," Chris Carlson, a retired US Navy captain and naval analyst told Business Insider.

And while the US Navy seeks to divest from its aging cruiser fleet, China is expanding its fleet at a breakneck pace.

Type 055 'Renhai'

The commissioning of the first-in-class Nanchang in 2020 revealed China had launched one of the world's top surface combatants. China may build up to 16 of them. Fu Tian/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

China's desire for a massive surface combatant dates back to the 1960s. China initiated an "055" program in the mid-1970s, then canceled it in 1983 due to weaknesses in its industrial base and technological know-how.

Three decades later, however, China's booming economy enabled its shipbuilding industry to become the largest in the world. It emphasized modernizing the navy and building or acquiring fleet oilers, nuclear submarines, guided missile warships, aircraft carriers, and more.

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The keel of the first Type 055, Nanchang, was laid in December 2014, just three months before the keel of China's first domestically built carrier, Shandong, was laid.

When Nanchang was commissioned in 2020, it made the class a force to be reckoned with. Measuring 590 feet long and displacing 12,000-13,000 tons, it is the largest class of surface combatant China has ever built.

Each Type 055, which NATO classifies as the Renhai-class, is fitted with 112 vertical launch system (VLS) cells, which launch missiles. Sixty-four cells are positioned forward of the bridge in an 8x8 configuration and 48 are located aft in a 6x8 configuration. These VLS cells have both cold and hot launch capability, enabling them to field a more diverse missile arsenal; in a cold launch, a missile is ejected from the cell via pressurized gas before its engine fires.

That arsenal includes YJ-18 anti-ship cruise missiles, CJ-10 land-attack cruise missiles, and HHQ-9 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), which have ranges of around 335 miles, 497 miles, and 124 miles, respectively. The class may also be able to carry Yu-8 anti-submarine missiles.

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In 2022, China tested a cold launch of a YJ-21 hypersonic missile from a Type 055's VLS cells. The missile reportedly has an approximate range of 932 miles, a cruising speed of Mach 6, and a terminal speed of Mach 10, which makes it challenging to intercept.

The Type 055 also features a single box launcher with 25 HHQ-10 short-range SAMs, four Type 726 defensive launchers capable of launching chaff, flares, and decoys, 2 triple-tubed torpedo launchers with Yu-7 torpedoes, a single 11-barelled H/PJ-11 Close-in weapon system (CIWS), and a H/PJ-38 130 mm naval gun.

At the stern, a helicopter deck and hangar can house two helicopters capable of tracking submarines and helping with logistics.

The Type 055 is also brimming with modern radars, sensors, and other electronics. This includes four Type 346B Dragon Eye S-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars mounted on the superstructure and four X-band radars housed in an integrated mast, making it the first Chinese warship with dual-band planar radar arrays. Its hull-mounted sonar can be enhanced by towed active array sonars.

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With its arsenal and sensor/electronic suite, the Type 055 can take on an anti-ship, anti-submarine, anti-air, or land-attack role, making it the best candidate for a carrier escort. It's also capable of operating as a command flagship for any PLAN surface action group without a carrier.

The US Department of Defense has speculated that China wants to incorporate ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems on the Type 055, which could enable it to serve in a BMD/anti-satellite role similar to Japan's BMD destroyers.

Eight Type 055s are in service. At least three more are reportedly in varying stages of construction. China may build as many as 16 Type 055s in total.

Despite its young age, the class has already gained a reputation as one of the best surface combatants in the world.

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"I'd say the Type 055 is the most capable in anti-surface warfare, but not as capable in the air defense and BMD role as a US [Arleigh] Burke DDG," Carlson, the retired US Navy captain, said. He said the Type 055's strike and ASW capabilities are about the same as its American counterpart.

Ticonderoga-class

Cruisers like the USS Normandy play key roles in carrier strike groups. MC2 Malachi Lakey/US Navy

The size, armament, and mission of the Type 055 are often compared to the US Navy's Ticonderoga-class cruiser. Measuring 567 feet long, displacing around 10,000 tons, and first entering service in 1983, the ships of the class are considerably older and smaller than the Type 055s.

But the Ticonderogas are no less potent and have a larger missile arsenal, with two sets of 61 Mk 41 VLS cells able to carry 122 missiles and two quad-tubed Mk-141 launchers at the stern.

Two Mark 45 5-inch guns are present at the stem and stern, as well as two Phalanx CIWS' and two triple-tubed Mark 32 torpedo tubes capable of firing Mk 46 or Mk 50 torpedoes. A helicopter hangar capable of housing two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters provides additional ASW capability.

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The exact makeup of each Ticonderoga's missile arsenal is dependent on its mission, as it is capable of carrying a host of different missiles. These include Tomahawk cruise missiles for ground targets, Harpoon anti-ship missiles for hostile ships, and RUM-139 VL-ASROC anti-submarine missiles for enemy subs.

The missiles have ranges of up to 1,500 miles, 149 miles, and 10 miles respectively.

The Ticonderoga's main role, however, is air defense. It can carry a wide range of anti-air missiles, including Evolved Sea Sparrow SAMs, and all active variants of the Standard Missile family; the SM-2 Blocks III, IIIA, IIIB, and IV; the SM-3, and the SM-6.

Those missiles, which can intercept targets ranging from 35 miles to over 200, enable the Ticonderoga to provide an effective air defense umbrella against low- and high-altitude threats, including helicopters, drones, jets, and missiles.

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In 2008, an SM-3 fired from the cruiser USS Lake Erie destroyed a defunct satellite at an altitude of some 150 miles, demonstrating its ability to perform anti-satellite missions.

Another defining asset of the Ticonderogas is the AN/SPY-1 passive phased array radar  a vital component of the AEGIS Combat System, an advanced and integrated naval defense system that combines command, detecting, tracking, and weapons control for comprehensive management of air, surface, and submarine threats, and which the Ticonderogas were the first ships to employ.

Twenty-seven Ticonderoga-class cruisers were built between 1980 and 1994, but only nine are in active service today.

Cruiser gap?

The US Navy is moving to retire most of its nine cruisers in the coming years. MC2 Indra Beaufort/US Navy

The importance of the Ticonderoga and the Type 055 to their respective fleets is hard to overstate. Their displacement, arsenal size, and ability to perform multiple missions and operate as flagships puts them at the top of the list of most important surface combatants  second, perhaps, only to the carriers.

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In an acknowledgment of their capability, the US Department of Defense officially designates the Type 055 as a cruiser, despite China's own designation of destroyer, which is likely a PR move intended to make the PLAN seem less aggressive. (Destroyers typically have smaller displacements and arsenals than cruisers and play a less prominent role in the fleet.)

Consequently, their deployments are carefully monitored, with their standalone voyages seen as intentional shows of strength.

Type 055s have sailed in the waters off Alaska in 2021, 2022, and 2024, including as part of joint Chinese-Russian patrols. Recently, a Type 055 visited the island nation of Vanuatu, signaling to some that China was trying to increase its presence in the South Pacific.

The Ticonderogas have also been on the move. In 2022, the cruiser USS Port Royal sailed through the Taiwan Strait in a sign to China. More recently, in June, USS Normandy participated in a show of strength off Norway, and in September, USS Bunker Hill took part in a massive five-nation drill in the South China Sea.

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Though both navies currently have nine cruisers in active service, this will not be the case for long. While China has only just entered the cruiser game, the US Navy has been seeking to decommission its cruisers for years.

The Navy argues that the cruisers have approached, passed, or will soon pass their expected service lives and that the cost of keeping the ships up and running is draining the service of funds and shipyard space.

In 2021, for instance, USS Vella Gulf lasted just one week into a deployment before leaks in a fuel tank required it to return to port. More mechanical problems were soon uncovered, and the ship spent two months undergoing repairs before it could rejoin its carrier strike group.

Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro has even testified to Congress that some of the ships were unsafe. A modernization effort for seven cruisers, meanwhile, went as much as 200% over budget and fell years behind schedule.

The Navy wants to divest from ships it says it doesn't need and invest in new vessels that it argues can adequately fill in for the role of the Ticonderogas in the 21st century, like the new Flight III variant of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

But Congress has so far rejected the Navy's plans to retire all of its remaining cruisers due to fears that they play too important a role in countering China, whose increasing might could be a means to try to seize the island of Taiwan by force.

Four Ticonderogas  Vicksburg, Cowpens, Leyte Gulf, and Antietam  were decommissioned in the last year. On November 4, Del Toro announced that the Navy would operate three cruisers planned to be decommissioned in 2026 into 2029, effectively extending their service lives. The rest are planned to be decommissioned before then.

China, meanwhile, will continue building Type 055s at rates virtually unthinkable to US shipyards.

Benjamin Brimelow is a freelance journalist covering international military and defense issues. He holds a master's degree in Global Affairs with a concentration in international security from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. His work has appeared in Business Insider and the Modern War Institute at West Point.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Utah family is grieving the loss of a young mother, who died of a heart condition days after Christmas and just over a week after giving birth to twins.

Morgan Aubrey Hughes, 23, died Dec. 28 at Utah Valley Hospital in Provo after welcoming son Hudson Samuel Hughes and daughter Georgia Elise Hughes on Dec. 19, with her husband Samuel Craig Hughes, also 23.

Related: Detroit Mother, 25, Dies After Giving Birth Due to Brain Bleed: 'She Was Perfectly Healthy'

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The couple married in 2023.

It just doesnt feel real, Samuel told KSL-TV 5 in a joint interview with his late wifes siblings.

getty person in hospital bed  stock image person in hospital bed  stock image

Morgan was amazing. She was the best wife, the best daughter and nobody loved more than she did. She loved her Savior, Jesus Christ and we will do our best to honor her through our faith in Christ. The only choice is to believe in an afterlife, otherwise there is no hope.

In a separate interview with NBC News published Friday, Jan. 3, Morgans father, Brian Hodson, explained that his daughters delivery went extremely smooth before she began to feel sick days later.

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Related: 36-Year-Old Mother Begged Medical Staff to 'Not Let Me Die' but Died After Birth of Fifth Child Due to 'Basic Failures,' Report Says

After vomiting and fainting, she went back to the hospital where she was diagnosed with postpartum cardiomyopathy, also known as peripartum cardiomyopathy.

John Hopkins Medicine defines the rare condition as one that begins sometime during the final month of pregnancy through about five months after delivery, without any other known cause.

Its been devastating. We certainly werent expecting this at all, her father continued.

According to the American Heart Association, postpartum cardiomyopathy can be hard to detect because it can mimic those of pregnancy, such as shortness of breath and swelling in the feet and legs.

Getty person in hospital bed  stock image person in hospital bed  stock image

Hodson said becoming a mother was Morgans dream.

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Shes always wanted to be a mom and has loved babies forever, he said. She was known as the baby whisperer, even when she was young.

Thats all she wanted in life, was to be a mom, Hodson added. She would have loved them more than anything.

In a GoFundMe account organized by Lone Peak Fire Association where her father is a captain, Morgan was remembered as a kind and loving soul whose greatest joy was becoming a mother.

Related: Woman, 28, Dies 'Unexpectedly' Giving Birth to Her First Child: 'She Would Be the Best Mother'

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The twins, who were born prematurely, remain in the NICU at Utah Valley Hospital, but are expected to be home later this month.

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Samuel visits the newborns twice daily and says caring for them has kept him going.

The twins are where I feel my peace that shes there. She is helping the twins, he said.



Read the original article on People
Utah Rep. Mike Kennedy was sworn in on Friday afternoon, but not until he first engaged in an interesting vote for the House speaker.

Kennedy supported House Speaker Mike Johnson, who managed to garner the 218 votes necessary to keep his gavel.

Johnson addressed the House of Representatives after his win, and remarked on the oath elected officials have to take to be sworn into office.

Its the same one oath for one nation, and under the banner of one great American flag. This is an opportunity for us to protect our shared American heritage, to maintain the conditions needed for self-government and to defend ... the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, he said.

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After Johnson was sworn in as speaker, he then swore in the members-elect en masse. Congratulations. You are now members of the 119th Congress, he said.

This marks Kennedys first term in federal office. The Utah Republican, who will represent Utahs 3rd District, brings his experience as a practicing physician, trained lawyer, and former state lawmaker to the nations Capitol.

Last month, Kennedy took a trip to Washington, D.C., for the new member orientation.

While Im not officially sworn in until January 3, Im already laying the groundwork to fight for Utah, heal America, and make our nation stronger than ever alongside my colleagues and President Trump, he said at the time. Kennedy also attended a meeting with the other members of Utahs congressional delegation to strategize on a united approach to the 119th Congress.

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We have a lot to accomplish: from making the Trump tax cuts permanent and making life more affordable for families to securing our border and restoring common sense in Washington, Kennedy said. Im ready to work for our district and state to deliver results.

Kennedy served in the state Legislature for nearly a decade after entering office in 2013. He left in 2018 to run unsuccessfully against Mitt Romney in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate before returning to the Legislature in 2020 by winning a special election for Utah Senate, as the Deseret News Brigham Tomco previously reported.

As a state lawmaker, Kennedy was heavily focused on healthcare. He will serve on the House Natural Resources and Science, Space and Technology Committees. Kennedy hopes to leverage these positions to shape legislation around Utahs priorities for public lands, energy production and rural economic development, as well as further the Beehive States tech and aerospace industry.

1st District Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, who is vice chair of the House Republican Conference, issued a statement on X, celebrating his third term in office. He said he looked forward to working with Johnson, the Trump administration, his colleagues on the House Ways and Means and Budget committees, and community leaders to advance a dynamic conservative agenda that uplifts Utahns & Americans across the country.

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Utah Republican Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens also returned to their seats. Maloy said she is humbled to once again serve Utahns in the 2nd District, in a post on X. With Republicans in the majority, we will reverse the harmful policies of the last 4 years, she added.

Owens displayed enthusiasm for a House GOP united behind Speaker Johnson and said theyre going to hit the ground running to deliver the president-elects agenda, according to another post on X.

Here are some facts about the makeup of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress.
Jan. 3To help answer some of the basic cost questions about college, University of Texas Permian Basin launched a cost calculator.

Becky Spurlock, senior vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, said the tool was made available about a year ago.

The No. 1 question they hear is how much is it going to cost to go to college.

"What should be a straightforward answer is sometimes complicated based on different factors. Are you from Texas? Are you out of state? Are you an undergraduate or graduate student? Are you going to take online classes or in-person classes? We wanted to get that information in the hands of people easier, and so about a year ago, we launched a really fantastic cost calculator," Spurlock said.

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"It's easy to use. It's graphically interesting. If you've looked at cost calculators on some websites, it can be daunting. They want you to put in your tax information and a lot of details. Ours is much simpler, much easier to use, and will help you get an accurate idea of what it would cost you to come here to UTPB," she added.

On average, Spurlock said, it costs about $10,000 to attend UTPB. It can be more or less depending on the situation of the individual student.

The total cost for books, tuition, fees, meals, transportation and living expenses, for example, is $25,000. But Spurlock said the vast majority of students don't live on campus.

"But keep in mind that the Pell grant from the federal government this year is just about $7,400. That covers the vast majority of your costs. We have state aid like the Texas grant that can go up to $5,400 that can stack on top of that. If you've done well academically, you'll qualify for merit scholarships. It's not hard to see how quickly the majority of your costs can be covered by financial aid and scholarships here at UTPB, making a degree well within your reach," Spurlock said.

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She added that UTPB students often graduate debt free.

"When you look at the loan data rate, our loan capacity for our students is low. We really are proud of making sure that college is about opening doors to careers and prosperity. That equation changes if you leave college with a lot of debt, but here at UTPB, you're going to get a high quality education, you're going to have lots of job opportunities, and you're going to walk out of here with the opportunity to begin your career without already having loan debt or other major debt on your mind," Spurlock said.

She added that national data show that earning a college degree, no matter your major, will show you can earn more over the course of your lifetime.

"There is a lot of data that demonstrates this, and then the UT System has put tremendous work into a number of data tools. One is called Seek UT, and it is a fantastic website that's publicly available that will help you drill down and look at actual salaries of our graduates in different fields, and you can really see how well our graduates are doing in the marketplace across all majors.

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"We know college makes a difference. We know this, and we want to help families explore that difference," Spurlock said.

The cost calculator is available on the UTPB website and is free to everyone to use.

"It's free, easy and available, 24/7, and it doesn't ask you to put in personal information. You can make choices. Are you a Texas resident? Are you looking at undergraduate? Are you thinking about online classes?" Spurlock said.

She added that it will guide you through a "handful of questions" to help you understand more about your likely costs.

"It also links to some personas that show real personas of students and what the average cost in different situations are. It's really helped people be able to understand the costs. Like everything we do at UTPB, we want to make college easier. I can't make the classes easier. You're going to have to study in the classroom. There's no doubt our faculty are there to help you, but what we can make is the administrative part easier, getting into college, paying for college, getting around college. We work on all of those things so students can keep their attention on the things that matter most to them  doing well in class, taking care of their families, you know, pursuing internships and jobs that help them grow, " Spurlock said.

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She added that it's not too late to enroll.

Many people already have some college credit.

"We are generous at accepting credit. We will help you. We have straightforward degree plans, and it's not too late to enroll, whether it's your first time in college or whether you're coming to us with some college credit, we'll reopen on Jan. 6. Classes start a week later on Jan. 13, but our full team will be available, and we'll be ready to help you," Spurlock said.

There is more information on UTPB's financial aid website about what to expect with financial aid and scholarship links. Visit tinyurl.com/2mya9f89

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The university also offers the personal touch and will have teams available starting Jan. 6.

Spurlock said there is an event called Super Saturday coming up Jan. 11.

"We'll have all of our teams available on that Saturday, so in one day, you could take care of everything you need ... You can do your application, talk to an admissions counselor, meet with somebody in financial aid. Advisors will be there. Everybody will be on site to help you take care of anything you need on a Saturday when it's convenient for you," Spurlock said.

The website also helps you track the college credit you have and it calculate how far along you are to a degree at UTPB.

"It will give you a variety of scenarios to help you figure out if your goal is a specific degree, or your quickest path to a degree. ... Since we launched the cost calculator a year ago, we've had over 9,000 unique visitors to the page, and over 2,500 of them have filled out and used the full cost calculator. We see a lot of people that find this a useful tool, so we hope folks will check it out," Spurlock said.
Both of them were involved in a recent armed shootout at Vivek Vihar. The operation carried out on January 3, was marked by precision and courage, culminating in the recovery of one desi katta, one country-made pistol, and live cartridges, enhancing public safety in the area.

The swift action was led by ACP Gurudev Singh, who formed a specialized team that included officers from Special Staff, such as Insp. Munish Kumar, SI Sunil, ASI Sunil, and others.

Acting on reliable intelligence, the team tracked the suspects to CBD Ground, Anand Vihar. Upon confronting the armed fugitives, the suspects opened fire, hitting the officers' bulletproof jackets. In response, the officers showed remarkable restraint, issuing warnings and firing into the air before neutralizing the threat with precise shots to the suspects' legs.

The shooters were immediately provided with medical assistance.

Recovered from the accused were one desi katta with an empty cartridge and one live cartridge, as well as one country-made pistol with one empty cartridge and three live cartridges.

Bobby aka Atul has a history of involvement in multiple cases of firearm offences and grievous assault, with notable cases under Sections 308 IPC, 125 BNS, and the Arms Act. Paras Sharma aka Prince has been linked to violent crimes, including cases under Sections 324 IPC, 323 IPC, and criminal intimidation.

This operation underscores the unwavering commitment of Shahdara Police to fight crime and maintain public safety. The arrest of these shooters sends a strong message that those who disrupt law and order will face justice.

The department has urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to help create a safer community. Further investigations are underway to uncover additional links and prevent future threats. (ANI)
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  The Vanderburgh County Highway Garage has finalized its preparedness plan to ensure safe roadways ahead of potential severe winter storms.

The National Weather Service has predicted freezing rain, mixed with snow showers and sleet

that could result in dangerous driving conditions. The Vanderburgh County Highway Garage says they are working with the Emergency Management Agency to ensure the communitys safety.

Key components of their preparedness plan

Fleet Readiness: All snowplows and salt trucks have been inspected and are fully

operational.

Material Stockpiles: Ample supplies of road salt are on hand, with distribution points

strategically located throughout the county to expedite deployment.

Crew Deployment: Road maintenance teams will begin operations ahead of the storms

arrival, focusing on pre-treating major roadways, bridges, and intersections. 13

snowplows will be deployed to their respective snow routes, spreading treated salt, and

crews will work in 24-hour shifts to ensure continuous coverage throughout the event.

Public Communication: Regular updates on road conditions, closures, and safety

advisories will be provided via the countys website, social media platforms, and local

news outlets. Residents are encouraged to stay informed and limit travel during the height

of the storm.

Reminders for the community

Avoid unnecessary travel during the storm.

Equip their vehicles with emergency kits, including blankets, flashlights, and non-perishable food.

Report hazardous road conditions to the County Highway Garage at 812-435-5777 .

Report emergencies to Central Dispatch by calling 911.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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).
(Bloomberg) -- A decorated US Army Green Beret who died in a New Years Day explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and had no apparent ties to terrorism, according to law enforcement officials.

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Matthew Livelsberger, 37, died by suicide after shooting himself and detonating explosives inside a rented Tesla Cybertruck, authorities said on Friday. The blast injured seven people.

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The explosion occurred just hours after a separate attack in New Orleans, where an Army officer drove a truck into a crowd, killing 14 people, sparking initial fears of a coordinated terrorist spree. The driver, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, was killed in a shootout with police after the rampage.

An investigation by the FBI and local law enforcement has since confirmed theres no link between the two incidents.

In Las Vegas, although this incident is more public and more sensational than usual, it ultimately appears to be a tragic case of suicide involving a heavily decorated combat veteran who is struggling with PTSD and other issues, FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans said at a press conference.

Authorities havent determined why Livelsberger stopped the truck outside the Trump International Hotel. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, an ally of President-elect Donald Trump, manufactures the Cybertruck.

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In notes recovered by police, Livelsberger called his actions a wake-up call to fellow service members, veterans, and all Americans, claiming the country was being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves, according to Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

This was not a terrorist attack. It was a wake-up call, Livelsberger said in his notes. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives? Why did I personally do it now? I need to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.

Police released more excerpts from Livelsbergers writings late Friday, including comments signaling support for Trump, Musk and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Consider this last sunset of 24 and my actions the end of our sickness and a new chapter of health for our people, Livelsberger wrote. Rally around the Trump, Musk, Kennedy, and ride this wave to the highest hegemony for all Americans! We are second to no one.

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Livelsberger suffered symptoms of traumatic brain injury following combat, according to a nurse who treated him, the Washington Post reported.

Sheriff Kevin McMahill urged the public to be vigilant in recognizing signs of distress among military and law enforcement personnel, highlighting the psychological toll their service often entails.

They see things, they hear things, they feel things, and they smell things that most normal people dont have to do, McMahill said. And the heroes that are serving in the military and on the front lines of Americas policing are challenged that way. And so I think we need to really pay attention to those individuals.

(Adds comment on Trump from bombers diary, Musk in 10th paragraph)

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP)  Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, who the United States recognized as the winner of last year's presidential election, kicked off an international tour on Saturday that will take him to Washington just days before President Nicolas Maduro is set to be sworn in for a third term in defiance of international pressure.

A crowd of a few hundred Venezuelan migrants broke into shouts of Edmundo, Presidente as Gonzalez emerged from a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei to wave to supporters from the balcony of the iconic Casa Rosada, or Pink House, in Buenos Aires.

We are doing whatever the cause of freedom requires, Milei, an effusive far-right supporter of the Venezuelan opposition, said as he welcomed Gonzalez to the presidential palace with honors normally reserved for a head of state.

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Gonzalez, a retired diplomat, fled into exile in Spain in September after a judge issued an arrest warrant following the July 28 presidential election, in which Maduro was declared the winner by the National Electoral Council, which is stacked with governing party loyalists.

In recent weeks, he has been vowing to travel to Venezuela to be sworn in for the presidential term, which according to law must begin on Jan. 10. But he hasn't said how he plans to return or wrest power from Maduro, whose party controls all institutions and the military.

By whatever means necessary, Im going to be there on Jan. 10, Gonzalez said.

On Thursday, Maduros government raised the stakes even further, announcing a $100,000 reward for information on Gonzalezs whereabouts and plastering the wanted-like bulletin with the retired diplomat's photo on social media and the arrivals board at the country's main airport.

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Gonzalez at a press conference said that he would travel Saturday night to the U.S., where he hopes to speak with President Joe Biden, following a brief stop in Uruguay for a meeting with President Luis Lacalle Pou. He also plans to visit Panama and the Dominican Republic as part of the impromptu regional tour.

Gonzalez, who twice served as Venezuela's ambassador to Argentina more than two decades ago, used his visit to highlight the plight of hundreds of Venezuelans who remain imprisoned as part of a post-election crackdown by Maduro.

During his meeting with Milei, the two discussed the well being of five Maduro opponents who have been sheltering in the Argentine ambassadors residence in Caracas for nearly 10 months. Maduro's government broke relations with Argentina and expelled its diplomats after Milei and other regional leaders refused to recognize Maduro's reelection.

But it has denied the activists holed up in the diplomatic compound safe passage so they can take up exile in Argentina. As part of the diplomatic standoff, Maduro's government last month also arrested an Argentine national guardsman as he was entering the country, accusing him of terrorism. Argentina said the officer, Nahuel Gallo, traveled to Venezuela to visit his wife and her family, who are from Venezuela.

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An estimated 220,000 Venezuelans are believed to reside in Argentina  part of an exodus of more than 7 million who have fled political turmoil, economic chaos and political repression by Maduro since 2014.

Janet Avila, a 51-year old school teacher who left Venezuela two years ago, was among those gathered outside the presidential palace to greet Gonzalez.

I'm very grateful to the Argentines, they've been beautiful to me, but I want to go home, to be with my family, she said.

The Biden administration and most European governments have rejected the election's official results, pointing out that authorities didn't provide detailed results as they have in past elections. Meanwhile, copies of tally sheets collected by the opposition from 85% of the nations electronic voting machines show that Gonzalez prevailed by a more than two-to-one margin.

Gonzalez, 75, was a previously unknown career diplomat when he was thrust into rallying the anti-Maduro coalition as a last-minute stand-in for opposition stalwart Maria Corina Machado, whom the government banned from running for office.
Vermilion Sheriff: Man arrested on numerous drug charges

VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY)  A 36-year-old man is facing numerous charges in connection with alleged narcotics-related offenses in the parish, according to the Vermilion Parish Sheriffs Office.

In a news release on Friday, Sheriff Eddie Langlinais announced the arrest of Kelsey Braxton.

Braxton faces the following charges:

Possession with intent to distribute MDMA

Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

Possession with intent to distribute marijuana

Possession with intent to distribute cocaine

Possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine

Possession with intent to distribute alprazolam

Possession with intent to distribute adderall

Possession with intent to distribute promethazine

Possession with intent to distribute oxycodone

possession of eqipsoise

possession of legend drug methocarbomol

possession of drug paraphernalia

felon in possession of a firearm

possession of a firearm in the presence of a controlled dangerous substance

three counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a juvenile

possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a drug free zone (South Louisiana Community College)

The sheriffs office said they searched a home and vehicles in the 300 block of Graceland Avenue as a continuation of the investigation. There, authorities said they found a large amount of crack cocaine near a digital scale, powder cocaine, MDMA and an assortment of other suspected drugs.

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Investigators said they also found a handgun and three magazines inside the residence.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com.
Loved ones are remembering an Alabama dad, veteran and husband after he was murdered on New Years Eve.

Earnest Christion Jr. was killed in a stabbing at a Birmingham residence on Tuesday, Dec. 31, according to a press release from the Birmingham Police Department.

After a 911 call reported the incident around 7 p.m. local time, officers arrived at the home, where they found an adult male, later identified as Christion, 68, unresponsive suffering from what our officers believed to be a stab wound, police said.

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The U.S. Army veteran was then taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to police

The Birmingham Police Department is conducting a homicide investigation. They said that details are limited in this investigation and no one is currently in custody.

Getty A police car (stock image). A police car (stock image).

Remembering Christion, who was nicknamed Rickey, in a statement shared with AL.com, his family said the veteran will be remembered for his humor and caring nature toward everyone he encountered.

Rickey was more than just a veteran; he was a beacon of joy and love, read the joint statement from his son, Ernest P. Christion III; daughter-in-law, Jessica Christion and wife, Wanda Sawyer-Christion.

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His sense of humor was infectious, and his ability to keep people smiling, even during difficult times, will always be remembered, the family continued. Whether it was a funny joke, a lighthearted comment, or his unwavering positivity, Rickey had a special gift for making those around him feel good.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

The family added that Christion was a family man at his core, as they praised his dedication as both a father and husband.

Rickey always made sure Wanda felt treasured and was there for her through every step of their journey together, the family told AL.com, referring to his wife.

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His family was the center of his world, and he cherished each and every moment spent with them, they added, then noting that he always ensured that his kids were cared for and loved, offering advice, encouragement, and his ever-present warmth.

His love for his children was unconditional, and he took immense pride in being a devoted father," Christion's family concluded.

Read the original article on People
Fueled by raging summer temperatures, persistent droughts and increased construction, valley fever cases spiked in 2024. The New Year is predicted to bring more cases.

For years, researchers have worked on vaccines to prevent the airborne disease and to develop treatments to help victims survive. But meanwhile, we also must take precautions to stay healthy.

Valley fever is caused by inhaling spores of coccidioides, a fungal pathogen that thrives in drier and dustier regions. The spores are released and inhaled when dry soil is disturbed by blowing winds, farming activities and construction.

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Although valley fever cases are reported throughout the Southwest, Kern County has long been considered a hot spot. Last year, Kern accounted for more than one-third of the cases reported statewide. About 80 Californians die from it every year.

Several other counties reporting valley fever spikes last year included Los Angeles, Riverside, Fresno, Kings, Merced, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Stanislaus.

Health officials have concluded the spike in California cases and the diseases geographic spread is caused by a combination of factors, including alternating wet winters and severe summer droughts, and increased construction of residential, commercial and energy projects on previous undisturbed land.

Valley fever is also prevalent in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Texas, and parts of Mexico, Central and South America.

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In Arizona, health officials reported valley fever cases last year were at their highest number in more than a decade. Reportedly, 10,990 Arizonans tested positive and 74 died from the disease.

In November, Arizona health officials conducted a campaign to focus public attention on coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever, across the state.

They noted that of those infected with valley fever, an estimated 40% will develop symptoms similar to that of the flu or pneumonia. However, severe forms of this disease can lead to dissemination of spores to other parts of the body outside of the lungs. Some individuals are considered high-risk for severe disease, including those with diabetes, pregnant women, or those with a weakened immune system.

Whether you live in or travel through a valley fever hot spot, you are at risk for contracting valley fever.

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Consider the outbreak at the Lightning in a Bottle music festival at Buena Vista Aquatic Recreational Area in May. Five people who attended were diagnosed with valley fever. Three of the five people were hospitalized. Health officials warned there could be more undiagnosed cases.

Delayed treatment can be deadly, allowing the fungus to spread and grow in the lungs and occasionally the brain.

The early stages of valley fever can mimic the onset of COVID-19 or the flu. Physicians who are not familiar with the disease may misdiagnose patients or fail to consider valley fever.

Valley fever symptoms include fatigue, cough, chest pain, fever, rash, headache, joint aches and night sweats. About 5% of patients develop lung nodules and another 5% develop lung cavities that may rupture, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing.

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Approximately 1% to 2% of cases become disseminated and spread to the skin, bones or joints. Coccidioidal meningitis is the most severe complication, which, if untreated, is lethal.

When seeking medical attention, your health care provider likely first will consider COVID-19 and other ailments. If those are ruled out, a blood test can check for antibodies to the fungus that causes valley fever, which is not contagious.

Consider yourself warned: Valley fever may be more of a risk in 2025. What can you do?

 Avoid outside activities when the wind is blowing. Public information systems should be developed to inform residents and visitors when threat levels are high.

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 Know the symptoms of valley fever. Be your own advocate. Demand that your health care provider consider the disease when evaluating your complaint. Determine if he or she clearly understands the symptoms and treatment, and performs necessary tests.

 When traveling or seeking medical care out of the area, alert health care providers that you live in a valley fever hotspot. Urge them to test for the disease. Take special precautions if you will be undergoing a procedure that will suppress your immune system.

 Go to https://www.kernpublichealth.com/healthy-community/illness-disease/valley-fever for more information.
Members of the community had the chance Friday to pay their respects to the later-former state Sen. Vincent Fort.

Forts body was laid in state at Atlanta City Hall for people to say their final goodbyes.

I was a freshman at Morehouse, he was one of the professors. He was always someone students could relate to give good counsel, Atlanta City Councilman Michael Julian Bond said.

Bond said Fort brought raw courage into battles for human rights and civil rights.

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He had the tenacity of a dynamo juggernaut. He would be unwavering and unfailing until he achieved his goal, Bond said.

Fort was elected state Senator in 1996 and served the people of his Atlanta district until 2017.

Supporters call him fearless.

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He saved peoples homes. He spoke truth to power. He did not back down, had a backbone of steel and a heart of gold, state Sen. Nan Orrock said.

Even after leaving office, Fort continued to fight giving a voice to the vulnerable.

Channel 2 Action News talked to his daughter Zoe Fort.

First and foremost, my dad was a man of God and I think his work is a reflection of his faith, Zoe Fort said. I just couldnt be more honored to be his daughter.

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Fort died from complications of cancer last week. He was 68.

He died too soon but he did so much with the years he had on this earth, Orrock said.

It didnt matter who he was facing whether it was some kind of corporate giant, battles under the Gold Dome, he was going to be the voice for the people and carry their concerns all the way to the finish line, Bond said.

Forts celebration of life will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Lindsay Street Baptist Church, followed by his interment at South-View Cemetery.
Two high-profile New Years incidents  the deadly truck ramming in New Orleans and the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas  underscore the disturbing trend of public violence committed by U.S. military service members and veterans.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the driver in the New Orleans attack, and Matthew Livelsberger, who authorities say died by suicide before the explosives-loaded Cybertruck he was sitting in blew up, both served in the U.S. Army. Livelsberger was on active duty.

There are some clear distinctions between the incidents. The FBI says Jabbars attack, which killed at least 14 people and injured more than 30 others, was an act of terrorism. Authorities have not confirmed a definitive motive for Livelsbergers actions, which left several bystanders with minor injuries. Livelsberger, whose uncle said he was a supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, left behind writings criticizing the U.S. government, officials said Friday.

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The fact that both men have military backgrounds is enough to prompt questions about what role, if any, that service could possibly have played in leading them to carry out these acts.

Thats essentially what House Democrats, led by Rep. Mark Takano of California, sought to answer during a 2022 hearing on the raft of extremist violence carried out domestically by veterans, which I covered at the time. In his opening statement, Takano said:

It is worth asking why a small but growing subset of the veteran community is drawn to violent extremism or is choosing to associate with violent extremist groups. What are some of the internal factors  like anger, isolation, resentment or a loss of purpose  that are driving even some well-meaning and otherwise honorable veterans down a path toward extremism? What role do external factors such as underemployment, lack of health care access, and online mis- and disinformation play? And finally, what strategies have been found to be most effective in preventing radicalization and in responding to those who have already become radicalized. We must fully understand the physical, psychological and social factors that make some individuals susceptible to violent ideologies and recruitment by extremist groups before we can effectively formulate and advance solutions to support veterans in need.

The Intercepts Nick Turse essentially just addressed the same concerns in a piece headlined U.S. Military Service Is the Strongest Predictor of Carrying Out Extremist Violence.

New from me @theintercept: Military service is the single strongest individual predictor of becoming a mass casualty offender, far outpacing mental health issues, according to a sophisticated study by @START_UMD

https://t.co/Wsoe6EXdHP  Nick Turse (@nickturse) January 3, 2025

Members of the military have unique expertise in meting out harm, and they often face hardships or other experiences that can make them vulnerable to extremist indoctrination. Yet Republicans in Congress have bristled over discussions about how to root out extremism in the military.

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Thats the main reason why The Guardian concluded that efforts to thwart military extremism are likely to remain stalled under the incoming Trump administration, whose allies have framed such attempts as unnecessary wokeness.

But those very efforts could be vital in identifying and discouraging potential threats of public violence  like the ones weve seen this week  before they can occur.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Donald Trump will be sentenced on January 10 in a criminal case for which he was convicted for silencing a porn star by paying hush money and falsifying business record, a New York judge ruled on Friday (local time). The judge also added that Trump will face no legal penalties for his conviction in the case, CNN reported. Judge Juan Merchan, upholding Trump's conviction, set the sentencing on January 10, however, he indicated that the case is essentially over. Trump had appealed to throw out the jury's verdict because of his reelection in November, CNN reported. The judge in his ruling said that imposing no penalty would bring "finality" to the case while allowing Trump to continue pursuing an appeal of the conviction. "A sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options," Merchan wrote. According to CNN, the judge also said that he would allow Trump to appear at the sentencing virtually, to assuage the president-elect's concerns about the "mental and physical demands during this transition period." "It was a smart move by Judge Merchan to announce in advance that he is going to impose no punishment, and hold the proceeding remotely because that undermines any effort by Trump's team to argue in federal court that sentencing imposes some major burden," said CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said. Trump was convicted in May of last year on 34 counts of falsifying business records last month in connection with a hush money payment his ex-fixer, Cohen, made to Daniels, a porn actor, ahead of the 2016 election to keep her story of an alleged affair with Trump a secret. Trump has denied the affair and vowed to appeal the guilty verdict. That verdict marked a historic moment as Trump became the first president in US history to be convicted of a felony. (ANI)
Homelessness surveys are being singled out for worsening racial disparities by systematically prioritizing homeless white people ahead of their Black peers.

LAS VEGAS  Maurice Clark huddled in his tent along dusty railroad tracks as two homeless outreach workers began asking him questions to determine whether he would qualify for free or subsidized housing.

Did he use drugs? Had he ever been in jail? How many times had he been to an emergency room? Had he been attacked on the streets? Tried to harm himself? Engaged in sex for money?

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Clark didnt feel comfortable being honest with the two surveyors hed never met before, who were flanked by police officers as they recorded his responses from a questionnaire on a tablet.

Ive done some crazy things to survive, but Im, like, Im going to say no because theres these officers right there, he said, recalling the encounter on a fall afternoon outside his tent.

Im a Black man in America, so asking this stuff hits a little bit different.

National homelessness experts and local leaders say such personal questions exacerbate racial disparities in the ranks of the nations unhoused, particularly as more people experiencing homelessness compete for scarce taxpayer-subsidized housing amid a deepening affordability crisis.

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Vulnerability questionnaires were created to determine how likely a person is to get sick and die while homeless, and the system has been adopted widely around the country over the past decade to help prioritize who gets housing. The more a homeless person is perceived to be vulnerable, the more points they score on the questionnaire and the higher they move in the housing queue. The surveys are being singled out for worsening racial disparities by systematically placing homeless white people at the front of the line, ahead of their Black peers  partly because the scoring awards more points for using health care, and relies on trust in the system, both of which favor white people.

Black people make up 13.7% of the overall U.S. population yet account for 32.2% of the nations homeless population. White people, including some people of Hispanic descent, make up 75% of the country and represent 55% of Americas homeless.

Its racist in a systemic way, said Marc Dones, a California-based policy director at the University of California-San Francisco and a lead researcher for one of the nations largest studies analyzing the Black homeless population. If youre a white person, the more likely you are to rank higher than if youre a Black person, so youre more likely to get selected for housing.

Vulnerability surveys took off after President Barack Obama in 2009 signed into law sweeping rules requiring the countrys local homelessness agencies, known as Continuums of Care and currently numbering 381, to adopt a method to assess the vulnerability of homeless people to receive federal housing and homelessness funding. Cities and counties predominantly adopted a survey called VI-SPDAT, which is still used by an estimated two-thirds of homeless agencies, even as it has been found to favor white people and rank Black people lower.

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Some experts argue its time to toss the vulnerability assessment altogether and look not only at health and social needs but also systemic racism, poverty, involvement in the criminal justice system, barriers to housing, and other economic drivers that influence, and in some cases, cause homelessness. Several U.S. communities are revamping their vulnerability assessment systems to reduce racial disparities and help more Black people get housing.

In Los Angeles, officials are launching an effort to use artificial intelligence to better assess whether someone should be prioritized for placement, in part by looking at overpolicing of Black people and discrimination in health care. In Las Vegas, officials are revamping their vulnerability assessment to give higher scores for systemic problems including incarceration. In Austin, Texas, officials are testing a system to account for people displaced by gentrification.

We need to own the racism that is embedded in our systems, said Quiana Fisher, vice president of homelessness response systems for the lead agency in Travis County, Texas, which includes Austin. Its not just about the tool  its about funding, and its about program outcomes. Even if its unintentional, we have created a homeless response system that is rooted in racism.

The assessment tool was first tested in Boston, where members of the homeless population were more likely to be white, male, and have a severe mental illness or substance use disorder. Black people, meanwhile, are more likely to be homeless because of economic reasons, such as poverty or joblessness, and are less likely to have a record of medical care due to higher uninsurance and less use of health care.

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This whole system was piloted on this older white population in Boston, so it does a poor job of capturing the needs of Black folks, who dont tend to be as sick as white folks  theyre more broke, Dones said. The initial thought was to prioritize these people because theyre going to die sooner. It was trying to tackle mortality, but it wound up in racism.

As a result, white people are more likely to gain housing because they tend to score more points on vulnerability assessments that rank sickness higher, including histories of chronic disease, addiction, mental illness, and emergency room visits and hospitalizations, according to national surveys. Black people, meanwhile, are less likely to have health insurance or medical diagnoses and to reveal their ailments, and are more mistrustful due to biases in the health care system. Black folks are less likely to seek care, even with coverage, due to medical racism, Dones said.

Local leaders say part of the problem is becoming homeless in the first place and economic disadvantages that drive more Black people into homelessness, including placement in foster care and higher rates of eviction and joblessness. But once homeless, helping Black people get into stable housing becomes more elusive.

In Los Angeles County, home to more homeless people than any other county in the country, 31% of homeless people are Black, though the overall Black population accounts for 9%. In Austin, Black people account for nearly 32% of the homeless population, compared with 7.6% overall. And in Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, Black people represent 42% of the homeless population but just 12% of the overall population.

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Weve failed to capture the complex vulnerabilities of our marginalized groups. Were asking all these questions, but we created a waiting list to nowhere, said Brenda Barnes, who leads the Southern Nevada Homelessness Continuum of Care.

Streets of Las Vegas

Grasping his toothbrush after cleaning up in his tent on a recent morning, Clark, 45, recalled taking his housing questionnaire this year. He ticked off responses to outreach workers that should rank him high in the queue  he lacked stable housing, has been homeless for nearly four years, and has no job or reliable income.

Hed frequented emergency rooms and had been to jail, pleading guilty to a felony theft crime he said he didnt commit, and several times for possession of drugs and paraphernalia, he told them. He used methamphetamine, mostly to be alert at night when it became dangerous. Was he ever assaulted? Yes, especially in adulthood since becoming homeless in 2020.

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In reality, he hustled sometimes for a dime, and he worried hed be targeted for taking recyclables or engaging in prostitution. Ive done it to get a room for a night. Its like a last resort, he said.

And Clark wasnt forthcoming with outreach workers about the details of his drug use or involvement with law enforcement, that hed sold his body for sex, that hed experienced abuse. He couldnt recall all the details of his medical history either. Continually fleeing law enforcement sweeps with his tent, hauling it along busy train tracks, hes high at times, and often in a state of chaos and fear that can scramble his memory or make him fearful of arrest. He didnt share with them his occasional thoughts of suicide or his health concerns, including possibly having diabetes.

They asked me about drugs, I was like, um, I dont know, Clark said. Like Im supposed to tell them I got addicted to meth or sold my body for a meal and hotel room? I had no idea where this information was going or what it was being used for. After he took the survey, no housing came.

Even those who do answer honestly find themselves competing for a limited supply of affordable housing. John Harris was sleeping under a bridge on a recent October afternoon. He said he has taken the questionnaire twice. It led nowhere.

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They asked me, have I been incarcerated? And I said yes. Ive been to prison too many times. And I have mental health struggles, said Harris, 59, who has been in and out of sober living shelters but still uses methamphetamine. He has been a repeat visitor to emergency rooms, and on an October afternoon recorded a high blood pressure reading that put him at risk for a heart attack  factors that should score points for vulnerability.

I called and asked what happened with my housing. They said I didnt score high enough, he said. After getting his blood pressure checked by a street medicine nurse, he shrugged, saying he may just wind up back in the emergency room, as he retreated under the bridge.

No matter what society says today, things aint never going to change, he said.

I Dont Know What the Solution Is

How communities assign points to homeless people and rank them for housing is the biggest problem.

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The most common questionnaire deployed by communities around the country, the VI-SPDAT, assigns points meant to gauge the vulnerability of a person living on the streets. Experts say this model was never tested as a housing assessment tool, nor meant to determine whether someone gets into housing.

This is not a reliable instrument, and Black men consistently score the lowest for vulnerability, so they are deprioritized for housing  to get housing, you really need to score high, said Courtney Cronley, a University of Tennessee researcher who analyzed the vulnerability assessment. Her findings were published in 2020 in the Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness.

Cronley pointed to a range of questions that exacerbate racial bias and have little to do with qualifying for housing:

How many times have you received health care in an emergency room? Have you been attacked or beaten up? Have you threatened to harm yourself or anyone else in the last year?

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Does anyone force you or trick you to do things that you do not want to do? Do you exchange sex for money? Run drugs?

Experts who study the vulnerability questionnaire also point out that the racial or ethnic background of surveyors often doesnt reflect that of the people being questioned, which can lead to inaccurate results if a respondent doesnt feel safe or understand the surveys purpose.

Some cities and counties are creating surveys that local homeless agencies hope will narrow racial disparities.

Clark County deployed a new vulnerability assessment in June after a 2023 secret-shopper project found the system was not connecting homeless people with housing or services, especially people of color.

We failed in every category, Barnes said. Formerly homeless people fanned out on the streets and in the tunnels to test whether the housing questionnaire resulted in providing housing for the most vulnerable. All we were doing is counting people.

Clark Countys new weighted questionnaire now considers how likely a person is to exit homelessness on their own  instead of how likely they are to die on the streets or in the tunnels.

The new system assigns homeless people points in four categories to get higher in the queue for housing: whether someone is pregnant or a parent; whether they have a substance use disorder, chronic health condition, or mental health diagnosis; whether theyre 55 or older; and whether they have committed a felony or violent crime.

Because youre not going to get approved for a job or housing if they run a background check and theres a criminal record, she said, so we want to address that in our housing system.

Still, Barnes isnt sure Clark County will get it right this time. As of mid-November, more homeless Black people were waiting for housing than white people. According to local data obtained through public records requests, nearly 1,500 Black people are in the countys housing queue, compared with roughly 1,000 white people.

I dont know what the solution is, Barnes said. To be honest, the numbers may spike again.

Los Angeles County, where an estimated 75,000 people experience homelessness, is creating a weighted tool to assign more points for factors that disproportionately affect people of color.

If someone has been incarcerated or detained by law enforcement, instead of getting one point, a homeless person would score five, moving them up on the housing list, said Eric Rice, a social scientist and professor at the University of Southern California.

We are assigning more points to structural inequities, said Rice, who is helping develop the new questionnaire.

Los Angeles County also plans to assign more points for drug use and for having HIV, which affects Black men more than any other group. New HIV diagnoses for Black adults were eight times those of white people, according to research by KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News.

Homelessness coordinators have also revamped their vulnerability assessment in Travis County, Texas, where a Black resident is six times as likely to fall into homelessness as a white person.

The countys homelessness agency, according to Fisher, looked at historically Black neighborhoods in Austin that had been gentrified and scored homeless people higher if theyd lived in those areas but were now homeless.

If you lived in a place that was previously redlined or now gentrified, you got a point for that, Fisher said. The survey also gave points for involvement in the criminal justice system, because Black people are more likely to get arrested or jailed, she said.

Some experts say the idea of using a tool to rank people should disappear altogether.

Instead, communities should have flexibility to tailor their housing resources based on the local needs and demographic makeup of their homeless populations, said Mary Frances Kenion, vice president of training and technical assistance at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

She said communities can cultivate trust between homeless people and outreach workers through a one-on-one approach that can be more responsive to individual needs and local housing conditions, which can better determine whether someone should be moved to the top of the housing list.

Kenion also encouraged federal, state, and local governments to reimagine their approach to prioritizing people for housing based not on vulnerability but economic factors like income, history of eviction, or having a felony record. She argued communities should devote more resources to stem the flow of Black people into homelessness.

If we dont manage to stop that, she said, this is just going to keep getting exponentially worse.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFFan independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

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Police shared excerpts of letters and texts that they allege were sent by Matthew Livelsberger prior to the explosion of his rented Cybertruck outside of Trump Tower in Las Vegas on New Year's Day.

In one letter, the 37-year-old Army Green Beret took responsibility for the blast and called the explosion a wake-up call.

During a press conference on Friday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren read from a letter that authorities say was found on Livelsberger's phone. In one excerpt, Livelsberger claimed the incident was a spectacle meant to shake up the American people and his fellow veterans.

Las Vegas police share letters tied to the individual involved in the cybertruck blast: This was a wake-up call What better way to get my point across.. pic.twitter.com/mitwdaz9XT  Acyn (@Acyn) January 3, 2025

"We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves, Livelsberger wrote in a letter found on his phone. [The United States is] terminally ill and headed towards collapse.

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In the excerpts shared by law enforcement, Livelsberger wrote that he chose to make an improvised bomb out of fireworks and other explosives as a way to grab the attention of the public.

"Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence," he allegedly wrote. "What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives?"

Koren said the letters revealed several motives but highlighted one that centered around Livelsberger's service in the military.

"Why did I personally do it now?" the note read. "I need to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took.

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Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill wasn't yet ready to conclusively speak about political leanings, despite reports from family members that Livelsberger was a fan of President-elect Donald Trump.

The FBI Special Agent Spencer Evans claimed in the presser that Livelsberger was struggling with PTSD and other issues at the time of the blast. Livelsberger reportedly died of a self-inflicted gunshot just before the explosion.

The letters are the first indication of motive provided by police in the case. Despite the condemnation of American leadership and the location of the attack  outside a hotel bearing Trumps name  law enforcement officials dont believe it was an act of terror. Authorities shared their belief that any connections to a similar attack in New Orleans on the same day are coincidental.
William Polk Cheshire, a former Arizona Republic editorial page editor, died Dec. 27 at age 93, his family announced.

Cheshire, known to his colleagues as Bill, joined The Republic in 1987 as an editor of the paper's editorial section. He became a senior editorial columnist for The Republic in 1993 and continued in that role until his retirement in 1996.

"When my father announced his retirement, he received an outpouring of letters of appreciation from his readers," Cheshire's son, William, Jr., told The Republic. "One wrote ...'Your style is so easily read and understood, at the same time reflecting your evident erudition.'"

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Cheshire was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Feb. 2, 1931, to parents James Webb Cheshire and Anne Ludlow McGehee Cheshire. Bill served four years as a seaman and petty officer in the U.S. Coast Guard before attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he graduated in 1958 with a bachelors degree in journalism.

After his schooling, Cheshire embarked on a career in both media and politics that spanned almost the entire second half of the 20th century. He worked as a newspaper editor, broadcaster and columnist whose articles appeared in national publications such as the National Review and the Wall Street Journal.

Former Arizona Republic columnist William Cheshire (left) with late U.S. Senator John McCain.

Cheshire began his career covering state politics in North Carolina and South Carolina for multiple outlets before pivoting to politics as the director of communications for the 1972 Republican U.S. Senate campaign in North Carolina.

After the campaign, Cheshire spent two years as a television and radio commentator and editorial director of Capitol Broadcasting Company in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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Cheshire returned to print journalism as editorial page editor of the Greensboro Record in North Carolina, after which he served as editor-in-chief of the Charleston Daily Mail in West Virginia and the editor of the Washington Times editorial pages in Washington, D.C.

While in D.C., Cheshire regularly appeared as a panelist on the weekly Voice of America program Issues in the News.

He resigned from the Times in protest after his family said he was ordered to defend political repression in South Korea.

Cheshire joined The Republic in September 1987 and remained in the newsroom until his retirement in 1996, after which he moved back to his home state of North Carolina with his late wife of 54 years, Lucile.

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His son William said his father "thoroughly enjoyed his years at the Arizona Republic." After his departure from the newsroom, he said a reader sent Cheshire a letter that said, Ill always remember you as a man of warmth, character, and professionalism.

Cheshire was a member of a number of organizations, from the American Society of Newspaper Editors to the National Press Club.

He served as an adjunct professor of journalism at the University of Charleston, became a distinguished fellow in journalism at the Heritage Foundation in 1987, and was a media fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in 1991.

Cheshire is survived by his wife of nine years, Judith Ann Keel Tunstall Cheshire and three children  Helen Chapman, William Jr. and James. He also leaves 10 grandchildren, two nephews and a niece.

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A service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, January 5, at St. Peters Episcopal Church in Washington, North Carolina. Cheshires family will hold a one-hour reception for friends after the service, after which a private burial will take place.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Bill Cheshire, former Republic columnist and editor, dead at 93
Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes announced her resignation from The Washington Post, citing an editorial decision to scrap a cartoon that included Post owner Jeff Bezos bowing to President-elect Donald Trump.

Telnaes, in a statement posted to Substack Friday night, said that the Posts decision to kill her cartoon was a game changer and warned that trying to get in the good graces of an autocrat-in-waiting threatens the function of the free press.

The cartoon in question depicts a group of billionaire tech and media executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, bowing and offering sacks of cash to an imposing statue of Trump. Pictured among the genuflecting crowd is Post owner Jeff Bezos.

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Ive never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at, Telnaes wrote. Until now.

But Post Opinions editor David Shipley said in a statement that, while he respects Telnaes and all she has given to the Post, he disagreed with her interpretation of events.

"Not every editorial judgment is a reflection of a malign force, Shipley stated. My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another column  this one a satire  for publication. The only bias was against repetition."

Telnaes resignation is the latest sign of pushback against the growing influence of billionaire CEOs trying to get into the incoming presidents good graces. Both the Post and the LA Times experienced surges of outrage from employees and readers alike when they separately announced that they would not endorse a presidential candidate  less than two weeks before the Nov. 5 election.

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Many at the time pointed the finger at Bezos and Soon-Shiong, the two papers billionaire owners, for interfering in the editorial decision.

Bezos, who once openly criticized Trump, has cozied up to the president-elect recently, even dining with him and close adviser Elon Musk, another billionaire CEO, at Mar-a-Lago last month.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has been a vocal critic of Musk and Trump's relationship, shared Telnaes' cartoon on X, writing: "Big Tech executives are bending the knee to Donald Trump and its no surprise why: Billionaires like Jeff Bezos like paying a lower tax rate than a public school teacher."
Washington Post editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes on Friday revealed that she was quitting the newspaper after it rejected a sketch depicting its billionaire owner, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, on bended knee for Republican President-elect Donald Trump.

I have had editorial feedback and productive conversationsand some differencesabout cartoons I have submitted for publication, but in all that time Ive never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at. Until now, wrote the Pulitzer Prize winner on the platform Substack.

Telnaes  who began working at the Post in 2008  shared a rough draft of the cartoon, which also depicts Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and the character Mickey Mouse  a stand-in for The Walt Disney Co., which owns ABC News.

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Some of them appear to be holding up bags of money toward a large figure with a long tie and small hands whose face is out of frame  the apparent representation of Trump  while Mickey Mouse is seen bowing to him.

Telnaes wrote that the cartoon criticizes those who have been doingtheirbest to curryfavor with Trump.

To be clear, there have been instances where sketches have been rejected or revisions requested, but never because of the point of view inherent in the cartoons commentary, Telnaes wrote. Thats a game changerand dangerous for a free press.

David Shipley, the Posts editorial page editor, said in a statement to The New York Times that he respects Telnaes and her contributions to the newspaper but must disagree with her interpretation of events.

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Not every editorial judgment is a reflection of a malign force, he said. My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another column  this one a satire  for publication. The only bias was against repetition.

The cartoonists announcement comes after the Post facedbacklashover its decision to not endorse a candidate in last years presidential election.

The papers editorial board had reportedly drafted an endorsement of the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, before Bezos reviewed it and the endorsement was scrapped.

The Post had regularly endorsed candidates for decades before the move, which led to a drop in subscribers and a number of staff resignations.

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But Bezos, in remarks last month, said the paper had made the right decision.

Telnaes, who recently reshared a 2019 visual essay in which she described editorial cartoonists as democracys canary in a coal mine, wrote that her job as an editorial cartoonist is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable.

For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job, she wrote.

I doubt my decision will cause much of a stir and that it will be dismissed because Im just a cartoonist, she added, before going on to reference a slogan used by the Post. But I will not stop holding truth to power through my cartooning, because as they say, Democracy dies in darkness.

Related...
A longtime cartoonist at The Washington Post resigned after leadership reportedly killed a cartoon depicting newspaper owner and billionaire Jeff Bezos bending his knee to President-elect Trump.

I have had editorial feedback and productive conversationsand some differencesabout cartoons I have submitted for publication, but in all that time Ive never had a cartoon killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at, Ann Telnaes wrote Friday in a post on Substack titled, Why Im quitting the Washington Post.

Until now, she added.

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Telnaess resignation comes as tech and business leaders have made their way to Trumps Mar-a-Lago home in Florida for meetings, seemingly building a bridge with the incoming president in recent weeks  a shift from his first term in office.

The cartoonist, who joined the Post in 2008, said an editorial editor axed her art, which depicted Trump alongside a handful of tech and media titans, including Bezos, Metas Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAIs Sam Altman, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong and Mickey Mouse, representing the Walt Disney Company and ABC News.

The cartoon that was killed criticizes the billionaire tech and media chief executives who have been doing their best to curry favor with incoming President-elect Trump, she wrote.

David Shipley, the editorial page editor at The Post, rebuffed the allegation, stating the only bias in his decision to not run the cartoon was repetition.

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I respect Ann Telnaes and all she has given to The Post. But I must disagree with her interpretation of events, he said in a statement to The Hill. Not every editorial judgment is a reflection of a malign force.

My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another column  this one a satire  for publication, he added.

In early December, Amazon, which Bezos founded, announced it would donate $1 million to Trumps inauguration fund and also make a $1 million in-kind contribution. Bezos personally congratulated the incoming president on his election victory as well, labeling it an extraordinary political comeback.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE MY FRIEND!!! Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social, after having dinner with Bezos in Florida last month.

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The Hill reached out to Trumps transition team for comment.

Telnaess cartoon also spotlighted recent media moves that have prompted backlash, including ABC Newss $15 million defamation suit settlement with Trump as well as the Los Angeles Times owners decision to scrap a presidential endorsement of Vice President Harris.

Bezos, who also killed a piece from The Post supporting Trumps opponent this fall, has been widely criticized by readers and staffers alike. The billionaire tech and media entrepreneur defended the move, stating that newspaper presidential endorsements create a perception of bias.

Ending them is a principled decision, and its the right one, Bezos wrote in October. I would also like to be clear that no quid pro quo of any kind is at work here. Neither campaign nor candidate was consulted or informed at any level or in any way about this decision. It was made entirely internally.

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Telnaes joins an exodus of journalists that have left Bezoss paper, as reported by Puck, in recent months.

As an editorial cartoonist, my job is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. For the first time, my editor prevented me from doing that critical job, Telnaes wrote. So I have decided to leave the Post. I doubt my decision will cause much of a stir and that it will be dismissed because Im just a cartoonist.

But I will not stop holding truth to power through my cartooning, because as they say, Democracy dies in darkness], she added.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) weighed in on Telnaess resignation from The Post, arguing the newspapers owner, and other tech moguls, are kowtowing to Trump for tax breaks.

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@AnnTelnaes resigned after the Washington Post editorial page killed her cartoon. Its worth a share, Warren said in a Saturday post on X. Big Tech executives are bending the knee to Donald Trump and its no surprise why: Billionaires like Jeff Bezos like paying a lower tax rate than a public school teacher.

Updated at 6:33 p.m. EST.

Filip Timotija contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Washington Congressman Michael Baumgartner, center left, is sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 3, 2025, joined by his wife Eleanor and their children, and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana. Baumgartner, a Republican, is beginning his first term representing eastern Washington's 5th Congressional District. (Photo courtesy of Michael Baumgartner)

Republican Michael Baumgartner and Democrat Emily Randall became Washingtons newest representatives in Congress on Friday afternoon.

They were sworn in following the sessions first political drama  election of the House speaker  that found the newcomers on opposite sides.

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Baumgartner and his Republican colleagues used their narrow majority to reelect House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, on the first vote. Randall and Democrats backed Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, who will be the House minority leader.

Ahead of the speaker vote, Baumgartner called for caucus unity.

With a tiny Republican majority, we cant afford to burn clock on a Speaker battle that only throws sand in the gears of a first 100 day agenda that is vital for the security of America, he wrote Dec. 30 on the social media platform X.

All House members  including Washingtons 10-person contingent  were sworn into office shortly after 1 p.m. Baumgartner and Randall are among 63 new members of the 435-person chamber.

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Baumgartner succeeds Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers who retired after two decades representing eastern Washingtons 5th Congressional District. The district is bordered by Canada in the north, Oregon in the south and Idaho in the east and encompasses Spokane and some or all of 12 counties.

Baumgartner, who most recently served as Spokane County treasurer and is a former state senator, is one of two Republicans in Washingtons congressional delegation. The other is Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse.

They are soon to be part of a political trifecta, with the GOP controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House following the November election. President-elect Donald Trumps swearing-in is scheduled for Jan. 20.

As Democrats in western Washington like Gov. Jay Inslee and Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson gnash their teeth, wring their hands and draw up their legal defenses against Trump, residents Baumgartner represents on the east side of the Cascades dont share such fears and trepidation. Theyre looking forward to the GOP being in charge.

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Baumgartner, of Spokane, said in a recent interview he would counsel everyone to turn down the political temperature and focus on actual policies and policymaking.

He said hes most excited to work with Trump on border security, which Republicans believe they have a mandate to deal with. Baumgartner campaigned on completing the wall along the nations southern border, reinstating policies to vet individuals seeking asylum and requiring businesses to use the E-verify program to confirm people are eligible to work.

In the interview, he sidestepped whether hes good with Trumps calls for mass deportation of immigrants and ending birthright citizenship. It takes a whole government approach, he said, inferring Congress needs to be fully engaged on immigration policy.

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The new congressman wants to extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts before they expire next year and roll back federal regulations. And he vowed to do whatever it takes to protect the hydropower dams on the Snake River from removal, which environmentalists and tribes have pushed for.

Hes not on board with Trumps pledge to slap big tariffs on goods from China and other countries. Washington is among the nations most trade-dependent states, he noted. I do have concerns about tariffs and getting into a situation of retaliatory tariffs, he said

That happened in 2019 when the Trump administration imposed tariffs on Indian steel and aluminum. The country countered with its own taxes on over two dozen goods from the U.S., including apples, chickpeas and lentils. India lifted its retaliatory tariffs a year ago.

Baumgartner said he hopes the path ahead brings less partisan sniping and greater embrace of the federal system with decision-making pushed to the local level so as to not require everyone to live the same.

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That way, he said, We can have a unified country and we can successfully continue this great experiment in representative government.

Randall is following Democratic Rep. Derek Kilmer, who retired after six terms representing the 6th Congressional District encompassing the Olympic Peninsula, the Kitsap Peninsula and much of Tacoma, including the citys port.

U.S. Rep. Emily Randall, who represents Washingtons 6th Congressional District, poses for a photograph on the steps of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 15, 2024 in Washington, D.C. Randall was sworn into office on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

She served in the state Senate prior to winning the congressional seat in November. Randall is the first openly LGBTQ person in Washingtons congressional delegation, and the first queer Latina to serve in Congress.

On Friday, Randall said she will work to defend abortion rights, expand health care access, make housing more affordable, create educational opportunities and protect the environment.

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She made clear in a statement that she may be opposing policies put forth by the next president and GOP-led Congress who she said represent real threats to real people and to the values and rights of communities across the country.

But Randall said she would work with colleagues of all parties, from all corners of the country wherever possible.

I know our best days are ahead of us, but only when we are willing to work together, she said.
China-based robotics company LimX Dynamics has released a video showing its most advanced humanoid robot strutting its stuff. The robot performs advanced motions like controlled lying down, parallel squats, waist rotation, and lifting itself from the ground.

LimX explains that the robot features a hollow actuator design and high torque-density actuators, which enable a full-body balance for a wide range of motion. These enable the robot to perform complex full-body movements in an ultra-stable and dynamic manner.

In the video, the robot can perform a surprisingly controlled descent into a supine position from standing. Compared to a human, the action does seem awkward and almost child-like, but it uses a combination of its legs and arms to lie down on the floor gently.

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The next part of the video shows the robot performing a series of parallel squats. This action is much smoother and closer to the "real" thing, with the robot using its arms to help balance itself during the process.

LimX robot showing off its moves

The third act of the video shows off the robot's waist rotation. The robot can be seen swiveling its hips similarly to someone warming up and ready for exercise. Once again, the robot uses its arms to help provide balance during the process.

The video's fourth and arguably most impressive part shows the robot lifting itself from the ground to a standing position. It is here, however, that the robot completes this feat in a way a human never could.

Lying on its front, the robot can lift its legs and rotate them around its joints 360 degrees to place the "soles" firmly on the floor.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nwuyCSXvYQ&t=6s

Once in that position, the robot can use its legs to stand from a squat-like position with the torso still firmly on the ground.

Again, it uses its arms to provide additional balance to complete the procedure. This ability is completely alien to us, but the robot makes the process seem effortless.

With ongoing advancements in system engineering, LimXDynamics full-size humanoid robot features a hollow actuator design and high torque-density actuators, enabling full-body balance for a wide range of motion, the company said on LinkedIn.

Now it achieves complex full-body movements in an ultra-stable and dynamic manner."

Who is LimX?

This new video follows others released over the last few years, including W1-wheeled quadruped and other humanoid robots. For example, in August last year, LimX showcased its CL-1 humanoid robot loading heavy objects.

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The company released its TRON 1 biped robot in October 2024 with a $15,000 price tag. This particular robot is intended to help further accelerate bipedal robot research.

LimX was founded in 2005 and is a self-described "general-purpose robotics company" looking to achieve general artificial intelligence (AGI). Beyond that, the company also focuses on developing its hardware and software for applications in industry and the home (and other sectors).

The company has since raised $27.5 million in funding (including Series A funding) with past investors, including Alibaba Group, Shangqi Capital, and Lenovo Capital.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that 1,358 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians returned to their homes from Russian captivity in 2024. In a post on X, Zelenskyy shared the information while lauding the efforts of the 'Ukrainian team' He further urged to ensure everything to bring more good news in 2025, notably an end to the conflict with Russia. He also thanked his allies for their help. "In 2024, we managed to bring 1,358 of our people back home to Ukraine from Russian captivity. These are our soldiers and civilians. Their fates are different, but they are equally happy to return home. Each and every one of them for the sake of whom a large Ukrainian team worked. We must do everything to ensure that in 2025, there will be even more such good news and returns of our people. Thank you to our partners who help," Zelenskyy wrote on X. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which escalated in February 2022 with Russia's full-scale invasion, has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths. Moscow continues to deny intentionally targeting civilians, despite widespread international condemnation and evidence of airstrikes on residential areas. In response, Ukraine has ramped up its defence efforts with help from Western allies. Yet, the volume and intensity of Russia's assaults have made it clear that more sophisticated and long-range defence capabilities are necessary. On the occasion of the 1000th day of the conflict on November 19 of last year, the UN also urged the international community to continue showing solidarity with Ukraine. The UN also provided statistics on the impact of the war on the people of Ukraine.UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale said that over 39,000 civilians have been killed or injured; more than 3,400 schools and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed; and 10 million people have fled their homes. Schmale also said that since February 2024, civilian infrastructure has been decimated with over 2,000 attacks now on healthcare facilities, 2 million damaged homes, and 65 per cent of Ukraine's own energy production capacity has been destroyed In 2024, the UN estimated that 14.6 million Ukrainians, almost 40 per cent of the country's population, will need humanitarian assistance. (ANI)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  Residents of the Four Winds West apartment complex in Birmingham are angry. The water at their apartment complex was shut off late Thursday night, making this the fourth time in the last 12 months.

We determined were taking action, resident Jerome Jones said.

According to Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson, Birmingham Water Works restored water to the building Friday night. Four Winds residents read the three memorandums from BWW, which state water service was being terminated because of unpaid bills. However, the residents are raising concerns about those back payments.

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If we, the citizens, pay our bills and the water is added within our bills, we are paying it, resident John Williams said. Sixty-something units in here, and everybody pays their rent on time so theres no use, no need for any way this water should be off.

According to its website, Four Winds West is a community for people 62 or older or with a disability.

Youre talking about people thats bedridden, sick, on oxygen. You got nurses coming out here, they need water to clean the patients. And then you think so less of the residents that you would not pay their water bill? Tyson said.

Everybody doesnt have the means of moving or finding better situations for themselves, so they have to endure whats going on here, Williams added. I think its a shame that they have to go through such tragedies.

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Overdose deaths down in Alabama, CDC data shows

People living at Four Winds say the issues at the building go beyond the water being turned off, including trash piles up bringing odors and rodents, open sewage, rotting wood on some balconies and rusty appliances.

When you drive up, it looks like a spooky place. Not a place for living or dwelling, said Williams.

Were living, were human beings, weve got to be respected to the truest, to the bottom line. No other way but respect, resident Jessie Pratt said. From here on out, if they dont start doing it, were going to have to stop paying rent.

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According to Tyson, the company that owns Four Winds West, Millennia Housing Management, has created a payment plan with BWW. Tyson says $5,000 has been wired and a $3,400 check has been mailed, but she says the company still owes $29,400 by the middle of the month or the water will be shut off again.

Its not the people who live in these units, and its just unfair and something needs to be done, she said.

Tyson says Congresswoman Terri Sewell is working to get Housing and Urban Development out to help the people at Four Winds West.

The same company that owns Four Winds West used to own Bankhead Towers, the apartment complex in downtown Birmingham that was condemned in September 2024. We have sent Millennia Housing Management a list of questions regarding the water bill back payments but have yet to hear back.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  Situated at the corner of 6th Street and Lamar stands one of Austins most iconic music and movie shops, but soon it will be gone.

Following a 2019 property purchase by Endeavor Real Estate Group, the business faced closure or relocation. Now, Waterloo Records will relocate to 1105 N. Lamar Blvd. in the springtime, according to a Thursday release.

It is a very quintessential Austin place, said Carter Spillyards who has been shopping at Waterloo for the last decade.

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Spillyards and others who shop at Waterloo Records said they were sad to see it move, but happy it will still be around.

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Caren Kelleher, CEO of Gold Rush Vinyl, confirmed Thursday she and business partner Trey Watson (CEO of Armadillo Records) will be taking over Waterloo Records.

Owner John T. Kunz said bringing on new partners would mean the iconic spot would live on, but it had to be the perfect fit.

RELATED | Austins Waterloo Records to relocate, take on new ownership

The needle that always needed to be threaded with our business was to stay true to our roots, our beliefs, our principals, said Kunz. Always follow the music, but continue to change and morph and innovate.

Kunz said the other important part of the deal was his employees, many of them have been working at the shop for decades.

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Ive got to stress they were only interested in this company because of the team, the 40 people that make us hum the way we do, Kunz said.

As this transition takes place, Kelleher confirmed Waterloo Records staff team will be coming along for the ride.

I started working here the first week this location started, said Martin Coulter, who has more than 30 years with the company.

Kunz said there was another caveat to bringing on new owners.

One of my other caveats was that the employees would have the opportunity to buy in if they wanted to, Kunz said.

PAST COVERAGE | Waterloo Records looking to move to new location

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For Guillermo Paleo, who has been working at Waterloo Records for about two years, it has shown him that his company cares about him.

It just speaks volumes and just confirms to us just how much he really wants us to secure the future, not only for Waterloo but for us as employees, said Paleo.

In a changing city where many iconic spots have disappeared, many shoppers tell KXAN they are happy to see this one just moving down the street.

Doesnt matter where Waterloo is we will seek it out, said longtime customer Matt Watson.

Kelleher said the opportunity to co-own Waterloo Records is a lifetime honor, adding she moved to Austin because of its rich music history and scene.

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Waterloo Records upcoming location will feature more space for in-store events and music performances and expanded parking for customers. A grand opening, along with a community celebration, is set to be held on a yet-to-be-announced date, the release added.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Washington County schools dismissed early on Friday due to the snow in Western Maryland, marking what may be the start of an extended weekend away from the classroom.

Parents showed up at school well before noon to take their kids home. In both Washington and Frederick Counties, students were dismissed two hours early.

Nicole, a parent, got the alert mid-morning to come fetch her child at Smithsburg Elementary.

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Oh gosh, said Nicole. They text you, they call you, they e-mail you, Facebook messages, everything!

Snow, snow squalls in DC, Maryland, Virginia

Eric  another parent  came to the Ruth Ann Monroe Primary School in Hagerstown to collect his daughter.

It just meant that I had to get dressed a little bit early, Eric said with a laugh. Had to get her before the snow comes in, I guess.

By mid-afternoon, the flurries gave way to clearing skies.

I get more done when my kids arent home but I am a stay-at-home mom and I teach part-time so I was home anyway, Nicole explained. Its easy for me to come right up here to the school and grab my daughter.

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Meanwhile, the Hagerstown Public Works crew was busy all day getting ready for this weekends forecasted snow, pretreating the roads and bridges. Salting will proceed through the weekend with the potential for black ice in the forecast.

As for the start of the week, there is a good chance classes could be canceled altogether.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Here are the latest weather warnings and advisories

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Well, winter has certainly made its return to Western New York. And I have a sneaking suspicion that colder temperatures will be sticking around for the time being. A wind direction will help for the band currently over Lake Ontario to move its way closer to Rochester. However, snow totals for Rochester will stay on the lower side, most likely not even an inch. But, for those east of Rochester, like Oswego, Sodus and even Syracuse, are likely to see more snow than us here.

Conditions will gradually settle down by Sunday afternoon, but the cold air will remain firmly in place across the region.

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As we head into the first full week of 2025, a quiet weather pattern will take hold. Scattered lake-effect snow showers may linger in some areas, but any accumulation is expected to be minimallikely no more than a light dusting. Daytime highs will remain chilly, struggling to climb out of the low 20s. These cold temperatures will persist into Tuesday and Wednesday, with lake-effect snow showers continuing to make occasional appearances. While its too early to pinpoint exact snowfall amounts, early indications suggest they will be light. As new data becomes available, well adjust the forecast accordingly.

The hat, gloves, snow boots, scarf and all things winter have made their return out of my closet once again. And I don't think I'll be putting them away any time soon.  pic.twitter.com/d4Nm0bjKv4  Leanne Byer (@LeanneByerwx1) January 4, 2025

Even though snow showers may not appear prominently in our 8-day forecast, its worth noting that some flurries or light snow could still pop up. However, totals are expected to stay under an inch in most locations.

Looking ahead to the weekend, the weather pattern appears largely unchanged. Cold temperatures will dominate, and theres no sign of a warm-up on the horizon. Expect highs to linger in the low 20s and similar conditions to persist through the week.

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CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  The West Virginia First Foundation has announced that it will be distributing more than $30 million in opioid settlement money to organizations throughout West Virginia to address the opioid epidemic.

West Virginia First was founded by the state to distribute the opioid settlement money, which its received $200 million of. In the last month, theyve announced that they will be granting 10.4 million dollars to 38 organizations throughout West Virginia and $20 million to a project called the Appalachian Continuum of Care for Overdose Reduction Network, or ACCORN.

The 38 organizations were narrowed down from 175 that applied. West Virginia Firsts goal is to have the money distributed by the end of the first quarter in 2025. The grantees include a number of recovery housing programs, youth prevention and workforce development programs, and interdiction programs. A complete list of recipients can be viewed here.

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Bird flu case confirmed in West Virginia

Jonathan Board, Executive Director of the West Virginia First Foundation, told 12 News that the funding decisions were informed by an expert panel.

The last thing the foundation wants to do is fund to fund, Board said. We want to be really judicious in this approach. These dollars represent our friends, our families, our neighbors, some who are no longer with us and others who are going through the healing process, and so we have to be really focused on our fiduciary duty.

In a press release, West Virginia First described ACCORN as a comprehensive system of care that is being rolled out in 10 counties in southern West Virginia, with the ultimate goal of replicating it throughout the state.

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(KRON)  California is seeing a rise in cases of whooping cough, a highly contagious bacterial disease that can cause severe illness, state health officials said Friday. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is especially harmful to infants, according to the California Department of Public Health.

The CDPH is urging all Californians, especially those who are pregnant or provide care to infants, to be up to date on their Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccine.

Dr. Tomas Aragon, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer, explained, Since the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, many practices that had lowered instances of whooping cough are no longer in place, and were seeing the disease return to pre-pandemic levels.

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People who are vaccinated against whooping cough are protected against severe illness and complications due to whooping cough. Complications causing apnea  dangerous pauses in breathing  and can be fatal for babies, according to CDPH.

More than 2,000 cases of whooping cough were reported statewide between January and October 2024. Sixty-two of those cases were infants less than four months of age who were hospitalized, including one infant who tragically died, state health officials wrote.

People with whooping cough have severe coughing attacks that can last for months.

The CDPH said vaccination is recommended for all:

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Pregnant people between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, even if they have received Tdap in the past.

Adults, every 10 years.

Adolescents aged 11 or 12 years (Tdap vaccine is also required for 7th grade advancement in California).

Infants and young children receive their own whooping cough (DTaP) vaccines starting at 2 months through 4-6 years of age.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
First comes love, then comes marriage  so goes the classic childrens rhyme. But not everyone agrees. Increasingly, the idea that love is the most important reason to marry  or at least to stay married  is under attack. Republican pundits and lawmakers have been pushing back on the availability of no-fault divorce, challenging the idea that not being in love is a valid reason to end a marriage.

Speaking as a professor of family law, I know such views arent new. Zsa Zsa Gabor once quipped, Getting divorced just because you dont love a man is almost as silly as getting married just because you do. But while Gabor was probably joking, the Republican attack on divorce is serious.

A history of American divorce

For most of U.S. history, getting a divorce was difficult. Many states banned it entirely, while others permitted it only under limited circumstances  typically cruelty, desertion or adultery. Unhappily married couples who couldnt prove such faults were effectively stuck.

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Then, in 1969, California became the first state to allow no-fault divorce  meaning that a spouse could get a divorce simply by asking for it, without having to prove that their partner had done something wrong first.

After California enacted no-fault divorce, the rest of the states quickly followed. By 1977, 47 states permitted no-fault divorce, and by 1985, all 50 states permitted some form of no-fault divorce.

But now, nearly 50 years later, no-fault divorce is under increasing attack.

The issue gained renewed national attention in 2023, when Steven Crowder, a conservative commentator who prides himself on his provocative views, expressed outrage and disbelief that his wife could divorce him without his consent.

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Crowder isnt alone in such criticisms: Divorce has become a hot topic among many red-state Republican lawmakers. Most recently, in January 2024, Oklahoma lawmaker Dusty Deevers proposed a bill to eliminate no-fault divorce and suggested public shaming of spouses who commit marital fault and then divorce. Restricting no-fault divorce is also part of both the Texas and Nebraska Republican Party platforms, and was recently debated by Louisiana lawmakers.

The ability to divorce regardless of what the other party wants is the essence of no-fault divorce. I think its alarming that its under attack. Nevertheless, the idea that not being in love is a valid reason to divorce is an assumption that should be questioned. Its based on the idea that love is the purpose of marriage, and that itself is debatable.

Whats marriage for, anyway?

Marriage is a legal status that confers important rights and benefits on the married, and these rights and benefits have nothing to do with love. In fact, the purpose of these advantages is to give couples non-love reasons to marry. The idea is that the social benefits of marriage are so significant that incentivizing marriage, or even flat-out paying people to marry, is justified.

For an example of this kind of cost-benefit analysis, consider the policy debate over whether children are better off being raised by two married parents. In her recent book The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and started Falling Behind, economics professor Melissa Kearney argues that this advantage is significant and wide-ranging. Not surprisingly, Kearneys work was eagerly embraced by pro-marriage advocates and has reinvigorated long-standing discussions about how to further encourage marriage.

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If children do better when raised by married parents, its understandable that the government would enact laws and policies to promote marriage. It also explains why the government might seek to limit divorce. This is a purely instrumental view of marriage, and one that would have been very familiar to 18th- and 19th-century Americans.

For most of U.S. history, marriage was unabashedly transactional. Laws essentially guaranteed that most men and women would wed; love had nothing to do with it.

Striking a marital bargain

Historians refer to marrying for legal and economic benefits as the marital bargain. However, in the late 19th century, acceptance of the transactional nature of the marital bargain began to wane, and publicly, men and women began to declare that love was the purpose of marriage. As historian Nancy Cott writes in her book Public Vows, by the turn of the 20th century, American culture had put love and money on opposite sides of the street.

My book, Youll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other than Love, also explores this history and shows how Americans went from encouraging the marital bargain to viewing it as harmful, both to couples and to the institution of marriage as a whole.

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Despite the public view that love is the only reason to marry, the law takes a more practical approach, recognizing that love alone may not be enough to get couples to the altar. Thats why it continues to encourage marriage for instrumental reasons, with benefits ranging from tax breaks and immigration preferences to criminal law defenses.

When marriage was a clear bargain for exchange, the benefits of the union were obvious. Like the 19th-century marital advertisement Man with farm seeks woman with tractor, each side knew exactly what they were getting. Now, the purpose of marriage is less clear. I believe the move to eliminate no-fault divorce is simply the latest symptom of this confusion regarding the goals of marriage.

If marriage is about love, then a lack of love should be the quintessential reason to divorce. However, if marriage is a contract for benefits, then it isnt surprising that Crowder and other no-fault critics are outraged that it can be unilaterally broken. Although the push to eliminate no-fault divorce is presented as a fight over the purpose of divorce, its really a fight over the meaning of marriage.

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: Marcia Zug, University of South Carolina

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Marcia Zug 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.
Why conspiracy theories exist over Las Vegas explosion

(NewsNation)  Within hours of a Tesla Cybertruck exploding in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, theories surrounding a former Green Berets involvement in the blast began to surface on social media.

Las Vegas-area investigators say Matthew Livelsberger placed firework mortars and camping fuel canisters in the back of the vehicle, which exploded within 17 seconds after he parked the truck, injuring seven people.

The explosion and investigation produced similarities with the deadly attack in New Orleans, which killed 14 people and injured dozens more. At this time, the FBI says no evidence exists to link the two incidents despite Livelsberger and Shamsud-Din Jabbar both renting vehicles from the same company and both serving with the U.S. Army.

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But unanswered questions in the Las Vegas case have left some delving into self-investigations about Livelsbergers motivations.

What conspiracy theorists are saying

The Clark County, Nevada, coroner determined Livelsberger, 37, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound before the explosion took place. Investigators also said that the explosives found in the back of the Cybertruck, and not the vehicle itself, prompted the explosion.

But investigators admitted Friday that they are still struggling to determine Livelsbergers motive.

However, people behind X (formerly Twitter) accounts like @EndWokeness pointed to Livelsbergers military experience as a Green Beret and military bomb expert and wondered online why he would have used amateur explosives.

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Did someone put his corpse in the car? Remember, the car is fully self-driving, one said.

A photo of Matthew Alan Livelsberger is shown as Sheriff Kevin McMahill talks to the news media at Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Las Vegas Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, regarding the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded at the Trump International Hotel. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Elon Musk, who posted to his X account several times in the hours after the explosion, responded directly to the theory, debunking the notion that Livelsberger could have been killed elsewhere. Musk wrote that the Cybertrucks autopilot function would not have worked as it requires a functioning person in the drivers seat.

Other posters on X questioned why, if Livensbergers body was burned beyond recognition, his passport and military identification card survived the blast. And there are questions about why Livensberger would shoot himself just before he knew the explosion was going to take place.

The entire narrative makes absolutely ZERO sense to me, the X poster wrote on their account.

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Adam Housley, a former journalist and senior television news correspondent, said that based on Livensbergers experience as a Green Beret, investigators explanation of this weeks explosion, does not pass the smell test.

Others questioned in social media posts why a veteran with Special Forces experience would use a bulletproof and fireproof vehicle to carry out such a mission and why Livelsberger would reportedly communicate with his ex-girlfriend about the vehicle he had rented.

Police block the area after a vehicle caught fire and exploded outside the lobby of President-elect Donald Trumps hotel Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

Some theorists have focused their speculation on politics, including Livelsberger choosing a hotel owned by Trump as the destination for the explosion. His family described him as a Rambo-type who loved Trump.

Livelsbergers uncle, Dean Livelsberger, told The Independent that he believed initially that the Cybertrucks battery short-circuited. But when he found out what had caused the explosion, Dean Livelsberger said his nephew would have been able to construct a more sophisticated explosive than what was used.

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Former Home Improvement star Zachery Ty Bryan jailed

He said that Matthew Livelsberger could have created an explosive that would have destroyed half the hotel if he seriously wanted to hurt others.

He added: Think of Oklahoma City. (Timothy) McVeigh was just a normal soldier. Not a Tier 1 operator like Matt.

Why conspiracy theories exist

Joseph Uscinsky, a University of Miami political science professor who specializes in conspiracy theories, told NewsNation his polling shows that, on average, between 10% and 35% of Americans are conspiracy-minded.

Historically, the only event in which at least 50% of Americans believed a conspiracy was at play was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, he says. But when events like this weeks take place and garner high doses of media coverage, people begin to consider different opinions.

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Some humans are inclined toward conspiracy theories. They just see the world through that lens, Uscinsky said. So when they see the coverage (of an event) they think, Ah, this thing happened so it must be a conspiracy where other people will look at it and say. Oh, that was incompetence or accident or God did it, or angels or demons. Everyone has their own worldview, and thats what leads them to reach certain conclusions.

Conspiracy theories are not limited to large-scale events. For those who constantly look at daily events and conclude that someone or something that they dont like is conspiring against them, Uscinsky says an events notoriety does not matter.

In most cases, conspiracy theories dont have a great deal of detail or evidence to back them up, Uscinsky said. Current societal norms play a role. Although social media platforms like X and TikTok give voice to certain theories, they dont add to the population of those who believe, the Miami professor said.

The shelf life of most conspiracies remains short-lived. The notable exception is the Kennedy assassination, which  51 years after the fact  remains debated, with at least half of Americans believing Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone.

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However, in cases like this weeks Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas and deadly attack in New Orleans, the tendency is that prevailing conspiracy theorists will move on when something else happens, Uscinsky said.

Two people exposed to the same exact information will come to very different conclusions about it simply because of who they are, Uscinsky told NewsNation. Thats all thats really going on here.

For complete coverage of the Las Vegas explosion and Bourbon Street attack, stay tuned to NewsNation.

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South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman was one of two Republicans to flip his vote on U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson after initially holding out with two other Republicans.

Why did he switch? According to Politico, Norman had a phone call with Trump.

Norman, whose first vote was for Rep. Jim Jordan, initially held out with GOP Reps. Thomas Massie, Ky., and Keith Self, Texas, to prevent Johnson from getting the seat. However, according to Politico, Norman and Massie talked to Trump after their initial votes against Johnson.

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According to a Washington Post reporter, it was Nancy Mace who called Trump when she realized Johnson would not have the votes to be confirmed as Speaker

She passed her phone to Norman, according to a person familiar with the interaction, Leigh Ann Caldwell, Washington Post Live anchor tweeted. Trump also spoke with Self. He helped convince both to change their votes for Johnson.

Norman told Politico he changed his mind because Mike gave us the assurance that he was going to fight for everything as it moves forward. He also confirmed he spoke with Trump and said the call went very well.

He just made a point about how Mikes the only one who can get elected, that hes likable  which I knew, Norman said according to Politico. Trump was helpful, but I knew where Trump stood.

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At 5:24 p.m., Norman tweeted, My primary goal today and every day is to get our fiscal house in order, as is a priority for the people of SC-05. The status quo is unacceptable. After receiving reassurances regarding spending and process reforms, I changed my initial vote to support Mike Johnson as Speaker of the House, the tweet read.

Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, received criticism from a South Carolina political operative for his initial decision.

I have a team of 90 political operatives Im ready to put to work to take out Ralph Norman and I know every inch of the district like the back of my hand, tweeted Wesley Donehue, a political strategist and CEO of Push Digital, a political consulting agency. He doesnt support MAGA and hes an embarrassment to South Carolina.
The universe is full of icy worlds that scientists suspect could serve as homes for alien life. These celestial bodies are so cold that humans could never set foot upon them without freezing to death  yet if they have liquid water and carbon, they could facilitate the evolution of organic beings like the inhabitants of our own planet. In addition to containing organic chemicals, these worlds would need to be stable enough that life could realistically reside there. That is why astrobiologists are increasingly turning their eyes toward icy bodies like the Jovian moons of Europa and Ganymede, Saturns moons Titan and Enceladus, Uranus' moon Miranda and the dwarf planet Ceres.

So how could life survive in such a cold, hostile environment? Weve found plenty of ice in our solar system, but no consistent liquid water is known on any moon or planetary surface aside from Earth. But many theories exist that subsurface oceans could exist, which is why NASA has launched the Europa Clipper last October, which will hunt for signs of life on Jupiters moon when it arrives in 2030. In the meantime, scientists are still puzzling out the physics behind such an icy ocean that could harbor life.

Researchers from Texas A & M University and the University of Washington, Seattle recently published a study in the journal Nature Communications proposing a new concept: the cenotectic, or the absolute lowest temperature at which a liquid remains stable under varying pressures and concentrations. The term comes from the Greek meaning universal-melt. By applying cenotectic physics to known conditions on various distant worlds, the researchers ascertained how water on these icy distant bodies could remain liquid enough to sustain life.

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This low-temperature limit, called the cenotectic, helps us to constrain the conditions under which liquid water  often considered a prerequisite for habitability  might exist on distant worlds, study co-author Matthew Powell-Palm, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A & M, told Salon.

Those limits mostly include water being frozen and therefore unable to support life; the cenotectic takes into account thermodynamic forces like pressure and chemical activity that can keep water in its liquid state despite the extremely low temperatures on icy worlds.

According to the study authors, "the cenotectic plays a central role in the 'endgame' of planetary oceans. As large water-rich planetary bodies cool over geologic timescales or with loss of internal heating such as tidal dissipation or radiogenic heating, their oceans will gradually freeze from top to bottom, until complete solidification is achieved. This effect is particularly interesting in the case of large icy moons like Ganymede, Callisto, and Titan, but also for cold ocean exoplanets like Trappist 1e-g and water-rich rogue exoplanets."

The authors speculate in their work about the fascinating applications of the cenotectic concept to planetary science, particularly for icy worlds such as Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Ganymede, Ceres, Pluto, and potentially moons of Uranus Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. For instance, by measuring the cenotectic of various water-salt solutions that may capture some of the chemistry of Europa's oceans, we can identify the lowest temperature at which these solutions will remain liquid, and the according pressure and salt concentrations required for this liquidity, Powell-Palm said. Thus, by conceptualizing and measuring the cenotectic, we can constrain the most extreme temperature-pressure conditions under which liquid water might exist and tie that into other possible variables like gravity or the depth of liquid under a worlds icy and crusty surface.

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As another co-author explained to Salon, some of these locations contain so much water that astrobiologists will need a tool for figuring out where and how those worlds contain liquid water on which organic molecules can turn into organisms.

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One of the most significant discoveries in planetary science and astrophysics over the past decade has been the realization that icy moons hold the largest reservoir of liquid water in our solar system, Baptiste Journaux, research professor of Earth and Space Science at the University of Washington - Seattle, said. For instance, Europa contains twice the amount of liquid water compared to all the oceans on Earth combined, while Titan and Ganymede are likely to contain over 10 times more liquid water each. Additionally, ocean exoplanets are believed to possess the largest reservoir of liquid water in the entire universe.

Horizon of the icy moon of Europa

These icy moons serve as our most promising targets for exploring the possibility of habitability, surpassing even Mars in my opinion, Journaux added. He hopes that future scientists will be able to use their research after acquiring data from Europa, Ganymede and Titan as a result of impending exploration missions including NASAs Europa Clipper, ESAs Juice, and NASAs Dragonfly. Until that happens, Earth-bound scientists will need to further flesh out the theoretical framework behind the cenotectic.

While we think the cenotectic concept and our initial measurements are very exciting, we've only scratched the tip of the iceberg, Powell-Palm said, apologizing for the pun. In this study, we measure this cenotectic limit for simple aqueous chemistries (water + one salt), but more complicated solutions with many different salts (not to mention organic compounds that may be present) may behave differently, and may better represent the chemical complexity of the oceans of icy worlds.

Scientists will also need to learn about the numerous new hydrate materials (solid compounds that include both salt molecules and water molecules, bound together) which will be found on these foreign worlds, as the researchers encountered many while working on their own study.

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The role of these materials in prescribing the limits of liquid stability further complicates the story, and the very existence of these materials tells us we have a ton of exciting exploration left to do in the low temperature/high pressure parameter space relevant to icy worlds, Powell-Palm said.

As that new information comes in, Journaux is excited about the possibilities of applying the concept of the cenotectic to helping people discover life.

This is where the groundbreaking discovery and definition of the cenotectic play a crucial role, Journaux said. By providing an absolute limit to the existence of liquid water, including at high pressures and high salinities, cenotectic research enables us to establish an absolute limit on the presence of oceans and potentially habitable environments.
An explosion shook the outer wall of a police station in the I-9 area of Pakistan's Islamabad, ARY News reported. According to the officials, no one was injured in the attack as the magnitude of the explosion was limited. A duty officer had heard the explosions and ignored it, considering the sound of a tyre burst. However, it was revealed that the explosion happened on the premises of the police station. The police have collected the metal pieces found near the wall. Further investigation is underway, ARY News reported. In 2022, a similar incident also shook a police station in the I-10 area of Islamabad in a suicide attack, killing one person and injuring several others. On December 25, 2024, a police officer was killed in an attack carried out by terrorists in Pakistan's Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported An official said that the terrorists opened fire in the jurisdiction of Ahmedzai Sub-division Wazir police station, which killed Head Constable Wazir Zada, as per ARY News. A police official told ARY News that the police Head Constable was moved to the District Headquarters Hospital for post-mortem. Earlier, a police personnel was killed and a polio worker was injured in an attack by unknown assailants in the Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa's Karak area. The police personnel were guarding a team conducting an anti-polio drive in the Banda Dawood Shah area of Karak. Law enforcement authorities reported that extra police force were dispatched to the location, following the assailants' escape. On December 2, 2024, at least three children lost their lives as a motor shell exploded in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported on Monday. The incident occurred in the Sintanga Jani Khel area of Bannu where seminary students were playing with the shell. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police officials stated that the shell exploded in their hands killing three on the spot. At least three children were killed while five others sustained injuries on November 30, 2024, when a live mortar shell exploded in Lower Kurram Tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Five other children were critically injured in the incident, which happened in a village area of Lower Kurram Tehsil. The police said the children, all under the age of 11, were playing when they saw a live mortar shell at a mountain. The children started pelting stones at the shell which exploded, killing three of them on the spot. (ANI)
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Fl., on Nov. 6, 2024. Credit - Jim WatsonAFP/Getty Images

United States flags are set to be flown at half-staff this month as an official sign of grieving former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29, 2024, aged 100. However, President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration day is set for later this month and he has expressed his discontent about the matter.

In President Joe Bidens proclamation about the death of Carter, he directed that flags be flown at half-staff as an expression of public sorrow for 30 daysa period of time that includes President-elect Trumps inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20.

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The act is in accordance with a proclamation issued by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954, which states that when a President or former President dies, 30 days is the appropriate amount of time to fly the flag at half-staff at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at U.S. embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels.

Bidens proclamation also announced that Thursday, Jan. 9, would be a National Day of Mourning for the U.S., as a state funeral will be held that day at the Washington National Cathedral. Trump is expected to be in attendance. Ceremonies honoring Carter started on Jan. 4 with a procession in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Carter will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda from Jan. 7 to Jan. 9.

Read More: Jimmy Carter Was More Successful Than He Got Credit For

Upon learning of Carters death, Trump paid tribute via his social media platform, Truth Social. While I strongly disagreed with him philosophically and politically, I also realized that he truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for, Trump said of Carter. He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect.

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Trump later posted on Truth Social, about the flags, saying that Democrats are giddy about the flag being flown at half-staff during his inauguration.

In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast, he wrote. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Lets see how it plays out.

The flags were flown at half-staff during President Richard Nixons inauguration for his second term on Jan. 20, 1973, due to him having lowered them earlier for the death of former President Harry S. Truman on Dec. 26, 1972.

During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked if the White House would reconsider its decision to fly the flags at half-staff, in light of Trumps raised concerns about his inauguration. Jean-Pierre replied with a firm no.

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Read More: Donald Trump is TIME's 2024 Person of the Year

After Trump is inaugurated, he could technically override Bidens proclamation as President and raise the flags, an act that Nixon did for a single day in 1973 to honor the release of American prisoners of war in Vietnam. Though it was during a period of national mourning after the death of President Lyndon B. Johnson, Nixon wrote that the short raising of the flag was in accordance with Johnsons highest respect and affection for the men in uniform who gave so much on the battlefields and in the prison camps.

This is not the first time that Trump has been involved in discourse about flags being flown at half-staff. When Senator John McCain died in 2018, flags at some federal buildings were fully raised earlier than would normally be expected after the death of a Senator. After criticism, the flags were lowered again.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  A man is facing charges, accused of robbing a bank in Junction City last week.

On Friday, The U.S. Department of Justice charged a 20-year-old Wichita man with three counts of bank robbery. According to a news release from the agency, its accusing him robbing Sunflower Bank in Junction City while showing a firearm in Dec, 27 2024. The man is also tied to two other bank robberies in Wichita last month.

Investigators believe one of those robberies was with an 18-year-old Wichita woman. The department is also charging her with one count of bank robbery. Several different law enforcement agencies are still investigating the robberies at this time.

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Manhattan, Wamego health centers restrict visitations due to rise in illnesses

According to the Department of Justice, an indictment is only an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable measure in a court of law.

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Film financier William Santor, best known for bringing Hollywood titles such as The Baker (2022) and The Retirement Plan (2023) to his adopted home of the Cayman Islands, died December 28. He was 50.

Santors death has been confirmed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service in multiple local media reports. The Canadian-born financier was found unresponsive at his home on the island and was later taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officers are investigating.

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In a statement to Deadline, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said it is carrying out an investigation surrounding the sudden death of a 50-year-old-man who is a Canadian citizen residing in the Cayman Islands.

The matter is an active investigation and all investigative lines of enquiries are being carried out, the statement continued.

Deadline has contacted Productivity Media, Santors former company, for further comment.

Santor co-founded Productivity Media alongside producers John Hills and Andrew Chang-Sang in 2012. It went on to back The Little Hours, starring Alison Brie, and Black Bear, led by Aubrey Plaza. Some Hollywood industry we spoke with were shocked and saddened by the news.

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In 2021, the company teamed with the Cayman Islands Film Commission and the Caymans Ministry of International Trade to boost production on the Caribbean island under a multiple-picture pact. Under the deal, pics such as the Ron Perlman-starrer The Baker, the Nicolas Cage flick The Retirement Plan, and Unit 234 with Don Johnson were shot on the island.

At the time of his death, Santor had been suspended from his role as CEO at Productivity following allegations about financial mismanagement, first reported by The Hollywood Reporter. According to that report, Productivity Media had placed Santor on a temporary leave of absence while an auditor was brought in to check its books and review loans.

The company was later placed into receivership and auditors stated in legal filings that Santor had misappropriated more than $44M from Productivity through an elaborate scheme of fictitious loans to artificial companies. He did not comment on the allegations.

Santor had not been convicted or indicted in connection to the accusations.

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He is listed as a producer on two upcoming titles: sci-fi mystery Littlemouth starring Dennis Quaid, and It Feeds starring Twilight-alum Ashley Greene; however, the former shot in 2022 and the latter in mid-2023 and neither has been released. Littlemouth stars Quaid, Isabelle Fuhrman, David Thewlis, Josh Hutcherson and Kiera Allen.

Santor was married with two young children.

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Jan. 3WINSLOW  The Town Council named a new chairman, appointed an interim town manager and swore in a new councilor at a special meeting Thursday afternoon.

The meeting began with Doris Labranche and Dale Macklin being sworn in after winning election in November. Labranche is a first-time officeholder while Macklin has been on the council since 2022.

Councilors then appointed Fran Hudson to lead the council as its chair in a 4-3 vote. Hudson, a first-term councilor elected in 2023, ousted incumbent chair Jeff West, who was also nominated for the role.

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"I want to thank you all for the honor of being elected the chair. I will do what I was elected to do: Be transparent and always do what I believe is in the best interest of the town," Hudson said at the meeting. "I appreciate the chance to do this and I'm hoping to make a positive change in this town."

Hudson was elected with the support of Winslow's new guard of councilors: Herself and Labranche, along with Mike Joseph and Adam Lint. All are holding political office for the first time. Joseph and Lint were elected alongside Hudson when newcomers swept every race in Winslow's 2023 elections.

Public works director Paul Fongemie was appointed Winslow's interim town manager in the meeting on a 4-3 vote, largely along the same lines.

Fongemie will temporarily succeed Town Manager Ella Bowman, who resigned after about a year in Winslow due to "hateful" rhetoric and comments from councilors and residents. Her resignation takes effect Feb. 5, though the council can vote to waive her contract sooner.

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Fongemie previously served as interim manager for about three months in 2020 before Bowman's predecessor, Erica LaCroix, was hired. He will receive a stipend of $1,000 per week beginning Feb. 5, until a full-time successor is found.

"I just hope I can bring a little more togetherness to the council," Fongemie said at the meeting.

His election came after tense discussion and debate among both councilors and residents in attendance during the meeting that highlighted the political fractures in Winslow's council.

Hudson's first move as chair was to suspend the council's rules so that she could read the agenda instead of Town Clerk Audra Fleury. Her motion, which was not on the agenda, failed after receiving a 4-3 majority vote, as items not on the agenda require a two-thirds overall vote to pass. Councilor Lint said he would add the item to the next council meeting agenda, when it could pass with a majority vote.

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As discussions turned to appointing Bowman's interim replacement, Joseph proposed putting off discussion until the council's next meeting, saying the town had received one other applicant who should be properly considered before someone was chosen for the role.

Applications have only been open for a few weeks, Joseph said, and hiring internally could be seen as unfair to outside applicants.

"I think it'd only be the fairest thing to do, where we've already put it out and we've already had applicants that applied," Joseph said. "If we're going to be putting it out there, we should be taking a look at these applications."

Macklin urged the council to appoint an interim manager as soon as possible to provide a smooth transition ahead of this year's budget season. Doing otherwise, he said, risked causing administrative chaos in the town office during its busiest part of the year. It's not uncommon for job applications to be denied before an interview, he added.

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"We're at the 30-day mark before (Bowman) leaves. We've had this delayed the entire month of December," Macklin said. "The longer you wait on this for that training period, the worse it's going to be when the town manager is gone."

Councilors discussed finding an interim manager at a Dec. 9 meeting, where no action was taken. Town Attorney William A. Lee III said standard pay for an interim manager can be as much as $100 an hour. West suggested appointing Fongemie during that meeting, saying that hiring in-house would likely save the town money.

West again raised the issue of money at Thursday's meeting, saying that Fongemie had tentatively agreed to a rate of $1,000 per week and would in turn save the town money.

"Paul has done the job in the past, he's involved in every big project that the town's facing, he knows how to do the bonds, he just needs all the credentials to be able to do that," West said. "He knows all the players involved. I just think he's the best fit."

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Fongemie's stipend would come on top of his standard pay as public works director, as he will effectively be juggling both duties at the same time, he said at the meeting.

"I really can't leave (public works) because there's no one there," Fongemie told the council.

Some residents also spoke during the meeting, both in support of and opposition to Fongemie's hiring.

One resident, who declined to provide her name, urged councilors to consider all applicants and encouraged a transparent hiring process "because of Winslow's reputation and the coverage in the media."

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Resident Jim Byrne, who served as a councilor from 2005 to 2010, said it "scares the hell out of me" to be without a full-time manager so close to budget season, and urged the council to set aside political differences and move the process along as quickly as possible for the town's sake.

"I've been sitting in your seat years ago and right now, seeing how things are being run, it scares the hell out of me," Byrne said. "We need a town manager, and we got an interim guy right now that could do the job. Let's get it done."

West moved to nominate Fongemie as interim manager after about 20 minutes of discussion, telling the council to "let the chips fall."

Fongemie was appointed in a 4-3 vote with West, Macklin, Lint and Lee Trahan in favor. Hudson, Joseph and Labranche voted against.

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Councilors also voted to maintain their $75 monthly stipend for serving on the council, the same rate as last year, and to meet once a month through 2025, rather than twice a month half the year and once a month the other half.

Councilors will meet with the Maine Municipal Association later this month to discuss a wider search for a full-time town manager, a process which councilors say will likely consider applicants from throughout New England and potentially beyond and cost between $6,000 and $8,000.

A precise timeline for that hiring process is unclear. Councilors have previously said it could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

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On Friday, city officials stood in front of Kansas Citys towering salt dome, which has become a tradition over the years, boasting that the city is fully staffed with workers and materials to make streets safe less than 48 hours before the upcoming winter storm.

Weve never been more prepared, city manager Brian Platt said.

Kansas City is expected to see a record amount of snowfall from the upcoming winter storm set to hit the area overnight Saturday into Sunday.

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The city is equipped with 40,000 tons of salt, 8,000 tons of IceBan (a mixture of sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and yellow prussiate of soda to de-ice roads), 36,000 gallons of calcium chloride to de-ice roads, 300 snow removal trucks and 400 drivers.

Pre-treatment of roads began Friday morning at 7 a.m., Platt said.

The citys snow team began prepping in the summer and will feature an all-hands-on-deck approach for a 24-hour operation across all city departments that will end when every street and every neighborhood is clear, according to Platt.

When asked about the citys strategy for ensuring every part of the city is cleared, Mayor Quinton Lucas attacked the old tale by saying no area gets special attention when snow removal is needed.

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What its based on is, where is the snow falling? Where does it need to be treated? And our goal is to address the entire city, whether you are at the far north, far south, any part of the city in between, he said.

Other preparations

Kansas City has a Snow Angels program that pairs seniors or residents with disabilities with volunteers to remove snow from their homes.

RideKC intends to operate normally, but if they need to utilize a snow schedule, theyll use their Sunday/holiday schedule.

For Kansas Citys houseless population, there are 400 beds across the metros nine locations. Officials said the unhoused population understand where to go, according to houseless prevention coordinator Josh Henges.

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While the city is confident in its storm preparations, Lucas expressed dismay at the Missouri Department of Transportations staffing shortages. MoDOT warned that a shortage of workers could threaten its ability to keep state roads clear after the expected weekend storm.

Lucas said the staffing shortages are disappointing but Kansas City had similar issues and remedied them. He expects MoDOT to fulfill its obligations and hopes that the state agency communicates with the city about where it needs assistance.

Certainly the 510,000 people in Kansas City who pay taxes to the state of Missouri to help support this issue, would expect the type of treatment and way to address this storm that were seeing from our local government jurisdictions throughout western Missouri as well, Lucas said.

City officials also ask residents to turn to the myKCMO app to report issues that arise from the storm.
Editors Note: The forecast below has been updated and is no longer active. Please click here for the latest weather conditions

(WJW)  A LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING has been extended for Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake counties until 7 a.m. on Sunday. Meanwhile, Cuyahoga, Medina, Portage and Summit counties are also under a LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING until 7 p.m. on Saturday. This is where the heaviest snow will fall and where traveling will be the most difficult at times this weekend.

Several other counties are under a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY.

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A Snow Squall Warning was also issued for areas near Summit County, Trumbull County and Medina County.

Up-to-the-minute weather alerts

By the end of the weekend, snowfall totals across the primary snowbelt will range from 8-14 plus. A northwest wind will produce lake effect snow into parts of Lorain, Medina, Summit, Portage and Trumbull Co. Heres the latest snowfall forecast:

The lake effect snow will make traveling difficult at times across the snowbelt this weekend. Snowfall rates within the heaviest bands of snow could range from 1 to 2 per hour. Snowfall rates this high will cause whiteout conditions.

Friday evening is going to be a cold and breezy. Temperatures will hang out in the mid 20s, but wind chills will be in the teens.

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Periods of lake effect snow showers will continue Friday night. Overnight lows will be in the upper teens and lower 20s. Wind chills could drop into the upper single-digits.

Saturday will be a snowy day for many, but it will be a cold day for everyone. There will not be a big warm-up on Saturday. Temperatures only warm a few degrees. Wind chills will once again be 10 to 15 degrees below the actual air temperature.

Interactive Maps and Radar

A strong storm system will impact the Ohio River Valley Sunday night into Monday. This system will get close enough to bring Northeast Ohio some light system snow. The heaviest snow associated with this storm system will stay across southern and central Ohio. Another blast of cold air will wrap around this storm system, which will trigger more lake effect snow towards the middle of next week.

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Cold will occur in three phases. First one this week and the second, stronger one next week and a third the following weekend. THE LAST TIME WE HAD EACH DAY IN THE FIRST HALF OF JANUARY WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES WAS 1981!

Heres the latest 8-Day Forecast:

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Stay up-to-date by downloading the FOX 8 apps.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating an officer-involved death in Madison that occurred last week when a male suspect died after being taken into custody at Dane County Jail.

In a statement released Saturday, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes urged patience during the independent investigation and said he understands that "incidents involving law enforcement can raise questions and concerns within our community."

"I want to reassure you that our department is committed to transparency and accountability," Barnes said. "I extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the individual involved. This is a profoundly difficult time, and our thoughts are with them."

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At roughly 8:22 p.m. Dec. 30, officers with the Madison Police Department responded to a report of a vehicle theft at the Best Western on Annamark Drive involving an adult man, according to a statement released by the DOJ.

Police pursued the man on foot and later took him into custody. Barnes said officers acted "promptly" by calling for emergency medical services. He was evaluated at the scene by EMS then transported to the jail, Barnes said.

Upon arriving at the jail, the man was immediately observed to be unresponsive, according to the DOJ. Officers provided "immediate medical attention" at the jail, Barnes said. An ambulance took him to a local hospital, where he died Dec. 31.

No weapons were discharged during this incident, and all involved law enforcement officers were placed on administrative leave, according to police department policy, the DOJ said.

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DOJ's Division of Criminal Investigation will carry out the investigation and will be assisted by a DCI crime response specialist. Their findings will be turned over to the Dane County District Attorneys office when the investigation is finished.

The DOJ didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

This story was updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin DOJ investigating officer-involved death in Madison
UPDATE (Jan. 6, 2025)  SLMPD has identified the victim as 16-year-old Mattison Johnson.

ST. LOUIS  A woman faces felony charges over an apparent accidental shooting death Friday in St. Louis.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office has charged Mary Cornelius, 18, with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action amid the investigation.

The teenager, whose identity has been withheld by police, was fatally shot around 2 p.m. Friday in the 1400 block of East Grand Avenue.

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How much snow did the St. Louis area get?

According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, when police responded to the scene, they found the wounded victim and Cornelius at the scene.

Cornelius admitted to holding a firearm while it was discharged, and a witness told police she was negligently handling the firearm moments before the victim was shot, per court documents.

Cornelius was taken into custody and booked into jail without bond, per Missouri court records.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
A woman in Tennessee died after sustaining injuries in what police are describing as a "freak accident after she got pinned between two cars in a parking lot.

The Murfreesboro Police Department said in a Facebook post that the woman  identified as 61-year-old Cathy Pendergrass of Warrenton, Va.  had been helping a man in a wheelchair enter a vehicle when the incident happened.

Police said the incident took place on Monday, Dec. 23 at around 3 p.m. local time in the parking lot of LongHorn Steakhouse at The Avenue Mall, and involved a Honda CRV which had been modified for use as a mail carrier vehicle and had an accelerator and brake pedal installed on the passenger side.

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A preliminary investigation by police revealed that another woman had been in the drivers seat of the Honda and reversed out of a parking space to allow a man in a wheelchair to enter the vehicle, while Pendergrass stood outside and assisted him.

Murfreesboro TN Police Department A photo of the area where the accident happened A photo of the area where the accident happened

Related: Innocent Driver Killed, 3 Others Injured in Crash amid Police Chase in California

Police noted that the man recently suffered a stroke and has no feeling on his left side, and as he was getting into the SUV, his foot accidentally pressed the accelerator pedal.

"[This caused] the vehicle to reverse and spin out of control, police said. The SUV struck a parked vehicle, pinning the woman [Pendergrass] who was standing outside between the two vehicles.

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Police said the out-of-control SUV continued to reverse and crashed into two additional parked vehicles before coming to a stop. Photos shared by the department show the blue Honda CRV being towed away and the parking lot where the incident happened being cordoned off with police tape.

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Emergency responders were called to the scene, and Pendergrass was taken to Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital in critical condition. She was later transferred to Vanderbilt Medical Center, where police said she died on Saturday, Dec. 28.

Related: 16-Year-Old Boy Becomes 5th Student from Georgia High School to Die in Crash This School Year

The man in the wheelchair and the woman in the drivers seat were not hurt, police said.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Murfreesboro Police Departments Fatal Accident Crash Team.

Police said the parking lot section where the incident occurred was blocked off after the crash, causing long delays in the area.

This prompted authorities to recommend that shoppers use other entrances while emergency crews investigated the scene.



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President-elect Donald Trump backed Republican Mike Johnson was re-elected as the US House Speaker in a close race after two opponents switched their votes. Johnson secured the top spot in the chamber with 218 votes, securing just enough support to be re-elected, CNN reported. Johnson's re-election was made possible after key Republican opponents flipped their votes back to Johnson at the last minute. The House speaker Johnson said that he did not make any promises to opponents Keith Self and Ralph Norman to flip their votes. Johnson, who could only lose one vote with the razor-thin majority of 219-215, needed the support of Self and Norman as Republican Rep. Thomas Massie maintained his opposition. According to CNN, Representative Andy Ogles, a Republican from Tennessee, also said that no deals were made to get Johnson's detractors on board, adding that instead, it "was just a matter of getting it done" and a result of "persistence." Notable, It was Donald Trump who convinced the opposition representatives to vote for Johnson to secure the victory on the first ballot, multiple sources told CNN. Trump congratulated Johnson after the Republican from Louisiana was elected speaker. "Congratulations to Speaker Mike Johnson for receiving an unprecedented Vote of Confidence in Congress. Mike will be a Great Speaker, and our Country will be the beneficiary. The People of America have waited four years for Common Sense, Strength, and Leadership. They'll get it now, and America will be greater than ever before!" Trump posted on Truth Social. The speaker, in his first remark, called for a moment of silence to mark the New Year's Day terrorist attack in New Orleans. "Of course, these are difficult days in our home state of Louisiana, where I come from," Johnson said in the House. "We all know about the terrorist attack in New Orleans and it's really shaken our state. People are reeling from that attack." An ISIS supporter rammed a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans during New Year celebrations, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more. In 2023, Mike Johnson was elected as the 56th Speaker of the House. (ANI)
Jan. 3LIMA  A Lima woman was sentenced Friday to a minimum of seven years in prison in the Allen County Common Pleas Court for drug possession.

The sentence for Myeshia Luster was jointly recommended by both parties for charges of possession of hashish, a third-degree felony, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony, which she pleaded guilty to in December. The sentence is not mandatory, so Luster will be eligible to apply for judicial release after serving five years.

Three guns and $13,425 were also forfeited to the West Central Ohio Crime Task Force and Luster, 30, was fined $15,000.

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The indictment alleged Luster manufactured hashish and had between 50 and 250 grams of hashish as well as oxycodone.

Luster's attorney, Jacob Becker, said Luster had a job, is sober and had an active role in her church. Luster said she was aware of the severity of the charges and apologized.

Reach Charlotte Caldwell at 567-242-0451.

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A woman injured by falling drone debris during a Russian attack on Kyiv Oblast on Jan. 3 died in the hospital, the Kyiv Military Administration reported on Jan. 4.

Russia launched a large-scale drone attack on Kyiv Oblast early in the morning on Jan. 3. The attack killed one person and injured four others, including a 16-year-old teenager.

The woman, who died in the hospital the day after the strike, had a severe abdominal wound. "Doctors fought for her life for almost a day until the last minute," the statement read.

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According to the local military administration, another victim of the Russian Jan. 3 attack is in intensive care with a back injury. A young man with a knee injury is also under medical supervision but is not in critical condition.

Russia also launched a drone attack on Kyiv on the morning of Jan. 1, killing two people and injuring six others, including two pregnant women. The attack damaged a building of the National Bank of Ukraine.

A married couple, prominent neurobiologist Ihor Zyma and doctor of biological sciences Olesia Sokur, were killed in the attack.

Read also: Russian attacks across Ukraine kill 2, injure 21 over past day

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CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW)  Police are investigating a double shooting that claimed the life of an elderly woman and left another person injured.

Police said the shooting happened at about 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4 at a home in the 3500 block of Randolph Road in Cleveland Heights.

Apartment building in Strongsville catches fire

When officers arrived they said a 74-year-old woman was found dead inside the house with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. On Monday, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner identified the woman as Edith Moore of Cleveland Heights.

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An 18-year-old male was also found shot in the leg and was transported to a local hospital.

At last check, police had not identified any suspects and no arrests had been made however officials said, the incident did not appear to be random.

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Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (216) 291-3883. Tipsters can remain anonymous by reporting information to the Crime Stoppers Tip Hotline at (216) 252-7463.

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A husband and wife who were in the process of getting divorced have died in an alleged murder-suicide in Mississippi, according to reports.

Jennifer and Brandon Sheffield were found dead by gunshot wounds in an apparent murder-suicide during a welfare check by police at a residence on Toulon Street in Brandon at around 7:19 a.m. local time on Saturday, Dec. 28, per local outlets WLBT, Dark Horse Press and Express U.S.

Police were called in after other family members reported obvious signs of foul play at the home. Brandon, 40, appeared to have shot Jennifer, 30, before shooting himself, the Brandon Police Department told the outlets.

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The pair were believed to be at home with their daughter at the time of the incident, Dark Horse Press reported. No information has been disclosed on the childs wellbeing at this time.

According to her obituary, Jennifer had two daughters named Gracie and Kylie Sheffield. A GoFundMe page is requesting donations in support of the girls with a goal of $15,000. Both pages list Jennifer and Brandon's death dates as Dec. 27.

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Related: Utah Mom Fled Ethnic Cleansing in Myanmar with Young Family. Then Husband Killed Them in Murder-Suicide

The husband and wife had recently decided to separate at the time of the alleged murder-suicide, according to WLBT.

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The tragic incident comes after Jennifer spoke about her incredible ex-husband while discussing their divorce in a TikTok video posted on Dec. 10.

Im about to be a newly single mom. I am in the middle of a divorce, she said in the clip while driving. My husband has been incredible though, really and truly. Were working together, everythings great, were splitting everything down the middle.

Jennifer shared that she and her ex-husband were having a very civil divorce with our daughter in mind.



However, you know, Im going to be on my own, single income right now, she continued. And hell be helping with her, supporting her and Im really thankful for that and that Ill not have to worry so much about supporting her. However, I will be on a very limited income with buying a new house and paying a mortgage and all that stuff.

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Ive never done this before, Ive never been on my own before. So, if you have any tips, saving money, making money, because Im a little scared right now, Jennifer concluded.

Jennifers friend Faye Lott said in reaction to her ex-husbands alleged actions, per WLBT, Hes never been a violent person that I was ever aware of. I was with her when they met and Ive always loved him for how he loved her. So its definitely hard trying to understand something we will never be able to.

Facebook Jennifer and Brandon pictured with their two daughters Jennifer and Brandon pictured with their two daughters

Related: 'Um, I Just Shot My Daughter': How a Disturbing 911 Call Revealed a Family Murder-Suicide Spanning 3 Generations

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Jennifer was enrolled in the Masters of Medical Sciences at Mississippi College in the hopes of becoming a doctor at the time of her death, WLBT reported.

The investigation is ongoing.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Brandon Police Department for comment.

Read the original article on People
DES MOINES, Iowa  A woman was rescued from a pond at Water Works Park Friday afternoon.

Iowa man charged for allegedly pretending to be a Vietnam veteran to claim quilt, free meal

At around 4:30 p.m. the Des Moines Fire Department Wet Rescue team was called to Water Works Park on a report of someone in a pond. When first responders arrived they found a woman standing on the ice of the pond just north of Izaak Walton League.

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According to Des Moines Police, while members of the rescue team slid out onto the ice to grab the woman, the ice broke beneath her and she fell in. The rescue team was able to rescue her from the water. Police said the woman has been transported to a hospital. Her condition has not been released.

Metro News:

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GOSHEN  An Elkhart woman who admitted to stalking a former co-worker has received a five-year sentence.

Sarah Sanders, 30, was sentenced on Thursday to three years on probation and two years in a community corrections program after pleading guilty to stalking as a Level 5 felony. She was arrested in September after the victim told police that Sanders had violated a protective order multiple times, with obsessive behavior such as calling her phone up to 80 times a day.

The victim told police that the behavior had recently escalated after Sanders, a co-worker from 10 years earlier, used to reach out to talk with her once a year. She said she thought Sanders was a little weird but she decided to be nice to her, according to police.

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The harassment reached the point that the victim felt like she had to look over her shoulder when she was out in public. She said she was nervous whenever she left the house because Sanders had followed her car all over town.

The woman said the extent of harassment had prompted her to consider selling her house and moving, but she didnt want to uproot her life because of Sanders.

The victim in this case is not vindictive, she simply wants this woman to leave her alone, Elkhart County Deputy Prosecutor Don Pitzer said in court Thursday. We are no longer dealing with misdemeanors and a slap on the wrist. Her actions have landed her squarely on the radar of the court.

Sanders was arrested on Sept. 21 after police responded to a harassment report and learned that she had committed invasion of privacy against the victim seven times between June and August. A protective order had been issued in May followed by a no-contact order in July.

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The victim told police that Sanders had driven to her house and taken photos on Sept. 20. She said the photos were forwarded from another acquaintance whom Sanders had also started harassing, and she believed it was Sanders who took the photos based on a location app showing Sanders near her home.

Pitzer said Sanders worked as a delivery app driver and would have other people call in orders using the victims address so she could go to the area. He warned Sanders that they would seek prison time if she violated the no-contact order again.

Judge Michael Christofeno gave her similar warnings. Sanders said she understood and was grateful for the chance to change her behavior.

If this happens again, the state will pursue charges, Pitzer said. If theres a violation she might as well, as far as the state is concerned, pack her toothbrush because shes going to prison.
OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY)  A woman who is suing St. Landry Parish over alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the parish courthouse is now also going after the City of Opelousas over the lack of curb ramps in the city.

Opelousas resident Annette Tyler, who has paraplegia due to a spinal cord injury and uses a wheelchair, said there are at least 12 intersections in downtown Opelousas that are inaccessible to her because of the citys existing curb cuts. Without access to those sidewalks, she is forced to wheel her wheelchair in the street, she said.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Under this law, state and local governments must provide an equal opportunity for people with disabilities to access their programs, services and activities.

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Among other protections, this means state and local governments must allow a person with a disability who uses a wheelchair or other manually powered mobility aid into all areas where members of the public are allowed to go, according to ADA.gov.

Tyler lodged her first suit under the ADA in August, saying the St. Landry Parish Courthouse has mobility-related barriers that prevent her from access to the services, programs and activities at the courthouse, such as participating in jury duty.

Tylers attorney, Andrew D. Bizer of Bizer & DeReus law firm, said discussions with his client over mobility-related issues at the courthouse revealed other challenges in the city.

When we talked about her issues at the courthouse, she talked about her issues outside of the courthouse, including the lack of curb ramps, Bizer said.

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In the most recent lawsuit, Tyler identified 12 intersections that were not ADA complaint. She noted that list, however, is not an exhaustive list of inaccessible intersections that she has encountered in Opelousas.

Tyler also pointed to the master plan that the Opelousas Downtown Development District adopted in June 2021. She said that plan includes a list of recommendations that are identified as short term or long term.

Although one of the short-term recommendations is to [c]onduct a sidewalk audit to understand where the greatest pedestrian accessibility needs exist, she said a public records request made earlier this year revealed that no action has been taken for a sidewalk audit or an ADA audit.

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[We] noticed that they were aware of the problem  they kind of had a plan but the plan didnt go anywhere, Bizer said.

In the lawsuit, Tyler said she sent letters to the City of Opelousas and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development that requested for reasonable accommodations or modifications be made to the sidewalks, but received no response.

The DOTD is also named as a defendant in the December lawsuit.

Bizer said it is important that advocates like Tyler are exercising their rights to enforce the federal civil rights law.

This is about just basic access to city services, the most basic city services. And you know, the ADA was set up so private individuals who are impacted by architectural barriers have some sort of way to enforce the ADA, he said.

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Sometimes the Department of Justice gets involved, but we dont have, you know, a cavalcade of federal ADA inspectors running around with clipboards and tape measures on the taxpayers dime to make sure that cities are in compliance, he continued.

So its private individuals, like Miss Tyler, [who] are tasked with filing civil litigation to enforce the ADA. And thats exactly whats shes doing.

Regarding the courthouse lawsuit, Bizer said some modifications are already underway but declined to provide further details on those modifications.

The folks that Ive spoken to have been very open and very receptive about making it right. Theyre not putting up a big fight like some other places do. So, kudos to them, with respect to the courthouse, at least so far, Bizer said.  it seems like they want to do the right thing.

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See the full lawsuit below:

Tyler vs Opelousas by eenfinger on Scribd

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LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A worker for a Lebanon County construction company was killed Friday morning in a skid loader accident, police say.

Millcreek Township Police identified the victim as Clinton Devon Martin, of Robesonia.

He was found pinned under a skid loader by workers at TLS Equipment LLC, located at 125 Stricklerstown Loop Rd. in Newmanstown, a little after 9:30 a.m., police said in a news release.

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He worked at the company for six years, according to the release.

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The workers were able to use equipment to lift the skid loader, which was on and running at the time, off the victim, police said. Newmanstown Ambulance personnel evaluated the victim and found no signs of life, police said.

The skid loaders arms were raised, and the man was believed to have been standing under them when a hydraulic line burst, causing the arms to drop and pin the victim, according to police.

The Lebanon County Coroners Office was called to the scene, along with a compliance officer from OSHA.

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First responders left after being at the scene for about five hours.

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Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Tomiko Itooka, the woman recognized as the world's oldest living person, has died in Japan at the age of 116.

Itooka's death in late December was confirmed by Britain's Guinness World Records.

This past September, the record-keeping publication honored Itooka as the world's oldest living person, after the death of Spain's Maria Branyas Morera.

The title now passes to Inah Canabarro Lucas, a 116-year-old Brazilian nun born 16 days after Itooka. Both women were born in May of 1908, the same year the Ford Motor Company launched its Model T car gas-powered car.

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Itooka died on Sunday at the care home she had been living at for the last five years, in the city of Ashiya.

"Ms Itooka gave us courage and hope through her long life," the city's mayor, Ryosuke Takashima said in a statement.

Itooka was born in Osaka, the second of three children.

She married at the age of 20 and had two sons and two daughters.

She later moved to the Nara Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshu following the death of her husband in 1979 where she lived alone.

In addition to holding the title of oldest-living person, Itooka is also one of the oldest ages ever verified and recorded according to Guinness World Records.

Japan has an aging population, with more than 95,000 people 100 years of age or older as of September. Of that figure, 88% are women.
CTD informed that the terrorists aimed to attack vehicles of the Rangers in the Al-Manzar area.

According to ARY News, CTD has identified terrorists as Taj Muhammad and Perel, officials said.

On December 25, 2024, at least one police personnel died in an attack carried out by terrorists in Pakistan's Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported.

An official said that the terrorists opened fire in the jurisdiction of Ahmedzai Sub-division Wazir police station, which killed Head Constable Wazir Zada, as per ARY News.

A police official told ARY News that the police Head Constable was moved to District Headquarters Hospital for post-mortem.

Last month, Pakistan's security forces killed eight terrorists in separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's South Waziristan and Lakki Marwat districts, Dawn reported.

Citing Pakistan's military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani daily reported that an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was conducted in the Sararogha area of South Waziristan on Thursday following reports of terrorist activity in the region.

"During the conduct of [the] operation, our troops effectively engaged the khwarij's location as a result of which two khwarij, including kharji ring leader Khan Muhammad (alias Khoryay), were killed," Dawn quoted ISPR as saying.

The forces also arrested two other terrorists during the operation. Khan Muhammad was described as a key target involved in several terrorist activities, including extortion and targeted killings. He had a government bounty of Rs one million on his capture, the report added.

In a separate IBO conducted in Lakki Marwat, six terrorists were killed after an intense exchange of fire. "Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other khwarij found in the area, as security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country," Dawn reported, quoting ISPR.

The Pakistani daily further stated that Pakistan has recently seen a surge in terrorist attacks targeting security forces and law enforcement agencies, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Attacks escalated after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended a ceasefire with the government in 2022. (ANI)
Good thing they called her mother.

An Alabama woman who was struck by a terrorist-driven pickup truck on New Years Day and later shot in the foot during the attack said her friends called her mom for help as she lay bleeding on Bourbon Street.

Alexis Scott-Windham said in an interview with NBC News on Friday that her mother, Tryphena Scott-Windham, told her friends to make a tourniquet to control her blood flow.

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So they took my sock off my left foot, she said. They tied it around my ankle to cut out the circulation.

Then, Scott-Windham said, a stranger drove her to a nearby hospital. Im so thankful to him, she said.

Tryphena Scott-Windham said she learned about applying tourniquets "from watching TV."

"So I just told my daughter's friend to just tie her other sock around her leg so she wouldn't bleed so heavy," she told NBC News. "I just blurted that out. I was in straight panic mode."

Scott-Windhams remarkable story emerged two days after a U.S. Army veteran from Texas, who authorities say had proclaimed his support for the Islamic State terrorist group, rammed his rented truck into a crowd of revelers, killing 14 people and injuring scores more.

Alexis Scott-Windham, a survivor of the New Orleans attack who lives in Mobile, Ala.

The FBI and police have said that Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, was inspired to commit mass murder by ISIS but that he likely acted alone.

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Scott-Windham, who is 23 and lives in Mobile with her year-old daughter, Skai Marie Scott, had come with a group of friends to New Orleans to party. It was a great vibe, she said.

As the night wound down, she said, they stopped at a pizzeria to get a bite only to discover the kitchen was already closed.

While her friends were using the pizzerias bathroom, Scott-Windham said, she stood on the sidewalk outside, where she heard a revving engine and then what sounded like a series of loud booms.

Looking to her left, Scott-Windham said, she saw the white pickup truck heading directly at her.

He was running over people like they were nothing, like they were speed bumps, like he would just run them over, she said.

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Scott-Windham said she tried to get away but the truck clipped the back of her right foot and she went down hard.

Then, the survivor said, she heard gunshots.

Thats when I tried to run, but I couldnt, she said. I knew something was wrong with my foot. I thought it was just a broken bone or something, but it wasnt. My feet had started leaking.

I was bleeding a lot, she said.

Scott-Windham said she also quickly became aware of the carnage around her. She recalled seeing one person lying face down and another with his eyes open and blood running down his face.

As Im getting up, Im seeing a dead body on the side of me, she said, adding that her first thought was, Jesus, Jesus. Please, just let me make it home.

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Scott-Windham said she looked around for her friend Brandon Whitsett, 22, who was also injured in the attack, as she struggled to get out of harms way.

Thats when, she said, police arrived and an officer quickly looked at her injured foot and radioed for an ambulance to come get her.

He like, We have a GSW, she said, using the acronym for gun shot wound.

In the chaotic moments that followed, Scott-Windham said, her friends called her mother back home in Mobile, tied on the tourniquet, and then the stranger and his girlfriend drove her to the University Medical Center, where dozens of other wounded revelers were already being treated.

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Scott-Windham said that as she waited for the doctors she was already counting her blessings.

Im just sitting there with my homemade tourniquet, she said. I was just thankful. I was blessed. I was just grateful. I was just like, Lord, Im just glad I made it to the hospital, Lord, because it could have been way worse.

Scott-Windhams mother is not a nurse. In fact, the mother and daughter work together at an Amazon warehouse.

Earlier, in an interview with NOLA.com, Scott-Windham said Amazon had denied her request for a leave of absence even though she still has a bullet lodged in her leg and will need therapy. She said she feared she would need to find a new job.

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I was supposed to go, like, to work that Jan. 2, at 2 a.m., she told NBC News. I said I was gonna need some time off, because I had just got shot.

Amazon, which was hit by strikes in four states before Christmas after complaints by workers, released a statement after it was barraged with complaints from customers demanding that Scott-Windham be allowed time off to recover from her wounds. The strike of 10,000 employees across the country  out of 1.5 million people in Amazon's workforce  was led by the Teamsters union and was resolved in less than a week. The company called the union's involvement in the strike a "PR play," according to CNN.

Weve reached out to Ms. Scott-Windham to offer her our full support, including pay, as she recovers from this senseless act of violence, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said to NBC News on Friday. We wish her a full recovery and look forward to welcoming her back to work once shes able.

Scott-Windham confirmed that she heard from Amazon and will use her time off to recuperate. So Im blessed for that, she said.

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Tryphena Scott-Windham said she feels blessed too.

"I nearly lost my daughter," she said. "I feel very sad for the other families, but my daughter was spared."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
After Wednesdays attacks in New Orleans French Quarter and in Las Vegas, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is making a change to how it admits visitors.

Starting Friday, Jan. 3, the Trusted Traveler program will no longer be in effect, meaning uniformed service members, their dependents and Department of Defense employees can no longer vouch for the other people in a vehicle. Every person in the vehicle has to present their valid DoD ID at the gate.

People without a valid DoD ID need to go to the 88h Security Forces Pass and Registration Offie to get a base visitors pass.

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The Pass and Registration Office, 4185 Logistics Avenue, Bldg. 286, is open 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Gate personnel can distribute passes when the office is closed.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Its Friday, January 3. Take a look at our top stories in news and weather with KELOLAND On The GO First@4.

Authorities in Yankton are investigating the first murder of 2025.

UPDATE: Yankton victim found beheaded

Sioux Falls Police are sending out a reminder to drivers after 4 vehicles were stolen Friday morning.

Police warn of car thefts with vehicles left running

Snow will continue to develop in western and central South Dakota this evening and tonight.

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Weekend cold and snow

Two buildings adjacent to the Brosts Fashions retail store that was destroyed in the Monday fire have been temporarily condemned, the city of Brookings said in a Facebook post on Friday.

Brookings fire closes 2 buildings for evaluation

Download the KELOLAND News app to find the latest headlines while on the go.

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(NewsNation)  The Big Apple is about to get even more expensive this weekend.

Following a federal judges denial of a temporary restraining order from the state of New Jersey to halt proceedings, congestion pricing will be enacted on Sunday.

The toll applies to the most congested part of Manhattan, south of Central Park, below 60th Street. It will vary depending on the time and whether a car has E-ZPass, an electronic toll collection system used in many states.

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During peak traffic hours  5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends  most cars, SUVs, small vans, and pickup trucks with an E-ZPass will be charged $9, once per day.

TIME TO WAKE UP! Tesla Cybertruck driver left messages before Las Vegas bombing

During the overnight hours, the tolls will go down to $2.25. Exceptions will exist for emergency vehicles, school buses, and others. Low-income drivers who pay the toll 10 times a month can apply for a 50% discount on trips they take the rest of the month.

Those opting for taxis or other rideshare services must pay a per-trip surcharge. Under the pricing plan, it will cost 75 cents for people taking taxis, green cabs, and black cars, and $1.50 for Uber or Lyft passengers.

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The attorney representing New Jersey said they would appeal the judges ruling, according to NewsNation affiliate PIX11.

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Young, single men are flocking to the Orthodox church after discovering the masculine Christian religion through online influencers.

Some converts said they felt disillusioned with the feminisation of the Protestant church and were attracted to the authenticity of Orthodoxy, which they claim pushes them physically and mentally.

Priests are now planning to open new parishes to accommodate the tsunami of young men who have converted since the pandemic.

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They say that most of the new converts found the Orthodox church by watching YouTube videos or listening to podcasts.

Matthew Ryan, a former atheist, found Orthodoxy after he saw a comment about good and evil on YouTube after hitting rock bottom.

The science teacher, 41, who had moved to Salt Lake City in 2022 to escape New Yorks draconian Covid rules, began researching the Bible.

This eventually led him to a one-hour YouTube video in which a Protestant visits an Orthodox church and speaks to a priest.

I watched that, and I was like, OK, this makes a lot of sense, Mr Ryan said.

What really drew me to Orthodoxy was the structure, the guidance, the authenticity and the historicity, he said.

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Mr Ryan, who was baptised into the Orthodox church in September, is among scores of men who have joined the strict church since the pandemic.

Matthew Ryan, a former atheist, was attracted to the Orthodox church by the structure, the guidance, the authenticity and the historicity

A 2023 survey by the Orthodox Studies Institute of Orthodox clergy in 20 parishes across 15 states found there had been a 80 per cent increase in the number of converts to the Orthodox church in 2022, compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Of these, 60 per cent were men, compared with 54 per cent in 2019.

Many of them had been drawn to the masculine nature of church, which puts emphasis on denial and pushing yourself physically.

Worshippers must stand for long services, which can last upwards of five hours. They must fast, too, sometimes for up to 40 days.

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This, some felt, was in stark contrast to other religious denominations where they felt the church had been feminised.

Emmanuel Castillo, 32, converted to the Orthodox church in 2019, a journey that started when he began reading the Bible while he was guarding al-Qaeda prisoners in Guantanamo Bay.

The former wrestler belonged to a Protestant church, but felt his services were not too different to his Saturday night in a bar.

They had the same kind of lighting, same kind of music, same kind of the same feeling, and after reading the gospels and the book of Acts, you know, I knew thats not how they worshipped 2000 years ago, I kind of knew, hey, Im, I dont think Im in the right church.

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Searching for something he felt embodied the teachings and practices of the early Christians, in 2018 he found St Ignatius Orthodox Christian Church near his home in Mesa, Arizona.

Emmanuel Castillo began reading the Bible while he was guarding al-Qaeda prisoners in Guantanamo Bay - Brett Hill/Instagram

The father of two, who has since left the military, was baptised the following year.

His Instagram page is filled with images showing off his muscular physique alongside quotes from Bible verses.

Mr Castillo is open about his faith with his thousands of online followers and receives scores of messages from young men interested in the Orthodox church.

He believes part of the surge in men converting to the Orthodox church is a rejection of the feminisation of other denominations.

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Its unfortunate that feminism has kind of sunk its teeth into all of our organisations to include Christianity, he said.

He said that at Protestant churches, the majority of the leaders arent good, strong men, whereas the Orthodox church leaders are more like father figures.

He said: They look like men. They look like fathers, theyre strong, spiritually, mentally, physically... I think young men right now are yearning to follow a good father.

Jesus Christ, he thinks, is the perfect example of masculinity, someone capable of calling down all of Heavens armies to destroy his enemies but who instead chose to serve others.

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Im very comfortable with physicality and because of my Orthodox faith, Im also very comfortable at just, you know, being soft and kind... but being capable also of violence towards, you know, those who would do harm to those I love... I think young men, too, they want that.

Mr Castillo, right, thinks part of the surge in men converting to the Orthodox church is a rejection of the feminisation of other denominations - Brett Hill/Instagram

Father Paul Truebenbach agrees that part of what is drawing young men to the Orthodox church is because they naturally want to be masculine, in the most positive sense of the word.

Fr Truebenbach, who was the priest Mr Ryan watched on YouTube video when he was looking into Orthodoxy, has seen the number of converts in his congregation triple since the pandemic. Most of these are single, young men in their 20s.

Its a tougher form of Christianity... I think a lot of men have embraced that and realised this is a form of self-denial with real results that actually brings peace and joy to the heart like nothing else, said Fr Truebenbach, of Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Salt Lake City.

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He said that men in his parish have started taking cold plunges, as well as making their fasts more extreme to push themselves.

Father Timothy Pavlatos, who leads St Katherine Greek Orthodox Church in Chandler, Arizona, agrees that the challenge of the Orthodox church appeals to many young men.

Orthodoxy is challenging in the physical sense too, and it requires a lot... they live in a world where its instant gratification and just take what you want, what you feel you want, what you think you need, Orthodoxy is the opposite of that, its denying yourself.

Whereas before the pandemic a maximum of six people would convert annually, this year he currently has 29 catechumens  people studying the Orthodox faith.

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Of these, he said, the majority found the church online.

He had to enlist volunteers to help with the tsunami of people coming in and they are looking at starting new Orthodox churches nearby.

Mr Castillo with his family in church - Instagram

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Dr Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, an assistant professor of religion and anthropology at Northeastern University, whose research looks at recent Orthodox converts in the US, said that she started seeing an increase in people seeking out Orthodoxy from 2016.

She said this increased dramatically during the pandemic, to what she refers to in her upcoming book as the Covid conversion period.

Dr Riccardi-Swart said: We were at home for a lot of 2020 and even some of 2021, people had time to create content and find content online, and we saw in that period the rise of young males and males in general, who were Orthodox or interested in becoming Orthodox, creating content for people to find Orthodox.

She said part of the appeal to young men is there is a phenomenon called muscular Christianity and the desire for a sort of strong-man religion, which she said is not unique to Orthodoxy.

You have people finding Orthodoxy and saying, Hey, this is sort of masculine, this is militarised, this is really hard on my body, its aesthetically challenging, she said.

But she added that alongside the language of strictness and militarisation, she has noticed problematic ideological issues, such as misogyny, voiced by some converts online.

It is hard to get an accurate picture of how many Orthodox Christians there are in the US because of a lack of data.

The most up-to-date figures are from 2010, when the Pew Research Center found that 0.5 per cent of the US population was Orthodox.

Seraphim Holland, a priest at the St Nicholas Orthodox Church in McKinney, Texas, has also witnessed the surge of converts in recent years.

His congregation has tripled in size since the pandemic, and the main temple cannot accommodate the 200 people who attend the church on Sundays, so there are now two services.

The congregation has tripled in size since the pandemic at St Nicholas Orthodox Church in McKinney, Texas - James Breeden/Breeden Media LLC

Most of the new converts found the church online and around 60 per cent are unmarried men.

Mr Holland said that one aspect that appeals to newcomers is that while other churches are being drawn into rows about cultural issues, such as debates around the LGBTQ community, the Orthodox church does not shift.

I think theres a lot with those sorts of things... society kind of goes to the new thing, and people feel pressured to believe the new thing, to talk about the new thing, to accept the new thing. We dont feel that pressure, he said.

He added: We are not anti-LGBTQ... we are pro-Christian morality.

There are now two services on Sundays to accommodate the 200 people who attend St Nicholas Orthodox Church - James Breeden/Breeden Media LLC

One of the recent converts at Mr Hollands parish is Longin, 23, who found his Protestant church started to feel empty to him.

The small-engine mechanic, who had been studying theology at the time, became interested in the Orthodox church when he began hearing about the martyrs who had been persecuted.

This, combined with the world shutting down during the pandemic, prompted him to look for something that gave me that same drive, which I guess the evangelical church didnt really have, he said.

Longin, 23, a recent convert at St Nicholas Orthodox Church who found his Protestant church started to feel empty to him - James Breeden/Breeden Media LLC

You have the worship, you know, the guitars and the drums and stuff, and then you sit down for a sermon, and then thats kind of it, you know, he said.

This was in stark contrast to the Orthodox church in McKinney, Texas, where he found worshippers standing for lengthy services.

I just went to go see and I havent really looked back since, he said.

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Congress leader Pawan Khera has strongly criticised the government's response to China's establishment of two new counties in Hotan prefecture, incorporating Ladakh's territory and urged the Centre to take the issue seriously. Khera said that the "perfunctory objection" raised by the Ministry of External Affairs in Friday's press conference over the issue is "notwithstanding." He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introspect the issue and said "Casual objection by EAM would not work." Khera alleged that China's confidence in making such moves stems from the "clean chit" given by PM Modi. Speaking with ANI, Khera said, "The perfunctory objection raised by MEA is notwithstanding. China draws its confidence from the clean chit the PM gave on 20th June 2020 after the Chinese incursions in our territory. Now that China has created two counties in Hotan prefecture, it is an area which has been traditionally, historically been ours and we have been very consistent about our claim on the area." Khera emphasized that the area in question has historically been part of India and that the government needs to take a stronger stance. He feels that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) objections are inadequate and that more decisive action is required. "This needs to be taken seriously and casual objections by the EAM would not work. PM must introspect that he can't go about distributing clean chits to neighbours who are hostile to our interests," he added. Furthermore, Khera expressed concerns about China's plan to build a mega-dam on the Brahmaputra river, which could impact Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. He argued that this project undermines India's interests in the northeastern region. "The dam on the Brahmaputra river again undermines and creates havoc for our interests in the northeastern region. This reflects very poorly on our foreign policy," said the Congress leader. The MEA has also addressed this issue, urging China to ensure that downstream states are not adversely affected by the dam project and also lodged a protest with China, stating that parts of the new counties fall within Ladakh's territory. The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday, addressing the issue, said that India has lodged a strong protest with China over the establishment of two new 'counties' in the region that includes the region under the Union Territory of Ladakh, and asserted that New Delhi has never accepted the "illegal occupation" by Beijing. "We have seen the announcement pertaining to the establishment of two new counties in Hotan Prefecture of China. Parts of the jurisdiction of these so-called counties fall in India's Union Territory of Ladakh. We have never accepted the illegal Chinese occupation of Indian territory in this area," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a press conference. He further emphasised that the creation of new counties will not affect India's stance on sovereignty over the area, nor will it legitimize "China's illegal and forcible occupation." "The creation of new counties will neither have a bearing on India's long-standing and consistent position regarding our sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to China's illegal and forcible occupation of the same. We have lodged a solemn protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels," he added. Last week, Chinese media Xinhua reported that the government of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region announced the establishment of two new counties in the region: He'an County and Hekang County. The establishment of the counties, both administered by Hotan Prefecture, has been approved by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. The county seat of He'an is Hongliu Township, while the county seat of Hekang is Xeyidula Township, the report added. (ANI)
UK Snow: Amber weather warnings as over 40cm of snow is forecast for northern England

The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings as the UK braces for heavy snow and freezing rain. Snow is expected to low levels across London and as far south as Kent.

Saturday morning will be calm and settled, with the best of the sunny spells expected in the north and east as clouds gradually thicken from the west. A few wintry showers are likely across northern Scotland, while winds begin to strengthen in the south as a weather system approaches from the south-west.

Milder air will start to nudge into the far south as rain moves into south-west England during the afternoon, falling as snow over high ground. A cold day with highs of 4C for London, 3C for Birmingham and 0C for Aberdeen.

Rain will continue to track northwards and eastwards during Saturday evening and as it encounters the colder air, it will increasingly fall as snow, sleet, and freezing rain, reaching low levels across London and as far south as Kent. A yellow weather warning for snow and ice is in effect across Wales and most of England and persists for the rest of the weekend, indicating that heavy snow and freezing rain are likely to cause some disruption.

Disruptive snow and freezing rain will spread northwards and eastwards across the UK.

Heavy and disruptive snowfall is forecast across Wales, the West Midlands, and northern England, prompting the Met Office to issue an amber weather warning. Accumulations of up to 30cm are possible over higher ground. Snow and freezing rain are expected to cause significant disruption to transport, with power cuts likely and potential impacts on other essential services.

30-40cm of snow are possible

Snow will become persistent across northern England and Northern Ireland on Saturday, with significant accumulations expected. Up to 40cm of snow is possible over the northern Pennines

Further south, temperatures will rise, causing the snow to transition back to rain, with heavy downpours spreading across south-east England during the early hours of Sunday morning. It will stay mild and blustery in the south throughout Sunday, with brisk winds and showery outbreaks of rain.

Heavy and disruptive snow will push northwards on Saturday night and Sunday.

Meanwhile, snow will persist across northern England, Northern Ireland, and southern Scotland, gradually spreading into the Central Belt of Scotland and the north-east by the end of Sunday. The far north-west will see a mix of sunshine and wintry showers. It will remain cold in the north with icy conditions possible and there will be daytime highs of 2C for Aberdeen but feeling significantly milder further south, with highs of 12C Norwich and 12C for Cardiff.

Colder air returns next week

Weather warnings will expire as we move into Monday, and rain across the south-east will soon clear. It will then become breezy with variable cloud cover and the risk of showers, which will be wintry in the north. Milder air will shift eastwards on Tuesday, making way for colder conditions, with plenty of wintry sunshine and a scattering of snow showers.
US President Joe Biden announced on Friday his decision to block a USD 14.3 billion acquisition of US Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, a significant exercise of executive authority towards the end of his administration, CNN reported. In a statement, Biden emphasised the importance of steel production in the US, saying, "As I have said many times, steel production - and the steel workers who produce it - are the backbone of our nation. A strong domestically owned and operated steel industry represents an essential national security priority and is critical for resilient supply chains." The decision, which had been anticipated, could have broader implications for foreign investment in US companies. While Biden has long expressed opposition to the deal, it remains politically charged. The deal was first announced in December 2023, and both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have voiced strong opposition to it. The deal, which had already sparked bipartisan political backlash, underscores the ongoing concerns regarding foreign ownership of a once formidable part of American industry. Biden's intervention comes after the Committee for Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) failed to reach a consensus regarding the national security risks of the proposed transaction, ultimately leaving the decision up to the president. While the move is politically popular domestically, some worry that blocking such foreign investments could discourage future overseas capital inflows into US companies. The deal's rejection may also pose challenges to US Steel, which had expressed the need for significant investment. The United Steelworkers (USW) union has strongly opposed the acquisition since its announcement, citing concerns over the future of union jobs at US Steel's older mills. The union has raised alarms over whether Nippon Steel would honour these positions, particularly in Pennsylvania and Indiana. "We have no doubt that it's the right move for our members and our national security," the USW said in its statement after the decision. US Steel and Nippon Steel, however, were quick to challenge the decision, pledging to take legal action. In their joint statement, the companies expressed their dismay, claiming, "The president's statement and order do not present any credible evidence of a national security issue, making clear that this was a political decision. We are left with no choice but to take all appropriate action to protect our legal rights." US Steel maintains that the deal is critical to revitalising its aging facilities, claiming that without the USD 2.7 billion investment from Nippon Steel, it may be forced to shut down certain mills. However, the USW believes that the company could continue to operate profitably without the acquisition. "We're confident that with responsible management, US Steel will continue to support good jobs, healthy communities and robust national and economic security well into the future," said the union. The opposition to the acquisition is rooted in the history of US Steel, once a giant of the American industrial sector. It was the most valuable company in the world after its formation in 1901, pivotal in the growth of the nation's economy. However, over time, the company has seen a sharp decline in size and importance. Once a symbol of industrial power, it now employs just 14,000 workers, with 11,000 of them being union members. Despite this, US Steel remains a significant figure in American history, with nearly 18,000 retirees and their beneficiaries drawing pension benefits, reported CNN. Politicians have long been wary of foreign ownership of such iconic American companies, particularly in swing states like Pennsylvania, where US Steel maintains a presence. This deep connection to American history and pride is one reason why the proposed acquisition has sparked such political contention. For many politicians, the notion of seeing US Steel in foreign hands, especially given its former status as a cornerstone of American industrial strength, is a sensitive subject. US Steel's decline mirrors a broader trend in the US manufacturing sector, as companies like Nippon Steel and newer "mini-mills" have emerged as more efficient competitors. The union's concerns have been amplified by fears that Nippon Steel's involvement would lead to job cuts, particularly as the company aims to shift operations to more modern, non unionised facilities in Texas. While Nippon has insisted it intends to keep the unionised mills in operation, the USW remains sceptical, citing Nippon's potential plans to transfer production to its mini-mill operations. In terms of the broader political narrative, the opposition to the Nippon Steel deal is politically complicated. Former President Trump, despite his opposition to the acquisition, has recently welcomed foreign investments from other Japanese companies, such as a USD 100 billion deal from Softbank to fund US artificial intelligence projects. Critics argue that Biden's decision appears to be more politically motivated, as blocking foreign investment from Japan's Nippon Steel in the steel industry raises the question of why similar investments from other countries are accepted without scrutiny. Jason Furman, a former economist in the Obama administration, criticised the decision, stating, "President Biden claiming Japan's investment in an American steel company is a threat to national security is a pathetic and craven cave to special interests that will make America less prosperous and safe." Industry analysts argue that the decision might have long-term consequences for foreign investment. Despite their challenges, US Steel and similar companies in the US steel industry continue to make an economic impact, CNN reported. Steel remains essential to key industries like automotive manufacturing, infrastructure, and construction, and any loss of foreign investment may put those sectors at risk. (ANI)
The Delhi Police has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigration in the national capital ahead of the assembly polls. As a part of the ongoing operation against illegal foreign nationals, Dwarka District's Special Staff team has successfully apprehended and deported five Bangladeshi nationals, including a woman and two children.

The operation has expanded to bordering states, with over 500 suspects being verified. Last year, 132 foreign nationals were deported, with 116 from Nigeria, 73 from Ghana, and 48 from Uganda. The anti-narcotics cell led the pack of rioters, with PS Uttam Nagar leading the charge, an official press release said.

In pursuance of the directions of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Delhi Police intensified its operations against foreign nationals residing illegally in the capital. Following this mandate, DCP Dwarka District, Ankit Singh, escalated the special drive in his jurisdiction to identify and take strict action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and other foreign nationals residing without valid documentation.

As part of this drive, the Special Staff of Dwarka traced five Bangladeshi nationals, including one woman and two children, who were found staying illegally. They were deported in accordance with the prescribed procedures.

The Dwarka District Police have been addressing concerns related to unauthorized migrants, including Bangladeshi nationals, through intensified efforts. This includes identifying, detaining, and repatriating individuals without valid Indian documentation. The police initiated these actions by sensitizing local informers, collecting human intelligence, and identifying routes used by illegal migrants to enter India.

Under the direction of DCP Dwarka, a special team was constituted to execute this mission. The team, led by Inspector Vishvendra Dhaka and comprising SI Rakesh Kumar, ASI Kartar Singh, ASI Resham, HC Adesh, HC Vipin, W/HC Surender Kaur, HC Ajay, and Ct. Ravi, worked under the supervision of ACP Operations, Ram Avtar.

The team adopted a range of strategies, including activating informants and engaging residents to gather information about suspected illegal migrants. They conducted random verification drives in areas like slums, labor camps, and unauthorized colonies, particularly those with high migrant populations.

On January 1, 2025, specific intelligence about illegal migrants in the Dwarka District was received. Acting on this input, a raid was conducted near Kali Basti, Uttam Nagar Metro Station, within the jurisdiction of PS Uttam Nagar. During the operation, five illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were apprehended.

According to news agency ANI, the detained individuals were identified as Mohd. Shahid (53), son of Mohd. Kadir, a resident of Area No. 16, Bagerhat, Bangladesh; Najrul Sheikh (50), son of Noor Islam, a resident of Bazar-Sharmashi, Bangladesh; Praveen (25), wife of Najrul Sheikh, a resident of Area No. 16, Bazar-Sharnashi, PS-Moral Ganj, District Bagerhat, Bangladesh; and two children.

During interrogation, they admitted to having illegally migrated from Bangladesh. Evidence supporting their Bangladeshi citizenship, including mobile numbers and documents, was recovered from their phones. The apprehended individuals were presented at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Delhi and detained at a center in Inderlok for further proceedings, ANI reported, citing an official release.

(With ANI Inputs)
Kerala Lottery Results Saturday 04-01-2025 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "KARUNYA KR-687" Lucky Draw Result today Karunya Kr-687, January 04, 2024. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2024 for "Karunya KR-687" 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-687 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-687 results today.

Kerala Lottery Result 04-01-2025 Jan: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA KR-687 Draw

LUCKY NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKHS IS: KX 258521

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LUCKY NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE: KN 258521 KO 258521 KP 258521 KR 258521 KS 258521 KT 258521 KU 258521 KV 258521 KW 258521 KY 258521 KZ 258521

(For The Tickets Ending with The Following Numbers below)

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KERALA LOTTERY RESULT 04-01-2024 January TODAY: KARUNYA KR-687 LOTTERY PRIZE DETAILS

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Congress leader Pawan Khera reacted sharply on China's establishment of two new counties in Hotan prefecture and said that the "perfunctory objection" raised by the Ministry of External Affairs in Friday's press conference over the issue is "notwithstanding."

"The perfunctory objection raised by MEA is notwithstanding. China draws its confidence from the clean chit the PM gave on 20th June 2020 after the Chinese incursions in our territory. Now that China has created two counties in Hotan prefecture, it is an area which has been traditionally, historically been ours and we have been very consistent about our claim on the area," Khera told ANI.

He criticised the government's response to this issue and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introspect the issue.

Khera stated, "Casual objection by EAM would not work," alleging that China's confidence in taking such actions arises from the "clean chit" given by PM Modi.

"This needs to be taken seriously and casual objections by the EAM would not work. PM must introspect that he can't go about distributing clean chits to neighbours who are hostile to our interests," he added.

Khera further expressed concerns over China's plan to build a mega-dam on the Brahmaputra river and said, "The dam on the Brahmaputra river again undermines and creates havoc for our interests in the northeastern region. This reflects very poorly on our foreign policy," said the Congress leader.

On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that India had lodged a strong protest with China over the establishment of two new "counties" in a region that included territory under the Union Territory of Ladakh. The ministry emphasized that New Delhi has never recognized Beijing's "illegal occupation" of the area.

"We have seen the announcement pertaining to the establishment of two new counties in Hotan Prefecture of China. Parts of the jurisdiction of these so-called counties fall in India's Union Territory of Ladakh. We have never accepted the illegal Chinese occupation of Indian territory in this area," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a press conference.

"The creation of new counties will neither have a bearing on India's long-standing and consistent position regarding our sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to China's illegal and forcible occupation of the same. We have lodged a solemn protest with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels," he added.

(With ANI inputs)


Following the crackdown on illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said that there is "no compromise" with the security of the country.

"They are deported to Bangladesh. This action is being taken at a fast pace...Union Home Minister Amit Shah also had chaired a meeting on this, this issue has been taken seriously. There is no compromise with the security of the country," Shinde told reporters.

This comes amid reports of illegal immigrants, specifically Rohingya and Bangladeshi nationals, allegedly entering and settling in the national capital and Maharashtra.

Eknath Shinde further said that the "big decisions" need to be taken so every department's meeting is happening.

"The vision of PM Modi is to take the country forward and develop, Viksit Bharat 2047 therefore Maharashtra should also develop. A meeting took place today under the chairmanship of CM Devendra Fadnavis.

The vision of 100 days, in this 100 days, govt's every department will be reviewed and what all we will do in this 100 days...big decisions need to be taken so every department's meeting is happening. Metro 3 will start...it will benefit lakhs of people and traffic will be reduced," he added.

On Friday, Eknath Shinde held a meeting with the housing department and said that reviving the stalled projects and providing affordable housing and rental options to the people is the responsibility of the government.

The Maharashtra Deputy CM further asserted that their government is for the common people.

"Our government is for the common people. A house is a dream for everyone, and providing a home for each individual is the Prime Minister's vision. We will certainly fulfil this," Shinde said.

Earlier, Eknath Shinde announced that 4,800 hectares of land which was in the possession of the state government will be returned to the farmers.
Amid the rising cases of respiratory illness in China, including those caused by the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), the Union Health Ministry on Saturday assured the people that there was no need for alarm over the recent surge. The ministry, in a statement, asserted that the "situation in China is not unusual" and that "India remains well-prepared to handle respiratory infections effectively."

The statement came after the Union Health Ministry convened a Joint Monitoring Group Meeting in view of rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China in the past few weeks.

Union Health Ministry convenes Joint Monitoring Group Meeting in view of rising cases of respiratory illnesses in China in the past few weeks. Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the situation in China through all available channels and the WHO has been requested to share pic.twitter.com/zytpqBse6M  ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2025

The Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the situation in China through all available channels, and the WHO has been requested to share timely updates regarding the situation. The Union Ministry has said that India is well-prepared to handle respiratory illnesses; surveillance shows no unusual surge.

Meanwhile, PTI sources revealed on Friday that the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is closely monitoring respiratory and seasonal influenza cases in the country and is in touch with international agencies in the wake of the recent reports of an outbreak of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China. "We will continue to monitor the situation closely and validate information and developments accordingly," a senior official said, as quoted by PTI.

Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Atul Goel said the Human Metapneumovirus is like any other respiratory virus that causes the common cold, and it could cause flu-like symptoms in the young and the very old.

"There is news doing the rounds about a Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak in China. However, we have analyzed the data of the respiratory outbreaks in the country (India), and there is no substantial increase in the December 2024 data and no cases that have been reported in large numbers from any of our institutions. There is nothing to be alarmed about in the present situation," he said.

"In any case, during winters there is an increased outbreak of respiratory infections for which usually our hospitals are prepared with necessary supplies and beds," Dr Goel stated. He advised the public to take the general precautions that are used to prevent respiratory infections, which means if someone has a cough and cold, they should avoid coming in contact with others so that the infection does not spread. People should follow respiratory etiquette and take normal medicines for cold and fever that are there, he said.

(With agencies inputs)
Tamil Nadu fireworks unit blast: Six workers were killed in an explosion on Saturday at a firecracker manufacturing unit in the Sattur area of Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu, an official said, PTI reported.

The blast is believed to have occurred while mixing chemicals and it flattened at least one room and led to the deaths.

"Six people died in an explosion that took place at a firecracker manufacturing factory in the Sattur area of Virudhunagar district," South Zone IGP Anand Sinha said, ANI reported.

Another tracking incident is also reported on Saturday in which a man and his wife were killed in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district as their house collapsed after an explosion when they were making firecrackers, police said. PTI reported.

The incident happened in Badabag village in Sadar police station area late on Friday, they said, adding, that the impact of the explosion was such that the roof and walls of the house collapsed.
The incident, which took place around 9 pm, left three men and one woman injured. MPD reported that all victims were "conscious and breathing" following the attack, WUSA9 reported.

The shooting unfolded in the 1500 block of Harry Thomas Way Northeast, located just 500 feet from the NoMa-Gallaudet U New York Avenue Metro station.

Two of the injured victims were transported to a hospital by emergency medical services, while the remaining two reportedly made their way to a medical facility independently. The police described the victims' conditions as stable at the time of their arrival.

MPD provided updates on the incident via X, stating, "Alert: Shooting investigation in the 1500 block of Harry Thomas Way NE. Preliminary: Adult male and adult female located at the scene, transported conscious and breathing. Two additional adult males arrived at a hospital, both conscious and breathing."

https://x.com/DCPoliceDept/status/1875361732195184677

In a subsequent post, MPD added, "Detectives are on scene investigating this case."

https://x.com/DCPoliceDept/status/1875361845420421143

The location of the incident, near a prominent transit hub, heightened concerns for safety among local residents and commuters. The area, which is typically bustling with activity, was cordoned off as detectives worked to gather evidence and identify potential witnesses.

Police have yet to release the identities of the victims or provide any information regarding suspects or motives, as per a report by WUSA9. (ANI)
Rajagopala Chidambaram, a renowned physicist and pivotal figure in Indias nuclear programme, passed away on January 4, 2025, at the age of 88. His legacy as a leader in advancing India's nuclear capabilities remains unparalleled.

Chidambaram played an instrumental role in both the 1974 Smiling Buddha nuclear test and the 1998 Pokhran-II tests, two landmark moments that cemented Indias status as a nuclear power globally.

Early Life and Education

Born in 1936, Chidambaram hailed from a strong academic background. He was an alumnus of Chennai's Presidency College and the prestigious Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. His academic foundation laid the groundwork for a career that would revolutionize India's scientific and technological landscape.

Pivotal Role in India's Nuclear Program

Chidambaram's most significant contribution to India's defense and scientific prowess was his involvement in the countrys nuclear programme. As a key figure, he played a vital role in the successful execution of India's first nuclear test in 1974, known as "Smiling Buddha." This momentous event marked Indias entry into the list of nuclear-capable nations.

His leadership continued during the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, which further solidified India's position as a nuclear power. Chidambarams guidance was instrumental in both these tests, contributing to the nations strategic self-reliance and global stature in nuclear technology.

A Distinguished Career in Science and Technology

Chidambarams contributions were not limited to nuclear tests. He served as the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India from 2001 to 2018, and as the Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) between 1990 and 1993.

From 1993 to 2000, he held the position of Secretary to the Government of India and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

Chidambaram was also recognized internationally, having served as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 1994 to 1995.

Contributions to Scientific Research

Apart from his role in advancing nuclear technology, Chidambaram made significant contributions to several scientific fields, including high-pressure physics, crystallography, and materials science. His pioneering research laid the foundation for modern materials science in India and has had a lasting impact on scientific communities worldwide.

Chidambarams work also spanned energy, healthcare, and technological self-reliance. He spearheaded projects that contributed to Indias indigenous development of supercomputers and was the visionary behind the National Knowledge Network, which linked educational and research institutions across the country.

Awards and Recognitions

Chidambarams contributions to science and technology were widely recognized. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1975 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1999, two of Indias highest civilian honors. He also received honorary doctorates from several leading universities and was a fellow of various Indian and international science academies.
Time travel has long fascinated humanity, sparking stories of journeys into the past and glimpses of the future. But what if a real-life flight could "travel" back in time? Believe it or not, thats exactly what happened with a Cathay Pacific plane, which departed in 2025 and touched down in 2024without bending the laws of physics. Confused? Lets unravel this intriguing story.

A Flight Through Time

On January 1, 2025, Cathay Pacific flight CX880 took off from Hong Kong, bound for Los Angeles. Upon landing, however, passengers checked the local dateDecember 31, 2024. While it may sound like science fiction, the explanation lies in geography, not time machines. The secret to this apparent leap back in time? The International Date Line.

What Is the International Date Line?

The International Date Line (IDL) is an invisible boundary that runs through the Pacific Ocean, roughly along the 180-degree longitude. It serves as the line where the calendar date changes.

 Moving west across the IDL advances the date by one day.

 Moving east sets the date back by a day.

In simple terms, if you fly eastward across the IDL from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, youll arrive before you leftat least according to the clock and calendar.

Celebrating New Year Twice

For the passengers on flight CX880, this journey was nothing short of extraordinary. They kicked off 2025 with New Year celebrations in Hong Kong. Hours later, upon landing in Los Angeles, it was still New Year's Eve 2024, giving them a second chance to ring in the New Year. Talk about a bonus celebration!

A Curious Zigzag of Time

While the International Date Line makes date changes possible, it is not a straight line. Instead, it curves to accommodate countries and islands, preventing them from splitting into two different calendar days. For instance, it weaves between Russia and Alaska.

A Social Media Sensation

This rare "time travel" journey sparked excitement on social media, as users marveled at the oddity of celebrating two New Years in one trip. While not actual time travel, the experience offered passengers a glimpse of how geography and time are intricately connected.

So, while flight CX880 didnt rewrite history, it certainly made it memorable. The next time you take a trans-Pacific flight, keep an eye on your watchyou just might "travel" through time, too!
New Delhi: Akshay Kumar and renowned director Priyadarshan are back together for their highly anticipated film, Bhooth Bangla, as they begin shooting the next schedule in Jaipur tomorrow.

Following their Mumbai shoot last month, the team is now heading to the Pink City to bring their latest horror-comedy to life.

Fans of the hit duo, who have previously delivered iconic blockbusters like Hera Pheri, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and Garam Masala, are eagerly awaiting their reunion on screen. Bhooth Bangla promises a delightful mix of thrills and laughs as it explores the haunted house genre with a comedic twist. With Akshay Kumars knack for impeccable comic timing and Priyadarshans direction, the film is set to offer a fresh, engaging experience.

The Jaipur schedule will include several outdoor shoots at the citys iconic locations, adding a rich cultural touch to the film.

Bhooth Bangla is produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms, Akshay Kumar's Cape of Good Films, and co-produced by Faara Sheikh and Vedant Baali. The film is scheduled to release in theaters on April 2, 2026.
Hyderabad: Telugu actor Allu Arjun has been granted conditional bail by a Hyderabad court in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Sandhya Theatre incident, which resulted in the death of a woman during the premiere of 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' on December 4, 2024.

The actor's bail petition was heard at the Metropolitan Criminal Court at Nampally in Hyderabad on Friday.

"The conditions have been imposed that he (Allu Arjun) has to attend the police station. Bail has been granted... The court was convinced that this was not a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Therefore, the court granted bail," Ashok Reddy, the actor's lawyer told reporters.

He added that the court has directed him to execute Rs 50,000 with two sureties which is the legal procedure he (the actor) has to complete.

Reddy further said that a quash petition is still pending before the Telangana High Court, with the next hearing scheduled for January 21, 2025. "We will take steps to pursue that quash petition in the High Court," he added.

The incident occurred when Allu Arjun attended the 'Pushpa 2' premiere at Sandhya Theatre and waved to the crowd from the sunroof of his car. The mass gathering quickly turned chaotic, resulting in the death of a woman named Revathi and serious injuries to her young son.

Following the incident, Allu Arjun was arrested but was later granted bail.

Earlier, the child injured in the incident, identified as Sri Tej, showed signs of recovery after a long period on a ventilator. The child had reportedly responded for the first time on December 24, 2024.

Bhaskar, the father of the injured child, shared, "The child responded after 20 days. He is responding today. Allu Arjun and the Telangana government are supporting us."

Allu Arjun's father and renowned film producer Allu Aravind also announced a financial aid of Rs 2 crore for the family of the victim.
The white laptop tote bags are fashionable and functional at the same time, which makes them ideal. For the working population, formal bags from designer outlets provide style and functionality. From business to the corporate world or just a meeting, these tote bags will enhance your appearance and, at the same time, provide an organised means of carrying items.

Best Designer White Tote Bags

Here are the best white laptop tote bags that are not to be missed below.

Source: Amazon



Order Now

The Fastrack White Laptop Tote Bag for Women is the best companion for college-going women. This sophisticated tote is designed in a polished, clean style and crafted to the highest standard from faux leather. It has a large 14-inch laptop sleeve and many zippered front accessory pockets to help keep small items in order.

Key Features:

14-inch laptop compartment

High-quality faux leather

Spacious interior for textbooks and more

Leather bags need high maintenance

Source: Amazon



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The Thesto Adjustable Tich Button Leather Tote Bag is a beautiful and comfortable bag for working or travelling women. Crafted from top-grade fake leather and inside with 100 % polyester, this tote has enough space for a 15.6-inch laptop, making it perfect for office and work and even travelling.

Key Features:

Premium faux leather with polyester lining

Spacious interior with four pockets

Sturdy shoulder strap

Susceptible to stains

Source: Amazon



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The Kleio Vegan Leather Office Tote Bag for Women is perfect for use in college, the office, and on travels. This sophisticated tote has a zip-top and is made of faux leather with double stitching while it comes with two top handles for portability.

Key Features:

Faux leather

Double top handles

Spacious interior with multiple pockets

Not durable as compared to genuine leather

Source: Amazon



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The Lino Perros Womens Laptop Bag is chic and practical and can be used on a daily basis. Crafted in synthetic leather, this unisex casual bag comes with a secure zip closure and has a shoulder strap for convenience.

Key Features:

High-quality faux leather

Comfortable shoulder strap

Spacious single pocket

Less breathable than genuine leather

What Makes a Good Laptop Tote Bag?

An ideal laptop bag goes beyond being a fashion accessory; its actually an invaluable tool that protects the laptop and other items. Here are the key factors that make a laptop bag truly exceptional:

1. Protection and Durability: The most important reason for carrying a laptop bag is security. A good bag should have a separate compartment padded in order to protect your laptop from the impact of falls and scratches. High-quality nylon, polyester or leather adds to its endurance, making the bag durable enough to face normal wear and tear.

2. Size and Fit: A good laptop bag should cater for your laptop perfectly fitting into the bag. The size of the laptop compartment is important; the narrower it is, the more it will be to shove the laptop in and out; on the other hand, if the space is large, the laptop may move and get damaged in the process. That means it is always important to take measurements of the bag and also the size of your laptop before buying one.

3. Organisation: A good and efficient laptop bag should have good sections and pockets to accommodate items such as chargers, mice, documents, pens as well as your phone. This makes sure that items are well organised and easily retrievable, thus cutting on the time wasted looking for the things we need.

4. Comfort: The laptop is not the lightest item to carry. Thus, the bag must have padded shoulder straps and handles and a proper weight distribution. Other bags also have the straps as adjustable to fit your needs for increased comfort.

5. Style: It is important also to state that the bag under discussion should also embody the owner's personality. And whether you like business-casual and formal wear or cool and trendy clothes, you can find lots of ref length options that dont shrink your fashion choices.

Conclusion

The Fastrack, Thesto, Kleio and Lino Perros laptop tote bags are fashionable, affordable, durable, spacious and come in the latest designs. Perfect for office, college or business travels, they are hard-wearing yet sleek and provide easy access to your documents, documents, laptops, magazines and journals. Bring home these essential bags to your lifestyle today and upgrade your everyday life.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the ideal size for a laptop compartment in a tote bag?

The laptop compartment should be sized to snugly fit your laptop to avoid movement, with compartments ranging from 14 inches to 15.6 inches, depending on your laptop's size.

2. Are these laptop tote bags durable enough for daily use?

Yes, all the featured tote bags, such as Fastrack and Thesto, are crafted from high-quality faux leather or synthetic leather, ensuring durability and long-lasting use.

3. Can these bags fit other items besides a laptop?

Yes, these bags have spacious interiors with additional pockets, allowing for easy storage of textbooks, documents, and personal items.

4. Are these laptop totes comfortable to carry?

Many of these bags, including the Kleio and Lino Perros, come with padded shoulder straps and handles, making them comfortable for extended carrying.

5. Are these white laptop tote bags suitable for both work and casual settings?

Absolutely! These bags are designed to be versatile, making them perfect for both professional and casual occasions, such as office meetings or college classes.

Disclaimer: Above mentioned article is a sponsored feature. This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of IDPL, and IDPL claims no responsibility whatsoever.


The spread of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory infection that shares symptoms with flu and COVID-19, has raised alarms globally, particularly following reports of its rapid spread in China.

Recent reports from China show an increase in hospitalizations due to respiratory illnesses, with some people wearing masks in hospitals, reminiscent of the COVID-19 pandemic's early days.

This has raised concerns among the global community, drawing comparisons between HMPV's rapid spread and the trajectory of COVID-19, which led to a global pandemic and millions of deaths.

Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a respiratory virus discovered in 2001. It can cause symptoms that resemble the flu, including cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.

While most people recover from the infection within a week, the virus can lead to more severe complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia, especially in young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems.

What Did China Say?

Chinese authorities, however, have sought to calm these concerns. A statement from China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning acknowledged that respiratory infections typically peak during the winter months.

She reassured the public that the Chinese government is closely monitoring the situation and emphasized that both locals and tourists can feel safe traveling in China.

Indias Response: No Need to Panic

India, having experienced one of the worst COVID-19 waves, has closely followed developments regarding HMPV. According to a report by NDTV, Dr. Atul Goel, a senior official with Indias Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), urged the public not to panic.

He explained that while HMPV is a respiratory virus, it is similar to the common cold and primarily affects young children and the elderly. He also pointed out that India has not seen a significant rise in respiratory infections, and no major outbreaks have been reported from hospitals.

Dr. Goel further reassured the public by sharing that no substantial increase in respiratory illness cases had been observed in Indias data for December 2024, indicating that the situation in the country remains stable.

WHOs Stance

Though the World Health Organization (WHO) has not issued an official statement regarding the outbreak in China, health organizations globally are closely monitoring the spread of HMPV. So far, no state of emergency has been declared by either the WHO or Chinese authorities. Additionally, neighboring countries such as Hong Kong have reported a few cases but have not seen widespread outbreaks.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has condemned China's efforts to issue Chinese ID cards to Taiwanese citizens, calling it an attempt to create the illusion of legal sovereignty over Taiwan, Taipei Times reported. According to MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng, Beijing's strategy is aimed at turning Taiwanese people into Chinese nationals, which could serve as a pretext for future military action against Taiwan. The controversy stems from a recent video in which YouTuber Pa Chiung interviewed Lin Jincheng, head of the Taiwan Youth Entrepreneurship Park in Quanzhou, China. Lin claimed that 200,000 Taiwanese had obtained Chinese ID cards over the past decade. Chiu responded cautiously, noting that the government cannot independently verify the figures but assured that the issue would be handled carefully. Over the last ten years, 679 Taiwanese individuals have had their Taiwanese documents invalidated after acquiring Chinese ID or passports, Chiu said. Chiu also warned Taiwanese citizens about the lack of personal data protection in China, urging them not to apply for Chinese ID cards. In response, Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior has instructed district offices to handle cases of local officials with Chinese nationality in line with Taiwanese laws. The Ministry has identified five such cases, which are being dealt with according to the Nationality Act and Household Registration Act, reported Taipei Times. The Ministry also clarified that Taiwanese law requires Chinese nationals who marry Taiwanese citizens to renounce their foreign citizenship if they wish to participate in politics. This rule recently led to the dismissal of former Nantou County Councillor Shi Xueyan, who failed to renounce her Chinese nationality within one year of taking office. Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang explained that the regulation ensures that elected officials hold only Taiwanese citizenship, and failure to comply results in removal from office. The Ministry has sent notices about this requirement multiple times. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has criticised the government's actions, accusing it of stripping the political rights of 300,000 Chinese spouses. KMT Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling argued that all people from China should also be considered nationals of Taiwan, suggesting that the revocation of public office rights reflects an unconstitutional "two-state theory." However, MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh rejected these accusations, asserting that the government's actions were consistent with legal requirements, Taipei Times reported. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has continued to warn the public not to share personal information with China, citing concerns over the sensitive nature of biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, required for Chinese residency applications. (ANI)
Pakistan has imposed a complete ban on freedom of expression and peaceful protests, said Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch on Saturday sharing the recent example of a peaceful sit-in, which was met with an FIR by the Hub police, targeting family. https://x.com/MahrangBaloch_/status/1875433332781047874 Sharing the pictures on X of the peaceful sit-in, Mahrang Baloch wrote, "The state of Pakistan has imposed a complete ban on freedom of expression and peaceful protest. A peaceful sit-in in Hub, led by the family of Zubair Baloch--a Balochistan University student demanding his recovery--was met with an FIR by the Hub police. The FIR targets Zubair's family, including his 15-year-old sister @mahanbaloch370, members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) and political activists, including women." "Similarly, another FIR was filed by the SHO of City Police Station Kalat against the family of enforced disappearance victim Akhtar Shah and a BYC activist after their peaceful sit-in in Kalat. The family, demanding Akhtar Shah's release, has faced threats and intimidation from the authorities in an attempt to silence their struggle," she added. Further, Mahrang Baloch condemned the state's actions, stating that instead of addressing enforced disappearances, the state is criminalizing peaceful protests and using fear to suppress the Baloch people's fight for justice. "These actions expose the state's fascist tactics," she said Earlier, Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch took to 'X' to condemn Pakistan's treatment of Balochistan, describing it as a "colony where oppression and barbarity are enforced instead of constitution and law." Her remarks highlight the intensifying policy of Baloch "genocide" which has left the region in turmoil. Across Balochistan, families and communities are staging sit-ins to demand justice for victims of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Notably, the wave of protests across Balochistan reflects the people's demand for their basic right to live freely on their own land. Despite decades of systemic neglect, enforced disappearances, and state-sponsored violence, the Pakistani government has shown little willingness to address the grievances of the Baloch people. Activists and human rights organizations have long accused Pakistan of perpetrating a silent genocide in Balochistan. The region's rich natural resources have been exploited for decades, while its people are subjected to extreme poverty, displacement, and suppression. The international community must take note of the dire situation in Balochistan, where human rights violations are a daily reality. As protests intensify, Pakistan faces growing scrutiny for its actions in the province, which starkly contrast with its claims of upholding democracy and the rule of law. Balochistan's struggle for justice and autonomy remains a glaring indictment of Pakistan's oppressive policies and a rallying cry for global intervention. (ANI)
Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud was shot and injured in a fresh firing incident, as violence erupted in the Bagan area despite a ceasefire agreement intended to restore peace in the region, The News International reported. The attack, which occurred during ongoing efforts to stabilise the district, left Mehsud wounded and he was immediately rushed to a hospital for medical attention. His role in the peace process had been central to efforts aimed at ending the ongoing violence in the crisis-hit region. The violence comes at a time when authorities were preparing to send a much-needed aid convoy to Parachinar, following the peace accord signed on January 1. The deal saw the groups involved in the conflict agree to end the violence and surrender their arms to the authorities. The first convoy, loaded with essential supplies, was set to travel along the Tal-Parachinar road today, marking the first passage through the road in three months, reported The News International. This key route had been closed due to the ongoing conflict, and its reopening is seen as a significant step in restoring connectivity and facilitating the delivery of aid to the long-struggling region. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry noted that the peace committees, composed of local residents, tribal elders, and political leaders from various sects and communities, would be responsible for ensuring the protection of the aid convoy. Chaudhry emphasised that these committees are tasked not only with safeguarding the convoy but also with upholding the terms of the peace agreement. The committees are also vital in maintaining stability and harmony in the area, he said. Government sources disclosed that local residents have committed to surrendering their weapons to the authorities within the next 15 days as part of a phased disarmament plan, The News International reported. The dismantling of local bunkers used by armed groups is also expected to be completed within a month, further contributing to long-term peace efforts in the area. (ANI)
Lawyers representing the campaign group Stop Uyghur Genocide (SUG) have presented a dossier of evidence to Shein's legal team, accusing the fashion giant of being complicit in supply chain abuses linked to forced labour in the Uyghur region of China. The dossier has been handed over just days before Shein's European legal advisor, Yinan Zhu, is set to appear before the UK's Business and Trade Select Committee on January 7. The committee is tasked with reviewing the Employment Rights Bill, which focuses on strengthening protections against poor labour standards, including forced labour. According to SUG, the evidence provided to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) last summer and now to Shein's legal team suggests the company's supply chains are "highly likely" tainted by forced labour, particularly in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). The region is infamous for its controversial cotton production practices. The campaign group insists these allegations should disqualify Shein from listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). Rahima Mahmut, Executive Director of SUG, urged immediate and thorough investigation into Shein's labour practices. She stated, "The select committee must properly scrutinise labour practices, and the FCA must take a firm stand and block Shein's listing on the London Stock Exchange. We look to our institutions to ensure that any companies profiting from oppression are held to account." The dossier alleges identifiable links between cotton sourced from XUAR and forced labour, raising concerns that if substantiated, Shein's activities could potentially violate the UK's Modern Slavery Act. Such violations might lead to questions about the legality of the company's profits under proceeds of crime laws. These allegations echo recent developments in the United States, where the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) declined to recommend Shein's listing on American exchanges due to similar concerns over forced labour in its supply chains. Leigh Day solicitor Ricardo Gama, representing SUG, emphasised the importance of ensuring accountability. "It's crucial that companies shown to profit from criminal practices, particularly forced labour, are not allowed to raise capital in markets like London," Gama said. "This includes the FCA, as well as MPs through parliamentary select committees." With the parliamentary hearing on January 7, chaired by Liam Byrne, approaching, Shein is under pressure to address these serious allegations. SUG continues to advocate for the FCA to block Shein's listing on the LSE, citing its belief that the company's supply chains are implicated in modern slavery, potentially constituting proceeds of crime offences. (ANI)
The MND noted that 3 of these aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait, entering Taiwan's southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).

https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1875346406854258845

Sharing a post on X, MND wrote, "5 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 3 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly."

On Friday, Taiwan detected 24 People's Liberation Army (PLA) and 7 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) around its territory.

In a post on X, MND stated, "24 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 18 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and eastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly."

This incident follows a recent pattern of escalated manoeuvres by China around Taiwan, raising concerns over regional stability as Beijing continues to assert its claims over the island.

In response to the PLA's activities, the MND initiated war-preparedness drills at strategic locations across the island and is closely coordinating with the Coast Guard Administration to implement appropriate countermeasures.

Taiwan-China issue is a complex and longstanding geopolitical conflict centred on Taiwan's sovereignty. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), operates its own government, military, and economy, functioning as a de facto independent state.

However, China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and insists on the "One China" policy, which asserts that there is only one China, with Beijing as its capital.

This has fuelled decades of tension, especially since the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), when the ROC government retreated to Taiwan after the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, took control of mainland China.

Beijing has consistently expressed its goal of reunification with Taiwan, using diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to isolate Taiwan internationally. Meanwhile, Taiwan, supported by a significant portion of its population, continues to maintain its independence. (ANI)
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan revealed that his party had engaged in "backdoor contacts" with Pakistan's military before the November 2024 protests but clarified that these talks have now been severed. Gohar confirmed that all ongoing discussions are solely with the government, Dawn reported. According to Gohar, the PTI leadership initially pursued discussions with the military, acknowledging the army's significant role in decision-making in the country. These contacts were heading in a "positive direction" until the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan in a new case. Gohar detailed that Khan had been granted bail in the Toshakhana case, which involved the controversial purchase of a Bulgari jewellery set, but was soon rearrested on charges related to the September 2024 protest, leading to the collapse of talks with the military. "Now, the PTI is not holding backdoor talks with the establishment," Gohar said. However, he emphasised that the possibility of future talks with the military has not been completely closed, leaving room for potential negotiations later. This statement reflects PTI's focus on engaging in dialogue exclusively with the government at this juncture. The PTI chairman also responded to rumours about an alleged offer to move Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to his residence in Banigala. Gohar swiftly dismissed the claims, reiterating that Khan views his detention as illegal. "There is no point in considering such an offer," Gohar stated, aligning with Khan's position on the matter. The PTI leader's refusal to entertain any conditional release further reinforces the party's stance on his unjust incarceration, reported Dawn. Furthermore, Gohar rejected the idea of a trilateral meeting between Imran Khan, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, and PPP's Asif Ali Zardari, which had been suggested by PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah to resolve the nation's ongoing political crises. He characterised the proposal as "idealistic," citing the irreconcilable differences between the political figures involved. "I might see this day [talks between the three leaders] in my life, but for now, this isn't possible," Gohar remarked, indicating that such a dialogue is highly unlikely at the present time. Meanwhile, in Peshawar, PTI's Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram addressed the issue of the ongoing talks with the government. He assured that the expected judgment in the 190 million case on January 6 would not derail the negotiations. "The talks will continue, keeping in view the government's seriousness," Akram stated, emphasising that the party had not linked the verdict to the discussions. He also spoke about the release of PTI workers who had been sentenced by military courts, clarifying that their freedom had no connection to the ongoing talks with the government. "Our workers were released because they were innocent, and it was not possible to further keep them in jail," Akram asserted. The PTI has also been actively engaged in a civil disobedience movement, which began with an appeal to overseas Pakistanis not to send remittances. Akram suggested that the impact of this action would begin to show within two months. He said the PTI would evaluate the situation and consider withdrawing the movement if the government met their demands, such as releasing all imprisoned party members and forming a judicial commission to probe the May 9 and November 26 protests, Dawn reported. "The civil disobedience movement is necessary for a country where the Constitution, laws, and human rights are violated and lawmakers are abducted," Akram explained, underscoring the PTI's ongoing commitment to reform. He also criticised the internet disruptions, warning that they would negatively affect Pakistan's digital economy, particularly the youth who contribute significantly to the sector. (ANI)
New York [US], January 4 (ANI/WAM): UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has warned the international community of a "human-rights catastrophe continuing to unfold in Gaza before the eyes of the world." Turk's remarks came during an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Friday regarding the collapse of health services in Gaza. The meeting was requested by Algeria, which has just taken over the UN Security Council presidency in January. He noted that Israel's means and methods of warfare have killed tens of thousands of people and inflicted vast displacement and devastation across Gaza. Citing a recent report by his Office, Turk highlighted a pattern of attacks on hospitals that begin with Israeli airstrikes and are followed by ground raids and the detention of patients and staff -- "leaving the hospital essentially non-functional". "The protection of hospitals during warfare is paramount and must be respected by all sides, at all times," Turk emphasised. He also highlighted the appalling destruction wrought by the Israeli military's attacks on the Kamal Adwan hospital last Friday -- the last functioning hospital in north Gaza -- reflects the pattern of attacks documented in the report. Staff and patients were forced to flee or were taken into custody, with many reports of torture and ill-treatment. The director of the hospital was taken into custody, and his fate and whereabouts are unknown. Underscoring that military operations must always distinguish between military targets and civilians, he observed, "The use of heavy weapons against hospitals is difficult to reconcile with that principle." He underscored that failure to respect any of these principles constitutes a breach of international humanitarian law, describing the deliberate destruction of hospitals and medical facilities as a form of collective punishment and a war crime. The UN official called for independent, thorough and transparent investigations into all Israeli attacks on hospitals, healthcare infrastructure and medical personnel, as well as the alleged misuse of such facilities. (ANI/WAM)
Leading Baloch Human Rights Body, Baloch Yakjehti Committee on Saturday highlighted how protesting Baloch families were attacked by "state-backed individuals". In a post on X, the BYC shared, "The protesting families of Zaman Baloch and Abul Hassan Baloch were attacked today by state-backed individuals. These individuals drove a car into the protesting families, resulting in the critical injury of Jhanzab Baloch, a minor. Jhanzab is now being shifted to Karachi for treatment. This brutal incident is an utterly disgraceful act by the state and its puppet civil administration." "Abul Hassan and Zaman Baloch were detained by the notorious drug lord Hoothman Baloch on December 17, 2024. The following day, their families held a detailed press conference. Shamefully, after more than two weeks, the CTD charged them with fabricated and baseless FIRs. Despite registering these false charges, the detained individuals have yet to be presented before any court", the post added. The BYC noted that the families were deeply concerned about their wellbeing, as incidents of enforced disappearances, killings, and the dumping of Baloch individuals are escalating daily. "The BYC urges the people of Kech to stand in solidarity with these protesting families, who are enduring the worst atrocities at the hands of the forces and Hoothman", the post concluded. https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1875494189879771466 Notably, the wave of protests across Balochistan reflects the people's demand for their basic right to live freely on their own land. Despite decades of systemic neglect, enforced disappearances, and state-sponsored violence, the Pakistani government has shown little willingness to address the grievances of the Baloch people. Activists and human rights organizations have long accused Pakistan of perpetrating a silent genocide in Balochistan. The region's rich natural resources have been exploited for decades, while its people are subjected to extreme poverty, displacement, and suppression. The international community must take note of the dire situation in Balochistan, where human rights violations are a daily reality. As protests intensify, Pakistan faces growing scrutiny for its actions in the province, which starkly contrast with its claims of upholding democracy and the rule of law. Balochistan's struggle for justice and autonomy remains a glaring indictment of Pakistan's oppressive policies and a rallying cry for global intervention. (ANI)
Al-Shaibani shared the news on social media on Friday, and stated he would be visiting the three countries this week to "support stability, security, economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships".

The new Syrian government, which ended the President Bashar al-Assad family's decades-long rule last month, is seeking investment from wealthy Gulf states to rebuild the country's infrastructure and economy, as per Al Jazeera.

Syria's economy has been severely impacted by over a decade of war, and the government hopes to attract investment to stimulate economic recovery.

According to Al Jazeera, Saudi Arabia already looks set to play a big role in Syria's recovery, with recent high-level diplomatic visits and humanitarian efforts. Earlier this week, Syrian Foreign led a delegation to Riyadh, including the new defence minister and intelligence chief.

In a reciprocal move, a Saudi delegation from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre headed to Damascus on Friday, meeting with Syrian Health Minister Maher al-Sharaa.

The meeting focused on exploring opportunities for humanitarian and medical cooperation, as Syria's new government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, works to rebuild the country's devastated health system, according to state news agency SANA.

After 13 years of war and widespread corruption, Syria's healthcare infrastructure is in shambles.

The Saudi visit came as the new government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, tries to revive a devastated health system, in ruins after 13 years of war and blighted by nepotism and corruption.

On Friday, al-Sharaa and Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati agreed in a phone call to restore calm on the 375km (233-mile) border following clashes between Lebanese soldiers and Syrian gunmen that left five of the former injured.

Mikati's office issued a statement quoting al-Sharaa as saying his administration had done "everything necessary to restore calm on the borders and to prevent a repetition of what happened".

Al-Sharaa, who leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, also invited Mikati to visit Damascus and discuss common interests. (ANI)
Tributes have poured in from across the top echelons of the United Nations (UN) leadership, expressing condolences on the passing of former Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York shared on Saturday. The dignitaries who paid tributes include UN Chief Antonio Guterres, Philemon Yang, President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly and members of the diplomatic corps amongst others. The Permanent Mission of India to the UN wrote on X, "#IndiaAtUN We convey our heartfelt thanks to H. E. Mr. @antonioguterres UNSG, H. E. Mr. Philemon Yang @UN_PGA, @UN leadership, PRs, Cd'As and members of the diplomatic corps for the outpouring of sentiments at the sad demise of former PM Dr. Manmohan Singh." https://x.com/IndiaUNNewYork/status/1875252493476884681 Tributes have poured in from across the world on the demise of former PM Singh. On Thursday, The Indian High Commissionto Sri Lanka shared about the dignitaries who paid tributes to late former PM Singh. These included Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya; former Presidents of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga; Leader of Opposition, Sajith Premadasa; Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath; former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena; MPs and people from other walks of life, the Indian High Commission of India in Colombo, said. Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92 due to age-related medical issues in Delhi on December 26. He was cremated with full state honours at Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi's Kashmere Gate in the presence of his family, friends, colleagues, and government dignitaries on December 28. Singh's political career spanned several decades, with notable positions including Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, during which he spearheaded economic reforms that transformed India's economy. He served as the Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014, succeeding Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His tenure is particularly remembered for his steady leadership during economic crises and his contributions to modernizing India's economy. He was succeeded by Narendra Modi in 2014 after the Congress-led UPA lost the general elections. Earlier this year, Manmohan Singh retired from Rajya Sabha. (ANI)
US President-elect Donald Trump has announced Morgan Oratagus as America's Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace to Steven Witkoff. He made the announcement on Saturday (local time) on Truth Social. In his post Trump said, "I am pleased to announce Morgan Ortagus as Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace, to the Honorable Steven Witkoff. Early on Morgan fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson. These things usually don't work out, but she has strong Republican support, and I'm not doing this for me, I'm doing it for them. Let's see what happens. She will hopefully be an asset to Steve, a great leader and talent, as we seek to bring calm and prosperity to a very troubled region. I expect great results, and soon!" Sharing the background details of Ortagus, Trump mentioned in his post that Morgan Ortagus has had the experience in Diplomacy and National Security, and is an active US Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer. "From 2019-2021, Morgan served as Spokesperson at the Department of State (Pompeo!), where she was a member of my Historic Abraham Accords team that brought unprecedented Peace to the Middle East." He also shared that earlier, Ortagus worked at the Department of the Treasury as a financial intelligence analyst and, from 2010-2011, was the Deputy U.S. Treasury Attache to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. After Trump's announcement, Ortagus wrote on X, "I am honored that President Trump appointed me to the role of Deputy Presidential Envoy to the Middle East, under my dear friend Steve Witkoff. To be given the opportunity to once again represent my country and the Trump Administration in a crucial diplomatic role is dream come true. The most important thing is that through President Trump, we bring peace and stability to a troubled region, and I'm grateful to play a small role in that endeavor." (ANI)
United States National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will be on visiting India on January 5 and 6, during which he will hold meetings with several key Indian dignitaries including NSA Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the White House confirmed on Saturday. During his meeting with Ajit Doval, Sullivan will discuss issues ranging from space, defence, strategic technology cooperation as well as shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific region, US National Security Council Spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement. "National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to New Delhi, India on January 5-6 for a capstone meeting with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval that will span a range of issues across the breadth of the US-India partnership - from space, defense, and strategic technology cooperation to shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific and beyond", the statement from White House noted. Sullivan will meet with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other Indian leaders during his visit to India. The US NSA will also make a visit to IIT Delhi, where he will meet Indian entreprenurs and discuss the India-US alliance on innovation and iCET initiative. "He will also visit the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where he will meet with young Indian entrepreneurs and give a speech outlining the significant steps the United States and India have taken together to strengthen our innovation alliance under the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET)," the statement added. Earlier on Friday, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby had also shared the details of Sullivan's visit to India, which will be his final trip to the Indo-Pacific region as NSA. "He's very excited and looking forward to these conversations at this critical time", Kirby added. The announcement of Sullivan's visit was also confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs during the weekly press briefing on Friday where it was observed that the discussions between Doval and Sullivan will cover topics to strengthen the bilateral relationship. During his recent visit to the US, EAM Jaishankar also met US NSA Jake Sullivan and the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on the progress of the India-US strategic partnership and exchanged views on current regional and global developments. In October last year, US NSA Jake Sullivan held a phone conversation with NSA Ajit Doval, discussing critical regional security developments and emphasising the necessity for ongoing efforts to bolster stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. (ANI)
Pakistani Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah said that the PTI's negotiating team likely to meet the party's founder on Monday, ARY News reported. Rana Sanaullah told ARY News that the PTI's negotiators will hopefully share their charter of demands to the government in the next week. "If they did submit their written demands in yesterday's talks, we would have held consultation over it," Sanaullah, a PML-N leader said. He said the Shehbaz Sharif talked in response to the propaganda. "Our own people are involved in the propaganda in the US and Europe, against the country," Sanaullah said. "Pakistan has been a sovereign country, it would not kneel down before anyone," he said. ARY News reported that the PTI's negotiating team has been granted permission to meet the party's founder in Adiala jail. "If the negotiating team didn't reach jail today, then they will visit likely on coming Monday or Tuesday," according to sources. The PTI's talks committee will hold consultations with Imran Khan over its demands in the jail. Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Commerce and Industries, Rana Ihsan Afzal said that there was no progress in the current talks between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as the party has not yet submitted its list of demands, ARY News reported. Afzal said the government initiated the dialogue process to promote democracy and agreed on two key points of during initial discussions with PTI. The first was for PTI to submit its demands, and the second was for their negotiating team to consult with the party's founder for further guidance, he added. "Despite holding consultations with their founder, the PTI team has failed to finalize or present its demands," ARY News quoted him as saying. Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, also likely to visit the jail. (ANI)
Israel refuted the claims alleging Israel Defence Forces (IDF) strikes on Indonesian Hospital in Jabaliya, the IDF International Spokesperson Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said on Friday. In a post on X, Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said that the IDF did not strike or damage any essential equipment of the Indonesian Hospital in Jabaliya. He also noted that Israel has not asked for the evacuation of the hospital and is in coordination with the hospital officials to continue enabling the supply of humanitarian assistance. "Contrary to reports, the IDF did not strike the Indonesian Hospital in Jabaliya over the past day and did not damage any essential equipment. Following reports regarding the evacuation of the hospital, messages were sent to reiterate to officials in the health authorities that there is no need to evacuate the hospital. The IDF emphasizes that it is not operating to evacuate the hospital. The IDF remains in ongoing coordination with hospital officials in order to enable and facilitate the supply of humanitarian assistance to the hospital." https://x.com/LTC_Shoshani/status/1875211800838291843 The remarks by Lt Col Shoshani come amid the background of media reports stating that Israel has conducted strikes on the Indonesian Hospital. According to a report by Al Jazeera, Israeli forces have ordered the immediate evacuation of staff and patients from two of northern Gaza's most critical hospitals. Al Jazeera said that on Friday, Israeli soldiers surrounded the Indonesian Hospital, where many displaced Palestinians have sought shelter. Al Jazeera reported that Israel's targeting of medical facilities in Gaza prompted the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on Friday, during which UN officials pleaded for the protection of the hospitals. At the meeting, UN human rights chief Volker Turk called for an independent investigation into all Israeli attacks on medical facilities and healthcare workers in Gaza, as well as the alleged misuse of such facilities, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI)
Talks on forming a new three-party government in Austria collapsed Friday as the liberal Neos party pulled the plug on the negotiations, which had been ongoing for over three months.

The talks had dragged on since Austria's president tasked conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer in October with putting together a new government. (ANI/WAM)
The incident occurred in the Bahman area, where a bus travelling from Karachi to Turbat was targeted in the attack.

The injured and the dead were shifted to nearby hospital. ARY News reported. reported citing sources said that several of the injured are in critical condition.

Zohaib Mohsin, the former SSP of Gwadar and several police personnel are among those injured as his car also became the target of explosion

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti strongly condemned the attack.

More details are awaited in the incident.

Earlier in the day, an explosion shook the outer wall of a police station in the I-9 area of Pakistan's Islamabad.

According to the officials, no one was injured in the attack as the magnitude of the explosion was limited.

A duty officer had heard the explosions and ignored it, considering the sound of a tyre burst. However, it was revealed that the explosion happened on the premises of the police station.

The police have collected the metal pieces found near the wall. Further investigation is underway.

On December 25, 2024, a police officer was killed in an attack carried out by terrorists in Pakistan's Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported.

An official said that the terrorists opened fire in the jurisdiction of Ahmedzai Sub-division Wazir police station, which killed Head Constable Wazir Zada, as per ARY News.

A police official said that the police Head Constable was moved to the District Headquarters Hospital for post-mortem.

Earlier, a police personnel was killed and a polio worker was injured in an attack by unknown assailants in the Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa's Karak area. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden named nineteen recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a statement by the White House said. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian honour in the US, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours. "Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else. These nineteen individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world," the statement read. The awards will be presented at the White House on Saturday (local time). Hillary Rodham Clinton is set to receive the highest honour. Clinton made history many times over decades in public service, including as the first First Lady elected to the United States Senate. After serving as Secretary of State, she became the first woman nominated for president by a major United States political party. Jose Andres will be a recipient of the award. Andres is a renowned Spanish-American culinary innovator who popularized tapas in the US. His World Central Kitchen provides large-scale relief to communities affected by natural disasters and conflict around the world. Ashton Baldwin Carter will be presented with the award posthumously. Carter served as the 25th Secretary of Defense and devoted his career to making the nation safer for all. Throughout his career, he served under 11 Secretaries of Defense in both Democratic and Republican administrations. Tim Gill will also be presented with the US highest civilian award. Tim Gill is an entrepreneur whose work has advanced LGBTQI rights and equality. After transforming the publishing industry through groundbreaking software, he leveraged his success to secure key victories in the fight for marriage equality and anti-discrimination protections, the statement said. Jane Goodall will also receive the award. Goodall is a world-renowned ethologist and conservationist whose research transformed our understanding of primates and human evolution. She is a passionate advocate for empowering individuals and communities to protect and preserve the natural world. Fannie Lou Hamer will also receive the award posthumously, as per the statement. Hamer transformed the struggle for racial justice in America. As a founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, she challenged the exclusion of Black voices in the political system and laid the groundwork for the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Robert Francis Kennedy will also be receiving the award posthumously. Kennedy is remembered as an Attorney General who fiercely combatted racial segregation, and as a United States Senator who sought to address poverty and inequality in the country. His legacy continues to inspire those committed to justice, equality, and public service, the statement read. (ANI)
House Democrats are reportedly planning to hold their full caucus 215-member-strong line during the speakership election on Friday, as incumbent Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) vies to re-secure his place as head of one arm of the incoming Republican trifecta.

With at least two members of the House Democratic conference experiencing health issues, there was some speculation that even one or two missing Democrats might give Johnson  and his historically tight margins to be elected speaker  a bit of breathing room. But according to Politico, Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA), who hasnt voted since May due to a health issue, is set to return to D.C. tomorrow. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi also posted a video Thursday on board a flight back to D.C., returning to Washington following hip replacement surgery after she fell while traveling in Luxembourg last month.

That means that Johnson can only lose one vote and still secure the speakership. We already know who that one vote is likely to come from  Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) has been very vocal about his disdain for Johnson, specifically that the speaker has at times worked with Democrats to pass basic funding bills to keep the government open while his own party engages in theatrics or is mired in dysfunction. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN), a known weirdo and wild card, has already indicated she is unsure how she will vote on Friday, and there are other members of the Republican conference who arent exactly thrilled to vote for Johnson, like Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX). But its been speculated that those members may carry out their rebellion in creative ways that wont actually tank Johnsons speakership bid  like voting present in order to lower the threshold for Johnson to reach a simple majority (though, with all 215 Democrats present and voting for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) theres a limit to how effective that maneuver will be).

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There were some headlines Thursday afternoon that signaled members of the Republican conference have been engaged in concessions talks with Johnson. The suspense may be over before voting begins. But the drama is an early test of President-elect Donald Trumps ability to unify his party and bend it to his will. Trump endorsed Johnson for speaker over the holiday.

Johnson, for his part, is at least projecting confidence that tomorrows vote wont go the same way his predecessors did. During an interview with Fox and Friends Thursday morning, Johnson stressed the importance of a smooth election, given a few key dates coming up on the calendar.

Were going to get this done, Johnson said. Im humbled and honored to have President Trumps endorsement for the role again.

We have got to get the Congress started, which begins tomorrow, and we have to get immediately to work, he said. We have to certify the election of President Donald J. Trump on January 6, on Monday, and we have many important things pressing on us right now, so theres no time to waste. We have to stay unified.

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As Trumps allies already signaled during the last few weeks of his transition before the holidays, the president-elect is not above threatening those who dont fall in line with primary challengers.

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Fiji police are investigating allegations of theft and sexual assault on two Virgin Australia crew members in the early hours of New Year's Day, the government said Thursday.

The alleged attacks took place Wednesday in the nightclub area of the city of Nadi, home to the international airport, Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka said.

"The alleged incidents are regrettable," Gavoka said in a statement.

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"There were two separate alleged incidents, one being alleged theft and the other being alleged sexual assault, which affected two different crew members," he said.

"A suspect known to police for the alleged sexual assault has been questioned. Investigation continues."

The crew members are at a local hotel used by the airline for layovers and they are set to return home this week after helping the police probe, the minister said.

A Virgin Australia Aircraft at Sydney Airport on September 05, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. / Credit: James Gourley / Getty Images

Virgin Australia has sent representatives to Fiji to provide support for the affected staff.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told the Reuters news agency it was aware of the reports but declined to comment further.

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Gavoka, who is also the minister for tourism and civil aviation, said such attacks can happen anywhere and Fiji was not "immune."

"We, as always, remind tourists to exercise caution in nightclub areas and late at night," he said.

The most recent crime statistics posted by Fiji police in November showed the crime rate for the month of October increased by 6% compared to the same period last year.

Fiji relies heavily on its tourism industry, with close to a million visitors a year.

Last month, seven foreign tourists, including an American, were hospitalized in Fiji after drinking cocktails at a resort bar. However, authorities later said the tourists were not poisoned by alcohol or illicit drugs, officials said following a toxicology report.

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Truck used in New Orleans attack was flying large black flag from rear bumper, authorities say

Suspect identified in deadly New Orleans truck attack

Suspected driver who slammed truck into New Orleans crowd is dead, sources say
Arizona offers a unique way for residents to give back to their communities while reducing their tax liability through the Arizona tax credit program. Unlike traditional charitable donations that may only offer deductions, tax credits allow taxpayers to directly reduce the amount of state tax owed. This innovative approach not only encourages philanthropy but also empowers individuals to choose where their tax dollars go, fostering stronger communities across the state.

One of the standout opportunities within the Arizona tax credit system is the ability to support education. By redirecting your state tax liability to organizations that provide scholarships, you can play a direct role in helping students access quality education. Catholic Education Arizona (CEA) is one such organization that leverages these contributions to transform lives. Since its inception, CEA has helped thousands of students attend Catholic schools across the state, providing them with the academic and spiritual tools needed for a bright future.

For individuals, the process is surprisingly simple. Arizonas Individual Tax Credit program allows taxpayers to donate up to $1,309 for married couples filing jointly or $655 for single filers to qualified School Tuition Organizations like Catholic Education Arizona. These contributions are eligible for a dollar-for-dollar reduction on state income taxes. That means every dollar you give is subtracted from the taxes you owe, up to the allowed limits. Its a win-winhelping students achieve their dreams while reducing your tax burden.

Why Arizona Tax Credits Matter

Arizona tax credits are more than just a financial benefittheyre a chance to make a real difference in your community. For families with limited financial resources, tuition costs can be a barrier to accessing high-quality private education. Programs like Catholic Education Arizona work to eliminate these barriers, ensuring that every child has the chance to succeed, regardless of their economic background.

By participating in this program, taxpayers become active participants in the educational success of Arizonas youth. The impact goes beyond the classroom, shaping communities by fostering future leaders who are well-educated, values-driven, and prepared to contribute positively to society.

How to Get Started

Taking advantage of the Arizona tax credit program is easy, but its essential to understand the process to maximize your contribution. Heres a step-by-step guide:

Choose a Qualified Organization: Organizations like Catholic Education Arizona meet the states requirements for School Tuition Organizations. Be sure to verify the organizations eligibility to ensure your contribution qualifies for the tax credit. Make Your Contribution: You can donate online or by mail, specifying the amount youd like to contribute. Catholic Education Arizonas website provides all the necessary details to complete your donation. Claim Your Credit: When filing your state taxes, youll need to fill out Form 323 (and possibly Form 348 for additional credits) to claim your contribution. Be sure to keep your receipt as proof of your donation. Maximize Your Impact: If youre feeling generous, consider contributing to other tax credit programs, such as the Arizona Foster Care Credit or the Public School Tax Credit. Each program offers additional opportunities to reduce your tax liability while supporting vital community services.

The Bigger Picture

Arizonas tax credit system demonstrates how public policy can empower individuals to take control of their tax dollars, driving positive change in their communities. Programs like Catholic Education Arizona are shining examples of how these funds can be used to create opportunities and change lives.

By redirecting your tax dollars to causes that align with your values, youre not just reducing your tax burdenyoure making a tangible difference. The Arizona tax credit program is a powerful tool for taxpayers who want to give back while planning their financial futures strategically.

If youre ready to take advantage of this unique opportunity, consider supporting Catholic Education Arizona. Your contribution will help deserving students access the education they need while giving you the satisfaction of knowing your tax dollars are making a difference. To learn more about Arizona Tax Credits and how to contribute, visit Catholic Education Arizona.

Take control of your taxes, support your community, and help build a brighter futureone student at a time.
By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced that the state government will subsidise the cost of petrol to farmers and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have returned to their communities hitherto affected by Boko Haram insurgency.

Zulum announced the subsidy at the weekend in Bama town when he flagged off the distribution of farm inputs to over 5,000 farmers hitherto displaced by Boko Haram insurgents.

According to the governor, a litre of petrol sold between N1,000 and N1,200 in Maiduguri will be subsidised to the farmers for N600. This is aimed at alleviating the financial burdens faced by farmers in communities that have suffered economic and infrastructural destruction due to years of conflict.

Zulum emphasised that a similar initiative implemented in Damasak, Mobar Local Government Area, last year has significantly increased food production and improved livelihoods.

One of the major challenges that are facing the farming communities here as regards irrigation farming is the increasing cost of fuel, as a result, I want to announce to the general public that government will procure petroleum products and sell to the farmers at a subsided rate, a litre of petrol is being sold in Maiduguri at the cost of about N1,200 but inshAllah, henceforth for irrigation farmers this season a litre of petrol will be sold at the rate of N600, Zulum said.

The governor also said, The Commissioner for Agriculture will work with the Brigade Commander to ensure the delivery of the petroleum products to farmers in Bama town as soon as possible.

In addition to the petrol subsidy, Zulum distributed farm inputs, including 2000 bags of blended NPK fertiliser, 1000 units of water pumps, and 620 units of gasoline pumps.

Other materials include 380 units of solar water pumps, 1000 units of sprayers, 800 rolls of 2-inch flexible hose, and 1000 litres of pesticides and seeds, among other items.

According to him, his administration has constructed over 100 tube wells for use by irrigation farmers while also announcing the approval for the construction of an additional 250.

Meanwhile, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has also visited Darajama and Goniri villages under Bama Local Government to assess the ongoing reconstruction work.

Zulum expressed satisfaction with the quality of the project but also reiterated that his administration will not allow anyone to sabotage its resettlement drive.

The governor expressed gratitude to the federal government for the tremendous support of his administrations reconstruction and resettlement of communities affected by insurgency.
Mike Johnson wins re-election after last minute negotiation with Republican members

Xinhua) 09:56, January 04, 2025

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks to the press outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 27, 2024. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

The turbulent speaker election reflects the ongoing infighting within the Republican Party. Several conservative Republican lawmakers previously voiced opposition to Mike Johnson's re-election. Even though President-elect Donald Trump has publicly endorsed him, it was not enough to prevent three votes of opposition in the initial results.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Mike Johnson on Friday won re-election for the U.S. House speaker in a slim Republican majority, after swaying two out of the three members of his party who had joined Democrats to block his bid.

The final vote tally was 218 to 216, with all 215 Democrats voting for minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky voting for another candidate -- GOP Whip Tom Emmer.

Two other House Republicans -- Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Keith Self of Texas -- had voted for other candidates for speaker, and changed votes after last minute negotiation with Johnson.

The turbulent speaker election reflects the ongoing infighting within the Republican Party. Several conservative Republican lawmakers previously voiced opposition to Johnson's re-election. Even though President-elect Donald Trump has publicly endorsed him, it was not enough to prevent three votes of opposition in the initial results.

Massie, who followed through with his "no" vote, recently said that Johnson is not fit for the job of House speaker, and if he continues to hold the position, it will ultimately cause the Republican Party to lose its slim majority.

Massie had previously supported Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's efforts to remove Johnson from the speaker's position, partly because he believed Johnson chose to cooperate with Democrats to remain speaker, despite lacking sufficient Republican votes to support him.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks during a press conference in the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 6, 2024. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

Johnson, 52, from Louisiana, was initially elected speaker of the House of Representatives as a result of Republican infighting.

On Oct. 3, 2023, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, was ousted due to opposition from the party's far-right conservatives, leaving the House in a state of paralysis. After three weeks of a leaderless period, Johnson was elected speaker on Oct. 25, 2023, in the fourth round of voting.

In the November 2024 U.S. House elections, the Republican Party managed to retain a majority, but it became even slimmer. Republicans currently hold 219 seats, while Democrats control 215 of the 435 seats. This means that if two Republican members were to defect, the GOP could lose its majority, complicating efforts to push through legislative agendas.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
Late Temitayo Oluwatuyi

By Olufemi Ojomo

Ondo zzz SSG, Temitayo Oluwatuyi, dies three weeks after auto crash

The state Commissioner for Information, Wale Akinlosotu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday 4th January, 2025.

He said the deceased was involved in a road accident along the Ife-Ibadan Road on December 15, 2024, after which he was hospitalised.

It is with profound sadness that the Government of Ondo State announces the passing of Hon. Temitayo Oluwatuyi, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), on January 4, 2025, the statement read.

He was involved in a ghastly car accident on Sunday, 15th December 2024, while travelling to Ibadan and was subsequently hospitalised.

According to Akinlosotu, the late Secretary to Ondo State government was a committed politician who made great contributions to the development of the state.

Hon. Oluwatuyi was a dedicated public servant whose unwavering commitment to administrative coordination, policy advisory, and implementation had a significant impact on Ondo State.

On behalf of the state government, Akinlosotu commiserates with the family and associates of Oluwatuyi on the tragic loss.

The Government of Ondo State extends its deepest condolences to the Oluwatuyi family of Akure, friends, and associates during this difficult time.

He said that further details regarding the burial arrangements of the late politician will be shared as they become available.
By Haruna Aliyu  Birnin Kebbi

Amid Nigerias military claim of degrading and pushing back the Lakurawa armed group, the terrorist group in a fresh attack at Natseni village under Argungu local government area of Kebbi state had killed two policemen and rustled over two hundred cows.

The Spokesperson of Kebbi Police Command, SP, Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the incident in a press statement on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi.

He said: On Jan. 3, at about 0100hrs, armed hoodlums suspected to be Lakurawa bandits on motorcycles invaded Alhaji Lawal Black Farm and nearby Fulani settlements located at Natsini village, along Argungu/Kangiwa road and rustled unspecified number of cows.

On receipt of the report, a team of Police Safer Highway patrol immediately rushed to the scene, engaged the bandits in a gun duel, pursued them, forcing the bandits to escape into the forest with gunshot wounds and successfully recovered some of the rustled cows.

Regrettably, two police officers lost their lives during the encounter.

Abubakar said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Bello Sani had condemned the unfortunate incident and prayed for the soul of the deceased police officers to have an eternal rest and give their immediate families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The CP equally paid an on-the-spot assessment visit of the scene, after which he visited the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammadu-Mera, where he condoled and briefed him on the efforts of the combined security agencies towards combating crimes in the area, the PRO said
By Udeme Akpan, Energy Editor

Oil marketers have charged the federal government to privatize government-owned refineries, encourage competition, enhance transparency and accountability and invest in infrastructure to enhance operations in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.

The marketers also called on the government to enforce Local Content development, enhance the effectiveness of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG in 2025 and tackle petroleum products smuggling.

The traders, under the auspices of Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, further asked the government to priotise access to crude oil and the provision of N100 billion grant to rescue 10,000 businesses occasioned by subsidy removal.

In its retrospect into 2024 and outlook for 2025, released, yesterday, and signed by the National President, Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, Barr Adedibu Aderibigbe, National Secretary and Dr Joseph Obele, National Public Relations Officer, PETROAN, stated: Privatize Nigerian-owned refineries, such as the Warri and Kaduna refineries, to reputable private companies to improve efficiency and reduce government spending.

Foster a competitive market by encouraging new entrants and promoting a level playing field to prevent monopolies and ensure fair pricing.

Establish a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track the performance of downstream operators and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Continue to invest in critical infrastructure and preventive maintenance, such as refineries, pipelines, and storage facilities, to improve the countrys refining capacity and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products.

Encourage the development of local content by supporting indigenous companies and providing incentives for research and development in the downstream sector.

Private sector participation should be encouraged to increase access to funding and expertise. Regulatory frameworks should be reviewed to reduce operational costs and attract investment. Stakeholder engagement and awareness campaigns should be intensified to promote the adoption of CNG.

Collaborate with neighbouring countries to strengthen border security and prevent smuggling, and also utilize digital tracking systems to monitor petroleum products from refineries to retail outlets.

To boost Nigerias refining capacity and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products, we strongly recommend that crude oil be made available for local refineries.

This strategic move will have a positive impact on the countrys economy and energy security. By prioritizing local refineries access to crude oil, Nigeria can unlock the full potential of its refining sector, drive economic growth, and enhance energy security.

PETROAN requests a grant of ?100 billion from President Bola Tinubu to help prevent the closure of 10,000 marketers businesses. The request is in response to the threat of job losses that would result from the removal of the fuel subsidy.

Also, the marketers noted the deregulation of the sector, construction of new infrastructure, rehabilitation of the old Port Harcourt refinery and the commencement of operations by the Dangote Refinery, as major accomplishments in 2024, adding that, The Dangote Refinerys prices were initially competitive, putting pressure on the NNPC Limited to review its pricing strategy. This competition ultimately benefited consumers, who enjoyed relatively stable and lower prices for petroleum products.

However, the marketers urged the government to address vandalism, inadequate infrastructure, including limited Compressed Natural Gas, CNG stations and distribution networks and high operating costs, especially the cost of compressing and transporting natural gas.
The Darfur Joint Forces, acting as substitutes for the Sudanese Army, achieved a significant victory against paramilitary groups in North Darfur, on January 1. They successfully recaptured the town of al-Malha, located in a desert region near the Libyan border and about 200 kilometers from el-Fasher.

Al-Malha is strategically important, as it serves as a key route for military supplies to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have been encircling el-Fasher for months. This development could alter the dynamics of supply lines and impact the future of the town.

The fighting in the area began on December 28, 2024, and continued for four days. On January 1, a day marking Sudans 70th independence anniversary, Minni Arcou Minnaoui, the governor of Darfur, visited the site to commemorate the victory.

The armys success in retaking al-Malha could ease the prolonged siege on el-Fasher, which has been under RSF bombardment and blockade for several months. The RSFs supplies, which have been flowing through this desert route, could now be disrupted.

The clashes around al-Malha were intense, with army aviation providing crucial support. Additionally, the army received support from the local Midoub tribe, which played a key role in the operation. The army also gained control of other smaller towns in the region, including Mallit and Jabal Issa.
France faces a significant challenge to its influence in West and Central Africa as Chad, Senegal and most recently also Ivory Coast have announced the end to traditional military cooperation with their former colonial master, experts say, adding that this would unravel Frances remaining logistics and military footprint in the region.

In recent months, six African countries, including its key allies Senegal, Chad and Ivory Coast, have asked France to withdraw its troops, significantly curtailing the European countrys influence in the West and Central African region that it had traditionally had a sway in, according to Firstpost. The fact that such moves have come at a time when Russia is making inroads in the continent cannot be missed, says the analysis. Describing this development as a new strategic shift, experts at the Devdiscourse news portal highlight the significant challenge to French influence in the region after its traditional allies decided to end the military cooperation. This move dovetails with Frances strategic reduction of troops on the continent, aiming to reshape its presence and counter rising Russian influence, says a latest analysis in Devdiscourse.

Other experts note that the fate of French influence in the region was widely seen as having been sealed even before Ivory Coasts decision. According to Mucahid Durmaz, a senior analyst at global risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, Chads decision marks the final nail in the coffin of Frances post-colonial military dominance in the entire Sahel region. With African nations forging partnerships with diverse players, such as China, Russia, India, Turkey and the UAE, researcher Jonathan-Fenton Harvey notes that [president] Macron is witnessing the erosion of Frances once-dominant influence in Francophone Africa, a region long considered Pariss geopolitical backyard even after the breakup of the French Empire. As for Russias interest to replace the French military presence in Senegal, Chad and Ivory Coast, as it has done in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, a recent analysis in the Institute for the Study of War argued that the Kremlin is likely unable to replicate its central Sahel success in the short term due to Russias capacity limitations.
Spain has announced it set a new record for migrant arrivals in 2024, having received 63,970 people who entered Spanish territory irregularly by land or sea, an increase of 12.5% from a year earlier.

Spain received 63,970 migrants and refugees in 2024, according to Interior Ministry data released on Thursday (2 January), of which the was majority, or at least 46,843 people, were those who entered the European country through its Canary Islands via the increasingly deadly Atlantic migration route, a second year in a row of unprecedented arrival numbers. The European country received 12.5% more migrants who arrived through irregular routes in 2024, up from 56,852 in 2023, the ministry added. The number of irregular arrivals recorded in 2023 was almost double the number on record for 2022.

According to the EU border agency Frontex, irregular crossings into the 27-country bloc from January to November 2024 fell 40% overall, but grew 19% on the treacherous Atlantic route, with Mali, Senegal and Morocco the most common nationalities attempting to cross. The Atlantic route includes departure points in Senegal, The Gambia, Mauritania and Morocco. A report released in December by the NGO Caminando Fronteras said that nearly a whooping 10,000 died attempting to reach the Atlantic archipelago in 2024, which is an estimated 30 people on average losing their lives daily while trying to reach Spain.

The Sahel, a vast semi-arid region in Africa, is experiencing one of the worlds most severe humanitarian rises, aggravated by years of conflict, unemployment and climate change, prompting thousands of people to attempt the crossing. Indiscriminate attacks by armed groups and militias, insecurity, widespread human right violations, including gender-based violence and violence against children, and the effects of climate change have triggered massive displacements across the region, according to the UN refugee agency.
Photo: Ronda Churchill/Reuters

In an alarming start to the New Year, a Tesla Cybertruck parked in front of the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas exploded on Wednesday morning, hours after an unrelated terrorist attack in New Orleans. Days later, several questions about the explosion still arent fully answered. The driver, 37-year-old Army Special Forces soldier Matthew Livelsberger, shot himself in the head at about the same time the truck blew up. Below is a look at the latest details revealed by authorities and in news reports.

What was the bombers motive?

According to information made public so far by officials, Livelsberger rented a Cybertruck on December 28 from the car-sharing app Turo. He then drove it to Las Vegas, where he legally purchased two guns on December 30. After filling the truck with gas canisters and fireworks, he parked it at the Trump International Hotel on January 1 at 8:39 a.m. According to the Clark County Office of the Coroner, he shot himself in the head moments before a detonation system blew up the truck. Seven bystanders received minor injuries from the blast.

In a press conference on Friday afternoon, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Kevin McMahill announced that officials found letters on Livelsbergers phones indicating that he had planned the suicide bombing to draw attention to himself and a variety of complaints and claims. In one of the lettters, Livelsberger said that it was time for Americans to wake up and that the nation is being led by weak leadership only interested in themselves.

This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call, the letter read. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives? Why did I personally do it now? I needed to cleanse my mind of the brothers Ive lost and relieve my self of the burden of the lives I took.

In the letters found on his phones, Livelsberger expressed right-wing views and attacked Democrats, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and U.S. military leadership, calling for a purge and a hard reset of the country. Try peaceful means first, he wrote, but be prepared to fight to get the Dems out of the fed government and military by any means necessary. He also celebrated masculinity and criticized DEI.

Spencer Evans, the FBI special agent in charge, added that Livelsberger likely suffered from PTSD and that family issues may be contributing factors to the act. He also stressed that this was a tragic suicide by a highly decorated soldier.

The New York Post reports that Livelsberger had left the home he shared with his second wife the day after Christmas when she broke with him following an argument over infidelity. In the days preceding his death, he also reportedly texted with multiple ex-girlfriends. One of them, an Army nurse he dated in 2018, has told reporters that Livelsberger suffered from PTSD and had symptoms of traumatic brain injury but refused to seek therapy, citing the stigma against doing so within the Special Forces.

McMahill and Evans also acknowledged a podcast episode hosted by former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan that details a purported manifesto emailed by Livelsberger. They said they have not been able to confirm that Livelsberger wrote the email, which includes multiple conspiracy claims. Evans also denied that the FBI was tracking Livelsberger prior to the explosion, which is another claim made in the email.

Why did he do it at a Trump hotel?

It is not yet clear why Livelsberger drove from Colorado Springs to Las Vegas to shoot himself and blow up a rented electric truck in front of a hotel named after the president-elect. Multiple people who knew him have described him as a Trump supporter, while a relative told ABC News that Livelsberger said that Trump was a soldiers best friend.

In a letter found on his phones, Livelsberger called for Americans to rally around Trump, Elon Musk, and RFK Jr.

In the press conference on Friday, Evans said Livelsberger held no animosity toward the president-elect. McMahill said that Livelsberger also considered other locations for his act, including the U.S.-Mexico border and the Grand Canyon.

Why did he use a Tesla Cybertruck?

Prior to his death, the Denver Gazette reported, Livelsberger had texted an ex-girlfriend about renting a Cybertruck. Its the shit, he wrote on December 29. I feel like Batman or Halo. But investigators have not yet determined why he rented that specific vehicle.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the trucks design saved lives. The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards, Musk wrote on X the day of the explosion. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken. Authorities have confirmed that the walls of the Cybertruck bed directed the blast up and away from the hotel entrance.

Why did an elite Special Forces soldier make such a weird car bomb?

An Army spokesperson confirmed that Livelsberger was an active-duty sergeant assigned to the Army Special Operations Command and that he was on approved leave. He had served in the Army since 2006, had deployed twice in Afghanistan, and also served in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia, and the Republic of the Congo. He received five bronze stars in his 18 years of service, including one for courage under fire.

The New York Times reports that Livelsberger spent most of his career in the Special Forces, where he would have gotten explosives training. But the rented Cybertruck did not contain typical aspects of a car bomb, including packed-in shrapnel. Officials say the bomb featured consumer-grade fireworks, including mortars, as well as store-bought gas canisters. The explosion did not even break the trucks windshield.

The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience, ATF special agent Kenneth Cooper told the Times.

This post has been updated.
Photo: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images

New Yorks hotly debated congestion-pricing plan has faced its fair share of challenges since the State Legislature passed it into law in 2019, but it is now finally set to begin midnight Sunday, after a pair of last minute legal attempts by New Jersey to delay the plan failed.

The program originally cleared several political and legal hurdles and was ultimately approved by the federal government, but Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the MTA to pause its scheduled implementation last June. In November, the governor unveiled a revised version of the plan, lowering the base toll from $15 to $9 for drivers traveling at or below 60th Street in Manhattan.

In December, a New York City federal judge ruled against four separate lawsuits challenging congestion pricing, including filings from the United Federation of Teachers and the Staten Island borough president, Vito Fossella. The lawsuits argued that the toll would be a financial burden on New Yorkers and would result in increased pollution to different neighborhoods due to shifting travel patterns.

On Friday, the state of New Jersey, which has long opposed congestion pricing, sought an 11th-hour temporary restraining order from a federal judge to once again delay implementation. Without enforceable mitigation measures to alleviate significant environmental impacts in New Jersey, traffic increases and attendant air quality impacts will surely result from the congestion pricing scheme, the filing read. But U.S. District Court Judge Leo Gordon denied the states request on Friday evening.

New Jersey then sought emergency relief from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, but the court rejected their appeal on Saturday.

The filings from New Jersey came after Judge Gordon issued a long-awaited ruling on Monday in a lawsuit brought by the state, asking for further details about federal regulators plans regarding mitigating environmental impacts from the program but not officially calling for a delay of the tolls implementation. Proponents of congestion pricing took the judges decision as a win, with MTA chair Janno Lieber confirming in a statement that the agency planned to move forward with the start of the program. However, Randy Mastro, an attorney representing New Jersey in the matter, saw the judges decision as halting the plan, writing in a statement that the MTA cannot proceed with implementing the current congestion pricing proposal. He didnt win that argument.

Time is of the essence for advocates of the states congestion-pricing plan. When the program takes effect, it will still fall during the Biden administration, which will likely make it harder for it to be undone following the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. The president-elect has been a vocal opponent of the plan and has previously vowed to do away with congestion pricing once elected.

This post has been updated.
Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Mike Johnson is Speaker of the House. For now.

After a handful of hard-right Republicans held out on Friday, he was reelected, winning them over not with his own personal charm but with the muscle of Donald Trump. The day began with the formulaic roll call of every member of the House, which had become familiar to a national audience over the 19 different ballots to elect a Republican Speaker in 2023. (First, the 15 needed to elect Kevin McCarthy and then the four needed to replace him after his ouster.) It all started as placidly as one could expect, with Democrats supporting Hakeem Jeffries and Republicans voting for Johnson. The roll call rumbled along until it reached Andy Biggs.

A Freedom Caucus member who was one of the eight to oust McCarthy, he stood in the back of the chamber and did not respond when called. The clerk moved on to Sheri Biggs, a newly elected Republican from South Carolina, who announced her vote for President Trumps endorsed candidate Mike Johnson. There were scattered cheers on the Republican side of the aisle, while a Democrat audibly mumbled, Oh God. Five other Republicans joined Andy Biggs in not casting a ballot: Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Michael Cloud of Texas, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Andy Harris of Maryland, and Chip Roy of Texas. Johnson could afford to lose only one vote.

Three Republicans voted for other candidates: Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Keith Self of Texas, and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a libertarian gadfly who was considered unmovable. In a television interview the night before with his former colleague Matt Gaetz, he went so far as to say, You can pull all my fingernails out, you can shove bamboo up in them, you can start cutting off my fingers. I am not voting for Mike Johnson tomorrow, and you can take that to the bank.

The rebels were all hard-line conservatives who want drastic reductions in spending and limitations on the power of the Speaker. They have long been skeptical of Republican leaders for their willingness to make deals with Democrats to fund the government and avoid defaulting on the nations debt. They had registered their objections to Johnson only weeks before when they torpedoed an effort to avoid a government shutdown. And they were making clear their willingness to continue to make life difficult for the Speaker moving forward. The abstainers all eventually cast their votes for Johnson, but he was still two votes shy and the House was in limbo. The vote seemed over, but it had yet to be gaveled to a close.

Members were milling about, gossiping and trying to figure out what was next, leaving the chamber frozen in suspense. Johnson and his allies were working the dissidents on the floor when, suddenly, he began to lead the group around the chamber, looking for a place to meet. It was as if he were the Pied Piper of the Freedom Caucus as a long line of roughly ten members snaked around the back of the House following him. Eventually, they huddled behind closed doors in a room where Trump was on the phone. After about 15 minutes, Norman and Self came back out and, joined by Johnson, stood before the dais as members turned their attention to the front of the chamber. They had changed their votes to support Johnson after Trumps intervention. Republicans applauded as Johnson finally won.

The question for Johnson is whether his procession around the House chamber will be the last time he clearly leads as speaker, given the impetus to get him elected came from Trump. Freshman Brian Jack of Georgia, a longtime Trump aide, thought the electoral mandate Trump received in November was very much a motivating factor for us to get organized, get operative as quickly as possible.

That factor wont exist again. Trump needs his election certified only once, something that couldnt be done until there was a Speaker. Trump will have only one honeymoon period immediately after taking office that he can use to pass a legislative program, and a prolonged leadership fight would have been a major obstacle. The support Johnson received to win the gavel was not an endorsement of the Speaker; it was an endorsement of Trump  he holds office only as long as it is in Trumps interest. Without his aid to woo dissidents, Johnson will not have the necessary support to survive a challenge to his speakership.

He does have some advantages, having changed the rules so that instead of a single member being able to oust a Speaker, it will now take nine. However, precisely nine Republicans did not support him at any point on Friday. Johnson also benefits from a more pliant conference than he had in the previous Congress. Of the eight members who pushed to oust McCarthy, four have already left. In contrast, all of the newly elected freshman Republicans voted for Johnson, something Representative Jack pointed out. Im incredibly proud that not one freshman voted against him or even withheld their vote for any period of time, he said.

However, with no margin for error, it doesnt matter that Johnson has slightly fewer problem children than before. Provided that Democrats stick together, all it will take is two Republican dissenters to thwart anything Johnson does. And this could be beyond even Trumps control: Two of the most skeptical Republicans, Massie and Roy, endorsed Ron DeSantis for president and both voted against a government-funding deal in December despite Trumps going on social media to threaten them with primary challenges.

Its not a recipe for long-term stability or long-term success. It was tough to find Republicans who were confident that Johnson wont face future challenges. When asked if he thought Johnson might face an effort to oust him over the next two years, Representative Tim Burchett, who supported the one to oust McCarthy, was sanguine: We could, but again, its democracy and thats how its supposed to work.

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The Senates new boss. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

As members of Congress returned to Washington this week, the focus was on Mike Johnson, who narrowly won reelection as House Speaker after initially failing on the first ballot. But in the longer run, the locus of legislative action in the second Trump administration is likely to be the U.S. Senate, where the new majority leader, John Thune, is succeeding Mitch McConnell, who served as GOP leader for a remarkable 18 years.

There are several reasons to pay a good deal more attention to Thune than his low-key demeanor demands. First, he has a comfortable three-seat majority in the Senate that makes him significantly more secure in his position than his House counterpart, Johnson. Second, the mechanics of legislating during a party trifecta place a huge premium on managing the Senate and avoiding minority-party filibusters. And third, Thune has given every indication that he will bend the knee to the wishes of Donald Trumps White House wherever he can. In this, he differs significantly from McConnell. The Kentuckian, whose idol is 19th-century congressional wizard Henry Clay, invariably cooperated with Trump when the chips were down during the 45th presidency. But he always maintained a degree of independence and never exhibited the abject loyalty Trump craves. Though Thune angered Trump by refusing to support his effort to overturn the 2020-election results and endorsing Tim Scott for president in 2024, Thune does not appear to share McConnells determination to show that the GOP and the Senate are institutions with a larger mission than MAGA.

There will be two crucial tests ahead for Thune in the immediate future. The most obvious will be managing the confirmation of Trumps Cabinet, federal agency, and diplomatic nominees. Democrats and media outlets will be eager to provide lurid information on some of the more problematic Trump nominees, but its clear that the initial horror over such choices as Pete Hegseth, Kash Patel, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Tulsi Gabbard has subsided to a significant degree. Thune will be responsible for making sure nearly all of Trumps appointments stick  and for choosing the right moment to suggest abandonment of nominees who get caught up in viral scandals or just dont have the Republican votes to survive.

Thunes handling of Trumps legislative agenda may not attract as much publicity early on, but hes making potentially critical decisions already, as the Washington Examiner reported:

Friday votes will be the norm, and were not going to be having much in the way of recess in the first 100 days, Thune said in a recent Senate floor speech. Thats because we have a lot of work to do, and were not going to get it done on the kind of abbreviated schedule that weve had in 2024 

As part of Thunes aggressive Senate schedule, the incoming majority leader wants to move two separate budget reconciliation packages, which are not subject to the 60-vote filibuster.

The first would come in Trumps first 100 days and focus on once in a generation spending for border security and defense. The second would come later in the year and center on extending Trump-era tax cuts that are set to expire after this year.

Budget-reconciliation bills will be Trumps primary vehicle for moving big packages of legislation while Republicans have a trifecta for the next two years. These bills have to be reviewed by the Senate parliamentarian to determine if all their provisions are fiscally relevant, which protects them from filibusters. Much of the craftsmanship that goes into these crucial measures will occur under Thunes supervision. Needless to say, the Senate leader will also have to constantly stay in touch with the White House and with fractious House Republicans to ensure his handiwork can actually make it through Congress and secure Trumps signature.

One final Thune quality that will be put to the test is his reputed affability. McConnell ruled the Senate as a centralized fiefdom, repeatedly angering backbenchers (and particularly hard-core conservatives) by failing to consult with them or to explain his decisions. Aware that MAGA senators like Scott and Mike Lee and Tom Cotton will have a ready audience in the White House for complaints about how the chamber is being run, Thune is sending early signals that demands for reforms in Senate operations will be heard, as the New York Times reports:

Mr. Thune has made significant promises about how the Senate will conduct itself on his watch  He said he also intended to bring more bills to the floor and allow amendment fights when recent leaders of both parties have sought to limit political exposure by limiting the number of votes senators have to take.

New leaders in Congress often say they will restore regular order, only to abandon the pledge once it becomes politically treacherous and sparks grumbling from colleagues who want to get out of the Capitol for fund-raising travel. Mr. Thune seems determined to stick to his guns.

All in all, the South Dakotan seems to be a good choice of Senate leader for a Republican Party charged with implementing Trumps radical legislative agenda, without much overt drama to detract attention from the White House dramatics the once and future president prefers. But like his party in Congress, Thune wont have much of a margin for error and cant count on a great deal of patience from the man who can make or break him whenever he chooses.
The incident has raised concerns about energy security and the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure to sabotage, prompting NATO to increase its military presence in the Baltic Sea.

The damage to the Estlink 2 cable, which occurred on December 25, is expected to cost tens of millions of euros to repair.

Finland's national grid operator is seeking the seizure of an oil tanker suspected of damaging an undersea electricity cable between Finland and Estonia.

Finland's national power grid operator (Fingrid) is seeking the formal seizure of the oil tanker suspected of damaging an electric power cable in the Baltic Sea last month.

Fingrid said in a statement it had filed an application with the Helsinki District Court to seize the Eagle S to help secure its financial claim for damages related to the breakdown of the undersea Estlink 2 electricity interconnector.

The cable between Finland and Estonia was suddenly disconnected from the grid on December 25 along with telecommunications lines. The Eagle S was detained by Finnish authorities and is being held in Finnish waters in the Baltic Sea pending an investigation.

Fingrid will begin a new inspection of the cable on January 3 to determine the scale of the damage and begin repairs, a Fingrid official told AFP.

"Further investigations at the damage site are expected to provide more information about the extent of the damages and enable more detailed planning and scheduling of the repair," Fingrid said in the statement.

Investigators have said they found a track on the seabed dozens of kilometers long indicating the ship dragged its anchor, but they have yet to find the anchor.

The trail ends where the ship lifted the anchor chain, and from this place to the east [the trail] stretches for several tens, if not almost a hundred kilometers, a representative of the Finnish investigation said in an interview with Finnish news outlet Yle.

Finland's customs service has said it believes the Eagle S, which set sail from a Russian port, is part of a shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent sanctions on Russian oil. Investigators found it was missing an anchor after it was detained.

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency on January 2 began an inspection of the tanker that it said is independent of the law enforcement investigation.

According to the global ship monitoring website MarineTraffic, the ship significantly reduced speed at the same time interference was detected in the electrical power cable, according to Finnish media.

Fingrid said last week it expected the cable to return to service in August. The cost of the repair work will be tens of millions of euros.

The owner of the vessel, United Arab Emirates-based Caravella LLC FZ, has previously asked that Finnish authorities to release it. The company has not responded to Fingrids request to seize the vessel.

Moscow has said Finland's seizure of the ship is not a matter for Russia.

NATO last week announced that it would strengthen its military presence in the Baltic Sea following the damage caused to the Estlink 2 and similar incidents in the Baltic Sea since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Energy and communications infrastructure in particular have been targeted as part of what experts and politicians call Russia's hybrid war with Western countries.

By RFE/RL

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The incident highlights Kazakhstan's delicate balancing act as it tries to maintain good relations with both Russia and Azerbaijan, both key economic partners.

Kazakhstan is overseeing the crash investigation and is trying to remain neutral despite pressure from both sides.

Kazakhstan is treading delicately as it strives to keep two feuding neighbors happy amid a row over Russias accidental shoot-down of an Azerbaijani civilian airliner, which crashed outside the Kazakh city of Aktau. Kazakh officials have little to gain and a lot to lose as they oversee the crash investigation.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Russia remain fraught as Azerbaijani officials await the results of the official crash investigation. Kazakhstans vice minister of transportation, Talgat Lastayev, announced December 30 that preliminary findings are expected to be released in late January.

Azerbaijani-Russian tension revolves around the Kremlins reluctance to admit Russian air defenses brought the plane down on December 25, killing 38 of the 67 individuals on board. Kazakhstan got caught in the middle because the stricken jet, which had been bound for Grozny in the Russian region of Chechnya, crossed the Caspian Sea to make a crash landing in Aktau. That fact thrust Kazakhstan into a key role in an investigation in which the principal actors  Azerbaijan and Russia  have starkly differing agendas.

In the face of Russian silence over culpability for the crash, Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev has pressed for a transparent probe. At the same time, he has accused Kremlin of trying to cover up its responsibility for the tragedy, pointing out that Russian officials initially offered several absurd alternate theories before evidence of the shoot-down came to light. Government-friendly news outlets in Baku even accused Russia of prompting the jet to attempt a landing in Aktau in the hope that it would crash into the Caspian, thus erasing all evidence of Russian involvement. Russias approach so far suggests the Kremlin is far from eager to see all the facts come out.

Ultimately, some of the 29 survivors have provided testimony substantiating a shoot-down, and the intact rear section of the plane shows signs of being hit by anti-aircraft flak. The black boxes have been recovered and sent to Brazil for analysis.

Despite their countrys central position in the investigation, Kazakh officials have tried to remain aloof from the festering controversy. In the first hours after the crash, Kazakh officials appeared to amplify alternative theories pushed by Russia to explain the tragedy, including the since discredited claim that an oxygen tank inside the aircraft exploded. Kazakh officials also initially backed a Russian proposal that a CIS commission handle the investigation, which would have given Moscow expanded influence over the probes scope and final report.

As evidence of a shoot-down, including survivor accounts, continued to mount, Kazakhstan has adopted a decidedly neutral tone. During the last days of December, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has had telephone conversations with both his Azerbaijani and Russian counterparts, Aliyev and Vladimir Putin, according to the presidential press service, which was notably silent on the substance of those discussions.

State-controlled media in Kazakhstan has largely refrained from reporting on what caused the crash. The leitmotif of official publications is that Kazakhstan is making every effort to find out what really happened. In recent days, Kazakh officials have been scrupulous in saying their actions are guided by international guidelines. For example, Transport Minister Marat Karabayev cited the International Civil Aviation Organizations Chicago Convention in explaining why the crashed jets black boxes were sent to Brazil, action that seemed sure to rankle Russia, given the Kremlins apparent desire to suppress evidence of a shoot-down.

Kazakhstan stands for objectivity in investigation of air disaster, stated a December 30 commentary published by the government newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, quoting a Kazakh political scientist, Eduard Poletaev. The decision to send on-board recorders for decoding to Brazil is a manifestation of the independence, sovereignty and impartiality of Kazakhstan.

Independent media outlets in Kazakhstan have covered the controversy over the crashs cause. Accounts offered by Orda.kz, for example, have tended to highlight the assertions made by Aliyev and Western officials supporting the notion of Russian responsibility for the tragedy.

The reasons why Kazakh leaders are eager to avoid angering either Azerbaijan or Russia over their handling of the investigation are clear: both countries are key economic partners for Kazakhstan, and any hiccup in relations can have extensive financial repercussions for Astana.

One source of leverage for Russia is the pipeline that connects oil produced in Kazakhstans Tengiz oil field to export markets via a pipeline and oil terminal at the Russian port of Novorossiysk under the auspices of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. The pipeline handles about 80 percent of Tengiz oil exports.

Russia, as a means of either influencing Kazakh decision-making or expressing its displeasure with Astanas actions, could disrupt pipeline operations. Moscow can stop the transportation of Kazakh oil to Europe under some pretext such as the repair of the CPC infrastructure, as they did during the summer of 2022, Talgat Ismagambetov, a political scientist at the Almaty Institute of Philosophy, Politics and Religion, said in an interview. In such an instance, Kazakhstan could suffer big losses again, and this would be a warning [or] punishment from Russia.

At this point, Kazakhstan may have even more to lose by alienating Azerbaijan. The two countries are key transit nodes for East-West trade via the Middle Corridor route. In addition, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are partners in a developing consortium to ship solar- and wind-generated power to Western markets.

For Astana, Baku is a very important partner, and in the future, an even more important partner, especially in terms of the joint development of the Trans-Caspian route, Ismagambetov said.

While Russia maintains its silence about the investigation, Aliyev has voiced approval of Kazakhstans actions so far, describing the Kazakh emergency response to the crash and outpouring of public sympathy for the victims as what true friendship and brotherhood look like.

Tokayevs diplomatic background has proven beneficial in helping Kazakhstan negotiate a tricky situation so far, according to Ismagambetov. Tokaev has acted subtly because he is a professional diplomat and this is his instinct, he said.

By Eurasianet.org

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said non-confirmation of its Acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has no link with the current probe of former Senate President Bukolala Saraki.

The anti-graft agency faulted Saraki for alleging that his investigation by the EFCC for diverting about N12 billion Kwara State funds, among others, was due to the refusal of the Senate to confirm Magu.

It asked the ex-Senate President to allow the law to take its course instead of running from pillar to post.

The EFCC said no amount of media campaign against Magu could stop the prosecution of Saraki.

A statement in Abuja, the nations capital, by its Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Tony Orilade, was reacting to Sarakis petition to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Kafarati, that he is a victim of Magus vendetta.

The agency accused Saraki of coming up with mendacious reasons on why the CJ should ignore the request for seeking the transfer of EFCC cases from Justice Taiwo Taiwo.

It said the probes being carried out by the anti-graft agency were nothing personal.

The statement said: The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to the false claim by Dr. Saraki, who, in the face of ongoing investigation against him here in Nigeria, seems to have chosen outside the shores of Nigeria as the launch pad of his campaign of calumny against the EFCC and its leadership.

Read also: EFCC re-arraigns ex- FCT minister Akinjide over Diezani cash

We wish to state without any contradiction that the ongoing investigation against former Senate President and other Politically-Exposed Persons (PEPs) are on course while Saraki and his co-travellers will surely have their day in court shortly.

Particularly, of reference is the report published on June 30, 2019, titled: Magu begged me to help his confirmation by the Senate, Saraki tells CJ Kafarati, in which Saraki deviously chose to divert attention from the weighty allegations of financial fraud trailing his eight years stewardship in Kwara State and leadership of the Senate.

Instead, he is coming up with mendacious reasons on why the Chief Judge of Federal High Court should ignore the request of the EFCC seeking the transfer of its cases from Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who curiously granted ex-parte order to restrain the commission from performing its statutory duties.

Incidentally, the EFCC has filed a detailed response against the judges restraining order and took up issues over the controversial interim order.

The EFCC asked Saraki to bear his own cross now that he is no longer the President of the Senate.

The statement added: While waiting for the careful response of the CJ over the Commissions request, we wish to advise ex- Senate President to carry his cross and allow the judiciary to perform its constitutional role.

It is preposterous for the ex-Senate President to be raising issues on what transpired during the confirmation of the EFCC boss in 2016 when he is no longer in charge of the Senate in 2019.

It is too late for him in the day, to be claiming innocence over the confirmation saga when every Nigerian knew what transpired under his watch.

The commission under Magu has moved on and will not be distracted over mundane issue.

The EFCC said Saraki has no need to be afraid of the agency, if his conscience is clear.

It said: Let it be stated in unequivocal terms that the investigation of Sarakis stewardship, whether as a former Senate President or as a former governor of Kwara State, has absolutely nothing to do with the non-confirmation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the EFCC.

While the EFCC will not allow itself to be drawn by Saraki to take up issues with him on the pages of newspapers, it is pertinent to once again state in clear terms that the probes being carried out by the EFCC are nothing personal, but all about enthroning probity in governance, and letting leaders know that even out of office, they will be held accountable for their stewardship.

Again, it is worth reminding Saraki that he has no need to be scared of the EFCC and its leadership as long as he believes he has a clear conscience.

He should, therefore, rather than running from pillar to post, allow the law to take its course.
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:

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In Roman mythology, Janus was the god of doors, gates and transitions. Able to see in two directions, Janus was associated with passages, beginnings and endings.

In January, the month named for him in the western calendar, it's fitting to consider how, in many respects, compulsory education systems require new beginnings in terms of envisioning broader objectives for their student populations.

While students need to read, write and do arithmetic, the "back to basics" approach to promoting educational excellence, formulated hundreds of years ago by the Prussians, will no longer suffice.

Schools and societies have seen seismic technological, environmental, cultural and social changes. Kindergarten to Grade 12 systems must embrace a more multifaceted vision of educational excellence that includes the promotion of both cognitive and non-cognitive skills.

These "two faces"cognitive and non-cognitivehelps prepare students for their futures, not our past.

Cognitive versus non-cognitive skills

Achievement in traditional subject areas like English and French, mathematics and science has long been recognized as important for students' cognitive skills. Many parents, teachers and policymakers become concerned when provincial or national test results suggests deteriorating or stagnant performance in these curriculum areas.

Yet even the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is now quick to point out that cognitive achievement is necessary, but insufficient, for student success. The OECD, which runs the largest and most influential international test of reading, science, and mathematicsthe Program in International Student Assessment (PISA)is also considering the value of other kinds of learning.

A recent working paper published by the OECD, "Beyond Literacy: The Incremental Value of Non-Cognitive Skills," points out how a broad category of non-cognitive skills predict important life outcomes such as educational attainment, employment, earnings and self-reported health and life satisfaction.

Growth mindset

Non-cognitive skills, sometimes called "soft skills," include attributes such as "growth mindset." This refers to a general belief that success is based on hard work and dedication, and is less related to innate and fixed qualities.

A person with high-growth mindset would agree with the statement: "Math doesn't come easy to me, but if I try hard, I will be successful." Interestingly, countries that have relatively higher levels of growth mindset also tend to do better academically.

Emotional intelligence

Another frequently noted non-cognitive skill includes social-emotional learning or what is sometimes referred to as emotional intelligence. The latter allows students to self-regulate and ultimately become more resilient in the face of adversity and changing times.

Although there are various factors that shape a child's emotional makeup, social-emotional learning can be developed in classrooms with the right supports.

Physical health and well-being

Finally, physical health and well-being is also a critical non-cognitive ability, one that is often overlooked in Canadian education systems.

As our research with colleagues suggests, provincial systems devoted relatively little policy attention to the development of physical health during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as during the recovery phase.

Admittedly, this disturbing trend existed well before the outbreak of COVID-19. In some respects, we are now facing an impeding epidemic of mental and physical health in our schools without the benefit of adequate interventions.

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Ideals and practices

Each province in Canada is fully autonomous in developing and implementing education policies, as well as outlining the main purposes of education.

In Ontario, for example, the provincial Education Act says "the purpose of education is to provide students with the opportunity to realize their potential and develop into highly skilled, knowledgeable, caring citizens who contribute to their society." Other provinces provide similar educational guidance that underscores the importance of developing students' knowledge, skills and attitudes.

What is clear from these various legislative mandates is that provinces have seemingly endorsed a holistic view of student development. Unfortunately, goal statements that align with holistic student development may look good on paper but are rarely realized in practice.

Teacher education programs, for example, vary significantly within and across Canadian provinces and American states, with limited attention devoted to mental health-related certification standards, including socioemotional learning.

Fragmented approaches

Provincial approaches to assessing non-cognitive skills are also fragmented, suggesting more innovative and integrated assessment systems are needed. It is hard to address a problem without the benefit of reliable and valid data sources.

Similarly, less than half of Canadian children meet daily physical activity requirements, despite mandatory policies in provinces such as Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Given the close association between child and adult obesity rates, lack of attention to physical activity will have lasting negative consequences.

Research also suggests no new mental health policy developments occurred in half of Canadian provinces in the aftermath of the pandemic. It appears provincial education systems have been lagging in targeted policy developments and implementation efforts related to non-cognitive skills.

Clearly, there is an urgent need to embrace, in concrete terms, the dualities of cognitive and non-cognitive skills within our schools. Sometimes being two-faced can be a good thing.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
David Schwimmer, Jayden Bartles and Sam McCarthy got a crash course in bonding before they started filming Goosebumps: The Vanishing.

Family: 101, you might call it.

In the new series, Schwimmer plays dad to fraternal twins, Bartles and McCarthy.

The three, however, didnt meet until two days before filming started.

Whenever were not actually filming, its like, OK, what about this? and What do you think about? you know, just trying to make some quick choices and decisions about what our relationships are, Schwimmer says. Hopefully, you pull it off, but it felt pretty good from the start.

Goosebumps:The Vanishing Sam McCarthy, from left, Jayden Bartles and David Schwimmer play family in "Goosebumps: The Vanishing."

Goosebumps: The Vanishing Don't go in the basement, dad warns. So what do his children do? That's part of the mystery with "Goosebumps: The Vanishing."

Bartles and McCarthy, however, werent sure they were going to be chosen as siblings when they auditioned for the show. Producers paired them with different actors, then dubbed McCarthy and Bartles the twins.

Were different in the way Dev and Cece are different, McCarthy says of their characters.

But theres a similarity in how we act, Bartles adds. Toss in Schwimmer as the wild card, and it becomes a learning process for all of them.

Creating a bond was really important, Bartles says. Part of being a twin is knowing what the other is going to do, knowing how the other acts.

Knowing those traits, McCarthy adds, shows a connection. Not that its such a strenuous thing getting to know another person, but you just put your trust in your partner and kind of walk in with an open heart and see what happens.

In the series, theyre pulled into a mystery that has some connection to teenagers who vanished in 1994. They befriend others from Gravesend, Brooklyn, where their dad is a botany professor.

He warns them to stay out of the basement but that falls on deaf ears and, soon, the mystery-solving begins.

Because the series has plenty of special effects (and a lot of green-screen production), the actors had to rely on instincts.

When he was stumped, McCarthy talked to his dad, actor Andrew McCarthy. Its a really huge help because I can call my father at any point and say, Hey, dad, I have no idea how to do this scene. We always will talk shop and work through that kind of stuff. People ask me, Is your dad giving you acting advice? And, well, its kind of been a language of our relationship my whole life.

Theres nothing secure about being an actor in this business, he adds. My dad cant get me a job but there is something psychological to it  if he did it, then it must be possible.

Goosebumps: The Vanishing Elijah M. Cooper, left, and Sam McCarthy star in "Goosebumps: The Vanishing."

Conversely, Bartles, a YouTube sensation, had no touchstone in the business, even though she started acting at an early age.

I got social media eight years ago to be noticed by casting directors, she says, so it definitely influenced my career. (She has eight million followers on TikTok.) Ive going through many routes, but Im really, really happy to be going back to what I truly love, which is acting in front of a camera for television and feature films.

To help with the bonding process, Schwimmers character gives his children a binder that lists the rules of the house (like staying out of the basement).

I gave Cece a taser gun, even though everyone know youre not allowed to have one under the age of 18, Schwimmer says. The book also included maps of the area, the subway system and tips on being safe in New York.

Naturally, the children dont pay attention.

Both Bartles and McCarthy say they enjoy horror films and grew up on R.L. Stines book series.

Part of the reason so many people are hooked (on the books) is you dont have any clue what kind of monster youre going to encounter in the next book you read, Bartles says. It could literally be a car that is haunted. It doesnt have to be a creature.

Its a bit of lightning in a bottle, McCarthy adds. If I knew what it was, Id bottle it myself.

Schwimmer figures the Stine books work because they focus on family and school. Theres something quite accessible about it because of how ordinary it is.

Goosebumps: The Vanishing becomes available Jan. 10 on Disney+ and Hulu.
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Although Donald Trump has not yet started his second term, he and his allies keep teasing the possibility of securing a third one in 2028, a threat that some Democrats are taking quite seriously. The 22nd Amendment has been widely assumed to allow each president no more than two terms in office. But some legal scholars have identified a potential workaround that a president with dictatorial ambitionsthat is, someone like Donald Trumpmight seek to exploit in pursuit of a third term. Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern discussed this theory on a recent episode of Amicus, and their conversation prompted low-key social media debate as well as a large dose of skepticism. On this weeks Slate Plus bonus episode, they addressed listeners questions and objections. An excerpt of their conversation, below, has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Dahlia Lithwick: Our end-of-year show was the great revival of Dear (Juris)Prudence, and some of what we discussed raised listener hackles. You expressed some thoughts on a very complicated listener question about the possibility of a third Trump presidency, and Im going to let you respond to those objections. First I will flag again that we both agreed in advance that this was kind of a low-priority hypothetical to freak out about. But then you went on and answered it, Mark, because youre a good lawyer.

Mark Joseph Stern: And that got me into hot water! I argued in this episode that Trump could, in theory, exploit a loophole in the Constitution to serve a third term. The 22nd Amendment says that no person can be elected as president more than twice. It doesnt say that no person could serve as president for more than two terms. So, in theory, I explained, Trump could run as vice president in 2028, with some patsy at the top of the ticket. Then, if they win, at 12:01 p.m. on Inauguration Day, that patsy could resign, making Trump president a third time. We dont think this will happen. We dont want it to happen. But if we go by a rigid textualist reading of the 22nd Amendment, it could happen.

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A number of listeners objected by citing the 12th Amendment, which says: No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States. But that provision actually just reinforces the workaround I identified. Because if its true that a twice-elected president can serve a third term as long as he isnt directly elected to it, then he is not constitutionally ineligible to the office of President under the 12th Amendment. That means he is eligible to be vice president, as well, and the 12th Amendment poses no bar to his election as VP.

Now, listeners raised a second objection, and our friend Jamelle Bouie identified this one on Bluesky as well: the argument that the distinction between being elected to office and holding office is semantic and artificial and not worth serious consideration. I respectfully disagree. This distinction actually runs throughout the Constitution. Ill give two examples. First, the Constitution says you must be at least 30 years old to serve as senator, yet Joe Biden was elected to the Senate at age 29. Why was that allowed? Because the Constitution differentiates between the requirements to be elected senator and to hold office as a senatorand the minimum age applies only to holding office. Biden turned 30 a few weeks after he was elected, so he became constitutionally eligible to hold the office of senator.

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Related From Slate Dear Jurisprudence: Could Trump Really Run for a Third Term? Read More

Ill give another example that flips that around. The Constitution says that a senator must be an inhabitant of the state they represent when elected. This inhabitance requirement does not apply to holding the office of senator, nor does it apply to the appointment of a senator when a vacancy arises. So: When Dianne Feinstein died in 2023, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was able to appoint Laphonza Butler to serve out her termeven though Laphonza Butler was a legal resident of Maryland, not California. Butler could not have been elected California senator because of her residence, but she could serve as one.

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Now, I know these are weird examples. They are edge cases. But the point is that this distinction between being elected to an office and holding it is real. It cant be waved away. And it does suggest that the 22nd Amendment might have a pretty big loophole at its heart.

I just want to add, dear listeners and friends, that this is what this show is about. We talk about complicated legal questions and try to put them in the context of our current reality. Which leads to the other meta-question raised by some in response to Marks answer to the question of Trump possibly serving a third term. And this is that we should not be approaching these hypotheticals with our lawyer brains. The accusation is that to parse this legal question using legal expertise is to behave as though the law is the only thing that matters here, and not politics or norms or anything else. And that in turn lends itself to a kind of all is lost, the law cannot save us mindset, while at the same time giving dangerous new ideas to the incoming Trump administration. Sounds super bad. Mark, any thoughts on our lawyer brains?

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Look, the incoming Trump administration is going to be even more extreme than the previous one, with fewer guardrails from the judiciary. Our job is to think through the legal arguments that Trump and his allies will devise to accomplish their aims and to explain them as best we can. We made it very clear that we do not want Trump to finagle his way to a third term, or that we think it will happen. What we said was that it isnt inconceivable. We argued that in the remote chance that he tried to do it, heres how it would go down.

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Thats not lawyer brain, to meits realism. Think about all the horrible things Trump did in his first term that once seemed inconceivable. The travel ban. Family separation. Coercing the Justice Department to overturn the election. There were actual legal arguments at the heart of all of that. Some of them failed, but none of them could just be wished away or dismissed out of hand. And the reality, Dahlia, as we said, is that this argument about the 22nd Amendment? Its out there already. We arent doing Trumps work for him. Were assessing the threat of constitutional ideas that he and his confederates are already concocting, both their legal merit and their plausibility.

And were doing so against the backdrop of a Supreme Court thats been infused with the spirit of MAGAand that has repeatedly contorted the law to benefit Trump. We are not endorsing Trumps dictatorial dreams and schemes. But we are letting you know, with our lawyer brains, how he might seek to make them a legal reality with the willing assistance of a compromised judiciary.
Welcome to this weeks edition of the Surge, the first edition that will not be read by former President Jimmy Carter. RIP to the Iron Man of Hospice.





While we are excited to welcome Surge readers into the new year, we have some bad news: Theres going to be another Congress this year. In fact, its members managed to pick a leader on the first day of session. Wonders never cease. Elsewhere in MAGA, theres a rift between the Johnny-come-lately rich MAGA business executives and the MAGA hoi polloi. Wonders never cease.





Lets begin by celebrating the man whose year is only going to go downhill from here.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/despite-smiles-in-syria-supporting-kurdish-separatism-remains-germanys-top-priority-in-middle-east-1121354520.html

Despite Smiles in Syria, Supporting Kurdish Separatism Remains Germany's Top Priority in Middle East

Despite Smiles in Syria, Supporting Kurdish Separatism Remains Germany's Top Priority in Middle East

Sputnik International

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled to Damascus on Friday to meet with de-facto Syrian leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani. Sputnik asked regional security policy expert Furkan Halit Yolcu about the trip's purpose, and how it may impact Berlin's overall strategy in the region.

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Berlins modern-day foreign policy is focused on two things: antagonizing Russia and a search for energy, and Annalena Baerbocks Syria trip was aimed primarily at trying to secure relations with parties that hold a good grasp on energy resources, i.e. the separatist Kurds in the war-torn country's northeast, Sakarya University security policy expert and researcher Furkan Halit Yolcu told Sputnik.Pointing to long-standing German support for Kurdish separatist movements across the region, from Syria and Iraq to Turkiye, Yolcu pointed out with the YPG militias controlling a good amount of energy reserves in Syria, Germany is looking to avoid losing its leverage on that side, while trying to get a sense of where Transitional Government head Abu Mohammad al-Julani stands, and convince him, if possible, of Germanys potential support in the coming years if he avoids an escalation against YPG positions.Ultimately, Yolcu doesnt expect Berlin to give up on its support for Kurdish groups in Syria, Iraq or Turkiye, with such support giving them the means to pressure all three countries, as leverage for them, mainly against Turkiye. They have been sending agents, sending financial support, sending equipment.Accordingly, as far as Syria is concerned, the Kurds - an namely the separatist Kurdish elements, are whats most important for Berlin, the Turkish security policy analyst summed up.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20241224/turkiye-syria-mull-joint-military-operation-against-syrian-kurds---reports-1121251978.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/germanys-chancellor-feigns-cool-amid-head-butting-with-elon-musk----1121352468.html

Germanys Chancellor Feigns Cool Amid Head-Butting With Elon Musk

Germanys Chancellor Feigns Cool Amid Head-Butting With Elon Musk

Sputnik International

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed Elon Musk's erratic statements" targeting the policies of parties like his Social Democratic Party (SPD) as "nothing new" in Stern magazine, adding that "you have to stay cool."

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed the erratic statements of a billionaire from the US targeting the policies of parties like his Social Democratic Party (SPD) as par for the course.Its nothing new when it comes down to it. You have to stay cool, he told Stern magazine. He added that Musk can say what he likes Germany is governed by the will of its citizens. In a timeline of the recent verbal vitriol: The billionaire is expected to hold a live talk with AfD leader Alice Weidel on X Spaces on January 9.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20241110/musk-calls-german-economy-minister-fool-for-wanting-to-control-social-media-algorithms-1120846004.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/heroic-russian-serviceman-recounts-hand-to-hand-fight-to-the-death-with-enemy-ukrainian---1121350405.html

Heroic Russian Serviceman Recounts Hand-to-Hand Fight to the Death With Enemy Ukrainian

Heroic Russian Serviceman Recounts Hand-to-Hand Fight to the Death With Enemy Ukrainian

Sputnik International

A valiant soldier from Yakutia in eastern Russia shared his experience of single-handedly taking down several Ukrainian servicemen, one of them in hand-to-hand combat to the death.

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Andrey Grigoriev shared his experience of the deadly face-off with the Ukrainian in an interview with Russian media after a video of the incident went viral. Grigoriev revealed that before the epic fight, caught on the enemys body cam, the Ukrainian had killed one of his friends in an exchange of fire. The Russian grabbed a sharp shard from the ground and stuck it in his opponents eye, forcing the Ukrainian to release the knife held against his neck. Several blows later, the Ukrainian pleaded with him: "Let me say goodbye to the sky, my mother, youve already killed meYou are the best fighter in the world."Grigoriev said he didnt deliver the final blow, convinced that his enemy would not survive two knife wounds to the neck and three stabs near the heart. The fighter also took down two more counterattacking Ukrainians in that area of the Donetsk Peoples Republic, recalling with a chortle: I stirred up a lot of chaos there! Elon Musk reacted on X, noting that he also has a WWI trench knife embedded in his bedroom wall, just in case, adding that it is more useful than a gun in close quarters.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250103/russian-philosopher-dugin-2024-marked-turning-point-in-russias-favor-in-ukraine-special-op-1121343002.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/israel-trapped-in-gaza-cant-kill-its-way-out-veteran-israeli-journalist-says-1121355460.html

Israel Trapped in Gaza, Cant Kill Its Way Out, Veteran Israeli Journalist Says

Israel Trapped in Gaza, Cant Kill Its Way Out, Veteran Israeli Journalist Says

Sputnik International

This coming Tuesday will mark the 15th-month anniversary of the Middle East conflict triggered by the Hamas raid into Israel and subsequent Israeli bombing and ground invasion of the strip, which triggered a costly urban guerrilla campaign, and sparked an even costlier confrontation with the Iran-led Axis of Resistance.

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Israels war in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria is increasingly starting to resemble the trap of the 1982 Lebanon invasion, which engaged the military in a costly 18-year-long war and occupation it ultimately could not sustain, Israeli investigative reporter Alon Ben-David argues in an explosive analysis for Hebrew-language daily newspaper Maariv.Israel entered 2025 as a country that remains wounded, with some of its wounds still gaping and bleeding, Ben-David, a senior defense correspondent who served as an IDF reporter during the 1982 Lebanon War, wrote.As the conflict continues, Israelis from the north and south of Israel remain uncertain when or whether they will be able to ever return to their destroyed homes, and an oppressive silence hangs over communities in areas affected by fighting, particularly in the north, where a shaky ceasefire with Hezbollah is yet to return a sense of normalcy, Ben-David highlighted.Recounting a recent visit to the town of Metula, northern Israel, the journalist pointed out that only tens of residents, most of them elderly, have returned to the town since the ceasefire was announced, with a sense of abandonment evident everywhere.In the meantime, every day spent there extracts its own pound of blood, and the IDF is now preparing to throw another division, its fourth, into action in Gaza, he added.Without any strategy or systemic thought by Israels political leadership, the veteran journalist warned, the IDF will find itself trapped in a forever war bleeding wound in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.An officer from Northern Command explained to me this week in all seriousness that we will not be able to protect the Golan settlements from the Golan Heights and its essential that we remain on Syrian soil. I wish, he added, that we could occupy a security strip along the length of our borders to protect the settlements.Israel, whose population crossed the 10 million mark this year, does not need more territory. It needs healing and recovery. A necessary condition for recovery will be to return those who have been kidnapped, and this is within our reach. Our war will not end this year, but it can be scaled back to the dimensions necessary to stop the unnecessary bleeding. The biggest task we will have in the new year will be to fix what's broken, so that we have something to keep fighting for," the observer concluded.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20241229/israeli-military-detains-director-of-northern-gazas-last-functioning-hospital-1121296142.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/las-vegas-cybertruck-bombing-suspect-had-no-animosity-towards-trump---fbi-agent-1121348794.html

Las Vegas Cybertruck Bombing Suspect Had No Animosity Towards Trump - FBI Agent

Las Vegas Cybertruck Bombing Suspect Had No Animosity Towards Trump - FBI Agent

Sputnik International

The suspect in the Tesla Cybertruck bombing in Las Vegas, Matthew Livelsberger, had no animosity toward US President-elect Donald Trump, FBI special agent Spencer Evans said.

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Evans said investigators determined that Livelsberger likely had post-traumatic stress disorder, and potential family issues or personal grievances in his own life that may have been contributing factors. A Tesla Cybertuck exploded near the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1, killing the driver and injuring seven others, the Las Vegas Police Department said, adding that an investigation was underway. The driver was identified as Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old US Army veteran. The Trump International Hotel is partially owned by Trump. The Cybertruck, on the other hand, is manufactured by Tesla, a company owned by billionaire entrepreneur and Trump supporter Elon Musk.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250103/how-is-tesla-cybertruck-explosion-suspect-connected-to-ukraine----1121341639.html

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the suspect in the tesla cybertruck bombing in las vegas, matthew livelsberger, had no animosity toward us president-elect donald trump, fbi special agent spencer evans said.
Sig Christenson is a senior reporter for the Express-News covering the military and has been with the news organization since 1997. He can be reached at sigc@express-news.net.

He embedded with the 3rd Infantry Division during the Iraq invasion, and reported from Baghdad and Afghanistan seven times since. A University of Houston graduate, he covered the Branch Davidian siege, the 2003 space shuttle breakup, the 2009 Fort Hood shooting and its subsequent legal proceedings, as well as hurricanes, tropical storms and floods.

He's won awards from Hearst Newspapers and the Associated Press, was named "Reporter of the Year" by his peers in 2004 and is a co-founder and former president and board member of Military Reporters & Editors, established in 2002.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/mercenary-internationale-assembled-in-ukraine-to-fight-russia-polish-pow-reveals-1121350013.html

Mercenary Internationale Assembled in Ukraine to Fight Russia, Polish POW Reveals

Mercenary Internationale Assembled in Ukraine to Fight Russia, Polish POW Reveals

Sputnik International

Thousands of soldiers of fortune gathered in Ukraine starting in the spring of 2022, some coming for the money, others simply hoping to "kill Russians." Hundreds of mercs have been killed in the years since, while others - used to fighting in NATO wars of aggression where air and artillery superiority are assured, have simply fled.

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2025-01-04T11:53+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

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A motley collection of fighters from across the far corners of the globe has been assembled in Ukraine to wage the proxy war against Russia, a POW from Poland has revealed in testimony."In my group I had a Croatian commander, a Pole, two Germans, two Americans and three people from Taiwan. That's was in my group," the POW said.The Polish POW's testimony comes on the heels of revelations earlier this week that Ukraine's military has gone into overdrive in its efforts to recruit foreign fighters.Last month, President Putin accused the US of stoking the Ukrainian crisis not only through weapons and cash, but mercenaries and 'military advisors', "thereby encouraging further escalation of the conflict."

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Mercenaries from the US, UK, Germany, Latvia and many other countries are taking part in combat operations on the side of Ukraine in the so-called foreign legion, a captured Polish mercenary told Sputnik. Sputnik International Mercenaries from the US, UK, Germany, Latvia and many other countries are taking part in combat operations on the side of Ukraine in the so-called foreign legion, a captured Polish mercenary told Sputnik. 2025-01-04T11:53+0000 true PT0M45S

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who is fighting in ukraine, who are ukrainian mercenaries
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/russia-us-may-strike-new-arms-control-deal-post-new-start-to-avoid-costly-arsenal-buildup-1121351697.html

Russia, US May Strike New Arms Control Deal Post New START to Avoid Costly Arsenal Buildup

Russia, US May Strike New Arms Control Deal Post New START to Avoid Costly Arsenal Buildup

Sputnik International

Russia and the United States are likely to reach an agreement on a new arms control deal after the expiration of the New START Treaty and avoid the risk of nuclear weapons use during Donald Trump's presidency, experts told Sputnik.

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russia's new oreshnik ballistic missile

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During his election campaign, US President-elect Donald Trump said the US was close to reaching a denuclearization agreement with Russia and China during his first presidential term. Last week, US Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer said that the Trump administration would have "significant leverage" in potential arms control talks with Russia due to the Biden administration's initiatives to modernize the nuclear arsenal. The official added that the New START treaty, which places limits on the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and is due to expire in February 2026, creates a crucial opportunity for negotiations. Perspectives of New Russia-US Treaty on Arms ControlThe New START Treaty signed in 2010 and extended until February 5, 2026, serves as a cornerstone of strategic stability between the US and Russia and primarily focuses on limiting the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems. In February 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of Russia's participation in the New START Treaty, stating that Russia would not allow the US and NATO to inspect its nuclear facilities as Washington was not abiding by the terms of the treaty and was trying to undermine Russia's national security. Richard Bensel, a professor of government at Cornell University, expressed confidence that Russia and the US will be able to conclude a new arms control agreement. "I believe that the United States and Russia will agree to a new nuclear arms treaty but the negotiations will be quite complicated and, for that reason, we should not expect an agreement soon after the [New START Treaty] expiration," Bensel told Sputnik. At the same time, Bensel stressed that the new treaty will probably not be a high priority for the Trump administration because of the prevailing importance of the domestic agenda in the US. "He will have a year to do this but he may even want more time to put some distance between the treaty he will accept and the preliminary negotiations of the Biden administration," the expert added. Similarly, Roderick Kiewiet, a professor of political science at the California Institute of Technology, assumed that both Moscow and Washington would be interested in reaching a new treaty after the New START Treaty expiration due to the high cost to both countries of maintaining their existing nuclear arsenals. Both experts ruled out the possibility of China joining a new arms control treaty, as well as any other country that possesses nuclear weapons. According to the latest Pentagon annual report to Congress, China possesses more than 600 operational nuclear warheads as of mid-2024 and will increase their number to over 1,000 by 2030. Earlier in the month, Russian Strategic Missile Forces Commander Col. Gen. Sergei Karakaev did not rule out the possibility that Russia could increase the number of warheads on deployed carriers in response to similar US actions, saying, however, that Russia intends to maintain the number of its nuclear warheads at the level of the New START Treaty limits. Possibility of Nuclear Weapons Use On November 19, Russia updated its nuclear doctrine. According to the updates, aggression against Russia by a non-nuclear state with the involvement of a nuclear state would be considered a joint attack. One of the reasons for updating the doctrine was the West's decision to allow Kiev to use US-supplied ATACMS long-range missiles and the UK's Storm Shadow long-range missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory. Speaking about the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons, Bensel ruled it out. "Perhaps I am too optimistic but I do not believe that Russia will use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine War," Bensel said. The expert stressed that it was "almost inconceivable" that the Ukraine conflict could result in the use of nuclear weapons. The same opinion was echoed by Kiewiet, who expressed confidence in the continuation of efforts by Moscow and Washington to overcome existing tensions. "The thing about these weapons, which has been true since 1945, is that the thought of actually using them is, well, unthinkable. I am confident the US and Russia will continue to manage tensions," Kiewiet said. The expert called Russian ballistic missile Oreshnik a plus for the Russian military effort at the moment in Ukraine, but doubted that it would have much direct impact on US-Russian relations. In early December, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the US did not consider the possibility of supplying nuclear weapons to Ukraine and only focused on providing conventional weapons to Kiev. On November 21, Putin said that Russia had fired the Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile at the Yuzhmash plant in the Ukrainian city of Dnepropetrovsk (also known as Dnipro) in response to Kiev's use of longer-range US and UK weapons to attack Russian territory. Putin later emphasized that Russia needs to improve its Oreshnik missile system, not its nuclear doctrine. According to the Russian president, Oreshnik missiles, when used in mass strikes, are comparable in power to the use of nuclear weapons. Putin stressed that a sufficient number of these advanced weapons systems would make the use of nuclear weapons unnecessary.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20241219/putin-hails-oreshnik-as-cutting-edge-weapon--1121211558.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/us-dictionary-merriam-webster-mentions-russias-oreshnik-as-example-of-hypersonic-weapon-1121351564.html

US Dictionary Merriam-Webster Mentions Russia's Oreshnik as Example of Hypersonic Weapon

US Dictionary Merriam-Webster Mentions Russia's Oreshnik as Example of Hypersonic Weapon

Sputnik International

US online dictionary Merriam-Webster has mentioned Russian ballistic missile Oreshnik as an example of a hypersonic weapon in the "hypersonic" dictionary entry.

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russia's new oreshnik ballistic missile

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The online dictionary cited a December 19, 2024 Newsweek article. The examples are automatically picked from online sources to reflect current usage, and the opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors, the disclaimer said. In late November 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Ukraine had struck facilities in Russia's border regions of Kursk and Bryansk earlier that month using US-supplied ATACMS missiles and UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. Putin said that in response, Russia had successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile on November 21, hitting a Ukrainian defense industry complex in Dnepropetrovsk. The Oreshnik missile system was tested in combat conditions in a nuclear-free hypersonic configuration.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20241219/russias-invincible-oreshnik-has-left-west-in-the-dust---ex-dod-analyst-1121214587.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20250104/us-judge-refuses-to-dismiss-trump-hush-money-case-orders-him-to-appear-for-sentencing--document-1121348620.html

US Judge Refuses to Dismiss Trump 'Hush Money' Case, Orders Him to Appear for Sentencing  Document

US Judge Refuses to Dismiss Trump 'Hush Money' Case, Orders Him to Appear for Sentencing  Document

Sputnik International

The US court decided on Friday that there is no ground to dismiss President-elect Donald Trump's hush money case and ordered him to appear for sentencing on January 10.

2025-01-04T04:49+0000

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Hereby ordered that Defendant's motion to dismiss the indictment and vacate the jury verdict pursuant to CPL S 210.20(10)(h) and S 210.40(1) is denied; and it is further ordered, that Defendant appear for sentencing following conviction on January 10, 2025, at 9:30 in the morning, Acting Justice of the New York State Supreme Court said in an order. New York Judge Juan Merchan in December 2024 denied the appeal of US President-elect Donald Trump to dismiss the indictment against him in the case of hush-money payments to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels. In May, a jury found Trump guilty on 34 charges of falsifying business records related to a payment to Daniels, with whom Trump allegedly had had an affair. Trump rejected the accusations against him, and his lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the indictment. A presidential election took place in the United States on November 5. Republican candidate Trump, who had served as the US president in 2017-2021, was declared the winner by all leading race callers and networks. The Electoral College voted in accordance with the will of the voters on December 17, while the new Congress will approve the results of the vote on January 6. The presidential inauguration will take place on January 20.

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Equine Guelph, the horse owners centre at the University of Guelph, has announced its On-Demand Horse Behaviour and Safety course for youth course will be free from Jan. 1 - March 31, 2025 to youth who love horses around the globe. This evidence-based course is designed specifically for young horse enthusiasts aged 13 to 17, providing them with essential knowledge and skills to ensure their safety and deepen their understanding of horse behaviour.

Did you Know?

Horses can sleep standing up and be ready to escape a predator in the blink of an eye?

Horses have close to 360-degree vision, with only two small blind spots directly in front of and behind them? Yup, they saw the potentially carnivorous plastic bag blowing behind them way before you!

Horses have the largest eye out of any land mammal but it differs to ours in a few ways. For one thing, their eyes take a little longer to adjust from light areas to dark ones and vice versa.

Gaining understanding of how of the horse perceives their world, leads to increased handler safety when we can predict how the horse will react to their ever-changing surroundings.

The On-Demand Horse Behaviour & Safety Youth Course is a self-paced, online program that takes approximately 10-15 hours to complete. It covers a wide range of topics crucial for young equestrians, including:

Understanding horse behaviour and communication

Safe horse handling techniques

Herd interactions

Fire safety in stables

Rider and helmet safety and much more

While completing fun activities, participants will learn how to create a safe environment for themselves and their horses by anticipating horse behaviour. The course aims to empower young horse enthusiasts with the knowledge to handle horses safely and confidently.

"Thank you for doing the youth horse behaviour and safety course. I really enjoyed the course and learned a lot. The course was really fun and I wish it was longer."  Lillian, Student

The On-Demand, Horse Behaviour and Safety course for youth is free from January until March 2025. Upon successful completion, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion from Equine Guelph. To register, visit The Horse Portal.

Why not get more family members involved? Family Day is Feb. 19 (in most Canadian provinces)! There is an Adult offering of Horse Behaviour and Safety course, for those over 18, that will run Feb. 24  March 7.

Equine Guelph thanks its generous safety supporters. This free youth initiative has been made possible by ESSO, Kubota Canada, Ontario Equestrian and System Equine.

(with files from Equine Guelph)
The connections of Will Take Charge have reported that the O'Brien Award-winning trotter passed away on Dec. 19, 2024 at the age of 11.

A winner of 28 races and more than $1.3 million, Will Take Charge's career concluded in early 2020 and he lived out his retirement as a gentle and kind companion horse at trainer Jeff Gillis's farm in Fergus, Ont. At the time of his passing, he was owned by Gillis along with Mac Nichol of Burlington, Ont., and Gerald Stay of Buffalo, New York.

A multiple Ontario Sires Stakes winner as a youngster while trained by John Bax, Will Take Charge joined Gilliss stable after Nichol purchased the gelding near the end of his four-year-old campaign.

The fastest son of Kadabra took on the top trotters in the sport and had a career-best season in 2018 when he was voted Canada's Older Male Trotter of the Year with a record reading 9-6-2 from 26 starts while earning nearly a half-million dollars in purses. His richest victory was in the $186,000 Crawford Farms Trot at Tioga Downs and his fastest was a 1:50.3 score in the Maxie Lee Invitiational at Harrah's Philadelphia that year, equalling the world record for an aged trotting gelding on a five-eighths-mile track at the time. Will Take Charge was a close runner-up in the Arthur J. Cutler and John Cashman Memorials and top three in the TVG Open Trot in addition to representing Canada in the Yonkers International Trot.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Will Take Charge.

(Standardbred Canada)
State District Judge Christine Hortick wants to opt out of the Bexar County civil district courts centralized docket system, but her superiors have blocked her attempt. She is now challenging them in the 4th Court of Appeals in San Antonio. Courtesy of the Hortick Campaign

Judge Christine Hortick says her superiors abused their discretion by ordering her to work within the Bexar County civil district courts centralized docket system  which she has been trying to leave since last year.

Shes now asking the 4th Court of Appeals in San Antonio to issue a ruling that the order be stayed and/or ultimately withdrawn or vacated so she can opt out.

Hortick had given notice that she would pull out of the courts Presiding Court system starting in late August after calling it inefficient and costly to litigants in terms of both time and money.

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Her superiors, Judge Jacqueline Jackie Valdes, the local administrative judge, and Senior District Judge Sid Harle, who presides over the multicounty 4th Judicial Administrative Region, responded by ordering Hortick to serve as the Presiding Court judge for September and to assist other Presiding Court judges for various weeks during the remainder of 2024.

Hortick complied but now has filed her petition with the appeals court seeking the extraordinary legal remedy. She had anticipated filing the petition with the Texas Supreme Court but shifted strategy after consulting with her lawyer because it offers the highest probability of success, she said in an email Friday.

Reached Thursday, Harle said he received notice from Hortick that the petition would be filed but that he had not read it. He directed questions to Ryan Anderson, general counsel for the Bexar County civil district courts, who did not respond to a phone call or email.

In the petition, Hortick contends that a section of the Texas Government Code provides for her court  the 225th District Court  to give preference to civil cases, as well as family court cases that relate to abuse, neglect and children in need of supervision. While in private practice, she focused on representing children and families in Bexar County Childrens Court.

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This challenge, although not addressing the presiding system as a whole, seeks to protect the integrity of the 225th District Court as bestowed upon it by the Texas Lgislature, Hortick said. I am simply asking that I be permitted to follow the law.

Hortick accuses Valdes and Harle of disregarding the part of Government Code that applies to the 225th District Court and with threatening to hold her in contempt if she attempted to opt out.

She adds that their order is a flagrant (and unexplained) violation and disregard of the Government Code and her due process rights and authority.

Under the more than 60-year-old system in Bexar County, pretrial hearings are assigned to different civil court judges rather than staying with the same jurist all the way through the case. Hortick said she wants to hear cases from start to finish, much like judges in most other civil courts around the state.

My reservations regarding the presiding system are not with simple, one-time matters, but with the more complex cases that require multiple hearings throughout their courthouse life, Hortick wrote in September in a San Antonio Express-News op-ed column titled Why Im fighting to change Bexar Countys civil court system.

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These complex cases have complicated facts and lengthy procedural histories that must be rehashed with each new judge, she added. These cases deserve the attention and focus that one court can provide.

None of Horticks fellow jurists has come out in support of her fight, and some attorneys have publicly opposed it.

Our civil justice system would grind to a halt if each judge was forced to handle their own docket, four attorneys wrote in an Express-News op-ed column in September.

San Antonio attorney Adam Poncio filed the petition on Horticks behalf. No answer had been filed as of Friday morning.
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.
A circa-1938 photograph of West Houston Street looking west shows the Book Building at left with signs for businesses including the Nite Spot, Boston Shoe Store and National Clothing. Tall buildings in distance are the Rand Building, left, and Stowers building with a sign for the State Theater on the roof. UTSA Special Collections

Last Sundays column, answering a question about the Book Building at 140 E. Houston St., traced developer Dwight Dana Book (1869-1955) to his work as a civil engineer in New York, his job as a mining engineer in Montana and his service in the Spanish-American War before he relocated in 1905 to San Antonio.

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Book soon became embroiled in a controversy with city government about his buildings encroachment on a contested strip of land along the San Antonio River, which was resolved when the supports below the building were moved back a few feet.

Reader Neel Lane asked about the buildings original use and purpose of the unusual second floor, with its high, arched windows that indicate higher ceilings on this floor.

Buildings with tall windows on an upper floor, such as the Basila Frocks building (covered here Nov. 27, 2011), often are associated with manufacturing because the windows shed natural light on the shop floor, saving on electricity costs, but that doesnt seem to apply to the Book Building, which opened in 1906.

Its 1904 building permit refers to a three-story store building, but retail wasnt the original use. During construction, there was talk of the local Elks Club relocating to the Book Building  maybe with a hall on the second floor for club use or rentals  but that didnt happen either.

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The original purpose of the Book Buildings unusual second floor, with its high, arched windows indicating higher ceilings, isnt indicated on the 1904 building permit, which refers to a three-story store building, even though it wasnt used for retail. CBRE Group Inc.

Instead, attorneys, realtors, architects, physicians and other tenants leased office space here, according to the text of a historical marker. In the buildings first years, the International Club and Womans Club of San Antonio met in second-floor club rooms, while Book kept his own office on the third floor.

City directory listings for 1910 also show the second floor as the home of the Mexican consulate, an insurance company and the Bensonizer Co., agents for a pneumotherapy system for treatment of diseases of the air passages.

In 1912, the second floor made news when it was the scene of a fatal shooting. Sigmund N. Steinhardt, former general manager of the Mexico-Texas Land Co., was shot in his Room 202 office by Fred R. Wefing, former president of the recently dissolved company. Steinhardt was found dead on the floor, a cigar still clutched in his mouth. The shooter was tracked down to his nearby home at 222 Soledad.

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Wefing, bordering on complete collapse, told Sheriff John Tobin that the deceased had been nagging at him for some time, and that he had to do it, as reported in the Light, Jan. 10, 1912.

Despite this confession, Wefing was not convicted of murder. From the witness stand at his trial, the admitted shooter said his business relations with Steinhardt had become strained. Fear that violence would be done to him by Mr. Steinhardt  caused him to carry the pistol in his pocket on the morning of the tragedy, the San Antonio Light reported on Sept. 5, 1913.

The former partners squabbled over a large map of Mexico lands and a statement for certain items  pertaining to a trip to Mexico by Mr. Steinhardt, who was greatly angered  and leap(t) from his chair as though to attack the defendant.

By his account, Wefing, who had pleaded self-defense, didnt exactly shoot his old partner: I called to him, Dont attack me, when the pistol exploded.

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The Book Building, on the right, was the scene of a fatal shooting in 1912. The shooter pleaded self-defense, and the jury delivered a not guilty verdict. CBRE Group Inc.

This sounded good to the members of the jury. They were out of the courtroom but a few minutes, said the Light, Sept. 6, 1913, before returning with a verdict of not guilty.

After the trial Wefing resumed work in the real estate business  after moving to the Alamo National Bank Building  until his death by natural causes in 1944.

The Book Building acquired retail tenants on the ground floor.

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By the time of a 1938 photograph of that block of Houston Street, the building is shown with signs for businesses such as the Boston Shoe Store, the National Credit loan company, National Clothing and the Nite Spot cabaret.

Despite his clash with the city government, Book stayed in San Antonio and kept the Houston Street building that still bears his name. He first appears in the city directory in 1905 as a civil engineer and later as owner-manager of the Book Building.

In 1906, he entered a partnership with developer J.M. Nix and others in a new gas and electric company. Books obituary says he was an early-day stockholder in the Gunter Hotel, completed in 1909 on Houston Street  less than a block from his own building  as the citys largest property at that time.

Like many other San Antonians who built their fortunes here, Book was a prolific trader in real estate. After a trip to California, he told the Light, Dec. 5, 1917, that he was disappointed because there (was) nothing doing out there for a man to make money, compared with San Antonio, where you can go into almost any kind of business, and there is a good revenue to be made in all lines.
Chinese FM to visit Namibia, Republic of the Congo, Chad, Nigeria

Xinhua) 10:16, January 04, 2025

BEIJING, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Namibia, the Republic of the Congo, Chad and Nigeria from Jan. 5 to 11, continuing the tradition of a Chinese foreign minister visiting Africa on the first overseas trip at the start of the year for 35 consecutive years, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning announced Friday.

The visit by Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is aimed at promoting the implementation of the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, deepening practical cooperation in various fields, and promoting the sustained and in-depth development of China-Africa relations, Mao said at a news briefing.

At the FOCAC Beijing Summit last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

President Xi also proposed that China and Africa should jointly advance modernization characterized by six features, and pledged that China will work with Africa to take the ten partnership actions for modernization, which have received warm response from the African side, Mao added.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
Nancy M. Preyor-Johnson is the Deputy Metro Editor. She can be reached at nancy.preyor-johnson@express-news.net

She previously worked as the deputy editor on the Express-News Editorial Board. The award-winning journalist and former teacher holds a master's degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies. A native of the South Texas town of Mathis, she has a bachelors degree in communications from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She serves on the executive board of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
A Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-232 lands at San Antonio International Airport as officials celebrate the return of the carrier to San Antonio and marks Spirits first flight to Orlando on Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022. Spirit officials also announced routes to Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale and Baltimore at the event. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

Spirit Airlines is launching San Antonio International Airports first nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico in early March.

Itll run year-round as many as four days a week.

The ties between our region and Puerto Rico have grown substantially in recent years, city Air Service Administrator Jacob Tyler said Friday in a news release. Establishing nonstop service between San Antonio and San Juan has been a priority.

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The new flight is scheduled to take off from San Antonio at 4:37 p.m. Central Time and arrive at San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport at 11:37 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time. Flights leaving San Juan will take off at 11:12 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time and land in San Antonio at 3:32 p.m. Central Time. The service is to begin March 5.

San Juan isnt the only addition the budget airline is making to its Alamo City offerings. Locals looking to get out of town for spring break will have several options through the carrier, as well.

From Feb. 20 to March 18, Spirit will offer seasonal service to New Orleans. It will have service to Miami from March 5 through March 18 and the carriers seasonal service to Tampa will resume March 6 through March 18.

On April 9, Spirit is kicking off a new route to Atlanta.

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The airline currently offers nonstop service from San Antonio to Dallas-Fort Worth, Newark, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Orlando.

Spirit has been rapidly expanding its San Antonio service after returning to the market in 2022 with just two flights  to Orlando and Las Vegas.

Spirit first landed in San Antonio in 2008 with service to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but those flights were canceled the next year.

READ MORE: San Antonio loses its first nonstop to Europe as Condor Airlines pulls out

More than two years ago, Spirit Airlines launched service to San Antonio International Airport with two destinations, Airport Director Jesus Saenz said. With the support of the community, Spirit has grown substantially, and we are thrilled to see air service continue to expand.

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Spirit filed for bankruptcy in November but has told San Antonio officials it wont affect local service.
AD Ports Group has announced that it has solidified its position as a leading facilitator of global trade and logistics through unprecedented global expansion and strategic investments in 2024.

The Group's enhanced connectivity, capacity, and international presence demonstrate its commitment to sustainable innovation and excellence in the global trade and logistics sector.

This transformative year has been marked by significant milestones that reflect the Group's strategic vision and operational prowess.

Khalifa Port

The Group ended its eventful year on a high note with the inauguration of CMA Terminals Khalifa Port by HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

The new container terminal boosts Khalifa Ports capacity by 23%, bringing unprecedented opportunities for Abu Dhabi and the UAE.

In addition, the inauguration marks a major milestone in the development of Khalifa Port, which since its inception in 2012 has become one of the worlds fastest-growing and most efficient commercial ports.

Autoterminal Khalifa Port has also witnessed a surge of 30% in vehicle traffic in the first half of the year, which was made possible by construction in record time of 90,000 sq m of additional yard storage capacity, said AD Ports in its statement.

This expansion ensures business continuity for its customers and absorbs the uptick in automotive trade, it stated.

Spanish Noatum assets

The integration of Noatums assets into AD Ports Group's structure has been another major milestone.

A leading multinational group based in Spain, Noatum specialises in maritime, global logistics and port operations with 60 years of experience.

This restructuring leverages Noatums international brand equity and solidifies AD Ports Groups corporate structure while pursuing its international expansion strategy, said the statement.

The integration has led to operating efficiencies that support the Groups international growth, and the introduction of new products, solutions and entry into new geographies, with enhanced synergies that bolster AD Ports Groups position as a leader in maritime and logistics solutions and as a leading enabler of trade, it added.

Solid revenue boost

AD Ports Group said it had delivered record levels of revenue and net profit in 9M 2024 of AED12.72 billion and AED1.29 billion, respectively, driven by strong growth across its core businesses: +13% YoY for Ports, +46% YoY for Maritime & Shipping, +11% YoY for Economic Cities and Free Zones, +26% YoY for Logistics, and +4% YoY for Digital.

AD Ports Group recently received an initial A1 credit rating with a stable outlook from Moodys Ratings (Moodys), the international credit ratings agency, reflecting the Groups strong financial performance and liquidity position as well as its robust growth prospects.

In September, AD Ports Group signed agreements to refinance its syndicated loan of $2.25 billion at more favourable terms, and successfully refinanced and upsized its Revolving Credit Facility (RCF) in December from $1 billion to $2.125 billion for greater financial flexibility, lower cost of funding, and better planning options.

Managing Director and Group CEO Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi said: "In 2024, AD Ports Group has strengthened its leading position in global trade and logistics through significant expansions and strategic investments. Weve recently welcomed Sheikh Khaled to inaugurate CMA Terminals Khalifa Port, the latest infrastructure addition to Khalifa port, which will significantly boost Abu Dhabis connectivity."

"Furthermore, weve successfully integrated Noatum, our biggest-ever acquisition, broadening the economic horizons of our Group," he stated.

Al Shamisi said: "Our efforts are reflected in the Groups climb for the first time into the global top 20 ranks of world container port operators in a survey by Drewry International. Weve witnessed growing expansion into global markets in 2024, enabled by ventures in Angola, Egypt, Tanzania, Pakistan and Georgia."

"These successes highlight the robust health of our core businesses and the benefits of our intelligent internationalisation strategy, guided by the vision of our wise leadership," he added.

Global expansion

In Central Asia, AD Ports Group acquired a 60% stake in Tbilisi Dry Port, an intermodal logistics facility in Georgia along the Middle Corridor route, linking manufacturing centres in Asia to consumer markets in Europe, and efficiently leveraging a network of sea and dry ports across Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, and Turkiye.

AD Ports Group and Adani together acquired Tanzania International Container Terminal Services (TICTS), which operates berths 8-11 at Dar es Salaam port in Tanzania.

Throughout 2024, AD Ports Group expanded its global presence by securing a 25-year concession at Karachi Port in Pakistan to develop, operate and manage the Bulk and General Cargo terminal berths 11-17, with a planned investment of $75 million in the first two years.

In addition, the Group further expanded its presence in Egypt by signing agreements with the Red Sea Ports Authority to develop, operate, and manage three cruise terminals in Safaga, Hurghada, and Sharm El Sheikh.

These strategic moves strengthen AD Ports Groups cruise business in the region, by complementing the Cruise Terminal in Aqaba, Jordan, and supporting increased cruise passenger volumes and experiences across the region.

The acquisition of Egypts Safina B.V. in 2024 expands the Group's route network to 15 Egyptian ports and provides transit services through the Suez Canal. These efforts complement previous acquisitions of Transmar and TCI, and the concession to build, operate, and manage a multipurpose terminal in Safaga, driving revenue and profit growth through cross-cluster synergies.

The Group was also awarded a concession to operate, develop, and manage a multipurpose terminal in Port of Luanda, Angola, and to establish a logistics company with local partners Multiparques and Unicargas.

The Port of Luanda handles over 76% of Angolas container and general cargo volumes, and also serves as a key transshipment hub for Central-West Africa, facilitating maritime trade access to land-locked countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

Strategic partnerships

Safeen Subsea, a joint venture between AD Ports Group and NMDC Group, launched 'Safeen Green,' a state-of-the-art remotely operated unmanned vessel (USV) designed to revolutionise marine surveys and inspections.

In addition, Safeen Group, alongside venture partner Damen Shipyards Group, achieved a Guinness World Record for operating the worlds Most Powerful Electric Tugboat, the Bu Tinah, the first of its kind in the Middle East, which helped reduce the Groups carbon footprint from marine activities thanks to its zero emissions from Tank to Propeller.

The Groups success was also supported once again by Kezad Group, the cornerstone of the Groups Economic Cities & Free Zones Cluster, the largest operator of integrated and purpose-built economic zones in the region, which had a remarkable year with several key developments.-TradeArabia News Service
Abu Dhabi recorded a real GDP growth of 4.5% year-on-year in Q3, thus marking the fastest pace of expansion in the emirate since Q4 2022, according to Emirates NBD Research.

This marked the fastest pace of expansion in the emirate since Q4 2022 as Opec+-mandated oil production curbs have held back growth in the oil economy over the past two years.

Growth was driven primarily by the non-oil sector which grew 6.6% y/y and 5.9% year-to-date, in line with our full-year estimate of 6.0% growth last year, it stated.

Despite the ongoing production curbs, the oil sector did register positive growth over the first nine months of 2024 following the contraction seen in 2023. It was up 2.2% y/y in Q3 and 1.6% y-t-d over Q1-Q3 even as Bloomberg crude oil production data shows a y/y decline of 1.3% to an average of 2.97 million b/d in 2024.

This GDP expansion likely reflects ongoing investment in the sector alongside growth in condensates production, which are not covered by the OPEC+ agreement, and natural gas.

In 2025 we anticipate a modest uptick in the UAEs oil production later in the year, while the first half will see a fillip from the current curbs passing through the base, and we forecast an acceleration to 5.0% oil sector growth this year, said Emirates NBD Research in its review.

The fastest-growing sector in 2024 was the transport & storage sector, which was up 15.9% y-t-d and accelerated to 18.0% y/y in Q3. This is a similar story to Dubai where the sector has also been an outperformer.

Strong growth in passenger numbers at Zayed International have been a key driver of this expansion, with January to September seeing 21.7mn people pass through the facility, up 31.2% y/y, while aircraft movements were up 10.2% y/y.

Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi (SCAD)s statement also highlighted the role played by the shipping and ports sector, with growth in container and general cargo throughput at the emirates port facilities.

Emirates NBD Research pointed out that another notable growth story in Abu Dhabi in 2024 was the rapid expansion of the financial services sector, which logged the second-fastest pace of growth, up 11.6% y-t-d, accounting for 6.4% of total output.

The emirate has been increasingly positioning itself as a major financial hub, attracting growing numbers of hedge funds and other money managers to set up operations in the capital of capital.

In the first half of the year the ADGM issued 1,271 new licences, up 20.5% y/y while assets under management expanded 226%. Alongside the growing presence of major international names, the Abu Dhabi-headquartered sovereign wealth funds have also been highly active.

According to a report by Global SWF published at the start of 2025, Mubadala accounted for nearly 20% of all funds deployed globally by sovereign wealth funds last year.

The construction sector logged the third-fastest pace of growth, and as the largest non-oil component of GDP, provided much of the headline expansion. It grew 10.0% y/y in Q3 and was up 10.4% y-t-d over the three-quarter period.

SCADs statement noted an increase in urban infrastructure projects, likely powered by ongoing population growth in Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE, with the real estate sector also benefiting, up 4.3% y-t-d.

"An expansionary budget and the development of major infrastructure projects such as Etihad Rail and the Abu Dhabi metro should prompt ongoing growth in construction activity in 2025, while our expectation of further rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve, and by extension the CBUAE, should be supportive of both households and private sector businesses," said Emirates NBD Research in the review.

The pace of growth in the transport sector will be difficult to maintain at such a high level, but expansion plans by Etihad as it looks to double its annual passengers (Abu Dhabi aviation seeing strong growth) should be supportive nonetheless, it stated.

"We forecast non-oil GDP growth of 5.5% in Abu Dhabi this year, and headline growth of 5.3%," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
UAE national carrier Etihad Airways has opened its new US Preclearance Lounge at Zayed International Airport, thus enhancing the travel experience for passengers flying to the United States. The exclusive space offers direct boarding on select flights for premium guests.

Located steps away from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility, the new lounge provides eligible guests with a serene space to unwind after completing their entry formalities and before boarding their flight.

The thoughtfully designed facility features a refined selection of beverages and light dining options, complementing Etihad's premium travel experience. Select flights offer the convenience of direct boarding from the lounge, enhancing the seamless journey, said the Abu Dhabi carrier in a statement.

The US Preclearance Lounge welcomes eligible guests travelling in The Residence, First or Business, as well as Platinum and Emerald Etihad Guest members. Access is also available for purchase, subject to availability, it stated.

"This new lounge marks another milestone in our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for our guests," remarked John Wright, the Chief Operations & Guest Officer at Etihad Airways.

For a comprehensive premium experience, he stated, eligible guests can begin their journey at its acclaimed First or Business Class Lounge in the main terminal before proceeding to the US CBP Preclearance facility approximately 90 minutes before their flight.

"By combining our premium lounge service with the convenience of U.S. Preclearance, we're offering our guests an elevated journey through Abu Dhabi before they even board their flight. Zayed International is the only Middle East hub to offer this time-saving service," he added.

According to Wright, flying with Etihad Airways to the US offers the unique advantage of the CBP Preclearance facility, one of only a few such facilities worldwide.

By completing all US customs and immigration formalities before boarding in Abu Dhabi, guests arrive in the States as domestic passengers, saving valuable time upon arrival. Guests can simply collect their bags and go, or proceed seamlessly to their connecting flights, he noted.

Etihad currently serves four US destinations with nonstop flights to Boston, Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C.

The airline will also launch services to Atlanta in July 2025, further strengthening its commitment to the North American market.-TradeArabia News Service
As part of the Abu Dhabi stop of the World Tour Vespucci and Italy Village, the event The Wonders of Italian Tourism and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, offers an unique opportunity to further strengthen ties with Gulf countries

The event, promoted by the Ministry of Tourism and organized by The Italian Government Tourist Board (ENIT), will showcase Italian tourism excellence to its highly strategic market.

Infact the tourism flow data confirms this trend. In 2023, there was an increase of over +44% in travellers from Abu Dhabi and +32% from Dubai to Italy, while Saudi Arabia registered a 95% rise in visitors, with overnight stays increasing by over 32% and spending by 74%.

Additionally, tourists from Saudi Arabia increased their overnight stays by 32.5% and spending by 74.6%, stated the data from ENIT.

"The extremely positive trend in tourism from Gulf countries is an encouraging sign for our sector," remarked Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanche.

"We are working to attract more Arab visitors - who, notably, are high-spending tourists - by offering increasingly innovative options,"she stated.

"Thanks to a new industrial vision, which the Ministry has now embraced, and the valuable work of industry operators, we will be able to consolidate this success, making Italy even more appealing to this market," she added.

ENIT, explained its CEO Ivana Jelenic, actively supports Italian businesses in fully seizing these opportunities through targeted promotional actions and by fostering the creation of strategic partnerships.

"This ensures that the Italian tourism sector can reap the maximum benefits from this extraordinary growth opportunity," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
President Joe Biden, center, stands with Laura Blevins, left, before presenting the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration, posthumously to her father, Gen. Richard Cavazos, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Susan Walsh/Associated Press President Joe Biden, right, talks with Laura Blevins, left, after presenting the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration, posthumously to her father, Gen. Richard Cavazos, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Susan Walsh/Associated Press Richard Cavazos was the nation's first Hispanic four-star general. U.S. Army Fort Hood in Central Texas was renamed for Gen. Richard Cavazos in 2023. Above, Col. Kevin Bradley of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and his wife, Alison, pose for photos on the day of the renaming ceremony. Billy Calzada/Staff photographer Army Spc. Nicolas Cavazos (standing) is recognized during a 2023 ceremony at which Fort Hood was renamed for his grandfather, Gen. Richard Cavazos, the nation's first Hispanic four-star general. Billy Calzada/Staff photographer

There was one last summit to conquer for Gen. Richard Cavazos, a Hispanic icon in the U.S. Army and a legendary soldier, but he didnt live to see it.

At a White House ceremony on Friday, Cavazos was awarded the Medal of Honor. His daughter, Laura Blevins, accepted the honor on his behalf from President Joe Biden. Cavazos was one of seven veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars who received the medal. Biden described them as "heroes who all went above and beyond the call of duty."

All but one of the recipients, Spc. 4th Class Kenneth J. David, were honored posthumously. David, wearing the Army's classic "pinks and greens" dress uniform of the World War II and Korean War eras, stood as Biden placed the Medal of Honor around his neck. The audience gave him a standing ovation.

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Cavazos, a Kingsville native, was the nation's first Hispanic four-star general. He was known as loyal and fearless, a master tactician, an innovator, and a soldiers soldier who served as a role model for every Hispanic general who later came up through the ranks. He died at age 88 in San Antonio on Oct. 29, 2017, and is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

In 2023, Fort Hood in Central Texas, the nation's largest active-duty armored military post, was renamed for Cavazos.

"A young first lieutenant in Korea, Richard led his men through a difficult, deadly mission in enemy territory," Biden said during the White House ceremony. "Eventually, he was ordered to retreat, but he stayed. He stayed rescuing wounded soldiers one by one, until every one of them was evacuated."

Cavazos received the Medal of Honor for his role in a June 14, 1953, battle  in the closing days of the Korean War  when he served as the commander of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. The bilingual Cavazos led his men, mostly Puerto Ricans who spoke only Spanish, in a raid on the enemy near Sagimak, Korea.

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A U.S. Army National Museum biography said his ability to speak Spanish bolstered the unit "after a series of commanders who spoke no Spanish, which resulted in confusion and chaos during battles." Cavazos received the Distinguished Service Cross for his role in the raid. A commendation described his actions that day.

"Lieutenant Cavazos three times led the company through the heavy barrage in assaults on the enemy position, each time destroying vital enemy equipment and personnel," the commendation stated. "When the United Nations element was ordered to withdraw, Lieutenant Cavazos remained alone on the enemy outpost to search the area for missing men.

"Exposed to heavy hostile fire, Lieutenant Cavazos located five men who had been wounded in the action," it went on to say. "He evacuated them, one at a time, to a point on the reverse slope of the hill from which they could be removed to the safety of the friendly lines."

He accepted medical attention for his wounds only after rescuing all the other soldiers. Troops who fought with Cavazos said that is who he was: a commander close to his men and always looking out for them.

"He once told me he would rather use $100,000 worth of artillery and ordinance than have any of his men hurt or killed. The men he led knew that about him, which encouraged them to prevail," said Mel Brav, 82, of San Diego, Calif., who served under Cavazos in Vietnam.

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"He was on the ground fighting with us," said Ronnie Campsey, 82, of East Quogue, N.Y., a Silver Star recipient from the San Antonio-area town of Devine who fought with Cavazos in Vietnam. "He wasnt in a helicopter above us. He was with his men."

Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, described Cavazos in an interview Friday as a "trailblazing Texan" who was "an exceptional soldier, a proud Texan and a remarkable man."

"Tonights Medal of Honor presentation is a long-deserved award for a heroic man who dedicated his life to our country and the soldiers under his command. Latino and Hispanic servicemembers have a long and decorated history in our nations Armed Forces, but those sacrifices have too often gone overlooked," Castro said. "I hope this award is a marker of greater progress in our countrys efforts to recognize the heroism of service members from all walks of life.

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Alfredo Valenzuela, a former commander of U.S. Army South, described Cavazos as a mentor with a "personal touch."

"There's more to the story than just getting medals. He touched the hearts of soldiers. I mean, he hugged them, he cried with them, he bled with them, he was just one of a kind," said Valenzuela, 76, of San Antonio. "Unlike any other officer in today's military, he was just unique in that personal skill, and I've always said he had a love affair for soldiers."

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Cavazos grew up on King Ranch in South Texas, the son of a Mexican American cowhand. His father, Lauro Cavazos, served as an Army artillery sergeant in World War I and became a foreman at King Ranch in an era of intense racism.

Lawrence Romo of San Antonio, a former Air Force officer who was once director of the U.S. Selective Service Commission, was a member of the Naming Commission that renamed Fort Hood and nine other Army posts that bore the names of Confederate leaders. He said Cavazos was the consensus choice as the new namesake for Fort Hood. Cavazos served at the armored post in various capacities, including as its commander.

Romo called Cavazos "an American hero from Texas."
Tesla reported a dip in full-year auto sales Thursday, missing a company forecast in a sign of rising electric vehicle competition in China and other markets.

Elon Musk's EV company reported 495,570 fourth-quarter deliveries. While that represented a quarterly record, it lagged Wall Street estimates and resulted in full year-sales of just under 1.8 million vehicles.

This was around one percent less than the 2023 sales, even as Tesla said in October that it expected a "slight growth" in vehicle deliveries for the year.

Besides rising competition from producers like China's BYD and legacy auto companies, analysts pointed to a sluggish ramp-up of production of the futuristic Cybertruck.

Shares of Tesla fell sharply following the release, cutting into the company's massive gains since the November 5 US presidential election.

The sales figure caps a mixed 2024 for Tesla, a year in which Musk dove full-on into US electoral politics.

He helped to deliver the presidency to Republican Donald Trump through massive contributions and the amplification of anti-immigrant and other Trump rhetoric on Musk's X platform, the former Twitter.

But Tesla's profits through the first three quarters of 2024 fell 31 percent from the equivalent period of 2023, a reflection of moves to slash prices in the wake of slowing demand.

Tesla has called the current period of moderating sales reflective of its position "between two major growth waves," with the next period of volume increases due to advances in autonomy and the introduction of new vehicle products.

The company has faced pressure to roll out new vehicles, with Wall Street particularly eager to see a lower-priced model. The Model 3 currently starts at around $30,000.

Investors cheered a Musk statement in July that he plans a new, more affordable model in the first half of 2025, but the company has provided few details.

CFRA Research analyst Garrett Nelson pointed to tepid deliveries of the Cybertruck, which customers first began receiving in November 2023.

Tesla's press release Thursday did not break out sales for the vehicle, which were a component of "other models." Deliveries in this category stod at just 85,133 for the year.

Musk has previously described the Cybertruck's challenges as production-related, characterizing demand as robust. He has said he expects annual sales of 250,000 Cybertrucks in North America.

But today's output appears to be well below Cybertruck's current installed capacity of above 125,000 per year, according to Tesla literature.

"The ramp up has been disappointing," said Nelson, adding that the figures raise questions about demand for the vehicle.

Though still not common on US roads, the massive, brutal-looking Cybertruck has become perhaps Tesla's most emblematic vehicle, generating both adoration from Tesla fans and mockery on social media from critics.

Authorities were investigating the explosion of a Cybertruck Wednesday outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas that killed one person.

Shares of Tesla rose more than 60 percent between the November 5 election of Trump as president and the end of 2024, with the market certain that Musk's clout with the incoming administration will benefit Tesla initiatives in autonomous driving and artificial intelligence.

"The next step in this broader Tesla strategic vision begins is the autonomous and AI era which will be accelerated under a Trump White House," said analysts at Wedbush, which called Tesla's 2024 auto sales a secondary issue compared with Tesla's growth story.

Tesla skeptics point to the on-the-ground progress of Alphabet-owned Waymo, which currently runs robotaxis in three US cities. A heavily-touted October launch event in Los Angeles showing off Tesla's autonomous robotaxi vehicles received mostly lackluster reviews.

But Tesla bulls point to the company's progress in driver-assistance technologies, which is providing the company with data that it believes will ultimately lead to full autonomy.

"We still have a buy on the stock," said Nelson, who also foresees a rebound in sales next year. "2025 is going to be a year where there's significant progress in developing the framework on autonomous driving. So that's a positive for the stock."

Shares of Tesla sank 6.9 percent in early-afternoon trading.
For several years, Ive been lucky to host occasional groups of visiting journalists from around the world in the Arizona Daily Star newsroom.

When we meet, these participants in the State Departments Edward R. Murrow program mostly ask me questions, but it often has struck me that I cant tell them anything new about journalism. Its a much more challenging profession in most of their home countries than it is in ours.

Or it was.

Increasingly, it feels like the United States is drifting toward having a controlled, intimidated press like that of some of the countries these visitors came from.

Turkey, El Salvador, Bangladesh, Israel, Nicaragua. These are some of the countries where elected leaders have used their power and allies to dominate the news media and bend it to their wishes. And theyre some of the countries from which weve had visitors.

Now, I wish we could have them come back so I could ask them about how to operate in a new American news environment that is shifting toward what theyve experienced in their countries.

How so?

The ground has been crumbling under American journalism for a long time, but the November election loosed violent new tremors on the news industry.

One of the first recent shifts was Donald Trumps lawsuit against CBS News, alleging it had engaged in election interference through its editing of a 60 Minutes interview with then-candidate Kamala Harris. It appears to be a ridiculous lawsuit, more so because Trump had the opportunity to be interviewed by 60 Minutes himself but refused.

Still, it is forcing a big American news organization to play defense, extending worrisome pattern that has only grown worse.

In December, ABC News settled a lawsuit filed by Trump in March over host George Stephanopolous saying that a jury found Trump liable for the rape of E. Jean Carroll. Within the narrow bounds of New York law, the jury actually found Trump guilty of sexual abuse, but the judge later clarified that the behavior Trump engaged in is what people commonly term rape.

ABC agreed to pay $15 million to a future Trump presidential library and $1 million to cover legal costs. This settlement was a full-on earthquake  news organizations rarely if ever settle these cases because of the precedent it sets, inviting others to sue.

Sure enough, Trump went on Dec. 17 to sue the Des Moines Register and a pollster who had run a poll for the newspaper shortly before the November election, showing Kamala Harris ahead of Trump in the state. It turned out to be wrong.

In the lawsuit, Trump alleged this too was election interference. It also appears to be a meritless lawsuit  a news organization has a right to run whatever poll it wants. And news organizations have a First Amendment right to interfere in elections by publishing news and opinion about them.

It costs a lot of money to do it, but we have to straighten out the press, Trump said in a news conference.

Winning the suit is often not the point of filing such cases. They are known as SLAPP suits  an abbreviation for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. As Cornell Universitys Legal Information Institute puts it: People bring SLAPP suits because they can either temporarily prevent their critics from making public statements against them or more commonly to make critics spend all of their time and resources defending the SLAPP suits.

In some states, there are laws against SLAPP suits, but Iowa isnt one of them.

You are the media now

In the old days of American news media, these suits would have amounted to little more than a nuisance. In those days, you needed a printing press or a broadcast license to bring news to a mass audience, barriers that meant news outlets even as small as the Arizona Daily Star could make big profits.

These days, people get much of their news from social media, and most of those platforms are openly hostile to news organizations. Their algorithms  Bluesky being the main exception  suppress links to outside news sources, and owners like Elon Musk want people to view the platform itself as the news source, not outside news organizations.

You are the media now, Musk has told X users.

The fact that news outlets have often reported critically on Musk and his businesses undoubtedly has something to do with his hostility.

At the same time, people like him are outlandishly rich, while legacy news organizations are diminishing in size. Lee Enterprises, which owns the Arizona Daily Star  along with 71 other news outlets, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Buffalo News  has a market valuation of just $87 million as of this writing.

Thats for the whole company! Consider that when Lee bought Pulitzer Inc., the smaller company that used to own the Arizona Daily Star, in 2005, Lee paid about $1.5 billion just for Pulitzer  about 17 times the value of the whole company now.

Musk, Peter Thiel or any of Americas tech billionaires could probably scoop us up without a second thought if they felt like it. Thats what happened at the Los Angeles Times: Biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong bought it in 2018 and is trying to make it friendlier to Trump by replacing the editorial page staff and asking for less coverage of the incoming president.

The owner of the Washington Post, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, killed a planned endorsement of Harris and has tried to curry favor with Trump. His other businesses include federal contractors Amazon Web Services and Blue Origin.

The Posts editorial cartoonist resigned last week after her bosses refused to publish a cartoon mocking the tech billionaires bending their knees to Trump before he takes office.

Suing media into submission

They can buy us, or they can sue us into submission, if they wish. Thiel notoriously funded a lawsuit by wrestler Hulk Hogan that ended up bankrupting Gawker, a news site that had reported critically about Thiel and reported he is gay.

These lawsuits can also be harmful at a smaller scale. In 2022, I was one of two Star journalists, along with the newspaper itself, sued by a former Pima County prosecutor, Caitlin Watters.

I never even named her in the column she sued me over, which was about her father, then-Justice of the Peace Adam Watters. But there was more going on in the lawsuit than a dispute over facts. The lawsuit said in our coverage we were motivated by animus, bias and a political anti-gun, anti-Republican, and anti-Conservative agenda.

We filed a motion to dismiss the case, arguing in part that our facts were correct. A state appeals court ordered the case dismissed, but even then the process dragged on, eventually lasting two years, eight months and 13 days. It was an unpleasant and costly experience. We won, but we got no award of attorneys fees.

If a deep-pocketed backer like Thiel had got interested in the case, maybe we would still be litigating.

Legal defense efforts

Efforts are already underway to assemble a legal-defense fund for news organizations sued by Trump and his allies. A broader effort aims to protect those who may find themselves the subject of criminal investigations or audits if Trumps appointees direct those actions against his rivals, as he has promised.

Thats good: The lessons from other countries taken over by people who want to cow the independent press are to adapt and abide.

El Faro, an independent news outlet based in El Salvador that has reported critically on populist Pres. Nayib Bukele, took a drastic step. They re-established their company as an entity based in Costa Rica and moved their administrative and legal operations there to avert possible legal attacks from the government.

One journalist who visited our newsroom, Alam Badrul of Bangladesh, told me via email how 14 years of repression ended with the overthrowing last year of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She had ruled the country increasingly repressively, controlling the press through intimidation, harassment, arrests, legal action and violence.

During the last regime, due to long-term direct or indirect pressure, a kind of self-censorship atmosphere were there in journalism, Badrul told me via e-mail. Those times are now undergoing a kind of transformation.

During the Hasina regime, It was difficult to write detailed report on the influence of oligarchs on the economy, Badrul elaborated, sounding a theme that will be familiar to Americans. But such reports, he said, were written after the change of government.

Nothing is to be gained in the long run by sucking up, Ive learned from our international journalists. That just helps governments cow the press faster. Instead, outlets need to stand strong, adapt and abide as the ground shakes.
On Dec. 26, a day after celebrating Christmas as a family, the Garewals packed up the car, pointed it to California like theyd done so many times before, and hit the road toward what was supposed to be a great time with family and friends.

At 2:50 that afternoon, everything changed, in the most devastating of ways.

Yui Umehara-Garewal was driving the family Honda on Interstate 10 near Desert Center about 50 miles west of Blythe. A vehicle headed the other direction crossed the median for unknown reasons, struck the front of the Garewals car and forced their vehicle to crash into the side of a third vehicle, the California Highway Patrol says.

The impact killed 43-year-old Yui, and dimmed a light across Tucson for those whose lives had been touched by the petite but mighty mom, who friends say loved fiercely and would protect her family at all costs.

She leaves behind her husband Jaz Garewal and their children Lilly, 16, and Wesley, 12, who survived the crash.

Among the many friends also mourning her are her former co-workers at the Arizona Daily Star, where Yui worked as a copy editor for nearly 10 years before leaving to tackle what she called the most important job of her life, to care for and be there for her children and husband.

Ive worked with so many wonderful people at the Arizona Daily Star, and none were kinder than Yui, Jill Jorden Spitz, a former editor of the Star, posted on Facebook. She exuded a positive energy and constantly uplifted everyone around her. This is such a loss.

Though Jaz Garewal and Yui Umehara had both gone to the same Tucson preschool, their paths didnt cross until they met at the University of Arizona, where Yui received a degree in journalism. They fell in love while working as broadcast media interns at the Arizona Legislature, and married in 2003, said Jaz, a software developer.

During their two decades of marriage Jaz was amazed, but not surprised, by how quickly and effortlessly she became a fixture of the Oro Valley community where they made their home.

Its not just the Garewal family feeling the loss of Yuis big laugh, bright smiles, hugs and stories.

Anna Likhacheva was a new, 14-year-old Russian student at Amphi High School who could barely speak English when she was befriended by her science lab partner, a beautiful and kind student named Yui.

While the two remained best friends, their lives took them on different paths until they were brought together again through their growing families. Though they talked frequently and made it a point to get their families together regularly, after Yui died, Likhacheva scrolled through her social media and was amazed by the depth of her reach.

I realized that I dont know who these people are, Likhacheva said. It made me feel so happy for her that she had created this large community.

The outpouring came as no surprise to the Garewals, however.

This support we are receiving does not just come from nowhere, Jaz said of his wifes contagious personality. He said people are coming from all corners of Yuis life to mourn her loss. Its appreciated, but not surprising.

He said that although Yuis feet were small, she leaves enormous shoes to fill. There are Wesleys drama practices at Spotlight Youth Productions to attend, Lilly and Wesleys fencing tournaments to get to, and helping Lilly manage her crocheting business.

If you ask her friends, theyll tell you Yui did it all with ease.

She was also commended for the work she put in as a long-time volunteer and PTO member at her childrens schools.

If youve been part of our school community anytime in this past decade it is likely youve come across Yuis warm heart and welcoming smile, said Painted Sky Elementary School Principal Bethany Papajohn, who worked closely with Yui during Lilly and Wesleys times at the school.

She gave generously to our school by volunteering in her own childrens classrooms, serving on our PTO Board, volunteering at nearly every event, and being an encourager and consistent support just by being Yui.

Likhacheva called this trait of Yuis rare. Sometimes people value all the wrong things in life. Not Yui. Yui had ambition, and was so happy to be focused on her family, Likhacheva said.

She could make you want to support whatever cause she was tackling at that time, school volunteers said.

Kellie Collet worked with Yui over the years as a volunteer at Painted Sky. She remains stunned by the amount of juggling her friend would do to keep everything in her life running smoothly. I still dont know how she did it, Collet said.

Nobody ever had anything bad to say about Yui, because there simply wasnt anything bad about her, Collet said. She just made everyone around her feel so happy and loved. There is no one like Yui.

Yui had recently reentered the workforce as a full-time copy editor for New York-based Positive Promotions.

Jaz and the kids said they can feel Yuis light shining all around them and they know shes helping them and guiding them from above.

I cant say how hard this is going to be, Jaz said. But I can feel her supporting us.

Plans for services are pending.
Innovation and creativity are not only the lifeblood of enterprises but also the driving force for Vietnams economic growth and help turn the country into a new Asian tiger, heard a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday.

Asian tigersindicate major economic powerhouses in Asia.

The seminar Innovate to Thrive in the New Era, jointly held by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper and the Vietnam Chief Sales & Marketing Officers Club (CSMO), attracted more than 300 experts, representatives of enterprises, brands and start-ups, as well as young people interested in innovation and branding, marking five years of the Ho Chi Minh City Brand Awards.

Speaking at the event, deputy director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Thi Kim Ngoc said the five editions of the Ho Chi Minh City Brand Awards had brought many values to the local business community.

The award has contributed to honoring outstanding brands and cementing the position of Ho Chi Minh City enterprises in the context of integration.

Enterprises have thereby improved brand values and fostered innovation and sustainability.

The seminar was a part of the fifth Ho Chi Minh City Brand Awards and kicked off the third season of the Accompanying Brands: Walk & Talk program in 2025.

Nguyen Thi Kim Ngoc, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

Strong brands key to sustainable competition

Le The Chu, Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, said Ho Chi Minh City was undergoing a strong transformation, heading towards sustainable development and deep integration into the regional and global economy.

Innovation is not only the application of new technology but also changes in business mindset and models and the willingness to try new ideas.

Chu spoke highly of enterprises shiift from traditional to multi-channel models, combining sales at brick-and-mortar shops and online sales, providing convenience to customers.

Le The Chu, Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

Many enterprises have applied advanced technology, automated production, optimized processes and used environmentally-friendly materials.

Chu emphasized that the application of Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and Big Data has opened up many opportunities in optimizing production, forecasting market demands, personalizing products, and branding for sustainable competition.

He affirmed the role of Tuoi Tre newspaper in spreading the spirit of innovation and creativity by introducing successful business models, sharing experiences, and reporting enterprises challenges during their innovation.

The newspaper will organize many events, seminars, and competitions in the upcoming years, Chu informed, adding that with its efforts, Tuoi Tre expected to help spread the innovation spirit and boost the local socio-economic development.

Guests visit booths at the seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on January 3, 2025. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

Vietnam expected to be new Asian tiger

Over the past 25 years, Vietnam has achieved impressive economic achievements with a high GDP growth and a significant reduction in poverty.

Sam Korsmoe, the author of the Vietnam: Asias Rising Star book, said he and his partners had studied the driving forces of Vietnams development and forecast the countrys prospects in the future.

He added that many people, including Vietnamese, have not clearly understood these driving forces.

Vietnam can learn from Taiwan and South Korea to become the next tiger in Asia.

Korsmoe and his partners developed six criteria, namely exports, industrialization, specialization, markets, leadership, and innovation, for Asian tigers.

Vietnam currently meets most of the criteria but needs to improve its industrialization.

Korsmoe noted that infrastructure and policy development are vital to foster industrialization, in addition to innovation, which is the application of technology and digital techniques in the economy.

He pointed out eight major motivations for Vietnams development with the China+1 strategy, which is the business strategy to avoid investing only in China and diversify business into other countries, being a highlight.

He highly evaluated Vietnams large population of over 100 million people, including a high number of young laborers, and the important role of women in the economy, adding that the strong development of the Internet, diverse natural resources, and the China-U.S. trade war will create many opportunities for the Southeast Asian country.

Sam Korsmoe, an economic expert on Vietnams economy, shares his perceptions of Vietnams robust development in the global market. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

He also stressed the role of large cities, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Can Tho, in leading the countrys growth.

These cities need to further intensify innovation and develop events, cuisine and film industry to become a world-class destination.

We need to think big, dream big and realize [the dreams] persistently, Korsmoe emphasized, recommending Ho Chi Minh City become a venue for international events like large shows.

Thinking big means investing in future human resources, building global brands and promoting Vietnamese culture on the global market while identifying risks to develop sustainably.

Korsmoe also warned that Vietnam might face great challenges in avoiding the middle-income trap. The country should invest in education, improve infrastructure and reform policies to maintain sustainable development.

If taking advantage of opportunities well, Vietnam will not only be an emerging star but may become a leading star in Asia, Korsmoe affirmed.

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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is attending a conference in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday to unveil the central governments action plan for developing regional and international financial centers in Vietnam.

The event also gathers Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City leaders, and representatives from various ministries.

Previously, the Politburo approved a plan to establish a comprehensive international financial center in Ho Chi Minh City and a regional financial center in the central city of Da Nang; as well as to set up management, supervisory, and dispute resolution bodies to oversee the financial hubs.

As per the plan, from now through 2030, Vietnam will launch eight policy groups in accordance with international standards and the countrys conditions, and pilot six globally common financial policies.

During the 2030-35 period, the Southeast Asian country will fully implement the piloted policies to align Vietnams financial centers with global practices.

Later in the day, PM Chinh is scheduled to attend another conference announcing Ho Chi Minh Citys 2021-30 master plan.

The government leader will also join a meeting where attendees are set to discuss measures to remove obstacles hindering projects in the southern metropolis.

According to the citys 2021-30 master plan previously approved by PM Chinh, the city aims to become a global and sustainable metropolis, a leading economic, financial, and cultural hub in Asia by 2050, offering high living standards and serving as a growth driver for Vietnam.

Over the next five years, the city will focus on reorganizing commune-level administrative units based on acreage and population.

Ho Chi Minh City will consolidate its central urban area with six satellite urban districts, with Thu Duc City classified as a grade-one urban center, while the five outlying districts of Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, Binh Chanh, Nha Be, and Can Gio will be upgraded to urban standards.

From 2030 onward, Ho Chi Minh City will feature a central urban zone, specialized urban centers such as Thu Duc City, Cu Chi - Hoc Mon, and Binh Chanh, and an eco-urban center in Can Gio.

By 2050, this multi-centered model will be fully realized.

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UN experts on Thursday denounced Israel's raid on an embattled hospital in northern Gaza, demanding an end to the "blatant assault" on health rights in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Reiterating charges that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza -- something the Israeli government strongly denies -- two independent United Nations rights experts said they were "horrified" by the raid last Friday on Kamal Adwan, northern Gaza's last functioning major hospital.

"For well over a year into the genocide, Israel's blatant assault on the right to health in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory is plumbing new depths of impunity," the experts said.

The joint statement was from Francesca Albanese, the independent UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories, and Tlaleng Mofokeng, special rapporteur on the right to health.

Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva dismissed the statement as "far removed from the truth", saying it "completely ignores critical facts and the broader context of Hamas's exploitation of civilian infrastructure for military purposes".

The Israeli military has repeatedly accused Hamas of using hospitals as command centres, something Hamas denies.

The military "undertook every effort to protect civilians", the Israeli mission said, insisting its "actions highlight Israel's commitment to international law and the protection of civilian infrastructure, even under the most challenging circumstances".

Israel's military said it had killed more than 20 suspected militants and detained more than 240, including the hospital's director, Hossam Abu Safiyeh, describing him as a suspected Hamas militant.

In their statement, Albanese and Mofokeng said they were "gravely concerned" at Safiyeh's detention and demanded his "immediate release".

"Yet another doctor to be harassed, kidnapped and arbitrarily detained by the occupation forces," they said.

"This is part of a pattern by Israel to continuously bombard, destroy and fully annihilate the realisation of the right to health in Gaza."

In a statement to AFP, Israel's military insisted: "It has been well documented that Hamas uses hospitals and medical centers for its terror activities by building military networks within and beneath hospitals, launching attacks and storing weapons within the confines of hospitals, and using hospital infrastructure and staff for terror activities."

It added: "We continue to call on the international community to unequivocally demand Hamas to immediately stop using hospitals throughout the Gaza Strip as a shield for its terror activities."

UN special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on behalf of the world body.

The experts also highlighted "disturbing reports" that Israeli forces had allegedly carried out extrajudicial executions of some people near the hospitals, including a Palestinian man reportedly holding a white flag.

They pointed to figures provided by the health ministry in Hamas-led Gaza indicating that at least 1,057 Palestinian health and medical professionals have been killed since the war erupted following the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel.

The World Health Organization has repeatedly denounced the high number of attacks on healthcare staff and facilities in the war: 1,273 attacks on healthcare in Gaza and the West Bank have been recorded since the start of the war.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on X that the pace of desperately needed medical evacuations out of Gaza was "excruciatingly slow".

"Only 5,383 patients have been evacuated with support from WHO since October 2023, of which only 436 since the Rafah crossing was closed" last May, he said.

He said more than 12,000 people were awaiting medical evacuation from Gaza.

"At this rate, it would take 5-10 years to evacuate all these critically ill patients, including thousands of children," he added.

"In the meantime, their conditions get worse and some die."
SYDNEY -- Australia's southeast on Saturday sweltered in a heat wave that raised the risk of bushfires and led authorities to issue fire bans for large parts of Victoria state.

Australia faces a high-risk bushfire season that has already seen Victorian authorities battle a large fire that last week ripped through the state's vast Grampians National Park, razing homes and farmland.

The nation's weather forecaster said temperatures would be up to 14 degrees Celsius (25.2 degrees Fahrenheit) above average in some areas on Saturday, with Melbourne, the capital of Australia's second most populous state Victoria, set to hit 37 C (98.6 F).

At Melbourne Airport, the temperature was already 32.8 C (91 F) at 10:20 a.m. local time, more than six degrees above the January mean maximum temperature, according to forecaster data.

Total fire bans were in place for two districts in Victoria's west, including Wimmera, an area stretching more than 180 km (111 miles), where authorities labelled the fire danger as "extreme", the highest danger rating.

"The more significant wind change that is driving the heat across the southeast is not due until Sunday night," Bureau of Meteorology official Miriam Bradbury told Australian Broadcasting Corp television.

The country's last few fire seasons have been quiet compared with the catastrophic 2019-2020 "Black Summer" of wildfires that destroyed an area the size of Turkey and killed 33 people.
NEW DELHI -- India's foreign ministry said on Friday that New Delhi has conveyed its concerns to Beijing about China's plan to build a hydropower dam in Tibet on the Yarlung Zangbo river which flows into India.

Chinese officials say that hydropower projects in Tibet will not have a major impact on the environment or on downstream water supplies but India and Bangladesh have nevertheless raised concerns about the dam.

The Yarlung Zangbo becomes the Brahmaputra river as it leaves Tibet and flows south into India's Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states and finally into Bangladesh.

"The Chinese side has been urged to ensure that the interests of downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a weekly media briefing.

"We will continue to monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests," he said.

The construction of the dam, which will be the largest of its kind in the world with an estimated capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, was approved last month.

Jaiswal said that New Delhi had also lodged a "solemn protest" with Beijing against its creation of two new counties - one of which includes a disputed area also claimed by India - last month.

"Creation of new counties will neither have a bearing on India's longstanding and consistent position regarding our sovereignty over the area nor lend legitimacy to China's illegal and forcible occupation of the same," he said.

Relations between Asian giants India and China, that were strained after a deadly military clash on their disputed border in 2020, have been on the mend since they reached an agreement in October to pull back troops from their last two stand-off points in the western Himalayas.

The two armies have stepped back following the agreement and senior officials held formal talks for the first time in five years last month where they agreed to take small steps to improve relations.
Fishermen in southwestern Vietnam are grappling with declining fish stocks, soaring operating costs, and labor shortages, which have forced many of them to consider abandoning their boats and seeking alternative livelihoods as traditional fishing becomes unsustainable.

Truong Van Vung, a squid fisherman from U Minh District in Ca Mau Province, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspapers on Friday that shrinking marine resources and rising costs have made fishing unsustainable in recent years.

He elaborated that there are lots of nets and trawlers offshore, while nets cover every inch of inshore water.

Fishermen could not survive if there are no proper conservation efforts to let marine life recover.

Other fishermen at Song Doc fishing port echoed these concerns.

Le Van Tien, a resident of Tran Van Thoi District in Ca Mau, owns three offshore fishing boats but faces the prospect of leaving them idle.

Rising fuel and supply costs have increased the expense of a fishing 30-day trip from around VND200 million (US$7,850) to approximately VND250 million ($9,800).

Meanwhile, seafarer shortages and rising costs have forced fishermen to sell their catch at reduced prices, at VND18,00019,000 ($0.7) per kilogram, compared to VND20,00021,000 ($0.8) in previous years.

Fish trading activities at Tac Cau Fishing Port in Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam on the first day of 2025. Photo: Buu Dau / Tuoi Tre

Tran Minh Tri, a boat owner from Rach Gia City in Kien Giang Province, said that his fleet of four fishing vessels last year brought in only 2030 percent of the fish they used to catch.

Each fishing trip costs over VND4 billion ($157,000), but the dwindling harvests have left most vessel owners without profits, Tri said.

He added that further fuel price falls in 2025 may offer some relief but emphasized the difficulty of finding crew members as a critical issue.

Fishing communities across Ca Mau reported a significant decline in labor availability.

Coastal districts such as Ngoc Hien, Nam Can, and Dam Doi recorded labor shortages of 2030 percent, leaving many boats docked or operating at reduced capacity.

Harsh fishing conditions, safety risks, and unstable incomes have driven many seafarers to seek other jobs.

Their monthly earnings, once VND5-10 million ($196-393), now average just VND1-3 million ($39-117), which is insufficient to support a family.

To Van Chien, a fisherman from Ngoc Hien District, described the struggle to find crew members, recalling that it took just a few phone calls to recruit enough workers.

But now, it takes many weeks to find a crew, he said.

Some fishing boats in Ca Mau Province, southern Vietnam remain idle due to depleted fishing grounds. Photo: Thanh Huyen / Tuoi Tre

Speaking to Tuoi Tre, Nguyen Van Lam, head of the Tac Cau Fishing Port Management Board in Kien Giang, said that overfishing and declining productivity have made the industry increasingly unprofitable.

To retain crew members, over 90 percent of boat owners have allowed their captains to sell fish directly at sea and divide the earnings with the owners over the past two years.

This practice has reduced fish landings at ports, with the Tac Cau port recording a drop of nearly 1,800 metric tons in 2024 compared to 2023, Lam added.

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The director of a company in Ca Mau Province, southern Vietnam has been suspended indefinitely after banging on a table and saying inappropriate words during a recent meeting with his employees.

Ho Hoang Anh, director of Bao Gia Ca Mau Joint Stock Company, which operates Nam Thang Ca Mau electric taxis, confirmed the information on Friday.

In a 37-second video posted to social media, a lawyer is seen explaining employees rights while Anh suddenly stands up, bangs on the table, and yells, Let me cut it short! If you are not willing to continue your work, then the meeting is dismissed.

Over 100 of the company's employees responded to Anhs outburst by going on strike.

The meeting was originally held to discuss a new company policy that requires drivers to pay the charging fees for electric taxis, while the company earlier committed to fully cover the fees.

The company has a requirement that vehicles will be maintained after running every 12,000 kilometers. However, many drivers did not receive vehicle maintenance despite driving over 24,000 kilometers.

Some had to continue to drive although vehicles showed signs of corrosion and tire damage.

A Nam Thang Ca Mau electric taxi driver points to the terms promised by Bao Gia Ca Mau Joint Stock Company in their recruitment advertisements. Photo: Thanh Huyen / Tuoi Tre

Many drivers complained about the lack of two-way auto body insurance for many vehicles, leaving them liable for incidents.

Some cabbies also reported being uninsured despite the companys contractual obligations to provide insurance.

Pham Hoang Nho, a driver for Bao Gia Ca Mau Joint Stock Company, said he and his colleagues had returned to work after reaching some agreements with the company.

In particular, they can charge vehicles at no charge until June 30, 2027. Some 70 percent of other issues have been resolved, Nho informed.

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The penalties for users of cellphones while driving cars have been doubled as per a government decree that began effective in Vietnam on January 1.

The new regulation, as part of Decree 168 that outlines new administrative penalties for road traffic violations, stipulates that drivers of cars and similar vehicles will face a fine of VND4-6 million (US$157-236) if they hold and use mobile phones or other e-devices while driving.

For motorcyclists and riders of similar vehicles, a penalty of VND800,000-VND1 million ($31-39) will be applied for the same violation.

This fine will also apply for those who use umbrellas or audio devices (except hearing aids) while riding.

Riders of bicycles, motorized bicycles and other rudimentary vehicles will also be fined from VND100,000 ($3.9) to VND200,000 ($7.8) if they use umbrellas, hold and use mobile phones or other electronic devices while riding or carry anyone holding an umbrella.

According to the decree, serious accidents mostly stem from the poor awareness and responsibility of vehicle operators, especially those on expressways.

In the face of heavy fines, people will be more cautious and responsible while operating vehicles, thereby reducing accidents and building sustainable traffic culture, Dr. Pham Sanh, a traffic expert, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

In addition, it is necessary to improve road infrastructure, equip vehicles with advanced safety technologies, and launch comprehensive education programs in order to strengthen traffic safety in the long run, he said.

The decree came in the context that Vietnam sees 500,000 new cars and two million motorcycles enter circulation annually, according to statistics.

Last year, 21,532 road traffic accidents occurred nationwide, killing 9,954 people and injuring 16,044 others, the department reported.

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Hana Vahab, TwoCircles.net

Two years after being granted bail by the Supreme Court, Kerala-based journalist Siddique Kappans struggle is far from over. His release from prison was not the end of his torment, but the beginning of a new battle  one against a system that, he alleged, has forced him into self-censorship, surveillance and financial ruin. A journalist whose crime was simply reporting on the marginalised, Kappan now finds himself exiled from the very profession he once thrived in. He is allegedly shunned by mainstream media. Support TwoCircles

As he continues to fight legal battles, his story reflects his plight. My incarceration has never made me decide not to do the kind of stories I used to. But as for my identity, I am forced to self-censor the stories I write, he admits, his voice weary but resolute. The fight for freedom of expression, he knows, is a long way from over.

On October 5, 2020, Kappan was arrested alongside three others by the Uttar Pradesh Police in Mathura while en route to report the gang rape and murder of a Dalit girl in Hathras. Despite his press credentials, he was detained and later arrested under stringent anti-terror law  the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA. During his detention for four days before being formally arrested, his rights to inform his family was allegedly violated. He spent the next 846 days behind bars. Though he secured bail in September 2022 after more than two years, the emotional and financial cost of his legal battle continues to weigh heavily on him.

Changing World of Journalism

His voice calm but laden with the weight of experience, he reflects on his career as a journalist. He recalls his early days with clarity and purpose. As a journalist, I did not look at whether the government at the centre is led by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) or the Congress or the Left in Kerala. I strictly follow that there are no other predilections in the news. News is not PR work for the government.

Kappans work, which began in earnest in 2009, spanned stories on social issues across India  from the North-East to Kashmir, from Dalit issues in Uttar Pradesh to the farmer protests. He claims his focus was always on the marginalised  those whose voices went unheard. This commitment to telling uncomfortable truths eventually became the very thing that led to his persecution. He claims his work was never confined to a single narrative or agenda, yet he was framed in a specific way  a journalist who catered exclusively to Muslim causes.

I once happened to see the charge sheet of my case. It was unintentional. In it, I accidentally came across one of the statements given to the police by one of my editors in Kerala. The statement reads: Is he (Kappan) a member of the Popular Front? I dont know about that. But he did only Pro-Muslim stories, Kappan recalls, the shock still evident in his voice. I read the word pro-Muslim written in Hindi quite shockingly. I know very well that I was not someone who only did pro-Muslim stories; my readers know it, and even the editor who told this might also know that this is not true.

This labeling of Kappan as a pro-Muslim journalist marked the beginning of a new, dangerous era for him. It was an identity thrust upon him, not of his choosing. A journalist who once moved freely, reporting across different communities and their struggles, found himself confined within the boundaries of an identity he never sought.

Surveillance and Isolation

Kappans arrest under UAPA was not just a personal tragedy  it was also a reflection of how his Muslim identity had come under the scrutiny of the state. His work was now seen as suspect by those in power. He was caught in a web of alleged systemic surveillance and misinformation. His arrest was a stark manifestation of how journalists from minority communities are often viewed with suspicion, their every story is allegedly scrutinised through the lens of their religious background.

When I was in jail, I had time to reflect on something disturbing, Kappan says. I have reported stories from the North-East, Kashmir, the farmers protests, Dalit issues in UP, undertrial prisoners under the UAPA, CAA-NRC protests and the Delhi riots  yet, each time I was detained, the police questioned me relentlessly. Whom did you do the story for? they asked. They wanted to know if I was taking instructions from someone.

He says his identity as a Muslim reporter became the basis for his alleged persecution. But he refuses to accept this label. There was never a particular agenda behind the stories I did. I reported on what mattered to the people, he states firmly.

His reporting on sensitive cases, such as the sexual abuse of an eight-year-old girl in Kerala in 2020 or the Kathua rape-murder case in 2018, brought him under scrutiny from various political parties. In Kerala, multiple political factions, including the Congress, the Muslim League, the CPI(M) and the BJP, were implicated in the case. I had to confront criticisms from major political parties in Kerala as they tried to push their own agenda. But during those times, I never censored what kind of stories I should or should not do, he recalls.

The dissonance was clear: when the news did not fit the political narrative, it was attacked, and journalists like Kappan were branded as biased or anti-national.

A Never-Ending Legal Battle

Kappans legal journey after his arrest was as harrowing as his time in jail. The case against him was flimsy at best, yet the state relentlessly pursued him. He recalls how, on the day of his arrest, he was denied even basic rights. We were detained on the pretext of questioning, and the police made us wait for hours without any explanation. We were neither told the reason nor permitted to make calls. The police began to ask senseless questions about whether we knew Urdu, whether we had studied in Jamia (Jamia Millia Islamia) or JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University)  both central varities in Delhi.

The conditions in jail, he says, were dehumanising. He describes being moved in chains, placed in overcrowded cells and denied basic comforts. For 40 days, he was held in appalling conditions and deprived of any information about his charges. It was only after 41 days of incarceration that he was allegedly allowed to contact his family.

The legal battle that followed was grueling, with hearings far from his home in Kerala. I have to travel twice a month from my hometown in Kerala to a court in Allahabad for the two cases still pending against me, he says. The financial burden is immense, and my family struggles to make ends meet. My lawyers have helped me pro bono, but without their support, I would not have been able to continue.

Despite his release on bail, Kappans life remains constrained. The Supreme Court granted him bail under the condition that he report to the local police station every Monday. For him, this meant traveling to Allahabad every month  a burden that drained his finances and separated him from his family.

A Family Struggling to Adjust

Kappans three children, especially his youngest daughter in 6th grade, have felt the impact of his arrest. They have recovered from my arrest, but their education and mental health have greatly suffered during my time in jail, he says. They are slowly adjusting to the new changes. I had to take care of their needs while juggling court appearances. It has been financially draining for us.

His arrest and the ongoing legal case have left him with limited options to support his family. Mainstream Malayalam media, where Kappan once worked, has not offered him any opportunities. He understands the harsh reality. No mainstream Malayalam news organisation has offered me any opportunity yet. I survive on freelancing now, he says.

Even after his release, Kappan remains under surveillance. Local police officers visit his home occasionally and allegedly ask him what he is currently doing and even taking photos of him sitting at home. I am not sure about the reasons. However, it is not to the extent that it interferes with my daily life, he says, adding that the top courts decision to repeal the weekly signing condition in November 2024 brought some relief.

The Struggle Continues

Kappans case has revealed the harsh realities of being a journalist from a minority community. Despite everything, Kappan remains resolute. I have not decided that I will not do particular kinds of stories. My fear has only disappeared after I was illegally incarcerated, he says. Being in jail does not pull me back from writing the stories I used to report, but I cannot deny that I have begun to heavily self-censor.

As of now, Kappans bank accounts remain frozen, his credit card transactions interrupted and his fight for justice continues. I am grateful for the help from my lawyers, but I am still trying to overcome the financial crunch, he says quietly, reflecting on the cost of his profession  one that has cost him his freedom, his peace of mind and, for a time, his place in society.

In September 2022, he was granted bail as the Supreme Court observed, Every person has the right to freedom of expression. Yet, the scars of his imprisonment remain, a stark reminder of how a journalists identity can allegedly be weaponised in a system that seeks to marginalise and silence voices that dare to speak the truth.
HA NOI  By 2026, Viet Nam will complete a database for five domestic industries related to trade remedy measures currently in effect and industries at risk of being subjected to trade remedy investigations.

The project to build a comprehensive database of domestic industries aims to enhance the capacity and efficiency of trade remedy investigations.

It also serves to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of trade remedy measures, acting as a strategic tool to protect domestic production in the context of international economic integration while ensuring fair competition in the domestic market.

By 2026, specific guidelines will be developed and issued for the establishment, operation and sharing of the domestic industry database. Security standards and data integration processes will also be finalised to ensure the accurate and efficient collection and analysis of information.

By 2030, the mechanism for connecting and sharing the domestic industry database among State management agencies will be completed.

Additionally, the database for 20 domestic industries with products related to existing trade remedy measures and six industries at risk of investigations will be finalised. Data from industries that already have a database will also be updated.

Software and tools will be developed to support data analysis for domestic industries, predict potential scenarios and facilitate data-sharing utilities for State agencies and enterprises.

By 2026, 30 per cent of enterprises in industries with a database will have been granted access and the ability to look up information. This figure is expected to increase to 80 per cent by 2030.

Viet Nams exporters faced a significant increase in the number of trade defence investigation cases this year, on the back of rising protectionism worldwide.

By the end of 2024, Vietnamese goods had been subjected to about 273 trade remedy investigations across 25 markets, according to the Trade Remedies Authority.

Notably, trade defence investigations are becoming more complex. For example, the US launched a cross-border subsidy investigation on solar panels and capsules sold from Viet Nam for the first time.

Countries also tend to investigate and apply anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, safeguarding and anti-circumvention measures on the same product at the same time.  VNS
HA NOI  The logistics industrys business community has expressed optimism about growth prospects in 2025, with nearly 42 per cent of companies surveyed by Vietnam Report JSC affirming that their business outlook will be more positive.

This optimism is not only rooted in improvements within the companies themselves but also in the assured support from Government policies and the global growth trend in international trade, according to the survey.

Not only businesses but many economists also expect that 2025  the final year of the 2021-25 five-year socio-economic development plan  will see a strong transformation in Viet Nams logistics industry. Companies are set to take advantage of opportunities arising from the global supply chain shift, ramp up investments and apply advanced technologies to strengthen the sectors vital role in the economy, it said.

Vu ang Vinh, CEO of Vietnam Report, said with the support of the Government, logistics companies have been provided with numerous advantages, resolving several internal challenges and stabilising operations.

The Government has focused on administrative reforms, particularly in customs and specialised inspection agencies, reducing procedure times and legal costs for businesses. Strategic ports like Lach Huyen in Hai Phong and Cai Mep-Thi Vai in Ba Ria-Vung Tau continue to be upgraded, driving maritime transport, a key segment of logistics.

Furthermore, the application of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and supply chain management (SCM) systems has been strongly encouraged, improving productivity and management efficiency in many logistics businesses.

According to Vinh, this period is crucial for the successful implementation of the action plan to enhance Viet Nams logistics competitiveness and develop logistics services by 2025. It also marks an important preparatory phase for the logistics services development strategy for 2025-35, with a vision to 2050, aiming to establish logistics as a spearhead service sector, thereby enhancing national competitiveness, he added.

The Government is also accelerating key transport infrastructure projects, focusing on connecting and developing integrated logistics infrastructure to improve domestic and international transport efficiency, while policies to promote trade, attract international investment, and leverage the benefits of new-generation Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are being implemented.

These efforts not only stimulate the development of high-tech logistics centres but also create modern supply chains, enhancing the value of domestic and international logistics services. Looking forward, the collaboration between the Government, businesses and associations will not only help the logistics sector overcome current challenges but also position Viet Nam as a leading logistics hub in the region.

From a business perspective, Nguyen Thi Hoa, director of Goldtrans Transport and Forwarding JSC, a company that enjoyed a successful year in 2024, said that Goldtrans is highly optimistic about both its own growth prospects and the overall development of the logistics industry, as market demand begins to recover.

In particular, with increasing signs that the US-China trade conflict may intensify, foreign direct investment inflows into Viet Nam are expected to rise, Hoa held, revealing that Goldtrans has set a growth target of 20 per cent for 2025.

Recommending solutions and strategies to help logistics companies optimise operational costs, enhance productivity, develop human resources and diversify markets, ao Trong Khoa, chairman of the Viet Nam Logistics Business Association (VLA), stated that in the short term, businesses must continue to accelerate digital transformation and adopt technologies while practising environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards to pursue sustainable growth or green logistics.  VNS
HA NOI  Deputy Prime Minister Ho uc Phoc has called for accelerated efforts to complete the restructuring projects of State-owned enterprises for approval within the first quarter of this year.

Speaking at a conference of the Steering Committee for Enterprise Innovation and Development for the 2021-26 period on Friday afternoon, Phoc emphasised the need for more drastic solutions to address difficulties and bottlenecks in the restructuring of SOEs in 2025, particularly in corporate and land asset valuation.

The committee's report revealed that, to date, 117 out of 667 State-owned enterprises (SOEs) have had their restructuring projects approved, focusing their operations on core sectors and industries.

The plans to address 12 inefficient projects under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade have been largely completed. Notably, four of these projects have turned profitable and are now able to repay their debts on time.

Representatives from SOEs, including PetroVietnam, Viettel, VNPT, VRG, EVN, and Agribank, emphasised the necessity of addressing bottlenecks in capital divestment at a recent conference. They also called for enhancements in the legal framework governing foreign capital divestment at SOEs, alongside improvements in corporate governance regulations, tax policies, and investments in power sources.

Additionally, they stressed the importance of institutional improvements to bolster the accountability of SOE leaders.

In response, the Deputy PM called for an acceleration of the privatisation process to enhance the production and business efficiency of SOEs. He urged relevant ministries and agencies to conduct thorough evaluations of privatization efficiency.

The Deputy PM emphasised the need to enhance the legal framework, particularly the Law on Management and Use of State Capital Invested in Production and Business at Enterprises, with a spirit of innovation.

He urged SOEs to focus on modernising technologies and equipment, while also improving the quality of human resources and corporate governance to boost operational efficiency.

Phoc stated that the SOE restructuring project must be completed and approved within the first quarter of this year. He called on relevant ministries, agencies, localities, and SOEs to collaborate and address issues to expedite the process.  VNS
Speaker Mike Johnson is on course to fall short in the first House speaker vote, with the current tally suggesting a loss. The House is expected to proceed directly to a second vote without pause.

The House Democratic whip has advised members to promptly return to the floor to prepare for the next roll call vote.

Rep. Keith Self cast his vote for Freedom Caucus member Byron Donalds, while Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Ralph Norman of North Carolina supported Reps. Tom Emmer and Jim Jordan, respectively. In addition to these defections, six GOP lawmakers abstained during the initial vote. Self, positioned among the dissenters, has largely remained quiet and reserved.

Despite the setbacks, Rep. Victoria Spartz, a former holdout, threw her support behind Johnson.

Donalds, speaking to CNN before the vote, acknowledged that colleagues had approached him about running for speaker but stated he wasn't considering the role.

At least six Republican lawmakers have skipped their initial votes for House Speaker, casting uncertainty on whether Mike Johnson can secure the necessary support on the first ballot.

Reps. Andy Biggs, Andrew Clyde, Michael Cloud, Paul Gosar, Andy Harris, and Chip Roy remained silent when their names were called during the roll call vote. However, they will have another opportunity to cast their votes at the end of the process.

GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky followed through on his promise, casting his vote for a candidate other than Mike Johnson in the House speakership election.
Compiled by Bao Hoa

Fighting wastefulness is a pressing mission in Viet Nams journey towards economic development, a point emphasised by To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam's Central Committee. His call for action highlights the importance of this effort as the country navigates significant socioeconomic changes.

Last month, the countrys top leader authored an article stressing the urgency of preventing and combating wastefulness. He identified it as a growing challenge requiring immediate and strategic action. The topic has also been a focal point of the National Assembly during its eighth session in October-November last year, where deputies emphasised the need to optimise human, financial and physical resources, including land, for sustainable development.

Citing President Ho Chi Minhs teachings that embezzlement is harmful, but wastefulness can sometimes be even more harmful  it is more destructive than embezzlement and is very widespread, To Lam underlined the profound consequences of wastefulness.

Lam identified wastefulness as a pervasive issue with wide-ranging impacts.

It depletes human and financial resources, reduces production efficiency, raises costs, exhausts natural resources, and widens socioeconomic inequalities.

Moreover, wastefulness erodes public trust in the Party and State, creating obstacles to socioeconomic progress and causing missed opportunities for national development. As Viet Nam strives to seize its historic opportunity for advancement, overcoming wastefulness is essential to unlocking its full potential.

One major area of concern is the slow and insufficient development of laws. This issue hinders the implementation of public projects, resulting in delays, inefficiencies, and resource wastage.

Speaking at the opening of the eighth session of the 15th National Assembly on October 21 last year, Lam identified the institutional framework as the root cause of multiple forms of wastefulness, describing it as the bottleneck of the bottleneck. He called for focused efforts to improve and implement reforms that would address these shortcomings and pave the way for sustainable growth.

Good, bad examples

Amidst challenges, there are shining examples of resource efficiency. One notable achievement is the rapid completion of the 500kV circuit 3 transmission line, which spans from Quang Trach District (Quang Binh Province) to Pho Noi District (Hung Yen Province).

Through decisive government supervision and public support, the project was completed in just over eight monthsa record-breaking timeline compared to the typical three to four years. The projects success highlights the power of clear-sighted leadership, unity, and innovation in resource management.

"Resources come from thinking, motivation comes from innovation, and strength comes from the people," Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said at the projects inauguration.

He attributed the achievement to the collective strength of all stakeholders, from central to local levels, and the determination to overcome challenges.

While projects like the 500kV line showcase effective resource utilisation, other initiatives illustrate the cost of inefficiency. One such example is the tidal flood prevention project in HCM City.

Launched in June 2016 with an initial investment of nearly VN10 trillion (US$393 million), the project aimed to address tidal flooding for an area of 570 square kilometres, benefiting 6.5 million people. Its components included six major tidal control sluice gates, embankments, and related infrastructure.

Despite 90 per cent of the work being completed, the project remains unfinished due to legal and financial obstacles. According to the investor, Trung Nam Investment JSC, the project has been suspended three times for a total of 66 months. The latest suspension occurred in November 2020 due to the expiration of the Build-Transfer (BT) contract and re-lending disbursement from the State Bank.

The HCM City People's Committee [administration] identified unclear authority, implementation procedures, and unresolved payment issues as the main barriers. Despite ongoing efforts, no feasible solution has yet been found.

Insights from NA deputies

During the National Assemblys eighth session, deputies offered valuable insights and proposed solutions to address wastefulness.

Deputy Nguyen Huu Huan of Binh Duong Province underscored the pivotal role of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) in combating wastefulness. He argued that as a lower middle-income country, Viet Nam must rely on SOEs to spearhead economic breakthroughs.

The key to avoiding the middle-income trap lies in maximizing investments, leveraging existing capabilities, training the workforce, and advancing science and technology, Huan said.

He said that private enterprises, most of which are small- or medium-sized, could not achieve these breakthroughs alone.

Huan also pointed out that the substantial capital invested in SOEs must be used effectively to prevent waste and economic damage.

Deputy Hoang Van Cuong of Ha Noi highlighted the importance of institutional reforms to foster a supportive legal environment.

The Party, National Assembly, and Government are determined to support businesses and create new growth. To achieve this, institutional reforms must not only remove obstacles but also provide opportunities, he said.

Cuong also stressed the role of people as the driving force behind innovation and development. Scientific and technological resources come from people and must be unlocked. Without capable workers, the country cannot thrive, he said.

To enable people to contribute effectively, Cuong called for mechanisms that encourage innovative thinking among managers while protecting their achievements.

Looking back at history, every time the country experienced a breakthrough or change, it was due to a change in mechanisms, he said, citing Party Resolution 10 in agriculture and the economic reforms of 1986 as an example.

Deputy Nguyen Thanh Nam of Phu Tho Province highlighted land as another critical resource requiring efficient management. He pointed out that the current exploitation and use of land were not meeting the needs of individuals and businesses, causing issues in sectors such as agriculture and forestry.

Nam said that some localities proactively proposed development projects to optimise land use but faced institutional barriers that hindered progress. He urged ministries and sectors to facilitate the rapid utilisation of land resources and transfer unused land for socioeconomic development.

Despite instructions from the Party, State, and the National Assembly, there has not been a concerted strategy to combat land wastefulness with the same intensity as the fight against corruption, Nam added.

Party General Secretary Lam stressed that fighting wastefulness would require a cultural transformation.

To seize this historic opportunity and shape our future, the prevention and combat of wastefulness must be carried out drastically and concertedly, he wrote.

He called for effective solutions to create widespread impact, transforming wastefulness prevention into a voluntary and self-conscious practice among officials, Party members, and the public. This cultural shift, he argued, was essential for building a sustainable and prosperous future for Viet Nam.

As the country stands at a historic crossroads, the fight against wastefulness is not merely an economic necessity but a cultural and institutional imperative. It requires concerted efforts from individuals, businesses and the whole political system to ensure that resources are used wisely and sustainably, securing Viet Nams path to a brighter future. VNS
Kon Tum Province, which shares over 290km of border with Laos and Cambodia, has witnessed a remarkable demographic change. Following the policies of the Vietnamese Government, many Laotian residents in the border areas of Central Highlands province have been granted Vietnamese nationality.

Lives of transience

Before 1987, a number of Laotian residents near the border with ak Glei District (Kon Tum) lived a transient life due to a lack of nationality.

A ao, 67, a resident of Mang Rao Village, ak Pek Commune, ak Glei District, said that many years ago hundreds of Laotians, driven by failed harvests in their country, crossed the border into Viet Nam searching for arable land to settle on. At that time, borders held little meaning for those people, who adhered to traditional practices of nomadic cultivation.

Living without electricity, roads, schools, healthcare, clean water, or access to local economic support policies made the illegal migrants' life extremely challenging.

We had no identification documents, no records and no personal papers. Our children couldnt attend school, and we had no access to public medical care. All we had was a temporary residence permit issued jointly by the border authorities of Viet Nam and Laos, said ao.

Some individuals endured precarious lives in the forests, relying on hunting, foraging, and drinking from streams, living a life reminiscent of earlier eras. Their isolation meant living in constant fear of wild animals and natural disasters, cut off from news or contact with the outside world for long periods.

The most difficult times came during illness, with villagers enduring a gruelling one-or-two-day trek to carry the sick to the district health centre in ak Glei. After countless life-and-death moments, the Laotian migrants yearned for the stability and recognition of nationality to escape from their desperate and transient existence.

Local authorities in Kon Tum have since 2017 intensified efforts to raise awareness about unauthorised migration and unregistered marriages in border areas. They have distributed leaflets and collaborated with central and provincial agencies to process applications for the Presidents approval, granting nationality to stateless migrants. This has facilitated the issuance of birth certificates, household registration books, and ID cards in accordance with the Vietnamese law.

Turning a new page

Since 2009 more than 1,000 ethnic Laotians in Kon Tum have been granted Vietnamese nationality by the President. Most reside in border communes in Ngoc Hoi and ak Glei districts. To support their stable residence, local authorities have ensured the issuance of birth certificates, household registration books, and ID cards, enabling full citizenship rights. School-aged children now attend school, and families receive support for education and economic development.

When we were granted Vietnamese nationality in 2012, our joy was indescribable, said A Diet, secretary of the Mang Rao Village Party Committee.

Our children were officially registered, and we received household registration books. The State invested in electricity, roads, schools, and healthcare centres. Many families received loans to raise livestock and grow crops, lifting them out of poverty. Thanks to these changes, the community is increasingly optimistic and deeply trusts the leadership of the Party and the State.

For elderly A Chang of Mang Rao Village, the privilege of voting for the first time was profound. Holding the ballot in my hand was a sacred and proud moment. It made us feel grateful to the government, he said.

The border areas of Kon Tum are home to 25 ethnic groups with nearly 61,600 members. Ethnic minorities make up over 77 per cent of the population, residing in 99 hamlets and villages across 13 communes in the four border districts of ak Glei, Ngoc Hoi, Sa Thay, and Ia HDrai.

Ngoc Hoi and ak Glei district authorities have directed border communes to allocate land, provide seeds and breeding livestock, and offer technical guidance for economic development. Households also have access to low-interest loans from the Social Policy Bank to build homes, fostering a strong connection to their new homeland.

Y iet, a resident of ak Me Village in Po Y Commune, said that after acquiring nationality in 2017, her family received coffee seedlings and breeding cattle. With guidance from officials on husbandry techniques, her family now earns nearly VN100 million (nearly US$4,000) annually, significantly improving their quality of life.

According to Tong Van ong, chairman of the Po Y Commune Peoples Committee [administration], the commune currently has 12 naturalised citizens, all of whom have received comprehensive support from local authorities.

With this assistance, they have quickly integrated into life in Viet Nam and feel secure in their livelihood. We will continue integrating national target programmes to help these ethnic Laotian households achieve sustainable poverty alleviation, he said.

Y Lan, vice chairwoman of the Ngoc Hoi District Peoples Committee, said that naturalised families had united with other local ethnic groups, overcoming challenges, fostering solidarity, and actively participating in patriotic movements. These ethnic Laotians preserved their cultural traditions while maintaining cross-border family ties, acting as vital bridges in fostering the traditional friendship between Viet Nam and Laos, and contributing to a peaceful and prosperous border region.

Granted Vietnamese nationality, these former Laotian migrants have embraced a brighter chapter in life. With improved living conditions and secure futures, they abide by the law, unite with other communities to build a new, prosperous homeland, and serve as pivotal nuclei in strengthening the friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Laos. VNS
The Central Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (CCOV), now the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has made significant achievements since its establishment 65 years ago (19592024).

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang, chairperson of the SCOV, spoke with the Vietnam News Agency about the achievements of the work concerning the Vietnamese diaspora and the plans to mobilise their resources more effectively to contribute to their homeland's development.

Could you tell us about the reforms that the SCOV has undertaken over the past 65 years to fulfil its advisory role for the Party and the State and to implement policies related to overseas Vietnamese?

The work concerning overseas Vietnamese has always been significant in terms of the policies and directives of the Communist Party and the State of Viet Nam. From its establishment as the CCOV in 1959 to the present day, the SCOV, has undergone reforms to meet the increasing demands for supporting, assisting and harnessing the resources of the Vietnamese diasporic community.

The Prime Minister on November 23, 1959 signed a decree to establish the CCOV, marking a milestone in the nation's efforts to support the overseas Vietnamese community. It was the first specialised government agency established to mobilise, support and protect the rights of Vietnamese people living abroad.

After the countrys reunification in 1975 and in the face of significant challenges, the committee underwent structural changes, transforming from an inter-agency council into a specialised body with specific responsibilities. Amid the growing diversity in the Vietnamese diasporic community, in terms of composition and political views, the committee persistently implemented policies to unite and protect them.

In 1995, the committee was officially placed under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, affirming the strategic importance of the Vietnamese diaspora affairs within the diplomatic sector. During this period, efforts focused on connecting the Vietnamese diasporic community to the nation through initiatives such as facilitating visits, investments and contributions to national socio-economic development.

The Politburo in March 2004 issued a resolution, asserting that "Overseas Vietnamese are an inseparable part and a vital resource of the Vietnamese nation", and serving as a guiding principle for all activities across the political system, including the committee's efforts.

In recent years, it has restructured towards greater efficiency while ensuring the effective implementation of its expanded responsibilities, which range from policy advisory roles to protecting the rights of the Vietnamese diasporic community and connecting them with their homeland. This streamlining has not only improved operational efficiency but also met the demands for modernisation and international integration.

Recognising that people are the core factor in the success of its work, the committee has prioritised training and fostering its staff to build a team that is not only professionally competent and policy-savvy but also empathetic to the sentiments and aspirations of overseas Vietnamese, thereby strengthening trust and connection between them and their homeland.

Looking back on the 65-year journey, the committee's growth is tied to the expanding strength of the Vietnamese diasporic community. This stands as a testament to the unceasing efforts to innovate its organisation and activities to fulfil its advisory role for the Party and State, while effectively implementing policies concerning the Vietnamese diaspora, contributing to national unity and the country's development.

What are the notable achievements in the work concerning overseas Vietnamese?

The work concerning overseas Vietnamese has over the past 65 years made multiple achievements, significantly contributing to national unity and leveraging the collective strength of the entire people in the nation-building and development process.

First, the committee has advised the Politburo on issuing strategic directives, most notably Resolution 36, Directive 45, and Conclusion 12, reaffirming the consistent policy of considering the Vietnamese diaspora as an inseparable part and a vital resource of the Vietnamese nation. These documents reflect the Party and State's deep care and responsibility towards the Vietnamese diasporic community, addressing their legitimate aspirations, encouraging their efforts to excel and mobilising their potential, patriotism and contributions to the homeland.

Based on these guidelines, the committee has led and coordinated with relevant agencies to propose new policies and amend existing regulations to defend the practical and effective rights of the Vietnamese diasporic community.

Vietnamese legal frameworks on nationality, entry, exit and residence visas, along with revisions to laws such as the Investment Law, the Land Law and the Housing Law, have become more accommodating, enabling the Vietnamese diaspora to enjoy rights and obligations similar to those of citizens within the country, encouraging their investments and businesses in Viet Nam.

Furthermore, efforts to strengthen national unity have seen groundbreaking progress. Through activities organised by the committee (which have become hallmark events like the Homeland Spring Programme, visits to Truong Sa islands and Hung Kings Commemoration) and the Party and State's policies on national unity, greater trust and enthusiasm have been fostered, reinforcing the connection between the overseas community and the homeland.

At the same time, the mobilisation of resources from overseas Vietnamese for national development has yielded substantial outcomes. The notable figures in remittances, the effectiveness of investment projects and significant contributions in culture, education, healthcare, science and technology underscore the overseas Vietnamese community's pivotal role in the nations growth.

For example, at the 4th Global Conference of Overseas Vietnamese and the 2024 Forum for Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts Abroad (held in August 2024), with over 400 participants, more than 100 passionate and well-founded proposals were presented. These included key recommendations from leading experts in priority areas such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence and digital transformation.

The committee has since 2009 organised four global conferences for the Vietnamese diaspora and annually hosted thematic conferences, providing platforms for them to offer insights into national and local development. Their recommendations have been compiled and forwarded to ministries and local authorities for consideration. Many initiatives have been implemented with tangible benefits.

Lastly, the committee has always prioritised the care and support of the Vietnamese diaspora, keeping up with the real conditions in host countries. Most overseas Vietnamese now have stable legal status, are well-integrated and hold prominent positions in their host societies. In areas where they still face difficulties, the committee consistently provides support through initiatives, programmes and regular activities in collaboration with ministries and local governments.

Efforts to preserve and promote Vietnamese cultural and linguistic values have also been made robustly in diverse forms. The Vietnamese Language Day in the Vietnamese Diasporic Community (20232030) initiative, approved by the Prime Minister on August 3, 2022, represents a breakthrough in sustaining and promoting the Vietnamese language abroad. This programme motivates teaching and learning Vietnamese while meeting the practical needs of the community.

These achievements demonstrate not only the Party and State's deep care but also the Vietnamese diasporic community's solidarity and relentless efforts, significantly contributing to the country's development.

Could you tell us about the qualitative and quantitative changes in the role of the Vietnamese diasporic community in the countrys development?

The Vietnamese diasporic community have always stood alongside the nation throughout its history. Speaking of the diaspora is to speak of the children of Viet Nam far from their homeland, who always remain connected to their roots, fostering national pride and contributing both culturally and materially, even sacrificing blood and sweat for the country.

From the early days of the Party's formation and the establishment of the nation, the revolutionary cause of Viet Nam has consistently received the enthusiastic support, assistance and invaluable contributions of overseas Vietnamese across five continents.

Many intellectuals and patriots from the overseas Vietnamese community answered the call of the motherland, returning to be trusted and assigned important roles by President Ho Chi Minh, contributing their knowledge and efforts to the resistance wars and the nation's reconstruction and defence.

Particularly during the oi moi (Renewal) era, the contributions of overseas Vietnamesebe it in material resources, intellect or management experiencehave played an immense role, helping Viet Nam overcome a challenging period to achieve the status and strength it enjoys today.

The Vietnamese diasporic community has grown and matured, deeply integrated into the political, economic, cultural, and social life of their host countries. They have significant influence in more than 130 countries and territories around the world.

Currently, there are approximately 600,000 experts and intellectuals, or about 10-12 per cent of the overseas Vietnamese population worldwide. This includes thousands of PhD holders and hundreds of renowned intellectuals of international repute.

These people have undergone rigorous training in advanced countries, possess practical experience and work in environments characterised by cutting-edge science and technology. They master economic management methodologies and have strong ties within their host countries and globally.

Many hold key positions in research institutions, universities, hospitals, corporations, and international organisations.

Moreover, the second and third generations of Vietnamese scientists and experts are emerging as leaders in various fields, particularly in cutting-edge scientific disciplines and key global economic sectors such as electronics-information technology, biotechnology, space science, advanced materials, nanotechnology, energy, and medicine. They also excel in fields integral to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including economic and financial management and AI.

For instance, in Silicon Valley, the United States alone, engineers of Vietnamese origin comprise two to three per cent of the workforce at technology companies and corporations, with about two per cent holding key leadership positions.

Viet Nam is entering a new era of development -- the era of the nation on the rise.

This elevated stage of growth calls for the collective strength of the Vietnamese people both within and outside the country.

The Party and State have made it clear that overseas Vietnamese constitute an invaluable asset to the nation, and they deeply hope that the overseas community will continue to closely accompany the nation on this new journey, a journey demanding great wisdom and effort for national advancement.

Addressing the Forum of Overseas Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts and the 4th Global Conference of Overseas Vietnamese in August 2024, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said: Alongside contributions of material wealth, the contributions of knowledge, ideas, initiatives, and scientific and technological expertise from the overseas Vietnamese community are invaluable resources for national development today.

This is both a call to action and a testament to the homeland's trust in its expatriates to help build a prosperous and sustainable Viet Nam.

In this new era of the nation on the rise, what are the core tasks, solutions and reforms in the committees operations to mobilise resources from the overseas Vietnamese community?

The new era brings new missions for the work concerning overseas Vietnamese and the committee in particular. It necessitates proactive, comprehensive and innovative efforts not only within the committee but also throughout the political system, domestically and abroad. These efforts aim to mobilise the immense material and spiritual resources of the overseas community to meet the countrys development demands in this new period.

First and foremost, the work concerning overseas Vietnamese must fully embody and enhance the tradition of national unity. Every policy and directive must reflect this spirit.

We must strive to motivate, encourage and harness the Vietnamese diaspora's vast resources while strongly demonstrating the Party, State and people's care and responsibility for those living far from their homeland. The work concerning overseas Vietnamese must be holistic and seen as the shared responsibility of the entire political system and society.

The focus of this effort lies in supporting the overseas community to stabilise their lives, integrate successfully into their host societies. At the same time, it is essential to care for, support and protect their legitimate rights and interests.

In terms of content, while building on past achievements, we must identify new drivers that connect the overseas community with one another and with their homeland. This requires continuously innovating methods of support and mobilising the communitys contributions, unlocking their full potential. VNS
YEN BAI  National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man on Saturday attended a ceremony announcing the Prime Ministers decision on recognising Yen Bai Province's Van Yen District to meet criteria of a new-style rural area in 2024 and receiving a second-class Labour Order.

At the ceremony, on behalf of Party and State leaders, the NA chairman handed over the State Presidents second-class Labour Order to the Party, administration and people of Van Yen District.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung presented the Prime Ministers decision on recognising the district to satisfy criteria of a new-style rural area.

Speaking at the ceremony, Secretary of the Yen Bai provincial Party Committee Tran Huy Tuan acknowledged and warmly praised the efforts, dedication, and responsibility of generations of leaders, officials, and party members, people and business community of Van Yen D in the development of the district.

At the same time, he recommended the Party Committee, administration, armed forces and people of all ethnic groups in the district to continue promoting the tradition of revolutionary heroes, the spirit of solidarity, the will to be self-reliant and the desire to rise, joining hands and unanimously building Van Yen into a well-developed locality of the province, aiming to become a tier-4 urban area, one of the important satellite urban areas of the northern midlands and mountains region.

Embarking on building new rural areas in 2011, the communes of Van Yen District only achieved an average of five criteria. Thanks to the drastic, synchronous and effective implementation of the National Target Programme to Build New-Style Rural Areas and many programmes and projects of the central, provincial and district administrations, Van Yen has mobilised the entire political system to participate in building new rural areas with a total amount of over VN5.7 trillion (US$240 million) to invest in upgrading infrastructure and perfecting criteria.

The face of the countryside in Van Yen has seen many improvements, while infrastructure has been invested and upgraded and the cultural, social and spiritual life of the people has been improved. In particular, it has aroused the consensus of the entire rural community, creating the spread and promoting the strength of great solidarity, proactive and creative spirit of each individual and group. Hence, many new factors, many advanced examples, and good economic models have appeared in the district, contributing to improving the material and spiritual life of local people.

To date, all 24/24 communes of the district have met new rural-style standards, of which five communes have met advanced new rural-style standards. The district also completed 9/9 criteria according to the National Criteria Set for New Rural Districts for the period 2021 - 2025. With determination and outstanding efforts, Van Yen reached the status of new-style rural district one year ahead of the Resolutions of the Provincial Party Congress and the District Party Congress. It is the only locality in the northern midland and mountainous region to be recognised as a new rural district in 2024.  VNS
That rumble that rolls across Central Texas day and night, courtesy of the SpaceX rocket-testing plant in McGregor, apparently does not spook a homebuilder that recently broke ground near the citys Amsler Park.

Stylecraft Homes will build on 107 lots, with homes becoming available for purchase in the Adaline Crossing subdivision as early as the summer, said Bryan LeMeilleur, McGregors assistant city manager and planning director. He provided graphics showing the site near North Main Street and Old McGregor-Crawford Road.

Other Stylecraft subdivisions in and around Waco feature homes priced between $269,900 and $400,900, according to online listings.

Local custom homebuilder Scott Bland, though not involved in Adaline Crossing, said he is 100% supportive, that growing Greater Waco badly needs new home construction. He said people buying homes in Adaline Crossing are my clients in 5 to 10 years, referencing first-time homebuyers who later may choose to approach him about building a custom home.

Of the noise complaints about SpaceX, Bland said they are overblown, something people throw out there. He said he has built homes in the Stone Creek Ranch subdivision, even lived there for a time, and never heard a peep from neighbors about rumbling emanating from Elon Musks testing site. Bland said he considered the rolling thunder the sound of progress.

If your home is 20 years old or younger, its not going to affect you, Bland said. If its 50, 60 or 70 years old, maybe a little.

LeMeilleur likewise said he does not see the testing as a bothersome detriment to development. But relief, if necessary, is coming from the source. He said SpaceX soon will begin using new test stands that muffle sound intensity.

30 new Costcos

Costco fans, keep the faith. The warehouse store apparently many locals crave has announced it will place locations in the Weatherford and Prosper communities in Texas. The chain maintains a policy of not identifying target markets until 90 days before construction begins, but Costco will unveil nearly 30 new sites in the coming year, CEO Ron Vachris said during an earnings meeting.

Vachris said a new Costo opening the day before Thanksgiving in Pleasanton, California, enjoyed a record $2.9 million in opening-day sales.

Economic evangelism

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday reminded the media that he and his office led three economic development missions in 2024. He met with business leaders and government officials in India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the United Kingdom to showcase the booming Texas economy and attract more businesses to invest in our great state, according to a press release.

Texas is the eighth-largest economy in the world, a global leader in energy and trade, and the worlds premier economic destination because of our top-tier business climate, Abbott said in the press release.

Abbott signed an Economic Development Statement of Intent with Taiwan, and announced opening of the State of Texas Taiwan Office.

In South Korea, Abbott confirmed that the SeAH Group will invest $110 million to open a manufacturing facility in Temple, creating 100 jobs. The governor also signed a Statement of Mutual Cooperation with the United Kingdom and with the Tokyo Metropolitan Governments Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, according to the press release.

Convention center

A private group now manages the 144,000-square-foot Waco Convention Center downtown, a move the Waco City Council approved to improve occupancy rates. The 10-year contract, filled with performance-based incentives, should bring more conventions to the center each year than it has had annually since the pandemic, Waco Mayor Jim Holmes said.

Taking over operations is ASM Global Convention Center Management LLC, which is based in Los Angeles. It was sold in August for $2.35 billion to New York-based Legends, forming a company owned by affiliates of the New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys.

Mel Adams, who handled marketing and communications for the Heart O Texas Fair and the Extraco Events Center, has taken a sales and marketing job with ASM Global, which also has 15 job openings listed in Waco.

CASA director

Ashlee Knutson has been named executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children of McLennan County. She joined the organization from United City Church in Humble, where she led and supported the preschool, childrens and group ministries. She is a two-time graduate of Dallas Baptist University and is pursuing an executive masters degree in nonprofit administration from the University of Notre Dame.

I know the difference a CASA volunteer can make in the life of a child in foster care, and I look forward to bringing my ideas and experience to the table here in McLennan County and the Central Texas community, Knutson said in a press release from local CASA officials.

Chamber ambassador

Kari McHam, a representative of Axiom Advertising, has been named the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerces Ambassador of the Year for 2024.

Ambassadors volunteer to represent the chamber at various events.

Kari always represents the chamber with professionalism and has a lasting, positive impact on both the organization and the community, a chamber newsletter says. Were incredibly thankful for your dedication and the difference you make. Your contributions mean so much to us.
Gasoline prices have dropped and may get lower in 2025, according to experts who do not discount President-elect Trumps vow to drill, baby, drill, but say industry indicators beyond the oil patch spell relief at the pump.

GasBuddy boldly proclaims Americans will spend $12 billion less on gasoline this year compared with last. Its 2025 Fuel Price Outlook predicts the national yearly average for regular unleaded will drop 11 cents, to $3.22 per gallon, from last years norm of $3.33 per gallon.

I dont disagree with GasBuddys assessment, said Karr Ingham, an Amarillo-based economist who serves as president of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. But he clarified his view, choosing to describe looming pump prices as stable to potentially lower, not continuing to fall.

The reason is that there is little speculation at this point that crude oil prices will be appreciably higher in 2025and it is crude oil prices that largely drive gasoline prices, Ingham said by email. There are a number of factors driving crude oil price expectations in 2025, but the short version of that story is that Chinese demand growth is tepid at best, and growth in other developing regions (India, for example) is offset in other locations.

AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster said the auto club avoids long-term projections on gas prices, as there are too many variables.

For instance, Russias invasion of Ukraine and the impact that had on global oil prices, no one saw that coming, Armbruster said by email. Large-scale weather events also can have an impact.

Breaking trends into smaller bites, Armbruster said, We typically will see prices lower as we move past the holidays and later into January. Of course the annual switchover to summer-blend gas starts to occur in Spring and prices usually bump up a bit. Then fluctuate into Memorial Day and Summer.

Waco had the third-lowest gasoline prices in Texas among 27 metropolitan areas for the week ending Thursday, according to AAA Texas. A gallon of regular unleaded typically fetched $2.49 a gallon, a figure bested only by Killeen-Temple-Fort Hoods $2.48 and Lubbocks $2.41.

The statewide average hit $2.66, while the national norm pegged $3.07.

Over the recent holiday season, more than 100 million Americans embarked on road trips of 50 miles or more, leading to a slight uptick in gas prices across Texas and much of the country, Armbruster said in a press release on the weekly gas price update.

Waco-based economist Ray Perryman said count him among forecasters predicting lower gas prices this year, but warned the situation is highly volatile. He said there are global hotspots where war and political instability could wreak havoc with production and supply chains, naming Russia-Ukraine, the Middle East, the Red Sea and Venezuela-Guyana in his email message.

Texas and Texans walk a tightrope on the oil and gas issue, with high prices bolstering the Texas economy, lower prices benefiting consumers.

Perryman said he does not expect major changes in oil and gas production this year, again subject to the uncertainties he mentioned.

Obviously, a new administration in Washington could have some effect, he said. A more favorable regulatory environment is expected, which could have long-term benefits and encourage investment. On the other hand, some of the other proposed policies could have adverse effects and unintended consequences. On balance, I dont expect any major short-term impacts as long as there is no major escalation in any global conflicts.

Ingham said he wonders how the drill, baby, drill mantra will play out.

There are reasons to believe companies are going to maintain discipline in capital investments and return profits to shareholders and investors rather than going crazy with new drilling, Ingham said. That said, there is really no reason to think production is going to fall, either, and in fact production is largely expected to increase modestly in 2025, which doesnt point to a supply shortfall that would push prices upward.

Ingham said, bottom line, he sees continued affordability in 2025.

We are in a bit of a sweet spot for consumers, in factprices high enough to maintain abundant supply, and keep prices in check for end users. Not a bad consumer outcome at all, Ingham wrote.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, predicts Americans will spend $411 billion on gasoline in 2025, an 8% drop from 2024. He said most major cities will see per-gallon averages for regular unleaded peak at $4, though West Coast cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco could return to the mid-$5 per gallon range due to high fuel taxes, unique fuel requirements and other state mandates.

De Haan also reported he expects diesel prices to decline in 2025, with a projected yearly national average of $3.48 per gallon.

This reduction will benefit industries dependent on diesel, such as freight and agriculture, offering some respite from recent cost pressures, he said.
The start pages for udm14.com, Startpage and Brave Search are shown. Each allows you to get search results that dont include AI overviews. Dwight Silverman illustration

Technology goes through periods when breakthroughs dramatically change the course of its evolution. From electricity to radio waves to microprocessors to personal computers to the internet to smartphones, tech barrels forward, lurching from one era the next.

Were in the middle of one of those shifts now, with advances in artificial intelligence. There are startups everywhere offering AI this or AI that, hoping to catch the wave and be The Next Big Thing. Existing tech companies, particularly giants like Apple, Google, Meta and Amazon, are embedding AI wherever they can. Too often, its more annoying than useful.

Thats certainly the case with online search. Finding what you want on the sprawling, tentacled internet is a important function, and in theory AI should help with that. But doesnt it often feel like it just gets in the way?

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For example, Google has topped its search pages both on the Web and in its mobile apps with overviews from its Gemini AI that are narrative in style. Standard results still display as links with excerpts, although depending on the topic, there may be several layers of informational detritus to wade through until you get to simple links.

(Among tech pundits theres long been a drumbeat that Googles search quality has degraded and maybe even is dying. I tend to think thats melodrama, but its clear that, for many reasons, finding things on the internet is harder than it should be.)

I have mixed feelings about the inclusion of AI in Google results  and certainly about topping search pages with AI-generated discussions. Sometimes I find insights I hadnt considered, but typically not.

Some folks have a visceral reaction against AI anything. I understand that, though I think of AI as just one more tool in my search arsenal  use with care, and when appropriate. But those who want to revert to a simpler time have several options.

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My favorite, probably because its the simplest route to AI-free searching, is to use a site that blocks Gemini overviews in Google search.

When Google first started plopping AI onto its search pages, many users complained. To mollify them, it added a tab below the search bar  where Images, Shopping, Videos, News, etc., appear  labeled Web. Clicking/tapping that gives you pure, sweet, search links.

It does this by adding a code to the URL for the search, specifically &udm=14. But what if you had a Web site that handled every search request like that?

Ernie Smith, a former newspaper designer, veteran digital journalist and author of the excellent Tedium newsletter, built a simple Web site that treats every Google search this way. Go to udm14.com (udm14.org also works) and search just as you would at Google.com. Bookmark/Favorite it to save it in a desktop browser or use your mobile device to save it to your home screen. It doesnt track what you search, and there are no ads.

If youre not afraid of a little copy/pasting in your browsers settings, you can also make Google combined with the &udm=14 parameter added as the default search engine. Instructions for doing this in many popular mobile and desktop browsers, including Google Chrome, are at tenbluelinks.org. And the ability to set a custom Web address, such as udm14.com, as a default search engine is built into Microsofts Edge browser for both Windows and Mac.

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First, go to udm14.com in Edge and search for anything. Then, go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services > Address bar and click Manage Search Engines. Youll see a long list of entries, and udm14.com should be one of them. Click the three-button menu on the far right of that entry and choose Make Default.

Dont want to work that hard? Alternative search engines that emphasize privacy often dont have AI overviews, or if theyre available you must click or tap something to see them.

Startpage, which has been around since 2006, is one of my favorites. It uses Google for search results but doesnt pass on your personal information. Its based in the Netherlands, and so adheres to the strict privacy regulations of the European Union. The initial page is mostly blank except for the search bar and a tout for the sites mobile apps (both iOS and Android). There are a slew of settings for customizing your experience.

Brave is another search engine thats privacy-focused (and created by the makers of the Brave Web browser) and while it does have AI overviews, you can turn them off in its settings. The button is still available if you want to try it, but you wont see AI unless you ask for it. Its ad-supported but uses its own network that doesnt rely on tracking or sharing of private information. Theres also a paid option if you want to avoid ads completely.

Finally, theres Ecosia, a search engine and available browser that supports climate initiatives. Revenues from its search ads help fund green-focused programs, such as planting trees in areas around the world there the landscape is challenged. It is working with another European search engine, Frances Qwant, to build its own search index. There is an AI chat feature, but you have to turn it on to use it.

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Llangollen International Eisteddfod 2025 tickets now available for packed daytime events

The Llangollen International Eisteddfod has put tickets on sale for its packed daytime events, which take place from 8 to 13 July 2025.

In 2025, 4,000 competitors from choirs, dance groups and ensembles will head to Llangollen from around the world, along with 57 groups from across the UK.

This represents the highest number of international competitors for many years, as the town once again welcomes the world to Wales.

Groups confirmed for Llangollen 2025 come from as far away as Burundi, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kurdistan, Morocco, New Zealand, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, USA and Zimbabwe.

There will also be 22 non-competing groups bringing a variety of choirs, dance and ensembles.

The festivals choral, dance and instrumental competitions are hosted in its iconic 3,500-seater pavilion from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 July 2025. In addition to 25 world-class competitions, there will also be plenty to see and do on the Eisteddfod field.

There will be two outside performance stages, featuring live music from across the world, as well as local bands from North East Wales.

There will be showcases from Community Rhythm and Roots Wales (where 6 groups from across the country will perform), a Welsh language afternoon (featuring up and coming Welsh Language performers), and much more.

The annual peace message will be presented on Wednesday 9 and Saturday 12 July and is the focal point of a number of activities promoting the Eisteddfods message of world peace.

In addition, there will be pop-up performance areas, a dedicated Kids Zone (featuring fun and educational activities, including circus skills), and a sensory den (providing a safe space for those who need it). There will also be arts and crafts from local makers, along with plenty to eat and drink.

Chair of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, John Gambles said, Our 2025 Eisteddfod will be much more than a series of amazing concerts  our field will be a hive of colour, music, and dancing. There really is something for everybody. Our daytime in Llangollen will be as vibrant as our evening concerts.

This year, we have had an amazing number of applications from across the world. Its clear that the Llangollen International Eisteddfod still reaches out to the world, and our festival in 2025 will be bigger and better than ever.
Wrexham-based organisation expands its work to support young people in Flintshire

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jan 4th, 2025

A Wrexham-based organisation that transforms young peoples lives is launching a major campaign in Flintshire to help individuals in need support into the world of work.

WeMindTheGap charity wants to have a Big Conversation with people aged 18 to 21 in Flintshire about how to lift the barriers to them following their job or education dreams.

It hopes the campaign will help ease a perfect storm facing the regions employers who are struggling to recruit new, young talent to fill crucial positions.

The Big Conversation in Flintshire will run from January 9 to 14. It follows on from the success of a similar campaign in Wrexham two years ago.

Ali Wheeler, CEO of Wrexham-based WeMindTheGap, said: We need to find and then to talk to young people in Flintshire.

We want to get inside the heads and hearts of those people whose lives and education were so rudely disrupted by Covid19, and as a society we are not doing enough to reach and communicate with those young people.

We started the first Big Conversation in Wrexham two years ago because we were re-emerging from Covid and we werent seeing the numbers of young people being referred to WeMindTheGap that we normally would have been.

The research highlighted that 46% of young people said they are experiencing loneliness despite reengaging in education since the pandemic, while 37% said theyd lost interest in education and one in three said they have given up on the things that they enjoyed before Covid.

Many young people also shared that they feel they lack the social skills such as resilience, motivation and initiative to be part of the workplace, and so are finding it difficult to find, secure and stay in work.

At the same time employers were telling us that young people were harder to find to recruit and retain in employment. They told us what their challenges and barriers were to employing young people.

The interesting thing about carrying out this conversation in Flintshire, is that the young people who are now 18 to 21, would have been 14 to 17 during Covid.

Thats usually when we all transition into our communities, into our next steps in life, finding work experience  that was completely stopped for this particular group of young people..

Due to a lack of opportunity to gain experience, its impossible to understand what the world of work is like.

Theres a perfect storm happening at the moment, and over the next five years we will have more people wanting to retire, and we will have fewer young people with the right skills able to apply for jobs if we dont change the criteria on how we recruit young people.

We need to think differently in how we support young people when they first enter the world of work, because they may not have learned their skills through a Saturday job or work experience.

Im feeling quite fearful for the future of generations of our young people unless we do something differently now and it starts with the Big Conversation.

Ali appealed to parents, carers, neighbours and friends to encourage young people to get involved in the Big Conversation.

She said: Weve got to find young people, and young people arent on the same social media channels as most of the community. The way to find young people is by trusted referral.

We need the people of Flintshire to find our young people and guide them in the direction of our Big Conversation so that we can ensure they are heard.

Laura Columbine, WeMindTheGaps community maker in Flintshire, said: The Covid pandemic is still having a big impact, particularly in terms of independence. We are seeing lots of young people reliant on whatever their home environment looks like.

A conversation like this is really important because the world has changed so much while the scope and environment of jobs available has completely changed as well.

Quite often people are expecting from young people what they expected years and years ago, and actually things have completely changed.

Something like this is crucial to shed light on what is important to young people currently, to understand what they want, and to be able to provide the support thats actually needed, rather than what has always been given or assumed.

Its also very timely because the recently published, Get Britain Working White Paper. sets out the Governments Youth Guarantee to unleash opportunity and set young people on the path to success.

It states that too many young people are at risk of being left behind, without the skills, opportunities and support to get started in the world of work, preventing them from building pathways to fulfilling futures.

We want to understand by hearing from young people directly, and learn how best to walk alongside them on their journey.

The Big Conversation in Flintshire is being funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and supported by Flintshire County Council.

Wrexham University is supporting the Big Conversation and will be helping WeMindTheGap with community engagement for the campaign.

For more information about the Big Conversation in Flintshire, contact Laura Columbine at laura@wemindthegap.org.uk
One in a million employee retires after three decades at Wrexham University

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jan 4th, 2025

A loyal and dedicated member of staff who saw three institutional name changes and six Vice-Chancellors, has retired from Wrexham University.

Gerry Beer, Senior Executive Officer and Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, joined the University in 1995, back when it was still North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI).

Initially, Gerry started out in the role of Administrator in the institutions Science and Engineering Schools office, before later joining the Vice-Chancellors office as Senior Executive Officer and Personal Assistant in 2002.

Over the past three decades, Gerry says she has seen a great deal of change  but the two things that have remained throughout that time have been the close-knit staff community and a commitment to our students.

She said: There has been a lot of change during my time at the University, when I started working here we were still NEWI, then in 2008 we gained university status and became Glyndwr University and of course, today we are Wrexham University.

There are two things that, in my opinion, have remained consistent and thats despite how weve grown and diversified, we have always been fortunate to have such a lovely, close-knit community amongst colleagues but also the commitment to our students and providing a special, welcoming and inclusive environment for them. Thats never changed and I think thats what makes us special.

Recalling some of her favourite memories while working for the University, Gerry says standout occasions were the Queen and Prince Philips visit back in 2003, as well as the Inauguration and Installation ceremony, when the institution transitioned from a Higher Education Institute to a university.

The Inauguration and Installation was a truly wonderful occasion with a procession of management, staff, fellows, dignitaries and politicians all parading through the streets of Wrexham to St Marys Cathedral. First, to welcome existing fellows as Fellows of the University, and then moving onto St Giles for the formal ceremony, she said.

This was followed by an evening concert, which was open to the public, finished with a spectacular firework display in the Quad. It was a fantastic way of bringing together the University and the community.

We have come such a long way since then  and its been a privilege to be a part of but I definitely feel like now is the right time for me to retire and enjoy this lovely next stage of my life.

Gabby Gardner, Progression and Awards Manager at the University, who has worked with Gerry for more than 16 years, described her as one in a million.

She said: Gerry recruited me and was my first manager when I joined the University more than 16 years ago as an Administrator in the Executive Office  and she was a fantastic manager and support to me. Although we havent worked in the same team for a number of years we have continued to work closely together to deliver many graduations and inaugurations, and she has been a wonderful colleague and support during that time.

Gerrys calm approach, kind nature and solid guidance has always made a huge difference to everyone, who works with her. Not to mention  her encyclopedic knowledge of the University, the vast majority of the time if you ask Gerry a question, she knows the answer but on the rare occasion that she doesnt, shell know exactly who does!

I dont know what we will do without her but I wish her all the very best for a happy and fun-filled retirement, shes more than earnt it. She truly is one in a million.

Professor Joe Yates, Vice-Chancellor of Wrexham University, added: On behalf of all colleagues, Id like to wish Gerry a happy and healthy retirement and Id like to thank her for her loyal and dedicated service and hard work for almost three decades.

She is a truly valued member of our university community, and on a personal level, has been an immense support to me, since I joined the University in the summer. Gerrys knowledge is vast and were going to miss her hugely.
Wrexham automotive specialist plans expansion with 100,000 investment

This article is old - Published: Saturday, Jan 4th, 2025

The Managing Director of Wrexham-based Maverick Diagnostics is preparing for expansion following an investment of 100,000 by the Development Bank of Wales.

A specialist vehicle diagnostic tool business, Maverick Diagnostics has reported growth of 25% in the last year having launched a training academy to upskill local mechanics and technicians that will shortly feature additional courses on Tesla and ADAS Calibration.

It is the second time that the company has had support from the Development Bank, having received a loan in April 2020 to help manage trading during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 100,000 loan will enable Maverick Diagnostics to continue to grow the range of diagnostic tools and technical support that the team of 12 offers automotive workshops and garages throughout the UK.

The company is developing an automatic software deployment system that will provide regular software updates plus preparing to launch a battery refurbishment and diagnostics service for electric vehicles in early 2025.

As Managing Director of Maverick Diagnostics, Laura Hall is a proud ambassador for women in the automotive industry and member of The Automotive 30% Club which campaigns for achieving a better gender balance within the automotive industry.

Laura said: We are the first European company to support all dealer diagnostic tools in the aftermarket.

Over the last 10 years, we have established trust and partnerships across the world, giving the aftermarket workshops the ability to fully compete with main dealer networks.

Our wide range of diagnostic tools is ideal for small and large workshops. We were able to maintain our service throughout the pandemic thanks to the support of the Development Bank.

With a good understanding of our business, the Bank has now been able to structure a funding package with terms that work for us so we can continue with our efforts to empower the aftermarket, by reaching more garages and encouraging them to embrace new technology. Its all about making the future more accessible. 

Malcom Green, a Portfolio Executive with the Development Bank, said: The UK automotive aftermarket is thriving, but smaller, more local garages can sometimes struggle to keep up with advances in diagnostic technology.

Maverick Diagnostics benefits from a highly skilled team who have a passion for sharing their technology and expertise with garages and workshops throughout the UK, enabling them to compete with main dealers.

Our support for their business means that they can do more to enable their customers to help car owners with repair, maintenance and service requirements.

The loan for Maverick Diagnostics came from the 500 million Wales Flexible Investment Fund. Financed by Welsh Government, the Fund is for deals between 25,000 and 10 million. Loans, mezzanine finance, and equity investments are available for Welsh businesses with terms of up to 15 years.
Update (1/4/25, 1:10 p.m.):

The Carson City Sheriff's Office has released body camera video from the New Year's Eve shooting involving deputies.

The video shows that the suspect opened fire when he returned to the scene just before midnight, then deputies returned fire.

The man who died was identified as 64-year-old Michael Bright of Carson City.

The investigation is ongoing.

The bodycam video can be viewed below.

***WARNING: Some images in the video may be disturbing to some viewers due to gun violence.***

Original Story (1/1/25):

One man is dead after shooting involving Carson City Sheriff's deputies after midnight on New Year's Day.

The Sheriff's Office says deputies were responding to a verbal domestic dispute in rural southwestern Carson City on Clear Creek Road. When they arrived, they learned that the suspect had left the area, but had threatened to shoot at law enforcement. The office says he returned just before midnight, and "there was an immediate exchange of gunfire" before the suspect barricaded himself inside his pickup truck.

Deputies say they tried negotiating with the suspect for almost 30 minutes, but he refused to follow law enforcement instructions. Just after midnight, the sheriff says he exited his truck with a handgun, when a second shootout took place and the suspect died.

No law enforcement officers were hurt, but five deputies and two sergeants are now on standard administrative leave following the shooting.

The sheriff has not yet released the names of the suspect or deputies involved in the shootout.

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the initial shooting, including the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Washoe Tribal Police, Carson City Fire Department, and Tactical Paramedics.

Nevada State Police are investigating the shooting.
The old school blue and white street tiles at 3700 Greenbriar on the corner of Greenbriar and Portsmouth in Upper Kirby on Monday, April 22, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Staff graphic; Photo by Matt Young, Houston Chronicle

When I think of Houston, my mind drifts to hot colors. Perhaps its the influence of the citys climate. More likely its due to both the Astros and Dynamo being clad in orange. The Rockets, but for a brief spell, have always worn red.

Maybe all these scorching stimuli explain affinity for another Houston color: light blue.

I wasnt around for the Luv Ya Blue! Oilers years. But I admired the flair of the Columbia blue jerseys. Immediately upon moving here 20 years ago, I could feel the affection people had for that team. It was endearing. But I think I found my fondness for Houston blue while walking around town.

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I always loved seeing the blue and white tiles in the sidewalks and curbs that informed the observant passersby of different street names. Theyve become part of the citys iconography, coopted for business signs, book covers, beer bottles. Blue Tile Coffee took its name from them.

Whats the story behind the tiles?

The tiles arent as old as the city, but they have a century of history here. They were inlaid into the first paved streets in the city in the early 1920s, adding some flair and continuity to a place with a funky topography.

The blue street tiles worked their way outward from the city center for years until they were discontinued in the 1950s. So they have more than half a century of neglect in a city teeming with water events and relentless vehicular wear-and-tear.

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By the 21st century, they were not looking their best. In 2015, Houstonian Joey Sanchez began documenting the tile inlays around the city as he encountered them on his walks and drives. He found more than 4,000 and geotagged them as part of what he called the Blue Tile Project.

Bringing back the tiles

Not surprisingly, preservation-minded Houstonians welcomed his endeavor.

Another Houstonian, Eric Maier, launched Curb Appeal Blues, which will create tiled curb signs for people who want them. The prices are set per character. Their example of 931 Omar costs $475. Nineteen characters  they use 2200 N. Braeswood Blvd as an example  lands at $1,025. Installation is included.

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Maier has also been working to restore and replace some of the damaged tiles around Houston.

I feel like the city is better for it. Were better at preservation than when I arrived here. But these signs feel low-level urgent to me. The tiles gradually gave way to green street signs, and the visual data was elevated by several feet to serve motorists better.

That makes sense. But because of our sprawl, our roads are foundational. Like many places in the United States, Houston is best traversed by car. But its more richly understood on foot.

Take the photo accompanying this newsletter.

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That intersection, Greenbriar and Portsmouth, has long-term neighbors within a block or so: Rockin Robin, the music shop; a Whataburger. It has also seen a lot of change: Blockbuster became something that became something that became Zoes Kitchen and is now Tarka. Cactus Music, once Cactus Records, is a half-century-old Houston institution that moved south to that block years ago.

Our cities will always experience churn and change. The tiles remain portals to our past.

They also feel like those little Houston touchstones that reward curiosity, which has been the mission behind Houston Explained.

They slow down a fast-moving city just a little.

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The Flying Dutchman closed on Dec. 31, 2024, after a nearly 50-year run on the Kemah boardwalk. Kirk Sides/Staff Photographer

Just over a month after closing Joes Crab Shack, billionaire Tilman Fertittas Landrys closed one of the original restaurants remaining on the Kemah Boardwalk.

The Flying Dutchman opened in 1976 and became one of the most beloved restaurants in the Bay Area, known for oysters, seafood and waterfront views. Landrys bought it in 1997 but decided to shut it down on Dec. 31 ahead of an exciting transformation.

The Flying Dutchman has been a cherished part of our Kemah community, but we know it is the right time to bring new energy to this space, Landrys chief operating officer Terry Turney said through a spokesperson via email.

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Landrys did not provide further details on plans for the Flying Dutchman and Joes Crab Shack spaces, which were neighboring restaurants.

HOUSTON EATS: The Chronicles top 100 restaurants

Fans of the Flying Dutchman flooded social media with memories of the restaurant while others flocked to the seaside favorite for one last meal ahead of Landrys eleventh-hour notice about a week before the closing.

For some, like Greg Gripon, the closure was another sign of how much the Kemah Boardwalk has changed over the years, from a small seaside town where boats could dock next to the restaurants to a shiny, theme park-like build-out under Fertittas ownership.

Throughout the '80s, Gripon said he often visited the Flying Dutchman, which for years only employed women in the downstairs oyster bar. Some wore revealing sailor uniforms, he recalled.

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The upstairs dining room was more formal and for a time, only men were hired as servers. This had started to change before Fertitta bought the restaurant.

Online, people said they heard Landrys was going to put in a water park but the company did not confirm or deny the rumors.

MORE FROM BAO ONG: Top Woodlands steakhouse Tris closes unexpectedly with departure of chef Austin Simmons

The Kemah Boardwalk is a popular tourist destination in the Clear Lake area. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer Jingle on the Boardwalk at Kemah Boardwalk. Kemah Boardwalk Blessing of the Fleet at Kemah Boardwalk Karen Warren, Staff / Houston Chronicle

Gripon said he didnt visit the boardwalk as much in recent years because of the tourists and parking fees.

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But the 59-year-old League City resident did make it to Flying Dutchman last week for one more lunch with his wife, where he ordered a great seafood gumbo and she ate chicken strips.

I hate seeing restaurants that have been around forever close their doors, especially one in the Kemah Boardwalk that had a special charm to it, Gripon said. But I also understand change happens.

Barry Terrell, who owns two Tookies restaurants as well as T-Bone Toms in nearby Seabrook, said he worked as a manager at the Flying Dutchman when Fertitta teams took over the restaurant.

My job at first was to keep everything the same, Terrell said. It was the place to be.

Kemahs the Flying Dutchman Restaurant and Oyster Bar is a longtime Gulf Coast favorite serving fresh seafood and oysters. The Flying Dutchman

Customers packed the bar on Fridays for the $1 dozen oysters special as well as for seats on the patio to drink and watch a sunset, he said.

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Ryan Stone, who started working at the Flying Dutchman as a server in spring 2009, remembers how busy the restaurant was following a top-to-bottom renovation in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

She worked 12- to 14-hour shifts because of how many customers wanted to support the restaurant.

The fried seafood platter and a redfish topped with a pineapple pico de gallo were among the best sellers, said Stone, who worked there until November 2011.

What is amazing is that the Flying Dutchman was always the same, she said. I thought it would be there forever.
Krati Gupta is a seasoned media planner with a passion for all things digital marketing. With over 10 years of expertise, she specializes in Brand Strategy, media planning and performance marketing, partnering with top-notch brands to drive business growth and achieve brand success.

As Director - Media Planning, EssenceMediacom, GroupM, Gupta is responsible for managing annual media budget over Rs 10 million. She spearheaded media planning initiatives and managed brand marketing efforts for a leading OEM Brand including 4 new product launches in 2023. She also led cross-media planning initiatives and integrating digital and offline channels for the highly successful campaign for a prominent OTA.

In conversation with Adgully, Krati Gupta, Director - Media Planning, EssenceMediacom, GroupM, speaks about how she balances her diverse roles, her passion for media planning, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and more.

How do you balance your diverse roles and what are the key challenges you face in managing these responsibilities?

Balancing multiple responsibilities demands both strong prioritization and a strategic approach. As the Director of Media Planning at EssenceMediacom, my role spans various functions, from devising high-level media strategies to engaging with our clients and staying on top of industry trends. My key challenge lies in managing the dynamic nature of the industry, where client needs and media landscapes evolve rapidly. By staying flexible and continuously optimizing workflows, I ensure that every task aligns with our larger goals.

What does a typical day look like for you, and could you share the 5-7 key activities you prioritize in your daily routine?

A typical day starts with planning and prioritizing, where I review key tasks and touchpoints with the team. Here are the activities I focus on daily:

Strategic Planning: Reviewing ongoing campaign strategies and optimizing them as needed. Client Engagement: Meeting with clients to discuss performance, goals, and ensure alignment. Team Mentoring: Guiding the team on best practices and supporting their professional growth. Market Analysis: Keeping an eye on competitor movements and media trends. Creative Brainstorming: Collaborating with creatives to align ideas with campaign objectives. Performance Tracking: Assessing campaign metrics to ensure were achieving the expected outcomes. Personal Development: Setting aside time for learningwhether thats reading industry reports or analyzing new case studies.

What inspired you to pursue a career in media planning, and how did you prepare for this field alongside your other responsibilities?

My passion for media planning grew from my love for storytelling and data-driven marketing. Understanding audience behaviours and translating them into effective media plans is both an art and a science, and this blend is what excites me the most. I prepared by building a strong foundation in performance marketing and brand strategy. Alongside, I continually pursued upskilling through certifications, workshops, and mentorship.

Did you have any mentors or industry icons who guided your career? How did they influence your professional journey?

Absolutely. Throughout my journey, Ive had mentors whose perspectives on strategy, innovation, and resilience have profoundly impacted me. They taught me to think creatively, stay grounded in data, and embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. These mentors not only provided guidance but also encouraged me to push boundaries and remain adaptable.

How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance, especially with the demanding role? What are your go-to practices for managing stress and ensuring personal well-being?

For me, setting clear boundaries and prioritizing self-care are essential. I believe in creating a routine that includes exercise, mindful breaks, and disconnecting after work hours. Practicing mindfulness and maintaining regular hobbies allows me to recharge and return to work with renewed focus and energy. I am firm believer of making time for work outs and try to remain fit.

Could you share some of the key milestones or achievements in your career so far, and how have they shaped your professional journey?

Some significant milestones include my recent recognition in the Super Women 2024 award and leading high-impact campaigns that strengthened brands market presence. Each milestone reaffirmed my passion for the industry and taught me the importance of resilience, teamwork, and continuous innovation.

How do you stay informed and updated in your role? Are there any specific resources, tools, or strategies that you rely on?

Staying informed is key in media planning. I regularly follow industry publications, attend webinars, and participate in workshops. Additionally, I leverage tools like social listening platforms, competitive analysis tools, and Google Trends to monitor shifts in audience preferences and keep campaigns relevant.

What drives your passion for the roles you hold, and how do you continue to grow and evolve to remain relevant and successful in the media planning industry?

The evolving nature of media planning, where creativity meets analytics, is what keeps me passionate. Every day presents an opportunity to learn and adapt. I prioritize professional growth by embracing new trends, staying curious, and actively seeking feedback.

What has your experience been like working at EssenceMediacom?

Working at EssenceMediacom has been inspiring and rewarding. Its a place where innovation is encouraged, and collaboration is at the core of our work culture. Ive been fortunate to lead diverse campaigns and work alongside talented individuals who continuously challenge me to excel. People here are industry first and mindset is growth oriented.

Could you share some insights into the culture and any unique opportunities that have influenced your work?

EssenceMediacoms culture is inclusive and forward-thinking. The environment encourages us to explore unconventional ideas and solutions, which has deeply influenced my approach to media planning. The support for innovation and growth has been instrumental in shaping my journey here.

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Comscore, a global leader in measuring and analyzing consumer behaviors, has announced the appointment of Jackelyn Keller as its Chief Marketing Officer. Keller brings extensive expertise in linear TV, streaming, digital and programmatic advertising, product marketing and revenue strategy for some of the most well-known companies in the industry.

For 25 years, Comscore has driven measurement innovation to match changing consumer behaviors with their various touchpoints. With the convergence of digital and real-world experiences, and the rapid growth of streaming and programmatic, Comscore will leverage Keller's previous successes to write the next chapter of measurement innovation and continue to facilitate collaboration across the modern media ecosystem.

Since September 2024, Keller has been an advisor to Comscores leadership team, focusing on simplified positioning, creative strategy and go-to-market efforts, including the launch of evergreen franchises the Comscore Data Divas and Barbershop, Beauty and Local Buzz.

Keller was previously head of market intelligence and global product strategy at Samsung Ads, where she developed foundational product positioning and helped launch Samsung DSP. She later joined Quantcast, an AI powered DSP, as global head of product marketing. Jackelyn was trained at some of the most iconic media brands, such as Discovery Communications and Turner Broadcasting, working in their ad sales, marketing, and pricing teams. This experience positions her uniquely to elevate Comscores brand and streamline its messaging for todays fragmented media landscape.

Im thrilled to welcome Jackelyn to the executive team. She will play a crucial role in shaping the companys future as we continue to innovate and deliver unparalleled value to our partners, said Jon Carpenter, Comscore Chief Executive Officer. Her background in operations, product and revenue strategy, paired with her exceptional talent for positioning and creating accessible branding, exemplifies our unwavering commitment to empowering our clients in this rapidly evolving media landscape. We are confident that her leadership will drive our mission forward and elevate our efforts to help our clients thrive."

As a company thats been trailblazing measurement innovation andensuring objectivity for over 25 years, Im delighted to join Comscore during this transformative time in which consumers are in the driver's seat, Keller said. With Comscores rich assets, we will continue lighting the way for the industry, serving as the bridge to a largely programmatic future as well as writing the measurement playbook for streaming, local, and national measurement.

As a strategy consultant and board advisor, Keller thrives on helping purpose-driven organizations of every size bring offerings to market in a more thoughtful, differentiated, and simplified manner. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English communications, with a minor in political science, from Yeshiva University. She earned an MBA from the Fordham Gabelli School of Business, where she has been an adjunct professor since Fall 2021.

Also Read: Comscore partners with IAMAI for Indias comprehensive CTV Study
The Palestinian Authority has announced a temporary suspension of Al Jazeeras operations in its territories, citing concerns over the network's alleged dissemination of material that fuels division and incitement. The decision, made by the ministries of culture, interior, and communications, was confirmed by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA on Wednesday.

Officials accused the Qatari broadcaster of airing content that misrepresents events and stirs unrest, but specific examples of such material were not disclosed. While the suspension is labeled as temporary, no timeline for its reversal has been provided

Rising Tensions Over Jenin Coverage

The suspension comes shortly after Al Jazeera faced criticism from the Palestinian Authority for its coverage of a standoff between Palestinian security forces and militants in the Jenin refugee camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Authorities accused the network of portraying the events in a manner that undermined national unity.

Al Jazeera Pushes Back

In response, Al Jazeera condemned the suspension, describing it as an attempt to suppress reporting on critical issues in the region. The network called on the Palestinian Authority to uphold press freedom and allow its journalists to operate without fear of reprisal.

Broader Implications

The order is not expected to impact Al Jazeeras activities in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas and falls outside the Palestinian Authoritys jurisdiction. However, it adds to the mounting challenges faced by the broadcaster in the region.

Earlier this year, Israel banned Al Jazeera from operating within its borders, citing security concerns. The networks bureau in Ramallah was also raided and shut down by Israeli forces in September, reflecting escalating tensions surrounding its coverage.

The Palestinian Authoritys move has drawn attention to the complex dynamics of media, politics, and security in the region, sparking debates about the balance between press freedom and national stability.
Prime Videos celebrity talk show, The Rana Daggubati Show, kicks off 2025 with an engaging episode featuring the maverick filmmaker-actor Upendra, the dynamic Navdeep, the talented Faria Abdullah, and actor-producer Sharmiela Mandre. Hosted by Rana Daggubati, the episode delves into Upendras daring storytelling style, unconventional cinematic choices, and larger-than-life personality. The candid conversation takes viewers on a journey through his humble beginnings, profound views on love and marriage, and his unique approach to filmmaking.

The episode opens with heartfelt praises from acclaimed director Sandeep Reddy Vanga and actor Navdeep. In a special introductory video, Navdeep draws a parallel between Upendra and Ranbir Kapoor's intense character in Animal, calling him The OG real wild animal. Sandeep Reddy Vanga echoes this sentiment, remarking, He made Om when he was just 22. He was the youngest director in the country at that time. His screenplay felt like a film within a film.

As the conversation unfolds, Upendra reflects on his modest beginnings, recounting: I lived in a very tiny house. To earn some money, I made paper covers and sold them to fruit vendors. Thats when I started writing. I approached a director as a writer, and he made me his AD. From there, I moved to becoming a co-director, then director, and finally acting in my own films.

The episode also offers an intimate glimpse into Upendras perspective on love and marriage. In a candid confession, he shares: Marriage is a great institution. It is so good. I deceived you all by delivering lines like: There is no love. Love is trash. Many of you followed it, but very quietly, I got married. I wanted to find out whether there was any truth to what I said. After experiencing it, I am fixed now.

One of the most intriguing revelations comes when Upendra recalls a unique love scene from his 2002 film Super Star. He shares, During my trip to Thailand, I saw a tiger and wrote a love scene around it.

Created, hosted, and executive produced by Rana Daggubati under the banner of Spirit Media, the unscripted Telugu Original eight-episode series features an exciting roster of guests, including Dulquer Salmaan, Naga Chaitanya Akkineni, Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Sreeleela, Nani, S.S. Rajamouli, Ram Gopal Varma, and many more.

New episodes of The Rana Daggubati Show drop every Saturday, with the seventh episode streaming exclusively on Prime Video in India and over 240 countries and territories worldwide on January 4, 2025.
BJP Slams Karnataka Congress for Alleged Goshala Scheme U-Turn 2

The Karnataka BJP has accused the Congress government of allegedly discontinuing the Goshala scheme, an initiative launched by the previous BJP regime to protect cows and promote their welfare in the state. Under the BJPs tenure, 35 Goshalas (cowsheds) were sanctioned across Karnataka.

In a fiery post on X, the BJP asserted, Protecting cows is like preserving the culture of this land. The Congress governments abandonment of the BJPs Goshala project shows a lack of commitment to this cause. The party also alleged that the Congress administration was more concerned about appeasing beef eaters than preserving cows and maintaining cultural values.

Citing media reports, the BJP claimed the Congress government is citing a lack of cows as a reason to shut down the Goshalas. This is merely an excuse. If their intention was genuine, these facilities would already be operational, the BJP alleged, further condemning the move as a betrayal of the sentiments of millions of cow worshippers.

Responding to the accusations, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil clarified that the Congress government had not scrapped the scheme. Instead, he announced that administrative approval had been granted to strengthen the 14 existing Goshalas and continue work on the remaining ones. Patil reassured reporters that 14 new Goshalas had already been completed and that the government remained committed to supporting cow welfare.

The BJPs allegations and the Congress governments response have reignited a heated debate on cow protection, cultural preservation, and political priorities in Karnataka.
China Dismisses Massive Flu Outbreak Reports, Calls It Safe for Travel 2

China on Friday downplayed reports of a large-scale outbreak of HMPV flu overwhelming hospitals, asserting that respiratory illnesses this winter are less severe compared to last year. The Foreign Ministry also emphasized that the country remains safe for travel.

Respiratory infections tend to peak during the winter season in the northern hemisphere, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated when questioned about the spread of influenza A and other respiratory diseases. She dismissed concerns fueled by social media videos showing overcrowded hospitals.

The diseases appear to be less severe and are spreading on a smaller scale compared to the previous year, Mao added. Assuring the public, she said, The Chinese government cares deeply about the health of both its citizens and foreigners in the country. It is safe to travel in China.

Mao also cited preventive guidelines issued by the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, addressing respiratory illnesses typical during the winter months.

Reports of a significant flu outbreak have circulated widely in India, Indonesia, and other nations in recent days, sparking concerns. However, Chinese health officials described the situation as a routine seasonal occurrence, noting that the country has been experiencing unusually severe cold weather over the past few months.
The chairman of the Alabama Republican Party on Friday blasted the decision by a New York judge to sentence President-elect Donald Trump for his conviction in a hush money case.

Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trumps trial, set the sentencing for Jan. 10, just 10 days before Trump will take the oath of office for his second term as president.

Merchan indicated he would sentence Trump to an unconditional discharge, which would close the case without jail time, a fine, or probation, the Associated Press reported.

The continued targeting of President Trump by this liberal New York judge is disrespectful to the American people and just plain ridiculous, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl said.

Voters across our nation sent a clear message on November 5th, and it is time to move forward.

There is no place in America for weaponizing the justice system or using the power of government to undermine political opponents. Now is the time for us to come together as a nation and allow Donald Trump to focus on working for the American people without the distraction of these petty and divisive attacks.

Merchan, in an 18-page decision, wrote that he tried to balance competing interests, including Trumps ability to govern unencumbered by the case, the U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in July on presidential immunity, the publics expectation that all are equal and no one is above the Iaw, and the importance of protecting the sanctity of a jury verdict.

This court is simply not persuaded that the first factor outweighs the others at this stage of the proceeding, Merchan wrote.

He rejected Trumps push to dismiss the verdict and throw out the case on presidential immunity grounds and because of his impending return to the White House. The judge said that he found no legal impediment to sentencing Trump.

Only by bringing finality to this matter will the interests of justice be served, Merchan wrote.

In May, a New York jury found Trump guilty of falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to porn actor Stormy Daniels.

The payout was made to keep Daniels from publicizing claims shed had sex with the married Trump years earlier. Trump says that her story is false and that he did nothing wrong.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Income tax forms are show. The 2025 tax filing season will begin later this month. Dreamstime

As the new year begins, the start of a new tax season is ahead as well.

The Internal Revenue Service is expected to announced the first date to file 2024 taxes next week. In the meantime, here are some thing to know in preparation for the 2025 tax season:

PREPPING FOR THE FREEZE: What should Houston know about next week's freeze? Here are 5 things to keep in mind

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The Internal Revenue Service 1040 tax form for 2022 is seen on April 17, 2023. The 2025 tax filing season through the Internal Revenue Service will begin later this month. Jon Elswick/Associated Press

When did tax season open in 2024?

According to the IRS, the 2024 tax filing season started on Jan. 29. This year's first day to file is expected to be in late January. The exact date is expected to be announced next week.

The deadline for most Americans to file their 2024 taxes is April 15. Those requesting an extension will have until Oct. 15.

How can you prepare now?

The IRSs Get Ready page on IRS.gov offers practical tips and resources to help taxpayers prepare. It highlights key updates and important steps for taxpayers to consider to make tax filing easier in 2025.

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"Taking action now can reduce stress and ensure a smoother filing process next year," according to information from the IRS.

IRS tax brackets for tax year 2024

The IRS released brackets for tax year 2024 in November 2023.

37% for incomes over $609,350 ($731,200 for married couples filing jointly)

35% for incomes over $243,725 ($487,450 for married couples filing jointly)

32% for incomes over $191,950 ($383,900 for married couples filing jointly)

24% for incomes over $100,525 ($201,050 for married couples filing jointly)

22% for incomes over $47,150 ($94,300 for married couples filing jointly)

12% for incomes over $11,600 ($23,200 for married couples filing jointly)

10% for incomes of $11,600 or less ($23,200 for married couples filing jointly)

WHEN IS MARDI GRAS?: Mardi Gras 2025 is coming soon. Here's when and where to celebrate

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The 2025 tax filing season through the Internal Revenue Service will begin later this month. Patrick Semansky/AP

Free filing options

Many taxpayers can use free brand name tax software to prepare and file their federal income tax return electronically using IRS Free File. All taxpayers, regardless of income level, can also use IRS Free File Fillable Forms.

Taxpayers living in participating states with relatively simple tax returns can use Direct File and file their tax return online directly with the IRS. Taxpayers can see if they are eligible for Direct File.

Older adults, members of the military and many other taxpayers  depending on their income  may also qualify for free tax return preparation and electronic filing by IRS-trained volunteers through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.

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Filing for free in Houston

Additionally some free options for filing taxes in the Houston area are at these locations.

 Harris County Public Library: AARP Tax Aide offers free tax preparation assistance at select Harris County Public Library locations.

 Memorial Assistance Ministries: Free tax preparation help for those making $58,000 or less.

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 Houston Community College: Neighborhood Tax Centers offers free, quality tax preparation services at 15 convenient locations throughout the Greater Houston area during the tax season. Neighborhood Tax Centers, United Way of Greater Houston and Houston Community College have partnered to offer this free service to students from a trusted source.
A contract security officer at a state prison was arrested Friday on several contraband-related charges, the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC)announced.

Khamya Rynea Walker, is an employee of Security Solutions -- an ADOC security contractor -- and worked at Easterling Correctional Facility in Barbour County.

Walker was taken to the Barbour County Jail on charges of second-degree promoting prison contraband, conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime and possession of a controlled substance.

ADOC did not elaborate on the allegations against Walker.

The departments Law Enforcement Services Division, which made the arrest, has not finished its investigation into the incident and further charges may be pending, the agency said.
A death sentence handed down this week to convicted spree killer Derrick Hightower is the first time in 29 years that a Tallapoosa County has condemned someone to die.

The jury on Thursday, after only 15 minutes of deliberation, came back with a 10-2 decision to execute 36-year-old Derrick Hightower, 36, for the 2020 slayings of Willie Tidwell, 61, and his wife Barbara, 65, inside their Dadeville home.

Hightower in December was found guilty on four counts of capital murder: two counts of capital murder during a robbery; capital murder during a burglary; and capital murder for the killings of two or more people in one scheme.

He was also convicted of second-degree theft in connection with murdering the Tidwells.

Alabamas Fifth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Mike Segrest made the decision to seek death for Hightower.

The last death sentence handed down in the circuit was done so by Segrests father, retired Circuit Judge Dale Segrest, in 1995.

Corey Shirod Smith, now 48, remains on Death Row at Holman prison, He was convicted in the Feb. 22, 1995, slaying of a Kimberly Brooks, a Tallassee High School senior who was the mother of Smiths toddler daughter.

Angry that Brooks was involved in another relationship, Smith shot Brooks multiple times but when she still didnt die, he burned her alive.

Since then, Tallapoosa County prosecutors sought the death penalty only one other time. That was in 2007, and the jury spared the defendant of death and instead gave him life without parole.

Segrest took over as district attorney in 2023.

When I ran for office, I talked to a lot of people and I listened to them and I made a campaign promise that if the facts warranted it, I would seek the death penalty, he said.

When I made those campaign promises, and even when I took the Oath of Office on Jan. 17, 2023, I said I knew I was going to have to make tough decisions about whether or not to seek the death penalty, Segrest said.

One thing I told people was, You might not always agree with my decision, but it was going to be made because it was the right decision in my heart,' he said.

Hightowers capital murder charge in Tallapoosa County was the first case as district attorney that Segrest appeared in court for, just weeks after taking office. Hightower had been charged before Segrest was district attorney.

After hearing the facts of the case, I made the decision we would pursue the death penalty, he said.

Willie and Barbara Tidwell were shot to death in their Dadeville home Friday, April 17, 2020. (Contributed)

Willie Tidwell was smoking a cigarette on the back porch of the Dadeville home he shared with his wife when Hightower ran up on him.

Willie Tidwell retreated into the house, followed by Hightower.

He ended up getting shot in the back of the head, and then Barbara (Tidwell) was shot on the right side of her head, Segrest said. They were both left laying in pools of blood in their own home.

Hightower is now guilty of three of the four murders in which he was charged. All four of the victims were killed between Friday, April 17, 2020, and Saturday, April 18, 2020.

He avoided the death penalty in Jefferson County when he pleaded guilty in 2023 to the shooting death of 36-year-old Antione Harris inside a Birmingham home and to attempted assault for shooting at Birmingham police Sgt. Demarcus Brown during an arrest attempt.

At his guilty plea in Jefferson County, Hightower said, I want to issue a formal apology to the family. It was never my intention.

I had been going through some things and my mind wasnt in the right place and the right state at that time, he said. Im being a man about what I did, and I take full responsibility for what I did. I just wanted to say that.

Derrick Hightower, 36, pleaded guilty Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, to the 2020 shooting death of a Birmingham man during a crime spree across Alabama that also left three other people dead. (Carol Robinson)

Segrest said he doesnt know why Hightower chose to go through with the trial in Tallapoosa County.

Asked Thursday if he wanted to say anything before he was sentenced, Hightower said, I aint got nothing to say.

Hightower still faces trial in Lee County for the shooting death of 54-year-old Nancy Nash, who police believe was killed when she interrupted a burglary. She was the first known victim of Hightowers alleged spree.

Auburn police responded to the Farmville Volunteer Fire Departments call for assistance on a vehicle fire in the 9500 block of U.S. Highway 280 West around 6 a.m. that Friday.

When officers arrived, they found a white 2005 Chevrolet Silverado truck on fire and Nash dead nearby at Creative Habitats Landscaping. Nash had been shot several times.

Three shell casings were found inside the business, as well as one projectile that was lodge in an interior wall.

Investigators also discovered Nashs 2019 black Nissan Frontier missing. Evidence suggested that the suspect or suspects entered the building while Nash was alone inside and robbed her of her vehicle.

Nancy Nash

Next, Hightower carried out the double murder of the Tidwells. They were found that Friday night by a concerned family member.

Hightower stole two guns from the couples home and was also convicted of theft of property.

Willie was a hard-working man, with a heart of gold that could fix anything. He was an avid Alabama fan and he loved fishing, camping and anything Elvis, according to his obituary. Willies family was his world, and he loved his grandchildren immensely.

Barbara loved her family very much, especially her grandchildren and was happiest when they were all together. She enjoyed sewing and doing crafts, her obituary read. Barbara enjoyed the simple things in life. She loved sitting on her back porch, reading and planting flowers.

The couple had been married for 20 years.

Kentrice Hill, 24, of Birmingham, is also charged with capital murder in the Auburn and Dadeville slayings. She remains held without bond in the Lee County Jail.

Segrest said he has not yet made the decision whether to pursue the death penalty in her case.

Hightower was taken into custody April 18, 2020, in Birmingham.

Birmingham police were notified about 11 p.m. Friday, April 17, that a vehicle being sought out of Auburn was spotted at the USA Economy Lodge on Crestwood Boulevard. That vehicle was taken during Nashs homicide.

Police also received reports that the suspect was seen in the area of the motel.

A silver sedan was seen leaving the area and Birmingham police tried to stop the vehicle. At that point, Hightower got out of the sedan and exchanged gunfire with Birmingham police. Officers lost sight of the suspect after the shooting.

Early that Saturday morning, as police continued their search, evidence led them to a home in the 100 block of Briar Grove Drive.

A resident in the area was letting his dogs out in the backyard to use the restroom when a Black male wearing all black  later identified as Hightower - appeared seemingly out of nowhere and said, Hey, you got a phone? the resident told AL.com. The resident asked that his name not be used for fear of retribution.

The resident said, no, and Hightower fled on foot toward the area of Briar Grove Road.

Police on Saturday, April 18, 2020, were searching for a suspect who is believed to have been wounded by police gunfire in east Birmingham.

It was then, investigators said, that Hightower broke into the home where he killed Harris. A nurse and her three children lived at the home but were not there when the home invasion and subsequent shooting took place.

A short time later, the resident who encountered the suspect said, he heard a barrage of gunfire. The next thing he knew, his neighborhood was flooded by SWAT.

Hightower had taken a vehicle from the house on Briar Grove and was in that vehicle when Birmingham police tried to stop him.

He got out of the vehicle and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing the scene.

Hightower fled on foot after crashing the stolen car. Police used the tag information on that vehicle to go to the home on Briar Grove Road where they found Harris dead.

A large perimeter was set up in the Crestwood Boulevard and Montevallo Road areas.

Police on Saturday, April 18, 2020, were searching for a suspect who was believed to have been wounded by police gunfire in east Birmingham.

About 4 p.m. that Saturday, Hightower walked out of the neighborhood that backed up to where police had set up their command post.

Police on Saturday, April 18, 2020, were searching for a suspect who is believed to have been wounded by police gunfire in east Birmingham.

Authorities said all of the Alabama victims appeared to be random targets, crimes of opportunity. Many of their stolen belongings were found in Hightowers possession.

Segrest is also seeking the death penalty for 29-year-old Darrian Daqwon Kennebrew in Macon, who is one of two people charged in the 2023 stabbing death of Jessica Bean, who was pregnant.

Bean was last seen alive in Montgomery on Feb. 4, 2023, and her body was recovered near the intersection of County Road 2 and Cross Keys Road in Macon County six days later. Her remains had also been set on fire. The attack also killed her unborn son.

A trial date against Kennebrew has not yet been confirmed but could take place later this year.

The folks in this circuit and in Tallapoosa County are tired of the violence, Segrest said.

I think theyre also fed up with the appeal process and how long it takes to go through the court system, and I cant say I disagree, he said.

Weve got to find a better way when youre talking about somebody still awaiting execution from 30 years ago.

The prosecutor said he appreciates the jurors in the Hightower case, and the work they put in.

The trial began the day after Thanksgiving and ended the week of Christmas. Jurors then went back Thursday, the day after New Years, for Hightowers sentencing phase.

They made the decision, We want to put him to death, and thats not an easy decision, Segrest said. A lot of people say they believe in the death penalty, but do you want to be the one to have to make that decision? Could you do that if put in that situation?

Its a lot to ask of a jury. What they had to see and hear was emotionally tolling and grueling, he said. There were jurors crying when the (death) verdict was returned, more than two of them.
Family and friends are mourning the death of a beloved husband, father and U.S. Army veteran who was fatally stabbed in Birmingham on New Years Eve.

Ernest Paul Rickey Christion Jr., 68, was found slain Tuesday night.

Just after 7 p.m., Birminghams West Precinct Officers were dispatched to a house in the 2500 block of 15th Street Ensley.

Officers entered the house and found Christion unresponsive inside.

He was rushed by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service to UAB Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:50 p.m.

Christion was Birminghams last homicide victim of 2024, which saw a record number of people die by violence.

Investigators spoke with numerous people on the scene but have not yet disclosed a motive or made any arrests.

Ernest Paul Rickey Christion Jr.(Special to AL.com(

Family described him as a kind-hearted soul whose laughter, humor, and genuine care for others touched the lives of everyone he met.

His son, Ernest P. Christion III, daughter-in-law Jessica Christion and wife, Wanda Sawyer-Christion, provided a statement to AL.com Friday about his death.

Rickey was more than just a veteran; he was a beacon of joy and love. His sense of humor was infectious, and his ability to keep people smiling, even during difficult times, will always be remembered, they said.

Whether it was a funny joke, a lighthearted comment, or his unwavering positivity, Rickey had a special gift for making those around him feel good.

As a father, family said, Christion was a pillar of support for his children.

He always made sure they were cared for and loved, offering advice, encouragement, and his ever-present warmth, the statement read. His love for his children was unconditional, and he took immense pride in being a devoted father.

Christion was also a devoted husband.

Rickey always made sure Wanda felt treasured and was there for her through every step of their journey together, the family said. His family was the center of his world, and he cherished each and every moment spent with them.

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
A class action lawsuit filed last month by some Toyota truck owners deals with a defect in the engines - some made in Huntsville - for the Tundra pickup.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Vermont, involves three plaintiffs against Toyota Motor North America. It is related to a May 2024 recall of 2022-2023 Tundras and Tundra hybrids, as well as Lexus LX vehicles.

According to the company, the recall deals with models employing the V35A engine. Toyota says the engines suffer from a serious defect related to manufacturing debris inside the engine. The defect can cause the engines to stall, even when the driver is engaging the gas pedal, or to surge forward after a delay.

The defect can lead to potential engine knocking, engine rough running and a loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash. It can also result in catastrophic engine failure, according to the lawsuit.

Toyota has called for a complete engine replacement at no cost to the vehicle owners. However, the full recall population includes 102,092 vehicles98,568 Tundras, according to Car and Driver. That means a massive workflow issue at dealerships, as they manage other warranty and customer work, as well as loaner vehicles for customers while work continues, according to Automotive News.

But the plaintiffs say the recall is inadequate to address the defect, as Toyota notified owners and leasees that it is currently developing a remedy.

In addition, hybrids were excluded from the recall as some are equipped with a Hybrid powertrain system. In that case, according to the lawsuit, the vehicle continues to have some motive power for limited distances and the driver receives a continuous audible warning, warning lamps, and visual warning messages.

The lawsuit states that owners are currently stuck driving a vehicle that Toyota knows is dangerous, but has no concrete timetable for a workable fix.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages and restitution, among other relief measures.

Toyotas Huntsville engine plant, which has been in production since 2003, builds engines for the RAV4, Corolla, Corolla Cross, Highlander, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra and Sequoia.
A Florida man suspected of killing a woman there by shooting her and running over her multiple times with a vehicle was captured in Alabama, authorities said Friday.

Charles Jerome Carson-Dowdy, 30, was wanted in connection with the death of the 30-year-old female victim in Escambia County, Florida, the sheriffs office said.

Sheriffs deputies responded to a shots fired call Thursday when they found the victim, whose name was not publicly released, with gunshot wounds.

The investigation showed that she had been shot and then run over with a vehicle several times, the sheriffs office said.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where she died of her injuries.

Deputies developed Carson-Dowdy as a suspect in the homicide.

He was found in Spanish Fort and charged with homicide, the sheriffs office said.

Carson-Dowdy is awaiting extradition to Escambia County, Florida.
Immigration resides at the intersection of domestic and foreign policy. Political battlelines are forming along this intersection. Skirmishes are underway. Observing the mele will be interesting.

Donald Trump has successfully linked illegal immigration with criminal behavior. More than 13,000 murderers are in the country illegally. The brutal murder of Laken Riley personifies insecurities caused by the Democrats open border. Venezuelan Jose Ibarra entered the United States illegally near El Paso, Texas on September 8, 2022. The government paid his bus fare to New York City (NYC) where he was arrested for child endangerment in September of 2023. That same month he took a taxpayer-funded flight from NYC to Atlanta. He then wandered to Athens, Georgia where he became interested in a house full of attractive co-eds and convicted as a peeping tom. On February 22, 2024, he decided to rape Laken Riley, a resident in the house. He followed her to a running trail, attacked her and dragged her to a place off the trail where the attack continued. She fought back so he bashed in her skull, killing her.

Illegal immigration also places a huge financial burden on taxpayers. The estimated 21,000,000 illegal aliens in the U.S. cost Americans more than $250 billion annually. Crime and the costs associated with illegal immigration are the primary reasons to close the border and enforce immigration law.

Democrats advertise their open border policy as a bridge for the tired, poor, huddled mass of humanity that yearns to be American. They dont mention the policy is an avenue to import future Democrat voters or their indifference to the security of the American people. When mass deportations begin, the media will be led around by Democrat politicians who will feign disbelief at the inhumanity of fascist Republicans. Deportation of illegal aliens is not a fascist reaction. It is adherence to the rule of law.

The Constitution gives Congress the power "to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. Congress fulfilled this obligation with U.S. Title 8. It is the responsibility of the executive branch to ensure compliance with this and all federal laws. Biden and "border czar" Harris chose to ignore this law. They behaved like petulant children, insisted they didnt like the law, demanded a shiny new one, and refused to enforce the laws of the United States as they stamped their feet in a bitter conniption.

Democrats will fight the efforts of the Trump Administration to enforce immigration law. They are attempting to Trump-proof their states and cities. Democrat governors across the country have vowed to fight Trump. Governor J.B. Pritzker in Illinois said, If you come for my people, you come through me. Governor Phil Murphy is willing to fight to the death if there is an assault on New Jersey values.

Many blue states and cities claim to be sanctuaries for illegal migrants which are loosely defined as jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities regarding the location and removal of unauthorized immigrants. They engage in a type of passive aggressive civil disobedience by not contacting federal authorities when they encounter illegal aliens violating the law. These violations might be anything from running a red light to assaulting a police officer. What sane public servant would shield a criminal so that he can stay on the street and commit more crimes against the public they are sworn to protect? The laws of the United States arent subordinate to the values, whim, or folly of Democrat politicians.

If authorities had turned Jose Ibara over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when he was arrested in NYC, he could have been deported and Laken Riley would be alive today. This is how the law is supposed to work. But the policies of the Biden Administration have often tied the hands of ICE. A large group of illegal immigrants violently rushed Texas National Guard troops in El Paso on March 21, 2024. On December 19, 2024, ICE released 124 of them. Democrat politicians at city, state, and federal levels have ignored federal immigration laws jeopardizing the security of their constituents.

Mayor Eric Adams of NYC met with incoming ICE director Tom Homan to discuss removing illegal aliens from the city. Adams has served as a police officer and understands the legalities and challenges of police work. As mayor he is responsible for the budget of the city. He estimates NYC has spent $4 billion a year since Biden opened the border. The city is a sanctuary according to the policies of the City Council, but Mayor Adams is concerned about the criminal behavior of illegal aliens and the cost associated with caring for them. Many blue sanctuaries will resist the Trump Administrations efforts to remove illegal aliens, some may soften their positions.

Homan also understands the challenges he faces. The priorities will focus on public safety threats, national security threats and fugitives, Homan said. Those who got due process at great taxpayer expense and the federal judge ordered them removed, but they didnt leave, and they became a fugitive. ICE has broad authorities under the law to find and capture and deport illegal aliens. Blue state politicians may play passive aggressive games, but they have no authority to interfere with enforcement of federal law.

Illegal aliens may ask for political asylum if they have a credible fear of persecution and go before an immigration judge to present their case. Since so many people are in the country illegally, hundreds of immigration judges will be required to conduct proceedings for deciding the inadmissibility or deportability of an alien. If the judge decides the alien should be deported, he or she will be moved to a holding facility until arrangements are made for repatriation to their native country. Homan believes he will need 100,000 beds housed in holding facilities to accommodate these people.

Immigration and naturalization should be an organized process to support the countrys demands for labor, not a chaotic free-for-all. The Biden Administration has proven that open borders deliver danger, insecurity, and exorbitant costs to the American people. When President Trump takes the oath of office he will swear to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution. When the president enforces immigration and naturalization laws, he will not be succumbing to a cruel fascist impulse. He will be upholding his oath of office by complying with the laws that Congress was empowered by the Constitution to put in place.

Image: Clarke County Sheriff's Office
This essay was originally published in our subscriber-only e-newsletter, a weekly compilation of original essays from American Thinker editors. If you would like to receive this newsletter, you can subscribe here. Once you subscribe, not only will you get the e-newsletter, but you will also get an ad-free experience and the opportunity to post comments on American Thinker content.

The Bible resonates across the ages, always having something to say to us no matter what may have changed in the world as a whole. Its as true in 2025 as it ever has been.

So, well contemplate the events of the past year or so through the lens of this passage from Matthew: So the last will be first, and the first will be last.

We begin with that human colossus overshadowing the entire globe: Donald Trump. We all know the story, even as it transmutes into legend, something that will be told, retold, analyzed, disparaged, and rekindled for generations to come.

Even as he reached out to his opposition, Trump, during his first term, was interfered with to an extent never before witnessed in a presidential administration. Taking advice from Chris Christie, of all people, keeping on Christopher Wray and Mark Milley, hiring establishment backstabbers like William Barrit gained him nothing. He was assailed, undercut, and betrayed on all sidesand yet he still succeeded in fulfilling much of his agenda.

They cheated him out of his rightfully earned second term in 2020, secure in the knowledge that nobody would ever figure it out. Then came the impeachmentstwo of them one after the other, as if they were aware, deep down, that one couldnt possibly work. Followed by a slew of bogus lawsuits that should even now result in disbarments and unbenchings across the country.

Image by AI.

They assured themselves that theyd buried the boogieman deep at the crossroads. They were mistaken.

All the same, they must have been delighted when he ran again in 24, meaning that the GOP had nobody capable of taking his place (no surprise there). Theyd beaten him once. They had humiliated and disgraced him, tarnished his name, and threatened his family. They could do it again.

That worked out well. The American Left, the media, and the Deep State blew it as completely as anyone has ever blown anything. Blew it through overconfidence, ineptness, and sheer demented inability to grasp the reality they were facing. They tossed all their cards over the cliff edge and then jumped after them, laughing all the way down. The July coup, the Harris time-bomb, the Walz selection, the attempt to run an aging call girl as a racial messiah all of it wasted effort, all of it leading to the inevitable conclusion.

All the while, Trump campaigned like a man possessed, running a schedule that would have broken most men half his age. Sitting before corrupt, vindictive Democrat judges in the morning, then hopping a plane to host a rally in the afternoonand doing it over and over again, day after day, week after week. Nothing slowed him down, not even an assassins bullet.

This is the class of event that were too close to for proper judgment. It was years after Midway before anybody grasped what that victory meant. It was a decade after Apollo XI before we began to understand what had been thrown away. The same is true here. We may not live long enough to see the final outcome of what transpired this year.

The Dems, needless to say, will never get it, which is as it should be.

We turn now to Ukraine. The bully-worshippers who bow down to a KGB agent who uses nerve gas and radioisotopes against his critics should probably sit this one out. Ukraine is a fragment of a former empire that has spent decades trying to find its feetand failing.

In the strictest sense, Putin wasnt wrong. No sane military analysis would see Ukraine as anything but a basket case state that was just aching to be snatched up by the first comer. Putin didnt even call it a war. Noit was a special military operation. It would take about three days.

Its clear that Putin was thinking in terms of Crete, 1941. There, the German Luftwaffe flew in Ju-52 transports packed with troops to Maleme airfield, many of them actually crash-landing on the runway. These took control of the field thanks to a British commander who pulled his troops out to regroup them (have to make sure those boots are properly shined, pip-pip). Within hours, the Germans had landed thousands of troops, and the Brits were finished.

Putin tried the same thing, sending in a large transport stuffed with Spetnaz special forces to take over Kyivs airport. But that plane was shot down, killing hundreds of Russias finest troops. The rest of the Ilyushins never showed up. The tank columns were caught in an unseasonable Rasputitsa, and here we are, going on three years later. As classic an example of asymmetric warfare as you are likely to find.

The Ukrainians, out of necessity, revolutionized warfare with the use of cheap drones to negate much more advanced and expensive weapons. Putins military was exposed as essentially a massive hoax, his 18,000 tanks in storage suddenly turning into piles of rust and broken parts. He lost most of his Black Sea fleet to a country without a Navy. Putin was, in the end, forced to turn to Russias traditional strategy (to stretch the term to its utmost limits): wasting troops by the thousands to gain a few hundred yards of ground.

Even if Ukraine were to surrender today, it would still be a Russian failure. Putin has succeeded in awakening a somnolent NATO, encouraging much greater spending on armaments, wrecking the ruble, destroying Russias credit, ramming the BRICs alliance onto the rocks, and not least, losing something on the order of 750,000 men.

As for the putative reason for the war in the first placeto prevent Ukraine from joining NATOboth Sweden and Finland have joined the alliance after generations (centuries, in Swedens case)of neutrality. So now Putin has one of the most technologically adept and the most ferocious peoples in Europe lined up against him. Well done, Vlad.

Now, if they could only learn to keep their hands out of the till.

We turn to Israel. A little over a year ago, Israel was mired in one of the worst situations of its short lifetime. Irans long-term plans were coming to fruition. Israel was surrounded by enemies, including the effective and well-armed terror groups, Hamas and Hezballah. Russia had established military bases less than an hours flight from Israels borders. The Houthis, armed by Iran, were prepared to cut off the Red Sea. Israeli-Arab conciliation through the Abraham Accords, mediated by Donald Trump, lay in a state of limbo. Iran was drawing ever closer to unveiling a working nuclear weapon. Anti-Semitism was surging worldwide, triggered by Western-based Islamist groups and encouraged by the likes of Barry Obama, Jimmy Carter, Roger Waters, and the Congressional Squad. The Biden administration had blatantly and openly betrayed the Jewish state on all possible levels.

And today? Wellif the Jews arent actually Gods chosen people, theyll do until one comes along. It can be safely said that the situation has not been so much reversed as turned inside out and then run through a Klein bottle.

Hamas has been constricted to one single neighborhood, where it is relentlessly being attritted. Hezballah has been decapitated in one of the most brilliant covert espionage operations on record. Irans air defenses have been shattered, and it now awaits the inevitable crushing of its nuclear sites. Syria has collapsed, with much of its military weaponry and supplies destroyed by Israel and the U.S., while the Russian naval task forces based there have taken to their heels.

So the first have become last. Trump was supposed to act as an object lesson to any who would defy the Dem/Soros/BlackRock leviathan. Ukraine was supposed to vanish like the morning dew. Israel was to be subject to the Second Holocaust while the world shook its head and sighed.

The last have become first. We stand on the verge of a new age with infinite promise and wrenching terrors that may, in fact, lead to those broad, sunlit uplands that we were promised so many years ago. The key now is to keep it going. We need to study how all this was done in order to ensure it continues being done.

(Two suggestions: Curtail the Reach across the aisle types infesting the GOPfarewell, Mittand cease to respond to media efforts at promoting hysteria like the drone hoax and the H-1B tantrums. Ive always understood MAGA to be comprised of adults. Lets start acting like it.)

Above all, we need to learn how to keep our chin up, how not to lose faith, how to take a bullet and come up fighting, and how to come out on top when all seems lost.

And at last, because it is apt, because it is righteous, because it is true, we will end with another quote from the book on which our civilization is based:

The race does not always go to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Im white, yet I can claim a reparation. You roll your eyes and think, Another boring article on a subject about which almost everything has been written. Well, yes and no.

First, why reparations? The governors of each colony knew that labor is essential for economic survival, so they provided incentives for plantation owners to import laborers. For each laborer brought across the Atlantic, plantation owners were given 50 acres of land. Plantation owners used this system to dramatically increase their land holdings. The plantation owners imported slaves for labor. Its descendants of the African origin slaves who claim reparations are owed them.

Now, writing about reparations.

Yes if reparations are viewed as the result of a single historical event. No if reparations are viewed as a concept that can be accessed exclusively by blacks or African-Americans. Why yes or no? Because slavery in America was not limited to people from Africa.

Its true that people from Africa arrived in Virginia in 1619. English privateers attacked the Portuguese slave ship Sao Joao Bautista in the Gulf of Mexico and took the Africans by force. The privateer ship White Lion brought the Africans to Old Point Comfort in the colony of Virginia. There, its captain sold 15 women and 17 men to English colonists. The history upon which reparations for African slaves is based can be found in The New York Times 1619 Project.

Its not true, however, that there were no white slaves; that all whites chose to come to America; or that only Africans were kidnapped, shackled, and forcibly sent here. Its not true that only Africans suffered through the Middle Passage across the Atlantic, that only Africans were beaten, whipped, sold on auction blocks, were forcibly separated from their families, that only African women were raped by slave-masters, that only Africans were brutalized by their masters to the point where they ran away.

Lily-white Irish people were also slaves. This is the basis for my claim. My family name, Beatty, is of Irish origin, is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Bhiadhtaigh, a name derived from the word biadhtach, which translates to food provider or hospitable.

The brutalities associated with African slaves were also inflicted upon Irish slaves. It in no way detracts from African slaves suffering to say that Irish slaves suffered agonies in common with African slaves. Some Irish slaves were treated with less humanity than the African slaves working beside them. It was not humane feelings, but economics that drove the difference between treatment of Irish slaves and African slaves. As property, African slaves were valuable. An African slave with a broken back or a shattered limb was a wasted asset. An Irishman, be he slave or indentured (more on this below), by contrast, was expendable.

The ever-truthful regardless of politics Snopes tried to dodge the Irish slaves issue by referring to the Irish as indentured servants. The term applied to European immigrants who sold their labor for a period of years (usually five to seven) in exchange for passage to the Americas. The term was a deceptively mild label applied to hundreds of thousands of Irish men, women, and children shipped from Britain to America and the Caribbean.

A contract was written that stipulated the length of indentured service. The indentured servant would then have his fare across the Atlantic paid by his plantation owner. The indentured servant would be supplied room and board while working in the plantation owners fields.

This appeared as a great way for poor Europeans to reach America. This was however not often the case. Only about 40 percent of indentured servants lived to complete the terms of their contracts. Female indentured servants were often subjected to harassment from their masters. A woman who became pregnant while an indentured servant often had years tacked on to the end of her service time.

Snopes also says that unlike slaves, indentured servants were not considered property. Heres an interesting fact that Snopes conveniently (on purpose?) overlooked: indentured servants could be sold, loaned, or inherited, at least during the duration of their contract. If indentured servants were not considered property, how could they be sold, loaned, or inherited?

Indentured servants lived under conditions so brutal that most were whipped and beaten, sometimes to death. When they escaped, ads were placed in newspapers for their capture, just like slaves.

Further, indentured servants did not always enter into voluntary contracts. There is overwhelming evidence that many of them were kidnapped by organized criminal rings and sent to work on American plantations.

The left-leaning Pacific Standard Magazine did its best to say Irish slavery is a myth. It reported that the Irish were indentured servants. This article quotes Limerick City librarian Liam Lawson: While the majority of Irish people who became indentured servants in the colonies did so willingly (why they felt they had to so is, of course, another question), a not insignificant number were forcibly deported and sold into indentured servitude.

Did you catch the last of Lawsons statement? Even Lawson, while attempting to debunk the Irish slavery fact, stated, A not insignificant number were forcibly deported and sold into indentured servitude. Forcibly deported? Sold? That sounds exactly like what happened to slaves from Africa.

You will be comforted to know that the article that quotes Lawson says he is well known to his 30,000-plus Twitter followers and readers as a passionate and informed voice working against the myths of Irish slavery. Great reference.

It seems that the Snopes fact-checkers also missed (on purpose?) this fact: 850,000 Irish were killed during the Confederation War of 16411652. When the war ended, the English government forcibly transported Irish men, women, and children to the American colonies. The Irish slave trade began in earnest when King James II sold 30,000 Irish prisoners as slaves to America. Great Britains famous Oliver Cromwell furthered this practice. Over 100,000 Irish children between the ages of 10 and 14 were taken from their parents and sold by him as slaves in the West Indies, Virginia, and New England during the 1650s. Fifty-two thousand Irish (mostly women and children) were sold in Barbados and Virginia. This video presents an interesting perspective about the entire Irish slavery episode.

So, all you Irish, claim your reparation. You are as entitled to one as any person of color. When any government begins paying reparations to the descendants of African slaves, let them begin payments also to the descendants of the Irish.

Image via PickPik.
I saw a meme today that had two pictures taken at night of buildings in New York City.

The first was from 1956 and showed three skyscrapers with their windows lighted up to form crosses, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The second was taken in 2019 and showed the tip of the Freedom Tower glowing in pink to celebrate expanded access to abortion. The caption asked the reader to contemplate what had changed in the intervening years.

For one thing, women weren't clamoring to "Shout Your Abortion," especially to children.

For another, random pedestrians in the 1950s weren't getting sucker-punched and knocked unconscious as part of a demented 'knockout game.' I don't remember reading any stories from the '50s about gangs of kids, some as young as 13 who were engaged in carjacking, robbery and theft. Did subway riders in the '50s worry about getting set on fire or pushed in front of trains? Did Mardi Gras revelers have to keep their heads on swivels in case some psychopath decided to drive his truck down the sidewalk?

I'd imagine that back then, if you saw a backpack lying on a bench in a train station you'd pick it up and take it to Lost and Found. Nowadays you call 911 and they bring in a K-9 and a bomb disposal unit.

I was listening to a radio station out of New York City recently and a caller mentioned how she rides the subway multiple times every day, and she's noticed fewer and fewer older people using the service. She said people are afraid because, in her words "It's an insane asylum down there."

That might not be far from the truth.

According to Mental Health America, 60 million adults experienced a mental illness in 2024. 2022 saw the highest number of suicides ever recorded in the U.S. Even worse, 20% of children aged 12-17 had one or more major depressive episodes while one in 10 seriously considered suicide. More than half of these children have not received any mental health treatment.

Rebecca Barry, a researcher at the University of Calgary led a team that studied 48,000 homeless people in the U.S., Canada and Germany. They found that 67% of the individuals studied suffered from some degree of mental illness. Among the general population that number hovers between 13%-15%.

The homeless people in that study suffered from bipolar disorder at a rate eight times higher than the average population, with similar or higher rates for mood disorders, substance abuse and antisocial personality disorder. It might be possible that someone who's bipolar or has an antisocial personality disorder might be O.K. with pushing a stranger in front of a train.

There are a few bottlenecks in solving our societal safety problem. One is the affordability and availability of health care. Many of those who suffer don't have health insurance and there's a shortage of mental health professionals.

Another issue is the number of criminals being let out on bail, or even worse with no bail at all. Who would have guessed that letting violent felons out on reduced or zero bail would lead to increased recidivism?

A third cause is the increase of homelessness. Untreated mental illness and having a criminal record can easily lead to homelessness, as do the lack of affordable housing, unemployment, substance abuse and domestic violence.

Restoring some semblance of normalcy will require a simultaneous, multi-pronged approach. Safety is a primary concern, so reforms to policing are crucial. Criminologist John Roman has written extensively on the subject and has published an impressive list of suggestions.

Space limitations preclude listing them but I encourage the reader to investigate them here. An emphasis on restoring bureaucratic support for law enforcement officers would go a long way towards improving morale and increasing the number of applicants to police academies. Putting more officers on the street and ending the revolving door justice system are obvious ways to reduce crime.

Dealing with offenses both real and potential by illegal aliens as well as hostiles ushered in by pResident (not a typo) Biden is a complex matter deserving of a separate, dedicated article.

Providing greater access to mental health services might be achieved by improving access to telemedicine, facilitating the appropriate utilization and allocation of existing services and addressing the needs of underserved groups. The Rand Corporation published a comprehensive document describing how these objectives might be delineated and achieved.

These two reforms, one on law enforcement and the other on mental health will go a long way towards reducing the number of criminals and mentally ill individuals in our public spaces.

The final reform focuses on homelessness. The 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report to Congress showed the number of homeless in the U.S. reached a record high of 771,480 people, an 18% increase from 2023.

Policy decisions to reduce homelessness need to be based on accurate, real-time data in order to optimize utilization of existing resources.

If cities and states dont have accurate information on the number of homeless in their localities or the number and condition of available housing units, they can hardly be expected to make effective headway in putting roofs over peoples heads.

Also, we clearly need to reduce the number of people from becoming homeless in the first place, which will require integrated efforts at the local, state and federal levels.

Finally, we must create and implement effective housing solutions. Construction of low-income housing projects boomed after World War II, but problems soon developed.

Many were built on the outskirts of cities so residents felt isolated and even stigmatized. Some became magnets of crime and other social problems and many suffered from poor maintenance and deterioration resulting from lack of proper funding. Many of these issues could have been prevented with proper planning and management.

Perhaps a referendum on the construction of additional housing projects is in order. I would imagine that many Americans would more likely approve of their tax dollars being used to fund a national housing construction project rather than sending hundreds of billions of dollars overseas to countries that hate us. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) might be able to suggest where to obtain funding for such a project.

Two other possible solutions worth mentioning are restoring the American economy so that people can sustain themselves in permanent housing, and reducing the number of illegal aliens who are utilizing resources more justly intended for American citizens.

The post-war economy in the 1950s fueled a boom in new home construction. We did it once, we can do it again. Similarly, trying to house more than ten million illegal immigrants while tens of thousands of U.S. military veterans and hundreds of thousands of other Americans sleep on sidewalks makes no sense at all.

Enter Tom Homan.

In Greek mythology, Cerberus was the vicious, three-headed dog guarding the gates of Hades, preventing the living from entering. Todays version of this beast are the interrelated evils of poor mental health, crime and homelessness that threaten a peaceful, secure society.

Dealing with todays Cerberus will require focus, clearly expressed goals and above all, the will to do so.

Image: Thomas Quine, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0
In a major victory against internet regulatory overreach under the outgoing Biden administration, a U.S. appeals court on January 2 blocked President Bidens plan to expand government control over the internet. Citing Loper Bright, the panel of three judges in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC does not have the authority to reinstate rules implemented in 2015 by former president Barack Obama.

Notably, the rules were subsequently repealed by the FCC under President Trump in 2017. However, in April, the FCC voted 3-2 in favor of President Bidens heavy-handed approach to net neutrality related to his July 9, 2021 executive order allegedly promoting competition in the American economy.

FCC commissioner Brendan Carr responded to Thursdays appellate court decision, stating in his January 2 letter that the court held that the FCC exceeded its authority with its vote in April. An excerpt from Carrs letter indicates that the decision is positive and corrective in terms of limiting Executive Branch overreach and overregulation of the internet.

Todays decision is a good win for the country. Over the past four years, the Biden Administration has worked to expand the governments control over every feature of the Internet ecosystem. You can see it in the Biden Administrations efforts to pressure social media companies into censoring the free speech rights of everyday Americans. You can see it in the Biden Administrations demand that the FCC adopt digital equity rules for the Internetsweeping regulations that give the Commission nearly limitless powers over the Internet. And you can see it in the Biden Administrations decision impose so-called net neutrality rules by applying Title II or utility-style regulations to the Internet.

Thursdays decision comes after the Supreme Court in West Virginia v. EPA (2022) limited the application of Chevron. SCOTUS ruled that major policy decisions that have significant economic or political impacts should not be left to agencies, but should be decided by Congress. The 2022 decision is part of a broader trend to scale back Chevron deference, especially when broad regulatory changes are proposed.

In April 2024, Commissioner Carr issued an oral dissenting statement, criticizing the partisan nature of efforts by Presidents Biden and Obama to regulate the internet. Carr pointed to the longstanding bipartisan agreement reached in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. At the time, Congress sought to preserve a free and competitive market for the internet, unfettered by Federal or State regulation.

Carrs dissent highlighted a coordinated effort by the Executive Branch to pressure the FCC into assuming powers that Congress never granted. He recounted how Obamas 2014 statement  a call for reclassifying broadband internet under Title II  was followed by intense pressure on the FCC, including protests at FCC chairman Tom Wheelers home. The political pressure eventually led the FCC to adopt full Title II reclassification, despite congressional objections.

Carr goes on to state in his dissent that Obamas 2014 statement was the culmination of an unprecedented and coordinated effort by the Executive Branch to pressure an independent agency into grabbing power that the Legislative Branch never said it had delegated.

Obama allegedly issued his statement because, as FCC emails showed, Wheeler was just days away from circulating a draft decision that would stop short of full Title II classification. Carr also explains that the Legislative Branch attempted to shut down Obamas plan, asking him to back off Title II. However, Obama ignored Congress and proceeded. The FCC ultimately acquiesced to the presidents demands and went full Title II without compromise.

Carr highlighted the way the Legislature and the courts effectively folded under Obama, allowing the Executive Branch to pressure another component of the government into doing something the President thought would benefit him politically at the time.

Carr argued that Obamas actions reflected the kind of power-grab the Framers of the Constitution sought to prevent.

You see, ... [t]he Framers understood the nature of those in power, and they set up a series of checks and balances to avoid government overreach. Chief among them is the Constitutions separation of powers. ... Congress never passed a law saying that the Internet should be heavily regulated like a utility, nor did it pass one giving the FCC authority to make that monumental determination. The Executive Branch pressured the agency into claiming a power that remained  and remains  with the Legislative Branch.

The FCC has long fluctuated on the issue of net neutrality, largely influenced by shifting political winds. The appellate courts January 2 ruling seems to reinforce the U.S. Supreme Courts position on Chevron, reinforcing the idea that such regulatory matters should be left to Congress, not federal agencies.

In response to the courts ruling, outgoing FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel acknowledged that Congress will likely play a more prominent role in future net neutrality decisions. Rosenworcel has been a staunch proponent of the effort to restore net neutrality rules to re-establish the FCCs authority over broadband providers through Title II regulations.

Image via Picryl.
China's support to quake-hit Vanuatu received with appreciation

Xinhua) 11:21, January 04, 2025

* A total of 35 tons of emergency relief supplies provided by China on Thursday arrived in Vanuatu, the Pacific island nation hit by a powerful earthquake last month.

* In addition to emergency medical assistance, at the request of the Vanuatu government, China has also sent four engineering experts to assist with post-earthquake recovery in the country.

PORT VILA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Crowds at the Port Vila International Airport in the capital of Vanuatu burst into cheers when a chartered airplane, adorned with the Chinese national flag, touched down amidst drizzling rain on Thursday.

The plane carried 35 tons of emergency relief supplies delivered by China to Vanuatu, including tents, folding beds, solar lights, food, water purifiers and medical equipment.

The Pacific island nation was hit by a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake on Dec. 17, which killed at least 14 people, injured more than 200 and caused severe damage to infrastructure.

Chen Mulei (R), a cardiovascular physician and leader of the Chinese medical team, communicates with a local medical worker at Vila Central, the main hospital in Port Vila, Vanuatu, on Jan. 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Long Lei)

FIRST AID

Toppled medicine cabinets, scattered documents and collapsed shelters -- this was the devastation left behind by the disaster for the Chinese medical volunteers who have been serving at Vila Central Hospital since September.

Despite injuries and lingering aftershocks, this dedicated group of nine healthcare professionals rushed from their residence to the hospital, becoming one of the first medical teams to provide post-quake relief.

Wang Rui, a respiratory and critical care doctor on the team, said he could not forget the scene when victims crammed into the hospital. Due to the sudden increase in the number of injured patients, they had to set up tents outside the hospital to establish a temporary emergency room.

"Confronted with complex wounds, inadequate medicines and limited equipment, we had to improvise," said anesthetist Zhao Yanjun, adding that advanced techniques and equipment would be introduced to the country.

As the third Chinese medical team dispatched to Vanuatu, the medical professionals have treated more than 1,800 patients and have been involved in over 300 surgical operations and some 30 training sessions.

The Chinese community in Vanuatu also joined the local rescue and reconstruction work and offered material resources.

Staff members carry emergency relief supplies offered by the Chinese government at the airport in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila, Jan. 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Long Lei)

MUCH NEEDED ASSISTANCE

Two weeks after the earthquake, many houses with slanted structures and cracked walls still need to be fixed. Local residents noted that while some buildings appeared intact from the outside, they were severely damaged internally.

"In the face of a sudden big disaster, the efforts of all parties and the support of every development partner have been indispensable," said Chinese Ambassador to Vanuatu Li Minggang at a handover ceremony of the supplies held Thursday at the airport.

The Chinese government has provided 1 million U.S. dollars in emergency assistance to Vanuatu to support its disaster relief and reconstruction efforts. The Red Cross Society of China has also provided 100,000 dollars in emergency cash assistance.

"China will always stand together with Vanuatu and along with the UN and other development partners, assist Vanuatu recovering at an early date," Li said.

At the request of the Vanuatu government, China has sent four engineering experts to assist with post-earthquake recovery in the country.

"This is the first time that China has sent an emergency post-disaster assessment team to a Pacific island country, with hopes of contributing to Vanuatu's reconstruction," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday.

Vanuatu is among the countries with the highest natural disaster risk in the world. Its people have forged resilience through countless struggles with devastating storms, tsunamis and earthquakes.

China's assistance "will not only enhance the Vanuatu government's service to its people but also serve as a beacon of hope, as it will ignite the fire within us to persevere... through this difficult time," said Vanuatu's caretaker Prime Minister Charlot Salwai.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
Rue, speaking in front of the Harris County criminal courthouse alongside attorney Kevin Murray, Austin Ruiz, president of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus and spokesperson Andrea Odom at a news conference Friday. Community leaders and organizers gathered to raise awareness after a Black transgender high school senior was allegedly stabbed by another passenger while stepping off a Metro bus in late December. John Lomax/Staff writer

Community leaders and organizers called on Texans to think carefully about how they discuss transgender issues after a Black transgender high school senior was stabbed by another passenger while exiting a Metro bus in late December.

The 18-year-old, who asked to be identified only as Rue and uses the pronoun they, spoke out about the attack in front of the Harris County criminal courthouse Friday, alongside their attorney and members of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus.

Rue was stabbed three times Dec. 22, allegedly by an 18-year-old man who has since been charged with first-degree assault. Rue spent three days at Memorial Hermann and was released from the hospital Christmas night.

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Rue said at the Friday afternoon news conference that the incident has made them uncomfortable riding on public transportation and has caused significant emotional distress.

"Ever since I started presenting myself more freely and openly, I knew that I'd be a target to people because I wasn't normal to them," Rue said. "I really don't want to have to worry about people being afraid of me being how I want to be."

According to Harris County court records, the altercation started after the alleged attacker attempted to steal Rue's phone. Kevin Murray, Rue's attorney, said they plan to hold a community rally for Rue at 10 a.m. Saturday at Emancipation Park.

Austin Ruiz, president of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, said he believes inflammatory rhetoric around transgender issues from conservative political leaders has emboldened individuals to commit similar acts of violence.

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"Texas seems to be one of the epicenters for trans violence in the country," Ruiz said. " I definitely think that it is coming from our elected officials ... Not just in Texas but also in other red states such as Florida and Alabama."

Ruiz said local leaders have been generally supportive but working with politicians at the state level has proved difficult. Ruiz pointed to the April killing of Diamond Brigman, a 36-year-old Black trans woman who was shot to death in Houston, and the August killing of Vanity Williams, a Houston-area Black trans woman and Air Force veteran, as emblematic of a growing issue around anti-transgender violence that warrants attention from Texas officials.

Joelle Espeut is the program director for the Normal Anomaly Initiative, a Houston nonprofit dedicated to advancing the lives of the Black LGBTQ+ community. Herself a trans woman, Espeut said trans people, particularly those who are Black, are generally wary of using public transportation because of the lack of safeguards protecting them from similar assaults.

Ruiz and Espeut both said the intensifying political climate in Texas and other southern states has led some LGBTQ+ people to move elsewhere, but they aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

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"It's incumbent upon us to stay in these kind of states and fight," Ruiz said. "If we leave, who is here to carry that battle forward?"

Murray said during political discourse, political leaders should prioritize safety above any partisan differences.
Democrats have been having a hard time of it, lately.

Not only did they fail to regain the House in this past election, which saw the ascent of Donald Trump to the White House, they've just witnessed the GOP come together and elect on one go a reasonably good House Speaker, Mike Johnson, who had the support of President Trump.

They should be on their best behavior, actually, in their party's bid to convince voters that they are the party to be elected. They got rid of some dinosaurs. They insist they're the party of the people.

But well, they're Democrats, and instead of that, they've only made themselves figures of fun.

Here's their leader, exhorting them to 'fart hard':

Jeffries: "We will fart hard for the freedom to vote." pic.twitter.com/KtWqEasvZr  Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 3, 2025

Yeah, he really said that, and sure, it was a slip of the tongue. But given this party's disheveled state, it appears to be a Freudian slip of the tongue. Every time they go off the rails over Trump, they end up with thought-leaders like this:

That isn't all that defined them by a long shot. Joe Biden's nemesis, the lifelong friend he's supposedly not speaking to any more, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who engineered Joe's ouster based on his advanced age and senility, seems to have some old-people problems of her own.

Nancy Pelosi is falling asleep during the Speaker vote.

pic.twitter.com/lSIW3KzOXZ  Jack (@jackunheard) January 3, 2025

If slurring one's speech during a debate is grounds for a candidate change, what is actual napping during a major congressional seating in a great demonstration of 'democracy' supposed to be grounds for? Pelosi is 84. Who's going to tell her?

While we are in the Land of Ethelred the Unready, here's Kamala Harris, forgetting the words to the Pledge of Allegiance:

Kamala Harris is just one heartbeat away from becoming our next president and yet she cant remember the pledge of allegiance. Perhaps it is because she grew up in Canada and hates America? Perhaps shes drunk? Perhaps shes stupid. We may never know.



h/t @CollinRugg pic.twitter.com/R5lJKExKL9  @amuse (@amuse) January 3, 2025

Odds are good that she never actually learned it, given that she was raised in a progressive Berkeley household where The Internationale would be more likely to be recited or sung than the Pledge of Allegiance. After that, she grew up in Canada, where they don't recite that pledge much, either. News reports have been out there that she didn't register to vote until she was past 30 years of age, and only at the insistence of her then-sugardaddy, Willie Brown.

Anybody surprised that her knowledge of the pledge of allegiance to the U.S. was at best, approximate. She came that close to being its president.

More mice-like congresscritters were active, too.

Here is Rep. Sara Jacobs of San Diego, putting on her makeup in a stunt being pulled by youthful TikTok enthusiasts called "get ready with me," or #GRWM:

#GRWM to get sworn into Congress pic.twitter.com/cO7t9nYOn2  Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (@RepSaraJacobs) January 3, 2025

That's too much information, Sara. Nobody wants to know how much makeup you slathe on or how many makeup techniques you employ from the spas you visit to get That Natural Look. It is interesting that you are uncomfortable in some ways with it, nervously citing congressional activity and spitting out all your knowledge of it, as if to say you'd still like to be taken seriously after stripping down to your skivvies like a teenager.

Well, you're not. But you do you.

Her close ally had too much information for us, too:

AOC says shes not pregnant and that she had alot of food at Thanksgiving......



Did she get and abortion since the left worships that? pic.twitter.com/oOzflhUC6c  (Jason) Stands For Truth (@TrueJMitchell) January 4, 2025

Apparently nothing's off limits from this bunch.

Jacobs also posed with her family for photos and posted them. After months of keeping aloof from the news that she was involved with a Black September terrorist mastermind's grandson for a couple years, there she is with Ammar Campa-Najjar right behind her in the first photo, still an item of some kind, a boyfriend, a live-in-lover, or maybe even a husband, probably making her Jewish billionaire grandpa blanch. Campa-Najjar once called his old gramps, "a legend. That gramps, recall, got rubbed out by the Mossad in the wake of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre of Israeli athletes. That's why he's a "legend" and not a gramps you could actually visit like Sara has.

The third times the charm! So glad my family (including my niece Ayla and nephew Arli) could finally watch me be sworn into Congress! pic.twitter.com/mBEEY66lfW  Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (@RepSaraJacobs) January 4, 2025

So now we know they are still an item, as Jacobs pontificates for Palestine from Congress.

Had enough? The bottom line here is that Democrats are putting out one buffoon show after another, some witting, some unwitting, some so bad all you can think is that this is the evil party gone stupid. Good luck with that, Democrats, just keep pratfalling as you are, as Republicans are going to need it. Fart hard, Democrats, fart hard.

Image: Screen shot from X video


Sometimes I think our blood has thinned. I listen to pronouncements from our politicians and I wonder if they even hear themselves. I yearn for more of the powerful speeches from years past that inspired us to do great things. Dr. Martin Luther Kings I Have a Dream speech changed the direction of our nation. President Kennedys 1962 speech set us a goal to land a man on the moon and it mobilized us in a way not seen for years.

President G.W. Bush stood on the rubble of the World Trade Center and responded to a worker who complained that he couldnt hear him by saying, I can hear you! I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people -- and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!

The crowd responded to President Bush by chanting USA! USA! and it was so good to hear. On the night of the attack members of Congress assembled on the steps of the Capitol, locked arms and sang God Bless America. When was the last time weve seen our congressional representatives patriotically united like that? Its more likely these days that theyd be voting to eliminate the Pledge of Allegiance and change the national anthem to something from Beyonce or Lady Gaga.

Yes, yes, everyone makes mistakes, and if you spend enough time speaking extemporaneously in public eventually youre bound to put your foot in your mouth. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was criticized for its sluggish response. President Bush praised FEMA chief Michael Brown by saying, Brownie, youre doing a heck of a job. That comment was in jarring contrast to the facts on the ground and may be remembered more than the one on 9/14/01.

Say what you will about Barack Obama, he can deliver a rousing speech while reading from a teleprompter. But when we got past his occasional aw shucks delivery or soaring rhetoric and looked at the content we found it troublesome. Some of us wanted to know what he meant by We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America. We soon found out when he embarked on his apology tour and began cozying up to the Death to America crowd in Iran. We found out, and we didnt like it.

In February of 2008 Michelle Obama said, "For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback." Heres a woman who graduated from two Ivy League schools denigrating the very country that provided her with those opportunities.

Trust is a delicate thing. It takes time to earn but is easily lost. Dont tell us one thing while were looking at another, and dont enjoy the benefits while criticizing the people who provided them.

These instances of tone-deafness seem to be more frequent and more blatant. How unaware must a governor of a proclaimed sanctuary state be to tout imagined strides in subway safety just hours after a sleeping woman was set ablaze and burned to death by an illegal immigrant? How heedless of their own constituents must a mayor or a governor be to declare that their cities or states will not cooperate with federal immigration authorities while their own constituents are being robbed, assaulted, raped, and murdered? How oblivious must a president be to announce additional billions of dollars in foreign aid while hundreds of thousands of Americans have been left homeless from storms and wildfires? At the very least he could have mentioned what actions were being taken to remedy those problems on our own shores. (A big hat tip to the Amish, by the way.)

We've all seen it happen. Were infuriated when public figures refuse to accept responsibility for their words or actions. Were ashamed of politicians who are seemingly unable to empathize with others. Where is this lack of self-awareness coming from and where does it lead?

I think it comes from hubris and unaccountability, and the latter may be coming to an end. Every year from 1972 on, Gallup has asked Americans how much they trusted the mass media to report the news accurately. For the last three years 36% of those surveyed responded they have no trust at all in the media. Since the election, CNN and MSNBC have seen their viewership drop by half while ratings at Fox News have remained largely the same. This loss of trust may also be reflected in the make-up of the Brady Press Room beginning in 2025, as incoming Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she plans on welcoming podcasters and social influencers who played such a large role in the election.

Will the losses among their audiences and seats in the press room be enough to wake up the mainstream media?

Time will tell.

Image: AT via Magic Studio
President Trump will be sworn in again in a few days. The 119th Congress is mostly in the hands of conservatives. Heads of every agency, bureau, department, and commission will soon be Trump appointees. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are dedicating the next 18 months of their lives, along with thousands of us, to establishing an effective, efficient, and limited federal government and reducing the burdens of the federal deficit, the wasted cost of federal debt servicing, and the bloated federal budget.

We the People are behind this. Conservatives, sensible libertarians, and prudent liberals are behind this. But what does this mean at state, city, county, and parish levels? All these entities must implement austerity budgets right now. I can almost guarantee that my beloved Washington State will become the cautionary tale in this larger story.

Washingtons financial condition has been in the news lately, especially on X, via conservative legislators and those who keep track of these sorts of things. Thank you, Elon, for giving us a reliable salon for our bohemian conversations.

Image made using Grok.

Two years ago, Washington had a budget surplus. From 2013 to 2022, we saw our annual revenues grow steadily from $36 to $70 billion and annual expenditures from $37 to $66.5 billion. The budget was generally balanced, and shortfalls were covered.

Our deep-blue activist legislature was able to nearly double expenditures in just 10 years. In 2023, the revenue for this state, with a population of slightly more than seven million, went up to almost $75 billion, and expenditures kept pace. In 2024, revenues dipped slightly while expenditures topped them by more than $2 billion. Last session, our activist legislature went turbo and passed lots of legislation that comes with a hefty price tag.

Washingtons Office of Financial Management estimates an additional $12.6 billion will be needed over the next four years to cover Olympias generosity. It has also projected that state revenues through 2029 will drop below $66.5 billion. The virulent lefties controlling our legislature are casting about for ways to increase revenue to meet this shortfall. Theyre proposing all sorts of new taxes and increases in current taxes for a state with one of the highest costs of living in the country. They are talking seriously about taxing unrealized capital gains.

Jeff Bezos already relocated to Florida to spend more time with his mother. Washingtons net migration, while still positive, dropped last year by 15% over the ten-year average. If I had to guess, Id say that the bulk of those coming in are a mixture of indigents seeking better benefits and illegal aliens. People of means are moving out if they can. Quite a few are remote working from other states.

The gaping sinkhole in all of this, which no one has addressed yet at an official level, is that fully one-third of Washington State revenues come from the federal government. When this cash flow sinks dramatically, as it will and must, theres going to be a state-wide disaster. Since process takes time, the reduction in federal funds to the state likely will come before the reduction in federal tax assessments to its citizens, hopefully by no more than a year.

Today, our legislature should not be proposing new taxes to cover last years wildly enhanced program funding. Olympia should roll back all new programs and increased expenditures. Legislators should also scour the states regulations and budget to see what can be eliminatedeither partially or entirely.

The conservative blueprint for a better and more efficient federal government is being prepared by the Trump Administration and the 119th Congress, with input from D.O.G.E (Elon Musks and Vivek Ramaswamys private Department of Government Efficiency) and those voters communicating with all of them. States need to be prepared for this and take action before they are hammered by reduced federal outlays to the states. So should counties, cities, and parishes, as reductions at the state level will certainly have a broad impact.

Forewarned is forearmed, as they sayexcept for those for whom the denial of reality is much more palatable than preparing for a clearly seen future. Its going to be tough at the federal level to start saying no to all the feel good stuff weve been doing. In Olympia, I fear, legislators will continue on their merry way. That is, until the fiscal pain they cause the Washington taxpayer loses them their seats in the next election.

Washington conservatives: Get ready. We must be the voice of reason, offering rational solutions to the wide variety of problems that excess generosity and increasingly onerous taxation will cause.

Other states: It would be prudent to gird your loins as well if you depend on federal largess to cover basic costs.

Anony Mee is the nom de blog of a retired public servant who X-tweets at oh_yeahMee.
I found myself watching Walt Disneys Fantasia last night. As always, I was struck by the dazzlingly beautiful hand-drawn cartoons and by the Art Deco charm and kitsch, both of which I love. But what struck me this time was how the movie perfectly encapsulates an extremely normal time in America, one friendly to science and faith. It is the antithesis of what the modern Disney company has become.

The genesis for Fantasia was Walt Disneys idea of building a cartoon around Goethes The Sorcerers Apprentice, using a Paul Dukas orchestral piece. With enthusiastic support from Leopold Stokowski, the most famous conductor in the 1930s, the Disney studio started work in 1937. Fantasia finally debuted in 1940.

In addition to some interludes with a master of ceremonies (MC) and Stokowski and his orchestra, the has eight animated segments:

Image: Original Fantasia trailer. Public domain.

Johan Sebastian Bachs Toccata and Fugue in D Minor uses abstract images tied to the sounds and rhythms.

Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker Suite draws on nature, with little fairies bringing autumn and ice, dancing mushrooms and flowers, exotically swimming fish, etc.

Interestingly, the MC notes that Tchaikovsky hated the piece and that it was little known and never performed in America. That changed in 1944, when the San Francisco Ballet debuted the entire ballet, swiftly becoming an annual tradition. Now, for most major ballet companies, The Nutcracker is their primary moneymaker.

The Sorcerers Apprentice is the most recognizable segment in the movie, with the image of Mickey in his Sorcerers robes still a major part of the Disney franchise.

Stravinskys The Rites of Spring moves from the Earths creation to evolution out of the ocean to the dinosaurs and, finally, to the dinosaurs death. Its a real tour de force and mostly still aligns with science, even if they didnt know then about the giant meteor leads to dinosaur extinction theory and only nuances.

A little animation showing visual representations of the instruments sounds.

Beethovens The Pastoral Symphony, which is the most marvelous compilation of beautiful music, Art Deco design, and kitsch ever put on the screen, complete with Pegasi, fauns, centaurs and centaurettes, unicorns, and myriad cherubs, along with Bacchus, Zeus, and Vulcan.

Ponchiellis Dance of the Hours is an endearing fantasy with dancing ostriches, hippos, elephants, and alligators.

Mussorgskys Night on Bald Mountain and Schuberts Ave Maria take us from souls writhing in hell on Walpurgis Night (a sort of Halloween Eve in the spring), only to be saved by Schuberts Ave Maria.

Aside from the sheer pleasure of the movie, there were four things that struck me as I watched it.

First, the movie wasnt frantically fast or loud.

Second, the movie was utterly charming. This is especially true for the Dance of the Hours, for the Disney animation team perfectly imagined flirtatious ostriches on toe shoes, a coy, romantic prima hippo-rina, elephants blowing bubbles, and dashing alligators making off with these ballerinas in a joyous burst of cavalier energy.

But even without the Dance of the Hours, the dew-tipped leaves and gracefully drifting seeds and the wriggling mushroom dancers in the Nutcracker Suite, the silly paired off centaurs and centaurettes, and Mickey Mouse himself, frantically trying to stem the brooms cataracts of water are all whimsical and sweet.

Third, in The Pastoral Symphony, the rainbow was properly put in its context as a gift from the gods following a storm (or, more accurately, from the goddess Iris). It is a thing of beauty for the world. Given my Reclaim The Rainbow campaign, I really appreciated this.

Fourth, the movie was unashamedly religious, not in a preachy way, but by making clear that there is evil out there and that Biblical faith is the antidote to that evil. Or, as the MC said,

Musically and dramatically, we have here a picture of the struggle between the profane and the sacred. Bald Mountain, according to tradition, is the gathering place of Satan and his followers. Here, on Walpurgnisnacht, which is the equivalent of our own Halloween, the creatures of evil gather to worship their master. Under his spell, they dance furiously until the coming of dawn and the sounds of church bells send the infernal army slinking back into their abodes of darkness. And then we hear the Ave Maria, with its message of the triumph of hope and life over the powers of despair and death.

In every respect, Fantasia is different from modern Disney productions.

First, modern Disney movies are exhausting, with characters racing around, screaming, chattering, and generally all acting is if theyre in a Spielberg adventure film. There is no grace.

Second, modern Disney movies may be clever, but they are never charming. Wimsey is dead. Again, theres simply no room for that in a world inhabited by smart-alec kids, explosions, screams, pop culture edginess, and, of course, wokeness.

Even as I watched The Dance of the Hours, I was pretty sure that, somewhere, some wokester had complained about the rape culture of the alligators. After all, weve already been told that the Disney princess movies are all about rape culture.

Third, its impossible to imagine modern Disney ever daring to include a rainbow without making clear that doing so is an homage to the LGBTQ+ cohort. After all, Disney has long made it clear that it is dedicated to advancing the LGBTQ+ agenda, especially the T part.

The fact that so-called transgenderism is as imaginary as centaurs and centaurettes, for it is a mental illness, not a reality, hasnt stopped the Disney activists. Theyre pulling back a little now, but as long as the same people remain in charge, do not expect things to change in the long run. Disney has a mission, and Walt Disney is rolling in his grave/

And fourth, the only movies nowadays that promote Judeo-Christian ideas and culture come from defiantly conservative or religious studios. Religion is verboten in Hollywood. Or, when its used as an inspiration, as with Noah, the story is transformed into a pagan climate worship narrative rather than the story of Gods commitment to monotheistic morality.

The Disney studio once produced truly beautiful, charming, funny, and wholesome movies. Fantasia embodies all those qualities, and it could never be made today.
Its unfortunate, but several people experience hearing loss at some point in their lives. It can make life harder, but tech companies have made certain advancements that make life easier. According to a new report, Android could make its hearing aid support even better with Fast Pair.

Remember the dog days when adding a new Bluetooth device always required you to go into your Bluetooth settings? It was a tedious process, but Android introduced Fast Pair a couple of years ago. With this feature, your phone will detect when a device is available to pair. Once it does, youll see a panel rise from the bottom of the screen with a Connect button. Tapping on that button will automatically pair your phone to the device. It really takes the annoyance out of pairing your Bluetooth devices.

Android could bring Fast Pair to hearing aids

One thing to note is that this feature was spotted as part of an APK deep-dive. The folks at Android Authority in collaboration with AssembleDebug found code pointing to this feature within the Google Play Services (Version 24.50.32 beta). As such, its not a sure thing. Google could yank this code at any moment, so youll want to take it with a grain of salt.

Android devices have had the ability to connect to hearing aids for some time, but these devices havent gotten as much love as recreational earbuds. As such, you cant connect them to your device using Fast Pair. Thats a bummer, as many of the people who use hearing aids are older. Its better that the setup process be as quick and easy as possible.

The thing is that there a several Bluetooth device categories like wearables, speakers, headphones, TWS earbuds, Android TV devices, Chrome OS devices, computer mice, keyboards, printers, styli, and many more. Hearing Aids are in their own category, and Google just hasnt added Fast Pair support to this category yet.

However, it looks like Google wants to change that. According to the source, the Google Play Services app has the setting fast_pair_enable_hearing_aid_pairing under the HEARING_AID category. This points to the feature along with the screenshot below. The screenshot shows a list of the compatible Fast Pair devices.

At this point, theres no telling when/if Google will release this feature. Hopefully, it does, as it could make Android a much more inclusive platform.
The NVIDIA RTX 50-series GPUs have been leaked yet again (possibly?) only this time they were teased by NVIDIA officially. While theres nothing absolutely conclusive about this latest leak, all signs seem to be pointing toward an updated design for the RTX 50-series. NVIDIA is suspected to be showing off its latest GPUs at the same time as the upcoming CES event happening next week.

While this hasnt been confirmed by NVIDIA, several leaks over the past month or two suggest this will be the case. Back in December, an Australian retailer leaked a stock/pricing list for an ASUS RTX 5080 GPU. If the retailer did indeed have this information correct and the cards were on their way, then it stands to reason that NVIDIA is likely to announce soon.

Then as recently as this week, an image of the packing for an MSI RTX 5080 GPU was leaked. Packing that looked quite finalized. Adding more evidence to the rumor that NVIDIA is getting ready to announce. Now NVIDIA seems to have intentionally teased the card during a trailer for its GeForce LAN 50 event. The event happens next week as well.

NVIDIA has seemingly teased the RTX 50-series Founders GPUs

Whats interesting about NVIDIAs teaser trailer for the GeForce LAN 50 event is that the GPU isnt really in full view. Now the trailer itself is just about the event, and not about NVIDIAs new GPU hardware. Most of the trailer is announcing a stream event that will last 50 hours. Those who tune in have a chance to win some sweet rewards. Some of those will be hardware items, others will be digital goods for specific games like World of Warcraft, and others.

At the end of the trailer, however, NVIDIA shows off a shadowy image of a PC. All you can really make out is that its a large tower with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPU inside. However, both The Verge and VideoCardz have used imaging software to brighten the image. That makes it easier to see the outline of the GPU a little more. The image quality is still rather fuzzy, but as VideoCardz points out, you can make out that the GPU seems to be using a new design.

It reportedly has dual front fans and an LED light strip. Its also mentioned that the power connector is angled with the design being unusual. While being unlike the cards from the currently available 40-series. Its not a ton of detail but then again, NVIDIA is very likely to reveal these cards in full in just a few days. So it probably wont be long before the designs are much more visible.

The car shown may be the GeForce RTX 5080 or RTX 5070 Ti

One last observation worth mentioning is that this probably isnt the GeForce RTX 5090. According to VideoCardz, the size of the GPU is what suggests this. The RTX 4090 for example was a huge GPU, and the RTX 5090 is likely to be just as huge. So whats being shown here could be the RTX 5080 Founders or the RTX 5070 Ti Founders. It certainly has a similar boxy shape with rounded corners to current Founders GPUs. So thats something, I guess. Whatever this GPU is, we may learn more about it next week.
Arsenal dropped points in their bid to keep pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool as Joao Pedros penalty saw them held 1-1 at Brighton.

Seventeen-year-old Ethan Nwaneri put the Gunners ahead in the 16th minute but they were denied a fourth successive victory by Pedros penalty just past the hour after William Saliba was penalised for a clash of heads with the Brazilian.

Mikel Artetas second-placed side are five points adrift of Liverpool having played two games more, ahead of the Reds hosting Manchester United on Sunday, while Fabian Hurzelers draw specialists Brighton  this was their 10th in the league this season  stay 10th.

Never in doubt.  pic.twitter.com/R9UjkP2L6d  Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 4, 2025

Erling Haaland scored twice as recovering Manchester City made it back-to-back wins by beating West Ham 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

After a Vladimir Coufal own goal had put City in front, Haaland  who now has 16 league goals this season  scored either side of the break, and Phil Foden added the fourth before Niclas Fullkrug pulled one back for the visitors.

It is the first time they have recorded two victories in a row since October, although Pep Guardiolas champions stay sixth in the table.

They are a point behind Eddie Howes fifth-placed Newcastle, who extended their winning run to five games in the league and six in all competitions by coming from behind to triumph 2-1 at Tottenham.

Alexander Isak netted a 38th-minute winner, getting on the scoresheet for a seventh league game on the bounce, after Anthony Gordon had cancelled out Dominic Solankes early opener.

Ange Postecoglus depleted Spurs, now lying 12th, have won only one of their last eight league matches.

Chelsea remain fourth after being held 1-1 at Crystal Palace, making it four games without a win. The Blues led through a Cole Palmer finish just prior to the quarter-hour mark but were denied victory by Jean-Philippe Matetas equaliser in the 82nd minute.

Seventh-placed Bournemouth, unbeaten in eight, were 1-0 winners against Everton at the Vitality Stadium courtesy of David Brooks goal with 13 minutes of normal time to go.

Aston Villa are eighth having secured a 2-1 home win over second-bottom Leicester thanks to Leon Baileys 76th-minute strike, with Ross Barkley having earlier put them in front before Stephy Mavididi replied.

It was a fifth consecutive loss for the Foxes, while doomed-looking basement boys Southampton suffered their 16th defeat in 20 league games this season as they were thrashed 5-0 at home by Brentford.

Bryan Mbeumo notched a brace, the second goal from the penalty spot, and there were also efforts from Kevin Schade early on plus Keane Lewis-Potter and Yoane Wissa in stoppage time. Mbeumo, Isak and Palmer all now have 13 league goals this season.
Nigel Farage has continued his spat with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch after addressing her directly over Reform UKs membership figures at a party conference.

The Reform UK leader also issued a stark warning that he would target Mrs Badenochs seat at the next general election after she was so rude and unpleasant over the issue.

Reform UK published a membership ticker on its website, along with a join us link.

On Boxing Day, Ms Badenoch wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that the figure was a fake, coded to tick up automatically.

Several media outlets including The Spectator and Financial Times reported having been shown the code for calculating and displaying the partys online tally, which they found appeared to function properly.

During the Reform UK East of England Conference in Chelmsford, Essex, on Saturday, Mr Farage paused midway through his speech to hold up a mobile phone, which seemingly showed the partys membership tally pass 170,000.

Addressing Conservative leader Mrs Badenoch while looking down a camera lens, Mr Farage said: Kemi, are you watching on the livestream?

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage holding a phone displaying the number of Reform UK party members (Yui Mok/PA)

The conference was held at Chelmsford City Racecourse, which is part of Mrs Badenochs North West Essex constituency which she won in July with a 2,610 majority over Labour.

Earlier in his speech, Mr Farage described Mrs Badenoch as a ranting conspiracy theorist and said: Kemi, because youve been so rude, so unpleasant, the accusations youve made against me are so wrong, I promise you, we as a party now will put time, money, resource (and) this will become a target seat for us at the next general election.

The MP for Clacton said 900,000 people had watched the previous party conference in Leicester via livestreams on Friday, where Mr Farage had promised the gloves are off in the next election.

Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf told supporters on Saturday that more than 46,000 people joined the party in the last two weeks of December, and asked them to give a big Reform round of applause to the Tory leader.

Mr Yusuf said Reforms membership numbers had exploded since her ill-advised outburst and that he was very grateful as the party had become the talk not just of the UK but of the western world.

Zia Yusuf speaking during the Reform UK East of England Conference (Yui Mok/PA)

Mr Farage also said he was inviting all Reform UK members and supporters in North West Essex to a big venue to meet him on January 31 and take a photo together to show the opposition leader that the members are real.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also faces challenges from Mr Farage, according to a new poll.

According to a seat-by-seat projection by Stonehaven, published in The i paper, Reform would win 120 Commons seats at the next election, while Labour would have 278 MPs left, down from 411 at the 2024 election.

But North West Essex would remain under Conservative control, according to the model.

Lee Anderson, also speaking at the conference, instead took aim at Cabinet members as he described Sir Keir as never here Keir.

He told party members: This Labour Government are doing the impossible  theyre making things worse. Who knew?

But look who weve got. Weve got free gear Keir, or never here Keir. Weve got Rachel from accounts. Weve got the no-brainer Angela Rayner.

Party members applauded when Mr Anderson then mentioned business leader Elon Musk, who has publicly expressed support for Reform UK in recent weeks, and US President-elect Donald Trump.
German Genel Balandra, who goes by his street artist name Yesterman, works on a mural for the Pozitivf Fertility clinic on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Houston. Balandra, who has nearly 900k followers on TikTok and 166 million views on YouTube also did a mural of the clinics San Antonio location. Positivf Clinics mission is to make IVF more affordable and available for patients. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer German Genel Balandra, who goes by his street artist name Yesterman, works on a mural for the Pozitivf Fertility clinic on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Houston. Balandra, who has nearly 900k followers on TikTok and 166 million views on YouTube also did a mural of the clinics San Antonio location. Positivf Clinics mission is to make IVF more affordable and available for patients. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Messages that align with Positivf Fertility Clinics mission are scattered throughout the mural by German Genel Balandra, who goes by his street artist name Yesterman on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer German Genel Balandra, who goes by his street artist name Yesterman, works on a mural for the Pozitivf Fertility clinic on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Houston. Balandra, who has nearly 900k followers on TikTok and 166 million views on YouTube also did a mural of the clinics San Antonio location. Positivf Clinics mission is to make IVF more affordable and available for patients. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer German Genel Balandra, who goes by his street artist name Yesterman, works on a mural for the Pozitivf Fertility clinic on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Houston. Balandra, who has nearly 900k followers on TikTok and 166 million views on YouTube also did a mural of the clinics San Antonio location. Positivf Clinics mission is to make IVF more affordable and available for patients. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Most of Mexican artist Yesterman work is done with black markers, but he added pops of color for the commission to represent happy wombs, photographed on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Messages that align with Positivf Fertility Clinics mission are scattered throughout the mural by German Genel Balandra, who goes by his street artist name Yesterman on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Houston. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer German Genel Balandra, who goes by his street artist name Yesterman, talks about his work for a mural for the Pozitivf Fertility clinic on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Houston. Balandra, who has nearly 900k followers on TikTok and 166 million views on YouTube also did a mural of the clinics San Antonio location. Positivf Clinics mission is to make IVF more affordable and available for patients. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer

What brought a Mexican street artist with almost 900,000 online followers, work seen across the world and pieces made for brands as big as Nissan and Chevrolet to make his first doodles in the U.S.  and in Houston  was the mantra of a Texas fertility clinic: That fertility care is for everyone.

On Thursday afternoon, at the entrance of Pozitivf Fertility, a San Antonio-based IVF clinic slated to open its Houston location on Fannin in February, artist Yesterman finished up work on a Wheres Waldo-esque mural. The artwork scattered with "dodos," which is what he calls his "doodles," of smiley-faced sperm, eggs, positive pregnancy tests and messages of encouragement in both English and Spanish.

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Yesterman, whose real name is German Genel Balandra, said he didnt know much about in vitro fertilization in the past. But it took just a phone call from the clinic for him to find a shared value between his art as a Mexican muralist and the clinics approach to health care.

Making an expensive treatment more affordable

While most IVF treatments run upwards of $19,000, leaving a large share of patients unable to afford the treatment, Pozitivf Fertility keeps the cost around $8,000, said Alberto Perez, chief revenue officer for the company.

It connects a lot with a lot of concepts in my art. I make art for everyone to consume, not just for some people, Balandra said. I like the idea that something medical can be for everyone, and that IVF can be for everyone.

IVF is not a treatment historically considered for everyone, Perez said. A 2009 study showed only 24% of demand for reproductive assistance technology is met in the U.S.

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The treatment, which has been in use since 1978, is relatively new. While success rates started in the single digits when the treatment first debuted, IVF is successful in approximately 50% of cases today, according to research.

Pozitivf founder, Dr. Francisco Arredondo, said he sees his clinic as a player in the medical worlds tug-of-war between advancement of health care technology and access to treatment.

It seems a lot of companies in the world try to improve the pregnancy rate, which is a noble cause, but when is enough enough? he said. "Our quest is to make what we already have available for the majority of people."

Taking inspiration from Toyota

During the pandemic, Arredondo set a goal to push against the narrative that fertility care was only a possibility for wealthy patients. The way to make that goal a reality came down to taking inspiration from the Toyota Production System. The Japanese car company achieved whopping success by removing any parts of production that were unnecessary. As a health care clinic, Arredondo said that translated to not accepting insurance. By having patients pay out of pocket, the clinic cuts the administrative costs of insurance and extra testing that are often pushed to patients.

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It takes a lot of humility from specialists to say some of the things we do are not necessary. Thats 15 years of training, from medical school, residency and college, to just say, we might not need to do all that, he said.

Pozitivf Fertility first opened in 2022 San Antonio, where Balandra created the first mural at the end of 2024. The decision to open the second location of the clinic in Houston was a deliberate one. Home to the worlds largest medical center and a large Hispanic population, Houston is a prime location to help the clinic serve Spanish-speakers and patients interested in genetic testing, Arredondo said.

We wanted to attack that market. There is a large under served population, he said.

In a speech bubble coming out of one of the doodled creatures Balandra calls "dodos," he wrote one of his favorite phrases in Spanish: Todova starbien. Translated to English, it means, Everything will be okay.

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(Perez) told me sometimes the people who come in feel guilt or sadness, Balandra said. I dont draw humans, but I think this is a message that is very human. Everything is going to be fine.
The father of a Lockerbie bombing victim has said people must remember the consequences of terrorism in the light of a recent terror attack in New Orleans.

Dr Jim Swire began his campaign for justice after the death of his 23-year-old daughter Flora Swire in the 1988 bombing of a Pan-Am jumbo jet flying from London to New York, which claimed the lives of all 259 people on board, as well as 11 people on the ground in the Scottish town of Lockerbie, where the plane finally crashed.

The former GP, now aged 89, wrote his story in a book called The Lockerbie Bombing: A Fathers Search for Justice, which has been adapted into a five-part series for Sky, starring Colin Firth as Dr Swire.

Appearing on BBC Breakfast, Dr Swire referred to the recent vehicle attack which claimed 14 lives in New Orleans on New Years Day, saying people must remember the consequences of terrorism.

He said: Even in these terrible times, with these sort of things happening like the truck in America were just hearing about today, we have to remember the consequences of terrorism are a lifetime for those families that are bereaved by the actions of terrorism.

Edward Pettifer, 31, of Chelsea, was killed in the attack in Bourbon Street, New Orleans (Family handout/Metropolitan Police/PA)

If we cant find a better way than seeking revenge, then really the human race is not doing well.

A British man, 31-year-old Edward Pettifer from Chelsea, was confirmed on Saturday to be one of those killed in the New Orleans attack.

Thirteen other people were killed and at least 35 more injured when the suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, allegedly ploughed a pick-up truck through crowds of New Years revellers in New Orleans Bourbon Street before being shot by police.

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden said the attacker posted a video which indicated he was inspired by the so-called Islamic State group.

Four decades after the Lockerbie bombing, for which only one man was convicted in 2001  the former Libyan intelligence officer Abdelbaset al-Megrahi  Dr Swire said the message behind the new TV series Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is to get past the era of revenge.

He said: I do hope that this series will add to what we can find out about what this disastrous event was really about  and lets try and get past the era of revenge and murder and slaughter and war, which looks so close to us now in 2025, and find a better and more humane way of dealing with each other than simply by murdering each other.

Thats basically our message and that message is carried very strongly by Colin Firth and his team.

Colin Firth on set in Bathgate, West Lothian, during filming for Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Dr Swire also called for the US to look afresh at the events that led to the Lockerbie bombing, as the identities of those responsible and the motive behind the attack remain disputed to this day.

He told BBC Breakfast he and other bereaved families believe the Lockerbie bombing was an act of retaliation from Iran after their own Iran Air Airbus was shot down by US missile cruiser USS Vincennes in July 1988  killing 290 people.

Five months later, Lockerbie happened, Dr Swire said.

The facts seem to point towards Irans having engaged with terrorist groups, the chief one being the PFLP-GC (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command), didnt worry about what that means, and get those people to act as surrogates, to get revenge.

And revenge, of course, is an incredibly strong emotion that arises so easily in us human beings.

But what is the point of getting another 270 people?

Speaking about the new series, Dr Swire added: I can only be astonished by the accuracy and the telling way in which all these people working together have produced so accurate a copy of what weve tried to do in our small way at one end of the scale, and where now we hope at the other end of the scale that a great country like America may come to look afresh at what happened in light of what the evidence actually shows.

A Libyan suspect of the Lockerbie bombing, Abu Agila Masud, who is alleged to have helped to make the bomb, is to go on trial in the US in May.
King 'deeply saddened' by death of royal nanny's stepson in New Orleans attack

The King is said to be deeply saddened by the death of the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harrys former nanny in a New Years Day vehicle attack in New Orleans.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were supporting the family of Edward Pettifer, 31, of Chelsea, who was killed in the attack in Bourbon Street, Louisiana.

Authorities have confirmed 14 people died and at least 35 others were injured when the suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, allegedly ploughed a pick-up truck through crowds of New Year revellers.

It is understood the King was made aware of Mr Pettifers death through official channels, was deeply saddened, and had been in touch with the family to share personal condolences.

The Telegraph reported that Mr Pettifer was the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harrys former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, also known as Alexandra Pettifer.

Mr Pettifer was the eldest son of Charles Pettifer, a former Coldstream Guards officer, and Camilla Wyatt, the daughter of a racehorse breeder, according to the newspaper.

Edward Pettifer has been named by Metropolitan Police as one of the victims of the New Years Day attack in New Orleans (Metropolitan Police/PA)

His half brother, Tom, who is a godson to William, was a page boy at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011.

The Prince of Wales is understood to have been made aware of Mr Pettifers death.

Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texan, allegedly got out of the vehicle and fired a gun before being shot by police.

Mr Pettifers family said in a statement: The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew, and a friend to so many.

We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack.

We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you.

The New Orleans coroner gave Mr Pettifers preliminary cause of death as blunt force injuries.

Flowers lie next to candles at a memorial for the victims of the attack (Gerald Herbert/AP)

The Met Police said family liaison officers are supporting Mr Pettifers family and helping them through the process of returning his body to the UK.

The Foreign Office also said it was supporting the victims family and was in contact with US authorities.

Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to the victims families, she said.

The attack took place in the citys popular French Quarter at around 3.15am local time on New Years Day.

The New Orleans coroner said one of those killed remains unidentified with the others coming from the US  the youngest aged 18 and the oldest 63.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said at a press conference the victims and their families matter to the entire city.

It is believed the suspect acted alone.

The FBI confirmed an Islamic State flag was found inside the vehicle and explosive devices were discovered nearby.

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden said the attacker posted a video which indicated he was inspired by the so-called Islamic State group.

Condemnation of the terrorist incident came from countries including Britain, France, Germany and Mexico, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying on Wednesday: The shockingly violent attack in New Orleans is horrific.

My thoughts are with the victims, their families, the emergency responders and the people of the United States at this tragic time.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said consular officials in the US would be on hand to help any British nationals affected.
Governments Right-wing coalition, led by prime minister Dick Schoof, has vowed to implement countrys strictest-ever policy on asylum - KOEN VAN WEEL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

Asylum seekers arriving in the Netherlands become a burden on the state for generations, a new study has found.

Immigrants entering the country as students or to reunite with their families were also found to bring negative net contributions.

A discussion paper by IZA, the Institute of Labor Economics, said the burden on the state was not from government spending on these groups, but from lower tax and social security contributions.

The study by researchers from the institutes international network was published as the Dutch government plans to cap the countrys population at 20 million by 2050.

Its Right-wing coalition, led by Dick Schoof, the prime minister, has vowed to implement the Netherlands strictest-ever policy on asylum, cutting the number of arrivals by 100,000 people per year.

Findings from IZAs research will bolster arguments that failure to curb migration to the Netherlands will put pressure on public services, including healthcare and housing.

Asylum seekers arriving in the country are expected to cost the state 400,000 (330,000) over their lifetimes, according to the study.

A protest in Utrecht against the Netherlands suspension of asylum policies in December - MOUNEB TAIM/AFP via Getty Images

The negative contribution is especially large for asylum seekers from Africa and the Middle East, say authors Jan van de Beek, Joop Hartog, Gerrit Kreffer and Hans Roodenburg.

The burden on the taxpayer for each family migrant that comes to the Netherlands is 200,000, according to their report.

But the report also found that the country benefits to the tune of 100,000 from every economic migrant that arrives in the country.

Labour migrants who enter before age 60 make a positive net contribution to the government budget, more than 100,000 per immigrant when they arrive between ages 20 and 50, the report says.

The children of migrants who make a net positive contribution are also expected to have a beneficial impact on the Dutch economy.

But the children of asylum seekers also tend to be a drag on the states finances, according to the report.

If the parents make a strongly negative net contribution, the second generation usually lags behind considerably as well, the authors add.

Therefore, the adage it will all work out with the second generation does not hold true.

Emergency shelters at the Walibi Holland event site in Biddinghuizen where asylum seekers will be housed - SEM VAN DER WAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

Their report also makes a striking distinction of the cost of the arrivals between Western and non-Western immigrants.

The authors write that Western migrants made a total contribution of 900 million to the Dutch economy in 2016.

Migrants arriving from countries like the UK, US and Japan are expected to contribute more to the Dutch economy than they take out.

In comparison, those arriving from non-Western countries received 18.2 billion in the same year.

Those arriving from Sudan, Morocco, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria were said to have cost the Dutch taxpayer the most.

Last year, the Dutch government recorded the arrival of at least 29,900 asylum seekers, according to official figures, which exclude December.

They were followed by some 10,705 family members.

Syrians made up the largest group of arrivals in the Netherlands before the fall of its dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Before rebels ousted his regime, leaked plans suggested the Dutch government was considering re-establishing diplomatic relations with the despot to facilitate the return of Syrian asylum seekers.

Marjolein Faber (centre), the minister of asylum and migration, at the launch of border controls in Eijsden on Dec 9 - REMKO DE WAAL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Last month, the Dutch coalition, led by hard-Right firebrand Geert Wilders, also introduced border controls with Germany and Belgium  a potential breach of EU rules  to stem the flow of illegal migration into the country.

Despite the introduction of hardline anti-migration measures, a state commission report published last year said that the population of the Netherlands, which stands at about 17.88 million, has to grow moderately to maintain broad prosperity.

It said the population would have to grow to 20 million over the next 25 years. To reach the target, 68,000 migrants, including asylum seekers, workers and students, should be allowed in every year.

That is lower than the roughly 170,000 people who apply for asylum or move to the Netherlands for work each year.

The country is also struggling with low birth rates, with more than 20 per cent of people in the Netherlands 65 years old or older.

The Dutch population grew by almost 40,000 in the first six months of last year, according to the countrys statistics agency.

About 138,000 people moved to the Netherlands, while 92,000 left. It means a net increase in immigration of 46,000, about 25 per cent less than in 2023.
Doncaster council officers issued more than 500 orders banning people from public spaces last year

A tiny band of council officers have issued more Asbo-style bans than some of Britains biggest police forces, The Telegraph can reveal.

Doncaster councils engagement officers issued more than 500 orders banning people from public spaces over the course of 2024.

In comparison, the Metropolitan Police, Britains largest force, issued 522 such bans over a similar period and South Yorkshire Police  covering the same area  issued only 263 orders.

The use of dispersal orders are normally reserved for police forces but Doncaster council is one of a handful of authorities allowed to give its officers similar powers using Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), which were designed to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Campaigners have called on the council to reconsider its use of dispersal powers, saying that they represent a very serious restriction and does not take into account issues such as freedom of speech.

The Manifesto Club, a civil liberties group, said in a briefing on the issue: The power to bar people from a public space such as a city centre is a very serious power, which should be used rarely if at all.

If somebody is committing a crime, they should be arrested and charged; if they have not committed a crime, they should be allowed to remain.

The dispersal power certainly should not be invoked by red-jacketed council officers, who suspect that you might be about to annoy somebody.

Hiring more officers

Doncaster councils website shows a team of 10 engagement officers and the authority is currently advertising for a further five officers to address anti-social and unseemly behaviour in the city centre.

The advert states that they are trying to recruit local people who know the city and want to help it reach its full potential.

Applicants are required to have excellent communication skills and must like the outdoors and being highly visible on the street.

It is one of 28 local authorities known to have granted its officers the power to issue dispersal orders.

Under the PSPO, the current prohibition states: No return within 24 hours if asked to leave. No person shall, after being requested to leave by an authorised officer due to them behaving in a manner causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm, distress, nuisance or annoyance to any person within the city Centre without reasonable excuse, remain or return to the city Centre within a period of 24 hours.

Offences covered by the PSPO include loitering and tampering with parking equipment as well as drinking and begging.

Data obtained by the Manifesto Club using Freedom of Information (FOI) laws shows that Doncaster issued 504 dispersal orders using PSPO powers in 2023.

A breach of the order is a criminal offence which can lead to a fine of up to 1,000.

A similar FOI request to police forces, covering the year to July 2023, shows that under anti-social behaviour powers, a separate 11 police authorities  representing around 30,000 officers  together issued a total of 509 dispersals.

The only forces to respond to the FOI who issued more dispersal orders than Doncaster were the Met at 522 dispersals, Hampshire at 990, Northumbria at 833, and Norfolk at 753.

Very serious restriction

Josie Appleton, the director of the Manifesto Club, said: The power to bar people from public spaces represents a very serious restriction on their freedom and ability to go about their daily lives.

Its outrageous that a small group of council officers are excluding such large numbers of people from a city centre, on such flimsy grounds.

Almost anyone could fall foul of these officers  and the PSPO doesnt include protections for rights of assembly or freedom of speech, or peoples need to access work or services. We urge the council to reconsider its PSPO and introduce greater protections for residents basic liberties.

Doncaster council did not respond to a request for comment.
Stone carver Teucer Wilson: Its not just your design but your time and creativity being stolen. Photograph: Teucer Wilson

A walk down a churchyard path, passing other memorials and plaques, can be an important, meditative time for bereaved relatives. But some have had an unpleasant surprise when they find that the carefully chosen design and inscription on the headstone they have come to visit has been copied elsewhere.

When a design is copied, it is not just your design but your time and your creativity that is stolen, said Teucer Wilson, a master stone carver. You can try to see it as a compliment to your work in a way, of course, but it can be very upsetting for the family that you originally worked with.

Seeing a gravestone as a work of art, protected by copyright, is often hard for those who are making a significant and emotional decision about how to commemorate a life. But for the craftspeople who make a living by designing and carving stones on commission, it is a growing concern.

Wilson has experienced a string of recent incidents that appear to have disregarded his copyright. I made a memorial in Ireland that was very personal because the design, a swirling interlocking knot, was based on a ring that the daughter had been given by her deceased mother. The headstone I made was a bit like a giant pebble on the ground. It went into a cemetery in Kilkenny and then, only two months later, a blatant copy appeared nearby in the graveyard. The daughter sent me the photo, he said.

While Wilson accepts that potential clients will occasionally take away one of his draft drawings to have a stone made elsewhere later, he believes he is seeing an increase in direct commercial copying.

Now the Lettering Arts Trust (LAT), based in Ipswich, is coming to the aid of letter cutters and stone carvers by raising awareness of this form of unintended infringement, or even direct plagiarism.

The main thing we try to do is to raise awareness of the creative side, said Mark Noad of the LAT. It is clearly a delicate time; deciding how to summarise somebodys life in a few words and images. It can take between nine months and a year to complete a stone. So it is hard to find out later, as Teucer has, that your work has been reproduced mechanically. Often it is a quite clear creative abuse and it dilutes the special nature of what was first commissioned.

Noad compares the experience of working with a bespoke lettering expert to the difference between shopping at a farmers market or at a large supermarket. If you go to a high street monumental mason it will be a totally different, off-the-shelf experience, he said.

The LAT, he explains, hopes to protect and encourage the skills of letter carvers and monumental engravers, as the craft is threatened by technology. Digital copies of designs can now quickly spread around the world.

Related: Looking for lichen: Church of England launches search for life on gravestones

I did a tree of life design on a headstone that has been copied in India and China and then appeared online in New Zealand, with an exact copy of the leaves I drew, said Wilson. It is annoying and I can get quite cross about it. But there is only so much you can do, even though it is my design. I had spent days drawing, in tribute to this mans late wife. The New Zealand company did take it off the website, but it has popped up elsewhere since.

The LAT wants the church dioceses and councils in charge of British graveyards, cemeteries and memorial areas to stem the tide of mass-produced and machine-carved products. The trust provides a link between clients and trained carvers. It supports six workshops across Britain, favours stone quarried in the British Isles, rather than imported black marble, and also takes on apprentices when funds allow.

British commemorative traditions are heavily influenced by convention. The rules followed by British churchyards vary and are open to interpretation. Sometimes there is a ban on a specific shape and sometimes on new vocabulary. For Wilson, it is usually a case of finding a stone colour and carving style that will add something to the environment. All artists imaginations, he acknowledges, are fed by what has gone before: Of course I am influenced too, but to me it is most important to keep my designs fresh.
File image of a Samaritans sign

A convicted domestic abuser was allowed to become a Samaritans volunteer despite admitting to bosses he had punched, scratched and kicked his ex-wife, The Telegraph can reveal.

The suicide prevention charity hired the man in 2024 as a listening volunteer at a branch in Hampshire, less than four years after he was convicted of battery.

While his convictions are spent, concerns have been raised about whether he should continue in his role, which involves speaking to vulnerable people who call the charitys helpline.

Samaritans, which drew criticism last year for suspending a volunteer over their gender-critical views, has now been accused of a moral failure and of endangering its callers.

A former volunteer at the branch, who resigned over the matter, said: Were dealing with callers that are ringing up having been the victim of domestic violence. It is a very delicate situation.

They shouldnt be speaking to someone who has committed that very same crime.

Samaritans said its policy was that anyone deemed to present even the slightest risk to callers, volunteers and staff was not approved as a volunteer.

Assault convictions

The man, who The Telegraph has chosen not to name, was found guilty of three counts of assault by beating at Southampton magistrates court in 2020. It is believed he assaulted his then wife on three separate occasions in 2019.

He avoided jail and was sentenced to a community order with a requirement to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and was also made subject to a restraining order until 2022.

When the man applied to join the Samaritans branch in 2024, his convictions were flagged by the Governments disclosure and barring service (DBS).

A DBS check is provided for people applying for jobs where they may be working with children or vulnerable people, or where they have access to sensitive information.

Under Samaritanss hiring policy, the man was required to discuss his convictions with his branch director, in what the charity referred to as a disclosure discussion.

In the meeting, he laid bare the details of the assaults, with phrases such as kick to back, scratch to face and punch to (unintelligible) written in the branch directors notes, which have been seen by The Telegraph.

However, when the information was passed to head office, a review panel gave the mans application the green light and he was allowed to join as a volunteer.

The charity was not permitted to inform other branch volunteers about the criminal past of their new colleague because his convictions were spent. They only found out when another volunteer, who had facilitated the mans DBS check, sent a branch-wide email detailing the mans convictions and announcing their resignation over the matter.

Higher standard needed

The whistleblower told The Telegraph: It is a moral failure. Do Samaritans really need to recruit someone like that? The buck stops with the central office as it was their call.

It worries me how many more [volunteers] there are with a criminal past. There needs to be jobs for people with previous convictions, of course, but this is such a sensitive role that surely they should be held to a higher standard.

Lis Skeet, executive director for operations at Samaritans, said: Anyone applying to become a Samaritans listening volunteer is subject to the highest level of criminal records checks.

If a spent conviction is flagged, our review panel determines whether the individual still represents any risk to our callers, volunteers and staff, despite them being considered rehabilitated by law.

Anyone who is deemed to present even the slightest risk will not be approved to become a Samaritans volunteer.

Earlier this year, Robert Laverick, a listening volunteer at Samaritans in Leeds, was suspended after he publicly called on the charity to sever its ties with a radical trans activist group.

He had posted online that the charity should end its endorsement of Gendered Intelligence, a controversial group with contentious views on sex and gender identity in young people.

Following a disciplinary investigation by Samaritans, Mr Laverick, an academic at the University of Leeds, was found to have breached multiple guidelines with his post and was suspended.
The Houthis are mobilising more fighters in Sanaa amid tensions with the US and Israel - YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Iran is sending more weapons to the Houthis following the collapse of its other proxy groups across the Middle East, a spokesman for Yemens army has said.

The Islamic Republic has given the Yemeni militia group enough supplies to keep up its strikes on Israel and attacks on global shipping for years to come, Abdul Basit Al-Baher, the spokesman for Yemens military in the governorate of Taiz, told The Telegraph.

The Houthis have launched a barrage of attacks against Israel and global shipping in the past fortnight.

The escalation is clear evidence that Iran is increasing its support for the Houthis after the weakening of Hamas and Hezbollah and the fall of the Assad regime in the region, Mr Al-Baher said.

He added that the Houthis had high-level missiles and aircraft, then they have workshops for assembling and manufacturing drones and developing missiles with Iranian expertise.

Then there is the continuous smuggling by Iran of weapons parts, especially drones and missiles, which are assembled internally. It is not possible to talk about a specific number for all of this, but according to the operations carried out by the Houthis, we believe that the quantity is large and the stockpile can last for years to come.

Houthi fighters firing two missiles towards Israel from an undisclosed location in Yemen - EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

British oil ship Cordelia Moon was attacked by the Houthis in the Red Sea in October - EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

On Thursday, the Houthis launched their sixth missile attack on Israel since Christmas, with the incidents becoming more frequent despite fierce Israeli air strikes on the groups critical infrastructure.

The US and Britain have also carried out air strikes on Houthi weapons facilities since the militia began targeting global shipping routes in November 2023, but not enough to prevent continued Houthi military operations.

The Houthis currently control a swathe of Yemen inhabited by roughly 80 per cent of the population, and clashes continue with the army of the internationally recognised government based in the rump of the nation.

If the campaign against the the group is to have any chance of success, its leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, must be eliminated, Mr Al-Baher said.

Speaking to The Telegraph, an Israeli security source agreed that the Houthis would struggle to recover from such a blow.

The Houthiss whole regime is one Shiite tribe which relies on its megalomaniac leader, and if Israel and the allies eliminate Abdul-Malik and his brother, the whole regime will collapse. He is the centre of the tribe and the whole operation.

The source said that an assassination attempt may well follow if the group continued to target Israels civilian towns and cities.

A digital billboard in Sanaa featuring Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi - YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

A separate Israeli intelligence source admitted that the Houthis had caught the Jewish state off guard but doubted they could keep up the intensity of their campaign.

They dont have the capacity of Hezbollah, but still, they have their own production. Some of that was hit by the US-UK attacks but not all of it, and its scattered around Yemen so its not easy to locate or tackle as its not in one place, they said. But I dont see this being able to continue for years.

Ali Alboukhaithi, a former spokesman for the Houthis who defected in 2015, said that stockpiles were not infinite and would indeed be depleted by the current level of operations.

Speaking from the UK where he now seeks political refuge, he told The Telegraph: Certainly, the Houthis have a huge stockpile of weapons that will enable them to fight for years against the Yemeni parties, but the weapons they use against Israel are fewer and come from Iran.

Tehran, however, is intensifying its support for the Houthis after the fall of the Assad regime and the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. Its support is what enabled the Houthis to target Tel Aviv, and as long as Iran has not paid a price for this yet, it will continue, as it [the Houthis] is its last ball in the region.

An anti-US and anti-Israel mural on a wall depicting a Houthi fighter stopping an Israeli ship in Sanaa - YAHYA ARHAB/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The Israeli intelligence source told The Telegraph that Israel was struggling to gather information on the Houthis, having not considered the group a threat until the October 7 attacks.

All the time, we were under the conception that the Houthis werent an Israeli problem, more for the US, Saudi and the UAE, they said.

Intelligence gathering is now starting from scratch.

There is no border, and its very far, so there are less human options, they said. However, there are a lot of tribes, plus the legitimate Yemeni government, which we collaborate with and they can provide us with very useful sources and information, so they share a lot with Israel.

Mark Toth, a US security expert and economist, said Donald Trump taking office later this month could lead to stepped up US strikes on the Houthis.

Trump cant let this continue, not if he is to stay consistent with his pledge to reapply maximum pressure against Iran.

Unlike when Trump left office in January 2021, the Houthis are part and parcel now of Irans overall Axis of Resistance against Israel  and Trump has vowed to put an end to Tehrans malign influence throughout the entirety of the Middle East.

Trump also will be confronted with a Houthi force now capable of striking US military assets in Djibouti and Eritrea.
Its like the job of a sniper, says Khimik, a member of Ukraines Khyzhak brigade. Photograph: Julia Kochetova/The Guardian

Denys, a soldier with Ukraines Khyzhak brigade, describes a new kind of war. Standing in a barracks workshop with piles of basic Ukrainian First Person View (FPV) drones behind him, he says simply: There are fewer gunfights because there are more drone fights.

Frontlines that were once a gunshot apart are now a killing zone several miles deep, as Russian and Ukrainian drone squads, hidden about one- to three miles behind the frontline, target each others forces with simple aerial attacks. Back in 2022, we were still running around with machine guns from the tree lines, Denys says, almost with nostalgia.

Another brigade member, Dima, whose call sign is Khimik (the chemist), demonstrates an example with a video on his phone. Because an FPV drone explodes on impact, the video ends abruptly in a flash of white noise, and the consequences of the explosion are invisible, as in so many videos released by both the Ukrainian and Russian militaries online.

A Russian soldier several miles away had been spotted looking out of an upper floor of the building. Though FPV drones are relatively plentiful, the Khyzhak brigade (mostly police patrol officers who have volunteered to fight) tries to use them sparingly and patiently; the film shows the drone hovering and readjusting as its pilot tries to find the right angle to strike. Its like the job of a sniper, Khimik says.

There remains no shortage of artillery or mortar shelling in the war in Ukraine but the spidery seven inch FPV quadcopter, capable of carrying a kilogram of explosive, and operated with goggles and a handheld controller, has become ubiquitous. In the words of Samuel Bendett, a drone expert with the Center for Naval Analyses, the weapon has evolved from being a novelty in 2022, to one of the weapons of choice in 2023, to roaming the entire tactical space.

Patient solo attacks are not the only tactic, as usage evolves. As the numbers increase, simple swarm attacks are often deployed. Denys describes an artillery bombardment by drone on a Russian position near the frontline town of Toretsk, in the eastern Donbas. We dropped 1.5kg of explosives every eight minutes for three hours  by the end they had retreated.

The whirring sound of an unexplained small drone near the front terrifies. Oleksii, an infantryman training near Sumy, says: It is impossible to outrun them  you have to shoot them down. Oleksii, who was a butcher near Kherson in the south before being called up, recalls a moment where he was nearly killed by a drone. It had begun to dip  I had started to run. Then I tripped over a branch and the drone carried straight on, through where I would have been.

Small FPV drones travel at around 37mph(60kmh), quicker than Usain Bolts 27.8mph top speed. They force armoured vehicles to drive rapidly to and from the frontline, ferrying troops or casualties, and thermal cameras mean they can operate as effectively at night. The ability to strike has been democratised, to where nothing can be safe on the battlefield, Bendett says.

Battery life limits flight time, though a kamikaze FPV drone in good weather can travel as far as 20km. But a priority is to save money by deploying returning bomber drones, so an effective operating radius is closer to 5km.

An FPV drone is one of two types dominant on the battlefield. The others are commercial Mavic quadcopters made by a Chinese company, DJI. But the FPV is simpler and designed in Ukraine (or Russia) although as Denys says, many of the components still come from China, theoretically aligned to the invader. Ukrainian company, China elements, the soldier acknowledges, though efforts are being made to source components from elsewhere.

Ukrainians describe their drone effort as a civil society initiative, initially organised and funded outside the state, with soldiers, their friends and family paying for the aerial craft through fundraisers. It is not uncommon for Ukrainians living miles away from the front to part assemble drones in living rooms and garages. They are delivered to brigade workshops, like the Khyzhak brigades barracks near Lyman, where final modifications are made.

The balance, however, has been changing. Ukraines defence ministry has stepped up supply, reporting that it delivered 1.1m one-way FPV drones as of mid December, as well as 100,000 more sophisticated craft. Russia, meanwhile, has supplied 1.2m to 1.4m, according to Bendett, so there is something of a parity in numbers even allowing for the invaders greater size. Technologically, there is little difference between the sides  as each copies promptly from the other.

Learning to fly is involved. It takes, Khimik says, 70 hours in the simulator and 70 hours with a drone. Courses run in Kyiv and elsewhere, though a Briton living in Kyiv describes the effort to learn as challenging. Even after a weeks practice, it remains tricky to follow a vehicle around a dirt track course, he says, though thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have little choice but to master the controls in a war where small drones amount to most of the countrys frontline air power.

Serhii Sternenko, a Ukrainian activist, is one of the countrys most popular bloggers, with 2 million subscribers to his YouTube channel. Now much of his effort is directed towards fundraising to supply FPV drones for Ukrainian troops  I have helped buy 120,000 FPV drones as of today, 100,000 in the past year  and developing new types of drone. I always hated physics at school, now Im learning engineering and happy to be doing it, says Sternenko, who trained as a lawyer.

The blogger says the progress in developing FPV drones could not have happened without efforts like his. Our drones are used in every direction and it is a lot less of a bureaucratic process to supply them, he says, adding that he can help get drones to any unit within 24- to 48 hours. An outspoken critic of military failings, Sternenko was briefly placed on a wanted list in November for allegedly ignoring a conscription summons, though the dispute was resolved after he met the chief military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the same month.

It is just as well, as the drone effort remains central to Ukraines war effort, even if, as Sternenko observes the highest military commands of Ukraine sometimes dont take objective criticism well. Sternenko is closely involved in efforts to use FPV drones as a cheap form of air defence taking out far more sophisticated Russian attack craft.

Ukrainian FPV pilots have been able to knock out Russian Orlan and Lancet drones at higher altitudes for several months, reducing the invaders long range reconnaissance capability, as several videos released by Sternenko show. Air defence is very expensive  it could cost $100,000 to $1m for one hit  but a drone might only be a few hundred dollars, he says.

Increasingly, the focus is on developing FPV drones that can reliably knock out Russian helicopters (two hits were claimed in the summer) and large Shaheed drones, which would require a drone that can fly over 100mph at over 10,000 ft. A particular challenge, Sternenko observes, is how a small drone can contend with the turbulence produced by a Russian-made Shaheed as it flies across the country, pulling out his phone to show how an FPV drone struggled to reach its target.

There is talk about the better use of artificial intelligence in piloting and targeting in 2025, and on the development of land or non-flying drones. But it is likely that the scale of production as well as incremental improvements in range and design will dominate if the war continues. Jamming, though always a threat, is energy intensive and difficult to maintain as electronic warfare requires sending stronger, disruptive signals.

With Donald Trump soon to occupy the White House, amid concerns he could halt US weapons gifts to Ukraine, homegrown technology is likely to become even more important to Kyiv. Ukraine is fighting against an enormous country with several times more population, says Sternenko. Thats why we are calling for more weapons and more technology, because you cannot just fight with people. Drones demonstrate we can be much more efficient.
The Government said it was considering a formal definition of anti-Muslim discrimination, which some campaigners liken to a blasphemy law - Frank Brennan/iStockphoto

Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to shelve plans for an official government definition of Islamophobia in the wake of the grooming gangs scandal.

Critics say a strict definition would curtail free speech and make it harder for whistleblowers to point out certain instances of wrongdoing.

They warn it could lead to a repeat of accusations of racism that were levelled at whistleblowers in Rotherham, Oldham and other towns across the country where there was abuse of largely white children by gangs of men, predominantly of Pakistani heritage.

On Saturday the Government said it was continuing to consider a formal definition of anti-Muslim discrimination, which some campaigners have likened to a blasphemy law.

Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said: The Government should drop its plans for such a deeply flawed definition of Islamophobia.

He said: Throughout the grooming gang scandal the false label of Islamophobia was used to silence people.

It appears the Government has learnt nothing and is determined to press ahead with a definition that will have a chilling effect on freedom of speech.

Robert Jenrick said the Government should drop its plans for such a deeply flawed definition of Islamophobia - Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

Sources at Angela Rayners department, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, told The Telegraph that officials are currently considering whether to introduce a formal definition of Islamophobia. The definition would not be legally binding but organisations would be urged to adopt it.

Though it is not clear which definition would be introduced by the Government, the Labour Party has formally adopted for internal purposes the definition of Islamophobia drafted by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims.

Critics of the APPG definition point to one part which appears to state that using the phrase sex groomer in relation to a person of Muslim background may be Islamophobic.

Fiyaz Mughal, the founder of Tell Mama, which monitors anti-Muslim hate, has warned that the Islamophobia definition adopted by Labour in opposition is a smokescreen and would curtail free speech.

He said: Any definition needs to have a number of caveats attached which protect the right of individuals to question religion, to question certain behaviours attached to cultural elements and the right to have free speech defended in relation to blasphemy.

Bad behaviour wherever it is, in whichever religious group, needs to be called out. This does not mean that all Muslim or all Pakistani men are bad. But when there is a concentration of issues within a certain group, we must hold the line in defence of our core values.

There is a real danger that if they get the definition wrong, it will become the achilles heel of Labour.

Ann Cryer was first to raise concerns over grooming gangs - Flying Colours/Getty Images

Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, said: The Government has already acknowledged that the All-Party Parliamentary Group definition of Islamophobia doesnt align with the Equality Act. But the concept of Islamophobia itself remains problematic.

Conflating criticism of a religion with hatred towards Muslims distorts legitimate dialogue and undermines the vital principle of free expression. Adopting a contentious definition of Islamophobia is more likely to escalate tensions than to address prejudice against religious minorities.

Ann Cryer, the Labour MP who first raised concerns about grooming gangs, said that local authorities were petrified of being called racist and so reverted to the default of political correctness.

Strict definition would raise problems for whistleblowers, such as in the case of the grooming gangs scandal

In September the Government appeared to back away from the APPG definition. Faith minister Lord Khan admitted at the time that the definition was not in line with equality law, which defines race in terms of colour, ethnicity and nationality but not religion.

He said: We want to ensure that any definition comprehensively reflects multiple perspectives and implications for different communities.

Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: There is no place for blasphemy laws in the United Kingdom. Free speech is the foundation of our national life and that includes the freedom to criticise and satirise any and all religions.

The reporting on rape gangs this week exposed the conspiracy of silence and cover-up of organised gang rapes because of the identity of most perpetrators, showing how vital it is to be able to speak honestly about all parts of society without fear.

Of course all decent people oppose racism and hatred based on religion. Thats why using threatening or abusive language to incite racial or religious hatred is already a criminal offence.

A Government spokesman said: We are committed to tackling hatred in all its forms, including Islamophobia, which has absolutely no place in our society.

We will take into account a range of views and outline any updates on the governments position in relation to this in due course.
Tulip Siddiq is responsible for tackling financial crime and corruption at the Treasury - PA/Victoria Jones

Tulip Siddiq lived in a second property reportedly given to her family by an ally of her aunt, the former dictator of Bangladesh.

The Treasury minister, who is responsible for tackling financial crime and corruption, lived in a flat in Hampstead, north London, after it was given to her to use by her teenage sister, Azmina.

The sisters are nieces to Sheikh Hasina, the authoritarian former prime minister of Bangladesh, who was removed from power last year after uprisings against her rule.

The latest claims come after it was reported that Ms Siddiq was given a separate flat in central London by a businessman linked to a political party led by her aunt.

The city minister is alleged to have accepted the two-bedroom apartment near Kings Cross without making a payment in 2004.

Moin Ghani, a Bangladeshi lawyer who has represented Hasinas government and has been pictured with the former prime minister, handed the Hampstead property to Azmina in 2009, according to the Sunday Times.

Land Registry documents state that the transfer was not for money or anything that has a monetary value. Azmina was 18 at the time and about to begin her studies at Oxford University.

On Saturday night, Downing Street insisted that the Prime Minister still has confidence in Ms Siddiq.

Sheikh Hasina, the authoritarian former prime minister of Bangladesh - Getty/Indranil Mukherjee

Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina, Ms Siddiq has been facing queries over her ties to her aunt and the latest claims will raise questions over her position.

Last month, it was alleged that Ms Siddiqs family were being investigated by Bangladeshs anti-corruption commission over allegations of embezzlement.

She faced questions over claims that she and four family members embezzled 4 billion through a nuclear power plant deal in Bangladesh, although sources close to Ms Siddiq have dismissed the claims as false.

The Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team has questioned Ms Siddiq over the allegations.

Bangladeshs Anti-Corruption Commission launched its investigation into Ms Siddiq in December, along with her mother, Sheikh Rehana Siddiq, 69, and aunt, Sheikh Hasina, 77.

Ms Siddiq has listed the Hampstead flat as her residence on several official documents.

When Ms Siddiq was appointed as a director of the Working Mens College education institute in December 2012, she listed the property as her address on Companies House.

She did the same on becoming a trustee of the Camden Arts Centre charity in January 2014 and the Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust, another non-profit, in March 2014.

Her husband, Christian Percy, listed it as his address in May 2016, by which time Ms Siddiq had been elected as the Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn.

Ms Siddiq declined to comment but a source close to the minister confirmed that she had lived at her sisters Hampstead property for a period of time. The source added the political associations of others have nothing to do with Ms Siddiq.

Responding to claims about the Kings Cross property, a spokesman for Ms Siddiq said: Any suggestion that Tulip Siddiqs ownership of this property, or any other property is in any way linked to support for the Awami League would be categorically wrong.
Night creeps across the Atlantic Ocean from east to west, as seen from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite used by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

A team of the worlds leading ocean and climate scientists in 2024 penned an open letter presented at the Arctic Circle Conference that warned of the potential collapse of a vital oceanic circulation system in the Atlantic.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, is part of a larger global conveyor belt that circulates warm and nutrient-rich water poleward along the surface and cooler subsurface water toward the equator.

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The circulation of water across the entire length of the global network of ocean currents is not a fast process. A single cubic meter of water takes an estimated 1,000 years to complete the circulation, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As human-induced climate change continues to lead to broken temperature records on land, scientists are growing increasingly concerned that the AMOC may collapse entirely.

Whats the climate change link?

Oceanographers have been closely monitoring the behavior of the AMOC since 2004, and evidence suggests the AMOC has slowed down over the last two decades of observation. While a clear outlook for the future of the AMOC is uncertain because of the short observation window, climate models suggest an overall weakening of the AMOC through the remainder of the 21st century as a result of increased greenhouse gas emissions.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, is shown in a diagram crisscrossing the Atlantic basin. This circulation is part of a larger global conveyor belt that transfers heat, and research shows that it could be slowing down. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Professor David Thornalley, among the open letters signatories and an expert in paleoclimate research at University College London, says that while details of exactly how things are changing are still being researched and debated, its clear that unprecedented changes in Atlantic circulation are occurring.

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Recent scientific research, though, also suggests the AMOC risk assessment has been vastly underestimated and that the tipping point could be reached within the next few decades.

What would an AMOC collapse do?

The collapse of the Atlantic circulation would have devastating and irreversible climate impacts, according to the open letter. Peter Ditlevsen, professor at University of Copenhagen and one of the 44 scientists that signed the open letter, says shutting down the AMOC would change how heat and precipitation are distributed globally.

One of the notable affects it could have is the cooling of western Europe. The AMOC, specifically the Gulf Stream that stretches from the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. to western Europe, is why a city like London has a mild climate compared to other areas at the same latitude. If this conveyor belt of warmer water shuts off, it could have a cooling affect from Iceland to Finland.

Shifting weather patterns, including extreme temperature and precipitation swings, will worsen already rising sea levels and could lead to the disruption of fragile marine ecosystems.

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This recent open letter isnt the first dire warning. A study published in July 2023 from the University of Copenhagen stated with 95% certainty that the collapse of the AMOC would take place by 2095.

What could it mean for Texas?

Its hard to say with any amount of certainty what the slowing or halting of the AMOC could have on Texas or the Gulf of Mexico.

The Gulf Loop Current is a tongue of warmer water that flows northward from the Caribbean Sea, through the Yucatan Channel between Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, and into the Gulf of Mexico. From there, the loop current curves southeastward into the Straits of Florida, where it ultimately joins the Gulf Stream. A world where ocean temperatures have warmed and the network of oceanic currents slows to a crawl could have an influence on hurricane season.

A fascinating ocean current loop can be seen as warm waters from the Caribbean Sea flow into the Gulf Stream.



Over the last couple of months, the Gulf of Mexico has seen warming sea surface temperatures as summer draws near. pic.twitter.com/8DuYP4QXwX  CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) May 30, 2024

If the Gulf Loop Current eventually melts into the background of an increasingly warm Gulf of Mexico, one ingredient for explosive hurricane intensification would be theoretically removed. However, the warming of the Gulf of Mexico as a whole would effectively negate any benefit a weakening Gulf Loop Current could have on rapid intensification.

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Perhaps a better way of gauging the risk to Texas would be to discuss the effect climate change could have more broadly on the state. Rising sea levels continue to put coastal Texas towns, like Galveston, at even greater risk of storm surge during a tropical storm or hurricane.

Average annual rainfall is increasing across the eastern half of the state, but flash droughts in recent years act to quickly zap soil moisture from the region. Already brutal summertime heat is expected to start earlier in the spring and last deeper into the fall.
Maximilian Krah had to be sidelined after his SS comments - Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Tesla tycoon Elon Musks endorsement of Alternative for Germany (AfD) could legitimise the far-Right party among business people and ordinary voters, easing its eventual path to power, a member of the movement has said.

The tech billionaire, a Donald Trump confidante, caused consternation in Germany last week when he declared the AfD, which includes people who have defended the honour of the SS, the countrys last vestige of hope.

He also invited Alice Weidel, co-leader and its candidate for chancellor, to a one-on-one discussion on his social network X ahead of Germanys snap general election on Feb 23, dramatically raising her and her partys profile.

Its a Zeitenwende politically to the Right  initiated and helped by Elon Musk, said Frank-Christian Hansel, an AfD member of the Berlin state parliament, using the German word for time of changes.

I hope Elon Musk will influence both the electorate and normalise us. The fact that Musk is economically independent should counter the narrative of German economic leaders, functionaries of associations like the BDI or chamber of commerce who say AfD is a danger for investment, Mr Hansel told The Telegraph.

Elon Musk with Donald Trump - Alex Brandon/AP

Endorsement by an American close to the incoming US administration, he said, helps the western AfD internally because the media wants to make us a pro-Russian and pro-Putin party, which we are not, he said.

He added: Now we have with Elon Musk inviting Alice Weidel to the presidential inauguration, this helps the West AfD to counter the narrative of pro-Putin party, especially in the Western electorate.

Mr Musk, who has previously called chancellor Olaf Scholz a fool and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the largely ceremonial German president, an undemocratic tyrant, waded into the election with an editorial in last weeks Die Welt am Sonntag, a conservative newspaper.

The AfD, the column argued, is not the extremist movement its detractors claim and its anti-immigration, low-tax platform can save Germany from becoming a shadow of its former self.

It sparked an immediate backlash.

Eva Marie Kogel, the opinion section editor, resigned. Der Spiegel ran a front cover interview with Green Party politician Robert Habeck, the vice chancellor, under the headline: Hands off our democracy, Mr. Musk!

And Friedrich Merz, leader of the opposition Christian Democrats, dismissed it as intrusive and pretentious.

Could Mr Musks intervention influence the outcome of elections? Is he right about the AfDs reputation for extremism? And does it really have a plan that could change the country?

Elon Musks X account - Andre M Chang/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

The AfD are consistently polling in second place, with Politicos Poll of Polls currently projecting them to take 19 per cent of the vote in a general election.

Germanys mainstream parties have all ruled out entering coalition with the AfD, creating a political firewall that makes it all but impossible to enter government.

If the worlds richest man and member of the Trump administration is calling for an extreme Right-wing party in Germany to come to power, thats a big deal, said Thorsten Benner, head of the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPI) in Berlin.

I dont think any German voter will vote for the AfD just because Elon Musk says so, but they also wont lose votes because of the elites outraged response.

Founded in 2013 as a Eurosceptic party, the AfD found its voice as an anti-immigrant, anti-Islam, far-Right movement after Angela Merkel, the former chancellor, opened the borders to a million refugees during the Syrian migration crisis in 2015.

It draws most of its support from former communist East Germany, and held 76 out of the 733 seats in the Bundestag before parliament was dissolved late last year. In September it won its first state election when it took 32.8 per cent of the vote in the eastern state of Thuringia.

Germanys domestic security service has considered the AfD a suspected extremist group since at least 2021.

The group itself rejects the far-Right label, describing themselves in their manifesto for Germany as liberals and conservatives.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) and his deputy Robert Habeck - Liesa Johannssen/Reuters

Mr Musk argued that Ms Weidel, a lesbian with a Sri Lankan-born partner, is the living refutation of far-Right leanings. Does that sound like Hitler? Please! he wrote in his op-ed piece.

Larry Goldberg, an investor in Tesla and friend of Mr Musk, said on X that he had assumed the AfD were a Nazi party but on reading their manifesto found it absolutely accorded with my upbringing, which I describe as traditional western liberalism.

Critics of the AfD say the problem is not the manifesto, but a pattern of rhetoric and behaviour that reeks of nostalgia for National Socialism.

In 2024 alone, senior members were revealed to have attended a secret neo-Nazi conference in Potsdam that discussed the forced deportation of foreigners from Germany en masse.

Maximilian Krah, the partys star candidate in European parliamentary elections, had to be sidelined after he claimed SS members were not all criminals and that wearing the wrong uniform did not automatically make someone a villain.

And Bjorn Hocke, the AfD leader in Thuringia, was fined 13,000 (10,850) for using the phrase Alles fur Deutschland (Everything for Germany), which prosecutors ruled was associated with Hitlers SA stormtroopers, during a speech.

Mr Hocke maintained that he did not know the phrase, which is far less well-known in Germany than other Nazi slogans like Sieg Heil or Heil Hitler, had those connotations.

Some commentators have drily pointed out that Thuringia is also where the original Nazis first won office in the 1920s.

Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany and its candidate for chancellor - Annegret Hilse/Reuters

JD Vance, Mr Trumps vice president elect, wrongly claimed in an X post commenting on Mr Musks editorial that the AfD drew support from areas the Nazis were weakest.

Such scandals have not only prevented the AfD from breaking into the mainstream of German politics. It has led some other far-Right wing European parties to view them as both toxic and incompetent.

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally in France, cut ties with the AfD after Mr Krahs comments about the SS. The party was also chucked out of Identity and Democracy, a Right-wing grouping in the European Parliament.

Ms Le Pen has the clear objective of becoming the next French president. They are not willing to let some minuscule German party screw it up, a source told The Telegraph at the time.

So what does the AfD stand for?

The partys draft manifesto released in November mentions migration 32 times, twice as many as the Christian Democrats (16).

It calls for Germany to leave the EUs unacceptable asylum policy, which it says was not written for an era of mass migration, and promises to close the asylum paradise of Germany by changing the law so that asylum applications have to be submitted outside of Germany.

It promises to solve the housing crisis by becoming a nation of homeowners and reducing mass migration.

Unlike some Right-wing populist parties, the AfD is conventionally Right wing on economics and pledges to slash business taxes because they are comparatively too expensive and stop our business investing in the future.

Protester outside the court in Halle where Bjorn Hocke was fined - Jens Schlueter/Getty Images

Turning to energy, it pledges to reverse the closure of Germanys nuclear power plants, seek to scrap the EUs upcoming ban on new combustion engine vehicles, and to immediately stop the one-sided favouring of electric cars, as well as public funding of charging infrastructure.

On foreign policy and security it calls for an interest-led relationship with the worlds great powers including the United States, China and Russia.

That involves restoring uninterrupted trade with Russia [including] the immediate lifting of economic sanctions against Russia and the repair of the Nord Stream pipelines. Ukraine, it says, should be a neutral state outside Nato and the EU.

Although Mr Hansel denies the party is pro-Russian, those positions happen to align closely with the Kremlins stated war aims. At least for the German elite, that is what sets the AfD apart.

Chancellor Scholz said on Saturday that Mr Musk was in many ways no different to any other billionaire backing a conservative, low-tax party prepared to favour his business interests.

Tesla, he pointed out, has long publicly opposed the governments funding for a public car charging network that would compete with its own. Mr Musk even called Mr Scholz to personally lobby against it in 2022. Social Democrats should be used to that.

Far more concerning than such insults is the fact that Musk supports a partly far-Right party like the AfD, which advocates rapprochement with Putins Russia and seeks to weaken trans-Atlantic relations, he said in an interview with Stern magazine at the weekend.

Mr Scholz may be right to take Elon Musks bombast in his stride. But dismissing the grievances driving the AfDs voters would be foolish.

Its a feel-good distraction for German liberal democratic elites to focus outrage on Musk rather than focusing on real problems that German voters want answers to, said Mr Benner at the GPPI think tank. Politicians should focus on German problems and things voters care about, and deal with this external interference as a fact of life.
A group of friends mourn the loss of Hubert Gauthreaux in New Orleans on Friday. Photograph: Octavio Jones/Reuters

The New Orleans coroners office has released the identities of most of the 14 people killed in the deadly truck attack against New Years Day revelers on the citys famous Bourbon Street.

More than half of the 12 victims identified after being slain Wednesday by a US army veteran who was shot dead by police were from the New Orleans metropolitan area or other Louisiana communities. Others were residents of Alabama, Mississippi and New Jersey  and one was a British citizen.

All of victims  whose identities began being released Friday by the coroner  were between the ages of 18 and 63. The coroners office listed their causes of death as blunt force injuries caused by the attackers truck, despite preliminary information from authorities that some may have been fatally.

Related: At a loss for words: loved ones mourn victims of New Orleans truck attack

Those who were confirmed dead were Drew Dauphin, 26, of Montgomery, Alabama; Kareem Badawi, 18, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Brandon Taylor, 43, of Harvey, Louisiana; Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, of Gretna, Louisiana; Matthew Tenedorio, 25, of Picayune, Mississippi; and Nikyra Dedeaux, 18, of Gulfport, Mississippi.

Also confirmed dead were Nicole Perez, 27, of Metairie, Louisiana; Reggie Hunter, 37, of Prairieville, Louisiana; Martin Tiger Bech, 27, originally of Lafayette, Louisiana, and a resident of New York City; Terrence Kennedy, 63, of New Orleans; Elliot Wilkinson, 40, of Slidell, Louisiana; William DiMaio, 25, of Holmdel, New Jersey; Edward Pettifer, 31, of west London, England; and Latasha Polk, 45.

Details about most of the victims emerged as family members who were informed of their loved ones deaths as of Friday spoke to media outlets. Schools and employers with ties to the victims released information as well as statements of condolences.

The 15th person to die Wednesday was the attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar. Jabbar also injured 35 people, including two police officers whom he shot while wielding a rifle, before authorities killed him to end what they have classified as an act of terrorism. The wounded include citizens of Mexico and Israel.

Investigators believe Jabbar came to New Orleans from Houston and briefly stayed at a short-term rental home about two miles away from Bourbon Street. He then planted homemade, remote-controlled bombs hidden in ice chests about six blocks away from the foot of Bourbon Street before launching the attack, according to investigators, who reached that conclusion in part after reviewing municipal surveillance camera footage.

Jabbar crashed into a construction lift and  despite wearing body armor and a helmet  was killed in a shootout with police about three blocks away from the bombs, which he did not manage to detonate, officials said in statements on Friday.

Before the attack, officials said, Jabbar intentionally lit the short-term rental home where he had stayed on fire. At least one neighbor reported the blaze about two hours after the attack, when it had mostly burned out. Firefighters arrived to extinguish its remnants and spotted a gasoline can, a drill and other tools, prompting them to call police.

Law enforcement later determined Jabber had used various materials in the home to make bombs.

New Orleans city government years earlier had acquired several kinds of barriers meant to prevent an attack like the one on Wednesday and one near Magdeburg, Germany, in December that killed at least five people, including a nine-year-old.

But the barriers protecting the area where the attack on Bourbon Street began had either been taken down for repairs or otherwise not deployed by the time Jabbar drove around a blockade anchored by a single patrol car with its lights flashing in the middle of Bourbon Street.

Joe Biden was among those to express condolences to the families of the people murdered by Jabbar.

My heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday, the president said in a statement. There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nations communities.
South Australian authorities were searching for the body of 28-year-old surfer Lance Appleby, who witnesses saw being taken by a shark Photograph: Supplied

Australia has suffered another death from a shark after a surfer was bitten in the countrys south, the fourth fatal incident in the region in 18 months.

Authorities were still searching for the body of 28-year-old Lance Appleby, who witnesses saw being taken by a shark on 2 January, according to police.

Shark bites are often traumatic incidents and in an ocean-loving nation such as Australia, each new one can stoke fears of the marine predators.

But what do we know about the rates of shark bites in Australia, and are peoples fears warranted?

Are fatalities from shark bites on the rise?

Dr Daryl McPhee researches unprovoked shark bites at Bond University.

He says there was an average of 2.7 deaths from shark bites in Australia between 2014 and 2023, compared with 1.8 deaths in the previous decade.

He says there is a long-term trend of increasing shark bites in Australia, but its partly down to population growth leading to a lot more people in the water.

The risk of a shark bite remains extremely low, and fatal bites are even lower, he says.

Are there more shark bites in Australia than other countries?

In 2023, there were 10 fatal shark bites globally, with four of those occurring in Australia, and three of them off the coast of South Australia where Appleby went missing. Researchers are still checking the data for 2024.

Dr Gavin Naylor is the director of the Florida Museum of Natural Historys shark research program that coordinates the International Shark Attack File  a verified database of global shark incidents.

Naylor says that, while the data isnt yet finalised, 2024 had been fairly quiet for shark bites globally.

Why does Australia see more shark deaths than other places?

Australians are born swimming, Naylor says. Theyre sporty and theyre out in the ocean. So its no surprise there are a bunch of bites. Australia will always have a higher proportion of fatal bites.

But Naylor says Australias beach rescue services that are available to respond to bites are second to none and this likely keeps the number of fatalities down.

A 2022 study of 200 years of Australian shark bite records found a large rise in the percentage of people surviving a bite in recent decades, likely because people were in closer proximity to others that could help, they were on a surfboard or other watercraft, and emergency responses have improved.

There was an 88% chance of surviving a bite from a white shark if the person was on a watercraft, such as a kayak or surfboard, but this survival rate dropped to 45% for people swimming or diving.

Whats the risk in Australia of being killed by a shark?

The current rate of just under three deaths a year from a shark bite can be compared in Australia to the 150 deaths from drowning at coastal locations from July 2023 to June 2024, including 84 drownings at beaches.

McPhee says: Youre about 20 times more likely to drown at a swimming beach than be killed by a shark.

Who is most likely to be attacked by a shark?

McPhee says: Theres a shift from it being mostly swimmers being bitten, to it being mostly surfers.

He says surfing took off around the world after the second world war and the sport is becoming more and more popular.

Surfers spend more time in the water, and they are out further, he says.

Naylor notes surfers hang around surf breaks where the water is murky  the same place where sharks could be looking for food, but with poor visibility.

Sharks then make a mistake, he says, as they bite to investigate what they think could be food.

Research suggests that while it is not undocumented, sharks rarely deliberately target humans for food.

If sharks did target people, there would be a lot more deaths around. But there arent, Naylor says.

Why do people fear sharks if the risk is so small?

McPhee says there are four main factors that cause people to fear sharks:

Humans are evolutionarily predisposed to fear the kind of things our ancestors feared, such as bears, snakes  and sharks.

Fear is heightened if humans can instantly bring a hazard to mind, and he says the theme tune to the 1975 film Jaws helps people instantly picture a shark.

Humans have a greater fear of things they think they cant control.

Fear is greater for things that are in the present, and media stories of shark bites bring peoples attention to them.

Theres a reason the Discovery Channel has shark week, but not prawn week, he says.

Dr Brianna Le Busque, of the University of South Australia, researches public perceptions of sharks.

She says people tend not to fear drowning  even though deaths far outnumber those from shark bites  because we fear what we think we dont have control over.

People know they can swim and can control their actions in the water  at least, thats their perception.

Her state of South Australia has seen four fatalities from sharks, including the most recent, in the past 18 months.

Theres a thing called recency bias  we tend to remember the last thing we hear, she says.

Its natural that people fear sharks, because they can hurt us. [But] our perception of the risk is distorted  if we hear about something all the time, we just think its more common than it is.
Homeless people in Manchester. Extreme winter weather across the UK will increase the risk of cold-related illness and death among rough sleepers. Photograph: Ashley van Dyck/Alamy

Rough sleepers across the UK have been offered emergency shelter amid freezing temperatures.

Councils have used the severe weather emergency protocol (Swep) to provide a bed for the night for rough sleepers as much of the country experiences a cold snap.

Each council has its own criteria for deploying Swep, but it is generally adopted when temperatures fall below 0C or an ice and snow weather warning is issued. Sweps have also been used during heatwaves to prevent heatstroke and dehydration.

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: We know, as the temperature drops, things become even more difficult for those on the streets, and councils will be considering whether to activate their severe weather emergency protocol. The spokesperson added that the ministry had supported councils by providing an extra 10m in November  approximately 32,000 each.

We are also providing 1bn funding for homelessness over the next year, including the largest ever investment in preventive services, to support councils to get more rough sleepers off the street and stop people sleeping rough in the first place, the spokesperson said.

A Met Office spokesperson said temperatures had plummeted to a low of -8.6C in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, overnight into Saturday. An amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England, including the Midlands and Liverpool and Manchester, is in place from 6pm on Saturday to midday on Sunday.

A second amber warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, begins at 9pm on Saturday, running until midnight on Sunday.

Three separate yellow weather warnings for snow and ice will be in force for most areas of the UK, covering different periods of time until Monday afternoon.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said temperatures would remain below average, with some areas struggling to get above freezing for several days.

There is no way of confirming if councils have provided emergency shelter to rough sleepers.

The protocols dont work for everyone. Stuart Potts, who runs the Saving People Shelter Project in Manchester, says he is still getting phone calls from people wanting to stay in his shelter, which he runs from his own home in Middleton. The council cant be getting everyone off the street if Im still getting referrals, he said. A lot of vulnerable people dont want to go into shelters because theyre scared of sharing a room with some of the people you find on the street, who might be drunk or on drugs.

Related: The Guardian view on homelessness: a health crisis as well as a housing one | Editorial

The number of rough sleepers is rising in the UK, according to the governments own data. In September 2024, 9,079 people were estimated to be sleeping rough over the month, an increase of 8% from the previous year and 9% from June 2024. Of these figures, 33% were found to be new people sleeping rough, 34% were entrenched rough sleepers, 14% were returning to the streets from accommodation, and 30% of people had moved into settled accommodation in the previous year.

Of those sleeping rough, 8% had recently left an institution, with over half of these leaving prison and 18% leaving asylum support services.

The number of homeless deaths is also on the rise. The Museum of Homelessness has documented the deaths of 6,911 people since October 2017. Its latest figures, from 2023, show that 1,474 people died while homeless  one person every six hours.

According to the UK Security Agency, cold weather periods often increase the number of homeless deaths: Sleeping rough increases the risk of cold-related illness and death.

 If you see someone sleeping rough this weekend, contact StreetLink by phone or by downloading its app. StreetLink enables the public to connect rough sleepers with local services that can help them into emergency accommodation. If it is an emergency, dial 999.
Duke of Sussex and his barrister David Sherborne - Leon Neal/Getty Images

Scotland Yard has been accused of turning a blind eye to a High Court ruling that found Prince Harrys phone had been hacked.

The Duke of Sussex called on the police to investigate Mirror Group Newspapers last December after a judge awarded him almost 150,000 in damages for unlawful information gathering.

In a statement issued at the time, the Metropolitan Police said it would carefully consider the judgment.

But, more than 12 months on, the police have still not responded, prompting a source from the claimants side to question how the force could turn a blind eye to such a blatant corporate cover-up.

The well-placed source told The Telegraph: It beggars belief that despite the High Courts damning findings of widespread and habitual phone-hacking at Mirror Group Newspapers, the Metropolitan Police have done nothing.

Court artist sketch of the Duke of Sussex, left with his counsel David Sherborne - Elizabeth Cook/PA

Over a year has passed since new evidence emerged, yet theres been no investigation and no prosecution.

Mr Justice Fancourt found that phone-hacking had become widespread and habitual at MGN titles from 1998 and remained extensive from 2006 until 2011, even to some extent during the Leveson Inquiry.

He also ruled that editors knew about voicemail interception and unlawful information gathering.

The Duke hailed his partial victory as vindicating and affirming, calling it a great day for truth, as well as accountability.

He said: I respectfully call upon the authorities, the financial regulator, the stock market who were deliberately deceived by Mirror Group, and indeed the Metropolitan Police and prosecuting authorities to do their duty for the British public and to investigate bringing charges against the company and those who have broken the law.

Scotland Yard has repeatedly acknowledged the ruling but suggested no decision had been made about whether to pursue further action.

A spokesperson said: We are aware of the High Court judgment, but will be making no further comment at this time.

The source added in response: How can a country that claims to value justice and integrity turn a blind eye to such a blatant corporate cover-up within the British press?

Especially when its been proven some of them so casually lied under oath during the Leveson inquiry.

Victims have waited far too long for answers and its past time that authorities act to restore trust by reopening this investigation.

The force would be unlikely to welcome another high-profile investigation into a British newspaper group.

Almost 150 detectives were drafted in to work full time on the three inquiries launched in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

Andy Coulson, former editor of the News of the World - Paul Grover for The Telegraph

At its height, Operation Weeting, which was set up to look specifically at voicemail interception at the now defunct News of the World, had 72 full-time officers working on the case.

Operation Elveden, which was tasked with examining allegations of corruption between journalists and public officials, had 60 officers, while Operation Tuleta, set up to look at allegations of computer hacking had 17 dedicated officers.

The investigations led to the conviction of former News of the World editor Andy Coulson, the closure of the 168-year-old News of the World and moves to change the way newspapers are regulated.

Just 12 journalists were prosecuted for offences relating to phone-hacking, with nine convicted.

The overall cost to the taxpayer is thought to have exceeded 40 million.

The Duke vowed last year to plough on with his crusade against the tabloid press, saying: Ive been told that slaying dragons will get you burned but, in light of todays victory and the importance of doing what is needed for a free and honest press, it is a worthwhile price to pay. The mission continues.

In January comes the launch of an eight-week trial against News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, during which the Duke could face four days of extensive questioning.

Prince Harry and former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson are suing News Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful information gathering and invasion of privacy.

The Duke has continued with the expensive litigation despite efforts from his father to bring it to a close.

He will argue at trial that the King acted to discourage and stymie him from pursuing the claim, the court has heard.

Meanwhile, a trial of his claims against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, is likely to be heard in January 2026.

The Duke joked during an event in New York in early December that he had become a professional litigant but said he planned to retire soon.
Jayne Senior says she found the response from Sir Keir Starmers office shocking and dismissive - PA/Sky News

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of snubbing the whistleblower responsible for exposing a major grooming gang in Rotherham.

The Prime Minister had been urged to lend his support to Jayne Senior, a youth services manager who was instrumental in publicising the plight of young white girls who were the victims of sexual grooming by men of mainly Pakistani heritage.

In 2020, when Sir Keir was leader of the opposition, he was asked to meet with Ms Senior, who was a Labour councillor at the time.

He was also urged to start an inquiry into Labour councillors accused of launching a campaign to undermine her and damage her reputation in order to deflect from their failure to protect children.

But his office declined both the meeting and to launch an inquiry. Ms Senior told The Telegraph that she found the response shocking and dismissive.

She said: I really thought that because of what I had whistleblown on and my role in Rotherham, I thought he would have at least asked for more information, or agreed to meet me  but no.

In opposition, Labour were up there shouting for women, for girls, for child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse  and then the minute that they become elected, where are they?

Georgina Halford-Hall, the chief executive of Whistleblowers UK, wrote to Sir Keir in 2020, explaining that Ms Senior brought the issue of grooming gangs in Rotherham to national attention.

Georgina Halford-Hall, the chief executive of Whistleblowers UK, wrote to Sir Keir in 2020 - Julian Simmonds

In her letter, Ms Halford-Hall said: Jaynes courage was recognised by the Queen who in 2016 invested upon her the MBE in recognition of her actions and her overwhelming commitment to the safety of children and the wider public interest.

Notwithstanding the validation of Jaynes whistleblowing and her ongoing campaign that not only exposed the industrial scale abuse of the most vulnerable children in society, whilst in the legal care of RMBC [Rotherham metropolitan borough council], she remains the target of retaliation which regrettably emanates from the Labour Party.

As a result of Jaynes campaign to expose these crimes some local elected members in the Labour Party and others responsible for the failures found themselves under scrutiny. This resulted in the resignations or removal of all cabinet members, the leader of the council, the police and crime commissioner in 2015.

This has led to what can only be described as a hate campaign against Jayne where she has repeatedly been accused of wrongdoing in the absence of any evidence.

Ms Halford-Hall urged Sir Keir to launch an investigation into the treatment of Ms Senior by fellow Labour members and asked him to meet with them.

However, his office responded saying that a meeting would not be possible, and declined to launch an investigation, saying it was not relevant to his role as leader of the party.

The following year, Ms Senior resigned as a Labour councillor, saying that she had been the subject of ceaseless harassment and intimidation and had received no support from the leader of the council.

In her resignation letter, she said: There has been a systematic and longstanding campaign to undermine me as a person, as a Labour councillor and as a long-standing member and supporter of the Labour Party.

Last week, it was revealed that Labour blocked a national public inquiry into the grooming scandal in which thousands of vulnerable girls were raped and sexually abused by gangs of mainly British Pakistani men.

Previous reports have been published into the failures of the police and local councils to prevent abuse in towns such as Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford, with officers and prosecutors avoiding taking action for fear of being called racist or Islamophobic.

Credit: BBC

Maggie Oliver, the whistleblower who helped uncover widespread abuse in Rochdale, said Sir Keir was as guilty as anyone over failures to address grooming gangs.

Ms Halford-Hall said: Again we see the shameful resolve of the whole establishment to put as many obstacles in the way of justice for the 2,000+ victims and whistleblowers as possible. Politics and party loyalty continue to be priorities over the safety and wellbeing of children.

Speaking up came at a very high price for whistleblowers like Jayne Senior who turned to the former director of public prosecutions to step in to protect her from members of his own party and the police who were determined to silence her.

Ms Halford-Hall is campaigning for an office of the whistleblower to be set up that she said would help prevent grooming gangs and expose those who protect them.

A Labour Party spokesman said: All complaints are treated seriously and thoroughly assessed in line with our rules and procedures. Complaints are assessed via a specific process, independent of the Leaders Office, and this was clearly signposted in response to this correspondence at the time.
A commemorative statue of Irish composer and musician Rory Gallagher has been unveiled in Belfast, honouring his life, music and connection to the city.

The life-sized statue of Gallagher is located outside Ulster Hall, a venue he played regularly.

The statue was crafted by sculptors Anto Brennan, Jessica Checkley of Bronze Art Ireland and David OBrien of Bronze Art Ireland.

It is inspired by a January 1972 Melody Maker magazine cover shot of Gallagher onstage at Ulster Hall.

Born in Ballyshannon and raised in Cork, Gallagher moved in 1967 to Belfast, a city that would become a cornerstone of his musical journey.

(l to r) Chris McCracken, managing director of the Linen Quarter BID, Lord Mayor of Belfast councillor Micky Murray, Eoin Gallagher, nephew of Rory Gallagher, Lord Mayor of Cork City councillor Dan Boyle and Daniel Gallagher, nephew of Rory Gallagher, at the unveiling of the statue in Belfast (Navigator Blue/PA)

It was here that Taste, his first blues-rock trio, played clubs such as Sammy Hustons, The Maritime and Club Rado.

The final Taste concert, featuring John Wilson and Richard McCracken, was at Queens University in 1970.

At the start of Gallaghers solo career, he formed a new band with drummer Wilgar Campbell and bassist Gerry McAvoy.

Later, he would bring on Lou Martin and Brendan ONeill, Belfast musicians, who helped to shape his career.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Gallaghers passing.

Renowned for his soulful playing, dynamic performances and dedication to his craft, Gallagher established himself as a trailblazer in Irish rock music.

Over the course of his career, he toured around the world constantly, selling millions of records in the process.

Donal Gallagher, Rorys brother and manager, said: Its fitting that the city he loved so much is where his legacy will be celebrated for generations to come.

Belfast wasnt just a place he performed, it was a city that shaped his musical journey and welcomed him like one of its own.

From the early days when he played here, it became a second home, a source of inspiration, and a springboard to international success.

The Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust has been instrumental in the initiative, working in collaboration with Ulster Hall and Belfast City Council, and with sponsorship from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Northern Ireland Executive; ICC Belfast; LQ BID; Girvan Architecture Services; Aiken Promotions, Strange Music; and Pipelife Ireland.

Frank Girvan, member of the Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust, said: It has been many years in the making and we are incredibly grateful for the support weve received from fans, fellow musicians and all those who continue to show their commitment to keeping Rorys legacy alive.

From fundraising to performances, weve organised numerous initiatives, including the unveiling today in Belfast, to ensure that Rorys contributions to music are never forgotten.

We hope more people will join us in these efforts as we continue to celebrate the music and spirit of a man who changed so many lives.

Iain Bell, acting chief executive of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Limited, the operators of Ulster Hall, said: Ulster Hall has hosted countless legendary performances yet Rory Gallaghers connection to this iconic venue is unmatched.

This statue is not just about celebrating Rorys career; it also reaffirms Belfasts status as a cultural hub. It highlights the citys vibrant musical heritage and its importance as a destination for music lovers worldwide.

Lord Mayor of Belfast councillor Micky Murray said: Today, we honour the incredible legacy of Rory Gallagher, a true musical icon who continues to inspire generations.

This statue stands as a testament to his enduring impact, not only on the world of music, but on the cultural fabric of Belfast.

It is fitting to have the statue here at the Ulster Hall where some of his most memorable performances took place and, as a Unesco City of Music, Belfast is proud to celebrate Rorys talent, creativity and the joy he brought to so many through his music.
Craig Revel Horwood has been praised by his fellow Strictly Come Dancing judges as warm and witty as he turned 60.

The Australia-born choreographer, who is the longest-serving judge on the BBC One celebrity competition, having been on the panel since the show started in 2004, celebrates his milestone birthday on Saturday.

In a lengthy post on Instagram, South African dancer and Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse wrote: Happy 60th birthday to one of the most fabulous, inspiring, and unforgettable people I know!

On this milestone, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible impact youve had-not just on Strictly , but in my life personally.

She added that you were one of the most amazing people to me when she joined Strictly in 2019, and Revel Horwoods warmth, wit, and encouragement made my transition into such a prestigious and beloved show not only easier but an absolute joy.

You welcomed me with open arms, and I will never forget how supported and seen you made me feel during those first moments, Mabuse added.

Over the years, I have come to treasure this (heart emojis), from our laughter-filled conversations to our shared love to Banter, youve shown me that beneath your legendary sharp wit is a kind, generous, and truly remarkable soul.

I feel so lucky to share this journey with you and to celebrate you today.

Former Strictly professional-turned-judge Anton Du Beke shared a picture of him and Revel Horwood dressed for a Halloween episode of the dance show as the ghost of murdered twins from 1980 horror film The Shining, along with a birthday message.

Du Beke wrote on Instagram: Happy 60th birthday to the wonderful @craigrevel! My sister from another mister. Have a fabulous day my love! #60today.

Shirley Ballas, Revel Horwood, Du Beke and Mabuse will begin touring together for the Strictly live show later this month.

Revel Horwood recently told Radio Times he plans to publish all the negative comments and so-called death threats written about him over the years in a future book to shame them.

He also told the publication that he had changed his really harsh judging style over the years to a more constructive style more like a teacher than a judge.

Revel Horwood said he used to be very direct with celebrities, but now chooses to wrap the truth in a nice way.

He has starred in many productions and pantomimes over the years, including playing the role of Miss Hannigan in the touring production of Annie, and he also directed and choreographed the UK tour of the musical Sister Act.
Actress Sue Cleaver will leave Coronation Street after 25 years, but is keeping the door open to make a return to the soap.

The star, 61, has played the outspoken and uncomplicated Eileen Grimshaw in the ITV show since 2000.

Cleaver said: Ive had 25 privileged years of working on Coronation Street.

The door is still firmly open, but as I reached my 60th year I decided it was time to embrace change, look for new adventures and live fearlessly.

It is understood that Cleaver made the decision in the summer, after her appearance in the Sister Act musical tour. She returned to the stage for the first time in about three decades.

She will have an exit storyline which will air in the spring.

Sue Cleaver (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

Producer Kate Brooks said: Were sad to bid farewell to the wonderful Sue Cleaver.

Over the past 25 years, Eileen Grimshaw has been at the heart of some of the most memorable and iconic Corrie storylines, and her onscreen rivalry with Gail Platt will undoubtedly go down in Corrie folklore.

Theres certainly no-one quite like Eileen, and her character will be hugely missed on the cobbles. We wish Sue all the very best as she embarks on her next exciting chapter.

At Christmas, Helen Worth said farewell to the cobbles after 50 years.

In her exit storyline Gail Rodwell (Worth) swapped Weatherfield for a new life in France, after she finally got her happy ending by marrying Jesse Chadwick, played by John Thomson.

Eileen entered the soap to work at the local taxi firm, StreetCars, to provide for her two tearaway teenage children, Jason (Ryan Thomas) and Todd (Bruno Langley).

She soon became friends with her boss Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) and came into conflict with Gail.

Their feud began following relationship issues between Gails daughter Sarah (Tina OBrien) and Eileens son Todd, and culminated in the two mothers fighting on the cobbles.

Coronation Street actresses Sue Cleaver (left) and Helen Worth (Dave Thompson/PA)

The pair rolled on the ground, pulled one anothers hair and hurled abuse until they were dragged apart in a big TV moment.

It was the culmination of a storyline in which Todd struggles with coming to terms with his sexuality, has a relationship with nurse Karl Foster, and comes out as gay.

Similar to Gail, Eileen has been unlucky in relationships, and had flings with Dennis Stringer (Charles Dale), Ed Jackson (Chris Walker), Michael Rodwell (Les Dennis) and Jerry Morton (Michael Starke) along with marrying the criminal Pat Phelan (Connor McIntyre).

Cleaver won best soap actress gongs at the TV Choice Awards in 2007 and the British Soap Awards in 2006.

She took part in Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in 2022, where she opened up about reconciling with her birth mother, and was eliminated third.

Cleaver also said her family is bizarrely interconnected to other Coronation Street stars, including Worth who is godmother to one of her half-sisters, and the other half-sisters husband, John Bowe, appeared on the cobbles as Duggie Ferguson.

In 2024, she released the book A Work In Progress in which she discusses how she still feels she is not past her prime, and she has appeared as a panellist in recent years on ITV chat show Loose Women.
A former detective who uncovered police failings in investigating grooming gangs has said Sir Keir Starmer is perhaps as guilty as anyone over the failure to bring about change.

Whistleblower Maggie Oliver, who resigned from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) in 2012, on Friday criticised previous inquiries into the scandal and called for an independent investigation and criminal accountability for public officials and police who turned a blind eye.

It came after Elon Musk claimed the Prime Minister failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013.

Ms Oliver said on X that inquiries into what happened have led absolutely nowhere and wasted millions of pounds, adding that those leading them have always wanted to cover up the truth.

Former detective Maggie Oliver posted the comments on social media (Danny Lawson/PA)

She went on: I firmly believe we need totally independent people who will ensure its not just another attempt to delay and hide the truth. Radical change and overhaul of all our public bodies.

And bring in criminal accountability for all our senior police and public officials who have turned a blind eye.

Those with vested interests who pop up when this hits the headlines then fade away again when it all dies down will not bring change. Theyre in it for themselves I believe.

Conservatives and Labour are all equally to blame imo (in my opinion), and Keir Starmer as former DPP is perhaps as guilty as anyone I know in where we find ourselves today.

We all know whats going on, but I dont trust a single one of those who to date have been entrusted with keeping our children safe and prosecuting serial rapists. Theyve failed. Repeatedly. Knowingly. Criminally.

Thats not in truth what I said @nazirafzal . I said that ALL THESE ENQUIRIES including @IICSAVSCP Rochdale, Augusta, Oldham have all led absolutely NOWHERE! Nothing changes. Millions wasted. Lawyers getting rich defending the indefensible. Because those leading these https://t.co/rX4uj5UZ3V  Maggie Oliver (@MaggieOliverUK) January 3, 2025

Tesla owner Mr Musk, a key member of incoming US President Donald Trumps inner circle, also suggested that safeguarding minister Jess Phillips deserves to be in prison after she denied requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham on Thursday.

Instead Ms Phillips said, in a letter to the local council, Oldham must follow in the footsteps of other towns like Rotherham and Telford and commission its own inquiry into historical abuse of children.

Whistleblower Sara Rowbotham, co-ordinator of the Crisis Intervention Team set up to support young people in Rochdale, expressed frustration at Mr Musks posts about the scandal on X, which he owns.

Elon Musk has weighed in on X (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

She told The Guardian: What is (Musks) motivation for interfering? It seems very political.

The person he is trying to go after is Keir Starmer  it is a political swipe that is nothing to do with the women and girls who have been abused time after time.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, which published its final report in 2022, described the sexual abuse of children as an epidemic that leaves tens of thousands of victims in its poisonous wake.

Led by Professor Alexis Jay, the inquiry looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol.

In November last year, Professor Jay said she felt frustrated that none of the probes 20 recommendations had been implemented more than two years after its conclusion.

The Labour Party and Number 10 have been approached for comment.
Warning: Spoiler Alert!

Former BIGBANG star T.O.P. is certainly being talked about as the artist takes a risk on making a triumphant return to the small screen for the second season of the wildly popular 'Squid Game' on Netflix.

He teased his Player 230 role as Thanos, a veteran rapper whose life is turned upside down after being scammed by cryptocurrency during a recent interview.

Thanos is a nutjob, and he reacts to things unpredictably. Since T.O.P. has such an art background, this makes sense.

He added that his goal was to play his character realistically, trying to deliver lines that sounded natural but also unpredictable.

T.O.P told Netflix, "Since I'm a rapper myself, I tried to deliver the lines as natural as possible while not being too lighthearted or comical."

"My personal goal was to show the viewers a character they hadn't seen before  someone who is mysterious and unpredictable and with a couple of loose screws," he added.

As creative director Hwang Dong Hyuk explains, T.O.P and the role he plays in the film are similar enough that it takes a lot of guts for him to have done it, especially considering T.O.P's past.

He was convicted of drug use in 2017 and was given a 10-month jail sentence and a two-year military service suspension.

"I feel that it took him a lot of guts, in a way, to portray a character, especially someone who shares a lot of similarities that are quite negative to him as a person, too.

So I think it took him a lot of courage to take on that role," Hwang said, as quoted by Koreaboo.

With the release of "Squid Game" Season 2, viewers are sharing their thoughts on how T.O.P handled his layered character, but hardly more so by the stamp he imprinted on the steely storyline.

I really don't think that the writers of Squid Game gave a script to T.O.P



They just told him to go out and have a good time. https://t.co/xfqQJORhxE  deni (@solofilmdates) December 27, 2024
William shocked by death of ex-nannys stepson in New Orleans attack

The Prince of Wales said he was shocked and saddened by the tragic death of his former nannys stepson in a vehicle attack in New Orleans.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they were supporting the family of Edward Pettifer, 31, of Chelsea, who was killed in the New Years Day attack in Bourbon Street, Louisiana.

Authorities have confirmed 14 people died and at least 35 others were injured when the suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, allegedly ploughed a pick-up truck through crowds of New Year revellers.

In a personally signed message posted on the Kensington Palace social media account, William said: Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack. W.

It is understood the King was made aware of Mr Pettifers death through official channels, was deeply saddened, and had been in touch with the family to share personal condolences.

The Telegraph reported that Mr Pettifer was the stepson of William and Harrys former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, also known as Alexandra Pettifer.

Mr Pettifer was the eldest son of Charles Pettifer, a former Coldstream Guards officer, and Camilla Wyatt, the daughter of a racehorse breeder, according to the newspaper.

His half-brother Tom, who is a godson to William, was a page boy at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011.

Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack. W  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 4, 2025

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he was extremely saddened to hear of the death.

In a statement, Mr Lammy said: Extremely saddened to hear the tragic news that a British man was among those killed during the attack in New Orleans.

We are supporting their family and are united with the US against terror threats.

Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texan, allegedly got out of the vehicle and fired a gun before being shot by police.

Mr Pettifers family said in a statement: The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew, and a friend to so many.

We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack.

We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private.

Flowers lie next to candles at a memorial for the victims of the attack (Gerald Herbert/AP)

The New Orleans coroner gave Mr Pettifers preliminary cause of death as blunt force injuries.

The Met Police said family liaison officers are supporting Mr Pettifers family and helping them through the process of returning his body to the UK.

The Foreign Office also said it was supporting the victims family and was in contact with US authorities.

The attack took place in the citys popular French Quarter at around 3.15am local time on New Years Day.

The New Orleans coroner said one of those killed remains unidentified with the others coming from the US  the youngest aged 18 and the oldest 63.

The FBI confirmed an Islamic State flag was found inside the vehicle and explosive devices were discovered nearby.

It is believed the suspect acted alone.

Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden said the attacker posted a video which indicated he was inspired by the so-called Islamic State group.
A Pima County sheriff's patrol vehicle parked in downtown Tucson, Ariz.

Three people were arrested this week in connection with the death of a good Samaritan in Arizona last month, officials said.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department identified two of the three people arrested Monday as Jack Upchurch, 40, and Elmer Smith, 19. The third person is 16 years old. NBC News does not typically identify minors accused of crimes.

The trio were arrested in connection with the death of Paul Clifford, 53, whose body was found near a smoldering car northeast of Tucson last month.

All three suspects have been charged with first degree murder, aggravated robbery, armed robbery, arson of an occupied structure and theft of means of transportation in relation to the murder of Clifford, sheriff's department spokesperson Angelica Carrillo said Friday.

Sabrina Vining, a woman who identified herself as Cliffords daughter in an online fundraiser, said her father disappeared after he left his house at 11:30 p.m. Dec. 23 to help a stranger with a stranded vehicle.

NBC affiliate KVOA of Tucson reported that Cliffords family reported him missing after, they said, a strange man knocked on Cliffords door and asked for help with his car.

He was later found dead, the sheriffs department said. It did not provide a cause or manner of death.

Officials said they received information Monday about a possible location for the three suspects.

Detectives searched the area and obtained a search warrant for a property, which the Pima Regional SWAT team carried out.

The suspects barricaded themselves inside a home and eventually called 911 to negotiate a surrender, the sheriff's department said. They left the residence and were taken into custody.

The sheriff's department did not release any information about a motive or how it connected the suspects to Clifford's killing.

The three suspects were booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center on felony arrest warrants, officials said.

Attorneys representing Smith and the minor did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by NBC News on Friday evening.

An attorney replied to NBC News' request for comment on Sunday and offered no comment at this time.

Upchurch was being held on a $1 million bond, Smith on $1.025 million bail and the minor on a half-million-dollar bond, according to jail records.

Vining applauded the news of the arrests in a Facebook post Tuesday.

The detective called us last night at 9:00pm and told us they had suspects arrested and in custody! Vining wrote. Thank you to the law enforcement officers that diligently worked my dads case.
Chakarin Wattanamongkol / Getty Images

From the northern lights ringing in the New Year to a spectacular meteor shower, January is shaping up to be an exciting month for stargazers. In fact, every night this month there is something to admire in the night sky, as a four-planet parade of Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars will be visible throughout January.

A few hours after the sky darkens, Venus and Saturn will become visible in the southwest with Jupiter above them and Mars to the east. If you have a telescope, you'll be able to spot two additional planets that aren't visible to the naked eye: Uranus and Neptune, according to NASA.

The line that these planets are on is called the ecliptic, which represents the plane of the solar system in which the planets orbit around the sun. "This is, incidentally, why we sometimes observe planets appearing to approach closely to each other in the sky, as we view them along a line while they careen around the cosmic racetrack," NASA explains.

Venus and Saturn will get closer each evening as the month progresses. In mid-January, NASA says these planets "head for a super close approach." On January 17 and January 18, Venus and Saturn will begin to part ways.

Mars will reach opposition this month, meaning the planet lies directly on the opposite side of Earth from the sun, forming a straight line. NASA explains that this is when the planet will be closest to Earth, making it appear bigger and brighter. Mars reaches opposition about once every two years.

While spotting planets in alignment isn't uncommon, what's truly special is seeing four bright planets in the sky at once. NASA says this occurrence doesn't happen every year, so check it out while you can.



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alexander-paffendorf

A California man apologized Friday for his connection to a 15-year-old girl who fatally shot a teacher and fellow student at a religious school in Wisconsin, telling a judge that he was prepared to accept the consequences of his actions without explaining his precise role.

Alexander Paffendorf expressed regret for his involvement when a judge offered a chance for final words before keeping an order to confiscate his guns and ammunition in place until April 4.

He didnt elaborate in his brief statement but authorities have said he told FBI agents that he had been messaging Natalie Rupnow, the Wisconsin shooter, about attacking a government building with a gun and explosives.

Alexander Paffendorf expressed regret for his involvement when a judge offered a chance for final words before keeping an order to confiscate his guns and ammunition in place until April 4. Facebook / Gabriella K. Kranich

Alexander Paffendorf appeared virtually in court on Friday, wearing a blue shirt and tie. CBS 8 San Diego

The student at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison killed Rubi Patricia Vergara, a 14-year-old freshman, and 42-year-old teacher Erin Michelle West and severely injured two other students before shooting herself.

Police have not disclosed a motive.

A day after the Dec. 16 attack, a California judge issued a restraining order against Paffendorf, 20 at the time, under the states gun red flag law. It required him to turn his guns and ammunition into police.

He has not been charged with any crime.

Natalie Rupnow killed student Rubi Patricia Vergara and teacher Erin Michelle West in the Dec. 16, 2024 school shooting. X/Natalie Rupnow

Paffendorf didnt elaborate in his brief statement but authorities have said he told FBI agents that he had been messaging Rupnow about attacking a government building with a gun and explosives. Facebook/Jeff Rupnow

Paffendorf, appearing by video in a collared shirt and tie, said Friday that he was ready for a hearing on whether the restraining order should stay in effect but San Diego Superior Court Judge Devon Lomayesva delayed consideration after an attorney for the city of Carlsbad, north of San Diego, said Pattendorf was under criminal investigation.

The judge decided it was in his Pattendorfs interest to delay the hearing because he is under investigation and did not have an attorney.

A detective told the judge that the FBI expected the investigation to conclude within two to three months.

An emergency vehicle sits outside the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis. on Dec. 16, 2024. AP

The restraining order doesnt say what government building Pattendorf targeted or when he planned to launch his attack.

It also doesnt detail his interactions with the student except to state that he was plotting a mass shooting with her.
Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Chick-fil-A's Waffle Potato Fries

Chick-fil-A fans are feeling a little spicy after the fast-food giant changed its recipe for waffle fries.

The chain recently posted a notice on its website announcing it had made "a slight adjustment" to its popular Waffle Potato Fries recipe to make them "stay crispier, longer."

For those concerned about possible food allergies, the company noted, "While the new recipe doesnt contain any of the nine major allergens, the new Waffle Potato Fries coating does contain pea starch."

Influencer and fashion entrepreneur Daryl-Ann Denner called out the recipe change on her Instagram Stories this week, writing, per Southern Living, "One of my New Year's resolutions is to somehow convince @chickfila to return their fries back to normal."

"They added this P protein according to their website so they don't get soggy. But now they just taste gross," Denner continued. "You know I love you, Chick-fil-A. You can do no wrong, except this lol."

The Nuuds clothing founder told the outlet she eats at Chick-fil-A at least a few times a week and "first caught on to something being different with the fries" in November.

Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty A Chick-fil-A restaurant in Minnesota

Related: Chick-fil-As Banana Pudding Milkshake Is Coming Back for the First Time in 13 Years

At first, I just thought I kept getting a bad batch," she recalled. "Then, I blamed it on the location being off, but when I visited another location with my mom, I asked her if she noticed that the fries were grainier than usual."

A quick Google search led Denner to the notice on the chain's website. Now, she said she will no longer order the fries. "They used to be my favorite snack," she told Southern Living. "[But] they are dry, grainy and have no flavor anymore. My kids wont even eat them."

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.

It seems Denner is far from alone in her dislike of the new recipe. In the comments of an Instagram post that Chick-fil-A shared on Dec. 23, people are urging the chain to "bring back the old fries."

"I love soggy fries. Please, we are begging you," one person wrote.

Yet another commented, "Please change the fries back. They arent as good anymore. They dont taste the same and I hate how hard they are."

A third person pleaded, "Please  whatever you have done to the fries, UNDO IT!! Please! ."

Others noted that their kids can no longer eat the fries due to the addition of pea starch. "Please go back to the original fries," one mom wrote. "My daughter has an allergy to peas and pea protein. We can no longer visit the restaurant due to allergy concerns and cross contamination."



Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Chick-fil-A's Waffle Potato Fries

Related: Burger King Adds Savory Pickle Fries to the Menu  and Theyre Available Now

"The addition of pea starch/protein was a poor choice! Now my 4 yo cant come to you bc shes allergic," another parent chimed in.

A few other commenters said they would rather see Chick-fil-A "raise prices" than "lower standards" with its food.

"Had to throw out the last 3 orders of fries, couldn't finish them. I kept thinking I got a bad batch, but now I know and won't buy them again," someone wrote.

Another unhappy customer asked, "Who at @chickfila decided to 'fix' what wasnt broken?!?! Read the room, yall. Bring back the old fries and stop messing around with the classics."



Read the original article on People
Chiles President Gabriel Boric travelled to Antarcticas South Pole on Friday, a place where no other Latin American president has set foot, according to the Chilean government.

Boric led the historic two-day trip, named Operation Pole Star III, to extend the environmental monitoring of pollutants on Antarctica, Chiles government said in a statement.

He travelled with scientists, armed forces commanders and government ministers from the Chilean capital of Santiago to Punta Arenas, a city in southern Chile, public broadcaster Television Nacional de Chile (TVN) reported. From there, they made several stops before finally reaching the US-run Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, according to TVN.

Chile is one of seven countries that has a territorial claim in Antarctica, alongside Argentina, Australia, France, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.

It is also a signatory of the Antarctic Treaty, which dictates that the continent may only be used for peaceful and scientific purposes.

While Chile has historically carried out scientific activity in Antarcticas northern sector, the countrys government is now hoping to expand research into the west of the continent, its statement said.

Boric posted a video of himself in Antarctica to his X account on Saturday. - Gabriel Boric Font/X

Boric called his trip to the South Pole an honor and a source of pride, TVN reported.

This is a milestone for us. It is the first time a Chilean and Latin American President has visited the South Pole, he said, according to TVN.

The Chilean leader said that his journey demonstrated the commitment we have for (Antarctica) to be and continue to be a continent of science and peace, TVN reported.

It is also a confirmation of our claim to sovereignty in this space, he said, according to the outlet.

From here everything is north: there are only 12 flags flying. One of them is the Chilean flag and that is a source of pride.

The 12 flags represent the nations that signed the original Antarctic Treaty: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

On Saturday, Boric posted a video of himself on X, standing in the snow and wearing a red jacket, black hat and sunglasses. Good morning from Chilean Antarctica, where everything begins, he wrote.

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Rags, a two and a half year old deaf Old English Sheepdog, was stolen from his home in Silverhill, Alabama on Dec. 9, 2023, by a masked intruder during a residential burglary.

A deaf dog stolen from his home in Alabama last year has been found thousands of miles away in Arizona and has since reunited with his owner.

Rags, a 2-year-old deaf Old English Sheepdog, was stolen from his home in Silverhill, Alabama, on Dec. 9, 2023, by a masked intruder during a residential burglary, City of Maricopa Police Department spokesperson Monica Williams told USA TODAY in an email Thursday. Security footage captured from the theft shows the intruder walking into the house and leaving shortly after with Rags.

Olivia Gardner, Rags' owner, told USA TODAY that the intruder knew "exactly what they were coming for."

"They were in my house for no longer than a few seconds and walked out with Rags," Gardner said, adding that she was at a Christmas parade at the time. Gardner said the front door was unlocked and her boyfriend, who was in the shower, heard the door but thought it was her returning home. When he didn't hear anything, he got confused and "stopped the shower, got out and realized that something was off."

"Rags wasn't there," Gardner said. "Our front fence was kicked in and our front door was left open."

Rags was found at a home in a residential neighborhood Maricopa, Arizona on Dec. 26, 2024.

A painful ordeal

From that day, it took more than a year for Gardner to track down Rags. She reported the incident to the local police, alerted the neighborhood, contacted animal rescue organizations, put out posts on social media and even created a group on Facebook called "Rags Search Force," to share updates and track down the dog. The incident attracted significant media attention, and a $5,000 reward was even offered for the safe return of Rags, Williams told USA TODAY.

"There were a lot of times where I had kind of given up hope," Gardner, a veterinarian technician. "I continued the search, but I have to give a lot of credit to my friends and family that helped me keep the faith."

Gardner also credited the Silverhill Police Department for being "really diligent on just continuing the search and the investigation" on the robbery and keeping her up to date on everything.

Olivia Gardner and her Old English Sheepdog Rags.

Rags found inside a home

Gardner's patience paid off when she finally received a call from the City of Maricopa Police Department informing her that they found Rags. Williams told USA TODAY that Rags was found at a home on Dec. 26, 2024, and was identified using photo comparisons and microchip verification.

Sgt. Chase Jordan with Maricopa Police Dept. told AZ Family that they initiated an investigation after the Silverhill Police Department reached out to them informing them of an anonymous tip regarding Rags being in their jurisdiction.

'Didn't feel real'

In the next instance, Gardner was flying over to Phoenix to be reunited with her pet. Maricopa Police Department said the reunion took place the day after they located Rags.

Gardner said their reunion was "amazing and didnt feel real until" she saw him on the other side of the airport doors.

"The first thing he did was smell my backpack (it smells just like my dogs, his brothers)," Gardner said. "It took him a minute to realize who I was but once he did, he nonstop licked my face and was so excited!"

She added Rags was glued to her after and spent the rest of the night just looking up to her.

Olivia Gardner and Rags had an emotional reunion in Arizona, thousands of miles away from their home in Alabama.

Rags 'in good shape'

While Rags is yet to get a checkup from his regular veterinarian, Gardner said Maricopa authorities, including an animal control officer, "gave him a good look over."

"He's healthy. He's in good shape," Gardner told USA TODAY over the phone while driving home from Arizona. "He has some little spots here and there (and) but otherwise, he has not skipped a meal and has been doing completely fine since I've gotten him back."

Rags enjoying being back home with his family.

Gardner added her dog has a "little bit of anxiety, just naturally from being moved to numerous locations and with various people," but given her experience as a veterinarian technician, she knows "what to expect with this kind of stuff," and how to deal with it.

"We're just going to take it day by day and just make sure that he feels safe, and knows he's not being moved around anywhere else," Gardner said. "And we're going to get him a good checkup when he gets home."

No suspects identified

Rags with officers with the City of Maricopa Police Department.

Authorities have not identified any suspects, and the Silverhill Police Department, in a post on Facebook, said the "investigation remains open and ongoing" with suspects in several states identified. The department did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for an update on the investigation.

The Maricopa Police Department, meanwhile, said the Silverhill Police Department will investigate the incident and "determine potential charges against the suspects."

This story was updated to add more pictures and information.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deaf sheepdog named Rags reunited with owner year after theft
A new year can mean many new, exciting things. But it also means that tax season is just around the corner.

Soon Americans will have to do the yearly task of filing their tax returns for the previous year. For some, it's a walk in the park, but for many others, it can be overwhelming and stressful.

The tax code for 2025 has some changes that are noteworthy for Americans that could impact the size of their tax refund, and possibly the size of their headache.

Here is what you need to know about the 2025 tax filing season.

When does the 2025 tax season start?

Tax season typically starts around the end of January.

But that does not mean you cant get started on your tax filing now. The Internal Revenue Service opens up its tax software before the start of tax season to allow people to begin preparing their returns. The IRS has also published a list of tips to help make the tax filing process easier.

When is the 2025 tax deadline?

According to the IRS, this year's deadline will fall on the traditional date of April 15.

When has tax season started in past years?

IRS records show that tax filing season has normally started in the last week of January, here is a list of start dates for the past 10 years.

2024: Jan. 29

2023: Jan. 23

2022: Jan. 24

2021: Feb. 12

2020: Jan. 31

2019: Feb. 2

2018: Feb. 2

2017: Jan. 27

2016: Feb. 2

2015: Jan. 30

What changes are in place for the 2025 tax code?

In 2025 taxpayers who have received more than $5,000 through online marketplaces or payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, Google Wallet, or other services will get a new form called the 1099-K.

In this photo illustration, the Venmo logo is displayed on an iPhone screen on June 19, 2024, in San Anselmo, California.

According to the IRS, the form is only sent to people who use the payment apps for selling goods or providing services.

However, it could also include casual sellers who sold personal stuff like clothing, furniture and other household items that they paid more than they sold it for, the IRS said.

What is the deadline to file an extension?

The IRS says the deadline to file for an extension is April 15. That gives taxpayers until Oct. 15 to file without penalties.

But, taxpayers must still pay any taxes owed by the April 15 deadline as the extension only applies to filing a tax return.

For people affected by natural disasters, the extension is automatically given.

A 1040 tax form is pictured, the 2025 tax deadline is set to be on April 15, 2025.

How can I request an extension for a tax return?

Extension requests can be done through the IRS at no charge. The IRS will ask for basic information like your name, address, Social Security number, estimated tax liability, and payment if you owe anything.

Regardless of income, individual tax filers can use IRS Free File to request an extension electronically. If you prefer to mail a paper version of the extension, called form 4868, make sure it's postmarked no later than April 15.

What happens if I miss the tax deadline?

For people who forget or miss the deadline altogether, the standard penalty is 5% of the tax due for every month the return is late, up to 25% of the unpaid balance.

A smaller penalty of 0.5% is added if you file a return but fail to pay any taxes you owe, or if you get an extension on your return but fail to pay your owed taxes.

How many people file their taxes every year?

More than 163 million tax returns were received in 2024, a 0.9% increase compared to 2023, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Contributing: James Powel, Emily DeLetter

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When does the 2025 tax season start? What you need to know
FILE - Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond stands during the playing of the national anthem at inauguration ceremonies, Jan. 9, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Oklahoma City and its police department have discriminated against people with behavioral health disabilities, the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday after releasing the latest in a series of investigations into state and local law enforcement agencies.

In its 45-page report, the DOJ found the city unnecessarily institutionalizes adults with mental illness and that the police department often escalates crisis situations by responding with armed officers instead of with behavioral health professionals.

As a result, urgent mental health needs often go unaddressed and crisis situations are needlessly escalated, sometimes leading to avoidable use of force, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division said in a statement.

Oklahoma City and police Chief Ron Bacy both said Thursday they were still reviewing the report.

The report said the DOJ launched the investigation in 2022 after receiving a complaint but did not provide further details. The agency, through a spokesperson, declined to comment further.

The probe in Oklahoma is one of 12 similar investigations opened by the DOJ since April 2021. Many have been in response to high-profile deaths at the hands of police, including George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky. Other completed investigations all found patterns of illegal police practices.

The DOJ concluded in its findings report that it intends to work with city and state officials to reach a resolution to their findings but added that if a resolution couldn't be reached, the agency could file a lawsuit to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In separate statements, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and Gov. Kevin Stitt acknowledged the need for improvements to the state's mental health system but were critical of the DOJ under President Joe Biden for what they characterized as federal overreach.

"We will closely review the findings, but the DOJ report appears to be an attempt to bully Oklahoma into compliance with ever-changing and undefined targets, Drummond said.
TXT's Hueningkai is the latest celebrity to contribute to the families of the Jeju Air crash victims.

"Hueningkai donated 50 million KRW (around $34,012) on January 1 to support victims affected by the Jeju Air plane accident," announced the Korean Red Cross on January 3.

The organization noted that the generous donation will be used to support the families affected by the incident as well as assist in ongoing disaster recovery efforts.

"I felt immense sorrow upon hearing the sudden news of the accident. I wanted to offer even the smallest form of help to the bereaved families," said Hueningkai in a statement.

The Korean Red Cross has been on the ground since the tragedy occurred on December 29, with volunteers and staff sending psychological support counselors to victims.

The plane, a Boeing 737-800, had departed from Thailand and attempted to land at Muan International Airport in southern South Korea.

After an initial failed landing attempt, the plane received a bird strike warning, with the pilot issuing a distress signal before the plane came down with its front landing gear closed, overshooting the runway, and bursting into flames as it slammed into a concrete fence.

South Korea has announced a national period of mourning to honor the victims, which commenced on December 29 and ends on January 4.

Hueningkai joins a long list of celebrities who have contributed to the families of the victims, including BTS' J-Hope, Lovelyz's Jin, actor Im Si Wan, and comedian Din Din.
Writer Phoebe took on the 30-mile Three Capes Track in Tasmania - Phoebe Smith

I was standing on a pinnacle of rock, surrounded by crashing waves, when grey clouds began to swirl above. It had been several hours since the boat dropped me  and 10 other hikers  off to begin our walk around one of Tasmanias remotest peninsulas, and ordinarily the arrival of a storm would have prompted some concern.

However, the 30-mile Three Capes Track in Tasmania is one of 13 long-distance trails in Australia that has been given the Great Walks signature treatment. And that means travellers are provided with expert guides, luxurious accommodation and sumptuous sustenance throughout the trek. The arrival of the first, fat raindrops coincided with the knowledge that in about 10 minutes time I would be ensconced in a comfortable lodge, log fire burning, with hot food being served.

The Three Capes Track opened 10 years ago, back in 2015  though it had been bushwalked by hardy hikers from the Hobart Walkers Club in the 1960s when there were no waymarkers or official campsites. It lies to the east of the capital city of Hobart, on the ragged swatch of land that forms the Tasman Peninsula. For much of its four day/three night duration, you will be staring off into the open ocean: the next landfall is Antarctica, 2,500km away.

The Three Capes Track has been given the Great Walks signature treatment with expert guides and luxurious accommodation - Phoebe Smith

I love walking  and theres definitely a part of me that feels a masochistic sort of joy when a trail involves dedication and nights under canvas. But when I heard about the eco-lodges offered on a guided hike by the Tasmania Walking Company  and saw photographs of the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows at the lodges  I was persuaded to try adding some luxury into my tramping.

Id arrived at Stewarts Bay jetty to meet the rest of the group. Their ages ranged from late 20s to late 60s: a mix of couples, friends and solo travellers. All had one thing in common: they had been keen to explore the peninsula but had not wished to camp or share a dorm room.

After a short boat ride to Denmans Cove, amid those ominous stormy skies, we spied a series of dolerite cliffs: the tallest sea cliffs in the southern hemisphere. Remember them, said our guide Josh, tantalisingly, we will see them again  from a slightly different perspective.

The luxe new lodges boast wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows - Phoebe Smith

Josh gave us a potted history of the area. Opposite was Port Arthur  home to a 19th-century penal colony which was built by the inmates themselves (taking 12,000 people some 50 years). In contrast, said Josh, the walking track had taken a team of 100 workers five years to complete: I guess it shows the difference hard labour and a labour of love can make to motivation.

From here on, our companion was the Southern Ocean, crashing beneath the pathway as we climbed upwards. We had the option to take a dip at Surveyors Cove  a sheltered, rocky beach  before the steeper climb. But the brewing storm hurried us along. None of us realised we had reached our accommodation until Josh led us along an unmarked faint trail off the main pathway. The low-impact Crescent Lodge is made from wood and glass, uses recycled water as well as solar and wind-generated power and is completely hidden amid the foliage.

Port Arthur is home to a 19th-century penal colony which was built by the inmates themselves - Alamy

The lodge delivered real luxury: the scent of baking bread filled a light and airy common room lined with cushioned benches and shelves holding books on the local wildlife; the resident chef conjured our evening meal, during which plenty of local pinot was consumed. I woke the next morning in a wood-panelled bedroom, prior to consuming a mammoth cooked breakfast. This, I decided, was next-level hiking.

Its a big day today, said Josh, as he outlined the plan for the day: a five-hour round trip up Arthurs Peak, which rises 300m above sea level. At the summit, we admired the dolerite cliffs the peninsula is most famous for  that different perspective wed been promised. From there we wandered over Ellarwey Ridge  derived (Josh told us) from a conversation between two hikers from the Hobart Walking Club, when one of them declared it to be Where-the-hell-are-we Ridge.

Later we passed through one of the official campsites (luxury is, of course, not the only option en route). The ranger was concerned about the number of people who had arrived that day. A permit system keeps hiker numbers low and sustainable on this route, still I was surprised when he told me that there were 46 campers in situ: we hadnt seen another walker all day.

Walkers pass through a number of different forests - Alamy

At least we dont have to worry about there being room for us, said one of our group, as once more we were led, Hansel and Gretel style, to Cape Pillar Lodge  the woodland hideaway where wed be based for two nights. Here the words facial and massage were bandied around, along with optional walking day tomorrow. It was at this point that I realised Id crossed over into a parallel universe of hiking.

With changeable conditions forecast, several of the group opted to stay put in the morning and enjoy the spa treatments in the cosy chalet. Bravely, I tore myself away and followed the trail as the terrain morphed from coastal heath into towering Eucalyptus, out onto the ominously named Blade, a cluster of dolerite pillars. Here, as you teeter on top overlooking Tasman Island to the south, it feels as though youre standing on the edge of the world.

At 490m, Mount Fortescue is the peninsulas highest point - Alamy

The final day took us to Fortescue Bay via the rainforest, the trees festooned with ferns and mosses. We climbed onwards to gain the peninsulas highest point: Mount Fortescue, at 490m. Several of us then opted to detour to see Cape Hauy, home to the rocky landmarks of Totem Pole and Candlestick  precarious sea stacks that resemble an unfinished game of Jenga.

I climbed them  back in my youth, said a 60-year-old man in my party, modestly. Were not all soft on this walk; its just a wonderful way to come back in comfort now were not quite as energetic.

Phoebe travelled as a guest of the Tasmania Walking Co which offers a four-day, three-night guided trip on the Three Capes Lodge Walk from AUS$3,495pp (1,782pp) including guiding, accommodation and all food and drink (including alcohol).

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The official state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter will take place on Jan. 9 in Washington, D.C., following days of services and ceremonies to honor the 39th President.

President Joe Biden declared Jan. 9 a National Day of Mourning, and ordered all executive departments and agencies of the federal government to close out of respect for the former President, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100. But ceremonies honoring Carter started before then, on Jan. 4, when a motorcade transported Carter through his hometown of Plains, Georgia. On Jan. 7, the former President will begin lying in state, which will last until the day of his state funeral.

Heres what to know about the tributes for the former President.

What has happened during the first two days of the funeral schedule?

On the morning of Jan. 4, the memorial services began as Carters remains were taken outside Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. Former Secret Service agents who had protected the late President served as pallbearers. Locals gathered outside the hospital to honor him, while members of the Carter family looked on as the flag-draped coffin of the former President was moved to the vehicle.

Former and current U.S. Secret Service agents assigned to the Carter detail move the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter, at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center on Jan. 4, 2025 in Americus, Georgia. Alex BrandonGetty Images

When Carter was taken through his hometown by motorcade, the procession took a brief pause at his boyhood home in front of his familys farm in Archery, Georgia. There, the National Park Service saluted and rang a historic farm bell 39 times. The home is now a part of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park.

As the motorcade rode through Plains, Georgians lined the streets, waving U.S. flags to pay their respects. The shop windows were filled with memorabilia of Carter.

CBS News correspondent Mark Strassmann spoke of how entrenched in the everyday life of the town Carter had previously been and how his former neighbours came to pay their respects.

Theyre the ones who would see Carter walking or riding his bike through town, and theyre the ones whowould call him Mr. Jimmy, not Mr. President, he said.

Locals gather as the hearse containing the casket of former President Jimmy Carter departs the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm in Archery, Georgia, on Jan. 4, 2025. Alex BrandonGetty Images

Read More: Jimmy Carter Was More Successful Than He Got Credit For

The motorcade then headed to Atlanta to pause at the Georgia State Capitol for a moment of silence led by Gov. Brian Kemp and other state and local officials. From there, Carters casket was carried into the Carter Presidential Center, where a service took place, allowing Carters family and loved ones to pay tribute.

Carters son, James Earl Chip Carter III, and his grandson, former Georgia State Senator Jason Carter, spoke at the service, honoring their patriarch.

Chip spoke about the work ethic his father instilled in the family, his dedication to helping him in school, and the love he shared with his wife, Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19, 2023.

He was an amazing man, Chip said. And he was held up and propped up and soothed by an amazing woman. And the two of them together changed the world. And it was an amazing thing to watch from so close and to be able to be involved.

Jason paid tribute to his grandfather, as well as the legacy of The Carter Center.

While we mourn my grandfather's passing, I know in my heart, and you all do, that his legacy will live on not only because of the millions of people that he touched across the globe but very specifically because of your spirit and your knowledge and the work and the track record that you do every day, Jason said.

Mourners view the casket of former President Jimmy Carter as he lies in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum on Jan. 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. Alex Brandon-PoolGetty Images

Since the service, the former President has been lying in repose at The Carter Center, and members of the public have been arriving to pay their respects. They can continue to do so until 6 a.m. local time, on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Atlantas public transit system, MARTA, is offering free bus shuttle services to The Carter Center.

What happens when Carter lies in state?

In the afternoon of Jan. 7, Carter will be taken to the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. A horse-drawn caisson will then take him to the U.S. Capitol. There, members of Congress will be able to pay their respects during a service held in the Rotunda. Vice President Kamala Harris, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are scheduled to deliver brief eulogies and lay wreaths near Carters casket, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The former President will then lie in state, which will open to the public in the evening. Carter will lie in state until the morning of Jan. 9.

What will happen on the day of the funeral?

The morning of Jan. 9, a motorcade will take Carter from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington National Cathedral, where the national funeral service will run from 10-11 a.m. ET. The schedule released by the U.S. military task force didnt include details about the state service, but Biden previously said that Carter had asked him to deliver a eulogy at his funeral.

After the service, Carter will be flown back to Georgia, and a private funeral service will take place in Plains at Maranatha Baptist Church, where Carter taught Sunday school and where a funeral service was held for his wife, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in November 2023.

A motorcade will then take the former President and his family through downtown Plains for Carters final journey through his hometown. The motorcade will take Carter to his familys residence for a private interment next to his wife, according to the New York Times. Before the interment, the U.S. Navy will honor the former President with a missing man formation flyover.

Who will attend the funeral?

Biden will attend the state funeral, and is expected to speak at the funeral. President-elect Donald Trump has said that he plans to attend. Meanwhile, former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama are also reportedly expected to be in attendance.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
The Supreme Court is starting 2025 with a blockbuster case that will have dramatic implications for one of Chinas most valuable technology companies, millions of American smartphone users, and some of the biggest social media companies in the US.

TikTok is making an emergency appeal before the highest court, asking it to block enforcement of a federal law signed by President Joe Biden in April that effectively bans the app on Jan. 19, unless it is sold to an owner not controlled by a foreign adversary.

The company's arguments that the law should be overturned in the name of free speech will be aired at a hearing on Jan. 10, just 10 days before Donald Trump is sworn in as president.

Trump, who on the campaign trail suggested in a social media post that he would "save TikTok," is asking the court to suspend the divestment deadline and consider his preference for a negotiated resolution"  given that as president, he will be responsible for national security.

Late on Friday, the Department of Justice asked the Supreme Court to reject Trump's request, saying no one was disputing that China "seeks to undermine U.S. interests by amassing sensitive data about Americans and engaging in covert and malign influence operations."

A ruling from the Supreme Court to uphold the ban could be a long-term boon for TikTok's social media rivals by redistributing advertising dollars to platforms like Meta (META), according to Mark Lightner, head of special situations legal research for CreditSights, an independent credit research firm.

TikTok is arguing that a law passed by Congress that could result in a ban of the app violates the First Amendment. (Photo by Anna Barclay/Getty Images) (Anna Barclay via Getty Images)

Other US tech companies that supply microchips and cloud computing services to TikTok could see a dent in revenue.

The court may have tipped its hand about how it may rule, Lightner said, when it decided to hold arguments on Jan. 10 rather than first grant TikToks request to pause the new law and then hear arguments later in the courts 2025 term.

One possible outcome in the coming weeks is that the court will find the law constitutional and let it stand, leaving Congress to deal with it if lawmakers and Trump want to reverse it.

"Its possible there were not enough votes to grant a stay a couple weeks ago," Lightner said, noting that it takes five justices to implement a stay and just four to take up the dispute.

The TikTok case will likely be the most prominent corporate case to be argued before the Supreme Court in 2025.

But there are others the business world will surely be watching, with widespread implications for other key industries.

'Junior-varsity EPA'

One that could have major repercussions for the auto and fuel industries centers on longstanding opposition to how California sets vehicle emission standards, which are tougher than those imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

California can do this because of an exclusive waiver it was allowed to request from the EPA's Clean Air Act. The EPA allowed the waiver so the state could more aggressively address its smog issues.

Valero Energy Corp's Diamond Alternative Energy and other plaintiffs said the EPA's grant of this waiver let the state act as a "junior-varsity EPA" and quasi-federal regulator on global climate change.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang (REUTERS / Reuters)

The plaintiffs in Diamond Alternative Energy v. Environmental Protection Agency include petroleum and biomass-derived fuel refiners and producers, along with a fuel trade association and 17 states. Automakers Ford (F), Volkswagen (VWAGY), Honda (HMC), BMW (BMW.DE), and Volvo also intervened in the case.

The case will be closely watched for its potential to impact the shift from fossil fuels to electric vehicles.

The Court will address whether the petitioners have standing to bring their case, given that the D.C. Circuit Court ruled they were not directly injured by the waiver, and whether the waiver is unlawful.

When is it OK not to pay?

Another key question to be considered by the Supreme Court could impact how much companies must pay for labor.

The case that surfaced this issue, EMD v. Carrera, started with work done by sales representatives at a company (EMD) that distributes food brands.

These reps said they didnt receive overtime pay despite working more hours than a normal week. They filed a lawsuit under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and found a lower court willing to rule in their favor.

The Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The court said EMD followed the wrong standard in classifying the representatives as exempt from minimum wage and overtime pay.

Although Congress passed the FLSA, allowing employers to exempt certain workers from overtime pay, including those who work as outside sales reps, the lower court said that a company must show "clear and convincing evidence" that a worker is exempt.

EMD has argued that such a bar is too high.

'Forum shopping'

Whether companies can file cases with courts that may be more inclined to favor their views is the subject of another case that will be argued this month before the Supreme Court.

The case, Food and Drug Administration v. R.J. Reynolds Vapor Co., started with the tobacco maker R.J. Reynolds challenging an FDA ban on flavored e-cigarettes.

It made the challenge in a New Orleans-based federal appeals court known as the Fifth Circuit, which covers Texas and nearby states and is known for its conservative opinions.

Vuse e-cigarette packages in 2021 in New York City, after the FDA approved authorization for the sale of an e-cigarette product from the R.J. Reynolds company for the first time. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) (Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images)

A case against the FDA would normally be filed in Washington or in the area where R.J. is based, which would be the Fourth Circuit. But R.J. joined with sellers of vapes in Texas to file in the Fifth Circuit.

The Fifth Circuit ruled in R.J.s favor last year, prompting the FDA to ask for a Supreme Court review.

The Biden administration's Justice Department argued the ruling from the Fifth Circuit "facilitates blatant forum shopping" and "undermines the precedents of other courts."

Wire fraud and wrongdoing

Another Supreme Court case that will come before the high court in 2025 could expand or limit the Justice Department's reach to go after financial wrongdoing.

The case, Stamatios Kousisis and Alpha Painting and Construction v. US, deals with a contractor who deceived the government in an application for a government contract.

The government argues that federal wire fraud and mail fraud statutes should be interpreted broadly to permit prosecution, even when the government did not suffer financial harm.

Daniel Ahn, a white-collar defense attorney and former federal prosecutor, said if the government's broader interpretation is accepted, it could lead to a larger swath of investigations into corporate conduct and to an increase in criminal and civil prosecutions.

"If the wire fraud statute is defined very broadly to encompass no financial loss schemes, then that really expands the universe of material that plaintiffs lawyers ... can bring against businesses," Ahn said.

Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed.

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DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)  Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 people, including at least two children, on Saturday in Gaza, hospital staff said, while a new effort at ceasefire talks was underway in Qatar after nearly 15 months of war.

Thousands rallied again in Israel to press for a ceasefire deal, hours after Hamas released a video showing one of the hostages still held in Gaza. Such videos, like an uptick in airstrikes, have been seen as attempts to assert pressure during talks.

A small boy cried over his father in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, and a woman draped herself over one of the bodies wrapped in white plastic. Three airstrikes in the city hit a car, a house and people on the street, according to staff at Nasser Hospital.

The Civil Defense, first responders affiliated with the Hamas-run government, said an airstrike destroyed a residential area behind the Saraya complex in Gaza City, killing at least five people.

And Israeli strikes on Saturday evening killed three people in Bureij and three others in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the bodies were taken. One child was among the dead. A young man leaned against a hospital wall and wept.

Israel's military said it targeted Hamas militants with a strike near Salah al-Din in southern Gaza overnight and with a strike on a vehicle in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. It also said Hamas fired a projectile that hit near the Erez crossing into Gaza.

Gazas Health Ministry said at least 59 people had been killed and more than 270 others were wounded by strikes in the past 24 hours.

There were no immediate statements on the indirect negotiations toward a ceasefire. The talks have repeatedly stalled as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to press on in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed. Fighters with Hamas, which wants Israeli forces out of Gaza completely, continue to regroup in areas where Israeli forces withdraw.

The talks are mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, which plans a $8 billion weapons sale to Israel, U.S. officials say.

A new video of a hostage

The war is by far the deadliest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas. It began when Hamas and other militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Around 100 hostages are still in Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead.

Families of hostages and others have rallied weekly to press Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal that would bring loved ones home, saying time is running out. At Saturday night's rally in Tel Aviv, police carried away some protesters who staged a sit-in on a street.

In a video released by Hamas before the latest rally, Israeli soldier and hostage Liri Albag, speaking under duress, expressed anguish over her situation and mentioned being held 450 days.

Today is the beginning of a new year; the whole world is celebrating. Only we are entering a dark year, a year of loneliness, she said. She also said a fellow captive had been wounded by the fighting in Gaza, adding, We are living in an extremely terrifying nightmare. She didn't name the injured person.

Netanyahu's office said he spoke with Albag's parents and told them that efforts are ongoing, including at this very moment to bring hostages home. Albag's family in a statement said that Its time to make decisions as if your own children were there!

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 45,717 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territorys Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half the dead. The ministry doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally. It says uncounted bodies remain beneath rubble or in areas where emergency responders can't reach.

Israels military says it only targets militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths, because its fighters operate in dense residential areas. The army says it has killed 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has caused widespread destruction and displaced about 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million, many of them multiple times. Winter has now arrived, and hundreds of thousands are sheltering in tents near the sea. A small number of children have died from exposure to the cold.

Gaza's Health Ministry said in a statement that Indonesian Hospital was no longer operational after Israeli operations in the area, and said all public hospitals in the north, largely isolated by a monthslong Israeli offensive, were now out of service. Access to the north is heavily restricted and claims can be difficult to verify.

Tensions elsewhere

Meanwhile, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, relatives mourned an 18-year-old Palestinian who the Palestinian Health Ministry said was killed Friday during clashes with Israels army in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus. The ministry said that nine other people were wounded.

Palestinian health officials have said Israeli raids throughout the West Bank since Oct. 7, 2023, have killed more than 800 Palestinians. Israel says most of these are militants, but youths throwing stones and people not involved in confrontations have also been killed.

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for more than a month, although its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon 60-day deadline. Israel and Hezbollah had exchanged fire almost daily since the war in Gaza began.

___

Associated Press writer Natalie Melzer contributed to this report from Nahariya, Israel.

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Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Los Angeles Countys top prosecutor said Friday that he had not made a decision about whether the prison sentences for Erik and Lyle Menendez, who are serving life without parole for the heavily publicized 1989 murders of their parents, should be reduced.

Nathan Hochman, who was elected district attorney in November, said he was still reviewing extensive court and prison records ahead of resentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 30 and Jan. 31.

Lawyers for the brothers sought to have their sentences reduced to 50 years to life, a request that would make them eligible for parole immediately.

Hochman made the announcement after what the prosecutor described as an hours-long meeting with relatives of the siblings who support their release.

Hochman declined to say what the relatives told him, but he described the meeting as productive.

An earlier statement from the the family-led Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition said more than 20 family members were expected to sit down with Hochman to show their support for a resentencing process that reflects Erik and Lyles abuse, trauma, and demonstrated rehabilitation over the last 35 years."

Members of the Menendez family said Friday that they were grateful for the meeting with Hochman.

Lyle and Erik Menendez.

They said they are hopeful there is a way to get the murder conviction reduced to manslaughter, and that they want the brothers released immediately.

Family who spoke Friday after the news conference said having to go to a parole board would traumatize them more.

Erik and Lyle were sentenced in 1996, after two trials, for the shooting deaths of Jose and Kitty Menendez at the familys Beverly Hills home on Aug. 20, 1989.

The brothers' first separate trials ended with hung juries after they could not deliver a unanimous verdict, but they were convicted of first-degree murder during a joint retrial.

The brothers said they shot their parents after years of horrific sexual abuse at the hands of their father  an allegation disputed by prosecutors, who argued the claims were false. Prosecutors described the murders as calculated and cold-blooded and said Erik and Lyle killed their parents for financial gain.

Their trials became media sensations  the first was televised and the killings have since been the subject of multiple dramatizations and true crime documentaries, most recently a high profile series and a film that were both on Netflix.

Former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon endorsed the effort to reduce their prison sentences to 50 years to life. But Gascon was voted out in November and Hochman has said he will review the facts and law in the case before determining whether he should support the decision.

In an interview with NBC News last month, Hochman confirmed personnel changes on the team that led the resentencing effort under Gascon and, as he reiterated Friday during the news conference, said he was reviewing thousands of pages of documents in the case.

A judge will ultimately determine whether the brothers should have their sentences reduced.

Hochman's office is also weighing a petition from the brothers that challenges their convictions and raises what their lawyers have described as new evidence confirming the alleged abuse.

The petition was filed after the release of Peacock's "Menudo + Menendez: Boys Betrayed," which included a former band member accusing Jose Menendez of raping him. (Peacock is owned by NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News.)

At the time, Jose Menendez was an executive with RCA Records, which had a multi-album contract with the band.

The band member, Roy Rossello, submitted an additional affidavit in the petition alleging that Jose Menendez raped him before and after a show in New York City when he was 13.

The petition also includes what the lawyers have described as another piece of evidence  a photocopied letter that Erik said he wrote to a cousin months before the murders that appears to discuss his fathers abuse.

The Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition said Thursday night it hoped the meeting with Hochman could provide "an open and fair discussion."

"Despite the abuse they endured as children and the unfairness of their current sentence, Erik and Lyle Menendez have spent the last three decades taking responsibility for their actions and contributing positively to their community through leadership and rehabilitation," the statement read.

"During our meeting with DA Hochman, we look forward to sharing our perspective on Erik and Lyles immense personal growth over the last 35 years and the ways in which we plan to support them in their next chapters," the coalition said. "We hope that this meeting will put us a step closer to spending next Christmas reunited as a family."
The Los Angeles County district attorney met with the Menendez brothers' relatives on Friday, but said he is still reviewing the facts in the case and hasn't yet decided if he's in support of the brothers' bid for freedom.

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said that when he came into office on Dec. 3, he promised to review all the facts in Erik and Lyle Menendez's case. He said that effort has involved reviewing thousands of pages of confidential prison records, trial transcripts, speaking to all the prosecutors and defense attorneys involved and reviewing court filings.

Hochman said that effort continues, noting that he's not finished reviewing all the prison files from the brothers' decades behind bars.

PHOTO: In these booking photos taken Oct. 10, 2024, Erik and Lyle Menendez are shown. (CRDC)

MORE: Menendez brothers listen to court hearing on phone as aunts testify on their behalf

Over 20 Menendez relatives met with Hochman on Friday in their continued push for the brothers' release from prison.

Hochman described the conversation as "very productive" and "in some ways, an informal, off-the-record discussion."

"They gave me all their thoughts about what should happen, their experiences they wanted to share, the ultimate direction they wanted this case to go," he said.

Hochman did not reveal the details of the conversation.

In a brief address to reporters, Anamaria Baralt, cousin of the Menendez brothers, spoke out after the family's meeting with Hochman Friday afternoon.

"We did have a meeting with the district attorney and we're grateful for his time," she said in a statement. "I want to reiterate our position as a family and as the victims' families that this 35-year process has been incredibly traumatizing for us as I'm sure that you can all imagine."

She said she the family was hoping to see an immediate release of the brothers, saying that going before a parole board "will only serve to re-traumatize us."

MORE: Menendez brothers timeline: From the 1989 murders to their new fight for freedom

The previous district attorney, George Gascon, announced in October that he was recommending the brothers' sentence of life without the possibility of parole be removed, and they should instead be sentenced for murder, which would be a sentence of 50 years to life. Because both brothers were under 26 at the time of the crimes, they would be eligible for parole immediately with the new sentence.

The DA's office said its resentencing recommendations take into account many factors, including rehabilitation in prison, and abuse or trauma that contributed to the crime. Gascon praised the work Lyle and Erik Menendez did behind bars to rehabilitate themselves and help other inmates.

Weeks after Gascon's announcement, he lost his race for reelection to Hochman.

MORE: What's next for the Menendez brothers? A look at their life in prison, 3 paths to freedom

Erik and Lyle Menendez next appear in court for a hearing in the resentencing case on Jan. 30 and Jan. 31.

This comes on the heels of an attorney for the brothers petitioning to move the case from the DA's office to the California Attorney General's Office, claiming a conflict of interest between Hochman and Kathleen Cady, whom Hoch just appointed director of the department's Bureau of Victim Services.

Cady recently resigned as attorney for Milton Anderson, the one Menendez relative who has been pushing to keep the brothers in prison.

Hochman said Friday that Cady is "walled off from the Menendez case."

PHOTO: Lyle, left, and Erik Menendez sit with defense attorney Leslie Abramson, right, in Beverly Hills Municipal Court during a hearing, Nov. 26, 1990. (Nick Ut/AP)

Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted in 1996 of the 1989 murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, who they gunned down in the family's Beverly Hills home.

The defense claimed the brothers acted in self-defense after enduring years of sexual abuse by their father, but prosecutors alleged they killed for money.

Lyle and Erik Menendez, who were 21 and 18 at the time of the crime, respectively, were sentenced to two consecutive life prison terms without the possibility of parole.

Besides the resentencing, the brothers have been pursuing two other paths to freedom.

In 2023, the brothers filed a habeas corpus petition for a review of new evidence not presented at trial.

They also submitted a request for clemency to California Gov. Gavin Newsom. In November, Newsom said he'd defer to Hochman's "review and analysis of the Menendez case prior to making any clemency decisions."

ABC News' Amanda M. Morris contributed to this report.

Menendez brothers latest: DA has 'productive' meeting with family but hasn't yet made decision originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Christie family Dylan Christie and Marisa Christie with their triplets and son Grayson, 4

Moments after Marisa Christie gave birth to three healthy baby girls last year, she experienced a rare and life-threatening complication and was put into a medically induced coma

When she woke up six days later, Marisa tells PEOPLE she had no memory of giving birth, and even initially thought she had been in "a car accident or something," which seemed like the "only reasonable for why I was not pregnant anymore"

Although she says that "some days are harder than others," Marisa is now doing okay  and is extremely grateful for all the doctors, family and friends who stepped up in her family's time of need

For months after Marisa Christie and her husband Dylan learned they were expecting triplets, her husband felt jittery at the thought of juggling three infants in addition to their son Grayson, 4.

"I was like, oh my gosh, this is actually happening," Dylan, 30, of Tomball, Texas, tells PEOPLE. "When we got closer I calmed down a little bit. It's one of those things where you can't fully prepare."

On the morning of Aug. 21, 2024, when Marisa, 30, gave birth to healthy baby girls Charlotte, Kendall and Collins at Memorial Hermann the Woodlands Medical Center via a planned cesarean section, Dylan finally relaxed.



"I kissed Marisa and told her how proud I was of her," he recalls. "The doctors and nurses were congratulating us, we were sharing this beautiful moment together, and one of the nurses said, 'Dad, take pictures of the girls.' "

The Christie family Marisa Christie

But the photo would never happen.

Within seconds, "Marisa kind of came up off the bed, both of her arms raised, and she made a noise, her vital signs and everything became deeply abnormal," says Dr. Amber Samuel, Marisa's maternal fetal physician and medical director of Obstetrix Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists of Houston.

"She wasn't breathing," adds Samuel, "and didn't have a heartbeat. That was the moment that we declared this is an AFE (amniotic fluid embolism), because nothing else really looks like that."



Related: Mom Forgets Giving Birth to Triplets After Being Declared 'Clinically Dead' for 45 Minutes Following Cesarean

An extremely rare complication, it affects 1 in every 40,000 deliveries, and occurs during delivery or shortly after giving birth, when amniotic fluid enters a mother's bloodstream just before, during or immediately after childbirth, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Additionally, AFE has a death rate as high as 80 percent, Samuel says. "We don't know why it happens," the doctor adds. "No one's actually ever figured it out,"

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.

For the next 45 minutes, the medical team began performing chest compressions  and Marisa flatlined several times. For Dylan, who could only look on in fear, it was "definitely the scariest moment of my life."

Doctors eventually put Marisa on a form of life support called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which pumped her blood into a heart-lung machine to keep her alive. As Today previously reported, due to uncontrolled hemorrhaging, she also underwent a lifesaving hysterectomy.



The Christie family Dylan and Marisa Christie with their triplets

Still, no one knew if she'd survive. And if she did, would her brain have full function?

"I couldn't sleep for weeks," her doctor tells PEOPLE. "I'm sure her husband probably couldn't sleep either."



Related: Mich. Couple Opens Up After Surprising Birth in Brewery Parking Lot, and They Share Sweet Story Behind Newborn's Name

When Marisa awoke from a medically-induced coma six days after giving birth, she had no memory of the delivery. "I remember waking up and having Dylan there and him telling me that the girls are fine, they're here," Marisa tells PEOPLE.

"I actually thought that I'd been in a car accident or something. That was the only reasonable explanation for why I was not pregnant anymore," she says. "I thought I was in a dream for a while. It was terrifying."



The Christie family Dylan and Marisa Christie in the hospital with their newborn triplets

After two weeks in the hospital, a weakened Marisa slowly walked out to the cheers of the hospital staff. But her prognosis remained uncertain in the days and weeks that followed.

We didn't know if there was brain damage, but as things went on, it was answered prayer after answered prayer, and relief that she was slowly coming back," adds Dylan.



Related: Baby Named 'Miracle' Goes Home After 4 Months in NICU as Mom Calls Her 'My Bundle of Joy'

Marisa is now "doing really well, fully recovered as much as you can recover from a trauma like that," according to her doctor, adding, "I think she's back to normal."

Throughout their lengthy hospital stay, Marisa says friends from church  the couple are active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints  as well as their extended family were all there to help care for the couple's 4-year-old son Grayson. "Our entire church community has been probably the biggest saving grace," she says. "We have a great village here."

Dylan's parents, who live nearby, and close friends continue to provide support, including daily visits to care for the triplets from 8 pm to midnight, which gives the couple "a guaranteed four hours" to sleep, according to Marisa.



The Christie family The Christie family triplets

Marisa, a devotee of weight training, can now pick up her children and has returned to her gym  which offers childcare  several times a week, the triplets always in tow.

"They're of course already very popular there," she says. "Everyone gets excited when the triplets come down the hall."

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The Christie family The Christie family

However, the mental recovery from the birth has proved more difficult at times. "I was kind of ignorant of what could happen before," Marisa says. "And now there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my time in the hospital, that I don't think about my AFE."

When Marisa has returned to the hospital for visits, certain noises and smells, such as beeping monitors and hand sanitizer, can trigger her anxiety. "Some days are harder than others. But right now I'm doing okay," she shares.



Related: Mom Welcomes Fourth Baby  Who Shares the Same Birthday with Her 3 Big Sisters: Blows My Mind (Exclusive)

The Christie family Big brother Grayson (center) with this triplet sisters ahead of Christmas

Marisa finds it difficult to put into words her gratitude for the doctors and hospital staff who saved her life. "If it wasn't for them," she says, "I don't think i would be alive today, the hospital staff was so compassionate, we felt loved there."

Several days before Christmas, Marisa and Dylan held a baby blessing at their church for the triplets, surrounded by aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, siblings and their many church friends.

"This was a very sweet Christmas because I was almost not here for it," Marisa says. "I'm very grateful for that. It's been very nice to be here for the holidays."

Read the original article on People
A truck leaves with Haitian migrants to be deported from the Dominican Republic's Haina Temporary Detention Center, near Santo Domingo, on May 17, 2024. - Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Images

The Dominican Republic deported more than 276,000 people in 2024, the countrys Immigration Directorate said Wednesday.

In the last three months of the year alone, over 94,000 foreigners with irregular status were deported under a new operation aiming to remove up to 10,000 undocumented Haitians per week, ordered by the Dominican Republics National Security and Defense Council headed by President Luis Abinader.

Dominican authorities also deported 48,344 during the January-March quarter, 62,446 between April-June, and 71,414 from July to September, according to the statement.

Government spokesman Homero Figueroa told reporters in October that the government ramped up deportations to address an excess of Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic, which shares an island with Haiti. The two countries have long seen an informal flow of people across their shared border.

Haitis then-Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy condemned brutal scenes of raids and deportations, and demanded justice for dehumanizing acts against her compatriots. Dominican authorities maintain that the deportations are carried out in compliance with human rights.

In October, Reuters footage captured dozens of migrants crammed into caged Dominican Republic law enforcement trucks heading to Haiti. Aid organizations have rushed assistance to the Haitian side of the border to assist the thousands of deportees.

The mass deportations come amid a worsening political and social crisis in Haiti; gangs are estimated to control more than 80% of the countrys capital, Port-au-Prince.

Correction: This story and headline have been corrected to reflect that the cited deportation statistics did not specify nationality.

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Thomas Jensen | Unsplash

As states like Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Washington receive their BEAD funding and additional federal funds towards broadband expansion, creativity in implementation is ripe for the picking. The introduction of a "shot clock" law would be a promising step toward bridging the digital divide while advancing the regions economic potential. This policy proposes a simple yet impactful mechanism: if local governments fail to act on telecommunications facility siting applications within a reasonable period, the application is automatically approved.

For years, rural communities in the Mountain States region have faced a consistent challenge - lack of access to high-speed internet. Whether it's in remote areas of Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, or Montana, the slow pace of broadband expansion has hindered economic growth, educational opportunities, and healthcare access.

This "shot clock" requirement would create a clear embrace for this approach. It sets a hard deadline for local governments and agencies to review and approve wireless telecommunications siting applications, effectively eliminating bureaucratic delays that have historically slowed down infrastructure development.

By ensuring that applications are either approved or denied within a defined time frame, it fosters an environment where the private sector can move quickly to deploy the necessary infrastructure to provide high-speed internet to underserved areas. Additionally, by providing a clear and enforceable timeline, telecommunications companies will have the confidence to invest in broadband expansion projects without fear of prolonged delays or shifting local regulations.

This clarity benefits the companies, residents, and businesses that rely on these services to remain competitive in a digital economy. By eliminating unnecessary regulatory barriers, this policy enables market forces to work, allowing private companies to deploy broadband infrastructure where needed most. This will ultimately reduce costs for consumers and businesses, increase competition among internet service providers (ISPs), and improve service quality.

As broadband access becomes a critical enabler of economic growth, education, and healthcare, we must take steps to allow private businesses to drive the necessary investments to make this a reality. The benefits of broadband expansion go far beyond internet access. Studies have shown that areas with higher broadband penetration experience greater economic growth. Increased broadband access allows businesses to expand into new markets, promotes innovation, and enhances productivity.

The success of the shot clock approach in our region could serve as a blueprint for other states across the country. With substantial federal funds allocated for broadband expansion, policymakers have the opportunity to implement solutions that are both efficient and market-friendly. In the long term, the private sector, armed with clear rules and less regulatory interference, will be able to deliver the connectivity that the region needs to compete in the modern economy.

A shot clock requirement is a prime example of how a market-driven approach can create tangible benefits for consumers, businesses, and communities alike. As we move forward, we must continue to focus on solutions that promote economic freedom and innovation. The shot clock requirement is not just about faster internet; its about fostering an environment where businesses can grow, communities can thrive, and the free market can drive the development of the critical infrastructure our state and region needs.

Sebastian Griffin is the lead researcher for the Junkermier Center for Technology and Innovation at Mountain States Policy Center, an independent research organization based in Idaho, Montana, Eastern Washington and Wyoming. Online at mountainstatespolicy.org.
The new air dates for the highly anticipated 39th Golden Disc Awards have been announced.

On Jan. 3, Korean news outlet Newsen reported that JTBC confirmed the new air dates for the upcoming 39th Golden Disc Awards. The two-part program will now air its pre-recorded segments Digital Song Division on Jan. 6, and Album Division on Jan. 7.

The 39th Golden Disc Awards was originally scheduled for Jan. 4-5 but was immediately canceled out of respect for the victims of the Jeju Air crash.

Earlier on Dec. 31, the secretariat of the Golden Disc Awards sent condolences to the victims of the tragedy. The official also stated that the event will now be replaced with pre-recorded broadcasts.

Furthermore, the secretariat added that the event's red carpet segment will also be canceled as well, and adjustments were also made concerning tickets.

The 39th Golden Disc Awards will take place at the PayDay Dome in Fukuoka, Japan.

In other news, the event announced its performer lineup on Dec. 9, 2024. The star-studded lineup consists of numerous K-pop acts such as SEVENTEEN, GFRIEND, aespa, LE SSERAFIM, TXT, NewJeans, and many more.

The nominees for the awards show was revealed, as various artists received nods in categories Digital Song Division, Album Division, and Rookie of the Year.
By Marek Strzelecki, Lili Bayer and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk

WARSAW (Reuters) -Poland launched its presidency of the Council of the European Union on Friday mired in a diplomatic row with Hungary that underscored a deepening sense of political disunity across Europe just as it confronts a raft of major global challenges.

Saddled with a sluggish economy, the EU is bracing for the return of Donald Trump to the White House this month on an "America First" platform and the possible imposition of U.S. tariffs on European exports.

It also faces deteriorating trade relations with China and Russia's grinding war in Ukraine, all at a time when the EU's two leading powers, France and Germany, are distracted by domestic political upheaval.

Against this gloomy backdrop, Poland is seeking a leading role in shaping European policy, especially on security.

"If Europe is powerless, it will not survive... Let's do everything so that Europe and Poland do not have to pay the highest price for freedom, for strength, for sovereignty. Let's do everything to make Europe strong again," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during a gala in Warsaw.

He was joined by the president of the European Council, Antonio Costa who stressed the importance of continued support for Kyiv.

"This year we must continue to stand with Ukraine  as much as necessary, for as long as it takes, to win a comprehensive, just and lasting peace," Costa said.

"For that, we must continue to see defence as a strategic priority for the European Union."

POLISH AMBITIONS

Tusk hopes "to lead a realignment in the EU when it comes to building a coalition around support for Ukraine and meaningful peace that benefits Kyiv, not Moscow", said Edit Zgut-Przybylska, an assistant professor at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology in the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Tusk, a former president of the European Council who previously also served as head of the centre-right European People's Party, is a well-connected figure on the EU stage.

But as European capitals face tough decisions on issues such as how to bolster and finance defence spending, analysts say Warsaw is unlikely to be able to lead on its own.

Piotr Buras, head of the European Council of Foreign Relations' Warsaw office, said the challenges facing the EU surpass the capacity and time horizon of any one six-month presidency.

"This is a key moment for Europe above all due to Trumps arrival and the situation in Ukraine but also issues related to the broader economy, competitiveness and possibly the trade war with a simultaneous weakness of leadership and a transition moment within the EU itself," Buras said.

Regarding Europe's collective security and support for Kyiv, some analysts said Germany, Europe's biggest economy, could take on a bigger role after its Feb. 23 national election, which the conservatives are currently tipped to win.

"The only hope is that the new German leadership will decide to take a much more active and assertive stance," said Peter Bator, a former Slovak ambassador to NATO who is now chief analyst at the opposition Progressive Slovakia party.

DIPLOMATIC SPATS

The Polish government said Hungary's envoy was not welcome at the ceremony to mark Warsaw taking on the EU's rotating, six-month presidency, a very public snub that follows months of political barb trading between the two countries' leaders.

Hungary infuriated Poland last month by granting political asylum to a former Polish deputy justice minister who is under investigation at home for alleged misuse of public funds, which he denies. Warsaw called the move a "hostile act" contrary to EU principles and recalled its ambassador to Budapest.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto described Friday's snub as "childish", news website HVG.hu reported. The Polish move just added to multiplying signs of European disharmony.

Slovakia, which along with Hungary has sought to maintain some ties with Russia, threatened retaliation on Thursday against Ukraine after it halted the transit flows of Russian gas, while on Friday negotiations on forming a new government in Austria suffered a blow when a key party quit the talks.

(Reporting by Marek Strzelecki and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk in Warsaw and Lili Bayer and Gergely Szakacs in Budapest; Editing by Gareth Jones and Cynthia Osterman)
The curious case of the empty tip jar and the cowboy hat.

A Texas pizzeria is being celebrated for how it handled its tip jar being stolen.

On Dec. 28, Stone Oven Pizza, a restaurant in Wichita Falls, Texas, posted on Facebook about an incident that took place near closing time the previous day. According to witnesses, a group of teens swiped the contents of an employee tip jar  but seemingly left a clue behind.

Last night, our crew ran into an incident where some teenagers stole the tips out of the tip jar, the original post reads. However, luckily enough, they left this hat.

The cowboy hat left behind by the thieves.

The evidence in question was a tan-colored Justin Bent Rail cowboy hat.

Were not a big fan of hats around here, however, we know the beautiful community of Wichita Falls is, and we would like to open up an auction, the post continues, adding that the highest bidder in the comments section by that following Tuesday afternoon would win this authentic cowboy jicama-giga!

The pizza shop stated that all proceeds would be divided evenly among the three team members that lost their tips that night  and balance will be restored to the Multiverse!

Several people applauded the pizzerias response in the comments section  and many posted bids on the hat or left suggestions about how to catch the culprits.

Most likely, that hat has never been outside the city limits, wrote one Facebook user.

keep it and use it as your new tip jar, suggested another.

Yall seen Cinderella? asked someone else. Line up all the men in the kingdom. Well find that prince charming!

The empty tip jar.

Apparently the kids made a mad dash to run out the front door, Ryan Thomas, co-owner of Stone Oven Pizza, tells TODAY.com. Then one of the kids ran past the order window, reached in the tip bowl, grabbed all the money out of it and got through the door, at which point, I guess, one of the kids lost the cowboy hat.

Thomas says his employees filed a police report that night and decided to auction off the hat. Two bidders offered $200 for it and came close to snatching the woolen crown  until its real owner came forward.

ATTN: Over the last couple of days we have gotten some amazing responses to this post, and the community has opened up... Posted by Stone Oven Pizza on Saturday, December 28, 2024

Over the last couple of days we have gotten some amazing responses to this post, and the community has opened up their hearts to our employees, reads the update posted on Dec. 30. What this attention also did was allow us to find the original owner of the hat not the teenager that dropped it, but the gentleman whose truck was broken into that those kids had stolen it from.

The trio of employees decided to return the hat to its original owner and were rewarded with $50 bonuses for their altruism and compassion.

Thomas says, in the aftermath of the incident, the community has added a few hundred dollars to the pot for the trio to split, too.

Several people did go ahead and come by and just, out of the goodness of their heart, donated money to the staff over those couple days, he says.

When asked about the fate of the thieves, Thomas says he isnt trying to send anybody to jail.

Id rather somebody make them come back and wash dishes for eight hours straight or something, he says.

Thomas proposed punishment calls to mind the case of Rosemary Hayne, an Ohio woman convicted of assault in 2023 for throwing a burrito bowl at a Chipotle employee. A judge sentenced her to work at least 20 hours per week at a fast-food restaurant for two months to reduce her jail time.

A lot of people would do well to work in the service industry for two years out of high school rather than go immediately into college, he says. Im hoping theyve learned their lesson with as viral as this went and as much publicity as it had. Maybe theyll turn over a new leaf.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
The Biden administration's move on Friday to block Nippon Steel's proposed purchase of U.S. Steel raises questions about the once iconic American company's future, with industry sources saying the manufacturer could struggle to energize growth or attract rival acquisition bids.

President Biden stopped the $15 billion deal over national security and supply-chain concerns.

U.S. Steel CEO David B. Burritt blasted the decision, calling Mr. Biden's action "shameful" and "corrupt" in a statement to CBS News.

"He gave a political payback to a union boss out of touch with his members while harming our company's future, our workers and our national security. He insulted Japan, a vital economic and national security ally, and put American competitiveness at risk," Burritt said.

Burritt added that the proposed deal "is what guarantees a great future for U. S. Steel, our employees, our communities and our country."

Limited options

Industry experts said that without outside investment from Japan, the U.S-based steel manufacturer's path forward is murky.

"With foreign ownership seemingly off the table, we see limited avenues moving forward," Bill Peterson, metals and mining analyst for JPMorgan said in a research note.

U.S. Steel leaders had warned that without an infusion of capital from Nippon Steel, it would be forced to curtail its legacy blast furnace investments and shift to cheaper nonunion electric arc furnaces. Additionally, executives said U.S. Steel could move its headquarters out of Pittsburgh.

The company could still entertain bids from domestic rivals, said Peterson, noting that U.S. Steel's mini-mill assets could be attractive to peers like steel products company Nucor Group, which considered buying parts of U.S. Steel before dropping out over price concerns.

Others see rival bids as unlikely.

"No one was ready to follow Nippon Steel and Cliffs above [$50 per share] a year ago," BNP Paribas analysts said in a report, referring to Nippon Steel's $55 a share offer, which offered a hefty premium to U.S. Steel shareholders. "Cliffs no longer has enough firepower while foreign interested parties are now likely to stay well put given the backlash Nippon Steel had to face."

Should U.S. Steel choose continue to operate as an independent company, it could focus on growing its Big River steel plant in Arkansas, which it acquired in 2021 and which produces 70% to 80% fewer emissions than typical steel-making processes, according to JPMorgan analysts. In that scenario, the company could simultaneously trim its legacy blast furnace assets over time, they said.

Challenges from both sides

U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel are expected to challenge the Biden administration's ruling, but face an uphill battle.

"The president's statement and order do not present any credible evidence of a national security issue, making clear that this was a political decision," the companies said in a joint statement Friday. "Following President Biden's decision, we are left with no choice but to take all appropriate action to protect our legal rights."

The companies added that the transaction would "revitalize communities" that rely on the steel industry, provide steelworkers with job security and improve the American steel supply chain.

Nippon Steel has proposed investing $3 billion in U.S. Steel under the deal.

"Blocking this transaction means denying billions of committed investment to extend the life of U. S. Steel's aging facilities and putting thousands of good-paying, family-sustaining union jobs at risk," the companies said in their statement.

By contrast. the United Steelworkers, the union representing 850,000 workers, cheered the administration's move.

"It's clear from U.S. Steel's recent financial performance that it can easily remain a strong and resilient company. We now call on U.S. Steel's board of directors to take the necessary steps to allow it to further flourish and remain profitable," the union said in a statement.

In December, U.S. Steel said it expected fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of roughly $150 million, undershooting Wall Street forecasts of nearly $262 million. The company reported third-quarter net earnings of $119 million, down from $299 million in the year-ago period. The company's annual revenues, which approached $24 billion in 2008, had slipped to $18 billion by 2023, highlighting its struggle to boost sales.

U.S. Steel shares fell 6.5% on the day to $30.47 and are down 36% from the same period last year.

Antitrust concerns

Even if another domestic rival like Nucor Corporation or Cleveland-Cliffs expressed interest in acquiring some or all of U.S. Steel, antitrust concerns could quash possible transactions.

"I think they have Federal Trade Commission issues in terms of monopolistic practices when it comes to companies merging," said corporate adviser Jay McDonald.

Jeremy Flack, CEO of Flack Global Metal Supply, a midsize metal supplier and a U.S. Steel client, echoed that concern.

"One nice thing about the Nippon deal was we had a new entrant to the market buying assets, as opposed to continued consolidation in which you eventually get an oligopoly if the steel mills here continue to buy each other up," he told CBS MoneyWatch.

If U.S. Steel can't turn around unprofitable plants, it may have no choice but to close them, Flack said, describing the company's future as uncertain.

"Blocking this deal doesn't serve anyone  customers, shareholders, workers or national security," he said, while adding, "It will be challenged in court and we have a new administration coming in, so story is not written yet."

President-elect Donald Trump in December also voiced his opposition to the proposed takeover in a social media post.

"I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

U.S. Steel ranked 27th in the world based on output, and Nippon Steel ranks fourth, according to the World Steel Association.

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Joe Biden calls himself the most pro-union president in American history. But hes punting a thorny union matter to his successor, Donald Trump, who may not have any better solutions than Biden does.

On Jan. 3, Biden, as expected, blocked Nippon Steels effort to purchase US Steel, the oxidized icon of American industrialization. US Steel has been seeking a buyer or other type of restructuring since 2023, and last year Japans largest steelmaker made a $14.9 billion bid for the firm. Shareholders support the deal, but the president has to sign off, given that steel production is important to the US defense industry and a foreign buyer could threaten domestic supplies.

Biden came out against the deal last March, saying US Steel should retain American ownership. Nippon tried to improve its offer by assuring the influential steelworkers union it would protect jobs and keep plants open. The union never bought it. Donald Trump, meanwhile, also came out against the deal last year.

As the 2024 election heated up, the odds of the Nippon purchase going through grew slimmer  at least until the election was over in early November. Trump, Biden, and Bidens replacement Kamala Harris were all angling for steelworker votes in bellwether Pennsylvania, US Steels home state, and the safest bet for all was to simply oppose the Nippon purchase.

US Steel Corporation workers rally outside the company's headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, supporting the takeover by Japan's Nippon Steel, on September 4, 2024. United States Steel warned Wednesday it could shut its Pittsburgh headquarters and shutter long-running factories in Pennsylvania if the politically sensitive takeover by Nippon is blocked. (Photo by Rebecca DROKE / AFP) (Photo by REBECCA DROKE/AFP via Getty Images) (REBECCA DROKE via Getty Images)

Trumps victory in November suggested no deal would go through once he became president, since the foreign purchase of a landmark steel producer would violate Trumps America First doctrine. But there was still a chance Nippon could sweeten its offer and Biden might bless the deal during the lame-duck period before Trump took office.

That would have made business sense  and perhaps been the best outcome for US Steels 10,000 unionized workers. Many business analysts think the Nippon offer was the best US Steel could hope for. US Steel is a pipsqueak compared to the global giant it once was. China now makes more than half of the worlds steel, followed by India, Japan, and the United States. Nippon Steel is the worlds fourth-biggest steelmaker, while US Steel is 24th. Since 2010, US Steel has lost money eight years out of 14. Its stock price is down 41% since 2010, while the S&P 500 index is up 433%.

US Steel started seeking a buyout or other strategic move in 2023 because it doesnt have the scale to invest in the most modern technology and compete with the worlds biggest players, even excluding state-subsidized Chinese steelmakers. The company says it may have to close unionized plants, lay off workers, and move its headquarters from Pittsburgh to a non-union state if it remains a standalone operator. Some of the companys union members even support the Nippon deal, an unusual breach between labor leaders and the workers theyre supposed to represent.

That could have given Biden cover for approving the deal, even if he had to take some heat from the union bosses on his way out the door. Instead, by killing the deal, Biden has left the steelmaker on shaky ground, with hundreds or thousands of jobs vulnerable. President Biden claiming Japan's investment in an American steel company is a threat to national security is pathetic and craven, Harvard economist Jason Furman, who was President Obamas top economist, posted on X. I'm sorry to see him betraying our allies while abusing the law.

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Many business and political analysts agree that Bidens national security justification for blocking the deal is a canard. Japan is a close US ally, not a troublemaker nation like China or Iran. And the US defense industry consumes barely 2% of domestic steel production, well below any reasonable threshold for blocking the deal on the grounds that America could run short of steel in a war or other emergency.

Biden isnt offering a solution for how US Steel can become more competitive and safeguard worker jobs without the Nippon deal. The trend in the industry is toward more automated minimills that are cleaner and more efficient but require fewer workers. US Steel has suggested it will move in that direction if it cant achieve broader scale.

Last year, rival steelmaker Cleveland Cliffs made a lower offer for US Steel than Nippon, yet the union bosses favored that deal because they felt workers would fare better. Cleveland Cliffs has since made another purchase and appears to be out of the running for US Steel. But some analysts think it would be quick to snatch up valuable assets, at the right price, if US Steel started selling off parts of the business. That might only happen after US Steel closes plants and axes workers, however.

Trump says he has a solution: tariffs and tax incentives. Those would make foreign steel more expensive, aiding the domestic industry, while also perhaps providing subsidies for domestic production. The catch is that Trump-style protectionism tends to benefit one class of workers at the expense of others. Or, American consumers simply pay more to cover the higher cost of American labor. When Trump imposed tariffs on imported steel during his first term, for example, steel manufacturers benefited but purchasers of steel, such as automakers and appliance makers, had to pay more and pass along higher costs.

Steelworkers arent alone in their quest to maintain job security and living standards amid a rapidly changing economy. Unionized East Coast dockworkers could resume a strike on Jan. 15, sparking a big fight over automation, efficiency, and blue-collar jobs. Port operators want to modernize shipping with machinery that will speed processing and lower costs  and replace many workers. The union wants pay raises and job guarantees, regardless of efficiency. A strike could test Trumps skills as a pro-business president who also wants to protect the blue-collar jobs that were prominent 50 years ago but are growing scarce now.

Trumps whole America first philosophy, in fact, is a pledge to modulate technological progress and globalist efficiency by inserting some circuit breakers that protect jobs and living standards. So maybe Trump will be better than Biden, after all. For steelworkers, that means hoping the devil you dont know is better than the one you do.

Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Bluesky and X: @rickjnewman.

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My favorite seasonal Starbucks ordera sugar cookie lattestarts with a double shot of espresso, as do many other specialty drinks like lattes and mochas. But other than the machine used to make it, what makes this concentrated caffeinated concoction different from my regular cup of joe?

From the brewing process to the beans, flavor profile, and even how theyre enjoyed, espresso and coffee are distinct beverages. Espresso is bold, creamy, and intensely concentrated, while coffee is lighter and often served in much larger quantities.

What Is Coffee?

Coffee is the cherished caffeinated beverage that gets millions of people out of their beds every morning (including me!). Its made from the Coffea plant's roasted seeds or cherries.

The two most common varieties are Coffea arabica and Coffea robusta. Arabica beans are often celebrated for their sweet and fruity flavor. Theyre frequently touted for superior taste, usually at a higher price point. You've probably noticed your local cafe proudly advertising their use of 100 percent Arabica beans.

However, that doesnt mean Robusta beans deserve a bad rap. While their stronger, more bitter flavor is not always ideal for drip coffee, Robusta shines in espresso-based drinks. Their higher caffeine content and rich crema make them perfect for pulling a bold shot of espresso, providing both body and depth. That golden halo atop your espresso? You can thank Robusta beans for that creamy, velvety finish.

How does that cup of joe get into your hand? Its a labor-intensive journey that starts with picking ripe coffee cherries. The seeds are then processed, dried, fermented, and roasted, transforming into aromatic beans that brew the magical drink we all love.

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

What Is Espresso?

Espresso is simply a style of brewing coffeejust like using a drip coffee maker, steeping grounds for cold brew, or pressing coffee with a French press. What sets espresso apart is its unique process and terminology. Instead of brewing coffee, you pull a shot, a phrase that refers to the concentrated, richly flavored cup of coffee this method produces.

Making espresso requires a dedicated machine that uses pressure to force hot water through finely ground coffee. This creates a small but powerful shot of coffee, complete with the signature layer of cremaa creamy, golden foam that sits on top.

Teeny tiny compared to a typical eight or 12-ounce cup of joe, one espresso shot is only a single ounce. While espresso can be sipped on its own, its often used as the base of so many beloved coffee drinks like lattes, mochas, Americanos, and even espresso martinis.

While any coffee bean can technically be used to make espresso, beans labeled as espresso or robusta beans are often preferred. These beans help create the prized crema and a balanced, bitter flavor.

Related: 15 Recipes Using Coffee As The Secret Ingredient

Is It Espresso Or Expresso?

The correct term is espresso, derived from the Italian word esprimere, meaning "to press out." This name perfectly captures the unique brewing process: hot water is pressed through finely ground coffee beans to create a concentrated, flavorful shot.

Why Is Espresso Served In Smaller Quantities?

The petite espresso demitasse might seem laughably small in a culture obsessed with oversized everythingfrom Big Gulps to Venti lattes. But thats the whole point. Espresso is meant to be savored in just a few sips, allowing its rich aromas and bold flavors to shine without distractions.

This ritual is part of daily life in Italy, where espresso was born. The drink is typically served at a bar, not to-go, and enjoyed while standing. Its a quick but intentional momentjust enough to recharge before heading to work or school. The small size isnt just practical; its a celebration of quality over quantity.

Related: Espresso Is The Secret Ingredient To Your Best Brownies

What Are The Differences Between Coffee And Espresso?

Brew style: From pour-over setups and automatic machines to French presses and moka pots, there are countless ways to brew coffeebut espresso is in a league of its own. Unlike other methods, espresso must be brewed using an espresso machine. The process is fast and precise: finely ground coffee is subjected to high-pressure water in seconds, extracting a concentrated shot of bold, richly flavored coffee. By contrast, brewing coffee takes several minutes, resulting in a lighter, more diluted drink.

Caffeine: When it comes to caffeine, espresso has both more and less than coffeedepending on how you look at it. Per ounce, espresso is packed with more caffeine than drip coffee, thanks to its concentrated nature. However, a single shot (just one ounce) contains less total caffeine than an entire cup of coffee, making it less of a jolt than you might think.

Coffee beans: While you can use either arabica or robusta coffee beans to make espresso, robusta is often preferred because its higher oil content helps create a golden, velvety cremaone of espressos defining features. On the other hand, Arabica beans are prized for drip coffee.

Flavor: If you were to drink espresso and coffee blackno milk, no sugaryoud immediately notice the difference in texture and flavor. Espresso is thicker, creamier, and has a velvety mouthfeel that almost borders on syrupy. This is due to its high-pressure brewing method, which emulsifies the coffees natural oils and creates the signature crema. Espressos flavor is incredibly concentratedbold, rich, and intensewith less acidity than most brewed coffees. On the other hand, coffee is light and thinner, with flavors ranging from nutty to fruity, depending on the bean and the brew style.



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This photo provided by Ashiya City shows Tomiko Itooka celebrating her 116th birthday at the nursing home she lives in Ashiya, western Japan, on May 23, 2024. (AP)

Tomiko Itooka, a 116-year-old Japanese woman who became the oldest living person in August 2024, died on Dec. 29, 2024, according to Guinness World Records. Her death was confirmed by Guinness World Records on Saturday.

Itooka was presented with the certificate of being the worlds oldest person in September 2023. According to Guinness World Records, Itooka was born in Osaka on May 23, 1908.

She reportedly attended an all-girls high school and played volleyball. She was age 32 when Japan entered World War II and she managed the office of her husbands textile factory, Guinness said.

RELATED STORY | Elizabeth Francis, the oldest living person in the US, has died at 115

Her family told Guinness that her longevity was attributed to her active lifestyle. She continued to mountain climb into her 100s. She also lived at home with her two daughters until she reached age 110.

The title of the worlds oldest person now belongs to Inah Canabarro Lucas, who is also 116 years old. She was born on June 8, 1908, in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. She was born two weeks after Itooka.

Amid her 10th birthday in 2018, she received an apostolic blessing from Pope Francis. Guinness said that she is among just three people still living born in the 1900s.
Whether it's love at first sight or a carefully thought-out search, finding your forever dog is truly an unforgettable experience. There's no doubt that it changes a pet's life when they're adopted, but not everyone considers the wonderful ways it will change your life, too. If you have another pet in the home, even they will have the best day ever when their new fur sibling comes home.

Just ask Louie, the Greyhound dog! He's a friendly New Zealand pup who already adores his Cavalier King Charles sibling, but the addition of a brand-new foster dog made him happierand cozierthan ever. On December 25, dog owner @maiyamason caught Louie snuggled up with the family's new addition, and it's no surprise to hear that the foster pup has already found her forever home.

Aww! This couldn't be any sweeter unless the family's third dog was cuddled up with them. The Cav sibling may not be as much of a snuggle bug, but they made an appearance in Maiya's following video just a few days later.

Related: Foster Dog Named 'Cheeto' Finding His Forever Home Is Touching Hearts Everywhere

In fact, a few commenters guessed that this new rescue dog is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, too! From this angle, she sure looks like it, but in other videos from Maiya, she appears to be a mixed-breed dog. Whatever she is, it's safe to say that she's perfect. She's the exact size to fit in the dog bed with her Greyhound brother, and those sweet eyes could melt anyone's heart!

"It's so nice of you to get your dog a dog for Christmas," joked a commenter named Tanie. LOL! In Louie's mind, this new addition is just for him, and Maiya wouldn't have it any other way. The love she has for her pups is undeniable! She announced her new furry friend's adoption as if it were a given, which proves that the foster dog is exactly where she's meant to be.

Bonding With a Rescue Dog

Whether you're a dog foster parent or are considering rescuing a new pup, it's important to know what to expect. You'll be eager to bond with your buddy, but letting your rescue dog take the lead will give them the best chance at success. Don't push them to interact before they're ready!

Dog adoption advocates encourage owners to follow the 3-3-3 rule when bringing home a rescue dog. It can take 3 days before they begin to feel comfortable enough to interact, and it can take 3 weeks before they start to get the hang of routines and expectations. By the time 3 months roll around, though, they should feel familiar and confident enough to feel at home with their new family.

Many other factors can affect a dog's comfort level and adjustment period, including the presence of canine siblings. As Louie and his rescue sister proved, a little bonding can go a long way!

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by Steve Suwannarat

The gesture of goodwill and detente has been repeated every year since 1991 at the start of the new year under an agreement to prevent attacks on nuclear installations. This allows the two countries to exchange a list of their facilities along one of the hottest borders in the world. Most of the people freed are fishermen caught operating outside their countries territorial waters.

Islamabad (AsiaNews)  Two nuclear powers, India and Pakistan, continue to maintain a strong military presence on their borders and a belligerent attitude vis-a-vis each other that fuels instability on one of the "hottest" borders in the world, the armistice line that largely winds through the Kashmir region.

Despite local and global tensions, the two countries created on 14-15 August 1947 by splitting the British Raj continue to respect a crucial framework of contacts and agreements. These include a pact prohibiting attacks on each other's nuclear facilities signed on 31 December 1988 and in force since 27 January 1991.

The Agreement on the prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installation and Facilities between India and Pakistan includes exchanging the list of nuclear war facilities but also  as a sign of goodwill and detente  the exchange of civilian prisoners, mainly fishermen caught in their respective territorial waters or just outside them, whose fate is also dictated by contingencies in bilateral relations.

This year, on 1 January 2025, the initiative was renewed again, as it has been done since 1991.

A statement by Indias Ministry of External Affairs reads: India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels, simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the agreement on the prohibition of attack against nuclear installations and facilities.

It is significant that this step also took place at a time of tense relations, because of persistent of instability in Kashmir and terrorist activities based in Pakistani territory, sparking a repressive response by Indias military in the territories under its control in divided and disputed Kashmir.

According to the 2008 Bilateral Agreement on Consular Access, which provides for an update of the situation on 1 January and 1 July of each year, 2,639 Indian fishermen and civilians were jailed in Pakistan and later repatriated in the last decade, 478 fishermen and 13 civilians this year. However, the proposed lists do not always coincide.

This year, India released the names of 81 Pakistani fishermen and 381 civilians in its custody (including 76 whose citizenship is still to be confirmed by Pakistan).

It also reported the names of 217 Indian fishermen and 49 civilians detained in Pakistan, as well as another 183 individuals who have completed their prison sentences but have not yet been repatriated, plus 18 who  again according to Indian sources  currently have no access to consular assistance.

Photo: Flickr / Garima
by Nirmala Carvalho

A protest staged by ethnic Kuki-Zo against police reinforcements sent by New Delhi for taking sides and fomenting tensions in clashes with the Meitei was harshly repressed. Christian women were reportedly attacked with sticks and tear gas. The Archdiocese of Imphal goes against the current by opening the Jubilee of Hope, including among tribal groups.

Imphal (AsiaNews)  Tensions are running high again in the Indian state of Manipur after security forces harshly cracked down against a protest by thousands of ethnic Kuki-Zo, including many women, in front of the Kangpokpi district headquarters.

The demonstration followed an ongoing economic blockade and a 24-hour shutdown of the National Highway 2, which is used to bring supplies to the state capital of Imphal; the protest was sparked by the presence of Central Armed Police Forces reinforcements in Kuki-Zo areas.

For the Committee on Tribal Unity, which represents local groups, the move is politically motivated to marginalise tribal communities and destabilise the region at the centre of tensions with Hindu majority Meitei groups, who live in the plains and are increasingly pushing into the hills areas inhabited by largely Christian Kuki-Zo.

Protesters in Kangpokpi slammed the excessive use of force by security forces in Kuki-Zo areas, claiming that more than 50 women were injured with rubber bullets and tear gas during Christmas celebrations.

Instead, they call for neutral forces to monitor the buffer zones on the border between Kuki-Zo and Meitei areas, stressing that the current deployment of police forces only increases tensions.

The situation became chaotic late in the evening, when  faced with the failure by the authorities to withdraw outside forces as promised  protesters tried to enter the office of the police superintendent.

Security forces responded with rubber bullets and tear gas, triggering clashes that left at least 15 injured, some of whom were hospitalised. The police superintendent and several officers also suffered injuries due to stones thrown by the enraged protesters.

Since the protest failed to elicit a positive response from the government, the Committee on Tribal Unity expressed its intention to continue blockading Kangpokpi district, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the police forces sent by New Delhi from Saibol, whose presence is "unnecessary and provocative".

Ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki-Zo in Manipur State broke out in May 2023, causing at least 250 deaths and displacing thousands of people.

Amid this difficult situation, the Archdiocese of Imphal opened the Jubilee on Sunday, 29 December, trying to bring a bit of hope.

One celebration was held in Imphal cathedral, led by Archbishop Linus Neli, while another took place at the Don Bosco Higher Secondary School in Lamka, in one of the areas inhabited by the Kuki-Zo, presided by Archbishop Emeritus Dominic Lumon.

Let us accept the gift of divine peace that the world cannot give, reads Archbishop Nelis Christmas message, and let us be bearers of this peace, hope and love.
Today's headlines: In South Korea, births increase for the first time in many years. The Japanese company Nippon Steel is planning legal action against Biden's veto on buying United States Steel. Art Spiegelman, a cartoonist who depicted the Holocaust, will work on a graphic novel on Gaza. In Russia, additional powers are given to police to monitor migrants.

MYANMAR

Myanmar's military junta announced today that it will release 5,864 prisoners, including 180 foreigners, as part of an amnesty to mark the country's 77 years of independence. The military said they will also commute the life sentences of 144 people to 15 years of imprisonment. No details were provided on the prisoners identity, but nothing suggests that 79-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi will be among the people released. The leader of the National League for Democracy was arrested on the first day of the coup, 1 February 2021. Myanmar traditionally grants amnesty to thousands of people to mark national holidays; last year, the military regime released more than 9,000 people on Independence Day.

SOUTH KOREA

In 2024, South Korea saw a rise in registered births for the first time in nearly a decade, suggesting a possible reversal in the demographic trend that makes the East Asian country one of the most severely affected by demographic winter. The Ministry of Interior and Safety announced that 242,334 births were registered last year, up by 3.1 per cent over 2023, breaking an eight-year decline. Despite this, the population continues to drop since the number of deaths also rose, to 360,757, an increase of 1.93 per cent over the previous year. South Koreas total population stood at 51.21 million in 2024, down for the fifth consecutive year.

JAPAN  UNITED STATES

Nippon Steel, the world's fourth-largest steel producer, is ready to take legal action in response to US President Joe Biden's decision to block the acquisition of the smaller United States Steel for US$ 14.1 billion. Biden said yesterday that the deal poses a national security risk and urged Japanese and US steelmakers to fully and permanently abandon their plan, which is backed by US shareholders but opposed by unions. Biden's order marked the first time a US president imposed a veto on a merger and acquisition agreement involving a Japanese company.

ISRAEL  PALESTINE

American cartoonist Art Spiegelman, author of Maus, the famous graphic novel dedicated to the Shoah serialised between 1980 and 1991, announced plans to work with Joe Sacco, author of Palestine, a non-fiction graphic novel. The two plan to collaborate on a new project on Gaza. Spiegelman, son of Polish Jews deported to Auschwitz, said that it will probably be difficult to find a publisher for the new graphic novel in the United States, given the ongoing wave of censorship on Palestine in Western art, but added: I will finish this thing or die trying.

CHINA

In 2024, Chinas railway system carried 4.08 billion passengers, up 10.8 per cent over the previous year. On the busiest day, the system carried 21.448 million passengers, according to the China State Railway Group Co. At the end of 2024, China's railways reached 162,000 km operating mileage, including 48,000 high-speed.

RUSSIA

Russian police have been given new powers over migrants, the TASS news agency reports. Law enforcement will be able to enter migrants homes without a warrant, collect information from Russian and foreign state bodies without regard to privacy rights, and monitor them through mobile technology used in payments and geo-locations.

KAZAKHSTAN

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a new law against drug trafficking, which increases the penalty for narcotics production to 15-20 years or life imprisonment, and allows for the confiscation of all property. The law goes easier on drug dealers, who are largely very young, dropping the maximum penalty to 8 to 10 years in prison.
by Stefano Caprio

In a long Christmas interview, the Major Archbishop of the Greek Catholics, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, spoke about the future of Ukraine by looking at it with the eyes of faith. For him, the representation of God as the Great Protector who guarantees our well-being is a "stereotype that has now been destroyed, so we must learn again to ask ourselves: God, where are you? Where can we find you in a time of war? How should I communicate with You today?

On Holy Christmas, a national holiday in Ukraine celebrated since last year on the same day by both Catholics and Orthodox, except for those still tied to Moscow and the traditions of the old calendar, RBK-Ukraine (-) published an extensive interview with His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the Major Archbishop of KyivGalicia and Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC).

In the liturgies, the faithful remember him as our patriarch, a title never officially recognised by the Holy See to avoid further confusion, but very clear in the minds of the heirs of the Union of Brest created at the end of the 16th century.

In addition to saying what he expects might happen in the war with Russia, a major topic on all international sites, the head of the Catholics who follow the Orthodox tradition" focused on the issue that is really close to his heart: not the relationship with the Russians, but that with his own people, and with the future of Ukraine.

Ukraine is the Rus'(sia) that refuses to be part of the "Russian World", looking for its own identity and feeling part of Europe and of the universal brotherhood of Christians and all people of good will, that is those who do not try to impose themselves on others to assert themselves, as the Muscovite Russians have always tried to do.

According to sociological surveys, the number of Orthodox faithful linked to Moscow has drastically decreased in the three years since the invasion of the country, while the number of Greek Catholics has increased significantly, moving closer to the Autocephalous Orthodox Church, and becoming the second religious community in Ukraine.

Shevchuk, however, does not claim primacy or success in proselytising: on the contrary, he expresses his solidarity with those who have felt "betrayed by their Mother, holy Russia".

If anything, he highlights the active role played by Greek Catholics in constructive dialogue with the autocephalous Church, whose head, Metropolitan of Kyiv Epiphanius (Dumenko), was recently received in the Vatican by Pope Francis, to unite in the reconstruction of a country destroyed, humiliated and emptied by the assaults of the "elder brothers" from Moscow.

According to the archbishop, "the trauma of feeling betrayed by one's own Church is a particularly tragic experience, which is unfolding before everyone's eyes, and sociology cannot explain what happens in the souls of our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.

The supreme pastor of the Greek Catholics is not interested so much in how to stop the war, a task that falls to the state and military authorities, but in "how the war has affected our society and our people, and the new challenges to which the Church is called to respond, ours, together with the Orthodox Churches in our country.

This is the third wartime Christmas and New Year, and the conflict has upset all human relationships, which will not be easy to rebuild, even more than the devastated buildings and cities. For the Greek Catholic patriarch, this means, first of all the relationship with oneself, with what each of us must do at present, the priorities and relationships with loved ones and neighbours, for whom we take on responsibility and duties.

Regarding the issue of relationships to be rebuilt, Shevchuk makes a truly profound observation, noting that "relations with God, the rules and habits of our spiritual and religious life have also changed radically  we ourselves have changed.

To all those who look at Ukraine from the outside, thinking they know the people who live there, "we must say that the Ukraine you thought you knew no longer exists today. . . We are different, and we want to be better.

Having lived through such a tragic experience, we are living the moment of a new birth, better still a rebirth", in which there are the heroes who defend the homeland not only on the battlefields, but also the "giants of the spirit who bring us back to the deepest foundations of the existence of our people, to the origin of our national and spiritual life.

War is also the cause of a crisis of faith, since seeking shelter from the enemy by invoking divine help does not seem to work, but "this is not how the relationship with God works", explains the archbishop. The true living God is a person, he is a Someone, not just something, and we must know how to recognise him in the personal relationship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the context of our capacity for relationship.

For Patriarch Shevchuk, the representation of God as the "Great Protector" who guarantees our well-being is a "stereotype that has now been destroyed, so we must learn again to ask ourselves: God, where are you? Where can we find you in a time of war? How should I communicate with You today? We must rediscover the authentic presence of God among us.

For many people, God disappeared from the spiritual horizon, then manifested himself again. In the last three years we have experienced many moments of this kind, moments of terror and helplessness, and then of regeneration of our strength, of common defence of our life and our land, then again of fatigue and depression, always looking for the source that can give us back energy and love for life.

Wounds are healed and spirits are revived: this is the only secret of the extraordinary resilience of the Ukrainian people. The experience of war helps believers to rediscover in a new way the image of the life-giving God, not only to defend themselves from evil, but to rebuild themselves, society and the life of the people.

The interview cites the meeting of the Synod of Greek Catholic bishops with civil authorities, in the context of Ukraine's "plan of resistance", with the archbishop stressing the importance of the increasingly significant enhancement of the role and place of the Church in these difficult times.

People in power often cultivate the illusion that they can do everything alone, while now it is clearer that the religious life of the people and the support of the Church are the secret of the authentic victory we want to achieve.

Specifically, we are not only talking about the Church's social welfare services, or the defence of Ukrainian national interests at the international level, but "the role of accompanying our people, subjected to the madness of war.

People need not to feel alone and abandoned, and the presence of priests reminds us that there is always someone who takes care of those who suffer, of those who need advice, rediscovering the pastoral nature of the Church, before its charitable and social role.

"We are a Church founded on roots that date back to early Christianity in Kyiv," Shevchuk notes, "with fraternal ties with the Orthodox, and in union with the entire universal Catholic Church. Half of our structures are located outside the borders of Ukraine.

This is why "the Russian aggressor hates us so much, and has always tried to destroy the Greek Catholic Church, both in the time of the Tsars and during the Soviet era, all the more so today, when the master of the Kremlin is trying to rebuild the empire.

Citing a term widely used by the Patriarchate of Moscow, the archbishop explains that the Greek Catholic Church is also state-establishing (gosudarstvo-ustanavitelnaya, -) because of its contribution in history and in the current rebirth, but it has never been and does not intend to be a State Church (gosudarstvennaya tserkov,  ).

Asked about the role of the Holy See in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which has often left Ukrainians and among Greek Catholics wondering, Shevchuk explains that "war can be looked at from the point of view of the victims, or from that of those who seek to be arbiters at the international level, to serve all suffering peoples and carry out a mission as a universal peacemaker.

When Pope Francis spoke of two brotherly peoples, he did not mean this in the manner of the Russians, as a justification for an invasion and genocide; in any case, he lately said that we are cousins, not really brothers, even if, for us, it is enough to say that we are close, without specifying the degrees of kinship.

Shevchuk remembers the years of his ministry in Argentina when Pope Francis was his superior as metropolitan archbishop of Buenos Aires. I hear from him often and we talk to each other in Spanish, exchanging points of view even if they do not always coincide.

The Vatican plays no active role as a political mediator in possible peace negotiations, notes the head of the Greek Catholics, also because no one has asked it, but the Holy See has been engaged for ten years in humanitarian aid, as well as religious dialogue, since Crimeas annexation and the beginning of the conflict in the Donbass.

Finally, the primate notes that mediators of all kinds have been proposed and assigned to us, but so far no negotiations have begun, so let's see what happens this year. Meanwhile, Greek Catholics are already at work for the rebirth of Ukraine.

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Why This Five-Star All-Inclusive Is One of the Best Resorts for Bachelor Parties

Planning an Epic Bachelor Party? This Punta Cana Resort Should Be on Your Radar

Bachelor parties date all the way back to the 5th century B.C.  and while things have changed since the ancient Spartans days, what remains the same is that this celebratory occasion is all about marking a transition and making memories as the groom closes one life chapter and enters a new one.

And theres hardly a better way to ensure a memorable event than by spending a few days at an all-inclusive resort  where the cocktails are bottomless, the activities are endless, and all you have to worry about is which pool youre going to spend the afternoon basking in the sun at. On your quest for the best all-inclusive resorts for bachelor parties, its well worth considering Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort, Spa & Casino in the Dominican Republics Punta Cana.

RELATED: S

Whether youre looking for a relaxing wellness-centric getaway, a raucous nonstop party, or a little mix of both, the beauty of Lopesan Costa Bavaro is that it can accommodate any and every vibe. Here are just a few reasons why this five-star resort is a top-notch bachelor party destination.

There Are Countless Activities on Site

At Lopesan Costa Bavaro, theres certainly no shortage of things to do. In fact, you might have trouble fitting it all in  depending on how long you stay.

RELATED: How to Plan a Bachelor Party

Start your morning by cranking out a quick workout at the state-of-the-art gym, spend the afternoon lounging poolside, getting a massage at the full-service Om Spa, or going on a snorkeling excursion, and then hit up the bowling alley and arcade before dinner. At night, you can swing by the Chia Lounge nightclub for drinks and dancing, or try your luck at the on-site casino. At some point, youll definitely want to stop by the 900-seat theater to catch a live show  before heading to the wine bar or to the English pub for a pint and some pool.

There Are So Many Pools to Choose From

Theres nothing worse at a resort than overcrowded pools, but luckily thats not an issue at Lopesan Costa Bavaro. During your stay, you and the guys can hop between seven different freshwater swimming pools, many of which have ocean views. The highlight, undoubtedly, is the 30,000-square-foot bi-level infinity pool with a beachfront location. Its the perfect locale to catch the sunset while you drain one last cold beer or frozen daiquiri.

The Food Is Diverse and High Quality

You definitely wont leave hungry after a stay at Lopesan Costa Bavaro, which features seven different internationally inspired restaurants and 16 bars. In other words, you could spend a whole week here and never dine at the same place twice. Its also incredibly easy to make reservations through the Lopesan app.

Craving a juicy, medium-rare filet mignon? Head to the steakhouse, El Asador. In the mood for an epic pasta feast? Snag a table at Gondola, the Italian trattoria. Looking for dinner and a show? Bring your crew to Inari for a hibachi-style dinner complete with a medley of meats and seafood, fried rice, and pan-seared veggies. Mareas is known for its Mediterranean-style dishes, La Boheme serves up upscale French cuisine, and El Charro offers all your Mexican favorites like el pastor tacos, vegetarian nachos, and free-range chicken tostadas.

And when you just want a casual bite, or those late-night cravings hit, swing by The Valley  which is open 24 hours  and boasts a wide variety of finger foods like paninis, burgers, baby back ribs, and BBQ wings.

Not to mention, there are also multiple buffets  which offer custom made-to-order omelets and countless other options at breakfast, as well as massive salad bars and other selections during both lunch and dinner. Dont forget to stop by the ice cream shop for a late-night treat  and if hunger pangs strike but youre too lazy to leave your suite, rest assured you have 24-hour access to room service, too.

Everything You Need Is Right on Site

Lopesan Costa Bavaro truly has thought of everything  meaning youll never have to leave the grounds. In search of a little caffeinated pick-me-up before exploring the nightlife? Theres a coffee shop right on the resorts bustling Boulevard, where you can grab an espresso, iced coffee, or Americano. Forgot your swimsuit or sandals? There are several shops along the Boulevard stocked up with all the vacation essentials and souvenirs you could ever want or need.

Pro tip: For a VIP experience, your group may want to consider upgrading to the Unique category when staying at Lopesan Costa Bavaro. Unique guests have access to their own private pool, as well as an exclusive restaurant, bar, and Adults Only area with futons, hammocks, and Balinese beds.

Not only that, but as a Unique guest you can also add on a butler, whos available to help you make dinner or spa reservations, set up airport transfers, book excursions, and even unpack your luggage, among other helpful services. Basically, theyre there to help ensure you have a smooth, stress-free getaway. And if youre looking to surprise your groom with a special lunch on the beach, or special decorations and a bottle of their favorite liquor in the room, your butler can help facilitate that, too.

The Accommodations Are Well-Suited to Groups

There are 1,042 rooms at Lopesan Costa Bavaro  this includes the lavish swim-up suites. The multi-room suites, in particular, are ideal for bachelor parties. Best of all, they come with their own hot tub. Due to the sheer size of this sprawling resort, it never really feels crowded. That said, when you just want a mid-day or late-night breather, its nice to have the option to enjoy an outdoor soak with the guys away from other guests.

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4 January 2025 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

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In recent years, Azerbaijan has embarked on a strategic journey to diversify its international relations, with a particular focus on strengthening ties with African countries. This new direction in Azerbaijan's foreign policy is yielding significant benefits, fostering economic, political, and social collaborations that promise mutual growth and development.

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4 January 2025 11:21 (UTC+04:00)

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4 January 2025 10:00 (UTC+04:00)

The member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) are vital geopolitical partners and neighbors, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated in an interview with the Ana Tili newspaper, Azernews reports.

During our chairmanship, special attention has been paid to intensifying cooperation in the political, trade-economic, transport-logistics, and cultural-humanitarian spheres. Concrete results have been achieved, a number of large-scale projects have been implemented, and more than 80 events have been organized. The 5th World Nomad Games were held in Astana. Close ties have been established between educational and academic structures and creative intellectuals. Ancient Turkestan, which was declared the spiritual capital of the Turkic world in 2021, plays a special role in bringing our peoples closer together, Tokayev emphasized.

The Kazakh President also noted the significant progress in trade among OTS member states over the past decade. Over the past 10 years, trade relations between OTS members have significantly strengthened, and in 2024, the volume of mutual trade turnover exceeded $45 billion, he said.

Highlighting the strategic importance of regional infrastructure, Tokayev underlined the role of OTS members in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Our countries play an important role in the implementation of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. We intend to develop cooperation in the fields of energy, industry, agriculture, and digitalization, he noted.

Tokayev also reflected on Kazakhstans slogan during its OTS chairmanship, TURKTIME!, which encapsulates eight priorities: Traditions, Unification, Reforms, Knowledge, Trust, Investments, Mediation, and Energy. These priorities have been met with interest by the entire Turkic community, not limited to the OTS countries. Kazakhstan supports all creative initiatives that contribute to the rapprochement of the Turkic world and also positively approaches the Russian concept of Altai - the cradle of the Turks, he said.

The President affirmed Kazakhstans commitment to deepening ties among Turkic peoples and promoting their shared cultural and historical heritage, stating, Our country will continue to contribute to the deepening of ties between all Turkic peoples and the promotion of our common rich historical and cultural heritage.
4 January 2025 11:42 (UTC+04:00)

Brazilian experts have started the critical task of decoding the cockpit voice recorder from the AZAL plane that crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25. The black boxes were delivered to Brazil on Wednesday (Thursday, Baku time), Azernews reports via Brazilian G1.

The analysis of the flight recorders began on January 2 (January 3, Baku time), with the Brazilian Air Force (Forca Aerea Brasileira - FAB) actively involved in the data extraction process. The retrieved information will be handed over to Kazakhstan's Aviation Accident Investigation Department, the agency leading the investigation into this tragic incident, according to FAB officials.

The AZAL passenger plane, which was operating the Baku-Grozny flight, crashed near Aktau, claiming the lives of 38 individuals out of the 67 on board. The remaining 29 passengers miraculously survived.

In recognition of the extraordinary bravery of the crew, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev posthumously awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan to Igor Ivanovich Kshnyakin, Alexander Georgievich Kalyaninov, and Hokuma Jalil gizi Aliyeva. Surviving crew members Zulfugar Sardar oglu Asadov and Aydan Vagif gizi Rahimli were honored with the "Rashadat" Order of the 1st degree for their courageous actions.

Preliminary investigations have indicated that the crash may have been caused by external physical and technical interference. The analysis of the flight recorders is expected to provide crucial insights into the cause of the accident.
4 January 2025 14:45 (UTC+04:00)

The investigation into the tragic crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) plane near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on December 25, 2024, will culminate in a final report no later than three years from the date of the incident, according to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport.

Azernews reports that TASS cited a statement from the ministry, which clarified that the investigation is being conducted under the guidelines of the Ministry of Investments and Development of Kazakhstan, as per the order No. 505 dated July 27, 2017. The investigation period for air crashes involving fatalities typically does not exceed 36 months unless additional inquiries are necessary.

The plane involved in the crash, an Embraer E190AR aircraft (registration 4K-AZ65), was en route from Baku to Grozny with 62 passengers and 5 crew members aboard, totaling 67 people. Tragically, 38 people lost their lives in the accident, while 29 others were injured.
4 January 2025 15:37 (UTC+04:00)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Azerbaijan is taking active operational and preventive measures to identify and confiscate illegally stored firearms and ammunition, Azernews reports.

On January 3, police officers successfully detected and seized a range of illegal weapons, including one pistol, two rifles, two automatic weapons, six cartridge magazines, and 224 cartridges. These items were found in the capital and several regions across the country, according to a statement from the MIA.

The operation is part of ongoing efforts by the ministry to enhance public safety and combat illegal arms possession.
4 January 2025 19:02 (UTC+04:00)

Recently, a video of a speech by former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, delivered at the Yerkrapa volunteer union meeting on July 23-24, 1993, has been circulated. His words reveal deeply rooted racism, hatred towards Azerbaijanis, and a policy of aggression within Armenia's political circles, according to the Western Azerbaijan Community, Azernews reports.

The community, in its statement, included an excerpt from Ter-Petrosyans speech:

Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh solved a problem that the Armenian people have not been able to solve for 600 years. Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh were completely cleansed of foreign nations. I repeat, this was a 600-year-old problem. The Armenian people will feel its importance for at least 600 years from now. Imagine that if today there were 180 thousand representatives of foreign nations in Armenia, as there were in 1988, we would not have a state today. We would not be able to protect Zangazur, our northeastern regions, or the banks of Sevan. Even several autonomies would have been created here. Do not forget that Azerbaijanis were in the majority in three regions - Vardenis, Masis, and Amasya. Their number in Zangazur was extremely high. Now this problem has been solved.

The statement goes on to argue that Armenia's approach of if there is no population, there is no problem reflects a policy of ethnic cleansing aimed at eradicating the Azerbaijani population. The community asserts that this policy has persisted through various Armenian leadershipsfrom Ter-Petrosyan to later commanders Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, and now under the democratic government of Nikol Pashinyan. The goal of the 1987 conflict, the statement emphasizes, was to create a mono-ethnic Armenia through ethnic cleansing, resulting in the creation of a greater Armenia at the expense of Azerbaijani territories.

The statement also condemns the Armenian society and diaspora for continuing to support or ignore the racist speech even after more than 30 years.

The fact that even after more than 30 years since the events, the Armenian society and the Armenian diaspora continue to support or try to cover up the above-mentioned speech of Levon Ter-Petrosyan deeply disappoints us Western Azerbaijanis. However, Armenia will not succeed in losing track of these systematic bloody crimes and denying them. We invite the international community to condemn this racist policy of Armenia, and to call on it to start a dialogue with the Western Azerbaijan Community. The Western Azerbaijani Community will continue its efforts to hold Armenia accountable within the framework of international law and to ensure the peaceful, safe, and dignified return of Western Azerbaijanis to their ancestral homeland, the statement concludes.
4 January 2025 18:00 (UTC+04:00)

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4 January 2025 08:00 (UTC+04:00)

A judge has set US President-elect Donald Trumps sentencing in his hush-money case for January 10  a little over a week before he is due to return to the White House  but indicated he would not be jailed.

Azernews reports via Scotsman.com that the development nevertheless leaves Trump on course to be the first president to take office convicted of felony crimes.

Judge Juan M Merchan, who presided over Trumps trial, signalled in a written decision that he would sentence the former and future president to what is known as a conditional discharge, in which a case gets dismissed if a defendant avoids re-arrest.
4 January 2025 12:39 (UTC+04:00)

The winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is set to begin on January 27, Azernews reports.

On the opening day, the Assembly will elect its President and Vice-Presidents. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden are scheduled to address the plenary session, while Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, will present his communication and engage with parliamentarians.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I will also deliver a speech during the session, alongside the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Bersen, who will provide a comprehensive communication. Additionally, Marko Bosnjak, President of the European Court of Human Rights, will discuss the necessity for a new rules-based international order.

The agenda includes debates on critical issues such as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, focusing on women, children, and hostages, as well as discussions on the risks posed by mercenaries and private military companies to human rights and the rule of law. Memory and multiperspectivity in history teaching and regulating content moderation on social media to protect freedom of expression will also feature prominently.

An event marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau will be held, alongside discussions on topics like immigration as a response to Europe's demographic ageing, age discrimination, and gender-sensitive budgeting in the economy.

Reports on the observation of Georgia's legislative elections and the Assembly's monitoring procedures will also be presented. Additionally, the draft Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyers and the intersection of COVID-19 and access to health will be reviewed.

The session, concluding on January 31, promises to address a broad spectrum of pressing global and regional concerns.
4 January 2025 19:30 (UTC+04:00)

Turkiyes exports reached a record high of $262 billion in 2024, marking a 2.5% annual increase, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Friday, according to Anadolu Agency, Azernews reports.

Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Erdogan highlighted the improvement in the countrys trade balance. Turkiyes foreign trade deficit dropped from $106.3 billion in 2023 to $82.2 billion in 2024. He also noted that the export-import coverage ratio rose by 5.5 percentage points to 76.1%.

In December alone, Turkiye achieved a record monthly export level of $23.5 billion, reflecting a 2.2% increase compared to the same period last year, Erdogan added.

On the countrys economic outlook, Erdogan revealed that per capita income, which stood at $13,243 in 2023, is expected to exceed $15,000 in 2024 and surpass $17,000 by 2025. He emphasized Turkiye's goal of achieving 4% GDP growth in 2025, driven by net exports and fixed capital investments.

Erdogan also pointed out that Turkiye recorded positive growth rates for 17 consecutive quarters, including a 2.1% growth rate in the third quarter of 2024.
4 January 2025 20:35 (UTC+04:00)

A fire in a vegetable market in Zhangjiakou, a city in northern China's Hebei Province, left eight dead and 15 injured on Saturday, according to CCTV News, Azernews reports.

Zhangjiakou, home to over 4.1 million people as of 2020, saw firefighters starting to extinguish the flames before midday, with rescue operations concluding after noon. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment and are in stable condition, with no immediate threat to their lives.

The bustling market, a key center for vegetables and other goods, sustained heavy damage. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.
4 January 2025 21:05 (UTC+04:00)

The United States State Department sent an informal notification to Congress about plans to conclude an $8 billion arms deal with Israel that will include fighter jet munitions, attack helicopters, and artillery shells, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, Azernews reports.

It was said the deal would aim to boost "Israel's long-term security by resupplying stocks of critical munitions and air defense capabilities." It would also involve shipments of AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles for fighter jets which can be used against drones. In addition, the supply of JDAM bombs which are used to convert unguided bombs into precision munitions.

The deal would require both House and Senate confirmation to enter into force. Some of the munitions would take up to one or more years to deliver, according to sources.
4 January 2025 21:35 (UTC+04:00)

The Migration Department of Georgia has expelled 25 foreign citizens for participating in protests against government policies in Tbilisi during November-December 2024, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Azernews reports.

As reported by Interfax, the Ministry stated that the deportation process included both voluntary departures and forced expulsions.

In a broader context, the Ministry disclosed that a total of 430 foreign citizens were deported from Georgia in 2024.
4 January 2025 22:36 (UTC+04:00)

Former European Commissioner Thierry Breton emphasized the need to respect EU laws on systemic platforms during elections. In a statement Saturday on X, Breton addressed Alice Weidel, the chancellor candidate for Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, cautioning that her planned live discussion with Elon Musk on January 9 could provide her an unfair advantage in the campaign, Azernews reports.

The remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of Musk's support for the AfD, which has drawn criticism from the German government ahead of the February 23 snap election.

In an earlier interview with Stern, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz addressed Musk's comments, including his description of Scholz as an "incompetent fool." Scholz called for calm, stating that Germany remains a "strong and stable democracy" and dismissed the remarks as irrelevant to the country's democratic decision-making. He underscored that the election will reflect the will of the German people, not "the erratic comments of an American billionaire."
4 January 2025 23:35 (UTC+04:00)

Damascus airport is scheduled to start servicing international flights from January 7, according to Ashhad al-Salibi, head of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, the SANA news agency reported, Azernews reports citing.

"We announce we will start receiving international flights to and from Damascus International Airport from January 7, 2025," he was quoted as saying in the report.

Al-Salibi said the government, helped by partners, is currently engaged in preparing the Damascus and Aleppo airports for resuming operations.

On January 2, Qatar Airways announced its intention to resume flights on the Doha-Damascus route from January 7.

Syrian airports ceased operations on December 8 after the change of power in the country. Transit flights over the country were also restricted. On December 14, the airspace was reopened. On December 18, the national carrier Syrian Airlines flew an A320-212 to Aleppo from Damascus and back, in a flight that went fine.

Syrias armed opposition units started a major offensive on government troops in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates at the end of November. On December 8, they entered Damascus while government troops withdrew from the city. Bashar Assad resigned as president and left the country. Mohammed al-Bashir announced on December 10 that he will lead a transitional cabinet in Syria until March 2025. He had previously headed the oppositions Salvation Government in Idlib since January 2024.
There is a very good reason why Robert Hall was called the Glasgow Glutton as Michael McCready found out on a recent visit

Some of the food in Ardnamurchan restaurant in Glasgow

I was reading recently about Robert Hall, who was known as the Glasgow Glutton in the 19th century. His ability to devour food was the stuff of legend  from eating a stone of potatoes to seven pounds of ships biscuit (which is basically a dense cracker).

His appetite was so vociferous that people would even place wagers that he could win eating competitions.

It got me thinking  if he is able to put away all this food, the cuisine in Glasgow must have been good, and stands to reason that it still is.

So I took myself over there to check out the Glasgow cuisine to see if I could make a glutton of myself.

After a short flight from Belfast to Glasgow, we made our way to our hotel  The Novotel Glasgow Centre on Pitt Street  to check in.

The Novotel Hotel in Glasgow. Photo: Abaca Press / Jo Hanley

It is a beautifully modern hotel situated in a great part of the city, close to main attractions, shops and luckily for me, restaurants. Although to be fair, there are so many restaurants in the city you are spoilt for choice.

There are some great Victorian buildings nearby, so you get to see the historic area of Glasgow as well as the more modern and refurbished side of it too.

The check-in was seamless and it wasnt long before we were up in our rooms to relieve ourselves of the baggage.

We stayed in an executive room and they have everything you could want for your stay, with plenty of room as well.

After getting settled we managed to drag ourselves away from the hotel room and made our first stop an a restaurant  La Lanterna on Hope Street.

La Laterna in Glasgow

You go downstairs and suddenly it is like you have been transported to Italy to the most beautiful restaurant, full of hustle and bustle (it must be really good to attract those numbers even at lunchtime), with wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen.

We were quickly led to our table and given the menus, which offer an impressive choice. Before I had even made my choice I was getting food envy watching some of the dishes coming out to diners  which made it even harder to choose what I wanted to eat. There is excellent choice, even in the starter menu, and after some deliberation I chose the calamari friti, a crispy fried calamari which comes with a garlic mayonnaise.

This was so tasty  the batter was lovely and light, while the squid itself was perfect. It wasnt long before this was gobbled up and my road to gluttony had started.

After that it was time for the mains. Again, all the meals looked so good but I eventually settled on lasagne al forno. Upon seeing my dish I was delighted with my choice and the first bite confirmed I had made the right choice (to be honest, I dont think there was a wrong one). It was piping hot, straight from the kitchen and the flavours were jumping out of it.

Some of the food in Ardnamurchan restaurant in Glasgow

After a delicious starter and main, I really should have left it at that but greed was getting the better of me so decided to go for a dessert.

My waistline may have regretted it but I certainly didnt; the strawberry cheesecake was so good  light with beautifully sweet flavours emanating from every bite.

With the first meal done, the bar was set incredibly high. The service was superb, the setting fantastic and the food was some of the best you will taste.

After the meal it was time to get a look around the city with the help of City Sightseeing Glasgow.

This is a good way to cover the main sites in the city. It ran like clockwork and was very informative, delving into the history of Glasgow.

It seemed like no time at all when it was dinner time  my stomach was saying I was still full from lunch but I was looking to do Robert Hall proud when I made a visit to Ardnamurchan restaurant, which is also based in Hope Street.

Glasgow's City Sightseeing bus

It is right opposite the Theatre Royal Glasgow, so the perfect place for a pre-show meal.

Again, this was a busy venue but the service was fantastic. We were quickly led to our seats with menus handed over, ready for action.

I chose the 45 day dry-hung Speyside 7oz fillet steak which came with skinny fries and a choice of sauce; I went for pepper.

It seemed in no time at all I was presented with a beautiful piece of meat.

Believe me, it tasted as good as it looked. It was one of the best pieces of meat I have tasted in a while, wonderfully soft and full of flavour.

After polishing that off we were offered the dessert menu and as much as I wanted to, the seams in my trousers were screaming no and I had to decline.

Following this wonderful meal it was time to walk it off with a trip to GlasGLOW at Botanic Gardens, which had been brilliantly lit up for Halloween with 10 distinct realms including a House of Mirrors and Clown Town.

GLASGLOW at Halloween

It was a great experience to walk through the beautiful gardens that were transformed for Halloween, with hot chocolates and marshmallows really making it a Halloween to remember.

It is tiring business all this walking (especially after gorging on beautiful food) so it was time for a less than well-earned rest back at the Novotel.

After sleeping like a well-fed baby it was time for breakfast and the Novotel serves a wonderful buffet which caters for all tastes; there is everything under the sun to get you going for the day.

After breakfast it was time for some shopping so we went to several shopping districts, all in close proximity to the hotel  Buchanan Galleries, St Enoch Centre, Princes Square and the Arygll arcade. The city was full of people and there is a very lively atmosphere in the town centre  the Glaswegians are very welcoming people.

Before I knew it, the hunger pangs were kicking in again and it was time for another meal. This time we went to Romanos, a cosy Italian American style eatery. Here you will find favourite dishes from Italy and America.

Inspired by the place, I decided to have one from each for starter and main courses. I went for loaded fries for the starter (America) and penne arrabbiata (Italy) for the main.

Romano's in Glasgow

The skinny fries were topped with white and yellow cheddar, Romanos sauce, jalapeno, fried onion and crispy bacon. It was a tasty dish which got me warmed up nicely for my main.

The penne arrabbiata was lovely, with a nice kick off it thanks to the spicy sauce and chilli peppers.

After the meal it was back to the hotel to get ready for our last night in Glasgow.

After bidding farewell to the wonderful staff at the Novotel the next day it was on to the final meal before heading to the airport.

This one was enjoyed at Sannio Italian Restaurant & Bar on Elmbank Street.

As you walk down the stairs and enter the restaurant, you will be struck by the brilliant, bright colours the decor in pink, red and green.

It is a beautiful spot that is designed to perfection.

The staff were great, and we were led to the table and presented with our menus in double quick time.

Sannio restaurant in Glasgow

For the starters I went for bruschetta di Parma, which comes with cherry tomato, Parma ham, olive oil and basil. This was a good choice to start the meal; the Parma ham was tasty and light and the tomatoes were beautifully fresh.

For the main I chose the pizza campana, which was made with spicy Italian sausage and red onion.

This was a beautifully made pizza and it had the right amount of spice to give it a really nice kick.

After finishing off this delightful meal it was time to head on and make our way to the airport.

We had a wonderful stay in Glasgow. The hotel was perfect and the food was top notch. Ive eyed up several eateries for my return visit, including Sloans Bar & Restaurant which looked like it would do a hearty meal.

But it was time to go back home and work off all that food  unfortunately we cant all be Robert Hall.
It doesnt matter if theyre on snow or carpet, they adapt so well: Team Ireland on cloud nine after more skiing medals at Special Olympics
Minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls Jess Phillips (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

The Home Secretary has defended Jess Phillips as a fearless and formidable advocate for sexual abuse victims after Elon Musk criticised the safeguarding minister.

The billionaire X owner suggested Ms Phillips deserves to be in prison for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.

Ms Phillips said in a letter to the local council that Oldham must follow in the footsteps of other towns such as Rotherham and Telford and commission its own inquiry into historical abuse of children.

Mr Musk also attacked Sir Keir Starmer, saying the Prime Minister failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Ms Phillips had campaigned tirelessly on behalf of those that had been failed by institutions.

Jess Phillips has dedicated her career to tackling sexual violence and abuse and to being a voice for victims and survivors of the most terrible crimes, including child sexual abuse, she said.

From setting up the first ever child sexual exploitation service in the Black Country and supporting survivors in Telford, Jess has been a fearless and formidable advocate for victims and survivors.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (front left) and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips (back right) with counsellor and campaigner Nour Norris (back left) during a visit to meet 999 control handlers at Kent Police (Gareth Fuller/PA)

She has worked with whistleblowers and campaigned tirelessly for justice for those badly let down by endemic institutional failure.

As a Home Office minister, Ms Phillips has put the experience of grooming and trafficking victims at the heart of the departments work on modern slavery and launched a national scheme so police and staff work together to spot when hotels are used as a site of child sexual exploitation, Ms Cooper said.

Ms Cooper said the Birmingham Yardley MP would keep working on implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, which published its final report in 2022.

Led by Professor Alexis Jay, the inquiry looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol.

Last year, Ms Phillips described X, formerly Twitter, as a place of misery and said she planned to use the site less.

Its owner Mr Musk, a key member of US President-elect Donald Trumps inner circle, shared and reacted to a series of tweets relating to grooming in the UK earlier this week.

Elon Musk said Sir Keir Starmer failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions between 2008 and 2013 (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

The Tesla boss described the Prime Minister as two-tier Keir, claiming there was no justice for severe, violent crimes but prison for social media posts in the UK.

He also said Sir Keir failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013.

Senior Tories including Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch have since sought to put pressure on the Government over grooming gangs.

In 2022, the then-Conservative government also refused a request for a public inquiry into events in Oldham.

Mrs Badenoch repeated her call for an inquiry in the Mail on Sunday, saying some action was taken under the previous Tory government, but not enough.

We still need to know the extent to which institutions such as the police, local government and social services are compromised by political correctness, and even self interest, she wrote.

Only then can we have any hope of preventing this scale of abuse from happening again.

We have failed to get to the bottom of how national-scale child sexual abuse happens, for fear of causing offence.

Reform UK said on Saturday it would launch a national inquiry into grooming gangs if elected.

Chairman Zia Yusuf told supporters at a conference in Chelmsford, Essex, that his party would launch an independent inquiry that would leave no stone unturned.

Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf speaking during the Reform UK east of England conference at Chelmsford City Racecourse (Yui Mok/PA)

Party leader Nigel Farage said a full, open, national inquiry was needed, so that everyone in the country knows the truth and understands that mass open-door immigration without assimilation is a complete cultural disaster for our country.

Whistleblower Maggie Oliver, a former detective who resigned from Greater Manchester Police in 2012, said Sir Keir is perhaps as guilty as anyone over the failure to bring about change but added that she believed those who pop up when this hits the headlines would not do so either.

Ms Oliver said on X that inquiries into what happened have led absolutely nowhere and wasted millions of pounds, adding that those leading them have always wanted to cover up the truth.

She went on: I firmly believe we need totally independent people who will ensure its not just another attempt to delay and hide the truth. Radical change and overhaul of all our public bodies.

Bring in criminal accountability for all our senior police and public officials who have turned a blind eye.

Former detective Maggie Oliver posted the comments on social media (Danny Lawson/PA)

She said she felt the Conservatives and Labour were equally to blame and that Sir Keir as former DPP is perhaps as guilty as anyone I know in where we find ourselves today.

We all know whats going on but I dont trust a single one of those who to date have been entrusted with keeping our children safe and prosecuting serial rapists. Theyve failed. Repeatedly. Knowingly. Criminally.

Whistleblower Sara Rowbotham, co-ordinator of the crisis intervention team set up to support young people in Rochdale, expressed frustration at Mr Musks posts about the scandal on X, which he owns.

She told The Guardian: What is (Musks) motivation for interfering? It seems very political.

The person he is trying to go after is Keir Starmer  it is a political swipe that is nothing to do with the women and girls who have been abused time after time.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse described the sexual abuse of children as an epidemic that leaves tens of thousands of victims in its poisonous wake.

In November last year, Prof Jay said she felt frustrated that none of the probes 20 recommendations had been implemented more than two years after its conclusion.

The Labour Party and Number 10 have been approached for comment.
Armys 4.5m compo bill for victims loved ones as Lord Empey raises concerns of one-sided justice

Peer wants system to work for all families not just State-related murders after figures revealed for last five years

The Army on patrol in Northern Ireland in 1997

Christopher Woodhouse Sat 4 Jan 2025 at 15:32







The Ministry of Defence has paid out more than 4.5million in compensation in the last five years to relatives of those shot dead by the Army during the Troubles.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
Chinese medical team provides free cataract surgery in Ethiopia

Xinhua) 11:23, January 04, 2025

Chinese doctors and an Ethiopian doctor conduct a cataract surgery at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Jan. 2, 2025. (Tianjin Eye Hospital/Handout via Xinhua)

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese medical team from Tianjin Eye Hospital on Friday officially launched a free cataract surgery campaign at Tirunesh Beijing Hospital in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.

Under the name of China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey, the Chinese medical team consisting of 10 senior ophthalmologists and nurses is set to conduct cataract surgery for more than 500 eye patients, with 80 of them having already enjoyed successful operations as of Friday.

Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Chen Hai said at the launch event that as part of the Chinese government's plan, Tianjin Eye Hospital has sent the best expert team with advanced medical equipment and technology to bring light and hope back to Ethiopian patients.

"The 'Bright Journey' project vividly shows our all-weather strategic partnership and traditional friendship. This project will help hundreds of Ethiopian cataract patients regain their sight," Chen said.

The team donated medical equipment to the hospital, which is also known as the Ethiopia-China Friendship Hospital, where Chinese and Ethiopian doctors treat patients shoulder to shoulder and share technical knowledge and experiences.

Ethiopian Minister of Health Mekdes Daba said that the China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey has a meaningful role in advancing the shared vision of China and Ethiopia by addressing not only visual impairment but also community needs in general.

"By providing cataract surgery, we will be making a tangible difference in improving eye surgery in Ethiopia," Daba said, noting that the government of Ethiopia values the campaign which aligns with the health policies in Ethiopia and manifests expanding partnership and shared vision between the two countries.

President of the Tianjin Eye Hospital Zhang Wei, who is also the leader of the Chinese medical team, said the campaign is not only a continuation of China-Ethiopia friendship but also another milestone the countries are witnessing.

"We are willing to dedicate our surgical skills to the Ethiopian people and jointly write a beautiful chapter of the China-Ethiopia friendship. I hope this project will bring light to the patients in Ethiopia and inject new vitality and good expectations into the development of China-Ethiopia friendship," Zhang said.

This round of China-Ethiopia Brightness Journey is expected to help more than 500 cataract patients regain their sight. The team has so far managed to restore the sights of 80 eye patients since it began surgical procedures a week ago.

"I was able to see when the eye patch was removed. I felt like I was born again. Now, I can see as I did during my younger age. I am very grateful to those who gave my sight back," Mohammod Hassen, one of the beneficiaries of the campaign, told Xinhua in an interview. The 65-year-old man received the surgery Thursday on his left eye after 10 years of visual impairment.

According to data obtained from the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, more than 5.4 million Ethiopians are affected by different eye disorders, of whom half are facing cataract blindness.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
Met Eireann has warned of "significant snow" ahead of a "multi-weather hazard event" in the coming days with lows of minus 5 degrees forecast.

A status orange snow and rain warning will be in place for counties Cork, Kerry and Waterford from 5pm on Saturday until 5pm on Sunday.

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In the same time period, there will be a status orange snow and ice warning for counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary.

There is also a status yellow rain warning in place for Cork, Kerry and Waterford from 1pm on Saturday until 5pm on Sunday.

Another status yellow warning, for snow and ice, comes into effect at 5pm for counties Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath and all of Connacht. This warning expires at 5pm on Sunday.

A status yellow rain and snow warning is in place for Wexford, coming into effect from 5pm and also for 24 hours.

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A UK Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice will be in place for counties Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone from 9pm on Saturday until 6pm on Sunday.

On Saturday, the national forecaster said rain will extend northwards over the country, turning to sleet and snow through the afternoon and evening.

There will be overnight rain, sleet and snow, with more in the way of rain and sleet in eastern and southern coastal areas, but there will be some snowfall at times.

Sunday is due to bring "significant accumulations of snow in some regions".

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The midlands and southwest of the country are most likely to see snow, according to Met Eireann.

Deer in a frosty Phoenix Park in Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Images

Temperatures are due to drop further on Sunday night, falling to as low as minus 5 degrees.

Meanwhile, Monday is forecast to be "bitterly cold".

Met Eireann said: "Bitterly cold on Monday with widespread frost and lying snow. There'll be sunshine and scattered wintry showers, the wintry showers mainly confined to western and northern regions. Top temperatures generally ranging from zero to +3 degrees but staying below freezing over snow-fields.

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"Clear spells and scattered sleet and snow showers on Monday night, the showers most frequent in the west and north. Widespread frost and ice with lowest temperatures of -5 to zero degrees in moderate west to northwest winds."

Taoiseach Simon Harris has urged people to heed advice from authorities.

Ireland Met Eireann warn of 'multi-hazard weather event' o... Read More

"The request is to not just think about what the weather is like in the destination you're setting out from, but actually think about what it might be like in the destination you're travelling to... so please, please follow any advice that may be issued in the coming hours.

"Please proceed with extreme caution, because we are expecting very, very dangerous travelling conditions."

Mr Harris said the Cold Weather Emergency Plan for rough sleepers has been activated as temperatures plunge across the country.
A commemorative statue of composer and musician Rory Gallagher has been unveiled in Belfast, honouring his life, music and connection to the city.

The life-sized statue of Gallagher is located outside Ulster Hall, a venue he played regularly.

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The statue was crafted by sculptors Anto Brennan, Jessica Checkley of Bronze Art Ireland and David OBrien of Bronze Art Ireland.

It is inspired by a January 1972 Melody Maker magazine cover shot of Gallagher onstage at Ulster Hall.

Born in Ballyshannon and raised in Cork, Gallagher moved in 1967 to Belfast, a city that would become a cornerstone of his musical journey.

(l to r) Chris McCracken, managing director of the Linen Quarter BID, Lord Mayor of Belfast councillor Micky Murray, Eoin Gallagher, nephew of Rory Gallagher, Lord Mayor of Cork City councillor Dan Boyle and Daniel Gallagher, nephew of Rory Gallagher, at the unveiling of the statue in Belfast (Navigator Blue/PA)

It was here that Taste, his first blues-rock trio, played clubs such as Sammy Hustons, The Maritime and Club Rado.

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The final Taste concert, featuring John Wilson and Richard McCracken, was at Queens University in 1970.

At the start of Gallaghers solo career, he formed a new band with drummer Wilgar Campbell and bassist Gerry McAvoy.

Later, he would bring on Lou Martin and Brendan ONeill, Belfast musicians, who helped to shape his career.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Gallaghers passing.

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Renowned for his soulful playing, dynamic performances and dedication to his craft, Gallagher established himself as a trailblazer in Irish rock music.

Over the course of his career, he toured around the world constantly, selling millions of records in the process.

Donal Gallagher, Rorys brother and manager, said: Its fitting that the city he loved so much is where his legacy will be celebrated for generations to come.

Belfast wasnt just a place he performed, it was a city that shaped his musical journey and welcomed him like one of its own.

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From the early days when he played here, it became a second home, a source of inspiration, and a springboard to international success.

The Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust has been instrumental in the initiative, working in collaboration with Ulster Hall and Belfast City Council, and with sponsorship from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Northern Ireland Executive; ICC Belfast; LQ BID; Girvan Architecture Services; Aiken Promotions, Strange Music; and Pipelife Ireland.

Frank Girvan, member of the Rory Gallagher Statue Project Trust, said: It has been many years in the making and we are incredibly grateful for the support weve received from fans, fellow musicians and all those who continue to show their commitment to keeping Rorys legacy alive.

From fundraising to performances, weve organised numerous initiatives, including the unveiling today in Belfast, to ensure that Rorys contributions to music are never forgotten.

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We hope more people will join us in these efforts as we continue to celebrate the music and spirit of a man who changed so many lives.

Iain Bell, acting chief executive of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Limited, the operators of Ulster Hall, said: Ulster Hall has hosted countless legendary performances yet Rory Gallaghers connection to this iconic venue is unmatched.

This statue is not just about celebrating Rorys career; it also reaffirms Belfasts status as a cultural hub. It highlights the citys vibrant musical heritage and its importance as a destination for music lovers worldwide.

Lord Mayor of Belfast councillor Micky Murray said: Today, we honour the incredible legacy of Rory Gallagher, a true musical icon who continues to inspire generations.

This statue stands as a testament to his enduring impact, not only on the world of music, but on the cultural fabric of Belfast.

It is fitting to have the statue here at the Ulster Hall where some of his most memorable performances took place and, as a Unesco City of Music, Belfast is proud to celebrate Rorys talent, creativity and the joy he brought to so many through his music.
A Tipperary man shot dead in Kansas City last year was always there to support his family when they needed him, mourners at his memorial mass heard.

Shaun Brady (44) who was originally from Nenagh, was killed in an altercation outside his restaurant Brady and Fox in Kansas City, Missouri on August 28th 2024. Mr Brady was a co-owner and chef of the Irish restaurant.

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The father-of-two was reportedly shot as he intervened in a suspected robbery.

Mr Brady, who was bringing rubbish bags out from his restaurant, sustained multiple gunshot wounds close to his restaurant after he confronted several people who were attempting to steal a car.

Damien Brady, a brother of the talented chef, summed up what Mr Brady meant to everyone in his family and community at his midday memorial service at Saint Marys of the Rosary Church in Nenagh.

He said that Shaun Paul was tragically taken before his time.

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Shaun Paul was a loving husband to Katie. A doting father to Seamus and Mary and cherished son to our mother Mary. Although Shaun Paul was the middle child in our family he was our big brother. He was always there to support us when we needed him, Mr Brady continued.

"He was a funny uncle to all of his nieces and nephews and a dear friend to so many. Shaun Paul led a full life. He relentlessly pursued his passion to become the talented chef he was.

Cheffing

He explained that the family and his brother knew from such a young age that this (chef) was his vocation.

He wanted to do Home Economics in school so he fought to get into the girls secondary school Home Ec classes. He would leave the brothers a few classes a week to go to an all girls school and do a class that was typically not taught to boys. Shaun Paul was in his element.

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To be that age and to know that cheffing was going to be his career and to be brave enough and stubborn enough to follow it and not be told no. Shaun Paul had a drive and a determination to succeed. A role model to us all.

Shaun Paul had built a wonderful life for himself in Kansas. He had become a treasured part of the community. (He) was so proud to call Nenagh his home. He never forgot where he came from.

Damien highlighted that his brother will be greatly missed by so many.

We are all heartbroken by his loss. He has left us with so many precious memories. We will grieve all the stolen chances to make new memories with Shaun Paul but we will treasure the ones we were lucky enough to have.

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A black and white photograph of Mr Brady was placed on a table by the altar surrounded by floral wreaths of white roses, lilies and carnations.

Symbols of Mr Bradys life were brought to the altar, including a Tipperary jersey with those gathered in the church hearing he was very proud of his county and his home town and his Irish heritage, a Kansas City shirt as he was very active in the community, his cap which became histrademark of his Irishness, and his chefs uniform - which represented his passion and skill for cooking.

Chief celebrant Fr Pat Gilbert told mourners that Shaun Paul was a man of enormous generosity, family and devotion especially to his family.

'A family man'

Fr Gilbert said that the legacy of Shaun Paul was that he lived his life with love, kindness and compassion.

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Shaun Paul was above all a family man. He was the loving husband of Katie and the doting father of Seamus and Mary. I believe fatherhood was his greatest joy and he embraced it with all his heart, he explained.

We know your hearts are shattered but we pray you find strength in the love and the memories you shared with Shaun Paul.

Mourners heard that Mr Brady was a man of immense generosity, kindness and compassion who gave freely of himself to others whether through a listening ear, a helping hand or the meals he passionately prepared".

Fr Gilbert highlighted in his homily that the Tipperary mans love for cooking was not merely about food. It was a vocation. It was about bringing people together, creating joy and sharing a piece of his soul with everyone who tasted his creations.

World US prepares for former president Jimmy Carters fu... Read More

He brought a piece of Ireland with him to America and his restaurant became a haven for the Irish community in Kansas adorned with symbols of his homeland. It was a gathering place where people felt connected, celebrated and comforted."

Mr Brady was laid to rest at Lisbunny cemetery in his native Nenagh.

Last month the Jackson County Family Court had dropped all charges against one of two teens arrested in August last in connection with the fatal shooting.

The teen, who spent three months in juvenile custody, was released without charge.
A British man has been confirmed as one of those killed in a New Years Day vehicle attack in New Orleans.

Metropolitan Police confirmed they were supporting the family of Edward Pettifer, 31, of Chelsea, who was killed in the attack in Bourbon Street.

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Authorities have confirmed at least 14 people died and at least 35 others were injured when the suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, allegedly ploughed a pick-up truck through crowds of New Years revellers.

The 42-year-old Texan allegedly got out of out of the vehicle and fired a gun before being shot by police.

Mr Pettifers family said in a statement: The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.

We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack.

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We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you.

The New Orleans coroner gave Mr Pettifers preliminary cause of death as blunt force injuries.

Flowers lie next to candles at a memorial for the victims of the attack (Gerald Herbert/AP)

Met Police said family liaison officers are supporting Mr Pettifers family and helping them through the process of returning his body to the UK.

The UK Foreign Office also said it was supporting the victims family and was in contact with US authorities.

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Our hearts and prayers continue to go out to the victims families, she said.

The attack took place in the citys popular French Quarter at around 3.15am local time on New Years Day.

The New Orleans coroner said one of those killed remains unidentified with the others coming from the US, the youngest aged 18 and the oldest 63.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said at a press conference the victims and their families matter to the entire city.

It is believed the suspect acted alone.

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The FBI confirmed an Islamic State flag was found inside the vehicle and explosive devices were found nearby

Explained What is Islamic State, the group implicated in the... Read More

Earlier this week, US president Joe Biden said the attacker posted a video which indicated he was inspired by the so-called Islamic State group.

Condemnation of the terrorist incident came from countries including Britain, France, Germany and Mexico, UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer saying on Wednesday: The shockingly violent attack in New Orleans is horrific. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, the emergency responders and the people of the United States at this tragic time.

UK foreign secretary David Lammy said consular officials in the US would be on hand to help any British nationals affected.
Israeli air strikes have killed at least 21 people, including at least two children, on Saturday in southern Gaza, hospital staff said.

The fresh bombardment came as new ceasefire talks were said to be under way in Qatar.

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The three Israeli air strikes hit a car, a house and people on the street in the city of Khan Younis, according to staff at Nasser Hospital.



Tens of thousands of Palestinians have died (AP)

There was no immediate comment from Israels military.

Gazas health ministry said at least 59 people have been killed and more than 270 injured by strikes in the past 24 hours.

There were no immediate statements on the indirect negotiations in Qatars capital, Doha, towards a ceasefire after nearly 15 months of war.

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On Friday, the Hamas militant group said talks had resumed and added that it was committed to reaching an agreement. It warned against misinformation, which it said can undermine public confidence.

The talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to press on in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed.





The clock is ticking for a possible ban on UNRWA to deliver essential services for millions of #PalestineRefugees in #Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.



Our @JulietteTouma tells to @RTE that the UN is not planning to replace UNRWA. What needs to happen is for pic.twitter.com/0caZfBC0oQ  UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 4, 2025

Fighters with Hamas, which wants Israeli forces out of Gaza completely, continue to regroup in areas where Israeli forces withdraw.

The war is by far the deadliest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas. It began when Hamas and other militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250.

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About 100 hostages are still in Gaza, with at least a third of these believed to be dead. Families of hostages and others have rallied weekly for months to press Mr Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal that would bring loved ones home.

In a video released by Hamas on Saturday ahead of the latest weekly rally, Israeli soldier and hostage Liri Elbag, speaking under duress, expressed anguish over her situation and mentioned being held for 450 days.

Today is the beginning of a new year; the whole world is celebrating. Only we are entering a dark year, a year of loneliness, she said.

She also said a fellow captive had been injured by the fighting in Gaza, adding, We are living in an extremely terrifying nightmare. She did not name the person injured.

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Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 45,717 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territorys Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half the dead. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

The ministry says other, uncounted bodies remain beneath rubble or in areas where emergency responders cannot reach.





The rules of war are clear:



Humanitarian workers & civilian infrastructure including hospitals & UN buildings are not a target.



Hostage taking is prohibited.



The civilian population must be assisted & protected at all times.



@UNLAzzarini on #Gaza#CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/ruxfQx8lTw  UNRWA (@UNRWA) January 3, 2025

Israels military says it only targets militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths because its fighters operate in dense residential areas. The army says it has killed 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has caused widespread destruction and displaced about 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million, many of them multiple times. Winter has now arrived, and hundreds of thousands are sheltering in tents near the sea. A small number of children have died from exposure to the cold.

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Meanwhile, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, relatives mourned an 18-year-old Palestinian who the Palestinian Health Ministry said was killed Friday during clashes with Israels army in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus. The ministry said nine other people were injured.

Palestinian health officials have said Israeli raids throughout the West Bank since October 7 2023, have killed more than 800 Palestinians. Israel says most of these are militants, but youths throwing stones and people not involved in confrontations have also been killed.

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for over a month, although its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon 60-day deadline. Israel and Hezbollah had exchanged fire almost daily since the war in Gaza began.
Jimmy Carters long public goodbye began on Saturday in south Georgia, where the 39th US presidents life began more than 100 years ago.

A motorcade with his flag-draped coffin began at the Phoebe Sumter Medical Centre in Americus, where former Secret Service agents who protected him served as pallbearers and walked alongside the hearse as it left the campus.

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A mournful train whistle filled the clear air as the pallbearers turned to face the hearse for a final goodbye, their hands on their hearts.

The Carter family, including the former presidents four children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, are accompanying their patriarch in a procession that will take his remains through his beloved home town of Plains and past his boyhood home on its way to Atlanta.

Mr Carter died at his home in Plains on December 29 at the age of 100.



Jimmy Carter will be buried near his home, next to Rosalynn Carter (David Goldman/AP)

Families lined the procession route in central Plains, near the historic train depot where Mr Carter had his presidential campaign headquarters.

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Some carried bouquets of flowers or wore commemorative pins bearing Mr Carters photo.

We want to pay our respects, said Will Porter Shelbrock, 12, who was born more than three decades after Mr Carter left the White House in 1981.

He was ahead of his time on what he tried to do and tried to accomplish.

It was his idea to make the trip to Plains from Gainesville, Florida, with his grandmother, Susan Cone, 66, so they could witness the start of Mr Carters final journey.

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Former and current US Secret Service agents walk with the hearse (Alex Brandon/AP)

He said he admired Mr Carter for his humanitarian work building houses and waging peace, and for installing solar panels on the White House.

Mr Carter and his late wife Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, were born in Plains and lived most of their lives in and around the town, apart from Mr Carters navy career and his terms as Georgia governor and president.

The procession will stop in front of Mr Carters boyhood home on his family farm just outside Plains.

The National Park Service will ring the old farm bell 39 times to honour his place as the 39th president.

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Mr Carters remains then will proceed to Atlanta for a moment of silence in front of the Georgia Capitol and a ceremony at the Carter Presidential Centre.

He will remain there until Tuesday, when he will be transported to Washington to lie in state at the US Capitol.

His state funeral begins on Thursday at 10am at Washington National Cathedral, followed by a return to Plains for an invitation-only funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church.

He will be buried near his home, next to Rosalynn Carter.
Myanmars military government has released more than 6,000 prisoners and reduced other inmates sentences as part of a mass amnesty marking the 77th anniversary of independence from Britain.

The freed inmates included just a small proportion of hundreds of political detainees locked up for opposing army rule since the military seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

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That takeover was met with massive non-violent resistance, which has since become a widespread armed struggle.



The prisoners left Insein Prison (AP)

State-run MRTV television reported that Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military government, granted amnesties covering 5,864 prisoners from Myanmar, as well as 180 foreigners who will be deported.

Mass prisoner releases are common on holidays and other significant occasions in Myanmar.

The terms of release warn that if the freed detainees violate the law again, they will have to serve the remainder of their original sentences in addition to any new punishment.

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A separate report said Gen Min Aung Hlaing had commuted the life sentences of 144 prisoners to 15 years imprisonment.

The report also said that all other prisoners will have their sentences reduced by a sixth, except those convicted under the Explosive Substances Act, the Unlawful Associations Act, the Arms Act and the Counter-terrorism Law  all laws which are often used against opponents of military rule.

Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for the military government, told journalists that those being released included about 600 prisoners who were prosecuted under Section 505(A) of Myanmars penal code, which makes it a crime to spread comments that create public unrest or fear or spread false news.



The military government has released more than 6,000 prisoners and has reduced other inmates sentences as part of a mass amnesty to mark the 77th anniversary of independence from Britain (AP)

He said Khet Aung, a former chief minister of the southern Kachin state, was among those freed. Khet Aung was arrested soon after the army takeover and was sentenced in April 2022 to 12 years in prison on corruption charges.

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The official also said most of the freed foreigners are Thais who were arrested for gambling in the border town of Tachileik in eastern Myanmar. He said Indonesians who were arrested for fishing in Myanmars territorial waters were also among those freed.

He did not mention whether four Thai fishermen, who were arrested by Myanmars navy in late November after patrol boats opened fire on Thai fishing vessels in waters close to their maritime border in the Andaman Sea, were among the released. Thailands Prime Minister had said she expects the four to be released on Independence Day.

Prisoner releases began on Saturday but can take a few days to be completed. In the countrys largest city, Yangon, buses took prisoners out of Insein Prison, where friends and families of detainees had waited since the morning for the announced releases.



It is not clear if the released inmates will include thousands of political prisoners incarcerated after the military took control (AP)

There was no sign that the prisoner release would include Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been held virtually incommunicado by the military since its seizer of power.

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The 79-year-old is serving a 27-year sentence after being convicted of a series of politically tinged prosecutions brought by the military.

Her supporters and independent analysts say the cases against her are an attempt to discredit her and legitimise the militarys seizure of power while keeping her from taking part in the militarys promised election, for which no date has yet been set.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a rights monitoring organisation, 28,096 people have been arrested on political charges since the army takeover.

Of those arrested, 21,499 people were still in detention as of Friday, the AAPP reported. At least 6,106 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says. Its tally does not include all casualties from combat.

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Myanmar became a British colony in the late 19th century and regained its independence on January 4 1948.

In the capital Naypyitaw, Myanmars military government celebrated the anniversary with a flag-raising ceremony at City Hall.
Tommy Robinson is not what we need, Nigel Farage has said, after Elon Musk expressed support for the jailed political activist.

The Reform UK leader described Mr Musk as a hero figure, especially for the youth, ahead of his partys East Midlands Conference in Leicester on Friday evening.

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But he distanced his party from Robinson, who is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court which began in October.

Mr Musk wrote on his social media website X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: Free Tommy Robinson.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has posted about Tommy Robinson on his platform X (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

Asked about the tech billionaires post, Mr Farage told GB News: Hes attacking the leadership of Britain.

Turning to the UK governments handling of child grooming gangs, amid calls for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, the party leader continued: I mean, (Mr Musk is) saying Britain has been terribly badly led and that the grooming scandal, the mass rape scandal which has resurfaced and transcripts of what was said in court have been online  and I recommend you at home dont read them, you wont sleep at night.

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And so, yes, he is attacking the leadership of Britain. Hes very supportive of me. Hes very supportive of the party.

He sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. But of course the truth is Tommy Robinsons in prison not for that, but for contempt of court.

Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK and MP for Boston and Skegness, during the Reform UK East Midlands Conference at the Athena Events Venue in Leicester(Jacob King/PA)

On whether Reform UK would accept support from Robinson  whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon  in the future, Mr Farage replied: Were a political party aiming to win the next general election. Hes not what we need.

The MP for Clacton in Essex added that Mr Musk, who backed Donald Trumps winning campaign in last years US presidential election, is helping us all right.

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Mr Farage said: Its a mixture of things as to how he fought that ground campaign for the Republicans in the key states, seven key states, and that was the task that he picked up, so weve learned a lot from that.

He will help us enormously because hes a hero figure, especially for the youth who really do admire this man and if it comes to him helping us financially, thats fantastic.

On calls for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, Mr Farage said he wanted a full public inquiry with the glare of publicity.

UK home office minister Jess Phillips previously denied requests from Oldham Council to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the borough.

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In a letter to the authority in Greater Manchester, Ms Phillips said she believes it is for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene.

An Oldham Council spokesman previously said: Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge.
Six days of funeral observances for Jimmy Carter are due to begin in Georgia, where the former US president died on December 29 at the age of 100.

The first events reflect Mr Carters climb up the political ladder, from the tiny town of Plains, Georgia, to decades on the global stage as a humanitarian and advocate for democracy.

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The proceedings are scheduled to begin at 10.15am EST (3.15pm GMT) with the Carter family arriving at Phoebe Sumter Medical Centre in Americus.

Former Secret Service agents who protected Mr Carter will serve as pallbearers, walking alongside the hearse as it exits the campus on its way to Plains.





Atlanta stands ready to welcome President Carter and family tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/6gCjOlr4fs  The Carter Center (@CarterCenter) January 3, 2025

James Earl Carter Jr lived more than 80 of his 100 years in and around the town, which still has fewer than 700 people, not much more than when he was born on October 1 1924.

Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton also grew up in rural settings, but Mr Carter stands out for returning and remaining in his birthplace for his long post-presidency.

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The motorcade will move through the centre of Plains, which spans just a few blocks, passing near the girlhood home of first lady Rosalynn Smith Carter, who died in November 2023 at the age of 96, and near where the couple operated the family peanut warehouses.

The route also includes the old train depot that served as Mr Carters 1976 presidential campaign headquarters and the petrol station once run by his younger brother Billy.

The motorcade will then pass by the Methodist church where the Carters married in 1946, and the home where they lived and died. The former president will be buried there alongside Rosalynn.



The former president taught Sunday school class at Maranatha Baptist Church in his hometown (AP)

The Carters built the one-storey house, now surrounded by Secret Service fencing, before his first state Senate campaign in 1962 and lived out their lives there with the exception of four years in the Governors Mansion and four more in the White House.

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After a stop at the Carter family farm and his boyhood home in Archery, outside Plains, the motorcade will head north to Atlanta and will stop at 3pm outside at the Georgia Capitol, where he served as a state senator from 1963 to 1967 and governor from 1971 to 1975.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens will lead a moment of silence. While former governors are honoured with state-run funerals, presidents  even if they served as governors  are memorialised with national rites run by the US federal government.

The motorcade will later arrive at the Carter Presidential Centre, with a private service taking place at 4pm (9pm GMT). The campus includes Mr Carters presidential library and the Carter Centre, established by the former president and first lady in 1982.

From 7pm on Saturday through until 6am on Monday (midnight on Saturday to 11am on Monday GMT), Mr Carters body will lie in repose for the public to pay their respects around the clock.

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The ceremony is expected to include some of The Carter Centres global staff of 3,000, whose work concentrating on international diplomacy and mediation, election monitoring and fighting disease in the developing world continues to set a standard for what former presidents can accomplish.

Mr Carter, who delivered its annual reports until 2019, won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize in part for this post-presidential work. His grandson Jason Carter now chairs the board.



Mr Carter was honoured for his humanitarian work (AP)

The former presidents remains will travel next to Washington, where he will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda until his funeral at 10am on Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral.

President Joe Biden, a Carter ally, will deliver a eulogy.

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The Carter family will then return to bury its patriarch in Plains after a private hometown funeral at 3.45pm (8.45pm GMT) at Maranatha Baptist Church, where Mr Carter, a devout evangelical, taught Sunday School for decades.

Mr Carter will be buried afterward in a private graveside service, in a plot visible from the front porch of his home.
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 Alexandra Brewster shudders when she sees footage in her local Facebook group of jet-skis hooning at Port Melbourne beach close to children and families cooling off in the shallows. To be honest, for our entire family, its very triggering, the 27-year-old said. Almost 13 years ago, Brewsters life changed forever when her father, Robert, was hit by an erratic jet-ski driven by Ivan Maqi, then aged 21, while swimming between piers at Port Melbourne. Maqi had registered his jet-ski that day, and it was his first time riding the watercraft in the open water. Alexandra Brewster lost father Robert when a jet-ski hit him while he was swimming at Port Melbourne in 2012. Credit: Joe Armao The man ran over him and didnt actually know hed even hit him, just kept driving, Brewster recalled. The fishermen were screaming at Maqi that they had hit Dad, who was lifeless in the water. Robert, 51, was in hospital for two days before his family made the call to turn off his life support. Maqi was later sentenced to five years jail.

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Within one minute, your entire life path changes because of someone elses stupidity, you know? Alexandra Brewster said. Its really hard to think about. Dad was in the swimmers-only zone, he was doing the right thing. Another summer means another season of complaints about badly behaved jet-skiers at Melbournes beaches. Robert Brewster in the 1990s with his daughters Alexandra (left) and Georgia. But calls for a major overhaul of regulation in Port Phillip Bay are getting louder from worried locals, councils, lifeguards and the Brewster family. The current marine laws in the bay dictate that jet-skis must operate at least 200 metres out from the shoreline, and while travelling through the 200-metre zone they must slow to five knots. Jet-skis can be 300 horsepower and reach speeds of 100km/h. But as the weather heats up, hair-raising videos are circulating on social media of recent close encounters between swimmers and jet-ski users close to shore.

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Sandridge Beach lifesaver David Hysen has been writing to the state government for two years begging for intervention. He said it was falling to volunteers like him to try to keep jet-skis away from swimmers  even though lifesavers have no authority to issue fines or ask for licences  and jet-ski watching was absorbing time for patrol shifts. The lifesaver radio traffic from Elwood to Altona and Williamstown is 50 per cent just about jet-skis, Hysen said. Thats all you hear every weekend. You ask any club  theyre a pain in the arse. The only people who enjoy it are the riders. Hysen said that in early December he saw a marine patrol boat stop a jet-ski in the 200-metre exclusion zone to speak to the rider for 15 minutes. Im not sure what happened, but only 10 minutes later after the authorities went, the same jet-ski sped through the flagged area again, he said.

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I also think the attitude is if you buy one you can let all your mates ride it  Im sure half the people on them dont have licence. Its a similar story at nearby St Kilda, where lifesaver Tim Norman said he spent most of a recent patrol shift in a rescue boat guarding against jet-skis. Jet-skiers at Port Melbourne on Friday. Credit: Justin McManus What happens every year is we get a new crop of people who have limited experience, may or may not have a jet-ski licence and do not seem to be familiar with the rules of separation, he said. Norman was also concerned by groups of jet-skis hunting in packs close together when the law states they should be 50 metres away from one another. And further down the bay at Mordialloc beach, volunteer lifesaver Lisa Ferguson said she was given the middle finger by a jet-skier whom she had told to move out of the swimming zone. Shes also seen riders intentionally wash paddleboarders off their boards in the Patterson River. [But] we do have some amazing riders who come in slowly through the five-knot zone correctly  they just putt-putt and then float in, she said. They can be used safely.

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Safe Transport Victoria, the government agency that oversees maritime safety, said there were 28,000 registered jet-skis in Victoria and that over the past five years more than 2700 fines were issued to riders. But the agency could not provide data on the annual number of crash incidents. The behaviour of jet-skiers is a concern for Melbournes bayside councils and community groups. Credit: Justin McManus The state opposition has called for more resourcing to water police, blames the Allan government for being unable to manage jet-ski complaints and has launched a parliamentary petition for greater action. If you keep getting away with something, you keep doing it, said Opposition Leader Brad Battin. Victoria Police said some of the jet-ski behaviour officers had witnessed recently was frankly appalling. Police will escalate patrols over the coming summer months. Jet-skis are not harmless toys  they are high-powered vessels which have the potential to cause lifelong harm if in the wrong hands, said Acting Inspector Louis Du Plessis, of the water police and search and rescue squads.

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The federal government is yet to honour its own commitment to reform laws that limit foreign governments from meddling with Australian society, almost a year after a review found current legislation had abjectly failed.

The Coalition has criticised Labors sluggish response in reforming foreign influence legislation, despite the government promising in June that it would do so.

The Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme (FITS), introduced with much fanfare by the Turnbull government in 2018 amid heightened concern about covert activity linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), requires individuals and entities to register activities undertaken in Australia on behalf of a foreign principal for the purpose of political or governmental influence.

Opposition home affairs spokesperson James Paterson. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

The schemes latest annual report published in December reveals a drop in registered Chinese companies from 55 in 2022-23 to 37 in 2023-24, after a powerful parliamentary committee found in March that enforcement activity has focused almost exclusively on China with little success.
Despite the cost-of-living crisis, overseas travel bounced back in 2024 with the number of international trips taken by Australian residents surpassing pre-pandemic levels for the first time.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, Australian residents took 11.4 million trips in the 12 months to October 2024 (the most recent month for which figures are available), roughly 150,000 more trips than for the same period in 2019.

The Shinjuku district in Tokyo. Australians flocked to Japan in record numbers in 2024. Credit: iStock

But while some destinations experienced record visitation from Australians, other spots still lagged the numbers they received before the pandemic.

Our love affair with Japan continued to blossom, helped by a weak yen, with a record 765,000 visitors heading to the Land of the Rising Sun, up more than 50 per cent on pre-pandemic levels and more than 70 per cent on the same period for 2023, making it the third most-visited country, behind Indonesia and New Zealand.
The people here really struggled to make a school, and North Korea helped a lot. The community is very thankful for that. Thats why we preserve the pictures, so we dont forget how they helped us, he says. The schools core purpose, he says, is to foster Korean identity through teaching language, history and culture. But he concedes that the criticisms of the North Korean regimes human rights violations, which include claims of torture and forced labour camps made by credible international organisations, are not taught to students. Kim Gui Dong, the school principal, in his office. Portraits of former North Korean dictators Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il are on the wall. Credit: Christopher Jue Its very true that in here you only learn about the good things. But the thing is that once you go out of this school, the Japanese media and others would tell you bad stories about North Korea, he says, adding the school encourages students to form their own independent views on these issues. Year 12 student Kim Jhanggui,17, says the school has helped him learn about my country, and what it means to be Korean.

Hes a great person, he says, when asked about the portraits of Kim Il-sung that preside over his classroom studies. Loading The Aichi school is one of 10 pro-North Korean high schools across Japan, often referred to as Chosen schools. They are affiliated with an organisation called Chongryon, a once-powerful and wealthy group established in 1955 to serve as a de facto embassy of North Korea in Japan, which channelled funds from the regime to set up schools in Japan in the postwar era. At its peak, Chongryon was the dominant Korean representative body in Japan, and had more than 160 affiliated schools and 500,000 members, many of them descendants of Korean forced labourers conscripted by Japan during World War II. As support for the North Korean regime has declined over the decades, Chongryons influence has diminished among the Korean diaspora population today, with its membership at about 70,000. Today, most Korean children attend Japanese schools, and their families are more likely to identify with the South Korean-aligned organisation, called Mindan.

The remaining Chongryon schools face an increasingly precarious financial situation after the Japanese government cut financial aid in 2010, excluding the schools from a tuition fee waiver program that gave students access to free high school education, saying the schools curriculums were unduly influenced by North Korean ideology. The schools and their supporters argue this decision is a continuation of Japans oppression of Korean ethnic culture. Critics claimed that directing public funds to the schools was servicing the propaganda aims of the dictatorial Kim regime. The Japanese department of education did not respond to a request for comment. Year 12 students Jo Kyeongfa, (left), 18, and Kim Jhanggui, 17, say the schools education has helped them connect with their Korean identity. Credit: Christopher Jue There are families that send their children to the Korean schools to show political support [to North Korea] but there also are families who want their children to be raised as Korean as it exposes them to different aspects of the culture, says Park-Kim Wooki, from the Human Rights Association for Korean Residents in Japan, which helps co-ordinate protests outside Japanese government office buildings in Tokyo every Friday. Questions about North Korean atrocities are a highly sensitive topic for these Chosen school communities, who have grown wary of speaking with foreign media, and distrust the critical portrayal of North Korea they see in Japanese media.

Year 12 student Jo Kyeongfa, 18, has fond memories of visiting North Korea as a 13-year-old as part of a dance group, and being warmly embraced and welcomed like it was our home country. She is also aware of the reports of bad stories from North Korea, including the famine in the 1990s. I believe that the people there in North Korea have something big that they believe in, and thats why theyre there ... I try to listen to both sides and form my opinion, she says. She also listens to K-pop (music that is banned in North Korea) and feels a cultural connection to the south, where her family is from. Dr Sayaka Chatani, a historian at the National University of Singapore who has extensively researched the Chongryon community, says many members grapple with these competing tensions every day. Their love for North Korean society and people is real. But they can be critical about the leadership, even Kim Jong-un. They can be very frank about these problems once you get to know them, she says.

Loading Regime-sanctioned trips to North Korea, including tours catering to international tourists, are an established feature of the countrys propaganda machine aimed at projecting a tightly controlled positive image to the world. The schools annual excursions to North Korea have also played a key role in fostering a sense of belonging and identity among students, Chatani says. Thats the only place that they do feel like such an intricate and extensive amount of welcome and care. That doesnt happen in South Korea. Hostility within Japanese society towards Chongryon-affiliated schools and communities has intensified over recent decades, fuelled by a rise in Japanese nationalism and the increasing belligerence of the North Korean regime under leader Kim Jong-un, who has ramped up the countrys nuclear program and missile testing.

Tensions were also inflamed after Pyongyang admitted in September 2002 that its agents had abducted 13 Japanese citizens during the 1970s and 1980s, a number Japan believes is understated. This triggered a rise in attacks by Japanese nationalist groups on schools and students. Lawyer Kim Myongae, 37, who was a junior at the Aichi school at the time, says she and her friends were targeted and verbally abused by Japanese men on the way to school. We had some scary moments. They would say things like go back to your country, get out of Japan, she says. Today female students typically avoid wearing their traditional North Korean chima jeogori uniforms to and from school, only changing into them once on school grounds. The children who attend these Chosen schools today are mostly fourth or fifth-generation Koreans born in Japan, most of whom trace their family roots to South Korea, but have developed a sense of the north as the fatherland.

It is one of the many complexities that can confound those trying to understand the Chosen schools enduring connection and loyalty to North Korea even as it has become a pariah state, accused of human rights abuses and sanctioned by the West for its nuclear weapons program and, more recently, its support for Russias invasion of Ukraine. Kim Myongae, a lawyer and former student at the school, with her son, a student at the primary school. Credit: Christopher Jue Experts trace this connection to a complicated past, rooted in Cold War ideology and the racism and oppression endured by Koreans during the period of Japanese colonisation between 1910 and 1945. This included a crushing of Korean culture through a banning of language, practices and use of Korean names. In the post-war decades, after the Korean peninsula split into the Soviet-aligned north and US-aligned south - a border that was maintained at the end of the Korean War in 1953 - it was the Chongryon and the schools that provided an avenue for disenfranchised and stateless Koreans in Japan to connect with and feel proud about their identity. Their efforts were aided by the fact that the right-wing governments in South Korea, which was dominated by authoritarian and military rule until its transition to democracy in the late 1980s, viewed the Korean diaspora in Japan with suspicion due to the communitys largely left-wing tendencies.

Loading They didnt want to encourage them to return to South Korea at that stage because they thought they would be subversive, and they didnt do anything much about supporting schools during the 60s and 70s, says Dr Tessa Morris-Suzuki, an expert in Japanese and Korean history at the Australian National University. Chatani says the unification of the Korean homeland became the singular most important goal for the community living Japan after the period of US occupation of South Korea from 1945 to 1948. That was seen as another colonisation of their homeland and they had to support an independent regime, which was the Kim Il-sung regime. They always thought that within three years it would be unified, Chatani says. In the decades since, they held on to this dream of unification. But this year Kim Jung-un formally abandoned this goal, a fundamental change in the regimes priorities after seven decades, while denouncing South Korea as the principal enemy. Its a move that has split the Chongryon community and caused significant angst, Chatani says.
New Orleans, Louisiana: The man behind the New Orleans terrorist attack planned to cause more carnage by using a transmitter to detonate explosives he placed on Bourbon Street, and had extra bomb-making material at a nearby Airbnb he set on fire to conceal evidence.

As US President Joe Biden prepares to visit the site of the tragedy on Monday, federal authorities have shed new light on Shamsud-Din Jabbars movements before he rammed his truck at high speed through a New Years crowd this week, killing 14 people and injuring about 35 others.

A man adjusts candles and flowers at a memorial to the victims of the deadly truck attack in New Orleans. Credit: AP

According to an update from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Jabbar rented a short-term property about 10 minutes from Bourbon Street where he stored bomb-making devices, along with a separate homemade device suspected of being a silencer for a rifle.

However, in a bid to hide the evidence, the 42-year-old former US army veteran had strategically placed accelerants throughout the Airbnb and had tried to set it on fire. The plan was foiled when the fire died before it could spread sufficiently.
Cab unions across India have strongly opposed the potential imposition of GST on drivers' earnings under the subscription-based model of ride-hailing platforms.



Union leaders from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and other states have urged the Centre to reconsider the proposed tax, which will directly hit the income of the cab drivers and impact their livelihoods. Under this model, drivers already pay GST on the subscription fee to the ride-hailing platform. Hence, the union leaders said that an additional GST on their earnings would be an extra burden on the drivers earnings.



The subscription-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model eliminates commissions, enabling drivers to retain their entire earnings while operating more efficiently by paying a reasonable subscription fee. It has been lauded as a transformative model for gig workers, promoting financial independence and sustainability. It also allows them access to essential tools such as ride-matching algorithms, navigation systems, and digital payment platforms without being involved in the transaction per se.



The SaaS model has empowered drivers by eliminating hefty commissions and giving them full control over their income. However, imposing the additional GST on the ride fare will increase costs, leaving drivers with reduced earnings. This policy will undo years of progress and push many back into informal, insecure jobs, Zahir Hussain, General Secretary of the Urimai Kural Drivers Trade Union.



Kuldeep Singh, President of the Jaipur Mahanagar Tepayia Vahan Chalak Union, voiced similar concerns: Drivers are already paying GST on their subscription fees. Adding a tax on every ride would create an unsustainable double burden. This model is a business tool and a lifeline for thousands of families across India.



The Chaalak Welfare Samiti from Uttar Pradesh echoed these sentiments, particularly highlighting the challenges for women drivers. Women drivers have finally found safer, tech-backed options to earn a living through the SaaS model. If GST is imposed, the cost increase will disproportionately affect them, driving many out of the system, said RK Pandey, President of the Samiti.

Key Concerns Raised by Union Leaders:

Reduced Earnings: Double taxation will significantly decrease drivers income. Increased Costs: Essential tools provided by the SaaS model may become unaffordable due to the additional GST imposition. Adverse Impact on Women: Higher costs due to GST on ride fare could hinder the participation of women drivers. Reversal of Progress: Risks of pushing drivers back either into the traditional aggregation model extracting high commissions or into informal, unstable jobs. Marginalised Communities at Risk: The livelihoods of vulnerable groups would be severely affected.

Union leaders have called on the Government to exempt SaaS platforms from additional GST on ride fare and classify drivers' earnings through these platforms as personal income, which is already subject to income tax. The government must adopt a progressive approach and ensure policies do not harm those at the grassroots level. The SaaS model is a stepping stone to equitable growth, and its benefits should remain accessible to all, added Zahir Hussain.



The widespread opposition from cab unions underscores the urgent need for policymakers to reconsider GST regulations to protect the livelihoods of millions of drivers across India.
Carlow County Council have attended a briefing with the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management and Met Eireann, subsequently Carlow County Councils Severe Weather Assessment Team have met and activated the Severe Weather Response Plan.

Further meetings, briefings and updates will continue throughout the period of severe weather.

Carlow County Council Weather Warning & Advisory:

Potential impacts:

 Falls of sleet and snow with snowfall accumulations expected.

 Very difficult and Hazardous travelling conditions  Poor visibility  Travel disruption & delays to public transport likely (air, rail, bus)  Footpaths; difficult conditions underfoot  Animal welfare issues Met Eireann has issued:

Warnings & Advisories for Co Carlow STATUS ORANGE  SNOW-ICE WARNING FOR CARLOW - 17:00 Saturday 04/01/2025 to 17:00 Sunday 05/01/2025 Infrequent and dangerous weather conditions which may pose a threat to life and property.

Prepare yourself in an appropriate way depending on location and activity. All people and property in the affected areas can be significantly impacted.

Check your activity/event and delay or cancel as appropriate.

Public Safety Information - protective actions advised:

Weather conditions will be disruptive for travel throughout the warning timeframes. Wintery showers, sleet, snow and icy surfaces can make driving conditions hazardous, especially for the more vulnerable road users, e.g., cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and high sided vehicles. Driving conditions will be hazardous, even where roads are gritted, slow down, drive with caution, be aware of other road users and allow extra time for your journey. The public should note that local conditions will vary across the country and consider those conditions. Any necessary journeys should be planned carefully in advance of setting out. People travelling long journeys should check weather/ road conditions not just where they are starting from, but at their destination and along the route, as conditions may vary significantly. Carlow Co Co winter maintenance plan and salting routes are available at https://carlow.ie/media/1028/download?inline Carlow County Council's Homeless Services operates an extended Cold Weather Protocol from November 1st, 2024 to March 31st, 2025. With the assistance of funding provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and in accordance with the Regional Homeless Action Plan, Carlow County Council is operating a cold weather initiative for anyone that is homeless and rough sleeping. This scheme operates throughout the winter period and any person that is rough sleeping may contact Carlow County Council to avail of an overnight bed during the winter period. Anyone that is rough sleeping should make contact with homeless services by email to homeless@carlowcoco.ie or during office hours phone 0599172496 . After office hours phone 059 9170300. If any member of the public sees a person rough sleeping they may report this and a member of the homeless services team will investigate. The homeless team will also actively carry out patrols in the Town areas and make contact with homeless people at risk during extreme weather. Further information can be found here Homelessness Support | Carlow Co Co Carlow County Council have established a Severe Weather Event Control Centre from 09:00 hrs Sunday 05/01/25 in response to the severe weather, contact number is 059-9170302.

Check on elderly, vulnerable and isolated neighbours.

People are advised to prepare for the arrival of the wintry conditions including ensuring their mobile phone is fully charged to enable communication. In an emergency dial 999 or 112.

Please check with Transport For Ireland for updates on public transport operations and networks https://www.transportforireland.ie/ Take extra care while walking: footpaths etc. can be extremely hazardous/slippery due to ice.

The Be Winter Ready website https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/aa78b9-be-winter-ready provides further advice on preparing for severe weather.

Monitor Met Eireann forecasts and/or visit https://www.met.ie/ for the most up to date information. Information is available across social media platforms and other news media sources.

ESB Emergency Services can be contacted at 1800 372 999. The public can monitor www.PowerCheck.ie.

Uisce Eireann Customers can check their website and social media channels for updates and to get in touch with any issues or concerns via our 24/7 customer care centre at 1800 278 278. People can also sign up online to free text alert system to get regular updates about their local supplies - see www.water.ie.

People are advised to conserve water, and visit https://www.water.ie for advice.

Advice for Air to Water heating systems during cold weather: - The top temperature setting should be maintained at 18 to 21 Degrees, regardless of the temperature outside. This is the most efficient and sustainable temperature. If it is set any higher the property will never get up to 24 or 25 degrees and the outdoor unit will likely freeze over or fault out as it is constantly running.

Depending on personal preference turn the stats down at night to a maximum of 12 to 15 Degrees. If they are left at the high temperature the outdoor unit will be running all night in very low temperatures. Apart from the inefficiency, it will be producing condensate that will freeze and eventually clog up the unit.

Farmers are advised to take all precautions when dealing with livestock and possibly working alone.

The Public are advised to stay away from areas of high ground where there may be significant accumulations of snowfall and be inaccessible such as Mt. Leinster. The L-3005-23 road from Carrolls Cross to Tomduff at the Nine Stones will be closed from 14:00 hrs Saturday 04/01/25 until the period of severe weather ends. Local access will be available from Tomduff side only.

Contact Details:

The contact number for Carlow County Council Out of Hours Assistance for Local Authority services of an urgent nature is 059 9170300.

A Severe Weather Event Control Centre will be established in response to the severe weather alert on Sunday 05/01/25 from 09:00 hrs 059 9170302.

Other emergency contact details include:

Fire/An Garda Siochana/National Ambulance Service 999/112, Water and Wastewater (Irish Water) 1800 278 278 ESB 1800 372 999 Gas Networks Ireland 1800 205 050 Transport For Ireland https://www.transportforireland.ie/ Met Eireann Weather Warning:

Leinster - Met Eireann - The Irish Meteorological Service https://www.met.ie/leinster-forecast.html Warnings & Advisories - Met Eireann - The Irish Meteorological Service https://www.met.ie/warnings-today.html Weather warnings explanation - Met Eireann - The Irish Meteorological Service https://www.met.ie/weather-warnings We will update further if there are any changes to these warnings.
BENNEKERRY/TINRYLAND Draughts Club was the October winner of Beat FMs SportsBeat Club of the Month in association with Eco Solar Energy.

There was great excitement in the Palatine GAA clubhouse when Beat 102/103 FMs Odhran Johnston came to visit the draughts club at one of its practice sessions on a Friday afternoon. Odhran challenged U12 player Kenny Bolger to a one-on-one match, but Odhran didnt stand a chance, with Kenny showing off all his master moves on the board.

Club founding member Patrick Breen chatted to Beat about the draughts clubs 40 years in existence and its links with Community Games.

Mairead Breen, Teresa Broderick and Christy Stynes waxed lyrical about the under-14 and U16 all-Ireland titles won in 2024, as well as the Irish Primary and Irish Secondary Schools national titles.

Next July, 19 children from the club will travel to Aosta in Italy to challenge some of Italys juvenile champions.

The club now has a chance to win a 2,000 bursary, sponsored by Eco Solar Energy. Bennekerry/Tinryland Draughts Club has been run entirely on a voluntary basis for the last 40 years, during which time hundreds of local children have reaped the rewards of hours of lessons in strategic thinking and critical decision-making.

Every success to the club going forward.
St. Andrews-Sewanee School will welcome the Rt. Rev. Dr. Jake Owensby, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana and Chancellor of the University of the South, as the featured speaker for the 2024-2025 Bishop Reynolds Forum. The event will take place on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. in McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts. The talk is free and open to the public.

A reception and Q&A session will follow immediately after the lecture, offering attendees the opportunity to engage with Bishop Owensby and explore the themes presented in his talk.

The Bishop Reynolds Forum, established in 1993 in memory of the Rt. Reverend George L. Reynolds, SMA 45, former Bishop of Tennessee, brings distinguished speakers to campus to address topics of spiritual, moral, and societal importance. Past speakers have included Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham, Holocaust survivor Renee Firestone, Vietnam POW Cmdr. Porter Halyburton SMA 59, National Geographic Photographer Stephen Alvarez 83, and World Wildlife Fund President Carter Roberts.



Bishop Owensby brings a wealth of experience and insight to this years forum, said officials. Elected bishop of the Diocese of Western Louisiana in 2012, he has also served as a member of the University of the South's Board of Regents since 2019 and was elected its 26th chancellor in 2023. Bishop Owensby is recognized for his thoughtful and inspiring perspectives on faith, hope, and leadership.

Bishop Owensby earned his Doctor of Philosophy from Emory University and graduated from the School of Theology at the University of the South in 1997. His extensive service within the Episcopal Church and broader community includes roles on the Task Force on the Opioid Crisis and the Presiding Bishops Council of Advice.

For more information about this event, please contact St. Andrews-Sewanee School at (931) 463-2113.






Volunteers from across the country will take part in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 20, from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Sherman Reservation on Missionary Ridge, 2300 Lightfoot Mill Road.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park joins the nation to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy of service, by conducting a cleanup and trail maintenance at the 73rd Pennsylvania Reservation.

The MLK Day of Service encourages all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the annual service event since Congress designated the MLK holiday the first ever National Day of Service.

Volunteers are asked to wear clothing appropriate for the weather and outdoor work that they do not mind getting dirty. Also, volunteers should wear sturdy, close-toed shoes or boots, no flip-flops. All tools and supplies will be provided. Volunteers may want to bring a water bottle and snacks.

For more information regarding this project, you may contact volunteer coordinator

Will Wilson at (706) 866-9241 x137 or at will_wilson@nps.gov.






Home News Newborn baby boy found dead inside box left for abandoned babies at Italian church: reports

A newborn baby boy, believed to be around a month old, was discovered dead inside a cradle used for abandoned infants in Puglia, Italy, according to media reports. Authorities say they are investigating.

The baby was found at a local church by a funeral home director who happened to pass by the box used for safely surrendering newborns, Italian news agency Ansa reported.

As the local funeral home director walked past, he noticed the door leading to the cradle, meant to keep an infant warm until caretakers arrive, was left ajar and discovered the lifeless child upon looking inside. He promptly alerted local authorities.

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The alarm system designed to alert the parish priest when a baby is placed in the cradle did not activate, and officials are working to determine the reason.

Police haven't yet confirmed if the systems heating mechanism malfunctioned or if the baby had died before being placed inside.

Bari police told CNN that an autopsy will be carried out to establish the exact cause and time of death.

My cell phone, which is connected to the cradle, did not ring, a local priest, Father Antonio Ruccia, said, according to People magazine. Maybe he could have been saved, but we must forgive.

He added, No one can imagine the pain behind realizing that you cannot take care of your little one.

Police reportedly said they were examining whether the person who left the baby did so without fully shutting the door, thereby preventing the alarm from going off. The box is located on an exterior wall to provide privacy to anyone placing a baby inside.

The churchs baby box was reportedly used successfully at least twice before, on July 19, 2020, and Dec. 23, 2023. In both instances, healthy babies were discovered in the cradle and later taken into care.

The device was installed following a tragic 2015 discovery of a deceased newborn on a nearby beach.

The concept of baby boxes in Italy dates back centuries, but the modern version was introduced in 2006.

The tradition is rooted in a practice dating to the 13th century, when infants were left in a ruota, or wheel, placed in the wall of a church or childrens home so the mother could remain anonymous. That system remained in use until about the 1950s, when the childrens homes in Italy were closed, according to CNN.
Home Opinion Why the global church must support persecuted believers in Africas Sahel region

The 2025 Global Persecution Index from International Christian Concern paints a sobering picture of Christian persecution across Africas Sahel region. Countries such as Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Sudan are grappling with relentless extremist violence and instability, making religious practice dangerous for millions of believers.

During a recent trip to Nigeria, our team had the privilege of participating in a food distribution and outreach event among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Central Nigeria. This region has borne the brunt of attacks by groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), resulting in untold suffering for Christian communities.

At the distribution site, we met men, women, and children who had lost their homes, livelihoods, and loved ones to violence. One woman named Rejoice shared with us:

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We were asleep and heard the sound of gunfire. We started running for our lives, both adults and children. Many of my neighbors were killed that night  men, women, and children.

Another villager, a man named Datep, shared while pointing to his immobilized arm

I was protecting 5 of my children and grandchildren while running for safety when a bullet hit me in the arm.

Nigeria has seen a massive increase in violence against Christians in recent years. Over 50,000 Christians have been killed in the past two decades. Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to devastate communities, leaving over 2.1 million displaced, many of whom, like the ones our team visited, are living in precarious conditions in IDP camps.

But Nigeria is certainly not alone in the region in that regard. Chads Christian communities face growing challenges from extremist violence and societal marginalization, but they are standing firm.

The world is seeing an increasing push toward oppressive control over religion, particularly Christianity, as a consequence of several modern and historical factors converging, writes Jeff King, president of the International Christian Concern (ICC).

During a recent trip to Chad, I helped lead a team to equip local believers with discipleship resources and tools. One pastor shared how these initiatives strengthened his churchs resolve and provided new ways to reach their Muslim-majority neighbors with the Gospel. Your partnership reminds us we are not alone, he told me. It gives us courage to continue.

Other nations across the Sahel are also struggling. In Burkina Faso, extremist attacks have surged. Many churches have been destroyed or abandoned due to fear of violence. In Sudan, ongoing civil conflict has displaced millions, with Christians bearing the brunt of attacks on churches, clergy, and faith-based organizations.

These facts underscore the urgent need for global action. Believers in the Sahel are living out the Gospel under extraordinary pressure. The courage and resilience they display are a testimony to the power of Christ, but they cannot stand alone.

Now more than ever, the global church must rise to support our persecuted family. Heres how you can make a difference:

Pray: Commit to praying regularly for persecuted Christians in the Sahel. Ask God to strengthen their faith, provide for their needs, and protect them from harm. Give: Support vital initiatives like food distributions, discipleship training, and economic empowerment projects. Advocate: Raise awareness about the plight of Christians in the Sahel. Share their stories and encourage others to join this mission.

Despite the challenges, hope is not extinguished. In Chad, believers are being equipped to share the gospel boldly. In Nigeria, displaced families are finding community and restoration. And across the Sahel, the light of Jesus continues to shine in the darkest corners.

As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:26, If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. Let us stand together, united as one body, to ensure that our brothers and sisters in the Sahel know they are not forgotten.

Together, we can bring hope, healing, and transformation to a region that desperately needs it.
Home Opinion What does it even mean to be pro-life in 2025?

Ronald Reagan set aside January as Sanctity of Human Life Month in the 1980s to affirm the value and dignity of all human life, particularly focusing on the unborn. This month coincides with the anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, which legalized abortion nationwide. In his proclamation, Reagan called attention to the moral and societal importance of protecting the most vulnerable among us and urged Americans to reflect on the sanctity of life.

This month, we celebrate the monumental victories for life, including the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a historic milestone that has saved countless lives. As significant as this triumph is, it is not the end of our journey. Instead, it begs an essential question: What does it indeed mean to be pro-life?

The challenges we face in our post-Roe world remind us that our work is far from complete. Recent losses in Missouri and Colorado  two states where legislation shifted against pro-life principles  serve as sobering examples. These setbacks reveal that the pro-life movement cannot rely on legislative successes alone. While laws are critical, they are insufficient to win the hearts and minds of a culture increasingly resistant to life-affirming values. The reversal of Roe marked a pivotal milestone, yet it also exposed the pressing need for profound cultural and spiritual renewal.

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Adoption must be elevated by the pro-life movement. According to CDC data, less than 1% of women aged 18-44 have ever placed a child for adoption, while according to the Guttmacher Institute, 1 out of 4 women in the USA have had an abortion. This Sanctity of Human Life Month, we must begin the work of reversing these statistics for the sake of women and their children. Circumstantial data collected by NBC News suggests that adoption agencies nationwide have seen various effects since the Dobbs decision. The majority surveyed, however, saw a slight increase in adoption interest.

Adoption embodies a life-affirming alternative that allows both mother and child not only to survive but to thrive. For every expectant mother facing an unplanned pregnancy, adoption offers hope for a future for her child and healing for herself. Unfortunately, misconceptions persist. To counter falsehoods, we must amplify the true message that adoption is a profound act of love and sacrifice that deserves greater support from communities, churches, and policymakers. With increased advocacy and support for mothers in crisis pregnancies, choosing life through adoption becomes more attainable.

At the heart of the pro-life movement lies a truth that transcends legislation and constitutional amendments. Being pro-life is not merely about opposing abortion; it is about valuing the inherent dignity of every human life. If we believe as a pro-life community that each life is inherently valuable, this means protecting all life from conception to natural death. This means supporting women in unplanned pregnancies with compassion and resources that empower them to choose life. If our ultimate goal is to build a culture that values and protects life, we must engage in the hard work of changing hearts and minds through education, empathy, and tangible acts of love.

This is a call to support vulnerable children, women, and families, champion adoption as a viable alternative, and provide a safety net for those who feel they have no options. It is a challenge to each of us to examine our own lives: Are we living out pro-life values in word and deed? Are we continuing to advocate for life in our communities or merely celebrating past victories?

As we prepare our hearts to observe Sanctity of Human Life Month, let us honor its significance by recommitting ourselves to the cause. Celebrate the victories, yes, but also take tangible steps forward. Support adoption agencies, volunteer at pregnancy resource centers, mentor young parents, or simply have conversations that affirm the value of all life. Together, we can build a culture that cherishes life in all its forms  one that transforms not only laws but also lives. That is the hopeful vision we must carry forward: a world where every life is seen, valued, and loved.
Home Opinion Will 2024 go down as the year trans radicalism got neutered?

When it comes to the staying power of evil, it would be naive to declare the grotesque push to mutilate and sterilize Americas youth under the guise of gender-affirming care completely dead. Evil doesnt take coffee breaks. But if, five or 10 years from now, were identifying the moment when the trans movement hit a brick wall, the year 2024 will be the clear frontrunner.

Why? Because this year, the most unlikely allies started giving pushback: legacy media outlets. Yes, the same outlets that usually carry water for progressive propaganda began to call out the madness.

And when The New York Times and The Washington Post decide they can no longer ignore the glaring cracks in your ideology, you know the house is collapsing.

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The gray lady turns on the gender agenda

Lets start with the progressive bible itself, The New York Times, which had long accepted and even pushed the science underlying transgenderism.

Cue Dr. Hilary Cass, a highly respected pediatrician in England and former president of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health. In 2020, the U.K.s National Health Service (NHS) tasked Dr. Cass with conducting a review of its youth gender treatments and international guidelines of care. The catalyst for this intervention was mounting allegations that the countrys youth gender clinic was recklessly prescribing puberty blockers to children and only conducting superficial evaluations with patients.

Dr. Casss four-year investigation was exhaustive. She interviewed young patients and their families, transgender adults, people who had detransitioned, advocacy groups and clinicians. The result? A scathing report that amounted to one big, loud, Stop the insanity!

Okay, thats my paraphrase, but the Times coverage, to everyones astonishment, wasnt far off.

Heres how they put it in May:

Her final report, published last month, concluded that the evidence supporting the use of puberty-blocking drugs and other hormonal medications in adolescents was remarkably weak. On her recommendation, the N.H.S. will no longer prescribe puberty blockers outside of clinical trials. Dr. Cass also recommended that testosterone and estrogen, which allow young people to develop the physical characteristics of the opposite sex, be prescribed with extreme caution.

And the Times didnt stop at merely reporting her findings. They gave her a platform to shred Americas trans-industrial complex. During the one-on-one interview, Dr. Cass rebuked the American Academy of Pediatrics for misleading the public and said that their position was animated by politics rather than science. She even described the AAP as a fairly left-leaning organization.

The Washington Post piles on

As if that werent enough, The Washington Post  the Times ideological twin  likewise weighed in. Their editorial board recently addressed the U.S. Supreme Courts consideration of a Tennessee law that bars gender transitions for minors.

The paper rightly identified the core question as follows:

Are so-called gender-affirming protocols lifesaving, as the Biden administration claims, or is the evidence too thin to conclude that they are beneficial and the risks are not well-understood?

Contrary to expectations, the Post didnt endorse the lifesaving claim. Instead, they zeroed in on the problems with the data behind these findings. They noted that several European health officials have criticized the pro-trans evidence as being of very low certainty, lacking, and limited by methodological weaknesses.

And in a direct slap to the American medical establishment, the Post outlined how the initial Dutch studies that sparked the craze to medically transition young people were hopelessly flawed:

Early studies from a Dutch clinic seemed to show promising results, but the research started with only 70 patients (dropping to 55 in a follow-up study) and no control group. Treatment results that look impressive in small groups often vanish when larger groups are studied. Thats why the Food and Drug Administration generally requires large, randomized controlled trials of drugs: to ensure that encouraging initial results arent mere statistical noise.

The blows kept coming. They also slammed the lack of transparency among the trans activist researchers. They pointed to U.S. physician Johanna Olson-Kennedy, who, despite receiving taxpayer funding to study the effects of puberty blockers on minors, refused to release her findings, arguing she feared the data would be weaponized.

As the Post emphasized: Medical progress is impossible unless null or negative results are published as promptly as positive ones.

In short, the Post conceded that in the absence of clear data  and with the possibility of significant publication bias or researchers massaging their results  parents might not have adequate information to make sound decisions for their kids.

Ya dont say.

The backlash is long overdue

The truth is progressives overplayed their hand. If this were simply about adults donning wigs and fake breasts, most Americans might have shrugged and gone about their business. But the moment the gender unicorn started popping up in schools, with educators conspiring to trans kids behind their parents backs and doctors fast-tracking irreversible procedures onto confused children, the publics tolerance evaporated.

And now, not even the most dependable progressive newspapers are in the lefts corner.

This doesnt mean conservatives can declare victory and pack it in. Far from it. Evil, particularly when it targets children, will always regroup and find new avenues. It does show us, however, that smart mobilization can yield results. The nations mood has shifted, and the Biden administrations stance on this issue is increasingly untenable.

Looking ahead, an incoming Trump White House has the chance to drive the final nails into the coffin of this unhinged agenda, stripping it of taxpayer support and protection. If that happens  and lets pray it does  2024 will go down as the year the trans radicals lost their grip on the country.

Or, to put it in terms theyd understand, the year their arguments got chopped up and sterilized  just like what they want to do to kids.

Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center.
Home News Far-left group Anonymous sets fire to Pentecostal church with ties to WEA

A leftist group has publicly acknowledged setting fire to a German church office for being linked with the conservative, Bible-believing wing of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).

The group, identifying as Anonymous, claimed responsibility for setting rubbish and bulk waste alight at a Free Church welfare office (Sozialwerk Der Freien Christengemeinde) in the city of Bremen on Dec. 15, according to the Vienna, Austria-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe). The attack caused 20,000 euros ($20,565 USD) worth of damage.

It also affected a section of the building used by city police, according to OIDAC Europe. The State Security Department of the Bremen Police was investigating the incident.

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Anonymous on tumulte.org stated in a post that it targeted the Pentecostal church due to its connection with the WEA. In the post titled, Against mens clubs. Whether in uniform or church robes! the group stated that police were also targeted for many other reasons.

Last night we equipped the rear of the building of the Bremen-Burg police station and the free Christian community with tires and a huge incendiary device made of 20 liters of gasoline, thus killing two birds with one stone, stated the group (translated). We also accepted that the office of the social work of the free Christian community would catch fire.

Rene Moller, spokesman for Interior Sen. Ulrich Maurer, told German news site Das BLV that officials were taking the letter of confession very seriously and were monitoring the group, adding, However, we also ask for your understanding that we will not comment publicly on possible investigation status, club bans and measures.

Anonymous stated that it attacked the church office because it belonged to the Pentecostal church community in Bremen, part of the largest Evangelical social work in Germany.

These are organized worldwide together with the regional churches in the Evangelical Alliance (WEA), stated Anonymous. The Pentecostals belong to the conservative, Bible-believing wing of the WEA. Pentecostal churches comprise 350 million Evangelicals, with a focus on Africa, America and Korea.

The group then endeavored to link prison sentences for homosexual acts in Nigeria to Christian social work in Germany to promote their [presumably Pentecostals] growth and geographical expansion.

The Pentecostal churches live their faith in the Word of the Bible and place this Word above civil law, added Anonymous.

The group reviled the biblical precept of biblical marriage as being between a man and woman, as supported by the Theological Committee of the Federation of Free Church Pentecostal Congregations in 2013, likely referring to the International Federation of Free Evangelical Churches.

The Evangelical Pentecostals are saying that there is no alternative to the conservative one with father, mother and children, the group stated. Between these lines it is also written that marriages must remain intact, even if one of the spouses uses violence. Abortions and homosexuality are also completely rejected.

Anonymous asserted that Evangelical Pentecostals oppose self-determination rights of FLINTAS, a German acronym for women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender people [frauen, lesben, intergeschlechtliche, nichtbinare, trans und agender personen].

An open attitude towards those who think differently does not exist for the Pentecostals, the group stated. They falsely assume that the rules given by God apply to everyone, and that people only need to be convinced of the right faith in one way or another.

The group then linked biblical beliefs by Pentecostal Evangelicals to radical right groups and fascists, claiming the two demographics shared ideas on marriage, women and homosexuality.

Both secular leaders and God are treated with obedience and submission. Political support is exchanged for religious privileges, the group added, linking the notion for reasons unclear to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, president of the Republic of Turkiye and his Islamist gangs.

The left-wing group then singled out the German Evangelical Alliance for allegedly making comments in the right-wing Junge Freiheit newspaper.

In Germany, the described solidarity is evident in the fact that representatives of the Evangelical Alliance regularly speak out in Junge Freiheit, the group stated, before taking a broad swing at Evangelical support of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

The post took particular aim at Pentecostal Christians in Bremen, claiming they had strong links with right-wing groups. Anonymous also linked the authoritarian character of Fascist leaders and right-wing groups with radical implementation of biblical beliefs. Districts voting for rightist political parties contained a large number of Evangelical institutions, the group claimed.

For the Pentecostals in Bremen-Burg, the main concern is the evangelization of those in their care and their loved ones, Anonymous stated. Pastors constantly provide pastoral care with the ulterior motive of conversion. This is disgusting. The Evangelicals are a force in Bremen that should not be underestimated.

The group further claimed that literal interpretations of the Bible cause homophobia that can even lead to injuries or deaths.

Anonymous appeared to tie the arson attack to an International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Patriarchal Violence, namely Orange Day, stating that the fire seemed appropriate since the color orange stands for a future in which FLINTAS are no longer affected by violence.

For us, it is not a question of victory or defeat, but of how we can take responsibility in the fight against the reactionary forces and fascists, it stated. With our fire, we have channeled the anger in our stomachs and directed it against anyone who feeds this anger.

The group linked the arson attack to solidarity with women unable to access abortion and solidarity with all those who are exposed to patriarchal violence for a queer feminist militant practice.

Members finished by expressing solidarity with protestors arrested for setting the streets on fire in Thessaloniki, Greece, in December 2008 after teenager Alexis Grigoropoulos was shot dead. The protests were influenced by the Communist Party of Greece and other factions.

Alexis Grigoropoulos is not forgotten. We are on your side, stated Anonymous.

This article was originally published at Christian Daily International
Home News Australian MP slams charity watchdog's handling of Hillsong's compliance failures

Andrew Wilkie, an independent member of the Australian Parliament, has dismissed the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission as a "toothless tiger" for accepting a remedial plan from Hillsong College to do better after an investigation found it failed to meet several compliance standards.

"The commission is effectively saying it will forget about the extraordinary alleged wrongdoing in Hillsong so long as the church promises to be good from now on," Wilkie told The Daily Telegraph.

"The ACNC's inaction, and that is exactly what this response has the effect of demonstrating, just goes to show that in Australia (the church) can apparently spend a congregation's donations like a Kardashian and the regulator is powerless to do anything to stop them."

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Last month, the ACNC accepted an 18-month enforceable undertaking of the college run by the Hillsong Church network in an effort to maintain its charity registration, according to a legal document.

The proposal came after the ACNC found issues with Hillsong College related to reporting obligations, financial and operational record keeping, governance standards and compliance with ACNC's External Conduct Standard, which regulates how charities manage their finances and activities overseas.

If the charity is found to be in breach of the enforcement undertaking, the ACNC could get a court to enforce the terms of the agreement. If the charity still fails to meet the terms of the agreement, criminal charges could be levied.

In March 2023, armed with reams of financial records and genuine Hillsong Church board documents he received from a whistleblower, Wilkie accused Hillsong Church founder Brian Houston and other church leaders of money laundering, tax evasion and shopping sprees that would "embarrass a Kardashian."

He pointed to a document in 2021, for example, showing that four members of the Houston family flew to Cancun, Mexico, for a luxury retreat lasting three days and billed the church $150,000 for it.

Other records showed how church officials spent lavishly on a $6,500 Cartier watch for Houston's wife, Bobbie, $2,500 in Louis Vuitton luggage, a $2,500 watch for Phil Dooley, two watches worth $15,000 for Joel and Julia A'Bell, shopping sprees for designer clothes at Saks Fifth Avenue and $16,000 for custom skateboards.

Hillsong College agreed to use church credit cards "only for charity" following the release of those documents, according to The Daily Telegraph. The wider Hillsong Church network also committed to "compliance agreements" with ACNC, saying it would "look for other ways to improve our practices," according to the report.

Wilkie said, "The response from the ACNC was pathetic," considering the significant allegations of financial misconduct and other abuses leveled against the Hillsong Church network.

He called the ACNC a "toothless tiger" a while insisting that "other authorities must now intervene" like the Australian Taxation Office.

"Where is the ATO? Where is AUSTRAC? Because serious allegations have been levelled against Hillsong, and damning material tabled in the Australian Parliament, and all of it apparently remains unscrutinized," he argued.

Despite Wilkie's criticism, Hillsong maintained in a statement last month that it will do a better job of complying with the ACNC's standards going forward.

"As part of those inquiries, and to demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement in governance, Hillsong Church and its ministries have agreed to resolve the inquiries of the ACNC by entering into compliance agreements, and for Hillsong College by providing an undertaking," the church said.

"We recognize that this is an important step to follow the governance improvements which we have set out in our regular church updates. We will continue to work with the ACNC and look for other ways to improve our practices."
Home News Mike Johnson secures votes to become speaker of 119th Congress: 'Purge the policies of America Last' 'We will defend our borders; that is the No. 1 priority'

Republican Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been reelected speaker of the United States House of Representatives, receiving enough votes to clench the position on the first ballot.

During the opening session of the 119th Congress on Friday afternoon, Johnson received 218 votes, the minimum number needed to secure the leadership position. Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York received 215 votes.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who had previously stated that he wouldn't vote for Johnson, voted for Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota.

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Reps. Ralph Norman, R-S.D., and Keith Self, R-Texas, who had initially voted for individuals other than Johnson or Jeffries, changed their votes at the last minute to support Johnson.

It is the great honor of my life, Johnson told the House after being voted in as speaker. This is a momentous time in the history of our history.

Johnson said that members of Congress are "stewards" of the freedom won during the American Revolution and described the U.S. as "the world's leader in liberty, the economy and culture."

"A strong America is good for the entire world," said Johnson. "The core principles that made America what we are must still be preserved today."

Johnson said he believes that last year's elections, in which Republicans took back the White House and Senate, showed that "the people want an 'America first' agenda."

The speaker promised to work to secure the southern border as the "number one priority" and to "purge" the federal policies that he said placed "America last."

Jeffries also gave remarks, in which he quoted from Ecclesiastes 3, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

"In a democracy, there is a time to campaign and a time to govern," he said. "The election is over. This is a new Congress. The American people need us as their elected representatives in this season to put down our partisan swords and pick up bipartisan plowshares."

Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., announced the nomination of Johnson, saying in a speech on the floor of the House that Johnson would help put America first again.

No speaker is perfect, and no one will ever be, McClain added. The fundamental collective goal of this body is to make progress for the American people in which we represent and we have done just that under Mikes leadership.

Mike has remained the same kind and caring person as he was before he assumed this role. Hes an honest broker; he shows you his true beliefs at face value. He is steadfast in his values of faith, family and love of this country. He knows our brightest days are still ahead of us.

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated Jeffries, calling him someone committed to bipartisanship and governing well in spite of any chaos that might come.

Because of Hakeems leadership, we will never abandon our values or sacrifice our bedrock principles of freedom and democracy, said Aguilar. There is only one true candidate today for speaker.

Earlier this week, President-elect Donald Trump expressed his support for Johnson, saying in a statement posted on Truth Social that he considers Johnson a "good, hard-working, religious man" who will "do the right thing."

Despite Trump's endorsement, not all Republican House members were on board for Johnson, with Massie expressing his opposition in advance of the speaker vote.

"I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan. We've seen Johnson partner with the Democrats to send money to Ukraine, authorize spying on Americans, and blow the budget," Massie stated in a post on X.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who had previously tried and failed to remove Johnson as speaker last year, declared her support for him being elected speaker of the 119th Congress.

"Let's put aside our pride, let's put aside our egos, and let's put aside the infighting," she stated in a video on X, adding that she believed it was time for the GOP to "do whatever it takes to make sure that we deliver the mandate that the American people told us to do."

In January 2023, it took 15 ballots for Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California to become speaker, marking the first time since 1923 that a speakership election took more than one ballot to finish.

About nine months later, however, McCarthy was ousted from his position by a vote of 216-210 that was instigated by then-Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., a critic of the House speaker.

In late October 2023, Johnson was elected House speaker in a vote of 220-209 in which all Republicans present supported Johnson while all Democrats present supported Jeffries.

During his acceptance speech last year, Johnson said he didn't "believe there are any coincidences in a matter like this and that "the Bible is very clear that God is the One that raises up those in authority."

"He raised up each of you, all of us," Johnson said to his Republican and Democrat colleagues last October. "I believe that God has ordained and allowed each one of us to be brought here for this specific moment and this time."
(Photo: Getty/iStock)

(CP) Christians were significantly impacted amid widespread displacement in 2024 and, in some countries, were targeted or killed by warring parties and Islamic terror groups, according to an extensive report from a religious freedom watchdog organization.

The United States-based International Christian Concern released its "2025 Global Persecution Index" Thursday, highlighting "the most egregious violators of religious freedom in 2024" and "cataloging the countries, terrorist organizations, and government leaders whose actions have systematically targeted Christians."

Among global trends that emerged or intensified in 2024 was mass displacement in conflict-ridden regions like Sudan and Myanmar, as well as countries in the Sahel region of Africa impacted by the rise of Islamic extremism.

In Sudan, more than 8 million people have been displaced since war broke out in 2023, in which both warring sides have "attacked religious sites, killed religious leaders and disrupted religious practices across the country."

The report cites statistics from the United Nations, finding that about 3.3 million people residing in the Sahel countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger were displaced at the beginning of 2024 as the region has been gripped by the rise of Islamic terror groups taking the place of failed governments.

"While this displacement has affected followers of every religion, terrorist groups often select Christians and disfavored religious groups for targeted violence and are particularly vulnerable to displacement," the report stated.

"Across the Sahel, terrorism and militant unrest is upending civilian life and rendering regular religious practice dangerous or impossible," an ICC staffer commented.

The Sahel region of Africa includes the aforementioned countries as well as Chad, Eritrea, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan.

Throughout northern Nigeria, Christian communities are often attacked by Islamic extremists such as the Islamic State West Africa Province and radicalized Fulani militants, leading to the killing of thousands in recent years.

The report outlined how the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 358,000 people residing in the violence-plagued Democratic Republic of the Congo were displaced in January 2024 alone. The ICC attributes the unrest in the African nation in part to the Allied Democratic Forces, a militant group with "jihadist ideology."

"While the DRC's Christian-majority population means that some attacks on Christians may be unmotivated by religion, the ADF is known to target churches and church leaders," the report noted.

The DRC and the Sahel were countries or regions placed into the "red zone" by the religious freedom advocacy group, a category reserved for jurisdictions "where Christians are regularly tortured or killed for their faith."

Other countries that made it into the "red zone" are Nigeria, Somalia, Eritrea, Afghanistan, North Korea and Pakistan.

Four countries were classified as part of the "orange zone," meaning that their governments "severely oppress the rights of Christians." Countries in the "orange zone" are China, India, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Russia and Vietnam were placed into the "yellow zone," reserved for jurisdictions where "Christians endure attacks, arrest, and oppression."

While much of the report painted a bleak picture of the state of religious freedom worldwide, the document pointed to "popular discontent with repression" as a positive development in 2024.

The report mentions the Spring 2024 elections in India, where the ruling Bharatiya Junta Party "found itself with a significantly reduced electoral mandate" that forced it to "form a coalition with several other parties to assemble a government in Parliament."

The ICC lists the BJP as one of the "groups/entities" that is "causing the most harm" in India, stressing how it "is known for championing a narrow view of Indian identity based on the idea that to be truly Indian is to be Hindu  a view that necessarily reduces Christians and religious minorities to second-class status."

While acknowledging that "the long-term implications of this change have yet to be fully understood," the advocacy group anticipated that following the 2024 elections, "the BJP's nationalist agenda will be hampered by its coalition partners, which are significantly more secular."

Another example of "popular discontent with repression" materialized in Myanmar, where a military junta led by extremist Buddhists known as the Tatmadaw continued to rule the country after overthrowing its democratically elected government in 2021.

ICC observes that the "junta's violence has coalesced the country's many ethnoreligious minorities, who chalked up many impressive military victories against the junta in 2024."

"Research from the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar suggests that anti-junta militia gains have reduced the area under solid Tatmadaw control to 17% or less," the report added.

In Iran, the ICC cited the election of "relatively moderate politicians, such as Masoud Pezeshikian in 2024," as a "popular uprising" that may suggest that "the [theocratic] regime's control is not absolute."

 The Christian Post
Police are searching for the suspects in a mass shooting incident that happened on New Year's Day outside a private vigil for a 16-year-old teenager who was shot and killed last October.

At least 10 teens were injured in the shooting incident outside the Amazura Concert Hall in Jamaica, Queens. All victims were transported to a nearby hospital and are expected to live.

NYPD officials said the shooting happened around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday outside the event place where they were holding a vigil for 16-year-old Taearion Mungo, who had been shot and killed last October. The vigil was held on what was supposed to be the teen's birthday, per CBS News.

How Did the Shooting Begin?

Police said there were about 100 people gathered at the vigil. The venue was already at capacity, leading 15 people to line up outside and wait to get into the celebration. A group of four men walking east from 91st Avenue later fired about 30 rounds into the crowd outside, injuring 10 teens. The shooters then fled on foot toward 143rd Place, where they got into a light-colored sedan, Gothamist reported.

The police have not released other details about the shooting but did note that the getaway vehicle had New Jersey license plates. Investigators are working to establish the motive.

Read more: 2 Children in Critical Condition After Gunman Opens Fire at Rural Christian School

The shooting is being considered an isolated incident. That said, sources who spoke with CBS News said the officers had been called to the location for previous incidents. They also claimed that Wednesday's mass shooting could be gang-related.

No arrests have been made as of Thursday morning.

Who Were the Victims?

The shooting victims' ages ranged from 16 to 19---six of whom were females and four were males. At least six victims sustained graze wounds and gunshot wounds to the leg, foot, arms, and buttocks.

Police are still canvassing nearby hospitals to determine whether there were any other gunshot victims who were unaccounted for.

The NYPD is now encouraging the public to call them at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) should they have any information related to the incident. Tips can also be submitted through crimestoppers.nypdonline.org.
Patti LuPone is set to join the upcoming third season of "And Just Like That."

While the announcement of her involvement has been made public, the specifics of her character remain shrouded in mystery.

In a recent interview with EW, executive producer Michael Patrick King revealed that a significant storyline will unfold for the Broadway superstar's character in the upcoming season of the show.

"It's a lot of 'new' within the familiar, but even the familiar characters are going through new things."

LuPone will be joining forces with fresh faces such as Mehcad Brooks, Logan Marshall-Green, and Rosie O'Donnell.

The highly anticipated return promises to bring new dynamics and storylines to the beloved "Sex and the City" series, following the adventures of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis).

News of LuPone joining the HBO Max show comes after she finally revealed her opinions regarding the latest revival of "Sunset Boulevard" on Broadway.

She reached out to theatre journalist Frank DiLella and expressed her admiration for the show, praising Nicole Scherzinger and Jamie Lloyd's direction.

In a voice recording, the former Norma Desmond star said, "I was Sunset Boulevard last night."

"Now I went in with trepidation because I have strong feelings about the show, not what happened to me in the show, but the show, period. I loved this production. I thought Nicole [Scherzinger] and Tom [Francis] were stunning. I thought Nicole was unbelievable she broke my heart. She is a force. I thought the cast was fantastic, the lighting."

"The use of the filming was something that I questioned because I don't know where I am. Am I at a movie or at the theatre? This worked brilliantly. The whole thing. I was energized when I left the theatre. I loved it."

In an interview with "The View," LuPone previously hinted at her excitement to see how Lloyd approached the musical, referring to it as "lumbering."

Following her groundbreaking portrayal of Norma Desmond in London, LuPone's intricate relationship with the musical was shattered. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's decision to dismiss her sparked a legal battle that ultimately resulted in a settlement referred to by LuPone as the "Andrew Lloyd Webber Memorial Pool."
The use of condoms or contraceptive pills among sexually active adolescents has declined significantly over the past 10 years.

In August 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned about an "alarming decline" in the use of condoms among sexually active teens. The organization cited a study wherein researchers found that nearly 30% of 15-year-old teens did not use a condom or a contraceptive pill in their last intercourse. The use of condoms, specifically, fell from 70% to 61% among boys and 63% to 57% among girls.

For teens who did use contraception, they were more likely to choose a pill over a condom.

What Causes the Decline in Condom Usage Among Teens?

The experts in the study attributed the decline in condom usage to a lack of proper sex education and reduced access to contraceptive methods.

"While the report's findings are dismaying, they are not surprising," Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, noted. "Age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education remains neglected in many countries, and where it is available, it has increasingly come under attack in recent years on the false premise that it encourages sexual behavior when the truth is that equipping young persons with the right knowledge at the right time leads to optimal health outcomes linked to responsible behavior and choices."

However, YMCA sexual health educator Sarah Peart blames pornography for the decline in condom usage, adding that some boys were not willing to use condoms because they don't see that in videos online, she told BBC News.

A May 2024 study echoes Peart's statement, with researchers finding that adolescents who frequently viewed pornography were more likely to have negative attitudes toward condom use.

How Do Condoms Protect Users?

Condoms are highly effective in protecting users against unwanted pregnancies when used correctly and consistently. According to statistics, male condoms are 98% effective in preventing pregnancy, while female condoms are 95% effective, per WHO.

Condoms also reduce the risk of STIs, HPV-associated diseases, and HIV during intercourse by acting as a barrier to genital secretions and skin-to-skin contact.

Compared to other contraceptive methods, condoms are easily accessible as they do not require a prescription. There are also no side effects for most users.
 
BTIG has some plays for investors as 2025 kicks into high gear. Coming off an unusually strong two-year run for stocks, investors are wondering what areas of the market can drive further upside. The financial services firm's research team dropped its top picks list for the first half of 2025 this week, which represents its highest-conviction ideas for the next 12 months. Here's 10 stocks that made the list: Howmet Aerospace is one pick that comes after a banner year for the stock, with its share price more than doubling in 2024. That marked its sixth straight winning year. "The stock has had a very steady uptrend for the last couple of years," the team said, while also noting its pullback of more than 7% in December. "The presumption is it can now continue higher and exceed prior highs with a move toward $130." HWM YTD mountain Howmet, 1-year BTIG's $130 price target implies shares can rally 15% over Friday's closing level. Howmet has caught the attention of several on Wall Street. Ari Wald, Oppenheimer's head of technical analysis, told CNBC on Thursday that traders should use the recent retreat as an entry point. "The industry didn't really take off, but the stock has continued to work," he said on CNBC's "Power Lunch." "We still like it." BTIG also listed Starbucks , noting it took a top pick spot from Domino's Pizza . Starbucks notched its third straight negative year in 2024. Despite the downtrend, Wall Street cheered the coffee chain's poach of Brian Niccol to take the chief executive role after serving in the equivalent position at Chipotle . "Our Top Pick switches ... given the leadership change at Starbucks, the turnaround potential we see, and the likely timing of these efforts as they build through the calendar year, creating a compelling return setup as we enter the second half of 2025 and into 2026," the BTIG team wrote to clients. SBUX 1Y mountain Starbucks, 1-year The firm's price target of $115 suggests upside of 24% over Thursday's close. Boot Barn was one of the smaller names on BTIG's list. Even after finishing 2024 higher by almost 98%, the retailer's shares are in an appealing spot, the firm said. Shares have retreated from highs in mid-October after it announced the departure of its longtime CEO Jim Conroy, along with mixed fiscal second-quarter results. BTIG said the report was otherwise strong. Boot Barn has been viewed as a winner of the recent focus on Western wear within American fashion. What's more, Circana reported a more than 20% jump in Western boot sales in just the week following the release of Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter" album last year. BOOT 1Y mountain Boot Barn, 1-year The firm's $185 price target implies shares can jump nearly 17% from Friday's close.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan's visit to New Delhi from Jan. 5-6 is expected to include discussions with Indian counterparts about the impact of Chinese dams, a senior U.S. official said late on Friday.

Washington and its Western allies have long viewed India as a counter to China's rising influence in Asia and beyond.

"We've certainly seen in many places in the Indo-Pacific that upstream dams that the Chinese have created, including in the Mekong region, can have really potentially damaging environmental but also climate impacts on downstream countries," a senior U.S. official said ahead of Sullivan's visit.

The official added that Washington will discuss New Delhi's concerns in the visit.

The Indian government says it has conveyed its concerns to Beijing about China's plan to build a hydropower dam in Tibet on the Yarlung Zangbo River which flows into India. Chinese officials say that hydropower projects in Tibet will not have a major impact on the environment or on downstream water supplies.

The construction of that dam, which will be the largest of its kind in the world with an estimated capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, was approved last month.

Washington also expects that topics such as civilian nuclear cooperation, artificial intelligence, space, military licensing and Chinese economic overcapacity will be brought up in the visit, the U.S. official said.

American officials will not be meeting the Dalai Lama during the visit, another U.S. official said.

Washington and New Delhi have built close ties in recent years with occasional differences over issues like minority abuse in India, New Delhi's ties with Russia amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and alleged assassination plots against Sikh separatists on U.S. and Canadian soil.


A lot can change in 16 years.

In 2009, a drug conviction landed Coss Marte a seven-year prison sentence. This year, Marte expects to bring in as much as $12 million selling cannabis legally.

Marte, 39, is the founder and CEO of Conbud, one of the first businesses fully-licensed to sell recreational cannabis in Manhattan, and the first in the city's Lower East Side. After first opening its doors in October 2023, Conbud added a second location in the Bronx last April.

Marte's business currently brings in roughly $800,000 in sales per month, including nearly $100,000 in profit, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Marte projects a final tally of roughly $7 million for 2024, he says.

DON'T MISS: The ultimate guide to earning passive income online

After being granted an early release from prison in 2013, Marte launched a fitness business called Conbody, based on his workout regimen from behind bars. Then, in 2021, New York legalized the sale of recreational cannabis and expunged all past convictions for marijuana-related offenses.

A year later, the state announced that entrepreneurs with past marijuana convictions would be eligible to receive the first licenses for selling recreational weed. Given his experience running Conbody and the requirements laid out by the state for retail licensees, Marte saw a golden business opportunity, he says.

"I was following this law, and what they required was two years of a net profitable business and a conviction on your record," says Marte. "Now, how many people have that to qualify for a cannabis license? Not many."
A rough sketch of the cartoon, published on Telnaes' Substack blog, shows several men kneeling before a larger man wearing a suit and a long tie, representing Trump. Telnaes wrote that the likenesses are of Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg , OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Los Angeles Times Publisher Patrick Soon-Shiong, and Bezos. Three of the men are holding bags of money. Also included is a drawing of cartoon character Mickey Mouse, representing Walt Disney 's ABC News.

Ann Telnaes , a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, said in a blog post Friday that she quit the paper after a drawing was rejected. This was the first time at the Post that a cartoon was "killed because of who or what I chose to aim my pen at," Telnaes wrote.

A Washington Post cartoonist has quit her role at the paper, saying that her bosses blocked publication of a satirical cartoon that depicted billionaires, including one resembling Post owner Jeff Bezos , kneeling before President-elect Donald Trump .

The drawing was rejected by the paper outright, with no suggestions for potential changes, Telnaes told CNBC in an email.

David Shipley, Washington Post editorial page editor, said in a statement that the cartoon was rejected because of its similarity to columns at the paper, not because of who it targeted.

"I respect Ann Telnaes and all she has given to The Post. But I must disagree with her interpretation of events. Not every editorial judgment is a reflection of a malign force. My decision was guided by the fact that we had just published a column on the same topic as the cartoon and had already scheduled another column  this one a satire  for publication. The only bias was against repetition," Shipley's statement said.

The cartoonist's departure comes amid controversy about how media and corporate executives have been treating Trump, both before and after the November election.

The Washington Post reported that Bezos spiked a planned endorsement of Trump opponent Kamala Harris by the paper ahead of the presidential election. At the Los Angeles Times, Soon-Shiong also decided that the paper should withhold any endorsement in the presidential race, spurring the resignation of several editorial board members.

ABC News, meanwhile, settled a defamation lawsuit with Trump for $15 million, which drew criticism from some media law experts who thought the news organization had a strong case.

Bezos and Zuckerberg, through Meta, planned to donate $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, the Wall Street Journal reported last month, and have been among several billionaires to meet with Trump at his home in Mar-a-Lago since his election win. Multiple outlets have reported that OpenAI's Altman is also donating $1 million to the inauguration fund.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., weighed in on Telnaes' resignation on X, saying the cartoon was "worth a share": "Big Tech executives are bending the knee to Donald Trump and it's no surprise why: Billionaires like Jeff Bezos like paying a lower tax rate than a public school teacher."

Telnaes' departure is the latest of several internal shakeups at the Post. Publisher and CEO Will Lewis took over the paper last year and has clashed with the newsroom, as reported by NPR. Several top editors at the paper have left since Lewis took over.

Telnaes won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning in 2001. She wrote in her blog that she had worked for the Post since 2008.
The Associated Press, January 4, 2025

The Taliban say they will close all national and foreign nongovernmental groups in Afghanistan employing women, the latest crackdown on womens rights since they took power in August 2021.

The announcement comes two years after they told NGOs to suspend the employment of Afghan women, allegedly because they didnt wear the Islamic headscarf correctly.

In a letter published on X Sunday night, the Economy Ministry warned that failure to comply with the latest order would lead to NGOs losing their license to operate in Afghanistan.

The United Nations said the space for women in Afghanistan has shrunk dramatically in the last two years and reiterated its call for the Taliban to reverse the restrictions.

This really impacts how we can provide life saving humanitarian assistance to all the people in Afghanistan, U.N. associate spokesperson Florencia Soto Nino-Martinez said. And obviously we are very concerned by the fact that we are talking about a country where half the populations rights are being denied and are living in poverty, and many of them, not just women, are facing a humanitarian crisis.

The Economy Ministry said it was responsible for the registration, coordination, leadership and supervision of all activities carried out by national and foreign organizations.

The government was once again ordering the stoppage of all female work in institutions not controlled by the Taliban, according to the letter.

In case of lack of cooperation, all activities of that institution will be canceled and the activity license of that institution, granted by the ministry, will also be canceled.

Its the Talibans latest attempt to control or intervene in NGO activity.

Earlier this month, the U.N. Security Council heard that an increasing proportion of female Afghan humanitarian workers were prevented from doing their work even though relief work remains essential.

According to Tom Fletcher, a senior U.N. official, the proportion of humanitarian organizations reporting that their female or male staff were stopped by the Talibans morality police has also increased.

The Taliban deny they are stopping aid agencies from carrying out their work or interfering with their activities.

They have already barred women from many jobs and most public spaces, and also excluded them from education beyond sixth grade.

In another development, the Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered that buildings should not have windows looking into places where a woman might sit or stand.

According to a four-clause decree posted on X late Saturday, the order applies to new buildings as well as existing ones.

The United Nations also called for a reversal of this restriction, Soto Nino-Martinez said.

The decree said windows should not overlook or look into areas like yards or kitchens. Where a window looks into such a space then the person responsible for that property must find a way to obscure this view to remove harm, by installing a wall, fence or screen.

Municipalities and other authorities must supervise the construction of new buildings to avoid installing windows that look into or over residential properties, the decree added.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing was not immediately available for comment on Akhundzadas instructions.
Brandon Ganch, known online as the MadFientist, retired in 2016 at just 34 by saving aggressively and keeping his spending lean.

While he doesn't regret the wealth built by his "hyper-focus" on saving 70% of his income, "I could have taken my foot off the gas knowing what I know now," he told host Paula Pant on a recent episode of the "Afford Anything" podcast.

In the lead-up to early retirement, the software developer and his wife lived frugally "in the woods of Vermont" while they pursued financial independence. But during that time, "I got into deprivation and neither my wife nor I were happy," Ganch said.

Now with two young children, his spending habits have shifted. Instead of being "hyper-frugal," he prioritizes spending on things that improve his family's quality of life, like buying a home in Scotland, where they now live  a decision he described as "a pure luxury," compared with his earlier frugality.

"I'm enjoying homeownership for the first time in my life," Ganch told Pant. "I don't let it stress me out. I know that there's going to be expenses," so he doesn't worry as much about "saving every penny."
Pakistan has granted visas to 94 Indian Hindu pilgrims, allowing them to visit the country for the 316th birth anniversary celebrations of Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib at the Shadani Darbar in Sindh, the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi said on January 3.The visa issuance falls under the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974. "The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for their visit to Pakistan to participate in the 316th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib, at Shadani Darbar Hayat Pitafi, Sindh, from 05-15 January 2025," the statement read.On this occasion, Pakistan's Charge d'Affaires in India, Saad Ahmad Warraich, extended his best wishes to the pilgrims, expressing hope for a "rewarding and fulfilling journey." He also reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to preserving religious sites and ensuring the necessary support for visiting pilgrims, the statement added.Meanwhile, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar emphasised that normalising relations with India requires mutual willingness. Speaking with journalists at the Foreign Office here on January 2, Dar highlighted Pakistans diplomatic efforts since the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government took office last year. When asked about Pakistan's relations with India, he stressed on the importance of mutual effort, and said: It takes two to tango. Dar also announced plans to visit Bangladesh next month and noted that Islamabad and Dhaka are rebuilding ties after the fall of the Hasina government in August last year.Bangladesh is like a lost brother. We aim to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, he said and mentioned that he received an invitation from Bangladeshs Chief Adviser Muhamad Yunus during a meeting in Cairo recently, PTI reported.Yunus took charge as Chief Adviser after the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power on August 5 last year following a students-led protest.Earlier, Dar rejected claims of the countrys isolation as he said, When we assumed office, there was a perception of diplomatic isolation. However, by expanding our diplomatic reach and engaging with regional neighbours, this perception has changed. Commenting on Afghanistan, Dar expressed Pakistans desire to strengthen ties with Kabul but admitted that terrorism remained a major challenge.He revealed that planned visits to Kabul were postponed due to terrorist attacks and also criticised former intelligence chief Gen Faiz Hameed for engaging in talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is a separate group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban.Pakistan has been facing a spike in terrorist attacks since the Afghan Taliban came to power in 2021 and has demanded the Kabul regime to control the terrorists using its soil against Pakistan.Dar also shared that former Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood has been appointed Secretary General of the D-8 Developing Eight Forum, based in Istanbul. Mahmood will serve a four-year term starting January 1, 2026.Dar highlighted progress in Pakistans nuclear energy sector, announcing the launch of the Chashma 5 (C-5) nuclear power project, finalised with China in 2023 after completing the K2 and K3 projects.Outgoing Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch dismissed rumors about military use of Gwadar port. Gwadar port is for Pakistans development, built with the support of China, she stated during her final briefing.
Four foreign nationals were questioned at Maha Kumbh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh after they were found to be "suspicious", officials said on Friday, adding that one of them was carrying an expired visa and passport, and was subsequently deported.A Russian citizen, a German national and two people from Belarus have had their documents examined, according to an official statement, PTI reported. The paperwork of the German and Belarusian nationals wre found to be in order, and they were allowed to go free."However, the fourth individual, [identified as] Andre from Moscow, Russia, had an expired visa and passport. As a result, he was sent back to Russia," the statement added.Senior Superintendent of Police (Mahakumbh Nagar) Rajesh Dwivedi emphasised that the entire Maha Kumbh Mela area is under constant surveillance, and anyone found involved in suspicious activities will not be spared.The statement issued by the state government said extensive arrangements are being made for the safety of devotees at the Maha Kumbh. Special focus is on suspicious individuals, with security forces maintaining strict surveillance. In this regard, Maha Kumbh police recently questioned four foreign nationals, it added.SSP Dwivedi mentioned that vigilance has been increased for the safety of devotees, with Maha Kumbh police remaining on alert 24/7."They are closely monitoring both local and foreign citizens. The police are conducting multiple levels of checks to ensure the safety of every devotee," Dwivedi said in the statement.Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently urged people to visit the the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj and see the giant 'damru' and trident of Lord Shiva made of bronze and other metals."Many pleasant destinations have been developed for the devotees coming to the great festival of folk faith 'Prayagraj Mahakumbh'," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on X."In this series, the giant damru and trident of Lord Shiva installed in Jhunsi are becoming the center of attraction. Come to Maha Kumbh, do visit this damru and trident made of bronze and other metals...," the post added.The Maha Kumbh, held every 12 years, will be held in Prayagraj this time between January 13 and February 26, 2025.An expert informed that the vacant space between two overbridges in Trivenipuram of Jhunsi is being developed as two parks and a concrete platform has been built between the two parks. A huge 'damru' and trident has been installed on one platform which weighs three tons.
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For funny actors and aspiring stand-up comics, landing a long-running sitcom role is like winning the lottery. You get guaranteed work for years and, even in the streaming era, the chance for a lifetime of residual checks. But some sitcom stars insist on biting the humor hand that feeds them. Here are five actors from successful TV comedies who wish they had never landed their roles in the first place

1 Chevy Chase, Community Chase, who had been irrelevant for years before finding a new generation of fans on Community, got himself canned for using a racial slur on the set. Fine, no problem, Chase told Marc Maron on the WTF podcast  he didnt want to be there anyway. I honestly felt the show wasnt funny enough for me, ultimately, Chase explained. I felt a little bit constrained. Everybody had their bits, and I thought they were all good. It just wasnt hard-hitting enough for me. Don't Miss Hey, no one was keeping you there, Joel McHale told Chevy, via PEOPLE. Thats Chevy being Chevy. I wrote about this in my book, but I was like, Hey, the feelings mutual, bud.

2 Bea Arthur, Golden Girls Arthur didnt always hate playing Dorothy on The Golden Girls, but she resented what the role ultimately became. By the end, she wanted out because of stale storylines that reduced Dorothy to being the brunt of certain kinds of jokes. Unfortunately, the things that were said about Dorothy were that she was big and ugly, according to the book, Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind The Lanai. And that wears on an actress after a while." Arthur also wasnt nuts about working with Betty White. She was not that fond of me, White said in 2011, according to The Village Voice. She found me a pain in the neck sometimes. It was my positive attitude  and that made Bea mad sometimes. Sometimes if I was happy, shed be furious! Advertisement

3 Jeannette McCurdy, iCarly Advertisement McCurdy wrote a whole book about her miserable experiences playing Sam on iCarly and Cat and Sam. Much of her vitriol was reserved for The Creator, an unnamed producer on both shows who was responsible for alleged abusive behavior. (Quiet on the Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV adds plenty of voices in support of her allegations.) But McCurdy hated Sam as well. On her Empty Inside podcast, she told Anna Faris that she was so unfulfilled by the roles that I played and felt like it was the most just cheesy, embarrassing thing.

4 Robert Reed, The Brady Bunch Advertisement Reed, who studied at Londons Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, believed playing Mike Brady was beneath him. He was such a stickler, he used to read with the script in one hand and the other he had in the Encyclopedia Britannica, said producer Sherwood Schwartz in the Los Angeles Daily News. Every day of every week, he was a pain in the neck, and you can go a little further south of that. If something didnt ring the truth bell with him, hed walk off the set and not tell you why.
The worlds most iconic landmarks employ maintenance teams the size of entire governments, because if, like, Mount Rushmore just crumbled into dust one day, people would be mad. Still, some end up having to close down, get relocated or even destroyed by greed.

5 CBGB As the venue where some of the most infamous punk musicians of New York City in the 70s and 80s cut their teeth and large swaths of their skin, CBGB was about as far away from a New Jersey airport restaurant as you could get. In 2016, however, long after the venue itself closed, it became exactly that, Newark Airports CBGB LAB, where nondiscriminating passers-through could get overpriced sandwiches delivered by servers who couldnt begin to tell you if the decor was authentic. Shockingly, it has also since closed.

4 London Bridge Quick, think of the place on Earth most unlike London. If you said Arizona, thats probably as good of an answer as any, but thats somehow where London Bridge  yes, the one from the song  ended up. By 1968, the bridge had become too expensive to repair, so the city sold it to an American businessman. Yes, they literally sold him a bridge. To put up in a desert. Against all odds, it actually has become a popular tourist attraction, but man, at what cost?

3 Scotland Yard Boy, London has been really strapped for cash for some reason. By 2015, the police force had long since moved out of Great Scotland Yard, but it was still kicking as a historic building until an international conglomerate bought it to convert into a luxury hotel. Now, the iconic setting of the Jack the Ripper and Sherlock Holmes mysteries is a place for businessmen to listen to Joe Rogan in the shower. The next year, another Scotland Yard building was sold to investors to turn into fancy condos. To be fair, the condos will be more useful.

2 Nohmul Pyramid Advertisement Advertisement PSA: Just because theyre called ruins doesnt mean theyre scrap. A local construction company apparently needed that lesson after they demolished a Mayan pyramid in Belize to use the rubble as gravel to fill in roads. It turns out thats illegal, and the workers responsible were charged and fined for it, but prosecutions cant rebuild pyramids.
The US Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued sanctions against a Beijing cybersecurity company for its role in attacks attributed to a Chinese cyberespionage group known as Flax Typhoon.

The company, called Integrity Technology Group (Integrity Tech), is accused of providing the computer infrastructure that Flax Typhoon used in its operations between the summer of 2022 and fall 2023.

However, according to a joint advisory by the FBI, NSA and the intelligence agencies from Canada, Australia and the UK, the company also maintained the command-and-control infrastructure for a botnet consisting of more than 260,000 compromised IoT devices.
Xinjiang's Horgos Port sees record China-Europe freight trains in 2024

Xinhua) 11:28, January 04, 2025

URUMQI, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Horgos Port, a major railway hub in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, handled a record high of 8,730 China-Europe freight train trips in 2024, up 12.5 percent year on year, according to local customs officials.

A total of 12.1 million tonnes of goods were handled by this port last year, an increase of 10.9 percent over the previous year and another record, local customs revealed.

The port in 2024 maintained an average of over 22 daily China-Europe freight train trips, facilitating the transportation of an increasing number of "Made in China" products such as daily necessities, mechanical and electrical equipment, and electronic products to Central Asian and European markets.

"With streamlined procedures, the clearance time for a freight train at the port has been reduced from 12 hours to 6-8 hours," said Zhao Yuanfeng with Horgos Customs.

So far more than 40,000 freight trains operating on 85 routes have reached their destinations in Central Asia and Europe via Horgos Port, which has become an important logistics channel connecting China and Eurasia.

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
Another week, another major policy issue ducked. After 14 years in opposition, one might have thought Labour would have developed some ideas about how to build a better Britain.

There is certainly no evidence of that so far. Sir Keir Starmer claims to have a 'plan for change', yet his first six months have been marked by dither and delay.

In lieu of decisive action, we have seen a plethora of reviews, task forces and talking shops. The latest fudge is on social care.

It's 27 years since Tony Blair launched a Royal Commission to tackle the problems and inequities of the care system. Since then, we have had the Wanless, Barker and Dilnot reports and endless promises, but little has changed.

So, here we go again. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced another commission to highlight the problems and build a 'national consensus' to address them. It is not expected to report until 2028  another three years wasted.

Although the difficulties facing the care sector may have intensified since 1997, they haven't fundamentally changed.

An ageing population, low investment in nursing homes, astronomical fees, low-paid staff and the tragedy of people having to sell their homes if they need residential care and have savings of more than 23,250.

A cap on fees of 86,000 was due to come in this year but has been scrapped by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who balked at the estimated 1 billion cost.

Sir Keir Starmer claims to have a 'plan for change', yet his first six months have been marked by dither and delay

The care crisis has grave implications for 'bed-blocking' in hospitals, where one in seven beds is occupied by medically fit patients with nowhere else to go (file photo)

Her Budget increases in employers' National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage have made a bad situation infinitely worse for financially stretched care providers.

The care crisis has grave implications for hospitals, where one in seven beds is occupied by medically fit patients who are there only because there is nowhere else for them to go. With a flu epidemic building, this 'bed-blocking' puts immense extra pressure on the NHS.

Mr Streeting says this review 'will finally grasp the nettle and set our country on the path to building a national care service that meets the urgent need of our generation'.

So urgent that he's happy to kick it into the long grass for three years. By that time, the nettle will have grown stronger and be even more painful to grasp.

Oldham girls failed

Given its love of demanding public inquiries when in opposition, how curious that Labour refuses to launch one into the sexual exploitation of vulnerable young girls by grooming gangs in Oldham.

Is it because most perpetrators were of Pakistani Muslim origin and ministers fear accusations of racism?

Or could it be the party is afraid that the failure of the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute these vile gangs in Oldham and elsewhere earlier will be exposed to public glare?

The Director of Public Prosecutions and head of the CPS for much of the time these appalling crimes were being committed was, of course, Sir Keir Starmer.

Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he has a way of making direct statements about matters others shy away from mentioning

Whatever your view of Donald Trump, he has a way of making direct statements about subjects others shy away from.

On his social media platform, the President-elect said the UK was making 'a very big mistake' in its fossil fuel policy and should 'open up the North Sea'.

Ministers will no doubt howl with indignation but isn't he saying what many in this country think  that rather than buying our oil and gas from foreign despots, we should exploit the reserves in our own waters until renewables are able to take over?
Sweden will offer migrants 25,000 each to move back to their home countries.

Yes, that's right, Sweden. Hitherto the self-styled 'humanitarian superpower' which boasted of its 'open heart' towards refugees and welcomed them in greater numbers, relative to its population, than any other European nation.

Now it's touting a policy  paying migrants to leave  once associated in this country with the far-Right BNP, a policy regarded as still too toxic even for Nigel Farage's Reform, whose appeal depends to a great extent on its anti-immigration credentials.

But it's being introduced in Sweden with little fuss, just the latest in a list of measures rolled out in the past few years to crack down on immigration.

Sweden is an object lesson in what happens when uncontrolled immigration, legal or illegal, is allowed. The real enemies of immigration turn out to be those who insisted there should be no limits, thereby discrediting the very idea of immigration in the eyes of most voters and inviting an inevitable clampdown.

During the 2015 migration crisis Sweden took in nearly 163,000 asylum seekers, per capita more than anywhere else in Europe.

Sweden is an object lesson in what happens when uncontrolled immigration, legal or illegal, is allowed. Pictured: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson

But what a difference a decade makes. It has just recorded its lowest number of asylum applications in a quarter of a century. Over the first 11 months of last year, that figure was down to under 9,000, of whom almost 5,000 voluntarily returned home.

Provisional figures even suggest Sweden now has net emigration for the first time since the 1960s  in other words it's exporting more people than it's importing.

Even if that's likely to be a temporary phenomenon there is no question: Sweden's days of mass immigration are over.

The general election of 2022 was the watershed. By then mass migration was synonymous in Swedish minds with gang-related murders by gun and bomb.

Yes, bombs  and the regular use of hand grenades. In one year, there were 149 gang-related bomb attacks which, as well as killing members of rival gangs, murdered or seriously maimed 28 innocent bystanders.

This is a form of gangster carnage unique to Sweden, which  before mass migration took hold  was one of Europe's most peaceful, law-abiding countries.

Guns took their toll, too. In one 12-month period, there were 363 shootings resulting in 53 deaths. Sweden, which once had the lowest rate of gun violence in Europe, suddenly had the highest.

Sodertalje, a town of 75,000 south of Stockholm, had the same number of fatal killings as London. Bild, Germany's biggest tabloid, called Sweden 'Europe's most dangerous country'. The insidious influence of the gangs even penetrated local government. In Gothenburg, Sweden's second city, the gangsters had enough clout with local officials to store weapons and drugs in council property. Welfare workers admitted they were too scared to report children at risk.

And children were indeed at risk. Migrant gangsters pioneered the use of so called 'child soldiers', sometimes as young as 11, most around 15, to carry out their killings, armed with vacuum-flask bombs and guns.

Sweden became notorious among its Nordic neighbours for exporting gang violence when, in only four months, 25 young Swedes  mainly from migrant families  were arrested in Denmark on suspected contract-killing or bombing missions.

Easter 2022 (that crucial election year) saw widespread, gang-inspired rioting in many Swedish towns and cities, with the police struggling to cope in the face of violent onslaughts.

By then every major political party had moved to the Right on immigration. Even the then ruling Centre-Left Social Democrats campaigned on 'no more Somalitowns'. The Social Democrats won the most votes in the 2022 election. But it was the centre-Right Moderate Party which formed a new coalition government with two centrist parties and, more significantly, the support of the Radical-Right Sweden Democrats.

Once regarded by Sweden's mainstream parties as beyond the pale and still not permitted to be a formal part of the new coalition, its fingerprints are all over Sweden's new hard line on immigration and asylum seekers.

Sweden's new maxim is simple: if you are not granted asylum, you must return home. Foreign criminals slated for deportation are now deprived of residence cards and denied the right to work.

Migrants walk near the German-Danish border, heading north towards Sweden in 2015

Asylum-seeker rights have been restricted to the absolute minimum allowed by the European Union. Now asylum is only for the most convincing, not those who are really economic migrants.

The new emphasis is not on asylum rights but a weaker 'subsidiary protection' status. This must be renewed every 13 months and can last more than three years  but only as long as financial independence can be demonstrated.

Sweden has also reduced its refugee quota. Identity checks have been increased at the border. Asylum seekers will soon have to remain in transit centres for the duration of their processing period.

'Poor moral conduct' is to be new grounds for deportation. Family reunification rules have been tightened. And now migrants will have a financial inducement to leave which, for big families, could amount to a substantial sum.

It is significant that the opposition Social Democrats have not voted against a single one of these measures. There is a new Swedish consensus on immigration, very different from the old, which held sway for so long yet collapsed so rapidly.

The police, who at one stage looked like being overwhelmed by Sweden's gang crisis, have been rearmed and retrained. They have also been helped by the widespread deployment of surveillance cameras and drones.

In the past, as gangland violence spread, most gang-related murders remained unsolved. Now 75 per cent of the killers are brought to justice.

There is also a renewed emphasis on integration. As Sweden opened its doors to newcomers, propelling its migrant population to over 20 per cent of the total, the Swedish government introduced the most generous programme of state support in the EU to sustain the incomers' native languages and cultures. This is now seen as a mistake.

Those who want to settle in Sweden will soon be required to take language and integration tests when applying for citizenship. The fact they didn't until now was regarded by some Swedes, for some reason, as a matter of pride.

They have learned the folly of that the hard way. Most gang leaders are now second-generation migrants, which underlines Sweden's integration failures.

'How are you going to be a Swedish citizen,' asks migration minister Johan Forssell, 'if you don't know anything about Sweden or you can't speak Swedish? I think it's stupid. Most Swedes think it's stupid.'

He's also crystal clear that successful immigration and integration is a numbers game. 'We will never be able to manage the enormous task of integration in the right way,' he says bluntly, 'if we continue to have such a high influx of immigrants every year. It's impossible.'

This is something Britain's rulers have still to realise. The last Tory government allowed net legal migration to rise to an unsustainable level of just short of one million a year and failed to stop migrants coming illegally across the Channel in small boats.

The new Labour Government has no stomach for anything Sweden is successfully pursuing.

It is content merely to mouth repeatedly its mantra about 'smashing the people smuggling gangs', an approach which is likely to be as successful as previous governments have been in smashing drug kingpins and their narcotics supply chains.

New Tory leader Kemi Badenoch is desperately in need of some new ideas to give her clapped-out party a fresh start.

She could do worse than jump on the first available flight to Stockholm and learn from what the Swedes are doing on an issue  immigration and asylum seekers  which is not going away.

She might also like to reflect that Sweden has made far more progress on getting a grip on the matter in two years than Britain under her party managed in 14.

It has done so while remaining a member of the EU, following the European Convention on Human Rights and not reverting to Rwandan gimmicks.

Clearly the Swedes have much to teach us. She should not tarry. Otherwise, Nigel Farage will likely get there first.
Imagine the following horror. After years of cover-ups, buck-passing and obfuscation, it is revealed a nationwide network of white paedophiles has been raping, murdering and torturing black and Asian children and teenagers. It emerges the gangs were operating in the open, with the full knowledge and tacit consent of local council leaders, officials and the police.

The scale of the abuse was so vast, entire towns were effectively turned into rape camps. And underpinning the campaign of abuse was a single, malign factor. Race. The girls had been specifically targeted because of the colour of their skin.

What would be the reaction of the political establishment to this outrage? In particular, what would be the reaction of politicians on the liberal Left? Those principled champions of racial tolerance and diversity who  rightly  rushed to the barricades to denounce the Windrush scandal, the murder of Stephen Lawrence and the death of George Floyd.

We all know the answer. They would be out on the streets. Cries of 'no justice, no peace' would echo across our major metropolis. Inquiries would be demanded daily. Prosecutions. The perpetrators, and those whose apathy had enabled the reign of terror, would be vilified. Knees would be taken in support of the victims. It would be framed as one of the greatest scandals of post-war Britain.

The victims were last week treated to a cold, sterile rejection of their appeals for justice by Labour Minister Jess Phillips (pictured), Dan Hodges writes

But that isn't what's happened. The scandal has indeed been exposed. But the perpetrators were predominantly British-Pakistani men, not white. Their prey almost exclusively white, not black.

So instead of an outpouring of righteous anger, the victims were last week treated to a cold, sterile rejection of their appeals for justice by Labour Minister Jess Phillips.

Responding to a call from Oldham Council for a full-scale government inquiry into the abuse, she replied: 'It is for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene.'

Phillip's rebuff generated a predictable storm of condemnation from her political opponents. Much of which can be quickly dismissed.

'The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal,' Kemi Badenoch declared. Conveniently forgetting that in 2022 her own government rejected a similar call, telling Oldham Council: 'The Government continues to be clear that it is for the local authorities in individual towns and cities, which are responsible for delivering local services, to commission local inquiries.'

Elon Musk, displaying the latest symptoms of his increasingly virulent Starmer Derangement Syndrome, took to X to rage: 'Who is the boss of Jess Phillips right now? Keir Starmer. The real reason she's refusing to investigate the rape gangs is that it would obviously lead to the blaming of Keir Starmer (head of the Crown Prosecution Service at the time).'

Yet in reality Starmer introduced a series of reforms when he was Director of Public Prosecutions that led to many of the rapists finally being brought to justice, including establishing a new national network of over 80 specialist prosecutors, a Child Sexual Abuse Review Panel and a 'victim's right to review', which finally gave the abused the right to challenge any decision not to prosecute.

But the ranting of Musk, and cynical politicking of Badenoch, cannot obscure a basic truth. Which is that the abuse of thousands of white, working-class children by predominantly Muslim, Pakistani-heritage men is one of the worst and most shaming events in our nation's history. And the moral and rational case for a full judicial inquiry is unanswerable.

The raving of the online conspiracy theorists also cannot be allowed to mask another truth. Which is it that it is once again the toxic intersection of race and politics that really lies behind the Government's decision to reject an inquiry.

The perpetrators of the abuse were, in the main, Muslim men. And Keir Starmer, his MPs and his Government are currently terrified of offending the Muslim community.

At the Election, significant numbers of Muslim voters turned on Labour. In Leicester South, a 22,000 Labour majority was overturned as Shadow Paymaster-General Jonathan Ashworth lost his seat to Muslim independent Shockat Adam, who triumphantly declared his victory was 'for Gaza'.

In Birmingham Perry Barr, a 15,000 Labour majority was lost. In Dewsbury and Batley a notional 14,000 majority. In Blackburn, a majority of 18,000.

This is what is driving Labour's policy on the rape gangs. Fear. Fear of further upsetting their Muslim base and losing seats as a result.

We see evidence of it every week. In Keir Starmer's meek reply to a call from one of his own Muslim MPs for an effective blasphemy law. The Government's callow response to the debate over a ban on first-cousin marriage. The decision to impose a partial arms embargo on Israel.

Abdul Rauf, Mohammed Sajid and Kabeer Hassan were jailed for their involvement in a child sex exploitation ring

Abdul Aziz, Mohammed Amin and Adil Khan (L-R) - three of the nine members of child sex exploitation ring from Rochdale and Oldham

And we can see it most of all in the mealy-mouthed response of Jess Phillips, putative Minister for Safeguarding And Violence Against Women And Girls.

There is no politician of any party who has a more formidable track record of highlighting and combatting gender-based abuse than Phillips. During her time working for Women's Aid, she helped protect countless women and girls from domestic abuse, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

But at the Election, her majority was slashed by the pro-Palestinian crusaders. So even she has now been cowed.

Revealing again what really lies at the heart of the so-called grooming scandal. Yes, they were horrific crimes of unspeakable violence. But they were also crimes motivated by racial hatred.

The testimony of the survivors is clear. 'I was called a 'white slag' and 'white c***' as they beat me,' one recounted. 'They made it clear that because I was a non-Muslim, and not a virgin, and because I didn't dress 'modestly', that they believed I deserved to be 'punished'.'

Now those survivors are being punished again. Their call for the nation to bear full and formal witness to their suffering casually and callously dismissed. And they are being punished for the same reason they were initially targeted. Because they are white, and their attackers are predominantly Muslim.

We do not need to indulge the deranged conspiracies of Elon Musk and his acolytes. The way the British political establishment has betrayed  and continues to betray  the victims of the Muslim rape gangs is shame enough.
Royal life is often described as living in a gilded cage - while members of these prestige families enjoy the perks of living in palaces and having access to priceless pieces of art and jewellery among other things, this comes at a cost.

And that cost is public scrutiny: any wrong step, or activity considered inappropriate for a royal is often dissected, with many people interested, or having an opinion.

The late Queen Elizabeth II described 1992 as her 'annus horribilis' after three of her four children separated from their spouses, and a major fire hit Windsor Castle.

Perhaps it would be fair to say that some negative attention on some of Norway's royals this year could prompt some to describe 2024 as the family's own annus horribiilis.

Among some of the negativity experienced by the family is controversy surrounding Crown Prince Haakon's stepson, Marius Borg Hoiby, who has been accused of rape more than once this year - he has denied any accusations.

More controversy arose in August, when Princess Martha Louise of Norway tied the knot with Shaman Durek in a ceremony that lasted for several days.

Then, in October, it was announced that Crown Princess Mette-Marit would be taking some time off due to illness.

Here, FEMAIL looks at some of the issues the Norwegian Royal Family struggled with in 2024...

Marius Borg Hoiby

Marius Borg Hoiby (pictured) is the the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon - Norway's future King and the son of Princess Mette-Marit

Among the negative headlines surrounding Norway's royals are those about Marius Borg Hoiby, the son of the future Queen of Norway, Princess Mette-Marit and the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon.

As of December 12, the 27-year-old was reportedly being investigated for a fourth sexual offence amid claims he had violated his parole while awaiting trial on charges of rape and domestic violence.

A day earlier, Norwegian magazine Se Og Hor reported that Hoiby was under investigation for a new offence believed to have occurred 'a few hundred metres away' from Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit's Skaugum Estate.

Local news outlet Dagbladet reported that the offence - which could range from sexually offensive behaviour to rape - had occurred when the alleged victim was present with a friend.

The Norwegian publication added the friend is allegedly the same woman Borg Hoiby is accused of raping in Skaugum on September 26.

Hoiby was arrested and charged with rape on November 18, before being released from custody on November 27.

At the time, police said 'an investigation has been launched into another matter concerning sexual offences', according to a translated copy of the press release.

At the time, lawyers for Borg Hoiby declined to comment on the latest investigation into a fourth possible sexual offence.

The Norwegian Royal Family has released their annual Christmas photograph - and there is one family member notably absent

Crown Prince Haakon's stepson has previously denied the rape charges.

The report came weeks after it emerged Hoiby had breached a restraining order against one of his alleged victims.

Hoiby is said to have contacted one of the women after leaving a rehab facility in London, thereby violating the terms of the order, according to Norwegian media.

It was not clear at the time if Hoiby has been arrested again.

His first arrest was on August 4th for an assault, he was then arrested again on September 13 for a different alleged assault and a third time in November on rape charges.

Late last month, Borg Hoiby was released from custody after he was arrested on suspicion of rape.

The 27-year-old - who has since been accused of a second rape - was banned from having visitors and letters during his stay in custody due to the risk of tampering with evidence, NRK reported.

Borg Hiby is the stepson of the heir to the Norwegian throne, Crown Prince Haakon, and the son of Mette-Marit from a previous relationship

Police said Borg Hiby was released because they believed there was no longer any danger of evidence being lost or destroyed.

On top of that, when the Norwegian Royal Family released their annual Christmas photograph - Borg Hoiby wasn't included in the holiday snap.

Instead, King Harald V of Norway and Queen Sonja were joined by their son Crown Prince Haakon, his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and their 20-year-old daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra.

But Prince Sverre Magnus, 18, and Borg Hoiby, Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship, weren't included in the festive photograph, where the five beaming royals posed up a storm next to a Christmas tree.

Sverre Magnus now lives in Trondheim, rather than Oslo with the Royal Family, and wasn't there when the picture was taken, Head of Communications at the Palace, Guri Varpe, revealed to Dagbladet.

But while he has always featured in the Christmas photo shoot, Borg Hoiby is rarely included in official family snaps. He was raised by the royal couple alongside his siblings. However, unlike them, he has no official public role.

Yet his absence from the image was made even more likely after news broke that the future Queen of Norway's son is reportedly being investigated for a fourth sexual offence.

In an interview with NRK, Norway's public broadcasting group on Christmas day, his mother - the Crown Princess said: 'If I had to choose one word for this year, it would be challenging.

'It has been a demanding year and a demanding autumn for us,' Princess Mette-Marit added.

Following the incident, Hiby became the first ever royal family member to have been charged with a crime and is no longer publicly listed as part of the Scandinavian household.

Controversial 'money spinner' wedding

Princess Martha Louise and her husband Shaman Durek Verrett pictured on their wedding day in Geiranger in August

After several days of build-up and parties, Princess Martha Louise and her fiance Shaman Durek Verrett tied the knot in Geiranger, a small town in Norway.

Hailing from California, Durek Verrett, Princess Martha Louise's second husband, refers to himself as a 'shaman' - a type of leader who attempts to heal by connecting to the spiritual world and even counts Gwyneth Paltrow among his celebrity clients.

His association with the princess has been a source of controversy for several reasons.

For example, he found himself in hot water in 2022 when claims from his book, Spirit Hacking, published in 2019, resurfaced when he and Martha Louise got engaged.

He claimed that children 'can get cancer from being unhappy' and was dropped by his publisher shortly after the couple announced their engagement in June 2022.

Martha, who describes herself as 'spiritual' and claims to be a clairvoyant, got into a relationship with Durek after overcoming the loss of her first husband, Ari Behn, who died by suicide in 2019.

But things have not been easy for Martha, as she was forced to leave her role as a working member of the royal family because of her fiance's controversial views.

Their nuptials were equally controversial, with some details emerging that surprised a number of royal watchers, and prompted some to brand the event a 'money spinner'.

It was reported that exclusivity deals with Hello! magazine and Netflix were signed by the couple

As a result, according to Se og Hr, guests were told not to post images to social media - with the alleged ban thought to be linked to these exclusivity agreements.

According to the Norwegian publication, ahead of the wedding, a message was sent out to their invitees asking them not to share anything on their social media profiles.

'Please remember that mobile phones or cameras are not allowed at any of the events throughout the weekend. In addition, we ask that you do not post anything on social media,' it states, according to an email that the website obtained.

It then reiterates that it is 'very important' that 'everyone' follows the guidelines and asks guests to 'take them seriously'.

At the time, the Daily Mail's Richard Eden reported that 'Norwegians are not happy' about the exclusivity agreements.

A spokesman for the Royal Family also said 'it denies other outlets fair access', and it was revealed that the royals would not only pose for exclusive images.

In addition, there were claims that rather than having an open bar, guests were given five drink tokens, which they were to use at both Friday's pre-wedding party, and Saturday's reception.

According to Se og Hr, despite guests forking out an average of 2,300 (NOK 32,000) to attend the event - a sum which does not include the cost of a wedding gift - they had to cover the cost of additional beverages at the Hotel Union in Geiranger, where the reception was hosted.

According to the outlet, it is traditional for Norwegian weddings to have open bars, but after the vouchers ran out, guests could purchase drinks from a menu, featuring cocktails made with the couple's customised gin they made with Oslo Handverksdestilleri. The drinks were priced at 16.50 (NOK 225).

The exclusivity deals, pop-up shop, and pricey drinks prompted some to accuse the couple of hosting a 'money spinner' wedding.

The gin served at the reception also provoked criticism of the royal: earlier this year, it was reported that the couple had been involved in creating the beverage which was made by Oslo Handverksdestilleri (OHD).

The label on the gin bottle said: 'We created this gin for the wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett in Geiranger in August 2024.'

Princess Martha Louise is not allowed to use her title for commercial gain, and it was at first reported that while OHD generally collaborates on products it makes with celebrities, the couple's gin had already been in the brand's line before it was associated with them.

However, according to a letter written by (OHD) to the Norwegian directorate of health, seen by Aftenposten, the princess may have been more involved in the creation of the product than initially thought.

This letter said that not only were the princess and her partner involved in the design process when it came to the label, it was the royal's idea to sell the product to the public via the state-run Vinmonopolet alcohol retailer.

OHD had written to the Norwegian directorate of health as it was investigating the product 'as part of [its] mandate to supervise compliance with the Norwegian prohibition against advertising of alcoholic beverages'.

An invitation to the product's launch, which was sent to the press, said: 'Martha Louise and Durek Verrett will present their unique gin and drink made especially for the wedding.'

Attorney Thomas Benson, at Angell law firm, is a specialist in alcohol law. He told Norwegian outlet VG: 'Seen in isolation, the invitation is not a breach. But when you highlight the gin and this one special product becomes the main focus of the event itself, this is a clear violation.'

Reports say the gin was pulled from Vinmonopolet on the Thursday morning ahead of the nuptials on the Saturday.

A further controversy that has emerged following the big day is that the princess arranged a 'makeshift clothes shop' inside the hotel that was hosting the reception, according to Se og Hr.

The outlet says that items from the latest collection from clothing brand Hest! were on sale next to the couple's gift table. The princess owns a large stake in the brand, which she founded five years ago with two friends.

According to the outlet, it says 'several sources' said there were two Hest employees selling the clothing at the pop-up store.

Despite the controversies, guests appeared to enjoy the wedding reception, which didn't wrap up until 3am.

However, reports in the Norwegian media at the end of November claimed the couple had still not paid all of their vendors from their August wedding and owed more than a million kroner (71,496).

Furthermore, it was recently reportedly that the couple did not spend Christmas with the rest of the family, claiming this was due to due to Durek's health.

According to Se og Hr, the spiritual healer - who flits between describing himself as a 'third and sixth generation shaman' - was still struggling with 'severe kidney disease' in 2023. The couple claim he is still receiving dialysis.

During a recent Instagram Live, Durek said he is 'waiting for friends to offer me a new kidney' - having reportedly previously raised $20,000 for his first kidney transplant surgery in 2012.

Shaman Durek denies sexual assault claims

Pictured: Princess Martha Louise of Norway with her new husband Shaman Durek and her three daughters Maud Angelica, 21, Leah Isadora, 19, and Emma Tallulah, 16

At the end of October, just months after his August wedding to Princess Martha Louise, Shaman Durek was accused of sexually assaulting a Swedish father-of-two - claims he denied.

Joakim Bostrom, 49, accused the royal of 'grabbing his penis' and 'trying to have sex with him' during one of his 'spiritual' sessions.

The bisexual American Shaman, real name Durek Verrett, denied the accusations and said he has a 'legal document' in place to protect him.

Speaking to Norweigan newspaper Se og Hr, Mr Bostrom claimed the pair met in New York in 2015. He said he decided to book one of his sessions because he is 'spiritually curious'.

Mr Bostrom alleges that the Shaman, also 49, quickly 'crossed a line' and flirted with him.

'It wasn't just in the session that he crossed the line. When I think back on it, he always had a sexualised behaviour and he would always touch me. It was tiring.'

He added: 'The fact that he is inside the Norwegian royal house is absolutely sick! In my opinion, Durek is looking for power and position. That so few see through him is absolutely incredible.'

Mr Bostrom said that after meeting Durek in New York in 2015 the pair became close friends, often hanging out in bars in the evening.

But despite knowing his friend was married to a woman, Durek began 'flirting' with him, which became 'increasingly intense', according to Mr Bostrom.

Mr Bostrom claims he was touched in an 'inappropriate way' by Verrett after attending a spiritual session with him, after he claimed he had a cyst in the area.

'He started touching my penis. I reacted violently and shouted what do you think is going to happen? You want me to get an erection?. I told him to stop, but he wouldn't budge. He seemed determined to persuade me to have sex,' he told Se oh hor.

In a later session, he said he was then sexually assaulted by the Shaman, who didn't stop when he asked.

Mr Bostrom didn't report Durek's behaviour at the time - something he now regrets.

In a statement given to Se og Hr, Durek's representative Jenni Weinman said Bostrom had been his Swedish agent before being fired for having an inappropriate relationship with a member of staff.

She claimed the perceived assault was part of the Shaman's 'healing methods', which often require him to 'remove energy' in areas around the armpits and groin.

Weinman added that Durek has a 'legal document' in place to protect himself from people with 'evil intentions' as his work involves touch.

Around two weeks after Joakim Bostrom made his claims, bombshell audio recordings obtained by Norwegian paper Se og Hor, prompting the Durek Verrett to admit he had 'crossed the line' with some of his clients during his work as a 'spiritual healer'.

In the three voice messages obtained by the outlet, he admitted he 'made a mistake' in sessions with five of his clients.

Speaking in the recordings, Verrett reveals he performed oral sex on one of his male clients after their session and helped a woman 'clean' her vagina after she had 'violent' sex with her partner.

The shocking conversations took place with MTV star Eric Nies in 2020, who shared them with the paper in light of the recent allegations against Verrett. Mr Nies's side of the conversation is not heard in the recordings.

In one recording, the Shaman can be heard saying: 'I have crossed - I did cross - the line one time with [name redacted]. I did.

'And it was a mistake and I'm aware of that mistake. And I did cross the line when [name redacted] pulled out his c***.

'I should have never sucked his c***. I should have just left it and put the sheet back over it, but we finished with the session and I asked him. I said, "do you want to go here?'

'And he says yes. And I'm like, ok, are you sure? And he goes yes. And I'm like, okay. And when the situation happened with [redacted], I did cross the line and I told [redacted] I crossed the line, and I apologised to him and he understood and he spoke with me and we worked it out and that's what it was.'

Verrett, from California, refers to himself as a 'shaman' - a type of leader who attempts to heal by connecting to the spiritual world and even counts Gwyneth Paltrow among his celebrity clients.

In a second audio clip, he said he helped a woman 'clean her vagina' after she'd been subjected to 'violent' sex by her partner - though did not provide exact details of the process. There is no indication that the process involved the Shaman physically touching the client.

He admitted that the woman had 'freaked out' after they'd completed their 'session'.

Verrett continued: 'Oh and one more just so you know, there was a woman who came in who asked me to help her with a situation she had with her boyfriend, who was violently having sex with her.

'I stood across the room and helped her clean her vagina and then she freaked out and felt like a man shouldn't have been in the room with her talking about vagina. And that happened, so, that's what happened.'

Verrett claimed a third client asked him to 'put his finger beneath his scrotum' due to having 'sexual issues', despite his girlfriend telling him it was inappropriate.

When contacted by Femail around the time the recordings were made public, a spokesperson for Verrett said: 'That being said its very easy to make this a story anyone wants it to be.

'Without sharing or hearing the full context of the conversation between two people in its entirety, a one sided account doesnt paint the full picture of the situations being talked about, its biased and sloppy journalism.'

Nies, 53, appeared on MTV's The Real World: New York, The Grind and Confessions of a Teen Idol in the 2000s.

On his Instagram account, Nies calls himself a 'soul liberator' and 'dragon king'. Like Verrett, he also claims to promote 'modern Shamanism' on his website.

The pair are thought to have previously been good friends after meeting in Malibu in 2012, but appear to no longer be in contact.

Illness

King Harald V of Norway (pictured in Copenhagen in September 2022) has had to scale back his royal duties due to suffering from a number of illnesses in recent years

Two key members of the Norwegian Royal Family have been suffering with health issues this year.

In 2018, it was revealed that Crown Princess Mette-Marit had been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis or the thickening of lung tissue.

According to the NHS, the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis include shortness of breath, loss of appetite and weight loss, extreme tiredness, a persistent dry cough, and swollen fingertips.

At the time, Mette-Marit issued a statement explaining that the condition 'means my working capacity will vary' to accommodate her treatment including 'periods of time without an official programme'.

'For a number of years, I have had health challenges on a regular basis, and now we know more about what is involved,' the mother-of-three said. 'The condition means that my working capacity will vary.

'The Crown Prince and I are choosing to make this public now partly because in future there will be a need to plan periods of time without an official programme to accommodate treatment and when the disease is more active.'

Pulmonary fibrosis is incurable and worsens over time, but the Norwegian royal's doctor, Professor Kristian Bjro at the National Hospital, said they'd been monitoring her condition for several years and the 'disease progression has been slow over this period'.

The fact that the disease was detected at an early stage improves Mette-Marit's prognosis, the Palace's official statement released at the time said.

'Even if such a diagnosis will limit my life at times, I am glad that the disease has been discovered so early. My goal is still to work and participate in the official programme as much as possible,' the mother-of-three said.

In October this year, it was confirmed by the Norwegian Royal Court that Mette-Marit, 51, was taking some sick leave due to medicinal side effects associated with her chronic lung disease.

'Due to side effects of the medication that Her Royal Highness is using for her chronic lung disease, she is on sick leave, initially for a week. Her official program during this period will be cancelled or postponed,' a statement read.

And she is not the only royal with health issues: in February this year, King Harald V was hospitalised with an infection while on holiday in Malaysia.

The royal, 87, who is the oldest monarch in Europe, was enjoying a trip abroad before being admitted to Sultanah Maliha Hospital on the Malaysian resort island of Langkawi.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit (pictured in November in Oslo) had to take sick leave in October, due to medicinal side effects of treating her pulmonary fibrosis

His hospitalisation followed several illnesses he'd experienced in the preceding months. In addition, the monarch underwent heart surgery in 2020.

Following his illness in Malaysia, he was fitted with a pacemaker to help compensate for his low heart rate, taking two months sick leave.

While he has sworn that his commitment to being king is a lifelong one, and has said he has no plans to abdicate, the Palace did reveal he would be scaling back his duties.

A statement released in April this year read: The king will make adjustments to his programme in the future, out of consideration for his age. This will entail a permanent reduction in the number and scope of activities in which the king participates.

'Practical arrangements will also be made in the conduct of his official activity.'
He's been a playboy and a Pope, and now Jude Law is playing an eccentric German doctor: a nudist with steel teeth who was set on leaving humanity behind and starting afresh on a remote island.

The British actor, 52, is joined in Ron Howards new thriller by the likes of Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney and Ana de Armas, who plays a married Austrian Baroness who turns up on the archipelago with two boyfriends.

Eden tells the stranger-than-fiction true story of lust and murder in a community of unusual folks living on The Galapagos Islands in the 1930s.

In real life, Dr Friedrich Ritter (played by Jude) and his lover Dore Strauch (Kirby) arrived on the southern, tropical island of Floreana, a former penal colony, in 1929.

They were determined to live according to philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's guide - embracing vegetarianism and physical labour - despite the unforgiving rocky, lava-encrusted environment, where fresh water was scarce.

The couple first met as Dore, then just 26, received treatment for multiple sclerosis at the Hydrotherapeutic Institute in Berlin.

With Friedrich understanding the mental stress behind her physical pain, the two quickly fell in love but were both married to other people, explained Eden Undone (2024) by author Abbott Kahler, via The Daily Mail.

To solve this problem, Dore came up with a brazen scheme whereby she persuaded Friedrich's wife to move in with her own husband, leaving the doctor and his younger lover free to be with one another.

He's been a playboy and a Pope, and now Jude Law (pictured with Vanessa Kirby in Eden) is playing an eccentric German doctor: a nudist with steel teeth who was set on leaving humanity behind and starting afresh on a remote island

But their romantic fairytale was less suburban life and more living on an uninhabited island, growing their own food, with no need for company or even clothes.

Friedrich, who aimed to live to the age of 150, was a militant vegetarian and hated civilisation, 'concluded that the world was beyond redemption; he could do nothing for it, and it could do nothing for him', explained Kahler.

The author added: 'Friedrichs plan was prompted not just by a hatred of humanity. He had also concluded that escape was an urgent necessity.

'Albert Einstein, an acquaintance of his, had discussed with him the very real prospect of a bomb that would destroy all of civilisation.'

So in 1929, just before the Wall Street Crash, Dore and Friedrich, who had replaced his teeth with a set of steel dentures in preparation for a life without a dentist, left Germany for their paradise in Floreana.

However, their utopia of living as 'a modern Adam and Eve' wasn't all it was cracked up to be; Friedrich would become violent towards his lover, they'd be joined by a mean Baroness and rumours of murder would turn their paradise into hell.

In her 1936 memoir, Satan Came to Eden, Dore recalled her arrival on the island, saying an 'atmosphere of extreme desolation enfolded [the] scene, and was increased by the almost completely dried-up, lifeless vegetation', reported Air Mail.

Yet, Friedrich, meanwhile described Floreana in a December 1931 Atlantic article as 'the world of a poets fantasy' and an 'exotic picture seen through the meshes of a silken veil'.

The British actor, 52, is joined in Ron Howards new thriller by the likes of Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney (pictured in Eden) and Ana de Armas, who plays a married Austrian Baroness who turns up on the archipelago with two boyfriends

Eden tells the stranger-than-fiction true story of lust and murder in a community of unusual folks living on The Galapagos Islands in the 1930s. Pictured right, Dr Friedrich Ritter

The Baroness and Robert shoot The Empress of Floreana

They set up home near a natural spring at the foot of the Cerro Pajas volcano, calling it Friedo, a mixture of their names and inspired by the German word for peace, 'Friede'.

But life on the island was anything but peaceful.

Their crops were frequently ruined by droughts, Friedrich was irritated by Dore's mobility issues and illnesses, performing several procedures on her without painkillers and soon they would be joined by unwanted neighbours.

They sent letters about their life as castaways back to a German newspaper, which caused a sensation and led to the arrival of Europeans who had no intention of leaving.

One such couple was five-months-pregnant Margret Wittmer and her older husband Heinz. They arrived with Heinz's ill teenage son Harry on August 1931 to escape the financial hardships of post-First World War Europe.

They also hoped the tropical climate would help heal the teen, who tragically ended up drowning in The Galapagos, reported The Telegraph.

Setting up home near another spring, which they named Olympus, the Wittmers brought an array of provisions, from coffee and beans to brandy, potatoes and a typewriter.

They were also more practical and boasted an impressive collection of skills, including farming, sewing, carpentry and construction.

In real life, Dr Friedrich Ritter (played by Jude) and his lover Dore Strauch (Kirby) arrived on the southern, tropical island of Floreana, a former penal colony, in 1929. Pictured, Ana de Armas in Eden

The couple (pictured) were determined to live according to philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's guide - embracing vegetarianism and physical labour - despite the unforgiving rocky, lava-encrusted environment, where fresh water was scarce

While neither couple were very fond of the other, their feuds paled in comparison to the dislike they held for their next neighbour, the self-styled Baroness Wagner de Bosquet.

Not interested in Nietzsche, the Austrian 'flamboyant and ill-tempered' aristocrat, who arrived alongside her three lovers, planned to build a five-star hotel in paradise.

She decided the islands would be the next top holiday destination with tourists from around the world after reading about Dore and Friedrich in the German newspapers.

In July 1932, she arrived in Floreana alongside her 'three dogs, a hive of bees, four packing crates, 21 cases and trunks, and as many cigarettes as she could purchase' explained author Kahler.

Baroness Wagner introduced herself to Dore and Friedrich by holding out a hand to be kissed and delivering a bag of their mail, which she had already opened, according to Air Mail.

She also demanded the Wittmers take her to their spring before washing her feet in the family's drinking water.

Due to her charisma, and habit of telling outrageous stories about the island and her neighbours to reporters that visited, she commanded the attention of most the press, reported The Washington Post.

She also charmed visitors including a millionaire yachtsman who made her the star of his short film The Empress of Floreana.

The couple (pictured) first met as Dore, then just 26, received treatment for multiple sclerosis at the Hydrotherapeutic Institute in Berlin

With Friedrich understanding the mental stress behind her physical pain, the two (pictured) quickly fell in love but were both married to other people, explained Eden Undone (2024) by author Abbott Kahler, via The Daily Mail

She even convinced the governor of the Galapagos into giving her 2,500 acres of the island to build her home on. In comparison, the German couples received just 50 acres each.

Unsurprisingly, there was no loved lost between the neighbours - especially since she commandeered the supply stores within just days of arriving and told Heinz he would need to pay for the privilege of gaining back his own items.

The Baroness was married to a French war hero but kept two loyal lovers, Robert Phillipson and Rudolph Lorenz - one 13 years her junior, the other eight years younger than her.

She would travel around the rocky island with a whip in one hand and a revolver in the other, apparently shooting at anyone or anything that displeased her.

It was said that she shot a visitor in the stomach during a hunting expedition - but despite locals sharing their concerns to the governor, she instead charmed the official enough to be invited on a holiday with him.

Meanwhile, when Margret ordered tinned milk from Ecuador for her baby, The Baroness kept all of it, apart from a single tin.

She also insisted that she, Rudolph and Robert all sleep together, despite the lovers hating one another.

Her hotel was quickly built, but after making numerous enemies, the Baroness vanished amid rumours of foul play.

To solve this problem, Dore came up with a brazen scheme whereby she persuaded Friedrich's wife to move in with her own husband, leaving the doctor and his younger lover (pictured in 1932) free to be with one another

She had apparently claimed to Margret that she was planning to move to Tahiti. Two days later, despite no ships calling at the island, the aristocrat and one of her partners disappeared.

Only Rudolph returned, claiming his former lovers had stuck to their travel plans. But nothing was heard of The Baroness again and their bodies were never found.

Before the disappearance, Rudolph had confided in Margert that he believed The Baroness had tired of him and was intending to murder him.

He later left the island via a fishing boat, only for his shipwrecked body to be discovered months later after he had died of thirst.

Even more mysterious, The Baroness' belongings apparently started turning up at the Wittmers' home after she'd vanished.

A tablecloth as well as her beloved copy of the Picture of Dorian Gray, which she never travelled without, were said to be spotted in the hands of the Wittmers.

In another twist, Ritter, who no doubt had motive for murdering the woman who disturbed his idea of paradise, died, suddenly, after allegedly eating bad meat in a break from his vegetarian ways.

He cursed his lover with his last breath, according to Margret. She wasn't alerted to the doctor's bad health until the next day by Dore, who is thought to have devoured the same meal but never fell ill.

Writing in her 1960 memoir, Floreana, Margret claimed Friedrich glared at his lover before penning: 'I curse you with my dying breath' on a piece of paper. He was dead within a few hours.

Four months later, Dore returned to Germany, where she later died in a mental institute after it was bombed during the Second World War, according to The Telegraph.

The Wittmers remained on Floreana, where they opened the island to tourism, running hotels. Margret died in 2000, perhaps taking the truth about the deaths with her.
Located a mere 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall in the Isles of Scilly is the idyllic island of Tresco.

With its white sand beaches, magnificent sea views and relatively low crime rate, it is no wonder the island is frequented by celebrities, such as the Prince and Princess of Wales, and hordes of seasonal staff to cater to their every need.

The island, which is looked after by the Dorrien-Smith family on behalf of the Duchy of Lancaster, is something of a dreamy paradise for visitors and tourists. But for the Clayton family, it is the site of their worst nightmare.

Josh Clayton, from Taunton, Somerset, was 23 years old and working at the Ruin Beach Cafe for the second summer in a row when he disappeared on the island he called 'paradise' on September 13, 2015.

He was last seen among the revellers at a private party thrown by Tristan Dorrien-Smith, son of the wealthy island landlord Robert, at a venue called The Shed.

But when he didn't show up for work the next day, Josh's friends on the island began a desperate search for him. Tragically, his body washed up on the rocks 10 days later.

While the exact circumstances of Josh's death are still unknown, an inquest at Plymouth Crown Court in 2018 recorded a verdict of an accidental death.

However nine years on the Clayton family are are still looking for closure, and his brother Ashley has retraced Josh's steps in a Discovery+ documentary, The Last Party: Death on Tresco.

Josh Clayton (pictured) was 23 years old when he disappeared on the island he called 'paradise'

While Ashley is determined to find answers on Tresco, Josh's mother Tracey Clayton, 60, told Metro revealed she could 'never go back' to the island due to the traumatic memories it holds - however she hopes the documentary will reignite interest in Josh's case.

She has also rejected any suggestion that her son took drugs the night he disappeared - despite police reportedly considering him an 'alcohol or substance misuse' missing person, the BBC reported.

Josh's disappearance in 2015 sparked a frantic search for him when he didn't show up for his shift at the Ruin Beach Cafe the morning after the party.

In the search, they found his bike in a hedge on a hiking trail near where the party was found.

His personal belongings, including an unopened pack of Lambert and Butler cigarettes and a phone charger were also found strewn across the floor.

But there was no sign of Josh himself for another 10 days, when a French yachtsman found him washed up on rocks north of Tresco.

Amid many theories that circulated about Josh's disappearance and death were that he had been under the influence of drugs and walked into the sea or that he had taken his own life - but Tracey cannot fathom either scenario.

She said that hours before her son disappeared, he called her to express his desire to travel the world and move to Tokyo.

Josh (pictured) was working at the Ruin Beach Cafe for the second summer in a row when he disappeared after attending a party

Josh was last seen at The Shed - a party venue on Tresco. After his disappearance, his bike and belongings were found on a trail nearby

A photo of Josh's bike taken by the police. Its saddle is turned 180 degrees in the wrong direction

She believes her son only ever smoked cannabis and argued that it was out of character for him to wander off at night, on an island he knew 'like the back of his hand'.

The defensive mother even said that Josh had come up with a buddy system to encourage people to walk home with others in order to stay safe.

She likened herself to a 'lion protecting her cubs' in her pursuit to find out the truth about what happened to her son.

Since 2015, she has been highly critical of the police investigation, including Josh's bloody t-shirt which was destroyed before examination.

Additionally, she claims one witness - who claimed to see Josh arguing outside of The Shed - had five different accounts of the same story.

The Clayton Family have spent more than 67,000 on lawyers and even hired private investigator to find out more about Josh's death.

An jury inquest into Josh's death was first held in 2017 but it collapsed when a witness, Leroy Thomas, claimed he'd seen Josh 'ranting and raving' outside the party and that he'd been embroiled in a row that night.

He also claimed he'd heard Josh saying he was going to kill himself.

At the time, Devon and Cornwall Police said the claims would need to be 'stood up' but the Clayton Family hit back and said they had 'no confidence' in the force to investigate.

The BBC reported that the family's then-barrister Tom Leeper claimed the investigation until that point had been 'inadequate'.

When the inquest finally resumed and concluded in 2018, it ruled Josh's death was accidental.

The jury's conclusion stated: 'We believe Josh made his way onto the beach  as a result Josh suffered either dry drowning, traditional drowning or possibly being unable to exit the water.'

An inquest jury at Plymouth Crown Court ruled Josh's (pictured) death as accidental

Tracey Clayton (pictured), who works at The Star Inn in Taunton, does not believe that her son walked into the sea on his own accord

His brother, Ashley Cox (pictured) also questions what really happened on September 13, 2015

However the family branded the inquest itself 'meaningless' and renewed their criticism of the police force.

Speaking outside the court, Tracey said officers had assumed her son was a 'drugged-up drunk who had fallen into the sea', the BBC reported.

'It is bad enough losing your youngest but the thing is, nobody gives a damn. Nobody cares enough,' she said.

Josh's brother, Ashley Cox, also questions what happened on that dark and stormy night in 2015.

Ashley, 42, said: 'I think this 10-year anniversary was probably a more interesting point for the media in the sense that it had been 10 years with no answers.

'It's poignant that we haven't had anything in 10 years, and we're still the same as where we were a year into it, really.'

Ashley retraced his brother's footsteps on the night he went missing in a recent Discovery+ documentary called The Last Party: Death on Tresco.

Speaking of his visit to Tresco, Ashley said: 'Going back to the island is something I said I would do. It's something I said I would like to do anyway, I think before they (production crew) mentioned about doing it.'

He added: 'If you can imagine someone you love passing away in a certain place, then you would inevitably have some sort of pilgrimage, some sort of thing there to go there to remember them by.

'So I think there is that urge or pull to want to go there anyway, but also for me it was really important, because when we went there the first time (it) was in the immediate aftermath when Josh went missing, and we didn't find him when we were there.

'So there's a lot that we know, obviously, through the the inquest process and through all the investigation process and years subsequent that I felt it all the more important that I wanted to go back, not least of all I wanted to see the area of The Shed.'

In the Discovery+ documentary, Ashley walks along the beach and the place his brother Josh likely took his last breath

Ashley, who runs AC Digital Technology Limited in Taunton, said it was 'really, really important' for him to see The Shed as well as the entrances to the beach that Josh could have used.

He pointed out, that even in the daylight, the terrain was hard to navigate and that it must have been difficult for Josh to make his way down to the beach whilst drunk or high.

Toxicology tests showed Josh was 1.5 times the legal drink-drive limit at his time of death.

Ashley added: 'Just being there on the beach and feeling closer to it, knowing that this was really the last place that my brother was on terra firma, if you like, when he took his last breath, or whatever, and it was all poignant in that respect, just to soak it up and just try and feel that bit closer to it.'

He continued: 'It was just weird. Because I haven't been there in 10 years, this whole thing feels like a movie but we just know the characters really well.

'Going back there, for me, just felt like being on a movie set but I knew I'd watched the film 100 times.'

Ashley's son Sebastian was just a baby when Josh went missing. He is now nine years old and looks just like his late uncle.

Hopeful that the documentary will revive the case, Tracey said that all she wants to do before she takes her last breath is find out what happened to her son Josh.

Toxicology tests showed Josh (pictured) was 1.5 times the legal drink-drive limit at his time of death

A spokesperson from Tresco Estate, which is run by the Dorrien-Smith family, told Metro: 'Our deepest sympathies lie with Josh's family and friends. His sad death is still felt by all those who knew him in our community.

'Josh loved Tresco and his passion for the place was evident in his return for consecutive seasons, as is the case with the majority of our seasonal team.

'The Clayton family will always be welcome on Tresco should they wish to return to remember Josh and celebrate his life.'

When contacted by Metro, a spokesman from Devon and Cornwall Police said that the force had 'apologised for the areas where we have failed to meet the high levels of service we aspired to in this investigation' and that officers had met with the Clayton family on a number of occasions to report findings.

The spokesman added: 'There have been a number of thorough investigations in relation to the disappearance and death of Josh Clayton in 2015. All of those investigations have never found proven third party involvement in Josh's death. While there was learning for Devon & Cornwall Police in the way the Force delivers investigations, we do not believe any of those areas identified would have made a significant difference to the outcome to any of the investigations.

'We fully understand a family will always have questions when dealing with a death in these circumstances. But extensive investigation and a coroner's verdict have examined all the evidence available and concluded that no other person can conclusively be linked to Josh Clayton's death.'


Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with renowned Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met with renowned Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh at his residence. During the conversation with the singing sensation, the Prime Minister touched upon the Sikh communitys contributions and paid tributes to the sacrifices of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh who left a lasting mark on Sikh history in their short but extraordinary lives.



During their conversation, PM Modi praised Diljits inspiring journey, remarking, A son of Indias village making the nation proud on the global stage is a great feeling. You are lucky your family named you Diljit, as it reflects how you continue to win hearts.



Diljit also praised PM Modi for his political journey and commitment to the nation. PM Modi, in turn, credited his success to divine grace.



Everything becomes possible with Gods grace. In our country, we see God in everything, even in trees, he said.



The conversation also touched upon the Sikh communitys contributions to India and PM Modi paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Sahibzaades and shared his experiences in Punjab, stating, I have seen how people sleep on the floor after a mothers demise. I celebrate Veer Baal Diwas and want every child in this country to understand what strength and faith truly mean.



PM Modi also recounted his efforts to restore a Gurdwara in Kutch, Gujarat, where Guru Nanak Dev once stayed. He explained how the structure, destroyed in the 2001 earthquake, was rebuilt under his supervision before he became Gujarats Chief Minister.



During the meeting, Diljit shared a heartfelt observation: I recently watched one of your interviews, Sir. For us, the Prime Minister holds a very significant position, and we often forget the human being behind the title. When I saw you speaking about your mother and Ganga Maiya with such emotion, it was deeply touching. Such words come from the heart, which is why they resonate so deeply.



PM Modi, in turn, praised Diljit for remaining grounded despite achieving immense fame, noting his humility and dedication to his craft.




OnlyFans is now a multibillion-dollar company, raking in a record-breaking $6.6 billion in revenue last year.

With so much cash being splashed on the subscription-based site, it's no surprise that some creators are quitting their 9-to-5 jobs and turning to extreme stunts to cash-in on the OnlyFans boom.

British sex worker Bonnie Blue outraged the world after bedding barely-legal students during Spring Break and Schoolies, while Down Under, Annie Knight proudly claims to be 'Australia's most sexually active woman'.

But it's Lily Phillips who has captured the public's attention after starring in the YouTube documentary, I Slept With 100 Men in One Day.

The 23-year-old famously broke down in tears after the extreme sexcapade - before vowing to up the ante by sleeping with 1,000 men in 24 hours.

Whether or not she's able to pull off the eye-watering feat remains to be seen, but before she goes through with it, she may want to look at what happened to some of the women who came before her.

Kim Halsey, best known by her stage name Houston, became an X-rated sensation in the late '90s after breaking the world record for the most sexual partners in one session for her now notorious film, The World's Biggest Gang Bang III.

The plan going in was to sleep with 500 men, easily breaking Jasmin St. Claire's record of 300, but the stunt was such a success that Houston made it to 620 men before calling it a day.

Kim Halsey, best known by her stage name Houston, became an X-rated sensation in the late '90s after breaking the world record for the most sexual partners in one session

Houston has been called 'the original Lily Phillips'. Phillips went viral late last year after sleeping with 100 men in a single night

The movie became an instant bestseller and catapulted the single mom to instant infamy.

She appeared all over TV and radio, signed a record deal, toured the world, dated celebrities, and even auctioned off a piece of her own labia for six figures.

However, behind the scenes, Houston was dealing with a dangerous drug addiction, financial issues, and creepy male fans who recognized her everywhere she went.

While Houston publicly portrayed herself as an empowered adult superstar during the height of her fame, the truth about her raunchy career couldn't be any more grim.

In order to land her career-making role in the record-breaking film, Houston first had to partake in a taboo sex act with one of the video's producers.

Detailing the ordeal in her 2012 autobiography titled Pretty Enough: The Story of the Gang Bang Queen, Houston wrote, 'When I agreed to do it, he did everything he could to degrade me as much as possible.'

She continued, 'Spitting on me, calling me a w***e, doing everything he could to make me feel like a piece of s**t.'

Once she secured her starring role, Houston got a religious tattoo of a cherub.

On the big day of filming her record-breaking adult film, Houston, dressed like a sexy speed racer, was surrounded by throngs of men, fluffers, lighting technicians, and a camera crew

The plan going in was to sleep with 500 men, but the stunt was such a success that Houston made it to an eye-watering 620 fellas before calling it a day

'It was my way of asking God to forgive me for what I was about to do,' she confessed.

'It may surprise you to hear that, but my faith has always been very important to me, even when I put it on the backburner sometimes.'

On the big day of filming, Houston, dressed like a sexy speed racer, was surrounded by throngs of men, fluffers, lighting technicians, and a camera crew.

She admits that she used 'porn math' to reach 620 sex acts in just eight hours, meaning that any penetration, no matter how brief, was counted.

While her suitors all had to be tested to prove they were disease free, the group weren't exactly what you'd describe as gentlemen.

Describing the participants, Houston said that the diverse gang included a 'speed freak in full-blown psychosis,' a Burt Reynolds impersonator, and worst of all, a male performer who had put his own mother in a porn film to pay off a gambling debt.

'One by one they climbed on top of me, and their faces became a blur,' Houston wrote.

The movie became an instant bestseller and catapulted the single mom to instant infamy

At the height of her fame, Houston appeared all over TV and radio, signed a record deal, toured the world, and even dated A-list celebrities

After passing 500, Houston decided to keep going 'for another round or two' until she was so exhausted that she had to stop.

'Something was collapsing inside me, physically and emotionally,' she recalled.

'I felt as if somebody had aimed a flamethrower at my crotch. I retreated backstage and applied ice to my swollen and battered vagina, fighting back tears.'

After breaking the previous record and then some, Houston and the crew celebrated by chowing down on mozzarella sticks at fast food chain TGI Friday's.

'The next day, I caught a flight to Mexico and spent the next two weeks recovering,' she wrote.

After a short break, Houston got back to work by touring strip clubs across the country and reveling in her newfound celebrity status.

By the end of the year, she'd pocketed close to a million dollars and was the highest-paid feature dancer next to porn legend Jenna Jameson.

'I had more than enough to pay for the cost of raising my daughter,' she wrote.

'I bought a house in Granada Hills and several cars. I'm not sure where the rest of the excess cash went, but I'd guess a fair amount went to drug dealers, liquor stores, clothing designers, home remodelers, and plastic surgeons.'

Behind the scenes, Houston was dealing with a dangerous drug addiction, financial issues, and creepy male fans who recognized her everywhere she went

Houston eventually quit drugs and pornography and joined a Christian church that focused on sex workers

As her fame and bank account grew, so did Houston's addiction to both drugs and plastic surgery.

She confessed to using cocaine and crystal meth to keep her energized for her grueling strip club gigs, and would often go for days without eating.

By 2002, her bank account was dwindling and the house she'd bought with her hard-earned bucks was facing foreclosure.

'I had always been a functional addict in that I was obviously addicted to all the drugs I was doing, but I somehow managed to always do the work I was supposed to do in order to provide for my daughter and myself,' she wrote.

'But by this point, there was so much money going into drugs that no matter how much I was earning, it just wasn't enough,' she continued.

'One day I realized that I was going to die soon if I didn't change anything.'

On top of her crippling drug addiction, Houston was also battling a penchant for plastic surgery that had almost killed her.

'No matter how many compliments I've gotten, no matter how many people told me how attractive they thought I was, no matter how many beauty contests I won, I never felt pretty enough,' she admitted.

'Plastic surgery offered me the ability to fix things I hated about myself, but as time went on, it became an addiction, an obsession.'

She detailed her spiral into drug addiction in her 2012 memoir, Pretty Enough: The Story of the Gang Bang Queen

At one point, she almost died after getting a labiaplasty and breast revision in one sitting.

She was replacing her silicone implants with saline ones at the time, but after the surgery, one of her breasts clotted and cut off the oxygen to her brain.

It swelled up to the size of a watermelon before Houston passed out and was rushed into emergency surgery, which narrowly saved her life.

In an attempt to turn her life around, Houston fled Los Angeles for Las Vegas, with the goal of starting fresh in a new city.

However, she took her drug addiction with her, and admitted to having her dealers back in LA mail her drugs in bath salt containers so she could keep up her habit.

Eventually she became so drug addled that she couldn't pick her daughter up from school.

Reaching her lowest point, Houston turned to the only person left that could help her.

'I crawled into my closet and crawled on the flood and I prayed,' she wrote.

'God, please help me get off the drugs. Please. I want to be a mother for once. I don't want to be Houston any more,' she begged.

She decided to go cold turkey, and after finally getting clean, the blonde bombshell quit porn and enrolled in real estate school.

Unfortunately, this wasn't the end of her troubles.

OnlyFans star Lily Phillips is attempting to surpass Houston's sex record by bedding 1,000 men in 24 hours

The 23-year-old famously broke down in tears after sleeping with 100 men in one night

After earning her real estate license and joining a reputable agency in Nevada, Houston was fired when her bosses discovered her X-rated past.

She pleaded for her job and told her bosses that she'd been out of the industry for close to a decade, but they wouldn't budge.

'There's no way we can have someone with your reputation on the front lines for us,' they told her.

A week after getting fired, Houston was diagnosed with stage three cancer.

Having blown through all her porn money and now unemployed, Houston turned to her parents, among others, to help pay for her treatment.

She had fifteen lymph nodes removed from her arm and miraculously, despite being given a 20 percent chance of survival, she lived.

The experience only increased Houston's faith in God, and she eventually joined a church that focused on embracing people who had come from sex work.

'Now, I feel I have a mission in Christ,' she wrote in her memoir. 'You don't just have to sell your body to make money.'

Houston's hardships serve as a cautionary tale to many of today's OnlyFans starlets, who are pushing the envelope further and further in a bid for fame and fortune.

British sex worker Bonnie Blue (pictured) outraged the world after bedding barely-legal students during Spring Break and Schoolies

Annie Knight is making six figures a month as 'Australia's most sexually active woman'

Lily recently shocked the world after revealing that she'd had sex with over 100 men in one night as part of a stunt to promote her OnlyFans - and that her next goal is to bed 1,000 men in 24 hours.

Her antics have even shocked some of her fellow sex workers, including OnlyFans sensation Kassidie Kosa, who blasted Lily's outrageous behavior and warned others not to follow in her footsteps.

'Honestly, I think doing something that extreme can be a form of self-harm, even if people don't always see it that way,' she previously told DailyMail.com.

'It feels like it could come from a deeper emotional place  whether it's the need for attention, validation or just trying to stand out in such a competitive space like OnlyFans,' she continued.

'I totally respect that people can make their own choices but this kind of behavior isn't sustainable or healthy in the long run.'

Kassidie, who currently earns seven figures on OnlyFans, also fears that Lily's behavior could encourage other models to go to extreme lengths to create content.

'It also sends a message to others in the industry that pushing yourself to dangerous extremes is normal, and that's just not okay,' she said.

'I truly think she needs help  and I say that with so much respect. The fact that she now plans to sleep with even more men next time is really alarming.

'It's not sustainable, it's not healthy, and it shouldn't be normalized,' she warned.
Ted Cruz's daughter Caroline looked very unimpressed at his swearing-in ceremony - after previously going viral for her savage reaction to her father's praise for Donald Trump.

The 16-year-old - who has not tried to hide the fact she disagrees with her dad's political views - joined Cruz in the Old Senate Chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 3.

She donned a pale green maxi dress for the occasion which boasted intricate lace detailing and a sheer corset-style bodice.

Caroline styled her blonde locks in bold curls, which fell loosely in front of her shoulders, before finishing the look with a slick of understated makeup.

But it seemed she could not hide her seeming disapproval as her father stood before Kamala Harris.

As Cruz raised his right hand and placed the other firmly onto the Bible to be sworn in, cameras caught Caroline staring glumly into the distance.

In later snaps, when the group began to pose for official photographs, the teen regained composure and smiled dutifully.

It comes after Caroline was also left unable to keep a straight face after her father claimed victory as a Texas senator.

Ted Cruz's daughter Caroline looked very unimpressed at his swearing-in ceremony - after previously going viral for her savage reaction to her father's praise for Donald Trump

The 16-year-old - who has not tried to hide the fact she disagrees with her dad's political views - joined Cruz in the Old Senate Chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 3

On November 5, the veteran lawmaker won a third consecutive term after a tough challenge from Democratic Rep. Colin Allred.

After defeating Allred 54 percent to 43 percent, Cruz took to the podium in Houston to deliver a speech in which he said at the time he 'hopes and prays Donald Trump will be re-elected.'

His message to Trump, who comfortably won Texas and regained his seat in the White House, was met with a look of disgust from Caroline, as she told audience members 'don't clap for that.'

While his family surrounded him on stage, Cruz said: 'I hope and pray that Donald Trump will be re-elected as President of the United States.'

Caroline, who could be seen donning a red dress, scrunched up her face.

She then looked to the audience and seemed to say, 'Don't clap for that.'

The clip of the 16-year-old reacting to her father's words has been circulating the web, becoming increasingly popular with Democrats.

After being shared on TikTok, voters have flooded the comments section to praise Caroline for her hilarious reaction.

On November 5, the veteran lawmaker won a third consecutive term after a tough challenge from Democratic Rep. Colin Allred

Caroline, who could be seen donning a red dress, scrunched up her face

One person said: 'Caroline Cruz. Legend.'

'She didn't even try to hide it,' someone else commented.

Another user wrote: 'Caroline Cruz is that girl.'

Two years ago, the teenager also took to TikTok to reveal she often disagreed with her father's opinions.

'A lot of people judge me based upon him at first glance, but I really disagree with most of his views,' she said.
Dear Bel,

I read 'Janice's' letter and your reply (November 23) with tears streaming down my cheeks. My husband and I were in a very similar situation for 15 years after our daughter refused to be in any room with our son, who was an alcoholic.

We tried desperately to support him, by providing a roof over his head, attending AA meetings, hospital visits when he was admitted with seizures and walking by his side to try to keep him sober  all to no avail.

Our daughter and her husband had a child and she insisted that if we had our son with us on Christmas Day, she wouldn't come. Therefore we wouldn't see our grandson. So our son always came for breakfast, then went off 'for lunch with friends'. In 2018, he died at 44, due to his lifestyle.

At his funeral it came to light he had never had a Christmas lunch with friends, but spent every Christmas Day, on his own, shut up in his flat and, most probably drunk, feeling totally unloved. More than 100 people attended his funeral: he obviously did not realise he was loved.

I feel so angry that my daughter used our grandson as a bartering tool, and so guilty that I allowed her to deprive our son of a family Christmas. We are still very close to our grandson, who acknowledges that he was unaware that he was 'used' so that our daughter could get her own way.

I believe your anger with your daughter and the conversations with a now-grown grandson are all wrong, Bel Mooney writes

Six years on from our son's death, I still weep that I let him down when he needed us most. Especially at this time of year, I wish I could turn the clock back and be there for him. I will never forgive myself. Families are irreplaceable.

I hope your reader Janice can get her family to forgive and forget past upsets, before it is too late and they have to live with regrets, as I do. I suppose the underlying question here is whether forgiveness is possible  or is it just a word?

Petra

The letter you're referring to was about an old quarrel between adult siblings, hurtful texts sent  and a poor mother caught in the crossfire, wondering who to 'choose' for Christmas.

I wonder what happened in the end? Perhaps she'll write and tell me... Anyway, you know exactly how the unhappiest of endings plays out, don't you? With guilt, grief and regrets.

For very good reasons you listened to your daughter, made a compromise by having your alcoholic son visit for a Christmas breakfast, and believed him when he told you he was going to have lunch with friends. Instead, he spent the day alone.

It's a very sad story. But honestly, I must step in front of you with a warning sign right now, because I believe your anger with your daughter and the conversations with a now-grown grandson are all wrong.

You are prepared to think the very worst of your daughter for saying she and her husband wouldn't join you for Christmas with their small child if her addict brother was present. But there will be mothers reading this who will think it perfectly understandable.

Maybe your daughter felt unappreciated as she witnessed the hell her brother put you through over years and flatly refused to expose her child to the potentially erratic behaviour of a drunk.

I'm inclined to reject your 'spin' that the little boy was 'used as a bartering tool', because that implies a high degree of manipulation, whereas surely she was just acting spontaneously, according to a mother's protective instinct?

You wish you 'could turn the clock back and be there for him.' But you were  all the time, as you make very clear. After he left your Christmas morning, you now assume it's your daughter's fault he was lonely. But if 100 people turned up to his funeral, then surely he had choices whether to drink alone or join friends? You did not 'let him down'. You did not 'deprive him of a family Christmas'.

Your son made his choices, slipped into addiction  and I honestly don't see why his sister should be blamed for not wishing to witness the car-crash of his life.

You have one grandchild and it was right that you had 'family Christmas' with him. Now you must stop this pointless dwelling on the past and focus on the future years when you will watch his life develop  and maybe even become great-grandparents one day.

There is nothing to 'forgive yourself' for; you have to accept what was, in order to progress to what will be. We all have regrets and it isn't always possible to stop mourning bad things in the past.

But you can look in the mirror and tell yourself: 'You did your best.' And extending such understanding and clemency to fellow human beings is what forgiveness is all about.

Why can't my wife resist having affairs at work?

Dear Bel,

We have been happily married for over 25 years, have three children and are a happy couple. In spite of this I had discovered my wife has had three (to my proven knowledge) separate affairs in three different jobs. She's an attractive woman and for some reason can't resist men's attention at work.

I discovered texts which disclosed one affair and at another job where she got serious with her boss who could have been dismissed, had I made a complaint. All my suspicions were correct; I had the evidence. She acted very differently during these affairs in spite of trying to be normal; the more she tried to hide her affairs, the more obvious they became.

Why can't she work alongside men without things going further?

Alexander

It's a very interesting final question and so the most obvious thing would be to ask her  before a new year sees your allegedly happy marriage in stormy waters.

I don't wish to doubt you, but twice you mention happiness  then go on to list three affairs which you discovered by sleuthing. I'm afraid I don't see that as a recipe for contentment.

That 'why?' concerning her behaviour interests me as a woman who once (when I was a lot younger!) also suffered from a weakness called 'compulsive flirtation.' (Shall we make it a so-called 'mental health issue'?)

Just as people want to climb mountains because the challenge is there, so it was irresistible to play around with mutual attraction in work, flattered by attention. Of course it's not wise  but for some of us, men and women alike, it's doing what comes naturally. But the 'weakness' I describe can become potentially destructive if carried into a physical affair.

You sound proud of your wife's good looks, yet make no mention of how your knowledge of her affairs has affected you mentally and emotionally. In fact, you sound almost remote. I'd like to know why  and think you need to ask some searching questions.

Did you always think yourself inferior to her? Did you put up with your discoveries because you were terrified of losing her?

Did you ever tell her how she had hurt you? Did you have proper conversations about what might be missing in the marriage? Did you warn her that all this could end in tears?

If you love her and want to stay together, you need to start talking.

My grown up girl won't make any time for me

Dear Bel

My daughter left London in 2012 for university and I can count on one hand the amount of times she's been back. When I suggest a visit, she comes up with every manner of excuses.

All summer she indicated that she'd spend Christmas with me. Just before, I called her to confirm  but she said she had 'a lot going on' and she would not be coming. Naturally I was upset. When she needs something I'll put myself out to help, but it doesn't work the other way.

She's 35 and she has been behaving like this for over 12 years. Now I'm annoyed and feel like severing ties.

I'm just an afterthought. On the phone I called her selfish and she hung up. I feel she doesn't want to be bothered with me. How do I handle this?

Anna

Anybody can see why you feel hurt and angry.

Your daughter has behaved with no consideration for your feelings. It makes me wonder what your relationship was like before she went away to university  because if you were not close (and here you have to be honest with yourself) that simple fact might provide some sort of explanation.

What, I wonder, would your daughter say if she were to write in? So many families have hidden histories of coldness and resentment, the reasons for which only they can approach. That is, if they're willing to be honest, which is rare. All I can say is that it would be a mistake to 'sever ties' so quickly. In a few weeks' time you may simmer down and be open with her about how hurt you are. Calling her 'selfish' on the phone is pointless  as you saw.

If I were you, I'd text or email to say you're sorry you said it (even though you're not) and suggest you talk on the phone.

Then  hear this  the way forward is never to accuse but to reveal. So you don't yell, 'You're selfish!' you ask quietly, 'Can you see I'd been looking forward so much to seeing you?' Then follow with a question about how she spent Christmas.
A woman who underwent surgery to change her eye color from brown to blue has revealed how the procedure changed her life.

Ulku Dogan, from San Francisco, flew to New York City for the $12,000 operation called keratopigmentation, where surgeons cut open the clear area at the top of the eye and fill it with a dye.

She was conscious but under local anesthetic during the procedure, and she directed the surgeon to add more dye until her eyes were the desired color.

In a clip following the surgery, Ms Ulku  who works as a wealth adviser  exclaims 'wow' and says she 'loves' the new color.

Eye color change surgeries are becoming increasingly popular in the US, with a leading surgeon saying he now sees 400 patients for the operation every year  compared to just 15 in 2019.

But, experts warn against the procedure, saying it's irreversible, not approved by the FDA and could result in blindness or other serious complications with vision.

But doctors offering the surgeries rail against this characterization, saying despite the warnings they are generally safe and quick, taking just 30 minutes.

Pictured above is Ulku Dogan before (left) and after the surgery (right) to change her eye color from brown to blue. She is a wealth advisor in San Francisco

Ms Dogan, 49, told Business Insider: 'I feel confident, very happy. It's the best investment I've ever done for myself. I wish I had done this 10 years ago.'

She did say she suffered from discomfort, however, and light sensitivity  an extreme discomfort or pain in the eyes when they are exposed to bright lights.

This can also include sensitivity to any level of illumination, or pain, that can lead to migraines or other issues.

In another case, Cameron Briggs  a 22-year-old cryptocurrency investor from Essex, England  said the surgery left him feeling like he was 'about to explode'.

He told the Washington Post he was in pain for about 48 hours after the procedure to make one of his eyes bluish gray to match his pet puppy's.

'It was horrible, I felt sick,' he said several months later. 'But it's a procedure at the end of the day, what did I expect?'

'I did thing, though,' he added, ' "If I get one eye and leave the other, at least I'll only go blind in one eye".'

Called keratopigmentation, the procedure involves slicing into the cornea  the clear, outermost, part of the eye  using a laser, and then filling the area with the desired pigment.

There is also another form of eye color surgery, involving implanting a colored sheet into the eye  called Iris implant surgery  to change its color.

Ms Dogan underwent keratopigmentation earlier this year and 'loved' her results

A patient known only as Mark who had this procedure in Panama previously to turn his eyes from brown to blue ended up going blind in the right eye.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) says eye color change procedures like keratopigmentation can cause blindness, light sensitivity or cataracts  cloudiness in the eye that blurs and obscures vision.

It also says the procedure has not been approved for cosmetic purposes by the FDA. (But it can still be carried out off-label, as the surgery uses a method approved by the FDA but for treatment of another condition.)

Keratopigmentation uses the same lasers as those in LASIK eye surgery  which reshapes the cornea to allow someone to see without glasses.

These have previously been linked to complications with the eyes, including pain, blurred or double vision and excessive tearing.

Experts offering the eye color change surgery, however, insist it is generally safe to perform  citing a 2021 study that tracked 40 patients who had the surgery for about 29 months.

Its results showed 12 of the patients  30 percent  experienced light sensitivity following the procedure, while five said the pigment faded and one  who had previously had other surgery on their eye  developed corneal ectasia, a condition that causes the cornea to thin and bulge outward.

Many patients who have the surgery accept the risks and say they are happy with the results.

As well as Ms Dogan, 39-year-old real estate worker Jason Jimenez, from New York City, who had his eyes changed from brown to light gray, says he does not regret the work.

'I see it as an enhancement,' he told the Wall Street Journal. 'People get their teeth done, they get implants and Botox. If it's something that could make you happier, make you look better  then why not?'

Top experts continue to warn over the dangers, including the clinical spokeswoman for the AAO Dr JoAnn Giaconi, who said: 'Don't think that these surgeries carry no risk.

'No surgery is free of risk. With purely cosmetic surgeries on the eye, it's just not worth the risk when it comes to your good vision.'

Dr Julian Prosia, an optometrist in Canada, also warned on TikTok: 'Personally, if it were me, I would rather use colored contacts for a cosmetic benefit instead of putting myself at risk of long-term side effects.'
An Arkansas family of five was thrust into a nightmare over the holidays when they learned their one-year-old daughter had a rare eye cancer.

The family was preparing for the Christmas holiday on December 18 when they noticed baby Lilys left eye was swollen. Concerned, they rushed her to the hospital.

Doctors performed a CT scan after noting something was in her eye. They learned it was a rare cancer of the retina called retinoblastoma.

Josh Morss, Lilys father, said: I broke down. I cried. She cried.

We were like, Our little girl was going through something unimaginable.

That same day, Lily was transferred to St Jude Childrens Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Once there, oncologists determined the best course of action was to remove her left eye.

Meanwhile, they would take samples of bone marrow and spinal fluid to identify whether the cancer had spread to other parts of her body.

Surgeons found when removing the left eye that Lily had two tumors in her right eye as well, requiring six rounds of chemotherapy to try and shrink them. According to her mother, Casie, Her doctor is 80 percent confident that he will be able to save her right eye.

Lily's father Josh [shown] said the family noticed that her left eye appeared red and swollen on December 18. Doctors found out that she had cancer on her retina, as well as tumors on her right eye

Doctors had to remove Lily's left eye. In about eight weeks, she will be fitted for a prosthetic eye while going through chemo

On Christmas Eve, Mr Morss revealed on Facebook cancer in Lilys eyes had not spread elsewhere, However, we will be back and forth to Memphis for the next month for treatment and appointments,' he added.

The family has split their time between their home in Paragould, Arkansas, and Memphis, an arrangement that has taken a significant financial toll.

Mr Morss said: I havent been to work since Dec. 16, and Im the only one that works.

Lily just ended her first round of chemo and has five more to go.

Her parents said she remains in good spirits, posting photos of their little girl giggling in the hospital or smiling with her head on her dads shoulder.

Mr Morss said: Shes showing us the courage that we need to have.

Retinoblastoma is a rare cancer of the retina - the innermost layer of the eye located toward the back of the eye. It is responsible for receiving light and images.

About 300 children are diagnosed with the cancer in the US per year, according to Texas Children's Hospital, accounting for about three percent of childhood cancers. It typically occurs in children three years old or younger and is very rare in kids older than six.

Lily, 1, is pictured after her first day of chemotherapy to shrink the tumors on her right eye. Doctors believe there is a high likelihood that they'll be able to save it

Lily, pictured with her mother Casie, has a long road ahead of her, including five more chemo treatments over four months

The cancer has a high survival rate, however, at 96 percent after five years and nine out of 10 kids can be cured. Ninety percent of pediatric patients will have normal vision in at least one eye after treatment.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Doctors may suspect retinoblastoma if a child develops white discoloration in their eye, has eye swelling, redness around the eye or loss of vision.

Treatment includes chemotherapy, laser therapy or cryotherapy to try and destroy the tumor, but in severe cases, removal of the eye may be necessary.

Lily still has around 20 more weeks of going back and forth from Arkansas to St Jude for chemo treatments with the goal of shrinking the cancer enough to restore her vision in her right eye to 20/20.

And in about eight weeks, she will be fitted for a prosthetic eye where her left eye was removed.
Its the start of a new year, so Im doing a style prediction of what to expect in 2025. I find the best way to get through January, other than with my favourite scented candle, a good Netflix obsession and lots of mugs of hot chocolate, is to look forward to all the exciting things to come.

Jacket, Khaite, top, Cos, trousers, Vince, bag, Gucci

SUITS YOU, MADAM

For black-tie events a tailored trouser suit has always been a stylish alternative to a dress. Now another serious player has entered the evening-do arena: the tuxedo suit with a dickie bow, as rocked by Sienna Miller last month. Mark my words  the trend is about to be everywhere.

A TREND WITH LEGS

If, like me, you are a big trousers girl youll be pleased to know that for 2025 they are packing a lot more personality, with the return of the skirt-over-trousers look, plus hero plaid and check prints. For those whose sartorial look is more classic, the slouchy, straight-leg silhouette (spilling over the shoe), which has been championed by Prada, Jil Sander and Miu Miu, is one of the years go-to cuts. While for those who love wide-leg trousers (see right), this style  thank the fashion gods  is here to stay and has been updated with a high-waisted fit, as seen at Khaite and Saint Laurent.

VINTAGE DESIGNER BAGS

The thirst for vintage designer bags (see Spotted, right) will continue to rise, which is great news for sustainability. The demand for these pieces is largely due to the prices of new bags, with brands such as Hermes and Chanel pushing so many of us out of the market. My only worry is that it will be increasingly difficult to find a good-value second-hand purchase, as preloved sites continue to greedily increase prices.

GIRLIE POWER

Last year we saw a huge bow obsession with everything from hair accessories to details on designer and high-street clothes. The trend has been explained as a desire for repositioning femininity in a far-from-straightforward world. As such, expect lots of full skirts and floaty dresses in the coming months.

@thestylistandthewardrobe

@youmagazine

WRAPAROUND WINNER

Cashmere scarf, 295, joseph-fashion.com

Accessorise your coat with the big cosy scarf trend this January. This blue cashmere offering by Joseph is divine.

WIDE SHOT

Trousers, 135, cos.com

These wool-blend trousers by Cos are my favourite wide-leg cut on the high street. Perfect slouch, perfect length  perfectly perfect!

SPOTTED

I do love Keira Knightleys style, from her ultra-feminine dresses to her sleek tailoring and loafers. For extra chic  and sustainability  points, she was spotted clutching a vintage Chanel bag during the New York press tour for her new Netflix show Black Doves. She was first seen with the bag in 2010 at Chanels spring/summer 2011 show in Paris.
I meet Kemi (everyone calls her Kemi) at a studio where she is being photographed for our cover. There are racks of clothes and about a dozen people standing around while she gets dressed behind a screen.

One of the standers-around introduces himself as her Spad and asks what this interview will be about. I say personal stuff rather than politics and he says, 'Oh, good', because he won't need to brief her.

Top, Reiss. Skirt, Cefinn. Boots, Dune

I ask someone else if she's arrived on time because she has a reputation for being notoriously unpunctual (she was half an hour late for her first Cabinet meeting), but he says that, on the contrary, she's arrived early. And then she steps out from the screen wearing a gold blouse and black skirt and gives a little twirl and everyone tells her she looks great.

Which, at 45, Kemi Badenoch does. Despite a runny nose, she's fit and toned (she works out with a personal trainer once a week). She likes the clothes she's modelling so much she asks to buy them.

When the shoot is finished, I ask if she enjoys doing all this  dressing up, posing for photos. 'No, I don't but it's all part of the job,' she replies. 'I used to be a tomboy when I was younger, but my mother always taught me that you have to dress appropriately for what you're doing, so I've taken that advice. I know it's important.'

Blazer, Nadine Merabi. Vest (just seen), Cefinn

But, she says, she prefers being interviewed. And, of course, she is great at it because she is so articulate. She talks in whole sentences, with no ums and errs, no ditherings or evasions. Perhaps for that reason I find her strangely daunting. She is so confident that I feel I belong to a lower species. Her heroine, Margaret Thatcher, had the same effect.

William Hague once said that being Leader of the Opposition is 'the worst job in politics', so how is Badenoch finding it?

'I don't think it's the worst job in politics. I'm not quite sure what the worst job in politics is. It's the most difficult job because you don't have the levers that you do in government, but people still judge you as if you are the government. And you've still got to keep a party of sometimes very disparate people moving in the same direction.

'But so far I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. I'd prepared myself for four or five years of trial and tribulation but what's been really nice is that the party has rallied throughout. My friends have rallied around, and certainly my family. And I always find that when I've got family and friends around, everything's OK.'

Badenoch's friends include Tory politicians such as Alex Burghart and ex-MP Rachel Maclean, but also floating voters ('sometimes even left-leaning, although I am very much on the right'). She has some Nigerian friends, too, some from childhood, others British Nigerians 'who've lived here as long as I have but share the same heritage'.

Aged seven, in Nigeria with her grandfather, 1987

Her family comprises husband Hamish Badenoch, who works for Deutsche Bank, and their three children, aged between five and 11. They live in Wimbledon but also have a rented farmhouse in her constituency in the Essex countryside, where they stay at weekends.

Hamish does most of the childcare and cooking ('he loves cooking') because his job is more flexible than hers. She helps get the children up and off to school but then doesn't see them again that day because she doesn't arrive home until after ten. 'It's a very long day. But the compromise is that, weekends, I make sure the children see me, because if I'm not seeing them and I'm not around them it's not really worth it, is it?'

No  but she does have to interrupt family time at weekends for constituency events. Her mother still lives in Nigeria (her father died in 2022) but comes over periodically to visit the grandchildren. Hamish used to have political ambitions  they met when they were both campaigning in Dulwich and he later stood for a seat in Northern Ireland  but one of her first acts as an MP was to strike him off the 'approved candidates' list because, she jokes, he was a 'white public schoolboy'.

Still, he is her great support and sounding board: 'He is very clever and probably the most thoughtful person I know.' He is also a practising Roman Catholic (he was head boy at Ampleforth), so I wonder if he influenced her decision to vote against the Assisted Dying Bill.

Victorious at the 2024 Conservative leadership contest, with Robert Jenrick, who she beat

'No. He knows not to bring his religion into my decision-making. I voted against the bill because I thought it was a poor piece of legislation, and our first job as legislators is to make good law.'

Badenoch is 'not religious at all', but their children are being brought up Catholic. 'That was the agreement. I think it always happens in any couple  the person who feels more strongly about religion gets to make the choice. So the children are Catholic, yes.'

By chance, Badenoch and her husband were both born in the same hospital in Wimbledon. In his case, it was because his parents lived in the area; in hers it was more complicated. Her parents lived in Nigeria, but her mother came to London for a gynaecological consultation and was referred to Wimbledon, where she gave birth. This would be of crucial importance later, since it meant that Badenoch ended up with British citizenship.

The first language Badenoch spoke was Yoruba. While she was growing up in Nigeria the country went into a steep economic decline. She remembers periods when there was no electricity or hot water; when they had to fetch water from a borehole. And so, when she was 16, her parents decided to send her to England, to stay with a friend of her mother's in Morden, Southwest London.

That must have been scary, I suggest.

On the contrary, Badenoch replies  it was exciting. 'It wasn't a long-planned thing; it was very spontaneous. My mother said, 'Everything is getting worse here and my friend suggests you should stay with her in England. Do you want to?' I pretty much started packing. I didn't even wait for my final exam. England was calling me long before I got here. I had always watched British movies and BBC shows, and I thought Britain was an amazing place, a place where I wanted to be. And I never looked back.'

With husband Hamish at the state banquet for the Emir of Qatar at Buckingham Palace last month

She stayed with her mother's friend in Morden and went to a local sixth-form college to do her A-levels. But she also took a part-time job at McDonald's because she needed the money  and she could eat as many burgers as she wanted. It wasn't a Saturday job for pocket money, she stresses, it was a proper part-time job. As she was only spending half the week studying, though, it led to disappointing A-level results: two Bs, and a D for maths. 'Which, to this day, I'm very angry about because I was always good at maths,' she says, 'and I thought it would be a doddle.' It meant she couldn't go to her first choice of university, Warwick, to study computer engineering. Instead she went to Sussex, which she doesn't regret.

'I actually think that going there ended up making me partly who I am because of the experiences I had there.'

Badenoch has often said that the reason she became a Tory was because of all the 'stupid, middle-class-lefty, North London kids' she met at Sussex. 'It made me realise these are not my sort of people. I was very suspicious of them. They just seemed so coddled and unaware of what life was really like.'

As it happens, one of those middle-class white North London lefties at Sussex was my elder daughter, although she doesn't recall meeting Badenoch. But I'm quite shocked that just being annoyed by fellow students could be enough to make someone a Tory. It suggests a sort of underlying chippiness or resentment. Badenoch once said, 'The reason I went into politics was because I was angry. I was a very angry young person.'

Blazer and trousers, Nadine Merabi. Vest, Cefinn

What was she angry about? 'It was just, you know, anger at things not being done properly. I'm not a naturally resentful person. I don't experience the jealousies and the anger that other people experience. I'm happy for them. But there are some things that I have very violent reactions to: untruth, lies, dishonesty, cheating, fraud. Then the red mist descends.'

Ah yes, the red mist. Michael Ashcroft's 2024 book Blue Ambition: The Unauthorised Biography of Kemi Badenoch quotes several people saying, 'She'll cross the road to start a fight'. Even Fraser Nelson, who was briefly her boss when she worked as head of digital at The Spectator and remains a great fan, said that she had 'a weakness for street-fighting'. Is that something she should try to tone down?

'Well, I don't like a fight. But I'm not afraid of a fight if it's the right thing to do. And many of those people who say, 'Oh, she's rude, she's abrasive', don't say what they had done to elicit my response.'

I try to provoke her a couple of times, but don't see any flash of the red mist.

A story in The Times in 2023 reported that she fell out with Michael Gove, who'd been her great mentor, because he had an affair with a friend of hers that led to divorce. Ashcroft, the biographer, hints that she must have leaked the story to The Times. 'No, no. I would never do that,' Badenoch counters. 'Because it would have hurt my friend. But people could see that a falling-out had occurred, and they would ask what happened so I would tell them. And eventually the papers found out.'

What newspapers does she read?

'The news comes to me now. I don't have time to read anything. My office just tends to tell me what's happening because I'm in meetings all the time. So that's a bit frustrating because I worry that I'm missing things. But when you become leader, you get cut off from so much. People assume you know what's happening but you're actually knowing less because you're busier than ever and you need people to tell you what's going on.' She relies mainly on her husband to keep her posted.

Badenoch has often said that she hates identity politics  and especially things like Black Lives Matter. If she does self-identify, she says, it's as a woman rather than a black woman. 'I think being female and being a woman is more visceral for me than the ethnicity or the religion or lack of it or where I grew up. I will always have something in common with every woman that I meet.'

Mmm  except that I think most women would want to spend more time with their children. Does she have any areas of weakness? 'Oh, of course. Everybody does. And sometimes even your strengths become your weaknesses. People often can't tell the difference between confidence and arrogance. And I think this is actually more difficult for women, because we're meant to be more emollient.

'I have a very high threshold for what I consider a stressful incident. So when people say, 'She's rude', I wouldn't have considered it rude if it was said to me. I treat people the way that I would treat myself. But now I'm realising that I can't do that because I'm not like everybody else. I am actually an outlier. I have thicker skin, so I have to learn to mellow myself for people who don't have the hide of a rhino.'

I think she does. I think she needs to tone down some of her self-belief, which can come across as arrogance. But just as she has learnt to master punctuality, and posing for photos, she will no doubt succeed. She is very, very determined to become Prime Minister.

8 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT KEMI

With the nation gripped by the new season of The Traitors on BBC One, she told YOU she's rooting for the Faithfuls.

on BBC One, she told YOU she's rooting for the Faithfuls. She owns a pair of festive burgundy socks with stars and extra padding, given to her one Christmas. She wore them to our photo shoot, telling YOU: 'I get cold toes.'

She drinks tea with evaporated milk and four sugars ('It's a Nigerian thing,' she told The Times 's Janice Turner).

's Janice Turner). She's a dab hand at tech. 'She didn't buy off-the-shelf computers', her university boyfriend told her biographer, 'she always built her own.'

She is also said to love Terry Pratchett books, Haribo Tangfastics and the Lord of the Rings films.

films. She organised Suella Braverman's hen do. The two later reportedly fell out over their rival Tory leadership bids.

She says lunch is 'for wimps' and she rarely has time for it. 'Sometimes I will get a steak I'm not a sandwich person,' she told The Spectator .

. She is a Game of Thrones fan and is said to feel 'strongly associated' with Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons.

Picture director: Ester Malloy.

Fashion Director: Sophie Dearden-Howell.

Make-up: Stacy Wodu using Nars and Lisa Eldridge.

Images: Rex, Aaron Chown/PA Wire
Making demands, berating him had no effect, so I thought I would try being nice. After his two weeks of silence, I sent this on Saturday

'I had high hopes for us. I really did love you. I hope you are OK and happy. Wishing you well. x'

On Sunday afternoon, it was marked 'read'. It's now Monday afternoon and no response. Weird. It reminds me of that scene in Notting Hill where the two Hughs discuss Julia Roberts.

Bonneville: 'She said she wanted to go out with you?'

Grant: 'Yes  sort of.'

Bonneville: 'That's nice. You know, anyone saying they want to go out with you is pretty great, isn't it?'

Apparently not.

I don't hold out much hope. I can only think it's another woman. The consensus on Twitter is that he's married or doesn't exist* as 'nobody talks in such a stilted fashion'. I said he was German to obfuscate, but he does have an accent and he is not English. I do think he would be hard work. I've just finished renovating my house, and would instead need to renovate my body, constantly, like the Forth Bridge.

I wanted the excitement of a romance as I need distraction from my life. Every day, bombs go off in my email queue, and it is never good news. In the new house, I pay a monthly 184 direct debit to Octopus for electricity. Bear in mind I am one person and have an air-source heat pump. I have just received an email from them saying I owe an estimated 747.02 for one month, and as I have elected to settle the whole balance each month, they will take that amount, in full, on the due date. I never agreed to that! I still owe Octopus 10,000 which they say I used in the one-up, one-down cottage I rented where I also had a log fire and barely washed. I wonder how pensioners even manage to get out of bed every day. How do they cope?

Then, on Saturday, an email about my novel, which I have been serialising on Substack in a highly watered-down, PG version. It's about a psychiatrist who manages to get the deadbeat man who raped her alcoholic patient convicted and put in jail. The twist is our heroine, who has a dark humour, gives him an incredible life first, a reason to resent being locked up. 'Call yourself a feminist? Delete the novel now, you will never get a book deal.' I was so shocked at being misinterpreted, at being told the book is based on my life, I have stopped writing on Substack. I cancelled myself.

Is everyone's life this difficult? Why does nothing nice happen? I remember in the long-distant past going to lunch with friends, laughing, not a care in the world. Now all I do is spend nine hours a day checking my phone for the next disaster.

Nic says I have to get another horse (my pony Benji died a year ago and Nic's palomino died last November), because Swirly, my thoroughbred mare, who is 15, now only has Nic's 30-year-old horse as a companion. She is worried that when he dies, Swirly cannot be on her own. I don't want another horse. I cannot afford another horse, not to mention the hard physical work involved. The storm this weekend almost finished me: when I was poo-picking the paddock, the wheelbarrow took off and hit me on the knee. It is all yet more pressure; I already pay Nic a full-time salary to look after Swirly.

I suppose the reason I was so excited to meet a man is I want someone who is on my side, who will share my problems, help me. I thought David 1.0 could do that, but he wasn't capable: he added stress, like salt on a wound. The new man? I told him not to ghost me and, guess what, he does it again! Even when I say I love him.

Ooh, hang on. He's just texted: 'The feelings are all mutual.'

'You won't find someone more interesting than me.'

'That I well know.'

*Everyone at the Mail knows his name and has seen his photo. I have archived his texts. Or call Gabby at Kettner's, Soho House if you don't believe me.

JONES MOANS... WHAT LIZ LOATHES THIS WEEK
The basic building block of a portfolio should be a global equity fund. You deposit a lump sum or contribute monthly and acquire your very own slice of the world's starriest companies.

But while this should be a long-term relationship, every new year you should still question your commitment to a fund.

Does it match your goals and the degree of risk you can afford to take? Does it promise diversification, but actually offer the opposite?

In 2025, the need for this reassessment has been highlighted by the failure last year of the old favourite, 23.3billion Fundsmith, to match the performance of the interloper, 63.8m Nutshell Growth fund. Fundsmith, managed by the veteran Terry Smith, returned 10.7 per cent. Nutshell achieved 23.7 per cent.

Lord Spencer, Nutshell Asset Management's chairman, made a 20,000 wager on such an outcome and paid his winnings to the Royal Osteoporosis Society, The Mail on Sunday's choice of charity.

Since its launch in 2010, Fundsmith has produced a return of 619 per cent. But its misstep in 2024 should serve as an alert even for loyal followers of this fund  and to other existing or potential investors in all global funds  that they should examine their priorities.

Money in the bank: The basic building block of a portfolio should be a global equity fund

These funds may be described as global, but your money is not equally spread around the planet. UK, European and Asian companies do feature in their portfolios, but the businesses they back are largely American.

The US S&P 500 index represents about 63 per cent of the value of FTSE All-World index's valuation. Moreover, the S&P 500 is itself dominated by a few massive corporations.

About 35 per cent of the index is made up of the all-conquering 'Magnificent Seven' of tech  Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Tesla  whose shares soared in 2024, thanks to generative artificial intelligence (AI) excitement.

Alphabet is Google's parent company. Meta owns Facebook, Instagram and Whats App. Generative AI is viewed as crucial to their future expansion.

Some are anxious that a bubble could be forming in this tech sector. But elsewhere there is also a conviction that these stocks will continue to be sought after in 2025.

If you are sanguine about this level of exposure to the US, here are your global fund options. It is possible that a mix of funds could suit you.

In financial relationships, variety adds spice.

BLUE WHALE

This 1.2billion fund is a 'one-stop shop for navigating the markets', as its lead manager Stephen Yiu puts it. The aim is to take advantage of

'idiosyncratic mega trends', such as the West's quest to lessen its reliance on Far East microchip manufacturers.

Yiu and his team have been reducing stakes in the Magnificent Seven, arguing  controversially, some believe  that these titans may be overspending on AI.

Among the fund's other holdings are Sartorius, the German scientific equipment maker, and the payments giant Visa. This is a fund to consider if Magnificent Seven shares already figure large in your portfolio.

F&C

This 5.5billion investment trust is a route to back the Magnificent Seven, which are its most sizeable stakes. The iPhone maker Apple, the trust's third largest holding, is now valued at around $3.7 trillion.

Its share price increased by 31 per cent in 2024 to $251. In late December, the broker Wedbush raised its target price for shares to $350 based on the view that 'a golden era of growth is on the horizon in 2025 for Apple'.

Another top 10 holding is Eli Lilly, the pharma giant behind the Mounjaro and Zepbound obesity drugs. By the beginning of the next decade, global annual sales of these and other weight-loss drugs are forecast to reach $150billion.

Stellar track record: Terry Smith

F&C is one of broker Interactive Investor's two core global fund best buys. It is also one of my global fund picks.

FUNDSMITH

One reason why Fundsmith's stellar track record took a dent in 2024 is manager Terry Smith's sceptical stance on the fortunes that could flow from generative AI.

Fundsmith holds only Meta and Microsoft. Smith has swerved away from semi-conductor giant Nvidia, whose shares are up by nearly 27,000 per cent over the past decade.

Others may regard this as a mistake. But there is no sign that Smith (pictured) is deviating from his normal course, which is to buy 'quality' businesses of various types. Current selections include L'Oreal, the beauty conglomerate, and the hotel group Marriott.

Alex Watt, funds analyst at Interactive Investor, argues that Smith's system of choosing stocks may win support this year as investors worldwide diversify away from the Magnificent Seven. For this reason, I am staying faithful to Fundsmith, which is one of FundCalibre's elite funds in this category.

NUTSHELL GROWTH

Terry Smith may like to buy and hold, but Nutshell's manager Mark Ellis prefers 'agile rebalancing'  that is, carrying out frequent trades for the maximum gain, ensuring that the fund is regularly rebalanced. At present, 60 per cent of the portfolio is invested in US stocks such as Meta, Microsoft, Arista Networks, a software group, and motor parts retailer AutoZone.

But Europe is represented through Novo Nordisk, the Ozempic weight-loss drug company, and Hermes International, the maker of the Kelly and Birkin bags.

Late last year, Nutshell was put on FundCalibre's list of funds that could be eligible for full 'elite' status.

The FundCalibre team considers Ellis's strategy to be 'innovative and original'.

INDEX FUND

The simplest and cheapest option can be a 'passive' fund where the portfolio mimics the make-up of an index.

Interactive Investor's best buy in this category is the iShares Core World ETF (exchange traded fund) which follows the MSCI World Index.

Some of its top constituents are, unsurprisingly, those members of the Magnificent Seven, plus US banking leviathan JP Morgan Chase.

Whether you select the passive or active approach, it is worthwhile checking whether your existing fund appears on Bestinvest's list of 'dog' or underachiever funds (bestinvest.co.uk). At the last count, about 26billion of savings was stashed in such funds, which mostly disappointed because they shunned the Magnificent Seven.

It would be foolish to entrust all your cash to these companies but ignoring them would also be a mistake  whatever unfolds in 2025.
Laura Ashley's new owner has said it is 'primed and ready' to revive the 72-year-old fashion and home furnishings brand.

New York-based Marquee Brands, which also owns clothing brand Ben Sherman and the lifestyle brand of US TV personality Martha Stewart, has bought the business for an undisclosed sum from Gordon Brothers, a restructuring firm.

Laura Ashley, known for its flowery frocks and wallpaper, was bought out of administration by Gordon Brothers in 2020 when it became one of the first casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing the closure of all its 147 shops.

It returned to the High Street a year later through an agreement with retail giant Next and also has deals with sofa group DFS and department store chain John Lewis, although it does not have any stores of its own.

Bouncing back: Laura Ashley, known for its flowery frocks and wallpaper, was bought out of administration by Gordon Brothers in 2020

Under the takeover deal, Laura Ashley's UK-based team, led by its boss Poppy Marshall-Lawton, will remain in place.

'With the existing UK team in place, we are primed and ready to leverage Laura Ashley's seven-decade legacy to unlock its future potential as a full lifestyle brand innovating new products,' said Marquee Brands' chief executive Heath Golden.


Maha CID arrests two accused in Beed Sarpanch murder case The Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday arrested two accused who were absconding after killing the Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district on December 9. The accused, Sudarshan Ghule and Sudhir Sangle, will be soon produced before the court.



The police recently detained one person, who was helping the accused. Sources said the same person briefed the CID team about the whereabouts of Ghule and Sangle.



The third accused Krishna Andhale is still at large.



The arrests come days after Walmik Karad, a close associate of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde from Beed who was wanted in an extortion case linked to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, surrendered before CID in Pune on Tuesday.



The case has been registered at Kej Police Station from Beed district against seven persons, including Ghule, Andhale, Sangle, Mahesh Sakharam Kedar, Jayram Manik Chate, Pratik Bhimrao Ghule, Vishnu Mahadev Chate.



Earlier, police arrested Mahesh Kedar, Jayram Chate, Pratik Ghule and Vishnu Chate, who are currently in police custody.



The police also announced a reward for providing information about Ghule, Sangle and Andhale.



The arrest of two absconding accused is crucial as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the government will not spare guilty.



"I have been saying since the first days that strict action will be taken against every accused in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case. No one has the right to commit such violence. The police will take necessary action until all the culprits are hanged," he said.



"We will not allow the rule of goons to continue. No one can commit such violence, no one can demand ransom. Accordingly, we accelerated the investigation and Walmik Karad had to surrender. Now different teams have started working to nab the absconding accused in the murder. We will not spare any accused. All of them will be found," said the chief minister.



Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on CM Fadnavis from BJP and a section of NCP not to make Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Munde the Beed district Guardian Minister until the CID completes its investigation into the sarpanch's murder.



NCP legislator Prakash Solanke has demanded that Munde should be made a minister without any portfolio until the ongoing probe is over.



In addition, the opposition has demanded Munde's resignation, and that the sarpanch murder case be tried out of Beed.




Britain must axe stamp duty on share trading to revive the flagging stock market, according to leading City brokers.

Senior figures lined up to urge Chancellor Rachel Reeves to ditch the 'pernicious tax' amid fears it is deterring investment in the UK, depressing the value of London-listed stocks and holding back the economy.

The clamour over stamp duty comes as critics warn that low valuations have left companies on the UK stock market vulnerable to predators looking to snap up firms on the cheap.

A number of businesses have attracted takeover offers including Royal Mail owner International Distribution Services, insurer Direct Line, cyber security firm Darktrace and drinks maker Britvic.

Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at broker AJ Bell, said 'a bounty of unloved or underappreciated' companies have been bought in a sign London-listed stocks are 'on sale'.

Figures from the London Stock Exchange show 88 companies worth more than 100billion either delisted or transferred their primary listing from the UK in 2024.

Fears: Senior figures lined up to urge Chancellor Rachel Reeves to ditch the 'pernicious tax'

And data from financial markets platform Dealogic revealed by the Mail this week showed 585 companies worth a total 779billion have left the London market after being taken over since 2015, while just 567, worth a total 66billion, have joined it.

Broker Peel Hunt last month warned of a 'swarm of take-overs' in 2025. Meanwhile, speculation is mounting about whether FTSE 100 giant Shell will ditch London for New York.

Reeves is under mounting pressure to abolish stamp duty on share trading to boost investment and valuations.

Investors pay 0.5 per cent in stamp duty on the price of UK-listed shares they buy  but the tax does not apply to the purchase of shares in foreign companies.

It means a saver who buys 10,000 of shares in FTSE 100 giants such as Rolls-Royce or Marks & Spencer pays 50 in tax  but nothing to make the same investment in New York-listed Disney or Nvidia.

Richard Wilson, boss of Interactive Investor, last month described stamp duty as 'the elephant in the room' as he warned: 'We are taxing the UK stock exchange out of existence.'

His comments have been echoed by other senior figures in the City contacted by the Mail.

Julian Morse, joint chief executive of City broker Cavendish, said: 'Removing stamp duty on share trading would enable higher trading volumes and unlock additional tax receipts in the long term.'

Steven Fine, chief executive of investment bank Peel Hunt, said: 'At the moment, it is simply cheaper for investors to back the likes of Nvidia than Rolls-Royce. For a market that has such a rich supply of brilliant businesses, stamp duty  described as a pernicious tax  is putting the UK at a competitive disadvantage.'

Paul Geddes, chief executive of wealth manager Evelyn Partners, said: 'There isn't a single magic bullet that is likely to rapidly reignite interest in the UK market by itself, but a combination of reforms can help.

'A very significant one would be the removal of stamp duty on UK share trading.'

Simon French, chief economist and head of research at Panmure Liberum, added: 'Stamp duty on share trading should be abolished. Countries around the world are competing for investment and stamp duty acts as a deterrent. This has a very real negative impact on the economy.'

It came as separate figures from fund manager Abrdn, from a report due to be published next week, showed Britons hold just 8 per cent of their wealth in the stock market  the lowest in the G7 group of advanced economies  compared with 33 per cent in the US and an average of 14 per cent across the G7.
US Steel's 11.4billion sale to a Japanese rival has been blocked by Joe Biden on national security grounds.

Shares in the American giant fell around 7 per cent in response to the outgoing US president's decision to block the sale to Nippon Steel Corporation.

Biden said that a strong, US-owned and operated steel industry was critical to national security, its infrastructure, supply chains and key economic sectors such as car manufacturing and defence.

He first signalled his opposition to the deal in March and yesterday said: 'This acquisition would place one of America's largest steel producers under foreign control and create risk for our national security and our critical supply chains.

'So, that is why I am taking action to block this deal. US Steel will remain a proud American company  one that's American-owned, American-operated, by American union steelworkers.'

Even if Biden had unexpectedly waved the deal through, as he had been urged to by both steel companies and the Japanese government, incoming president Donald Trump had vowed to block it.

Opposition: Joe Biden said that a strong, US-owned and operated steel industry was critical to national security

Although the deal, which was announced over a year ago, has been killed off, it may not be the end of the matter for US Steel and Nippon Steel. The terms of the deal included a 455m break fee clause, payable by Nippon to US Steel in the event that it failed to secure regulatory approvals.

Nippon chief executive Eiji Hashimoto has been reported in the Japanese press as being willing to sue the US government for political interference in the deal.

The US government's intervention is in marked contrast to Britain's recent approach to foreign takeovers.

Labour nodded through the takeover of Royal Mail by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, while its steel sector is largely foreign owned.

Yesterday, it emerged that British Steel has received a 360m loan from its Chinese owner Jingye in November.

The Government has been holding talks with Jingye over the future of British Steel's sites in Scunthorpe and Teeside. The Chinese company wants taxpayer support to build green electric arc furnaces at the two sites.

However, as part of its worst-case scenario planning, the Government has reportedly looked into nationalising British Steel if the talks fail.
Airlines lost altitude as the ongoing strength in oil prices raised the prospect of higher fuel costs once again.

EasyJet was a big FTSE 100 faller, down 3.1 per cent, or 17p, to 540.4p and British Airways owner IAG  a top blue-chip gainer in 2024  shed 1.2 per cent, or 3.7p, to 298.9p.

AJ Bell analyst Russ Mould noted that airlines had enjoyed easing cost pressures in 2024 as oil prices receded on hopes for global economic growth. However, with oil creeping higher again at the start of 2025, he said fuel costs could return as a meaningful headwind for the industry.

FTSE 250-listed Wizz Air edged lower even after reporting an increase in traffic figures for December. Budapest-based Wizz saw its passenger numbers rise 2 per cent to 5.06m last month, up from 4.96m a year earlier, with its load factor  a measure of how full planes are  rising to 86.5 per cent. Wizz slipped 1.8 per cent, or 26p, to 1390p.

Irish discount airline Ryanair also reported December traffic figures, which showed it carried 13.6m passengers, up 8.4 per cent from 12.5m in a year earlier.

But the airlines' December load factor of 92 per cent was a little lower than some analysts' forecasts, and Ryanair's Dublin-listed shares lost 2.1 per cent.

Turbulence: EasyJet was a big FTSE 100 faller, down 3.1 per cent, or 17p, to 540.4p

After a positive start to 2025, London's benchmarks soon saw the mood reverse.

The FTSE 100 index slipped 0.4 per cent, or 36.11 points, to 8223.98 and the FTSE 250 index ended off 0.2 per cent, or 48.83 points, at 20591.4.

Diageo was a big blue-chip faller, dropping 3.9 per cent, or 99p, to 2448.5p after the US Surgeon General called for alcoholic beverage labels to include cancer warnings.

The owner of Guinness and Johnnie Walker also suffered as the advisory suggested that recommended limits for alcohol consumption could be reassessed.

Drugs giant GSK was also weak, down 1.6 per cent, or 21.5p, to 1340p, even as it reported that its Nucala treatment has been approved in China to treat long-term sufferers of a sinus ailment following a phase 3 study. And miners pulled back after recent gains, with Anglo American down 1.5 per cent, or 35p, to 2346.5p, and Rio Tinto sliding 1.4 per cent, or 66p, to 4698p.

But oil majors climbed, with Shell ahead 1.6pc, or 39.5p, to 2566.5p, and BP up 1.2 per cent, or 4.8p, to 407.95p. On the FTSE 250, Harbour Energy gained 2.8 per cent, or 7.3p, to 268p and Ithaca Energy added 3.6 per cent, or 4.2p, to 122.2p.

Meanwhile, Tullow Oil  which was excited before Christmas by Kosmos Energy (down 3.6 per cent, or 11p, to 298p) bid talks, even though they were swiftly terminated  jumped 8.1 per cent, or 1.76p, to 23.62p boosted by a positive tax verdict.

The International Chamber of Commerce has decided that branch profit remittance tax (BPRT) is not applicable to Tullow Ghana since it falls outside the tax regime provided for in its petroleum agreements.

As a result, Tullow Ghana is not liable to pay the 258m BPRT assessment issued by the Ghana Revenue Authority and will have no future exposure to BPRT in respect of its operations under the agreements.
The last government handed at least 780,000 of taxpayer cash to social media influencers so they could tell the public to take their children to school and to fill in the census, new figures have revealed.

Freedom of Information requests to all government departments and agencies found at least 782,699 has been paid out to influencers since 2020.

Paying the most out to social media celebrities was the Department for Transport, which spent more than 196,000, followed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which spent more than 115,000.

The ONS meanwhile topped the list of government agencies to spend taxpayer cash on influencers, giving out more than 83,000 since 2020 - most of which was spent on paid partnerships to encourage young and minority communities to take part in the 2021 census.

Significant sums of money have also been spent on young media personalities to promote Test and Trace during the pandemic and to take their children back to the classroom after the pandemic.

But some major departments reported to have splashed out on high-profile campaigns refused to answer MailOnline's request, meaning the true figure could be much higher.

The Cabinet Office, Department for Health and Social Care - as it was known under the previous government - and the Department for Education did not provide a response.

The Cabinet Office is understood to have spent at least 76,000 working with influencers during the pandemic alone.

Kirsty Gallacher was paid 13,000 alongside a fellow influencer to feature in a government campaign about getting children back into the classroom after the pandemic

TV presenter and model Ms Gallacher was paid for her time - before the government spent another 20,000 of taxpayer money fighting a freedom of information request to disclose the fee

Drag Race UK star Asttina Mandella (pictured right with Ashley Roberts) filmed a video encouraging members of the LGBT+ community to participate in the 2021 census

What government departments have spent taxpayer cash on influencers since 2020? Department for Transport: 196,145 Department for Culture, Media and Sport: 115,794.07 Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities: 60,000 Home Office: 53,035 Foreign Office: 40,000 Cabinet Office: Unknown - 63,000 on Test and Trace, 13,000 to encourage children back to school Government-owned agencies ONS: 83,352 NS&I: 54,580 HMRC: 48,700 Food Standards Agency: 47,493 National Archives: 7,500 Ofgem: 100 Advertisement

Just five departments - DCMS, DfT, the Foreign Office, the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities and the Home Office - spent in excess of 460,000 between them.

The rest of the money was spent by government-run agencies including the ONS, NS&I and the Food Standards Agency.

NS&I spent more than 54,000 while HMRC spent 48,700.

The ONS paid out 83,352 in 2020 to influencers as part of a drive to encourage young people and underrepresented groups to participate in the 2021 census.

Gogglebox's Tom Malone Jr, make-up influencer Hani Hanss and Drag Race UK star Asttina Mandella were among the celebrities who produced paid promotion videos urging their followers - especially young and LGBT+ people - to fill out their census forms.

Actor and trans man Jake Graf was also among the influencers to push the census, which took place amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Food Standards Agency has spent 47,493 on influencers across several campaigns in recent years.

Mother and food allergy expert Kate Lancaster filmed a video informing her followers about the risks of assuming vegan or plant-based foods are guaranteed to be free from allergens such as milk and egg.

And Beth Turbett-Rogers, known for her budgeting tips and family saving hacks, teamed up with the FSA in a video to show safe barbequing practices for meat last summer.

Gogglebox's Tom Malone featured in a clip for government agency ONS to encourage young people to complete the census in 2021

Kate Lancaster, who has a large following online as a food allergy campaigner, was paid an unknown sum to collaborate with the FSA on allergens in vegan food

Make-up influencer Hani Hanss also produced an ad on her Instagram page telling her followers to take part in the census

Dr Phillipa Kaye appeared alongside Kirsty Gallacher to encourage children back to school

Social media players such as Love Island stars Shaughna Phillips, Josh Denzel and Chris Hughes (pictured) were all hired to encourage the public to follow Covid rules

Meanwhile social media players such as Love Island stars Shaughna Phillips, Josh Denzel and Chris Hughes were all hired to encourage the public to follow Covid rules, with Phillips posting to Instagram to tell her followers to get tested.

A Freedom of Information request found that for Test and Trace alone, the Cabinet Office spent 63,000 on influencers to try and reach a wider audience.

The Cabinet Office also paid TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher and celebrity GP Philippa Kaye 13,000 as part of an advertising campaign to get children back into school post-lockdown.

It then spent a further 20,000 of taxpayers' cash on a legal battle as it attempted to avoid publishing the information.

It eventually lost and was forced to declare the 13,000 fee in response to an FOI request.

In February, just months before the election, the Home Office earmarked up to 100,000 to spend on influencers in countries such as Albania and Vietnam to try and discourage migrants from crossing in small boats.

Albanian rapper known as 'Omg Dioh', who has more than 103,000 followers on TikTok, was selected as a suitable candidate because he 'uses the platform to influence and educate youngsters to work hard and follow their passions', documents showed.

Shaughna Phillips also promoted the NHS Test and Trace system as part of an advertising campaign

Former Love Island contestant Josh Denzel was paid by the government to encourage fans to follow Covid rules

Albanian Rapper Omg Dioh was one of the Albanian celebrities the Home Office planned to recruit

Roxhi Dibrani is a popular online comedian while Fabio Daja is described as a 'lifestyle influencer'

Comedian Roxhi Dibran, with 150,000 followers, was also approached to take part along with lifestyle influencer Fabio Daja, with 109,000.

It formed part of a 1 million advertising campaign to be launched alongside the previously planned Rwanda removals.

Each of the influencers selected would be paid 5,000 to take part.

With the Rwanda scheme now scrapped, it is unclear how much, if any, money had been paid out to influencers by the Home Office before Labour's landslide victory in July.

Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'Taxpayers will be furious that Whitehall has been paying Z list celebrities to push messages online.

'Rachel Reeves expects Whitehall to find over 3 billion in departmental waste, axing influencers that can get involved for free, is a great place to start.

'With public finances being in such dire straits, MPs must focus on the things that really matter instead of politically posturing initiatives.'

A Government Spokesperson said: 'This spending relates to the previous government. We have already announced savings of 85 million in reducing government campaign spending whilst also prioritising campaigns so that they reach a wide variety of people.'
The Ministry of Defence has been accused of 'driving taxpayers around the bend' after blowing millions of pounds on taxis and chauffeurs.

Figures uncovered by MailOnline have revealed Britain's cash-strapped military has spent 2,095,730.19 on vehicles to shuttle troops and civil servants around.

The splurge on cabs was spent during the 2023/24 financial year and has been branded a 'pointless waste' of cash by campaigners.

News of the MoD's travel bill comes as military chiefs continue to try plug a staggering 29billion financial black hole in defence spending.

Meanwhile the British Army is set to shrink to its smallest size in 230 years, with troop numbers soon predicted to dip below 70,000 for the first time since 1793.

The cash spent on taxis could have paid the annual salaries of 83 Privates in the British Army, who earn 25,200.

The MoD spent more than 2million on taxis and chauffeurs, figures show (stock image)

The amount spent on transport could have paid the annual salaries of more than 80 soldiers with the rank of Private (file picture of British Army troops on exercise in Salisbury)

The news comes after Labour warned the number of troops in the army could dip below 70,000 for the first time in 230 years (file image of Prime Minister Kier Starmer with troops at Salisbury in August 2022)

Colonel Philip Ingram has warned the UK is facing a '1938 moment' and must properly invest in its military

Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British intelligence officer, blasted the spending, telling MailOnline: 'Virtually all activities across defence are not delivered in a cost effective way, wasting taxpayers' money as there is zero accountability for wasteful practices. This must be addressed.

'The method is not to cut the size of our military but to bring in accountability and hold people personally responsible for wasteful decisions and practices. Defence could save billions by doing this.'

He added: 'Cutting the size of any arm of the military would send the wrong message to our potential enemies at a time of growing instability and would send a shockingly bad message to our allies who are increasing their defence spending and size of their militarys given the growing international tensions.

'We are in a 1938 moment - it isn't peace in our time - we need to be growing our military capability rapidly.'

The latest information was revealed in a freedom of information (FoI) request by MailOnline.

The money was spent as part of the MoD's Phoenix II vehicle contract.

In its FoI response to MailOnline, the MoD said that 'as a large organisation with remote sites across the UK and bases around the world, our staff need to travel to locations that are not always accessible by public transport'.

It added: 'All travel bookings by MoD civil servants and military personnel must be confirmed as essential and authorised by a manager to ensure the request is valid and represents value for money.'

It's understood that some of the staff operating as chauffeurs are ex-military personnel who are highly trained. They provide transport for ministers and high-ranking officials.

The amount spent on taxi and chauffeur journeys was revealed in a freedom of information request by MailOnline (file image of the MoD's sign at its base in Whitehall, London)

While taxi journeys can cover more routine transport for soldiers going between bases, should other vehicles be unavailable.

A previous study revealed that in 2022, the MoD had spent 16.6million on hire cars for staff, up from 12.9million the year before.

Reacting to the most recent splurge on taxis and chauffeurs, William Yarwood, media campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance told MailOnline: 'Taxpayers will be driven round the bend by this pointless waste.

'While the MoD complains about vast funding gaps and attempts to plug its various financial black holes, it is crucial that they make every penny count.

'Instead of hitching a ride, MoD bosses should declare a war on waste.'

Tory shadow Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois said: 'Given that Labour persistently refuse to name a date by which they will spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on our Defence, every pound the MoD spends really matters - including taxi fares. A pound spent on that is a pound we cannot spend on ammunition or other key requirements.'

An MoD spokesman told MailOnline: 'As the Chancellor has said, the Government has inherited public finances which are much worse than expected.

'This Government is committed to securing value for money for taxpayers, cracking down on waste, and getting a grip of MoD budgets, including through increased scrutiny on spending.

'Thats why we have taken immediate action to stop all non-essential government consultancy spending in 24/25.'
For almost seven decades, it was a staple of the British summer, a reminder of the nation's enduring debt to the Royal Air Force pilots who fended off Adolf Hitler's Luftwaffe as the heavens blazed over southern England in 1940.

But aviation experts fear the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, a series of annual displays honouring those who died in the pivotal conflict, may never again take to the skies.

The BBMF fleet  which includes Spitfires, Hurricanes and a Lancaster Bomber  has been grounded since late May, when an RAF pilot, Squadron Leader Mark Long, was killed in a Spitfire crash in Lincolnshire.

In response to the tragedy, which is the subject of an ongoing inquiry, the RAF immediately announced a 'temporary pause in flying for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight'.

The suspension prevented the aircraft from featuring in summer events commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings and the 75th birthday of King Charles III, and there is a growing sense of uncertainty around the BBMF's future.

Experts fear a risk-averse culture in the Ministry of Defence may be to blame.

'It worries me that the aircraft in the fleet have been grounded for a long time,' says Terry Holloway, a retired RAF group captain and former BBMF engineering officer.

'It worries me that the Ministry of Defence, like a lot of society today, is highly risk-averse, and they might be saying to themselves, "What's the cost, what's the benefit of operating these aircraft to us?"

The Royal Air Force has grounded the entire fleet of second world war aircraft involved in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

A Spitfire MkXVI TE311, which is part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. After a major service, the plane was ready to return to the skies this year before the fleet was grounded

Aviation experts are now fearful that the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which was inaugurated on 11 July 1957 at RAF Biggin Hill, may never fly again

Squadron Leader Mark Long, 43, was killed after the Spitfire he was flying crashed shortly after takeoff from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, on 25 May 2024.

'If they perceive there might be a risk  and the risk might be bad publicity from aircraft crashing a civilian location or in a town  [then], in a risk-averse environment, there is a possibility that the future of the BBMF is in doubt.'

Fundamental to any assessment of those risks is the question of what caused the fatal crash of Long's Supermarine Spitfire LF.IXe, which was built at Castle Bromwich aircraft factory in 1944 and equipped with a single Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 engine.

No date has been set for the resumption of an adjourned inquest into the 43-year-old's death. The RAF said in a statement in late November that the Defence Accident Investigation Branch investigation remained ongoing, with the outcome to be made public only once Long's family, ministers and RAF leadership were informed.

Many within the aviation community suspect engine failure played a part in the accident but, pending clarification from investigators, safety experts believe the grounding of the fleet is justified.

'With a small fleet of ageing aircraft it is prudent to take a cautious approach to continued operation of the aircraft after a fatal accident such as the one in question, particularly given that the investigation is still ongoing,' said a spokesperson for the Flight Safety Foundation.

'Once the investigators determine the cause of the accident and release their findings, the authorities will be in a better position to determine next steps.'

Holloway acknowledges the need for a proper inquiry, but says he is puzzled by the length of time it has taken. He recalls the swift remedial action taken after engine failure caused a Hurricane LF63 to crash on 11 September 1991.

Although the pilot, Squadron Leader Allan Martin, amazingly escaped with only a broken ankle and minor burns, the aircraft itself was gutted by fire. Despite the damage, camshaft failure was quickly identified as the source of the problem and, within a fortnight, the planes returned to the skies.

'Whether it's a historic aircraft or a modern aircraft, if a fault is found in the aircraft or its engines which, in the opinion of those who are responsible for its airworthiness, makes it a risk to fly, there should be a grounding while investigations are carried out in order to find a solution,' says Holloway.

A Hurricane, seen in the background, piloted by Squadron Leader Mark Long at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire in May 2022

Following Long's tragic death, the livery of one of the BBMF's Spitfires has been repainted to include a tribute to the pilot, whose name has also been added beneath the cockpit

In a colourised image from the second world war, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane are seen in action. The BBMF fleet includes examples of both aircraft

'The death of Mark Long in the accident shouldn't be a factor in the grounding: the aircraft are either airworthy or they're not airworthy.'

So why ground the entire fleet, which includes not only single-engine Spitfires and Hurricanes, but also a four-engine Lancaster  one of only two airworthy Lancasters in the world  and a twin-engine C47 Dakota?

James Holland, a second world war historian, insists the decision is 'a massive overreaction', not least because there has been no corresponding curb on civilian Spitfire flights.

'Why ground the whole lot?' says Holland. 'They're properly maintained. I can't begin to tell you how many hundreds of Spitfire flights are taking place around Britain, literally every day.

'There's a risk getting on a train, there's a risk getting in a car every day, but you're still more likely to be run over by a bus than you are to come down in a Spitfire.

'Any time you get into a bit of machinery that's 80 years old, there's a risk. The reason they're grounded is because no one is prepared to put their neck on the line and sign it off, because they don't want to get sued for industrial manslaughter three years down the line if something goes wrong again.

'Just because one [Spitfire] crashes doesn't mean the others are dodgy.'

Given the financial pressure on the Ministry of Defence, which faces a projected funding shortfall of 16.9 billion over the next decade, the BBMF's estimated operating cost of 5 million could also be a factor.

'A fleet of heritage aircraft is probably not the thing that they want to spend a great deal of time and a great deal of money on sorting out,' says Holloway.

This Avro Lancaster, seen here participating in an air display at Old Warden, Bedfordshire in May 2018, has been part of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight for more than 50 years

A Hawker Hurricane seen in the air during the second world war in 1942

'One or two people are speculating that, with the MoD short of cash, struggling with finances, there's a real question, do they want to keep the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at all, if it's an expensive overhead that they can ill afford?'

In early October, a BBMF Spitfire that has been grounded since 2021 underwent a partial post-maintenance test flight, offering a measure of optimism that the BBMF will eventually return.

The flight was described on the RAF website as 'an important step in the graduated return to flying for the BBMF aircraft', although notably the aircraft, Spitfire PR Mk XIX PM631, is powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon engine rather than a Merlin.

The Spitfire's return to the air follows a BBMF announcement in July that the fleets Lancaster had been cleared to fly following extensive maintenance activity and testing. Having been put through its paces, the aircraft will be equipped with a rebuilt Merlin engine over the winter period.

There was further positive news in October, when it was revealed that, after varying degrees of maintenance, most of the fleet's remaining aircraft are expected to be ready to resume flying by March, 'ready for an early start to the 2025 display season'.

'The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight has concluded its display flying for 2024 and is now focusing on the maintenance of the historic aircraft, with the aim of having the majority of the aircraft available to fly early in the new year,' said an RAF spokesperson.

While encouraging, however, the noises emanating from the RAF offer no clear guarantee that the BBMF will return to the skies. Ready and available is one thing; airborne, quite another.

Should the BBMF's promised return fail to materialise, however, it would not necessarily spell the end for the fleet. Several civil organisations that fly commercial passengers in Spitfires and other second world war planes have acquired significant technical expertise, and could be well placed to fill the breach.

The film director Guy Ritchie, who owns Compton Abbas airfield in Dorset, has hailed the 'experience, expertise and track record' of Kent-based Aero Legends, which offers flying experiences in Spitfires and other vintage aircraft.

Air Leasing Ltd, which specialises in the restoration, maintenance and operation of world war II planes and runs out of Sywell aerodrome in Northampton, offers Spitfire, Mustang and Messerschmitt flying experiences, and has been in business for almost four decades.

It is no great stretch to imagine that - in principle, and given the necessary funding - such operators could maintain the BBMF tradition. Certainly there is no shortage of will, within both the military and civilian sectors, that the BBMF should survive in some form, irrespective of the defence ministry's ability to shoulder the financial burden.

'I'm very enthusiastic that the BBMF continues to fly, whether in military or civilian hands,' says Holloway. 'If the MoD decides they don't want to continue with it, then let's get it in the hands of somebody who will maintain the heritage and look after these precious aeroplanes.'

Meanwhile, the RAF community remains united in grief over the death of Long, who 'personified the very best of the Royal Air Force and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight', according to his commanding officer, Squadron Leader Mark Sugden.

The esteem in which Long was held is evident in the decision of BBMF bosses to repaint one of the fleet's Spitfires with the squadron code L-NG  spelling out 'Long' as it crosses the plane's roundel  and add his name beneath the cockpit.

Given a fair wind, enthusiasts still hope that the aircraft, which Long flew regularly, may once again take to the skies for what Holloway calls 'a living tribute' to the few who gave so much in the late summer of 1940.
London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) fine hotspots were revealed today - with cars registered in Enfield receiving the most penalty charges of any borough by far.

Mayor Sadiq Khan made his zone almost four times larger by covering all of Greater London in August 2023, creating the world's biggest pollution charging region.

He dragged all of the capital's outer boroughs into the area - with 988,485 penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued in the first year of the expanded area, until July 2024.

Some 80,023 of these were in Enfield, while Croydon was in second place at 57,055, Hillingdon in third at 52,561, and Barking and Dagenham in fourth at 52,186.

The other boroughs in the top ten were Haringey (50,327), Brent (47,020), Redbridge (46,798), Newham (46,077), Barnet (38,405) and Waltham Forest (37,912).

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The total value of the fines handed by Transport to London (TfL) to motorists with cars registered in the capital at the point of issue was 177.9million, given that its PCNs are 180 each, reduced to 90 if paid within 14 days.

The Ulez payment and fines process If a car does not meet Ulez standards and does not have an exemption, it will be charged 12.50 upon entering the zone within Greater London each day. This fee must be paid by midnight on the third day following a journey. If not, the driver then has to pay a 90 fine within 14 days. If this is not paid, the fine goes up to 180 within 28 days Ignoring this leads to the sum rising to 270. TfL issues a charge certificate, followed by an order for recovery. At least three notices are issued before a warrant is sent by TfL to enforcement agents, who then send at least two letters before visiting a property or removing a vehicle. Advertisement

The data, released by TfL under the Freedom of Information Act, also revealed there were 58,289 vehicles registered within London incurring PCNs - meaning each vehicle received an average of 17 fines each.

In addition, there were 673,867 warrants issued to recover outstanding after non-payment, covering 24,220 different vehicles.

For petrol cars to meet Ulez standards  based on emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter  they must generally have been first registered after 2005.

Most diesel cars registered after September 2015 are also exempt from the charge.

Drivers who enter the zone in a non-compliant vehicle are required to pay a 12.50 daily fee unless they are exempt, such as taxis or transport for disabled people.

Failing to pay the charge by midnight on the third day following a journey risks incurring a fine.

TfL initially sent warning letters to vehicle owners for non-payment following Ulez expansion on August 29, 2023, but began issuing PCNs about a month later on September 26.

The recipient of a PCN has 28 days to pay at the full rate of 180 if they don't pay 90 within 14 days  and can also challenge the penalty.

Drivers who enter London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) in a non-compliant vehicle are required to pay a 12.50 daily fee unless exempt, such as transport for disabled people

Mayor Sadiq Khan made the Ulez almost four times larger by expanding it in August 2023

But ignoring the PCN leads to the sum increasing to 270, and eventually TfL can apply for a court-issued warrant to take action to recover debts, such as using bailiffs.

TfL will issue a charge certificate, followed by an order for recovery. At least three notices are issued before a warrant is sent to a team of enforcement agents.

These agents then send at least two letters before visiting a property or removing a vehicle.

In addition, when a fine issued, it is sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle as held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

This does not always mean the driver lives at that address  given that a vehicle may be registered to a hire company in a certain borough, but the driver lives in a different area.

In October 2024, TfL in a separate data release that more than of 1,429 vehicles were seized by bailiffs within the same 12-month period for non-payment of Ulez.

ULEZ PENALTY CHARGE NOTICES ISSUED BY TfL, AUGUST 2023 TO JULY 2024 London Borough Total PCNs Issued Unique Vehicle incurring PCNs Total Warrants Issued Unique vehicles subject to warrants Enfield 80,023 4,017 59,032 2,102 Croydon 57,055 3,817 37,599 1,486 Hillingdon 52,561 3,762 31,180 1,220 Barking and Dagenham 52,186 2,629 37,575 1,408 Haringey 50,327 2,223 38,233 1,450 Brent 47,020 2,359 33,599 1,139 Redbridge 46,798 2,820 32,506 1,415 Newham 46,077 1,981 35,046 1,259 Barnet 38,405 2,640 26,136 1,054 Waltham Forest 37,912 2,298 27,561 1,327 Havering 37,522 2,898 22,931 994 Harrow 36,162 2,613 23,101 1,060 Greenwich 35,496 1,744 25,810 886 Hounslow 34,600 2,562 22,047 938 Ealing 34,449 2,700 21,896 958 Bexley 31,583 2,210 20,490 844 Bromley 28,945 2,691 16,927 758 Lewisham 28,178 1,457 20,418 713 Lambeth 22,778 1,225 15,951 561 Merton 22,569 1,740 13,943 572 Sutton 20,899 1,999 11,407 525 Hackney 20,682 949 14,881 522 Tower Hamlets 20,338 875 14,922 460 Southwark 17,138 929 12,165 431 Kingston upon Thames 16,562 1,398 10,007 387 Islington 14,463 623 10,952 334 Wandsworth 12,974 1,129 8,371 348 Westminster 12,087 772 8,210 324 Hammersmith and Fulham 9,256 603 6,621 245 Richmond upon Thames 8,961 1,081 4,960 265 Camden 6,990 562 4,510 249 Kensington and Chelsea 6,955 575 4,477 193 City of London 534 43 403 18 Overall - Total 988,485 58,289 673,867 24,220

Some 761 were auctioned, recovering 710,000 of debts accrued by drivers refusing to pay the Ulez charge. TfL said 25.6million of debt was recouped over 12 months.

It gave examples of a driver with 45 warrants against them settling a balance of nearly 16,000 in July after being traced to a new address, and another with 21 warrants making payments of more than 7,800.

The organisation also said at the time it was tripling the size of its investigations team to boost its work with enforcement agents.

An anti-Ulez Facebook group with more than 45,000 members urges people to refuse to pay Ulez PCNs, and praises vandalism of the scheme's enforcement cameras.

But TfL has insisted income generated by Ulez is invested into public transport, such as improving bus routes in outer London, with Sir Sadiq previously saying its expansion was vital to tackle air pollution.

Mayor Sadiq Khan has previously said his Ulez expansion is vital to tackle air pollution

In September 2024, analysis of separate TfL data showed drivers had been handed more than 322million in fines for non-payment of Ulez fees since the scheme expanded.

The body also received approximately 176million from drivers who did pay Ulez fees over the same period.

Separately a further set of figures released in the autumn showed TfL's income from fining drivers using major 'red route' roads in the capital had soared by 57 per cent in the last five years to 89.3million.

Motoring organisation the AA attributed the rise to the increased use of new and more sophisticated CCTV cameras, and TfL's decision in January 2022 to uplift the value of PCNs from 130 to 160.

The authority issues PCNs for violations on red routes involving bus lanes, yellow box junctions, banned turns, stopping and parking, often relying on evidence from CCTV cameras.

How many penalty notices were issued by TfL for Ulez non-payment across all motorists

A TfL spokesman told MailOnline: 'Data shows that more than 96 per cent of all vehicles recorded driving in the zone are now compliant, with a 53 per cent reduction in non-compliant vehicles driving on an average day in the first six months of the Ulez expansion compared to June 2023.

'Only 0.27 per cent of vehicles driving in the zone receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

'Any income generated from the scheme is being reinvested back into public transport, including improving bus routes in outer London.

'The expanded Ulez will lead to cleaner air while generating ever smaller net revenues, as has been the case with the previous expansion to inner London where people switched to greener vehicles.'
The dark corners of the UK's police inhabited by prolific offenders such as Wayne Couzens have been the subject of radical overhaul attempts ever since the rape and murder of Sarah Everard.

Couzens served in some of Britain's most prestigious armed policing units - from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit (PADP), where officers guard nuclear assets, Parliament and diplomatic locations.

After his horrific crimes were revealed, it was unearthed that he had committed a raft of previous offences including indecent exposure that colleagues - who nicknamed Couzens 'the rapist' - failed to investigate.

Probes into the units revealed a hidden underbelly - made up of a minority of officers - which hid some of the worst offending in recent times.

Since Couzens' conviction for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah in March 2021, the Met has been forced to conduct a radical overhaul of the PADP and police forces across the country have imposed new measures to catch misconduct.

Here MailOnline takes a look inside the last four years at elite units where misconduct ran rife - and reveals the officers sacked.

Since Couzens' conviction for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard (pictured) in March 2021, the Met has been forced to conduct a radical overhaul of the PADP

Wayne Couzens served in some of Britain's most prestigious armed policing units - from the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) to the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit (PADP)

Civil Nuclear Constabulary

Couzens worked in the CNC from March 2011 until September 2018, during which time he was reported for indecent exposure by a member of the public in 2015.

The investigation by Kent Police went nowhere after the victim was allegedly 'not taken seriously' - and Couzens was allowed to continue serving as an armed officer.

Since his arrest, at least a dozen officers have been found to have committed gross misconduct while working at the CNC, for offences ranging from attacking a woman with a knife to child sex offences.

Jason Corley was a serving officer with the CNC when he attacked a woman with a knife.

Corley, 44, was serving at Sizewell, Suffolk, at the time of the attack in September 2020, just months before the murder of Sarah Everard.

He grabbed the woman, strangled her and dragged her across a room before picking up a kitchen knife and holding it against her throat, a court heard.

Corley then told the woman no-one would believe her if she reported the attack, adding if he was 'going down for something, it would be for something good.'

Corley is no longer a policeman and was sentenced to three years in prison for the attack.

PC Jonathon Cobban and former PC Joel Borders were both ex-colleagues of Couzens at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

Jonathon Cobban (left) and Joel Borders (right) were in a WhatsApp group with Wayne Couzens where they shared grossly offensive messages

Cobban (left) and Borders (right) appealed their convictions but this was dismissed by a judge in July

After transferring to the Met the group remained in touch over WhatsApp, where they shared racist, homophobic, misogynistic and ableist messages.

The exchanges were discovered after Couzens was arrested for killing Ms Everard in March 2021 and his phone examined by investigators.

Cobban, 35, and Borders, 45 - who left the force before he could be fired - joked about beating and sexually assaulting women, raping a colleague and using Taser weapons on children.

After a trial the pair were sentenced to three months each in prison. They appealed their convictions but had their case dismissed in July.

Cobban from Didcot in Oxfordshire was found guilty of three counts of sending grossly offensive messages, while Borders, from Preston in Lancashire, was convicted of five charges.

Both men have since been found to have committed gross misconduct and have been added to the College of Policing barred list.

Another six serving and former CNC officers were taken to gross misconduct proceedings in October over hundreds of pornographic, racist and sexist messages.

PCs Adam Rothery, Stephen Moss, Andrew Smith, Ryan Hancock, Fraser Dove and Benjamin Kirk resigned before the hearing in October but would have been dismissed with immediate effect.

The 'Band of Brothers' WhatsApp group included numerous offensive messages sent while the officers were on duty.

One message saw them compare the humane euthanisation of an animal to the murder of George Floyd, a black man murdered in the US by a white police officer.

Hundreds of others were 'pornographic in nature' and were 'derogatory, demeaning and or objectifying to women'.

Sellafield CNC officer Shaun Mandale was found to have more than 18,000 indecent images of children

Superintendent Glenn McAleavey wore medal ribbons representing military service in Iraq and Afghanistan, although he had not served in either conflict

A seventh officer would also have faced disciplinary hearings, the IOPC said, however they had already resigned from CNC when the allegations came to light.

Sellafield CNC officer Shaun Mandale was found to have more than 18,000 indecent photographs of children when his house was raided in January 2022.

Mandale, 45, had a total of 7,886 category A images, 2,597 category B and 7,651 category C - as well as 96 extreme images involving animals.

The former officer, from Workington, admitted six charges of making and possessing indecent images in court and was sentenced to 33 months in prison in October 2022.

He was also made to sign the sex offenders' register for life.

A 'Walter Mitty' top police officer who wore fake medals was allowed to keep his job despite having breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour.

Superintendent Glenn McAleavey, of the CNC, was handed a final written warning after a misconduct hearing found he had worn medals to an event that he hadn't earned.

McAleavey served as a Royal Marine before joining the CNC in 2007.

Five years later, he attended a private award ceremony hosted by the Chief Constable of Cumbria Police where he wore medal ribbons representing military service in Iraq and Afghanistan, although he had not served in either conflict.

A misconduct hearing in 2020 allowed the officer to keep his job - prompting opposition from other senior members of the force.

PC Andrew Harkison lost control of a dog which attacked a member of the public - he failed to report it and the dog went on to attack again

PC Andrew Harkison, of the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, was dismissed with immediate effect in August after pleading guilty to two criminal charges in a court of law.

Harkison, who was employed as a dog handler and was responsible for Alsation Atlas, lost control of the animal on two occasions, leading it to attacking two members of the public.

A misconduct hearing panel heard Harkison first lost control of Atlas on March 13, 2023, leading to the dog biting another dog and a member of the public.

Harkison failed to report the incident and continued to walk Atlas without a muzzle.

The dog then attacked a member of the public, who was walking her two pooches, just over a month later. This time, the female victim was left with serious injuries and had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

On 19 April 2024 PC Harkison pleaded guilty to two criminal charges under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and received a suspended sentence of 10 months' imprisonment with a requirement to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and disqualification form having custody of a dog for a period of 5 years.

Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Unit

Couzens left the CNC to join the Met as an armed officer in September 2018, before being appointed to the PADP.

He had not been subjected to enhanced vetting during his recruitment, or carried out the mandatory two-year probation period at the Met before being assigned to the PADP.

During his time at the Met, Couzens was reported for three counts of indecent exposure, including one just four days before the murder of Sarah Everard.

Since her death, PADP officers have been found to have committed offences ranging from being high on cocaine on duty to assaulting a 14-year-old boy.

PC Phil Hunter from the PADP was found to have committed gross misconduct at two separate hearings after pursuing vulnerable women he met in the course of his duties for sex.

Hunter struck up a sexual relationship with the first woman, who he met on a welfare check and who was suicidal, while also pursuing the second.

He even sent the first woman explicit photos days after she threatened to hang herself - before asking for naked snaps in return.

During his time at the Met, Couzens (pictured in court) was reported for three counts of indecent exposure, including one just four days before the murder of Sarah Everard

PADP officers guard government and diplomatic buildings, including the Palace of Westminster

Hunter resigned before his first misconduct hearing, before getting a job as a black cab driver. His licence was later revoked.

His second victim campaigned for years to have her experiences recognised, after initially being denied a misconduct hearing.

She was finally granted one in August, where Hunter was again found to have committed gross misconduct.

PC Matthew Thomas of the PADP was found to have committed gross misconduct after testing positive for cocaine at work.

The Met 'received intelligence' Thomas was taking illegal substances after discovering his phone number in a drug dealer's confiscated phone.

A test was conducted a month later, which found he had ten times the cut off level to be found positive in his blood stream while on duty.

Assistant Commissioner Barbara Gray said Thomas carried a firearm as part of his job and there was 'no plausible explanation' for the result other than him knowingly having taken cocaine.

He resigned in September 2023.

PC Thomas Murray was in a positive action seminar when he sent a voice message filled with expletives and racist remarks to a colleague.

But when his colleague went to listen to it, his microphone was not muted - meaning all 21 participants in the session heard the message.

The scale of institutional issues in the PADP was only revealed after the murder of Sarah Everard (pictured)

He was said to be 'simmering' with rage that officers participating in the meeting were implying the Met was institutionally racist.

He told his colleague in the message that officers were using the 'race card' and called them 'c*****'.

Murray eventually resigned and was found to have committed gross misconduct in June.

Constable Colin Stevens sent discriminatory and inappropriate text messages to a colleague over a six month period and would have been dismissed if not already retired.

Stevens, of the PADP, retired in March 2023 before an IOPC investigation into him began in August of the same year.

He was found to have sent messages to a second unknown officer that 'included themes of a racist, sexist, misogynist and generally inappropriate and offensive nature' between 2013 and 2015.

Some of the messages also made fun of rape, an IOPC statement said.

Stevens did not attend a gross misconduct hearing in May, which found he would have been dismissed if still serving.

Armed officer Terrence Ellis was so notorious within the PADP that colleagues called him 'Type Two Terry' - a reference to serious sexual offences.

Others joked he should always keep his hands 'above the dashboard' whenever in a car.

Ellis was sacked in August after a gross misconduct hearing found he had made 'disgusting' and misogynistic comments to two female colleagues.

It also emerged that in an officer safety training exercise Ellis told his female partner for a manoeuvre involving a would-be attacker he had scanned to room in the hope of being paired with someone he could 'tit grope'.

He also rated female colleagues' attractiveness and his phone contained a photograph of a policewoman he was attracted to.

Ellis was dismissed without notice in August and added to the barred list of officers.

Lee Ashby was criticised after taking 90 seconds to respond to the Westminster terror attack in 2017 (Pictured: officers respond to the attack)

PADP officers attempt to save the life of colleague PC Keith Palmer amid the Westminster terror attack

Firearms officer Lee Ashby committed gross misconduct by taking illegal steroids which threatened the public's safety.

Ashby, of the PADP, was criticised after being one of the first officers on the scene in the Westminster terror attack in 2017, after taking one-and-a-half minutes to get to the scene from his patrol.

He told bosses he began regularly going to the gym after the attack, which led to the deaths of PC Keith Palmer and four members of the public.

Ashby claimed he was unaware the 'supplements' he was taking contained the illegal Anabolic Sterioid Boldenone M1 after failing a 'with cause' drugs test.

The side-effects of the steroids meant Ashby, who carried a gun, was more susceptible to 'irritability, aggression, anger, paranoia, severe mood swings, and sleep disturbance'.

He resigned before a gross misconduct hearing ruled he would have been sacked, ruling the steroid had 'severe implications' for public safety.

The Met Police said Wayne Couzens' crimes were 'horrific and brought shame on policing'

Sergeant Paul Knight left the Met before he could be sacked after assaulting a member of the public while off duty.

Knight was collecting a broken hoover from a repair shop in September 2023 when he came across another man who was also picking up a hoover from the same shop.

The officer got out of his white van and verbally attacked his victim, shouting: 'What f***ing awful driving is that?'.

He then put his hands on the victim's shoulders and spun him round, where he almost lost balance. Knight was so close that the victim thought he was going to be attacked.

Knight pursued the other man into the repair shop, grabbing him multiple times before pulling out his police warrant card while continuing to be 'verbally and physically aggressive'.

He is now barred from policing for life.

Chief Constable Simon Chesterman of the CNC said: 'The majority of police officers and staff at the Civil Nuclear Constabulary maintain the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.

'We acknowledge that some individuals have fallen far short of the standards of behaviour the force, and the public, have a right to expect.

'Be assured that we are determined to identify misconduct and we have been successful in doing so, and we will continue to do so robustly and transparently.'

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'We are determinedly removing from the Met those officers who fail to meet the standards we expect and who let down their colleagues and the public. As we do that we will see more misconduct cases and more dismissals. They are a sign of action being delivered.

'Wayne Couzens' crimes were horrific and brought shame on policing. Other officers have been dismissed since him for appalling behaviour too. But those officers working hard now to deliver for the public deserve to be judged on their own merits and not by the actions of others, however awful.

'In the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command (PaDP), for example, a third of the officers have only recently joined. There are more women and more officers from minority backgrounds.

'We have overhauled the leadership so there are now new ideas, with better line management as well as greater oversight and supervision. We launched a Women in Firearms Programme to give female officers an insight into the role and encourage them to join. In doing so we're helping to increase the diversity and improve the working culture of the whole unit.

'Similar changes are happening across the Met. We're not just focused on removing those who shouldn't be here, but on making sure the majority of hard working officers can be better supported and better equipped to do the job they want to do and that communities need them to do.'
A third of children across England are not 'school-ready' when they start reception, recent figures from the Department for Education have revealed.

Assessed across a series of 'early learning goals' including basic motor skills such as walking and getting dressed, it is evident that around 33 per cent of five-year-olds are not reaching the expected levels of development.

But there is one city in particular that has the single highest proportion of children who are unprepared for school.

Figures show that 42.8 per cent of five-year-olds in Manchester are falling short of reaching the expected levels across all 'early learning goals' - meaning just 57.2 per cent are deemed 'school-ready'.

This means that of a total of 6,866 children aged five under the Manchester City Council area in the 2023-24 year, 2,941 were not prepared for starting school.

This is the worst level of school readiness across all local authority areas.

And unsurprisingly, the city is also home to some of the highest levels of deprivation and child poverty in all of the country.

Analysis by the End Child Poverty coalition has found that more than a third of children in Greater Manchester - 11 in a class of 30 - live in poverty.

To investigate why Manchester, and the area under Manchester City Council authority in particular, is so behind on getting children prepared for schooling, MailOnline visited one of the city's most deprived areas - Longsight.

Longsight has the largest proportion of deprived households out of all wards in the Manchester City local authority area

Pictured: Longsight Market. Locals spoke of how there are 'so many issues' regarding poverty and drugs in the area

The Department for Education figures show that Manchester has the highest percentage of children who are not 'school-ready' when starting primary school

For long, Longsight, which is to the south of the city centre, has been known for its high levels of poverty. In fact, figures from the council show that Longsight has the largest proportion of households that are deprived in one or more dimensions of all wards in the local authority area.

4,402 households in Longsight are deprived in one or more dimensions, making up for 68 per cent of the ward's population.

Studies show that children growing up in poverty are at greater risk of poor development and low school readiness.

The DfE statistics reveal that there is a 20 per cent gap between the proportion of children who are not eligible for free school meals reaching a 'good level of development' by the age of five - 69.5 per cent - and those who are on free school meals - 49.1 per cent.

The data was collated by assessing children on 17 different 'early learning goals' across seven areas of learning relating to: communication and language, personal, social and emotional development, physical development, literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design.

They include looking at how a child is able to 'self-regulate' its emotions and socialise with peers, and assessing gross and fine motor skills such as walking, jumping, holding a pen to write, and getting dressed.

Yet, earlier this year, former children's commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, warned that children are arriving at school still wearing nappies, using buggies, and unable to communicate properly.

According to analysis by the Greater Manchester Poverty Action Group in 2019, Longsight also has the highest level of child poverty of all Manchester City Council wards.

One Longsight resident William Baird, 52, told MailOnline: 'There are so many issues in Longsight its hard to know where to start.

'So I am not a bit surprised to hear that there are problems around young people being ready for school. Everything starts at home and if there are problems at home that will affect the kids.

Litter and fly-tipping is also rife in this rundown area of Manchester where children are not reaching expected levels of development in their early years

Longsight resident William Baird, 52, said the area needs 'more investment in education' as he said there are 'huge issues' regarding drugs and gambling and poverty in the area

Pictured: More fly-tipping in the Longsight area next to an abandoned caravan. Mr Baird added: 'You can see all the bookies along this stretch of road. And if you were here at night you would see kids hanging around smoking cannabis.'

Pictured: Stockport Road, Longsight. MailOnline visited the run-down area which is known for being one of the most deprived in Manchester

'We need more investment in education , particularly in inner city areas such as Longsight.

'There are obviously huge issues and challenges in this area. You can see all the bookies along this stretch of road. And if you were here at night you would see kids hanging around smoking cannabis.

'Drugs are a problem in this area. We keep waiting for things to get better, but they don't.'

A 'supportive' home environment and activities such as reading to children from a young age are found to make a significant difference in early years development, and children from low-income households are less likely to hail from such environments.

Claire, a teacher who has taught in the Longsight area, said that from her experience, reading to children at home from a young age is crucial for early years development.

She said: 'Children are not being read to at home by their parents. That is a key issue in this area.

'There needs to be a culture of reading in the home. And too much screen time is ruining their ability to concentrate.

'I remember the school I taught at had issues with some children arriving for the day hungry. And that related to issues at home and deprivation.'

The council has told MailOnline of how child readiness has been a 'historic challenge' for the area, with addressing the issue being one of the local authority's 'biggest priorities' in the last decade.

Speaking about the link between high levels of poverty in Manchester and low proportions of children being school-ready, Dan Paskins, executive director of policy, advocacy and campaigns for Save the Children UK, told of how nearly half of children in Manchester are living in poverty.

A stretch of road just off the busy high street which is covered in trash and dumped items

Manchester City Council says that school readiness among children in Manchester has been a 'known historic challenge' for the council and is one of their 'biggest priorities'

However, the council says that once children get to the end of primary school and the end of secondary school, 'disadvantaged children in Manchester perform better than similarly disadvantaged children in other areas nationally'

It is understood that children from deprived households are often already 11 months behind their peers by the time they begin school

Despite several clear 'no fly-tipping' signs, the street has been left a mess

He explained: 'A child's early years are important for success at school and these statistics bring into sharp focus that many thousands of children across the country are sadly not reaching their expected learning goals.

'In some parts of Manchester nearly half of children are living in poverty and 20 per cent of children are in a family affected by the two child limit to benefits.

'These issues can have a deep impact on a child's readiness for school and the UK Government must do more to boost incomes and cut costs for families.'

The levels of poverty in the area are also linked to the proportion of households from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Longsight has one of the largest BAME communities of Greater Manchester, with more than half of its population from an Asian background. The DfE figures for the UK show that those with English as their first language are more likely to attain a 'good level' of development compared to those growing up with a first language that isn't English.

Educational charity Sutton Trust says that children from the poorest communities are already 11 months behind their middle-income peers when they begin primary school.

Many locals in and around Longsight also felt that a high proportion of children not being sent to pre-school was a key reason for the low levels of child readiness in Longsight, and Manchester generally.

Debbie Evans, a teacher from South Manchester, said: 'I am in the area visiting a relative today.

'I think there are particular issues in this part of the city.

Pictured: Debbie Evans and Louise Wilby. The pair both felt that children should be attending nursery from a young age to ensure they are developing key skills early on

One teacher told of how children at a school she taught at in the area would show up feeling hungry, which she feels is indicative of the levels deprivation in Manchester

More litter found on streets in Longsight. The condition of Longsight is reflective of a wider issue of poverty and deprivation in the area

Longsight also has the highest level of child poverty of all Manchester City Council wards, according to analysis by the Greater Manchester Poverty Action Group in 2019

While across the country, a third of children are not at the expected level of development by the age of five, in Manchester it is ten per cent higher

Many locals feel that in a lot of households in Longsight, children are not being sent to nursery to develop key skills, and are instead being 'kept at home'

'In my school, children are in nursery from the age of two, and then they feed into the school at five. I am not sure that model is in place in areas such as Longsight.'

Friend Louise Wilby echoed similar concerns. She said: 'I think too many children in this area are being kept at home and not taking part in the pre-school process. That is the problem.'

Winnie, who went to St Joseph's school in Longsight, said: 'There is too much reliance on phones, tablets and games. And I do know that a lot of parents in this area keep their children at home which is a real issue.

'Kids need to be in nursery and school, not just for education but to play with other children.'

A Manchester City Council spokesman told of how Covid-19 had set the council back in its efforts to bridge the gap in early years development, but is still working with families and schools to address the issue.

The spokesman said: 'This is a known historic challenge for us in Manchester with levels of school readiness amongst our children - who come from some of the most deprived communities in the country - having been low for years, which is why it's one of our biggest priorities.

'We've spent the last decade focusing on this issue and are now starting to see positive improvements through our early help support for families and our Making Manchester Fairer work, but embedding changes that result in sustained improvements doesn't happen overnight and there is no doubt that COVID set our efforts back significantly.

'What we do know however is that as a result of the support and work we're doing with our families and with schools, once our children get to school they're making steady and consistent progress, with all the data showing that by the end of primary school and again at the end of secondary school, disadvantaged children in Manchester perform better than similarly disadvantaged children in other areas nationally.'

Early Education Minister Stephen Morgan said of the figures: 'Its simply not good enough that almost a third of children arent school-ready at age five.

'Teachers being taken off teaching to manage issues with school-readiness holds back every childs learning and life chances.

'This government has inherited an early years system that fails to drive the highest outcomes and tackle inequality, but we have a clear mission to break down barriers to opportunity and ensure tens of thousands of children are school-ready through our Plan for Change.

'We have already started that work: extending early language support, investing 15 million to deliver the first phase of school-based nurseries, and improving training and guidance for early educators to better support and assess children with special educational needs.'
They're the iconic jets that dazzle crowds with their breathtaking air acrobatics.

But the Red Arrows are in serious danger of being hibernated, veterans fear.

No replacements are lined up for the existing ageing fleet of Hawk T1s, scheduled to be retired in 2030.

Ex-RAF pilots fear the high number of hours flown, uncovered by MailOnline's probe, will force them to be stood down earlier unless they are preserved.

For fans, this could result in very limited displays, with little aerobatics to expand the lifespan of the jets.

A former RAF fast-jet pilot told MailOnline: 'If they don't get new aircraft, the Reds are finished.'

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All of the 16 jets currently in operation  stationed at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire  are approaching 50 years old. The youngest is 43.

Ministers insist the Hawk T1s  engineered by BAE Systems and powered with Rolls-Royce engines  will fly until the planned out-of-service date.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told MailOnline: 'It would be a national disgrace if we lost the Red Arrows.'

A Ministry of Defence (MoD) source said 'there are plenty of hours left to get them to 2030 and, indeed, well beyond if necessary'.

No decision on their replacement will be made until after Labour's Strategic Defence Review is finished this spring.

Over the past two decades, there has been speculation that the Red Arrows could be axed entirely to save taxpayer cash.

In 2015, then-Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon declared that disbanding the unit is 'not a fight he would like to have', adding that: 'I don't think the public would let us lose the Red Arrows.'

He said at the time Government would 'start to think about' how to replace the ageing aircraft in the 'next year or two'.

Bristol-based Aeralis is in line to win the multi-million pound deal to build new jets for the Red Arrows, which celebrated its 60th 'Diamond Season' in 2024.

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The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, commonly known as the Red Arrows, use the BAE Systems Hawk T1 advanced training jet, pictured at Narasauaq Airport in Greenland as the team returned from performing in Canada

Yet there are fears the deal could be given to a foreign aviation firm, such as Boeing, Saab, Leonardo or Lockheed Martin, who all have modern advanced training jets that are currently being manufactured, allowing for a quicker roll-out.

It is highly unlikely that the contract would be given to a Chinese or Russian defence contractor.

Regardless of who secures the contract, sources warn that it will take years for any to become operational. In 2001 Britain signed up for the F-35B fifth generation fighter jet, though the first UK operational flight was in June 2016.

Ex-Squadron Leader Tim Davies told MailOnline: 'The pilots and engineers are doing their best.

'If they are ordered to keep the aircraft flying, they will as long as it is safe to do so.

'The military are experts at managing their fleets. Each jet has a maximum service life and they know how to maximise this but if they do not get new aircraft, the Reds are finished.

'You can reduce the demands on the aircraft by reducing the level of training and by flying less dynamic displays which reduces the G-count.'

Mr Davies, who worked with Aeralis on its next-generation trainer jet after his 14-year RAF career, said there is no British-made jet available to replace the ageing fleet of T1 Hawks.

He said the engines on the Hawk T2 'keep blowing up' and as a heavier aircraft they are not suited to the Red Arrows.

Mr Davies said after leaving the RAF he had worked with a British company based in Bristol who are developing their own next generation trainer jet which is currently at design stage.

Another senior former RAF officer, who didn't want to be named, told MailOnline that each aircraft has a 'finite fatigue index' which is based on the number of flying hours combined with the amount of stress it has endured.

If an aircraft has an easy life, it can fly a greater number of hours, but if it is regularly put under stress performing aerobatics, its lifespan can be greatly lessened.

The Red Arrows  which began displaying in 1965  have been used across the globe to promote British industry, showcasing the manoeuvrability of the aircraft.

The first Hawk T1 prototype, XX154, was flown for the first time by Hawker Siddeley's Chief Test pilot, Duncan Simpson on August 21, 1974.

The RAF normally fly in a 9-ship display - pictured here above Blackpool Beach, proving their status as being among the best aviators in the world

Since then, according to BAE Systems, more than 1,000 Hawk T1 and T2 aircraft have been sold to 11 countries, flying more than four million hours.

XX227  one of the first Hawk T1s to join the Red Arrows  was retired early because it had spent its entire life with the elite squadron.

Before it was stood down in 2018, 38 years after debut, it had racked up 8,077 flight hours  well below the design limit of 12,400.

Only four jets currently flying with the Red Arrows have less than 8,077 hours, MailOnline's Freedom of Information request revealed.

Of the 16 jets in service with the Red Arrows, they have flown on average 8,939 hours.

However, two have flown 10,534 and 10,095 hours, respectively, meaning they have only 1,866 and 2,305 hours left until they face being grounded permanently.

The former RAF officer added: 'Limits and flying hours can be extended.

'In the late 1930s nobody expected the Spitfire to be still flying in 2024.

'The Red Arrows airframes are old but they are husbanded very well.'

Yet, the 'finite life' of 12,400 hours is not the ultimate determinant for when a jet gets grounded.

The youngest Red Arrows aircraft is aged 43, with many in the fleet approaching the end of their planned lifespan

The Red Arrows will be commemorated in 2025 with a special 50p coin, pictured

Some of their incredible manoeuvres see the aircraft pushed as far as 8G, placing an incredible amount of stress on the jets and pilots.

The pilot mitigates the risk of blacking out by adopting special breathing techniques and straining muscles in their chest to keep blood flowing to their brain.

They also wear special inflatable trousers which prevent some blood from pooling in their legs, keeping their brain operating efficiently.

However, for the aircraft, that force places additional strain, massively reducing each jet's ultimate lifespan.

Fifteen Hawk T1s are in long-term storage in RAF Shawbury in Shropshire. These jets are often cannibalised for spares to keep the Red Arrows in the air.

There have been some safety fears over the T1 jet, following several high profile incidents.

On May 17, 1980, Steve Johnson was flying XX262 at 250kts around 40ft above the Brighton seafront when the jet's starboard wing struck the mast of a yacht.

Johnson managed to take the stricken jet up to 300ft, when, almost inverted, he ejected and landed in the sea moments later. She was picked up by a nearby boat having suffered only minor injuries.

In 1984, the Red Arrows lost two further jets, XX251 and XX257. XX251 was practicing at RAF Akrotiri when the jet struck the ground during a loop. Miraculously, the pilot was saved after the ejection seat deployed following the impact.

The second aircraft lost its engine during a show in Sidmouth, Devon. The pilot was able to steer the stricken jet out to sea where he ejected safely.

More recently, in 2011, one pilot was killed after his ejector seat fired while performing pre-flight checks. Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham died after the parachute on his ejector seat failed to deploy.

In August 2011, Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging was killed after he almost blacked out while coming into land following a Red Arrows display in Bournemouth.

It is feared that instead of exciting aerobatic displays, the Red Arrows will be forced to increase the number of simple flypasts, such as this one in Edinburgh on the Royal Mile. Straight and level flight is less demanding on the airframes than an aerobatic display which stresses the wings and other major components

The ex-RAF officer said: 'When a number of squadrons operated the T1, there was a lovely big pool of spares that spread the cost of keeping in the air.

'Now that items in the supply chain are getting harder to source, the T1s are getting more expensive as they get older.'

The T1 was designed to showcase the best of British engineering and aircraft design.

Its replacement, the Hawk T2 is 40 years old and Air Chief Marshal Rich Kingston told the House of Commons' defence committee that he wants to retire it from service because of ongoing problems with the jet.

This year, the team flew 50 displays as well as 22 high-profile flypasts across the UK, Europe and a five-week tour of Canada.

Now, they are back in training ahead of the 2025 season.

During winter training, the team's pilots fly three, 30-minute sorties a day, five days a week  a total of 7.5 hours.

There are also additional flight hours which count against the jets' lifespan, including positioning from one airbase to another.

An MoD spokesman told MailOnline: 'The out of service date is planned for 2030 and there are no current plans to extend this, with future aircraft plans for the Reds to be decided over the next few years post the SDR (Strategic Defence Review).'

The MoD insists that the RAF has plenty of aircraft with plenty of hours or fatigue left in them.

The spokesman added: 'Additionally, each year the display is changed with new formations and manoeuvres, these are assessed for best visual impact and safety alongside fatigue on the aircraft so if there was a requirement to reduce fatigue on the aircraft, some manoeuvres could be adjusted to reduce G forces without affecting the visual impact.

'Likewise the number and type of flypasts and displays planned is based on reaching or being seen by the most number of people not on fatigue life, flypasts are completed mainly due to airspace restrictions / over built up areas with displays being planned for areas where suitable airspace is available.'


The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Mumbai Zonal Office, conducted extensive search operations on January 2 at 14 locations across Mumbai and Delhi in connection with a Rs 4,957 crore loan fraud case involving M/s Pratibha Industries Limited and its associates, a statement by the ED said on Saturday. The raids were carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.



In an official statement, the ED revealed that the operation resulted in the freezing of bank balances and mutual funds worth Rs 5.4 crore, along with the recovery of incriminating evidence related to the acquisition of immovable properties.



The case originated from an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) based on a complaint lodged by the Bank of Baroda. The complaint alleged that M/s Pratibha Industries Limited, along with its director Ajit Kulkarni and others, orchestrated a massive bank fraud by deceiving a consortium of lenders to the tune of Rs 4,957 crore.



According to the ED, the promoters and directors of M/s Pratibha Industries Limited engaged in a criminal conspiracy to siphon off loan funds, resulting in significant financial losses for the banks while securing undue gains for themselves. They allegedly accomplished this by diverting loan funds through fraudulent transactions and circular trading practices, the statement said.



The ED investigation further uncovered that the promoters utilized the services of accommodation entry providers to layer and conceal the funds. This was done through a network of bogus entities and suspicious third-party transactions, which were then used to acquire immovable assets.



The ED has said that the investigation is still going on and aims to uncover the full extent of the money laundering activities, including identifying all beneficiaries and tracing the siphoned funds.



The accounts of the Pratibha Industries were classified as NPA on December 31, 2017. Subsequently, the accounts were also declared as fraud by the members of the consortium banks.




A millionaire power couple painted their 500-year-old Welsh country cottage bright orange after using a loophole to get around strict rules for their Grade II-listed home.

Jamie and Jessica Seaton - who are behind upmarket fashion brand Toast - were allowed to opt for the unusual colour on their Elizabethan farmhouse because their builder found an outbuilding had once been daubed in the same colour years ago.

It meant the striking burnt orange was allowed under a 'like for like' historic precedent approach, even in the middle of a National Park, where planning regulations are enforced more stringently than elsewhere.

The cottage lies two miles outside the historic Welsh village of Nevern, in Pembrokeshire, famous for a yew tree in the local church yard that 'bleeds'.

It's not the first time that the archaeologists-turned-entrepreneurs Seaton couple have decided to liven up their colour scheme in West Wales.

Jamie, 69, and 68-year-old Jessica, previously lived in a converted farmhouse in the neighbouring county of Carmarthenshire and that property was turned bright red.

The creative couple, known for their 'obsession with colour', chose deep orange for their latest project which went on to win a Federation of Master Builders award.

MailOnline found local opinion mixed, with one describing the property as 'sticking out like a sore thumb' but others welcomed the transformation.

The property in its new colours stands out starkly from the surrounding greenery

 Slide me  Before and after the historic country cottage was given its distinctive organge makeover

Jamie and Jessica Seaton - who are behind upmarket fashion brand Toast - were allowed to opt for the unusual colour on their Elizabethan farmhouse because their builder found an outbuilding had once been daubed in the same colour years ago

It's believed that no neighbours raised objections as the couple's home stands more than a mile down a remote farm track and can't be seen from the road.

Before building work started, the couple had to rehouse the current residents - colonies of bats.

The UK is home to 18 species of bats and nine of them were roosting at Llangoras farmhouse, 11 miles north of Fishguard, deep in Pembrokeshire National Park.

The bats were given new premises in an outbuilding before the work on the main farmhouse could commence.

The attention to detail in the isolated property even includes a 'thunderbox'-style wooden toilet seat in keeping with Tudor times when the farmhouse was originally built.

When Jamie and Jessica bought the farmhouse, it was on the market along with 67 acres and was a traditional grey, though looking a bit sorry for itself.

The Seatons bought the property for 853,000 in 2020, when it was described as a 'character Elizabethan gentry house' in the agent's particulars and on aerial photographs, its grey walls blended in with the landscape.

When Jamie and Jessica bought the farmhouse, it was on the market along with 67 acres and was a traditional grey, though looking a bit sorry for itself

It's believed that no neighbours raised objections as the couple's home stands more than a mile down a remote farm track and can't be seen from the road

Locals say they are aware of its colourful transformation but only because they have seen images online when it won an award

The cottage lies two miles outside the historic Welsh village of Nevern, in Pembrokeshire, famous for a yew tree in the local church yard that 'bleeds'

But after a three-year project, with the couple living in a converted granary on the land, it was completed.

The property in its new colours stands out starkly from the surrounding greenery.

Locals say they are aware of its colourful transformation but only because they have seen images online when it won the award.

One villager said: 'It's so far down a track with potholes, I wouldn't take my car down there to have a look.

'It must stand out like a sore thumb but it doesn't matter because no one can see it.

'It's in the [Pembrokeshire] National Park where planning regs are very strict and things have to blend in rather than stand out.

'I've never met the owners but I've heard they are millionaires and nice people. Arty types.'

Villager Lucy Palmer, said: 'It's in the middle of nowhere, nobody really knows what's there.

'To be fair, I like the Welsh tradition of painting houses interesting colours. The Welsh climate can be a bit drab for six months of the year so any way of bringing a bit of colour to the countryside, I'm in favour of it.'

Lucy, who moved to the village from Oxford four years ago, says there are purple and blue houses in the locality, but the farmhouse is the first orange property.

Main contractor Paul Walters from conservation specialists Just Lime Ltd told Wales Online: 'Most of the sympathetic touches inside such as the kitchen and wooden toilet seat were down to the client  they've got an artistic background and they've got immense attention to detail, especially with colours.

'They were very colour-obsessed. We had hours of meetings where we discussed various shades of browns and we were planning the colours of the windows 18 months before we even ordered them.

'Whilst the drive for the aesthetic was the owners and the decisions were ultimately theirs it was still a three-way conversation between myself, them, and the architect.'

The orange colour was discovered by chance during the restoration.

He said: 'Everything has to get approved, including external paint, but we were fortunate that the adjoining building, when we removed the cement from that, there were lots of sections of limewash.

After a three-year project, with the couple living in a converted granary on the land, it was completed. Pictured is the house before the renovation

Pictured it the kitchen after the work was done to restore the cottage

The Seatons bought the property for 853,000 in 2020

'One of the colours was this rich sort of orange colour so because we found that on one of the buildings it becomes an allowance under the 'like for like' historic precedence approach.'

Jamie and Jessica launched Toast as a mail order pyjama company on 31 August 1997.

The pair netted 6.3m in 2018 after Toast was sold by its troubled parent company French Connection for 23.3m, severing their 20-year connection with the company they founded.

Toast opened its first US store in New York in Summer 2024, to add to its 20 shops in the UK, and a reception to mark the occasion was covered by Vogue, which described the company as the 'beloved British lifestyle label'.

Party guests were served 'Provencal-style chickpea fritters and slices of the tomato tart displayed on a long wooden plank.'
A fly that lays flesh-eating larvae could threaten humans and wildlife in Texas after it has been detected in Mexico.

The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife issued an urgent warning to its Southern residents to keep an eye out for the New World Screwworm, whose Latin name, hominivorax, means 'man-eater.'

The warning comes after a cow was found with the larvae at an inspection checkpoint in Chiapas, near the Mexico-Guatemala border, on November 22.

'As a protective measure, animal health officials ask those along the southern Texas border to monitor wildlife, livestock and pets for clinical signs of [the insect] and immediately report potential cases,' the TPWD said in a statement.

The screwworm has been 'progressively' migrating northward, according to the agency, and it primarily infects livestock.

It can, however, affect humans and wildlife, including deer and birds, TPWD said.

The parasite hasn't been seen in the US since 1966 after extensive federal and state sterilization process managed to eradicate the fly from the States.

Experts are worried it could have a devastating effect on the US economy if it were to reach the US.

The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife has issued an urgent warning to its Southern residents to keep an eye out for the flesh-eating New World Screwworm, whose Latin name, hominivorax, means 'man-eater'

The warning comes after a cow was found with the larvae at an inspection checkpoint in Chiapas, near the Mexico-Guatemala border, on November 22. The parasite hasn't been seen in the US since 1966 (pictured: El Paso, Texas)

A map showing where the screwworm currently is and how deep into the United States it is expected to penetrate by 2055

'It can have a huge impact, certainly an economic impact, because it decreases the health and wellness of our livestock,' Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine Associate Professor Jennifer Koziol told Drovers.

'Were thinking about loss of animal use, and certainly thinking about our wildlife populations that could be decimated by this disease.'

The screwworm begins its reign of terror when the female fly lays her eggs into an open wound or orifices.

The female flies are drawn to the open wounds and orifices by the odors they emit. They can be as small as a tick bite, a nasal or eye opening, a navel of a newborn or genitalia, the TPWD said.

These eggs then hatch into dangerous larvae that burrow into the wound like screws, according to the agency.

Female flies can lay up to 200 to 300 eggs at once and up to 3,000 in her lifetime, according to KHOU 11. Infestations can also be visible on the skin.

Infections can be deadly and are often serious. The New York Times reported in 1977 that one infection could 'kill a fully grown steer in 10 days.'

The government organization recommends covering all open wounds, especially if traveling in affected areas, such as Central or South America. It also recommended wearing insect repellant while hunting, hiking or bird watching.

Experts are worried it could have a devastating effect on the US economy if it were to reach the US. 'It can have a huge impact, certainly an economic impact, because it decreases the health and wellness of our livestock,' Associate Professor Jennifer Koziol (pictured) said

The screwworm begins its reign of terror with a female fly laying eggs into an open wound or orifices. These eggs then hatch into dangerous larvae that burrow into wounds like screws

Signs of a screwworm infection These are the symptoms of a screwworm infection: Irritated or depressed behavior

Loss of appetite

Head shaking

Smell of decaying flesh

Presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds

Isolation from other animals or people

Wounds that do not heal

Wounds like worsen over time

Seeing maggots in the wound Source: TPWD and CDC Advertisement

The Sterilization Project

When screwworms became a major problem in the US, it cost the US $200 million - roughly $1.8 billion today - in livestock, according to KHOU 11.

In the 1930s, the US Department of Agriculture hired a team of scientists, including entomologist Edward F. Knipling, to study the fly, according to NPR.

Knipling had the idea to develop birth control for male flies, and despite his detractors who thought there was no way to sterilize enough of them, his plan worked.

He hypothesized that sterilized flies released into the wild would cause the fly population to diminish and eventually eradicate from the States.

For more than two decades, he and Raymond Bushland worked to castrate flies by growing millions in a lab by using warmed up ground beef, according to NPR.

Using gamma rays, they were able to make the flies infertile.

By 1958, the two scientists convinced the government to begin airdropping 50 million flies in Florida each week.

As more were dropped, the screwworm began to disappear in the state and by 1959, the fly was gone from the Southeast.

'From there, the snowball got rolling,' Knipling said.

Flies began being dropped over Texas, as well as the Southwest and Mexico and Central America.

In the 1930s, the US Department of Agriculture hired a team of scientists, including entomologist Edward F. Knipling, to study the fly. Knipling had the idea to develop birth control for male flies by releasing sterilized flies into the wild. It worked

For more than two decades, he and Raymond Bushland worked to castrate flies by growing millions in a lab by using warmed up ground beef. Using gamma rays, they were able to make the flies infertile. By 1966, the last of the flies were eradicated from the US

By 1997, the screwworm was wiped out from Panama to Texas.

The Agriculture Department still drops flies over Panama to prevent the insects from traveling from South America back to the US.

'It creates a buffer zone,' the scientist said.

The UN called Knipling and Bushland's work one of the 'greatest achievements in animal health' in the 20th Century.

In September 2016, the scientists were honored with the Golden Goose Award, which honors federally funded research that was 'seemingly obscure' that eventually lead to major breakthrough, according to NPR.

The research went beyond the screwworm and was used to keep the Mediterranean fruit fly out of North America and helped get ride of the melon fly from Okinawa in Japan.
As the clock ticked towards midnight on New Year's Eve, Randall Hector took a moment to reflect on the deadliest year in Trinidad and Tobago's recent history.

'We have had a very bloody 2024,' the 43-year-old special prosecutor told the congregation at a church service in Port of Spain, capital of the two-island Caribbean nation.

'Right now we are in a state of emergency. But regardless of what is happening out there, God has protected us.'

What Hector, a former legal director of the country's Security Services Agency, could not have known was that he too was about to become a victim of the wave of gun violence that had already claimed an unprecedented 623 lives in Trinidad and Tobago over the previous 12 months.

Having left the service with his wife and two children, Hector was approaching his car when two vehicles pulled up, gunmen emerged, and he was shot dead at point-blank range, the latest fatality in what Fitzgerald Hinds, the national security minister, described during the declaration of a public emergency the previous day as 'an epidemic'.

In a country traditionally defined by its picture postcard beaches, spectacular carnival and vibrant music scene, Hector's murder marked another savage twist in an ever-worsening spiral of violence.

During a spate of violence the previous weekend, a 57-year-old woman who was picking up her teenage son from a hospital in San Fernando was among seven people who died in shootings. Also among the murdered was a man, believed to be a gang member, who was gunned down near a police station in Port of Spain; within hours of his death, five people were shot dead on the outskirts of the capital in what police believe was a reprisal attack.

Ian Alleyne, the executive producer of Crime Watch, the country's most viewed TV programme, says the shootings were the straw that broke the camel's back.

'Late into Sunday night, hours after the five people were killed, the national security council, chaired by the prime minister, met in an emergency session and a decision was taken to call a state of emergency,' said Alleyne.

Hector Randall, a 43-year-old special prosecutor and former legal director of Trinidad and Tobago's Security Services Agency, was gunned down in front of his family on New Year's Eve

Soldiers patrolling the streets in Cunupia, central Trinidad, assist a drunken man. A state of emergency has been declared in the country after a record 624 murders last year

Traditonally a popular tourist destination, particularly among British travellers, Trinidad and Tobago is braced for a potential decline in foreign visitors worried about the security situation

'It's clear that the wave of violent gun crimes, shooting deaths and possible bloody tit-for-tat killings triggered the [declaration].'

In the past, the country's tourism industry has remained robust in the face of such incidents. Aside from 2020, when the global pandemic resulted in a drop-off, murder rates have risen steadily since records began in 2013 - and yet, outside the Covid years, visitor numbers have remained relatively stable.

Almost 300,000 people arrived in Trinidad and Tobago by air or sea in 2024, according to government statistics - a figure that rises to almost half a million once cruise ship arrivals are factored in.

The destination is a perennial favourite with British holidaymakers, with Queen Elizabeth II putting the annual number of British visitors at about 50,000 a year in a speech delivered during a 2009 visit to the country.

But the brazen nature of the recent attacks has shaken many of the country's 1.5 million residents, most of whom have long since become inured to gang warfare, break-ins and political fecklessness, and it remains to be seen how far the current climate of fear will affect foreign visitors.

Already there are signs of unease in the hotel sector, with Kaye Trotman, president of the Tobago Unique Bed, Breakfast and Self-Catering Association, warning of hotel cancellations following the declaration of a state of emergency.

'We cannot escape the fallout from the economy being impacted negatively,' Trotman told the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. 'It is not widespread, but we did have some [hotels] being impacted.'

Farley Augustine, Tobago's head of government, likewise confirmed that he had received messages about cancellations 'due to the state of emergency and the air of uncertainty it creates'.

Store Bay beach in Crown Point is one of Tobago's many magnets for tourists eager to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the idyllic Caribbean vista

Police officers inspect rifles and ammunition found buried during a 2011 raid in Rincon Forest in Las Cuevas. Gun violence in the dual-island state has since climbed to an all-time high

Police officers stand guard outside the Ministry of National Security in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago's capital, where there were multiple shootings on the final weekend of 2024

Yet Paul Cleary, the chief executive of Caribtours, a London-based luxury holiday company specialising in Caribbean destinations, is not so sure.

'It sounds very serious, a state of emergency,' said Cleary. 'It's a very worrying phrase that has all sorts of connotations. But the reality is, we haven't had one phone call about it, although that isn't to say we won't do.

'My view, without underplaying the seriousness of the situation, is that Trinidad and Tobago is a two-island state, and the tourists that we speak to - and sell holidays to - go to Tobago, not Trinidad.

'There is such a distinction, and there always has been. Tobago is the beautiful, sleepy, gorgeous beaches, swaying palm trees, idyllic Caribbean destination, whereas Trinidad has always been a more bustling metropolitan centre.

'If there was any danger, we would have a duty and an obligation to do something about it. But because this is based around Trinidad, which has always been the centre for commerce, industry and trade, it doesn't necessarily affect us at this stage.'

The Tobago Tourism Agency expressed similar sentiments this week, insisting the island remains 'a welcoming destination for travellers', with the emergency measures designed to 'ensure the continued safety and wellbeing of all residents and visitors'.

'Tobago continues to be a haven for travellers seeking relaxation, adventure and cultural experiences,' read the statement. 'Daily life on Tobago carries on uninterrupted, and we encourage residents and visitors alike to enjoy the islands offerings while remaining mindful of local authorities guidance.'

Trinidad's Maracas Beach typifies the scenes of natural beauty that have drawn visitors to the Caribbean island nation

The country's annual carnival is normally a magnet for foreign visitors, but it remains to be seen whether they will come this year in the face of foreboding travel advisories

Trinidad and Tobago's prime minister, Keith Rowley, who has struggled to tackle the nation's soaring crime rates, did not attend a press briefing announcing the state of emergency

The state of emergency has brought an increased police and military presence to the streets, with security personnel authorised to search and detain individuals without charge and investigate properties without warrants.

But the enhanced measures may not be enough to allay the fears of holidaymakers, particularly in light of the attorney general's admission that only 'limited assurances' can be made to the country's own citizens.

Nor can it be overlooked that people from all over the country, not to mention the wider Caribbean area and beyond, traditionally converge on Port of Spain in March for the country's renowned carnival celebrations.

Even in the best of times, the vibrant costumes and rhythmic pulse of calypso and soca serve only as colourful temporary bandages on a nation bleeding from within, and it remains to be seen whether tourists will flock to one of the murder capitals of the Caribbean to revel in the face of foreboding travel advisories.

Meanwhile, worried locals have turned their homes into fortresses, with barbed wire, iron-barred windows and high walls commonplace. The elite hire round-the-clock security, while the middle and working classes are left vulnerable to criminals who monitor their movements and strike at any opportunity.

Where once certain areas were deemed crime hotspots, today the entire country is deemed a danger zone. Residents describe a culture in which violence permeates schools, homes and communities. The simple act of being seen in public with a handbag or jewellery can be enough to make individuals a target, while the risk of becoming collateral damage in gang warfare remains ever-present.

In the prime minister's absence, acting attorney general Stuart Young, left, was tasked with announcing a state of emergency together with national security minister Fitzgerald Hinds

The downtown area of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago's capital, which has been the scene of rampant gun violence in recent weeks

A young female Masquerader is seen at the 2017 carnival in Trinidad and Tobago

'The quality of life has deteriorated,' said one local concerned by the failure of government and law enforcement bodies to tackle the crime wave.

'Paradise is in a state of decay. The wealthy have begun sending their children abroad to study and start new lives.

'There is a running joke in Trinidad and Tobago that God is a Trini, because the country has often been spared from natural disasters. But with the unending bloodshed, one wonders if God has left, just like all the people who have fled in fear of becoming murder statistics.'

While many British travel agents say it is too early to assess the impact of the security situation on bookings, safety concerns undoubtedly influence the thinking of potential visitors.

'I keep abreast of the local news in Trinidad and Tobago, and it appears that Trinidad has become a hotbed for murder, often occurring several times during a 24-hour span,' wrote one concerned traveller on Tripadvisor after an outbreak of violence in late 2023.

'I have planned a trip to to the island but am now reconsidering if it's worth it, as my guests and I are very concerned about our safety, especially when local police have cautioned, and now advised, that citizens hire private security to be safely escorted to and from ATM/bank visits that involve cash withdrawals.'

The poster later cancelled the trip.

'There are concerns within the business community that the state of emergency will have a negative impact on tourism, notwithstanding the government's repeated statements that a curfew and other restrictions will not be implemented,' said Alleyne.

'The effects will be seen and felt as the [declaration] remains in effect. Perhaps at a later date we will have a better understanding of how the country has been affected.'

While the UK Foreign Office has acknowledged both the current state of emergency and a 'high level of violent crime' in Trinidad and Tobago, no special measures have been recommended on its online travel advice platform.

That stands in stark contrast with advice issued by the US Department of State, which last summer urged citizens to 'reconsider travel to Trinidad and Tobago due to crime.'

The Canadian government has likewise warned against non-essential travel to certain areas, while Irish travellers have been advised by the Department of Foreign Affairs to 'exercise a high degree of caution'.

With the public's trust in law enforcement at an all-time low, memes have surfaced mocking the national police commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher for suggesting that the nation should pray for safety.

The prime minister, Keith Rowley, has also come under scrutiny, not least over his failure to attend the announcement of a public emergency.

Amid public bewilderment at claims his presence would have been 'inappropriate', the announcement was viewed by many as a desperate attempt by the government to regain control before August's general elections.

Yet that view was complicated by Rowley's announcement at a press briefing on Friday that he intends to retire from electoral politics and will not seek re-election.

'Before the end of the legal limits of this term, I will resign from this office and go off to my family,' said Rowley, signalling the imminent end of his 45-year tenure as a public servant.

Far from wrestling back control, Rowley's decision only raises further questions about the direction of a country long dogged by poor leadership and corruption, one where the actions of politicians and police are too often reactionary rather than preventative.

Not least among the myriad causes of Trinidad and Tobago's soaring crime rate is a failing education system that causes disenchanted teenagers to drop out of school in their droves. Vulnerable to drug lords and the promise of fast money in an economy where jobs are at a premium, their lives are all too easily lost in drug wars or loyalty struggles.

The country's geographic location, nestled between Latin America and the US, makes it a prime transit point for the trafficking of drugs, guns, and ammunition. International cartels play a significant role in the crime epidemic, with a parallel underground economy in the islands funding criminal activity.

Despite billions of dollars being allocated to national security each year, the major players in this veil of criminality have escaped prosecution. Instead, the political and humanitarian crisis in neighbouring Venezuela, just seven miles away, appears to have fuelled soaring crime rates.

Last November, Spanish-speaking criminals invaded the home of a pensioner. Having taken his valuables, they hogtied him and bundled him into his own vehicle, where they stabbed him to death before escaping. As with so many other murders, the perpetrators have yet to be apprehended.

It is a grim and all too familiar scenario.

Hector's brutal assassination bears echoes of a similar tragedy that occurred in 2014, when special prosecutor Dana Seetahal was gunned down while driving in Port of Spain.

Those accused of her murder remain untried.

A decade on, Hector's family face the same anxious wait for justice that may never come.
Denise Huskins is helping law enforcement hold convicted kidnapper Matthew Muller to account amid freshly revealed crimes, DailyMail.com can reveal.

The former marine appeared in a Santa Clara, California, court on December 30, charged with two felonies stemming from terrifying break-ins at the homes of two more women - which occurred six years prior to Huskins infamous March 2015 abduction at the hands of Muller.

We continue to work with law enforcement to see this case is fully investigated, the 39-year-old physical therapist told DailyMail.com.

Her tortuous ordeal and the aftermath was profiled in last years Netflix documentary American Nightmare.

Huskins and then-boyfriend Aaron Quinn were targeted by Muller, who is currently serving a 40-year sentence, who broke into their Vallejo, California, home.

The case was compared to the disappearance of Rosamund Pikes character in 2014s Gone Girl movie based on Gillian Flynns popular novel.

Huskins and Quinn - now married with two young daughters - were initially branded as hoaxers by the Vallejo Police Department, which was subsequently forced into making an embarrassing mea-culpa and paying the couple $2.5 million in compensation.

Quinn was interrogated for hours by Vellejo detectives fixated on blaming him for Huskins disappearance and - they believed at the time - her murder.

Denise Huskins (pictured) is helping law enforcement hold convicted kidnapper Matthew Muller to account amid freshly revealed crimes, DailyMail.com can reveal

Matthew Muller (pictured) appeared in a Santa Clara, California, court on December 30, charged with two felonies stemming from terrifying break-ins at the homes of two more women - which occurred six years prior to Huskins infamous March 2015 abduction at the hands of Muller

Huskins and then-boyfriend Aaron Quinn were targeted by Muller, who is currently serving a 40-year sentence, who broke into their Vallejo, California, home

But when she escaped from Muller two days later in Huntington Beach, 420 miles south of the couples home, disbelieving investigators then accused the overwhelmed victims of jointly orchestrating an elaborate hoax.

Retired Vallejo Police Captain James OConnell said in a subsequent sworn statement that Huskins did not act like a kidnapping victim.

His team of detectives attempted to make Huskins and Quinn turn on each other - goading them to admit the kidnapping was faked and offering immunity to whoever flipped on the other first.

There is no evidence to support the claims that this was a stranger abduction or an abduction at all, Lieutenant Kenny Park said at the time.

Given the facts that have been presented thus far, this event appears to be an orchestrated event and not a crime.

Huskins revealed to DailyMail.com her admiration for the dedicated law enforcement officials who were doggedly focused on fully holding Muller to account - where their Vallejo counterparts had so spectacularly failed.

Three months after Huskins ordeal, the investigation of a home invasion robbery in the town of Dublin - 35 miles east of San Francisco - sent authorities, led by Alameda County Detective Misty Caruso, to Mullers family cabin at South Lake Tahoe where he had hidden Huskins.

Inside were found Quinns computer, swim goggles used by Muller to blindfold his two victims, and a long strand of blonde hair matching Huskins.

Vallejo detectives attempted to make Huskins and Quinn (pictured) turn on each other - goading them to admit the kidnapping was faked and offering immunity to whoever flipped on the other first

Huskins and Quinn were initially branded as hoaxers by the Vallejo Police Department, which was subsequently forced into making an embarrassing mea culpa and paying the couple $2.5 million in compensation

Huskins and Quinn are now married with two young daughters

It was only then that Vallejo police noted their huge mistake and began backtracking.

Last year, Huskins began working closely with Seaside Police Chief Nick Borges on how to improve training for law enforcement officers handling sex assault cases.

Borges had never heard of the two unsolved cases from 2009 until he watched American Nightmare that included their details due to the striking similarities with Huskins case.

Huskins also praised El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson, whose jurisdiction covers South Lake Tahoe. He was vocal with his shock that Quinn was treated as a murder suspect when his girlfriend was kidnapped.

Pierson invited the couple to be keynote speakers at a conference he organized last year on police interview techniques.

Santa Clara County prosecutors said they began digging deeper into the two 2009 cold cases after following a new lead.

Aaron and I appreciate the hard work and dedication of Lt. Misty Caruso, Chief Nick Borges, the El Dorado District Attorney and many others, added Huskins to DailyMail.com.

We expect developments in the next several days and will not comment further at this time.

Huskins' case was compared to the disappearance of Rosamund Pikes character in 2014s Gone Girl movie based on Gillian Flynns popular novel

Pictured: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl

With the latest charges against Muller, the Santa Clara County DA has alleged he is also responsible for two more crimes.

The first is an assault and attempted rape of a woman in her 30s during a burglary, which took place in September 2009. Court filings claim that Muller, an acclaimed Harvard Law School graduate, broke into the victims home in Mountain View, northern California, 37 miles south of San Francisco.

Prosecutors claim the woman woke to find a masked intruder standing over her who then thrust her head down into her bed. The man told her he was committing an identity theft robbery.

The assailant handcuffed the woman and also bound her ankles with some sort of Velcro restraint. Leaving his terrified victim tied up, he made several phone calls over the course of her two-hour ordeal.

At one point Muller carried her downstairs, then took her upstairs again to her bedroom. He forced the woman to drink Nyquil and used her own cell phone to text her employer that said she was calling in sick and would not be at work.

Muller, said authorities, threatened to rape the woman but she persuaded him against it. He then left the residence - but not before suggesting she get herself a dog for company.

The following month, it is also alleged in the latest court filing, Muller targeted a home in Palo Alto, seven miles north of Mountain View.

According to a police report of the incident, he broke into the property - again wearing a mask - with a sleeping woman inside.

He tried to disguise his voice by speaking in a low growl and at the same time restrained her ankles and arms with fabric fasteners. He put plugs in her ears and covered her eyes with surgical tape.

Again, he forced the woman to drink Nyquil and threatened to rape her - but relented when she told him about a previous sexual assault she had suffered.

Muller gave the victim crime prevention advice, then fled, according to prosecutors, and warned her not to call the police.

A new investigation was opened by the Santa Clara County District Attorney after Mullers DNA was found to be on straps used to bind one of the victims. He was charged with two felony counts of committing a sexual assault during a home invasion for both of the 2009 crimes.

The details of this persons violent crime spree seem scripted for Hollywood, but they are tragically real, DA Jeff Rosen said.

Our goal is to make sure this defendant is held accountable and will never hurt or terrorize anyone ever again. Our hope is that this nightmare is over.

Superior Court Judge Hector Ramon ordered Muller to return to court on January 17 to enter a plea. He faces life behind bars if convicted of the latest charges.
Another secret cartel tunnel connecting Mexico to Arizona has been discovered by authorities, a grim reminder of the violent reality that lies beneath the sand.

The tunnel was found during a joint investigation between US Customs and Border Patrol and the Sonora State Police in Mexico using drone technology, according to Mexican authorities.

The tunnel - which is incomplete - was discovered in San Luis Rio Colorado near the border wall.

Mexican police say it was a 'narco tunnel' used to bring drugs and potentially people into the US, according to AZ Family.

The discovery marks the third tunnel found near Yuma, Arizona, in 2024.

It is unclear which drug gang the tunnel belongs to, but the Sinaloa cartel frequently use these underground passages across the Southwest to smuggle drugs into the States, according to the DEA's 2024 drug threat assessment.

Many of their tunnels are 'not built by the cartel, but are part of the border cities' sewage and water systems.'

However, the Sinaloa Cartel are also known to carve out passageways beneath homes on the Mexico side of the border.

This tunnel was found during a joint investigation between US Customs and Border Patrol and the Sonora State Police in Mexico using drone technology, according to Mexican authorities

The tunnel - which is incomplete - was discovered in San Luis Rio Colorado near the border wall

'The Sinaloa Cartel exerts near-total control over the border region south of Arizona, giving the cartel easy access to the San Luis Rio Colorado and Nogales [ports of entry],' the DEA said.

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: 'At the heart of the synthetic drug crisis are the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels and their associates, who DEA is tracking world-wide. The suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and money launderers all play a role in the web of deliberate and calculated treachery orchestrated by these cartels.

'DEA will continue to use all available resources to target these networks and save American lives.'

Drug-related deaths claimed the lives of more than 107,000 Americans in 2022, according to the CDC.

Fentanyl was responsible for roughly 70 percent of those deaths.

The DEA has seized nearly 30,000 pounds of fentanyl power and 79 million pills in 2023. The pill quantity alone is nearly three times as much as 2021 numbers, according to the agency.

Most of the meth sold in the US is manufactured in Mexico, and the drug has become increasingly more potent in recent years.

The spread of the cartel also coincides with that of a violent Venezuelan gang across the US, with experts warning the mobsters could have a foothold in more than half the country by February this year.

The tunnel - which is incomplete - was found in San Luis Rio Colorado near the border wall. Police believe it was being built to be used as a 'narco tunnel' to bring drugs and potentially people into the US

The Sinaloa drug cartel use tunnels across the Southwest to smuggle drugs into the States. It is unclear if the tunnel belongs to them

By December 2024, Tren de Aragua, which has been dubbed the 'epitome of evil' and 'MS-13 on steroids', is already operating in 18 states.

This includes some of the most remote corners of the America in Colorado, North Dakota, Montana, Nevada and Wyoming. The bloodthirsty criminals also maintain strongholds in major cities across Texas as well as New York and Chicago.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, former immigration and customs enforcement director for Colorado and Wyoming, John Fabbricatore, said: 'Were going to start hearing stories about them getting arrested everywhere.

'Theyre in 17 states now. I wouldnt be surprised if by February, thats higher than 25.'

Known as TdA to law enforcement, the gang originated in a Venezuelan prison.

Members of the South American mafia have since crept into the US via the southern border, hidden among the one million Venezuelan migrants who have entered the country under the Biden administration.

They can often be identified by telltale tattoos, including a train ('tren' is Spanish for train), a crown, a clock and an AK-47.

The gang racked up more than 500 arrests in New York City alone in 2024.

More than a dozen US states have the presence of the Tren De Aragua gang

Venezuela's most violent gang Tren de Aragua has moved its headquarters to just across the US border in the Mexican town of Ciudad Juarez

The majority of arrests were on charges of robbery and grand larceny, but the gangsters' rap sheets also include assault and car theft raps, the data revealed.

The gang has also been recruiting children gang members as young as 11.

The notorious organized crime group has reportedly enlisted a squad of children as young as 11 known as the 'Little Devils of 42nd Street' to rob shops and members of the street with guns and knives in New York City.

Police said more than 800 gang-related crimes have taken place this year in the Big Apple, which has doubled from 2023.
A former Australian Prime Minister gets invited to an intimate private function with an incoming United States President... and all the haters can do is criticise him?

Yep, that's the state of public debate these days.

Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny were guests of Donald Trump for a New Year party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, posing for photo with the President-Elect which enraged the former PM's political critics.

The conga line of critics included Teal powerbroker and financial backer, Simon Holmes-a-Court, who - somehow - compared Morrison's popularity to that of convicted child sex offender Rolf Harris.

'Morrison is almost as popular as Rolf Harris', he tweeted.

I mean, seriously, what a grubby and callow take by someone who really should know better. Do the Teal MPs Holmes-a-Court bankrolls agree with his comparison? If not, do they have the courage to condemn his comments and risk financial retribution?

The Teals, after all, claim that integrity is their number one mantra.

More broadly, whatever one thinks of Trump, surely it is a good thing for Australia that a former political leader has such an in with the incoming U.S. president.

Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny were guests of Donald Trump (pictured with his wife Melania) for a New Year party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida , posing for photo with the President-Elect which enraged the former PM's political critics

The conga line of critics included Teal powerbroker and financial backer, Simon Holmes-a-Court (pictured), who - somehow - compared Morrison's popularity to that of convicted child sex offender Rolf Harris

It isn't as though our Ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, can pick up the phone and speak to Trump about pressing issues as they arise.

Their relationship remains strained after Rudd described Trump as a 'traitor' and 'the most destructive president in history'.

Anthony Albanese's rapport with Trump is little better, after similarly derogatory comments he made during Trump's first tilt for the White House.

Trump critics on the left are rightly sickened by some of the allegations that have come to light concerning his conduct over the years.

They point to his history of inappropriateness toward women - such as his 'grab them by the p***y' comment and hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels - and his egging on of protestors who stormed the Capitol after his 2020 election defeat to Joe Biden.

But like it or not, Trump is back and Australia now has to contend with all manner of contentious policy promises he made during the campaign, including his plans to ramp up tariffs that could cripple Australian exports.

Morrison may be our only hope of persuading Trump to exempt Australia from that promised plan.

Rather than mocking Morrison's relationship with the President-elect, we should be grateful for it.

Rather than mocking Scott Morrison's (pictured) relationship with the President-elect, we should be grateful for it, argues Peter van Onselen

And I say that as someone who was a long-time Morrison critic during his prime ministership.

Morrison is set to be an important Australian chess piece over the coming four years, if the government has the good sense to use him.

I witnessed first hand how close the pair were during Morrison's state dinner visit in late 2019 following his unexpected victory over Bill Shorten and Labor earlier that year.

On that trip we journalists gained a first hand insight into their warm and genuine dealings. That's not Trump's natural predisposition when dealing with world leaders he doesn't have a soft spot for!

Now that Morrison plans to spend time in the US working as a political consultant, the opportunity exists for Australia to take advantage of that relationship.

You can bet that Peter Dutton will seek Morrison's help if he becomes PM after the next federal election.

It is incumbent on Albo to do the same should he win a second term.

The political hacks who despise Morrison and Trump need to ask themselves how consistently they apply their virtuous contempt for the incoming President compared to the wrongdoings of other past presidents.

For example, did they hold former president Bill Clinton to the same standards after it was revealed that he had oral sex with a 22-year-old intern in the Oval Office during his time in power (including while on the phone to elected members of congress?)

Or when Clinton misled the public about the scandal, declaring he 'never had sexual relations' with Monica Lewinsky - splitting hairs over the precise meaning of 'sexual relations'.

And what about Biden's recent decision to use his presidential authority to pardon his son Hunter Biden, having long promised he wouldn't do so?

Are Morrison and Trump critics as full of contempt about these actions by presidents on the other side of the partisan divide?

I doubt it, because they only selectively deploy their outrage against partisan opponents, forgiving - or just ignoring - the mistakes of those they see eye-to-eye with politically.

Virtue signaling loses its shine when it is dripping in hypocrisy and double standards.
I was 14 and walking home from school when the car pulled up alongside me.

'You need a lift darling?' the driver shouted through the open window. I glanced across and saw the taxi - or at least a car which appeared to be a taxi - curb-crawling beside me in an otherwise empty street.

'No thanks,' I said politely, pulling my school skirt lower on autopilot.

'Come on, I'll take you home. Don't worry about the money,' he continued.

'I'm fine, thanks,' I said again, quickening my pace. The man continued trying to get me into his car for several minutes until I turned around and practically ran off in the opposite direction. I heard a curse word and the screech of wheels behind me as he finally pulled away.

It was just one of many moments where I am certain I had a lucky escape from the child rapists that stalked my town.

Wellington, Telford, was a hotbed for grooming gangs. It was the town's worst-kept secret: young girls like me were reminded of the threat nearly every day.

But it seems no lessons have been learned. Just this week yet another row broke out after government ministers declined to head up a public inquiry into a grooming gang scandal in Oldham - instead stating it should be organised by local authorities.

Elizabeth Haigh; Wellington, Telford, was a hotbed for grooming gangs. It was the town's worst-kept secret: young girls like me were reminded of the threat nearly every day.

'I attended the same secondary school as brave Samantha Smith (pictured) - almost everyone in my town new a grooming gang victim', writes Elizabeth Haigh

Lucy Lowe (pictured with daughter Tamsin Lowe) was murdered by her 'boyfriend' who groomed and raped her, getting her pregnant at just 14 - before setting her house on fire and killing her and two family members in 2000

The first time I remember being sexualised I was in primary school, maybe nine years old. I was walking past a takeaway shop at the entrance to an alleyway, just a few doors away from my dance school. Two employees were standing at the back door, smoking.

As I approached, they both turned. One said something to the other and they both laughed, looking me up and down intently. Even at such a young age, a shudder ran down my spine as I passed within centimetres of them as they leered. Fortunately, my Dad, who had been parking the car, appeared right behind me and glared at them until they walked away.

From then on, I noticed it every week without fail - two or more Asian men always stood and watched us as we arrived and left, standing uncomfortably close to us in the restricted alleyway.

Fast-forward a few years, and that was the least of it. By the time I was 13, girls my age were catcalled, followed, even spit on as we passed - by men of all colours and backgrounds. We were told never to walk alone, never to speak to a stranger, never to enter a shop we didn't know. And never, ever get in someone's car.

While wearing my school uniform, I was routinely approached by strange men outside restaurants and cafes, handing me slips of paper offering me free alcohol or other drinks if I went inside. A glance into the interior would always reveal the same - an empty venue, save for grown men. Blaring music, dim lighting, and a bartender polishing glasses while smiling in what they assumed to be a welcoming manner.

It later came out some of these same venues had 'rape rooms' in the back where young girls would be abused and tortured after being plied with alcohol and drugs.

Once hooked, the gangs would routinely take the girls - who they used as 'child prostitutes' - to properties and takeaways around Telford, where they would sometimes be abused by up to a dozen men at a time.

And almost all of us in the area knew victims of grooming gangs - even if we didn't find out until years later.

PODCAST: Detective Maggie Oliver shares the inside story on how the grooming gangs were finally brought down

Azhar Ali Mehmood, now 49, was jailed for the murders of Lucy, her sister and her mother - but never charged with any sex crime

Lucy was just 14 when she fell pregnant with her daughter Tasnim. She was also pregnant when she died aged 16

Lucy, her sister and her mother died after Mehmood set fire to the family home, trapping them upstairs

Wellington, in Telford, was a hotbed for grooming gangs. It was the town's worst-kept secret: young girls like me were reminded of the threat nearly every day (stock image)

I was moved by the bravery of Samantha Smith, who previously told GB News about her awful experiences at the hands of Wellington's grooming gangs.

She got the same bus as me to the same school every day for six years, sometimes even sitting right next to me. It wasn't until five years after leaving school, when she spoke out publicly, that I found out she had been abused.

Yet the most troubling aspect of growing up in the shadows of a grooming gang was how normalised it all became.

I never once questioned whether the constant sexual harassment and assault that plagued every one of us from such a terribly young age wasn't normal.

As a child it didn't even cross my mind to tell anybody when a friend, who I since fell out of contact with, first 'had sex' - was raped - by her 21-year-old 'boyfriend' when she was 12.

And the thing I remember most about it? The girls who described her behaviour as 'disgusting', 'weird', and 'nauseating'.

The threat - and horrific reality - of rape and sexual assault wasn't a rarity in my childhood and teenage years. But more disturbing was the nonchalance with which it was treated by everyone around us.

When Azhar Ali Mehmood was jailed for life in 2001 for the murders of his 'girlfriend', her sister and mother the year before in a house fire in Telford, I was just two years old.

Aged 26 at the time of the murders, a whole decade older than Lucy Lowe who he got pregnant at 14 years old, his predatory behaviour should have been a wake-up call.

The scale and depravity of the abuse should have been uncovered and stopped there and then.

Instead, it's estimated more than 1,000 girls and boys were abused by the gangs in my town alone - and continue to be. And Mehmood was never jailed over sex crimes. He was never prosecuted for grooming, raping and ultimately getting Lucy pregnant.

And for years, Telford's victims were blamed, considered 'prostitutes' by police officers and routinely shoved under the carpet.

It's unbelievable to me that successive governments are still failing to learn the lessons which have been decades in the making.

The Oldham scandal should be investigated at the highest level - not left to local authorities to oversee.

I know firsthand how that ended with Telford.
As the world's richest person, Elon Musk has a fleet of private jets to whisk him to wherever he likes whenever he wants.

But it appears he's just like the rest of us when it comes to wanting to stay cosily close to that special person in his life.

It was revealed this week that, since Donald Trump won the presidential election in November, the billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX and X (formerly Twitter) has been staying at a $2,000-a-night cottage in the grounds of Mar-a-Lago, Trump's private club and main residence in Florida.

The man who has christened himself 'First Buddy' has been seen there with various combinations of his 12 children and their three mothers in recent weeks.

And as Banyan Cottage is only a few hundred feet away from the main mansion, it offers Musk easy access to the president-elect so he has been able to drop in on Trump meetings and dinners, such as one The Donald recently hosted for Amazon multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos.

Among Mar-a-Lago staff, the workaholic Musk has acquired a reputation as a demanding guest, who is forever ordering meals outside of kitchen hours.

But it's not clear whether the man valued this week at 356billion has been asked to pay for his new Palm Beach base. Indeed, this might be one hotel bill that even the notoriously penny-pinching Trump may not feel like charging.

For Musk, who contributed a reported 223million to Trump's election campaign and, perhaps more usefully, controls in X the most important communication platform in US politics, has burrowed his way so deep into the Trump inner circle that he's been antagonising some of its most senior members.

Elon Musk and Donald Trump put on a chummy display in October during the presidential campaign

Not only did he spend Thanksgiving with the Trump family but is now so confident of his influence with the man who will return to the White House later this month that he feels he can weigh in publicly with his views on his cabinet appointees.

Musk himself, says Trump, will co-head a new Department of Government Efficiency  whose acronym, Doge, is an adolescent nod to Musk's favourite cryptocurrency Dogecoin  that will be responsible for cutting spending, wastage and red tape.

The pair can't seem to get enough of each other. This was vividly illustrated by a Trump post last Friday on Truth Social, his social media site, that seemed intended as a private communication to his new bosom pal.

'Where are you? When are you coming to the 'Centre of the Universe' Mar-a-Lago,' wrote Trump. 'Bill Gates asked to come, tonight. We miss you and x! [an apparent reference to Musk's four-year-old son X  A-Xii] New Year's Eve is going to be AMAZING!!! DJT.'

It all adds up to a remarkable turnaround in the relationship between the two men given that, in 2022, Musk told Trump to 'hang up his hat and sail into the sunset'.

But since then, rising share prices following Trump's victory have added billions to Musk's net worth and experts say his businesses stand to profit enormously  both financially and in terms of regulation  from an administration in which he'll be a key figure.

And this will give him even more political clout. Having the ear of the famously malleable president-elect means that Musk has a level of influence and power which he couldn't have dreamed of a few years ago when he still talked about himself as a 'moderate sort of half-Republican, half-Democrat'.

Insiders say he became more Right-wing, and more politically engaged in general, during the pandemic when he felt the lockdowns and other safety measures imposed by government agencies were over-zealous, even 'fascist', and damaged business.

At about the same time, one of his children declared they were transgender, prompting Musk to rail against identity politics and what he termed the 'woke mind virus'.

And his influence is turbo-charged by his control of X, and over-powering personal presence on it  his total of 210.2 million followers dwarfs Trump's 96.7 million MAGA army on the platform.

Musk is now surely the most powerful unelected person on the planet by some margin. He has long loved to sound off about political issues on social media but, thanks largely to his relationship with Trump, what he has to say can no longer be dismissed as the deranged ramblings of an inveterate keyboard 'troll'.

Politicians, corporations and countries around the world nowadays feel torn about how to respond to his attacks, fearing they risk offending Trump.

And that seems only to make Musk even more determined to flex his political muscles  and say the things he's always complained that Silicon Valley's in-built Left-wing bias has previously prevented people from putting online.

The UK has become a perennial target. Musk, a South African by birth but whose paternal grandmother hailed from Liverpool, has been accused by critics of having a wildly outdated view of this country.

But his friend and ally, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, says Musk 'genuinely fears that the mother country of the English-speaking world is going down the tubes and he agrees Britain needs reform'.

His animus towards Keir Starmer and the Labour Government has become even more pronounced in recent weeks.

Musk has jibed that 'very few companies' want to invest in Starmer's Britain. On Thursday, Musk even called for a new UK general election.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch may have briefly revelled in the PM's discomfort, but it wasn't long before Musk turned his firepower on her, putting a 'fact check alert' on tweets in which she claimed Reform UK had faked its membership numbers.

Musk is now surely the most powerful unelected person on the planet by some margin, writes Tom Leonard

Instead of hitting back at Musk  a fairly thankless task on X Badenoch clearly decided it made more sense to piggy back on one of his interventions.

After Home Office minister Jess Phillips this week declined to support Oldham Council's request for an independent inquiry into historic child sexual exploitation in the area between 2011 and 2014, Musk attacked the decision as 'disgraceful' and said: 'She deserves to be in prison'.

He later followed up with an attack on Starmer, accusing him of failing to prosecute child rapists in Oldham and Greater Manchester when he was Director of Public Prosecutions.

Badenoch chimed in with a statement saying an inquiry into 'the rape gangs scandal' was 'long overdue'.

Not that it did her much good. When Farage, who last month posted a photo of himself and Reform's treasurer meeting Musk at Mar-a-Lago, accused the Tories of hypocrisy by never launching an inquiry into the issue when they were in power, Musk  who is rumoured to be considering a $100 million donation to Reform  responded: 'Exactly. Time for Reform.'

In fact, Musk thinks it's time for anti-immigration parties across Europe to take power  and he's never afraid to say so. Last weekend, it was the turn of German mainstream politicians to be outraged, when he endorsed the far-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in a guest opinion piece for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper. Musk wrote that the AfD was the 'last spark of hope for this country'.

The AfD opposes immigration into Germany, especially by Muslims, and is running second in opinion polls.

Given Germany's understandable sensitivity over Right-wing parties, both its ruling and opposition parties were apoplectic, the former dismissing Musk's opinions as 'nonsense'. They angrily accused Musk of trying to interfere in federal elections due in February following the collapse of the coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Musk has called for Scholz to resign immediately after a Saudi migrant drove a car into a Christmas market on December 20, killing five people. 'Incompetent fool,' Musk chided.

He argued that his 'significant investments' in Germany, namely Tesla's first 'gigafactory' in Europe, qualify him to speak out about Europe's largest economy.

But he has expressed support for anti-immigration parties across Europe. In November, he called for the sacking of Italian judges who questioned the legality of a government measure to clamp down on illegal immigration by detaining asylum seekers in Albania.

Musk's comment was splashed on the front page of several Italian newspapers. He has also been making waves on the home front. Last month, he angered many Republicans by demanding they back away from a bipartisan spending deal with the Democrats that would stop the federal government closing down over Christmas.

Musk, who has been lambasted for endlessly sharing incorrect information on social media, this time wrongly claimed that the bill included more aid for Ukraine and money for a new stadium in Washington.

Musk has even threatened to find and fund candidates to take on any Congress members who vote for a spending bill he doesn't like in primary elections, a process he called 'voting out' but which really boils down to him using his money to get his way.

US politicians on both sides have claimed they've never come across a political donor who has been allowed so much influence on policy after his preferred candidate won an election.

'Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government,' complained Left-wing Senator Bernie Sanders on X. 'The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn't like it. Will Republicans kiss the ring? Billionaires must not be allowed to run our government.'

Musk has jibed that 'very few companies' want to invest in Keir Starmer's Britain and on Thursday, the tycoon even called for a new UK general election

But for the moment, one of them very much looks like he could soon be doing exactly that. Musk got his way over the spending bill, announcing last Wednesday on X (of course) that 'the terrible bill is dead,' and adding the Latin phrase Vox Populi, Vox Dei, which means 'the voice of the people is the voice of God'.

Rather less successfully, he clashed with anti-immigration MAGA supporters and their determination to 'protect Americans' jobs' over his backing for continuing to give US worker visas to skilled foreigners needed to fill senior jobs in Silicon Valley.

Musk later deleted his endorsement of a post on X claiming that American workers were 'retarded'. In a rare defeat, Musk  who had initially pledged to go to 'war' over the issue  later admitted the visas in question were 'broken' and proposed reforming the system, even though Trump sided with him.

It could yet turn nasty. Former Trump strategist and MAGA icon Steve Bannon warned Musk that if he kept 'lecturing people about the way things are going to be'  'We're going to rip your face off.'

Curiously, while Musk is making new enemies in the West, over in the East it's a different matter.

While many Americans regard China as one of their nation's principal foes, Musk sees only business opportunities. Shanghai is home to Tesla's biggest car plant outside the US, a mammoth megafactory that produces 950,000 vehicles a year.

The person who has been described as his 'secret weapon' in China is his 76-year-old mother Maye. A model, author and global ambassador for brands including Chinese consumer electronics company Oppo and mattress-maker Aise Baobao, she has risen seemingly effortlessly on the coat tails of her son.

Last month alone, she was a guest at a gala dinner in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, walked the red carpet for a cosmetics company in another, Wuhan, and wherever she went, was asked to sign copies of the Chinese edition of her book, A Woman Makes A Plan, which she describes as 'a bestseller' in China.

Locals are said to be smitten by her elegance and inspiring personal story  the Canada-born Maye survived domestic abuse, raised three children by herself and has a modelling career that has spanned five decades.

However, she remains at heart just a 'brand extension' of her ubiquitous son, helping to keep the family's name in the spotlight in a country which is Tesla's second biggest market.

But Musk's cosy relationship with senior Chinese leaders and his description of their country as 'truly amazing' has raised hackles in the US Congress where some have accused him of putting profits before patriotism.

The same charge has also been levelled at him over his relationship with America's other great enemy, Russia.

The Wall Street Journal reported in October that Musk has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin in 'secret conversations' covering personal, business and geopolitical matters.

Musk has been increasingly vocal in opposing US military aid to Ukraine. During one of their chats, Putin reportedly asked Musk to refrain from activating his Starlink satellite internet service over Taiwan  a potentially critical defensive asset  as a favour to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Musk mocked the claims on X without officially denying them.

Some say that Musk's seemingly endless political interference ultimately comes down to money. Since Trump's second election victory, Tesla's share price has nearly doubled and his personal fortune has soared. A second Trump term will work wonders for his business empire.

And yet there's surely no financial incentive for him to attack the UK over crime or Germany over immigration. One theory is that Musk genuinely believes he can save the planet, whether that is building colonies on Mars (for a future time when the Earth is spent) or saving it from the 'woke mind virus'.

It's also said that he's jumped into politics essentially because he can  the nerd who was bullied mercilessly at school is avenging himself on the world.

His biographer Walter Isaacson wrote that one of his girlfriends said Musk has a 'demon mode' and thrives on 'storm'. Isaacson says Musk 'doesn't like things when they are going well. He is addicted to drama.'

Musk also likes to have a laugh. Some assumed he must have been doing that again when  a few days ago  he called on people to share more 'positive, beautiful or informative' content on X.

Perhaps, suggested critics, he might like to lead the way.
The ex-gangster father of Stephen Lawrence murderer David Norris lives penniless in a rundown flat and has refused to show remorse for his son's killing.

David Norris is set for a Parole Board hearing in the coming weeks which could see him released early for the racist killing of Stephen in 1993.

It was a crime which shocked the nation and shone a spotlight on the families of those responsible, including ex-south London drugs boss Clifford Norris, 65.

Clifford was once a drugs baron worth millions and had a string of corrupt Metropolitan Police officers in his back pocket.

He was alleged he used these to shield thug son David from being convicted of the murder in Eltham, south east London.

The Macpherson report into Stephen's murder deemed Norris an 'evil influence' whose 'very damaging role' prevented witnesses from coming forward.

He even allegedly paid off a police officer involved in the investigation.

But the fortunes of both men did not last long.

Clifford Norris, 65, has been reduced to living in a bedsit in Kent

When asked if he wanted to say sorry to the Lawrence family on behalf of his son, he said: 'F*** off' (The iron grill entrance to Clifford's flat)

Five men were initially arrested over the racist murder of Stephen, 18, (above) who was fatally stabbed in Eltham, south east London

David Norris, 48, could be freed in months after he was granted an oral Parole Board hearing which could happen as early as May, the Mail can reveal

David is serving a life sentence for the murder. The Daily Mail revealed earlier this week he has an upcoming Parole Board hearing which could see him free.

He was finally jailed for life with a minimum of 14 years in 2012 after evading justice for so long.

And Clifford now lives in a pokey bedsit in Kent, at the back of a convenience store.

It is a world away from a former mock tudor mansion in an upmarket private road in south London and a fleet of fast cars which was his previous life.

This included a Porsche 911.

Instead, he is believed to be unemployed and lives in a 'miserable' flat.

He visits a cafe across the road and will go to a newsagent to buy food and essentials and occasionally buys a lottery ticket, locals said.

When approached by Mail Online this week at the property, he was in no mood for small talk.

And clearly had no remorse on behalf of his son.

He said: 'F*** off. F*** off, you c***.

'Go away. F*** off before there's trouble. You're a c***.'

He lives penniless in a rundown flat and has refused to show remorse for his son's killing (Pictured: the flat)

Clifford was once concerned a drug's baron who was worth millions (Pictured in 2006)

When asked if he wanted to say sorry to the Lawrence family on behalf of his son, he said: 'F*** off.'

One neighbour said: 'It's a sorry state of affairs. It's quite sad.

'It's a tiny bedsit basically. He's on his own. He often looks angry.

'He visits a cafe across the road for a cup of tea and something to eat but does not seem to travel far.

'It's a rundown area. It's untidy around there. It's just a small place above a convenience shop.

'There's nothing really going on.'

Another said: 'We know who he is but don't say anything. It was a horrific murder.'

A car park full of rubbish sits behind the property and gangs of youths ride on bikes, smoke cannabis and cause anti-social behaviour problems nearby, locals claim.

Another said: 'It's a million miles away from the high-life.

'He must feel quite humiliated by his downfall.

'It's a complete fall from grace. It is shocking that he will not sorry for what his son did.'

He moved to Kent after being brought down in the 1990s when jailed for intent to supply drugs and possessing a submachine-gun.

He lost his property empire, cars and money through the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Locals believe he is still unemployed, and he has previously spoken about being on benefits.

They also said they thought he was still single.

Stephen Lawrence murder suspect Luke Knight in Eltham, South East London, on September 3

Luke Knight (far left) was famously pelted with eggs on June 30, 1998 outside the public inquiry into the police's handling of the Stephen Lawrence case in London

Gary Dobson (left) was jailed for at least 15 years and two months and David Norris (right) was jailed at least 14 years and three months for the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993

Jamie Acourt (left) and his brother Neil (right) were also suspects but were never convicted

Last year, Luke Knight, 47, was seen outside a newsagent's at Eltham in South East London, around a mile from the bus stop where Stephen was stabbed aged 18 in 1993.

Knight, who still lives in the area, was arrested and charged with murder at the time before it was dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service due to lack of evidence.

He was tried for murder in 1996 after a private prosecution brought by Stephen's parents but the judge told the jury to acquit him after further issues with evidence.

The roofer, who has always maintained his innocence, remains the only one of the original five suspects in Stephen's case who does not have a criminal conviction.

Thirty years seeking justice for murdered Stephen Lawrence April 22, 1993: Stephen Lawrence is murdered in Eltham, South East London.

May to June, 1993: Neil Acourt, Jamie Acourt, Gary Dobson, Luke Knight and David Norris arrested.

July 1993: The Crown Prosecution Service formally discontinues the prosecution.

September 1994: The Lawrence family begins a private prosecution against Neil Acourt, Knight and Dobson. It fails two years later.

February 1997: An inquest jury finds that Stephen was 'unlawfully killed by five white youths'. The Daily Mail runs a front page story with pictures of the suspects under the headline 'Murderers'.

February 1999: The Macpherson Report finds the police culpable of mistakes and 'institutional racism'.

November 2011: The trial of Dobson and Norris for Stephen's murder begins.

January 2012: The pair are found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey and jailed for life.

October 2015: The National Crime Agency announces that the Met is being investigated for alleged corruption over its initial handling of the case.

August 2020: The Met announces there are no further lines of inquiry in the murder probe as it effectively closes the case.

June 2023: The identity of a sixth suspect, Matthew White, is revealed. He died in 2021 aged 50. Advertisement

Knight was one of the five faces famously plastered on the Daily Mail's front page on February 14, 1997 beneath the headline: 'MURDERERS. The Mail accuses these men of killing. If we are wrong, let them sue us.'

The other four were Gary Dobson, Neil Acourt, Jamie Acourt and David Norris.

In 2012, Dobson and Norris were found guilty of being involved in the attack and sentenced to life imprisonment, after a forensic review of the case found significant new scientific evidence on clothing seized from their homes following the murder.

The Acourt brothers have always maintained their innocence and have never been convicted, although both have since served jail time for drug dealing.

A sixth suspect called Matthew White, who was arrested twice over the murder but never charged, was revealed in an investigation by the BBC in June last year. He died in 2021 aged 50.

On the rare occasions Knight has spoken about the case, he has protested his innocence and denied being at the scene.

The latest sighting of him came last week on September 3, when the father-of-two was pictured dressed casually in a cream polo short and dark shorts after visiting a shop in Eltham.

Neighbours and friends said Knight earns a living as a roofer but lives a 'lonely existence' in a top-floor flat and has started to look older in recent years, with grey hair visible.

Despite remaining in the local area, they added that he has never escaped the shadow of being a suspect for the murder.

A neighbour said: 'He's a very lonely man. He seems full of anger. He walks around without a care in the world though, despite the murder taking place just down the road.

'It's shocking that Stephen would now be 50. Knight just lives the same life.

'He strongly maintains his innocence. But if ever asked, he refuses to speak. He has said before the whole things hangs over him all the time.'

Knight is said to refuse to discuss Stephen's murder now - although talked about the case in an ITV interview in 1999 which also heard from the other four suspects.
A 37-year-old missing disabled woman from Oregon keeps calling her family to tell them she is lost but does not know the location she is in.

Erin Nicole Thornton was last seen on December 29 at her home in Fairview, approximately 15 miles from Oregon.

She left her home without her purse, medication and additional clothing. She does not own a car and has no form of income.

The bizarre ordeal has been described by authorities as 'missing under concerning circumstances.'

On Wednesday January 1, her cell phone pinged in Battle Ground Washington, a two-mile radius near the Walmart.

However, authorities indicated that she does not have any known friends or family in that area.

Thornton has a mental health and a seizure-like medical condition that impacts her mobility, memory and ability to care for herself, and is considered an 'endangered' person by the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office (MCSO).

Police said Thornton contacted her partner several times asking for help, but was unable to provide the person with the location she was in.

Erin Nicole Thornton, 37, was last seen on December 29 at her home in Fairview, approximately 15 miles from Oregon

Battle Ground Lake State Park is 280-acres and features Battle Ground Lake

MCSO Deputy John Plock told DailyMail.com on Friday the person Thornton has called is 'a woman named Olivia,' and she is 'cooperating and actively helping investigators.'

When DailyMail.com reached out to Olivia, she was unavailable for comment.

Thornton's mysterious disappearance comes one month after another Oregon woman, Susan Lane-Founier, 61, went missing on November 22 while hiking with her two dogs.

She was found deceased by her friend James Evans, near a Clackamas County highway about four miles from where her truck was parked.

Her husband Michel Fournier, 71, had been charged with her murder.

Evans, who was heartbroken, told KOIN 6, 'I went down the path, maybe 20 yards. Ive seen some tarp. I thought it was trash. I bent over to pick up the tarp and as I bent over and came up, I seen a pair of boots connected to a leg.

'I directly dropped the tarp, backed up, gathered myself together, turned around and went to the lodge and had the office call 911 immediately.

Susan's death came less than a month after she filed for divorce against Michel, who she was married to for 12 years, according to KGW8.

The October 31 divorce proceeding filed in Clackamas County Circuit Court noted 'irreconcilable differences between the parties have caused an irremediable breakdown of their marriage.'

Susan, a Brightwood resident known as 'Phoenix' by her friends, was reported missing after she failed to show up to work.

On November 23, Susan's friend told police they saw her white 1992 Ford F-250 parked by the Green Canyon Way Trail, south of Welches. Susan was walking her dogs there.

The Clackamas County Sherriff's Office launched a search for the missing woman and her two large Malinois-mix dogs on November 24, according to the sheriff's office.

Susan's neighbors had expressed concerns for her safety, accusing Michel of being an abusive partner.

On November 24, before Susan's body was found, Terri Hanley wrote on Facebook: 'Phoenix was in fear for her and her dogs' lives, and her home, and the system was working against her. She was afraid and struggling.'

A GoFundMe was created 'seeking justice and support' for Phoenix's sons.'

Thornton is 5 ft. 6 inches tall, 269 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes

Thornton is 5 ft. 6 inches tall, 269 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

She was last seen wearing a red long sleeved Columbia sportswear top, blue jeans and Pendleton-style sweater.

If anyone has any information on Thornton's whereabouts is urged to contact the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office tip line 503-988-0560. Reference MCSO case number 24-51801.
Adalberto Aldo Toledo is a city hall reporter with The San Francisco Chronicle covering the mayor and Board of Supervisors. He is a Venezuelan American from a family of longtime journalists.

Before joining the Chronicle in 2023, he reported on Peninsula governments and breaking news for the San Jose Mercury News. He also has bylines in the Dallas Morning News, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Champaign, Illinois News-Gazette.

Raised in Texas, he studied journalism with a print news focus at the University of North Texas Mayborn School of Journalism, where he worked as News Editor for the North Texas Daily student newspaper.
More than 2,600 British troops are being sent to NATO's eastern frontline in a show of strength intended to intimidate Vladimir Putin.

They will take part in the alliance's Exercise Steadfast Dart 25, billed by defence officials as a demonstration of readiness, capability and commitment.

The move is supposed to rehearse NATO's rapid response to an invasion of its territory by Russia.

Romania and Bulgaria will host the manoeuvres with the British contingent being drawn from this country's 1st Division (1 Div) based in York.

The mission rehearsals will coincide with the third anniversary of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine next month.

Kremlin troops continue to occupy a fifth of the country's territory. Ukraine also remains under constant bombardment from Russian drones and glide bombers.

Last night, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said: 'This government wants the UK to be NATO's leading European nation.

'Exercise Steadfast Dart demonstrates our unshakeable commitment to NATO and highlights the UK's key leadership role in the alliance.

British troops driving Jackal combat vehicles descend from M3 amphibious rigs of the German/British Amphibious Engineer Battalion 130 after crossing the Vistula River during the NATO Dragon 24 military exercise on March 4, 2024

The mission rehearsals will coincide with the third anniversary of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine next month (pictured: Russian president Vladimir Putin)

Aviation Boatswain's Mate signals to the pilots of the MV-22 Osprey assault support aircraft, assigned to 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, as it departs off the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) on June 8, 2022

A soldier of the United Kingdom's 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian infantry unit storms an enemy position in a simulated attack during the NATO 'Brilliant Jump' military exercises on February 26, 2024 in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland

'As we approach the three-year anniversary we must continue to strengthen our collective defences to deter Putin effectively.'

In additional to more than 2,600 personnel, 730 British vehicles, including Foxhound patrol vehicles and Jackal mobility vehicles, will also take part.

1 Div's headquarters element will command all of the NATO troops on the exercise.

The UK is widely considered to be incapable of deploying an armoured division on its own - a commitment of around 15,000 troops.

As the Mail recently revealed, NATO chiefs are locked in talks with UK defence officials over whether to drop Britain's pledge of a division to the alliance.

The move is in part due to reductions in the size of the Army over recent decades. Shortages of UK tanks is another factor.

Ex Steadfast Dart will also simulate the coordination and cooperation of tens of thousands of NATO soldiers as part of one force responding to a Russian attack.

Together, these soldiers comprise NATO's Allied Reaction Force, that can operate across land, sea and air and come together at short notice.
A 'well-spoken' woman, who was accused of shoplifting a bottle of white wine from a boutique grocery store, blamed 'memory problems' when confronted.

The incident, captured on CCTV on December 29 in east London, showed the 50-year-old woman sneakily placing a bottle of wine under her coat before exiting the store without paying.

When confronted by staff, who chase her outside, she appeared flustered and attributed her actions to 'memory problems,' insinuating she had forgotten to pay for the item.

The store, which posted the incident on TikTok, quickly gained traction, amassing thousands of views and sparking heated online discussions.

The woman in the video denied theft saying, 'I'm not stealing, I didn't steal it', before trying to blame the shopkeeper for being mistaken and accusing them of 'lying'.

When they threaten to call the police, she immediately storms away down the street.

This comes amid a recent surge across London from middle-class shoplifters, with upmarket stores being frequent targets.

A 'well-spoken' woman, who was accused of shoplifting a bottle of white wine from a boutique grocery store, blamed 'memory problems' when confronted

Twitter account @CrimeLdn, known for reporting local crime, also shared the video on X, labeling the incident as part of a broader uptick in such offences.

One person even joked: 'I thought shoplifting in UK was legal now?'

There has been a recent surge across London from middle-class shoplifters, with upmarket stores being frequent targets.

Experts suggest a combination of financial pressures and a sense of entitlement may drive some of these incidents.

Richard Fowler, who manages security at upmarket health food brand Planet Organic, said shoplifting at the Chiswick branch takes place 'every day' - and that 'posh totty' types are part of the problem.

He claimed the brand loses a staggering 900,000 a year as a result of stealing. The chain has nine stores across London and claims all the products it sells are organic.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Fowler said: 'We've got our homeless... Then we have what I would call the posh totty people.

'They shop in Planet Organic on a daily basis, they spend a lot of money with our business.

'[They think] ''Today I'm a little bit short of money, so I'm entitled to steal something''.'

Richard Fowler (pictured), who manages security at Planet Organic, said shoplifting at the Chiswick branch takes place 'every day'

Some brazen middle class customers feel 'entitled' to steal from Planet Organic because they are regulars, the head of security claimed

Metropolitan Police figures show that 57,453 offences were reported across London last year  an increase from 38,157 in 2022.

Emmeline Taylor, professor of criminology at City University, told the BBC: 'It's widely known that the police have been overstretched and under-resourced for over a decade.

'It is not just about the number of police that have been taken off the streets, it's also the operational approach and the strategy.'

Shoplifting has risen to the highest level on record, new data revealed in April this year.

Retail bosses accused ministers of allowing shoplifting to become effectively decriminalised, with many police forces failing to attend the majority of reports and failing to gather any evidence when they do.

Less than 40 per cent of shoplifting reports were attended by the Met between April 2022 and April 2023, figures revealed.

Separate data suggests a similar - and often worse - situation in the rest of the country, with forces sending out an officer for just one in five calls related to shoplifting.
Rep. Lauren Boebert was seen beaming throughout the Capitol alongside her family on the first day of the new Congress, despite her eldest son's legal drama.

The 38-year-old mother-of-four, and grandma to one, wore a chic blue blazer with red cuffs and white pants while posing for pictures with her family.

'Proud to have my family by my side today as I will be sworn in this evening as Congresswoman for Colorados 4th Congressional District!' Boebert posted on X alongside pictures of her boys smiling on the first day of the 119th Congress.

Another picture showed the family lined up along a marble staircase outside of the House chamber.

Later, as the House of Representatives was readying to hold a vote on whether to reelect Speaker Mike Johnson to another term, Boebert was spotted on the House floor with her son Tyler Boebert, 19, and his son.

The teenage father was seen playing with his boy as his mother chatted with her fellow lawmakers.

At one point Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., was seen playing with Boebert's grandson, holding the baby boy playfully as legislative business occurred all around.

But the cute display Friday comes after months of legal headaches for Boebert's eldest son Tyler.

'Proud to have my family by my side today as I will be sworn in this evening as Congresswoman for Colorados 4th Congressional District!' Boebert posted on X

Lauren Boebert finalized her divorce from her husband of 17 years, Jayson, in October 2023

In October 2024, Tyler Boebert, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted identity theft, a felony, in a Colorado county court after going on a crime spree.

Tyler initially faced 22 charges, however, he had all but one dismissed as a part of a plea deal, court documents reveal.

He was charged after a crime spree during which he broke into vehicles around the small Colorado City of Rifle in February 2024.

Authorities claimed Tyler stole credit cards from the vehicles and that he later used those cards to purchase fast food and other items.

After a protracted court battle, in which Tyler claimed at one point he could not afford a lawyer, the judge in the case showed the teenager some grace.

Judge John F. Neiley told Tyler during his latest hearing: 'I dont know a lot about you, but I know you are a young man.'

'You were 18 when you committed this offense. You have no prior criminal history, and this is an opportunity you should not squander.'

Should he complete two years of probation on good terms with the court, Tyler could have the charge wiped from his record, allowing him evade a felony on his record.

CSPAN cameras caught the Boebert family at the back of the House chamber on Friday

The Boebert family posing for a picture Friday

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., left, holds the grandson of Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., while Boebert looks on

Massie held and played with Boebert's grandson for some time before votes were held

'Im sure the proceedings in this court have been embarrassing for you and embarrassing for your family, but you must realize your actions have affected the lives of the victims,' Neily told the Republican's son.

In addition to two years of probation, Tyler will also have to do up to 80 hours of community service to have the felony charged dropped.

Tyler, like his mother, had a child when he was just 18 years old.

The Republican had her son Tyler in 2004. She later dropped out of high school to take care of him.

'Now my son, when I approached him and told him, 'Tyler, I'm going to be a 36-year-old grandmother,' he said, 'Well, didn't you make Granny a 36-year-old granny?' Boebert recounted of her conversation with Tyler.

'I said, 'Yes, I did.' He said, 'Well then, it's hereditary'' the Republican continued.
A popular Sydney beach has been quietly closed to swimmers over fears the water contains 'forever chemicals' that can cause cancer.

Tower Beach, or 'Plainspotting Beach,' beside Sydney Airport, has had 'no swimming' and 'no fishing' signs installed without any fanfare, though unsuspecting residents continue to get in the water as temperatures soar.

An underground body of water, known as the Botany Sands Aquifer, beneath the airport is contaminated with dangerous levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

PFAS have been linked to cancer and are deemed 'forever chemicals' because they never break down in the environment.

The 'no swimming' signs were quietly installed two years ago, but swimmers, fishermen and horse riders continue to frequent the beach.

Families with young children favour the beach because of its calm waters.

Tower Beach is also popular among aircraft enthusiasts who enjoy the view of the airport's main runway.

A local resident, Terry Daly, was left outraged by Sydney Airport's lack of transparency about the threat and the poor visibility of the 'no swimming' signs.

The 'no swimming' signs were quietly installed two years ago, but swimmers, fishermen and horse riders continue to enter the water at Tower Beach beside Sydney Airport (pictured)

Tower Beach, also known as 'Plainspotting Beach,' is on the doorstep of Sydney Airport

'Tiny kids are playing on the sand there all the time,' Mr Daly told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The presence of PFAS across NSW, including at Botany Bay, is subject to an ongoing investigation by the NSW EPA.

A spokeswoman for the environmental watchdog said this week it was continuing to urge the federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, which regulates the airport land, to protect Aussies from PFAS.

'Transparency around the level of contamination is important to ensure community awareness,' the spokeswoman said.

But there's a stoush over who should pay for the clean-up: Sydney Airport or Airservices Australia which used PFAS-containing foams in its fire fighting operations at the airport up until 2010.

Airservices Australia is conducting its own investigation into the presence of PFAS at the airport, with the result expected in mid-2025.

It comes after low levels of PFAS were also detected in Sydney's drinking water catchments in June 2024.

Testing revealed the carcinogens were present in major filtration plants, including Orchard Hills, Prospect Reservoir and Warragamba.

The presence of PFAS across NSW, including at Botany Bay, is subject to an ongoing investigation by the NSW EPA

However, there were no detectable levels of PFAS in catchments in Macarthur, Nepean, the Woronora River or the Illawarra.

The concentration levels are within Australia's drinking water safety limits but are far higher than what US authorities deem safe to drink.

The results of the tests conducted by Sydney Water prompted the country's largest water utility to start conducting monthly tests in 'potentially impacted areas'.

The move contradicted Sydney Water's previous position that there were no PFAS hotspots in the city's drinking water catchments.
More than 150 firefighters have been left with chronic health conditions after tackling the deadly Grenfell Tower fire.

A minister yesterday admitted the Government must 'seriously look' at the impact toxic smoke had on those who fought the 2017 blaze.

Research from the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine revealed that of the 524 firefighters who attended the tragedy, more than a quarter reported life-changing conditions.

These included 11 cases of cancer, 64 respiratory diseases, 22 neurological disorders and 66 digestive illnesses.

The Home Office said the figures were 'concerning'.

Professor Anna Stec, a toxicity expert who co-authored the report, said most of the firefighters disclosing health disorders had not worn respiratory protection at all times.

The report also suggested establishing a health-screening programme similar to one established for those who served in the aftermath of 9/11 in New York two decades ago.

Health minister Andrew Gwynne said the harrowing figures were 'something that I'm more than happy to take away and look at seriously because we recognise that people who go above and beyond putting their own lives at risk may well end up with health issues as a consequence'.

More than 150 firefighters have been left with chronic health conditions after tackling the deadly Grenfell Tower fire. Pictured: A fireman reacts after battling the blaze

A minister yesterday admitted the Government must 'seriously look' at the impact toxic smoke had on those who fought the 2017 blaze. Pictured: Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London

Research from the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine revealed that of the 524 firefighters who attended the tragedy, more than a quarter reported life-changing conditions. Pictured: A large group of firefighters rest at the scene of a huge fire at Grenfell tower block

Grenfell United, which represents survivors and bereaved families, said: 'Following a number of studies into firefighters' health over the years, we and many others have continued to question the inadequate health monitoring of the survivors, including children who inhaled the toxic smoke.'

The London Fire Brigade said: 'We welcome insights that can lead to better protection for firefighters.'

The Home Office said: 'Fire and rescue authorities, as the employers, must take seriously their responsibility for the health and wellbeing of firefighters and take appropriate action to protect their workforce.'
The children of Democrat and Republican Senators appeared to console Kamala Harris on her flop election loss as she swore their parents in Friday.

Harris was on Capitol Hill for the opening of the 119th Congress as she serves as president of the Senate and swears in all of the senators.

After botching the Pledge of Allegiance, Harris got down to initiating all the new and returning members into the upper chamber.

When Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat who won Kyrsten Sinema's seat despite Harris losing his state, came to greet her, his son had a wistful, five-word message to the vice president.

'I'm sorry you didn't win,' Gallego's son Michael told her.

Harris, unflinchingly, tells the five-year-old that it's going to be alright before consoling him.

'Oh, you know what sweetheart... Don't you worry about it. There's still so much work to do. We're not defeated,' said the second-place finisher.

She then asks the boy if he knows what the word 'defeated' means and he answers affirmatively.

When Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat who won Kyrsten Sinema's seat despite Harris losing his state, came to greet her, his son had a wistful, five-word message to the vice president. 'I'm sorry you didn't win,' Gallego's son Michael told her

Gallego was much more cheerful as Harris swore him in to the Senate

'Are we defeated? No, were not. Right. Thats right. Thats right,' Harris says, before officially swearing his father in.

That wasn't the only interesting interaction Harris had with the offspring of a newly-elected senator, however.

Dave McCromick, a Republican who defeated Democrat incumbent Bob Casey for his seat in Pennsylvania, brought his daughters to the swearing in with Harris.

After the five girls pose for a photo op with Harris and without McCormick, one of them can be seen whispering to Harris: 'I voted for you.'

Harris unleashed her trademark cackle before responding: 'I could tell.'

The swearing in followed Harris' flub on the Pledge of Allegiance to open the ceremony.

Harris could be heard asking senators to join her in the pledge as she turns to the American flag and begins.

But the vice president then messed up the first line, saying 'I pledge allegiance to the United - ' instead of 'I pledge allegiance to the flag.'

Harris, unflinchingly, tells the five-year-old that it's going to be alright before consoling him

Dave McCromick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, brought his daughters to the swearing in with Harris. After the five girls pose for a photo op with Harris and without McCormick, one of them can be seen whispering to Harris: 'I voted for you'

After jumbling the start, Harris was able to quickly pick up where she left off and successfully finish the pledge, but her fumble did not go unnoticed.

The vice president then proceeded to administer the oath of office for the newly elected and reelected senators where the awkward situation continued as she came face-to-face with the man who will replace her as vice president.

Vice President-elect J.D. Vance was there to support newly elected Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno just weeks before he replaces Harris after President-elect Trump defeated her in the November presidential election.

The Ohio senator was all smiles as he stood just feet away from her as she administered the oath for Moreno and other senators.

Neither Harris or Vance appeared to engage each other, but both continued to smile and shake hands with the newly sworn-in senators before another group was ushered in to take the oath.

Vance was not the only Republican Harris came face-to-face with on Friday who spent the past few years criticizing her in Congress or on the campaign trail including some who refused to pronounce her first name correctly.

Despite the nasty politics of the recent election, the GOP senators and vice president put their differences aside for the occasion and warmly greeted each other with smiles and hand-shakes.

However, there was one person who did appear to make a dig on the floor of the Senate at Republicans.

Vice President-elect J.D. Vance grins as Kamala Harris flubs the Pledge of Allegiance

Former Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland joined newly elected Senator Angela Alsobrooks for her swearing-in.

As the former lawmaker greeted the vice president, she could be heard emphasizing 'Kamala.'

'I just wanted to say your name properly in the Senate,' Mikulski clearly stating from the Senate floor.

In another cringe moment, Harris was left looking awkward when the husband of GOP Senator Deb Fischer snubbed shaking her hand.

The interaction came during the one-on-one ceremonial swearing-in of senators with their families on Friday.

Harris was greeting Democratic and Republican senators as they introduced spouses and children, but Fischer's husband stayed far away from the vice president when it was their turn.

Harris even joked 'I won't bite' as he stepped up to hold the bible for his wife.

After administering the oath, Harris and the Nebraska senator shook hands and smiled.

But when the vice president held out her to the senator's husband Bruce, he left her hanging, saying 'thank you' before putting his hands in his pockets.
A 'closeted' Neo-Nazi who brutally murdered his gay classmate told his victim's parents told them he wanted to help find their son after his disappearance.

Samuel Woodward, 27, was sentenced to life without parole in November for the murder of 19-year-old Blaze Bernstein seven years ago.

Woodward and Bernstein met over Christmas 2018 after Bernstein - who was also Jewish - spotted his former classmate on Tinder and struck up a conversation.

Bernstein was visiting family in California on winter break when he went out with Woodward and disappeared.

His body was found days later buried in a shallow grave at Borrego park in Lake Forest, having been repeatedly stabbed in the face and neck.

Seven years on since his passing, ABC News have uncovered a phone call made between Blaze's father Gideon Bernstein and Woodward.

The elder Bernstein says to Woodward: 'We haven't heard from him all day. He missed an appointment today, and then we started getting concerned, and I've been trying to figure things out. So you're the first real clue to the puzzle here.'

Woodward replied: 'Yeah, I feel like [expletive], honestly I'm sorry. I want to find Blaze as much as you do.'

Samuel Woodward, seen here, was sentenced to life without parole in November for the murder of 19-year-old Blaze Bernstein seven years ago.

Bernstein, pictured here, was visiting family in California on winter break when he went out with Woodward and disappeared

In that call Woodward also told Bernstein that his son had suggested they drive to a nearby park to meet another friend.

He told the worried father: 'He got out of the car, and I got out the car too, and I just asked him "Who is this guy?"

'And [Blaze] was just like, you know, "You'll find out in a little bit, you know. He's a friend of mine."

'And then so I was just like, "OK, Blaze." And I just waited there by the bathroom, and he, I didn't see where he went.'

The phone exchange left the troubled family with more questions than answers, and they went to the police to raise concerns about Woodward.

He was then placed under observation by the Orange County Sheriff's Department who later brought him in for questioning.

An exhaustive investigation for the missing teen ensued, revealing social media exchanges between the two, who planned to meet in the park later that evening.

Bernstein's body was later found in a shallow grave in the park. He had been repeatedly stabbed in the face and neck.

In that call Woodward also told Bernstein that his son had suggested they drive to a nearby park to meet another friend

Gideon Bernstein and Jeanne Pepper Bernstein, parents of Blaze Bernstein, speak during a press conference after Samuel Woodward was sentenced to life without parole

At Woodward's sentencing, Bernstein's mother admitted she finds solace knowing her son's killer's fate as while he 'rots in prison, we will be here on the outside, celebrating the life of Blaze.'

Prosecutors claimed Woodward was affiliated with the violent anti-gay, neo-Nazi extremist group Atomwaffen Division.

However, Woodward's lawyer said his client didnt plan to kill anyone or hate Bernstein.

Instead, Morrison insisted that Woodward faced challenging personal relationships due to a long-undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder.

Bernstein and Woodward attended the same high school, Orange County School of the Arts.

The pair had connected via a dating app in the months before Bernstein's savage killing.

Woodward claimed that the night of Bernstein's death, he picked up his then-classmate, went to a nearby park and repeatedly stabbed him after a failed attempt at trying to grab a cellphone he feared had been used to photograph him.

The trial also saw Woodward's legal team claim he was confused about his sexuality.

The 27-year-old had grown up in a politically conservative and devout Catholic family where his father openly criticized homosexuality. However, the prosecution detailed a different story.

They said Woodward had repeatedly targeted gay men online by reaching out to them and abruptly breaking off contact, while also maintaining a hateful, profanity-laced journal of his actions.

Authorities said they also found a black Atomwaffen mask with traces of blood, a folding knife with a bloodied blade and a host of anti-gay, anti-Semitic and hate group materials in a search of his familys home in Newport Beach, California.

As a result of his sentencing, Woodward will spend the rest of his life in prison.
A business class passenger flying a United long-haul flight from San Francisco to Manila in the Philippines has been banned from flying with the airline after they urinated on a fellow passenger.

Jerome Gutierrez from Hillsborough, California in the Bay Area was sleeping in his business class seat and was four hours into the 15 hour journey, lulled into a slumber by the hum of the engines on UA 189, when he was suddenly awoken by the sensation of liquid hitting him.

The incident, which left passengers and crew in a state of disbelief occurred on December 27 as the offending traveler, allegedly in a dazed stupor, began urinating on Gutierrez, completely oblivious to what he was doing.

The warm stream seeped through layers of clothing, leaving Gutierrez drenched in humiliation and disbelief.

Gutierrez had no change of clothes leaving him with no option but to sit in his urine soaked attire for remainder of the flight - a further eleven hours as the cold, damp reality set in.

'He was asleep and buckled in and was surprised when he looked at the man and thought he was dreaming,' Nicole Cornell, Gutierrez's stepdaughter, said to SFGate.

'Jerome realized he was soaked from his stomach down in that man's urine,' she said.

Cornell claims the response of the crew left much to be desired.

A business class passenger flying a United long-haul flight from San Francisco to Manila in the Philippines has been from flying with the airline after they urinated on a fellow passenger

Rather than address the clear biohazard or the emotional distress inflicted upon Gutierrez, the crew reportedly prioritized maintaining in-flight order with the plane midway over the Pacific.

Gutierrez was told to remain calm and 'not to approach the man in fear that there would be a confrontation, and he would become violent.'

'They put the airline's needs above his health,' Cornell wrote, her outrage palpable.

'I am so disgusted and in shock with how United Airlines handled this! That is a biohazard, and the plane should've turned around to address this issue.'

They feared a violent confrontation Cornell explained, but in doing so left her stepdad in soaked, unsanitary clothes for the remaining eight hours of the flight.

United Airlines has confirmed the incident, referring to it more vaguely as 'a passenger disturbance.'

A spokesperson clarified how the police were summoned to meet the flight upon its arrival in Manila.

United Airlines has confirmed the incident, referring to it more vaguely as 'a passenger disturbance' but note the passenger has been banned

'We have banned this passenger,' the statement read - providing little consolation for Gutierrez, who endured hours of discomfort.

In a desperate bid to avoid legal consequences, the alleged suspect groveled for forgiveness, apologizing profusely to Gutierrez and his family.

'He begged them not to press charges,' Cornell revealed.
A 'hot felon 2.0' set the internet ablaze after he and another Wisconsin man sent cops on an armed chase for nearly 38 miles.

Malik Harrell, 23, and Stephon Mosby, 22, were arrested and charged in connection to a wild police chase that led to a tactical situation last week in Milwaukee.

But despite their crime, the internet swooned over 22-year-old Mosby's mugshot - especially his piercing green eyes - after he was booked into Milwaukee County Jail.

At around 7pm on December 28, patrolling officers spotted a black Buick whose license plates were registered to a Chevrolet, Fox 6 News reported.

When cops attempted to pull over the vehicle, the Buick quickly sped away - prompting the start of a chase that spread across three county lines.

The driver, who was later identified as Harrell, reached speeds of more than 90mph in some residential areas before pulling into an alley way near 24th and Fairmount.

Once pulled over, Mosby, who was later identified to be the passenger, got out holding an 'AK 47 style pistol'.

Police ordered Mosby to drop the gun, but he instead ran into a nearby home before Harrell took off again in the Buick - leading to a tactical team being called to the residence.

Stephon Mosby, 22, a convicted felon in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, set the internet ablaze with his recent mugshot after he and another convicted felon sent cops on a nearly 38-mile armed chase across three county lines

While Mosby fled the car and ran into a nearby home, which prompted a tactical team to respond, Harrell continued on the high-speed chase - even after he crashed into another vehicle at one of the most heavily-trafficked intersections in Milwaukee

While some officers continued off on the high-speed chase, others stayed to surround the home.

Mosby eventually came out of the home and surrendered himself to tactical officers nearly 26 minutes after running inside.

Officers found a mask, a hoodie and the gun that Mosby flashed when he got out of the fleeing car after a search of the home.

Meanwhile the high-speed pursuit continued, even after Harrell drove the Buick into oncoming traffic - ultimately crashing into another vehicle at the intersection where 51st Street, Capitol Drive and Fond du Lac Avenue meet.

But even after colliding in the intersection - which is considered one of the largest and most dangerous heavily trafficked intersections in Milwaukee - Harrell continued to flee.

The chase that covered 37.8 miles and lasted nearly 36 minutes finally came to an end when the Buick broke down near 61st and Appleton.

Upon a search of the car, officers found marijuana, a digital scale and methamphetamines, along with the same firearm that Mosby had earlier - all of which were said to be 'indicative of street level drug sales and distribution'.

Both men were arrested and booked on several charges on December 29.

But Milwaukee County Wisconsin Recently Booked - a Facebook page that shares information about recent arrests in the county with its 38,000 followers - left the internet lusting over Mosby after posting his recent mugshot.

Some viewers expressed how 'cute' he was while others called to 'free him' from behind bars.

'He's handsome, damn,' one comment read.

Another added: 'This lil fella was a baby in our day. Just as cute!'

Mosby's mugshot seemingly garnered similar attention to the original 'hot felon' - a now-40-year-old Jeremy Meeks who was a former member of the Crips street gang.

The then-30-year-old convict was arrested back on weapon and gang charges back in 2014 after police allegedly found a pistol in his trunk during a gang sweep called Operation Ceasefire in Stockton, California.

But Meeks became an overnight sensation after local police shared the camera-friendly suspect to their Facebook page.

Milwaukee County Wisconsin Recently Booked - a Facebook page that shares information about recent arrests in the county with its 38,000 followers - left the internet lusting over Mosby after posting his recent mugshot

Malik Harrell, 23, was also arrested and charged after he was later identified as being the driver of the high-speed chase that finally came to an end nearly 36 minutes later when the Buick broke down

His mugshot pose, which showcased his chiseled jawline, sharp cheek bones and baby-blue eyes, took the internet by storm - sparking thousands of shares, 'likes', memes and very suggestive propositions.

The father was in and out of courtrooms in California and Washington for a decade for crimes including resisting arrest, faking his identity and grand theft, for which he served two years.

But his 2014 arrest captured the world's attention - including White Cross Management talent agency who quickly recognized his potential and offered him a modelling contract while he was still serving his 27-months behind bars.

Meeks has since walked the runway at Milan Fashion Week and has also been featured in campaigns for brands such as Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss.

Additionally, he has made his feature film debut in 2020 with Trigger on BET+ and has appeared in the 2021 independent film Secret Society.

In April of 2024, he announced that his memoir was available for preorder.

Meeks, who is now a father-of-two, now uses his widely followed platforms to speak out against crime and violence.

Mosby, the internet's 'hot felon 2.0', ultimately ended up making his first court appearance on Thursday where his bond was set at $10,000.

Mosby's mugshot seemingly garnered the same attention as the original 'hot felon' - a now-40-year-old Jeremy Meeks who was a former member of the Crips street gang and was arrested on weapon and gang charges in Stockton, California, in 2014

Meeks 2014 arrest captured the attention of the world and even landed him a modelling contract while still behind bars

He is facing seven charges in total - possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent, possession with intent to deliver THC and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

In addition, he's charged with failure to comply with an officer, two counts of felony bail jumping and a misdemeanor charge of obstructing an officer.

Harrell made his first court appearance on the same day, but his bond was set at a much heftier price of $50,000.

He is facing five charges in relation to the incident - two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, vehicle operator fleeing causing property damage, and possession with intent to deliver both THC and methamphetamine.
A growing number of Shark Bite Kits are popping up on remote beaches along Australia's east coast following a spate of fatal shark attacks.

Danny Schouten is in the process of installing his community-funded kits on remote beaches after his friend Kai Mckenzie, 23, lost his right leg while surfing on the NSW's Mid North Coast in July last year.

Mr McKenzie bravely fought off the shark before catching a wave in to shore where a makeshift tourniquet made from a dog lead was tied around his leg.

The very close call inspired Mr Schouten, who previously worked as a lifeguard in Port Macquarie, to create the life-saving Shark Bite Kits.

'We've lost some people close to home over the years from sharks and I think it's one of those things we need to be more prepared for,' he told the ABC.

'I don't understand why they aren't in place already, so I am really keen to give back and make sure everyone has that opportunity to have something there close by.'

Each Shark Bite Kit costs just $60 to make and contain two tourniquets, two dressings, a compression bandage, thermal blanket, amputated parts bags, a whistle, and instructions on how to respond.

A GoFundMe has been created to fund the production of the kits.

Following a horrific shark attack on mate Kai Mckenzie (right) mate, Danny Schouten (left) has rolled out community-funded Shark Bite Kits on remote beaches

Each kit (pictured) costs $60 to make and contains two tourniquets, two dressings, a compression bandage, thermal blanket, amputated parts bags, a whistle, and instructions

The remote North Shore Beach in Port Macquarie where a surfer lost his leg in 2023 was the first beach to install a Shark Bite Kit (pictured) the following year

'These kits are designed to provide a quick response to help control bleeding in the crucial minutes following a shark attack and potentially saving lives before professional medical help arrives,' Mr Schouten wrote on the fundraiser.

'The initial aim was to generate enough funding to provide kits to the popular yet isolated beaches in the Port Macquarie-Hastings area.

'However the ultimate goal would be to have a kit at every one of our beaches. Better yet, every beach in Australia.'

The remote North Shore Beach in Port Macquarie where Mr McKenzie lost his leg in 2023 was the first beach to install a Shark Bite Kit the following year.

The installation of the life-saving kits comes as the experienced surfer fatally attacked by a shark at Granites Beach on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula is identified as 28-year-old Lance Appleby.

The body of the Port Lincoln man, who was visiting his family for Christmas, is yet to be found as an extensive air, land and sea search enters its third day.

The attack comes after local fisherman Ben Schultz said he spotted an 'aggressive' Great White shark in the area on the same day Mr Appleby went missing.

A South Australia Police spokesperson confirmed on Friday a surf board had been found by someone on a jet ski shortly after the attack.
Andre Haddad, the CEO of Turo, sought to defend his companys track record of safety in the wake of two deadly incidents on New Years Day that involved vehicles rented through the popular car-sharing platform: Im shocked, saddened, and, more than anything else, just simply heartbroken, he said. Turo

The CEO of Turo sought to defend his companys track record of safety in the wake of two deadly incidents on New Years Day that involved vehicles rented through the popular car-sharing platform.

CEO Andre Haddad said the attacks, which left 14 dead in New Orleans and led to the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas, have shaken the San Francisco company, prompting an internal review of its trust and safety protocols.

Its been about 48 hours since the horrific attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas that shocked us all on New Years Day, Haddad wrote in a statement published Friday. Weve spent these tense, mournful hours investigating, partnering with law enforcement, and working around the clock to figure out how our platform could be misused by the perpetrators of such atrocities.

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The first incident occurred when 42-year-old Army veteran Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans French Quarter, killing 14 people. Jabbar was fatally shot by police in the aftermath of the attack.

This image provided by Alcides Antunes shows a Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel early Wednesday. Associated Press

Hours later, in Las Vegas, a Tesla Cybertruck rented through Turo exploded outside of the Trump International Hotel. The driver, U.S. Army Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, died in the explosion, which authorities later determined was preceded by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

While the FBI has found no definitive link between the two events, both incidents involved vehicles rented through Turo, drawing significant scrutiny to the company.

Thinking about the victims and their families, Im shocked, saddened, and, more than anything else, just simply heartbroken, Haddad said.

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Haddad defended Turos screening process, noting that the individuals involved in the attacks had clean backgrounds and valid drivers licenses.

They could have boarded any plane, checked into any hotel, or rented a car or truck from any traditional vehicle rental chain, Haddad said. We do not believe these two individuals would have been flagged by anyone  including law enforcement.

He added that Turo has pledged to cooperate fully with law enforcement and refine its platform to prevent future misuse.

Emergency services attend to the scene on Bourbon Street after a vehicle drove into a crowd in New Orleans on Wednesday. Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

Turo, which facilitates peer-to-peer car rentals through an app, sought to emphasize its track record around safety: Since its founding in 2010, the company said it has facilitated 27 million trips and 8.6 billion miles driven, with less than 0.1% of those trips resulting in serious incidents such as vehicle theft.

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But Haddad said the events have prompted Turo to take a closer look at its processes.

Were consulting with national security and counterterrorism experts to learn more about how we can get even better and play our part in helping prevent anything like this from happening ever again, he said.
The beginning of the year often inspires many to adopt a healthier lifestyle free from alcohol.

But Generation Z believes Dry January has become outdated, with 20 per cent already giving up drinking for good.

Young adults think people should move on from the fad because many have already adopted a flexible relationship with booze which sees them stay sober for longer.

A fifth of 18 to 24-year-olds are teetotal, which is 12 per cent higher than the national average, according to a study conducted by pub and brewer Greene King.

Around 22 per cent of British adults are taking part in Dry January this year but those in Gen-Z do not understand the point in quitting for just one month.

The Greene King survey also found that Norwich is the most sober city in the UK with 26 per cent of residents not drinking.

It is followed by Portsmouth where a fifth of locals have given up alcohol while 17 per cent of people in Southampton are tee-total and 14 per cent of those in Liverpool are alcohol-free.

Around 12 per cent of people in Leicester, Wolverhampton, Cambridge and Birmingham are also sober.

The beginning of the year often inspires many to adopt a healthier lifestyle free from alcohol. But Generation Z believes Dry January has become outdated, with 20 per cent already giving up drinking for good (stock image)

Young adults think people should move on from the fad because many have already adopted a flexible relationship with booze which sees them stay sober for longer (stock image)

While 11 per cent of residents in both Brighton and Leeds do not drink alcohol.

A third of people believe there are more options for sober people on a night out than there were five years ago and one in four said they feel less pressured to drink.

More than 80 per cent think their friends and family would be supportive if they decided not to have any alcohol.

Andrew Gallagher, brand and marketing director at Greene King, said: Theres no doubt that the UK drinking culture has seen a notable change in recent years.

Pubs are more than just a great place to enjoy a drink and perfect for socialising with family and friends all year round, whether youre drinking or not.

GreeneKing has partnered with CleanCo, an alcohol-free spirit brand owned by Spencer Matthews, to launch a new range of alcohol free cocktails for those choosing not to drink. The brand is giving away 10,000 of the cocktails at participating Greene King pubs through January.
The White House isn't commenting 24 hours after President Joe Biden was first spotted with a mysterious bruise on the top of his hand, sparking questions about whether he has an ailment.

The bruise was visible again Friday evening as Biden hosted a medal of honor ceremony at the White House. A close up did not appear to show any cuts to the president's skin.

A White House spokesman asked about the bruise by DailyMail.com Thursday and Friday did not provide an explanation.

The bruise was first visible when the outgoing president, 82, hosted a celebration in the State Dining Room at the White House on Thursday, commemorating the record number of federal judges appointed during his term.

But eagle-eyed viewers noticed the president was sporting a nasty-looking mark on his left hand.

The coin-sized spot was dark purple in color and looked like a bruise, which had been partially covered by makeup.

The bruise has sparked a wave of conspiracy theories online, including that he had intravenous medication recently.

'Veins in the back of the hand are the easiest to find,' one person theorized.

The president was celebrating confirmation of 235 of his judicial nominees.

'I know they'll continue to uphold our nation's founding principles of liberty, justice, equality  and do it for decades to come,' Biden said.

Joe Biden was pictured at the White House with a mysterious bruise on the top of his hand

The coin-sized spot was dark purple in colour and looked like a bruise, which had been partially covered by makeup

The bruise was still visible at a Medal of Honor ceremony Biden hosted. Here Private First Class Kenneth J. David is awarded the Medal of Honor

'These judges will be independent, they'll be fair, and they'll be impartial and respect the rule of law,' Biden said.

'And most importantly  I never thought I'd be saying this  they'll uphold the Constitution.'

The 82-year-old president's health has been back in the news since The Wall Street Journal published a story on December 19 on how aides dealt with a 'diminished' president throughout his entire term.

The report revealed that aides would have to repeat obvious instructions to Biden  such as where to exit a stage.

Concern about the bruised hand comes just hours after another appearance sparked fears for the President, after he appeared to sport a mark on his lip.

Biden took to Camp David on Wednesday evening where he addressed the country on the ISIS-inspired attack that slaughtered at least 14 victims in the early hours of New Year's Day on New Orleans' famed Bourbon Street.

But some of those watching were quick to spot a slight difference to his face - leading to discussions on X regarding his overall health.

Biden took to Camp David on Wednesday evening where he finally addressed the country on the ISIS-inspired attack that slaughtered at least 15 victims in the early hours of New Year's Day in New Orleans

Some eagle-eyed viewers were quick to spot a slight difference to his face - leading to discussions on X regarding his overall health and if he fell and busted his lip before the address

'Biden looked awful,' one viewer shared to X. 'He looked like he may have fallen from his lower lip looking swollen and bruised.'

Another viewer tagged Fox News and agreed, questioning: 'When President Biden came on and gave an update today, what's wrong with the left side of his jaw and lip?'

'Did he have dental work, fall, or did he have a small stroke?' they added. 'How about finding out? Something is not right.'

A third viewer chimed in and tagged the White House account, adding: 'Biden looked like he had fallen and couldn't get up prior to his address.'

'Look at his lip.... he also has a scar above his lip on the left side of his face,' they added. 'I couldn't be the only one to notice this!!'
Frontline police spend more time searching for missing people than fighting crime, a senior officer has revealed.

Officers in some forces estimate up to 30 per cent of each shift is consumed by missing persons inquiries  while just 5 per cent goes on investigating burglaries, thefts and other incidents.

Chief Inspector Alan Rhees-Cooper, of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), said time spent seeking missing persons varied from force to force, but was 'significant' across the country.

'Response officers are spending more time looking for missing people than they are spending on investigating crime,' he added.

Mr Rhees-Cooper, chairman of the NPCC's missing people policing group, carried out a 'peer review' in one force where response officers said they were 'spending between 25 and 30 per cent of their tours of duty looking for missing people and spending less than 5 per cent investigating crime'.

He said: 'That impacts frontline officers who are attending incidents, who are also attending your burglaries, robbery reports, domestic abuse reports, et cetera.'

Figures from the UK Missing Persons Unit show forces conducted 319,745 investigations in England and Wales in 2022-23  or 876 a day.

Mr Rhees-Cooper, who has worked full-time for the past five years on developing national strategies on missing people, outlined two projects aiming to cut the number of reports.

Frontline police spend more time searching for missing people than fighting crime, a senior officer has revealed (stock image)

Officers in some forces estimate up to 30 per cent of each shift is consumed by missing persons inquiries  while just 5 per cent goes on investigating burglaries, thefts and other incidents (stock image)

Chief Inspector Alan Rhees-Cooper (pictured), of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), said time spent seeking missing persons varied from force to force, but was 'significant' across the country

'We often get reports from health and care settings about patients who go missing from hospital,' he said.

'A lot of these individuals aren't really missing people. Many of them go home  and if you go home you're not a missing person.

'The question is which agency should attend the home address to make sure they're okay and to try to persuade them to go back for treatment.'

Second, many reports involve children who go missing from care homes or foster families.

Mr Rhees-Cooper said: 'Sometimes those children were not missing, they were just late home or simply testing the boundaries.

'We have piloted a new framework to ensure the police only get involved when a child is at risk of suffering significant harm or is being exploited.'

Another area involves people who have simply decided to disappear, Mr Rhees-Cooper said.

'Adults are entitled to leave their families and start a new life elsewhere without the police trying to trace them,' he added.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp (pictured) accused the Labour Government of having 'no idea how to keep the public safe'

'If I decided to leave my wife tomorrow and go and start a new life, it would actually be a breach of my human rights if the police start actively tracing me, particularly if they put publicity in the Press.

'We're not a tracing agency. We're not there to find people who decide to leave home.'

Police should become involved only if a person is at risk, he added.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'Labour have no idea how to keep the public safe and bring down crime across this country. They have practically given up on law and order.'
A British citizen has been confirmed as one of the 14 people killed in the chilling New Year terror attack in New Orleans.

The cause of death for the British national has been confirmed as blunt force injuries by the city's coroner.

Their identity remains temporarily withheld at the request of the deceased's family 'pending finalisation of international arrangements'.

In addition to the 14 dead, dozens of people were also injured when army veteran Shamsud Din Jabbar rammed his rental truck through throngs of people stood along New Orleans' iconic Bourbon Street.

A senior FBI official has said the attack was 'premeditated' and an 'evil' act of terrorism, and said Jabbar was '100% inspired by ISIS', also known as Islamic State.

This statement was made after an Islamic State flag was found in the back of Jabbar's rental truck, leading the FBI to probe the 42-year-old's ties to the extremist group and begin a hunt for potential accomplices.

Speaking to the news of the British citizen's death, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told the MailOnline: 'We are supporting the family of a British National who has died in New Orleans and are in contact with local authorities'.

Flowers laid in memory of the 14 people killed in the New Orleans terror attack along the city's famous Bourbon Street

Shamsud Din Jabbar (pictured), 42, has been identified as the driver who massacred pedestrians

The driver who plowed into pedestrians celebrating the New Year in New Orleans killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens is dead following a shootout with police

As US authorities continue to investigate the horrendous terror attack, attention has turned to Jabbar's home in a trailer park in the Rushwood neighborhood of northern Houston  a run-down bungalow with geese, chickens, and sheep roaming the yard.

It remains unclear exactly what motivated Jabbar, but reports suggest his life had gone off the rails after he quit the Army in July 2020. The cash-strapped father and double divorcee's real estate business was floundering.

Court records show Jabbar faced a deteriorating financial situation in 2022 while separating from his then-wife. Jabbar said he was behind on house payments and had accumulated credit card debt and wanted to quickly finalize the divorce.

It's also unclear how heavily involved he was with Masjid Bilal mosque, a sprawling double-story brick complex that also includes a school, which is just a few minutes' walk from his house.

The nearby religious center and ISGH have worked hard in recent years to distance themselves from the hardline Islamist views that gave rise to such violent jihadist groups as ISIS and al-Qaeda.

Its mosques, which were founded by Pakistani immigrants from the 1960s onward, are used as polling stations; leaders publicly proclaim a moderate form of Islam compatible with modern-day US lifestyles.

ISGH has hosted dozens of interfaith gatherings and worked with local Christian churches on charity food drives, according to CAIR.

But they also have a sketchy track record when it comes to hard line Islamist views, which were exposed after the 9/11 terror attacks on the US and tougher efforts to root out home-grown religious extremists.

Notably, ISGH in 2001 hired the Algerian cleric Bouchikhi, who served as the spiritual leader at a southeast Houston mosque, and who was arrested and then deported in 2011, reportedly for immigration violations.

Bouchikhi has a record of making extreme statements about non-Muslims and women that are at odds with ISGH's professed values.

Jabbar's alignment with a terrorist group such as Islamic State has come as a shock to those who used to know him, with one former classmate now telling DailyMail.com that 'wasn't the kind of guy who looked for trouble'.

Following the horrific tragedy, an image of what appears to be a flagpole on the back of the unidentified driver's truck circulated online

A black flag with white lettering lies on the ground rolled up behind Jabbar's rental truck following his vicious terror attack

Videos circulating on social media that appear to have been recorded at the scene shows multiple casualties on the ground as shots ring out in the background

Kendrick Watson Smith Sr., who went to middle and high school in Texas with Jabbar and his twin sister, said 'Sham' - as his classmates used to call him - was smart, 'very mild-mannered', and seemingly well-liked because of his 'cool personality'.

'As far as I can remember, I don't recall him being a troublemaker or anything like that,' Smith, 42, said. 'That just wasn't in his character. He was bookish and quiet, but he had a group of friends.'

He also recalled how he was surprised when Jabbar went into the military, claiming it seemed he had been on track to go off to college and become a lawyer or doctor.

Jabbar served in the Army from March 2007 to July 2020, deploying to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. He transferred to the army reserve in 2015 and left in 2020 with the rank of staff sergeant.

Jabbar earned nearly two dozens awards while serving in the military, including a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Task & Purpose reported.

This is a breaking news story and is being updated.
Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq was given a two-bedroom apartment by a figure connected to the recently deposed Bangladeshi government, it was reported last night.

Developer Abdul Motalif is understood to have donated the two-bedroom home in central London to Ms Siddiq in 2004, without a payment being made.

Mr Motalif has links to Ms Siddiq's aunt, the former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, who ruled the country with an iron fist.

She fled Bangladesh to India in August with Ms Siddiq's mother Sheikh Rehana after the deaths of hundreds of protesters.

The King's Cross property, which Ms Siddiq still owns, was purchased in January 2001 for 195,000. A neighbouring property recently sold for 650,000, according to the Financial Times.

Ms Siddiq faced calls to step back from anti-corruption work last month amid claims she helped her family embezzle 4 billion from a nuclear power project.

The Rooppur nuclear plant was built in Bangladesh by Russian state-owned company Rosatom.

But the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation  which Ms Siddiq oversees  has imposed at least 45 measures on companies and individuals linked to Rosatom over the war on Ukraine.

Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq was given a two-bedroom apartment by a figure connected to the recently deposed Bangladeshi government

Ms Siddiq's aunt, former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina with Russian president Vladimir Putin

Actions against Rosatom subsidiaries must be regularly reviewed by Hampstead MP Ms Siddiq.

Bangladesh's high court has heard claims that Ms Siddiq, 42, may have helped to 'broker' the nuclear plant deal, worth 10billion.

It was signed in the Kremlin in 2013 by Hasina and Vladimir Putin in the presence of Ms Siddiq  then a Labour councillor.

Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) says the alleged embezzlement was between 2009 and 2023 while Ms Hasina was prime minister.

The ACC is also investigating Ms Siddiq's mother, 69, her ex-PM aunt, 77, and two other relatives. They are alleged to have siphoned off 3.9billion through fake companies and Malaysian bank accounts.

Reports last night reveal electoral roll data show that Mr Motalif allowed Moin Ghani, a lawyer who went on to represent the government led by Ms Hasina's Awami League, to live in the King's Cross flat before Ms Siddiq did in the early 2000s.

Mr Motalif also shared an address with Mojibul Islam, the son of a former Awami League MP, between 2014 and 2024, indicating his links with the Hasina government.

Last night sources told the Mail the property was transferred to Ms Siddiq as an act of gratitude after her parents provided financial support to Mr Motalif during a 'challenging time in his life'.

Downing Street has insisted that the Prime Minister retains confidence in Ms Siddiq

Questions have already been raised over Ms Siddiq's involvement with the Awami League before she became a Labour MP.

She is believed to have worked for the party's EU and UK 'lobbying unit and election strategy team'.

Since 2022, she has rented a 2.1million home owned by Abdul Karim, a member of the UK wing of the Awami League. Last month, she was forced to deny allegations that she co-ordinated meetings with Bangladeshi and Russian officials over the new nuclear plant deal.

No 10 have maintained that the Prime Minister 'has confidence' in her. As the Treasury's Economic Secretary, Ms Siddiq is responsible for tackling corruption in UK financial markets.

A spokesman for Ms Siddiq said: 'Any suggestion that Tulip Siddiq's ownership of this property, or any other property is in any way linked to support for the Awami League, would be categorically wrong.'
Donald Trump appeared less than convinced by his new foreign policy hire in a new statement saying that 'these things don't usually work out' a month after Laura Loomer called her 'a snake.'

The president-elect announced that Morgan Ortagus was being named Deputy Special Presidential Envoy for Middle East Peace on Friday.

Ortagus, a former Fox News contributor and State Department spokeswoman, was previously endorsed by Trump when she ran for a Congressional seat in Tennessee in 2022.

However, Trump appears less than convinced by the hire, saying that Ortagus 'fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson.'

'These things usually dont work out, but she has strong Republican support, and Im not doing this for me, Im doing it for them. Lets see what happens,' suggesting he was appeasing the party by hiring her to serve under Steven Witkoff.

Trump added: 'She will hopefully be an asset to Steve, a great leader and talent, as we seek to bring calm and prosperity to a very troubled region. I expect great results, and soon!'

Despite having worked for him in his first term and having Trump's endorsement for Congress, Ortagus appears to have some skepticism from the MAGA base.

Right-wing influencer and Trump associate Laura Loomer claimed last month in an online post she has 'receipts' on Ortagus, who she compared to a 'snake' who should be prevented from joining the incoming administration.

Donald Trump appeared less than convinced by Morgan Ortagus, his new foreign policy hire, in a new statement saying that 'these things don't usually work out'

The conspiracy theorist and provocateur, who travelled with Trump during the campaign before reportedly being kept off his plane, engaged after Ortagus, a former Fox News contributor and State Department spokeswoman, posted an image of herself with Kash Patel, Trump's controversial nominee to be FBI Director.

The association would be a way for someone in Trump's circle to establish bonafides with the 'Deep State' warrior whose coming nomination sent shockwaves through D.C.

To counter it, Loomer posted an image of Ortagus in a Jeb Bush T-shirt and one appearing with former Trump rival Nikki Haley at an event for her national security consulting firm  snaps apparently meant to paint her as a RINO, an endangered species in Trump World.

Then, she called Ortagus a 'snake' and suggested she wasn't a true MAGA adherent.

'I love Kash Patel. He has always been a big supporter of the J6 patriots and even raised money for them. Morgan Ortagus is a snake who is disliked by all of her colleagues at the State Department and she is a traitor to Trump,' Loomer wrote, referencing people who stormed the Capitol.

Then, addressing Patel, she claimed to have 'receipts so you can protect yourself from this snake.'

Loomer said Ortagus and her business partners 'all worked against Trump in case she is telling you otherwise,' she advised.

She said Ortagus was hoping to become Deputy Secretary of Defense, a powerful post.

Trump appears less than convinced by the hire, saying that Ortagus 'fought me for three years, but hopefully has learned her lesson'

Ortagus, a former Fox News contributor and State Department spokeswoman, was previously endorsed by Trump when she ran for a Congressional seat in Tennessee in 2022

Trump's pick for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, is under fire after being accused of sexual assault and taking part in drunken strip club escapades.

'She is hoping she can become the Deputy Secretary of Defense after Trump named Rep. Elise Stefanik' was designated as his pick to be U.S. ambassador to the UN 'instead of Morgan', she wrote.

'I think we have all had enough of Morgans many years of social climbing in MAGA at the State Department,' she told her 1.3 million followers on X.

Then her critique to a sharp turn toward personal attacks based on religion, saying her 'twin sister married a Muslim man' and that she 'divorced her first husband and married a rich, politically connected Jew in DC and had her wedding officiated by the ultra- liberal SCOTUS justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg.'

Reached by DailyMail.com, Ortagus had only a brief response. 'Im at expeditionary combat training,' said the Navy reservist. She said she had not heard about the post and had to go.

Multiple figures in Trump's orbit have dismissed Loomer. But Trump defended her in September after she accompanied him to Sept. 11th ceremonies despite pushing a bizarre conspiracy theory that the attacks were an 'inside job.'

'Laura has been a supporter of mine. Just like a lot of people are supporters, and shes been a supporter of mine. She speaks very positively of the campaign. Im not sure why you asked that question,' Trump said in California when pressed on the relationship.

In the post that drew Loomer's wrath, Ortagus wrote: 'A beautiful Sunday lunch with 45/47 and the next @FBI Director my friend kash_patel.' She posted an image of herself with Trump the day before the elections.

Laura Loomer compared former State Department official Morgan Ortagus to a 'snake' after she posted an image of herself with Kash Patel

Loomer quoted from the song 'the Snake,' which Trump has read at rallies while discussing immigration

In 2022, despite Trump's endorsement, Ortagus was booted from the ballot in Tennessee after the local GOP voted to remove her because she had only just moved to the state.

'President Donald Trump believes I'm the best person to fight for his America First agenda and Middle Tennessee in Congress, and I'm working hard to ensure that my fellow Tennesseans, including TNGOP SEC members, understand why,' Ortagus said in a statement on the decision to remove her.

'As I have said all along, I believe that voters in Middle Tennessee should pick their representative  not establishment party insiders,' she continued. 'Our team is evaluating the options before us.'

The vote came after the GOP-controlled state legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill that requires congressional candidates to live in Tennessee for three years to qualify to run on primary ballots.

In late January 2022, the ex-president sent out his endorsement email for Ortagus from his Save America PAC account.

'I am told the very strong and impressive Morgan Ortagus is exploring a run for Congress in Tennessee's 5th Congressional District,' Trump wrote at the time. 'I couldn't be happier because she's an absolute warrior for America First and MAGA!'

'She won't bow to the Woke Mob or the Leftist LameStream Media,' he added.
More than 230,000 has been pulled from Prince Andrew's Dragon's Den-style initiative Pitch@Palace, accounts documents filed this week show.

During the financial year up until March 31, 2024, the amount of cash at hand and in the bank at the firm decreased by half, from 454,979 to 220,990.

The accounts, which were filed to Companies House on December 30, show the withdrawal was signed by Pitch@Palace's sole director Arthur Lancaster, on behalf of the board.

However, mystery surrounds what the money has been used for or to whom it has been paid.

Last year, around 120,000 was also pulled from Pitch@Palace Global Ltd's account with its total assets falling from 610,870 to 489,915.

It comes amid concerns about the future of the Duke of York's Pitch@Palace scheme after it emerged that a former boss at the company was an alleged spy.

Yang Tengbo, 50, was appointed founder of the programme's enterprise in China and has been described as a 'close confidante' of the Duke of York.

The business man has visited Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace and was also invited to his 60th birthday party.

The Duke of York speaks during a Pitch@Palace event - the scheme was set up to support entrepreneurs

Yang Tengbo, 50, was appointed founder of the programme's enterprise in China and has been described as a 'close confidante' of the Duke of York (pictured together)

Last month a box full of books detailing the work of Prince Andrews business initiative in China was left dumped outside the 1 million property that served as a headquarters for Mr Yang.

One of the books was a hard-backed collection of photographs showing Andrew meeting dozens of Chinese businessmen as part of his scheme.

The first photograph in the 87-page tome showed the Duke of York posing with suspected spook Yang, who has been banned from entering the UK on national security grounds.

Mr Yang is suspected by the security services of being associated with the United Front Work Department [UFWD]  the secretive arm of the Chinese government that organises Beijing's cultural influences overseas.

He was first stopped from entering the UK under counter-terror laws in 2021 and his devices were seized, with documents retrieved later revealing his links to Andrew.

He was taken off a flight to London in 2023, with the then-home secretary Suella Braverman upholding the decision to cancel his residency rights in March of that year because it would be 'conducive to the public good.'

Mr Yang has said allegations he is a spy are 'ill-founded' and 'entirely untrue', adding: 'The political climate has changed, and unfortunately, I have fallen victim to this.

'When relations are good, and Chinese investment is sought, I am welcome in the UK. When relations sour, an anti-China stance is taken, and I am excluded.'

Prince Andrew as he hosts a Pitch@Palace event at Buckingham Palace in June 2019

The Pitch@Palace scheme was set up by the Duke of York in 2014 to help put would-be entrepreneurs in touch with investors and mentors.

It was thrown into disarray, however, following Prince Andrew's disastrous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis in November 2019.

The Prince agreed to withdraw from public duties but initially wanted to remain a figurehead for Pitch@Palace.

Nevertheless the global arm, a private limited company, continued but gradually removed all references to the Duke of York from its homepage.

The firm's website previously welcomed visitors with the words: 'The Duke of York founded Pitch@Palace to provide a platform to amplify and accelerate the work of entrepreneurs.'

However, that has now been replaced with a note saying that Pitch@Palace is taking the first part of 2020 to 'refresh the brand'.

Several pictures showing Andrew were also removed from the website.
A beloved and heavily-pregnant California school teacher died after falling while on a hiking trip in Greece.

Clara Thomann, 33, had been traveling through Plakias, Crete, with her partner Elliott Finn when she fell during a hike and died on December 23.

Thomann, who is from Santa Barbara, was six months pregnant at the time, according to SFGate and was a teacher at the Dos Pueblos High School.

According to The Greek Reporter, she had slipped and tumbled 50 meters down a gorge from a hiking trail near the Preveli Monastery in the Rethymno region.

The outlet reported that she was pronounced brain dead less than a week after the fall, that caused her to suffer major injuries to her skull and chest.

Tragically Thomann lost her unborn child in the fall, with 21 firefighters and rescue teams battling to reach her from what was described as an inaccessible spot.

Her family traveled to the country to visit her before her death, with Veronica Katz writing on her CaringBridge page, seen by SFGate, that she 'loved helping and teaching others'.

Clara Thomann, 33, had been traveling through Plakias, Crete, with her partner Elliott Finn when she fell during a hike and died on December 23

Thomann, who is from Santa Barbara, was six months pregnant at the time, according to SFGate and was a teacher at the Dos Pueblos High School

She added: 'Life can be random and painful but we know that Clara would want us to all learn from this terrible experience and use it as una excusa para juntar y celebrar'.

Katz added: 'Clara loved this Thomann family motto. Making excuses to gather and celebrate with family and friends for whatever minor or major reason was something that Clara loved.'

Another posted: 'My son was her student and she was his favorite teacher. Starting high school is nerve wracking having her as his first period as a freshman made it so much more bearable.

'I appreciated the leadership she showed in her classroom and how she made physics fun and interesting and the love that each student felt from her. She will be missed but never forgotten.'

While Dos Pueblos Principal Bill Woodard told Noozhawk: 'There are no words to describe the sadness we are all feeling.

She had slipped and tumbled 50 meters down a gorge from a hiking trail near the Preveli Monastery in the Rethymno region. Clara and Elliott are seen here

According to her social media she had worked as a physics teacher. Her family have announced they would be donating her organs

Thomann had slipped and tumbled 50 meters down a gorge from a hiking trail near the Preveli Monastery in the Rethymno region in Crete (pictured)

'Ms. Thomann was so kind and such a great teacher who loved her students and loved science. Our hearts break for her family and for all of us who are feeling this loss.

'We understand that this news brings pain and shock, especially to those who had the privilege of knowing Ms. Thomann, which is why we are committed to supporting our students and families.'

In a post to her CaringBridge, her partner Finn said: 'Weve been celebrating Clari, hiking to beaches and collecting shells, rocks, and more memories. Thanks so much for all the love and support.'

According to her social media she had worked as a physics teacher. Her family have announced they would be donating her organs.
Britain is bracing for an arctic blast this weekend with temperatures of -10 and more than a foot of snow expected to sweep across the country, as major cities 'activate' emergency plans.

The Met Office has warned that up to 1ft 4in (40cm) of snow could blanket parts of the UK, with fears of rural communities being cut off amid widespread travel chaos.

The forecaster has put in place a yellow snow warning for most of England and the whole of Wales from 12pm today until 11.59pm on Sunday, while rural Scotland is bracing for temperatures as low as -10C (14F) tonight.

A yellow ice warning has been activated for Scotland, Northern Ireland, North East England and North Wales and remains in place until 10am today.

Weather maps showed the storm touching down on the south west coast from as early as 12am this morning before spreading northwards.

Two new amber weather warnings will come into effect from 6pm tonight, with warnings that snow and freezing rain across Wales and the Midlands could lead to travel delays, road closures and power cuts.

The arctic conditions will then sweep into northern England and Scotland from around 6am on Sunday before the weather warms up to 13C (55F) in parts of the south.

It comes after a seven-month-old boy was killed in a crash when a car collided with a tree on the A1 near Grantham on Thursday night with Lincolnshire Police investigating whether it was linked to icy conditions.

The Met Office has put in place a yellow snow warning for most of England and the whole of Wales from 12pm today until 11.59pm on Sunday

Two new amber weather warnings will come into effect from 6pm tonight, with warnings of snow and freezing rain across Wales and the Midlands

The arctic conditions will then sweep into northern England and Scotland from around 6am on Sunday

A hard frost turns Stonehenge white at dawn in Wiltshire on Friday morning amid sub-zero weather

A car is driven through snow in Balerno, Edinburgh, on Friday as the wintry weather continues

The NHS Black Country integrated care board has warned the public to 'avoid going out early when the frost is thick or late at night when it's dark', adding people should keep hands free and wear shoes with a good grip.

In Herefordshire, the Wye Valley NHS Trust told people to 'have sufficient food and medicine and take measures to reduce draughts in your home'.

The first amber snow and ice warning for Wales and the Midlands states that 'snow and freezing rain will likely lead to disruption to transport and some other services'.

It adds that there is a 'good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage'.

The warning also says that 'travel delays on roads are likely, stranding some vehicles and passengers' and 'some road closures and longer journey times possible'.

In addition, the Met Office warns 'some delays and cancellations to bus, rail and air travel are likely'; 'there is a good chance that some rural communities could become cut off'; and 'untreated pavements and cycle paths likely to be impassable'.

Forecasters expect the snow to become persistent and heavy as it pushes south to north across the warning area, with freezing rain also expected to bring 'hazardous travel conditions', before milder air follows by Sunday morning.

TODAY: An ice warning is in place for northern areas until 10am today

TODAY: The first amber warning for snow and ice covering Wales and the Midlands is in place from 6pm tonight until midday on Sunday. The second, an amber snow warning for the North of England, was issued from 9pm tonight until 11.59pm on Sunday. The amber alerts come on top of the existing yellow snow warning from 12pm today until 11.59pm on Sunday

SUNDAY: The warnings are then joined on Sunday by a yellow snow alert for most of Scotland

MONDAY: The final alert, a yellow snow warning for Scotland, runs until 12pm on Monday

Heavy snow falls across Aberdeenshire on Friday as vehicles are driven through Alford

A car is driven through snow in Balerno, Edinburgh, on Friday as the wintry weather continues

A swimmer takes a dip at a frosty Beckenham Place Park Lake in South East Londonon Friday

Between 3cm (1.2in) and 7cm (2.8in) of snow is likely for much of the warning area, with 15cm (6in) to 30cm (1ft) for the higher ground of Wales and the southern Pennines.

Freezing rain is also expected to lead to ice in parts of Wales, before the milder air leads to a rapid thaw in the south of the warning area on Sunday.

Similar details are contained in the second amber warning for northern England.

Met Office weather warnings in place Yellow - Ice - Today 4pm until Tomorrow 10am - Scotland, Northern Ireland, North East England and North Wales

Yellow - Snow - Tomorrow 12pm until Sunday 11.59pm - England and Wales

Amber - Snow and ice - Tomorrow 6pm until Sunday 12pm - Wales and the Midlands

Amber - Snow - Tomorrow 9pm until Sunday 11.59pm - Northern England

Yellow - Snow - Sunday 0am until Monday 12pm - Scotland Advertisement

This alert also states: 'Snow will be persistent and heavy at times, and will likely drift in brisk easterly winds, especially over higher ground.'

Much of this warning area can also expect 3cm (1.2in) to 7cm (2.8in) of snow, while areas above about 150m (500ft) will likely see 15cm (6in) to 30cm (1ft), with 40cm (1ft 4in) for ground above 300m (1,000ft).

The alert adds: 'For some lower-lying areas, such as the Vale of York, snow may mix with rain at times making estimations of snow depths here more difficult. Regardless, travel will likely be difficult, with power line icing an additional impact.'

Speaking about snow in eastern areas of England including London, Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill told a YouTube live Q&A session today: 'There is the risk of some snow further east, it won't perhaps be quite as disruptive, but parts of Norfolk are within that warning area.

'London, a little bit less likely to see something, but nonetheless it's not out of the question. We are likely to see some snow coming through but I think that'll be more so Saturday night into Sunday.

'And the thing to bear in mind with places like London and to the South, even if you do see any sleet or snow, then it's going to quite quickly be followed by some rain, so it's likely to get washed away and so less likely to be impactful.'

National Rail Enquiries said the line between Inverness and Dingwall in northern Scotland would be closed until at least 11am today because of 'multiple landslips and areas flooded', meaning no ScotRail services between Inverness and Wick/Thurso and between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh.

A snow plough clears the roads around Alford in Aberdeenshire on Friday amid severe weather

A frosty scene at South Yeo Farm East in Devon on Friday as the UK wakes up to very cold weather

A person braves the cold walking through Green Park on a very chilly day in London on Friday

Donkeys at a frosty paddock in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, on Friday morning after a bitterly cold night

People brave the cold as they walk through St James's Park in London on Friday morning

St Thomas Becket church is surrounded by frosty fields on Romney Marsh in Kentyesterday

Met Office Chief Forecaster Jason Kelly said: 'This weekend will bring a range of weather hazards to the UK, notable snow accumulations, freezing rain, ice and heavy rain as well as some gusty conditions.

'We have issued a number of severe weather warnings, including Amber warnings for snow and ice in parts of England and Wales.

'Some significant accumulations of snow are possible across parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England in particular, where 5cm or more could accumulate fairly widely, with as much as 20 to 30cm over high ground of mid and north Wales and potentially 30 to 40cm over parts of the Pennines. This, accompanied by strengthening winds, may lead to drifting of lying snow.'

He added that as the milder air moves northwards, snow may turn to a spell of freezing rain for a time.

Mr Kelly said: 'There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places.

'As the supercooled rain droplets hit the surface they instantly freeze, covering everything in a layer of ice, making it extremely dangerous.'

The amber alerts from the UKHSA mean a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.

People brave the cold as they walk through St James's Park in London on Friday morning

Fields during a frosty morning at Southam in Warwickshire on Friday morning

Frost covers houses and the ground at Martham in Norfolk yesterday amid the sub-zero weather

A freezing start as a cyclist makes their way through Blackheath in South East London

People walk through snow in Balerno, Edinburgh,yesterday as the wintry weather continues

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: 'The forecasted temperatures can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions, and it is therefore vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.

'These people could be more at risk of heart attacks, stroke and chest infections as a result of cold temperatures.'

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said today that it was 'a weekend to layer up and put the heating on' due to the cold conditions.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'We are heading into a cold snap this weekend and I know there are lots of concerns, not just amongst charity leaders, but also among NHS and social care leaders as well, about the particular risks and vulnerabilities this weekend as temperatures drop, both in terms of risk of accident and injury, but also risk from the cold itself.

'This is a weekend to wrap up and keep warm, to take sensible precautions about going out and about.'

These comments drew the ire of Age UK director Caroline Abrahams who responded to Mr Streeting's remarks by stating: 'Unfortunately, it has become increasingly clear that the Government's decision has left millions or the poorest and most vulnerable people unprotected this winter.

'We have been hoping and praying that a mild winter would reduce the risks to older people created by the decision to severely ration the Winter Fuel Payment at short notice'.

Councils across London and southern England have also activated emergency measures including additional accommodation to help rough sleepers stay safe during the cold snap.

James Lally, services director of homelessness charity St Mungo's, said: 'Access to a safe and warm place to live is vital for those experiencing homelessness all year round - and during freezing cold weather, emergency accommodation saves lives.

'St Mungo's frontline teams are prepared to respond to this critical situation, and continue to work tirelessly around the clock to make sure that as many people as possible can be brought out of the cold and into safety.'

Dan Stroud, meteorologist at the Met Office, said conditions should become warmer by the end of the weekend before cold weather strikes again early next week.

He said: 'The second half of the weekend should be in the high singles or low doubles (for temperature figures).

'But temperatures will dive again next week, particularly on Monday and Tuesday.

'They should start to improve towards the latter end of the week. But there's a lot of water to go under the bridge until then.'

Bookmaker Ladbrokes has cut odds that this month will be the coldest January on record, down from 3/1 to 4/5.

The coldest temperature recorded in January 2024 was -14C (7F) at Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands.

 Amber weather warning issued 



Snow and ice across parts of central England and Wales



Saturday 1800 - Sunday 1200



Latest info  https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs



Stay #WeatherAware  pic.twitter.com/TLvSrtSC1Z  Met Office (@metoffice) January 3, 2025

 Amber weather warning issued 



Snow across northern England



Saturday 2100 - Sunday 2359



Latest info  https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs



Stay #WeatherAware  pic.twitter.com/v2MKvd2nvJ  Met Office (@metoffice) January 3, 2025

After a brief respite of milder air for some areas on Sunday, colder conditions are set to develop widely across the UK into next week.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said: 'The system bringing this weekend's snow will move away to the east by Monday, allowing a cold a northerly flow to become established again for much of next week.

'This will bring further snow showers to northern Scotland in particular, but possibly to some other areas, especially near western coasts, with a fair amount of dry and bright weather elsewhere.

'Temperatures will remain below average, with widespread frost and the risk of ice at times.

'Some areas, especially in the north, may struggle to get above freezing for several days. It is possible further weather warnings will be issued for the start of next week, so it's advisable to stay up to date with the forecast.'

National Highways Severe Weather Resilience Manager, Darren Clark, said: 'If you are travelling this weekend, keep your distance and reduce your speed.

'Gritters will be out treating our roads around the clock when ice or snow is forecast, but it is still important to drive to the conditions.

'Even in conditions that seem normal and where the snow is not settling you could always experience slippery conditions.

'Drivers should plan their journeys, check their vehicles, monitor weather reports and pack a snow kit of blankets, food, water and a shovel.'
Bobbie Simpson became the first openly transgender person elected to office in Shasta County when she won in November. Andri Tambunan/Special to the Chronicle

One week before she was sworn in as Gateway Unifieds newest school board member, Bobbie Simpson learned she had a phone message from a concerned constituent. Simpson, a 45-year-old married parent of two and the first openly transgender person elected in conservative Shasta County, told herself the conversation could go one of two ways.

It actually went both ways.

She started out, I was just worried, are you gonna change the bathrooms? Simpson recalled, before chuckling. And Im like, Into what? A lounge?

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Simpson said she reassured the woman she had no plans for the student lavatories and that the call lasted about 40 minutes. It was a nice chat, she said. I hope thats how my term goes.

In her unassuming way, Simpson is pushing against a political barnstorm.

For the past few years, conservative political action committees, parent groups and even militias, motivated by COVID classroom pauses and culture war crusades, have focused on controlling Americas school boards. The strategy  running candidates who are skeptical of public education and opposed to LGBTQ rights in down-ballot, low-turnout elections  has been loud, polarizing and, in California of all states, effective.

At least 86 California school board candidates supported by conservative groups won their Nov. 5 contests, a Chronicle analysis of endorsement and election information found. The victories represent more than a third of the 250 school board positions decided in the state  and are probably an undercount.

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Together, the organizations supported at least 158 candidates running for 87 school boards in 13 counties.

By comparison, the progressive political organizations Run for Something and LGBTQ+ Victory Fund endorsed 28 candidates running for 26 school boards in 13 California counties  14 of whom won.

According to Ballotpedia, 96 California school boards had November elections.

The conservative victories flipped four school boards to the right and maintained majorities on others, including the Chino Valley and Rocklin boards that have pressed forward with attempts to forcibly out trans and gender-nonconforming students, despite lawsuits challenging the policies and a new law against parental notification policies.

The data  definitely does show that these groups are still having a very meaningful impact, said Paige Shoemaker DeMio, senior policy analyst of K-12 education at the Center for American Progress, a liberal policy organization in Washington, D.C. You can definitely say thats true in California.

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Like he has with other issues, President-elect Donald Trump adds unpredictability to the mix.

The Chino Valley school board in San Bernardino County, which is in a protracted legal battle with the state over its policy requiring schools to out transgender and gender-nonconforming students to parents, retained its conservative majority in Novembers election. At least 86 school board candidates supported by conservative groups such as Moms for Liberty, the California Family Council and Reform California won on Nov. 5, 2024, a Chronicle analysis found. Kyle Grillot/Special to the Chronicle 2024

His pick to lead the U.S. Department of Education, former World Wrestling Entertainment executive Linda McMahon, is a conservative Christian charter school booster with limited government experience. She chairs the America First Policy Institute, a nationalist policy nonprofit. Like the Heritage Foundations Project 2025, AFPI promotes a right-wing agenda that could hollow out Americas public school systems  whether Trump follows Project 2025s recommendation to ax the department overseeing them or not, said Jon Valant, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, a D.C.-based think tank.

I dont think were going to see a dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education because it would require an act of Congress, Valant said. I think were going to see a lot of games played.

Valant said he expects the Trump administration to pursue federal policies that will siphon funding and students from public schools to private operations with less regulatory oversight  like a federal school choice voucher program  accelerating a nationwide public school enrollment decline that has led to state takeovers and school closures.

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We could see a lot of students across the country, even in blue states like California, taking these federal funds and moving to private schools, which could further destabilize public school funding and budgets, he said.

Even if theres just a threat of that in peoples minds  I think that could create serious problems when it comes to school attendance, he said of the latter. A lot of families may be too nervous (to send their children to school), potentially for good reason.

Valant and DeMio said the Trump administrations education platform, or whats known of it, broadly aligns with the goals of the parental rights movement attempting to seize power at the school board level, down to giving conservative Christian parents greater say over what children are taught than educators and administrators.

Jen Wiersma, a Temecula Valley Unified school board trustee in Riverside County, said shes looking forward to working with the incoming administration.

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Wiersma said she was fighting to protect children and keep classrooms free of divisive CRT or gender ideology while making patriotism central to what students are taught. She survived a recall effort that successfully ousted board president Joseph Komrosky. He reclaimed his seat on Nov. 5  with the help of Eric Trump, the president-elects son  and the board again has a conservative majority.

From left, Michah, 16, Bobbie, Athena and Phineas Simpson, 10, visit Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding in December. Before successfully running for Gateway Unifieds school board, Bobbie Simpson said she knew 10 people well  four of whom she lived with. Andri Tambunan/Special to the Chronicle

For Simpson, who has lived in Shasta County most of her life, began transitioning eight years ago and keeps a tight circle of confidantes that consists mostly of her wife, two kids and in-laws, running for office was not the plan. Im just a parent, she said.

But after learning her small mountain district was being put through the same paces as Temecula Valleys and others, she ran, she said, not to make history, but to restore stability to a district in dire need of it.

Chaos a feature

One morning in January 2023, Simpson was dropping off her daughter at school when a teacher or fellow parent  she forgets who  invited her to check out the drama engulfing Gateway Unifieds school board.

I showed up, and they basically had a takeover with some Moms for Liberty candidates, Simpson remembered. That kicked off the whole journey.

This sort of chaos is a feature, not a bug, of parental rights takeovers, DeMio said. The often anonymous elected bodies, which approve budgets, curriculum, school closures and openings, are suddenly spending more time arguing past each other than addressing local educational needs.

Theyre distracting from a lot of the real issues that are actually impacting student achievement and taking away the time and the resources that the school board needs to focus on those issues, she said. When we have electeds who are not qualified and theyre getting caught up in the politics of all these other issues, it really takes away from  the students.

A survey of hundreds of public school superintendents in the U.S., released in October, found the same thing.

The report, from researchers at UC Riverside, UCLA, University of Texas at Austin and American University in Washington, D.C., estimated that K-12 school districts spent about $3.2 billion during the 2023-24 school year just responding to culturally divisive conflict, specifically misinformation and vitriol around race-conscious teaching, LGBTQ youth and COVID-19. (T)he election of one or two new school board members who are conflict entrepreneurs can dramatically shift dynamics, the report stated.

The Brookings Institution just completed a national survey of school boards. While the data still needs to be processed, Valant said right-wing polarization created a huge distraction at a time when schools were trying to recover from the pandemic. We had messy school board meetings, messy races in places where they just needed stability and calm.

Meanwhile, a 2021 Cambridge University study of previous school board elections in California and other states determined most voters didnt have children in the schools and were white.

The California Family Council, which says it is advancing Gods design and is grateful to have been named an anti-LGBTQ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, contends theres a method to its tactics.

Conservative school board members want to redirect the focus back to academic excellence and build true partnerships with parents, CFC Vice President Greg Burt said in a statement. Programs like critical race theory and hidden policies that exclude parents, such as secret name changes, undermine trust and distract from education.

Gateway Unified is the fourth-largest of Shasta Countys 26 school districts, overseeing eight schools and about 2,700 students. Sued 29 times since 1997  more than larger, neighboring districts  its running a $3.2 million deficit this school year and projecting declines in student enrollment and staffing over the next few years.

Simpson pointed to the chaotic meetings as a reason for the departures. We have had an exodus of staff, a lot of good people leaving to other districts, some even leaving Shasta County, because of the turmoil that was going on on the board, she said.

After joining a short-lived recall campaign targeting the Hayneses, Simpson decided to challenge Elias Haynes the old-fashioned way  by running against him. Pulling 57% of the 4,601 votes cast, Simpsons victory shifted the balance on the Board of Trustees.

I just want to show people that, as a parent, my concerns are largely the same as yours  whats best for the kids? she said. Thats my focus. Im not coming in to do anything radical. Im just coming in to take care of all the kids, regardless of how they identify.

Bobbie Simpson takes the oath of office as the newest member of the Gateway Unified School District board in Shasta County. Simpson is the first openly transgender politician in the countys history. Courtesy of Bobbie Simpson

She hopes her first meeting indicated a tone change.

The Dec. 18, 2024, meeting covered end-of-year reports, field trip approvals and other routine business. Nobody was thrown out, and the meeting ended after one hour, not six. Simpson was sworn in, and almost everyone clapped. Lindsi Haynes didnt.
At least 12 people have been killed and 30 more injured after a bus full of tourists plunged down a 160ft gorge.

The horror took place in the early hours of January 3 in Pasto, Colombia, on a section of the Pan-American Highway.

Shocking pictures taken in the aftermath show the bus lying in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the gorge.

The vehicle was carrying 42 passengers and victims were rushed to hospitals in Tangua, Ipiales, as well as the city of Pasto, as reported by NTN24.

Colombian Traffic Police are still investigating the ages and identities of those involved in the crash.

Maria Constanza Garcia Alicastro, Colombia's Minister of Transport, paid tribute on social media.

He wrote: 'My deepest condolences to the families affected by this tragedy and I express my full solidarity on behalf of the national government in these difficult times.'

It is believed the tragic crash was caused by a mechanical failure in the bus.

At least 12 people have been killed and 30 injured after a bus full of tourists plunged down a 160ft gorge. Shocking pictures taken in the aftermath show the bus lying in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the gorge

Colombian Traffic Police are still investigating the ages and identities of those involved in the crash. Pictured: Forensic experts attend the scene

The horror took place in the early hours of January 3 in Pasto, Colombia, on a section of the Pan-American Highway. Here the bus can be seen lying at the bottom of the gorge

The vehicle fell into the gorge at kilometer 49 of the Pasto-Rumichaca highway, in Tangua (Narino).

It is understood to have navigated roads with sharp bends and curves before the accident.

The bus was travelling to the popular tourist hotspot Santuario de las Lajas, in Ipiales, Narino.

It comes as in October last year two teenage schoolgirls narrowly missed being crushed by a minibus in Colombia.

The girls, both 14 years old, were sitting on a sidewalk after they were dismissed Tuesday afternoon from school in Ciudad Bolivar, a neighborhood in the capital city of Bogota, when the public transportation vehicle came rumbling down the street after its breaks reportedly failed.

Surveillance video showed the minibus skidding over a stretch of the sidewalk and flying over the teenagers.

The girls managed to get up before one of them tripped to the ground while the other ran and fell on the street.

The vehicle was carrying 42 passengers and victims were rushed to hospitals in Tangua, Ipiales, as well as the city of Pasto, as reported by NTN24. Pictured: Police and rescue workers inspect the crash site

The vehicle titled towards its left side and slammed into a wooden utility pole.

One of the students, Jirley Bermudez, told Colombian television station CityTV that she turned around after hearing a loud sound in the background as the minibus barreled toward her and her friend.

'A miracle, really,' the Maria Mercedes Carranza student said. 'I felt a tremor on the ground and turned to look back, what I saw was the car rolling.'

Bermudez said neighborhood residents came rushing onto the street and initially thought they had been run over by the minibus.
Protests erupted yesterday in South Korea as police failed to arrest president Yoon Suk Yeol.

Investigators were blocked from entering Mr Yoons official residence in Seoul and were withdrawn after a near six-hour standoff.

They had attempted to execute a warrant for Mr Yoons arrest  a move branded as reckless by one of the presidents lawyers.

Hordes of supporters and opponents of the president gathered nearby either vowing to protect the leader or demanding his arrest.

Mr Yoon, 64, is under criminal investigation for insurrection following a short-lived martial law decree on December 3.

Parliament overturned the declaration and impeached Mr Yoon, inset, on December 14, accusing him of rebellion.

Around 20 investigators and police officers were seen entering the gate of Yoons home to execute a warrant for his detention yesterday.

The dramatic scene appeared to have developed into a standoff when two of Mr Yoons lawyers, Yoon Kap-keun and Kim Hong-il, were seen entering the gate of the presidential residence.

Protesters march against impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol after prosecutors failed to arrest him at his home

Mr Yoon is under criminal investigation for insurrection after he declared martial law on December 3

Seok Dong-hyeon, one of several lawyers on Yoons legal team, confirmed the investigators arrived at the building and said the agencys efforts to detain Yoon were reckless and showed an outrageous discard for law.

South Koreas Defence Ministry confirmed the investigators and police officers got past a military unit guarding the residences grounds before arriving at the building.

The presidential security service, which controls the residence itself, refused to comment on whether its members were confronting investigators and whether they planned to block the detention attempt.

Yoons lawyers claim the warrant cannot be enforced at his property due to a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge.

Thousands of police officers later gathered at the property and formed a perimeter around a growing number of pro-Yoon protesters, who waved South Korean flags and shouted slogans in his support.

Three protesters hold placards on a march in Seoul. South Koreas constitutional court is now deciding whether to formally remove Mr Yoon from office

The last time Yoon is known to have left the residence was on December 12, when he went to the nearby presidential office to make a televised statement to the nation, making a defiant statement that he will fight efforts to oust him.

His defence minister, police chief and several top military commanders have already been arrested over their roles in the period of martial law.

South Koreas constitutional court is now deciding whether to formally remove Mr Yoon from office.

Facing growing pressure, the new acting president, Choi Sang-mok, appointed two new justices on Tuesday, which could increase the chances of the court upholding Yoons impeachment.
ISIS-inspired terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar set his luxury New Orleans Airbnb on fire in an attempt to conceal evidence, federal officials revealed.

The US Army veteran, 42, left the two-bedroom, two-bathroom, property on Mandeville Street littered in white powder and wires before he carried out the deadly attack which killed 15 and left at least 35 injured.

He turned the residence into a bomb-making factory before lighting a fire one of the bedrooms.

The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in a statement that Jabbar 'set a small fire in the hallway and strategically placed accelerants throughout the house in his effort to destroy it and other evidence of his crime.'

One of the windows of the property was smashed, offering a glimpse inside a scorched room covered in black soot and ash.

However, the investigation determined that after he left, the fire burned itself out before it could spread and by the time New Orleans fire officials arrived, they were able to recover several pieces of evidence.

On site, the NOFD obtained pre-cursors for bomb-making material and a privately made device suspected of being a silencer for a rifle.

They also collected 'terabytes worth of video' from local security cameras, clothing and shell cases.

ISIS-inspired terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar set his luxury New Orleans Airbnb on fire in an attempt to conceal evidence, federal officials revealed. Jabbar is believed to have set a fire in one of the bedrooms where the bed and floor was found covered in soot, ash, and litter

The US Army veteran, 42, left the two-bedroom, two-bathroom, property on Mandeville Street littered in white powder and wires before he carried out the deadly attack which killed 15 and left at least 35 injured

He also was planning to use a transmitter found in the F150 truck used in the attack to detonate two IEDs he'd placed on Bourbon Street which is also being sent to Quantico for testing.

Federal bomb disposal units and investigators wearing hazmat suits descended on the quiet street and cordoned off the rental, urging residents to stay away.

After two days of examining the property investigators have turned it back to its owner, who declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com, explaining the FBI had asked him not to speak.

Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the property in complete disarray, with the front and parts of the insides showing scorch marks and empty buckets.

Investigators suspect that the terrorist used the property to build his IEDs which he loaded into the back of his EV-truck on New Year's Eve.

A cooler was recovered by officers on Bourbon Street, with authorities confirming Jabbar had planned to detonate the device remotely.

The terrorist appeared to use one of the two bedrooms as his bomb-making station, with the bed covered in an unidentified white powder, black wires and plastic.

A queen-sized bed with no pillows was founded littered with a white powdery substance, a pair of scissors, paper, and a plastic Kroger grocery store bag.

He turned the residence into a bomb-making factory before lighting a fire one of the bedrooms

Investigators work the scene after a person drove a vehicle into a crowd earlier on Canal and Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Years Day

Other various items, including a blue box cutter, work gloves, several pairs of latex gloves, and bags of trash, were also found strewn throughout the property.

One trash bag containing discarded work gloves and a takeout box suggested Jabbar had tucked into a pizza before he carried out the deadly massacre.

Strong chemicals for cleaning were left outside the property, along with blue gloves, with one window also appearing to have been smashed.

Cops believe Jabbar, a US citizen born and raised in Texas drove an electric vehicle from Houston to Louisiana to carry out the deadly attack which killed 15 and left at least 35 injured.

Investigators are probing the theory he rented a nearby property on Airbnb in the New Orleans neighborhood of St. Roch for his base before carrying out the attack.

Earlier this week exclusive DailyMail.com photographs show the moment the FBI removed bomb-making materials from the two-bedroom and two-bathroom property close to the French Quarter.

A total containment vessel was seen being taken away from the property at around 8pm on New Years Day, hours after authorities had evacuated residents from the area.

The area is mostly rentals available to tourists travelling to the area for the holiday period, who have now been left without a place to stay.

Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the two-bedroom, two-bathroom property in complete disarray

A smashed window offered a peek inside a room that appeared to have been set ablaze

Authorities told one couple 'not to count' on being allowed back into the properties, blocking off a three-street radius.

Officials were called to the property after firefighters put out a fire at the rental in the early hours, with sources claiming 'bomb making materials' were found.

State Attorney General Liz Murrill told NBC News: 'We know that these individuals had rented the house were using it for that purpose.'

The two-bed two-bathroom property was revamped by real estate developer Oliver Doxater at Wysteria Properties.

Jabbar had been living in a dilapidated trailer in the outskirts of Houston before traveling to New Orleans to carry out the deadly rampage.

On Thursday, DailyMail.com photos gave a glimpse inside the shabby abode, revealing Jabbar left the home in disarray and left behind dozens of religious items.

Along with the cheap furniture he abandoned in the trailer was a Koran, prayer mats and a book on Islamic banking and finance.

That book, The Art of RF (Riba-Free) Islamic Banking and Finance purports to 'take a modern American approach to incorporating Islamic financial principles into banking and investment techniques'.

The wooden floors appeared charred and were covered in soot and ash

Corrosive cleaning chemicals were left outside the property and a pair of blue latex gloves were found discarded on the porch

Police investigators surround a white truck that has been crashed into a work lift in the French Quarter of New Orleans

Riba  charging interest on loans  is prohibited in Islamic finance as it is considered an unjust gain.

When DailyMail.com visited the home on the eastern edge of the Heritage Village section of the city early on Thursday, the front door was closed. But when we returned later in the day it had been kicked off its hinges allowing the world to see in.

Jabbar was shot dead in a gun battle with police moments after plowing his vehicle into a crowd of revelers.

He had been an open admirer of the Islamic terror group ISIS and had the group's flag flying from his vehicle.

And his home in a largely Muslim neighborhood of North Houston shows his devotion to Islam. A copy of the Koran was left open on an easel next to a vase of faux flowers.

Other books inside the home included a seven-volume set known as the Islamic library, including a book titled 'The Sealed Nectar'- a comprehensive biography of the Prophet Muhammad and several pamphlets on comparative religions.

Although the home was disheveled it was clean.

The home gives the impression that Jabbar left in a hurry. A suitcase and two prayer mats were thrown over a blue couch in the living area, along with a black belt.

Incongruously among the religious items in his living room, a dart board hung on the wall next to a fake fireplace.

Various items, including a blue box cutter and several pairs of latex gloves were found strewn throughout the property

One trash bag containing discarded work gloves and a takeout box suggested Jabbar had tucked into a pizza before he carried out the deadly massacre

Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies work the scene on Bourbon Street

By the front door, Jabbar left behind a mobile credit card machine, duct tape and bubble wrap and several pairs of shoes.

In the kitchen, there were pantry items on the countertop alongside a white fire extinguisher. Below the countertop area in the kitchen, a military green backpack sat on the floor near a black garbage can.

Near the kitchen area Jabbar had a desk with several papers and other items left on top, there is an area where the hard drive of his computer was taken by police hours earlier.

According to a neighbor Jabbar left his house just hours before he went on his New Year's Day rampage, saying he was moving to New Orleans for a better job.

Muntaz Bashir told the New York Post that Jabbar had left just hours before the 3:15am attack.

Bashir said the neighbor appeared normal when he spoke to him. 'Unfortunately, you can't read someone's mind. I was shocked.'
The Albanese government's embattled ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, spent an eye-watering $24,000 on a single day in Washington.

The total figure spent by Mr Rudd in the past financial year came in $172,000.

The delegate spent $24,000 AUD on breakfasts, morning teas, dinners, and a large reception at his Washington, DC residence in a tax bill lodged on October 1, 2023.

The bill for Aussie taxpayers has been revealed after it was released to The Daily Telegraph under Freedom of Information Laws.

But many of the details of who Mr Rudd actually met were redacted from the expenses, with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade saying their publication would have a 'substantial adverse effect on the proper and efficient conduct of the operations of an agency'.

The $17,000 190-person reception at Mr Rudd's home on October 1 was held 'in honour of the US-Pacific Island Countries Leaders Summit'.

Pacific leaders were in town for the summit, hosted by US President Joe Biden.

Taxpayers also paid for Mr Rudds wife, Therese Rein, to visit the National Gallery of Art with the Pacific Islands First Ladies in September.

The total figure spent by Mr Rudd (pictured with US President Joe Biden) in the past financial year came in at roughly $172,000

Anthony Albanese (pictured) has previously expressed his support for Mr Rudd as Australia's ambassador to the US after growing speculation he may be forced out of the role early

Mr Rudd (pictured) has previously been described as Australia's 'ambassador to the world'

The former prime minister has come under fire in the past for his eye-watering expenses.

In September it emerged Mr Rudd had racked up a travel bill of more than $150,000 since he was elected to the key diplomatic post in 2022.

He has been described as Australia's 'ambassador to the world,' filling the shoes of absent government ministers at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and Germanys Munich Security Dialogue in 2023, at a combined cost of $40,000.

As Mr Rudd passes the halfway point of his four-year term as ambassador to the US, there's been speculation he may be forced out of the role early.

Mr Rudd previously called Donald Trump a 'traitor to the West', and a 'village idiot,' and described him as the 'most destructive president in history' - comments he has since deleted from social media.

In response, Trump said before his re-election that Rudd was 'nasty' and he would not last long in the role if he returned to the White House.

Trump would not be able to act on his desire to 'fire' Rudd, however.

Only the Australian Government can recall one of its ambassadors and both Mr Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton have expressed their support.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that Mr Rudd's expenses were in line with previous ambassadors to the US.

'All heads of mission at Australian embassies host events attended by influential stakeholders to advance Australias national interests,' the spokesperson said.

'Ambassador Rudds expenditure is consistent with previous ambassadors to the United States of America and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trades financial policies and guidelines.

In coordination with the White House, Australia hosted a reception at the Ambassadors residence for Pacific leaders which was included in the White House official program for the 2023 US Pacific Island Countries Leaders Summit.'
Police have named the British citizen confirmed as one of the 14 people killed in the chilling New Year terror attack in New Orleans.

Metropolitan Police have shared the details of Edward Pettifer, a 31-year-old man from Chelsea, London, whose cause of death was confirmed by the New Orleans coroner as blunt force injuries.

In addition to the 14 dead, dozens of people were also injured when army veteran Shamsud Din Jabbar rammed his rental truck through throngs of people stood along New Orleans' iconic Bourbon Street.

A senior FBI official has said the attack was 'premeditated' and an 'evil' act of terrorism, and said Jabbar was '100% inspired by ISIS', also known as Islamic State.

This statement was made after an Islamic State flag was found in the back of Jabbar's rental truck, leading the FBI to probe the 42-year-old's ties to the extremist group and begin a hunt for potential accomplices.

Speaking to the news of the British citizen's death, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told the MailOnline: 'We are supporting the family of a British National who has died in New Orleans and are in contact with local authorities'.

Edward Pettifer's family have also issued a statement, in which they expressed their 'devastation' at his passing.

Edward Pettifer, 31, from Chelsea, London, has been named as the British national killed in the New Year terror attack in New Orleans

Flowers laid in memory of the 14 people killed in the New Orleans terror attack along the city's famous Bourbon Street

Shamsud Din Jabbar (pictured), 42, has been identified as the driver who massacred pedestrians

The driver who plowed into pedestrians celebrating the New Year in New Orleans killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens is dead following a shootout with police

'The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Eds death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.

'We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you,' the statement read.

As US authorities continue to investigate the horrendous terror attack, attention has turned to Jabbar's home in a trailer park in the Rushwood neighborhood of northern Houston  a run-down bungalow with geese, chickens, and sheep roaming the yard.

It remains unclear exactly what motivated Jabbar, but reports suggest his life had gone off the rails after he quit the Army in July 2020. The cash-strapped father and double divorcee's real estate business was floundering.

Court records show Jabbar faced a deteriorating financial situation in 2022 while separating from his then-wife. Jabbar said he was behind on house payments and had accumulated credit card debt and wanted to quickly finalize the divorce.

It's also unclear how heavily involved he was with Masjid Bilal mosque, a sprawling double-story brick complex that also includes a school, which is just a few minutes' walk from his house.

The nearby religious center and ISGH have worked hard in recent years to distance themselves from the hardline Islamist views that gave rise to such violent jihadist groups as ISIS and al-Qaeda.

Its mosques, which were founded by Pakistani immigrants from the 1960s onward, are used as polling stations; leaders publicly proclaim a moderate form of Islam compatible with modern-day US lifestyles.

ISGH has hosted dozens of interfaith gatherings and worked with local Christian churches on charity food drives, according to CAIR.

But they also have a sketchy track record when it comes to hard line Islamist views, which were exposed after the 9/11 terror attacks on the US and tougher efforts to root out home-grown religious extremists.

Notably, ISGH in 2001 hired the Algerian cleric Bouchikhi, who served as the spiritual leader at a southeast Houston mosque, and who was arrested and then deported in 2011, reportedly for immigration violations.

Bouchikhi has a record of making extreme statements about non-Muslims and women that are at odds with ISGH's professed values.

Jabbar's alignment with a terrorist group such as Islamic State has come as a shock to those who used to know him, with one former classmate now telling DailyMail.com that 'wasn't the kind of guy who looked for trouble'.

Following the horrific tragedy, an image of what appears to be a flagpole on the back of the unidentified driver's truck circulated online

A black flag with white lettering lies on the ground rolled up behind Jabbar's rental truck following his vicious terror attack

Videos circulating on social media that appear to have been recorded at the scene shows multiple casualties on the ground as shots ring out in the background

Kendrick Watson Smith Sr., who went to middle and high school in Texas with Jabbar and his twin sister, said 'Sham' - as his classmates used to call him - was smart, 'very mild-mannered', and seemingly well-liked because of his 'cool personality'.

'As far as I can remember, I don't recall him being a troublemaker or anything like that,' Smith, 42, said. 'That just wasn't in his character. He was bookish and quiet, but he had a group of friends.'

He also recalled how he was surprised when Jabbar went into the military, claiming it seemed he had been on track to go off to college and become a lawyer or doctor.

Jabbar served in the Army from March 2007 to July 2020, deploying to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. He transferred to the army reserve in 2015 and left in 2020 with the rank of staff sergeant.

Jabbar earned nearly two dozens awards while serving in the military, including a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Task & Purpose reported.

This is a breaking news story and is being updated.
A woman's life was catapulted into a 'tailspin' after she discovered that the man who landed her in the foster care system at 14 wasn't her real father.

Christie Werts, from Ohio, had always lived a seemingly rocky life - from being the only little blonde girl in her family, to becoming a foster child at 14 due to her parents struggles with addiction - she always knew she was different.

But it wasn't until she was 50 years old that some of her long-lingering questions were answered through a DNA test - proving that life isn't always what it seems.

'My whole life flashed in front of me. I was like "My God, this guy was crappy to me, and he wasn't even my dad,"' Werts told People in an exclusive interview.

'My whole life, this man, who landed me into foster care and was just so terrible to me growing up, wasn't even my dad.'

Her dysfunctional upbringing began as a young child when her mother abandoned her and her brother in daycare, only to turn back up years later in scattered appearances.

Parental responsibility landed on the man she'd only ever known as her father, who Werts never felt fully connected with. She was more sensitive, more driven and had difficulty relating to his acceptance of their life that consisted of so little.

But the most obvious difference was her looks - her cleft chin and lighter skin tone weren't shared by any other relatives within her Hispanic family.

Christie Werts, from Ohio, was catapulted into a 'tailspin' after she discovered at 50 that the man who landed her in the foster care system at 14 wasn't even her real father

Werts had always felt different as a child - most notably in regards to her lighter skin tone and blondish hair that wasn't shared by any of her relatives within her Mexican family

'I just grew up in a very Mexican family and I was like the random White kid,' Werts told the outlet.

'Even going to playgrounds when I was a little kid, my dad would have the cops called on him because I really looked nothing like my dad.'

She ultimately landed in the system as just a 14-year-old girl - leading to developing trauma that ultimately seeped into her adult life and then into motherhood.

Her father treated her differently up until the very end of his life - even going as far as cutting her out and leaving everything to her brother while he was on his death bed.

It wasn't until he died in March of 2024 that she finally decided to reevaluate their rugged relationship, despite still feeling love and grief for the person who she had always believed to be her dad.

Nevertheless, she bought a 23andMe DNA test.

'I was like, "man, I'm curious if he's even my dad." He just treated me crummy my entire life,' Werts said.

'Also I was just curious about what other family was out there on my dad's side... We only knew a selective amount of people,' she added.

She began to re-evaluate the rugged relationship she had with her father after he still treated her differently while he was on his death bed - even cutting her out of his life and leaving everything that he had to her brother, who always looked more like him

Werts knew she always looked more like her mother, who claimed to be half-Mexican, but she abandoned her in a daycare as a young child and only turned back up in her life occasionally as she struggled with addiction

'So I guess it was a little bit of curiosity, but I still didn't expect what showed up.'

Her mother had always claimed to be half-Mexican. So when the DNA test revealed that she was actually Italian, British and French, she was left with even more questions.

A month after her father's death, she came out with a book called 'Life's Sad Story, God's Love Story: Transforming a Child's Adversity Into a Tale of Love'.

But her new success led to yet another twist in her life after an estranged aunt called her upon its release.

'She called me when my book came out, and she was like, "I hate to tell you this, but you're not full Mexican. Your dad might be Mexican, but there is rumor that your mom wasn't our dad's kid,"' Werts recalled.

That call made her doubt her mother - who only got sober when she was an adult and passed away when Werts was only 28 - and left her wondering what she was hiding.

With both of her parents now dead, she knew that she needed a more thorough DNA analysis to find out more about where she came from and decided to send her sample to Ancestry with the hopes of connecting with more relatives.

But the second test revealed what she had always suspected but never actually expected to learn - turning her life upside down overnight.

It was only when Werts decided to send a DNA sample to Ancestry that she discovered a stranger in his 70s, whom she had never met, was her real father all along

The unexpected chapter of her life opened fresh wounds and closed old ones as she recalled her 'heart coming out of her chest' when she discovered where she really came from

Early one morning, she opened the results to discover that a complete stranger, who was now in his 70s, was her real father all along.

'It showed "parent-child relationship" and gave the name of this person who was not my father,' she said. 'My heart came out of my chest when it popped up.'

Werts proceeded to call the man with no hesitation - just with a goal to discover her own backstory.

'He does not remember my mom. It was a one-time one-night-stand back in the end of 1973. They met at a bar,' she said. 'And then he was married. He's been married for 50 years now.'

As if the discovery of her real father wasn't complicated enough, she found out that she had blood siblings - her biological dad ended up having kids nearly 10 years after she was conceived.

'He is completely screwed up over it almost, because he was a good dad to his kids,' Werts added.

But his newly-found existence, though sudden, affirmed so much for her and helped her to understand the trauma that she had spent years working through.

'My biological father and I have so much in common. He's very sensitive and he's very caring,' Werts shared. 'We were both in the military, and nobody in my other family were in the military.'

Werts thought about whether or not knowing her real father sooner would have taken away her childhood pain, but she said: 'If I knew what I had now and had to relive all that, I would probably do it again'

After swearing off the foster care system as an adult after being a child in the system herself, she ended up adopting the baby of her now-husband's ex-wife just before his second birthday so he didn't end up in the same place she was

'I always thought I looked like my mother, but now that I see pictures of him, I look more like him than I do anybody,' she added, noting how he also shared her cleft chin.

'It's just crazy to see these people that you didn't even know, and you look like them.'

It took her awhile to divulge the news to her brother and the other relatives that she had grown up with her entire life.

But when she finally did, she was met with love and acceptance from all - even her brother, who reassured her that she was still part of the family.

'In a sense, it's a little bit healing after wondering why I always felt a little different,' she continued. 'I feel the validation, but then I also feel sad... Like what if he knew and I was raised differently?'

The unexpected chapter of her life opened fresh wounds and closed old ones, but made her rethink several aspects of her life, including the 'little relationship' she had with her mother.

Werts remembered the way her mother used to make jokes about her paternity - leading her to come to the ultimate conclusion that she must have known all along.

'She just left me with a man that wasn't even my dad,' she said. 'And then I landed into foster care, and it turns out he wasn't even my dad.'

His mother sadly died from struggles with addiction issues, which Werts understood first-hand

Werts finally realized that her biological father had the same cleft chin she had, noting: 'It's just crazy to see these people that you didn't even know, and you look like them'

Her cultural identity also greatly shifted after she realized she had to come to terms with the inaccuracy of her Mexican heritage.

'I identified everything with being Mexican,' she said. 'I had a very large Mexican family, even though I didn't look like everybody. Then all of a sudden, you have to mourn a little but of that identity.'

The tailspin only continued when she thought about whether or not knowing her real father sooner would have taken away her childhood pain.

But even though she remembered the hurt of being rejected as a child - which included swearing off the foster care system as an adult - her past had a funny way of creeping back into her life again and helped guide her to do something good.

She ended up adopting the baby of her now-husband's ex-wife just before his second birthday in 2023 after she sadly died from struggles with addiction issues.

Werts understood first-hand the monster that addiction could become, and she didn't want the innocent child to end up in the same system she had ended up in.

'It was a little bit of a healing and emotional time having to become a foster parent when you were a former foster kid,' she reflected.

After it all, she hopes to one day meet her real father in person.

'It's a very strange place to be, for sure,' Werts said. 'If I knew what I had now and had to relive all that, I would probably do it again.'
An American tourist fell to his knees after learning the woman he struck while riding his dirt bike along a highway in Thailand had died from her injuries.

Philip Edward McMorrow, 37, had been speeding along Highway 1317 in Chang Mai in northern Thailand when he collided with 67-year-old Kia Sae-wang, flinging her body onto the pavement with a devastating force.

Kia, a lifelong resident of the Mae On district where the collision occurred, had been running errands and was on her way to the shops.

Witnesses say the incident happened at high speed at around 4pm on Thursday just as Kia stepped out into the road, but unseen by McMorrow.

Locals rushed to the scene along in an attempt to help save the woman who was lying motionless on the asphalt.

Paramedics were called who fought desperately to save her life, administering CPR before rushing her to a nearby hospital.

Despite their efforts, Kia succumbed to her injuries shortly after arriving at hospital.

When police arrived they found McMorrow uninjured but visibly shaken.

Biker Philip Edward McMorrow, 37, fell to his knees after learning the woman he struck while riding his dirt bike along a highway in Thailand had died from her injuries

McMorrow, 37, was deeply apologetic towards the family of the killed woman who even helped to lift him back up from the ground. He now faces the grim possibility of legal action in Thailand

McMorrow, 37, seen left, had been speeding along Highway 1317 in Chang Mai in northern Thailand when he collided with 67-year-old Kia Sae-wang, flinging her body onto the asphalt

Upon hearing Kia had died from her injuries, the tourist, still clad in his dirt bike gear, dropped to his knees.

Tears streamed down his face as he repeatedly apologized to Kia's family.

Grieving relatives of Kia's began to gather near the crash site.

In photos taken close to the scene, the dirt bike could be seen nearby with its tires still caked in dust from the road.

Authorities say an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident with initial reports suggesting McMorrow may have been breaking the speed limit, a violation that carries severe penalties under Thai law.

McMorrow now faces the grim possibility of legal action in Thailand, where penalties for causing a fatal accident can be severe.
A man has been charged with rape and sexual assault after a Virgin Australia crew member was allegedly attacked while celebrating New Year's Eve in Fiji.

The alleged incident involving the female crew member happened in the early hours of New Years Day near Nadi's popular Bar One nightclub.

The man was questioned and charged over the alleged attack on Saturday and will face Nadi Magistrates Court on Monday.

Fijian authorities are also investigating a separate incident where a male Virgin Australia crew member was allegedly assaulted and robbed.

The island nation's deputy prime minister, Viliame Gavoka, earlier this week extended his sympathies to the alleged victims.

Mr Gavoka said that a suspect who was 'known to police' had been questioned in relation to both encounters.

'Our thoughts and concerns are with them and for their health and well-being. These alleged incidents are regrettable,' the deputy prime minister said.

'The crew, who are in good health, are being accommodated at a local hotel which is the nominated crew accommodation for layovers.'

A female member of a Virgin Australia flight crew was allegedly sexually assaulted outside the Bar One nightspot in Nadi (pictured)

The alleged incidents come just weeks after Fiji attracted negative headlines around the world when seven tourists - including four Australians - were hospitalised after drinking pina coladas at a bar in the ritzy Warwick Resort (pictured) last month

Mr Gavoka, who is also Fiji's tourism minister, said he was concerned the incidents could damage the island nation's reputation as a holiday destination.

'Regrettably, incidents like this can happen anywhere and Fiji is not immune. We remind tourists to exercise caution in nightclub areas and late at night,' he said.

The alleged incidents come just weeks after Fiji attracted negative headlines around the world when seven tourists - including four Australians - were hospitalised after drinking pina coladas at a bar in the ritzy Warwick Resort last month.

Four Australian women aged between 18 and 56 ended up in a critical condition in hospital after consuming the drinks at the five-star resort.

They suffered nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms with one victim's friend telling Daily Mail Australia that she was 'foaming at the mouth' and having seizures.

Mr Gavoka said a toxicology report had cleared the cocktails - and the source of the poisoning remains a mystery.

'I can confirm that no illicit substances or methanol were found in the ingredients or liquor samples,' he said.

'All of the affected tourists and the locals have now been discharged from medical care, fully recovered. This is a significant relief.'
A angry homeowner's rant about a 2.5metre fence constructed by her neighbour has backfired after Aussies said she should be 'grateful'.

The Brisbane resident took to Reddit on Thursday asking for urgent advice.

'Our neighbour has removed our shared fence, with no communication or notice to us. They are then building a new 2.5metre fence, which is impeding light into our house,' the fed-up homeowner wrote.

'The neighbour has cited that they are doing this to ensure their dogs are contained however they have not replaced the shorter fences in their yard, and only built a 'barricade' type fence along part of our fence line.

'Brisbane City Council has advised they can't do anything as the neighbour will just need to get the fence certified for it to comply.

'Qld State has advised that we can take them to QCAT (the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal), however this may take several months.'

The homeowner said negotiations with their neighbour had reached a stalemate.

'I have tried to speak very politely to the neighbour but I got nowhere. I have asked them to pause works until we can reach a mutual agreement and we would even consider contributing to the costs,' she said.

The Brisbane resident said their neighbour had constructed a 2.5metre fence (pictured) between the two properties which was blocking light coming into her home

The resident said the new fence blocks natural light from coming into their home (pictured)

The neighbour who constructed the new fence said she had tried to organise a new fence for years.

'Over Christmas the fence was falling down and I had to get someone in urgently,' she told news.com.au.

'We spoke to council, council said go ahead and build it, worry about the certification afterwards.'

The woman said she had a strained relationship with her neighbour due to her dogs.

'The only reason for that high one was because her text messages and letters were about the dogs, but to be honest it's kind of nice not to have to look into their place,' she said.

Aussies were quick to criticise the homeowner with one commenter suggesting she 'count her lucky stars'.

'You are being given a fence, that will keep you safe and not having to pay. You should be overjoyed,' one said.

'I'm more shocked he hasn't asked for any cash, be super grateful.'

Aussies were quick to criticise the homeowner with one commenter suggesting she 'count her lucky stars' the new fence had been constructed

'So their dogs got out and have attacked you so the neighbour fronts the full cost of a new fence to stop this happening against you and even puts the fence all back on his side and you're complaining lmao,' a second said.

'Yeah take it to QCAT and get forced into 50% of the costs.'

'Not going to lie, the new fence looks better, offers more privacy and is free. I'd be counting my lucky stars, a third wrote.

'Your fence wasnt really cutting it fence wise. This is better. Take the free fence,' a third suggested.

'Why would you be against this the fence looks great and provides even more privacy and you don't even have to pay a thing!' a fourth said.

However, others were more sympathetic to the homeowner.

'OP's main complaint is the lack of light in their house now. A valid complaint that a lot of people here are overlooking,' one wrote.

Responding to the comments, the homeowner said they would 'happily foot the bill' to replace the fence with a 'waist-height fence to provide us with great natural light'.
JD Vance was hospitalized for a minor sinus surgery after he attended the Senate swearing-in ceremony Friday.

Vance was there to support newly elected Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno just weeks before he replaces Kamala Harris after Donald Trump defeated her in the November presidential election.

It was reported, however, that Vance had been hospitalized following the swearing-in ceremony, which Harris presided over.

A spokesperson for Vance confirmed to Fox News that this was no emergency and a surgery the vice president-elect had on the books for some time.

'[Vance] is having long-planned, minor sinus surgery and will be back at work tomorrow,' William Martin said.

He underwent the procedure at George Washington University Hospital, about three miles from the Capitol.

The Ohio Senator remains in that office until the inauguration, when he will assume the vice presidency and the seat will be left to an appointment by Republican Governor Mike DeWine.

'I was proud to stand with @berniemoreno and @DaveMcCormickPA as they were sworn in to the US Senate. Congrats to them and to all of our new senators!' Vance wrote on social media afterwards.

JD Vance was hospitalized for a minor, previously scheduled sinus surgery after he attended the Senate swearing-in ceremony Friday

Vance was there to support newly elected Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno just weeks before he replaces Kamala Harris after Donald Trump defeated her in the November presidential election

Vance has not posted to his X account since then or said anything outside of his spokesman's statement about the surgery.

The Ohio senator was all smiles as he stood just feet away from Harris as she administered the oath for Moreno and other senators, which included her flubbing the Pledge of Allegiance.

Neither Harris or Vance appeared to engage each other, but both continued to smile and shake hands with the newly sworn-in senators before another group was ushered in to take the oath.

Attention will soon turn to the inauguration and who DeWine will appoint to replace Vance.

It appears that several top contenders have emerged, as well as a long-shot candidate vying for the coveted spot in the upper chamber.

Vance will need to step down from the Senate before taking his oath of office as Vice President on January 20, 2025.

It is unclear whether he has weighed in on who he wants to take over the rest of his six-year congressional term.

But Ohio insiders, including sources familiar with the governor's thinking, discussed with DailyMail.com who is in consideration to fill Vance's seat in the 119th Congress.

He underwent the procedure at George Washington University Hospital, about three miles from the Capitol

Congressman Mike Carey, former Ohio GOP Chair Jane Timken, Ohio State Rep. Jay Edwards, Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Secretary of State Frank LaRose are considered the favorites.

In July 2023, La Rose announced his bid for US Senate to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno ended up winning the primary race and went on to defeat Brown and help Republicans retake control of the upper chamber of Congress.

LaRose endorsed Trump in his 2024 reelection bid in July. He also fired his press secretary Rob Nichols because of his social media posts that are critical of Trump.

Whoever DeWine decides will fill the seat will hold that office until the next regular state election, at which point a special election will be held. The person elected will finish out Vance's term, which ends in 2028.
A tornado was spotted on Friday afternoon in Shasta County and officials warned residents to take cover. Alert California/UC San Diego

A tornado touched down in Northern California on Friday afternoon, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a warning to residents to seek shelter.

At 5:22 p.m. a confirmed tornado was located near Paynes Creek (Tehama County), or 11 miles southwest of Shingletown (Shasta County), moving northeast at 20 mph, the weather service said in its warning. Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur.

The tornado touched down in a remote, unpopulated area and caused no injuries, the National Weather Service said.

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Before Friday, the most recent tornado in Tehama County occurred on April 25, 2021, in Kirkwood, an unicorporated community, according to Golden Gate Weather Services. Two homes in the county sustained minor damage during the event, according to records from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Two tornadoes also touched down in Tehama County in January 2021, causing tree and power line damage but no fatalities, the Chronicle reported.

A tornado was spotted in Northern California on Friday afternoon, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a warning to residents to seek shelter. ALERTCalifornia/UC San Diego

The warning was issued for northern central Tehama County and southern central Shasta County  and expired about 40 minutes later at 6 p.m. only to be followed by a special weather statement from the weather service cautioning residents about funnel clouds.

A strong thunderstorm was expected in the areas of Shingletown, Lyonsville, Paynes Creek and Manton. The weather service said at 6:08 p.m. that radar indicated the thunderstorm was moving east at 10 mph near Paynes Creek.

Conditions are favorable for the development of weak, brief funnel clouds, the weather service said. This type of funnel cloud is harmless but on rare occasions can briefly touch down, producing wind gusts over 50 miles per hour. Officials said residents should seek shelter indoors if they see a funnel cloud.

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Several lightning strikes were also observed with the storm.

Tornado Warning in effect through 6 PM PST, includes the cities of Shingletown, Manton and Paynes Creek with quarter size hail. Take shelter now! #CAwx pic.twitter.com/cYkAJLahFw  NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) January 4, 2025

Cameras from the UC San Diego Alert California network captured the tornado spinning in the foothills. Weather radar captured a narrow region of rotation and lofted debris.

The weather service had advised residents to seek shelter from the tornado in a basement or an interior room in the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Officials said residents who are indoors should avoid windows while people who are outdoors, in a car, or a mobile home should move to a shelter.

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The twister appeared to track several miles across terrain. It was the first confirmed tornado of 2025 in all of the United States, according to the weather service.
Aussies have been warned to check their cash after businesses at two tourist hotspots reported fake $50 notes to police.

The counterfeit notes were handed to shops in Merimbula and Eden on the NSW South Coast on Wednesday.

Both towns have had an influx of domestic and international visitors over the Christmas and New Year period.

NSW Police arrived to inspect the cash and found the transparent panel on the notes was faulty.

Officers are now trying to trace the source of the notes, a police spokesperson said.

It comes after police issued a separate warning in August over fake bank notes circulating in Tasmania.

Counterfeit $100 notes were found in Hobart and neighbouring suburbs Glenorchy and Bellerive.

But the notes had several key details that could be easily spotted, including a black plastic window, rather than a clear one.

NSW Police arrived to inspect the cash and found the transparent panel on the notes was faulty, sparking an investigation
A Michelin-starred chef has quit his positions across three popular San Francisco restaurants after a spat between himself and an influencer.

Geoffrey Lee stood down from his roles at Hamburger Project, Handroll Project and the Michelin-starred Ju-Ni, after comments he made to Kat Ensign.

Ensign, who goes by @katwalksf online, had shared a video criticizing the quality of Hamburger Project's food on her social media.

In it, she says that she tried the food and decided it 'wasn't for me', saying they needed time to 'iron out the kinks'.

Lee decided to go after Ensign for her comments, which she then shared to her social media pages.

He messaged her saying: 'Someone needs to tell you to grow up. It's pathetic being damn near 50 and trying to have influence over 20-year-old somethings...

'All chefs look down on it and one of us has to tell you.'

Other comments from him about Ensign have since emerged on social media, one of which reads: 'She is so weird, it seems unstable.'

Geoffrey Lee stood down from his roles at Hamburger Project, Handroll Project and Ju-Ni, after comments he made to influencer Kat Ensign

Ensign, who goes by @katwalksf online, had shared a video online criticizing the quality of Hamburger Project's food on her social media

Another said that she 'has the most annoying Karen voice' and said he wanted her to stop attending Golden State Warriors games due them losing when she attends.

Ensign told The San Francisco Standard that she noticed him commenting on her content two weeks after her original review of the burger restaurant.

She said: 'It was random things on every post, responding to people's comments  my weight, my appearance. Nothing about my experience [at Hamburger Project].'

When reached by The Standard, Lee said: 'There's been accusations that I body-shamed her. That's entirely fabricated so she can control the narrative.

Ensign also said that he edited the messages he sent her before she could get a screenshot of them.

'He took that down, but he had his kid send me a voice memo,' she further claimed.

Lee detailed how this feud first started, saying, 'She came in within the first three or four days of Hamburger Project being open and made a public review of the restaurant, kind of insulting me and calling them "Ozempic burgers" for clickbait.

'A few days later, I mentioned there are a lot of people who like it, and maybe it's just you who doesn't?'

The influencer said she tried the food and decided it 'wasn't for me', saying they needed time to 'iron out the kinks'

Since the video started being widely shared online, Lee has shifted and taken a more apologetic tone.

He said: 'Clearly, my opinions do not reflect those of everyone else in the restaurant. When I made the comment, it was me standing up for the rest of the team.'

Another content creator, known as Maggie Z, was also targeted by Lee after she shared the video critiquing his burger.

He wrote to her, saying, 'I find influencer culture to be some of the scummiest in our community.'

Lee has since set his Instagram to private. All three restaurants have since been bombarded with bad one-star reviews online.

He added: 'I learned a lesson, I shouldn't have replied back. But I don't believe that just because I'm a chef-owner, my voice should be silenced.

'What I was trying to figure out is what makes this influencer exempt from my critiques, but she's allowed to come into my house, my restaurant, to criticize my food.'

In a statement, his former employer said: 'Effective immediately, Geoffrey Lee is relieved from his role as Executive Chef at Hamburger Project, Handroll Project, and Ju-Ni.

Lee has since set his Instagram to private. All three restaurants have since been bombarded with bar one-star reviews online.

Lee decided to go after Ensign for her comments, which she then shared to her social media

'Moving forward Geoffrey will no longer have any involvement in the operations of these restaurants. We have zero tolerance for the behavior he has exhibited in recent weeks.

'As a company, we unequivocally condemn all forms of bullying and harassment whether online or in real life.

'This behavior is a stark contrast to the values and culture that we strive to uphold in our businesses.

'We want to make it clear that Geoffrey's actions and opinions are his own and do not reflect the standards, culture and ethics of our businesses.

'As a team we hold ourselves to a set of standards which include respect, kindness, and empathy. Absolutely nobody in our organization is exempt from these expectations.'
Health authorities are scrambling to contain a measles outbreak in Victoria.

A renewed health alert has been issued by the Victorian Department of Health following an alarming rise in cases.

There are currently seven active public exposure sites with the latest case reported in southeast Melbourne.

Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Evelyn Wong on Saturday said the most recent case was active in the community during late December.

The infected person attended multiple public locations in the Cranbourne area, 43km south-east of Melbourne's CBB, while contagious.

'This case attended two public places throughout Cranbourne in south-east Melbourne while infectious on the 27 and 28 December 2024,' Dr Wong said.

'This is in addition to other recent measles cases that have generated a number of exposure sites in Melbourne in December.'

Anyone who visited Bunnings Cranbourne between 7.20pm and 8.20pm on December 27 or Chemist Warehouse in Cranbourne North between 11.30am and 12.40pm on December 28 is urged to monitor for symptoms.

A renewed health alert has been issued by the Victorian Department of Health following an alarming rise in measles cases (stock image)

The jump in exposure sites follows a recent increase in measles cases in returning travellers across Australia.

Dr Wong warned Victorians who have returned from or plan to travel to southeast Asia to remain vigilant.

'Any overseas travel could lead to exposure to measles, with outbreaks reported in other countries in Asia,' she said.

'Anyone planning overseas travel should make sure they have received appropriate travel vaccinations.

'Anyone who has attended a listed exposure site (listed below) during the specified date and time should monitor for symptoms and seek medical care if symptoms develop for up to 18 days after the exposure.'

Measles symptoms include include fever, cough, runny nose, sore or red eyes, and generally feeling unwell.

This is followed by a red maculopapular rash which usually starts on the face before spreading down the body.

The Victorian Department of Health advises symptoms can develop between seven to 18 days after exposure.

Measles symptoms include include fever, cough, runny nose, sore or red eyes, and generally feeling unwell. This is followed by a red maculopapular rash (stock image)

Initial symptoms of measles may be similar to those of Covid-19 and influenza.

'If a symptomatic person tests negative for Covid-19 and/or influenza but develops a rash, they should be advised to continue isolating and be tested for measles,' the department said in a recent update.

People are potentially infectious from 24 hours before experiencing symptoms until four days after the rash appears.

The virus can spread through airborne droplets or contact with nose or throat secretions and contaminated surfaces and objects that can last for up to two hours.

Outbreaks of measles have been reported in Asia, Africa, Europe and the UK, the Middle East and the US.
The third victim of the fatal New Year's Eve fireworks explosion in Hawaii has been identified by the Honolulu medical examiner as Jennifer Van.

The 23-year-old was killed alongside two sisters, identified by their heartbroken family as Nelie Turalba Ibarra and Lita.

All three died at the illegal fireworks display on Tuesday night during the New Year's Eve celebration that also left several other family members critically injured.

Some of the injuries were so gruesome that 'brain matter' was left on the street.

Van was described by her sister, Tammy, as having an 'infectious and outgoing personality [that] touched many people, especially with her loud mouth and kindness.

'She was a devoted sister, daughter, and friend who selflessly supported our family financially and emotionally, especially through our most difficult times,' Tammy wrote.

On the night of the explosion, Van had been welcoming the new year her friends and family when an accidental spark led to a faulty cache of fireworks to explode.

A lit bundle of mortar-style aerials tipped over and shot into crates of unlit fireworks, causing a rapid-fire series of blasts.

The third victim of the fatal New Year's Eve fireworks explosion in Hawaii has been identified by the Honolulu medical examiner as 23-year-old Jennifer Van

Van was described by her sister, Tammy, as having an 'infectious and outgoing personality [that] touched many people, especially with her loud mouth and kindness

The New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed three and injured more than two dozen others in Honolulu

Van was with her sister and younger half-brother at the time of the disaster which occurred just after midnight, but in all of the chaos the pair were unable to find her.

'After a desperate search and several hours of distress, my parents finally located her in a hospital, only to learn that she had sustained life-threatening injuries,' Tammy explained in a family GoFundMe.

'She was pronounced dead early that morning, where my parents witnessed their beautiful first born motionless, leaving us shattered and in disbelief. We are grateful for everyone who was present that day and helped out when they could.'

More than two dozen others were severely wounded at a home on Keaka Drive in the neighborhood of Aliamanu.

Aside from Van, Nelie Ibarra, 58, lost her life. She was described as having an 'infectious laughter and boundless generosity' that 'touched everyone she met', in a GoFundMe set up by her stepdaughter Ritchelyn Peterson.

In a separate GoFundMe for Lita's family, they revealed that her son Junior 'also sustained extensive fire-related injuries,' and that her '3-year-old grandson has suffered the most extensive injuries with most of his body burned.'

In addition, Lita's daughter Charmaine 'Char' Benigno, a mother-of-two, suffered 'burns beyond recognition'.

Nelie and Lita's neice Sheena Turalva wrote in a GoFundMe that the death of her two aunts is an 'unimaginable tragedy and 'heartbreaking loss'.

Sisters Nelie and Lita were killed in the illegal fireworks display on Tuesday night during the New Year's Eve celebration

Nelie, right, was described as having an 'infectious laughter and boundless generosity' that 'touched everyone she met'

Authorities believe the deadly fireworks were set off by an amateur pyrotechnic. The person has not yet been identified and a criminal investigation is underway

Fireworks debris is seen outside the home where a New Year's Eve fireworks explosion killed and injured people in Honolulu

'The emotional, physical, and financial toll on our family is overwhelming as we navigate this difficult and painful time,' she wrote.

Among those still 'fighting for their lives' are new parents Melissa and Kevin from the Salt Lake area.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green described the mass casualty incident as 'extraordinarily grotesque' scene that looked like a 'war zone' in its wake.

Authorities believe the deadly fireworks were set off by an amateur pyrotechnic. That person has not yet been identified, and a criminal investigation is underway.

Benigno suffered 'severe injuries that will require extensive medical care. She has a long recovery ahead,' according to her GoFundMe.

The young mother, who has two sons, ages two and four, remains in the ICU. Her longtime boyfriend survived the night unscathed.

Benigno's family wrote that her boys and Jacob 'really need her home!'

Two other victims critically wounded in the explosion are new parents, and have only identified by their first names Melissa and Kevin.

Pictured: Charmaine Benigno with her longtime partner Jacob. While Jacob was not injured, Benigno is fighting for her life in the ICU

Hawaii governor Josh Green described the 'extraordinarily grotesque' scene and said 'brain material' was found on the sidewalk

Some of the injuries were so gruesome that 'brain matter' was left on the street

'Kevin is currently in the hospital fighting for his life,' the description reads in their GoFundMe organized to help the family.

'He has sustained grave injuries, will require extensive medical care, and has a very long road to recovery,' their family added.

Melissa, meanwhile, was flown to another hospital to be placed in their burn unit since there were no beds available in the hospital she was originally sent too.

As the couple recovers, their their three-month-old Kaesyn is currently being taken care of by both Melissa's and Kevin's families.

The military, in response to a request from Hawaii Governor Josh Green, plans to fly six burn patients to Arizona for treatment on Saturday.

Hawaii has only one specialized burn unit and online fundraisers for some victims said they would need to go to Arizona because their home state's hospitals don't have the space to care for them.

Minutes after the midnight explosion emergency crews rushed to the grisly and chaotic scene.

While it is still not clear the extent of other injuries of the wounded, the youngest is a three-year-old child.

The blast was Hawaii's deadliest fireworks incident in 14 years.

New parents Melissa and Kevin with their three-month-old son suffered catastrophic injuries

Charmaine 'Char' Benigno, a mother-of-two, was critically injured in the blast

Aerial view of the New Year's Eve explosion where emergency crews set up a triage

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, and a 23-year-old female later also succumbed to her injuries

Many in the Aliamanu community are heartbroken and grieving.

On Thursday, friends gathered to place flowers at a makeshift memorial near where their bodies were found.

Before the tragedy, dozens of partygoers were seen by the home's carport, and upstairs of the house, but after the fireworks explosion, a haunting clip captured on video shows only one one or two people exiting the home, as per KHON 2News.

Neighbor Angelina Bagaforo, who lives across the street, said she was inside when the fireworks went off and that a friend who was outside tended to some of the injured.

'My friend carried our friend into the house, she had lacerations on her fingers, she was bleeding, we couldn't tell where it was coming from but when we realized it wasn't a major artery or vein and we kept her stabilized,' Bagaforo said.

She said her friend saw helpless people who she described 'were dazed, just trying to figure out where the triage center is, asking for help, laying in the street. It was a lot,' she added.

Aleighya Corpuz told the news outlet about her 12-year-old friend she is worried sick about.

'She kept saying Aleighya, I cant feel my legs, like it was hurt but numb, and I looked at her leg when she was leaving and it was bleeding,' she said.

Another woman who lives across the street where the tragedy took place was shattered by the incident.

She told the news outlet, 'They just wanted to have a good time and ring in the New Year with people they loved and cared about.'
A fire that broke out at a shopping center in Dallas on Friday morning killed more than 500 animals, most of which were small birds, authorities said.

The 579 animals in the pet shop at Plaza Latina in Northwest Dallas died from smoke inhalation, Dallas Fire-Rescue explained.

The flames from the fire which broke out at 9am, never reached the animals. Chickens, hamsters, two dogs and two cats also died, Evans said.

The two-alarm fire took about two hours and as many as 45 firefighters to extinguish around 11am, Evans said.

A fire that broke out at a shopping center in Dallas on Friday morning killed more than 500 animals, most of which were small birds, authorities said

This turtle was one of the lucky ones and managed to make it out alive despite the carnage

The structure of the large, one-story shopping center was severely damaged, including a partially collapsed roof

'While the fire did not reach the pet shop, a great deal of smoke did enter,' Dallas Fire-Rescue explained.

'While DFR personnel did search and attempt rescue, all animals in the shop unfortunately perished due to smoke inhalation,' Evans said.

No people were injured in the fire. The structure of the large, one-story shopping center was severely damaged, including a partially collapsed roof, Evans said.

'If one person's life would've been lost, that would've been devastating,' said building manager Al Bargas to ABC8.

Many pets died from smoke inhalation including more than 500 birds but this pup was saved

Chickens, hamsters, dogs, and cats perished fro the smoke although this pig and bunnies survived

Local television crews caught the sight of firefighters rescuing dozens of pets from the blaze

Part of the roof to the building caved in but it's believed the building as a whole can be saved

An ariel view sees where part of the building's rood collapsed following the blaze

Rescuers did their very best to save as many animals from the the exotic pet shop as possible

Members of the public and workers were only able to look on helplessly as pets were saved

The shopping center includes multiple small businesses and was described on its Facebook page as 'a place where people can go to eat, and buy all sorts of Latin goods and services.'

A post on the page in Spanish asked for prayers for the families who work there.

Officials don't yet know what caused the fire, but thanks to an upgraded sprinkler system and quick response by Dallas Fire Rescue, aside from a collapsed roof, the building can be saved.
Do you know more? Email zak.wheeler@mailonline.com

Police have established a crime scene after a man was found unresponsive in a burning house.

Emergency services were called to Grant Street in Blacktown, Sydney, after receiving reports of a fire at 4.05pm on Saturday.

The unidentified man, who is believed to be 76, was recovered from the premises by Fire and Rescue NSW crews.

NSW Ambulance paramedics attempted to revive the man but he died at the scene.

Officers attached Blacktown Police Area Command were called to control traffic in the area and the fire has since been extinguished.

Multiple police cars and firetrucks were seen assembled on the street outside the house as grieving loved ones spoke to officers.

Initial reports indicate 32 firefighters and eight trucks were called to the scene.

A crime scene has been established and police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding how the incident occurred.

An unidentified man has died in a house fire which emergency services responded to on Grant Street in Blacktown, Sydney, at 4.05pm on Saturday

Paramedics attempted to revive the man but he died at the scene

Grieving loved ones were seen outside the property taking questions from NSW Police

NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Grant Rice said the fire ignited inside a 'hoarders premises' and that firefighters worked to stop the blaze from spreading.

'It's classified as a hoarders' premise, so they're doing their best to make sure it doesn't escalate and extend beyond that property,' Superintendent Rice said.

A will prepare a report for the coroner.
A teenager and a man were then taken to hospital at 2.45pm

One man in his 20s taken to Frankston Hospital at 2pm

Two separate incidents at a popular beach have sent three people to hospital in the same day.

The first incident occurred when a man in his 20s needed saving at Safety Beach, 85km south of Melbourne on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, at 2pm on Saturday.

Ambulance Victoria transported the man to Frankston Hospital in a stable condition.

Less than one hour later one teenager, a man and a child required assistance in the same location after their watercrafts collided at 2.30pm.

Emergency crews airlifted the teen to the Royal Children's Hospital with upper body injuries and the man was taken Frankston Hospital in a stable condition.

Life Saving Victoria handled the two rescue operations at the beach as a helicopter was seen hovering above.

A life saving dinghy and a jet ski were used to retrieve the people from the ocean and at least two ambulances were seen parked at the boat ramp of the beach.

Victoria Police are investigating the collision and have already impounded the teenager's jet ski and the man's boat.

Two seperate incidents have hospitalised three people at Safety Beach on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula on Saturday

Victoria Police said they are trying to figure out who caused the collision.

'The three people on the jet ski ended up in the water just off Marine Drive around 2:30pm,' police said.

'A man and young child from the jet ski were treated for minor injuries. A teenage boy from the jet ski has been airlifted to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

'The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated. The jet ski and boat have been seized as part of that investigation.'

In total 46 rescues and 35 medical incidents had been attended to by 4pm Saturday, Life Saving Victoria said.
Teenager airlifted to hospital after jumping from boardwalk

A teenager has been airlifted to hospital with suspected spinal injuries after jumping from a boardwalk into a shallow pool.

Paramedics were called to a shallow ocean pool underneath the Terrigal Boardwalk in NSW's Central Coast at 3pm on Saturday after reports a boy had jumped 'into shallow water off the rocks' from a height of three metres.

A CareFlight specialist doctor and 'multiple' NSW Ambulance paramedics attended the scene.

'He was treated for suspected spinal injuries as well as a head injury,' a spokesperson for NSW Ambulance told Daily Mail Australia.

'He was airlifted to RNS hospital in a serious but stable condition.'
Home Office staff spent 10,000 of tax-payer cash at a luxurious London restaurant to entertain Italian officials.

The expensive meal that happened at the Searcys at The Gherkin has been labelled an 'outrageous extravagance' at a time when the nation's finances are tight.

After the election, Rachel Reeves warned there was not a 'huge amount of money' when speaking of the government's finances.

Since then the the government cut the winter fuel allowance for millions of pensioners as well as pensioners as well as dropping a 'tax bomb' Budget, hiking employers' national insurance to raise 25billion for the Treasury.

According to the Sun, civil servants had 'exceptional permission' to pay for the meal via Government Procurement Card for the event thrown for their Italian counterparts.

The 10,350 bill in November was declared in a government credit card spending report.

Searcys at The Gherkin offers amazing views of London and its cheapest bottle of wine of wine costs 39. Picture: Top of the bar

The expensive meal happened at the Searcys at The Gherkin has been labelled an 'outrageous extravagance' at a time when the nation's finances are tight

It was claimed by a research and strategy team for a 'reception and dinner' for around 45 officials at the UK-Italian meeting, which the Home Office said was vital towards work to stop the Channel boats

It was claimed by a research and strategy team for a 'reception and dinner' for around 45 officials at the UK-Italian meeting, which the Home Office said was vital towards work to stop the Channel boats.

The restaurant offers amazing views of London and its cheapest bottle of wine of wine costs 39.

According to the newspaper, Home Office ministers were not present nor aware of the spending and are now looking at getting a sign-off for future departmental hospitality costs.

John O'Connell, of the Tax-Payers' Alliance, said there's 'no excuse' for this 'outrageous behaviour' adding that the person who approved this bill should be given a ' good dressing-down.'

A spokesperson for the Home Office said: 'In recognition of the vital role that Italy played in setting the international security agenda during its presidency of the G7 in 2024, the Home Office hosted a large international delegation of senior Italian security officials for a Joint Strategic Security Committee meeting in November, reciprocating an event that the Italian authorities hosted for the UK the previous year.

'The event required an appropriate, secure venue and contributed to the development of crucial agreements to enhance information sharing on people smuggling, organised immigration crime and drug trafficking.'
The Met Office has issued new warning maps showing which areas will be hit the hardest by heavy snow and temperatures of -10C, as major cities 'activate' emergency plans.

Stranded vehicles on the roads, delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and power cuts are all likely as the country grapples with a week-long spell of wintry conditions, the Met Office said.

There is also a 'good chance' that rural communities could be cut off thanks to the weather, with up to 30cm of snowfall expected in some areas.

A Met Office spokesperson confirmed the temperatures reached a low of -8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight.

Chilly conditions were expected to continue for most of Saturday, today with most places ranging from 2-5C, with highs of 7C in south-west England. The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was minus 14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.

The Met Office has warned that up to 1ft 4in (40cm) of snow could blanket parts of the UK.

The forecaster put in place a yellow snow warning for most of England and the whole of Wales from 12pm today until 11.59pm on Sunday, while Northern areas of Scotland have yellow warnings until 10am tomorrow.

Two amber warnings, however, have been issued from Newcastle upon Tyne down to Manchester from 9pm today until 11.59pm tomorrow and from Stoke on Trent to just above Cardiff from 6pm today until midday tomorrow.

The Met Office has issued four yellow snow warnings and two amber warnings for today

On Sunday, the forecaster is predicting even more snow, with an extra yellow snow warning in place

On Monday however, the snow is expected to die down with there only being two yellow warnings in place

A deer stag looks on in Richmond Park in London on January 4

A deer stag lies amongst frosty foliage at Richmond Park on a frosty Saturday morning

Early morning frost and mist as the sun rises over West Bay, Dorset

A deer stag this morning after multiple weather warnings for snow and ice across the UK this weekend

People out walking at the Wicklow Gap mountain pass in Co Wicklow as Ireland enters a cold snap

The Keswick Mountain Rescue Team pictured as they were called to help a walker

Warnings say that snow and freezing rain across Wales and the Midlands could lead to travel delays, road closures and power cuts.

Weather maps showed the storm touching down on the south west coast from as early as 12am this morning before spreading northwards.

The arctic conditions will then sweep into northern England and Scotland from around 6am on Sunday before the weather warms up to 13C (55F) in parts of the south.

This comes after a walker died after falling 70m from a mountain ridge in the Lake District.

Keswick Mountain Rescue said their first callout of the year ended in tragedy after the man died after falling from Sharp Edge on Blencathra on January 2.

The team were joined by the Great North Air Ambulance Service, Coastguard Helicopter R199, and the police.

'Our thoughts and condolences go to the man's family and friends,' the team wrote on Facebook.

Lecht Ski Centre in Aberdeenshire, Scotland has also had some snow, meaning keen skiers have heard to the slopes.

However, one young person was badly injured while skiing and had to be taken away by Air Ambulance earlier today.

However, one young person was badly injured while skiing and had to be taken away by Air Ambulance earlier today

Lecht Ski Centre in Aberdeenshire, Scotland has also had some snow, meaning keen skiers have heard to the slopes.

Air ambulance taking an injured skier off to the hospital in Scotland

Medics on the scene in Lecht Ski Centre, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

National Highways warned a 'spell of disruptive snow' would spread across southern and central parts of the road network on Saturday night.

Drivers in high-altitude areas, particularly the Cotswolds and Peak District, were warned to take particular care. Gwent Police issued a warning for black ice on Friday.

Road users in England's north were warned up to 25cm of snow could hit parts of the network including the A66 Old Spittal, A628 Woodhead Pass and M62 at Windy Hill.

Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said some 'significant accumulations' of snow are possible in parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England, and the additional factor of strengthening winds could lead to drifting of lying snow.

He continued: 'There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places.

'As the super-cooled rain droplets hit the surface they instantly freeze, covering everything in a layer of ice, making it extremely dangerous.'

The first amber snow and ice warning for Wales and the Midlands states that 'snow and freezing rain will likely lead to disruption to transport and some other services'. Pictured: Richmond

Between 3cm (1.2in) and 7cm (2.8in) of snow is likely for much of the warning area. Pictured: Richmond

The Met Office has warned that up to 1ft 4in (40cm) of snow could blanket parts of the UK. Pictured: A runner enjoys the frosty weather in Richmond Park, London this morning

A man takes pictures of icicles at the Wicklow Gap mountain pass in Co Wicklow as Ireland enters a cold snap

The Met Office has put in place a yellow snow warning for most of England and the whole of Wales from 12pm today until 11.59pm on Sunday

A series of weather warnings will come into effect, with status orange snow and ice warnings issued

People out walking at the Wicklow Gap mountain pass in Co Wicklow

Lincolnshire Police has said it is investigating whether a crash near Grantham which left a seven-month-old baby dead on Thursday night was linked to icy conditions.

A yellow Honda Jazz car left the southbound carriageway on the A1 shortly after 10.50pm before it hit a tree and returned to the road.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.

A major crash involving a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) also caused severe disruption on the M26 this morning.

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 4am, where the lorry had veered off the road.

Due to the size of the vehicle and the extent of the damage, a crane was brought in to assist with the recovery, and sections of the motorway barriers had to be cut to facilitate the operation

The crash comes amid warnings from the highways agency for drivers to be extra cautious, as icy and snowy conditions are forecast over the weekend.

The NHS Black Country integrated care board has warned the public to 'avoid going out early when the frost is thick or late at night when it's dark', adding people should keep hands free and wear shoes with a good grip.

In Herefordshire, the Wye Valley NHS Trust told people to 'have sufficient food and medicine and take measures to reduce draughts in your home'.

The first amber snow and ice warning for Wales and the Midlands states that 'snow and freezing rain will likely lead to disruption to transport and some other services'.

It adds that there is a 'good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage'.

A frosty morning at White Mill Bridge in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset

Hard frost covers the countryside after another bitterly cold night in Dunsden, Oxfordshire

Britain is bracing for an arctic blast this weekend with temperatures of -10C. Pictured: Oxfordshire this morning

More than a foot of snow is expected to sweep across the country. Pictured: Dunsden, Oxfordshire on Saturday morning

A major crash involving a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) has caused severe disruption on the M26 this morning

Emergency services were called to the scene at around 4am, where the lorry had veered off the road

Two new amber weather warnings will come into effect from 6pm tonight, with warnings of snow and freezing rain across Wales and the Midlands

The arctic conditions will then sweep into northern England and Scotland from around 6am on Sunday

A hard frost turns Stonehenge white at dawn in Wiltshire on Friday morning amid sub-zero weather

A car is driven through snow in Balerno, Edinburgh, on Friday as the wintry weather continues

An ice warning is in place for northern areas until 10am today

The amber alerts come on top of the existing yellow snow warning from 12pm today until 11.59pm on Sunday

SUNDAY: The warnings are then joined on Sunday by a yellow snow alert for most of Scotland

MONDAY: The final alert, a yellow snow warning for Scotland, runs until 12pm on Monday

Heavy snow falls across Aberdeenshire on Friday as vehicles are driven through Alford

A car is driven through snow in Balerno, Edinburgh, on Friday as the wintry weather continues

A swimmer takes a dip at a frosty Beckenham Place Park Lake in South East Londonon Friday

The warning also says that 'travel delays on roads are likely, stranding some vehicles and passengers' and 'some road closures and longer journey times possible'.

In addition, the Met Office warns 'some delays and cancellations to bus, rail and air travel are likely'; 'there is a good chance that some rural communities could become cut off'; and 'untreated pavements and cycle paths likely to be impassable'.

Forecasters expect the snow to become persistent and heavy as it pushes south to north across the warning area, with freezing rain also expected to bring 'hazardous travel conditions', before milder air follows by Sunday morning.

Between 3cm (1.2in) and 7cm (2.8in) of snow is likely for much of the warning area, with 15cm (6in) to 30cm (1ft) for the higher ground of Wales and the southern Pennines.

Freezing rain is also expected to lead to ice in parts of Wales, before the milder air leads to a rapid thaw in the south of the warning area on Sunday.

Similar details are contained in the second amber warning for northern England.

This alert also states: 'Snow will be persistent and heavy at times, and will likely drift in brisk easterly winds, especially over higher ground.'

Much of this warning area can also expect 3cm (1.2in) to 7cm (2.8in) of snow, while areas above about 150m (500ft) will likely see 15cm (6in) to 30cm (1ft), with 40cm (1ft 4in) for ground above 300m (1,000ft).

The alert adds: 'For some lower-lying areas, such as the Vale of York, snow may mix with rain at times making estimations of snow depths here more difficult. Regardless, travel will likely be difficult, with power line icing an additional impact.'

Speaking about snow in eastern areas of England including London, Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill told a YouTube live Q&A session today: 'There is the risk of some snow further east, it won't perhaps be quite as disruptive, but parts of Norfolk are within that warning area.

'London, a little bit less likely to see something, but nonetheless it's not out of the question. We are likely to see some snow coming through but I think that'll be more so Saturday night into Sunday.

'And the thing to bear in mind with places like London and to the South, even if you do see any sleet or snow, then it's going to quite quickly be followed by some rain, so it's likely to get washed away and so less likely to be impactful.'

A snow plough clears the roads around Alford in Aberdeenshire on Friday amid severe weather

A frosty scene at South Yeo Farm East in Devon on Friday as the UK wakes up to very cold weather

A person braves the cold walking through Green Park on a very chilly day in London on Friday

Donkeys at a frosty paddock in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, on Friday morning after a bitterly cold night

People brave the cold as they walk through St James's Park in London on Friday morning

St Thomas Becket church is surrounded by frosty fields on Romney Marsh in Kentyesterday

National Rail Enquiries said the line between Inverness and Dingwall in northern Scotland would be closed until at least 11am today because of 'multiple landslips and areas flooded', meaning no ScotRail services between Inverness and Wick/Thurso and between Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh.

Met Office Chief Forecaster Jason Kelly said: 'This weekend will bring a range of weather hazards to the UK, notable snow accumulations, freezing rain, ice and heavy rain as well as some gusty conditions.

'We have issued a number of severe weather warnings, including Amber warnings for snow and ice in parts of England and Wales.

'Some significant accumulations of snow are possible across parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England in particular, where 5cm or more could accumulate fairly widely, with as much as 20 to 30cm over high ground of mid and north Wales and potentially 30 to 40cm over parts of the Pennines. This, accompanied by strengthening winds, may lead to drifting of lying snow.'

He added that as the milder air moves northwards, snow may turn to a spell of freezing rain for a time.

Mr Kelly said: 'There is a risk of freezing rain across parts of the Midlands and northern England, but especially Wales, adding to the risk of ice and leading to some treacherous conditions in places.

'As the supercooled rain droplets hit the surface they instantly freeze, covering everything in a layer of ice, making it extremely dangerous.'

The amber alerts from the UKHSA mean a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.

It comes as hilariously named gritter lorries including I Want To Break Freeze, Sled Zeppelin and Icetalavista Baby took to Scotland's roads to battle the cold weather.

People brave the cold as they walk through St James's Park in London on Friday morning

Fields during a frosty morning at Southam in Warwickshire on Friday morning

Frost covers houses and the ground at Martham in Norfolk yesterday amid the sub-zero weather

A freezing start as a cyclist makes their way through Blackheath in South East London

People walk through snow in Balerno, Edinburgh,yesterday as the wintry weather continues

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: 'The forecasted temperatures can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions, and it is therefore vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.

'These people could be more at risk of heart attacks, stroke and chest infections as a result of cold temperatures.'

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said today that it was 'a weekend to layer up and put the heating on' due to the cold conditions.

He told BBC Breakfast: 'We are heading into a cold snap this weekend and I know there are lots of concerns, not just amongst charity leaders, but also among NHS and social care leaders as well, about the particular risks and vulnerabilities this weekend as temperatures drop, both in terms of risk of accident and injury, but also risk from the cold itself.

'This is a weekend to wrap up and keep warm, to take sensible precautions about going out and about.'

These comments drew the ire of Age UK director Caroline Abrahams who responded to Mr Streeting's remarks by stating: 'Unfortunately, it has become increasingly clear that the Government's decision has left millions or the poorest and most vulnerable people unprotected this winter.

'We have been hoping and praying that a mild winter would reduce the risks to older people created by the decision to severely ration the Winter Fuel Payment at short notice'.

Councils across London and southern England have also activated emergency measures including additional accommodation to help rough sleepers stay safe during the cold snap.

James Lally, services director of homelessness charity St Mungo's, said: 'Access to a safe and warm place to live is vital for those experiencing homelessness all year round - and during freezing cold weather, emergency accommodation saves lives.

'St Mungo's frontline teams are prepared to respond to this critical situation, and continue to work tirelessly around the clock to make sure that as many people as possible can be brought out of the cold and into safety.'

Dan Stroud, meteorologist at the Met Office, said conditions should become warmer by the end of the weekend before cold weather strikes again early next week.

He said: 'The second half of the weekend should be in the high singles or low doubles (for temperature figures).

'But temperatures will dive again next week, particularly on Monday and Tuesday.

'They should start to improve towards the latter end of the week. But there's a lot of water to go under the bridge until then.'

Bookmaker Ladbrokes has cut odds that this month will be the coldest January on record, down from 3/1 to 4/5.

The coldest temperature recorded in January 2024 was -14C (7F) at Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands.

 Amber weather warning issued 



Snow and ice across parts of central England and Wales



Saturday 1800 - Sunday 1200



Latest info  https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs



Stay #WeatherAware  pic.twitter.com/TLvSrtSC1Z  Met Office (@metoffice) January 3, 2025

 Amber weather warning issued 



Snow across northern England



Saturday 2100 - Sunday 2359



Latest info  https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs



Stay #WeatherAware  pic.twitter.com/v2MKvd2nvJ  Met Office (@metoffice) January 3, 2025

After a brief respite of milder air for some areas on Sunday, colder conditions are set to develop widely across the UK into next week.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster Dan Holley said: 'The system bringing this weekend's snow will move away to the east by Monday, allowing a cold a northerly flow to become established again for much of next week.

'This will bring further snow showers to northern Scotland in particular, but possibly to some other areas, especially near western coasts, with a fair amount of dry and bright weather elsewhere.

'Temperatures will remain below average, with widespread frost and the risk of ice at times.

'Some areas, especially in the north, may struggle to get above freezing for several days. It is possible further weather warnings will be issued for the start of next week, so it's advisable to stay up to date with the forecast.'

National Highways Severe Weather Resilience Manager, Darren Clark, said: 'If you are travelling this weekend, keep your distance and reduce your speed.

'Gritters will be out treating our roads around the clock when ice or snow is forecast, but it is still important to drive to the conditions.

'Even in conditions that seem normal and where the snow is not settling you could always experience slippery conditions.

'Drivers should plan their journeys, check their vehicles, monitor weather reports and pack a snow kit of blankets, food, water and a shovel.'
Feature: "Ferryman of souls" escorts cremains of veterans from Taiwan to mainland home

Xinhua) 15:11, January 04, 2025

TAIPEI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- For Liu De-wen, who hails from southern Taiwan, the weight of a life is precisely 12 kilograms.

On the third day of 2025, the 58-year-old from Kaohsiung boarded a flight to Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province. He carried two ash urns, each weighing 12 kilograms -- one strapped to his chest and the other secured to his back.

Over the past 21 years, Liu has carried the cremains of more than 300 veterans from Taiwan back to the Chinese mainland, fulfilling their dying wishes to return home.

These veterans were among the soldiers who arrived in Taiwan with the Kuomintang in 1949 during a civil war. For decades, as the two sides of the Taiwan Strait were trapped in protracted political confrontation, they were unable to return to the mainland to care for aging parents or reunite with siblings or wives.

Many of these men, considered outsiders on the island, remained unmarried and childless.

Liu, a native of Taiwan's Pingtung County, did not know much about these veterans until 1997 when he moved to a community of old military housing in Kaohsiung.

The community was home to more than 4,000 mainland veterans at its prime time, and when Liu moved in, around 1,800 old men were still living there.

"They often sat for hours during the Chinese New Year, gazing toward the mainland. On the traditional Tomb-Sweeping Day, they would perform rituals in the direction of their hometowns to honor their parents they hadn't seen in decades," Liu recalled.

These scenes resonated deeply with Liu, and over time, he became their confidant, listening to their stories of separation and longing.

Although the Taiwan authorities lifted the ban on visiting relatives on the mainland in 1987, many veterans did not make the trips due to their age or health conditions. Those who made mostly did not move back to their hometowns, due to various reasons.

In 2003, an 87-year-old veteran from Hunan Province surnamed Wen entrusted Liu with his dying wish. "Can you take my ashes back home to be buried beside my parents? I've never fulfilled my duties as a son," a tearful Wen had said, as Liu recounted speaking to Xinhua.

After Wen's passing, Liu honored his promise, traveling by plane, train, and bus to deliver the urn to Wen's ancestral village in Hunan.

Word soon spread, and other veterans began reaching out for his help. As the requests multiplied, Liu devoted himself entirely to this mission, undeterred by the physical and financial challenges it entailed.

"I don't treat the urns as luggage. They hold the veterans' souls," Liu said, explaining why he often bought seats or beds for the urns, treating them as if the deceased were still alive.

In later years, Liu began receiving requests from families on the mainland to locate the remains of veteran relatives in Taiwan and bring them home.

These missions were uphill battles. Liu has combed through military cemeteries, untended graves, and even abandoned temples across Taiwan, piecing together clues from decades-old records and scattered memories.

The search for veteran Chen Bi-shou, for instance, took months. Chen's family in Jiangsu had not heard from him since the early 1980s and contacted Liu in 2018.

It was only through Liu's unwavering determination -- meticulously checking cemetery records and obscure archives -- that Chen's grave was finally located in Taiwan, 25 years after his death. Liu personally accompanied Chen's ashes back to Jiangsu.

The search trips are rarely easy. Liu has endured heatstroke while searching remote cemeteries, slept on train station floors, and once fractured ribs falling into a pit during a search. Yet, he continues to persevere.

"Doing good brings blessings," Liu said simply, attributing his survival from the fall to the unseen support of the veterans.

The reunions Liu facilitates are often profoundly emotional. In Yunnan, an elderly man whose father left for Taiwan when his mother was pregnant wept as he held the cremains in the urn. "I finally have a father," he said, overwhelmed with emotion.

In Shandong, a 90-year-old man knelt three times before Liu in gratitude for bringing his brother home.

In every case, Liu stays to ensure the ashes are buried properly. Having mapped out over 20 provinces and regions, with only Xizang, Qinghai, and Ningxia left untouched, he rarely took time for sightseeing, viewing his work as a solemn mission. "I am here to bring them home, not to tour," he said.

As technology advanced, Liu began documenting veterans' graves to create a comprehensive database and publishing the information online, enabling families to locate lost loved ones more efficiently.

Liu's efforts have garnered recognition across the Strait. Families on the mainland, once strangers, now call him "uncle" or "big brother."

"This is why I do what I do," Liu said. "We are one family, bound by the same roots and culture. Blood ties can never be severed."

Liu's life remains modest. His office, a converted shipping container, displays the motto: "Do good and keep a kind heart." Despite the growing public recognition of his work, he continues to live frugally, saving every penny to fund his missions.

"I've learned the essence of humanity through this work," Liu said. "It's about bringing closure and peace to those who've waited a lifetime to go home."

As the veterans pass away and their stories fade, Liu races against time to complete their final journeys.

In 2024, Liu escorted 47 urns in a single year, the most ever. In 2025, he has already scheduled trips for more than 20 deceased veterans.

"I have to walk faster," he said. "Their children are getting older too. They shouldn't have to wait any longer."

(Web editor: Zhao Tong, Zhong Wenxing)
Drug use on Sixth Street in San Francisco is worse than ever, says the supervisor representing the district. Felix Uribe/Special to the Chronicle 2023

The open-air drug scene on San Franciscos Sixth Street has become so prevalent lately that Supervisor Matt Dorsey is asking city officials to consider arresting more drug users and compelling them into detox and treatment.

Dorsey  who represents the South of Market, Mission Bay and Treasure Island  asked city officials responsible for public safety and health functions to report to the new Board of Supervisors early this year on what it would take to expand arrests and compulsory drug treatment to deal with the chaotic drug scene in his district.

Dorsey said residents and local merchants have approached him in recent weeks saying drug use on Sixth Street has been worse than ever. The San Francisco Police Department told Dorsey that at least 200 people loiter and use fentanyl and other drugs on a roughly quarter-mile stretch of Sixth Street each night.

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The supervisor said he submitted a letter of inquiry to hold one-half of those estimated to be engaging in drug-related lawlessness criminally accountable, a strategy employed by Mayor London Breed to deal with the rampant open-air drug use that has plagued the city for years.

Supervisor Matt Dorsey wants San Francisco city officials to consider a tougher approach to the open-air drug use in his district. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle 2023

But critics have warned that without the necessary treatment beds and programs  many of which are at capacity  the plan could lead to the mass incarceration of nonviolent offenders.

As we begin the new year, new approaches are urgently needed to restore order to our streets, to diminish San Franciscos attraction as a destination city for drug use and drug dealing, and to make life-saving interventions in behavior thats deadlier and more costly than ever before, Dorsey said in a statement.

Dorsey, who is a recovering addict, said court-mandated treatment would be life-changing for the many drug users who get high openly on the citys streets, many of them looking dazed and bent over into seemingly uncomfortable positions. Dorsey said hes encouraged by Mayor-elect Daniel Luries emphasis on the need for lasting solutions to the drug crisis and he that believes his inquiry will lead to enduring solutions that could help save lives.

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While some on social media praised Dorsey for his plan, not everyone is as enthusiastic  including one newly elected supervisor who voiced her displeasure.

Supervisor-elect Jackie Fielder said in an X post on Friday that arresting people for drug use is not a serious strategy for San Francisco.

It has been the strategy for San Francisco since 2021, said Fielder, who as supervisor will represent the Mission District, Portola and Bernal Heights. And it has FAILED.



A year after San Francisco launched a multiagency effort to dismantle open-air drug markets in the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, the Chronicle found that it remains unclear whether arrests have led any drug users into treatment programs.

Critics of plans to arrest drug users in San Francisco and get them into treatment have warned that the city doesnt have enough treatment beds and programs to utilize such a strategy. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle 2024

Law enforcement officers have arrested nearly 1,300 suspected drug users and more than 1,000 suspected dealers in the past year, according to the mayors office. But just 29 of those have requested drug treatment, according to the sheriffs office. Its difficult to know how many actually participated because the sheriffs office doesnt continue to track people once they have left the jail.

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Glenys Kinnock left her former Labour leader husband Neil 1.5million in her will, documents have revealed.

Probate documents for her estate, which was granted on 28 December 2024, shows the former MEP gifted the entire amount to Lord Kinnock, her husband of 56 years.

The Baroness died aged 79 in December 2023, six years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Her will shows her estate was worth 1,514,275, while her husband, MP son Stephen and daughter Rachel were appointed as executors, The Sun reports.

Baroness Kinnock was seen as a figure of support for Lord Kinnock's political career as he campaigned in elections against Margaret Thatcher and John Major albeit unsuccessfully.

She herself was an outspoken politician and rose to prominence in her own right.

Baroness Kinnock served as a member of the European Parliament for Wales between 1994 to 2009.

When her husband was given a life peerage in 2005, she was entitled to use 'Lady' before her name, but decided against its use.

Glenys Kinnock left her former Labour leader husband Neil 1.5million in her will, documents have revealed

Probate documents for her estate, which was granted on 28 December 2024, shows the former MEP gifted the entire amount to Lord Kinnock, her husband of 56 years

The couple seen together in 2018, after Baroness Kinnock was diagnosed with Alzheimer's

She was later appointed Minister of State for Europe under Gordon Brown and received a life peerage at the same time, denoting her as Lady, or Baroness, Kinnock in her own right.

Glenys also served as Minister of State for Africa and the United Nations from 2009 to 2010.

It was sometimes said of her, before she became an MEP, that she played a large part in formulating Labour Policy 'over breakfast with her husband'.

And even though she was regarded by some as even more of a left-wing firebrand than Neil, that story was always fiercely denied.

She had a wide field of interests but was especially well-known for her work in helping to alleviate poverty and starvation in Africa and other parts of the world.

In 2022 her family described the 'slow grief' of seeing her go through Alzheimer's and 'losing a little bit of the person you love every day'.

In a column for the Sunday Times they heartbreakingly revealed she had been left unable to make a birthday cake for her grandchildren, something she had taken 'particular pride' in.

They added she had been 'mortified' by her diagnosis and that while much of her personality remained 'we can't talk or get through to her'.

Baroness Kinnock smiles during the Welsh Labour Conference in Swansea in 2009

Baroness Kinnock pictured speaking to reporters in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum in 2010

Neil Kinnock and wife Glenys seen on the campaign trail during the 1992 election

Speaking in May 2022 to Talk TV, Lord Kinnock revealed she had ben diagnosed after they noticed her 'slipping words' being confused on a family holiday to Kefalonia in 2016.

'I noticed to an extent that I hadn't before, that she was slipping words, showing a degree of confusion, which could be put down to the fact that we're in a strange environment and so on.'

He added: 'She has supported me for 50 years and I've been helping her out for five so I've got a way to go to catch her up.'

Labour leader and PM Keir Starmer paid tribute to her after her death, writing: 'Glenys was a passionate lifelong campaigner for social justice at home and abroad.

'Neil and Glenys had the most wonderful partnership, there for each other through thick and thin, with a love and commitment that was instantly obvious when you saw them together.'

Sir Tony Blair said Baroness Kinnock's death would be 'mourned in many countries and corners of the Earth'.

Former journalist and Labour strategist Alastair Campbell called Baroness Kinnock a 'great woman' and a 'bright and beautiful light'.
This video is no longer available

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Three men are behind bars and another four are in hospital after a wild brawl broke out between security guards and a group of men in a tourist hotspot.

The fight erupted on the corner of Elizabeth and Moseley Streets in Glenelg, Adelaide, around 8pm on Friday.

Footage captured by bystanders showed the group of men squaring up with the bouncers before one man started throwing punches.

He was quickly subdued by the security officers as the shocked people filming the fight from their car began reversing the vehicle in order to create some distance.

One man who was unconscious and lying on the street was also seen being assisted by passers-by while the other men continued scrapping.

South Australian Police arrested three men, two from Morphett Vale and one from Christie Downs, and they were each charged with assault, reported 7News.

All three have been banned from the precinct for three months.

A fourth man from Aldinga Beach who is currently still in hospital is also expected to receive the same ban once he recovers.

Three men are behind bars and another four in hospital after a wild brawl broke out between security guards and a group of men in Glenelg, Adelaide, at 8pm on Friday (pictured)

A man and a woman who were filming from within the safety of a car could be heard gasping in shock as the brawl intensified.

Oh he just hit his head into a brick wall,' the woman said at one point.

That guy over there as well, he's unresponsive,' the man replied.

The unconscious man on the ground was helped by two bystanders as others came over to check on his condition.

Three security guards were also hospitalised with minor injuries as a result of the fight.

Glenelg's Party Precinct, located towards the end of Jetty Road near the wharf, encompasses the area in which the fight took place.

South Australian Police opted to designate the area a tourism hot spot prior to the fight on Friday.

This decision grants officers additional powers over the summer season as police have said they will not tolerate anti-social behaviour in the area with tourists around.

Shocked bystanders filmed the brawl from inside their car as the men started throwing punches at each other

The new rules are in effect over a period of 12 hours from 3pm to 3am every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This new designation will last until April 7.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Metropolitan Operations John De Candia said the declaration would provide police additional authorities to protect public safety.

'Glenelg sees a substantially larger patronage from December to April and this requires a dedicated policing response,' he said.

'We want everyone to enjoy their time in Glenelg and this [Declared Public Precinct] provides police with another tool to protect the community.'
A massive building fire which shut a major freeway in Melbourne is being treated as suspicious by police.

Emergency services were called to out-of-control blaze at Kennards Self Storage in Port Melbourne, around 8.35pm.

It appeared to shut the nearby Westgate Freeway in an eastbound direction as firefighters battled the flames for over an hour.

Footage shared on social media shows out-of-control flames tearing through the storage facility, as nearby trees are engulfed and a huge plume of black smoke hangs over the city.

Fire Port Melbourne Kennards pic.twitter.com/1dD58hkrGf  Dave Jackson (@Hankydj) January 4, 2025

Victoria Police revealed on Saturday night that the blaze is being treated as suspicious.

'Anyone who witnessed anything or with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au,' Victoria Police said.

The VicEmergency website showed that at least nine crews attended the fire.

'Firefighters arrived on scene within six minutes to find a grass fire that had spread to a nearby building,' a spokesperson for Fire Rescue Victoria said.

'Crews, wearing breathing apparatus, escalated the response and quickly contained the grass fire.

Emergency services were called to the blaze at Kennards Self Storage in Port Melbourne, around 8.35pm. It appeared to shut the nearby Westgate Freeway in an eastbound direction as firefighters battled the flames for over an hour (pictured)

Footage shared on social media shows out-of-control flames tearing through the storage facility, as nearby trees are engulfed and a huge plume of black smoke hangs over the city

Victoria Police revealed on Saturday night that the blaze is being treated as suspicious

'The structure fire was contained to external damage.

'Firefighters searched the affected structure for occupants and fire extension.

'No injuries have been reported. This incident was deemed Under Control at 9.47pm.'

'Firefighters remain on scene to cool and ventilate the structure.'
The National Grid is abandoning a new pylon project which has cost a whopping 17 million because they are too noisy.

The so-called T-pylons design was revealed in 2015 as a 'vision for our electric future' and was the first major change to the infrastructure used in almost 100 years.

But now, 10 years later, the project which cost 17 million has only seen pylons being installed in one location and they do not feature in the Government's Net Zero pylon expansions.

At 115 feet high, they were around a third shorter than their traditional counterparts and were supposed to take up less space on the ground.

They formed part of the National Grid's 900 million Hinkley Connection project.

The winning design - submitted by Danish firm Bystrup - was selected from over 250 entered into an international competition run in 2011, organised by the Royal Institute of British Architects and what was then the Department of Energy and Climate Change (now DEFRA).

At the time, Chris Huhne, then energy secretary, said it was important that the rollout was done in 'the most beautiful way possible'.

The so-called T-pylons design was revealed in 2015 as a 'vision for our electric future' and was the first major change to the infrastructure used in almost 100 years

At 115-feet high, they were around a third shorter than their traditional counterparts and were supposed to take up less space on the ground

Bonnyfield: The site of the UK's first electricity pylon Architect Sir Reginald Blomfield The first electricity pylon in the UK was put in Bonnyfield, near Falkirk in Scotland, in 1928. However, the new transmission grid of what was then the Central Electricity Board (CEB) did not begin operating until 1933. It was initially run as a series of regional grids before becoming truly national in 1938. The original design was the winning submission to a competition run by the CEB in 1927. Advertisement

After 17 million was pushed into the project, installations began to take place in Somerset along the line connecting up Hinkley Point C nuclear station in 2021.

However, soon after this, residents started complaining about the structures, as they were visually intrusive and could hear a whistling noise in wind high speeds. according to The Telegraph.

Residents described 'horrid' and 'really spooky' wind noises from the structures.

According to the newspaper, they also require more steel compared to the previous generation, which makes them more expensive.

It also highlighted the tendency for localised flooding around the base, partly because of the size of the foundations.

As previously reported, the Hinkley Connection project would have been ready to connect to Hinkley Point C by the end of 2024, with the project complete at the end of this year.

But they now do not feature in the Government's Net Zero pylon expansions.

Even though the first lattice-style pylon was built in 1928, the new transmission grid of what was then the Central Electricity Board (CEB) did not begin operating until 1933.

It was initially run as a series of regional grids before becoming truly national in 1938.

The original design was the winning submission to a competition run by the CEB in 1927.

It was sent in by U.S. engineering firm Milliken Brothers. The project's leading architect Sir Reginald Blomfield, who most famously designed Lambeth Bridge, preferred it instead of the other options.

Blomfield, who was a strident anti-modernist, took its name from Ancient Egypt.

The word pylon describes a gateway with two towers on either side of it. To the Egyptians, these represented two hills - between which the sun rose and set.

Blomfield hoped that his pylons would provide a 'gateway' to a reliable electricity supply for the UK.

A National Grid spokesman said: 'We consider all technology options for future new network projects  offshore, underground, and overhead lines, including T-pylons  and then balance a range of factors, including what's possible from an engineering and environmental point of view, and feedback from local communities.

'The cost of all National Grid Electricity Transmission activity across England and Wales, amounts to around 25 on the average annual household electricity bill.'

'In 2023, we successfully energised 36 of the world's first T-pylons between Bridgwater and Loxton in Somerset, as part of the Hinckley Connection Project.

'The T-pylon design has been well received by the local community there, who showed a preference for it during consultation.'
The last time he lost his job it was at the whim of the voters repulsed by his duplicity. This time his end came in equally ruthless fashion, as the victim of political expediency.

If there is any consolation for Sir Nick Clegg in his departure from Facebook-owning Meta, as it realigns for a Donald Trump presidency, it is in the considerable sums of money he has trousered during his seven years in California's Silicon Valley.

As the former Liberal Democrat leader and his soon-to-be-former employers tried to apply the best possible gloss to his exit, the question was not whether he was pushed  but quite how hard.

'Of course, his leaving is linked to the return of Trump to the White House,' says a social media analyst. 'How could it not be? Clegg is an obstacle to resetting Facebook's relationship with President Trump.'

The man who has made not one but two careers out of swallowing his principles, boasted of his achievements in what he described as 'an adventure of a lifetime'. He insisted his replacement as Meta's president of global affairs, a Republican insider, was 'the right person for the right job at the right time'.

But it is hard to escape the view that just as he misjudged the British electorate who punished him and his party  then in coalition with the Tories  for reneging on his promise to scrap university tuition fees, his outspoken attack last month on Elon Musk, owner of Facebook rival X and a key Trump ally, was a massive blunder.

Nick Clegg and Mark Zuckerberg in Paris to meet with France's president Emmanuel Macron

In an interview, Clegg suggested that Musk, the world's richest man, was a 'political puppet master' who has turned X  formerly Twitter  into a 'one man hyper-partisan hobby horse'.

Just how ill-advised those comments were became startlingly clear when it emerged that not only had Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg dined with the President-elect at his Florida mansion in Mar-a-Lago, but he had also pledged $1 million (800,000) to his inauguration events.

It can hardly have helped that Sir Nick, who once said he would attend an anti-Trump protest, was closely involved in the decision in 2021 to ban the then-outgoing US president from Facebook and its sister platform Instagram over claims he had used the social media sites to incite the January 6 mob attack on the Capitol in Washington.

On this occasion, however, there was simply not enough time for the kind of nimble footwork he demonstrated when, not long before he joined Meta, he attacked big-tech companies for being 'flagrantly, blatantly on the wrong side', on matters such as tax.

Clegg then added: 'I'm not especially bedazzled by Facebook. I actually find the messianic California new-world-touchy-feely culture a little grating. Nor am I sure that companies such as Facebook really pay all the tax they could.'

But that was then, and by the time Sir Nick had been unveiled as Zuckerberg's number two with responsibility for 'all policy matters' at the social media behemoth, which also owns WhatsApp, such concerns no longer seemed quite so pressing.

Money, of course, can do all sorts of strange things to principles and there is no doubt that Britain's one-time deputy prime minister has been handsomely rewarded for his years as 'master of the Metaverse'.

'Of course, [Nick Clegg's] leaving [Meta] is linked to the return of Trump to the White House,' says a social media analyst

His starting salary back in 2018 was reported to have been a cool 2.7 million but in recent times, due to bonuses and share options, he was said to be earning close to 11 million a year.

Just how lucrative the role has been can be judged from his recent off-loading of Meta stock holdings. In November it was disclosed that he had pocketed 6.1 million after disposing of 13,833 shares. That came on top of the reported 8.7 million of holdings he had sold in August.

Indeed, since 2022 Clegg has sold additional shares in the firm to the tune of around 12 million.

On top of that, he made a 3.6 million profit from the sale of his California mansion, a faux Queen Anne house on an acre of land, described by estate agents as a 'jewel' with 'timeless and classic' features.

The sale came after he and his lawyer wife, Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, decided to relocate back to the UK with their three sons because work meant he was spending more time in Europe.

Little wonder then that former colleagues are speculating about just what Sir Nick will do next.

Thanks to the well-remunerated years at Meta he is unlikely to be seeking another multi-million-pound job in the private sector.

(His wife, who famously shunned the role of traditional Westminster wife when her husband was Lib Dem leader, continues to be a highly paid international trade lawyer.)

As a Europhile  and let's not forget an unreconstructed Remainer  old Lib Dem friends say Clegg has his heart set on a job with the EU.

Europe runs through the veins of the Clegg family. He has a Dutch mother, his father is half Russian and he himself is fluent in French, German and Spanish.

The family owns a ten-bedroom chateau in Bordeaux, with swimming pool and acres of grounds, which has often been used by the former MP for Sheffield Hallam and his family for holidays.

Sir Nick's first job after studying anthropology at Cambridge University was as an adviser to the then Tory EU trade commissioner, the late Lord (Leon) Brittan, who was a family friend. Clegg returned the favour by bringing Brittan back as a paid government adviser on trade to the Coalition government only weeks after he became deputy PM in the summer of 2010.

Nick Clegg made a 3.6 million profit on the sale of this 'Queen Anne-style' mansion that included a guest house, an acre of land and a swimming pool

'Nick's first love is Europe and the EU,' says a close friend. 'It's where he wants to be. He knows there is no return to domestic politics.

'He has had his day, and the current party leader, Ed Davey, does not want a backseat driver. But a job within the EU would suit him.'

Quite what that would be is uncertain since Brexit Britain is no longer entitled to hold any positions as commissioners, but he could be in line for a role as a special envoy.

'The EU is one of the biggest job creation schemes in the world,' says a figure who served with Clegg in government. 'Something could easily be created. He won't need to worry about a salary, all he'd want is a big office and a big job.

'I could envisage him working to create greater harmony across Europe  he would be an important adviser on social media.

'And, of course, he would love to be an unofficial adviser to the European Commission on how to get Britain back into the EU, even though he would deny that.'

His famous flexibility would surely be no hindrance. As a young MP, Clegg pushed for a referendum on Britain's EU membership, even staging a walk-out of Parliament in 2008 over it.

After the 2016 referendum resulted in Brexit, he published a book calling on Westminster to ignore the vote and stay in the EU.

Another option, using his Meta riches, would be to set up a major think-tank like his political hero Tony Blair, who raised the cash for his by, in part, advising dodgy despots and oligarchs.

Blair is likely to be one of the first political figures he reaches out to.

'They like and admire each other and are both heartbroken by Britain's decision to leave the EU,' says a figure who has worked with both men. 'Blair still has excellent contacts across Europe.

Nick Clegg and wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez arrive at a polling station to vote in 2015

'And if Sir Keir Starmer, who knows Clegg from when they worked together on the Remain campaign, supported his candidacy for a Euro job as well as Blair, there would be some in Brussels who would think it was a clever move.'

A senior Lib Dem, however, is cautious.

'Not everyone approved of him selling his soul to big-tech,' he says. 'Nick may need an element of atonement for having taken the Zuckerberg shilling.

'He is not a popular figure in all Lib Dem circles. Zuckerberg has seemed imperious and indifferent to calls for the output of these social media giants to be more socially aware and not so destructive, especially for young people.

'If Nick was trying to tame the social media giants, he failed.

'He's burnt a lot of bridges with the party faithful by going to Silicon Valley in the first place to make millions while we have carried on with the hard drudgery of party management in Britain.'

There was talk last night he would go to the House of Lords.

'Well, he stuffed it with lots of his mates after we came out of government, while at the same time making clear his distaste for the place. He's on record as saying it should be abolished,' says the senior Lib Dem.

But while Clegg remains a divisive figure to some in the party, who blame him for the loss of 49 of their then 57 parliamentary seats in the 2015 election, Sir Ed Davey is not one of them.

He has wheeled out Clegg for dinners at Mosimann's, the private members' dining club in Belgravia, to which only rich donors are invited. There were at least four such dinners during 2024 alone organised by Hannah Billington, the Lib Dems' director of fundraising.

That Clegg should now be in such demand is remarkable considering his political career ended in such ignominy, with the loss of his Sheffield seat in the 2017 election to a Jeremy Corbyn-supporting ex-barman who was later exposed as a fraudster.

At 57 and with two failures behind him, Clegg is now looking for a third career.

As for wife Miriam  otherwise known as Lady Clegg, though she hates to be called that  she was never entirely happy in money-bags Silicon Valley, once likening it to living in the Vatican.

'It's slightly insular, massively wealthy. It's not too diversified and it is mostly run by men,' she has commented.

She also complained that 'you can go for days without seeing a single black face on the street'.

Other apercus included posting a picture on Instagram of the 'British corner' of her local supermarket. It depicted a row of Heinz spaghetti tins alongside which she mockingly wrote: 'Brexiteers would be proud.'

Many will be wondering how a couple who pride themselves on their absence of doubt will pick up the threads of their former lives. Time will tell.
Apple will pay 77million to settle a court case which alleged its devices listened to their owners without their consent.

The tech giant had been accused of using its virtual assistant Siri to eavesdrop on and record conversations for more than a decade.

The proposed settlement was filed in a California federal court and would resolve the lawsuit, which has been in the companys in-tray for five years.

Customers with iPhones, iPads and other Apple products can request Siris assistance by saying Hey, Siri.

But the lawsuit alleged that the firm was obtaining user conversations even when the words were not uttered.

Some of the recordings were then shared with advertisers in an attempt to sell their products to consumers, it was alleged.

Lead plaintiff Fumiko Lopez claims she and her daughter were both recorded without their permission and went on to receive targeted promotions for products such as Nike trainers.

Apples legal team said it will confirm the company has permanently deleted individual Siri audio recordings collected by Apple prior to October 2019.

The proposed settlement was filed in a California federal court and would resolve the lawsuit, which has been in the companys in-tray for five years. Picture: Stock image of iPhone

The Siri case contradicts Apples long-running commitment, used as a selling point in recent years, to protect the privacy of its customers. Apple boss Tim Cook has often framed this endeavour as a fight to preserve a fundamental human right.

However, Apple is not acknowledging any wrongdoing in the new settlement, which was filed on Tuesday and still needs the approval of a US district judge. The company repeatedly refuted the allegations and continues to do so.

Lawyers in the case have proposed scheduling a court hearing in the middle of next month to review the terms.

If the settlement is approved, tens of millions of consumers who owned iPhones and other Apple devices from September 17, 2014, until the end of last year could file their own claims. However, only those customers based in the United States can benefit from the proposed payout.

Each consumer could receive up to 16 per Siri-equipped device covered by the settlement, although the payment could be reduced or increased, depending on the volume of claims.

Estimates in the court documents predict that only 3 to 5 per cent of eligible consumers would file claims. They would also be limited to seeking compensation on a maximum of five devices.

The settlement represents a fraction of the 570billion in profits that Apple has made since September 2014.

That includes a profit of nearly 80billion in the three months from September 2024.

The tech giant had been accused of using its virtual assistant Siri to eavesdrop on and record conversations for more than a decade. Picture: Stock image

Apple is not acknowledging any wrongdoing in the new settlement, which was filed on Tuesday and still needs the approval of a US district judge. PIcture: Stock image

Lawyers representing consumers had estimated Apple could have been required to pay roughly 1.2billion if the company had been found guilty of violating wiretapping and other privacy laws had the case gone to a trial.

The attorneys who filed the lawsuit may seek up to 23.8million from the settlement fund to cover their fees and other expenses, court documents add.

This case is not the first class action lawsuit Apple has faced in recent years.

A year ago the firm began paying out for a 400million lawsuit claiming it intentionally slowed down US devices.

And in March it agreed to pay 385million to settle a case in Britain with Norfolk County Council, having been accused of defrauding a pension fund managed by the local authority.

Two months ago, Which? also started a class action lawsuit against Apple in the UK, accusing it of ripping customers off for its iCloud platform.

An Apple spokesperson commented: 'Siri has been engineered to protect user privacy from the beginning. Siri data has never been used to build marketing profiles and it has never been sold to anyone for any purpose.

'Apple settled this case to avoid additional litigation so we can move forward from concerns about third-party grading that we already addressed in 2019. We use Siri data to improve Siri, and we are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private.'
A man who tragically drowned in Bali had participated in a 12km fun run whilst blindfolded in the months prior to his death in an effort to raise money for the vision-impaired.

Jacob Vennix, 32, and his new wife, Kimberly Fuller, 38, had been relaxing at Pasut Beach, about 30km west of Denpasar on Monday when tragedy struck.

He died after being washed out to sea by a strong current while swimming at the estuary at Pasut Beach in Tabanan Regency, at 3.50pm local time.

The Adelaide father-of-two was unable to be revived when his body returned to shore.

'All he wanted was to marry me and love and look after me and the boys. I will make sure the boys know what an angel he was,' his shattered wife said after his death.

Now, a GoFundMe page set up by Mr Vennix's sister, Claire Brown, has revealed how selfless Mr Vennix was in helping others - including running a 12km race blindfolded just a few months before his death to raise money for the vision-impaired.

'Kimberley and Jacob met in February 2022 at a Coles supermarket when Jacob saw his now-stepson Isaac playing with a Guide Dogs donation box,' she wrote.

'Ironically, in a twist of fate two years later their son Cole was born with a bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia impacting his vision.

Adelaide woman Kimberley Fuller (left) wrote on Facebook that her late husband Jacob Vennix (right) 'was the most beautiful human, partner and father'

It has since been revealed that Mr Vennix had ran the 12km City to Bay blindfolded in an effort to raise money for the vision impaired months prior to his death in September 2024

'In September 2024 Jacob ran the City to Bay blindfolded to raise awareness that vision-impaired people can do the same things as those with full sight.

'Jacob and Kimberley raised money for the Guide Dogs SA/NT.'

Ms Brown revealed that her brother had had recently resigned from his job to 'embark on a career in disability support, a career close to his heart'.

She also said that her sister-in-law will need support in the wake of his death.

'Kimberley is always there for others, lending a hand and offering support without hesitation.' she said.

'(She) is now confronted with the unforeseen challenge of saying goodbye to Jacob and adjusting to life as a grieving single mother of two young boys.'

More than 160 donations have been made, raising a total of $17,152 so far.

On Tuesday, Ms Fuller remembered 'the most beautiful human, partner and father'.

Mr Vinnex had planned on becoming a disability support worker prior to his death

Ms Fuller posted a photo of their two hands intertwined that was taken 'during the last night I had with him'

Ms Fuller captioned her heartfelt social media post with photo of their hands intertwined taken 'during the last night I had with him'.

'All he wanted was to marry me and love and look after me and the boys. I will make sure the boys know what an angel he was,' she wrote.

'Now an angel in heaven. I love you my darling. I'm so sorry.'

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the messages of condolences for Mr Vennix.

In a social media post, Mr Albanese said it was 'such deeply sad news'.

'Our thoughts are with Jacob's wife, family and friends,' he wrote.

Friends of the couple paid tribute to Mr Vennix on his wife's post, with one saying he was 'one of the nicest, most amazing gentlemen I've known'.

Another said Mr Vennix was 'such a nice guy' and that it had been 'an honour to have gotten to know him'.

One friend complemented Ms Fuller for her post, writing that 'You've found perfect words for an unimaginable situation.

Pictured are the couple on their wedding day

'All he wanted was to marry me and love and look after me and the boys. I will make sure the boys know what an angel he was,' Kimberley Fuller posted on Tuesday

'We've been thinking of you all day! Sending all our love and we're here if you need anything.'

Another added: 'The love you shared was so special and beautiful to witness, forever in our hearts and thoughts.'

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, who represents the couple's home state of South Australia in the Senate, said she was 'heartbroken for Mr Vennix's wife and loved ones' and offered her deepest sympathies.

'I know all Australians will be thinking of them,' she said.

'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our consular officials in Bali will continue to provide consular assistance.'

Mr Vennix became caught in a rip and was swept out to sea when his wife immediately called for help.

A local fisherman rushed help Mr Vennix in his boat, but struggled to reach him due to the shifting currents.

Tabanan Police spokesperson I Gusti Made Berata said when the fisherman was finally able to drag the Aussie on board, a large wave flipped the boat.

Ms Fuller carried a cushion from a beach chair into the water as a floatation device to help Mr Vennix to shore

Mr Vennix was rushed to Tabanan Public Hospital, where he was declared dead. Above, police at the hospital

'The victim was later swept by the wave onto the beach,' he said.

'Some locals and the victim's wife who were waiting on the beach immediately tried to save the victim.

'The victim's condition was unconscious.'

Heartbreaking footage showed Mr Vennix's wife carrying the large cushion of a beach chair into the water to help bring Mr Vennix to shore.

The victim's wife performed CPR with the assistance of locals and he was eventually taken to Tabanan Public Hospital, where he was declared dead.

It is understood he and Ms Fuller had wed on December 21, nine days before the freak incident.

Photographs showed the couple tying the knot at the Hard Days Night function centre in Adelaide.

The couple smiled from ear to ear as they exchanged their vows in front of a celebrant.

One photo showed the couple happily posing with a marriage certificate on one of the lounges at the venue.

'Beautiful day marrying a beautiful man x,' Ms Fuller captioned a photo on Facebook.

Mr Vennix described Ms Fuller as 'my stunning wife' and said he couldn't 'be prouder' in a heartbreaking post a day before.
The first migrants of 2025 have been intercepted by officials trying to cross the English Channel, as newly-released figures showed nearly 37,000 people arrived in the UK last year.

Images emerging on Saturday morning showed dozens of migrants being picked up at sea by Border Force and arriving in Dover aboard a patrol vessel.

The migrants attempted the crossing even as temperatures hovered just above freezing ahead of a cold snap across the UK this week.

Britain's latest arrivals follow 36,816 people who crossed the Channel in small boats in 2024, a jump of 25 per cent from the 29,437 who arrived in 2023, according to provisional figures from the Home Office.

The crossings continue even as the number of reported deaths has risen sixfold as callous smugglers adopt even riskier tactics to maximise profits.

At least 77 people perished on the perilous sea route in 2024 compared to 12 in 2023, according to French officials - making it the worst year on record as overall crossings rose by a quarter.

Campaigners have urged the UK Government to publish data on migrant deaths as it currently does not confirm any figures.

Evidence points to migrants crossing on increasingly dangerous boats with little or no safety equipment.

The first migrants of 2025 have been intercepted by officials trying to cross the Channel

Newly-released figures showed nearly 37,000 migrants arrived on small boats last year

Images emerging on Saturday morning showed dozens of migrants being picked up at sea by Border Force and arriving in Dover aboard a patrol vessel

An average of 53 people arrived in each dinghy last year compared to 49 in 2023 and 41 in 2022.

Sturdier, rigid-hulled vessels with proper engines have almost entirely been phased out by gangs in favour of bigger, flimsier craft described by one senior police official as 'little more than a paddling pool'.

Migrants are often being handed poor quality lifejackets, including ones that do not work in deep water or are designed for children. One group was seen holding rubber rings.

Another factor that is believed to be driving the rise in deaths is the use of riskier crossing routes, with smugglers leaving from a wider area of the French coast to try and avoid patrols.

The Refugee Council said last night that ministers seem to have 'accepted that enforcement action against the smuggling gangs has made the journeys more dangerous'.

The charity said the Government, jointly with the French, should publish quarterly data on the numbers who have died, including their age, sex and nationality.

It also urged ministers to produce a plan for reducing lives lost, and to set out a plan for reviewing and expanding safe and legal routes to the UK.

CEO Enver Solomon said: 'The record number of deaths in the Channel this year should serve as a stark reminder that the current approach is not working.

Images from Dover today show dozens of migrants being escorted off the Border Force vessel

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Border Force officials picked up the migrants at sea as they attempted to cross the Channel

'Smuggling gangs are profiting from men, women and children forced into life-threatening conditions, and enforcement measures alone are not enough to address this.

'More safe and legal routes are needed to provide a lifeline for those fleeing war and persecution...

'The Government needs to take a different approach if it is to ensure everything possible is done so that 2025 does not see a repeat of last year's devastating loss.'

However, shadow home secretary Chris Philp told the Mail safe and legal routes 'will not stop the crossings unless we let in every single person who wants to come to the UK - which is manifestly ridiculous'.

'It is therefore deeply disingenuous of the Refugee Council to suggest that safe and legal routes are a solution to Channel crossings.'

A Home Office spokesman said: 'Every life lost at sea is a tragedy, which is why our efforts are focused on saving lives, as well as protecting our borders.

'The people smuggling gangs only care about profit and we are seeing their behaviour adapt, with more people crammed into flimsy and dangerous boats.

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'Our joint work with France in preventing crossings is about stopping people putting themselves and others at risk.'

Some 36,816 people crossed the Channel in small boats in 2024, a jump of 25 per cent from the 29,437 who arrived in 2023, according to provisional figures from the Home Office.

The total is down 20 per cent on the record 45,774 arrivals in 2022, however.

This week the Home Office unveiled new plans to hand travel and social media bans to suspected people smugglers in a bid to dismantle organised immigration crime networks.

Ministers will accelerate the process for placing restrictions on those being investigated through the use of 'interim' Serious Crime Prevention Orders (SCPOs).

Suspects could be banned from travelling, prevented from accessing their phone or money and barred from associating with certain individuals.

The Home Office said the approach, which will form part of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, will help to crack down on people smugglers at an early stage.

Interim orders could also be used to tackle a range of other organised-crime offences, including drug trafficking, fraud and prostitution, which are already covered by SCPOs.

Your browser does not support iframes.

SCPOs are court orders that can prevent, restrict or disrupt a person's involvement in serious crime.

Securing a full SCPO can be a lengthy process, but the new interim version will enable action while the maximum order is considered.

The National Crime Agency police and other law-enforcement agencies will be able to apply to the High Court to impose immediate restrictions.

Interim orders can be issued without a conviction and breaching one could lead to up to five years in prison.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'Dangerous criminal people-smugglers are profiting from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk.

'They can not be allowed to get away with it. Stronger international collaboration has already led to important arrests and action against dangerous gangs over the last few months.

'We will give law enforcement stronger powers they need to pursue and stop more of these vile gang networks.

'Border security is one of the foundations of this Government's Plan for Change, including making people better off, delivering safer streets and strengthening our NHS, and we will do everything in our power to deliver for working people.'
Terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar planned to use a 'very rare explosive compound' as part of his New Year's Day attack in New Orleans, authorities have said.

Federal investigators said the compound, found in two of the homemade IEDs, has never been used before in a terror attack in the US or Europe, two senior law enforcement sources told NBC News.

Authorities are investigating how Jabbar, 42, came to know of the material and how to use it in his bombs.

The explosives were found on Bourbon Street - one was discovered inside a cooler - but neither detonated.

It is unclear what caused the bombs to malfunction as the transmitter Jabbar planned to use to set off the explosives was also found in his truck.

Federal authorities are currently testing the materials at an FBI laboratory, according to NBC News.

Other bomb-making materials were found at an Airbnb he rented before the attack. Jabbar had set the Mandeville Street rental on fire in an 'effort to destroy it and other evidence of his crime.'

However, the fire 'extinguished itself' before it could get to other rooms, the New Orleans Fire Department said, allowing authorities to recover evidence.

Federal investigators said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, used a rare explosive compound in two of the homemade IEDs and authorities are investigating how he came to know of the material, two senior law enforcement sources told NBC News

One of the explosives was found in a cooler on Bourbon Street. The explosive compound has never been used before in a terror attack in the US or Europe

This included 'pre-cursors for bomb making material and a privately-made device suspected of being a silencer for a rifle.'

The US Army veteran left the two-bedroom, two-bathroom property littered in white powder and wires before he carried out the deadly attack that killed 14 and left at least 35 injured.

Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the property in complete disarray, with the front and parts of the insides showing scorch marks and empty buckets strewn about.

After two days of examining the property, investigators turned it back to its owner, who declined to comment when approached by DailyMail.com, explaining the FBI had asked him not to speak.

Other various items, including a blue box cutter, work gloves, several pairs of latex gloves and bags of trash, were also found strewn throughout the property.

One trash bag containing discarded work gloves and a takeout box suggested Jabbar had eaten a pizza before he carried out the deadly massacre.

Strong chemicals for cleaning were left outside the property, along with blue gloves, with one window also appearing to have been smashed.

A trunk of explosives was found in his rental car - which he got through Turo - as well as an ISIS flag.

Other bomb-making materials were found at an Airbnb he rented before the attack

ISIS-inspired terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar set his luxury New Orleans Airbnb on fire in an attempt to conceal evidence, federal officials revealed

Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the two-bedroom, two-bathroom property in complete disarray

Following the horrific tragedy, an image of what appears to be a flagpole on the back of Jabbar's truck circulated online, sparking mass speculation.

Photos taken after the collision show what appears to be a metallic gray jacket wrapped around a flagpole, but a video shot earlier in the morning showed a black flag dangling from the same 'pole.'

Jabbar also tried to get rid of several guns prior to the attack, including an Escort BTS 12-gauge Bullpup Shotgun, listed for $200.

He even touted the gun as being 'great for sending home invaders to Hell!'

Cops believe Jabbar, a US citizen born and raised in Texas, drove an electric vehicle from Houston to Louisiana to carry out the deadly attack.

Jabbar had been living in a dilapidated trailer in the outskirts of Houston before traveling to New Orleans to carry out the deadly rampage.

On Thursday, DailyMail.com photos gave a glimpse inside the shabby abode, revealing Jabbar left the home in disarray and left behind dozens of religious items.

Along with the cheap furniture he abandoned in the trailer was a Koran, prayer mats and a book on Islamic banking and finance.

That book, The Art of RF (Riba-Free) Islamic Banking and Finance purports to 'take a modern American approach to incorporating Islamic financial principles into banking and investment techniques.'

He had been an open admirer of the Islamic terror group ISIS and had the group's flag flying from his vehicle

Jabbar also tried to get rid of several guns prior to the attack, including an Escort BTS 12-gauge Bullpup Shotgun, listed for $200

He even touted the gun as being 'great for sending home invaders to Hell!'

Riba  charging interest on loans  is prohibited in Islamic finance as it is considered an unjust gain.

When DailyMail.com visited the home on the eastern edge of the Heritage Village section of the city early on Thursday, the front door was closed. But when we returned later in the day, it had been kicked off its hinges allowing the world to see in.

Jabbar was shot dead in a gun battle with police moments after plowing his vehicle into a crowd of revelers.

He had been an open admirer of the Islamic terror group ISIS and had the group's flag flying from his vehicle.

And his home in a largely Muslim neighborhood of North Houston shows his devotion to Islam. A copy of the Koran was left open on an easel next to a vase of faux flowers.

Other books inside the home included a seven-volume set known as the Islamic library, including a book titled 'The Sealed Nectar' - a comprehensive biography of the Prophet Muhammad and several pamphlets on comparative religions.
Suffolk police have launched a public appeal for information following the disappearance of a 14-year-old girl on New Year's Eve.

Police said in a statement they are 'extremely concerned' about the safety of Ruby Dunn, who was last seen at her home in Ipswich at 6.30pm on Tuesday.

The teenager was described as white with brown, shoulder-length brown hair and of medium build. She is 5ft 4ins tall and has three studs in each ear lobe.

With the hunt entering its fourth day, fears are growing for the safety of Dunn, who was last seen wearing a black Mercier puffer coat, black leggings, and grey and white Nike high-top trainers.

She was also carrying a grey River Island shoulder bag.

'Officers are extremely concerned for her welfare and are asking anyone who has seen or who has any information on where she may be to contact Suffolk Police on 101,' read a police statement.

Ruby Dunn, 14, was last seen at her home in Ipswich at 6.30pm on Tuesday 31 December. Suffolk police said in a statement they are 'extremely concerned' about her welfare

Sophie Dunn, the teenager's mother, has also appealed for help, stating in a social media post that the case has been deemed high priority.

'Ruby was last seen wearing a cropped black puffer coat and white top,' she wrote on Facebook.

"Has anyone seen our Ruby? Or can you please keep an eye out for her.

'She's been missing since 31st December. Police aware and she's classed as a high priority."
Petaluma police used the newly passed Proposition 36 in arresting a pair on suspicion of retail theft. Petaluma Police Department

Petaluma police said they arrested two people suspected of stealing a cart full of items from a local business.

The alleged theft occurred just before 5:03 p.m. Thursday, when a local business told police dispatchers that two people had swiped a cartload of merchandise and fled in a vehicle, according to the Petaluma Police Department.

Using the vehicles license plate, police responded to a Petaluma home and located the suspects, police said. Officers said they arrested Dylan Beck, 29, and Hanna Fredrickson, 32, on a slate of offenses after finding the stolen items in the home.

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Beck was arrested on suspicion of parole violation, conspiracy and theft with two prior convictions, a felony charge established under Proposition 36. Under the newly passed law, prosecutors can charge previously convicted thieves who steal again with a felony, regardless of the value of the stolen items, a more stringent punishment than the misdemeanor charge allowed before Prop 36s passage.

Fredrickson was arrested on suspicion of felony violation of probation, theft and conspiracy, police said.

Beck and Fredrickson were in custody without bail at a Sonoma County jail as of Saturday, according to sheriffs office records. Their next court dates were scheduled for Monday morning.
A Spanish tourist has died after an elephant forcefully knocked her over with its trunk at a popular animal sanctuary in Thailand.

Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, 22, from Valladolid, was bathing an elephant on Friday at the Koh Yao sanctuary on the Thai island of Yao Yai when the animal suddenly caused her the fatal blow.

Garcia, a Law and International Relations student, was rushed to a nearby hospital where she later died.

According to Spanish national paper El Pais the incident was confirmed by local police and the elephant care centre, which currently remains closed.

Reports had previously claimed the university student had been gored by the elephant, but trusted Spanish news agency EFE verified that this was not the case.

The incident was confirmed by local police and the sanctuary, which is currently closed as a result of the tragic accident.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that there were around 18 people present at the time of the incident, including Garcia's boyfriend.

No one else was reportedly injured.

Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, 22, from Valladolid, died in Thailand after an elephant forcefully knocked her over with its trunk at a popular animal sanctuary

The incident happened on Friday at the Koh Yao sanctuary on the Thai island of Yao Yai. Picture shows tourists posing with an elephant at the elephant care centre where Garcia died

The Spaniard was a student at the University of Navarra but was living in Taiwan while she completed a six-month study abroad at Tamkang University.

She would have completed her undergraduate degree this year.

Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the consulate in Bangkok was in contact with Garcia's family.

Her body has since been transferred to a hospital on the island of Phuket, where repatriation procedures are being prepared.

Valladolid Mayor Jesus Julio Carnero took to X to offer his 'deepest condolences' to Garcia's family.

Bathing elephants is a popular tourist activity in the Southeast Asian country.

Thailand has a population of around 3,500 elephants. According to World Animal Protection - an animal welfare non-profit - around 2800 elephants live in tourist venues across the country.

Elephants are rarely aggressive but can act out if they feel threatened, or to protect their young.

The Spaniard was a student at the University of Navarra but was living in Taiwan while she completed a six-month study abroad at Tamkang University

Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported that there were around 18 people present at the time of the incident, including Garcia's boyfriend (pictured)

The tragedy comes months after an also-Spanish tourist was horrifically crushed to death in front of his fiancee by an angry herd of elephants after he got out of his care to take photographs in a South African game reserve.

Carlos Luna, 43 from Ejea de los Caballeros near Zaragoza, Spain, was visiting the Pilanesberg National Park close to the world-famous tourist resort Sun City with his fiance when they spotted a breeding herd with three young by a lake.

Despite warnings from his three fellow passengers to get back into the car, Luna said he wanted to get close-ups of the six elephants and got out and walked towards them.

The screaming Spaniard was then seen racing back with his camera to safety through the bush to his friends in the car but was overtaken by a chasing herd of elephants who knocked him down and trampled him to death.

All that witnesses said was left after the 30-second attack was the tattered blood-soaked clothing of the tourist and the remnants of the tourist's body crushed into the earth.
Jimmy Carter's motorcade arrived at the Carter Center in Atlanta as the state funeral began on Saturday.

Members of the armed forces solemnly carried the flag-draped casket from the hearse into the museum, named in honor of the former president.

As the casket was brought into the center, a choir performed the U.S. Navy hymn, 'Eternal Father, Strong to Save.'

Jason Carter began Saturday's arrival ceremony with words of love and praise for his grandfather, recognizing his accolades, philanthropic work and his legacy. He added affectionately, 'It's amazing what you can pack into 100 years.'

The funeral procession began in south Georgia, where the 39th U.S. president's life started more than a century ago.

A motorcade carrying Carter's flag-draped casket departed from Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, accompanied by former Secret Service agents who once protected him. These agents served as pallbearers, walking alongside the hearse as it left the hospital grounds.

The procession paused at Carter's boyhood home on the family farm near Plains, where the National Park Service rang the old farm bell 39 times to honor his presidency.

Throughout the hours-long journey to Atlanta, thousands gathered to honor Carter, waving American flags and offering final salutes in tribute to his legacy.

Jimmy Carter's motorcade arrived at the Carter Center in Atlanta as the state funeral began on Saturday

Pictured: Jack Carter, second right, the son of former President Jimmy Carter, walks with family and escorts as his father's casket arrives at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum to lie in repose

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100 at his home in Plains, Georgia

Jason Carter, grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, speaks as the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter lies in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta

He will be buried in Georgia at the first and only home he and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter owned.

From there, Carter's remains continued to Atlanta, stopping for a moment of silence at the Georgia Capitol before arriving at the Carter Presidential Center for the ceremony.

Following the service, his body will lie in repose, allowing mourners to pay their respects from 7 p.m. on Saturday until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.

A state funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m. at Washington National Cathedral, followed by a private funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains.

A total of 2,000 guests are expected to visit Carter, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

Carter passed away almost two years after opting to spend his final days in hospice care.

His son, Chip Carter, 74, confirmed that the former president died at his Georgia home on Sunday around 3:40 p.m. ET.

A former peanut farmer and Democratic politician, Carter served one term in the White House from 1977 to 1981 before dedicating his life to charity.

Members of the armed forces solemnly carried the flag-draped casket from the hearse into the museum, named in honor of the former president

Jason Carter began Saturday's arrival ceremony with words of love and praise for his grandfather, recognizing his accolades, philanthropic work and his legacy. He added affectionately, 'It's amazing what you can pack into 100 years.'

After several hospitalizations, he chose to forgo further medical treatment and entered hospice care in February 2023.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate spent his final years in Plains, Georgia.

Carter's wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, stayed by his side until her passing on November 19, 2023, at the age of 96.

At 100, Carter became the longest-living president in U.S. history.

His funeral arrangements were planned in 1986, reports Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

Though his presidency was marked by challenges like the oil crisis and the Iran hostage crisis, which lingered until the final moments of his term, Carter's commitment to philanthropy made him one of the most beloved figures in American politics.

One of Carter's final public appearances was on October 1, when he celebrated his 100th birthday at his Georgia home, surrounded by family and friends.

The former president, a Democrat, also cast his vote in the 2024 election.

Last year, he attended the funeral of his wife, Rosalynn, accompanied by former first ladies including Michelle Obama and Melania Trump.

Rosalynn, diagnosed with dementia, spent her final days with Carter at their home, where they were regularly visited by close family members.

On February 18, the Carter Center announced that the former president had decided to decline 'additional medical intervention' and transition to end-of-life care at home after a series of brief hospitalizations. The statement did not provide details on the health conditions that led to those hospital visits.

Carter lived for over a year after this decision, passing away at the age of 100.

With his death, there are now only five living U.S. presidents: Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, President-elect Donald Trump, and current President Joe Biden.

Though Carter faced several health challenges, he remained relatively active for a man in his 90s, continuing his work with Habitat for Humanity well into his later years.

Jimmy Carter's funeral procession began Saturday in south Georgia, where the 39th U.S. president's life started over a century ago

Former and current U.S. Secret Service agents assigned to the Carter detail, move the flag-draped casket of former US President Jimmy Carter, at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, as part of his funeral ceremony in Americus, Georgia

The procession paused at Carter's boyhood home on the family farm outside Plains, where the National Park Service rang the old farm bell 39 times in honor of his presidency.

People watch as the hearse carrying the flag-draped casket of former US President Jimmy Carter departs Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, as part of his funeral ceremony in Americus, Georgia

People stand next to a memorial for former President Jimmy Carter in Plains, Georgia

In August 2015, he was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, and a small cancerous mass was removed from his liver. The cancer also spread to his brain.

About six months later, Carter announced that he required no further treatment, as an experimental drug had successfully eliminated all signs of cancer.

In 2019, at the age of 95, Carter helped build a home in Nashville for Habitat for Humanity.

Only a few former presidents have lived past 90, including Ronald Reagan, Carter's successor, who lived to 93.

In February, Carter's grandson Jason shared a tweet about his visit to his grandparents, stating that they 'are at peace and  as always  their home is full of love.'

The Secret Service also sent a heartfelt message to Carter in February, wishing him well after it was revealed that he was receiving hospice care.

'Rest easy, Mr. President,' tweeted Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi after the announcement of Carter's condition. 'We will be forever by your side.'

A Navy veteran and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Carter became the 39th U.S. president after defeating Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 election, during a time when the country was still recovering from the Watergate scandal under President Richard Nixon.

Carter decided to receive hospice care and 'spend his remaining time at home with his family' instead of additional medical intervention, the Carter Center said

At 100, Carter became the longest-living president in U.S. history.

Carter served a single term, losing to Republican Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election.

After his presidency, Carter dedicated himself to philanthropy, living a humble life with his wife, four children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Although health issues limited his public appearances in his later years, he remained a quiet yet influential figure in politics at home and, through The Carter Center, in global efforts related to public health and human rights advocacy.

The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982, two years after Carter's loss to Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election.

While Carter stayed neutral during the Democrats' 2020 presidential primary, he received visits and calls from multiple candidates.

He and Rosalynn recorded audio addresses for the Democrats' virtual national convention, urging the election of Joe Biden, who had been a young senator from Delaware when Carter won the presidency in 1976.

'Joe Biden was my first and most effective supporter in the Senate,' Carter said during his 2020 address. 'For decades, he's been my loyal and dedicated friend.'

One of the most notable aspects of Carter's involvement in the 2020 election was The Carter Center's designation of the U.S. as a 'backsliding' democracy. The Center announced it would allocate resources to ensure fair and free elections in the country.

While Carter's support of Biden over former President Donald Trump was not unexpected for a Democratic former president, it did contradict one of his recent reflections on age and the presidency.

Just weeks before turning 95, Carter joked about the advanced ages of some presidential candidates. 'I hope there's an age limit,' he said jokingly at a town hall when asked if he'd run again.

Then, he became more serious: 'If I were just 80 years old, if I was 15 years younger, I don't believe I could undertake the duties I experienced when I was president.'

Members of the National Park Service watch as the hearse containing the casket of former President Jimmy Carter, pauses at the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm

A portrait of former US President Jimmy Carter is seen in a shop window ahead of his state funeral

In February, the announcement of Carter's condition came just one day after a building at the U.S. Naval Academy was renamed in his honor.

Previously named after a Confederate Navy leader, the building was renamed in recognition of Carter, a 1946 graduate of the academy.

The renaming followed a decision by a commission mandated by Congress, which determined that several military assets across all branches of the service needed to be renamed due to their Confederate ties.

The building formerly known as Maury Hall was constructed and named in the early 1900s after Matthew Fontaine Maury, a naval officer and scientist who served in the Confederate Navy.

The Naval Academy's superintendent's house and a nearby road are named after Franklin Buchanan, the academy's first superintendent, who also joined the Confederate Navy at the start of the Civil War.

Both the house and the road will be renamed, although those changes have yet to be announced.

Carter did not attend the renaming ceremony, though some of his relatives were present.

From his childhood home, Carter's remains continued to Atlanta for a moment of silence at the Georgia Capitol and a ceremony at the Carter Presidential Center.

In Atlanta, Carter's remains will then be transported to the Carter Presidential Center for an arrival ceremony at 3:45 p.m., followed by a service at 4 p.m.

'It would be impossible to overstate what this Academy and the Navy have meant to my grandfather, and by extension to my family,' said Josh Carter, Jimmy Carter's grandson, in a statement from the Navy following the renaming.

Friends and admirers of Carter, who served as president from 1977 to 1981, sent their well wishes in honor of his life and legacy.

Born on October 1, 1924, as James Earl Carter Jr., Carter was raised during the Great Depression.

The son of a Georgia peanut farmer, he credited his upbringing with the influence of farming, political discussions, and his deep commitment to the Baptist faith.

Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1946 and married Rosalynn Smith shortly thereafter.

The couple had three sons  John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff)  and a daughter, Amy Lynn. They also had 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Tragically, their grandson Jeremy Davis Carter passed away at the age of 28 in 2015 from a heart attack.

Rosalynn Carter passed away on Sunday, November 19, at 2:10 p.m. at their home in Plains, Georgia.

A passionate advocate for mental health, caregiving, and women's rights, she died peacefully with family by her side. The Carter Center's statement on her passing read, 'She died peacefully, with family by her side.'

Rosalynn Carter was honored with a wreath-laying ceremony at the medical center named in her honor in Americus, Georgia, followed by her casket lying in repose at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta.

Carter is pictured in a wheelchair at his wife Rosalynn's funeral services in Plains, Georgia on November 29, 2023, after she passed while receiving hospice care at their home at the age of 96 on November 19

Jimmy Carter during his 1977-81 presidency, protected by the Secret Service

Carter and his wife Rosalynn are pictured in their hometown of Plains, Georgia, in August 2018, with two Secret Service agents following them

He reportedly slept at the health center overnight to be as close to his wife as possible.

The following day, on November 28, 2023, U.S. leaders and politicians gathered with Jimmy Carter for her funeral at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta.

Among those in attendance were President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, former President Bill Clinton and former First Lady Hillary Clinton, as well as past first ladies Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, and Laura Bush.

On November 29, the Carter family held a more private service for Rosalynn at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, where former President Carter attended in a wheelchair.

Before entering politics, Jimmy Carter served seven years as a Naval officer. He returned to Georgia in 1962, where he began his political career. In 1970, he was elected governor of Georgia.

He launched his presidential campaign in 1974 and built significant momentum over the following two years.

During his presidency, Carter established two new cabinet-level departments: the Department of Energy and the Department of Education.

He also installed solar panels on the White House roof, which were later removed by President Ronald Reagan.

Carter became a leading advocate for human rights both during and after his presidency, and his work on the Camp David Accords in 1978 between Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat is one of his defining achievements.

His presidency also saw the beginning of the Iran hostage crisis and the first steps toward energy independence for the U.S.

Carter's decision to authorize a military rescue mission for the hostages in Iran in 1980 contributed to his loss in the reelection campaign later that year.

In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work through the Carter Center, which he founded to promote human rights and global peace.

In his post-presidency years, Carter devoted time to building homes with Habitat for Humanity and authored more than two dozen books.

James Earl Carter Jr was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia, a town that now has a population of around 573. Jimmy, as he would be called, was raised on his family's peanut farm. He is pictured in 1937 with his pet dog Bozo

While on military leave back home in Plains, Carter went on a date with 17-year-old Rosalynn Smith. He had known Rosalynn since she was a child because she was friends with his sister Ruth. The next morning, he told his mother: 'She's the one I'm going to marry.' Above, the couple on their wedding day on July 7, 1946

Jimmy Carter waves in front of the crowd at the Democratic Convention of 1980. He became president in 1976 but did not win re-election for a second term in 1980

Carter lost to Republican Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election. Reagan (left) and first lady Nancy Reagan join Carter (right) and Rosalynn at the Carter Center in October 1986

Two years after being diagnosed with cancer in 2015, Carter was hospitalized for dehydration while building homes in Canada.

He was back at the work site the next day.

Carter has also traveled the world for elections and worked with the Carter Center to eradicate diseases.

His Center began to work toward the eradication of Guinea worm disease in 1986, when 3.5 million people were afflicted. In 2022, only 54 were diagnosed, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

And in Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Guatemala, the Center established a river blindness eradication program, which helped eliminate the condition.
Another mysterious 'orange UFO orb' was spotted flying over the US, however, this time the inexplicable glow was seen conspicuously hovering over a military base in Tennessee.

An anonymous user on Reddit captured footage of a mystifying 'bright orange light' flying relatively low as it traveled over Fort Campbell - a military base along the Tennessee-Kentucky border - on New Year's Day.

The user, who witnessed the perplexing 'celestial' event alongside their father, who is a seasoned Army veteran, said that they 'couldn't explain' what they were seeing in the skies above.

'My dad, a former soldier with nearly 30 years of Army experience and extensive knowledge of the aircrafts that fly over his house, said he couldnt explain what he saw - this was unlike anything hed encountered before,' the post reads.

Around 12:10am on January 1, the Redditor, who was visiting family in a city just outside Nashville, tried to capture the object 'as quickly as possible,' snapping a near 35-second clip of the glowing orb.

'Just after midnight, my dad was outside watching fireworks when he noticed a bright orange light flying relatively low and maintaining a steady, consistent speed as it traveled from the northwest - where both Fort Campbell and the local airport are located,' the user claimed.

The curious onlookers were mystified at the unidentified flying object as it did not appear to have any additional lights as they suspect most drones do.

'My friend, dad, and I watched the object together and were surprised it had no additional lights, as one might expect on a drone,' the post adds.

An anonymous user on Reddit captured footage of a mystifying 'bright orange light' flying relatively low as it traveled over Fort Campbell - a military base along the Tennessee-Kentucky border, on New Year's Day

Around 12:10am on January 1, the user, who was visiting family in a city just outside Nashville, then tried to capture the object 'as quickly as possible,' snapping a near 35-second clip of the glowing orb

'Initially, I thought it might be a hobbyist drone capturing footage of the fireworks for the New Year, but the apparent distance it was flying has made me second-guess that assumption.'

Bright high-flying 'orange UFO orbs' have been spotted across the US in recent weeks with the most recent sighting surfacing over New York City.

On December 27, Reddit user @YogurtclosetFlat5701 posted a video of the inexplicable luminous object to the 'The UFOs Subreddit' - a forum for UFO discussions where people can talk about sightings, experiences, news and investigations.

The local recorded the video above Brookville Blvd in Queens, New York, right next to JFK airport.

'We looked up and there were 4 orange orbs in formation in what is suppose to be a no fly zone they then started to disappear,' the user wrote.

In the video, four unblinking orange orbs are suspended in the air, forming a striking boomerang shape.

A video was taken from inside the user's car and another from outside the user's car.

'They were moving oddly like not completely stationary and then started to disappear one by one. The 2nd to last one drifted slighting then disappeared. They maintained that formation for the duration of the sighting,' the user said.

Bright orange 'UGO orbs' were allegedly caught flying over New York City ,' stumping raising concern among locals

The traveler recorded the video above Brookville Blvd in Queens, New York, right next to JFK airport

Users local to the New York City area also confirmed the traveler's sightings. One, who goes by the username @ZoraOctavia, said they have lived by the airport for over a decade and know the difference between a plane and a UFO.

'Lived here 14 years with planes flying by all day everyday. They fly so low it feels like you can almost touch them. I know what they look like when they come in to land and take off. I have never ever seen anything like this. Ever,' the user said.

Other Redditors deemed the occurrence as highly suspicious and were shocked the government wasn't taking immediate action.

'Seeing as that's a no fly zone, the FAA should be all over that,' said a user.

'This is truly not okay. Can we please start demanding the government gives more a f*** about this?' chimed a third.

Recent reports of strange orbs in the skies above the eastern United States have added another layer of mystery to the ongoing drone sightings across the country.

A father and son in Georgia experienced an unusual encounter on December 26 when they spotted a bright orange 'UFO orb' moving across the night sky.

While taking out the trash, the father noticed the glowing object and pointed it out to his son.

A father and son in Georgia followed a mysterious 'orange UFO orb' after they spotted the luminous hue gliding through the sky shortly after 6:30pm on Thursday evening

Earlier this week, another perplexing light was captured hovering over the skies of New Jersey

Intrigued, they watched the orb for several minutes before deciding to film it.

The father then shared the video on the 'UFO Reddit' forum, seeking explanations for the mysterious phenomenon.

The 58-second video shows the orange orb gliding through the sky, occasionally moving upward or downward.

As the father followed it, the orb appeared to dim and eventually vanish, leaving him and his son puzzled about its nature.

The father described the initial sighting as a 'huge' light in the distance, which seemed to dim as it approached. He speculated that the orb might have been trying to evade him, or it could have simply disappeared behind clouds.

The video has since garnered significant attention on Reddit, with over 2,000 shares and 500 comments from users discussing the unusual sighting.

Just days prior, a perplexing light was captured hovering over New Jersey skies.

Video footage from near Atlantic City shows a white light blinking before suddenly accelerating away at incredible speeds, leaving observers stunned.

These recent events follow a report from a US military witness who experienced a close encounter with a silent, luminous object while camping in October.

The witness described the object as hovering 100 yards above, illuminating the area brighter than any full moon.

These sightings, along with others reported to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), continue to fuel public interest and speculation about the nature of these unidentified aerial phenomena.
Thieves have stolen a sculpture worth 60,000 from the grounds of a world-renowned artist.

The work, 'La Promesse,' was taken from artist Anne Curry's home in Arkesden, Saffron Walden, Essex, overnight between December 5 and December 6.

The sculpture has a manufacturing value of about 20,000 with a sale price of 60,000 and is signed by Curry.

The force has said that no arrests have been made and officers are pursuing several lines of enquiry.

Curry's work has been featured in exhibitions around the world and she has sculpted busts of some of the UK's leading statesmen including, John Major and Michael Heseltine.

The sculpture 'La Promesse,' was taken from Anne Curry's (pictured) home in Arkesden, Saffron Walden, Essex

The sculpture has a manufacturing value of about 20,000 with a sale price of 60,000

Essex Police PC Glenn Simons, who is leading the investigation, said: 'I do not underestimate the impact this theft has had on the victim, and we will work determinedly to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry.

'I would also urge anyone who may have information about any suspicious vehicles or suspicious behaviour in the Arkesden area on the evening of Thursday 5 December and the early hours of Friday 6 December to please come forward.'

Essex Police have also asked anyone with information to come forward.
Universities in Scotland have received almost 4 million in funds linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the past four years  sparking fears the authoritarian regime is waging a propaganda war.

Confucius Institutes hosted at universities including Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Strathclyde, Glasgow and Heriot-Watt claim to promote Chinese culture and language.

Yet concerns have been raised about their potential use as a vehicle for the Chinese state to inveigle its way into UK affairs.

The UKs intelligence and security committee believes the institutions ensure that UK students are taught an interpretation of China that reflects the CCPs interests.

Meanwhile, former UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat has stated that Confucius Institutes pose a threat to civil liberties in many universities in the United Kingdom.

But last week Professor Richard Williams, vice chancellor of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, dismissed such concerns and called for more collaboration with China.

Now a Mail on Sunday investigation shows that Herriot-Watt has received a half a million pound cash injection by foreign institutions linked to the Chinese state.

Its Scottish Confucius Institute for Business and Communication was handed the money by the Chinese International Education Foundation (CIEF) and Tianjin University between 2020 and 2024.

Former UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat has raised serious concerns about the institutes

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, pictured with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo (second left)

A former Chinese co-director, Professor Zhang Ping, whose secondment finished at the end of the last academic year, is a CCP member, according to a Chinese-language biography seen by the Henry Jackson Society think tank.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh Universitys Confucius Institute for Scotland has received 1,473,593 over the past four years from Fudan University.

Our probe shows Aberdeen Universitys Confucius Institute received 334,630 from both Hanban University and Wuhan University.

Its website says it is supported by the CIEF and the Centre for Language Education and Co-operation, which it admits is affiliated with the CCP-run Chinese ministry of education.

Strathclyde University has received 1,610,424 since 2020 to fund its Confucius Institute for Scotlands Schools.

Across Scotland, Confucius Institutes have received 3,975,461 from partner sources that may have an interest in furthering Chinese causes and values.

The true number is likely higher, once Glasgow university funding is taken into account.

Scottish Conservative education spokesman Miles Briggs said: Given the Chinese Communist governments brutal repression of any dissent, they should not be able to spread misinformation in Scottish universities and schools.

Prince Andrew invited Mr Tengbo, who was banned from Britain, to Royal residences

The CCP has been linked to a number of espionage scandals.

Last month it emerged that Prince Andrew had invited an alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, who was banned from Britain on national security grounds, to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

Last year two Westminster parliamentary staff, one of whom had studied at St Andrews University, were charged with spying for China.

Heriot-Watt University said it was proud of its global partnerships, while Strathclyde University said the Confucius Institute aims to strengthen education co-operation between China and Scotland.

Edinburgh University said there had been no loss of academic freedom as a consequence of its relationship with the Confucius Institute.

Aberdeen University said it had research and education collaborations and partnerships with institutes around the world.
The sister of a Lockerbie bombing victim has hit out at at Sky TVs drama about the 1988 terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 270 people.

Catherine Swire, whose 24-year-old sister Flora was killed when Pan Am Flight 103 went down over Lockerbie 36 years ago, said: My last private memories of Flora have been distorted in this series.

Most of the details about my own life regarding Flora have been altered, dramatically and publicly, to uphold one single campaign story. Personally, to me, this matters very much.

Ms Swire spoke out against the dramatisation of the atrocity, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, and of how she was portrayed.

Her father Dr Jim Swires book, The Lockerbie Bombing: A Fathers Search for Justice, has been adapted into the five-part series starring Colin Firth in his role, which aired on Sky on Thursday.

She added: The series concerns my family. It is about the death of my sister and dramatises my own role.

'This despite a formal request to Carnival Films  who made the drama  for me not to be played, Ms Swire wrote in The Telegraph yesterday.

Catherine Swire asked not to be portrayed in the Sky drama

Colin Firth as Dr Jim Swire walking amid plane debris in the TV drama

The series shows my family at the centre of a search for truth. That search has been, to put it quietly, a great deal more nuanced than the Sky drama suggests.

It was disturbing to see, in one part of the drama, the character playing my role speculate passionately about whether Iran was the source of the terror attack. That is not my voice.

She made her comments in an article in The Daily Telegraph, prompted, she said by the hope that some attempt is made to move on from incessant focus on the act of Floras killing, to the tragedy of her death and her need for rest.

Ms Swires position was at odds with comments from her father, Dr Swire, a long time Lockerbie campaigner, who told the BBC yesterday that he was astonished by the accuracy of the Sky drama.

Dr Swire said he and other bereaved families believe the Lockerbie bombing was an act of retaliation from Iran after their own Iran Air Airbus was shot down by US missile cruiser USS Vincennes in July 1988, killing 290 people.

Five months later, Lockerbie happened. The facts seem to point towards Irans having engaged with terrorist groups, the chief one being the PFLP-GC (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command), Dr Swire said.

Flora Swire, who was only 24 when she died in the Lockerbie bombing

Speaking about the new series, Dr Swire added: I can only be astonished by the accuracy and the telling way in which all these people working together have produced so accurate a copy of what weve tried to do in our small way at one end of the scale, and where now we hope at the other end of the scale that a great country like America may come to look afresh at what happened in light of what the evidence actually shows.

Dr Swire has long argued that the Libyan spy Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was jailed for life in 2001 after being convicted of 270 accounts of murder in the terror attack, was innocent, and that the real culprits have never been brought to justice.

But Ms Swire said: I think we should question the pursuit of terrorist perpetrators 36 years after the event.

'In my view, a series that represents someone solving a terrorist atrocity as if it is a whodunnit misses what is most critical about a terrorist act.

'The communication of terror. One version of what happened  Carnival Films  becomes monolithically true.

A Libyan suspect of the Lockerbie bombing, Abu Agila Masud, who is alleged to have helped make the bomb, is to go on trial in the US in May this year.

US families of the victims have voiced fears that the Sky series could instil doubt in jurors ahead of the trial.
The iconic house featured in the hit TV series Breaking Bad has gone up for sale for $4 million, as the owners hope its previous appearance on the AMC hit will boost the sale.

Before being put on the market, the house was subjected to hundreds of cars driving by in a single day, owner Joanne Quintana told KOB-TV.

While the median price in the Albuquerque area sits at almost $400,00, the famous appeal of the home from the hit show has meant Quintana and her family have priced it at just under $4 million.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home has been described on the listing as one of Alburquerque's 'most famous landmarks' that is recognized globally by millions of fans.

Breaking Bad was centered around fictional chemistry teacher-turned-meth-kingpin Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston.

When White is diagnosed with cancer, he finds a way to support his family after his death by creating and selling his own crystal methamphetamine with his former student, Jesse Pinkman.

While the show was finalized more than a decade ago, the house and other filming locations around town continue to draw in crowds of fans hoping to catch a glimpse.

Quintana said her parents bought the home in the 1970s, and she and her siblings grew up there.

While the median price in the Albuquerque area sits at almost $400,000, the famous appeal of the home from the hit show Breaking Bad has meant Quintana and her family have priced it at just under $4 million

The home's listing has approached its sale as a relic of the show, calling it Walter White's House and offering it as a chance to own a 'piece of television history'

They didn't shy away at first, and even took pictures with fans, but when the doorbell rang in the early hours of the morning their attitude changed. 'My brothers said, "That's it, we're done, fence is going up. That's too close for comfort is the front door",' Quintana said

As the show gained popularity, however, it became harder for her family to be protected, and they were forced to put up a metal fence and install security cameras.

Now that her parents are gone, she decided it was time to sell.

'This was our family home from 1973, almost 52 years. So, we're going to walk away with just our memories. It's time to move on. We're done. There's no reason to fight anymore,' she told the station.

Quintana's mother was approached in 2006 by a film scout with hopes to shoot the pilot episode at their home, and within months the filming had begun.

The family had the opportunity to watch behind the scenes and meet the cast and crew. Quintana's mother also always had cookies for anyone working the set.

Quintana remembered pizza boxes lining the sidewalk for the famous pizza scene, where Cranston landed the pizza face-up on the roof after his character's wife, Skyler, shut the door in his face.

Since then, the homeowners said it was difficult to stop fans from attempting their own pizza tosses or sneaking into the iconic backyard pool.

The house, however, was only used for gear and prep, any interior scenes were shot in the studio.

Quintana remembered pizza boxes lining the sidewalk for the famous pizza scene, where Cranston landed the pizza face-up on the roof after his character's wife shut the door in his face

Whilst the show was finalized more than a decade ago, the house and other filming locations around town continue to draw in crowds of fans hoping to catch a glimpse

The show is centered around fictional Walter White played by Bryan Cranston, a chemistry genius who works as a chemistry teacher at a high school in Albuquerque. When White is diagnosed with cancer, he finds a way to support his family after his death by creating and selling his own crystal methamphetamine with Jesse Pinkman

They didn't shy away at first, and even took pictures with fans, but when the doorbell rang in the early hours of the morning their attitude changed.

'Around 4:30 in the morning, the doorbell rang, my mom got up and opened the door and it was a package,' Quintana said. The package was addressed to Walter While, so they called the bomb squad.

'My brothers said "that's it, we're done, fence is going up. That's too close for comfort is the front door",' she added.

For years, people have shown up with luggage thinking they had rented the home through scammers. One gentleman, sporting a speedo, even paid a thousand dollars for a dip in the pool.

The home's listing has approached its sale as a relic of the show, calling it Walter White's House and offering it as a chance to own a 'piece of television history.'

'I hope they make it what the fans want. They want a BnB, they want a museum, they want access to it. Go for it,' Quintana said.
Jeff Baena wrote a movie based on his family's history with mental illness and talked about how it influenced his work a few years before his shocking death at age 47.

Baena - who was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Friday - spoke candidly about mental health ahead of his film Horse Girl dropping in 2020 on a Reddit Ask Me Anything forum. TMZ reported law enforcement sources said the filmmaker died by suicide, but DailyMail.com has not been able to confirm this.

When asked about the film's lead Sarah (Alison Brie) being released from the mental hospital and if the scene was based on personal experiences, Baena openly admitted to watching his stepmom suffering from bipolar disorder.

'Unfortunately, people get released all the time when they still need treatment,' he wrote in February 2020. 'The 72-hour mandatory hold only applies to patients who are a danger to themselves, so they must be released after that appraisal period.

'My first stepmom had manic depression and was in and out of facilities in Miami due to the Baker Act (5150 in California). While I would not consider "Horse Girl" to be an activist film, the themes of how we as a society and individuals treat persons with mental illness was a major focus and impetus for making this.'

Baena and Brie cowrote the film together about the latter's family history with mental illness, specifically the actress' grandmother, who suffered from schizophrenia.

'That was the original impetus for writing a story like this,' Brie, who is married to actor Dave Franco, wrote on the forum.

The director and husband of Aubrey Plaza also said his family history with mental illness had influenced the film's plot as well.

Baena - who was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Friday - spoke candidly about mental health ahead of his film Horse Girl dropping in 2020 - a film based off his and co-writer Alison Brie's family histories (pictured: Baena and Brie in 2020)

Baena (with his wife Aubrey Plaza in 2022) was found dead inside his home on Friday by an assistant and was declared dead at the scene

When asked about the film's lead Sarah (Alison Brie) being released from the mental hospital sooner than she should have and if the scene was based on personal experiences, Baena openly admitted to watching his stepmom suffering from bipolar disorder

'Alison and I both have had family members who have had mental illness, and it was a major influence [while] working on this,' he wrote.

During one of the scenes, Baena asked Brie to draw from her personal experience and 'talk about my own family'.

'I definitely tapped into very real emotions about that,' the actress said.

Much of the script was not scripted, Baena told Collider ahead of the film's Sundance premiere. The actors had basic plot points they knew they had to hit, but the dialogue wasn't word-for-word written down ahead of time.

Baena was found dead inside his and Plaza's Los Feliz home on Friday by an assistant and was declared dead at the scene, the Los Angeles Fire Department previously told the DailyMail.com.

'Death was determined for an approximately 47-year old male, no transport,' they said in a statement.

'We responded to the 2100 block of Fern Dale Place for a death investigation. Officers responded for a male decedent,' the Los Angeles Police Department added to the DailyMail.com. The Life After Beth director was pronounced dead at the scene.

Baena's family told Deadline that they are devastated by the news and are asking for privacy at this time.

The director got into film after he graduated from New York University with a film degree and moved to LA to launch his career.

Much of the script was not scripted, Baena (pictured) told Collider ahead of the film's Sundance premiere. The actors had basic plot points they knew they had to hit, but it wasn't word-for-word scripted ahead of time

Baena and Brie cowrote the film together about the latter's family history with mental illness, specifically the actress' grandmother, who suffered from schizophrenia, she revealed on Reddit in 2020

He worked low-level jobs for big directors, including Robert Zemeckis and David O. Russell as he found his footing in the industry. He was staffed as a production assistant for Zemeckis and as an assistant editor for Russell.

He is best known for directing Life After Beth, his directorial debut, which which wife Aubrey Plaza starred in, and The Little Hours.


The widow of a bus driver killed by a violent teenager has hit out at the SNPs soft touch justice system after his killer was granted the right to appeal his lenient sentence.

Former RAF electrical engineer Keith Rollinson, 58, died in hospital following a brutal assault by a drunken lout at a bus station in Elgin in February.

Due to SNP sentencing guidelines the now 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given a four-year and four-month sentence for culpable homicide.

Mr Rollinsons heartbroken widow, Susan, was furious at the ruling and planned to appeal to have the sentence extended.

However, the killer has had his right to appeal granted, while Mrs Rollinson has not.

Currently, if someone is found guilty of a crime, they can seek permission from the court to appeal against conviction, sentence or both.

On behalf of the victims, the Crown does have the right to appeal against unduly lenient sentences, but the Appeal Court has set an incredibly high test for an appeal to pass.

It is not enough that the Appeal Court would simply disagree with the ruling - the sentence must be outwith the range of sentences which the sentencing judge, taking account of all relevant factors, could reasonably have imposed.

Bus driver, Keith Rollinson, 58, died in hospital following a brutal assault by a drunken lout

But last night, speaking from her cottage in Elgin, mother-of-two Mrs Rollinson accused the Crown Office and the justice system of failing victims and giving preferential treatment to criminals.

She said: It just seems hes getting everything he wants, and theyre not fighting for us.

I knew that any amount of time they gave him wouldnt bring Keith back, but all I wanted was for Keith to get justice.

His killer will be out before he is 20, enjoying himself, and no one will ever know. So, whos being punished here? Ive got a life sentence without Keith.

She continued: I tried to get an appeal, but its like youre up against a brick wall. We feel that were the criminals, not the victims.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard last year how an argument broke out after Mr Rollinson refused to allow the drunken teen onto his bus.

A backward and forward between the pair culminated in the boy completely losing control and raining punches down on him.

Although the Thurso-born bus driver at first appeared unharmed by the brutal attack, he collapsed after bending over to pick his hat off the ground and was taken to Dr Grays Hospital.

He died in the early hours of February 3.

Flowers were laid at Elgin bus station after the thug attacked Mr Rollinson on February 2

Locals placed candles and flowers next to a portrait of Mr Rollinson as they paid their respects

In an exclusive interview with this newspaper, Mrs Rollinson has previously called for the Scottish Government to review its under-25 sentencing guidelines and its free bus scheme for under-22s.

Last week, on her first Hogmanay without her husband, Mrs Rollinson raised a glass to the gentle man she says she misses so much.

Yet on January 14, she has been told the lout who killed him will appear before a court in Glasgow or Edinburgh and ask for an even more lenient sentence.

She said: I wanted this to be over last year, so that we can start grieving.

Keith would be proud of me, but this appeal has knocked me for six.

Mrs Rollinson added: This country needs to get a backbone, and if I can help in any way, so that another family doesnt have to go through what were going through, then itll be worth it for Keith.

I cant bring him back, but I hope by raising these issues I can help other families.

A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: We met recently with the family of Mr Rollinson to listen to their concerns and explain the factors which judges are legally obliged to take into account for sentencing.

Senior Crown Counsel fully respected the views they expressed while also evaluating whether the strict requirements, as set out by the Appeal Court, for an unduly lenient appeal were met.

The decision not to appeal the sentence, which was not taken lightly, was discussed with Mr Rollinsons loved ones.
Ukraine today claimed a revenge strike on a Russian missile brigade commander whose forces 'killed 59 people in a cafe attack' in 2023.

Captain Konstantin Nagayko, 29, was in a 'critical condition' after an explosion in Ivanovo region, said Kyiv military intelligence.

This came on a day Ukraine mounted its biggest drone attack of the war on the region surrounding St Petersburg, with a blast causing a major fire at Ust-Luga port, more than 620 miles from the nearest Kyiv-controlled territory.

Nagayko was dubbed a 'war criminal' by Ukraine's GUR military intelligence agency over an October 2023 strike on a cafe in Groza, Kharkiv region where 59 people including a boy, eight, were killed in an Iskander missile onslaught.

After the explosion, 'the victim has multiple fragmentary lesions in virtually all organs, including the brain  he underwent a skull trepanation', said the GUR.

'His condition is critical.'

The agency said: 'He was on duty in his military unit, and now [he is at] at death's door,'

If the attack on Nagayko is confirmed, it is the latest in a series of strikes by Ukraine on people they regard as key figures in Vladimir Putin's invasion strategy.

Russian Captain Konstantin Nagayko was left in a 'critical condition' following a revenge attack by Ukraine

The assassination bid came on the day of Ukraine's biggest drone attack of the war on the region surrounding St Petersburg, with a blast causing a major fire at Ust-Luga port (pictured)

The captain was described as battery commander of the division of the 112th missile brigade of the 1st tank army of the Western Military District of the Russian Federation - military unit 03333.

He was accused of involvement in missile strikes on Ukraine's Sumy region.

Further details of the assassination bid were not immediately available.

Separately, Ukraine attacked the strategic Ust-Luga port and other targets in Leningrad region which surrounds Russia's second city St Petersburg.

A video showed a giant explosion in the port.

The October 2023 strike on a cafe in Groza, Kharkiv region where 59 people including a boy, eight, were killed in an Iskander missile onslaught

A fire was later seen burning at the key shipping hub which processes fuel used to supply Russian forces on the frontlines.

Restrictions were imposed on the takeoff and landing of aircraft at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, its air defences shot down 26 drones over the Leningrad, Pskov, Kursk, Voronezh, Smolensk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions.

The ministry vowed revenge over the use of American-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles by Ukraine to attack targets in Russia's Belgorod region.
Federal officials resolved a race discrimination investigation into the Antioch Police Department, provided that police officials comply with a number of oversight measures. Antioch Police Department

The Antioch Police Department must hire a consultant to review its hiring and disciplinary policies  among other things  under a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department to resolve a race discrimination investigation.

Federal law enforcement officials began the probe after the release of text messages that police department staff allegedly exchanged from September 2019 to January 2022, messages that contained discriminatory content, Justice Department officials said in a statement announcing the reforms Friday.

The racist text messages compromised at least one prosecution in Contra Costa County. In 2023, a Superior Court judge reduced the criminal charges against four men in a double-shooting case, after the federal probe revealed that officers had used racial slurs and made racist remarks about the defendants, while also making light of force used during the arrests.

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Under the revised charges, prosecutors were no longer able to seek life sentences for the defendants.

Fair and non-discriminatory policing is fundamental to effective law enforcement, especially for those agencies that receive federal funding, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said in the departments statement.

City leaders in Antioch worked with the police and federal officials to reach the agreement, which they say represents a commitment to promote fairness and fight discrimination.

We acknowledge that trust is earned, not given, and this agreement marks a meaningful step forward, spokespeople for the city, and its police department, said in a news release Friday, in which they condemned the conduct that prompted this investigation.

Besides mandating the outside consultant, the agreement laid out a process for Antiochs Police Oversight Commission to collect and report demographic data for traffic stops, calls for service, use of force and K-9 deployments that lead to a dog bite.

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Newly released bodycam footage has revealed the chilling aftermath of a Kentucky judge being shot in his courthouse.

Shawn 'Mickey' Stines, 44, is accused of shooting Kentucky District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, in his chambers on September 19.

The bodycam videos from the day of the shooting showed officers racing toward the Letcher County Courthouse as the scene quickly became a hub of police activity.

Patrol cars swarmed the area, their lights flashing while sirens echoed down the streets of Whitesburg.

Officers surrounded the building, and yellow caution tape was meticulously wrapped around the courthouse perimeter to secure the scene.

The 911 call that prompted emergency services to rush to the scene.

'I've got an emergency at the courthouse,' the caller said. 'I need an ambulance here right now.

When the dispatcher inquired about the situation, the caller responded, 'Judge has been shot.'

Newly released bodycam footage has revealed the chilling aftermath of a Kentucky judge being shot in his courthouse

Shawn 'Mickey' Stines, 43, is accused of gunning down Kentucky District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, in his chambers on September 19

Nearby streets were cordoned off as officers set up orange traffic cones to redirect vehicles and pedestrians, further emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

Inside the courthouse, chaos unfolded as first responders attempted to assist Judge Mullins. Despite their efforts, Mullins, who had served as a judge for 15 years, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Stines allegedly entered the courthouse and told others he needed to speak with Judge Mullins alone.

Once they were inside the chambers, an argument ensued, during which Stines shot Mullins several times before surrendering to law enforcement, according to authorities.

He has pleaded not guilty to murder and is being held in a different Kentucky county jail.

Stines stepped down as sheriff shortly after the incident, and Billy Jones was sworn in as his replacement on October 1.

Just days prior to the shooting, Stines had been deposed in a separate federal lawsuit filed by Sabrina Adkins.

She accused Judge Mullins of inappropriate behavior, claiming she had witnessed him engaging in sexual acts with women in exchange for special treatment.

Stiles has admitted to the shooting but pleaded not guilty to murder, arguing 'it was something that occurred in the heat of passion'

This lawsuit, filed in January 2022, claimed Mullins was involved in a sex-for-favors scheme within his chambers.

Adkins also alleged that former deputy Ben Fields was involved, having filmed illicit encounters, some of which reportedly involved Mullins.

Stines, a close friend of Mullins for roughly 30 years, was mentioned in the legal proceedings just three days before the shooting.

Stines' defense attorney, Jeremy Bartley, has referenced this case as a potential factor in Stines' actions. Bartley stated, 'I think the deposition has several important roles in this case... it's going to be a large portion of the story we tell.'

The shooting has shocked the local community, as Stines and Mullins had shared a personal and professional bond for years.

In fact, just hours before the shooting, the two were seen dining together at a local restaurant, Streetside Grill & Bar, a regular lunch spot for both.

Stines allegedly entered the courthouse and told others he needed to speak with Judge Mullins alone. Once they were inside the chambers, an argument ensued, during which Stines shot Mullins several times before surrendering to law enforcement, according to authorities.

They had ordered their usual meal  wings with a salad.

His legal team is working on a defense strategy that includes referencing the ongoing federal lawsuit involving Mullins and Fields.
Sir Keir Starmer allegedly snubbed the whistleblower who exposed the Rotherham grooming gangs scandal.

The Prime Minster had been asked to meet with Jayne Senior, a youth services manager who played a major role in uncovering the rape gangs in the town.

When Sir Keir was the leader of the opposition in 2020, he was urged to meet with Ms Senior, who was a Labor councillor at the time.

There were also calls for him to launch an inquiry into Labour councillors accused of launching a campaign to 'undermine her and damage her reputation' in a bid to divert attention away from their 'failure to protect children'.

However, his office declined both the meeting and calls for the inquiry with Ms Senior telling the Telegraph that the response she received was 'shocking' and 'dismissive'.

'I really thought that because of what I had whistleblown on and my role in Rotherham, I thought he would have at least asked for more information, or agreed to meet me, but no,' Ms Senior said.

'In opposition, Labour were up there shouting for women, for girls, for child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse and then the minute that they become elected, where are they?'

Writing to Sir Keir in 2020, Georgina Halford-Hall, the chief executive of WhistleblowersUK, explained the role of Ms Senior in bringing the issue of grooming gangs in Rotherham to national attention.

Jayne Senior, a youth services manager, played a major role in uncovering the rape gangs in Rotherham

When Sir Keir was the leader of the opposition in 2020, he was urged to meet with Ms Senior (pictured), who was a Labor councillor at the time

However, Sir Keir Starmer's office declined both the meeting with Ms Senior and calls for an inquiry into a campaign to 'undermine her and damage her reputation'

In the letter, Ms Halford-Hall said Ms Senior 'exposed the industrial scale abuse' but became the 'target of retaliation which regrettably emanates from the Labour Party' describing it as a 'hate campaign'.

Despite her calls for an investigation into the treatment of Ms Senior to be opened, Sir Keir's office said it was not relevant to his role as leader of the party.

Ms Senior resigned as a Labour councillor the following year saying that she had been 'the subject of ceaseless harassment and intimidation'.

A Labour Party spokesman said: 'All complaints are treated seriously and thoroughly assessed in line with our rules and procedures. Complaints are assessed via a specific process, independent of the Leader's Office, and this was clearly signposted in response to this correspondence at the time.'

It comes as pressure continues to build around calls for an inquiry into the Prime Minister's handling of grooming gang cases during his time serving as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The row began on Thursday after Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips rejected a request by Oldham Council for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation, suggesting it would be best for the local council to investigate the issue instead.

While the proposed public inquiry would have focused on Oldham, grooming gangs have been exposed in numerous other parts of the country ranging from Newcastle to Oxford and Bristol. The abusers were predominantly Asian men.

Sarah Wilson was groomed and raped by paedophiles in Rotherham for five years from the age of 11 - with one attack taking place in a school playground.

Ms Senior resigned as a Labour councillor the following year saying that she had been 'the subject of ceaseless harassment and intimidation'

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She wrote on X: 'Jess Phillips needs to hang her head in shame!!! Anyone who denies an independent investigation has a lot to hide.'

Sammy Woodhouse was just 14 when she met her rapist, Arshid Hussain, who was jailed for 35 years in 2016. Hussain, known in Rotherham as Mad Ash, was reportedly contacted by the council about care proceedings.

She told LBC: 'We have report, after report, after report telling us the same thing. We know what's happening in this country because people like myself have been giving thousands of interviews to the mainstream media telling you about it.

'What's not happening is action - there's not enough paedophiles being taken through the courts and when they are, they're walking free. There's no professionals being held to account.'

Whistleblower Maggie Oliver, who helped expose the failure to tackle paedophile gangs in Rochdale, said she had no faith in the Sir Keir's desire to get to the truth after Labour blocked calls for a public inquiry.

And the Prime Minister was drawn into an extraordinary public spat with Elon Musk over his handling of the scandal during his five years as the DPP.

The series of social media posts by the X owner lambasting the PM came as Tory leader Kemi Badenoch demanded a public inquiry into Britain's 'rape gangs scandal' after Ms Phillips was accused of blocking a probe.

Ms Badenoch said an inquiry into organised grooming gangs was 'long overdue'.

Sammy Woodhouse, another victim of grooming gangs in the South Yorkshire town, called for 'action' against professionals, including police and social workers, who failed to stop the abuse

Whistleblower Maggie Oliver (pictured) said she had no confidence in the Prime Minister's desire to get to the truth

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said a full national inquiry into organised grooming gangs is 'long overdue'

The Tesla founder Mr Musk said the Prime Minister was 'complicit' in 'the worst mass crime in the history of Britain'.

The world's richest man, who has emerged as Donald Trump's right-hand man, also launched a vitriolic attack on safeguarding minister Ms Phillips over her decision to refuse a public inquiry, which triggered the latest row.

Mr Musk, who posted dozens of highly critical messages about child grooming in the UK on his social media site X, said Ms Phillips 'deserves to be in prison' for refusing a request for a Home Office-backed inquiry into the failure to deal with grooming gangs in Oldham.

The multi-billionaire also renewed his six-month war of words with the PM, which Downing Street has been trying to calm down. 'Who was the head of the Crown Prosecution Service when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013,' he said.

'Who is the boss of Jess Phillips right now? Keir Starmer. The real reason she's refusing to investigate the rape gangs is that it would obviously lead to the blaming of Keir Starmer (head of the CPS at the time).'

Mr Musk also shared a post asking whether King Charles 'should dissolve Parliament and order a general election for the sake and security' of Britain.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Mr Musk's outspoken attacks on Sir Keir's handling of the child-grooming scandal were 'misjudged and certainly misinformed'.

But Ms Oliver, who runs a foundation supporting abuse victims, said it was time for a 'totally independent' investigation into the grooming of girls by gangs of paedophiles in towns and cities across the country.

In his latest attacks on Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Musk shared a post asking whether Charles 'should dissolve parliament and order a General Election' for the sake and security' of Britain.

Mr Musk later he accused Sir Kier, who was director of public prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013, of having allowed criminals to get away with abuse

The former Greater Manchester Police detective said Labour and the Conservatives were 'equally to blame' for failing to get to grips with the scandal  and suggested that the PM was among those who had questions to answer about their past decisions.

'Keir Starmer, as the former DPP, is perhaps as guilty as anyone I know in where we find ourselves today,' she said. 'We `all know what's going on, but I don't trust a single one of those who to date have been entrusted with keeping our children safe and prosecuting serial rapists. They've failed. Repeatedly. Knowingly. Criminally.'

Mr Streeting defended the Government's record and told ITV News that ministers took child sexual exploitation 'incredibly seriously'.

He urged Mr Musk to work with the Government on tackling online abuse of children.

He added: 'Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but we're willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue.

'So if he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, we'd welcome that.'

The Health Secretary insisted ministers supported an inquiry into the Oldham scandal, but said it had to be led locally.

'We would absolutely encourage and work with Oldham in establishing their own inquiries,' he added.
The Home Secretary has defended Jess Phillips as a 'fearless and formidable advocate for victims and survivors' after Elon Musk said she should be locked up following the grooming gangs scandal.

The billionaire X owner suggested the safeguarding minister 'deserves to be in prison' for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.

Ms Phillips instead implied it would be better for the local council to lead an investigation into the issue instead - a view which has sparked criticism from victims.

'I believe it is for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene,' she said.

However, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper today came to her colleague's defence.

She said: 'Jess Phillips has dedicated her career to tackling sexual violence and abuse and to being a voice for victims and survivors of the most terrible crimes, including child sexual abuse.

'From setting up the first ever child sexual exploitation service in the Black Country and supporting survivors in Telford, Jess has been a fearless and formidable advocate for victims and survivors.

'She has worked with whistleblowers and campaigned tirelessly for justice for those badly let down by endemic institutional failure.

Jess Phillips said it would be best if Oldham Council led an inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal

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Elon Musk has repeatedly attacked Sir Keir Starmer on social media in recent days as well as Ms Phillips

'As a Home Office minister, she has put the experience of grooming and trafficking victims at the heart of our work on modern slavery and launched a national scheme to make sure staff and local police work together to spot when hotels are being used as a site of child sexual exploitation.'

Ms Cooper said the Birmingham Yardley MP would continue to implement the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, which published its final report in 2022.

It comes as Mr Musk launched another salvo against Labour and Sir Keir Starmer by accusing the PM of being 'complicit' in crimes carried out by sex abuse gangs.

He also said Sir Kier, who was director of public prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013, of having allowed criminals to get away with abuse.

'Starmer must go and he must face charges for his complicity in the worst mass crime in the history of Britain (sic),' he said.

In one 24 hour period this week, he used his social media site X to post or repost about child grooming in the UK more than 40 times.

Yesterday, grooming gang victims spoke out to demand a public inquiry and tougher sentences for abusers.

Sarah Wilson was groomed and raped by paedophiles in Rotherham for five years from the age of 11 - with one attack taking place in a school playground.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper arriving in Downing Street, London, for a Cabinet meeting on October 30

Child abuser Arshid Hussain (pictured) who was jailed for 35 years in 2016

Sammy Woodhouse, a victim of grooming gangs in Oldham, called for 'action' against professionals, including police and social workers, who failed to stop the abuse

She wrote on X: 'Jess Phillips needs to hang her head in shame!!! Anyone who denies an independent investigation has a lot to hide.'

Sammy Woodhouse was just 14 when she met her rapist, Arshid Hussain, who was jailed for 35 years in 2016.

Hussain, known in Rotherham as Mad Ash, was reportedly contacted by the council about care proceedings.

She told LBC: 'We have report, after report, after report telling us the same thing. We know what's happening in this country because people like myself have been giving thousands of interviews to the mainstream media telling you about it.

'What's not happening is action - there's not enough paedophiles being taken through the courts and when they are, they're walking free. There's no professionals being held to account.'

While the proposed public inquiry would have focused on Oldham, grooming gangs have been exposed in numerous other parts of the country ranging from Newcastle to Oxford and Bristol. The abusers were predominantly Asian men.

Labour ministers have already hit back at Mr Musk for his comments on the issue.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on Friday morning his slew of tweets were 'misjudged and certainly misinformed'.

Pressed if Mr Musk's comments were unhelpful to the Government, Mr Streeting told ITV News that ministers took child sexual exploitation 'incredibly seriously'.

He added: 'Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but we're willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue.

Mr Musk later he accused Sir Kier, who was director of public prosecutions (DPP) between 2008 and 2013, of having allowed criminals to get away with abuse

Sarah Wilson, a survivor of sex abuse in Rotherham, has spoken out in favour of an 'independent investigation' into grooming gangs

The letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, written and signed by shadow home secretary Chris Philp and Alicia Kearns calling for a national inquiry

'So if he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, we'd welcome that.'

The Health Secretary also said that ministers were supportive of an inquiry into the Oldham scandal, but signalled it had to be led locally.

Meanwhile, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said a full national inquiry into organised grooming gangs is 'long overdue'.

Mrs Badenoch said: 'The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.

'Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots.

'2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice.'

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp and shadow safeguarding minister Alicia Kearns pressed for a statutory inquiry in Oldham.

They said that only a public inquiry 'can adequately encompass the national nature of these crimes and issues' and consider whether reports were ignored by the police, CPS and local council 'or even covered up'.

In 2022, the then-Conservative government also refused a request for a public inquiry into events in Oldham.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said a full national inquiry into organised grooming gangs is 'long overdue'

An Oldham Council spokesman said: 'Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation.

'Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge.'

Responding to Mrs Badenoch's post, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: 'Talk is cheap. The Conservatives had 14 years in government to launch an inquiry.

'The establishment has failed the victims of grooming gangs on every level.'

Mr Musk, who is rumoured to be considering a major donation to Mr Farage's party, responded: 'Exactly. Time for Reform.'
The Met Police's anti-gangs squad has cordoned off Belsize park after 'gunshots' were heard in a north London street.

Officers were called to Fitzjohn's Avenue at around 4pm over reports of guns being fired in the area.

At this moment there have been no reported injuries, but a police cordon remains in place as the investigation is ongoing.

The force has said that the case is being examined by the Trident Unit, which deals with gun and gang crime.

A road closure is currently in place at Fitzjohns Avenue both ways from Finchley Road to Nutley Terrace

Images from the scene show multiple police cars in place to protect the scene, as well as officers searching for evidence on the ground.

Belsize Park is known to be home to the rich and famous, including stars Helena Bonham-Carter, Jude Law, and Cameron Diaz, who are often seen walking its attractive tree-lined streets.

As house prices soar to around 1.3million on average.

A Police Cordon Is In Place On Fitzjohns Avenue And Nutley Road near Belsize Park

Police investigate suspected gunshots reported in the area

Investigators and police officers were seen searching and photographing the scene for evidence

The Metropolitan Police Have Said That The Case Is Being Investigated By The Trident Unit, Which Deals With Gun And Gang Crime

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'Police were called to Fitzjohn's Avenue, NW3 at approximately 4pm on Friday (January 3) to reports of gun shots.

'There were no reported injuries and no arrests have been made at this time. The investigation remains ongoing and officers are carrying out detailed enquiries.

'Cordons remain in place while the scene continues to be examined for evidence.

'Any witnesses are asked to call 101 and quote reference 4422/03JAN.'
Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 21 people, including two children, in southern Gaza, hospital staff have said.

The fresh bombardment came as new ceasefire talks were said to be underway in Qatar to end nearly 15 months of bloodshed.

The three Israeli airstrikes hit a car, a house and people on the street in the city of Khan Younis on Saturday, according to staff at Nasser Hospital.

Gaza's health ministry said at least 59 people have been killed and more than 270 injured by strikes in the past 24 hours.

On Friday, Hamas said ceasefire negotiations had resumed in Qatar's capital, Doha, and added that it was committed to reaching an agreement.

The talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to press on in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed.

Fighters with Hamas, which wants Israeli forces out of Gaza completely, continue to regroup in areas where Israeli forces withdraw.

The war is by far the deadliest round of fighting between Israel and Hamas. It began when Hamas and other militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and abducting around 250.

People and first responders inspect the rubble of a collapsed residential building that was hit by Israeli bombardment in the Saraya area in al-Rimal in central Gaza City on January 4,

Palestinians carry white sacks containing the bodies of those killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on the Khan Younis refugee cam

A tent camp for displaced Palestinians is set up amid destroyed buildings in the Khan Younis refugee camp

About 100 hostages are still in Gaza, with at least a third of these believed to be dead.

Families of hostages and others have rallied weekly for months to press Mr Netanyahu to reach a ceasefire deal that would bring their loved ones home.

In a video released by Hamas on Saturday ahead of the latest weekly rally, Israeli soldier and hostage Liri Elbag, speaking under duress, expressed anguish over her situation and mentioned being held for 450 days.

'Today is the beginning of a new year; the whole world is celebrating. Only we are entering a dark year, a year of loneliness,' she said.

She also said a fellow captive had been injured by the fighting in Gaza, adding, 'We are living in an extremely terrifying nightmare.' She did not name the person injured.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 45,717 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which says women and children make up more than half the dead.

The ministry says other, uncounted bodies remain beneath rubble or in areas where emergency responders cannot reach.

Israel's military says it only targets militants and blames Hamas for civilian deaths because its fighters operate in dense residential areas. The army says it has killed 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Palestinians inspect a car targeted in an overnight Israeli airstrike that killed its occupants in the town of Khan Younis

Palestinians attend funeral prayers for two of the ten people killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on the Khan Younis refugee camp

Smoke plumes billow during Israeli bombardment in the Saraya area in al-Rimal in central Gaza City on January 4

The war has caused widespread destruction and displaced about 90 per cent of Gaza's population of 2.3 million, many of them multiple times.

Winter has now arrived, and hundreds of thousands are sheltering in tents near the sea. A small number of children have died from exposure to the cold.

Meanwhile, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, relatives mourned an 18-year-old Palestinian who the Gazan Health Ministry said was killed on Friday during clashes with Israel's army in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus. The ministry said nine other people were injured.

Palestinian health officials have said Israeli raids throughout the West Bank since October 7 2023, have killed more than 800 Palestinians.

Israel says most of these are militants, but youths throwing stones and people not involved in confrontations have also been killed.

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has held up for over a month, although its terms seem unlikely to be met by the agreed-upon 60-day deadline. Israel and Hezbollah had exchanged fire almost daily since the war in Gaza began.
Cybersecurity executive and longtime entrepreneur Amit Yoran tragically died after an arduous battle with cancer on Friday, his company announced.

Before his death, Yoran, 54, served as the CEO and chairman of the worldwide cybersecurity company, Tenable, a cybersecurity company specializing in 'exposure management'.

The company, based in Columbia, Maryland, announced its 'visionary leader's' 'unexpected' passing in a press release on Saturday.

'It is with profound sadness that Tenable Holdings, Inc. announces the passing of our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Amit Yoran,' the company wrote.

'Amit passed away unexpectedly yesterday. He had been battling cancer.'

Yoran took a medical leave of absence starting on December 5, appointing CFO Steve Vintz and COO Mark Thurmond as co-CEOs.

The pair will continue to serve in those roles while the company searches for a permanent CEO, according to the release.

'A visionary leader and a pioneer in the cybersecurity industry, Amit dedicated his life to making the digital world safer,' the release continued.

Cybersecurity executive and longtime entrepreneur Amit Yoran tragically passed away after an arduous battle with cancer, the cybersecurity company he headed announced on Friday

The company, based in Columbia, Maryland, announced its 'visionary leader's' passing in a press release on Saturday. Pictured: Tenable's HQ in Columbia, Maryland

'His unwavering commitment to innovation and relentless pursuit of excellence transformed Tenable into a global leader in exposure management.'

Before becoming Tenable's CEO in 2016, Yoran held a number of high-profile roles across the tech industry.

Yoran served as the founding CEO of NetWitness, a CEO at In-Q-Tel and the president of RSA, an American company that provides management solutions for organizations to help secure and encrypt their digital resources.

The well-known tech professional was described as 'an extraordinary leader, colleague, and friend,' by Tenables lead independent director Art Coviello.

'His passion for cybersecurity, his strategic vision, and his ability to inspire those around him have shaped Tenables culture and mission. His legacy will continue to guide us as we move forward,' Coviello said.

'Our thoughts are with Amits family during this difficult time. We extend our deepest condolences to his loved ones and express our gratitude for the remarkable legacy he leaves behind. Funeral arrangements have not been announced at this time,' the Saturday statement concluded.

Yoran was a first-generation American born in the US in November 1970 to Israeli immigrants who arrived in the 1960s, according to Haaretz.

The tech mogul attended the United States Military Academy where he obtained a degree in computer science. He later received a master's degree in computer security from George Washington University.

The 54-year-old also served as founding director of the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team program in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, his personal biography on Tenable's website states.

Yoran served as the founding CEO of NetWitness, a CEO at In-Q-Tel and the president of RSA, an American company that provides management solutions for organizations to help secure and encrypt their digital resources

'He is recognized as a security industry thought-leader and influencer, and is often sought out for industry events and in the media to provide expert commentary on his vision for cybersecuritys future,' the page reads.

Yoran is survived by his wife and three children.

Tenable is a cybersecurity company specializing in exposure management, primarily known for its vulnerability scanning software called Nessus.

Nessus is one of the most widely used vulnerability scanners in the industry as it helps companies to identify and prioritize cybersecurity risks across their digital assets, allowing them to understand and reduce their cyber exposure.

The sprawling cybersecurity company protects more than 44,000 customers worldwide, including 65 percent of the Fortune 500 and 50 percent of the Global 2000, according to its website.
Sweeping protests have erupted across Israel this evening as anti-government demonstrators call for US President-elect Donald Trump to step in and forcibly end the war with Hamas in Gaza.

Tensions amongst large cohorts of the Israeli public had already reached boiling point over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the conflict, but the release of a new Hamas hostage video of 19-year-old Liri Albag has sparked fresh calls for his removal from power.

In the emotive video, Liri, who is the youngest remaining female captive held by Hamas, could be seen shaking and crying as she pleaded with Israeli authorities to do more to secure her and the other hostages a safe release.

In Jerusalem tonight, hundreds of demonstrators calling for a hostage deal are marching on Netanyahu's residence in the city.

Marchers could be seen carrying banners which read: 'They are all humanitarian'. This was in reference to reports that current negotiations are focusing on an initial release of 'humanitarian' hostage cases.

Upon reaching Netanyahu's home, marchers were addressed by Yoav Engel, the father of former hostage Ofir Engel, who said: 'we dont need to wait for a miracle, we need a decision and action.'

Earlier on Saturday, four protestors were also detained outside the Israeli Prime Minister's home.

Protestors on the streets of Tel Aviv chant in support of a hostage deal around a bonfire

Multiple bonfires were erected by anti-government protestors this evening on the streets of Tel Aviv

An anti-war protestor wearing a 'Make America Great Again' cap stands in front of anti-Netanyahu banners

An anti-Netanyahu poster stuck to a Tel Aviv lamppost by a demonstrator this evening

Multiple other protests were also underway in the Israeli capital this evening, including a group of minimally-dressed anti-war protestors who have placed themselves in the middle of the city's King George Street.

The demonstrators have covered their skin with Hebrew and Arabic messaging which translates to 'they are freezing to death in Gaza too', according to the Times of Israel.

Tel Aviv is also experiencing widespread protests, with seemingly thousands of demonstrators taking part as fiery clashes broke out with authorities on the city's streets.

In the now-weekly anti-government, pro-hostage rally in the centre of the city, Israeli police could be seen bursting through crowds of protestors to extinguish bonfires.

Shoving and pushing between police and the crowds also ensued, with a number of arrests reportedly made.

Speakers at the rally also addressed a crowd of roughly 1,500 people in front of IDF headquarters, where hostage family members called on Donald Trump to step in and end the war.

Shahar Mor, the nephew of deceased hostage Avraham Munder, told the crowd that the US President-elect should 'stop arming the revenge campaign in Gaza'.

Omri Lifshitz, son of captivity survivor Yocheved Lofshitz and hostage Oded Lofshitz, also made a plea to President Trump asking that he 'End this f***ing war now'.

Attending protestors also could be seen handing out the red caps, adorned with the 'Make America Great Again' slogan, that have become so synonymous with the American politician in recent times.

One protestor is forcibly removed from outside the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv

Another protestor, this time a man, is carried by soldiers away from the protest

Protestors plead with police who are detaining a seemingly peaceful protestor

Protestors in Tel Aviv refused to remove themselves from the middle of busy city centre streets

Horse-mounted officers could be seen wading through the crowds of demonstrators

Family members of Liri Albag seen pleading for a hostage deal to be finally reached

Liri Albag (pictured) appeared in a newly released Hamas hostage video, which has sparked a fresh wave of anti-government protests

Along Tel-Aviv's Begin Road, the Times of Israel reports that six protestors were detained after refusing to clear the street.

Horse-mounted officers could be seen wading into the crowd with officers manning water canons watching on.

Prime Minister Netanyahu is so far yet to address tonight's widespread demonstrations against his government, but has reportedly spoken to the family of Liri Albag.

A spokesperson for Mr Netanyahu said: 'The prime minister told the family that he sympathizes with the suffering that Liri, her family, and all the hostages and their families are going through.

'The prime minister assured them that Israel is continuing to work tirelessly to return Liri and all the hostages home, and that efforts are ongoing  including at this very moment'.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was surrounded by a much smaller crowd of supporters than usual on New Year's Eve, months after he was indicted on federal corruption charges.

This year, Adams was in Times Square to welcome in the new year, but his inner circle was diminished compared to the one with him in 2022.

Three years ago, Adams was sworn in as New York City's 110th mayor and he had brought his closest advisors with him to celebrate the New Year's Eve ball drop.

However, this year, following his recent federal corruption charges, those confidants who had surrounded him were nowhere in sight, the New York Times reported.

Many had stepped down or were themselves under investigation as his administration plunged into chaos.

Democratic Mayor Adams is expected to stand trial in April on charges of conspiring with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign campaign contributions and to improperly accept benefits, including luxury international travel.

Adams has insisted his innocence and since pled not guilty.

His reputation, however, may not be saved in time for the re-election primary in June following the scandal.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was seen surrounded by a new smaller hoard of people on New Years Eve

However, this year, following his recent federal corruption charges, those who had surrounded him were nowhere in sight. Many had stepped down or were themselves under investigation as his administration plunged into chaos

Three years ago, Adams was sworn in as New York City's 110th mayor and he had brought his closest advisors with him to celebrate the New Year's Eve ball drop

A spokeswoman for the mayor, Kayla Mamelak Atlus, said in a statement that New Yorkers did not care who was on stage with the mayor on New Year's Eve.

'They care about what those people are doing to serve them. They mayor kicked off the new year with leaders who've helped drive down crime, brought jobs to an all-time high, fueled a tourism surge and so much more,' Atlus said in a statement.

Nine of his administration's top officials have resigned, including Jeffrey Maddrey.

Maddrey was the New York Police Department's top uniformed officer until last month. He recently had his home searched by federal agents after he was accused of demanding sex from a subordinate in exchange for overtime pay.

Reverend Alfred Cockfield II, the leader of a political action committee tied to the mayor, was part of those surrounding Adams in 2022. He is now being investigated as part of a federal corruption investigation.

The mayor's longtime partner, Tracey Collins, had also joined him on stage. Collins retired from the city's Education Department in November after being accused of not showing up to her well-paid job.

Timothy Pearson, a senior adviser to the mayor, resigned in September after his phone was seized in a federal corruption investigation and he was also accused of sexual harassment.

The mayor's closest adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, also abruptly resigned in December shortly before being charged in a alleged bribery scheme involving a new $100,000 Porsche for her son.

Also, with him in 2022 was Frank Carone, the mayor's chief of staff during his first year of office and a top adviser in his re-election campaign. He was scrutinized for his business dealings, including his close relationship and dealings with a Brooklyn priest who was in hot water himself.

Democratic Mayor Adams is expected to stand trial in April on charges of conspiring with the Turkish government to receive illegal foreign campaign contributions and to improperly accept benefits, including luxury international travel

Adams has insisted his innocence and pled not guilty. His reputation, however, may not be saved in time for the re-election primary in June following the scandal

Lewis-Martin has been one of the mayors closest confidants, serving in senior roles as Adams ascended the ranks of government in New York over nearly two decades

The mayor's Asian affairs director, Winnie Greco, resigned in October after her homes were searched by federal agents.

Former judge Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix announced her resignation in May after Adams looked to replace her with Randy Mastro.

His son, Jordan Coleman, was with Adams at both the ball drop in 2022 and 2025.

The smaller group who joined him this year included his son, Jordan Coleman, and Camille Joseph Varlack who was the mayor's chief of staff for the past two years.

A former lobbyist who worked on the mayor's 2021 campaign, Tiffany Raspberry, also joined them on stage. Raspberry is the director of the mayor's office of intergovernmental affairs and works with state, city and federal lawmakers.

Fabien Levy, the mayor's combative deputy mayor for communications, was also present, as well as the deputy mayor for strategic initiatives, Ana Almanzar.

Also among Adams' ranks were Chauncey Parker, the deputy mayor for public safety, First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, and Kiesha Humphrey-James who was recently named the executive director of payroll and time keeping.

Last year in September, Adams became the first New York City mayor to be criminally charged while still in office.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams exits the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse after making the first appearance in his corruption case on October 2

According to prosecutors, Eric Adams accepted an array of luxury gifts and amenities from foreign governments who hoped to buy influence with him

In a statement following the charges, Adams said he 'always knew' he would become a target because of his views and refused to leave office.

He was indicted following a number of federal corruption probes into campaign finances and alleged kickback schemes among top brass that began with a raid of one of his top fundraisers, Brianna Suggs, in November 2023.

Following Lewis-Martin's abrupt departure, Adams faced mounting scrutiny over his administration's legal woes.

Prior to being appointed as Adams' chief advisor, Lewis-Martin served as the mayor's chief of staff in the New York State Senate for seven years.

In that position, she played an important role in conceptualizing and implementing community programs serving the residents of Central Brooklyn later going on to serve as a senior advisor during Adams' two terms as Brooklyn borough president.

Adams then named Lewis-Martin as his chief advisor in January 2022.

Adams has yet to publicly address the full scope of the allegations against his former advisor, but the scandal adds to a growing list of legal challenges for his administration, which is already grappling with federal bribery and corruption charges involving top officials.
Flight operations have been suspended at Bristol airport as snow storm hits the UK, triggering blackouts and travel chaos.

The major travel hub has confirmed that all flight operations have been suspended until later tonight due to 'challenging weather'.

The suspension will mainly impact inbound flights, the spokesperson said, and customers are advised to contact airlines for more information. As staff are trying to clear the runway.

Flights from Paris, Geneva, and Edinburgh have been cancelled. While the tracking website FlightRadar indicated a number of flights were diverted earlier this evening to other airports in the UK including Cardiff, Belfast and Birmingham.

Megabus UK has also said its buses are not serving the airport this evening due to the weather.

Flight operations have been suspended at Bristol airport as snow storm hits the UK, triggering blackouts and travel chaos

Ongoing ! Bristol International Airport (BRS) in West England has suspended flights due to heavy snowfall, Many parts of the UK and Ireland will have snow and rain this evening and overnight.



While Seventeen flights have been diverted so far, 10 flights have been canceled.



Up pic.twitter.com/sScs3OJY5u  FL360aero (@fl360aero) January 4, 2025

DUE TO THE WEATHER ALL FALCON SERVICES UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE WILL NOT SERVE BRISTOL AIRPORT. WE WILL UPDATE WHEN IT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SERVE AGAIN.  megabusUK (@megabusuk) January 4, 2025

An image of a snow covered road at the Chartist Bridge

Info |



Bristol Airport is currently being affected by snow, planes are taking off, but nothing is landing.



If this continues diverts will be likely.



There is a very high chance that it won't be the only airport to face disruption tonight. pic.twitter.com/idPuvlLlJt  Aviation News UK  (@BritAviaNews) January 4, 2025

Vehicles negotiating the snow in dangerous conditions

A Bristol Airport spokesperson said: 'The Bristol Airport team are working hard on snow clearing but challenging weather means that flight operations have been suspended until later tonight.

'This will mainly impact inbound flights but any concerned customers are advised to contact their airline for more information.'

This comes as the Met Office has issued new warning maps showing which areas will be hit the hardest by heavy snow and temperatures of -10C, as major cities 'activate' emergency plans.

A Met Office spokesperson confirmed the temperatures reached a low of -8.6C in Aboyne in Aberdeenshire overnight.

Chilly conditions were expected to continue for most of Saturday, today with most places ranging from 2-5C, with highs of 7C in south-west England. The coldest temperature recorded in January last year was minus 14C, in Dalwhinnie in the Highlands.

The Met Office has warned that up to 1ft 4in (40cm) of snow could blanket parts of the UK.

The forecaster put in place a yellow snow warning for most of England and the whole of Wales from 12pm today until 11.59pm on Sunday, while Northern areas of Scotland have yellow warnings until 10am tomorrow.

Two amber warnings, however, have been issued from Newcastle upon Tyne down to Manchester from 9pm today until 11.59pm tomorrow and from Stoke on Trent to just above Cardiff from 6pm today until midday tomorrow.
Aussie taxpayers have forked out more than $450,000 in the past two years for government departments to host Welcome to Country ceremonies.

The National Indigenous Australians Agency paid $60,342, the Australian Institute of sport racked up $47,000 and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet spent $41,801 for 33 ceremonies.

Freedom of Information requests provided to the Opposition also show the Infrastructure Department spent $35,618 on Welcomes while the Industry, Science and Resource Department allocated $30,896 to the ceremonies.

Opposition government waste reduction spokesman James Stevens said the amount spent was staggering.

'When added to the enormous amounts state and local governments spend on these ceremonies, it's become a multimillion-dollar industry,' he told the Daily Telegraph.

'Welcomes to Country should be genuine and authentic.

'Spending millions on 'Welcome' ceremonies does nothing to address the challenges facing Indigenous Australians.

'This money could be better spent on delivering real solutions to Indigenous communities.'

Aussie taxpayers have forked out more than $450,000 in the past two years for government departments to host Welcome to Country ceremonies (stock image)

A Prime Minister and Cabinet spokeswoman defended the amount of money spent on the ceremonies.

She said the expenditure was 'in line with our Reconciliation Action Plan' with the plans introduced under a Coalition government in 2015.

'This has been a longstanding practice for many years,' she said.

'All procurement is undertaken in line with the Commonwealth Procurement Rules in order to achieve value for money.'

A Finance Department spokesman, which paid $6,740 for just eight events, also said the money spent 'demonstrates our commitment to reconciliation'.

'Inviting a traditional custodian to perform a welcome to country at significant corporate events builds our connection with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,' he said.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price last month claimed Welcome to Country ceremonies have become a commercial product rather than an expression of culture.

The Shadow Indigenous Australians Minister told Sky News in December there is an 'Aboriginal industry' in Australia.

'The whole Welcome to Country ceremony has just broadened that industry,' she said.

'There are those right around the country, who basically their only role, their only source of income, is delivering Welcome to Country.'

Late last year, the Juru people of the Burdekin in north Queensland voted to ban Welcome to Country ceremonies on their ancestral land.

Juru spokesperson Randall Ross told Melbourne radio station 4BC 'the elders have had enough' with the commercialisation of the traditional ceremony.

Mr Ross told host Bill McDonald that some of those performing Welcome to Country were not even connected in any meaningful way to the Burdekin area.

'Our Welcome to Countries are being not only overused but misused for the wrong purpose,' he said.

'We still have people not connected to country doing the ceremonies because they have been identified as preferred suppliers by governments and other agencies.

'It's an insult to many of our traditional owners.'
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana is postponing his upcoming Las Vegas residency after suffering an injury during a fall at his vacation home in Hawaii. Daniel Knighton/Getty Images

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana has announced the postponement of his upcoming Las Vegas residency after suffering an injury during a fall at his vacation home in Hawaii.

The eight-show engagement, originally scheduled to begin on Jan. 22 at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, has been indefinitely delayed as Santana recovers from a broken finger on his left hand.

According to his management team, the musician was out for a walk on Kauai when the accident occurred.

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He took a hard fall, and he broke his little finger on his left hand, Michael Vrionis, president of Universal Tone Management said in a Facebook post on Friday, Jan. 3. He had to have pins inserted in the finger.

Doctors have advised the 77-year-old San Francisco guitarist, renowned for classics such as Black Magic Woman and the chart-topping hit Smooth, to refrain from playing guitar for approximately six weeks to allow for proper healing. His management reports that the prognosis is positive, and Santana is expected to make a full recovery.

Carlos is doing well and is anxious to be back on stage soon. He just needs to heal, Vrionis said. Santana profoundly regrets these postponements of his upcoming performances, but accidents happen, and his health is our number one concern. He is looking forward to seeing all of his fans very soon.

Grammy Award-winning artist and guitarist Carlos Santana speaks during the mural dedication and blessing ceremony in honor of the Santana Family at 24th Street and Mission BART station in San Francisco on Oct. 29, 2021. Constanza Hevia H./Special to the Chronicle

As of now, there are no rescheduled dates for the postponed residency.

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But Santanas 2025 schedule remains packed, with several U.S. concerts slated for April, followed by a return to the House of Blues in May. Additionally, a European and U.K. tour is scheduled for the summer.

This is not the first time Santana has had to pause his performances due to health concerns. In late 2021, he canceled several dates of his Las Vegas residency after undergoing an unscheduled heart procedure.
Russian and North Korean forces were slaughtered in an attack on a Kursk village, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, despite experts warning that Ukraine is losing land.

Putin's army reportedly lost up to a 'battalion of soldiers' during fighting in Makhnovka in Russia's southern Kursk region.

'In battles yesterday and today near just one village, Makhnovka, in Kursk region, the Russian army lost up to a battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroops,' Zelensky said on Saturday, referring to a report by Ukraine's top commander.

'This is significant.'

Zelensky provided no specific details and although a battalion can vary in size - they are generally made up of several hundred troops.

Experts, however, have warned that despite Moscow's heavy casualties, Ukraine is losing territory daily as the Russians continue their offensive.

Ukrainian analyst Taras Chmut said Putin's army is seizing around 20 square kilometres of land daily.

Kyiv lost around 3,600 square kilometres last year across multiple fronts, compared to just 540 square kilometres in 2023.

A Ukrainian soldier of an artillery unit fires towards Russian positions outside Bakhmut

A member of Ukraine's 72nd Brigade Anti-air unit fires at a Russian Zala reconnaissance drone near Marinka, Ukraine

A Swedish artillery team fires a projectile from an Archer self-propelled Howitzer during the NATO 'Exercise Lightning Strike' on November 20, 2024

It comes as Ukrainian troops face being ejected from the Kursk region of Russia which they invaded last year - in a major blow for the country.

US officials fear the Ukrainians could be encircled should they remain there for more than a few months.

Kyiv seized up to 1,000 square kilometres in the Kursk region in August - in a move which stunned the Kremlin.

But since then Russia has recaptured at least half the territory and is sending thousands more troops to the region.

According to reports, US officials hope President Zelensky will retreat sooner rather than later, to prevent loss of life.

He previously stated his intention was to hold territory inside Russia indefinitely.

More recently, his aides have softened their tone, suggesting their troops will stay only as long as it is feasible.

Meanwhile, in the conflict Ukraine today claimed a revenge strike on a Russian missile brigade commander whose forces 'killed 59 people in a cafe attack' in 2023.

120 mm mortar crew fires shells at Russian positions as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Chasiv Yar, Ukraine on April 27, 2024

A Ukrainian soldier is placed in trenches retaken from the Russian army on the Vuhledar front line as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen of the 43rd Separate Artillery Brigade fire a Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzer toward Russian troops

Captain Konstantin Nagayko, 29, was in a 'critical condition' after an explosion in Ivanovo region, said Kyiv military intelligence.

If the attack on Nagayko is confirmed, it is the latest in a series of strikes by Ukraine on people they regard as key figures in Vladimir Putin's invasion strategy.

Separately, Ukraine attacked the strategic Ust-Luga port and other targets in Leningrad region which surrounds Russia's second city St Petersburg.

A video showed a giant explosion in the port.

A fire was later seen burning at the key shipping hub which processes fuel used to supply Russian forces on the frontlines.

Restrictions were imposed on the takeoff and landing of aircraft at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, its air defences shot down 26 drones over the Leningrad, Pskov, Kursk, Voronezh, Smolensk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions.

The ministry vowed revenge over the use of American-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles by Ukraine to attack targets in Russia's Belgorod region.
Sir Keir Starmer will be ousted as Prime Minister within a year, an exclusive poll for The Mail on Sunday has predicted  with furious voters attacking his poor handling of the economy, the NHS, immigration and the cost-of-living crisis.

Nearly a third of all Britons polled in the 'state of the nation' survey expect the Labour leader to last another year at most, with more than two thirds (68 per cent) saying he is doing 'badly', just six months into the job.

And in news that will worry both Labour and the Conservatives, one in five voters thinks that Nigel Farage will be Britain's next Prime Minister.

The bombshell poll comes as speculation mounts in Westminster over Sir Keir's future after a dismal start to his premiership.

Since Labour's landslide victory last July, the party has been dogged by a series of missteps, including rows over changes to farmers' inheritance tax reliefs, a tax raid on private school fees and freebies from donors and lobbyists.

Last night, one Labour MP said privately: 'If this poll doesn't ring alarm bells in No10, then we really are doomed.

'Sadly, it confirms what I and other Labour colleagues are now finding on the doorstep.

'There never was much support for Keir. But after a catalogue of blunders  from scrapping winter fuel payments to hiking taxes  what little support there was for the Prime Minister has collapsed.'

Nearly a third of all Britons polled in the 'state of the nation' survey expect the Labour leader to last another year at most

One in five voters thinks that Nigel Farage will be Britain's next Prime Minister

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow chancellor Mel Stride are narrowly seen as a better alternative to Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves in handling the economy

The exclusive Deltapoll survey reveals that 69 per cent think the country is heading in the wrong direction, with the cost-of-living crisis and the state of the NHS topping the list of concerns.

Some 33 per cent said they are particularly worried about the economy, while 14 per cent said they are anxious about the effects of high taxes on themselves and their families.

Fifteen per cent are concerned about record immigration, with more than six in ten saying they think the number of immigrants coming to the UK should be decreased. Some 68 per cent want to see the Government introduce a cap on the number of legal migrants allowed into the UK each year.

Despite this, Labour still lead on voting intention, with 30 per cent of those polled saying they plan to support the party at the next General Election, compared with 23 per cent for the Conservatives and 22 per cent for Reform.

However Labour are behind the Tories on both leadership and economic management. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and shadow chancellor Mel Stride are narrowly seen as a better alternative to Sir Keir and Chancellor Rachel Reeves in handling the economy.

Among Labour voters, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner tops the list as the likely successor in No10, while respondents who voted Conservative at the last election support a comeback for Boris Johnson to frontline politics.

The polling comes as MPs tomorrow debate a petition calling for a rerun of the General Election, after it gained 2.8million signatures.

The result of the Westminster Hall debate cannot cause a re-run of the vote, but the popular petition has been used by Ms Badenoch to taunt Sir Keir that it showed 'two million people asking him to go'.

Among Labour voters, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner tops the list as the likely successor in No10

While respondents who voted Conservative at the last election support a comeback for Boris Johnson to frontline politics

Last night, Labour sources said that pressure will mount on the Prime Minister if he suffers a string of losses in May's local elections and any by-elections, and if he fails to get the small boats crisis under control.

One added last night: 'The party will turn against him. It is very difficult to oust a Labour leader, but he could become a lame duck prime minister and the pressure would mount on him to go.'

MPs also privately pointed out that while 'people are angry', it is hard to see a route out of Downing Street for Sir Keir. 'It's very hard to get rid of a Labour leader,' one said. 'You can't just have men in grey suits telling them to go.'

Others said that the number of Labour MPs with thin majorities  who fear losing their seats unless polling improves  will also start to pile pressure on Sir Keir.

One Labour insider said: 'If he's not prepared to be bold on policies like the small boats, on benefits, then what's the point of him? Virtually all the seats are marginal. If MPs start revolting, then there'll be pressure on him to go.'

Joe Twyman, co-founder and director of Deltapoll, said: 'Just six months since arriving in Downing Street, Keir Starmer's poll rating may well be causing concern. With potentially more than four years until the election, there will be some who believe that the Prime Minister has plenty of time to turn things around.

'But the direction of travel in the polls has been downwards and without an improvement in economic circumstances, significantly improving the numbers may well turn out to be difficult.

'While not exactly a Winter of Discontent, this is clearly a Winter of Dissatisfaction and as 2025 begins, the polls will not bring new year cheer to the Labour Party.

Last night, Labour sources said that pressure will mount on the Prime Minister if he suffers a string of losses in May's local elections and any by-elections, and if he fails to get the small boats crisis under control

'Across many measures, the public are clearly disappointed, and Keir Starmer will be hoping that things can be turned around in the new year. A more positive outlook on the economy from the British public will be key.'

But one Labour source dismissed claims that Sir Keir could soon be gone as Prime Minister, saying: 'The public has got used to huge instability at the top of government. They expect prime ministers to change every five minutes.

'Keir was elected to bring an end to that chaos. That is exactly what he will do. If that means digging in through some tough times and showing we can deliver change in the long term, that's what he will do.'

Deltapoll interviewed 1,144 British adults online between December 30, 2024  January 3, 2025. The data have been weighted to be representative of the British adult population as a whole.
People think there is too much pressure on the Princess of Wales to return to her royal duties following her battle with cancer, the poll for The Mail on Sunday found.

Nearly half (47 per cent) said they backed a more gradual return to public life for the Princess, while just 29 per cent thought it was reasonable to expect her to return to normal duties.

The Princess, who turns 43 this week, has undertaken only a handful of engagements since announcing the end to her chemotherapy in September including visiting victims including visiting victims of the Southport stabbing attack and hosting her annual Christmas carol concert.

But palace sources say there will be no huge reset in 2025 and that Kate will continue a slow return to work, making sure to balance her health with her personal and public duties.

Royal biographer Hugo Vickers said: The public are genuinely very fond of Catherine and admire her in a huge way. There is an understanding that she must not be put under any pressure and will do what she can.

'Alongside public duties as our future Queen, her priority is as mother to her young family. We all just want her to get well.

The public are more evenly divided on the return to work for King Charles, who is still undergoing cancer treatment.

Forty per cent think there is too much pressure for him to return to public duties, but 36 per cent think the opposite.

The Princess of Wales attending a carol service at Westminster Abbey. Just under half the public think there is too much pressure on Kate to return to work following her cancer treatment

Kate on Centre Court last June to present the trophy to the winner of the men's singles final at Wimbledon

King Charles visiting Poundbury, Dorset. Opinions are more evenly divided on the monarch's return to work, with 40 per cent saying there is too much pressure on him to resume duties

Charles had an operation in January last year for an enlarged prostate, and doctors announced in February that he had been diagnosed with a form of cancer. He returned to public duties last April.

While his schedule has been adapted, the King has undertaken a significant number of engagements, including a tour of Australia and Samoa.

Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said: I think the King would support the 36 per cent who are in favour of him continuing to work as he is keen to get a move on.

We are told he will go on tour this year and have a relatively normal programme. However I expect others, like Queen Camilla, would prefer he took his foot off the accelerator.

The Deltapoll survey also brings good news for Prince Harry. Some 45 per cent would support Charles welcoming his son back into the Royal Family if President-elect Donald Trump makes good on his threat to deport him.

Under a quarter (24 per cent) back the idea of deportation and 30 per cent oppose the Duke of Sussex being welcomed back into the fold.

Prince William, the Princess of Wales and the Princess Royal are the most popular members of the Royal Family, scoring 75 per cent, 77 per cent and 73 per cent respectively.

Prince Andrew should be banned from all future royal Christmases, according to nearly half of Britons.

Some 45 per cent would support the King welcoming Prince Harry back into the Royal Family if he is deported by US President-elect Donald Trump

Prince Andrew at the Coronation in 2023. Forty-two per cent of those polled said the Duke of York should pull out of all future royal Christmases

Forty-two per cent of those polled for The Mail on Sunday said they support him being barred, with only 26 per cent opposing the idea.

More than a third would also prefer the Duke of York to be exiled.

Last month, Andrew pulled out of the traditional Sandringham Christmas gathering after he was linked to an alleged Chinese spy.

Two thirds of Britons surveyed also want the Duke to declare the source of his money that allows him to continue living in Royal Lodge, Windsor.

It was revealed in November that he had secured secret funding, likely to be in the millions, to bankroll his stay there.

Prince Andrew was polled as the most unpopular member of the Royal Family, with 75 per cent of Britons saying they have a negative view of him.

The Duchess of Sussex was the second most unpopular, with 58 per cent having negative views of her.

Nearly two thirds of respondents supported the removal of Prince Andrew and his children from the line of succession. And those surveyed backed the removal of Prince Harry and his children from the line of succession by a margin of nearly two to one.

Joe Twyman of Deltapoll, which carried out the research, said: How Prince Andrew is viewed by the British public continues to be problem for King Charles.

While Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are not viewed positively, Prince Andrew is significantly more unpopular  and his continued presence in public life to any degree is likely to continue to cause difficulties.
She is now well versed in making demands and getting what she wants in life, from her $14.7million mansion in California to her staggering wardrobe full of designer labels.

But it wasn't always this way for the Duchess of Sussex, who was born into a family with a yoga instructor mother and television lighting director father in Los Angeles in 1981.

Her meteoric rise to become a successful Hollywood actress and then joining the Royal Family by marrying Prince Harry is seen as something out of a fairytale.

And she is now planning on reinventing herself yet again as a lifestyle guru, as she prepares to present an upcoming cookery show on Netflix which will be released on January 15, while continuing to develop her own brand American Riviera Orchard.

But Meghan's path to the top wasn't easy, with those who knew her as a child saying she grew sharp elbows as a youngster.

Sonia Ardakani, the mother of Susie, her best friend at school, told the Mail in 2017: 'The thing I really admired about her is that she would fight tooth and nail for the things she wanted in life... and Meghan always got what she wanted.'

Her demands were increasingly met by her father Thomas Markle, now 80, who worked gruelling hours on shows such as General Hospital and Married... with Children.

Unlike his other two children, Samantha and Thomas Jr, Thomas Sr saw Meghan throughout her childhood and sent her to elite private schools.

Meghan's father Thomas, pictured with his daughter on her graduation day, has admitted he 'spoiled her' growing up

Meghan showed her star potential as a teenager when she was crowned Homecoming Queen at her high school

When she started high school aged 12, Thomas got into a daily routine of dropping Meghan off at school and either collected her himself or sent a limousine to bring her to his studio or to her friend's house while he finished work, according to an author.

In his 2022 book, Revenge, Tom Bower wrote that Meghan was 'utterly indulged' by her father, with Thomas admitting he 'spoiled her'.

Thomas said his efforts caused Meghan to change. 'She became controlling at school, the master of ceremonies, and controlling at home too,' he said.

Biographer Tom Bower wrote his 2022 book Revenge about Meghan

Meghan's ability to shine and climb the social ranks quickly developed as she won the election for school president -the equivalent of a head girl - hands down.

She was so popular, and pretty, that she was also crowned Homecoming Queen -a much-coveted prize among female high school students.

But a 2017 Mail investigation into Meghan's childhood revealed her father, family members noted, afforded her considerably more attention than his first two children had received.

'When Meggie was born, Dad was a completely changed man,' recalled her half-brother Thomas Jr, who was then 14 and had recently left New Mexico for California to live with his father and stepmother and his new baby sister.

'Before then, Dad's work took priority over everything, but she became his whole world.

Thomas told Tom Bower that the way he raised Meghan caused her to change. 'She became controlling at school, the master of ceremonies, and controlling at home too,' he said

Meghan's ability to shine and climb the social ranks quickly developed as she won the election for school president - the equivalent of a head girl - hands down

Thomas has said he knew Meghan would be a star after seeing her perform in school plays when she was a teenager

On her now defunct blog The Tig, Meghan wrote about her father: 'The blood, sweat and tears this man (who came from so little in a small town in Pennsylvania) invested in my future so I could grow up to have so much'

'I remember when she came home from the hospital, he had decorated the bathroom with little angels and fairies.

'He would keep holding her up to the mirror so she could see herself in his arms.

'The look on his face was priceless.

'Dad would take so many pictures of Meggie that she must have been the most photographed baby in the San Fernando Valley! He must have about 50,000 pictures of her stashed away somewhere.

'Meggie was a little princess long before she met Harry - she was her Daddy's princess.'

As Meghan's childhood progressed, her father continued to indulge her. When he threw parties at home - the family lived on the beach at Santa Monica before moving to affluent Woodland Hills - he would parade her before his showbiz friends.

Going to work on General Hospital - for which Thomas won an Emmy Award - and Married... With Children, he would take her with him on set where the stars would make a fuss of her.

Then, when her schools - first the private Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse and then an exclusive all-girls Catholic school - put on plays, Thomas would volunteer to do the lighting.

This led to sniping by some parents that it was no wonder that Meghan invariably won a lot of the leading roles.

Thomas took Meghan to the Emmy Awards ceremony when he was nominated for best lighting director

Thomas and Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, pictured with their daughter, divorced when Meghan was six. But they raised her together, with the future Duchess often seen on the sets he worked on

Meghan performed in shows at the elite all-girls Catholic school Immaculate Heart when she was a pupil there

Following their estrangement, Thomas has became an outspoken critic of Meghan and Harry, accusing them of damaging the Royal Family by stepping back from their duties

Fame seemed to be Meghan's goal from a young age, as a scene in her and Prince Harry's 2022 Netflix 'docuseries' showed. While visiting her elementary school, she read aloud a revealing letter she had written to her former principal when she graduated at the age of 11.

'When I am rich and famous and I write my life story, I will talk about you and the school so you will be known worldwide', she read.

Meghan thought that being an actress was the way she could become a star and her father aimed to give her all the help he could.

Bower claimed in his book that he trained her on how to be an actress, writing: 'Obeying her father, Meghan always perfected her lines and unquestioningly obeyed the director's instructions.

'His more important advice, after occasionally watching rehearsals, was to explain how best to hold her head, fixate her eyes, show her best profile and most important, look sincere.

'Acting, he emphasised depended on the appearance of authenticity.'

Thomas also paid for Meghan's orthodontics, which removed the gap between her front teeth, which had been present throughout her childhood.

According to Bower, Thomas spent his weekends with Meghan fishing on the Kern River and Big Bear Lake, then cooking the fish for dinner.

On long weekends, they went on road trips, including one to Elvis's Graceland home in Memphis, Tennessee. Thomas's Toyota 4Runner was fitted with a mattress in the back for Meghan along with a TV and VCR recorder.

Family members say that her half-sister Samantha, who is 16 years older and had harboured the same acting ambitions, felt she wasn't getting as much assistance as Meghan. This fuelled a deepening jealousy.

Samantha is the first of two children from Thomas Markle's first marriage

Samantha Markle has frequently appeared on television shows to talk about her half-sister

Once Meghan got her big break on the TV series Suits, in which she starred with Patrick J. Adams, above, she saw her family less

Along with her brother Thomas Jr, Samantha had been raised by her mother in the backwoods of New Mexico.

For her, there was no private education and no tip-toeing downstairs to charm guests at glamorous parties.

Around the time that Meghan was born, however, Samantha had moved back in with her father, hoping he would give her the entree into Hollywood that she longed for.

In her late teens, Samantha moved out of the family home and became estranged from Meghan. She later frequently appeared in the media to criticise her half-sister.

She has accused Meghan of being 'self-obsessed' and claimed she failed to support her family after becoming a star and making her name on TV.

Meghan became successful at school and then at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and never looked back.

So much about her was perfect, contemporaries told the Mail's David Jones in 2017 -even her handwriting. Indeed, one of her earliest jobs was as a calligrapher.

It seems Meghan was earmarked for big things at a young age. As friends recalled to Bower, she was 'always destined to be remarkable'.

Two years before she met Harry, Meghan wrote about her father's dedication to giving her a good life. On her now defunct blog The Tig, she said: 'The blood, sweat and tears this man (who came from so little in a small town in Pennsylvania) invested in my future so I could grow up to have so much.'

She then added: 'To my dad - my thoughtful, inspiring, hard-working Daddy - Happy Father's Day.'

Meghan is now estranged from most of the members of her father Thomas's side of the family, including her dad (pictured in blue) and her Uncle Fred (in a checked shirt)

Since moving to California in 2020, Meghan has been seen out and about enjoying herself with Harry and her ever-changing list of celebrity friends

Meghan and Prince Harry's $14.7million home in Montecito, California

Meghan and Harry's Christmas card this year offered a glimpse of their two children, Archie and Lilibet, for the first time in years

In a Valentine's card from her childhood, uncovered in 2018, Meghan wrote: 'Daddy, Everything you do for me has turned me into who I am and I am so grateful.

All I want to do is make you proud and I promise, no matter what, Ill do it. Thank you for everything daddy. I love you with all my heart now and forever.'

But despite clearly at one stage admitting the importance of her father's influence on her life, Meghan has been estranged from him for years.

Thomas has never met Harry. He was due to come to their wedding in May 2018 but cancelled at the last minute after The Mail on Sunday revealed he had arranged pictures with paparazzi for cash.

Meghan's two children, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, have also never met him.

His whole side of the family, for the most part, now has nothing to do with the Duchess.

Instead, she spends her time going to glitzy red carpet events in Los Angeles with her celebrity friends.

This year, the Sussexes' Christmas card offered a glimpse of their two children for the first time in years.

But the youngsters' faces are not visible, as the couple remain tight-lipped about how they are raising them.

It remains to be seen if Meghan will be spoiling them, like Thomas said he did to her.
Thirty years ago this year, Princess Diana gave a television interview that was one of the most explosive programmes of the 20th century. Her confession that she had been unfaithful and her belief that Prince Charles was unfit to rule made headlines around the world.

But behind the now infamous Panorama interview was a story of manipulation and deception that many believe led to Diana's tragic death two years later.

Jonathan Mayo tells the gripping story of the interview that shook the monarchy.

August 24, 1995

Following the release of transcripts of intimate phone calls between Diana and her friend James Gilbey, and Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, BBC reporter Martin Bashir, 32, is researching a Panorama documentary about the leaking of information about the private lives of the royals.

Bashir has not been with the BBC's flagship documentary series for long but he is already known for his persuasive powers. A former colleague said of the journalist: 'He really could charm the birds from the trees.'

Princess Diana during the infamous Panorama interview with Martin Bashir in 1995

Bashir decides that the best way to get an interview with Diana is to approach her via her brother Earl Spencer, so writes to him saying that he wants to 'share some information which, I believe, may be of interest'.

Late August

Charles and Diana have now been separated for almost three years. She is contemplating giving an interview to tell her side of the breakdown of their relationship and  following claims she had an affair with the married England rugby captain Will Carling  to challenge her image as a homewrecker.

Diana has been asking friends including the writer Clive James for advice. He tells her that an interview is a bad idea because, as he would later write, 'the two camps would go nuclear and continue until there was nothing left. She would be on the run forever she seemed convinced, but of course she was pretending'.

August 31

Bashir arrives at Althorp, Charles Spencer's ancestral home, with the intention of convincing him that he is trustworthy and has access to confidential information. He tells the earl that his household contains informants who are selling information about him to the media.

Spencer is intrigued but not fully convinced and so, after the meeting, calls Panorama editor Steve Hewlett and asks if Bashir can be trusted. Hewlett replies that he can vouch for him: 'Martin is one of my very best.'

September 2

Outside the Sock Shop store at Heathrow airport, a courier hands Bashir an envelope containing bank statements that appear to show that Charles Spencer's former head of security received payments from an offshore company and Rupert Murdoch's News International, backing up Bashir's claim the earl has been betrayed.

Bashir then shows the bank statements to Earl Spencer, who has no idea that the documents are, in fact, fake and had been put together overnight by freelance graphic designer Matt Wiessler.

Bashir (pictured) showed Charles Spencer fake documents 'to groom me, so that he could then get to Diana for the interview he was always secretly after', the Earl wrote in 2021

He, in turn, was unaware that Bashir intended to use them in a deception; all he had been told by the journalist was that the programme was about 'surveillance'. In 2021, Earl Spencer wrote that he had come to believe that Bashir had shown him the fake bank statements 'to groom me, so that he could then get to Diana for the interview he was always secretly after'.

Having won Earl Spencer's trust, Bashir decides to provide even more information that can get him to Diana.

September 14

At A second meeting at Althorp, Bashir shows the earl more bank statements allegedly detailing payments into the account of Patrick Jephson, Princess Diana's private secretary, and Richard Aylard, Prince Charles's private secretary, which he says is proof they are receiving secret payments from, in Earl Spencer's words, 'dark forces, hostile to my sister'.

He thinks that Bashir looks agitated and notices he doesn't let him see the document clearly.

He would later tell an inquiry: 'The middle part was covered over by Bashir. The whole sheet was, essentially, folded like a letter, with top and bottom on show but the middle shielded from sight.' The bank statements are a forgery, probably made by Bashir himself. In 2021, Earl Spencer told the BBC: 'This was such a major upgrade in what Bashir was telling me, I knew I had to tell Diana about it.'

He said that Diana 'wanted to learn more as quickly as possible. She had felt spied on for a while and what I told her seemed to fit with her general fears'.

September 19

Bashir meets with Diana and her brother at a Knightsbridge flat belonging to a friend of theirs, who is the next room watching Countdown on TV.

As Bashir talks, Earl Spencer makes notes to remind Diana what was said in case 'she progressed things'. Almost all the journalist's claims are outlandish  that Prince Edward is receiving treatment for AIDS, the Queen has a heart condition, Prince Charles is in love with his sons' nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke and that William has been given a watch by his father containing a listening device.

Earl Spencer thinks Bashir is a fantasist and had been 'scattering these things widely to see where Diana bit'. After showing Bashir out, he apologises to his sister for wasting her time.

Bashir tried to isolate Diana from those who know her best and might advise against an interview, Jonathan Mayo writes

Diana reassures her brother, using her pet name for him, 'Don't worry, Carlos, it was lovely to see you, it doesn't matter at all'. Spencer leaves thinking that's the end of their dealings with Bashir.

Late September

But Diana has taken a liking to Bashir, telling her butler Paul Burrell: 'He's not had an easy life; I enjoyed talking to him.'

She contacts Bashir and agrees to an interview on one condition: she alone must inform the Queen about the programme, after Her Majesty has returned from a state visit to New Zealand.

For the past few months many TV titans have tried to secure an interview, among them Sir David Frost and US stars Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters, but an unknown current affairs reporter has beaten them all.

The Panorama team and the BBC's controller of editorial policy Richard Ayre inform director-general John Birt about the interview. But Birt faces a dilemma  by rights the BBC chairman Marmaduke Hussey should be told.

However, Hussey is a strong supporter of Prince Charles, and his wife Lady Susan is a lady-in-waiting to the Queen. Birt decides that Hussey should be informed just a week before the broadcast, when it is too late to stop it.

September 26

Earl Spencer receives a fax from Bashir, alleging there are rumours of an intimacy between Tiggy Legge-Bourke and 'a certain individual' and that an aide 'witnessed outdoor pursuits of a different kind'.

Earl Spencer ignores the fax but it's believed Bashir then passed on these smears to Diana.

Burrell regularly collects Bashir from the BBC and drives him to Kensington Palace in his Vauxhall Astra, hidden under a blanket, so that Diana can secretly discuss the content of the interview without the rest of her staff finding out.

Early November

To maintain secrecy, Panorama's cameras and lights are sent in advance to Kensington Palace in boxes, which Diana tells her security team are a new hi-fi system. She believes there are few people she can trust as Bashir has tried to isolate her from those who know her best and might advise against an interview.

Diana confidant Andrew Morton (author of the 1992 book, Diana: Her True Story) says that when Bashir first met Tom Mangold as a young journalist, he told the veteran BBC reporter that while dying, his brother had advised him to model himself on Mangold, as he was the best reporter there was.

Mangold later discovered Bashir had told the same deathbed story to journalists John Humphrys and Michael Nicholson.

November 5

Today is Guy Fawkes Day and the Queen and Prince Philip's 48th wedding anniversary.

Martin Bashir, producer Mike Robinson and cameraman Tony Poole drive up to Kensington Palace dressed as tradesmen and are met at the door by Princess Diana. She has given all her staff the Sunday off and very few in her inner circle know about the interview  not even her brother.

The Panorama crew set up in William and Harry's sitting room while she gets ready  putting on a black jacket and skirt and applying heavy black kohl around her eyes.

The interview takes three hours and, once it's over, Robinson calls Hewlett and says: 'I think you've got a film.'

The week of November 6

In the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne, BBC film editor Ian Corcoran is waiting for the Panorama team to arrive. They are paranoid their scoop will be discovered, so have decided to edit the interview away from London.

After the interview was recorded but before it aired, the princess's private secretary Patrick Jephson could detected that something was the matter, before Diana told him about it

Corcoran knows nothing about the programme's content until Robinson and Bashir enter grinning and saying, 'Guess who we've got on film!' He starts to play the footage in the blacked-out suite and is amazed at what he sees. Corcoran later recalled in the ITV documentary The Diana Interview: 'Every answer was more extraordinary than the last. She was so honest, so open, so transparent, and that was a real shock.'

As the edit progresses, several cuts are made, including a negative reference by Diana to the Queen Mother, and Diana's infamous line about there being 'three of us in this marriage' is brought forward for greater impact.

Later that week, Hewlett and some of the BBC's top brass are invited to watch a rough cut, travelling to Eastbourne in separate cars and by different routes.

Hewlett recalled: 'They all had pens and paper and were writing furiously, then after about 30 seconds, one by one, they stopped writing and their mouths just dropped open.'

November 13

Diana and her private secretary Jephson are in a limo on the way to visit Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire. In the past few weeks, he has detected there is 'something the matter', later recalling that he knew 'it involved me and I didn't know what it was'.

Jephson is about to find out. Diana says nervously, 'Patrick, I've done an interview for TV.'

'Really Ma'am?' he replies. 'For which programme?' When she says it is for Panorama and that it will be released in a week, Jephson realises the enormity of what she has done.

He wrote in his biography: 'This was premeditated. A fait accompli. This was a conspiracy.'

November 14

Diana travels to Buckingham Palace for a meeting with her younger sister's husband Sir Robert Fellowes, the Queen's private secretary, to break the news about the interview.

Today is Prince Charles's birthday and he is in Germany on an official visit and is later photographed cutting a birthday cake looking miserable.

After news of the interview breaks, William's housemaster at Eton Andrew Gailey telephones Diana and tells her that she must tell her son face to face why she is doing the interview.

Diana's biographer Ingrid Seward claims she refused, asking 'Is that really necessary?' The following day Gailey telephones Diana once again and insists that she comes to the school.

November 19

Inside the ancient chapel at Eton College the Sunday service is about to end, and Diana is parked outside waiting for William, 13, to emerge.

Photographer Mark Saunders, who has been tipped off that Diana will be there, watches William reluctantly approach his mother. He jumps on to the roof of a Ford Escort to get a shot of a visibly upset William.

Diana later told Ms Seward that during their conversation, she reassured William that the interview contained nothing controversial and that he would be proud of her.

Saunders recalled: 'After a few moments he walked away from Diana, making no attempt to kiss her or say goodbye.'

November 20, 9.40pm

Panorama begins with the theme tune playing over footage of Charles and Diana's marriage at St Paul's Cathedral. Bashir's voiceover declares that it was 'the wedding of the century, but the fairytale was not to be'.

The Panorama logo disappears to reveal Diana sitting with her legs crossed in front of a fireplace, next to a table covered in family photographs. Bashir asks: 'Your Royal Highness, how prepared were you for the pressures that came with marrying into the Royal Family?'

Diana replies: 'At the age of 19, you always think you're prepared for everything, and you think you have the knowledge of what's coming ahead.

'But although I was daunted at the prospect at the time, I felt I had the support of my husband-to-be.'

9.45pm

In Devon, Diana's former lover James Hewitt is watching the programme in his bedroom and is struck by how different Diana looks and acts  the confident and flirtatious woman he knew has been replaced by shy 'Lady Di'. She explains how she coped with being the Princess of Wales in the early years of her marriage, 'We had a six-week tour  four weeks in Australia and two weeks in New Zealand  and by the end I was a different person.

'I realised the sense of duty, the level of intensity of interest, and the demanding role I now found myself in.'

9.50pm

William is watching the interview by himself at Eton in his housemaster's study, one of 23million people glued to TV sets  one of the largest audiences in BBC history.

Diana is not one of them  she is the guest of honour at a black-tie cancer charity benefit. The host of the evening, former banker Sir Ronald Grierson, told Diana's biographer Tina Brown that he said to the princess: 'Ma'am your broadcast is going out right now. Why aren't you nervous?' Diana replied: 'Professionalism. You will be proud of me, Ronnie.'

9.53pm

Diana has never given a solo television interview and the public hasn't heard her speak for over three years, so to hear her talking at length and about such personal matters is jaw-dropping.

Bashir asks Diana about press reports that she tried to injure herself, and she explains: 'I didn't like myself, I was ashamed because I couldn't cope with the pressures I just hurt my arms and my legs.

'I work in environments now where I see women doing similar things and I'm able to understand completely where they are coming from.' The journalist then asks if Prince Charles understood why she hurt herself.

She replies: 'No, but then not many people would have taken the time to see that.'

9.55pm

Diana tells Bashir that she suffered from the 'secret disease' of bulimia for several years. 'You inflict it upon yourself because your self-esteem is at a low ebb and you don't think you're worthy or valuable.'

Diana explains it was a symptom of her unhappy marriage, then Bashir asks: 'Do you think Mrs Parker Bowles was a factor in the breakdown of your marriage?' Diana responds: 'Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.'

It was later claimed that the comedian Ruby Wax, a friend of Diana, suggested what became the most memorable phrase of the interview.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry, 11, is at Ludgrove boarding school and unaware of the interview. However, he later wrote in his 2023 autobiography, Spare, 'her maths was off. She left Willy and me out of the equation'.

Harry added that, at that time, he sensed 'the presence of the Other Woman, because we suffered the downstream effects'.

10.15pm

Having spent weeks fuelling Diana's paranoia that her friends and staff are leaking information about her, Bashir asks innocently if she has any idea how the telephone conversation between her and her ex-lover Gilbey came to be published in the national press.

Diana says: 'It was done to harm me in a serious manner, and that was the first time I'd experienced what it was like to be outside the net, so to speak, and not be in the family.'

The Queen was dismayed at the Panorama broadcast and in December requested that Diana and Charles divorce, Jonathan Mayo writes

Bashir asks: 'What do you think the purpose was behind it?' Diana replies: 'It was to make the public change their attitude towards me.

It was, you know, if we are going to divorce, my husband would hold more cards than I would  it was very much a poker game, a chess game.'

10.30pm

Bashir asks Diana whether she was unfaithful with Hewitt and Diana chooses her next words carefully, 'Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him.'

Watching at home, Hewitt is stunned by what she says, and later wrote: 'However rehearsed her words might have been, they meant a great deal to me. She had never made such an unequivocal public declaration of love about a man in her life before.'

It is claimed that Prince William was horrified at the revelation. Tina Brown wrote: 'It's hard to understand how a mother as devoted as Diana would choose to drag up her affair with Hewitt.

'She knew how devastated her boys had been by their father's on-camera confession of infidelity with Camilla.'

The next day, the princess's confession will make news around the world  the Daily Mail's headline is Diana: I Too Had A Lover.

10.35pm

As the interview draws to a close Diana says: 'I'd like to be a queen of people's hearts, in people's hearts, but I don't see myself being queen of this country. I don't think many people will want me to be queen.'

Then, in what is seen as a dig at her mother-in-law, she adds, 'someone's got to go out there and love people and show it'.

Two years later, in the days after Diana's death, the phrase 'Queen of Hearts' is written on countless cards and banners.

When Diana's private secretary Jephson, who had been unaware of the interview watches the broadcast later that evening, he groans and laughs at the 'queen of people's hearts' line. By that point in the interview he is hiding behind the sofa in mortification. He would resign in two months' time.

10.36pm

Bashir asks: 'Do you think the Prince of Wales will ever be King?' Diana's answer is the moment many believe she cut herself off from the Royal Family. 'Who knows what fate will produce, who knows what circumstances will provoke?' She adds that being king would be 'suffocating' for her Charles. 'I would think the top job would bring enormous limitations to him, and I don't know whether he could adapt to that.'

According to her friend Simone Simmons, Princess Margaret, who had been close to Diana for many years, wrote her a furious letter criticising her comments. It's said from that day onward, Margaret turned any magazine with Diana on the cover face down.

10.39pm

Diana ends the interview saying: 'I don't sit here with resentment. I sit here with sadness because a marriage hasn't worked, with hope because there's a future ahead for my husband, myself, for the monarchy.'

At Eton, Prince William's housemaster returns to his study and, according to royal author Robert Lacey, finds him 'slumped on the sofa, his eyes red with tears'.

Diana later told her biographer Ms Seward: 'I shouldn't have brought [Hewitt] up, I should have just left it, but Bashir insisted.'

Diana knows full well the wider impact the interview will have  but former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond says Diana didn't regret it, telling her: 'Suddenly it seemed right, particularly with a divorce on the horizon. I thought that would mean a gagging clause. And I felt it was then or never.'

Aftermath

More than 200 million people around the world watched the interview. Opinion polls in Britain showed support for Diana at 92 per cent and she received over 6,000 letters from women suffering from eating disorders or in unhappy marriages.

The Queen was dismayed at the Panorama broadcast and in December requested that Diana and Charles divorce 'in the best interests of the country'.

Within days of the broadcast, The Mail on Sunday reported that there were suspicions Bashir had used multiple deceptions to secure the interview with Diana.

But it was not until November 2020, when Earl Spencer shared with the Daily Mail a dossier consisting of 37 pages of notes from 'every conversation and correspondence' he had with Bashir that the scale of the scandal became apparent.

Eleven days later, the BBC Board appointed former Supreme Court judge Lord Dyson to compile an independent report into the way the Panorama interview was obtained.

He found the 'dishonest' and 'devious' Bashir had used 'deceitful behaviour' to secure the interview in a 'serious breach' of BBC guidelines.

Prince William said the interview had exacerbated his mother's 'fear, paranoia and isolation' and 'was a major contribution to making his parents' relationship worse'.

Earl Spencer believes that the meeting in the Knightsbridge flat triggered a series of events that led to Diana's death, saying in 2021: 'She didn't know who to trust and in the end, when she died two years later, she was without any real form of protection.'

Bashir later claimed that he 'never wanted to harm Diana in any way and I don't believe we did'.
Australia's younger generation certainly has it tough when it comes to getting a foot on the property ladder.

And for those with ambitions beyond a one or two-bedroom apartment, the number of affordable houses seems to be increasingly small.

House prices are surging at levels well beyond wage growth, meaning those wanting to buy their own home with a backyard are finding themselves priced out of the market.

The situation is especially dire in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, where the most aggressive rate rises in a generation have failed to slow down the turbocharged property market. Meanwhile high overseas immigration has led to a spiralling rental crisis.

Even the more affordable postcodes, such as those in southeast Queensland, are seeing record-high growth as Sydneysiders flee north.

One glimmer of hope for first-time buyers is Melbourne, where house prices have fallen during the past year, with land taxes turning off investors.

But what does all this mean for a young person seeking to buy? Or an investor? Or a parent looking to help their child onto the property ladder?

These are the numbers: a person on an average, full-time salary of $100,017 is able to buy a house worth up to $650,110 if they have a 20 per cent deposit of $130,022.

Australia's younger generation certainly has it tough when it comes to buying a house (pictured is a Sydney auction)

The banks are only able to lend someone 5.2 times their salary, which means the average Australian buying on their own can borrow $520,088.

But this will mean putting 38 per cent of pay before tax on monthly mortgage repayments, putting these types of borrowers in mortgage stress territory.

If this is a risk you're prepared to take, we've researched the suburbs where an ordinary Aussie can still buy a proper house on their own.

But buyers should act fast before potential rate cuts in 2025 lead to even more activity in an already hot market.

Woodridge, just 22km south of Logan's city centre, still has an affordable mid-point house price of $620,294

Woodridge, Queensland

Logan house prices have doubled during past five years

Woodridge's median house price is still affordable at $620,294

Market attractive to both investors and owner-occupiers

Median house prices in Logan, south of Brisbane, have doubled over the past five years in an area along the M1 motorway linking the Queensland capital with the Gold Coast.

But suburban Woodridge, just 22km south of the city centre, still has an affordable mid-point house price of $620,294 - a level well below Greater Brisbane's $977,575, based on CoreLogic data.

James Kirkland, the executive general manager of sales at Little Real Estate, says Logan was one of Australia's hottest markets because it was attractive to both investors and first-home buyers.

'Based on what we're seeing, there are no signs of a slow down in that region of Logan City,' he tells Daily Mail Australia.

'That's hands down one of the most in-demand areas in Brisbane.

'With the increase in southern investors into that market, you're finding that investors and first-home buyers are fighting it out in the suburbs of Logan.'

San Remo, near Tuggerah Lake and 115km north of Sydney, has a median house price of $692,302, which means a buyer would have to look for bargain below the mid-point for the area

San Remo, Central Coast, New South Wales

NSW Central Coast has houses for under $700,000

That's less than half Sydney's median $1.5million mark

An option for those working in Sydney who still want a backyard

Sydney's median house price of $1.5million is well beyond the reach of most buyers, unless they are earning $226,621.

They would still be in mortgage stress, too, spending more than a third of their pay on servicing a home loan despite being among the top 2.3 per cent of income earners.

'By yourself, at the average wage, to buy around that mid-$600,000 - let's face it, unless you're buying a very small townhouse, anywhere close to the city, I just don't think it's possible,' Mr Kirkland says.

'If it's a freestanding house, you're going to struggle.'

But there are pockets of the Central Coast, an hour's drive north, where it is still possible to buy a house for slightly more than $600,000.

San Remo, near Tuggerah Lake and 115km north of Sydney, has a median house price of $692,302, which means a buyer would have to look for a bargain below the mid-point for the suburb.

It is a 20-minute drive from Wyong train station - itself a two-hour trip to Sydney's Central Station.

'It would be probably almost quicker to get from the Central Coast to Sydney than it would sitting in traffic from the outer fringe of the western suburbs,' Mr Kirkland says.

Meadow Heights, 26km north of Melbourne's city centre, has a median house price of $578,590 with prices only rising by 0.9 per cent last year

Meadow Heights, Melbourne

Melbourne still has suburbs with $600,000 house prices

They are well below greater Melbourne's $917,616 median

Pockets of affordability unlike Sydney or even Brisbane

Melbourne's northern suburbs have postcodes where median house prices are under $600,000 and at levels well below the Victorian capital's mid-point of $925,762.

Meadow Heights, 26km north of the city centre, has a median house price of $578,590, with prices only rising by 0.9 per cent last year.

'It hasn't had that level of growth and there's still pockets where it is affordable to buy a house,' Mr Kirkland tells us.

'In the north-west area, the infrastructure is there to get you into the city quite reasonably.'

The Victorian government's flat $975 investor land tax, to pay for the Covid lockdowns, has been blamed for a 2.9 per cent fall in Melbourne house prices last year.

This has kept property price growth well below the 3.5 per cent increase in wages, giving buyers more choice at the lower end of the market.

'This is going to be an interesting time for Melbourne because the city's been so dormant - there's a swing back to that because it's showing better value and it just hasn't had that capital growth.'

Adelaide's northern suburbs have affordable homes, with Salisbury having a mid-point price of $645,477 at just 25km north of the city

Salisbury, Adelaide

Adelaide's north has suburbs affordable for average-income earners

Salisbury house prices have soared by 19.5 per cent in just a year

But the median house price of $645,477 still relatively affordable

The South Australian capital has been one of the strongest property markets with median house prices surging by 12.5 per cent in a year to an even more unaffordable $866,327.

But Adelaide's northern suburbs still have affordable homes, with Salisbury having a mid-point price of $645,477 and it's just 25km north of the city.

Prices here have soared by 19.5 per cent in a year.

'If you're talking about accessibility into the city, Salisbury is only a very short drive,' Mr Kirkland says.

Unlike Brisbane, Adelaide has a greater proportion of owner-occupiers, which means less competition from potential investors.

'The Adelaide market, it's obviously had a good run but it hadn't previously - it's almost like this pent-up growth that was bound to happen,' Mr Kirkland says.

Perth's median house price of $847,518 is now beyond the reach of average-income earners buying on their own - but there are still affordable suburbs like Nollamara, just 9km north of the city, where the mid-point price is $684,473

Nollamara, Perth

Perth is Australia's strongest performing market

Western Australia's mining-rich capital has been the nation's strongest performing market with house values soaring by 18.7 per cent in 2024 as an influx of new residents moved from other states.

'What's driving that is shortage of stock,' Mr Kirkland says.

Perth's median house price of $847,518 is now beyond reach of the average-income earners buying on their own - but there are still affordable suburbs like Nollamara, just 9km north of the city, where the mid-point price is $684,473.

State of play

Mr Kirkland says the typical first-home buyer was getting in with help from the 'Bank of Mum and Dad'.

'The profile that are buying on their own if they're, say, a younger purchaser - they're normally coming through with a parent,' he said.

'There is support from the Bank of Mum and Dad, whether that be a loan insurance guarantee or whether that's a deposit that's been given.'

Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock has ruled out any rate cut within the next six months, but rate cuts in 2025 are set to fuel even more competition at the affordable end of the house market as more people look to move out of apartments.

'We'll start to attract more first-home buyers into the market,' Mr Kirkland says.

'It's going to be high-velocity activity once that occurs.'
The men behind the shocking explosion of a Cybertruck outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas and the terrorist truck attack in New Orleans share a curious link.

Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, 37, whose Tesla vehicle rained fireworks and steel shrapnel outside the hotel, and Army veteran Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, 42, who killed 14 people with his truck, worked at the US military's Fort Bragg.

Fort Bragg, now known as Fort Liberty, is home to the 4th Psychological Operations Group (POG), which conducts 'influence activities to target psychological vulnerabilities and create or intensify fissures, confusion, and doubt in adversary organizations.'

'We use all available means of dissemination  from sensitive and high tech to low-tech, to no-tech, and methods from overt, to clandestine, to deception,' the organization's official website reads.

After the 10 day assessment, soldiers are put through 41 weeks of physically and mentally demanding training, called the PSYOP Qualification Course.

The last few months see soldiers learn how to use propaganda and other methods to influence the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of a target audience, often in an enemy territory.

While the FBI's deputy assistant director, Chris Raia, emphasized on Thursday that investigators have found 'no definitive link' between Livelsberger and Jabbar, that hasn't stopped others from connecting seemingly ominous dots through Fort Bragg.

Law enforcement officials have identified Matthew Livelsberger, 37, as the person who rented a Cybertruck, filled it with explosives and detonated it outside the Las Vegas hotel on January 1

US Army Veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed his pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans

Livelsberger was at the base no later than November 2024 when he received his unmanned aircraft system (UAS) qualification there.

A 2013 picture from the 82nd Airborne's Facebook page shows a soldier identified as Jabbar, working as an information technology specialist.

He was attending Campbell University at Fort Bragg from 2012 to 2014.

'You're telling me that two men worked at the same army base, went and rented trucks from teh same rental company and committed horrible acts on the same day within hours apart, is a total coincidence,' TikToker 'thespilledtee' shared in a video.

'I think we need to ask what is going on a Fort Bragg because no matter which way you slice it, all of those things... how much do you believe in coincidence.'

Livelsberger and Jabbar rented both the vehicles through the the car-renting, Turo.

While officials have stated there is not link between the two horrible events, the base has connections to information warfare tactics, including unsettling 'behavior modification' projects.

Soldiers looking to join the Army's Psychological Operations (PSYOP) must endure a physically and mentally demanding training pipeline, which starts with a grueling assessment and selection that lasts for 10 days.

Above, investigators swarm Jabbar's truck in New Orleans after he plowed into pedestrians celebrating the New Year. His attack killed at least 14 people and injuring dozens more

Both Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, whose Tesla vehicle rained fireworks and steel shrapnel outside the Las Vegas Trump hotel, and Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, who killed 14 people with his vehicle, worked at the US Army's Fort Bragg - now renamed Fort Liberty

Master Sgt. Mathews, the Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) in Charge of the PSYOP Assessment and Selection course, told Task and Purpose: 'We're looking at soldiers who are adept at conducting research to understand target audiences.

'And use critical thinking to determine the best methods and arguments to influence and effectively communicate verbally and in writing using multimedia.'

The first 10 days of PYSOP focuses on a candidate's physical fitness, mental resilience, critical thinking, communication skills and sustainability.

Candidates are not just doing physical challenges, but are writing reports, crafting narratives, or presenting arguments, simulating real-world PSYOP tasks.

These individuals also undergo psychological evaluations to determine their suitability for the demanding nature of the operation's roles.

Candidates who meet the standards are invited to continue with the Psychological Operations Qualification Course.

This includes studying human psychology, sociology and cultural dynamics to design effective influence strategies, Identifying and analyzing groups for tailored messaging and crafting messages that align with mission objectives and resonate with target audiences.

During this time, soldiers will test their abilities in dynamic environments, using tactics to confuse and find vulnerabilities within each other.

New Orleans attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar (pictured) and Las Vegas bomber Matthew Livelsberger both spent time at the nation's largest base, Fort Liberty, previously Fort Bragg

They also train on the ethical considerations of PSYOP missions, including avoiding manipulation that violates international law or military ethics.

PSYOP soldiers deploy globally, often embedded with Special Operations Forces (SOF), to conduct missions ranging from counter-terrorism to humanitarian assistance, using their training to influence outcomes effectively.

Roughly a decade ago, the Defense Department reclassified all of its psychological warfare groups that train soldiers how to confuse and weaken the morale of America's enemies to 'Military Information Support Operations.'

The more neutral-sounding term was chosen to avoid the 'nefarious connotation' and 'baggage' that came with 'psychological warfare,' one retired colonel told Fox News.

A Reddit user claiming to be an Army official who worked at Fort Bragg/Fort Liberty described an unpleasant base rife with troubles that could drive a person to violence regardless of any allegations of 'nefarious' psychological operations.

'I've heard about asbestos, chemical leaching in the water, reoccurring, decades-old mold in the barracks,' said the poster, who worked on getting vets exclusive VA mortgages as his career.

'They handle chemicals in training, and it's one of the more busy stations [...] lots of rotating schedules, sleep deprivation from shitty sleeping quarters, etc.' It was by far the most 'unfavored,' destination of the vets I spent time with,' he explained.

There have also been claims that failed Trump shooter Ryan Routh had spent time at Fort Bragg.

A self-described investor and lawyer, Tony Seruga, posted to social site X.com that 'extensive cell phone, laptop, and vehicle GPS data analysis, going back 4 years' showed Routh 'visited Fort Bragg 147 times, staying overnight on 29 occasions.'

However, Seruga's claims have not been publicly corroborated by whoever conducted this analysis, presumably federal law enforcement who arrested Routh.

In Las Vegas, Sheriff Kevin McMahill addressed similarities between the terror act in Vegas and the one in New Orleans by Texas native Jabbar, who flew an ISIS flag as he slaughtered 14 and injured dozens with his rented truck.

Besides the Fort Bragg connection, both also served in Afghanistan in 2009. But, officials say they have seen no evidence they were in the same providence or unit. That remains under investigation.

The FBI said Thursday that they believe Jabbar acted alone, reversing its position from a day earlier that he likely worked with others.

The body of Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was burned beyond recognition after he apparently blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas

Livelsberger served in the Green Berets, highly trained special forces that work to counter terrorism abroad and train partners, the Army said in a statement.

He served in the Army since 2006, rising through the ranks with a long career of overseas assignments, deploying twice to Afghanistan and serving in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said.

Livelsberger was awarded two Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire, a combat infantry badge and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. Livelsberger was on approved leave when he died, according to the statement.

Of Jabbar, an Army spokesperson said he was 'a Human Resource Specialist (42A) and Information Technology (IT) Specialist (25B) from March 2007 [to] January 2015 then in the Army Reserve as an IT Specialist (25B) from January 2015 [to] July 2020.'
Seeing friends and family boosts our immune system, reduces the risk of stroke and slashes the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study.

Scientists have discovered five proteins specifically linked to loneliness that can contribute to a raft of health issues.

They drew this conclusion after studying proteins from blood samples taken from tens of thousands of adults recruited to the UK Biobank.

And they said their findings drive home the importance of social contact in keeping us healthy.

Previous research has found that both social isolation and loneliness are linked to lower wellbeing and an early death, but the underlying mechanisms through which relationships impact health have remained elusive.

The team, from the University of Cambridge, examined proteins in blood samples donated by 42,000 adults aged 40-69.

This allowed them to see which proteins were present in higher levels among people who were socially isolated or lonely, and how these proteins were connected to poorer health.

Analysis revealed five proteins whose abundance was caused by loneliness - some of which are already linked to cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, the development of insulin resistance and an early death.

Scientists have discovered five proteins specifically linked to loneliness that can contribute to a raft of health issues.(stock image)

Seeing friends and family boosts our immune system, reduces the risk of stroke and slashes the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study. (stock image)

Dr Chun Shen, one of the studys authors, said: We know that social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer health, but weve never understood why.

Our work has highlighted a number of proteins that appear to play a key role in this relationship, with levels of some proteins in particular increasing as a direct consequence of loneliness.

Professor Barbara Sahakian, from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, added: These findings drive home the importance of social contact in keeping us well. More and more people of all ages are reporting feeling lonely.

Thats why the World Health Organization has described social isolation and loneliness as a global public health concern.

We need to find ways to tackle this growing problem and keep people connected to help them stay healthy.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.
Netflix fans will soon be able to enjoy a 'demented and unnerving' horror film on the streaming service soon.

The movie Pearl - which is part of Ti West's X film series - premiered back in September 2022.

The horror is a prequel to the March 2022 slasher X, which was then followed by MaXXXine in July last year.

Back in August 2024, it was revealed that Pearl had landed on Netflix in the US and South America.

Now those in the UK will be able to watch it too on the subscription service, according to Metro.

The first instalment X follows the story of a actress Mia Goth, who plays a young girl called Maxine and an elderly woman called Pearl.

Ti West's horror film Pearl is set to arrive on Netflix

The movie is the sequel to slasher film X - released in 2022

Actress Mia Goth plays Pearl in the hit blockbuster

The horror is set in 1979 and follows a group who travel out to a farm in the middle of rural Texas to film an adult film.

Things take a turn when their host finds out exactly what they are doing out there...

Pearl is the story of a psychotic girl who wants to escape from living on a farm with her parents.

Mia reprised her role of the protagonist in the blockbuster.

The actress is joined by the likes of David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland and Emma Jenkins-Purro.

Despite being released three years ago, the film has a very high rating of 93 per cent on review site Rotten Tomatoes.

A number of critics shared their thoughts on the movie on the site.

iNews critic Christina Newland said of Pearl: 'This demented, charming, Wizard of Oz-like horror is all the more disturbing because it doesnt look like a horror movie.'

Pearl has had rave reviews over the years

Meanwhile Observer's Wendy Ide added: 'Goth is riotously entertaining throughout, but two specific scenes, in both of which the camera rests solely on her face for an extended shot, capture the full force of her unnerving talent.

The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey wrote: Pearls torment is believable largely because Goth single-handedly wills it to be.

'Her commitment to every choked cry for attention, to every glassy-eyed departure from reality, is unimpeachable.'

Pearl has been a huge hit with Netflix fans in the US and South America.

Many took to social media to share how impressed they were with it.

One wrote on X: 'Watched Pearl on Netflix and OMG. That was a buildup, love that in a horror film.'

Another added: '#Pearl on Netflix was CRA-ZY. If you like horror watch that immediately.'

'Currently watching the Netflix horror movie called Pearl? Its good,' a third tweeted.
I have a confession to make.

Few things in the news cycle faze me these days, but for months now, something has been bothering me - as a woman and as a journalist.

Why do I not like Blake Lively?

It's a question many of us have been grappling with since a flurry of negative stories about the actress hit the press last year amid the fraught release of her romantic drama It Ends with Us, in which she plays the victim of an abusive relationship.

It has since emerged those stories were allegedly the result of a shady PR campaign involving her co-star Justin Baldoni as retribution after she complained about alleged sexual harassment and an unsafe work environment on set.

But let's backtrack to August - before the lawsuits and the explosive NYT report about Blake being the victim of a so-called 'Hollywood smear machine' - and remember what so many of us thought about the saga then.

Amanda Goff examines why so many women were ready to believe the negative press about Blake Lively during the fraught release of It Ends with Us last year. Since then, we have learned there's more to the story... (Lively and co-star Justin Baldoni are seen on set in January 2024)

'Blake's a diva.' 'She must be a nightmare to work with.' 'I always thought she was like that'. 'Poor Justin.'

I'll be the first to raise my hand. When I saw the stream of news articles and social media posts, I jumped straight on the anti-Blake Lively train.

Do I regret it now? It's hard to say. Justin and Blake haven't had their day in court and I'm not taking sides yet - but one thing is abundantly clear: there is a lot more to the story than we initially thought.

Now, as we await the start of the most vicious Hollywood legal battle since Depp vs Heard, many women like me are left interrogating why we were so ready to believe the narrative we were served about Blake.

Was it her perfect white teeth? Her enviable, lustrous, sun-kissed hair. Or maybe its the fact she bagged one of the few genuinely nice guys in Hollywood, Ryan Reynolds, and he is clearly obsessed with her. Don't we all want a husband like that?

Or could it be she played one of the most iconic 'mean girls' of the 2000s, Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl, and I find it hard to separate her from her character?

Or is it that infamous resurfaced interview from 2016 when Blake bristled at a journalist's seemingly innocent comment, Congratulations on your baby bump.

Or maybe - probably, definitely - it's just Blake's... vibe.

The first rumblings of conflict on set emerged at the premiere of It Ends with Us last August

There's just something about her and I just can't put my finger on it. So many women I know feel the same, and we're not proud of it. It's a gut feeling, a visceral reaction.

It could be her beauty, her success, her marriage - but there's that something about her that just rubs women the wrong way. Probably it says more about us than her, but it's worth some introspection that a sizeable chunk of the female population punched the air and yelled 'I knew it!' when the world turned on her six months ago.

You wont find any of that in the volumes of legal documents being filed left and right but trust me, that is the heart and soul of this case. It's not just Lively vs Baldoni going to trial, but Lively vs Other Women.

And the worst is yet to come. Blake and Justin's battle is the kind of Hollywood drama no script could ever capture. I could list all the accusations flying around between them, but at this stage I'm struggling to keep up with it all.

Every day, it seems, more mudslinging, more lawsuits, more allegations. One minute I'm Team Blake, the next Im Team Baldoni. But before I continue, let me make this clear, Blake is accusing her co-star of some pretty serious and unacceptable behaviour including improvised kisses, unsolicited visits to her trailer and violating boundaries with sexual conversations, plus legal documents allege Justin brought up Blakes weight before a scene involving him lifting her up (he has back issues).

Then there's the NYT's allegations of Baldonis camp launching a negative media campaign and social media manipulation to discredit Blake after she spoke up.

Justin denies this, calling the allegations 'false, outrageous and intentionally salacious' and filed a whopping $250million lawsuit against the newspaper.

And then there's he he-said-she-said texts flying around, plus the matter of an upside-down smiley face emoji being misinterpreted.

There's just something about Blake and I just can't put my finger on it. So many women I know feel the same, and we're not proud of it. It's a gut feeling, a visceral reaction

Christ. Pass me a Panadol, this is giving me a headache.

Are you just as confused as me? Who do we believe? No woman deserves to be sexually harassed and denigrated at work, whether shes a cleaner or a celebrity, and the accusations are serious. But Justin's return serve can't simply be brushed aside.

Thankfully Im not the judge nor the jury (although I will be glued to the screen if this civil matter is live-streamed) and I will refrain from commenting on what I think went down. I'll reserve my judgement for now, as hard as that is going to be.

But what does raise my eyebrows is this: scroll through the thousands of comments on TikTok, Instagram or any news article about the stoush, and one thing is startlingly clear: Team Justin is very much alive and kicking, and there are plenty of people out there who will take the anti-Blake position regardless of the evidence.

I won't judge you for taking a side. But we should also examine why huge swathes of the public were so quick to accept the allegation Blake was 'awful to work with' and a 'real-life mean girl'.

Sure, she's had her moments. What Hollywood star hasn't had a bad day at the office, or lost patience with after sitting in a hotel room for nine hours during a media junket.

One thing is clear in all of this, there were many, many people waiting for Blake to fall from her pedestal as America's sweetheart. And it's more than a little disturbing.

They say the truth comes out in the wash. I fear this is just the beginning.
Former Ju-Ni chef Geoffrey Lee prepares sea urchin at the sushi restaurant in 2017. Michael Short/Special to the Chronicle

A prominent San Francisco chef is out of a job after a conflict over a review from a food influencer blew up on social media.

Geoffrey Lee, the executive chef of the once Michelin-starred sushi restaurant Ju-Ni, the more casual Handroll Project and new burger spot Hamburger Project, was relieved from his position and will no longer be involved in any of the restaurants effective immediately, according to an announcement on the businesses Instagram accounts.

We have zero tolerance for the behavior hes exhibited in recent weeks, the post reads. As a company, we unequivocally condemn all forms of bullying and harassment whether online or in real life.

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Lee said he resigned on Friday so that the restaurants employees would no longer be affected by the childish drama, which resulted in a slew of negative reviews on the Yelp pages for Hamburger Project, Ju-Ni and Handroll Project. Many of them mention Lee by name.

Tan Truong, Lees partner at the restaurants, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A smashburger from Hamburger Project in San Francisco, whose chef was "relieved" of his position after controversy with an influencer. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle

The drama brought into sharp focus the fraught relationship between restaurants and food influencers, and the power of social media.

Lee came under fire Friday after Kathleen Ensign, who runs the account KatfoodSF, shared a series of social media comments and messages Lee sent her after she posted a review of Hamburger Project in December. She called the smashburgers good not great, and said the thin patties were giving Ozempic burgers.

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Lee called Ensign a disgusting fangirl with an annoying Karen voice, according to screenshots she posted to her 35,000 followers on Instagram. Ensign also shared voice memos Lee sent her of his young daughter calling her a dumbface, which he acknowledged sending to the Chronicle.

Its pathetic being damn near 50 and trying to have influence over 20 year old somethings to try to remain some kind of sense of relativity, Lee wrote in one message to Ensign. All of chefs look down on it and one of us has to tell you.

Ensign, who is 38, said she felt really uncomfortable. Why is this man attacking me? I dont feel like I did anything that warranted this behavior.

A view of the grill at Hamburger Project in San Francisco. Cesar Hernandez / The Chronicle

Truong, Lees partner, emailed Ensign on Friday morning to apologize, according to a screenshot provided to the Chronicle. To say that I am appalled by our chefs behavior towards you and other folks online is an understatement, he wrote. I hope youll find some solace in knowing that youve effected some positive change.

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Lee and Truong opened Ju-Ni, one of San Franciscos most acclaimed sushi restaurants, in 2016. It held a Michelin star from 2017 until 2022. The restaurateurs opened casual spinoff Handroll Project in 2021 and Hamburger Project in December. Prior to this incident, Lee said the restaurants often received messages from influencers asking to collaborate for a free meal. He never responded.

That just was appalling to me as someone who tries to work hard for their meal. Im not the only chef who feels this way that its distasteful, he said. Theres some sense of power, entitlement that because they have followers, they should be treated differently.

Lee said he responded to Ensign to defend his new business from clickbait, and accused her of galvanizing her following to review-bomb his businesses.

If she can come in and criticize my food, why is she exempt from me having criticisms about her content? I just found that to be uneven, unbalanced, Lee said.

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Newly single Kate Moss is planning a huge boozy birthday bash to celebrate her 51st birthday later this month.

The supermodel is said to have finally called it quits last month with long-term boyfriend Nikolai von Bismarck, 37, after nine years together.

Now Kate, who lived in the Cotswolds with teetotal photographer Nikolai, has decided she 'wants to let her hair down' to mark her birthday with her famous pals.

A source told The Sun: 'Last year, she celebrated her 50th at an intimate soiree in Paris, which was fairly pared down.

'But a lot has changed since then and Kate has said she wants this party to be like turning over a new leaf.

'Now that her daughter Lila is all grown up and she is single again, Kate feels like she wants to let her hair down and be carefree  which is not something she's been able to do for a long time.

Newly single Kate Moss is planning a huge boozy birthday bash to celebrate her 51st birthday later this month

The supermodel is said to have finally called it quits last month with long-term boyfriend Nikolai von Bismarck, 37, after nine years together; pictured 2016

'She is looking on the bright side of life. Although it's sad her relationship is over, she is throwing herself back into her social life and embracing the new year.'

MailOnline have contacted Kate's representatives for comment.

It comes after insiders claimed Kate and her former boyfriend parted ways due to friction stemming from their different approaches to life.

A source told The Sun the exes remain on good terms but 'have been on and off for months', and eventually Kate felt the time was right to move on and cut ties.

'She felt they were going on different journeys in life. And, at 50, Kate feels fabulous and like she wants to get back out there and have some fun in time for Christmas.

'Despite being 13 years her junior, Nikolai wants to enjoy a quieter life. He remains on his sober path and they just have increasingly different hobbies and wants.

Representatives for Kate have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.

Kate shares daughter Lila Moss, 22, with ex her ex-partner Jefferson Hack.

Now Kate, who lived in the Cotswolds with teetotal photographer Nikolai, has decided she 'wants to let her hair down' to mark her birthday with her famous pals

A source said: 'Last year, she celebrated her 50th at an intimate soiree in Paris, but a lot has changed since then and Kate has said she wants this party to be like turning over a new leaf'; pictured 2022

They added: 'Now that her daughter Lila is all grown up and she is single again, Kate feels like she wants to let her hair down and be carefree  which is not something she's been able to do for a long time'

Kate started dating Nikolai, who was rumoured to have dated Princess Beatrice in the early 2000s, in 2015 after she split from her musician ex husband Jamie Hince.

Having known each other for a number of years with the supermodel being pals with his mother, Countess Debonnaire von Bismarck, they struck up a romance.

Kate was pictured hand-in-hand with reggae legend Bob Marley's 27-year old grandson Skip in May.

After the photo emerged, Kate and Nikolai shared a very frosty reunion at the Gucci Cruise 2025 Fashion Show just days later.

Nikolai stared straight ahead as Kate repeatedly turned her back away from him and chatted with model daughter Lila.

Kate gave up alcohol back in 2017 in favour of juice fasts and reformer Pilates, even selling her own range of teas and skincare products through her beauty and wellness brand, Cosmoss.

But after ringing in her 50th birthday this year, she has made girl's nights out part of her wellness routine.

For the milestone, she threw a raucous party in classic Kate style, with dancing until 2am, a makeshift catwalk and a 30-strong group of her closest A-list pals and fashion's finest names.

Since then, she's been seen dancing wildly at a Stevie Nicks concert and celebrating her renewed relationship with sister Lottie, 26, by hitting the town together.

Notably absent, however, was Nicolai who has been sober since 2017 and has said he doesn't 'like being in any sort of limelight'.

The couple were last seen in public together in June this year, attending the Dior show at Paris Fashion Week.

After her heart was shattered by Johnny Depp, Jamie Hince was the only man to persuade her to marry but couldn't tame her and her affair with Pete Doherty hit the rocks because of his cocaine habit.
Natalie Roser looked happier than ever as she hosted her baby shower this week ahead of welcoming her first child.

The model, 34, took to Instagram on Saturday to share adorable photographs from the jovial occasion as she cuddled up to her husband Harley Bonner.

For the special day, Natalie showed off her growing baby bump in a stylish pink co-ord set, made up of a frilled off-the-shoulder crop top and a floating wrap skirt.

Her pink outfit coordinated with the baby girl theme of the party, which featured an array of pink and purple decorations.

In one precious snap, former Home and Away star Harley, 33, sweetly crouched down to kiss his wife's stomach as they celebrated their unborn child.

Natalie also shared a photograph of a celebratory cake which featured floral decorations and the words 'Baby Girl Bonner' in white icing.

Natalie Roser looked happier than ever as she hosted her baby shower ahead of welcoming her first child

The model, 34, took to Instagram on Saturday to share adorable photographs from the jovial occasion as she cuddled up to her husband Harley Bonner

Natalie announced she was three months pregnant in October and is now counting down the weeks until welcoming her daughter, who is due around April 2025.

The expectant mother has been keeping her fans up to date with her pregnancy and shared a sweet video of herself in her 'beach bump era' last month.

In an Instagram post, she showed of her blossoming baby bump in the clip as she hit the beach.

She worked her angles in an orange and yellow bikini with a full brief design as she documented her pregnancy.

'Summer plans,' Natalie wrote in her caption alongside the bright video that showed her beaming on the shore.

Upon revealing her baby news, Natalie gushed about how excited she and Harley were to start their family together.

'We are so excited,' Natalie told the Daily Telegraph.

'It was a bit of a journey to get here so it has been an amazing time for us, full of celebration.'

For the special day, Natalie showed off her growing baby bump in a stylish pink co-ord set, made up of a frilled off-the-shoulder crop top and a floating wrap skirt

Her pink outfit coordinated with the baby girl theme of the party, which featured an array of pink and purple decorations and a celebratory cake

Natalie announced she was three months pregnant in October and is now counting down the weeks until welcoming her daughter, who is due around April 2025

The couple announced their engagement in November 2021, sharing a time-lapse video on Instagram of the moment Harley popped the question during a romantic picnic.

Harley surprised the blonde bombshell with an engagement ring, before getting down on bended knee.

Natalie was overwhelmed by the gesture and wasted no time saying yes.

They then tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at Krinklewood Estate in the Hunter Valley in February 2022.

Just seven months after the nuptials, Natalie confirmed that she and her husband were no longer living together in their Newcastle home as they were instead making their relationship work long-distance.

She told the Daily Telegraph at the time that Harley had moved to Thailand shortly after their wedding to study energy healing and meditation.

'He is so happy. It is definitely an unconventional first year of marriage,' she said.

'He is fulfilling his dreams and who would I be to stand in his way of doing something that he has wanted to do for so long?'

Harley, who is the son of Neighbours star Carla Bonner, had a stint on the long-running soap before joining Seven's Home and Away in 2021 as Dr Logan Bennett.

He spectacularly quit the show in January 2022 after Channel Seven enforced a mandate requiring all cast and crew to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Ella Thomas has dropped a huge hint that she could be reentering the Love Island villa for the ITV spin off All Stars with a series of saucy snaps posted to Instagram on Friday.

The former Islander, who appeared in series 10 in 2023, has revealed a major clue that she could be heading to the glitzy housing in South Africa.

Love Island All Stars sees previous contestants from across the show's series mixed together in a bid to give them a second chance at love.

Ella has teased her fans that she may be appearing on the show as she has taken a trip out to Cape Town, where the show is filmed.

Sharing an album of sunny holiday snaps to her Instagram, Ella told followers: 'out of office'.

In one snap Ella relaxed and soaked up the sun on a lounger while wearing a red gingham check co-ord.

Ella Thomas has reveled a huge hint that she could be reentering the Love Island villa for second time for the ITV spin off All Stars with a series of saucy snaps posted to Instagram on Friday

The former Islander, who appeared in series 10 in 2023, has dropped a major clue that she could be heading to the glitzy housing in South Africa

If Ella does enter the villa, she could come face-to-face with her former show ex. Tyrique Hyde.

The couple met during the 2023 series and was heavily tested with some dramatic ups and downs.

They blissfully exited the villa together, with their relationship appearing to be stronger than ever.

Shortly after leaving the villa, the couple announced they'd split in November 2023, before trying to give it another go.

But earlier this year Ella and Tyrique hinted that they are back together.

The TV stars first found fame when they coupled up together on the ITV2 reality dating show, but split towards the end of last year.

The pair got back together shortly after but were in 'crisis talks' in February after calling it all off again, but both of them now seem to have hinted that a reconciliation has taken place.

In April they both uploaded Snapchat stories where they were each seen shopping in Selfridges in London and posted the snaps at exactly the same time.

Love Island All Stars sees previous contestants from across the show's series mixed together in a bid to give them a second chance at love

Ella has teased her fans that she may be appearing on the show as she has taken a trip out to Cape Town, where the show is filmed

Sharing an album of sunny holiday snaps to her Instagram, Ella told followers: 'out of office'

Tyrique captioned his post: 'Forgive'

In Ella's post, she confirmed she was in the same store by posting an image of a Louis Vutton shopping bag.

In a third snap, Ella was seen trying on a pair of designer trainers but she did not caption that post.

In February, MailOnline exclusively revealed Ella and Tyrique had parted ways permanently - after six months as a couple, having met on last summer's Love Island.

However it was reported the pair had reconciled after Ella jetted off to LA last month and was soon joined by Tyrique.

He posted a photo from the Rolling Loud festival in California and captioned: 'Godspeed'.

Meanwhile Ella also took to her Instagram and shard a snap of herself wearing a suede miniskirt with 'Godspeed' written across the back. The pair later dined at the same restaurant posting similar pictures to their Instagram stories.

A source told MailOnline: 'Ella and Tyrique have decided it's time to go their separate ways.

'They have such love for each other, but they often struggle to get along and as viewers saw in the villa, they're always arguing.

If Ella does enter the villa, she could come face-to-face with her former show ex Tyrique Hyde

The couple met during the 2023 series and was heavily tested with some dramatic ups and downs. They blissfully exited the villa together, with their relationship appearing to be stronger than ever (pictured on Love Island)

Shortly after leaving the villa, the couple announced they'd split in November 2023, before trying to give it another go

The on/off couple shot to fame as runners up on Love Island in summer 2023 (pictured on the set of the ITV2 show)

It marked the first time they had appeared on each other's social media since the split.

At the time, the source added: 'This time, things have ended badly and they have both removed all recent photographs of each other from their respective Instagram profiles, as well as all Snapchat content.

'They have unfollowed each other as well it certainly feels like this breakup is final.

Ella and Tyrique came third during the latest summer series of Love Island, losing out on the top two positions to runners-up Whitney Adebayo and Lochan Nowacki and winners Jess Harding and Sammy Root.
Melissa Leong has teased that she will be lifting the lid on her time on MasterChef Australia in an upcoming book release.

The food critic, 43, famously served as a judge on the Channel 10 cooking competition for three years but left last year amid a huge hosting shake-up.

She has since joined spin-off show Dessert Masters as a judge and has been repeatedly hit by rumours that she could be lining up a return to MasterChef.

Now, Melissa has hinted that she will be telling all about her time on MasterChef as she teased that she is working on a memoir about her life and career.

Taking to her Instagram Stories on Friday, Melissa asked fans what they would like to read about in the book, prompting a whole range of responses.

One eager fan asked her if she would be including any 'behind the scenes MasterChef stories', to which Melissa replied that she would be.

Melissa Leong (pictured) has teased that she will be lifting the lid on her time on MasterChef Australia in an upcoming book release

In an Instagram post, Melissa teased that she will be dishing on 'a bunch' of 'behind the scenes' MasterChef stories in a memoir she is currently working on

'Oh there are a bunch, don't you worry,' she teased in a cryptic reply.

She also revealed that she will be discussing other aspects of her career including her little-known passion for UFC while every chapter will also include a recipe.

However, Melissa urged fans to stop asking her about aspects of her life she has 'publicly drawn a line' under as she hinted some things will be off limits in the book.

'Anything I've already publicly drawn a line at is off the cards, so please don't ask me. That's not really fair on me,' she shared in another post.

'Thanks so much for all your questions. Aside from that, it's all in there, but it helps me know what to focus on.'

Her exciting new project comes after Melissa was hit by rumours she could be lining up a return to MasterChef Australia.

Melissa left the program last year under a cloud of suspicion about an alleged feud with her former co-host Andy Allen, who still serves as a judge.

'Melissa told Ten that she'll go back to MasterChef Australia when Andy Allen goes,' a TV insider recently told Daily Mail Australia.

The food critic, 43, famously served as a judge on the Channel 10 cooking competition for three years but left last year amid a huge hosting shake-up

Her exciting new project comes amid rumours she could be lining up a return to MasterChef following allegations of a 'feud' with her former co-judge Andy Allen (both pictured)

'I think the idea of returning to what the show once was for her seems a bit daunting and the only way Melissa would ever return is if the whole format was revamped.'

Melissa shocked fans when she shared news of her departure to Instagram one day before Network Ten's 2024 Upfronts.

'The changing of the guard is one I always planned to embrace, and I'm so glad to do that on my terms, today,' she penned in a statement last October.

Melissa's departure came after claims she had been axed following a string of publicised off-camera dramas.

She infamously had a blow up with the program's hair and make-up team along with a substitute freelance hairstylist in 2022.

'Andy has no beef with Leong,' the source told Daily Mail Australia. 'But he previously expressed his former colleague wasted a lot of time in hair and make-up.

'He felt her control over what was filmed was compromised by her perfectionism.'

Andy returned to the show this year alongside three new judges - media darling Poh Ling Yeow, Michelin-star chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and Melbourne food critic Sofia Levin.

Melissa has since gone on to take on a new role on MasterChef's spin-off show Dessert Masters co-judging alongside French-Swiss pastry chef Amaury Guichon.
Ariana Grande and Nicole Kidman shared a sweet red carpet moment at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards on Saturday.

Stars galore were given prizes at the event, including Angelina Jolie, Adrien Brody, Timothee Chalamet, Ralph Fiennes and Kieran Culkin.

Fresh off the thunderous success of her new movie Wicked: Part One in theaters, Ariana was honored that night with the Rising Star Award.

Meanwhile Nicole was feted that night with the festival's International Star Award for her performance in the new erotic thriller Babygirl, about a married CEO who embarks on an affair where she acts as the submissive partner to a dominant lover.

During the red carpet portion, Ariana, 31, paid her respects to Nicole, 57, by sinking to a curtsey and kissing the older actress' hand.

They also posed standing side by sidethat evening, radiating their megawatt showbiz glamour as the shutterbugs snapped away at them.

Ariana Grande and Nicole Kidman shared a sweet red carpet moment at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards on Saturday

Ariana swept her hair into a tight updo and modeled a poufy white dress that would not have been out of place on her Wicked character Galinda.

She could be seen mingling on the red carpet with the movie's director Jon M. Chu, who opted for a black suit and shirt with wine-colored shoes.

Nicole meanwhile brought a touch of oceanic flair to the proceedings, modeling a structured top with a gleaming blue and silver fish scale motif.

In keeping with the theme of the outfit, she slipped into a deep blue gown that glinted under the lights and featured a flowing train.

Ariana was presented with her award by Jennifer Coolidge, whom she uncannily impersonated while hosting Saturday Night Live in October.

Onstage, Ariana hailed Jennifer as 'comedic genius whose brilliance has inspired my entire life' and proceeded to demonstrate her own sense of humor.

'You don't know how much it means to me. I've been performing since I was a child, so I never thought at the age of 31 I would be hearing the words "rising star" again, so I wanted to start by thanking my two friends: Botox and Juvederm,' she vamped.

'I thought I'd be hearing "slightly withering star" or "drooping star" by now so thank you,' she added to a laugh, according to People.

They also posed standing side by sidethat evening, radiating their megawatt showbiz glamour as the shutterbugs snapped away at them

During the red carpet portion, Ariana, 31, paid her respects to Nicole, 57, by sinking to a curtsey and kissing the older actress' hand

Ariana was honored that night with the Rising Star Award for Wicked, while Nicole got the festival's International Star Award for her performance in the new erotic thriller Babygirl

Ariana swept her hair into a tight updo and modeled a poufy white dress that would not have been out of place on her Wicked character Galinda

She could be seen mingling on the red carpet with the movie's director Jon M. Chu, who opted for a black suit and shirt with wine-colored shoes

Nicole meanwhile brought a touch of oceanic flair to the proceedings, modeling a structured top with a gleaming blue and silver fish scale motif

Ariana was presented with her award by Jennifer Coolidge, whom she uncannily impersonated while hosting Saturday Night Live in October

Onstage, Ariana hailed Jennifer as 'comedic genius whose brilliance has inspired my entire life' and proceeded to demonstrate her own sense of humor

Ariana vamped that she 'never thought at the age of 31 I would be hearing the words "rising star" again, so I wanted to start by thanking my two friends: Botox and Juvederm'

Jamie Lee Curtis presented Nicole with her award, which the Babygirl star dedicated to the memory of her late mother Janelle, who died in September

'Thank you for giving me the chance to say: "This is for my mom,"' she said, prompting a round of applause, according to People

In tears, Nicole added: 'I'm sorry that I'm crying, I didn't want to do that,' adding: 'But I feel my mom right now so this is for you'

Jamie Lee Curtis presented Nicole with her award, which the Babygirl star dedicated to the memory of her late mother Janelle, who died in September.

Nicole was slated to accept an award at the Venice Film Festival that month but was unable to appear in person owing to her mother's death, which she heartbreakingly announced in a message read onstage in by Babygirl director Halina Reijn.

While receiving her trophy this Friday in Palm Springs, Nicole thanked Halina and noted that she was 'still grieving' the loss of her mother.

'Thank you for giving me the chance to say: "This is for my mom,"' she said, prompting a round of applause, according to People.

'My whole career has been for my mom and my dad, who are not here now. I'm still going to keep working and giving to the world because I love what I do and I love you all, and I'm so grateful for the privilege to be a part of the film community.'

In tears, Nicole added: 'I'm sorry that I'm crying, I didn't want to do that. But I feel my mom right now so this is for you.'
Gypsy-Rose Blanchard shared her postpartum progress with fans on Friday, just days after giving birth to her first child.

The new mom, 33  who served eight years after being convicted of second-degree murder for the death of her mother Claudine 'Dee Dee' Blanchard  took to her Instagram Stories with a selfie showcasing her toned body in a white tank top.

'Almost a week postpartum,' she wrote in a text overlay with a pink heart emoji, adding, 'Feeling more energized.'

The snap showed Gypsy-Rose looking fresh-faced, with her brunette tresses pulled back, aside from a few strands framing her face.

The Munchausen-by-proxy victim and her partner Ken Urker, 31, named their baby girl  born December 28th and revealed to the world on January 1  Aurora.

Gypsy-Rose's new chapter in life comes exactly one year after her release from prison for the murder of her mother.

Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, 33, shared her postpartum progress with fans on Friday, just days after giving birth to her first child

The Munchausen-by-proxy victim and her partner Ken Urker, 31, welcomed their baby girl, named Aurora, on December 28th and revealed her to the world on January 1

The couple announced the arrival of their daughter days after her birth.

Urker shared a snap of them in the hospital on January 1, writing in the caption, 'Welcoming 2025 with the greatest gift of all.'

The photo showed Blanchard laying in a hospital bed holding Aurora, and Urker leaning over them.

'Aurora is healthy and we are so happy,' Ken told TMZ.

Gypsy was released from prison on December 28, 2023, after serving eight years behind bars for her part in the killing of her abusive mother, Dee Dee.

She spent her childhood posing as a wheelchair-bound invalid after mom Dee Dee shaved her daughter's head, pumped her full of drugs and convinced the world she was suffering from leukemia and muscular dystrophy.

Their 'inseparable' bond ended when Gypsy burst free of her warped mom's control in 2015 by letting her besotted internet boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, creep into their Springfield, Missouri, home to stab 48-year-old Dee Dee to death.

She ultimately plead guilty to second-degree murder and spent nearly a decade locked up before she was granted early parole and released last December.

'Almost a week postpartum,' she wrote on Friday, adding she was 'Feeling more energized'; Gypsy-Rose pictured during her pregnancy

Gypsy-Rose  who served eight years after being convicted of second-degree murder for the death of her mother Dee Dee Blanchard  announced that she was expecting her first child in a video shared to her YouTube channel in July

She said when the timing is right, she and Ken will tell their daughter about her past

While in prison, she bonded with Ken after he sent her a letter; they started corresponding and things soon turned romantic, with him proposing in 2018.

But after the Hulu show The Act - which starred Joey King as Gypsy and Patricia Arquette as her mother - premiered a few months later and put an intense spotlight on Gypsy's story, she admitted in her memoir that Ken couldn't handle all the sudden attention.

They ultimately split and she moved on with Ryan Scott Anderson, and they wed in July 2022.

Ryan was by her side when she was freed - but just three months later, news hit the web that they had split.

Soon after, it was reported that Gypsy had reconciled with her ex, Ken; she then revealed that they were expecting in July.

In November, Gypsy-Rose finally revealed the father of her baby after her estranged husband Ryan agreed to a paternity test.

Because Blanchard is still legally married, Anderson had to take a DNA test to establish the baby's paternity or run the risk that he, rather than Urkel, would be listed as the father on the birth certificate under a little-known Louisiana law.

Anderson stated this August that he planned to undergo the test, saying: 'I don't have a choice,' and adding: 'I hate being in this situation.'

Blanchard and Urker first met as pen pals while she was serving time in prison, with Urker even proposing in 2018, before they ultimately split. They rekindled their romance after she filed for divorce from husband Ryan Scott Anderson in April

To avoid having his name listed on the birth certificate due to a specific Louisiana law, Gypsy-Rose's estranged husband underwent a paternity test; She is pictured with Ryan in January

Now Urker has also had his DNA examined, and Blanchard confirmed on Instagram that he is indeed the biological father of her baby.

In a previous YouTube video, Gypsy spoke about how her horrific upbringing would affect her outlook on motherhood.

'All the things that I wanted in a mother, I want to give to this baby,' she stated. 'I just want to be a good mother to my child, I want to be everything my mother wasn't.'

Gypsy added that the pregnancy had given her 'freedom in a way she never expected,' and a newfound peace on 'everything that has ever happened to her.'

'It doesn't matter because it all lead to me to be who I am today,' she stated. 'It all lead me to this moment right here right now.'

Last month, Gypsy opened up to People about the 'backstory' behind her baby's name.

'Ken came up with that. There's a whole backstory to it,' she dished. 'Some people think that it's because of the Disney Princess.

'Some people think that it's because Kristy's dog is named Aurora Grace,' she said of her step-mother, adding: 'It's not because of that.'

Instead, Aurora was selected because of the couple's shared love of the Northern Lights.

'Back whenever Ken and I were together seven years ago, both of us have a fascination with the Northern Lights, and the proper term is the Aurora Borealis,' she said recalling her time dating Urker while imprisoned.

Gypsy-Rose's new chapter in life comes exactly one year after her release from prison for the murder of her mother Dee Dee (they are pictured together)

Gypsy spent her childhood posing as a wheelchair-bound invalid after her mom convinced the world she was suffering from leukemia and muscular dystrophy

In 2015, Gypsy (left) let her besotted internet boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn (right), creep into their Springfield, Missouri, home to stab 48-year-old Dee Dee to death

'I think it was maybe in 2018, we wrote each other's future kid's name on pieces of paper and Aurora is what we both picked without even knowing each other was picking it.'

Gypsy said that she reminisced over the name when she split from Ken and married her now ex-husband Ryan.

'When we had broken up [it was like], "Oh, Aurora is never going to be born." A lot of people think the origin is one thing, but they don't know that little story,' she continued.

Gypsy added that once she's off parole later this year, she and her family plan to see the Northern Lights for themselves at some point.
Lisa Rinna put on a busty display on Friday as she, Elizabeth Olsen and Nicky Hilton led the glam at the 2025 WWD Style Awards in Los Angeles.

The reality TV personality, 61, showcased her assets as she modelled a dramatic cream lace gown on the red carpet at the Four Seasons Hotel.

The fitted dress perfectly hugged Lisa's toned figure and featured a cold shoulder design so as to display her decolletage and cleavage.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum looked sensational as she posed this way and that at the star-studded event.

Meanwhile, Lisa was in great company as Elizabeth Olsen also brought the style to the red carpet as she rocked a chic white mini dress.

The actress, 35, showcased her toned pins in the boucle shirt dress which featured silver buttons running down the front.

Lisa Rinna [Left] put on a busty display on Friday as she, Elizabeth Olsen [centre] and Nicky Hilton [right] led the glam at the 2025 WWD Style Awards in Los Angeles

The reality TV personality, 61, showcased her assets as she modelled a dramatic cream lace gown on the red carpet at the Four Seasons Hotel

The WandaVision star boosted her height with simple black heels and allowed her brunette locks to cascade over her shoulders.

Meanwhile, Nicky Hilton also flaunted her incredible legs on the red carpet as she slipped into a chic black mini dress for the evening.

The socialite, 43, wowed in the thigh-skimming number which featured puff sleeves, a silver bow detail and a sequin floral pattern on the skirt.

Model Nicky finished her look with pointed black heels and dazzling diamond earrings.

Nicky was accompanied to the event by her mother Kathy Hilton, 65, who looked gorgeous in a black velvet dress.

The mother and daughter duo were in good spirits as they posed alongside Christian Louboutin at the bash, who looked sharp in a burnt orange suit.

The WWD Style Awards, which celebrates the creativity, craft and influence of those in the fashion world, also saw the likes of Nicholas Hoult and Jamie Taylor in attendance.

The pair cut stylish figures in black ensembles as they posed on the carpet.

The fitted dress perfectly hugged Lisa's toned figure and featured a cold shoulder design so as to display her decolletage and cleavage

Lisa was sure to turn heads on the red carpet in her racy ensemble

Meanwhile, Lisa was in great company as Elizabeth Olsen also brought the style to the red carpet as she rocked a chic white mini dress

The WandaVision star boosted her height with simple black heels and allowed her brunette locks to cascade over her shoulders

Meanwhile, Nicky Hilton also flaunted her incredible legs on the red carpet as she slipped into a chic black mini dress for the evening [pictured with Kathy Hilton]

Nicky was accompanied to the event by her mother Kathy Hilton, 65, who looked gorgeous in a black velvet dress

The mother and daughter duo were in good spirits as they posed alongside Christian Louboutin at the bash, who looked sharp in a burnt orange suit

The French designer certainly caught the eye in his stylish suit

The WWD Style Awards, which celebrates the creativity, craft and influence of those in the fashion world, also saw the likes of Nicholas Hoult and Jamie Taylor in attendance

Elsewhere, Tracee Ellis Ross showcased her flawless figure in a fitted black catsuit which she teamed with a leather fringed belt

The actress slicked her hair into a tight ponytail and added a pop of colour to her look with a sweep of bold red lipstick

Tracee was seen addressing the audience at the ceremony

Elsewhere, Tracee Ellis Ross showcased her flawless figure in a fitted black catsuit which she teamed with a leather fringed belt.

The actress slicked her hair into a tight ponytail and added a pop of colour to her look with a sweep of bold red lipstick.

Lisa's fabulous red carpet appearance comes just days after she bared it all with a racy, nude selfie on New Year's Eve on Tuesday.

While preparing to ring in 2025, the reality TV star enjoyed a massage and took to Instagram to share a photo of herself after disrobing and before getting on the table.

She paid attention to protect her modesty with carefully placed star emojis on her boobs and a '2025 Happy New Year' sticker to shield her nether region.

Jonathan Van Ness turned heads in a dramatic satin patterned two-piece

Brianne Howey stunned in a metallic maxi dress on the red carpet, while Justine Lupe looked elegant in an off-the-shoulder number

Chris Appleton cut a dapper figure in a classic black tux

Nicolas teamed a plain white T-shirt with a black jacket and trousers

Nicholas gave a small smile as he enjoyed a drink at the bash

'Out with the Old,' she wrote alongside the sultry snap and a partying face emoji. 'In with the New!'

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum  who grabbed breakfast with her former co-star, Kyle Richards, amid the ongoing feuds on the current season of the hit Bravo series  appeared to be makeup-free and had her short pixie hair styled in a messy, voluminous 'do.

This comes just months after she showed off her birthday suit and shared a completely nude selfie while marking her 61st over the summer.

Her latest risque Instagram post was accompanied by Auld Lang Syne by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians for the year end celebrations.
Nicole Kidman broke down in tears as she paid tribute to her late parents at the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Awards on Friday.

The actress, 57, spoke in in an emotional speech as she accepted the International Star Award from Jamie Lee Curtis.

Nicole thanked her parents for teaching her resilience and giving her the 'love and strength' that she needed to move forward in life.

Accepting her award on stage at Palm Springs Convention Center, she said: 'I went home over Christmas. Ive lost both my parents, and Im in that place, like, ok, this is different now.

'Theyve given me the resilience and theyve given me the love and theyve given me the strength to keep moving forward.'

Her mother Janelle tragically died just hours before she was awarded Best Actress for her role in Babygirl on the final day of Venice Film Festival in September in a huge achievement.

Nicole Kidman broke down in tears as she paid tribute to her late parents at the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Awards on Friday

'Theyve given me the resilience and theyve given me the love and theyve given me the strength to keep moving forward,' she added

She recalled: 'I arrived in Venice and she was gone. I got the call. I said to Halina, "Can you go on stage for me?"

Her director Halina Reijn read a statement from the actor, revealing that Nicole's mother Janelle died at the age of 83 while she was in Venice.

Nicole continued: 'Now Im on stage, and Im back here. Thank you for giving me the chance to say this is for my mom.

'My whole career has been for my mom and my dad and theyre not here anymore. I want to keep working and giving to the world.

'Im sorry Im crying. I didnt want to do that but I feel my mama right now. This is for your mama.'

Nicole was born in Honolulu and raised in Sydney by her beloved mother Janelle and her psychologist father Antony, who died in September 2014.

The actress has long had an incredibly close relationship with her beloved mother Janelle and often spoke about her support and influence on her career over the years.

Nicole was forced to leave Venice Film Festival to return to her native Sydney to be with her family after the devastating news.

Nicole thanked her parents for teaching her resilience and giving her the 'love and strength' that she needed to move forward in life

Accepting her award on stage at Palm Springs Convention Center, she said: 'I went home over Christmas . Ive lost both my parents, and Im in that place, like, oh, ah, ok, this is different now'

Her mother Janelle tragically died just hours before she was awarded Best Actress for her role in Babygirl on the final day of Venice Film Festival in September in a huge achievement (pictured with her mother)

The actress, 57, spoke in in an emotional speech as she accepted the International Star Award from Jamie Lee Curtis

'Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after, that my beautiful, brave mother Janelle Ann Kidman has just passed,' she said in a statement read by director Halina upon her win.

'I am in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her, she shaped me, she guided me, and she made me.

'I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina, the collision of life and art is heart-breaking, and my heart is broken. We love you all.'

After spending time in the United States, the Moulin Rouge star and her younger sister Antonia, 54, spent much of their childhood in Sydney.

Nicole pursued her passion for acting when she was a teenager and was supported by both of her parents as she soared to global fame.

They both remained closely involved with her career over the years, with Nicole recently admitting she would still go to her mother for advice.

In November, the Big Little Lies star told how she would often ask her mother Janelle for advice on her outfits, despite working with a whole string of professional stylists.

Nicole had an equally close relationship with her father Antony and was left devastated when he died of a heart attack in September 2014 at the age of 75 (they are pictured in 2005)

In a sign of their close bond, Nicole told People: 'My mother is still  she's so involved in what I wear.'

Nicole is known for her daring fashion choices but told how it was her mother and grandmother who first fostered her love for clothes.

'I love fashion. I've always loved fashion,' she gushed while speaking at the Planet Omega pop-up launch in New York.

'I grew up as a little girl with a grandmother that loved fashion and could sew and my mother the same. They loved beautiful clothes. They could make beautiful clothes,' she went on.

'I watched them sew, embroider, and knit, crochet. And I think when you grow up seeing the people in your household do that, then you love that.'
The shock reason Kath & Kim star Gina Riley walked away from fame at the height of her career has been revealed.

The Australian comedian, 63, told Nine in a resurfaced interview that she made the conscious decision to walk away from the spotlight so she could live a normal life.

'As I get older, I really don't want to be a public person, which sounds ridiculous with what I do. I'm totally boring in everyday life ,' Gina began.

Gina added she and her Kath & Kim co-star Jane Turner, 64, were never comfortable with fame as they felt they did not fit in with that lifestyle.

'We are more observers. We are not people who super belong.'

The Melbourne-born performer worked consistently in film and television from 1983 - 2007, when the popular sitcom she created with Turner ended after four seasons.

The shock reason Kath & Kim star Gina Riley (right) walked away from fame at the height of her career has been revealed. Pictured with co-star Jane Turner

Since then, Gina has only made occasional media appearances, including reprising her role as Kim Day in the 2012 movie Kath and Kimderella.

Gina is now focused on her family life and spends her time with her TV producer husband Rick McKenna.

Kath & Kim, which ran on the ABC and Channel Seven from 2002 to 2007, also starred Jane Turner, Glenn Robbins, Magda Szubanski and Peter Rowsthorn.

The sitcom produced two spin-off movies: Da Kath & Kim Code (2005) and Kath and Kimderella (2012).

The series was renowned for its hilarious cameos from world famous stars, including Shane Warne, Kylie Minogue and Michael Buble.

In September 2018, Magda and Jane spoke about the possibility of a reboot, but admitted it would need to be modernised to reflect the current trends and culture.

'Never say never,' Magda told TV Week.

Jane, who co-created the series with Gina, added: 'It would be very different now.'

The Australian comedian, 63, told Nine in a resurfaced interview that she made the conscious decision to walk away from the spotlight so she could live a normal life

Gina said she and her Kath & Kim co-star Jane Turner, 64, were never comfortable with fame as they felt they did not fit in with that lifestyle

'There are always funny new trends and things Kath & Kim could put their spin on, which would be fun to do.'

Kath & Kim has recently seen a resurgence in popularity after it was made available on the streaming service Netflix.

Magda Szubanski later changed her tune and in 2022 said a reboot was almost certainly never going to happen.

'I think it should be off the table... It holds such a special place in people's memories,' the comedian told The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

'If we did a live show, which was a "best of" or something like that, that's different.

'But to actually try and do a whole new series, I think you can never capture that magic again.'

Last year, the iconic Australian comedy found a new audience in the US thanks to the hosts of a popular web series, I Like To Watch.

Hosted by drag queens Trixie Mattel and Katya, each half-hour episode of the show is devoted entirely to discussing various shows streaming on Netflix.

Both Trixie and Katya have never seen Kath & Kim, but Trixie believed some of the show's unique vernacular could be familiar to American LGBTQI+ people.

'You might know as a gay American person, there might be pieces of this that you're like: "I've heard people say that, and I never knew where it was from".'

Within minutes of their deep dive, both hosts were instantly converted to Kath & Kim fans.
Jamie Laing has revealed why he is 'scared to have kids' with wife Sophie Habboo, despite both wanting a baby.

The Made In Chelsea stars tied the knot in April 2023 during a first ceremony in London, and a second one in Spain three weeks later, and have both discussed their desire to have children.

But on a recent episode of his Great Company podcast, Jamie's producer Jemima interviewed him, and they discussed why he fears having kids.

Jamie, 36, explained: 'I would really like to have one, but it has been a real long road because I was really scared of babies and I was really scared of commitment.

'The idea of not being able to escape something, with work or even divorce, there's always a way out. But with a baby there's no way out. There is no way out because you are committed to that little human forever and that for me is really quite scary.

He went on to add: 'Still really scary, it is a real fear. To the point where at the start of last year, Sophie thought she was pregnant and I had to leave the restaurant because I was so stressed.

Jamie Laing has revealed why he is 'scared to have kids' with wife Sophie Habboo , despite both wanting a baby

The Made In Chelsea stars, tied the knot in April 2023 during a first ceremony in London, and have both discussed their desire to have children

'Firstly that is not a good partner. It made me really nervous, but also made Sophie really scared because as a partner you want someone secure and relaxed, and it made her feel uneasy.'

Sophie, 31, previously predicted that her husband Jamie will be a disaster when it comes to welcoming children.

Jamie admitted: 'I'm going to hate it. I really don't think I am going to handle you being in pain.'

Sophie then suggested she might have someone else present during the birth, such as her mum.

She added: 'I think you will have to have a Xanax at that point, or something, because your anxiety will freak me through the roof.

'You will definitely be like, "We are never doing that again." Because you found it so traumatic. And you will tell my birthing story to everyone for sure.'

It comes after the pair took embracing the festive spirit to a new level by recreating an iconic scene from the Christmas classic Bridget Jones's Diary.

The couple and Newlyweds podcast hosts put their acting skills to the test as they treated their listeners to a new Instagram reel to sign off for the year.

Jamie explained: 'I would really like to have one, but it has been a real long road because I was really scared of babies and I was really scared of commitment'

Sophie previously predicted that her husband Jamie will be a disaster when it comes to welcoming children

The lovebirds got married in April last year during a first ceremony in London, and a second one in Spain three weeks later

The duo recreated none other than the ending scene where Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is forced to put on her 'tiny knickers' and run through the snow-covered streets of London half-naked in an effort to not let Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) get away.

It comes after Mark finds her notorious diary inside her flat, which is full of insults towards him, and when Bridget comes back to the room she discovers that he's disappeared.

Assuming her new lover had ran away in anger, she sprinted outside with nothing on her bottom half but her leopard-print underwear - only to find that he'd actually just gone to buy her a new diary.

Of course, for the video, Jamie hilariously took on the role of Bridget with Sophie pretending to be Mark Darcy - and they added their own cheeky twist.

In the skit, Jamie exclaimed: 'Definitely an occasion for genuinely tiny knickers!' as he left Sophie to read magazines in the other room.

Then, she found his diary, which read: 'But listeners think Sophie is sexier than me, but she's NOT. I hate her! I hate her!'

Donning almost exactly the same outfit as Bridget did, Jamie realised Sophie had left and ran through London after her.

After sprinting away and running into 'producer Ewan,' Jamie and Sophie continue to play out the iconic moment as they kiss and Jamie exclaims: 'Good girls don't kiss like that!'

Sophie jokes 'Yes they f****** do!' and then the pair sign off by shouting: 'Merry Christmas!'

They also posted a behind the scenes reel which showed the extent of the camera crew following them around for the Christmas shoot.

In the caption, Jamie quipped: ''Definitely an occasion for genuinely tiny knickers.'

The couple took embracing the festive spirit to a new level by recreating an iconic scene from the Christmas classic Bridget Jones's Diary

The couple and Newlyweds podcast hosts put their acting skills to the test as they treated their listeners to a new Instagram reel to sign off for the year

'From us both and everyone at JamPot THANK YOU to all our amazing listeners who have enjoyed everything we've done in 2024! We adore you all and thank you for continuing to support us through everything!!

'We hoped we've entertained you!! Merry Christmas - We love you guys!! Stay tuned for 2025 where we have so many amazing, HUGE plans!!! Lots of love.'

They added: 'Channeling our inner Bridget Jones! Find a nice, sensible boyfriend and avoid all the emotional fuckwits this holiday season or at least try. Watch the chaos unfold in our Bridget Jones-inspired Christmas shoot.'

Fans rushed to the comments to praise the duo for the funny video, writing: 'Best scene ever!! Nailed it!!!'

'Nearly swallowed my jellybean when I saw that side profile run! Merry Christmas!'

'The way I was SO invested.'

'You're both bonkers and I love it.'

'Ha! You guys are THE best. Merry Christmas and thanks for all the laughs.'

'This is the funniest thing I've seen this year.'
The U.S. Drought Monitor map, based on data through Tuesday, shows regions of California facing drought in tan, orange and red. Baron/Lynx

Since Californias water year began at the start of October 2024, many places in Southern California have tallied less than 10% of the rain they usually do.

The abnormally dry start to the water year has prompted the U.S. Drought Monitor to classify an increasing share of the southern part of the state as being in moderate drought, with some sections even categorized as facing severe drought.

You wouldnt believe it if youve been up in the Bay Area and northward because there it has been the complete opposite, said Jonathan OBrien, a meteorologist with the U.S. Forest Service.

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Southern Californias dry conditions have resulted in dried-out vegetation thats primed to carry flames if sparked. On top of that, offshore winds from the east or northeast, like those in next weeks forecast, have the potential to fan flames toward places where people live.

Thats what makes them really problematic, said OBrien, whos based in Southern California. Not to mention how fast (fires) can spread because of the winds.

The National Weather Service is also concerned, and has already warned of potential fire weather risk due to these conditions.

About 32% of California is in drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, based on data through Tuesday. Thats nearly double the area reported the previous week, when 17% of the state faced drought conditions.

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The change was driven by a rise in moderate drought in the southern half of the state.

The Bay Area and Central Coast have received ample rainfall in recent months, with places like Santa Rosa even experiencing once-in-a-millenium amounts of rain. The city has received more than 2 feet of rain since Oct. 1, or about double whats typically logged during this period.

At the same time, some places in Southern California have received practically no rain.

Los Angeles International Airport has logged just 0.03 inches of rain since Oct. 1, making for its all-time driest start to the water year. Precipitation records at the airport began in 1944. The meager amount is less than 1% of normal for the location.

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Despite the parched landscape in Southern California, the state isnt facing a water crisis at the moment. The states major reservoirs, of which the largest are in Northern California, are at 122% of normal for this time of year, according to the Department of Water Resources.

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From a historical standpoint, were really not in bad shape, in terms of drought, OBrien said. Even besides the wet start up north this winter, were still carrying a lot of long-term benefits from all of the rain and snow that weve gotten over the past couple of winters.

This wet weather encouraged plant growth across the state. But when the vegetation dries out, it can become fuel for wildfires. Thats the concern across Southern California now. Live plants typically reach their driest point around October or early November, OBrien said, coinciding with the rainy season. But this year, vegetation has remained dry.

With those fuels being so dry, were practically in September, October conditions, said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Los Angeles office in Oxnard (Ventura County) during a briefing Friday.

The latest seasonal outlook from the Southern California Geographic Coordination Center highlights above-normal potential for significant fires during January in the South Coast region, which includes Los Angeles and San Diego.

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A dry weather pattern is expected to favor offshore wind events across Southern California this month. Offshore wind events, also known as Santa Ana winds, drove the Mountain Fire in Ventura County in November and the Franklin Fire in Malibu in December.

Until widespread rains occur, this risk will continue, the authors of the outlook wrote.

Chronicle meteorologist Anthony Edwards contributed to this report.
Nepo baby DJ Hugo Chegwin's fans have been left shocked after realising who his very famous uncle is.

Hugo, 39, is known for his role as DJ Beats in the hit British sitcom People Just Do Nothing, and has collaborated with major artists like Sam Smith, Pixie Lott, Tinie Tempah and Leona Lewis.

And it turns out that Hugo is also the nephew of the late Keith Chegwin.

Keith is the brother of Jeffrey Chegwin, Hugo's father, and the TV favourite was clearly proud of his nephew's achievements.

In a tweet from before his passing, Keith shared a snap of Hugo holding his Novello Awards, writing: 'My nephew Hugo with his two Novello's - Wey Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

Hugo starred alongside Cheryl in 2:22 A Ghost Story, before he was forced to pull out due to medical reasons.

Nepo baby DJ Hugo Chegwin's fans have been left shocked after realising who his very famous uncle is

Hugo, 39, is known for his role as DJ Beats in the hit British sitcom People Just Do Nothing, and has collaborated with major artists like Sam Smith, Pixie Lott, Tinie Tempah and Leona Lewis

He was replaced by EastEnders star Jake Wood, who originated the character in the play's first run.

In addition to his acting career, the musician has made waves as a successful composer.

Hugo's uncle Keith died in December 2017 aged 60 after a secret long-term battle with an incurable lung condition.

The star died at home surrounded by his second wife Maria and two children Rose, who is married to White Lies frontman Harry McVeigh, and Ted who described him as a 'loving husband and father'.

His family today revealed he had been seriously ill for around six months with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

He told fans in a heartbreaking final tweet in September: 'Still not right. I will be back - But not for a bit yet. I'm so sorry'.

'Cheggers' became a household name presenting Swap Shop and Cheggers Plays Pop in the 1970s followed by Saturday Superstore in the 1980s.

After a high-profile battle with alcoholism he relaunched his career on Channel 4's Big Breakfast knocking on celebrities' front doors in the mid-1990s crying: 'Wake up you beggars, it's Cheggers!'.

And it turns out that Hugo is also the nephew of the late Keith Chegwin

Co-host Chris Evans tweeted today: 'Very sad and shocked to hear of the passing of Keith Chegwin. The king of outside broadcast.'

Most recently he appeared in Ricky Gervais' sitcoms Extras in 2006 and Life's Too Short in 2011. The Office star said today: 'So sad to hear about the death of the lovely & funny Keith Chegwin. RIP you National Treasure'.

He also appeared in Dancing on Ice in 2013 and Celebrity Big Brother in 2015.

His final pantomime performance was in Beauty and the Beast in March 2016 - with heartbreaking video showing the star breathless and struggling to speak while on stage during the production in Rhyl, Wales.

Mr Chegwin had been a smoker in the past. While smoking, exposure to pollution, acid reflux, some viruses and genetics can increase the risk of IPF the exact cause of the disease is not known.

Hugo starred alongside Cheryl in 2:22 A Ghost Story, before he was forced to pull out due to medical reasons

'Cheggers' became a household name presenting Swap Shop and Cheggers Plays Pop in the 1970s followed by Saturday Superstore in the 1980s

In a statement, the entertainer's family said: 'We are heartbroken to share the news that Keith Chegwin sadly passed away following a long-term battle with a progressive lung condition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which rapidly worsened towards the end of this year.

'Keith died peacefully at home shortly after midnight on December 11. His wife Maria, his daughter Rose and his son Ted were by his side.

'We would like to take this opportunity to thank Severn Hospice for the kindness, support and care they have shown us all over the last few weeks.'

'Keith was a loving husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend. We would respectfully ask to be left to mourn his passing in private.'
Aubrey Plaza's filmmaker husband Jeff Baena was found dead at age 47 in their Los Angeles home on Friday.

Baena's body was discovered at the couple's property in Los Feliz on Friday, the Los Angeles Fire Department told the DailyMail.com. TMZ reported that law enforcement sources said the filmmaker died by suicide, but DailyMail.com has not been able to confirm this.

While the White Lotus star, 40, was notoriously private when it came to her romance with the writer and director, they did share some insight into their love story on a few occasions.

The couple, who first started dating in 2011, worked together on numerous films, and Aubrey once explained that being in the same 'field' really strengthened their relationship.

She added, however, that sharing a job with your partner could be 'challenging' if not done correctly, and credited her husband with creating a 'safe space' and not getting swept up in 'power dynamics.'

The low-key couple made headlines back in 2021, after Aubrey revealed that she and the filmmaker had secretly tied the knot during a spur of the moment backyard ceremony.

The wedding was thrown together after she jokingly suggested they wed on their 10-year anniversary, and saw them exchange vows in homemade tie-dye pajamas in front of their 'real-life witch' neighbor.

Amid the news that Aubrey Plaza's filmmaker husband Jeff Baena has passed away at age 47, take a look back at their 14-year relationship. The couple is seen in 2016

Aubrey, who has previously come out as bisexual, later revealed that Jeff received death threats from the LGBTQ+ community over their marriage.

She was also honest about how her relationship endured its fair share of 'rough patches,' and revealed that she struggled with 'comparing herself' to 'other couples that seems perfect.'

But despite the hardships, they prevailed, and by 2022, Aubrey admitted that they were thinking of starting a family together.

She revealed at the time that she considered having a baby during the COVID-19 pandemic, but ultimately decided not to become of the 'apocalyptic state of the world.'

From their secret wedding and Aubrey's admission about why they decided not to have a baby to their 'rough patches' and the 'death threats' he faced, here's everything we know about their marriage.

Working together on numerous projects: Aubrey said being in the same field helped them 'understand' each other 'on a deeper level'

The pair first started dating some time in 2011, but the exact date that they got together and how they first met is not known. They're seen in 2014

The pair first started dating some time in 2011, but the exact date that they got together and how they first met is not known.

Over the years, they worked on numerous projects together, including the 2014 flick Life After Beth, 2016's Joshy, The Little Hours in 2017, and the 2022 comedy film Spin Me Round.

In 2019, Aubrey explained that being in the same 'field' helped them 'understand' each other 'on a deeper level.'

'I think that when youre with someone that is in your field, they understand what youre dealing with on a deeper level,' the actress said to People magazine at the time.

'So obviously, you are able to support each other and really understand kind of the journey that were both on.'

Aubrey noted that 'working with your partner' can be challenging, and explained that it's important that they also have time apart from one another due to their jobs.

'I think that can be really great. But, you know, working with your partner can always be challenging,' she continued.

'Theres a lot of things we do separately, and I think that its all about balance.

'I think that one of the great things about our careers is that we are forced to be independent, take little breaks, go off and do our things, and come back.

'So its kind of fun. Nothing is ever the same. You dont want to spend too much time apart. But I think that theres a way that it can work, and theres a balance in that.'

Aubrey also explained on the Drew Barrymore show in 2021 that while it's 'so great' to work with her husband, it's 'complicated.'

'It has extreme highs and extreme complications,' she said. 'It's a really hard thing to navigate but we've been together for 11 years. We just muscle our way through it.'

While speaking to Cosmopolitan in 2022, Aubrey said that having a 'little competition' has helped keep their romance 'interesting and fiery.'

Over the years, they worked on numerous projects together, including the 2014 flick Life After Beth (seen), 2016's Joshy, The Little Hours in 2017, and the 2022 comedy film Spin Me Round

Aubrey once said being in the same field helped them 'understand' each other 'on a deeper level.' They're seen in 2014

'But I think collaboration is key,' she added. 'You have to create a really safe space to work together, because youre the one person that can really offend your partner and youre the one person that they want approval from the most, and then youre also the one person that could, like, take them down so hard-core.

'There are weird power dynamics too when one persons a director and one persons an actor.

'There are all these unspoken rules. I dont know. I dont want to compete with my partner. I want to compete with everyone else.'

Jeff has gushed about working with Aubrey, telling Reel Talker in 2022, 'Shes awesome. Id be working with her if she wasnt my wife, but luckily she is my wife.

'The opportunity to do something creative [together] where were both fulfilled - how rare is that?'

Their spur of the moment wedding: The couple secretly tied the knot in their backyard while wearing matching pajamas

Aubrey subtly announced that they had secretly tied the knot while promoting their film Spin Me Round in May 2021. They're seen together in 2014

Aubrey subtly announced that they had secretly tied the knot while promoting their film Spin Me Round in May 2021.

At the time, she praised the movie on her Instagram - and referred to Jeff as her 'husband' in the post.

'So proud of my darling husband for dreaming up another film that takes us to Italia to cause some more trouble,' she wrote.

Months later, she shared details about their private nuptials on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and she explained that they tied the knot during the COVID-19 lockdown with a very low-key backyard wedding after they 'got a little bored one night.'

She later revealed that the wedding was thrown together after she jokingly suggested they wed on their 10-year anniversary. They're seen together in 2014

'We got a little bored one night. So we got married and Ill tell you how: Onehourmarriage.com. Thats real, look it up,' she said.

'We were in the lockdown. Things got a little crazy, especially in my house.'

Aubrey explained that she wanted to 'do something' to celebrate their 10-year anniversary, and 'joked' that they should 'get married.'

But Jeff liked the idea, and they quickly threw together a ceremony that was held in the lawn outside their house.

She said she found someone to officiate it on the website Onehourmarriage.com and made her own 'love altar.'

'My now-husband went and picked up food from some restaurant because we had already ordered food,' she shared.

'He almost missed the wedding because he had to wait so long for the order.

'I created a very quick love altar in our yard. Facts of our love, little stones, smoke, fire. Things of that nature.

'Then the [officiant] from Alhambra showed up in a Hawaiian shirt with a briefcase. I cant remember a lot of it, it was fuzzy. But Im pretty sure it was legal.'

She also described the ceremony as 'witchy,' explaining that she asked her 'real-life witch' neighbor to give them her blessing.

'She went in her house, rummaged around. [Then] came out with a rosemary wreath that she gave me. She literally cackled,' revealed the star.

They both dressed in tie-dye pajamas that Jeff had made, and she completed her look with a crown.

Overcoming public backlash: Jeff got 'death threats' over the marriage, and Aubrey admitted that they sometimes went through 'rough patches'

After she spoke out about the wedding, Aubrey, who had previously come out as bisexual, said people in the LGBTQ+ community sent Jeff 'death threats.' They're seen in 2016

After she spoke out about the wedding, Aubrey, who had previously come out as bisexual, told Cosmopolitan that people in the LGBTQ+ community sent Jeff 'death threats.'

'Jeff got death threats in his DMs,' she said. 'People project so much stuff onto marriage, but it wasnt some big statement Im trying to make where I want everybody to react to it.'

In 2022, Aubrey admitted to GQ that she considered 'having a baby during the pandemic,' but ultimately decided not to because of the 'apocalyptic state of the world.'

She told the publication that she 'always wanted' kids.

But she was also honest about how her relationship had its fair share of 'rough patches.'

While reflecting on how she related to her White Lotus character Harper, she told the outlet, 'I've been with my husband for 12 years. I relate to being in a relationship that has peaks and valleys, and going through a rough patch and comparing yourself to another couple that seems perfect.'

Jeff's shock passing at age 47: The filmmaker was found dead by an assistant on Friday in his LA home

Jeff was found dead by an assistant on Friday in his LA home around 10:30am, DailyMail.com confirmed. He was pronounced dead at the scene. They're seen together in 2017

Jeff's body was discovered by an assistant on Friday in his and Aubrey's Los Feliz home, which they purchased in 2022.

Officers responded to the home at 10:25 am, the Los Angeles Fire Department told the DailyMail.com.

'Death was determined for an approximately 47-year old male, no transport,' they said in a statement.

The Life After Beth director was pronounced dead at the scene.

The family told Deadline that they are devastated by the news and are asking for privacy at this time.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Aubrey and Jeff's representatives and to the police for comment.

Aubrey has not publicly commented on the death of her husband.

He is survived by his wife, his mother Barbra Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, his stepmother Michele Baena, his brother Brad Baena, and his step siblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman.

Aubrey was scheduled to present an award at the Golden Globes on Sunday, January 5.
Tributes have flooded in for Aubrey Plazas husband Jeff Baena, known for writing and directing Life After Beth and Horse Girl, following his shock death by suicide at age 47.

In the wake of his loss, fans expressed their devastation over his passing,which was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, one day after his body was discovered by an assistant on Friday at a Los Angeles residence.

The family has since told Deadline that they are devastated by the news and are asking for privacy at this time.

'Jeff Baena was a truly talented director and writer. He made some of my favorite films and I will be forever grateful for his wit and talent. he will be missed,' one fan tweeted.

Another X user wrote: ''Jeff's movies brought me so much comfort. that was my little indie movie maker. honestly can't believe it. RIP Jeff Baena.'

'RIP Jeff Baena. His films really brought me so much comfort and Ill never forget them. Cant even imagine how friends and family must be feeling but Im sending love to them.,' a third wrote.

Tributes have flooded in for Aubrey Plazas husband Jeff Baena, known for writing and directing Life After Beth and Horse Girl, following his shock death by suicide at age 47; seen in 2014

A fourth added: 'I loved Jeff Baena's movies. the little hours was my favourite movie when I was 16 and figuring out my sexuality.'

Others took to social media to send Plaza and his family love during this difficult time.

'I hope shes doing as okay as she can be,' one wrote as others cautioned people to 'be respectful' as his loved ones grieve.

Baena's friend and fellow filmmaker Chad Hartigan - the director of movies like This Is Martin Bonner and Morris From America - shared a heartbroken tribute on Instagram.

'Jeff Baena forever. The nucleus to so many great hangs Ive had and an entire world of great people Ive met. He was loved by countless people, including me,' wrote Hartigan.

The message was accompanied by a series of personal pictures of Baena, including one of him with a puppy in his lap and another of him smoking a cigarette.

In an update after his death on Friday, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said Baena died by hanging in the Los Feliz property that he and Plaza purchased in 2022.

His body was discovered by an assistant in the home and officers responded to the home at 10:25 am, the Los Angeles Fire Department told the DailyMail.com.

'Death was determined for an approximately 47-year old male, no transport,' they said in a statement.

'We responded to the 2100 block of Fern Dale Place for a death investigation. Officers responded for a male decedent,' the Los Angeles Police Department added to the DailyMail.com. The Life After Beth director was pronounced dead at the scene.

Baena got into film after he graduated from New York University with a film degree and moved to LA to launch his career.

He worked low-level jobs for big directors, including Robert Zemeckis and David O. Russell as he found his footing in the industry. He worked as a production assistant for Zemeckis and as an assistant editor for Russell.

In the wake of his loss, fans expressed their devastation over his passing, which was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, one day after his body was discovered on Friday at a Los Angeles residence

'Jeff Baena was a truly talented director and writer. He made some of my favorite films and I will be forever grateful for his wit and talent. he will be missed,' one fan tweeted

Another X user wrote: ''Jeff's movies brought me so much comfort. that was my little indie movie maker. honestly can't believe it. RIP Jeff Baena'

'RIP Jeff Baena. His films really brought me so much comfort and Ill never forget them. Cant even imagine how friends and family must be feeling but Im sending love to them.,' a third wrote

Others took to social media to send Plaza and his family love during this difficult time

'I hope shes doing as okay as she can be,' one wrote as others cautioned people to 'be respectful' as his loved ones grieve

Another added: 'I loved Jeff Baena's movies. the little hours was my favourite movie when I was 16 and figuring out my sexuality'

Baena's friend and fellow filmmaker Chad Hartigan - director of movies like This Is Martin Bonner - shared a tribute on Instagram with photos including the above

''Jeff Baena forever,' wrote Hartigan

'The nucleus to so many great hangs Ive had and an entire world of great people Ive met,' added Hartigan

'He was loved by countless people, including me,' wrote Hartigan

Hartigan's message was accompanied by a series of personal pictures of Baena

Hartigan's album included a photo of Baena with a puppy in his lap

Hartigan also attached an image of Baena smoking a cigarette

He is best known for directing Life After Beth, his directorial debut and one Plaza starred in, and The Little Hours.

He also co-wrote I Heart Huckabees, which was nominated for a 2004 Gotham Award for Best Feature.

He also wrote Life After Beth, which premiered at Sundance in 2014. His film Joshy also premiered at the famous festival and was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize.

The Miami native also worked on Horse Girl and Spin Me Round.

For his television works, he directed and executive produced Showtime series Cinema Toast. He co-directed the product with his wife.

He secretly married The White Lotus star in May 2021 a decade after they met in 2011, keeping their relationship largely out of the limelight.

Plaza has not publicly commented on the death of her husband.

Hours after news of Baena's death broke, it was confirmed that he committed suicide. In an update after his death on Friday, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said the 47-year-old died by hanging in the Los Feliz property that he and Plaza purchased in 2022; the couple seen in 2017

The actress's final Instagram post with her husband revealed how 'proud' she was of him.

In her final post with Baena shared in May 2021, the award-winning actress praised her 'darling husband.'

'So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that take us to Italia to cause some more trouble,' she captioned the post.

The heartbreaking last post together featured the star couple lovingly gazing into each other's eyes and was accompanied with screenshots of a Deadline article detailing their 'new assignment' - the 2022 film Spin Me Round.

Baena is survived by his wife, his mother Barbra Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, his stepmother Michele Baena, his brother Brad Baena, and his step siblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman.
Chloe Madeley and her estranged husband James Haskell stepped out with their daughter Bodhi in Hampstead on Friday.

James, 39, and Chloe, 37, who married in 2018 and share daughter Bodhi, two, confirmed they had split in a joint statement released in October 2023, but still spend time together with their little one.

During the outing, the former rugby player showed off his recent hair transplant, after growing increasingly worried about his thinning hairline, MailOnline can reveal.

James cut a casual figure in a black hoodie and orange joggers while carrying Bodhi, who was dressed in all-pink.

Meanwhile, Chloe wore a baggy black coat and trousers, teamed with a pair of brown UGG boots.

It comes after Chloe revealed that the last year of her marriage to James Haskell was 'awful', 'dark' and 'painful'.

Chloe Madeley and her estranged husband James Haskell stepped out with their daughter Bodhi in Hampstead on Friday

James, 39, and Chloe, 37, who married in 2018 and share daughter Bodhi, two, confirmed they had split in a joint statement released in October 2023, but still spend time together with their little one

The daughter of This Morning presenter Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan has now told why she will never never go into too much detail about why they split but said their daughter was her main motivation for leaving the marriage.

She told The Sun: 'When you tell people that you are divorcing, everyone sees it as such a negative thing.

'They say: 'This is going to be so hard for you.' And, yes, it is, but the hardest bit was when we were married. The last year of the marriage was awful. It was so dark, painful, and one of the worst periods of my life. It's a good thing we ended it.

'It was so incredibly scary. I'm amazed I got through it in the way that I did. I think more people should see it as a positive thing. I'm so proud of myself and so relieved that I actually called it a day.'

She added that she will never go into detail about what caused the split in order to protect her daughter and parents from the 'dark and painful experiences' she has been through.

But Bodhi was the main reason she left her marriage as she didn't want her daughter growing up seeing their relationship and thinking that was normal.

Chloe has now started dating again but 'nothing feels right' for her yet - as she admitted James has been seeing other people and 'having fun'.

James and Chloe split last October.

During the outing, the former rugby player showed off his recent hair transplant, after growing increasingly worried about his thinning hairline, MailOnline can reveal

James cut a casual figure in a black hoodie and orange joggers while carrying Bodhi, who was dressed in all-pink

Chloe wore a baggy black coat and trousers, teamed with a pair of brown UGG boots

It comes after Chloe revealed that the last year of her marriage to James Haskell was 'awful', 'dark' and 'painful'

The couple who had starred in their own ITV reality show Chloe Madeley: A Family Affair, announced: 'Chloe and I mutually decided separate at the end of September, 2023.'

'We had not planned on releasing a statement at this time - certainly not while the television show was airing - but constant speculation about our marriage has, unfortunately, forced our hand.'

She added: 'Beyond this statement, we will not be speaking about this matter publicly, and we would request privacy at this time.'

'Our sole focus now is our beautiful daughter. We shall continue to co-parent with nothing but love.'

Sharing his own statement to Instagram, James added: 'It's with a lot of sadness I write this post, but unfortunately, in the world we live in, it has to be done.'

'My priority is my daughter's and Chloe's happiness and security. For that reason, I won't be commenting any further.'

In May of this year, Chloe opened up about how her separation from her estranged husband 'was f***ing awful' as she gave an insight into their relationship .

Chloe admitted the pair broke up as they both wanted their relationship to 'stop being awful' and 'miserable'.

She has said in a new interview: 'The last year of the marriage was awful. It was so dark, painful, and one of the worst periods of my life. It's a good thing we ended it'

Chloe has now started dating again but 'nothing feels right' for her yet - as she admitted James has been seeing other people and 'having fun'

After their split, the couple still lived together in their north London home and were often spotted together with Bodhi as they tried to be as amicable as they could for their little girl.

Despite some fans thinking the two were back together because of this, Chloe previously confirmed that they had both moved on adding that she expects the former England player to find someone soon.

She said: 'It'll probably happen for James long before it happens to me if it hasn't already.'

'I'm waiting for the conversation to happen at some point.'

Tensions were high before the couple split, with Haskell even claiming Chloe treats him 'like a dog' and likened their relationship to 'World War Three'.

In one episode of their reality show before their split was announced, Haskell moaned: 'She shushes me like I'm a dog or like I'm a baby. I'm like "shush me again and that's the last thing you'll ever do".'

Bodhi was the main reason she left her marriage as she didn't want her daughter growing up seeing their relationship and thinking that was normal

She went on to explain: 'The difficulty in mine and James' relationship comes from the fact that both of us think we're in charge.

'[In] the relationships that I know are very calm and tranquil there's a dominant and there's a submissive [partner].

'James and I are both dominant so obviously it's like World War Three.'

During the recording of their podcast, Chloe revealed she and Haskell attended couples therapy in a bid to save their marriage.

She explained: 'We went through a really hard time in lockdown - our marriage was really quite tested', which prompted Haskell to quip 'it's not much better now!'
Aubrey Plaza shared rare insight on marriage to Jeff Baena ahead of his shock death at 47 during a recent Howard Stern interview.

The 40-year-old actress spoke about being married to a writer-director while making an appearance on The Howard Stern Show about three months ago.

On the radio show in September 2024, she spoke about maintaining friendships and a relationship in her line of work.

When Stern suggested that being married to a filmmaker rather than an actor was 'better for [her],' the Parks and Recreation alum agreed.

She also spoke about how is 'happy' overall, in spite of Stern pushing back.

When Stern insinuated that her job was 'not bringing you the happiness that you thought it would bring,' she said with a laugh: 'It's lonely at the top.'

Aubrey Plaza shared rare insight on marriage to Jeff Baena ahead of his shock death at 47 during a recent Howard Stern interview; pictured January 2017 in Park City, Utah

'I don't know how much of this is a put on, but it sounds like you're not that happy,' he told her.

'I really don't know. I can't tell you what's real or not. That's my problem.'

When Stern asked if she has friends that she 'doubts whether they're really your friends,' she replied: 'No, I'm a pretty selective friend.

'Like, a lot of my friends are friends that I've had since I was, you know, in high school or whatever. I mean, I have new friends too but I'm not, like, going out there trying to make friends.

To that, he then asked her what she was 'doubting is real' and she responded that it was her 'feelings.'

The White Lotus star elaborated and explained how being an actor means she is good at 'manipulating her feelings,' a trait that Stern suggested is 'dangerous.'

He spoke about confusing feelings and asked her about feeling competitive when dating someone else in the same career.

She said she 'never really, like, really really dated an actor, like, been with an actor for a long time or anything like that.'

The 40-year-old actress spoke about being married to a writer-director while making an appearance on The Howard Stern Show about three months ago. When Stern suggested that being married to a filmmaker rather than an actor was 'better for [her],' the Parks and Recreation alum agreed; pictured October 2024 in New York City

Plaza taped the interview with Stern in September 2024, just months before her husband was found dead at the age of 47 in their Los Angeles home; pictured July 2014 in New York City

Back in 2021, she also spoke fondly of him while talking about being both work and life partners with him.

While making an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, she also spoke about their spontaneous nuptials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

'It's so great, it's so complicated,' she told the talk show host and fellow actor.

'It's, like, extreme highs and extreme, you know, complications. It's a really hard thing to navigate, but we've been together for 11 years. We just muscle our way through it.'

She also spoke about how they got married in the tie-dye pajamas he made for them during the pandemic in their backyard.

That same year, she also told People that the Covid-19 pandemic strengthened their relationship.

'We were quarantined for months and months like everybody else,' she gushed. 'And we did enjoy it. I think it was, obviously other than all of the catastrophic things happening in the world, just on a personal level, relationship level, was kind of nice to just be forced to be in one place for that long.'

Plaza recalled that they tied the knot spontaneously in front of an 'altar of their love objects.'

Plaza taped the interview with Stern in September 2024, just months before her husband was found dead at the age of 47 in their Los Angeles home.

In an update after his death on Friday, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said the 47-year-old died by hanging in their Los Feliz property.

Officers responded to the home at 10:25 am, the Los Angeles Fire Department told the DailyMail.com.

Officers responded to the home at 10:25 am, the Los Angeles Fire Department told the DailyMail.com

Baena secretly married The White Lotus star in May 2021 a decade after they met in 2011, keeping their relationship largely out of the limelight

'Death was determined for an approximately 47-year old male, no transport,' they said in a statement.

'We responded to the 2100 block of Fern Dale Place for a death investigation. Officers responded for a male decedent,' the Los Angeles Police Department added to the DailyMail.com.

The Life After Beth director was pronounced dead at the scene.

Baena's family told Deadline that they are devastated by the news and are asking for privacy at this time.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Baena's representatives and to the police for comment.

Baena got into film after he graduated from New York University with a film degree and moved to LA to launch his career.

He worked low-level jobs for big directors, including Robert Zemeckis and David O. Russell as he found his footing in the industry. He worked as a production assistant for Zemeckis and as an assistant editor for Russell.

He is best known for directing Life After Beth, his directorial debut and one Plaza starred in, and The Little Hours.

Their fans only discovered the pair had wed after she sneakily referred to him as her 'darling husband' in an Instagram post

He also co-wrote I Heart Huckabees, which was nominated for a 2004 Gotham Award for Best Feature.

He also wrote Life After Beth, which premiered at Sundance in 2014. His film Joshy also premiered at the famous festival and was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize.

The Miami native also worked on Horse Girl and Spin Me Round.

For his television works, he directed and executive produced Showtime series Cinema Toast. He co-directed the product with his wife.

He secretly married The White Lotus star in May 2021 a decade after they met in 2011, keeping their relationship largely out of the limelight.

Plaza has not publicly commented on the death of her husband.

The actress's final Instagram post with her husband revealed how 'proud' she was of him.

Their fans only discovered the pair had wed after she sneakily referred to him as her 'darling husband' in an Instagram post

In her final post with Baena shared in May 2021, the award-winning actress praised her 'darling husband.'

'So proud of my darling husband @jeffbaena for dreaming up another film that take us to Italia to cause some more trouble,' she captioned the post.

The heartbreaking last post together featured the star couple lovingly gazing into each other's eyes and was accompanied with screenshots of a Deadline article detailing their 'new assignment' - the 2022 film Spin Me Round.

Baena is survived by his wife, his mother Barbra Stern, stepfather Roger Stern, his stepmother Michele Baena, his brother Brad Baena, and his step siblings Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman.
Dame Helen Mirren has revealed the 12-minute military workout that's helped her maintain her incredible figure for 60 years.

The Oscar-winning British actress, 79, is known for age-defying looks and glamorous red carpet ensembles.

And now she's lifted the lid on the fitness routine, which was originally created by the military, that she's done every day for the last six decades.

She told Woman's Weekly that she is 'a big believer in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) women's exercise regime, which is 12 minutes.'

Helen explained: '[Exercise] doesn't mean joining expensive gyms. It is an exercise regime that starts from very low and easy, then if you follow it through it can become quite difficult.

She admitted: 'I've never gotten past the second level but it's a nice little exercise programme.'

Dame Helen Mirren has revealed the 12-minute military workout that's helped her maintain her incredible figure for 60 years

The Oscar-winning British actress, 79, is known for age-defying looks and glamorous red carpet ensembles (Helen pictured 1974)

The programme is called the XBX routine, which means ten basic exersizes, and was created by Dr Bill Orban in the 1950s for the Canadian Air Force's new female recruits to improve their fitness levels.

It's a physical fitness program composed of four charts of ten exercises, arranged in progressive order of difficulty.

The ten exercises on each chart are always performed in the same order, and in the same maximum time limits. The charts are divided into levels and there are 48 levels in all, 12 in each chart.

It includes 30 seconds each of simple exersizes like toe touching, knee raises, lateral bending and arm circling.

The programme's official booklet explains: 'The exersize plan in the XBX booklet provides women with the opportunity to achieve physical fitness in an enjoyable, interesting manner for a total investment of 12 minutes a day.'

It comes after Helen looked nothing short of sensational as she graced the red carpet at the star-studded L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth Celebration in November.

The actress, who has been a L'Oreal brand ambassador since 2014, dazzled in a sequinned lavender gown with a demure neckline and sheer mesh skirt.

Helen kept her silver tresses off her face with a thin headband while also added extra sparkle to the ensemble with a pair of purple diamond drop earrings.

She toted her essential for the evening in a perfectly co-ordinating clutch and slipper her feet into a pair of silver heels.

And now she's lifted the lid on the fitness routine, which was originally created by the military, that she's done every day for the last six decades

She told Woman's Weekly that she is 'a big believer in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) women's exercise regime, which is 12 minutes' (Helen pictured in 1967)

Helen explained: '[Exercise] doesn't mean joining expensive gyms. It is an exercise regime that starts from very low and easy, then if you follow it through it can become quite difficult'

In October, Helen shared that discrimination against age 'needs to change,' after new research suggested a third of over-65's have been subject to ageism.

The actress said that discrimination is both 'upsetting and unfair' after Age UK published its report indicating millions have had negative experiences due to their age, ranging from being treated with less respect to being threatened.

The charity, for which Dame Helen is an ambassador, said its analysis found that a third of people aged 65 and over and almost a quarter of people aged between 50 and 64 in England said they had been discriminated against due to their age.

Using population statistics and its analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, the charity suggested that around 6.1 million people aged 50 and over in England have faced ageism.

This can come on top of other forms of discrimination for some, the charity said, finding that around one in six women aged 50 or older said they had faced sexism, and more than half of people from minority ethnic backgrounds in this age category had endured racial or religious discrimination.

Age UK said while the 'population is rapidly ageing, ageism remains rife' and has made calls to change attitudes, tackle poverty and inequality and ensure older peoples health and social care needs are 'recognised and fully met'.

Dame Helen said: 'Ageing happens to us all but, as we get older, life can get tougher. Many will start to be treated differently, which can not only be very upsetting but also unfair.'

'Everybody, regardless of their age, should feel included and valued and that is what Age UK is striving to achieve.'

She concluded with: 'This is an ambitious but truly important challenge, as things need to change and its in all our interests to ensure that older people are respected and treated as the individuals that they are.'
Laura-Leigh is finally breaking her silence about how Stassi Schroeder allegedly bullied her on Vanderpump Rules over a decade ago.

She reflected on her time on the hit Bravo series during its first season and recalled how their feud began when she started dating Jax Taylor, 45, following his split from Schroeder.

While making an appearance on Thursday's episode of the Vanderpump Rules Party podcast, the actress, now 33, claimed that Schroeder, 36, would 'berate' and bully her off the cameras.

'I would have shifts where Stassi and her little crew would come in and spill drinks on me or send me hate letters through the cooks or [say], "Come sit in my section," just to berate me during my shifts,' she recalled.

She said that 'these things that were so wrong' would continue when they weren't filming too.

This comes months after Schroeder opened up about one of the most 'twisted and cruel' things she has done to her husband.

Laura-Leigh is finally breaking her silence about how Stassi Schroeder allegedly bullied her on Vanderpump Rules over a decade ago

She reflected on her time on the hit Bravo series during its first season and recalled how her rift with Schroeder began; pictured November 2024 in Hollywood

And looking back now, the We're The Millers actress believes her former co-stars were 'doing that for the show' but said that 'everything felt very real' to her back then.

Laura-Leigh also recalled how Schroeder allegedly accused her of 'stealing her medication' during her sobriety journey at one point.

However, it was Taylor who had allegedly taken it and let her take the fall for it.

During the same podcast episode, she also claimed that she was only paid $500 for the entire season.

'We were all working at SUR. I was a new hire. All of that was true,' she recalled.

'I was not going to do the show because my agency said they would drop me if I did a reality show.'

She said she 'wouldn't sign the rights' to be filmed believing that the show would not air without it.

'By [that] time, they had shot so much. They couldn't release the show without my signature, and I honestly thought  because I was naive  that this will never see the light of day. That's what I thought.'

Looking back now, the We're The Millers actress believes her former co-stars were 'doing that for the show' but said that 'everything felt very real' to her back then

She said it began when she started dating Jax Taylor, 45, following his split from Schroeder back then; pictured in Vanderpump Rules season one still

She said she ultimately agreed to be on the show because she needed the money. 'I couldn't pay my rent. I'm a single woman doing it all on my own. I had my own apartment and my own car. No parental help, financially. Working endless jobs and auditioning and testing. Completely depleted,' she said.

'So I signed it so I could get $500 to pay the rest of my rent for that month. And that's what I made off of the show.'

She said that she has not received any additional payments despite the show's success.

'No residuals. Nothing. And I had to go after them to get that $500. The cast all got paid, I think it was $8,000 for the first season. Jax and everyone else got, like, $8,000. The only reason I know that is because that's all the money Jax had to his name. And I was like, "Well, if they're getting money, why can't I get money?"

'They were like, "OK, we'll give you $500."'

In the first season, the love triangle ultimately ended when Taylor broke up with Laura-Leigh after he accompanied her to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

She told Lisa Vanderpump in the finale that she was quitting her job at SUR because she had booked a role alongside Jennifer Aniston in We're the Millers.

While making an appearance on Thursday's episode of the Vanderpump Rules Party Podcast, the actress, now 33, claimed that Schroeder, 36, would 'berate' and bully her off the cameras; pictured in Vanderpump Rules season one portrait

Laura-Leigh also recalled how Schroeder allegedly accused her of 'stealing her medication' during her sobriety journey at one point. However, it was Taylor who had allegedly taken it and let her take the fall for it; pictured in Vanderpump Rules season one still

Laura-Leigh has since appeared in The Client List, Blue Bloods, Under the Silver Lake and multiple short films.

She opted not to return to fully pursue her acting career as well as, according to the podcast, stay on her sobriety journey.

Schroeder went on to star on the show for eight seasons until she was fired in 2020.

Nearly half a decade ago, she and co-star Kristen Doute were accused of making racially insensitive remarks allegedly and calling the police on Faith Stowers, the only black cast member to appear on Vanderpump Rules.

Schroeder and Doute faced backlash for accusing Stowers of a crime she did not commit.

She said it began when she started dating Jax Taylor, 45, following his split from Schroeder back then; pictured in Vanderpump Rules season one portrait

Even though they apologized for their actions, they were fired amid the fallout and called out for their 'racist' behaviors.

Taylor exited the series that same year alongside his then-wife Brittany Cartwright.

The pair  who have since separated and filed for divorce  went on to star in The Valley.

The spinoff series debuted in March 2024, and its second season is set to premiere later this year.

Vanderpump Rules will soon be returning as well but with a brand new cast for its upcoming 12th season.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' attorneys have lashed out after the trailer for an upcoming documentary about the music mogul was released.

The rapper, 55, who is being held in New York City on multiple charges of sex trafficking and assault, is the topic of the forthcoming film, Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, which will be released on Peacock January 14.

The 90-second preview included people claiming to be insiders who were interviewed for the tell-all documentary, giving their version of events.

The movie is one of several to be released after his arrest in September 2024.

Combs' lawyers released a lengthy statement on Friday stating, 'These documentaries include unchecked claims and provide platforms for baseless conspiracy theories without accountability or evidence.'

'In the case of the Peacock documentary in particular, the motivations and credibility of those being interviewed must be questioned. Many claim to have knowledge but lack any connection to the truth, while their wild, unfounded theories are cut and sensationalized to appear factual.'

Diddy insiders , such as a childhood friend, a former bodyguard and a Making the Band winner give interviews in the Peacock special.

Attorneys for Sean 'Diddy' Combs have lashed out against the allegations included in a trailer for an upcoming documentary about the music mogul, 55, questioning the 'motivations and credibility of those being interviewed'

His former Uptown Records label mate Al B. Sure!, who was married to the late model Kim Porter before she began her relationship with Combs, breaks his silence in the documentary.

Porter is the mother of three of Combs' children, Christian, 26, and twins Jessie and D'lila, 18.

The trailer for the special released on Thursday includes footage of the rapper partying at home and in the studio.

'I've been with Sean for quite a while and I've captured a lot of moments,' one unidentified source claimed.

'Anytime a studio or any rooms is [lit with red lighting], he's making love, sex. Some of the girls who were in the room, for sure, they were underage.'

'They said they could ship me off and sell me to anyone,' added an unidentified woman.

Comb's legal team declared 'Sean Combs unequivocally denies these false allegations, which are harmful, defamatory, and unsupported by credible evidence.'

'It is deeply concerning how such narratives can influence public perception and prejudice the legal process. Mr. Combs deserves his day in court with an impartial jury, free from the taint of these baseless claims. The facts will be addressed in court, where truthnot fictionwill prevail.'

The film 'Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy' gives insight into the mogul's decades long career and includes never-before-seen footage of him

The music mogul remains in federal custody at the notoriously tough Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City awaiting trial on multiple charges including sex trafficking and sexual assault (Pictured in London in November 2023)

In the trailer released Thursday, an insider claimed when Diddy was in studio or room with a red light on 'he's making love, sex. Some of the girls who were in the room, for sure, they were underage'

The 90-minute documentary will spill on Combs early years, 'his decades-long transformation to Puffy and then to Diddy, with crucial insight into the forces that shaped the man and may have made him a monster,' according to Peacock.

'Sean Combs is a monster,' declares attorney Lisa Bloom in the trailer. Bloom is representing Dawn Richards, who sued the rapper for 'terrorizing and sexually abusing' her in a civil case against the rapper.

The music mogul remains in federal custody at the notoriously tough Metropolitan Detention Center in New York City awaiting trial.

Combs has pleaded not guilty, and in a recent report from Page Six he was said to have appeared in court 'astonishingly thinner' and 'greyer,' after months away from the lavish lifestyle he and his family were accustomed to.

Following a months-long investigation by authorities, he was charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution  all of which he denies  and a trial date has been set for May 5.

Combs was placed on suicide watch during his first week in custody, but was taken off of it shortly after, with his lawyer claiming his client was 'focused and very strong.'

Comb's legal team declared 'Sean Combs unequivocally denies these false allegations, which are harmful, defamatory, and unsupported by credible evidence' (Pictured in Atlanta in August 2023)

'Mr. Combs deserves his day in court with an impartial jury, free from the taint of these baseless claims. The facts will be addressed in court, where truthnot fictionwill prevail,' his legal team said. Trial is set for May 5 (Pictured in Los Angeles in June 2022)

He faces a string of sex charges alongside renewed allegations, including a new lawsuit alleging sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

That legal filing, seen by DailyMail.com, claims Diddy had allegedly 'aggressively approached' the young girl with a 'crazed look in his eyes' before sexually assaulting her.

She claims an unidentified male celebrity also raped her while Diddy and an unnamed female celebrity watched.

The rapper has denied those allegations. When asked at the time, his attorneys told DailyMail.com he 'never sexually assaulted anyone' and said the most recent 'barrage of filings' were nothing but 'clear attempts to garner publicity.'
Martin Compston has opened up on the possibility of a new series of Line Of Duty, as he admitted he'd 'like to pull his waistcoat out again'.

The Scottish actor, 40, starred in the BBC police drama which last aired in 2021 after almost a decade on screens - and fans are desperate for another season.

In a new interview with The Times, Martin was asked the question on everyone's minds, and hinted that viewers could be in luck.

He reasoned: 'I just dont know. Im busy next year. Vickys ridiculously busy, sos Adrian. If theres a story Jed wants to tell, hell come to us.

'As soon as theres some news well let you know, but right now theres nothing there. Id like to pull my waistcoat out again.'

Martin joked: 'I like a waistcoat but I cant wear them now; its like putting on Steves character.'

Martin Compston has opened up on the possibility of a new series of Line Of Duty, as he admitted he'd 'like to pull his waistcoat out again'

The Scottish actor, 40, starred in the BBC police drama which last aired in 2021 after almost a decade on screens - and fans are desperate for another season

The actor, who starred as Detective Inspector Steve Arnott for six series of Line of Duty between 2012 and 2021, recently appeared on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X.

Host Chris, 50, asked the question on everyone's lips to find out if it's coming back any time soon.

Throwing another hint, Martin replied: 'I love that people ask and the love that people have.

'When people stop asking about it itll be a sad day. I do love that but, you dont want to give fans false hope because people get excited.'

He added: 'Were not planning anything immediately. Wed love to do another one at some point but were all working next year on other stuff.'

Chris joked: 'Well stop working on other stuff, stop being so selfish.'

Despite there being nothing set in stone, Martin seems to be hopeful about the future.

Martin later confessed: 'I'm hopeful and sure well get to it at some point, but honestly once were going to do it youll hear it from us first.

'We'd be delighted to tell people!'

He reasoned: 'I just dont know. Im busy next year. Vickys ridiculously busy, sos Adrian. If theres a story Jed wants to tell, hell come to us'

The actor, who starred as Detective Inspector Steve Arnott for six series of Line of Duty between 2012 and 2021, recently appeared on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X

The actor spoke to radio host Chris Moyles about the future of the popular show, saying: 'I'm hopeful and sure well get to it at some point'

Just last month Martin's co-star Adrian Dunbar appeared to 'confirm' the show's return.

The Irish actor, 66, has played Superintendent Ted Hastings in Line of Duty from the very start of the series.

He opened up about his character's hilarious sayings on the show, such as 'Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey' and 'Theres only one thing Im interested in and that is catching bent coppers.'

During an interview with Virgin Radio UK, he told Ryan Tubridy: 'The one I didn't get in, which is kind of a really good Irish one about not stopping things happening is, "Don't stall the digger".

'That's a good one, isn't it? Like, you know, "You've got to keep going'" That's going in the next season.'

Not only that, he also explained that Jed Mercurio has been working on it.

He added to the radio host: 'He is writing We haven't got a script on the desk yet.

Just last month Martin's co-star Adrian Dunbar appeared to 'confirm' the show's return (pictured in July)

'We know that Dr. Mercurio is out there doing something, Jed is writing. But as to when it's going to happen, we don't know.'

In November, the stars of the show reportedly reunited three years after the underwhelming finale of the hit BBC show to thrash out details for another new series.

It's understood that Vicky McClure, Martin Compston and Adrian Dunbar joined the show's creator Jed Mercurio last week for dinner - and the main topic of discussion was a seventh series.

The three stars, who played hard-hitting anti-corruption officers DC Kate Fleming, DS Steve Arnott and Supt Ted Hastings, previously struggled to commit to a new series because of conflicting schedules.

According to The Sun the quartet often met up for dinner after filming for the sixth series of the show wrapped but this is the first time they discussed reuniting for the hit show.

A source told the publication: 'Jed is close with Vicky, Martin and Adrian and they often meet for dinner  this time it was different.

'A topic of conversation was how they could align their schedules in 2025 to ensure Line of Duty 7 happens. The ambition is filming could start next year, with it on screens by early 2026.'
Aubrey Plaza was scheduled to present at the 2025 Golden Globes ahead of the tragic death of her husband Jeff Baena at age 47 on Friday.

Earlier this week, the actress, 40, was announced among the stars, including Andrew Garfield, Demi Moore, Gal Gadot and Nicolas Cage, scheduled to take the stage during Sunday's show at the award show's 82nd annual ceremony.

It is highly unlikely that the Parks and Recreation star will still present or attend the Golden Globes, which will take place just two days after her husband's passing.

DailyMail.com has reached out to her representatives, but has not heard back.

Plaza has not publicly commented on the death of her husband.

Last year, the performer earned her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a television limited series/motion picture for her performance as Harper Spiller in White Lotus.

Aubrey Plaza was scheduled to present at the 2025 Golden Globes ahead of the tragic death of her husband Jeff Baena at age 47 on Friday; seen on December 2, 2024

Baena's body was discovered by an assistant on Friday in the Los Feliz property they purchased in 2022 and officers responded to the home at 10:25 am, the Los Angeles Fire Department told the DailyMail.com.

'Death was determined for an approximately 47-year old male, no transport,' they said in a statement.

'We responded to the 2100 block of Fern Dale Place for a death investigation. Officers responded for a male decedent,' the Los Angeles Police Department added to the DailyMail.com.

The Life After Beth director was pronounced dead at the scene.

In an update after his death on Friday, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said Baena died by hanging in their Los Feliz property, officially confirming suicide as the death of death.

Baena's family told Deadline that they are devastated by the news and are asking for privacy at this time.

Baena got into film after he graduated from New York University with a film degree and moved to LA to launch his career.

He worked low-level jobs for big directors, including Robert Zemeckis and David O. Russell as he found his footing in the industry. He worked as a production assistant for Zemeckis and as an assistant editor for Russell.

He is best known for directing Life After Beth, his directorial debut, which Plaza starred in, and The Little Hours.

Baena also co-wrote I Heart Huckabees, which was nominated for a 2004 Gotham Award for Best Feature.

He also wrote Life After Beth, which premiered at Sundance in 2014. His film Joshy also premiered at the famous festival and was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize.

The Miami native also worked on Horse Girl and Spin Me Round.

Earlier this week, the actress, 40, was announced among the stars, including Andrew Garfield, Demi Moore, Gal Gadot and Nicolas Cage, scheduled to take the stage during Sunday's show at the award show's 82nd annual ceremony (seen in 2017)

On Thursday, January 2, the Golden Globes Instagram account shared a photo of Plaza telling fans to catch her presenting at the ceremony this weekend

For his television works, he directed and executive produced Showtime series Cinema Toast. He co-directed the product with his wife.

He secretly married The White Lotus star in 2020 almost a decade after they met, keeping their relationship largely out of the limelight.

In September 2024, she made a rare remark about their marriage during an interview with Howard Stern.

On the radio show, she spoke about maintaining friendships and a relationship in her line of work.

It is highly unlikely that the Parks and Recreation star will still present or attend the Golden Globes, which will take place just two days after her husband's passing; pictured in 2023

She has not publicly commented on the death of her husband

When Stern suggested that being married to a filmmaker rather than an actor was 'better for [her],' the Parks and Recreation alum agreed.

She also spoke about how is 'happy' overall, in spite of Stern pushing back.

When Stern insinuated that her job was 'not bringing you the happiness that you thought it would bring,' she said with a laugh: 'It's lonely at the top.'

Back in 2021, she also spoke fondly of him while talking about being both work and life partners with him.

While making an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, she also spoke about their spontaneous nuptials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, the performer earned her first Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a television limited series/motion picture for her performance as Harper Spiller in White Lotus (pictured in 2022)

'It's so great, it's so complicated,' she told the talk show host and fellow actor.

'It's, like, extreme highs and extreme, you know, complications. It's a really hard thing to navigate, but we've been together for 11 years. We just muscle our way through it.'

She also spoke about how they got married in the tie-dye pajamas he made for them during the pandemic in their backyard.

That same year, she also told People that the Covid-19 pandemic strengthened their relationship.

'We were quarantined for months and months like everybody else,' she gushed. 'And we did enjoy it. I think it was, obviously other than all of the catastrophic things happening in the world, just on a personal level, relationship level, was kind of nice to just be forced to be in one place for that long.'

Plaza recalled that they tied the knot spontaneously in front of an 'altar of their love objects.'
January 3, 2025: Many countries and international organizations have urged Israel and their Palestinian neighbors to make peace and establish an independent Palestinian state. None of these proposals address the Palestinian demands that Israel must be destroyed before there can be peace. This violence has been going on even before Israel was founded in 1948.

As of 2025, the fighting continues with no end in sight. Lebanon and Syria were hostile towards Israel until 2024 when Syria had an unexpected change of government with HST, a former Islamic terrorist group, and its charismatic leader conquering Syria in a week. The Assads, which had been ruling Syria for over fifty years, fled to Russia, along with the remaining Russian troops in Syria. Iranian forces were also expelled.

Iran helped found and long supported Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah. This group dominated southern Lebanon and parts of Syria for decades. In 2024 an Israeli effort to destroy Hezbollah succeeded. This victory took nearly a decade to plan but succeeded. It will take years, if not longer for Hezbollah to be reconstituted. That may not happen because the new HTS government in Syria wants peace with Israel and peace in Lebanon. Israeli is still in southern Lebanon rooting out all the elements who want to attack Israeli and keep the Lebanese government out of the way, Israel will ask for an official or unofficial peace deal with Lebanon over the last sixty years groups of local and imported Islamic terrorists or opportunistic political groups have kept southern Lebanon in chaos. The Israelis recently eliminated the causes of that chaos and are waiting for the Lebanese government and the Hezbollah remnants to cooperate in a new peace deal with Israel. Hezbollah, for ideological reasons, will not deal directly with Israel.

If Lebanon made a deal, as they have done in the past, they can force Hezbollah to go along or be expelled. Theres no nearby refuge for Hezbollah, which has also lost access to its longtime patron Iran. Often forgotten is the fact that Israel has made peace with some of its neighbors. Egypt and Jordan were the first in 1978 and 1994. Now there are negotiations for peace with Lebanon and Syria.

Fatah in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza are still the two Palestinian governments and disagree on many issues, but both agree that Israel must be destroyed and Jews expelled from the region before there can be peace. In the meantime, Hamas and Fatah both encourage violence against Israelis and Palestinian civilians comply. Outsiders like the Saudis, EU and World Bank dismiss or trivialize the realities that Israel faces from Palestinian violence. They also assume that Hamas and Fatah can prevent their radical factions from violently disrupting any outside peace efforts. Some foreign donor nations, especially Moslem nations, are aware of the reality of the situation but keep silent. Contradicting the Saudis, EU and World Bank by pointing out the reality of the situation is ignored. What cannot be ignored by Israel is the growing Palestinian violence.

In 2023 there was more violence in the West Bank that required Israel forces to deal with. At first it was armed Palestinian groups fighting each other for dominance while organizing attacks on Israelis or in Israel itself. This led to a degree of fighting in the West Bank not seen since 2021, and might become the start of a new Palestinian offensive or intifada. This would be the third one. The first lasted from 1987 to 1993 while the second one was from 2000 to 2005.

Israel defeated the 2000 Intifada terror campaign by 2005. But as long as Palestinians had free access to Israel, the Fatah Palestinian government urged and encouraged Palestinians to attempt attacks inside Israel. The Israelis responded with tighter border controls which kept the terrorist threat low in Israel. Fatah insisted they had a right to keep trying to kill Israelis and, for over a decade, Arab and Western nations kept providing aid to the West Bank and Gaza despite the fact that more and more of it was used to support and encourage more terrorism against Israel. Some Palestinian leaders tried to describe the violence as an effort to defend Islam. The Palestinians were not very religious and their violence against Israelis was justified by their belief that Israel must be destroyed and Israelis driven from the region.

There were other problems, mainly involving corruption. This has led more donor states, Moslem and non-Moslem, to openly complain of Fatah misuse of aid money. Fatah denied it and continued their corrupt ways. The donors cut their aid, often to nothing. It was not just the Fatah support of terrorism but the growing Fatah corruption which meant a lot of the aid was stolen to enrich Fatah leaders. Palestinians also opposed the Fatah policy and Fatah was forced to tolerate more and more Palestinians renouncing terror to pass the background check and work in Israel. West Bank Palestinian jobs in Israel have become a crucial part of the West Bank economy, even more so than they were back in 2000. Palestinians were barred from those jobs for nearly a year after the Hamas October 2023 attacks against Israelis. Over 100,000 Palestinians depend on those jobs because the 20,000 0r so working in Israel have dependents who are destitute without that income.

The post-2000 ban on Palestinian workers was unpopular with many Israeli employers, but the threat was so great that Israeli employers had to pay more to import and hire non-Moslem foreigners for as long as there was a threat that Palestinian workers were likely to try and kill Israelis. Both Israel and the former or potential Palestinian workers knew that a growing number of those Palestinian workers could be trusted to work in Israel. Those who violated that trust faced prison or worse if they played any part in an attack. Anyone associated with these untrustworthy Palestinians had a more difficult time getting permits to work in Israel. The growth in the number of trustworthy Palestinian workers was something neither Israel nor Fatah wanted to publicize lest the Islamic radicals declare war on Palestinians working or seeking to work in Israel. This might trigger a civil war in the West Bank, something Fatah did not want but the radicals were less opposed to. There are Palestinian factions that believe chaos in the West Bank would spread to Israel and weaken Israeli power. This is a minority belief that ignores the Israeli ability to organize effective responses to Palestinian violence. Life inside Israel is peaceful. Most Palestinians wish they had a similar situation, and they would be correct if not for the endless supply of radical factions insisting violence is the solution.

For example, Hamas does not care about any form of collateral damage from forcing Palestinians working in Israel to cooperate with terrorists. Most Palestinians recognize that Hamas is hard-core about attacking Israel, which is why Hamas has had a hard time gaining political traction in the West Bank. Palestinians know that Hamas policies produce more poverty and casualties for Palestinians. The only thing that got Hamas control of Gaza during the last Palestinian elections in 2007 was the belief that Hamas would be less corrupt than Fatah. That was true in 2007 but became less so ever since. Hamas forbids working in Israel and punished anyone who protested about Hamas corruption.

West Bank violence between Palestinians and Israelis living in the many Jewish settlements has been on the increase for over a decade. The upsurge in violence is the result of the Palestinian leadership calling for another intifada uprising in 2013. This was a side-effect of the rebellion in Syria and the 2011 Arab Spring revolutions in general. While some Palestinian leaders call for another intifada uprising, most Palestinians, especially those over 30, fear the economic consequences of that and warn the pro-intifada radicals that there is not a lot of popular support for another round of violence. Israel has shown they know how to handle this at little cost to themselves and great cost to the Palestinians.

All this is complicated by persistent American efforts to achieve a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinian peace talks never made much progress. The talks were held at the insistence of the U.S., which threatened to cut aid if the talks did not happen. American leaders are aware of Palestinian attitudes on peace with Israel but the U.S. still assumes that a peace deal is possible if you keep trying. Thats one definition of insanity, continuing to make the same policies work and failing. For years Palestinian leaders have agreed to give peace talks a chance approach when speaking to Western leaders and reporters but they then turn around and tell their followers that, of course, Israel must be destroyed and that there is no other solution.

For most Western leaders the disunity, corruption and general chaos within the Palestinian community is seen as a larger problem than a peace deal. That may be true, but without a positive attitude towards a peace deal, there wont be any peace. Despite all this, for over a decade many Palestinians have been talking about a Third Intifada as if more civil disorder will change anything. Peace is not on the agenda. Most Israelis and Americans agree. Even without a new intifada, casual violence in the West Bank kept increasing. This usually takes the form of young men throwing stones at Israeli soldiers or civilians. Israeli women and children are the preferred targets because they are the least likely to shoot back if the rocks begin to inflict injuries. Palestinian propaganda praises those who kill children just as much as those who killed soldiers or police. All are heroes of the Palestinian struggle to destroy Israel. This is becoming embarrassing for some Western nations when it was pointed out that their aid money was being used directly for some of this propaganda.

The recent West Bank violence was the result of Israeli security forces shutting down a major Palestinian effort to recruit, train and arm hundreds of Palestinians to carry out attacks against Israelis living in the West Bank as well as in Jerusalem and Israel in general. The Palestinian terrorism operation was real as Israeli troops encountered armed resistance as they approached locations where weapons and munitions were stored, and newly recruited Palestinians were trained and armed. These operations were shut down, but only after fighting between Israeli troops and armed Palestinians. Once the fighting is over the weapons and munitions are disposed of and the Israeli troops withdraw, taking Palestinian suspects with them. Israeli troops are wounded and at least one has been killed in these operations. This sort of thing had not been seen in the West Bank since 2002. Until recently Palestinian security forces kept the peace in the West Bank. The current growth of terrorist activity in the West Bank can be attributed to Gaza-based and Iran-supported terror group Hamas. There have been increasing Hamas efforts to establish operations in the West Bank. Most West Bank Palestinians want no part of this because similar activity in Gaza has brought nothing but poverty and trouble to the Palestinians living there.

The disruptive impact of small groups of radicals is a long tradition in the Middle East, especially after Islam was introduced over a thousand years ago. Islam is the only major religion whose scripture mandates continuous violence against non-believers, who are called infidels. The Islamic scriptures make it clear that the mere existence of infidels is a threat to Islam and these infidels must be attacked, no matter what the cost. Most Moslems ignore this aspect of their religion, at the risk of being declared a heretic if conservative Moslems near them decide to get violent and go jihad and make war on any Infidels within reach.

Many Moslems, including Gulf oil state Arab governments are openly seeking a way to reform Islam and eliminate this flaw which has been crippling Islam and killing Moslems for over a thousand years. This is a serious effort and one reason for making peace with Israel. The Islamic militants in Gaza and the West Bank oppose efforts to give peace a chance.
It's the genteel rural drama that brings smiles to the faces of its millions of listeners each week.

But it appears that all may not be well in The Archers' fictional village of Ambridge after bosses cut the number of episodes featuring its top stars, in what they see as a drive to reduce costs.

Sources have told the Mail on Sunday that the move, which has prompted unrest among the cast, means the most popular characters, who are paid more, are being used less.

Fans of the show have noticed that characters often disappear for long periods, and vented their frustrations on The Archers Facebook group.

One said: 'The actors were always guaranteed a minimum number of episodes, but that's all changed and the cast are furious. Characters disappear for weeks at a time as some actors aren't being used as much, especially if they are paid more.

'It is becoming de rigueur to use cheaper actors on soaps and this is what is happening here.

It appears that all may not be well in The Archers' fictional village of Ambridge after bosses cut the number of episodes featuring its top stars. Pictured: Pat Archer played by Pat Gallimore

Sources have told the Mail on Sunday that the move, which has prompted unrest among the cast, means the most popular characters, who are paid more, are being used less. Pictured: Ruth Archer played by Felicity Finch

The BBC has denied cutting the budget. But when asked about the cast's episodes being reduced, a spokesman said: 'Actors are used according to the requirements of each individual storyline'. Pictured: Jill Archer played by Patricia Greene

'You are also hearing more characters being talked about but not actually appearing.

'There's a lot of anger behind the scenes, but everything has been cut to the bone and there's a real fear about its [the drama's] future.'

The BBC has denied cutting the budget. But when asked about the cast's episodes being reduced, a spokesman said: 'Actors are used according to the requirements of each individual storyline.'

Last year the BBC launched an official podcast for the show in what could be seen as a desperate attempt to lure younger audiences to the drama that has an average listener age of 56.

The soap features well-known characters such as Jill Archer, played by Patricia Greene, David Archer, portrayed by Timothy Bentinck, and Felicity Finch's Ruth Archer.

Last week the BBC was forced to come out and say the drama would be featuring the Government's inheritance tax raid on farms, after being accused of underplaying it last November.
Giovanni Pernice has admitted he thought the Strictly Come Dancing bullying row would be the 'end of his career' as he reflected on the 'dark moments' he faced.

The professional dancer, 34, was forced to leave the British show last year amid a probe into his behaviour, after he was accused of abuse by his former celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington.

Giovanni was cleared of ten out of Amanda's 16 allegations when the BBC probe concluded in September but remained absent for the current edition of the series.

The BBC's report cleared him of the most serious accusations of physical aggression, but upheld some of verbal bullying and harassment.

Reflecting on the year, he told The Mirror in a new interview: 'I'm not going to lie, there were dark moments in terms of, you know, this is finished, this is the end of my career. That was one of my down moments.

'Sorry for my language but 2024 can f**k off. I've been looking forward to seeing the back of it.'

Giovanni Pernice has admitted he thought the Strictly Come Dancing bullying row he was involved in would be the 'end of his career' as he reflected on the 'dark moments' he faced

The professional dancer, 34, was forced to leave the show last year amid a probe into his behaviour, after he was accused of abuse by his former celebrity partner, Amanda Abbington

Commenting on Amanda's bombshell claims, he continued: 'Every time she came out with another interview I was always maintaining a calm inside. Trust me, it wasnt easy, there were dark times.'

Giovanni's new comments come after he proved that he has not lost his competitive edge after his break from British TV as he ditched fellow Strictly pro Kai Widdrinton in an effort to win Channel 4's Celebrity Hunted.

Celebrity Hunted sees a group of stars, AKA Fugitives, go on the run across mainland UK for 14 days as they are chased by the Hunters - a handpicked team of police and military personnel.

Hunters have access to all of the celeb's personal information and use the 'powers of the state' to locate and capture them, including cyber forensic technology, ANPR, CCTV, helicopters, drones, dogs and call tracing.

They even use social media to bribe members of the public or captured contestants with monetary rewards in exchange for information on the celebs whereabouts.

Those who successfully evade capture for 14 days must reach a designated 'extraction' point on the final day before winning 100,000 for Stand Up To Cancer.

The Strictly pros are among six famous pairings participating in the suspenseful gameshow but Giovanni was prepared to throw Kai under the bus to win the show himself.

He said: 'It's exciting to be back on British TV. It's been too long!'

'It was super stressful. Me and Kai are the best of mates, but I'm very competitive and he is not at the same level when it comes to competitiveness.

Giovanni was cleared of ten out of Amanda's 16 allegations when the BBC probe concluded in September but remained absent for the current edition of the series

In a new interview, he said: 'I'm not going to lie, there were dark moments in terms of, you know, this is finished, this is the end of my career. That was one of my down moments'

It comes after Giovanni proved he has not lost his competitive edge after his break from British TV as he ditched fellow Strictly pro Kai Widdrinton in an effort to win Celebrity Hunted

'In fact, you will see we split up. I was thinking, "I want to win this", but Kai was thinking about where we could stay that was nice.

'He was like, "Here is cool, it's relaxed, it's warm, let's eat". And I was like, "I don't need to eat. I don't want to be warm. I want to escape the Hunters!".'

Giovanni explained that Kai's slower pace nearly got them caught by the Hunter's a few times.

He said: 'There was a few times we nearly got caught. So I said to him, "We have to split because I really need to win this".'

Kai gracefully obliged with the hope that the plan would double their chances of winning.

The pair turned to Celebrity Hunted alumni and fellow Strictly pro Katya Jones for help as she went on the last season of the show with her Olympian best friend Aimee Fuller.

Recalling her advice, Kai said: 'She said basically be on it all the time because you never know where the Hunters are. They could be anywhere.'

As well as his Hunted appearance, Giovanni also featured heavily in Strictly's 20th anniversary special and was lauded for his groundbreaking dance with deaf partner Rose Ayling Ellis in 2021.

After a tumultuous few months, Giovanni ended 2024 on a high as he won the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing and embarked on a new romance with dance partner Bianca Guaccero

Meanwhile, it has reportedly been revealed that Amanda has rejected a huge money offer to star in the upcoming series of CBB for fear of being trolled online

The pair stunned audiences when halfway through their performance to Clean Bandit's Symphony the music stopped but the dance continued.

The special performance was dubbed the 'greatest dance of all time' on Strictly.

And after a tumultuous few months, Giovanni ended 2024 on a high as he won the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing and embarked on a new romance with dance partner Bianca Guaccero.

The pair confirmed their romance in November, with Bianca at the time claiming she had 'difficulty believing in true love' until she met him.

Bianca also declared that she had 'never felt as secure and loved' as she does with the dancer, who is almost 10 years her junior.

Meanwhile, it has reportedly been revealed that Amanda has rejected a huge money offer to star in the upcoming series of CBB for fear of being trolled online.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'Amanda decided to discreetly turn down the offer because she felt so traumatised by the last reality TV contest she was on.

'She couldn't face going through all the trolling that she received when she complained about Giovanni which made her feel like public enemy number one.

'Of course, the fee for taking part would have been appreciated but she just couldn't face it.'

The source added that Amanda has nothing against CBB and is a fan of the show herself.

MailOnline contacted Amanda's representatives for comment.
Gold prices traded almost flat at Rs 79,700 per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday, according to the All India Sarafa Association.

The precious metal closed at Rs 79,720 per 10 grams on Thursday.

Silver slipped Rs 230 to Rs 90,400 per kg on Friday. The white metal settled at Rs 90,630 per kg in the previous trading session. However, the price of gold with 99.5 per cent purity rose Rs 130 to Rs 79,300 per 10 grams on Friday.

Meanwhile, in futures trade on the MCX, gold contracts for February delivery increased Rs 6 to trade at Rs 77,723 per 10 grams.

Gold traded with minor gains in the domestic market, while Comex gold maintained a sideways trend around USD 2,655 per ounce, Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst of Commodity and Currency at LKP Securities, said.

The market remains steady with limited movements as participants await further global cues to determine the next direction, Trivedi said.

Silver climbed Rs 517 or 0.58 per cent to Rs 89,690 per kg in futures trade on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX).

Globally, Comex gold futures rose USD 2.10 per ounce or 0.08 per cent to USD 2,671.10 per ounce.

Gold extended gains on Friday buoyed by safe-haven demand after news reports came that US President Joe Biden discussed contingency plans to strike Irans nuclear facilities if it made progress towards developing a nuclear bomb before Trumps inauguration on January 20, said Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst - Commodities at HDFC Securities. Comex silver futures quoted 1.05 per cent higher in the Asian market hours at USD 30.22 per ounce.

According to Manav Modi, Analyst, Commodity Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, market participants focus is shifting towards geopolitical tensions, which is increasing distress in the market and supporting gold and dollar together.

The focus will be on the US manufacturing PMI data going to be released later on Friday which will provide more cues for the direction of bullion prices, Modi said.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said despite global economic uncertainties, Indias exports of goods and services are expected to cross USD 800 billion this fiscal, which will be a record.

Last fiscal year, the exports stood at USD 778 billion.

He said though there will be stresses in the global system, but Indias exports basket is large.

My estimate is that we will cross USD 800 billion in exports, another record given the world situation, he told reporters here.

He added share in services exports is also growing at a rapid pace.

On exports to developing and least developed countries (LDCs), he said those nations have been stressed because of the forex crisis they are facing after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Red Sea crisis too had impacted shipping lines.

Despite all these challenges and several items whre the government had imposed restrictions, significant growth in exports of goods and services is registered.

Imports were also high but that is in a way a sign of a growing economy. It shows that there is a demand for equipment, machinery in a big way, input and intermediate products, in the country, he said.

On the new US administration, the minister said: We are looking forward to a deep and substantive engagement with the new US administration...We are looking forward to working with (Donald) Trump administration again.
Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as a leader, peacemaker and humanitarian

Jimmy Carter, was one of the oldest living American presidents. Along with being the individual who has lived the longest after serving as president in American history, he is also distinguished for spending the most extended post-presidential period alive. Jimmy Carter, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts in promoting human rights and conflict resolution, passed away in 2023. He was the 39th President of the United States, and he outlived many of his contemporaries, including George H.W. Bush, who he defeated in the presidential race in 1980. Born James Earl Carter Jr. on October 1, 1924, he has made a significant mark on American history.From 1977 to 1981, Jimmy Carter served as the President of the United States. Before becoming president, Jimmy Carter served as the Governor of Georgia in 1971. Despite running for president again in 1982 (Democrat) and competing against Ronald Reagan, he faced defeat.

After leaving the presidency, he, along with his wife Rosalynn Carter, established the Carter Centre in 1982 in pursuit of helping the disadvantaged. Rosalynn Carter became the first lady and the first woman to serve as a board member of the Carter Centre.

In 2002, Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts towards peace and his exemplary actions in promoting human welfare. Despite reaching the age of 90, he remained active in various fields. Carter continued his philanthropic work, including building houses for low-income families through Habitat for Humanity, reducing diseases and elevating the quality of life for the underprivileged.

His advocacy for human rights, international conflict resolution, presidency, human rights, and socio-economic development reflects his dedication to humanitarian causes. Carters dedication to peace and social justice, as well as his active involvement in public service, sets him apart among U.S. presidents. Carter played a key role in mediating international conflicts, notably contributing to the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. His post-presidential activities, including receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and actively participating in various humanitarian initiatives, showcase his commitment to making a positive impact on the world. However, his attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran, known as Operation Eagle Claw, failed.In his personal life, Jimmy Carter married Rosalynn in 1946, and their marriage lasted more than seven decades. They have four children: Jack, James, Donnel, and Amy. Roselyn Rosalynn Carter, actively participated in various activities, including writing, activism, and advocacy for different causes. She was born in 1927. Rosalynn was actively involved in various meetings and discussions as the First Lady.

She faced controversies, engaged in foreign trips, and represented her husband in diplomatic roles.In 1978, the then-American President Jimmy Carter visited India. Morarji Desai was the Prime Minister at that time. He had a meeting with 500 media persons. Carter visited the village of Chumukedima.

The purpose of his visit was to revitalize the village where his mother, Lillian Peace, had served in the Peace Corps. During his journey, Carter distributed a considerable amount of money and television to the villagers. The village was later renamed as Carterpuri. In 2015, Jimmy Carter was diagnosed with cancer, and in 2019, he faced health challenges related to multiple falls. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Carter, at the age of 96, stayed at home due to the pandemics circumstances.Despite facing challenges and controversies, Jimmy Carter remained an active and influential figure in national and international affairs throughout his life. His contributions to diplomacy, human rights, and conflict resolution earned him recognition and respect. Even though his time as the American President failed, he left the White House and continued his work as a global advocate for human rights. He established the Carter Presidential Foundation to protect human rights globally, helping those in need and experiencing hardship.

The organization has grown globally, assisting those in distress in Africa, Latin America, and other societies. Carters compassionate activities in these regions included healthcare services and other humanitarian initiatives. Today, he remains one of the eminent figures among the great presidents of America.

(The writer is an associate professor; views are personal)
In a society deeply rooted in tradition and shaped by economic uncertainty, parents often tread cautiously when guiding their childrens career paths

We tend to be overcautious when we guide our children in their professional choices. I realised this only after I had cajoled my children into studying sciences till their class 12. My rationale was that they could always switch to any other course for graduation, but the reverse was not possible. They are now happily pursuing their non-science professions, often ribbing me about how much better they could have done in their Board examinations had I not insisted. Many parents from my social circle still struggle to resolve the conundrum.

A senior colleague faced such a dilemma for his daughter two decades back. My daughters were by now happily pursuing their dreams. I freely dispensed my wisdom to let the young lady pursue whatever she wanted. He was contemplative for some time before agreeing. He remembered his school friend, the son of a famous medical doctor.

The friend was pushed into a medical college sometime in the late sixties. He quit after a couple of years, joined a course in liberal arts, and was a contented leading artist. I was born a few years after independence. I believe our parents were excited about freedom but were equally apprehensive about the future for the next generation.

They opted for the more secure government jobs for us through engineering or medical studies. Children from families who had already seen enough government jobs through second-generation elders started moving to other options in the nineties. The liberalisation of the Indian economy opened professional choices hitherto unknown to children and parents alike. But it was still not the same across the entire spectrum.

A junior colleague sought my advice regarding his sons admission to an engineering course. The child had not performed well in the competitive examinations.

The fee charged by the available lower-rung colleges was exorbitant, necessitating the father to take a loan. It was tragic as he came to me after five years, a year after the young man had completed his graduation and had been unable to secure a job, requesting if I could arrange a job even at a measly monthly salary. I witnessed several similar cases and wondered about the strange phenomenon even half a century after independence when several better-paying career options were available.

An improved economy has resulted in a continuous upward movement of people financially from the below-poverty line to the lower class to the lower-middle-class to the middle-middle-class, and so on. However, an increasing population also ensures a part of the population remains in the lower financial strata. These parents are insecure about the future leading them towards the perceived safer educational courses for children to pursue. We read about senior leaders exhorting young people to become job providers instead of job seekers.

Not many talk about the ways to achieve this or the alternate career options. Engineering and medical colleges keep mushrooming without the government and the leaders pausing to reflect upon the implications of unplanned growth. This will continue for a few more generations till the population stabilizes. I narrate experiences from my life when interacting with the young in college.

I tell them to pursue their dreams. A few of them invariably ask me whether to follow the courses that their parents have chosen for them or if they should follow their dreams. It is a difficult question to answer. I draw upon my life when I respond, Follow your parents today, they only want the best for you. But do not let your dreams die. Life gives enough opportunities for you to pursue your dreams  if not today, certainly sometime in the future.

(The author is an electrical engineer with the Indian Railways and conducts classes in creative writing; views are personal)
Nagaland deputy chief minister Yanthungo Patton, while emphasising that the Centre is willing to offer only one solution to the longstanding Naga political issue, on Saturday urged Naga underground factions and people to come together for a permanent resolution.

Addressing the 175th anniversary celebration of Lhisemia Thinuo, the amalgamation of different clans of Lhisemia Khel (sector) of Kohima village, Patton said, The Centre, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is ready to give us a solution only if our Naga factions are united.

The Centre has been holding political negotiations with the NSCN-IM since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in 1997 and also inked the Framework Agreement in 2015. It also entered into parallel negotiations with the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC NNPGs), composed of at least seven Naga factions, in 2017. They signed the Agreed Position in November 2017.

Negotiations between the Centre and Naga groups were declared to have concluded on October 30, 2019, by the then interlocutor and Governor of Nagaland, R N Ravi.

However, the persistent demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution, as well as the integration of Naga-inhabited areas spread across four states-Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland-and the neighboring country of Myanmar, has not been accepted by the Centre, thus delaying the final solution.

Nonetheless, the WC NNPGs have declared their acceptance of the solution and continue talks for the remaining demands. But, the final solution remains elusive. The deputy CM appealed to everyone to spread the message of peace and unity among the Naga society, irrespective of tribe, clan, or region, for the progress and prosperity of the state and for the posterity.

Expressing concern over the existence of around 28 underground factions claiming to fight for a common Naga solution, the minister said, Not every faction is engaged in negotiations with the Centre as some are involved in anti-social activities, including extortion and illegal taxation from the public.

It is sad to see that our political movement is broken into pieces with about 28 factions running parallel governments today, marred with illegal taxations and extortions, making life difficult for our Naga people and hindering any progressive and sustainable activities, he said.

We need a strong and cohesive society for the growth and progress of the state, Patton said, adding that the state government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, has formed an opposition-less government, bringing all sixty elected MLAs together under one umbrella, irrespective of political party affiliations, with the aim to bring unity among Naga society and work towards a permanent solution to the protracted Naga political issue.
From seeking alms on city roads to managing traffic at the same places, it has been an incredible journey of empowerment for 39 transgenders in Hyderabad who have been inducted as traffic assistants to help the city police.

The transgenders, who have been appointed on a pilot basis, say they now get respect from citizens in contrast to the severe discrimination and insults they faced in the past.

It is wonderful that we manage traffic at places where we used to beg in the past, Nisha, a transgender traffic assistant, told PTI on Friday.

Nisha, who works at Patny Centre here, thanked Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for the opportunity given to the transgender community.

Nisha, who studied up to Intermediate, recalled facing discrimination from society at large, in college, with friends and even parents.

My parents did not accept me. But, they accepted me now. My friends used to avoid me. But, now they message me and keep in touch. After I got the job, my relations and others are appreciating. It is a wonder. I cannot describe in words, Nisha said.

Sana, another traffic assistant, said it is a matter of pride for them that they get respect from citizens, while people earlier used to hesitate to even speak to them.

P Viswa Prasad, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), told PTI that the transgender traffic assistants are doing good and that there are no complaints or there is anything abnormal since they have been inducted about 10 days ago.

It will take some time for them to get professional acumen. They want to get integrated with society and do well, he said.

It all began when CM Reddy asked officials in November to appoint transgender persons as traffic volunteers at high-traffic areas in the city.

During a meeting with officials, he said the services of transgenders should be utilised like home guards at traffic signals to prevent traffic violations.

He told the officials to finalise a special dress code for transgenders and also salary along the lines of home guards.

While the CM on December 6, 2024, handed over enrolment papers to the transgender persons who have been selected, they were formally inducted as traffic assistans on December 22.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner C V Anand had earlier said transgenders face alienation even within their families and society. The state government had issued an order to inducting the transgenders as traffic assistants, he said.

According to him, about 100 transgenders had applied for the posts and 44 of them were shortlisted after a selection process, including physical tests, while 39 successfully completed training.
BJP state president and former chief minister Babulal Marandi demanded justice for the farmers in paddy purchase by the state government. Addressing a press conference here on Friday he said that after the drought of the last two years, the state has had a good paddy crop this year. The farmers were expecting good returns for their hard work from the state government.

Marandi said that the parties involved in the Hemant government had promised to buy paddy at Rs 3200 per quintal before the elections. But, the state government went back on its promise. Today, paddy is being purchased in the state at Rs 2300 per quintal and Rs 2400 per quintal with a bonus of Rs 100. The state government has set a target of purchasing 60 lakh quintals of paddy but the situation is such that paddy purchase centers have not been opened in the districts yet. Bureaucracy is so dominant that the Finance Minister is forced to return empty-handed from his area without inaugurating the paddy purchase center. Even where the centers are open in the state, many places are found locked.

He said that the state government has not been able to purchase even 15 per cent of the target paddy till now. The state government is also deducting 10...15 kg per quintal by calling the paddy wet. He said that the state government has complicated the process of paddy purchase.

Due to the indifference of the state government, farmers are forced to fall into the clutches of brokers and middlemen. Farmers are forced to sell the crop produced by their hard work at Rs 1800..1900 per quintal. Here, brokers and middlemen from Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh are roaming from village to village on bikes to buy paddy.

Marandi said that brokers and middlemen are reaching the villages directly with trucks and buying paddy from the farmers at a low price. He said that it is the responsibility of the state government to make the farmers self-reliant and to strengthen the farmers so that they can stand on their own feet.

He said that the farmers of Jharkhand are not self-reliant in food grain production. Here, paddy is the only crop which farmers earn a few rupees by selling at MSP, rest of the pulses etc. are not produced here on a large scale. He said that in such a situation, there is a need to encourage the farmers but the state government is constantly engaged in disappointing the farmers.

Marandi said that the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is dedicated to the all-round development of the farmers. Today, every year Rs 6000 is being sent to the farmers' accounts in three installments which is proving to be very helpful for the farmers. The central government is constantly increasing the MSP on crops. Recently, the subsidy on urea prices has been increased.

Kisan Morcha President Pawan Sahu and co-media in-charge Yogendra Pratap Singh were present in the press conference.
The withdrawal of the writ petition filed in the Supreme Court by Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj regarding the Farishtey Scheme against the Office of the Lt. Governor is an admission that all the claims that he made against the LG Office in his petition were baseless, false and done with an intent to malign the Office of the Lt. Governor, Raj Niwas said on Friday.

Making this assertion, officials said fearing that the AAP governments lies will be exposed in the Supreme Court, Bhardwaj did not press for the petition on Thursday.

As per the affidavit submitted by the LG office, the writ petition, was unfounded aimed at maligning the Office of the Lt. Governor, stemmed from concealment of material facts and had been filed without any cause of action only to build up a narrative against the Office of the Lt. Governor.

The withdrawal of the writ petition by Bhardwaj, in the Supreme Court vindicates what the LG Office had said and proves that all along, Bhardwaj had been indulging in pointless and malicious blame game and was a classic example of dragging politics into the Court.

The claims made by Bhardwaj in his petition that LG Office had rendered his government incapable of implementing the Farishtey Scheme, have been belied and he has been exposed.

It vindicates the stand taken by the LG Office and the Secretary, Health, GNCTD that Farishtey Scheme had never been made infructuous, as alleged by Bhardwaj.

The total number of beneficiaries under the scheme during FY 2022-2023, was 3698 and the same stood at 3604 till October in FY 2023-2024, when the writ petition was moved. Bhardwaj lied to the Court in his writ petition.

Also, contrary to claims made by Bhardwaj in his writ petition that payments were not being made under the scheme, a payment of Rs 4.85 crores during FY 2022-2023, and a payment of Rs 4.98 crores till February 12 in FY 2023-2024, were made to private hospitals under the scheme.

These figures prima facie neither indicate a halt in the Farishtey Scheme nor do they support allegations of non-payment made by Bhardwaj, officials said.

The implementation of Farishtey or any other scheme of the Health Department was done by the Health Department itself, with financial allocations made by the Finance Department, both of which are transferred subjects totally under the control of respected Ministers and any failures thereof are the sole responsibility of the Ministers.

Moreover, Minister Health, Saurabh Bhardwaj is himself the Chairman of Delhi ArogyaKosh and it is him, who clears every file submitted directly by Director General of Health Services (DGHS), to him and the question of Secretary of the Health Department or the LG Office being anywhere in the picture does not arise.

Meanwhile, the AAP said that this is shameful, as the LG stooped to such lows that he did not even bother to respond to the letters of the Chief Minister of Delhi until he received notice from the Supreme Court.

After the Supreme Court issued notice to the LG, the funds of Rs. 29 crore were immediately released to DAK (Health Department), and payments could be made to private hospitals, allowing the scheme to become operational, the party said in a statement.
January 4, 2025: Attack an opponent's food supplies and weaken your foe substantially. Since the 19th Century, use of chemical fertilizers, and the ability to mass produce ammonia and nitrogen based fertilizers, has more than doubled food production. This has also created a potential vulnerability because there are only about 500 ammonia production facilities worldwide. Sabotage or aerial bombing of ammonia plants would have a direct impact on food supplies.

Some nations may have secret plans to attack ammonia plants in wartime, but most military planners consider such attacks impractical. A similar mistake was made during World War II, when the committee formed to select and prioritize targets for the allies aerial bombing campaign of Germany ignored one key element. After the war the United States conducted an after-action study of the bombing campaign and discovered that an important target system had been ignored. The German electrical power production was very vulnerable, and damage was difficult to repair, because the massive electricity generators took months to build and Germany had few of these in reserve.

For thousands of years, wars have often been decided by contr9l of food supplies. Victory could be won without fighting by rapidly destroying enemy crops and key supporting equipment like flour mills or draft animals to assist with planting and harvesting. If you cripple an opponent's food supply, you deplete the supply of military manpower and food to supply an army on campaign. The most successful armies in history were usually those that paid close attention to food supplies.

Two thousand years ago the Roman army was successful in part because its leaders paid close attention to logistics and sustained supplies of food for their troops. This wasnt just a matter of keeping track of food sources and what food the army had available. The Romans went further by building a vast network of well-designed roads. Some of these roads survive to the present. The Roman roads made it easier for Roman soldiers, wearing hobnailed sandals, to quickly march into areas not easily accessible to boats or ships. When agriculture developed 10,000 years ago, travel by water became even more useful. Food surpluses could be exported via rivers, lakes, or seas. Trade goods came in the same way. This was the easiest way to move soldiers around. The Roman combination of roads, sea transport and meticulous records keeping turned out to be vital military advantages.

For thousands of years, it was army commanders who developed military strategy. Even nations with large navies let the generals have the final say. There have been a few exceptions, mainly powerful island nations like Great Britain. But for the vast majority of nations, it was generals, not admirals, who had the last say. When air forces appeared a century ago, they were seen as a support service for the army and navy.

But air force commanders soon developed other ideas, especially the one that wars could be won from the air. World War II was supposed to be a test of this theory, but the results were inconclusive. At least that's what the careful examination of the effects of strategic bombing revealed. These studies, especially the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey/USSBS, were embarrassing to the air force generals. But the arrival of the atomic bomb in the last weeks of the war seemed to give the air force a power that could not be denied, especially when the nukes were delivered by ballistic missiles against which there was no defense. Nuclear weapons were so powerful and intimidating that they brought an unprecedented period of peace between the major powers. There were still wars, but not really, really big ones. These little wars were non-nuclear, and the air force was generally not ready for them.

The USSBS found that when many, seemingly from the air bombed out targets, were examined at ground level the targets were still functional

Blame it all on the inability to carry out effective Bomb Damage Assessment, or BDA, from the air. BDA is the business of figuring out what to bomb and what the impact on the enemy is after you bomb. The problem is the ease with which the aerial BDA photos are regularly deceived by the people on the ground. This became an issue during World War II. This was when air forces used large scale aerial bombing for the first time. Right after that conflict, the U.S. did a thorough survey of the impact of strategic bombing on Germany and Japan. It was discovered that the impact was far different from what BDA during the war had indicated.

The air force vowed to do better next time. But as experience in Korea (1950-3), Vietnam (1965-72), Kuwait (1991) and Kosovo (1999), Afghanistan (2001-2021) Iraq (2003-7) and several smaller conflicts demonstrated, the enemy on the ground continued to have an edge when it came to deceiving the most energetic BDA efforts. The only proven technique for beating the BDA problem was to have people on the ground, up close, checking up on targets, while the fighting was going on.

There's another problem. The army and air force have a different outlook on planning and risk. The air force sees warfare as a much tidier, and predictable, affair than does the army. In this respect, the air force and navy are closely aligned. Both are technical services, who are used to exercising more control over their forces than do army generals. The army sees warfare as more unpredictable and has adapted to that unpredictability. Army generals have always been skeptical of the air force claims, and it's usually the army that has proved to be right. But because air force and navy equipment is so much more expensive, those services get most of the defense budget, and the political clout that goes with it.

Strategic bombing is still difficult to carry out effectively, especially due to the lack of accurate BDA. Thats why finding key targets that are few in number and difficult to repair, like power plants and Ammonium production facilities, is so important.
A convoy of 12 container trucks carrying 337 metric tonnes of toxic residues from the defunct Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal arrived in Pithampur on Thursday morning, even as the government tried to allay health and environmental concerns.

The convoy, which left Bhopal late on Wednesday evening, covered the distance of nearly 250 kilometres through dense fog and tight security to reach the industrial town for incineration at a private facility.

Authorities along the convoy route blocked traffic to facilitate the speedy and secure passage of the dangerous cargo, which reportedly includes Sevin and naphthol residues from the pesticide factory that was shut down by the administration following a deadly leak on the night of December 2-3, 1984.

Though the shifting of the waste was ordered by the High Court, activists have opposed the move, saying the toxic substances will contaminate soil and groundwater reserves in the vicinity of the incineration site.

Urban Development and Housing Minister in the Madhya Pradesh government, Kailash Vijayvargiya, chaired a meeting in Indore. Minister Vijayvargiya is also in charge of the district of Dhar, which includes the industrial town of Pithampur.

Speaking at the meeting, government officials reiterated that adequate studies and scientific evidence were taken into account by the Supreme Court before it ordered a trial incineration of 10 metric tonnes of waste in 2014.

Activists have long battled successive governments over what they claim is improper handling of evidence and inadequate rehabilitation efforts for victims of the 1984 disaster.

On December 3, 2024, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the shifting of the waste to Pithampur for disposal. The state government is to submit a status report to the courts on January 03, 2025.

Responding to the development, a statement issued by noted activist Rachna Dhingra said, "No amount of protection in transporting this waste will save the damage that will be caused to the health and environment of the people of Pithampur and Indore when it is burnt and buried there."

The Union Carbide pesticide production facility leaked a highly toxic substance on the night of December 2-3, 1984. Over 3,000 people were killed instantly, while tens of thousands remain susceptible to a range of ailments due to the after-effects of the poisonous air they breathed on that fateful night in Bhopal.
Four individuals involved in a cybercrime operation that defrauded victims of approximately Rs 7 lakh under the guise of resolving pension issues and updating life certificates were arrested by the Cyber Crime Branch from Bhopal. The arrests were made in Sakti district of Chhattisgarh following a detailed investigation.

The accused operated by posing as treasury employees and contacting pensioners with false claims that their pensions had been withheld. They then convinced the victims to share sensitive information under the pretense of updating their life certificates in banks. Once the information was obtained, the accused used it to carry out financial fraud.

The investigation revealed a well-organized scheme involving multiple layers of participants. Bank account holders were found to be selling their accounts to cybercriminals for a commission. These accounts were then used to transfer fraudulent funds. In this case, one of the accounts had transactions amounting to ?50 lakh over a span of just 20 days.

The complaint that led to the investigation was lodged by a victim who reported being defrauded of ?6,95,100. The Cyber Crime Branch team initiated an inquiry, uncovering the systematic approach of the perpetrators. They identified that the fraudsters would transfer stolen funds through two or three intermediary accounts before withdrawing the money via ATMs to avoid detection.

The arrested individuals include Durgesh Kumar Tandon, Karan Sonavane, and Rahul Sonavane, residents of Sakti, Chhattisgarh, who had opened bank accounts and sold them to another accused, Vishwanath Khunte, alias Bablu. Khunte acted as a middleman, purchasing the accounts from the holders and selling them to other criminals involved in the fraud.

Acting on technical evidence, the Cyber Crime Branch apprehended the suspects from Malkharound in Sakti district on December 30, 2024. Three Android mobile phones were seized from the accused, and they were charged under Sections 201 and 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code, along with other applicable provisions.

The police emphasized the need for vigilance among pensioners and the general public to avoid falling prey to such fraudulent schemes. They reiterated that government employees or bank officials would never ask for sensitive personal information over the phone.

The arrests highlight the growing sophistication of cybercriminals who exploit vulnerable individuals. Authorities have urged the public to report any suspicious calls or activities to cybercrime helplines to prevent further incidents.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of cyber awareness and robust security measures to protect personal and financial information.




Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur on Friday said that cyber frauds in the state are increasing and in the year 2024, cyber frauds of Rs 980 crore were committed. This figure was about Rs 602 crore in 2023.

After presiding over a conference with ASPs, DSPs, all 29 Cyber SHOs, and Cyber investigative Officers at the Haryana 112 Auditorium in Panchkula in which various technical aspects and best practices related to cybercrime control were discussed, the DGP said that in the year 2023, about Rs 76 crore was saved from cybercriminals, while in 2024, about Rs. 268 crore was saved. In the year 2023, Police had made about 1900 arrests, which increased to about 5156 in the year 2024. Thus, compared to the year 2023, Police made about three times more arrests in the year 2024, he added.



Efforts should be made to arrest cybercriminals to control cybercrime, he added. Emphasizing the arrest of cybercriminals, he directed the senior police officers to give targets to their subordinate officers for this and fix the responsibility of negligent officers.



Kapur further said that today, 15 nodal officers from 10 banks are working with the Haryana Police and now from next week, the nodal officers of SBI Bank will also work with the Haryana Police team. These bank officers work 24 hours with the Haryana Police team.



DGP said, To control cybercrime, we all will have to work under an effective action plan in one direction, only then the results will be even better. Cybercrime is a serious issue, to deal with which new challenges have to be faced every day. In such a situation, it is necessary that everyone is clear about their responsibilities and has no doubts about the work. The purpose of the training program is to build capacity by improving our work process and work plan.



In the meeting, SP Cyber Amit Dahiya explained in detail the methods adopted in digital arrest, investment scam by cybercriminals for cyber fraud and the cyber technical aspects of investigation. He gave information about the I4C coordination portal, Samanvaya portal, OSNIT tools, M Kavach mobile app, antivirus and other important aspects. In the conference, Dahiya also gave information about new RBI guidelines and social engineering crimes. Apart from this, information was also given on digital arrest, investment fraud, cryptocurrency fraud, international fraud calls, NCRP and coordination portal, establishing coordination with bank nodal officers, and many other subjects.
Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for 39 days now, on Friday made a heartfelt appeal to farmers and supporters across the nation to converge at the Khanauri border on January 4 (Saturday) for a massive Kisan Mahapanchayat.

The protest, located at the Punjab-Haryana border, is centered on the ongoing battle for a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, a demand that has sparked widespread unrest among farmers and their supporters. Dallewals hunger strike, which has led to severe health complications, has become a symbol of the farmers unyielding commitment to securing their rights.

In a passionate video message released on Friday, Dallewal urged farmers and individuals supporting the MSP cause to join the gathering at Khanauri, emphasizing the importance of unity and strength in the ongoing fight. I want to see all of you at Khanauri on January 4. This struggle for MSP is a fight for our future, and your presence will send a powerful message, said Dallewal.

Despite his deteriorating health, Dallewal has remained resolute, rejecting medical aid and continuing his fast in an effort to draw attention to the farmers demands. His call for mass mobilization is aimed at amplifying the demand for a legal guarantee on MSP, which remains unresolved despite prolonged negotiations.

The Kisan Mahapanchayat is being organized under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, groups that have been at the forefront of ongoing farmer protests, dubbed as Delhi Chalo Andolan 2.0, since February 2023.

The protesters had earlier set up camps at Shambhu and Khanauri borders following their halted march to Delhi. The demand for MSP guarantees remains the central issue of contention between the farmers and the BJP-led Central Government. Despite attempts by Punjabs Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to persuade Dallewal to receive medical help, the farmer leader has remained firm, with his health continuously monitored by a team of government doctors.

Dallewal's appeal to farmers to gather at Khanauri comes as the farmer leaders continue to resist attempts at negotiations through the Supreme Courts appointed High Power Committee. The Supreme Court, in its recent hearing, expressed concern over Dallewals health but clarified that it had not instructed the fasting leader to end his protest. The Central Government, however, has so far shown little willingness to resolve the issue directly with the farmers, causing frustration among the protestors. Senior farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has criticized the Centres stubborn attitude, demanding direct talks with the Modi government.

The protests significance has grown, with the call for a nationwide response from farmers and political organizations. In an important development, a meeting of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) held in Ludhiana laid the groundwork for future actions.

During the meeting, it was decided that another Mahapanchayat will be organized in Tohana and in Moga on January 9, where farmers will discuss the next steps regarding their demands.

Farmer leader Boota Singh emphasized the importance of unity among farmers, despite differences in ideological approaches. While there may be differences in opinion, our goals are aligned. Farmers must stay united to ensure our demands are met, Singh remarked.

End fast by accepting farmers demands: Hooda





Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Friday that the health of fasting farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal "is critical and the BJP government should try to end the fast by accepting demands and giving up its stubborn attitude".



Talking to reporters, Hooda said that Dallewal's life "is precious for everyone because he's not fasting for personal interest but for the legitimate demands of the farmers". Farmers have been protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border in Khanauri, demanding a legal guarantee for a minimum support price for crops. Dallewal's indefinite hunger strike entered its 39th day.



Former Chief Minister Hooda said the demands of the farmers are completely legitimate and many years old. The BJP itself had ended the farmer movement by promising the minimum support price (MSP). Farmers are reminding the government of its promise," he added.



"The Congress has been in favour of giving MSP to the farmers under the Swaminathan formula since the beginning. The BJP had also promised to double the income of farmers by implementing the Swaminathan report, but after coming to power, it forgot its promise and instead of doubling the income of farmers, it increased its cost manifold," he said.



Hooda added that apart from the Congress, no other party thinks about the interests of farmers, they only do politics in the name of farmers.
Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar, while addressing the youth at the Silver Jubilee State Convention of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Jharkhand held in Dhanbad today, appreciated their contribution in the development of the country and Jharkhand and gave an inspirational message.

The Governor said on this occasion that the organization of this convention is inspirational from many historical contexts. During the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Dharti Aba Birsa Munda, 150th birth anniversary of Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the centenary year of ABVP's architect Professor Yashwant Rao Kelkar, this convention gives a message of new energy and resolve to the youth of Jharkhand.

The Governor, while referring to the silver jubilee of the establishment of Jharkhand, recalled the contribution of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the formation of Jharkhand state. He said that when the bill regarding the formation of the state was brought in the Parliament, he was a member of the Council of Ministers in the government of Atal ji and as a Lok Sabha MP, he had voted in favour of the formation of the state.

Referring to the association of more than 82 thousand youth of Jharkhand with ABVP, the Governor said that this number is not just a figure, but a symbol of the energy and dedication of the youth of the state. He called upon the youth to contribute to the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and to make Jharkhand a leader in the field of education, employment, sports, innovation and cultural development.

The Governor explained to the youth the importance of continuous effort and dedication, citing Swami Vivekananda's idea of 'Arise, awake and do not stop till the goal is achieved'.

The Governor praised the glorious journey of 75 years of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and said that this organization not only gives the message of patriotism, but also provides a direction to the youth for their positive energy.

The Governor called upon all the youth to play their role in realizing the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Developed India @ 2047'.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini Friday made a slew of announcements to mark the birth anniversary of iconic social reformer Savitribai Phule including that the state government will now officially celebrate the day every year.



Saini also announced the state government will expedite the proposal to extend the metro line from Bahadurgarh to Asaudha. He also said the Bahadurgarh Municipal Council will be upgraded to a Municipal Corporation. He made the announcements at a programme in Bahadurgarh on the occasion of Savitribai Phule Jayanti. During the programme, the chief minister said Phule's birth anniversary will, from now on, be celebrated officially by the state government every year.



Saini said feasibility checks will be carried out to proceed with projects such as constructing an underpass at the railway crossing in the city, renovating roads in Bahadurgarh, developing a park on the vacant land adjacent to the old court, and establishing a "Vyayamshala" and "Yogshala" on a plot near the old bus stand.



Paying his tribute to Phule, Saini also said she was not only India's first woman teacher but also a beacon of women empowerment. Married to Jyotiba Phule, a revered social reformer himself, Savitribai Phule was considered by many as India's first woman teacher due to her pioneering work for educating women -- especially from deprived groups -- when it was considered a taboo.



Saini further said Phule's vision inspires the Haryana government's women empowerment initiatives. The Government Women's College in Loharu, Bhiwani, has been renamed after Savitribai Phule. The government is committed to educating and empowering women and continuous efforts are being made toward this goal, he said. Despite facing numerous obstacles, she courageously established a girls' school in Pune, Maharashtra, in 1848, he said.



Born on January 3, 1831 at Naigaon in Satara district of Maharashtra, Savitribai married Jyotiba and moved to Pune with him. Her husband, fired by modern ideas and reformist zeal, taught her to read and write. Savitribai took a teachers' training course and became a qualified teacher in 1847. The couple then started a school for girls in Bhidewada in Pune city in 1848, and she became its first teacher. The couple had to face tremendous harassment from conservative elements who found the idea of women' education repugnant.



The Haryana Chief Minister said that inspired by Savitribai Phule's vision, the BJP government in the state has opened colleges within a 20-kilometer radius to provide higher education. In the last 10 years, 79 government colleges have been established, including 30 exclusively for girls, he said. Saini said that in January 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nationwide 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' campaign from Panipat. "Haryana has actively worked with NGOs to save daughters under this initiative. The state's gender ratio has improved from 871 to 916. Haryana is now recognised as a state that empowers daughters rather than one that suppresses them, marking a true tribute to Mata Savitribai Phule," he added.

Work on Intl Horticulture Market in Ganaur to be completed soon



Talking to Reporters in Ganaur in Sonipat, the Chief Minister said that the work on the International Horticulture Market in Ganaur is progressing rapidly and will be completed soon. Saini said that the state government is committed to advancing development projects and the work on the International Horticulture Market in Ganaur is progressing rapidly.



Saini further said that the metro project from Bawana to Kundli has been approved, and work on it has already begun. Regarding the Rapid Rail, he highlighted the heavy vehicle traffic on NH-44 and stated that the work on Rapid Metro from Delhi to Panipat will also commence soon. The Chief Minister said that he is touring all assembly constituencies to thank the people of the state and added that he will visit Ganaur again. He also mentioned that he has instructed the officers to accelerate all development projects in the state.

The Chief Minister said that not only was she Indias first woman teacher, but also an independent personality and a trailblazer for womens rights. He said that Savitribai dedicated her life to womens education, widow remarriage, eradication of untouchability, and womens emancipation. Despite facing numerous obstacles, she courageously established Indias first girls school in Pune, Maharashtra, in 1848, shared Saini.
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperative Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey expressed concern about the less number of bank branches in Chanho during her visit to the area. A meeting was held in Punjab National Bank regarding the problems of the people of the area related to the bank. She gave directions to the bank officials regarding the obstacles in the loan waiver scheme of up to Rs 2 lakh being run by the state government for the farmers.

She said that farmers are facing the most problems regarding KYC. Due to lack of KYC, the people of the area are not able to take advantage of the government scheme on time. During this time, Tirkey also discussed with the bank officials on how to increase the number of bank branches. Due to less number of bank branches in Chanho, people coming from rural areas have to wait for hours.

The Minister also distributed blankets among the needy people in Raghunathpur Panchayat of Chanho block. On this occasion, she said that the purpose of providing assistance in this cold season is to discharge its responsibility towards the public. This is a small effort to provide them some relief in this freezing cold. Everyone needs to come together and take initiative to help the needy. Tirkey reached the Koko Aiyo Shakti Puja Sthal in Raghunathpur Panchayat again and bowed down to the feet of the mother.

She told the people present that I had prayed for success in the last assembly elections at this holy place, and this wish was fulfilled by the grace of Mother Koko Aiyo. This place is not only our cultural heritage, but the wishes of every devotee are fulfilled here. Also, the blessings of the mother give the courage to fight every difficulty.
Ranchi Police have recently busted an organized gang that used to steal mobile phones from crowded areas. During police investigation, a minor was caught with 3 stolen mobile phones in Morhabadi area of Ranchi.

Police have arrested the mastermind of this gang, Shivji Mahato, from Babupur in Sahibganj district. While another accused Devkumar is still out of police custody. In this case, the police have also arrested several minors, who are said to be associated with this gang.

Based on what the minor told the police during interrogation, a raid was conducted in a house located in Sukhdevnagar area. Mastermind Shivji Mahato was arrested from here.

Regarding the incident, the police said that 27 Android mobiles and 2 keypad phones have been recovered from Shivji Mahato's room. It was told that these mobiles were stolen from crowded areas like Khadi Saras Mela in Ranchi. During interrogation, the accused informed that minors were trained to steal mobiles in haat-bazaar and fair areas.

This gang used to carry out the crime in a very organized manner. In this, first the minors were given special training. During this, they were taught the skills of stealing mobiles in such busy areas of the city, where people keep their mobiles in their hands. At the same time, after training, these children were sent to crowded areas to steal. Here the gang leader used to give them feedback. Also, to avoid any unpleasant situation, the stolen mobile was quickly hidden.

Gang leader Shivji Mahato said that the minors were given a salary of Rs 15 thousand every month which was the reward for their hard work. However, now the police have caught them and the accused have been produced in the court. After this, the minors have been sent to the child protection home. The police have started searching for other members of the gang.
The Uttar Pradesh government has taken a significant step toward rejuvenating Bundelkhand by announcing a new link expressway connecting Jhansi and Jalaun.

Building on the success of the Bundelkhand Expressways connection to the Chitrakoot Link Expressway, the Jhansi-Jalaun Link Expressway, spanning approximately 115 kilometres, is set to become a game-changer. This expressway will not only bolster the industrial ecosystem of the Defense Manufacturing Corridor but also attract substantial investor interest.

The government is also developing a massive industrial city between Jhansi and Kanpur, spread over 36,000 acres across 33 villages  an area larger than Noida.

To spearhead this initiative, the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA) has been established. This project aims to benefit the Defence Manufacturing Corridor nodes in Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Chitrakoot and Jhansi by providing seamless and efficient connectivity.

The 15.2 km Chitrakoot Link Expressways connection to the Bundelkhand Expressway will significantly boost tourism and the Defence Manufacturing Corridor units in Chitrakoot. As a region of immense religious and cultural significance, Chitrakoot, where Lord Shri Ram spent much of his exile, draws countless devotees each year. Enhanced road connectivity, alongside the development of an airport, will further increase tourist footfall, creating opportunities for local economic growth.

Additionally, the government has prioritised the development of a Pharma Park in Lalitpur, spread over 1,500 acres in two phases. With nearly 70 per cent of the required land already acquired, the project is progressing swiftly. Improved connectivity through expressways will foster an industrial-friendly environment, driving rapid development in the region.

The Yogi governments commitment to the transformation of Bundelkhand underscores its dedication to creating a robust infrastructure network, fostering industrial growth, and improving the lives of local communities.

The Jhansi-Jalaun Link Expressway, estimated to cost Rs 1,300 crore, marks a significant stride in Bundelkhands development. Initially planned as a four-lane expressway, it is designed for future expansion to six lanes. The government has allocated Rs 228 crore for land acquisition, with Rs 220 crore already sanctioned in two instalments.

Bundelkhand and Purvanchal, historically overlooked in Uttar Pradeshs development, are now central to the Yogi governments agenda. A special industrial incentive policy prioritises these regions, ensuring they receive focused attention across various schemes, such as the UP AGREES Yojana for agricultural growth.

Bundelkhand is rapidly emerging as a solar energy hub. The Avada India Company has commenced electricity production in a solar park in Banda, while additional parks are under development in Jhansi, Lalitpur, Chitrakoot and Jalaun. These initiatives not only enhance electricity generation but also create local employment opportunities, contributing to the regions economic uplift.

Water scarcity in Bundelkhand is being actively addressed by the government. Major irrigation projects like the Arjun Sahayak Canal have been completed, alongside dozens of small to medium-scale initiatives. The Ken-Betwa Link project, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is poised to be a game-changer for both Bundelkhand and neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, ensuring sustainable water supply for fields and communities alike.

The Yogi governments comprehensive efforts in infrastructure, renewable energy, and water resource management reflect its unwavering commitment to reversing Bundelkhands historical neglect and unlocking its full potential.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually laid the foundation stones for two new Delhi University campuses and a college named after BJP ideologue Veer Savarkar. The project, with an investment of over Rs 600 crore, aims to boost educational opportunities and modernise facilities. The foundation-laying ceremony was held at Ashok Vihar where the prime minister also launched a slew of other infra projects for the national capital.

The Prime Minister underscored that in the field of higher education, the reputation of Delhi University is continuously growing stronger. Our effort is to provide more opportunities for higher education to the youth of Delhi right here. Today, the foundation stones for new campuses have been laid, which will allow hundreds of students to study at DU annually. The long-awaited Eastern and Western campuses will now be developed in Surajmal Vihar and Dwarka, respectively, Modi added. Additionally, a new college in the name of Veer Savarkar ji will also be built in Najafgarh.

The East campus at Surajmal Vihar and the West campus at Dwarka Sector 22 are being added to the existing North and South campuses as part of DU's efforts to expand its presence across the city.

The East Campus, spanning 15.25 acres, is being developed at an estimated cost of Rs 373 crore. It will offer LLB, LLM and an integrated five-year LLB programme, alongside other multidisciplinary courses.

The campus will feature state-of-the-art facilities, including 60 classrooms, 10 tutorial rooms, six moot courts, four computer labs, two cafeterias and two common rooms, spread across a built-up area of 59,618 square metres.

The West Campus, being built at Rs 107 crore, will be a new academic block in the first phase. Covering 19,434.28 square metres, it will have 42 classrooms, two moot courts, a digital library, conference rooms, seminar halls and separate common rooms for boys and girls. In addition to the campuses, Modi laid the foundation stone for Veer Savarkar College at Roshanpura, Najafgarh, just a five-minute walk from the West Campus.

The college, with a built-up area of 18,816.56 square metres and an estimated cost of Rs 140 crore, will offer modern facilities, including 24 classrooms, eight tutorial rooms, 40 faculty rooms, department libraries, conference rooms and a canteen.

Modi virtually inaugurated the CBSE's integrated office complex at Dwarka built at around Rs 300 crore. It includes offices, an auditorium, an advanced data centre and a comprehensive water management system, among others.

On the education front, the Prime Minister reiterated the government's focus on improving access to quality education and opportunities for all children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Every family dreams that their children will receive the best education, and the Central government is working towards providing top-tier schools, colleges, and universities across the country, he stated. The Prime Minister also praised the National Education Policy (NEP), which emphasizes teaching in mother tongues to ensure that children from all backgrounds, including marginalized communities, have the opportunity to succeed. Under the new National Education Policy, children from poor families now have a clearer path to becoming doctors, engineers, and professionals, he noted.

Modi also acknowledged the crucial role of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in improving India's education system. He announced the construction of a new CBSE building to support the expansion of modern educational practices. The new CBSE building will help expand modern education and the adoption of advanced examination methods, he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted that the Central Government is handling major projects in Delhi like roads, metro systems, hospitals, and college campuses. However, the state government has failed to fulfill its responsibilities, especially in areas like the cleaning of the Yamuna River. Neglecting the Yamuna River has led to a crisis where people are left with dirty water, he added.
January 4, 2025: The USN/U.S. Navy is the most powerful in the world and has been that way for eighty years. That primacy is now threatened by the American inability to maintain an adequate number of supply and support ships for the fleet at sea. The is particularly in the Pacific, where the U.S. Fleet prevailed because it built and maintained hundreds of ships to carry supplies, including fuel, to keep ground, and air naval force operational. In the final year of the 1941-45 Pacific War the USN had a thousand warships, 2,000 amphibious ships and over 4,000 cargo and fuel ships travelling between the United States and the combat zone to keep the naval war going.

Since 1945 the navy has adapted to a smaller fleet and decline of the American ship building industry. Over the last three decades China has become the largest shipbuilder in the world, turning out more warships and merchant ships than all other nations combined. By 2023 China was producing 51 percent of the worlds merchant ships. South Korea built 28 percent while Japan produced 15 percent. The U.S. was 14th on the list producing one tenth of one percent of merchant ships.

While China produces 51 percent of world shipping, it only operates 11 percent of that shipping. A handful of Greek shipping companies control 18 percent of the worlds shipping. This has been the case for decades. Japan controls 11 percent and South Korea four percent. The United States, the largest economy in the world, controls only 2.8 percent. While China is the largest exporter, the U.S. and Germany combined match the volume of Chinese exports. The Chinese economy thrives or dies depending on their ability to keep exporting. China cant afford a naval war because the submarine fleets of the U.S. and its allies make Chinese maritime trade impossible.

In a more practical sense the United States worries about supporting minor military operations in the Pacific, as well as supplying the Pacific Fleet in peacetime.

The most recent test of this ability involved a 2019 rapid-mobilization test of wartime shipping. The previous such test was conducted in 2003. The 2019 test was a no-notice activation drill that involved 28 of the 61 large transport ships in the reserve sealift fleet. These ships are essential for getting ground combat forces, especially their heavy equipment, to a distant combat zone as quickly as possible. The troops, with their personal gear and weapons, can be flown over but the vehicles and other bulky equipment need ships and need them fast.

The 2003 exercise involved 40 ships. This sort of exercise was also called a turbo-activation because the goal is to test the ability of these ships to be ready in days to move ground forces to a distant destination. The activation order was issued on September 16th and the ships had to be ready to depart by the 21st. The six Military Sealift Command\MSC and 22 Ready Reserve Fleet\RRF ships included four Large Medium Speed Roll-on/Roll-off\ LMSRs ships, eight Fast Sealift\FSS ships, two former Maritime Prepositioning\MPS Ships, fifteen Ro/Ro\Roll-on/Roll-off ships, a barge carrier, two crane ships and an aviation logistics support ship. Six commercial operating companies have contracts to manage portions of this fleet, which involved ships based in Chesapeake Bay, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas and California. The mobilization also involved the maritime unions which were under contract to provide crews of about 20 American officers and seamen to man each ship on ten day contracts. Before departing the ships receive some U.S. Navy personnel to handle some of the loading and unloading work and liaison with navy warships.

Five of the ships missed the deadline to be at sea by the 21st. These included an FSS that departed a day late. Four others were not fit to depart, including three in Texas that had suffered some damage from a recent hurricane. The ships that did make the deadline contained 306,000 square meters of cargo space for vehicles and other cargo plus four barges, 7,000 cargo containers and one ship that was a mobile repair base for an aviation wing.

Assembling the ships on time was one thing; another was how reliable those vessels will be on the long voyages they must undertake. Breakdowns at sea are more common for older ships and the age of many of the 28 assembled ships is a factor. There was also the fact that eleven of the assembled ships are steam-powered, a form of propulsion that is technically obsolete. Steam is still found in 30-40 year old ships and several days of moving about offshore provides an opportunity to see how reliable these older ships and their elderly propulsion systems are. The average age of the 61 ships in the reserve fleet is 44 years and this exercise also provides compelling evidence of the need to upgrade the reserve fleet with new or used modern ships, or be convinced that the elderly reserve fleet ships were not up to the task.

This mobilization exercise was one of many things the most visible American military logistics organization, the U.S. Transportation Command or Transcom for short, carries out on a regular basis. The air force component is Air Mobility Command\AMC, the navy contribution is MSC. The army contributes its expertise in handling the last mile of using ground and river/canal transport to get material from ships to the end-user.

Since World War II military logistics has evolved from a largely army chore to one that depends much more on air freight. It was during World War II that the United States found it had a talent and capacity for truly massive and unprecedented logistical efforts on a global basis. Most of this was run by the army, which had more ships under its control than the navy. The army ships and coastal craft were mostly for logistics and that fleet of over 110,000 vessels contained very few warships. After World War II the navy got control of the army fleet while the Army Air Force became a separate service and developed a huge fleet of air freighters. The army developed several generations of trucks and innovations like rapidly built temporary pipelines and a global network of transportation contractors.

These days the largest component of Transcom is AMC, which contains most of the 180,000 Transcom personnel and nearly as much of the budget. Most of the Transcom personnel are reservists or civilians, and a lot of the actual cargo moving is done by aircraft, ships and trucks hired for the occasion.

MSC ships and the army move more tonnage, but if you want something moved anywhere real fast, a very common requirement in wartime, AMC gets it done. AMC does this with a fleet of 1,100 aircraft. Some 40 percent are aerial tankers, the rest are freighters like the C-17 and C-130. In 2011, when there were still a lot of American troops in the Middle East and Afghanistan, AMC carried out 105,000 sorties, 20 percent of them were aerial refueling, with the rest moving personnel and freight. MSC moved 502,000 measurement tons/568,000 cubic meters of cargo as well as 6.6 million tons of fuel. Most of everything moved is via contractors. That means about half the air freight, 64 percent of sea freight and about the same portion of land movement although in the U.S. it's 88 percent.

The 98 percent of the 27,000 people in the Defense Logistics Agency are civilians who supervise the movement of all the supplies from manufacturer to consumer. They also handle the logistics planning and administration while Transcom specializes in moving stuff. The United States spends about $1.5 billion a year and uses over 150,000 personnel to move military personnel and material. This does not include additional spending for war related logistics in places like Iraq and Afghanistan that increase that spending by about five times. This level of activity, and length of time the U.S. has been at it, make access to American logistics resources and specialists something much sought after by American allies.

While the allies appreciate having American aircraft or ships move goods for them, often its just the excellent and experienced advice from the Americans that is needed. What the army still needs is ships that can quickly and in large quantities land material somewhere that does not have a major port nearby. Thats what amphibious ships like LSVs, LCUs and LCMs are essential for. These ships are essential for getting the goods from ship to shore no matter where the shore is and when port facilities are inadequate.

On a day-to-day basis, Transcom relies on commercial shipping and AMC to move cargo and personnel to sustain troops stationed overseas. Military personnel based for a long time in overseas locations make arrangements with local firms to provide a lot of basic supplies like food, fuel and construction. AMC moves personnel in and out on a regular basis as troops are based overseas for fixed periods, which currently are three months to three years. Ships are used to move heavy equipment that is not needed in a hurry. What the reserve fleet is essential for is moving ground forces, like combat brigades and logistic support units, to an overseas location in the event of a major crisis.

During the 1991 Gulf War, it took the Army 150 days to move five divisions, mostly by sea, to the Persian Gulf. It actually took 205 days to move all the combat and support units to the Gulf. There is another potential complication. In the past, the United States often got called on by its allies during military crises. The allies did not need much help with weapons or combat but did with logistics. The U.S. has been, for nearly a century, the world leader in moving military personnel and cargo to where it is needed and doing so under the most trying conditions of nature or enemy interference. Unless there is a major naval threat, which requires a major military operation to protect shipping, the U.S. is still the most experienced at quickly organizing a major military logistics effort.

The expertise to carry out these rapid mobilizations is easier to maintain than the fleet of ships. The ships get old and eventually have to be replaced, which is expensive. In 2003 and 1990 the U.S. could rely on prepositioned equipment for combat brigades, aircraft and warships. Some of that is still available in Europe, Korea and the Middle East. The fact remains that in any foreign war the U.S. has to move a lot of heavy items a long distance quickly, and no one has found a way to get around that. So these turbo-activation exercises measure how ready the reserve fleet is to actually do the job and how soon new ships are needed.

The only other nation with a fleet mobilization system like this is China, which needs dozens of commercial Ro/Ro, ferries and other ships to support an invasion of Taiwan or the movement of more forces to South China Sea islands. The Chinese requirements are much smaller than what the United States faces and the Chinese have a lot of more recently built ships for their reserve fleet.
The Delhi Police on Friday claimed to identify and deport seven Bangladeshi nationals residing illegally in different parts of the national Capital in a bid to address rising concerns over the unauthorized stay of migrants including Bangladeshi nationals in the capital.

In Southwest district, the police identified and deported two illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who had been residing in Safdarjung area of southwest Delhi. The husband-wife duo, identified as 54 year old Liyacat and 39 years old Nasreen, had been living in Delhi since 2012 and were native of Bangladeshs Bagaerghat district.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Surendra Chaudhary said, The police team was systematically briefed for day and night patrolling, ensuring effective vigilance and proactive measures against illegal activities. Team's dedication and efforts have led to the successful apprehension of two illegal Bangladeshi national husband-wife.

He added that January 2, during patrolling, on the basis of secret information two illegal migrants were detained from Shamsham Ghat road in Green Park and their documents were collected and verified.On interrogation, they revealed that both have been residing at different places in Delhi-NCR capital since 2012 and at present they were residing in Old Seelampur in Gandhi Nagar. Following thorough verification and interrogation, the necessary legal formalities were completed resulting in their deportation through the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), the officer said.

In another case in southeast district, the police identified five Bangladeshi immigrants residing illegally in Sarita Vihar. The accused has been identified as Sheikh Sofiul Alam Sabbir, Md. Takdirul Khan, Bijoyohmod Sahi, Habibur Rahman and Md. Musa Miah Khan who had been arrested by the Illegal Immigrant Detection Team of South-East District on January 1.

All these illegal staying Bangladeshi came to India on the pretext of visiting Bosnia Embassy for obtaining work permit visa. They were apprehended and produced before the FRRO for initiation of deportation proceedings, DCP (South-east) Ravi Kumar Singh said.

He added that legal action has also been initiated against the owner of the guest house where the individuals were staying for failing to adhere to the mandatory provisions of the Foreigners Act, 1946. Compliance with these provisions is essential to ensure proper reporting and monitoring of foreign nationals staying in India. This operation is part of a broader drive launched on November 19, 2024, by the South-East District Police to identify illegal immigrants. Since the commencement of the drive, 14 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants have been identified and deported so far, he stated.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned a natural resource management project to Udyansh Gramin Samaj Sewa Samiti in Haldi village of Kukshi block, about 130 Kms from Dhar district headquarters. The objective of the watershed project is recharge of ground water, improvement in top soil layer, increase in area under cultivation and improvement in cropping intensity. The project has two phases, i.e Capacity Building Phase (CBP) and Full Implementation Phase (FIP). Presently, the project is in the FIP from September 2023.

The benefits of the project have percolated down to the villagers / farmers of the area. Kalu Singh, a tribal, small farmer lives with his two sons and daughters, in a family of 6 members, in Haldi village.

He has three acres of cultivable land, where he sows cotton in two acres and maize in one acre land, with traditional agricultural practices. Due to flow of rainwater in monsoon season, the soil, in his field used to get washed away. Resultantly, the crop production was only about five quintals of cotton from two acres and four quintals of maize from one acre. Due to low productivity, there was very little savings and it was difficult for him, to meet the expenses of his family.

When the project commenced, the villagers through labor donation, constructed a Loose Boulder Structure (LBS) under the NABARD supported project. LBS is made up of loosely arranged boulders, which reduce the speed of water and help in reduction of soil erosion. Due to the LBS, the crop yield improved, in the farm of Kalu Singh, and the soil erosion was arrested. Further, there were less weeds as compared to the earlier years. He was able to produce nine quintals of cotton from two acres and eight quintals of maize from one acre of land. He made a profit of Rs. 16000/- from cotton and Rs. 8000/- from maize, apart from a saving of Rs. 2000/-, as weed control, was no longer required. Through these enhanced earnings, Kalu Singh plans to upgrade to a pucca house and provide better education to his children.

In the coming year, construction of 25 LBS are planned, which will help farmers across 50 acres, in the village.
Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a cross-border drug and weapon smuggling cartel with the arrest of 12 persons, including kingpin identified as Manjeet Singh alias Bhola of Jhanjoti village in Ajnala.

Other 11 arrested persons have been identified as Aniket Verma of Cheharta, Jobanpreet Singh alias Joban of Cheharta, Babli of Naraingarh in Cheharta, Harpreet Singh alias Happy of Guru Ki Wadali, Amritpal Singh Alias Ansh of Naraingarh in Cheharta, Reshma of Kartar Nagar in Cheharta, Harshpreet Singh alias Harman alias Hamma of village Thanda in Amritsar, Mandeep Singh alias Kaushal alias Joshi of village Fatehpur of Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi of village Fatehpur, Lovepreet Singh alias Jashan of village Fatehpur and Akashdeep Singh alias Arsh of Cheharta.

Sharing the information, the state Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Friday said that the police teams have recovered 2.19 kg heroin, three sophisticated pistols  including two automatic, and Rs 2.60 lakh drug money from their possession, besides, impounding their Toyota Fortuner car.

DGP Yadav said that accused Manjeet alias Bhola, who is a key player, was in direct contact with Pakistan-based smugglers or handlers and was receiving consignments of drugs and weapons from across the border. Probe revealed that consignments were being dropped at Ramdas and Ajnala border sectors with the help of drones, he added.

He said that further investigations are on to establish forward and backward linkages in this case.

Sharing more details, Amritsar Commissioner of Police (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that following a reliable input that accused Aniket has been into the drug smuggling business, police teams have successfully apprehended him. The arrest of Aniket has unearthed the entire network and led to the arrest of kingpin Manjeet alias Bhola and his all the accomplices from different locations, he said, while adding that five of the accused persons have been arrested from Jammu and Kashmir with the help of J&K Police.

The CP said that investigations have also revealed that accused Manjeet alias Bhola was using the house of arrested woman accused Babli, who is an Anganwari worker, to store the consignments and was using his accomplices to distribute further. Further investigations are ongoing to uncover the entire network and more arrests and recoveries are likely in coming days.

In this regard, a case, dated December 24, 2024, has been registered under sections 21(B), (C)/27-A and 29 of the NDPS Act at Police Station Chheharta in Amritsar.
Governor Santosh Gangwar today said that the martyrdom of Randhir Verma is imprinted in the history of the country, it cannot be forgotten. When Rita Verma was elected to the Lok Sabha, she had narrated stories of Randhir Verma's martyrdom. His sacrifice is worth remembering and it is the history of the country. The Governor said this while addressing the 34th martyrdom ceremony of Randhir Prasad Verma organized at Randhir Verma Chowk on Friday.

He said, "Ever since I have come to this state, I have heard stories of freedom fighters, which happen to be important for a country's independence. There were many incidents during that period and those efforts were done to save the country. Randhir Verma's sacrifice will be written in history as heros like him can only imagine sacrificing life for the country as at that time terrorists were dominating the entire country."

Randhir Verma sacrificed his life to stop them. Due to this extraordinary incident, for the first time the Government of India honoured a non-military person with the Ashok Chakra. Postage stamps were issued in their names. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described all the martyrs as the inspiration of the nation. Randhir Verma has done the work of making Swami Dayanand's national message alive. He advised youth to take inspiration from the sacrifice of Randhir Verma as he worked for the benefit of the country. The people here have done the work of changing the ideologies about Jharkhand and Bihar. Governor said, our priority should be the interest of the country.

Earlier, Governor Gangwar, wife of the martyr Prof. Rita Verma, Rajya Sabha member Deepak Prakash, MP Dhulu Mahato, MLA Raj Sinha, Ragini Singh, Deputy Commissioner Madhavi Mishra and SSP Hrideep P Janardhanan paid their tribute by laying wreaths at the Randhir Verma memorial.

Addressing the function, Prof. Verma said that even today people remember the martyrdom of martyr Randhir with love. Films like Gangs of Wasseypur have spoiled the image of Dhanbad. The people here are very good and have respect for the martyr's family . When she got the ticket after the sacrifice of SP Randhir Verma, she had no knowledge of politics but people chose me to represent them . The people of Dhanbad have tied me in the bond of love. I am grateful to Dhanbad till my death. She said that she did not have money for the renovation of the Randhir Verma memorial site. When he asked for help, Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash readily agreed and donated money from his own pocket. She expressed his gratitude to Deepak Prakash and the people of Dhanbad for their support.
Bhopal crime branch arrested drug peddler smugglers involved in illegal drug trade and 11.05 kg Cannabis and a car worth Rs. 1.2 lakh was recovered from the accused.

Acting on a tip off, the crime branch detained two men in a Tata Punch Grey colour car number CG04PN0205 in TRT Govindpura Bhopal near Agarwal Hotel and have Cannabis in the car and are waiting for a customer to sell.

On the basis of informer's information, TRT reached Govindpura Bhopal, near Agarwal Hotel, the place told by the informer, where as per the description given by the informer, two boys and the car no. CG04PN0205 were searched and after they were spotted they were detained and when the car was checked Cannabis was recovered from the car.

The two were identified as Prakash Mahaldar(32) and Sanjay Vishwash (48) of Odisha.

A total of 9 packets wrapped with brown tape were found inside an orange and green colored backpack on the rear seat of the car. On asking the suspect, Sanjay Vishwas said that these were his and that the said packets contained ganja. Later, on checking a black colored backpack near the feet next to the driver's seat of the car, 8 packets wrapped with brown colored tape were found inside it. On asking about this, the suspect Prakash Mahaldar said that these were his. Panchnama was prepared for this. Later, 09 packets wrapped with brown colour tape were found inside the orange and green coloured backpack of accused Sanjay Vishwas. When checked thoroughly, the said packets contained a bud, leafy-stalked, moist and strong smelling substance. When the said substance was identified on the basis of experience and training after smelling and crushing it, it was found to be the narcotic substance ganja and 8 packets wrapped with brown colour tape were found inside the black coloured backpack of accused Prakash Mahaldar. When checked thoroughly, the said packets contained a bud, leafy-stalked, moist and strong smelling substance. When the said substance was identified on the basis of experience and training after smelling and crushing it, it was found to be the narcotic substance ganja. When weighed on a weighing scale, the total weight was found to be 6.37 kg and the narcotic substance ganja recovered from accused Prakash Mahaldar was kept in a blue plastic foil and weighed on a weighing scale along with the foil, then the total weight was found to be 05 kg 140 grams.

After taking out a little substance from all the above packets, rubbing, smelling and burning it and checking on the basis of training and experience, it was found to be ganja.

Since the act of the accused is punishable under section 8/20 NDPS Act, the crime was registered in the police station crime branch and investigation was taken up. And the accused was presented in the honorable court.
The Yogi Adityanath-led government has achieved a historic milestone by resolving over 6,08,617 public grievances during the Good Governance Week 2024, securing the top position in the nation.

Maharashtra and Rajasthan claimed the second and third spots with 2,33,892 and 2,13,415 grievance resolutions, respectively.

This remarkable achievement reflects the administrative efficiency and unwavering commitment of the Yogi government towards public service. Uttar Pradesh also led the country in organising workshops at block and headquarters levels, with Madhya Pradesh following in second place.

Good Governance Week is celebrated nationwide from December 19 to 24 every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The initiative, under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, aims to promote transparency, efficiency and accountability in governance.

During the Good Governance Week, workshops were organised nationwide at block, tehsil, district and headquarters levels to address public grievances, raise awareness, and promote transparency in administrative work. Uttar Pradesh stood out by organising the highest number of workshops  16,997  securing the top position in the country. Madhya Pradesh came second with 13,128 workshops, while Rajasthan took third place with 5,810 workshops.

The purpose of these workshops was to resolve public grievances effectively, enhance public awareness and foster transparency in governance. These efforts also created a strong dialogue between the public and the administration.

The visionary leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the dedication of administrative officials have brought Uttar Pradesh to the forefront nationally. Through Good Governance Week, the Yogi government has sent a powerful message of Public Service as the Top Priority, with workshops serving as an excellent example of this commitment.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that action is being taken as per the instructions of the Supreme Court for the disposal of Union Carbide waste. The disposal of waste will be carried out carefully while addressing the public concerns. He said that the concerns of the public are at the top of the priority, the action of disposal of waste will be done under continuous monitoring. CM Dr. Yadav said that after 40 years of the accident, the harmful effects of about 337 metric tonnes of waste kept in Bhopal have come to an end. He said that more than 60 percent of the remaining waste is only local soil, 40 percent is waste of 7-naphthol, reactor residues and semi-processed pesticides. The 7-naphthol residue present in it is basically a co-product of the process of making methyl isocyanate and pesticides. Experts believe that its toxic effect ends almost in 25 years. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said these things in an interaction with the media at the CM's residence on Thursday.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that the process of waste disposal has been thoroughly tested from time to time by various institutions of the Central Government such as NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute), Nagpur, NGRI (National Geophysical Research Institute) Hyderabad, IICT (Indian Institute of Chemical Technology) and Central Pollution Control Board. On the basis of their study and reports submitted to the Supreme Court, as per the instructions given to the Ministry of Environment of the Government of India in March 2013, 10 tonnes of Union Carbide-like waste from Hindustan Insecticide Limited, Kochi, Kerala was transported and a trial run was conducted at TSDF in Pithampur under the supervision of the Central Pollution Control Board. The report of the successful trial run was presented to the Supreme Court.

Yadav informed that on the basis of the findings of the trial run, the Supreme Court directed in April 2014 that another trial run of 10 metric tonnes of UCIL waste be conducted at TSDF Pithampur under the supervision of the Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, New Delhi. The Supreme Court had also directed to ensure videography of this trial run.

As per the instructions, after the trial run in August 2015, the entire report of experimental disposal was presented to the Supreme Court by the Central Pollution Control Board. It was clear from the reports that the disposal of this type of waste has not caused any harm to the environment. The Supreme Court issued instructions to proceed with the disposal of UCIL waste and destroy it only after a thorough examination of all the reports.

Apart from the instructions being given by the Supreme Court from time to time regarding the action of waste disposal, the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh conducted a separate investigation on the basis of three points in detail. Points of investigation: Health related tests in the surrounding villages, effect on crop productivity and quality of regional water sources. In the test of all three points, it was found that no negative results were reflected due to the disposal of UCIL waste.

Yadav told that the government is fully sensitive towards the process of waste disposal. The action of disposal will be done under the continuous monitoring of Central Pollution Control Board, Madhya Pradesh State Pollution Control Board as well as all the concerned teams.
The police have arrested two absconding accused involved in the murder of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Pune, an official said on Saturday.

The accused, Sudarshan Chandrabhan Ghule (26) and Sudhir Sangle (23), were handed over to the special investigation team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing the case, the official said.

A police official had earlier said the duo was arrested from Dhule. However, it was later clarified by the Beed police that the arrests were made in Pune.

With this, the police have arrested six out of seven persons involved in the murder.

The police had earlier arrested Jairam Manik Change (21), Mahesh Sakharam Kedar (21), Prateek Ghule (24) and Vishnu Chate (45), while another accused is still at large.

Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village, was abducted, tortured and murdered on December 9 for attempting to stop an extortion bid on an energy firm helming a windmill project in the region. Walmik Karad, an aide of Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde, has been arrested in the extortion case.

Several police teams were deployed to arrest three accused on the run, and an SIT was constituted to nab them.

The probe team interrogated three persons to trace the absconding men, appointed informants and used technical skills to nab the two accused, the official added.

Meanwhile, Dhananjay Deshmukh, brother of the murdered sarpanch, on Saturday said the investigation in the case must be transparent, and the names of people who helped the accused must also be disclosed.

Talking to reporters, Dhananjay Deshmukh said, "One accused is still absconding, and there are people who have helped these men before and after the murder. It is now clear that this is an organised crime. Once the last accused in this case is apprehended, everything will be clear. The number of people involved in the case will also go up."

He further pointed out that the accused were nabbed from Pune and questioned who was helping them.

"Till now, everyone (accused) has been nabbed in Pune. This means they were all in one place. Someone kept them safe there, and the names of those who helped these accused must be disclosed," he said.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Saturday left for the Ajmer Dargah from Jaipur to offer a ceremonial 'chadar' sent by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 'Urs' of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

"The prime minister's message is of brotherhood and that the country should stay united... I am going to Ajmer Dargah with this message," Rijiju told reporters at the airport here before leaving for Ajmer by road.

He was received by the BJP's state minority morcha leaders at the airport.

The minister will present the 'chadar' at the shrine of the Sufi saint and read out PM Modi's message.

"On this auspicious occasion of Urs, we want that a good atmosphere should be created in the country. No one should do anything that can affect the harmony of our country," Rijiju said.

Be it a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Parsi, Buddhist or Jain, everyone is welcome at the dargah, he said.

Lakhs of people visit the dargah and people should not face any problem. The process there should be simple. Something new is being launched for improvements, he said.

Asked about a petition in a local court claiming that the dargah has been built over a Shiva temple, Rijiju said, "I have just come to offer 'chadar'."

"I have not come here to show or tell anyone, I am going with the message (of PM) for the country that all the people in our country should stay well," he said.

In November, a court in Ajmer admitted a petition claiming that the dargah was built over a Shiva temple and issued notices to the Ajmer dargah committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Archaeological Survey of India.

Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta, who filed the petition, had called on the PM to not send a 'chadar' this time.

'Urs' is held at the Ajmer Dargah to commemorate the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The prime minister has been annually sending a 'chadar' to the shrine.
A Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day left one person dead and seven others with minor injuries.

Authorities questioned why the tragic accident happened in the first place. This was confirmed by Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill.

What Caused the Tesla Cybertruck Explosion?

According to The Verge, authorities said that it was discovered that the rented Cybertruck in Colorado contained canisters of gasoline, camp fuel, and "large firework mortars" in its bed.

These, according to investigators, were said to be connected with a detonation system controlled by the driver. Surveillance footage and Tesla's own advanced tracking technology allowed authorities to chart the truck's movement, showing it arriving in Las Vegas as early as 7:30 AM PT.

The Cybertruck stopped in front of the Trump hotel for around 15 seconds before the explosion happened. There are several videos that captured the truck engulfed in flames and smoke billowing just outside the hotel's lobby.

Tesla's Response: Clearing the Air

The Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, was quick to react to the incident, claiming that the blast was not related to an issue with the Cybertruck. According to Musk, Tesla's data collected from the vehicle proved that the explosion resulted from an external cause.

"We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself," he posted on X.

Additionally, the vehicle, rented via Turo, was reportedly locked after the explosion, making it challenging for first responders to access it immediately. However, Musk confirmed that Tesla provided critical assistance to authorities, including video footage from charging stations and technical support for the locked vehicle.

Cybertruck blew up in front of Trump hotel in Las Vegas. Those are our luggage by the door and that's where we were when it happened. pic.twitter.com/KaVZXfGLNK  ayackle (@kaaaassuu) January 1, 2025

Eyewitness Accounts: Panic and Explosions

People took videos of smoke billowing as witnesses described scenes of chaos. Alcides Antunes shot the car fire. He recorded three loud bangs, apparently battery explosions, while others posted their videos from different angles while relating intense heat and vibrations, further stating that even the windows on the 53rd floor in the building are shaking.

First Responders Speed

Fire teams reached the scene in four minutes and stopped the spreading of the fire within an hour. Sheriff McMahill has assured residents and visitors that the area is now safe.

Statements from the Trump Organization

While Donald Trump has remained silent so far, Eric Trump took to the media and stated his thanks to the Las Vegas Fire Department and law enforcement forces for their immediate response.

He further mentioned that safety and well-being were more than a concernit is something that guests and staff require for the utmost performance.

The authorities continue with their investigation regarding the truck and the motive behind the driver. As investigations take place, everyone is asking the question of how much harmful cargo ended up in the middle of Las Vegas.

For now, Las Vegas residents and visitors can rest assured that the immediate danger has passed, but there are still unanswered questions.

Turo-Rented Cybertruck

For those who have no idea what Turo is, it's simply the Airbnb version, but instead of rental spaces, you rent vehicles.

According to Business Insider, the company hailed from San Francisco and specializes in offering a lot of options including Tesla, Porsche, Toyota, and more cars. Outside the US, it's operational in France, Canada, Australia, and the UK.

According to Turo, they had no control over the actions the guests would do after renting the car.